Tomorrow is the fourth Monday of July. According to Article 6 of the 1987 Constitution it’s the date of the regular opening of Congress. Tomorrow the President will deliver his State of the Nation Address. People are expecting much from the report card of the president. the education sector is hoping President Aquino announces a proposal for a substantial increase in the budget of the education department.
The state colleges and universities will welcome this development as it will provide necessary finances for these institutions to provide better services to their students. The budget increase would help in the full implementation of the K+ 12 reform program of the Pnoy administration.
Based on the explanation of Fr. Dionisio Miranda, president of the University of San Carlos, I am supporting the K+12 because it puts new focus on technical and vocational education that is in demand by industrial sectors. A college education is not for everyone, only those who qualify in the entrance examinations provided. The good thing is that the college and university are now venues for specialization of education.
Many minor subjects will be downloaded to junior and senior high school. Many have complained that the additional two years is an added burden for parents but Fr. Miranda explained that once the student graduates from senior high, he or she is qualified to work. A paradigm shift is needed for parents who want their children to take up courses that are not in demand by industries. They have to accept the fact that what is in demand is vocational and technical education graduates.
Another issue that the people are expecting President Aquino to take up is the pork barrel fund of legislators after the scandal over the misuse of P10 billion pork barrels of some senators and congressmen.
I don’t expect the President to abolish the pork barrel system but I expect more stringent regulation for its use by members of Congress. This is not the first time controversy surrounds the use of the pork barrel, which was the subject of debates over whether it should be abolished.
I remember my principal, then Senator Alberto G. Romulo, who said the pork barrel was an equalizer especially for far-flung areas that failed to get the attention of the president in availing of government projects.
Congressmen who use their pork barrel allotment properly are able to answer the needs of constituents of these areas. But I bet once the pork barrel is abolished, no one will run for a seat in Congress.
Apparently the pork barrel – P70 million worth of projects for a member of the House of Representatives and P200 million for each senator – is the main attraction for many candidates. But they will, of course, say they are running for office because they want to serve the people.
I challenge the people to closely monitor how the pork barrel is spent by their district congressman and each senator. As the saying goes, the people get the kind of government officials that they deserve.
I hope the people now assert their rights and demand good governance and shun graft and corruption.
In Cebu, the latest scandal involving the looting of sacks of smuggled rice held in custody by the Bureau of Customs triggered an investigation ordered by deputy commissioner Danilo Lim. I think this office is a hopeless case and so difficult to reform.