Gold smuggling unabated despite Paje’s warnings

How does our government treat senior citizens? Three letters from readers (sent while I was on recent medical leave) answer the question.

From Amanda Sison, Valle Verde-5, Pasig City: “City Hall has a new rule on processing the Pamaskong Handog benefits. It recalled the seniors’ Blue Cards as a requirement before the gift distribution. This supposedly was to change the pictures of the ex-mayor with that of the present one. Well and good, we complied. This morning (Dec. 20) we got word that we have to retrieve personally our new cards from City Hall — and have only today to do so. We seniors cannot just up and leave the house anytime; we need to plan our trips precisely because of our age. Why give us such a tight schedule? And what happens to the Pamaskong Handog that were not given out because of the recipients’ failure to get back their cards? Warning: do not forget that seniors are still voters.”

From Marlio Siojo Romero, Pilar Village, Las Piñas City: “I am emailing you out of frustration with the way the Social Security System is treating retirees like me. I recently applied for lump-sum pension, after decades of religiously paying my contributions as a salary man. I submitted all the documentary requirements last April. Up to now they are still manually reviewing my record of contributions. How long will that take? And the SSS officers have the temerity to collect million-peso performance bonuses.”

From Estela Albay, Makati City: “I am a 73-year-old widow, living with my mom who celebrated her 100th birthday last Sept. 14. I read in the papers that Congress enacted the grant of P100,000 cash gift plus  some privileges to every new centenarian. But the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs at City Hall said the President vetoed the measure. Is that true, why? As a Makati resident since 1964, my mom is also entitled to a centenarian’s P100,000-gift from City Hall. But our barangay officers said our application for the grant was denied because my mom’s Yellow (senior citizen’s) Card was requested only three years ago. That was so because, despite her advanced age, she didn’t feel like she needed one, till she turned 97. Why are the national and local governments making it hard for the few living centenarians? Can the officials not share a small amount from their huge pork barrels? I hope they will not have their day of karma.”

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Yes, President Noynoy Aquino last May vetoed as “oppressive” the Centenarian Act. Rep. Edcel Lagman, author of the House of Reps version, blamed it all on Aquino’s Liberal Party mate and departing senator Kiko Pangilinan. Last minute Pangilinan inserted a kinky proviso to grant the 7,000 or so centenarians 75 percent discount on all purchases of goods — without tax deductions for the sellers. Aquino deemed it excessive for exceeded normal profit margins. Imagine the effects on sellers of hearing aids, wheelchairs, and other products for the aged.

The proviso was like the Kasambahay Law, which required employers to shoulder their housemaids’ SSS contributions retroactive 1993. Legislators passed the Centenarian Act and Kasambahay Law to promote themselves as philanthropists — at the expense of ordinary citizens who would bear the cost.

It was thus proper that Ms. Albay compared the pittance of a P100,000-cash gift to centenarians with the lawmakers’ multimillion-peso pork barrels each. Too, that Mr. Romero compared the retirees’ pensions to Aquino’s SSS appointees’ self-awarded million-peso bonuses even when unable to improve services. As for Ms. Sison’s complaint, why do senior cards have to be of different color for every city, and carry the mayor’s photo — if not for self-aggrandizement?

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Never has the Philippines’ recorded gold production dropped so low in a decade than today. And it’s all because of environment officials’ corruption and incompetence — maladies that invariably come together.

Small-scale gold mines, mostly illegal, have proliferated of late. But going by figures from the Bangko Sentral, 76 percent less gold output is being sold to it as the sole legitimate buyer.

In November Environment and Natural Resources Sec. Ramon Paje said that miners clearly are smuggling gold extractions. Hong Kong and China in fact report surges in gold purchases from the Philippines, without stating from whom.

Paje warned that since his office has a list of all the gold miners, he would have the justice department indict the black marketers. Indeed his department knows not only all the sites but also each one’s capacity. Yet more than a month since then, Paje ineptly has not filed a single case.

Criminals thrive from weak law enforcement. Paje’s empty threats only embolden gold thieves. The miners are small only in name, but are actually big-time. To recall, policemen under Major Hansel Marantan executed the Vic Siman vice gang last year due to rivalry in gambling and gold mining in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.

Although unregistered, the small gold mines are allowed to operate by Paje’s crooked regional and provincial subordinates. He cannot discipline them because they rose from the ranks together. Before promotion by President Aquino to full secretary, he was undersecretary for operations, then planning and whatnot for so long. Senators know the rackets of DENR old timers, and so continue to block for the past three years Paje’s confirmation as cabinet member.

If Aquino has gotten the senators’ message, he does not show it and instead reappoints Paje at every bypass. Paje repays the President’s trust by giving him bum policy advice. Despite administration estimates of hundred-trillion-dollar mineral deposits and promises to spur mining, the industry remains dormant. DENR actions have been contradictory: one day promising more investment incentives then the next exacting higher levies, or threatening all-out drivers against pollutive miners but fining only compliant ones, or declaring to reform the industry but delaying to endorse any such priority bill in Congress.                     

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