Big mistake!

Senator Richard Gordon should work on his temper. This is not the first time he has become a victim of his own circumstance. We have witnessed many incidents in the past that show that he gets "pikon" easily. Surely he is a man of commitment, passion and action. When he wants to get things done, he really gets them done – no problem about that but I think he should try to control his outbursts. It does not look good. Keep your cool, sir!

I know that Chairperson Sabio could be irritating. Just look at him and you will feel an urge to squeeze him up. When you listen to his statements – all the more you will get inis. Who put him there anyway!

If someone is summoned to the Senate or to Congress why shouldn’t that person show up? What power do these PCGG people have that they can manage to snob the Senate? Are they supported by a "powerful" person who can be over and above the law? Wow! I guess the Senate should pass a stronger bill so that these type of officials will not have the arrogance to feel that they are the "almighty’.

How dare Abcede not show up. He is a public servant. That just goes to show that he is running away from something. He probably is hiding something. Why does he not want to face the Senate inquiry? Tuloy, the public is more anxious to know what is happening. We demand that all PCGG members speak up and give us a report of their work. You have no right to hide because you are working for us, the people. Not unless you have abused the funds of the commission? Are you guilty of something?

What happened to the President? Why doesn’t she direct these people who work in her government to show up? It seems she is encouraging them to hide as well. Not good for a President. We expect you to lead your people to the right path. If you are against the way the Senate is doing an inquiry, then say so, don’t just keep mum about things. Nawawala ang respeto namin sa gobyerno kung ganito ang pagpatakbo ninyo. Please lift your hand not only a finger.

Dear President, I know there are issues which you chose to ignore (it is quite obvious in many instances). That’s fine. Too petty issues are not worth your precious time because you are trying to get the economy going. But when it comes to government services which need to be resolved, I think you should show your leadership qualities and command your people toward the right direction. Tago na lang sila ng tago kasi.

How will you convince the public to go for CHA-CHA, if the government is not transparent? To be honest, I am actually soooo confused now. I do not know what direction to take. At first I agreed to abolishing the Senate and Congress because the officials there are always fighting – shouting, cursing, to the point of showing their true "nonsense" colors. They are wasting our money and the opportunity for the country to progress with all their gimmicks and mockery. It looks as if they are always grandstanding, thinking of themselves and not of the work they have to do for the country. So, I said to myself, it may be better that they get out of the picture, so, go on with CHA-CHA. But in retrospect, if they are gone, who will be the watchdog of our government? As it is now, the government seems to be doing things behind our back – making deals left and right without us knowing. Who will be the watchdog of the government? The Ombudsman? Gee whiz – what a joke!

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Let me change the topic before I spoil your Monday. On a lighter side, last Saturday afternoon, my family went to Avilon Zoo in Montalban, Rizal. It took us around 45 minutes to an hour to drive from Quezon City (Commonwealth area) to the zoo. I was happy to see how Mayor Belmonte and his alagad (and the MMDA) have cleaned up the Commonwealth to Fairview area. The open market which used to be hugging the highway is no longer around. The streets were clean – everything seemed to be in order. The scenery made our travel a leisurely one. In fact, when you turn to the Payatas zigzag, I expected to see dirt, filth and trash (na nakatambak) everywhere. To my astonishment, everything was organized. The junk shops at the side of the roads were all classified according to the items they sold like glasses, paper, cartons, tires, etc. The dump trucks entering the Payatas Solid Waste Management area were all in line. They were not an "eyesore" to the public passing through the road.

If you would compare the Payatas area and our metropolis, one would say that mas malinis pa sa Payatas kaysa sa Metro Manila. The officials of the area seem to have taken cleanliness as a top priority which is amazing. Of course, it is a given that Payatas is where most of our trash in Metro Manila is thrown. So, as you look at the beautiful landscape of the Montalban and San Mateo mountain ranges, you will see a mountain in the middle of the site – that is made of our trash.

"Lupang Pangako" is the term coined for Payatas. In English it is translated to the "Promise Land". It brings promise to the 80,000 families (mostly scavengers) who make a living out of recycled trash. It has been a dumpsite of the government for almost 30 years now.

Correct me if I am wrong but Payatas originally covered parts of Montalban, San Mateo and Novaliches Reservoir (La Mesa Dam). When Quezon City was formed, more than half of the Payatas area became part of it. Out of the 2,818 hectares, 23.3 hectares has been designated as the dumpsite.

Many non-governmental agencies and companies have helped in the development of this place, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In year 2002 after that July 10 tragedy, organizations had begun focusing on the safety, health and hygiene of the families living in the area. ADB sponsored innovative projects which help the urban poor. They did not encourage the families in Payatas to relocate but instead ADB brought in opportunities for better housing, health service and microfinance in the area. Other groups focus on education and spiritual renewal. Of course, outreach programs such as Gawad Kalinga have played a significant role in the community development in the area.

As we were approaching the Avilon Zoo through the rough country roads, you would never think that at the end of the road a treasure would be found. The Avilon Zoo is the biggest zoo in the Philippines. It is well-maintained and well planned. They have probably reached 85 percent of its development and more things are being done. The zoo has an array of birds, primates, reptiles and mammals (although no giraffes and elephants yet). The staff are professionally trained to take care of the animals and tour the visitors. The animals are clean and healthy. It is as if you are not in the Philippines with the way things are run in the zoo. It makes you feel proud that somewhere out there, there is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered.

We have a beautiful archipelago very rich of natural resources. Let us not let ignorance nor illiteracy destroy our country. The Guimaras Oil Spill, the La Mesa Dam Challenge, the problems we have with illegal mining and logging and dynamite fishing must all be put to an end. Our public officials should stop thinking about themselves, stop thinking primitive (ignoramus) and learn from the tragedies that have happened around the world. Let us take a bolder step in preserving the Philippines!