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A super
railway system is the subject of consultations and
research of the DOTC in the wake of the President’s Sona
defining her vision to establish a railway network that
will crisscross the archipelago, and provide cheap and
efficient transport for people and goods.
This was
also the subject of our write-up a few days back, citing
the railroad as a most efficient transport system for
the country. Envisioned to boost the economic success of
the President’s super regions, the government is now
looking at a working and financing arrangement with the
private sector and local government units (LGUs) which
railroads will traverse, giving the LGUs a proprietary
interest in the profits and success of the concept.
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The LGUs,
the investors/businessmen and thousands of people will
benefit from the building and operation of the railways.
Technologies, too, can be locally sourced, especially in
the building of the coaches, the stations, the operating
systems and in other areas where our workers, engineers
and managers can provide the expertise.
In the
process, Filipino engineers can become wizened hands-on
craftsmen who can take their lofty place among the best
railway builders in the world.
A cheap
and efficient transport system will remain its principal
selling point, but the added benefits will be just as
lucrative and long-lasting.
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The
President created a Cabinet-level task force (TF) to
look into and take action against investments scammers
who have struck again, victimizing surprisingly hundreds
of wide-awake victims and running away with billions of
investment funds in the same way that pyramiding and con
artists have gone this way before.
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The
Investors Protection Task Force (IPTF) was created via
AO 185 to “monitor investment schemes. . . especially
those marketed to the public and overseas Filipino
workers. . . .”
The TF
is tasked to compile evidence, recommend prosecution and
push for legislative measures to protect investors. The
TF is also tasked to look into reported scams in real
estate, which was the subject of a high-level dialogue
organized by this writer, together with the vice
president and representatives from the HUDCC, HUJRB, NBI,
National Prosecution Service of the DOJ and the SEC.
This
time, the IPTF will be headed by the Department of
Finance and will include people from the DTI.
After so
many scams which hit the headlines for all to read, I
was confident that investors have already learned to be
wary of “fast-buck” schemes.
Whose
fault is it, really?
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The
things you read in the papers everyday: The American
public reacted with mixed emotions and aahs,
after its presidential hopefuls debated on the issue of
national security policy and after thousands wrote their
newspapers to further highlight the issue.
It
appears that the American nation exhibited a differing
opinion on the issue, divided by Hillary’s cleavage when
she inadvertently gave a peek of her revealing fashion
to TV audiences.
As the
newspaper ombudsman later asked: “Does this have
anything to do with whether Clinton should be
president?” Reminds me of a similar silly question posed
to me in the Court of Appeals.
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The
military is slowly inching on a bunch of head-cutters in
the MILF ranks, and had reduced the number of suspects
from hundreds to a handful of “hot” suspects.
The
beheading of 10 captured military soldiers by elements
of the MILF has opened a whole new aspect in the war
against Muslim secessionists in Mindanao.
In times
of war and peace, there are rules of engagement that
must be observed, and while the Muslim rebels claim that
the military was the first to breach the cease-fire
agreement, the beheading of the 10 soldiers and the
torture of others before they were executed are acts
that violate those rules.
Now
whole villages are fleeing from the conflict areas. How
many families will finally land in
Manila and in other provinces, without homes, without hope?
The
cycle of despair has once again begun its spin. This
must be stopped and peace must be given a chance.
****
In
Japan, the issue of “comfort women” is still being
ignored by the Japanese despite the overwhelming
evidence of its practice in the last world war. It was
the worst of times when the world was at war after the
Imperial Army of Japan overran the face of Asia.
While
men were bayoneted to death, many of our women were
taken as spoils of war to be enjoyed by the victors.
Alas, the victors were themselves overrun, and after
surrendering, indignant and unrepentant, they
continually refused to acknowledge their deeds, which
victimized and traumatized thousands of our women.
Are
honesty, chivalry and gallantly without Nippongo
translation? |
