Dishonorable
Dishonorable
Posted 10:56pm (Mla time) Feb 21, 2005
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A12 of the February 22, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
WHAT is Congress, or more specifically, the House of Representatives, coming to? In recent years, several members of the Lower House have been convicted or accused of crimes or implicated in their commission. (The chamber was called the Lower House because in the old Legislative Building it was on a floor lower than that of the Senate, but the adjective could also have referred to the general quality of its membership.)
Before World War II, the House was peopled by eminent legislators, some of whom later rose to become senators, jurists and Cabinet members. Two former congressmen, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmena Sr., were later elected president.
After the war, six former congressmen--Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand E. Marcos--became president. Marcos at first appeared to be a brilliant leader, one who, according to his own public relations man, was destined to become "the best president the Philippines would ever have." Marcos turned out to be the worst.
Now, who are, or who have been members of the House? Among them are child molesters and rapists like Romeo Jalosjos of Zamboanga del Norte, people charged with or convicted of various crimes like Mark Jimenez (tax fraud, tax evasion and illegal campaign contributions in the United States), Nicanor de Guzman Jr. (gun smuggling), Jose Villarosa (double murder) and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (income tax evasion).
Jalosjos' constituents knew that he had been convicted of statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness, and yet they elected him to another term in office. Jimenez's constituents also knew that he was facing criminal charges, but still they elected him to the House. The people really get the representatives that they want and that they deserve.
Now, here is former Rep. Dennis Roldan who is a suspect in a kidnapping case. He will have to be tried in court and found guilty based on the evidence before we can say that he indeed is a kidnapper. If the charge turns out to be true, he must have really fallen on bad times. And if the charge turns out to be true, it will be another mark against the House whose reputation is already in tatters.
The House itself cannot ensure that only the best, the brightest, the most upright and most moral would be elected to its ranks. It is the people who elect these representatives who have to be better educated and better informed so that they can choose the best and the most upright men and women who will legislate for them.
From the heart
IT WAS a moving story, that one about bank executive Warner Manning who let go of the proverbial British stiff upper lip and wept while delivering a speech last Saturday at the launching of a housing project for families left homeless by last year's killer storms.
Manning, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp., is one of several expatriate businessmen who have been disturbed by the plight of poor Filipinos affected by recent disasters and who have decided to do something about it. Since he was posted in the Philippines, Manning has been involved in fund-raising activities for street children and for projects to improve and preserve the environment. The Gawad Kalinga project is the latest in HSBC's charities for the poor.
As Gawad Kalinga executive director Tony Meloto said during the launching rites, it would have been easy for HSBC to just donate money for the housing project. But Warner and his wife came and attended the ceremony and even laid down a hollow block foundation for a house. That they took time to do that, Meloto said, shows that their action "is something that comes from the heart."
Businesses and businessmen--both Filipino and foreign--can follow the lead of people like Manning who have decided to do something concrete about the problems of poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance and homelessness that plague the poor. They do not necessarily have to donate money all the time. Some can give of their time and their labor in, for instance, building houses for the homeless.
Of course, we do not expect businessmen to even approximate the magnitude of what Bill Gates of Microsoft has done. Gates set up a $28.8-billion foundation that is conducting a worldwide campaign against diseases like malaria, polio, dengue and HIV/AIDS. But with its financial, management and manpower resources, the business community can be a very effective force in fighting poverty, hunger and deprivation in this poor country.
Posted 10:56pm (Mla time) Feb 21, 2005
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A12 of the February 22, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
WHAT is Congress, or more specifically, the House of Representatives, coming to? In recent years, several members of the Lower House have been convicted or accused of crimes or implicated in their commission. (The chamber was called the Lower House because in the old Legislative Building it was on a floor lower than that of the Senate, but the adjective could also have referred to the general quality of its membership.)
Before World War II, the House was peopled by eminent legislators, some of whom later rose to become senators, jurists and Cabinet members. Two former congressmen, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmena Sr., were later elected president.
After the war, six former congressmen--Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand E. Marcos--became president. Marcos at first appeared to be a brilliant leader, one who, according to his own public relations man, was destined to become "the best president the Philippines would ever have." Marcos turned out to be the worst.
Now, who are, or who have been members of the House? Among them are child molesters and rapists like Romeo Jalosjos of Zamboanga del Norte, people charged with or convicted of various crimes like Mark Jimenez (tax fraud, tax evasion and illegal campaign contributions in the United States), Nicanor de Guzman Jr. (gun smuggling), Jose Villarosa (double murder) and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (income tax evasion).
Jalosjos' constituents knew that he had been convicted of statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness, and yet they elected him to another term in office. Jimenez's constituents also knew that he was facing criminal charges, but still they elected him to the House. The people really get the representatives that they want and that they deserve.
Now, here is former Rep. Dennis Roldan who is a suspect in a kidnapping case. He will have to be tried in court and found guilty based on the evidence before we can say that he indeed is a kidnapper. If the charge turns out to be true, he must have really fallen on bad times. And if the charge turns out to be true, it will be another mark against the House whose reputation is already in tatters.
The House itself cannot ensure that only the best, the brightest, the most upright and most moral would be elected to its ranks. It is the people who elect these representatives who have to be better educated and better informed so that they can choose the best and the most upright men and women who will legislate for them.
From the heart
IT WAS a moving story, that one about bank executive Warner Manning who let go of the proverbial British stiff upper lip and wept while delivering a speech last Saturday at the launching of a housing project for families left homeless by last year's killer storms.
Manning, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp., is one of several expatriate businessmen who have been disturbed by the plight of poor Filipinos affected by recent disasters and who have decided to do something about it. Since he was posted in the Philippines, Manning has been involved in fund-raising activities for street children and for projects to improve and preserve the environment. The Gawad Kalinga project is the latest in HSBC's charities for the poor.
As Gawad Kalinga executive director Tony Meloto said during the launching rites, it would have been easy for HSBC to just donate money for the housing project. But Warner and his wife came and attended the ceremony and even laid down a hollow block foundation for a house. That they took time to do that, Meloto said, shows that their action "is something that comes from the heart."
Businesses and businessmen--both Filipino and foreign--can follow the lead of people like Manning who have decided to do something concrete about the problems of poverty, hunger, disease, ignorance and homelessness that plague the poor. They do not necessarily have to donate money all the time. Some can give of their time and their labor in, for instance, building houses for the homeless.
Of course, we do not expect businessmen to even approximate the magnitude of what Bill Gates of Microsoft has done. Gates set up a $28.8-billion foundation that is conducting a worldwide campaign against diseases like malaria, polio, dengue and HIV/AIDS. But with its financial, management and manpower resources, the business community can be a very effective force in fighting poverty, hunger and deprivation in this poor country.
posted by Dante at 5:42 PM
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