Guns and more. RPA-ABB members lay down their guns as they fall in line waiting for their turn at the inventory table where a person-specific form will be filled with firearm and ammunition details. Members also submitted themselves to bio-metric data gathering.   

RPA-ABB submit guns, ammo for inventory

By Georgene Rhena P. Quilaton-Tambiga

                Elements of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) submitted their firearms, ammunitions and explosives (FAEs) to the inventory team of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPPAP) and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office-Crime Laboratory at Barangay Bagonbon Hall, March 21-22.

Just an inventory

                RPA-ABB spokesperson Victorino "Ka Ricky" Sumulong said the inventory does not mean that their group is now turning over their arms to the government but that the latter is accounting FAEs as "a step towards the final disposition of arms and forces" as the peace agreement draws to a close. The inventory is also considered a "confidence building measure" for the closure of the agreement which was signed December 2000.

Inspection. Police personnel from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office-Crime Laboratory inspects the long firearm submitted during the inventory. Some arms are high caliber while some are improvised called in Cebuano as pugakhang or sulpak. RPA-ABB has not yet agreed to surrender their FAEs but the inventory is already a step to settling the issue.       

Armed. RPA-ABB members who have found Barangay Bagonbon, San Carlos City a peaceful and suitable settlement stand guard at the Barangay Hall where OPPAP teams are gathering bio-metrics data of profiled members. The group has 192 profiled members in District I. They refuse to surrender their firearms yet feeling the threat posed by a rival armed rebel group. 

Security issue

                Sumulong explained that RPA-ABB continues to hold firearms for security reasons. "Ang peace agreement is thrust gid ya sa amon organisasyon. Pero security ang amon concern. Sige pa ang negotiations sa actual nga disposition sang mga armas," he added but maintained that their continued possession of FAEs is not a hindrance to the closure of the negotiation and the reintegration of RPA-ABB members back to mainstream society.

                Thus, the group's arms that include M-16 armalite rifles, M-14 and M-1 garand assault rifles, Uzi and Ingram machine pistols, .45 caliber and 9mm pistols, among others, were returned to them right after the inventory.

                Of the 192 members profiled in District I (Escalante City to Don Salvador Benedicto), Ka Ricky said 185 came to the center of Barangay Bagonbon for the inventory. This process is being conducted since March 21 in Negros Island, Panay, National Capital Region and Bukidnon.

                Based on a close examination by the Crime Laboratory, the arms are all functioning but some are only improvised. It is estimated that one RPA-ABB member possesses one firearm and that they also possess community owned guns. Approximately 90 percent of all the arms of the members in District I had been accounted for.

Peace & development

                OPPAP is now on the process of settling members in peace and development communities (PDCs). In Negros Island, there are three; one each in San Carlos, Negros Oriental and Panay.

                Members in District I chose Sitio Nangka, Barangay Bagonbon as their PDC site. It is a 20-hectare forest area around 10 kilometers away from the barangay center. Ka Ricky said the site suits their community well because most members are agricultural workers and had been engaged in forest protection way before the agreement was inked.

                RPA-ABB has around 700 members nationwide but the bulk of their force is in Negros Occidental.

An open letter

Our Sincerest Appreciation

            No words are enough to express deeply our unending thanks and appreciation for the manifestation of deep love and emotions for the untimely death of Rogelio R. Debulgado, the beloved Former City Mayor, this city. Please accept our sincerest thanks to all who condoled us during our moments of depression and emptiness. [We] also thanks those who gave financial help, sent flowers, attended the nine days Novena Prayers, accompanied us to his final journey to rest, and to all those who whisper to us words of comfort, and who silently prayed for Roger's soul in their hearts. Deep in our hearts, we shall never forget the sincerest appreciation of sympathy to all whom Roger had touched when he was still with us.

            Our family acknowledges all the deepest manifestation of true emotions of love, and regrets for his passing away. Time can never erase these from our memory.

            From our family's deepest corners of our mind and hearts, where words cannot perfectly convey the language we all want to express,

            
To All: Thank You Very Much.

                  Vicky,

                      Roel, Rommel, Yvette, Gina and all Grandchildren

BFP-SCC wins Fire Olympics

PRESS RELEASE

                The San Carlos City Fire Station formed a team to participate the 3rd Provincial Fire Olympic Competition. The team was composed from different members of ORCA, SCRU, Fil-Chinese Fire Brigade, two tanods from Barangays V and six, and two Bureau of Fire Protection personnel. The said competition was hosted by the Office of the Provincial Fire Marshall in line with the celebration of Fire Prevention Month of 2012. Said activity was held at SM Parking Lot, Bacolod City on March 16, 2012 and was participated by different fire stations of Negros Occidental including the two volunteer fire brigades from La Carlota City and Sagay City.                The competition was covered by three different games wherein the San Carlos City contingent won all the games in different levels of prizes and the board of judges of the event has tallied the total points earned by the San Carlos City Team and declared the San Carlos City Fire Station as the Over All Champion of 2012.
                The Hon. Renato Y. Gustilo, Board Member of 1st District and Peace and Order Committee Chairman of the Province of Negros Occidental was the Guest Speaker during the Awarding Ceremony and awarded the trophy and cash incentives to the champion and cash prizes to the deserving participating teams.
                The OIC-City Fire Marshall SFO4 Jonathan P. Badel, Sr. expressed his sincere gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the City Mayor and Chairman of City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Hon. Gerardo P. Valmayor, Jr. for the great support (for the foods and snacks from the start of practice until the event is finished) to the team, Hon. Dickson N. Yu, Mr. Marton Cui (athletic uniforms), Mr. Dennis Tan Yu (PPE equipment) and Mr. Raul T. Bulfa, Terminal Manager of  PPA.

Source: San Carlos Bureau of Fire Protection, SFO4 Jonathan Badel

Quotes of the Week

QUOTES OF THE WEEK2008 

      “Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.”

- By Plato

        “Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase.”

- By Joseph Pilates

All in a day's work

Essay 

By 1Lt. Alexandre Cabales, PMA Class 2008

                I had some interesting talk with my troops after we had our usual meetings to plan out our future activities. As what I usually do, I spend time explaining to them why we do what we do if only to inspire more commitment in the kind of work that they deliver to the people that we serve. Anyway, our discussion came to the various activities that we have been doing in the barangay - from the Water System Project that we turned over to the local residents on March 12 to the cooperative that we are in the process of organizing in the same barangay.   I narrated to my men the incident that happened that morning. Well, at least allow me to share the story including its background.

                Last Thursday, I decided to go to Davao City and try to learn some more about organizing a cooperative. I have been toiling for this project in the past weeks and after reading almost all available material on the topic I can find from the Internet, it was just time for me to ask the experts. I went to the regional office of the Cooperative Development Authority in Davao City. I was impressed by how accommodating they were plus an enchanting conversation with one of the staff whom I had the terrible mistake of not asking who she was in the Office (she just might be the BOSS). Well, I came out of the office with more vigor in really pushing through with the project although I also made some realization as to how difficult it would be after I was "formally schooled" about the actual problems they have encountered.

                Armed with my new knowledge, I was looking forward to a wonderful meeting with the potential cooperative the other night only to be met with a disappointing attendance. I was able to overcome being hysterical about it, thinking that it was normal since I was actually trying to introduce something new to the community. In the end, we were able to come up with a working plan on how to move forward with the agreement of fixing our attendance problem.

                I made a call to the Muncipal Cooperative Development Officer of Lupon, Davao Oriental. Although it is still too early to pass judgment but this is how the conversation happened:

Woman: Hello?
Me: Yes ma'am, ako po si Lt Cabales of 28IB, I was referred by a personnel from Cooperative Development Authority in Davao City and I was told that you are the one to be asked about my concerns.
Woman: Ano po ba yun sir, kung information lang po ang kailangan nyo maganda po kausapin nyo yung taga CDA talaga.
Me: Galing nga po ako ng CDA ang sabi nila kayo raw po ang makakatulong sa akin
Woman: Ano pala gusto nyong gawin, Sir?
Me: Nag-oorganize nga po ako ng cooperative and I want to know on how do I make arrangements for a pre-membership seminar for the group that I am organizing as a cooperative.
Woman: Hindi kasi ako, Sir, ang nagbibigay niyan. Tanong kayo sa iba.
Me: Kayo naman po kasi ang ni-refer sa akin, I'm sure kung hindi kayo dapat meron kayong marerefer sa akin kasi I was told that you were the point person when it comes to cooperatives in the Municipality.
Woman: Ay sige sir kailan ba ang plano nyo?
Me: Yun nga eh kaya I really need to talk it out kasi po itong grupo na ino-organize ko ay mga habal-habal drivers (motorcycle drivers) so wala po silang time to have the seminar during the day kasi oras po yan ng paghahanap buhay nila.  Gusto ko po sana gabi.
Woman: Ay hindi pwede yan sir after office hours na 'yan.
Me: Yun nga po kaya gusto kong makausap kasi naman para naman pong mali na hindi natin kaya silang i-accomodate ng ganung oras eh gusto nga natin silang tulungan tapos kailangan pala huwag silang maghanap buhay para lang matulungan natin sila.
Woman: After office hours na kasi yan, Sir!
Me: Ma'am di ba po taga gobyerno tayo, para namang sinasabi natin sa kanila na huwag na munang kumain yung pamilya nila para maka-attend sila ng seminar na kailangan nila para matulungan sila ng gobyerno. Ang tingin ko po dapat tayo ang mag-adjust kaya nga po sana pag-usapan natin.
Woman: Wala na kasing trabaho niyan, Sir.
Me: (By this time if she was in front of me I would have slapped her) Ganito na lang po, Ma'am, punta na lang po ako dyan para mapag-usapan po natin ng maayos yung concern ko.
Woman: Sige sir. (then immediately puts the phone down).

                I was able to finally connect to the Provincial Cooperative Office who was in fact more accommodating and I think is more professional. Again I am not passing judgment on her (God Bless her Soul) but if only our government workers put some form of commitment in what they do maybe we have less problems. For me now, I will go on, move forward, in the end all of these things are just part of a day's work.

Nakigsulti ang Ginoo ni Manny?

Komentaryo

Ni Dodong Mondragon

               Nakalitan ko sa pagbasa sa headlines sa Philippine Star nga matud pa ni Manny Pacquiao ang Ginoo misulti kaniya pinaagi sa damgo nga paundangon na sya sa boxing. Wala kuno hino-on sya sultihi kon kanus-a sya moundang. Sa pagbasa nako niini, naglibog ko kung angayan ba syang dayawon o kataw-an sa iyang pamahayag.

                Sa akong gamay nga nahibal-an kabahin sa Bibliya, sa tibuok kasaysayan sa tawo, pipila lamang ka personahe nga nahisulat nga ang Ginoo nakighinabi sa tawo. Usa sa akong nabasahan mao si Noah. Matud pa sa sugilanon, ang Ginoo nagmahay nganong gimugna pa niya ang tawo nga ang resulta dili man maayo kay sa ilang pagpuyo sa kalibutan nahimo man kini silang mga dautan. Napuno sila sa mga kasal-anan mao nga nakahukom ang Ginoo nga puokon ang tawo pinaagi sa dakong lunop.  Pero makita sa Ginoo nga may usa pa ka maayong tawo nga mao si Noah ug sya dili maka-ako nga madalahig sa silot si Noah.

                Busa iyang gisulti-an si Noah nga magtukod ug dakong arko nga iyang sikupon ang iyang pamilya ug nagkalain-laing hayop ug sila magpuyo sulod niini aron sila maluwas gikan sa dakong lunop.

Image source:  http://celebrityandcelebrity.blogspot.com/2011/08/manny-pacquiao-filipino-boxing-player.html

                Ang usa nga akong nahibal-an mao si Moses. Nakighinabi ang Ginoo ni Moses kon unsaon niya pagdala ang mga Hudeo ngadto sa kagawasan gikan sa pagka-ulipon sa Ehepto. Ug sa pagsaka niya sa bukirang Sinai aron makamugna sa napulo ka sugo, mipakita ang Ginoo pinaagi sa nagdilaab nga kalayo ang usa ka puno-ang kahoy. Ug dinhi misulti ang Ginoo kabahin sa napulo ka sugo nga angayang tumanon sa katawhan.

                Usa usab ka higayon nga nakigsulti ang Ginoo sa mga pipila ka nakasaksi nga si Jesus gibunyagan ni San Juan sa sapa nga matud pa sa kasulatan ang langit mi-abli ug milanog ang dakong tingog nga miingon, "Mao kini ang akong anak nga akong gikahimot-an pag-ayo." Mao kini ang mga dagkong panghitabo nga diin ang Ginoo nakigsulti sa tawo.

                Duna kitay nailhan nga mga tawo nga nakahimo ug mga maayong butang alang sa katawhan sama sa kang Mother Theresa nga usa ka madre nga ginatawag ug 'living saint' pero wala gyud kini sya mag-ingon nga ang Ginoo nakighinabi kaniya. Ang usa usab, si Pope John Paul II nga karon gideklarar na nga usa ka santo. Bisan sa atong pagtuo nga kini sila du-ol kaayo sa Ginoo apan sa buhi pa sila wala gyud kini sila mamahayag nga ang Ginoo nakighinabi kanila bisan lamang sa damgo.

                Unya karon ani-ay usa ka Pilipino nga boksingero moingon nga ang Ginoo misulti kaniya pinaagi sa damgo. Sa binilyon ka tawo sa kalibutan sya pa ang gigahinan ug higayon sa Ginoo nga sulti-an kabahin sa iyang karera sa boksing?

                Unsa mahinungdanon na gyud kaayo ang iyang boxing sa Ginoo? Pagkayamat baya niini!

                Dunay ginaingon sa mga nagtuon bahin sa pangisip, "If you talk to God it is prayer but if God talks to you, you have psychosis." Hinaut nga si Manny Pacquiao na misquoted lang o nagkomedya lang. Kon mo-insister sya nga ang Ginoo misulti kaniya, mabalaka na ko kabahin sa iyang hustong pangisip.

Pikpik sa Abaga

Ni Henry Sandoval

Bag-o sa LTO

                Ignon ani man gyud ning tawo reklamo basta madakpan. Tag-iya sa motor nga Star X/MC ang nadakpan sa LTO San Carlos. Expired na ang rehistro kaniadto pang 2004 hangtud karon. Dako-dako gyud ang namulta sa tag-iya. Laliman kag mikabat sa

P 8,487 ang nabayad niya. Unya ang nakasakit kay dili na gyud marehistro ang maong motor kay manual ang rehistro niini. Nakuha man tuod niya iyahang motor apan dili na niya kini mapadagan kay dili man marehistro ug balik. Para gyud matagaan ug esplikasyon ang maong mireklamo kanako akong gisulayan ug hinabi ang Hepe sa LTO San Carlos ug mao ni iyahang gitubag kanako sa dihang akong kining gipangutana ang resibo nga gi-type ra ug wala muagi sa Computer.

                Matud pa ni Mr. Tampus nga duha ka paagi ang ilahang resibohay dinha sa ilahang opisina. Ang usa ka paagi mao nga muagi sa computer ug ang usa manual. Matud pa niya pareha anang motor nga nadakpan dunay item sa bayad dinha nga dili madawat sa computer mao nang ila na lang kining gi-manual ug intak ang mga resibo niini ug kumpleto usab kining gipadala ngadto sa kauluhan. Kato ganing nadakpan iya pang ginatambagan nga "Dili na lang mamulta kun dili mabakal na lang mga reposes da nga mga motor" kay kun madakpan pa kuno ug balik ang maong motor "madugta na lang kay indi na malukat."

                Nalipat lang ko ug pangutana ni Mr. Tampus nga kung mupalit na lang syag mga reposes nga motor makuha ba niya ang iyahang motor nga nadakpan? Dili siguro. Ug dili kaanugon sad no nga naa ra imong makit-an nga madugta diha sa LTO office ang imong motor. Na kani pahibalo lang sa mga motor nga manual ang rehistro murag dili na gyud na ma-renew nang rehistro ana. Kay aduna silay nadawat nga Memorandum Circular niadtong November 29, 2011 gikan sa Central Office nga nagpahibalo sa tanang Regional Directors, Head of Agencies, ang LTO IT System nga ang Central Office dili na mo-proseso o mo-implementar ug request for MV Data Take-On from field Offices. Mao nang ug duna moy motor nga pipila na ka tuig nga na rehistro ug manual pa ayaw na lang kana padagana kay ug madakpan kana dili na gyud kana makuha pa. Ang maayo na lang ana i-convert ang makina ug galingan sa kape mapuslan pa na.

**********

                Sa Nasugbu, Batangas  nagkahiusa ang  NGO, LGU, ug mga grupo sa mga estudyante sa pagpananum ug bakhaw sa daplin sa kabaybayunan. Matud pa sa lider, nga importante gyud nga mudaghan ang bakhaw sa ilahang daplin sa baybayon tungod kay dako kaayo ug kapuslanan.  Usa sa iyahang gihisgutan nga dinha sa bakhawan nangitlog ang mga isda. Kay kung mahurot ang maong mga tanum sa dagat asa na man lang unya kuno mangitlog ang isda?

                Dinhi sa atua, sa nagtrabaho pa ako sa kang Konsehal Dixon Yu, usa ang nursery sa bakhawan sa among gidu-aw dinha sa Maloloy-on.  Malampuson ang maong proyekto. Labihan kadaghan sa bakhaw nga gipananum sa mga tawo nga gi-sweldohan sa gobyerno.  Siniguro gyud ang mga itloganan sa isda.  Apan karon hilabihan na intawon ka imposible nga ang isda maka- itlog pa sa mga bakhawan sa daplin sa atong kabaybayonan labi na gyud sa Maloloy-on padulong sa baybayon sa Barangay I.

                Matud pa sa mga manunudsod nga akong nahinabi diri na sila sa may pantalan sa central nanudsod kay didto sa baybayon sa may ka Preking gawas sa wala nay makuha kaayo nga pasayan katol pa gyud ang dagat.  Ang gamay nga sapa-sapa nga lusot diha sa may Nefcor wala kana kaayoy makita nga alingkara ug agokoy nga mao untay tima-ilhan nga dili kontamenado ang dagat.

                Niadtong milabay nga semana adunay mibisita didto nga tulo ka grupo. Ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources, San Carlso Bioethanol, Inc., ug Barangay Official sa Barangay I mikuha sa punong ug sample sa dagat duol sa may NEFCOR. Ug pananglitan, aduna nay resulta sa pag-examine atong gikuha nila nga sample, unsa kayhay mga alternatibo nga paagi kung makita nga positibo sa makadaot sa mga isda sa dagat ang maong hugaw nga gipaagas dinha sa gagmay nga kanal sa tapad sa eskwelahan?

Nahinumdum ko sa sulti ni Mr. Jojo Salvador nga ang uban nianang hugaw nga gikan sa SCBI gi-bisbis sa mga katubhan ug mga punong.  Pero murag dili kahurot pagyabo sa mga kampo ug punong.  Mulat-as gyud sa gamay nga punong diin gipundo kanang mga hinugas sa ethanol. Labi na gyud kung mubaha mokusog ang ulan tiwas ang mga tigas nga alimango nga naa sa daplin sa mga punong.

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Karla Krystle W. Lezama

for passing the

University of the Philippines Law Aptitude Test (entrance exam to the UP College of Law)

taken last January 22, 2012 at UP Dilliman

Broker-broker

Bantay Banat

Ni Rics Cañisarez

                Lisod na gyud kaayo ang kahimtang karon, kay hasta ang uban diha sa City Assesor's Office intra na man ug broker-broker. Dihay usa ka buyer nga nagdala sa photocopy sa usa ka house and lot ug nangutana kon pila daw ang market value. Wala pa gani kuno matud pa mahuman ang istorya, duna say miingon nga taga opisina ra usab nga, "Ah, gamay ra man ang market value niana kon gusto ka naa say ako tan-awa unya."

                Nag broker-broker na sad mo diha?

                         **********

                Pastilan ning mga tulisan karon dinhi sa atong syudad, dili na bati-on ug kahadlok kay bisag adlawang daku mang hold-up. Niadtong nakalabay nga semana dihay usa ka tig-supply ug mga tambal diha sa City Health Office ang gi-holdup. Gikan tingali ni sya sa Victorias unya, pag-abot sa San Carlos, misakay ug motor paingon sa pantalan kay moadto sa Cebu mopalit ug mga tambal aron i-deliver diha sa City Health. Pag-abot sa terminal gidunganan pag-sakay sa duha ka lalaki nga armado ug gimandaran ang driver nga diretso sa Oriental. (Dili ba kaha connivance ang driver?)

                Samtang nagdagan ang motor, mideklarar ang usa nga hold-up kini ug miingon nga, "Ug dili ka gustong mamatay ihatag nang imong bag kanamo." Walay nahimo ang babaye nga nagpakiluoy nga dili lang intawon sya unsa-on ug ipakuha lang niya ang sulod sa iyang bag. Ang sulod sa bag mao ang tulo ka tseke sa BDO Victorias branch ug cash.  Pagkahuman gipakanaug ang babaye nga gibaya-an sa mga hinampak nga dagku. May miagi nga salakyan ug nagpakiluoy sya nga mosakay paingon diri sa San Carlos.

                Dili lang kini nga holdup ang nahitabo diri sa atong dakbayan. Pero may nadakpan ba? Dili ba nga duna na man tay CCTV camera? Ang ato diay mga pulis, hain na man?

                         **********

                Daghan na gyud kaayo ang nagreklamo aning polusyon gikan sa SCBI. Gawas sa water pollution, naa pa gyud ning ashfall (kining agiw gikan sa simboryo) nga kon mapuling ka sakit sa mata. Sa mga linabhan nga gihay-hay mangitom tungod sa agiw. Sa mga taga ethanol, ayaw na intawon mo ug pabungol-bungol uy!

                Tan-awa ra gud na ninyo nang dagat diha sa Preking sa Barangay I kaniadto mura ug tiaw-te pero, karon mura na gyud ug kolor gasolina ug baho pa gyud. Sa among pag-adto didto hasta kuno ang fish pond (punong) apektado pa sa polusyon. Akong gipangutana ang mga tawo kon ngano nga wala man lagiy mga isda nang mga kanal sa punong, matud nila wala na kay nangamatay na man tungod sa hugaw gikan sa SCBI.

                Hinaut pa unta nga dili maliso ang resulta sa water sample sa dagat nga gikuha sa taga DENR niadtong milabay nga semana kay kini ra bang DENR dili ra ba usahay masaligan. Tan-awa ra ba tubig nga bahong baklag nga mo-ilig sa kanal sa atbang sa ilang opisina wala gyud sila makapanimaho. Unsa-on man kay gitabunan man ug...panyo.

**********

                Wala kanay mabati-an nga palapaw sa mga semento kon materials sa mga proyekto sa syudad sa San Carlos. Ang solusyon diay mao nga kini nga mga proyekto ipa-sub contract lang sa mga pribadong contractor. Lahi ra kaniadtong miaging administrasyon nga kanunay lang may mabatian ka nga kinawatay sa mga materials. Labor and materials ang palapaw sa mga natungdan nga proyekto sa gobyerno. Karon kay gipa sub-contract na sa syudad ang mga proyekto, ang engineer supervision na lang ang trabaho.

                Kon nahuna-hunaan kini kaniadto wala untay dagkong kantidad sa salapi nga nawala ang gobyerno. Tapos na ang maliligayang araw niadtong mga si-aw nga engineer. Da, usab pa mo?

Towards a welfare society

Friendly Observer

By Arthur Keefe

                Something which strikes newcomers to this country, is the deep poverty of so many of the population. Whilst a sizable middle and upper class live in considerable comfort, waited on by their poorer neighbors, many go hungry, suffer for lack of medical treatment and have no prospect of any improvement in their living standards. In many ways, the situation is comparable to the bleakest times in Victorian England, 150 years ago, as readers of the novels of Dickens or Tressal will recognize.

                It is therefore extremely encouraging to see some small, but highly significant steps by government to address these problems. The issue of Philhealth memberships cards to the poorest and the payment of monthly allowances to the poorest families represent a real breakthrough. Their value may be low and their impact limited but it is an important start on the road towards a more just society.

                Introducing policies such as this must overcome huge obstacles. Firstly, the economic ones: The Philippines is not a rich country by international standards and with some estimates putting the number of people below the poverty line at 40 percent , or over 30 M people, even small allowances will be hard to finance. The weakness of the revenue collection system here (BIR, Customs, etc) makes it even harder to find the budget.

                However, even a newcomer to economics will understand that raising the income and therefore expenditure of a large part of the population will provide economic stimulus, or in economic jargon, will have a multiplier effect.

                Unlike richer people, who may save or even export part of their income, the poor will spend it all ensuring it circulates through the economy. It is also less likely to be spent on imported luxury goods which give little benefit to the domestic economy.

                Secondly, there are the political problems or public acceptance. Some of those are understandable and are echoed in advanced economies, too. If you work hard, invest in education and see others receiving benefits with little or no apparent effort, you can resent your taxes being used to assist such people. This is simplified to a debate about who are the 'deserving and the undeserving poor.'

         People unable to work, such as the disabled or elderly, are usually accepted as deserving, whilst the able bodied unemployed are often considered undeserving.

       The problem with such simplistic separation is that many unemployed (or underemployed, casual or part-time workers) are often not so through choice.

       In addition, even if the parents are poor through their own actions, we need to be concerned about their children and their care-givers. Society's investment in its next generation through nutrition, health care and education, is in the interests of society as a whole.

         Thirdly, most government programs here suffer from some degree of maladministration, ranging from inefficiency through to blatant corruption.

         In the case of welfare programs, it is crucial for public confidence and support, that the benefits go to these eligible by need, and are not diverted to relatives or cronies of administrators, or denied to those whose politics do not 'fit!' In all countries, there will be those who seek to defraud the system and it is important that such people are pursued with vigor and punished when caught. In the UK, benefit fraudsters are often given only a slap on the wrist which undermines public support for the whole scheme.

         In conclusion, the government's attempts to lay the foundations of a welfare society are extremely welcome. It will take time to build one these and there are serious obstacles to be overcome. The 30 M people living in poverty cannot afford the schemes to fail and their success in the long run is in the interests of all.