|
First,
the killer cyclone in
Burma,
then the powerful earthquake in China. What’s next?
Mother Nature is unleashing her fury and man seems
helpless against it. It seems, too, that God is using
His awesome powers to punish man for his sins. Thousands
have died and thousands more are still missing.
In the
face of such devastation, the Arroyo administration is
preparing an outlay of some P100 million to improve the
country’s disaster-preparedness capabilities to cope
with Nature’s anger and, hopefully, save lives. The plan
is actually a continuation of Project Ready with the
help of the United Nations Development Programme and the
Australian Agency for International Development. The
government is specifically concerned with our
vulnerability to natural disasters like typhoons,
earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. To be
forewarned is to be forearmed. Aren’t you glad she’s on
the job?
****
We
salute Gen. Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr. for doing an
excellent job as Armed Forces chief of staff,
characterized by his intelligent and pragmatic handling
of the restlessness of some misguided officers—as in the
Manila Pen incident—and his sincere efforts to improve
the lot of soldiers. We are confident his successor, Lt.
Gen. Alexander B. Yano, will continue the initiatives of
his predecessor with balanced concerns for the nation,
the people and the men in uniform. Being the first AFP
chief of staff from the troubled but beautiful island of
Mindanao, we support General Yano in all his programs,
especially in netting some big fish from his backyard
and setting the tone of his stewardship. We know the
President has chosen a most capable manager and an able
and patriotic soldier.
****
Press
Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye is
moving to the Monetary Board on June 22. A professional
banker, Bunye is returning to that serene and regimented
life of high-profile finance, away from the intrigues,
the “snake pit,” the pressure world of high-end
politics. Bunye had much to offer as the press
secretary, and he has done his job so well that one
forgets he is actually a banker. The President’s Team’s
loss, but the Monetary Board’s gain, he will always
continue to give his best.
****
More
unanswered questions: Is it true that the Manila
Electric Co. (Meralco) offices consume more than 70
million kilowatt-hours and that the firm does not pay
its power consumption but merely passes it on to
consumers as part of its “system losses”? Meralco’s
“savings” from this, of course, fatten its coffers,
enabling it to pamper its executives with fat salaries
and bonuses, luxury cars, foreign travel and all the
perks from a business with profits overflowing. What
about the sister companies of Meralco? Are they also
passing on their electric bills to the poor consumers?
And how
true is this documents-supported allegation that Meralco
is charging its consumers bloated value-added tax (VAT)
from 23 percent to 39 percent, which Meralco is not
paying because it is exempt from VAT? This represents
billions of pesos collected from consumers every month
over and above the electricity each household uses. And
if you don’t pay the bill on time, the Meralco man will
come to cut off your power. Where does the money go?
For the
sake of decency, I agree with some senators that Meralco
should return to its consumers the millions of pesos it
had wrongfully charged. Meralco should pay for the
electricity it used and not let the poor housewife foot
the bill. Nakakahiya. Meralco should stop the
practice altogether. |
