Suspension of NBN project not enough

“They said it changes when the sun goes down
Over the river going out of town…”
- from “When the Sun Goes Down” by Arctic Monkeys

The kickback-laden ZTE-NBN broadband project has been suspended. This controversial project will cost $329.5 million – that is, ladies and gentlemen, equivalent to almost P15 billion (yup, that’s 15 with 9 zeroes!) at the current exchange rate!

But why was the project suspended? Is it because it was tainted with corruption? Or is it to prevent more stink from coming out? Did Gloria Arroyo wake up one morning and realized the contract is unfair to the government? Or is she trying to save her behind by protecting her husband’s behind?

No doubt this action by the administration is an effort to contain the can of worms that was opened to the public. This is an attempt to diffuse the public anger against the personalities involved in brokering the deal – no less than Gloria’s husband and their corrupt gang – in fact against Malacañang itself.

By all indications this project is nothing but a giant milking cow. This is like the mother (or father) of all kickbacks! With all the problems facing our country and with very low budget for even the basic social services, I cannot fathom the callousness of this P15 billion project.

Yes, a broadband network would make communication among government agencies more efficient. And they claim this will improve government services, which I doubt by the way (but this is another story).

But is this the only way to do it? Can’t we live without it? No, in fact many developed nations and major cities all over the world do not have broadband connectivity. This is comparable to wearing Prada and sporting the slickest cellphone while your stomach grumbles in hunger.

The correct question would be – Do we have to prioritize this project over the more pressing problems of poverty, inaccessible education, unemployment and housing? Just imagine how many classroom buildings we can build with P15 billion additional budget to education. Or think of the number of lives that will be saved with investing this P15 billion to health care.

I think this project should not only be suspended but deserves to be thrown directly into the nearest thrash can. For what is likely to happen is that Arroyo will simply wait for the public opposition to the project to die down and then revive the contract. We know that these greedy, scheming trapos (traditional politicians) will do anything to make their pockets heavier.

The Senate should pursue the investigation of the anomalies surrounding this deal. Suspending the contract should not result to the hiding of the facts of culpability of government officials and personalities involved.

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