Potpourri of topics on channel surfing

Today is supposed to be "Justice Sotero B. Cabahug Day" in Mandaue City. Are fitting official ceremonies being observed as tribute to the foremost Mandauehanon?

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Switching TV channels is tempting, unless one is glued to a tennis thriller, or UFC martial arts replay, or perhaps, a rerun of a Steven Seagal movie. One such channel fiddling or surfing resulted in getting info on and insights into divergent topics.

The first was on the huge P1.053 trillion national budget belatedly passed in the Lower House. For the sixth time in a row, the budget protractedly snagged, now being the longest in delay, resulting in reenactment ipso facto of the previous budget, putting us in Ripley's "Believe It Or Not", or a variation of "Only in the Philippines" notoriety.

The fiscal year and the calendar year coinciding in budgetary operations, before the end of any fiscal year, Congress should enact the general appropriations bill for the next fiscal year to start on January 1. But for the past six years, Congress has failed to do so.

Being unmitigated copycats of whatever American, we could have patterned our budgetary system after theirs that shuns reenactment of their federal budget. We're "wise" in not aping their budgetary system; otherwise, our national government gets paralyzed in gridlock.

So far, the 2006 general appropriations act has been late by eight months and, has yet to be deliberated upon by the Senate. And there, it's a cinch to sleep for a couple of months.

The second topic featured on "Tinig ng Bayan" was the "Update on Low Cost Medicine" interview of Sec. Roberto Pagdanganan of the PIDC who, until now, is at snail's pace in rationalizing the spiraling prices of medicine. He inherits the big lie of now Senator Mar Roxas when he was yet the secretary of DTI.

For a P1M worth of imported drugs, about P500T reflects the mark up of the price at source, say, in India or Egypt. Pagdanganan said: "Sobrang mahal ang gamot dito".

The pharmacy cartel luxuriates in profits at the expense of the poor. Due to this unconscionable over-pricing, especially of branded ones, three out of five sickly Filipinos die without the benefit of medicine. This is worsened by the proliferation of fake drugs, including those "over the counter". For fear of fake medicines, "can afford" patients would prefer and, their physicians so prescribe, the noted branded names that are stiffly priced.

GMA's "botika ng bayan" is hardly a panacea for its limited outlets and products. Besides, such "emergency" solution is of mercurial effect, only to end up in losses as all government business ventures do.

Another topic that perked up one's ears was the off-the-cuff remarks of Msgr. Achilles Dakay on the barangay assembly, obviously reacting in pique without hinting that he acted as Cebu Archdiocesan spokesman or on his own. He sweepingly said that the "people's initiative" through the barangay assembly can be countered by the Catholic Church in every parish. Given the eminent Cardinal's being conservative on non-religious issues, his spokesman ought to temper his stand.

Overall, Atty. Lourdes Mangaoang's unbecoming shriek and childish jumping up in "victory" over her rival Grace Karingal, was the most amusing sight while TV surfing. Some wonder why she hasn't reacted to alleged bias against some warehouse bonding agents doing business in her turf.

The saddest TV fare lately was the assassination of Cebu's new hero and martyr in public service, the irreplaceable Jojo de la Victoria!