MANILA, Philippines — The P50-million estimated cost for a cauldron-type structure for the 2019

Southeast Asian Games may be “Imeldific” or with a touch of “grandiosity” but it is reasonable,” a
lawmaker said Tuesday.

House ways and means committee chairperson and Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda reasoned that
the structure could symbolize the “coming of age” of the Philippines, where there is a strong economy
and a “strong government.”

“Kapag nakita mo ‘yung cauldron, mukhang reasonable naman kaso may Imeldific ‘yung dating, may
grandiosity,” Salceda said in an interview over ABS CBN News Channel.

(When you see the cauldron, it looks reasonable [for its price] but it is somewhat Imeldific, there is
grandiosity.)

“It personifies the new character for the Philippines being a strong economy,” he added.

He further said that the “kaldero” or cauldron is “only proportional to the new and bolder character of
the Filipino.”

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier questioned the P50-million estimated cost for the design
and construction of a stadium cauldron for the SEA Games.

He said that the budget could have been used to build 50 classrooms.

The senator urged the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on the funds used to build
that structure and other SEA Games facilities as he expressed doubt about their financial viability after
the Philippine hosting of the sporting event.

Drilon also said he plans to call for a Senate inquiry but will only hold it after the conduct of the games.

The SEA Games will be held at New Clark City in Pampanga province and other venues from Nov. 30 to
Dec. 11.
Salceda explained that the P50 million is part of the P6-billion lump-sum budget allocated for the staging
of the SEA Games.

He further said that the P6-billion budget is also “reasonable” and actually “small” to be able to fund the
hosting of the SEA Games.

“Mukhang reasonable naman ‘yung P6 billion to stage games like that. P6 billion is already small,” the
Albay representative said.

(The P6-billion budget seems reasonable to stage games like that. It is actually small.)

“Kaso kinompare ni Senator Drilon sa isang classroom. Wala namang classroom na P1 million ngayon eh.
Karamihan ng mga classroom P2.5 million,” he added.

(But Senator Drilon compared the price to one classroom. The construction of classrooms are usually
P2.5 million, no classroom costs P1 million these days.)

2 foreigners intercepted at NAIA for telecom fraud, passport fraud

By: Neil Arwin Mercado - Reporter / @NAMercadoINQINQUIRER.net / 10:34 AM November 19, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Two foreigners were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
(NAIA) for attempting to enter the country while listed as a fugitive, and for possession of a fraudulent
passport, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Tuesday.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina, in a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime
Morente, said Chinese national Wang Zhi Qiang was intercepted for his alleged involvement in a
telecommunications fraud in China.

Chinese national Wang Zhi Qiang was intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 1 last November 14 after being
included in the immigration database of blacklisted aliens for allegedly being a fugitive from justice.

Wang had just arrived from Xiamen when immigration officer Mart Cabansag saw his name in the
blacklist following the information provided by the Chinese government regarding his pending case in
China.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Enow Lewis from Cameroon was intercepted after presenting a fraudulent
passport at NAIA Terminal 3 departure area last November 12.

While a visual review of the passport showed that Lewis’ passport is valid, the bureau’s computer
system detected that the passport had already expired.

Immigration officer Maureen Tolentino then had the document checked by the BI’s forensic document
laboratory where it was confirmed that the travel document is fraudulent.

Lewis was supposed to board his flight to Hong Kong when he was stopped by immigration agents.

Lewis was immediately arrested and transferred to the BI Warden Facility pending his deportation.