Roxas is LP bet

Liberal Party campaign manager Sen. Franklin Drilon has announced that DILG Sec. Mar Roxas is the LP candidate for President in 2016.

Why the early announcement? Is it because Vice President Jojo Binay is way ahead in opinion polls? Or is it an effort to strenghthen Mar Roxas’ hold on the LP as some Liberal Party local officials are expressing support for VP Binay this early, giving an edge to the UNA

senatorial slate?

Drilon also called for the election of Team Pinoy candidates to enable the Administration to hold a majority in the Senate. UNA Secretary General, Rep. Toby Tiangco is correct to point out that what Drilon wants is a puppet Senate that will not fiscalize and expose

irregularities in the Executive.

UNA called for an independent Senate that will help expose corruption and exercise its duty of checks and balances on the 2 other branches of government.

DEBATE. . . There should be a formal debate between the 9 candidates of Team Pinoy with 9 UNA candidates. The 3 common candidates, Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda and Grace Poe maybe excused.

The debate can be sponsored by a university or by a Makati business group.

The pairings can be Senator Koko Pimentel vs. Gringo Honasan, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano vs. Sen. Dick Gordon, Bam Aquino vs. Rep. JV Ejercito, Sen. Antonio Trillanes vs. former Senate President Ernesto Maceda, Rizza Hontiveros vs. Rep. Mitos Magsaysay,

Cynthia Villar vs. Nancy Binay, Sen. Jamby Madrigal vs. Tingting Cojuangco, Sen. Jun Magsaysay vs. Sen. Migz Zubiri and Rep. Jack Enrile vs. Rep. Sonny Angara. Or lots can be drawn to determine the pairings.

Economic, social and defense issues maybe debated including the worsening peace and order situation.

FOI BILL DEAD. . . With only 3 session days left, the FOI bill is still in the period of debate and interpellation. All this week, there was no quorum in the House of Representatives.

President Aquino has not certified the FOI bill. According to Rep. Ben Evardone it is good as dead and after 20 years will have to be refiled in the 16th Congress.

UNA Secretary General Rep. Toby Tiangco expressed doubts on the Administration’s political will to pass the FOI bill. This is indicated by the lack of certification of the measure.

Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada is the principal author of the bill.

QUESTIONABLE. . . NEDA and NSCB announced that the economy grew 6.6% in 2012.

UP Professor Benjamin Diokno says the 6.6% GDP growth rate is questionable since imports growth is down by only 2.6%.

It is also pointed out that growth in the agricultural sector is lower. It is also explained that the main engine of growth is the higher amount of remittances sent home by OFWs.

Ibon points out that there is an increase in the number of jobless Filipinos. The 6.6% GDP growth has not resulted in more jobs created especially since there is no improvement in the manufacturing sector. Diokno said it is incredible that imports grew by only 2.6% in

2012, coming from a weak imports growth in 2011. How can the economy grow at 6.8% in the last quarter with imports barely growing at 2.6%?

Diokno said the only explanation is rampant smuggling of goods from China.

Mark Tan, an economist from Goldman Sacks, point out the severe lack of infrastructure. He pointed out the lack of airports, seaports, roads and even hotels.

Diokno and Tan expressed doubts on whether the high GDP growth rate can be sustained.

TOO SHORT . . . Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile speaking at a Press Briefing at the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) declared that corruption cannot be stamped out in a 6-year term of a President.

Enrile said corruption is not only present in government but also in the business sector and it must be a collective effort of all sectors. We agree with JPE.

President Noynoy called for legislation to institutionalize reforms against corruption.

Corruption is ongoing in the Bureau of Customs, DPWH, PNP, NFA, LTO and the AFP.

PROCLAMATION RALLY. . . It is set. The proclamation rally of the UNA senatorial slate will be held on Feb. 12 at Cebu City. Mayor Mike Rama and Gov. Gwen Garcia will co-host the big rally planned to be held at the Reclamation area.

The UNA candidates will go on a motorcade around Cebu province on Feb. 13 then proceed to Bohol on Feb. 14.

UNUSED. . . The Commission on Audit reported that P9.8 billion of ODA loans have been unutilized as of Dec. 31, 2011.

P206 million in government funds were wasted due to the failure of 6 agencies to utilize the loan amounts available under the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) program, with half of the wasted amount blamed on the Department of Agriculture.

This is a definite sign of government inefficiency. Even in regular funds availabe under the budget, only 65-70% is absorbed and spent for actual projects. This is a major reason for our high unemployment rate.

SLOW ACTION. . . One month after the USS Guardian ran aground at Tubbataha Reefs, actual salvage operations have not begun. The latest plan is to dismantle the ship part by part and remove the pieces one at a time.

It is estimated it will take 2-3 weeks to remove the ship depending on weather conditions. The best way to expedite the salvage is to impose a hefty fine for every day of delay. Every day the damage area is getting bigger.

The longer it takes, the bigger damage of the ship breaking up and causing more damage.

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Greetings to avid readers Barangay Chairman Irog Mojica of Bailen, Cavite, Barangay Chairman Renato Dimapiles, Mendez, Cavite, Alde Pagulayan, Pocholo Ortiz, Atty. Jerome Padios of Iloilo, Mario Espinosa, Rudy Cuenca, Liezel Go and

Wilhelm Go of Loon, Bohol.