Page 10 - LM Confidential Issue August 2014

Philippines
Coup? Here’s the story behind those tanks
MANILA, Philippines – It was a case of bad timing.
On the same week that Senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that disgruntled retired generals were plotting to destabilize the Aquino administration, convoys of military trucks and tanks were sighted on Metro Manila’s roads.
The military immediately apologized last month for the alarm caused by the “logistical movements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
What the spokespersons couldn’t reveal back then – that would have killed the coup rumors – was what the trucks were carrying: the brand new M4 Caliber 5.56mm for the Philippine Army.
“Alam ninyo ‘yung nakita ninyo [military convoy] noong isang araw, ‘yun yung mga naghahakot (You know, the military convoy you saw, those were the vehicles that loaded the rifles),” said Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Noel Detoyato, laughing at the trouble that the logistical movement caused the military.
The first batch of 27,200 M4 rifles arrived last week. The military didn’t want to announce what they were transporting for security reasons. Armored trucks accompanied the convoys. The M4 rifles from US- based gun manufacturer Remington will replace the Army’s M-16 rifles. “Napakaganda. Ma-inspire ka. Makatayong balahibo ba (It’s really nice. It’s inspiring. I got goosebumps),” said an excited Detoyato.
The supposed coup plots have since been debunked by retired generals linked to the rumors.
President Benigno Aquino III was supposed to have led the July 14 ceremonial distribution of the first M4 rifles received by the AFP. This was cancelled, apparently to give way to his televised speech on the Disbursement Acceleration Program.
BREAST IS BEST.
Infants are breastfed on Saturday August 2, 2014 during an activity in celebration of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month held at the Philippine Army’s Club house at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. Statistics show that 16,000 Filipino babies die each year for lack of breast milk.
Philippines to let US Vegetables in
ERICH DEFENDS ENCHONG OVER ‘MYSTERY GF’
Netizens are making fun of Enchong Dee for his alleged girlfriend. They
say it’s just an imagi- nary girlfriend be- cause he hasn’t shown any picture of them together. Enchong also admitted that he’s no longer a virgin
and some nasty bashers asked: “Sa boy o sa girl?”
But Enchong’s leading lady, Erich Gonzales in “Once a Prin- cess” backs him up totally. “I don’t think he’d lie about his lovelife,” she says. “He seems so much more happy and inspired now than ever before, so naniniwala akong may nagpapasaya sa kanya ngayon. I’m also happy for him.”
Beauty Gonzalez goes from chubby ‘Bisaya’ to stunning FHM cover girl
The chubby and feisty Dumaguete teen who won 4th place on “Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus” in 2008 has just landed the cover of the August 2014
issue of FHM Philip- pines as a svelte 22-year-old.
“I want people
to see something
in me. Usually when
people see me,
they remember me
as Beauty, yung matabang Bi- saya,” she told FHM.com.ph. “Sana ‘pag nakita nila ito, they can see that I have renewed beauty and talent to offer. I’m really thankful for this. I’m going to claim this. Some- thing good will come out of this.”
Beauty, who turned a lot of heads with her scene-stealing performance in the romantic drama “Starting Over Again” in February, made her debut on the annual list this year at No. 93.
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—Farmers’ groups in the province expressed concern on over lifting of restrictions on imported
vegetables
from the United States and said the
Americans could flood the market with carrots, cabbages, celery and potatoes,
Loreto Buya-an, spokesman of the Benguet Farmers Federation, said a glut could bring the price of vegetables in the market and affect the demand for Benguet vegetables.
“We are worried about the impact of the sudden influx of vegetables from the United States because it will have a significant effect on prices of vegetables in the market,” Buya-an said.
The US embassy has announced in its Web site the lifting of restrictions and said “this exciting development will relieve shortages and deepen agricultural ties between the two nations.”
Imported vegetables will be certified by the US Department of Agriculture and importers will be required to get permits from the Bureau of Plant Industry. American exports was expected to rise from $57,000 (mostly
celery) in 2013 to $1 million in the next two years.
Agot Balanoy, an officer of the Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative, said the competition from the US should prod local farmers to improve the quality of their products to protect their hold on the market.
“We appeal to concerned government agencies to enhance support and provide post-harvest facilities to our farmers so they will be able to cope with the expected stiff competition from imported crops,” Balanoy said.
Gov. Nestor Fongwan said he was confident local vegetables will retain its dominance in the local market because it is fresh and its price affordable to many Filipinos.
He said a small niche in the market will be receptive to US vegetables but “only the rich can afford it” because their cost of production and transport will be high.”
Fongwan called on farmers not to worry about the competition and to coordinate with agencies and local governments to look for ways to lower production cost of highland vegetables in preparation for the implementation of the free trade agreement among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year.
Benguet, dubbed as the Salad Bowl of the Philippines, supplies 75 percent of highland vegetables in the market.
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L. M. Confidential
AUGUST 2014