Spotlight Philippines Special: Top 12 Picks for Senators

The election is fast approaching, and bloggers have started expressing their opinions regarding the upcoming democratic event and their top senatorial choices. If the 2013 national election was held today, the 12 candidates whom I would vote for and who I think will win come May 13 senatorial midterm election will be the following:

1. Edward Hagedorn (Independent)

2. Juan Edgardo Angara (LDP)

3. Richard Gordon (UNA)

4. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel (Akbayan)

5. Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. (Liberal)

6. Francis Escudero (Independent) 

7. Alan Peter Cayetano (Nacionalista)

8. Teodoro Casiño (Makabayan) 

9. Francis Escudero (Independent)

10. Loren Legarda (NPC) 

11. Grace Poe-Llamanzares (Independent)

12. Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. (Liberal) 

We have so much senatorial candidates today; it just goes to show how diverse representation of PH democracy is. Too many perspectives, too many visions for the country. I still think there are those who are up to contest and possibly enter the Magic 12 Senators List since the fight will be really close on this one:

13. Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas)

14. Antonio Trillanes IV (Nacionalista)

15. Bam Aquino (Liberal)

16. Jamby Madrigal (Liberal) 

17. Aquilino Pimentel III (PDP-Laban)

18. Antonio Trillanes IV (Nacionalista)

I really think UNA's reputation has been besmirched knowing that its political Lions (or Kings) have been clouted with allegations of a lot of corruption controversies in the past. How on Earth could one former President, who was deposed by the Filipino people in a popular revolution for so many scandals, still be able to run for office in the capital of the Philippines? Hence, even I had to resort to choosing a few "less corruptible" candidates who would really get into the top 12. Well, this is just a personal view. Voice out your top 12 choices too! Comment them down below.

Justin Bieber attacked in Dubai concert?

In a viral video posted on Youtube that shows Justin Bieber playing the piano, a male fan is seen briskly approaching the international teen heartthrob, apparently aiming (at least in my perception) to hug him. A few seconds later, security staff runs towards, grabs the intruder and knocks the piano over and onto its side.

Video Courtesy: Youtube channel EasyFame

JB then manages to walk away freely in a suave manner (as if nothing happened) after the incident. Could this be really an attack? Or just a failed attempt to show support? Justin has had ups and downs in his series of global concerts; this one could have been one at-just-a-flip-second-incident-turned-disaster scenario. Well, I guess the security were just doing their job well.

Spotlight Philippines launches iSpot Company Feedback service

Got complaints against a certain company's bad customer service? Ever had recurring dropped calls in just one day? Been sold fake accessories, bags? Being passed on by customer representatives to different divisions for your iPhone 5 which does not seem to be working after two weeks of use? 

Poor, slow service in a fast food service? Additional delivery and other hidden charges for something you bought online or for a good service you availed last time which turned sour? Improperly addressed flight concerns for company employee-committed mistakes? Getting no response from a large corporation? Not receiving receipts after buying a lot of items?

Getting below-minimum daily wages? Your boss emotionally scolding you all the time? Overused and overexploited by the company?

Worry no more! You can now share your grievances on poor customer service by using out simpple iSpot Company Feedback service. Post your complaints in anonymity through this post! Who knows, a lot of people share the same sentiments and empathize with you. 

Send your company complaints to spotlightphilippines(at)yahoo(dot)com(dot)ph. This service has arisen due to the author's disappointment on some companies' shift of concern from customer satisfaction to neglective profit maximization without consideration of working environment or provision for the needs of its employees which then affect their productivity and work ethics in the bigger picture. iSpot Company Feedback service is now available for complaints and concerns, and will start posting on Spotlight Philippines next week.

The service's philosophy lies on collective action to raise concerns that affect the general population influencing the market of these companies, so as to achieve better service and improve or alleviate stress generated from these external factors.

Check, view results of April 2013 NMAT online

The results of the April 2013 NMAT can now be accessed online. The National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) online results can be electronically downloaded through the Center for Education Measurment, Inc. (CEM) website.

CEM has released the NMAT results for April 2013 online. The NMAT stratifies aspiring medical students who want to enter any medical institution in the Philippines according to know-how and Intelligence Quotient (IQ).

Your NMAT score will gauge whether or not you can make it to your desired or dream med school. The cut-off scores varies from one institution to the other. The NMAT cut-off score to enroll in University of the Philippines-Manila is one of the highest (at 90 percentile) compared to other med schools like St. Luke’s College of Medicine (SLCM), University of Santo Tomas (UST), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Mindanao State University (MSU), West Visayas State University - La Paz (WVSU), Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH), among others.

A master list of the NMAT scores obtained by everyone who took the April 7, 2013 NMAT will be made available to different medical schools so a few students may already be target/prospect and/or top priority med school applicants by these schools.

View and download the electronic copy of the NMAT results at CEM NMAT scores. Just key in the date when you took the NMAT, your application number, your SURNAME, and your GIVEN NAME. Then, this is what would appear in the site upon entering the information needed:

Two PH presidents included in world's ten most corrupt leaders list

Two former Presidents of the Republic of the Philippines have been part of the list of the world's ten most corrupt leaders, citing Transparency International Global Corruption Report 2004.

Image Link: InfoPlease

Overthrown dictator Ferdinand Marcos and impeached Joseph "Erap" Estrada were named two of the most corrupt in over two decades of presidential history. During his extended term, Marcos allegedly looted money amounting to 5-10 billion US dollars or at least P200 billion, placing him second next to Indonesia's Mohamed Suharto who stole at least three (3) times larger than what Marcos embezzled.

To access full report by Transparency International, proceed here.

Meanwhile, former President Estrada ranked 10th allegedly having taken away 78 to 80 million US dollars or at least P3 billion in public funds. Estrada has again engaged into politics by rivaling incumbent Mayor Alfredo Lim for the chairmanship of the Manila City government.

The list did not include presidential-successor-to-Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose administration's image has been tainted with a lot of public fund misuse, scams, and other scandals. Some notable ones  during her term include the NBN ZTE scandal, the "Hello Garci" wiretap scandal, the North Rail Project, Fertilizer scam, corruption in various branches under the regime, among others.

World Perception

The Philippines has experienced a high jump in Corruption Perceptions Index from rank 141 (with 2.3 index points) in 2008 to rank 105 (with 34 index points) in 2012 out of 180+ nations monitored, but a great degree of challenge remains still for the democratic country to take itself up a higher level and sustain an inclusive economic growth that trickles down the lowest sectors of PH society.

Last year, Finland was the world's perceptively least corrupt nation with a CPI of 90.

In Southeast Asia, Singapore is least corrupt with CPI of 87, ranking 5th overall. It is noticeable that the world's second biggest economy China has a higher CPI of 37 compared to that of the Philippines. The world's most corrupt nations in 2012 are North Korea, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Most African nations have very low CPI.