Ben Contreras
NOW, the pots are calling the kettles black over “JOs” or “job orders.” So what’s new with JO? Nothing, except that it’s been abused and brought to a higher level by taking in close--I mean really close relatives under ridiculous circumstances. Neither side is innocent of that abuse. Such is our politics and system that if one gets elected, he or she would be stupid not to hire relatives. How is that possible?
For one, our anti-nepotism law has no teeth. If it bites, it may be because the law has been fitted with dentures, still weak.
The mudslinging is just for a show. At the end of the day, it will settle down under the dictum of “I’ll scratch your back, you scratch mine.” And what do you make of these people? They’re all hypocrites! For how can those guilty of the same accuse the other?
Maybe, there are good and honest among them--a few, perhaps, who are neophytes who are still untainted by the virus called politics. But eventually, they will all succumb to it, talk like one, act like one, and live like one.
Honest governance at city hall is “suntok sa buwan” or impossible. Once in a while, you heard them argue, fight and make a lot of noise, probably over the unequal sharing of the loot. But when the dust settles down, it’s back to business on who gets the pie first. A Chinese saying goes like this: “If the head is not straight, the body will be crooked.”
Another thing is that those who are perceived to be on the other side of the political fence raise their voices only when they’re not getting what they want or their due. But once they get invited or let in or shared with the loot, they become meek as gentle lambs. Corruption is made possible by this kind of officials.
Why don’t our government officials review the anti-nepotism law? Just because one is hiring a brother who is poor does not make it right and moral even if it violates the law. Not even if everybody is doing that makes it right and legal. This reminds me of Speaker Alvarez when he said, “Bakit, ako lang ba ang may girlfriend?” That was very shameful.
Our mayor himself may be guilty of nepotism. Dig deep and check the people he hires or have already hired. They may not be JOs but nepotism is nepotism.
Lawmakers who are themselves guilty of this might as well abolish the law, and change it to something like “Whatever it is that everyone is doing makes it legal.”
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It was our second meeting with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional director Edwin Andot, a meeting Environment Secretary Gina Lopez was aware of. The secretary was expecting a written report about the results. It was however attended not just by assistant regional director Paquito Melicor but surprisingly, also by Environment Management Bureau (EMB) regional director Abdullah Abubakar.
There were five major issues taken up which Director Andot promised to do something about--I mean, something, not just words but actions. Director Abubacar likewise promised to act on some concerns raised.
The next meeting should occur soon and Director Andot is looking at the month of May for results. One question to be raised would be on what happened to the six or more backhoes that were seen operating illegally (?) during the aerial survey of Environment Assistant Secretary Maria Paz Luna. According to dentist Bob Ocio, Luna told him that the backhoes were confiscated. Who did the confiscation? Where are the backhoes now and under whose custody? Have there been charges filed against the owners.
We would like to hear some answers.
