“When politics is no longer a mission but a profession, politicians become more self-serving than public servants.” –Emmanuel Macron
The country will slow down even further if we continue electing overacting, or “OA,” officials like Senator Grace Poe. Over the past few years, she has done nothing but hold unproductive and useless “Senate committee investigations;” for every controversy with publicity potential, she calls a “committee investigation,” where she pretends to be sympathetic and deliver a melodrama spiel, reminiscent of a movie script delivered by her foster mother Susan Roces.
Despite garnering huge publicity for her failed 2016 presidential bid, following the foiled November 27, 2015 raid after a group of thugs, led by the late drug lord Melvin ‘Boyet’ Odicta, Sr., stormed the Aksyon Radyo station in Iloilo City, Poe’s committee has done nothing concrete. None of the personalities identified in the raid were arrested or taken to court for attempts to intimidate radio station employees.
In addition, Odicta was only “neutralized” after President Rodrigo Duterte was elected and fulfilled his campaign promise to eliminate illegal drugs and kill drug lords.
In her latest publicity stunt, Poe is seeking a “full blown” Senate investigation into the recent incident at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) where an aircraft skidded off the runway, resulting in numerous flight cancelations and leaving thousands stranded.
The senator blamed the airport’s “seeming broken systems of regulations,” calling it a “jolting wake-up call” that caused “airport paralysis.”
“The slow actions on the issue [are] something perverse about an absent administration by inefficiency, lack of compassion for citizens and people, and anathema to the country’s quest in good public services, tourism, investments, human resources, and similar sectors,” Poe bewailed.
An inquiry is currently scheduled for next week, August 29.
Is there even a need for the Senate to join the fray since Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has taken the reins of the investigation, calling it an “eye-opener” for airport authorities? He went on to call the incident “a reminder for us to take a second look at the processes, procedures, and protocols of concerned agencies; as well as airlines, so that we may all improve in the future.”
“I am sorry,” he added. “We did our very best to address the situation.”
At this time, a Senate hearing is premature and unnecessary since NAIA authorities are still scrambling to remedy the situation and put everything in order.
Politicians like Poe should at least wait and give Tugade, et al, ample time to solve the problem within their own capacity before grandstanding just to earn “pogi points” at the expense of other fellow public servants.
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There would not be anything wrong if Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu were to seek elective office in the upcoming midterm elections. One of the most active and diligent department chiefs in City Hall, he is also a decent and professional guy – not a hard sell.
After becoming a trailblazer at PSTMO, imagine if he were to become a city councilor or vice mayor. He is one public servant who is always visible, available when taxpayers need assistance, and is accessible to media. This means Conlu is not “suplado,” or a snob, and is a public servant in the mold of former Mayor Mansueto Malabor and former City Councilor Benjie Gengos.
If Conlu were included on surveys, only fools would forget to put the dotted line on his name among the top five choices for city council.
Incumbent Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III and Iloilo City lone district Rep. Jerry Treñas should begin wooing the PSTMO head, who would be a real asset in the legislative branch./WDJ