Tag Archives: senate bill

Annexing the Anti-Epal Bill

Posted on by
1

Every time I see a billboard indicating the name and face of a government official on an infrastructure project being developed I don’t know whether to laugh hysterically or to start throwing big bulky things on it.  Because what I want and need to see is not their big smiling faces but: (i) the cost of the project; (ii) the expected date of completion; (iii) its purpose; and, (iv) the government agency involved.  At this point, I would like to commend the brilliant bill passed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago dubbed as the Anti-Epal Bill.

Currently undergoing deliberations, Santiago’s bill is formally entitled “An Act of Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project”.  I suppose this is one of the most sensible bills to have been passed this year!  It deserves immediate passing into law.

But upon reading the complete text of the proposed bill, there seem to be four glaring epal circumstances that were left uncovered which I hope should also be included in the proposed bill that is rampantly being carried out by a lot of government offices:

  • the names and hideous faces of public officials on ambulances and government-owned vehicles;
  • the photos of rhinoceros-looking barangay captains on barangay clearances;
  • the pathetic photos of mayors on business permits and licenses; and,
  • the atrocious tarpaulins of government officials (of course with their obnoxious smiling faces) hanged along the streets to greet their constituents Happy Fiesta or Happy Valentines.

It is such a shame that such a dynamic, current and remarkable bill would actually come from a 66 year old senator.  I’m a bit disappointed because I expected the much younger lawmakers to draft this kind of a bill.  Or maybe these young and claims to be fresh and more sensible lawmakers have already been devoured by the old and corrupted epal system.

Now, I know that this bill will be very unpopular among government elected and appointed officials.  So in case this will not turn into a law, may I suggest then that instead of just the face of the concerned politician, the signage must bare the picture of his/her whole family.  With 70+ kids, just imagine how the photo of former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr. would look like.

Plis, plis, plis, only in the Pilipins…

Alienating Senator with Alienated Bill

Posted on by
Reply

While surfing the internet, I happen to chance upon the website of the 15th Congress of the Senate of the Philippines.  While surfing the Senate’s website, I stumbled onto one of the most bizarre bills ever filed!  It is so debauched I got so stunned and astounded.

Senate bill 2639 authored by the ever ‘brilliant’ Senator Lito Lapid was filed just last Tuesday, January 18, 2011.  The bill seeks to require all signs, signboards or billboards written in foreign language other than English and Filipino to bear corresponding English or Filipino translation.

As its “dazzling” basis, foreign languages alienate the Filipinos in their own country.  He further explains in his bill that, “it is incumbent upon the State to instill and maintain a sense of nationalism among dwellers living within its jurisdiction, whether they are Filipinos or migrants.   We, as Filipinos, should never be subjected to the alienation and seclusion that we are experiencing due to this phenomenon.”

Let me tickle your fancy and fantasy in case this bizarre bill is passed into a law.  Here are some possible translations of popular restaurant establishments in the metro:

  • Je Suis Gourmand (French restaurant in Bonifacio Global City) =Ako Ay Gutom Restawran
  • Le Souffle (French Restaurant in Bagtikan, San Antonio Makati) = Ang Binate at Hinornong Puti ng Itlog Restawran
  • Omakase (Japanese Restaurant in Libis) = Bahala Ka Sa Buhay Mo Kainan
  • Taj (Indian Restaurant in Tagaytay) = Saplot sa Ulo na Hugis Apa Restawran
  • Bellini’s (Italian Restaurant in Cubao) = Restawran ni Manong Belini

Worse would be the restaurants that bear Korean characters now breeding the vicinities of Malate and Ermita.  And can you just imagine the changes needed to me made in the confusing yet eye-catching Chinese calligraphy characters on the signboards found in the streets of Binondo and Ongpin?

Now, in the event this dim-witted bill is passed as an official decree, there are two questions I would like to ask:  “Who then is alienating?” and, “Who now is alienated?”

Itong si Lapid di naman komedyante, nagbibiro. Sats a weyst of speys!