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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| New Order
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on March 03, 2008 For the Standard Today, March 04 issue In the face of countless accusations and counter-accusations, allegations and counter-allegations regarding the ZTE broadband scandal that have been flung in all directions and from all directions � many of them unsupported by any shred of evidence � one of the few substantive statements that have surfaced is the fear, attributed by Jun Lozada to his erstwhile friend Romulo Neri, that �it is not the bringing down of President Arroyo that it is the difficult task; it is the establishment of a New Order that is more difficult.� Neri has apparently taken umbrage in this fear to desist from telling all that he knows about the scandal. If Lozada is to be believed, Neri fears that forcing President Arroyo to step down from power will not result in a moral transformation of the country because there is no one in the political arena who can establish that New Order. To some extent, this is true. Not one among the seven or eight presidential wannabes � including the constitutional successor Vice-President Noli de Castro � has shown any indication that he or she has the intellectual breadth and depth to conceptualize and articulate this New Order, let alone the internal fortitude to establish it. But it is a moral cop-out on the part of Romulo Neri to conclude that the incumbent president should be allowed to stay in power at all cost, even after referring to her before an audience of five people last Dec. 7 � Lozada, Sen. Lacson, Sen. Madrigal and the two senators� chiefs-of-staff � that �that woman is evil.� Not once, but �about ten times,� according to Lozada. If and when Neri is forced to state under oath that he never said �That woman is evil�, while his audience of five state, also under oath, that he did, how will the court of public opinion as well a court of law resolve this? After all, when asked by media, Neri never denied that he said �That woman is evil.� He merely said, �I do not recall saying it.� There is a whale of difference between those two statements, as any lawyer will confirm. Selective amnesia, after only three months, is just not convincing. Neri could be accused and convicted of perjury before the Senate. Is it worth going to jail for it? But over and above the legal implications of perjury is the moral and philosophical dilemma that Romulo Neri must confront. Is it morally permissible to continue to prop up in power someone whom he has classified as evil, just because he sees no one in the political arena who can establish that New Order? In the blood-drenched decades of the 20th Century, there must have been any number of Germans who accepted the moral depravity of Adolf Hitler because they were dazzled by the New Order promised by the Thousand Year Reich. Or any number of Soviet citizens the gulags and the mega-paranoia of Josef Stalin because of the New Order promised by the allegedly inevitable triumph of Communism. While there is no attempt here to equate President Arroyo with Hitler or Stalin, the moral dilemma of Economist Romulo Neri, to accept an evil person in power, perhaps because of her promise to make the Philippines a First World country by the year 2020, and the apparent absence of another person who can match that bullshit, is perverse. *** Consciously or unconsciously, the Filipino middle-classes expected A New Order when their Edsa 1 People Power �revolution� elevated the walking saint Corazon Aquino to the presidency on February 25, 1986. How and why that New Order failed to materialize �and thus disillusioned millions of Filipinos � is a cautionary tale that is relevant even today when the New Order remains as elusive as ever. Mrs. Aquino never pretended that she was a political visionary. She herself publicly admitted that she did not know how to be president. Her internalized goal was to restore Philippine liberal democracy to its pre-martial law configuration. She had no blueprint for a New Jerusalem or a New Order, and, in the pervasive euphoria, no one faulted her for it.. To achieve that democratic restoration, she and her fabled 40 advisers stitched together a government that reflected diverse points of view, on the apparent benign theory that if all competing forces were represented in her Cabinet, they would all pull together towards an undefined goal. Not one of those 40 advisers seems to have appreciated the role of ideology in nation-building. But, alas, it created the opposite effect: a government pulling in different directions without a firm hand to guide it forward to a pre-defined goal. Made up of pro-communist human rights lawyers and anti-communist businessmen and military rightists, her government could not get its act together. The late Columnist Teddy Benigno � a neighbor and a personal friend � who served as her Press Secretary, once told me that Cabinet meetings were often marked by shouting matches between quarrelling factions that literally drove President Aquino to tears. It eventually led one member, Finance Secretary Jaime Ongpin � another personal friend - to commit suicide. And when she released from detention the Communist supremo Joma Sison, on advice of her human rights lawyers, the military started plotting her overthrow, which almost toppled her from power in 1987 and 1989. Meanwhile, the released Joma went into self-exile in Utrecht , Holland , and waged a campaign to bad-mouth her in Europe �s generally leftist press, destroying her chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988. In trying to please everyone, President Aquino ended up pleasing no one, not even the middle-class constituency that had elevated her to the presidency in 1986. The ever-shrinking crowds that celebrated the Edsa 1 anniversary every year were a gauge of the mounting disillusionment of the middle-class. In the 2003 Edsa celebrations, there were more security policemen (600) than celebrants (500). (See my article People Power Goes Pffft! of March 12, 2003): .. http://www.geocities.com/dapat_tapatt/peoplepowergoespffft.html The large crowd that attended the so-called interfaith rally in Makati last Feb. 29 - estimated by the police at 15,000, by the organizers at 100,000 � probably numbered 50,000 to 70,000, arguably the largest since the euphoric days of 1986, certainly larger than any of the rallies organized by the trapos and the Communists and the military mercenaries, working together in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The dominant presence of the business and professional organizations, the Churches, the non-Communist civil society groups, and the non-Communist student organizations drew the middle classes to this rally. Significantly, politicians were not allowed to address the crowd (except that Erap managed to squeeze himself in during the last minutes, which led him to believe that the crowd had gathered to hear his deathless oratory), and the Communists were prevailed upon to keep their red flags at home. Which proves my point that the bulk of the middle classes will not attend rallies dominated by trapos and the Communists. And conversely, that the middle classes can be fired up to come out and express their outrage in those rallies as long as the trapos and the Communists (and the military mercenaries in their pay), for whom they have no sympathy, are not prominent. (See my article Neither Trapo nor Communist of Dec. 28, 2004):. http://www.geocities.com/dapat_tapatt/neithertrapo.html The middle classes have found their champion in Jun Lozada. What is lacking is the articulation of a New Order that will give an ideological backbone to a new middle class revolt that will take the place of the jellyfish-like People Power �revolution� of 1986 which dissolved into nothingness after its last hurrah. (To be concluded.) ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com.. NOTE: Transmission to yahoo.com and mydestiny.net addresses is sometimes delayed or blocked by the servers for one reason or other. If you are experiencing these delays and blockings, we suggest you move to a hotmail or a gmail address. To subscribe, send a blank emil with the subject heading Subscribe. To Unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �New Order� More Reactions to �Roosevelt or Hitler?� More Reactions to �Neri-Jun was Right� More Reactions to �Neri was Afraid�� More Reactions to �She is Evil� More Reactions to �An Endgame Scenario� Greetings! What will it take for the public servants of our people to stop finding ways to enrich themselves while in office? Everyone knows that our country is suffering because of lack of money in to produce goods and services meant to improve the lives of the people. Everyone knows that by making the cost of projects more expensive, we're taking money from the Treasury which could have been allocated to other forms of services for the people. Everyone knows that if the government agents properly assess the companies for taxes, the companies would be more willing to report the right figures and pay the right taxes. Everyone knows that if there was no graft in government, people would be more willing to share their hard-earned money to the government. Everyone knows that if the coffers remain strong, then everyone can be properly compensated; then the public officials can be paid well to feed their own families. But why can't everyone just do the right thing? If we did so, maybe in 10 to 20 years, we'll see everyone's lives improve, and not only ours. You want a new social order? Let's just start anew. Forget about the sins of the past as this will just drag everyone down. Nobody's innocent anyway, everyone have contributed to this endemic system one way or the other. If everyone would just start doing the right thing today, stop doing all the things that he would be ashamed of when he faces the judgment of the Supreme Being, then maybe there can be hope for the future. Vengeance is mine, I will recompense, says the Lord. So rather than focus of fault-finding or blaming one another, let's just focus on doing the right thing, today. Write off the sins of the past. Some say, the only way to write off the sins of the past is through a violent revolution like that of the French. But then again, who wants to become a murderer or be murdered? Do away with the blood but do everything as a nation wanting a better life for our children and our children's children. There is no middle ground, it's either black or white. The moment you allow for gray areas, the moment you compromise yourself, you start the course of decay once again. Forget the sins of the past, but do not tolerate the sins of the future, prosecute them, make a public example out of them. Only through positive peer pressure can we sustain our cleanliness as a nation. That's how I believe a new social order can be born. If everyone drops every evil deed that they have been committing, success can be ours. Lawrence C. See, (by email), March 04, 2008 (But that�s a monumental IF. IF every crook were to become a saint, then we would have heaven. It is more pragmatic and realistic to assume that most crooks will stay crooked and that they will have to be hunted down and punished, as part of establishing a New Order. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Romulo Neri is an honest man. When he's bought, he stays bought. Amado Cacabero, Sr., (by email), March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, It is better if concern citizens that you mentioned in your article conduct consultative assembly where that so called NEW ORDER that many of us seek to realized be discuss in a proper forum. In order that in the future, concerted actions of democratic forces will become more stronger and united. There are many groups claiming the name of the people but in fact do not articulate the real problem the country beyond poverty or GMA. Some have a vaery good critic of what is happening but offer the same trapo alternatives. I think you can lead that workshop or consultative assembly involving sectors that you mentioned and later put that NEW ORDER perspective into debate among contending groups so that while we protest the alleged corruption in the GMA government, sooner the people will have a significant option and end the dark cycle in our political governance. Conflicting but sensible opinion and alternatives are coming out from different orientations. It will be nice if there will be a synthesis of all of this proposals along way toward a better consensus among contending forces without the risk of falling into the extreme scenarios that the little children of this nation do not deserve to experience. I am also inviting you to my blog to see my humble effort to reach the apolitical young people. http://angbagongliga.blogspot.com/ I feel that by doing this even though I may not be too involved to what is happening, I can still provide a small contribution to our country which I think if only every Filipinos will do a little voluntarily and gather this little things, it can be a greater help to transform our nation. God bless us! Albert Banico, (by email), Manila , March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, You mentioned about the "BIG" gathering 70,000 to 100,000 people (depending in whose version), in Makati last Friday but seemed to have downplayed the strange roles of two former president, Cory Aquino and Joseph Estrada. This being a LEAP YEAR the masa jumped aboard the bandwagon of Cory and ERAP just to embarrass GMA in a shouting match. No version of EDSA uprising, No GOLPE' occured. President Gloria Arroyo has a good reason to be thankful that her prayers were answered. She hurdled safely another threat during her incumbency for .....NOW. Thanks "tanks" were not used. She should also be grateful there was no blessing from the Catholic bishops to show semblance of support in the gathering dubbed as "Interfaith Prayers" rally". Thanks to the Makati police force and the Philippine Army who were on full alert that discouraged any attempt by JOMA's Communists rubble rousers, radical labor elements and Cory's and Erap's die-hard followers, an opportunity to stage a repetition of EDSA People Power. Thanks also largely to the middle class who are not affected by economic inconveniences as they strongly opposed to anything that disturbs the status quo. It seems that last Friday's "Interfaith Prayers", which is Cory Aquino's brainchild is more of a politico-religious attempt to force God which side He would choose. Is this what we describe our people and their leaders "MAKADIYOS where the poor rely more on prayers rather than their own initiatives to improve their lives, where two ex presidents who at one time shared mutual animosities now jointly led the faithful devotees to an Interfaith "Praying" or "playing politics" at the same time invoking God's intervention? As one familiar with your amusing rhetoric, I was disappointed to miss familiar phrases like SIGAW NG LANGAW led by two BANGAW! Jose Sison Luzadas, (by email), Delray Beach , Florida , March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, You wrote: But it is a moral cop-out on the part of Romulo Neri to conclude that the incumbent president should be allowed to stay in power at all cost, even after referring to her before an audience of five people last Dec. 7 - Lozada, Sen. Lacson, Sen. Madrigal and the two senators' chiefs-of-staff - that "that woman is evil." Not once, but "about ten times," according to Lozada. I say: In a presidential system you live with your head of government for the term of office. In a parliamentary system, a loss of confidence forces the head of government to resign. The problem is a lot of vocal and opinionated Filipinos do not want to amend our constitution into a parliamentary one but expect the head of government to go when they rubble rouse the public. For Pete's sake, let's make up our minds. (I support a shift to a parliamentary system BUT only after Gloria Arroyo has vacated the presidency totally and irrevocably. Otherwise she will maneuver a shift to parliamentary only for the purpose of staying in power indefinitely, as she has been trying to do since 2006 and continues to do at present, with the recently (Feb. 12) launched ChaCha Road Show. ACA) If we really want a presidential form, what we should be doing now is carefully selecting our 2010 leaders and work like crazy to get them legitimately elected. Let's institutionalize fair and legitimate election with people power. Let's dig our heels in every barangay polling place and make sure the true people's will is heard. The problem with these so called leaders we have now - opposition trapos, civil society, sectoral, party list - they just want to promote their own agenda. So they want the short cut of booting out the incumbent so they can get a chance of their piece of the power pie when the spoils are divided. All I can say to that solution is "look at EDSA 1 and 2; it would have been good but all these clowns wanted was their share. That's what happens when people take short cuts. True leadership with vision will blaze the longer route but will make sure that the country gets there. Moses led his people to the promised land but he knew he would not be able take them in it. So, he developed younger leaders like Joshua and Caleb whose job it was to bring the people there. True leader do not need to take the credit after all history will show who they really were. Gus Cosio, (by email), March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, I don't want to see Cory Aquino or Erap in any rallies. While it is true that Cory Aquino never pretended to be a political visionary, she was Ali Baba to her 40 "advisers". What seemed like the beginning of a New Order soon turned into politics as usual, circa the 1960's. And Cory's family and friends soon substituted for the thieving oligarchs of that era. As for Erap, he is a joke. Although he got away with a Presidential pardon, it doesn't make him less of a crook. The idea of Erap preaching about the evils of graft and corruption is simply absurd. I don't know what will come out of this awkward situation we are presently in, but I would really like to see genuine change in the way we do things. Not the "plastik-plastikan" we have been subjected to for the past 22 years. And I would like to see leadership that is firm and committed, not a leadership that simply coasts along with what it perceives to be popular. Is there a leader out there who is capable of taking the bull by the horns? I truly hope so because I've had enough of the likes of Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Erap and Gloria Arroyo, who promised change but only gave us more of the same. Sincerely yours, Juan Deiparine, (by email), Toril, Davao City ,. March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww A righteous "New Order" for the country is not impossible. Nothing is impossible with God's intervention. But first us humans should do our part. We have to establish with evidences the greediness, identify all and punish the proven corrupt, from minimally to moderately to maximally corrupt. One taxi driver suggested that PGMA can prove her innocence by ordering a firing squad for the FG. I do not believe we can not find one moral person to lead us who is intelligent enough to govern over us, and pick up other moral persons to assist him. This crisis will drag on until 2010 and we have to do all our means to prevent GMA from extending her presidency in what ever form her "bought military" and sychopants try to. But we now have to look for that man or woman. I suggest the people create an adhoc committee to organize the search. Qualifications should be well analyzed. We can all (groups, association or individuals) submit a name and each nominee's CV is published in all newspaper after proper screening by the committee making sure that the qualifications are met. The readers can now send evidences supporting or discrediting him/her. Then let the people decide. Pura Flor Isleta, (by email), March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mang Tony, Too much has been talked about this ZTE and other government irregularities and yet the people, the "masa" is hardly moved by it. This is because the masa is very much occupied in fighting for their own survival. I think in order to get the masa involved, we need to bring in the fight to the arena where the government is proclaiming to be doing very good, the economy. In it's own grandstanding, PGMA and her cohorts have been gloating about the improved economy, which can be observed to be true if one has to look at the performance of the stock market and the peso. "Ramdam ko ang asenso" exclaimed by selected people in TV ads sponsored by government. One of which is an OFW, what has PGMA got to do with his success, it is through his own sweat and sacrifice that it is PGMA who owed him, not the other way around. Government officials talked about the cold facts of an improved economy, but then majority of the Filipinos said that it has not trickled down to the greater "masa". Now, in 2008, for 2 consecutive months, January and February, inflation has gone up, 4.9% in January and 5.5% in February. Pork is now selling P165 per kilo from P155 in December, pandesal is P2 per piece, a kilo of Denorado rice which I like to eat, has gone up from P28 (Nov 2007) to P33 in January 2008. People do not seem to bother anymore with what is happening in the political scene. Government officials seem to be all the same, puro papogi, puro corrupt. My impression is that to those people who are aware of the anomalies in government, they (include me) and therefore we, don't care much about how politicians run the government. To me the government has become insignificant. Asked as well the other OFW's. I work hard for my family to survive. My children go to private school with my own money. I buy medical and health insurance for them. Today, I am not expecting anything from the government. If I can only have the money to construct my own road going to and from the office, that I may also be able to avoid being apprehended by those irrational MMDA officers. The saddest part is, I still have pay to taxes, I am being charged of VAT whenever I eat or buy something. In exchange, the government of PGMA has been slowly stripping us off of our universal rights. I still hope that someday, this beloved country will be a better place to live. Edel Anit, (by email), March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony--As always, a great read for its luminous ideas and words. I think Neri is held back by a craven cowardice, as Shakespeare put it, for thinking too precisely on the event. He says throwing away Gloria will not amount to anything as everything else will remain the same. So he won't be party to a futile act--getting rid of "the evil person" sans surgical removal of malignant ills of what he calls "the political environment." The fatal flaw in his large view is he believes it's only ma'am who can cure our sick society. And he really thinks she can and will do it?! He's in a bind: To expel ma'am now or wait for her to recreate a New Order. Let's hope the Supreme Court will cure him of his Hamletian dilemma.� Vicente Calibo de Jesus, (by email), March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Kuya Tony. Good points. I would like to add one point for New Order. We need a new order of electoral reform - this is one of the root causes of corruption in the government. I am puzzled why this is not being seriously pushed by Executive and Legislative branches of government. Regards, Rey Corpuz, (by email), March 05, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You mentioned: "...The large crowd that attended the so-called interfaith rally in Makati last Feb. 29 - estimated by the police at 15,000, by the organizers at 100,000 � probably numbered 50,000 to 70,000, arguably the largest since the euphoric days of 1986, certainly larger than any of the rallies organized by the trapos and the Communists and the military mercenaries, working together in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. The dominant presence of the business and professional organizations, the Churches, the non-Communist civil society groups, and the non-Communist student organizations drew the middle classes to this rally. Significantly, politicians were not allowed to address the crowd (except that Erap managed to squeeze himself in during the last minutes, which led him to believe that the crowd had gathered to hear his deathless oratory), and the Communists were prevailed upon to keep their red flags at home..." But in the Honesto General's column in the Daily Inquirer 3/5/2008 issue http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view/20080305-122815/Interfaith-rally-The-view-from-below "...As usual, the crowd on Ayala Avenue at Paseo de Roxas was almost impenetrable. It was where the students and the colorful flags were massed. I made out the red flags of the communists�Bayan Muna, Akbayan, Gabriela, Sanlakas, Migrante, Partido ng Manggagawa (have I missed anyone?). Ever since they boycotted People Power I and did not share in the glorious victory, the communists have not missed a rally, big or small. At the fringes were the mercenaries�the so-called �hakot� [hauled-in] crowd. They were the unwashed in rubber sandals. They just sat or milled around, ignoring the speeches. Their warm bodies provided the numbers that looked so impressive in aerial photos. The mercenaries were there for the money, at P200 per head plus food and transport. For a poor family of five, that was a whopping P1,000 for just showing up. I would have wanted to escort Cory Aquino to chat with the mercenaries. If she did, she probably would have walked out in tears. The jeepneys that brought the mercenaries from parts beyond Makati were parked on the side streets. Each jeepney was probably hired at P3,000 for the round trip. I estimated the crowd at 20,000 maximum. At least 10,000 were there for the money, and only for the money. The total cost, including jeepney rental, amounted to P5 million minimum. Where did the money come from?..." Since he has been at the scene and has a first hand account of the event, I tend to believe him more than other news reporters. Which goes to show that it was not really a prayer rally. Half the people that attended are motivated more by money. Jun Lozada may be popular but he lacks the charisma to make the ordinary citizen stop what he's doing, leave his work and join him in a rally just like what people did in EDSA 1, 2. Chester Montenegro , (by email), Malabo Island , Equatorial Guinea , West Africa , March 06, 2008 (People will always believe what they want to believe. What time of the afternoon or evening did your favorite columnist attend the rally? Marcos believed Cory Aquino was just a housewife who could not draw a crowd. A million people flocked to Luneta after the snap elections of Feb. 7, 1986 to hear her proclaim herself as the winner, even though the Comelec had proclaimed Marcos the winner. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I don't think the middle class adores Lozada. It is easy to see through his words, smiles, and crying. No matter what Lozada says, he won't be the reason the middle class will join rallies. The hatred for Gloria will. In fact I don't think the bulk of the middle class in Metro Manila was at the Fridat rally [email protected], March 07, 2008 (From 9,000 miles away, you have no idea how Lozada is being treated like a rock star by the young people in the schools and colleges where he is invited to speak. Why are you so bitchy about his popularity, anyway? Are you jealous? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Honestly, I voted for GMA not because I really wanted her....she was my second choice. I wanted Lacson, we needed an iron hand ....but a friend told me that even if I vote for Lacson, he would not win....so what's the use...I thought he was right....so I voted for GMA. From the first few months she sat down.....there was news from Malacanang that our budget was too way short....and drastic efforts had to be done to keep our economy alive. After a few months thereafter....everything was was going alright...(according to her)??? What is she? a magician of some sort to say, "now U see it....now U dont. This was the start of my thinking she is a fake.....or for some reason or another, she really had to do it to save our economy. Then the "Hello Garci" scam surfaced.....I did not mind this for I really voted for her and wanted her to win... Then the fertilizer scam.....for Makati ??? Do they use fertilizers now to make builidings??? Then the Garcias....General Garcia and that other one from the GSIS or SSS I'm not sure? There was a prayer invented during that time....it goes like this....Abaginoong kong Gloria, Napupuno ka ng Garcia.... I also did not pay attention to this much....Then....she has been appointing retired generals to positions very sensitive to our economy and security......look at the cabinet members......look at the DOST, LTO, DENR, etc, etc...are they really qualified to run this offices??? Ralph Recto is now going to take the place of Teves??? What the heck....scam na talaga ito....I am not saying Ralph is not qualified....what I am saying is.....she appoints people who she thinks she can "braso"....Look at DOJ Gonzales....that stupid old man deserves a good burial (dahil amuy lupa na daw siya) pati si Cris Aquino pinakialaman pa niya......what the heck.....the old guy maybe wants to screw her. Now that the ZTE scam is being uncovered.....I deeply regret voting for her....and asking my wife to do so too.....such a small woman having a big big appetite for money and power....What a shame....not only for our country, but to humanity. But since the investigation is still going on....I will not comment further... What we Filipinos want now is.... 1. Revoke EO 464 now without exemptions - how in hell did this EO come alive in what she calls a democratic country??? Pwe!!! 2. Let Neri testify - but we now know that he is in terrible trouble.....he may be killed by what she calls bad elements.....How stupid and clumsy can our PNP/AFP get.....Bobo!!!!! 3..At .least si Erap did not still funds from the Govermment....it was jueteng money..... 4. The Glorietta bombing was a real bomb, not methatne.....Geary Barrias admitted this on radio live.....but after 3 hours.....he retracted his statement.....how foolish (police) 5. After his successfull operation, FG decided to retract all his charges againts the media....because he said he found new life.....I think he found new money... Only Raffy Tulfo accepted the peace truce....but other media men wanted to fight to the finish....hoorayy to media people... 6. the passport of Jun Lozada was not marked in his arrival.....then he had no security on both of his sides in the car that went to Laguna or Cavite .....is that a VIP treatment??? But behind...there were cars following the Vios he rode.....kung sakaling tumakas siya....PATAY.....ganon ba ka bobo ang PNP at PSG.....ang tatanga nila....pwe.....leche...siguro they had a plan to really kill him by shooting or running over him.....how grimmmmmmmmmmmmm...... 7. Now lets go to more detail....sino ba talaga ang bwaya....si FG ba or si GMA??? Kasi marami ang nagsasabi na si FG daw....pero si langaw OK naman daw.....eggscume.......As chief of the PNP and AFP, she should know.....baka naman mag labas nanaman ng commercial yan saying "I lied" hahahaha.. or " I did not know" hohoho.... that is COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY.......if she can not control her husband....she should resign... 8. Why is FG dealing with X-ray machines etc.etc....negosyo ba niya ito???? 9. Yun billion peso contract ni Abalos sa computerization???? How much did he get???? Kalkalin nyo nga....there are thousands now hungry, no house, no food, no nothing.....tapos ginastos nya bilyon piso....pusang ina.....hayop talaga itong siga na ito......sa lahat ng taga Mandaluyong....wag uli iboboto ang mga angkan ni Baholos......siga siga pala siya eh....dapat paalisin natin din yan tanda na yan... 10. Pa kunyari pa na mahinahon mag salita, pero yun pala killler siya......may God take him soon... Rafael Alcuaz, (by email), March 07, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Roosevelt or Hitler� (Feb. 06, 2008) Tony, letter of Ms. Marylou Dellosa, daughter Rev. Bert Dellosa, whose email i responded to. Her letter reminds of the failure of our educational system to teach young Filipinos of our country's rich cultural heritage that includes our history. It is, indeed, difficult for Filipinos to be proud of their country and people if they do not of their history and heritage. It appears that the Government, through its Department of Education (DepEd), has miserably failed and continues to do so. What should make us proud to be Filipinos? Simple things like our customs and traditions that make us uniquely Filipino should already be a source of pride to us. For instance, our reknowned hospitality to our guests/visitors. There is no country and people that come close to Filipinos when we take care and entertain our guests. And it is effortless and natural on our part because we enjoy doing it. This hospitality is not just in the Philippines but also when we are overseas. I have been a recipient of the kindness of our countrymen. Allow me to cite a few. Like you, I did my travel overseas in my younger days (mid-20s). When I extended my sojourn for the second time on my third month in Europe, I ran out of money and had to wait for the remittance of funds from the Philippines . Thus, I was stranded in Austria . When I was in the Philippine Embassy in Vienna , a kind Filipina nurse i met offered to let me stay at her place while i was waiting for my money fro home. I naturally accepted and had free board and lodging fro several days. So Filipinos really take care of its own people. In my subsequent travels to Europe , my wife and I have received invitations from fellow Filipinos for us to stay in their homes even if they just met them. It happened in Rome , Italy , Berne , Switzerland and other places that we already have forgotten. They were touching gestrures of kinship with our countrymen. One particular experience we cannot forget was from a couple we met in Berne whose husband has a serious kidney problem (similar to the late President Marcos). We told them that we will pray for his ailment and offered to help them in relation to the dialysis machine they were sending over in time for their visit to Manila . Anyway, when the couple visited the Philippines , my wife and I were pleasantly surprised of the gifts they gave us: a Bally wallet or bag to my wife and Bally shoes to the husband. Mabuhay ang Filipino!!! Rick Ramos, (by email), Santa Rosa , Laguna, Feb. 19, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, If only Lucio Tan. Gokongwei, Emilio Lim (all Chinese elites) and the other rich people in the government will pay the right amount of taxes without exemption, the GDP would have been higher. If VAT guarantees collection of taxes due to the government perhaps the same mechanism could be applied on individual tax and corporate returns. A well managed economy that shows a high GDP should benefit the entire population and alleviate the miseries of the dispossed but alas it does not happen. The rich gets richer, the middle class contracts, and the poor swells. Dr. Nestor P. Baylan, (by email), New York City , Feb. 25, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww NOTE. Because of limited space, this post may be truncated in acabaya.blogspot.com. It appears or will appear complete in www.tapatt.org. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Neri-Jun is Right� (Feb. 20, 2008) Dear Mr. Abaya: You wrote: "Neri-Jun is right. Except for the Communist movement, there is no political group in this country that has articulated a vision for a new order to replace the rotten old one. But the Communist vision � Joma�s Maoist new order � is totally unacceptable to the middle classes: judging from the shining example of Maoist China (1949 to 1979), no free elections, no freedom of expression, no freedom of assembly, no freedom of worship, no private property, no private enterprise, BUT monopoly of power for the Communist Party (CPP) under the Leninist concept of �dictatorship of the proletariat�(operational up to the present)." Once again, you are absolutely right that no existing political party in the Philippines has any platforms of government and/or of socio-economics that address the social ills that the Filipino people face. No political party offers concrete ideas that can lead to fundamental structural reforms. All politicians talk of reducing corruption, fighting crime, etceteras, etc., but they do not come up with specific ideas on how to do them. Perhaps you have not read the articles that I have written in the www.mabuhayradio.com (http://www.mabuhayradio.com). On the matter of Global Warming alone, I have posted 15 articles about a Filipino initiative to fight Climate Change. I called for a Filipino version of The Manhattan Project, so as to do a crash program of such intensity and urgency similar to the setting up by the Americans to develop the A-Bomb during WWII. There are 14 articles in the "Reinventing the Philippines " column and more ideas posted in the "Philippine Politics" and "Philippine Shadow Government" sections in the www.mabuhayradio.com (http://www.mabuhayradio.com) . We have even posted the so-called "I2D2" section to discuss the ways of repaying the foreign debts of the Philippines and so far it has 14 articles. We have published also this article, The Philippine Shadow Government�s "Vision RP 2021" Master Plan (http://www.mabuhayradio.com/content/view/656/51/) Bobby M. Reyes, (by email), Feb, 20, 2008 Ad-hoc Executive Director, BalikLaban Movement wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr Abaya, In my post that you published, I said that I felt there isn't going to be an EDSA III anytime soon. Inasmuch as Mrs Solita Collas-Monsod has herself written a column with a title referrring to an EDSA IV, I wish to clarify that in my opinion, the movement referred to as EDSA III doesn't qualify for the title, for a lot of reasons, the briefest of which are, it doesn't have all the characteristics of EDSA I and II, and it wasn't successful in its goal as the two previous People Power movement. Thanks for posting our reactions to your columns. Ethel, [email protected], March 02, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, You are quite right on your point, but my only concern is will the alternative achieve the right blend we are clamoring for? I don't see any viable alternative in the horizon. I even have doubts as to the real purpose of Jun Lozada. Is he for real? Or is he a paid hack of Lacson? I have the tendency to believe the theory of Sen. Enrile. But be that as it may, the real question is how can we really cleanse the country? (Certainly not through the present crop of trapos, whether administration or opposition. ACA) We all know that as early as childhood, the current population have been corrupted and more corrupted by the day. The ordinary applicant for a police position wants to be one for the "tong". The majority of the poor populace expect of dole-outs from the politicians at any opportunity. The current aspirants for leadership positions are no better than the current occupant. So where do we start. I suggest that we totally overhaul our constitution and plug all the loopholes in the current one. If the fear is PGMA's tenure, disqualify her and the previously elected leaders from the race. (But who will disqualify her and them ? Certainly not the Lower House, which is controlled by the trapos of Kampi and Lakas. The Senate by itself cannot amend existing laws. So who? ACA) We need to have a fresh start with no one limiting who we elect to be our leaders. Let the changing of a rotten leader be as easy as a vote of no confidence. Let us help propagate a better bureaucracy by not encouraging those in government offices to accept bribes. Let us also tax the businesses of the religious organizations who are wantonly abusing the privileges that was given to them. Let us not let them interfere in the affairs of government. Those who insist on interfering should be put in jail. Their mandate is to protect the morals of their followers so that they become worthy law abiding and morally upright citizens. It should be illegal to give sanctuary to armed men. (But, again, who will make these new rules? Certainly not the trapos, whether administration or opposition. ACA) I hope this would help solve some of our problems in our homeland. More power to you. Edgar S. Tubianosa, (by email), March 02, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Neri was afraid�� (Feb 16, 2008) Mr. Abaya, I am just getting posted about the current goings on by reading the newspapers. But putting together the news items published I cannot reconcile the following: A. GMA said that she was told the NBN-ZTE contract was flawed the day before she signed the contract and could not refuse to sign the agreement due to international diplomatic considerations. So, months later, knowing the contract to be flawed, why did she instruct Neri after being told of Abalos' offer of 200 to ignore the offer and just approve the deal? B. Why Ermita continues to "correct" the statements made by Malacanan functionaries like Gaite's claim that the P500,000 he gave to Lozada came from his own pocket? C. The PNP claimed that Lozada was under their protective custody but when asked where Lozada was, the reply was they do not know. D. That Lozada was never threatened according to Gen. Razon, (He is alive, isn't he?) was free to move about and make calls as he desired. With the presence of such burly personalities around him at the time he was taken thru the tube, the physical presence of these "escorts" alone, can bring anyone to fear for his safety. When Lozada was making mobile phone calls, his escorts told him to stop making such calls since they get his calls on the equipment they were carrying at the time. E. I cannot reconcile the person of Sec. Atienza to the statements he made before the Senate. The Atienza before the Senate must be another Atienza. F. I cannot reconcile the statements of the government officials touched by this NBN/ZTE affair to the lofty national office they hold. I have been and was of the impression that these people are most intelligent to be appointed to such lofty positions and thus should be very rational. My country, quo vadis? Edmundo Ledesma, (by email), Feb. 26, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �She is Evil� (Feb. 22, 2008) Hi Tony, We need to pray for our country, that corruption will no longer prevail, Prayer changes things and events. There is power in prayer! We are so thankful that we have media personalities like you who can�t be bought and corrupted. Keep up the good work in exposing what is the truth, so the truth will set us free! God bless our country the Philippines ! Blessings, Gerry Garay, (by email), Clermont , Florida , March 03, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Esteemed Ka Tony Abaya: I base my "outlandish claim" on my personal observations, from the time I also performed an insignificant part -- when still a foot soldier with the Signal Corps, AFP (1953-54) -- in the Anti-Huk campaign, then under the influence of the shadowy Col. Ed Landsdale (ref. PORTRAIT of A Cold WARRIOR by Joseph Burkholder Smith - 1976; Then, also as a lowly government civil servant and keen observer in the nooks and crevices of power from the time of Press Secretary JV Cruz under President Ramon Magsaysay (1954 to 1957)��� . I also had the chance to study interpretative (interpretive) reporting which I put to good use as a Malaca�ang Press Office reporter covering the President's Study Room from 1963 to 1972. (But none of this proves that EDSA One was �a deep cover for a CIA ruse to thwart the official move to wiggle out of the USA�s �altruistic� enslavement of the Filipino mind etc etc�..� which was your outlandish claim. ACA) As to the observation that I wrote in English, in a similar manner that our hero Jose Rizal wrote mostly in Spanish -- contrary to his admonitions in the Seventh Chapter of El Filibusterismo -- had I written in Filipino, most probably, my views might hardly be noticed by assiduous readers among our countrymen. Irineo Perez Goce, (by email), Lipa City , March 04,2008 a.k.a. Ka Pule2 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Sir Tony, Despite GMA's unpopularity, the middle class are hesitant to kick her out, because more corrupt people like Erap and his fellow criminals are waiting to take advantage of the situation. The opposition is not that credible as well. And GMA works hard to produce good result. Erap and his fellow criminals are known for something else. Let GMA complete her term. Any national leader like GMA should be replaced thru election/constitutional process. No matter how unpopular, there is time to kick out a leader. GMA will be liable to the courts of law later. All press releases against GMA are unsubstantiated. This has been the case since the Garci scandal. I hope her acusers will prove what they are saying, so GMA will be made to answer for those serious acusations. Ody Lumanglas, (by email), Auckland , New Zealand , March 04, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Regarding your apprehension on whom to disqualify her? Set an election for a Constitutional Convention with the full participation of those in the barangay level. Educate the electors first with the help of media to select credible delegates. There should be no parties involved in the election of delegates. Then investigate the net worth of delegates before and after the election. Before the election, institutionalize election automation. No hangers-on beyond 200 meters of the polling precinct. In other words, safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process by making sure the loopholes in our electoral system is plugged. Make it a campaign outcry that those who would support status quo is out. This is also the time to explain to the people that fundamental change is needed to start from ourselves morally in order that systemic dysfunctionalism could stop. This would start genuine reform. If we do not strive to try any possible alternative to change, where do we start as a reformed society? If those who are corrupt will be changed /replaced with more corrupt leaders we are back to square 1. I regret that I am a People Power 1 participant that did not bring renewal on the ones' we placed in power. They are as rotten as the ones' they replaced. Kanya kanyang kurakot mula sa barangay level up to the President. Do we go through the communist way of radical change? They are already practicing a more evil system we are trying to expel. Military Junta? A collective robbers in band? Reminiscent of the 40 thieves? Do we go back to "friarocrazy"? We had been under it for 400 years. Let us start anew, somewhere, somehow NOW. Thanks for the space, Edgar S. Tubianosa, (by email), California , March 04, 2008 (You make it sound so easy. Since you are 6,000 miles away, you obviously do not realize that President Arroyo�s Kampi-Lakas [now being merged] control the Lower House, plus most of the mayors and most of the governors and most of the barangays, plus the Ombudsman, the Comelec and the military and the police. Why don�t you come back here and do what you think should be done. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �An Endgame Scenario� (Feb. 26, 2008) I love the way Jennifer Xavier wrote her reaction. But Luli Arroyo's defense is really self-serving. Does she have access to the news including columns? I remember reading about the Indian national friend of her dad ( can't recall the name) who was disliked by many Chinese in the garment industry when her mom (GMA) was a DTI Usec, as to why, is obvious. He was the same Indian ( Bombay ) who was involved in that importation of rice from India for the NFA which turned out to be rotten, even had worms. How about the purchase of thoroughbred racing horses in Australia by his brother Mikey, transporting them in a chartered plane while millions of Filipinos are wanting of medicines and food. Did Luli know about the expose' of columnist Tulio on the smuggling ring in the South Harbor involving the brother of her dad's (FG) special friend Vicky Toh? What happened to the LUALHATI (Gloria) Foundation which was linked to the Jose Pidal aka Ignacio Arroyo bribery and the controversial IMPSA deal? Does she know who Joc Joc Bolante is? The DA Usec who was involved in the FERTILIZER SCAM? How he is linked to his dad (FG) and how he came to be appointed as Undersecretary in the Dept. of Agriculture? Narciso Ner, (by email), Davao City , March 08, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Unfortunately for me - the cable carrier I subscribe to does not have ANC. I am very aware that ANC has been carrying the Senate hearings all these months as well as other hearings that have some audience value. (Kudos to them!) Our cable service used to have Tele-dyaryo, also an ANC show of their AM Radio broadcast but that too was taken out and instead replaced by the Radio broadcast of DZRH with its disappointing format. When I said media (television) was not carrying the coverage of the hearing - I was pertaining to the local channels - the channels available to people who do not subscribe to cable service which is the populace of almost 60% of people who have television nationwide. The COMPREHENSIVE coverage of the hearings only reach 40% while the rest are subjected to news breaks and summarized stories. If ever, NBN channel 4 does carry the hearings but the side comments of hosts do nothing but berate, insult and monkey the witnesses who are being roasted by the Senate. Where's the "objectivity" in that? Where's the "sowing sobriety" in that? If things are ever going to change - the Filipino people should be made aware of what is really going on and for them to see it for themselves the way the Erap hearings were aired locally and that "show" rated far higher than any show because ALL the media networks covered it - not just channels available only on cable. I stand by what I said. I still have to see a government official who cannot be bought or does not have a hidden agenda. The Filipinos in government are all for sale. They all have their price. And the 'masang pilipino" pay with their lives, the lives and future of their children for these "public SERVANTS" who do not serve one bit. Maybe everyone who is employed by the Filipino People - meaning those who are in PUBLIC OFFICE and are PUBLIC SERVANTS - from the lowest Barangay Official to the highest seat in the land - already forgot who pays for their salaries, who pays for their junkets, who pays for their mansions and luxury cars, who pays for their 'free meals', who pays for their residences abroad and who pays them to SERVE the country. Maybe for once they'd live up to the office they occupy and actually work for the betterment of the PEOPLE and not their wallets. By saying that this commission or brokering thing is the "culture" nowadays of how to do business in the Philippines - no wonder WALANG PUPUNTAHAN itong bansang ito. Just because it�s the "norm" does NOT justify why it is STILL being done even in the highest echelons of government! SHAME on all of them. They're STUPID to use it as an excuse to get away with this. Have a good day and more power. I enjoy your articles a lot. Regards, Jenny Aquino-Xavier, (by email), March 08, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, Electoral reforms are needed to solve the corruption problem in our country. Obviously, cleaning up the Comelec is a priority and computerization is a necessity. But not too many Filipinos understand and appreciate that it takes a lot of money to win an election. Candidates need a lot of financial supporters to conduct a successful election campaign; and naturally the winning candidates tend to somehow �pay back� their supporters. �Utang na loob� is a very strong trait among Filipinos. In the Philippines, the candidates depend mostly on the support of their families and the established groups they have closely worked with (like media, big business, the Church, cause-oriented groups, the movie world, the underworld, etc.). There is a quid pro quo for the support. The common voter does not ante money in the electoral process; some voters even take bribe money from the candidates. In contrast, as can be seen in the attached article, the candidates in the U.S.A. depend a lot on the financial support of common voters in pursuing their election campaign; and when they win they become accountable for what they publicly promised. There are laws regulating the raising and application of electoral funds. It takes a lot of money to win an election. This is a reality that should be considered in our �search for truth� regarding the corruption in our politics. Nonoy Reyes, (by email), March 08, 2008 (I realize that it takes a lot of money to win an election. And 40% of campaign funds are used to buy radio and TV spots. To reduce corruption, it is necessary to reduce campaign expenses, especially that 40% reserved for radio and TV spots. That is why I have proposed that all radio and TV ads should be totally banned. Instead, government-owned Ch. 4, 9 and 13 � and their nationwide radio networks � should be deputized by Comelec, during the 45-day campaign period, to be the sole venues for all political campaigning, where all registered parties and their candidates are to be given equitable shares of airtime FOR FREE. This way, the field is level, and no candidate gets more radio and TV airtime than others just because he has more money. I have written about this several times. See my article �Provisional Government� of Jan. 28, 2004 ACA): http://www.geocities.com/dapat_tapatt/provisionalgovernment.html wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww What is happening is very good for our country. We thank God for J-LO and others who are speaking out. For the Senate, the Church, even the bungling of administration people. Para tayong nilalabhan, sinanabon, pinaiikot-ikot, pinipiga at ibibilad. Ito ang kailangan ng ating bayan. Hugasan, labhan at ilabas ang dumi. Lahat naman tayo may dumi, kaya lahat tayo maglinis upang luminis ang sangbayanan. Rex Rivera, (by email), March 08, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Reaction to Luli Arroyo: Most often children do not know what their parents are thinking and doing. Does she really know the real Gloria Arroyo and Miguel Arroyo? Does she really know the real Mikey and Dado? Love and loyalty to parents can blind the real issues. It is time to face the truth. She should consult her aunt Cielo. Pura Flor Isleta, (by email), March 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, At the start it seemed ok for all these senate investigation. Now its getting clear to me that all the opposition wanted is not really the truth but to use Lozada and company just to oust GMA. Even Lozada is enjoying it - he's a good actor I can see now. He,Ii believe is part now of this grand conspiracy of Lacson, Pimentel, Cayetano, Madrigal, Escudero and co. which included Cory, Guingona and a bunch of demagogues. It�s a pity, Cory could have become a Stateswoman and like Ramos could have affirm the fruits of EDSA I as an ultimate Filipino Miracle which RESTORED THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES. Cory does not believe she has restored Democracy that's why she is in the streets still. I am sick and tired of all these street activity, I wish we have another martial law, with the military taking over and incarcerate all these pseudo heroes masqueraging as Senators of the Philippines...or better still line them up on the walls so we can help bury them... Dr. Nestor Baylan, (by email), New York City , March 09, 2008 (Spoken like a true democrat. What makes you different from Joma Sison and Crispin Beltran, who applauded the massacre of student demonstrations by the People�s Liberation Army on Tienanmen Square in Beijing in June 1989? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww It calls our attention that many of the characters involved, specially the main "villains" in the present crisis that our country is going through right now,.are alumni of Catholic schools, specifically the Assumption and the Ateneo. It's high time to call the attention of the Assumption sisters and the Jesuits and all their alumni and students to do a public act of reparation for our country and act and act now to get their villainous alumni out of power. Press releases of manifestos and Masses for Truth in Catholic schools are not enough. Assumption and Ateneo: prove yourselves to be truly Catholic schools. Act now and act decisively! Miguel Renovado, (by email), March 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony Abaya, Luli's letter indicated immaturity and naivete" as evidenced by the ludicrous statement that her dad was in effect being politically persecuted because " he was fat and was rich to begin with and was made an easy target". As much as she wanted to sound intelligent and knowledgeable on the economic conditions in the country, she miserably failed to mention and recognize the substantial contributions of the OFW reminttances that is keeping the economy afloat. Did she forget that it is her mom's administration policy acknowledging that OFWs are the "modern Filipino Heroes"? Or it is just an empty sarcastic accolade by the ruling class of oligarchs, trapos and political dynasties? The letter is pathetic and laughable. Sincerely, Mark Enriquez, (by email), Los Angeles , CA , March 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Greetings! To the Tony Abaya (we know) May you have a rewarding day today as those who hold you in high esteem remember the FIRST DAY of your humanhood. As each of us recall the journey through the years--the highs and lows included-- we cannot avoid thinking whether our accomplishments as we see them, were good enough. It is here where one humbles himself and asks quintissimal questions which have no "definite" answers. Those of us, who know you only by your writings, like myself, cannot greet you in person today. But since you have somehow empowered us, (emboldened, seems more appropriate), we say thank you kindly. More power to you - Friend Tony. Jose I. Regino, (by email), Zamboanga City , March 11, 2008 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOTE: Transmissions to yahoo.com and mydestiny.net addresses are sometimes blocked or delayed by the servers for one reason other. If you are experiencing these delays or blocking, we suggest you move to a hotmail or a gmail address. 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