22 big problems

President Noynoy Aquino has to work overtime in 2012 if he is to meet the expectations of the people and fulfill his election promises. The following problems are crying for solutions:

1. Lack of jobs; 3 million unemployed; 8 million underemployed. He promised to create 10 million jobs in 6 years or 1.6 million a year;

2. High prices of food and other basic necessities including rice, sugar, cooking oil, gasoline, LPG, pork, chicken, fish and vegetables;

3. Petty corruption in the bureaucracy including kotong cops;

4. Criminality all over the country with an epidemic of riding in tandem murders;

5. Environmental enforcement including assurance of clean air, clean water and adequately coping with the challenges of climate change;

6. Bad roads aggravated by the slow pace of construction of roads and bridges all over the country, with money being siphoned off by corrupt officials and contractors;

7. Lack of 66,000 classrooms, 112,000 teachers, lack of computers and IT equipment in elementary schools;

8. Deterioration of education resulting in low scores in national achievement tests, high dropout rate and only 20 out of 100 grade school students entering high school;

9. Lack of basic health services in rural areas with poorly understaffed government hospitals with old equipment and lack of medicines;

10. Lack of progress in the peace process with the MILF and the CPP/NPA/NDF. NPA attacks have stepped up nationwide.

11. The very serious problem of illegal drug use and drug dealing corrupting a wide swat of local officials and police officers.

Other pressing problems include:

1. Inadequate and poor airport services earning for NAIA I the title of the worst airport in the world. NAIA 3 is not yet fully operational;

2. Lack of potable water in many rural areas. Wells are drying up. Prices of bottled water have gone up;

3. Lack of transportation facilities in the rural areas with the high cost of gasoline and poor farm to market roads. Sea transportation besides being expensive is unsafe;

4. Unbridled population growth rate with the population now reaching 100 million;

5. Lack of post harvest facilities and insufficient irrigation systems;

6. Lack of electricity in 30% of the barangays;

7. Lack of potable water in many areas;

8. Lack of equipment in the AFP and also in the PNP;

9. Slow pace of legislature and judicial reform with backlogs throughout the court system;

10. A very bad jail system with frequent escapes happening and corruption pervading the jail management authorities;

11. Deterioration and shameful performances in Philippine sports, placing 6th in the last Southeast Asian Games.

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TIME CONSUMING. . .3 cases occupied most of President Aquino’s time this year - that of President Arroyo, Chief Justice Corona and Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Everything else had a lower priority. Many decisions are pending in Malacañang. As former Sec. Gary Teves opined, the low economic growth rate can be improved if President Aquino gave the same attention and focus to the economy that he gave the 3 aforementioned cases.

But Wick Veloso, HSBC country managing director said: “Where will the growth come from?” Even government spending will take 9 months to a year to be felt, according to Aquino ally, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda.

The problem is, of course, compounded by the slowdown of the economies of the US and Europe. But, all our neighboring countries have coped with that external factor quite satisfactorily well. Let’s study what Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have done.

The economic team needs additional heads to come up with better ideas.

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OUTSTANDING SENATORS. . .Out of 23 Senators, 5 have stood out in their performance for 2011. They are:

1. Senator T.G. Guingona, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee;

2. Senator Jinggoy Estrada for finding good witnesses for the Blue Ribbon investigations;

3. Senator Serge Osmeña for his significant questioning of witnesses in the DBP behest loan cases;

4. Senator Frank Drilon for his handling of the budget and for his regular attendance at Blue Ribbon hearings;

5. Senator Francis Escudero for his regular presence at hearings and presscons giving erudite opinions.

Congratulations! Job well done.

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IGNORED. . .Secretaries Voltaire Gazmin and Jessie Robredo were warned by the Climate Change Congress of the Philippines (CCCP) headed by Archbishop Antonio Ledesma of the impending disaster in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and other vulnerable areas but, they ignored the warnings.

The CCCP scientists urged President Aquino to put in place an integrated watershed management program immediately and decisively instead of a “narrow and selective rehabilitation initiative”.

“The reality is we all live in a watershed,” said Archbishop Ledesma. The CCCP identified 24 most vulnerable provinces especially Samar and Leyte.

Cabinet Members, wake up.

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TIDBITS. . . AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Jesus Dellosa also visited CDO and Iligan to distribute relief goods. He helicoptered relief to mountain barangays of Iligan.

The hard task of building new homes for the typhoon victims has begun. CDO Mayor Vicente Emano has identified a 6-hectare relocation site, but so far there is no money to build the houses. President Aquino should immediately release the amount needed from the calamity fund. The Red Cross and Gawad Kalinga can help.

One problem brought up by the CDO/Iligan situation is the high price of bottled water because under present law, it is not considered a basic necessity.

Gov. Toto Mangudadatu brought 3.5 tons of tilapia together with mobile clinics to Cagayan de Oro.

BSP Gov. Amado Tetangco said there is no real estate bubble, but the market is flooded with condominium units for sale.

A pawnshop in Las Piñas was held up. The robbers got away with P800,000. PO3 Robert Disipulo shot dead a fellow policeman in Aritao, Nueva Viscera.

Congratulations to Calapan Mayor Paulino Seachon for his TOYM award.

Happy New Year, good health and God’s blessings to all our readers and friends!