Because our government is the way it is, as it was since time immemorial. It is not a well-oiled machine. There was the secretary of the DENR who, if he was doing his job, could have delivered the ultimatum or ordered the closure of the many establishments there that were flushing human shit into the beach. But he did not. It was only after PDu30 delivered the ultimatum of closing Boracay to tourists that notices of violation were served on erring hotels and restaurants and other outfits catering to tourists.
Does this mean that other cabinet secretaries are also as inutile? It appears so.
For it is only when some catastrophic event happens as when the president vents out his anger in public that a government agency suddenly finds some creativity and competence in the recesses of the brains of those running it.
Take the Philippine Airlines’ (Lucio Tan’s) arrearages to the tune of P7 billion for the use of the Manila International Airport. Why didn’t the head of the agency in-charge of that airport do something about this?
Then there was the MIASCOR, the firm taking care of luggage handling at the airport. The manager could have caused the termination of the service contract of that firm for negligence in the handling of an OFW’s luggage which was “ransacked.” But it had to take the President.
Another one was the banning of OFWs from going to Kuwait due to abuses on domestic helpers by their ignorant, illiterate, and almost subhuman masters. The secretary of labor could have done that himself. But again, it had to take the President.
Do the President even have to monitor how street sweepers are doing their jobs?
The point is—the incompetence in any government office and agency. Bureaucrats are gun shy to implement extreme measures to make everybody under them efficient.
So what do we have? The Philippine government.**