JPE: A good Senate President

The bottom line: Juan Ponce Enrile was a good Senate President. The indisputable proof: He served for four and a half years, longer than most other Senate presidents. He excelled in the impeachment trial.

The bottom line issue: The Senate’s budget is too big with most Senators spending more than P 50 million a year. Antonio Trillanes is the No. 1 spender. He must now explain and account where and how he spent his P 57 million budget.

The tradition of senatorial courtesy is now dead. Expect the Enrile fiscalization to continue against his colleagues. Also Tito Sotto and Jinggoy Estrada will fiscalize.

We say goodbye to Senators Joker Arroyo, Manuel Villar, Edgardo Angara, Panfilo Lacson and Francis Pangilinan. They were good Senators.

Let’s sit down and watch how the new ones will perform. Will they be independent or subservient?

Will any of them move to reduce his or her budget? P 2 million a month or P 24 million a year is more than enough for a Senator, especially for the nonperforming. Abolish the 15-30 ghost employees.

The Senate should abolish the oversight committees. They are just duplicating the work of the regular committees.

Peaceful opening

Twenty-three million students went back to school last Monday. As in previous years, the usual problem of lack of classrooms and teachers met them. DepEd admitted that about 20,000 classrooms are still under construction.

As many as 90 students per classroom were accommodated in Metro Manila schools. The ideal class size is 35 pupils for every class. We are a long way off from reducing present class sizes to only 35 students to 1 teacher.

In Metro Manila schools, double or triple shifting was still a fact of life.

Lack of toilets and water is still a problem in most public schools.

But one good thing, everything was peaceful. There were no reports of snatching or physical harm inflicted on a student.

We take our hats off to the PNP and DepEd officials.

Who’s checking?

Everybody’s wondering why it took a week to determine the cause of the 2 Serendra explosions. In Boston, the crime was solved one day after the explosion at the Boston Marathon.

DILG Sec. Mar Roxas reported it was caused by the explosion of the gas pipe.

With the 33% increase in construction, the 2 Serendra explosion raises a valid question on the quality of condominiums being built.

Who is checking the quality of buildings being put up? Are occupancy permits being issued without serious study?

WCY report

The World Competitiveness Yearbook reported that the Philippines climbed 5 notches from 43rd to 38.

But, it is also reported that employment dropped seven notches from 22 to 29 confirming that the 7.8 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth did not translate into job generation.

UP Economics Professor Benjamin Diokno commented that the   P 240 billion infrastructure spending is not enough to create jobs. Diokno said it should be increased to P 500 billion. World Bank and ADB analysts say it should be P 700-800 billion.

Also, priority should be given to labor intensive projects over big ticket projects using heavy equipment in lieu of manual labor.

Warning

Henry J. Schumacher, vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) warned the “government might lose foreign investors because of abrupt policy changes.”

He accused the government of penchant of changing policies in midstream. He cited the forthcoming changes in the policy of tax refunds. Schumacher said the foreign business community is very worried about the ruling in the refund of the value added tax (VAT).

Meanwhile Donald Dee, vice president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) called for more reforms in government. ECOP president Edgar Lacson and Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. echoed Donald Dee’s call.

No action

With the rainy season coming soon, Metro Manila is in danger of more flooding. The principal reason, the dredging of Laguna de Bay has not started.

Recall that upon assumption of office, President Aquino cancelled the Belgian Contract for the dredging of Laguna de Bay. He promised a better plan would be substituted and prepared. Up to now such substitute plan has not been prepared.

The same is true of the promised dredging of the Pampanga River. It has not been implemented. Expect floods in Pampanga and Bulacan.

TIDBITS: An analysis of recent Supreme Court decisions reveals that Justices Mariano Del Castillo, Presbitero Velasco, and Roberto Abad have joined the 5 appointees of President Aquino thereby creating an Aquino Court.

Speaker Sonny Belmonte has changed his mind in pushing the divorce bill. He now says it is not a priority.

Young Turks. Gov. Migz Villafuerte of Camarines Sur is 24. Vice Gov. Sam Nantes of Quezon is 23. Rep. Gerald Samsam Gullas Jr. of the 1st district of Cebu is 27.

Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando was reelected in Bulacan. Gary Estrada was reelected Provincial Board Member of Quezon. Jestoni Alarcon won as Board Member of Rizal.

Outgoing Congresswoman Janette Garin of Iloilo will be replaced by her husband, Vice Gov. Oscar Garin, Jr. Sister Sharon Garin has been re-elected party-list representative.

Leni Robredo won by a big margin over Nelly Villafuerte in Camarines Sur.

Cabanatuan Mayor Jay Vergara won by a landslide.

Sta. Rosa Mayor Arlene Arcillas also won her reelection by a landslide.

In Negros Oriental, PDP Laban Gov. Roel Degamo won over Rep. Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong (LP) and Gary Teves (NPC/UNA).

Gov. Faustino “Bojie” Dy won by a comfortable margin in Isabela.

In Maguindanao, Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu was reelected. Brother Dong was elected Congressman. Another brother was elected ARMM Assemblyman. Several relatives were elected Mayors.

In Quezon, Gov. Jayjay Suarez won reelection with mother Aleta succeeding dad Danilo as Congresswoman of the 3rd district.

AGAP Party-list nominee Nicanor Briones admitted on Headstart that they spent P20 million to win the elections.

The Dimaporo dynasty rules in Lanao Del Norte with Abdullah being elected back to Congress in the 2nd district. Son Khalid is Governor and wife Imelda is Congresswoman of the 1st district.

The Garcias of Cebu lost the governorship to Hilario Davide III. Patriarch Pablo Garcia also lost his congressional seat. Gwen Garcia won as Congresswoman while 2 other brothers won as Mayors.