Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Naga City’s Governance Institute for Effective Urban Management
After bagging more than a hundred international recognitions and many more citations for effective urban management, Naga City in Bicol, the nation’s most awarded city has earned praises from World Bank director Bert Hoffman. The bank executive believes the founding of the Naga City Governance Institute (NCGI) will inspire other towns and cities to tow the line of good governance.
“Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo said that NGCI is the city’s response to the challenge of growing, promoting, and sustaining local governance innovations in the city and the rest of the Bicol Region. LGUs from outside the Bicol Region are expected to benefit, as many LGU officials and decision-makers are coming to Naga to learn from its experiences.
Specifically, the institute will engage in research, training, networking, and advocacy programs to help local government units (LGUs) deal effectively with day-to-day government issues.
Mayor Robredo said that both the Bicol region and the country will be better served if the quality of governance improves at the local level, as it is the key to reducing disparities and inequities among groups and sectors of society.”---Philstar (07/12/09)/ www.worldbank.org.ph
The World Bank concurs. Director Bert Hoffman who expresses commitment to help the NCGI says good governance is a way to alleviate poverty and spur development and social growth. He envisions that through NCGI, effective government management which is successful in Naga City will be implemented throughout the country. However, there are those who doubt if the Naga City's acclaim is well deserved.
Among those who support the move are the Department of Interior and Local Government, institutions of learning like the National College of Public Administration and the Ateneo School of Government, Ayala Foundation, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission. (Photo Credit: Garzland) =0=
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RP needs improvement in governance
Despite claims that Pres. Gloria Arroyo has performed well in governing the country, The World Bank brings in another slow performance report that belies such claims. The Worldwide Governance Indicators for 1996-2008 (World Bank) show that Philippines made some progress in corruption, law enforcement and maintenance of political stability, but tails behind other countries in certain performance indicators of the region.
The fight against corruption had Philippines score 26.5% in 2008 and 22.2% in 2007 which is way below the regional average of 45.1%. Graft and corruption is a huge drag in the advancement of the nation and obviously the report tells that this is a serious challenge for Filipinos. As a consolation, the country fared well in regulatory policies: 51.7 percent last year versus the regional average of 42.1 percent.
Some indicators in which country lags behind are as follows:
-----------------------------------------2008-----------2007----------Regional Ave.
Up-holding the law-------------------39.7%---------33.8%---------52.9%
Maintaining Political Stability------10.5%---------10.1%---------59.9%
government effectiveness”------------55%-----------56.4%
“voice accountability”- -------------41.3%---------43.3%
Source: Philstar.com (07/02/09, Gonzales, I.)
The discordance in what the Pres. Gloria Arroyo believes to be good governance in her administration and the reports of watch groups tells Filipinos of a need for improvement. Otherwise, among competing nations, Philippines is in danger of falling behind and be at the tail end of sovereign nations. (Photo Credit: BeyondSFO) =0=
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1.4 million civilians trapped as fighting between the Pakistani military and the Taliban continues
As a result of the fighting between Pakistani military forces and the Taliban, the United Nations has reported an estimated 1.4 million refugees have been driven from their homes this month in Swat valley in the Northwest region of the country. This adds up to about 2 million people displaced since August 2008. It is believed that many civilians have been trapped in Mingora, a terrorist haven which is about 80 miles from the capital city of Islamabad.
The United Nations expects a rapidly changing humanitarian crisis lasting for months as the Pakistani government pursues its campaign against Taliban militants. An appeal for international aid is expected to be raised by the UN as the crisis grows worse---probably as bad as the emergency experienced by Rwandans in the 1994 African genocide,.
The Pakistani offensive has broad support from the people. United States is heavily invested in having the Zadari government prevail over the Taliban in part because of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal which may fall on the wrong hands. (Photo Credit: Stefabua Zamparelli) =0=
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Muslim religious bias behind the killing of pigs in Egypt?
In Egypt where 90% adhere to the Muslim religion, the consumption of porcine meat is forbidden. Muslims believe pigs are unclean and many don’t eat pork. That’s why it is easy for the government to order the slaughter of 300,000 pigs, many of which are raised by the poor 10% Coptic Christian minority in the country.
Christians condemn the government action which threatens to decimate the hog industry which supplies about 30% of the country’s meat consumption. So far about 700 pigs have been killed and irate hog raisers engaged the police with rocks and bottles to protest in Cairo.
Adel Hammouda, the chief editor of the weekly al-Fagr and a Muslim, picked up on the religious implication of the pig slaughter when he wrote in his column: "They found in this black epidemic their golden opportunity to wage their religious war against Christianity, hiding behind the pigs." ---- AP (05/06/09, Michael, M)
Allegation of religious bias cropped up after the Egyptian government ordered the killing of pigs as a preventive measure against the spread of the swine flu. The action was considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as unnecessary since there is no convincing evidence that these hogs harbor the H1N1 flu virus.
Certainly, the lines which divide health decisions, politics and religion are thin. The Egyptian government must be rational in deciding on health policies which put certain groups in society at a disadvantage. There is no convincing reason to justify the singling out of Egypt’s Christians who raise pigs as their source of food. The killing of their hogs must stop. (Photo Credit: Peggy Collins) =0=
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Christians condemn the government action which threatens to decimate the hog industry which supplies about 30% of the country’s meat consumption. So far about 700 pigs have been killed and irate hog raisers engaged the police with rocks and bottles to protest in Cairo.
Adel Hammouda, the chief editor of the weekly al-Fagr and a Muslim, picked up on the religious implication of the pig slaughter when he wrote in his column: "They found in this black epidemic their golden opportunity to wage their religious war against Christianity, hiding behind the pigs." ---- AP (05/06/09, Michael, M)
Allegation of religious bias cropped up after the Egyptian government ordered the killing of pigs as a preventive measure against the spread of the swine flu. The action was considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as unnecessary since there is no convincing evidence that these hogs harbor the H1N1 flu virus.
Certainly, the lines which divide health decisions, politics and religion are thin. The Egyptian government must be rational in deciding on health policies which put certain groups in society at a disadvantage. There is no convincing reason to justify the singling out of Egypt’s Christians who raise pigs as their source of food. The killing of their hogs must stop. (Photo Credit: Peggy Collins) =0=
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Fighting corruption with "Moral Force Movement"
Chief Justice Reynato Puno of the Supreme Court finds the Holy Week celebration an apt occasion to remind Filipinos to fight corruption. In spite of the Philippines being the only Christian country in Asia, he tells the country's moral degeneration that has made it a pariah among its neighbors.
“Corruption in the country has been deforming all its institutions, undermining our stability and security and preventing our socio-economic development. We can arrest this social decadence through a moral force.” ----Reynato Puno. Philstar (04/07/09, Punay, E.)
Last year’s Global Corruption Report revealed that RP's corruption index hase fallen into the 141st spot tying with Cameroon, Iran, and Yemen, among 180 countries. This is a 10 point drop from the country’s rating of the previous year. The worsening corruption index had been attributed to major corruption cases that the government had been unable to solve.
Recently, World Bank (WB) exposed collusion in the giving of road project contracts in the Philippines which brings shame to government officials running the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH.) Jose Miguel Arroyo, the husband of Pres. Gloria Arroyo is implicated in the scandal, but little effort is made to fully investigate his case.
Puno envisions the moral movement to be politically neutral. A moral force is being harnessed by tapping leaders for the "Moral Force Movement"----from business, church, youth, and the media to combat the debilitating effects of dishonesty in government. Similar to the goals of "Kaya Natin Movement," the moral force's current focus is to help attain an honest presidential election in 2010.
Religious organizations like the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, the Philippine Bible Society and the Ecumenical Bishops Forum are supportive of the initiative that is long-overdue. (Photo Credit: by Zero_Q)=0=
"Moral Force" Movement Core Group
Reynato Puno, Chief Justice, Supreme Court
Marixi R. Prieto, Chair, PDI; trustee Metrobank & Gerry Roxas Foundation
Henrietta de Villa, Chair, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
Mgsr. Gerardo Santos, Pres. Catholic Educational Asso. of the Philippines
Dr. Emerito Nakpil, (Ret.) Bishop of United Mathodist Church
Brig. Gen. Jaime Echeverria, (Ret.,) Asso. of Generals and Flag Officers
Dr. Milwida Guevara, Dir. of the Synergeia Foundatin
Atty. Andres Juan Bautista, Dean, FEU Institute of Law
Noorain Sabdulla, TOYM Awardee and Muslim Representative
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“Not as a lecturer or as a judge,” EU thinks RP must do more to curb corruption
Many huge corruption charges in the Philippines involve officials in the highest corridors of power, but almost all of them remain as accusations displayed like dirty laundry for the public to bear. At the cost of the country’s credibility, almost no one gets punished. The entire nation keeps a blind eye of the growing list of scandals whose outcomes are often tip in favor of the crime doers.
For a long time, corruption comes like a foul odor ignored by the government and its citizens. The stench is allowed to stay, follow its course, until it dissipates in the wind. That’s the usual course that has incrementally robbed the country of its shame and dignity. The public is tired, perhaps, about to give up on corruption---for even with laws in place, there is little accountability. There is almost no public outcry of protest.
Illegal deals and criminal transactions occur right on the face of a Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo. Circumventing the law is common, perpetrated by criminals in broad daylight without embarrassment. The hideousness of the corrupt practices has prompted foreign entities like the World Bank (WB) and European Union (EU) to sound their alarm; they point to government deals that smell too stinky to brush aside. The latest is the WB disclosure of fraud in its bank-financed projects.
The president’s husband Jose M. Arroyo, just like in the past, has been linked to greedy collusion schemes. The latest is with the E.C. De Luna Construction Corp, one of the contractors named by the World Bank for rigging the bidding process of road projects funded by foreign money. Officials of the foreign bank are dismayed by the scale of corruption that is traced way back in 2007.
Careful not to rub the sense of shame of Filipinos, WB’s corruption charges which point the complicity of Chinese partners, suggest that the international community can’t just watch the dirty way the government is run. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo continues to play the charade for the nation.
The EU also sounded its concern by offering the Philippines help to fight corruption. Ambassador Alistair MacDonald of the European Commission said in a Commission of Human Rights meeting in Manila that the EU “sees corruption as a symptom of poor governance and lack of transparent, accountable management, and control system. ---Philstar (10/28/09, Clapano, JR)
There it is. MacDonald is right in saying that officials, the civil society and media must work together to fight corruption in government by observing “transparent electoral processes and supporting parliamentary and judicial oversight.” The country can’t live with perversion of integrity that is out in the open and politicalized for everyone to see, but can’t do something against it.
Even if the outside world wants to help the Philippines solve corruption, it is still the people who must first reject and work against it. There is no shortage of anti-corruption laws. They are just waiting to be enforced, not by officials who are themselves corrupt, but by those who are committed to move the country ahead.
The fight against corruption needs ethical leaders to help government officials and business leaders reform their ranks. They need moral rejuvenation and accountability which must be taught and applied in the community. With the nation’s fate at stake, there is deep shame when foreigners remind Filipinos of their freedom, duty for country, and moral responsibilities. (Photo Credits: Almostevil665; wdbphoto) =0=
RELATED BLOG: "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009; "On Philippine Corruption And Our Being Inure To It" Posted by myty555 at 12/16/2008
Obama’s popularity plunges from 83% to 68% a few days after assuming presidency
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If only to augur the things that are to come, in less than a week Pres. Barack Obama’s approval rating dropped by 15 points. From a sky-high 83%, the new score fell to 68%. The long honeymoon predicted for the widely popular president is challenged by the worsening outlook of the economy. The patience of the American people may not hold in spite of the dramatic changes Obama offers the public. Abandoning some blind credulity, supporters are now looking closely at the programs and plans the administration is selling the nation. Bashing the past administration, there is effort to paint a rosy liberal governance to replace the old. But it seems inadequate in reversing the public's lack of trust.
According to the Gallup poll, the drastic fall of Obama’s support suggests the herculean task and towering expectation the president is facing. His words and actions are under urgent scrutiny as dark clouds threaten to choke the immediate future of the country.
In spite of the media’s commitment to bring the glib president in the best light, there are many Americans who feel wary. They see something corrupt and negligent. For being remiss of their duties, politicians and community leaders aren't as trustworthy as before. And it is causing a toll on Barack Obama.(Photo Credit: Sebastian Niedlick/ Grabthar; Spudart) =0=
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Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo: a beacon of hope
Many UP Ibalonians know Jesse. The popular Bicolano mayor who is an adopted member of the Ibalons shares the mission of the organization. Gearing for more national leadership, he is at the forefront of of the Kaya Natin movement, a group of hope-driven Filipinos who seeks better governance, transparency and ethical responsibility in public service. Ibalonian Don Salvosa shares an inspiring article about Jesse written by Harvey S. Key of the KN movement which appeared in Manila Bulletin, Sunday, December 28, 2008. The piece is reproduced entirely below.---mesiamd (01/16/09)
Things I learned from Mayor Jesse Robredo
by: Harvey S. Keh
For many of you who don't probably know him, Mayor Jesse Robredo is the multi-awarded incumbent city mayor of Naga City, which is currently the main commercial area of the Bicol Region. Aside from this, Mayor Robredo was also one of the first Filipino winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service which is equivalent to Asia's Nobel Prize. He won the award because he was able to transform Naga City from a third class municipality to a first class city and uplift the quality of life of his constituents. Moreover, he was able to develop systems that would enable government processes to be more transparent and accountable to his constituents. As a prime example of this, when one visits the website of Naga City, you would be able to see all the expenses and purchases of the city government. In the more than 16 years of being the mayor of Naga, the city has received accolades from national and international organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations.
I met Mayor Robredo in 2001 at an event organized by Synergeia Foundation, one of the country's more effective institutions in improving our public education system. Since then, Mayor Robredo has been one of the people I have looked up to for advice and his effective brand of leadership has been a constant source of inspiration for me. As such, I wanted to share the things that I have learned through these years that I have worked with him.
Firstly, I have learned that there are still people like him who continue to remain ethical despite being in government service for the past 16 years. Many people have dissuaded me from entering government service since they say that no one actually survives the current system of pervasive graft and corruption. Mayor Robredo has shown that one need not compromise his or her values and principles to be able to govern and deliver basic services to the people in an effective manner.
When I asked him what was his secret for being steadfast in his values, he told me that his faith in God and his family are his main foundations, and this is the second lesson that I learned from him. In a society where we hear of politicians having several wives and families, we have someone like Mayor Robredo who continues to put premium on his being a loyal husband and a loving father who devotes time to his three daughters. I remember a time wherein he failed to attend one of our Kaya Natin! Caravan of Good Governance events in the province since his daughter sought his help with regard to her school project. Many politicians would often jump at the chance just to be able to speak before thousands of students but Mayor Robredo chose to be with his daughter who needed him during that time.
Aside from this, Mayor Robredo has also shown that he is a man that can stand up for what he believes in even if he already knows that majority are no longer with him. This can be seen when in the last 2 Presidential elections, wherein he chose to support the late Senator Raul Roco because he believed that he would make a good President for our country even if he already knew that surveys have shown that Senator Roco would have a slim chance of winning and even if he already knew that if Senator Roco loses he may not be able to get the support of the winning candidate. Standing up and holding on to your own principles is something that is clearly lacking in many of our leaders today. Our present day leaders will often support issues or people that will help propagate their own self-interests without necessarily thinking if what they are supporting will be for the common good.
Finally, one of the most important lessons I learned from Mayor Robredo is the simplicity of his way of life. When one thinks of Filipino politicians, large houses and expensive cars always comes to mind but when one visits Naga, you will see that despite being on his 6th term as mayor of a 1st class city, he continues to live in a very simple home. I remember one time wherein we met in my office in Quezon City and I saw him just taking a cab without any bodyguards to reach our office. Back then, I was quite surprised since I was used to seeing politicians with their big cars, blaring sirens and their throngs of bodyguards. Among all of these lessons, I think what Mayor Robredo has shown me is that there is still much to Hope for in our country if we have more principled leaders like him who will continue
to deliver proper services to the people and will always put the interests of our country above his or her own interests.(Photo Credits: www.nagagov.ph x 2; Rolye) =0=
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When they start telling us we're unworthy of help
When foreign entities tell us that we can’t have assistance because we are corrupt, don’t we feel red on the face? Don’t we experience goose-bumps to be told that we’re untrustworthy? Don’t we feel like immature juveniles when others tell us we need a course program in honesty? As a nation, is there "delicadeza" left in our bones?
I don’t know how to react on the US Millenium Challenge Corporation's (MCC) decision to scrap our anti-poverty aid. Help is available from the corporation, but it’s our worthiness--- the apparent corruption that bars the way. As a result, the suffering poor, the object of humanitarian assistance, are bound to miss the financial booty.
I’m stunned how easily we take trustworthiness for granted. The country got failing grades in the control of corruption (47%,) health expenditures (19%,) and primary education (32%) for FY2009. Across the board, the exceedingly low grades reflect total failure in all fronts. I would not be surprised if our leaders will just shrug them off just like before. It's something the public knows all along.
Indonesia, Columbia, Zambia, places with corruption problems like ours fare better than us. Our country consistently scores lower than the median in at least 14 of 17 criteria considered in determining assistance. We aren't qualified and it is the people outside who tell us.
“To be eligible for US help, developing countries must show their commitment to policies that promote political and economic freedom, investments in education and health, control of corruption, and respect for civil liberties and the rule of law by performing well on 17 different policy indicators.
The board called upon the government of the Philippines to intensify its efforts to fight corruption and will closely monitor the country’s performance,” said Ambassador John Danilovich, MCC chief executive officer.”---Philstar (12/15/08, Katigbak,J)
The MCC reports corruption control in the Philippines precipitously slid from 76%, 57%, and 47% in 2007, 2008, and 2009 respectively. The dire findings entail urgent measures which we can’t laugh off like kid stuff. It’s the same MCC which gave RP $21 million aid to combat corruption (without success?) in 2006. Aren't we ashamed?
Most of us aren’t ashamed. We are used to corruption. We are too focused with our personal lives. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo and those who support her administration will probably just pretend they are doing something to stop the bane that's eating our society's foundation.
We know we need to act responsibly as individuals now. We can’t rely on the government or our friends to rid us of a problem that is partly our own making. We can’t claim we can’t do anything or pretend that corruption is far from us. Our way of life and the next generation’s future are bound to go down the drain if we don’t act. It’s just a matter of time that things will really look very nasty.
Without honesty, industry, and upright moral values, we will surely bring irreparable ruin to ourselves. The warning signs are out there. What we’re facing is the worst and the most difficult to control. (Photo Credits: Trainman; GmaResign; GmaResign;; GmaResign) =0=
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Naga's creative class & the people's march into the future
UP Ibalon-Bicol’s blog entitled "Naga City Could Be Left Behind" (11/08/08, Myty) made me recall a book published about three years ago by Richard Florida which deals with the need for inclusiveness in building a vibrant and hospitable city. In the book “The Flight of Creative Class: The New Global Competition for Talent” (Harper Collins Publishers, April 2005; 336 pp.) the professor of public policy of George Mason University asserted that for a place to be attractive, it needs basic amenities. But more importantly, he said creative talent, a defining economic issue of this generation, is required in adapting to the demands of the global world. His thoughts were intuitive flags for business and political leaders of America who dream of bringing cultural rennaisance and economic prosperity to the nation.
A smaller microcosm than USA, Naga City in the Philippines may not have the best amenities for the economy to grow, but surely it has a lot of sun, goodwill, and labor capital that can make it happen. Using their own talents, residents are welcoming and inspired to move on. There are those who want to come and live in the ciy. And not all of them feel the pressure to go abroad. Many believe they need not suffer the “flight of the creative class,” part of the job migration which the government relies on for its economic survival. They simply want to stick it out with Naga.
As Myty says, there is beauty and charm in Naga City that can’t easily be ignored, but he stresses that work is needed to keep the city's attractiveness for people to stay. He speaks of affluent Naguenos who need to actively invest in the city’s development so that Bicolanos don't leave for crowded places like Manila and to foreign countries like those in the Middle East.
Naga’s openness, affordability, and diversity have attracted residents from towns in Bicol, inviting talented young people to share their time and treasure. The same people are bringing heterogeneity and inventiveness which encourage the feeling of unity and belongingness---a move away from the aloofness and detachment of the past. They adjust to social change; they try to learn to live in cooperative harmony so that economic and cultural growth can proceed.
Innovation, inclusivity, and entrepreneurship bring optimism to Naga. As a magnet area for education and commerce, the city is not in short supply of forward-looking young workers ready to give their share. Mayor Jesse Robredo has done a lot in this regard to spur positive energy to the citizenry which remarkably improved the business pulse of Bikol’s metropolis.
Though not totally perfect, Naga has become a local hub of the creative class, the new breed of Bicolanos who feel they can loosen the constipation of ideas, mitigate the backwardness of the towns, harness industry and self-help, and bring human beings together to work for the common good. A certain level of nurturing is apparently needed to keep the city in this direction. (Photo Credits: garzland) =0=
Truth, not only travel briefing, is the answer versus money laundering
With the deterioration of the economy, we have learned to be frugal---- traveling abroad simply. The clothes we wear and the money we bring are scaled in terms of affordability and status. Yet there are Filipinos who insist to be flashy like the "ritzy" PNP officer who carried a “bayong” of cash to an Interpol conference in Russia.
Eliseo de la Paz, a former director and comptroller of the Philippine National Police (PNP,) traveled in style with a group of Filipino law enforcement officers in the 77th General Interpol Assemby in St. Petersburg, Russia. We didn’t know if he dressed appropriately, but he was caught bringing P6.9 million of “contingency” funds, a shameful violation of smuggling and the international money laundering law.
It was disgusting that the senior PNP law enforcer and his defenders take the incident lightly. PNP Chief Supt Nicanor Bartolome, perhaps in an attempt to dampen the corruption implications of de la Paz’ action, announced all police officers traveling abroad must undergo mandatory briefing. Did Bartolome mean de la Paz and his group didn’t have one? Wouldn’t it be routine to have pre-departure orientations for Filipinos representing the Philippines abroad?
If Bartolome’s travel orientation’s goal is to educate us about the money laundering law which allows less than $10,000 of undeclared cash during travel, his plan is practically useless. It is a duplication of what is routinely done in international airports, airplanes, and customs offices.
Everybody knows, before reaching the port of entry, flight attendants bring in forms to make sure passengers don’t commit the error of breaking the law. In the customs, passports and money declaration documents are rechecked. There is absolutely no chance that de la Paz wouldn’t know this simple travel procedure, especially if it regards to concealing huge sums of money.
De la Paz brought P6.9 million in cash way beyond what was legally allowed. A retiree from PNP service, he and his wife must not even be part of the Interpol meeting in the first place. But they were there for a reason the public must know, held by Russian authorities that their counterparts in Manila wanted to pass like a fart.
If Bartolome wants to conceal this ignominious incident under the rug as most military men do for their comrades, why doesn’t he dig into the truth about de la Paz’ P4.5 million. The PNP officer claims he brings “personal” money in a conference. What will he do with that mind-boggling sum and how did he acquire it?
Bartolome asks why the Russian authorities didn’t catch de la Paz early on. But aren’t foreign delegates of meetings accorded respect and nothing like this is imagined to happen in St. Petersburg?
There goes the rub. Another Filipino official has disgraced himself and put the name of the nation in the sewers. Alibis, cheating, and corruption have been so entrenched among our officials. Who then will believe us if we are like this? (Photo Credits: Christian Science Monitor/Bennett; Banyuhay)=0=
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Parallels in the US and Philippine Presidential Elections
"If some think we have reached the pits in our standard for electing national leaders, they better observe what is happening in the US elections. We may be "shallow" and immature as an electorate but the current US electoral pool won't have the right to sneer at us come 2010 (if ever elections are held at all)."---MyTy (10/17/08) (Photo Credit: MarkBerry)
No tax collection, no progress?
If the Philippine government knows that taxes serve as lifeblood of its daily function, how come local and national government agencies and its owned & controlled corporations (GOCC’s) do not remit taxes they withheld from employees to the Bureau of Internal Revenue? What are they waiting for? Corruption plus inaction make the picture look worse.The Commission on Audit (COA) disclosed this gross failure which accounted for revenue loss of P18.6 billion last year. With this uncollected money, is it any wonder why advancement is very slow in the Philippines?
“The GOCCs account for the biggest chunk of the lost revenue—P13.26 billion—followed by the national government agencies (P2.87 billion) and the local government units (P2.51 billion).
The total amount is more than the entire 2009 budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (P12.5 billion), the Department of Finance (P13.8 billion), or the Department of Foreign Affairs (P12 billion)
In 2006, among government agencies, the Department of Public Works and Highways accounts for the biggest amount of unremitted withholding taxes—P796 million—followed by the Department of Education (P303 billion) and Department of Agriculture (P201 million).---abs-cbnNEWS.com, Newsbreak (10/08/2008 Fonbuena,C)
Tasked to look for sources of govenment funds by the House of Representatives, the Congressional Planning and House Budget Office (CPBO) through its director of fiscal services Dina de Jesus Pasagui revealed that even the Philippine Congress and Senate owe the BIR P16 million in withholding taxes and COA owes P33 million. The CPBO chief Rodolfo Vicerra called for an improvement of taxpayers’ database of 29 million nationwide employees, of which only 5 million (less than 1/5) pay taxes.
It seemed the government focused on sensational cases of tax evasion among movie stars like Judy Santos and Regine Velasquez, but it didn’t look into the paralysis of tax collection in huge agencies where the big money would come from to finance the cost of running the country. =0=
2009 national budget, 100,000 jobs, & the Asian poverty line
P1.415 TrillionThe 2009 national budget, 15% higher than of 2008, has been approved by Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo and will be submitted to Congress. Manila Bulletin (08/26/08, Rosario,B)
24.5 Million
The number of Filipinos who fall below the “Asian poverty line” of $1.35/day spending, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB.) An estimate of purchasing power and level of financial hardship, the Philippines’ percentage of people below the poverty line (29.5%) is better than India, Bangladesh,, and Cambodia, but worse than Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka . ABS CBN News.com/Newsbreak (08/27/08, Rimando,L)
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The remaining flying C-130 Hercules plane the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has after the recent crash in Davao City; all pilots and crew remain missing and are presumed dead. Malaya (08/27/08, Chua, J.)
P1 Billion
To bring home medals in future Olympics and to augment competitiveness, a proposed increase in the budget of the Philippine Sports Commission, double the previous amount of P500-600 million, was aired by Monico Puentebella, RP chief of Olympic Mission. Though not strictly implemented, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Board Corp (PAGC0R,) is mandated by law to give 5% of its gross income to the sports development. GMA TV News (08/26/08)
29 Cases
This reported new HIV cases/ month of 2007-2008 is higher than the 20/month of the previous years. Since 1984, a total of 3,305 HIV cases have been reported in the Philippines and 310 people have died from AIDS. These figures are low-prevalence statistics which can change into high prevalence or to an epidemic if HIV cases continue to rise. AFP (08/26/08)
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Number of maids, including Filipinos, who died in Lebanon as reported by Human Rights Watch, the New York based the group who said that Overseas Foreign Workers (OFW’s) from countries like the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia were forced to suicide by jumping out of buildings because of isolation, difficult working conditions and maltreatment from their employers. AFP (08/26/08)
P406.8 Billion
The amount paid by the Philippines for its loan between January to July this year, 0.6% less than the amount paid for the period of 2007. Lower by 6.9% from P249.88 billion, the principal debt payments totaled P232.6 billion. Interest payments totaled P174.22 billion, up 9.2 percent from P159.49 billion. PDI (08/28/08, Remo, M.)
74,581 Families
The number of families with 362,475 persons displaced as of August 27, 2008 in the war between MILF rebels and Philippine Government forces in Mindanao, said the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC.) To escape the fighting, 33, 438 families (156,059 people) fled to 152 evacuation sites. At least 55 have died in the ongoing hostilities. GMA TV News (08/27/08)
100,000 Jobs
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Marcelino Libanan claimed this number of jobs which can be generated with the granting of indefinite visas for foreigners who can provide at least 10 gainful employment opportunities for Filipinos in their businesses. Manila Bulletin (08/28/09, Ramirez, J.)Photo Credit: Simmons,A.=0=
The Challenge of Kaya Natin Movement: "Sabi baga ni Mayor Jesse Robredo kaya ta!"
Nothing happens...but first a dream.---Carl Sandburg
It could be an inspiration from the glib talker, burnished campaigner Barack Obama who goes around in his US presidential bid with a catchy slogan “Change, we can.” Unrestrained in his popular vision with yet to be seen outcomes, “the pockets of hope,” he promises seem to be what we also need. His optimism makes the Americans feel good and it has finally arrived in the Philippines.
In July 30, 2008, a group of well-intentioned leaders---Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija Mayor Sonia Lorenzo and Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca launched a movement born from the agony of---and concern for---a country bloodied by corruption, scandals, disasters and tragedies that few of us can ignore.
Started with the help of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, Kaya Natin (aka Kaya Ta in Bicol) aims to unite hardworking and ethical Filipinos worldwide to promote real change, bring consciousness in good leadership and governance. Targeting the idealism of the youth, the group taps on the patriotism and sense of duty of Filipinos to effect positive change through people empowerment, transparency, and accountability.
Lita Pena, senior adviser of Our Lady of Penafrancia Devotees Association (OLPDA) of TriState area in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and leader of the Bicolandia Association, sends her encouragement and support for Kaya Natin via email on August 2, 2008. She does a good job of informing those who want genuine and lasting change in our political landscape. Perhaps, to give optimism a boost, the Filipino-American civic leader shares this dazzling idea that brings the images of the great “bayanihan” back to life. We return to our ancestral Filipino tradition of industry, honesty, cooperation, accountability, self-help plus neighborly love that we all need at this time.
The movement welcomes all Filipinos who share Kaya Natin’s vision. Its objectives are as follows: * Promote Electoral Reforms by encouraging the Filipino Youth to register, vote for the right candidates and volunteer their time to ensure clean and honest elections.
* Promote Local Autonomy and Empowerment of local government units by decentralizing the delivery of basic services such as Quality Basic Education.
* Work with the Church, other like-minded organizations and civil society groups towards the total eradication of all Illegal Activities such as Graft and Corruption in all forms, illegal gambling and illegal logging.
* Develop and encourage ethical and effective young Filipino leaders who will consider to run for public office and/or work in government. AmongEd.org (07/26/07)
You can join Kaya Natin! A Movement for Genuine Change and Ethical Leadership by sending an email to kayanatin@yahoo.com or you can reach us at (02) 426-5657.=0=
The essence of being a nurse, a P10 million bribe, an OFW's complaint against RP officials in Saudi Arabia, & Dolphy's secret of being young
"Palagay ko, it's my job. Kapag nasa linya ng comedy, wala akong iniisip kung hindi katatawanan at puro comedy ginagawa ko. Making people laugh is fun talaga. It's better sa buhay."---Dolphy remarks on his secret of being young at age 80.
"Considering our depressed condition and lowered people’s morale, it is clear that uncoordinated, quickie and populist projects will not work and be just a waste of time, resources and goodwill,"
---Former Pres. Fidel Ramos on the dismal policies of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo
“Should we worry? There will be pain but maybe worrying too much is too much. We will survive this eventually.”
---Dr. Cayetano Paderanga Jr., a professor at the UP School of Economics on the deteriorating economy and lack of morale of the people.
"More than three million children between the ages of 6 and 15 are now out of school. What is her administration going to do about it? Judging from her SONA -- nothing, other than hand out a few scholarships,’’ ---ACT-UP Chairman Antonio Tinio asks the government on what to do with children who can’t afford to go to school.
“My advantage of being half-Filipino, half-German is having an exotic beauty which I think is not common with other people. But for me, it’s my multi-cultural values which set me apart because these make me a better and stronger person.”
---Princess Uhrig, a mixed-race candidate in the Miss Limburg-Belgium beauty pageant to be held in September.
“Promoting an NFP-only policy goes against our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, which targets increased access to reproductive health services and contraceptive prevalence rate -- covering both modern natural and artificial methods -- to 60 percent by 2010 and 80 percent by 2015," ---Ramon San Pascual, director of the Phil. Legislator's Population and Development Foundation Committee, airing objection to the Roman Catholic Church stand against artificial contraception.
“So, they were talking of a win-win situation, which meant offering P10 million for me to give way to Justice Reyes. I politely declined that offer and told the emissary that it was not only a matter of principle but that it will [also] affect the integrity of the court. Before he left, he told me that they were still hoping that I could see it their way,”
--- Court of Appeals Justice Jose Sabio bares a scandalous bribery offer he got from someone whom he believes to be an emissary of Meralco.
“Palitan n’yo na lahat ng nakaupo mula sa ibaba hanggang sa itaas. Imbes na sila ang makatulong sa amin, sila pa nagpapahirap sa amin"---OFW Armando Navarro who said while calling for the replacement of Philippine Consular officials in Saudi Arabia.
“I regret what I did. I'm ready to face any punishment because he is my son,"
---says a desperate man of Legazpi City who stabbed his three month old baby for he can’t care for him any longer.
"When you decide to become a nurse, you have to have passion to serve and to care. The essence of nursing is to care for the people,"
---Nurse Board topnotcher Aira Therese S.Javier said. She believes going abroad must not be the primary motivation of her colleagues in the profession. =0=
Be it for mom, a friend or an unknown soul, there's always a good reason to donate blood
"My pulse was bouncy like the gallop of a horse in the racetrack. I felt the familiar throbbing pain on my back and the squeezing sensation in my legs. Pallor and jaundice was obvious on my suffused eyes. I noticed my urine took the color of brewed coffee from Starbuck’s. --- I’m a patient now by Augusto F. Mesia, M.D.That’s how a patient feels when he’s running out of blood. All the time, in hospitals worldwide, there is a person like him who requires transfusion. The need for blood never takes a break.
Be it for the unknown soldier profusely bleeding from gunshot wounds, a farmer's child stricken with Dengue, an old man gasping for breath because of hemorrhagic shock, a mother who suffers from severe anemia of pregnancy and parturition, a baby whose bone marrow had shut down as a result of cancer and chemotherapy----they all need our help. Without the gift of blood, they can die. We’re prodded to donate blood especially in lean days when blood banks run low in their inventories.
The Department of Health (DOH,) hospitals, civic organizations, schools, churches, the military, and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) set aside days for blood drives so we partake in saving the lives of people. We need to appreciate the importance of voluntary (vs. paid donors) blood-giving.
In the harrowing days of World War II, in bomb-torn Europe, people organized blood donation parties to shed for the wounded fighters in the battle fields. People from all walks of life willingly lined up to give blood. Not all of us had this edifying altruistic experience. We share little history of blood donations like them. Therefore it makes sense that we campaign for aggressive blood-letting.
The yearly collection of blood per year in the United States is about 15 million bags of whole blood and about 5 million are transfused as blood components. These components are derived from whole blood which include red cells, platelets, white cells, plasma, cryoprecipitate, gamma globulin (IVIg) and albumin. (Source: The National Blood Data Resource Center, 2001, the most recent year for which data are available.)
Risk Estimates for Blood Transfusions in the U.S.
Risk per Unit
Human Immunodeficiency Virus--- 1: 2 million
Using p24 Testing
Human Lymphocytotrophic Virus--- 1: 3 million
Hepatitis C Virus--- 1: 2 million
Hepatitis B Virus--- 1: 200,000
Source: American Red Cross, BloodSafety.org
A positive development in the Philippines, Dr. Eduardo Pedrosa, Department of Health (DOH) regional coordinator for blood donation in Visayas said there is a growing public awareness of the benefits of blood donation. Celebrating July as a blood month, he noted a rise of volunteer donors and increased number of blood bags collected---from about 11,000 to over 18, 000 units in 2007 in blood-letting programs. Their target for this year is 22,000 units. ABS-CBN-Tacloban (7/17/08, Docdocan, J.)
Blood donation is labor-intensive. From collection to actual blood transfusion, the chain of work is centered on safety. Pre-donation interviews and physical examinations are conducted. The screening and matching of compatible donors have become so stringent that the risks of adverse effects from donating and receiving blood have been kept to the barest minimum.
Who can donate blood?
In general, people of good health, at least 17 years old, weighing at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 2 months (not as frequent as every ~56 six days.) Whole blood is harvested and processed using aseptic techniques from healthy donors which satisfy the criteria of medical history, current physical health, and possible contact with transfusion-related infectious diseases. These requirements which may vary slightly from country to country, make blood far safer now than at the time immunologist-pathologist Dr. Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood groups in the early 1900s. Although there are obstacles to tackle, our local blood banks are working hard to improve its service so that blood could be made a notch safer for donors and recipients alike. =0=
Employment Prospects For Nurses Further Dim As 27,765 Pass Licensure Test
Nursing, the Philippines’ over-represented and most popular profession has recently added 27,765 to its roster of board examination passers when the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) released the names of successful examinees on July 25, 2005. The number represents 43% of a total of 64,459 examinees who took the June, 2008 licensure test. The new nurses are expected to further clog the bottle-neck in foreign (OFW) and domestic employment which is experiencing a slump in job recruitment.
Hiring is expected to tighten owing to oversupply and lack of demand. The government needs a rational strategy to solve the growing joblessness among licensed nurses and those who fail to pass the board exam in the country.=0=
Wow Words For Al Gore's Climate Agenda
There is little argument against Al Gore’s call for a shift from fossil-fuel based energy sources to environmentally friendly fuel alternatives to preserve the planet. His ambitious target date for the next US president to accomplish this is 10 years. But those who know Gore and his gas-guzzling life-style know better. He isn’t immaculately in synch with his climate agenda making them suspect politics or hypocrisy to be partly behind his high-brow rhetoric. As a famed leader of the environmental movement, the Nobel prize-winner Gore joins California Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the Democrats, and Liberals to promote clean sources of energy by tapping on solar, wind, hydroelectric, and hydrogen power. Surely, this is good to the environmentalists' and green planet-savers' ears. However, for practical purposes, these energy sources aren’t well-developed to meet our present requirements. It will take sometime, most likely exceeding the timeline Gore has envisioned, before sanitized technologies will dominate our energy consumption.
Many experts believe the rational approach to the energy shortage is to do everything. We require all technologies and means: oil drilling, methane gas, coal, electro-magnetic, bio-fuels, and nuclear power (in addition to what the Democrats prefer) for us to be energy sufficient at this time. Others advocate to open USA's Strategic Petroleum Reserves to ease up the price of gasoline.Drilling oil in the vast continental USA, off-shore reefs, inland Utah-Wyoming-Colorado shales, and the Alaskan National Wilderness Reserve is basically what the majority of Americans want. They know these resources have to be tapped, sooner or later. They think it's cost-saving and time-efficient to have them set up ahead, anytime we need them.
But the lawmakers, influenced by lobbyists and interest groups, have been indecisively slow. People complain why these authorities aren’t listening. There appears to be a big gap to bridge between them and what the government decision-makers plan to do.
Hampered by the fear of adding more damage to the environment, the Democrats like Gore who resisted oil exploration, are being blamed for having dilly-dallied since 10 years ago, against the proposal of Pres. George W. Bush and the Republicans. As the energy crisis comes full-blown to a level which hurts, we’re caught flat on our noses. Many believe, had we started tapping America’s rich energy reserves earlier (as carefully as we can to avoid unduly adding to the destruction of the planet,) pipes could have been in place to gush oil needed to solve our present fuel problems. But excuses are commonplace in politics. The gamut of reasons why they can’t do the drilling now is as strong as our fear of global warming---as many as the bewildering explanations why oil prices continue to rise.
Overcoming political party squabbles and setting aside the environmental debacle, we must do everything to solve the present energy crisis. While we start cleaning up our planet of pollution and avert the deleterious effects C02 emissions in the environment, we can’t escape using oil for awhile. Without perfecting the technologies of other sources of energy, we can’t focus in tackling the issue of global warming right at the core. We’ve been trying to tap energies from solar, wind, water, and nuclear to run our industries and light up our cities. When done in a large scale, this will surely rebalance the equation of energy supply and demand. Alternative sources of energy will lessen speculations in oil futures---one of main reasons which drive worldwide fuel prices sky-high.
We’ve made in-roads to replace our cars with the hybrids, the plug-ins, the bio-fuel driven, and the ethanol-powered. Yet it will take sometime before clean, efficient, and less costly hydrogen and fuel cells will be in wide use to free us from our dependence on gas. Al Gore's audacious target is fine, but can we do it? When the private entrepreneurs and government doers ride the wagon, maybe we will.=0=
GMA's SONA & Her 6,000 Policemen
“Super Task Force Kapayapaan” (Peace) is the military’s grand plan for Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's (GMA) 8th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 30, 2008. Part of the event’s preparation is a human rights seminar for the 6,000 police officers who’ll keep the peace and order of Manila during the president’s speech. Although there’s no serious threat of turbulence, the military couldn’t take any chances. The government is poised to mobilize a gargantuan display of security: a good number of men summoned from other regions of the country, to key points of the metropolis--- a move only GMA and her supporters could exactly explain why.
But one can guess what’s in the poor people’s mind. These security forces and their intimidating gears will guard protest landmarks of the past such as the Batasan Pambansa, EDSA Shrine, Legarda, Bustillos, J.P Laurel, Claro M. Recto, Liwasang Bonifacio, Mediola Bridge, Malacanang Palace, and the US Embassy. The presence of 6,000 troops acts both ways--- as protection and intimidation. As the chance of mayhem rises with discontent, the need to show military force ever increases.
The country struggles to show its commitment to protect people’s freedom in the wake of economic uncertainty, unresolved killings and unchecked human rights violations. In near oblivion, the sensational Kuratong Baleleng case remained a bloody crime puzzle since 1995. Amidst denials, police officers were accused of the brutal killing of 11 suspected thieves. There was the unsolved “rub-out” of 3 RCBC bank “robbers” in Tanauan, Batangas in May, 2008.The police Traffic Management Group killed three suspected car robbers in an alleged shoot-out in Ortigas in 2005. Bubby Dacer’s family hadn’t stopped pointing on Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the then chief of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission thought to be the brains behind the murder.
The US Department of State found in 1999 that the Filipino security forces were responsible for extra-judicial killings, torture, violence, disappearances, intimidations, and abusive arrests. The Commission of Human Rights (CHR) chief Leila de Lima summed up the outrageous record saying, ”the police is the #1 violator of human rights.” She recognized the importance of an unrelenting campaign against injustice when she affirmed the role of CHR:
“For as long as necessary, we will continue to issue these statements on violations specific to law enforcement agents, such as illegal arrests, arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force, EJKs (extra-judicial killings) and even the indiscriminate parading of suspects to the media, a practice which, I must note with much chagrin, has not stopped.” Inquirer (07/15/08, Papa, A)
Sadly, the poor record of human rights isn’t the only issue the Filipinos must fight for. With Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo delivering SONA, the public doesn’t expect anything decisively new to bring relief to their problems. Instead, the people anticipate her repeat appeals for calm and resilience, beside her trusted military defenders, in the midst of worsening economic conditions. The public feels unease and disappointment for the promised “strong republic” which GMA hasn't delivered. The Filipinos seem feeble and tired in their complaints. They’re busy lining up for rice, seeking work, and dreaming where they would go in case the worst of the tempest come. In contrast to the costly SONA the government is preparing for, the people are feeling the pinch of spending for mass actions, protests, and rallies---many may not even have cash to buy gasoline for a ride to EDSA.
The burgeoning hardness of the day can only make them stretch their optimism. They hope the window of opportunity to solve their problems hasn’t been totally shut tight. =0=
Heard From The Underbush
"Gusto nilang maging commercial endorser, eh ang papangit naman nila, [They want to be commercial endorsers but they are so ugly],''
-Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago denounces politicians who endorse consumer products. She condemns this advertising as a form of early election campaign. PDI (06/17/08, Cabacungan, G.)
“We hope the government would undertake mitigating programs because there might be further rise in unemployment as a result of the rising power cost in the country.”
-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesman Alex Aguilar reacting to the National Statistics Office (NSO) report which shows the rise of unemployment to 8% in April, 2008 from 7.4 of April last year. Philstar (06/18/08, Jaymalin, M)
"I assure [students] that in 2009 we will prioritize this (the construction of more comfort rooms in public schools.)"
-DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus tells the audience of a Manila morning show, "Umagang Kay Ganda." how he'll solve the problem of filthy toilets in public schools. According to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (based on DepEd's records,) 51 elementary pupils share one toilet bowl. In high school, it's even worse -- 102 students share one toilet bowl. ABS-CBN Online (06/17/08)
"I appealed, I cajoled, I threatened by telephone…These people do not have an ideology. This is pure banditry."
-Sen Loren Legarda says on her role in gaining the release of reporter Ces Drilon et al who were held hostage by Islamic militants in Mindanao. ABS-CBN Online/AFP (06/18/08.)
“That will drain more our finances. Now at 20 percent, we are bothered financially,”
-Rustico Jimenez, M.D., president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, saying that it is too much to increase senior citizen hospital discount from 20% to 30%. Inquirer (06/17/08, Alave, KL.)
“Even if cases have been filed against some alleged perpetrators of summary executions, justice remains elusive and the possibility of getting genuine justice remains unsure. This is because forensic investigations of human rights violations are not done with due diligence, either because of unwillingness to do so, or because of incompetence to do good investigations,”
-Dr. Aurora Parong, Amnesty International (Philippine section director,) bewails the lack of justice in the Philippines. Manila Times (06/17/08, Apanay, IK.)
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