Atienza to Lim: What bankruptcy?

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza yesterday denounced allegations that the City of Manila was “bankrupt” after his third term as mayor of the country’s capital.
“Records clearly show that Manila had a P2.6-billion fund after my term officially expired in 2007,” he said, standing on his track record as the only Manila mayor elected for three consecutive terms.
Atienza said his nine-year administration gave the city “a very healthy economy” that efficiently collected taxes which were returned to residents through the Buhayin ang Maynila urban renewal and development program.
“Inheriting a poor annual revenue collection of only P2 billion from my predecessor in 1998, my administration, through innovative reforms, overwhelmingly raised it up to P8 billion. Our income-generating efforts were evidenced by topping the ranks in a centerspread published 2006 financial report of no less than the Commission on Audit and Department of Finance,” he said, referring the incumbent.
He said hospitals and health centers had adequate equipment and medicine stocks while nutrition programs were in place.
Atienza noted that young Manilans, especially from poor families, obtained quality education even as businesses thrived, generating jobs and livelihood.
He said transactions were streamlined to do away with red tape and corruption.
Manila was safe, he added, because law violators were arrested and punished.
With garbage regularly collected and roads well maintained, the city enjoyed a clean and healthy environment.
“We had a vision pursued and delivered. My performance as Manila’s father is proof of genuine public service. Lies being peddled must be corrected.”
Atienza said the present administration had no one else to blame for its bankruptcy.

Maynila: Noon at Ngayon

Makikita ang napakalaking pagkakaiba ng lungsod ng Maynila noon at ngayon. Noon, makikita natin na napakasigla ng Baywalk dahil sa makatawag pansing tanawin at mga pasyalan, maaliwalas na tanawin ng Manila Bay, mga masiglang negosyo, maraming trabaho at marami pang iba sa pangunguna ng dating Mayor Lito Atienza. Ngunit ngayon, ang dating masiglang Baywalk ay naging ordinaryo na lamang. Lahat ito ay dahil sa utos ni Mayor Fred Lim na tanggalin ang sigla sa Baywalk. Kung mapapansin natin ang Baywalk ngayon, nagmistula na itong isang simpleng daanan na hindi ka man lamang mamamangha.
Noon, makikita mo ang Baywalk ang isa sa sentro ng negosyo at mga turista. Isang buhay na katotohonan upang ito’y dinarayo ng mga banyaga at iisa lamang ang kanilang sagot kung tatanungin mo kung gaano kaganda ang mga tanawin. Kahit hindi natin sabihin o hikayatin ang mga ito ay sila pa mismo ang magpupumilit na puntahan ito. Ano kaya ang magandang dahilan ni Mayor Lim kung bakit niya ipinatanggal ang mga istablisyemento dito? Pinatanggal nya ba ito dahil si Mayor Atienza ang nanguna upang mapaganda ng Baywalk?
Pangalawa, noon nakita natin kung paano namintina nang administrasyong Atienza ang kalinisan ng Manila Bay at napanatili ang kaayusan nito. Ngunit ngayon kung mapapansin natin, nakakaawang pagmasdan ang Manila Bay, nagkalat ang basura sa pampang at may masangsang na amoy. Ano nga kaya ang ginagawang aksyon ng tinaguriang Dirty Harry ng Maynila? May ginagawa ba sya upang mabigyan ng pansin ang unti-unting nasisirang Manila Bay?
Maliban pa sa mga ito, maraming mga proyekto ni Mayor Atienza ang hindi pinagpatuloy at minintina ng kasulukuyang administrasyon. Huwag sana nating personalin at gawing dahilan ang mga naging hidwaan sa pulitika upang hindi ipagpatuloy ang mga magandang nasimulan ng naunang administrasyon. Napakasit nga lang isipin na ganoon ang ginawa ni Mayor Lim.
Kayo na lamang ang maghusga kung ano at sino ang ating paniniwalaan, ang subok sa pangangalaga sa kalikasan o sa sumisira nito?
Maliwag na ang sagot, huwag na sana tayong magpatakot sa mga gumagamit ng kamay na bakal upang gawing tama ang mali.

‘Yun lang!

Desisyon ng SC na ibalik ang ‘short-time’ sa motel pinalagan

MANILA – Nagbabala ang isang kongresista nitong Biyernes na tataas ang kaso ng prostitusyon, bawal na relasyon at paggamit ng ilegal na droga sa Maynila kasunod ng desisyon ng Korte Suprema na ibalik ang “short-time" o sandaling pananatili sa mga motel sa lungsod.

Hindi umano makapaniwala si Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante sa naging pasya ng mga mahistrado ng SC na ideklarang ilegal at labag sa Saligang Batas ang ordinang ipinasa ng Kongreso ng Maynila 17-taon na ang nakararaan.

“The only intention of the city council of Manila is to protect the welfare of its constituents as provided for by the local government code. That ordinance does not in any violate the rights of individuals, to declare it unconstitutional is confusing and mind boggling. A motion for reconsideration is ought to be filed," ayon kay Abante, isang pastor.

Iginiit ni Abante na dapat maghain ng mosyon si Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim upang hindi maalis ang ordinansa.

Una rito, sinabi sa desisyon ng SC na nilalabag ng ordinansa ang constitutional right ng mga taong nais pumasok sa mga motel at maging ang karapatan ng mga may-ari ng motel.

Kinatigan din ni Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list Rep. Joel Villanueva, anak ng evangelist leader na si Eduardo “Bro. Eddie" Villanueva ng Jesus is Lord Movement (JIL), ang posisyon ni Abante.

“According to them, there is no direct study about it (prostitution at illicit affair), but it’s very obvious that this would encourage it if not promote illicit sex," ayon kay Villanueva.

Naniniwala naman si Zambales Rep. Maria Milagros Magsaysay na hindi kayang pigilan ng naturang ordinansa ang mga bawal relasyon dahil maaari pa rin itong mangyari kahit sa mga malalaking hotel.

“Whether short or long (stay), it will not stop couples from availing of its services. Illicit affairs or drugs can occur anywhere even in five star hotels and the likes," paliwanag niya.

Suportado naman ni Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza ang desisyon ng SC at binatikos pa si Mayor Lim na kilala umano sa paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao.

“I agree with the SC decision. Lim’s ban in 1992 is violative of basic private rights. SC decision is a clear message to government officials not to abuse their power and encroach on private rights. Prostitution and illegal drugs can be addressed thru effective law enforcement and solving roots of their proliferation," ayon sa kongresista.

Case vs Lim on China travel planned

MANILA, Philippines—A lawyer plans to file a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim over the recent China trip undertaken by some 700 village heads using public funds.
Apart from Lim, officials of the city’s Liga ng mga Barangay (League of Villages), which organized the trip, could also be held liable, said lawyer Vladimir Cabigao.

Cabigao criticized the local executives’ “excessive spending,” saying it was a clear misuse of public funds.

He cited the city government’s policy against the holding of seminars outside Manila which Lim reportedly issued last year.

“According to the policy instruction, the holding of seminars and lectures in far-flung areas are discouraged due to shortfall in revenue collection and budgetary constraint,” Cabigao said. “But this was utterly disregarded by Mayor Lim when he allowed the foreign travel of the barangay captains.”

He said Lim and the leadership of the Liga ng mga Barangay have exposed themselves to possible criminal and administrative suit before the Office of the Ombudsman for violation of the policy instruction.

“It must be satisfactorily explained to the public the purpose of such trip because public funds were used,” he said.

Lim has already issued a statement saying he saw nothing wrong with the trip. He stressed that no city fund was used for it.

But Joel Par, director of Liga and chairman of Barangay 859 Zone 93 in Pandacan, admitted that the money used for the trip came from the villages’ annual contribution to the league.

“After having been apprised that no city funds will be touched and the chairmen will be rendering service while on leave of absence, I interposed no objection and signed the recommendation (for the issuance of travel authority),” Lim said.

Lim also clarified that his role was merely recommendatory while the final approval rested with the Department of Interior and Local Government, which ultimately allowed the chairmen to travel.

“But just the same, I will be asking the officials of the league if the trip was worthwhile by means of a report on what they have learned from that activity,” he said, adding that the trip was intended for the chairmen to learn and share experiences and insights with their counterparts in other countries.

“Seeing personally the fruits of the development in Shenzhen in eco-tourism, social infrastructures, environmental management, and the improvement in the lives of their people will give our local officials the insights on how they can manage the same development in their respective jurisdiction,” Lim said.

Manila is the Toxic Capital of the Philippines

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza said those words at the height of the Pandacan Oil Depot issue.
In that issue, Atienza’s rival, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, upheld the decision of the city council to keep the oil depot within the city after citing the economic benefits that the depot brings. Lim’s detractors, however, cited environmental concerns as the reasons why the oil depot should be shut down.
Atienza’s words are true. Manila is indeed the toxic capital of the country, not only because of the oil depot but also because the filth and trash that are present all throughout the city.
It is a shame that the capital of the Philippines is in this condition. The esteros and rivers are teeming with garbage and all of them stinks. The side streets are so filthy that it is disgusting to walk barefoot on it. The major highways are always congested with traffic so that the air quality in the city is poor.
Manila is a toxic city and for many years, the people are suffering from its filthy condition. Atienza’s words are correct and during his term, he tried his best to lessen up this problem when he was then the Mayor of Manila unlike Incumbent Manila Mayor Lim. Lim is at fault in letting Manila’s condition stay this way.

Group asks SC to hold Mayor Lim in contempt if he signs new Pandacan ordinance

MANILA, Philippines — A registered political party on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to place Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim under contempt should he sign the proposed ordinance allowing oil firms to continue their operations in the Pandacan oil depot.

In their motion filed before the high tribunal, the petitioners, Social Justice Society (SJS) lawyer Vladimir Cabigao and Bonificaio Tumbokon, said Lim should be barred from signing Ordinance 7177, which the Manila City Council passed on third reading on May 14.

“The mayor of the City of Manila has indicated that he would sign the draft ordinance into law. He should be prevented by the Honorable Court because for him to sign it into law would be grave abuse of discretion on his part," the motion read.

“The Pandacan oil depot is a nuisance per accidens [nuisance in fact] which must be abated. It has no place in a city which boasts itself as the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Therefore, Mayor Alfredo S Lim should be stopped from affixing his signature on the proposed ordinance and if he would disobey the Honorable Court, he should be cited for direct contempt of court," it added.

The SJS also said that the proposed ordinance 7177 is hazardous to residents because of the pollution from the oil depot and it also poses danger should any untoward incident occur in the Pandacan terminal.

“The proposed ordinance would admit the presence of highly pollutive and extremely hazardous industries in the City of Manila, under which the oil depot, among others, is classified, endangering the people’s right to a balanced and healthful ecology."

SJS said the proposed measure runs counter Ordinance 8027, which was passed during the time of Mayor Lito Atienza and upheld by the Supreme Court last April.

Ordinance 8027 declared the districts of Pandacan and Sta. Ana in Manila as commercial areas and ordered the relocation of the oil companies’ facilities.

Atienza, now secretary of environment and natural resources, has in the past stressed the need to close the oil depots, warning that they are a magnet to terrorist attacks.

Mayor Alfredo Lim and his war against Gaming!!!

We should stop voting for this old politician with antiquated ideas.

Buti sana kung gaya ni, let's say, de Venecia, Atienza, Bayani Fernando, na puro trabaho, and always ready to adapt to modern needs. At least mga ginagawa nila, merong effect sa kaunlaran ng publiko. Kahit na hindi ito ang thing to do politically, basta't nasa tama at makakabuti sa karamihan.

Ano kaya't mag shutdown lahat ng LANshop sa Maynila for one day? Palagay ko, ang daming business maapektohan. Kasi sa Lanshop karamihan nagpapa-print at nagpapa-type ng documents nila. Mga students sigurado sasama sa rally kasi isa sa primary need nila ang services ng Lanshop. Even their homeworks are tailored to the availability of internet access and cheap printing costs.

This mayor wants the public to go back to the dark ages where information is hard to come by. He wants the people to stay out of Lanshops and look for other diversions. What are other cheap diversions sa Pilipinas? Drugs, sex, and violence. Mauuso na naman ang fraternities, inuman, yosi, at iba pang humina ang business ng dahil sa Lanshops. How many Lanshops sell liqour? Almost 0%. They even do their best to block out websites showing nudity.

You don't have to be a genius to know that this mayor is not stupid. He has his own agenda, and it's not hard to see that it's not for the public's well being. He conducted a meeting without the accused party, kaya walang kalaban laban ang Lanshops. He doesn't fight fair, as most people of his kind do.

Well, no offense ha, but he was voted into office. Who's fault is that?