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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Combating Smuggling
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on May 26, 2008 For the Standard Today, May 27 issue As every business person or manufacturer in this country knows, smuggling is one of the most insidious banes in our economy, undermining the enterprises of legitimate importers and struggling domestic producers, and depriving government of billions of pesos in tax revenues. The news that the Bureau of Customs will again use the services of Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) for pre-shipment ocular inspection of goods being exported to the Philippines should be welcomed by all affected parties.(Manila Standard Today, May 20, 2008)., except, of course, the smugglers. According to the Standard Today, Customs was using the services of SGS from 1992 until 2002. I recall that the service contract was terminated under pressure from an NGO headed by former congressman Wigberto Tanada, whose �nationalist� sensibilities were offended by the idea of foreigners performing a government function. SGS was charging a service fee that ranged from P2 to P3 billion a year, which was considered extravagant by Tanada and his group.. Under the arrangement with SGS, all goods bound for the Philippines were subjected to ocular inspection by SGS agents in their ports-of-origin before being cleared for shipment This made sure, theoretically at least, that the goods and their declared value were correct and legitimate, so that the right taxes were levied when the goods arrived in a Philippine port of entry. Under the proposed re-contracting of SGS� services, the Bureau of Customs will no longer collect payments from importers, who will henceforth settle their tax obligations with the banks. According to Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales, revenue losses due to smuggling amount to close to P200 billion a year. Assuming this figure is correct, the Philippine government was/is losing P200 billion a year � or P1.2 trillion in the six years since 2002 � because �nationalist� sensibilities rejected paying foreigners P2 to P3 billion a year for services that Filipinos, theoretically, were capable of performing. Was this a case of cutting off our noses to spite our faces? The Philippines is an import-dependent economy. Almost every year since independence in 1946, we have been importing more than we have been exporting. This is the main reason why the Philippines peso has been losing its value, from P2-to-US$1 in 1946, to P43+-to-US$1 in 2008. Even our primary export products � electronic components � which make up 60 to 65% of our exports, are heavily import-dependent, with a value-added (mostly from labor) of only 20%. This means that for every $100 worth of electronic products that we export, we have to spend $80 to import their parts.. Given our also relatively weak tourism industry, we do not generate enough foreign exchange to pay for our imports. Were it not for the remittances of overseas workers, the peso would long have plunged to P100-to-US$1 or more. Employing the services of SGS was never a perfect foil to smuggling, and will never be, unless it is fine-tuned and improved all the time, to keep pace with, or be steps ahead of, the resourcefulness of Filipinos who have a talent for breaking, bending, massaging, twisting, circumventing, disregarding or skirting laws.. One way would be to implement an electronic national ID card, an idea which we have been debating for decades. I have been supporting the national ID card since it was first proposed during the Aquino presidency. But it was always blocked by communists (who feared it would be used to smoke them out) and by liberals in media and the clergy (who raised the specter of Big Brother invading their privacy.) To make matters worse, the idea was revived during the Ramos presidency with the expressed rationale of using it to keep track of people moving around the country. I wrote that this was a dumb way to promote the idea since it reinforced liberal fears of Big Brother. Besides it would require a mammoth bureaucracy to implement and would accumulate mountains of data everyday, 99.9% of which would be totally useless. I argued that the electric national ID card should be promoted as a voter�s ID card, to clean up the voters list and help make elections automated, clean and honest. Who can possibly be against clean and honest elections, aside from Garci and his tribe, and their trapo clientele? In tandem with the SGS pre-shipment ocular inspection, an electronic national ID could be used to curb smuggling, though it will not totally eradicate it. If a law were passed so that only persons with authentic electronic national ID cards were allowed to a) import anything; b) withdraw any import shipment from the ports, c) pay import duties at the banks, d) store any goods in any bonded customs warehouses, etc., the resultant paper and electronic trail � which can be publicized in media - would constrict the operating space for smugglers and discourage their activities. Only last week, the Bureau of Customs admitted that it could not locate 200 luxury cars which had obviously been smuggled through the Port of Cebu and registered in nearby Toledo City . If, additionally, only those with authentic electronic national ID cards were allowed to register cars with the LTO - in Toledo or Metro Manila or Subic or anywhere else - those 200 luxury cars would not have been illegally imported at all, or, if imported, would not be so difficult to locate, since the data in the electronic ID cards of those who registered them with the LTO would be immediately known. . An article by Economist Ernesto M. Pernia in the May 20 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer reveals that the Philippines has nine international airports, compared to only six in Thailand, six in Malaysia, and 11 in Indonesia (which is six times larger than the Philippines). Of these four countries, the Philippines draws by far the fewest number of tourists. So these surplus international airports were built not to encourage tourism, but for something else. And that �something else,� I am inclined to believe, includes smuggling.. Reducing our international airports to four (Clark, Ninoy Aquino, Mactan and Davao ) would further constrict the operating space of smugglers. So if President Arroyo really wants to curb smuggling, she should accelerate the resumption of SGS� services, impose the use of electronic national ID cards on those who deal with Customs, and reduce the number of international airports. The problem is that some of her best friends (or relatives, or financial backers during elections) may be big time smugglers. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. More articles in www.tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com. . To subscribe, send as blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Combating Smuggling� More Reactions to �Electoral Reforms� The Under-Rated Kamote The Conviction of Ninez Kawawang Pilipinas Hi Tony, The last sentence of your article, "Combating Smugling" sounds true. For how could those relatives of GMA's millions increase, as proven from the SALs reported recently. Again, thanks and more power. Bert Celera, (by email), May 29, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You wrote"The problem is that some of her best friends (or relatives, or financial backers during elections) may be big time smugglers. *****" Tony, The "problem" has to be solved first before smuggling itself can be curtailed. No amount of government empowerment is going to solve this problem. The problem is Philippine Justice and the first step before solving smuggling is Justice Reform. What we have been trying to do all along have been like putting the cart before the horse - naturally, they never work. Justice is controlled by the president, the senators and congressmen, the governors, mayors, the BIR, BofC, commissioners of government gaming bureaus who are the close associates of the president. The more empowerment by law given to the president and to his/her presidential mooses to stop smuggling, the more powerful privileges they enjoy in dealing with smugglers. They become a powerful presidential smuggling syndicates instead. We already knew this along with it said: "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The needed justice reform is empowerment of the people in the private sector to have an independent deciding voice in the indictment of the members of these smuggling syndicate and a deciding voice of the people in the trial and conviction (or acquittal of innocent) suspected smugglers even if that smuggler is a Malacaniang Occupant. This is why I have been recommending all along that we adopt the jury systems by the initiative process - the Grand Jury to secretly investigate and indict and the Trial Jury to hear, try and convict guilty parties. The power and authority of the people to set up the jury system is implied in their sovereign authority under Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution. There is no need to look for that authorization in the Bill of Rights where it does not exist. The sovereign power of the people is absolute over officials in the government branches and commissions. The Grand Jury is not bound by the so-called interdepartmental courtesies so that it can investigate any high official in any of the government branches including the president for graft and corruption. The people are the master and anyone working in the government including the Malacaniang occupant is the servant of the people. By the jury system, the people can maintain their status as masters of society 24 hours a day - not only during election time. I have already drafted the "People's Jury Initiative". It is stored in a CD which anyone can request by providing his postal mailing address. I likewise have drafted a "People's Anti-Dynasty Initiative" which is also included in the CD. Among the penalties in the draft law against congressmen or senators who refuse to appropriate funds for its implementation even if it is enacted by the people by the initiative process is a prohibition of a congressman or senator from running for re-election or for another public office or any of his close relative. If we will just pass by the initiative process the jury systems, the people will be truly in command to enforce decency in the government. They can not be deterred to decide to send to jail any smuggler both in and outside of the government service because public officials have no control over their livelihood and most specially by the fact that a judge will be supervising them in performing their jury duties. They will have that assurance that what they are doing is the proper thing under the guidance of a judge without controlling them with instruction which way they decide under the watchful eyes of the contending lawyers at the jury trial. A defective justice system is like a hole underneath the hull of an ocean vessel. No amount of discussion can stop the water to flow into the vessel unless we plug that hole. It's time to walk the talk. May be you may have been tired reading my recommendation to plug the justice system and unfortunately, you may agree, that there is no other way to do it but to PLUG IT to stop Philippine democracy from sinking.. Marlowe Camello, (by email), Homeland, CA, May 29, 2008 Email: [email protected] wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: There's a joke going around that compares the US and the RP. The US has a Bill Clinton, a Bob Hope and a Condoleeza Rice. The RP has a lot of bills that can't be paid but no hope and no rice. However, the RP has a lot of smugglers, liars, cheaters, drug dealers, carjackers, kidnappers, bank robbers and other lawbreakers. And most of them have US visas! Wala nang pag-asa ang 'Pinas! Forget combatting smuggling, or drugs or hunger or corruption. In the end, ang maari lang gumawa ng mga iyan ay ang may paalam sa mga namumuno at malamang kasosyo and nasa itaas. Ang pag-asa na lang natin ay bloody revolution or civil war. Kaya sabi ni Fr. Reuter, magdasal na lang tayo! Tito Osias, (by email), May 29, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Oftentimes in this country, the nationalist advocacies are so myopic and have no pragmatic basis. One classic example is our international airport. Do you know that way back in 1982 when the NAIA 1 was being reconstructed from its ashes, there was a recommendation that we contract the British Air Terminal Services (BATS) to manage our airport. The move would have taught us the technology of managing a modern airport. About the same time, Singapore had just built its new airport and had sought the assistance of the BATS who was also managing the Hong Kong and Sydney airports at the time. As usual, our intellectually arrogant airport managers then led by Louie Tabuena expressed outrage at the idea saying that we Filipinos know how to manage our own airport. Eventually, when technology was absorbed by the locals, management was transferred to local hands and the contract was allowed to expire. Anyway, history has borne out the Singapore , Sydney and Hong Kong decision because look at their airport now. Singapore for instance is even providing airport services to some places in China . We Filipinos must learn that we do not know everything. As a matter of fact we are not very good at all in delivering a multitude of services and we have a lot to learn. Vietnam is employing a lot of foreign consultants to plan their infrastructure. They may even have foreign experts manage the services at the start. In order for this country to move forward, we must have the humility to admit that we have a lot to learn and even the greater humility to let the experts show us how. In some cases, local bigwigs just have to give way to expert Filipinos who have had the foreign experience in these things. Gus Cosio, (by email), May 29, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. The Philippines is an archipelago surrounded by sea and ocean. Coast guard have difficulty policing the coast lines. Most smuggling happens outside of ports. (How do you know? Did you do an actual survey? Those 200 luxury cars that Customs cannot find. Do you know for a fact that they were landed on some lonely beach? ACA) Onecan choose a spot, a small town in either most northern or southern island, to haul off smuggled merchandise and surprisingly many town mayors and officials are part of the syndicate or at least received bribes from smugglers. It has been happening since the implementation of importation and taxes in our nations history. You might wonder why there were many scooters roaming around the Ilocos region which didn't passed ports authority. They are being unloaded in little towns in the northern part of the Philippines . Could it be Currimao? Just my guess, what do I know. The Mindanao area is also a hot bed of smugglers where one can buy can goods, electronics, perfumes, clothings imported from neighboring asian countries needless to say just be careful as many could be copycats or counterfeit items. I understand the average salaries of our government employees; however, if only the coast guard, navy and port authority custom officials will cooperate to fulfill their role to safeguard our national and government interest perhaps we can lessen smuggling thus can collect more taxes for our nations benefit. Once caught smuggling even as an accomplice should receive a serious penalty. Something not bailable, if possible. Nonoy Ramos, (by email), Pennsylvania , May 29, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I agree with the use of an electronic national ID card. Here, in Saudi Arabia , every citizen or expatriate has a single ID number which is required to transact legally with the bank, buying and selling motor vehicles, securing immigration visa (exit-reentry), purchasing SIM card for mobile phones, even registering local telephone lines, etc. All transactions with the government agencies require a valid residency or citizens ID card no,. Even penalties for traffic violation, which is electronically registered in the traffic bureau ,can be paid electronically thru your mobile phones using your residency/citizens ID number. Violators and criminals can easily be identified and you are sure your business transactions are legally binding. The benefits and security of using one�s citizens ID will more than outweigh the fears of Big Brother snooping on your personal affairs. Just like an SSS, GSIS and drivers� license number, an all purpose ID legally registered will wipe out fake and scrupulous persons. Joji Umali, (by email), Riyadh , Saudi Arabia , May 29, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Your idea to curb smuggling, as with your other proposals, presupposes that the administration has the country's welfare at heart. It's like asking Gloria to resign! Why don't we try something doable for a change? Why don't we help a myopic PNP serve a warrant of arrest to an ubiquitous convict? If we can prove to the world that one cannot hide under a woman's fetid skirt forever, maybe we might soften up a bit the thickest of skin. Please update us on Lintang Bidol. Eustaquio Joven, (by email), May 29, 2008 (Yes, why don�t you do something doable like looking for Lintang Bedol yourself and prove what it is you are trying to prove. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir: I totally agree with you that we should have a National ID. The problem here about the card being "acceptable" is a question of making it inconvenient if you do not have one. For instance, we can require all passport holders to be registered in the National ID System. Then we should require all employees of the Philippine government, down to barangay level to be registered. Then we should require all students of government owned and sponsored schools to be registered. Then we can require those seeking NBI clearance and police clearance to be registered. Then we should require members of the SSS and GSIS to be registered. Then move on to PhilHealth. Then make it a law where local citizens who wish to have local bank accounts be registered. And so on and so on. Before we know it, it will be very inconvenient for anyone not to have one. Arturo Buenaventura, (by email), May 29, 2008 (Exactly. Since it is not humanly possible to issue the national ID cards to all citizens at once, it has to be done in stages and by sectors. Such as those who need drivers� licenses, passports, police and NBI clearances, bank loans, professional licenses, marriage licenses, business permits, gun permits, water connection, telephone connection, cable TV connection, electric power connection, car registration, etc. The idea is to progressively reduce the operating space of criminals and other deviants by requiring all persons to identify themselves electronically whenever they interact with government, or with the private sector, or with each other. I have been proposing this since the 1990s. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I really do not see why some sectors are against the institution of national ID cards. And it shouold not really be as expensive as envisioned if we just duplicate what the USA is doing. Upon birth, the parents are required to report the incident to the SSS and the child is assigned a social security number which is for life, which, in adult life, is cross-indexed with a state ID or driver's license. So, in every significant legal and financial transaction, the SSS number or drivers license is used for identification. We already have a social security system. All that we have to do is to register those still unregistered and henceforth require every birth to be reported to it, and such SSS number to be included in the birth certificate of the chlld or the birth certificate number to be reported to the SSS whichever is comes first. Driver's licenses should also be cross indexed with the SSS numbers With this, the residence certificate should be entirely eliminated from our life. For non-drivers, we could have an optional ID card to be issued by the muinicipality of residence of the person, which should also be cross-indexed with the SSS number. For the protection of private information, the SSS numbers should not be shown on the ID cards. As to the smuggling problem, our country is fortunate to have an anti-smuggling officer in the person of Mr. Villar. We should look for more of his kind to enforce our customs and internal revenue laws. It must be noted that no matter how much we increase the salaries of those collecting revenues for the government, such increase is no match to the "take" consequent to the dishonest enforcement of revenue and customs laws. Among our youth, we should be able to find idealistic college students that we can further steep into patriotism and mould for honest government service. The Philippine Military Academy is one institution that could do this. It is disappointing to realize, that a premier institution like the Philippine Military Academy could not provide enough graduates on whose shoulders we could entrust civil responsibilities. Every family whose child successfully hurdles the stiff competition for acceptance to this academy beams with the proudest pride for that feat. Family, relatives, friends and acquaintances are elated for having someone in the PMA. Everybody concerned expects a bright future for this cadet. But wait, will post graduation prove our expectations? Edmundo Ledesma, (by email), Cainta, Rizal, May 29, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, Combating Smuggling in the Philippines ? No way- It will even "grow" to an unbelievable proportion for as long as the Queen, King and Prince of crooks continue to stay in Malacanang Palace . Every time this lying, cheating and a thief woman opens her mouth to publicly announce she will put a stop to smuggling, corruption and put them to jail even if they are member of her family nothing happens. Why? Because she always open her protective umbrella to them. These no good people's philosophy is- money is power. Money can buy Congressmen, some Senators, local elective officials, some people in the Judiciary and even some Church people. Unless they banish in the seat of power they will amaze wealth, from trillions to quadrillions while Filipinos there becomes poorer until they die of hunger. How do you banish evil people like they are? Go into action. Do not be afraid- you will die of hunger anyway. Paggutom and pumatay sa tao, tyak dilat ang mata at naghihirap pa eh pagbala pikit ang mata at mabilis pa. The choice is yours... Mike M. Moreno, (by email), Richmond , B.C. Canada , May 30, 2008 Chair-Fil-Am Fil-Can Alliance (The choice is also yours. I suggest you leave the comfort and safety of Canada and come back here, go into action and lead the charge. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I respectfully wish to invite your honor to become an active member in the "Filipino Global Advocates for the Jury System" which other dignitaries are organizing to enact by the People's Initiative process the "People's Jury Initiative" that I drafted. I will email you later some details about this. Sincerely, Marlowe Camello, (by email), Homeland, CA, May 30, 2008 (Thank you. But as I told you before, I am not a lawyer. I cannot tell whereas from wherefore. I am the wrong person to champion your Jury System. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Electoral Reforms� (May 20, 2008) Sir Tony, Your suggestion of a qualifying exam for people running to an elective postion is unnerving. Who will ask the questions, grade the examinees? The comelec, the churches, the NGOs? A doctor and an engineer runs for mayor vs a trapo. What will be in the exam that will not tilt the balance in favor of any of the candidates? (If qualifying exams for doctors, engineers, accountants, nurses, etc are not unnerving to you, why should qualifying exams for candidates for public offices be unnerving? Who should manage the exams? My choice would be the UP College of Public Administration . A doctor, an engineer and a trapo can run for an office � such as mayor of a town � and all can be assured that no one will enjoy an advantage since the exam will not ask questions on medicine or calculus, but only on matters relevant to the office they are aspiring for: the local government code, environmental regulations, land use, local taxation, basic accounting, public health matters, etc. What�s your problem with that? ACA) On the TV-equal airtime thing - I agree wholeheartedly. However, by giving power to the 'academe, the churches and the NGOs' all of whom have their own election candidates to consider, one is inviting a long winded electoral protest. Might I suggest a permanent oversight committe composed of apolitical people to oversee this TV thingie? At least, some kind of impartiality might be displayed. Robbie Tan, (by email), June 3, 2008 (If you do not trust people from �academe, the churches and the NGOs�, how then can you trust �an oversight committee composed of apolitical people.� How do you determine who is apolitical and who is not? My point is you have to have some trust in other people, unless and until proven wrong. Otherwise, you cannot do anything to improve anything. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The Conviction of Ninez Dear Mr. Abaya, The recent conviction for libel of Ninez Cacho Olivares, a tabloid writer, brings to mind an aspect of what you called the need for "an articulation of a New Order that will give an ideological backbone to a new middle class revolt" in your article entitled New Order, published in March 2008. I have always looked to the media � journalists and opinion writers � as an effective and incessant source of new ideas and catalysts for change. Indeed, who, better than the opinion writers, can shape public opinion? In this regard, who can better articulate what consists the New Order than a responsible media? Disraeli (1804-1881), a writer and a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , said that "the press is not only free, it is powerful". With such power, no wonder the press is able to not only influence, but also, and more importantly, shape public opinion. It can, therefore, also usher in the foundations of a New Order. But the same power of the press may be used to the prejudice of this New Order; worse, create a different and woeful new order. John Adams, second President of the United States and one of the fathers of American independence, commented as early as 1775, "[t]he abuses of the press are notorious� License of the press is no proof of liberty. When a people are corrupted, the press may be made an engine to complete their ruin." It is, therefore, necessary for citizens to ensure that the press does not overstep the bounds of a lawful and proper pursuit of truth and information dissemination. Perhaps this vigilance on the part of the citizens is yet another facet of this New Order. And part of this is to exact retribution from members of the media who disregard the truth and violate the sacred tenets of responsible journalism. Sir William Blackstone (1765), and eminent English jurist, thus recognized: "Every freeman has undoubted right to lay what sentiments he pleases before the public; to forbid this is to destroy the freedom of the press: but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he must take the consequences of his own temerity." So, to, in the case of Ms. Olivares, since she published what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, she must take the consequences of her own temerity. Perhaps this new order can begin, sooner than we expect. Best regards. John Jl. Balisnomo, (by email), June 05, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Forwarded to Tapatt by Ben Sanchez) The under-rated kamote � By William M. Esposo April 17, 2008 We are a nation blessed with tremendous natural resources and yet many Filipinos suffer from hunger and malnutrition. While it's true that the nation's wealth is cornered by only a few Filipinos, we must not lose sight of the fact that a good part of our malnutrition problem is also self-inflicted. Rampant malnutrition could have been significantly checked had the government taken time to promote food alternatives that could even provide better nutrition than the usually consumed staples such as ri ce. Ignorance, not just lack of money, causes malnutrition. Captive to our comfort zone, our people either do not know their food options or simply refuse to consider the other foods that are available to them. The underrated kamote illustrates my point. Do you know that kamote far exceeds the nutrition and health values of rice? Here are the benefits of substituting rice with kamote: 1. Kamote is more filling and suppresses hunger pangs longer. It is also cheaper than rice. 2. Unlike rice, kamote is so easy to grow. It grows in backyards with or without fertilizers. Local government executives can provide their poor communities with idle government land for planting kamote which the entire community can share. 3. Unlike rice which needs to be eaten with a dish, kamote tastes good and can be eaten by itself. Thus, substituting rice with kamote saves money for other needs. 4. Rice cannot match the nutritional values of kamote. Because rice converts to sugar in the body, the Philippines registers as a top producer of diabetics in the world. The poor tends to load up on rice and less on the dish which are more expensive. That makes them vulnerable to diabetes, an ailment known in developed countries as a rich man's disease. 5. The nutritional values of a 3 oz baked kamote are: calories 90, fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbohydrate 21 g, protein 2 g, dietary fiber 3 g, sodium 36 mg, vitamin A 19,218 IU, folic acid 6 micrograms, pantothenic acid 1 mg, vitamin B6 <1 mg, vitamin C 20 mg, vitamin E 1 mg, calcium 38 mg, manganese 1 mg, carotenoids 11,552 mcg, potassium 475 mg and magnesium 45 mg. Compare that to a 100 g serving of white rice with: calories 361 kcal, water 10.2 g, total fat 0.8 g, dietary fiber 0.6 g, calcium 8 mg, phosphorous 87 mg, potassium 111 mg, sodium 31 mg, vitamin B1 0.07 mg, vitamin B2 0.02 mg, niacin 1.8 g, protein 6 g and carbohydrates 82 g. 6. Too much rice consumption can make you sick but kamote can bring you to health and keep away some health problems. These have been proved medically. In a medical documentary I watched recently on KBS World (the South Korean TV Network), I was awed by the results of the research the Koreans conducted on the nutritional and medicinal benefits of kamote (which they refer to as sweet potato). Few Filipinos realize that South Korean doctors are among the finest in the world. The Korean doctors have accomplished many key breakthroughs in the field of medicine. It was a Korean doctor working in Germany who was able to develop the successful liver transplantation protocol (and the Germans almost placed him in jail for having experimented at home with live animals). The Korean doctors enjoy the benefit of knowing both the Eastern and the Western methods to tackling diseases. They may be low key but their level of medical technology is world class. In that Korean medical documentary I watched (which I followed through the English subtitles), they presented the research findings on people with established health problems who were placed on a kamote/sweet potato diet. Believe it or not kamote lowers hypertension, bad cholesterol and even blood sugar when eaten as SUBSTITUTE TO RICE! The purple sweet potato (kamote) is particularly effective for lowering hypertension. Not only that, the Korean medical documentary credits the sweet potato (kamote) as high fiber and is one of the best foods that one can eat to prevent cancer! For those who are only impressed by US doctors, listen to this: the North Carolina Stroke Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association have all endorsed the sweet potato for its disease prevention and healing qualities. The Americans, the South Koreans both progressive nations have raised the kamote to a high pedestal. Many of them even call the kamote a "super food that heals." And just how do we Filipinos regard the kamote? Remember how we like to call a loser as one who is nangangamote (Filipino term for lagging behind)? Truly, unless we unlearn many things, we will, as a nation, always be.***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Kawawang Pilipinas Bakit pag para sa mga mahihirap P500 hanggang P1,000 lang ang kayang ibigay ng Administrasyong Arroyo samantalang pag para sa mga Mayor, Gobernador at Congressman hindi bumababa sa P200,000 hanggang P500,000 ang kayang ipamigay ng Administrasyong Arroyo sa loob pa mismo ng Malakanyang. Ganito na ba talaga kababa ang tingin ng Administrasyong Arroyo sa mamamayang Pilipino, P500 lang ba ang katapat ng bawa't Pilipino? Hanggang kailan pa kaya tayo magigising sa katotohanan na pinaglalaruan lang tayo ng Administrasyong Arroyo. Kawawang Pilipinas, gumising ka..... Maurice Elloso, (by email), June 07, 2008 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO All reactions to [email protected]. 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