Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva arrives today. “JJ” will offer at friendship price Thai rice grown by farmers who learned at IRRI Los Baños.

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At IRRI, our experts learned to speak English, while Thai agriculturists learned to grow miracle rice.

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On DFA Day last Tuesday, August 11, the Cabinet meeting was held at the Premier Department on 2330 Roxas Blvd. Secretary Alberto G. Romulo issued the DFA’s first e-passport nr. EA0000001 to his boss, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. When they tried to project the exemplar, the giant screen registered a blank. Ambassador Juan Ona opined that this was because they didn’t want to project the vital statistics of PGMA.

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It took only 20 minutes to input her biometric information, digital signature, and digital photograph. No more long queues at DFA passport office? Only if biometric reads IQ of 140 and above!

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The president conferred awards on those responsible for the e-passports – the Sikatuna, rank of Datu, on Asec for Consular Affairs and our Ambassador-designate to Kenya Dominador Lucinario Jr. and the Lakandula, rank of Bayani, on Central Bank Gov. Amado Tetangco.

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On foreign travels, a single exit at NAIA costs me P750, travel tax on economy ticket is another P1,750.

E-passports are today’s best bargain – at P950, they come with a 5-year warranty of RP government’s protection for the passport’s 5-year validity. The catch is that they can be used only with Schengen (C60) or US ($120) visas.

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Filipinos can still opt for the cheaper machine-readable passports at P500. DFA issued more than 4 million machine-readable passports since June 2007. Machine-readable and e-passports are tamper-proof and will facilitate travel for Filipinos. They can be processed by non-literate immigration officers abroad.

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ASEAN CLV members (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) had actually introduced their machine-readable and e-passports years before RP. Aha, BUT WE THOUGHT OF IT FIRST!

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Typhoon Morakot left in its wake death and devastation in Taiwan. Morakot killed at least eight people in China, 41 in Taiwan and 21 in the Philippines. We not only share natural calamities with our northern neighbor, we even have man-made version… Kurakot.

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Sen. Pimentel wants Kris in politics. Game KNB?

Kris says she’s not ready for politics. But politics is ready for her.

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Soap and consumer goods behemoth Procter & Gamble Philippines will have a new GM in Mr. Siddik Tetik, a Turkish national. Turkish baths, anyone?

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NEDA Director General Ralph Recto steps down to bid to return to the Senate. He was the author of the 12% VAT bill which raised revenues for the government, but cost him the last election. Now he can benefit from VAT’s success.

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Feedback: jaz@mb.com.ph