"Left-leaning lawmakers now want a People’s Initiative in favor of ABS-CBN."
Santa Banana, there is a disturbing development in connection with Congress’ denial of the franchise of Lopez-owned ABS-CBN network. The Duterte administration should look into this because this could affect national security.
The leftist party-list lawmakers have thrown their support to push for a People’s initiative by getting the signatures of at least 10 percent of all registered voters and at least 3 percent in each legislative district. This is provided for in Section 32 of Article VI of the 1987 Constitution. This could overturn the House’s denial of the franchise.
I say it’s disturbing because this could be propaganda by the communists. We all know that the leftist party-list legislators are identified with the communist movement.
The lawmakers are banking on a Social Weather Stations survey that says three out of four Filipinos are in favor of granting the network another 25 years to operate.
Having failed to generate some kind of a “people power” to denounce the alleged assault of press freedom, this is the last ace of the Lopezes—to push for a People’s Initiative.
The problem with this campaign is that whoever is pushing it needs massive funding—billions of pesos, in fact, as the efforts are nationwide.
Another problem is that the Comelec does not have the funds to conduct it. Where will the Comelec get the money to count and verify all those signatures? Santa Banana, there is no way the President will allow this!
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As of this writing, the President has not yet announced what it will be for us in Metro Manila whether it will be a return to the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) or a continuation of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
The health adviser for the Inter-Agency Task Force, said that he had recommended a return to the GCQ, which means the easing of restrictions. This could again lead to greater mobility of people, but and the return of public transport. Won’t this mean the loss of whatever gains we have had? I don’t know anymore.
My wife and I have been quarantined for almost six months because of our age. Actually, we could live with stricter lockdowns.
What I’m really concerned about is that SWS finding that says half of the entire labor force of the country (meaning: adult of 18 years and over) are now jobless. Santa Banana, this could only mean that the poverty index has multiplied!
The SWS found that as of July, there are 27.3 million jobless Filipinos compared to 7.9 million in December 2019. Millions of families are now going hungry. A recession is upon us. I cannot imagine what will become of us!
The Department of Labor and Employment may not believe the survey. But the fact is that many Filipinos are now living on government subsidy, and some of them are even begging on the streets.
This is a huge problem for President Duterte.
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Last year there were calls for the revamp of two government agencies—the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC).
It has been found out that the PCGG has lost its usefulness, considering the fact that it has lost almost all its cases against the Marcoses. The plan was to abolish the PCGG and refer all its cases on alleged ill-gotten wealth either to the Department of Justice or the Solicitor General’s Office.
In the case of the OGCC, which is the corporate counsel of all Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations, the plan was to also abolish it and have the Solicitor General handle all its functions. The plan, however, did not materialize under Duterte.
Perhaps, the economic and fiscal advisers of the President should rethink those plans now. We need all the funds in the administration can get its hands on.
There are reportedly numerous instances of graft and corruption involving these two agencies. The longer the plan is delayed, the more money is lost.
Time is critical, Mister President.
