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Quo Vadis, Secretary Lapus

MR. EXPOSE

Amb. Ernesto Maceda

04/29/2008

Secretary Jesli Lapus vowed to intensify the food for school program. But he must first explain why the school feeding program has been scaled down from P1 billion to P200 million. And there must be a special audit of the distribution of 268 million kilos of fortified rice to school children for 2005-2008. Two months ago, three principals in Manila and Quezon City complained that their school children have not received their allocation of rice. Several principals also reported that which they received was not fortified rice. There were also reports of teachers taking home sacks of rice instead of distributing all the rice to pupils.

All these reports of anomalies hit the front pages of Metro Manila dailies. Secretary Lapus never took action, why? By contrast, in the matter of revoking the invitation to Erap to be the Palarong Pambansa closing ceremonies guest speaker, he acted with dispatch.

And how about the proposed Cyber Ed project which Lapus has been pushing while we still lack classrooms, teachers and even textbooks?

The latest complaints are shortcuts in the award of a contract to rehabilitate teachers camp in Baguio. The complaints in textbook and uniform procurement are still heard.

We praised the appointment of Rep. Jesli Lapus when he was appointed DepEd secretary. We must confess we are now disappointed with his overall performance. The deterioration of Philippine education has not been arrested. It looks like the bureaucracy has eaten up its department secretary.

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Eat camote. Unbelievable but true, GMA in a speech in Negros Oriental encouraged Filipinos to eat camote and corn as substitute for rice, something that was heard only during the Japanese occupation in the 1940’s.

Ok Madam President, we will follow if you set the example and ban rice from the eating tables in Malacañang and serve camote instead. You can even add saba bananas.

How about asking Cynthia Carreon and all your Assumption classmates who expressed support for you through paid newspaper ads to express their support for your further by eating camote and giving up rice?

And Reps. Mikey and Dato Arroyo and the Kampi members of Congress, how about banning rice from the South lounge and other House cafeterias and serve only camotes and turon?

Unless you set the example, Madam, again what you said in Dumaguete is purely theatrics.

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Lobby successful. Reps. Ferjinel Biron and Janet Garin, both medical doctors from Iloilo, have declared in frustration that with the removal of the generics only provision and the creation of a Drug Price Regulatory Board, the Cheaper Medicines Act will not bring down prices. Speaker Nograles has deferred approval of the Bicameral Conference Committee report.

The two congressional doctors together with Makati Rep. Teddy Boy Locsin assailed Sen. Mar Roxas for insisting on the removal of the two provisions which medicine manufacturing companies opposed.

It is not unreasonable to conclude that once again the big drug companies with their multimillion lobby have triumphed. This is definitely another question mark in Mar Roxas’ legislative record.

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Balikbayans beware. A balikbayan vacationing from London was shot at a birthday party in Pasay. In Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, Susan Afaga Agnes, a balikbayan from Hawaii who arrived just a week ago was killed by three hooded persons in an ambush.

Balikbayans have become fair game for criminals because they are thought to be wealthy and carry thousands of dollars with them. Equally regrettable is the fact that right at the airport gates, some are held up and deprived of their precious money and baggage.

This should worry Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

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Customs whisper of the week. GMA went to the Bureau of Customs offices twice to press for the filing of charges against the importers of P30 million worth of wheat. Why? The whisper — the shipments belong to Vicky Toh, a friend of the First Gentleman.

Another whisper: The smuggling of 12 helicopters for which only P150,000 in tax was paid is owned by the same gentleman who smuggled in four Robinson helicopters in 2004. Senate ways and means committee chairman Francis Escudero should open a wide ranging investigation of smuggling which Usec. Bebot Villar said causes a P125 billion loss of revenue yearly.

Imelda’s card: The word is out that Imelda Marcos has become a very close friend and adviser of GMA. They say that explains why suddenly many of Imelda’s cases have been dismissed by the Sandiganbayan. Recall that Imee Marcos absented herself from the impeachment vote. Note that Bongbong voted to remove JdV. And now Bongbong has filed a substitute Baselines bill prepared by Malacañang. Imelda’s cronies are now brave enough to come out of the woodwork. George Ramos, the architect contractor who built the P3 billion GSIS building, the Heart Center, Imelda’s houses in the USA and all of Imelda’s projects, has come out as the owner of the Gilarmi Apartments in Makati which has been demolished to make way for a 70-story condominium, the tallest in the country.

The project is reportedly being fronted by a Japanese firm. The BIR should look into the details of this transaction.

Imelda watchers are also looking into a report she is partnering with Korean investors planning to build 47 buildings in a 45-hectare area in her home province of Bulacan. Project cost: $1 billion, yes billion!

In the US, movie star Wesley Snipes was convicted on tax evasion. Here, the BIR has slowed down on its RATE campaign against movie stars and celebrities.

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Tidbits. The remains of St. Padre Pio have been exhumed, found intact, and has been shown for public viewing in Italy... Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said NFA losses would balloon to P43.1 billion this year. So far... Megan Fox., star of the hit movie Transformers is crowned the world’s sexiest woman. Jessica Alba slid down to 3rd. Who is the Philippines sexiest woman? Ruffa Gutierrez, Marian Rivera, Dawn Zulueta, Ginger Conejero, Pia Cayetano, Valerie Concepcion or Angel Locsin. Take your pick... After Siargao and Boracay, GMA took another two days off going diving at the Apo Reef in Mindoro and also at Tubbataha Reef in Palawan... Sen. Pia Cayetano inspected the Hanjin Condominium buildings inside the Subic forest reserve. She found out that Hanjin cut down 300 trees, much more than 28 trees allowed in permit. Also, that Hanjin started construction and completed eight floors long before it got the Environmental Compliance Certificate on July 13, 2007. Hanjin must be penalized for these infractions.