“Bahala na System”

It’s one of the characteristic traits of a Filipino is the easy-going attitude of a resilient individual. The closest meaning of “Bahala na” phrase in English is come-what-may. This disposition could also degenerate into a serious character flaw when the individual takes a fatalistic view of things to come, unsure of what’s going to happen in the future. No clear directions and commitments of purpose, "Bahala na" is usually said in a difficult maybe hopeless situation when things are left to fate. This may also describe the attitude that one is resigned to what will happen.

This come what-may attitude is said to be ingrained in the Filipino culture from the foreign colonizers who found this trait advantageous to them to subjugate and perpetuate the dominion over the Filipino people by conditioning their minds and appreciate those who just rely on to “the will of God or fate” as a good virtue and example of humility, rather than being assertive thus everyone is dissuaded to be such as a sign of high-handedness & arrogance.

But lo these utterances of words “bahala na” are often heard used by the present officials of this administration. We may recall that President Aquino said to those critical of his administration, he retorted by saying, “Bahala na ang (Diyos) Lord sa Kanila”. It's a no care attitude of the President "Let the Lord God takes care of them". Never mind if the criticisms are constructive, he doesn’t careless. “Bahala” is said to be a strong word, it means steering clear of any responsibility to what will happen next.

  

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II also said, “Bahala na kayo sa buhay nyo” to Mayor Romualdez of Tacloban, “Whom he was browbeating into admitting he was powerless to do anything for his City anymore and thus legalizing the “takeover” of the National Government,” R. Tiglao wrote. What is therefore the literal translation of that phrase? “This has a particular nuance” which can mean-“I don’t care whatever happens to you from here on,” or to be more piercing, “you can go to hell for all I care” or “I wouldn’t lift a finger to help you from here on,” would be more accurate translations according to Rigberto Tiglao. Now I would add with the same meaning and explain further in Tagalog, as it is commonly used “wala akong paki-alam sa buhay nyo,”and in English-“Your life is all for you to care, don’t expect help from me.” This is an utter disregard of their avowed duties to serve the people but a reflections or displays of arrogance of powers.

 But if this is uttered in this way, “Kayo na ang bahala sa buhay nyo” this is an innocuous statement without a negative interpretation of arrogance but would aptly mean “You’re in charge of your lives.” This makes me sad!

We Deserve to Know the Truth!

The word of my idol Ninoy Aquino, Jr. when I was yet student, "the truth will set us free".

DAP use to stimulate economic growth:

The best way to prove that the projects implemented under the DAP are really for purposes of stimulating the economic growth of the country and done above board, it must be properly and specially audited by the Commission on Audit (COA) to show that there was no misusing of public funds. PNoy could have initiated such move immediately after it was exposed. But up to now he has not done so.

More intriguing here is that when a group known as the “abolishpork movement” asked the COA for an audit of the projects under the DAP, COA Chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan, an appointee of P-Noy, peremptorily turned them down. The group is asking for an audit of the projects because:

“While DAP claims to be an economic stimulus program, several of the projects included in the DBM submissions could hardly be considered as having a positive impact on economic growth. Too many items appear to be in line with presidential pork spending and as such are very vulnerable to corrupt practices like those that attended the congressional pork or PDAF” In refusing the special audit, Tan said that funds released through the DAP are already being regularly audited even before the request was made and their findings have been so far reported out. So, she said there is “no need for a special audit similar to what is being done with the PDAF of senators and congressmen from 2007 to 2009.”

“If the findings have really been reported out, the public would really been interested to know about them particularly on the following questionable projects amounting to about P60 billion listed down by the abolishpork movement headed by Sister Mary John Mananzan: (1) P5.432 billion compensation balance given to the owners of Hacienda Luisita who are relatives of the President; (2) P1.819 billion disbursed to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP); (3) P5.5 billion for various infrastructure projects; (4) P 6.5 billion support fund under DILG; (5) P8.592 billion for the ARMM transition and support plan; (6) P250 million Performance Challenge Fund; (7) P6.5 billion to augment existing PDAF; (8) P2 billion national road projects for Tarlac; (9) P1.8 billion Tulay ng Pangako sa Kaunlaran Program (10) P5 billion Tourism road infrastructure project; (11) P8.295 billion priority local projects nationwide; and (12) P1.6 billion for the capability requirements of the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.” By Atty. Jose C. Sison of Phil. Star (Play Acting Feb. 21, 2014).

Journalist Killed:

PNoy played a gruesome numbers game of his own, saying that the alarming number of journalists killed in the Philippines would not be such a big concern if we subtracted the 32 of them who were slaughtered in the Maguindanao massacre. He also said the figures cited by human rights and press groups were inflated because some of those killed were not really journalists, and included “a driver of a network, employees of fly-by-night newspapers and a block timer selling skin whiteners,” though in his 3-year reign, twenty-seven journalists have been killed under the Aquino Administrations as of Dec. 18, 2013.

Economic growth and GDP:

The administration also likes to brag about what it has done to improve the country’s economic growth, citing the rise in gross domestic product and other indicators, as well as improvements in the Philippines’ rating among international debt rating agencies.  But you know the convincing observation made recently by Jesse Colombo of Forbes, that the growth touted by the Aquino administration is a bubble largely driven by cheap credit and consumption, and remittances from Filipinos who are working in the United States and other countries that are experiencing bubbles of their own. Government officials led by the governor of the central bank have sought to deflect these observations, but cannot obscure the ring of truth and realism they bring.

Commentaries from the government’s economic managers, who downplayed as minimal the impact on the economy of the recent natural calamities, particularly Super typhoon Yolanda. Officials cannot downplay the devastation in Eastern Visayas as having a minimal effect on the entire economy. The economic impact of the devastation on the total GDP may not be that significant, percentage-wise, but the impact on human life and property is tremendous.

Handling of the victims of Typhoon Yolanda:

A President who goes on CNN to tell the world that the death toll from super typhoon Yolanda wasn’t as high as the initial 10,000 estimate, but closer to 2,500. This same administration then relieved the police officer who dared to offer such a high figure, but claimed this was done merely for “stress debriefing.” Unfortunately, the official count has more than doubled the President’s own estimate and continues to rise.

Pork Barrel scam’s prosecution selective:

Palace spokesman said: “The President has always said that you go where the evidence takes you. We have always said there is no partiality.” But they chose Ruffy Biazon an ally of the president who has weak case and not plunderous.  If the Aquino administration is trying to create public perception that it is not engaged in selective prosecution, then it should have chosen bigger names involving big amount to qualify for a plunder case. It could have chosen Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. who has been accused by the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino of involvement in a half-a-billion-peso pork barrel scam involving fake non-government organizations operated by a certain Godofredo Roque or Roquero. Citing Commission on Audit’s (COA) Special Audit No. 2012-2013, BMP claimed Tupas spent a total of P106 million in pork barrel funds in 2008 alone and that these were funnelled to two Roque NGOs for non-existent projects. Tupas vehemently denied any involvement in such scam, calling it a big lie and said his signature was faked. Or they could have included House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II who, according to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in his privilege speech, has been found in the COA audit to have ghost projects from his P440 millions of PDAF in his six years as congressman.

 Consistency and transparency:

 Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said because of the pending case questioning the legality of the DAP before the Supreme Court, the Palace can no longer keep its promise to make a full disclosure of DAP-funded projects. The budget chief, however, could not give a categorical answer if a full disclosure can be expected once the Supreme Court rules on the legality of the DAP. “It’s hypocritical. The President can cite projects funded by DAP in his primetime speech when he wants to defend DAP but now the government won’t release data on DAP? Abad’s argument would be ridiculous since the President spoke about DAP on primetime even if there was a pending Supreme Court case. So they cannot invoke sub judice,” Renato Reyes said. The controversial funding mechanism once again made headlines last week after Senator Jinggoy Estrada questioned the DAP-funded purchase of new vehicles for the Commission on Audit. Estrada said the purchase of service vehicles was not aligned with the intention of the government to use DAP to pump prime the economy.

The collected Litany of lies of PNoy Aquino government:

I have no other motives but only good intentions to remind our leaders of their programs and promises to fulfill for the benefits and welfare of the public.
 
Inconsistencies and lies:
 
1. Rice self-sufficiency is unimportant, Malacañang now says. That wasn’t what it said in 2010, when it promised self-sufficiency by 2013..

2. Freedom of information is not a priority, Malacañang now snorts. That wasn’t what it said in 2010, in contemplating a Truth Commission to dig up fund anomalies of past administrations.

3. No to the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, no to constitutional economic reforms, Malacañang now insists. That wasn’t what it said in the State of the Nation, July 2013. Back then it shouted, “There’s no stopping change,” this is may be the only truth, their minds always changed.

4.  “The President trusts him,” Malacañang declares in defense of any appointee linked to anomalies. That wasn’t what it promised in 2010 with the slogan “Kung walang korap, walang mahirap.”

5. “We won’t listen anymore to criticisms on radio-TV,” Malacañang now sneers. That wasn’t what it assured in June 2010, in promising a responsive, responsible government. By Jarius Bondoc Phil. Star.

President Benigno Aquino III allocated P2 billion through the Disbursement Acceleration Program for national road projects in his home province of Tarlac. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said the DAP-funded project was endorsed by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad in a memo dated June 25, 2012 ,and was eventually approved by Aquino.A check with the DBM confirmed the DAP-funded project, which was described in Abad’s memo as meant to “complete the rehabilitation and paving of all arterial and secondary national roads and bridges in the province of Tarlac. No other lucky province received such an allotment for that year based on the memo,This is among the many issues we are raising versus the DAP. How did they identify which project to prioritize? Is it because these were recommended by lawmakers? The government should explain this to the people,” Reyes added.

Secretary of Communication Herminio Coloma said there was nothing wrong if DAP funds went to projects in Aquino’s home province. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Residents of Tarlac also pay taxes”.

In an interview in Bali, Indonesia last October, the President admitted that some projects earmarked to receive DAP funds seemed anomalous.

Then Presidential Communications Development Secretary Ramon Carandang said this was what prompted the Palace to suspend the DAP releases to lawmakers sometime before July 2013, coinciding with the suspension of the release of the second semester pork barrel. “I think it’s very clear that there is a problem. The Commission on Audit is looking into it,” Carandang said at the time.

President BS Aquino defended DAP anew:

He defended the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) anew, saying that it should not be likened to the much maligned Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Speaking before the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Aquino said that DAP was launched by his administration as a stimulus program to induce spending. Really not pork barrel?

He said that funds under the DAP went to projects that benefited the people such as other road projects, health and education programs for the poor, the program to relocate informal settlers, TESDA’s training for work scholarship program, and sitio electrification program, among others. Really not to bribe the Solons?

We can't just let the President exercise its full discretion on what to do and how to spend, and empower him to realign, disapprove or withhold huge amounts and practically entrust him to decide where all the money would go. This exercise is vested in congress and any disbursement is unconstitutional if it is without legislative appropriation. Hence this calls for the abolition of the pork barrel of the President.

Sec. Florencio Abad denied that the additional lump sum given to Congressmen and senators are  additional PDAF but confirmed it was a "DAP from savings". Unlike the creation of the PDAF, DAP is worse than the PDAF, at least the PDAF is authorized by Congress but the DAP was created only by the DBM Secretary Florencio Abad from the impounded appropriations, and approved by President BS Aquino sans the authority of Congress. The Budget Department has no business issuing funds from the DAP because it cannot do so without a supporting law. DAP involves money so to disburse that, they must have the authority. Nowhere in any of our laws or the GAA would it appear that DAP was created at all with the sanction and support of Congress. Even the senators who appropriate the money didn’t know about it, until Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s revelation that each senator who voted to convict Corona received P50 million in extra funding which later on admitted by the Palace coming from the DAP, except Senators Enrile, Drilon and Escudero who received more than 50 million each.

Kayo ang boss ko:

Filipinos have great hope when P-Noy administration started out with a very promising slogan recognizing the people as his boss but sad to say it remains to be a promising  slogan which seems to be complying with this principle more in words than in deeds. It is really very disgusting that our President has been reporting to his “boss”, something different from what is actually happening or being done by his administration especially in connection with the terrible disasters hitting the central Visayas. The people are indeed quite disappointed with his stance and have started to lose trust and confidence in him.

Janet Napoles:

PNoy said “I don't remember her… She wasn't familiar whatsoever. You know when I saw her when she came to the palace, I was trying to look at her and I don't remember her. I am normally very good with faces baka sometimes, ano, but I'm poor with names…I can't even say I ever said 'hi' to her. I tried to search my mind if I ever came across her or even heard of her name; and I hope I am not turning senile but I don't recall any incident.” Napoles sent a letter to the President only last April 17th seeking the president's help. Janet Lim wouldn't dare write the president unless they had something going on between them. Rumor has it that Napoles was one of the biggest campaign contributors to the Liberal Party's campaign kitty.

On DAP and PDAF:

The Palace explained Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) was not a form of pork barrel nor incentive to lawmakers who voted to convict former chief justice Renato Corona, and that DAP funds were released to fund projects upon the request of the senators, but some senators denied having asked for the DAP. The release of 2013 DAP funds for lawmakers were suspended and PNoy announced the abolition of the PDAF following controversies on the alleged misuse of pork barrel funds, but in reality the Solicitor General representing the government file the motion in SC to lift the TRO of the PDAF. In their interpretation the President is authorized by the constitution to realign savings. But the government has been converting funds into pork barrel while the taxpayers continue to toil for the lawmakers to spend around like it was their money. They have no right to convert taxpayers’ money into pork barrel,” “The job of the Executive is only to propose but not to dispose of the funds. The President cannot realign projects that did not pass scrutiny of Congress. The DAP did not pass congressional scrutiny. The President has usurped Congress’ power of the purse,”"The DAP funds were in the budget item. Congress approved them under the General Appropriations Act. So whatever savings generated from the approved budget items, the Executive or even the President, had no business realigning the money. The President realigned the funds, gave them away to lawmakers and these lawmakers received them and this became pork barrel. Anything that is endorsed by the lawmakers for projects is pork barrel,” Briones said.
 
DAP was created and meant to “accelerate developments” to counter the adverse impact of “underspending.” "If Abad and Drilon wanted acceleration, the moment the savings were generated, these should have been spent on projects that could accelerate development so that should have been in January 2012. So what took them so long that they distributed the funds only between August and December of 2012?” Besides the so called “savings” is not the real savings contemplated and defined as to be the remainder of the appropriated fund upon completion of the projects not derived from the impounded fund of the unfinished projects.  "What the DBM calls “savings” are actually funds from discontinued projects. That is clearly misidentification. Allocations for discontinued projects should revert to the general fund, to be allocated at a later time by Congress, properly exercising its power over the purse." Alex Magno said.

Self-proclaimed preparedness and zero casualty:

 The declarations of PNoy bragging his administration’s preparedness when the storm was still monitored to be approaching. He said he had 30 planes and 20 ships ready for any eventualities. It disappeared in the Yolanda aftermath.The NDRRMC failed in its mandate. P-Noy may have boasted on nationwide TV on Nov. 7 that his government was prepared for this disaster…but in truth, they fell flat on their faces. Worse of all, they passed the buck to the local government units (LGU) instead of having the humility to admit their own lapses.  Not only that our government has shown its incapability to handle responsibilities during catastrophes but the world draw sympathy to the victims and exposed the ghoulish and questionable approach of our national leaders in the hard hit areas of the super typhoon.  Thank you, Anderson Hayes Cooper, for drawing the world's sympathy to the storm victims and described the situation as "worse than hell", exposed our government's inept handling of the tragedy and our local yellow media's political connivance...

Rice self-sufficiency:

Another area in which the administration has overstated its case has been its projections about rice self-sufficiency, even in the face of rising prices for the grain and reports of rampant smuggling. The reality finally sank in, and the Agriculture secretary was forced to admit that the administration would not be able to make good its boast after all. In his statement, the secretary blamed the rains for missing his target—when what he should have done, as any prudent planner would do, was to factor in the seasonal storms into his rosy projections in the first place.