OPINION: 'POLITICAL WILL' - A 'NOT IMPOSSIBLE JOB'
MANILA, OCTOBER 21, 2009 (MALAYA) by DUCKY PAREDES (‘What the government will need is a surfeit of political will.’)ACCORDING to the Metro Manila Inter-Agency Committee on Informal Settlers (MMIAC), it will take about 10 years and a yearly outlay of at least P13-billion to relocate the more than 500,000 squatter families in Metro Manila.
It will take more than that. What the government will need is a surfeit of political will, which (as we all know) has been in short supply since the beginnings of this country.
If we had the political will to take good care of our common areas (where they have informally settled, surely they would never have been able to take those open spaces from the rest of society.
Sadly, the MMIAC also says that especially those living in "danger zones" must first be cleared "to pave the way for the cleanup of Manila Bay and its tributaries."
In fact, this report became public only because it was included in the Compliance submitted by the Metro Manila Development Authority to the Supreme Court, which has been running roughshod over several government agencies to force a cleanup and the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
MMIAC says that of the 2.6 million households in Metro Manila, 21 percent or 544,609 live in informal settlements. Of these, 19 percent or 75,000 live in the danger areas – riverbanks, esteros, under bridges, beside railways, roadways, on sidewalks and aqueducts.
The MMIAC notes: "The provision of shelter for the ever-increasing informal settlers in Metro Manila remains a challenging task for the government but not an impossible job."
That "not impossible job" means that the government has to produce 305 housing units per day or an additional 30,859 units per year or more than double the number of the present production of 30,141 units.
The question that remains is whether the government – the present one which has to begin the work and those (both national and LGU) that will succeed in 2010 which must continue the job – will have the political will to begin this in earnest and to push it through to its conclusion: a better, cleaner and more livable Metro Manila.
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A Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago initiative would create a website (www. calamityfund.gov.ph) which would track and report where the recently approved P12 billion calamity fund went.
The website would post breakdowns of funds spent by regions and districts, and for what purposes. Santiago said: "The website can also track the foreign aid and local donations we receive, and their releases."
"The government must assure the public that the funds will not be lost to corruption or to the 2010 elections, but will really be spent for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts."
This would be a good thing and might give e government some credibility again. Note that the media outfits that receive donations no longer tell the donors where their money was spent or even how much was raised. Still, people – even from abroad – give more to these media outlets and NGOs than directly to the government. That can only mean that the prevailing sentiment is that government cannot be trusted with their money.
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Another from Sen. Miriam Santiago would punish those who intrude on our waterways. She has filed such a bill, which would correct a situation that came about because no one had the will to stop these intrusions.
The truth, of course, is that we have laws enough to do whatever we must to improve this country. What is lacking is the political will to enforce these laws.
Miriam’s bill would levy a P50 million fine on real estate developers who fill, cover, or block any part of a river, creek, brook, spring, lake, lagoon, swamp, marsh, and similar waterways in order to put up a housing, condominium, or leisure estate development. In addition, Senate Bill No. 3483 would revoke whatever government permissions were given for these developments.
Says Miriam: "Rivers, brooks, creeks, and similar waterways act as natural canals so that excess water do not accumulate in a particular place; while marshes and swamps, act like sponges, absorbing excess water from surrounding environs. These waterways should be protected so that flooding will be prevented."
But, why not also charge these developers criminally for floods and landslides that occur because they did not thoroughly study the terrain prior to turning the land into a subdivision that was never safe to build on?
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We have two letters on our column on the establishment of a Philippine Professional Football League.
Philip Reyes writes: "I am a big fan of soccer. I believe it is the sport where we can excel, where height is not might (think Paolo Rossi, 5’3"; Diego Maradona, 5’5"; Pele, 5’8"). The Pinoys also perhaps have the natural talent to engage in this sport, having descended from the Malays, the Spaniards, the Americans, etc. Certainly, the Pinoys have that perfect blending of Latin rhythm and Asian grit, which other nationals don’t have, except perhaps the Africans, who are also great footballers. We have great potential, what with the slew of Fil-Europeans that can play the game well. It is high time that we regain our lost glory in Asian soccerdom."
I am one of the avid followers of this beautiful game called football (or what the Americans call soccer). I found it really encouraging that finally, some corporate sponsorships will be devoted to football instead of basketball. In Europe, football players command salaries in tens of millions, either in Euros or in Pounds. Take the case of Ronaldo, the most expensive player in the world, sold by Manchester United for 86 millions Euros.
Rene Serrano, Senior Biomedical Engineer of Care RTKL in Jeddah writes: "I am sure football is the game for us, having seen the quality of football players in Asian league.
"I find it embarrassing whenever my foreign co-employees ask me what is our national sport. They find it hard to believe that for a nation whose average height is about 5’5", we choose basketball as our national game. Blame our colonial mentality and adoration of anything American. What a country!
"I wish the organizers all the best and I hope they start selling their team jerseys soon. If they can come up with really good designs, I am sure it will help in generating income for the team."
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I was at the launch of the United Football League under the Football Alliance where the team of Nomads Sports Club renamed Aloha Boardsports FC played against Kaya renamed Digiprint FC.
Games will be held at Nomads and other home football fields. Other teams are: Mendiola - EGames FC, Navy - Selecta FC, Union - Rudy Project FC, Army - Phiten FC, Alabang Grins - Orient Freight FC, Air Force - Rider FC, Diliman - Victory Liner FC, Global - Smartmatic FC, United South - 2GO FC, Loyola - ATR KimEng FC, Lions (among the oldest football club in the country) --- Alaska FC, Manila All Japan - KLine FC, and two teams still without sponsors -- Mama Africa FC and Sunken Garden FC.
I am looking forward to seeing many more UFL games.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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