Playing with Fire
Before, 30%, now, 200 % and up!
By Gonzalo Duque
BEFORE you get confused by our column head, allow us to explain.
Yes, we are talking about the so-called commissions that go to the private pockets in government transactions.
We, Pinoys, have been used to this, and we appear to be forgiving on this account, to this technical robbery by government officials to fleece taxpayers.
On the record, they’d list the price of an item, say, Pl00,000, but they actually get P100,000,000! Ansakit, sir? Ano kayo, ontan so nagagawa ed baley o ciudad tayo, agagui!
Nengneng yoy ginawa dad Awai deal. A top official bought the lot at P6 million. Then he sold it to the Dagupan City government at P16 million.
Agaylatan ya panamatey na ciudad, kuanyo.
Go to the record, and start singing now “Don’t Cry for me Dagupan.”
Awai deal is only one of the many deals this present city administration has made with overpricing the city government by more than the usual 30 percent, the profit going straight to his bulging personal pocket.
Sicatoyay ibabaga na aray concerned citizens ya dapat imbistigaen ya ta onpopobre ray totoo balet saray opisyales onyayayan ya agew agew.
Review how they did it, right under our noses — Awai, Daungan, Pugaro Tsunami Hill, MCAdore, Calamity Fund or noodles purchase, Metro Plaza (1,000,000 percent!) karakkel agagui, ipalima tilad sicayo ta natotomobok yo met so isyu ed sayan palapagan.
Ayan palapagan labat? Yes, kaermenan min tuloy. The other papers can’t buy the hand that…. This administration is the greediest of all that happened in our hapless city.
And so, Manny, how could we support this administration?
As we said in past columns, we want to try a new leadership in Belen T. Fernandez (Belen Tan, not Tamondong, Fernandez ha).
Let’s try a new face. Benjie has been there.
Benjie is makasarili. You can easily see that in his deals. Need we say more?
* * * *
We’d like to share a gubernatorial experience of our beloved father, Francisco Duque Jr. who was running for re-election in 1967.
Under President Macapagal, he was able to secure truckloads of heavy equipment with repatriation arrangement from Japan.
He filled the provincial Capitol with all these equipment that made it look like a local DPWH. Paco was even able to give all mayors service vehicles.
But THE clever challenger, Tito Primicias, was able to convince then President Marcos into immobilizing the provincial government from using the heavy equipment and vehicles that should have bolstered his campaign. So what happened? Erpat lost to Tito.
Baleg so role na Palasyo no provincial elections.
But here’s a big “But” if we apply that logic to the Espino-Braganza race.
Unlike in the old days, Marcos was after his re-election in 1969. He became obsessed with vote-rich Pangasinan.
Unhappily for Nani Bragazna, Pnoy is not running for re-election. Wala siyang gaanong paki sa provincial elections despite local propaganda which is making the 2013 gubernatorial race a fight between Spines and Pnoy.
Pnoy need not forget that the country under him is doing good. Pangasinan province has contributed to that performance.
He needs Pangasinan’s sustained growth which was enhanced by the Espino administration.
Onsasamit so laban, awa, Raffy?
* * * *
Visitors from the academe, health and professional sectors are awed by the leadership of Region 1 Medical Center under Director Roland Mejia for converting it into a world-class health Mecca.
A monitoring team from the DOH, PRC and the CHED that visited us at LNU said the transformation of RMC is simply fantastic.
Fact is, Roland and staff were only given an hour before the inspection team arrived, but what they saw was simply very, very good, they said.
With Rep. Gina de Venecia’s all-out support, and that of Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, the 600-bed facility may become l,000-bed facility shortly. In January, next year, we learned, the construction of a l2-story R1MC building will begin.
Good work, Roland, and TY for your support to our PPC.
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