Noy to local execs: End ‘KBL’

MANILA, Philippines - If local officials are really serious about addressing poverty and hunger in their jurisdictions, they should shun “KBL,” President Aquino said yesterday.

The chief executive was expressing his revulsion for KBL of a different kind – kasal, binyag, libing – and not for the once powerful political machinery of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, which stands for Kilusang Bagong Lipunan.

President Aquino said the new “KBL” is a form of patronage politics meant to keep the people in a state of dependence. People would depend on largesse from politicians for many of their needs like when they need sponsors for baptisms (binyag) and weddings (kasal), as well as for burial of loved ones (libing). He said corrupt or traditional politicians seem to relish such arrangement, while some just accept it as something that can’t be avoided. He said even some officials would seek favors from higher officials for some mundane endeavors.

Aquino made his admonition in a speech during the oath-taking of the national executive board of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines.

For instance, Aquino said a councilor from Tarlac solicited some P80,000 from him when he was still Tarlac congressman to pay for the services of two orchestras worth P40,000 each that would play during a fiesta.

The President said he was only earning P35,000 a month as representative at the time and thus could not imagine how he could fund hiring the services of two orchestras.

Aquino said even projects like the renovation of barangay halls were given greater importance by some officials than construction of irrigation facilities, roads, schools and other more important projects.

Limited time

He reminded local officials of the limited time they have to serve their constituents, hence the need for programs and projects with long-term effects.

The President said the transformation that his administration is working on can be realized sooner if more officials would tread the same path he is taking.

“If the time comes that the Lord says, ‘finished or not finished, pass your papers,’ I am confident that I will be leaving a more progressive and corruption-free Philippines that we can pass on to the next generation of Filipinos,” Aquino said.

The President also said local officials must realize singing and dancing during campaign sorties meant nothing as people need to be shown a platform that would give them a better future.

“How can we change the system of helping our constituents mostly during weddings, baptisms and burials? I believe that we should not just give them temporary relief but what is more important is to give them assistance that will sustain their needs for a long time,” he said.

“As what the elders would say, let us teach our people to fish rather than have them keep coming back to ask for fish. A complete and comprehensive solution is the key to the change that we are all hoping for,” he added.

The President cited the strategy used by the late interior secretary Jesse Robredo in solving Naga City’s problem with informal settlers when the latter was still mayor.

He said that aside from giving informal settlers permanent and decent housing, Robredo also provided them with sustainable livelihood.