Jolo bombing a big slap on peacekeeping efforts in Mindanao
The bombings that left scores of people dead and more than 100 wounded happened despite the tight security imposed by government forces in Jolo, Sulu.
It is disappointing that terrorists succeeded in carrying out this “mass casualty attack” despite the heightened alert status in the area following the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law. Martial law is also in effect in Mindanao.
It is still not known how one of the bombs was smuggled inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Investigators say they are now reviewing footage of the incident taken by closed-circuit TV cameras although it is likely that the Ajang-ajang subgroup of the Abu Sayyaf is responsible.
When I interviewed him on my radio program over dzIQ 990AM, Col. Gerry Besana, Westmincom spokesperson, said the suspects joined the crowd of worshippers to get inside the church on Sunday morning. He denied the IS claim that the attack was carried out by “suicide bombers with explosive belts.”
On the other hand, professor Rommel Banlaoi, a security expert, said that while he would not discount the possibility that what happened was a suicide bombing, it would be better to wait for the results of the investigation.
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At last, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and 5,700 Metro Manila barangays will begin cleaning Manila Bay every week.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has also started issuing cease and desist orders (CDOs) against establishments without wastewater treatment facilities.
Initially, Aristocrat Restaurant on Roxas Boulevard, Gloria Maris in the Cultural Center of Philippines complex and The Esplanade (San Miguel by the Bay) received the orders from the DENR and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA).
Out of 285 establishments inspected by the government, only 59 have sewage treatment plants while 120 do not have the necessary facilities. I was told that notices of violations were issued to SM Development Corp.-Sea Residences, Lola Taba Lolo Pato restaurant and Aliw Inn, among others.
I am heartened by the efforts of the DENR, LLDA and DILG to really clean up Manila Bay.
Just make sure that there will be no sacred cows.
Close the errant establishments even if their owners are powerful or influential.
Now is the time!
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Politicians love to expound on the “extreme poverty” of many Filipinos, but no one talks about the other side or the “extreme wealth” of a few.
Forbes Magazine featured the top 10 Filipino billionaires in 2018—from the topnotcher, the recently deceased Tatang Henry Sy, to Andrew Tan—who have a collective wealth of $51 billion. Worldwide, the wealth of super rich people grows by 20 to 30 percent every year while that of poor people goes down by 11 percent.
Extreme wealth was the reason Microsoft’s Bill Gates gave away $65 billion to charity.
Leading investor Warren Buffett also donated $30.8 billion while Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg pledged to donate half of his earnings every year.
India imposes a surcharge tax of 15 percent on its citizens with extreme wealth. In the United States, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wants a 60-percent wealth tax imposed on American billionaires.
I am proposing a 20-percent annual tax on the extreme wealth of our taipans to directly support “extremely poor” Filipinos.
This would mean a total of $5.2 billion or P270.4 billion every year. Imagine the many things we can do with this amount from our generous Filipino billionaires.
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