SCUTTLEBUTT

Static noises

The presidential airwaves are crackling again — and not just with static.

Seventeen top-tier officials in the communications arm have been unceremoniously shown the door this week, casualties of a sweeping shake-up sparked by a directive from the Big Boss himself.

The purge carved out director-level and assistant secretary posts, leaving a skeletal crew scrambling for footing. The current head honcho of the President’s comms team is now locked in quiet crisis talks with his remaining troops, trying to hold the line and rebuild from the ruins — or so a Nosy Tarsee sniffed out.

But here’s the kicker: the chief may not be long for the role either. His appointment was recently bypassed by the Commission on Appointments, leaving his fate dangling like a half-tuned frequency.

The Big Boss now faces a decision — reappoint, or replace. In the meantime, the directive is clear: business as usual, unless told otherwise.

The 20th Congress might just throw him a lifeline. Then again, only if he’s still in the saddle by the time it arrives.

Vicious cycle

There’s been another accident involving a San Miguel Corp. project where pieces of concrete fell from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway (NAIAX) onto a Toyota Fortuner SUV in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City, on 11 June, raising serious questions about the structural integrity of the ever-growing number of developments of the conglomerate.

Fortunately, the driver of the vehicle survived.

The incident highlighted the critical importance of structural integrity in an elevated infrastructure like NAIAX, where falling debris pose a direct threat to motorists and pedestrians below.

Even if isolated, such events erode public confidence in the safety of projects, mainly tollways.

Regulatory oversight should also be blamed after the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Toll Regulatory Board may have failed to enforce material standards and maintenance protocols.

In 2020, the Skyway Extension project collapsed during construction in Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City. The incident suggested gaps in oversight that may have needed closer scrutiny.

A steel girder fell onto vehicles below, killing one person and injuring four others. The girder crushed seven vehicles — a taxi, an L300 van, an SUV, and four motorcycles.

More recently, the deaths of a 29-year-old man and a five-year-old girl in front of NAIA Terminal 1 were partly blamed on a weak bollard that failed to stop a wayward Ford Everest SUV.

The bollards, installed in 2019 for P8 million by the Manila International Airport Authority, failed to stop the vehicle, prompting allegations of substandard materials and poor installation.

The SMC unit that operates the NAIAX, Skyway O&M Corp (SOMCO), issued a response to the NAIAX concrete collapse that did not state the root cause.

Its claim of an “isolated and rare” occurrence was unacceptable since incidents involving the conglomerate’s projects have become too frequent.

Until an investigation is conducted, the possibility that substandard materials were used remains speculative but plausible, given the severity of the failure and the project’s history.

If substandard materials or negligence are found to have contributed to the incident, SOMCO and SMC should be sanctioned.

Instead, for one reason or another, reports on the accidents disappeared from the media and demands for accountability were silenced.

The routine whitewash is expected to be repeated in the NAIAX controversy.

Dislodging Speaker futile

Ahead of the opening of a new session of Congress, talk is rife about leadership changes in both legislative chambers and the intrigues have started.

The Senate’s recent move to remand the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte back to the House has sparked whispers of intrigue, with some casting doubt on the House leadership.

The narrative involves a weakened House leader, which is seen as an indirect attack by political opportunists aiming to dislodge President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by removing his first line of defense in the 20th Congress. Martin Romualdez’s retention as Speaker is not just strategic — it’s essential.

Romualdez has proven himself as Marcos’s unyielding first line of defense, masterfully steering the House through legislative minefields to push the President’s agenda.

Critics point to his reliance on signatures—whether for a People’s Initiative, an impeachment, or to rally support for his speakership—as a flaw. But his capabilities go beyond a signature chase but are a testament to his ability to unify a fractious House, rallying lawmakers to back Marcos’s vision with discipline and resolve.

His critics, cloaked in intrigue, paint him as “Mr. Signature,” but the designation underscores his skill in forging consensus in place of chaos.

Replacing Romualdez risks plunging the House into disarray, handing ammunition to those plotting to undermine the administration’s 2028 prospects.

“The intrigues to unseat Romualdez is a thinly veiled attempt to weaken Marcos’s hold on Congress. Retaining Speaker Romualdez ensures that the House remains a fortress of the administration, thwarting divisive schemes and securing the nation’s progress,” according to a political pundit.

Romualdez’s ability to rally lawmakers and maintain coalition unity makes him indispensable, thwarting divisive schemes and securing the 20th Congress as a stronghold for Marcos’ vision.