By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
Those years are election years. Politicians will need tons and tons of money. The national budget reflects this. In no time it will be signed by the President.
The biggest chunk of the money will go to the DPWH. Why? Traditionally, that is where politicians get the biggest slice of the people’s money. But not just from the DPWH. From all government departments, actually.
Enter into a contract with government and you will have to shell out a certain percentage of the contract value for the boys. For the people there who will manipulate things so you will bag the contract and be able to collect. Others appropriately call that money “SOP”—Standard Operating Procedure. What is the going rate now? 40% to 50%. That is what the contractor will give. And what does he do not to go bankrupt? He adds that as an overprice to what he will collect from the government. The practice goes all the way to the top.
Mind you, the money has to be given before the contract is awarded. Especially, during election years.
So should you be proud of politician relatives?
A friend forwarded to me the other day a link on the interview of UP School of Economics Asst. Professor Punongbayan regarding the proposed national budget. Here it is: https://youtuAs be.com/watch?v=CykOi-bR7vo&si=OYlw6d-Iha8CYltt. The budget was approved by the bicam of congress. So it is almost as good as done.
As the professor said, the Congress has become a lot more creative in hiding the screwed-up priorities of the government.
A warning though. Your blood pressure will certainly go very high listening to that interview or lecture. Mine shot up to the stratosphere.
Last week I was looking at the budget in an article in the online version of a national daily and I was struck by the lack of any budget for Philhealth and, if memory still serves, also for the DepEd. So they will have to survive on unused funds.
But what hit me really hard was the lack of mention of a special budget for family planning, particularly birth control. That must have been integrated with the budget of the DOH, but it should receive special attention in terms of effort and budget allocation. While just throwing money into the problem will not solve it, it can slowly be lessened through the proper use of incentives or rewards or punishment in a humane way.
But as usual, as if it is a minor thing in our hierarchy of priorities. Yet most of our socio-economic and political problems are being caused by our overpopulation.
So good luck this 2025 and the years beyond.
Inflation or high prices will be hitting us really hard. Here is an illustration of it. Often, I have some business to take care of at City Hall or at the Justice Hall. Then I would walk down below City Hall where there are buko for sale. If you happened to be passing by, I would have shouted at you to come and also sip some buko juice while standing by the sidewalk. You know it is nice to look stupid every now and then.
About a month ago, one buko there was P35.00. After one week, it became P50.00. Three days after, it became P70.00. Then I just passed by today or two days after and it was already P80.00 per piece.
Sir, because of the law of supply and demand. To which Pres. Magsaysay retorted, “Repeal that law!” Well, the joke, inane or silly as it is, is on us.**
