SONA: Missing Links

The singling out of the supposed malpractices in the MWSS to include the passage of both the whistleblower protection bill and the creation of a truth commission, among other things, in P-Noy’s SONA should incur more than just “shock and awe”. Even though these initiatives are politically relevant with the state buckling-up for reform and transparency, it should not be made a good excuse to turn blind-slide issues that only require immediate attention but of sufficient budgetary allocations as well. Take for example the intertwining state dilemma on land reform, labor unrest, and turtle-paced justice system which this administration happened to overlook during P-Noy’s litany of exposé and developmental programs within his four-year term.

This concern capsulated in the controversial unrest in Hacienda Luisita that unfortunately tags P-Noy along with the so-called Conjuangco’s Inc should have at least been given a sentence or two in the president’s 38-minute speech. Majority may give the Hacienda murderers a rest since it may just lead to snowballing political gimmicks and propaganda but it is not entirely fair to sidetrack the debate over the implementation of factual social justice. For instance, militant groups continue to push for the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill despite the former administration’s effort of implementing RA 9700 or CARP Extension with Reforms Law (CARPER Law).

And just for a thought, casting aside the Hacienda Luisita murders simply because it may induce a biased perspective while we allow the public to speculate on the Maguindanao murders with its political landlords depicted as living demons even before the court’s ruling is more than just being plainly iniquitous but nevertheless hypocritical. If it is total reform that we aim to hit, then we better not practice surgical or selective changes.

On the other hand, why not dig deeper than the MWSS management’s supposed bloated benefits? The privatization of the said company in 1995 down to its partnership with Maynilad, a Lopez-owned corporation that should have downsized the government’s concern on their projected water crisis in the 90s but nonetheless ended with the government shouldering Maynilad’s debts and soaring water bills, should also be dissected. Since both companies’ spending raises eyebrows, it would be a necessity to look beyond the fat bonuses. What P-Noy has for MWSS in his SONA is just the tip of the iceberg and his administration has to swim deeper.

P-Noy has to piece his administration’s puzzle one at a time, a steady initiative and an all-sweeping government agenda on issues, as vital as addressing graft, has to be a part of it. We are in tune with P-Noy but also ask that these measures be collective.