Punchline
Sayang!
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
Last week, we announced the launch of the fertilizer subsidy fund for farmers by the Espino administration in a bid to boost rice production in the province.
Well it seems the good intentions of Guv Spines may just come to naught with the very disturbing report that the fertilizer coupons issued to farmers do not allow farmers to choose their preferred brands of fertilizers. Some farmers have already complained that the coupon can only be used or be redeemed exclusively for one particular brand, Swire!
What is still not certain is whether the exclusive purchase of Swire fertilizer is part of the implementing rules for the fund subsidy or simply a scheme arranged between a group of farm traders and the Swire manufacturer. What is certain is that the arrangement smacks already of technical malversation!
If Guv Spines does not watch it, his governance may yet go down in history as the province’s most corrupt instead of earning the province’s respect that would make his family and future generations proud. He should be reminded of how Jocjoc Bolante and his family became the brunt of national ridicule for his notorious handling of P720 million of fertilizer fund.
Former Dagupan City Mayor Benjie Lim earned his own notoriety on account of the series of graft-ridden city government projects he initiated. The people gave him his due in the last election by repudiating his and his son’s bid to continue to hold public office. Sayang siya.
So before the subsidy fund becomes a case of national embarrassment for Guv Spines that would permanently taint his public image this early, I suggest he reviews the implementing guidelines and quickly correct this irregularity. No one must be favored with an exclusivity arrangement in the use of public funds.
For Guv’s sake, I sincerely hope he learns from these mistakes caused by arrogance and greed while holding political power.
There will always be a payback for the family! Beware, Guv. Baka sayang ka din mamaya!
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GUNS FOR BARANGAY CHAIRMEN. The Espino administration is on a spending binge and buying shotguns for the barangay chairmen is definitely one of the most worrisome and a dangerous precedent not only in the province’s history but in the country.
The recent decision of PNP to arm civilians in some parts of Mindanao in the light of the atrocities committed against them by Moro terrorists, is now the subject of a debate. In the case of the barangay chairmen in the province, no instances of atrocities have been reported to have been committed against them or their families but the decision to arm them was only in response to a complaint that they have nothing but night sticks while they patrol their barangays. Good golly!
H-e-l-l-o? It’s not the barangay chairmen who patrol the streets at night but the dedicated barangay tanods in their colorful uniforms who move around in groups of four whose presence alone are easily intimidating!
This Espino policy, at best, will only lead to transformation of more barangay chairmen into abusive public officials who will feel legally protected to use the shotgun to better intimidate their political enemies in the community.
A very disturbing aspect of the new policy is the automatic granting of license to the barangay chairmen to possess a firearm without need to fulfill established stringent requirements to apply for a license. In fact, the Espino policy presumes that all barangay chairmen are technically and psychologically fit to possess a firearm – a very dangerous supposition.
Was this cleared with the PNP headquarters since the policy literally threw out the PNP’s policy on licensing? Didn’t Sr. Supt. Isagani Nerez even point this out?
I won’t even bother asking who made a pile from this needless P30M purchase because that question is only secondary to the answers needed from both the provincial board and the governor to justify the continued implementation of this absurd and dangerous program!
Guv Spines and the board should stop the stop the distribution, recall the issued pieces and consider selling these to the PNP instead!
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PINGKOY TOPS THE SURVEY. As news of unabated corruption continue to hound the Arroyo administration, there is one Pangasinense who’s definitely making a difference in spite of the culture that has nearly swallowed his department. I refer to Health Sec. Francisco Duque III.
The recent SWS survey shows that he rates as the most trusted cabinet official. And while it may be argued that is simply the public perception, Dr. Alfredo Romualdez, the health secretary of the Estrada administration, confirmed that Sec. Duque has, indeed, earned the respect of the health sector as one who is honest and diligent, and one of the very few redeeming elements in GMA’s cabinet.
Of late, the head hunters for GMA’s 2010 senatorial line-up are seriously looking in the direction of Pingkoy as a senatorial wannabe. I have no doubt that he makes a good material, however, my serious misgiving about it is that GMA’s endorsement will be a kiss of death, and that could be a tragic end to his respectable public service record.
Sayang lang.
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MONEY FOR GOOD GRADES. A PUNCH reader called our attention about the policy in Bolosan Elementary School in Dagupan City, and I quote: “Bakit po ba ang school dito sa Bolosan Elementary School eh humihingi sila ng pampagawa gaya ng semento sa mga bata at pati project nila eh pera at dapat hindi bababa sa 50 pesos at kailangan daw yon para may grade sila? Nagtatanong lang po!”
I invite City Schools Supt. Aurora Domingo to investigate this before DepEd Sec. Jess Lapus learns about this. He presently enjoys the second highest trust rating (Pingkoy being the highest) and reports like these could cause his numbers to plummet.
I have a sense that the reported irregularity is not an isolated case. Dagupan City Councilor Danilo Torio, chair of the education committee, can do parents a good turn if he conducts a quiet investigation by talking to parents whose kids are enrolled in the city’s public schools. I bet he would be surprised by the can of worms he’d find in the process.
The city’s schools need help but they should not extract their badly needed resources from already over-burdened parents by blackmailing the pupils. The parents’ need a hero to rescue them!
(Readers may reach columnist at punch.sunday@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/punchline/
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