Pro-poor, anti-poor

The people of the Philippines, especially the poor comprising 90% of the population who are supposed to be P-Noy’s “boss” according to him, have not seen or felt reforms in government that have improved their lives even after P-Noy has been in office for almost three years already. They do not even feel that they are the “boss” because those in public service continue to lord it over them and to enjoy the power and perks of the office, particularly the “pork barrel” and huge public funds at their disposal.

Obviously, reforms in government are still long in coming, because this administration believes that it is the only one correct in deciding what is good for the country and people. It always blames others for its own failures, especially the past administration which has been made the scapegoat for all ills in the government whose wrongdoings are even exposed all over the world, rather than kept within the confines of our courts of justice. To build up its public image and acceptance ratings in poll surveys that are susceptible to manipulation, it already announces in media its plans of actions against erring past officials before carrying them out. It also covers up and/or defends the mistakes and wrongdoings of its handpicked officials especially the kaibigan, kabarkada at kabarilan, thus falling into the same trap like the past administrations.

Another reason for this administration’s continuing inability to institute reforms is its lack of open mind and understanding heart to listen to all sides before arriving at vital decisions, and/or before carrying them out.  It decides after listening only to the advice and opinions of people within its inner circle or cordon sanitaire, thus completely missing or disregarding the good points and brighter ideas of their own “boss” who are not that dumb after all. Apparently, this has given rise not only to elitism or cronyism, but also to extreme partisanship and divisiveness in the country.

Reforms in this government cannot also be achieved because of inconsistencies and lack of integrity in its actions. The most recent example is the approval or veto of bills enacted by Congress particularly the RH Law and the Magna Carta for the Poor (MCP), both of which are purportedly designed to alleviate poverty and help our country’s poorest of the poor.

P-Noy really worked hard and actively pushed for the enactment of the RH bill into law while he did not even lift a finger in the passage of the MCP until it reached his desk for approval or veto. If he has given as much attention to the MCP as he did to the RH law he would have already made the suggestions that he is now proposing in an alleged substitute bill so that he would not have vetoed it anymore.

In fact the original RH bill was drafted and introduced here by a foreign government and international agencies particularly the USA, the UN and some private foundations known for promoting population control in third world countries to advance their own hidden selfish agenda. So to make it appear that it is a locally designed “pro poor” measure, the P-Noy government even suggested that the title of the bill be changed to “Responsible Parenthood”. And so, using the trite and tested “bleeding heart for the poor” gimmick and some other “convincing” methods, he succeeded in finally having the bill passed by our legislators which no other presidents before him was able to do. And when Congress indeed succumbed to his wishes, he even hastily and surreptitiously signed the bill to avoid further questions and discussions.

On the other hand, it would appear that P-Noy’s only action on the MCP is to veto it after Congress has deliberated on it for quite a time. Undoubtedly, the MCP is the real pro-poor measure as it addresses the basic needs of poor people — food, employment and livelihood, quality education, shelter, and basic health services and medicine. So if he is really pro poor as he has repeatedly avowed, he should have also approved the MCP in the same way he approved the RH law.

P-Noy vetoed the MCP allegedly because the government does not have enough budget for the measure as it entails P3.3 trillion and additional P300 billion for administrative fee when the annual government budget is only P2 trillion. He said he cannot give “false hope to 95 million Filipinos especially since the government is cash strapped” and it would be “unfair to government officials and employees who would be given this mission impossible and end up facing charges for failing to do the impossible.”

Please note however that the amounts cited by P-Noy are only estimates of the DBM if the five basic needs of the poor will have to be met at once. However the law itself did not expressly provide that the five basic needs should be given at one time. So it did not precisely fix or appropriate any amount. It just pinpointed the basic rights of the poor that must be addressed by the government with its available funds. Obviously it can only be implemented on a progressive basis. For a start, this administration could have used the billions of “pork barrel”, the big earnings of its GOCCs like Pagcor and PCSO, and the additional revenues from improved collections by the BIR and Customs. If it can spend billions to buy contraceptives under the RH law, it should spend more to provide food for the hungry. Possible suits against government officials and employees will definitely not prosper because funds are not entirely lacking.

Obviously, the MCP was vetoed based only on estimates and speculations. Indeed some people are now speculating that it was vetoed and that a substitute bill is being filed purposely to make it appear that P-Noy is still the bida.

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