Economic agenda

Key members of the executive branch as well as incoming members of the House of Representatives gathered recently at the New Clark City in Pampanga met recently in Clark to discuss the administration’s priority legislative agenda which should bode well for our country’s economic development.

During the meeting which was attended by the Duterte administration’s economic and infrastructure leaders, the latter offered their help in preparing legislative measures to make sure that these are financially responsible and sustainable.

The forum which was organized by incoming Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, was attended by Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. Titled “Vision into Reality,” it included a briefer on parliamentary procedures and traditions in Congress and a discussion of the fundamentals of the budget process which proved extremely useful especially for neophyte members who attended the forum. 

The forum meeting was also hosted by leaders of the other political parties, including Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte and Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu of the Nacionalista Party, San Juan Rep. Ronnie Zamora, Cavite Rep. Bambol Tolentino, Mandaluyong Rep. Boyet Gonzales and Laguna  Rep. Dan Fernandez of PDP-Laban, and Antipolo Rep. Robbie Puno,  Dasmariñas City Rep. Pidi Barzaga and Masbate Rep. Bong Bravo of the National Unity Party (NUP). 

 What was great about the gathering was that the congressmen were able to directly ask Villar and Tugade not only about the administration’s major infrastructure projects but also how the public works projects in their respective districts can complement President Duterte’s Build Build Build program. They were also able to discuss with Dominguez the fiscal policies of the government and how as members of Congress, they can be more responsible in legislating measures that require funds. 

 Unfortunately, some quarters chose to question rather than welcome the activity, misinterpreting it as campaigning on the party of Cayetano for speakership in the incoming Congress. The forum was meant to be educational and regardless of any hidden agenda on Cayetano’s part, what is important is that present during the meeting are Cabinet officials who have the President’s ear.

After all, Cayetano knows how the government works, having been a member also of the Senate and a Cabinet member himself. 

Airport woes

Business and political analyst/blogger RJ Nieto of Thinking Pinoy fame raised a very interesting point last week, as public attention was again trained on the sorry state of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The latest NAIA debacle – a lightning strike that paralyzed the airport, caused flights to be diverted, and kept passengers stuck in their planes for more than three hours after landing – had people asking once again: why the hell don’t we have a new airport with multiple runways, yet?

Nieto recalled how Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez last year tried to delay if not derail San Miguel Corp.’s $14-billion proposed New Manila International Airport project in Bulacan. Even after the NEDA Board had approved the unsolicited proposal, Dominguez appeared to be sitting on it. This, Nieto said, was despite the directive of President Duterte to prioritize the NMIA, so construction could have begun in mid- to late 2018.

Instead, Dominguez raised issues including the possibility that building the NMIA may depress real estate values in New Clark City when the government is not a real estate company, that the NMIA could cause traffic in the NLEX which should not be a problem since SMC will build a separate railway to connect Metro Manila directly to the airport, and that SMC is not financially capable to undertake the project which of course is far from reality since the company earned over P1 trillion last year.

Nieto thinks that the real reason Dominguez is all-out in his campaign against SMC is his close personal and business ties with the Zobels who are the primary proponent of the NAIA upgrade project. He said that Dominguez became president of the Ayala-controlled BPI Agricultural Development Bank, now BPI Direct Savings Bank; that Dominguez’ family owns the Alcantara Group of Davao, which owns Alsons Consolidated which in turn has a multi-billion joint venture real estate project with Ayala Land called Aviana Development Corp.; among others.

The fact remains that NAIA is outdated, is overcapacity, but lacks space to construct a new runway. Nobody should turn a blind eye on the sorry state of NAIA, which is destroying our country’s image as a fastly emerging economy.

Peace and order

National Capital Region police chief Major Gen. Guillermo Eleazar once again showed that he really means business when he relieved Eastern Police District (EPD) director Brig. Gen. Christopher Tambungan for assaulting a lady cop in San Juan and then warned all his commanders in Metro Manila to treat their subordinates with respect. 

Tambungan is the second general to be relieved by Eleazar in the last few months. Last March, Brig. Gen. Bernabe Balba, also of the EPD, was sacked for command responsibility.

Eleazar is indeed working hard to institute reforms in the PNP, restore its good image and bring back its old glory. 

Since assuming his post in June last year, Eleazar has been consistently ridding the institution of scalawags. In recent months, he relieved the police chiefs of Pasay, Taguig, Las Piñas and Caloocan, as well as dozens of misfits and bad eggs in the NCR police service.

Crime volume nationwide continues to decline, especially in the NCR. Crimes in Metro Manila such as murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft, and carjacking dropped significantly in the first 35 months of the Duterte administration, from 21,782 as of July 2016 to 14,911 last year. Various surveys attributed the decline in crime ratio to two major policies started by ex-PNP chief and now Senator-elect Bato dela Rosa and incumbent PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde – the war on drugs and the PNP’s internal cleansing.

Eleazar’s leadership style is what the PNP needs at this time when instilling discipline and recovering a tarnished image are major priorities. 

Talks are ripe that President Duterte may soon begin scouting for a possible replacement for PNP chief Albayalde who is expected to retire in October this year. The choice for the next PNP chief is one of the most important decisions for President Duterte to make in the remaining three years of his term. The country will be best served if Eleazar is extolled to the PNP’s highest post.

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