Category Archives: Government

Government

AQUINO AND ABAYA GETTING NERVOUS ABOUT THEIR PROMISE TO IMPROVE MRT

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A familiar sight at Metro Manila's MRT stations
A familiar sight at Metro Manila’s MRT stations

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Two years ago, when Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino touted his administration’s accomplishments, he promised to fix the problems that have plagued Metro Manila’s light railway system, the MRT, no later than the end of the year 2015. The mass transport system has been criticized by commuters due to persistent overcrowding, technical problems and overall mismanagement.

In a televised speech, Aquino said that if the problems of MRT were not fixed by the end of 2015, he and his Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya, will let themselves be run over by the trains. (Dalawa na kaming magpapasagasa sa tren)

Fast forward to 2015, with just 18 days left.  MRT has not improved a single bit, and both Aquino and Abaya are really getting nervous.

They are both known to be men of integrity who honor their word.

Only 18 days left before they fulfill their promise to get run over by the trains.

Government, Politics

PRESIDENT AQUINO NOT TOO CONFIDENT ABOUT HIS ANOINTED CANDIDATE MAR ROXAS

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Aquino, left, and Roxas
Aquino, left, and Roxas

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino is not very confident that his anointed successor, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, will do good job as the next president.

Roxas is the Aquino administration’s bet in the 2016 presidential elections.

Aquino said he’s leaving so much unfinished business that it sometimes crossed his mind to stay beyond his term should the Constitution allow it. “There’s a small side that wants to say I want to inaugurate the SLEX-NLEX connectors,” Mr. Aquino told journalists in a forum. “I want to ride the MRT with more trains, (with) the 14th (car) coming in (soon). (I want) to make sure that the CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer) program really produces the results (expected)… It’s like, there are so many things that will be left almost done,” the President said.

Aquino added that Roxas wasn’t his first choice to be the Liberal Party’s  presidential bet. It was only when Senator Grace Poe declined to be the administration’s standard bearer in the elections that Aquino named Roxas as his anointed successor.

Despite Aquino’s comments, Roxas says he remains a loyal supporter of the president, vowing to continue Aquino’s daang matuwid (straight path) and the campaign against government corruption. “I want to be my own man,” Roxas said, “but I owe the success of my political career to Aquino.”

Business, Food, Government, Law Enforcement, Tourism

PHILIPPINES: STREET VENDORS BANNED FROM SELLING BALUT AND CHICKEN FEET

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imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Vendors seem to be under attack in some countries in Asia.

The government of Singapore recently announced that beginning in 2017, vendors will no longer to able to display cigarettes in their stalls. The new law is aimed at preventing young kids from taking up smoking. All too often, young people are exposed to this unhealthy addiction through point-of-sale displays of cigarettes.

Following Singapore’s lead, Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino, upon the joint recommendation of the Health and Tourism Departments, issued an executive order banning the display and sale of chicken feet by sidewalk vendors.  Fried chicken feet, similar to those served in Chinese dim sum, is a popular and inexpensive street food in the country.

The same executive order prohibits eating balut (boiled duck embryo) in public. It may still be sold by street vendors but can only be consumed in the privacy of people’s homes.

In issuing the order, Aquino said he hopes that the ban will not only improve the health of Filipinos but also boost tourism by creating a better Philippine image in the eyes of foreign visitors who can not stand the sight of chicken feet and balut.

The order is in keeping with the administration’s mantra of daang matuwid (street, uhm, straight path).