More than P25 million

President Aquino left for New York last night taking a PAL commercial flight to San Francisco with a smaller delegation of 30 persons.  Malacañang quantified the cost of the trip at P25 million compared to a usual P75 million spent by GMA on every trip. That’s a good move but the P25 million may be understated.

A US public relations firm has been hired to handle P-Noy’s visit and other Philippine interests. I opposed a PR contract for $770,000 when I was Ambassador to Washington because I believed it was a waste of money, but the PR firm had friends in Malacañang who got the President to approve it. It should be at least $1 million today. That’s P44 million to begin with.  Besides the official delegation, you have the security contingent, the “support” staff including Radio-TV Malacañang, a barber and personal staff of the President. The 6 Cabinet members will also bring about four to five of their own department’s support staff. During FVR’s time, I questioned DFA officials why they sent 25 personnel from the home office to serve the President? Many appointees of the President who are his close buddies will also show up in New York charged to their respective offices. I estimate that for this six-day trip, the total cost may reach P100 million.

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Jobs, not doleouts. One of the principal criticisms against US President Barack Obama is his failure to create new jobs. In fact, lay offs are continuing in the US. The latest to announce is FEDEX laying off 1,700 workers.

The same is true so far for President Benigno S. Aquino III. In fact, his proposed 2011 budget gives the biggest increase of P34 billion to DSWD for doleouts in the form of cash transfer for kids and old age pensions for seniors 80 years old or above.  In fact, Albay Governor Joey Salceda points out that so far only 777,000 new jobs were created the last year.

At least during GMA’s inaugural of 2004, she announced a program to create 10 million jobs in six years. President Aquino has made no such program so far. The first 80 days, he has concentrated on dismissing people. He has not increased the health budget to be able to hire at least 10,000 unemployed nurses.

The best proof of the government’s failure to create new jobs is the fact that an estimated 1 million Filipinos leave the country every year.

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Is this for real? After criticisms by several sectors and a 20% shortfall in Customs collections in August, Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, the Alabang Golf Club golf cheat has finally arisen from his stupor and announced the filing of smuggling charges against Paul Chi Ting Co, chairman and owner of Unioil/Oil Link, Esther Magleo, president and Janice Co Reyes, treasurer for undervaluing oil shipments in 2004 and using manufactured and false documents for the shipment of 35 million liters. Several questions are being asked 1) Why only 2004 shipments? 2) Why no top Customs officials have been charged? 3) Why only Unioil/Oil Link? 4) Is this case for real or for show? Will it prosper or will it be dismissed by DOJ for lack of evidence as usual? 5) Why is Alvarez claiming this is the first case filed for oil smuggling when UNIOIL/OIL Link has been charged twice before but the cases were dismissed?

How about BIR Commissioner Kim Henares? With no less than P60 Billion in lost revenues from oil smuggling being confirmed by Department of Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, that translates to billions in income undeclared by the oil smugglers. To begin with, the BIR should audit the tax returns of executives of all small oil companies.

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House is right. I agree with the stand of Rep. Neil Tupas Jr., chairman of the House Committee on Justice and Rep. Erin Tañada that under the Constitution, Congress has the exclusive duty to try impeachment cases.

While it is correct for Speaker Sonny Belmonte to obey the Supreme Court Order out of courtesy, the Sept. 28-29 hearings can be postponed in the meantime. But with a 60-day deadline imposed by the Constitution, the hearings should be resumed in early October.

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Save P-Noy. DILG Usec Puno said last week:

“I am willing to be reassigned or to resign from my post. Nahihiya ako sa Presidente.”

Malacañang has just approved a one strike policy against PNP officers. There are three strikes against Puno:

1. As the official in charge of the PNP, he is partly responsible for The Luneta hostage fiasco;

2. He has not done anything to stop jueteng. He is now the principal suspect as one of the two top officials receiving a P5-M jueteng payola. He admitted he was approached by jueteng lords but did not do anything about it, much less report it to President Aquino, or Robredo.

3. As a former supplier of guns to the PNP, no less than Sen. Miriam D. Santiago accused him of being in a conflict of interest situation.

Because of their long time friendship, it will be difficult for President Aquino to fire him. Well, kick him up to Malacañang as Presidential Assistant on Police Matters.          

Retaining him at DILG will mean retaining him as a lightning rod for every mistake of the PNP and as the poster boy of inefficiency of the Aquino administration. Kung talagang “nahihiya siya sa Presidente”, he should save the President by submitting an irrevocable resignation.

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Tidbits. . . Robert Vergara, who has a MBA degree from Harvard Business School and who graduated with a Management in Engineering and Mathematics degree, magna cum laude, from Ateneo who used to work with Morgan Stanley in Hongkong is the new GSIS president and CEO… Senator Joker Arroyo declared P-Noy is running the government like a Student Council. The principal culprits Secretaries Ricky Carandang and Sonny Coloma, DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo, Usec Rico E. Puno, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and shadow Cabinet Member Mar Roxas. DOH Secretary Enrique Ona keeps insisting the number of dengue cases is decreasing but the figures especially in the Visayas and Metro Manila belie his statement. Dengue cases have reached 77,012.