SCUTTLEBUTT

Senate freak show

Foreign trade groups are apprehensive over the cavalier way that the Senate hauls individuals particularly businessmen into public inquiries.

Take the case of the pressure being made to bear on James Kumar to appear before the Senate hearings on the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency leaks supposedly to legitimize assertions of former PDEA intelligence agent Morales and National Police Commission staff Eric Santiago, who were both cited in contempt for lying.

Kumar is the founding president of the Filipino Indian Commerce and Welfare Society Inc. (FICWSI) and is known in the business circle to spearhead the eradication of barriers between cultures and helping the underprivileged.

Also, in his capacity as the Makati Nielsen Rotary Club president, he has led programs that enable people and communities to prosper in the “new normal” that the pandemic has brought about.

Under his leadership, the group has started initiatives like Helpline On Wheels, which assists frontline staff members and people with disabilities.

Foreign traders are up in arms saying that the Senate and other government officials should redirect their attention and funding from politically motivated displays to the country’s urgent problems.

The efforts of elected officials must be directed toward substantive remedies that would lessen the suffering of the Filipino people and move the nation toward development and stability, one of the complaining foreign trade leaders said.

He said demanding representatives to concentrate on projects that will genuinely improve the lives of all Filipinos would be a better use of public funds.

It’s time to stop the freak show and address the important matters of governance.

Secretary profligacy

A cabinet-level department is in the spotlight after several of its projects failed, resulting in huge wasted funds.

A tattletale said the department’s projects failed the scrutiny of an auditor of an independent department, as it had poured millions of pesos into the project that failed to serve its purpose.

Another project is also under question for the misuse of the millions of pesos of funds to tour “stakeholders” for sightseeing including free accommodation in posh hotels and indulging them with fine dining.

“For me, that’s a clear waste of money that could have fed more poor families. Soon, the secretary will be sent a notice by the auditors to explain where the money went,” the squealer who was scandalized by the show of opulence said.

The agency’s secretary is said to be contemplating resignation and will write the President about his intention in the coming months.

The resignation provides the official a graceful exit and thereafter launches a local post bid. The huge mess at the department will be left for the next official to clean up.