CARMEN TIANGCO: You didn’t answer my question Mr.

Vice President

SERGIO ALVAREZ: You make it seemed like I stand accused of a crime, Carmen.

CARMEN TIANGCO: You have to admit a certain conflict of interest: all that lobbying for the rebuilding of
the New Tuclon

SERGIO ALVAREZ: Please, you don’t have to bring it up.

CARMEN TIANGCO: and all the while your allies secretly owned the Estancia resorts in the island?

SERGIO Alvarez: A corporate holding is hardly secret. Besides, who will help those affected by the
SuperTyphon Hailanda?

Face-to-face with Tiangco, 8 January 2087

--------------

He was smiling too much.

Sergio Alvarez tried to pull his lips back to his mouth. He should remain calm. After all, everything was
going according to his plan. Wealth. Power. He can feel his triumph coming. As the elevator made its
steady ascent in the tower building of VisiScope Station, Alvarez spoke to his android secretary.

“How’s my ratings Jenny?” he said looking into the elevator’s LCD screen showing latest stock ratings.

Jenny-B23 turned her brown eyes to his employer and answered him in a matter-of-fact tone. “As of
10:35 this morning, your approval rating was increased by 3%. From 43.4%, going up to 46.4%,” she
replied.

“How about Gordon?”

“The President still has 45.1% percent approval rating, sir.”

“Don’t call him that,” Alvarez scowled. “Send photos of Gordon and his secretary to the TV station. Put
those things online; give the details of his hidden bank accounts.” He smiled to himself, licking his lips.
“Ewan ko na lang kung di pagpiyestahan ng media ‘yan. That dog will find himself at the bottom before
the election starts.”

“Right away, sir,” her secretary replied obediently and then put her screen back inside her blazer.

Elevator doors opened automatically as they reached the heliport of the TV station. Alvarez and his
secretary stepped outside and walked through the platform. They were welcomed by the six black-
carbon clad Vice Presidential Security group agents. Alvarez’s security chief aide opened the door of the
armored HoverSUV and ushered him in. Red and blue lights were turned up and sirens started to blare.

“New Tuclon,” he commanded to his chief aide. In no time, the Vice Presidential motorcade took off
from the ground and head straight to the island.

Located in an idyllic coastline with picture-perfect seascape, mountains and neighboring islands,
Estancia resorts is a cluster of quaint accommodations nestled in between the beach and mountains of
Tuclon Island. Estancia resorts offer an intimate lodging experience, sea-to-table home-cooked food and
personalized service by the locals.

The TV monitor behind the front seat blared as Alvarez’s HoverSuv glided at 12,000 kilometers above
the ground. The monitor showed the commercial of the newly-developed Estancia Resorts in New
Tuclon Island.

Jenny-B23 watched the commercial mindlessly as her employer was sitting still beside her. She adjusted
her black-rimmed glasses and scanned the surroundings below. Mountains were cracked open and huge
quarries were scooped out of the landscape. Half a mile beyond a treeless slope, armies of backhoe
were going to and fro, scrapping pale brown rocks of what is remained in the hill.

The thirty-minute flight went past smoothly. The motorcade landed on an airstrip near the beach in the
island. On the coastline, coconut trees toppled by the Super storm Hailanda were still scattered. There
were few cranes in the distance and some land-clearing.

The Vice President stepped out of his HoverSUV and a number of well-armed security men received him.
In the middle of the receiving party, stood a bald middle aged man wearing shirt embroidered with tribal
patterns.

“Sorry for the inconvenience Mr. Vice President. We’re still developing the area,” Ramon Ayala greeted
him offering his hand. He escorted the Vice President to a two-story clubhouse that sat atop of a hill and
offered a panoramic view of the island’s vastness.

They settled down on large cushioned rattan chairs. Jenny B-23 positioned behind the Vice President,
holding a screen in her arms, ready to receive commands. She scanned the servants inside the
clubhouse and IDed them but they were not registered in the system. But she didn’t mind they were
only locals anyway.

Ayala raised his hand to request a drink. A brown-skinned woman with curly brown hair served
refreshments for the two gentlemen. The Vice President asked for a brandy while Ayala got a mango
shake. After serving the drinks, she quickly went back to her position behind the buffet table together
with other white-clad helpers.

“Thanks Agta,” the businessmen said and then turned to the Vice President. “Foreign aids are still
coming. Rehabilitation Czar Roque has already pooled the cash donations for the development of this
resort.”
“Good to hear that Ramon,” he said as if he already knew the info before Ayala reported it to him. “I
also noticed that the natives were involved in the project,” The Vice President added nodding his head.

The two men went silent. No one spoke for quite some time. Ayala tried to read Alvarez’s body
language, trying to determine the sudden visit of the Vice President. There was tension in the air. The
clatter of silver spoon and forks from the buffet table can be heard in the background along with
piercing noise of ground drilling.

With a half-glass of brandy in hand, the Vice President stroked his graying thin hair beside his right ear.
“You seem to be nervous,” he finally spoke. He was looking to Ayala. The balding man’s right leg was
bouncing up and down. His elbows were nestled on the armrest but his shoulders were stiff.

“It’s just a habit,” he reasoned out.

“Anyway, you do know that the election is coming right? And I helped you secure this land after the
typhoon. I must say Ramon, bureaucratic work is very hard. I need to tap several people in power just to
be able to put a resort in this place. I know your competitors really want to develop this area but here
you are getting all of the deals. So I have a proposition.” The Vice President changed his position,
crossing his legs and reclining his back to the backseat.

“I want you to give a part Tibulan bay to Ms Sanders.”

“Sanders of the US Embassy?” Ayala frowned. “But that part of island is for the Tibulan Tribe.”

“Don’t worry Ramon. Ms Sanders will not meddle with your resorts. In fact, she might help you attract
more guests from the US,” the Vice president smirked.

“The western coast is a natural harbor, Ramon. The Americans have lost their bases in nearby countries.
The western part of Tibulan island is a deep sea where fleet can dock. They will just lend to pass through
their ships through Philippine waters. That’s it.”

“But how about the Tibulans?” Ayala asked, his voice was shaking. He can feel their gaze behind the
buffet table. Two of them wiping plates, secretly listening to the meeting. Agta, on the other hand, was
preparing the carving knives that would be use for the steak.

The Vice President didn’t answer Ayala’s question. He gulped down his brandy and intoned “It is just a
matter of yes or no, Ramon.”

“Of course,” Ayala let out a soft chuckle but his eyes were on the two helpers preparing lunch, but they
were not looking him in the eye. “I would gladly share the island to the embassy.”

“Alright good to hear that. As always, it’s been pleasure doing business with you. Now why we don’t
have a taste of Tuclon’s famous steak,” the Vice President gestured to the natives at the buffet table to
serve their meal.
“I must say, this service by the natives really feels authentic. Your marketing ‘personalized service by the
locals’ works for me. At first glance, you may get disgust by their looks but their service is very nice,” the
Vice President commented as the helpers served their meal. A dark skinned man wearing white polo
shirt placed the steaks on the table. Agta followed him, placing the utensils beside the plate. The Vice
President was telling more about the upcoming election when he heard someone shouted his name….

“Cover!”

Jenny-B23 quickly shielded the Vice President with her body. Her right hand transformed into a pistol
and fired shots to Agta who was holding a blood-stained carving knife in her hand. The Vice President
looked for Ayala who was running toward the exit but the VP security group caught him. A couple of
muffled gun shots were heard from the clubhouse. Alvarez’s vision was spinning. He was clutching his
stomach. He sensed a blood was dripping from his suit.

Jenny-B23 carried the Vice President in her arms. More gunshots were heard as the vice presidential
security group cleared the area.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CARMEN TIANGCO: Our guest tonight is the community leader of New Tuclon, Dawin Ibunay. After the
SuperTyphon Hailanda ravaged the island last year, let’s see how they are doing now. Welcome to the
program Dawin.

DAWIN IBUNAY: Good ibning po mam

CARMEN TIANGCO: So Dawin can you describe to us what are to ongoing efforts of the government to
rehabilitate island?

DAWIN IBUNAY: Mabuti naman po sila mam. Salamat na lang kay Presidint Alvarez at nabegyan kame ng
trabaho sa site

CARMEN TIANGCO: Oh how are the facilities today?

You didn’t answer my question Mr. Vice President

SERGIO ALVAREZ: You make it seemed like I stand accused of a crime, Carmen.

CARMEN TIANGCO: You have to admit a certain conflict of interest: all that lobbying for the rebuilding of
the New Tuclon

SERGIO ALVAREZ: Please, you don’t have to bring it up.

CARMEN TIANGCO: and all the while your allies secretly owned the Estancia resorts in the island?
SERGIO Alvarez: A corporate holding is hardly secret. Besides, who will help those affected by the
SuperTyphon Hailanda?

Face-to-face with Tiangco, 8 January 2087

*An interview with community leader from the Bay Area

- they are displaced away from their jobs

- they have given substandard houses

- they are restricted from entering the “rehabilitation area”