Of crow and ducklings

UNTIL I hear it from the horse’s mouth, I will keep my faith in Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.What I know is, he was informed about what the business sector is saying about the mayor, and he can choose to believe or not to believe. Anyyone can choose his friends or allies. I guess, we will just have to cross the bridge when we get there.

If it’s going to be a choice between the Devil and the deep blue sea, it wouldn’t be farfetched that a “White Crow” might participate in the coming election. As I stated before, a White Crow can be anyone who believes in honest governance, transparency, and accountability.

Let us not be stuck between and among lesser evils. Surely, there are many out there who love to see honest leaders. Where are the Lumad na Kagay-anon? Are we just going to sit by and watch as our coffers are looted? Are we just going to talk or listen about corruption without doing anything? Do we want our children to grow up in a community where corruption is tacitly allowed to happen?

The Full Disclosure Policy (FDP) of the Robredos (the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo and his Congresswoman wife Leni) has not been getting endorsement and support because those who have something to hide are afraid of it.

Here, we lauded projects without getting into the details, and getting answers to these questions: Was there a bidding process? How was it conducted? Who participated? Who won––their company names and addresses? How much do the projects cost, etc?

If these are not standard public information, then what is?
In my brief research, I found this: Construction Sector Transparency Initiatives (Cost). It is supposed “to put together a list of project information for pro-active and reactive disclosure. Unfortunately, when I opened the link, it’s no longer available.

Then there’s another called the Open Government Guide developed by Transparency and Accountability Initiative group aimed “to empower citizens to hold their government institutions to account.”

Lastly, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) launched in 2011 and adopted by 65 countries, including the Philippines. It is “committed to making their government open, accountable and responsive to citizens.”
Unless we learn to walk the talk and not just talk and talk without action, all these will come to naught.
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When it rains, it pours. When it pours, it floods. Still not getting any proper attention from the city government, we can expect the usual areas prone to flooding in ankle or knee-deep water.Over the years, our barangay has always been under water when it rains. The suggestion to clean up our drainage system has fallen on deaf ears. Or so it seems. The damage flood would cause to business is immeasurable.

For that, whatever clean-up drive the barangay would like to undertake would surely get the support of the business establishments around.
I tried it before when a few of them donated implements like shovels, rakes, carts and picks. It can be done for another time if the barangay leadership would show sincerity in solving our perennial rainy-day problem.

As more buildings rise, less open areas would be left to absorb rain water. With poor drainage system, the end result would always be flood!
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In a month’s time, a new brood of ducklings will adorn my home. Twice, the ducklings didn’t survive because of inbreeding. The male and two female ducks were brother and sisters. The male died. After a long while, my friend Aya gave me a male duck. It’s going to be fun hearing the sounds of the ducklings.