Mon Jimenez is new Tourism secretary

A new day has dawned. President Aquino is slowly unveiling a new phase in his year old government. He is doing the right moves, and appointing people in their right places. 

Actually, these moves started early this year with the appointment of Atty. Fred Mison, as deputy BID commissioner. Mison, a fellow Kabayani, was appointed because of his integrity and love of country. After Mison, came a series of appointments of other Kabayanis and other people from the private sector who now lent their lives for the betterment of society.

Just today, the President confirmed the appointment of veteran advertising man, Ramon "Mon" Jimenez. Jimenez is one of the most respected advertising practitioners around. He helped, in some way, Aquino's electoral campaign last year, while my group helped the senatoriables. Jimenez is a brilliant guy. He is also not boastful.I am definitely sure he will do better than Bertie Lim.

The question that remains--what happens to Riza Hontiveros, the name floated about as the replacement of Lim? Indications are that Hontiveros will head one of the three OFW posts around.

Now, that the DOT fortfolio has been given to a veteran, will that be the case at the Bureau of Customs? Will Ruffy Biazon finally get this position and fulfill his dream of cleansing the most graft ridden agency of government?

General Danny Lim is one of the best names I ever heard from palace insiders. They say that Lim will now be the head of the Custom's intelligence department. He will be a deputy commissioner.

Out-going Customs Chief Angelito Alvarez insinuates that various groups caused his ouster

Embattled Alvarez lost the battle

Oh, really? When RMN news reported that he's definitely out, Customs chief Angelito Alvarez tried to justify it by saying that certain groups are out to get him because he uncovered several anomalies inside the bureau.


Oh, really now?


“I discovered many anomalies like how they were faking official receipts, receipts of origin and even load port survey results,” Alvarez said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer interview.


Now that he's being replaced, Alvarez unloaded what he claims to be a "bomb"---those missing containers were part of a scheme to raise funds during the previous elections.


Oh, is that it?


Records show those 3,880 plus containers got lost last January 2011---not 2010. Meaning, it vanished during Alvarez's term. 

Will Ruffy be the "it guy" who'll reform the
graft-ridden Bureau of Customs?

Reports had reached the President's ears of how several groups amassed huge wealth allegedly at the time that Alvarez was implementing the "tuwid" na daan of President Noynoy. But what happened was not tuwid but tuwad na daan. 


Smuggling activities went unnoticed at Subic, with tons of smuggled sugar allegedly smuggled by a known celebrity. Cebu and Mindanao ports were not spared. Thousands of containers with imported apparel, jewelry, perfumes and other appliances vanished into thin air during Alvarez term. 


What Alvarez is trying to say is that those groups who perpetuated these anomalies are now within hearing distance of the President. Untrue.


With Ruffy Biazon as the replacement of Alvarez, expect a shakeup within the bureau. The young Biazon is the most idealistic guy I have ever met. 


With a kamay na bakal, Biazon would surely make things harder for operators to operate. I am willing to cooperate with Biazon on improving the public's perception about the BUreau of Customs if he truly implements what the president wants---a tuwid na daan. 


But if Biazon would just transform the Bureau into a party "political milking cow", then, I'll always be here to write about the scams and scandals of the bureau. BY the way, I interviewed RUffy last elections see link: http://newphilrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/09/off-cuff-with-ruffy-biazon-that-is.html

Re-training members of the Philippine bureaucracy

Ruffy Biazon as Customs chief, assisted by former General Danny Lim as deputy. Hmmm. Seems promising. A veteran marketing professional as Department of Tourism head. Hmmm. Sounds extremely interesting. 


These are just some of the expected things which will happen either before or after August 30, 2011, the day when President Aquino is expected to announce several changes in his cabinet. There will also be some changes in the OWWA and POEA. 


Customs Chief Angelito Alvarez, a source say, is still there just to recoup his initial investments. I can't believe the amount, but some say, it's true. Whether or not it is, the fact is, Alvarez is really not expected to last that long at the Customs and don't even expect him to really debilitate illegal activities there. As what he said before, he's a veteran there, spending more than 20 years of his life dealing with Customs officials and employees. He golfs and they golf with him. Surely, don't expect him not to goof with them, right?


If he does right, Ruffy Biazon's star will surely shine if he does the right things there. Cleanse this rotten agency from misfits and operators. This can only be done if the right men with the nationalist perspective are hired by Noynoy. 


Look at the BIR. Several years ago, there was an effort by BIR employees themselves to really tread the right path. They trained a generation of BIR assessors and tax collectors and look what happened? These BIR trainees are now in sensitive posts in the organisation, doing the changes and ensuring fair play. Now, the BIR is not the corrupt agency it has been several years ago. 


Noynoy should fire all BOC employees and let them be re-trained. Make them undergo a six-month training period. Those who'll pass the tests, will be re-hired. Those who fail, well, better luck next time, or not given any chance at all.

Bureau of Customs scores big with intercept of big resins shipment

The main thing about this government is its sincerity in its fight against graft and corruption. Just like what is happening right now at the Bureau of Customs. Idealistic people are slowly entering the service and changing the face of this once-troubled agency.
Yet, brokers and corrupt men still lurk along the dark alleys of this government agency.

When BOC Commissioner Angelito Alvarez instituted tight controls on warehousing, smugglers went on another route, this time, using transhipment to bring in tons of plastic resin inside the country. Transshipment, if you don't know, deprives the government of billions of pesos worth of customs duties and taxes because no taxes are being paid under the transhippment declaration.

Yesterday, my source received an intelligence report that a particular transshipment of 6 x40 said to contain plastic resin materials was to be diverted elsewhere. The former reason was just a transfer from MCIP to the Port of Manila.

The source then ordered his men to follow the delivery trucks. The tail ended in a warehouse at Industrial Road, Karuhatan Valenzuela. Based on the report, the consignee is XURICH Corporation, while the alleged broker is Tina Yu. The container numbers are as follows:
EMCU 1376406
GATU 4454417
FSCU 4490836
MLCU 5151343
EISU 1623556
EISU 1738107
Fresh reports say the containers are still there. Congratulations to the Bureau of Customs for apprehending and pro-actively cleansing its ranks of corrupt men and women.

Congratulations to BOC Commissioner Angelito Alvarez and his men over at the intelligence division.

Crisis of Leadership, Mis-steps, Mis-decisions at the Bureau of Customs

A lawyer accused of acts of lasciviousness is now the head of a division at the Bureau of Customs. A customs collector who stands accused of numerous acts of graft and corruption retains his post in Mindanao. And an official with a terribly bad record of performance, now retains his post at Subic. He replaced a very simple and honest government official who recently increased the take of the international port by nearly 4 billion pesos. 


What is going on in the Bureau of Customs?


Is this the way to help government cleanse the ranks of the corrupt? BY promoting those with very suspicious records of performance and re-assigning those who do a great job?


I was informed that a well-meaning person already informed Finance secretary Cesar Purisima about the goings-on in the Bureau. 


And what did the Finance head said? He reprimanded that well-meaning person for reporting these decisions by Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez.


Fact is, there is a looming crisis in the Customs caused by an anomalous shipment of tons of sugar. Yes, sugar.


This illegal shipment was allowed to enter the Philippines, depriving government of millions of pesos worth of taxes and collections.


This shipment, according to sources, had the blessings of "higher ups".


President Aquino should investigate what is going on at the Bureau of Customs.


If Aquino will not act on this, then, maybe the Para sa Bansa July 1, 2010 movement could. 

Customs collector charged with graft gets promoted by Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez

Subic customs collector Talek Pablo improved collections at the SBMA, giving at least 3 billion pesos to the national coffers last September. And what did he get? Pablo was replaced by controversial Customs Collector Errol Albano, a known Arroyo gang member and a close Lina associate.


Worse, Customs Collector IV Lowell Lomuljo Medija who recently flunked a lifestyle check and slapped with criminal and administrative charges by the Office of the Ombudsman, was spared from the reshuffle and remains as district collector of the Mindanao Container Terminal.


It seems that Alvarez is really serious in ridding Customs of corrupt men. Pooh! Spit!


Alvarez promised to feature several officials slapped with charges every single week. Yet, the Aquino administration is getting a year older, and no single big fish has been jailed or incarcerated. 


As they say in the BOC...we are still open for business.


Let the facts show you how stupid Alvarez is. 

Medija is the latest catch in the wide dragnet set up by the Finance Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) in cracking down erring Customs personnel.

RIPS said he was found to have amassed unexplained wealth and properties with his annual gross income of R511,668.

According to RIPS, he had acquired ample wealth consisting of prime properties in Davao City.

Among them are two newly constructed mansions in South Royal Pines-Matina, a house and lot in Talomo Bucana Moonland Subdivision, a residential lot in Toril Eden Mountain Haven Subdivision, a 5.5 hectare agricultural tract of land with various plantations of pomelos, bananas and mangoes, six poultry buildings, and a piggery.

In addition, Medija also owns 16 vehicles consist of Ford Explorer Wagon, Toyota Fortuner Wagon, Toyota Land Cruiser, Honda Civic Sedan, Nissan Silvia Sedan, Honda Hatchback Sedan, Mazda Tribute 2, as well as Isuzu cargo trucks and utility vans, and a Honda motorcycle.

NOW, IS THIS THE STRAIGHT ROAD THAT PRESIDENT NOYNOY AQUINO WANTS? 


Aquino should immediately fire Alvarez. He is a thorn in the government's efforts at cleansing the Bureau of inept and corrupt officials. 


Aquino should not worry. Aquino should stop granting favors to those who gave millions to fund his electoral campaign. His administration is getting a year older and I think that a year of giving favors to allies is more than enough. They have probably recovered their investments and more.