Dust in the Wind (Article from Mindaview)

Dust in the Wind

Dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind. Same old song . . . .

 It is seemingly mere trappings but not when you scrape off the silver linings behind every issues we are considering  today. It is still the same old song either you treat it in the status of national or provincial  road or industry and salary pay of government workers.  Unless we go into the bottom of these issues cleaning up the mess, the problem will remain forever hanging like Damocles’ blade or it could be any dust in the wind.

It’s not only the hole-iest road in town Dust too flies everywhere leaving you no choice sometimes but to bite and eat them  when you can’t find your way out tailing a ten-wheeler truck vehicle  negotiating Crossing Phividec all the way to Malitbog Boundary.

 Thanks to Gov. Oscar Moreno coming into the rescue with his “Gikan sa katawhan, balik ngadto sa katawhan!” concrete pavement project  showing  good governance  what with  more than half-way concrete pavement  almost completed. May I  just make  this earnest request please to have the good Gov. complete the project  instead of peacemeal to secure and protect our lungs from  suffering and  ordeal  dust brings.  I pity for those who have allergy to dust and suffering asthma. Same way to for those who travel regularly back home   like my Devt. Facilitator then Engr. John Rasonabe now assigned in DAR Valencia  “Tanduay ray katapat ana Maro.” Well said but does it not hasten your meeting with the Grim Reaper as if you’re practicing early dying as you take regular dose of alcohol as your defense of neutralizing dust inhaled..

It’s definitely an appalling sight what with all those industries found in the area from PHIVIDEC, Purefoods, Acetylene all that. “Where have all those taxes go?”, you might ask.  Why can’t the local government required these industries repair all those road when they are the first direct  beneficiary in the first place.  Well taken inquiry.  Unfortunately, the local and provincial government can’t just force the issue.  The truth of the matter is, their taxes are siphoned all the way to Makati and other big cities in Manila that while enjoying the windfall to all benefits, nothing is left to Tagoloan  coffer  except dust in the wind. What you get instead is “Sa Makati, lahat ay libre” as in Jojo Binay’s plausible TV ad little did you know know that people of Tagoloan are sacrificing their comfort in favor of the rich Makati. 

It is therefore a welcome development hearing that running for Senator Tito Sotto would sponsor a bill in the Senate decentralizing collection of taxes.  No , this column is not indorsing Sotto’s candidate otherwise this concern should have been made a law  by him as he had been there in the Senate for many years. Sourgraping.  Anyway, this issue is an example that there are basic concern that should have been identified from the very start and therefore would have been addressed  as early as they step into their elected office.  Probably too, other Sen. should have taken that initiative. But who cares except now when election is already fast approaching.  Thanks just the same to Sotto’s promise   making  that issue as his personal crusade hopefully translating that into a law in Senate.

But I think the real issue just  lies somewhere. What do we have in Tagoloan area is just a semblance or problem far greater than what it seeks to address. It’s that penchant of superseding existing law with special law to protect the interest of the Powers-that-be or whoever benefits most the project. Take our concept of prime agricultural lands, irrigable vast track of lands whose premium should have been respected and sustained as Magna Carta and yet finds their way converted into industry, subdivision, golf courses and other  non-agricultural uses the likes of Phividec property.

Another glaring example is Salary Standardization Law enacted in 1986 raising the level of salaries among government employees spread into number of years. Unfortunately, there was great discrepancy between the supervisors and the rank and file. I know that for I was once Sec. Gen. of Regional Alliance of Gov’t. Empoyees of Region 10 (RAGE10) and conducted my own study of that Law. And lo and behold I find it simply amazing and irreconcilable how it was drafted at the point of arrogance raising the salary pay of  supervisors to high heavens and practically leaving very low salary pay among the rank and file apparently leaving big disparity not even a crumbs enough to enjoy a day’s  life.  Not only that, awakening further happens when you relate that to miracle salary pay semi-government run institutions are enjoying. Think of GSIS for instance where its Chairman Winston Garcia (and down the line) is earning more than half a million a month in salary excluding other benefits and perks while those workers in fuel industry are earning starvation wages. It’s incredible but true as I have a matrix of their salary cut from an old issue of  Phil. Daily Inquirer..

Ergo, the issue just really lies somewhere. It’s more than what meets the eye as in decentralizing taxes to address dust in the wind in Tagoloan-Malitbog area, or sky-the –limit salary pay of GSIS Executives and other semi-government corporation.  Our elected officials know better only they don’t do their homework.  Probably they too are conducting their research but probably  are blinded by  the comforts and security they enjoy from patronage politics.

As May 10 election is coming, it is behooved that voters should first consult their conscience and look into the background and credibility of the candidates and see if there is consistency with the platforms they are proposing.  Better check or they might be another same old dust in the wind giving us instead the same disservice.