A collection of Rhony Laigo's articles through the years while covering the Philippines, Saipan and now the United States of America.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Atty. Joel Bander faces the court as 'the accused'
(Editor’s note: Atty. Joel bander is the publisher and senior columnist of Pinoywatchdog.com, a new tabloid whose editors published numerous articles maligning the author, his co-employees, his publisher and the publisher’s family. Weekend Balita is the only Filipino-American newspaper that exposed how Bander’s loan litigation program obtained over 800 victims who were subsequently listed in the Bander Law Firm bankruptcy as creditors.)
In June 2012, the California State Bar suspended Attorney Joel Bander, though only for a brief time. He served a three-month suspension that ended in September after pleading “no contest” to charges involving 20 cases, mostly relating to the failed loan litigation program he had heavily promoted. Three months later, after being reinstated to “active status”, Bander found himself again facing another case filed by the State Bar against him. Although, this time, unlike last time, Bander has elected to go to trial.
(Update: A settlement is being worked out after Thursday’s pre-trial conference, after two tries between Bander and the State Bar failed. Judge Richard A. Honn has encouraged both parties to come into an agreement as a trial is “costly.” The State Bar prosecutor alone said he will call 35 witnesses against Bander, including complainants and former lawyers who worked for Bander.)
The new set of complaints include 20 counts all relating to the botched “Save Your Home, Sue the Banks” program. These counts were filed on December 20, 2012, almost exactly one year after Bander’s plea of no contest was submitted to the Judge in the first State Bar case that Bander had faced. Previously, Bander agreed not to dispute the earlier charges from the first State Bar case, having pleaded “no contest” – therefore he was culpable of all charges, according to the State Bar. This time, the stakes seem higher. Bander could be facing long years if not permanent disbarment, if found guilty. Bander is representing himself, in what could be the most serious and challenging case of his career.
Bander has denied any “culpability” in this latest round of State Bar complaints. Bander is currently facing a variety of allegations that include but are not limited to attorney’s fees paid by clients and claims from homeowners who hired Bander Law Firm (BLF) with the hope of saving their home or reduce their mortgage at the height of the home crisis in 2009 and 2010. The homeowners claimed to have paid the BLF thousands of dollars, but they allegedly didn’t get the legal service they were promised. Also, these individuals claimed to have been misrepresented and ultimately they had to deal with the legal consequences after Bander allegedly took actions without their knowledge.
One such case was that of homeowner Eduardo Lorenzo. The State Bar alleged that although Bander filed a case against Countrywide Home Loans, Bander didn’t inform Lorenzo that his lender countered with a demurrer (an objection to Lorenzo’s allegations). The State Bar also alleged that Bander dismissed the case (without prejudice, meaning he could re-file a new case) but that this was without the approval and knowledge of Lorenzo, who paid $2,000 to the BLF firm in advanced fees.
“On or about January 28, 2010, the court dismissed the Lorenzo Action. At no time, did (Bander) inform Lorenzo that a request for dismissal had been filed in the Lorenzo Action, or that the Lorenzo Action was dismissed,” in violations of the State Bar’s Business and Professions Code, according to the State Bar. (A few days later, on February 12, 2010, the BLF filed for bankruptcy.)
Although Bander did sue Lorenzo’s bank, he didn’t do the same on behalf of property owner Francis Spoonemore who paid Bander $8,000, the State Bar said. Spoonemore hired the firm in January 2009 and was “assured” that Bander was “planning to file a lawsuit on his behalf.” Spoonemore also alleged that he was assured that the BLF had a “solid ground” against his lender. After ten months had passed, however, Spoonemore claimed that Bander then told him that “mortgage litigation was no longer a viable option.”
In the case of Spoonemore, the State Bar alleged that, “At no time during Respondent’s representation of Spoonemore did (Bander) file a lawsuit…or otherwise provide legal services. By failing to file a lawsuit on behalf of Spoonemore or otherwise provide legal services of value, (Bander) intentionally or recklessly failed to perform services with competence.”
The State Bar said that by not refunding the $8,000 to Spoonemore and by failing to refund “unearned fees,” Bander violated the State Bar’s “Rules of Professional Conduct.”
In his response, Bander said that the Lorenzo demurrer “was not a significant development.” He also stated that dismissing Lorenzo’s case was a “procedural matter.” However, Bander did not answer Lorenzo’s accusation that he (Bander) was never given authorization nor was he given consent at any time to dismiss his case against Countrywide.
In other charges, Bander also blamed the lack of forensics that were supposed to have been done by another lawyer – Atty. Rupert Domingo – prior to him investigating and prosecuting the lawsuit against the lenders. Bander blamed Domingo as the culprit in the other cases and he ended up suing Domingo as a result. Bander also disputed the State Bar’s allegations that he (Bander) didn’t provide legal services to his clients.
A pre-trial conference was held last Thursday at the courtroom of Judge Richard A. Honn. Daily formal hearings in the case of Joel Bander will begin on April 8. A battery of State Bar lawyers led by Chief Trial Counsel Jayne Kim will try Bander. But it is Deputy Trial Counsel Ross E. Viselman, a product of Harvard Law School, who was assigned to the case. According to a website called LegalHelpMate.com, Viselman has “extensive experience representing clients in criminal defense and litigation matters.”
Meanwhile, Weekend Balita learned that at least one former lawyer at the BLF received a subpoena to appear as a witness for the State Bar. Prominent lawyers who had worked at the firm included Atty. Tim Umbreit and Filipino-American lawyers Norberto Reyes III and Mary Lynn Tanawan Sanga.
Bander and his firm had about 800 clients who signed up for the loan litigation program, the majority of whom were Filipinos. Full-page advertisements by Bander appeared in a competing Filipino-American newspaper back in 2008 and 2009, where he also served as counsel. Each homeowner who retained the firm was believed to have paid at least $8,000. In the earlier State Bar complaint, at least one property owner – Justin Kim – said he paid Bander $25,000 for legal services he didn’t get.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Immigration reform: Amnesty or necessity?
If these marching Filipino-Americans in downtown New York are to be heard, all undocumented immigrants should be legalized. (Balita file photo) |
If most
pro-immigration advocates get their way, all 11 million undocumented immigrants
will become legal in the U.S…and maybe more. But while potential immigration
reform is becoming more likely as the year progresses, speculations arise as to
how each issue within the current but broken down immigration system will be
addressed.
Take border security
for example. Since more boots have been put on the ground at the border, there
have been less and less people who are being caught crossing the desert, or so
the government claims. To the conservatives, this is great news. Although they
want a more secure, if not a totally impenetrable wall at the border, they also
point to the fact that the economy is so bad that people down south may find no
incentive in coming here.
This brings to mind
the four senators in the “Gang of 8” from the Republican Party, namely Sen.
John McCain (R-Ariz.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), whose main concern is how to secure the border
first, before they deal with the millions of undocumented immigrants.
At present, drones,
cameras, the deployment of more Border Patrol and National Guard personnel and
what’s left of the Minutemen seem to be reducing the number of illegal
crossings. The other four are Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chuck Schumer
(D-N.Y.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)
In Thursday’s New
American Media National Telebriefing on “Behind the Business-Labor Agreement on
Immigration Reform: What Ethnic Media Need to Know,” America’s Voice Executive
Director Frank Sharry said that the U.S. should not spend a dime more in
fortifying the border. Sharry said there are already 21,000 Border Patrol
agents deployed in the area and “we don’t need to waste more (funds) on agents
as there’s already been a tremendous effort in securing the border.”
Sharry made it known
that he backs ongoing efforts in preventing people from coming up north.
“Sustained effort, sure, I favor that,” Sharry said, “but we shouldn’t be
wasting more taxpayers’ money.” He said what’s more important is how to address
the issue on why people come to the U.S. illegally and the magnet that attracts
them to cross the border.
Speaking
of magnets, work and Benjamin Franklin are what drive people to risk their
lives in scaling the wall, crossing the Rio Grande, trudging the desert or
navigating a crudely-built tunnel. For those who braved any of those routes – as
difficult as it may have been, they were successful – and as result are
becoming more optimistic. Some may even be thinking back on how they made it
through the ordeal, ultimately, viewing their
acquisition of legal US citizenship as the fruit of their hardships.
To
many, this is just. To the conservatives, an “amnesty” means rewarding those
who “violated” the law. The latter just need to cite that the 1986 amnesty that
President Ronald Reagan implemented, who by the way was a conservative
Republican, which resulted in more people crossing the border illegally. It
would appear as if the federal government had forgotten that despite its
perceived strength, the border is indeed a permeable entity.
Be that as it may, it
seems more likely that when a bill is introduced, the GOP in the Gang of 8 will
most likely agree in making the undocumented illegals legal because of last
year’s elections, where the Latino vote decisively voted for their opponent
Barack Obama. As a “compromise,” they will potentially make the undocumented
pay taxes, learn English and go back to the metaphorical end the line. But
that’s easier said than done.
In the same briefing
on Thursday, this author posed the following questions: What have the advocates
heard as to how much an individual will have to pay in taxes? And if they do,
what will happen to the businesses that hired them (illegally) since these
companies will surely be criticized as the “culprit” and the reason as to why
the millions of undocumented individuals are able to stay here, find work and
survive?
The Immigration Policy
and Advocacy Center for American Progress Vice President Angela Kelley, who is
based in Washington D.C., said there has been no word on the amount of taxes
these individuals will pay as far as ongoing House Judiciary Committee hearings
are concerned, but she admitted that businesses might get exposed.
Kelley said whatever
bill they decide upon, it should have some sort of protection on the part of
the businesses and that there should be no risks involved when the undocumented
individuals submit their papers throughout the application process. “(The bill)
has to function, so that it will become achievable. If it can’t be done, then
you’re not solving the problem, ” she said.
A section in the
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 provides that companies will be held
liable for hiring undocumented immigrants and that businesses or persons hiring
undocumented immigrants may pay a fine that may cost them as much as $10,000 “for
each such alien.” They are also criminally liable. An article by the New
York Times in May 2011 stated that the raids conducted by the
Department of Homeland Security on businesses netted fines totaling about $43
million in 2010, which the paper said was a record. The same article said 119
employers were convicted. This is separate from the numerous raids on several
factories all over the U.S., where companies said they tried to verify the
legality of their workers but didn’t have the capability to know which papers
are true and correct.
As to the question of
who will benefit from the immigration reform, Kelley hopes that those who have
been staying in the U.S. illegally for at least a year should be accommodated,
which may increase the 11 million count. She recalled, however, that those who
benefited from the 1986 amnesty program were people who stayed here
continuously for at least four and half years. The law allowed nearly three
million undocumented immigrants to gain permanent residency.
Economic Impact
While many don’t like
the idea of another round of amnesty, the Obama administration has been
deporting record numbers of undocumented immigrants. Despite that however, a
separate study by the Center for American Progress said deporting all 11 million
“would drain $2.5 trillion from the U.S. economy over 10 years." The same
study said mass deportation could cost U.S. taxpayers $285 billion over five
years.
Pro-immigrant
advocates have argued that the economic benefit of making the undocumented
legal far outweighs the alternative, not to mention that deporting these
immigrants can often have consequences for their children, who were born and
raised in the United States. In the agricultural sector alone, landowners have
said that no American workers would want to work at the farms despite the high
unemployment rate in the U.S. that stood at 7.7 percent as of Thursday.
According to
Washington D.C.-based Urban Institute, the total immigrant income in 1989, or
three years after the 1986 amnesty program, reached $285 billion (citing 1990
census figures), which the think tank said “represented about eight percent of all
reported income.”
Another study by White
House Council of Economic Advisers during President George Bush (43) also
stated that immigrants increase gross domestic product “by roughly $37 billion
each year because immigrants increase the size of the total labor force,
complement the native-born workforce in terms of skills and education, and
stimulate capital investment by adding workers to the labor pool.”
Just recently, Raul
Hinojosa-Ojeda, director of the North American Integration and Development
Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, “A comprehensive
immigration plan that includes a path to legalization could add $1.5 trillion
to the economy over the next 10 years and increase tax revenues by $4.5 billion
or more in three years,” in an article posted on Bloomberg.com – a huge amount
indeed at a time when the U.S. needs more revenues to reduce its deficit.
For whatever it’s worth,
it seems that both sides of the aisle will benefit from an immigration reform.
Though the “one-time” 1986 amnesty may have failed to prevent the entry of more
people illegally, it doesn’t change the fact that they are huge contributors to
the U.S. economy because they came here to work.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Is San Onofre nuclear plant irreplaceable?
Anyone who has gone to San Diego from Los Angeles and
passed by the 5 Freeway must have seen the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station – or SONGS for
short – located near the shore with two daunting half-domed, egg-shell
like concrete structures dominating the otherwise serene scenery. Be that as it
may, the plant has been one of the major sources of electric power for the city
of Los Angeles and nearby cities some 65 miles away.
However, the San Onofre nuclear plant has been out of
commission for a year now due to what is being said as “premature wear” on
newly-installed tubes in the steam generators. Critics blamed poor design as the main cause.
Built in the 60s, SONGS have had its share of
problems ever since Bechtel inadvertently installed a 420-ton nuclear reactor
vessel “backwards,” according to Wikipedia, in 1977. Also, multiple citations
were issued against the plant for a variety of safety issues.
Though mostly owned and operated by Southern
California Edison, restarting SONGS will depend on a decision by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
if the latter allows the company to restart the facility, which may be known in
a few weeks, if not months.
According to Edison, SONGS generates 2,200 megawatts of power in two reactors, and provides 20 percent of the
power to most of Southern California. Southern California Edison services some
14 million people with power generated from various locations and sources,
namely natural gas, hydro, geothermal, wind and solar farm facilities and,
until it shut down last year, nuclear energy from SONGS.
In a video just released by SoCal Edison, the company presented an
illustration on the importance of SONGS and why it would be costly to replace it,
while building other facilities of other sources may take years, if not
decades.
The video, called San Onofre and Grid Reliability, and which was also
posted on YouTube, showed comparisons on why reviving SONGS is more practical.
The video showed it will take 4,400 new towering windmills to replace the 2,200
megawatt of power that SONGS generates. Edison added it will also require 64,000
acres of new solar farms to do the same, which the company “mockingly”
illustrated would stretch some 100 miles from Los Angeles all the way to Palm
Springs – in a straight line – if all 64,000 acres of solar farms are built.
Meanwhile, gas-powered facilities emit hazardous plumes up in the air, the
video also showed.
In addition, neither solar nor wind farms can provide continuous and
reliable power – 24 hours, seven days a week – unlike SONGS because weather and
other natural elements may affect their power-generating capacity compared to a plant that produces nuclear energy.
Most important is that building new power plants means erecting new
power grids, transmission lines, and other equipment to capture that energy and
distribute them to households. SoCal Edison said such project may take 10 years
to plan, apply for permits and to construct the new facilities, not to mention
allocating billions of dollars which we all know California can ill-afford in
these current economic times. And despite what environmentalists claim, SoCal
Edison said the San Onofre plan provides “clean, safe, affordable and reliable”
energy to millions of Californians.
According to a statement released to media, SoCal Edison is “doing
everything they can to meet projected demand” as we head into the summer in the
next few months. “Last summer, SCE customers did an amazing job in saving
energy, and SCE also made some transmission improvements that helped keep
the lights on for everyone,” the statement said. “SCE hopes that they
can reach even more customers this year to improve the collective impact
of individual conservation measures.” Therefore, resuscitating SONGS seems
paramount so we can all enjoy an unfettered source of power anytime we need
them, as the video from SoCal Edision seems to portray.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Asian-Americans to U.S. Congress: Reduce backlogs
AAJC chief says current visa numbers separate families for decades
By Rhony Laigo
Asian-Americans are tired of waiting to be reunited with their
families. Arguably one of the better contributors to the American economy owing
to their high educational level and creativity, Asian-Americans would like
Congress to address the long backlogs in the family-based petitions so they can
be reunited with their loved ones quicker and without waiting for decades.
In Thursday’s national telebriefing hosted by New American Media, one of the
three speakers, President and Executive Director of Asian American Justice
Center Mee Moua, said the ongoing debate on immigration reform is of utmost
importance for Asians because 90 percent of Asian-Americans come to the United
States through family-based petitions. She said 60 percent of Asian Americans living in the
U.S. are immigrants and that “nearly half of the 4.3 million people in worldwide
family backlog are those who are now sitting and waiting in Asia to be
reunited with their families here in the United States.”
In addition, Moua said that for every 11 undocumented immigrant in
the U.S., one is an Asian-American, who most likely came to the U.S. legally
but because of backlogs may have overstayed their visas and are now living here
without legal status.
Moua also revealed that for every 10 American DREAMers – those who were brought here when they were young through no fault of their own – one is an Asian-American. They are so-called DREAMers, who are hoping that the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act become a reality. “Today, we have an Asian or a Pacific Islander family member who too is living under the shadow. Many of our young people are much part of the Dreamer movement,” Moua said. “This is why we feel very strongly (about the immigration reform) to help procure a clear and meaningful path to citizenship for DREAMers.”
Moua also revealed that for every 10 American DREAMers – those who were brought here when they were young through no fault of their own – one is an Asian-American. They are so-called DREAMers, who are hoping that the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act become a reality. “Today, we have an Asian or a Pacific Islander family member who too is living under the shadow. Many of our young people are much part of the Dreamer movement,” Moua said. “This is why we feel very strongly (about the immigration reform) to help procure a clear and meaningful path to citizenship for DREAMers.”
Moua also underscored what she intimated were undesirable working
conditions that some Asians have suffered at the hands of their employers.
According to Moua, many are being denied of their workers’ rights and are being
exploited by “unscrupulous employers who pay their workers substandard wages,”
especially in places where the immigrant is employed under the H1-B worker visa
program – the first step for them to become permanent residents but only if sponsored
by their employers if no relatives are qualified to do so.
“This is not just a Latino issue,” Moua said, “Asians are one of
the most diverse populations and we have to monitor and protect (the
immigration system) from further erosion and so, we’re asking our leaders to
address these inhumane backlogs in the procurement of immigrant visas.” Moua said that as “a matter of public policy, a sensible and a comprehensive immigration reform will benefit our community and will solve the “tremendous hardship” that many immigrant families are going through.
She also said that the current “enforcement only” method that the
Department of Homeland Security is employing is separating many families while
instilling scare in the community. Such method “makes the community less safe”
because she said some are being stopped and interrogated if not harassed
because “they are perceived to be foreign-sounding people,” not to mention that
some are not proficient in the English language.
According to Moua, who was born in Laos and immigrated in 1978, her family had
suffered from the same experience when her father tried to petition her grandfather
and a brother but who both died before setting foot on U.S. soil. She said her
father then was not qualified to file the petitions because of his financial
status. “My parents couldn’t find a job even when they were already citizens.
And when he was in a position to qualify, he couldn’t do it anymore because
(they) have passed away.”
She said, “Many of us in our communities are separated by decades
and decades (of long waits). This is a window of opportunity for (the
lawmakers) to exert leadership so that our families will feel secure, safe and
be reunited…and to take advantage of the American Dream to live in the U.S. and
contribute to the economic vitality of this country.”
Apart from Moua, those who spoke in the telebriefing included Angela Kelley, vice president for Immigration Policy and Advocacy, Center for American Progress, and Frank Sharry, founder and executive director, America’s Voice. It was moderated by NAM’s Irma Herrera.
Apart from Moua, those who spoke in the telebriefing included Angela Kelley, vice president for Immigration Policy and Advocacy, Center for American Progress, and Frank Sharry, founder and executive director, America’s Voice. It was moderated by NAM’s Irma Herrera.
For his part, Sharry said he believes the time has come for both
parties to pass an immigration reform, citing last presidential elections as a
gauge. He said that if the GOP wants to regain being competitive, the
Republicans need to get the votes of the fastest growing groups who are Latinos
and Asians. “Unless they get it right they will have a difficult time winning
the Senate and retaking the White House.”
“The good news is, that is the central conversation that we’re
having. It is about the 11 million. It is not about much about
enforcement…unlike what was discussed in the last election debate,” Kelley
contributed. But she said that the requirements and the waiting time, since the
undocumented may have to go in the back of the line “have to be achievable. She
added the proposal to treat the undocumented as “DREAMers” – who will only get
work permits but must find a way to become citizens thru marriage or thru and
employer – is “untennable.”
Kelley added that another important fact is that while many states
now allow for same sex marriage, gay couples are barred from petitioning their
spouses because the current policy of the DHS is that marriage is between a man
and a woman.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
‘One Malaysia,’ an economic model for a diverse nation
Malaysia is only
country in Southeast Asia that produces its own cars
(Note: The author who
became a full-fledged journalist right after college is a witness and at the
same a victim of Philippines’ corrupt society, whose worsening economic
conditions back then forced him to abandon his country to work as a reporter
abroad – just like the 10 million Filipinos who are employed overseas – and has
been an outsider since 1991. Last month, the author visited Malaysia, then an
inferior country compared to the Philippines a few decades ago, but now an
economic power in Southeast Asia. The following article is the author’s attempt
to present contrasting features of the neighboring countries as he tries to persuade the Philippine government to review its current policies
on population control and federalism, and perhaps even emulate its
Malaysian cousins, who welcome 22 million tourists a year compared to
Philippines’ only four million foreign visitors.)
As a Filipino, I’ve always heard that in the 50s, a few
years after the Second World War, the Philippines was one of the most
progressive countries in Asia and was the leading country in the southeast
Asian region until the 60s. When I was a kid, there was even an ad on
television that said Philippine Airlines was “Asia’s first airline.” In fact
the Philippines’ flag carrier still promotes that title sans the shining luster
it used to enjoy. Well, we were illustrious, until Ferdinand Marcos became
president in 1966 and then the country went into a downward spiral. Some 20
years later into his dictatorship, the Philippines became the “Sick Man of
Asia.”
This month, the Philippines will remember that fateful
day, September 21, 1972, when Marcos declared martial law. If not for the EDSA
uprising in 1986, in which I was very much involved being a student activist at
that time and a scribe for a college paper, the “Sick Man of Asia” may have been in
a worse condition, no thanks to the plunder that the Marcoses and his cronies
did to their own country.
Now, 26 years after the EDSA revolt, the Philippines has
yet to fully recover. But our leader, current President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino
III, whose both parents suffered a lot during the dictatorship – his father,
Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino was assassinated, while his reluctant mother ran
against Marcos and became president after the dictator was ousted (she survived
seven coup attempts during her six-year presidency!) – may be looking at a
country that is ready to face its economic challenges and hopefully be able to
recover some of its lost prestige of the glorious past.
Back in 2009, I had the privilege of returning to the
Philippines. Admittedly, a lot has changed...at least in Metro Manila. There
have been signs of progress, construction was flourishing and many of our kababayans were employed as outsource
service providers in companies more commonly known as call centers, and even
leads India in this sector. Personally, I felt good…momentarily.
Just last month, however, I was fortunate enough to have
been invited by the Malaysian government to take part and chronicle their 55th
Independence Day celebration that took place last August 31. As a Filipino
journalist who has written several stories about the Philippines’ transition
from a dictatorship to a democracy, seeing our Malaysian neighbors celebrate
their independence day was an event I will never forget.
While we in the Philippines have yet to cultivate a full
sense of national pride mainly perhaps because of our parochial differences,
the Malaysians are marching towards greater heights, in spite of what I would
consider a fractured multi-ethnic union of different cultures, religions and
backgrounds. On the contrary, our neighbors down south feed on their own
diversity, using their own creativity and competitiveness to become an envy of other
southeast Asian economies, the Philippines included as it tries to make peace
with two insurgent groups. Despite a majority of Malaysians being Muslims,
rarely if none were news about terror threats, unlike in Indonesia where there
have been acts of violence against innocent civilians.
Blessed with its own crude oil, Malaysia is the only
country in Southeast Asia to produce its own cars, Proton and Perodua. The
country is also among the world’s top manufacturing hubs for semi-conductors
and other electronic components, employing hundreds of thousands of people,
including foreign labor, many of whom are, you guessed it, Filipinos.
Malaysia’s infrastructure is also among the most developed
in Asia, according to Wikipedia. In one of our tours, we got the chance to view
the new city of Putrajaya, located some 15 miles outside of Kuala Lumpur, in a well-planned
urban area where new government buildings are located. The city is beautifully landscaped
with a massive man-made lake dotted with captivating bridges – there are nine spans
around the city – because of their modern architectural design.
In addition, Malaysia’s railway systems are one of the
best in the world. Its KLIA Ekspres also allows international airline
passengers to check in their luggage at the train station, therefore no long
queues, and enjoy a convenient high-speed but quiet half-hour ride from Kuala
Lumpur to the airport, and with free wifi connections.
Kuala Lumpur of course is home to the tallest twin towers
in the world – the Petronas Towers – each having 88 floors and stands 1,483
feet high into the sky. These buildings of stainless steel alone are a
testament of Malaysia’s solid growth, whose economy is third largest in southeast
Asia and is ranked 28th in the world vis-à-vis the purchasing power
of its 29 million people.
Speaking of population, there again lies my envy. While
the Philippines has 90 million inhabitants – 7th in Asia and 12th
largest in the world – Malaysia’s smaller population means more social services
for its people. In my one week stay, I’ve tried my best to look for squatters
and beggars in the streets of Kuala Lumpur, which were very clean by the way,
to no avail. Contrast that to Manila’s large squatter population, which often
than not, results in violent confrontations when the government tries to
relocate them away from the metropolis.
Malaysia has 13 federated states and three federal
territories, which just like in the U.S. is a form of government that the
Philippines I think should also greatly consider to let regions become more
self-sufficient and compete with one another.
Comprised of 60 percent Muslims, other religions are
practiced freely in Malaysia, including Buddhism and Hinduism along with a
variety of Christian denominations. The Philippines, meanwhile, has more than
80 percent who are Roman Catholic faithfuls, whose church leaders oppose the
use of contraceptives, but that is another issue altogether. The Philippines
also is the lone country in the world that doesn’t allow divorce.
During their Independence Day celebration, most, if not all, buildings and homes displayed the Malaysian flag. Among those
who proudly paraded in the Merdeka Square were local Malaysian folks, some of whom drove their teksis (taxi) that carry the Proton brand, which much to my own
chagrin, were symbols of how far Malaysia has gone in terms of progress
compared to where I was born. I had goose bumps and my eyes welled up upon
seeing them celebrate their 55th year as a free sovereign Malaysia with great pride.
I wished the Philippines would emulate the same kind of self-respect that the
descendants of our own forefathers possess, a truly united nation.
As they passed by the grandstand during the parade, those
who took part waved proudly to their king and queen and to their government
officials who, except for the royal couple, were wearing one type of uniform, both
men and women: black trousers with a blue-collared white polo shirt emblazoned
with the number “1” on the upper left chest signifying unity and “One Malaysia.”
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Asiatique: Bangkok’s new shopping attraction
Since signature clothing line were expensive at that time
not to mention scarce – they were only available to selected markets where the
affluent would shop – RTWs from these Asian cities were most-sought after in
the streets of Manila because Filipinos just loved imported items, and unlike
the branded ones, buyers can haggle for even lower prices.
Once, I remember entering hotel rooms in Sta. Cruz, Manila
with my late sister near Escolta – then the most famous cobbled-stoned street
in Manila for high-end shopping – for these RTWs. They were illegal, I was told,
but the “knowledgeable” people like my sister flocked the hallways of these
hotels where “occupants” peddled clothes from Hong Kong and Bangkok, along with
other imported commodities. It was a fledgling industry that allowed many, like
myself, to buy and wear fashionable clothes. Whereas before Hong Kong was so popular
because Hollywood celebrities made it so, Bangkok would soon become a household
name in Manila because of their fine quality RTWs as far as the ordinary
Manileño like me was concerned.
Fast forward to the present, Bangkok has become a favorite
destination to many not just for the “biyaheras”
(from the Spanish word viaje which
means trip or travel), the term we used to call the travelling Filipino women
who used to go to Bangkok and Hong Kong just to buy RTWs to sell in the
Philippines. Now, anyone looking for bargains while touring a country rich in
old-age cultures, authentic cuisine and fantastic destinations that are known
the world over go to Bangkok for a hands-on shop-till-you-drop experience, the Asian
version.
What’s more, Bangkok and other cities in Thailand offer bargain
hunters a wide array of just about anything the world has to offer and they are
as diverse as the people of Thailand, where vendors use all possible places to market
their wares both in land and water. Thailand of course is famous for its
floating markets, where sellers paddle their way thru water channels to move
their merchandise without worrying about other overhead expenses that shops
need to bear.
Just recently, Bangkok opened one of its newest and most
modern night markets to meet the growing demands of around 20 million annual
visitors while also serving the needs of its local populace. Aptly called
Asiatique The Riverfront, the open shopping mall combines the bustle and hustle
of a night market, yet classy, and the relaxing character of its slow-moving Chao
Phraya River.
Aside from clothes, handicrafts, souvenir items, musical
instruments, electronic gadgets and other home merchandise, restaurants,
theater and shows make Asiatique The Riverfront a one-stop-shop destination
that the 5-11 p.m. nightly schedule may never be enough for anyone to explore
the splendor of this sprawling shopping complex. And I’m just talking about District
1 as more shops will be built at Asiatique The Riverfont that will soon boast
of some 1,500 shopping stalls, 40 “gastronomic” restaurants and many more outlets
that is fully endorsed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
This reporter was able to visit Asiatique just last month,
courtesy of TAT, where I was able to purchase high-end printed t-shirts for my
friends back at the office. You know, the kind where there are elephants and
anything that would say that the shirt had come from Thailand. And when I say
high-end, the prints were not just textile paint, they were embossed and
glossy…with glitters, I might add. They were selling each for 150 baht ($1 = 30
baht) for a medium size and I was able to buy a few at more or less 125 baht
each. By the way, size matters in Thailand as bigger sizes command a higher
price. That’s just the way it is there, so you have to “pang” your way to buy your merchandise at a lower price. Don’t
worry about negotiating for a better deal, it is to be expected.
Located along the
historical Charoenkrung road, Asiatique The Riverfront is also accessible by
ferry boats that ply along the river. Aside from the Waterfront District,
Asiatique The Riverfront will also house the Factory District where fashion and
designer shops will be put up over a renovated 100-year-old sawmill in the
area; a 2,000-square meter Town Square District for restaurants, winery and all
other dining pleasures; and the Charoenkrung District where1,000 more shops
will be located.
For more information on Asiatique The Riverfront, please
visit www.thaiasiatique.com.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Invading nature’s canopies harmlessly
Flight of the Gibbon gives zipliners a breathtaking view of Thailand’s forest
cover
One of the most
sought-after extreme sporting activities for vacationers nowadays is the thing
we call zipline. It is a ride on cables where you zip through mind-blowing
heights harnessed in a way that will make Six Flags a place for the amateurs if
you’re doing it say, in Thailand’s Flight of the Gibbon.
Installed way atop the
forests of Mae Kompong, a Thai village in Chang Mai, Flight of the Gibbon is a
daunting adventure that may not be for the faint of heart. And why not?
Not only is the sport gliding through the forest cover seem precarious, you
will have to keep on climbing up trees as if one huge drop of height is not
enough while you negotiate the cables in a heart-stopping ride to reach one
platform after another.
Flight of the Gibbon
has 23 platforms, mostly makeshift landing stages around a tree, in the jungles
where mostly monkeys, birds and other forest critters are the official
residents, except for the sky rangers who have made Flight of the Gibbon their
home – the bunch of Tarzans who make a mockery of scaling heights while earn a
living from it, many at the “expense” of nervous wreck tourists.
Consider this: There
were 11 of us who went to Khao Kheeo, Chonburi, where animals roam free as
if they were ordinary pets or in most cases just doing their daily routines as
if they were ordinary individual village residents because of their size.
However, only seven of us dared to take the challenge of trekking deep into the
forest amid the shortness of breath climbing the trail made worse by the mountain’s
dizzying heights.
Of the original five
journalists in our group, one didn’t join us because, he claims, he’s already
“done it before.” But isn’t “done it before” supposedly makes it easier to do
it again, apart from conquering other wuthering heights? Although obviously the
roaring sound you will hear is your own voice screaming and that of the pulleys
zipping through the cables.
Scream the seven brave
souls did. [I didn’t (ehem)? And my six fellow gibbons can attest to that! And
so did Jason Li. I mean, he never made a sound, I think in all the 12 days that
we were together – he was so quiet!]. Well, Marina Gomes of Corremundo, the
prolific Portuguese writer from Brazil, mostly did the screaming and by Terry
Regan (president of Berkeley’s Northside Travel up there in Northern
California), who I’m pretty sure hid his screams in what other folks
would describe as swearing.
At first, I thought Terry directed his “kind words”
to Paworn (Paul) Chatrungnopakun, our Thai host from the Tourism Authority of
Thailand and Marketing Officer for the Los Angeles outfit, until I realized
that it was probably his way of casting away the evil spirits of the Thai
jungles. I think Terry uttered his famous line more or less 20 times, which
made us laugh and helped calm our nerves each time we heard him deliver the
words “holy s _ _ t” even when we were hundreds of feet above the jungle below
us.
I admit it was a
little intimidating at first. But volunteering to be the first to ride the
zipline ahead of the six others was a “feat” I’d do over and over again. Seeing
others ride the cables while witnessing in their faces how scared they were, or
pretended not to be, added to my own evil pleasure while I clicked those
pictures for their own selfish posterity. One setback though, you keep to be
the photographer, and if I didn’t ask the Brazilian amazon Marina to go ahead
of me at one time, I may never see myself moving forward if you choose not to
purchase the official photographer’s shot, which of course will cost you 100
baht for a copy as I found out later.
But it was all worth
it (and I bought the picture), especially upon learning that one of our fellow gibbons struggled
to keep his poise as he suffered from a wedgy after each cable ride (right,
Nick Winfrey?), which added more excitement for him and probably from other
female primates in the area, homo sapiens included. Oh, I
should probably mention that a big part of the proceeds go to the conservation
efforts of Thailand’s wildlife so your zipline ride goes a long way.
Truly, the mere
thought of having to climb gigantic trees, up where nature photographers only
used to go (thanks to zipline now anyone can be a jungle air tourist) was an
experience of a lifetime. It was as exhilarating as probably scuba diving with
equally dangerous depths, especially in instances where the dangling cable is
so long that sometimes it takes more than 10 seconds to reach the
next platform, as you see the glider becomes smaller and smaller while they reach
the other end of the cable.
It’s a “shame” that
the others didn’t come with us. Just ask Certified Travel Counselor Mary Ann
Mari, who was more than willing to conquer yet another zipline in one of her
tours. So, next time you’re in Thailand, please don’t pass up on the Flight of
Gibbon. It’s an adventure you’ll never forget.
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