What Happened to the Planned Relocation of Manggahan Floodway Squatters

In the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy, a certain Architect Palafox, an authority on urban planning and construction, went on TV to identify the clogging of Manggahan Floodway as the root cause for the unprecedented flooding suffered by Metro Manila and nearby Rizal towns. He even identified the new SM Marikina commercial complex as standing right in the artery and thus, blocking the pathway of the Pasig River onto the Laguna de Bay. From the SM photo above, one could see the entire area under the bridge/flyover which was the former bank of the river but was transformed into road and parking space of SM and was itself submerged under water during Typhoon Ondoy.

Then, there was also Edgar Manda, President of Laguna Lake Development Authority , directly under the Office of the President, showing aerial photos of the same Manggahan Floodway and pinpointing specific squatter houses that blocked the most crucial areas of the floodway that caused the build up and retention of flood water that rose to levels never seen before.

And then almost everyone was convinced what had to be done, knew it could be done, and the only thing needed was supposedly ‘ political will ‘ to do it. The Mayor of Cainta, former news reporter Mon Ilagan, also the Mayors of Taytay, of Taguig and of towns of Laguna and Edgar Manda himself, issued bold statements promising to fully address this big problem which lay under the jurisdiction of their respective offices.

However, today, barely two months after Typhoon Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng, nothing has been done. Instead, more construction are being done with new condominiums and other commercial buildings rising in pace with the increase in number of squatters. Rich and poor alike destroy the city and the environment. So rich and poor alike suffer when nature vents its rage.

Malacanan Car Plate versus Diplomatic Car Plate

Barely hours after our earlier post on the Filipino Privileged Class, tackling among others, the special car plates of government officials and other so-called local elite, there is breaking news report ( http://ph.news.yahoo.com/abs/20091120/tph-adb-staff-s-son-involved-in-ebarle-k-85c5a6c.html ) of fatal shooting involving a Malacanan VIP and a Foreign Diplomat.

In what is a real tragedy that took away the life of a young man, it is also a very vivid example of power gone overboard, and painfully very ironic, that two individuals, both riding on cars with special car plates, met on the street, resulting in this senseless shooting.

The victim it turned out is not really a government official but rather the son of a Malacanan top official, the Presidential Chief of Staff, but still using the VIP car plate OPCS, probably meaning, Office of the President, Chief of Staff. While his killer, per initial police reports is a son of a British national economist working with the Asian Development Bank ( ADB ), and also using an equally VIP diplomatic plate of 20903.

So here we have proof that indeed, VIP and official cars are used by persons other than their authorized users. And more often than not, these unauthorized users are the ones arrogant on the road, mostly, drivers, or family members, sometimes, just ordinary office staff.

I actually pass by that road, Bonnie Serrano, Quezon City, near Camp Aguinaldo, and I actually remember recently seeing one similarly colored Toyota Land Cruiser driving behind me. Not sure though if its the same vehice. I distinctly remember it because its what we call ' Subic ' or Japan surplus vehicle. I also remember it for no other reason than I thought it had a menacing look, big SUV, tinted windows, and being near to a military camp, my mind wondered who could be inside.

Believe it or not, several weeks back, I also saw a Honda CRV model circa 1998 ( same car supposedly used by the shooter ) with diplomatic plate and with a young white foreigner driving somewhere along Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig. The young man was I think with blond hair. I remember him because his CRV was not tinted and so, he was very visible from the outside.

In that traffic altercation that led to the shooting, one could imagine that neither of them would give way, aware of power and influence, even legal immunity, being on their respective side. And it seems a speeding car is not as fast as a speeding bullet, with the mind proving itself to be the fastest. It moves in blinding speed from leisurely thinking about driving to instantly deciding on murder.

Not to say, either or both acted precisely like that, but, this supposition could not be too far from what actually happened.

If anything is to be learned from this incident, it is that the feeling of privilege and power, exemplified here by VIP plates of the highest order, diplomatic and malacanan, are in the chaotic streets, not added security or protection, but may even push one closer to danger. Surely, a free ticket not to be accosted by police for traffic violation or color coding, is not worth all the risks.

Not too long ago, well actually to the time when NPA hitmen were targetting police-military and government officials, very few, if any, used such identifying special car plates that revealed their high official rank. In fact, there were the so-called security car plates, which are actually civilian car plates, to allow the user to move around unrecognized, and presumably out of danger, while on the streets.

But times have quickly changed. Those in power in government now, have taken the opposite stance, to reveal their power and their privilge, by having those special car plates, proudly announcing to one and all, here is a VIP.

It was only a matter of time before two such VIPs met on the road. And it did.

Notes:

How will concept of diplomatic immunity apply to the son of the ADB official?

From online sources, we find that there are several levels of diplomatic immunity. The highest rank are the diplomatic agents, together with their immediate family members, who are completely immune from criminal prosecution and for certain civil suits. Such immunity carries immunity from arrest, detention, questioning and being searched. The next rank, involving tecgnical staff, and then, ordinary staff have lower degrees of immunity which applies generally only to their officials acts.

In the case of the Asian Developmeny Bank, it is not a country or state, but as an international organization is afforded similar level of immunity, like officials of the UN, Asean, World Bank and others.

Offhand, we can say that the subject ADB economist is likely not of the highest diplomatic rank but probably second or even third level. It is notable though that whatever his level of immunity is extended to his son as an immediate family member.

An interesting fact, the ADB employs approximately 2,400 people, coming from 55 of its 67 member countries, and with more than half of the staff being Filipinos. So. one can venture to guess how many of them are in Metro Manila with diplomatic immunity.

The Filipino Privileged Class

There is probably no better example of Filipinos' obsession with titles and privilege than the rampant use of the term ‘ Honorable ‘ by everyone from the highest to the lowest possible official in the government, Used to be reserved for high officials like governors, mayors, congressmen, senators and judges, now even municipal councilors and barangay kagawads demand that they be referred to as “ Honorable “. or “ Kagalang-galang “.

There is also that badge or crest of royalty exemplified by special car plates for these same group of privileged officials who try as much as they can to be looked up by society and specially to be looked up when they are on the streets in their magnificent modern chariots.

It used to be that only the president, vice president, members of congress have specials car plates. Now, practically every government official from a mere director level ( about the same rank as a colonel in the military ) and up, has his or her own special plate. As if there is a matter of national urgency for say, a chief or director of some obscure division in the DA, DFA, LTO, DILG, DOJ, DOLE or just about any department or agency, one to merit a special pass to proceed and drive unimpeded on the streets and to require the serf people to immediately stop what they are doing and give way to the passing royalty.

Nowadays, every social-climbing and vain enough person or group or organization willing to pay cash could have their own special car plate to announce to everyone that they too are part of the titled and privileged elite in this seeming country of nobles, datus, lakans and rajahs. Third world country and all, but the elite of this land nonetheless.

And if one cares to take notice, every high government official also demands to be called cabinet secretary even if his or her official title or position is director general, or chairman or the so called presidential consultant. It is a cabinet rank position, it is immediately explained, notwithstanding, that this so called ‘ secretary ‘ has no department or even an office to run as his or her being a presidential consultant is in fact a one man or one woman office, a plain lobbyist and influence peddler, nothing more nothing less.


Surely, the guy that coined the term public servant to refer to a government official was way way dreaming in fantasy land.

Gasoline Hoarding – Gasoline stations closing its pumps claiming they are out of stock.

This is plain hoarding and is also criminal.

Gasoline companies and dealers regularly maintain reserves of at least 90 days. This is a business truism to have enough stock to sell to customers and also a cost-saving measure to buy or import as much as you can to minimize import, transport and other costs.

In fact, it is the mantra of gasoline companies, Petron, Caltex, and Shell, and lately, even by so called independent players, in refusing to lower their prices even as world crude prices go down by claiming that their ever available retained inventory were purchased at higher cost , and must be sold out first before new prices could apply and then, only on new inventory.

It is therefore unbelievable that they will now suddenly run out of supply, timed very suspiciously with an issued Executive Order requiring a freeze on prices, and there being moreover no surge in either local or international demand.

And for the government to just sit and watch the oil companies do this blatant criminal offense of hoarding is criminal connivance at the very least. Secretary Angelo Reyes of Department of Energy ( DOE ) in fact acting as virtual co-conspirator by accurately predicting this gasoline shortage to happen, that is, the very next day.

Time and again, government officials prove that they are inutile and are in the payroll of big businesses, if not of criminal syndicates. The least that a good meaning and protective of public interest Department of Energy or even local government unit official could have done is conduct inspection of gasoline companies and dealers to check if their storage tanks are really out of gasoline. As it is right now, the Filipino public is expected to just believe their word that those storage tanks are empty dry and that one could actually throw a burning match or lighted cigarette at them and they, the oil companies and dealers, won't care a bit.

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