EDITORIAL - Presidential scolding

By now people should be used to seeing President Aquino scolding government employees or complaining about the private sector whenever he is asked to speak at anniversary celebrations and similar events. He has done this with, among others, the Bureau of Customs, the Filipino-Chinese federation, and several media outlets.

The President apparently considers such events a good opportunity to candidly express his thoughts on matters involving his hosts. Instead of resenting the candor, the criticism can be viewed in a constructive light. For government agencies, any presidential scolding should be seen as a challenge to improve their performance.

The other day the National Irrigation Administration became the latest agency to get a presidential dressing down. NIA officials who do not want to be identified reportedly groused that the President was a “killjoy” for the scolding on the 50th anniversary celebration of the agency. But the President raised some valid observations that caused his disappointment with the NIA.

After several promises made in public, it looks like the President will not be able to achieve his target of ending Philippine rice importations this year and even making the country an exporter of the staple. Apparently, the Department of Agriculture pinned much of the blame on insufficient irrigation. For its part, the NIA blamed Typhoon Pablo for the failure to meet targets.

Malacañang noted yesterday that Pablo struck Mindanao only in December and the explanation was unacceptable. Palace officials also pointed out that NIA accomplishments since 2001 have been below par. Speaking at the anniversary event, the President singled out the Balog-Balog Irrigation Project in his home province of Tarlac, which he said was conceptualized way back when his mother Corazon was the chief executive. To this day there has been no groundbreaking for the project, the President lamented.

NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel, who bore the brunt of the presidential scolding, said at the anniversary that only 12,000 hectares needed irrigation to make the country self-sufficient in rice by the end of the year. If Nangel and his agency don’t want another presidential dressing down on their 51st anniversary, the best option is to ensure that their irrigation target is achieved.