Life, happiness and reality

I complied some of the thoughts I have about life, happiness and reality which I posted in Facebook or sent as an SMS. I hope you will appreciate these pieces of words and make them useful in whatever way you think.

• No memory can be laid to rest by forgetting. You simply set them aside, but they’re still there.
• The day that I’ll be forgotten is the day that I’ll cease to exist.
• Things will never be the same again. Things change. People change.
• Don’t just ask. Inquire. But your answers will be up to you on how industrious you are to find them. In this world, one has to be independent to survive. At the end of day, you will be left alone.
• I don’t know everything. But I know something. With what I know, I live.
• Happiness is something beyond human comprehension. It just happens. You just feel it.
• Today is not the time to give up.
• Life is full of opportunity costs. There is no destiny. If there is, it is a matter of choice.
• Happiness is something unknown until its discovery.
• Your brain is not your mind. Mind is an abstract in a free space. It explores beyond the limits of the skull; it can reach up to the farthest point known to human beings. Set your mind free. Don’t just think. Ponder!
• There is a reason to get excited everyday, for every moment, every second, there comes a surprise!
• You want today to be as happy or even more as yesterday to the point that you forget about tomorrow. Now, that yesterday will remain yesterday and today is not how you wanted it to be, what will be your tomorrow?
• I just realized that the same thing does not last forever, either it grows or shrinks, but it’s there.
• It is pure love when the reason to love is nothing else but love itself.
• Loneliness is a lesson of life for us to realize the value of happiness.
• If everyday you can smile and relax and always be happy, life would be so easy. But life is not easy, if it is, then it is not life.

Student council chairpersons

This may seem self serving.

When I was chairperson of the UP Manila College of Arts and Sciences Student Council, I unearthed several documents from the pile of papers in the Student Council office (the one under the stairs near the ladies restroom, first floor of Rizal Hall). Revealed to my eyes were the names of my predecessors. I also asked some professors and they gave names of those who they know were chairs of CAS SC.

Below is the list from 1998 to present:

• 1998-1999 Jaclyn Marie L. Cauyan
• 2000-2001 Ma. Corina Apostol
• 2001-2002 Carlo Logro
• 2002-2003 Ramon Jose Sison
• 2003-2004 Jun Dexter H. Rojas
• 2004-2005 James Mark Terry L. Ridon
• 2005-2006 Ma. Sheena S. Trinidad
• 2006-2007 Mark Joseph Makalintal
• 2007-2008 Jan Robert R. Go
• 2008-2009 Jose Ignacio O. Tenorio
• 2009-2010 Juvy Rose U. Macapagal

I did the same for the University Student Council. There were many blank spaces. I tried to ask the Office of Student Affairs but to no avail. Anyway, here is the list of USC Chairperson of UP Manila from 1970 to present:

• 2009-2010 Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto
• 2008-2009 Jan Robert Ramos Go
• 2007-2008 Chrysanthus E Herrera
• 2006-2007 James Mark Terry L Ridon
• 2005-2006 Albert Francis E Domingo
• 2004-2005 Rizzalyn Ramirez
• 2003-2004 Erwin Abueva
• 2002-2003 Katherine Ann S Villegas
• 2001-2002 Rochelle G Linga
• 2000-2001 Leonardo A Guevarra Jr
• 1999-2000 Pia Campo
• 1998-1999 Rainier P Escalada
• 1997-1998 Mylon Villasante
• 1996-1997 Belen Salespara
• 1995-1996 Elisa Longalong
• 1994-1995 Abigail Kathleen M Acosta
• 1993-1994 Liezl Naomi DM Olemos-Arciaga
• 1992-1993 Maria Theobelle Pareno-Lopez
• 1991-1992 Ma. Bernadette R Carrasco-Azucena
• 1990-1991 Henry Bernabe A. Grageda
• 1989-1990 Tagumpay Maniquiz
• 1988-1989 Kalayaan Pulido-Constantino
• 1987-1988 Pete Clemente
• 1986-1987 Jovic Ventura
• 1978-1979 Allyson Erwin Bautista
• 1970-1971 Steven S M Yuvienco

Notice that from 1998-2009, two CAS SC chairs became USC chairs. Also, two USC chairs became Student Regents.

Random thoughts 1.0

Let us break first the discussion on the national budget. There are developments in Philippine politics and I’d like to give my two cents on these developments.

• Pacquiao wins. This is a sports-related event but the effects are definitely political, especially that prior to this fight are rumors of his possible bid for a congressional seat. What’s next for Pacquiao? And for his mother Aling Dionesia, what’s next with her career? I feel obliged to turn off the TV whenever I see her face. It just annoys me, the mere sight of her.
• Edu Manzano is running for VP. If not Vilma Santos, then Edu? I don’t know what went to the heads of the so-called political strategists of the administration. Do they think that Edu’s popularity will bring him to office? Not so much I guess, considering that the appeal of Manzano not very high.
• Speaking of Vilma, she and her husband Ralph Recto are now moving to Liberal Party. They are two of the many butterflies loitering in our public offices. I personally abhor people moving from one to another party. It is a matter of principle that’s why you join the party. Taking it from here, I think the concern is more of winning the elections than sticking to the beliefs they once believed in.
• Noynoy will only bear the torch to Malacanan, and then? I guess he will not burn it down while GMA is still there. I just don’t get the point of his ads showing faces of various celebrities. Is that his idea of the Cabinet? oh no.
• Gordon seems to be lacking recognition that’s why his ads was recognizing him. But imagine, if those people are the only ones who benefited from Gordon, they are few! There are about 85 million Filipinos!
• I forgot to react on Escudero who thinks that service is beyond party politics. If you will recall your basic political science, remember that party politics is essential in the political dynamics! And I hate it when he speaks, like what most of my friends tell me, he is like a robot or a machine when he gives his speeches and statements. He is loquacious, but somehow inane.
• Villar is now out of the limelight despite his commercials still on air. His image of “mula mahirap, umasenso” and color orange is just like one used by a president before him.
• Erap has a new movie! I think he should start thinking of going back to show business instead of Malacanan.
• Loren Legarda could be the best Environment Secretary the way she frames her campaign. Or maybe she plans to, whoever the president will be.
• Why do you have to boast that you are the intelligent one Mr Teodoro? It is curious that he is actually forcing into our minds that the president should above all be intelligent, albeit bar topnotcher and all. Eyebrows are raising! Maybe he is too intelligent  to circumvent our laws and bend it.

Politics and the national budget (Part III)

Why is there no clear policy on earmarking? Earmarks are provisions of law or orders which specifies the appropriation of approved funds. There were several attempts in the past to employ some earmarking but most, if not all, failed at the proposal stage. Some are still pending at the committee levels in the respective chambers.

Recently talked about are taxation on text messaging and the road user’s tax. Taxation on text messaging has been a popular suggestion given that there are millions of messages sent everyday. Assuming that there are one million text messages sent per day (which is in my opinion a very conservative assumption), with 10 centavos worth of tax per message will yield to 100,000 pesos of collection per day. In a year, we can generate an approximate of 36.5 million pesos which can be automatically appropriated to education, as proposed.

The same principle is being suggested in terms of the road user’s tax. The collection from car registrations of about 7.5 centavos should be rechanneled and translated to more productive and useful services. Why not use the fund for the rehabilitation of major highways and roads? This will be separate from the annual appropriation for public works.

But there are oppositions to these various suggestions. Why? One big factor is the clash of interests. When a person is taxed, what could have been used for personal expenses will be diverted to paying of tax. This idea makes additional taxation a burden rather than a means to ameliorate the existing condition. Politicians who are vying for re-election would always sympathize with the concerns of his constituency, and thus, it is less likely that these “additional burdens” will be enacted.

However, the taxes are already incorporated. The reapportionment is not the burden of the consumer but of the provider as in the case of taxation on text messaging. There goes another clash. Politicians wouldn’t want to also burden these corporations as they could be potential sponsors come next elections.

Finally, the last clash would be with the opposition on the policy itself by some interest groups. As we are in a democracy, interest groups are permitted to voice out their views on issues affecting them. In this case, there are groups which are opposing tax on text messages. Further, they claim that education should be funded by the state and not by the mobile phone users. Politicians who want to be popular in these groups would support the claims. The issue dies and so as the proposal.

Earmarking could be good as it is good. However, when politicians try to make a compromise between the policy and the people, they usually turn out to be populist and do what is popular than what is, in my opinion, right.

Why do we use line-item budgeting? Line-item and single-year budgeting are siblings, both causing problems in our country. If single-year budget makes extortion possible, line-item budget yields dependency.

How? Line-item budget is a budget which specifies the items for appropriation. Identified are the specific projects, for example construction of a building for this purpose in this place. But the disbursement of funds is not automatic. Projects may be specified and identified but the last say on the release of fund will come from the executive department, no less than the President.

The dependency is between the local government and the President. In order to get the appropriations, one must satisfy the President; that is, he must be an ally. Notice that some of the districts with congressmen who voted against to impeach the President have no fund. Same goes with the senators in the opposition. It is funny, however, that these senators are the crafters of the budget and yet they receive nothing.

The president’s discretionary fund, PDF, or pork barrel as most would know, by its nomenclature, is dependent on the discretionary of the president. So friends may get more, enemies not even a centavo on their name. And the pool of money under PDF grows whenever the budget is re-enacted.

The major downside of line-item budgeting is that when a budget is re-enacted, some of the projects in the previous budget are finished. The amount appropriated for the finished projects is diverted to the PDF. It means more funds for the President to manage, and more friends for the administration.

[to be continued...]

Politics and the national budget (Part II)

Why is the national budget inflexible? I mentioned earlier that the budget is allotted mainly for personnel services which eat up overwhelmingly more than half of the pie. This is also caused by massive recruitment of civil servants. In fact, comparing the number of civil servants from the time Aquino began in 1986 and in 1992 when she stepped down, the numbers almost doubled. And from then until today, there is a significant increase in the number of government employees, thus an increase in the length of the payroll and thus a large allocation for PS.

But that is not the sole reason. There is more. In a hypothetical situation, a mayor can either allocate P2 million for solid waste management or recruitment of more personnel in the city hall. The question: Which of the two options will the mayor choose? In the interest of genuine service, a mayor would of course take the money and put it in waste management. This is in anticipation of possible problems poor solid waste management may entail.

However, in the interest of re-election, the mayor may recruit more personnel in the city hall. More people on his side would mean more following and supporters, not only the personnel himself but also his family and relatives.

Why do we operate on a single-year budget? There is a big political implication if the single-year budgeting will be made multi-year. The constitution vested the power to enact appropriations to the legislative department upon the recommendation of the executive department. Also know as the “power of the purse,” the annual enactment of budget will give the legislators their share of political advancement.

In a single-year budget, congressmen and senators can have full control of who gets what, when and how. The annual appropriations committee hearings with executive department heads can be a bargaining tool, if not extortion, for parochial projects in order to get bigger allocation. The political advancement in single-year budgeting is that every legislator (in the administration) gets a project, thus beautifying the rather ransacked names of some corrupt congressmen. No wonder they were once labelled “tong”-gressman.

So what will happen if we implement a multi-year budget? Definitely, there will be a big political problem. Assuming that a multi-year budget will operate for five years and our electoral system commands changing of guards every three years, there will be an impending threat on the politicians come the next election. They will not be able to manipulate the appropriation to suit their political needs. And therefore, given this scenario, multi-year budgeting is less likely to be adopted for our country.

Again posing a hypothetical situation, Congressman X who happened to be a member of the appropriations committee is negotiating with the Department of Public Works and Highways for a piece of road, say two kilometres at least, in his district. If he will have the road constructed, that will be plus points to him next elections. On the part of DPWH, it is favourable because they will receive higher allocation. Win-win. And of course, there are roughly 250 congressmen out there and 24 senators all probably asking the same thing.

So they chose to adopt the single-year budget.

[to be continued...]

Politics and the national budget (Part I)

How does the government operate?

This could be one question which is easy to answer and yet hard to explain. The fundamental function of the state is to collect tax above all other things imaginable. Taxes are the life and blood of the government. Without which, the government will collapse and will be rendered inutile. Now, the efficiency in the collection of taxes is yet another matter for discussion.

These taxes are then translated as government’s funds. In the Philippines, the government funds are allocated by an act of the legislature known as the General Appropriations Act. This act serves as the national budget and is comprised of three components/elements: personnel services (PS), maintenance and other operating expenses (MOE), and capital expenditure (CapEx).

Interestingly, the bulk of national budget goes to PS with roughly 75-85% of the entire budget for the year. That leaves MOE with around 10% and CapEx 5% of the pie. Why? Primarily, the civil servants in the country are secured of tenure as provided by the constitution. Therefore, layoffs are abhorred and are not options to the government. Instead, the number of civil servants doubled. This is a political phenomenon. I will explain this later.

Professor Alex Magno outlined five features of the national budget which make governance ineffective and inefficient. One, the national budget is largely inflexible. It is too rigid that marginal changes are not possible. Two, we operate on a single-year budget which amplifies the miniscule CapEx. Three, there is no clear policy on earmarking. Four, the budget is line-item budget which increases dependency of local officials to the president. And last, the budget is designed for maximum spread. I will expand these features in a different post.

Considering on the surface, budget is no longer an accounting problem. It is not entirely about the deficit and the surplus, the inflow and outflow. Rather, the budget is a political problem. A quick look of the mentioned features would be telling.

Why is the national budget inflexible? Why do we operate on a single-year budget? Why is there no clear policy on earmarking? Why do we use line item budgeting? Why is the budget designed for maximum spread?

[to be continued...]

UP Manila buildings

Let me share some trivia about the names of the buildings in UP Manila.

• Rizal Hall of the College of Arts and Sciences was named after Dr Jose Rizal, Philippine National Hero. It is one of the original buildings of the University, built in 1918. There is another building named after Rizal in UP Manila, the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal. UP Diliman has its own Bulwagang Rizal which is the Faculty Center and houses the Office of the Dean of College of Arts and Letters.
• Gusaling Andres Bonifacio of the College of Arts and Sciences was named after Gat Andres Bonifacio, founder and leader of the Katipunan. The building was constructed during the term of Professor Fatima Alvarez-Castillo as Dean. In UP Diliman, the Bonifacio Hall is at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations.
• Damian Hall of the College of Allied Medical Profession was named after Dr Guillermo Damian, first Dean of then School of Allied Medical Profession. He was Director of the School prior to the elevation as an independent unit.
• Valenzuela Hall of the College of Pharmacy was named after Dr Patrocinio Valenzuela, longest serving Dean of the College from 1943 to 1955. He survived the College during World War II period.
• Lara Hall of the College of Public Health was named after Dr Hilario Lara, founder of the Institute of Public Health and National Scientist.
• Calderon Hall of the College of Medicine was named after Dr Fernando Calderon, first Filipino Dean of the College.
• Sotejo Hall of the College of Nursing was named after Dr Julita Sotejo, founder and first Dean of the College. This is the first time, at least for UP, that a building was named after a living person.
• Interestingly, buildings of the College of Dentistry were know as the “Old” and “New” buildings.

Erap again?

I am in complete agreement with today’s editorial of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It has a sense of sarcasm perfect for the likes of plunderer Joseph Estrada, who, after conviction, has the guts to face the public claiming his innocence.

So why vote for Erap? Not undermining the capacities of our fellow Filipinos, but if they good enough to distinguish reality from illusion, fictions from fact, then certainly, Estrada will never win the 2010 race. But who can tell? Maybe the minds of the masses are still polluted by his populist stance and not to mention his blockbuster films.

I am no student of law or have sufficient knowledge of it, but I am a student of politics and I am well aware that on its face, taking the constitution’s words literally, Estrada can no longer run for president. Of course, lawyers supporting Erap can simply interpret the text by circumventing it.

Constitutionalists Fr Joaquin Bernas, who happened to be one of the framers of the constitution, opined, and I quote:

“The delegates to the 1986 Constitutional Commission did debate on how often a person may be president. Records show that the original draft which came from the committee proposed that “He shall be disqualified from immediate reelection.” During the deliberatons on this draft, three alternatives vied for approval: no immediate reelection, absolutely no second election whatsoever, one immediate reelection. The “absolutists” won the vote and the final text came to read as it does now: “The President shall not be eligible for any reelection.” The word “any” reflects the sentiment of the “absolutists.”

The last word will not come from the experts or the framers, but from the Supreme Court which we expect would act on this matter as soon as possible. We should also hope that someone with good arguments can file a case the court as soon as Estrada files his certificate of candidacy. Finally, I am personally excited about the court’s decision on this issue as this will be a landmark case.

Philippine padrino system

If there is something not so unique but gives the Philippine bureaucracy its identity, the only thing I can think of, for now, is the padrino system that has been there for ages, deeply rooted in the culture of the governance in the country.

What am I talking about? To give you a clearer view, let me share some hypothetical situations, which may actually occur behind the walls of offices and we don’t know it [or at least the idea of the exact scenario].

Situation A: Pedro is a powerful politician, so powerful he can influence the president of the Philippines. Pedro has friends who are very supportive of him. They campaigned for him and made him the victor. Pedro gets the fame and following. One of his friends is a not-so-good type of person who also wanted to be in the government. This friend heard that there is a vacancy in the office of undersecretary of an executive department. Pedro talks to the president. The president trusted Pedro so much and appointed his friend. Win-win!

Situation B: Juan is supposed to pay PHP 500,000.00 for taxes. Lucky Juan, he has the mayor as his friend. They are childhood pals. Mayor, respecting the friendship with Juan, helped and talked to the tax collector. Juan now pays PHP 50,000.00 for taxes. For the “damages,” Juan gave the collector the amount of his tax and his mayor-friend twice. More for savings!

Familiar? Or maybe there’s more! But of course, these are those we hear every now and then. Power corrupts the bearers of it. For some reason, when one has it, he would want maintain the status quo or more. The corruption of the mind of the politicians is bringing the quality of governance to its lowest level.

And you think this happens only in the government? I think it has become integrated in the society as a whole. Say when you register during enrolment, you have influence over the process, you take your chances! You even invite friends. “Come, join me, this is the easy way.” Or perhaps, when you get your transcripts from the OUR. You will ask your friend to help you because he knows the person in charge of the transcripts.

So where did the padrino mentality begin? From small favours, then eventually, these will evolve into bigger favours, until the time you will realize, you are the padrino! Sometimes this works good, but thinking about fairness and all these virtues, it may not be right.

Devolved legislation

With some time to spare, I thought of visiting the website of the Philippine Senate. Thankfully, unlike that of the House of Representatives’, the Senate’s website is update in terms of news and legislative documents.

I browsed through the recently filed bills in the Senate. Surprisingly, most of the latest bills are parochial in nature. To be specific, there are a number of bills proposed by a senator which are all about charter days and holidays for provinces and cities. Though these laws maybe useful in terms of celebrating the anniversary of the foundation of the city or province, it is nevertheless a waste of time for the 24-member Senate to debate and deliberate on these items. 

There are also a number of proposed legislations in the addition of trial courts in various areas, one bill per area/province/municipality. These would appear that there are many bills filed where in fact they are all same in content or intent. 

As laws are always amendable, many Senators filed amendments to existing laws. Some are necessary as these proposals are to fit with the needs of the present. Some are radical as they tend to overhaul the existing ones. 

There are also new proposed laws. Many are about the local government code, the heraldic laws, the revised penal code, and some one or half pager laws that seek to rectify some errors in the society. What amazes me is that no one actually thought of filling a new version of the law instead of amending it piece by piece. 

So there are parochial and sometime unnecessary bills filed in the Senate. But the luxury of time is not present. This, I think, is one of the many downfalls of a unitary form of government. Senators file these bills in order to please the constituencies and therefore gain more votes in the coming elections. To be practical, pronouncements or legislations pertaining to local holidays may be enacted by a state government in a federal system. 

Also in a federal system, the concentration of work in the Senate will be general-comprehensive which would respond to the needs of the general population like legislations on health, education and other social services. 

I believe that to be more effective, work shall be devolved to those who should be handling the work load in the first place. This in turn would unload those loaded and they will be able to concentrate on the real nature of their work, to legislate, and not to do fancy things.