Community Whispers by Ray Junia
Community Whispers

THE BAUTISTA CHALLENGE

Dec 5, 2022, 11:51 PM
Ray L. Junia

Ray L. Junia

Publisher

Sovereign Wealth Fund, the hot issue these days. From intelligence and confidential funds to the sovereign wealth fund. A diversionary tactic?

Talk in shops about this fund, they all end up funding the bank deposits of government officials.

Then everyone is ordering: Find the fund!

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Hats off to Sen. Imee Marcos speaking out against a fund that will put to risk insurance and retirement benefits of public and private workers.

The presidential sister, as expected, goes against the wishes of his first cousin Speaker Martin Romualdez and favorite son of Pres. Marcos, Jr., Cong. Sandro Marcos.

When our political leaders are out of touch from realities on the ground, these errors are bound to happen.

So forgive Speaker Martin and Cong. Sandro for this error in judgment, they know next to nothing about regular benefits to ordinary workers.

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Quality of life survey. The gainers outnumbered the losers. This means more Filipinos are happy these days about effects of inflation.

It’s okay to buy onions at P350/kilo. It’s great to pay for gasoline cost that has increased to levels that you reach only about 2/3 of the distance compared to your usual fill- up.

Filipinos are lovers of self-flagellation. We love to inflict pain on ourselves. And we tell the world about this, in surveys. if these surveys are to be believed.

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Presidential Management Staff chief goes on leave, says reports. Resigned or on leave to attend to family matters? That’s the hot question in coffee shops in town.

Rumor going about town is the newly- minted Executive Secretary, former Justice Bersamin, is not happy with his new assignment. He is not comfortable being ordered around, “Maritess” says.

Justices are not at home being ordered around. They are used to ruling their own kingdoms.

They are not masters in negotiations. They are mostly stiff and unbending.

Speculations are, he will not stay long in the post.

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Another member of the official family is rumored to be on the way out. The Department of Transportation chief Sec. Bautista failed to get his name submitted to the powerful Commission on Appointments for confirmation.

The story is he has failed to submit necessary clearances to the CA. Why? is anybody’s guess.

OFW sector Secretary Toots Ople was a last- minute replacement to the DoTr slot in the CA agenda and she passed the test. Congratulations Ma’am Toots.

The longer Sec. Bautista gets delayed in his CA confirmation the higher the risk for some opponents to step in.

The general impression is, he is not performing well and a far inferior to his predecessor. Even in his area of expertise, the air transport, his performance is still wanting and he is in for a big test with the coming Christmas influx of travelers using our airports.

When you get compared to a super achiever, you end up like where Bautista is now, unable to fill a big shoe.

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Last weekend, I attended the Christmas party of former students of Sacred Heart Seminary of Palo, Leyte.

In the 50 or so who were there, three were monsignors and one most senior, the CAAP executive director during Pres. Duterte’s administration. I was second most senior.

It was a night of fun and jokes, recalling the mischievous days in the seminary, back in the 60’s.

The first rule then was, do not get caught. It is a sin only if you get caught. Rules in an all-boys world from high school.

I guess many of our government officials had their training in the seminary. And they have perfected the game. Only the small fries get to jail.


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