Open and transparent

President Benigno S. Aquino III led 40 world leaders headed by US President Barack Obama and Brazil President Vilma Rouseff in calling for open and transparent governance. That’s significant.

Here comes Bishop Broderick Pabillo challenging President Aquino to set the example by endorsing the Freedom of Information bill (FOI). They have such a law in the US, UK and Australia.

Open and transparent governance means that all government offices and documents must be open to examination by the public, especially mass media. It will greatly help the anti corruption drive of the President.

The Administration must be more open and permissive to protests, demonstrations of students, poor squatters and transport groups.

Mendiola Street must also be opened up as a freedom park for all who wish to shout their voices at Malacañang.

Public hearings and consultations all over the country must be conducted on important issues such as the MILF/Phl peace talks, the RH bill and high prices. Malacañang never held consultations on the postponement of the ARMM elections or the clamor for the repeal of the VAT on gasoline and diesel and on toll fees.

Walk the talk, Mr. President.  

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WELCOME NEWS . . . President Aquino said in Tokyo that some corrupt officials of the GMA Administration would be convicted by next year.

“With a little cooperation from the judiciary, we may be able to jail those people who committed sins and hold them responsible so they will not be emulated,” Aquino told his audience of Filipinos.

He mentioned specifically the Pagcor coffee deal and the PNP overpriced purchase of used choppers. The first involved former Pagcor Chairman Ephraim Genuino. The second involved First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and 27 PNP officers.

President Aquino’s 2012 jail target can be achieved only if DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima, Sol Gen Jose Anselmo Cadiz and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales do their jobs more speedily.

Convictions may be secured at trial level at the Sandiganbayan level which is notorious also for delays in deciding cases, but appeals to the Supreme Court will take as much as five years. It is doubtful if FG or anybody will be jailed by 2015.

President Aquino’s statement is welcome as it should put some fire beneath the seats of the officials so mentioned.

Another welcome news from Malacañang is the order to declassify all DBP documents regarding involvement of P17 billion in alleged anomalous loans and transactions entered into by DBP officials headed by President Reynaldo David, Chairman Patricia Sto. Tomas, Executive VP Edgardo Garcia, DBP Governors Franklin Velarde, Ramon Durano IV, Joseph Pangilinan, Miguel Romero, Alexander Magno, Floro Oliveros, Renato Velasco and 14 DBP officials.

BIR Comm. Kim Henares should conduct a lifestyle check on these officials. Many of them now own Makati and Taguig luxury condominiums and cars.

One relevant observation, why did the Bangko Sentral turn a blind eye on these DBP abuses? Were they also bribed?

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BUKO JUICE. . . President Aquino was surprised to see the big demand for buko juice in the United States. He even brought home 2 samples of the buko juice in tetrapacks.

Hello! Where have you been, sir? Buko juice has been a big export to Taiwan and China. Locally, buko vendors are all over. It has also been manufactured as a bottled drink.

Why has it not been exported to the US? Ask the businessmen!

Is there enough supply estimated to justify the big investment? There’s the big problem of collecting the juice. Did we try to get US Food and Drug Administration and US Department of Agriculture approvals? Ask the Department of Trade. Did the Philippine Embassy in Washington bring it up?

It took us more than 20 years to get mangoes into the US. Where’s the Philippine Coconut Authority (PHILCOA) on this issue? What is the updated number of coconut trees, considering the big number being cut for coco lumber?

Thailand captured the US market ahead of us as they did in patis and mango juice. The Thais have developed a superior process for packaging the buko juice.

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RH UPDATE. . . Senators Serge Osmeña and Ping Lacson have threatened to withdraw their support for the RH bill if potential risks on artificial birth control measures would include the possibility of abortion.

Openly against the bill are Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Majority Leader Tito Sotto, Senators Aquilino Koko Pimentel III and Gregorio Honasan. Senator Tito Sotto charged that the Family Planning Foundation of the Philippines received $600,000 from the International Planned Parenthood Federation for nurturing legislators. He said the P35 billion being appropriated for contraceptives could be put to better use starting with P500 million for state universities and colleges.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will now co-sponsor the measure in place of Sen. Miriam D. Santiago who is on leave.

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NPAs ON THE RAMPAGE . . . The NPAs burned 12 Victory Liner buses in Capas, Tarlac. After raids in Mobo, Masbate, Caramoan, Catanduanes, Labo, Camarines Norte and Guinobatan, Albay, NPA rebels ambushed a truck of the 49th IB at Bulan, Sorsogon killing PFC Julius Rodriguez and wounding six others. The next day, they attacked the Barcelona Town police station wounding two policemen. That’s five out of six provinces in the Bicol region on fire.

PFC Rommel Mausiwagon and CAFGU member Ortega Carion were killed in an ambush by NPA rebels in Paquibato district, Davao City.

They attacked an ethanol plantation in Isabela and burned tractors. PFC Jessie Camacho of the 5th IB was killed in a clash with NPA rebels in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. Why is the Aquino Administration not demanding a truce while the peace talks are going on? And are the AFP and PNP caught offguard by all these raids including others in Agusan, Davao, Compostela Valley, Surigao, Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan?

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Greetings to Sen. Loren Legarda, Sec. Agnes Devanadera and Cong. Kimi Cojuangco.