Fair Treatment

In a reaction to the likelihood of impeaching Ombudsman Merciditas Gutierrez, Ang Galing Pinoy Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, said in a text message to reporters:

What GMA (former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), needs as does any Filipino citizen, is a fair court wherein the rules of evidence are used in determining innocence or guilt.

Interesting. Now they know what the Filipino citizens want: A fair court wherein the rules of evidence are used in determining innocence or guilt. Mga late bloomers ba sila? Kakagising pa lang? Tanga? O nagmamarunong?

When the Filipino were asking for a fair court where rules of evidence are used, the Arroyo Family denied this opportunity several times. They killed the impeachment proceedings, they issued EO 464, and even PP 1017. Kaya di ngayon maintindihan kung ano talaga ang pagkakaintindi nila sa dapat nilang iniintindi. Ano nga ba talaga, kuya? O ang fair court para sa mga Arroyo ay yung pabor lang sa kanila?

Kung sabagay, ilang beses na nga pala binago ni GMA ang mga definitions sa dictionary. Oh, Orwell, my Orwell! If God had never given birth to you, things would have been different.

"Very Good" satisfaction ratings for a good start

There is no doubt, President Noynoy Aquino passed his first 100 days with a "Very Good" satisfaction ratings according to the Social Weather Stations. "The survey showed 71 percent of respondents were satisfied with Mr. Aquino’s performance, and 11 percent dissatisfied" or a net satisfaction ratings of 60 percent.

The palace is elated, of course, but this should not be a reason for them to rest on their laurels. As Joker Arroyo said, P-Noy's first 100 days was “not designed as a dry-run or on-the-job training period for the President.” Besides, P-Noy got the rating with "the shortcomings, the underperformance of his (advisers),”who, it seems, he doesn't want to replace especially the U-Sec in hotwater, Rico Puno.

But hopefully, things will change. P-Noy is a fast learner so it is impossible that he won't learn from ousted president, Joseph Estrada. Estrada also got 100 percent satisfaction ratings on his first 100 days but eventually was kicked out of the Palace for misgovernance and involvement in jueteng -- the illegal numbers game that is unfortunately dragging Puno down.

P-Noy and Estrada, however, did not top the satisfaction ratings for the first 100 days in office as Chief Executive. The title holder is Fidel "Tabako" Ramos with 66 percent. In the fourth place is Corazon Aquino, P-Noy's mother with 53 percent, and at the bottom is the infamous president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with 24 percent.

Population Issue and the Wrong Premise

Even before warming his seat, President Noynoy Aquino already stirred the ire of the Catholic Church for expressing his support over the artificial birth control issue. Hence, what PNOY did is to blink and seek talk with the Church.

But while there is nothing wrong with consulting with the different sectors and talking with the latter on issues affecting the country, it is unsound to always sit down and talk and never come to a resolution. Kelan pa ba yan nagsimula na usapang yan? Bakit hindi natatapos?

The reason why nothing comes to a closure is because of the wrong assumptions both on the part of the government and the Catholic Church.

• First, the government thinks that the Church is all-powerful kaya maraming opisyal ang tiklop ang tuhod pag nagsalita na ito. Dahil ba sa sinasabing 80% ng mga Pilipino ay Katoliko? Even if sabihin na 100% ng mga Pilipino ay Katoliko, it is non-sequitor to say na powerful pa rin ang Simbahan. Numbers doesn't mean power dahil marami pa rin kasing Pilipino ang ayaw matawag na atheist kaya everytime na tinatanong sila kung ano ang relihiyon nila, sinasabi na Katoliko sila. Well, ang gobyerno naman kasi ang may kasalanan nito. Mantakin mo ba namang lagyan ng mga larawan ng Diyos (kuno) ang mga classrooms at i-emphasize ang panalangin sa pagbubukas ng klase sa mga public schools, and at the crucial stage kung saan nagsisimulang makipag-socialize ang mga bata? Siyempre, mapipilitang maki-ayon na lang ang mga bata para di sila ma-outcast sa kanilang mga klase.
• Second, the government believes that numbers mean power but doesn't conduct scientific studies to show which numbers are true. Dahil ba sinabi ng Simbahan na 80% ng mga Pilipino ay Katoliko, yung equivalent number na yun ay ayaw na sa contraceptives? If this is true then sana yung sinasabing "huwag makikiapid" na nasa 10 Commandments ay sinusunod din lalo na nang mga kaparian. Si Fr. Anton, napapabalitang anak daw yung bunso ni Aling Jenny na asawa ni Mang Mark na seaman. Ganun din si Fr. Marlon na maliban sa girlfriend na si Anggie, kinakalantare din ang asawa ni Charles. Okay lang siguro si Anggie kasi dalaga naman siya at binata naman ang pari. Pero yung asawa ng may asawa? Meron pang isa, si Fr. Dindo. Nagkaanak din sa isang dalaga pero sa halip na panagutan, nagpa-assign bilang misyonero sa Africa. Pero bago siya napunta sa Africa, may mga nagalaw din na kababaihan sa parokya nila pero di nagbuntis. Gumamit na daw ng condom dahil natuto na sa pagkakamali nila ni Lora, yung dalagang nabuntis. Isa lang ang naging anak ni Fr. Dindo, na ngayon ay happy na daw sa Africa. Si Fr. Anton naman, dinala na sa Roma. Yung mga kawawang mga anak nila, nasa pangangalaga ng kanilang mga ina na ni isang kusing na sentimo, walang natatanggap na suporta. Ibig sabihin, walang solid control ang Simbahan hindi lang sa mga miyembro nito kundi maging sa mga kaparian. Kaya ba't nagpapadala sa numero at moralidad ang mga taong-gobyerno eh bluff lang ang mga ito?
• Third, balik sa numero. Takot ang karamihan, lalo na ang mga pulitiko, na hindi sila mananalo kung lalabanan nila ang Simbahan. Me political clout nga ba ito eh brown bags lang nung panahon ni GMA at jueteng payola, bow na ang ilang pari? At si Bishop Cruz mismo ang nagsabi, di ba? Assuming na me political clout nga ang Simbahan, bakit natalo si Fr. Ed Panlilio sa Pampanga o kaya si Grace Padaca ng Isabela? At bakit nanalo si GMA bilang kongresista? Gayun din si Edcel Lagman na tahasang sumuporta at nagsulong sa Reproductive Health Bill noong nakaraang Kongreso? Kung ang Iglesiya ni Kristo siguro o kaya mga Muslim ang magsabi, baka puwede pang paniwalaan. Pag dating ng eleksiyon, nasa 64% ng mga miyembro ng Iglesia ang solid na bumoboto sa ini-endorso ng kanilang mga lider samantalang 48%-52% naman ng mga Muslim ang sumusunod sa ini-endorso ng kanilang mga Imam.
• Fourth, mukhang parehong nag-aasume lang ang Simbahan at Gobyerno. Di natin alam kung bopols silang pareho pero ni hindi nga nila kabisadong husto ang kanilang mga isyu. Mantakin ba naman na sabihin ng Simbahan na kasama sa artificial birth control ang abortion? Papaano mangyayari yun eh wala namang batas ang isinusulong para amyendahan ang Revised Penal Code na nagbabawal sa abortion? 

Malaki ang intelligence funds ng gobyerno. Malaki rin tong, este, ano nga yun, abuloy(?) na nakukuha ng Simbahan. Bakit di sila mag-invest sa research para me matino naman silang desisyon? 

The reason why this is happening is because of the wrong assumptions. Masyadong takot ang gobyerno at masyado namang nananakot ang Simbahan. Pero ano ba ang ginagawa ng gobyerno para ayusin ito once and for all?

Midnight Deals

The midnight deals are one of the reasons why Erap Estrada was ousted. The midnight deals are also one of the reasons why Gloria Arroyo was able to become the Philippine President starting 2001.

It appears, however, that Mrs. Arroyo forgot the reason why she became the sitting-President. She also had her midnight glass ... err, class ..., err, deals this time by appointing officials like Chief Justice Renato Corona near the end of her term.

Understandable naman bakit kailangan ni Mrs. Arroyo na mag-engage sa midnight appointments. May mga nilalang talaga na, sabi nga sa kanta, "don't wanna miss a thing". Kasama na diyan ang mga buwitre na kailangan talagang mag-take advantage ng situation otherwise baka sila magutom. Ganun din ang mga bampira na dahil pahirapan maghanap ng biktima, would not want to miss a droplet of blood from their victims. Malay natin, takot lang talaga si madam na maubusan din ng makakain pag dating ng panahon na sunod-sunod na ang kaso laban sa kanya. O kaya baka rice and noodles na lang ang makuha niya dahil nailit na ang kanilang mga ari-arian.

Buti kung nanalo si Erap. At least puwedeng sabihing reciprocal ang obligations. Binigyan niya si Erap ng pardon kaya ipa-pardon din siya. Sabi nga ni Aling Rosing: Kung ang sabi ni Erap ay weather-weather lang yan, iniisip ni GMA na pardon-pardon lang yan!

Teka, ano ba to, biru-biruan?

RP blacklisted for its bank secrecy law

The Philippines is among the four countries "blacklisted "as uncooperative tax havens yesterday after Group of 20 leaders declared the age of banking secrecy was over and said they would no longer tolerate shady havens draining away badly needed tax revenue", reports Philippine Star.

The other countries are Uruguay, Costa Rica and the Malaysian territory of Labuan.

The blacklisting was done because of "mounting concern that banking secrecy in tax havens has helped to worsen the economic crisis by disguising the true value of some global assets. Anti-poverty activists say such places provide corrupt officials places to stash illicit funds, often depriving poor nations of needed resources."

Can we expect the palace to say that the work of the G-20 is instigated by the opposition? Puwede!!!

Pero teka, why is it that the Palace is mum for comments? Dahil ba wala silang plano na alisin ang Pilipinas sa blacklisted areas for being a tax haven? At least si Pareng Erap, nag-approve ng Anti-Plunder Law which eventually caught him on the hook. Even then, the law partially opened the windows enabling some to peek into the bank accounts of suspected offenders. Takot din kaya si GMA na magsalita (through her nose) na "I will look into the matter and see to it that the laws will be relaxed on bank accounts"? Kala ko ba, iron-willed siya gaya ng ipino-project ng mga PR persons niya? O iron-willed siya na okay lang na blacklisted ang Pilipinas otherwise mauungkat ang mga bank accounts ng First Family at mahirapan silang idepensa kung saan galing ang mga perang laman ng mga accounts na iyon?

Aminin!

Anyway, let us look at the brighter side. World Record holder na naman tayo... and that seems to be the reason why Filipinos and the Philippines exist -- ang gumawa ng record.

Congratulations!

Chip Tsao apologizes... who's next?

Earlier, HK Magazine issued an apology for Chip Tsao's article, "The War At Home". The Philippine Star also reported that yesterday, Tsao also issued an apology.

Well, that's nice of Tsao. But can we expect also the government headed by Gloria Arroyo to apologize to the Filipino people for breaking their homes and families and forcing them to go abroad and be the domestic servants cum heroes?

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.

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?

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.

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?
  

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.