September start for school year?

Recently four universities decided to work for the transfer of the opening of classes to September.

These are Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas.

These schools have autonomous status from the Commission on Higher Education. In Cebu, I am expecting the University of San Carlos to follow suit because this change is also in consonance with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ integration.

I think school authorities should keep an open mind when it comes to this proposal because this has been discussed for five years already.

Starting classes in the month of June has always been marred by heavy rains and typhoons in our country whereas vacation time in April is a very hot month though others say the warm, sunny days allow students to enjoy their vacation.

Others consider the months of June, July and August the best time for school vacation to allow students to just stay home and be protected from the rains and storms.

I think the government should consider the validity of the proposal that would make our school calendars jibe with those of our neighbors as well as the US and Europe. Students from other counties would be able to come over to study without disrupting their schedules.

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I do not know what is taking the Special Board of Marine Inquiry (SBMI) so long to decide the fate of the two ships that collided in Lawis Ledge off Talisay City.

It has been more than five months since the tragedy t happened. The SBMI conducted an investigation and nobody has been held responsible yet for the accident that killed more than a hundred people.

Apparently our government is very much wanting when it comes to disciplining the negligent.

Look at what happened to the six-vehicle pileup outside the tunnel of the South Road Properties in Cebu City. Nobody as of this writing has been held responsible or sent to jail.

We have seen what happened to the pork barrel scam. People responsible were named but no one has been sent to jail yet. They say it is because due process of law has to run its course but why is it that justice is quickly served on the errant in other countries?

It is very clear that we are weak in imposing discipline and make due process an excuse so much so that we have become the laughing stock in Asia. We exhibit double standards by granting due process for the rich and the powerful but not for the poor and the powerless.

What happened to legislators that the Commission on Audit (COA) implicated in the pork barrel scam? They are not in prison but are free even to the extent of criticizing the government and COA’s findings. They are so bold because the government has not made good on their threats of prosecuting them.

It is important for us to help our President and the government in its advocacy to get rid of graft and corruption. The Office of the Ombudsman is mandated by our Constitution to prosecute erring and corrupt government officials but it is unfortunate that the office is too slow in its work.

In Korea, presidents have been put to jail for their crimes but in the Philippines they get convicted and serve their terms in a hospital. That privilege is not available to ordinary offenders.

I hope that in 2014 we will all see those involved in graft and corruption especially in the pork barrel scam sent to jail.

This country is full of funny situations. The Bureau of Internal Revenue is energetically running after delinquent taxpayers but some government officials are having a grand time looting the country’s coffers.