NATION

Page 10 fil•am press December 1-15, 2010

WikiLeaks affecting the Philippines

WASHINGTON, D.C (Star)—
Foreign Secretary Alberto
Romulo lamented the disclo-
sure by WikiLeaks of more than
250,000 confidential U.S. em-
bassy cables and said “we will
have to confront it.”
Asked if he expected a call
from Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton on the leaks, which pro-
vide unprecedented insight into
U.S. foreign activities, he said,
“I expect they will tell each of
their allies.”
As Romulo spoke to Filipino
reporters at the inauguration
on December 1 of the new con-
sular office of the Philippine
embassy here, State Depart-
ment spokesman P.J. Crowley
at the Washington Foreign
Press Center said the U.S. was
mounting a major effort at
damage control to contain fall-
out from the leaks.
Crowley said aggressive ac-
tions have been taken to reach
out to friends and allies “to ex-
press our regret for what has
happened... and to demonstrate
our commitment to our ongoing
relationship.”
Crowley said, “We have 190
countries, give or take, with
which we have diplomatic rela-
tions. We only have one secre-
FOREIGN Affairs
Alberto Romulo
Secretary
tary of state.”
“She has made some calls to
world leaders. She is going to
make more calls to world lead-
ers. But we have reached out to
every government in some fash-
ion to express our regret for
what has happened,” he added.
Romulo is on a visit to Wash-
ington to lobby U.S. legislators
to support the proposed Save
the Industries Act and the Fam-
ily Reunification bill which
seeks to allow about 20,000
sons and daughters and minor
grandchildren of U.S. Filipino
veterans to join them.
The SAVE Act would grant
duty-free status to garments
and apparel wholly assembled
in the Philippines, on condition
that these are made of U.S.-
made textiles, fabrics, yarn and
cotton.
Supporters said aside from
creating some 2,000 jobs in the
U.S., the passage of the bill
would create some 200,000 jobs
in the Philippines.
Romulo said he was confident
the U.S. Congress will pass the
SAVE Act if not this year, then
most certainly next year.
He said in his talks with Sen.
Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, the
main architect of the compen-
sation package for Filipino
World War II veterans, Inouye
promised to continue sponsor-
ing bills that would benefit the
Philippines, in particular the
SAVE Act.
He said he handed Inouye a
personal letter from President
Aquino and reiterated an old-
standing invitation for him to
visit the Philippines.
In his wide-ranging talks with
reporters Romulo said the Vis-
Pinoys overseas can continue SSS membership
THE Philippine Social Security
System ( SSS ) wishes to an-
nounce to all its members that
they can continue their member-
ship even when they are abroad.
SSS maintains its policy that
once a member, always a mem-
ber, and members will never
lose premium contributions for
life.
SSS members may continue
paying their premiums and
avail of the following benefits:
iting Forces Agreement with the
U.S. needed to be updated to
“strengthen even more the rela-
tionship between the two coun-
tries.”
“Lessons of the past give us
the impetus and rational to up-
date the agreement,” he said.
Romulo has been foreign sec-
retary since August 2004.
Asked how long he expected to
remain in his post he replied:
“My future is secure.”
In a short ribbon-cutting
speech at the new consular of-
fice of the Philippine embassy
Romulo paid tribute to Consul
General Domingo Nolasco for
his leadership in the smooth
transition of the consular office
from the main embassy build-
ing to what used to be the old
chancery at 1617 Massachu-
setts Avenue.
Romulo congratulated
Nolasco on his promotion to
ambassadorial rank.
The old chancery has been
owned by the Philippine govern-
ment since the U.S. colonial pe-
riod and was the headquarters
of the government-in-exile dur-
ing the Japanese occupation of
maternity, sickness, partial/
permanent disability, retire-
ment with 13th-month pay or
Christmas bonus, death, and
funeral or burial
According to Atty. Sylvette C.
Sybico, department manager of
its Foreign Branch Expansion
and Monitoring Department,
SSS has arranged with Lucky
Money, Metrobank, Bank of
New York, and Western Union
for payment of premiums.
the Philippines.
It fell into disuse in the 1990s
when the present embassy at
1600 Massachusetts Avenue
was built.
On alert
Bureau of Immigration officer-
in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma,
meanwhile, said fugitive
WikiLeaks founder Julian
Assange is unlikely to arrive
and hide in the country but
stressed his men are ready to
hold him just in case he tries to
sneak in.
“As of now, we have not yet
received an official notice from
the Interpol but we are aware of
it because it is already posted
in the Internet. I have already
directed our personnel to make
the necessary precautions that
in the event he would come to
the Philippines, we have to alert
our Interpol counterparts so
they can act appropriately,”
Ledesma said.
Reports said Interpol had al-
ready raised a global alert for
the arrest of Assange on rape
and molestation charges in
Sweden.
Members may also join the
SSS Flexi-fund Program or Provi-
dent fund by investing any
amount (not lower than Php
200.00) on top of the member’s
monthly premium contribution.
Investment and interest may be
withdrawn anytime.
For queries on SSS matters,
including application forms,
please visit its website at
www.sss.gov.ph or send an email
to ofw@sss.gov.ph.
SEN. CHRISTOPHER BOND
Romulo meets
U.S. senator
over SAVE Act
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S.
Senator Christopher Bond of
Missouri State, the principal
sponsor of a key legislation that
could save the Philippines’ gar-
ment industry, and Philippine
Foreign Secretary Alberto G.
Romulo met on December 3 in
Washington, D.C.
This follows an earlier meet-
ing with U.S. Senator Daniel
Inouye of Hawaii, in connection
with the Philippine campaign
for the current U.S. Congress to
pass the key legislation.
The legislation is known as
the Save Our Industries Act
(SAVE Act or S. 3170) in the U.S.
Senate.
According to the Department
of Foreign Affairs, Bond assured
Romulo that he would continue
his support for SAVE Act and do
his best to carry it through with
Senator Inouye if an opportunity
presents itself during the so-
called “lame-duck session” of
Congress.
The Philippines considers
SAVE a “win-win legislation,”
which Inouye co-sponsors.

Alphans elect West Coast chancellor

JUN Magpale (left) and Bong Silerio (right) raise the arms of
Noriel Flores, newly elected West Coast chancellor of the Al-
pha Phi Beta Fraternity alumni.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The West Coast chapter of the University of the
Philippines’ Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity alumni on November 20 elected its
new chancellor.
Elected by unanimous acclamation is Noriel Flores, Batch 71, a a long-
time lawyer practicing out of Los Angeles, California. He will serve as
chancellor for the next two years.
In an admirable display of leadership by example and in promoting
fraternity unity and cooperation, he appointed his losing opponent,
Ferdinand “Bong” Silerio, as vice-chancellor, a gesture applauded by the
fraternity members in the Philippines and all the chapters abroad.
A total of 79 West Coast Alphans, including three from Texas, voted in
person or by mail.
Flores succeeds Desiderio “Jun” Magpale, who served as West Coast
chancellor for four years. His outstanding leadership was acknowledged
and recognized by the fraternity.

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