President Rodrigo Duterte has a response on the positive column of economist and broadcaster about the fight of the government against poverty.

In a press briefing on Monday, Presidential Salvador Panelo expressed surprise with Monsod’s column, saying that the latter is a critic of Duterte since he assumed office.

This made the spokesperson question if there’s a deeper reason why Monsod suddenly wrote positively about the government.

“Aren’t you surprised with that column? Aren’t you surprised this columnist is heaping praise on the President? From the time this President assumed office, she has not said any good word and then suddenly there is praising. There must be some reason. is she laying a predicate?” said Panelo.

Panelo also revealed that the President asked him to pass his message to Monsod’s column.

“Anyway, the President asked me to give his response to this columnist. He said, ‘Tell her, I hate being patronized. FU’,” Panelo said.

In her Inquirer column, Monsod said that the “Duterte administration must be congratulated” for their successful fight against Poverty.

“Not since the Ramos administration has the war on poverty been so effectively pursued; it managed to reduce family and population poverty incidence by 8.8 and 8.3 percentage points respectively between 1994 and 1997,” she said.

She also has reminded the President that he also needs to reduce rural poverty.

“Anyway, congratulations again, Mr. President.  May I just remind you that in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, you target the decrease of rural poverty, not just total poverty. May we know how rural poverty fared? And since poverty is a mostly agricultural/rural phenomenon, as shown among others by the very low poverty incidence in the highly urbanized cities, tell us how the war on poverty has also fared in the agriculture sector. Hopefully, then, we can rejoice even more.” she said.

A netizen explained what he believes the reason why President Rodrigo Duterte refused to accept donations from alleged ‘oligarchs’ when he was running for president in the 2016 elections.

On a Facebook post, Noel Landero Sarifa said that some politicians are being funded by the so-called oligarchs to have an influence in the decision of the government like the controversial 1997 water concession agreement which being criticized by the President.

Sarifa asked if the Philippines already lose billions of pesos because of the politicians being controlled by oligarchs.

He also believed that President Duterte refused to accept donations from oligarchs to avoid debt of gratitude and being controlled.

The blogger then criticized the Oligarchs for controlling the people, the natural resources of the country and the law.

Last Presidential election, President Duterte accepted donations from Davao businessmen Lorenzo Te, Dennis A. Uy, and Samuel Uy.

His highest campaign contributor is Rep.  Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr of the 2nd district of Davao del Norte who contributed a total of 75-M.

Here’s what Sarifa posted:

Ngayon alam na natin kung bakit ayaw tumanggap ni President Duterte ng tulong sa mga Oligarch noong panahon ng election. All this years lahat ng politicians na sinuportahan ng mga oligarch, alin kaya sa kanila ang nagkaroon ng mga ganitong kasunduan tulad ng nangyayari ngayon sa mga water concessionaires.

Ilang Billion kaya ang nawala sa kaban ng bayan? Sino sa mga senador ngayon ang magiging tagapagtanggol ng mga oligarch dahil sa utang na loob? Bahala na ang taumbayan, wala naman silang pakialam sa atin ang importante sa kanila e mabayaran ang utang na loob nila sa mga gumastos sa kanila noong election.

Kaya gustong sampulan ni Duterte na makulong ang oligarch, para ipakita na they are not above the state anymore.

Pinapaikot lang tayo ng mga Oligarch sa kanilang palad, hindi lang pala nila hawak ang yaman ng bansa, hawak nila ang batas, ang lahat ng politiko noon at lahat ng Pilipino, after all there was no Democracy it was all a BIG LIE. Proud ka pa rin ba sa EDSA?

Nakawala daw sa Diktador para ipakain sa mga buwayang oligarch. Ang tanong Diktador ba talaga o gawagawa lang ng mga buwaya?

A week ago, President Duterte criticized two big businessmen for putting the government in a disadvantage in the 1997 water concession agreement.

According to the agreement, the government is not allowed to interfere with the water prices or else the water companies could bring their complaints in an international tribunal.

Source

Former President Fidel Ramos warned President Rodrigo Duterte over his actions against the water concession agreement entered by the government in 1997.

In a letter sent by Ramos to Duterte on December 4, Ramos vouched for the integrity of the said agreements which contradicted the current President claims that it’s “onerous”.

According to Ramos, the 1997 concession agreement and also the privatization of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) which is happened during his administration is designed to prevent a “water crisis” in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Ramos said that the agreement gave a sustainable supply of water to the residents of Metro Manila.

“The success of this agreement has brought about an infusion of capital to upgrade the infrastructure necessary to improve the efficiency and service coverage to the end users. In Metro Manila alone, more than 18 million Filipinos (from only 10 million in 1997) now have access to sustainable water supply,” Ramos said.

The former President also said that the privatization of MWSS and the concession agreement is being followed by other countries because of its effectiveness.

“To achieve all this, the private sector mobilized funding from both foreign and local sources depending on the word of the Philippine government that the essential conditions of adherence to the sanctity of contracts and rule of law must be observed,” Ramos said.

“These are the pillars that hold together any agreement, be it between governments and/or the government and the private sector. Our word must be our bond,” he added.

The privatization of MWSS was made to pass the financial burden of the government to the private sector and also to improve the water service to the people.

Ramos recalled that before its privatization, MWSS is facing difficulties in serving the people of Metro Manila.

He also said that they carefully planned the concession agreement which is currently being criticized by the President and other politicians.

“Before 1997, the MWSS was unable to fulfill its mandate, which resulted in poor service to the public, water loss of around 65 percent not to mention decades of underinvestment and mounting government debt in excess of $1 billion,” Ramos said.

“The MWSS concession agreement, as with all projects and agreements entered into by government during my administration, was anchored on complete staff work, review and consultation with various government agencies, organizations and the concerned public, which resulted in complete transparency all the while negotiating terms most favorable to government.” he added.

Ramos supported Duterte in the last presidential election.

Last week, President Duterte criticized Maynilad and Manila Water and questioned the concession agreement signed in 1997 saying that the government has no power on the contract.

The President made the said remarks after an international tribunal ordered the government to pay billions of pesos to the water companies for interfering with the water prices.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that the constitution allows the President to “temporarily take over” privately-owned utilities like Maynilad and Manila Water if necessary.

“Under the Constitution, the state may temporarily take over or direct the operations of privately owned public utilities or businesses affected with the public interest: in case of national emergency and when public interest requires it,” Guevarra said in a statement.

The decision of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to revoke the extension of the concession agreement between the government, Manila Water Inc. and Maynilad received praise from the netizens.

However, one Senator expressed her concern over the decision of the MWSS to revoke an extension between the two big companies saying that it might affect the distribution of water to the people.

In an interview on Wednesday, Senator Grace Poe said that she’s worried about the possible consequences of the decision of MWSS.

“Ako, pinakanababahala ako ngayon ay ang pagrevoke ng extension contract,” Poe said.

“Dahil kung ‘yun ang mangyayari, alam mo kahit magpatayo tayo ng Wawa Dam, ‘yung treatment facilities n’yan, at saka ‘yung conveyance, ‘yung pagdi-distribute ng tubig sa mga household, sa mga businesses…kapag itinigil ngayon ‘yung distribution process, mawawalan tayo ng tubig ngayon na ire-revoke ‘yan,” she added.

Poe also pointed out that the water companies might stop their ongoing projects because of their agreement with the government is now set to expire in 2022 instead of 2037.

“Nirevoke na daw yung extension so hanggang 2022 na lang, so pagdating ng 2022, kung hindi sila ma-extend beyond 2022, lahat ng projects nila in the pipeline, matitigil,” Poe said.

MWSS made the decision following President Duterte’s revelation against the two water companies, saying that they’re trying to take advantage of the natural resources of the country.

Before Duterte’s criticism, the government is being ordered by an international tribunal to pay the two companies with a total of P11-B pesos.

However, Maynilad and Manila Water decided not to ask the government to pay the 11-B anymore after Duterte’s criticism.

“Ayaw po naming kalabanin ang Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Mabuti po ang ginagawa niya para sa taong bayan at sumusuporta po kami. Humihingi po kami ng paumanhin kung nagalit siya dahil sa arbitral ruling,” Manila Water Corporation President and CEO Jose Almendras said during a Senate hearing on the proposed creation of a water department.