|
This column does not agree with the stand of the Commission on
Elections that potential candidates appearing in advertisements
before they even file their candidacies do not violate the law. I
hope common sense, and not legalism, should prevail on this
question.
The statement by the spokesman of the Comelec on
the definition of a candidate is too legalistic. This suggests that
the poll body cannot run after the culprits since they are still out
of the jurisdiction of the poll body. This is a case of palusot.
Please do not repeat that argument again because we are insulted.
For the sake of fairness, the Comelec should
issue a warning to these high-profile personalities. These people
are running for election, or perceived to be running for office in
2010. That should be enough reason for the warning.
In crafting a Comelec resolution, it should not
make a distinction between personalities who are trying to educate
the public about a government program (like Vice President Noli de
Castro and MMDA chief Bayani Fernando) to ads that intend to sell
products (like the senators). The memo should include all, without
regard to their purpose appearing in ads.
In that way, nobody would complain. I have just
read an item that Sen. Loren Legarda appears to be dragging VP de
Castro in the ad issue. Therefore, it is even more necessary for the
Comelec to avoid making exceptions.
I suggest that the candidates for president in
2010 compete in public issues, instead of in ads that have no
meaning in public discourse. For instance, how many of our senators
issued statements about the fight between Meralco and the GSIS?
DA taps local governments
I have never believed that health and
agriculture work should be placed under the local supervision. These
sectors require the guide and support of the central government. But
that is the law. Under the local government law, these two services
have been devolved.
In this situation, what did Secretary Arthur Yap
do so that the national agricultural plan could be implemented?
Well, he came up with an accord with the local government units on
how the plan is to be realized.
The memorandum of agreement signed a few weeks
ago with the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) aims to
provide foot soldiers for the Department of Agriculture (DA) as they
implement the food sufficiency program for five cropping seasons.
Note that the DA’s rice program runs for five
cropping seasons because it includes the wet or main crops this year
and in 2009, the dry crops next year and in 2010, and another quick
turnaround (QTA) planting program inserted between next year’s dry
and wet crops.
But this logistical headache for the DA has been
addressed as the agreement provides that the governors will detail
or assign their agricultural workers to the DA for the duration of
the sufficiency program.
Under this plan, LGUs will continue paying for
the salaries of the agricultural technicians and remitting their
salary deductions to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Government
Service Insurance System, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and
other government agencies. The DA will shoulder the official travel
expenses of these provincial employees and provide them with
allowances.
The memorandum was signed by Yap and LPP
president Loreto Ocampos, governor of Misamis Occidental and
witnessed by Govs. Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, LPP
chairman, and Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, LPP secretary-general.
This agreement was more of a done deal as the
LPP had previously issued a resolution commending President Arroyo
and Yap for their efforts to cushion the impact of the global food
squeeze on Filipino farmers and consumers, and expressing their
support for the DA’s efforts to sustain the high growth of the
palay subsector.
jules42na@yahoo.com
|
