FOR THE past few weeks, I have been closely monitoring the row between the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP). From what I’ve read in the papers, the spat is far from over as BAP elected new officials despite the POC-imposed suspension.
It’s just frustrating that power-hungry officials have invaded and corrupted Philippine sports. I’m sure a lot of Filipinos don’t care whoever heads the BAP, or any other sports association for that matter. What only matters is that Filipino athletes emerge triumphant in quality international tournaments.
I’m pretty sure that the quest for the elusive first Olympic gold medal will continue to be only a quest until such time that Philippine sports officials get their act together and stop thinking about their selfish interests.
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Senate and House of Representatives investigations in aid of legislation have always amazed me.
I guess our legislators have a different meaning for investigations in aid of legislation. I have followed several of these high-profile investigations and I am pretty sure that no pertinent legislations have been enacted out of them. More often than not, lawmakers just grandstand, hoping to become more popular for the next elections.
Not that I am pessimistic, I feel that the latest jueteng investigation, just like a lot of previous investigations, will result in zero legislation. And recently, congressmen are also harping for an inquiry on the wiretapping issue involving President Macapagal-Arroyo and Commission on Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano.
Again, I don’t think the congressmen will come up with a bill that will amend the Anti-Wiretapping Law.
I do not want to take anything away from our lawmakers who nobly intend to clarify matters of public concern and ferret out the truth. I wish to reiterate, however, that a legislator’s main concern is to author laws for the general welfare.
Searching for the truth is a matter that fact-finding committees handle. Moreover, the legislators are not empowered by law to send to jail persons they may have proven to be criminally liable since those matters are within the province of the courts of law.
If they cannot be stopped from conducting investigations purportedly in aid of legislation, I just hope the legislators can hit two birds with one stone all the time—meaning the truth comes out vis-à-vis a pertinent legislation.
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I have been a UST student for the past six years—four years (1999-2003) at the Faculty of Arts and Letters and two years at the Faculty of Civil Law. And for the first time, I experienced enrolling in a breeze—20 minutes to be precise.
I never imagined that I’ll experience such efficient enrollment procedure. In the past, the enrollment lasts for half a day or gets deferred for a day or two due to various reasons.
Credit must go to where it is due and I have to laud Civil Law Dean Augusto Aligada Jr. and faculty secretary Atty. Lowell Culling and the rest of personnel at the Dean’s Office for their continued efforts for a more efficient enrollment process.
