Learning a thing or two

With all the controversy that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has found itself embroiled in, there are those saying that the military can learn a thing or two from the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Take for instance the decentralized budgeting system that the PNP has been using for decades now.

It has been observed that the PNP system leaves little room for fund misuse or financial shenanigans since the police budget as soon as it is released is immediately sent to the police regional offices (PROs) for their use.

The PNP does not have a centralized disbursement of funds, contrary to the practice in the AFP. Under its system, 85 percent of PNP’s budget goes to the PROs while only 15 percent is allocated for headquarters.

With the PNP’s regional offices having full control of their respective budgets, the PROs are ultimately responsible for the procurement of gas and other oil products for their patrol cars, as well as the purchase of other resources like ammunition. The biggest chunk of the PNP budget goes to the organizational grassroots – i.e. police rank and file requirements for salaries, benefits, equipment and other logistics.

The PNP budget system is basically a pyramid with its resources concentrated at the base, where the organization is at its widest, with the budget getting smaller as one goes up the hierarchy ladder.

The AFP budget system, in stark contrast, is a top-heavy inverted pyramid, with the disbursement of funds so centralized to a group of officers that fund conversions and other fund misuse are made possible.

Thus, it is not surprising that the PNP leadership has expressed readiness to have its funds utilization scrutinized by Congress. This can only come from the PNP echelon’s belief that their system works in line with the administration’s anti-corruption drive.

And no, the PNP chief does not have a personal fund or a card with a high credit limit contrary to what had been claimed in media recently, according to PNP spokesman C/Supt. Agrimero Cruz.

Likewise, there is no “welcome or send-off gifts” to PNP chiefs, Cruz had stressed.

Cruz said that PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo would not countenance corruption in the ranks of the PNP and that they are enjoining the public to report any PNP personnel they suspect of living above their means.

All it takes is a text by a concerned citizen to the PNP for it to investigate one of its own, like a policeman who suddenly acquires properties and a fleet of cars.

And it’s a good system too as the police regional office first investigates the subject of a complaint before transmitting the same complaint to the district level for verification and further action.

Cruz had also taken time out to comment on the so-called “pakilala”, “paalala” and “paalam” which, according to some, are terms that depict the activities of some corrupt police officers.

He said that police officers, especially those who are new to their posts, are expected to introduce themselves and to be constantly in touch with the communities they serve, but only insofar as to make their units more effective in fighting criminality.

The PNP spokesman said that police officers are not allowed to subvert the concept of police-community relations to mulct or to cavort with criminal elements like jueteng lords. The PNP, in fact, implements a “one-strike policy” for police commanders who are remiss in their duties of preventing illegal gambling.

Cry for help

While the country’s three biggest television networks are going all out in their bid to reign supreme, what used to be the country’s leading TV station is now literally bleeding and gasping for air.

In a letter to President Aquino, the RPN 9 Directors & Supervisors Union headed by Raymond Tomale Jr. and the RPN Employees Union led by Freddie Munoz revealed that today, the entire workforce, particularly the members of the two unions, the Radio Philippines Network Employees Union (rank & file union) and the RPN Directors & Supervisors Union, want nothing more than the privatization of the network.

They said that RPN 9 has not been able to compete with other TV stations and that financial problems have beset it to the point that it is unable to pay the retirement benefits of the employees guaranteed under their respective collective bargaining agreements.

Tomale and Munoz reveal that Solar Entertainment, which used to be a blocktimer (it bought almost all the airtime slots of the network leaving only the two RPN news programs), already owns 34 percent of the RPN. It appears that RPN management gave the company’s unsubscribed shares to Solar as payment for RPN’s cash advances from Solar.

They also informed the President that they have gathered information that San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is very interested in RPN 9 and has expressed its willingness to buy the majority stocks of the network including the stocks owned by the Benedictos.

Going back to the RPN-Solar deal. The union leaders said Solar is also taking over RPN 9’s news operation, which means that Solar will control 100 percent of the station’s airtime.

They claim that they have asked from RPN president and CEO Tonypet Albano for a copy of the contracts with Solar but according to Albano, the labor unions and employees have no business knowing about the RPN-Solar contracts.

They also quoted Albano as saying that Solar is offering a 10 percent downpayment on the employees’ separation/retirement pay and that the balance will be secured from bank loans, but in the nature of a personal loan of the employees to the bank, with RPN 9 being the guarantor or co-maker. They said Albano has threatened that RPN will file for bankruptcy unless the employees accept the offer.

According to Tomales and Munoz, such management announcement is illegal and contrary to labor laws and that it is a clear violation of the CBA and constitutes harassment, union busting, and unfair labor practice. 

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