13 DBP officials dismissed

The Ombudsman has dismissed 13 DBP officials in connection with the grant of behest loans to businessman Bobby Ongpin.

In a 54-page decision signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, the Ombudsman found him liable for administrative offenses, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service, former senior vice president and chief operating officer Edgardo Garcia; former DBP directors Benedicto Ernesto Bitonio Jr., Alexander Magno, Renato Velasco, Franklin Velarde, former SEVP Jesus Guevarra II; former vice president Crescencia Bondoc, former AVP Teresita Tolentino, Branch Banking manager Arturo Baliton, chief accounts specialist Nelson Macatlang and asst. manager Warren de Guzman.

In the past, several other DBP officials were accused of paying themselves excessive allowances.

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4th BOUT . . The 4th Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight is scheduled for Sunday morning (Philippine time) at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao challenged Marquez to come out and fight and said he will go for a knockout this time.

Pacquiao is expected to weigh in at 145 lbs. Marquez at 142 or 143.

The loser of this fight will probably retire.

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PREVIOUS WARNINGS .. Typhoon Pablo left more than 500 dead, 377 missing and 200,000 homeless mostly in New Bataan and Monkayo in Compostela Valley and Baganga, Cateel and Boston in Davao Oriental. Many of the dead were banana and coconut farmers.

What went wrong? The usual explanation is that the victims ignored warnings to evacuate. Another reason was the specific announcement that Pablo would hit Surigao del Sur, especially Ginatilan and may have lulled residents of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley into thinking they were not in the typhoon path.

As always, search and rescue efforts were hampered by blocked roads, fallen trees, lack of personnel and equipment. Even body bags were inadequate. DOH had to airlift 320 from Manila.

It is clear that preparations were inadequate for the surprising large number of deaths and NDRRMC Executive Director Benito Ramos even talked of a zero casualty target.

Calls for review of preparations have been aired in Congress.

Yes, it may be time to create a better NDRRMC.

Vice President Jojo Binay was among the first to visit the areas. President Aquino flew to New Bataan and Boston yesterday.

The Air force and the Navy are shipping relief goods to the area as ABS-CBN conducted its own relief operations.

President Aquino said P8 billion in calamity funds would be made available.

The biggest problem now appears to be housing for the 200,000 homeless. The other big problem is the damage to agriculture.

It is clear that while NDRRMC issued advance warnings a few days before, the people did not listen and did not evacuate. Clearly, the local officials failed to communicate the warnings properly.

For New Bataan, Gov. Arturo Uy reported that a water impounding dam on the mountain side gave way.

All the buildings in New Bataan including the municipal building and gymnasium were damaged. All houses were destroyed and there is no building available as an evacuation center.

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VOTE ON WEDNESDAY . . After 14 years, the RH bill will finally be put to vote next on Wednesday, Dec. 12 as both sides agreed to close the period of amendments by that time.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said that he and other opponents agreed to vote on Dec. 12 since it is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn.

Rodriguez predicted that 136 would vote to reject the RH bill and 95-100 voting to approve.

Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales predicted the bill will be approved by a slim margin.

Amendments by Reps. Lani Mercado and Amado Bagatsing were however voted down.

Malacañang expressed confidence that the bill would be passed by both houses of Congress.

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BUDGET OK . . Both Houses of Congress ratified the P2.06 trillion national budget for 2013 with DepEd getting the biggest allocation of P293 billion or P70 billion higher than 2012.

The P45 billion CCT was also approved and DPWH got P152 billion.

DND and DILG got P121 billion each.

Agriculture got only P78 billion. It should have gotten more, especially for irrigation projects and farm to market roads.

Malacañang is confident that it will raise enough revenues to cover the budget.

ADB, IMF and UP economists have recommended a P700 billion budget for DPWH to create more jobs. With only P152 billion, the job creation is again expected to produce only about 1.1 million jobs.

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AS EXPECTED . . The Bicam on the Sin Tax bill has made progress with the target collections lowered from P40 billion to P35 billion.

The Senate version has set the allocation at 60% for tobacco and 40% for liquor.

The Bicam agreed on a 70-30 formula.

The Bicameral conference committee is headed by Sen. Franklin Drilon for the Senate and Rep. Isidro Ungab for the House.

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TIDBITS . . .While the number of typhoon victims continued to increase, President Aquino made a pitch for his cousin Bam Aquino’s candidacy in a speech before “TAYO youth leaders in Malacañang.

Pinay maids in Morocco complained of rape and abuse at a presscon in Rabat.

Newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen has been assigned to handle the plunder case vs. President Arroyo.

Happy birthday greetings to Col. Art Castillo.

Greetings to avid readers Mayor Lemuel Cipriano Concepcion of Romblon; Mayor Joel Payumo of Dinalupihan, Bataan; Mayor Zenaida Gomez of Sofronio Espanola, Palawan; Mayor Tess Vistan of Plaridel, Bulacan; Mayor Lorna Silverio of San Rafael, Bulacan; Mayor Agnes Dycoco of Uban, Albay; Mayor Dennis Go of Gerona, Tarlac; Mayor Dennis Legaspi, Mayor Narciso Leoncio of Brookes Point, Palawan.