Insurgencies have kept Philippines from meeting UN development goals

Friday, June 24, 2011
NSURGENCIES have kept the Philippines from meeting development goals set by the United Nations, which include cutting poverty in half and providing universal access to primary education by 2015.

This is according to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2011, a copy of which was given to Sun.Star, “no low-income fragile or conflict-affected country has yet achieved a Millennium Development Goal.”

According to Nigel Roberts, World Development Report co-director, who talked to members of the press Friday, communist and Muslim insurgencies will keep the Philippines from reaching those goals.

The World Bank Report, which studied conflicts around the world, found that conflicts that last at least five years translate to around 30 years of lost GDP growth. The Philippines has been fighting insurgencies since 1969.

The study also found that poverty rates in countries with protracted conflicts are around 20 percentage points higher than in countries that are at peace.

“It takes 20 years come back to trade levels before the conflict,” he said, adding conflicts in the Philippines affect the whole country because they shake investor confidence.

Roberts said weak national institutions and “deeply-felt injustice” contribute to violence since these are “what make people the most angry.”

The report found that violence is likely when governments fail to provide security and justice, when jobs are scarce, and when communities “have lost the social cohesion that contains conflict.”

He said conflict is caused when people lose faith in their government, their communities, and each other. The conflict, in turn, erodes confidence in institutions even more.

According to the World Development Report 2011, governments must strengthen legitimate institutions and provide security, justice, and jobs to break the cycle of violence.

Roberts said that countries like Ethiopia and India have started doing this by supporting entrepreneurs and small-scale businesses, adding those programs “can be copied quite easily.”
He said that with investors wary of putting money in the Philippines, job creation will fall on the government until investor confidence is high enough.

“Your default has to be the government and State,” he said.

More than just providing jobs, the government also has to provide electricity and roads as well as financing and skills training for small-scale businesses.

Reforms also have to be made, especially in Mindanao, to keep people from “feeling left out, abused, and not part of the national program,” he said.

Roberts said the Philippines seems to be on the right track in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quntos-Deles calls the core of the territory affected by the peace process with the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Deles, who faced reporters alongside Roberts, said the government will implement “housekeeping and electoral reforms” in time for the Armm elections, which have been moved from August this year to 2013.

She added that the government peace panel will consider recommendations made in the report.
“It will bring us, in the fastest way possible, lessons from peace and conflict situations all over the world both in terms of best practices and worst situations,” she said.

The government peace panel, chaired by former UP Law dean Marvic Leonen, is expected to present a draft counter-proposal to the MILF in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next month.
Deles said the MILF has been “very up front and straightforward” on the peace process and that “there will be developments” next week. She declined to give details, however.

“We hope that they (MILF) will see we are sincere and serious and working really hard to ensure a just and sustainable peace,” she said.

Talks broke down between the government and the MILF in 2008 over a proposed Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain, which would have created a Moro homeland was scrapped.
The Supreme Court issued an injunction against the signing of the agreement in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after allegations that stakeholders were not consulted.

The government later scrapped the agreement, sparking renewed hostilities in Mindanao.
“Any government that makes promises, then does not deliver for one reason or another invites disaster,” Roberts said. (Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/06/24/insurgencies-have-kept-philippines-meeting-un-development-goals-163071

Wine is becoming increasingly popular in Manila and other cities in the Philippines. Wine lovers in Manila travel to the north to visit Clark, Pampanga to shop for good and rate vintage wines at good duty-free prices. The most frequently visited liquor shop in Manila and wine shop in Pampanga is Clark Wine Center. This highly recommended wine shop located outside Manila near Angeles City, Pampanga in North Luzon is known for offering a great selection of fine vintage wine that is good quality and good value for money also.

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Public wine tastings are held from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

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Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
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Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com