Down, down

When the GDP growth recorded a dismal 3.4 percent in the 2nd quarter, DBM Sec. Florencio Abad and Finance Sec. Cesar Purisima announced plans to step up fund releases in the 2nd half of the year, projecting a 4.6 percent growth for the whole year. DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson promised to speed up infrastructure projects.

What happened? The GDP growth rate went down further to 3.2 percent for the 3rd quarter. We are again at the bottom of the Asia list.

The bottom line: ineffective economic programs, slow government action, misguided cancellation of awarded contracts.

 The Aquino administration is now in the 18th month of its term. It certainly, cannot insist they are still reviewing and reforming economic policies and contracts. The flagship program PPP has not taken off. At DOTC, incumbent Sec. Mar Roxas cancelled all the projects approved by his predecessor Ping De Jesus. Everything is delayed including DPWH projects due to mass cancellation of projects.

Usec. Abigail Valte reiterates our lower GDP growth is affected by the external factors in the US and Europe. But, that sophomoric argument is refuted by the growth of our neighbors, namely 6.5 percent for Indonesia, 6.1 percent for Vietnam, 6.1 percent for Singapore and 5.8 percent for Malaysia who have the same US and Europe trading partners.

 The other bottom line: President Aquino needs a new economic team. The present team has missed their targets badly for 4 quarters. It’s time to give others a chance to run DOF, DTI, NEDA and DBM, 518 days of experimenting is enough. We don’t even have a tourism slogan to date.

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DOWN IN SPORTS, TOO. PSC Chairman Richie Garcia predicted a 3rd place finish with 75 gold medals in the Southeast Asian games in Palembang, Indonesia. As in the economy, we landed in 6th place near the bottom with only 36 gold medals.

Even small Singapore with a 5 million population compared to our 99 million got more gold medals and placed higher than us.

It’s time for sports officials also to resign and turnover the management of sports program to new younger leaders. 

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NO ECONOMIC EFFECT. . . After 3 quarters of implementation, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program costing P21.2 billion covering 2.3 million families has not helped stimulate economic activity or increase our GDP rate. The program should be suspended after completing one year in December to subject it to an honest to goodness assessment of its faults and leakages. Aquino ally, Professor Solita C. Monsod should head the review and assessment task force.

DANDING NOW OK. . . SMC Chairman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., 76, is now in good health having recovered from a rare heart disorder after two long operations in a San Francisco hospital using an Italian technique called ablation for treating arrythmia and 2 years of medical treatments. The problem was due to his heart emitting excessive electrical impulses which caused bleeding in his veins. It has been brought back to normal by the ablation. The ablation procedure is not available here.

Danding has left the day to day management of San Miguel Corporation which has expanded to the power and telecom sectors to the very competent CEO, Ramon Ang.

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OUTSTANDING GOVERNORS . . . Starting today we are featuring outstanding Governors among the 80 Governors of the country. We welcome submission of performance reports by all Governors. In the meantime, based on press reports and random interviews, these are the 1st three:

1. Governor Jericho “Icot” Petilla of Leyte — Education — A former Ateneo professor, he found only 17 percent of high school grads in Leyte go to college. He, therefore, revised a program teaching 4th year students skills to qualify them for jobs.

He trained high school students for IT jobs. To upgrade the quality of instruction, he hired private lecturers from local companies 4 hours TLE every week he personally handled.

He was awarded 5 times by the Philippine Hospital Association for outstanding contribution in improving and upgrading the equipment of his hospitals. Doctors are getting allowances as much as P165,000/mo.; 20 percent of hospital income goes to employees.

2. Governor Joey Salceda of Albay — He established effective protocols for disaster risk preparedness, early evacuation of residents of endangered areas and effectively reduced casualties during typhoons. He has wide climate adaptation programs. He has achieved universal PhilHealth coverage for all Albay residents spending P54 million a year.

He has a well targeted tourism program attracting 54,000 foreign tourists, higher than Camarines Sur. He has attracted investors who built luxury hotels in Legaspi.

He has achieved a one college graduate in every family program supporting 34,000 college scholars.

3. Governor Casimiro Ynares, Jr. of Rizal — He instituted fast and effective measures in dealing with the dengue epidemic in his province. He established 2 new hospitals. He put up the Pamantasan ng San Mateo Montalban, put up a 10th campus of the University of Rizal in Cainta, took personal control of anti crime efforts in Rizal, including a campaign against illegal drugs and revitalized a tourism program by holding dragon boat races at Jala-Jala.

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TIDBITS. . . News reports say President Aquino is keeping active his interest in Bais Mayor Karen Villanueva. 

President Erap offered the use of his Tanay rest house for GMA’s detention. It looks like she will be detained at V. Luna Medical Center or Philippine Orthopedic Hospital. 

Three Army soldiers of the 60th IB were killed in a landmine explosion in Paquibato, Davao City.

PO1 Gabriel Mandap of the Manila Police Department was accused of mauling a tricycle driver to death who had accosted him of urinating in the street.

Former Cong. Mark Cojuangco defended his father very capably in an interview with Karen Davila on ANC. He’s an intelligent guy. He should go back to Congress.