Are You A CAVE? A Wall?
What is the difference between a cave and a wall? This question is answered in the handbook “Moments” of Father Jerry M. Orbos, SVD.
According to Father Orbos, “a cave is open. It welcomes people to whom it provides warmth and shelter”. He compared a cave to a person who is “someone who takes in and shelters people.”
“On the other hand, a wall obstructs and even divides. It is also closed and cold. A wall is likened to a person, someone who shuts out people. One has to put up a wall.”
What are You? A wall or a cave?
Many families, countless of them are Filipino, construct walls around their houses. What for? High walls built around a house portray insecurity. They have no trust with their neighbors.
H-E-A-R-T
Further, in his handbook, Moments, Father Orbos asked: “What kind of heart do you have? Do you have a stony heart, a wooden heart, or perhaps a plastic heart?”
Please check your answers.
According to Father Orbos, “there is no peace in (our) heart as long as (we) had in it the sins of the heart. Which are:
H-Hatred
E-Envy
A-Anger
R-Resentment
T-Timidity
REVIEW BUDGET FOR MONITORING OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING
The Senate Committee on Finance will scrutinize the multibillion pesos proposed allocation for monitoring and evaluation of government spending, which eats up a big chunk of the proposed spending package of the government.
Sen. Chiz Escudero, chairman of the Senate finance panel, said he finds most of the monitoring budgets and cost of services of many agencies too steep, like in the case of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which allocated P4.2 billion to implement, monitor and evaluate its project under the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.
The welfare department is seeking a P108-billion spending package for 2015, of which P64.7 billion is for CCT. Of this amount, P57.1 billion will go to actual cash transfer, P3.3 billion to personnel services and P4.2 billion to implement and monitor the DSWD’s cash dole out program.
The amount of money set aside for “monitoring and evaluation” is too expensive.
Escudero agrees there is implementation cost needed to actuate a program, to monitor implementation of programs and projects to ensure accountability and judicious use of public funds. But it should be at reasonable amount. There is existing machinery and mechanism to monitor and evaluate project accomplishment like the Commission on Audit.
The P4 billion proposed allocation for monitoring budget can be used for other serviceable purposes that have actual and direct benefits. This amount can be put to better use. Better reduce it and add the amount to major programs, suggested Escudero.
Escudero also questioned the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the P840 million it plans to spend for monitoring and evaluation of its program under grassroots participatory budgeting process (GPBP) amounting to P5.7 billion. The DILG must give the detailed breakdown of these projects and programs in all 1,600 LGUs across the Philippines.
Concerned agencies must seriously look into these items in the budget with the view to introduce sensible spending at all levels and allocate the scarce resources equitably and fairly utilize for significant purposes.
BINAY BRINGS ISSUES TO THE PUBLIC
Vice President Jejomar C. Binay chose to bring the issues being thrown at him by his detractors directly to the public. He discussed the allegations against him with the people in Pagadian City last week.
Binay was in Pagadian to attend the 11th Rovers Moot of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.
The Vice President joined local officials at the Pagadian Public Market in a boodle fight for breakfast, during which he gamely answered the accusations of his detractors in the Senate.
The Vice President again discussed the latest allegations in the on-going Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee investigation on the supposed overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2 during a live studio interview with local radio station DXCA.
He thanked the public for their continued support for him and his family. He urged people from listening to baseless accusations. /MP
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