Thursday, July 26, 2007 Espinoza: Presidents can dream By Elias L. Espinoza Free Zone
CEBU City Councilor Jack Jakosalem will call for an investigation on the roadwork on a portion of N. Escario St. The road is only two lanes, contrary to the report it is four lanes.
Jakosalem, in a text message, said the contractor that applied for the permit told the City the road would be four lanes. He added that the sidewalk will even be done away with.
It would appear now that not only was the City gypped but also the motorists.
N. Escario St. is a national road. So, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) implemented the project. Isn’t DPWH one of two government agencies considered the most corrupt?
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Confusion in the registration of voters in different offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) only showed Comelec’s true character: inept. Regular elections are held only once in every three years yet it still has not come up with an orderly system to register voters.
The increase in the number of registrants is a result of the rise in our population. It also shows that the people are now cognizant of their right to vote.
It is good to know, though, that the Comelec knew its limitation and corrected its failings by extending the registration. Otherwise, many voters would have been disenfranchised.
But I was stunned by the negative reaction of an elected official in Cebu City to the increase in the number of voter-registrants. The barangay official suspected that some of them may have been registered in another barangay.
The suspicion is not only baseless but is also an affront to the right of suffrage of these registrants, especially the youth. It is part of a politician’s worry that that the more voters the more money would be needed to win in an election.
That the Comelec lacks funds and resources to provide faster and better services to the public is nauseating. So, where did the huge budget go?
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Transferring an erring member of the Philippine National Police to another (or farther) assignment is standard procedure in the organization perhaps to avoid embarrassment.
And PRO-7 Director Silverio Alarcio, Jr. was only protecting one of his own men when he said that the transfer of Chief Insp. Gerry Leopoldo to Cagayan de Oro City was routine. Leopoldo was the one who allegedly certified the delivery of the surveillance cameras for the Asean summit when he had no authority to do so.
In the event, however, the charges will be filed against Leopoldo in relation to this controversy, his transfer to Cagayan de Oro would be to his inconvenience because he has to travel to Cebu City to attend the trial.
Was the transfer of Leopoldo deliberate and meant to place him beyond the reach of Cebu’s media? Does Leopoldo have classified information vis-à-vis the spy cams purchase?
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I did not watch the entire Sona of President Arroyo because of my work but I did notice how reelected Speaker Jose De Venecia clapped his hands and grinned wide even on insignificant parts of the speech.
Just like in her previous Sona, the President merely reiterated her promises and told our underprivileged brethren to wait for the benefits to knock on their door. The activity was more of a parade of gowns.
Anyone, including a president, is entitled to dream. That in 20 years our country will join the ranks of rich countries is indeed worth dreaming of.
