CANADIAN GARBAGE (The Canadian Government isn’t doing anything to help us return the toxic waste sent to us in fifty containers some 15 months ago.) The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently rattled off figures that purportedly brought job-generating investments in the country to a 7-month record high in July totaling $4.07 billion. The BSP said that direct investments come in the form of multinational companies’ reinvested earnings in the Philippines and new substantial investments by foreign firms. For a country known for its inadequate infrastructure, with the worst airport in the world, probably the worst seaport as well, with corruption scandals galore (involving foreign countries too), and bad peace and order situation, among others, it would help convince skeptics if the BSP would name these foreign companies. That way, it would be easy to verify BSP’s claim. ****** Finally, he has come to his senses. President Noynoy Aquino has apparently given up the idea of succeeding himself in July 2016 when he conceded in Bali over the weekend that “the lack of consensus and consent from the people” won’t make it possible. The realization came to him following the recent survey showing 6 out of 10 of his bosses are opposed to a term extension for him. The question asked by many nowadays is “After Noynoy, who?” Well, not to worry. When Ms. Gloria Arroyo’s stolen six-year term was about to end in 2010, the same question also arose. Then, the untimely demise of the late President Corazon Aquino catapulted her only son to the presidency. With the present front-runner, Vice President Jejomar Binay, inexorably losing steam because of corruption allegations against him (reminiscent of the fate suffered by former Senator Manuel Villar in 2010), and with the administration and opposition both having shallow benches, the same question is fast gaining currency. Nonetheless, as I said, not to worry. Somehow, we have always managed to put the wrong person in Malacanang anyway. But, at the same time, we have always managed to survive. So, why worry? ****** Canada is one of the generous contributors to the victims of super typhoon Yolanda. And I’m sure everyone in the country appreciates that. We have also had good relations over the years with that North American country that prides itself with, among others, a strong position against environmental degradation. I also have several Canadian friends of various ethnicity and they have always impressed me as a friendly and fair lot. That is why I am at a loss as to why the Canadian Government isn’t doing anything to help us return the toxic waste sent to us in fifty containers some 15 months ago. The Canadian Embassy, I am told, has not been very helpful either. Perhaps one effective way of persuading the Canadian Government to take back the harmful trash is to stop collecting the garbage, personal or otherwise, of the embassy and its personnel, including the ambassador’s. Initially, I was thinking of dumping garbage in front of the Canadian Embassy on Ayala Avenue, but that would inconvenience the other tenants of RCBC Tower 2. On the other hand, it might not be such a bad idea. It could persuade the other tenants to join our cause. ****** It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that a great tragedy costing the lives of many of Noynoy’s bosses could happen any time, unless proper steps are taken forthwith to ensure that the MRT is safe and reliable. Imagine, doors opening while the train is in motion, engines conking out in the middle of a run, brakes failing, trains overshooting the barrier at the end of the line. But, as a layman, what worries me most is the fact that rails have already broken in several places. That could only mean that the whole line is already brittle and could break anywhere, anytime. Imagine further… the train filled to capacity during rush hours, running at full speed and the rail breaks, the train is derailed and flies off the wayside and falls on the biggest parking lot in the metropolis called EDSA… Don’t get me wrong. I am not wishing that tragedy to happen. On the contrary, I am wishing that it doesn’t happen. And that is why I am writing about it now in the hope that Noynoy will do something about it before it’s too late. Definitely, he should start by having a second look at his transportation secretary, Emilio Abaya, on whose face is written ineptitude and alleged corruption. Then maybe he would see the urgent need to have him replaced by someone more capable of managing the nation’s transportation needs. He should forget that Abaya is Mar Roxas’ protégé. The latter is not his boss. The people are, remember? And if something tragic happens to them, there will be no one else to blame but him. ****** Speaking of his knack for the blame game, Noynoy did it again in Bali last week when he said: “It was also that principle (referring to People Power) that enabled our people to carry on through the ‘lost decade’ in our country: a time when, under my predecessor, the democratic institutions were compromised and weakened by a culture of transactionalism and impunity, where the very select few rode roughshod over the will and aspirations of the vast majority.” A reader said: “Look who’s talking.” The reader was referring to how both houses of Congress are now in Noynoy’s pocket, how he tried to subvert the authority of the Supreme Court, how he allows the DICKS (Deadwood, Inept, Corrupt and unworthy KKKKKKs) in his official family to continue running roughshod over his bosses. And now, Noynoy is saying that Congress will be to blame when the power shortage next year takes effect if it doesn’t act quickly on a joint resolution granting him emergency powers. Many legislators must be bristling privately: “Why are you passing the buck to us? You have been warned a long time ago that there will be a power shortage in 2015. But did you listen? No. Instead, you relieved Rene Almendras and put a politician in his place, Jericho Petilla who, according to Senator Serge Osmena, knows next to nothing about energy! Please…!” ****** After withdrawing, quite rightly, our peacekeepers in the Middle East whose lives were in danger, it seems Noynoy’s government is thinking of sending medical workers to Ebola-hit countries in Africa. Without belittling the capabilities of our medical workers, what good would sending them there now do? There is already a pandemic out there. Why expose them to the disease? They may also become carriers later on. CNN, in fact, reports that the deadly virus has been contracted by a nurse who had worn protective gear during her “extensive contact” at a Dallas hospital with an Ebola patient who died. I think we should just send a token contribution in cash to the most seriously affected countries. ****** Marcoses Hit Martial Law-style Raid – Headline. Ms. Imelda Marcos bitterly criticized the National Bureau of Investigation for its “brazen use of force and threats” in searching for allegedly ill-gotten paintings of famous artists supposedly stashed in her various residences. The shoe on the other foot? ****** Miriam Santiago said PNP chief Alan Purisima should be kicked upstairs. Nonoy’s bosses said Purisima should be kicked out. Who will Noynoy listen to? Neither. ****** Reminders (for Noynoy): 1) Filing of charges against officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) during Arroyo’s illegitimate regime. Noynoy himself said on several occasions that there is documentary evidence to prove the venalities in the past in that agency. That was more than four and a half years ago. (Ironically, one of the biggest scandals to hit Noynoy’s administration is the alleged corruption in the NFA and the pork barrel scam in the Department of Agriculture headed by Proceso Alcala who is still sticking like a leech to his post notwithstanding the appointment of former senator Francis “Mr. Noted” Pangilinan as his virtual replacement. Noynoy’s first appointee to head the NFA, Lito Banayo, has been charged, along with others, for alleged graft and corruption during his tenure in the agency. Banayo’s successor, Orlan Calayag is now under investigation for allegedly granting a P1.08-billion rice cargo-handling contract to a trucking company without a bidding being conducted. That’s not all… Calayag, who resigned earlier, had been replaced by Arthur Juan who was accused of extortion by rice trader Jomerito Soliman and is now under investigation too. NFA accursed?) 2) Investigation of reported anomalies in the GSIS during the watch of Winston Garcia and order his successor, Robert “Pretty Boy” Vergara, to file the proper charges, if warranted, against the former. Noynoy should also order Vergara to report to him on COA’s findings that: (a) He received the obscenely excessive compensation of P16.36 million in 2012 making him the highest paid government servant then. The latest COA report also has Vergara as the highest paid for 2013 with P12.09 million; and (b) That over a year ago, at least P4.13 billion in contributions and loan payments made by 12 government offices to the GSIS had not been credited to the offices as of Dec. 31, 2011. COA also said at the time that the amount of unrecorded remittances could go much higher because only 36 agencies have so far responded out of the 186 that were sent confirmation requests by government auditors. Of the 36, 27 confirmed “discrepancies” in their premium and loan payments ledgers when compared with those of the GSIS. There are three questions being raised when remittances, or parts thereof, of government agencies are not recorded by the GSIS on time: a) Where are these huge sums “parked” in the meantime?; b) Do they earn interest?; and c) To where (whom?) does the interest, if any, go? Pray tell, Mr. Vergara, what is the present status of these funds, including those that may have been remitted since and not yet recorded by the GSIS? How long do you think you can “dedma” these questions? I believe it is time for COA to follow up on what Vergara has done on the above findings so that affected GSIS members would know the status of their contributions! In this connection, I would like to address this question to Mesdames Grace Pulido Tan and Heidi Mendoza of COA: “Is Vergara one of the sacred cows in Noynoy’s coterie whom you are afraid to investigate?” ****** Today is the 172nd day of the eighth year of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance. Twenty-three weeks ago, Jonas’ mother, Edita, reminded Noynoy in a letter of his promise to conduct a “dedicated and exhaustive investigation” on her son’s enforced disappearance. “Our hope was anchored on your promise to do what you could ‘on the basis of evidence’ when I personally pleaded for your help. This was almost four years ago, May 2010,” she wrote. Mr. President, Sir? Nagkalimutan na? ****** From an internet friend: Prospective employer to applicant: “So why did you leave your previous job?” Applicant: “The company relocated and they did not tell me where!” ******
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 01:21:20 +0000
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