Got this from a forwarded email. Know more about the party lists before you vote.
1. Ang Galing Pinoy – supposed to represent security guards, tricycle drivers and vendors but its first nominee is Mikey Arroyo
2. 1-Utak – Angelo Reyes is supposed to represent the transport sector but he has been the drivers’ nemesis when he headed the Department of Energy. He often gave the impression that he was the “spokesperson” of the oil cartel in justifying oil price hikes
3. 1st Kabagis – an Ilocano party-list group that claims to advocate for “widening the segments of economic development.” Jose Singson, Jr., brother of National Security Adviser Chavit Singson, is its second nominee
4. Aangat Tayo (AT) – identified by Akbayan Rep. Loretta Ann Rosales as one of the front organizations for the Arroyo Administration. President is Teddie Elson Rivera who is a PITC VP. PITC is a government-owned international trading company and was designated as the key agency in the implementation of GMA’s 10-point legacy, which includes the lowering of prices of essential medicines by 50% by 2010. Hmm, parang walang nangyari
5. Abono Partylist – claims to represent the agricultural sector. Its first two nominees are Robert Raymund Estrella and Franciso Ortega III, both hailing from prominent political clans allied with the administration. Its third nominee is Jacky Rowena Lomibao, wife of former PNP chief Arturo Lomibao
6. Abot Tanaw - first nominee is Gerwyn See, son-in-law of PAGCOR chair Efraim Genuino (see BIDA). Second nominee is Mario Cornista, chair of the board of directors of BIDA
7. Ahon Pinoy – backed by Dante Ang, Sr. (appointed by GMA as Chairman of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and CEO of Manila Times) and nominee is his son, Dante Ang, Jr.
8. Akbay Pinoy – member of Sigaw ng Bayan. Was legally charged by Makati residents together with Sigaw ng Bayan for manufacturing signatures for the GMA administration’s People’s Initiative
9. Alliance of People’s Organizations (APO) – first nominee is Arroyo ally and former Ilocos representative Salacnib Baterina
10. Anak Mindanao – was suspected to be a part of the dagdag bawas scheme. It was discovered that some precincts had more votes for party list groups than the actual number of votes cast and Anak Mindanao was one of those that received the highest number of votes
11. Ang Kasangga – claims to represent micro-entrepreneurs . Current representative is FG’s sister, Marilou Arroyo who withdrew her nomination but that only means some other Arroyo crony will replace her. Other nominees are Teodoro Haresco (PNOC board member) and Eugenio Lacson (ranked as one of the top 100 stockholders in Fidelity Stock Transfers, Inc), both of whom are multimillionaires with links to the Arroyo Administration
12. APOI – first nominee is Major General Melchor Rosales, the administrator of the Office of Civil Defense and also a DILG undersecretary
14. Association of Labor and Employees (ALE) – supposed to represent workers but first nominee is Arroyo ally and Pampanga provincial board member Catalina Bagasin who owns a cargo forwarding company and second nominee is Erlinda de Leon, GMA’s first cousin who served as special assistant to the President
15. Babae Ka! – too many ties to GMA. Was also a member of MELCHORA (Malayang Babae para sa Cha Cha at Reporma)
16. BANTAY True Marcos Loyalists – claims to represent security guards and barangay tanods but is led by Marcos supporter, Cherry Cobarrubias. Current representative is Ret. Gen. Jovito Palparan, accused of orchestrating numerous cases of extra-judicial killings during GMA’s reign and known as the “Butcher General” who, by the way, is running for Senator while nominee is his wife, Evangeline Palparan
17. Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA) – “brainchild” of Efraim Genuino, chair of PAGCOR. Nominees include his daughter, Sheryl Genuino-See and Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio, a nominee for the position of SC Chief Justice
18. BIYAHENG PINOY – An association of tricycle operators but is run by Arsenio Abalos, brother of former COMELEC chairman Benjamin Abalos
19. Buhay – nominees are father and son Mike and Rene Velarde. Supported GMA in the last elections
20. Butil – One of the winners in the last elections. Representative Benjamin Cruz co-authored House Bill 3339 which, if passed, “will destroy the domestic rice industry by allowing unfair competition with countries with higher agricultural modernization and lower production costs – and displace some 2.4 million farmers”. This was recommended by a lobby group funded by USAID.
21. KABAYAN – claims to represent transport sector workers, farmers and fisherfolk, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, anticrime crusaders, and overseas Filipino workers, among others. Its nominees include Ron Salo, former subordinate of ex-Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita
22. KAKUSA – Chairman Emeritus is Romeo Jalosjos
23. PACYAW - claims to represent urban poor youth, has tourism assistant secretary Janet Rita Lazatin (member of LAKAS-CMD and hails from Pampanga) and former Los Angeles consul Reynaldo Pineda (based in Pampanga) as nominees
To find out more, Google “bogus party lists”, “dubious party lists”, “Arroyo party lists”.
VOTE WISELY FILIPINOS!
Showing posts with label call for action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label call for action. Show all posts
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Gibo Teodoro: So Much to Answer For
Now that Gibo has relinquished his post as Chairman of Lakas-Kampi, some people say that it may gain him more votes. I hope not. Please read this enlightening essay that Peachy Paderna wrote in her Facebook notes:
My frustration with Gibo supporters lies in the fact that most of them are smart university students, academics, and professionals. We're talking about individuals who should have the ability to form insightful opinions, especially on matters of great national and political relevance.
What I notice, though, is that people who are inclined to vote for Gibo are people who are hypereducated. I'm coining this word to strike a contrast between them and Manny Villar's (mostly) uneducated followers. Do a quick survey of Gibo fans, and you'll find that an overwhelming number of them aren't merely intelligent. They're aware that they're intelligent, and their intellectual capacity is actually a great source of pride for them.
They support Gibo because at the very core of it, they see him as a peer. As intelligent people, it's only right that they vote for the intelligent candidate, correct? His professional achievements are enviable: bar topnotcher, Harvard Law graduate, political golden boy. The man even has a pretty wife. And no one will dispute that Gibo has been the most eloquent speaker so far, and in various debates, his wit and rhetoric trump everybody else's.
Gibo supporters place an inordinately high premium on academic achievement and -- I am getting tired of this word -- intelligence. There's nothing wrong with that: I would never vote for an inept candidate, someone whose intelligence I would seriously question.
However, people who believe in Gibo are forgetting one thing: eloquence, wit, and polished rhetoric does not a good President make. There is a huge crevasse of logic that stands between a man's intelligence and his ability to effect change in a country that needs it badly; in other words, the former doesn't necessarily give rise to the latter, despite all appearances.
I know it's been done countless times before, but I'm going to invoke history again: our most intelligent leaders -- Marcos and Arroyo -- were also the most reviled, because they did everything they could during their terms to plunder from us and keep themselves above the law. And why did they manage to get away with their thievery for so long? Remember that both Marcos and Arroyo served multiple terms. They were in power longer than they should have been. The reason? They were cunning and brilliant, and they knew exactly how to stay safely ensconced in Malacanang Palace.
Look, I'm not saying that we should conveniently vote for an idiot so we can easily boot him out when the situation calls for it. I'm also not saying that every intelligent candidate is a potential autocrat or a big-time crook. Instead, what I'm saying is that intelligence alone is a poor barometer for determining which presidential aspirant is most deserving of your vote.
So what about Gibo Teodoro? I think he's a tragic example, actually, because I do admire his purported intellect. In fact, let's throw in efficiency as well, since people have claimed that this man works well and has a great track record backing his candidacy. But you know what? None of these makes a difference to me. What completely ruins Gibo in my view is his utter inability to show us that he is a principled man.
Let's face it. Public office demands principled individuals, because it's a service-oriented job. You don't want McDonald's staff to drop their burger patties on the floor, only to pick them up later, dust them off, and bundle them up in buns and paper to serve to you. And when you pay a hundred pesos for that burger, it's only right that you receive your change before the receipt rolls out. We trust people in service jobs to go beyond the bare fulfillment of their tasks; we also want them to be transparent and honest about what they're giving us, and we want to know what goes on in every transaction that we enter with them.
Now let's say that Gibo is a service crew member in your nearest McDonald's, where he mops the floor and is in charge of tidying up the place. Nonetheless, this McDonald's is a crappy one, where dropping food and serving them anyway is par for the course, and you find yourself always shortchanged by a few pesos here and there. Despite all these, however, our dear Gibo doesn't decry the filthy practices of his colleagues. He doesn't stand up and say, "Wait a minute, guys. We picked those burgers off the floor, they’re dirty, and you shouldn’t be eating them. Oh, and please count your change, because you don’t usually get all of it if you do business here." He just mops away at the floor and does good work of it. That's all he does.
Let's imagine that this crappy McDonald's is the administration, and that the manager is GMA. In other words, Gibo is turning a blind eye to everything that the administration is guilty of. And what's his response when asked about what he'll do with Arroyo once her term is over? "I won't intervene."
He won't intervene? That's it?? It's a move that reeks of cowardice. It's inaction that betrays a lack of principle. He knows that Arroyo did something that she has to account for, but he won't even spearhead an investigation. The best he can do is "not intervene." Nice try, Gibo.
People have asked me why it's important for GMA to pay for her transgressions. Why waste time on such an endeavor? Why not focus on other matters? I'll tell you why: it's because we cannot keep on communicating to public officials that it's okay to steal. If we let Arroyo get away with offenses of astounding magnitude, what will our lesser public officials think? They'll think stealing from us again and again is fine, becausehey, we won't do anything about it, anyway, and we allowed bigger crimes to pass through the net before. By letting Arroyo off the hook, we further encourage an already flourishing culture of corruption that should have long been nipped in the bud.
I'd like to go back to that analogy I drew about a crappy McDonald's. Funny how, if you found out that the nearest branch habitually served dirty burgers, you would never go back to it again. If they always cheated you out of your change, you would protest and want your money, and you would never go back to that place again. But when it comes to our government, we're masochists and we're suckers: oh, you've been stealing from me? That's okay, I'll vote for you again. Oh, you've been trampling upon my human rights? That's okay, I'm used to it.
If you vote for Gibo, you're essentially the McDonald's customer who's happy to chew on burgers that have been dropped all over the place before they were finally served to you. You're okay with getting less change than you should, because the guy who's mopping the floor is doing a good job of it, and you think that a clean floor equals clean service. If this crew member were really doing a good job, he'd tell you to get out of there. He would hand in his resignation and find a better place where his principles don't have to be compromised.
In other words, it's not enough that a man be intelligent. It's not enough that his rhetoric can sweep you off your feet. It's not enough that he works efficiently. He must have principles, unyielding and certain. Principle is the scaffolding in true leadership, without which the whole structure of governance cannot sustain itself.
So think about that, Gibo supporters. I'm sure you can. You're intelligent, after all.
My frustration with Gibo supporters lies in the fact that most of them are smart university students, academics, and professionals. We're talking about individuals who should have the ability to form insightful opinions, especially on matters of great national and political relevance.
What I notice, though, is that people who are inclined to vote for Gibo are people who are hypereducated. I'm coining this word to strike a contrast between them and Manny Villar's (mostly) uneducated followers. Do a quick survey of Gibo fans, and you'll find that an overwhelming number of them aren't merely intelligent. They're aware that they're intelligent, and their intellectual capacity is actually a great source of pride for them.
They support Gibo because at the very core of it, they see him as a peer. As intelligent people, it's only right that they vote for the intelligent candidate, correct? His professional achievements are enviable: bar topnotcher, Harvard Law graduate, political golden boy. The man even has a pretty wife. And no one will dispute that Gibo has been the most eloquent speaker so far, and in various debates, his wit and rhetoric trump everybody else's.
Gibo supporters place an inordinately high premium on academic achievement and -- I am getting tired of this word -- intelligence. There's nothing wrong with that: I would never vote for an inept candidate, someone whose intelligence I would seriously question.
However, people who believe in Gibo are forgetting one thing: eloquence, wit, and polished rhetoric does not a good President make. There is a huge crevasse of logic that stands between a man's intelligence and his ability to effect change in a country that needs it badly; in other words, the former doesn't necessarily give rise to the latter, despite all appearances.
I know it's been done countless times before, but I'm going to invoke history again: our most intelligent leaders -- Marcos and Arroyo -- were also the most reviled, because they did everything they could during their terms to plunder from us and keep themselves above the law. And why did they manage to get away with their thievery for so long? Remember that both Marcos and Arroyo served multiple terms. They were in power longer than they should have been. The reason? They were cunning and brilliant, and they knew exactly how to stay safely ensconced in Malacanang Palace.
Look, I'm not saying that we should conveniently vote for an idiot so we can easily boot him out when the situation calls for it. I'm also not saying that every intelligent candidate is a potential autocrat or a big-time crook. Instead, what I'm saying is that intelligence alone is a poor barometer for determining which presidential aspirant is most deserving of your vote.
So what about Gibo Teodoro? I think he's a tragic example, actually, because I do admire his purported intellect. In fact, let's throw in efficiency as well, since people have claimed that this man works well and has a great track record backing his candidacy. But you know what? None of these makes a difference to me. What completely ruins Gibo in my view is his utter inability to show us that he is a principled man.
Let's face it. Public office demands principled individuals, because it's a service-oriented job. You don't want McDonald's staff to drop their burger patties on the floor, only to pick them up later, dust them off, and bundle them up in buns and paper to serve to you. And when you pay a hundred pesos for that burger, it's only right that you receive your change before the receipt rolls out. We trust people in service jobs to go beyond the bare fulfillment of their tasks; we also want them to be transparent and honest about what they're giving us, and we want to know what goes on in every transaction that we enter with them.
Now let's say that Gibo is a service crew member in your nearest McDonald's, where he mops the floor and is in charge of tidying up the place. Nonetheless, this McDonald's is a crappy one, where dropping food and serving them anyway is par for the course, and you find yourself always shortchanged by a few pesos here and there. Despite all these, however, our dear Gibo doesn't decry the filthy practices of his colleagues. He doesn't stand up and say, "Wait a minute, guys. We picked those burgers off the floor, they’re dirty, and you shouldn’t be eating them. Oh, and please count your change, because you don’t usually get all of it if you do business here." He just mops away at the floor and does good work of it. That's all he does.
Let's imagine that this crappy McDonald's is the administration, and that the manager is GMA. In other words, Gibo is turning a blind eye to everything that the administration is guilty of. And what's his response when asked about what he'll do with Arroyo once her term is over? "I won't intervene."
He won't intervene? That's it?? It's a move that reeks of cowardice. It's inaction that betrays a lack of principle. He knows that Arroyo did something that she has to account for, but he won't even spearhead an investigation. The best he can do is "not intervene." Nice try, Gibo.
People have asked me why it's important for GMA to pay for her transgressions. Why waste time on such an endeavor? Why not focus on other matters? I'll tell you why: it's because we cannot keep on communicating to public officials that it's okay to steal. If we let Arroyo get away with offenses of astounding magnitude, what will our lesser public officials think? They'll think stealing from us again and again is fine, becausehey, we won't do anything about it, anyway, and we allowed bigger crimes to pass through the net before. By letting Arroyo off the hook, we further encourage an already flourishing culture of corruption that should have long been nipped in the bud.
I'd like to go back to that analogy I drew about a crappy McDonald's. Funny how, if you found out that the nearest branch habitually served dirty burgers, you would never go back to it again. If they always cheated you out of your change, you would protest and want your money, and you would never go back to that place again. But when it comes to our government, we're masochists and we're suckers: oh, you've been stealing from me? That's okay, I'll vote for you again. Oh, you've been trampling upon my human rights? That's okay, I'm used to it.
If you vote for Gibo, you're essentially the McDonald's customer who's happy to chew on burgers that have been dropped all over the place before they were finally served to you. You're okay with getting less change than you should, because the guy who's mopping the floor is doing a good job of it, and you think that a clean floor equals clean service. If this crew member were really doing a good job, he'd tell you to get out of there. He would hand in his resignation and find a better place where his principles don't have to be compromised.
In other words, it's not enough that a man be intelligent. It's not enough that his rhetoric can sweep you off your feet. It's not enough that he works efficiently. He must have principles, unyielding and certain. Principle is the scaffolding in true leadership, without which the whole structure of governance cannot sustain itself.
So think about that, Gibo supporters. I'm sure you can. You're intelligent, after all.
Why I'm Not Voting for Bro. Eddie
I have never believed in Bro. Eddie's claims that he is the anointed one to lead the Philippines. Not in the 2004 elections and more so, this 2010.
Watching the video that Arnold Gamboa uploaded on his blog and the explanations he gave only strengthened my belief. It is disgusting how some candidates would do and say anything just to convince people to vote for him ... even to the extent of compromising one's faith in God.
If you consider yourself to have an open mind, watch the video, read what Arnold Gamboa (a former staunch supporter of Eddie Villanueva, no less!) has to say and read all the comments below the blog entry.
Watching the video that Arnold Gamboa uploaded on his blog and the explanations he gave only strengthened my belief. It is disgusting how some candidates would do and say anything just to convince people to vote for him ... even to the extent of compromising one's faith in God.
If you consider yourself to have an open mind, watch the video, read what Arnold Gamboa (a former staunch supporter of Eddie Villanueva, no less!) has to say and read all the comments below the blog entry.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Remember that 5-part Hacienda Luisita Story?
Where GMA News Went Wrong
The first time I saw links to that obviously biased report written by someone named Stephanie Dychiu for GMA News going around Facebook, my immediate thought was "I wonder how much was she paid to do this looooooong article that is obviously out to malign the name of Sen. Aquino?!"
If you have read that series of he said-she said type of (irresponsible) reporting, chances are, you were either convinced of Senator Aquino's guilt or your belief in him was strengthened. I was among the second group.
Please read this very enlightening analysis of that GMA-HL articles. If you are one of those Filipinos who is always saying you are open to see both sides of any story, then you better read this one!
The first time I saw links to that obviously biased report written by someone named Stephanie Dychiu for GMA News going around Facebook, my immediate thought was "I wonder how much was she paid to do this looooooong article that is obviously out to malign the name of Sen. Aquino?!"
If you have read that series of he said-she said type of (irresponsible) reporting, chances are, you were either convinced of Senator Aquino's guilt or your belief in him was strengthened. I was among the second group.
Please read this very enlightening analysis of that GMA-HL articles. If you are one of those Filipinos who is always saying you are open to see both sides of any story, then you better read this one!
Friday, October 23, 2009
DSWD is Hoarding Relief Goods!!!
Almost a month since Ondoy and Pepeng came and there are still thousands of relief goods languishing in DSWD warehouses!
Oct 21st, 2009 by ella
Dear friends,
I’m asking your help to spread the word. Tulungan po ninyo akong ikalat ito. Beyond this, we should also demand action. I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses. You can link this post to your blogs, facebook, websites etc. You can also email the photos.
Philippine News (US based Philippine newspaper) will use this as its front page story this week. Every Filipino has the right to know where the tons of donations from the UN and other counties go. Kahit po nakakahiya sa mga nag-donate. Kung sa ganitong paraan, matutulungan natin ang mga nasalanta, then by all means, let’s do it.
For those who have the time, please try to volunteer sa DSWD warehouses. Getting in was not easy. A friend had to put in a word for us. Let’s see kung madali nang makapasok sa DSWD warehouse ang mga volunteers.
Please read on and good luck to us.
Ella
Please read this blog entry and the see the accompanying photos. Nakakagalit! Hayop talaga ang karamihan ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno!!!
The introduction to the post goes:
Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo? (A special report from a volunteer)
Dear friends,
I’m asking your help to spread the word. Tulungan po ninyo akong ikalat ito. Beyond this, we should also demand action. I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses. You can link this post to your blogs, facebook, websites etc. You can also email the photos.
Philippine News (US based Philippine newspaper) will use this as its front page story this week. Every Filipino has the right to know where the tons of donations from the UN and other counties go. Kahit po nakakahiya sa mga nag-donate. Kung sa ganitong paraan, matutulungan natin ang mga nasalanta, then by all means, let’s do it.
For those who have the time, please try to volunteer sa DSWD warehouses. Getting in was not easy. A friend had to put in a word for us. Let’s see kung madali nang makapasok sa DSWD warehouse ang mga volunteers.
Please read on and good luck to us.
Ella
Thursday, October 8, 2009
To All Filipinos Everywhere
I got this from a forwarded email. It's too good not to pass along. Please read ...
- - - - -
Dear Friends and Relatives,
God bless
Fr Francis Gustilo, SDB
- - - - -
To all Filipinos Everywhere:
- - - - -
Dear Friends and Relatives,
Here's a wonderful letter to all the Filipinos written by a brave woman. She wants to do her bit in these trying times of our nation.
Please pass to as many persons if you think her article is worth reproducing via email.
Please pass to as many persons if you think her article is worth reproducing via email.
God bless
Fr Francis Gustilo, SDB
- - - - -
To all Filipinos Everywhere:
I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn't true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can it get any worse than this?
Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these "honorable" crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and appalling that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!
I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like "Honorable", "Senator", "Justice", "General" and worse, "President". Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do! These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation – Robin Hoodlum and his band of moneymen. Their motto? "Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich."
It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!
I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family's, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation's coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.
And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone's morality! The already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own "pag bad ka, lagot ka!" slogan. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it's all about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?
And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. "Love (of power) is blind" takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband's financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.
They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don't agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality. It is not that I won't make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it.
But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines. I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could forit.
Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good. We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!
I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world. I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion – right from the sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.
I call on educators and teachers – we always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into. The youth is our future – and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.
I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere to look around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders.
YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!
Let your voices be heard.
Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your heritage.
Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good.
Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience.
Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves.
You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did.
Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country.
You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.
For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.
Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these "honorable" crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and appalling that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!
I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like "Honorable", "Senator", "Justice", "General" and worse, "President". Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do! These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation – Robin Hoodlum and his band of moneymen. Their motto? "Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich."
It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!
I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family's, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation's coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.
And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone's morality! The already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own "pag bad ka, lagot ka!" slogan. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it's all about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?
And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. "Love (of power) is blind" takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband's financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.
They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don't agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality. It is not that I won't make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it.
But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines. I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could forit.
Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good. We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!
I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world. I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion – right from the sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.
I call on educators and teachers – we always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into. The youth is our future – and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.
I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere to look around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders.
YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!
Let your voices be heard.
Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your heritage.
Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good.
Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience.
Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves.
You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did.
Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country.
You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.
For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.
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