Congress: Weapon of mass distraction

Ayoung American was shot and killed in Sibuco, Zamboanga after a failed kidnapping attempt. P11.2 billion worth of drugs and vaccines expired and wasted by the Department of Health. Four people were killed and 26 others hurt after truck brakes fail. Fifty-plus homes in shanty town in Tondo burns.

The “stories” I mentioned above are just some of the many incidents that deserved attention and action from our national leaders over the last month but, thanks to the effective Weapon of Mass Distraction called Congress, very little was ever said and done regarding these recurring problems.

Just when we could be attracting more tourists from Europe and America because of the winter season, the botched kidnapping and killing of Elliot Eastman, age 26, married to a Filipina, will surely impact inbound tourism. Sadly, while members of Congress salivate at their turn to torch the Vice President, barely a whimper or condolence or indignation was heard from them.

No one protested loudly about how armed men with M2 rifles could just come ashore, shoot and drag away a foreigner then dump his lifeless body at sea. Where you would normally hear congressmen howl about the resurgence of kidnapping and terrorists, none did so. Ironic, considering one congressman from the province had suggested that a hearing be conducted to investigate parking fees at the NAIA!

Is this the meaning of “Love” in the Philippines, that a young foreigner gets kidnapped and killed in the country he fell in love in? Is Zamboanga so far away and the widow so insignificant that the Department of Tourism could not extend support, assistance and LOVE to the Filipina widow, Mrs. Eastman?

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After much ado about PhilHealth fund transfers to the Maharlika Fund that amounted to nothing until the Supreme Court stepped in, members of Congress have been eerily silent or mum about the billions of pesos of expired medicines reported by COA.

“Drugs, medicines and medical supplies amounting to nearly P11.2 billion, which includes 7,035,000 vials of COVID-19 vaccines, expired in the DOH warehouses and health facilities without being utilized due to inadequate procurement planning, and poor distribution and monitoring systems which resulted in wastage of government funds and resources,” according to the latest Commission on Audit report or 2023 annual audit report. In addition, another batch of “nearly expiring inventories” worth P65.44 million was found unutilized in the DOH offices and health facilities.

We are not talking about leftover samples!

This is P11.2 billion of medicines wasted! Medicines that may have been ordered beyond the needed or manageable quantity. We are talking about a recurring violation of the DOH year after year in terms of mishandling inventory. And yet, members of Congress stick to chasing and wearing down VP Sara Duterte like bloodhounds after a prey.

Millions of Filipinos do not have easy access to medicine in spite of the allegations of PhilHealth, hundreds of cancer patients, those with mental health disorders cannot easily or affordably buy medicines because they are not licensed in the Philippines or in the Philippine formulary or list of medicines allowed for government purchase.

In fact, this is a lament often expressed by the PhilHealth: “We have the money, but the DOH/FDA has to approve the use and purchase of those medicines.” As a result, Filipinos have now resorted to buying cancer or ADHD medicines from India, eastern Europe, Cambodia and Vietnam.

In the words of PBBM, “Impeaching the Vice President would not improve the life of a single Filipino” and yet here we have P11.2 billion worth of drugs and vaccines that could have saved lives, improved health and protected Filipinos, but were simply left to waste and not a single congressman has suggested a full and public investigation.

I venture to say that in other countries, people would be ordered to resign, would offer to resign or would immediately be investigated, detained and charged for gross negligence or some form of graft or corruption. Unfortunately, public health concerns is currently not a congressional priority.

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Several deadly accidents have occurred involving large trucks, but these have not been worthy of a congressional investigation on what the LTO and LTFRB or even the DOTr is doing to correct the problem.

As a former motoring journalist and car restoration buff, I believe I can safely say that the problem is because we do not have mandatory driver training and strict licensing for commercial vehicles based on categories. Then there is the routine violation of overloading or excessive weight on commercial vehicles that destroy brakes and sometimes steering and suspension on trucks.

Instead of vote buying schemes cloaked as job generation programs, buy needed weight bridges on highways and expressways. But again, it’s too small time for Congress to address.

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“50 houses burn at Isla Puting Bato” read the headlines. This happens regularly and annually but Congress never resolves the problem. Those “shanty towns” are homes to our construction and factory workers, students and their families.

Considering all the money that they invest in their homes made from light materials, the labor, as well as the annual run of fire trucks and running evacuation and relocation centers, it would be cheaper to build them low-cost, multi-story housing within the shanty town areas so that they are not “grabbed” by outsiders or government employees like Pag-ibig units were.

Incidentally, what happened to the “6 Million Homes in 6 Years” as promised by President Bongbong Marcos? Why not investigate that, dear members of Congress? Are you paid to legislate or to investigate? That is the question of the hour!

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