LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

Crisis appointees, crisis peso
March L. Fianza

I always believed that sensible leaders make sound decisions and provide chances for civil service personnel to lead in their field. We wish to point out that there are hundreds of qualified men and women in government who can bail Filipinos out from their difficulties today. But we seem to be lacking of it as the President appoints Secretary Angie Reyes to the Department of Energy.

It may be that his fourth appointment to the cabinet is not of his own liking, so he may not be faulted if he is indispensable. In the words of Sen. Jinggoy, the President is beholden to Reyes. One thing, he is at liberty to use the worn-out statement that echoes in my mind: “I am at the mercy of the appointing authority.”

Reyes, after serving as army chief, was appointed to the defense department. He quit the post after disgusted soldiers who participated in the so-called Oakwood Mutiny demanded for his resignation. He later became head of the interior and local government, then environment secretary.

Former Manila mayor Lito Atienza, another ally of the President, takes over the DENR. Atienza is opposed by environment groups as he is being blamed for cutting a number of mother trees in Arroceros park years ago, where a building for teachers now stands. He said they planted trees to replace those that were cut, although it is without doubt that only God can bring back the life of fully grown trees and the benefits that they provide their killers.

We are not in any crisis as to say that we are lacking of able appointees. There are hundreds of them in the civil service who rose through the ranks. But Reyes and Atienza are indispensable men as they have yet to be paid fully of their contributions to her presidency. Whatever those contributions may be, I do not mind anymore. As the song goes, “a lesson too late for the learning,” but that is what people get for revolting in Edsa, thinking that this country will be better of even if it will not.
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Weeks ago, this column talked about the news headlines about a stronger peso. Last week, Malacanang was elated saying that the peso has gained more power against the dollar. Strong or not, the peso according to families of OFWs, does not buy more food and commodities. Our OFWs who are greatly responsible for the surge in the exchange rate feel cheated.

On TV news, one foreign worker said her family used to receive P50,000.00 which buys more than the P40,000.00 that her family receives now that the peso has become stronger. Why is this so? It is because prices of commodities do not stop to go up. In effect, Malacanang’s strong peso is bogus.

As we said in our column weeks ago, the pronouncement of a strong peso seems artificial since its effects are not felt – not even by the rich. To check the peso’s strength, why not try the market. Find out the truth that your peso is unable to buy more. You do not even have to buy a thing. Just go ask the sari-sari store tindera about prices and she will tell the truth about government lies and statistics. What Gloria does not feel, the tindera feels.

In fact the pump price of one fuel distributor in the country has gone up fifty centavos again last Wednesday. In June, we experienced four consecutive increases in fuel pump prices with a total of two pesos and 49 centavos from P36.14 per liter to P39.82 per liter. If the rest of the fuel distribution companies also increase their pump prices, may the Good Lord be with us. – marchfianza777@yahoo.com