If you were the Philippine President, what would you do?

[Jun Abines]

Have you ever thoughtfully read and understand the true essence of PGMA's 10 point agenda?

Here they are:

1. The creation of six million jobs...
2. The construction of new buildings, classrooms...
3. The balancing of the budget...
4. The "decentralization" of progress around the nation...
5. The provision of electricity and water supply to barangays...
6. The decongestion of Metro Manila by government and housing centers
7. The development of Clark and Subic
8. The automation of the electoral process,
9. A just end to the peace process, and
10. A fair closure to the divisiveness among the Edsa 1, 2 and 3 forces.

For me the above list is more of a wish list than a solution. More of a destination list than a road map. More of promises than commitment. They are simply skin deep kind of solutions that answers the question “What?” rather than “Why?” and “How?

Any college graduate can do a better list than that. So, I developed my own list on what I think will help improve our country by answering the questions: “Why” and “How”


If I were the President of Philippines, I will focus my energy on 5 things:

1.Improve collection of taxes
2.Minimize corruption in the major government agency
3.Totally crush the NPA and Muslim Rebels
4.Prioritize business infrastructure projects
5.Strengthen the justice system in the country


Why on Tax Collection?

Taxes are the life blood of the government. Without money the government is like a car without gasoline – a useless government. Our present tax collection system in the Philippines deprived Billions of Pesos of income for the government. If tax collection is improved, the government can have more resources to buy more goods and hire more services. It can create more projects and spend money in improving its internal structure.

How? First, I will do a restructuring primarily the BIR and Customs and other financial institution's internal organization. I will focus more on:

1.Improving the budget of the agency and increase the salary scheme in these agencies
2.Restructuring the agencies and hire additional employees to man the agency particularly in computerization. collection, review of tax record, prosecution and PR for high profile tax evasion case.
3.To have a quick and easy payment and collection of tax
4.To have third party review of tax records and prosecution of tax evaders and corrupt government employees.
5.I will make sure that at least 10 high profile figures be imprisoned for tax evasion to give a message to the public that tax evasion will surely lead them to prison



Why on Minimization of corruption?

Corruption in the government is the main reason why our country and our people are suffering of economic and financial trouble. Corruption in the government only benefits two kinds of people: the corrupt government employees and the criminals.

How? I will do a major restructuring in the major government agencies like Umbudsman, Department of justice, NBI and hire more lawyers. Improve surveillance and monitoring and prosecution of corrupt government employees. I will make sure that the following happens:

1.Improve the budget of the agency and increase the salary scheme in these agencies
2.Restructure the agency to focus on improve technical and human resource capacity.
3.Hire more lawyers and law graduates to man the umbudsman, NBI and focus on surveillance, monitoring, gathering of evidence and prosecuting corrupt government employees.
4.Make sure that at least 10 corrupt government employees are prosecuted and imprisoned every month.
5.Provide optional retirement or graceful exit to suspected corrupt government employees in exchange of dropping the case against them.
6.Provide thorough review on cases that merits second look to protect the innocent


Why Crash the rebellion?

For a long time, rebellion discouraged investments and prevented the economic improvement in our countrysides particularly in Nothern and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao area. The peace and order issues together with security issues halted many meaningful investments, creation of jobs and production of goods and services all over the country. Without rebellion, infrastructure and business investments in the countrysides can be easily implemented with out delay and concern in security.

How? President Erap have defeated the Muslim rebels by declaring an all out war. The NPA rebels are easily tamed with serious counter intelligence and anti-rebellion campaign are effectively implemented. I will make sure that these things happen:

1.Generals in AFP and PNP with questionable service records be assign in non-sensitive position while those with impressive records be put in the front line.
2.Cleansing and strengthening of the Intelligence group to properly assess and devise a plan to defeat rebellion
3.Do all the attacks no matter what it takes to crash the rebels and prevent them to reorganize again.
4.Provide amnesty program for all the remnants of rebels to rule out possibility of regrouping and gather intelligence
5.All movements of rebellion be suppressed immediately before they grow into bigger proportion.


Why infrastructure?

Infrastructure is one the most important factor for economic prosperity for any country. It attracts investments and enable fast production and transportation of products and services. With out infrastructure, good policy and strong political will have less or no effect at all.

How? I will commission a study on what are the most promising industry for the country, What infrastructure are the most important that will make the country more productive and attractive to more investment. I will make sure the following happens:

1.Improve the structure of DPWH as to arrest corruption and inefficiency of implementing projects.
2.Make an effective monitoring of projects by DPWH to ensure quality of works
3.Improve the Build-Operate and Transfer (BOT) program for companies who invest in infrastructure projects.
4.Provide tax holidays for major infrastructure oriented investments
5.Implement and effective monitoring in all infrastructure projects



Why the justice System?

The very weak and questionable justice system in this country is the main culprit why criminality in this country continue to grow. A strong justice system will get rid of corrupt government employees, criminal syndicates on business, drugs, prostitutions and other illegal activities proliferating all over the country.

How? I will commission a study on how to strengthen in capacity and independence of the courts. I will introduce programs such as:

1.Make the salary of court employees higher
2.Improve the structure of the courts and provide additional human resources and technical capability of each court to process and decide cases
3.Increase the number of courts in the country
4.Strengthen the mediation system in the country
5.Work with supreme court on how to improve the justice system.


So, if you were the president, what would you do? Why? How?