Relief and Assistance Center

For our members, Batangas stakeholders and those who wish to donate to the Ondoy flood victims but are too busy, or do not know where to bring their donations, we can accept and pool together donations in our San Pascual, Batangas office or at the Esteban Mayo Office. We will also try to pick them up if you are in the immediate vicinity. Our sun cellular Nos. are 0923-709-1598 and 0923-709-1600. Landline 043 980-3707.

MATAKAW DAW !!!

To: greennature@yahoogroups.com, environmentalleaders@yahoogroups.com, philecotour071909@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, September 21, 2009, 8:15 AM
from forwarded email, please forward to Philippine Customs and Department of Tourism


This was written by a Pinoy couple who now live in the US .

Would like to share with you what we found out as the reason why cruise ships of the big cruise companies skip Manila . My wife and I are regular cruisers and we always talk to the Filipino crew. When we took the 12-day Mediterranean cruise I asked the Pinoy waiters (because we are in a big group, we usually request for Pinoy waiters to be assigned to us) why all their Asian cruises skip Manila when they go to all the neighboring countries of the Philippines .. Tanong ko bakit ba wala sa itinerary ninyo ang Manila .

Ang sagot sa akin. Noong una ho may cruises kami na humihinto sa Manila but masyadong hong matakaw ang mga taga Customs sa atin kaya ang management ho namin nag decide na skip na ang Manila. When inspection time comes upon our arrival and departure, yung mga Customs inspectors ho kasama ang mga pamilya nila para kumain ng libre sa ship namin. Tapos bago mag bigay ng clearance para maka depart ang ship namin maraming hinihingi ng sigarilyo at mga alak. Sa Manila lang namin na experience ang ganoon kaya nahihiya ho kaming mga Pinoy dito sa ship. Sa ibang ports sa Asia wala hong nanghihingi.

The new cruise ships have an everage of 2,000 to 3,000 passengers. Imagine the loss of tourism revenue for the Philippines because most cruise ships do not go to the Philippines . WHY???

This is now a global world. What we do - and we don't do is circulated and has an impact on our community, province, nation, and the world.

Related to this -- is the prices of gasoline in Batangas City and vicinity.

People can easily just go to Lipa, Calamba or Manila and gas up there. So, if the stations in Batangas City suffers diminishing gross sales, they only have themselves to blame.

With the entry of the Wilcon Builders in Batangas City and the opening of 168 (Divisoria) Mall at Fiesta World Mall on Oct. 16, Batangueno traders have to re-think their age old formulas and learn to compete fair-and-square.

We hope this will really benefit the consumers who should be enjoying cheaper prices due to the ever-increasing competition. Batangueno traders should start to diversify and look into the new opportunities at the International Port, manufacturing, production and cottage industries.

Oil Cartel? Winnie Monsod and Ralph Recto should try gassing up in Batangas City

On Tuesday, September 15. 2009, we found in Minnie Monsod's blog site -Is there an oil cartel in the Philippines? http://blogs.gmanews.tv/winnie-monsod/

MANILA, Philippines - Former socioeconomic planning secretary Ralph Recto appeared yesterday before a court to reaffirm an earlier pronouncement that oil products are overpriced by as much as P8 per liter.

By Sandy Araneta (The Philippine Star) Updated September 19, 2009 12:00 AM http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=506615&publicationSubCategoryId=63 During the BPCCI Meeting held at the Hotel La Corona de Lipa this Sept. 17, 2009, one of the issues raised is the hiGHHH price of gasoline and fuels in the vicinity of Batangas City. This prompted me to look at the receipts BPCCI has on file and this is what we found. In Batangas City Petron Station last Sept. 12, 2009 the price for XCS is P45.64 per liter, while on the same day at the Rico Shell Station in Lipa City, it is priced at 41.00 per liter, and in Metro Manila it is around P38.00 to P39.00 --- Php4.64 difference from Batangas to Lipa City. On Sept. 6, 2009 at the Diversion Petron Station, it is 46.62 per liter. Oct. 8, 2009 at the Shell Station, Unleaded was 44.520 per liter. Bauan Petron on August 2, 2009 it was 43.45 per liter. On Aug. 16, 2009 at San Pascual Caltex, Silver was 46.550 per liter. August 19 at the Shell Station, Unleaded was 46.55 per liter. All these when prevailing prices in Metro Manila was way below P40.00. It is a supply-and-demand economy anyway. What we, and we found out that so many of our friends have been doing, during the last few months is gas up just enough to get to Lipa or to Turbina / Calamba to save P5.00 per liter, gas up enough there to get to Manila or Makati to save another P2.00 or more per litter and fill her up where it is much cheaper. Maybe the Batangas City stations haven't noticed their diminishing sales yet. Anyway, the issue has been officially raised. I am here to let you know what is happening. The action belongs, really to the people.

WARNING TO FRIENDS - your e-mail maybe hacked

I received this in my INBOX today - from an officer of the Chamber of Commerce of Rizal Province, using his e-mail address.

I am in a hurry writing this mail to you, I had travelled to UK for an urgent situation and unfortunately for me all my money was stolen at the hotel where I lodged. I am so confused right now, I dont know what to do or where to go. I didn't bring my phones here and the hotel telephone lines were disconnected during the robbery incident. So I have access to only emails. Please can you send me �960 today so I can return home.

Please have the money sent immediately through Western union money transfer

to my name and on this address right below.

Name: Rey De Leon
Address: 110 Palace Road, Tulse Hill
City: London
Post code: E8 4HR
Country: United Kingdom
Mtcn Number:

As soon as I get home I would refund it immediately. Please I need you to get back to me so I can let you know how to send the money to me.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you with the payment details now.

Regars and Godbless!

Papa.

I'd like to make this Statement: Rey de Leon IS NOT MY PAPA. . My father died in 2003 ... and I have no PAPA , but applications for the living PAPA position is still open , as long as he would not want 960.00 UK Pounds. Hahaha

Kidding aside, don't believe it when you get this message purportedly from us. The new hackers have a way of getting into your mailbox, so always clean up your cookies: from the Tools - Internet Options - Delete Cookies, Delete Browsing History, and limit the number of days to keep browsing history into maybe 7 days. I keep them only 3 days.

CCleaner is also free to install .... and i found it very useful.

We have four e-mails .... batangascham -- and batangaschamber -- works with both yahoo and gmail extensions. Personally I also have the meds and medz e-mails. But I use a rose icon -- or a smiley and colored letters as part of my permanent e-mail signature. So if there is no rose, it's not from us.

If you receive just plain text ... telling you to go to links, check with us first. We usually explain LENGTHILY whatever it is we are sending in the body of the e-mail / letter.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

Recent OECD Observer articles by civil society authors

Progress, what progress?
By Joseph Stiglitz, Professor, Columbia University
The global economic crisis has focused minds on restoring growth. But does growth necessarily mean progress?
http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/2793/Progress,_what_progress_.html

A stress test for the OECD?
By John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO and Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD
To be useful in helping countries to move out of the crisis, it is necessary for the OECD to look at its own history as an organisation and draw the right lessons for the future.
http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/2977/A_stress_test_for_the_OECD_.html

Water and the economic crisis   
Back to Basics
By Jack Moss, Chair of BIAC Water Group & Senior Water Advisor, AquaFed
Water, is as essential to human activity as air. When cities or societies neglect water, they face collapse.
http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/2845/Water_and_the_economic_crisis.html

A transparent roadmap to recovery
By Huguette Labelle, Chair, Transparency International
Governments must put transparency and accountability at the heart of all rescue and reform measures if they are to regain public trust and investor confidence.
http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/2959/A_transparent_roadmap_to_recovery.html


Source:  OECD Civil Society Newsletter No. 14 - 06/09/2009  / OECD Website
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) brings together the governments of countries committed to democracy and the market economy from around the world to:
 - Support sustainable economic growth
 - Boost employment
 - Raise living standards
 - Maintain financial stability
 - Assist other countries' economic development
 - Contribute to growth in world trade

For more than 40 years, OECD has been one of the world's largest and most reliable sources of comparable statistics and economic and social data. As well as collecting data, OECD monitors trends, analyses and forecasts economic developments and researches social changes or evolving patterns in trade, environment, agriculture, technology, taxation and more.


The Batangas Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (BPCCI) subscribes to the OECD newsletter for updates and materials.
Batangas Action for Services and Development (BASeD).

Philippine Travel Mart in its 20th year

The Philippine Travel Mart is currently ongoing (Sept. 4-6, 2009) at the SM Megatrade Halls, MegaMall in Mandaluyong City.

The event is organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) in cooperation with DOT, PAGCOR and Philippine Airlines.  The Travel Mart is supported by the Department of Tourism, Philippine Tourism Authority, Philippine Gaming Corporation, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Clark Development Corporation, Philippine Airlines, Primer, Chase Technologies, Hop On-Hop Off. Media Partners are Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Travel Update, Foreign Post, Homestyle, Travel Plus, Travelife, Expat Publications, Market Square, GoodNewsPilipinas and ANC.

I paid the regular entrance fee of P50.00 and then went to the Press entrance for the Press kit - as the Batangas Satellite Office Representative of BuyandSell Magazine and the Finders Group (Car Finder, Property Finder, Job Finder, Bike Finder) and of course our very own BPCCI Chonicle.  I also submit event pictures and articles to Batangas local newspapers - which could have saved me the Fifty Pesos entrance fee if I asked sooner.

Batangas Province has a booth in the Philippine Travel Mart where you can have a free taste of  Cafe de Lipa's Kapeng Barako.  Manning the booth was none other than our good friend Teody Aguila of Merlo Commodities.  There are also products handmade by the Batangas City Jail inmates, the products of the SMEs assisted by the Office of the (Batangas) City Veterinarian and Agriculture Services (OCVAS) and other producsts like Bagoong Balayan, Batangas Honey from Lipa City, Atchara from Calaca and other foodstuffs.

Some of our Batangas travel-related companies we saw participating in the exhibit are:  Hotel PonteFino, Hotel La Corona, Atrium Hotel - Microtel Batangas.

The event press release is entitled:  Beyond the usual... experience at the 20th Philippine Travel Mart"
     " A ferry cruise on the Pasig River, a walking culinary tour of Binondo, vegetable picking in an organic farm in Batangas, a bacchanalian feast in Pampanga ... beyond the usual tour and travel packages...

Indeed, the travel organizers are coming up with exciting and out-of-the-usual iteneraries.  I have been receiving regular e-mail messages from the Environmental Leaders which features two-to-three day trekking tours, tree planting tours, learn-scuba-diving packages and even madcap tours for the adventurous - all for just cost-plus.  They designate a meeting place and time for those who booked the tours and voila ! you're on your way with a group of people you're bound-to and will share meals with  for the next 2-3 days.  A good way of finding new friends with the same interests.

What we really need in Batangas are regular land tours which we can offer to the travel agencies, resort visitors and hotel guests in packages.  Something like:  Diving Lessons Saturdays, Heritage Tour Mondays, Religious Tours Tuesdays, Industrial Plants Wednesdays, Volcano Trekking Thursdays,  where the tour leaves at a specified time and place on a permanent basis, whether there are 50 bookings, 10 or none at all. 

But then again, this project does not seem a highly profitable venture for a businessman.  With all the hassles the businessmen have been getting with registering companies, complying with regulations and the amount of taxes they have to pay - it is no wonder for the higly skilled and talented Batanguenos to just go work abroad and for those left behind to just sit on their verandahs and terraces "kukuya-kuyakoy" and wait for remittances.

Batangas Action for Services and Development - CSR Initiatives

The following are some of the Professional and Business Groups already existing in Batangas which we are aware of: 1. The Batangas Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (BPCCI) is an organization of businessmen and company official representatives. Membership is open only to those whose businesses are duly registered with the appropriate regulatory body and has a permit to operate. (www.batangaschamber.com) 2. The Philippine Marketing Association (PMA), Batangas Chapter is an organization of marketing, promotion and advertising professionals who either represents their company, or are employed by a company with a Marketing or Promotions Department. 3. The Batangas Industrial Security Alliance (BISA) is a group of Security Professionals and Security Officers representing the Industrial and Manufacturing Firms which are mostly situated along the coastal areas of Batangas Province. They are now trying to attract more members from the Industrial Estate locators and inland towns. 4. The People's Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) Calabarzon Chapter is an organization of companies and their management executives engaged or interested in human resource management (HRM) and industrial relations (IR) work. With the above groups: trade and commerce / investments ; marketing and promotions / advertisements ; peace and order and industrial peace / security ; human resources management and industrial relations / labor and employment -- are properly addressed. Most of the ordinary / rank-and-file personnel cannot gain entry into these groups. Some micro-small-medium enterprises (MSMEs) cannot also gain entry into these groups,. The membership fees and dues may also be beyond their means. The Batangas Action for Services and Development - CSR (BASeD) is now being organized to admit members from the rank-and-file or from Batangas OFWs who want to contribute their time and effort to address CSR Initiatives and concerns of the small-and-medium enterprises in Batangas Province. We have received pledges from companies for some of their employees to join BASeD as soon as it is registered. If you have a group, non-profit organization which is related to industry, business, enterprise, trade and commerce, and other economic activities and you want to network with us, please feel free to get in touch. We have been organizing a database since 2004 and we would appreciate your help and feedback. We have four e-mails which are batangascham and batangaschamber with yahoo.com and gmail.com extensions.