Obscene TV shows

A Central Luzon lawmaker has asked the National Telecommunications Commission to revoke the license of SkyCable for promoting obscenity. Pampanga Rep. Francis Nepomuceno, who has been leading the fight against Internet pornography in Congress, has also urged the Movies and Television, Review and Classification Board and the NTC to stop the airing of the Jerry Springer show over 2nd Avenue, Channel 53. According to Rep. Nepomuceno, last Jan. 8 at around 1:30 p.m., this program showed a number of American women pulling up their blouses to display their breasts and men pulling down their pants to exhibit their buttocks to the public. I agree with him that although the scenes were blurred, we still know what is being shown and this should not be allowed to air on TV. Another show, ‘’Blind Date’’ on ETC, Channel 52 of Skycable displayed women in clandestine attire, engaging in torrid kissing, necking, obscene macho dancing with graphic sex. The third-term solon said these scenes are downright vulgar and immoral. The Jerry Springer show, Blind Date, and many more shows being aired on cable tv have no redeeming value whatsoever. They portray relationships and sex as cheap. If not banned, they should at least be aired probably in the wee hours of the morning when the young are asleep. Last Monday night, HBO aired on prime time "Beavis and Butthead," a cartoon about two teenagers on their quest to "score." Are these the kinds of shows children should watch?

The pervasiveness of cable TV is beyond dispute. Kids and adults alike can’t live without it nowadays. All the more reason for government, as parens patriae, to intervene and protect the morality of its citizens.

I just had a talk with NTC deputy commissioner Jorge Sarmiento and according to him, while content is primarily the lookout of the MTRCB, the NTC can still sanction cable TV operators airing obscene shows since this is a violation of the terms and conditions of their authority to operate. Revoking SkyCable’s franchise will be too harsh a penalty but a good spanking is definitely called for.

Expensive waste

Thirty baggage X-ray machines costing P6.7 million each and the same number of walk-thru metal detectors costing P716,000 each were delivered to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in the 3rd quarter of last year.

According to the PPA, there was a need for heightened security checks at the ports and for a deterrent against terrorist activities, or so they claimed.

However, after several months of having taken delivery of the equipment, only five units of each are presently in operation, two in North Harbor, Manila, one in Batangas, one in Puerto Princesa and another in Cagayan de Oro

Reason: equipment breakdown was a common denominator and this has been compounded by the slow after-sales service action of the PPA supplier. Another reason for the non-operation of the equipment is the lack of qualified personnel to operate the X-ray machines and walk-through metal detectors as well as the need to secure the necessary government clearances to operate these.

Clearly an example of how not to plan your actions – an endemic trait among government agencies. These expensive equipment are merely gathering dust and will soon be relegated to another case of expensive waste.

Rumbling at Marina

There’s rumbling at the graft-ridden Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and it has nothing to do with the more than usual "money talks schemes" wherein permits and licenses are issued instantly – if the price is right nor with safety-related operational concerns of ships.

Quite the opposite has been happening lately and many shipping operators are fuming mad at the agency’s man at the helm.

Marina administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. has more than emphasized his seriousness on the importance of safety and his recent actions prove that this guy has indeed got what it takes to lead this agency.

It has been common practice among past Marina administrations to agree to extend permits of ships supposedly to accommodate the "seasonal rush of passengers," despite the glaring deficiencies on safety and operational aspects of these ships –ships, which in the first place should already have undergone their regular drydocking maintenance works.

Maritime accidents in the recent past especially during the "seasonal rush of passengers" its seems, never had an effect on Marina officials – until Suazo came along.

Case in point #1 : Suazo issued a cease and desist order against Negros Navigation’s M/V Ezekiel Moreno last Dec. 23, 2005 for having disregarded its drydocking schedule. Negros Navigation officials reportedly were burning the wires to try to convince Suazo to reconsider with the lame excuse that they had already sold tickets. Suazo never budged on his decision.

Case in point #2 : Suazo also issued CDO against M/V Dipolog Princess of Sulpicio Lines, after passengers onboard texted him personally about the repeated breakdowns/running adrift at sea while enroute to several destinations. Records showed that M/V Dipolog Princess is due for drydocking on Jan. 3, 2006. Sulpicio Lines officials complained and Suazo told them with the breakdowns that the ship was experiencing, they were better off drydocking her immediately lest an accident occurred while at sea.

Case in point #3 : The administrator issued another cease and desist order this time against Carlos A. Gothong Lines, Inc.’s M/V Manila Bay after it was found to have exceeded its allowable operational schedule sans a drydocking.

Here is a Marina administrator who does not mind being unpopular for as long as he knows he is doing what is right and more importantly, SAFE for the riding public!

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