“The whole population has been quite resilient as well — people have been numbed.”
As of this writing, government agencies have yet to determine how many died on account of Typhoon Kristine. Some hundred and fifty Filipinos have died as of last count, including children buried in mud and landslides cascading from hills drenched in water, or washed away by rampaging floods in Bicol, in Batangas and elsewhere. But many more are missing and unaccounted for.
Recall that just as our President was boasting in his SONA last July 22 that more than 5,000 flood control projects were finished, Typhoon Carina caused massive flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring regions. And then came Enteng, same story in some other parts.
With Kristine, the President felt a “little helpless” while sitting in a command conference where the dire situation in Camarines Sur and Albay was being reported, hoping and praying that there wouldn’t be too much damage and too many casualties.
The day after, reports came in from Talisay, Laurel, and Agoncillo, towns less than a hundred kilometers from Manila.
Corruption kills, and it kills gravely.
Yet, the government over the past seven years poured 132 billion on flood control projects. Where in heaven’s name do we see the positive results of such projects? Why, Senate hearings after Carina revealed the truth that there is no “master plan” even!
The favorite pork barrel dish of our legislators used to be “farm-to-pocket” roads. Now it has mutated into “flood control-to-pocket.”
Farm-to-market roads were conveniently hidden in far-flung barangays where greased COA auditors (patty, or graft slang for “pati-siya”) did not bother to inspect. Send a grader there, but collect for asphalting or concrete that never was. Let pockets profit instead from the under-specified, in some worst cases, the “ghost” and non-existent projects.
The lion’s share of the graft proceeds used to go to “eddie”, slang for “eh di si congressman”, with some “mu-mo” or table leavings for COA, the mayor, the DPWH district engineer.
A few decades back, our legislators cheered lustily when they got 25 million each, when the appropriations chairman was the late Rolly Andaya, during the speakership of Jose de Venecia of the rainbow coalition of FVR.
Now it’s half a billion each, minimum, and up to 5 billion for the favored few, those who open their mouths and shout hallelujah to leadership, or conscripted to the demolition crew against its enemies.
The wide difference cannot be explained by inflation.
How about our senators, including those who just sit there, and lie there? At least 2 billion each, according to an insider in the once upon a time “august” chamber. Someone got decapitated because it was not “hating-kapatid” all the way.
In the HoR, where a QuadComm presided by non-lawyers prey on the identified “enemies” of the new “state”, mere attendance in its inquisitorial hearings can net the attendee, even if late, a million or two for being “present.” Open your mouth and read from a “script” and you get more.
No wonder there are so many districts where the incumbents are running unopposed. The moolah is just too much for a daring challenger to match. The useless but wiser challengers file, and then collect from the incumbent some million or two to withdraw their candidacies.
Just look at the fabled Kennon Road, where the exhilarating scent of thousands of pine trees once enveloped our senses as we drove to the summer capital. How many times has Kennon Road been closed due to landslides blocking the way, and how many times have slope protection projects been built and rebuilt? Ask Baguio Mayor Benjie Magalong how our legislators have been ripping off the national government.
But not to worry, Albay congressman and former governor Joey Salceda tells us. They are a “resilient” breed, he prides.
Well, the whole population has been quite resilient as well. “Manhid na” when it comes to corruption.
No wonder a former president’s favorite song was “Kahit na Magtiis.” He was just echoing the Filipino character aberration which is “tiis nang tiis,” while our current president repeats that aberration, this time on a positive note: “asa nang asa,” or “let us hope and pray”.
Next year, our people will troop to the polls to re-elect the same, or elect their chosen kin. For the poor, whether forever poor or nouveau poor, it will be in exchange for a few hundred pesos. For the thinning middle-class, mostly supported by OFW remittances, it is because there are no others to choose from. For the 10% ABC class, why even bother to vote?
Plus ca change, plus ca reste la meme chose. Ask Comelec to translate that.
