In search of solutions

After reading STAR colleague Boo Chanco’s column recently about the ill-equipped schoolhouses in Gen San, I am convinced how desperately we need alternative solutions to our problems of governance. Boo actually saw schoolchildren sitting on the floor at the Datu Paglas public schools because they were still waiting for desks and chairs from the Department of Education. I will not be surprised if after Boo’s column, a DepEd bureaucrat will quickly dispatch the items to Datu Paglas. That is the way we’ve solved problems. Patchi-patchi. It’s time to look at more lasting solutions. Yet as Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. explained to Boo, they were not entirely helpless. In fact they have been building some of the schoolhouses. The problem is with DepEd. It has a three year backlog in chairs and desks. That is what happens when such a simple matter as desks and chairs must only come from the national government. Worse, as Boo writes one ‘lucky’ contractor could not keep up with the demand for desks and chairs nationwide. The local government is happy to build needed infrastructure because they get to use them sooner and their costs are at least 30 percent cheaper than if DPWH built them. So the problem is not money but dependency rooted in the structure of government we have had for years.Chanco adds that local government officials in the Socsargen (South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos) were fired by youthful idealism, enthusiasm and eagerness to produce results. Chanco and the media group with him also met Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio and Sarangani Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez. "They leave no doubt that they are the kind of leaders this country needs at this time," he adds. I would like to carry those impressions further and challenge Boo to look at the problem of structural dependency, how it came about and what we can do to change that. I am sorry but the answer is in federalism, in restructuring our system of governance to allow good local officials enough leeway to manage their own constituencies. Countries that have essentially federal systems of government include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, India, Malaysia, Switzerland, Belgium and Ger-many. Decentralization as provided in our present constitution is only administrative and even that is insufficient but federalism means political empowerment for local authority that would enable regions to raise and spend their own funds. Then and only then can they fly. In a federal structure political power is divided between central or national authority and smaller, locally autonomous units such as provinces or states, generally under the terms of a constitution. But before we can have a federalist structure we will have to amend our constitution and most officials would rather look away than do that even if they see it would be good for our country. They are not disposed to give up their power. That is the reason why there are no desks and chairs in the school in Datu Panglas.

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WHEN PUBLIC RELATIONS GO WRONG. Although it is not in my power to publish the picture (columns do not include pictures) I am grateful that Senate President Franklin Drilon (the arch oppositionist of constitutional reform) should send me a picture with the caption: IMPERIAL AUDIENCE: Senate President and Liberal Party head Franklin Drilon (extreme left) and his wife, Mrs. Mila Drilon (extreme right), pose for an official photograph with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko during an audience at the Japanese Imperial Palace granted to the Drilons during their visit to Tokyo, Japan recently. The only other Filipinos who were granted an audience by the Japanese Emperor were former presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos and incumbent President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Photo courtesy of Senate-PRIB). A birdie reminded me that Speaker Jose de Venecia and Gina were given such an audience seven years ago. In any case, so what if Drilon is the ‘only’ other Filipino granted a visit with Japanese royalty other than Philippine presidents? Sus.This is the problem with putting more importance on public relations than real accomplishments. It can be less than truthful. In Washington, critics of the Bush administration say it has more than doubled its spending on public relations firms during the past four years, according to an analysis of federal procurement data by congressional Democrats. The administration spent at least $88 million in fiscal 2004 on contracts with major public relations firms, the analysis found, compared with $37 million in 2001, Bush’s first year in office. In all, the administration spent $250 million on public relations contracts during its first term, compared with $128 million spent for President Clinton between 1997 and 2000. "While not all public relations spending is illegal or inappropriate, this rapid rise in public relations contracts at a time of growing budget deficits raises questions about the priorities of the administration," said the report by the Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee. This is also true in the Philippines. Someone should look into just how much money is being spent on public relations by public servants to advance their political fortunes. And while they are looking into publicists’ budgets, maybe we should throw in expenses that go into surveys.

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FINALLY, SENSIBLE HANDLING OF NAIA 3 MESS. We can only sigh with relief that the airport authorities and the airline operators are finally talking sensibly. With the news that Asian air traffic is expected to grow 6 percent annually over the next 20 years we should resolve the ongoing NAIA 3 imbroglio as quickly as we can. We might miss the chance when air traffic in our region takes off. Sky’s the limit if it is not already with us. Managing Director Peter Harbison of the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation predicts air travel boom in Asia will surpass the United States as the region promises the strongest long term air growth. He adds that 2004 was a watershed year for Asian market liberalization. More than ever we need a world class airport which happily we have except for the legal kinks. President GMA is right to have ordered NAIA 3’s expropriation and early opening. For a while, it seemed this would not happen any time soon. AOC, the airline operators council have not given up on seeking a direct audience with the President to assure her that they will do everything in their power to comply. According to reliable sources, they are just waiting for February 4. The airport authority promised a written guarantee binding on both the government and PIATCO-FRAPORT by that date. They need this for their head offices before they can be given approval to transfer. Expropriation was meant to fast track the opening but ironically, the legal tangle is so far gone, it may be a pyrrhic victory without the parties entering into a compromise agreement. Even if they have a written guarantee, the airlines will also have to be careful for technical reasons, if the transfer were to be rushed. The airline industry is very sensitive. Make a mistake and you can be slapped with million-dollar suits.

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