The good news is that, for the first time in many years, there have been no reports of armed clashes between the military and communist rebels belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA), as the temporary cease-fire separately declared by the government and the National Democratic Front at the resumption of peace talks in late August appears to be holding.
According to government chief negotiator and Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, this is “indicative of the sincerity of both parties in the process, which augurs well for peace.” He is also optimistic that a bilateral agreement will be reached when the next round of peace negotiations resumes from October 4 to 10 in Oslo, Norway.
The resumption of the peace talks is considered “historic and unprecedented,” as the NPA reciprocated the government’s decision to release 22 detained NDF consultants who are now taking part in the ongoing peace talks.
The two parties have agreed to submit drafts for the formal bilateral cease-fire agreement in the next round of peace talks in October.
The two sides are now working on two agreements: one on social and economic reforms and another on political and constitutional reforms. Once these agreements are out of the way, then the two panels can hammer out a permanent cease-fire, a proposed amnesty proclamation for all listed detained members of the NDF, and the cessation of hostilities and disposition of forces.
The question now is how long will the talks for ending the nearly 50-year-old communist insurgency take place.
Answer: Maybe in one year, as the two sides have agreed to accelerate the peace process until a final peace agreement is signed.
We are glad that the peace talks have resumed after a long hiatus, and that the peace process is proceeding smoothly. We hope that this will continue, as the war in the countryside has raged for nearly two generations.
House holds its horses
Banish the thought that we will see a marked improvement in the traffic situation in the months ahead.
Why?
Congress appears reluctant to give the Department of Transportation (DOTr) the emergency powers they have been requesting for them to solve Metro Manila’s traffic woes.
The contemplated emergency powers would include, among others, easing the strict requirements on government procurement.
The law says that all government projects worth a certain amount must be subject to public bidding. It also lists down certain conditions under which government agencies can dispense with public bidding and enter into negotiated contracts with private suppliers or contractors.
What may have prompted two House leaders to ask DOTr officials whether they serve the public interest or their own vested interest are the possible negotiated contracts for big-ticket transportation projects costing millions or even billions of pesos.
House Minority Leader and Rep. Danilo Suarez of Quezon had pointed out that Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade and Undersecretary Noel Kintanar were both former executives of the contractors involved in the common station project for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Railway Transit (LRT) lines in Quezon City.
“I have to be very straightforward with my concern,” Suarez said. “Tugade and Kintanar are from Ayala firms or have done business with the Ayalas. They might favor the Ayalas’ business interests. That’s not right.… We don’t want the emergency powers to be abused and misused,” he stressed.
In the DOTr budget hearing on September 9, House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez mentioned that Tugade is a former assistant vice president of Ayala Corp., while undersecretary for air operations Bobby Lim is a former country manager of the International Air Transport Association.
“The budget of every department is for the interest of the Filipino people and not for the interest of some businessmen,” Alvarez said.
A timely reminder, if you ask us, now that we have an administration that has promised to bear down hard not only on illegal drugs and other crimes but also against graft and corruption.
If officials of the DOTr have a clear conflict of interest, delicadeza dictates that they inhibit themselves from pushing any infrastructure project, such as railways, that would benefit their former employers or their friends in the private sector.
E-mail: ernhil@yahoo.com.