‘Terror in America’

My American friend called me up from New York and told me how sad he was with the most recent Boston Marathon explosions that has turned life in America upside down. No matter how powerful the nation is, the spate of violence that has been happening in the United States is more than enough to make one feel helpless. The mass shootings and stabbings indicate the mental and psychological dysfunction that seems to underscore a culture of violence and terror that afflicts the nation.

Our friend can only remember how carefree life was before the 9/11 attack that killed over 3,000 and launched a war whose effects continue to impact the existence of people not only in America but practically the whole world. For people traveling to the US, security will become even tighter than the way it was after 9/11. But no matter how much the authorities try to tighten the screws, there is that lingering feeling among Americans that they are not safe even in their own country – something that the Boston Marathon bombings simply underscored.

The materials used for the bombs have been described as “crude,” fashioned out of commonplace items like a pressure cooker, nails, ball bearings placed inside an ordinary black backpack – making it even more horrifying because of the thought that they could be made into something very deadly. Even more telling is the statement by the FBI that “the range of suspects and the motives remains wide open,” and that they will launch a worldwide investigation, going wherever the leads take them, even “to the ends of the earth” to get those responsible – a tacit admission that the purveyors of terrorism targeting the US have spread out and could in fact be within their shores.

One thing is certain: The stakes are getting higher, and President Barack Obama has to assure an agitated public that things are under control. Those who have been closely watching the developments noted the “swift response” of the US President at this recent tragedy, coming out publicly just a few hours later compared to his three-days-late response during the Christmas Day Northwest Airlines bombing attempt by Nigerian “underwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Obama seems to be infusing new blood in his security flank judging from the appointment of a young former prosecutor as his new counterterrorism adviser – Lisa Monaco who, according to the intelligence buzz, could become the first female FBI director when Robert Mueller retires this September.

Topping the taxpayer list

Bureau of Internal Revenue chief Kim Henares was all smiles at the state luncheon in honor of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in Malacañang the other day, perhaps because the tax agency is getting closer to achieving its target collection of P1.2 trillion. The BIR posted the names of the top 500 individual and corporate taxpayers for 2011 in its website but many people are questioning the list because of the non-inclusion of certain individuals as well as the “rankings.”

Many were surprised to see presidential sister Kris Aquino as the No. 1 taxpayer, paying almost P50 million in taxes. But BIR auditors are not surprised because she really is the country’s top product endorser.

Aside from Oscar and Manuel Lopez, among those not included in the top taxpayers’ list are Fernando and Jaime Zobel. But according to Kim, only those who directly pay and file their comprehensive income taxes to the BIR are included in the list. For instance, company employees have what is called “substitute filing” – meaning it’s the company itself that automatically deducts the taxes from employees and remits the taxes withheld to the BIR – thus, businessmen who also have “substitute filing” will not see their names appearing in the BIR top taxpayers’ list, regardless of the amount of taxes withheld from them.  So now people know why so many of those in Forbes magazine’s biggest billionaires list do not appear in the BIR list – which is very important for individuals who do not want their net worth publicized for obvious security reasons.

‘Jeepney Diplomacy’

Indonesian Ambassador Y. Kristiarto Legowo (shown in photo with wife Caecilia) is using “jeepney diplomacy” to strengthen bilateral ties between his country and the Philippines, arriving at Malacañang Palace in a jeepney replete with the colorful designs and accessories usually adorning the “king of the road,” and with a diplomatic plate to boot.

Ambassador Legowo informed us during the state reception for Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah that his mission is to strengthen Indonesia’s presence in the Philippines and bring it as close as possible to the Filipinos. A lot of Filipino words are Indonesian in origin – proof that relations between Indonesia and the Philippines have already existed long before diplomatic ties were formalized in 1949. Ambassador Legowo is convinced that the jeepney is an apt symbol of the cultural and historical bonds between our countries.

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