It is quite ironic that the Philippines, adjudged earlier as the country that best coped with the regional economic crisis, is now among the lowest in Asia, insofar as economic growth is concerned. Academician Florangel Braid, a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, in a luncheon brainstorming session organized by RCBC's Virgilio Pantaleon at the Manila Peninsula in connection with this year's Sikap Awards, surmised at the reason behind our country's sluggish growth. "Lack of confidence," Flor said.
Apparently, to the potential investors, there is something wrong in the way things are going and happening in the Philippines. Political instability, peace and order, poor infrastructure, misguided government priorities, weak leadership -- anyone or all of these could be the reason why foreign investors are not coming in. Or why the investors already here are moving out.
According to the stock market analysts, foreign funds have been moving out in tidal waves. This is the reason why the Philippine Stock Exchange is in limbo. No matter how good the fundamentals are, the listed companies are not attracting any investors. Has anybody in the Estrada administration ever gone out of his way to analyze, deeply and honestly, why the stock market is sleeping?
Yesterday's papers gave front-page treatment to the "inaugural drive" of President Estrada along the new flyover spanning The Fort and Kalayaan. The impression given was that the flyover is now open to vehicular traffic.
When I tried to pass by the flyover yesterday, on my way to Gil J. Puyat Avenue, I found out to my dismay, that the flyover is not yet open to traffic. And the authorities concerned did not even bother to inform the public when the infrastructure could be used. I wasted about ten minutes, as I retraced the route back towards Ayala Avenue.
Senator Nikki Coseteng took the Senate floor last Tuesday to deliver a privileged speech that should be listened to. She spoke about the need to implement a law -- Republic Act No. 6849 or the Municipal Telephone Act -- that was enacted ten years ago. And Nikki pointed out that the Philippines will be left behind by its Asian neighbors if it does not now take immediate steps to improve the country's communication system.
The statistics cited by Nikki are appalling, Only 10,000 barangays, mostly in urban areas, have adequate telephone service. The balance of 32,000 barangays remain unserved or underserved by the telephone carriers. This means that some 25 million Filipinos do not have any telephone network which they can use. Moreover, Nikki said, out of the country's 87 airports, 46 have no telephone service. "Who is the foreign investor who will invest in the Philippines if the investor cannot get in touch with his office here?" Nikki correctly asked.
The lady senator lauded President Estrada for reactivating the Telepono sa Barangay program. Under this program, the remaining 32,000 barangays will each be provided with two public pay phone stations and eight ordinary lines. The target date for completing the phone projects nationwide is 24 months from the signing of the various contracts.
A major problem, though, has cropped up. The Municipal Telephone Project Office, which was set up to implement R.A. 6849, will end its life on February 8. This, said Nikki, makes it a must to commence the implementation of the telephone project. And she brushed aside allegations that the contracts were marred by irregularities, saying that these were above-board.
In her appeal to President Estrada, Nikki said that implementing the Telepono sa Barangay immediately will improve the lives of the people. "Should this opportunity be wasted, it will take the government another two to three years just to reactivate a similar project, and another two to three years to implement it," Nikki said.
Here are excerpts from letters I received during the past several days:
RODOLFO A. ARIZALA, Avda. Ricardo Lyon 289, Providencia, Santiago, Chile: "History books say that for every clime and regime, a ruler normally has his own high priests, sorcerers, medicine-man, Rasputins, and even court jesters. History also indicates that a Rasputin during the time of the Tsar in Russia contributed to the October Revolution. I am not suggesting it could happen in the Philippines. What I am trying to suggest is that perhaps your idea -- lifting the cordon sanitaire -- could be the contribution of the masa, the people, so that the ears of the presidency could also hear the people through the press. For as Thomas Jefferson said, `When the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe'."
RODOLF YU: "Thank you for the historical infobit about Alfredo Lim. I have a deep admiration for him. You can never put a good man down. I wish we have more men in government like him, fair and gutsy."
HECTOR SANVICTORES: "There is a daily traffic bottleneck at the Langka-Chico junction in Quezon City from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Despite my repeated request to the MMDA, no traffic aides have been posted in these streets. Please call the attention of the authorities on this problem."
JESUS PEREZ CARDENAS, Executive Vice President and Trustee, Philippine Band of Mercy, 22 East Avenue, Quezon City: "I have recently retired from professional work and devoting my time largely with the Band of Mercy. In this respect, I would like to request your help in disseminating the information that we are accepting indigents who require correctional medical services to address defects relevant to harelift, eyesight (cataract/glaucoma), and artificial limbs."
HANS ERIC CAGAMPAN: "I was watching Brigada Siete last January 15, and they showed two children in Cagayan afflicted with a skin disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa. There are reportedly 11 known cases in the Philippines. The two children in Cagayan seem to be in the worst condition. Their entire skin was practically rotting. They need continuous supportive therapy to make life bearable for them. Please include them in your philanthropic service."
Art A. Borjal's e-mail address: