'Promdi' power in bar exams

"The power of the lawyer is in the uncertainty of the law."
--Jeremy Bentham

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- The results of the 2016 bar exams showed that law schools outside Imperial Manila are getting better and can no longer be taken granted.
For the first time in history, perennial topnotchers University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, San Beda College, University of Sto. Tomas, Far Eastern University, University of the East, and De La Salle University have failed to dominate the top 10.
The big guns have been overshadowed by the "promdi" or "from the province" law schools led by the University of San Carlos (Cebu), Silliman University (Negros Oriental), University of San Carlos, Andres Bonifacio College (Zamboanga del Norte), University of San Agustin (Iloilo City), Ateneo de Davao University (Davao City), and Northwestern University (Ilocos Norte).
Since the passing rate of 59.06 percent was considered as one of the highest in history, it is believed that most of the 3,747 new lawyers (out of 6,344 examinees) to be sworn in on May 22, 2017 also come from the "promdi" law schools.
When "promdi" parents send their sons and daughters to study law in the future, they will remember the 2016 bar examinations.
They will think that it isn't actually necessary anymore for those aspiring to become lawyers to spend much by enrolling in faraway law schools and renting in expensive apartments because some of the best law schools in the Philippines are outside Metro Manila.

-o0o-

Because of unprecedented level of humidity in the Philippines this summer, Filipinos have been warned to be careful when they spend an extended period of time outside their residences while exposed in the searing heat.
Many deaths have recently been attributed to heat stroke.
Who are prone to heat stroke? According to health experts those who have chronic illnesses like heart disease, obesity, alcoholism, old age, Parkinson’s disease, uncontrolled diabetes, those who use certain medications such as diuretics and antihistamines, and those who use some psychoactive drugs as alcohol and cocaine are prone to heat stroke.
Also known as sunstroke, thermic fever or siriasis, heat stroke occurs when our body’s mechanisms for controlling temperature fail, according to C.Health.
In other words, it’s a life-threatening emergency needing immediate treatment.
“While many people feel sick and faint during heat waves,” it explains, “most of these people are suffering from heat exhaustion, a related condition usually less serious than heat stroke.”

CAUSES

C.Health stresses that the causes of heat stroke is working or exercising in hot conditions or weather without drinking enough fluids.
“You can get heat stroke by not replacing lost fluids over days or weeks, or you can bring it on in a few hours by exercising strenuously on a hot day without drinking plenty of liquids first,” warns C.Health.
Why we need more liquids in the body, especially this summer?
C.Health says liquids help to cool us down by allowing the body to produce sweat.
“However,” it stresses, “liquids are also necessary for bodily functions, such as keeping up blood pressure. You can lose large amounts of body fluid in the form of sweat without noticing any effects, but at a certain point the body will reserve the remaining fluid for vital functions and stop sweating.
“The body’s core temperature then shoots up, and cells start dying. Sweat evaporates more rapidly in dry weather, cooling the body more efficiently than in humid weather.
“When working in humid conditions, the core temperature rises more rapidly. This is why forecasts add a humidity factor or heat index to represent how you will actually feels outdoors.”

HEAVY

Health experts also warn that heavy clothing and some skin conditions can also contribute to the occurrence of heat stroke.
The symptoms of heat stroke are quite different from those of heat exhaustion, C.Health warns further.
A person suffering from heat exhaustion will usually be sweating profusely in an attempt to get rid of excess heat, it explains.
“Someone with heat stroke has stopped sweating, due to a failure in his or her heat control system. High core temperatures damage the internal organs, especially the brain. The fluid loss can also produce dangerously low blood pressure,” C.Health points out.“Most people who are killed by heat stroke die when their heart stops pumping effectively (circulatory failure). Even people who survive are likely to have permanent brain damage if their core temperature has been over 40.6C (105F) for more than an hour or two.”

If only he isn't 'promdi'

"What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence."
 --Christopher Hitchens

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- If he were not a "promdi" (from the province), Ismael "Mike" Sueno would have survived the power struggle in the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Because he didn't have the stature of Alfredo Lim, Mar Roxas, and Gibo Teodoro, Sueno, a former governor of South Cotabato, had to go.
It's the president's prerogative to sack any cabinet official for "loss of trust and confidence." 
We can't blame President Duterte. No ifs. No buts.
Even without any solid evidence of alleged corruption, cabinet officials can be terminated anytime. 
They don't have a security of tenure. They all serve only at the pleasure of the president.
There should be no holy cows in cabinet jobs. 
A mere "whiff of corruption" means, you have to go, the President has emphasized several times.
We aren't privy to the spat between Sueno and the three undersecretaries--John Castriciones for operations, Jesus Hinlo for public safety and Emilie Padilla for legislative liaison and special concerns. 
But we are aware that DILG has been notoriously labelled as among the "shark-infested" government offices.

CONCERNS

Aside from dealing with the concerns of mayors, governors and the Philippine National Police nationwide, the DILG boss has to tackle complicated and in-house issues right within his own territory.
Which explains why Sueno had a turbulent relationship with his three subalterns, nominated to their positions by somebody else.
Because they usually do the field works and have direct access and meetings with local officials and police, many DILG undersecretaries compete with their boss in terms of accomplishments and attention from the President.
Some of them also have their own agenda and interests; they can be emboldened to display recalcitrance and engage the secretary in a power play. 
In numbers game, they can out-muscle the secretary especially if they believe the latter doesn't have the savvy, depth, charisma and fire of Lim, Roxas, and Teodoro (who must've smelled the same disaster that awaited him the reason why he didn't accept the portfolio when it was first offered to him by the President last year). 

CHARGES

We find the charges contained in a "confidential" letter leveled against Sueno that caused his early departure from the Duterte administration to be shallow, to say the least (these are all allegations and could be true or false):
--“There is a new hotel in Marbel, South Cotabato which is suspiciously owned by Sec. Sueno, although he alleges that this property belongs to his brother. His farm in South Cotabato which used to have only one nipa hut prior to his being a secretary, now has several expensive structures being built."
Sueno said the property really belongs to his brother.
--Sueno purchased several trucks for his personal rice business and his grandson police official, identified only as “Senior Supt. Sintin” and “who has a position during the time of President Noynoy,” is known to be the DILG chief’s collector in many illegal gambling activities.
--“Sueno has pursued the payment of the Rossenbauer firetrucks despite the fact there is a pending case in the Supreme Court. Worse, he with his family, personally went to Austria and made side trips to other countries to pursue a second delivery of 76 firetrucks which caused more or less P20 million compared to a firetruck which can be purchased for more or less P7 million only,” the letter read.
Sueno clarified the issue on firetrucks was a government-to-government transaction, which was made during the previous administration. “It was a 76 percent grant and 24 percent loan. It’s an ODA (overseas development assistance),” he said.
--Sueno tried to influence the Task Force Agila, the investigating team of the narco-mayors in the listing of the President, to clear a mayor from Misamis Occidental.
Sueno said TF Agila has its own set of officials and he could have not interfered in its operations.

TRIP

--Sueno authorized a mayor to join the Washington trip regarding illegal drugs when in fact the local official was included in the President’s list of known narco-politicians under investigation by Task Force Agila of the DILG.
“The delegation to Washington DC was prepared by (the) Local Government Academy and I was not even part of the trip,” Sueno said.
--“...he is inefficient and incapable of the position he occupies. We hope and pray that if there is a new secretary to be appointed, then he would cause the investigation of the afore stated incidents."
--Sueno is using all his powers as secretary of the DILG to force the three undersecretaries to resign because of his 'mistaken belief' that they were the ones behind his ouster."
--Sueno initiated actions to stop the three undersecretaries in the performance of their limited functions as well as investigations to pin them down on trumped-up charges. This was meant to destroy their credibility and to preempt his looming ouster.
--The three officials tried to understand Sueno but as months passed, they saw that the DILG secretary had become more interested in pursuing his own interests as manifested by his policies and activities.

LOYALTY

--Sueno spelled out his policy to the undersecretaries: “Your loyalty should be to me (Sueno) and not to the President.”
--Sueno also maintained and strengthened the powers of Panadero and assistant secretary Esther Aldana, head executive assistant to Jo Leysa, all well-known supporters and loyalists of former DILG chief Manuel Roxas II, by giving them powers to control all the projects and programs of the department with huge funding.
Sueno said Panadero is a career officer and has been in the DILG for over two decades now.
--Sueno revised the delegation of authority so much so all signing authorities are controlled by the three “yellow protégés” of Roxas. The head executive assistant, who is not even a presidential appointee, has more powers than any of the three MRRD undersecretaries.
--Sueno refused to investigate past transactions of Roxas that were allegedly tainted with corruption.
--Sueno’s wife was likewise the one in charge of many contracts and other transactions.
Sueno denied all the accusations against him in the letter and had issued clarifications.