LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March Fianza
History repeats itself. That has
been said a million times because people see bad things done again and again.
Lately, the world heard news about the alleged overpricing of bunkhouses for
Yolanda typhoon victims in the Western Visayas, particularly in Tacloban. If
you remember the aftermath of the killer earthquake that struck Baguio-Benguet,
Dagupan-Pangasinan, Agoo-La Union and Nueva Ecija in 1990; there were also
reports of overpricing of construction material in the rehabilitation works
spearheaded by the DPWH then.
In both
cases, government officials scrambled for answers, some were truthful and
spontaneous replies while the rest were planned and impressively premeditated.
There are only two sides of the abused proverbial coin – that is, if the
overpricing issues were not true, one side would say it is politics. On the
other side, if it were true, the only motivation is greed or stealing money
illegally from the rehabilitation funds worth billions of pesos. In history,
politicians who enjoy engaging bad politics are most often than not, the
voracious ones.
***
Over the
weekend, former NBA player Dennis Rodman said he went to North Korea, not for
politics or anything but to play a game of basketball. He and the team of
former US National Basketball Association players flew from Beijing to be in
last Wednesday's match. Rodman has befriended Kim Jong Un, the young North
Korean leader who is an avid basketball fan. He said his aim was to
"connect two countries" but for not talking with Kim about the
country’s “repressive” system and alleged human rights abuses, Rodman was
strongly criticized.
While news
personalities in the US attacked his “basketball diplomacy” statement, US State
Department officials made it clear that Rodman “does not represent the US.”
However,
Rodman was able to have unprecedented access to North Korea's young leader, the
last visit of which was last month, shortly after the execution of Chang
Song-thaek, the uncle of Kim. On world television, one news anchor said, If
Rodman will not talk about the human rights abuses in North Korea, many will
say that “it is hard to know what basketball diplomacy can really achieve.”
This is
quite disagreeable for me. Give the guy his break. He already said that he is
not in North Korea for politics but for a friendly basketball match. And the US
State Department has made it clear that Rodman does not represent the US.
Therefore, his visit to Kim’s country is a private affair. Nobody has the right
to push another person into doing something against his will. By the way, this
should return the issue to some news personalities in the US - that before they
talk about human rights abuses in other countries, they should first look
around their own backyard.
***
Sablan,
particularly in Barangay Kamog, a residential area where a public school and
the SLU subdivision housing is located is where the proposed basuraan for
Baguio will be put up or relocated, according to my informant from city hall.
Why the proposal is not being exposed to the public as early as now is puzzling
and invites questions, if not suspicions. By now, it should be published to the
world in order to get the feedback of all concerned that could lead to ironing
kinks as early as possible.
Especially
so because the area is occupied by an indigenous community that should be
consulted for their consent or disapproval. By the way, who knows if Sablan
officials and their constituents are already aware of the “secret” proposal?
Maybe they already are, if secret meetings between them and the proponents have
been held.
While the
city struggles to fix its basura problem that is certainly an unresolved health
and social problem, another decades issue is clamouring for a solution.
Councilor Peter Fianza said, there is need for a re-planning of waterways and
canals… or diversion of canals to balance the volume of water going to the city
camp lagoon. True, but let me add to his idea – a comprehensive reassessment of
canals, sewer and other waterways in the city should go with the reassessment
of the performance of those in charge. Like the culverts that they install, I
believe there is also need to “replace” them if they have cracks and are not
performing well. – ozram.666@gmail.com
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