Thank God it’s over

We should be thankful that the deadliest year in Philippine history is ending. It is the deadliest year on record for the presidency.

Let’s look forward to a more peaceful new year and less calamitous year. Let us hope the Philippine National Police (PNP) does a better job of fighting crime and illegal drugs.

The year is ending with a tremendous drug problem that is very much in the news, with international syndicates operating here as shown by the busting of the Mexican Sinaloa drug syndicate in Lipa City.

Kidnappings in Mindanao are also continuing, with Sulu, Zamboanga, and Cotabato as centers of kidnapping, in addition to Metro Manila.

We reiterate our oft-repeated suggestion that 50,000 policemen be hired to augment the present weak force of the PNP.

We are also ending the year without achieving self-sufficiency in rice and with rice prices at an all-time high. As pointed out earlier, rice smuggling is going on in huge quantities. Our spate of 24 typhoons has reduced our rice harvest.

Rehabilitation efforts for victims of typhoons Sendong, Pablo, Santi, Yolanda, and the Zamboanga siege are going on at a slow pace. Last Dec. 22, President Aquino visited New Bataan, Compostela Valley to turn over only one hundred houses.

Only 20,000 houses

The National Housing Authority (NHA) has a program to build 20,000 houses in Tacloban in 2014. It plans to build 20,000 more in 2015 and 20,000 more in 2018. NHA needs P15 billion to build the 60,000 houses.

        It is estimated that for Eastern Visayas, there is a need to build 300,000 homes. The estimate of houses in Zamboanga City to be rebuilt is also at 100,000. For Davao Oriental, only 3,000 houses are being built. The estimate of total housing units needed is three million.

NHA will have to get more funds to speed up the process.

Surprise

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in December reported that President Aquino has retained a +49 net satisfaction rating, despite a 21% record in dissatisfied respondents.

He dropped from +38 to +22 for Metro Manila, but he improved for the rest of the country.

I am sorry to say, I don’t believe the SWS results. To say the least, his ratings did not improve.

“Mr.T” identified

Customs insiders and former Abono congressman Rosendo So have identified “Mr. T” as “David Tan” as the kingpin of rice smuggling. He has reportedly established strong connections with top Malacañang officials during the Arroyo administration, which has continued to the present.

Estimates rise as high as P6-10 billion being made by the rice smugglers, with a syndicate of Customs employees controlling rice importation, and also in connivance with NFA officials.

The smuggled rice passed through the Ports of Manila, Cebu and Subic. The corruption at Customs, especially in connection with rice smuggling, is dramatic proof that corruption has even increased under the Aquino administration.

Petilla keeps his word

Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla kept his word of honor that he would resign if he was not able to restore electricity to Eastern Visayas by Dec. 24. He missed his target by not restoring electricity in three towns of Eastern Samar: Guiuan, Mercedes, and Salcedo.

That’s 98% performance. It is therefore right that President Aquino refused to accept his resignation. Petilla is a no-nonsense executive. Actually, he runs a highly successful IT company.

We consider Secretary Petilla a very good cabinet member. As expected, President Aquino rejected his resignation.

Pangasinan helps Dulag

Governor Amado Espino Jr. sent a 113-man team to help rebuild Dulag, Leyte last Dec. 13.

Provincial Board Member Clemente Arboleda Jr. headed the relief team. He said, “Because of what I saw there, I learned to pray and continued to pray that Pangasinan will not suffer a disaster of that magnitude.”

The Pangasinan contingent was composed of doctors and nurses, construction workers and engineers, who travelled to Dulag by land, in a nine-vehicle convoy.

They rebuilt nine classrooms, which was turned over to Mayor Manuel Sia Que.

Cebu and Paranaque give seniors cash

Cebu City under Mayor Mike Rama has overtaken Makati in giving more cash gifts to seniors.

Sixty thousand registered senior citizens have received P8,000 each, with another P2,000 due to complete the 10,000 promised by Mayor Rama.

Mayor Edwin Olivares of Parañaque announced the implementation of a cash transfer of P1,000 each for 50,000 seniors.

No CCTV cameras at NAIA 3

After three and a half years of the Aquino administration, it has failed to install CCTV cameras at busy NAIA 3, where a triple murder just happened.

There have been three DOTC secretaries. No one took effort to install CCTV cameras. Sad, but it is true. What did the airport security police do during the Talumpa shooting? Nothing. A witness said they ran away.

Year-end crimes

So far, there are six reported cases of injuries due to indiscriminate firing of guns.

A pregnant woman was shot dead in Cotabato City.

Raquel Ricafrente, a floating appraiser of Tambunting Pawnshop in Makati was shot dead by riding-in-tandem holduppers when she resisted giving up her payroll bag of P400,000.

Ex-tanod Joel Lualhati was shot dead in Quezon City.

Pirates attacked a fishing boat in Zamboanga Sibugay, killing nine and wounding two.

Two policemen engaged in a shootout in a KTV bar in Caloocan. One dead.

Thieves robbed a pawnshop in Baguio City.

Caesar Villanueva of Matahimik Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City has lost worth P1.8 million in watches and jewelry to burglars.

Donnabelle Gamayon, 30, was stabbed to death by his live-in partner butcher Alberto Balde in Barangay Pasong Putik in Quezon City.

Barangay Kagawad Rolly Viloria, 52, was shot dead in Naguilian, Isabela

Tidbits

Happy birthday to Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. who celebrated his 77th birthday, Thursday night at his Forbes Park residence.

December inflation is predicted to be at a two-year high due to higher electricity, gasoline and LPG, and food prices.

There have been 150 fires so far this holiday season.

The TPLEx is another Ramon S. Ang project. San Miguel profit is up 44% to P39 billion.

Frank Evaristo has been elected president of the Manila Rotary Club. Congratulations.

Mayor Joseph Estrada unveiled a new statue of Mayor Arsenio Lacson in front of city hall in Manila.

Condolence to Vilma Mathay and the children of Mayor Mel Mathay who passed away on Christmas day.

Greetings to Gomer and Lee Amurao, Ramon and Ellen Licup, Cristy Salamat, Edwin and Claire Calanog, Nongnong and Angeli Calanog, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Noel and Elma Calanog, Joey and Julie Lim, and Ambassador Antonio Cabangon Chua.