Stateless in Manila BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 07/01/2010

Stateless in Manila

BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 07/01/2010 It looks like a duck. It walks like a duck. It quacks like a duck. Then it must be a duck. To paraphrase, it looks like a midnight deal. It appears to be a midnight deal. It seems to be a midnight deal. It has the hallmarks of a midnight deal. Then it must be a midnight deal. The signs were unmistakably clear, which is probably why P-Noy’s inauguration committee wisely opted to distance themselves from the Quirino Grandstand renovation project where the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) upon the say-so of the puppet masters in Malacañang reportedly spent a small fortune, around P230 million, for the renovation of the storied Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta for yesterday’s inauguration and oathtaking of the President-elect as mandated by the Constitution. The official reason put out in a press release by the DPWH was that the extraordinarily large sum was needed in order to ensure the allegedly dilapidated structure (formerly called the Independence Grandstand) would be ready in time for Noynoy Aquino’s grand coming-out party as the nation’s 15th President since being granted independence in 1946. Several members of Aquino’s inauguration committee, that had been tasked with making sure there were no hitches in the affair, described as obscene the last-minute splurging by the Arroyo government of such an amount which is why they didn’t want to touch it with a ten-foot pole.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100701com4.html

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