Community Whispers by Ray Junia
Community Whispers

Kettle inside Malacañang, 'dami na naulingan'

Oct 4, 2022, 12:12 AM
Ray L. Junia

Ray L. Junia

Publisher

Intelligence funds at the Department of Education (DepEd) could not be more correct.

I understand intelligence is something DepEd needs badly. This department is too much lacking skills in math that it buys very expensive computers priced twice the cost in the open market.

DepEd has also been left behind badly in digitalization that it cannot tell when a laptop is too short in speed and processing capacity.

Yes, give them the intelligence funds and let’s see if they start behaving like honest and intelligent public officials they should be.

But, my kapitbahay says intelligence funds go only to the intelligent. So who is qualified in the DepEd to get that?

I say, DepEd crooks are too intelligent to manipulate numbers and words in explaining away purchase of very expensive computers and error-filled books, and the poor quality of our graduates in public schools.

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In the news, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) freezes prices in six provinces hit badly by supertyphoon Karding.

Then nobody is selling these basic goods in calamity areas.

The government attempts to tamper with the law on supply and demand in commerce. Remember that anecdote about a solon pushing to abolish that law on supply and demand? This added to the comedy inside Congress.

Businessmen/traders violating the freeze order may face jail term of one to 10 years.

The consumers’ protection side of the DTI is behind this price freeze, showing the muscle of the government. Now who is protecting the traders from this government muscle?

In reality, prize freeze deepens problems on scarcity.

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The Senate goes full blast in investigating POGO operations in the country. The social impact and cost of this source of government revenues will be a very interesting topic.

Cost to the country’s peace and order is not an only interesting review but scary. Reports say that more than half of the 29 recorded cases of kidnapping since January were POGO related.

Hosting POGO operations allowed the government to earn billions of pesos, badly needed by our economy, at one end.

Who is computing the losses we incur in tourism as legitimate tourists keep away from countries where safety is an issue, at the other end. How about legitimate investments skipping the country due to misreading government policies.

The ever practical member of the Lower House, Rep. Joey Salceda proposes to keep these POGOs, but in isolation. Segregation is his suggestion, keeping them away from the mainstream.

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Inside Malacañang, those aligned with the lately resigned executive secretary are jittery as talks of massive revamp whirl like supertyphoon Karding.

Already the spokesperson resigned making even more frightened those under her in the press office.

They haven’t even warmed up on their swivel chairs and already they could be getting the dreaded walking papers.

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Who are the candidates for the spokesman position?

According to my kapitbahay, a top official in the Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) group assigned to tame media is the top candidate.

Another is a seasoned broadcast personality who just recently got appointed as an undersecretary in one front line department. Usec, though, says he will decline if offered. It’s a hot seat. Too hot for comfort, is how he describes the assignment.

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What was the last nail that forced the lately resigned executive secretary to leave the office.

My kapitbahay says, the former ES knew he will not pass confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA).

He knew that even that move to convince CA that the ES position does not need confirmation by the CA will not see daylight.

The final alternative was bring back to life an old post that was discarded by past presidents for being useless and adding to confusion in the official flow of work in Malacañang, the office of the chief of staff (COS).

This got shotdown by the President’s Chief Legal Counsel, his functions would have been subordinated in the definition of functions of the revived COS.

Expect more heat inside Malacañang as the kettle continues to boil.

Talking of the kettle inside the center of power, my kapitbahay says,

“Madami nang naulingan and super kapal pa.”

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