Punchline
Thar she blows, again!
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
If Moby Dick were a Filipino nurse, you would probably hear him ranting over radio waves, “thar she blows again!” And when he does, everyone will know that he’s not talking about a blue whale but President Gloria Arroyo.
At presstime, Mrs. Arroyo flip-flopped on the nurse leakage controversy for the third time. After announcing her that she’s decided to direct the retake of the nurses’ examination, in a matter of days, she invoked her privilege as a woman to change her mind. This time, she decided to be silent on the retake, stay on the sidelines (like she did the first time, refusing to help resolve the issue with finality) and await the Appellate Court’s decision on the cases filed before it.
Wow! If all that flip-flopping was caused by her close advisers, then we are in serious trouble as the nation grapples with national issues far-reaching implications. But if these were caused merely by Mrs. Arroyo’s propensity to support causes that would earn her political brownie points, then heaven help us! We are doomed!
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LAWYERING FOR GMA. Lyceum president Gonz Duque, a lawyer, was right when he warned of a series legal complications if Mrs. Arroyo insisted on a retake of the tests even before the Court of Appeals could render its verdict on the cases filed by the nurse examinees.
Wonder of all wonders, Justice Sec. Raul Gonzales who’s been flippant about how laws can be applied selectively against the opposition, was eerily muted and dumb on the position taken by his boss on the nurses’ issue. But having been appointed solely for the purpose of being the number one attack dog against the opposition, it was not farfetched that he knew little about the implications of preempting the Court of Appeals.
I guess it would have been too much to expect for someone like Mr. Gonzales who’s been disbarred by the Supreme Court in the past and whose practice was only restored by political fiat, to do what Gonz correctly advised. And to think Gonz is not even actively practicing what San Beda taught him about law in addition to playing with fire.
With Mr. Gonzales lawyering for Mrs. Arroyo, and her Ateneo-bred lawyer hubby Mike Arroyo in her bedroom, she doesn’t need the opposition to put her down.
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REWARDS FOR CHEATING. Given how low work ethic is regarded by our government and public officials today, what happened to the nurses was almost predictable if not inevitable.
Cheating in elections are rewarded handsomely in this country with juicy promotions and positions with multi-billion contracts to boot. Cheating on signatories for a People’s Initiative earns bigger pork barrel for local political leaders Cheating on one’s citizenship enables one to make big bucks in professional basketball. Cheating on young players’ ages in schools’ softball/ baseball competition earns undeserved promotions for teachers. Cheating on taxes abets under-and-over- the-table deals for examiners. Cheating on number of passengers boarded on a ship brings in unprecedented higher revenues.
Best of all, no one ever gets jailed for cheating in this country.
So, why not cheat and arrange to leak a set of questions of the nurses’ board exams, indeed, and earn an easy couple of millions even at the expense of the new graduating students?
As things stand today, the nurses continued to be cheated of their future because the Arroyo government has become a confused lot playing safely for the cheating side.
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PROTECTING PERSONAL INTERESTS. The unexpected brouhaha in Dagupan City over the 50% discount scheme being proposed by city councilors is indicative of the near panic that’s now striking at the heart of the city hall.
Any businessman worth his salt will recognize the scheme being developed by the city council as an attempt at exercising flexibility in managing a business. The opposition can only come from people who are afraid of new ideas. In the case of government offices running business operations, it’s not difficult to discern that the resistance usually stems from a bid to protect earlier “negotiated interests” that accrue to the officials’ pockets, not to their offices.
In my book, it’s called “protecting personal interests.”
On the other hand, because of the 2007 elections, the city councilors are easy suspects for trying to earn brownie points from among their constituents.
But what is truly lamentable is that both groups – the city hall and the city council – are bereft of any credibility since it was they who engineered the milking of the city coffer since year 2000.
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NO ALTERNATIVE. A defensive City Administrator Raffy Baraan has begun the mud racking by questioning the city councilors’ motives behind the discount scheme. For all his seeming valid arguments contra the scheme, his slip is showing for not presenting an alternative of his own that will sufficiently allay the fears of the more imaginative councilors.
I am not saying the 50% discount is the right thing to do but short of anything, I can understand why the councilors are adamant to try to save a sinking ship. Perhaps, it’s the guilt conscience playing on them for having allowed the mad raid on the city coffers early on like true onor-onors but whatever their motivation, they have a plan to save the city from certain financial ruin.
But the duo from Dasol (Mr. Baraan and City Treasurer Ms. Romelita Alcantara) apparently couldn’t care less because they believe they have the accounting tricks to hide the imminent financial debacle and still protect special interests committed on the Malimgas project.
But notice how Mr. Benjie Lim has remained quiet in all these. Curious?
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/)
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