I JUST don't get it. President Rodrigo Duterte said in his many speaking engagements: "I hate corruption." The scandal involving the PhilHealth funds is so staggering that many of us want to puke. The Social Amelioration Program (ayuda) was also attended with controversy since it was announced that every family in the country will be beneficiaries of the ayuda. The money involved in all these is not really that small to sneeze at. It is in billions and billions of pesos.
I learned it from a source the detailed amount. The 2020 budget for health and services is P800 billion. This includes P173 billion for universal health care, P109 billion for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and P37 billion for unconditional cash transfer. Under those laws passed by congress, "the government carved out from other line departments an estimated P400 billion for Covid expenses."
President Duterte hopefully will make good his threat and the Filipino people wanted all these raiders of public funds put behind bars.
* Congress met in virtual sessions and passed the necessary laws to appropriate these funds intended for public welfare during this time of pandemic. President Duterte has a very obedient congress. There were smooth passage of these measures sponsored by the palace.
And money, lots of money were appropriated. More billions were borrowed.
Sad to say Mr. President, there are so many greedy people with sticky fingers who took advantage of these public funds? That instead of these funds were channeled to social services and funded the government fight versus the coronavirus the money ended up in their bank accounts, here and abroad, and in their personal vaults. It cascaded from the higher echelon to congress and to local government unit's (LGUs). I personally know certain congressmen and mayors who are already wealthy beyond what they dreamed of. They have no flourishing profession nor business, yet they are so rich? When they were not yet in power they were contented with second hand cars and one car-garage house. Now they have houses in Manila and maybe in the United States and elsewhere and are most likely in the name of kins or trusted friends. Their lust for money is a bottomless pit, so to speak. And what is sad they rob funds intended for the poor.
NOTES: Despite the pandemic he Rotary Club of Angeles is strictly adhering to its motto 'Service Above Self'. Club President Orly Macaspac, a retired police general already rolled out two community service program. Recently a good number of members donated one cavan of rice each and distributed the items to recipients of Rafael L. Lazatin Memorial Hospital (ONA). The second target is the handing out of basic household items to Bahay Pag-Ibig in San Fernando... Condolence to the families and friends of Fr. Monsignor Pax Ricafort Lansang. He was for several years the parish priest of Holy Rosary parish. He was well loved and respected by his parishioners... Things begin to change in the Clark International Airport Corporation since retired Police General Aaron Aquino assumed the presidency. Recently there were arrangements made between CIAC and Clark Development Corporation with regards to revenues issue. A good start.