We Filipinos always put our best foot forward. Sometimes we overdo it when a VIP comes to town.
Yes, we must show to the world that as the only Catholic country in that part of the world, we must honor Pope Francis. But we must not overdo it because the Pope is a simple man who dislikes any ostentatious display.
This is why he will go to Tacloban City, to show mercy and compassion to the Yolanda survivors, especially those who are still living in tents and makeshift houses more than a year after the typhoon brought death and destruction to the central Philippines.
Millions of Filipinos will be there when the Pope celebrates Mass at the Luneta, in a display of faith.
But when Pope Francis pays his respects to President Aquino, all he would ask from the latter is what is the government done for the poor.
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If Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations mount a survey nationwide on whom Filipinos like and trust the least, I am sure that they would name Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio “Jun” Abaya, Social Welfare Dinky Soliman, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla and acting Health Secretary Janette Garin, in that order.
Abaya for one hasn’t done anything to mitigate the sufferings and inconveniences that millions of people in Metro Manila who have to take the mass transit every day to get to work.
Instead, because President Aquino said so, he imposes some 50 to 85 percent fare increases for LRT1, LRT 2 and MRT 3. They say they want to end the government subsidy to the trains that Filipinos in other parts of the country have not even used.
And to think that riding at MRT 3 every day has become a matter of luck. The rails are broken and have become very dangerous. A Hong Kong audit has found that “substantial loss of lives” would be the result.
In the case of Dinky Soliman, all her lies about providing relief to thousands of Yolanda victims that there would be non longer tents add insult to injury. The “tent city” is still there.
Add to this Soliman’s criminal neglect and utter incompetence in providing relief to Ronda town in Cebu, which was totally devastated by the latest typhoon “Seniang.”
But why should LGUs affected by floods, landslides an continuous rain have to write appealing for relief when it’s the duty and obligation of Soliman to provide it to them?
The others have also become known for being do-nothing members of the Cabinet. The only thing they have achieved is to show the people is that “change” remains elusive.
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It’s interesting to know that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has joined the fray, criticizing the Comelec for accepting the Venezuelan-based Smartmatic bid to examine and do xx repairs on the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines for P300 million so that they could be used in the forthcoming 2016 elections.
The CBCP made this statement even as the House of Representatives was poised to conduct a probe into reports that another technology provider from Spain failed to meet the requirements to qualify to bid for the P2.1 billion contract for the 2016 automated polls.
What is truly deplorable about the “love affair” between Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes and Smartmatic is that Brillantes and two other Comelec commissioners are due to retire next month, which led many to suspect some kind of “going away present.” As a former Comelec commissioner said, it’s a “midnight deal.”
Smartmatic has been charged with so many faults and flaws in its automated election deal with Comelec in the 2010 and 2013 polls, including manipulation, so-called “60-30-15,” pattern which gave the administration control of both chambers of Congress. And if President Aquino is not lifting a finger to dig deep into Comelec, anomalies, we know why. Don’t forget that the May 2016 polls are just around the corner.
Truly, Santa Banana, the silence of President Aquino in the wake of so many protests against Smartmatic is defeaning, raising doubts about the credibility of the 2016 elections.
President Aquino should not forget that if there’s any legacy he can leave when he steps down, it’s a credible 2016. The people can not accept that their will in choosing the next President will the frustrated the President has nobody to blame but himself if the 2016 polls won’t be credible. Worse, he may have to reap the whirlwind.
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A newly-bought car with so many defects is called a “lemon.” This brought about the enactment of a Philippine Lemon Law, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 10642, which complements and strengthens RA No. 7394 or The Consumer Act of the Philippines, which has the same objective.
Businessman Ricardo Nolasco, who claimed he bought a “lemon” from PGA Cars has filed a test case against Auditor Inc. before the Department of Trade and Industry to seek relief because of a defective brand-new audi from the distributor.
The horror story, according to Nolasco begun shortly after he bought the Audi last May 30, 2014, actually the second Audi for him. He claimed to have trust in the brand. But, it was not a satisfying deal.
Nolasco claimed as he used the Audi after a few days, he saw error messages about the airbags in the dashboard. He claimed to have bought a “lemon” after more than three times he brought to Audi/PGA Motorcars for servicing, but to no avail. The error messages continued to appear getting him worried that there would be others defects that would impair the car’s performance and even endanger the lives of passengers.
The test case still pending at the DTI. It’s now 2015, and it do well for DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo to speed up the case which is of public interest.
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Makati Mayor Jun-Jun Binay thinks out of the box by having two new buses and form coasters ferry for free employees of the City Hall from Trinoma Mall to Ayala, Monday thru Friday, to enable his employees to be on time in the woke of so many road works and reblocking and from queuing at MRT3 stations.
Other Metro Manila mayor should do likewise for the benefit of their employees. It’s just a matter of a little imagination. Congrats to Mayor Jun-Jun Binay.
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