Playing with Fire
Shortchanged by over centralized gov’t
By Gonzalo Duque
PANGASINENSES will have a distinct privilege to see and handglad the amazing Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte “up close and personal” at our Lyceum Northwestern University on February 18, not February 16, as previously announced.
Our computer is getting to be jumpy these days, maybe brought about by the speedy turn of events.
Officially, our ardent wish was for Pangasinenses — our civic, business and youth sectors, especially — to get a broad and more elaborate idea about Federalism, of which presidentiable Duterte is emerging as its pre-eminent advocate.
We said last week that federalism is a political idea that, in our Philippine context has yet to be tried in light of over-concentration of political decisions in Imperial Manila.
Yup, Federalism is an idea whose time has come — too late na nga e! But better late than never, folks!
Over-centralization of power in Manila is anti-development, to say the least.
No less than former President Fidel V. Ramos is all for it, although, he told Jun Velasco, that its adoption by the nation should emanate from the people.
“It should evolve.” he told JV during their encounter at JDV’s birthday in Forbes Park.
In the province, you could feel its impact in the town of Sual. We’ve heard mayor Bing Arcinue pour out his lament over his town’s inability to collect P240 million in taxes from the Sual Power Plant because the national government put its foot down on it.
“The foot-down was in the form of a Presidential signature “forgiving” its tax liabilities to the local government.
“Cuarta na naging dagem,” not bato, kasi at least bato or stone has their precious value, too.. But not in the Sual case. Anggapo, wala (sa Tagalog), balot. Anto la yan kapalaran kway Kuya Bing!
And look at this with a scowl or frown on your face! Do you know the implication of that power plant to the environment? On marine life?
Rivet your eyes on the other side, San Roque Power Plant in San Manuel.
Whenever that body releases volumes of water, what?!! Graben delap, mga abay!
And if the plant misbehaves, we in Central Pangasinan suffer from outages, we get the blows!
This and other local blusters are the sad effects of decisions made by swivel chair executives in Manila. These execs do not know the locals.
Our past observation on the state of Dagupan City’s water-to-drink situation has dramatically changed.
Once we got inside the whole affair, we were able to get the nitty gritty of its nature and operation.
We view our being named in its board with utmost humility — and greater resolve to take a tiger look at in vexing problems confronting it.
We see with much chagrin the national office’s penchant to be blind on the local employees’ needs and benefits. Even in the matter of applying for loans — sky high ang interest, Manny, Diyos mi yo! Twelve percent per annum!
We know of “outsider” banks with much lower lending interest. Sound management decision should allow this.
It is this well-known tendency of national holders of power to look down on local problems that emboldens us to take a tough look at the water district’s problems.
With the trust given us, we resolve to turn things around and make a difference in the city’s water needs.
May God bless us for His greater glory and faster growth and development of our beloved city.
To God be the glory, always.
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