LAUNCH OF PEOPLES' PRIMARIES

The method of selecting candidates for the 2010 Philippine elections will be launched tomorrow, 30 June 2009, at 1 p.m. at the Asian Institute of Management, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. All, especially leaders and members of non-profit, non-government organizations and civil societies, are invited to register, and participate in the discussions. Maghakot na kayo kung puwede. See you there.

WHAT IS DEMOCRATIC? Honduran Lesson

What had happened in Honduras could happen to us. President Manuel Zelaya was whisked away to Costa Rica in order to install a new president.

Reports said that: "Congress speaker Roberto Micheletti will serve as interim president until polls are held, Congress said. The removal of Mr Zelaya by the army came amid a power struggle over his plans for constitutional change.

Mr Zelaya, who had been in power since 2006, wanted to hold a referendum that could have led to an extension of his non-renewable four-year term.

Polls for the referendum had been due to open early on Sunday - but troops instead took him from the presidential palace and flew him to Costa Rica.

The ousting of Manuel Zelaya has been criticised by regional neighbours, the US and the United Nations."

What is not right in this change of officials is that the military took charge of the change and not the people. This could be highly questionable as Mr. Zelaya had been elected democratically.

Although his motives in pushing for the referendum are questionable, the manner of removing him contributed to the political problems of strengthening democratic processes in Honduras, and serves a black eye in terms of making democracy work all over the globe.

Military power to cleanse government is hardly democratic.



-- Mayan Rain God Chac, Honduras. Photographer: Robert Francis

GREEN POWER, AMERICA

I received three emails last Saturday from three American non-profit environmental groups, thanking me for my participation - through email - on their campaign for the passing of the House of the legislation on greening America. Emails came from Gillian Caldwell of 1Sky, Steve Bouchard of Repower America and Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins
Chief Executive Officer, Green For All. Their campaigns consisted of requests for people to call up their representatives to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES!)and it was passed. $860 million have been allocated to the Green Jobs Act!

One suggestion of mine in the email was to let big baloons float in the skies of those cities with the highest pollution, together with a caption: STOP POLLUTING THE SKIES.

Gillian wrote: "Together, we sent Congress more than 18,000 faxes and made 1,600 phone calls to strengthen and pass this bill. We jammed the congressional switchboards and fought hard to get some key amendments to increase efficiency, renewables, and to help low-income communities transition into green jobs.

But, the really tough work has just begun. The bill will face tough opposition from Dirty Coal and Big Oil in the Senate and we will all need to work just as hard in the coming months to pass a clean energy bill."

Aren't they Positive Thinking Americans really worthwhile emulating when it comes to the environment?

Congratulations, Folks

HOW TO HUMANIZE COUNTRIES

News from Africa are so dire that sometimes I switch the pages right away so as not to read even the headlines. In Somalia four men, aged between 18 and 25, were subjected to double amputations for stealing phones and guns.In Kenya, many older people have been lynched as they are accused of being witches. Then stories are also posted of diamond diggers having been massacred in Zimbabwe. These are three countries already. What about in others? What kind of democracy is there in this continent? Aren't the above what can be called barbaric acts; are these countries still worthy of being members of the United Nations?

There must be an end to these anti-life activities. I can imagine one solution: big countries sending caravans of human rights education video programs for projection in those countries. Hopefully they could soften the hearts of anyone there still believing in violence.

Education is really the best way to the people's hearts and minds.

DEALING WITH RECOVERED CRIME CASH

We could learn a thing or two on what to do with cash, and even cars and helicopters recovered from arrested criminals from the British Home Office who are asking the people to vote online as to where the money should go from the sale of such assets.
Here in the Philippines, we never get to track down what happens to those things. All we receive and read about are reports that this and that person was captured, but as to the other assets, it is kaput. I wonder if the group against crime and violence could make this a kind of "subsidiary" activity of their group, which then could be a source of funds for their voluntary organization


BBC NEWS 26 June 2009 01:32 UK

Communities to vote on crime cash

Top of the range cars and helicopters have been seized from criminals. The public are being asked to suggest how £4m raised from the sale of assets seized from criminals should be spent. The Home Office's new Community Cashback scheme will see people in up to 42 areas in England and Wales vote online for where the money should go. The money has been raised through the sale of assets, such as yachts and cars, confiscated by police. The government has revealed £148m in assets was seized from criminals using the Proceeds of Crime Act last year.

The previous year the equivalent of £136m was seized in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Home Office minister Alan Campbell said that seizing money was a "valuable tool in the fight against crime".

Under the Community Cashback scheme, 42 Local Criminal Justice Boards will each be invited to bid for up to £95,000 each. People will be able to vote through a website for which projects in their area they want to see money spent on.

...A similar scheme already operates in Scotland and one is just starting in Northern Ireland....

JACKSON, A PART OF PHILIPPINE YOUTH

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

Michael Jackson dies at 50, half a century, decades of which were spent shaping and enjoying the world of music. jackson was an idol that transcended several generations, appealing to the spectacular expectations of the audience - a rags-to-riches and musical lyrics that encompassed romantic to political statements about the world.

It was in my 60s when I first heard of Jackson and the biggest thing then was that a black person was rising to fame. Considering his skin color, many in the Philippines found it appropriate that he should rise to fame, the same aspiration of other dark-skinned entertainers in our country who had to combat the slant to "mestiza-looking" actors, actresses and singers, a product of the long American colonial rule in the country. Never mind if the space allotted to blacks in the United States was confined to the entertainment not the political world. An Obama as president? No way.

And so, it became an "in" thing then to hear "black is beautiful," and to listen to his songs and of other black singers. Before him the United States had produced other black musicians like the jazz musicians, both women and men, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole, and the Motown singers. Even Diana Ross of the Supremes, Jackson's favorite was an idol then.

The write-ups about Jackson reveal how great the budget was poured into his promotion -- as his songs hugged the airwaves, catapulting him to the top of the music billboard charts all the time. T-shirts, posters, lately ringtones, and many, many more flooded the markets. Magazines always carried his photos and stories about his pets, his marriage, cosmetic surgeries, and even that legal suit about his "games" with some young boys in his farm. Regarding this dalliance with them, Jackson could have tried recovering and really savoring his boyhood, those growing years which had been snatched from his grasp by entertainment fame.

What does it mean for the Filipino people to see a black musician rise in the entertainment field? In the cultural field dominated by imported products showcasing white singers, white actors and actresses, and other white performers, it was great spiritual lift to see Jackson and to dance to his songs.

But then when he desired a fair complexion and had his cosmetic surgeries, I began to be leery of appreciating his music. I could no longer understand how he could turn his back on what he had looked originally. I thought then that he had succumbed to the colonial standards of beauty, instead of becoming an icon to champion not only black music but also that pride to be of any skin color.

Nonetheless, there were still songs that appealed to me which spoke of reflections on the self, a sentimental appeal to being around whatever dire things should happen, and that Christmas song played during the season, containing the lyrics, "...Why don't you give love on Christmas day...." Those were really touching on the soul and the heart.

May his music live on.

Helena Kadlcikova, Michael Jackson Portrait

Forces of Reaction

Right here in our Asean neighborhood, a huge country has its intellectuals under a blanket of fear and trembling as it arrests, jails its critics without due process.
This is very sad because Asia should be peopled by intellectuals who have two perspectives: material and spiritual. It is basic to our character as Asians to be perceptive and reflective of our societies, of the world. Yet, the big nation is not wont to grant that to individual intellectuals.

I do think that as a country which launched the People Power in 1986, we should also give clear examples of respect for intellectuals to our neighbors. We cannot be praised for launching that so-called revolution, when our situation now is even worse than before, with intellectuals being hunted down to make them kowtow to this administration regardless of its human rights violations. If in our own country, there are still forces of reaction, despite the successful end to the dictatorship, then this has emboldened highly conservative countries to be more brazen about their activities to their citizens.

Along the same vein, is this not a case of lack of strength of democratic forces to counter the forces of reaction philosophically? Why is it that other thoughts -- conservative religions and political thoughts still pervade the thinking of the rulers and make them follow dehumanizing policies? Why should they put domination and discrimination on top of their agenda? Life indeed is too short to allow answers to surface to these questions.

But on hindsight, the current political events should elicit a collective condemnation from all countries, most specifically, from the United Nations which should be the first to denounce all human rights violations.

NEWS:
June 24, 2009
By Michael Bristow
BBC News, Beijing

One of China's most prominent political activists has been formally arrested for inciting subversion.Liu Xiaobo is accused of spreading rumours and defaming the government, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

Mr Liu's arrest comes six months after he was taken into custody. He was detained just before the publication of a document that he co-authored calling for political change in China.

Mr Liu was detained on the eve of the publication of Charter 08, a document signed by hundreds of Chinese artists, academics and political activists.

It was published on the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It called for political reforms in China, such as a new constitution, judicial independence and the freedom to assemble.

Many of those who signed the document were subjected to harassment from the Chinese government after its publication.

Liu Xiaobo is accused of spreading rumours and defaming the government, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

Mr Liu has been a political activist for more than two decades. He took part in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 - for which he spent two years in prison.

After his release he continued to push for political change. Human rights organisations, such as Amnesty International, have called for Mr Liu's release.

"This use of state security charges to punish activists for merely expressing their views must stop," said Amnesty's Roseann Rife after Mr Liu's arrest was announced.

"This is another act of desperation by a regime that is terrified of public opinion."

HANDS TOGETHER CAN BRING ABOUT CHANGE

PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES

FOLKS, BELOW PLEASE FIND THE BASIC DOCUMENT ABOUT PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES SENT THROUGH EMAIL BY ITS COORDINATORS.

For comments and opinions, please contact:

Ricky Xavier at Email: movementforhope@yahoo.com

PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES - IV - Basic Policies

What are the Basic Policies of the People’s Primaries?

• The Non-Partisan Organizations will conduct the Primaries;

• The registered electorates and the candidates who choose to participate in the Primaries shall sign a covenant that they will support whoever is chosen as the official candidates for the People’s Slate;

• The Official Candidates for the People’s Slate shall join his/her organization/ political party to become a full-fledged member of the People’s Coalition to fully serve its Platform of Governance; (the Coalition of Partisan Reform Groups)

• Selected Candidates share his/her resources and machineries to the war chest of the People’s Coalition.

• A Peoples Convention will be held in Metro Manila to formulate the Peoples Agenda ( Inputs from partisan and non-partisan) ; Organize the Peoples Coalition and determine the Peoples National Slate (based on the results of the Primaries).

PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES - III Who can Participate?

Who can Participate and be Nominated in the People’s Primaries to Develop the People’s Agenda, Coalition and Slate?

1. Any socio-civic or religious organization and their registered members*;

2. Movements, trade organizations, NGOs, cooperatives and their registered members*;

3. Non-Trapo Political parties and their registered members.*

*Registered with the NFG;
4. They are not necessarily politicians who want to be elected in 2010;

5. They are also nominated because of their proven development initiatives in the community, organizational skills and sensible public relations that she/he is willing to share and integrate with other nominees and will abide by the Peoples’

Primaries policies;
6. He/She has Good Moral Character (Refer to Non-Trapo Definition and Candidate Criteria w/ Scorecard);

7. Nominated by the people through community caucuses and Circles of Discernment and endorsed by like-minded community organizations;

8. Commissioned by the District Facilitators Group assigned in the District.

PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES - III How to Organize

How are we to Organize and Develop the People’s Primaries
1. District Chapters equivalent to congressional districts will be organized. There are presently 216 congressional districts as shown in the attached map;

2. Every District will have at least one (1) electoral vote regardless of the number of registered volunteers;

3. Any number above the increments of 10,000 signed up volunteers = 1 additional Electoral Vote;

4. Maximum Electoral Votes per district = 12;

5. District Electoral Voting: one member, one vote reconciled at the district level as evidenced by a SMS with a NFG Control number;
6. In the event that no nominee gets 50% of the electoral votes a run off shall be conducted for the top two;

7. National winner is the one with the highest electoral votes garnered.

Why a District Electoral Voting System?
1. To equalize participation and ensure balanced representation of all areas in the Philippines;

2. Ensure non-domination by limited sector or organizations that are disproportionately large;

3. Make the process less subject to manipulation, or suspicion of manipulation.

Who will Organize and Facilitate the Primaries?
A. The Technical Working Group (TWG)

1. Designs the overall scheme and prepares the operations templates.
2. They will assist in the formation of the National Facilitators’ Group (NFG) and Screening Committee (SC).
3. They shall establish a Voting Control System;
• Assigned pre-numbers will be distributed to DFGs to effectively register the People’s Primaries electorates;
• These will be control numbers for voting through SMS.
4. They will include members of Partisan movements and reform, non-trapo political parties who will nominate candidates to the primaries.

B. The National Facilitators Group (NFG)

1. They will be responsible in organizing the District Working Groups (DWGs) and District Selection Committee (DSC);
2. Conduct local caucuses and orient the like-minded organizations and individuals who will be invited as DFG members.
3. Invite Spiritual and Religious Leaders in the District to present the People’s Primaries System and invite them to compose the DSC.
4. They will be composed of Non-Partisan movements and organizations affiliated, allied with MGG and likeminded groups and will primarily be responsible in conducting the People’s Primaries.

C. The Screening Committee (SC)

1. They will determine who will qualify to join the primaries based on the MGG Candidate Criteria and the definition of a Trapo and Non-Trapo. They shall consist of representatives of moral and spiritual organizations e.g. CBCP, Ulama Muslim Council, NCCP/UCCP, AMRSP, Transparochial Communities, etc.

PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES - II

The People’s Primaries Pinoy Style seeks to achieve the following objectives:

Philosophy:
Sovereignty resides in the people, hence there must be congruence between the source of power (the people) and the leaders invested with the authority to exercise the power – to make laws, to govern and to choose persons to appointive positions in the bureaucracy.

Idea:
The representatives who exercise the sovereign power of the people must be produced by a process that allows broad-based participation by them.

Concept:
The primaries can be understood therefore as a GOAL, PROCESS and MEANS.

As a Goal:
Alleviate corruption in National and Local politics by raising and selecting God loving and Competent Non-Trapo public officials concerned with the common good and committed to the empowerment of the Filipino people to achieve progress.

As a Process:
A consultative mechanism consisting of:
• Development of the People’s Platform;
• Vetting, i.e. qualifying, nominating, endorsing, short-listing, and voting to produce the People’s Slate.
To be implemented by:
• Formal Mandating Body (Structure & System) “ People’s Coalition.
As a Means:
It is an organizational tool to arouse, mobilize, unite and organize people’s participation and involvement in effecting leadership change.

The Objectives
1. Mobilize 20% of the electorate per congressional district, particularly among the youth who registered as voters, to participate in the Primaries and later support the chosen candidates.

2. Unite reform minded organizations to work for the election of good, responsible, and reform oriented leaders, particularly at the highest levels of government.

3. Provide an environment and a structure for a political machinery to emerge, where various advocacies may be represented and become part of the platform of government to be adopted by the slate of candidates who will form the “ Peoples Dream Team “.

Requisite Conditions:
• Unified Peoples Agenda
• Unified Peoples Coalition
• Unified Leadership & Slate
• Adequate Resources and Cooperative Media

PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES - BASIC DOCUMENT: I

PEOPLES’ PRIMARIES BASIC DOCUMENT
(Movement for Good Government – Cluster on Primaries)
June 15, 2009

Background:
The Peoples Primaries is an idea based on the U.S. model. Historically, the Primaries in the U.S. came about because of a need to reform the political system which was corrupt and where only a handful of well-heeled people influenced the direction of the country.

REASONS FOR PRIMARIES:
1. The primary system was a backlash against the backroom dealings of corrupt politicians. The primary system was meant to transfer the right to elect a presidential candidate from an elite, entitled few into the hands of voters.

2. It also forced candidates to pay attention to issues that voters considered important. It played a key role in forming the platform of the candidates. Issues that gained popular support were normally adopted by the chosen candidate.

3. Most importantly, it alleviated corruption in national politics and provided yet another avenue through which citizens could take part in the process of choosing their own leaders. The interest generated by the primaries moved many first-time voters to register and go to the polls.


Today our political situation is similar to that of the United States when at the turn of the 20th century they adopted the Primary System. At this stage of our history, we need to retool our Democracy so we can fix our corrupt political system.

At the time that our present brand of democracy was established by our forefathers and their American tutors, they did not completely adopt the U.S. electoral system. Whatever their reasons were, personal, foreign and national they must have believed that majority of our people were not yet prepared to responsibly choose their leaders.

Things have changed, a greater majority of our voters are better informed of the issues, and the youth have access to more and better sources of information. While we do not have a two party system, there is a clear demarcation line been the Trapo and the Non Trapo politicians and their political parties.

IRAN MEDIAWATCH: 21 June 2010

We must watch the unfolding of events in Iran after the people exercised their right to vote. We need to see how the people respond to how their votes were not correctly counted or were disregarded. Responses to political events are lessons in creating mass movements. Here are some of the events culled from BBC news:

Campaign group Reporters Without Borders says 23 local journalists and bloggers have been arrested over the past week.

The protests were sparked by the presidential election on 12 June, which officials said incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won by a landslide. Iranian state TV reported that 10 people had died and 100 were injured when protesters and police clashed on Saturday.

On Sunday, thousands of security officers were out on the streets but protesters stayed away.

Many residents of northern Tehran could be heard shouting from the rooftops "death to the dictator" and "Allahu akbar" on Sunday evening, according to Jeremy Bowen.

The chants have become a popular form of protest, and our correspondents say men, women and children joined in and Sunday's chanting was much louder than on previous days.

BBC REPORT 21 June 2009

FEEDBACK

Our posting on the mechanics of the people’s primaries drew a reaction from Mr. Rudolfo Fernan:

June 20, 2009: “Just my concern, sana " mailagay sa maliliit na printout ang mensahing ito, " Mechanics Of The People's Primaries " ipakalat, sa lahat ng nag-aatend ng demo-rallys, para maintindihan ( bilang isang reformatory step ), …at least, bawat makatanggap nito, ila-lagay nila sa bulsa, at mapag-aaralan nila ng mabuti. at pag-naintindihan nila ito, 70% ng 86milyon na Pinoy, ay magbabago ang kanilang isip, baka magtakda sila ng araw, na kailangan nga pala ito….

IRAN: A COUP THROUGH ELECTION, SOUNDS FAMILIAR?

Folks, when I read the BBC Reports on Election Cheating I am reminded of something familiar:

Despite a record turnout across the country on polling day:

1. Monitors from their campaign teams, who by law are allowed to oversee every polling station, were issued with invalid ID cards or refused entry;

2. And there was a 10-fold increase in the number of mobile polling stations - ballot boxes transported from place to place by agents of the interior ministry, which is run by a close ally of Mr Ahmadinejad.

"One third of the ballot boxes were mobile," says Mehdi Khalaji, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

"They were out of the control of the local authorities and the representatives of the candidates, and nobody knows what they have done to them".

3. "Early on polling day, the SMS network was shut down, that made me worried about what was going to happen," says Tehran journalist Ali Pahlavan.

With little access to the state-controlled broadcast media, Mr Mousavi's largely young, technically savvy supporters use text messages to campaign.

4. "Then the interior ministry [where results from polling stations around the country are collated] started kicking out its own employees so that just a skeleton personnel and the top officials were left," says Mr Pahlavan.

5. Despite the high turnout, the count was remarkably quick, and the results unusually consistent, with none of the typical variations between different regions and cities.

6. "Iran is a huge country, nearly four times the size of France and they began announcing the results within four hours, in past elections it's taken 24. It just seems to me the fix was in," says Juan Cole, Professor of Middle Eastern History at the University of Michigan.

7. For example, in Mr Mousavi's home province of East Azerbaijan, which is known to have fierce regional and ethnic loyalties to the reformist candidate, he polled far worse than expected.

8. And the liberal cleric Mehdi Karroubi polled 5% in Lorestan, despite having won 55% there in the first round of voting in 2005 when he also stood as a candidate.

"This is something more than a manipulated election, this is a coup".

What is happening in Iran now is a kind of dress rehearsal for our 2010 elections. We are now seeing how the election process was rigged and how the Iranian state is reacting to the protests. So our moves have to consider pre-election, during election, and post-election activities. We have to brace ourselves for the long haul.

IN SEARCH OF TRUE PEOPLE'S CHOICE

In our search for genuine freedom to vote, and insure righteous governance, we are forced to seek models from other countries. The Movement for Good government has turned to the United States for its campaign to hold People's Primaries. Everyone is hoping and praying that the Primaries shall be the start of a truly democratic step in insuring the honest election of the national and local officials. Here is how the Primaries will operate in our country:

HOW THE PEOPLE'S PRIMARIES WORK:

1. THE MOVEMENT FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT and other Initiators turn over the People's Primaries to about 35 Non-partisan National Organizations (N.O.).

2.These N.O.s have some presence in various congressional districts in the country (e.g. (without confirmation yet) CEAP, CBCP or Nat'l Social Action Centers, National Ulama Conference of the Philippines, UCCP Organizatons, Labor Unions, Civic Organizations.) These will constitute the NATIONAL FACILITATOR'S GROUP or NFG.

3. The NFG shall contact the District/Chapter/Members.

4. These will constitute automatically the DISTRICT WORKING GROUP (DWG).

5. The DWG in turn shall convince sub-district organizations spiritual groups, microfinance organizations, cooperatives, etc. to form the DISTRICT FACILITATOR'S GROUP or the DFG.

6. The DFG members are encouraged to attract people they influence in the sub-district to join the People's Primaries.

7. These people will then be issued a VOTING CONTROL NUMBER or VCN and then shall be allowed to participate in the process as DISTRICT ELECTORS.

6. The DFG members are issued VOTING CONTROL NUMBERS (VCN) linked to specific Cellphone SIMs of their members. CRITICAL: THE VOTES FOR THE CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE SHALL EMANATE FROM THE THE DFG. HENCE THE DFG SHALL CONTROL THE VOTES BY LINKING SPECIFIC CELLPHONE SIMS OF THEIR MEMBERS.

7. An existing computer software will ensure that only one voting number is allowed to vote once and once only.

8. DISTRICT ELECTORS then vote from amongst the alternative presidential candidates (Examples of Candidates: Among Ed, Bro Eddie, Grace Padaca, Jess Rebredo, Nicky Perlas, J C de los Reyes, Danny Lim, Tony Meloto, CJ Puno, and others.)

9. The District Elector Votes are tallied by District and the winner at the District level wins that Electoral Vote.

10. A district can have between 1 to 12 Electoral Votes depending on the number of DISTRICT ELECTORS mobilized.

11. A prior covenant with all alternative candidates is that whoever wins in the People's Primaries shall become the single candidate of the movement for good governance.

12. The presidential candidate who garners the most DISTRICT ELECTORAL Votes nationwide becomes the single Alternative Presidential Candidate.

13. If no one garners more than 50%, then a run-off between the top 2 is held again in every District.

14. By October 2009 a national convention of District Elector representatives shall announce the winning presidential candidate.

15. The District Elector representatives shall then go on to form the rest of the slate with those who did not make it for president and/or other interested candidates for VP / Senator.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CHECK WITH Philip Camara

ANNOUNCEMENT: TWO DATES: JUNE 23, 30

Updates on People's Primaries:

JUNE 23: A pre-launch meeting on the People's Primaries open to all will be held

at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Makati at 6:30pm.

JUNE 30: a Consultative Meeting with National Organizations with the presence of

District Representives will be held at the Yulo Case Room at the Asian Institute for

Management.

WHEN THIRD FORCES MOVE

Although political campaigning is not yet sanctioned, various parties are now undertaking their kind of self-promotions already in various ways. Several senators can now be heard everyday in stations with highly strong signals. They come in the form of outright advertising of their achievements, advice on this and that aspect of life, comments or discussion of current issues, or debating with certain people which could be covered by media in print or broadcast on air.

Just listen to the radio in the morning and watch TV at night. Aside from these political campaigning, the administration is always given airspace for airing its defense of expenditures, its defense of inaction on certain problems, and even make convoluted explanations that eventually blur the issues.

So what does this mean for the Third Forces around? It just means that mediawise or in terms of advertising ourselves, our objectives for good governance and for possible candidates that we can support, we are lagging behind administration and opposition candidates. They have the logistics to conduct their subtle campaigns in preparation for 2010. And that we need to be more sophisticated in handling political campaigns.

No matter the Comelec calendar for campaigning, Third Forces can already create scenes in the country, but as a group, not as individual organizations. Promotion of Righteous and Good Governance, needs to be conducted on a regular, sustained basis as a collective, in order to bring to the public the idea that already there is a serious and sincere move to remove the iniquitous operators in the government and to also emphasize that 2010 is a most important year for us to CREATE HISTORY AGAIN.

Yes, we are in for the long no longer the short run of having our friends, our colleagues, our choices for officials/leaders in positions of power. We also need to state that our concern and serious commitment go beyond 2010.

Hence, we need to create a regular media group amply supported with funds under strict and controlled policies and programs that will attend to the day-to-day demands of making the voices of the Third Forces heard. This media group will be the link between the candidates, the parties and the people as they present all the aims and agenda that will be carried in 2010 onwards. Let us show that the Third Forces are now moving.

Public Communication is a very important part of any political life, after all.

RIZAL'S RELEVANCE

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

Today is the birthday of a beautiful love child. Let's call her Pixie. She was born to a singer and a businessman who had a tryst for quite sometime but later on broke up. It turned out, the man really wanted a child whom he could not have with his wife. Pixie grew up to be a very artistic child, her hand capable of sculpting and drawing. Being an artist, she is also fashionable, creating her own combinations of clothes, not really according to fashion. Luckily, her surrogate mother took her up as truly her own child, although now separated from the man, and living with another. Today, Pixie feels fulfilled as an artist, producing works for a company. She suffers not from any form of anguish over her background but in fact has overcome all kinds of fears and anxieties over living alone, and sometimes with a partner.

If our National Hero Jose Rizal were alive today, as it is his birthday too, would he rue the lack of that imprimatur on the relationship between the man and that singer despite the fact that it fulfilled the dream of the former to have a child? Would he decry the break up of the marriage and push for the reconciliation of the couple? Would he admonish Pixie for having a liberal relationship with his boyfriend? No, on all counts. Rizal would say no to all the questions.

Actually, he was a modern man considering the state of Philippine society at the time. Rizal was ahead, having seen another part of the globe in his youthful years in the 19th century. In his travels through Europe, he was able to absorb all the products of the civilizations -- German, French, Spanish, and everything else. And so he experienced everything -- discussing international politics, reading novels, writing poetry, learning fencing, sculpturing, organizing like the La Liga Filipina and many, many more endeavors that made him a compleat man. Rizal also conversed with intellectuals, both men and women. That's why, Josephine Bracken, his wife, was also an intellectual who embraced his political commitment even after his execution at Bagumbayan.

However, in his novels, Rizal was not so advanced in terms of depicting the women of the Philippines. Sisa turned mad. Maria Clara was a meek and unassertive woman to the demands of her parents; Huli jumped from the window to escape from rape; Dona Victorina was dying to look like a Spanish mestisa painting her face with too much cosmetics; and Dona Consolacion, was a termagant characters which were drawn from life.

Yet, despite this apparent lack of more uplifting view of women, I find Rizal more admirable than Bonifacio. Maybe because the world he revolved in was highly fascinating, giving us a broader glimpse of his times, whereas Bonifacio's was confined only to the Philippines. Also his delving on the arts is fascinating showing that he had sensitivity to life. Maybe that is why he also rejected the overtures of the Katipunan for him to join them in the revolution. Despite the violent tendencies of his major characters in his two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, he still opted for a peaceful transition of the country, from being colonized to being a satellite of Spain hoping that perhaps the latter would give our country freedom to stand side by side with other countries, later on.

Today, Rizal is an abstract fellow to the students in high school and college. He is not considered an idol at all, as their heroes today are animation cartoon figures, rock band singers, and/or movie stars with macho looks. Young men today would rather wear shirts with Che Guevara's face and Bob Marley's.

In the sixties, when we, girls and boys, were studying his novels, Rizal still was quite a figure that we had felt close to. Maybe because his death was just a few decades ago.

But does time really cause people to forget him? Or isn't there something inadequate in the propagation of his thoughts? Or is it because Lapu-Lapu's statue holding a sword, and now standing in Rizal Park is bigger than his, thus miniaturising his noble aims and subverting his peaceful mission then?

Maybe it's time for the Knights of Rizal to take charge and really study how to make Rizal's thoughts and life be more appreciated not only in the classroom or everytime his birthday comes on June 19th, or his death is commemorated on December 30th.

His thoughts should be read in public places in big bold letters. In all the trains of the MRT and LRT, his poems, and or pictures of his sculptures should also be displayed. Then, the KR members should also confront Dick Gordon for having placed the statue of Lapu-lapu there in the park as it is a desecration of Rizal. They should propose to the Department of Tourism to have it transferred instead right there in the middle of Manila Bay to remind everyone that he fought Magellan in the waters of the Visayas, successfully.

Rizal deserves popularization especially at this time. His thoughts are still very relevant and much needed by that female official who did not fulfill her word in front of his statue one December 30th that she would not run again after having deprived the people of truthful elections in 2004.

By the way, Happy Birthday Pixie!

Amorsolo Painting

GETTING ACTIVISTS' INTEREST IN LAW

The Public Interest Law Institute has published a book titled,
Pursuing the Public InterestA Handbook for Legal Professionals and Activists

"This handbook represents an attempt to synthesize a wide-ranging body of knowledge and experience regarding the diverse set of activities that have been adopted by public interest advocates in former socialist countries. It is intended to provide basic information regarding the practical aspects of these activities for those unfamiliar with them, as well as to build on the lessons learned in the initial, disparate efforts of a growing number of individuals and organizations."

Some of the contents include

SETTING UP A PUBLIC INTEREST LAW ORGANIZATION

1. What is a public interest law organization?
2. Establishing the public interest law organization
3. Governing the organization
4. Strategic planning
5. Public interest law organization services and activities
6. Internal management
7. Case selection, client relations, and conflicts of interest
8. Financial and administrative management
9. Fundraising for the public interest law organization

CAMPAIGNING FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST
1. Campaigning to achieve public interest goals
2. Preparing for public interest campaigns
3. Developing a campaign strategy
4. Choosing campaigning techniques
5. Building coalitions and other collaboration
6. International campaigning
Constructing a campaign: Tolerance Foundation’s efforts to amend the Czech Citizenship Law

NGOs and the human rights system of the United Nations
1. United Nations Charter–based mechanisms
2. United Nations treaty-based mechanisms
3. Methods and strategies for NGO intervention

You can check out www.pili.org for other info about the institute.

- Piere Paul Prudhon, Justice and Divine Vengeance pursuing Crime, 1808 painting

WHERE DO THEY GET THEIR SALARIES?

How many OFWS are imprisoned in other countries? How many are on deathrow? Which agencies are helping them? Why is the help too slow? What is the status of each case? Where are the families of the prisoner? How can they be contacted in case other kababayan wish to help them? What can the Filipino people in the country do? What can other OFWs do? Who is helping the family eke out a living now that their main breadwinner is in prison?

These are questions that need to be raised everyday to all the authorities who are earning their salaries from the remittances of OFWs. It's payback time, and how.

Francisco de Goya, Confession in Prison

HISTORICAL ROLE OF NGO's

Non-governmental organizations have already a history of being effective vehicles for initiating and conducting changes in societies. In our own country, NGOs proliferated during martial law as we had had to couch our missions of removing the dictatorship in organizations that were and still are holding projects for the poor, the disadvantaged and marginalized sectors of our society. We created organizations that addressed economic, health, and cultural issues, among others in order to propagate the idea that people can have power, can govern themselves given the necessary structure and budget for it. And so local and foreign funders responded by giving small and generous amounts to different kinds of projects.

But now we have known that NGOs autonomous character in being with the people is not enough. We still need to go out and mind what relevant legislations are being enacted, how government funds are not succeeding in bringing about a better quality of life for the people, and now the latest of course, is how our votes were not properly counted, or our right to suffrage was subverted.

And so, the entrance of NGO activists in politics is calibrated to bring in whiffs of honesty, sincerity and true public service through government. Unfortunately, the number is too low to bring about a remarkable change in our lives. There are more "crocs" than eagles, more "frogs" than horses ready to bring in changes, big and small in every aspect of the people's lives, foremost of which should have been deleting the words hunger and homelessnes in our social vocabulary.

Hence, this 2009, we prepare for the big bang of 2010 and make sure that the voices of NGOs will be heard. We shall raise the banner of the groups that we now call the Third Force to challenge those forces which have lorded it over in our political life, those administration and opposition officials and their candidates, although in the case of the latter, we might find allies who share our ideals.

These moves shall strengthen the NGO movement in turn as a cradle of true leaders who will lead this country in the righteous directions of good governance. No longer will we rest on simple community and sectoral projects but will increase our presence in the more sensitive spots of government life. We shall be no longer spectators but leaders of highest caliber, prayerfully, incorruptible, honest and true to ourselves for the people.

Painting, "Samurai Tree" by Gabriel Orozco

THIRD FORCES GEAR UP

by Wilhelmina Orozco


As we enter another political phase in our life, we are faced with a growing concern of non-governmental organizations on the state of affairs. More and more will be tapped to join that bandwagon -- the righteous, good governance movement that aims to topple the corruptible system of electing officials of the land. We are now at this stage of acting in unison in order to make our voices be heard, not just minding where the ink in our pens goes, nor reading our leaflets, but rather, we intend to say in this society, "Hey, we are here and we don't like the way you run elections. So we shall take charge from hereon."

Isn't that neat? Quite a feat really to be telling off the establishment, that after all these years of having qualified and over-qualified people in government, those who operate and conduct shenanigans tower over all those well-meaning individual officials and employees. Ever since Marcos turned the Constitution upside down to make himself a president for life, we have not had really a respite, save in 1986 when Cory and the people stopped his regime and then he and his family left the country. But ever since, our lives have revolved around saving democracy, unearthing scandal after scandal of robbing the treasury, and last but not the least of saving that last ounce of respectability that we have as a people, and that is being able to elect the people who we want to lead us through years and years. Unfortunately, the system is so rotten that those who subvert the electoral system are able to even legitimize their Mafia-style activities.

Hence, this month, we shall see a full-blown lay-out as to how the Third Force movement shall work, the groups that will bear the task of choosing those candidates whom the people would want to be called candidates in the coming 2010 elections. Yes, the people will decide who can run and who cannot because they deserve no less than sincere, qualified and responsible candidates, not those who just perpetuate their names, not those who want to escape from the wrath of justice because they have caused the emptiness of our coffers in order to gain theirs, and many more.

And so let's watch out for the coming events this month and the following as we unfold the many ways we can lick corruption. We need to unite like that orchestra with one conductor. It is our privilege, our right to choose our own leaders according to the highest criteria of non-corruptibility.

Photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt




APPEAL FOR VOTERS' REGISTRATION

A message to all members of Search for Alternative Filipino Leaders

It is now time to collectively exercise our rights to vote more decisively to save our Nation. You can help encourage and assist all qualified voters to register and vote. You can form "Registration Brigades" in your own locality.

You can organize local groups into "Discussion groups." You can gather together, both here and abroad, to discuss national issues and concerns, and convert your homes and offices into "Bastions for Saving Our Nation".

After doing so, send us your story. Upload pictures and videos. You can do your share in making change possible to Save Our Nation.

Don Flordeliza, Jr.
Lead Convenor
Democratic Alliance to Save Our Nation
09197777791

LESSONS FROM IRAN AND A NEW PHILIPPINE ERA

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

International news is focused on what is happening in Iran where Iranians have gone on street protests over alleged fraudulent elections, reseating Mr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president. With 65 million population like the Philippines, the youth of Iran are now at the forefront questioning the results of the elections with vehemence.

BBC reports: Earlier on Monday, hundreds of thousands of people, some shouting "death to the dictator", marched through the streets of Tehran to protest against the re-election of Mr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

AT THE SCENE
Jon Leyne, BBC reported from Tehran: "It was an incredible sight. A huge crowd, hundreds of thousands of people maybe even millions of people there in defiance of open threats from the government that they should not assemble.

The security forces were staying well away - we were even able to film and usually the secret police come in straight away and stop you.

But the crowds were so enormous they were stepping back."

Iran's conservative-dominated Guardian Council is considering complaints filed by Mir Hossein Mousavi and fellow defeated candidate Mohsen Rezai, alleging that the poll was rigged.

The BBC's Jon Leyne, in Tehran, says the rally was the biggest demonstration in the Islamic republic's 30-year history and described it as a "political earthquake".

The government had outlawed any protest following two days of unrest, with the interior ministry warning that "any disrupter of public security would be dealt with according to the law".

Despite this, correspondents said riot police had been watching the rally during the afternoon and had seemed to be taking no action.

The first indications of trouble came at about 2045 local time (1615 GMT), when protesters were beginning to disperse from Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square.

An Iranian photographer told AFP news agency that the shooting happened outside a base of the Basij volunteer militia, which was set on fire. The dead man had been shot in the head.

Pictures of the incident showed armed men, in civilian clothes but wearing helmets, pointing guns at the crowds from the roof of the base. The photographer said the protester had been killed by shots fired by the armed men.

"I think that the democratic process, free speech, the ability for folks to peacefully dissent, all those are universal values and need to be respected," President Obama commented on what is happening in Iran, short of mentioning allegations of fraud in the elections.

What are the implications for us here in the Philippines? It is now apparent that even in highly conservative countries like Iran, moves for equal and honest elections are being hammered against the establishment. No longer are the young people easily duped into believing that they will just grow up inheriting a society with all the unjust structures in place. Now, they want to belong, to be part of shaping a society that considers individual rights, the right to vote their own leader/s.

Hence, those forces that are trying to subvert democratic processes in our country better take heed that the 2010 elections will not be the same as the past ones. The people have matured, and are bracing ourselves for more difficult to bear but honest elections. We know now that the transition from Marcos to democratic rule did not usher in a new dispensation, except for our having a more vibrant free media. Rather the old came back, recycled anew only to continue the oppression and sufferings that the people had before. Worse yet, the sophistication of oppression is difficult to glean right away. Some so-called intelligent sectors are wont to write about the tenacity to hold on to power no matter how strongly negative the reaction of the people is to her administration, and even predict that she will win again. So instead of strengthening the people's resolve to counter all forms of shenanigans, this sector is even predicting a continuation of the present dispensation. Shameless.

Hence, this time around, in 2010, the challenge for all of us is to see to it, that our moves do not end with the results of the elections, but even afterwards, whereby we shall be eyeing, combing through every policy, program and practice of governance of the next set of officials, together with other government employees. No longer will the people tolerate corruption and all forms of bigotry. We shall be ushering in a new era of politics in the Philippines, one that is for all and not a few.




"Lightning" Art Print by Ralph Wetmore

ON DISCLOSING ELECTION FINANCIERS

FROM VIC BARRIOS, GLOBAL FILIPINO NATION:

Peace.

Preparations for the 2010 elections are starting to gain momentum.

In light of the jockeying by "king makers" for vantage positions and open admission or public knowledge that some "Presidentiables" are hostage to patronage politics, we have prepared a draft statement for your review/comments before we release it to the public.

The draft statement is reproduced below and attached in a separate file.

We would be grateful if you could kindly go over the draft statement and give us a feedback, if any, by June 17, 2009.

Thank you.

V
=============================

POLITICAL CANDIDATES MUST DISCLOSE THEIR FINANCIERS

Patronage politics is the single largest obstacle to governance change.

It is entrenched and endemic.

It is the fountainhead of corruption.

Campaign financiers exact more than a “pound of flesh”.

In the end, it is the people who pay for the quid pro quo though taxes, inflation and substandard public services.

Politicians now pay lip service to good governance.

Genuine good governance requires a break between campaign contribution and post-election favors.

Candidates should accept contributions without being bound by corrosive utang na loob.

Contributors derive dividends in terms of lower cost of doing business and improved public services.

The global Filipino community (Filipinos living at home and abroad who are united in their commitment to good governance) demands that national and local political candidates fully disclose and publish all cash or in-kind contributions.

Non-compliance is evidence of being hostage to patronage politics and subservience to special interest rather than the common good.

Compliance is a tangible sign of transparency and a healthy, early sign of political will.

A HOME FOR PALESTINIANS

June 14, 2009
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will back a Palestinian state - but only if it is completely demilitarised.

He said a Palestinian state must have no army, no control of its air space and no way of smuggling in weapons.

In a landmark speech, weeks after the US president urged him to agree a two-state plan, he said the Palestinians must accept Israel as a Jewish state.

Palestinian leaders reacted angrily, accusing him of sabotaging peace plans.

The White House said President Barack Obama welcomed Mr Netanyahu's "endorsement" of a two-state solution as an "important step forward".

The BBC's Paul Wood says Mr Netanyahu broke ground by accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian state, albeit with conditions.

But our correspondent says the question is whether the White House regards this as sufficient to make up for the lack of movement on the issue of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

In his keynote Mid-East speech in Cairo on 4 June Mr Obama stressed that he wanted all settlement activity to stop....

BBC News June 14, 2009

Picture, Palestinian women walking along a street in Jerusalem

HAPPY JUNE 12 INDEPENDENCE DAY!

by Emma S. Orozco

After 111 years of independence from Spanish rule, our life is still like the playing cards in this Lewis Carroll painting. We are still playing a game of chance -- on whether our freedoms are genuine or not. We are still at it, the playground of life where the strong conquers the weak, and the weak learns to manipulate life in order to survive. We are still the cards dealt with by unseen and seen hands who control the shuffling and the laying down of cards, toying with our past, our present and our future.

I do think that we are at this time, again and again, struggling to free ourselves from corrupt officials simply because our historical martyrs' lives have not been fully studied and the lessons they convey absorbed by all citizens. We have simply relegated the study of history to formal schooling, and not to its being lived and breathed on a daily basis. For example, if government employees were faced with a tempting offer to sign a paper in exchange for money, would they think first of how Rizal or Gregoria de Jesus would have reacted had it been offered to them? Would they feel any qualms of disgust over the idea that they are corruptible after all? Would they react vehemently at this show of disrespect for their own value systems? No, they would even smile at the thought that they would be earning a good sum from the proposition. One particular legal mind constantly nudges a client to sign a paper to give up the struggle for legitimate rights over a piece of land in exchange for a paltry sum so that he can get his own share of the loot. How callous, how dehumanizing indeed considering that he had pledged to honor and defend justice upon taking oath as a lawyer.

Our protests and rallies are rooted in the way the halls of formal powers are being handled at this time. We do not have exactly pristine leaders inside the government. They are seen daily scraping the barrels of people's coffers dry and empty. Worse, some of the leaders of groups that criticize this administration are themselves guilty of promoting themselves whence they are committing dynastic perpetuation of their powers.

Pragmatism is the rule of life at this time and that is just saying, to hell with all the historical lessons we have been taught in schools. To be practical, to think and act pragmatically, to grab the moment, the chance to make a quick buck, that is what is egging every corruptible individual to survive at this time. the end justifies the means. Machiavellis abound in this country. No longer are we prodded to think of time-honored values of living with the noblest images, thoughts and deeds of Rizal, Mabini, Tandang Sora, Teodora Alonzo and Bonifacio, among others.

Now what would account for a simpler life of honest and good governance? This is still the question that rankles our mind minute by minute. How do we instill genuine public service among public servants supposed to be?

It is quite simple, what comes to my mind. Everytime we see a government office, let us paste on its gate a poster: "Can you say in great honesty that you are serving well the Filipino people every day?" And should the office remove such a poster, then let us carry and tack another one the following day. In other words, without let up, let us remind them that they have been elected or appointed precisely to answer an uncategorical YES to that question.

Happy June 12th Independence Day!

John Teniel, The Playing Cards Painting the Rose Bush, Print Illustration from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

STRENGTHENING THE PEOPLE'S WILL

Rallies are difficult to organize as they are the culminating point of a series of political activities starting from training programs to workshops and conferences that provide the theoretical and practical bases for political stands. When handled well, they strengthen the will of the people and raise their urges for change. In such a short time of two to three hours, the organizers will be able to further the grasp of the people for political ideas and the need for concrete action.

In the rally last night, “patikim lamang” is how we can describe its possibilities of creating a strong social movement. All the ingredients for a successful introductory rally were there. The pacing was not boring as after every speech, a song was delivered by either a solo or group singers who had varied repertoire – marching songs, rock, and ballads. Then the songs were accompanied by a video presentation on the left side of the stage. The screen which enlarged the images on stage provided a better view for the audience who had to contend with hard-headed flag bearers waving them in the middle of the crowd. Actually they should only be allowed to stand in the periphery and not in the middle so as to make the view of the stage unobstructed.

The video also was a strong aid in making the political events in the past remind the audience of the need for higher forms of struggle in order to never to repeat the historical errors whereby human rights were trampled upon as during martial law, the theft of the presidential title in 2000, and the enactment of HR 1109. In fact, the presentation of the faces of those who signed the latter delivered an impact on the minds of the public that, though these people looked “kagalang-galang” photowise, they were after all too human, if not to be too base as to allow their greed to tower over their commitment to public service as receiving their country development funds of P20M from an illegitimate president.

The speakers included both known political figures and leaders of organizations. But one could discern those who were speaking from the heart, and those from the head only through the sharpness of their eyes, not their words.

My only comments would center on the types of speeches: they were repetitive
of the theme: “ibasura si Gloria, ibasura ang cha-cha.”

As I have been going to Tondo and Smokey Mountain since the 80’s in order to conduct consciousness-raising sessions among women, I find it rather insensitive to be using the word "ibasura." Many women and men until now still work as scavengers in the dumpsites created after the leveling of the original Smokey Mountain. I think that the word “ibagsak” should be retained instead of “ibasura” or any other Pilipino word. When we say “ibagsak” we are shaking up the foundations of the very institutions that are being manipulated for selfish ends of politicians. “Ibagsak” also has a historical significance as it was used to end the dictatorship of Marcos, literally. When "ibasura" is used, this sounds too soft, as paper could still be retrieved and recycled -- as what is happening now with corrupt politicans being recycled.

Also, speakers need to discuss among themselves what each one should tackle in order to explain to the people the meaning of cha-cha, aside from having the same thieving delegates again in the halls of power. So the possible topics that could be tackled in the future are: the quality of legislations – with titles- that have been enacted, the quantifiable costs of each legislation considering the salaries and operating costs of the institutions.

Another topic is a brief differentiation between the legislators of pre-martial law years and how we can say that those were shining moments of democratic rules in our country when being a legislator was not a bad word.

Still another is the role of the military in stabilizing the society, and the need for its strengthening civilian supremacy in theoretical and concrete terms and not for generals to be handling civilian duties. Important as swell is the role of the church in furthering or barring the development of social movements in the country. This could have been the theme of the speech of priest-turned-governor Among Ed.

Also, why not show the relation of the arts and music in furthering social movements in the country. This could raise the people’s taste for them and thereby not allow trivial treatment of the arts and music in our country as fit only for scandal-ridden events. s

The most significant is a history of social movements in the country, our failures and triumphs in conducting a successful one that could strengthen our will as a people asserting and guiding the directions of this country.

- Wilhelmina S. Orozco

Salvador Dali, "The Ship"

WHY PROTEST?

Any protest action is a form of social change which refers to a change in the behavior, mindset or action plans of a sector or large sectors of society. In large numbers, people express their sentiments in public, thereby causing a rethinking of the issues that are being raised.

This protest action could result in a positive or negative consequence depending on the handling of the situation by the organizers, the State and the targeted individuals or groups of the protesters. During martial law, forms of protest action persisted, although they were banned. I remember that we would clap our hands in unison with the beat corresponding to every syllable of "Marcos, Hitler, diktator, tuta," referring to his being a puppet to US President Reagan, his number one "protector" and who suffered from Alzheimer's disease later on. By the way, until now, I don't hear any of the US officials of that regime apologizing for having supported a dictator and truncating the development of democracy in our country.

Thus, the protest rally tomorrow, should be as peaceful as possible, with the demonstrators required to police their ranks lest a saboteur invades them and brings about a negative picture of protest action.

Now why are protest actions healthy and positive? They are because they are the people's way of verbalizing and publicly showing their force in terms of asserting their rights in a democratic society. Nobody should ever curtail any people's right to conduct protest action.

When formal institutions fail the people's expectations, and become tools of power manipulation, then the last resort is public indignation.

So help us God.

-Emma S. Orozco

Sandhill Cranes Flying in Front of Full Moon, Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Reserve Artist: Ellen Anon

VOX POPULI

JUNE 10, 2009

MULTI-SECTORAL RALLY

AYALA AVENUE, MAKATI CITY

2PM UPWARDS

ISSUE: EXPRESSING PEOPLE'S SENTIMENTS RE HR 1109, CREATING HOUSE OF REPS AS CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION, THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY NATION.

Question: Should congress representatives act as the people's voice in shaking up the very foundation of the people's unity or should the people ourselves do the act?

AFP GENERAL SPEAKS

To the Officers and Men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines:

Last Tuesday’s brazen railroading of the Con-Ass Resolution has erased whatever doubts we have about GMA’s true intention of holding on to power beyond 2010. This is not the first time she has trampled upon the Constitution we have all sworn to follow and respect. The EDSA Dos in 2001 was a coup d’etat that we, as an organization, took part in to oust a duly elected president. The 2004 election cheating, as exposed by the ‘Hello Garci’ tapes, was partly an AFP operation masterminded by the former Chief-of-Staff, Gen. Hermogenes Esperon. Countless other offenses have followed since.

GMA is determined and she will keep on ramming through every perceived obstacle there is, until she attains her much-coveted goal.

Now, only the collective will of the people with the support of the AFP can stop her.

I, therefore, call on every officer and enlisted man to follow your conscience and do what is right – PROTECT THE PEOPLE AND THE STATE!

God bless us all.

[signed]
BRIG GEN DANILO LIM, 4 June 2009

LOTTO BROKEN DREAMS

A financial analyst of the World Bank would like to inform Filipinos about the money-making scheme of the Arroyos, the proceeds from which go to the family's secret
account in Switzerland. He disclosed that all LOTTO DRAWS are orchestrated, and big money goes to the two sons of the lady president. Recent example is the SUPER LOTTO 6/49 draw, where supposedly two individuals from Luzon won. Do you know WHO these individuals are? It's Mikey and Datu, who else?

One might ask how could the draw be rigged when it is being televised in
front of millions of viewers.

The answer is simple. As you all know, all bet combinations are being entered into PCSO's main data base as it is on-line, therefore, it is easy to determine which combinations were NOT betted upon.

If they want to raise big money, no winners will be
declared until the JACKPOT reaches sky-high because they could dictate the outcome at will. When it's "HARVEST TIME", viola, there would be "winner or winners" and the process repeats all over again.

One might ask how this is being done. One insider told our investigators
that actually the "DRAWN BALLS", six balls to be exact, are the only set which could fit into the transparent tube which sucks the balls up. All others are slightly bigger than the diameter of the tube which could not be distinguished by the viewers, therefore, there's no way they could be drawn! You Filipinos are being skinned alive, fried in your own fat and lard by your own government.

The WB analyst asks "Don't you ever wonder why president BARACK OBAMA,
avoid our president?


- from Zac Fernández, 3 June 2009, zacfernandez@gmail.com

Aubrey Beardsley "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"

Remembering Philippine Independence

I was suddenly awakened from my sleep only to be reminded of the PHilippines' Independence Day on June 12. Yes, my kababayan, it is fast approaching..and no body among us seems to remember it....

... I have become nostalgic of the PHilippines' earliest celebrations of our Independence DAy held at the Luneta every July 4,during my elemetary school years.July 4 then was given much ado.

I remember those days when before July 4 , the houses on our street would display our Philippine flag proudly to show... joy because we were an independent nation.

Gone are those days....
-- Mila Marzo, June 5, 2009

Flag - www.3DFlags.com

So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.
...
We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning....

Obama Cairo Speech June 4, 09

NO TO CON-ASS!!!

June 3, 2009

We strongly denounce the railroading of the House of Representatives’ unconstitutional Resolution 1109 calling to convene Congress as a constituent assembly to amend the Philippine Constitution.

We believe the resolution is intended to change the charter in order to strengthen Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s hold on the reins of power either through term extension, a shift to parliamentary system of any other underhanded device.

Paid hacks of Mrs. Arroyo will deny that we who have strong memories of the Marcos years know for sure: HOR Resolution 1109 is a prelude to an Arroyo dictatorship. We vowed “never again,” after Martial Law. Never again, indeed.

We call on the people, on people’s organizations and the Opposition to unite to oppose and defeat this anti-democratic and self-serving move on the part of Malacañang and its cohorts in the House of Representatives.

We cannot sacrifice our children’s future to benefit a corrupt and illegitimate leadership.

Join nationwide protests against Con-Ass.
In one voice, we say: “Junk Con-Ass now!”

Signatories (original signed):
Jejomar Binay, Mayor, Makati City
Liza L. Maza, GABRIELA Women’s Party
Carol P. Araullo, Bayan
Emmi de Jesus, GABRIELA
Bibeth Orteza, Pagbabago! People's Movement for Change
Carlos Siguion-Reyna, NMPP
Juana Change, Artists’ Revolution
Roy Velez, Gloria Stepdown Movement
Lito Ustarez, KMU
Renato Reyes Jr., Bayan
Jun Lozada
Ver Eustaquio, UMDJ
Sr. Estrella Castalone, AMRSP
Rez Cortez, FPJMD
Vencer Crisostomo, Kabataan Parylist
Nardy Sabino, PCPR
Cristina Palabay, GABRIELA Women’s Pary
J. L. Linggoy Alcuaz, FPJVB
Rev. Marie Sol Villalon, UMC-PCPR
Bro. Carmelo Go
Wilhelmina S. Orozco

ALBRECHT DURER, "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"

Pressure of Sudden TV stardom

The medical doctor linked to several women in the video scandal has a counterpart in Britain, but in a different vein. He suffered from depression after losing self-esteem as a doctor when he became known as the, the bf of a cosmetic doctor; thus he had sought drugs. But in Britain, Susan Boyle's depression (she is the singer plucked from a remote place in Scotland and became an instant star in a singing contest) stems from the extreme reactions of the audience to the way the tv program is being handled.

So here is another case as to how media must learn a big lesson on how to be more humane to all individuals thrust into the limelight. In our country, many sexy stars lost their anonymity, gained immediate popularity and then descended to oblivion after the audience dwindled in number. A few took their own lives, turned to drugs, sometimes meeting accidental deaths, and led impoverished lives afterwards. The images of Pepsi Coloma, Didith Reyes, and many others lurk in our minds now and then we come across stories as the above. It seems that being in media did not bring them enough strength to weather the ups and downs of their careers as they had taken centerstage.



BBC:
As Britain's Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle is admitted to a London clinic after appearing in the final, the focus has fallen on how television treats its previously unheralded stars.

Psychologists, charities and TV industry insiders give their view on what they think has happened to the Scottish singer and how ordinary people thrust into the limelight ought to be protected.

According to Dr. Glenn Wilson, psychologist, a psychologist on Big Brother,
"There has been a sudden rise to fame out of a very ordinary background where she's protected and loved, and pitched into this media circus where you get a mixture of adulation and spite.

Somehow she knows it's not just love, it's negative thoughts and feelings too.

I think [the production company] are fully aware of the dangers of excessive fame.

Britain's Got Talent has the elements of a freak show where deficiencies and shortcomings are as important as their talent. We enjoy the stress we are putting these people under - will they or will they not survive?

She will have difficulty keeping her roots and the original source of her identity. There will be sycophantic people wanting a slice of the pie and she won't know who to trust.

It's not surprising she's fallen into the protection of a clinic where the main treatment will be to get her away from the media circus.

OFW NATURAL FARMING

GOOD NEWS!

Global Filipino Nation is embarking on a joint venture project in Batangas on Natural Farming. We are inviting OFW leaders whose families are living in the areas of Lipa, Padre Garcia, Rosario, (and) Lemery in Batangas. The project hopes to build green communities in the areas with sustainable farming income and housing. The Project is still in process and there will be a site visit on June 17, 2009. Meeting place is in Lipa City at the McDonalds restaurant. We will leave Manila at 7am. The areas for the site visit will Padre Garcia first and if time allows we will proceed to Lemery.

If you know of any OFW communities in those areas, we would like to invite their leaders to join us on the 17th so they can be part of the conceptualization and start up.

If you have anyone in mind please let me know through the numbers below. I can call them directly to set the appoinment with them. Mabuhay!


CONNIE GOMEZ VALDES

Deputy Executive Director



GFN 0632 9866343

CELL 0917 5281323

FAX 0632 7242946

Off. Add 2240 Chino Roces Bgy Bangkal

Makati City Metro Manila

Philippines

EXTINGUISHED LIFE

Life is the most important and sacred human right... The human blood
is impermissible and nobody dares shed it... He who endangers the life
of one person is considered to be endangering all mankind...

--
Rodelio Don2 Lanuza
OFW in Deathrow (K.S.A.)

Frank C. Pape Artprint:
Yes, though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil

DALA-DALA ANG PANGARAP

INAY, IBILI MO KO

Inay,
Ako’y papasok na
Nais kong matuto
Sumulat, bumasa at bumilang

Pakibili po
Isang lapis, may pambura
Papel at kwaderno,
Isang pares ng sapatos,
At payong para sa masamang panahon

Saka nga pala
Pakibili rin
Isang bag
Lalamanin lahat: lapis, kwaderno at papel
Dadalhin ang lahat pati na ang aking pangarap,

Na sa paglaki ko,
Mabigyan ko kayo ni Ama ng buhay na
Salat sa hirap.

-Emma S. Orozco

STRENGTHENING PLUNDER CASE VS SENATOR, EX-GOVERNOR

Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio had filed a plunder complaint against Senator Lito Lapid, his son former Pampanga governor Mark Lapid, and three others in connection with P568million in missing quarry taxes and fees.

Also charged before the Office of the Ombudsman in the same complaint are former provincial administrator Fidel Arcenas and former provincial treasurers Jovito Sabado and Vergel Yabut.

In his complaint, the priest-politician said the Lapid administrations collected only P121 million in sand and gravel taxes from 2002 to June 2007.

"The collections under the Lapids should have amounted to at least P689 million based on the number of truckloads made to pay environmental ecological fees in the towns of Floridablanca, Mabalacat, and Porac in five and a half years," Panlilio said in his complaint.

In contrast, Panlilio, said the provincial government under his administration has collected P397.608 million from quarry taxes and fees over 23 months.

He said the figure is higher compared to the P382.560 million collected by the Natural Resources Development Corporation (NRDC) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from 1999 to 2001.

"The extent of the damage and prejudice to the constituents of the province caused by the undue advantage taken by the respondents of their respective official positions is morally shocking even with the successive years of inflation suffered by the Philippine peso."

"And such audacity to enrich themselves at the expense of the people is precisely the crime defined and penalized by the law on plunder," Fr. Panlilio said.

- NEWS UPDATE, 1 June 2009

To beef up his case against the Lapid family, it is important that Gov. Panlilio get hold of the receipts that were issued per loading of trucks from 2002 to 2007, and to get witnesses that will testify upholding his charges against them.

In this case, we wish that Gov. Panlilio would please lay down all his evidences because we do not want such plunder to remain unpunished, especially since the person in question occupies a very high legislative post in the government.