"If I were the President, I’d be embarrassed about what my praise secretaries are doing."
"If I were the President, I’d be embarrassed about what my praise secretaries are doing."
With so many government departments and agencies involved in the relocation of those living within Taal Volcano’s 14-kilometer danger zone, there is now a lot of confusion.
Santa Banana, aside from Phivolcs, there is also the Department of the Interior and Local Government which has control over local government units, the Department of National Defense which has the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council under it, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police!
Take this confusion in Tagaytay, for example. The DILG earlier said that the return of business establishments should be decided by the city mayor. And now the DILG wants everything closed because they are all in the danger zone.
My gulay, there was also an earlier order from the DILG to have a “window” for several hours, where evacuated residents could return to their houses to check on them. And then came the order that they should not be allowed to return.
As for all donations from the private sector, the DSWD now wants every donor to coordinate with it, with the assurance that these contributions will reach their destination.
It’s a case of too many cooks.
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I cannot believe what is happening with the Duterte administration. Its praise secretaries are now talking about a Duterte legacy, two and a half years before the President steps down.
For instance, Salvador Panelo, Martin Andanar and Karlo Nograles are now telling us about an alleged legacy of President Duterte. Is this not subject for discussion when a president’s term is about to end? We need to focus on other things like the Taal Volcano eruption.
They say that the wars on illegal drugs and corruption are Mr. Duterte’s legacies, following Duterte’s vow to end these twin evils. They claim that the former is a big success, and people should focus not on the killings, extrajudicial and otherwise. As for corruption—is there even a positive spin since it is so embedded in the system?
How can anybody ignore the culture of impunity and the EJKs, the police abuses? These have been condemned here and abroad!
If I were Duterte, I’d be embarrassed about what my praise secretaries are doing.
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If Duterte should at all be praised, it should be about his stand against the US senators who want to ban the jailers of opposition Senator Leila de Lima.
Recall that Duterte likewise banned those senators from entering the Philippines and even went as far as also ban Filipino-Americans from returning home. He later modified this statement.
I think this is a patriotic stand. Obviously, many Americans still believe the Philippines is their colony.
Insofar as President Donald Trump’s invitation is concerned, I think Duterte should not go. He will show that we can do many things without American help, because we are an independent country.
Let the other Asean leaders go to the US to bow before The Great White President.
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I support Duterte’s move to review all government contracts entered into by past administrations, if only to safeguard people’s interest. Ultimately, it will be the people who will pay for these.
It stands to reason that what was good years ago may no longer be the case.
For instance, I have studied the contract between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Malaysian company MTD Capital Berhad. Theirs was a joint venture agreement for the construction of a sports facility in Capas, Tarlac for the SEA Games. Clearly, that deal was grossly disadvantageous to BCDA.
A JVA is supposed to be about equal sharing. This was not the case as BCDA spent more than MTD but they are each entitled to a 50-50 share in the income.
Second, the full payment of BCDA to its partner even amounts to more than P11 billion because it considered return on investment.
Third, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel insisted that the deal was legal and above board despite a prior contrary opinion.
I believe there was hanky-panky involved in this deal.
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I believe Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong when he says that the rehabilitation of the summer capital would take three years or more. I would say, even five!
The Baguio I used to know and love is no longer what it used to be. It is clinically dead because of utter neglect by city officials.
