AFP modernization on sked

THE Philippines will pursue the modernization of its armed forces to “address present dangers.”

That was the latest pronouncement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the matter of procuring equipment and supplies, apart from enhancing training, to bring the AFP closer to the goal of securing national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as mandated by our Constitution.

For far too long, the country depended on the protection provided by American military bases—mainly Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base—until the Philippine Senate decided to terminate the RPUS Military Bases Agreement in 1991.

We relied as well on hand-me-downs from the US military arsenal, from jet fighters to naval ships and firearms.

That served us well in the post-WWII era, and later, when we had to fight two armed insurgencies from the 1970s onwards.

But current geo-political realities in the region compel us now to strengthen our military capability even as we have been given no less than an “ironclad” guarantee by the United Sates that they will honor the Mutual Defense

Treaty we signed back in 1951.

This is not the first time, of course, that the President stressed the importance of modernizing the Philippine military.

Can we afford all this while our resources are focused on economic and social priorities?

Last year, upon assuming office, he promised to support the AFP modernization program, citing geopolitical tensions and challenges facing the country brought about by terrorism and natural calamities. He even described the AFP modernization program as “crucial” to make the military “ready for all eventualities.”

The AFP’s modernization program began in the mid-1990s during the Ramos administration.

In fact, part of Fort Bonifacio, the headquarters of the army, was even sold to the private sector to jump-start the modernization effort.

Since then, as the economy improved and the government managed to save funds, we began to gradually purchase military equipment from other countries to upgrade the capability of our Air Force, Navy, Army and Coast Guard.

But the first horizon of AFP modernization from 2013 to 2017 was for the acquisition of equipment mostly for internal security operations.

What is now known as Horizon 2 of the modernization program is aimed at making the AFP “mission capable for territorial defense in the West Philippine Sea” by the end in this year, but COVID-19 delayed its completion.

Its third and final phase, or Horizon 3, was supposed to start next year and last until 2028.

But the lack of adequate funds could further delay the acquisition corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and combat utility helicopters to achieve what is called a “minimum credible defense posture.”

The acquisition of “game changer projects” such as missile systems, and multirole jet fighters and advanced C4ISTAR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, targeting acquisition and reconnaissance) would definitely be a huge leap to enhance the country’s external defense capabilities in the years ahead.

The question is: Can we afford all this while our resources are focused on economic and social priorities?

Loco over logos

WITH one brouhaha after another, and judging by public reaction to DOT’s new slogan LOVE the Philippines and Pagcor’s new logo, it’s been raining cats and dogs on the “parade of achievements” unveiled by some government agencies.

Besides, nothing of consequence happened on the national scene last week other than the flood in Bicutan that tied traffic for hours in the southern “super” highway.

So as the flak on LOVE started to wane, here came Pagcor and its new logo, giving netizens and traditional media going loco over another logo.

What the agency officials intended to be accomplishment sweeteners for the second State of the Nation address by the President have turned out to be magnets for public opprobrium over their own record of “nada.” even Hong Kong. An active nightlife, competitively priced international culinary fare, numerous fiestas, apart from year-round sun and sand, and a musically-inclined people quick to laughter, all rolled into one, made “more fun” a truly Filipino travel experience.

In the case of LOVE…, the DOT immediately canceled their contract with DDB Philippines and insisted they have not paid a centavo of public money to the beleaguered agency, which took the sword for a “mood” board that was truly a product yet to be finalized.

So don’t worry, the DOT says, and following the current government attitude of “A basta!,” they will continue with the embarrassing slogan that has attracted worldwide ridicule.

So don’t fret about the P49 million price tag for the concept and initial footages, even if DDB has every right to collect the milestone accomplishments already delivered. That’s peanuts.

Besides which, how can DOT use the slogan and concept which is an intellectual property of DDB, unless they pay?

The money that will be spent is not in the slogan, but in its use through several vehicles for promotion, from expensive advertising on international media, to printed brochures and give-aways, to LOVE events, outdoor advertising, and so on and so forth.

Yet the DOT thought it best to change the come-on from more fun to LOVE. A basta!

Pagcor for its part unveiled the new logo on their 40th anniversary, with the President no less extolling the contributions to the national economy of state-sponsored gambling, in much the same way that DOT rushed their thing for their 50th birthday.

“A basta!” Never mind if it looks like Petron’s “gasul” logo vis-à-vis Pagcor’s “sugal” logo. And that’s probably the kindest meme on social media after the much maligned logo was unveiled.

Going ga-ga over logos but forgetting the real causes of their continuing despair

Or is it because the old Pagcor logo was a pale yellow (parang dilawan na kumukupas) and green (Sara’s color)?

They might as well just change the colors to red and blue, and the yellow sun to gold coins if there is an orchestrated effort to rewrite history’s colors.

Recall too that Malacanang’s insistence on Maharlika bulldozed through all the trepidations and criticisms of the UP School of Economics and so many others on what we thought was a humpty-dumpty idea?

Sabi nang “A basta!”

And did public opinion and the Supreme Court’s disbarment of Larry Gadon affect Malacanang at all, even with a former chief justice as executive secretary?

Pulse Asia’s latest survey tells us that people are most concerned with inflation, wages unable to match the rising prices, and lack of employment.

All of these are politics of the stomach.

Yet, economic issues do not stoke so much public anger until it becomes unbearable.

Filipinos are known to be “matiisin,” the “masa” specially.

Unlike the French, who create mayhem when retirement age is adjusted a few years more, or go on crippling nationwide strikes when they demand better wages, the Filipino, in the words of Erap’s favorite song, are lulled by “Kahit na Magtiis.”

Recall the lyrics, sung by Basil Valdez: “Kahit na magtiis ng matinding dusa/ kahit apihin mo ang aking pagsinta…//”

An example is the saga of Janet Napoles and the ghost PDAF projects.

The public was so incensed at larceny most grave, theft of public funds most brazen, and the legislator-participants so numerous.

They went to the streets, until the Supreme Court proscribed the pork barrel, and the Ombudsman hastily filed cases against some of the legislators and their cohort Napoles. Pero que pasa, despues de algun tiempo?

The public elected two of the accused legislators back into the halls of the “august.”

Meanwhile, one staff member of one legislator died in prison after conviction, with none but his family in grief. Another staff member of the other senator is still hiding from the extremely long arms of Philippine law.

And while Madam Janet, toast of Congress 10 years back, still languishes in jail, the people have lost interest in the saga of Napoles and her ghosts.

Meanwhile, too, and despite the Supreme Court’s legal proscription, the never-ending practice of legislators enriching themselves through another mutation of the pork has become more brazen, with a trillion or so of our budget being divided annually by their undiminished greed.

For this month of July, 65 consumers will be given bill deposit refunds and until the end of the year, it is expected that about 777 customers will be eligible for the program.

In total, the bill deposit the company is ready to return to their eligible customers in 2023 is P5 million.

MORE Power President and CEO Roel Castro explained the bill deposit refund is not a reward but a right of consumers under the Magna Carta for Residential Consumers which the company strictly complies with.

That is in the billions.

Don’t think about potential corruption, because most of these, particularly placements in international media, do not give commissions, not like the pork barrel.

Think about wasted money, wasted time, and international embarrassment. Those bring more damage than price tags.

Neither does Pagcor’s new logo over which many are making loko-loko fun, which cost the gambling agency a paltry P3 million.

No, P3 million is also peanuts, most especially for Pagcor.

The money in the printing of new office stationery, signages, or maybe gambling chips would still be peanuts to the gambling regulator, so don’t look at the money wasted, which some netizens decry.

Ask instead—whatever is so important about logos? Why go loco over these?

It’s like the slogan change of the DOT. As the aphorism says, “if ain’t broke, why fix it?”

But fix it every newly-appointed secretary wants, regardless.

Truth to tell, the Mon Jimenez (of respected memory) brainchild of “It’s more fun in the Philippines” was quite appropriate because more and better fun was what distinguished us from the regional competition.

This product differentiation captured what a tourist experience in the Philippines would be compared to Vietnam or Malaysia, and now

Neither. Instead, the President himself administered the oath of office to the disbarred lawyer in the halls of Malacanang, no less.

They probably call that “political will,” a hallmark of “strong leadership.”

Against all odds, or the “odds” are not strong enough?

Issues like these have had mere 72 hours to a week of shelf life in media attention.

And the criticisms come mostly from alert netizens, while the political opposition is limited to a solitary voice in the Senate, and the four or five progressive party-list congressmen in the HoR.

The thinking public gets entertained momentarily, forgetting the rising cost of living, the traffic, the water shortages even, happy to poke fun at these examples of “good” governance.

Except of course, if the Senate holds investigations “in aid of legislation.”

Only such well-publicized hearings, which star clownish inquisitors sparring against clueless resource persons, can prolong the shelf life of such “fiascoes” as LOVE and Maharlika.

In the case of the prolonged decision on Maharlika, the public got tired of hearing what to most was incomprehensible to begin with, such that surveys later showed people thought it was a bright idea, that it would help bring good tidings to their dreary lives.

But instead of ghost projects, we have a plenitude of river-dredging, which COA cannot fathom enough even if their auditors dived into murky waters.

Plus flood control projects which cannot control flooding.

And sub-standard roads and bridges, culverts, and worst of all, those landslide-prevention rip-raps made of coir and mesh wire with a thin layer of cement, which will crumble with the rain, and make pre-planned repairs necessary.

And the “cuts” have increased tremendously, from 10 percent in the past, to 25 percent, and now, allegedly as high as 40 percent of project cost. Madre mia!

A basta ya! “Porque estamos en poder?” So what? What are we in power for?

Even many media practitioners without Google’s help are no longer able to identify the man who flaunted that statement three generations ago.

What a country!

Going ga-ga over logos but forgetting the real causes of their continuing despair.

If Mao said “religion is the opium of the people,” here in our benighted land, logos and slogans, memes and “kantiyawan” are our opium.

As we drown our problems with beer for the middle class, gin bulag, ‘ador-‘ador and tuba for the poor.

Ay Pilipinas, “kay hirap mong mahalin”!

MORE Power’s initiative to voluntarily return the bill deposit to eligible consumers has received commendation and recognition from various stakeholders.

Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Atty. Monalisa Dimalanta said More Power deserves to be commended for being a good example to other distribution utilities. She added, transparency and consumer welfare is really evident in the management of MORE Power.

The Iloilo City local government is also satisfied with the efficient service provided by MORE Power. It was only in 2020 when MORE Power began its operation in Iloilo City. It managed to reform and rehabilitate the many years of poor management and service of the former distribution utility MORE Power’s significant progress in terms of service, which it has implemented in just three years, is a brazen message to other distribution utilities to shape up and provide good services to its consumers, because in return, customers will reciprocate and pay their electricity bill on time. This is something more power retailers, especially in the Davao area where I live, will adopt in time.

(The author is a civil engineer and a longtime resident of the Davao area, with his own small construction business.)

SEOUL – Rescuers battled to reach people trapped in a flooded tunnel Sunday in South Korea, where at least 33 people have died and 10 are missing after heavy rains caused flooding and landslides.

South Korea is at the peak of its summer monsoon season, and there has been heavy rainfall for the last four days, causing a major dam to overflow.

The interior ministry reported that 33 people had been killed and another 10 were missing in the heavy downpours, mostly buried by landslides or after falling into a flooded reservoir.

Rescue workers were still struggling to reach more than 10 cars trapped in a 430-meter underground tunnel in Cheongju, North Chungcheong province, the ministry said.

The tunnel was inundated on Saturday morning after floodwaters swept in too quickly for the people inside

BEIJING – US climate envoy John Kerry will head to China on Sunday to meet with his counterpart Xie Zhenhua and restart stalled talks between the world’s two biggest emitters of planet-warming gases.

Kerry’s trip to China—his third as President Joe Biden’s climate emissary—follows weeks of recordsetting summer heat that scientists say is being exacerbated by climate change.

Bilateral climate talks stalled last to escape, according to the Yonhap news agency.

As of Sunday, seven bodies have been recovered from the tunnel and divers were working around the clock searching for more victims, the interior ministry said.

“I have no hope but I can’t leave,” a parent of one of those missing in the tunnel told Yonhap.

“My heart wrenches thinking how painful it must have been for my son in the cold water.”

Images broadcast on local television showed a torrential stream of water from a nearby river that had burst its banks flooding into the tun- year after Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited self-ruled Taiwan and infuriated Beijing, which considers the island its territory. nel, as rescue workers struggled to use boats to get to people inside.

But Kerry, a former secretary of state, has enjoyed comparatively cordial and consistent relations with China despite Washington and Beijing locking horns over Taiwan and a number of other thorny issues, including advanced semiconductors.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently on an overseas trip, held an emergency meeting with his aides on the government’s response to the heavy rains and flooding, his office said.

Earlier, he ordered Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to mobilise all available resources to minimise casualties.

The majority of the casualties—including 17 of the dead and nine of the missing—were from North Gyeongsang province, and were largely due to massive landslides in the mountainous area that engulfed houses with people inside. AFP