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‘Kiss muna’ and the Altar of Secrets

“Kiss muna,” he said, pointing to his puckered lips. “Give me a kiss first” and the many similar sexual innuendoes like it, are a most precise and succinct precondition that a lecherous man in a position of ascendancy and superior power and influence would lay on a woman depending on some outcome beneficial to her, through his beneficence.
Yes, “Kiss muna” would be cute to say to a little child, in playful cajoling much like training pet dogs.
But for a person in ascendancy to say, in so many words translatable to “Kiss Muna” to a woman (or man) employee in the workplace, whether the immediate “reward” would be defined ab initio or not, nor if there was consent or even initiation by the “victim” — that would be called sexual harassment, as variously defined among the offenses under Rule X, Classification of Acts of Sexual Harassment, Section 53, grave, less grave and light offenses (see Civil Service Commission, Resolution No. 01-0940 dated May 21, 2001).
When on June 3, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte separately met with 2,000 of the estimated 66,000-strong Filipino community in South Korea on the first day of his official talks with Korean President Moon Jae-in, he ended his otherwise uncontroversial pep talk with a surprise twist: he asked for two women from the audience to receive two books as presents from him.
The Philstar Global video clearly showed President Duterte saying, “Not a man. You have to pay me with a kiss. Are you ready for kissing?” Duterte said, and he pointed to the two women to go up to the stage (philstar.com June 3, 2018). He held only one book, and he instructed the lady in the red-flower printed dress to pass on the book after reading it, to the lady in the white blouse.
“Where’s the kiss?” Duterte said in Filipino.
As he held tight to their hands, the two women raised his hands to their foreheads in the “mano po” gesture customary of paying obeisance to elders in the Filipino culture. As Duterte would not let go, the woman in the red-flower printed dress reached up to his cheek, gave him a fast and light buzz, and immediately “escaped” down from the stage. The woman in white was, by this time, alone on stage with Duterte, as he pointed to his puckered lips. The woman in the white blouse was shrieking, and jumping up and down, probably not from excitement, but perhaps more from nervousness, as she was evidently caught in a dilemma — and the jeering crowd was evidently enjoying her predicament.
“Are you single,” he asked. “Married,” she said. “Is he here,” he asked. “No,” she said. “Sabay tayo (let’s do it simultaneously),” he said, as he drew her to him and kissed her on the lips. She jumped up and down, shrieking, and President Duterte took her into a tight embrace, patting her on the back. (Ibid.).
“I hope you understand,” President Duterte said to the audience. “That was only a gimmick to make you happy.” (Ibid.).
State-run Philippine News Agency on PTV 4 identified the woman as Bea Kim. “There wasn’t malice in it,” she said. “For me, for him, it didn’t mean anything” (Reuters June 4, 2018). Women’s rights group Gabriela said it was “unfortunate that the woman found it her obligation to publicly defend the act as ‘[without] malice”…the kiss was “disgusting theatrics of a misogynist President who feels entitled to demean, humiliate or disrespect women according to his whim.” (Ibid.).
When Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said there was nothing immoral with President Duterte kissing a married woman in public, because the woman herself did not complain about it (ABS-CBN New June 5), opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said that even though the kiss was consensual, it was a “grave abuse of authority” (Reuters, June 4).
“A person in power, [especially] a President, who solicits sexual favor — a kiss on the lips before a hooting throng is acting inappropriately. The misconduct? Misuse of power. It’s what sexual harassment is all about. He shouldn’t have placed her on the spot,” said former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay (Ibid.).
University of the Philippines sociologist John Andrew Enriquez pointed out that Duterte was on public space, in an event funded by the Filipino people — government money was spent, and the people have a right to comment. The crowd jeering and cheering pressured the “victim,” as well as she was intimidated by the power of the President. Yes, she was awed by him, as most Filipinos are awed by politicians, making them celebrities, he said (CNN June 9, 2018).
It has been a week of hype and hysteria on the “Kiss muna” faux pas of Duterte. Even the foreign media has been feasting on the kissing story, taking time and space for this perversely “news-worthy” item, this weird story of the leader of this small country kissing on the lips, a giggly young Filipina (former overseas Filipino worker) now married to a Korean. Surely there was a subliminal message not quite flattering to the Filipino image.
More than the image, it is the serious matter of “molding the collective consciousness,” sociologist Enriquez cautions. All, especially those in positions of power and influence, help this collective consciousness take shape, from their overt action and the language used to convey values and principles.
But what about the book that Duterte dangled and gave to his chosen “Kiss muna” victim?
The dark-covered book in video clips and so named in many newspaper accounts of the kissing scene is Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics and Money in the Catholic Church, an exposé on alleged wrongdoings of Catholic bishops and priests, written in 2013 by the multi-awarded investigative journalist Aries C. Rufo.
Duterte had said the Catholic Church has no moral ascendancy to lecture him because some members of the clergy are also engaged in sinful acts (ABS-CBN News Jan 24, 2017). Duterte, a Catholic like the estimated 80% of Filipinos, has repeatedly been hitting at the Catholic Church and some of its leaders for speaking out against his war on drugs — and has actively recommended the reading of Altar of Secrets. (Ibid.).
If ever there was no malice in the “Kiss muna” episode in South Korea, could there not have been some malice in distributing Altar of Secrets as the subliminal quid pro quo?
Woe to our “collective consciousness,” as the sociologist would bemoan.
 
Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.
ahcylagan@yahoo.com

PHL’s top diplomat: ‘More gains’ with China under Duterte

By Camille A. Aguinaldo and
Charmaine A. Tadalan
FOREIGN AFFAIRS Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano on Sunday said the Philippines under the Duterte administration has more gains with China because of its “prudent and patient diplomatic approach” compared with the previous administration.
Also on Sunday, Malacañang confirmed that a Chinese aircraft had landed in Davao City last Friday “for refueling,” but stopped short of describing the vehicle as a military plane, images of which were spread on social media.
‘PREVIOUS APPROACH IS LOUD’
“Under the management and administration of President Duterte, we have more gains today. The previous approach is loud but (there are) a lot of losses. There are victories, there are gains but many losses. But doing it through a prudent and patient diplomatic approach, there are many results,” Mr. Cayetano told reporters after the arrival of 100 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City.
For instance, Mr. Cayetano said the military has reported less than 10 incidents of grave concern in the last two years compared with the previous administration where there were incidents every week.
“So we need to see not only the problem but the solutions that were already laid down,” he said.
Sought for comment, foreign policy expert Richard J. Heydarian of De La Salle University said the Philippines’ position with China has been a “mixed baggage” under the Duterte administration.
He said the administration may be lauded for its efforts to open communication channels with China, for raising the prospects of Chinese investments in the country, and also for allowing the Filipino fishermen easier access to Scarborough shoal.
However, Mr. Heydarian said the Philippines’ position was actually worse in the past years due to China’s militarization in the South China Sea. He also pointed out that the Duterte administration “overly emphasized” its engagement with China, noting that being “meek and humble” with China still had not shown evidence that it would be “merciful” to the Philippines.
“The fairest way of looking at this is to say it has been a mixed baggage. It is unfair to blame the Duterte administration for our deteriorating strategic position on the ground but I think it is also very unfortunate that the Duterte administration has not leveraged our arbitration award in the best way possible,” he said in a phone interview with BusinessWorld.
Mr. Heydarian said the Aquino administration had been strong in its confrontation with China but also noted the past administration forgot the value of maintaining robust communication channels with the Asian power.
He also pointed out the Aquino administration over-relied on while the Duterte administration underappreciated its alliance with the United States.
“It’s only the United States that’s willing to give the kind of assistance that gives us a fighting chance in terms of deterring China,” he said.
For his part, defense analyst and Institute for Policy, Strategy and Development Studies Fellow Jose Antonio A. Custodio disagreed with Mr. Cayetano, pointing out the lack of reported incidents during the Duterte administration was caused by the lack of any presence of Philippines ships in the area.
“If the logic of Cayetano is to be followed, then there should be no incidents with the Chinese regarding our fishermen who are in the area. However, there are frequent harassments done by the Chinese and the Duterte administration ignores these,” he told BusinessWorld in a phone message.
Mr. Custodio also added that the Philippines’ economic gains in its relations with China were not a “win-win situation” as proclaimed. He said the influx of Chinese workers in the country has denied jobs to Filipinos while the loans the country secured with China has been questioned following the recent situation of Malaysia where its loans with China are being reviewed.
He also dismissed such gains as the provisional fishing agreements with China on Scarborough Shoal and the joint exploration on the South China Sea.
“These agreements are not gains because they legitimize China’s territorial seizure and (this) does away with our legal victory,” he said.
Also on Sunday, Mr. Cayetano said Filipino fishermen may now return to their fishing grounds in Scarborough Shoal after he was assured by the Chinese Ambassador that “they will apply the law very harshly to the violators.”
“(Foreign Affairs Under)secretary Ernesto C. Abella talked to the Chinese Ambassador the other day. Last night, I was with him in one event. The Chinese Ambassador assured that they will apply the law very harshly to the violators. We have an agreement with them that fishermen were free to fish, except on areas that are protected because of ecology and environment,” he said.
He also urged the Filipino fishermen to report to the DFA any similar incident in the future so investigations could be conducted.
“But it’s also a lesson for us that agreements need enforcement mechanisms and we continue to talk to China. As of now, the discussion is we discipline our own Coast Guard and fishermen, we discipline them,” he said.
‘INFORMATION’
For his part, Magdalo Representative Gary C. Alejano maintained that the “information” he received on the alleged order to stop patrol operations in the South China Sea (SCS) was true.
Unang-una, hindi kuryente ‘yan (First of all, it’s not false news). I am 100% sure, because the source has the authority to say that and he relayed to me the information personally,” Mr. Alejano said in a radio interview, Sunday morning, hours before Mr. Cayetano’s press briefing also that morning.
The statement was made after Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Colonel Edgard A. Arevalo denied claims there was an order coming from President Rodrigo R. Duterte to stop patrol operations in the SCS.
Ang information d’yan, may instruction na wag na magpatrolya sa Scarborough Shoal and West Philippine Sea (WPS) kasi nga wala din naman effect ‘yan at baka ma-offend pa yung China, ang sabi ng Armed Forces. (The information was there was an instruction to stop patrolling Scarborough Shoal and the West Philippine Sea because this doesn’t really have any effect and it might offend China — that’s from the Armed Forces.) I don’t want to say which specific person,” Mr. Alejano said.
He added; “Ang sagot doon ay hindi ba magiging taliwas yan sa mandato ng Armed Forces na protektahan ang sovereignty and territorial integrity ng bansa? Nasa Constitution yan. So nagkaroon ng, in a way, negotiation, or discussion, nag-compromise na lang. ‘O sige, isang patrolya na lang kada buwan.” (The answer to that is, wouldn’t that be contradicting the mandate of the Armed Forces to protect our sovereignty and the country’s territorial integrity? That’s in the Constitution. So this led to, in a way, (a) negotiation, or discussion, just a compromise. Okay, we’ll just conduct one patrol a month.)
But Mr. Alejano also clarified receiving this information late last year yet, and that he never mentioned the directive came from Mr. Duterte, but rather from Malacañang.
Kahit itong iisang patrolya kada buwan, it is hardly followed…. Minsan, pag-monitor ko, may tatlong buwan na wala pa ring patrolya (Even the monthly patrol is hardly followed. Sometimes, when I check, three months have passed and still no patrol),” Mr. Alejano said.
Mr. Arevalo, for his part, said, “Nagpapatuloy po ‘yan, regular po ‘yan. (The patrols are regular and continuing.) At ang lahat ng information (And all the informatin we get), we translate it to a report we provide to our senior, higher headquarters, higher offices of the government.”
Mr. Alejano said going to war with China is “never an option,” in asserting our rights over SCS.
Kahit na sinasabi ng Pangulo na gi-giyerahin tayo or makikipag-gyera tayo (Even if the President says [China] will wage war with us or we will start a war [on China]), when we assert our sovereignty, that is not an option, there are so many options,” he said.
Mr. Alejano said the government needs to increase spending on military modernization. “It should be a policy direction (so that the) budget will come. Kung ‘di natin priority yan, walang budget yan (If we don’t give this priority, there’ll be no budget).”
He had previously filed a resolution proposing to allocate 2% of the Philippines’ gross domestic product on defense spending annually.
CHINESE MILITARY PLANE
Regarding the Chinese aircraft landing last Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement on Sunday afternoon: “As per records of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Chinese aircraft made a technical stop in Davao City on June 8 for mere refueling.”
He added that relevant government agencies had “closely coordinated for the aircraft’s refueling, which followed established procedures.”
“According to the permit granted, the aircraft was bound for Cairns, Australia. As verified and reported by CAAP, no movement of passengers was made outside the terminal building. The Chinese aircraft used a local handler, Transnational Aviation Support Service, to arrange the requirements for the permit. The flight was given an entry and exit permit, like any other private flights,” the spokesman said.
For his part, Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” T. Go said that “technical stops by foreign government and commercial planes, including for refueling purposes, are closely coordinated by our relevant government agencies following established domestic procedure and in consideration of existing agreements. The same courtesy is extended to Philippine government aircrafts when technical stops need to be undertaken.”
“The Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), CAAP — and other relevant agencies — work together to ensure that requesting parties comply with our domestic procedures and requirements,” the President’s aide also said.
Last Saturday, Mr. Custodio posted on Facebook a photo of the aircraft by the Philippine Plane Spotters Group and said in part: “My first time to see a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force IL-76 military transport plane which landed in Davao City Airport.” — with Arjay L. Balinbin

Fire breaks out at Malacañang

AN OFFICE under the Office of the President at Malacañang Palace caught fire at around 2:00 p.m. Sunday, June 10, the Manila Fire District said.
The fire started inside the storage room of the Assets Management Office in San Miguel, Manila, DZRH reported.
In a telephone interview, the Manila Fire District- Communication Electronics (ComEl) office said the fire reached “first alarm at 2:16 p.m.,” and was placed “under control at 2:38.”
The fire was declared “out at 2:45,” the Manila Fire District said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has fire alarm levels to determine the number of fire trucks to be sent. The initial dispatch is referred to as the “first alarm.” — A.L. Balinbin

NHA Yolanda housing project has ‘substandard’ walls; to be checked for structural strength

THE CONCRETE walls of housing units intended for victims of super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) in Concepcion, Iloilo were found to be “peeling off” during an inspection last June 8. Engr. Victor Diomo Jr. of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Western Visayas maintenance division said the concrete used did not meet the required mixing proportion, making it “substandard.” The P290-million housing project is under the National Housing Authority (NHA). Mr. Diomo said while the houses can still withstand earthquakes, defects are expected to occur later on and the buildings need to be subjected to further structural assessment. “They should have monitored the construction. It was not properly supervised,” he said. Herminio Carreon, head of project contractor Hercar Builders, denied that the units are substandard, but admitted that they did not have engineers to closely monitor the construction work. Mr. Carreon said they are prepared to fixing the defects. Meanwhile, Iloilo Provincial Board Member Renee L. Valencia, chair of the committee on justice, good government, and human rights, said based on her own observation, the houses are of “poor quality.” Ms. Valencia said they will wait for the report of the DPWH engineers and decide how to move forward with the ongoing probe. The board’s investigation stemmed from complaints of residents. Construction for the 1,000-unit project started in 2016. So far, only 450 houses have been completed. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

More rain

People cross a road during heavy rain caused by typhoon Maliksi (local name: Domeng) in Manila on June 10. Tropical storm Domeng intensified into a typhoon as it left the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday. Weather bureau PAGASA yesterday said the southwest monsoon, intensified by the typhoon, will continue to bring rains over Luzon, especially over the western section, until early this week.

Busuanga airport back to normal operations today

THE AIRPORT in Busuanga, gateway to popular holiday destination Coron, will resume normal operations Monday, June 11, after it was closed beginning late afternoon Friday due to a Skyjet airplane that overshot the runway. Cebu Pacific, in a statement late Saturday, said all Cebgo flights will proceed as scheduled and eight additional flights between Manila and Busuanga will be mounted to serve passengers affected by the weekend closure. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), in a separate statement, said members of the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry board (AAIIB) are already conducting a probe on the incident. The Busuanga airport, formally named Francisco B. Reyes Airport, handles at least 16 domestic flights daily by, aside from Skyjet and Cebgo, Philippine Airlines Express and Air Juan.

Rehabilitation plan for Marawi ‘ground zero’ to be presented

THE INTER-AGENCY Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) is set to present to President Rodrigo R. Duterte today, June 11, the proposed rehabilitation masterplan for war-torn Marawi City’s most devastated area (MAA) tagged as ground zero. “That (masterplan) will be shown during the Cabinet meeting on Monday,” Eduardo D. del Rosario, chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and TFBM, said in a press briefing at Malacañang on June 8. In a video presentation during the briefing, TFBM showed the development plan covering 250 hectares of the MAA, which includes a centralized sewage treatment plant, concrete road network with provision for bike and pedestrian lanes, and parks and recreational sites on both sides of the Agus River and the Lake Lanao waterfront. There will also be port facilities, a memorial site with a museum, multi-modal transport hub, and a two-hectare central market. Mr. Del Rosario also said that if the government’s negotiations with the Bangon Marawi Consortium (BMC) would be successful by Monday, the Swiss challenge for proposals on ground zero’s rehabilitation will begin right away on June 12. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Davao Occidental to build P3-B provincial complex within Cojuangco industrial park

DAVAO OCCIDENTAL, the newest province in the country, broke ground on June 8 for its P3-billion provincial capitol and business complex in the capital town of Malita. The Davao Occidental Provincial Capitol and Government Business Center will cover a 30-hectare (ha) area within the 800-ha industrial property of former Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco, Jr. “The whole property of (Barangay) Lais is an industrial park. The capitol is situated in the center of the property to manifest that the seat of power of the province is situated in the middle of industrial businesses of the province,” said Gov. Claude P. Bautista during the groundbreaking ceremony over the weekend. The construction, to be administered by the Department of Public Works and Highways, is targeted for completion within three to four years. Davao Occidental, which was formally created in Oct. 2013, elected its first set of local government officials in 2016. — Maya M. Padillo

Davao City mayor says she won’t run for senator in 2019

DAVAO CITY Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has categorically said that she is not running for a seat in the Senate in the 2019 mid-term elections as she focuses on building up the new regional political party Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP). “Sa totoo lang hindi talaga ako tatakbo ng presidente at senator (The plain truth is, I really won’t run for president or senator,” Ms. Carpio said in a speech during the groundbreaking ceremony for the provincial capitol building of Davao Occidental in Malita. Ms. Carpio made the statement after Davao Occidental Gov. Claude P. Bautista described her, a daughter of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, in his own speech as “the future President of the Republic of the Philippines.” In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Ms. Carpio said their HNP, which she chairs, has no plans of expanding in the Visayas or Luzon, though they are not closing their doors to other local political parties that would be interested in forging an alliance. The HNP, launched in February this year, is currently undergoing evaluation by the Commission on Election for registration. The HNP is mainly a Davao Region-based party whose officers include Mr. Bautista, Davao Oriental Gov. Nelson L. Dayanghirang, Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony G. Del Rosario, and Compostela Valley Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy. — Maya M. Padillo

Philippine-Australia maritime exercises reinforce capacity for goal of zero abduction at sea

THE PHILIPPINE Navy is taking lessons learned from the 3rd Philippine-Australia Maritime Security Activity (MSA) that was concluded on June 5 to strengthen capabilities towards its goal of zero abduction at sea this year. “The closing of this MSA brings us to a higher level of mutual cooperation as together we endeavour to recollect the undeniable lessons we have gained from this activity,” Rear Admiral Rene V. Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, is quoted in a statement released on June 10. “It was during the opening ceremony that I had posted a challenge among you through my Deputy Commander for Marine Operations, to make this maritime cooperation a successful one. Challenges posted was primarily to maintain our year of stride of zero case of abduction at sea. Secondly, was to maximize the learning through the conduct of joint training exercise. And thirdly, to be acquainted to our different cultures through engaging in social activities,” Mr. Medina said at the closing ceremony held at the Naval Station Romulo Espaldon in Zamboanga City. The MSA involved patrol operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi areas. — Mindanao Bureau

Nation at a Glance — (06/11/18)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

SBP honing its chops in World Cup hosting

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Philippines is not due to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup until 2023 but the country’s basketball federation this early is honing its chops in holding big international events.
Currently at the forefront of the Philippines’ hosting of the FIBA 3×3 World Cup at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) said it is using the event to gauge where it is at “organizationally” and improve itself in preparation for more events moving forward, including the Basketball World Cup in five years’ time.
“The two events are different. In the FIBA Basketball World Cup we are only hosting 16 teams and all men while in 3×3 we have 40 [of men and women], 38 if we exclude the teams from the Philippines. So this one is a lot different as far as the details of the preparation,” said Sonny Barrios, SBP executive director, when asked by BusinessWorld of the preparation for 3×3 as a dry run for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
“Needless to say we have to be on top of our game as far as organizational skills. Good thing the people involved in 3×3, led by [FIBA 3×3 Managing Director] Mr. Alex Sanchez, are hands-on in helping us. It is a whole-day job for everybody. We start the day early and finish late to bring a good event to the fans,” he added.
The SBP also shared that support from the private sector and government agency has been encouraging and that they are hoping a successful staging of the 3×3 World Cup would create a ripple effect to rallying behind the country’s hosting duties.
“Initially the word we are getting is that possible partner sponsors have been receptive and hopefully through this hosting we can show that it is worth coming on board in helping us stage World Cup tournaments. Through a successful 3×3 World Cup staging we hope there will be a ripple effect,” Mr. Barrios said.
“We have talked to the local government units of the surrounding areas of the Philippine Arena. We met with the mayors and governors to ask them to encourage their constituents to support the 3×3 tournament. The Philippine National Police and the Metro Manila Development Authority are also very supportive in assisting in the transportation of the athletes as we know the Philippine Arena is quite far. And PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde also assured us of the safety of the participants,” he added.
The ongoing FIBA 3×3 World Cup marks the first time that it is being played in Southeast Asia after previous stops in Greece, Russia, China and France in its first four editions.
The Philippines has teams both in the men’s and women’s play competing in the tournament.
The Philippine men’s teams is composed of Philippine Basketball Association stars Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario and coached by Ronnie Magsanoc while the women’s team has Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, Gemma Miranda and Janine Pontejos with Patrick Aquino as coach.
The men’s team is currently sporting a 1-1 record in Group C and is to play its remaining two games on June 11 while the women’s team (0-2) was set to play anew in Group D as of press time.
In group play, the top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage.