Audience wanted answers to questions but not asked

By Minerva Generalao, Cyril Bonabente, Eliza Victoria
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Some 80 questions were asked in the first-ever Philippine Daily Inquirer Presidential Debate held Monday at the University of the Philippines (UP) Theater in Diliman, Quezon City, but those who came wanted to ask more.

Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III should have been asked about Hacienda Luisita, “and why he has not done much as a senator,” said C, 54, a businesswoman.

Another, who decided to be anonymous, said: “Noynoy should have been asked about Hacienda Luisita. Up to now, no forum had personally asked him about this issue.”

But Elizabeth San Diego of Quezon City disagreed. “I have already read and heard a lot about the case of Hacienda Luisita so I did not want to hear more about it anymore,” she said.

Amer Amor, a professor at UP Baguio, said, “I expected that someone would ask former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro about his links to President Arroyo.”

A 20-year-old student leader said he would have wanted to ask Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar: “How much money does a candidate have to spend on political ads?”

NBN-ZTE, other issues

“There was no question about NBN/ZTE,” said Noel, 18, a student. “I wanted to know if the candidates were still for wiring schools and other institutions, with the scrapped contract being so controversial.”

Tino Borja, a physics major, lamented the lack of questions about “research and development and on science and technology.” He said: “I would have liked to hear their views, and learn how they will give attention and provide investments for these fields.”
A graduate student, Aisa Manlosa, 24, said she “did not learn about the candidates’ stand on the government’s fight against terrorism, and on the Philippines’ alliance with the US in this regard.”

“For the Social Issues panel, discussions were focused primarily on reproductive health,” said Clara Buenconsejo, 19, a student. “Nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to hear also about agrarian reform and other issues such as education.”

Other issues that attendees wished were raised and tackled during the debate were on political and human rights, particularly for women, the communist insurgency, and labor issues like unemployment and labor contractualization.

More time for responses

Many in the audience wished more time was allotted for the candidates’ responses.

“We would like it if the candidate was able to at least finish a statement he had begun instead of being cut halfway through when the microphone was turned off,” a 19-year-old female student said.

A number of attendees were disappointed that deposed President Joseph Estrada did not show up.

“We’re all questioning why he was allowed to run—and why he’s running again in the first place—and I would have liked to hear his reasons and reactions to the criticisms against him,” said Christina, a law student.

Some commented that the forum seemed like an “elite affair.”

“People’s organizations were conspicuously absent from among those who asked questions on the floor,” Julius Cainglet of the Federation of Free Workers said.

Allen de la Fuente, a UP psychology student, said business organizations were given “undue importance” in the forum.

Informed choice

But many said the presidential debate was successful in helping them make an informed choice for the coming elections.

“I guess I heard everything that I wanted to hear from the candidates because now I know whom not to vote for. Before I came here I was undecided on two candidates, but now I think I am 99 percent sure whom to vote for,” said a female UP graduate student.
Christina said: “Some of the candidates that I have completely stricken off my list surprised me with their answers. May potential naman pala sila. You couldn’t really get to know candidates simply through their advertisements.”

The forum even led some voters to change their minds about their first preferences.

Changing their minds

“I was disappointed with Noynoy. I was initially for him, but I saw that when he spoke, he lacked conviction. He gave answers that were too general, and he wasn’t direct to the point. Walang dating. Hindi ka makukumbinsi (No sizzle, he’s not convincing). Gibo was more specific,” said Hilda, 30, a businesswoman.

Grace, 52, a human resources officer, found some candidates’ answers too general. “I was impressed with [Sen. Richard Gordon] and Gibo [Gilbert Teodoro], though, because their answers were specific and you could see that they actually studied the issues raised, and they had concrete plans. From the others you simply heard more of the same: Blah, blah, blah.”

San Diego said she liked the forum very much. “The questions were varied … I hope there will be a follow-up.”

(Comments: PDI seems to be biased with Nonoy (though, again, I'm not voting for him or any of the presidentiables running. I prefer a boycott on this election and you know my reasons). The way PDI reporters and writers presented Nonoy's case was not balanced. I guess PDI is betting on Villar. Again, the PDI forum was a waste of time, money and effort since the more important issues like poverty, food supply, overseas workers, graft and corruption (and how to solve them), FSC (food, shelter, clothing) prices, employment, businesses, and various other issues were not properly addressed. So, there were more important questions that should be asked like the ones above. Why were not they asked? And why waste your TME (time, money and effort) for this forum when we very well know that the same things will happen in our country whoever wins in this race. It's like the COMELEC. Kunwari, nagtawag ng mga kakandidato para ipakita na patas ang darating na halalan. Then we knew what had happened after that. 99 presientiables, 91 got busted (including me haha). Then the forums came. Same things were said by the candidates. Nothing new. It was just a show and nothing more. PDI won because they became more popular after their sponsored debate. WHAT I was waiting were conrete answers from the candidates on what to do with the country's image now that we are into globalization (I did not signed up for this). What to do with our islands that are now "invaded" by China, Taiwan, and all the countries in Asia (who are pretending to be our allies via ASEAN), extreme poverty in the country, OFWs who are being jailed overseas, unemployment which is dragging our citizens into working overseas like slaves, human rights violations, extreme divide between the rich and poor, decaying infrstuctures, neglect of the countryside including abuse of our natural resources, health and hygiene, basic public infrastuctures, deteriorating jails, white washing of criminal cases, deteriorating professionalism and neglect of government support of our military, sagging quality of education, and many hundreds more problems that are basically taken for granted by the government (and millions of our people too) due to graft and corruption. The country has been in disarray since th Marcoses took over. Cory became president but did nothing to the Marcos cronies and friends and supporters who were guilty of plunder and other heinous crimes (because some were her friends and even relatives?). FVR took over for a short period but then he was a former Marcos general which complicated the system even more. Those who were not punished after Marcos came out winners and until now are holding government posts. Erap came and we knew the story. GMA took over and the country became more corrupt and unstable. GMA even wanted to create "super nannies" since she has no solution to the OFW problem. This is the reason why I am boycotting this coming election basing from the TRACK records of our former presidents and those who are now running. What else can we expect from these people? I was hoping for new faces, new names, and new blood in this race (kahit hindi na ako). What came out are old faces, old blood, old politicians. There is nothing more to hope for and expect from them. No matter what they say and plan for the country, this track record will speak for whoever will come out winner in May 2010. It will another 6 years of sufferings and difficulties in the Philippines. Itaga natin yan sa bato. Let us view our country and its problems in a macro level and we'll understand how little and absurd are the things happening in the minds of these presidentiables. They have no solutions to our very basic problems and they do not really care.D

Who are the real liars in the Senate?

Who are the real liars in the Senate?
Philippine Daily Inquirer

TO ACCUSE THE 12 SENATORS who signed the report on Sen. Manuel Villar’s culpability in the C5 Extension project of political motivation is a sophomoric attempt at avoiding the issue, and is itself politically motivated. The assumption that Filipinos are so stupid as not to see through this ploy is an insult to the people the senators are supposed to represent.

By avoiding to take up this issue on the Senate floor and dismissing it simply as politics, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano is in effect calling his 12 colleagues of lying and of being irresponsible and unpatriotic.

And if he and the other senators who signed the “acquittal resolution” on Senator Villar truly believe that Senator Villar has been falsely accused by his irresponsible colleagues, then it is their sworn duty to expose these unworthy senators and prove to the public that they are indeed liars and to accept the latter group’s challenge to convince Senator Villar to present himself before the Senate and show the public who are the liars. Presidential candidate Villar cannot strut around the country pretending this is not happening. This is a great opportunity for him to prove that he is clean and deserves to be our next president.

Senator Cayetano, corruption is the reason why there is so much poverty in our nation, in case you don’t know. You were elected to represent the 90 million Filipinos, not yourself.

As for those two senators who signed both the “acquittal resolution” and the report, whichever group is proven to be lying, they are doomed to be in the list of liars.

—J. FRANKLIN B. REGIS,
256 Calatagan St.,
Ayala Alabang Village,
Barangay Alabang,
Muntinlupa City

(Comment: As I said before, the country needs a total overhaul of leaders (politicians, religious, etc) to start moving again. These people in the senate are just using their time fighting, insulting, backbiting, back-stabbing each other while millions of Filipinos are hungry and suffering. Total overhaul means from the president, senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, barangay captains and tanods. This includes policemen, and leaders from the armed forces who are mostly corrupt. The list goes on to leaders from the public works, education, COMELEC, justice department, religious leaders who are trying to be politicians themselves, NGOs, etc). The country needs a total change on mentality, culture, or beliefs. The Philippines has and still is "the" laughing stock of the world (better yet, a country subjected to general ridicule), the economic sluggard, and cheap supplier labor because its leaders are corrupt, dishonest, incompetent, and no connections to the outside world. The country and its people (including leaders) are like fishes swimming in a small bowl where there is no longer room for improvement, development, and progress. So what happens when the country and its people are "dammed" like those fishes in that small bowl? They start killing and eating each other until the only strongest among them survive. This is the once-proud, once-2nd-only-to-Japan country in Asia). It is only by putting many of its corrupt leaders (and their cohorts) in jail and changing the Filipino mentality of insensitivity and stupidity that the country will grow and become a strong nation. Oh, by the way, Filipinos should stop worshipping America and eating its trash. Filipinos should learn how to manage themselves and take of themselves during calamities and natural disasters. Hora-horada na lang pag me kabuwisitan, tawag sa kano! Ano ba? Pag me bagyo, tawag sa knao! Pag me baha, tawag sa kano! Pag me lindol at landslide, tawag sa kano! Hindi na tayo nahiya! Well, ganun naman talaga kasi. Pag puro walanghiya at corrupt and maraming leaders, talagang hindi sila mahihiyang magmakaawa na naman sa kano para tulungan. 'Yan ang quality ng maraming leaders sa Pilipinas, napakarami ang mga walanghiya! Magsariling sikap naman tayo. Gamitin ang pera sa baha, huwag ilagay sa bulsa!

Other countries in Asia had accomplished that 20-30 years ago. This is why they are more developed now and have overtaken the Philippines in many aspects of their development). Wake up na, Pinoys!

Adulterer, yes; plunderer, no

By John Nery
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Close this The decision of the Comelec’s Second Division to qualify Joseph Estrada for the presidential election in May, reached on the ninth anniversary of his people-powered ouster from Malacañang, invites the Filipino citizen to consider, yet again, the ex-president’s sins against the nation.

In two recent editorials, the Inquirer observed the distinction between the legal impediments Estrada faces (which the second division blithely set aside, in favor of a sweeping populism) and the moral hazard that Estrada’s return represents.

This distinction, I think, is crucial to our evolving understanding of the democratic project.

Many Filipinos object to the very idea that a failed president can serve in the presidency again. But as the first editorial pointed out, the issue before the Comelec was whether the Constitution—not past performance, not much-publicized adventures in morality—bars Estrada from running for reelection. In other words, the notion of “failure,” of whether Estrada was a “good” or “bad” president, ought not to figure in the legal debate.

As I have written before, the phrasing of the prohibition, that the president is ineligible for “any reelection,” seems clear enough; the deliberate inclusion of the word “any” reflects the framers’ reconsidered view. Sadly, instead of vigorously advancing a contrary legal view, the Comelec’s second division merely passed the burden of decision to the electorate (in theory) and to the Supreme Court (in reality).

As the second editorial argued, however, there are in fact many reasons other than the strictly legal to disqualify Estrada from running again. Many of these have to do with public virtue, a democratic republic’s true foundation stone.

Estrada’s new lease on political life thus gives all of us (or, well, maybe just me) the chance to sharpen our thinking on the kind of morality political office requires. I raised similar points in two columns last April; I trust Estrada’s example will help me push my argument forward.

* * *

In an ideal world, political office should be reserved for those of undoubted personal integrity. The familiar example we use to illustrate the point is powerful precisely because it speaks to common experience: A philandering husband, we say, makes for a corrupt politician, because he would be forced to skim money off the treasury to fund his extra needs. Hence, don’t vote known adulterers to public office.

In reality, however, the truth is more complicated. To confine our discussion to heads of government alone: Some of the best (that is, most effective) politicians have been less than faithful to their wives; indeed, to choose just one example, the most consequential US president of the 20th century was the fascinatingly complex Franklin Delano Roosevelt. (He was an artful liar, too.) Conversely, personal probity is no guarantee of competence in governance, much less of success.

But the republican form of government is based on the notion of public virtue. I take John Adams’ definition for my own: “There must be a positive Passion for the public good, the public Interest, Honour, Power and Glory, established in the Minds of the People, or there can be no Republican Government, nor any real liberty.”

Emilio Jacinto’s “Kartilya,” the primer he fashioned to orient members of the Katipunan, is marked by this same regard for public virtue. The fifth principle, for instance (cribbed from Filipino.biz.ph, using a copy based apparently on a National Centennial Commission “handout”) reads: “Ang may mataas na kalooban, inuuna ang puri kaysa pagpipita sa sarili; ang may hamak na kalooban, inuuna ang pagpipita sa sarili kaysa sa puri.”

We can translate this as follows: “The noble man places honor before self-interest; the lowly man puts self-interest before honor.”

To be sure, a strong sense of personal virtue underlies Jacinto’s founding principles. Consider the ninth: “Ang babae ay huwag mong tingnang isang bagay na libangan lamang, kundi isang katuwang at karamay sa mga kahirapan nitong buhay; gamitin mo nang buong pagpipitagan ang kanyang kahinaan, at alalahanin ang inang pinagbuharan at nag-iwi sa iyong kasanggulan.” We can translate this as: “Don’t look at woman as a mere plaything, but as your equal and companion in life’s hardships; tend to her weakness, and keep in mind your mother who bore you and raised you.” But even here, the notion of public wellbeing is transparent.

* * *

In sum: the moral fact that disqualifies Estrada from serving in the presidency again is not his serial adultery; it is his conviction for plunder. That his absolute pardon erased that conviction is legal fiction—that is to say, it is a construction, a fact created by legal processes (which we must all respect, if we want the rule of law to take effect).

But that he ran the illegal numbers game jueteng from Malacañang, and abused the powers of the presidency by putting pressure on the public insurance systems to purchase a controversial stock on which he, the President of the Philippines then, earned a P180-million commission—these remain facts that cannot be erased by the pardon. Only their legal meaning has been changed.

Their moral content remains the same: They prove that the highest official of the land violated public morality. He placed his own self-interest ahead of the public good.

All things being equal, I would of course prefer not to vote for an adulterer. Allow me, then, to tweak this column’s title, thus: An adulterer, maybe; a plunderer, never.

(Comment: Kagaya ng sinabi ko, the mere fact that Esrada was a convicted plunderer (ex-convict for that matter) already disqualifies him to run for public office. For delikadesa na lamang, dapat iningatan ito ng COMELEC if the COMELEC is a TRUE GUARDIAN of democracy in the country. Dapat HINDI na nila pigkonsidera ang application ni Erap dahil basag na ang public trust ng tao sa kanaya. Public office is a public trust. Once nabasag na ito,kahit pa pinatawad na siya, hindi na dapat pang in-accept ng COMELEC ang application nya. Ang basag na salamin sa bintana kahit lagyan mo pa ng dekorasyon at pabango, hindi mo na maibabalik and dati nitong anyo dahil me lamat na. This same thing applies to Erap's case.

Tingnan na lamang natin ang kaso ni Jalosjos na rapist ng 12 years old. Dapat makukulong siya ng habambuhay, pero dahil sa political movements ni GMA, pinatawad din siya at special guest pa nga si GMA sa birthday nito (sa Pilipinas lang nangyayari na ang presidente ng isang bansa ay nakikikain katabi ng isang convicted rapist! Thanks to Philippine corruption). Pero, ano kaya ang mangyayari kung ang ni-rape ni Jalosjos ay anak ni GMA or for that matter pera ni GMA ang ninakaw ni Erap, do you think pareho pa rin ang magiging treatment ni GMA sa 2 ito? Or the same things pa rin ang mangyayari sa dalawang ex-convicts na ito ngayon? Ano naman kaya kung anak pala ni Commissioner Melo ang ni-rape at pera niya sa bangko naman ang ninakaw, i-a-allow pa kaya ng COMELEC boss na ito ang pagtakbo for public office ang 2 ex-convicts na ito? Ano kaya kung ang ni-rape at ninakawan ng 2 ito ay mga kapatid ninyo o nanay ninyo, dahil pinatawad sila ng presidente ay tuluyang hahayaan na lamang ninyo na tumakbo pa si Estrada at makipag-party pa kayo kay Jalosjos?

Mag-isip ka na, kabayan! Ninanakawan ka na, nire-rape ka pa, sinasamba mo pa?)

Villar allies slam Aquino over Subic-Clark road deal

By Cathy C. Yamsuan
Philippine Daily Inquirer


MANILA, Philippines – Supporters and allies of presidential candidate and senator Manny Villar hit back at his opponent, Liberal Party standard bearer, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino by bringing up Hacienda Luisita’s involvement in a land deal related to the construction of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

During the Kapihan sa Manila Forum on Monday, Cavite Representative Crispin Remulla, of Villar’s Nacionalista Party, said the House of Representatives was ready to release a report on the SCTEX funding use. Remulla said irregularities in the payment of right-of-way to Hacienda Luisita, owned and controlled by the Cojuangco clan to which Aquino belongs, were uncovered.

Remulla dared Aquino to "come clean," saying he must have known of the land overpricing in the deal, being a Cojuangco.

Liberal Party members, Senator Rodolfo Biazon and Representative Ruffy Biazon took turns defending Aquino, saying the standard bearer was not directly involved in the land deals between Hacienda Luisita and the consortium that built the SCTEX.

The Biazons said Villar should explain the benefits his real estate companies gained from the C-5 road project.

Aquino, Biazon, and 10 other senators have signed the Committee of the Whole report seeking the censure of Villar for being in a conflict-of-interest situation in the C-5 road project. The report recommended that Villar’s company return to the government P6.2 billion, which his firm earned from the project.

Villar denied that the company earned that much said the contracts were above board.

(Comment: Pare-pareho lang silang corrupt. Bakit pa tayo pipili sa dalawang ito? Hay, naku, nagsisiraan, nagtatapunan ng parehong baho at putik! Pareho lang naman sila. At nagpapaloko at nagpapakabobo naman ang mga Pilipino. Agai, itaga natin sa bato, kahit sino pa ang manalo sa May 2010 election, another 6 years of poverty and suffering na naman ito sa ating mga Pilipino. Hindi na tayo (ehemm... KAYO - mula ngayon hiwalay na ako sa maraming nagpapakabobong kababayan nating hindi na nadala!)

Comelec: Estrada can run for president in May

By Kristine L. Alave
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 3) The Commission on Elections Second Division allowed on Wednesday former President Joseph Estrada to run for president in the May 2010 elections.

The second division issued the ruling dismissing the disqualification case filed by a certain Evelio Pormento.

In its ruling, the poll body’s second division said Estrada could not be covered by the constitutional ban on a President’s reelection because he is not an incumbent President intending to run for reelection.

The poll body added that Estrada, who was convicted of plunder in September 2007, was pardoned by President Macapagal-Arroyo a month after, and therefore, all his civil and political rights have been restored.

Estrada, who was present during the reading of the promulgation, hailed the ruling, saying it could boost his popularity ratings in surveys on presidential candidates. Estrada is currently running third in the public’s preference surveys behind Sen. Benigno Noynoy Aquino III, the front runner, and Sen. Manuel Villar.

"It is a victory of the Filipino people," Estrada said of the ruling.

Pormento, the lawyer who filed the disqualification case against Estrada, said he would appeal the Second Division ruling to the Comelec en banc. According to him, the spirit of the constitutional ban on presidents seeking reelection is "absolute." Pormento said he has also started preparing an appeal to the Supreme Court if the Comelec en banc would uphold the second division ruling.

Before the promulgation of the ruling, nuisance candidate Ely Pamatong created a scene by yelling at the Comelec commissioners, "I want to lead. Magnanakaw kayong lahat (You are all thieves!).

Comelec guards immediately detained Pamatong inside a Comelec office, and the Comelec held him for charges of indirect contempt.

Comelec officials said he would be brought to the Manila City jail and be detained there for 10 days.

(Comments: Sinasabi ko na nga ba. Hindi sa pinatawad na si Erap ni GMA kundi ang katotohanang nagnakaw nga ang taong ito sa kaban ng tao. Yan ang issue kaya hindi siya dapat tumakbo at hindi siya qualified na tumakobo dahil ex-convict na nga! Hanip talaga itong COMELEC. Magkano kaya ang binayad sa mga ito sa decidion nilang ito? Pinagtatawanan na tayo ng buong mundo, hindi pa rin natitinag ang pagkamanhid ng mga taga COMELEC. Again, itaga natin sa bato, kahit sino pa ang manalo sa election sa Mayo 2010, another 6 years of poverty, suffering and very bad image ito sa ating bansa). Kelan ka pa magigising ang matututo, Pilipino?

'P1.5-trillion budget laden with pork'

By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The Congress-approved version of the P1.541-trillion 2010 national budget is “laden with pork,” an official of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) involved in the review of the outlay said yesterday.
“It’s full of insertions made by senators and congressmen,” the official, who did not want to be named, told The STAR.

He said they would now make a detailed listing of congressional insertions, realignments, augmentations, and reductions.

Last Thursday, Gary Olivar, President Arroyo’s spokesman for economic issues, hinted that the President would slash the huge amount of “pork” in the budget.
He said Mrs. Arroyo is considering a veto on the P65-billion debt payment reduction that lawmakers have made and which they diverted to their pork barrel.
“She wants to continue exercising fiscal prudence and responsibility. She does not want to expand the budget deficit,” Olivar told a news forum in Quezon City.
“Because debt payments are automatically appropriated under the law, if you do not veto or reject the reduction in debt service funds, you will increase the deficit,” he said.

He added that the President has asked Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. to carefully review the final shape of the budget, particularly insertions made by lawmakers.

A bicameral conference committee chaired jointly by Senate finance committee chairman Edgardo Angara and his House counterpart Quirino Rep. Junie Cua drafted the final version of the budget. Malacañang received the two-inch thick 2010 appropriations bill last Wednesday, nearly a month after the Senate and the House approved the Angara-Cua committee report on Dec. 18.

It doesn’t usually take that long to print the budget document. What delayed the printing process was the job of hiding the lawmakers’ large pork barrel allocations all over the budget, which Cua’s staff was tasked to do. The staff closeted itself at the House’s Mitra building even during the Christmas holidays to finish embedding such allocations in the budgets of scores of agencies, primarily the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The version that is presumably on Andaya’s desk now is vastly different from what the President submitted to Congress in August. The Angara-Cua panel reduced Mrs. Arroyo’s proposed debt payments by P65 billion to P276.2 billion and then farmed out the huge reduction to scores of agencies that hide pork barrel funds. Of the P65-billion cut, P30.3 billion was given to the DPWH, the agency where most lawmakers’ funds are hidden. The department’s budget jumped to P126.9 billion from P96.6 billion as proposed by the President.

Subsidies to state corporations were increased by P3.3 billion to P24.3 billion. Among the recipients is Angara’s two-year-old Aurora Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), which received a huge P655-million augmentation. In her budget proposal, Mrs. Arroyo recommended only P145 million for ASEZA. The economic zone has barely taken off. Lawmakers also increased their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) by P3.9 billion to P10.9 billion.

‘Hidden’ pork

The PDAF is the source of money of senators and congressmen for their so-called “soft” projects such as medical, educational and livelihood assistance to constituents.

The fund is the only transparent pork barrel allocation in the budget in that it is so specified. Other pork barrel funds, intended for “hard” projects such as roads, are hidden in agency appropriations.

The public education sector received an additional P4.9 billion. The budget of the Department of Education was increased by P1.3 billion to P161.4 billion, while funds for the more than 100 state universities and colleges spread all over the country jumped by P2.8 billion to P22.4 billion.

During the House deliberations on Mrs. Arroyo’s budget proposal, Andaya said the President reduced the amount of money she proposed for DPWH for this year, compared to last year’s level, because the department still had tens of billions in backlog spending.

“There’s no use giving them additional money because they cannot spend it anyway,” he said.

He said unlike other appropriations, infrastructure funds are good for two years.
A congressman-supporter of Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno Aquino III said Angara and Cua padded the DPWH budget with pork barrel allocations so that these funds would still be available to lawmakers in 2011 when a new president shall have taken over from Mrs. Arroyo.

“It is possible that Mrs. Arroyo will benefit from those funds if her successor will release them,” he said. The budget that Malacañang got from Congress last week is P400 million lower than Mrs. Arroyo’s proposal, but her allies did not cut her spending bill.

The P400 million represents the combined pork barrel funds for this year of Senators Panfilo Lacson and Jamby Madrigal, the only two lawmakers who do not avail themselves of their annual P200-million allocations. They make sure that their funds are deducted from the budget so they won’t be misused.

Presidency and Democracy Denied

Boys and girls,

I filed my presidential candidacy certificate last November 23, 2010, but was denied by COMELEC due to the absence of having a political party and the machinery to run my presidential campaign... in other words, they immediately judged me as a candidate with no money. Hmmm.. that might be true, but how on earth did they come to this decision since they really don't know who my backers are and how much money they might have? Secondly, out of the 99 who filed their CoCs, only 8 passed the Comelec's mighty arm of truth: that only clean, honest, moral candidates are eligible to run. Again, this might be true, BUT how come Erap was one of the 8?

Ang election ba sa atin ay para sa mayayaman na lang? At bakit lahat ng pinili ng Comelec ay taga Manila lahat? Hindi na ba tayo Pilipino kapag hindi tayo taga Manila?

I thought a lot of things have already changed in our country, and with the introduction of this computrized election process things already have changed in our political arena. I was wrong. It is the same even back in the time of President Marcos.

Even the likes of former Sen. Osmenia of Cebu did not passed the almighty "clean" and "honest" baromemters of the Comelec to run for public office.

Now, Sen. Pimentel is saying that the old "Hello Garci" boys, who orchestrated the whole 2004 election where GMA beat popular actor Fernando Poe, are now occupying higher offices at the Comelec. Prize of their "almighty hands" in manipulating the 2004 election? Now that they are STILL working at the Comelec and are even promoted to higher ranks, what kind of election are we facing this 2010?

Boys and girls, OFWs and immigrant Filipinos in Europe are now instigating a BOYCOTT in the coming election.

I have have started emailing my friends around the world since December 25, 2009 to BOYCOTT this useless election. If it is our right to cast our vote, it is also our God0given right NOT to cast our ballot. No one will put us behind bars if we do not participate in this already shadowy election process in May.

Join me and let us show to the corrupt Filipinos in the Philippines that this already-rigged election process is meaningless because it will not provide better food and jobs to our poverty-stricken masses.

This coming election is another BLOW to the country's fake democracy.

Join me and the other many thousands who are already sick and tired of Philippine corruption and traditional politics.

Yes, our Plan A (which is to run during the election and now denied) did not push through. So, we'll go to our Plan B (which is to cry foul and instigate a BOYCOTT to this election).

This is now became a CRUSADE for all Filipinos. Fight against corruptiom! Fight against TRAPOS! Fight against poverty and discrimination! Fight against Filipino indolence! Fight against political dynasty! Fight against human rights! Fight against equality and opportunity for all Filipinos! Fight against Filipinos who connive with corrupt Filipinos!

These are the real issues.

Enrique Files for Presidency 2010 at the COMELEC in Manila

There you have it, boys and girls, I finally filed my presidential bid last Monday, Nov 23, 2009, at the COMELEC at the Palacio del Gobernador in Manila. I need all your votes to effect changes in our country! (Please click my link for photos).

Mine is a crusade. Meaning, I'll never stop running for the chief executive post of the land until there is a free exercise of our right to suffrage (2010, 2016, 2022, etc), until we are able to make our 90 million poor kababayan understand the value of electing an honest and dedicated public servant and the benefits this will give to all of us and to our children.

And one of the best ways to launch this crusade on accountability, transparency, honesty and leading by example is by actually joining this race. Now, the first hundreds of text messages and emails have clogged my cell fone and email add.. a very good welcoming sign but very stressful!

Before filing, the media from all over the country had a fiesta of interviewing me for almost an hour (while other presidential hopefuls who filed on the same day only had 10-15 minutes). From day 1 to the last day of registration, I was the only with a clear platform (agenda) typewritten and given to the media. Questions varied from economy, religion, education, employment, and entertainment. But the most rewarding experience was after my media and COMELEC encounters.

The soldiers and policemen guarding the COMELEC building (Palacio del Gobernador) approached me, two of them introducing their names and ranks. They told me that they are so thankful that them and the other civil servants are on top of my agenda. They offered their services to me as my personal bodyguards --without pay -- during the official campaign period (February - April 2010)! Nakakataba ng puso kasi they didn't know me personally till that day. They said they are already sick and tired of big and moneyed politicians and are actually looking for a new, reliable, honest, and serious candidate whom they can rely on as civil servants. To quote them, "Sir, sa lahat ng mga kandidato, ikaw lang ang nakapansin ulit sa aming mga civil servants. Sir, matagal na kaming napabayaan ng ating gobyerno. Sawa na kami sa mga politikong me malalaking pangalan at sikat. Sawa na rin kami sa kanilang promisong mapabuti ang bansa natin. Ang hinahanap namin ngayon ay 'yung hindi kilala, walang partido, hindi sikat at hindi mapera pero me totoong layunin na mapabuti man lang ang pagkain ng aming pamilya sa araw-araw. Sir, ikaw pa lang ang me agendang nakasulat. Alam namin na paninindigan mo ang mga ito kapag ikaw ay nanalo."

The REAL issues sa eleksyong ito ay walang iba kundi ang kahirapan, kaayusan (peace & order), kawalan ng trabaho, kurapsyon (KKKK). The continuing presence of these cancers in our society will forever divide our people, continue to place us into more suferings, and may eventually lead us into turmoil of unprecedented proportion. We can never and will never effect changes and give better future to our new generations. Itaga natin sa bato, pag nanalo ang mga likes ng mga malalaking politikong tumatakbo ngayon (presidente, etc..), it will be another 6 years of extreme poverty and suffering to our 90 million already poor people and economically devastated country.

It's time we change our choices and give chance for ourselves and to our country. Kawawa na tayo, naiwanan na ng ating mga kapitbansa.

Mabuti silang iilan na sikat, me negosyo, me trabaho at me kapit: magsu-survive. Papaano naman ang karamihan sa atin na walang-wala?

I say politics, as a science in the Philippines, is ineffective because we have a mix of corrupt politicians and condoning electorate (the media included). Hindi ko maisip kung bakit me ilan sa ating mamamayan na alam na nga na corrupt and mandaraya at mandarambong ang politikong humihingi ng kanyang boto, eh nagpapa-uto pa rin!

But we cannot blame them. This will be a long fight. Corruption is there even before we were born. To rephrase a quote by a good poet, "Evil men triumphed because good men don't do anything about them".

Filipinos are basically good men and women. Let's put this into action.

Tell me what you think.. hereare some photos at my photostream (Flicker):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sadiosa4president/?saved=1

UN experts: End elite hold on RP politics

From Philippine Daily Inquirer, Reuters

GENEVA — Investigations into the deaths of 57 people in an election-related massacre in southern Philippines must be the start of a major reform process in the country, two United Nations human rights experts said on Wednesday.

The two experts called for the “effective” prosecution of those behind the killings and an end to manipulation by the elite of the country’s election process.

The authorities must also put in place immediate measures to prevent similar murders in the run-up to elections next May, said the experts, who report to the UN Human Rights Council on extrajudicial killings and on freedom of expression.

“The premeditated killing of political opponents, combined with a massive assault on the media, must be tackled at various levels that go well beyond standard murder investigations,” declared the two experts, Philip Alston and Frank La Rue.

The massacre took place in Maguindanao province on Nov. 23 in the Philippines’ deadliest ever election-related crime. The killings were blamed on members of the Ampatuan family, whom President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has in the past called valuable political allies.

Threat to democracy

Alston and La Rue said the inquiry “must be followed by effective prosecutions of all those responsible for the killings.”

But the massacre should also spark extensive reflection “on the elite family-dominated manipulation of the political processes and the need to eliminate such practices in order to assure the future of democracy in the Philippines,” they said.

The two UN experts—Alston from the United States and La Rue from Guatemala—said any broad inquiry into the country’s political system would have to focus on how to improve protection for journalists, 30 of whom died in the massacre.

Even more urgent was the creation of a task force to prevent more election-related killings.

“There is every indication that the run-up to the May elections will sound the death knell for many political activists,” the two added.

UN intervention

In Manila, journalists said Philippine media groups might ask the United Nations to intervene in the probe of the massacre.

“We’re considering all options, including asking the UN rights body to step into the massacre,” Melinda Quintos de Jesus, executive director of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, told reporters, adding the local press must “not drop the ball to allow the suspects to get away with the murders.”

Int’l press group’s mission

International press groups were also sending a mission to the Philippines to look into the massacre.

Around 15 delegates from groups like the International Federation of Journalists, the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, and the Committee to Protect Journalists were expected to arrive in Manila this weekend, according to National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) board member Rowena Paraan.

“This shows that there is international attention on the incident, as it should be. The trip will also be an expression of solidarity with local journalists,” Paraan said.

Paraan said members of the media would march on the Don China Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola) on Dec. 9 as part of the Global Day of Action for the slain journalists.

In a report released Thursday, a fact-finding team that went to Maguindanao observed that police had handled evidence poorly, leading to its possible contamination.

“There was little or no consideration given to preserving the evidence. There was little or no consideration given to avoid the contamination of the crime scene,” the report said.

The group said the vehicles used by the suspects in stopping a convoy carrying journalists and relatives of a clan opposed to the Ampatuans were still unaccounted for.

“Investigators said the suspects also used a Nissan Frontier pickup with police markings. One such police vehicle issued to the Maguindanao police is still unaccounted for. This jibes with claims by (witnesses) that police vehicles were involved in the blockade,” the team said.

‘Culture of fear and silence’

The killings have stoked fear among students in some areas of Mindanao.

Fr. Edgardo Tanudtanud, OMI, director of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) for Central Mindanao, cited a recent incident in which several students, out of fear, canceled their participation in a march for peace in Cotabato.

“It has created a culture of fear and silence among the people, including the students, Christians and Muslims alike. But that fear did not stem from that massacre incident alone, but because of the history of violence in the area,” Tanudtanud said.

In a statement, the association of 1,272 member schools, colleges and universities said: “This mass murder ... has showcased the extent corrupt individuals are willing to go in order to arrogate the power to themselves.”

Msgr. Gerry Santos, president of the CEAP, said the group was demanding long-term solutions to the decades-old conflict that had forced Maguindanaoans to live in fear and subhuman conditions.

“We ask the government to dismantle private armies and put an end to the anarchy of clans in the region,” Santos said. Reports from Reuters, Alcuin Papa and Tina G. Santos

(Comment: I have been advocating this issue since my high school years, but nobody seemed to mind what I was saying back in the days. So, there it is, mga kababayan, it took more than 20 years before this issue of private armies -- due to corruption and corrupt mentality of many of our kababayan -- reached the UN. How long will many of our kababayan will 'play deaf and mute' regarding our local politics? It's time to change our leaders. We need new politicians, new names, new personalities, new and updated ideas on how to develop our country, new strategies to overcome poverty and unemployment, new minds that will effect CHANGES in the country. If these old politicians (and those young ones who are just copy-cats of these old politicians and are trying to continue their corrupt practices) did bring good life to Filipinos during their terms, then let us change them with better and younger politicians who have real plans for the betterment of our starving population. Huwag na tayong magmatigas ulo dahil hindi epektibo ang mga corrupt na politicinas na ito. Dahil guwapo, kilala, mapera, sikat, kababaryo, o kaibigan natin, huwag iboto! Piliin natin ang mga hindi kilala ngunit me pag-ibig sa bayan at hindi mga magnanakaw. Kapag pinili natin ang dating mga pangalan ng mga lumang kandidatong ito, itaga natin sa bato, another 6 years na kahirapan ang bansa natin at 6 years na pagkukuskos ng kubeta ng mga amo natin sa abroad ang naghihintay sa atin. Hindi na tayo nagsawa. Hindi na tayo natoto. Galit na sa atin ang Diyos dahil sa katigasan ng ulo natin!

WHY I'M RUNNING (Repost)

Dahil paparami na ng paparami ang nagtatanong sa akin tungkol sa kung ano ang magagawa ko sa bayan if elected, so here's a summary of my plans for the country including Filipnos abroad (my email address is now being clogged by hundreds of responses from the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, Canada, U.S.A. [pinakamarami from Filipinos overseas], the Midle East like Kingdon of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, parts of Europe, islands of Palau, Guam, Hawaii, including emails from Africa and Russia. Please read on and read my thoughts and give me comments. Salamat po)


15 POINTS AGENDA TO CHANGE THE COUNTRY

Many, if not all, presidentiables (and others running for public office) DO NOT HAVE any plan for the Filipinos per se as a nation. They have no long-term vision and goals to benefit the younger generations. Everyone's trying to get gain and to profit DURING their short terms in office. Dahil popular o me pera kaya tatakbo. Wala namang plano para sa bayan. Pagkatapos ng halalan, taghirap pa rin ang sambayanan. Balik sa dating gawi. Balik corruption. Balik hirap ang tao. Like what the bible is saying more than 5,000 years ago, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn (suffer)...Where there is no VISION, the people PERISH...(Prov. 29:2, 18). This is still very true and will remain true sa panahon natin ngayon. MATOTO na tayo, Pilipino! Choose public officials who have real plans and true hearts for more than 80 million Filipinos who have nothing to eat and future to hoped for. Fight for them and be real heroes of this modern days. We can achieve change -- if we really want it.

Now that automated na (compuetrized) ang darating na halalan, bababa ang tsansa na manakaw o makurap ng mga mandarayang politiko at mga kaalyado nito ang magiging resulta ng botohan. Kahit nakawin pa ni mayor o ni gobernor ang mga computers sa kanilang lugar hindi nila mananakaw ang botong inilagay natin doon. Kung naaalala n'yo, lahat na mga congressmen and women na kaalyado ng pamahalaan ay AYAW ng computerized election. Bakit kaya?

Here are my 15 points agenda (platform or whatever you may call it) to do during my 6-year term that would bring REAL changes in our country (of course, without the use of guns, goons and ammos):

1. Double the salary of our, teachers, policemen, soldiers, nurses and civil servants. This will give them dignity as civil servants and improve their services. Them and the people will start trusting the government again. Of course, controlling the prices of basic commodities should be prioritized and make them affordable to all. The money saved from corruption is more than enough to double the pay of all our civil servants including funds for other major projects to benefit the poor and the unemployed. It is only by doubling the salary of our people to be able to cope with the real inflation in the country. The amount of money being saved from corruption is more than enough to make our civil servants happy and smiling while they're doing their jobs.

2. Control or curtail corruption - if we cannot eradicate it 100%.. We should create a special task force or a commission such as a real Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to run after corrupt officials and businesses that sabotage our economy. No one is exempted from the ICAC. The Bureau of Customs, Land Transportation Office, the Department of Public Works and Highways, etc. should be given priority to be scrutinized and checked by this agency on a REGULAR basis. If it is necessary, we need to reassign and transfer personnel from these agencies to different posts in the country to avoid connivance and illicit networking.

3. Curtail RED TAPES and BUREAUCRATIC NONSENSE to speed up everything from a simple filing of income tax returns (magbabayad ka na nga lang ng tax, kasalanan mo pa!) to business registrations, court assistance and results, registrations of registrations, and the like. Red tapes already made our country the slowest in business and everything that should be moved to bolster economic development! This is so shameful and disgusting. Red tapes are a major source of corruption in the country.

4. No pork barrel. Civil servants (including the President, senators, governors, mayors, barangay captains, janitors should make their living via government salary and benefits ONLY. Political parties will receive nothing from the government but from their own initiatives -- such as money from sponsors and donors or other sources only who would like to support their parties (like in the U.S.). With no pork barrel, no politician can afford to buy votes or to hire private armies to intimidate voters. They will have no money to corrupt other corrupt officials and individuals. Them and their children (or cronies) will have no means to boast of their ill-gotten wealth (anak ni mayor naka-Expedition). They will no longer be untouchables. We need highly-respected government officials to achieve change. We don't vote for these public servants to bully us in the end. Public servants are not gods. They are only public servants hired by the people to make their lives better each day.

5. Controlling government money (peoples’ money) and spending it accordingly: to education, health, infrastructures (roads, clinics, etc). Education means scholarships, modern schools with facilities (including additional support to government subsidized schools to modern equipment and building facilities, high quality teachers, etc. Health means health insurance for government servants including free hospitalization, modern hospitals, cheaper medicines (made locally), high pensions, etc. Infrastructures also means road and farm (or sea)-to-market roads, garbage disposal equipment, modern air and seaports, access to clean drinking water, new clean public toilets, improved postal services, more lamp posts, etc. A population being supported by health and other perks create a strong nation.

6. Building factories, roads, hospitals and other government projects to create more jobs and stimulate economic activities. This includes building them in provinces to enahnce employment and economic opportunities. This in a way will discourage many not to migrate to cities already over-crowded and polluted. This will also encourage talents and skills to stay in the country. This means better and higher quality of labor and services to the public.

7. Creating income-generating projects such as loans to support small and medium entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and compete. Support business organizations to again stimulate the economy. More money circulating, more businesses, more production, more employment, higher income. Create Economic Zones to provincial areas to discourage migration of workers to cities. Economic Zones provide jobs in the provinces and further stimulate economic activities, thus developing the countrysides (provinces) and giving quality jobs to the masses. This is one of the best ways to finally defeat insurgencies and rebellions, e.g. NPAs, muslim extremists and separatists, etc.

8. Self-sufficiency in food supply by supporting local farmers (both sea and land farming) to have access to modern equipment, raw materials for planting and good training. This is 100% possible. Farm projects including equipment and raw material support to farmers will be monitored to ensure success. It's not enough to give seeds and modern farm tools to farmers. They need good roads and lower fuel prices to support their trade. This means affordable food to the masses.

Also, we should be self-sufficient in raw materials not by importing but by developing our own resources (machines, equipment, tools, etc) to produce high quality products. This will improve the quality of our local products which in time will qualify for local consumption and exportation. The country is still rich in natural resources (despite the bad publicity and image we have right now). We can start cultivating again, planting again, develop again. In no time, we can be self-reliant on raw materials and get our own supplies.

We should support projects that will improve our own production. Importation drains our national reserves and local businessmen become dependent of producers overseas. Importation kills our local manufacturers. We become dumping grounds of cheap foreign products. We should support our farmers, toolmakers, local manufacturers, etc.

9. Self-sufficiency in defense, including security of our territorial waters. This means modernization of our national defense. By improving its budget, we can acquire good training and good equipment to boost the morale of our men in uniform. We will professionalize our servicemen and women by increasing their salaries and benefits, including fre health, schooling, and housing. By giving respect to our military personnel, they become dignified and respectful to the people they protect.

Having modernized weaponry increase the effectivity of our men in uniform. By controlling corruption, we can have real funds to do this. This way, even the Spratley Islands, which are being "invaded" and claimed by China, Taiwan (only recently), Malaysia, Vietnam, and Brunei will have a different outcome when we fly our modern jets and hi-tech navy around these islets which is geographically within the 200-mile territorial radius of the country. Wala tayong magarang armas kaya binu-bully tayo ng mga bansang ito ngayon. 30 years ago, not one among these countries has any claim on the Spratleys because these islands were being used as target practice both by the US and our navies. Having more than 1,700 islands it should be a prerogative of our government to have a strong navy to guard our seas. Otherwise, we will have no idea how much of our tuna and other marine products are lost to illegal fishing by foreign pouchers. This is also a perfect way to control terrorists and other illegal actitivies plying our shores.

10. We should have a strong I.D. System in the country. This will not only stop corrupt officials to profit from conniving or assisting scrupolous syndicates that bring illegal aliens, but also discourage illegal aliens to enter the country without proper documentation and taxation. This means one ID that we can use for all personal and business transacti0ns. Illegal aliens steal our jobs and transact businesses in the country without benefit to the government. A strong ID system will help facilitate our travels faster without the use of forms and other documents that create delays and discouragement to tourism.

Tourism Promotion

Local and international promotion of the country as tourist destination where tourists are secured and satisfied with our infrastructure and services. Filipinos are good at this. Learning from the success of other countries will not really affect our egos. But we can only be successful at this if we have a strong image abroad, e.g. that we don't have kidnappings and high crime rate in our country. We should give focus on the hygiene of our local destinations with clean public toilets (ni tissue paper wala!), availability of efficient transportation, communication, clean food, cheap hotels and other amenities expected by our local and international visitors. Again, having controlled corruption means having the funds to do this.

11. For OFWS and Filipinos Overseas

They should retire here! (OFWs and Filipino residents abroad including foreigners)
Filipinos who have been overseas, either working or staying permanently, should think of the Philippines as their own and should retire and enjoy their waning years here. But whose idiotic OFW or immigrant Filipino will do this if the country is riddled with corruption, hunger, violence, and disease? We should first fix and clean our homes and backyards before accepting visitors and guests. This is very basic. Failure of having simple conveniences in the country WILL NEVER bring our kababayan back to our country, much more foreigners to retire here. They'll never even think of doing this in the first place if our infrastructures are in shambles. This is basic.

12. Support them, finance them (Filipino Scientists and Inventors)

We should support our Filipino inventors (scientists) and innovators. They will give us better economic opportunities in the long run. Filipino scientists and innovators, like those developing engines that run NOT BY GASOLINE but other energies like water, electricity, or alternative energy (clean and green power). They SHOULD BE given priorities. This will stop our dependency on foreign oil which has been stalking the nation for more than 50 years! Yet our leaders NEVER learned from this! This will sound bad for oil companies (local and foreign) in the Philippines. BUT our priority is for the benefit of the GREATER good.

That Filipino politician from Laguna (?) who innovated the first "e-tricycle" which runs by electricity should be given funds to develop it and make it available to the nation. He said that the "e-tricycle" only uses P20 worth of electricity for a whole day's operation! Tanga lang ang presidenteng di ito susuportahan! (unless naba-bribe siya ng mga malalaking oil companies s atin).

13. Professionally imposing the laws of the land; meaning, a powerful judiciary, controlling nepotism, cronyism, red-tape, padrino system, etc. This also applies to implementing a real LAND REFORM so that many Filipinos would have lands to till and live. If I have the money saved from corruption, I can build more jails to discipline the corrupt, the criminals, and the pasaways! (this includes members of my family, friends, colleagues and classmates. If they too are corrupt, they land in jail. No exceptions).

Executing the laws of the land include correct accounting of taxes from all sectors of the country (personal income, business income, customs, exports, etc.). We know already that ours is country of many thousand certified accountants who do not know how to count. "Doctorism" will not be allowed anymore, unless our prisons need certified accountants too. No one will be REALLY above the law. This kind of action needs political will - and only an uncorrupt President can execute it.Support from the U.S. and other countries

The OBAMA government hates corruption. The new American government has repeatedly snubbed the Arroyo government and our government is aware of this. When US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made courtesy calls to America's ALLIES in Asia early this year, she snubbed the Philippines -- a supposed ally in its war on terror. She instead visited Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, etc... The Obama government knows that the Philippines, now the 'most corrupt' country in the world, cannot be relied upon, unstable, "balimbing", no political will, and an untrusted ally. Our country’s image had sunk to its deepest level during the current government. Again, IMAGE! IMAGE! IMAGE! Pangalagaan natin!

Yes, the Americans had seen the Filipinos fighting the Japanese with them. But that was more than 60 years ago! Those were the days of gallant Filipinos, dignified Filipinos, brave, Filipinos, trusted Filipinos!

Now the Americans see corrupt Filipino leaders unrealiable, easily bribed, undependable, untrustable, coward, poor, deceitful Filipino leaders who cannot make sacrifices in times of war and crisis. Americans see a country riddled with nepotism, connivance, cronyism, bribed judges and policemen, corrupt politicians and government officials who spend their time enriching themselves out of peoples' money, custom officials and tax collectors rigging everything and conniving with local businessmen, politicians personally fighting among themselves (clan wars and political dynasty wars), a country of strong poverty and low moral, unemployed masses, a country that survives in doles and loans from other countries (which, again, are pocketed by corrupt leaders).

Corruption and in-transparency (sorry for the misuse of the word) have mained and crippled our leaders' determination and determination to stay firm and strong in times of difficulties. This is how our allies see us. It's embarassing, disgusting, frustrating and deceitful. From the eyes of our neighbors and allies, we are plain traitors.

This means the current Philippine government and those who will be running it after the current one WILL HAVE NO SUPPORT from the U.S. government (or its allies), unless they are not corrupt. Now, take a look at the line-up of presidentiables in 2010 (both form the ruling party and the opposition). Most, if not all, of these candidates are coming from old political parties and groups (many tainted and riddled with corruption scandals) or are part of them or a product of a mix of all these parties. Puro balimbing kasi. Walang isang salita ang mga 'yan!

Do we really think that the U.S. government (or other generous countries) will continue to help the Philippines if anyone of these tainted presidentiables (senators, other politikos) become the next Filipino president or leaders in 2010? Even rich countries will start to have second thoughts of helping the country when they know that the aid they will send for the poor people will only end up inside the pockets of corrupt Filipino officials. Magsasawa din sila sa kapapa-utang sa atin. They know it and they are not stupid.

If I am president, I start from scratch - by improving our own and developing our own resources and by investing on our own people. Support for our businessmen, farmers, students, soldiers, health care, insurance, infrastructures, tourism, diplomacy (local and abroad), science and engineering, research, medicine and the like which will make our people really proud and our country strong. We have to make our base really strong. Again, this can only be done by eradicating corruption and transparency. This will create patriots and people who are proud of their country.

14. Slow down on colonial mentality and dependency

If we want to change our country, we have to discourage colonial mentality and dependency. Change should start from within us. Then this change will open new doors and perspectives, new alternatives on how we can run our business.

We have to promote our own and support our own. This way, we stop looking at other nations treating us as second-class citizens or worst, treating us like shit. When we have made our country truly strong and independent, then nations will come to us and respect us. When this thing happens, development is on the horizon. And the time to do this is NOW!

My term is just a precedent; There to do the job and nothing else!

My term will only be a precedent to the next leader, a preparation for the next President in 2016. Like John The Baptist of old, I will only prepare the way for the next President to continue the accomplishments and achievements that we as a country have made during my term. It is only a 6 years' sacrifice. After that, I'll go back to my private life but continue to promote the country as a decent, clean, and honest destination where there is security and smiling people.

Democracy is not cheap

Putting our country on the right track will need no people power, revolutions, or civil wars. It only needs a leader who is honest, transparent, and how knows how to execute laws. Someone who knows how to whip bad peoples' asses. Ours is a budding democracy, and democracy is not cheap! It needs responsible and matured people (not matured politicians who laugh from their mistakes and stupidity and easily forgiven by "religious" Filipinos). We need strong-willed Filipinos to guard our freedom. We need Filipinos who value the sacrifices of our forefathers to become an independent nation. We need Filipinos who know how to make good laws and executive them too.

This will make the country strong, better, more stable, create a more disciplined citizenry to be aligned among the rich countries like Japan, Singapore, China, UK, or the USA.

15. Leading by example

After my term, the people will clamour for the next President who will also lead and worked like I did. This will also be required by the people in choosing the next senators, governors, mayors or barangay captains - to lead by example! Nakita na nila ang resulta ng may malinis na leader. Hahanapin din nila ito sa mga susunod na lider ng bansa. Hahanapin nila ang lider who leads by example!

Dignity and honor to OFWs; Back to the Philippines - JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!

This is also the best way to bring back our OFWs and highly skilled Filipinos to work in the country and help restore our dignity, creativity, and respect as a nation. Having our highly skilled kababayans back into our country will bring enormous benefits to our economy, science, engineering, and the like. Though it is everyone's right to work or travel abroad, we will do our utmost to compete with the salaries and benefits abroad to discourage our professionals to give their services to foreign lands. Working overseas would still be allowed for everyone. But priorities should be given to having decent jobs in the country!

Putting the country in order and on the right track - up and running again!

When a country is in order, there is no need to invite foreign investors to invest in our country. They will come and invest because this is good and profitable for them. The country has the best natural resources in the region. Can we inagine our 1,700 islands all filled with resorts and tourists? Can we imagine the exploding economic activities and the amount of benefits they bring to our people? Employment and other opportunities always tag along with strong tourism.

My work and business in and around Asia gave me the understanding that the Philippines has the most a country can offer among all the other countries around it. The good thing about it is that I have understood how the Asian mind operate and work, what they need, or what else can give them a win-win advantage over other Asian competitors. I know how they do business, what they require to do business with, and how both can profit so that everybody will be happy. Ours is the best country for them to retire and enjoy the profits of their labor -- this holds also true to overseas Filipinos in the region.

Sadly, many of our leaders ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS because they are so tied up with infighting, pa-pogi points, corrupting the government. Our leaders do not mingle with other Asian business leaders. They have no experience of how is it to sell the country's products overseas. They have no idea on how businessmen and business leaders operate to create a win-win environment to benefit their people. OFWs are better off since we have lived with foreigners and we know their habits, characters, weaknesses, strengths. Can we imagine if OFWs are the ones running the country now? No one will leave the country anymore to clean the asses (I mean toilet sits) of our employers! OFWs are typically disciplined, trustworthy, honest (we don't steal from our employers), hardworking, aware of what is happening around us and always ready to save anyone from a burning building.

Our politicians do not have the experience of what I am saying here becasue they are so regional that they never mixed or lived with foreigners whom they are inviting to do business in the country. What our local leaders know is how to corrupt the country and focus their attention on government money (the peoples' money) and don't give a shit on what is happening around the world. They focus more on their party first, then the country second, thus, the poverty and chaos in the country.


MY CHECKS AND BALANCES LIST FOR A GOOD PRESIDENT

How will Filipinos know that I will not become a corrupt public servant or will not end like the corrupt ones? TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, STRONG POLITICAL WILL and HONESTY are in my game plans. Please check them below:

1. ONE BANK ACCOUNT - I will only have one (1) bank account and any Filipino can call my bank and ask for my bank balance 24/7. Having two (2) bank accounts will mean my immediate resignation. No impeachment is necessary. This account will be my only bank account during my 6 years in office which is subject to government audit life-style check every month. All my financial dealings are open to the public for scrutiny and audited by independent representatives from various sectors of the society. Any Filipino can call my bank and inquire my bank balance.

2. ONE PESO SALARY EVERY MONTH - I will only receive Php1.00 salary every month so that each Filipino will know exactly how much money I have in my One Bank Account which is open to them to inquire. This means, I should only be having Php12.00 in my bank account each year. More than that means my resignation. No impeachment needed. Gagastos pa tayo nun! I can take care of my self financially while running this office. I guess there is free food naman sa Malacanang for a Chief Executive to survive for 6 years. Again, I'll be in office for 6 years to fix the country and to keep it running again.

3. ANTI-NEPOTISM -- If anyone of my relatives, friends or colleagues was able to enter Malacanang unofficially or any government post will mean my immediate resignation. No impeachment necessary.

4. SEEN BY PEOPLE 24/7 -- I will be in front of the camera during my official working time as an employee of the people, 24/7. Any official deals done off-camera will mean my resignation. All contracts and laws signed by me are all under the camera. Failure of doing this will mean my resignation. No impeachment necessary.

5. BONDY CLOCK AT MALACANANG -- I will install a bondy clock in Malacanang. This means everyone working there as public servants, including myself, will time in and out - just like a regular government worker. If I miss registering my entry even for a single day will mean my resignation. No impeachment necessary. This is a simple way to tell everyone that the president is not above the law.

6. SMALL WAREHOUSE AT MALACANANG -- I will construct a small warehouse beside Malacanang Palace to safe-keep all personal donations, gifts, palangis, suhol, bribes, etc. from unscrupulous and/or corrupt individuals of corporations to alienate or influence Malacanang. At the end of the month, these gifts and suhols will be auctioned and the money received will be added to the treasury.

7. NO VIP TREATMENT -- No VIP treatment, except official visits in and out of the country. No helicopters, SUVs, yachts, golf meetings, etc. Having used any of these toys will mean my resignation. No impeachment necessary.

8. PRO-MASSES, FRIENDLY TO BUSINESSES -- Neglecting the poor Filipinos and not supporting business will mean my resignation. No impeachment necessary.

9. EMPOWERING THE PESO -- If I was not able to uplift or increase the purchasing power of Filipinos (including additional employment and development of the economic status of government servants) after my first year in office, I will resign. No impeachment necessary.

10. NO RELIGION -- I will have NO religion during my term. If the problem in Mindanao is not resolved or at least see any light at the end of the tunnel in two years, I will resign. No impeachment necessary. As President, I will not be a respecter of persons. This means, I will have NO religion during my term. All religions will be treated equal. After my term, simba na ulit ako.

11. IMPROVE IMAGE -- If the country has not achieved anything in improving its facilities and image abroad after my first year, I will resign. No impeachment necessary.

12. REGULAR LIFESTYLE CHECK --If I am richer than what I am supposed to receive during my first term of office, I will resign. No impeachment necessary.

13. DEDICATION TO WORK ONLY -- There to do the job and nothing else. My six years will only be focused on rebuilding the country: bringing back the trust of the people to the government, increasing employment and production, peace and order, health, education, diplomacy, income, creating opportunities in business, science, politics, etc. This is only for 6 years so that no doubts and malicious issues will affect my term. This is to show how sincere I am in this business.

14. JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! BUSINESS! BUSINESS! BUSINESS! -- My failure to create more jobs for the people means my resignation. No impeachment necessary. Eradicating corruption means opening of new investments and businesses. This means more jobs to our people. No corruption means very good business too. Having a fair business environment brings a lot of opportunities, wealth and security to the people.

Note: The above 15 Point Agenda and 14 Check and Balance conditions shall be signed by me in front of the camera and witnesses and copies of this document shall be posted to all schools, colleges and universities in the country to remind our young generations of Filipinos that nothing beats transparency and honesty in public service.

Any Philippine politician who can do my the tiems above will have my honest VOTE! No questions asked.

+++***+++

Political philosophy (what I thought are sensible and practical to the country and its people):

It is my belief that the President of the land is just another caretaker of the people and not a god or someone who is untouchable. The president is worthy of respect because of the office, not to be treated as someone who is high up there who's unreacheable. Suweldohan lang siya ng tao para mamahala sa kapakanan ng tao. For 6 years, dito lang dapat naka-focus ang attention ng Presidente at wala ng iba. Ang isang sundalo ng pamahalaan ay kagaya lamang ng Presidente na parehong suweldohan at wala ng iba na puwedeng patalsikin ano mang oras dahil sa katiwalian.

Hindi dapat abusuhin ng lider ang taong bayan sa maraming pamamaraan lalo na ang dayain sila o nakawin ang para sa kanila.

Sagrado ang boto ng tao na dapat pangalagaan ng bawat mamamayan--- kasama na ang Presidente.Karapatan ng mamamayan na patalsikin ang isang lider na corrupt at sinungaling sa bayan. Kaya nga dapat lahat ng lider sa bansa ay transparent para maalis ang duda at kutya ng tao sa kanila. Ito lang ang paraan para respetuhin silang muli at manumbalik ang kaayusan sa bansa.

Kapag mahirap ang bansa, hindi maaalis ang corruption at pandaraya. Kapag corrupt ang lider, corrupt din and mga followers. Kawawa ang mamamayan. (When corrupt leaders reign, the people suffer).

Leading by example is always the best barometer for an effective leader. Nothing beats honesty and sincerity to the people. The more transparent we are to our constituents, the better they respect us and follow our orders. The will love the leader and never ask him/her to leave the office.

There is no need to cheat the constitution just to stay in power. Honest and transparent leaders last longer and their legacy treasured by the people. They even teach this legacy in schools to be emulated by the next generations.

Please tell me what you think (email me at rsadiosa@yahoo.com). Thank you.

Solons: No pork for storm rehab

Solons: No pork for storm rehab
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Majority of the members of the House of Representatives have rejected calls urging them to donate some of their pork barrel for the speedy rehabilitation of areas ravaged by tropical storms Ondoy, Pepeng, and Ramil.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said that any realignment of their pork barrel, euphemistically called the Countryside Development Fund (CDF), should be voluntary.

Congress allots P70 million in CDF per representative to pay for projects of their choosing in their districts.

Nograles said some provinces that were not affected by typhoons this year had not yet undertaken the rehabilitation of their infrastructure that was damaged in last year’s storms.

“Panay Island, for example, has not yet recovered from the devastation caused by Typhoon ‘Frank’ which hit it in June 2008. Please remember that when Frank devastated Panay, there was no call for realignment, including during the time of the massive floods in Leyte,” he said.

House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor said there was no need for lawmakers to make extra contributions toward storm damage repairs because the P12-billion supplemental relief fund to be sourced from savings in this year’s national budget and approved by Congress was more than enough to pay for rehabilitation work.

Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.

(Comment: Hmmm... patay nga naman ang delihensiya nila kung isasauli pa nila ang perang hindi naman talaga pag-aari nila. Masyado nang madamot ang mga ito sa tagal ng panahon na "kanila" personally ang pork barrel na ibinibigay sa kanila ng tao. Kailangan na talagang baguhin ang sistemang ito at huwag nang ibigay ang pork sa kanila. Sobrang kapal na talaga at gahaman sa pera ng tao ng mga ito).

Busy Preparing and Sending Relief Goods to the Country

Please bear with me on not updating my blog due to my hectic schedules in preparing and sending relief goods and cash to the victims of the recent typhoons in our country.

Sa mga nagbigay ng cash o in kind, salamat sa inyong lahat! Mabuhay po kayo!

I received reports that the Bureau of Customs is under order from the top that they are to traffic relief goods and tax them irregardless of recipients or charitble institutions where they came from. Grabe talaga, pagkain at baro na lang ng mga namatayan at nagugutom na mga biktima ng baha at bagyo sa atin, ninanakawan pa nila! Saan ka makakita ng ganitong kawalanghiyaan at kababuyan? Only in the Philippines! Gising na mga kababayan ko!

Kung term ko to, kalabuso ang bagsak ng mga ito!

Noynoy, Mar: We won't steal

By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated September 22, 2009

MANILA, Philippines - 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.

(Comment: So politicians are really stealing. Period)

“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.”

(Comment: Like I was saying in this blog, there's no deceny, integrity in the publicservice and these people DO NOT put the people's INTEREST first! I was so true from the very start).

“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.

(Comment: So Sen Roxas knew these stealings, connivance and extortions in the government. How come he is only saying this NOW? Dahil tatakbo sya? Hay, baka naman kasi nakinabang din sya rito? Just curious..)

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.

(Comment: Lumang tugtugin at tuno na 'to).

“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.

(Comment: Truly, Aquino and ROxas do not have a good plan for the government to earn except from taxes. Talaga naman kasing walang plataporma hindi lang silang dalawa kundi lahat ng tatakbo sa election. The same names, the same faces, the same tunes, the same promises. These two, including all presidentialbles, do not know how to make the Filipino government competitive and attractive to business and investors (local and abroad). So this is what we'll get if they are elected. No plans, no strategy, no long-term blue print for the hungry masses).

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.

(Comment: Like what I have been writing in this blog, I know Sens Roxas and Aquino both have clean intention to clean up the government. Andun na ko. But, again, going to a war with no war plans (platform) for the people is inutile. Ano ba talaga ang mga plano nila para sa tao? Gutom? Crime? War in Mindanao? Corruption (both government and private)? Image of the country? Poverty? etc... They are only taking advantage of the recent popularity of former President Cory Aquino, who by the way, has not put a lot of corrupt and Marcos cronies to jail and whose government was almost toppled by coups. Literaly, hers was a weak government and was not very effective. Again, the same names. What we need are new blood, new leaders, new names who can speed up the development of the country not because they came from prominent families in the country (para bang sila-sila na lang palagi ang pag-asa ng 90 million Filipinos. Mahiya na naman kayo, no?). These new leaders are new Filipinos who can give new meaning, new ideas, new hope and interest for the people to start becoming productive again and bring the much awaited economic rebirth in the country. Palitan na ang mga trapos. Palitan na ang "sila-sila" mentality. Pairalin na ang katotohanang hindi effective ang mga lumang politikong ito kasama na rito ang kanilang mga anak na ngayon ay balak ituloy ang kani-kanilang alitan sa gobyerno --- at the EXPENSE of the Filipinos). Tama na. Mahiya na kayo!)

Noynoy Aquino to run for president in 2010

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net

Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III officially announced that he will run for president in 2010 on Wednesday, exactly 40 days after the death of his late mother, former President Corazon Aquino.

“Tinatanggap ko ang hiling ng sambayanan. Tinatanggap ko ang tagubilin ng aking mga magulang. Tinatanggap ko ang responsibilidad na ituloy ang laban para sa bayan. Tinatanggap ko ang hamon na mamuno sa laban na ito. Tatakbo po ako sa pagka-pangulo sa darating na halalan (I accept the voice of the people. I accept the advice of my parents. I accept the responsibility to continue the fight of the people. I accept the challenge to lead in this fight. I will run in the coming elections),” declared Aquino.

Aquino made the announcement of his candidacy for the presidency at about 8 a.m. at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, the same venue where his late mother took her oath as president in 1986.

Personalities present at the jam-packed room were Liberal Party members Senators Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Francis Pangilinan, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Quezon Representative Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, former congressmen Florencio “Butch” Abad and Nereus Acosta, singer-composer Jim Paredes, former Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, and singer Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement.

Noynoy’s sisters, Ballsy, Pinky, Viel, and Kris, were also there. They were all wearing black as was Noynoy.

At a presscon after the announcement, he declined to say if Roxas will be his running mate, saying that he will just let the senator make the decision himself.

(Comments: First of all, he is running kasi dala ng simpatiya ng ilang Pilipino ng pagkamatay at libing ng dating Presidente Cory Aquino, her mother. Kaso, wala naman talaga sa intention n'ya na tumakbo at ilaban ang bansa sa kahirapan at mga problema sa ngayon. Napilitan lang kaya tatakbo. Eto ba ang karakter na kalilangan natin sa bagong lider? Ni wala siyang agenda man lang kahit isa para sa mga OFWs. This is the bitter reality. He has no passion, intention, plans, and agenda for the Filipino masses. Yes, he is the son of former Ninoy and Cory Aquino. But this is not a qualification for him to lead the nation, though he is a senator. As of the moment, wala naman siyang matinong nagawa o naipasa para sa bayan lalo na sa mga Pilipinong nasa abroad. Napilitan lang kaya tatakbo. Walang plataporma at balak sa bayan. Ni walang balak man lang tungkol sa negosyo o plano para sa karagdagang trabaho. Eto ang katotohanan dito. Papaano na naman ang nakararaming gutom sa bayan? Sa mga pagod na katatrabaho sa labas ng bansa? Ni hindi niya kilala ang mga OFWs. Para sa akin, mas mabuti pang maging lider ang isang HINDI politiko o galing sa angkan ng mga politiko para magkaroon naman ng panibagong pananaw ang bansa kung papaano mahango sa hirap. Itaga natin sa bato, his term and leadership will be the same thing all over again for the nation. Kawawa na naman tayo

Likely scenario: According to the news, Ninoy Jr will ran after the Marcos wealth daw. Hmmm.. What will happen is magiging labanan na naman ito ng mga pamilya at hahalukayin na naman ang mga lumang issues ng iba pang mga politiko laban sa kani-kanilang mga pamilya. Old grudges. Old issues. Old story na ito at panis na. Magiging lugar ng labanan na naman ang senado at kongreso ng mga lumang politiko at ng kanilang mga lumang alitan. Labanan ng mga anak ng dating me galit at utang ng kani-kanilang mga tatay at nanay. Mauubos na naman ang panahon at pera para panuorin na naman ng mga Pilipino ang kanilang sigawan at insultuhan sa konseho. Hay, sayang ang pera, sayang ang oras, sayang ang opportunities. Gutom ang Juan de la Cruz for another 6 years! Hindi talaga marunong matoto ang Pilipino!

Second round na labaanan na ito ng mga anak ng mga Marcoses, Aquinos, Chavits, Escuderos, Roxas, etc.... all over again!!!! Walang pupuntahan ang bayan kundi sa kangkungan at KAHIRAPAN!

Political dynasty ang tawag dito. Sila-sila lang ang nakikinabang sa pera at oras ng mga tao. Nandoon na rin ang mga kaalyado ng mga anak ng politikong ito at mga nakikisakay sa kanila. Mga alipures na naghihintay lang ng tamang pagkakataon para kumita. Walang loyalty. Walang prinsipyo. Walang pagmamahal sa bayan. Walang pakialam sa kahirapan. Period.

Para naman kay Sen Mar Roxas na nag concede agad (at sa mga iba pang nagtake advantage na sumuporta kaagad kay Sen Ninoy Jr for president), sayang kayo. Mga bata pa naman kayo ngunit wala kayong determinasyon na ipaglaban ang inyong paniniwala at prinsipyo para sa mga Pilipino. Ipinakita lang ninyo sa desisyong ninyong ito na nahina kayo at walang lakas na loob na lumaban at ilaban ang mahihirap sa ating bayan. Madali kayong madala sa agos at madali rin kayong mabili ng inyong partido! Ipinakita ninyo na tama ang aking paratang na INUUNA ninyo ang inyong PARTIDO at hindi ang bayang Pilipino! Kung talagang makabayan kayo at mahal ang mahihirap at mga mahihina, ipaglalaban ninyo ang inyong prinsipyo. Ipaglalaban ninyo ang nakararaming kababayan natin na napakatagal nang naka lubog putik ng kahirapan. Papaano ninyo maidedepensa ang mahihina kung vice president lang kayo? Ano ang nagawa ni VP Noli de Castro, aber? Sayang kayo at sayang ang mga ginastos na ninyo para lituhin ang bayan. Sayang ang inyong mga liderato.

Success does not always come from a STRONG leader. Success comes from a leader that CARES for his people.

Hindi na tayo natoto. Sayang ka, Pilipino!).

Palace increases 'pork' by P700 million

By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The administration did not reduce the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or the pork barrel allocation for senators and congressmen, which actually increased by P700 million, contrary to the claim of Malacañang officials.

Research conducted by The STAR showed that last year, Malacañang proposed P6.24 billion for PDAF in the 2009 budget, the same level as in previous years.

During the Senate-House of Representatives conference on the budget, senators increased the PDAF appropriation by P3,425,027,000, to P9.665 billion.
President Arroyo did not veto the P3.425-billion increase in pork barrel funds when she signed the 2009 national budget.

Mrs. Arroyo has proposed in the 2010 national budget a PDAF allocation of P6.940 billion, which is P700 million more than what she proposed in previous years.
Congressmen sitting in the House appropriations committee surmised that the additional P700 million would be for the 32 new party-list representatives the Supreme Court recently added to the chamber’s membership.

The PDAF is a more transparent form of the pork barrel and it is the source of funds for so-called “soft” projects like medical, livelihood and educational assistance.
Funds for “hard” projects are embedded in the budgets of infrastructure agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and Communications, and Department of Agriculture (for farm-to-market roads and irrigation canals).

The pork barrel dispenses P200 million for each senator and P70 million for each House member.

Only opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson does not avail himself of his P200 million.
In the House, militant party-list members like Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna do not receive their allocations.

(Comment: Imbes na alisin, dinagdagan pa ng Palasyo ang pork. More pore, more corruption, more kahirapan. Simply lang ang reasoning dito. Hindi na dapat isipin pa).

P1 pork barrel for each solon proposed

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — A member of the House of Representatives on Monday proposed a P1 allocation for each lawmaker’s pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to ensure that the fund would not be used for the 2010 election campaign.

The amount originally allotted to congressmen and senators as their PDAF in the 2010 budget proposal by Malacanang could be re-channeled to meet the shortages in teacher positions, classroom, textbooks, chairs, and laboratories in public school, Representative Teddy Casino said at the minority’s weekly news conference.

Casino’s proposal directly runs counter with the earlier proposal of Sorsogon Representative Jose Solis to increase the PDAF of each lawmaker by P30 million.

Each congressman receives P70 million and each senator gets P200 million under the current budget.

Casino said increasing lawmakers’ pork barrel allocation increases the risk of government money being spent for the 2010 elections.

He said lawmakers can instead propose projects under line items of departments under the proposed budget.

“The threat of one-peso budget has always been used by Congress to get what it wants from an agency. Perhaps it is time congressmen get a taste of their own medicine,” he said.

“Let’s allocate one peso for the pork barrel and let the various nominated projects of congressmen undergo line item budgeting and the public scrutiny it deserves,” he added.

(Comment: This is precisely the one item in my candidacy to be implemented. Matagal ko ng minumungkahi ito or better yet NO PORK BARREL sa lahat ng mga lawmakers ng bansa para matigil na ang corruption na sanhi nito. There is no law in the country that says that these corrupt lawmakers (karamihan, hindi lahat) should receive pork barrel. Pansariling kapritso lang naman nila ito and this has been going on for years and years. Imbis na magamit ang mga perang ito sa tamang ahensiya o proyekto ng bansa, napupunta lamang ito sa bulsa ng mga corrupt officials na ito. Matagal na tayong niloloko at pinagnanakawan, naka smile pa rin tayo! Common on, Filipino lawmakers, huwag na tayong maglokohan! Alam na ng maraming Pilipino ito kaya kung hindi kayo mabubuhay dahil walang pork barrel, magsialisan na lang kayo sa puwesto n'yo and let new and young Filipino politicians do your jobs para umasenso na ang bayan natin. Kung ayaw n'yo ng ganitong arrangement, sa Mars na lang kayo tumira kasama ang mga alipores n'yo at kapwa corrupt officials!).

For Lapid, service sucks at Le Cirque

By Christine Avendaño
Philippine Daily Inquirer


No photo with Obama plus the restaurant service sucks.

Sen. Lito Lapid might well have just stayed home.

After failing to have his picture taken with US President Barack Obama, Lapid was said to also not have enjoyed the P1-million dinner which he and other members of the Philippine presidential delegation had at Le Cirque restaurant in New York.
It was Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago who yesterday recounted Lapid’s unhappy experience at the favorite hangout of international celebrities, while herself expressing distaste at such a display of “outlandish” spending.

Like Lapid, Santiago joined the recent US trip of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but she said she skipped the dinner at the popular French restaurant, which the New York Post said cost a whopping $20,000—or P1 million.

Those who go to restaurants like Le Cirque pay “for the prestige of that place and the privilege of seeing and being seen,” Santiago said in an interview on radio dzBB.
Apparently, the ambiance of the restaurant failed to impress Lapid.

Slow meals

Santiago said she learned that Lapid had told protocol officers that he did not enjoy the dinner.

“Sabi niya, grabe naman itong restaurant na eto, katagal tagal dumating ng order (He said this restaurant is terrible, the orders take so long),” Santiago said. According to her, Lapid pointed out to protocol officers that it took time to serve the meals because the waiters would change plates and silverware with every course.
“That’s why he did not like the French restaurant,” she said.

Unfulfilled wish

During the US trip, the movie actor and former Pampanga governor also raised eyebrows—not to mention giggles—when he admitted that he would like to be part of a select group meeting Obama because he wanted to be photographed with the US president.

Lapid did not get his wish. He wasn’t included in the exclusive group.
Santiago said she skipped the Aug. 2 dinner at Le Cirque with President Macapagal-Arroyo and her entourage because she said she normally did not like to go to such places as this would require her to doll herself up with make-up and jewelry. The senator also said she was not a “scintillating personality after 8 p.m.” She attributed this to her chronic fatigue syndrome condition which, she jested, makes her cranky in the late hours.

Still, she said she was surprised to find out that the dinner was at the watering hole of the rich and famous.

‘Powerful woman

The senator said that, when in the United States, she preferred to go to Vietnamese restaurants because for $10 to $15, one could have a meal of rice and viand.

Regarding Lapid’s missed photo opportunity with Obama, Santiago said she explained to Lapid how strict the protocol was at the meeting, adding that the Philippine group itself didn’t have a chance to be photographed with the US president.
“We have no picture with Obama because we’re not allowed to have pictures with him. His time was very very limited,” she said.

Santiago said Obama was all business. “So there was no picture taking,” she laughed.
She said that at the meeting, she was able to tell Obama that “America would not be able to get what it all wants from President Arroyo because she was not free to sign treaties as these needed to be approved by the Senate, which is dominated by the opposition.”

For that remark, she said Obama told her with a laugh, “I can see you are a powerful woman.”

It was a good thing that at the meeting, there was no talk of Muslim radical prisoners in Guantanamo being shipped to the Philippines.

Had this been mentioned and with Obama telling her she seemed to be a powerful woman, Santiago said she might have ended up being really “powerful in a sense that I would have raised my voice” on that issue.

(Comment: Lito Lapid opting for a photo with Pres. Obama? Hmmm.. Talagang pag tiwali ang kaisipan natin tungkol sa mga Amerikano, ganito ang magiging attitude natin. As a senator bakit ka magta-trying hard na makakuha ng picture kay Pres. Obama na para bang isa siyang artista na kailangang me souvenir photo ka? Kakahiya ito at pinapakita lang natin na talagang wala tayong respeto sa sarili natin bilang mga Pilipino (or as a Philippine Senator for that matter). Colonial mentality ang tawag dito at tayong mga Pilipino second best lang na sumasamba sa mga puti. Regarding this lavish dinner? hmmm... again, pag malayo ang puso natin sa Pilipinong mahihirap, talagang gagawin at gagawin ito ng mga lider na 'to. Nakakahiya na! Sobra na! Palitan na!)