A violent man as an ambassador of peace?

Let's admit it: Boxer Manny Pacquiao brings glory to the Filipinos. Unintentionally. Pacquio wants to be a US citizen and nobody can deny it. But bringing unintentional glory to the place where he was born does not automatically qualify him to be an ambassador of peace.

Yes, ambassador of peace. Inquirer.Net, quoting Lorelei Fajardo, noted:

Pacquiao will be officially named "ambassador of peace" when he pays a courtesy call to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang on Wednesday.

Wala na bang maisip ang palasyo para maki-ride on lang sa kasikatan ni Pacquiao? On what logic did they base the idea of calling a man who punches another an ambassador of peace? A person who was so willing to be named a military sergeant an ambassador of peace?

Kung sabagay, it's like the "I am sorry" story. No, not GMA's "I am sorry". It's the story of two sons the youngest of whom was boxed by his kuya. The youngest then made sumbong sa nanay nila na sinuntok siya ng kuya niya. The nanay asked the kuya to make sorry kay bunso. And the kuya did. Noting that it's just normal to punch a person as long as there is an apology, the youngest boxed his brother with all his might and after doing so, said "I am sorry". Then he boxed his elder brother again and again saying "sorry" after every punch. Ayos di ba? But try hitting GMA and say sorry after doing so and see where you'll be next.

JDV is cheap!

Cong. Jose de Venecia admitted accepting a P500,000 bribe just to stall the October 2007 Impeachment complaint against Gloria Arroyo. Here's the report of the Inquirer:

Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he, along with some other congressmen and local officials, was given the alleged bribe on Oct. 11, 2007, to support a "sham" impeachment complaint to protect President Macapagal-Arroyo from a stronger suit.

On the same day he received the payoff, the then Speaker De Venecia said Ms Arroyo pressured him three times during a meeting in her Malacañang office to endorse the "weak" impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Roel Pulido.

De Venecia said the P500,000 was brought to his office in the House of Representatives by a staff member of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office on the afternoon of Oct. 11 when the House was set to vote on the Pulido complaint.

How cheap naman!

But JDV seems to have forgotten: Coming out this late (it's one year and one month!) does not relieve him of his guilt of being a party to bribery! Is he coming out only because he wanted to get even? If he really wanted to follow the law to the letter, he should have came out earlier and accused Gloria in the Palace of bribery and not after one year. In bribery, the issue is not whether or not the money is intact. It's the act of accepting the money and the intent behind such act.

How sad naman...

GMA and the Cha-cha Train

Action speaks louder than words.

Presidentiable Mar Roxas is correct: If Gloria in the Palace wants, all she can do is to tell her allies in the lower house to stop the Cha-cha train.

But Arroyo is still hopeful to extend her term. Thus, she wants to amend the charter. Clearly, "Press Sec. Jesus Dureza said that the Palace will not intervene in efforts to push Charter change at the Lower House.A report aired over dzBB radio quoted Dureza as saying that the President will leave Charter Change in the hands of the Congress. Dureza said President Arroyo remains supportive of efforts to amend the Constitution." (source here)

Buking!

First, it was Press Secretary Jesus Dureza's prayer, now it's the son's turn to show what is obvious: Gloria Arroyo will sit beyond 2010.

In a televized prayer with Arroyo listening, Dureza said: Bless the president so we will have forebearance, good health, the tolerance to lead the nation up to 2010, and perhaps who knows, even beyond.

GMA was embarassed. Indeed. But GMA did not scold Dureza in public just like what she used to do everytime her underlings commit an error. Remember the LTO incident? And the reporting of OIC of DepEd Ms. Fe Hidalgo? This just shows the obvious and Dinky Soliman is right: Embarassed sa media si Arroyo but she liked the prayer. And very much.

And to sustain her liking, her son, Cong. Mikey Arroyo even endorsed the moves to amend the constitution. And proud pa si Mikey. And to note, Arroyo can only extend her term if the charter will be amended.

These being so, what can we say? Shall we say na ang isda ay nabibingwit sa bibig? Or shall we say: Ang taong may bad breath nalalaman pag ibinubuka niya ang kanyang bibig either dahil magsasalita siya o maghihikab lang.

Another Euro-General to Set to Retire

From GMANews.TV:

MANILA, Philippines – One of the “euro generals" implicated in the P6.9-million Moscow scandal is set to retire Wednesday.

Philippine National Police regional director Director Jaime Caringal, who has reached the mandatory retirement age of 56, will be replaced by Chief Superintendent Angelo Sunglao.

The turn-over ceremony will take place at Camp Colonel Romeo Abendan in Zamboanga City in western Mindanao at 10 a.m. Wednesday, PO3 Ella Mae Llanes oi the Region 9 police told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

Caringal was among several officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) delegation who came under fire for incurring “cash advances" of 105,000 euros (P6.9 million) when they attended the 77th Interpol Assembly in St. Petersburg on October 7-10.

The irregular practice was exposed when customs officials at the Moscow airport detained former PNP comptroller Eliseo dela Paz, who had already retired from the service, for not declaring the huge amount of money in his possession.

Dela Paz was subsequently released after the PNP certified the purpose of the money. But Dela Paz is under investigation by the Senate.

Dela Paz, Caringal and PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa are all members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1976. (Source here)

Dapat pala si Tikboy ay nag-police na lang at magpa-promote maging general para kung sakali, pag malapit ng mag-retire, me travel na sa Russia, kasama pa ang asawa. Kung sabagay, si Ping Lacson nga napabalita minsan na may bank accounts sa ibang bansa. Ibig sabihin, nagtravel din siya tulad ng mga Euro Generals. After which, naging senador pa.

Teka, puwede pa bang mag-shift ng propesyon?

Sino ang Baliw.... este, Tama?

A Church divided. This is the best description of the Catholic church in three words, a description that is inimical to the respect it tried to earn for centuries.

Pero while the group of Bishop Lagdameo is asking the administration of Gloria in the Palace to institute system change and reform, a number of others are like paid dogs barking for the sitting president. Ngayon nakisawsaw na rin ang mga "neutral" na obispo gaya ni Nueva Caceres Bishop Legaspi and asked na lahat ng prelates ay mag-reform din ng kani-kanilang mga sarili.

Which leads us to a royal rumble... err, credibility problem. Kung sa bahay ng Diyos ay hindi magkasundo-sundo ang mga tagapag-lingkod (which is happening now dahil hindi solid ang mga obispo kung sino ang susuportahan), it could be that there is a problem with the God they are preaching. Or could it be that the prelates themselves are a problem so they should not be considered as the "servants/instruments of God"?

Pero teka, since naniniwala naman ang mga Obipso sa Bibliya, bakit kaya di nila i-ponder ang sinasabi sa 1 Kings Chapter 22. Sabi sa verse 17 and onwards, me isang lying spirit na bumaba sa mga propeta para i-persuade si King Ahab na makipag-giyera at matalo. Sa mga obispo, sino kaya ang lying spirit? At sino ang nagsasabi ng tama? Hmmmnnn...

Nagtatanong tuloy si Tikboy paano maging atheist. Sa atheism kasi walang Church at dahil walang Church, walang nadi-divide.

Joke-joke Bolate

Jacky Chan's "Who Am I?" now has a Pinoy version in the story of Joke-joke... I mean, Joc-joc Bolante.

Tribune has also its own version in the story and it is entitled: Where Am I?

A copy of Tribune's cartoon appears below. All copyrights are Tribune's.

Double standards

When Arroyo's camp accused President Joseph Estrada of being corrupt and that he step down in that fateful January 2001, nobody called Arroyo nor the members of his camp as "seditious". But when Catholic Bishop Angel Lagdameo accused the Arroyo administration as corrupt and that sitting president should resign, loose tongue Secretary of (in)Justice Raul Gonzales fired at Lagdameo and accused the bishop of uttering seditious statements.

Ba't ganun?

Kung sabagay, kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan? The Arroyo camp is a fan of George Orwell at mahilig sila sa Orwellian double-talk defined as "saying one thing and meaning the other". So Mr. Bishop Lagdameo, when Gonzales says "seditious ang statements mo", you must praise the Lord dahil inaamin nila na talagang kurakot ang administrasyong Arroyo. Kung sinasabi rin nila na wala sa expertise ng mga pari ang pulitika, you should also praise the Lord dahil inaamin nila na magagaling kayo kaya nga hanggang ngayon, uphill battle pa rin ang kaso nila laban kay Pampanga Governor Father Ed. Panlilio.

Praise the Lord, Bishop?

Missing guns and Moscow scandal

Inquirer.Net notes:

Twenty firearms in the custody of the Quezon City General Services Office (GSO) have yet to be recovered nearly a month after these were reported missing.

Dito ata gagamitin ang spygears from Moscow na worth P6.9 million. Hindi kaya?

*****

But one thing funny, ba't kaya hindi titillating ang Moscow Scandal as opposed to the Makati Scandal, Olongapo Scandal, etc. na binebenta sa Quiapo?

Mafia and de la Paz

When I was still struggling in my profession, and the world during the time of Tabako Ramos was still chaotic and uncertain, my mentor taught me the difference between a legitimate business man and a person involved in illegal business transactions. Sabi niya, ang legitimate businessman ay mahahalata mo dahil kung makipag-usap yan it's either in cash or in cheque. Pero kung nakikipag-deal siya using cash at laging makapal ang bulsa, it's either that he is a mafiosi or a yakuza.

Does this confirm na may mafia nga diyan sa loob ng gobyerno? And De la Paz is a mafiosi?

If RETIRED PNP comptroller Eliseo De la Paz is in an official mission (which is amazing kasi nga retired na siya), he should be carrying cheques and other bank notes. Besides, the Philippine Government uses cheques in paying its transactions. Si Mang Impong nga na sanlibo lang ang sinisingil sa gobyerno kailangan pang sumuot sa butas ng karayom makasingil lang at makuha ang tseke niya. And we are talking here of millions? Ano to, tulad ng expose ni Panlilio with regards the cash gift? O baka cash gift din yun na dala ni De la Paz?

Peace, men! Peace!

Paz for peace or Paz for trouble?

"Paz" or "pax" means "peace". But with the Russian imbroglio, it appears that pass will be re-translated in the Philippines as "trouble" as Eliseo dela Paz, former PNP official, will be facing probes in the Senate and the Ombudsman.

Pero teka, why naman? Eh nagdala lang naman siya ng pera sa Russia worth P6.9 million as contingency fund cum cash advance? Ang mga banko nga billions pa ang mga pinag-uusapan at inililipat sa iba-ibang bansa, di ba? Eh may banko naman ata na pag-aari si dela Paz... meron ba?

Pero kung may banko si De la Paz, siguradong Land Bank yun o kaya PNB. Yun kasi ang banko ng gobyerno. Kay dela Paz na ba yun?

Pero wait, may banko o wala, bakit P6.9 million? Magtatayo ba ng mga day care centers sa Moscow? Kung P6.9 million at ang bawat day care center ay P300,000, marami-rami yun. Sa bayan nga ni Onyo, P24,000 me day care center na. Gawa sa pawid nga lang. Kung sabagay, ok lang yun. Teka, saang rehiyon ba sa Pilipinas ang Moscow? At bakit andun si De la Paz? Siya ba ang bago nating Cabinet Secretary? Kung hindi man, siya ba ang governor o mayor ng isa sa mga bayan dun?

Crazy!

Kung sabagay, De la Paz claims he has nothing to hide. Tama naman kaya nga na-expose ang P6.9 million di ba? So let us wait for the Ombudsman and the Senate muna. Sana di ma-PAZwash, i mean ma-hog-wash ang mga imbestigasyon. At sana ang mga taong bayan tulad din ng motto ni Mike Enriquez ang iniisip: Hindi namin kayo tatantanan!

Pacquiao or "pakyaw"?

In a way, Cong. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan De Oro is implying that Manny Pacquiao is going into commercialization. If the Pacman-Golden Boy fight pushes through, Rodriguez said: The way I see it, this is only money for Manny Pacquiao.

If pera-pera lang yan kay Manny, so what? It's his fight anyway. Ba't di niyo na lang tutukan pag-gawa ng batas. The people are not paying you to make pakialam sa buhay ng may buhay...

Pero teka... ano ba itong report na "GAB chairman Eric Buhain said the board made a resolution stating its position against the fight, when it learned of the fight scheduled in December."? Why, is Pacquiao under the supervision of GAB? Hmmmnnnn :-?

Worse, me dagdag pang statement na ganito si Buhain: Alam po naman natin Pacquiao is a national treasure and we want to ensure his safety.

Helleourrrrrr???????

National treasure si Pacquiao? Yamasita treasure? And , concern sa safety? Bakit yung mga athlete natin na under ng GAB kulang sa safety? At yung mga workers na covered dapat ng GAB kulang din sa safety?

It seems that these people receiving the taxpayers' money as salaries are misled. Can you please go back to your manual of operations and look into your functions? Baka nasusulat man lang diyan...

Trust!

From the ZTE scandal, we have the Meralco Scandal, then the Court of Appeals Scandal. Wala na bang katapusan?

I thought sa Quiapo lang mabibili ang mga "scandals" -- tatlo-isandaan, DVD, DVD. Di pala. Eto ang mas malala pa sa sex scandals sa UST, sa KyuSi, sa Cotabato, sa Makati, etc., etc. At least ang mga sex scandals, manonood ka na lang. Eto, apektado ka, sila, kami, tayo. Ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ni CA Justice Roxas indikasyon na mahirap na magtiwala. Kung nangyari yung ginawa kuno ni Roxas, maaaring nangyayari rin sa iba mula sa mababang hukuman pataas. Wala nga lang may nagrereklamo.

Kung sabagay, kailangan pa ba nating ma-shock? Si Gloria in the Palace nga ni hindi man lang dumampi ang kanyang tumbong sa Impeachment Court so bakit pa tayo mabibigla? And the alleged president, who should show the highest integrity and be the model all over the land eh tainted ang pagkatao so why be shocked? Roxas is just a small pawn... o kahit pa sabihin nating bishop.

Kung sabagay, sabi sa Constitution, "Public Office is a Public Trust". Di naman sinabi na hindi condom di ba? Sabi lang "Trust". So kung hindi man nabuntis, lomobo lang -- lomobo lang ang katiwalian.

Heck!

GMA - the Girl Who Cried Wolf

Sabi ng Inquirer:

Malacanang: All systems go for Charter Change

This time, Malacanang is reaching out their hands to Senator Nene Pimentel by supporting his Resolution No. 10 favoring the change in the charter. Pero sabi ni Pimentel, "ayaw ko!".

Sabagay, malay nga naman ni Pimentel kung may dura ang kamay ng Malacanang? At iniisip ng mga ito kung paano palawigin ang pag-upo ni Gloria in the Palace sa kanyang upuan?

Press Secretary Jesus Maria... este, Jesus Dureza said: Wag naman kayong ganyan. Let's be fair to the president. Wala siyang plano na umupo sa puwesto beyond 2010.

Oo nga naman. Let's be fair to GMA. Let's pretend as if there is no double standards when it comes to her -- how she called Garci, how she stalled the election protests filed by FPJ et. al., how her camp manipulated the Impeachment trials, and how she changed her mind in 2003 by announcing that she will not run for president. If it is possible kasi na ang bayabas ay mamunga ng "guaple", it is also possible na ang bayabas ay puwede ring mamunga ng "pure apple". So if GMA says di na siya uupo sa puwesto beyond 2010, malay natin, though she has a lying lips she might indeed stick to her promise.

Yan kasi. Mahirap ang maglaro ng "the boy who cried wolf". Kahit babae ang naglalaro, the effect is the same. Next time na magsalita ka, di ka na paniniwalaan.

Fearful Pres or Peerless Pres?

A cool temperature, a warm blanket and a sweet dream make good reasons to extend sleep. Kaya lang SONA na pala ni Gloria.

The people have rendered their judgment

Inquirer's headline:

Palace: Let people be judge of Arroyo


Well, the people have rendered their judgment already. The problem, Garci bastardized it. Well, Garci would have not done it had it not for his lady caller who said "So I will still lead by more than one M., overall?". As to who the lady caller is, Malacanang is not aware but for those who have heard the recordings both the tampered and not believes it is not Loren Legarda.

Second, the people also rendered their judgment through surveys by making her the most infamous and most unpopular president. The problem, Malacanang is always questioning the survey every time the results are not favorable to the sitting-president. Pero pag paborable, gusto pang sambahin ang pollster.

According to the report:

(Ermita) wondered about the accuracy of the SWS survey that showed the President’s public approval rating plunging to a record low of negative 38 percent in June when, he said, she has done so much for Filipinos, including crisscrossing the country to oversee antipoverty projects and typhoon relief and rehabilitation.

Kelangan pa bang i-memorize yan? She had done much. But the question is: How much? Isa pa, ano ba ang ginawa? Namigay ng noodles? What about long term projects with impact like employment?

Second, what about the solution to the issues like corruption, ZTE scandal, jueteng, betrayal of public trust?

Next, sabi ni Ed Ermita:

Of course people have to wonder why after the many things that she is doing for the well-being of our citizens that that should still be the perception.

Sorry po Mang Ed. Ikaw lang po ang nagwa-wonder why and wonder how. Just open your eyes and see for yourself. Don't leave in dreams...

Globelines and Inconvenience

One reason why we applied for a telephone and internet connection is convenience. It’s a hassle when the mobile phone has no battery or there is no signal. And it’s also more of a hassle when we have to hop in from one internet cafe to the other just to send a short e-mail or download an important document.

But contrary to expectations, CONVENIENCE was added with a prefix IN when we applied with Globelines. According to its marketing agents, service connections will be made within three days upon the satisfaction of the requirements. Well, it was three days indeed past a couple of months before the installation was completed. The explanation: There are no facilities yet — and that includes cable lines and cabinets — to our area. Which leads me to ask: Why market then?

Well, after the installation, things worked fine for a week, then a few days, then a few hours. Suddenly, our connection was cut. The alibi of Globelines? Our cables and lines are still new so it can be expected. But as the cables and lines grew old, the same things happen.

One time, it took us more than a week before having our lines repaired. Well, there was this rebate. But heck! We are paying for services and not rebates. Otherwise, we would have not parted with our money and just deposited the same in the bank and if we feel we need some “rebate-like” amount, all we need to do is just to withdraw. That’s very easy… and fast.

Later, internet connections became slow. Pong Pagong was even faster. And so are the heaviest traffics in EDSA whenever there are rallies. So I reported again. And Again. And again. And again. And before there was a resolution to our complaint, another worse thing happened: No dial tone for the telephone.

It’s been five days now but the only things we hear from the customer service centers are: “Sorry for the inconvenience”, “A technical team has been dispatched already”.

Heck!

We are not paying Globelines to hear their apologies. We are paying them to give us service, to make us convenient, to make communication fast and efficient. And we are locked in to their hell-of-a-service for 12 months!!!!

I don’t know. I hate my post to sound like this. And I never even imagine to have a post like this in this site. But what can I say?

Well, if any of you guys is planning to contract the service of Globelines, think first. But if you like to join me in the future in filing a case against the company, then go on. Let’s do it together.

Assessing the Competency of a Public Official: From Coffee to Golf

Earlier, capabilities of applicants for public posts are done over a few cups of coffee and tete-a-tete. This was "revolutionized" during the time of Erap when, instead of coffee, they used beer. But after the ZTE scandal, government officials find it convenient to assess the competencies of prospective officials for higher posts: PLAYING GOLF!

In a statement, press secretary Jesus Dureza was quoted as saying:

We went out for a round of golf at Wack-Wack (yesterday) morning ... to celebrate ES (Executive Secretary) Ermita's birthday. We were in foursomes, so (two) groups of players..

After holing out in the last hole, I am all the more convinced that I can entrust to Romy (Neri) all my funds or the resources of SSS for that matter.

WTF! If this is the way competencies are assessed in choosing SSS Chairmen, I think we need to withdraw all our contributions from the said agency. It's our god damned money earned through sweat and blood tapos ima-manage lang na parang sugal? And Dureza, a press secretary issuing statements like that? Where the heck is the constitutional provision: Public Office is a Public Trust?

Hmmmnnn....

Pero teka, aside from the idea of SSS members withdrawing all their hard-earned money from the social security, me isa pang maganda ring idea na itinuro si Dureza. All those aspiring for government posts should study and master golf. If you are poor and you cannot afford to do so, sorry ka na lang... bebe. This just affirms the claims that the government is for the rich, by the rich and of the rich.

Gloria needs a reality check

It is impossible to heal a physician who believes that he has no sickness. And Malaya hit it on the head when it ran an editorial entitled: Gloria Needs a Reality Check.

For this reason, no Filipino should expect that he will have a beautiful life for the rest of Arroyo's term. The editorial says it all. Read here.

Insensitive

Manhid. This is the best description for sitting-president Gloria Arroyo.

During Manny Pacquiao's courtesy call to the Malacanang, Arroyo gave Pacquiao the appointment papers to be the flag-bearer of the Philippines to the Beijing Olympics. Pero may problema pala. Nauna nang kinausap ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) si swimming sensation Miguel Molina na maging flag-bearer. Ikalawa, based on the rules, only accredited members of the country delegation are allowed to be flag bearers. Pacquiao is not. So is Arroyo ill-advised? O gusto niya twist the rules again like what she did when she called Garci?

Hellouerrrrr!!!!

Kaya pala di rin siya umaalis sa puwesto kahit marami na ang clamors na umalis na siya sa upuan. She is sooooo insensitive. Manhid.

* * *

Meron naman pala talagang rason kung bakit alagang-alaga ni Chavit Singson si Pacquiao. Sabi ng katabi ni Chavit habang nanonood sila ng laban ni Pacquiao ang naririnig niya daw na isinisigaw ng dating governador ay "MONEY! MONEY! MONEY!"

GMA at the US

What is Gloria Arroyo doing on the US? The Editorial Cartoon of the Daily Tribune says it all:

Veterans Bill... Do we need to beg?

I made a strong case for why the Philippine war veterans deserve equity, and I asked for the understanding and support of the leaders of America.
-- Gloria Arroyo

I wonder what really is the purpose of sitting president Gloria Arroyo in the US. Free leisure trip in the guise of official business? Or to showcase her stupidity in history and foreign relations?

While Tikboy is not against the veterans receiving some remuneration or award or payment for heroism, a president of a sovereign nation doing the personal lobby to the legislators of her host country is a big no no. The congressmen are not her counterparts. It's the US president. Bakit di na lang niya sinabihan si George Bush na yun pala ang kailangan niya? Can't she talk directly with Uncle Georgie, and in English?

Kung sabagay. The only words she spoke during the meeting with Uncle Georgie are: "thank you", "yes" and then "Mr. President, with your permission, I'd like to address our countrymen in my own native language." (Need evidence? Click here for the transcript from the White House.)

If she forgot to tell that, dapat ang mga sabit sa kanya na lang ang gumawa. Dinig ni Tikboy me lagpas 50 na kongresista na nag-junket kasama ni Gloria? So why not give them the task? In the first place, it's the taxpayers money that's used for their travel. Ba't di na lang sila ang nagtrabaho... say, nakipag-usap sa mga counterparts nilang congressmen sa US? Or Gloria just
treated them for a shopping spree as a payment for something that they did in the Philippines?

Hmmmnnn.... :-?

Second, asking US to pass the equity bill is a gross ignorance of history. Why should the Philippine sitting-President personally lobby and beg for the passage of the veterans equity bill? Hindi lang naman ata ang mga Kano ang nakinabang sa ginawa ng mga magigiting nating war veterans. It's the Philippines and the later generation of the Filipinos.

Third, why ask the US to give our veterans some benefits eh ang Philippine Government nga headed by sitting president Gloria is doing nothing to recognize the verteran's efforts? Di ba dapat as primary beneficiaries, ang Philippine Government muna dapat ang magkusa na magbigay ng benefits? Kapal naman....

Walang pera? The Philippine Government will reason out that it lacks money? Eh ano ang ginasta sa junket nila sa US? Kung di na lang sila nagtravel at ipinamudmud na yun ginastos nila sa mga beterano, mas magiging masaya pa ang mga war heroes natin.

Kung sabagay, ganyan naman talaga si GMA... makapal ang mukha. Sa Japan, bumagsak lang ng konti ang satisfaction rating sa mga matataas na opisyal ng gobyerno, either nagre-resign sila or naghaharakiri. Sa US, bumagsak lang ng konti ang satisfactory ratings, worried na ang mga advisers. When George Bush ratings dropped from 52% to 47%, marami na agad ang ginagawa ng mga spinmeisters niya para ayusin ang mga bagay-bagay at bumango ulit ang presidente. Si Gloria, negative na nga ang rating, todo pa rin.

GMA speaking in Tagalog in a presscon in the US?

This morning's news show Gloria Arroyo speaking in Tagalog during their joint press conference with American President George W. Bush. And the host was uneasy as he doesn't understand what his Philippine counterpart is talking about.

Pero bakit nga ba talaga nag-Tagalog si Gloria? Let us count the ways:

• Mga bobo ang mga Pilipino. Hindi sila marunong umintindi ng Ingles. Kung sabagay, si Lito Lapid nga senador ng Pilipinas, hindi na lang umiimik sa Senado kasi baka mapalaban ng Ingles sa debate.
• Matatalino ang members ng US at international press. Multi-lingual sila tulad ni Rizal. Pero sabi kung gaano karami ang alam na lenguahe ni Rizal ganun din kadami ang girlfriends niya. Mga chick-boy din kaya ang mga members ng US and international press?
• Matalino si George Bush. Marunong siyang mag-tagalog. Ganun din kaya karami ang chicks ni George? Mas magaling ba siyang magtago ng chicks sa Oval Office as opposed to Bill Clinton?
• Me itinatago si Gloria. Kaya nagsalita siya ng tagalog dahil ayaw niyang maintindihan ni George. Baka ang pinagsasabi ng ale ay wala naman sa pinag-usapan nila ng presidente ng Amerika?
  

Is Juday in dire need of money?

After Ploning failed to hit the theaters, Judy Ann Santos popularly known as Juday tried to make a comeback with a Meralco advertisement. Sa ad, pinaliwanag niya ang tungkol sa systems loss with a slant in favor of the electric company.

Nalugi ba si Juday sa produksiyon ng Ploning kaya kahit most unpopular side pinapatos niya para lang magkapera? Or she just wanted to prove na malakas pa rin ang hatak niya and she can turn the odds?

Whatever, it seems that Juday is misled. Hindi po yelo ang kuryente at ang pagkakatunaw ng yelo ay hindi tulad ng systems loss. At least sa yelo what you see is what you get. Sa kuryente, ni hindi transparent ang Meralco so how can you compare the two?

Kung sabagay, tama naman ang manedyer niyang si Alfie Lorenzo. Nagbabasa lang ng script si Juday so bakit kailangang pagdiskitahan ang actress? Pero teka, ibig sabihin nun, hindi nag-iisip si Juday? Papaano kung libelous statements ang ipabasa sa kanya, okay lang ba yun? O kaya sa loob ng sinehan utusan siyang sumigaw ng "sunog! sunog!", gagawin rin ba niya?

Sayang, bilib pa naman sana ako sa kanya kaso di pala siya nag-iisip. O wala na talaga siyang pera?

Kulekta kaya tayo ng piso-piso para kay Juday?

Credibility Problem

In virtual forums, there is this large number of US citizens demanding the resignation of George W. Bush for suffering a decreasing satisfaction rating. Sabi nila, dati ang rating ni Bush ay lagpas 50%. Minsan nga daw lumagpas din ito ng 60%. Pero ngayon, lagpas na lang ng 40% kaya dapat na itong mag-resign.

Most of the Republicans, Bush's political party, slightly agree. But since the November presidential elections is just a few months away, it is better that the idea be shelved na lang. Instead of resigning, wag na lang daw sumama si Bush sa kampanya ng pambatong kandidato ng mga Republicans na si John McCain.

Well, kahit papano, me nipis din pala ng mukha itong mga Kano. So winner pa rin si Aling Gloria na negative na nga ang rating, ayaw pang umalis. At hindi nga buwan ang bibilangin kundi taon pa bago dumating ang eleksiyon!

Kung sabagay, hindi lang naman niya solo ang problema. Si Toting Bunye na sabi ng ilang espiritu santong prayle na nakausap ni Tikboy ay isang magaling at respetadong tao sana bago nadikit kay Aling Gloria, naapektuhan na rin. So when he left his office as a presidential spokesperson, kumabit na sa kanya ang mantsa at amoy ng baho ni Aling Gloria. Tiyak, susunod na rin dito si Lorelei Fajardo at Anthony Golez. Mahahawa rin sila tiyak... o nahawa na nga. Consider, for instance, Ms. Fajardo's twisted logic.

A good accompanying read with this is the Daily Tribune's Editorial: A problem of credibility.

Corruption Worsened

Is this still new? With the way the Arroyo government runs the country and with the way she tries to cover her filth, the report of the corruption worsening in the Philippines is not anymore a shocking story.

Even then, I can already imagine the reaction of the Palace: Pakana ng oposisyon yan.

Here's the accompanying read: Transparency groups: Corruption worsened

Free Text Issue: Another "Wag the Dog" Tactic

It's "Wag the Dog" time again for Malacanang. After successfully fending off the ZTE scandal with the rice price crisis, Malacanang is once again buying time to channel the attention of the public from the rice price crisis and the Meralco problem to "free texts" in mobile phones. And Speaker Prospero Nograles also joined in when he said last week that he will ensure that the franchises given to mobile phone service providers will be reviewed. Thus, reacting to the lower House's statements, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) announced that it will conduct a study. And the Commission, even before conducting a study, already made a biased statement through its Deputy Commissioner Jorge Sarmiento who said that they will certainly reduce the rates.

Teka, teka, teka. Ok lang naman yun. Sino ba ang ayaw ng free texts? Pero bakit di muna unahin ang dapat unahin?

First, the ZTE Scandal remains an open book. Asan na ang parusa sa mga involved? Di ba sabi ni Gloria in the Palace she is battling against corruption? Ba't walang napaparusahan para huwag ng pamarisan? Ok na ba ang "200"? Or talagang inamin ng Malacanang ang statement na "Back off!" ni FG?

Second, ano ba ang ginagawa ng palasyo sa problema sa mahal na presyo ng bigas? DSWD Card? Ganyan lang ba ang kayang arukin ng Palasyo? O ok lang ang mataas na presyo kasi pabor sa mga smuggler ng bigas? Ilan na nga pala ang nahuli na rice smuggler? Zero? Nada? Wala?

Ikatlo, ano na ba ang nangyari sa Solomonic decision ng presidente? Ba't ang mahal pa rin ng kuryente? Dahil ba di na kaya ng Palasyo ang pressure kaya binabaling na naman sa free texts kung saan 3 sa 5 Pilipino me cellphone?

Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!

Rice self-sufficiency: Impossible to attain or to personally earn?

Early March, National Food Authority spokepersons have been saying that it is impossible for the Philippines to attain 100% rice sufficiency because of its topography. The country has no wide flat lands unlike China or Thailand. The only way to have sufficient rice on the Filipino table is to import. Which is also one of the Solomonic decisions of their president, Gloria Arroyo.

Okay. Granted. But look at this:

World looks to Japan's rice mountain to ease crisis

AFP/Inquirer.Net

TOKYO--World leaders looking for ways to ease global food shortages may have found one answer in warehouses dotted around Japan where a rice mountain is standing idle.

The United States is considering relaxing a trade agreement between the world's two largest economies to allow Japan to sell imported US rice on the global market.

Tokyo is already preparing to ship 200,000 tonnes to the Philippines, but that is just a fraction of the 1.5 million tonnes of imported foreign rice that is stored in sacks piled high in air-conditioned government warehouses.

"We have a big stockpile of Japanese rice, so we can export rice for poor people worldwide to save their lives in an emergency," said Nobuhiro Suzuki, an agriculture professor at Tokyo University.

Rice, a staple food for the Japanese, was scarce following the end of World War II but as agricultural advances boosted global harvests, Japan erected barriers to protect its farmers.

Under pressure from heavyweight trading partners, Tokyo agreed in the early 1990s to open the door to a minimum amount of imports, and now accepts 770,000 tonnes of foreign rice every year.

To sell these stocks outside its domestic market, Japan is required to obtain approval from the exporting countries.

Vice farm minister Toshirou Shirasu told reporters last week that the government plans to respond to the Philippine request for rice "as quickly as possible" and would favorably consider other approaches.

Japan also announced Friday that it will send 20,000 tonnes of rice to developing countries in Africa and elsewhere from its stockpiles to help ease food shortages.

Japan is worse than the Philippines if topography is the issue. And the land of the rising sun was also worse than the pearl of the orient immediately after the second world war. But look at Japan today? And the Japanese are exporting rice? Helloeeeerrrr!!!!!????

If there are no reports that in every importation there are kickbacks and SOPS, and if there are no rumors that some of the Arroyos are into smuggling, I would have believed that the NFA is really an authority in what it is saying.

Kung sabagay, humans err. The sitting duck... err, president erred several times, too. First she said she will not run but she under-estimated her greed. So she ran and licked the saliva she splattered on the carabao dung in Pangasinan. And she called Garci and asked for an apology. And she admitted erring when she signed the contract with ZTE. So it's okay to err. Basta ba malaki ang kita... magkano ba tayo diyan, pre?

Arroyo and her Solomonic Decision

If King Solomon were alive today and he heard the "Solomonic decision" of sitting president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, he would curse his mother for giving him that name.

Because of the quarrel between GSIS president Winston Garcia and Meralco, GMA had to issue a 'solomonic decision' which is: Throw the matter to the NEDA core group so that they can come up with a position to be recommended to us (Arroyo and the Cabinet).

Di ko ma-imagine ang expression ni Doy na "HUWAAATTTT!!!!"

Ganyan ba kasi kababaw si Arroyo? Kahit ang municipal councilor sa bayan ni Aling Tonya na Grade 2 lamang ang natapos, alam na alam na ang gasgas na linyang yan para di maipit sa mga interbiyu. Pag tinatanong ng mga reporter ang laging sagot: pag-aralan muna natin ito.

Kung sabagay, ba't ba naman tayo magtataka pa eh solusyon nga ni GMA sa rice price crisis: Mag-import.

Solusyon din naman niya sa problema sa pagkagutom: Kumain ng noodles at bigas.

At dahil kulang na ang bigas: Kumain na lamang ng kamote.

Ganyan siya katalino. Kaya talagang magagalit si Haring Solomon sa kanyang nanay dahil
nababoy ata ang pangalan niya sa 'Solomonic decision' ni aling Gloria.

Rice auction fails

Headline ng Inquirer: NFA rice auction fails

A portion of the report reads:

THE PHILIPPINES, THE WORLD’S biggest rice importer, failed to buy new supplies of the staple on Monday after its auction attracted only one bidder, plunging Asia’s rice market into uncertainty.

National Food Authority (NFA) Deputy Administrator Ludovico Jarina said the fact that only one company submitted a bid—Vietnam Southern Food Corp. (Vinafood)—indicated “a tightness” of supply in the world market.

Yesterday’s auction was for 675,000 metric tons.

The auction was held in the midst of rising prices of rice in the country caused by uncertainty over the stability of supply. This has prompted the Arroyo administration to adopt several measures, such as a new distribution system involving issuing rice cards to the poorest households in Metro Manila to enable them to buy NFA rice, priced at P18.25 a kilo.

Teka, akala ko ba under control ang lahat? Ano itong balita ng Inquirer? Or this just adds to another Orwellian talk ni sitting duck... este, sitting president Gloria in the Palace? Kung sabagay, kelan pa nga pala siya nagsimula na magsabi ng totoo? When she she said she will not run?... Hmmmnnn

GMA feeling secure over rice importation?

I don't know what kind of economist is Gloria in the Palace. As Malaya reports:

Arroyo on Friday said the Philippines has concluded contracts with Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian countries for 1.2 million metric tons of rice. The volume, she said, is "enough to cover the 10 percent differential which is our production and consumption."

She said the country is buying more rice only for "buffer stocks."

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap also Friday said government would try to maintain at least a 30-day inventory of stocks during the third quarter, a traditionally lean period for rice supplies.

"We are going to enter July with 32 days inventory so we will continue procuring to keep buffer stocks at 30 days," he said.

He echoed Arroyo's statement, saying the National Food Authority has bought enough imported rice to meet domestic demand and remaining tenders will go to boosting buffer stocks.

Hanggang ganyan na lang ba talaga ang kayang arukin ng pag-iisip ni Gng. Arroyo? Or is she just doing a Rovian Tactic to hide some things from the public? PolitechWatch (see also Biklish) has this conclusion:

It should be noted that early this year, the Arroyo Government has been assuring the public that there is no rice shortage in the country. Even independent economic analysts have been forecasting the same as the National Food Authority (NFA) had ample stocks to last for months and that the harvest season is yet to come. But when the Lozada expose on the ZTE Scandal became out of control, the government immediately shifted its stand and started carrying the issue of food security. This, in a way, became a clear Rovian tactic aimed at killing the messages thrown at the Arroyo Administration particularly on government mismanagement and rampant corruption.

True, the issue on food security is an issue that affects not only the Philippines but also the rest of the world. Even then, it cannot be said that the Arroyo government is just responding to the fact. First, when Mrs. Arroyo took over the reins of government, she already know that the trade imbalance with regards rice and other agricultural produce is already unfavorable to the country. As a matter of fact, the Philippines is already the largest importer of rice in the world. Still, she did nothing to correct this mess by at least giving special attention to the farmers.

Second, now that the country is already being threatened by food shortage, her policy is still leaning towards food importation. This had been made clear when the NFA's thrust for this year is to buy more rice from other countries rather than directly address the issue of high costs of production. The problem, rice producing countries like Thailand has instituted ban on exports of the staple food. To make the matters worse, other rice exporting countries also decided to form a cartel to regulate rice exports and prices. Thus, to quote Palawan Representative Abraham Mitra: What’s the use of your money if no rice is available at any price overseas? It’s like looking for water in the desert. You may be willing to exchange a bar of gold for a cup of water but it’s totally worthless if there’s not a single drop around.

Third, the sincerity of the government is also lacking as until now, no member of the local rice cartel has been caught and punished. What Arroyo government had been boasting in the last few weeks is the apprehension of the “Mosquito Gang” in Isabela – a loose organization of rice traders who are known for stocking a few hundred sacks of rice. What it failed to catch are the giant rice hoarders some of whom are known to be the members of “Binondo 9” – also a loose organization of rice traders known for hoarding tons of rice.

The sincerity is also lacking as the Arroyo government failed to catch rice smugglers. To note, in addition to the regular anti-smuggling agencies, Mrs. Arroyo has also organized the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG). With the numerous anti-smuggling agencies of the government, how come there is no catch? Whether or not this just validate the rumors that some members of the first family are also involved in rice smuggling, nobody can tell. But one sure thing is that the PASG, one of highly financed agencies to eradicate smuggling, has concentrated its efforts mainly on curbing the smuggling of luxury cars rather than eliminating the smuggling of basic commodities. For this reason, rice smuggling continuous. If reports are to be believed, smuggled rice consists of 15-percent to 21-percent of the total rice imports of the country – a raison d'être of the Organization of Rice Exporting Countries. And this hurts more the local producers as their price becomes more and more uncompetitive due to the influx of smuggled rice.

Lastly, and the clearest evidence why the Arroyo Government is just warding off the issues on mismanagement and corruption, is her US$120 million (P5 billion) aid for the poor program. This she announced a few days ago with the idea of doling out a maximum of US$33 (PhP1,400) per poor family per month as an additional money to buy food for the table. In short, instead of addressing the root cause of the food security issue, Mrs. Arroyo will be issuing a placebo to show that she is a working president and thereby ward off the claims that are haunting her administration.

US Report: A Work of the Opposition?

Every time there is a negative report the Arroyo Administration would blame the opposition as the cause. Lately, the US State Department released a country report stating that corruption and low pay are among the reasons that plague Philippine law enforcement efforts to bring terrorists to justice. Shall we say this is also done by the opposition?

The Inquirer, in its "Corruption, low pay hinder RP fight vs terrorism--US report", writes:

MANILA, Philippines -- Corruption, limited resources and low salaries of security forces are just some of the problems plaguing Philippine law enforcement efforts to bring terrorists to justice.

These were some of the findings contained in a US State Department Country Report on terrorism for the East Asia and Pacific Region released Wednesday.

The report concluded that the Jemaah Islamiyah regional terrorist network (JI), which has ties to Osama Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network, remains a serious threat to Western and regional interests, particularly in Indonesia and the southern Philippines.

“Limited financial resources, inadequate salaries, corruption, low morale, limited cooperation between police and prosecutors, and other problems in law enforcement have hampered bringing terrorists to justice,” the report said.

Rumors were rife that personal profit was responsible for the escape of JI top bomber Fathr Rohman Al-Ghozi from the heavily guarded headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame, Quezon City in 2003. Three months later Al-Ghozi died in a gun battle with security forces in Mindanao

Also, the alleged connivance between the ASG and the military, exemplified by the ease with which Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members escaped from a surrounded hospital compound in Lamitan, Basilan in 2001, has yet to be resolved.

No one has been prosecuted for the two events.

Read more here>>>

GMA vindicated from the NBN scandal?

While the report is yet to be prepared, Malacanang is already confident that sitting president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will be vindicated from the NBN scandal. The reason: There is no evidence linking the president to the scandal.

First, paano ba sila nakakasiguro lalo na si Ed Ermita na vindicated nga talaga si Gloria? Mukhang me whitewash na agad na nangangamoy ah?

Second, paano nga ba talaga magkakaroon ng ebidensiya? They controlled all the possibilities to come out with an evidence? Parang Impeachment Trial. They kill it immediately with technicalities.

Pero vindicated nga ba? Not beyond reasonable doubt. Hanggang ngayon lutang pa rin ang mga koneksiyon ni Gloria sa mga iskandalo ng gobyerno. Actually she even admitted these categorically. She said sorry when she called Garci. And she said she still signed the NBN Contract despite the anomalies. This means she is not scot-free. And this will haunt her til the rest of history.

Culture of Corruption & Culture of Poverty

Biklish has an interesting post on how the cultures of poverty and corruption were embedded in the Filipino psychology. The posts say that it's a result of the legitimization provided by the government, the people and the Church.

A portion of the post is as follows:

[...] a few individuals in the government became greedy. They became corrupt until corruption became a virus. By their silence, the people seemed to have allowed the virus to spread...

To give moral legitimacy to corruption, the Church also had her part. For instance, during the Marcos-Aquino presidential elections, Cardinal Sin was at the forefront saying: Ang pera sa bulsa, ang boto sa balota...

This was further strengthened when the high-ranking members of the Church admitted accepting money from PAGCOR, or money from gambling operations...

But more than the strengthening of the culture of corruption, the Church also has a role to play in strengthening the culture of poverty. Intentionally or not, she had been espousing a mis-contextualized Biblical passage “Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”... In the proper context, though, poverty should not be with a child of God. Again, basing from the Bible and even the Q’ran, man was created in the image of God. And God is not poor. As a matter of fact, God gave man the authority over everything on earth. Man can utilize that, etc., etc.

Of course, to be blamed also are the people. They accept things without questions. And they treat alleged authorities with pure reverence. Just like their treatment for the government. Just like their treatment with the Church. Otherwise, another people power uprising should have transpired even without the leadership of the Church[...]

Miracles & Reverse engineering: From politics to showbiz

In the Philippines, almost everything is possible: Public money vanishing in thin air, infrastructure projects that are invisible, one vote that is equivalent to four or five, agriculture fertilizers for use in buildings, and so on and so forth.

And then the usual trend -- showbiz personalities turning politicians. But lately, it is the reverse: politicians turning showbiz personalities. The culprit of the fad -- Eddie Gil.

Pero dahil uso, we now have Senator Ping Lacson endorsing a product for metrosexuals particularly a beauty product for men. Sunod din si Cong. Joel Villanueva ng CIBAC party-list endorsing a spa and wellness center. To add the list we also have Senators Pia Cayetano, Mar Roxas and Kiko Pangilinan. Galing di ba? Pero teka, iiwan na ba nila ang politics?

For miracle's sake, hindi. Sabi ng mga espiritu-santong prayle, step one daw yun for 2010. Kaya nga todo alma si Senator Brenda Santiago. Porke ba walang offer sa kanya? O violation ng isang existing law or guideline? If so, aantayin na lang natin si Senator. Pero sa ngayon, consistent pa rin ang Pinas and this? This can be found only in the Philippines.

What is life without dignity?

The Vicente Sotto Memorial Scandal would not die down. A few days ago, nagpalabas ng press release ang hospital admitting some excessive and unwanted actions on the part of their personnel. Kaso di pinangalanan. Bakit? Dahil sa right to privacy of the doctors and nurses involved? Paano naman yung right to privacy ng pasyente?

Worse, argumento ng hospital, isipin din ang kakulangan ng mga doktor. At dapat nga magpasalamat pa dahil maayos ang operasyon at safe ang pasyente.

Tsk, tsk, tsk! Ganyan ba talaga sila kababaw? What is life without dignity, in the first place? Buhay nga ang pasyente parang baboy naman ang tingin sa kanya. Dagdag pa ang banat ni Msgr. Dakay ng Diocese of Cebu. Sabi ni Dakay, kasalanan ng biktima ang nangyari kasi in the first place, nakipag-sex ito sa kapwa lalaki. In simple terms, dissecting Dakay's logic, okay lang gumawa ng isa pang kasalanan kasi me nauna nang kasalanan. Analogously, okay lang ang mga sex scandals na involved ang mga pari kasi in the first place, pumatol naman ang mga babae. Galing di ba?

Hmmmnnn.... Kaya pala kina Tikboy me mga pari na magagara ang bahay. Usap-usapan, donated ito ng mga jueteng lords para sana sa pagpapa-renovate ng simbahan. Kaso di na ipinagawa ng simbahan kundi personal na bahay ng pari kasi in the first place jueteng money naman ito. At meron din na nagbuntis at nanganak gayong wala namang asawa. Out of immaculate conception? Siguro pero ang alam ng lahat, close ang babae kay father. At malaki ang hawig ng bata kay father. So, using Dakay's logic: It's just ok that father fathered a child because the mother of the child was willing also to let father be the father of what he fathered.

Ang gulo!

Lapid as the most productive senator?

After the stormy days and unholy nights caused by the NBN deal and the scandals rocking the administration, another joke calmed the nerves. No, it was not the lies sholtage of Gloria Arroyo. It's about the Senator Lito Lapid whom everybody thought had resigned or had gone into seclusion after they lost their political territory in Pampanga to Fr. Ed Panlilio.

And the joke? Lapid is the seventh most productive in the Senate!

Ugh!@#$@#$@grrzzztt%&*@kzzzzztttt!!!!

[Sorry. Tikboy just spilled some coffee on his keypad.]

Pero kakatawa yun ah? Ang hindi lang po nakakatawa, totoo yun. Sabi ng Inquirer.net, Lapid was absent for only two sessions since the Congress opened last July 2007, and ranked seventh in terms of the bills filed.

Sabi ni Doy: HUWWWAATTTT????

Papaano nangyari yun? Almost everybody was noisy during the Senate hearings that even Dinggol, este, Jinggoy Estrada honed his tongue in English and Tagalog. And Madrigal? She had a verbal battle with other senators that she even dared to bring the issue of Commission on Appointments' composition at the Supreme Court. Pero si Lapid? He was silent as a lamb, di ba? So how come?

Sabi ng staff ni Lapid, silent worker lang ang senator. As a matter of fact, after the roll call and the national anthem, he would exercise seclusion by going to the Senators' Lounge otherwise he would break his vow of silence.

But if that is his ritual, paano siya naging most productive? How was he able to "pass the bills" without sponsoring it? To note, to sponsor a bill one must declare it publicly by addressing the "Mr. (Senate) President" so that it will be recorded and referred to the committee. Di ba most productive siya? Or the meaning of "pass the bill" is just soooo literal that he just gave it (pass) to another senator?

Well, this is funny. And in times like this, we need some funny stories to calm our nerves. Pero teka... is this still funny? We are angry with Gloria for the un-glorious issues of mal-administration and corruption. And here is Lapid, earning his salary from our taxes, ang pinaghirapan at pinagpawisang buwis. Tapos wala namang nagagawa? Hmmmnnnn...

Just Another Fallacy: Fajardo and SBMA on Hanjin

Malacanang Spokesperson, Atty. Lorelei Fajardo, and the Subic Bay Metropolitian Authority committed another fallacy by arguing that Hanjin should not be put into bad light with regards the environment as it is contributing a lot to the Philippine economy. Sabi ni Fajardo, it is infusing billions of dollar-worth investments. Sabi naman ng SBMA, it is generating a lot of employment as Hanjin helps build ships, which employs Filipinos, and ships employ seamen, which also utilizes Filipinos.

The problem is, they seem to evade the issue -- the effect of Hanjin operations on the environment particularly on the construction of the condominium in the middle of a forest. And clearly, there is already a violation for the company had cut trees more than what it is permitted to do so. Para bang argumento ni Catholic Bishop Cinense na wag na muna nating palitan si Arroyo dahil negatibo sa ekonomiya.

These people seem to forget to argue by attacking directly the argument not belaboring it with other things. The Arroyo issue, for instance, involves a moral issue and therefore, Cinense should argue on moral grounds not on economic grounds. Besides, morality is Cinense's expertise being a supposedly guardian of morality. Kaya lang, it appears na he shifted his area of expertise -- economy.

The same with Fajardo. As a lawyer, she should argue on legal grounds. The problem she has to solve is whether or not what the Hanjin did is legal. If bastardizing the environment is legal, ok lang yun. Ang importante, Fajardo answered based on her area of expertise. But talking about investments? And economy? And evading the issue of legality?

Argumentum ad envidiam is also the line of the SBMA. Though simple lang naman sana ang tanong: Base ba sa SBMA land use plan, tama ba ang ginawa ng Hanjin? Kaso, they made it complicated by appealing to the social condition of the people. Are they hiding something?

Kung sabagay, consistent din naman sila. Their boss who, instead of answering the charges of corruption and mal-administration, would rather appeal to the "need to consider the economy and economic growth". And there is this saying: Kung ano ang puno, ganun din ang bunga.

But one funny thing: When Satan tempted Jesus, the devil also used food (which Gloria is also doing when she is offering rice and noodles to the hungry "masa")and wealth (just like the economic argument of Cinense, Fajardo, and the SBMA). Is this just a plain coincidence?

Hmmmnnn :-?

GMA and her unsatisfaction ratings

A few days ago, the Social Weather Stations released the results of its latest round of surveys measuring the satisfaction ratings of the sitting-president of the Pilay na Republic.... err, Philippine Republic, Gloria Arroyo. As usual, di pa rin ito nakakaahon sa lusak. From negative 16% in December 2007, her ratings further dived to negative 26% this March. And it is expected that the figure will further search the bottom of the Mariana Trench with the alleged crisis in rice.

Ang nakapagtataka, the ratings of the Visayans who, Arroyo claims as the Filipinos who loved her very much, continue to dip from positive 1% last September to negative 9% last December and now to negative 15%. Ibig sabihin, the people who were slow to get aroused by her mal-governance are now expressing their feelings against her. Isn't she alarmed?

Kung sabagay, there is no cause for the alarm sabi nga ni Toting Bunye. It's just a survey at gawa lang yan ng oposisyon. Ever since naman, pag negative news, gawa yan ng oposisyon pero pag maganda ang resulta ng survey, that's correct sabi ng administrasyon. Look at the survey on hunger and food sufficiency last year. Tuwang-tuwa pa kamo ang Malakanyang. But did the survey really trickle down to the grassroots? Only the NSCB figures on poverty as well as the food shortage this year can say.

Pero there is really no cause for alarm. So what kung mababa ang satisfaction ratings? Look at Ramon Magsaysay, highly popular pero di natapos ang term. Si Joseph Estrada, hari ng masa, very popular, di natapos ang term. Si Fernando Poe Jr., pinaka-popular pero ni hindi man lang nakaupo kahit isang minuto para sa kanyang term... BUT: Look at Ferdinand Marcos, unpopular pero nagsilbi ng kung ilang terms. And here is Gloria, very unpopular pero nakaupo for more than one term na...

O di ba?

GMA and her unsatisfaction ratings

A few days ago, the Social Weather Stations released the results of its lates round of surveys

Esperon for DND?

Even before his actual retirement, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon is already floating the idea that he is willing to take the post of Cabinet Secretary in the Department of Defense. Ibig sabihin, wala pa man at may nakaupo pa, willing siyang mag-take-over.

Kapaaaaalllll!!!

While we do agree na qualified si Esperon, we do not agree with the way he aired his vested interests. Has shame eluded him considering the fact na andiyan pa nakaupo si Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro? Or is he just claiming something as if Malacanang owes him something and that the Chief Executive needs to pay him back? If so, eto ba yung alleged participation ni general noong 2004 presidential elections? Helloooo....??? Garci??? O eto yung mga ginawa ni general to save the queen during her turbulent times? We do not know. But Esperon is retiring by May and after that, in the succeeding months perhaps, we will surely know.

Pero teka... Esperon? Retiring? Bakit magta-trabaho pa? What's the use of our retirement laws? Isa pa, marami naman ng graduates natin ba't di nalang sila kunin? Para naman mabawas-bawasan ang un-employment rate. Naniningil nga ba talaga? Hmmmnnn...

Aminin...

Rice shortage or Lies shortage?

Circulating in the SMS-sphere:

The ZTE Scandal has broken the relation between China and the Philippines. To mend this, GMA visited Beijing. The Chinese president was very accommodating and devoid of Orwellian talks typical of GMA, he offered his country's help to solve the Philippines' alleged rice shortage.

Chinese Translator: Oul plesident asks if del is a lice sholtage in the Pilipins. (Our president asks if there is a rice shortage in the Philippines.)
GMA (mimicking the way the translator speaks para magpa-cute): How thoughtful but please tell youl plesident we have no lies sholtage in the Philippines.

Kung sabagay, wala nga naman talaga tayong pagkukulang sa mga kasinungalingan.

There are even thoughts that there is really no rice shortage. Gimik lang ng Malacanang para matabunan ang isyu ng ZTE, ng Supreme Court Decision at ng mga akusasyon ni Lozada. Whether this is true or not, di natin alam. Ang nakapagtataka lang, bakit ngayong panahon ng anihan lumabas ang issue ng alleged rice shortage?

Of Millions and Minions

After going around the bush, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez finally ordered the filing of criminal raps against former Justice Secretary Hernani Perez and family. Sana hindi lang mauwi sa filing. Sana me resolusyon din. Yun bang hindi tulad sa crime statistics ng Philippine National Police na panay record lang walang actual resolution such as incarceration of the criminals, or cutting their fingers just like what the Yakuzas do, or, at the very least, caning them just like in the laws in the arabian countries. O kahit pitik man lang sa ilong kung di pa rin puwede.

But somebody said: Sec, me 200 tayo diyan.

Yung nagsabi ba ng "may 200 tayo diyan" puwede rin bang isama? Everybody knows he is a government officials and all government officials are also expected to be of high standards of behavior. And the 200, whether million pesos man yan o simply pesos lang is still under the jurisdiction of the anti-graft court. And definitely, under the Office of the Ombudsman.

Siyempre, idagdag na rin dapat yung umamin na nagbigay kay Jun Lozada ng pera. That includes Manny Gaite and company. Where did they get the money and why should they bribe Lozada?

These, of course, are just the minions. During the 2004 elections somebody said "dapat di bababa ng one million". Isama na rin dapat yun together with that Comelec official named Garci who really ensured na hindi bababa ng one million ang boto ng boss niya.

If the Ombudsman will do this and is able to convict the minions and their boss, marami ang tulad ni Tikboy na willing magpa-alipin kay Merceditas Gutierrez forever kahit pa sabihing di na uso ang slavery. It's hard to find a person who has the guts like that. Of course, kasabay na diyan si Liwayway Vinzons Chato who also had the guts to fight the tax evaders... even though the government is now evading her as she now battles the legal cases filed against her for being committed to sincerely implement the government policies.

Rice sufficiency? Hellooueeer!!!!????

A funny story from Inquirer.Net: RP aims for 92% self-sufficiency in rice in 2008

According to the report, the ambitious plan came after Gloria Arroyo "announced an ambitious multi-billion-peso plan to overhaul the country's agricultural sector to cope with the rising world price of food, particularly rice, the national diet staple."

The methods? Restoring irrigation and post-harvest facilities.

With the presence of the International Rice Research Institute in the country, marami ang puwedeng maniwala. But analyzing how the government handles the taxpayers' money (Note: the "liquified" fertilizer, and the latest: ang nababoy na Swine Program implemented with Quedancor), along with its policies supporting the Filipino farmers, mukhang suntok sa buwan lang ang mga pronouncements. Bakit kamo? Let us count the ways:

First, when the Philippines entered the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trades (GATT) as well as the World Trade Organization (WTO), there was no realistic safety net offered to the agricultural sector. So ngayon, binabaha tayo ng cheap agricultural products from other countries, nasaan na ang mga pinoy na nagtatanim ng palay?

Ikalawa, rice smuggling is un-abated. Worse, me mga ilang taga-gobyerno pa na sangkot dito. Ano ang ginagawa nila? Ang Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), ano lang ba ang hinahabol: smuggled na luxury cars?

Ikatlo, asan ang mga pera na dapat ay mapupunta sa mga magsasaka? Should we still ask Jocjoc Bolante for the issue of the fertilizer na allegedly ginamit ni Gloria noong nakaraang eleksiyon?

Ikaapat, ano na ang nangyayari sa mga lupa na dati ay tinatamnan ng mga palay? Ginagawang subdibisyon. Kahit nga ang Banawe Rice Terraces unti-unti nang naglalaho at ginagawang Banawe Subdivision Terraces. Bakit? Dahil malinaw ang pera... este ang polisiya ng gobyerno -- polisiya na wala itong pakialam kung mawalan man ng mga taniman ng palay basta merong tatayong mga bahay. Kung sabagay, dalawa ang kita dito: una, sa lobbying para sa conversion ng lupa, at ikalawa, building permits. Tanungin niyo si suspended Mayor Ping Cuerpo kung magkano. O kaya tingnan niyo sa Google Earth paano inaararo ang Montalban para gawing TANIMAN NG BAHAY. And Montalban is not alone. Look at Bulacan. Marami din dun.

Ikalima, even the National Food Authority, instead na bumili sa mga magsasaka, ay bumibili sa labas ng bansa. In simple terms, nag-iimport.

Ikaanim, wala ring tiwala ang mga taga-gobyerno na matutupad talaga ito. Consider the NFA saying the mag-iimport pa rin sila dahil "it was still more expensive to produce rice in an archipelagic country like the Philippines compared with those with large land masses like Thailand and Viet Nam." So how can we believe something to be realized kung ang proponents nito ay hindi nga naniniwala. It's like a priest saying "Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife" pero sa loob-loob nito "because I am the only one entitled to do so". Or, it's like hearing a government official say "I am waging a war against corruption" pero sa loob-loob niya may karugtong na "kasi magkakaroon ako ng kakumpetensiya". Look at Gloria.

Kung sabagay, it's not impossible nga namn to attain rice sufficiency. Madali lang yun: Mag-import ng mag-import. Anyway, marami naman tayong dollars na galing sa mga overseas Filipino workers. What's the use of these slaves sacrificing their lives and being called as the contemporary "Filipino Heroes"?

The Church and the "Arroyo to finish her term" debate

As the debate whether or not to allow Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to finish the term given to the supposed winner of the 2004 presidential election neared its conclusion, a Catholic Bishop made another hirit: Let Arroyo finish her term.

Florentino Cinense, a Catholic bishop from Tarlac said that it would be costly to replace Arroyo at this moment and that economically, the idea would be disadvantageous to the Philippines. He also said that instead of calling for Arroyo to step down, the people should just call for more projects instead.

Is Cinense's view the voice of God? That we do not know. But his logic sounds like: Huwag na muna nating itigil ang jueteng kasi it would be costly to stop the illegal numbers game (considering the number of employment it generates) and that ceasing its operations would be economically unsound (i.e., konti na lang ang papasok sa kaban ng Simbahan dahil mababawasan ang mananalo na magbibigay-pasasalamat sa Diyos). Kung sabagay, it took the Catholic Church several centuries before acknowledging that Galileo, the man they declared as heretic and a disciple of Satan for proving that the earth moves around the sun and not otherwise, is right. Even though they already knew the truth behind Galileo's claim, they did not retract the declaration easily dahil it would be costly on part of the Church -- that is, they might lose their face for the mal-declaration.

Cinense's view also resounds the same old Catholic logic na di puwede mag-asawa ang pari dahil reserved lang ito para sa Diyos. And they turn blind eye sa mga pari na nagiging ama... unless ang ipinagbubuntis ng mga kaibigang babae ng ilan sa mga pari ay out of immaculate concepcion. But if that is the case, walang pinagkaiba ngayon ang Diyos ng mga Katoliko kay Zeus, isang tsikboy na diyos ng mga Griyego.

While we are still weighing the consequences of Arroyo reaching 2010 or not in the presidential seat, mas maigi siguro na tumahimik na lang ang mga obispong ito. When people were seeking for their guidance, tahimik sila. Ngayon na di naman hinihingi ang kanilang opinyon, saka lang sila nag-iingay. Which makes people ask: Nagbe-benefit nga ba talaga sila sa Malakanyang?

Whether they do or not, it's hard to tell. But circumstantial evidences seem to show that they do. Imagine nga naman: Discussing the morality issue in economic terms instead of moral terms!

Hmmmmmnnnnn....

Kaya pala lalong dumadami ang pumapasok ngayon sa ibang relihiyon. If Gloria is the primary recruiter of activitists and people disgruntled of the administration, the Catholic Church is also the primary proselytizer of non-Catholic believers.

The effects of Neri vs Senate

The resolution in the Neri vs Senate Committee Case is like seeing "the good, the bad and the ugly"...

• The "good" because finally, everybody can breath upon knowing how powerful the President of the Philippine Republic is. Siyempre next time, alam na kung sino ang puwedeng magsabi ng Noli Me Tang-ina... este Tangere. Siyempre, luminaw na rin ang bolang kristal at alam na kung ano ang mas mahalaga... ang kapakanan NG MGA PILIPINO o ang kapakanan ng ILANG PILIPINO -- that is, the salus populi or the salus presidente.



• The "bad" because the Neri vs Senate Committee show the bias of the Supreme court to the Supreme Law... the law of the salus presidente. Excuse us: wala pa pong personality na involved. We are just talking of the presidential seat here.



• At dahil nakita natin ano na ang hugis ng batas, nakita rin natin ano na ang hugis ng demokrasya sa Pilipinas -- meaning, democracy only caters to a selected few. So if there is a conflict between the salus presidente and the salus populi, the former prevails. Hence, the "ugly".
  
  We have seen also the "ugly" because we have seen that the real democracy ends when secrecy begins. So while we argue that the Executive Privilege is a constitutional fact, we tend to forget that transparency is also a constitutional fact. And when we argue that the Executive Privilege has a constitutional basis, we tend to forget that the ideas of "public office as a public trust" and "accountability" also has a constitutional bases.


The "good, the bad, and the ugly", however, shows how difficult the job of a Justice of Peace and Justice of Court is. It simply means weighing interests against interests, and be conscience-stricken for the outcome. So if Ed Ermita has been doing double-talks, and if there is now a stalemate between the two branches of the government, it now rests with the Justices. And whether or not the Justices can rest in peace with their decisions, kanila na lang yun. But too sad that in the democracy Pinoy style, the fate of a greater number is decided by the lesser few.

The whole is not the sum of the parts

The Inquirer reports: The European Union has commended the Philippines for its recent economic gains and the significant decline in the incidence of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, the EU ambassador told a news forum yesterday.

According to European Union Ambassador, Allistair MacDonald, the Philippines' 7.3-percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007 deserves to e praised because "this is the best macroeconomic performance in some 50 years and we wanted to acknowledge that, noting as well that this was accompanied by controlled inflation, a balanced budget and an improved balance of payments", MacDonald said.

Ayos din si MacDonald. Kaya lang, naisip niya kaya na posibleng tinawagan din ni Gloria Arroyo si Garci para mahilot ang economic figure?

Kung sabagay, wala nga palang pakialam ang EU sa internal affairs sa Pilipinas. And it doesn't care kung tunay o hindi ang figures so long as these are official figures. Pero for a fact lang: dumami ang mga mahihirap from 24.4% to 26.9%; self rated hunger also grew up and is expected to soar with the increase of prices of the local commodities without the corresponding increase in the daily wage; self rated poverty also increased because the alleged increase in the GDP did not trickle down to the pockets; that self rated poverty will further increase considering na lalong dumami ang babayarang utang ng mga Pilipino dahil sa corruption.

Next, though it may be true that the number of extra-judicial killings declined, hindi naman gumalaw ng solution rate at wala ni isa pa man ang nappatunayang guilty sa mga namatay. Sa disappearances naman, wala pa ring lumilitaw. And though the numbers of the killings slightly improve, lumala naman ang sitwasyon sa freedom of speech and expression; nawala na rin ang transparency ng gobyerno lalo na ngayon na paborable ang naging desisyon ng Supreme Court sa kaso ni Neri vs Senate with regards the extent of the executive privilege. And this is much worse than extra-judicial killings. Binuhay mo nga ang tao ginawa mo namang parang hayup ang buhay niya.

Kung sabagay, wala namang pakialam ang EU dito sa Pilipinas. Siguro nga mas gusto pa ng EU na laging mahirap ang Pilipinas para maging dependent ang bansa ni Gloria Arroyo sa EU lalo na sa aids at loans. Kung mangyari ng ganun, mahawakan na rin ng EU sa leeg ang Pilipinas... a case which is no different from what the Imperial United States is doing.

Pero sana di tulad sa US ang EU. At sana sa European system of measurements, naiisip pa rin nito na "the whole is not always the sum of its parts".

Marketing the Rice Importation Idea?

According to Felipe Medalla, UP Economics professor and former planning secretary: The collective wisdom of the market should decide importation… The more the government interferes in the market, the more the economy is vulnerable to shocks and crisis.

What Medalla is saying is to let the market decide everything and that the government should have lesser interference on importation. But will this give us an assurance that:

• The rice cartel will not be in-charged of the importation?


• That the people will be assured that rice prices will become lower?


• That the government will be able to control smuggling, specifically rice smuggling?


• That the farmers will not be on the negative side should there be importation of rice?

Dahil sa patuloy na denial-to-death ng gobyerno lalong nabubuhay ang rice cartel. With this, magkakaroon kaya ng assurance na hindi ang kartel ang magiging in-charged ng importation?

Siyempre dahil open na ang importation, puwedeng lalong umigting ang smuggling. At siyempre dahil mura ang bigas galing sa smuggling, puwedeng mag-usap ang mga smugglers at ang rice cartel. O di ba, happy together? To note, ni hindi nga nakokontrol ang smuggling so this is not impossible. According to whispering spirits, me mga kakutsaba pa nga ang mga smugglers diyan mismo sa gobyerno. Me mga nagsasabi pa nga na ang ilan sa mga smuggling lords ay nakatira pa sa palasyo.

Lastly, opening up the imports will, of course, hurt the local producers. When the Philippines signed up the WTO and the GATT, wala itong ginawang safety nets para sa mga local producers. Lalo na ngayon na ang concentration ng efforts ng gobyerno ay broadband deal at ang "anti-corruption of the corruption efforts". Ibig sabihin, bahala na ang mga local producers sa kanilang mga sarili.

Kung sabagay, even the government's puppy, si Papa Neri, nagsabi na oligarchy ang Pilipinas. Ibig sabihin, the efforts of the government is designed not to answer the needs and interests of the people (as in the case of the real democracy) but to serve the welfare of the selected few.

Salus presidente est suprema lex.

From declaring herself as "the State" in Presidential Proclamation 1017, here comes Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with a smile that could connect one ear to the other. The Supreme Court, through Neri vs. Senate Committee, ruled on the extent of the Executive Privilege the Philippine President and her cabinet secretaries could invoke. The resolution penned by Justice Teresita De Castro states that:

The context in which executive privilege is being invoked is that the information sought to be disclosed might impair our diplomatic as well as economic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Given the confidential nature in which these information were conveyed to the President, he cannot provide the Committee any further details of these conversations, without disclosing the very thing the privilege is designed to protect.

And what are these questions? These are as follows:

a) Whether the President followed up the (NBN) project?

b) Were you dictated to prioritize the ZTE?

c) Whether the President said to go ahead and approve the project after being told about the alleged bribe?

The Senate, according to the high tribunal, failed to show a compelling need for the answers to said questions. Thus, the court continued, the Senate cannot compel Neri to divulge information which are covered by the executive privilege.

Arroyo's smile further broadened when the Ombudsman also junked the motion to subpoena the president over the scandalous national broadband deal. This means she remains a privileged person far and above the law. This also means that the interests of the people -- their right to information, their right to a transparent, responsive and accountable government, and their right to have their welfare placed above anything else, is set aside.

Kung sabagay, bakit pa kailangang magtaka ang mga Pilipino? It is already made clear by the Freedom House that the Philippines is not a democratic country. Sa isang demokrasyang bansa kasi,the welfare of the people is the supreme law. In the case of the Philippines, it is the welfare of the President -- something similar to case of monarchs who rule under the benefit of the Divine Law, and the dictators.

Otherwise, puwede rin imbestigahan si Gloria Arroyo or i-subpoena tulad ni Bill Clinton when he had a sex scandal at tulad ni Richard Nixon during the Watergate Scandal. O di ba?

Even the statement of support for GMA is padded

If there is one thing that is not padded with Gloria Arroyo, it's her height.

After the padding of the figures of the economic growth came the padding of the election votes. Then we have the figures on classrooms, on projects undertaken and even the SOPs and kickbacks. Count the infamous ZTE-National Broadband Network deal. But as if these are not yet enough, meron na namang bago sa "padding-mania" ni Gloria. Ito ang alleged support ng mga Assumptionista.

Almost a week ago, binugbog ang mga major broadsheets ng manifesto (kuno) ng mga taga-Assumption College stating their support for Gloria Arroyo. Immediately after the publication of the manifesto, however, umangal ang mga nasa listahan saying they did not express their support for Gloria. According to Tribune:

The old girls of Assump-tion Convent are reportedly up in arms against a pro-Arroyo group of Assumption alumnae, led by Cynthia Carreon, an Arroyo official, for including their names in a full-page pro-Arroyo advertisement published yesterday without their per-mission and even knowledge.

A statement against the manifesto was also published in the Inquirer for a mistake that was deliberately dishonest by bringing the dead people alive and those living overseas signing the manifesto without even moving a tip of their fingers. This reads as follows:

In the interest of truth, we would like to set the record straight in regard to the full-page advertisement titled “Concerned Assumption women in support of truth and stability” (Inquirer, 3/13/08) and the correction the advertisers hastily, possibly frantically, issued two days later.

The advertisement, listing fellow alumnae of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from Assumption College who supposedly were supporting her, was clearly a brazen case of misrepresentation. The “honest mistake” was not as insignificant as the advertisers—upon being swamped with complaints of arbitrary listing—claimed they were. For how could people proclaiming themselves publicly to stand for the truth—indeed, paying their way dearly through publicity—have mistaken dead people (15 years dead in one case) for living Arroyo supporters, and graduates of other schools for alumnae of Assumption College, Ms Arroyo’s alma mater?

To say that the “errors” were made due to voluminous influx of data from relatives and friends is unacceptable. Would a relative volunteer the name of a loved one who has long been dead? Is it not deception, shameless as well as desperate, to nevertheless put on the list the name of a person who has told the advertisers to their faces, “’I don’t want to be included”?

In fact, from Ms Arroyo’s own class of 80 (yet, a moderate estimate) fewer than a dozen support her. The advertisers admitted 16 mistakes, but added new names to make up for them. But, again, how could the exact event of the misrepresentation be determined? Surely, if we had the time and resources to investigate more closely, we’d have found more evidence.

At any rate, such case of padding and lying could not have come as any surprise to anyone who knows how this government is run. It has been the story of GMA’s reign.

—CHONA A. KATIGBAK,
BEA TAN, CORA B. LOPA,
ZENY R. TAÑADA, MANDY TORRES

Ganito na ba talaga ka-"padding maniac" ang administrasyon ni GMA? Hmmmnnn.... alin pa kaya ang padded?

Filipinos disapprove of GMA?

The fight vs impunity

Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro said that foreign groups should not dictate how the Philippines will solve its problems on its own way. As Teodoro said: We are dealing with the issue of extra-judicial killings structurally in the department. It will be at our pace, on our terms, in our own programs.

While we agree with his message as a statement of Philippine sovereignty, we are in buried in doubt. First, what pace? 20 years? 50 years? Ilang beses na rin ba itong sinabi ni Gloria -- na aayusin niya ang culture of impunity sa Pilipinas? During the post-Marcos period, sa panahon niya lamang may pinakamalalang patayan. Worse, instead of a declining figure, lalo pa atang tumataas.

Second, in what terms? Killing the noisy ones lalo na ang media? In the Gloria administration alone, 7 journalists are killed per year. Mas malala sa panahon ni Erap na kalaban talaga ng media, o ni Tabako Ramos na isang military general. Di pa kabilang ang mga frustrated killings.

Third, in what program? Feeding program lalo na ng mga underpaid na media? O kaya PP 1017? O kaya ang pagbabawal na mag-rally at magpahayag ng sama ng loob laban sa gobyerno?

Instead of babbling, mas maganda na ipakita ang blueprint paano ito ma-address. At agad-agad dapat may sample. Alam na pala ni Teodoro na may mga military personnel involved, ba't di pa yun ilabas at i-prosecute? Mas inuuna pa ang Magdalo case na huling nangyari kaysa sa mga journalists and Leftists killed starting from he first few years of Gloria Administration. If they consider the Magdalo's actions are an attack to democracy, mas malala ang nangyaring mga pagpapatay. They are not only an attack to democracy but on the freedoms of life and liberty as well as the freedom of the press - the basic foundations of democracy. Kung baga, bubong lang ang ginulo ng Magdalo samantalang sa mga pinatay na journalists at Leftists, pundasyon ang sinira. Kaya hindi kataka-takang bagsak ang Pilipinas sa pagiging isang tunay na demokrasya sa mata ng ibang bansa at sa mata ng mga international entities.

Bitch.

Aside from the national broadband network (NBN) project, the Philippines is still a signatory to another confidential loan -- a 4 billion-dollar loan with ZTE International Investment Ltd., the sister company of Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment Co. Ltd. (ZTE Corp.) of the infamous broadband deal. This was disclosed by Trade Secretary Peter Favila during the Senate hearing on the NBN deal. The $4 billion loan is for the establishment of an information technology school and training center; exploration, development and operation of mining areas in North Davao and Diwalwal in Compostela Valley in Mindanao, and the establishment of a special economic zone in Davao.

Wow, masyadong generous naman ang mga Intsik. Pero teka, me colatilla daw ang loan. As reported by GMANews.tv:

In the MoU, it indicated that "unless otherwise required by law, regulation or an order of a court or any appropriate government agency, a party hereto shall not reveal the contents of this agreement, or issue any press release or make any public announcement pertaining to the projects contemplated herein without prior written approval of all the parties to this agreement."

GANUNNNNN!!!!! We are going to pay for something we are not allowed to know? At bakit?

This is crazy. Ipinapangutang na ang buwis ko ng di ko alam? AT di ko puwedeng malaman? *#@*&^%)(&)*&!!!!!!!

____________________

Pero ang malala, ipinapahamak tayo ng gobyerno na hindi rin natin alam. Article 11 of the agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking in Certain Areas in the South China Sea (JMSU) between China and the Philippines, it is stated:

This Agreement and all relevant documents, information, data and imports with respect to the joint marine seismic undertaking shall be kept confidential during the Agreement Term and within five (5) year after its expiration and shall not be disclosed by a Party to any third party without the written consent of the other Party. However, no consent shall be required when said documents, information, data and reports are disclosed, for the purpose of implementation of this Agreement, to the Parties' respective governments, affiliates or stock exchanges on which a Party's shares are registered.

Ibig sabihin, sekreto lang ang gagawin ng Pilipinas at China sa Spratlys at di ipapaalam (1) sa mga Pilipino, at (2) sa ibang bansa na involved gaya ng Malaysia, Brunei, at Taiwan. Kung hindi pa umangal ang Vietnam, di rin nito malalaman.

The problem, the act of China and the Philippines is treachery on the part of the other claimants. Ang masaklap, ang Pilipinas pa ang nagsulong na status quo muna bago ang JMSU.

Ganito na ba talaga ka-traydor ang gobyernong Arroyo? If she really studied economics, did she even think of the cost-benefit analysis of entering into a treacherous agreement with China? And did she even think of the welfare of the Filipinos? Paano kung mag-spark ng giyera ang ginawa nila? Kaya ba ng sandatahang lakas ng Pilipinas na paangat pa lang ang mga helicopter at fighterplanes sumasabog na kahit hindi binabaril? Na kahit ang Abu Sayyaf na sabi ay ilang dosena lang di pa magapi-gapi? O kaya ang mga rebeldeng New People's Army na sabi ay ilang daan na lamang?

Tama si Albay Gov. Joey Salceda. Bitch. And more than a bitch. Just to enrich the pockets of the privileged few, ibebenta na lamang ng ganun kasimple ang mga Pilipino?

Grrrrr....@##@%#@^%^@$%$&^$!!!!!

Little Red Riding Hood (lum)?

The words of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in a speech before signingthe P1.227-trillion 2008 national budget, are clear: To fix the corruption that still plagues our nation, we call on Congress, now that you have passed the budget, to work with us to pass a comprehensive anti-corruption reform act in 2008.

This reminds me of the wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood a scene of which goes:

Upon reaching the house of her grandma, Little Red Riding Hood knocked on the door so the wolf asked: Who's there?

Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, "It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you."

The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."

Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.

The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, "Put the cake and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me."

So a question for Arroyo goes: Bakit ngayon lang na naipasa na ang pinakamataas na budget appropriations? At bakit ngayon lang na meron na namang alingasngas? And to add: Why still pass anti-corruption laws eh andami na natin nun? In addition, we even have a Code of Ethical Standards for government employees and public officials?

The issue here is not that we do not have laws. The issue here is implementation. We do not need additional laws. Sumobra na nga eh kaya nga dahil sa sobrang laws like EO 464, hindi nakakausad ang mga investigations na ginagawa.

Likewise, what we need is not an additional number of anti-corruption laws. What we need is an accountable and transparent government. And we do not need laws to be accountable and transparent.

Sabagay, going back to Little Red Riding Hood story, kung transparent ang wolf, he could have not eaten the girl. Kung transparent din ang Arroyo Government, no one could have dipped in their hands in the lucrative government projects. Si sana maingay ang Spratly contract with China, o kaya ang ZTE Broadband Deal, ang North Rail Project, ang South Rail Project, etc., etc., and ad infinitum.