Senate obeys Aquino

Let us see what happens. The sin tax bill has been approved by the Senate by a 15-2 vote.

With Malacañang controlling the House of Representatives, there is no doubt it will also breeze thru the Bicameral Conference Committee. After all the House had approved earlier their version which will raise P33 billion which is not far from the P40 billion Senate version.

The question now is: will it reduce smoking? That remains to be seen. My guess is it will not. The additional tax on cigarettes for 2013 is only P12 per pack. Smokers can well afford that. I doubt even more if it will reduce drinking as it is a vice that is hard to stop. We need more alcoholic anonymous programs.

If smoking and drinking will not be reduced, then the projected P40 billion revenue can be attained. We have the consolation and hope that health services will then improve. Sen. Ralph Recto introduced good amendments to earmark funds for all hospitals, regional, provincial and district. They certainly need new equipment to begin with.

It looks like President Aquino has gained control of both Houses of Congress. 

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PDEA IN A RUT . . DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima announced the investigation of former Deputy Director General Carlos Gadapan.

The DOJ is also set to conduct the preliminary investigation of charges against the 2 former Directors General and 18 PDEA agents for corruption.

This picture tells the story of why drug dealing and drug use remains uncontrolled.

PDEA has revealed an initial list of 53 politicians involved in drug dealing and protection.

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OVERCHARGING . . The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has ordered Smart, Globe and Sun telcos to refund P1.42 billion in overcharged text fees.

The NTC had ordered in December 2011 the 3 telcos to reduce text rates from P1 to P.80 per text for those sent from one network to another.

There’s overcharging in electric bills. There’s unauthorized collection in water bills and now telephone bills.

It looks like big businesses have no respect for government regulations.

This is sad.

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SOMETHING’S WRONG . . Thursday morning, last week, around 7 a.m., a MRT train conked out near the Magallanes station. Passengers were told to vacate the train causing complaints from the riders going to work.

This MRT breakdown is happening so often now. Something’s wrong in the management of MRT. Maybe, a change is in order.

Attention Sec. Jun Abaya. 

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CHEAPER . . The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Inc. (FFCCCI) has built 5,000 2-room school buildings throughout the country.

Three such buildings were turned over to Tacloban City schools last Monday on the occasion of the 1st death anniversary of former Tacloban Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc. officer Jimmy Yaokasin.

Antonio Cosing, FFCCCI vice president informed us that it only cost P370,000 per 2-room school building and takes only 15 days to build.

DepEd Sec. Armin Luistro should allocate part of his school building funds to local contractors and also to FFCCCI. Sen. Drilon has built more than 500 school buildings thru FFCCCI.

Among those who joined the ribbon cutting and turnover ceremony were Councilor Cristina Gonzales Romualdez, Councilor Sambo Yaokasim, DepEd Usec. Rizalino Rivera, School Superintendent Mariza Magan, DepEd Regional Officer Dr. Rebecca Ragrag, Jimjim Yaokasin and Carmen Yaokasin, widow of the late Jimmy Yaokasin.

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SAD PICTURE . . A UNICEF/WHO report said 30% of Philippine households have no toilets. That’s about 26 million Filipinos. It has become a major cause of disease especially in the rural areas where drinking water is contaminated.

NSO also reported that 20% of Filipinos defacate in the open.

Michael Emerson Gnilo, UNICEF specialist for water, sanitation and hygiene warned the lack of toilet facilities could lead to the development of diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, parasitic worms and infections especially children.

This report validates previous findings that there is a lot of poverty in the population. They can’t afford to put up a toilet.

This is a problem for the Department of Health, DILG, DepEd and local government units. It’s also a good but simple project for NGOs like Habitat for Humanity to sponsor.

It does not cost that much to put up a toilet in the rural areas but of course, there is the related problem of lack of water.

The DepEd should expedite its program to build toilets in every school building. That should help solve part of the problem.

Barangay halls should open their toilets to the public also.

Municipal Mayors should build more public toilets.  

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TIDBITS . . . Hooray! The escalators at the NAIA Terminal 3 are working.

Fifteen more policemen and firemen have been sacked for involvement in the Aman Futures Trading scam.

So far, the President has not certified the RH bill as urgent.

A BPI employee was choked to death with a scarf in Valenzuela City.

Akbayan and Bayan Muna have been approved by Comelec as qualified party list groups.

Manuel Co has been sacked as OIC Director of the Bureau of Corrections.

The Bicameral Conference Committee has agreed on a final version of the Kasambahay bill. It fixes a P2,500 minimum pay for domestic helpers in the National Capital Region.

Greetings to avid readers: Tor Vibar and Hector Go of Radio Diwa in Tacloban, James Garganera of Minglanilla, Cebu, Francis Batula of Magic radio of Tacloban, Berber Metras of Love radio of Tacloban, Director Pete Noval Jr. of DILG Tacloban, Guiller Delfin of UP Tacloban, Provincial Board Members Generoso Tulagan Jr., Raul Sison, Jeremy Rosario and Von Mark Mendoza of Pangasinan.

Happy birthday greetings to Cecille Oppen and Karen Davila.