What solution should be made in order not to further alleviate the burden of the citizenry? Many are saying to remove the VAT and other taxes on oil and other prime commodities.

Government people and legislators should initiate radical moves as to forego their fat allowances and pork barrels; cut unnecessary expenses on travel and representation allowances. This gesture on their part will mean a sincere desire to help in any way deflate the nation’s budget and hopefully be followed by others in various levels in government and society. For at these times, thrift and wise spending will be the one to hold out a crumbling household. Additional imposition of taxes is not in order but only for those engage in luxurious and extravagant living, vices and unnecessary expenditures that only heightens the depth of poverty in our country.

But what is very important now is for government to look for immediate solutions to ease the problem of the people with regards to high cost of food to prevent any untoward happenings in the future. The country’s food production must be boosted to a level where we will no longer be dependent on other countries particularly for rice. We need to go back to our roots of being an agricultural country, producing rice, corn, sugar cane, coconut, banana, mangoes, pineapple, vegetables. We need to plant more in order to feed our growing nation.

#####

Will there be a major cabinet revamp? The people are not interested in changes of cabinet members. What the people want is a genuine reform in government for the good of everybody. If the President will only give cabinet positions to her followers who lost in the last election, I don’t think she wants reform.

#####

Oca Alberto, a motor repair shop owner told me that many vehicular accidents are happening in the country and it seems that concerned government authorities are not doing any drastic action to prevent them. Many vehicular accidents involving trucks & vans causing the lost of many lives happened because of faulty brakes or no emergency brakes. The Land Transportation Office should imposed strict inspection of brakes in the renewal of licenses of all vehicles particularly trucks & buses to reduce the death rates in streets and highways.

#####

The appointment of former governor of Pampanga Mark Lapid as general manager of Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) created a lot of criticism. Many are questioning his credibility as head of PTA. What is Lapid’s experience in the tourism industry? He did not even manage well his province of Pampanga during his stint as governor. The very fact that the tax collection made by his successor in local quarrying for a month which was the collection he made for one year is very humiliating.

It is ill-advised for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to appoint politicians who lost in the last election to cabinet positions especially when they don’t have any background for the job he or she will occupy nor any worthy track record to back him up. It is like an engineer doing the work of a doctor.

If the President really wanted reforms, she should scout from the private sector or from honest career officials with unblemished records to replace the do-nothing government executives & political appointees.

#####

It is really a hard decision for the government & the ABS-CBN management whether to give ransom money to the Abu Sayyaf group, the alleged kidnapper of ABS-CBN senior reporter Ms. Ces Drilon and her group. Giving ransom money will only strengthen their operations to continue their criminal activities. If you don’t give money, it might be the end of the victims. If you give money, kidnapping will not end. So, what should be done to end this evil act of some members of the Abu Sayyaf .

#####

Is suspending the wearing of uniforms by students in the public schools a solution to the problems of parents. Many don’t see it as a solution but will only create other problems. Students can now roam the streets without being recognized as students. They may now enter movie houses and video game outlets which should not be patronized by students particularly during class hours. Wearing school uniforms is more practical and less expensive than wearing civilian clothes. Wearing uniforms imposed discipline, neatness and dignity. It also gives a sense of pride and school loyalty all needed in young minds.

Maybe if President Arroyo really wants to help the teachers and students, she should build more toilets in public schools. Many public schools have only four to five toilets for the use hundreds of students. How can you educate in health and good hygiene when there are very few toilets with no water nor soap in schools? In some multi-storey public high schools, toilets are located only on the ground floor. You could just imagine how a full bladder is handled by students. The boys are bolder as they use the window sill. Poor girls. They might end up with kidney or bladder stone for holding on.

#####

Why is there need to launch another online lotto, the Power Lotto with a minimum bet of P50, with an initial jackpot of P50 million. To win a few million pesos on a bet of P10 is enough to many bettors. But to bet P50 is already gambling. I am sure many bettors will bet even their last money for the needs of their family to win the P50 million jackpot. It is easy to say that the target market of the power lotto are the affluent people only. I will bet that majority of the bettors are those who are badly in need and this will put them in more trouble.

#####

The spectacular rise of the SM empire of Henry Sy is really commendable. From a small shoe store at Carriedo St. in Quiapo it grew into various malls in the Philippines including the biggest mall in the Asia Pacific - The Mall of Asia. But many are wondering & asking where did Henry Sy got the name SM. According to some people it is a combination of the family name of Henry Sy & his long time partner Senen Mendiola. I don’t know if it is true or not. Or is it from the word ShoeMart. From what I know Senen Mendiola is a very close partner of Henry Sy. At one time, he was the head of SM & chairman of Banco de Oro. From what I heard Senen is now a sickly man.

#####