Seeing the Political in Romulo Neri’s Appointment as SSS Head.

I just read another news article last week about CHED (or former, I am not sure) chairman Romulo Neri. Apparently GMA has appointed him as the new Social Security System president, replacing Corazon dela Paz. As I was reading the article different, initially malicious, opinions came running through my mind. The name of Mr. Neri was after all a source of headline worthy news during the Lozada, Truth, and ZTE-NBN festival. And even though I was in Cagayan de Oro and missing out on all the “truth” parade in Manila, being updated was a sort of a hobby for me back there. And so I can’t help but attach the ZTE-NBN controversy to the face of Mr. Neri (well that’s the malicious part). However I also pondered on the other side, personality effaced, objective perspective on the issue. There is something politically disturbing about him taking on the as SSS head.

Well the good news is, vehemently speaking, I think Romulo Neri is a man of innumerable credentials for the job of being the new SSS president. He graduated Magna cum Laude in a Business and Finance degree at UP. He held countless positions like chair of National Economic Development Authority Achievements (NEDA). He was also former secretary of Department of Budget and Management (I didn’t know there was such). Ultimately having headed different executive positions in his field of expertise Mr. Neri is, professionally speaking fit to run SSS.

However there is one peculiar character of Mr. Neri that is of a particular interest to me as a Pol Sci Major (naks). If we go back to the ZTE NBN issue, it was not his testimony that made him a “star”. It was actually the opposite; it was his having “no testimony” at all that media and his fan club, the senate that made a frenzy of issue out of him. Sure he did mention some dealings with former COMELEC Benjamin Abalos, he did not give any substancial, juicy, information about the controversial contract itself. It all boil down, or should I say “out”, to him invoking executive privilege. And there was silence…

Now what can we see here? SSS is a public institution, it is owned by the government, and hence it answers to the public. His position is also that of a public official, even though SSS is a government owned corporation. And I think his knack for keeping mum over issues that concern the good of the public and quelling initiations for questions of accountability is a detriment to the our democratic way of governance and it questions and weaken the integrity of the government. For a public official to say that there is nothing to talk about, by invoking executive privilege, tells something about that official’s character as a public servant, moreover it tells something even disturbing about the character of the one who appointed him. The danger posted by this thought is that the check and a balance that enables our democratic system to function is compromised thereby turning our system of governance a joke, us insulted in the process.

I have other, more malicious opinions, on Mr. Neri’s appointment but that’s for another entry if I have time. Or if the issue is still hot. :)

Politics is public. Bow

Phillip Don Recentes
AB political Science

Sorry for grammatical errors. :)

Credit to
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/61990/Romulo-L-Neri
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine Star

My Pos100 teacher for enriching my thoughts on this issue.

On the increase of gasoline

Gasoline prices will go up as high as 100 pesos by the end of the year, as most sources say.

Yes this is no joke.

And because of this topic, a lot of people are suffering from the drastic effects: Jeepney fares increasing, less cars, especially those American SUVs on the road, more expensive basic needs and a whole lot more.

We are all bothered by this problem, especially that we were hoping for a much better economy after the drop from 56 to 1 to 41 to 1 last January. All of us are bothered about this. Will this be a repeat of the Asian crisis of 1997? I hope not.

I myself has been feeling the effects, especially since I drive a car to school and given the horrendous prices in gasoline nowadays, I have to plan out my trips to save as much gas as possible. And that's despite I'm driving a diesel car; it would be much much worse with a gasoline car. A 10 peso per liter difference is already a big amount.

Upon reading the news bits about this issue, and by integrating what I have learned from other PolSci classes

with bits of economics (which I still remember despite taking them during 4th year HS). What bothers me is this: What if it is NOT because of scarce resources that keeps the rates high? What if there is someone manipulating things for their own benefit? How about the fate of third world countries like us?

One possible (well not guaranteed to be true) would be that maybe the USA is actually hoarding the oil from the Middle East (known for having abundant resources of oil). I've just noticed somehow that there is something fishy behind the current news. Like what my blockmate said about the rice issue, well it is possible that the USA is hoarding as much oil as it can so it can dominate the market on oil and thus, having control over the prices, leading to a possible monopoly. I know this may be somewhat impossible, but it can be one of the many causes of the increasing oil prices these days. This is just in my opinion.

Feel free to comment.

Duey T. Guison

II AB PoS

*Cross posted on Discover the World

We Sing, We Dance, We Save the World

II: Assuncion, Martija, Maske, Matibag, Medrano, Omolida

Question: How do we solve poverty?

To answer this question, we begin by first defining the term “poverty”. For us, poverty can be seen under two perspectives that together form a whole. First, poverty is a way of life. It is a principle of complacency and acceptance of mediocrity, so long as the basic necessities of life are satisfied on a day-to-day basis. Moreover, it is a way of thinking, one that has kept the victims of poverty below. Second, objectively speaking, poverty is not having the adequate resources to maintain one’s standard of living. This does not go as far as saying that the term “resources” are constrained only to material things, but also to other necessities that society expects of its people (such as, education, job opportunities, jobs, moral upbringing, character development, work ethics, etc.) to avoid the trap of poverty.

Given this definition, our group proposes a regulation and rehabilitation program, designed for those who live below the poverty line. Informal settlements all over the country will be improved into suburban compounds, where everything will be improved; roads will be paved, a school and health centre will be built, and a local government official (like a barangay captain) will be installed to maintain peace and order. Their shanty houses will be reconstructed with sturdier and safer material. As for the rehabilitation part, there will be seminars and education programs to help the poor get on the right track in using their new community to their advantage. As for the job market, there will initially be a livelihood program, and the members of the community will be compensated for working to build their new and improved suburban settlements.

Title reference: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things (2008 album of Jason Mraz)