This post has high hopes for the new Committee on Appropriations chair Mikaela Suansing, a Philscience scholar, Ateneo Graduate, and Harvard Masters on Public Policy to be unlike her predecessor Co, who figured in what some say as more corrupt budget.
It did not happen with former head of said committee Sid Ungab
However, she cant do much when bicam meetings and minutes are sidestepped and there are insertions
Couple who now are multi billionaires featured by a network, being such after being a contractor with now notorious govt department, with palatial homes and 40 luxury cars (with some costing P20 to 30 million each, AN INSPIRATION.
Did the couple pay the interviewers? As stated by a MM mayor?
Japanese and Filipino soldiers met in the WW2 war theater before. And now as allies, they had joint military exercise/drills in Mindanao.
The Japanese military officer expressed his admiration for the Filipino counterpart for being patient, uncomplaining and tough.
All of us grew in hardships, tempered in hardship: poverty, lack of infrastructures, disasters: earthquake, typhoons diseases. And even adverse govt leadership.
An admiration a tribute from a former adversary from the 3rd richest country is something to be proud of and work doubly harder on.
There are surveys and conversation going around: if you want to be super rich, a millionaire or billionaire, what would your career be? It is no longer being a superb businessmen with lots of self improvement and sacrifice. A group says be a contractor; another said DP.. contractor, and others said be a ....man. What silly and bad answers. A loss of sense of morality and right.
1. Surely there was a lack of oversight. The auditors and the Secy of the Dept was sleeping (or worse in cahoots)
2. That this went on for sometime means, it has blessing of higher ups (and therefore participates in the sharing. Napoles we think was taught if not just encouraged to carry out the PDAF loophole to to her thing.
3. That the head pretends not to know this, feigning surprise is surprising.
4. The conversation gives bad example to the young: that it is ok to steal big time in the country, that the big time plunderers, pillagers will not get caught; That thieves were suits and barong Tagalog.
They say, that in leadership, the HEADS LEAD THE TAILS. What kind of heads do we have. Shall we cut the head to stop these crooks
Thank you for the people who are exposing this and demanding accountability. The guilty ones should be censured and legally made accountable
This trend has made study of medicine very expensive and competitive in the Philippines. It cost 7 figures to send a doctor in the Philippines now. It used to be Asian and ME countries sending their children to medical schools in the Philippines. This is a new trend for Americans to send their children too in the Philippines.
Another point to be proud of about the Philippines.
If you are from other countries, would you send your children too to medical schools in the Philippines.?
A kind and soulful discourse of gratitude to the Filipinos, (or at least to the late President) for their compassion and humanitarian concern during Hitlers atrocities to the Jews.
This one makes us proud of Filipinos. (despite the hardships and criticism from mostly Westerners)
We dont live in trees, we are not OBOB. Good people do good things
Marketing, paid media, pr practitioners, politicians have lately influenced the way we think. It has been herd thinking that has been observed lately. What is mouthed by the others, masses, is deemed to be true. What is oft repeated by many many times is oft assumed to be true.
In the school where we taught, a GSB, this has been emphasized. Independent critical thinking to future business leaders. Self development comes first before business skills. Your thinking will help you deelop new business and save you from troubles.
It is more fun criticizing
Floods can be mitigated as former mayor of Marikina has shown
Some more suggestions:
1. Dredge the Manggahan floodway 50% is now clogged so that floodwaters from Montalban and San Mateo cant drain fast enough to Laguna lake. DPWH see the massive clogging of Manggahan floodway
2. Dredge the Laguna lake to slow down the flow to Manila; scientists say that average depth of Laguna lake now is is 1 meter.
Stop reclamation As of now this post estimate that an area of about 100 hectares are reclaimed in Taguig, Taytay and Angono . Thats about 20 million cubic maters capacity of storage for Laguna lake for floodwater storage before releasing to Manila bay.
3. Widen the creeks at subd between Markina and Cainta. As of now they are narrow, are silted, narrow and populated by illegal settlers Big developers like Ayala and Ortigas deepen by ten meters and widen the creek to about 20 meters to prevent flooding. The other developers stick to the 3-4 meters creek In Taytay, there is so much flooding due to residents who claimed the river banks. Rivers are but 4 meters wide only
4, More discipline in solid waste disposal so that drainage canals and waterways do not get clogged
5. Build more underground cistern to store floodwater or Small Impounding Ponds
Sen Tito Sotto bats for the poor working class and proposes 14th month pay on top of the existing 13th pay and the latest wage adjustment (not the P200 being pushed by the "Sambayanan"
We all want to help the poor working man. But for struggling entrepreneurs, this is going to be a big challenge. The politicians are in the habit of being popular winning votes at the expense of the mass of entrepreneurs also struggling to make both ends meet. (Just like their workers)
Its going to be a challenge and we hope they will overcome
This post was able to interview the HR of now defunct textile mill, its former head now a Pastor. They had to borrow from 5/6 to fund their 13th month.
And now may 145th month pa Kung lolo pa yong Indiyano na darating...?
The structures are easily carried away by floods and really do not work - control the floods.
How shameful.
Top 15 contractors. Contractors congressmen
50% KB to Legislators, lgu heads, only 30% goes to the project materials and labor.
This angers and scandalizes many taxpayers who are hounded by BIR who sweat blood and tears just to be able to pay the taxes and do these. Those that are funded by borrowings, we pay them anywhere
And the budget for DPWH is P1B/day.
What happened: 1. No one supervises 2 No audit (CoA is in cohoots or turns blind eye may pilak na tapal sa mata
This was not given much attention in the past. Even in maybe Pnoy or Duterte time. Where are the leaders all this time. Thanks to Senate Leadership now for this initiative.
The media and the top leaders gave much attention to the impeachment to divert attention to this wholesale plunder? DAPAT TALAGANG MAHIYA
This could be the start of something new in LGU governance. It could be a common knowledge that the mayor and LGU SB demand through an intermediary to ask for SOPs for the boys when you seek permits: Mayors Permit etc Development permit. And for small projects, they can amount to millions. Now the LGUs may be afraid. They wont dare, or face the same fate as the same mayor arrested
Tigilan na pagiging corrupt. Pangingikil sa mga konseho at ng mayor Public service sana at pag unlad ng bayan ang intindihin
More vigilance from police force to discourage corruption and tongpats. Even vs Legislative persons, even judges.
It was alleged that the corruptions in that order are DPWH, and LGUs
Kaso paano babawe ang mga financier at mga kandidato sa ginastos sa kanilang kampanya. Many think and during interviews that jobs in govt (where you can ask bribes, mulct citizens) are the best jobs
He was former chair of appropiations committee. And now lambasts the 2025 budget as most corrupt. Rep. Zaldy Co,, said to own Sunwest, one of top 15 contractors of DPWH (and govt)
True to his SONA speech when he chastened contractors for the flood control projects, the President presented the top 15 contractos of the govt. One of them stood out as owneds by a congressmen from Region VI. This is clearly a conflict of interest and hypocritical for investigating minions for alleged graft but they themselves are committing violations of morality and good governance.
It is good that the Pres is taking steps, probably stopping some other corrupt officials who are also contractors to stop their evil ways. I have met at least two DPWH contractors and seen them in meetings loaded with 8 figures worth of jewelry: karatted earrings and necklaces, gold watch.
With reported 50% sop for those who are responsible for the paperworks of project, this is large scale theft, plunder of Phil Treasury and must stop. Its unfair for taxpayers, who pay the taxes and trillions worth of debt that the govt is incurring
The dellivery and content were well done and answering of the interpellation was incisive and clear. No one can dispute the facts. Sen Marcoleta is clearly the more cogent Senators, sharpened by long years of experience as trial lawyer and being involved in past impeachment cases
It is clear that from gist of arguments:
1. SC is not interfering in powers of Senate;
2. In a judicial review, it merely is saying that the Senate has not acquired jurisdiction because HOR did not follow the procedures as enumerated in the Constitution when filing impeachment cases
3. That there should be an impeachment vs impeachable persons is not being denied.
4. The arguments of the detractors is about law and order but constitional adherence has not been observed, as SC has ruled.
Sen Bam Aquino was forceful in going on with the impeachmentt but before he said there were other matters that needed attention. but now for him this is the important agenda.
Sen Hontiiveros we found later on relied on AI for her citing of precedents. It was found out that reversala of decisions came from the cases by 5 man divisions not the SC en banc.
The oppositors were clearly practicing what old lawyers have emphasized: if you do not have the facts, pound on the table
There is a one year wait until Feb. until a new case can be filed vs VP Sarah. Those who are hell bent on power struggle.
