^

Opinion

Ten questions for the 11 congressmen from Cebu

WHAT MATTERS MOST - Atty. Josephus B Jimenez - The Freeman

We have one deputy speaker, and ten other members of the House. What have they done after six months?

There are eleven members of the House, coming from Cebu; from the seven districts of the province, the two districts in Cebu City, the lone district in Lapu- Lapu, and one partylist, the TUCP. May I, with due respect, ask them to answer candidly ten questions coming from the Cebuanos: First, what laws have they passed, or bills have they filed in the war on drugs? Are they for or against the president's relentless fight against drug production, distribution and addiction? What is their official stand on how the drug menace is poisoning the youth and destroying the nation's future? If they have answers, let them produce evidence to show these. It is their mandate and their duty to let the people know.

Second, what have they done about crime, corruption, national security, and peace and order? What support have they given to the local governments and to the military and the police? If they have, let them prove it. Third, what measures have they formulated to push national economic development? What bills have they filed or supported to enhance national productivity, to enlarge the GDP and improve our peoples' per capita income? If they have, where is their proof? Fourth, what are the measures they pushed to protect our environment from the greed of foreign investors and their local underlings who ravage our forests, poison our waters and kill whatever is left of our trees and other flora and fauna? If they have, let them show the evidence.

Fifth, what are they doing about disaster preparedness? What are their plans and projects to help victims of man-made disasters and natural calamities? Do they have proposed legislation to improve our preparedness to save lives and properties? I challenge them to show concrete evidence. Sixth, what are their legislative measures related to education? Have they alleviated the quality of our teachers and graduates, especially those in the hinterlands and the countryside? Seventh, and how about public health? How many millions have they allocated to support local hospitals, clinics, and health centers? What are they doing about polio, HIV-AIDS, and other diseases that plague the nation? Do they have evidence of concrete actions?

Eighth, what are the measures passed by you, honorable members of Congress, to help the youth, especially the children of tenants, marginal farmers and fisherfolks, laborers, casual workers, and the jobless? Are you only satisfied by a few scholarships driven by patronage politics? Do you have an inventory of how many young men in your districts who are addicts, drug couriers, child prostitutes, and beggars? Do you even care? Ninth, what have you done for the veterans, the PWDs, the LGBTs, the beggars, the prostitutes, the squatters, and the street urchins, apart from giving money that perpetuates mendicancy? Do you have a training and rehab program?

Tenth, what measures have you passed to help the OFWs, especially your constituents who work as maids for foreign employers who rape them, insult them, and hold them as virtual slaves, and others who are forced to do dirty, difficult, dangerous, degrading, and deceptive jobs? If you have any bill or laws for them, let us see the evidence. It is not enough that you make promises. You need to show indubitable evidence that you are keeping them.

[email protected]

vuukle comment

CORRUPTION

CRIME

NATIONAL SECURITY

Philstar
x
  • Latest
Latest
Latest
abtest
Recommended
Are you sure you want to log out?
X
Login

Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Sign up now!

Get Updated:

Signup for the News Round now

FORGOT PASSWORD?
SIGN IN
or sign in with