Rent-a-racket

Nosy Tarsee has learned that a Cabinet man, because of the tempting budget allocated to his agency, is personally dealing with the rent of its satellite office but is taking a huge cut.

Nosy’s source said the secretary rented a building from a former government official for a modest P190,000 a month. Modest, that is, until it hit the books, where it mysteriously ballooned to P400,000.

Do the math and the modesty disappears: P210,000 a month, gliding quietly into someone’s pocket, no questions asked, because who’s going to ask, with a 2027 National Expenditure Program allocation fat enough to cover the paper trail.

“The kickback is even bigger than the original rent. Imagine, they’re pocketing P210,000 a month. They’ve got plenty to spend anyway given how huge their allocation is in the 2027 NEP,” the source said.

“But that’s the people’s money, taxes from the Filipino nation. They’re really good at stealing. Clean operators,” the source didn’t have to add.

Funny thing about the secretary in question — he is mild-mannered, well-liked, one of the administration’s designated good guys, always wearing that smile.

Turns out the smile travels well. All the way to the bank.

And somehow, that glow on the official’s face seems to brighten whenever the rent comes due again.