Sometime back I said that some candidates who are not descendants of Osmeña, Roxas or Aquino are in fact using those names in their election campaign.
Now a presidential candidate who is not a Quezon is being assailed in the news for using Quezon in furthering his bid. And another candidate sees no problem in using the name.
What will Manolo say about this? :-)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Where have all the coins gone?
As far as I can remember there have always been complaints about coin shortage. Usually the basic story, a kind of an urban legend, of a coin shortage begins with a complaint by a buyer that at supermarkets or groceries candies instead of coins are used as change. Or as some are alleging, the cashier at the counter would simply tell you if it's ok if the change is short by 25 centavos. On the other hand, some cashiers are ready to give you 1-piso change instead of 75 centavos if you insist.
Bank officials too have been heard to complain that their clients, meaning businesses, are badgering them for coins.
How about some hard data on coin circulation in Cebu? From records available at the Cebu Regional Office of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas one can glean the amount and number of pieces of the various denomination of coins that were shipped from Manila since 2003. Records for earlier years only show the total amount of coins. Still the amount and number of pieces from 2003 to 2009 is staggering.
Leaving aside the figures for the smaller denominations, the data from 2003 to 2009 are as follows:
Denomination Amount No. of Pieces
10-piso P279,600,000 27,960,000
5-piso 165,750,000 33,150,000
1-piso 65,800,000 65,800,000
25 centavo 22,987,500 91,950,000
Total P534,137,500 218,860,800
So where have all the coins gone?
There are several reasons for coin shortages in the Philippines. See here and here for a definitive two-part article.
On a personal note, I think banks should be at the forefront in ensuring an efficient circulation of the coins already in private hands. I am hearing, too, that banks are not keen on receiving deposits in form of coins especially from their small depositors. It would mean additional investment in coin counting machines or manpower which would affect their bottomline, right? This could very well explain a big part of the problem.
Or if banks are willing to receive coin deposits but are not seeing the coins come, perhaps they can try more creative ways of attracting coin depositors.
Bank officials too have been heard to complain that their clients, meaning businesses, are badgering them for coins.
How about some hard data on coin circulation in Cebu? From records available at the Cebu Regional Office of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas one can glean the amount and number of pieces of the various denomination of coins that were shipped from Manila since 2003. Records for earlier years only show the total amount of coins. Still the amount and number of pieces from 2003 to 2009 is staggering.
Leaving aside the figures for the smaller denominations, the data from 2003 to 2009 are as follows:
Denomination Amount No. of Pieces
10-piso P279,600,000 27,960,000
5-piso 165,750,000 33,150,000
1-piso 65,800,000 65,800,000
25 centavo 22,987,500 91,950,000
Total P534,137,500 218,860,800
So where have all the coins gone?
There are several reasons for coin shortages in the Philippines. See here and here for a definitive two-part article.
On a personal note, I think banks should be at the forefront in ensuring an efficient circulation of the coins already in private hands. I am hearing, too, that banks are not keen on receiving deposits in form of coins especially from their small depositors. It would mean additional investment in coin counting machines or manpower which would affect their bottomline, right? This could very well explain a big part of the problem.
Or if banks are willing to receive coin deposits but are not seeing the coins come, perhaps they can try more creative ways of attracting coin depositors.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Candidates who bank on their family names
Much of the criticisms leveled at Noynoy revolves around his family name. It is being argued, I am inclined to believe that it is due to lack of better arguments, that he has nothing to show but his being a descendant of Ninoy and Cory. But is it wrong to elect someone on the basis of his descent?
Going by the adage that the acorn does not fall far from the tree, I think it is a safe bet to vote for a candidate with a name like Osmeña, Roxas, or Aquino. These are honorable names whose legacies are worth preserving by their heirs. Oh, yes, there are some issues that you can throw at those names. But definitely not about corruption or incompetence.
Compare these with the names like, er, well, never mind. I don't want to get into trouble.
The other candidates who do not bear these pedigreed names are in fact using the names of Osmeña, Roxas and Aquino in their quest for electoral victory. Look at the faces on the P50, P100 and P500 bills which they hand out like calling cards or with which they buy campaign ads.
There is a candidate who, judging by the amount he spends on his campaign ads, may be related to Jose Abad Santos, Vicente Lim and Josefa Llanes Escoda.
Going by the adage that the acorn does not fall far from the tree, I think it is a safe bet to vote for a candidate with a name like Osmeña, Roxas, or Aquino. These are honorable names whose legacies are worth preserving by their heirs. Oh, yes, there are some issues that you can throw at those names. But definitely not about corruption or incompetence.
Compare these with the names like, er, well, never mind. I don't want to get into trouble.
The other candidates who do not bear these pedigreed names are in fact using the names of Osmeña, Roxas and Aquino in their quest for electoral victory. Look at the faces on the P50, P100 and P500 bills which they hand out like calling cards or with which they buy campaign ads.
There is a candidate who, judging by the amount he spends on his campaign ads, may be related to Jose Abad Santos, Vicente Lim and Josefa Llanes Escoda.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Politician's promises - A First Hand Experience
Everyone knows of the promise of GMA not to run as President in 2004 only to go back on her words and got us all to where we are now. Of course, where we are now is either good or bad depending on which side your bread is buttered.
When Erap was interviewed by Randy David while he was a presidentiable in 1998 he vowed to spend at least 3 months every year in Mindanao to directly oversee the development of the region. He conveniently forgot it during his short tenure.
I also remember Lito Osmeña saying he would not stay more than one term as Governor of Cebu claiming that any governor who could not deliver on his promises for the province in three years would not deliver at all; and he vowed he could do it in one term. He went on to a second term and tried to leave the governorship to his wife when he ran for Vice-President. He and his wife lost.
My first hand experience with politician reneging on their words happened when I was in my grade school days. I lived with my grandparents in a northern town of Cebu. (I have to make this story as generic as possible because some persons involved are my close friends.) My grandpa was the Vice-Mayor for several terms back when each term lasted four years.
One day nearing election time Grandpa brought home blank forms for certificate of candidacy. He told me to fill up the forms manually because we did not have a typewriter. He was running for Mayor finally. The Mayor, it seemed, decided to give Grandpa a shot at the post. Grandpa always polled higher than the Mayor during the previous elections. Naturally I thought it was great and about time.
But a few days afterwards he brought back another sheet of certificates of candidacy and told me he was running once more as Vice-Mayor. The incumbent Mayor, who was his partymate and compadre, decided after all that he still wanted to be Mayor. But he promised he'd step down after two years to give way to Grandpa.
I know there was something fishy somewhere in the promise. At any rate, I filled up the forms but deep inside I knew Grandpa was in for a big disappointment.
As expected Grandpa still polled higher than the Mayor. Two years came but the Mayor held on. Grandpa was still Vice-Mayor until the end of the term. A few more terms later when Grandpa was already old, they even had the temerity to ask him to slide down to a Councilor's post. Which he did despite my appeal to go for broke, run for Mayor even at the risk of losing.
So what else is new about trapos?
When Erap was interviewed by Randy David while he was a presidentiable in 1998 he vowed to spend at least 3 months every year in Mindanao to directly oversee the development of the region. He conveniently forgot it during his short tenure.
I also remember Lito Osmeña saying he would not stay more than one term as Governor of Cebu claiming that any governor who could not deliver on his promises for the province in three years would not deliver at all; and he vowed he could do it in one term. He went on to a second term and tried to leave the governorship to his wife when he ran for Vice-President. He and his wife lost.
My first hand experience with politician reneging on their words happened when I was in my grade school days. I lived with my grandparents in a northern town of Cebu. (I have to make this story as generic as possible because some persons involved are my close friends.) My grandpa was the Vice-Mayor for several terms back when each term lasted four years.
One day nearing election time Grandpa brought home blank forms for certificate of candidacy. He told me to fill up the forms manually because we did not have a typewriter. He was running for Mayor finally. The Mayor, it seemed, decided to give Grandpa a shot at the post. Grandpa always polled higher than the Mayor during the previous elections. Naturally I thought it was great and about time.
But a few days afterwards he brought back another sheet of certificates of candidacy and told me he was running once more as Vice-Mayor. The incumbent Mayor, who was his partymate and compadre, decided after all that he still wanted to be Mayor. But he promised he'd step down after two years to give way to Grandpa.
I know there was something fishy somewhere in the promise. At any rate, I filled up the forms but deep inside I knew Grandpa was in for a big disappointment.
As expected Grandpa still polled higher than the Mayor. Two years came but the Mayor held on. Grandpa was still Vice-Mayor until the end of the term. A few more terms later when Grandpa was already old, they even had the temerity to ask him to slide down to a Councilor's post. Which he did despite my appeal to go for broke, run for Mayor even at the risk of losing.
So what else is new about trapos?
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