Friday, March 6, 2020

Retards in the Government 144

It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government. 



The chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Bacolod City was arrested by the anti-corruption unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for allegedly demanding protection money from owners of a KTV bar. 
Col. Ronald Lee, acting director of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), on Friday identified the arrested policeman as Maj. Melvin Madrona. 
Madrona was arrested by IMEG operatives in an entrapment operation at 5:35 p.m. Thursday in a cockpit arena in Mansilingan town, Bacolod City where he allgedly received P5,000 cash from one of the complainants. 
Also arrested in the operation was his alleged civilian cohort identified as Jay-R Dela Cruz, whom Lee described as a “fighting cock handler.” 
According to Lee, the IMEG received a complaint that Madrona was demanding P5,000 in protection money each week from the owners of a KTV bar “in exchange for unhampered operations.” 
Investigation revealed that prior to this, the owners of the bar as well as their employees, and their Japanese customers were brought to the CIDG office in the city after the KTV was raided at around 11 p.m. on February 8. 
But according to the IMEG, all those rounded-up were released the day after on the condition that the KTV owners will provide protection money every Thursday. 
Aside from this, the complainants added that Madrona forced them to pay for his travel expenses and hotel accommodation, according to Lee. 
The IMEG chief said the complainants started giving the P5,000 cash on February 20 to a certain Senior Master Sergeant Nabarte on the instruction of Madrona. The identity of this other policeman is still being verified by investigators. 
Lee also said that a background check showed that Madrona was also charged with physical injury, arbitrary detention, and grave coercion on March 22, 2017 after allegedly beating-up an overseas Filipino worker after they figured in a vehicular accident. Madrona was then assigned at the Quezon City Police District Station 5.
PNP officer extolling a paltry P5,000 per week from a KTV bar. Sounds like there was another officer involved too.  It also appears this cops should have been sacked back in 2017 after he beat up a civilian.
The mayors of Motiong, Samar and Boliney, Abra are facing administrative cases for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct before the Office of the Ombudsman for their supposed failure to meet standards for the nationwide road-clearing drive. 
“We meant it when we said that cases will be filed against negligent local execs. Unless local chief executives get their acts together and take the President’s instructions to clear roads seriously, they will be held accountable and face charges,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement on Friday. 
Año said this is the second batch of cases filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against mayors who failed to clear public roads of obstructions as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte during his last State of the Nation Address. 
He said the two local chief executives “failed to satisfactorily respond” to show-cause orders issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government after their respective local government units fared poorly in the validation and assessment conducted by the department. 
Both LGUs likewise failed to come up with rehabilitation and sustainability plans and to set up a “grievance and feedback mechanism” on the clearing of road obstructions,  said Año. 
“The municipalities of Motiong and Boliney obtained a total score of not more than 50 points in the indicators set by the DILG. Such score translated to their glaring failure to follow the rule of law that public streets are for public use,” said the Interior Secretary.
Two more mayors charged with failing to clear the roads in their towns.

https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/02/28/1996574/philippines-misses-out-12-b-potential-investments-due-citira-delay
The Philippines has missed out on about $12 billion potential investments in the last two years due to the prolonged deliberation on the proposed second package of tax reform which seeks to reduce the corporate income tax (CIT) and rationalize fiscal incentives, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said. 
To bring back these potential investments, he said the House of Representatives is willing to adopt the Senate version of the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act (CITIRA) for the quick passage of the bill into law. 
While many investors want to enter the country, he said they could not do so due to uncertainties on the final form of CITIRA. 
CITIRA seeks to gradually bring down the CIT to 20 percent over a 10-year period from 30 percent, and introduce changes to the incentives system by making the grant of perks to firms performance-based, targeted, time-bound and transparent. 
The CITIRA bill has been approved on third and final reading at the House of Representatives, while the bill is still pending at the Senate.
Lots of dithering in the Senate has caused the Philippines to miss out in billions in potential benefits. 

Fifty-two personnel of the Philippine National Police-Civil Security Group (PNP-CSG) were relieved from their posts due to “reports of malpractices and overfamiliarity with stakeholders”—the third revamp since its current director assumed his post. 
PNP-CSG director Maj. Gen. Roberto Fajardo said the relieved personnel are composed of 30 commissioned officers—including a Police Colonel—17 non-commissioned officers, and five non-uniformed personnel. 
“This is to expedite the transaction of registration of firearms, security guard licenses, license to operate and other permits,” he said. 
CSG is the PNP unit that supervises the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies that issues permits for private security agencies, and the Firearms and Explosives Office that issues gun permits. 
In particular, some of the relieved staff reportedly demand fees from applicants to have their documents processed and request another fee to have the papers released. 
“At the end of the day estafa na ang nangyari. Wala na ‘yung papel, wala pa ‘yung pera (it ends up at estafa. The papers are not released, and the money is also gone),” he said.
It seems members of this branch of the PNP were on the take.  Asking money process applications for gun permits and permits for private security agencies.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095190
Killed by a still unidentified attacker was Mark Langam, who was part of the RTA team that conducted road-clearing operations, including the apprehension of tricycles and three-wheeled vehicles plying the national highway in Brgy. Puerto. 
A police report said Langam was with another RTA enforcer when the motorcycle-riding suspect fired at him twice. 
Maj. Evan Viñas, the city police spokesperson, said on Saturday Langam had an argument with a motorcycle rider over a traffic infraction prior to the shooting.
It appears he was shot over a traffic ticket he gave to a motorcycle rider.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1235240/2-dead-5-hurt-after-ex-army-man-goes-on-shooting-spree-in-cavite
A former member of the Philippine Army ran amok, killing a woman and injuring five others, before taking his own life in Gen. Trias City in Cavite province Sunday morning. 
The suspect Junny Palacio, 47, a resident of Barangay (village) Santiago, reportedly ventured into construction after his military stint, but it was not immediately clear how long he had been in the business. 
Cavite police chief Col. Marlon Santos, quoting witnesses, said a seemingly disgruntled Palacio went out “looking for certain people who were allegedly maligning his reputation as a contractor” in a government housing site at around 8 a.m. 
Palacio went to a small wet market and found his “targets” Murharma Bautista, 59, and Alberto Sorio, 57. He shot Bautista dead and injured Sorio, also a retired soldier. 
In the same area, Palacio also shot tricycle driver Recto Marbit, 47, before proceeding to the house of another victim, Pilar Bacaoco, 34, and shot her too. Marbit and Bacaoco were both taken to the hospital.
That's one way to put your military training to use.


https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095265
Gunmen injured an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao del Sur and his driver in ambush here Monday morning. 
Police said Engr. Nicomedes Parilla Jr., the province's DPWH district engineer, and his driver Jerry Calisa were heading for the DPWH office on Lapu-Lapu Street here when they were waylaid by two gunmen, who overtook their vehicle and fired several shots at the passenger side. 
Parilla had not received any threat prior to the incident but police investigators are looking into other possible angles, Tababa said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a ban on the manufacture, distribution, marketing and sale of unregistered e-cigarette products and its use in public places. 
The FDA will issue within 30 days from the effectivity of the EO a set of rules, regulations, and standards governing the registration of vape products and their components, and the issuance of License to Operate to all establishments engaged in the manufacture, sale, distribution, and importation of said products.
Banning vaping and the sale of vaping products is a matter left up to the legislature.  What we see here is Duterte overstepping the bounds of his office and his authority which is to enforce the laws not write them.

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/366519/edu-manzano-calls-out-former-politicians-who-want-to-keep-titles-why-should-i-call-an-ex-mayor-mayor
Veteran actor Edu Manzano criticized former politicians who insist on being called by a title even if they are no longer elected officials. 
Manzano recounted on Twitter last Saturday, Feb. 29 his experience at a dinner where he was expected to call guests by the titles they had when they were in public office. 
“Why should I call an ex-Mayor .. Mayor? Why should I call an ex-Cong ..  Congressman?” he wondered. “What is wrong with people calling each other by their first names? Then you find out out they were hurt! Have you forgotten I pay taxes and your salaries?” 
He clarified too what happened during the dinner when Twitter user @AlcantaraKirka asked if he was “compelled” to use the former titles.  
“No one compelled me but I was told by the host after I left that they felt slighted,” Manzano replied.
That's a lot of pride right there. Slighted for not calling ex-polticians by titles to which they have no right.
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/291618/four-pajo-barangay-workers-fail-surprise-drug-test
Four barangay workers of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City tested positive of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) during a surprise drug test today, March 2, 2020, at the barangay’s gym.
Four LGU officials taking drugs.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1235888/2-tour-agencies-allegedly-offer-chinese-nationals-ph-passports-birth-certificates-via-wechat-hontiveros

“They will even produce a birth certificate for you… They even offer passports. A Chinese tour agency offers passports of the Republic of the Philippines. They offer to process an LTO [Land Transportation Office] driving license even using a tourist visa,” she said, speaking partly in Filipino.
How is it only Senator Hontiveros is calling out these scams? There is no way she is the only government official aware of them.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/728080/suspected-syndicates-smuggled-370m-into-philippines-with-afp-pnp-escorts-boc/story/

Suspected syndicates brought in an estimated $370 million into the Philippines last year with the help of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and airport police escorts, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has revealed. 
In a statement on Monday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said he has ordered an investigation into the issue after Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero submitted a report to him detailing the activities of the suspected syndicates. 
In his report dated January 29, Guerrero said the “Rodriguez” and the “Chinese” groups brought in $200.24 and $167.97 million, respectively, into the country last year through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Guerrero noted that the suspected syndicates managed to bring in the money undetected by authorities because members of the AFP, PNP, and the Manila International Airport Authority’s police department escorted them.
The AFP and PNP are helping Chinese syndicates smuggle money into the country.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1236106/ex-policewoman-lands-in-jail-for-alleged-extortion-racket-in-pnp
A former policewoman was arrested in Pasay City after allegedly extorting money from other policemen requesting transfer to other units within the Philippine National Police (PNP). 
Operatives of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) nabbed Staff Sgt. Beverly Banan during an entrapment operation conducted inside a fast-food chain at 3:45 p.m. Monday. 
According to the police, the suspect was demanding P40,000 to P80,000 from an undercover IMEG officer posing as a policeman asking to be transferred to another PNP unit. 
An in-depth investigation is being conducted to identify the possible cohorts of the suspect particularly active PNP personnel with access to the Personnel Records and Reassignment.
An ex-PNP officer, and likely others, was extorting money from other PNP officers who wanted to transfer units. Why do so many ex-PNP officers turn to a life of crime?
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1095379
Gunmen shot dead the municipal disaster and risk reduction management officer (MDRRMO) in Gandara, Samar on Tuesday morning. 
Police identified the victim as Alvin Estrelles, 47, head of the town’s MDRRM office.
Unidentified assailants aboard a white car attacked the victim as he was heading home, riding a motorcycle from the market. 
Authorities are still facing a blank wall on the incident as suspects fled to an unknown direction. The local police launched a pursuit operation to arrest the gunmen. 
Meanwhile, the village chief of Canmarating in Abuyog, Leyte was wounded when two suspects, including a former policeman, shot him early Tuesday morning. 
The victim, Julian Saldua, Jr., 47, a former Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group member, is now recovering in a hospital in Tacloban City after sustaining gunshot wounds in different parts of his body. 
The suspects were identified as Vincent Tisbe, a former police officer; and Boboy Villote; both of Canmarating village. The two suspects fled after the shooting, Rentuaya said. 
“The victim was jogging early morning when suspects onboard a single motorcycle suddenly appeared and shot the victim. The victim was able to retaliate by shooting the suspects using his caliber .45 pistol, prompting the suspects to flee to unknown direction,” she added.
It's a tale of two LGU officials. Both shot at by motorcycle assassins. One dead. The other alive because he was packing heat while he was jogging. I guess every LGU official should be carrying at all times.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/03/02/1997469/get-shabu-tested-coronavirus-pdea-deletes-advisory
Come get your shabu tested for coronavirus, read the satirical advisory in a post by a regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). 
The tongue-in-cheek post warning of a possible coronavirus-laden shabu on its Facebook page has since been deleted by the PDEA Regional Office 8 “to avoid misinformation.” 
The advisory warned that shabu, or methamphetamine hydrochloride, may be contaminated with coronavirus. The post urged the public to take the prohibited drug to the nearest PDEA office or police station where it could be tested for the fatal coronavirus for free. It said PDEA officers could go to users’ homes and test the shabu in privacy. 
While meant to be “satirical,” the PDEA office in Region 8 took down the post and apologized on its social media page, saying it would “be more sensitive on current issues.” 
“That meth may contain coronavirus is not substantiated and is meant to lure meth drug users not to purchase illegal drugs,” the office said.
Pretty boneheaded and unfunny.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/728211/two-cops-allegedly-linked-to-slay-of-ex-solon-s-aide-surrenders/story/

Two policemen who were allegedly involved in the killing of the aide of former Biliran Representative Glenn Chong voluntarily surrendered to authorities, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday. 
At a press conference, PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa identified the suspects as Police Captain Jon Russel Barnacha and Police Staff Sergeant Alvin Dela Cruz, who were personnel of the PNP Highway Patrol Group. Both of them had gone AWOL (absence without official leave). 
Police had said Santillan was killed during a legitimate anti-crime operation in Cainta in 2018, noting that Santillan was a member of Highway Boys Group allegedly involved in illegal drugs and car theft in Rizal.
This happened back in 2018. Atty Glenn Chong'a bodyguard was ambushed and killed by police. At first they said it was a legitimate operation but it appears it was actually not.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1236447/duterte-no-politician-today-is-fit-to-become-president
“You know, to be honest, if you want to be president and you don’t know how to kill and you’re afraid to die, just don’t become a president,” he added.
Duterte's qualifications to be president: be a killer and willing to die.
Formal termination procedures are now being processed against the 22 Lapu-Lapu City traffic enforcers who are in the PNP narco list and the four others who tested positive for illegal drugs during a surprise drug test ordered by Mayor Junard Chan last Tuesday. 
Chan told CDN Digital that the 22 traffic enforcers only have until this month to serve the Oponganons while the four who tested positive in Tuesday’s drug test will be terminated immediately once confirmatory results are in. 
Chan said he learned of the involvement in illegal drugs of the 22 traffic enforcers after the police gave him a list. 
The police meanwhile, said they based their information on the confession of a female traffic enforcer who was arrested last February 28 in a buy-bust operation. 
The woman, who was an active member of the City Traffic Management System (CTMS) at the time of her arrest, was identified as Jannel Llamas Concon, and a resident of Sitio Super Sunlight Barangay Babag. She was with a certain Ruel Ybañez, who was said to be her cohort in distributing drugs. 
Upon interrogation, Concon admitted that she and her cohort are the ones supplying shabu (crystal meth) to the 22 traffic enforcers sometimes while they are were on duty.
During last Tuesday’s surprise drug test, Mayor Chan already told the 22 to pack up ahead and leave CTMS as there’s no place for them in the government service.
Former Cebu City mayor, now Vice Mayor Michael Rama and four former members of the Bids and Awards Committee are facing charges of graft and corruption at the Sandiganbayan for procuring waste disposal services in 2015. 
In 2015, Rama procured waste disposal services to Asian Energy System Corporation (AESC) through direct contracting twice amounting to a total of P25 million.  
Osmeña argued that such services should have been bid out because there were many other service providers capable of doing waste disposal services.  
In his affidavit, Rama claimed that he was using the Arias doctrine, which stated that a local chief executive would have the prerogative to follow the recommendation of his or her subordinates.  
However, the Ombudsman ruled that such doctrine could not be applied to waste disposal services, when many candidates were available to do the services. 
Former Cebu Mayor Osmeña has filed a compelling against the current Vice Mayor for not bidding on garbage services when he was Mayor.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1237410/palace-duterte-response-vs-nations-backing-unhrc-resolution-an-outrage-reaction

Malacañang on Thursday admitted that President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to defer talks for financing deals with countries that voted for or supported the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) probe into the Philippines’ human rights record was an “outrage reaction.” 
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after the President ordered the resumption of talks for signing loan and grant agreements with the 21 countries that wanted to scrutinize the alleged human-rights abuses in the country due to Duterte’s war on illegal drugs. 
“You must remember that, that was made because of what they—of these countries–did when they passed that resolution condemning the war on drugs in this country,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing. 
“And it was more of an outrage reaction, having already expressed our stand on that, perhaps there is now a reason to change it.”
Is there anything Duterte has done during his presidency that is not an outrage reaction? From his firing of certain officials to his withdrawal from the ICC and the VFA to his cursing various world leaders. It's no way to run a country.
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Thursday, March 5, 2020

Barangay Suba, Cebu City vs Provincetown, MA or Packin' 'em in Like Sardines

On February 26th, 2020 a horrible fire broke out in Barangay Suba in Cebu City.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/290703/259-houses-razed-in-cebu-city-blaze
An early evening fire in Barangay Suba, Cebu City displaced hundreds of families after it razed 259 houses in a residential area in Sitio Santo Niño, Barangay Suba, Cebu City at past 7 p.m. of Wednesday, February 26, 2020. 
Senior Fire Officer 1 Novo Erana of the Cebu City Fire Department, said that they estimated the damage to property at P1.5 million. 
Meanwhile, Erana said that initial investigation showed that the fire started at the second floor ceiling of the house of a Jerry Cabido. 
Because of this, they were verifying Cabido’s information and they were investigating the start of the fire to have been caused by faulty electrical wiring. 
Based on Cabido’s statement, they heard a sparkling sound and then they started to smell a foul odor. 
Erana said that the Cabido family after seeing thick smoke coming out of the second floor of their house, ran outside their house. 
It only took a few minutes for the fire to eat up the second floor of the house of Cabido, which was made of light materials and the fire spread to nearby houses as well.
The final tally showed that the fire actually burned down 311 houses and displaced 638 families affecting 2,851 people altogether. 
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/290794/close-to-3k-individuals-displaced-in-suba-fire
The fire that broke out in Sitio Sto. Niño in Barangay Suba in Cebu City displaced close to 3,000 individuals.  
Latest data from Suba Barangay Hall showed that the fire last Wednesday evening, February 26, 2020, burned down 311 houses, and displaced 638 families or 2,851 individuals.  
Most of the people who lost their homes are now staying in three nearby evacuation sites – Pasil Sports Complex, Suba Sports Complex, and a barangay-owned covered court.  
One of them is Susana Cortes, a 60 year-old sari-sari store vendor, who is now appealing for government officials to provide them financial assistance so they can rebuild their houses.  
“Hopefully they can provide us financial assistance so we can build back our houses. We have no other places to think of staying,” said Susana.  
Susana’s two-storey wooden house in Sitio Sto. Niño, Barangay Suba – which is just a few meters away from the seawall that separates the village and Mactan Channel – was totally damaged.  
Susana said her family of 10 only managed to save their own lives, and several of their clothes.  
They are now staying in Suba Sports Complex as they wait for clearance from the city disaster to rebuild their house.  
Suba Barangay Captain Jojo Sable said Cebu Daily News Digital in an interview that the city government has started providing food and other basic needs to the victims. 
“What they really need right now is food and basic necessities such as blankets,” Sable said. 
He also said the victims can rebuild their homes since most of them have lot titles as proof of ownership. 
The desire to rebuild your burned down house even if it is a flimsy wooden death trap is understandable. Be it ever so humble there is no place like home. But take a look at what constitutes home for these 2,851 people.


https://twitter.com/cebudailynews/status/1232877966163529728
These aerial photographs from Cebu Digital News show the extent of the damage. They also reveal that these 2,851 people were packed in together like sardines! People weren't the only occupants of this densely populated death trap.  There were also animals.



https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/290807/in-photos-barangay-suba-fire

Dogs? Sure there were probably scores of them. Most definitely chickens too. But PIGS!!? In the middle of this cramped, tiny barangay in the middle of Cebu someone was raising PIGS!! Imagine the smell and the absolute filth that permeated this barangay. Where exactly did the pig manure go? Not to mention all the liquid and solid leavings of the dogs, rats, cats, chickens, and humans. And 2,851 people were squeezed into this place calling it home.

The government would be absolutely foolish to let these people rebuild. They were foolish to allow these miniature lots to be sold and "homes" to be built on them in the first place. One spark and the whole thing went up in flames. These shanty towns in every city in the country pose a danger to everyone who lives in them as well as to nearby residences and businesses. Not only fire hazards pose a danger but also the deteriorated health conditions which comes with having so many people in one tight place. Foul air, polluted still water, litter, animal wastes, they all contribute to the spread of disease.

Now let's compare Barangay Suba with Provincetown, Massachusetts in the USA. Situated on Cape Cod this small town has a population of 3,000 people not counting the busy summer months when tourists flood the area. Here is what Provincetown looks like from the air.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provincetown,_Massachusetts

It is rather hard to find a complete aerial picture of Provincetown because it is spread up and down the coast. What a difference from Barangay Suba with it's narrow streets and people stacked on top of one another. There are no piggeries in this town and it is doubtful dogs run loose. The air in Provincetown is also not a choking miasma. In short there is room to breathe and live. If a fire breaks out all 3,000 people will not lose their homes. Provincetown has had its share of fires most notably in 1998.

https://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20180209/looking-back-on-whalers-wharf-fire
The fire destroyed 16 businesses in the Whalers Wharf complex, including owner Dale Elmer’s The Handcrafter store. Most of the Crown & Anchor Motor Inn to the east was destroyed, including three businesses. Smoke and water damaged Marine Specialities, a store to the west of Whalers Wharf. 
The accidental electrical fire was caused by multiple space heaters in the caretaker’s room, according to Jennifer Mieth, a spokeswoman for the state fire marshal’s office. 
The former movie theater, built in 1919, had been converted into artists stalls with leather, jewelry, seashells, pottery and more for sale. A psychic gave readings. A restaurant served food. In the makeshift setup inside the mall, extension cords ran under carpets and behind cabinets throughout the complex, according to the fire investigator’s report. 
But despite the unsafe physical conditions, Elmer drew artists and potential artists to him with encouragement; a willingness to sell their work in his own shop; the $3,000 summer rent in the mall, with utilities included; and the ability to offer work to tide the artists over during the winter.
From another source we read:
Wooden buildings crowd close together in this small fishing village and art colony, where the streets are just 22 feet wide, including the sidewalks -- so narrow that firefighters had to remove parked cars to reach the blaze. A stronger wind might have spread the flames to the entire historic street, officials said. 
“I hate it when there are fires down here,” said Provincetown firefighter Mike Smith. “The whole town could go up.” 
As it was, some embers drifted inland over the tops of the buildings and set a grass fire near the Pilgrim Monument three blocks away, and residents with garden hoses doused the steeple of an adjacent church and other buildings. 
“We’re lucky it wasn’t a conflagration,” said Allen Gallant, who climbed atop the steeple with a hose. “The buildings down there are so old and so close together.”
https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19980212/news/302129960
The similarities between the recent fire in Suba and the Whalers Warf fire in Provincetown are many. Both fires were the result of electrical conditions. Both areas were in unsafe physical condition. Both fires rapidly spread to nearby buildings which were built close together. The firemen were able to get it under control. However the whole of Provincetown did not go up in flames because it is spread out unlike Suba. 

 The people of Provincetown rebuilt and so will the people of Suba unfortunately. 


https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/290807/in-photos-barangay-suba-fire
What will the people of Suba rebuild except the same wretched hive and warren which was destroyed by one spark from a faulty electrical connection? The city of Cebu should not allow this barangay to be rebuilt as it was. Cities across the Philippines should tear down these dangerous shanty towns. 

 That is in fact what Marcos ordered to happen back in 1977 in his Letter of Instruction no. 555 which was to institute a nationwide slum improvement and resettlement program (SIR).
4. The Local Government staff shall formulate a 3-year, a 5-year and a long-term on-going program for the improvement of slums and blighted areas and shall integrate these plans with the development plan of their city/municipality and with the efforts in housing of the National Housing Authority. The local city government is hereby directed to submit within 60 days from the constitution of the staff its Three-Year Plan to the National Housing Authority. 
5. The program shall isolate each blighted area, and the local government through its staff shall formulate a project plan for the improvement of each area. The National Housing Authority is hereby directed to issue guidelines for the formulation of plans for improvement of areas.
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1977/06/11/letter-of-instruction-no-555-s-1977/
In effect the program was created in order to clean up the slums. What was the result of this program? The many slums of the Philippines forty-three years later tell us it was a failure. It turns out Barangay Suba is an SIR classified area.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said he will ask the NHA to give P30,000 each fire victim, the same amount it give to the Mabolo fire victims. 
He said the city government is also giving each house owner P20,000 while P10,000 for renters and bed spacers. 
The mayor assured that there is no lot problem in the area and that the fire victims can rebuild their houses anytime. 
“There is no problem with the area, there is no lot issue because this is an area already classified by the slum improvement and resettlement (SIR),” said Labella. 
The city government, however, is looking at the possibility of reblocking the area to ensure emergency access. 
“These are already designated spaces since they are SIR, but nonetheless we will have to look into that so that if there is another fire dili ing-ana kadaghan ang ma sunog,” said Labella. 
One of the problems encountered by the fire responders during the incident was the lack of emergency access. The fire department received the fire alarm at 6:15 p.m. but it took more than two hours to control the blaze.
https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2020/02/28/1996754/suba-fire-victims-get-cash-aid-city-nha
Expanding further on the problem of lack of access we read the following from another article.
The over 600 families displaced by the fire in Barangay Suba, Cebu City can rebuild their homes under one condition.  
A setback should be implemented. 
This as Government officials from Barangay Suba and Cebu City plan to implement a setback in the affected area, which means that new structures that will be built in Sitio Sto. Niño should be at least a few meters away from the sidewalk. 
Jojo Sable, Suba Barangay Captain, told Cebu Daily News Digital in an interview that there is a need to reclaim the sidewalks in their barangays. 
“A lot of houses have already encroached the sidewalks in our barangay. We are now coordinating with the DWUP (Division of Welfare for the Urban Poor) to iron out more about this matter – including the required distance between the sidewalk and the houses,” Sable said in Cebuano.  
Houses rebuilt with setbacks are usually erected at least five meters away from the sidewalk.  
Sable also said the need to reclaim their sidewalks is important so that firefighters will have easy access in case another fire breaks out in their village. 
“When the fire broke out, we observed how some houses have even covered the canals which are also one of the paths firefighters should have access to when there’s fire,” he added. 
Just a week before the fire broke out we read that Barangay Suba was in need of massive road clearing.
Barangays Suba and Pasil with huge public markets are expected to need massive clearing operations in their barangay roads
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/288935/probe-willing-to-assist-barangays-in-road-clearing
Taking a look at the photos above there does not seem to be any sidewalk to speak of. Despite the fact that the government was told 43 years ago to clean up and improve the slums it is highly likely that if Barangay Suba is rebuilt it will be done in the same claustrophobic manner. That is just how it is in the Philippines. 
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Wednesday, March 4, 2020

American Show Kidding Calls Philippines A Police State and Duterte A Dictator

If it wasn't enough for Jim Carrey's new TV show Kidding to portray the PNP as thieves and killers now two characters are shown calling Duterte a dictator and the Philippines a police state. The context is rather odd if you do not follow the show. The scene starts off like this:
"You know whose fault this is? Duterte. He turned the Philippines into a police state. He has oppressed his people for too long. You can't just heave a man off a building for singing about divorce!"
The lady on the toilet is Catherine Keener who plays the sister of Jim Carrey's character while the other lady is Judy Greer who plays his ex-wife. The references to Duterte and the Philippines callback to the previous episode.

Watch below.

You know whose fault this is? Duterte.
He turned the Philippines into a police state.
He has oppressed his people for too long.
You can't just heave a man off a building for singing about divorce! The problem is men.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=kidding-2018&episode=s02e0
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Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Red Ribbon Cake

Dear readers this is my 1000th post. For this auspicious occasion I though I would do something special. For my 1000th post I figured I would publish what should have been one of my very first posts three years ago. This incident actually happened in December 2016.

In December 2016 two important missionaries from the USA were coming to visit along with the regular missionaries who visited monthly. These men were from the home office and wanted to check on all the work. It was my task to buy a cake for everyone to eat.  Naturally I went to Red Ribbon.



I was not sure how to spell the names of the two visitors and I wanted to do something a little special for them so I asked the saleslady if she could draw a tulip. The reason for this is that the missionaries were from the Protestant Reformed Church which is a Calvinist denomination. The acronym TULIP sums up the doctrines of Calvinism.  That would be Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints.


Much to my surprise the saleslady had no idea what a tulip was so I sketched one real quick on my receipt.


To my amusement instead of using my hastily drawn sketch as a model she followed it to the tiniest detail including the little jagged edge on the right side. For some reason though she added lines to the leaves to make it more leafy looking.



The cake was fine.  A bit dry and spongy as usual. But everyone who saw this tulip along with my sketch had a good laugh. Three months later the missionaries visited for the last time but that had nothing to do with the cake of course.
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