I HATE POLITICS
August 22nd 2008 00:00
Well, yeah, to sum up my take on politics I’d say I hate politics. The problem is, in my life (private and public), I always find myself dealing with politicians! Let me try to qualify my statement. I hate politics because of the way politicians act. That is not to say however that all (as in absolutely) politicians are bad. There are a few who are well meaning.
A couple of days ago, I found myself dealing with them again. Well, not the politicians exactly. It’s their minions this time. Here’s how it happened.
The head of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Sec. Cerge Remonde, (who has a Cabinet rank) thought that it would be nice to involve the private sector in monitoring the implementation of the projects of the government as laid out in the State Of the Nation Address of the President (Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo). So he organized this private monitoring group.
He said his marching order from the President is to cut relentlessly thru the red tape.
The president of our company was one of those who were tapped to join the monitoring efforts. Company presidents delegate their duties to their lieutenants and their lieutenants delegate their duties to their underlings and so on and so forth. You know, in the way by which even the most insignificant cog gets involved in the most significant things like running a country.
Before I know it, I was in a car with my boss along with another guy to attend a PMS meeting.
Prior to this, we already met with the heads of a national line agency which project implementations we were supposed to monitor and, based on what we have seen so far (and these are still in paper), this government, at least thru the agency assigned to us, seem to be actually doing its job to alleviate the plight of its people.
And for a while there, I was actually thinking that maybe I was too harsh in forming a not-too-good impression of politics, politicians and everything they represent.
The PMS meeting went rather well. It was so exciting everybody gets to have his own copy of what everyone else was going to report and everyone who has anything to report went droning on and on in such a way that the longer the proceeding went, the harder it gets to fight not to fall asleep (Dang, they should have provided cots instead of chairs!)
At least, I was able to catch one report which states that the airport Terminal in Basco, Batanes (previous post) will be improved and another one in Itbayat (same province) will be constructed. Believe me it was so exzzzzzzziting…zzz...hu!? Done yet?
Well, it wasn’t. But by this time it was someone else’s turn to read yet another report. And, well… you know, the problem most of these line agencies encounter in implementing their projects were the availability or late release of their budgetary requirements.
In the case of this one, however, the budgets have long been released. In fact, they were released one hundred percent two years ago! And why are their project implementations not getting off the ground? The reason given was actually what jolted me from near sleep.
The reason: Politics!
Sheeez!
The projects have long been outlined, the plans put in place, the budgets released. Accomplishments: None. Details of the reason: Too many politicians are dipping their fingers into the identified projects, all wanting to impose their own personal preferences, all threatening to raise hell if their wishes are not granted.
Boy, am I glad this agency is not the one assigned to us for monitoring!
End result? A bureaucrat who no longer cares whatever happens to the projects. He didn’t even have an answer when he was asked what he did to remedy the problems. And his agency’s projects are supposed to have a direct impact on poverty alleviation in the provinces.
It’s a good thing I don’t have to keep attending these PMS meetings.
A couple of days ago, I found myself dealing with them again. Well, not the politicians exactly. It’s their minions this time. Here’s how it happened.
The head of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Sec. Cerge Remonde, (who has a Cabinet rank) thought that it would be nice to involve the private sector in monitoring the implementation of the projects of the government as laid out in the State Of the Nation Address of the President (Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo). So he organized this private monitoring group.
He said his marching order from the President is to cut relentlessly thru the red tape.
The president of our company was one of those who were tapped to join the monitoring efforts. Company presidents delegate their duties to their lieutenants and their lieutenants delegate their duties to their underlings and so on and so forth. You know, in the way by which even the most insignificant cog gets involved in the most significant things like running a country.
Before I know it, I was in a car with my boss along with another guy to attend a PMS meeting.
Prior to this, we already met with the heads of a national line agency which project implementations we were supposed to monitor and, based on what we have seen so far (and these are still in paper), this government, at least thru the agency assigned to us, seem to be actually doing its job to alleviate the plight of its people.
And for a while there, I was actually thinking that maybe I was too harsh in forming a not-too-good impression of politics, politicians and everything they represent.
The PMS meeting went rather well. It was so exciting everybody gets to have his own copy of what everyone else was going to report and everyone who has anything to report went droning on and on in such a way that the longer the proceeding went, the harder it gets to fight not to fall asleep (Dang, they should have provided cots instead of chairs!)
At least, I was able to catch one report which states that the airport Terminal in Basco, Batanes (previous post) will be improved and another one in Itbayat (same province) will be constructed. Believe me it was so exzzzzzzziting…zzz...hu!? Done yet?
Well, it wasn’t. But by this time it was someone else’s turn to read yet another report. And, well… you know, the problem most of these line agencies encounter in implementing their projects were the availability or late release of their budgetary requirements.
In the case of this one, however, the budgets have long been released. In fact, they were released one hundred percent two years ago! And why are their project implementations not getting off the ground? The reason given was actually what jolted me from near sleep.
The reason: Politics!
Sheeez!
The projects have long been outlined, the plans put in place, the budgets released. Accomplishments: None. Details of the reason: Too many politicians are dipping their fingers into the identified projects, all wanting to impose their own personal preferences, all threatening to raise hell if their wishes are not granted.
Boy, am I glad this agency is not the one assigned to us for monitoring!
End result? A bureaucrat who no longer cares whatever happens to the projects. He didn’t even have an answer when he was asked what he did to remedy the problems. And his agency’s projects are supposed to have a direct impact on poverty alleviation in the provinces.
It’s a good thing I don’t have to keep attending these PMS meetings.
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Comment by Anonymous
Sorry for being away, but blame Smart Bro for no service!
Bad news I'm afraid ! But first to turn to politics! A country gets the politicians it deserves, so don't blame them. Before any election here the people queue up to trade their vote and influence for cash and so it's no surprise when the elected try to get their expenses re- paid by 'graft'. The answer I'm afraid is a better educated Massa and less inequality, a long haul in this country!
If I look at my own country the UK, we've had two superb prime ministers in Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair this last thirty years ( they were both re-elected three times) and so there's nothing wrong with democracy if you get the right balance of society below it. Here you haven't, for who you know continues to be more important than what you know!
Now to the market. The last two evenings stocks have risen in the US but don't be fooled. The two evenings before they fell father more on recession fears etc. The last two evenings they were up and down but ended up on 'last minute news' but this week oil is up 7% and the dollar down. The first of these factors is a heavy burden on this country!
I have to say then that we are re-entering volatile times again and I've moved from 100% long to 40% short these last few days ( or now think it's much more likely that markets will move down). If this volatility does show itself then expect the PSE to drop to between 2,000 and 2,200 between now and the end of the year. If this does happen though, that will be a good point to re-enter the market, for you can expect great results ( politics excepted) from 2010 to 2015.
Regards,
British Bulldog.
Comment by Market Newbie
Stock Market Punk
You must have been in this country for a little while now to know all that. And sadly, you are right. But then, if I was told right about your location in this country, you didn't have to stay very long to know what kind of politics we have here.
Still, I believe I had been a bit closer to the goings on in politics here to know that while vote buying is massive in many areas in the country, not every winner wins because of it. Worse things are said to be happening away from the polling precincts. Not a good news either. But then, I already said I hate politics.
And let me assure you, I didn't get dragged into that monitoring thing because of political patrons.
On market issues, you are not the only one thinking that PSE may move down though it has been buckling the Dow for a while. My colleagues are saying that if it goes below 2600 there's good probability it will go all the way to 2000.