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IT’S bad enough that the Philippines is regularly
visited by storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides,
droughts and flood-inducing rain. But must we suffer from
intermittent man-made calamities, too?
A fire razed totally the
Commission on Elections building Sunday, raising cries of negligence
and arson, and fears about the loss of valuable documents and the
postponement of the May 14 elections. Was the fire avoidable? What
took the fire department so long to put out the blaze?
Next thing, we shall be hearing
about another government office housing important documents being
gutted down. We do not wish it, but the next fire could hit another
government building that archives priceless papers and writings.
The vulnerable offices include
the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Customs, the
Commission on Audit, the Bureau of Immigration, the Supreme Court,
the Court of Appeals, the Civil Service Commission, the Office of
the Ombudsman, the National Statistics Office, the National Museum,
the Records Management and Archives Office, the offices dealing with
land registration and institutions that enshrine the national
memory.
It is not a bad idea for the
Department of the Interior and Local Governments and the local
governments to join forces to conduct an inventory of vulnerable
public buildings and see to their condition and safety. The DILG
runs the Bureau of Fire Protection while the towns and cities
maintain engineering and safety offices. They could pool their
resources together.
Fire is almost a daily occurrence
in Metro Manila because the place is a tinderbox. Slums proliferate
in the national capital region. Buildings and houses, built close to
each other, are made of substandard materials. Local jurisdictions
have no respect for zoning laws. Safety inspections are infrequent.
For lack of power, the poor use candles and gas lamps.
Cheap, defective LPG tanks are
also popular. Wiring systems are decades old and do not go regular
inspection. Holiday bulbs and lights are notorious for breaking
down. Water is a problem everywhere. The local fire departments are
short on fire trucks, safety gear and trained firefighters. Arson,
of course, cannot be counted out.
If fires are not enough, traffic
accidents and deaths fill up the disaster list. Mishaps in the
construction trade are frequent. Every week, a train is likely to
sideswipe a railroad-track dweller. Holes left unfilled by digging
crews have hurt pedestrians and drivers. Littering and the theft of
esteros have worsened floods.
Overloading and creaky vessels
bring up the death toll on our waters.
Prevention, planning and
preparedness will achieve much to curb man-made disasters. The
government must take the lead, but every citizen, nongovernmental
organization and the private sector should match state initiatives.
Fires and other man-made calamities are costly to the economy, to
the healthcare system, to the community, families and individuals.
Government priority should go to
looking into the worthiness of the offices charged with the
safekeeping of important business, national-security, judicial and
historical documents and artifacts. Work should begin now.
A taxing matter
AS private-sector and government
workers face the April 15 deadline for income-tax filing, it is not
inappropriate to ask if the candidates for national and local
elections are willing to share with the public their latest tax
returns.
Paying tax on income earned is
one of the exacting tests of citizenship. Civic duty and the law
require that all qualified wage earners in the public and private
sectors pay their tax correctly and on time. A Filipino may not be
fined or jailed for not voting, but failure to file an income tax
return is an invitation to trouble.
The Constitution also requires
every public officer and employee to submit a declaration of his
assets, liabilities and net worth. Candidates who are seeking
reelection or have worked with the government in the previous year
are expected to have filed their statement not with the Comelec with
an appropriate office. How many are willing to share with the public
the state of their wealth or poverty?
Unveiling one’s latest tax
return or statement of assets is compatible with the test of honesty
and probity for public office. It will reassure us that the aspirant
who is asking for our vote is not faking his claims to rectitude but
has paid his dues. Disclosure will help us make our choice in the
May 14 election.
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