Ang Mga Laglagan sa Pilipinas

Ang Mga Laglagan sa Pilipinas

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

 

Ilang buwan pa lang ang nakararaan, laglag-bala ang mainit na isyu. Ang mahigpit na pag-kontrol sa mga airport upang maiwasan ang pagpuslit ng mga deadly ammunition ay okey na sana subalit nasilipan ng butas ng ilang tiwali sa airport dahil sa paniniwala ng mga Pilipino sa bala bilang agimat. Dahil sa katiwalian na iyan, maraming tanga at may matigas na ulong Pilipino ang nawalan ng trabaho sa ibang bansa dahil napigilan sa pagsakay sa eroplano dahil lamang sa iisang balang nakita sa kanilang bagahe. Maraming tangang Pilipino ang umaming nagdadala talaga ng bala sa abroad upang pananggalang daw nila laban sa pag-aabuso ng employer. May mga natanggal na ring mga inspector ng bagahe dahil kahit obvious na talagang walang laman ang bala dahil ang tinuturing na agimat lang talaga ay ang tansong basyo, pinagpipilitan pa rin na “deadly ammunition” daw ito. Bakit nga naman nila palalampasin ang pagkakataon ganoong, ang “pakiusapan” ay may presyong mula 2 thousand hanggang 8 thousand pesos???!!!

 

Sa pinakapangit na airport pa rin sa buong mundo, ayon sa survey – ang Manila International Airport Terminal 3, laglag-kisame naman ang isyu. May nasugatan, banyagang turista pa, mabuti na lang at hindi nasaktan ang kanyang asawang Pilipina at anak. Nag-apologize ang manager ng airport subalit hindi pa rin ito sapat. Bago nangyari ang paglaglag ng kisame sa coffee shop, ay nagkaroon na rin ng laglagan bago pa man binuksan para sa operasyon ang Terminal 3, at nang nag-ooperate na, nagkalaglagan pa rin ng dalawang beses. Ibig sabihin, ang diperensiya ay ang mahinang “original” na kisame o suporta nito, kaya siguradong ang bagong kisameng ikakabit ay madadamay. “It’s more fun in the Philippines” pa rin kaya ang sasabihin ng pinakahuling nasaktan na turista?

 

Nilaglag ni Aquino si Purisima kung kaylan sobra na ang alingasaw ng amoy ng “teamwork” nila. Nilaglag din ng administrasyon si Vitangcol ang sinasabing palpak at nangurakot sa mga deals at management ng MRT, pero under investigation, as usual, at pinagduduhan pa . Latest kay Vitangcol: humihingi ng tulong sa PAO para bigyan ng libreng abogado! Ang kakapalan nga naman ng mukha kung umiral! Yan ang problema sa mga tauhan ni Pnoy, ginagawang tanga ang mga Pilipino….gusto ba namang magkaroon ng abogadong ang nagpapasuweldo ay taong bayan na sinasabing niloko niya! Walang delikadesa!

 

May mga laglagan na rin sa pulitika bago sumapit ang election 2016. Nilaglag ni Pnoy Aquino si Mar Roxas nang i-veto niya ang batas para sa dagdag na 2 libo sa pension ng mg SSS retirees. Sa mga hindi nakakahalata, binago ni Roxas ang kanyang political ad dahil sinimplehan lang, walang music background, at ang dialogue tungkol sa tuwid na daan ay dinugtungan niya ng “pupunuan ko kung may kakulangan, iwawasto ang mali, at hindi ako nagnakaw….”. Malinaw na patutsada kay Pnoy na mula’t sapul ay walang bilib sa kanya. Nilaglag din daw ni Escudero si Grace Poe subalit deny to death naman siya sa isang interview…pero truthful ba siya?

Ang “Singit-Bala” sa Manila International Airport

Ang “Singit- Bala” sa Manila International Airport

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Lahat na lang yata ng raket ay naiisip ng mga kawatang Pilipino, at batay pa mandin sa mga batas na umiiral dahil sinisilipan nila ng mga butas. Ang pinakahuli ay ang pagsingit ng bala sa bagahe ng mga pasahero sa airport, na ginagawa ng mga nakatalaga sa pag-inspect ng mga ito. Ang kapirasong bala na totoong itinuturing ng ibang mga Pilipino at ng ibang lahi na anting-anting dahil ito ay gawa sa tanso, ay hindi pinapalampas dahil sa katagang “ammunition” na nakapaloob sa batas. Subalit paano naman itong magiging deadly kung walang lamang pulbura at kahit may lamang pulbura ay walang kasamang baril? Magiging deadly weapon lamang ito kung itutusok sa mata o isasalaksak sa ilong ng kaaway upang hindi ito makahinga, o di kaya ay ipangiliti upang mamatay sa katatawa ang kalaban.

Kinakasangkapan ng mga hangal na mga tauhan ng OTS na nakatalaga sa pag-inspection ng mga bagahe ang kagipitan sa panahon o oras ng mga pasahero kaya nagmamadali lalo na ang may mga connecting flight, at upang hindi maabala sa biyahe ay pumapayag na lamang na “maglagay” ng dinidiktang halaga. Nabisto tuloy na talagang may sindikato sa airport na kung tawagin ay “OTS 500”. Hindi lang malinaw kung ang “500” ay tumutukoy sa minimum na lagay ng mga pasaherong ang bagahe ay tinamnan ng bala.

Ang Office for Transportation Security (OTS) na nasa ilalim ng DOTC na pinamumunuan ni Abaya, ay katumbas ng MMDA Traffic Constable Group – mga sibilyan. Ang nakapagtataka lang ay kung bakit nagkaroon pa ng ganitong grupo ganoong mayroon na rin namang AVSECOM, at kung sibilyang security group naman ang kailangan ay nandiyan din ang mga “blue guards”. Marami ang nakakapansin na dahil sa dami nila, karamihan ay pakalat-kalat na lang daw sa loob ng airport, lalo na sa check-in area.

Ang mga tauhan ng OTS ay kulang sa kaalaman sa paghawak ng maselang operasyon sa airport. May mga aspeto ang operasyon na matiyagang pinag-aaralan ng matagal ng mga miyembro ng airport police o aviation security, lalo na pagdating sa paggawa ng imbestigasyon. Subalit kung may nakaplano nang gagawing tulad ng raket na pagtanim ng bala sa bagahe, hindi na kailangan pang mga kaalaman dahil gagawa na lang sila ng “drama”…at ayos na!

Malaki ang problema ng Pilipinas dahil ang bukana nito na international airport terminals ay pinamumugaran ng mga kawatan, kaya pagdating pa lang ng mga balikbayan at turista, masusuka na agad sila sa umaalingasaw na amoy ng katiwalian. Ang pinakahuling raket ng mga kawatang ito ay nakakatawa ngunit nakakaperwisyo ng malaki. Magsunud-sunod ba naman ang mga insidenteng nahulihan daw ng bala sa bagahe, kaya parang lumalabas na bago umalis ang mga pasahero ay dumadaan silang lahat sa Quiapo upang bumili ng bala na gagamiting anting o di kaya ay nakipagkita sa isang ermitanyo sa paanan ng bundok Banahaw upang bumili nitong balang anting-anting. At, dahil sa mga karanasan ng mga paalis na mga turista, paano pang aasahang lalakas ang turismo ng bansa, dahil may kasabihang, : news flies fast by word of mouth.

Ang Malakanyang naman ay walang ginagawa o hindi kumikibo, kahit tumitindi na ang mga pangyayari. Ang patakaran kasi ni Pnoy ay hayaan ang mga ahensiya na umaksyon sa kani-kanilang balwarte. Ang masama lang ay mahina ang mga namumuno kaya walang napaparusahan, dahilan upang lumakas ang loob ng mga tauhang na nasa “ibaba” ang gumawa ng kalokohan. Yan ang matuwid na daan ni Pnoy Aquino…at ano pa nga ba ang pakialam niya dahil patapos na ang kanyang termino?

Consistency

Consistency

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

By its meaning, consistency is also about stability, reliability and dependability. It adds up to the character and integrity of a person, project or program. For the layman or man on the street, it is simply about  “maintaining” of what has been initiated for a project or program, or continued show of righteousness by a person. Many reputable names of persons and projects have been ruined because of inconsistency.

 

In the Philippines, this word is best used in describing politicians and government projects. With the onset of electoral campaigns, candidates vie for bigger attention by making promises. When they finally made it to the position they campaigned for, they suddenly developed amnesia and their once affable personality, suddenly turned sour. As for the public structures, during ribbon cuttings, whisky bottle breakings, and whatever ceremonies, these projects are well-maintained, well-kept…but years hence, whatever colorful paints they once sported became ugly flakes. Saplings of hardy woods that saw colorful ceremonies for “green programs”, complete with mock “planting” executed by politicians and government officials in native barong attire or white slacks and white long- sleeved shirt, wilt just after a few months due to neglect.

 

In Manila, the four airport terminals are in such a sorry state that they are often subjects of criticism by travel bloggers, especially, the cramped Terminal 1. Despite the billions of pesos budget for their rehabilitation, no admirable result could be discerned, yet. The Terminal 1 still suffer from intermittent breakdown of airconditioning units. Despite the presence of some indoor plants, the feeling of crampiness is still there. The whole area is still small by international standard. The Terminal 2 is not without its own disliked character due to neglect. The terminal’s lone escalator has been inutile for more than a year as of this writing. Most plants are not regularly watered resulting to their miserable wilting. Some male urinals are clogged for a long time now with most of the sensors not working.

 

The bridges that lead to Quiapo and Sta. Cruz districts of Manila City are just intolerable, especially, the Quezon Bridge, part of which has been turned into some sort of a toilet that reeks with human waste and urine. During the administration of Mayor Lim, the illuminating ceremonies of the two structures hugged the front pages of dailies. The street lights were imported from China, made of colorful plastic materials which did not stand the onslaught of heat, rains and worst, typhoons. Bulbs were stolen by disreputable citizens who thought they could use them at home. Today, practically, the bridges are bare…the multi-million peso plastic streetlight structures gone for good.

 

The lengths of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system and Light Rail Transit (LRT) system were once magnificent with the plant boxes underneath them. They were unfortunately subjected to whimsical designs of whoever sits as mayor of districts that they traverse. If the mayor is fond of plants, the boxes are filled with different varieties. If the mayor has no penchant for any arboreal undertaking the plant boxes are sadly neglected, left to accommodate unwanted grass.

 

The span of the Roxas Boulevard once attracted hordes of afternoon strollers due to food stalls that sell refreshing snacks and drinks, benches and later, light musical entertainments that spilled until nighttime. When a new mayor took the post, all those were practically disallowed, the reason for which was that the boulevard became hangouts of robbers and pickpockets. Today, the promenaders make do with what benches are left.

 

The poor Pasig River that should have been “rehabilitated” long time ago yet, also become victim of political whims. Fund raising campaigns that also were favorite publicity items have become things of the past. Common sense among the concerned agencies and government officials did not prevail, when they looked for options to unclog the city and national roads of the Greater Manila Area with traffic. Although, there is an effort now to revive the ferry system, thanks to the initiative of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), it seemed inadequate due to limited extent of its service. And, the question is, will it be consistently operated?

 

Government agencies that become subjects of criticisms, especially, if these caught the attention of both the print and broadcast media, try their best to rectify what have been noticed. Image-improvements would be made for as long as they are subject to constant checks, unfortunately, when finally the media get tired of playing big brother, they go back to their old “attitude”.

 

Groups who profess to be concerned about the state of nature, such as the coastal areas, the waterways, the air, and the mountains, would arrange for press conferences during which they divulge their plans as their share in “healing” the sick Mother Earth. So on a weekend, usually, Sunday, fun runs would be held for this mission.  At times, groups clad in t-shirts screaming slogans would congregate in designated coastal areas, pick up plastic and other wastes in a gingerly manner – all for photo opportunities. Some even hold rallies for this cause, during which programs are held complete with speakers from the Congress or Senate. After all those, nothing is heard from these “environmentalist” groups again. What I cannot understand is the failure of these people to start this kind of advocacy right in their neighborhood where unscrupulous throwing of garbage and non-segregation of same are rampant.

 

It needs strong resolve to be consistent. As it is a foundation for any advocacy, the best way is to start with something small, something realistic that can be done without many promises. Why make the effort to impress when such can last only for a few days?…a few months?…or worse, not what is really needed by the beneficiaries?