All humans have basic rights. Criminals are humans. Therefore, criminals have basic rights.
This syllogism, although to my mind is valid, is for some hard to accept, or is simply unacceptable. For how can someone possess a right and yet trample upon another's right? How can someone's constitutional right to due process be protected when other's right to life is violated? Which right should be given more weight? To whom should the balance be tilted?
Take the Vic Siman et al ambush or rub-out or checkpoint-gone-bad (depending on whom you are listening to), which happened in Atimonan, Quezon on January 6, 2013. Vic Siman and 12 others who were with him were believed to be members of a criminal group.
If indeed Vic Siman et al were members of a criminal group, then they shall punished. But how? The answer is, they shall be punished in ways that do not violate the law and the Constitution. The rule of law must be upheld at all times.
That criminals must be pursued is beyond debate. But, to cite Justice Isagani Cruz, “Zeal in the pursuit of criminals cannot ennoble the use of arbitrary methods that the Constitution itself abhors."
Showing posts with label Philippine Affairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippine Affairs. Show all posts
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Friday, December 3, 2010
In search of peace: SMAD celebrates the Mindanao Week of Peace
Monday, May 10, 2010
149 Minutes
Nervous, I inserted my ballot into the PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scanner) machine. I was nervous because what if the PCOS would reject my ballot like it did to the woman before me. The PCOS didn't reject her ballot at all. But she inserted it six times before her ballot was counted. Less than a minute passed, the words, "Congratulations! Your ballot has been counted." appeared. I sighed.
What the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) say is really true. With the automated elections, the counting of the ballots will no longer take a long time, unlike the manual elections. But it's too early to celebrate.
Lest we forget, the searching of polling precinct, the lining up---all that, too, is part of the election. And there are so many things that can be said of them. So many, in fact, that I don't know where to begin.
Perhaps I'll begin with my arrival. If the election were manual, I would have arrived at the polling precinct very early. But no, the election is now automated. Which, as the COMELEC promised, is faster and more efficient. There is therefore no need for me to hurry.
When I woke up in the morning, I turned on the TV, watching what's going on in other parts of the Philippines, instead of preparing to leave for the polls. Over at ABS-CBN, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was shown voting. Per ABS-CBN's calculation, GMA took only six minutes to vote. If it's that fast, I figured I would go to the precinct at 8:00 in the morning.
The night before the election day, I had planned what would I wear and what would I bring. To warn the voters that if they thought only for themselves when they vote, if they wouldn't think of future of the country, they would get nowhere, I would wear my T-shirt with a quote by Conrado de Quiros: "You don't have national pride or a sense of country, you'll get nowhere." Sadly, however, I would find out that the voters were too busy to even bother to look at my T-shirt, let alone contemplate the profundity of what's written on it. To monitor the time and see if the election is faster than before, I would wear a wrist watch, although I'm not used to wearing it because it annoys me.
At 8:45, I arrived at the polling precinct. Already, the entrance to the Cabantian Elementary School, where I would be casting my vote, was dominated by "poll assistors" (poll assistants would be much simpler) distributing sample ballots, vendors selling mineral water, Max and Snowbear, teenagers and bystanders doing...nothing.
Then I went to my precinct: 1808C. Like all the other precincts, mine was already crowded. There were those who were looking for their names on the list pasted on wall. Some were asking for priority numbers. There were also the omnipresent "poll assistors," struggling to get inside, or at least get close to, the precinct.
I searched my name on the list to double-check if my precinct was really there. I'm glad I did, because when I found my name, it was listed under a different precinct: 1808E. But that was no matter. I was still on the right precinct. The COMELEC, I discovered, put the five precincts in one cluster. For instance, the precincts from 1808A to 1808E were put in cluster 545. Hence, the overcrowded precincts.
The polling precincts were replete with posters informing the voters of the six things they need to do to cast their votes. The procedure looked good---on paper. It was not followed. I don't know if the same procedure was followed in other places, but the actual voting procedure in Brgy. Cabantian went like this: First, the voter would fall in line to get a priority number. As for me, I started to fall in line at 8:50. I received my priority number at 10:24. After the voter got his priority number, he would again fall in another line that which led to the precinct. Once the voter got inside, he would tell his precinct number to the BEI (Board of Election Inspector). If his name is on the list, the BEI would ask for his signature and thumb mark. All that that took me no less than 50 minutes.
At 11:14, I was done casting my vote. All in all, it took me 149 minutes (2 hours and 29 minutes) to vote. I can say that I'm lucky to have just been inconvenienced for 149 minutes.
Some of you would say that 149 minutes is too much. But come to think of it. This was no ordinary day. We are talking about election here. It is the time when we choose our next leaders. It is the time when we decide not only the fate of our country, but also our fate.
If it takes only 149 minutes to choose leaders who would help our country better again; if it takes only 149 minutes to undo all that GMA did; if it takes only 149 minutes to reclaim what this country has lost; if it takes only 149 minutes to save us from another six years of felony, perfidy, and larceny----if it takes only 149 minutes to achieve all that, then we should be more than willing to spare 149 minutes of our time.
It cannot be denied that we have this tendency to inflate our own misery. But as the man, who tried to organize the disorganized voters at my polling precinct, said, "Kini na ang panahon para mag-sakripisyo lang ta gamay" (This is the time that we have to sacrifice a little).
What the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) say is really true. With the automated elections, the counting of the ballots will no longer take a long time, unlike the manual elections. But it's too early to celebrate.
Lest we forget, the searching of polling precinct, the lining up---all that, too, is part of the election. And there are so many things that can be said of them. So many, in fact, that I don't know where to begin.
Perhaps I'll begin with my arrival. If the election were manual, I would have arrived at the polling precinct very early. But no, the election is now automated. Which, as the COMELEC promised, is faster and more efficient. There is therefore no need for me to hurry.
When I woke up in the morning, I turned on the TV, watching what's going on in other parts of the Philippines, instead of preparing to leave for the polls. Over at ABS-CBN, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was shown voting. Per ABS-CBN's calculation, GMA took only six minutes to vote. If it's that fast, I figured I would go to the precinct at 8:00 in the morning.
The night before the election day, I had planned what would I wear and what would I bring. To warn the voters that if they thought only for themselves when they vote, if they wouldn't think of future of the country, they would get nowhere, I would wear my T-shirt with a quote by Conrado de Quiros: "You don't have national pride or a sense of country, you'll get nowhere." Sadly, however, I would find out that the voters were too busy to even bother to look at my T-shirt, let alone contemplate the profundity of what's written on it. To monitor the time and see if the election is faster than before, I would wear a wrist watch, although I'm not used to wearing it because it annoys me.
At 8:45, I arrived at the polling precinct. Already, the entrance to the Cabantian Elementary School, where I would be casting my vote, was dominated by "poll assistors" (poll assistants would be much simpler) distributing sample ballots, vendors selling mineral water, Max and Snowbear, teenagers and bystanders doing...nothing.
Then I went to my precinct: 1808C. Like all the other precincts, mine was already crowded. There were those who were looking for their names on the list pasted on wall. Some were asking for priority numbers. There were also the omnipresent "poll assistors," struggling to get inside, or at least get close to, the precinct.
I searched my name on the list to double-check if my precinct was really there. I'm glad I did, because when I found my name, it was listed under a different precinct: 1808E. But that was no matter. I was still on the right precinct. The COMELEC, I discovered, put the five precincts in one cluster. For instance, the precincts from 1808A to 1808E were put in cluster 545. Hence, the overcrowded precincts.
The polling precincts were replete with posters informing the voters of the six things they need to do to cast their votes. The procedure looked good---on paper. It was not followed. I don't know if the same procedure was followed in other places, but the actual voting procedure in Brgy. Cabantian went like this: First, the voter would fall in line to get a priority number. As for me, I started to fall in line at 8:50. I received my priority number at 10:24. After the voter got his priority number, he would again fall in another line that which led to the precinct. Once the voter got inside, he would tell his precinct number to the BEI (Board of Election Inspector). If his name is on the list, the BEI would ask for his signature and thumb mark. All that that took me no less than 50 minutes.
At 11:14, I was done casting my vote. All in all, it took me 149 minutes (2 hours and 29 minutes) to vote. I can say that I'm lucky to have just been inconvenienced for 149 minutes.
Some of you would say that 149 minutes is too much. But come to think of it. This was no ordinary day. We are talking about election here. It is the time when we choose our next leaders. It is the time when we decide not only the fate of our country, but also our fate.
If it takes only 149 minutes to choose leaders who would help our country better again; if it takes only 149 minutes to undo all that GMA did; if it takes only 149 minutes to reclaim what this country has lost; if it takes only 149 minutes to save us from another six years of felony, perfidy, and larceny----if it takes only 149 minutes to achieve all that, then we should be more than willing to spare 149 minutes of our time.
It cannot be denied that we have this tendency to inflate our own misery. But as the man, who tried to organize the disorganized voters at my polling precinct, said, "Kini na ang panahon para mag-sakripisyo lang ta gamay" (This is the time that we have to sacrifice a little).
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Is Talk 'N Text stealing from its cash-strapped subscriber?
Is Talk 'N Text, "a wholly owned subsidiary of SMART," stealing from a cash-strapped subscriber?
This morning I loaded Gaantxt 10 onto my cellphone, a load equivalent to 55 texts to Talk ‘N Text/Smart + 5 texts to all networks! But when I replied to a very urgent text message, what appeared was not "Message Sent." It was "Check Operator Services." This happened before. Maybe my phone is so dumb that it needs a little time to absorb the fact that I have just loaded onto it. So I waited for about five minutes. Then I resent the message. Still, it was "Check Operator Services."
I refer the matter to my sister, who said maybe I just need to reload it. So I loaded it again with P30 ECONOMY Pack. Still, I was told to "Check Operator Services."
Now, I started to get irritated. No, naglagot na ko. Kita pa nga gatipid, kita pay kuwaan ug load.
I inquired 15001. Then I received a text message informing me that as of 29April 09:03 I have a "Load Bal: P30 Free Txt to Smart/TNT:100 Free Txt to all networks:5.
If so, why can't I text? And every time I do, why am I always told to "Check Operator Services?" Is Talk 'N Text suffering from a Dr.Jekyll-and-Mr.Hyde syndrome? It says that I still have a load, but in truth I don't.
Did Talk 'N Text, "a wholly owned subsidiary of SMART," just steal from me, a cash-strapped subscriber?
I'm afraid it did. The bad news is that I'm one of the many victims of this "cellphone load robbery," as Senator Juan Ponce Enrile put it. The good news is that I'm one of the many victims of this "cellphone load robbery."
I recall that no less than Senator Juan Ponce Enrile also fell prey to this "cellphone load robbery."
Now I begin to wonder: if Senator Enrile fell prey to this, how much more if the subscriber is a lowly one like me, a cash-strapped subscriber?
Update: Talk 'N Text is now back to normal. Which is to say, I can now send messages. But I won't delete this post. Let this be a reminder that once upon a time, Talk 'N Text went awry.
This morning I loaded Gaantxt 10 onto my cellphone, a load equivalent to 55 texts to Talk ‘N Text/Smart + 5 texts to all networks! But when I replied to a very urgent text message, what appeared was not "Message Sent." It was "Check Operator Services." This happened before. Maybe my phone is so dumb that it needs a little time to absorb the fact that I have just loaded onto it. So I waited for about five minutes. Then I resent the message. Still, it was "Check Operator Services."
I refer the matter to my sister, who said maybe I just need to reload it. So I loaded it again with P30 ECONOMY Pack. Still, I was told to "Check Operator Services."
Now, I started to get irritated. No, naglagot na ko. Kita pa nga gatipid, kita pay kuwaan ug load.
I inquired 15001. Then I received a text message informing me that as of 29April 09:03 I have a "Load Bal: P30 Free Txt to Smart/TNT:100 Free Txt to all networks:5.
If so, why can't I text? And every time I do, why am I always told to "Check Operator Services?" Is Talk 'N Text suffering from a Dr.Jekyll-and-Mr.Hyde syndrome? It says that I still have a load, but in truth I don't.
Did Talk 'N Text, "a wholly owned subsidiary of SMART," just steal from me, a cash-strapped subscriber?
I'm afraid it did. The bad news is that I'm one of the many victims of this "cellphone load robbery," as Senator Juan Ponce Enrile put it. The good news is that I'm one of the many victims of this "cellphone load robbery."
I recall that no less than Senator Juan Ponce Enrile also fell prey to this "cellphone load robbery."
Now I begin to wonder: if Senator Enrile fell prey to this, how much more if the subscriber is a lowly one like me, a cash-strapped subscriber?
Update: Talk 'N Text is now back to normal. Which is to say, I can now send messages. But I won't delete this post. Let this be a reminder that once upon a time, Talk 'N Text went awry.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Poll automation, no matter what
A new way of doing things will always give feelings of discomfort to those who are accustomed or programmed to doing things their way---which is the old way. Just imagine you grandparents, who have never seen, let alone touch a computer, signing up for Facebook.
But if we know the old way is no longer working, what should we do? Obstinately stick to it? Or look for a new way of doing it? Of course, the latter is the more sound choice.
With regard to our elections, there is a clear need to look for a new way of doing it. Critics of the poll automation feel that there will be failures at some point. They are damn right. Surely, there will be failures.
But the risk of failure should not justify our inactivity.
But if we know the old way is no longer working, what should we do? Obstinately stick to it? Or look for a new way of doing it? Of course, the latter is the more sound choice.
With regard to our elections, there is a clear need to look for a new way of doing it. Critics of the poll automation feel that there will be failures at some point. They are damn right. Surely, there will be failures.
But the risk of failure should not justify our inactivity.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
No time for Mindanao?
[caption id="attachment_1683" align="aligncenter" width="468" caption="Photo courtesy of davaobloggers.net"]
[/caption]
Towards the end of the forum "Paminaw Mindanao," Amina Rasul, one of the the forum's convenors, gave a summary of Gibo's, JC's, Perlas's, and Villanueva's plans for Mindanao.
There is, however, a trace of disappointment in Rasul's voice. And she expressed the same sentiment in her column:
The Five Men who were no shows at the forum, is Mindanao really not a "critical component of your campaigns," is it?
[/caption]Towards the end of the forum "Paminaw Mindanao," Amina Rasul, one of the the forum's convenors, gave a summary of Gibo's, JC's, Perlas's, and Villanueva's plans for Mindanao.
There is, however, a trace of disappointment in Rasul's voice. And she expressed the same sentiment in her column:
Unfortunately, of the nine presidential candidates, only Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Brother Eddie Villanueva, Coun-cilor JC de los Reyes and independent candidate Nicky Perlas came. The others were no shows, perhaps clearly indicating that Mindanao is not a critical component of their campaigns (although they did come to dialogue with Pastor Quiboloy, the “appointed son of God”). [Emphasis mine]
The Five Men who were no shows at the forum, is Mindanao really not a "critical component of your campaigns," is it?
Friday, April 16, 2010
Wala naminaw sa Paminaw Mindanao
Unlike some of my friends who went to HCDC Gym to attend Paminaw Mindanao, a presidential forum on Mindanao, I was able to secure a white ticket, that which allowed me sit in the chairs below, among the important and not-so important people, not in the bleachers above.
Since I don't have a laptop to document all that happened there, I just used my cp and saved what I wrote in the outbox. Here goes:
From there, I stopped typing. By the time Gibo laid out his plan for Mindanao----he said there is a need for a paradigm shift, a one-size-fits-all approach to Mindanao won't work because the causes of conflicts in this island are varied----we were busy searching for Who's Who in Philippine Politics.
Anton Lagdameo was there. My friend said it would have been better had he brought Dawn Zulueta with her.
Bebot Bello, the senatorial candidate who styled himself as Justice Man, was there, wearing a violet vest that reminds me very much of sapin-sapin.
Nanding Pacheco, founder of Ang Kapatiran Party, was there.
I don't know who else were there.
I didn't get much of what the presidentiables said. All I can say is that the forum was enlightening. There, I learned that the color of the dress that Amina Rasul, of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, wore yesterday was not orange. It's saffron.
Since I don't have a laptop to document all that happened there, I just used my cp and saved what I wrote in the outbox. Here goes:
- "Forum, paminaw mindnanao. 4 came. Gbo, jc, perlas, bro. Edie. jc was late.
- "Startd with a prayr from tri.people."
- "Gibo, cutlre, devt, and securty."
From there, I stopped typing. By the time Gibo laid out his plan for Mindanao----he said there is a need for a paradigm shift, a one-size-fits-all approach to Mindanao won't work because the causes of conflicts in this island are varied----we were busy searching for Who's Who in Philippine Politics.
Anton Lagdameo was there. My friend said it would have been better had he brought Dawn Zulueta with her.
Bebot Bello, the senatorial candidate who styled himself as Justice Man, was there, wearing a violet vest that reminds me very much of sapin-sapin.
Nanding Pacheco, founder of Ang Kapatiran Party, was there.
I don't know who else were there.
I didn't get much of what the presidentiables said. All I can say is that the forum was enlightening. There, I learned that the color of the dress that Amina Rasul, of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, wore yesterday was not orange. It's saffron.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Whom we should not vote for?
[caption id="attachment_1670" align="aligncenter" width="570" caption="Photo courtesy of Dominique Cimafranca"]
[/caption]
My friends and I made a pact: We will not vote for candidates who violate the law.
Those who post their campaign ads on restricted areas we will not vote for.
Those who campaigned during the Holy Week we will not vote for.
Those who spend more than what is allowed we will not vote for.
Those whose campaign posters are bigger than what is required by the COMELEC we will not vote for.
We are not being too harsh on the pretenders to the public office. Our is simply based on the principle that if they cannot follow simple laws now that they are not yet in office, how much more if they are already elected?
[/caption]My friends and I made a pact: We will not vote for candidates who violate the law.
Those who post their campaign ads on restricted areas we will not vote for.
Those who campaigned during the Holy Week we will not vote for.
Those who spend more than what is allowed we will not vote for.
Those whose campaign posters are bigger than what is required by the COMELEC we will not vote for.
We are not being too harsh on the pretenders to the public office. Our is simply based on the principle that if they cannot follow simple laws now that they are not yet in office, how much more if they are already elected?
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Why I will vote for Noynoy...
Because he is good, among others, for education.
I have a special interest for education. First, I'm an education student, which means that I'll be a future teacher. True, I'll be taking up law soon after I graduate from college. But that doesn't mean I've lost my special interest for education. Who knows, I just might be a professor of law?
Second, I'll be having my own children. Later na. And I don't want them to be victims of our less than impressive educational system.
That is why I want to see our educational system improved. And I think and believe that it will happen if Noynoy Aquino were to be elected President of the Philippines.
As Isagani Cruz argued, "He is the only presidential candidate that has thought through the problems of education in our country. Even if all the candidates say that they regard the deterioration of public education as the most important and pressing issue to be faced by the new government, none of the others have put forward any kind of education reform program that makes sense."
Here is Noynoy's ten-point agenda on education:
***
P.S. Didn't I write before that I would vote for Richard Gordon? Of course, I did. Look it up here. But I changed my mind. And I think I'm allowed to do so. Changing one's mind is, of course, not an insult to one's person. It was I think Jose Diokno who said that a man praises himself when he changed his mind. For it only means that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
I have a special interest for education. First, I'm an education student, which means that I'll be a future teacher. True, I'll be taking up law soon after I graduate from college. But that doesn't mean I've lost my special interest for education. Who knows, I just might be a professor of law?
Second, I'll be having my own children. Later na. And I don't want them to be victims of our less than impressive educational system.
That is why I want to see our educational system improved. And I think and believe that it will happen if Noynoy Aquino were to be elected President of the Philippines.
As Isagani Cruz argued, "He is the only presidential candidate that has thought through the problems of education in our country. Even if all the candidates say that they regard the deterioration of public education as the most important and pressing issue to be faced by the new government, none of the others have put forward any kind of education reform program that makes sense."
Here is Noynoy's ten-point agenda on education:
- “I will expand basic education in this country from a short 10-year cycle to a globally-comparable 12 years before the end of the next administration (2016).”
- “All public school children (and all public schools) will have a full year of pre-schooling as their introduction to formal schooling by 2016.”
- “I want a full basic education for ALL Muslim Filipino children anywhere in the country.”
- “I will re-introduce technical-vocational education in our public high schools to better link schooling to local industry needs and employment.”
- “By the end of the next administration, every child must be a reader by Grade 1.”
- “I will rebuild the science and math infrastructure in schools so that we can produce more scientists, engineers, technicians, technologists and teachers in our universities so that this country can be more globally competitive in industry and manufacturing.”
- “I will expand the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Program (GASTPE) to a target of 1 million private HS students every year through education service contracting (ESC) while doing away with the wasteful education voucher system (EVS) of this administration.”
- “My view on the medium of instruction is larger than just the classroom. We should become tri-lingual as a country: Learn English well and connect to the world. Learn Filipino well and connect to our country. Retain your dialect and connect to your heritage.”
- “I will not tolerate poor textbook quality in our schools. Textbooks will be judged by three criteria: quality, better quality, and more quality.”
- “I will build more schools in areas where there are no public or private schools in a covenant with LGUs so that we can realize genuine education for all.”
***
P.S. Didn't I write before that I would vote for Richard Gordon? Of course, I did. Look it up here. But I changed my mind. And I think I'm allowed to do so. Changing one's mind is, of course, not an insult to one's person. It was I think Jose Diokno who said that a man praises himself when he changed his mind. For it only means that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
'Twas a blast
I spent most of my two-week Christmas vacation reading Twisted 6 by Jessica Zafra, who, in fact, didn't like the way people celebrate Christmas. And it was a blast.
But if you're looking for a feelgood book, look for another writer. Refrain from any of Jessica Zafra's book because her books don't make you, well, feel good. Jessica Zafra is that type of writer who vexes you, who doesn't make you sleep well, who disturbs you, and, most importantly, makes you see things in a new way. She doesn't "pander to the morons," to use her expression.
To give you an idea of what I'm saying, a few sampling from Twisted 6:
On Christmas
Christmas. I'm just glad it's over. Christmas is a wonderful concept completely ruined in the execution. Grand notions like peace and love somehow translate into vein-popping stress, frantic mobs in shopping malls, massive traffic jams, and mass hypocrisy as you feign camaraderie with people you'd rather push off the building. Christmas has become a holiday of obligation, underscore obligation. You have to give, give, give, and even if everyone says it's the thought that counts, the terrible truth is that no one really wants another scented candle.
On showbiz personalities entering politics
Unlike those who bewail the influx of showbiz personalities into politics, I see it as a natural development. The more movie and TV stars get elected into office, the closer we will get to the solution to our problems. Are you sick of patronage, mediocrity, corruption, cronyism, abuse of power, aimlessness and all that? Then let's forget this nationhood thing and turn the Philippines into an entertainment center: the Las Vegas of the East!
After all, we've had far more success in entertaining than in governing...
On Miriam Santiago
We know that in politics, allegiances change, loyalties are reassigned, and fighting words are sucked back in. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is not the only person to change her mind---politicians do that every thirty seconds, assuming they have minds. But Miriam was supposed to be different. I kind of miss the old Miriam. call me a nut, but I do.
On the yuppies in the Philippines
It should be noted that while the Philippines quickly adapts to the latest trends from the United States, the yuppie phenomenon is a fairly recent development. It did not really occur on these shores until the late Eighties and early Nineties. Therefore while yuppie is a derogatory term in the rest of the world, in the Philippines it is still considered glamorous.
But if you're looking for a feelgood book, look for another writer. Refrain from any of Jessica Zafra's book because her books don't make you, well, feel good. Jessica Zafra is that type of writer who vexes you, who doesn't make you sleep well, who disturbs you, and, most importantly, makes you see things in a new way. She doesn't "pander to the morons," to use her expression.
To give you an idea of what I'm saying, a few sampling from Twisted 6:
On Christmas
Christmas. I'm just glad it's over. Christmas is a wonderful concept completely ruined in the execution. Grand notions like peace and love somehow translate into vein-popping stress, frantic mobs in shopping malls, massive traffic jams, and mass hypocrisy as you feign camaraderie with people you'd rather push off the building. Christmas has become a holiday of obligation, underscore obligation. You have to give, give, give, and even if everyone says it's the thought that counts, the terrible truth is that no one really wants another scented candle.
On showbiz personalities entering politics
Unlike those who bewail the influx of showbiz personalities into politics, I see it as a natural development. The more movie and TV stars get elected into office, the closer we will get to the solution to our problems. Are you sick of patronage, mediocrity, corruption, cronyism, abuse of power, aimlessness and all that? Then let's forget this nationhood thing and turn the Philippines into an entertainment center: the Las Vegas of the East!
After all, we've had far more success in entertaining than in governing...
On Miriam Santiago
We know that in politics, allegiances change, loyalties are reassigned, and fighting words are sucked back in. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is not the only person to change her mind---politicians do that every thirty seconds, assuming they have minds. But Miriam was supposed to be different. I kind of miss the old Miriam. call me a nut, but I do.
On the yuppies in the Philippines
It should be noted that while the Philippines quickly adapts to the latest trends from the United States, the yuppie phenomenon is a fairly recent development. It did not really occur on these shores until the late Eighties and early Nineties. Therefore while yuppie is a derogatory term in the rest of the world, in the Philippines it is still considered glamorous.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Look before you leap
The action star turned president. The nocturnal president. The poster boy of corruption. The academically challenged president.
Joseph Estrada, “Erap” to his millions of tangahanga, suffered miserably in the past. He has been scraped off his office, cutting short his six-year Presidential into two and a half. He has been jailed and convicted. But he has been pardoned since, thanks to Madame Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
After being away for so many years from the cockfight that is politics, now he’s back, vowing as he does to continue what he has started. But for lack of anything newer and better and more convincing to show to the voters why he still remains to be the best choice, Erap—-or whoever is in-charge of building him up—-has rummaged in his baul and found his most-prized possession: his many years of experience in public service.
Setting aside the question if Erap is allowed to run for any public office this coming elections, many are afraid that The Erap might win because of his still-wide masa following.
But let us look before we leap, i.e., let us look at Erap's past before we ever think of voting for him as a President---again. Read A portrait of Erap as a public servant at RP2010.com.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Fighting martial law by way of martial law
[caption id="attachment_1463" align="alignleft" width="120" caption="Teodoro Locsin Jr."]
[/caption]Below is the speech of Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., which he delivered before the Joint Session of the Congress. Satirical and cerebral, the speech makes the case for the martial law in Maguindanao. In essence, it says that there can be no other "adequate response" to the martial law imposed by the Ampatuans but to impose, in return, "martial law by the government which is the exercise of the inherent police power to secure the public safety through the armed forces." Read the speech---it makes you think twice over whether martial law is necessary there. Here goes:
Sunday, December 6, 2009
The curious case of the Filipinos
We Filipinos are a bunch of...never mind. We know that a catastrophe is about to break. We see the signs of its coming all over us. Yet we don't do anything about it. It is as though everything's going to be all right. We sink into deep slumber. And worse, we come back to life only when there's death.
Look at the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy and Peping.
Or better yet, look at The Maguindanao Massacre.
Look at the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy and Peping.
Or better yet, look at The Maguindanao Massacre.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Like truth, books shall set us free
[caption id="attachment_1436" align="aligncenter" width="399" caption="Photo by blog.mariyamakiling.com"]
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(The essay below was adjudged as third in the Essay Writing Contest sponsored by the Learning Resource Center of our school, HCDC. Which means this essay's only worth a hundred pesos.)
Books have many purposes. There are books that entertain. There are books that teach us how to cook and plant. But books as weapons for independence? Probably a far-fetched idea. But once upon a time, in the Philippines, books were not just ornaments that adorned the library. Books, which are carriers of ideas, were once used as weapons for independence.
According to the historian Ambeth Ocampo, during the Spanish regime, the Philippines was sealed against liberal ideas. The Filipinos, who were then called indios, were not allowed to read. The Spaniards were so afraid that Filipinos might be enlightened they established a Comision de Censura. Its task was to censor all the books coming in the Philippines. This kept the Filipinos in the dark for well over three centuries.
Fortunately, we have such audacious heroes as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Apolinario Mabini. All were voracious readers. All acquired liberal ideas, which later spurred them to fight for independence from the Spaniards.
[/caption](The essay below was adjudged as third in the Essay Writing Contest sponsored by the Learning Resource Center of our school, HCDC. Which means this essay's only worth a hundred pesos.)
Books have many purposes. There are books that entertain. There are books that teach us how to cook and plant. But books as weapons for independence? Probably a far-fetched idea. But once upon a time, in the Philippines, books were not just ornaments that adorned the library. Books, which are carriers of ideas, were once used as weapons for independence.
According to the historian Ambeth Ocampo, during the Spanish regime, the Philippines was sealed against liberal ideas. The Filipinos, who were then called indios, were not allowed to read. The Spaniards were so afraid that Filipinos might be enlightened they established a Comision de Censura. Its task was to censor all the books coming in the Philippines. This kept the Filipinos in the dark for well over three centuries.
Fortunately, we have such audacious heroes as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Apolinario Mabini. All were voracious readers. All acquired liberal ideas, which later spurred them to fight for independence from the Spaniards.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Books shall set us free
This week is the National Book Week. This year's celebration has a theme "Kaaya-ayang Magbasa sa Kalikasang kay Ganda."
All the libraries of the Holy Cross of Davao College---Grade School Lib., High School Lib, Learning Resource Center (College Lib. e-Lib, IMC)---have prepared several activities for this week: essay writing contest, poster making contest, etc.
***
Today, I'll be joining an essay writing contest. The essay, the mechanics said, must be 150-300 words. It should revolve around the theme: "I need. I value. I love my library." An excerpt:
Books shall set us free
Books have many purposes. There are books that entertain. There are books that teach us how to cook and plant. But books as weapons for independence? Probably a far-fetched idea. But once upon a time, in the Philippines, books were not just ornaments that adorned the library. Books, which are carriers of ideas, were once used as weapons for independence.
All the libraries of the Holy Cross of Davao College---Grade School Lib., High School Lib, Learning Resource Center (College Lib. e-Lib, IMC)---have prepared several activities for this week: essay writing contest, poster making contest, etc.
***
Today, I'll be joining an essay writing contest. The essay, the mechanics said, must be 150-300 words. It should revolve around the theme: "I need. I value. I love my library." An excerpt:
Books shall set us free
Books have many purposes. There are books that entertain. There are books that teach us how to cook and plant. But books as weapons for independence? Probably a far-fetched idea. But once upon a time, in the Philippines, books were not just ornaments that adorned the library. Books, which are carriers of ideas, were once used as weapons for independence.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
'Cory is beautiful'
(The following essay was written by Mrs. Lourdes "Ma'am Gee" Gamutan, an
English and Literature professor at the Holy Cross of Davao College.)
Cory!
by Ma'am Gee
She held my hand in a warm clasp. I looked into her kind, lit-up face. While it was not yet my turn for her attention, I sized her up. Creamy skin. The kind that speaks of Chinese genes. Open, smiling face. The one that welcomes you without built-in reservation. Simple. Sans make up. In a person who hold number one authority in this land, it's a pleasant absurdity. There is no inclination to arrogance or meanness or claims to power in her aura. This is a wife of a hero. She herself a heroine to democracy in this corner of the earth.
English and Literature professor at the Holy Cross of Davao College.)
Cory!
by Ma'am Gee
She held my hand in a warm clasp. I looked into her kind, lit-up face. While it was not yet my turn for her attention, I sized her up. Creamy skin. The kind that speaks of Chinese genes. Open, smiling face. The one that welcomes you without built-in reservation. Simple. Sans make up. In a person who hold number one authority in this land, it's a pleasant absurdity. There is no inclination to arrogance or meanness or claims to power in her aura. This is a wife of a hero. She herself a heroine to democracy in this corner of the earth.
Friday, October 9, 2009
1st Alternative Blog Awards unveiled
The Philippine Blog Awards (PBA) gives out over a dozen of awards at its annual show: Best in Personal, Best in Commentary, Best in News & Media, etc. Yet there are countless blogs that also deserve recognition. But unfortunately those blogs do not make it to the PBA simply because they do not fall under any of the PBA’s category. It’s difficult to determine whether they belong to the Personal Category, News & Media, or Gaming.
I propose, then, the following categories in the interest of giving recognition to other deserving blogs. These awards will be given at the 1st Alternative Blog Awards (ABA).
I propose, then, the following categories in the interest of giving recognition to other deserving blogs. These awards will be given at the 1st Alternative Blog Awards (ABA).
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
09/09/09
To some people, the triple nine signifies luck. To Filipinos who are still coming to grips with the loss of a consummate Filipino, however, today is significant because it’s the 40th day after Cory Aquino’s death.
Also, Noynoy Aquino, Cory's only son, announced today that he would join the presidential race in 2010.
"I am accepting the responsibility to continue this nation's fight," Noynoy said. "I am accepting the challenge to lead this fight. I am running for the presidency in the coming election."
But let us revert to Cory's death. It’s but human nature that when one is about to die, one seeks atonement, no matter how venial or mortal his or her sins are. Cory did just that when she was in her deathbed.
By contrast, Mao Zedong, whose 33rd death anniversary the world over is also commemorating today, didn’t seek atonement at all. He didn’t take the trouble of asking for forgiveness. What he should ask forgiveness for? For the well over 70 million deaths he caused under his regime. Nor did he admit he had wronged.
Mao Zedong, born on December 26, 1893 into a well-to-do peasant family in Hunan Province, founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
In Mao: The Unknown Story, an 800-page tome, the authors Jung Chang and Jon Halliday made known what still consumed Mao in his last days.
“Hatred, frustration, and self-pity dominated Mao’s last days,” Chang and Halliday said.
*
Two days after I struggled to finish Albert Camus’ La Chute (The Fall), I began reading John Steinback’s The Grapes of Wrath today.
When I borrow a book, I make it a point to look at the Due Date Slip of the book and see when the book was first borrowed and the last time it was loaned out. I did the same when I borrowed The Grapes of Wrath yesterday. The first time it was borrowed was on August 8, 1997 and the last time was on September 5, 2007. In between that decade, only seven people bothered to borrow, let alone read, the book.
Does this imply something about the reading taste of Holy Crossians? I leave the matter for the librarians to debate.
I’m still on the first few pages of The Grapes of Wrath, but I’ve had a fair idea what the book is about. “Particularized in the story of the Joad family,” said its back cover, “the novel is not only a powerful dramatization of the forced migration of the “Okies” from their bank-foreclosed fields and farms; it is a dramatization as well of the plight of the dispossessed everywhere.”
Writing in The Nation in 1939, the year when the book first appeared, Louis Kronenberger said of the book:
“The Grapes of Wrath is superb tract because it exposes something terrible and true with enormous vigor. It is a superb tract, moreover, by virtue of being thoroughly animated fiction, by virtue of living scenes and living characters…”
I think I can relate to this novel because our family was once driven out of our property five years ago.
Also, Noynoy Aquino, Cory's only son, announced today that he would join the presidential race in 2010.
"I am accepting the responsibility to continue this nation's fight," Noynoy said. "I am accepting the challenge to lead this fight. I am running for the presidency in the coming election."
But let us revert to Cory's death. It’s but human nature that when one is about to die, one seeks atonement, no matter how venial or mortal his or her sins are. Cory did just that when she was in her deathbed.
By contrast, Mao Zedong, whose 33rd death anniversary the world over is also commemorating today, didn’t seek atonement at all. He didn’t take the trouble of asking for forgiveness. What he should ask forgiveness for? For the well over 70 million deaths he caused under his regime. Nor did he admit he had wronged.
Mao Zedong, born on December 26, 1893 into a well-to-do peasant family in Hunan Province, founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
In Mao: The Unknown Story, an 800-page tome, the authors Jung Chang and Jon Halliday made known what still consumed Mao in his last days.
“Hatred, frustration, and self-pity dominated Mao’s last days,” Chang and Halliday said.
*
Two days after I struggled to finish Albert Camus’ La Chute (The Fall), I began reading John Steinback’s The Grapes of Wrath today.
When I borrow a book, I make it a point to look at the Due Date Slip of the book and see when the book was first borrowed and the last time it was loaned out. I did the same when I borrowed The Grapes of Wrath yesterday. The first time it was borrowed was on August 8, 1997 and the last time was on September 5, 2007. In between that decade, only seven people bothered to borrow, let alone read, the book.
Does this imply something about the reading taste of Holy Crossians? I leave the matter for the librarians to debate.
I’m still on the first few pages of The Grapes of Wrath, but I’ve had a fair idea what the book is about. “Particularized in the story of the Joad family,” said its back cover, “the novel is not only a powerful dramatization of the forced migration of the “Okies” from their bank-foreclosed fields and farms; it is a dramatization as well of the plight of the dispossessed everywhere.”
Writing in The Nation in 1939, the year when the book first appeared, Louis Kronenberger said of the book:
“The Grapes of Wrath is superb tract because it exposes something terrible and true with enormous vigor. It is a superb tract, moreover, by virtue of being thoroughly animated fiction, by virtue of living scenes and living characters…”
I think I can relate to this novel because our family was once driven out of our property five years ago.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Have we a sense of country?
Seth Mydans, of the New York Times, wrote:
Where does the fault lie?
Conrado de Quiros confronted the same question in his speech at the graduation rites of UP Visayas in Ilo-Ilo City. He said:
The Philippines, with a population of 92 million, is one of the most vibrant nations in Asia, with a flamboyantly free press and a creative, assertive body of independent organizations and interest groups.
But it has not managed to tame its Communist and Muslim insurgencies or its restive military, which seems constantly to be plotting coups. Human rights groups say abuses by the military have returned to the levels of the Marcos years.
And the political arena sometimes seems more like a form of mass entertainment than a place of governance.
Where does the fault lie?
Conrado de Quiros confronted the same question in his speech at the graduation rites of UP Visayas in Ilo-Ilo City. He said:
We have no dearth of examples to show the lack of will on the part of this country's leaders and citizens. But where does this lack of will come from? Is it in our nature? Are we naturally flawed? Is it in our character? Are we naturally weak? Or is it, to quote Cassius, in our stars that we are underlings?
It is none of these. From where I stand, it is simply this: We have no sense of country.
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