Gibo Tedoro’s Conditional Cash Transfer for Natural Family Planning only Good for Sound Bites

The proposal of Presidential Candidate Gibo Teodoro to give cash incentives for those practicing natural family planning methods only good for sound bites but in the real world, it is difficult to implement, impossible to monitor and will only tempt the unscrupulous to engage in deceit just to avail of the cash incentives.

While the intentions are good, the implementation is not clear. Teodoro proposed that “If they use the rhythm method, we can have some resources to support that by a conditional cash transfer if they do not a have birth within a year or so for the poorest of the poor”. His policy proposal raises a lot of questions on how government will implement his alternative program.

How will it be determined who will qualify? Will the government monitor the sex life of couples who want to avail of the program? How will the government determine the start of the one year period? How will the government know that the couple indeed is using the natural method during that one year period? How much resources will government need to monitor those participating in the program?

And most importantly, how will government determine that the couple claiming the benefit is not trying to pull one over the government’s head? A couple may claim to be using the natural method but actually use other methods such as using condoms or birth control pills. Or worse, they may even not be fertile at all and still claim the cash incentive. While these may be determined through medical tests, it is a cost which the government cannot afford to shoulder just to screen those who will claim the cash incentive.

For those who are against the Reproductive Health Bill, Tedoro’s proposal should also merit their opposition on the basis that it is no different from the objectionable proposal in the bill which provides for incentives to those who limit their children to two. Oppositors to this provision of the RH Bill say that this could lead to an aging of the population and a demographic winter. Under Teodoro’s proposal, couples are encouraged not to have children for one year in order for them to claim the cash transfer. So if a couple would like to receive the cash incentives for the next several years, or even forever, they only have to stop producing offspring.

While it is Gibo Teodoro’s right to change his mind about the RH Bill and withdraw his support from the bill, it is a pity that he has retreated into a proposal which seems to lack substance and wisdom. It is only good for sound bites and publicity, not public policy.

Oppose Marriage Contract Expiration

A party list group participating in the 2010 elections proposed the establishment of an expiration for marriage contracts.

The proposed marriage contract expiration should be opposed because it will endanger the integrity of the ties that bind Philippine Society. The Filipino Family is acknowledged as the basic unit of society and it cannot be denied that marriage is the foundation of most Filipino Families.

Marriage and families cannot be treated separately and impose policies on one and not consider the other. The Philippine Constitution guarantees the protection of the family’s integrity and states that marriage is an inviolable social institution. The non-expiring marriage contract is not a violation of any human right because entering into a marriage is an option where those engaging in it are well aware of the terms.

To give marriage an expiration is also to give families an expiration. It will be dangerous to open Philippine Society to the mindset that marriages and families have a predetermined end. While proponents may argue that the contract is renewable, the fact that when you enter into marriage you already know it will expire at a certain date, it already affects the way society will look at marital unions.

And how will we treat the offspring produced by marriages? What will happen to the legal status of children produced by marriages if they expire? It will be as if we have predetermined the legal existence of children even before they are born.

While I will fight for the rights of women, I put more premium in protecting the integrity of the Filipino Family. I will oppose marriage contract expiration.

A Leader’s Integrity

I have experienced it many times, so much that it has become a concern…I say that integrity is an important quality that our next president should have, there would be someone who would object and say, “it is not enough that the president has integrity”. They then emphasize that it should be competence that should first be considered.

I don’t argue against competence being a requirement for a president. In fact, all public officials should be competent. That is an undisputable proposition. But why the seemingly hostile reaction to the statement that a president should be trustworthy?

Why isn’t it possible for these people to say, “yes I agree that a President should possess a high degree of integrity, as well as competence.” Why does it have to be an Either/Or debate?

In selecting a president, it should not be a matter of choosing between integrity and competence. The two should go hand in hand because our country needs a leader who can govern with skill and at the same time the people need a leader whom they can trust.

But for public officials, there is a higher degree of expectation with regard to integrity. In the Philippine Constitution, Article XI, Section 1 states in the first sentence “Public office is a public trust”. By this simple six word sentence, the framers of the Constitution the most important benchmark for those who serve the People—trust.

It does not need to be emphasized that competence is a requirement for public officials. It even comes naturally. It is a rare occasion that an incompetent person rises to the higher levels of public service. Just getting oneself elected has some credit for competence because not everyone can run for office and win. But of course, we should not settle for mediocrity and still demand a high standard of competence for public officials.

Incompetence has no place in public service. But just for the sake of argument, a less competent leader may still be effective by tapping the expertise and competence of those around him. In fact, one of the best qualities of a leader is the ability to harness the talents of those around and under him. Leaders are not expected to do all the work themselves but to gather the strengths of their team to collectively deliver to their constituents.

But integrity is a quality that is exclusive to a person. It cannot be augmented by those who surround the leader. It cannot be borrowed and it cannot be sourced out. That’s why there is a need for it to be a primary consideration aside from other qualities we should look for in a leader.

Which brings me back to the question which prompted me to write this in the first place…why can’t people simply agree that integrity has a premium in the selection of the next president of the country? Why are there counter arguments, justifications, qualifying statements and what-have-you against the statement that integrity is a primary consideration?

For the record, I value competence in a leader. I will not settle for incompetence. But the competent leader should be trustworthy. So will the competent leader with unquestionable integrity please stand up?

The Filipino Family – The Country’s Foundation

“The Filipino Family is the foundation of the nation.”

In order for our nation to have a firm foundation, we must build up Filipino families. We must enable them to be productive, literate and strong. We must empower them with livelihood, education and health.

But more importantly, the Filipino family should be built up with spiritual, moral and traditional values coupled with a deep sense of patriotism and citizenship.

Charity is not the only thing that begins at home. Everything begins at home. We must be able to raise good fathers and mothers, good husbands and wives, and good sons and daughters in order for us to raise good citizens.

Disqualification of BGen. Danny Lim is a Contradiction to Democracy

Brigadier General Danilo Lim’s candidacy is endorsed by three political parties. He is recognized by the Liberal Party as its guest candidate, including him in the party’s line up of senatoriables. His wife Aloy represents the Danny Lim in the Liberal Party’s provincial sorties and campaign strategy meetings precisely because he is one of LP’s candidates.

Danny Lim is faring well in the surveys, and although he is not yet in the top 12, he is within striking distance, way above other candidates whom the Comelec has allowed to proceed with their candidacies. He has an ongoing internet campaign which rivals those of the more monied candidates with an online following which definitely covers the entire country, even beyond.

As a top leader of the Magdalo, which has proven its ability to launch a nationwide campaign and propel a candidate to the Senate, he has an established network on the ground, rivaling other more established political parties.

To me, the decision by the Comelec to disqualify Danny Lim to run for Senator on the gorunds that he is a nuisance candidate because he supposedly does not have the ability to campaign for the senate is a contradiction to democracy. While it is indeed a responsibility of the Comelec to ensure that only the qualified and the serious candidates are included in the list that the people will choose from, it is also their duty to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to vote and be voted upon.

Clearly, BGen. Danny Lim is not a nuisance candidate. He may be irritating to an administration which is sensitive to criticism and calls for reform, but he is definitely worthy to present himself to the electorate and be voted upon.

Maguindanao Martial Law–Is There an Invasion or Rebellion?

The 1987 Constitution provides for Presidential powers to declare martial law:

“ Article VII, Section 18 – The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.”

The president is then mandated to submit a report to the Congress which may revoke the declaration or suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.

In the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao, the basis of the declaration cannot be helped but be questioned. As provided for in the Constitution, the president may declaration of martial law only in the case of invasion or rebellion.

Under the said provision, where does the Maguindanao situation fall under? Invasion? By who? Is it a rebellion? Is the provincial government of Maguindanao led by the Ampatuans taking up arms against the government?

While I would like to support government initiatives which will ensure the maintenance of law and order in Maguindano following the Ampatuan Massacre, I do not see the reasons that would justify a declaration of martial law as prescribed in the Constitution. Considering the current atmosphere of peace and order, there is not even enough reasons to call out the Armed Forces because there is no lawless violence going on in Maguindanao.

The Congress should reject this declaration because it has no firm basis to stand on and it will open up the avenue for those who have previously expressed their proposal for a no-elections scenario to pursue their plans. If martial law is allowed to go on in Maguindanao, trouble can easily be created in other parts of the country and the expansion of the coverage of martial law can immediately be justified.

With elections just around the corner, and recent talks of No-El scenarios still ringing in our ears, the imposition of Martial Law in Maguindanao under circumstances which do not require it should really be met with skepticism.

A Lesson in Conversation

This really happened..

I was invited as Guest of Honor and speaker during the anniversary of an academic institution not too long ago. After the ceremonies and the photo opportunities that usually follow such engagements, I was invited to join the college’s officials and faculty for lunch.

It was a good opportunity to get to know the people better and establish linkages. Over lunch, I chatted with several of them who were seated near me. It was a bit difficult, owing to the level of noise in the room, what with everyone talking all at the same time. I had to strain a little to understand the person I was talking to.

One of those I was chatting with was a dean of one of the colleges, who was once connected with a well known NGO doing work around the world. She told me prior to settling down in the college, her work with the NGO brought her to countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, East Timor and other places experiencing extreme poverty and conflict.

I was impressed with her experience. A distinguished looking lady who did serious work not just for the Philippines but the world! And now a dean of a college!

To continue the chat, I told her that my father recently visited Ethiopia and he gave descriptions on how terrible poverty is in that country. He said that going out of the hotel which was supposed to be located in the business district of that country’s capital, beggars lined the sidewalks shoulder to shoulder. So many people mired in poverty and hunger.

Of course she had experienced it first hand and knew exactly Ethiopia’s situation. She concurred with the story and she said, “The biggest problem of Ethiopia is Mass Starvation.”

Maybe it was the way she said it or the noise in the room. Or maybe it was me. But for a moment, I had to pause for what seemed to be an eternity of awkwardness as I processed what I think I heard.

Did she say what i think she said was the problem of Ethiopia? I was trying to keep a poker face as my mind raced in the speed of light, thinking of an appropriate response. Should I ask if people are now going blind or growing hair on their palms? Is it the result of a weakening belief in Church teachings? Moral decay?

The suddenly, I realized…oh, MASS STARVATION! Whew!

The lessons of the story is….1) listen carefully to the one you are conversing with and 2) think before you talk.

Political Vendetta Suspected in Decision to Oust Bulacan Governor

The Comelec decision to remove Bulacan Governor Mendoza five months before elections and a few weeks after he left Lakas and joined the Liberal Party smells like political vendetta.

The administration is now struggling to to rein in it’s members and prevent and exodus to other parties and it will do anything to keep it’s members at bay within the party.

The threat of sudden resolutions of election cases, as well as administrative and criminal cases of elected officials who are members of Lakas is the Sword of Damocles that the administration has over their members.

The case of Gov. Jonjon Mendoza may be seen both as a punishment to him for leaving Lakas and a warning to others who may be planning or contemplating a move out of the administration party.

But in the end, the practice may result in Lakas only being left with members of who have pending electoral. administrative or criminal cases.

President Arroyo Should Turn Over the Reins of Government if She Runs for Congress

President Arroyo Should Turn Over the Reins of Government if She Runs for Congress

President Arroyo should either resign or go on leave if she pursues her desire to run for the 2nd Congressional District of Pampanga. Of course, her counsel Atty Romy Macalintal will argue that there is no legal impediment for her to seek another elective post. That is a well known fact. The law does not compel her to vacate her post either by resignation or going on leave. I won’t even go into a discussion on delicadeza. We all know what the answer to that issue.

But I offer other reasons why she should give the post of president to someone else who can take full charge in a full time capacity the role of leading this nation during the elections.

The Maguindanao Massacre was definitely a politically motivated incident, one that is expected to have repercussions all the way to election day. It may even have spill over effects to neighboring provinces and spread throughout ARMM. In fact, one of the president’s allies is even proposing that martial law be imposed in that part of Mindanao to ensure peace and order.

Being a presidential election, other hotspots are expected in other parts of the country, hence the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will surely be on their toes in maintaining peace and order during the elections. This is the reason why I had earlier proposed that the Armed Forces Chief of Staff be extended beyond his retirement date of March 10, 2010, just so that the AFP will not have a change in leadership in the middle of the campaign period.

Being the Commander in Chief, the president should be full time in overseeing the enforcement of laws and measures to maintain peace and order during the elections. The president should not be sidelined by the concerns of her campaign for another elective post, a local one at that. We should not gamble with the president merely allowing an underling (especially the current acting Secretary of Defense Bert Gonzales) to carry out her instructions as she campaigns. Someone should take over the responsibility and accountability during that time.

Another matter which necessitates the full time attention of the President is the implementation of the first automated elections in the country. IT will be best for the country not to have a president distracted and preoccupied with a candidacy in the local elections while this historic venture into uncharted waters is being experienced by the country.

The president’s legal eagles and political pundits will simply repeat their script to defend the president’s decision to run—that there is no legal impediment to her candidacy. And it would be foolish for people to expect delicadeza to prevail. So if she wants to run, let her run.

But what I would like to raise at this point is the duty of the Office of the President ( the position, not the person) to ensure that the elections will be clean, credible and peaceful. She cannot do that full time if she will be a candidate for a local position in 2010. So if she wants to run, then she should turn over in accordance to legal processes the reins of power to someone who is not running for office and can perform the job full time.

Of course that would be the Vice President.

God bless the Philippines!

Malacañang Was Warned About the Maguindanao Massacre Three Months Ago

The whole world was caught by surprise and shocked by the Maguindanao Massacre. It was something never before seen in our country and it has immediately placed us in the number one position in the list of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists to be assigned.

People are saying this was something unimaginable, that no one expected it and no one could have foreseen the carnage. Well, it turns out that those premises were wrong. Someone did see it coming.

Someone saw it coming and warned the government. He warned Malacañang. And the warnings went unheeded.

About three months ago, August 28, 2009 to be exact, the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security and the Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation conducted a joint public hearing on the peace process in Zamboanga City. One of those invited to be a resource person was the Vice-Governor of North Cotabato Manny Piñol. Vice Governor Piñol is one of the most respected officials whose opinion matters when the Mindanao situation is discussed.

In his statement to the Committee, Vice Governor Piñol revealed that he had warned Malacañang about the potential for the outbreak of hostilities between the MAngudadatus and the Ampatuans in relation to the 2010 elections. It was a warning which was explicit and clear. But in spite of that, it was ignored.

Following is the statement of Vice Governor Piñol lifted from the transcript of that hearing :

MR. PIÑOL : Government must be clear and straightforward with the MILF on what it can and cannot give. Government peace negotiators must get out of the box of the international standards and methodologies for conflict resolution and look at the Mindanao conflict as a problem we cannot and should not compare to the Northern Ireland or Darfur conflicts.

We were amused by the idea of Tony Blair negotiating peace in Mindanao. We were appalled by the suggestion that Manny Pacquiao could bring peace to Mindanao.

This shows how shallow and superficial the appreciation of some of our leaders of the problems in Mindanao. There should be no generic solution to the Mindanao conflict given the fact that problems have different complexions depending on the political, social and economic conditions of a specific area.

Take, for example, Maguindanao. What is the cause of the conflict in Maguindanao right now? It is a feud between the Ampatuans, a big political family and the MILF. And mind you, I have already forewarned Malacañang of an impending bigger trouble come 2010 elections because the Ampatuans are facing another big family, the Mangudadatus, and the Ampatuans are being backed by the military, the government. And that Sends the Mangudadatus towards the MILF orbit and this could spell trouble for Maguindanao in 2010.

I have already warned the GRP panel about this and I have forwarded this message to Chairman Rafael Seguis of the GRP panel.

The statements of Vice Governor Piñol were quite clear. The government was warned. If the warnings were heeded and the government stepped in by disabling the private armed groups in the area, we probably wouldn’t be mourning the deaths of 57 innocent people.

On whose hands have their blood spilled?