More babies needed

After China, Iran has also adopted a new policy encouraging families to have more children. Singapore has also reversed its population policy to encourage babies. Studies have projected that Iran will have a shortage of workers 30 years from now.

Proponents of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law should now seriously restudy our population control policy. As China, Singapore, and Iran have found out, there are adverse consequences in limiting families to one child.

Our big 100 million population is our biggest resource. Let us not cut it down. Ten million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are sending $22 billion yearly that keeps our economy afloat.

Erap compromise

Mayor Joseph Estrada agreed to a compromise solution of adding two hours from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. window, to allow truckers to operate.

Bureau of Customs (BOC) officials say that 10,000 containers are now stocked up in the piers. It will take several weeks to clear the backlog. Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has also agreed to open up their vacant lots for truck parking. Secretaries Rogelio Singson, Mar Roxas, Gregory Domingo, and Francis Tolentino participated in the talks to work out a compromise.

Traffic will still be a problem because of the start of 15 construction projects in Metro Manila, starting with the Skyway connector from Buendia to North Luzon Expressway (NLEx).

The basic problem still is the large number of vehicles using Metro Manila roads, a problem aggravated by thousands of colorum buses, UV Express vans and taxis.

We submit that the best solution is to transfer the seat of government to outside Metro Manila, probably Clark.

For more than three years, several policies were tried just to unclog EDSA. None has succeeded despite Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino working overtime to solve the problem.

It appears that no immediate solution is in sight. Meanwhile, the sale of cars continues to increase.

Mayor Erap should be given credit for trying to solve the traffic problem in Manila. Vice Mayor Isko Moreno has also been useful in assisting Mayor Estrada to solve the Manila traffic problem.

One partial solution that has come out is to transfer part of the shipping arrivals to the port of Batangas. That will help.

Mindanao blackout

Once again, Mindanao experienced an island-wide blackout last Wednesday and Thursday.

Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla was frank enough to admit they don’t know what caused the blackout. One theory is that the Agus 1 power plant in Lanao del Norte had tripped.

Petilla warned of rotating brownouts during the summer months. Petilla is saying also that the Mindanao power shortage will be solved only by 2015.

John Norris, an international energy consultant, expressed the view that the solution to the power shortage will come only in 2018.

Note that after one and half years after Typhoon Pablo hit the country, electricity has not been restored to several towns of Davao Oriental, including Cateel, Baganga, and Boston.

It certainly looks like President Aquino will finish his six-year term without solving the power shortage.

More crimes

The banking industry sources have admitted that P220 million have been illegally withdrawn from automated teller machines (ATMs) in 2013.

This crime has been going on for years with no resolution in sight. One common sense solution is post a security guard for every ATM.

It is now the duty of the bank to reimburse the depositors whose deposits have been illegally withdrawn.

Besides the ATM fraud, the last four weeks revealed that cybersex operations have sprouted all over the country. The latest apprehension was in Navotas, in an operation headed by a Syrian.

The Philippines is in the top ten of countries where cybersex syndicates are operating.

ATM frauds, cybersex syndicates, gun-for-hire syndicates, illegal drug operations, carnapping, kidnapping; name it; all sorts of crimes are happening nationwide.

Your move, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

Cunanan’s mansion

ABS-CBN reports that Technology Resource Center (TRC) Director General Dennis Cunanan is staying in a P40-million mansion in a subdivision in Quezon City. Cunanan did not report the house in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), claiming it belongs to his brother Darius Cunanan. His SALN reported P5.5 million in assets. He has offered to have his bank accounts opened and subject himself to a lifestyle check.

Senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada denied they talked to Cunanan over the phone. “Cunanan is lying,” they said.

Tidbits: Congratulations Tessie and Vivian. Forbes Magazine has named Teresita Sy-Coson of SM and BDO and Vivian Que-Azcona of Mercury Drug to the list of Asia’s 50 most powerful businesswomen. This is the third year in a row for Teresita Sy-Coson to make the list.

The Ombudsman has revived four cases against former Mayor Elenita Binay. Binay’s lawyers said the four cases have been previously dismissed, which have become final and executory. Political observers believe the revival of the cases is meant to affect Vice President Jejomar Binay’s presidential candidacy in 2016.

Four months after Yolanda, bodies are still being recovered in Tacloban. Valerie Amos, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and emergency relief coordinator, has confirmed the finding of two to three bodies being recovered daily. She said that many families still need aid.

Businessman Angelito dela Peña survived an ambush in Quezon City. His driver Luis Ocampo was killed.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada vowed to block the confirmation of Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima and Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza.

Petron has opened its first gas station in Malaysia. President Aquino officiated at the opening ceremonies, together with Petron president Ramon Ang.

Two Filipinos died and two others were seriously wounded in a gas explosion in Doha, Qatar.