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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| GMA Lost
By Antonio C. Abaya Written May 20, 2007 For the Standard Today, May 22, 2007 Let no one tell you differently. The 2007 mid-term elections were a referendum on the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. And the results show that she has lost that referendum, even if she was not a candidate for any office. The canvassing of the votes for the Senate is still in progress. But the latest nationwide Namfrel tabulation, with almost 38% of the precincts accounted for, show the same first six names as in the nationwide Pulse Asia exit poll: Legarda (G0), Escudero (GO), Villar (GO), Lacson (GO), Pangilinan (Ind), and Aquino (GO). Only the ranking of Lacson and Villar are different. In the next six places (Nos. 7 to 12), the same five names are in both the Pulse Asia exit poll and the Namfrel count: Angara (TU), Arroyo (TU), Honasan ( Ind ), Trillanes (GO), and Zubiri (TU). Only some of the rankings differ.. Recto (TU) is in 12th place in the Pulse Asia exit poll, but 14th in the Namfrel count. Cayetano (GO) is in 13th place in the Pulse Asia exit poll, but 10th in the Namfrel count. So the final results will most likely be 6-4-2 or 7-3-2 or 8-2-2, in favor of the opposition. A reversal of fortune now, in favor of the administration coalition, is very improbable and would not be credible to most of the public. The pre-election boasts of Malacanang and its paid hacks in media, that it will be 12-0-0 in favor of the TU, due to the so-called command votes hustled by its vaunted machinery, would not be believable, either locally or nationwide. But it is not just in the senatorial elections that Malacanang and GMA are taking a beating. Even in the congressional and local elections, GMA has lost,- in some cases, lost spectacularly. In General Santos City, Darlene Custodio has knocked out GMA�s Manny Pacquiao. In Makati City , Jejomar Binay (not my favorite politician) overwhelmed GMA�s Lito Lapid. In Pampanga Province , the priest Ed Panlilio, with help of local People Power, defeated GMA�s personal friend Lilia Pineda, wife of the alleged jueteng lord of Luzon , Bong Pineda. In Naga City , Jesse Robredo prevailed over GMA�s Jojo Villafuerte. In Manila , the septuagenarian Alfredo Lim trounced GMA�s youthful Ali Atienza. In Isabela Province , Grace Padaca rose from behind and edged out the pro-GMA Dy political dynast. Of course, it has to be admitted that the disorganized opposition was not able to field any candidates in scores of gubernatorial, mayoral and congressional contests. But this is not a communist country. The �victory� of administration candidates in these uncontested elections does not amount to victory in a referendum. A referendum pre-supposes a choice from at least two competing points of view. By that criterion, uncontested elections are not a referendum on anything or anyone. It is in the contested elections that real choice is expressed, and by this standard, President Arroyo has lost that referendum. And she lost it even if she was not a candidate for any office, even if no specific issue was raised against her during the campaign.. SHE was the unstated issue in this election, and the electorate voted convincingly against her and her proxies, not in favor of the deposed President Joseph Estrada, the presumed financier of the GO campaign. To repeat, voters voted against Gloria, not in favor of Erap. It is in this context that one must view the record-breaking upsurge in the stock market and the continued revaluation of the peso against the US dollar. Aside from the weakening of the US dollar abroad and the continued influx of OCW remittances, the up-tick in economic indicators was not necessarily in support of GMA�s political agenda. Economic and business policies were not an issue in the midterm elections, as they seldom are in Philippine elections. The market was reacting positively to the fact that the elections took place at all and that the results seem to reflect the general sentiments of the public as reflected in pre-election public opinion surveys and the Pulse Asia exit poll. This means, the market sees the political situation to be stable and have voted with their investment dollars and pesos. On the other hand, if the final election results were to suddenly take a reverse turn and show TU winning, against the expectations of the general public, then the possibility of political instability will loom, and the market will react accordingly. Political instability may take several forms, from massive street protests to high-profile political assassinations, to attempted coups d�etat by the followers of Gringo Honasan and/or Antonio Trillanes. This will draw repressive responses from the military and police, and trigger capital flight and the weakening of the peso. We will be back to a 1980s future. To forestall this scenario, President Arroyo should publicly acknowledge that she has lost the de facto referendum and should devote the rest of her term to leaving a good legacy in 2010. That means no more maneuvers to amend the Constitution to shift to a parliamentary system of government. I have always seen this maneuver as a ploy for her to remain in power after 2010, as prime minister, as I told the Rotary Club of Manila last week. (See my column Prime Minster Gloria? (May 17, 2005). Tied to this maneuver was the plan of her miniscule party KAMPI to become the biggest political party after the 2007 elections, as outlined by then KAMPI President (and current Local Government Secretary) Ronaldo Puno during their party congress in February 2005, �on how we can make KAMPI a truly dominant party after the 2007 elections: The objective should be the biggest political party in the political scenery. And to do this, if we quantify it, we have to have at least 120 congressmen�..� Puno claimed that KAMPI already has 1,580 municipal mayors, or half the total number, as members. Having half the congressmen as well will truly make KAMPI �the dominant party after 2007.� Why, I asked the Manila Rotarians, would President Arroyo want to make her miniscule party the biggest after 2007, three years before the end of her non-extendable term as president, unless she plans to use it in 2010, to remain in power as prime minister? President Arroyo should accept that she has lost the de-facto midterm referendum and should prepare to bow out gracefully in 2010. ***** Reactions to [email protected] . Other articles in www.tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �GMA Lost� More Reactions to �Pro Any Life� More Reactions to �Rule of Lawyers� Tony, The simplest reason why GMA's performance rating went up from negative last year to roughly neutral in the First Quarter 2007 is that she finally stopped trying to cancel the 2007 election. Now, if, with the new Congress, she reverts to Cha-Cha mode again, then her rating is likely to drop back to negative as before. Mahar (Mangahas), (by email), May 22, 2007 President, Social Weather Stations wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi, Tony. The results of the senatorial elections could also show the power of the negative thinking media. I believe a mock election of media people showed a 9 - 3 or something like that in favor of the opposition. The senatorial candidates of the opposition, you must admit, enjoyed an overwhelming media mileage in the headlines and talk shows and commentaries for the past several years. Whenever an oppositionist opens his mouth and criticizes the administration, whether or not the criticism had any substance or basis, it immediately gets the media mileage. This is particularly true in the radio, where majority of the commentators do nothing else but bash the administration. As to your analysis of the results in the congressional level, I find it strange logic to conclude that "The �victory� of administration candidates in these uncontested elections does not amount to victory in a referendum.". The fact that it is uncontested could only mean, the voters sentiment were in favor of the administration candidate. Otherwise, a candidate like Fr. Panlilio could have run for the office. (In communist countries, when they allowed elections, only the candidates of the Communist Party were included on the ballots. Which is how and why the Communist parties always won 99.5% or more of the votes. Did this mean that voters really favored the Communist candidates? ACA) This only shows that the votes for the congressional candidates were not influenced by the media, because the voters could easily see for themselves and decide for themselves whether or not the incumbent or administration candidate should be elected or re-elected into office. As for the senatorial elections, a big percentage of the voters depend on media for information and their minds can easily be manipulated by columnists and commentators, many of whom are being paid off. Cheers! Do you have the provincial breakdown of the votes already canvassed by Namfrel or Comelec? What is your basis in saying that it is highly improbable to have a reversal of trends? (As I wrote in the article, the Pulse Asia exit poll suggests that the final tally will be 7-3-2 or 8-2-2 in favor of GO. So far, with from 58% to 86% of the precincts accounted for, the Namfrel tally is still 8-2-2 in favor of the opposition. The Comelec tally also conforms closely to the both the PA exit poll and the Namfrel tally. ACA) Bobby Tordesillas , (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHE WILL STEP DOWN IN 2010. THIS IS THE ONLY REASON SHE HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT, LOOK BACK AS TO HER PROGRAMS AND STATEMENTS AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT SHE HAS DECLARED THAT SHE WILL MAKE THE PHILIPPINES A FIRST WORLD COUNTRY IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS AND SHE HAS DECLARED THAT SHE IS THE "ONLY" PERSON CAPABLE OF RUNNING THE COUNTRY. MAKE GOD HELP US ALL.......BIG TIME!!!!! Jose Genato, (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I am not sure that GMA actually lost. There is no final tally yet in the senatorial race but administration critics have placed it upon themselves to declare GO the winner on the strength of early returns. NAMFREL was very careful, I believe to count only those votes coming from opposition bailiwicks. And now that the COMELEC count is turning the tables on the erstwhile GO winners, every GMA hater is shouting fraud to high heavens. I am not a Cabalen so please don't mistake me for an avid Gloria defender. It is just that I don't find the alternative, the opposition to be better than GMA. (Neither do I, but it does not erase the fact that GO is winning substantially in both the Namfrel and Comelec tallies, as suggested by the Pulse Asia exit poll. ACA) For one thing, these senate bets don't strike me as independent-minded and principled. For why do they kiss the hands of a person who has been held without bail for six years accused of a capital crime- plunder? Why do they let their campaign be financed by a disgraced president, who, if the charges against him were not true, would not have that kind of money to spend to destabilize the government and buy political ads? There should not be any appearance of impropriety for government officials. In the case of the opposition, they have not been elected to office yet but they already cavort with an accused plunderer. The reason the GMA losses in some congressional contests were spectacular, is because they were so rare. The opposition did not even put up a fight in the majority of the races. Yes, the administration candidates lost some local fights, but not enough to make a dent in its over-all victories. Now, there are again warnings that charter-change should not be attempted again. GMA is said to aspire to become prime minister of a parliamentary government so the constitution should be left alone. GMA should be out of the government service at all cost. If even five of her senatorial candidates win ultimately, it could only be because they cheated. There will be political instability. Political instability is a small price to pay to see the present crop of opposition remain in the sidelines. That is an exchange that I think will turn out to be good for the country in the end. Victorts, [email protected], May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, GMA will at least have ample time to redeem herself. Buyt power intoxicates and pray that it will not leave her half drunk.NOw is the time to leave and build a legacy , that our people will remember her in a more favorale light Can she do it? Of couse GMA can. Vic del Fierro, Jr., (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Manong Tony, At our Sunday Club the other day, we talked about the other Tony Abaya, retired Brig. Gen. of the then PC-INP and a top excutive of Fortune Tobacco Corporation, Apo Munding, retired Archbishop of Nueva Segovia, Vigan, Ilocos Sur and Bistre Abaya, retired executive of the then Procter & Gamble Philippine Manufacturing Company. I assumed, when I addressed you as Manong Tony in my earlier e-mails, that you are a fellow Ilocano and a relative of the abovementioned three personages from Candon, Ilocos Sur. I await your clarification. Thanks and regards, Jerry A. Quibilan, (by email), May 22, 2007 (Sorry, but I am not related to any of the three. My father was from Pagsanjan, Laguna, but we the children all grew up in Metro Manila . None of us speak Ilocano. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya, Does it really matter that GMA lost? (Of course, it does. If her TU wins, the Cha-Cha train will be re-launched and she will proceed with her plan to remain in power beyond 2010 as prime minister. If the GO wins and wins big � as it looks like it will � she may realize that Cha-Cha will be derailed and decide to retire gracefully in 2010. ACA) In the last three years the Senate has been both a headache to PGMA and a major stumbling block to the progress of this country. So, to what good will it be different this time around? It's a matter of fact that the Senate is composed of "ambitious" characters & super egos. So what else is really knew.(Sic) In our system of democracy of checks & balance. The Senate has always been confrontational to the Presidency anyway. So what will be so different this time around. I think it's really very petty to highlight who wins or who losses. Because the real loser at the end of the day are the Filipino people! It is us the people who will be continue to be screwed by the endless directionless investigations! At the end of the day what laws must be passed by the Senate will never be passed or if any law be passed by the senate w/ all it's defects will just create new problems. It's obvious that we are indeed a very immature democracy. Because we seem to play around w/ opportunity to much that we remain the forever "kulelats" in the community of nations just because we are so petty and can't look further then the tips of our nose. If GMA losses then who really wins? Let's not be ridiculous to even think that it is the people who will win. When we very well know that the next agenda in the Senate will be positioning for the 2010 elections. Soes it really matter who wins and who losses when in reality it's the people who will just continue to be treated to the regular Senate "tele drama" that has anything but the people's interest anyway? (If it does not matter to you who wins and who loses, why do you get upset when someone says she will lose? ACA) Sure wish we somehow grow up and learn to look at the bigger picture. Joey Luis Legarda, (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya, Has the opposition made a landslide victory that GMA should be worried? The Senate count is far from over yet to make any final concussions unless you belong to the school that any win of the administration is only through cheating.. What is so significant about a Senate win by the opposition when in our checks and balance system it's a matter of fact that the Senate constantly challenges the Presidency. It's a matter of fact that the senate is composed of desperately ambitious characters w/ super egos. at best the election results just show the obvious division that there is in this country. The obvious division that has existed the last 3 years that only made it difficult for the countries economy to move on but did not concluded anything. (You really ARE upset that anyone would suggest a GMA loss that you HAVE to write two letters, one after the other, with essentially the same message. ACA) Personally, I think a Cayetano win would only make the senate more unproductive as if it was not already unproductive by lips (you mean, leaps, ACA) and bounds. A Cayetano who can't prove anything he ever says. What can a Trillanes really contribute w/ his youthful idealist recklessness? If you consider those being a sign of winning then we might as well make it to the Guinness's book of records for being the most sadistic nation that must shoot it's self in the foot as often as we could! We seem to have very strange value (It is not I who�s making these �signs of winning�, but Pulse Asia , Namfrel and, Comelec. I am just analyzing their data. ACA) Joey Luis Legarda, (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww That GMA lost is now nationally accepted. There is no other way for her to go but down and out, voluntarily if her conscience can allow it. There must be a reason for FG's medical crisis. What I will be monitoring are the movements of Lacson, Honasan and Trillanes. Although they are not my favorite ex-military men, I am curious to know how they will oust GMA legally before her term ends and what Trillanes will do about the corruption in the military which he exposed at the expense of our economy. If they prove they are worth it, I can forgive them for what they have done to my country. Pura Flor Isleta, (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi there Mr. Abaya, Greetings from the Netherlands ! Forwarding to you the email received below. If the content is indeed true, can you please make an article about this huge amount the politicians excessively enjoy while millions of Filipinos in the eyes of the world excessively suffer poverty. If the power of these politicians aggravate the Filipinos� never-ending misery, then they must be stopped, making known to the public why these senators receive such huge amount with no accountabilities or transparency of the peoples� taxes. I know you have been doing such noble task of exposing the wrongdoings, hence am visiting always your website and do my share to reprint articles deemed informative to our Filipino-Dutch readers. We Filipinos living abroad are sick and tired the never-ending financial support to our families back home. Specifically I am talking of financial support for siblings� college education. After graduation, then comes another who just graduated from high school. This will never end because Filipino mentality of having children has no limit, not even considering their inability to raise so many children instead iasa na lang nila sa mga kamag-anak na may kaya. Sometimes this culture of helping continuously the families back home is the source of quarrel to Filipinas married to Dutch because they are also fed-up, much more this culture is entirely not known to Dutch culture. Their government takes responsibilities of almost everything here, especially the sending of children to school which is understandable if the government wants its society to live in dignity and decently. So I wish something has to be done re our educational system and educate too the irresponsible Filipinos to take responsibility of their own children. We often hear them say, �we too have own lives to attend to.� Shame to our politicians who are responsible to the lives of the poor and uneducated Filipinos. Instead of using the huge money they receive to fund educational system, health beneficial to the poor, self-liquidating projects catering to the farmers, fishermen, carpenters, and so on, most politicians seem to compete each other by displaying their life style not commensurate to their earnings, hence people especially the less-privileged have the right to wonder why and how the country�s wealth are being abused. Politicians should lead by example. Kaya tuloy ang iba nag-mura na at nagpatayan pa as written below. Please add this issue in your website and Philippine Digest here do its share to disseminate to our readers. Thank you and best regards. Lori Roa-Raam, (by email), The Netherlands, May 22, 2007 (P.S. Mr. Abaya, I like your �Young Voices� and with your permission again, this will come out in our May-June issue. Thanks.) (The article you attached was carried earlier in this website and is substantially correct. ACA). wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I don't share your pessimistic prophecy. Hindi si GMA ang natalo kundi ang mga "idiot voters," as you've said before. I don't think that scenario of political instability as you described will happen even if TU dominates the Senate, because people are no longer interested in street demonstrations or rallies as we've seen for the past two years. I'm not GMA or TU sympathizer as I se some of them as "idiot politicians, just like some of the GOs... Gabby Ballawig, (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Your article completely disregards the more real analysis in today�MST editorial; that Filipino voters have matured. We are no longer voting for personalities. We are voting with intelligence and for those with proven track records and those whose platform of government. are good for our country. (Only partially true. Would Noynoy Aquino have been elected senator if he was not a brother of Kris and the son of Cory? What did he ever do, and what does he stand for, to deserve a seat in the Senate? ACA) No matter that they are opposition or pro administration. It is not unreasonable to expect that certain provinces may vote strongly for either TU or GO. This is normal in all democracies in the world, USA being a strong example. It is wrong also to suggest that the strenght of GMA candidates in local elections i& in congress cannot but affect the trend of voting in provinces it carries. Look at the opposition in Makati . Manilans did not vote for opposition but voted for Lim. Huge difference. Your partisan indictment of GMA is hysterical, short sighted and self serving. M. Gonzalez, (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I remember with fondness the days when UP students would go out on the streets and cry "revolution" and overhaul government for the corruption and the evils that surround it. Guess who's running government now? You hope a "Trillanes" would do some good, but Gringo has a bad precedent. Everyone has been crying foul from since I can remember, you thought Estrada was a quick fix, but he FIXED a $$$$ by himself. (I was not a supporter of Trillanes, but he�s there. So do we just ignore him? I have never supported Estrada, whom I have characterized several times as a �criminally-inclined ignoramus.� ACA) Tell you what, get out of RP and leave it to the beavers. Nice article. Have a nice day. Sonny Pinat (by email), May 22, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Yeah. I feel bad because GMA did not start as a trapo. But, with JDV and FVR, the transformation was enhanced. Mike Delgado, (by email), May 23, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: How are you, Mr. Abaya? I would like to thank you for sending me your emails on your insights regarding our present situation not only in our country, the Philippines . I have learned so much from your writings. True it is that GMA did lose in our recent election. I just hope that her government would admit to this, but as we all know, who would admit that they have lost. Isn't it that Filipinos rarely admit to their own defeats or loss. Even if there will be no admission from them, at least naman po gawin naman nila ng maayos ang kanilang serbisyo para sa bayan upang unti-unting maibalik ang tiwala ng mga mamayanang Pilipino. Well, in our own little way, let us do our part. Thank you again and God bless Ivy Almirol, (by email), May 23, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. GMA lost? The apparent losers are the large number of Filipinos with short memories and whose minds have been tossed around by the well-crafted and well-executed opposition propaganda that sowed suspicion, prejudice and hatred, aided by a bunch of na�ve and self-righteous high priests who dared to tread on areas out of their religious competence, plus the ever mouth frothing media practitioners abusing freedom of expression to the hilt obviously consumed by prejudice and extreme egocentricity (with some, in the process, flaunting their ignorance and simpleton nature) whose main agenda was anything but the country's good. Trillanes? Honasan? Lacson? What has happened to our sense of right and wrong, our sense of values? Have we forgotten the so called Oakwood misadventure of this Trillanes whose treason clearly compromised our country�s interest, aping his mentor Honasan by threatening its own people? Has he exposed any specific anomaly or any brother officer in the armed forces? Did he protest the excruciatingly slow court martial of Gen. Garcia et al? Indeed, what good can we credit this youthful rebel rascal for? He clearly rode on the clamor for reform in the armed services to mask his being a henchman/prodigy of his master, Gringo. He hasn�t even come up with any intellectual discourse of his own to justify his �cause�. But he had the gall to dishonor the revered Magdalo name by cleverly using it to disguise his criminal intentions. Lacson who has been implicated in heinous crimes and disappearances? Remember Pagcor�s Bentain and the gruesome murder of Bubby Dacer and his driver which were squarely blamed on Lacson�s trusted lieutenants who have sought refuge in the US ? Remember the extra-judicial mass execution of the Kuratong Baleleng gang and the disappearance of millions in local and foreign currencies allegedly retrieved from the dead gang members whose apparent specialty is robbing money changers? Has he refuted Tulfo�s expose on the other murders attributed to him? Yet he was reported even to have presented himself to the US State Department ��in his full regalia, as the acceptable alternative to Erap� when he saw the latter start teetering. Too bad as insiders say he commenced his career well on the right foot. Honasan of the so many destructive coup attempts that sent back our economy to the kangkungan which was then shooting up buoyed by the goodwill generated by EDSA 1? Honasan and his operators who were implicated in the original mid-90s slick Dagdag/Bawas special ops that denied Pimentel and Biazon a full term as senators? Honasan who destroyed the careers of many officers and enlisted men whom he misled and took advantage of in the name of brotherhood? Honasan, who was educated, fed and clothed by people�s taxes from hard earned money (all three of them for that matter) only to turn around and destroy the government he was sworn to serve and protect? It has become common knowledge to astute observers that Honasan was driven by his goal to grab power for JPE, his revered benefactor who, ironically, will never be president because of him. Thank God for the larger number of unheralded loyal officers of our armed forces and other public servants who saved our country from more death and destruction and perhaps even averted a civil war. So now the so called victors can gloat and those who wish to share their �triumph� may start screaming �Free Barabas (Erap)!!, Crucify (impeach) her!!� as the Caiphases and other high priests �Watch and Pray�. Dark clouds may indeed be looming ahead, kemo sabi. There you are. Ed J. �Mang Senyong� Tirona, (by email), Paranaque City , May 23, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Thank you so much for the article. Very informative for all of us Pinoys here in the States. You can rest assured that I will forward this email to everyone I know here in the States. Good luck and God bless. Delia D. Santiago, (by email), New York City , May 23, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony: Yes, GMA lost May '07. If she cheats to reverse the outcome, she'll lose even more. I hope she tries so we can finish this once and for all. Tito Osias, (by email), May 24, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww On political dynasty, Cayetano is winning a Senate seat while his wife won a congressional seat for the Taguig-Pateros Ddstrict. He has a sister in the Senate and a brother who won the vice-mayoralty. Keep up the good work. Can you do a Pacquiao analysis again. On how he passed the exams given by DEPED. It is a laughing matter wherever I go. Now he is going to one of the topnotch schools in Manila ? Will he be exempted from taking the college entrance exams? We wonder how much it will cost. Rene Santos, (by email), Los Angeles CA , May 24, 2007 (The guy has lost, as he deserved to. Let�s just leave him alone. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir, Kung ang pagbabasehan natin ang Exit Polls ng SWS or whoever, where Recto of Team Unity ay isa sa mga sure winners. Baka naman ang Genuine Opposition ang nandadaya? Ibinabato lamang sa TU ang pandaraya. Ano ho sa palagay ninyo? Sorry ho kung GO. Ito ho ang aking nararamdaman. Kung sino raw ho yong piyok ng piyok sila ang nandadaya or guilty. I should warn TU also to look on this �bintang� ng GO. For all we know baka TU pa ang dinadaya. Henry Llaneza, (by email), Saudi Arabia , May 24, 2007 (Kailangan ihambing ninyo ang tabulation ng Namfrel at ng Comelec. Kung wala o kaunti lamang ang pagkaiba, wala o kaunti lamang ang pagdadaya. Kung malaki ang pagkaiba, malaki ang pagdadaya. Sino man ang nakinabang sa pagkaiba, iyon ang nandaya. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Unfortunately, ERAP supporters see this as an opportunity to resurrect their leader. I am sure they are now plotting her overthrow by whatever means. Not good. Serafin Dudeo, (by email), May 24, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Agreed she should disappear from the political scene by 2010.. And to work hard and build alliances to achieve what I think are ambitious targets. She still has the chance to leave a good legacy. I agree with your earlier observation that our media is all fluff and no substance. Shouldn't media also be leading a discussion on the soundness of the Arroyo government's plan to focus on agribusiness and tourism as a way of providing employment for the masa (those who cannot be absorbed by bpos/ call centers, etc. and Fortune magazine has given the Philippines an eminent place- second only to India when it identified the countries "where jobs in America are going" in its latest issue] I thought that this, together with the population should have been the primary issues that should have been discussed during the election. I think that sometimes the issues are discussed in a piecemeal manner, and not within the context of the many complexities we need to deal with. (Or perhaps it's my fault- I do not turn on to our TV shows anymore; I only read the likes of Tony Abaya- LOL! Seriously I hope media people were as knowledgeable as you are!) I am reminded of what Al Gore says in his recent book "The assault on reason". He attributes what's happening in America now to the fact that TV has replaced print as a venue for discussion of national issues, perhaps implying that sound bytes and being telegenic (and other such superficialities) has replaced deep thinking. This is also true in the Philippines - hence, the rising star of Chiz Escudero and Alan Cayetano, even if they really have not contributed much to the important discussions that should be taking place. I think that TV hosts, radio commentators, newspaper columnists ( as well as those responsible for determining what should be in the front page) should probably take the time to sit down and study more, instead of merely concentrating on controversies and scandals. I wonder if they know any better or they are just lazy or they think what they tackle is what will sell? Grace Zata (by email), May 24, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, After discussing your recent editorial with my friends, one of them would like to relay the message below. Thanks, Delia D. Santiago, (by email), May 25, 2007 In a message dated 5/23/2007 8:15:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes Now with the newly elected opposition candidates, will there be accountability? If elected, what will they do? How will they do it? Where will the money come from to do it? And if they don't deliver, people should fire them. It seems that they don't have a clue as to what to do as Senator, Congressman etc? It seems that they are running for office just to get a license to steal. It is embedded in society "corruption". There is no love for country. Monies that should be spend to improve the country goes to their pockets , to enrich themselves while the masses are suffering in poverty. Foreign investors are afraid to invest there There is high unemployment . No jobs, no opportunities. High crime. No one is accountable. No one follows the law. They know they can get away with it. No one is punished. The Spanish colonial mentality is still there. Some Filipinos think they're Spanish. Our country is truly the sick man of Asia . We also have psychological problems. We need a psychiatrist. The country will run better without those politicians. It is just a waste to be paying their salaries. Our country has retrogressed. We are now behind Bangladesh . (Not true. Bangladesh �s per capita GDP is $2,100 compared to $5,300 for the Philippines , based on purchasing power parity. ACA) Gone are the days, when all of our Asian neighbors, go to learn from us the 'miracle rice" in Los Banos. We were the envy of our neighbors. Now we import rice from them These are just my thoughts. I hope you can relay some of the points to Mr.Abaya. so that the masses will read and wake up! [email protected], May 23, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Pro Any Life� (May 15, 2007) Dear Tony, One of the many reasons why married couples would probably think twice before having children is the cost of raising them. If babysitting becomes expensive, baby products become prohibitive and all other activities related to raising children are beyond the reach of the poor, then population will decline and take its own course. The use of contraceptives, tubal ligation, and other medical methods will take roots. Preventing sex is uncontrollable because it is cheap and it gives everyone a sense of good feeling! Dr. Nestor P. Baylan, (by email), New York City , May 27, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww That's exactly the point, Mr. Abaya. The discussion has been muddled so that the label Pro-life has become meaningless. One hears Pro-life and thinks about rallies against abortion. Another hears Pro-life and thinks about better quality of life for those in poverty and those suffering from hunger. Still another hears Pro-life and thinks about family planning that would control the poor's contribution to population growth. Still another hears Pro-life and thinks about rallying against GMA who failed to protect the lives of hundreds of rallyists, militants, critics, oppositionists, and media professionals who are only exercising their rights in a democracy and who had been deprived due process. And then, as a topping on the cake, there is GMA who saw the elimination of capital punishment for those who had been convicted and sent to the death row for heinous crimes and crimes that ended many persons' lives. So, if you want us to discuss any of these issues, let's forget about the Pro-life label, disguise, and manipulation. Let's address one issue at a time. You yourself said that each of these issues do not necessarily have anything to do with another. Aurora Riel, (by email), Murfreesboro , North Carolina , May 27, 2007 (It was very clear in the previous discussion that we were talking about �Pro Life� in relation to birth control, abortion and family planning, all of which are inter-related. No one (except you) was talking about �Pro Life� in relation to extra-judicial killings and the abolition of the death penalty. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Friends and fellow Homosapiens, Those who believe on population control for a quality life must not be believers in God, for God said "Go, increase and multiply, populate the Earth and have dominion over it". God with all His power and wisdom allow sufferings, sickness and poverty for man choose to disobey Him, and all these missery are results of man's sinfulness (for those who believe that there is a Great God) God has provided much much more natural resourcess for man and His creation to survive and enjoy life with abudance. It is man's greed, selfishness and irresponsibility that destroys there natural resources. Food is or was so abundant, but man developed Agricultural Farming Practices that destroy life and environment by developing and using toxic poison chemicals, and poiusoning the environment, themselves and consumers slowly, silently and surely that they may not grow old but die young. I have been promotng farm inputs including pesticides and chemical fertilizers for the past 40 years of my life as the president of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Dealers Association of South cotabato in Mindanao , Philippines .. I was then convinced that these were the right things to do to produce more food faster for the growing population. Now I see there is less and less food crops growing as the soil and environment becomes less capable in growing food crops. The birds and frogs had dissapeared. The fish, crabs, shrimps and other aquatic life in rivers, books and lakes are no longer there or have greatly reduced survivors. The vergent forest with biodiversity have dissapeared, replaced with mono crops of pineapple, rice, corn asparagus, etc that depend heavely on toxic chemicals and fertilizers. Today I have join the people promoting Natural Herbal Organic and Biological Farming system. We are redescovering Natural Laws. By following these God given laws in Nature, we find we can provide healthful food to the world organically grown, free from traces of toxic chemicals. We bring life into the soil and progressively make our farmlands more productive with diversified farming system. "Oh God, forgive us for not following your laws and will. Have mercy on us and spare us from the consequences of our abuse on nature that we may live a healthy and productive lives up to 125 years or even more, strong, independent and not a burden to our fellowmen." "May the coming generation not blame us for being selfish, greedy and poor stewards during our lifetime. May it not be said that we were selfish by preventing them from having a chance to live and enjoy Gods creation through the population control methods being promoted and forced on us today." Rex Rivera, (by email), May 27, 2007 (There are hundreds of millions of Roman Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, Muslims and other persons of faith who practice birth control using artificial methods. It is the height of arrogance to claim they do not believe in God just because they do so. What you obviously mean is that �they do not believe in my concept of God.� The two are not necessarily the same thing. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, You said: (And then look at the Philippines . Families with 7, 8, 9, 10 children living in hovels along the railroad tracks, under bridges, on the esteros, along the sea walls, in karitons parked on sidewalks, even on the pavement itself. Which do you prefer? ACA ) I say: Look at your tokayo, Tony Meloto and look at what Gawad Kalinga of Couples for Christ is doing for the people who have been living the life you describe above. When they, CFC, saw what you described above, they acted on their Christian faith, faith formed by the Catholic Church, and went ahead to do something positive for their kababayans. They knew they had a large task, but that did not stop them. CFC lost members when they started their GK, but they gained many more with their efforts. That, for me, is the Christian response to the situation you have described. Best regards. Guillermo Prat, (by email), May 23,m 2007 (No need to lecture me on Tony Meloto and Gawad Kalinga. My family is a donor to GK in Northern Mindanao . Last March, Tony Meloto personally gave me and ten other guests a guided tour of two GK communities in San Jose , Batangas. I have also written two articles about Tony and GK: Meloto for President (Aug. 06, 2006) and Meloto�s Vision (Sept 06, 2006), both archived in www.tapatt.org. ACA). Hi Tony, Good to know of your GK work and sorry but I may have missed your two articles on Tony Meloto. I guess my only point is: A lot can more can be done for the people who have less in life than to just get them to use artificial methods of birth control.Full Stop. Regards. Guillermo "Chito" Prat, (by email), May 27, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, It appears that our supposed modernism, sophistication, erudition, contemporariness and cosmopoliteness are nothing but a thin veneer of who we really are- the same Indios Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, described many centuries ago. It explains why we are still behaving the same way as our forebears centuries ago- a fractious society. In short, we haven't evolved much really as a nation. Compare that with the Scandinavian nations, the most evolved human species in the planet. Least we forget, their ancestors were the blood-thirsty Vikings who pillaged, plundered, raped, burned and massacred a number of European nations and beyond. Now they are the role model, of what a humane society should be. Why the disparity in human evolution ? could you care to explain ? Thank you. Sincerely, Auggie Surtida, (by email), Tigbauan, Iloilo , May 27, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww On pro- life-of-any-kind topic, the Catholic Church is a hypocrite, like one of the observers or letter writers. The rhythm method is not really effective. Do you think a couple would do it at the height of their passion? And no divorce? There are a lot of broken marriages in the Philippines . So if you are the other woman, you'll just be a querida. And it is so macho for Filipino men to have someone else besides the first wife. Even if the poor got their birth control pills, they would sell them and make money out of that, bahala na.....not thinking that you will have a responsibility for that child for the next 20 years to feed and cloth or until he or she can stand on their own. The Pinoys lack self-discipline; that is the big problem. And I don't understand them, even voting for any of the Marcos clan, my gosh they stole a lot from the country, What are they thinking? They still flaunt that money and that's okay? Just my two cents worth..... Delia J. Yzon, (by email), May 27, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Rule of Lawyers� (May 22, 2007) Dear Mr. Abaya, You are the chosen one Tony, I think. I would say also that there are good lawyers. So those examples you mention belong to "rule of lawless lawyers". Yung mga maliit lang na tao ang ginagago nila. I hope I would not die without bringing with me one bad egg. Maybe I would agree now that we need a revolotionary government without these goddamn bad leaders. Your article said "We have laws against vote-buying, yet no less than the Secretary of Justice and the Speaker of the House violate it with impunity." You are very correct. These two persons are always talking rule of law but they break the laws. NASUSUKA AKO SA MGA TAONG GANITO. ANG KALULUWA NILA AY SA MGA DEMONYO. THEY DELIBERATELY CONFUSE PEOPLE. Abuse of authority, if I would have been a superhero, I would not want to see this kind of person in any public service. Ernie Dellosa, (by email), May 28, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Thank you for sending this article. But your article missed the point - laws are passed not to serve a noble cause, i.e. create a just or fair system. Instead, laws serve the "legal system", i.e. the courts and their minions (politicians, lawyers, and judges), and the system's true master and creator, i.e. the wealthy. Ask yourself: who made these laws and are empowered to enforce them? It is the "rule of lawyers" because it was meant to be that way from the beginning. Dani Paredes, (by email) Toronto , Canada , May 29, 2007 (That�s warmed-over Marxism that has as much relevance today as the hammer and sickle in the Information Age. ACA) OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |