In the recent review of the 2023 to 2028 Eastern Visayas Regional Development Plan coordinated by DepDev 8 and participated in by government agencies from all sectors and many local government units, there is a dominant use of tables or matrices containing data that describe what the government is doing, its ability to meet targets, and providing strategies that will be inputted into the mid-term revised plan. 

Quality Should Accompany Quantity

    The term “conflict of interest” has risen to the limelight lately. It has been a comon concern for years, but as a related issue to the impeachment drama in the Senate, this term has been thrust into the headlines. The significance of this issue can be traced to the key roles that Senators Mark Villar and Camille Villar have when the time of reckoning arrives. Will they vote for the dismissal of the case  or if trial ensues will they vote to convict or to acquit? 

Conflict of Interest and the Impeachment Process

Let us get this straight from the outset. By using the term “high” I am not referring to being high on drugs. This has nothing to do with the infamous “tokhang”. I am obviously employing a play on words. But in this issue I will use the term “high” in a positive sense. 


The Value of Being High

The recent decision of the Supreme Court dismissing  the impeachment complaint against Vice-President Sara Duterte has gripped the nation.There are those who hail it, and those who criticise it.  It has sparked a healthy public debate that can only happen in a democracy. 

When Technical reasons Prevail Over Substantive Matters

 In an in terview recently after his visit to Tacloban City, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that if the San Juanico bridge will not be ready for vehicles weighing a maximum of 12 tons by end of 2025, he will accept the resignations of the government officials who were unable to act swiftly to prevent the crisis that the damage to the bridge has wrought on the people of Eastern Visayas and in many other areas of the country and who are adversely affected by the limited use of the bridge.

Heads will roll

Everybody is talking about San Juanico Bridge (SJB). It is the talk of the town not only because of its length, 2.1 kilometers, but because it has become a glaring symbol of the goverment’s incompetence and negligence. 

When Negligence Rears its Ugly Head

About fifty years ago, government announced to the whole world that the San Juanico Bridge  is a symbol of love between two high profile persons of the country. Its shape was supposed to be a combination of S and L to signify the union of Samar and Leyte Islands. It was a sight to behold, announced as the longest bridge (2.16 kilometers) of the country and widely advertised as a tourist attraction and an engineering marvel.

 The San Juanico of our Dreams

I watched the ANC interview of Sec. Manuel Bonoan held recently. It was interesting to note that he was obviously “lying through his teeth”. 


It Takes Two to Tango

An important law that was put into effect last July 1, 2025 is the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA). The most notable part of this law is that it imposed a tax of 20 percent on income from long-term (5 years or more) deposits. These were exempted from such tax prior to July 1. What may have caused panic among bank depositors is the social media post showing a headline that savings accounts will be slapped a 20 percent tax. 


Tax to the Max

Time and again in recent pronouncements President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., mentioned the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC) as a government body that can tackle the task of monitoring problematic infrastructure projects. This statement shows he is aware of a government unit that monitors major government projects of the type that he has been exposing in recent weeks. 

When Monitoring Fails

I AM BACK: Atty Buenaventura Go-Soco Jr. Column

I AM BACK COLUMN: Atty. Buenaventura Go-Soco Jr.

I AM BACK

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