Toting Bunye made the point that, while there was no support for the Expanded Value Added Tax when it was first proposed, this Gloria Arroyo initiative is what has given the country a reformed and more rosy financial future. We are actually expecting a balanced budget before 2010 and foreign investors are coming back in because of the fiscal reforms that the government has undertaken.

Recently, the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce praised the President "for the passage of legislative reforms needed to improve the investment climate in the Philippines." The letter was signed by Roger Dallas, president of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc, (AmCham), Tertius Vermuelen, president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), Shinsuke Ike, president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Richard Barclay, president of the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (Philippines), Stewart Hall, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Hong Woo-Hyun, president of the Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and Shameen Qurahi, president of the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Headquarters, Inc.

According to AmCham executive director Robert Sears, this year, American investors are definitely coming in with at least $3 billion worth of investments infrastructure, manufacturing and in the information technology sector. In fact, Sears points out that the optimistic assessment of the AmCham is that the figure could "potentially go up to $9 billion in a year" if the government would "take care of some red tape issues."

According to some business observers, businessmen are acting as if there were no elections going on. There is no nervousness at all on their part about the elections and no real fears about who might get elected. What foreign, as well as local businessmen are looking to is a future "good congress" that will continue to enact more laws on economic reform.

Bunye stresses that the good economic times will not easily go away and is something that we all have to live with – both the Gloria people and the opposition. He may have a valid point.

Gloria Arroyo says: "World markets may go up and own but the Philippine economy can no longer be pulled back. Confidence in the Philippines and the region is unsullied. Sustained growth will carry the day."

We shall see.

***

The Optical Media Board, headed by actor-politician Edu Manzano seems to have done well. Its annual report claims confiscation of P447.8 million worth of illegal and pirated optical discs, machines and equipment used for illegal copying and piracy of movies, games and music.

The OMB undertook 1,034 raids, search warrant operations and plant inspections. That is almost three a day.

As a result, Edu was cited by the Motion Pictures Association of America, Inc. whose president Dan Glickman commended President Arroyo for "the anti-piracy enforcement results your government has recently achieved and in particular the results of the Optical Media Board chair Eduardo Manzano have been outstanding."

Manzano was also cited as the "Asia-Pacific Copyright Enforcer of the Year" by the Motion Pictures Association International during the 2006 CineAsia Convention held in Beijing, China last December.

***

Twenty-four mayors out of Batangas province’s three cities and 31 towns have signed a petition asking that Vilma Santos Recto, three-term mayor of Lipa City to become their governor.

The situation is sticky. Her brother-in-law, Ricky Recto is the incumbent vice governor and wants to become governor by beating the current governor Armand Sanchez. Many believe, however, that only Vilma can beat Sanchez.

Politically, both Vilma and Sanchez are with the administration. Vilma is with the Lakas-CMD party and Sanchez is a new recruit of Gloria’s very own Kampi. Both parties are with Team Unity (TU). If the administration applies the "equity-of-the incumbent" rule, it would have to choose Armand Sanchez, the sitting governor as its official candidate. If it declares Batangas a "free zone," then, anyone can run. Both Vilma and Sanchez will be official candidates of political parties of the administration.

Only Ricky is with the Genuine Opposition while his brother Senator Ralph Recto is running under Team Unity (TU),

Is Vilma running on her popularity as an actress? Former Senate President Jovito Salonga tells actors who want to enter politics to "first do a Vilma Santos" who "studied in the University of the Philippine in the school of public administration" and, possibly, because of that "she’s doing very well as mayor of Lipa City.

Or will Vilma, in the end, give in to her brother-in-law’s plans to run for governor himself. If I were a betting man, I would put all my money on Vilma’s running and beating Armand Sanchez in the race for governor.

I am sure most Batanguenos will agree with me.

***

On Friday, March 16, 2007, the Federation of Philippine Amateur Senior Golfers, Inc. (FPASGI) will hold the First Leg of the 2007 San Mig Coffee Sugar Free Senior Golf Series at Eastridge Golf Club on Bilibiran, Binangonan, Rizal.

Tee-off will be from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. with pre-scheduled tee times. Competition will be divided by age groups. Group A will be players aged 55 to 59; B, from 60- to 64; C from 65 to 69; D from 70 to 74 and Group E is from 75 years old and up.

There will also be a team competition where five designated players from an FPASGI chapter will be a team representing their chapter.

Competition will be 18-hole medal play using the Stableford Point System. The tournament fee of P1,500 includes the green fee, caddy fee, a San Miguel give-away package, lunch and raffle prizes.