By Manuel L. Morato
There is no let up in the alleged expenses incurred in the SEA Games held in New Clark City. There is a big fuss about the Cauldron, which to me serves as a symbol of the SEA Games, done by a National Artist, Bobby Manosa. Some politicians have criticized it as being “expensive,” without taking into consideration the complex structure and mechanism that went with it in the construction. It is really more complicated than what some politicians see it in the surface.
Regarding the amount of money spent on the complex, some politicians who love to play the role of Herod, “a brutal man,” pontificating that too much money was spent on the sports complex. Critics must understand that the SEA Games committee would have not allowed to hold the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines had we not met the standards of the members of the SEAG Committee stands on. No proper facilities, no SEA Games for the Philippines.
Accept that this recent SEA Games of 2019 put the Philippines in the world map as then First lady Imelda Marcos did in giving the Philippines a civilized country, equal to other developed countries. I remember before the Marcos Regime when foreigners I met abroad did not even know where the Philippines is; and some even thought that we still live on trees.
For sure, there are still remnants of those who criticize Mrs. Imelda Marcos for having spent so much on her world travels. But she changed the bad image the Philippines had as a backward country. Yes, it cost money, but the returns were well worth it. I am not touching about “ill-gotten wealth” for that needs to be proven; and by the way, there are so many politicians who robbed the government coffers and kept all what they have stolen in their pockets. I think the loudest critics are also the biggest robbers. The louder they yell against the Marcoses, the bigger they have stolen. It’s a cover-up. Kung sakali man, patas na silang lahat. Hindi malilinis ang mga sumisigaw against the Marcoses.
Who are we to Judge? I am not one of them. God alone knows the truth. But let me say what Mrs. Imelda Marcos once told me in a dinner in the house of my mother in the late sixties as First Lady (I refer to our ancestral home which was recently demolished by a brutal group, illegally) that she intend to leave behind all the art pieces of international caliber to the museum to place the country in the map; which she did. Kasi daw, puro mga wood carvings at indigenous native arts ang mga naka-display sa Museum natin.
Indeed 5 IL Canaletto (the Italian Master of the 1700) oil paintings were placed in the Metropolitan Museum of the Central Bank that other museums in many countries do not even have one. But the government after the Marcos Regime sold them for only $15M dollars when the value for each then was already $300M dollars each. Who made money on those paintings? I don’t know.
Hindi na matapos tapos and hidwaan sa dami ng nagmamalinis. Remember “Herod the great was a brutal man who killed his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. He ignored the laws of God to suit himself and chose the favor of Rome over his own people. Herod’s heavy taxes to pay for lavish projects forced an unfair burden on the Jewish citizens.”
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On another note, these criticisms being bandied around by the politicians belonging to the opposition must not speak out only to be noticed. I suggest for the Commission on Audit (COA) to come out with their findings.
I have a suggestion to make: I do not know what happened and how was the COA castrated.
During my term as PCSO Chairman in the 1990s, we had a resident COA Department, and well-staffed, inside the PCSO. Post Audit was applied on us. I did not like it at all. I sincerely believe the COA must be reverted as far as its functions are concerned. While Post Audit was practiced, I never singed any document, contracts or otherwise that was not first approved by the head of the COA based in the PCSO. Atty. Mila Romero gave in to my request of going through all the contracts and documents first before I approve anything. I insisted that she approve first before I sign it.
To make a long story short, I pray the government would go back to the Pre-Audit of COA which was the only sane way to cut down on corruption.
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I wish you all a Merry Christmas; and put Our Lord above all those who do not remember Him.
My family and I have had a troublesome year. Please excuse me for not remembering all my friends. I have the whole New Year to make up for it; and let us pray that it will be a good year than this one we are saying goodbye to.
Take care and be happy for the coming New Year 2020.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com