Unbelievable benefits

In my radio/TV show, I asked my audience if they could guess which local government unit (LGU) in Metro Manila gave unbelievable benefits to 60,0000 public school students and their families.

First, all classrooms for public school students — from the kindergarten to college levels — will be fully air-conditioned before June.

Second, aside from free tuition, bags, uniforms, notebooks and books, all students also get a P500 monthly allowance.

This entails a yearly budget of P330 million. Other LGUs would probably use this money for infrastructure projects to get commissions.

Pasay City also allocates a yearly medical assistance of P25,000 through its Take Care, I Care program for every family.

Fifty-one percent of its P6.8-billion annual budget goes to social services for residents.

Incidentally, out of 100 text messages I received yesterday, only one correctly guessed the LGU I was referring to.

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The Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines should account for and profile all of their dismissed, retired or absent without leave personnel to find out if they are engaged in criminal activities.

Their police and military training makes them perfect candidates for “hit jobs” on politicians or other potential victims for the right price.

The recent killings of Ako-Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe; Balaoan, La Union Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion; Sudipen, La Union Mayor Alexander Boquing; Tanuan City Mayor Antonio Halili; Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote and Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan all point to professional hitmen with military or police experience.

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Heavy betting on basketball games goes on unabated in Metro Manila. Bets are placed not just on games of the Philippine Basketball Association or National Basketball Association.

I was told that a one-hour betting window is available exclusively at a 5-star hotel-casino near a Pasay City mall. Millions of pesos in bets are collected on another tournament that is watched nationally.

My sources say that game-fixing and point-shaving are so rampant in this tournament that the hotel-casino actually suspended the inclusion of a Central Luzon basketball team in its one-hour betting operations.

A comebacking legislator who has two favorite teams in the tournament is a heavy bettor in this hotel-casino.

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A businessman-friend, Bing Tecson, who owns racehorse Woolomoolo has denied allegations he was responsible for the loss of this mega-outstanding favorite on Jan. 2 at the new Metro Manila Turf Club racetrack.

“I was victimized by ‘Batman-Robin’ jockeys. I am always out to win especially in inaugural races,” he says.

Today, the horse racing industry is suffering from very serious integrity issues.

There are some greedy horse owners who deliberately lose races through their “untouchable” jockeys and trainers while others influence racetrack handicappers and stewards.

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