WHERE SHOULD INTEL FUNDS GO?

Folks, this is a personal view. I think that we are not advancing economically because the very people who are supposed to help us, those holding the institutions, become so paranoid that they use the moneys for secretly spying on people Have you heard how much the intelligence fund is? It runs into 1.2 billion, and will be unaudited. 

This intelligence fund, how much is reserved for spying on media practitioners? What kinds of spying do they do? What happens to the data they gather?

How come they don't spy on why food prices are going up and up? How come they don't unearth the truth as to why petroleum prices are skyrocketing? Or why the budget of the government keeps increasing, instead of decreasing? Where does the money go? Do we see any difference in our lives?

I only see indifference and hopelessness around. The thriving groups are those funded from abroad. Where do the trillions go?

The Maguindanao Massacre happened because there was connivance between government people and the police forces there. So what happened to the intelligence funds there?

The problem with our intelligence groups is that they fancy themselves as untouchables. They do not even reveal how they have spent their budgets. But we need to know why. 

I know that intel groups are having a heyday. They can ride fancy cars, buy good clothes, and fancy gadgets to justify their snooping. They have access to all kinds of reports, no need for FOI. Everyone is at their beck and call. 

When I was working for the Budget Commission from 1977 to 79 we unraveled the secret role of one of our employees. He grew red in the face. In that office, there was Rey Abella the Division Chief with a radical background, and many employees with UP student group backgrounds. I was then the spouse of an ex-detainee. So our division was really crawling with radical minds. 

Yet, we knew our limitations. We could not raise our fists nor shout slogans as  the student demonstrators could do. But we were able to present three part play showing the history of our country from Spanish to American and Japanese period, with the title: "Ganito Kami Noon..."

Before the intelligence committee chairs in Congress decide to increase the intelligence funds, they  should line up where the funds should go -- what are the critical areas where mindsetting, using brains is needed -- and primary to that is the food sector. Our people must have food to eat. All else may follow. 

Where are the sources of food, of agricultural crops? What brings up their prices? What are the responsible government agencies doing? Can there be a monthly monitoring of these prices so that the agencies shall be able to say definitively that the prices shall go down?

I don't think our problems are unsolvable. They are. It is only a matter of having the will. 

Think Food Senate and House. And Malacanang. Think of mouths to feed.