| Obama and Gloria
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on Nov. 17, 2008 For the Standard Today, November 18 issue So that President Arroyo does not further humiliate herself trying to get an audience or at the very least a photo-op with President-elect Barack Obama, she should always keep in mind that Obama belongs to the liberal wing of American domestic politics. It should be assumed that there are Filipino-Americans in Obama's staff, and they, too, are liberals. They know what is going on in their country of origin. Through the Internet, they know about the stealing, the lying, the cheating and the killings that have been going on in this country for the past seven years, and they input this knowledge whenever Obama asks them for a briefing on the Philippines. Through them, Obama knows that she is maneuvering to change the Constitution so that she can stay in power beyond 2010. It is no wonder, therefore, that when Gloria visited the US last June, Presidential Candidate Obama was always in New York when she was in Washington, and was always in Washington or somewhere else when she was in New York. It was a deliberate snub. American liberals do no not approve of the way she has been running this country. All Obama was prepared to give her, to acknowledge her presence, was a polite telephone call, followed by a letter.. Even that was not forthcoming when President-elect Obama received congratulatory telephone calls from dozens of world leaders, including President Arroyo. Obama returned the telephone calls of only nine of them � the leaders of the most important countries � and Arroyo was not one of them. When President Arroyo went to the US early this month, ostensibly to speak before a United Nations forum on interfaith dialogue, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said that meeting Obama was "high" on her agenda. But there was no meeting with Obama, even though President Arroyo made a two-hour stop-over in Chicago � Obama's home base � ostensibly to talk to the Filipino community there. And not to forget her visit to the US last October, supposedly to speak before the United Nations General Assembly. If Malacanang is to be believed, President Arroyo met with the heads-of-state, heads-of-government, or chefs de mission of 19 countries � including seven Lilliput ones � all within the space of 48 hours. (See my article Gloria and the Lilliputs, October 02, 2008). But no meeting with Barack Obama, although I am sure frantic efforts were made by her staff to wangle an audience. She would have gladly junked those meetings with 19 boring leaders of silly countries, in exchange for one with the devastating Barack. And it is not just the liberals who have blacklisted President Arroyo. The outgoing neo-conservatives have neither forgotten nor forgiven her for abandoning the Coalition of the Willing in Iraq and for playing footsies with the Chinese, whom the neo-cons believe will be the next strategic enemy of the US, after the Muslim extremists.. During her visit to Washington last June � during which Candidate John McCain, bless his gentlemanly soul, gave her 15 minutes of his time in a hotel lobby � the neo-cons insulted her by forcing her to conduct a press briefing outdoors, on the sidewalk of a busy DC street. No self-respecting head-of-state or head�of government would have put up with such indignity, but she did. If you do not believe me, look at the color photo on the front page of the June 25 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, credited to Malacanang Photo. There she is, talking into one of two stand-up microphones, flanked by Deputy Secretary of State (and neo-con) John Negroponte, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Press Secretary Jesus Dureza. There are no lecterns, no chairs, no tables, no presidential seal. But in the background are motor vehicles going about their normal business. (See my article Weird, June 30, 2008) Malacanang is complaining that media prints/broadcasts too many negative stories and not enough feel-good ones about President Arroyo. But why does she put herself in such humiliating situations, and why does she herself create such self-destructive conditions? She is her own worst enemy, not media. Such as giving executive pardon to the convicted murderer Claudio Teehankee Jr.? She knew this was going to be a very unpopular decision, yet she went ahead and did it. Even the convicted murderer knew his pardon would infuriate most people. He did not leave prison through the front door in broad daylight. The previous evening he stayed in the "special" room of convicted child rapist Romeo Jalosjos, then destroyed the decorative tiles close to the ceiling, crawled through the hole (which was later patched up by someone with a new set of decorative tiles), and out into the street where a man on a motorcycle was waiting to speed him away. It looked more like a jailbreak than the implementation of a presidential pardon.. Did President Arroyo really think anyone other than Teehankee and his family rejoiced over this caper? Is she really wondering why, according to a recent Pulse Asia survey, 46 percent of Filipinos disapproved of her performance and 51 percent distrusted her? Even the defeat of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago's bid for a seat in the International Court of Justice could not be prevented by President Arroyo even though one of the rationales for her trip to the UN last October was to campaign for Miriam's nomination. Presumably PGMA lobbied for Miriam when she met with the top officials of � if Malacanang can be believed - 19 countries, including seven Lilliput ones, in 24 working hours. But Miriam lost to the nominee from, of all places, Somalia. Somalia is considered a failed state; it has no functioning government. It is run and overrun by marauding bands of armed men loyal to rival warlords who, in turn, clash with Islamist rebels, while increasingly bold Somali pirates hijack ships off the Horn of Africa with impunity. (Their latest catch, just today, is a Saudi supertanker weighing 318,000 deadweight tons). To lose to Somalia is therefore deeply humiliating and requires exceptional talent.. Last June, when a Senate committee chaired by Sen. Miriam was hearing the complaint of foreign car assemblers that second-hand cars were being illegally imported through Port Irene (Cagayan Province), Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is from Cagayan, told the chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce (JFCC) to "get out of the country if you can't live with us.". The JFCC is currently chaired by a Frenchman and represents some 2,000 employers/investors from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the European Union, who employ some one million Filipinos. In my article 'Get out of the country!' of June 09, 2008, I wrote that with Sen. Enrile's outburst, Sen. Miriam "can kiss goodbye her ambitions to be named to and accepted by the International Court of Justice." Quite influential and powerful, the countries whose representative Sen. Enrile chose to publicly humiliate.. If they couldn't get back directly at Sen. Enrile, they could get back, and did, at committee chair Sen. Miriam and the Philippines, despite the charm offensive, assuming there really was one, by President Arroyo, and that she was really charming. ***** CULTURAL NOTES. Tomorrow night, Nov. 29 at 8 pm, it will be From Russia with Love at the CCP, with Russian pianist and (since 1998) Steinway Artist Katya Grineva, who will perform romantic piano music for the benefit of skills training and vocational education for soldiers and their families in Camp O'Donnell, Tarlac. The New York Times has described her performance as "liquid, dream-like�" Tickets at the CCP Box Office, Ticketworld and National Bookstores. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in acabaya.blogspot.com. Tony on YouTube in www.tapatt.org. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. . OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to "Obama and Gloria" More Reactions to "Obama and Change" 'Obama's use of complete sentences' 'Campaign Swan Song' 'Meloto for President' Dear Tony: We can assume, with confidence, that President-elect Barack Obama is conversant with Philippine affairs. And that includes the sure knowledge that the Philippines has two well-known distinctions: first, that it is "the sick man of Asia," and, second, that it is "the most corrupt country in the world." In yesterday's interview on CBS television channel 2, Mr. Obama made it clear that as President he will give the highest priority to finding good and effective solutions to the mind-boggling financial and economic crisis now confronting the United States and which has morphed into a recession which, in turn, has metastasized to Europe and Asia. President Obama will have his mind and his hands full, so to speak. And we can thus assume that he absolutely will have no time for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Even if he had the time to spare, my sense is that he will have second or third thoughts about giving an audience to a leader who is known around the world to have been involved in so many shady and corrupt deals and, who, besides, is transparently bent on perpetuating herself in power through such obvious Machiavellian machinations as changing the form of government of her country from the present presidential form to a Federal or Parliamentary form. Mariano Patalinjug, (by email), Yonkers, NY, Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, you said Obama is avoiding Gloria. How sweeping yet how true. Mike M. Moreno, (by email), Richmond, BC, Canada, Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Thank you very much for pointing out that Barack Obama's snub of GMA was probably not meant to be a snub of the Filipino nation as some broadsheet columnists have stated (among them, Mr. Doronila of the Inquirer: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20081110-171231/Snubs-show-Obama-is-no-RP-friend ) Regards, Enrico D. Hidalgo (by email), South Korea, Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Good Day Mang Tony, You hit it again! And if I may add to that, Obama will not give Gloria a photo-op because he's afraid that his image will be tarnished and I don't think Obama will dare smile when he will be standing next to Gloria in that photo. Senator Madrigal said that they have to remove Senator Villar from the presidency to save the reputation of the institution so they put Senator Enrile at the helm. I don't know who can be trusted among the senators and they are a disgrace to our past great Senators. All I know is that with the Senate and the Congress cornered by the administration, next will be the Supreme Court, (what kind of governance can be expected without the basic principle of check and balance) Gloria will be unimpeachable and unexpectedly the expected, to extend the term to infinity and beyond... Edelberto Anit, (by email), Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Gloria lost me when she pardoned Erap, then Teehankee Jr. Ethel, [email protected] wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww To say the least, GMA should be pitied and ridiculed. She must not convince herself that the treatment she received from Bush will be repeated during the tern of Obama, especially, after detaching herself from the Coalition of the Willing. Can't she read between the lines, or does she think her charm is disarming to world leaders? She must stop this lunacy. And yes you are so right. How can anyone at all think of losing to Somalia? Marcos might have been the biggest crook of his time, but Arroyo is most certainly, the biggest crook of them all --- during her time, or other times. Ed Valenciano, (by email), Nov. 18, 008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I am sure it is not only US.Filipinos staff that tells Obama to avoid GMA, he also knows well the sentiments of most Filipinos living in the US, they want GMA out. Regarding Miriam, of course it was a retaliation. But you see, Juan Ponce Enrile is now Senate President, Another question is, why the Somalia candidate has been elected and not another one. It does look confusing if a Somalian is judging international matters while there is not even any real judging in his own country. It is also a question why the UN is not really putting a blockade against the pirates and escort ships with valuable cargo. Pirates attack in small groups only, just putting secretly a dozen heavy armed guards at such ships could discourage the pirates who usually do not expect resistance from civilian ships and would be very surprised to receive some grenades and anti-tank missiles. Not to mention that for sure the pirates are getting some protection from Somali officials. Otherwise they could not operate so openly. Politicians always need money but where do they get in a country without a functioning financial system? Regards and write more. Kurt Setschen, (by email), Switzerland/Tagbilaran City, Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww This "evil" "bitch' is really shameless and hopefully Pres-elect Obama will give the go-signal for her removal from that stinking Palace when he assumes office. Narciso Ner, (by email), Davao City, Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, nice article - Please. allow me to comment on some points not necessarily in the order mentioned in your column. 1. Did you see Miriam last Tuesday during the hearing of Joc Joc? It was very humiliating for us Filipinos that we voted for such a senator. Did you hear her say "Dapat pasabugin yang Meralco dahil madaya ito" Abu Sayaf will welcome her to their ranks. And she once said "hahaha, I lied? How do you expect her to be voted in the ranks of the UN??? Nakakahiya naman siya! Anak ng pusa! 2. Enrile is another one who does not think of the country but his own self. As a senator he shouldn't have made such a remark "If you can not live with us, leave the country??? It is good for him to say this because his importation business will go on unminded. He will get richer - but at the cost of other businessmen, and a bad reputation for the country. Anak ng Poocha! 3. The prison escape of Teehankee - just like the one from Alcatraz - but this time more high-teck because of the new technology such as computers, cell phones, motorcycles. If I were him, I would not accept the presidential pardon - I would have locked up myself in that special room and would have asked for Divine Mercy instead. His balls will always be on his throat specially if he tries to go politician. If the CIA killed JFK, what more a crazy guy like Teehankee. 4. So, Gloria finally sees Obama!!! (No, she didn't. ACA) Hooooray!!! But she is not so happy...Barack sent her a letter to read to the Filipinos....most probably is says.... YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN YES WE CAN CHANGE GLORIA!!! Dyahi di ba, after stealing 728 M from our poor farmers, then the multi billion pesos ZTE scandal with the Chinese. And so many other corrupt practices she got away with...the Filipinos are tired of setting another coup, Sa tignin ng Pinoy, "Walang mangyayari dyan, gutom lang ang makukuha nyo sa mga rally." OK, I give up myself....I'm too tired. So if she can continue her term until 2010, so be it....+....Then let her be hunted by her own demons....+..... Rafael Alcuaz, (by email), Nov. 18, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: Dureza prays for GMA to stay beyond 2010 and Obama calls. Does this mean that Heaven listens more to Dureza than to the five CBCP bishops who want a change of government now and asked for this over two weeks ago? If so, then things will get worse before they get better. More hungry and poor will be counted while the thieves continue to prosper. Here's a piece which summarizes where I see we are now. Keep on plugging, Tony! Tito Osias, (by email), Nov. 19, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The "snub" is by no means a manifestation that Obama is no friend to the Philippines. He knows only to well how important the Philippines is to America's projection this side of the world. Similarly with the Filipinos in the US and our country's would-be contribution to the resuscitation of the American economy and its global leadership, Obama would only be too eager to entertain "calls" from our head of state. Doronila's assessment is accommodating to say the least and actually placates Mrs. Arroyo, albeit, excruciatingly. The "snub" I believe manifests the discomfort and displeasure of Obama's on Mrs. Arroyo herself and not as Doronila would like it to appear. With all the issues confronting her and her unpopularity here and abroad, why would Obama be particularly interested in talking to her at this time. Obama is keen enough not to be used to prop-up an ailing leadership that has ceased to govern morally and responsibly. I guess Obama will wait it out until the next president of this country is genuinely elected and for the meantime leave the "talking" to lower level diplomatic functionaries. Mrs. Arroyo is no friend of Obama's. Rizalito David, (by email), Nov. 19, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Sir Tony, In the link : http://www.op.gov.ph/news.asp today (Nov. 19, 2008) it states that: "Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said today that Obama made the assurance in an "early dawn" phone call to the President. The press secretary said the President herself confirmed Obama's call to her. Earlier reports said Obama talked to the President and the leaders of Georgia and Turkey to thank them for their congratulatory messages following his historic election on Nov. 4. Obama "expressed his appreciation for their congratulations on his election", reports stated. Obama's call to the President came after he initially failed to return her congratulatory message after the election." Like you said - these are all "he said, she said" stuff and no one really can truly confirm if any calls happened at all - early dawn calls or was it a dream as well? I'd believe it if the US Embassy issued the statement. I've tried to search for any direct opinions quoted from President-elect Obama himself with regards to how the government is running (or ruining) the Philippines but due to time constraints, I was unable to. (There is no reason to doubt that Obama really called Mrs. Arroyo yesterday, at 3:17 am, as Malacanang reported. Notice how ecstatic she looked that day. Obama also (belatedly) retuned the calls of the Georgian and Turkish presidents. ACA) With President-elect. Obama's historic win, of course everyone wants to be on his good side. If PGMA wants to be on his good side, she already knows what needs to be done but alas...... she either refuses to do it or ignores it. You are indeed right - she is her own worst enemy. By the way, could you also say something about the so-called "Obama of the Philippines" issue? That story really blew my mind.... it was an insult to Pres. Obama in any angle. Best regards, Jenifer Xavier, (by email), Nov. 19, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Who nominates candidates to the ICJ for the Philippines? I am sure there are better qualified jurists who could have been nominated. Maybe the fact that PGMA was campaigning for Miriam was one reason she was not selected. Jose Dado, (by email), Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, It is typical of GMA, the trapo par excellence. She was quick to support Dubya in invading Iraq to court Pax Americana's favor, only to throw away that support to appease domestic disapproval of her handling of a convicted OFW in another land. But, who could blame her? The political fate of this country floats or sinks with Uncle Sam's say-so. Thus, she has been forced to becoming a realist, not an idealist. Still, this does not necessarily mean every thing can be sacrificed to the altar of mammon. Machiavelli is not always right, you know. Since Dubya is going to be out and Barack is the new in, naturally GMA finds the latter irresistible. The president apparently sees a little insult by the lone superpower worth taking just to avoid being left out in the cold before it is time. Regards, Dr Dennis Acop, (by email), Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, I saw on TV the press conference on the sidewalk of Washington D.C. of President Gloria Arroyo with U.S. State Secretary Condolezza Rice and Deputy State Secretary John Nergroponte. I could not believe it was happening, with passing cars as the background. Amazing that PGMA did not know she was already being humiliated by the State Department. How sadly pathetic! As the Spanish would say, "Que horror!" Ric B. Ramos, (by email), Santa Rosa, Laguna, Nov. 20, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, A couple of suggested "corrections" in your article; please share with readers. Undoubtedly, there were FilAms working for president-elect Obama's campaign. But the candidate tends to discuss positions with and receives information from his network of campaign advisors which include some experts in Asian affairs with academic/think tank, State Department, Congressional staff experience. The focus is always on the big issues related to the campaign. Outside the Middle East, foreign policy was not a major issue. I doubt the candidate discussed the Philippines much in the last two years, although he would have had been given a brief memo to read before his call to PGMA and his foreign policy briefing book probably contained a brief chapter on ASEAN and its key members. You might check with Jess Dureza about the sidewalk press conference. Was that the choice of the Philippine Embassy? John Negroponte is not a neo-con. I suggest you be more careful about the adjectives you apply. As you know from his time here in Manila, he was a career diplomat until his three very high level appointments as ambassador to the UN, head of the new national intelligence body and currently Deputy Secretary of State. You are the first writer to describe this professional diplomat and public servant a neo-con. (Neo-cons do not wear uniforms or swastika armbands, nor do they carry membership cards. As Director of National Intelligence from 2005 to 2007, with jurisdiction over 16 spy agencies � not the normal duties of a career diplomat � he implemented the neo-cons' obsession with spying on fellow Americans. ACA) The June hearing you refer to of the Senate Energy Committee was on the subject of proposed amendments to the EPIRA law. Not once during the hearing, which I attended, were used cars discussed. (I know that the original concern of the JFCC was the Epira Law. But because of the outburst of Sen. Enrile, the issue of used cars overshadowed the Epira Law. I suggest you look up the May 29 issue of the Manila Standard Today, which explains why Sen. Enrile told the foreign chambers of commerce to "get out of the country," while you were not in the chamber. ACA) The JFC is a loosely allied group, with no office, no secretariat and no chairman. Because he is extremely knowledgeable about the energy sector, Mr. Huber d'Aboville, president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, was selected by his colleagues to speak for the group of chamber officers who had been invited to the hearing. Your quote of the committee vice-chair is completely correct; we were taken aback but were assured by others that the behavior we experienced that day was not typical of the Philippine Senate. I can attest to that in my personal experience with visits to the Philippine Senate, going back to my first meeting with Senator Aquino in 1971 in the present National Museum building, when I was always treated, as a diplomat and later a business consultant, with the same respect and courtesy which I showed the representatives of the Republic of the Philippines. You exaggerate the influence of the local representatives of foreign investors to suggest that Senator Santiago's recent loss in her bid for an ICJ seat was in any way a result of that hearing in early June. I doubt there is any connection between the two events. Best regards, (I doubt if M. d'Aboville personally complained to anybody about the shabby treatment he got from Sen. Enrile, untypical though it may have been of the Philippine Senate. But this was written up in media, as it certainly deserves to have been, and I have no doubt that it found its way to various foreign ministries around the world. ACA) John Forbes, (by email), Nov. 21, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to "Obama and Change" (Nov. 07, 2008) I just hope Mr. Barack Hussein Obama is not a "Manchurian candidate," and not allow the U.S. of A. to be another Netherlands and UK. As for Ms. Shelah Hockman and Ms. Grace Bellis, you may now remove your feet from your mouths. Juan Manuel C. del Prado (by email), Nov. 22, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony: I think you are a great man, a prophet, and a visionary! Don't listen to those racists, jingoists, and reactionaries! .Shalom, George Bradford Patterson II, (by email) Quezon City, Nov. 22, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, I pity Obama already. There is so much praising, so much telling what good he will be and do, so many advanced rewards that never he will be able to match all this. Yes, Obama won because those who wanted the Bush era ending did not vote for McCain since he is too close to Bush, not to mention his choice for his running mate. And Obama won because a lot of voters did not want Mrs. Clinton as president, she is a known power-hungry person, like GMA too. Obama has no such excellent performance records that it would match the blown up expectations regarding what he will do. Simply, most of that will not be possible to do how it is expected and in a time as expected. And then it will lead to criticism and disappointment, not even for Obama's fault. Just remember Cory Aquino, she never has been able to satisfy all the expectations, never she was the "white angel" that would bring RP to peace, prosperity and welfare as she was labeled by her supporters and pushers. She had said she will have 50 advisers, and she got 50 different advices. Long time she was merely signing what Pimentel put at her desk. GMA is different, being an adviser is just a bonus for retired officials and esp. police and military generals to hold them under control while they enjoy a nice title. She has countless adviser, but unlike Cory she anyway does not listen to advices. Obama will end the Iraq mess? He would have to cancel the new contract which leaves US troops for three more years there. Plus, bringing home all soldiers, what they will do at home? Just sitting in their barracks and cost money for nothing? Or dismiss them to joblessness? Obama is very silent about the problem to help the big carmakers. because if he is pro, he will have to do the same to other embattled businesses without any other chance than to increase the government debts. Is he against, maybe millions will lose their jobs and blame Obama for abandoning his voters. It does not look like he would brave enough to do a radical change, without to care about anything and anyone. Too many people invested in hum and his campaign, thay all have their own expectations, too. Regards and write more. Kurt Setschen, (by email), Switzerland/Tagbilaran City, Nov. 22, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Obama's winning reflected more than anything else the change in the hearts and mind of the American people, growing mostly above the long embedded racist attitudes among even the vocal equal rights advocates wherein racist feelings , in truth, lurked. Such a change should set as an example to all peoples of the world both colored and whites. It should also show a light of hope ahead of the tunnel of inequality, that such a turnaround CAN be done . Our country has a simpler problem in fact, in terms of having change. We only have corruption and ineptness amongst our leaders to change. Now is the time to rethink how we cast our votes, and process by which we decide upon who is right for the job as president. Victor Manalac, (by email), Nov. 22, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, I read the mention of Mr. Tony Meloto TWICE in the reactions to your column on "Obama and Change." Unfortunately, my own personal experience with him on a Gawad Kalinga project was lamentable,. to say the least. The Philippine Daily Inquirer published my letter on Mr. Meloto about certain mistaken notions about him, such as being the "FOUNDER" of Gawad Kalinga and a few other things. My published letter also touched on a clarification on his Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2006. Anyway, i doubt if he will pass the scrutiny of the Nobel Prize Award, which is based on meticulous investigative work - and not on press releases and media publicity. Best regards. Ric Ramos, (by email), Santa Rosa, Laguna, Nov. 22, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, In response to the comments of Shelah Hockman from Owosso (who gagged over your depiction of President Elect Obama), I understand and can even appreciate where she is coming from, as I was born and raised in a "white" and Republican sector of a small town in the U.S. I sense naivety, and cultural (racial/religious superiority) in Shelah's words.. In extreme fundamentalism, these are identical attributes of all terrorists, past and present. We are all human and vulnerable, and possibly with a touch of "cultural" superiority in our own lives. In order to understand the world, we have to see the world. Obama personifies the world's need for hope. It asks a lot of him. R. Stager, (by email), Quezon City, Nov. 23, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded to Tapatt by Louie Fernandez) Obama's Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy Stunning Break with Last Eight Years In the first two weeks since the election, President-elect Barack Obama has broken with a tradition established over the past eight years through his controversial use of complete sentences, political observers say. Millions of Americans who watched Mr. Obama's appearance on CBS' "Sixty Minutes" on Sunday witnessed the president-elect's unorthodox verbal tick, which had Mr. Obama employing grammatically correct sentences virtually every time he opened his mouth. But Mr. Obama's decision to use complete sentences in his public pronouncements carries with it certain risks, since after the last eight years many Americans may find his odd speaking style jarring. According to presidential historian Davis Logsdon of the University of Minnesota, some Americans might find it "alienating" to have a President who speaks English as if it were his first language. "Every time Obama opens his mouth, his subjects and verbs are in agreement," says Mr. Logsdon. "If he keeps it up, he is running the risk of sounding like an elitist." The historian said that if Mr. Obama insists on using complete sentences in his speeches, the public may find itself saying, "Okay, subject, predicate, subject predicate - we get it, stop showing off." The President-elect's stubborn insistence on using complete sentences has already attracted a rebuke from one of his harshest critics, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska. "Talking with complete sentences there and also too talking in a way that ordinary Americans like Joe the Plumber and Tito the Builder can't really do there, I think needing to do that isn't tapping into what Americans are needing also," she said. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded to Tapatt by Jack Sherman) Campaign Swan Song Re those who supported McCain: I grieve that their vote was in vain; And recalling their boast That Obama was toast, I wince when I think of their pain. I blanched when McCain, on the loose, Picked Palin, that terror of moose; And the voters concurred That the choice was absurd, Though worse would be Irma la Douce. And then came the hardest of blows: The size of the bill for her clothes. "What else could be dumber?" Exclaimed Joe the Plumber. "The RNC's paid through the nose." Reach out to those feeling the strain, Whose hopes have been flushed down the drain. You could show some pity By sending this ditty To friends with McCain on the brain. Bruce Newling November 15, 2008 Copyright (c) 2008 Bruce E. Newling wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Meloto for President...... Dear Tony (Abaya), So much hope come upon a country (like the USA) who has a new leader who can inspire his people. Tony Meloto may be the leader who can bring hope to our country. He is one leader who is beyond anomalies and controversies. Who is proven to be selfless and beyond politics. Someone should start a campaign to convince Tony Meloto to run for President for the sake of our country. No one in the (Phil.) Senate or in Congress can beat him. Because no one has done what he has done so far and expected nothing in return. He is able to inspire thousands of people here and abroad to unite and share their resources for the poor. He is able to make so much difference in the lives of thousands of families with very little help from the government. He is able to prove that poverty can be overcome if poor families work hard with a little help from the rich. He is able to inspire rich families, businesses, foundations, NGO's, and governments to think of the the plight of poor families. No politician (of national stature) can say the same. The so called achievements of presidentiable politicians were done with vested interest in mind, or using unreasonable amount of taxpayers money. Take away the pork barrel, fat salaries and allowances, access to public funds, media exposure, political influence, foreign junkets, SUV's - these presidentiables will not last a year in office. But Tony Meloto and his organizations has created sustainable communities without much media exposure, without massive spending from the government, without salary or allowances. He sacrificed his career and open his house and his wallet to pursue the goals of Gawad Kalinga. I AM CALLING ALL STUDENTS IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE LAND TO ORGANIZE A MOVEMENT THAT WILL PERSUADE TONY MELOTO TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. THE FUTURE BELONGS TO YOU. DONT PASS THIS CHANCE. YEAR 2010 IS OUR CHANCE. I AM CALLING ALL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, THE LABOR MOVEMENT, LABOR UNIONS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, NGO'S, OFW'S, TO UNITE AND BE ONE TO SUPPORT THIS MOVEMENT INCLUDING FINANCIAL. I AM CALLING ALL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT THIS MOVEMENT. I AM CALLING ALL RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES, CONGREGATIONS, ALL THE BISHOPS, TO ORGANIZE AND SPEAK UP, AND SUPPORT THIS MOVEMENT. FILIPINOS OVERSEAS LIKE ME WILL HELP ORGANIZE OURSELVES TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THIS MOVEMENT AND DO WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO HELP OUR COUNTRY. GAWAD KALINGA MEMBERS IN MANY PART OF THE WORLD HAS DONE FOR MANY YEARS. THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF BARRACK OBAMA IN U.S.A. EFFECTIVELY UTILIZED THE INTERNET, AND THE MASS MEDIA. THEY HAVE ORGANIZED WELL FROM THE NATIONAL LEVEL, DOWN TO EVERY COMMUNITY. OUR ICT PROFESSIONALS AND CALL CENTER AGENT WHO LOVE THEIR COUNTRY CAN HELP ORGANIZE THIS. WE WILL GATHER NAMES, EMAIL ADDRESSES - IN EVERY BARANGAY, TOWNS, CITIES, AND PROVINCES ACROSS THE LAND, SO THAT THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE COORDINATED. THERE WILL BE A WEBSITE DESIGNED FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. MIGRANT FILIPINOS IN MAJOR CITIES AROUND THE WORLD MAY BE ORGANIZED SIMILARLY. THE 2010 NATIONAL ELECTION IS OUR CHANCE. NO MORE DE VENECIAS, NO MORE LACSONS, NO MORE ESTRADAS, NO MORE ARROYOS, NO MORE ENRILES. NO MORE TRAPOS. WE NEED GENUINE LEADERS WHO CARE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND WHO CAN PROVIDE LEADERSHIP, INSPIRATION AND GOOD EXAMPLE. MAY PAG-ASA PA ANG BAYAN NATIN. MAGKAISA TAYO SA PAGBABAGO. Ody Lumanglas, (by email), Auckland, New Zealand, Nov. 22, 2008 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. |
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