Torching the kitchen
February 8, 2009 – 9:36 pmViewpoint
‘Torching the Kitchen’
by Juan Mercado
Philippine Daily Inquirer
from http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=187466
February 5, 2009
“Mabuhay, World Bank” for cracking down on rigged road construction project bids, accountant Cecilio Torres emailed from Dubai. A native of Kalinga-Apayao, Torres used to work with the government’s Land Bank of the Philippines.
“Judas’ chromosomes” last Feb. 3 zapped Reps. Roger Mercado, Milagros Magsaysay, Elpidio Braganza and other members of the House committee on public works. They whitewashed three Filipino and four Chinese firms blacklisted by the World Bank for stacking bids.
“I read Inquirer on Internet. I also heard radio dzBB’s live coverage of the Senate hearing. I was thrilled to hear Sen. Miram Santiago berate DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] officials and contractors. But, from experience, I foresaw the exoneration of the blacklisted contractors, just as the House did.
“If they did otherwise, they would ‘burn their kitchen.’ Who in the Philippines does not know about collusion between DPWH officials and contractors since time immemorial? And they invariably feign innocence.
“As a Land Bank bookkeeper, I handled DPWH and contractor’s accounts through the MDS (Modified Disbursement System). That meant daily contact with contractors, including their runners and DPWH liaison officers. Privately, they’d reveal massive graft eating into their offices.
“Our Land Bank salaries were higher than those of DPWH engineers. Yet, they acquired properties hidden behind dummy owners (relatives). I hope something good results from the World Bank exposé. But I have doubts, given the way government functions. Mabuhay Miriam! Mabuhay Inquirer.”
Atenean Enrique Angeles wrote on the fury provoked by the President’s plan to appoint Vice Admiral Tirso Danga as head of the National Printing Office. The NPO prints ballots for all elections.
The former intelligence service chief “was involved in questionable issues in the 2004 elections,” Henriettade Villa protested. The former envoy to the Vatican chairs the National Movement for Free Elections and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. “This appointment does not augur well for transparency in2010.”
Danga’s tracks, however, go back to the 1995murder of Ensign Philip Pestaño aboard RPS Bacolod, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel said. Then a naval intelligence captain, Danga insisted before the Senate committee on armed forces that the 24-year-old ensign committed suicide. The Senate instead discovered that Pestaño refused to load illegal logs, drugs and firearms. He was then murdered and the suicide plot was fabricated. Identify mastermind and accomplices, Senate President Marcelo Fernan ordered.
But for 13 years now, the Ombudsman hasn’t budged. Merceditas Gutierrez refused to meet with the ensign’s parents. Felipe Pestaño has evidence on the mastermind.
“Danga [worked] in the syndicate headed by then-Flag Officer in Command, Vice Adm. Pio Carranza,” Angeles wrote. “Carranza leapfrogged over 20 more senior Navy officers. He was Gen. Jose Almonte’s fair-haired boy.”
“During the 1992 elections, Danga was chief military operative in Mindanao,” Angeles recalls. “Miriam Defensor-Santiago says Fidel Ramos and company cheated her of the presidency then. Guess who was Almonte’s partner in the infamous Sulu Hotel operations in which election plots were whipped up? Guess who was Almonte’s partner there. Ronaldo Puno, who is now secretary of the interior.
“This same Puno vehemently defends Danga’s appointment. He’s probably behind Danga’s appointment in the first place — and maybe ex-general Jovito Palparan as well.
“So will militarization, election cheating and drugs go on? Just in case we Ateneans forget, Ronnie Puno is an Ateneo alumnus.” (So was the murdered Ensign Philip Pestaño.)
“Cascading idiocy” last Jan. 27“articulates the dangers of child bearing for women in the Philippines,” Edwin Quiros emailed. “Seven mothers die daily during child birth. Half of Filipino children’s deaths occur within the first 28 days of life.”
“Many are not aware of what other countries have done,” Quiros continued. “A sequel could spell out specific action, documented in UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2009. What others did, we can do, perhaps even better… This would give me hope.”
Excerpts from our reply: “All countries start long before mothers deliver. They provide nutrition, safe water, antenatal care, etc. Washing hands and using rudimentary toilets jack up survival rates.
“Stunted babies come from malnourished mothers. And 30 percent of our kids are stunted. The 20 Percent Development Fund is meant for basic needs, food, water, vaccines. But this is siphoned to political projects, e.g., basketball courts, honoraria, etc. Nepal, Egypt and Bangladesh cut deaths sharply from neonatal tetanus through immunization.
“The crunch in skilled health personnel persists. About 68 percent of Filipino doctors practice abroad. Andonly60 out of every 100 births have a doctor, nurse or midwife present. Compare that with Thailand’s 99.
“Nigeria and war-torn Afghanistan are expanding training of health workers. Sri Lanka provides incentives to retain trained people. With a population of 1.1 billion, India decentralized its health care system in partnership with the private sector.
“Peru earmarks the poorest provinces to receive new vaccines and medicines first. Bangladesh and Brazil deployed programs for childhood illnesses to the most deprived provinces first. A policy of ‘preferential option for the poor’ is critical.”
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Email: juanlmercado@gmail.com
Tags: juan mercado, phillip pestano, tirso danga