Floods everywhere

It looks like the flood problem has worsened as simple downpours flooded Manila, Malabon, Valenzuela, Dagupan, Cotabato, Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna and other parts of the country. Even Rep. Manny Pacquiao rushed home to help flood victims in Glan, Sarangani.

What happened to the much touted flood control systems built with billions in Metro Manila?

Poor school children in some areas in Malabon, Navotas and Tondo have to study in flooded classrooms.

What is doubly deplorable is the fact that in some parts of Mindanao the floods stay for months. Perennial problem crying for solution. 

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GOV’T WATCH ON PCOS . . With the Supreme Court allowing the purchase of PCOS machine by Comelec, Raul T. Concepcion of Government Watch strongly suggests measures to address the following:

1. “Presence of prohibited console port in the PCOS machines which will allow for easy unsecured access to the machine’s operating system.

2. The absence of crucial identifying digital signatures making it impossible to verify the source of transmitted results.

3. Ineffectiveness of the ultra violet sensor lamps allowing the use of non-security ballot paper.

4. Incorrect date and time stamps making an effective audit trail virtually impossible.

5. Various bugs and flaws in the system software.”

But also critical is the implementation of electronic voter registration using biometrics. The new registration of voters in ARMM area should now be held. An estimated 1 million ghost voters in Mindanao must be stricken off the voters list. 

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MAR OBJECTS? . . House LP members have expressed opposition to the projected appointment of Sen. Ping Lacson to the Cabinet. It has been reported that Ping will take over the DILG portfolio, easing out LP stalwart Jesse Robredo. They suggest an anti-crime post or the Bureau of Customs for him.

The Liberals cannot afford to lose the DILG post as it is crucial to the chances of LP candidates for local positions in 2013. Robredo has been releasing funds to friendly mayors.

Meanwhile, talks persist that Sec. Mar Roxas may run for Congressman in the 1st District of Capiz, to bid for the Speakership post.

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HOUSING SCANDAL . . The Commission on Audit has disallowed the turnover of 180 houses in the LRT funded resettlement project in Cavite in 2009 under President Arroyo and Gov. Ayong Maliksi.

The 2,000 squatters are supposed to be relocated for which P500 million was released to build 2,000 houses of 22 sq. meter each for them at a cost of P250,000 each.

The project as it stands built only 180 homes instead of 2,000 resulting in a fantastic cost of P115,000 per sq. meter or P2.9 million per house.

The distraught squatter leaders are set to file a case before the Ombudsman. 

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CHIEF JUSTICE CONTEST . . The nomination for Chief Justice supposed to close on Monday was extended to July 2, with a total of 45 persons submitted to the JBC so far. The latest nominees are Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe, Gilbert Teodoro, Rene Saguisag and Ronnie Zamora.

Among the “outsiders” there is no one who stands out in intelligence, experience and management expertise.

That is why majority of observers tend to favor an insider to be appointed to the post. Leading candidate among 9 Associate Justices nominated are Antonio Carpio, Arturo Brion, Roberto Abad and Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Former Senator Rene A.V. Saguisag endorsed Justice Roberto Abad because he will retire in 2 years and could serve as a “Transition CJ.” My good friends Jonathan dela Cruz and Ed Dulay have endorsed Teddy “Boy” Locsin for the CJ post.

The principal accusation against CJ Corona was his subservience to President Gloria Macapagal. Thus we hope that the new Chief Justice will not be subservient to the President again.

The JBC plans to submit its shortlist to the President by July 30. That’s too late. It should be submitted before the SONA.

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BAN ON PHILIPPINE SEAMEN . . The European Union (EU) has deferred for at least a year the ban on Filipino seamen on EU registered ships.

While we recently lauded the excellent training given at Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific, the EU found deficiencies in other maritime institutions, among them, the Philippine Maritime Institute (PMI).

President Aquino issued Executive Order 73 transferring the Marina to the Central Maritime Authority and transferred the responsibility to it for supervising maritime training institutions from DOLE and CHED. The EU threat of blacklisting of Filipino seamen was triggered by the issuance of a temporary restraining order by a Quezon City RTC Judge on the closure of maritime courses at the Philippine Maritime Institute.

The Central Maritime Authority (CMA) must now work double time to close down maritime education schools that are producing inferior and unqualified seamen. 

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TIDBITS . . . Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado has called for the repair of the aging Bustos Dam in Bulacan. Angat dam is due for repairs but the project is pending at NEDA.

Toshiba Information Philippines (TIP) has adopted five sections of the Banawe Rice Terraces. Toshiba gave P20,000 each to the farmers repairing its adopted sections. Ifugao Gov. Eugene Balitang is asking the government to allocate P200 million to rehabilitate the rice terraces.

The Philippine STAR sponsored a successful job fair at SM Mega Mall last Tuesday and Wednesday — 10,000 job applicants came.

Fourteen show cause orders has been issued against Bureau of Immigration agents for smuggling of Filipinos to Syria.

CJ Renato Corona defense Lawyer Rico Quicho is running for Congress in the 1st District of Bataan. Graduating Cong. Abet Garcia is running for Governor. His prospective opponent is Vice Governor Efren Pascual Jr. who has the backing of Cong. Herminia Roman. Hermosa town Mayor Danilo Malaca has switched support from the Roman group to the group of Gov. Tet Garcia.