Malacañang’s reversal

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte has made another turn around. After confirming that President Aquino is now open to Charter change (Cha-cha), including term extension and clipping the powers of the Supreme Court (SC), she has now declared that the President is not supporting any moves in Congress to amend the Constitution.

“I think we’re getting a little bit ahead of ourselves. What I remember the President say was that he’s thinking about it. He didn’t say, ‘Let’s do this tomorrow.’ He did not say anything about doing it tomorrow, doing it next week, doing it in the next few months,”Valte explained.

Valte also distanced the President from administration lawmakers in the House of Representatives campaigning to introduce amendments to the Constitution and to lift term limits to allow the President to run for a second term.

Party-list Akbayan Representatives Walden Bello and Ibara Gutierrez III urged President Aquino to clarify his stand on Cha-cha. They say the situation is now confused as Palace spokesmen have made statements contradicting President Aquino’s statement in a TV5 interview that he was now open to considering Cha-cha because of his conviction that there is a need to clip the powers of the SC.

One immediate effect of President Aquino’s reversal on his declared stand against Charter change is the clear admission that Mar Roxas is not winnable or even worse that Roxas may not be trusted to continue his reforms.

Another effect of P-Noy’s “open” stand to pursue Cha-cha is the heavy flak and opposition to it, led by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippine (CBCP) president Socrates Villegas, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Anti-Pork Groups.

Binay ready to face Noynoy

Vice President Jejomar Binay told media men in Legazpi that he is ready to run against President Aquino in the 2016 elections.

Binay who will run as the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidate said he is ready to face the challenge of the presidency against any other candidate.

Binay reiterated his highest respect for President Aquino and expressed belief that the President will eventually ignore the manufactured clamor for political Charter change (Cha-cha) “coming from a clique within the Liberal Party (LP).”

Binay said the remaining two years of the Aquino administration should be better spent addressing the issues of poverty, the looming power crisis and other concerns of the people.

Binay further said, “I have declared even before the President’s statement the other day my opposition to Cha-cha, except only on the economic provisions. My position has not changed. I will continue to oppose political Charter change not only because of principle but because it will be destabilizing and divisive at the very moment that we need national unity.”

MRT another inefficient service

The MRT suffered 3 accidents in five days’ time. Earlier, it also suffered a series of stoppings and breakdowns resulting in passengers waiting for hours before a train is repaired or can continue its service.

It is clear that there is no efficient maintenance of the trains and its tracks, as well as its power supply.

It is the result of poor government oversight coupled with lax management.

The public is subsidizing the MRT to the tune of P4 billion annually, yet it isn’t getting the good and efficient service it deserves.

The MRT 3 is operated by a private firm, the Metro Rail Transit Corp., in partnership with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The DOTC has not done the best it could to address the deteriorating state of the MRT.

The Court of Appeals (CA) junked a petition by Metro Rail Transit Holdings II Inc. (MRTH II), parent company of Metro Rail Transit Corp, to stop the DOTC from buying 48 new light rail vehicles for the MRT3.

“It is clear that the project concerning the procurement, supply, and delivery of LRVs partakes of a national government infrastructure project geared towards the paramount objective of reducing the pitiful condition of our commuters,” the court said in its decision.

It is sad to say that the inefficiency of MRT service is yet another case of government’s inefficiency and failure to provide good service to hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Pangilinan out of order

Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Francis Pangilinan rejected National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Arthur Juan’s offer to resign amid accusations of extortion by a Bulacan-based rice trader.

That’s out of order. Juan is a presidential appointee. Only the President can accept or reject resignations.

Pangilinan has, in effect, contradicted the President.

The President has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the allegations of extortion charges against Juan and his assistant Patricia Galang by major rice trader Jomerito “Jojo” Soliman, who was charged with profiteering and violations of NFA rules.

Soliman submitted a sworn statement to the NBI.

Tidbits

President Aquino inaugurated a newly constructed Ninoy Aquino Bridge in Tuao, Cagayan, which cost P599 million; P145 million came from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) fund.

Our sincere condolences to Marietta Primicias Goco on the passing of her beloved husband, former Solicitor General and Philippine Ambassador to Canada Raul Ilustre Goco.