BBM’s big bad moves

Do you think BBM will rethink his big bad move of appointing a just-recently disbarred lawyer to be his presidential adviser for poverty alleviation?

If this disbarred lawyer is disrespectful to others, of women and professionals, do you think he will respect and genuinely serve the poor?

By a unanimous vote, 15-0, the Supreme Court ruled that the video clip of the disbarred lawyer where he “repeatedly cursed and uttered profane remarks against journalist Raissa Robles” was “indisputably scandalous that it discredits the legal profession” and violated “Canon II on propriety of the new Code of Professional and Accountability that “[a] lawyer shall, at all times, act with propriety and maintain the appearance of propriety in personal and professional dealings, observe honesty, respect and courtesy, and uphold the dignity of the legal profession consistent with the highest standards of ethical behavior.”

According to the SC justices, “the privilege to practice law is bestowed only upon individuals who are competent intellectually, academically and, equally important, morally. xxx xxx xxx There is no room in this noble profession for misogyny and sexism. The Court will never tolerate abuse, in whatever form, especially when perpetrated by an officer of the court.”

Let us see whether BBM will rectify his big bad move and cancel this disbarred lawyer’s appointment.

Many also question another big bad move of BBM in appointing himself and remaining as Agriculture secretary.

What credentials qualify him for this top agriculture position? What achievements can he show as Agriculture secretary?

Has he fulfilled his election promise to lower rice price to ?20 per kilo?

A year as Agriculture Secretary, BBM’s Kadiwa stores this week sold rice at ?25 per kilo, still short of his promised rice supply at ?20/kilo.

Has BBM delivered on his 2022 goal as Agriculture secretary? Has BBM controlled rising food prices, during his first term as Agriculture secretary, has BBM increased agricultural production? Instead, prices of onions, rice, fish, salt, and others, have spiked.

Of more serious concern affecting local farmers adversely, instead of increased production through prioritizing farmers and assistance for their production, BBM tried to resolve the lack of supply and rising prices of food items with importation, another big, bad, lame knee-jerk move.

Despite the lack of clear beneficial achievements in agriculture and in the midst of continuing, deepening problems for our farmers and the agricultural sector, another recent questionable big bad move of BBM; borrowing a new $1.14 billion loan from the World Bank, broken down as follows:

$750 million for the Philippines First Sustainable Recovery Development Policy Loan which aims to bolster environmental protection and climate resilience, reach the country’s targets for renewable energy, and help reduce climate-related disaster risks

$110-million loan for the Teacher Effectiveness and Competencies Enhancement Project of the Department of Education which seeks to improve the access to education in Zamboanga, Soccsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and, related to agriculture

$276-million loan for these two DA projects: the Mindanao Inclusive Agriculture Development Project which “seeks to improve the economic situation of select indigenous communities” and the “Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Project aims to increase agricultural productivity and improve fisheries management.”

Particularly, for agriculture, why this $276-million loan for these two DA projects mentioned?

Against the existing problems of the whole agriculture sector, why was a huge amount borrowed for this Mindanao project? And for this fisheries project? Are these the priority area, sectors, and problems of Philippine agriculture now?

Why these huge loans before local elections and why two for Mindanao?

With an outstanding debt of ?13.9 trillion as of end-April, which is ?54.24 billion more than in March, are the loaned items and the present huge loan amount necessary and priority for our people and our country?