Thursday, October 29, 2020

Pinag Aagawan P3-M na Pinagtatapon ni DPWH Reg. Director

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Matibay si Department of Public Works and Highway Region-1 Director: P2 to P3 million ang pinagtatapon sa ere para pag agawan ng party goers.

Dapat kasamang pa imbestigahan sa Ombudsman ang mga District Engineers (D.E) ng DPWH sa Pangasinan dahil madami mga sub standard na kalsada. Ilang taon palang nag pupulbos na iyong iba bitak bitak na anak ng bakang dalaga!

Masyadong malaki ang cut o S.OP ng mga Tongressmen kasabwat sila D.E kaya iyong hinayupak na kontraktor kulang na lang lagyan ng kawayan na bituka ang loob ng kalsada para kumita rin pambuhay sa pamilya at mga kabit nila na na sa bukod maganda at mga bata pa may mga bagong bahay na may mga S.U.Vs pa.

(Illustration is an internet grab)
Naalala ko dati iyong dalawang media men na pumasyal sa opisina ng Regional Director ng DPWH sa San Fernando City, La Union mga ilang dekada na ang dumaan.

Wide eyed iyong bagitong reporter na napabulatlat ng binuksan ni Director ang attache' case niya at kanyang daklutin ang isang bundle na salapi at ibigay kena media men.

"Andami niyong pera director, bundat na bundat ang attache case niyo? Tanong ng bagitong manunulat at wet- behind- the- ear broadcaster.

"Oo iho, madami talaga ang pera dito sa opisina kasi may pagawaan kami ng pera dito sa loob," pabirong sumagot si director na bundat din ang tiyan sa sarap ng kinakain sa tahanan at sa mga social functions salamat sa mga S.O.P na bigay ng mga contractors na gumagawa ng mga government projects na P50 million above ang presyo para sa apat na probinsiya ng rehiyon.

Ika noong media man, na ngayon ay beterano na sa kaiikot sa mga pulitiko, paniwala talaga siya na may Xerox (Photo copy machine) ang DPWH Regional Office kasi punong puno ang mala maletang bag ni Director ng pera na basta na lang niyang dinaklot ang isang bundle para paghatian nila ng kasama niyang reporter na nagsusulat sa national newspapers.

***

Ito pala ang issue kay DPWH Regional Director Ronnel Tan na pinasabog ng Philippine Daily Inquirer kamakailan lang:

A Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional director is facing various complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for his alleged lavish lifestyle, including an incident where he was accused of tossing money during a party.

Quezon province councilor Arkie Manuel Yulde on Thursday filed both administrative and criminal complaints on Tuesday against DPWH Region 1 director Ronnel Tan after party guests said he threw money — about P2 to 3 million — for the people to fight over.

Yulde said this violated sections of Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees — specifically Section 4, which states that public officials and their families must live modest lives.

The party was supposedly celebrated by Tan and his wife, Quezon 4th District Rep. Helen Tan, at their residence in the district. At least two town mayors from Quezon were present, according to Yulde — Mayors Webster Lerargo of Gumaca and Ferdinand Mesa of Alabat.

***

 A mayor-contractor in the province told this columnist that S.O.P varies.
He said in some congressional districts in the province some solons ask as high as 20% cut from the contractor of the project.
“Ang bigayan po namin sa district na pinangalingan ko, pag horizontal gaya ng highway 20% sa opisyal, pag vertical gaya ng DepEd buildings at iba pa 15%.”.
An incumbent mayor was surprised because customarily the bribe for a congressman in his district was  7% only.
“Mataas ang vertical ninyo, dito sa amin 7% lang kasi maliit lang ang kita diyan sa buildings,”
 the mayor told him.
The source said that a contractor gives 5% to the District Engineer of the DPWH who divides it among himself and his officials.
“Unlike in Mindanao where they give 7% to the D.E, here in Luzon we only give 5%”.
The two losing bidders who participated in the Moro-Moro are given two to three percent of the worth of project to divide between them to placate them for not winning the bid and for conspiring at the expense of the government.

READ MY OTHER BLOG/COLUMN:

How Senators, Congressmen, Mayors Steal

Monday, October 26, 2020

Ex-Cong Celeste to Challenge Sual Mayor Calugay’s Post

FOR THE 2022 ELECTION

BY MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Former Pangasinan First District Congressman Jesus “Boying” Celeste will soon announce to the public his intention to duke out, geez this early, with Philippines second richest town’s Sual first term mayor Liseldo ”Dong” Calugay for the May 2022 National and Local Elections, a source who is closed to the ex-solon texted me.

Paki bullhorn mo na brother si ex-Congressman Jesus "Boying" Celeste. He is out to challenge Mayor Calugay of Sual para maumpisahan na ang Sual”

My mole, as what the spooks say, was the same man who gave me the scoop in October 1, 2018 that former Pangasinan Governor and Congressman Amado T. Espino, Jr. trusted ally’s Board Member and then congressional wannabe Raul Sison deserted him to challenge the former son Jumel in the acrimonious 2019 congressional race in the Second District of the province.

Here’s what I wrote:

2022 POLL'S DUKE OUT: From left: Former Nine-Year Pangasinan First District Congressman Jesus "Boying" Celeste and Philippines second richest town's Sual, Pangasinan Mayor Liseldo "Dong" Calugay.


A major blow struck the camp of a marquee political family in the huge Pangasinan province when a hardcore ally jumped ship to a rival (gubernatorial bet Arthur Celeste) because he was not anointed and felt betrayed to run for a congressional seat. Exiting Board Member Raul Sison, the point man of Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III in the Second District, abandoned him and his congressman father with the same namesake after feeling being cheated for his congressional ambition in the second district of the province”.

At the caption of that then breaking news I penned and posted on my Political Blog: Sison, in that covert Manila meeting, joined the camp of Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste for the latter‘s gubernatorial run in the May 2019 election. Others in photo there were Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and  Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and Secretary Raul Lambino (dubbed as the King Maker of Pangasinan), former Pangasinan Governor Victor Agbayani, Binmaley former councilor Arnulfo “Anong” Alipio, and another ex-loyalist of the Espinos retired police colonel Paterno Orduna .

Alipio and Sison (whose family said died of pulmonary disease and a heart attack) have been in the news after they were sued by the cops as one of the 12 perpetrators of the September 11, 2019 ambushed of former governor Espino where ten men armed with powerful assault automatic rifles fired with military precision the convoy of two vehicles of the just defeated solon in his Fifth District reelection when he and his body guard were traversing Barangay Magtaking, San Carlos City, Pangasinan. Result of that treachery and overkill: Espino’s police escort Staff Sgt. Richard Esguerra and his driver Agapito Cuizon died.


Raul, whom I described as the King Gimmicks then, tried all his best to snare the votes of the district against the young Espino and his financial juggernaut by doing various corny antics like by climbing a tree like a chimpanze ang goofing around with a microphone on his hand.

It did not sit well with the older Espino who gave his opprobrium that running for Congress was a serious profession unlike what he saw in the classless Sison – his former man Friday whom he said could not even speak and finish a sentence in correct English during his stint as Board Member in the August Chamber.

Umaakyat siya sa puno ng kahoy na parang unggoy na may dala dala pang roll-on,” he said in a press conference he called to rebut the attacks of his political opponents led by gubernatorial candidate Celeste.

Here’s the other half of the Short Message Service (SMS) colloquially called texts by my source who lived in the western part of the mammoth almost four million populated province of Princess Urduja (did the warrior lady has a first name? Or her first name was really Princess just like Actress Princess Punzalan the ex-wife of Willie Revillame).

Ex Mayor and Congressman Art Celeste is going back in 2022 (election) for his most loved position than the mayoralty and the gubernatorial post -- the congressional where he spent nine years as a lawmaker”.

The vice mayoralty tandem of Boying Celeste, a three-term mayor and three term solon -- what a feat, will be former Sual three term – mayor John Rodney Arcinue.

Calugay defeated John in the May 2019 election by a lead votes of 1,667 among the 22,535 registered voters who went to the polling precincts.

According to Halalan Results of ABS-CBN television network, Calugay (PDP-LBN) outsmarted Arcinue (NP) with 12, 101 and 10, 434, respectively.

John’s father my coffee mate ex-mayor Roberto “Bing” Arcinue was knocked out by his former vice mayor and pet peeve hahaha Dioneil Caburao (PDP-LB) with 12, 788 votes while Kuya Bing settled with 9, 003 votes.

Hinde umubra iyong sako-sako natin Kuya Bing, mas maraming sako ang kalaban bumaha hahaha!

Just like in Dagupan City where thousands of pesos changed hands between the bag men of the deep pocketed mayoralty bets, who are chains of malls’ owners, that Sual poll was one of the most expensive vote-buying marred elections in Pangasinan.

The Celestes smarted that Sual, second richest town in the Philippines according to the Commission on Audit, was snatched by their bitter enemies former Congressman Espino and his son and namesake the incumbent governor of Pangasinan.

Calugay, just like Raul Sison, is known as the factotum of the former governor.

According to the news article I wrote in November 15, 2019 titled: Sual Gears Up to become Richest Town in PH, I penned (sus, this yokel sometimes felt the groove to write on a ball pen and a piece of scratch paper) a report released by the COA that the municipality of Sual maintained its position as the second richest municipality in the country with assets amounting to P2.037 billion.

Only Sual - among Pangasinan’s 44 municipalities – made it to COA’s top ten richest towns, besting such other first class towns as the capital town of Lingayen, Bayambang, Mangaldan, Malasiqui, Binmaley, and Calasiao. The tiny coastal town located at the First Congressional District or Celeste Country earned more or less P200 million a year from the business taxes from the Team Sual Corporation (TSC) and the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) that procured and sold in the market the electricity generated by the TSC.

And I was not yet talkin' about the local government unit's share from her local taxes and the tens of millions of pesos' Internal Revenue Allotment from the Imperial Manila Government.

Now you know how sensationalized to write a political article about this once tiny sleepy town (who got an absentee mayor with an illustrious surname, agpaypayso Vice Mayor Alex Rigonan the best pal of broadcaster Ruel Camba and Ike Palinar?) where political titans of Pangasinan clash head on of their proxy wars to gain or deprive each other families of political territory either contiguous,  compact, or adjacentas what the statute on congressional apportionment would say in the Constitution – the subject I taught in college for ten years.



The forthcoming duke out of Boying and Calugay and the Espinos is seen by political experts as continuation of the political maneuvering and hegemony of the Celestes and the Espinos to control the District.

It is seen as, just like the expensive John versus Dong tiff for the mayoralty's diadem in 2019, as another Battle Royal where dough will flood to the hands of the vulnerable highest bidding voters (pera-pera lang just like in Dagupan hahaha) of the mountainous coastal town.

In that 2019 poll, the Espinos clawed its presence by taking over Sual, Mabini, Dasol, and Agno towns where their loyalists like Calugay and Mayors Ariel de Guzman, Noel Nacar (who used to support the Celestes in 2016 Election), and Gualberto Sison won against the Celestes mayoralty candidates.

For several elections, the nine towns and one city used to be dominated by Celestes’ mayoralty allies after the family through former mayor Art (a former resident of the vote - rich Bolinao town) ousted the Braganzas, another bitter but fading political enemies, in Alaminos City.

But in that last year’s election, the younger brother of Celeste, former Bolinao Mayor Arnold, a U.S repatriate beat by 7, 448 lead votes Espino congressional bet Tim Orbos, the younger sibling of the former solon of the District.

That lead votes were part the 195, 020 voters that went to the polling places in Western Pangasinan.

Here's Media Man Mon Untalan, a kibitzer of the District's politics:" Naglipat na ng gamit sa nabiling house ng mga Celeste (si ex-Congressman Boying) sa may kurbada bago paahon sa zigzag doon sa kalsada ng Sual. Nandoon ang congressional district's office ni Cong. Noli who by the way will run as mayor in Agno na nawala sa kanila. To date patuloy ang clever campaign nila led by Kapitan Tomagoy of Barangay Caoayan, Sual. He is batang Arcinue".

Mon said that the second 1,000-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant of Korea Electric Power Corporation will try again its bid to build shop at the coastal town.

"That's what made Sual very attractive to politicians," Mon added.

According to broadcaster Harold Barcelona, after Boying told the village chiefs of Sual his intention to run for the top executive post there, 12 out of 19 Kapitans pledged immediately their loyalty to him.

I have to confirm this yet when I interview the former solon since I doubted some of the reports of Harold, a Facebook and SMS or Text illiterate hahaha, whenever he dropped by the house and “wolfed” some Davao Fruits the missus buy in the Southern Island and sell in the rambunctious province of Pangasinan.

***

After I “absconded” from Mindanao after my almost four months being lock down there due to the phantom pandemic Corona Virus Disease -19, prolific radio commentators Ruel Camba and Atong Remogat dropped by at my house in Dagupan City and told me on that middle of July meeting over a bottle of Johnny Walker and succulent Davao Durian pulps as finger food that Calugay was roving around the municipalities of the District and was seen generously giving financial assistance to the mayors there.

Because he intends to run for Congress and his wife will run for mayor versus Boying Celeste,” the duo told this Op-Ed Writer who was hungry to know the nitty-gritty of the political events in the towns of the gargantuan province after he was enmeshed in Mindanao politics. Sus, he was even baptized by a Duterte Cabinet Secretary at his residence at the foot of the majestic, er, tallest and great Mt. Apo in Kidapawan City as a Muslim Chieftain with a name: Datu Musuko Pagdimakak*yo hahahaha!

I forgot to ask the two how much Calugay gave to those Mayors.

***

What I know the De Venecias led by Fourth District Representative Toff de Venecia gave lately Seven to Ten Thousand Pesos financial aids to barangay officials in Manaoag and San Jacinto Towns after Secretary Lambino was seen, as a whirling dervish, giving fifty mono block chairs and allegedly Seventy Thousand Pesos to each of the many Kapitans of the 140 villages’ district.

That’s a lot of monies son of a gun that could change the loyalty of those Kupitan, er, Kapitan – for - Sale in the Central Pangasinan’s District.

These information came from the trolls or dummy accounts like Dina Magpitpit, Liann De Vera Bauzon, and countless others who do the bidding for their patrons and launch their vitriol to those political leaders I saw with regularity on my news feed in Facebook. 

Anyway, the brouhaha and the tearing of each other’s prestige and honor by these media friends have been a treat and amusement to the many hahaha who know them!

READ MY BLOG/COLUMN:

Why Reporters Hide Their News Source

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)


Thursday, October 22, 2020

BAKIT WALANG MAGAWA ANG DUTERTE ADMIN NA TAASAN TARIPA ANG IMPORTED RICE

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Tingnan ninyo sa September 24, 2019 Inquirer Newspaper report ang declaration ni Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
“We believe we have imported enough (rice) and additional imports should be looked at differently,” Dar said.
“We have too much supply as we have already imported 2.4 million tons since March,’he added.
Ani ng Kalihim 93-percent self-sufficient ang Pinas sa rice production. Kailangan lang mag import ng 7 percent ng rice needs natin.
“This means that we need to import only 1.5 million to 2 million tons,” Dar said.
Two million tons?
E iyong pumasok dahil sa Rice Importation and Exportation Liberalization o Republic Act 11203 ay 2.4 million tons na, pitong (7) buwan pa lang iyon mag mula last year. Sa isang taon halos 5 million tons ang pumapasok na cheap rice dito kung iyong pitong buwan ang pagbabasehan.

Kaya hinde ako nagugulat na umiiyak ang mga magsasakang palay natin sa mura ng bentahan sa palengke at ang iba ay napapa mura sa gobiernong walang puso at habag bakit hinayaan silang lunurin ng imported rice kung saan libo-libong pesos ang talo ng bawat isa sa kanila kada harvest.
Sabi ni Secretary Dar pagdating ng October 2019, 2019 po iyan not 2020, mag de determine ang opisina niya ng increase rice tariff.
Sa mga tricycle driver, embalsamador, karpentiro, at iba pang nag bulakbol noong high school sa Economics Class ang TARIPA O TARIFF “is a tax imposed by a government on goods and services imported from other countries that serves to increase the price and make imports less desirable, or at least less competitive, versus domestic goods and services”.
Bakit isang taon na ang nakalipas ay hinde pa nagawan ng Philippine Tariff Commission ng Safeguard Measures ayon sa Republic Act 8800 kung may rekomendasyon man si Dar na taasan ang taripa para makalaban ang bigas Pilipino sa mapapamura kang murang bigas, anak ng bakang dalaga, ng Vietnam, Thailand, India, U.S, at iba pa.
Bago ko dugtungan ang rason (kasi alam ko na hihihi) bakit hanggang ngayon ay malamig ang Gobiyernong Duterte sa pag protekta sa mga lugmok na magsasakang palay na Pilipino.
Bakit ayaw taasan say ng 35% to 70% tariff ang mga banyagang bigas.
ANO ANG RASON O RASONES KAIBIGAN?

READ MY OTHER BLOG/COLUMN:


(PHOTO CREDIT: BULATLAT.COM)

Cong. Toff, Mayor Lambino pinangunahan ang inagurasyon ng Barangay Hall sa Mangaldan

LAMBINO SINABI ANG PAGHANGNGA SA MGA DE VENECIAS

Buong puwersang ipinakita ng mga De Venecias kamakailan ang kanilang walang humpay na pagmamahal sa Mangaldan, Pangasinan sa inagurasyon ng bagong barangay hall ng Barangay Buenlag.
Bagama’t umaambon, magkasamang dumating sa naturang mahalagang okasyon sina Congressman Christopher de Venecia at ang kanyang mga magulang na sina dating five-time Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. at dating Congresswoman Manay Gina de Venecia.
The De Venecia Family leads by Pangasinan Fourth District Congressman Christopher "Toff" de Venecia (third from left), his mother and father former Congresswoman Gina de Venecia and former Five -Time Speaker Joe de Venecia (first and second from left photo) and Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino pose for posterity before the cutting of the ribbon of the inauguration of the village hall of Buenlag of the first class town. The husband of Lambino,
Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon and  Cagayan Special Economic Zone (CEZA) Administrator and Secretary Raul Lambino, is rumored to challenge the young De Venecia in the 2022 election as he ubiquitously gives countless monoblock chairs and tens of thousands of pesos financial assistance to the barangay chairmen of the one city and four towns' District of the province.The District has 140 villages.

Sinabi ni Congressman Toff de Venecia na batid nya ang pagmamahal ng mga taga -Mangaldan sa kanila, mula pa noong panahon ng kanyang ama na si JDV, kay Manay Gina at sa kanyang kasalukuyang panunungkulan kung kaya’t todong pagmamahal din ang kanilang isinusukli sa kanila.
Nagbilin naman sya sa mga taga Buenlag, Mangaldan na manatiling obserbahan ang mga health protocols at magdasal upang labanan ang COVID-19.
Pinakiusapan din nya sila na alagaang mabuti ang kanilang bagong barangay hall at ituring ito bilang kanilang pangalawang tahanan.
Aniya, ang mga ganitong proyekto ay naipatayo mula sa buwis ng taong-bayan.
Mismong si Mangaldan Mayor Marilyn Lambino ang nagsabi ng kanyang paghanga sa tulong at suporta ng mga de Venecia sa kanilang bayan.
Inamin nyang batid niya ang pagmamahal ng mga de Venecia mula pa kay Speaker JDV, kay Manay Gina at hanggang kay CDV o Congressman Christopher de Venecia sa Mangaldan.
Sa mensahe naman ni Vice Mayor Jojo Surdilla ay binigyang-diin niya na deka-dekada na ang walang sawang tulong na ibinibigay ng mga de Venecia sa Mangaldan.--#

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

BIR - La Union Posted Highest Collection in Region-1

                         AS OF JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - The Bureau of Internal Revenue's District Office No. 03 based here has exceeded its collection target as of September by more than P245-Million.

RDO -3 Chief Charmaine C. de la Torre said recently that despite the pandemic brought by the phantom Corona Virus Disease-19, her office had already posted P1.937-Billion in taxes from January to September, exceeding its P1.691-Billion goal by 14.51%.

The present collection is the highest among the six revenue district offices in the four provinces' region.

The tax district covers nineteen towns and one city of the Northern Luzon's province.

Focusing on enforcement activities and taxpayer awareness programs, RDO-3 has been implementing closure orders for at least two (2) erring establishments for under-declaration of sales. The district office is also processing the filing of  Run After Tax Evaders (R.A.T.E.) cases against certain taxpayers for violation of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Revenue District Office-3 Chief Charmaine C. dela Torre (second from left) leads her staff in closing the business establishment of an errant taxpayer in an operation dubbed as "Operation Kandado (Padlock)".

Now on its 5th episode, the revenue district continues to educate taxpayers on various tax updates and regulations via virtual (online) learning.

 The most recent of which was the webinar on Voluntary Assessment and Payment Program (VAAP). Earlier, RDO-3 held a webinar on One-Time Transactions (ONETT) involving transfer of real properties. 

Earlier the district office had a webinar for taxpayers engaged in digital transactions (online businesses).



De la Torre explains that the virtual platform allows as many participants, even outside their revenue district, to be educated right at the comfort of their homes or offices, without the unnecessary cost of travel and risk of getting infected with COVID-19. She further claims that these enforcement and taxpayer awareness programs are meant to awaken consciousness and enjoin active participation of the taxpaying public in nation-building especially during these trying times.

Saturday, October 17, 2020

KASALANAN NG MGA NAGDAANG GOV'T BAKIT NILUNOD NG IMPORTED RICE ANG MGA FARMERS


By Mortz C. Ortigoza
Noong ni create ang World Trade Organization noong 1995 may 29 years ang Pilipinas na mag bukas sa market niya kung saan dapat gumawa na siya ng Rice Importation and Exportation Liberalization o Republic Act 11203 . At naisakatuparan na sana niya sa mga nagdaang dekada ang Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund na may P10 Billion kada taon galing sa government ang mga magsasaka para sa Rice Farm, Machinery at Equipment, Rice Seed Development, Propagation, and Promotion, Expanded Rice Credit Assistance, Rice Extension Service, at iba pa. Ito para kayang sabayan ang presyo ng mga kalabang magsasaka sa abroad na mag e export sa atin. E ginawa at pinirmahan lang ng February 14, 2019 ang batas as dictated by the WTO to member countries otherwise their exports to the same countries will be prejudiced.



Dahil late at mahina ang mga miyembro ng Kongreso natin, ang mga magsasaka ang ni sakripisyo at nasadlak sa Rice Liberalization dahil nilulunod na sila ngayon ng walang puknat na cheap rice from Asean and other countries. Ang bilihan ng palay nila ay halos patalo o talo na. Wala silang magawa. Natatakot ang gobyerno sa WTO, natatakot ang gobyerno sa consumers na galit din bago dumating itong Rice Liberalization sa taas ng presyo ng bigas. Mas madami ang consumers kesa farmers kaya kumampi ang Duterte Administration sa Rice Lib to maintain its popularity among this sector na pueding manggulo sa araw araw na rallies.
Hindi naman puweding patigilin ito kasi lalong magkalabu-labo. Parang retaliation ng isang bansang Asean sa Thailand na taasan ang taripa ng mga sasakyang ginawa nya matapos ipitin ng huli ang mga sigarilyo na binebenta ng una. Hindi ko pa sinasabi dito ang mga exports natin na puweding tirahin ng retaliation gaya ng Electrical machinery, equipment: US$34.7 billion (49.3% of total exports), Machinery including computers: $10.6 billion (15.1%), Fruits, nuts: $2.6 billion (3.7%), Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2.2 billion (3.1%), Gems, precious metals: $1.6 billion (2.3%), Copper: $1.4 billion (2%), Ores, slag, ash: $1.2 billion (1.8%), Vehicles, $1.1 billion (1.5%), Mineral fuels including oil: $1.04 billion (1.5%), Plastics, plastic articles: $1.02 billion (1.5%), at iba pa ayon 2019 data ng worldstopexports.com.
Pag nagkataon, milyon din dito sa mga sectors na ito ang mawawalan ng hanap buhay dahil mahal na ang benta natin ng mga produktong ginagawa nila kung itaas natin ang taripa ng bigas galing abroad.

***
PARANG TOURISM DIN, LAGING LATE KAYA PALPAK ANG PINAS.
Let's listen to Columnist Non-Pareil Max Soliven in his November 2005 column:
"According to Jimmy Bautista, the World Tourism Organization estimates that the number of Chinese travelling overseas will jump from the current 10 million a year – a fact which is already making China a "world power" in tourism – to 50 million by 2010. This would render China a leading "source" of tourists internationally, thanks to the growing purchasing power of many Chinese.
Sadly, the Philippines has not been able to take advantage of this booming traffic. During the first semester of this year, only 55,426 Chinese visitors came here, in contrast to 328,673 from the US. More Chinese are opting for other tourist destinations. PAL’s expanding presence in China, including the Beijing flight (a travel-time of only four hours, with immediate turn-around for the return flight to Manila) will hopefully result in a dramatic change in numbers.
Lucio Tan, as I’ve written before, is virtually our unofficial "ambassador" to China, having been very close to former President Jiang Zemin, and today to the present President Hu Jintao. He put up several thriving companies inside China, including a multimillion dollar Banking Center in Xiamen, long before China before "The Flavor of the Year" and the global bandwagon to China began.
Let me say it plainly: Lucio’s enterprises in this country alone employ more than 60,000 people. You can imagine the consequences if government harassment or persecution caused any of his companies, or the Tan empire itself, to go belly-up. Then, as some people quip, Lucio might simply pull up stakes and move to China where he’s appreciated – or to "Guam, where at least, they honor him by celebrating (would you believe?) a "Lucio Tan Day." (PHOTO CREDIT. BULALAT.COM)

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Corrupt General Loves to Shame his Subordinates

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I met an old friend – a full pledged Police Colonel – and we exchanged notes. I reminisced with amusement the good and bad ole days how he was berated by a superior (now a retired Police General) in front of me and some police officers when he was a Lieutenant Colonel at an occasion in the cops’ camp.

He smarted on that incident and I felt he still had a grudge to the one -star ranked officer, an alumnus of the Philippines Military Academy, who loved to embarrass police officials who were mostly graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy – the cops’ version of the PMA.

The general was reputed not only to bad mouth in public his subordinates but was known to be greedy.

Magkano ang share niya sa jueteng noong nilagay ka niyang hepe ng XYZ City?” I ribbed the officer who will be a one-star rank several years from now.

Biente mil kada linggo ang binibigay ko sa kanya,” he deplored about the P80,000 a month “protection money” he shelled out from his pocket to the general as quid pro quo for his being a chief of police (COP).

Many Lieutenant Colonels who thought they deserved to be a COP in several illegal number rich towns and cities in this Luzon Region were dismayed when low profiled junior colonels were plucked away from their assignments in the regional office to be assigned as COP through the intercession of the General.

Paano kayo naging Hepe dito? Sigurado maraming naiingit na mga kapwa niyo Lieutenant Colonels sa pagiging chief of police ninyo ,” I told the soft spoken junior colonel who was known as an active member of a Born Again Church. 

A huge black hard covered Bible was prominently displayed at the top of his table in his office to show to all and sundry that He loves Jesus and Jesus loves him.

He told me he met the General when they were a regular jogger at the oval field of the regional office.

You want to be the Chief of Police of XYZ City?” he quoted the General posing him a question.

The COP who probably guilt stricken because Jesus Christ would give an opprobrium to his acquiescence to the post in that notoriously jueteng rich city kept inviting reporter-friends to have some “Bacchanalian Feast’ with him.

Nag iinvite na naman si Colonel ABC, nagpaluto siya ng bulalo. Sabi ko Colonel kabibigay niyo lang ng tig-P1,000 sa amin noong nakaraang linggo nakakahiya naman sa inyo babalik na naman kami ngayon,” a media man recalled the generosity of the officer who is a graduate of the PNPA.

Hayaan ninyo na iyan, basta antayin ko kayo dito. Nagpabili rin ako ng ilang kilong letchon masarap ang balat magaling iyong nagluluto. Nandito na rin ang mga beer ninyo,” his respond to that reporter in a phone conversation.

Probably it was his way to get rid of those dirty monies he received weekly from the illegal number game's gofer and mitigate his sins to God the Father when Judgment Day comes.

Colonel, hinde ka makakapasok dito sa Langit doon ka sa Impiyerno magbenta ka ng Ice Water doon dahil tumatanggap ka ng payola sa jueteng,” I humored some media men in an imagine meeting of the Born Again Colonel and the Lord at the gate of heaven.

My Lord please papasukin ninyo na ako sa gate ng Langit kasi hinde ko naman binulsa iyong pera ng jueteng, binigay ko ang P80,000 kay General iyong iba pinambili ko ng bulalo, beer, lechon sa mga matatakaw na mga reporters na ayaw pa umuwi pag walang tig P1,000 o P500 na pabaon,” I concocted the probable answer of the Colonel as he begged with the Lord and Savior not to throw him to the Sea of Fire where he would be swimming in perpetuity.

During the height of Jueteng XYZ City Mayor received Five Million Pesos as payola from the "maintainer" of the illegal number game, according to a source, a bursar, who was a close pal of the Hizzoner the Top Executive of the local government unit.

Jueteng was the reason why police regional and provincial directors and chiefs of police lobby at the power – that – be in Imperial Manila to snatch the plum post.

A police director of a mammoth region, director of a gargantuan province, and a chief of police of a populated city could get a monthly payola every month of more or less P10 million, P1.5 million, and P600, 000,respectively, according to sources in the jueteng industry and the police.

Who says being a cop is a thankless job.

A one - star ranked police general receives more or less P150, 000 a month only as a salary from the government.


READ MY OTHER BLOG/COLUMN:

Jueteng Bag Man Outsmarts Lawyer-Mayor from U.P

(You can read my selected columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com and articles at Pangasinan News Aro. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com)

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Trade Name, Any Gov’t I.D Sole Requirement at BIR's Registration

 

NO MORE BRGY, MAYOR'S PERMITS

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – An applicant needs only a business name from the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) or any government issued identification card to get his Certification of Registration (CoR) in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, according to a government executive.

 Assistant Revenue District Office No. 4 Chief Aldrin Camba cited that the applicant for the CoR just presents his DTI and pays his Five Hundred Pesos fee to the New Business Registrant Officer (NBRO).

Madali na lang mag-register. So ang kailangan lang natin na requirements paano mag register tayo is kung gusto natin magkaroon ng trade name, DTI Certificate and then any government I.D showing na basta pinapakita iyong complete address natin, date of birth. Iyon na lang iyon kailangan natin so magprocess na lang dito magbabayad na lang dito magbabayad ng Five Hundred Pesos makaka-register na siya,” he told this writer.


TAX BRASS. From left is Revenue District Office No. 4 Chief Ernesto Mangabat and 
Assistant RDO-4 Chief Aldrin Camba of the Bureau of Internal Revenue that supervise
Central Pangasinan. 


Camba said that he needs too a Sample Receipt before he can have a Book of Account and Official Receipt.

As long as the applicant meets all the requirements he can get the Certificate of Registration and Authority to Print Receipt within a day at the BIR office.

Kung hindi ma e rush iyong resibo niya may binebenta kami dito iyong BPR o BIR Printed Receipt puwede namin siyang bentahan”.

Camba said in the new memorandum issued in January 2020, the national office got rid of the Mayor or Business Permit as requirement for an applicant to have a CoR.

Just go online and read the BIR’s Citizen’s Charter to learn about this new policy”.

Printing press owner, bookeeper, and Certified Public Accountant Lelia Chua-Sy told this writer that aside from the DTI, the applicant needs BIR Forms 1905 and 2303 to accomplish prior to have the CoR.

If new business, siya mismo maglakad ng 2303 Form at application. Then puwede bibili ng one booklet sa BIR as Temporary Receipt. Kami gagawa ng regular receipt after mabigyan siya ng approval na Authority to Print”.

RDO No. 4 is under the helm of RDO-Chief Ernesto I. Mangabat. It is considered the biggest in terms of collection and premier office of the six RDOs in Region 1. It has a reduced tax goal of P3.5 billion from the P5 billion for year 2020. Mangabat blamed the new target as a result of the sluggish economy due to the rampage of the lethal phantom pandemic Corona Virus Disease -19.