Lawless Mindanao

From Southern Mindanao provinces of Compostela Valley and Cotabato, to the Western Mindanao provinces of Sulu, Zamboanga, and Basilan, the lawlessness has now reached Mindanao’s northernmost city of Cagayan De Oro as a blast in a restaurant outside Limketkai Mall killed 8 persons and wounded 48, including Misamis Oriental provincial board member Roldan Lagbas, Manila doctor Dr. Erwin Malanay and several medical representatives attending a convention of chest physicians.

This big blast in Cagayan De Oro again puts into serious doubt the prospect of peace being achieved in Mindanao. Clashes between the military and the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan, and between the military and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao and between the military and the PNP and the NPA in the Davao, Surigao, and Agusan provinces are happening almost daily and  certainly puts into question the efficiency of the PNP, AFP, and other government agencies.

DILG Sec. Mar Roxas and DND Sec. Voltaire Gazmin must do more to solve the problem in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, DENR employee, Camilo Castones, 43 and his driver, Joseph Camarillo were shot dead in Butuan City.

No new taxes

Mayor Joseph Estrada has announced there would be no new taxes in Manila.

He should therefore sell any properties that can be sold, plus he should go into borrowing from DBP, Landbank, and even from ADB and JICA, and other foreign sources of funds.

Simultaneously, he should step up real estate tax collections, review the assessed values and ask the big Chinese-Filipino businessmen to voluntarily increase these tax payments.

Fire 50%

Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon should conduct an  honest-to-goodness revamp of the Bureau of Customs officials.

A mere reshuffle will not improve the situation. At least 50% of the  6 deputy commissioners, 17 collectors, and 34 subport collectors should be relieved and floated or their resignations accepted.

Administrative charges should be filed against those who have not met these targets. The BOC projects will again miss its 2013 revenue target by P340 billion.

About a dozen notorious players should be blacklisted and banned from the Customs zone. Shipments identified with the “dirty dozen” brokers/importers should be subject to 100% inspection.

Who are “political forces”?

The President, Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon, Deputy Customs Commissioner Danny Lim, Deputy Customs Commissioner Lorenzo Tañada have all talked about political forces that exert pressure on Customs officers to allow questionable shipment to go through.

Who could they be? The relatives of the President, the Executive Secretary and his top assistants, the Secretary of Finance and his undersecretaries, the President of the Senate, the Chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, the Chairmen of the Finance Committee, the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the Speaker of the House and his deputies, the Chairmen of the Appropriations, Good Government, Ways and Means Committees?

4 million tourists

In his SONA address, President Aquino commended Sec. Ramon Jimenez and DOT for registering a 16% increase in tourist arrivals to 4.27 million in 2012.

The United Nations World Tourist Organization (UNWTO) said that the Philippines recorded only 1.8% in international tourism arrivals. The Philippines is way behind Malaysia’s 23 million, Thailand’s 22 million, Indonesia’s 8 million, and Vietnam’s 6.85 million.

There is still a lot to be done starting with the improvement of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the peace and order situation and building good roads to tourist resorts.

Not qualified

The peace negotiations between the government and the MILF will enter a difficult stage when they tackle the question of status of 11,000 MILF forces under the Bangsamoro government.

PNP Director General Alan Purisima insisted that there should only be one national police force. He said the MILF rebels who want to become PNP policemen must pass all requirements when they enter the police force. That will disqualify the majority of MILF rebels because a college degree and passing a qualifying civil service exam are required.

The other pork barrel

The other pork barrel usually allocated to congressional districts  are the collections from the Road User’s Tax. About P70 billion so far has been collected and spent from that fund for such projects as road signs, guard rails, street maintenance, and ghost projects.

The Commission on Audit (COA), in its 2011 report, found out the following: no corresponding documents were submitted for the projects; favoritism for some congressmen; ghost projects; and no bidding conducted.

DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson, head of the Road Board has refused to investigate the anomalies.

In its 2011 report, the COA cited “lack of effective procedures” in the evaluation of 1,011 projects amounting to about P8 billion by the regional/district offices of DPWH that resulted in the use of the Road User’s Tax for handpicked, non-priority projects.

Several billions for rail guards and road signs were released for Cagayan De Oro, Laguna, and Leyte.

Tourist destinations

Boracay with 702,708 visitors ranked 2nd to Manila which recorded only 974,379 arrivals. Cebu ranked 3rd with 613,279.

Others in the top ten are Lapu-Lapu City (396,289), Puerto Princesa (359,320), Baguio (338,992), Albay (290,845), Batangas (281,243), Cagayan De Oro (200,106), and Davao City (184,362).

Bohol with 171,283 must exert more effort to increase its tourist arrivals. Puerto Princesa and Albay recorded the biggest increase.

Passengers reported to us that there are no x-ray machines at the newly opened Laguindingan airport. The last time we were in Dipolog, there were not enough seats at the airport.

TIDBITS: The Department of Social Welfare and Development has set a target of 2,568,813 meals to be served to elementary and high school students which is quite low considering that there are 17 million students in elementary and high school.

Rep. Manny Pacquiao told AFP in an exclusive interview in Macau that he is planning to run for President after he finishes his boxing career.

“A Gift of Self,” an exhibit of President Cory’s paintings opened yesterday at the Manila Hotel lobby.