Economy, Reality and Strategy?

NEDA Secretary Augusto Santos was elated to note that the economy was not worse than expected. So he seemed to be thanking someone from above as the picture below from the Manila Times show.


Pero teka, di kaya may tumutulo kaya siya nakatingala?

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But surveys show that the figures from the government does not truly reflect the reality from below.

Sabagay, ikaw nga naman ang umupo sa upisina maghapon kung me makukuha kang datos galing sa mga kumakalam na sikmura.

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Another Manila Times headline: GMA and foes all say bishops are right!

Really? But will this make a difference? To add, as what Senator Kuratong, err.... Panfilo Lacson said, GMA and allies even twisted the words of the Bishops.

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Ewan, ba't kasi latin ang salita ng mga obispo. Ang linaw-linaw di maintindihan ni Gloria Arroyo. Mag-resign ka na kasi.

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Magdalo escapists, shoot to kill na?

According to Malaya: Maj. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, chief of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) based in Tarlac, said Monday he has issued a "shoot-to-kill" order against four Magdalo officers who escaped from detention two weeks ago.

Unquote: Bakit, takot ba si Tolentino sa Magdalo? O takot siya na ma-recruit ng mga ito ang kanyang mga sundalo?

Aminiiinnnn!!!!!

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Well, Gloria in the Palace is again busy trying to win the hearts of the soldiers. Yesterday, she tried to woo them with her housing project.

But wait mamanyim, ano na ba ang nangyayari sa housing project mo para sa mga apektado ng Northrail Project? Ba't kambiyo ka ulit ngayon?

Takot ka rin bang iwanan ng mga sundalo mo? Mag-resign ka kaya? Kung habulin ka nila, di ba mas makikita mo kung nagki-care sila sa iyo? Kasi kung ikaw maghahabol.... ewan. Cheap ba?

On the Escape of the Four Magdalo Mutineers

Four Makati mutineers from the Magdalo group escaped. Hmmnnn! Trying escape art as a new career?

Sabagay, ano man ang mangyari, mahihirapan na silang bumalik sa AFP. Sa perya na lang as escape artists! Dito sumikat si Houdini, no?


From Manila Times: The four junior officers who escaped Wednesday from detention in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City are claiming that sympathetic soldiers helped them get away.

But it is a fact that soldiers of the lower rank will always follow the orders from above. Teka, baka order ito ni Gen. Esperon? Hala ka, Gloria in the Palace! May momooooooo......

Well, consider this headline from Manila Times: Palace’s press briefers ‘missing’

Bakit kaya? Read the report:

President Arroyo’s communication team has been eerily quiet despite new issues confronting the administration, including the jailbreak of four junior Army officers from Fort Bonifacio on Tuesday.

The President’s spokesman, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, as well as Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, incoming Chief of Staff Mike Defensor and the President’s political adviser, Gabriel Claudio, declined to answer reporters’ text messages seeking reactions to and comments on the officers’ escape, the wiretapping hearing in the Senate, and the statement of former Executive Secretary Renato de Villa on the Oakwood mutineers.

If this is the case, di kaya sila rin ay duda na may iba ng AFP Chief of Staff sa Pilipinas? Aminin...

Immediately after the escape of the four mutineers, the AFP released the news. Many considered it fishy. It is hard to get information from the armed forces so how come? Takot na ba ang AFP na maunahan silang magsumbong ng mga tumakas na sila talaga ay pinatakas? Teka, teka.... ang gulo.


Also, immediately after the announcement of the escape of the Fantastic Four, err... the Magdalo Four, the AFP released a hotline number which happens to be a cellphone number. Kasama sa mga messages:

• Nakatakas ang Magdalo Four? Buti nga. Bwa hahahaha!
• Puwedeng makipag-text-mate?
• Puwedeng pahingi ng load?
  

"Consuelo de Bobo" for Noli?

Based on the December 2005 SWS survey: 58% of Filipinos satisfied, and 24% dissatisfied, with the performance of Vice-President Noli de Castro, for a Net Satisfaction Rating of +34. This was not significantly different from the previous survey of August 26-September 5 which had 60% satisfied and 22% dissatisfied with the Vice-President, or a Net Satisfaction Rating of +39."

Good news for him. The ratings of his president, Gloria in the Palace, continue to dive. Hail, Noli! Hail!

In Gloria in the Palace's proposed constitution, the form of government is parliamentary with the sitting president to stay as transition president til 2010. And there is no mention of the "transition Vice President" because the VP post will be abolished.

Bad news for him. Only his president will stay and he will wander in nowhereland. Hell, Noli? Hell?

But while Gloria in the Palace continues her fight against the media (include her bickerings with the Lopezes and other media groups), Noli remained as silent as the dead. Maybe because he does'nt know or does not apply Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" lyrics, he suddenly found his television program "Magandang Gabi, Bayan!" saying "Paalam na, Bayan!" indefinitely. Poor Noli!

For Noli's chief of staff, consider these lines from Air Supply:

I know just how to whisper,
And I know just how to cry;
I know just where to find the answers;
And I know just how to lie. I know just how to fake it,
And I know just how to scheme;
I know just when to face the truth,
And then I know just when to dream.
And I know just where to touch you,
And I know just what to prove;
I know when to pull you closer,
And I know when to let you loose.
And I know the night is fading,
And I know that time’s gonna fly;
And I’m never gonna tell you everything I’ve got to tell you,
But I know I’ve got to give it a try.
And I know the roads to riches,
And I know the ways to fame;
I know all the rules
And then I know how to break ’em
And I always know the name of the game.

But anyway, Noli still has a positive rating in SWS poll! Consuelo de Bobo?

Gloria Resign... No, Gloria Stay?

From Tribune: Cory, Estrada step up Gloria quit call

This is opposed to Tabako Ramos's rigodon pronouncements on GMA's exit.


Along with this, Aquino officially confirms her non-attendance to Gloria's Council of State meeting. According to Malaya: In a one-page statement, Aquino said her "presence in the meeting may create more confusions as to where I really stand with regard to my July 8, 2005, statement seeking her (President Arroyo’s) voluntary resignation. Nevertheless I apologize to the Filipino people, particularly those whose sense of propriety I might be offending."

Unquote: Buti pa si Cory alam ang kanyang ginagawa. Patawarin niyo po si Tabako, na-apektuhan na rin ata desisyon niya ng kanyang si Gloria.


But, contrary to Cory's stand, the bishops seemed to have given Gloria in the Palace a passing mark. Cebu's cardinal even clearly said that Arroyo won. And CLEAN! Will this meanthe parting of ways of Cory and the Church? This will surely be a good show to watch.


Recently, however, another dissenting bishop, Bishop Cruz from Arroyo's province, said that if Gloria in the Palace will not clear the issues surrounding her administration and her legitimacy as president, the explosion and ultimate explosion of a social volcano will be inevitable. Well, there is no doubt about that. Can we count the ways?

1. Even top brass from the government believes that the "tapal" solutions being employed by Gloria in the Palace like the rice and noodle program, is clearly not enough to appease the masses. As NFA administrator said, the issue is lack of money. Even if the government will give a kilo of rice and a pack of noodles for one-peso each, if the people has no money, they still won't be able to afford said commodities.
   
2. There is still no real employment program from the government. Unemployment is still very high. With this, stomachs continue to grumble leading to more and more dissatisfaction with the government. Proof are the latest surveys by SWS and Pulse Asia.
   
3. The masses cannot also find something good from VP Kabayan de Castro. Add the pulled out support of the Lopezes. With this, we can find network giants freely lambasting the government hence affecting publi opinion.
4. The economy being boasted by Gloria in the Palace cannot be felt at the bottom. This just paints her picture to be more and more of a liar. (See Peso and sweet potato)
5. And the jueteng which rocked Estrada and her administration? It still flourishes. Again, this paints her picture to be more and more of a liar.
   

An Old Soldier Who Hates to Fade Away

After losing a battle with his party-mates in LAKAS-CMD regarding Arroyo's exit, ex-President Tabako Ramos still claimed that he won. As Malaya reported:

In a press briefing before he left for India for a business summit, Ramos said the biggest gain of the meeting was the party decision to accelerate the timeline for the proposed seven main changes in the Constitution.

These are the shift to a parliamentary government, establishment of a unicameral legislature, ban on political turncoats, a five-year term of office for all elective officials, creation of autonomous regions with a view to setting up of a federal system, and easing of restrictions on foreign investments.

Because of this, many are starting to think that Ramos is just toying with the media. As Cong. Rolex Suplico (LDP, Iloilo) noted: ""On Jan. 9, he called for GMA’s resignation by June 2007. On Wednesday, Jan. 11, he met secretly with GMA. On Thursday, Jan. 12, he said that GMA can stay until 2010. On Friday, Jan. 13, he reiterated GMA’s resignation.”

Now, Tabako seems to be implying: Ok lang na matalo sa exit-proposal for Arroyo basta panalo sa cha-cha.

Well, ano ba talaga, kuya?

Tikboy who has nothing but a fifty-cent-cigarette says: Nagpapa-pogi lang sa media to catch attention itong si Tabako. He hates the line stating

that soldiers don't grow old but just fades away. And Tabako hates to fade away.

But, wait a minute! How true are the words of the whispering spirits that Ramos is also having dancing cha-cha with his pronouncements because he is lobbying something to Gloria in the Palace? No, not exactly the amendment of the constitution but some other things?

Wow ha! Me secret-secret pa pala.

Whatever, Gloria in the Palace is again wearing her smiles to the ear. Was she thinking na nabulabog niya ang utak ni Tabako?or Tabako was thinking na nabulabog niya utak ni Gloria in the Palace? Seems like another chicken or egg question!

Using Ramos for Propaganda?

Malaya: FVR stands firm on early Gloria exit

From Manila Standard Today: FVR denies coming to terms with President

Teka, kala ko ok na? Ba’t mukhang salto ang pronouncements ng Malacañang? Is this another case of a tale of two Garci tapes?

Malaya: Ramos told officials and businessmen in Dagupan City that he stands by his call that Arroyo step down in 2007 for an immediate shift to the parliamentary form of government.

MST: In Manila, Ramos spokesman Ed Malay said the former president has not retreated from his call on Mrs. Arroyo to step down in 2007.

Also branding Claudio’s statement as inaccurate, Malay said Ramos has only agreed that today’s Lakas-CMD meeting should not take up the contentious issues, which should be left to Congress and the people through a plebiscite.

Teka, asan na ba ang thumbs up na lumabas sa mga diyaryo?

At eto pa courtesy of Malaya: Ramos also questioned the statement of presidential adviser for political affairs Gabriel Claudio that he and Arroyo had a "jovial discussion" on issues related to governance during the meeting.

He said the talks were serious.

He said he also maintains his position that the prime minister should not be more than 59 years old.

If Ramos’ suggestion is to be followed, Arroyo will be disqualified as she will be 60 in 2007. Arroyo will be 59 on April 5.

Photo-Ops

Ex-President Tabako Ramos to Gloria in the Palace: Shape up or ship out!

Gloria in the Palace: No, I'm in great shape. Last vacation nga nag-surfing pa ako. Exercise ba.

But because of Tabako's waning support, Gloria in the Palace tried to take all opportunities to show the people that Tabako is still on her side. Below are some of the pics that flooded the newspapers:

Eto pa.

At eto pa.

Mukhang ninerbyos ata itong si Gloria in the Palace kaya kahit walang kuwentang picture pinagtitiyagaan. Sabagay, ikaw ba naman ang iwanan ng partner mo sa gitna ng dilim... este, sa gitna ng low popularity ratings?

Jewel in the Palace versus Gloria in the Palace

I heard the Jewel in the Palace, a Korean TV series is raking high ratings in the airwaves.

Too sad, Gloria in the Palace, a Malacanang show or whatever-it-is, is digging its grave for the low popularity rating of its major actress, the claiming president, Gloria Arroyo. Even its rice and noodle economy is not doing much to buy the people's support.



And not only the people. Just recently, the Administrator of the National Food Authority said that the rice and noodle program is a program destined to failure. Why? Because the program, which is aimed at selling rice and noodle at low prices, is just a beating around the bush. The real problem, which is poverty, is not being addressed. Hence, the NFA Administrator said, without money the people will not still be able to afford the low-cost rice and noodles being sold by the government.

Ano ba yan, Gloria!



But many are saying that the Jewel in the Palace is flying high in the airwaves becuse it simply reflects the Philippine society. Andiyan ang mga we-bulong. Andiyan din si Madam Choi. At andiyan, lalo na ang mga power players wanting to protect their interests.



Kasama kaya sa powerplayers na ito ang mga Gloria appointees sa Supreme Court?



Outside the palace, tuloy na naman daw ang jueteng ng ina mo. Was this blessed by "mamanyim gloria"? Or by FG?

Hellouer!!!



But the existence of jueteng simply means:

• wala ng pera ang operators attached to Gloria in the Palace


• wala talagang sinabi si Gloria in the Palace -- that is, atras-abante talaga ang kanyng utak (remember her words: I WILL NOT RUN)


• di talaga nirerecognize ang words ni Gloria in the Palace kahit ng kanyang mga kampon dahil alam nila na atras abante ang utak nito or,


• di talaga nirerecognize ang words ni Gloria in the Palace kahit ng kanyang mga kampon dahil alam na talaga nila kung sino ang nanalo sa pagka-presidente. Ibig sabihin hindi na nila sinusunod si Gloria in the Palace kasi ang nanalo talaga ay si (drum rolls.......)Bong Pineda as president... err, si Mike Arroyo ... err, si Fernando Poe.

Totoo kaya ito? Matanong nga kay Ministro Mike Defensor, este, Ministro Wu.

Pero teka, ba't kaya atat si Mike Defensor sa DSWD? May glory ba sa DSWD? Ano meron dun, ha Miss Dinky?

Cha-cha without Gloria

This is one of the latest surveys of SWS:

Fifty-four percent of Filipinos approve, while 20% disapprove, of requiring President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to leave office before the end of her term in 2010, thus making former President Fidel Ramos’s proposal the most popular among five component ideas for constitutional change tested in the December 2005 Social Weather Survey.

When those approving of the proposal were asked in what year the President should leave office, half of them (54%) said 2005, 30% said 2006, 8% said 2007, and 6% said 2008 or 2009.

The other charter-change proposals considered in the SWS poll, and their corresponding findings, were:

(a) Using the parliamentary system for choosing the country’s chief executive: Neutral;

(b) Allowing President Arroyo to be eligible for Prime Minister in a parliamentary government: Negative;

(c) Lessening restrictions on foreign participation in the economy: Positive; and

(d) Forming local governments at the regional level (prerequisite of a federal system): Positive.

Proposals (a), (b), (c) and Pres. Ramos’s proposal, all requesting for an Approve/Disapprove choice, were asked in random order in the SWS survey. Proposal (d) requested a Good/Not Good choice for the sake of comparison with previous SWS surveys, and was asked last.

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BUT Gloria is firm on saying that she must finish her term til 2010. Can she still find glory in doing the same?

Well, whispering spirits say: Makapal lang talaga ang apog... err, make-up ng lola mo.

Unquote: Gandang Ricky Reyes ba? :)

Faeldon and the AFP

The website of escaped mutiny leader Capt.Nicanor Faeldon crashed last Sunday because it was flooded by visitors. The government's websites did not. Nilalangaw kasi.

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Col. Tristan Kison, AFP information chief reasons out that many are accessing Faeldon's website not because they are supporting him but because of curiousity. Ba't kaya sa government websites hindi nako-curious ang mga tao?

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Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said: "In a concrete sense, we have shown to all that a professional and stable military is key in providing an atmosphere conducive to national growth."


Kaya pala wala tayong national growth.

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A senior official in the Armed Forces of the Philippines who was implicated in the 2004 elections, Major General Gabriel Habacon, will be taking over the post of Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan as Southcom Chief.


But suspicions are hovering the air. Is the juicy post the price of being mentioned in the "Hello Garci!" tape?

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Lt. Gen Samuel Bagasin was said to have assumed Adan's post last September. But his assumption was postponed because of lobbyists including the late entry of Habacon. Asking why the change?

According to whispering spirits "Di daw kasi na-mention ang name ni Bagasin sa Hello Garci!"

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But going back to Cruz's words: The AFP is apolitical.

Does this mean lobbying for persons publicly known to have supported Arroyo during the last election is becoming apolitical?

Well, baka nga. This code must be AFP's new definition of the term "apolitical".

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Council of State, AFP Professionalism and Bunye's Logic

Arroyo is proposing a Council of the State. But is it really a Council of the State or COUNCIL JUST TO BAIT?

Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone is proposing of gathering at least five million signatures to have the Constitution amended. According to him, this is an alternative to the ConCon and ConAss methods of amending the charter. This is the people's initiative.

Hellouer!!!???

People's initiative or Evardone's initiative?

According to Malaya, DEFENSE Secretary Avelino Cruz said the Armed Forces will remain insulated from partisan politics this year when the political opposition is expected to file another impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

Unquote: Does this imply that the AFP was indeed partisan in the previous years particularly during the 2004 elections?

Again, Defense Secretary Cruz said: "In a concrete sense, we have shown to all that a professional and stable military is key in providing an atmosphere conducive to national growth."

Unquote: Was this the reason why national growth was never realized because there was no professional and stable military?

Malaya again: PRESS Secretary Ignacio Bunye yesterday said dismissing the strengthening of the peso is demeaning overseas Filipino workers and their "sacrifices and heroism."

Hellouer!!!???

What kind of logic does Toting Bunye has? He talks of demeaning workers? And what can he say about these?

1. OFWs, before going out of the country, has to pass the red tape and the corruption in the hands of government officials from OWWA to POEA to Bureau of Immigration. Is there something more demeaning than this?

2. OFWs, when they are out of the country, has no security and is always exposed to dangers not only in their working environments (including the dangers posed by their employers) but also in the country where they stay because of the Philippine embassy officials who are good for nothing. Is there something demeaning more than this?

3. OFWs, when they face actual danger, have to remain at the mercy of the host government because the Philippine government still has to rely first on the opinion created by the media before acting. Look at what happened to Cruz and Nayan. Without the media, what could have happened to them? Has Toting Bunye ever imagined this? And is this not demeaning?

4. OFWs, when they go back home, have to pass again to the red tape in the OWWA and other government agencies just to get the benefits they, the OFWs, deserve. And is this not demeaning?

5. To work abroad and be a servant in a foreign land, is this not demeaning? If the government can provide jobs, there could be no reason for these people to go out of the country. Now, Toting,which is more demeaning then?

Economy off to a flying start; Politics off to a diving end?

As usual, GMA had been boasting of the increasing value of the peso as against the dollar. "Not only the peso but the whole economy is off to a flying start on the back of growing domestic and international confidence," she said.

Star-readers and card readers say, however, that there is no reason to believe Arroyo's hallucinations.

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I am not a believer of astrology but I agree with its "experts'" forecasts. The reasons?

1. Arroyo's cheating the election still lingers in the air. Another false move and it will blow her down.
2. Corruption issues continue to haunt her administration. With Mike on her side, the urge to sway with the music will be hard to ignore. And to add, she has to try her best to be a wife to her husband otherwise... L (?) will just lure the butterfly away from her.
3. Crime continue to rise. According to Pulse Asia most of these are unrecorded. And GMA flunked in preventing these. Yes, the issue is PREVENTION not solution. In the broadcast media alone, GMA has the most number of journalists killed since 1986 despite the fact that she has just occupied four years in office. (Carizo discussed this in "In the Philippines Does Free Press Mean Dead Pressmen?" as published the latest issue of Conjuncture, a publication of IPD)
4. Political bickering is not yet dead.
5. Arroyo's charter change is driving her allies away. Ramos, the Tabako Man, is now shying away from her.
6. Arroyo's continuing bickering with the media particularly ABS-CBN, a network giant.
7. The continuing poverty and the failure to use and recognize real indicators. Three of every four Filipinos still believes that they are poor.
8. The promise of a bankang papel sank. Education remains costly and highly commercialized, housing is still an elusive dream and the promise of food in every table is nothing but a fairy tale. For these reasons, Arroyo can expect a continuing show of demonstrations from the youth sector, the urban poor and other sectors of the masa.
9. The continuing discontent among the military ranks. The latest are Faeldon's and Daquil's pronouncements. Sources say coup plotters are just waiting for opportunities.

Peso and Sweet Potato

GMA, after a long breather, now smiles to the teeth. No, she didn't sing about 'two front teeth'.
She was happy because of two things: one, the vacation gives her critics time to shut their mouths and, two, the peso is hitting 52 to a dollar.

The problem is she mistakes the silence of her critics for a 180-degree turnaround especially that the peso is hitting high. And she mistakes the increasing value of the peso as a sign of economic growth!

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But the BSP, the WB, local economists and businessmen who did not study with an American President are unanimous in saying that the hitting peso should not be confused with economic growth. Well?

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Maybe the kind of economics GMA had studied is different. Who knows?

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With the increasing value of peso, the exporters are suffering the pain. The prices of their products went down.

Kaya pala iyong ninang kong exporter ng hndicrafts di ko nakita the whole month of December until now.

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Along with the smiles of GMA are the frowns of the consumers. Tumaas nga ang halaga ng piso, mahal pa rin ang kamote! Paano na ngayon ang camote cue?

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Even the price of rice didn't go down. Di ba mas marami ang imported na bigas ngayon? Teka, magtungo nga tayo sa Batangas. Sabi me smuggled rice doon!