Let s just pray that Ms Macapagal manages to create more investments so that Filipinos can manage to earn a living outside the government and culture can finally be removed from the clutches of politicians. In reference now to the gathering storm I will reproduce both the letter signed by Rosa Vallejo, retired dean of the Institute of Library Science, University of the Philippines, dated Feb. 1 and addressed to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through Executive Secretary Renato de Villa, as well as Dr. Jaime Laya s letter also to the President answering the charges made. Through the sovereign authority of the people, we have once again demonstrated the strength of democratic institutions in our country. I was therefore very happy to see your assumption to the Presidency and your great concern for the civil service and the people that run the bureaucracy. Civil servants have suffered in the past administration and it is therefore about time that these honorable men and women be given their due.
Civil servants comprise a majority of the wage-earning middle class.
I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Padilla as a member of the NCCA Committee on Libraries and Information Services from the time the NCCA was created by R.A. 7356 that was signed by President Corazon Aquino. I served as vice chairman of that committee until mid-1992 when I became its chair until 1998. At present I am a member of the executive board of the committee. Mrs. Carmen Padilla was executive director of the NCCA from 1992-1998 until she was booted out of office under legally questionable circumstances by the NCCA chair, Mr. Jaime Laya. Mr. Laya called a legally questionable election in the NCCA Board of Commissioners in order to replace Mrs. Padilla as executive director.