The 168 Shopping Mall located at Divisoria, Manila, is a
haven for bargain shoppers and wholesalers. The 168 Shopping Mall is nestled
along Sta. Elena and Soler Streets, thus is part of the causes of heavy traffic
in the area. But, if you do not mind waiting a few extra minutes for possible
bargain buys, then you must stop by the 168 Mall.
The 168 Mall is full of stalls which are full of items with
a wide variety. One could find almost anything and everything in it. Gift
items, household items, fashion items, toys, accessories, clothes, shoes,
gadgets, and whatever one may think of may be found in the 168 Shopping Mall.
The hundreds, if not thousands, of stall and sellers would shock a person who
is not used to shopping in such areas, and the prices are really low I tell
you. Such being the case, the 168 Shopping Mall, with all the stalls and items
therein, is a multi-million industry.
Chatter has been heard that the Mayor of the City of Manila,
Mayor Joseph “ERAP” Estrada has collected from each stall of the 168 Shopping
Mall an amount of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 150,000.00). if
calculated, the collection could total Seven Hundred Million Pesos (Php
700,000,000.00), more or less.
I am not totally convinced that the collection is a sign of
corruption, but one must ask where, or some may ask as to whom, the collected
amount would go to? I am not really sure as to who actually collected the
amount, is it Mayor Estrada himself or is it a person working for him without
his instructions?
With all the allegations of corruption happening in the City
of Manila, and all the complaints I have been hearing about the corruption that
is happening within the City Hall of the City of Manila, I cannot help but
question the collection made on the stalls of 168 Shopping Mall by Mayor
Estrada, or a person making it seem like he is under the instruction of the
Mayor.
I do hope that the collection made is a legitimate
collection and no person would just place it in his pockets and take it as his
own. I hope that there is no corruption as regards the collection and the
amount would be used for a legitimate government project. But, considering the
complaints and the allegations of corruption in the City of Manila, the chances
of the collection being legitimate is closer to being a sign of corruption than
a legitimate collection.
If possible the City of Manila should make the act of
collecting and the amount collected public and present to the people a clear trace
that the amount collected is going to fund a publicly announced government project.
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