Banned jokes

        Crack a “bomb joke” and you will certainly be in serious trouble. Just for the sake of giving it a nod, the Filipino race is one of the world’s happiest. Filipinos are fond of making jokes, even at calamities, tragedies, or funerals. It is in our nerve that even at misfortunes, we can still afford to smile because we have been born with a twin: a funny bone. We certainly like people with a great sense of humor; Great, because it must be coupled with some elements of good taste. This will not surprise us that deaths came too unexpectedly in many instances because of bad and crazy jokes inside videoke bars, to say the least.

       Ours is a culture which deals more on the positive outlook rather than about the “doing of harm”. We admit to have the most admirable traits. Hospitality is our capital in tourism. It is not difficult for Filipinos to get along with foreigners. Filipinos are generally branded friendly people. “It’s more fun in the Philippines”, isn’t it right? We wonder if there is a concealed advantage for being funny. But it is always fun and satire that are bolting in our senses. Some jokes are seriously not funny anymore. Life is a laughing matter and when one ended in prison because of a joke, that is certainly a brimful of fun and then we know to whom the joke ultimately fell.

      Take the case of a bank employee who secured a health card with our City Health Office a year ago. She refused to get a priority number and instead murmured: “Lami-a bombahan diri oy kay dugay kaayo!” . This woman was arrested by police authorities from San Pedro Police Station. These illegal jokes oftentimes were committed at points of entry or terminals. When luggages are inspected, it is also at this time when impulses in the brain will dictate the mouth to say: Hinay lang sir kay naay bomba diha (take it easy sir because of a bomb inside the bag). This joke by a woman at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal has prevented her from boarding the bus. Instead, she was turned over to the police authorities. I wonder if one has indeed brought a “bomba” but it is a “bomba sa bisekleta” or “bomba sa tubig” but again if asked: what is bomba in English? There would be at least two possible answers: a bomb or a pump. If said in English: Sir, it’s a water bomb, then go to prison.

      Those who have committed such offense came from all walks of life. From teachers to students, actors to taxi drivers, all of them have realized the joke fell on them at the end. What they may have uttered were words of full regrets and might thought, they rather sealed their lips during inspections. At the latest blasts in two movie theaters in Davao, one has still a nerve to make jokes out of it. Unlike in years past, “bomba” inside a movie theater was tainted with lewdness for exposing the most essential parts of women. Bomba was used to be a pornographic film. Today, pornography is no longer shown in cinemas and there is no reason for one to go to cinemas to watch bomba. Thus, when such word is uttered, it necessarily points to the taboo owing to the omnipresence of terror threats.

    
As early as 1980, deposed President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1727 which penalizes pranksters. This “bomb joke” can be committed by word of mouth or any means of communication. When one disseminates false information or make threats regarding the presence of bombs, explosives or incendiary device, one can be arrested for violation of PD 1727. I believe, it is not the joke itself that makes one liable for such crime but it is the effect it creates to the minds of others.  Terrorism is always the works of evil. We knew how terrorism works even in first world countries. It cares for no life. I have recalled, City Mayor Rody Duterte expressed his primal fear upon taking the seat again as Mayor. He feared terrorism. Then, we know, it is no longer a joke. It is not a joke to have lives of thousand senselessly lost due to a bomb ticking somewhere. If terrorism is one sowing fear and a bomb joke can still create fear, then how do you call a bomb joker?

Fireproofing Mindanao

      Call it a turbulent time for the presidency of Benigno S. Aquino III. During the midterm of his seat as president, a whirlwind of formidable problem, that is, of catastrophic proportion will not escape from him for now. He has to deal squarely with the issues from pork to gun barrel. With the nation’s billions of pesos amassed by the few taken from the very clear and convincing litany of evidence, people salivate in excitement to see what’s next. But another co-equal issue left cold at the table of P-Noy is the highly questionable peace process going on in Mindanao.

Personally, it gave me a contemptuous sneer when conflict in Mindanao can be readily branded to the entire island, including the peaceful Davao City and neighboring regions. Who would not be sick about comments like: “Sawang-sawa napo kami sa bad news sa Mindanao” elicited in an editorial after a poll question by the now famous Anthony Taberna of Punto por punto. But what is really more compelling than billions of pesos lost from the coffers of the government and where did the transaction transpire? You, people in Manila or outside Mindanao should be sensitive about the feelings of the Mindanaoans. Poor Mindanao, it is not a beneficiary of government’s lavish spending to the point of victimizing the poorest of the poor. I hope media will also be responsible in bridging not only fair and accurate stories but also the history of our moro brothers that help shape our history and culture.

P-Noy’s style in the peace agenda for Mindanao was noted to be uniquely underlined after he gave a marching order for “all-out justice”, rather than all-out war with the Moro rebels. The president reaped a hell of criticism as he released the order after an ambush in Basilan which cost the lives of at least 19 government soldiers at the height of the peace negotiation process. Those soldiers were pitted to the hostile terrain and when bullets were fired towards them, the government, through its chief negotiator Marvic Leonen, was quick to respond “it was only an isolated incident”. Which side had first clicked the trigger was neither important nor relevant in peace talks. The soldiers’ families repulsed the horror in anguish knowing that this peace accord would naturally kill the issue on that much-publicized ambush and probably replace it with a campaign to rather trust the tie that now binds between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) with the creation of Bangsamoro entity.

       As I have written this in my previous column, may I reiterate thus: Mindanao’s history has carried the stigma and death’s stare of deprecating horror due to the reported too much bloodshed in the past. Its people were pictured with fear and terror, with criminals responsible for mass killings off the hook. Its economy was reported to be backward and for so many decades today, the government has not been successful in penetrating to the hearts of the moros. There was mass migration of the poor to other peaceful provinces while the warlords enjoyed the benefits of their seemingly ghost town territories. The rich and powerful have lorded it over, investing to their guns as capitals and successfully created chaos to the point of wielding an idea of having established an empire within an empire. The moros were perceived to knock off the legitimate government to its knees.

      But this conflict should be taken into its proper context. The moros’ presence in Mindanao has pre-dated our government, that is, they were here even before the establishment of our republic. In fact, they should even be credited for having successfully defended the Philippine territory (or at least their territory) from foreign invasion. Historically, the war between Filipino Muslims and the Spaniards lasted for more than 300 years! When Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) cautiously pronounced the trust of government with the moro rebels should not slipped into the wrong hands, he meant it. Misuari should have known better. For when muslim secessionist movement in Mindanao was gaining ground in the 1970s, Misuari was among the first group of several trainees who worked for the independence of the Moro nation (Bangsa Moro). At the helm of his flock, Misuari cannot be treated as a cog in the wheel, to say the least, for the GPH-MILF framework agreement to run.

Peace was illusive in Mindanao. To recap, many presidents dared to traverse this lonely and hostile road in the pursuit of peace. Starting from the Ramos Administration, the government was able to forge peace pact with MNLF by initiating dialogues and agreements. This has earned for the country a peace prize award given in 1997 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). On September 15, 1993, President Ramos signed Executive Order No. 125, Defining the Approach and Administrative Structure for the Government's Comprehensive Peace Efforts. In this EO, Ramos introduced the Six Paths to Peace as recommended by the National Unification Commission (NUC) it was at this time that the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) was created.

      In 1996, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) finally reached a peaceful settlement with the MNLF.  MNLF was reported during that time to be one of the largest rebel groups in the country. It paved the way for the signing of the GRP-MNLF Peace Agreement on September 2, 1996 in Malacañang Palace. It was reported to have formally ended the armed conflict in Mindanao. The Final Peace Agreement was signed in the presence of the leaders of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). Its offspring were Special Zone of Peace and Development in Southern Philippines (SZOPAD) which consisted of 14 provinces; the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD); and a Consultative Assembly. What is important, it accordingly called for the integration of MNLF forces into the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), aside from the agreed economic assistance to the region.

      It was in the Estrada Administration that a rebel group that opposed the previous administrations wanted to return to the negotiating table. Negotiations were aborted in the past due to the outbreaks of hostilities in Mindanao. A manifesto from said Muslim group was submitted to Estrada which sought for the declaration of cease-fire in Mindanao and that, criminal charges against the then MILF Chair Ustadz Salamat Hashim, vice-chairman for Military Affairs, Al Haj Murad and MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu were also asked to be dropped. It can be recalled that Hashim Salamat was among those MILF officials who were charged of multiple frustrated murder by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in connection with the December 30 bombings in Metro Manila and the May 17 and 21, 2000 bombings of malls in Metro Manila.

     When MILF Chair Murad Ibrahim rallies behind P-Noy until the closure of the agreement through GPH-MILF peace accord, some sectors have treated it with distaste. But what defines now the reality is that people wanted to go back to their homeland safe and bring this goodwill to their children. It is not enough that we be told that over forty years of fighting for the birth of a Bangsamoro entity, Murad will just close the deal with insincerity and suspicion. He and his men have to live by it and prove hope is still there. As our very respected Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said: “It’s better to talk for a thousand years than fight a days-war and lose lives unnecessarily”. I wonder, too that days after our mayor said such nugget of wisdom, many political experts subscribed to same idea. But P-Noy is even more bent on delivering additional forces to parry the moro rebels under the flock of Nur Misuari. What about the lives of the civilians in the crossfire? What about the collateral damage of such wasteful exercise? Let us make Mindanao fireproof. One way to achieve such goal is to appoint key people to deal on the political and economic issues head on. Let there be ceasefire now and give Misuari a seat in the negotiating table.

Financial literacy…also in government

It’s adding insult to injury for public school teachers to have been exacted with much higher tax rates even before their demand of salary increase could be approved. This has gained ground all the more when the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) compared the net revenue collected from the poor teachers vis-à-vis those declared for taxation purposes by self-employed professionals who have become a bunch of tax evaders in this country. The Bureau in its latest count has raked for the record more than 50% taxpayers who come from the ranks of doctors, lawyers, and accountants who have underdeclared their tax returns to evade their tax obligations. BIR may have used for reference a teacher’s honest and faithful compliance to pay tax dues. How ridiculous is it for a doctor to pay as his annual dues the amount of only P 10.00? This doctor-fellow may have laughed off his way to the bank after a consultation fee paid by a teacher who suffered a heart attack due to this tax evasion reality.

With the basic facts presented by BIR, it can be claimed however that the law profession is still the highest paid profession. Note, a lawyer paid an annual tax due of P200.00 a little higher than that paid by an accountant which was pegged at P150.00. Such could be a disgrace in the profession. A teacher who earns more than P21 Thousand a month was able to remit almost P36 Thousand of all the tax dues for the previous year, while according to BIR, self-employed professionals were able to remit only around P35 Thousand. How about other government employees who cling to the rule helplessly for the simple reason that mandatory tax deductions await in evey payday? Discussions are ripe that those whose salaries are fixed by law should enjoy social justice more than anybody else for paying an honest tax. They were left here with no choice, no ifs and buts, no over the counter, but let withholding of tax due be the rule. We can safely say then, government owes to such extent due to this forced honesty by state workers whose withholding tax were culled out basically from the present salary rate of employees.

Taking a serious look at the plight of government employees, it would take a dose of idealism to consider educating them about FINANCIAL LITERACY. What I believe as next to a sound moral force for the rank-and-file is giving appropriate “friendly instructions” in seeking priorities in budgeting. It is common knowledge that lending companies knock at each office to lure employees for some bright financial schemes whether in times of need or not. At the very least however, money paid to a worker loses its character of a public fund when it is already in the government employee’s hands. However, when one secured a loan without putting up a collateral, it is the job itself which poses as a guarantee. It is akin to withdraw the money in advance only that there is a financing body other than the government which responds to the need. Again, what is there to expect in a meager takehome pay? In this financial literacy crash course, state workers will be empowered because they will probably be re-directed to another budgeting option that is within the takehome pay bracket, to constantly flash before their eyes…until they will be able to sleep without something to bother them, like debts.

As it is said: “One cannot squeeze blood out of stone”. One cannot give further what cannot be found in his or her possession, as a rule. In this tax scheme by the government, it would take a hell of a chaos when state workers pay the tax over the counter. Let literacy be a tool to help state employees experience freedom. This may be wild, if not revolutionary, but somehow, it could help the entire bureaucracy when the people under its employ are morally (not necessarily financially) and spiritually sound to live within the realistic budget within the family and not to long for more, but instead, to lead modest lives. 

When threat is imminent

With the spate of bombing incidents in Mindanao for the past three weeks, we come to draw a conclusion: Terrorism threat is imminent. We didn’t fail to see these events as they unfold. Is it not that Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has sensed the danger under his nose that he has to call it off for this year’s Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival? However, it is the mayor’s forte beyond question to see what’s fit. Anyway, this is not the first time our mayor is facing the threats of these demons in terrorism. To forego the merriment of a festival would rather be acceptable than putting in harms way hundreds of innocent lives on the streets. Nobody would want the festival’s vibrance and color be replaced with anguish and mourning; with the cheers and rapid beats of drums, for a dirge.

Just as the recent Cotabato blast that killed scores of people days after the big explosions that rocked Cagayan de Oro, big cities in Mindanao were shortly alerted. Roving security forces of our government did the rounds 24/7 to ensure the supression of criminal designs not to push through. But again, terrorists were just so stubborn and clever to sneak a powerful explosive device that wrecked Lintukan Bridge at the border of Datu Piang and Datu Salibo in Maguindanao which marked as the fifth bombing incident in Mindanao in just a matter of 12 days. The President during the 2nd Mindanao Business Conference was clearly unfazed about these bombings. In fact, it’s as if he was ready to verbalize his satisfaction ratings over Davao’s security measures. In an interview, the President was confident Kadayawan will push through referring to the style and experience of Mayor Duterte about security matters. But wait, P-Noy might have forgotten the too worn-out cliché under our Fundamental law about “protecting” our people, checklisted to be his first duty.

To protect the people does not necessarily mean sending in more troops. Fighting fire with fire may not always be the style and craft that could frighten the bandits. One just have to add more senses to the horrifying stories and how terrorists were so successful in their objectives. They might have hurdled the first base of their plan and succeed in toppling down vital utilities or killed innocent lives to send their message. Their treacherous acts were like ten or twenty steps ahead from those of our law enforcers. Part of their creed is to keep their entry and presence unnoticed. They are not afraid to die. They must be well-financed and their network goes beyond borders. Let alone the influences these terrorists gave to the youth, like pangs ready to sow terror anytime. Who would have thought that the Boston Marathon perpetrators were only motivated by extremist Islamic belief, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? And that, based from various news sources, they were “self-radicalized and unconnected to any outside terrorist groups”?

When Davao City was included in the watchlists for these more organized terror attacks, neither from the government nor from the private sector can afford to be complacent about security. But it does not mean our government is lowering our flag. It is putting to right perspective how people can be truly secured while the terrorists cannot carry out their plan. There lies a great danger when our authorities are facing against a blank wall, with no definite target. But even if terrorists get our enforcers flat-footed for lack of significant info, ordinary citizens can help our government. This is now the time to show our nationalism and patriotism to honor our flag and the authorities. We can somehow create a band of brothers, based from a purely citizen’s action to provide significant information to our authorities of any suspicious persons and activities in our respective communities. Through this noble act, we will no longer be facing an unknown target. Let’s end terrorism, right here in our city.

Tubig and the “too vague” law

Early this year, Roan Abasalo and I were tasked to translate the Davao City Watershed Code into Bisaya. I gave half of the chapters to him. Roan as a government broadcast media worker for many years had a penchant for the job. Like my neighbor here in the pages of Mindanao Journal, Sir King Quimpan, Roan is also “bagtik” in the mother tongue. One should take extra pre-caution to give an accurate translation of the proviso to save the trouble of being scolded by framers of the law.

In good faith, such self-proclaimed version was hoped to pass all strict scrutiny, with the evil being avoided. But more often, we can be “lost in translation”, like a toddler lost in the offing. A translation job is seriously funny at times as you are not only stretching thin the law, you could also lose its real meaning when written in another language. Such could pop up many dialog balloons of jokes at the end of each line when you read your work, but not for the experts.

Registering in our radar screen are those who play a Smart Aleck in Congress with Senate Bill 2997, proposed by Senator Angara and House Bill No. 5497, proposed by Reps Romero Federico Quimbo and Karlo Nograles, which seek to privatize all of the country’s water districts. This proposed law that is tripping us up gets in the way of naming Davao’s icon of abstract logic. This is staining the reputation of Davao to have the best potable water in the world. With this judgment of Nograles, he has also to live with all the consequences because not less than our national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal said, “True shame encounters eyes everywhere”.

How many wells do we have in the first district that Nograles has been so keen on privatizing our water resource? The Davao City Water District (DCWD) must have a point of influence and point of reference, so to speak on this matter. Being a consistent Most Outstanding Water Utility in Asia (which was awarded in Singapore), privatizing is much like reinventing the wheel. He may have invalidly classified our water district with that of Manila’s MWSS. Poor Davao. By and large these lawmakers, including the young Nograles continue to champion this idea on privatization to the strong opposition of their constituents.

It is the death of commonsense and people will feel being suffocated by all these proposed laws. Is our government ridiculously oversold? In that M-Power forum held in Grand Men Seng Hotel recently, one cracked up: Is P-Noy also wants to privatize the police and military? In response to the arbitrary quality, on how many looked at the agenda of the government gearing towards Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), which also sounds like from protector to protection racket. The government is our protector, the surrogate of the rights-bearer from the ruling class. That is only a punch to the moon (suntok sa buwan).

True, DCWD must have known its potential water customers: the residential, commercial, industrial, government, institutional and other users. But the government must draw the line between service and profit. For water is a utility indispensable to our existence. It is even supposed to be free for the households. So when water rates go up, people will dig their own well and let government worry on the sanitation problem. Big corporations stand to benefit the move on privatizing our water districts.

Every generation has the Smart Alecks who think they can figure everything out, once and for all. We happen to be in the generation that fell for it. But as Justice Cardozo once said: “We must spread the gospel; that there is no gospel to spare us the pain of choosing at every step”. Where do taxes of people go if the most basic service that our government can offer, such as the provision of water will slip from its hands? Ergo, Nograles is scaling the mountain in his proposed law.

Team Buhay, Team Patay, Team Bura

Part of our Supreme Court’s resolve on the issue about the oversized ads printed in tarpaulins inside the premises of the Catholic church was to employ the metaphor on “Jesus” to install order in all of our electoral processes. Just before the election season kicks-off, the church in an obvious state of frustration bannered its retaliation against law-makers who were responsible for the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) law. Even before the exercise of the most sacred rights on suffrage by the people, the church has already rendered that grim judgment of conviction against those who did not heed the Catholic Church teachings. The anguish of the church has favored only a few it considered as pro-life, naming them consequently as their senate bets and stalwarts for the Team Buhay. Some members under Team Patay never considered it a big deal as they will be elected in office anyway.

Now we know, the church joins the circus in Philippine politics. In such funfare, we long to see its flock to last that journey of faith. When the church with promptitude and dispatch hailed pro-RH politicians as heretics it cannot hide from the fact too of some accusations on bigotry when in its totality it refused to open it’s door to other’s opinions. Worse, the war has just began under the helm of Pope Francis I when beans have already been spilled like lightning bolt, striking hard to the moral issues the church is facing today. It should thus be “Suum quique” or to each his own. There will be social justice when the church will mind its own business and at least refrains from meddling in the affairs of the state. Why not start by cleaning its own house first? That would be a great idea to start with. I was born and raised as a Catholic and will stand by my belief but facing political issues should always be personal to me and I think, I should not be deprived of that freedom.

Although this deserves a lampoon consideration, there is a third force coming: the Team Bura. This Team is crunchy-crazy and sometimes a display of “way paki” type for its dormancy in off-election season. However this team transforms into what people regard now as the Commission on Elections. The Comelec has for its part waded through the challenges by thwarting off both religious and political issues as water under the bridge to pave way for orderly elections. People have to support Oplan Langkat to dismantle illegally placed or huge sizes of billboards supporting a candidate. Like the cardinals praying in the conclave to elect a new pope, the Filipino people unveil their new set of leaders for 2013. But we hope in the manner and style of a conclave, the proclamation of candidates will not belching in protests like a billowing a too heavy black smoke from the chimney of the Comelec.

***

Comelec Lawyer Danilo Cullo of Davao made the rounds to explain some provisions embodied in some Comelec resolutions and shy away from responding to questions which the Commission still considered as gray areas pending the resolution of the matter with the Supreme Court. He made it clear, as in the previous elections, that every candidate shall submit a sworn statement of expenditures within 30 days after the elections. No candidate is spared from this mandate, which includes the declaration of expenses during rallies, rekoridas, printing of posters and the donations received from supporters. The deadline it set for the submission of the name and specimen signature for the authorized signatory for the watchers is fixed on or before April 28, 2013.

                Extreme caveat for candidates is the requirements set under Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Memo Circ. No. 15-2013, which looks at the assets as well as the statement of expenditures of each candidate after the election. Candidates were reminded that it must be backed up by documents like receipts and vouchers in effect making themas withholding agents. Under this circular, the candidate should issue a receipt to his supporter-donor and later declare it in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Networth (SALN). The excess in the donation can be considered as income which is already taxable. A candidate’s limit in election spending is only fixed at P3 pesos multiplied by all the voters in his congressional district. Another important consideration, the filing fee of disqualification case against a candidate is already waived (previously it was P 10,000). Accordingly, the only way to stop a proclamation by the Board of Canvassers of a particular candidate is a pending motion to suspend proclamation filed with the Comelec, by reason of a disqualification case. Filing fee is no longer required in the filing of disqualification case which was previously pegged at P 10 Thousand. 

Wanted: Solon for the barangays

The voice that any member of the House of Representatives will bring before the hall of this august body would be that of the district he is representing. But there is this voiceless multitude, the barangays. To describe a community leader as “just a barangay captain” is to do a disservice to all village chiefs who attend to the constituents’ needs 24/7. How many congressmen would admit to have this line of thought? The punong barangay is not only admittedly inferior but today has become marginalized and underrepresented. While there were those who rose from their ranks to get elected, yet, destiny is just so unkind. It is only in a comedy sitcom of a TV network that gives a Kapitan such an accolade, personified by a famous actor cum politician. With all the musings of the defunct Idol ko si Kap however, it would appear it was more of a Captain Barbell than a barangay captain that it intended to depict.

                Barangay affairs will always be a serious matter. Barangay captains when they act always mean business to a certain extent that they consume themselves in the process. There may be a lack of voice of ambition on why “only a barangay captain?” and not consider pursuing another trail in politics leading to some higher office? But it is in this position that each of our Kapitans has found dignity and respect. They fight the daily struggle of survival within their respective domains. Significantly, they cannot hide from the basic realities confronting their small territory. Once a lone voice in the wilderness, today people have to think deeply on what would give them more benefits after the 2013 elections. This incoming election could channel a formula that would change the direction of barangay management. This can only be realized by putting a credible person through the party-list system to represent the voice of the 42, 000 barangays in the country.

                The Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod Party with the specific directive from Acting Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gives its support to Former Secretary of Justice Bebot Bello being the first nominee under 1-BAP (Barangay Atong Pauswagon) Partylist. Upon Atty. Bello’s hands lie the better future of the barangays which are in dire need of change, may it be an overhaul of the whole system. One remarkable agenda outlined by 1-BAP is the giving of teeth to our barangay justice system. Bello’s experience in the many years of government service, especially in the legal department, could boost practically the confidence of all lupong tagapamayapa chiefs. He led a no nonsense campaign to eradicate corruption in the justice department when he was Secretary of Justice under the Corazon Aquino administration. 1-BAP therefore is poised to strike at the core of service to spark a very meaningful change leading towards a more developed barangays in the country. Logic tells us, when there is peace in the basic unit such as the barangay, peace and order problem can be a thing of the past in the municipality or city.

                A few years back, I had been privileged to give assistance to do the menial tasks in the preparation of some paper works of a barangay for its entry in the Best Lupong Tagapamayapa contest regularly conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The decision came out and the barangay was declared champion. I only got a Certificate of Recognition but it was such a pleasure to be part of that endeavor. It was a forgotten deed but the helpful hands of barangay folks are still fresh in my memory. Their dedication to work was extra-ordinary. When people give 1-BAP a chance, they will see for themselves the difference.

Problem Drinkers

Filipinos belong to top 20 happiest people on the planet. As PH becomes one of the happiest places in the world so it was hypothesized in the tag “It’s more fun in the Philippines!”. Happiness in simple things is what characterized Pinoys that this merriment is associated in many occasions with drinking sprees, until the drunk of course in a very bad shape, drops and calls it a night.

Heavy drinking not only poses a very serious health problem but, far worse, a tragedy in the lives of thousands. From skid marks traced on streets, bloodbaths and wreckages lead investigators to determine further in vehicular accidents. It was heartbreaking but a victim in traffic accidents dared the speed in high spirits due to liquor intakes. While others die, some give new born babies instead because through drinking, teen-agers have become untimely mothers.

Handling the out-of-control alcoholic or our version of the “maoy” or the violent type of a drinker is another problem. But this unacceptable social behavior can actually be handled. Unfortunately, some “maoys” land in police stations if not in the canals. A drunkard is a person in trouble who deserves help. For all we know, the entire family is in trouble too. I drink liquor but not until I graduated college, that was a sort of discipline and commitment until one day I realized I am in bad shape and witness the devastation brought about by too much drinking alcohol. Today, as young as high school students already indulged into this bad habit.

         I have found in my bookstore hopping a book sold only at Php 75.00, a more than a thousand pages Complete Book of Etiquette by Amy Vanderbilt, very cheap but a priceless treasure. Vanderbilt states in that book about the four kinds of drinkers: abstainers (those who never touch alcohol; recovering alcoholics are among these); social drinkers, who drink occasionally for fun, but who do not need alcohol to get along and who have no dependency on the drug; problem drinkers, who cannot drink without becoming belligerent; and alcoholics, who drink too much because they are addicted to the drug and feel extreme physi­cal or mental discomfort without it.

Problem drinkers should be referred to psychological counselling.  However, I wonder if we have already matured to welcome the words of a counsellor to drink liquor in moderation. To drink is to live another day and nothing is sweeter than having some bottles of cold beer after a day’s labor. However, alcohol is a liquid drug which has destructive effects like any other addictive drugs. To have a hangover is to hum the song of Max Surban in the tune of “Di na gyud ko mo usab..kausa na lang”.

Filipinos while being considered as a cheerful race need to think about “intelligent drinking”. Here are some thoughts by Vanderbilt: Drinking in moderation does the body little permanent harm, but, when taken continuously in large doses, alcohol may prove disastrous to the heart or other major organs; Even mild social drinking dulls the reflexes; in any given year many thousands of deaths from traffic accidents are caused by heavy drinkers and also by people who have been drinking only moderately; Just as people aren't alike, alcohol affects people differently. The effects of the drug on people depends on how much they weigh, how fast they imbibe their drinks, the amount of food eaten with their drinks, the general atmosphere in which they are drinking, and their expectations and feelings about the particular group they are with at that particular time.

       Here are some more: Alcohol taken in moderate amounts is said to have benefits for certain people, but no one is anything but harmed by too much; There are other ways to help one feel relaxed or good or happy, the main reason young people begin to drink is that they thought they are the "life of the party"; It is impossible to perform a very concentrated activity, such as take an exam or figure out an exacting problem or use one's athletic skills, if one has been drinking. To drink is not to be in top shape; Young women who look forward to having babies should realize that alcohol in their systems may seriously harm the baby they carry.

       Lastly, Anyone who cares about danger of brain damage or damage to one's liver does not drink except in moderation. When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it is immediately carried to the brain. Beer is 4 to 6 per cent alcohol, wine is 12 to 20 per cent, and most hard liquor is 40 to 50 per cent. The rest of beer, wine, and hard liquor is mostly water. Being able to "hold one's liquor" is not a sign of valor and strength, but a sign of tolerance for the drug, slowly acquired through constant use; dependency is often the next step. It is essential that every young per­son understand the legal aspects of drinking even before he has reached the legal drinking age. At any rate, we should be happy to be the happiest people on Earth, even without the thought on drinking too much alcohol.

Political Destiny

Political activists and the media resurrect the issue on political dynasty within the Philippine political landscape. It is election season and the issue is ripe again for unsolicited opinions should one is dying to know its legal definition. But the fact remains, this political dynasty thing will be re-archived in memory after the elections. Talk to a politician, talk to the hand is what one gets when the dug-up yet recyclable topic is about a bloodline running the operations of our government. But we still wonder why those self-confessed game-changers keep banging their heads for such hallucinating idea of electoral reforms in this country the few consider as the “rising tiger of Asia”.

The law on political dynasty is nil. It can stay in the dark pages of our history for a long period of time for no politician can define it. What is clear thus, is that it is not the duty of the Mayor or President to define the term but those of the members of Congress. Only a law passed by the legislature can define what criteria can prohibit a dynasty. But no senator would gamble hypocrisy for shame pronouncing to effect a sudden death to a colleague’s political career. However, since this issue has been submitted before the bar of public opinion, it is also important to determine who is privy to it. It is not for us to speculate what a dynasty is if at all our thoughts can substitute those in the minds of our lawmakers. In the stricter sense, who poses to benefit an anti-dynasty law if the government is let to some fragile and inexperienced hands?

Our history has so far groomed into politics sons and daughters of presidents to the highest office. Arroyo and Aquino are on top in these long lists of names. For senators we have the Estradas, Cayetanos, Aquinos, Magsaysays, Escudero, Revillas, Villar, Pimentel, and even Enrile, etc. There is branding in politics and sometimes, a candidate whose successors succeed in this field but with poor credentials will become triumphant over the one who can speak well of any socially-relevant issues but who do not enjoy a legacy from the family. But at the last count minding the previous national and local elections, not all candidates from show business won. It may be an important indicator defying personality-based branding which is already imbedded within the realm of Philippine politics. At any rate, those who intend to handle an elective post in government should possess all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under our laws. Definitely, our election laws do not bar a neophyte for being a sibling of a clan of winnable candidates.

What grievous sin do candidates commit for being the son or daughter of a good public servant? It is not dynasty that takes its course here when people stick to their chosen names. It is good or quality service passed around and the beauty of democracy begins when people sincerely exercise their suffrage rights. Nepotism in appointive positions would strike hard to abusive officials hiring family members in same office but not in any electoral exercise when the ballots spell destiny for a candidate. A hairline distinction can be made. Public position is not property, it cannot be inherited for when the president dies, his wife (talking about a future president), cannot inherit his seat in Malacañang. When political dynasty becomes political destiny, it is certainly sanctioned from up above. Remember, vox populi, vox dei.

                So what’s the fuss all about? It is a non-issue insofar as it is not the root cause of the many problems of this country. There is still equal access to opportunities and by and large, everyone poses to benefit the dynasty of good deeds of politicians who do not belong to the bad eggs. In this lifetime, we have been served by a political figure whose name he cared after his father’s. Vice-Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is a brand of pro-people, pro-masses politics. He lifted the city to unprecedented heights and one can roam around Davao to know what I mean by this. But City Mayor Sara did not hide from the shadow of his father. She has a decision of her own and that is the brand of the Duterte politics. What the future will unfold, I believe Mayor Inday’s supporters are just around the nook. 

PNoy to lend $ 1 billion to IMF?

Question: Why gov’t is lending $ 1 billion to IMF? Answer: We are a rich country pretending to be poor. This critical phase of PNoy’s presidency, months after flaunting his multi-million dollar Porsche before hungry Filipinos, will have its mark in history for its vulgar display of humility in the complete opposite. It is yet another fleck in the eye just when our government (Manila’s MMDA) covered the slum areas with huge tarpaulins imbedding in them some pictures of heaven during that recent Asian Development Bank conference held in the country.

Malacañang maintained that our country has the obligation to lend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with $ 1 billion or 42 Billion in our currency after benefitting from IMF’s assistance for the last 40 years. No doubt, this forms part of our international reserve being an asset in foreign currency. With this money, our government pins its hope that it can help stabilize the crisis going on in Europe. Wow! It’s more fun in Europe this time. It’s legal or economic framework is not enough. Economic planners posit it could earn certain interests which would redound to our benefit, but the proposition in any debate would be the moral issue of the proposal.

It is inconceivable to touch international reserves to help other countries in their economic depression as we are also an ailing economy. This government plays a savior but by then, could it gain command and respect from the international community after doing such obligation? The Philippines, classified as an agricultural economy, developing, poor country is what we call a third world country. A foremost Filipino nationalist Claro M. Recto was said to favor foreign loans instead. He said that when we borrow money from abroad for our economic development, we become the capitalists, and therefore retain the profits. To reconcile this lending and borrowing therefore is like farting and coughing at the same time which everybody wants to avoid.

Membership in the IMF is a prerequisite to the membership of the World Bank (WB). It is said that the biggest stockholders of IMF are also the biggest stockholders of WB. The United States owns the biggest slice in the capital stock of WB. Meanwhile, the highest authority of IMF is the Board of Governors. It is in our economic class that by tradition, the managing director is always an European who is acceptable to the United States. As member of IMF, PH is given a quota which determines the foreign exchange and its voting power. Higher quota here means higher percentage of votes. If the Philippines has only $ 1 billion in the $ 456 billion standby fund of IMF, then it has only contributed too little (making the obvious more obvious) as compared to industrial countries, the richest countries with the largest subscriptions.

Well, well, well. It’s Pnoy’s financial system that takes its course. One thing, why $ 1 billion? How did Malacañang fix it in such amount if only to satisfy the idea to help other countries? What are the parameters and limitations to touch something from the international reserve? The welfare of the people is still the supreme law and perhaps the conscience of this government. Is it not incompatible with the wishes, aspirations and needs of the Filipino People?

There is a vast difference between national economists from nationalist economists. The “Filipino is worth dying for” principle, we pray, may flow in the blood of PNoy. His idea may be very incompatible or misplaced, for delicadeza’s sake to lend money abroad when in fact, the energy crisis in Mindanao continues to surge, adding to the woes of our banana growers now in dire crisis. The government that loses its track to the moral issue of lending its money for the benefit of foreign countries is a government that definitely loses its sanity. There will be a lot of explanation to do before this lending issue will fan an ember of debates, if not protests.

Street brain food, anyone?

With the initial reports based from the study of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on food safety, contaminants were found on street foods which posed some risks to the consumers’ health. DOST found traces of pathogens like salmonella and e-coli  in the food samples. Now, you as consumer can be sick with street food and what should the government do about it? It is that simple question. But the report which landed in the dailies is like scaring the public and driving them away from poor street vendors.

Truth is, DOST’s statement landed in the pages of our national newspapers. Street vending is older than the oldest of us. It was already there since time immemorial. But why does it achieve prominence or oddity, a very important element for news value, so that it has to be known nationwide? People of Davao reading that piece of news were not born yesterday. Roam around highly urbanized cities like Metro Manila and you will see the worst kind, unimaginable, and unthinkable food handling and preparation down the streets. Bucha! as you may think.

Pathogen is taken from the Greek word “patho” which means disease. It also sounds like our own “patu” or duck. Balut is one of the street foods singled out under the study to have contained some form of a bacteria. During a not-so-long-ago TV episode of the American version of Fear Factor, participants were to hurdle the stunt to eat balut eggs within 3 minutes. ”Ew”! one readily reacted seeing the weird looking 19 days embryo of the poor duck. Almost all of them failed the challenge and instead unleashed the fury through vomiting in front of the camera. Ergo, ”ew”! and “yuck”! are literally urban buzz words of eaters pretending to be strong in stomach.

Filipinos are not weak in stomach. Some may enjoy the balut, known for its high protein contents than junk foods as a snack. In the province, folks will enjoy crunching the exotic coconut crawlers like the “batud” and we do not know for sure how people around the world would react if they see it. One thing, everybody must give a hand to poor vendors who provided the stop-gaps of hunger to the poor, not pin them down. It’s the poor selling to another poor. They make clean living only that some proved to be unhygienic. Nonetheless, being poor is not also an excuse in order not to practice hygiene.

Food may not be a problem here but as pointed out by Honorable Councilor Bernard Al-ag in his privilege speech in the previous session, it lies more on food handling and preparation. There’s the rub. The problem lies on food handlers. Councilor Al-ag knows the plight of these vendors because he came from their ranks and he will rise to defend them before the halls of the august body.

Food handling may therefore be subject to regulation to arrive at the hygienic state for the gastronomers. With the cursory reading of City Ordinance No. 078, known as the Health and Sanitation Ordinance of Davao City, since these food handlers in carts engage into business, then they should secure a Sanitary Permit with the City Health Office, aside from the Health Certificate which it would appear in the law to be mandatory for ambulant food vendors, whether itinerant or non-itinerant. 

Health officials or sanitary inspectors should be particularly curious about where do these vendors source out the water they are using. How clean are the containers and utensils? E-coli in news reports can also be derived from public pools and other contaminated water sources (not only on food) which would make everybody practically be vulnerable to it. To tilt the balance between the cry of poor street vendors and clamor to public health, the former prevails consistent with the General Welfare Clause of the Local Government Code.

If the food is no longer fit for human consumption then by all means government must intervene. Even if the statement of DOST, though it will not shake up the whole population of Davao, is sweeping it is better to heed at warnings because of the presumption of regularity of another government institution competent enough to determine the safety level of consumables.

In the final analysis, what bolts in struggle is not actually the infighting of bad and good bacteria in the stomach. As they say, be cautious or exercise “caveat emptor” or let the buyer beware. But what if the buyer cannot exercise good judgment like a child? Children are the potential targets of bacteria-containing cheap foods in the streets.

Smoking guns for nicotine addicts

Davao City is a few notches away to take centerstage again and finally grab that Hall of Fame status for achieving a 100% nicotine-free LGU. For two consecutive years since 2010, this city has been a recipient of the Red Orchid Awards as conferred by the Department of Health during the annual World No Tobacco Day.

Dr. Domilyn Villareiz, co-chairperson of the city's Anti-Smoking Task Force, knew for sure our secret. She divulged it in an interview during the weekly I-speak forum hosted by the City Information Office of city hall. “It’s political will”, she said. True, this city could not have reached the attic of success in law enforcement without strong fists behind it. Ours is the world’s biggest city in terms of land area with a population ready to bloat anytime. Law enforcement thus is illusive for some as an uphill climb traversing through huge rocky boulders.

What is even more interesting is that some of those tasked by law to enforce the Anti-smoking ordinance, like the police and members of the Anti-Smoking Task Force, are nicotine addicts themselves. No need for breather tests, they claimed witnesses everywhere and such addiction is already within public knowledge. But it would be just fine, not without rhyme and reason if they will initiate instead to convince people to quit smoking. Dr. Villareiz is on track of a new campaign about “model enforcers” for the city.

The sale of cigarette is not beyond the commerce of man. One can buy it and the other is free to sell it. What do you do with an unlighted cigar? It could only serve its purpose if smoked. In an accommodation or entertainment establishment, ash-trays should not be seen messily anywhere to the pretext that smoking is allowed in an area not designated for smokers. Owners of the establishments must know where to strike the balance. Who are we protecting in this anti-smoking law? Those that will benefit are the non-buyers of cigarettes, the non-smokers not because they are health-conscious but because nobody should impair their rights to breathe clean or unpolluted air.

The rigid implementation of our Anti-Smoking laws has not been an affront to our tourism industry. In those days where foreign nationals caught on television while being apprehended for smoking within the vicinity of the Davao City International Airport has not slowed down the influx of local and foreign tourists coming in. The record will speak for itself. That instead was an opportunity to send a message across that our enforcers did not knell to the whims and caprices of the few. Is it not a perfect selling point for the city with its unbending attitude to treat everybody fairly and equally?  Note, to unilaterally prohibit cigar smoking is too remote to happen for as long as its sale will not be declared illegal.

But the law can be harsh for smokers in some manner, though indirectly. The sin tax measure to restructure taxes on cigarettes and liquors has just been approved by lawmakers in the lower house. It is good as passed since it is no other than President Noynoy Aquino himself called for its urgent passage. Sometime in May, this year, during the recess in the House of Representatives, I had interviewed Congressman Isidro Ungab in a downtown restaurant. Rep. Ungab as the Ways and Means Committee Chairman has considered the passage of sin tax a high legislative priority. He said, the government foresees a big haul in the revenue next year which would amount to Php 60 Billion if this reformed tax measure is passed.

These vices therefore on smoking and drinking are on the nook just to be called as luxuries. Imposing an increased tax necessarily affects the prices. But the Law on Supply and Demand is one thing the legislature cannot repeal. If the demand for cigarettes in the market decreases, we could claim success in government’s campaign against cigarette smoking. But the government’s expectations on a Php 60 Billion from sin taxes would just fail. There is this smoking gun for the nicotine addicts. Smoking is just a dying ember in our society, especially when our government is sincere over the implementation of our law. Davao City takes the exception because under its political will, it can minimize, if not cut the craving for a puff because smokers are entitled to good health and protection, too.

An on-going revolution

The brawl involving journalist Mon Tulfo and celebrity couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport can be classified as unprincipled violence which offended public morals and decency. They, who attained the status of a public figure, are revered to and looked upon as role models. Off-screen or public display of anger among celebrities can now go viral, especially in this age of the internet. In this case, there is also another threshold of consciousness that significantly brewed up to a new kind of revolution, that is, a revolution in social media.

News producers in the country have created a rundown or lineup of newscasts to hold the viewers’ interest to keep them tuned in. That riotous violence among celebrities made it to the top choice for several days and the clip kept on reeling in on broadcast networks, over and over again. But little did we know that there is another super-empowered individual, the one who posted that short video clip in YouTube who provided a version of the incident “as it happened” (absent the CCTV footage in the airport). This individual is our main actor in this new revolution.

Howie Severino, Editor-in-Chief of GMA News Online and who also hosted GMA’s I-Witness for more than a decade, gave a one-day lecture about Media Advocacy in the Pursuit of Truth and Empowerment during the 5^th Mindanao Summer Institute of Journalism held at the Ateneo de Davao University. He said, of all online Filipinos (30% of the population according to him are online), 90 to 100 percent have already a Facebook Account and 30 to 50 percent have Twitter. He said, the new media landscape has created “super-empowered individuals”.

“Social media is a very important tool. Its responsible use has not yet been widely discussed.  We monitor social media very closely. There is so much abuse going on now in Twitter and Facebook elsewhere. Since social media is so new, there are neither rules nor clear standards of conduct that we’ve known so far. We, in the mainstream media, don’t want the government to even attempt to dictate us on what to do or impose rules on social media. But it must have a standard, in the same way that television is governed by structures or institutions to ensure compliance with those previously known standards”, Severino said.

He said, there is already a revolution going on which is the revolution of production of media. This refers to the transfer of power from the few media practitioners to almost everybody. “All of you can now be media producers. Whether you like it or not, you have it already in your hands. If you have this little device (pointing to a cellphone with a camera), you are already a potential media producer. This little device can produce images or photos and videos. You can shoot and edit in smartphones and you can now distribute”, Severino said.

Severino recalled: “I started in media in the 1990s and that was before the age of the internet. There was a very elite and democratic media environment. We were only very few yet, very privileged. All our media devices then were not only heavy but very expensive as well. In those days, we cannot see camerawomen. Why? Who wants to carry a 15-kilo camera? But now, everybody can already own a lightweight camera. Before, when you have a good video footage, you have to rush to a TV network and plea that it will be aired. But the video had to be pre-screened before the network will decide to have it broadcast. But now, everything already becomes so easy. You don’t even need to think about the TV networks anymore and that’s a transfer of power from the few to the many”.

“There is also a revolution of expression which is technology-driven. From betacams to camcorders, from nonlinear to linear edit systems (or from analog to digital) from TV network to YouTube and the web world, and from TV program to multimedia content. In the 1990s, when you edit a video documentary, you need to rent an analog editing studio for P900 an hour. But today, with video editing softwares in our computer, we can do the editing in our bedroom, car or almost anywhere. Even if it will not be shown on TV, but still, we can produce our own content, post it in the web or make a DVD out of that”, he added.

“In the case of I-Witness, we make the content. TV is just a platform of our content. Those that we can consider platforms are TV, DVD, YouTube, web, mobile phones, movie theaters or classrooms. Again, that’s revolutionary. We are now in the midst of media democratization and that is across-the-board. We have democratized the power of content production. All of these powers are already in everybody’s hands. It is no longer a fantasy to make your own documentary”, Severino said.

Talking about responsibility, this may be addressed to all media  practitioners, including Mon Tulfo. Severino said: “I heard so many comments and feedback about media people becoming arrogant. I think the most important quality of a good journalist is being respectful and decent. Being respectful would help you a lot in your job because people will be very open to share any story with you. That will make you a very effective journalist. Remember, you start with information gathering and you will fail in your objective if people will not open up. Be modest and humble because it’s the best thing to do. For practical reasons, if people will feel you are approachable, they will readily share any information with you. Sila na mismo ang magpapa-interview because they felt being respected.” 

More than meeting the eye

Women leaders and activists gave a poke to all sectors about women’s woes on abuses and discrimination in the recent 13^th Women Summit in Davao City to coincide with the 102^nd International Women’s Day. As the message was sent across, that could have been a perfect timing for men to rally behind and listen to the highlights of achievements all in the name of women or gender empowerment. Nevertheless, may it not make one to become lesser as a man to write about women, especially when the discussion is focused on the picturesque details and relevance of issues on gender.

Actual survey of the National Statistics Office (NSO) in 2007 which still prevails (as it is not yet superseded by any update until today) reveals that with the city’s 1.4 Million household population, women who comprise 50.11 percent have outnumbered the men. If this were a race, then men could have lagged behind since it has been the trend starting the early 90’s. On a lighter note, someone said a joke about government statistics being likened to the underwear: What they show is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital. Let this not however be treated as a sexual or political innuendo of some sort.

About workforce, women got a notch higher compared to men by registering in the same NSO survey 50.37 percent. In number, women then take control our workforce. But how is that possible? This is pure stats and it is more than meeting the eye. Owing to the credibility of the survey, women therefore have all the reasons to display some intense sensitiveness against any injustice, abuses or discrimination. Government’s intervention in place is not to beat the odds but perhaps to beat the void because if this figure were true, taxpayers in Davao then are dominated by women.

However, this is not competition that rushes genders to the finishing line. Men and women are supposed to have a mutually indescribable beneficial relationship. For the absence of the other readily sends the helpless gender to the summit of misery. Over the years, feminists and women activists have successfully propped up gender awareness and slowly changed the paradigm of society which later made mainstreaming of women a non-issue. Thus, marginalization of women could be a thing of the past, too soon.

In one study about measuring the purchasing power of Philippine peso and its inverse relationship with the consumer price index, women’s role in marketing is getting more popular. Take as example the fish production which made marketing as their most visible economic activity. In most cases, wives of small-scale fishermen sell their husband’s catches in the nearby markets, and these roles women play were not actually documented. Men are still considered to be the main players in fisheries sector despite the fact that 50-85% of post harvest activities are carried out by women.

On the other hand, the confederation of LGBTs (lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgenders) is also strengthened today, especially in the context of sexual orientation. It is not always the tandem between males and females that rules society as good. In Davao and anywhere else, people are stripping apathy against gays and lesbians whose satisfaction to enjoy life is now guaranteed, especially with the enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance and such law which is first in the country and only found in Davao, the Comprehensive Women Development Code. That is epitomized in stricter sense under our catchphrase: “Life is Here” and it really is.

Everybody just failed at first look on the kind of treatment women should deserve. The issues they confront are those that more than meet the eye. There is something deeper and they search for more meaning. But this writer also subscribed to the idea of John Milton, an English writer who said: Where more is meant than meets the ear.

***

Davao is blest with personalities the like of Madam Patmei Ruivivar and Madam Luz Ilagan. Madam Patmei was my first boss in city hall in her long stint as Chief of Staff of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. She has the fountain of youth and unparalleled dynamism. It is in her wit and tact that co-employees may have derived their strength. Quo vadis, madam? Madam Luz then as City Councilor was chairperson of the committee of education and as proxy to a city councilor, I have not been absent in all her committee hearings. It was compelling to attend because even at first thought, I saw her excellent leadership to be one that could move mountains.

To Madam Lorna Mandin, Chief of the Integrated Gender and Development Division under Mayor Sara Duterte’s Office, thanks for the materials. I hope to find space for them in the succeeding issues. More power!

A long shortcut

Energy crisis in Mindanao is a socioeconomic problem, not a political issue according to President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III. He stressed that Mindanaoan consumers will have to pay more because more end-users would mean more demand of electricity owing to Mindanao’s increasing population. “This is the reality of economics, not the rhetoric of politics”, he said.

As the irony of it all in that Mindanao Power Summit held in Davao City recently, it seemed that the President had gotten into him some disparaging criticisms instead, even from his allies.  Those that have passed judgement also released some high-voltage of energy, all to describe their disappointments. All the fiery comments are hurting from all sides. Nevertheless, we hope it will not put Malacañang into the bad light as it would appear to be the one being “nakuryente” after the Summit’s closing. If it is apolitical indeed, then even those from his camp would be free to fire up their opinions and would-be solutions to the energy problem.

The “daang matuwid” is giving two options: first, pay the high price; and second, just live with the rotating brownouts. But of course, Malacañang is bent on privatizing some of our publicly-owned power resource to dislodge any doubt that the “daang matuwid” thing could actually be “ tungo sa madilim at matirik na bangin”. A new power rate to be shouldered by the whole mass of consumers will do the trick and it will save Malacañang from further agony of public outcry. Remember, PNoy has also some economic agenda for Mindanao.

To pay the high price means to privatize the Agus and the Pulangi hydropower complexes, the primary sources of energy in Mindanao which is capable of generating 1000 mega watts of power, more or less. Electricity in Mindanao is cheap because the government made it cheap. The National Power Corporation (Napocor) accordingly operated at a loss, incurring billions of dollars in debt. Again, who is to be blamed? It just led people to push the limits of their imagination, and no clearer answer has surfaced so far.

Republic Act No. 9136, also known as the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001”or Epira Law (As in, eh, pera). It just proved lawmakers were two steps behind from the more alert and high-handed economic maneuvers which could translate as a presidential prerogative in one sense. For example, under Section 47 (e) of the Epira law, it states the prohibitive period of ten years before the Agus and the Pulangui complexes to be privatized. May I cite it here in full: “The Agus and the Pulangui complexes in Mindanao shall be excluded from among the generating companies that will be initially privatized. Their ownership shall be transferred to the PSALM Corp. (Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation)and both shall continue to be operated by NPC.

It continued: “In case of privatization, said complexes may be privatized not earlier than ten (10) years from the effectivity of this Act, and, until privatized, shall not be subject to Build-Operate-Transfer (B-O-T), Build-Rehabilitate-Operate-Transfer (B-R-O-T) and other variations pursuant to Republic Act No. 6957, as amended by Republic Act No. 7718. The privatization of Agus and Pulangui complexes shall be left to the discretion of PSALM Corp. in consultation with Congress”. PNoy is not ill-advised by his economists and he knows it is just a matter of time and everything will be privatized.

Again, economists and lawmakers must have been alerted about the proviso in the declaration of policy in Epira law which clearly spell privatization. It states that Epira is implemented “To enhance the inflow of private capital and broaden the ownership base of the power generation, transmission and distribution sectors, and in order to minimize the financial risk exposure of the national government”.

There’s the rub. The law talks about privatizing our power resources because Malacañang has vowed to lessen “financial risk exposure”. But again, as the President claimed, low cost of energy would drive investors away. Mindanao-based leaders have this to say: No, Mr. President. high costs of power will definitely drive investors away. All in unison, this is not about politics but simply a riddle which if solved could give great impact to the lives of millions who are already in the quagmire of poverty. If the electricity rate is increased irrespective of the ownership of power source can only be taken to mean a long shortcut to progress for Mindanao. Some real shortcuts are still within the prerogative of the President.

So long, Lolong and the parodies

It will not surprise us that Mayor Edwin G. Elorde of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, has treated Lolong as his own son. Lolong, the biggest saltwater crocodile in captivity has put Bunawan in the roadmap for a must-see place in the country. Consequently, Lolong’s presence gave the local folks a golden hope. Economic activities flourished courtesy of their adopted son. Many sari-sari stores lined up to serve the local and foreign tourists who yearned to see this jaw-dropping croc. These locals gave him a name and a stature of a king.

Four months ago, when I was on my way to Butuan City, passing by Barangay Consuelo where Lolong took his shelter in the Bunawan Eco-Park and Research Center, the place could not have been any better without Lolong. It is an eco-park built to accommodate him. Any layman would see it however as a blatant admission Lolong was already separated from his natural habitat that he used to enjoy. For we know, he must have swum across rivers until the current had brought him to the marshlands of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.

The croc may have been deprived of the natural environment where it could freely move around knowing its size or eat whatever it likes, including the forbidden: humans. Lolong was noted to be the primary suspect in the unexplained disappearances of some residents, one a fisherman and a child in the area. But Lolong as a transient in that eco-park has only stretched thus far his life of its biological limitations. The municipality may not be prepared for his death. What could only remain in the imagination is that because of his size (20. 3 feet), he can be a baby dinosaur with the attributes of Godzilla, where it sparks interests why it has to establish its abode in this country.

Lolong got all the attention from day one of its capture. It suddenly became popular which earned for himself the tag as the most famous animal of his specie. He has gained many followers, too which incidentally made him on top and became the icon of Bunawan. Since the Mayor treated Lolong as his son, with such affection, he could have succeeded to put a buwaya on its flag as a constant reminder of Lolong’s presence in the area.

About a few months, when the idea was prompted to transport Lolong to the capital city in Manila, the folks in the municipality protested. For how can an adopted son of Bunawan be separated from its father, the mayor? But before its cold and heavy body flipped over, to proclaim the demise of the son, the aging Lolong could have whispered to his father his displeasures of his life inside the pen that was designed for him. Assuming that he was treated fairly as an animal prisoner from the hands of his captors, the menu for his diet should have been checked, too. Lolong barely opened his eyes, like he had been sleeping for months but when he peeped with meats of chicken for him to devour, he could have died of heart attack or bangungot. Whoever said that he attacked a water buffalo (carabao) that led to his capture, can also explain how a buwaya of its size take control of its regular diet.

If eating then is the key to survival for this kind of wild animal, then meals fit for a king should have been provided to him. Sadly, the idea cannot be over-stretched as death could still come to Lolong due to his age. Necropsy from a pool of experts came to Bunawan’s aid, amidst the throng of mourners. Some wept while others shed crocodile tears. When animal doctors ripped off his body to dissect what’s in there, curiosity was out of the question. What’s inside Lolong’s belly could be more interesting than knowing the cause of his death. Some quarters said Lolong died of stress or he may haunted by bad memories of his past victims.

It is sad Lolong did not make it to Manila where he could have met his own kind. However, for aggressive proponents, they might have taken the bitterest pill as they will surely be blamed for the animal’s death. Now that Lolong is gone, Bunawan folks may re-start thinking of other livelihood alternative for the preserved remains of Lolong to be exhibited there may not be a sure crowd drawer. The animal prison facility had its captive set free due to his death. But local folks pinned their hope that Lolong’s partner, larger than he was, may just be around kilometers away for the tracking. This belief doesn’t make sense at all but may give comfort to the grieving local folks. Filipinos anyway love the novelty, the unsual. What if another find will be a lizard the size of Lolong or a crocodile the size of a lizard? Take your pick. Lolong certainly is a big loss to the people of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.