Housing and Polls Mix

(VP Noli de Castro with boxing champ Manny Pacquiao.Photo from daylife.com)

I just wish Vice President Noli de Castro would stop putting his picture in almost all housing development projects in the province. The PAG-IBIG program for members who want to avail of housing loans is a service that the people deserve. It is not Kabayan’s accomplishment. Take note – the housing loan program is not his accomplishment, more it is the obligation of the national government in accordance with our Constitution.

Whether or not the Vice President is there, PAG-IBIG will still work with real estate developers for the low-cost schemes and amortization programs for the Filipinos.

But of course the housing promos are free rides for the Vice President. Should he run for President in 2010, he would definitely use the government’s housing loan program in his candidacy. The billboards are actually more of a part of his advance campaign.

It is just very sad to note that De Castro’s popularity as a celebrity was his only ticket to politics. So I am not really surprised that he is extremely and exaggeratedly capitalizing on the housing loan program.

I recently heard him over DZMM in his regular Saturday show saying that the DFA and DOLE should look into the national government’s ban on employment in Iraq. He said the Iraq government made calls on their country’s ongoing demand for construction workers, engineers and other laborers for their infrastructure rehabilitation programs.

The Vice President is literally asking our government to lift the ban. And he is encouraging Filipinos to work there despite the continuing war in the said country. He said those who cannot find jobs here could at least earn there. Read: It is okay for the Vice President to send our people in Iraq and put their lives at risk because this government cannot provide enough employment and livelihood for them.

On the other hand, President Arroyo continues to visit other countries in the hope to export more Pinoys who would end up pumping our economy with their remittances.

I don’t want to think that this government is bankrupt of ideas how to generate livelihood for the people. Why do we have to encourage our skilled workers, our experts, our scientists and our professionals to work abroad and help develop other countries? It is as if we are really hopeless and our country’s only salvation is to export our human resources.

With all the research and development being done by the DOST and DA, I believe that agriculture alone can provide enough employment for Filipinos. This is not mentioning Tourism. If only the national government and LGUs would focus on real programs for the agricultural sector, then this country can improve its performance in agri-business like Thailand, Vietnam and China. Yes, we have enough funds. Yes, we have the technology. Yes, we have the programs. But genuine and uncorrupted implementation down to the barangay level? Doubtful.