‘Cong. Tractor’ diversion

My friends came prepared for dinner last Thursday at the Podium. They even came with a list of questions: “Is RSA for real?” “It sounds too good to be true.” “What’s in it for him?”

What they did not realize was that the questions were the same as the ones being peddled by “Negatrons” and “Distractors” probably hired by “Cong. Tractors” or congressmen and contractors now feeling the heat from PBBM, the media, Mayors for Good Governance and the public.

For the record, my hosts/friends have no political leanings. They are business people with an overflowing curiosity on what’s behind the headlines and their effect on business.

They did not even wait for dessert to know more about the bold, welcome, but incomprehensible declaration of Ramon Ang, president/chairman of San Miguel Corporation, that he would undertake solving the flooding problems of Metro Manila at no cost to the country.

#1 Is this for real?  Yes, it’s for real, and might I add, it is “vintage RSA” to offer the best solution instead of pointing blame or singing the refrain of mistakes and failures of others.

Ramon Ang is not “presumido” or presumptuous as to go out on a limb uninvited. I suspect that sometime before the SONA bombshell, PBBM must have already shared his frustration about the difference in quality of public versus private sector infrastructure.

Long before his role in San Miguel Corporation, Ramon Ang was already a problem solver, tinkering with machines, engines and rally cars, factories and industrial plants.

He was often the first to volunteer to take care of a problem, not just for Amb. Danding Cojuangco but also for taipans, tycoons, even “typhoons” (overnight millionaires) who trusted and relied on RSA to solve or organize whatever had to be done.

This type of “volunteerism” earned him a seat at the table, a vast network of allies, while building up a real community of independent but trusted experts, not “employees.”

Those who have encountered him or worked for him will always talk of his “down to earth” and disarming manner. This character and “history” gives RSA the unique advantage of soliciting everybody’s cooperation.

#2 Can SMC and RSA do it? Of course, they can, because they have been at it for five years, beginning with the Tullahan River that constantly flooded the SMC Brewery every rainy season or extreme high tide.

The solution was to clean up the river area next to the brewery, but RSA, being an engineer, pointed out that the problem would eventually repeat itself. So, SMC decided to clean and dredge the whole river, which benefited residents of the whole district.

From what I heard, RSA watched the workers use a regular backhoe to remove dirt from the river. He shook his head in disbelief because the backhoe was too small for the job, so he bought a heavy industries version, and as the projects got bigger, the machinery got bigger and designed for the work.

From there, RSA spearheaded the voluntary clean up and dredging of Pasig River, San Juan River and those in Parañaque, Bulacan and Laguna. Ramon Ang found so much satisfaction doing river clean up that he personally overlooks SMC’s “Better Rivers Ph” initiative.

No, he is not using the dredged material for the SMC airport in Bulacan. They cannot because airports require high grade sand while river “dirt” is muddy and watery.

Of course, I had to throw in a Bible verse during the dinner, so I mentioned the reminder of Jesus: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16).

Filipinos have such a short memory and even less appreciation for the many projects that San Miguel Corporation completed and runs well. Among my favorites are the different toll roads,  as well as skyways built by SMC.

When the NAIA-X was bid out, RSA made a bid three or more times higher than the next guy. I questioned his sanity and his reply was: “It’s time that the government received the right amount.”

When SMC made a bid to take over the NAIA, a bunch of sore losers and companies who did not want to pay the “right and fair price” to MIAA hired online trolls and bashers to make SMC look bad, even pushing for the rescinding of the contract. SMC offered and gave DOTr 82.16 percent of revenues, compared to 25.91 percent from the next closest bidder.

#3 What’s in it for him? SMC is not burdened with laws and restrictions on biddings since the offer of RSA is a non-profit, free undertaking for public good.

Garbage causes floods, floods destroy homes, businesses and disrupts the economy. Floods destroy roads and cause potholes which create daily traffic jams, resulting in billions of pesos and unproductive Filipinos.

When Filipinos are unproductive they have less buying power and poorer quality of life. So, fixing the problem is good business, everybody’s business.

It is clear to me that the “Cong. Tractors” – meaning some members of Congress, several contractors – have hired trolls, PRs, even faux leftists to raise a cemetery of Negatrons and Disruptors in order to distract people.

Some have “lit up torches” against the Supreme Court, the Senate President so media would focus on the impeachment of VP Sara instead of the “Walang hiyang Cong. Tractors” who have stolen much more and destroyed more in the billions! That says a lot!

Casting suspicion on the offer of Ramon Ang is yet another tactic of the enemies of the people to divert attention away from them. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” Isaiah 5:20  “Therefore, the Lord’s anger burns against his people,” Isaiah 5:25.

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