BI scores points in lifting the ban on HK media

It is just unfortunate that whoever is in charge of the first visit by Pope Francis to the Philippines did not include a stopover in Cebu City. Yes, even the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) through its president and Archbishop of Lingayen Arch. Socrates Villegas and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle both wanted to include Cebu in the Pope’s itinerary but to no avail. Perhaps no one told Pope Francis that Northern Cebu was just as devastated as Samar and Leyte, except that we did not have a storm surge hitting that part of Cebu.

But given the fact and from previous experience that this Pope isn’t really sticking to rules, especially ones which the Roman Curia prepare, who knows Pope Francis might just drop by Cebu, especially when someone reminds him that Cebu is the cradle of Christianity in Asia… then Pope Francis can experience the solemnity of the procession for the Sto. Niño on Saturday or the Sinulog Parade on Sunday, which brings at least two million people to Cebu for that week. Who knows, the Lord Jesus Christ might just lead his Vicar here on earth to visit Cebu…it’s just too close to Tacloban.

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I first read it on Facebook…when Malacañang Palace spokesman Sonny Coloma Jr. denied that around nine Hong Kong journalists were barred entry to the Philippines because they are allegedly a “threat to public safety.” Then the next day someone posted the list of nine Hong Kong journalists from an official document from the Bureau of Immigration (BI). Once again, Sec. Sonny Coloma Jr. was caught with his foot on his mouth! Tsk, tsk, tsk!

Because of this incident, no less than the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) issued an official statement saying, “The blacklisting of nine Hong Kong journalists over an unclear definition of “public safety threat” sends a chilling message to the members of the press all over the world. While governments have the prerogative to deny entry to foreigners, we would like to clarify from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as well as the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) what particular actions served as basis to declare these journalists a public safety threat, which eventually led to the blacklisting.”

When he was alive, the late Sir Max Soliven (last Monday, Nov. 24 was his 8th death anniversary) would often ask me to join him in many FOCAP meetings and I don’t recall FOCAP ever coming up with a similar statement asking the Philippine government for some clarification, especially regarding preventing journalists from entering the country.

No doubt, someone inside Malacañang had forgotten that the Philippines have the unique and sole distinction of being known as the “Freest” press in Asia? What made matters worse was that this issue blew up in the face of Malacañang during the fifth anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre, which gave the Philippines the rare, but ugly reputation of being the worst place for journalists next to Iraq!

But as luck would have it… I read in yesterday’s news report in the STAR that the BI blacklisting of the nine Hong Kong journalists has been lifted by BI Commissioner Siegfried Mison. This is one issue that we praise the Aquino regime for immediately addressing the tense situation… especially that the reputation of the Philippine press as the “freest” press in Asia is at stake. That the Philippines will play host to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit next year is something that the media always looks forward to because of our having a free press. So in the end as they say, all’s well that end’s well!

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Kudos to SM Prime Holdings, Inc. president Hans Sy for becoming a trailblazer in solar energy when he asked Pres. Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III to lead the ceremonial switching on of SM North EDSA’s Solar panels on top of its car park. As P-Noy exclaimed, this 1.5 MW installation is a “milestone” even if it only accounted for 5% of the shopping mall’s power requirements. But it saves SM Prime some P2 million in power cost every month, which if you ask me, is still a significant amount.

SM Prime is working with Solar Philippines on this project and is planning to install solar panels in its two other projects in SM Dasmariñas, Cavite and in the SM Mall of Asia. Among the energy mix, the most promising are solar panels; after all, we are a tropical country where the sun shines all year round, except when we are hit by the monsoon rains or typhoons. With SM Prime leading the way, it helps much in the possibility of reducing the cost of solar panels and soon solar panels will become common power source in the country.

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