Duterte cannot sign 3rd Telco thru FINL – Senator Poe

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY - Senator Grace Poe said that Duterte could not just sign an executive order through the Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL) allowing a third player in the telecommunication industry controlled by Philippines Long Distance Telephone/Smart and Globe Telecom.
“Ganito ‘yan, kasi sa batas natin may nagsasabi ‘pag ang telco, hindi puwedeng foreign owned ‘yan; so kailangan maipasa sa Senado, so ‘yun ‘yung aming itutulak. Ngayon, maganda ‘yung ibang mga korporasyon o industriya ay magkaroon ng kumpetensiya. So kung may foreign owners na magbibigay ng mas magandang serbisyo, bakit hindi ‘di ba? Pero nasa batas na kailangan muna naming ma-amyendahan,” she stressed to this paper when she visited this city recently.

Senator Grace Poe

The duopoly of these corporations punished the Filipinos for their poor services especially the internet connection considered one of the slowest and probably expensive in Far East Asia.

Politicians Wish Illegal Number Game Jueteng Around

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Vice mayors in Pangasinan these days are anxious as the middle term election will be next year because they are financially handicapped to the rush of solicitors who will exploit their candidacy, a vice mayor of a Central Pangasinan town lamented.

“The filing will be on October 11-12 to 15-17 this month and election will be on May 13, 2019. Can you imagine the waves of indigents, public employees like teachers, folks in the barangays who need monies for their medical problems, Christmas programs, fiestas and basketball uniforms,” he told this writer.Photo Credit: Inquirer

Actions, Counter Actions Among Electoral Rivals

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

The defection and repositioning of the supporters of the two camps of the gubernatorial wannabes in this province exhilarated the spectators as the last day of the filing of the certificate of candidacy (CoC) will end on October 17, 2019.

The defection of Board Member Raul Sison, a staunch ally of Governor Amado Espino, III and his father to the camp of Alaminos City Mayor and governorship candidate Arthur Celeste surprised many Pangasinenses.

The fall out, triggered the Espinos to allegedly commission retired police general Fidel Posadas, former provincial director in Quezon Province and former PRO - 1 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief, to challenge the son of Sison, Urbiztondo Mayor Martin Sison, for the mayoralty of the Second Congressional District's town.

After Bolinao Mayor Arnold Celeste filed his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) last Thursday at the Commission on Election - Provincial Office in Dagupan City for the First Congressional District to be left by his older brother Congressman Jesus, it will prompt the candidacy of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Tim Orbos to challenge the younger Celeste in the one city nine towns' Western Pangasinan district.

 

But an insider at the camp of Orbos told me that he was evaluating too, a few days before the end of the filing of the CoC, on his stocks in case he runs for the vice governorship.

Governor Espino and his father were seen hobnobbing recently with former leaders of the first district at the residence of former Alaminos City Vice Mayor Jing Aquino.

In an October 7 photo tagged at my Facebook account by Pangasinan “quintessential” photo journalist Mon Untalan, these personalities were former Mabini Mayor Ariel de Guzman, Orbos, the younger brother of the district’s former representative Oscar Orbos, and others.

The action of Alaminos City Mayor Celeste to pull out his son League of Barangays –Pangasinan Chapter President and ex oficio member of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan (provincial board) to succeed him in the city precipitated the Espinos to egg former board member Boying Humilde to run for the mayoralty to frustrate the young Celeste’s foray in the post.

With this new positioning, do pundits see exiting congressman Jesus Celeste foregoes his plan to hibernate but instead wear again his political armor to counter the plan of the Espino in Alaminos?

“No,” declared by Bolinao Mayor Noli Celeste when I asked him.

He told me that BM Brian is still the forerunner for the mayorship of the coastal city.

Congressman Celeste divulged me before he had a moist eye in the steering wheel of Alaminos because his brother Art will run for the congressional office in the May 2019 poll.

Graduating Binalonan Mayor Ramon “Monmon” Guico, III told recently this paper that in case the forecasts of the camps of Agbayani and Celeste were true that Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr. would abandon the Fifth District and run as governor while his son and namesake, the present governor, slides as his vice governorship tandem, he will see himself being pitted to exiting Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo "Bobom" Gregorio Perez IV.

He said the older Espino will surely enlist Perez, a new ally, to frustrate him and as a front against Celeste in the one city eight towns’ eastern Pangasinan’s district.

But political personalities at the Comelec told me this repositioning in the Fifth Congressional District will not happen because Espino will pursue his reelection as his governor son will either choose between Bautista Mayor Deo Espino or Orbos for the vice governorship.

The defection of BM Raul Sison to the Celestes would have a major price on the part of the Espinos.

Sison and Art Celeste will dichotomize the votes of the eight towns’ 2nd Congressional District that political kibitzers seen before as bailiwick of congressional wannabe Bugallon Mayor Jumel Espino, his congressman - father and governor- brother.

During the heydays there of then Second District Representative Amado T. Espino, Jr who later became a nine-year governor, the district was his vote churning citadel what with his collaboration with the brothers Bugallon Mayor Ric Orduna and his Man Friday and “non nonpareil” operator retired Colonel Paterno Orduna and Sison.

Presently the trio is his political enemies.

Sison, his wife Urbiztondo Vice Mayor Marlyn Sanglay- Sison deserted several days ago PDP-Laban, the party of the Espinos, and joined the Nationalista Party of Senator Cynthia Villar.

It is suspected that the one who interceded for their transfer to the Nationalista was Abono Party List Represenatative Conrado Estrella, a political nemesis of the Espinos, who was grinning ear to ear as he brought Sison, his wife,Umingan Mayor Michael Cruz, and Aguilar Vice Mayor Roldan Sagleto to the senator whose husband former Senate President Manny Villar is the party’s chairman.

“Does the rumored mayoralty candidacy of police retired general Posadas versus your son Urbiztondo Mayor Martin trigger as punishment by the powers that be for your defection?” I asked, of course in Tagalog, Board Member Sison after he filed his congressional intention at the Comelec's provincial office in Dagupan City last Thursday morning.

“Hindi ko alam kung iyan po..ang lahat naman po ng position may kalaban, e lalagyan po ng kalaban ang aking anak. Talagang ganoon ho kasi election, demokrasya”.

When the Celestes put almost half a million of pesos fifteen 30 seconds spots’ public relation advertisement at GMA-7 regional television that ended a day before the start of the October 11 filing of CoC, the camp of Espino ran too in a tit-for-tat mode on that expensive television PR ingratiation game.

As both camps trudge the May 13, 2019 day reckoning, expect more pricey radio and TV slots to be bought by these candidates and their supporters where some have already been freaking out like faggots in the social media.

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)

Why Gripen Jas 39 a cut above its rivals like F-16V

 It’s the Saab made anti-ship missile, stupid!

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

PASAY CITY, Philippines – The Saab Gripen Jas 39 C/D distinctive anti-ship missile looms as a gory warning to lurking enemy warships in the territorial water of the Philippines.

A top executive of the Sweden based multiple role fighter (MRF) jet manufacturer said that Gripen has been a cut above the rest of the fourth generation rivals because of the 434.5 centimeters long 50 cm in diameter's RBS15 anti ship guided smart missile.

“What you’re looking is the Saab missile known as RBS15. This is one of the things that really set apart the Gripen with its competitors. In fact, almost no other modern fighter has a modern anti ship missile integrated. None of them have a weapon attached. The latest version of this missile which we unveiled in the Farnborough Airshow,” Vice President for Communication Robert Hewson told recently this newspaper at the  three days Asian Defense & Security (ADAS) 2018 held recently at the World Trade Center here.

The distinctive missile that even the United States made F-16 Viper lacks is a game changer.

The Maryland, USA made Viper is the closest rival of the Gripen in the more than sixty billion pesos procurement of the Philippines for an MRF.

 COCKPIT - Feeling the flight deck of the roughly P5 billion multiple role fighter (MRF) jet Saab Gripen Jas 39 C/D after my interview with its Vice President for Communication Robert Hewson.

How Mayor, Guv, Solon Steal to Fund Their Election

By Mortz C. Ortigoza, MPA

 Since election will be anytime from now, I discussed with an incumbent Mayor how his fellow elective chief executive for example will steal the government of funds for his re-election campaign.

Tens of millions of pesos of these stolen monies will be used for vote buying that runs from P300 to P1,000 per voter.

Where would the shrewd chief executive get the fund illegally to perpetuate his three years stay in his honorable if not horrible office?

We scrutinized the yearly appropriation budget of a town or a city and the following are what we found:

In a five hundred million (P500, 000, 000) budget for the current year, the Local Government Code provides that 45%  goes to personnel service or salaries for first and third classes … cities, and municipalities; Each of these local government unit (LGU) shall appropriate in its annual budget no less than 20% of its annual internal revenue allotment (IRA) for development projects; 5% of the estimated revenue from regular sources shall be set aside as an annual lump sum appropriation for unforeseen expenditures arising from the occurrence of calamities; 5% of their total budget for gender and development  (GAD) concerns; 1% real property tax (RPT) will go to the Special Education Fund (SEF) shall be automatically released to the local school boards, and others.

The following are the results after the enterprising chief executive raided the coffer dry:

Photo Credit: Rappler

1)      P54. 6 million kickbacks - P1.4 million in one month or P18.2 million in year that includes the workers’ 13^th Month Pay, or P54.6 million in his three years’ term if out of the 400 public personnel half of them are “ghost” employees who received a P7,000 average monthly salary.

“Have you heard about a third class town with 400 workers? According to critics that 400 personnel are bigger than those workers of a city. A first class town in Pangasinan has more than 200 personnel only, how come a third class town has this scandalous number?” another mayor, who asked on conditioned of anonymity, posed to me.

2)      P42 million kick back from the 20% S.O.P or cut from the 20% of the P350 million or 20% Development Fund (D.F) or infrastructure projects in the Hizzoner (His honor the mayor) three years’ stint.

My Explanation: Since the Code mandates that 20% of D.F will be taken from the Internal Revenue Allotment given yearly by the national government from its collection of the national taxes, I put P350 million or 70% of the P500 million annual budget a year. It must be noted that most cities or towns are dependent to the IRA that dominates their budget, the lethargic local revenues from most towns and cities usually come from real properties, licenses, permits, others.

Thus the P42 million kickbacks came from the P350 million IRA multiplied by 20% S.O.P or cut equals P14 million a year multiplied by three years’ equals P42 million.

 

3)      P10.5 million in three years from the 20% cut in the 5% Calamity Fund taken from the half-a-billion pesos annual current budget.

My Explanation:  The mayor can utilize 70% of the 5% percent (P25 million) Calamity Fund or Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) even without the calamity or disaster by buying those overpriced, say by 20 percent, training, purchasing life-saving rescue equipment like life jackets, speed boat, vehicles, others.

The 70% is P17.5 million of the mentioned P250 million calamity fund.

P25 million multiplied by 70% equals P17.5 million multiplied by 20% cut equals P3.5 million yearly or P10.5 million in three years’ stint.

4)      P4.5 million

How about the 30% or P7.5 million allocations as Quick Response Fund (QRF) or stand-by fund, approved by the legislature, for relief and recovery programs to lessen the situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters?

He can still get P1.5 million as cut yearly or P4.5 million in one term from those overpriced by 20 percent purchased relief goods like rice, canned sardines, noodles, eggs, bottled mineral water, blankets, mats, mosquito nets, others because of his unquenchable greed to make money, son of a gun!

 

5)      P15 million in three years or P5 million 20% kickback from the 5% (P25 million) of the total budget for gender and development (GAD).

My Explanation: The GAD Code mandates the LGU to identify programs, activities, and projects on gender development and fund them with the 5% taken from the P500, 000, 000 budgets.

6)      Aside from the percentages that I mentioned recently, the politico can still purloin some percentages on the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) in the different offices on supplies where he, as the Bids & Award Committee (BAC) chairman, in conspiracy with the treasurer, the accountant, the budget officer, general services officer, and the head of office who are members jack-up the prices of a laptop computer worth P30,000 to P120,000 apiece, and others and even tinker with the 2% and 1%  of the Discretionary Fund and Special Education Fund (SEF), respectively, taken from the total collection of the RPT in a year. 

                                           More Shenanigans

He could earn also millions of pesos a year if there is illegal number game jueteng, bookish of government runs Lotto, or payolas from the owners of the perya or faire where gambling is being hosted, too, and the tienda de baratillos.

To compute all the stolen monies as a result of the greed and criminal mind of the mayor, he could have P42.2 million a year or a staggering HesusMariaHusef P126.6 million in his three years in office that he could use for his successful reelection bid.

 

This analysis could be the same with those governors in the Philippines but with budget that runs to four billion pesos a year or a total kickback of P337.6 million a year or P1, 012,800,000 in three years’ term.

“How about a congressman?” I posed.

My politician pal told me, the average S.O.P of a congressman is only 10 percent that collaborate to what the District Engineer or top honcho of the Department of Public Works & Highway who handled two congressional districts.

With an average of P1 billion a year infrastructure projects, the solon can pocket P100 million or P300 million in his three years’ term from the contractors who won in the bid those projects.

In case a congressman run for mayor versus a re-elective chief executive of a town with P200 million annual appropriation budget a year or a kickback of P50 million in three years, the solon has a lot of financial resources to buy votes, pay for his or her supporters, and even finance those very expensive advertisement aired by giant regional television stations' ABS-CBN and GMA-7 to promote himself or herself even to those people in the boondocks.

“That will be, Holly Molly, P300 million campaign fund juggernaut versus the measly P50 million that could hardly afford an ad on TV,” I exclaimed.

“It’s just okay in case the mayor loses to a moneyed solon. It’s worse if he losses to a mayoralty challenger. The public works he sent to the barangays and the relief goods he distributed during a calamity came from the taxes of the people while his mayoralty rival uses his own monies to ingratiate with the voters.

 Nakakahiya pag natalo ka ng challenger kasi ang ginagamit mo pera ng bayan,” my politico pal remembered a town and a city mayor in my province were defeated by rivals by a stroke of genius or because of their incompetence in protecting their position.

READ MY OTHER COLUMN:

Step Aside Pornhub: Congress Has Versions of Insertion

(You can read my selected columns at mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)