SOME quarters are horrified. President Rodrigo R. Duterte turned down the European Union grant of nearly P14 billion. Politicians on the other side of the fence, including some Cabinet members, are grumbling. During the heydays of the Liberal Party, they would even mortgage their soul for the aid that would come from whichever source.
I stand in ovation for President Duterte's rejection of the aid. Neda Secretary Ernesto Pernia should have inquired from his boss first why he declined the offer. Obviously, he does not know where President is coming from. I think his mendicant state of mind precedes him but considering the impact of Duterte's unexpected and outright rejection of the huge aid package, he should have consulted at the very least Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez or seek the President's enlightenment on the issue. Pernia and the EU community should realize by now that they are dealing with a new leader who does not salivate for power or wealth.
I am not prepared to condemn Pernia or the President of the EU diplomatic community for their kneejerk reactions. It's really up to Secretary Pernia whether he should stick it out with the Duterte government or exit if he finds the President's action untenable.
Assuming the EU envoys are not aware yet or are merely playing possum, the big percentage of grants or aid that they sent to the Philippines which were course to their conduits donor foundations were remitted directly to beneficiary non-government organizations in the Philippines. President Duterte is very much aware of who were the recipients of these grants and how these were and are being used. He had been Mayor of Davao City for 23 years where NGOs of various ideological colors proliferate. NGOs are classified on the basis of their agenda among these on: human rights, environment, health and nutrition, livelihood and literacy to name a few.
As a back-grounder, NGOs sprouted like mushrooms following the toppling of the Marcos dictatorship via People Power. European nations were of the impression that the Philippines was a totally devastated country after the martial law regime. In fairness to the EU, their compassion and their intention to help cannot be questioned. But there was a constraint. They were either barred by their constitutions to give grants direct to the government or that they feared that the new centurions in the Cory government were no different from the hungry detergents during the Marcos regime. Aids or grants were therefore sent direct to NGOs. And this was to be the rule since then.
Among the NGOs which, initially, were recipients of grants were those into livelihood. Later, those into human rights and environment concerns emerged strongly than the rest. Because they drew a bounty of grants and are "profitable" not a few of them have in fact interlocking memberships.
Grants to these organizations were substantial and the sum of money they receive depend largely on the gravity of situational conditions they cite on their project presentations to donor foundations in Europe.
From citing death statistics at the height of the communist insurgency that bedeviled Davao in the early 1980s, they took note of the death statistics during the drug menace and organized crime which followed the overthrow of the commies in the City. The death toll was significant but to attribute this to extrajudicial killings is absolutely malicious because the drug lords also eliminated their own (pushers and distributors) that could lead to their identity.
Human Rights and Environmental NGOs have become veritable industry. Each time requests for grants are submitted to the donor foundations, figures are bloated and the stories becoming more grotesque. As I write this peace, there are European and Australian nationals operating NGOs in Davao City and are living in style and comfort courtesy of their donor foundations.
I can go into details but space will not allow me. But I think, this should be sufficient for the EU diplomatic community to look deeper into how the recipients of their aids operate. President Duterte and Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez will not out-rightly reject the aid if it meant to build rather than destroy. They should think seriously about the President's action before they fall into participating in the dubious plot of demonizing Duterte and tarnishing the image of the Philippines. This after they passed a resolution insulting not only President Duterte but the entire nation for tolerating what they believe extra-judicial killings are taking place in the Philippines.
It may be an irony but rejecting the gargantuan amount of aid is actually part of the solutions that would address the "horror of manslaughter" in the country as the EU members and the recipients of their aid want the world to believe.
This will stop the recycling of stories and death statistics that exponentially grew with the amount requested. This will also stop NGOs from busing-in indigenous peoples from far flung provinces to converge in Davao City to demonstrate. This city is the commercial and communication center of Mindanao. NGOs love to stage their drama here because they are covered by local and national media. Printed materials and video clips make good attachments for project fund requests.
Now tell me EU whether I am right or wrong. Now you know why you should not put conditions to your grants. You dare and threat the government that you might just as well send your aid direct to the NGOs. That to me is intervention but that makes you a classic example of a fool.
"Bring your aid elsewhere" is a clear message from President Duterte. Better bring your opiate to your former colonies.
