Enrile just doesn’t get it

Maybe, for someone pushing 90, we really can’t expect him to still be able to change… or read the changing times. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile rejected criticisms about how he “gifted” fellow senators with money from the taxes we paid. As far as he is concerned, he was well within his legal rights and that’s that.

The amount Mr. Enrile “gifted” 22 senators is sizeable: P1.6 million each to 18 senators, and the four he wasn’t particularly fond of, he still gave P250,000 each. Enrile was supposed to have said he was “just making lambing” to the senators. No one can say Enrile cannot “make lambing” to anyone he likes so long as he is using his own money.

Of course a lot of people were scandalized. We are being bombarded with government statements urging us to pay the right amount of taxes because every centavo is needed to build the country of our dreams. DOF has painfully nursed our country back to a much acclaimed fiscal health. Now we see our elected senators being loose with our money.

Then again, we shouldn’t be surprised. Our legislators, senators and congressmen have creatively invented many ways of raiding the National Treasury. Getting a commission from pork barrel projects is a favorite. Now they are re-allocating “savings” for dubious year-end “maintenance and other operating expenses.” Savings ought to be returned to the Treasury.

The outrageous thing about that is how some of the senators we thought we could respect took the Enrile “gift”. I am particularly disappointed with Sen. Joker Arroyo.

Joker has presented himself as the most frugal senator, refusing to take anything even for staff expenses so that his driver supposedly doubles as his secretary. But Joker can apparently be tempted. Say it isn’t so, Joker!

Our legislators are missing the mood of the times. There is a call for greater sensitivity on the part of public officials to the need for a Jesse Robredo type of selfless public service. We are coming into an era where public office is truly a chance to serve the public even at personal expense and sacrifice… not to raid the public treasury.

Of course, our old politicians also know we are still in the tail end of an era. Public officials can use their positions to further personal or family interests. This explains why all the trapos and the sons and daughters of dynastic trapos are still leading the surveys for the senatorial election in May.

Maybe, Mr. Enrile in fact gets it and we don’t.

In the end, it is still up to us to deliver a very compelling message that the new era is here for good. Those of us who know better should do all we can to reverse the trend in the election surveys. We have to make sure we don’t elect anyone who sees nothing wrong with an “Enrile lambing” at taxpayer expense.

A good start is to reject do nothing re-electionist senators and those whose only claim to the position is dynastic roots. We must deliver the message that the Senate is not a family business.

We can’t have a Senate whose members include a father and a son (Enrile and son Jack), two brothers (Jinggoy and JV) and a brother and a sister (Pia and Peter) and two sons succeeding their fathers (Angara and Pimentel). We surely have more talent in this country of 100 million to resort to such a shameless concentration of trapo genes in the political gene pool.

Their fathers, indeed, their families have had their chance. The public ought to try new ones who just might have a better sense of public service.

I know that may limit our choices to just a few. But if we all vote for just four or five really worthy senatorial candidates, we get a better chance of introducing change in the system.

On top of my tentative list is Puerto Prinsesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn. I don’t know why he is running for the Senate but because he is, he deserves our vote. He has proven himself as the long time mayor of our premier frontier city. His experience in local government and environmental protection is valuable for the Senate.

Then there is Ramon “Jun” Magsaysay Jr., the son of our country’s most beloved President. Jun has protected the legacy of his father well, served with distinction as a Senator before he termed out. He deserves our vote. He is the real Magsaysay in this contest.

The other one on my list is Dick Gordon. I know Dick is often so full of himself that he turns off people. But he has his heart in the right place and also manages to produce results. His “boy scout” mentality as exemplified by his Red Cross activities is something we need as well.

I am not too sure about Risa Hontiveros because she seems quite entrenched with the powers that be in recent times, but I am inclined to take a chance with her. She earned her reputation as an activist, even suffered some amount of persecution for her convictions. She has a reputation to protect so maybe, she can be a refreshing voice in the Senate.

I would also take a chance on Bam Aquino. With his credentials after college, he could have quietly but happily be making oodles of money in some bank or business. But he made a conscious commitment to work with the grassroots through various NGOs and his efforts are internationally recognized.

Yes, Bam is an Aquino and strictly speaking part of a political dynasty but unlike other scions of political heavyweights who are in the top 12, Bam chose to serve our people first before seeking public office. He is a worthy representative of our young generation in a chamber full of old and jaded politicians.

And that’s my complete list of worthy senatorial candidates. If the current dynastic frontrunners make it, it will prove that perhaps we are wrong and indeed, Mr. Enrile can do what he wants with our money and we can’t complain. We shouldn’t let that happen.

Raffles Fairmont

A good symbol of this new optimism about the future of this country just had its soft opening. The Raffles Fairmont hotel, actually two luxury hotels in one, is all set for its formal inauguration soon.

I had the opportunity to sample the buffet in its Spectrum restaurant last week with PhilStar columnists Sara Soliven and Nelson Navarro. I think they will give the established hotels here good competition.

This new luxury hotel will provide much needed rooms for an expected uptick in the number of foreign visitors. Potential investors as well as tourists are expected to come in the light of our country’s new improved international image.

Visa

I got this e-mail from an American from San Diego.

“It is absolute stupidity that the Philippines only allows 21-day visa before you have to pay for an extension. I come from America and would like to stay 23 days. I have a three-week vacation every year. But I always leave on the 21 day. It will cost me P3,700 to use a travel agent to get the extension.“That is two or three days of extra money for the Philippine economy. Instead the extension people are just money grabbing for there own benefit. There are other countries in Asia that allow the 30 days.

“There was talk about nine months ago when NAIA Terminal one was voted the worst airport that they would think about the 30-day extension. Nothing. Stupid.”

I was wondering about the 21-day visa too. Some years ago my US-born five year old grandson traveling with my daughter who was then carrying a Philippine passport was slapped a 21-day visa on arrival. No one noticed it and we all presumed he is a balikbayan and entitled to a much longer stay.

When departure time came, a fine was being slapped for overstaying. Of course my daughter no longer had any money in local currency so it was a problem as we had to go back to the airport.

I suspect the immigration people have a nice racket. Many balikbayans who are eager to leave will just agree to settle. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. It also convinces former Pinoys they did the right thing in turning their backs on this hopelessly corrupt country.

Checkmate

Jose Villaescusa sent this one.

A man walking behind his wife commented, “Honey you’re so fat now your butt looks like a washing machine!”

His wife just kept quiet about it.

Come bedtime... the guy is asking for you-know-what. The woman responds, “I can’t start the washing machine for such a small load...you will have to hand wash!”

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco