On The COA Report Flagging P1.44 Trillion In 'Idle' Projects

On The COA Report Flagging P1.44 Trillion In 'Idle' Projects

We owe it to the next generation of Filipinos to act now with strong political will in addressing corruption.

It is high time for government prosecutors from the Ombudsman or Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as investigating agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), to give utmost importance and attention to the regular and special Commission on Audit (COA) audit reports if we intend to be serious in stamping out corruption in the country.

For one, the audit reports provide very good leads in identifying misuse and abuse of public funds and pursuing cases against erring public officials as well as their cohorts in the private sector - including contractors and suppliers.

So much is lost to corruption, oftentimes committed with impunity by shenanigans who continue to laugh their way to the banks while we, the taxpaying public, are left with the proverbial empty bag. We are already neck-deep in debt without seeing the commensurate programs, projects and activities (PPAs) designed to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

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How Lacson's Integrity, No-Nonsense Leadership Converted a 'Foe'

How Lacson's Integrity, No-Nonsense Leadership Converted a 'Foe'

From a fierce foe to a staunch supporter.

This was how former Interior Secretary Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno described his reason for supporting - and managing - the presidential campaign of Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson.

"Si Ping Lacson, buong buhay ko sa gobyerno nang magkasama kami, magkaaway kami... Ang haba ng history namin, parang dalawang magkaklase sa isang eskwelahan na nag-a-aspire maging No. 1, di ba lagi silang magkaaway (When Ping Lacson and I served together in the government, we butted heads. We were like classmates vying for top honors. When that happens, wouldn't they clash)?" said Puno, who now manages Lacson's presidential campaign.

During the Estrada administration, Lacson served as Philippine National Police chief, while Puno served as secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government. The DILG supervises the PNP.

He said one of the causes of their clashes stemmed from Estrada's order to go after illegal gambling but exempting some gambling lords. Lacson had continued to go all-out against all illegal gambling due to his no-take policy and leadership by example.

Puno recalled that their working relationship was even marred by the filing of charges and issuing of arrest orders.

But he said he never lost respect for Lacson, who he said is the cleanest, most dedicated, most sincere, and most honest public servant. Thus he did not hesitate when Lacson's camp reached out to him to help in his campaign.

"Sa tagal ko sa gobyerno, 25 years old nasa gobyerno na ako, wala akong nakilala - wala, wala - na kasing-linis, kasing-tino, kasing-dedicated, kasing-sincere at kasing-honest as Ping Lacson (I joined the government when I was 25 years old. Throughout my stint in government, I have never met anyone as clean, level-headed, dedicated, sincere and honest as Ping Lacson)," he said.

"Ito yung pinakamagaling na pagkakaibigan na nagmula sa away. Walang rason bakit kami magkaibigan. Walang rason bakit nandito ako ngayon (This is the best kind of friendship, one that started on the wrong foot. There was no reason for us to be friends. There was no reason for me to be here)," he added.

Puno said his goal now is to make Lacson - now the standard-bearer of Partido Reporma - defy the claims of naysayers who cite recent "surveys," especially at this critical time for the country's future.

"Sa survey, nalalagay tayo sa baba. Pero ang nasa baba, walang pupuntahan kundi pataas (Some surveys put us down there. But when you're down, there's nowhere to go but up)," he said.

"Ang sabi nila nakagawa daw ako ng tatlong Presidente. Sana sinabi nila apat: Ping Lacson (They say I helped 'make' three Presidents. They should have added a fourth: Ping Lacson)," he added.

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CNN PHILIPPINES ON SEN PING LACSON

CNN PHILIPPINES ON SEN PING LACSON

 

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On the President's Comment that Government Funds are Depleted

 On the President's Comment that Government Funds are Depleted

I would suggest that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) be convened immediately so the members of the Cabinet can mobilize the different agencies using their Quick Response Funds (QRF) and other relevant appropriations available under their disposal, among others.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) should be required to submit an initial Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) in areas devastated by Odette. This will guide the President to prioritize aid and assistance based on the needs and extent of damage.

For its part, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should organize a meeting with the different ambassadors to appeal to the international community of nations for assistance just like what we did days after the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda.

Meanwhile, there is also a need to organize the mobilization of the country’s business and private sector to extend assistance in order to maximize and prioritize relief and rehabilitation efforts in the hardest hit areas. As it is happening now, efforts are disorganized and the interventions of politicians and presumptive candidates are not helping much.

All these will help us to prepare for the possible spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. As I have repeatedly stressed, the judicious spending of funds based on accurate data is the key.

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Why I Choose Sen. Ping Lacson For President

 Why I choose Sen. Ping Lacson for President:

I have not seen any other presidential candidate whose heart and dedication to public service extends beyond regional borders and political colors than Sen. Ping Lacson. 

He is not clannish, but independent-minded. He does not look into political affiliations or colors, but maintains that “what is right should be kept right and what is wrong must be made right”.

Despite the possible backlash of the Anti-Terror Law to his political ambition, he bravely sponsored and defended it upon his belief that that law is needed to balance the anti-terrorism campaign of the government between the concerns of the terrorists, both local and foreign, and that of the law enforcers.

He is honest and did not enrich himself with all the opportunities that he had. In fact, he did not get his “pork” while younger during all the twelve years that he was in the senate, therefore, he is not expected to enrich himself as president now that he is much older.

He scrutinized our national budget like a budgeting housewife and believes that our problem is the government itself, hence, he promises to fix that government if elected president to channel money lost in corruption to the economic, health, education and general well-being of our less fortunate Filipinos, among others.

He wants to give more financial assistance to the poorer LGU’s through his Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE).

He is trained and experienced in national security and that training and experience will be a big plus in our dealing with the domestic security problems and international relations relative to China and the West Philippine sea.

He has already proven his kind of leadership when he disciplined the police, placing the PNP and himself to a new high of public trust.

His type of leadership is what we, the taxpayers, are paying for to train our future leaders at PMA.

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Lacson Pushes 2-Pronged Approach to Speed Up 'Odette' Relief Efforts

Lacson Pushes 2-Pronged Approach to Speed Up 'Odette' Relief Efforts

An initial Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) that can help pinpoint areas to prioritize relief efforts on one hand, and calling on the international community for relief assistance on the other.

This is the two-pronged formula that can ensure Filipinos affected by Typhoon Odette will get their much-needed assistance, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson said.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense and who served as Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR), said these will complement the initial steps taken by the government to address the situation.

"It is imperative that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), expedite the submission of their initial PDNA (Post Disaster Needs Assessment), in order to have an accurate data-driven information on the ground so the national government can prioritize relief, rehabilitation and recovery efforts and assistance to the hardest hit communities," he said.

"For its part, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) may also call on the international community of nations for relief assistance just like how they responded to Haiyan (Yolanda) eight years ago," he added.

Lacson noted the designation of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Bautista as the interim crisis manager is one move toward the right direction.

But he added the NDRRMC must convene soonest to make sure that the agencies involved in relief work are on the same page.

"In calamities like this, putting somebody overall in charge is the best and right thing to do. Also, the NDRRMC will need to convene ASAP," he said.

During his stint as PARR, Lacson put together the Yolanda Comprehensive Reconstruction Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP) to serve as a basis for immediate government interventions in the affected areas.

The CRRP also facilitates international donor assistance and provides Projects, Programs, and Activities (PPAs) to meet the needs as identified in the PDNA (ground verified information from the OCD).

As PARR from 2013 to 2015, Lacson had seen first-hand what challenges a massive catastrophe can bring to government, the private sector and  affected communities. As chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Lacson also heads the Joint Oversight Committee on the NDRRMC Act of 2010.

“This is beyond a policy or a legislative issue already. The issue of implementation is a big factor, too. We have to systematically approach the way we plan, prepare, deploy, recover and rebuild from any disaster - whether natural or man-made. Given its whole-of-nation, multi-sectoral nature, I believe a more experienced, more hands-on President will go a long way in ensuring that better policies and strategies, better planning, a more coordinated response, and more institutional and sustainable mechanisms are all put in place," he said.

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Aayusin Ang Goberno, Aayusin Ang Buhay Mo, Aayusin Ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino! Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

Aayusin Ang Goberno,

Aayusin Ang Buhay Mo,

Aayusin Ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

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Spox: Lacson Re-Tasks Partido Reporma Campaign Team to Focus on ‘Odette’ Response

Spox: Lacson Re-Tasks Partido Reporma Campaign Team to Focus on ‘Odette’ Response 

As a clearer but grimmer picture emerges on the extent of the damage wrought by Typhoon Odette, Senator and presidential aspirant Panfilo “Ping” Lacson directed various teams from his Partido Reporma, campaign volunteers, and even his own Senate staff to focus on helping the victims of the storm, his spokesman said Tuesday.

Since Saturday, December 18, simultaneous relief efforts have been undertaken by these teams in Cebu, Leyte and Siargao with additional volunteers joining to help in Southern Leyte, Negros Island, and Palawan, Partido Reporma spokesman Ashley “Ace” Acedillo said. Through its alliance with LPGMA Party-List, Partido Reporma will also dispatch a Landing Craft Tanker (LCT) to ferry heavy equipment, housing materials, food, and water to various affected areas in Visayas and Mindanao in the next few days, Acedillo added.

Lacson, in a recent out-of-town engagement, called for a moment of silence in for those who perished in the typhoon, which as of Monday has reached 375 persons, according to the Philippine National Police.

The former PNP chief once again stressed that he prefers to work quietly to aid others without media fanfare, which he believes negates the pure intentions and efforts of any would-be Good Samaritan. Lacson reiterated this in Partido Reporma’s most recent “Online Kumustahan” dialogue in Lingayen City, Pangasinan last Sunday with running mate Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and the party’s senatorial candidates, saying: “Ang pagdamay ay pwedeng ipakita sa gawa - hindi lang sa pagsasalita kundi sa gawa. Ganoon ang dapat na pagdamay sa ating kapwa, sa ating kapwa Pilipino na kasalukuyang naghihirap,” Lacson said in his speech.

[Empathy can be shown in actions, not just through talk, but through work. That’s how we should commiserate with our fellow man, our fellow Filipino in need.]

The three-term senator’s presidential run is anchored on his long and vast experience as a soldier, a policeman, a legislator and a rehab czar, in the hope of offering the most effective solutions to the country’s myriad problems, which include solving the coronavirus pandemic, the looming huge national debt, poverty and loss of livelihoods, and other issues—built in more than 50 years as a public servant.

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PING LACSON TUNGO SA MATATAG NA REPUBLIKA

PING LACSON TUNGO SA MATATAG NA REPUBLIKA

 

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SEN PING LACSON ANG PINAKAHINOG SA LAHAT NG KANDIDATO

SEN PING LACSON ANG PINAKAHINOG SA LAHAT NG KANDIDATO

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Fix the ills in governance

Fix the ills in governance

COMMONSENSE - Marichu A. Villanueva - The Philippine Star
December 20, 2021 | 12:00am

Filipinos are now more aware of the kind of leaders who can better serve the interests of our country and not for the personal glories of wannabes running in next year’s national and local elections. From among candidates eyeing the Presidency, one candidate has already backed out knowing the Filipino people exact so much demands that he may not be able to meet.

President Rodrigo Duterte also already decided to withdraw last week his candidacy from next year’s 12-man Senate race. The 76-year-old Chief Executive goes back on track with his previously announced desire to retire from politics at the end of his term on June 30 next year.

We can only express our gratitude to Senator Christopher “Bong” Go for accepting he is not at par to the challenge of the Presidency and withdrew his bid.

Concurrently serving as Special Assistant to the President, Sen. Go has gained so much experience up close and personal working with President Duterte for more than five years running errands for him at Malacañang.

While he already made a stand to stay neutral in next year’s elections, President Duterte’s endorsement remains a big plus factor for any candidate.

Presidential adviser on political affairs Jacinto “Jing” Paras noted existing records of both the Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia opinion surveys that showed President Duterte is the only outgoing Chief Executive who remains most popular with double-digit approval/satisfaction rate. During my Kapihan sa Manila Bay virtual news forum last Wednesday, Paras estimated it would at least mean a plus 10 to 15% additional mileage to any candidate who gets anointed by a very popular endorser like President Duterte.

The opinion polls done from Dec. 6 to 12 this year tried to measure the value of endorsement of political and religious leaders. The Issues and Advocacy Center – called for short The Center – headed by veteran political pollster Ed Malay – conducted what it dubs as “Pulso ng Bayan” and asked respondents if they will follow or abide by the choice of candidate endorsed, or will they vote for their own preference or choices. Included in the list were, namely: President Duterte as well as the past three (living) presidents of the country, namely, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The bishops, parish priest, deacon, and pastor were identified as one generic group, or no names.

Based from The Center survey, 43% of the respondents will follow the endorsement by President Duterte but the rest (57%) will vote for their own choice. The religious leaders’ endorsement will be followed by 39% of the respondents but 61% of them would not heed their choice. On endorsement by Mrs. Arroyo, 34% will vote for her choice but 66% wont. Ramos’ endorsement will be heeded by 22% of the respondents but 78% will not. Estrada’s endorsement will convince 17% but 83% will not.

In his own analysis, Malay argued those known for their longtime experience and track record in public service among candidates have strengthened their position even without any endorsement. This is because, Malay explained, the present crops of Filipino voters are having this change of hearts and minds. They are voters who no longer can be swayed by song-and-dance politics that their parents may have fallen for in the past.

First of all, having a clear platform of governance will resonate with Filipinos. Malay noted with satisfaction only some candidates in the race for the 2022 national elections have such platform. Thus, he cited, they seemed “to be gaining adherents among the citizenry, looking for some sense in the present situation the country is in right now.” They also are responding to election hopefuls who decide to stick to the issues at hand and don’t engage in dirty or “gutter” politics, the pollster added.

Second, Malay suggested what some politicians running for the highest office of the land should do: Be armed with a message even before they step into the arena of public opinion. “Regardless of whether the electoral process can be manipulated or not, candidates must let the voters into their mind tunnels, so the voters can see what they represent,” he pointed out.

This is for the simple reason that the message defines what the candidate stands for.

Third, and perhaps most crucially important, Malay stressed, is that Filipinos value leaders who have a proven track record and have demonstrated their ability to build a consensus and work as a team with others for the common good. This is not the job for a “lone ranger” who will pursue his or her own agenda and yet remains fearful of being outshone by the VP who is supposedly a runningmate and partner during the election campaign.

Only the tandem of Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III of Nationalist People’s Coalition checks all these tick boxes as far as this set of criteria of Malay’s The Center is concerned. While the Lacson-Sotto is the top partnership in his polling firm’s most recent survey to run the government after the Duterte presidency, will they have a real shot to win the real survey on election day on May 9 next year?

While his endorsement would make a big difference for any candidate, President Duterte’s selection process is constrained by party politics in the fractured PDP-Laban. His partymates cannot, however, begrudge President Duterte if he endorses his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as the vice presidential (VP) candidate of the Lakas-CMD. While the presidential daughter enjoys high survey rating, Paras admitted, she is in for a tough fight in the VP race against Sotto in particular. He conceded Sotto is “no push-over” not just in Mindanao but also from Aparri to Sulu.

If recent opinion surveys are to be believed, Filipinos are waking up to the need of not just electing candidates with integrity and a platform of government. They want leaders who can fix the ills in governance here in our country so that Filipinos can truly be very hopeful for the future.

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