A cabinet secretary might get into trouble if he fails to control his chief of staff (CoS) from collecting an entry fee from contractors seeking to bid for projects in the department.

A contractor from Davao has been asked by this CoS of P10 million for him to be in the supposed waiting list.

Department insiders said the CoS was once a finance officer of the Cabinet Secretary’s construction and development firm, which the appointed official claimed to have divested from to avoid issues of conflict of interest.

The CoS, according to department insiders is a bossy type, who shouts on contractors who do not give in to his demand.

Jing Villamente

Taciturn exec

Masungi Georeserve Foundation’s director for advocacy Billie Dumaliang claims Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga refuses to grant a dialogue with her group regarding attempts from business groups to cut down trees in Masungi Georeserve in the province of Rizal.

Dumaliang stressed the Masungi Georeserve must be protected from untrammeled commercial activities as it is home to numerous animal and plant species. She added it also protects nearby households from flash floods and landslides.

She said the foundation has sent Loyzaga numerous letters, asking her to share some of her time to listen to her team’s concerns with Masungi resources.

She shared that some businesses are attempting to occupy large portions of Masungi with a plan to operate resorts there. Dumaliang said these are similar to the latest controversial resort built in Bohol’s Chocolate Hills.

Several instances of violence like gun shootings against the georeserve’s rangers and volunteers already erupted in the past as her team remains very active in protecting Masungi.

Asked why Loyzaga keeps on ignoring the foundation’s requests for dialogues, Billie said she is clueless.

Kathryn Jose

Buendia parking lot

Aside from the huge volume of vehicles plying Gil Puyat Avenue, formerly known as Buendia, a heavy gridlock forms during rush hours as a result of the long queue of buses in the middle of the thoroughfare.

Most citizens wonder why bus companies use the streets as their station when the government has already designated the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange as the official bus terminal in the Southern part of Metro Manila.

A whistleblower told Scuttlebutt that operators of these stations are offering huge amounts to personnel regulating the thoroughfares. Raffy Ayeng