“INDIAN giver” is a pejorative expression used to describe a person who gives a “gift” and later wants it back or who expects something of equivalent worth in return for the item. It is based on cultural misunderstandings that took place between the early European colonists and the indigenous people with whom they traded. (Wikipedia)
In an article in the Philippine Star, dated March 3, 2024, Iris Gonzales quoted Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose “Babe” Romualdez speaking to the Consular Corps of the Philippines, to inform them of what he called the “unprecedented aggression and bullying” from China. He went on to say that the Philippines is facing challenges “on many fronts,” and urged every Filipino to do his/her part in helping to resolve the problems we face. Quite suddenly, it seemed, Romualdez shifted his attention from China to the Covid-19 epidemic and the crucial role that he said one specific Filipino played in the purchase of much needed vaccines. Tycoon Enrique Razon, he said, immediately agreed to provide the necessary downpayment for the initial vaccine shipment. This man is a true Filipino, Romualdez seemed to imply, who would immediately step up to help his country. The mention of Razon was totally unrelated to the China issue, though, so why go to the trouble of extolling this man’s virtues?
The man is by all accounts, an “Indian giver.” Mr. Razon has been in the news recently in regard to the failure of Malampaya, which his company operates, to provide a consistent supply of gas that local power plants need to generate and provide electricity to their consumers. Razon-owned Prime Energy Resources, which had no previous experience in oil and gas exploration and production, became the operator of the giant Malampaya gas field after Department of Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla approved Razon’s becoming a petroleum service contractor despite his company’s total lack of technical and financial qualifications as required by Presidential Decree 87 or the Oil Exploration and Development Act of 1972.
Here, ladies and gentlemen is where the Indian giving begins. Prime Energy is now earning 100 million pesos or $1.8 million a day from Malampaya revenues. Assuming that the vaccine downpayment amounted to 100 million pesos, he would have gotten the 100 million pesos back from Malampaya in a day, but he’s getting much more than that! This is what happened. In May of 2022, a few months after the vaccine purchase, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., conveniently a dear friend of Razon, won the presidential election. A month later, Razon was granted the service contract. The Filipino people are paying Razon 100 million pesos every single day. That’s an indecent amount of money to pay for a vaccine. Indian giver is, in fact, a spectacular understatement!
RADAMES ABARRIENTOS
San Francisco, California
