| Vultures 'R' Us
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on Feb. 02, 2009 For the Standard Today February 03 issue Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's�..a vulture! Circling the land, looking for another vulture with which to mate and produce more baby vultures to make the picking and plucking of dying fauna and decaying carcasses faster and more systematic. This is the image that comes to mind whenever I read ever so often about the on-again and off-again merger charade of the Lakas-CMD and Kampi political parties. No less than the Mother of All Vultures, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is the chairwoman of Lakas-CMD and the titular head of Kampi, has issued a call to all the other vultures "to face the electoral challenge of 2010 with righteousness and confidence." (Sounds of vomiting in the background.) "There is basically no ideological differences in our platforms. Merging Lakas-CMD and Kampi will keep us on track and firmly focused on our vision of getting the country by 2010 well on the road to (the) First World in 20 years� " (More sounds of retching in the background.) When he was editing and publishing, first the Daily Globe, later Today, Congressman Teddy Boy Locsin often fondly referred to Lakas-CMD as "the party of thieves." I wonder how Teddy Boy would characterize Kampi. The party of streetwalkers?. President Arroyo was correct in at least one observation: "there are no ideological differences between Lakas-CMD and Kampi." And, one might add, the Liberal Party, the Nacionalista Party, the Nationalist People's Coalition, the LDP-Laban, the Partido ng Masang Pilipino. The only political party in the Philippines with an ideology fundamentally different from the others is the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) of Joma Sison, which wants to establish a Maoist government and society here under a 'dictatorship of the proletariat' with monopoly of power for the CPP. Which is not fundamentally different from the goals of the Bayan Muna party list, as Bayan Muna Cong. Teddy Casino has candidly admitted in several TV interviews. The Ang Kapatiran party of Nandy Pacheco also has an ideology or party platform, and it is specifically based on the social teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, which means the party rejects the use of artificial methods of birth control. I promised Nandy that I would examine and critique his party's ideology or party platform in a future article. But offhand, I doubt the ability of Ang Kapatiran to mount an effective challenge to the established trapo parties, unless it can recruit a nationally revered elder statesman like Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno to be its standard bearer in the 2010 polls. Which is also doubtful since CJ Puno is a Methodist and is unlikely to be comfortable with a party platform specifically based on the social teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. In other words, to be a viable party with universal appeal, Ang Kapatiran has to outgrow its narrow Roman Catholic orientation and re-engineer itself as a secular and non-sectarian party With the exception of the CPP and Ang Kapatiran, political parties in the Philippines are indistinguishable from each other. They have no differences in ideology or party platform. They are merely machineries for getting their candidates elected. After the elections, the winning party or parties concentrate on dividing the spoils in Congress and in the Cabinet, and on recruiting opportunistic turncoats from the other parties.. The losing party or parties concentrate on lodging electoral protests on the grounds that they have been cheated. The absence of any ideological or platform differences among the trapo parties encourages opportunistic political turncoatism: Filipinos trapos change political parties with scandalous ease because it does not involve compromising matters of principles, which they do not have in the first place. There is virtually no discussion or debate on national or international issues. The opposition party or parties conduct endless investigations on the alleged corruption scandals involving the party or parties in power. The party or parties in power protect their bureaucrats from being harassed by the opposition. But in the final analysis, no one is found guilty of anything and no one goes to jail for anything.. The final calculus is in winning the most seats in Congress and the Senate, the most local government positions at the municipal and governor levels so that the party or parties in power can railroad through its/their most self-serving advocacies. In the case of the Lakas-CMD/Kampi merger, what holds them together is the over-arching ambition of President Arroyo to remain in power beyond 2010 In February 2005, then Kampi President Ronaldo Puno announced the miniscule party's strategic goal to become the largest party in the country by the year 2007. I wrote in May 2005 that this was meant to engineer a shift to parliamentary to enable President Arroyo to remain in power beyond 2010, as prime minister I was right. In 2006, there were two maneuvers, precisely towards this goal: a people's initiative signature campaign and a move to convene the Lower House into a constituent assembly without the participation of the oppositionist Senate, both of which were meant to engineer a shift towards parliamentary. Both maneuvers were orchestrated by then Speaker Jose de Venecia, with the active support of former President Fidel Ramos, both of Lakas-CMD. The maneuvers' timetable was meant to create a temporary or interim parliament by 2007 in which JdV would have been interim prime minister from 2007 to 2010, at which point which GMA would then metamorphose from president to full-time prime minister, without skipping a beat That both attempts failed has not dampened the perseverance of the avaricious vultures. A merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi, according to their calculations, would give the emerging Vultures Inc. 143 seats, out of 238, in the Lower House, 56 governors, 89 city mayors, and 1,092 municipal mayors. Not content with this phenomenal powerhouse, the political operators behind the still-to-be-finalized merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi are already talking to another group of vultures, the Nationalist People's Coalition, for a three-sided behemoth, Vultures 'R' Us, which will have 172 seats in the Lower House, 61 governors, 104 city mayors, and 1,232 municipal mayors. (Standard Today, Feb. 2) Not surprisingly, the Atiena wing of the Liberal Party has expressed interest in joining the merger. Vultures of the same feathers flock together. And prey together. .A family of vultures that preys together, stays together. Notice that in all these maneuvers, there are no inter- or intra-party debates on the merits or demerits of parliamentary, on the merits or demerits of federalism, on the merits or demerits of the proposed stimulus package to cushion the impact of the economic meltdown, on the merits or demerits of the proposed peace agreement with Muslim separatists, on how to reintegrate into the domestic labor force the tens, even hundreds, of thousands of overseas workers who will lose or have lost their jobs abroad, or the merits or demerits of a population management program, or the merits or demerits of free trade and globalization in the face of the global recession. Nothing. All deliberations boil down to how many positions of power at all levels Vultures 'R' Us will wind up with after disbursing billions of pesos from that P330 billion stimulus package, to achieve the end goal: GMA Forever. ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in acabaya.blogspot.com. 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. . OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to "Vultures 'R' Us" More Reactions to "Obama's Warning" More Reactions to "What Better Choices?" More Reactions to "Israel's Worst Nightmare" Nail on the head, Tony, with a perfect title! You didn't even have to name all names. May you never flag, dear friend and mentor. :) Sylvia Mayuga, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Thanks for giving me the idea of a bumper/car sticker that should sell! GMA FOREVER [email protected], Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr Abaya, This is, for me, the darkest and most pessimistic essay you have written, so far. While other essays were about such staples of our society as graft, corruption, plunder, etc. on the highest levels and poverty, hunger, illness etc. on the lowest, at least they were redeemed by an occasional levity or two. Not this. Of course, I completely agree with you. Ethel David, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony.. Come to think of it, the money they use to peddle influence among these mukhang perang politicians are tax money. Pambihira talaga si Sen. Recto of his stupid E vat law. Nagtaas ng tax for their shit. However, whatever causes they do, they must be resigned with the fact that any presidential candidate from Lakas - Kampi will SURELY LOSE. I may not be in authority about Philippine politics, but just ask both common and the rich, and isang lang ang gusto nila mangyari. They just want GMA out and finish this corrupt administration. Kakasuka na... Seeing the faces of Nograles, JdV, Dureza, si Pichay na lumilitaw pa, Esperon, GMA, Fajardo, Golez (the admin guy, not Roilo), Miriam, Enrile, Pimentel, Villafuerte, Lagman and others will make one fume. Lakas Kampi will just cement their hold on the Congress and mayors, but guaranteed, president, the vice and the Senate will be with the opposition.. Mike Delgado, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mang Tony, Ang masasabi ko sa kanila... Makakapal pa ang mukha, magsalita ba naman sa Davos na akala mo ay may makikinig sa kanya, na ang G8 ay gawing G20 o G30 at matuto ang G8 sa kanya at isali sya sa summit...yon ang interpretasyon ko samantala sa pugad ng mga buwitre, sabihin ba naman na ang World Bank ang may pagkakamali... Wala na ba talaga silang kahihiyan? Puede ba palitan na natin ang ina ng mga buwitre bago nya tuluyang ipahiya ang buong sambayanang Pilipino. Ngayong araw ay pormal nang ginawa ang ground breaking para sa Chacha... Ang tawagin silang buwitre ay kulang, Higit na mas masahol pa sila.. Edel Anit, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Maganda sana yung Ang Kapatiran, kaso pang matanda yung pangalan. Sa pangalan palang parang walang appeal sa mga enchanted voters. But what you are doing is good since you try to make it informative and hope that other opinion writers will follow to what you are writing now so that we have a more informed public come 2010. As the Americans have said change must also come in the Philippines... Alberto Banico, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww KUDOS your incisive insights!, Tocayo I understand the 'Sultan of Beauties' will give them sanctuary?!?!?! Tony Oposa, MD, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Frankly, with all these partidos and partidas, party dito party doon, parties every where as if there are so many offices, of the president for example, that are to be filled up, I am really confused and it makes no sense. When all is said and done, we still end up with one rotten banana or bibingka like "that one" in Malacaniang. How about recommending that there should only be two parties in the general elections. After all, we only need just one president to elect. With just two parties, whoever wins a position, will be truly elected by the majority of the people. In the present multi party system, we end up electing a majority of a minority. This is where confusion begins. We no longer are able to distinguish which is the real bonafide party. Was Gloria Arroyo elected by a majority of the minority with dagdag bawas votes? I hope not. I think, it is time to hold primary elections as a process of eliminating nuisance candidates so that only the number 1 and number 2 aspirants for every political position coming out of the primary elections will be allowed to vie against each other finally into every political public office. The two party system will even promote national unity of the people. It will also reduce the tedious efforts and expensive counting of votes. It will speed up in finding the real election winners. With so many political parties, it is more of splintering loyalties of the people. It is a stupid political party system. Is it any wonder why the Filipino people are disunited? Marlowe Camello, (by email), Homeland, CA, Feb. 03, 2009, wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded to Tapatt by Aurora Pijuan) "In other words, to be a viable party with universal appeal, Ang Kapatiran has to outgrow its narrow Roman Catholic orientation and re-engineer itself as a secular and non-sectarian party"..." - Vultures 'R' Us; Antonio C. Abaya And so tragically will our polity trudge along with so-called political party alternatives like Ang Kapatiran, unwitting but de facto accomplices of the traditional political status quo - to put it charitably. Truly... protracted and arduous it may be, TETP Transform Education, Transform Philippines http://tetp. wordpress. com/2008/ 11/17/only- when-we-want- to/) starting with a critical mass of us living the values of Patriotism, Integrity (Honesty) and Excellence (Competence) (http://tetp. wordpress. com/pie-kit/) are the catalytic keys. Just as the GK folks likewise challenge: Ano Ang Taya Mo? Philip Tangco, (by email), Feb. 03, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Winston Churchill aptly puts it: "A politician thinks about the next election, the statesman thinks about the next generation." This is the crux of the matter. But who is a statesman? Aristotle defines that person as someone "who is most anxious to produce a certain moral character in his/her fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions." Based on these premises, the Philippines has no chance whatsoever for a better or a higher standard of living. Why is this so? First, we have not abandoned our commitment to a democratic subculture that breeds politicians and not statesmen. Our democratic version caters to the world of vultures (as you put it), demagoguery, corruption, and patronage rather than the world of ideas, discipline, and refinement. It is a democratic subculture that produces mediocre leaders with mediocre ideas and mediocre values. Does it make sense then to expect a serious change from this kind of condition? Of course, not! This is impossible since mediocrity and "mob rule" are the prices we pay for our current democratic subculture. Second, we continue to repress our Asian character of tropical compulsion and discipline---perhaps because of our misguided and painful dictatorial past; perhaps, because of our indiscriminate occidental upbringing that we still struggle with; or perhaps, because of our irrational proclivity to pardon rather than our rational pursuit to be just. I am sure the list is long. But is there a way out? Definitely, there is. I suggest a temporary and revolutionary transition (4-5 Years) led by an authoritarian statesperson surrounded by a class of gentry, officer and gentleman, and civilians with refined manners and the discipline of moral self-control. This is a precondition to the non-distracted and no-nonsense "housecleaning." It is only through this transition that we have a better chance to realize our democratic aspirations in the future. Otherwise, we can keep flagellating and bleeding ourselves on our way to the altar of EDSA 1, 2, 3... Efren Padilla, Ph.D.(by email), Hayward, CA, Feb. 04, 2009 Professor of Sociology and Urban Planning California State University at East Bay wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww DEAR TONY, I FULLY AGREE ABOUT YOUR OPINION. YOU JUST HIT THE BULL BY THE HORN. REGARDS Dominador Co, (by email), Feb. 04, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Enjoyed the piece, Tony. But why are you insulting street-walkers? DJ / Edilberto de Jesus, (by email), Feb. 04, 2009 Former Secretary of Education wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww So, what can the 'ordinary tao' do? Rue R. Ramas, (by email), Gen. Santos City, Feb. 04, 2000 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww GMA's grandstanding in Davos which she should not have attended anyway has backfired. Obama's Filipino American supporters, especially those that have joined his administration, are up in arms that GMA had embarrassed the U.S. president with her comments for Obama to do something to the global economic crisis which was as critical as Vladimir Putin's statement. GMA and her corrupt regime are now on the crosshair of Obama's using the UNCAC and U.S. laws as a tool box to render specific forms of mutual legal assistance to poor nations in gathering evidence for use in court, prosecute those guilty of corruption and recover ill-gotten wealth from the proceeds of corruption which the Philippines can very well use to address the global economic crisis. GMA's statement may go down in history like an insult hurled by a king to another that started a war; in her case she has completely alienated the Obama White House. Frank Wenceslao, (by email), Feb. 04, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony Abaya for President ! Jay R. Brundage, (by email), Ridgefield, Connecticut, Feb. 04, 2009 (Thank you, Jay. That gives me a total of 13 votes. But, ooops, you're not a Filipino citizen. You can't vote here. So that puts me back at 12 votes. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Copy furnished) I agree with Marlowe that only two political parties should compete. That raises the need also for political reforms IDEALLY we really should advocate for Judicial reform AND political reforms too. Unfortunately the political reforms need to be done by Constitutional change. We are trying out judicial reforms using Peoples Initiative method. Since there is NO political color to judicial reform theoretically, we may have a better chance for the Peoples Initiative to gather more support than the recent moves for Cha Cha for parliamentary form which was perceived by anti Gloria sectors as a cover up to let Gloria stay as prime minister forever. We should time our Jury system initiative to bear fruit or be adopted, at the very start of the NEW President in 2010 so that it will not be perceived as a move to oust the new President using the Grand Jury system we advocate. Better still is we ask the presidential candidates to show their good intentions by supporting the Grand Jury and trial jury systems we advocate. Our members should then support the presidential candidate who runs adopting our platform. Oscar Barrera, (by email), Feb. 04, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded to Tapatt by Aurora Pijuan) A non-global, provincial folk Catholicism, even if universally accepted, won't make it in a Darwinian, globally competitive, technologically-driven world. Ang Kapatiran is a dying group--dying from birth. Let's forget it. Make it die As an alternative to Ang Kapatiran, will TETP make it -- Transform Education, Transform Philippines? My modest view: No, because education takes too long; the fruits come only after 20 years to 30 years. And, who will transform Philippine education. Filipinos who are already known weaklings in world markets? PIE --or Patriotism, Integrity and Excellence--sounds good as a slogan of TETP, but is only one third correct and is not a good guide for nation-building. The words are vague, thus not understandable correctly. The only correct word in there is Excellence, but is vague. When you build a school and train teachers, that is education and investment. When you build a factory that educates workers in skills, technologies, and leadership to become global winners, that is education and investment . When you build a power plant, a factory, a port for world conquest, that is learning to be modern, and it is education and investment. In short, it is all investment. But some investments are inferior, for example land reform or rural electrification. Thus, PIE should stand for Philippine Investment Excellence to suggest investing optimally, investing with excellence. Such a slogan would then tell us Pinoys to invest with excellence. Nothing could be more specific than that. And, nothing could be more helpful to nation-building. Investment Excellence means investing optimally: 1. It means investing to win big sales in the world's largest market, which is the world. Then all Filipinos can be employed quickly. 2. It means investing to make the biggest profits. Then funds are available for the fastest possible expansion, the fastest possible progress. 3. It means investing to win dollars, for it is the currency that can import valuable machines and technologies without which Philippines means zero. 4. It means investing with machines and technology, for without them the Philippines can't win in world markets. But, since the Philipines lacks machines and technologies, investment excellence means attracting foreign multinational allies with whose machines, capital, technologies and global prowess we can win in the world 5. Investment excellence further means marrying low cost Filipino labor to the multinational machines and technologies, for that combination would be a global winner, a global killer of competitors. 6. Finally, investment excellence means avoiding slow or weak investments such as Gawad Kalinga, land reform, farming, microfinance, rural banks, social entrepreneurship. No, the nation must invest in structures and factories to conquer the biggst market-- the world. I make these comments so that first we may avoid wasting our time and energies to save a dying Ang Kapatiran. Instead, let it die. Further I make these comments to avoid replacing Ang Kapatiran with a vague, undirected, slow, and eventually dead TETP/PIE movement. The vague TETP/PIE outlook makes us not realize that there is a formula to achieve instant, strong, and sustained economic success, namely the cry: Organize to invest at joint ventures with able multinationals and low cost Filipino workers to win in world markets, or die. Norman Madrid, (by email), Feb. 04, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Kapatiran can be a secular and non-sectarian political party, but it should be based on Christian principles and values. We must not deny or ignore our Christian heritage and roots. There is nothing wrong with a Christian political party. The social teaching of the Church is not an ideology like Marxism, Leninism and Maoism are. It is just one interpretation of Christian values and principles, there may be others. The RC is not the sole interpretor of what the basic Christian and social principles are. But let us not deny that our Filipino culture is basically Christian. Arnold van Vugt, (by email), Cagayan de Oro City, Feb. 05, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, Are Filipinos so naive that they cannot see what's in this P330 billion stimulus package? This corrupt GMA regime wants to copy what the US is doing, yet the US intention is to help its citizens, while the GMA administration is to help their pockets and continue to rule forever.. Thanks and more power. Bert Celera, (by email), Feb. 05, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww A scary scenario for Philippine politics. Add in snakes and crocs. Yes, unless Kapatiran changes, it wouldn't improve its chances of winning. not near it at all. What our country needs are leaders with great economics savvy - but with clean hands. Victor Ma�alac, (by email), Feb. 05, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Why don't we forget for a moment the issue of the imminent merging of the Lakas-CMD and Kampi; and, for a change recall the way we understand democracy from history books and teachings of our poor teachers in high school. According to Webster, democracy is a government by the people, especially rule of majority, a government in which the supreme power is vested on the people and exercised by their directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free election. And this is from another source: All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these orders, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles. Based on the foregoing, it appears the supreme power in the government is vested on us and we have the right to change the unscrupulous individuals we elected and represented us. The question now is: what are we doing to protect our unalienable rights to life and liberty against a corrupt leader and her followers. Just wait for the hollow promise of a First World in 20 years, subject to the merger of the Lakas-CMD and Kampi. It seems that we will never wake up to reality; and, as usual, just let apathy dominate. God bless our Nation. Arcy F. Sibal, (by email), Sta. Maria, Bulacan, Feb 05, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, It is difficult not to believe allegations of corruption persistently attributed to the first gentleman. Why? Precisely because these are persistent! As the saying goes: "Where there is smoke there is fire!" How true anywhere even in the developed world like the US, so much more us! By now most of us Filipinos are only too aware of the very recurrent exposes of wrongdoing (always involving humongous amounts of money) somehow involving FG the latest one being that on the cuddling by Malacanang of construction firms which were already blacklisted by the World Bank as being engaged in corrupt practices involving millions of funds. Now why would Malacanang do such a thing? Of course others would say: "But where is the proof?" To this I'd reply the issue is not necessarily prosecutorial (although it could certainly come depending on the substance of the case) but one of moral delicadeza. As the FG, Mr Arroyo automatically bears the responsibility of being the "father" of the republic (since GMA is the 'mother') and as such is therefore looked upon by all citizens of the nation as their role model in terms of values and behavior. It would also be the inherent responsibility of the president to sustain such role in positive light being the 'other half' of that parental leadership. There was a time when the president even went to the extent of allowing the FG to leave for vacation abroad due to earlier allegations. We have not seen the likes of it any longer despite continuing allegations like the current expose by Senator Lacson or the NBN-ZTE scandal last year. Why the inconsistency? Like I said, part of the responsibility of public service (FG whether he likes it or not is part of public service as long as his wife is the president) is winning the hearts and minds of the people convincingly, not challenging the people to file a formal complaint and being confident that the case would not prosper knowing the slow grind of justice in the country. In the first place, why the need for such over-defensiveness? Nothing beats transparency. It is still the best way to win the people's trust and confidence in their leaders and role models. Dennis Acop , (by email), Feb. 08, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Is it not appalling for Gloria Arroyo to be craving for recognition and attention from a co-equal? Where is her self-respect? However, such humiliating act is not surprising for one whose code of conduct is utterly dismal. But shameful it may be, this "evil" "bitch" is living-up as a master of deceit with the phony excuse on her attendance aT the National Breakfast Prayer in Washington D.C. where the newly elected US President BaraCk Obama was the guest of speaker. There is no amount of explanation by her apologists and paid hacks that can change the public's perception with regards to this expensive and worthless trip of Gloria Arroyo to Washington D.C. where she was probably hoping to personally meet Pres. Obama and make an offer as she did to the former US President George W. Bush with regards to the war on terrorism. Knowing that a decision has been made to close the detention center for terrorists at the US Guantanamo Naval Base, it will not be surprising if Gloria Arroyo will offer the Philippines as a solution to the US government's problem on where the detainees can be transferred. Of course, there is the quid-pro-quo in her agenda. Fortunately, Pres. Obama has already made clear his stand with regards to those who are on the "wrong side of history" and there is no doubt that Gloria Arroyo fits in his description. Narciso Ner, (by email), Irvine, CA, Feb 08, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww What a shame! This is in connection with the news report "No shame in Arroyo's side trip to US," (PDI, February 9, 2009) where some of her loyal defenders tried to convert the loss of faces and efforts to success and gains in making that unnecessary detour from Davos, Switzerland to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. They can say what they wanted but there is no hiding the fact that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been trying hard to have an audience with US President Barack Obama who has obviously been denying what we view as her rabid obssession to meet him. One word or one act of denial should have been enough for a wise person but she refuses to accept the obvious and keeps on persisting in her vain hope that that he might finally give in someday. What could Remonde possibly consider as success in that nine-day trip? It was just a waste of the people's money. "She just got herself tired for nothing," like Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said of the junket. "Not many countries noticed Ms. Arroyo's presence at the affair," she added, and that may be true because they may have simply ignored her because they may have known that she presides over a country which majority of its citizens do not recognize her as their president. Gloria Arroyo is certainly not within the league of those two powerful American women whose words carry weight in their own country because the majority of the American people believe in what they say, whereas majority of the Filipino people have lost their trust in this little woman who repeatedly lied to them and cheated to be their president. What trust and confidence is Remonde talking about now that the World Bank has disclosed that there has been collusion between the contractors's cartel and government officials in charge of projects it has been funding here with the help of a powerful person in the palace and has blacklisted three Filipino firms and other Chinese companies doing business in the Philippines? What trust and confidence is Remonde talking about when the Philippines has been considered as the most corrupt in this part of Asia and has been sinking lower in Transparency International's ratings under the Arroyo administration? President Obama may have purposely came late to avoid meeting persons he does not want to see, like "those who are on the wrong side of history because they cling to power through corruption and deceit and who silence dissent," whom he surely must have been informed that that is exactly what she has been doing. We feel ashamed. Does she not? Ramon Mayuga, (by email), Essen, Germany, Feb. 08, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, Nowadays we are beginning to get a glimpse of people who intend to run for high political posts come 2010. They appear ready to lead and govern this country to greatness. On the one hand, some politicians posed as product endorsers on television and as advocates of pro-poor programs like cheap medicines, livelihood, and assistance to OFWs. On the other hand, there are also those well-meaning groups who package and advertise people as ethical leaders hoping that they will change our political landscape and our national life for the better. We are overwhelmed by the lofty-promises and sweetened assurances of these seemingly innocent and virtuous people that our country will be better off with their kind of ethical leadership. We are clueless if what they are saying is true or not.. We should be cautious then. Politics after all had changed its meaning- it is no longer the art of governance but the art of not telling the truth. However, we will soon know the truth after election if indeed they are our sincere leaders who have the heart to truly care for us and this country. Perhaps, equally important to consider aside from knowing the candidates for the 2010 election is how to choose the best leaders. These days, we are going through tough times because we elected into office not the right kind of leaders. This is obviously becoming a bad national habit. Rather than working for our aspirations and hopes as a people, these elected leaders use their positions to enrich themselves and their supporters. We deserve this lot though. And true to the clich�- we deserve the kind of government we have. When will we ever learn how to choose the right leaders to run the affairs of this country? When will we ever know how to cast a thoughtful vote and not a bought-vote? When will we discover that we have a reasoned conscience and God to deal with when we cast our votes? At the very least what we need in this country are informed electorate. We can avoid an ineffectual government and forestall the influx of corrupt and shameless leaders when we vote intelligently and with conscience. Let me address this challenge to those who call for the moral force and ethical leadership of this country: help us voters prepare ourselves to choose the right leaders for this country. Help us have our voice be heard voice in the 2010 election. It's about time that our voice be heard. We can change the fate of this country because we can vote wisely and rightly. Our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal eloquently echoed this sentiment when he said, "This people does not complain because it has no voice, it does not move because it is lethargic, and you say that it does not suffer because you haven't seen how its heart bleeds. But some day you will see this, you will hear its complaints, and then woe unto those who found their strength on ignorance and fanaticism!" Thank you. Very truly yours, Reginald B. Tamayo, (by email), Aparri, Cagayan, Feb. 09, 2009 Member, Sangguniang Bayan, Aparri, Cagayan wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hopeless country What choice do we, as a traditionally and collectively flippant and quite stupid nation, have, except that of national shame and despair. Long shackled under the oppressive chain of the imperial Castillians and washed by the decadent culture of American colonialism, the Philippines emerged a broken country, literally and symbolically. Even our culture is wrong, Filipinos emulate the wrong persons, and practice the wrong attitude when it is very Asian in roots. We are the most westernized of all Asian nations but it is way out of tune with our always dismal feudalistic economy and society. No one seems to think of heroes past or pay homage to their sacrifices since most Filipinos are busy watching those silly TV shows that feature the most mundane personalities. In short, Filipinos like to pretend the Philippines is an affluent country. There is no hope for this country.. By the way, it is useless to hope for anything, not in this world, not in this planet. On December 21, 2012, a great catastrophic event will happen to Earth. Due to a galactic reorientation of gravity, there will be a great polar shift that will result in global thawing of polar ice. Of course, a great flood will come.. Alex Argote, (by email), Feb. 10, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, It always surprises me that so many of your readers live abroad, either in the States or elsewhere. They have so many good advices on how to reform our country. I always feel inclined to ask these people, especially the OFWs, why don't you come home and join the struggle here? In Dutch we have a saying: 'The best navigating officers stand on shore.' In English they say: 'The best horseman is always on his feet.' Arnold van Vugt, (by email), Cagayan de Oro City, Feb 10, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to "Obama's Warning" (Jan. 28, 2009) Tony: One thing we should never forget and should know how to deal with is that the First Gentleman is a "Mafia Lord", using his wife and others in the government to obtain his ambition. Look at the DOJ, that Secretary is a kababayan of the First Gentleman and he is "untouchable", look at the Department of Energy, that Reyes is a calamity by itself. An American friend suggested that the kind of government we have in the Philippines never will happened in US. You know why?, The American shoot the corrupt president. He said if Filipinos will be brave enough to shoot a corrupt president, perhaps things will change in the Philippines. [email protected], Feb. 09, 2009 (Which corrupt president/s was/were shot by the Americans? Abraham Lincoln? John F. Kennedy? William McKinley? Where did you learn US History 101? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist�." Sorry to disabuse the minds of GMA haters but I believe if Pres.Barack Obama will be asked by Filipino reporters if he was specifically referring to PGMA, he will say "I really meant that as a sort of what you call 'beyto-beyto sa leyngit' man." Or as Goodah! would have it: "It's for everyall!" So there. Peace! E. J. T.Tirona, (by email), Paranaque City, Feb.08, 2009 (And GMA lovers could be accused of, paraphrasing the Bible, "Ye have eyes but seeth not. Ye have ears but heareth not. Ye have brains but thinketh not. Ye have computers but clicketh not." ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Indeed, I tend to agree that our country has become soul-less. This is so because we have been led by soul-less leaders, starting with the person we elect as president. If we are now a nation without a soul, we have only ourselves to blame. Our election process and system should be overhauled. It is high time we consider again Lee Kwan Yu's prescription, that is to assign points to our electorate; these points are assigned depending on one's status in life. If this reeks of socialism, let it be so.................but I think this is the only solution to produce a thinking and sincerely involved electorate. Ed Valenciano, (by email), Feb. 08, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww On a lazy Sunday morning, I am at the local beauty parlor and I'm amazed that even there, the beauticians are commenting on Obama's 'snub' of GMA. While perhaps we are making too much of what may not be deliberate, because President Obama is far too busy with affairs of the state, the portion of Mr. Patalinjug's letter set me thinking that if indeed President Obama and Secretary Clinton are aware of the goings-on in our country, which is an important ally of the US in this part of the world, then the 'snub' may be a way of sending a message. President GMA should take the hint and just devote her remaining time with an eye to what history will say of her presidency. Ethel David, (by email), Feb. 08, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to "What Better Choices?" (Jan. 30, 2009) Dear Tony (ACA) Good, well presented proposals, recommendations, suggestions abound, but first-thing first. How do we get rid of that Malacanang Denizen? From the looks of it, she will want to stay in office till 'kingdom come"! We embraced Democracy from the American colonial masters, which to me is good, but there is that missing part--How to go about understanding the principles of government, getting to have it work 'effectively' for whom it has been established and the final part, punishing with finality those who take advantage of their role as administrators, legislators, prosecutors, judges and their subalterns. There is one proposal that can cure part of our convoluted system--that of Atty. Marlowe Camello. Our Justice system just doesn't work. With the exception of a few honest government functionaries, i.e. Judges, Prosecutors, Policemen, Legislators and such, the whole caboodle stinks. We read or hear that an honest judge is slain or ordered killed by 'Politicos' or 'crime syndicates'; honest policemen, customs & BIR employees are now a rare breed, not because they have not tried to do their jobs honestly and effectively, but because they are ridiculed and abused by the syndicates in the system. It is now a known fact that "the group" that brought about this rotten governance, are The POLITICIANS, that breed of rotten eggs in our society, of course with the exception of the few who are still there fighting against the Malacanang Denizen(s) - the 'S' represent the subalterns. Our concerns are many but we, the people, must first stand as one, unafraid and willing to sacrifice to boot out of office these bad eggs in society. How to do it is another question. It's the People who placed these bastards (forgive the term) in office. And it is within their power to remove them. But the resolve must not falter. There is one 'Big' question I must ask: How did the MNLF, MILF, ASG, NPA acquire their high powered firearms, and the continued supply of ammunitions? The rank and file in the Armed Forces must verify this because they are the ones killed and maimed in the jungles of Mindanao. There are various rumors in the past (read the papers). All of the above are connected, but for as long as "Governance" and our Justice System remain under the control of Powerful-Greedy Politicians, nothing will change. We must look for solutions along this line. Watching Legislative Investigations on TV only exacerbates one's hatred for those who are up there, manipulating their outcome. They say, in this country 'Governance is a Game' and the Players are those Ugly Characters that never know the meaning of "Delicadeza". Best. Keep us informed. Jose I. Regino,(by email), Zamboanga City, February 11, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to "Israel's Worst Nightmare" (Jan. 23, 2009) Dear Mr. Abaya, The Fourth Geneva Convention's Article 49 states: "Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of the motive." Israel must stop the de facto land grabbing and home seizure of Israel Arabs and West Bank Palestinians for expanding illegal Jewish settlements. See CBS 60 Minutes Expose Israel's Apartheid. A powerful report on the mistreatment of Palestinians (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1UCn6YnfbE). Efren Padilla, (by email), Hayward, CA, Feb. 02, 2009 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, Totally agree. Were you ever invited to give a talk at any of our defense establishments like the AFP Command and General Staff College, the National Defense College, or others at all? I think the officers will learn more from you than from the instructors they have over there. I used to be a student, that is why I know. Regards, (Col.) Dennis Acop (Ret.), Feb. 09, 2009 US Military Academy, '83 (I was invited to give a talk at the National Defense College at Camp Aguinaldo about two or three months ago. I'll give you the title of my article that dwelt with that talk as soon as I can access my website and blogsite which at present are suddenly and mysteriously blocked. ACA) OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to [email protected] 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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