Big drop in education

The Aquino Administration suffered a major setback when Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a respected London-based educational rating agency reported that none of the country’s top universities: UP, Ateneo, La Salle, UST among them made it to the list of the top 300.

UP dropped from 314 to 332nd place, Ateneo dropped 53 notches to 360th, La Salle dropped to the 551-600 level. UST was out of the top 600th list. Malacañang expressed concern. What’s CHED Sec. Patricia Licuanan doing?

Student organizations last year protested the cut in the budget for education. The budget for state universities and colleges suffered a major cut from P25.3 billion in 2009 to P23.4 billion this year going down further to P21 billion in 2012.

Over a dozen Congressmen have teamed up to cut the P39 billion CCT budget and realigned it to education and job creation.

Boy, we are moving backward in education.

* * *

COMMENDABLE. . . Director Samuel Pagdilao, CIDG Chief, should be commended for filing a plunder case against Mike Arroyo, former DILG Sec. Ronnie Puno, General Jesus Verzosa and 27 police officers including six Generals.

It took some courage and deep devotion to duty to file criminal charges against fellow Generals and Mistahs. Wonder why Liberal Party Senator Frank Drilon criticized Pagdilao. This is one of the best proofs the P-Noy anti corruption drive is serious.

Good job, Gen. Pagdilao. The CIDG also deserves commendation for arresting the robber/rapist of 23 dentists.

* * *

9 KILLED IN 9 HOURS. . . Nine persons were killed in Quezon City and Marikina between 9 p.m. Sunday night and 6 a.m. Monday.

Al Cimatu, a lawyer at the Commission on Audit (COA) and his drinking companions Edwin Tating, an employee of Quezon City Hall and Napoleon Aquino were shot dead by three men in two motorcycles at an eatery at Santo Domingo St., Barangay Holy Spirit, QC. Two bystanders were hit by stray bullets. More than 30 bullet shells were found at the scene of the crime.

At the same time, construction worker Richard Acaso, 24, was shot dead at Barangay Pasong Tamo. Thirty minutes later, electrician Alvin Pumaren and Alvin Roque were shot dead by Francisco Vargas whom they tried to kill. Pumaren died in the hospital. Two hours later, a gunman arrived to retaliate and killed Randy Danao, a tenant of Vargas.

At around 5:30 a.m. Monday, Marcelino Saturinas Jr. was shot dead at Barangay Sta. Monica. At around 6 a.m., security guard Johnny Felipe was gunned down also again in crime ridden Quezon City.

In nearby Marikina, piggery owner Meldar Nepomuceno was shot dead when he refused to give up his earnings to five holduppers. His helper, Raciano de los Angeles, 29 was critically wounded.

Meanwhile in Angeles City, retired British policeman David Balmer, 54 and his live-in partner, Elma de Guia, 26 were shot dead inside their bedroom in Barangay Amsic.

Two security guards and three holduppers were killed in a bank robbery at the China Bank branch in Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City. In Iloilo, a grenade was lobbed and exploded at the new Bali Hotel.

NPA rebels continued their attacks wounding five policemen in an ambush in Caramoan, Catanduanes.

In Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Luisa Galvez Morrison, 34, wife of a Scottish national was kidnapped from her saloon, the second kidnapping of a woman married to a foreigner in that town recently.

With the deteriorated crime situation, how can tourists be encouraged to come? One major reason for the many crimes, it is easy to get a permit to carry a gun. Just pay P11,000.

What’s the Presidential Anti Organized Crime Commission doing, ES Jojo Ochoa?

* * *

CHALLENGE. . . MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ibrahim has gone on a PR campaign, giving interviews and giving press conferences. He has taken a hardline stance, insisting that all previous agreements must be respected, meaning the MOA-AD already struck down by the Supreme Court should be reinstated.

He has gone further by warning that if no peace deal is signed, “it is natural that we will go back to armed struggle.”

But how can P-Noy agree to a peace deal when they insist on creating a “substate”?. Firstly, you need a Constitutional amendment which is difficult to get.

The MILF is not negotiating in good faith since renegade Commander Ameril Umbra Kato has not been disciplined. The government should not negotiate under an expressed threat of war.

* * *

PANGASINAN NO. 1 IN HEALTH. . . Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. reports: “In line with our vision of Pangasinan as the “best place to invest, work, live and raise a family”, our strategic direction for health is: Pangasinan — Home of the Healthiest Filipino.

Consequently, since the start of our first term in June 2007, we embarked on a program to rehabilitate and upgrade our hospital facilities, with the ambitious goal to make our 14 provincial hospitals as the benchmark for hospital operations in Pangasinan.

Today, all our hospitals are fast gaining reputation as centers of excellence where ordinary people receive competent and affordable health care. As a result, all are operating way beyond their approved bed capacities, and we have to continually allocate supplemental funds to support their expanded operations.”

* * *

TIDBITS . . . A 21-foot crocodile weighing one ton was captured in Bunawan Agusan del Sur. How about the five-foot crocodiles in the Bureau of Customs?

Bachelor Congressman Roman Romulo, 41 (Lakas, Pasig) is courting Valenzuela Councilor Shalani Soledad. He said he is serious and wants to marry her.  Go for it, Councilor.

Last two minutes swings are going on the Customs zone.

Greetings to our readers Mayor Mel Mathay (he’s now 77), Al Tengco of Malolos, Liza Marcos, Marietta Santos, Susan Laudico, former Cong. Bojie Cabochan of Bulacan and Kaypee R. Pingol, Infotech founding chairman.