Editorial
Stolen from our farmers?
WHATEVER comes out of the investigation of the National Bureau of Investigation headquarter, and whether or not Congress decides to make its own inquiry, Pangasinan should launch its own audit on the pork barrel scam now that one of our own has been tagged in the contemptible scheme that allegedly robbed the public of P10 billion in development funds.
It will certainly be a taxing job, but Pangasinenses, perhaps with leadership from civil society groups and support from our sage senior citizens, a zealous youth and the legitimate media, must take this opportunity to review the performances of past congressional representatives in the delivery of their respective Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF).
Recent unconfirmed reports indicate that at least P40 million in PDAF for one district in Pangasinan, plus another P19.5 million possibly related to the province’s agricultural sector, was part of some P1billion pork allegedly pilfered through the now defunct National Livelihood Development Corp. (NLDC). This slice of the P10 billion scam reportedly left farmers with nothing but a piece of paper that says they benefitted from it.
Our farmers have one of the most physically difficult jobs there are and their output is basic to our survival. To make a fool of our farmers, to use them unknowingly as cover for stealing – if the reports are true – is utterly despicable.
An investigation at the provincial level will reveal who among our congressmen not only pocketed public funds but deprived our farmers of what was due them. And the Pangasinan audit will set yardsticks for the incumbent as well as future representatives on the responsible and transparent use of the PDAF.
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Main meat
THERE are times when winning would merely mean finishing ahead of everybody, and the second and third placers end up co-equals with the champ. That was the case in the just-ended 27th Fiba Asia Cup at the MOA Arena in Pasay City. Iran, Gilas Pilipinas and South Korea finished 1-2-3 in the 15-nation basketball tournament and, as stipulated by the rules, they qualify for the Fiba World Cup in Spain next year.
Iran and Korea were shoo-ins to advance. Not Gilas Pilipinas, making the Filipinos’ success a source of enormous pride. For one, the feat ended the country’s 40-year absence in the World Cup as the last time we saw action there – on sheer merit – was in 1974 in Puerto Rico. For another, we dislodged Chinese Taipei, the team that upset us in the preliminaries. That setback almost triggered our elimination. Luck played a crucial role for us when Qatar shocked the Taiwanese to give Gilas Pilipinas a free ticket to the semifinals.
After we overcame Korea 86-79, our battle for the gold against Iran became a virtual no-bearing game as our feat of dispatching the highly fancied Koreans sent us to Spain next year. So, even before we lost the gold to Iran 85-71, the mission of making it to Spain had already been accomplished.
Always, it pays to aim for the main meat. For what would normally follow next is mere gravy.
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