RENE SAGUISAG
I WAS at the Bureau of Immigration last Monday. I was to assist a client who had gone there, twice, to get permission to travel, to no avail. He is a seaman accused in a support case, allowed by the court to travel, on our motion to lift the hold-departure order. While there, where we finally got splendid cooperation, I was told of the lowered morale of workers who used to get more—thanks to Commissioner Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s creative innovation in the public interest—but are now getting just a third of it. Miriam’s policy has apparently been shunted aside by Budget Secretary Ben Diokno, who seems to prioritize the armed services, as ordered by the commander in chief, Prez Digong, who keeps stroking those with arms.