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AFTER THREE MONTHS of the flood control maelstrom, I can sigh that my rage has cooled down. Not that the grand theft (from public funds) and deceit (sub-standard and ghost projects) have faded as yesterday’s headlines but I see justice now grinding, slowly maybe but with the right people at the helm.
Sen. Ping Lacson has steered the Blue RibbonCommittee with investigative sharpness, Department of Public Works and Highways Sec. Vince Dizon is still passionately pursuing the money trails and un-/mis- addressed community problems, Ombudsman BoyingRemulla bristles with legal clarity and boldness, and the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) is credible though with less theater in digging up the truths.
Thus, the “syndicate” of DPWH officials and engineers, the infrastructure contractors, and the budget-streaming legislators are now being chased with jail terms and restitution of their flaunted bounties.
It will then be short-sighted of the many offended citizens like me, to stop at the flood control greed and misdeed. So, I am now expanding my scrutiny to the other malfeasances, using my environmental lens, in the hope we can uproot as many weeds and renew the soil.
‘Is it possible to end corruption which is driven by greed, a strong weakness of the mind, heart, and conscience? Maybe, all is not lost in hoping that in our country, there are ways and a stronger commitment to breed a new kind of shepherd … and flock.’
THE DUTERTE SCAM
The root of it all, from 2016 to 2022, is undoubtedly the former president Rodrigo Duterte. Such abuses could not have prospered without the blessing or connivance of the most powerful in the land, he who could shepherd the country to bloom or doom. And with his blatant Extra-Judicial Killings policy and record, other crimes would simply be bratty, at the least, and less mortal than crimes against humanity.
Related to the flood control misdeed, here are two big issues with environmental and social nature he manipulated to suit his warped values:
PROJECT NOAH
It is the nationwide program on disaster risk reductionand management initiated in 2012 in the term of President Benigno Aquino III. Using science and technology to provide accurate hazard information and early warnings, it aimed to help prevent and mitigate the impact of national disasters like typhoons, floods, and landslides.
Functioning from 2012 to 2017 under the Department of Science and Technology until de-funded, it was thankfully absorbed by the University of the Philippines which particularly shone with its use in the two recent typhoons.
Later, it was assumed though that funding was not the issue but the transparency of the system that would easily track corruption like what happened in the flood control. In the investigations, there are growing evidences of links between the succeeding Duterte admin and the flood control theft-and-deceit syndicate.
MINING
PRRD lifted the 9-year ban by the Aquino admin on new mining deals. This infuriated then Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez to passionately talk on the large mining activity denuding the mountains, killing the environment, displacing communities, and reducing protection to the lowlands.
Pro-mining lobbies that ensued then led to her rejection by the Commission on Appointments which virtuallygave pass to more extractions of natural resources.
Others: indiscriminate land conversions among them, forests, agricultural lands, and indigenous communitieswhich could have been bought by special contract favors.
ENDING GREED
Is it possible to end corruption which is driven by greed, a strong weakness of the mind, heart, and conscience?
Maybe, all is not lost in hoping that in our country, there are ways and a stronger commitment to breed a new kind of shepherd (president to legislators, other public servants) and flock.