Amid findings by the Commission on Audit that close to P2.8 million worth of relief for survivors of typhoon Yolanda were lost to spoilage and that P58 million worth of other supplies were spoiled or wasted due to improper storage, the Palace – true to its customary reactions – said President Aquino won’t fire DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman… Read More »
Shortly before being proclaimed the official winner of the 2010 presidential elections, then Senator Benigno S. Aquino III reaffirmed his campaign promise – that his administration would make the passage of the Freedom of Information bill its priority. Aquino has obviously been taking the people, whom he proclaims to be his “bosses” for a ride because four… Read More »
It’s obvious President Aquino is not about to give up his pork barrel or take his humiliation on the legality of his Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) sitting down. Stopped by the Supreme Court in two unanimous decisions from continuing to disburse funds without congressional authorization using two pork barrel programs – the Priority Development Assistance Program (PDAF)… Read More »
We shouldn’t even be discussing this. The idea of giving President Aquino a second term – pitched by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and pushed in the House of Representatives by Caloocan Rep. Edgar Irice – is so ridiculous it shouldn’t even deserve a comment. The Constitution is very clear about allowing the President only a six-year term without… Read More »
It’s obvious President Aquino is not about to give up his pork barrel or take his humiliation on the legality of his Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) sitting down. Stopped by the Supreme Court in two unanimous decisions from continuing to disburse funds without congressional authorization using two pork barrel programs – the Priority Development Assistance Program (PDAF)… Read More »
The failed, yet much ballyhooed Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) passed quietly into the night last Monday, its death cheered by both farmers and landlords. The farmers, who were supposed to be its beneficiaries, would not mourn the agrarian reform program’s death because, in the words of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chair and party list Rep. Rafael… Read More »
“Clearly… while it is the President who proposes the national budget, it is the Congress that prescribes the form, content and manner of budget preparation albeit subject to the limitations found in the Constitution. Hence, as the ‘power of the sword’ belongs to the President, the ‘power of the purse’ resides in Congress.” “While its constitutional conferment is… Read More »
We could have heaved a sigh of relief after reading reports that the Ombudsman has finally filed graft and plunder charges against businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, at least four senators, a few congressmen and some government and private individuals in connection with the P10-billion pork barrel scam that has haunted the country for almost a year now. Finally,… Read More »
The Philippines was both being diplomatic and showing signs of weakness when it said it would not respond to any provocation from China in its widening rift with the Asian superpower over disputed islands in the South China Sea. Instead of aggressively opposing any illegal action of the Chinese as the Vietnamese are doing, it seems the Aquino… Read More »
With the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reduced to a toothless tiger that could only urge “restraint” and express “serious concern” over developments in the region without even mentioning the name of China, we can now expect Asia’s bully to become even more assertive in its claim to nearly the entire South China Sea. Even as… Read More »