Infrastructure of fear
A BLUEPRINT of inefficiency, if not masterplanned incompetence, founded on an infrastructure of fear obtains at the Pampanga provincial engineer’s office (PEO).
That is what emerged from Monday’s committee hearing at the sangguniang panlalawigan (SP) on the status of projects being implemented under the 20 percent development fund for 2007 yet.
It was no funereal silence but the subdued, if not angst-ridden presence of a dozen engineers of the province was not lost to the board members (BMs), moving Sasmuan’s Cinderella, Lina Bagasina, to ask whatever happened to the vaunted tikas -- poise and carriage for you, Anglophiles – of the erectors of buildings and bridges.
Less of take-charge guys and more of castrated eunuchs, their chief-of-the-moment, one Olimpio Pangan appointed only on May 5, sheepishly admitted to Vice Gov. Yeng Guiao that he was clueless on why there was rapid turn-over of PEO in-charges. Pangan’s predecessor Renato Gutierrez having occupied the post for six short months.
Couching in diplomatese the straightforward query if indeed the “actual” provincial engineer is the putative provincial administrator (PPA), BM JQ Quiambao, asked Pangan: “Is it true that all requests to the PEO from the SP are forwarded to the provincial administrator for her decision?”
Couched with caution was Pangan’s reply: “Iwasan kung magdesisyun nung e da balu, uling under observation ku. (I avoid making decision without their knowledge as I am under observation)”
A confirmation of the fear factor there, with the Orwellian – not the Pinoy – Big Brother, or in this case, omnipresent Big Sister, keenly watching all goings and doings at the PEO. One misstep – at her whim – you’re fired.
So what can Pangan decide for himself and what needs to be consulted with the don’t-call-her-madam-call-her-Attorney-Vivian-Dabu, say for example request for the use of heavy equipment?
“E ku pa a-test ing sarili ku karing equipment uling ala kung diesel (I haven’t tested myself with the equipment because I have no (supply of) diesel). Not rising to the majestic heights of his namesake, Pangan’s totally insipid response dumped him to a mole, nay, ant hill. What disgrace to Olympus!
One engineer, a certain Bogs Halili showed his balls with a straightforward: “Minamatyagan ang bawat galaw namin. This is not healthy to our organization.”
He went on to speak of Panlilio-instituted “innovations” at the PEO as the clustering of engineers and the transition team as prime sources of the delay in the implementation of projects and the demoralization at the PEO.
Sad that it was only Halili who showed big balls at the committee hearing. All the others seemingly had theirs shivering and shriveling at the safe deposit box of the putative provincial administrator. Perhaps in the same box where the P500,000 Big Brother waved before the news cameras are kept.
So, have these concerns of the engineers been taken to the Office of the Governor, Yeng wanted to know.
“We have proposed some suggestions,” came the reply. Not from any of the engineers, but from one Atty. Joseph Quiambao, reportedly of the Office of the Provincial Legal Officer.
That confirms its all: indeed an infrastructure of fear and intimidation has been set up at the PEO. Big Sister is indeed watching every move there, and wherever the engineers may be at. Why, she even has her own personal monitor, a GPS of sorts, in that character of a lawyer.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. May momo sa PEO.
That is what emerged from Monday’s committee hearing at the sangguniang panlalawigan (SP) on the status of projects being implemented under the 20 percent development fund for 2007 yet.
It was no funereal silence but the subdued, if not angst-ridden presence of a dozen engineers of the province was not lost to the board members (BMs), moving Sasmuan’s Cinderella, Lina Bagasina, to ask whatever happened to the vaunted tikas -- poise and carriage for you, Anglophiles – of the erectors of buildings and bridges.
Less of take-charge guys and more of castrated eunuchs, their chief-of-the-moment, one Olimpio Pangan appointed only on May 5, sheepishly admitted to Vice Gov. Yeng Guiao that he was clueless on why there was rapid turn-over of PEO in-charges. Pangan’s predecessor Renato Gutierrez having occupied the post for six short months.
Couching in diplomatese the straightforward query if indeed the “actual” provincial engineer is the putative provincial administrator (PPA), BM JQ Quiambao, asked Pangan: “Is it true that all requests to the PEO from the SP are forwarded to the provincial administrator for her decision?”
Couched with caution was Pangan’s reply: “Iwasan kung magdesisyun nung e da balu, uling under observation ku. (I avoid making decision without their knowledge as I am under observation)”
A confirmation of the fear factor there, with the Orwellian – not the Pinoy – Big Brother, or in this case, omnipresent Big Sister, keenly watching all goings and doings at the PEO. One misstep – at her whim – you’re fired.
So what can Pangan decide for himself and what needs to be consulted with the don’t-call-her-madam-call-her-Attorney-Vivian-Dabu, say for example request for the use of heavy equipment?
“E ku pa a-test ing sarili ku karing equipment uling ala kung diesel (I haven’t tested myself with the equipment because I have no (supply of) diesel). Not rising to the majestic heights of his namesake, Pangan’s totally insipid response dumped him to a mole, nay, ant hill. What disgrace to Olympus!
One engineer, a certain Bogs Halili showed his balls with a straightforward: “Minamatyagan ang bawat galaw namin. This is not healthy to our organization.”
He went on to speak of Panlilio-instituted “innovations” at the PEO as the clustering of engineers and the transition team as prime sources of the delay in the implementation of projects and the demoralization at the PEO.
Sad that it was only Halili who showed big balls at the committee hearing. All the others seemingly had theirs shivering and shriveling at the safe deposit box of the putative provincial administrator. Perhaps in the same box where the P500,000 Big Brother waved before the news cameras are kept.
So, have these concerns of the engineers been taken to the Office of the Governor, Yeng wanted to know.
“We have proposed some suggestions,” came the reply. Not from any of the engineers, but from one Atty. Joseph Quiambao, reportedly of the Office of the Provincial Legal Officer.
That confirms its all: indeed an infrastructure of fear and intimidation has been set up at the PEO. Big Sister is indeed watching every move there, and wherever the engineers may be at. Why, she even has her own personal monitor, a GPS of sorts, in that character of a lawyer.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. May momo sa PEO.
posted by A.Caesar Z. Lacson at 11:37 AM
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