“WOW! Again?”
The only thing I could muster to say after reading about the NBN fiasco. Seems like anything that Malacañang offers on the table, the opposition would grab it and throw it back together with a bomb attached to it… Don’t get me wrong, I am not pro-administration nor am I pro-opposition. I am just amused at reading about these things.
“I prefer a country run like hell by Filipinos to a country run like heaven by Americans. Because, however bad a Filipino government might be, we can always change it.” — Manuel L. Quezon
A famous quote by MLQ… and we took it literally. It had been more than 100 years and the direction we’re going is backwards. “Amusing,” I said? Well, I just got used to it. It was very annoying at first, then you get frustrated, then you just get used to seeing these things.
Look, we have a bigger number of turncoats in the government than the time the Japanese occupied us. Yet no lives are threatened just to turn to the other side. Just their positions, may it be elected or appointed. Our nation is not founded on principles anymore. Gone are the days of Quezon, Roxas and Magsaysay. Seems like the “kabataan” of their time did not fulfill being the good “kinabukasan ng bayan” that they planned for. Or is it that the “kinabukasan” will just get darker and darker as time will pass?
The government doesn’t live on principles anymore. Pardon for Erap? C’mon, after painstakingly ousting him and spending millions on his trial, they’re going to give absolute pardon, and with his own conditions, just like that? We would be the laughingstock of the TV-watching, news-reading world. All this just to save face and soften the blow of the opposition against her. Then you should have just asked the Sandiganbayan to acquit him then. At least our judicial system wouldn’t suffer the embarrassment.
Then we have the opposition. An opposition mostly consisting of the same people that called for Erap’s ouster. And it seems that their only purpose is go against anything that the government has planned.
Being an engineer working in the electronic communications field, I agree that the NBN and CyberEducation projects would be a milestone in the improvement on the education system of our country and the improvement of communications and data transfer between Malacañang, its departments until the littlest of barangays. Yup, the deal is tattered with graft, so continue your investigations but let the project continue as well. Then nail down the people who profited financially from this deal.
Hope this mockery of a government we have right now will change soon before a government will just cease to exist. As MLQ has said. “…however bad a Filipino government might be, we can always change it.”
Quo vadis, my Philippines?
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March 25th, 2008 at 12:19 am
“I prefer a country run like hell by Filipinos to a country run like heaven by Americans. Because, however bad a Filipino government might be, we can always change it.” — Manuel L. Quezon
I “love” this statement. It’s as if a creed was written declaring the destiny the nation would take through the following years. Everyone heard it. Everyone agreed. Now it’s happening and no one likes it.
October 13th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Telof Implemented Projects
I believe to fix these problems that we keep on hearing about corruption in the government we need to create some rules to follow and removed some loopholes. We do have some rules already but everybody is looking for the exceptions.
These projects started with the realization that we are spending 3 billion pesos per year on communication for the government. Instead of creating a thorough study on how to solve the problem and creating different alternatives (usually some independent consultants should be use) to removed the bias factor and figure out if it make sense and include the requirements of all government offices. Create an RFP ( request for proposal with detail requirements of the needs of all government offices) and then have companies bid on that. Since it is now more specific on what the needs are, the companies could actually create a more competitive price for the project.
I was wondering if these would end-up the same project that TelOf (Telecommunications Office) implemented during the 1990’s to create a backbone for a digital telephone system for the municipalities all over the Philippines which were undertaken with the loan and expertise from Japan, France and Italy that ended up being run by PLDT when it finally completed. These were loans that the government paid those three countries. Were these projects sold to PLDT? Why can’t we not upgrade that system? It uses fiber-optics and microware to create the main backbone.
I heard that they are planning to use TelOf to implement these projects since they hurriedly moved back TelOf from CICT to DOTC before these project came up.
Possible alternatives that the government could implement:
1. Have the national government bid as a group from the private companies for the different services for a longer period. Same as what the US government does and other countries. (Cell Phone, fixed line, fax line, internet connection) . So the government could concentrate on the application that runs through it that will ultimately help the constituent especially the students.
2. Upgrade the System that TelOf built during the 1990’s to be able to carry data and voip. If you intend to have TelOf manage the backbone, it has to be converted to a semi-government to be flexible in maintaining the system and continuously upgrading it to the latest technology every year which could be very costly.
3. Have all public schools (elementary, high school & college) have a free connection to the internet funded by a small percentage charged by the communications companies for each of their service. This has been done in the US with the Universal Service Fund.
I know these are just a few of the possible alternatives but Filipinos working or residing on the different part of the world are always willing to contribute some ideas that they noticed works on their location. We should start to learn from what already works on other countries and make some small changes to fit our countries specific needs.
How about using this web to asked Filipinos or friends who would like to give their ideas on how to solved the problems and have this sent to the government so they have something to start with and hopefully if this becomes successful, it will create a new kind of government where everybody contributes to better their service.
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Communism would be very much welcome. Or Marshal Law. Whatever.
Lastly, we don’t need another “leader” to rule this wretched hell-hole of a country (read: religion)
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:43 pm
And so, Abalos quit! And then what? Forget about the whole thing?
I suppose, Suplico and company would continue their pursuit of justice by filing the necessary criminal charges against Abalos! He may deny he did them but two people pointing at him as the bribe giver, for things not necessarily connected with his office, and one even told the president about it, only confirmed my beliefs that this is a person that must be prosecuted at the fullest extent of the law! Let this case be set as an example that commiting crimes against the people is no longer tolerated and succeeding in a system that is being eroded by the antics of unscrupolous people. Do not allow this person to escape from the hands of the law because he resigned. Let him feel the pain and consequencies of his acts so that it may become a good example to those would be crooks to think twice before going criminal when holding an important office in the government! Resigning would not absolved him from his crime. Better still, FORFEIT all the benefits and entitlement he is suppose to receive as commissioner.
I only pray that those people who can lodge the necessary charges will not stop and be cowed into discontinuing the pursuit of justice as most often happened in cases like this! We have to stop being so forgiving because a criminal was out and no longer holding office! That is why crooks are proliferating and rampant in our system of government because those in the know would not lift their fingers in pursuing justice at the full extent of the law. Give the people a break!
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:40 pm
I felt our senators stooped down to the level lower than those they are investigating when Pimentel asked a very personal question to Abalos. And he got his info from a text message (read: gossip). What kind of investigation is that?