This is the #NeverForget Diary, a weekly summary of what’s happening in the Philippines under Marcos II. In a time of mangled histories and fragile memories, it’s crucial never to forget. (Note: this post may be clipped in your email inbox. Photo above from AviationUpdatesPH.com.)
On New Year’s Day 2023, a massive failure in the Philippines’ air traffic control communications led to several flights being rerouted or cancelled, essentially turning the Philippines’ airspace into a “black hole.” At least 65,000 passengers were affected.
Thousands of passengers were stranded in our major airports.
Passengers received some aid in the form of water, food, accommodation, and “malasakit kits.”
Many OFWs were disgruntled by the widespread failure, and dismayed by the help they got. Nora dela Cruz might even be laid off because she couldn’t return to Hong Kong on time.
Law professor Diane Desierto, daughter of former Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, narrated her experience:
More stories:
Here’s a thread summarizing the unfortunate series of events:
What really happened? In an evening presscon on January 1, transport officials said the following:
Transportation secretary Jaime Bautista said: “The primary cause identified was a problem with the power supply and the degraded uninterrupted power supply, which had no link to the commercial power, and had to be connected to the other manually. The secondary problem was the power surge due to the power outage, which affected the equipment.”
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Manuel Tamayo blamed power problems. One UPS problem conked out, but the backup UPS didn’t function for one reason or another. When power came back, Rappler reports, “Instead of receiving 240 volts, which is the standard, the system received 380 volts. This destroyed crucial equipment called very small aperture terminals (VSAT), which receive satellite data used by planes and air traffic management systems.”
Meralco, a power distributor, denied there were problems with power supply. “Upon initial analysis, there were no trouble or issues affecting Meralco distribution facilities and no power outage or fluctuation was likewise monitored or reported as far as Meralco’s power lines and facilities are concerned.”
Then, Sec. Bautista mentioned the urgent need to upgrade the country’s “outdated” air traffic management system, and said this will cost more than P13 billion. That’s peanuts (only 6%) compared to the Marcoses’ unpaid estate taxes.
The system in question, called CNS/ATM, was based on a 2010 technology and inaugurated by ex-president Duterte on 16 January 2018.
Manny Pangilinan, a tycoon, offered to help upgrade the CAAP’s equipment—this, after he himself was personally affected by the air traffic chaos coming from Japan.
Previously, Sec. Bautista raised the idea of privatizing NAIA (different from CAAP).
Speaking of transport woes, the government’s Libreng Sakay (Free Rides) program came to an end on December 31, though it may return in the future. There are talks as well of privatizing the EDSA bus carousel.
Amid the chaos at our airports and the stoppage of Libreng Sakay, President Marcos Jr. and VP Sara Duterte-Carpio released a new blog, where they’re wearing matching gray hoodies. #Priorities
One of their New Year’s resolutions? To sleep 8 hours a day. For many, that’s an unaffordable luxury.
By the way, VP Duterte-Carpio continued to abuse the resilience narrative in her New Year’s message:
GOLDEN ONIONS
This Christmas break, people couldn’t stop talking about the exorbitant prices of red onions, which reached P600-P700/kilo in many public markets.
At UP Diliman’s Shopping Center, red onions cost P500/kilo as of 27 December.
The year-on-year inflation rate of red onions is now at 200%. Turns out that chili (siling labuyo) inflated more, at 300%.
President Marcos Jr. tried to assure the public they’re on top of the onion situation.
He said price monitoring is crucial. But that’s not nearly enough.
Economist Winnie Monsod weighs in on the onion situation, pointing out the disconnect with earlier assurances that onion supply in 2022 would be enough:
Here’s my own take (my first English piece in months):
There’s a renewed push to sell agricultural products at lower prices by cutting out middlemen.
This is also the thrust of Marcos Jr.’s Kadiwa stores.
Presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos said the Kadiwa stores are not a long-term solution to the massive inflation of agri products. Still, she went around Kadiwa stores in Quezon City.
Another Band-Aid solution by Marcos Jr. was to set a suggested retail price (SRP) of P250/kilo. But will this be followed at all, given that farmgate prices are already at least P300/kilo?
An agri undersecretary told people not to buy 1 kilo of red onions if they can’t afford it. Really?
A phone survey of DZBB on December 28 showed that 100% of callers were “dismayed” with the government’s handling of inflation of red onions:
More onion cartoons, memes:
Btw, some restaurants are facing other food supply constraints, too:
The BSP forecasts inflation to fall between 7.8% and 8.6% in December 2022.
Netizens’ descriptions of 2022 centered on inflation:
MISCELLANY
Marcos Jr. appointed ex-Philippine STAR reporter Edu Punay as the OIC of the Department of Social Welfare and Development—in the process, softly booting out ex-Sec. Erwin Tulfo, whose confirmation was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments.
What happened? With this development, no secretary is at the helm of the health, defense, social welfare and development, and presidential communications departments.
New year, new debts. The Marcos Jr. administration enters the new year with a (still) tight fiscal space.
Speaking of fiscal space, here’s a matrix of new applicable income tax rates in 2023, thanks to the TRAIN law of 2017.
My economist friend Rico Villanueva scours the literature and found a paper which said: “[n]on-democratic countries with a high level of corruption are more likely to create a [sovereign wealth fund].”
The ugly reclamation of Manila Bay continues…
#NEVERFORGET
The Marcoses as Santa?
Imee Marcos promotes Nutribun again, this time as Wednesday Addams. Ack.
#RIP
GRAPHS OF NOTE
Older people tend to be more conservative. But are millennials bucking this trend?
Wages haven’t kept up with inflation in the US.
There’s a disconnect between US health spending and outcomes:
Fascinating time use trends in the US (how I with the Philippines also has a time use survey):
Higher education in Europe:
Record January temperatures hit Europe:
The global decline of poverty (although this was slowed down by the pandemic):
The evolution of the corpus of economic papers:
Grade inflation at Harvard:
5,235 exoplanets and counting…
CHATGPT
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommended 2022 recap: By Vox.
Recommended documentary: “Taiwan: Why the US & China are on a collision course” by DW. Scary scenarios.
Recommended Pinoy Christmas ad: By Globe Telecom. Oldie but goodie.
Recommended movie: Strange World by Disney Animations. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great fun and representation.
Recommended series: Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken, on Netflix. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Perfect for Rizal Day (Dec 30).
Happy New Year!
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