Meron Nga Bang Nagbago?

PNoy promised change. So far, there had been many changes. I laud the changes in the GOCCs and the GFIs. The exposes on how grossly abused these offices were by their boards. These are major changes that created a huge impact on public perception. But there changes that show na "walang pagbabago".

In the Bureau of Customs, "areglo" is still rampant. Before, it was P80,000-P125,000 per container. Now, it's between P165,000-P185,000. Only the faces changed but the same corrupt practices remained. Importers complained that despite their desire to pay the right taxes, officials come up with charges so that the importer would use the "areglo" just so they can bring their goods out. No wonder manufacturing costs are so high.

The new Metro Manila Development Authority administration has also done nothing. In fact, traffic has become terrible. Colorum buses continue to ply their routes with impunity. Of course the LTFRB shares the blame. The "Kabit system" is tolerated. There is a very simple solution to this problem, simple conduct an audit of franchises of these bus companies. EDSA looks like a huge parking lot even on weekends. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to fix this problem.

The revised IIRC report will be released on Monday. This will prove if things really has changed or wala talagang pagbabago. Will justice be blind or would it favor those close to PNoy? I hope there wouldn't be scapegoats.

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Where Were You?

As the debate on the RH Bill heats up, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is gearing up for a confrontation. First they threatened to call for civil disobedience, they now threaten to excommunicate anyone who supports the bill. Claiming that they are doing this in the name of morality. The say that when moral values are the issue, they will resort to these extreme actions to drive their point home.

Pure hypocrisy if you ask me. Where were you in the nine years of Arroyo's immoral reign? Isn't thievery a moral issue? Isn't human rights a moral issue? Isn't increasing poverty a moral issue? Isn't the destruction of the moral fibers of all our institutions a moral issue? The cheating and lying of the past administration and its cohorts were all moral issues, yet they did not even raise a whimper when all these were happening before our eyes.

Calling for civil disobedience just because the president is pushing for an informed choice is totally reckless. Their continuing rejection of the RH Bill runs smack of hypocrisy. They could not even police their ranks. We've seen priests father children, molest altar boys and steal mass collections. Have they done anything significant to address poverty that is a result of the lack or inadequate information and methods to plan for their family?

The Lord gave us free choice. It is up to us to use our God-given wisdom and intelligence to make our own conscientious choices. At the end of the day, it is my God that will decide if I lived my life in accordance with His teachings. We live in a democracy and you have the right to express yourselves. It is your right to call for civil disobedience. As a Catholic and a Filipino, I can also exercise my right to express myself. I'm sure I am not alone in saying that we too can call for a donation disobedience. After all, you get the money you spend on yourselves from us.

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