For transforming his corporation into one of the most profitable in the country today, PAGCOR chair and CEO Efraim Genuino received a Communications Excellence in Organization or CEO Excel Award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines. Genuino’s outstanding leadership and exemplary communications capabilities were recognized for advancing the reputation and enhancing the profitability of PAGCOR, raising the income of the state-run gaming corporation by almost P6 billion in just four years. From an annual income of P14.64 billion in 2000, Genuino upped the ante to P20.21 billion last year. This year, PAGCOR’s income is expected to hit P23 billion. The big winners, however, are the beneficiaries of PAGCOR’s socio-civic projects such as the Patubig ni PGMA, Batang Iwas Droga, Serbisyo Muna and many others, particularly for the poor and the youth. Under Genuino’s stewardship, PAGCOR is also expected to go global through the proposed PAGCOR City which is anticipated to give other gaming facilities in the region a run for their money.
| Eavesdropping since Clinton’s time |
The Bush administration has come under fire for allegedly allowing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans to search for evidence of terror activities without court approved warrants. Our US Spy-Ring disclosed that as early as 2001, the electronic intelligence agency had already apprised Bush the need to eavesdrop. In a report entitled "Transition 2001," The NSA said it was concerned that private and federal digital networks were now more "vulnerable to foreign intelligence operations and to compromise." It then advised Bush of that monitoring America’s foes would require a "permanent presence" on such networks that carry American messages but are protected from government eavesdropping. In fact, the NSA – which had been previously dubbed as "No Such Agency" for its low profile – had been monitoring phone calls and emails through a super secret program code-named "Echelon" during the time of Bill Clinton. In February 2000, CBS correspondent Mike Frost, considered an Echelon expert, said in ‘60 Minutes’ that NSA operators could listen to just about everything, and that the agency monitored "everything from data transfers to cellphones to portable phones to baby monitors to ATMs." And all that, of course, also without any court-ordered warrant.
Spybiz has been receiving reports about credit card holders who unknowingly find themselves saddled with a loan with monthly interest payments. According to some complainants, credit card personnel would offer a cash loan promo through the phone. After delivering his spiel, the caller would then ask the politely listening credit card holder if she understood the conversation because it had all been recorded, to which the answer would be yes. Several days later the cardholder would then be surprised to receive a check by mail, later on followed by a billing statement with corresponding interest. Told that returning the check would mean an additional interest payment of four percent for the amount, these cardholders end up burdened with high monthly interest rates for a credit promo that they never asked for in the first place.
| Spy tidbiz: White bread for a White Christmas |
Christmas is just around the corner and so people might understandably go on eating binges. But if you don’t want to add additional inches to your waistline, better heed what researchers from Tufts University in Boston say. According to their research, people who eat a lot of white bread have bigger waistlines than those who stick to whole grains. The study involved 459 healthy, middle aged people with five different diets where healthy food, white bread, alcohol, sweets or meat and potatoes were prominent. As it turned out, those who ate the most white bread were also the fattest. That’s because the white bread goes straight to the gut and later on hangs out as belly fat. This can result in a half-inch gain per year for those who just can’t resist eating refined grains. So for those who want to have a White Christmas by looking like Santa, go ahead and gorge on white bread.
| Spybiz Christmas bulletin |
The collapse of the protective dike surrounding Calapan and surrounding areas in Oriental Mindoro because of consecutive episodes of heavy rains has caused severe flooding, dislocating thousands of families. The disaster has spurred a group of Ateneans to conduct relief operations through Task Force Noah. The multisectoral group is appealing for donations of canned goods, rice, noodles, drinking water, clothes, blankets and medicine particularly for colds and diarrhea to be distributed to the affected families that have sought shelter in several evacuation areas. Donations in kind may be dropped off at Eliazo Hall, Ateneo de Manila University. Cash and check donations may be left with the porter of the Loyola House of Studies. Address all checks to Simbahang Lingkod Ng Bayan.
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