Tamugan River

SEVERAL barangay captains are complaining and calling for an investigation on the desilting of the Tamugan River, a major tributary to the Davao River, the water of which exits at the Bucana area, not far from Times Beach.

Who is undertaking the desilting? Is it a project of the city government, or is it part of the activities of sand and gravel concessionaires?

If it is a project of the city, then why are the barangay captains complaining? Were they not consulted when the desilting project was mulled by the city? But if the desilting is part of the extraction of sand and gravel aggregates or boulders by city-authorized concessionaires, then the complaining barangay executives will have a hard time having their call for a stop to the desilting heard or responded to positively.

But again, if the river desilting is a government project, it could have been intended for a good purpose. Say, the desilting of the river could help reduce the magnitude of floods when these occur in that particular body of fresh water.

Why, it is because when the river depth is increased, and the width is further widened, the bigger the volume of water it can accommodate. Thus, the water from the upstream is provided wider and deeper passage. As a consequence, the volume as well as the current of water when it reaches the downstream are substantially reduced.

Thus, this was possibly what was in the minds of those “experts” in the city government when they recommended to the city planners the desilting project. It could also be the reason why the city government handed over the desilting or extraction of sand and gravel aggregates to private concessionaires if the latter are the ones desilting the river.

But again, despite the apparent good intention of the project, why are the barangay officials in the villages cut across by the concerned river complaining aloud now? Our take is that they were not consulted, or perhaps a certain arrangement between the desilting project implementer and the concerned barangays was not adhered to.

And we have no doubt the barangay officials may have seen the environment as one of the major sufferers if the city authorities do not look into the desilting activities. But as we said earlier, there could be more to it than meets the eye.

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With the ongoing investigation conducted by both the Senate and the House of Representatives on the graft-laden multi-billion flood control projects, notably in Bulacan and Oriental Mindoro, we know of one profession that may have unintentionally gained an increase in clients and is earning substantially. The profession? Doctors, in the literal sense and on the figurative aspect.

Yes, Doctors of Medicine (MDs). Some of them are into taking care of the physical and mental infirmities of several people, among them those in government linked to the massive corruption on the flood control projects, the contractors who are now exposed to the maximum due to their partnership with politicians and the crooks at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Yes, some politicians and contractors are now possibly engaging the services of doctors with specialization in raising blood pressure, a palpitating heart due to extreme stress, while the Senate and House probes are ongoing, and those who are having nervous breakdowns because of being uncertain of what is ahead of them in the two Houses’ probes.

This early, we are now starting to see personalities in the graft scandal posting pictures of themselves installed with neck braces, like former House Appropriations Committee chairman Zaldy Co, who is reportedly in the United States seeking medical intervention. Co., is one of the Congressmen with a starring role in the cinematic Senate and House probes. Reminiscent of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s attempted flight to Singapore shortly after handing over the Presidency to the late Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

There is, however, another “doctor” profession that could possibly be earning millions in consulting fees and developing proposals for those identified or likely to be dragged into the highly anomalous projects.

We are referring to the spin “doctors” who may now be working with those concerned, finding ways to spin the issues in their favor or waylay the same so that the probes would end up either dumped down the drain or shifted to other personalities, politicians, or others.

Yes, the work of spin “doctors” has become too obvious in the changing statements of the resource persons invited to the hearings. The changes are easily detected every time the resource persons’ mouths open.

We have no doubt that the expertise of the spin doctors could earn them many times over than the medical doctors providing interventions in the health problems of the “corruption stakeholders.”