OFFBEAT MAIL

The reality in falling on the head of every Filipino affected by so much politics in the midst of economic crisis. But many people can still manage to give a shy smile and talk about their problems over a cup of coffee and hot pandesal at breakfast time. However, if you come to think about it a developing country like the Philippines has a big heart when it comes to politics. But science and technology, a big no, no. For many years, many Filipinos find utmost satisfaction listening to the false promises of politicians as if they had been fulfilled. Thanks if they did. But most of them just floated into the thin air. With too much politics, the country's prosperity was reduced to a pulp. Programs on science and technology were sidelined or forgotten for a long time because politics has been made a priority. If there are project developments around, these are only superficial adornments to show that they are doing something out of their countryside development funds. But deep insi...

The Philippines is a beautiful country to live. There is no argument about this claim. Comparatively , it has a tropical climate, white and pristine beaches and warmth smile and hospitality of the Filipinos. But despite these advantages, only a few hundreds Japanese retirees had been attracted to stay in the Philippines. Do we know the reason why only a few of them are eager to invest their fortunes in the Philippines? Mind you, even a grade one pupil can answer this question. Like any developing country, the Philippines is having a hard time dealing with its peace and order problem. For many years, it has been like this and the government seems helpless in curtailing the unrest in Mindanao. But it is not so much in the part of Luzon, but a few basic problems that any visitor or resident would encounter at any given day. Compared to Thailand, which received an estimated 1.2 million Japanese visitors last year, the Philippine got only something like 300 Japanese visitors in that same pe...

If there is anything that the Filipino citizenry should be happy about, it is the latest announcement by the government to cancel its tripartite agreement with China and Vietnam for the joint seismic geographical survey on the portion of the Spratly Group of Islands for energy exploration. Why not? After all these shenanigans in government, nobody is certain what the government's agenda are in dealing with communist governments like China and Vietnam. And what makes matters questionable is that the impending joint seismic survey leans more on the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines, where the Kalayaan Group of islands are now occupied by Philippine Marine soldiers. Some political experts are questioning as to why the present administration has entered into a secret deal with these two communist countries, knowing fully well that there is an Asean bloc agreement that allows first for consultation before any agreement is sealed with countries outside the Asean . Anot...

With growing complaints from pension fund members, mostly comprising of government retirees and active employees who continue to be milked of their hard-earned contributions in the hope that they could make use of their efforts in the future, the Government Service Insurance System ( GSIS ) continues to render disservice to its millions of members. Perhaps, it's about time that the national government should do something to dip its hands on this pension fund agency by overhauling its present set up so that it can function truly and effectively as the lone caretaker of the billions of monthly contributions collected from national and local government employees. As of late, GSIS insiders were caught taking advantage of their position by secretly funneling funds that were not supposed for them, but from those who were already dead. And who would imagine that some GSIS employees, who knew the tricks of the trade on how to deprive thousands of their benefits without even applying for...

With the kind of politics that the Philippines has, the disbandment of the Integrated National Police (INP) that led to the creation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, should not have been effected. Why is that? Because the present political set up, with the PNP put under the wings of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) is not ideal under the Philippine setting. I think it would be appropriate if Congress will enact a new law that will amend in part under Article Two of the Local Government Code, Section 28, which in a way gives "operational supervision and control of local executives over the police force...assigned in their respective jurisdictions shall be governed by the provisions of Republic Act No. 6975."Perhaps, it is about time that this provision shall be rectified in the sense that the police are vulnerable for use and abuse by local government executives. I knew that it is ...

That how most Filipinos enjoy the funfare these days. Why not? With all these uncalled rallies brought about by the mushrooming effects of graft and corruption in government, which to many people, was more than what occurred during the dictatorship of the late President Ferdinand Marcos in the late 70s. Rather than enjoying the fruits of their freedom earned after the late dictator was finally ousted through the bloodless People Power Revolution, they are feasting in the midst of DEMO-CRAZY Philippines nowadays. And mind you, if you're holding sensitive positions in government, it could be very dangerous in the sense that you could be used and abused by the gods and godesses at the top. But why worry about it, just in case something like this comes your way? You don't have to do anything but to stick to your gun. If you can't dance with the music, better decide to quit, rather than be taken advantaged of by those in power for their personal interests. Unless, you want to ge...

Why can't Congress, especially the Senate, get the respect it deserves from the Executive Branch of government? And it seemed the former is most often ignored, particularly when it comes to public hearings involving government officials. Despite everybody's knowledge that all three have branches of government, patterned that after the United States, have equal sharing of recognation and powers as mandated in the country's Constitution, this doesn't give much bearing except when it comes to exposes and revelations by those who were called to give their testimonies under oath. When it comes to the arresting power of Congress, nobody seems to be intiminated and this mandate is taken lightly even by those who are supposed to recognize it. Take, for example, the case of the failed attempt by members of the Senate arresting team sent to track down Jun Lozada as he landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, Philippines. If their presence had earned the re...