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| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Railroading Chacha By Antonio C. Abaya Written April 04, 2006 For the Standard Today, April 06 issue President Arroyo could not have chosen a more apt metaphor for the so-called People�s Initiative to amend the Constitution to effect a shift from the presidential to the parliamentary form of government. Said she in a speech in Tagaytay City: �The true power of the people is being felt with the signature campaign to change our form of government. The old-time politicians of the status quo better stand back because the train has left the station. It is time for politicians to stand back or get run over�.� (Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 31, 2006). In a word, Chacha is being railroaded. And �the people� she is referring to do not even know what they have been asked to sign for. There is enough anecdotal evidence to show that many, even most, of them were just dragooned into the barangay assemblies and asked to sign on the dotted lines, some enticed with a bag of rice, others with a P100 or P200 tip, without really understanding what the parliamentary system is all about, and without the foggiest idea of the difference between the Westminster and the French models of the parliamentary system. (If Jose de Venecia were to be followed, we would have a French-type parliamentary system from 2007 to 2010, wherein President Arroyo remains the all-powerful president, with a convenient toady, such as JDV himself, as prime minister. This would then give way to a Westminster model in 2010, wherein President Arroyo becomes the all-powerful prime minister, with a non-threatening political lightweight like Noli de Castro as ceremonial president.). �Pardon me, sir, is this the ChaChatanooga Choo Choo?� �Track 29. And here�s a bag of rice (or P100) for getting on board.� While President Arroyo and De Venecia and Ronnie Puno luxuriate in their air-conditioned, bullet-proof special coach, masterminding the journey, the teeming proles in Economy do not even know or care where the train is going, or even that they were being taken for a ride. Blame it all on the idiotization of the masa by Philippine media, especially TV and radio, which have succeeded in trivializing our problems and keeping the masa ignorant and stupid. The only Filipinos who have some idea of what is going on in this country are the viewers of the talk shows on ANC � the middle class. I doubt if many of them can be duped into getting on board the ChaChatanooga ChooChoo. Writing as one who has supported a shift to the parliamentary system since the time of President Aquino, when, in one survey, only seven or eight percent of the population backed such a move��. And writing as one of the few columnists (you could count them on your fingers of one hand then as now) who wrote as early as May 13 and May 19 � or days after the May 10 elections � that Gloria Arroyo won, but with a lead of only about 200,000-250,000 votes, not by 1.1 million��.. �..I can say with unalloyed conviction and disinterested neutrality that the People�s Initiative is a $64,000 fraud. It is a fraud because its chief advocates are also its real and intended beneficiaries � Gloria Arroyo and Jose de Venecia �there for their own selfish motives. President Arroyo, to remain in power beyond 2010. De Venecia, to taste, even for a fleeting three years (2007-2010), the feel of being head of government as prime minister � he knows he will never be president � until he is eased out by more ambitious individuals with more clout than he has.(Somewhere along the way, JDV�s Lakas NUCD will be over-shadowed by Puno�s KAMPI..) If President Arroyo and Speaker de Venecia were to sign binding notarized documents that they would not accept any position in the new order, I would gladly eat my words. It is a fraud because the speed with which the People�s Initiative is being railroaded � JDV has promised an �interim parliament� as early as July. (PDI, March 31) � is suspiciously timed to occur before the new Congress or Parliament sits, thereby pre-empting any move by the opposition to file a new impeachment case against President Arroyo. It is a fraud because the Comelec, which has a well-deserved notoriety for taking years and years to decide electoral protests, even those involving 100,000 votes or less, has suddenly found a previously unheard of level of efficiency and has promised to verify the five million signatures gathered by the People�s Initiative, by April 15, according to JDV (PDI, March 31). It is now April 4, or only 11 days or 264 hours or 21,840 minutes, until the self-imposed deadline of April 15. Can the stumblebum Comelec realistically and credibly verify five million signatures in 21,840 minutes? It is a fraud because it is supposed to be a people�s initiative, yet the individuals masterminding it and pushing for it are not �the people,� but national and local politicians who stand to gain three more years in office without need for re-election, and KAMPI party big wigs in the ruling power elite who have made it their party and personal goals to make the miniscule KAMPI into the biggest party in the arena by 2007, in order to stay in power beyond 2010. Anyone who still believes that the embedded Philippine political system � whether presidential or parliamentary - can still cleanse and regenerate itself deserves to be run over by the ChaChatanooga Choo Choo. ***** THE BEST FILMS EVER MADE. When my article My 29 Best Films (Sept. 23, 2004) came out, some readers complained why this or that film was not included. One reader suggested that I prepare a more inclusive list, seeing that 29 is such a small and arbitrary number, as against the vast assortment to choose from. Even the American Film Institute has a list of 100 Best American films. Good point. So after months of gathering and editing, The Best Films Ever Made makes its debut in www.tapatt.org, accessible from the tapatt home page: short descriptions of about 275 films from a collection of about 1,800 titles. Needless to say, it is a work in progress. New titles will be added, and old ones removed or downgraded, as our cinematic tastes evolve. Enjoy! ***** TONY ON TV (13). Tony Abaya will be interviewed by Ces Drilon tonight, April 7, at 8:15 pm on ANC. The subject will be the New York Times editorial on �Dark Days Ahead for Philippine Democracy.� ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |
| Reactions to �Railroading ChaCha� Hi Tony. I'd like to invite you to visit our website < www.notoparliament.net >. Rene B. Azurin, [email protected] April 07, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir ABAYA: I talked to my brother and few of my friends over the phone a week ago and they all gave me a common sentiment. The ordinary Pinoy does not care anymore what these politicians say and do. For them it's the same old broken record of accusations, promises, grandstanding and papogi pose in front of media. Just like, they didn't care if they have a patriot's widow, a smart economist, a general or even a jueteng lord as president. For all I know, they may have "Keana Reeves" as president and still won't mind. For them, history says, it makes no difference. The status quo is still the same 20 years ago and even worse. For them, the best thing to do is continue doing the daily routine to survive, just like nothing happened in 20 years. They will vote and sign on anything and they don't care if they understand the issue or it's consequences to them. Cha-Cha or no Cha-Cha, coup or no coup, rally or no rally, resign or stay, it does not matter to them anymore. Their only focus is to survive. In this status, the argument that the people does not understand, misled or the issue was forced into their throat, draws a wrong conclusion of "Railroading Cha-Cha". The people does not want to understand anymore, they will sign Cha-Cha and anti Cha-Cha at the same time but they will not join rallies to support anybody because they think it will not serve their purpose to survive. In this light, the faith of the nation is on the hands of people who have the power to sway the result of an issue one way or the other. It maybe the government, the media, vociferous lawmakers, communist, businessmen or any other power hungry individual. God Bless the Philippines. Ador Ramoso, [email protected] Atlanta, Georgia, April 07, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Greetings Tukayo; Hear your opinions loud and clear. I certainly wish we could get some streaks of righteousness in government but at this point in our history, I'd rather be pragmatic. It is difficult for me to see an alternative for Gloria. She appears to be a competent President who is able to handle crisis, makes and implements hard decisions, seems to understand the economy, keeps the military and the police function close to the way they should, and often has lady luck on her side. I'm not even sure if it is plain luck or foresight. No doubt there are views and valid observations opposed to mine. Cheating or no cheating, I would duck if Fernando Poe or any of the current pretenders became the President. I trust my instinct. Gloria is still the best available bet. Thus I don't mind her continuance in power. Tony Anciano, [email protected] April 07, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, The reaction of Gloria to tap FOREIGN SECRETARY ROMULO to knock on the doors of NY Times is sooooooo embarassing and soooooo telling, so kaaaapppppal (thick-faced). Imagine sending a major member of the cabinet to say �arf, arf, arf� or �meow, meow, meow� We have an ambassador to the US who can and should do the job of making the Palace dissatisfaction known. That Gloria is thinking of sending the country�s FOREIGN SECRETARY is so disproportionate. Gloria is really NANGINGINIG (shaking in fear). Hahah! Buti nga sa kanya (serves her right). The Americans who are still Gloria�s ultimate �lord and master� do NOT appreciate Gloria�s dismal performance. I�ve always been convinced that when the US blinks, Gloria will be a goner. For the moment, she�s ok but when the going gets tough and the tough doesn�t get going - hah, she�s dead! Notice too that new US ambassador to the Philippines went and paid a courtesy call on the Senate President for an hour. Because the meeting was held in closed doors, we can only imagine what Drilon may have complained about to the lady envoy, something like �Gloria is being thoroughly beastly� or something akin. .Heheheh! US Embassy memos will contain the minutes of that meeting and I am pretty sure that the US envoy�s report will contain not very flattering remarks about Gloria, couple that with the public reaction to the NY Times editorial on Gloria bordering on elation and you get the gist. (NY Times is basically Republican leaning) Gloria knows that things will be coming to a head with her American friend/s. She will be very busy, busy as a bee to try to counter US Embassy reports and other US intel gathered reports in order to please Dubya. She knows she is treading on very shaky grounds today. Her cha-cha, PI initiatiatives won�t save her in the end. The US ambassador is a PRO, a Republican and is a WOMAN; it will also be harder for Gloria to sell to a woman with a conservative background. Gloria ain�t fooling the lady envoy with her Philhealth cards, her alms to the poor, her photo-ops with children in an orphanage, her revolving door policy for her generals, her pics on her birthday surrounded by retired generals Ebdane, Calimlim, her speeches to the graduating batches in PNP and PMA, etc. I suggest we all write as well to Democrat Sen Hillary Clinton of NY who is a proponent of human rightss if she picks up what�s really going on in PI, she may just put in her influence to tip in the balance. Anna de Brux, [email protected] Belgium, April 07, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, thank you for your article - "Railroading Chacha". Our people need this educational material to counter the administration's attempt to trick the people into signing the "People's Initiative". I only hope that it will also be published in more newspapers in the Philippines to get this important information known to more of our people. I also hope that some articles of OFW and Filipino expatriates around the world expressed in the many websites and fora of Filipinos would be published in the local Philippine newspapers. In particular, I wish some of the articles in our website: http://www.globalfilipinosforprogress.org like "HELP WANTED: A SUPER HERO FOR PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES" would be published by Standard Today and other newspapers in the Philippines. We should really be looking now for the right replacement to GMA who can clean up our government of corruption. Bart Sauceda April 10, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: I commend you for the incisive views you express in this column. My lament is that not many of those who will be given a free ride on that Chatanooga Express will ever get the chance to get exposed to your views and be influenced by them. But my greater lament is that even if they are exposed to them involuntarily, in their ignorance the real significance of what you seek to impart may escape them entirely and they will instead choose merrily to accept the P100-tip in exchange for their signatures. I daresay that what distinguishes a French type or a Westminster type of parliament is too abstract and well beyond their intellectual grasp. In contrast, a P100-bill is quite visible and solid and they can easily equate it with a few kilos of rice or corn grits. Here lies the very serious imperfection of Philippine democracy. It is one which is built on a foundation of ignorant (and thus irresponsible) voters who, unhappily, constitute the majority and thus decide which way elections (or people's initiatives) go. Mariano Patalinjug, mar [email protected] Yonkers, New York, April 11, 2006 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/HD11Ae01.html Filipinos Get Ready to Cha-Cha Again By Fabio Scarpello , April 11, 2006, Asia Times MANILA - In the noisy opera house of Philippine politics, there is a clear note for political change. But President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her opponents are singing from distinctly different librettos, and the ensuing political cacophony makes the audience long for an intermission. While Arroyo sings the praises for changing the political system from a presidential to parliamentary one, with her government overseeing the change, the opposition, sections of the middle class and the military are crying out for the creation of an extra-constitutional provisional government consisting of a broad panel of special-interest groups to orchestrate the reform. Based on the US model, the Philippine government currently consists of a popularly elected president and vice president and a bicameral legislature, consisting of a 250-member House of Representatives and 24-member Senate. Under a parliamentary form of government, a single-house parliament would elect both the president and a prime minister, with the latter holding executive power. The issue is how to get there. Presumably, there would be an interim, transition administration while the country moves from one form of government to the next. Opposition politicians, civil-society groups, and segments of the military have alleged that the proposed move toward an Arroyo-headed interim government is a cynical ploy designed to allow her regime to remain in power after its constitutionally mandated six-year term expires in 2010. The debate rages against the backdrop of Arroyo's declaration of a state of emergency and temporary suspension of the constitution, imposed in February, supposedly to head off a military coup against her government. The move, which significantly included a crackdown on the press and the detention of accused opposition members, further undermined Arroyo's rapidly weakening democratic credentials. Arroyo has in recent months been grilled by opposition members over vote-rigging allegations related to the hotly contested 2004 polls, which she won by a narrow margin. Latest cha-cha dance The Philippines has been down this road before. Former president Fidel Ramos had urged an amendment to the constitution to allow him to run for a second term and head off the disaster of a president Joseph Estrada. After years of the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship, the public viewed this as a potential power grab and rose against his proposed charter change, colorfully known as "cha-cha". Some Filipinos see the latest version of the cha-cha dance in similar terms, noting that under the parliamentary system, the democratically elected prime minister - presumably one Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo? - would not be limited to one term, but dependent on a majority support of one house of parliament. According to Arroyo and her supporters, the charter change would strengthen the role of political parties, streamline lawmaking, and eliminate congressional gridlock, which currently encumbers her administration's efforts to pass new legislation. Constitutional change, too, would help to jump-start the economy, she contends. She has promised as part of the proposed charter-reform drive to rewrite some of the nationalistic provisions enshrined in the 1987 constitution that inhibit foreign investment in certain sectors of the economy. A controversial government-sponsored committee on charter change last year, perhaps predictably, confirmed her rosy economic arguments. Significantly, some segments of the international investment community seem eager to cha-cha. In a recent research report, investment bank Credit Suisse predicted that the Philippines could gain a one-notch sovereign credit-rating upgrade from one or two global rating agencies if the reforms were soon implemented. The bank also predicted that charter change was inevitable, either through congressional action or through a popular initiative. But Congress is reluctant to cha-cha, and Arroyo has recently thrown her support behind the idea of some sort of popular initiative to pass the reforms. A petition drive is currently under way, and the movement's proponents claim that they will gather well over the 6 million signatures - equivalent to 12% of eligible voters - needed to hold a national referendum on the issue. Popular momentum, it appears, is on Arroyo's side. Pulse Asia Inc, a Manila-based independent polling agency, revealed that 43% of Filipinos surveyed between February and March supported the cha-cha reforms. Those poll results represent a notable jump from the meager 29% who backed the reform package during the last quarter of 2005. At the same time, opposition to the Arroyo-backed reforms fell from 55% last year to 43% last month. House Speaker Jose de Venecia, one of Arroyo's closest political allies, recently predicted that "the Philippines will have a unicameral parliament by July". The devil is in the details The introduction of a parliamentary system would require the establishment of an interim government, which would remain in power until new general elections were held in 2010. Opponents believe that such a move would allow Arroyo - whose political legitimacy has been badly tarnished by vote-rigging allegations - to increase her political powers and lay the groundwork for an extension of her leadership. The move toward an interim government would also mean that all senators and congressmen - whose terms expire in 2007 - would automatically win an additional three years in office without having to face the polls. Antonio Abaya, president of the Foundation for Transparency and Public Accountability Today and Tomorrow (TAPATT), a Manila-based non-partisan civil organization that closely monitors the government, is a strong proponent of the creation of such an extra-constitutional provisional government. "I would normally be in favor of a parliamentary system, but this is the wrong time for a charter change," said Abaya, who helped to monitor the 2004 vote and whose views jibe with a wide cross-section of Manila's middle class. "This government is too corrupt to regenerate itself," he said, recalling that Arroyo won the 2004 polls in controversial fashion. He has some compelling numbers to back up that assessment. A March 8-14 survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations, another independent polling agency, indicated that 48% of Filipinos believe Arroyo should be removed by a new "people power" movement, while 42% of respondents preferred her unconditional resignation. Remarkably, more than 36% of those polled agreed that Arroyo should be removed through a military coup. Like many of Arroyo's opponents, Abaya is calling for the establishment of a so-called "transitory government" - though established through peaceful means, he says. The transitional government, Abaya says, would have a fixed three-year term and aim to include members from every stratum of society, including the business community, labor unions, communists, Muslim organizations, civil-society groups, the church, police and military. Key reform measures would include changes to the electoral system, including laws aimed at reducing the prohibitive cost of running for office and rules aimed at discouraging party-swapping, which in the past has led to unstable coalition politics. To weed out unqualified show-business celebrities from entering the political arena, a compulsory qualifying exam would be required. During that interim period, the constitution would be held in abeyance, and the country conceivably led by an unelected government. Abaya acknowledges the apparent contradiction: "Only with these changes could we one day have a better election and a more democratic system. Democracy does not always work in a straight line. In the Philippines, democracy now needs to take a short detour." Long or short, Philippine politics faces a bumpy ride. Fabio Scarpello is an ADNKronos international Southeast Asia correspondent and a member of the UK Union of Journalists. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The following editorial was emailed to us by Gonzalo Policarpio, [email protected] Dark Days for Philippine Democracy Editorial, The New York Times April 06, 2006 Filipinos thought they had put an end to electoral chicanery and governmental intimidation when they overthrew the Marcos dictatorship two decades ago. Unfortunately, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has completely lost touch with the ideals that inspired that 1986 "people power" movement. Mrs. Arroyo is no Ferdinand Marcos, at least not yet. But this onetime reformer is reviving bad memories of crony corruption, presidential vote-rigging and intimidation of critical journalists. Unless the Philippine Congress and courts find ways to rein in her increasingly authoritarian tendencies, democracy itself may be in danger. This was not the outcome people expected five years ago when Mrs. Arroyo, then the vice president, was swept into power on a wave of popular discontent with her discredited predecessor, Joseph Estrada. In those days, Mrs. Arroyo, a professional economist, was seen as an earnest reformer. She won further credit by pledging not to run for a new six-year term in 2004. But then she changed her mind, and her style of government as well. Her narrow re-election victory became tainted after a tape revealed her discussing her vote totals with an election commissioner while ballots were still being counted. She survived an impeachment attempt over that incident. But she was forced to send her husband into exile over charges that he took bribes from gambling syndicates. Earlier this year she briefly declared a state of emergency in response to allegations of a coup threat that others disputed. Since then she has been intensifying pressure on a wide range of political critics and especially on the press. Government officials have warned news outlets that they will be held to restrictive new guidelines, the justice secretary talks darkly about a journalistic watch list, and the staff members of a well-known center for investigative journalism have been threatened with sedition charges. No Philippine government has made such efforts to muzzle the press since the Marcos era. President Bush has repeatedly hailed Mrs. Arroyo as an important ally against international terrorism. He now needs to warn her that by undermining a hard-won democracy, she is making her country far more vulnerable to terrorist pressures. ***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The following statement was emailed to us by Elsa Bayani, [email protected]. Call for Change By Capt. Nicanor Faeldon Magdalo. We believe that citizens have rights as well as responsibilities among the most basic of these rights are the right to the truth and the right to choose leaders. We must fight for these rights if we are to keep them. PILIPINO believes Arroyo will stay on unless we oust her through Civil Disobedience. It is time to reassert our rights. It is time to reclaim our pride and dignity as Filipinos. For more than two years, I have kept my silence, hoping I was wrong about the Arroyo government. Instead, the events have proven me right - she is corrupt and ruthless, and she will do anything to stay in power. I join the fight for a credible government, though I will not benefit from this. The government and the military have tried to break me and my group for more than two years, linking us to the opposition and accusing us of accepting money to oust Arroyo. Arroyo and her cohorts have tried to break everyone who disagrees with them, and I am sure they will continue to do everything they can to break me. This is early I swear: I will not accept any position in government, either in this one or the next. There is no reward for me in this fight except the knowledge that should I die, I die in peace, for I am fighting for our people and our country. ***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww How the Crises in the Philippines and Thailand Differ By Maj. Gen. Fortunato U. Abat, [email protected] April 07, 2006 Common charges of corruption, cronyism, poor governance, and the propensity to use strong-armed methods to stay in power have triggered the crises in both Thailand and the Philippines. What is different is that in Thailand the military and the police have talked out Prime Minister Thaksin from taking a hard line against anti-government militants and to consider voluntarily stepping down. Here in the Philippines, the military and the police conspired with President Arroyo to take a hard line against anti-GMA militants in order for her to stay in power. In Thailand, the military and the police uphold the sovereignty of the people. Here in the Philippines, the military and the police refuses to realize that the true Chain of Command starts not from a Commander-in-Chief but from the Sovereign People that created it. In Thailand, the military and the police value honor more than any other in the exercise of their profession. Here in the Philippines, the military and the police value their profession as livelihood more than the honor of being in the profession of arms. In Thailand, the top military and police leadership express their anti-Government sentiments openly without fear of being relieved and charged for inciting to sedition. Here in the Philippines, the top military and police leadership are muzzled by the fear of being relieved of their livelihood and charged for violation of the Articles of War. In Thailand, protesters are not prevented from rallying around the Government House of Prime Minister Thaksin. Here in the Philippines, President Arroyo, because of her feeling of insecurity and paranoia, has fortified Malaca�ang and barricaded it to the extent of cracking down on peaceful protests in every nook and corner of Metro Manila. In Thailand, the King serves as the respected body that oversees governance and promotes harmony and unity of contending political forces in the country. Here in the Philippines, the People as the Sovereign is unfortunately fragmented and muzzled by government threat of repression to be able to effectively unifyand harmonize governance for the good of the nation. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tipping points, cutting edge and ebbing By Felix Zamar, [email protected] April 07, 2006 The Philippines experienced within two decades the clear manifestation of tipping points. The first one happened between Feb. 22 and 25, 1986 and the more recent event happened between October 2000 and January 2001. The most significant attempt to reach the tipping point that failed was the gathering of Erap supporters that marched to Malacanang on May 1, 2001. These were followed by similar attempts to clone the first two successful events. I call these as tipping points for it seems that the Philippines is experiencing some sort of political malady/insanity of epidemic proportion The first two successful events were political upheavals that changed the faces and family pedigrees of those that governed the land. Unfortunately, both upheavals failed to change the fundamental characteristics or profiles of the governing class effecting change. They were practically of the same mold and class interest that effectively prevented the entry of the lower classes of society and those from the rural areas. Power play was effectively contained within a minority that could be considered to be at the cutting edge of change. These elite power players could trace their pedigrees to old or new wealth, exclusive private, Catholic schools, old boy-old girl networks, golfing partners in members-only country clubs and lately cadres or cute media personalities of the newly reloaded extreme left and religious fundamentalists. There were also events in current Philippine History that would point to a clear ebbing of heightened political interests and emotions no matter how hard those who consider themselves at the cutting edge of dissent push, cajole, �blackmail� and threaten. Examples were those dramatic calls made by the Hyatt 10, Liberal Party stalwart and Senate President Drilon, the �united opposition of strange bedfellows,� and most significant but sadly pathetic: that of Cory Aquino. If numbers are significant, one will notice the dwindling numbers of people participating in rallies and marches against the current administration. To make these demonstrations of multi-colored banners worthy of media coverage, there must be the anticipation of violence that must be provoked from the police. Sans police violence or arrests, the marches and demos are considered non-events that only clog traffic, litter thoroughfares and irritate drivers and commuters trying to eke a living. The issues may be valid and important for the Filipinos to be concerned about, unfortunately, there seems to be a credibility problem from those trying to call for action. The old charisma is gone. The smooth political operators of the middle forces who used to be very successful in brokering the changing of allegiances of strategic personalities from the old to the new order have lost their magic touch. Once co-opted by accepting juicy positions in the newly established Order these operators will have difficulty changing color and maintain trustworthiness in the eyes of the majority. The moral ascendancy established by Tita Cory during the dark years of Martial Rule has been frittered away by her calls for supreme sacrifice that she herself failed to do by retaining Hacienda Luisita. Such karmic action is poetic justice for a former president with very high credibility. She is now being haunted by her own failure to do a supreme sacrifice of her own. Her role in Philippine History: a very good example when one uses these terms cutting edge, tipping point, ebbing. ***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The following was emailed to us by Anonymous Some Historical Facts about Filipino-Americans By Anonymous Undated 1587- First Filipinos ("Luzonians") to set foot in North America arrive in Moror Bay, California on board the Manila-built galleon ship Nuestra Senora de Esperanza under the command of Spanish Captain Pedro de Unamuno. 1720- Gaspar Molina, a Filipino from Pampanga province, oversees the construction of El Triunfo dela Cruz, the first ship built in California. 1763- Filipinos in Acapulco cross the Gulf of Mexico to Barataria Bay in Louisiana to establish 7 Philippine-style fishing villages. The "mahogany-colored Manilamen of Louisiana" pioneer the dried shrimp industry in America (40 years [before the 1803] Louisiana Purchase). 1781- Antonio Miranda Rodriguez, also known as "Chino," a native of Manila, is one of 44 founders of the "Pueblo de Nuestra Senora reina de los Angeles," now known as the city of Los Angeles. (California became a state in 1850.) 1796- The first American trading ship to reach Manila, the Astrea, was commanded by Captain Henry Prince with Nathaniel Bowditch [on October 3 rd, marking the beginning of American-Philippine trade intercourse. 1870- Filipinos studying in New Orleans form the first Filipino Association in the United States, the "Sociedad de Beneficencia de los Hispanos Filipinos." 1888- Dr. Jose Rizal visits the United States and predicts that the Philippines will one day be [a United States] colony. 1898- The Philippines declares its independence (June 12, Kawit, Cavite) only to be ceded to the United States by Spain for $20 million. 1899- The war between the Filipinos and the Americans breaks out ending with the surrender of Gen. Miguel Malvar on April 16, 1902. (Results of the War: America crosses 7,000 miles of ocean, using 126,468 men, of whom 4,234 died, spend[ing] $600,000, 000.00 and engaging in 2, 811 recorded fights. Filipinos suffer losses: 16,000 died in action, 200,000 civilians perish owing to famine and pestilence, and untold millions of pesos worth of property destroyed.) 1902- Cooper Act passed by the U.S. Congress makes it illegal for Filipinos to own property, vote, operate a business, live in an American residential neighborhood, hold public office and become a naturalized American citizen. 1906- About 200 Filipino "pensionados" are brought to the U.S. to get an American education. 1906-1935- More than 125,000 Filipino "sacadas" are brought to Hawaii to working the sugar cane plantations. 1924- Filipino Workers' Union (FLU) shuts down 16 of 25 sugar plantations. 1926- California's Anti-Miscigenation Law is amended to include Filipinos (Members of the Malay race) as among those who cannot marry whites. 1929- Anti-Filipino riots break out in Watsonville and other California rural communities. 1932- The U.S. Congress passes the Tidings �Mcduffe Act, known as the Philippine Independence Act, [it] is also known as the Filipino Exclusion Act as it limits Filipino immigration to the U.S. to 50 persons a year. 1942- After the fall of Bataan and Corregidor to the Japanese, the US Congress passes a law which grants US citizenship to Filipinos and other aliens who served under the U.S. Armed Forces. 1943- First and Second Filipino Regiments formed in the U.S. composed of Filipino agricultural workers. 1946- U.S. [grants] Philippine Independence. U.S. Congress passes Rescission Act declaring that "service in the USAFFE is not considered service in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes of military benefits." 1948- Celestino Alfafara wins California Supreme Court decision allowing aliens the right to own real property; California courts finally overturn Anti-Miscegenation Laws so Filipinos and other minorities could now legally marry whites. 1965- Filipino farm workers under the leadership of Larry Itliong go on strike in Delano and win Cesar Chavez joins Itliong to from the United Farm Workers Union. Filipino American Political Association (FAPA) is formed with chapters in 30 California cities. Immigration Act of 1965 raises quota of Filipinos and other nationalities from 100 to 20,000 a year. [1967- The Philippine American Collegiate Endeavor (PACE) founded by Pilipino American students at San Francisco State College.] 1968- San Francisco State students, [Led by the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF), of which PACE is a part of) go on a five month long strike, the longest student strike in American higher education. 1969- The San Francisco State Student Strike ends resulting in the creation of the first and only Ethnic Studies [School] in the nation which includes a Filipino Studies Program and an Asian American Studies Department. 1977- Students various colleges and universities such as San Francisco State College and the University of California Berkeley, participate in all out strike against the demolition of the International Hotel, a hotel situated in a former "Manilatown" area of San Francisco, that provided low income housing for the elderly. At least, 41 Manongs (Filipino elders) were evicted from the hotel. 1990- Immigration reform Act of 1990 is passed by the U.S. Congress granting U.S. citizenship to Filipino WWII veterans resulting in 20,000 Filipino veterans take oath of citizenship. ***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww The following article was emailed to us by Mar Patalinjug, [email protected]. The Next Miracle Economy: VIetnam From Weiss Research April 06, 2006 Next month I go to Vietnam. Thirty years ago, it was a ruined country, devastated by one of the most grueling wars in modern history. Today, it�s a bustling economy of prosperous cities, terraced rice fields, tropical forests, and rolling hills. Hanoi, the capital, was virtually wiped out by Nixon�s Christmas bombing of 1972 � a massive, round-the-clock air campaign that exceeded any urban bombing ever in the history of that war. Now, Hanoi is a burgeoning metropolis with more people than Chicago, more scooters than Beijing, and more new factories under construction than virtually any capital in Southeast Asia. Five-star hotels have replaced war-era bunkers. Skyscrapers have replaced shanties. This is not just another Taiwan or Singapore in the making. No, Vietnam is poised to be an Asian Tiger in a class all by itself � so much so that bankers the world over are scrambling to get into Vietnam. GE�s Asian Consumer Finance Division is making Vietnam its number one effort in Southeast Asia. Singapore�s Overseas-China Banking Corp. is negotiating to purchase 10% of one of Vietnam�s largest banks. HSBC ... the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group ... and Standard Chartered have each bought interests in three state-owned Vietnamese banks. $43 worth of copper and gold for every $1 you invest in this company's shares! No options. No futures. Here's how... When Bankers Move into a Country Like This, It Means Something Big Is Happening What do they see, and what can you do about it? They see a country growing at a stunning 8% per year for 10 years running. They see an economic engine driven by one of the youngest and most vibrant populations in Asia � 83 million people, with over half under the age of 30, with 94% literate and well educated, ready to go to work, eager for opportunity. Perhaps most important, they see the lowest cost educated labor pool in the world, working at a minimum wage of a meager $38 per month! Now, in addition to all of this, let me tell you what Sean and I see: A Country on China�s Southern Border Loaded With Vast and Undervalued Natural Resources Most people don�t know this. But a key factor behind Vietnam�s persistently explosive growth is that it�s among the richest in natural resources in the region. So with neighboring China now gobbling up natural resources like a giant blob, and with natural resource prices flying, billions of dollars of investment capital are begging to pour into Vietnam. Vietnam is loaded with phosphates, coal, manganese, diamonds, bauxite, chromate, on- and offshore oil and gas deposits, lush forests, and abundant rivers for hydropower. The country boasts ... � 600 million barrels of proven oil reserves ... � 6.8 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, and .. � 20 billion tons of coal. Vietnam�s coal industry is especially promising. Right now, a lot of the coal is still transported on decades-old barges, and even carried for miles on the backs of peasants. But new technology and capital is being introduced, and the industry�s growth surpasses anything I�ve seen elsewhere. Vietnam is already the third largest oil producer in the region, turning out nearly 390,000 barrels a day, earning the country $7.4 billion in 2005. Plus, its own oil domestic consumption, a sign of its rapidly developing economy, is also growing like crazy � at the rate of 17% per year. The government plans to spend $109 billion building 74 power plants by 2020, including 48 hydro-electric, 17 coal-fired, five gas-fired, two nuclear and two renewable-energy. Already, there are 25 foreign oil companies from 13 countries with 27 projects in Vietnam. Already, they�ve invested $7 billion. And over the next several years, they should invest many times more. In fact, Vietnam Now Has the Same Foreign Direct Investment asIndia, a Country 13 Times Larger Alongside the staggering economic explosion, a mind-boggling $5.4 billion in new foreign direct investment (FDI) will hit Vietnam this year alone. That�s roughly the same amount of FDI that India, a country 13 times larger than Vietnam, expects to see in 2006. My view: If you can attract the same amount of foreign investment as a country 13 times larger, the outlook is bright indeed. The most advanced countries in the region agree: Norio Hattori, the Japanese ambassador to Vietnam says �the feeling of Japan�s corporate sector is that Vietnam will be their next FDI target.� Taiwan�s industrialists, known for their cost-conscious, export-led manufacturing, are flocking to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in droves. Big money is pouring in from China and South Korea. Each is endorsing Vietnam�s growth like never before. As a result ... Vietnam�s Stock Market Is Exploding Higher From a low of 136.21 in October 2003, the Vietnam Stock Exchange Index is now trading at 523.32 � up a whopping 284% in less than three years. That�s like the Dow moving from its 2003 low of about 7,200 to 34,848. Amazing. Right now, there are only 36 companies listed on the exchange, 35 of them worth over $1 billion. But there will soon be many, many more. If I were younger, back in my mid-twenties, I�d buy a seat on their exchange, move to Vietnam, and start investing in Vietnam�s market like crazy. But I�m not in my mid-twenties. Odds are, neither are you. But opportunities to invest in Vietnam from the comfort of your living room are opening up, and Sean and I are digging them up, and we�ll alert you when we�re ready to roll. Also, stay tuned to my Real Wealth Report, dedicated to natural resources. The next issue, featuring a full spread on Australia, goes to press on April 14. And given everything that�s happening right now, my latest report on gold, which I�ve just posted to the Web, is not something you should miss. Why the Timing Couldn�t Be Better This is indeed a momentous occasion. Gold is within a hair of hitting $600 an ounce, a level I forecast over five years ago when the yellow metal was fetching a mere $260. Back then, in early 2001, I also forecast a new bull market in the price of oil � at a time when it was trading in the high teens. Today oil is trading at nearly $68 a barrel, within a fraction of new highs � and headed toward the $100 level this year. Along with the bull markets in gold and oil, the price of virtually every natural resource under the sun is also soaring. And as a result, the portfolios in my Real Wealth Report are surging. Real Wealth�s model Gold Portfolio is now up 43.5%; its Natural Resource Portfolio, up over 29%, Income Portfolio, up 23%; and bonus positions, up 56%. The only laggard: the Speculative Portfolio, up .9%. The total dollar value of the open gains (before broker commissions): Almost $19,000. Add in another $16,207 in previously booked gains in these hot markets, and the total dollar value of the gains (losers included) is over $35,000, or about 350 times the yearly subscription cost. Of course, each investor�s results will vary. And no matter how confident we may be in this natural resource boom, it�s always prudent to keep a fat cash position, recognizing that no investment goes straight up, and that losses are always possible. But unlike any other time in recent memory, I believe you now have ... An Unbelievably Strong and Persistent Wind in Your Sails That strong wind should be very familiar to you. It�s inflation. And it�s now more solidly built in to today�s global economy than at any time in our lifetime. I say that for two fundamental reasons: Reason #1. Right now � and as far as the eye can see � there isn�t a central banker in the world who would opt for disinflation, let alone outright deflation. In recent years, they�ve proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they will fight for inflation tooth and nail. Reason #2. India and China. Mark my words: Years from now when the history books are written, the period you and I are living in now will become known as the genesis for one of the most inflationary periods of all time. I�m not talking about 16% inflation that comes and goes like a cat-3 hurricane, as it did in the U.S. in the late 1970s. Nor am I talking about the kind of hyperinflation that devastated Germany like an F-3 tornado after World War I. What I see is a sweeping climate change akin to global warming � a tenacious, ubiquitous inflation that grows steadily to high single digits ... then low double digits ... and ultimately higher double digits ...A long-term inflation that comes, stays, and lasts for a decade or more ... A ground-up inflation that�s rooted in natural resources and squeezes their prices to heights never seen before, and .. A demographics-driven inflation pushed inexorably higher by hundreds of millions of people in China and India as they begin to sample higher standards of living, demand better wages, and set off wage hikes worldwide. This is not the kind of inflation that mandates quick in-and-out trading. It�s the kind that long-term � even conservative � investors can make good money with, especially in countries like Vietnam. Best wishes, Larry OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |