Sunday, October 3, 2010

Jueteng vs. progress

Jueteng aficionados claim their activities can create more jobs and other perceived beneficial claims but in truth And in fact the bets collected are part of a capital or profit of a person that should be circulating on the mainstream of economic generation that is producing more interest of the original capital as it passes from person to person in a community. For instance a fifty peso bet is collected by the collectors then it goes straight to the operator who keeps a majority of the money collected, it passes in the hands of two to three people then finally to the PNP for protection and the politician who gives his blessing to operators in a certain locality. While if the fifty pesos is not used in the jueteng it passes to many people thereby creating a chain of economic activities which ultimately is creating more jobs. An example is when an ordinary farmer who is not a habitual patron of jueteng gives the amount to his children who are attending school, the fifty pesos goes a long way providing capital to vendors, transport and other businesses where the children spend their allowance. There are more people involved in this economic activity which means more jobs because of an active entrepreneurial purpose. Jueteng is a form of an economic sabotage because it denies the government of taxes due to it. It hoards the money in the hands of a few people who use it for sinister purposes that is detrimental to the health of the nation, be it peace economy and security.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Single voting a pest or genetics?

In the Philippines voting is an exercise of freedom but extremes can happen. Allow me to picture a situational in my article as follows.
Candidates come to an agreement forging a compact to include the entire line up or group among voting friends, clans, tribes and relatives. Then comes Election Day when secret ballots are cast followed by the canvassing and counting of votes and the winners are……. Of course the wily foxes!
Where did things go wrong? It is a common practice among clans and closely knitted groups like a tribe and similar groupings to vote for one candidate and excluding the rest of the group. The other candidates who unwittingly did a fair job of including all their team mates will get the least votes because they were never included by the others in the first place.
They say all is fair in love, war and politics but in this case integrity is the basic character that should be taken into consideration as foremost. A candidate who takes advantage of a situation appropriating opportunities to take undue advantage over others who follow the rules of fair play should never be in public leadership positions, because they will apply their wily and corrupt principles in all endeavors they do.
Among the clans and group who follow this kind of unfair practice find themselves fooled most of the time by the same candidate who approach them in every election wearing different masks. These same clans, tribes or groups seemingly never learn. Their ability to distinguish wolves in sheep’s skin has never been sharpened. It seems to be a hereditary aberration and it is now already a genetic adaptations.

Friday, February 12, 2010

With Governor Chavit at Baluarte


We traveled to Ciudad Fernandina otherwise known as vigan which still exudes the beauty and power of the past. Baluarte a private Zoo and a fabulous park attract foreign tourists and locals alike. It is located within the vicinity of this teeming city. Governor Chavit Singson an Ilocano must have realized that regaining the glory of Vigan is to invest extensively on a landmark that will bring in lively hood and better living on this northern part of Ilocandia, the grand creation of Baluarte. His vision as a political leader is something to be admired and worthy of emulating.
We visited his residence and had coffee; I jokingly ask a favor from the honorable governor if there is the possibility of continuing the construction of the Bulaga Bridge that is supposed to connect Cervantes Ilocos Sur and Tadian Mountain Province. I informed the good governor that the officials in Mountain Province seem to neglect its construction. I ask him a favor to keep this lateral road very passable with a complete Bulaga bridge since it is a vital link and a short cut to the Ilocos Region from the land lock Cordillera region and the rich Cagayan valley. Hopefully His smile on the request will go a long, long way.