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Opinion

Two promising future bills

PERSPECTIVE - The Philippine Star

Is the Philippines so short of true sincere leaders, for decades, the same families have practically lorded it over many parts of this country? Many have overstayed their stay in the political world. Many have also shortchanged their constituents but the overstaying, abusive political families do not mind. Public service was never, is not, and will never be their real goal anyway. Gold, guns, goons have been attached to these groups. Rather than be banned and punished for their abuses and overstay, they have remained, in general, untouchable.

The proposal for a “Kontra Dynasty” movement of an unknown senatorial candidate, Ricardo Penson, a 60-year old road building contractor, is worth reflection, consideration, and support. It will be a long shot, certainly, to even get that bill considered by Congress that has been dominated as well by political dynasties. A small serious step, however, if sustained and supported, can go a long way, and who knows, may yet see the end of the unwanted political dynasties in this country?

Groups can be formed to study how to remove political dynasties in this country. Abusive officials should be exposed – their anomalies publicly divulged. Constituents need to be vigilant about project fund allocation and implementation and use all channels, including social media, to expose the anomalies, to weed the bad from the good, the insincere from the sincere public officials. There must be countless creative ways to beat the system of public fund abuse in this country. Shall we all unite together and start to be proactive in reclaiming public funds and having these truly channeled and used for the good of the most needy and disadvantaged among our people?

Another related positive step along this way to transparent, honest and responsive governance is the proposal of former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros, now a senatorial candidate, to have the pork barrel of Congress abolished.

About time to really seriously disallow senators from automatically getting P150 million each and the representatives, P70 million each. So much public funds really have not been used for our needy. There would have been no poor anymore or their numbers reduced by now had all those in Congress really, sincerely, honestly used their pork barrel funds especially for genuine countrywide development.

Again, can we unite to disseminate how each and every pork barrel recipient in Congress used their pork barrel and whether these allocations have been completely and honestly liquidated by each and every recipient?

Is it possible to show, through social media and other channels, any link between the level and degree of poverty and lack of development per area represented by those in Congress? Is there any way to check whether the recipients have guaranteed food, jobs, shelter, health, education and other welfare services to their constituents? It would be nice to have local and national officials subjected to a transparent public accounting system to expose the abusive and to reward the sincere public officials.

Oh, if only we had more honest people in government, there will be so much good and promise for our people, for our country. Surely, there are more good, honest and sincere people in our country than the abusive? Shall these good people please start to scatter the seeds of goodness and honesty in our country soonest? Shall we start the movements for anti-dynasty and anti pork barrel soonest?

***

Email: [email protected].

AKBAYAN

BARREL

CONGRESS

COUNTRY

GOOD

IS THE PHILIPPINES

KONTRA DYNASTY

PEOPLE

PUBLIC

RICARDO PENSON

RISA HONTIVEROS

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