PHILIPPINES' 2010 ELECTION
MOST OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN POLITICS, PROMISES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN...WE WILL SEE THIS ONE...
Sen. Manuel Roxas II formally declared yesterday he is running with Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino Jr., and both promised not to steal from the people if elected.
“I wholeheartedly accept the challenge to push forward the reforms in the country. I wholeheartedly accept the responsibility of being Noynoy’s partner in his fight for change. I wholeheartedly accept to be Noynoy Aquino’s partner,” Roxas said in a speech before supporters and LP members at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.
He also thanked Aquino for the opportunity to work with him “as we raise the banner of reform” and “fight for decency and integrity in public service, and for a government that puts the people’s interest first.”
“Noy, you have raised the banner. This is the banner of hope and reform. This will put food on the table because the funds for the farmers will no longer be stolen. This will provide jobs to the people because investors will no longer be victims of extortion. This will make prices of medicine affordable because there will no longer be government connivance with abusive pharmaceutical companies,” Roxas said in Filipino.
Roxas was apparently taking a swipe at the Arroyo administration for its involvement in high-level corruption, including the alleged diversion of funds for farmers to the campaign kitty of President Arroyo in the fertilizer fund scam and the overpriced national broadband network deal with China’s ZTE Corp.
Critics have also accused the Arroyo administration of allegedly dragging its feet on the cheaper medicine law due to the strong lobby of giant pharmaceutical firms.
But Roxas stressed the fight would not just be about him and Aquino. “It’s bigger than the two of us, it is bigger than the Liberal Party. It is about our collective thirst for change. It is about our thirst for change finally overcoming those who want to continue the tayo-tayo (exclusive) system, the horse-trading, the greed, the self-interest, the transactional politics that has been the biggest roadblock to progress and prosperity for all,” he said.
“This is about what is straight and what is crooked. This is about the honest against the corrupt. This about right versus wrong,” Roxas said.
Roxas acknowledged that it would be a tough battle in 2010 and that they should not be lulled into complacency.
“We are up against forces who will fight tooth and nail, fair and unfair, legal and illegal, against us. For them, happiness continues; for us, the fight is on,” Roxas said.
“Our opponents will exhaust all avenues in order to win. They have been robbing us for so long, and they want to continue robbing us. But we will not allow them to rob our hopes as well,” he said.
“I am honored to join him (Aquino) in this field of battle. To all of us here in this hall and all across this great nation who are fighting alongside him, make no mistake about it: We will not back down from this fight, not now, not ever,” Roxas said.
“The fog of cynicism has already lifted from our hearts. Now, we can dream again. Together, we will not forsake you. We will fight,” he said.
Lower taxes
For his part, Aquino said in a press conference after Roxas’s declaration that he was hoping to bring down taxes if elected by using government resources judiciously.
“Our ambition is to lower taxes and maybe the key there is to collect the existing ones correctly. And maybe if the use of the public funds will be more proper, then the basic services for the people will become better and available at lesser cost to the people,” Aquino said.
He said he hopes to attract more investors by eliminating corruption and ensuring that government funds are spent wisely.
Roxas’s acceptance of Aquino’s invitation to be the LP’s vice presidential bet was timed for the 37th anniversary of the declaration of martial law, which their parents, former senators Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and Gerardo “Gerry” Roxas, fought as LP stalwarts and opposition leaders.
Aquino’s mother, former President Corazon Aquino, took her oath in the same hall at Club Filipino when she took over the presidency after the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos in a peaceful people power revolution in February 1986. His father was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983 upon his return from self-exile in the United States.
Yesterday was also the celebration of Eid al-Fitr or the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
A Catholic priest and a Muslim preacher led the invocation. The prayers were for change and true freedom from poverty and other problems of the country, particularly strife in Mindanao.
Aquino praised Roxas for giving up his presidential plans for the sake of unity.
“This sacrifice gave way to the launching of a national movement formed by the people thirsty for the return of decent, clean and good governance,” Aquino said.
He cited the long history of friendship - of sharing the same ideals and dreams for the country - between his and Roxas’s family.
Sights and sounds
Although Roxas’s announcement was expected, a celebratory mood - steeped in symbolism - marked the occasion.
The color yellow and the endless flashing of the L for laban (fight) sign interspersed with the singing of patriotic songs, sounds of applause, and laughter.
An unidentified man who claimed to have come all the way from Pampanga let out impassioned - and sometimes unintelligible - shouts of solidarity for the LP tandem and drew laughter when he yelled “Mabuhay si Ninoy at Cory” and “Mabuhay si First Lady Korina (Sanchez).” Sanchez is the fiancee of Roxas. Pampanga is the home province of President Arroyo.
Singers Jim Paredes of the APO Hiking Society and Noel Cabangon, who sang “Ako’y Mabuting Pilipino (I am a good Filipino)” and the revolutionary anthem “Bayan Ko (My Country)” led in the chanting and singing.
Both Aquino and Roxas were asked to sing and both obliged, to the delight of the audience.
As in past gatherings involving the Aquinos, there were also showers of confetti at yesterday’s event.
Aquino was accompanied by his younger sister, Victoria Eliza or Viel. He said his sister was usually shy but had to do the job for him.
Roxas’ mother, Judy Araneta Roxas, was present, but Sanchez, the fiancee of Roxas, as well as the girlfriend of Aquino, Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad, were not. Aquino and Roxas said their girlfriends had to attend to some other things yesterday.
Talks with Erap on
Aquino said his talks with former President Joseph Estrada would push through without conditions and in the hope that they would be able to agree on matters that would be for the good of the nation.
Aquino stressed he would like to reach out to as many quarters as possible and find out how they could cooperate with one another.
He said he is grateful for offers of help, including offers from some people to make their own houses Aquino-Roxas headquarters. Aquino said a concert and other fund raising activities are being organized to help them in the campaign.
Roxas said they were hoping to get the support of people who reject the current administration.
SEVEN (7) REASONS WHY THE SUPPORT FOR NOYNOY FOR PRESIDENT IS NOW IN A FASTER PACE
1. We see the handiwork of God in his candidacy – Ninoy died for the country and his widow became president after people power.. After battling cancer, Cory went home to the Lord which ushered in an unprecedented showing of support and love for a former president. This showing of support miraculously bankrolled into a people’s call for Noynoy to run for president even if he had no plans of doing so. These events could only be orchestrated by a sovereign God who has compassion over nations shackled by the blight and darkness of arrogant and shameless corruption.
2. He inspires hope – Prior to Noynoy’s candidacy, we were resigned to our fate of just choosing the utopian lesser evil among traditional, same old, eager beaver presidentiables. None of them inspires hope. But all that changed when Noynoy responded to that God-given calling in his life to serve the Filipino people whom his father died for . Tears of hope from the hearts and eyes of ordinary Filipinos flowed when he declared his candidacy . Upon learning of Noynoy’s candidacy, a Bureau of Customs employee said, “Salamat. Pwede na ulit mangarap.”
3. He is honest – Ballsy Aquino Cruz, Noynoy’s sister declared on national media that she is willing to be shot if anybody could present evidence that her brother is a thief. This sincerity is unparalleled even among the closest family and relatives of the other presidentiables. None of the other presidentiables’ sisters or brothers would like to end up dead. Noynoy was reared in an environment of honesty as exemplified by the lives of his parents. Indeed, an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
4. He has strength of character – We don’t need a president who will hang a shingle in Malacanang that reads, “ Business as Usual”. He is the only candidate that we believe when he says he will clean house because he is clean.
5. He is humble and not in love with power – Everything about him is not contrived. Ordinary people like us could see through spin doctor- managed acting among public officials and candidates. But we see in Noynoy the sincere simplicity of a simple man, who although pedigreed, is not self-centered, power and recognition hungry. He doesn’t mind having thinning hair, simple clothes and a down-to-earth manner of speaking. More so, his humble spirit was manifested when he sought God’s direction first before plunging in the presidential race.
We could see that his reluctance to seek the presidency is genuine. We believe that power should be given to those who have strength of character because they are not obsessed nor in love with it. And yes, Mr. Gary Olivar, Malacanang spokesman, Noynoy is his own man because true manhood could only come from a humble spirit.
6. He alone could mobilize people power – No other presidentiables could ask the Filipino people to bankroll his campaign and credibly call for volunteers. In this country where the norm is patronage politics and presidentiables spend billions just to win an election, Noynoy is the only presidential candidate as of press time who is being swamped by a snowballing groundswell volunteer support from unknown, ordinary Filipinos from Luzon to Vizayas without any budget. Noynoy is the anti-thesis of patronage politics because he could ask for volunteers to spend time and resources to campaign for him.
7. He is the good in this fight between good and evil – No other opposition candidate had earned the most vicious attacks from Malacanang and the other political parties who are fielding candidates in the presidential race than Noynoy.
In fact, some parties are already demolishing the people’s perception and argument that the 2010 presidential race is a fight against good and evil. Noynoy’s detractors would like to brush aside the morality of the elections because morality in government leadership is not a campaign strategy that could propel their traditional, same old, eager beaver presidential candidates.
It is true what Earl Spencer said ,that true goodness is threatening to those who are on the other side of the moral spectrum. In this fight versus good and evil, Noynoy credibly represents the good.
In his declaration speech, he was unmindful of politics or a possible lost of votes when he said he desires justice over the unresolved issues and cases the Marcoses committed against Filipinos. That to us , is true goodness , because it is a conviction that stands up for what is right no matter what the consequences are.
Filipinos, Filipinos, Filipinos.
When will you learn your lesson?
In 1998, you didn’t think when you all went with popularity to vote your favorite actor to the presidency.
In 2010, you’re going to do it again by voting someone purely on the basis of the popularity of his parents.
Don’t you know this man is a puppet? He can’t think for himself. And those of you who support him are worse!
You’re following a man who can’t think.
“Who’s the greater fool? The fool or the fool who follows him?”
- Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a New Hope, Episode IV of Star Wars
Well, Filipinos, this won’t be the first time you will be voting someone in who has absolutely NO platform of governance. At least the current administration’s platform was all about keeping the economy afloat. See, despite the worldwide crisis, did the Philippine economy collapse?
It should have!
But because the GMA Administration fixed the budget deficit long ago through improved tax collection and budget allocations as well as sound fiscal policy, you are not starving today.
Of course Filipinos can’t see that. You need to study your PhD’s in economics to understand simple stuff like that, right?
All you can understand is Basketball, Showbiz, Gossips, Rumors, and celebrity personalities, right?
So go ahead, Filipinos. Vote in another idiot into the Palace the same way you did with Joseph back in 1998.
AND OF COURSE, A REPLY MUST BE MADE LIKE THE ONE BELOW
-Sir,1998 is a lesson and Filipinos learnt from it. Proof? The People Power 2.
-If Noynoy is a puppet, well then tell me who really speaks for him.
-Another thing, SUKATAN BA ANG HUSAY MO SA PANANALITA PARA PATUNAYANG ISA KANG MAGALING NA KANDIDATO? Ang SONA ni GMA nitong taon ay napakaganda. Mahusay na naipahayag. Still, it lacks substance. Ni hindi nga nya nilinaw kung bababa ba talaga sya sa pwesto, hindi ba?
Quoted from you: “All you can understand is Basketball, Showbiz, Gossips, Rumors, and celebrity personalities, right?”
Oh really sir/ma’am? I think that’s absolutely wrong. Why are there mobilizations, mass actions, movements against the administration??? Simply because people understand what is happening to our society. Yes, a big population is apathetic, but not all. That’s why there are many programs that try to educate people.
-Vote another idiot??? Maybe you still can’t feel how idiot your president is. Or maybe you are numbed by your administration’s stupidity and dictatorship.
“You are not starving today?” What an idiot you seem to be. Even though Arroyo’s administration accomplished steady economic growth, she still didn’t solve the poverty and unemployment problem. Even though Arroyo raised the economy, that didn’t translate to more food, shelter, and jobs for Filipinos. The Philippines’s poverty rate is still among the highest in SEA. And the economy isn’t the only measure to say that a president did well. What about the political killings and the CORRUPTION rampant during her term? Even though I don’t have a PhD as you think is required for Filipinos to understand our economy, i think i know that Arroyo’s term sucked ass. Fuck you.
ON FUND RAISING (PISO-PISO) FOR NOYNOY & MAR TANDEM
THIS IS A GOOD START AND LET THE MASSES SUPPORT YOUR FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS...NEVER TO DEPEND ON ANY KINGMAKERS TO AVOID INDEBTEDNESS WHEN NOY2 AND MAR TAKE THE OFFICE. THIS IS WHERE THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCY OF THE OFFICE COMES-IN, OTHERWISE THE SO-CALLED KINGMAKERS WILL STILL HAVE THE SAY IN THE RUNNING OF THE COUNTRY AND WILL IMPEDE THE DECISIONS OF THE GOOD YOUNG MEN FOR A BETTER PHILIPPINES...JUST TO SERVE THE KINGMAKERS' SELF INTERESTS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING BEFORE AND WE ARE HERE TO STOP THIS MENACE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. TOGETHER WITH YOU, WE WILL MAKE THIS HAPPENED.
NO OTHER CHOICES???--THE SAME OLD STORY
(the marcoses, the aquinos, the estradas, the arroyos + the cojuancos, the lopezes, the montelibanos, the singsons, the duranos, the remullas, etc.,etc.,)
Mga Pare, this is the real common sense....considering Noynoy as a neophyte candidate for the highest position of the land and if we wanted him to be successful, his cards should remain opened whether or not appreciations or criticisms, strengths or weaknesses, good or bad...only then we could find-out the REAL HIM and how he will guide and lead the Philippines to a better place. If his TUTAs will only entertain all the appreciative-positive comments, how are we able to know his weaknesses? Noynoy should take this seriously and face head-on all the criticisms labelled against him...debate his reasons and make known his principles and convictions up to the extent of reinforcing the LEGACY of his father....then and only then, he will succeed to lead the beginning of a NEW PHILIPPINES.
Kung Pinoy si Noah......
Ganito ang mangyayari sa barko. Read along...
Taong 2008 at isang ordinaryong middle class pinoy si Noah.
Nagpakita sa kanya ang Diyos at sinabing "Pagkatapos ng isang taon
ay bubuhos ang ulan at babahain ang buong kapuluan ng Pilipinas. Gusto kong gumawa ka ng isang malaking arko at isakay mo rito ang pares-pares na mga hayop at mga mag-asawang pilipino sa iba't ibang kapuluan." Ibinigay kay Noah ang specs ng Arko, at taos puso nitong tinanggap ang responsibilidad na sagipin ang sambayanang Pilipino sa napipintong pagbaha.... Lumipas ang taon, muling nagpakita ang Diyos kay Noah. Walang arkong nagawa si Noah at galit na galit siyang tinanong ng Diyos, "Nasaan ang arko na ipinagawa ko sa iyo?" Tumugon si Noah, "Patawarin po ninyo ako kung di po natupad ang utos ninyo! Nagkaroon po ng malaking problema sa plano po ninyo ."
At inilahad ni Noah ang mga sagabal na nakaharap niya sa paggawa ng arko.
Humingi siya ng Mayor's permit pero papayag lang daw si Mayor kung ang gagawa ng arko ay ang construction firm ng kanyang pamangkin. Nakipagpulong siya sa isang Congressman pero papayag lang daw si Congressman kung may matatanggap siyang 30% commission.
Nagtayo ng unyon ang mga kinuha niyang manggagawa at nag-strike.
Natunugan ng mga left-leaning groups ang kanyang balak at ang mga ito ay nag-rally dahil daw sa hindi makatarungang pagpili ng mga taong sasakay sa arko (mga taong naniniwala lang sa Diyos ang pwedeng sumakay). Nakisali sa rally ang mga bading at lesbiana dahil bias daw na normal na mag-asawa lang ang pwedeng sumakay.
Ang civil society group ay nakisali na rin sa gulo dahil napag-alaman daw nila na ang pondong gagamitin sa paggawa ng arko ay galing sa
donasyon ng mga gambling lords at katas ng weteng.
Sa kaguluhang ito ay napilitang magpatawag ng hearing ang senado
"in aid of legislation". Sinubukan ni Noah na gamitin ang EO 464 para
makaiwas sa hearing pero dahil hindi sya executive official, napilitan siyang tumestigo.
Nang malaman ng senado na utos ng Diyos ang pagpapagawa ng arko, dineklara nila itong unconstitutional dahil hindi raw nito iginalang ang separation ng church at state .
Nakialam na rin ang NBI at PNP at sinabi nilang meron silang
impormasyon na ang barko raw na ito ay gagamitin ni Erap sa
kanyang muling pangangampanya. Sinabi naman ng ISAFP at DOJ na ito raw ay gagamitin ng grupong Magdalo sa binabalak nilang panibagong coup laban kay Arroyo. Nilapitan ni Noah si Exec. Sec. Eduardo Ermita para makipag-usap kay GMA. Payag daw si GMA na ituloy ang arko kung ipapaskil daw sa arko ang malaking mukha ni Arroyo na may slogan "Towards a Strong Republic".. "Hindi po ako pumayag kaya hanggang ngayon po ay may TRO ang pag-gawa ng arko.
Sa palagay ko po kailangan ko pa ng 10 taon para matapos ang inyong proyekto. "Ang huling wika ni Noah. Napailing ang Diyos at sinabing, "Di ko na pala kailangang gunawin pa ang bansang ito. Kayo lang, kaya ninyo ng gawin ito."
THE PHILIPPINES’ HISTORY SINCE 1521...THE REAL TRUTH THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO HIDE.
WHAT'S the big deal when Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan in 1521? Nothing much really. During Lapu-Lapu's time, Mactan was strictly tribal. Think small, gid. There were no big ideas such as nationalism or geopolitics.
Lapu-Lapu was simply, the local siga-siga and Magellan was the culture-shocked Westerner, a native first-timer in the exotic east.
We lionize Lapu-Lapu as a hero and nationalist. Ang totoo, mayabang lang si Lapu-Lapu. But his defeat of a foreign invader, did not make a Filipino nation. The timing was wrong. And don't you believe that bull That Spanish explorers came to find spices of the East to improve the taste of their bland cuisine. Their hidden agenda was to spread their kingdom through colonization, the euphemism for land grabbing.
During the 333 years of Spanish rule (1565-1898), hundreds of rebellion were waged by native firebrands in many parts of the archipelago.
Not one succeeded. Our rebels were either caught, garotted, or simply ignored by the Commandante as nuisances. Puro malas!
The execution of Rizal in 1896 was a traumatic experience for Filipinos. Those who read Rizal's Fili and Noli were incensed by the Abuses of the church and state regime of the Spaniards. Emotions ran high, from Aparri to Jolo. The critical mass needed for nationhood was formed. At Last we could rebel as a people, as a nation.
The Katipunan did their battle heroics, originally led by the firebrand Bonifacio and later on by the crafty Aguinaldo. With more Katipunan charges (Sugod mga Kapatid), freedom seemed possible. Between 1897 and 1899, stealth, betrayal, and skullduggery bedeviled our prospect for independence. The Aguinaldo and Bonifacio factions engaged in an ugly infighting (the talangka mentality) resulting in the execution of Bonifacio.
Meantime, an American Admiral named Dewey (not Dewey Dee, the fast one) entered Manila Bay and defeated a luckluster Spanish navy. Aguinaldo reneged on the pact of Biak na bato.
He resumed the revolution by proclaiming the Philippine Independence in Kawit. June 12. From who? We are still under the Americans & Spaniards at that time.
Meanwhile, American and Spanish soldiers held a "moromoro" battle in Intramuros with the Spaniards surrendering. Aguinaldo's republic and his KKK patriots were left out and ignored. Naisahan tayo... Minalas na naman.
The Filipino-American War broke out. Tall American soldiers looking like Clark Gable chased and battled the outlawed Filipino revolutionaries, ending in the capture of Aguinaldo in Isabela. Thanks to the mercenaries from Macabebe. This is the second time those Macabebe turn in their own kind first the Spaniards. This was the mother of all kamalasan.
At that time, our population was 8 million. The gap between the rich and the poor was estimated at 30% middle-class and rich, 70% low-class and rural poor.
During the Commonwealth period (1901-1941), which followed, there were lots of learning on democratic principles, its structure and governance. Technology transfers were done on Constitutional Rights, Public Education, Transportation, Health, International Trade and Industrialization. The Americans turned out to be good tutors. Filipinos also went crazy over American brand products like Libby's corned beef and Portola sardines, Hershey's Kisses and Wrigley's chewing gum, Camel cigarettes and Model T Ford for the hacienderos of Pampanga and Iloilo .
Hollywood films made Pinoy males fantasize on Jean Harlow, Betty Grable, and Mae West. Thus, Filipino colonial mentality began. We fondly called this period Peace Time. By the way, American troops massacred innocent people in Balanguiga. Mga hayup din pala!
1941. Disaster! World War II! After attacking Pearl Harbor , the Japanese army invaded our country defeating the combined American and Filipino forces (USAFFE). General McArthur, the proud and handsome Army chief, fled to Australia at the height of the battle. Then the Filipinos march to Bataan as the prisoner in the Death March.
For four miserable years we suffered the sadism of the Japanese militarists rule. Torture, famine, and death were for us, the order of the day.. Kawawa. Malas na malas!
The American forces returned in 1945 to liberate the country. McArthur, General superiority complex himself, sporting Ray Ban sunglasses and corncob pipe swaggered back to Manila . Piqued at his humiliation in 1941, McArthur ordered the bombing and shelling of Manila till kingdom come. So he can get back at Japs for wrecking his R&R place in Asia. Malas na naman.
The whole-wide expanse South of Pasig - from Post Office to Vito Cruz, including all of Intramuros - was pulverized. Manila was the most destroyed city of World War II next to Tokyo .
Our culture, our heritage, and historical assets (seven beautiful churches in Intramuros, hundreds of elegant Art Deco and neo-classical architecture in Paco) were sacrificed recklessly and completely erased from the face of the earth. Sayang na sayang!
In 1946, we gained our Independence from the Americans. We were a free nation at last. A true Independence day for us July 4th 1946 not the June 12th that Aguinaldo declared and Marcos celebrated. We had enough exposure and lessons on how to govern a democratic country, the first in Asia . Our population was 17 million. The dollar exchange was US$1 to P2.
But there was still no peace from 1947 to 1966. A widespread communist rebellion led by Taruc, the Lava brothers, and its armed guerillas called Hukbalahap (Supposed to be Hukbong Laban sa Hapon) waged bloody war with government troops and turn out to be nothing but bandits in disguised. Filipinos killed kapwa Filipinos. Malas na naman!
Our politicians and bureaucrats learned to engage in graft and corruption (What are we in power for?) - such as the war surplus bribery, the Tambobong wheeler-dealing and the Namarco scam. Talo!
Six presidents were elected to manage the country from 1947 to 1972, under the democratic system. They were Presidents Roxas, Quirino, Magsaysay, Garcia, Macapagal, and Marcos.
Economists looked back to the decades of the 50s and 60s as the best years of the Philippine economy, surpassing Asian countries. The nostalgia was naiveté, a useless ego-tripping. The gap between the rich and the poor remained big. 30% middle-class and rich, 70% low- class, rural and urban poor. We were 27 million people. US$1 was to P4.
During the late 60's, the Maoist communists led by Commander Dante intensified its drive to overthrow the government.. Marcos added fuel to the fire by creating a communist spook. Violence and mayhem rule the streets. The youth went up in arms! Martial Law was declared in 1972 and Marcos became dictator. Freedom of assembly and expression went out of the window..
What followed were years of dictatorial abuse, crony capitalism, shackled free enterprise, near economic collapse and a demoralized middle class. The gap between the rich (30%) and poor (70%) remained in a quagmire. Pareho rin pala ang situation.
Our population was 40 million. Exchange rate was US$1 to P7.. Kawawang kawawa! Malas na malas! In 1983, Ninoy Aquino, Marcos' exiled arch rival, was assassinated upon his return. Push came to shove. Cardinal Sin egged on the people on to protest. Outrage, self- pity, shame and fury raged and rumbled like a tidal wave, culminating in the incredible People Power Revolution. The very sick and obstinate Marcos fled (hijacked by Americans from Clark) to Hawaii (sounds like Paoay) where he died. His alleged millions of stolen dollars intact and unresolved. Up to now... Peso to dollar exchange is now P20 to $1.
But People Power was our shining glory! The whole world applauded our saintly courage, our dignified defiance, our bloodless solution to expel a dictator. We were the toast of all freedom-loving countries, the envy of all oppressed people. In 1986, we placed Cory Aquino, Ninoy's widow, in Malacañang. She was virtuous, sincere and full of good intentions for the country. But what happens under Cory?
An Endless brown out and living in a portable generators is a must and monopolize be Cory's realtives who threw out her Energy Dept down to Pasig river.
The land reform she professed and promised was going good at first but after she found out her Hacienda Luisa will be greatly affected that program went down the Pasig river too!. No wonder that river is so polluted.
Coup attempts by Honasan, power struggle, political squabbles, and the infighting for juicy deals harassed the amateur Cory presidency. So nothing happened. No progress took place. The economy was still bad. The poor suffered more and more. Sure we got democracy back on its feet. But the Filipino resolve didn't happen. People Power pala was ningas cogon power.
Sayang na sayang! Tha gap between the rich and the poor remained at 30% (middle-class and rich), 70% (lower-class and rural/urban poor). Exchange rate was US$1 to P25. We were 55 million people.
In 1992, Cory's choice, Fidel Ramos, West Pointer, soldier, and hero of the People Power won the presidency. He had the bearing, the single-mindedness and the vision to bring the country to a tiger economy status.. Ramos was a terrific salesman of the Philippines to the world. He was able to hype a climate of an economic ground. He removed barriers to progress. He was an apostle of privatization. His mantra was, less government, more private sector! Fidel hit the right note and the economy went on a roll.
Fidel wanted to run for reelection but failed to swing the cha-cha (an idiotic acronym for Constitutional Change) so he could run again.
In 1997, the Asian economic crises struck, triggered by a balloons burst of the hyper speculative Bangkok economy. The financial debacle created a disastrous effects in the investment institutions of Manila , Jakarta , Kuala Lumpur , Hong Kong, Seoul , and Taiwan .
All the Ramos gains evaporated into thin air. Malas na naman! The poor, specially Mang Pandoy, were poorer than ever.
1998 was showbiz time! The Erap para sa mahirap show opened to the chagrin of Makati Business Club. Pasensya na po kayo, mga elitists. Democracy is also weird. The choice of the masa must be respected.
Catastrophe! Chavit Singson exploded jueteng bombs! For days on end, a nation sick in the stomach, sat through primetime TV aghast at watching the bizarre drama of alleged bribery, gambling, drunkenness, womanizing, deceit, and corruption. A lantern-jawed witness and a sexy intelligence "asset" hogged the witness stand.
Viewing the scandals on TV was like watching dogs mating in the public square. It's embarrassing but you can't take your eyes of them.
The impeachment trial serialized on TV was riveting. The defense lawyers, some wearing a canine sneer (ngiting aso) insulted our intelligence often. (Lokohin n'yo ang lelang n'yo). The whole country was stinking to high heavens.. The prosecution produced its own witnesses - Clarissa Ocampo, Emma Lim, Carmencita Itchon and many others.
Idols with feet of clay fell crashing into the dust. Those who voted against opening the enveloped were legalese, procedural, and sounding intellectually brilliant. Also heartless and thick-skinned. They couldn't fathom the heartbeat of the nation. Cardinal Sin, aging and sickly, called the people again. It was People Power II!
Same humongous and collective umbrage, same brinkmanship, and same staccato prayers! Generals Reyes and Villanueva simply joined the mammoth EDSA crowd. No US jets from Clark this time. Erap was out!
Gloria was in!
Hope springs eternal. Malacañang regained its honor and dignity. Protocol was observed. Absurdity was gone.. Grammatical English was back. Now the first gentleman should have been named Mr. Pakyao, he has the monopoly of the graft behind Gloria's back.
2001. More catastrophies! The peso plummeted to a horrifying P51 to US$1. The Abu Sayyaf (extremist ideologues? Or mindless barbarians) were into kidnapping and terrorism, gaining worldwide notoriety. Businesses are still closing shop. Thousands of workers are being retrenched. Prices of food and gasoline are very high. (Galunggong is P80 per kilo!) Our streets became permanent garbage dumps. Maggots multiply to spread disease. Our communities stink.
Again, the whole nation was witnessing sickening crimes attributed to people in the government. Talo na naman! We are now 75 million people but the gap between the rich, 30% (middle-class and rich), 70% (lower-class and rural/urban poor) remains the same for one century.
When will this end? It's been more than 350 years since Lapu- Lapu's victory, 100 years since Rizal martyrdom and we're nowhere as a people, as a nation. Malas pa rin!
Some wise guy said the Filipino is a damaged culture. Bully! And what do you call other foreigners. They used slaves in their plantations, and landgrabbed from the natives! What should we call such culture? Predatory Culture? Bully Culture? What about another country? How many countries did it put under the barrel of its gunships, so they could gloat that the sun never sets on their empire?" What shall we call this culture?
Sahib culture? Gunga Din culture? C'mon, give us a break!
We Filipinos have strengths and endearing values. We are Christians, God-fearing, and peace-loving. We are patient and tolerant (matiisin to a fault). We are musical. We sing our blues away. We have a sense of humor. (We concoct and text Imelda hyperboles and Erap malapropism. ) We learn fast because we are bilingual and highly educated.
We've got thousands of MBA's and PhD's in economics and management from AIM, WHARTON, HARVARD, UCLA, etc (most of them now overseas).
We've got a surplus of technocrats for nation-building.
We want to work if there are vacancies.
We want to go into business if we have the capital.
We want to obey the law if the law is being enforced.
We want to live and die here, if there is peace and order.
But, but, and but. We have many shortcomings. We are immature in our politics. Given a choice on whom to elect: a handsome pabling movie star or an honest and brilliant political scientist, we'll vote for the movie star.
No brainer tayo dito. Talo! We have many stupidities. Like dogs, we pee (Bawal umihi dito) on walls and tires. Our driving is suicidal. Our service quality is inferior.
Clerks at City Hall act arrogant. Sales ladies at department stores don't know their product features. No exchange No return even it is defective you have to argue for it. Tourists get mugged by thugs in uniform.
Police lay traps so they can catch you and ask for bribe. What's wrong with us? We don't have a great leader. And good governance. (In Singapore , Lee Kwan Yu did it. The constituency profile is similar to Filipinos.) Admittedly, this country is impossible, tiresome, and frustrating.
But it's the only country we've got.
We live and die here.
Will we ever see the dawn?
Dios na mahabagin, Kailan pa kaya? Ubos na ang aming luha. Katog na ang aming mga tuhod. Tuyot na ang aming utak. Hingal na ang aming puso.
Dios na mahabagin, isalba Mo po kami. Hindi po kami talunan. At lalo pong hindi kami tanga. Sunod-sunod lang po ang malas.
NOTE:
Dati Kastila,
Amerikano,
Insik,
Hapon
ngayon may
Koriano pa
Mahabagin Diyos . . . . Nasaan Ka . . . PINOY ???
