The P10-B pork barrel scam and other alleged stolen public funds has become monotonous on print and other info channels that confront us in our daily living. Whenever these two legislators (Jinggoy and Bong) come out to “defend” themselves they do not realize that the more they explain their side the more that they reveal their guilt – to me, at least. It’s simply because their defenses are not convincing and at times even illogical.
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These expose have been with us for a couple of months already. The BenHur Luy et al whistle blowing alone was convincing enough. This scam has been cemented and strengthened with the revelations of Ruby Tuason who bravely disclosed that she personally delivered the money, millions at that to these two movie stars now senators. Recently former Technology Resource head Dennis Cunanan also revealed kickbacks received by both of these two grandstanding thick-faced legislators has further strengthened the case.
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The problem now is when will the trial begin? This has to begin for the following obvious reasons:
1) These are millions of pesos of hand-earned taxpayer’s money that are in the personal account of corrupt suspects. Worse is, it is of common knowledge to the people that these legislators are already handsomely paid of salaries far beyond and unreasonably much over their individual performance in lawmaking. Besides they enjoy fantabulous allowances and other perks some of which are beyond our knowledge. This scam that runs to millions MUST be returned to government coffers. If Ruby Tuazon has boldly confessed of having earned millions (P14 m?) just being a bagman of Janet Lim Napoles, the suspected prima donna of this corruption syndicate and is willing to return that money to government, legislators who are addressed “honorable” should be bothered by their conscience if they refuse to return these ill-gotten government funds they probably now possess.
2. These legislators especially the Big Three (Estrada, Revilla, Enrile) have boldly declared that they have not taken a cent (though no one believes); so with more reason to let the trial begin as soon as possible, and let the hearings be an open court, to be covered by media, to restore their credibility; (though at the moment is zero to us).
Otherwise, if found guilty lock them up in jail!
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We wonder how easy it was to convict and oust Erap; how easy it was how our government put GMA behind bars, albeit via hospital arrest. Why does it take this long just to begin the hearings for these 3 senator- main suspects and many others? They allegedly commit a similar crime!
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Will this country experience once more of that over almost 3- decade hearings of the Marcos plunder; 3 decades (30 years?) to recover just a part of his ill-gotten wealth and still trying and investigating. Tama Na! Sobra Na! Dalian!
Let the trial begin!
Lacson employs “bottom-up approach” to speed up rehabilitation of Yolanda-hit areas
TACLOBAN CITY-Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR) Secretary Panfilo Lacson revealed that he has implemented a bottom-up approach to hasten the recovery of areas devastated by the supertyphoon Yolanda.
This after the post-disaster needs assessment(PDNA)being undertaken by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has yet to be finished, the former senator who was in the city last February 26 said.
“We cannot do any rehabilitation while the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council cannot formulate the final PDNA for this will be the basis for the over-all rehabilitation plan” said Lacson.
But considering that the PDNA is still being conducted by the various teams created by the OCD, he had decided to do the bottom-up approach by talking with the local officials themselves to submit their own rehabilitation plans.
The PDNA is expected to be finished by the end of this month. The result would then be submitted to Lacson for his consideration.
Lacson revealed that there were already mayors, for example, in Leyte who submitted their rehabilitation plans.
Lacson particularly mentioned the mayor of Tanauan, Pelagio Tecson, to be among the first local chief executive to submit the document.
He also called on the chief executives to formulate their own land use plans to be flexible and not to be confined on no build zone saying that the 40 meters from the shore limit is not applicable to all areas. (LIZBETH ANN ABELLA)
Akbayan to build houses for Yolanda victims in Tacloban
TACLOBAN CITY- At least 15 housing units are to be constructed in village of Cabalawan by the party-list group Akbayan.
The construction of houses intended for the victims of supertyphoon Yolanda would be undertaken under the party-list’s Akbayanihan relief and rehabilitation drive, said Machris Cabreros,co-convenor of said group.
According to Cabreros, the construction of the 15 housing units is being conducted by their group with the help of different schools and other non-government organizations as she revealed that the activity was first done among victims of typhoon Ondoy.
The Cabalawan project would serve as a demo-housing with the initials 15 units could increase, depending on the needs and funding.
The Akbayanihan consulted the local government units and the barangays concerned in choosing the beneficiaries of the 15 units of housing.
The housing units are made of indigenous materials and said to be disaster resilient, Cabreros said. (LIZBETH ANN ABELLA)
Climate change gave us Yolanda, official said
TACLOBAN CITY-Philippine Climate Change Commissioner Naderev “Yeb” Saño admitted “it’s no rumor anymore” that climate change has also contributed to last year’s supertyphoon Yolanda which leveled central Philippines and killed over 8,000 persons.
“We have enough evidence to show that climate change is already upon us and the science is coming very much clearer into focus. That when you have warmer temperature around the world, like in the western hemisphere, that will breed more storms,” Sano said during a visit to the city on March 2.
“That’s the bad news. But then again I would like to emphasize that disaster is not only the function of the hazards. There are lots of things that I believe are within our control including moving people out of harm’s way, doing good urban planning and addressing poverty in an effective way then disasters will be minimized. That is why we are working with the local government of Tacloban, as it is important that the way Tacloban will recover becomes the model for the rest of the Philippines,” he added.
In terms of its recovery, the commissioner said that “Tacloban’s recovery is inspiring, faster.”
“We as a global community are working closely together,” he said, adding that nine out of ten disasters are relayed to climate.
Meantime, Margareta Wahlstrom, special representative of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, also warned that while the country is reeling from its massive rehabilitation and reconstruction program, people should learn “not to forget” the lessons brought by the disaster.
“The disaster also brings opportunity for the country to work together and do better.”
Acknowledging that the country is one of the most disasters prone countries in the world, Wahlstrom emphasized on the need of good communication in all levels in the community. (RONALD O.REYES)
Sec. Alcala names BFAR chief as point man of EV agri, fishery rehab
TACLOBAN CITY – Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala designated Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Asis Perez to supervise all interventions for the rehabilitation of farming and fishery sectors in the region.
Alcala said during his visit in the city on February 28 that Perez will be regularly meeting the members of the regional management council (RMC), a body composed of regional directors of Department of Agriculture (DA) – attached agencies to get updates of recovery efforts.
“I give him a memorandum to find out needed interventions for all industries in the agriculture sector of Region 8. We need to immediately rehabilitate the farming sector to restore the livelihood of people,” Alcala said in a press briefing.
Alcala signed Special Order No.134 on February 10, designating Asis as special supervising officer.
Perez, in his message, said his primary task is to coordinate rehabilitation activities of the RMC member agencies and help create unity in assisting the farming and fishery sectors.
“Each agency needs to further improve the delivery of services through an operational strategy called the PPP approach or partnership among the people, public and private entities to deliver result through production,” Perez said.
The BFAR chief officially started to perform his duty through a special meeting on February 26 with DA-8 RMC members held inside the MV/DA-BFAR multi-purpose vessel.
Through the PPP scheme, the BFAR director recommended to get rid of “donor-beneficiary” mindset.
“We should consider the survivors as part of available resources that can be tapped to attain targets,” he stressed.
Perez cited the BFAR’s boat building strategy where affected fishermen are required to build their own fishing boat as their counterpart.
Among the priorities identified by Perez is the deployment of teams on the field, creation of support structure to handle procurement, systematic documentation of all activities.
The BFAR chief offered the MV/DA-BFAR vessel as the coordinating command center of the RMC members. The boat can also be used to transport supplies and implements for distribution to affected farmers.
By: SARWELL Q.MENIANO
DA to bankroll P1.2 B for agri sector rehab
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture set aside P1.2 billion for the immediate rehabilitation of farming industry in the region after the devastation of supertyphoon Yolanda last year.
The bulk of the budget, or P800 million, will be used to repair damaged facilities such as the regional office building, satellite offices, laboratories and vehicles.
The remaining P400 million will be used for procurement of seeds, fertilizers and farm machineries that would restore production.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the budget represents preliminary release for Region 8 early of 2014 and there will be additional allotments later this year and in succeeding years.
“While we are helping farmers, we also have to prioritize building the capacity of our regional office for them to be able to implement sustainable recovery efforts,” Alcala said
The P1.2 billion is on top of the P2.8 billion rehabilitation fund for coconut industry recovery and P1.7 billion funds to restore fish production, the agriculture Secretary said.
More than half of the rehabilitation funds of the Bureau of Fisheries and Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will be poured out in Eastern Visayas.
“Although the P2.8 billion will also cover Regions 6 and 7, about 70% will be used in Region 8 considering the extent of damage here,” said PCA Administrator Euclides Forbes. Rehabilitation efforts will focus on replanting and fertilization, among others, he added.
For fishery rehabilitation, about 60% of the P1.7 billion outlay will be spent in the region, said BFAR Director Asis Perez.
Projects include rebuilding fishing boats, aquaculture development, mangrove replanting and rehabilitation of wrecked facilities.
The DA has been distributing free certified rice seeds, fertilizers, vegetable seeds, and farming tools in affected communities. Through these initiatives, the DA hopes to increase food production in few months, hence, bringing down food prices to normal level.
“The supply was disrupted because of typhoon. We need to clean up farms immediately so people can plant. If we can plant three to five hectares every day, we can have abundant harvest of high value crops in three months,” Alacala added.
The DA regional office here reported P18.8 billion damage to farming sector when super typhoon wreaked havoc in the region on November 8, 2013.
By: SARWELL Q. MENIANO