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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| GMA to the USA? By Antonio C. Abaya Written Feb. 12, 2006 For the Standard Today February 14 issue (Many newspaper readers are not aware that President Arroyo was planning to leave for the US in the third week of February, ostensibly to address the American Press Club in Washington DC. This plan was not given much play in Philippine media, for reasons unknown to me. At any rate, the plan was scrapped, again for reasons unknown to me, as this article went to press.) Unless she is forced out of office earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is going to leave for the US on or about Feb. 25, the 20th anniversary of EDSA Uno. It does not mean, of course, that she may not or will not step down from power, voluntarily or otherwise, while she is in Washington. At about the same time that GMA is in Washington, or shortly thereafter, the new American ambassador will finally assume her post in Manila. In my article Uncle Dick and Ate Glo (Jan. 03, 2006), I had written that the last American ambassador in Manila, Francis Ricciardone, had left for his new post last April, and that his designated charge d�affaires, Joseph Moussomeli, had also left for his new post the following July. Ten months are a long time for the US not to have an ambassador in Manila, which it considers a major non-NATO ally. In diplomacy, such a prolonged absence of an ambassador indicates, and is meant to be interpreted as, unhappiness with, and disapproval of, the leadership of the host country. Add to this the fact that the new US ambassador to Manila, a woman diplomat, was actually named last September or October, but is assuming her post only in late February. Such lateness cannot be blamed solely on delays in (US) Senate confirmation. The most likely reason is that the new ambassador will assume her post only after the Arroyo problem has been resolved, not while it is being resolved. The accusation of interference in the affairs of the host country would be laid at the doorsteps of the new ambassador if the leader of that host country were removed from power while or shortly after he/she assumes his/her post at the embassy. The fact that President Arroyo will finally get her wish to be received by President George W. Bush in the White House, and the additional fact that the new American ambassador will finally assume her post in Manila, suggest that the Arroyo problem has been resolved by mutual agreement. What the details of that agreement are, we can only speculate. But former President Fidel V. Ramos is apparently not privy to that agreement. In the Feb. 13 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, FVR complains about the lack of preparations for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of EDSA Uno. Presidential chief-of-staff Michael Defensor explains that GMA has no plans to be on the same stage as former President Cory Aquino, the chief beneficiary of EDSA Uno, and that GMA will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani morning of Feb. 25, after which she will be �out of town for most of the celebrations.� Such as in Washington DC, breaking bread with President Bush? President Arroyo has another reason for not being in Metro Manila for much of February 25. According to the Standard Today (Feb. 10), military intelligence has uncovered an opposition plot to stage a three-legged caravan that will start from points in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and culminate in Metro Manila on Feb. 22, in a renewed bid to force President Arroyo from power. The Black and White Movement is said to be coordinating this effort, which includes the Hyatt 10, groups associated with former President Estrada, FVR and Corazon Aquino, Senate President and presidential wannabe Franklin Drilon, some members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, television evangelist and presidential wannabe Eddie Villanueva, and the communist movement. According to the newspaper�s sources, �a Visayas-based paramilitary group identified with former Senator (and presidential wannabe. ACA) Gregorio Honasan was expected to declare the Visayas independent from the Philippines on Feb. 19, followed by anti-Arroyo rhetoric in Metro Manila from key opposition leaders. �At the Senate, a group of senators led by Drilon would file a resolution declaring the positions of president and vice-president vacant. They would then announce Drilon as Mrs. Arroyo�s constitutional successor before calling a special election to elect a new president and vice-president�.� So far, only Fidel Ramos has publicly dissociated himself from this enterprise, saying that this motley alliance of disparate groups would not prosper because of their different political philosophies. He called the alliance �hollow�, predicting that it would be short-lived. To me, it bears a striking resemblance to the post-EDSA cabinet of President Aquino. To placate all competing groups, Mrs. Aquino stuffed her cabinet with military rightists and perceived pro-communists and, not surprisingly, ended up displeasing everyone. And propelling this country nowhere fast. It was, indeed, The Revolution that Never Was, the title of my article of Feb 14, 2002. To defang this new challenge, the Arroyo government is planning to ask the Sandigambayan to grant �temporary freedom� to the detained Joseph Estrada on the grounds that, according to Defensor, �he has been imprisoned for five years and there is still no resolution to the case. Maybe he can be allowed to have a little freedom.� (Standard Today, Feb. 13). Is this part of the deal with Washington? Possibly. In Uncle Dick and Ate Glo, I had written that �The Americans are looking for a New Magsaysay. Assuming they find one soon, I would not be surprised if Uncle Dick (Cheney) were to give Ate Glo a choice. Either abdicate soon and be assured of safe refuge in the US, with all assets intact. Or resist and be thrown to the wolves and risk losing everything. Which will it be?� The wolves are once again snapping at her elevated high heels. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Reactions to �GMA to the USA?� Sir: Are you, like Dick Cheney on the hunt, a little too fast with the trigger finger? The idea of Gloria Arroyo packing it up would have been more plausible a few months ago. But she seems to have weathered the worst, at least for now, and things look much more upbeat for her now than they did a few months back. After going through the wringer, do you really expect her to pull back now? Since you are a newsman and are privy to more sources of information than ordinary citizens like myself, I must give your statements credence. However, GMA has had a respectable winning streak lately. Consider the "feel good" factors resulting from victories at the SEA games and the Pacquiao fight. Two financial ratings upgrades. The continuing inability of the opposition to gain the public's sympathy. No major disasters, save for the one ULTRA which actually hurt one of her critics more than it did her. Regarding the Black and White movement and Gringo's "uprising" in the Visayas, these are not perceived by the public as serious threats. Not only are these ad-hoc aggrupations which have no "depth" to withstand hardball politics, they have no credibility with the mainstream. At best, they are viewed as well-meaning, yet high-falutin', flakes who have no idea of what the rest of us in the countryside really aspire for. Of course, Uncle Sam can be a very convincing fellow, if he really is this deeply involved. But I get the feeling that Uncle Sam doesn't give a damn, one way or the other, as long as he still gets to have his say. And it would be the height of folly for GMA to cross Uncle Sam, especially when she needs all the help she can get. But you may know some things we don't, so we will continue to read your columns and watch our for developments. Juan Deiparine, [email protected] Toril, Davao City, Feb. 14, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Upon reading your column, I came to the conclusion that what you have here is a very wild speculation. Reynaldo Sarmiento, reynaldo [email protected] Feb. 14, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I would like to SHOUT out TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, ONCE ARROYO IS NO LONGER THE PRESIDENT, PHILIPPINES WILL GO DOWN THE DRAIN. I BET YOU THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE POORER, AND WILL NEVER RISE AGAIN. The only way for Filipinos to get up from poverty is to help themselves and not depend on the government. Filipinos should help each other. Rich people should help the poor. There are so many organizations now in the country that help the poor. I admire these organizations moving and doing something for the poor. God said, ?Help yourselves and I?ll do the rest!?. How about the Arroyo oppositions? What are they doing? If only these (sharks) people would work on helping the poor instead of their personal greed to steal the wealth of the country, then God will be happy to work on making our country better. I?m praying that God will punish them now and make them suffer of their sins including the religious who are getting involved in politics. They should not be meddling with politics anyway. Genny Ferrer, [email protected] Feb. 15, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww To those who don't know, Rizal Victoria is a nice fellow who lives in the southern part of Germany, Heidelberg, to be exact. It is there where our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, lived and studied. It is a beautiful and scenic city famous for castles on hilltops and mountain sides overlooking the Neckar river and valleys. There is a monument of Rizal, the hero, in a suburban town where we were confirmed our knighthood (Knights of Rizal) years ago. Rizal (Victoria, i.e.), is very much engaged in the Filipino community here. He would travel hundreds of kilometers, (Heidleberg is 350 kms. south of Essen where I live) just to attend Filipino community meetings. He is very articulate without being verbose in expressing his ideas. I only wish we have more Filipinos like him, even if their opinions are not always congruent to mine. Ramon Mayuga, [email protected] Essen, Germany, Feb. 16, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Always appreciate your insightful articles. Nevertheless, can't help feeling sorry for the woman I was hoping would lead the Philippines to a Golden Age like England's Elizabeth. Perhaps Elizabeth could do it because she was single. Husbands seem to distract and detract from a woman's leading a country. Graft and corruption is endemic in most countries. It is worse in third world countries where manifestations are thought of as pakikisama lamang. How can anyone leading a third world country escape the grasping tentacles of what is already institutionalized? Plus pressure from the US has been unrelenting. It's no secret by whom and why the Garci wire tap was disclosed to the public. Having once had the military solidly behind her, GMA may have had a chance in the beginning, except the military is riddled with well paid agents of vested interest. Militaries all over the world are rich soil for graft and corruption. Where there is a military base, there is a black market. It will be interesting to observe how the scene plays out. Angie Collas, [email protected] Portland, Oregon, Feb. 18, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww At 05:57 AM 2/13/2006, you wrote: David, I think that any makeover has to come from the middle class, and it has to be secular in orientation. Enough of this constant prayers for unity. We have to learn to solve human problems with human resources and human ingenuity. And the emerging leaders must be able to argue convincingly why we have to deviate, even temporarily, from American-style liberalism. Otherwise, we will have nothing but more of the same ad nauseam. Tony Tony- I wish I had your faith in the middle class. But just about everywhere in the world that I know about the middle class, having finally made it up to that status and degree of security, tend to turn their backs on the people from whose ranks they have recently risen/struggled to escape. I would love to think it will be different in the Philippines, but I have not seen much to give me confidence that it will be. Have you? Do you really see many middle class Filipinos seriously taking up the causes of the poor majority? There is no doubt that Filipino families are large and the ties can be strong. But when well educated middle class technicians and professionals leave the country and become part of the disaspora (and are not just short term contract workers), my experience is that they both romanticize and disparage the Philippines, almost simultaneously. I have also gathered in Estancia that after a few years - and especially the men when they establish families overseas - they even stop sending back remittances. Daughters are a bit better, especially if they remain unmarried. But basically, when families get established overseas, the money they make, and their concerns and energy, go into their own immediate families, not back to the folks still "at home" in the provinces. Or am I being too pessimistic? Missing something important? David Szanton, [email protected] Durban, South Africa, Feb 14, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Just a little friendly tap on the shoulder. I think some of your anti-GMA statements might need a little freshening up. I realize the issue still seems current to you, but sentences like, "The wolves are once again snapping at her elevated high heels." is not only dated and bitchy in a cheap way, it's also just plain bad writing. Metaphors that are a little bit more current and a little more substance when throwing barbs would be my suggestion. Don't let your antipathy for Glo get into the way of your usually fine writing. But having said that, I do have to say that your last essay "Desperately Poor? Brokeback Molehill" was both enlightening and enjoyable. I, too, agree that "Brokeback" was unbearable. Carlos Celdran, [email protected] Feb. 14, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The following article was emailed to us, author unknown. Knowing Israel The Middle East has been growing date palms for centuries. The average tree is about 18-20 feet tall and yields about 38 pounds of dates a year. Israeli date trees are now yielding 400 pounds/year and are short enough to be harvested from the ground or a short ladder. Israel, the 100th smallest country, with less than 1/1000th of the world's population, can lay claim to the following: The cell phone was developed in Israel by Israelis working in the Israeli branch of Motorola, which has its largest development center in Israel. Most of the Windows NT and XP operating systems were developed by Microsoft-Israel. The Pentium MMX Chip technology was designed in Israel at Intel. Both the Pentium-4 microprocessor and the Centrino processor were entirely designed, developed and produced in Israel. The Pentium microprocessor in your computer was most likely made in Israel. Voice mail technology was developed in Israel. Both Microsoft and Cisco built their only R&D facilities outside the US in Israel. The technology for the AOL Instant MessengerICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis. Israel has the fourth largest air force in the world (after the U.S, Russia and China). In addition to a large variety of other aircraft, Israel's air force has an aerial arsenal of over 250 F-16's. This is the largest fleet of F-16 aircraft outside of the U. S. Israel's $100 billion economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined. Israel has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita. According to industry officials, Israel designed the airline industry's most impenetrable flight security. US officials now look (finally) to Israel for advice on how to handle airborne security threats. Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world. Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation by a large margin - 109 per 10,000 people --as well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed. In proportion to its population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. In absolute terms, Israel has the largest number of startup companies than any other country in the world, except the U.S. (3,500 companies mostly in hi-tech). With more than 3,000 high-tech companies and startups, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world -- apart from the Silicon Valley, U. S. Israel is ranked #2 in the world for venture capital funds right behind the U. S. Outside the United States and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ listed companies. Israel has the highest average living standards in the Middle East. The per capita income in 2000 was over $17,500, exceeding that of the UK. On a per capita basis, Israel has the largest number of biotech startups. Twenty-four per cent of Israel's workforce holds university degrees, ranking third in the industrialized world, after the United States and Holland and 12 per cent hold advanced degrees. Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East. In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted a total of 22,000 Ethiopian Jews (Operation Solomon) at Risk in Ethiopia, to safety in Israel. When Golda Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969, she became the world's second elected female leader in modern times. When the U. S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya was bombed in 1998, Israeli rescue teams were on the scene within a day -- and saved three victims from the rubble. Israel has the third highest rate of entrepreneurship -- and the highest rate among women and among people over 55 - in the world. Relative to its population, Israel is the largest immigrant-absorbing nation on earth. Immigrants come in search of democracy, religious freedom, and economic opportunity. (Hundreds of thousands from the former Soviet Union) Israel was the first nation in the world to adopt the Kimberly process, an international standard that certifies diamonds as "conflict free." Israel has the world's second highest per capita of new books. Israel is the only country in the world that entered the 21st century with a net gain in its number of trees, made more remarkable because this was achieved in an area considered mainly desert. Israel has more museums per capita than any other country. Medicine... Israeli scientists developed the first fully computerized, no-radiation, diagnostic instrumentation for breast cancer An Israeli company developed a computerized system for ensuring proper administration of medications, thus removing human error from medical treatment. Every year in U. S. hospitals 7,000 patients die from treatment mistakes. Israel's Givun Imaging developed the first ingestible video camera, so small it fits inside a pill. Used to view the small intestine from the inside, cancer and digestive disorders. Researchers in Israel developed a new device that directly helps the heart pump blood, an innovation with the potential to save lives among those with heart failure. The new device is synchronized with the camera helps doctors diagnoseheart's mechanical operations through a sophisticated system of sensors. Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the U. S., over 70 in Japan, and less than 60 in Germany. With over 25% of its work force employed in technical professions. Israel places first in this category as well. A new acne treatment developed in Israel, the Clear Light device, produces a high-intensity, ultraviolet-light-free, narrow-band blue light that causes acne bacteria to self-destruct -- all without damaging surrounding skin or tissue. An Israeli company was the first to develop and install a large-scale solar-powered and fully functional electricity generating plant, in southern California's Mojave desert. All the above while engaged in regular wars with an implacable enemy that seeks its destruction, and an economy continuously under strain by having to spend more per capita on its own protection than any other county on earth. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww RP NEEDS MORE ENGINEERS TO STAY COMPETITIVE Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas (1st District, Cebu) February 12, 2006 The Philippine has to produce more professional engineers, including those armed with post-graduate degrees, in order to take the country to the next level of technical competence and keep the economy competitive in the global marketplace, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said. "Right now, our most productive and fastest-growing industries -- telecommunications, semiconductors-electronics and information technology-enabled services -- are in great need of a steady supply of engineers," Gullas said. "These industries need civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics and communications, chemical and even sanitary engineers, in the case of the electronics manufacturers," Gullas pointed out. "We are way behind our neighbors in producing engineers. For every Filipino engineer that graduates from college, six are graduating in Vietnam, 25 are graduating in Thailand and 200 are graduating in Singapore," Gullas said. "India and China are each producing 400,000 to 500,000 engineers yearly, including thousands with post-graduate education," he added. Gullas, an educator, proposed the establishment of special scholarship fund that would finance the post-graduate training of Filipino engineers here and abroad. He lamented that the country has only "a few hundred" engineers with post-graduate education. He also said the University of the Philippines? capacity to provide post-graduate training to engineers should be reinforced. "The top 10 board passers from each province, in each engineering filed, should be given free post-graduate scholarships at UP, to include free board and lodging and a reasonable stipend," he said. Gullas, meanwhile, stressed the need for the Commission on Higher Education to put in check the decline in the quality of engineering education. He noted that last year, of the 28,916 candidates who took the licensure examinations in electrical, civil, electronics and communications, mechanical and chemical engineering, only 41 percent or 11,282 passed. Professional Regulation Commission statistics show that in the licensure test for electronics and communications engineers, only 33 percent passed, or 2,298 out of 7,065. In the test for civil engineers, only 35 percent made the grade, or 2,871 out of 8,285. In the test for electrical engineers, only 44 percent passed, or 3,834 out of 8,668. In the test for mechanical engineers, only 46 percent passed, or 1,697 out of 3,714. In the test for chemical engineers, only 50 percent made the grade, or 582 out of 1,184. WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW 160,000 KIDS FORCED TO LEAVE PRIVATE SCHOOLS YEARLY By Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas (1st District, Cebu) February 12, 2006 The heavy migration of students from private to public schools, if not contained, could lead to a deeper crisis in basic education, an educator-turned-lawmaker has warned. Citing a study by the Department of Education, Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas said that with tuition increasing at 15 percent annually, or doubling every five years, an estimated 160,000 students are being driven out of private elementary and high schools each year. Gullas said some of the students drop out altogether because of the pressure to survive and help earn a living for their families. The overwhelming majority, however, turn to public schools to continue their education. "There is so-called demand destruction for private schools. They have been losing teachers who prefer to work abroad or in local call centers. So they have been raising tuition, mainly to make their faculty pay more attractive. Ironically, the tuition increases have driven more students out of private schools," Gullas said. "As a result, our public primary and secondary schools are about to explode because of over-capacity, while private schools are about to collapse because of declining enrolment. The net result of both trends is that the quality of our basic education will eventually suffer," Gullas warned. "This is why it is absolutely imperative that we pass this year?s budget. There are items in the budget meant, on one hand, to build up the capacity of public schools to take in more students, and on the other hand, to fortify the financial viability of private schools," Gullas said. He said the proposed budget includes "crucially important" new spending for basic education, such as P2.9 billion for the construction of 4,578 new classrooms, P2.7 billion for the hiring of 9,200 new teachers and P1.8 billion for the purchase of 18.1 million English paired textbooks. "More important, there is P2 billion in the budget meant as tuition subsidy for 475,000 students forced to enroll in private high schools due to the lack of public schools," Gullas pointed out. He was referring to the P2-billion allotment for the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program, which aids underprivileged students who have to enroll in private high schools because they could no longer be accommodated by the limited facilities of public schools. Under GASTPE, 475,000 students in private high schools would each get a P4,000-voucher, which they can then use to partly pay for tuition. The program does not have any requirement, other than the willingness of parents to cover the rest of the student?s tuition. "Actually, GASTPE helps not only needy students complete their high school education, but also aids private high schools in the process. By subsidizing the tuition of 475,000 students, we will, in effect, be helping private high schools keep more students," Gullas said. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Don�t you know that one of the main reasons why President Gloria Arroyo, Speaker Joe de Venecia, and their gang of thieves in the Lakas-NUCD leadership want to cancel the May 2007 national and local election because they are afraid the opposition candidates that exposed the filth of the GMA administration will win landslide. This will be a death knell to the present dispensation. With the opposition running both houses of Congress, La Empiratress Gloria and her ilk had just sealed their epitaph at the Campo Santo. GMA particularly will be impeached easily by her enemies who will control the decision in Congress. With the said scenario,GMA � bad for her - will not finish her term up to 2010, she will instead serve it inside the prison cell as what happened to ex President Erap, and those former presidents in South Korea. Remember mga kapatid, the last laugh will still be on us exploited pinoys The 80 percent of the Filipinos who wanted her to step down presently according to the Social Weather Station will rejoice up to heaven. Imagine, in the entire history of the political system of the Philippines, she is the most unpopular according to credible survey outfits. She got minus 30 (and it�s worsening because of another tax imposition last week that inflate prices of goods & services). Marcos will be laughing in hell. He thought he got the worst rating of plus 7 before the aftermath of his disposition. Same with Erap who felt vindicated with his better survey result than her. And now brace yourselves folks: Entered.. Adolph Hitler who torched 6 million Jews (the ascendants of present Israelis) , experts said that abysmal rating of our present president would shame the butcher of the Third Reich. I can only mumbled: anak ng bibingkang hilaw na buhay �to! The unpopularity of GMA ( kasali na rin dito ang kanyang mga galamay) is the result of the �Hello Garci� scandal, lengthy and exhaustive senate inquiries into the jueteng controversies that allegedly involved her families, the alleged diversion of the P 728 million in fertilizer funds to the election campaign of this hated president, the government P50 million a year contract with American lobby group Venable, the illegal raid on the residence of former NBI writing expert Segundo Tabayoyong and the confiscation of election documents, the $5oo million North Rail project, and the latest brouhaha, the P 500 million diverted Department of Agrarian Reform funds (intended by law to purchase lands for the landless) to the Department of Agriculture (remember that #!*@ guy named Jocelyn �jok joc� Bolante) which was used for the 2004 presidential election . Mortz Ortigoza, [email protected] Dagupan City, Feb 14, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony---so sorry to see the terrible disaster in Leyte. My condolences to the Filipino people. Just read a local Malaysian newspaper --- Dr. Mahathir had a meeting with George Bush---going back a couple of years ago. They were seen to be having some differences of opinion. Somebody paid somebody (Karl Rove was mentioned) over US$1 million to the lobbyists to arrange for a formal meeting. Also notice that the press is reporting good things about the business climate and the future for Indonesia. Encouraging stuff. That�s it, mate. Catch you next time around. John Craige. [email protected] Malaysia, Feb. 21, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww |