Fully booked

SILVER LINING

Dean Ernest Maceda

03/12/2010

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has issued a Memorandum Circular (MC) addressed to airline companies reiterating the prohibition against gifting candidates with free flights during the election campaign. CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla, noting that this was the “first time” the government has been particular in implementing this rule, explained that public utilities are supposed to cater to public needs and not give priority to self or private interests.

This is actually not the first time this rule has surfaced. As far back as 1992, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has, by resolution, required the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) and the offices and agencies under its umbrella to circularize to owners and operators of land, air and sea facilities under franchise or certificate of public convenience the applicable Election Code prohibitions on their businesses, including the ban on “free rides.”

The “free rides,” usually given in the form of complimentary travel vouchers, are solicited by unscrupulous candidates or offered by unscrupulous transport company owners to curry political favor. The usual MC language is to require the reporting within 30 days after May 10 of the use of their facilities by candidates which reports are given to the Comelec for proper accounting and monitoring of campaign expenses.

Sorties to the provinces by candidates for national office are always large production numbers, especially if the entire ticket accompanies the presidentiable. Of course, one can rely on the groundwork prepared in advance by the “machinery” in hosting localities. But there are always entourage personalities whose presence is desired, even indispensible. The quantities can be a carload, busload, planeload or even a shipload. Has anyone noticed that it has suddenly become more difficult to book local flights home? If public paying passengers suddenly find their flights fully booked because their spaces are occupied by the non-paying, then this is a clear abuse of the airline companies charter as a public utility.

This has gone on for the longest time. Arcilla is right. Government has never been particular in enforcing this election rule.

Just as it has been even more remiss in another enforcement context, that of campaign postering. Lakas-Kampi senatorial bets have gone on record to complain that the trickle from the party funds faucet has actually slowed to a halt. “We are being out-postered by the opposition!” As administration party candidates, do they not know that the solution is right under their noses? Under the Omnibus Election Code, candidates are only supposed to have posters in designated poster areas. The posters of the opposition which have sprouted all over the country on electric posts, trees, walls and other non-private properties are in violation of law. The Comelec on its own does not have the manpower — and because of its preoccupation with automation issues — neither does it have the time. But, just as it has done with the deputization of the DoTC and its agencies, it has deputized all law enforcement agencies to aid in the enforcement of election laws to ensure equal opportunity, time and space. The rule on common poster areas was designed to accomplish this objective. And one of the best ways to do this — a no-brainer — would be a strict ban on the unauthorized posting of materials outside of designated areas. The posters they complain of, by the way, are also in direct violation of local ordinances. Virtually all LGUs have sign ordinances regulating the indiscriminate posting of any kind of signage, poster or billboard without first being registered with city hall, and only after payment of the appropriate fee. The law was written so that no candidate can claim to be out-postered by the next guy.

Strict enforcement may result in even their own measly number of posters and propaganda ending up as casualties with the rest. The silver lining is that, at least, they can no longer complain of being out-postered when no one has posters at all. As administration candidates, take your case to your Boss!

q q q

Erap in Bicol. The Erap-Binay 2010 team with seven senators visited Camarines Sur and Sorsogon the last three days. As usual, thousands of supportive Bicolanos met the Erap-Binay caravan starting with remote Ragay, Camarines Sur and going to Sipocot, Pasacao, Iriga, Libmanan, Goa, Caramoan and Tinambac with a big rally in Naga City. Speaker Noli Fuentebella, Mayor Arnie Fuentebella, former Rep. Wimpy Fuentebella and members of JEEP, Agila, and MARE as well as PMP local candidates organized the meetings and motorcades. The most impressive receptions were at Pasacao, Goa and Caramoan where the townsfolk said that no presidential candidate has visited them as yet.

In the Erap party were popular Bicolano stars Eddie Garcia, Rez Cortez and Marissa Sanchez. In Naga City, the party bumped into Sen. Gringo Honasan and former Sen. Tito Sotto who were campaigning in the area. Today, the Erap-Binay team accompanied by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Reps. Ompong Plaza and Jun Lozada, JV Bautista and Joey de Venecia are visiting Gubat, Sorgsogon City, Bulan and Irosin.

One significant happening was the rainfall that accompanied the Erap visit to the different towns, especially Ragay, Libmanan and Goa which was considered by the townsfolk as a good omen because it hadn’t rained for weeks before Erap arrived.

Back to top

For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph
The Daily Tribune © 2006