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THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNANCE
Our OFWs are hailed as our “modern
day heroes”. They are propping up our economy with their
remittances. The money they send to their families place children
in school, pay hospital bills, settle funeral expenses, pay
rent, build homes, and provide for the sustenance of those left
behind. When they return home for holidays, they add to total
expenditures in the economy by giving shopping money to relatives
and friends and going on local tours.
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Our
OFWs are hailed as our "modern day heroes". They are
propping up our economy with their remittances. The money they
send to their families place children in school, pay hospital
bills, settle funeral expenses, pay rent, build homes, and provide
for the sustenance of those left behind. When they return home
for holidays, they add to total expenditures in the economy by
giving shopping money to relatives and friends and going on local
tours.
More important, they perform an important political task, in addition
to their substantial contributions to the economy. By going abroad
to work,they maintain the safety valve which dissipates the dangers
of domestic unemployment, the rise of discontent, and the proliferation
of poverty. In other words, they contribute to the stability of
our economic, political and social system.
As true heroes and heroines, they endure horrific difficulties.
This is true specially for those who are trained professionals.
Unknown to their families, they suffer insults, racial discrimination
and physical violence. Others are kidnapped and held as hostages.
Still others die when ships sink in storms or are hijacked.Some
of them come home in coffins.
All these are forgotten when they come home. Rondallas, streamers
and pretty girls meet them at the airport. Their families in cars,
jeeps and buses. Yes, they are hailed as heroes and heroines.
Deep trouble
Our heroes, heroines and their families are in trouble. The foreign
exchange they send home bring less and less pesos. Those with
very small earnings—caregivers, dancers, househelp and drivers,can’t
increase the allowances they send home to their families. Bewildered,
they turn to the government who has billed them as heroes and
heroines. "How can the government help us? " they ask
piteously.
Solutions have been offered. Dr. Benjamin Diokno says that government
should borrow the remittances coursed through the Bangko Sentral
so that OFWS can earn interest income. Sen. Roxas has suggested
that VAT on oil should be suspended so prices can hopefully go
down. I have suggested that government should render more efficient,
economical and effective services so that OFW money can go a long
way. They should work out strategies for stable prices of basic
commodities. Government cannot just shrug and say, "this
is how the market operates."
This is no way to treat our heroes and heroines.
Remembering Cris Mendez
Remember Cris Mendez? He was the bright student from
the U.P.National College of Public Administration and Governance
who was killed in as hazing incident involving the Sigma Rho fraternity.
Cris has not been forgotten. Last December 11, 2007 a "National
Conference To Stop Hazing" was held at U.P. NCPAG. Over 200
students and participants from national government agencies participated.
Among prominent personalities who addressed the conference were
former Sen. Joey Lina and forensic expert Dr. Raquel Fortun. Former
Sen. Lina is the author of R. A. 8049, the law regulating hazing.
One of the most moving moments in the conference was the slide
show of the injuries sustained by hazing victims. The slides showing
the black "talong" bruises and wounds of Cris were so
graphic many in the audience were moved to tears.
The conference called for the amendment of R.A.8049 which only
regulates but does not criminalize hazing. No less than former
Sen. Lina himself pointed out that the original intent of the
law was watered down as it underwent changes in its journey from
a proposed bill to a law.
"One of the concrete ways to remember Cris Mendez is by amending
the law and criminalizing hazing," stated Prof. Ebie Florano,
one of the organizers of the conference. Experts have volunteered
their services in amending the law and giving meaning to the death
of Cris Mendez.
The Third House: Choosing Among Four Budgets
Today, the Bicameral Committee of the Legislature will
meet at 1PM to hammer out the final version of the 2008 budget.
Better known as the Third House, the Committee is composed of
representatives of both Houses of Congress.
The task of the Bicameral Committee will determine whether government
will allocate more funds for social development or sacrifice the
poor on the alter of the balanced budget. It will choose among
four budget proposals: the budget proposed by the Executive and
submitted by the President; the General Appropriation Bill from
the House of Representatives which contains significant additions
in health and education; the Senate Version of the 2008 budget,
and the proposals of the Alternative Budget Initiative for education,
health, agriculture and the environment.
The Alternative Budget Initiative was crafted by 48 civil society
organizations and supporters from both houses. It is coordinated
by Social Watch Philippines. The Initiative also contains provisions
for the reduction of the debt service by recalculating interest
payments based on current exchange rates, as well as the deferment
of payment on illegitimate loans. These were proposed by the Freedom
from Debt Coalition.
The Bicameral Committee or the Third House will meet behind closed
doors. There will be no record of their discussions. The public
will be kept out. Nonetheless, the Alternative Budget Initiative
advocates are calling on the Third House to choose the people
over the balanced budget of the Executive.
(Ms. Leonor Briones is a former National
Treasurer of the Republic of the Philippines. She is currently
teaching at the University of the Philippines' National College
of Public Administration and Governance. She is also a co-convenor
of Social Watch Philippines. She also writes a column for the
Business Mirror)
Other Feature articles:
-
Letter from afar
- Dog-Day
afternoon
-
On Doing the Right Thing
- One Statistics
- From A Distance
- Of Command and commandeered
votes
-
Coming soon: young bureaucracy?
-
What to do the morning after the night before
-
Out Where the Country Begins
-
Questions Begging for Answers
-
Attaining the MDGS: Are We Really On Track?
-
The sky is not falling?
-
The Governance of Fraternities
-
Bribery, Debt and Borrowing
-
In Praise of the Senate
-
Recapturing the Power of the Purse
-
Making History Softly
