COMELEC AND NON-PDAF THINKING OFFICIALS

Billions of stolen people's money start not in Congress nor in the Senate but in the barangay -- those who elect the corrupt officials who would later on steal through their Priority Development Assistance Funds or PDAF. The barangay voters are the ones who choose who should sit in Congress and the Senate. So if we should want to clean up our politics so that we would be electing honest officials, then we must start to look intently on how the barangay politics is manipulated and driven to come up with officials who would be future king and queen makers in Congress, the Senate and Malacanang. Having been in close contact with the elections in our barangay, I have reflected on many things which show that politics here is not really taken seriously by the people, not even by most of the voters. "Barangay lang yan," they say. But the barangay is the microcosm of the larger political situation in our country. It is the training ground for those who aspire to be in Malacanang -- who will need to be sensitive and nurturing of the needs and welfare of the people. Ergo, let us look at elections as the most significant time for us to choose leaders who will SPEND THE PEOPLE'S MONEY AND USE GOVERNMENT RESOURCES later on. At the barangay level, elections are held to choose the barangay captain and the kagawad -- the latter being future heads of committees that will take care of peace and order, livelihood, culture, environment, health and sanitation, among others. If the barangay captain is running for a 2nd or third term, all the government resources are open for disposal and the staff under him/her would not want to disobey orders not to do so for fear of losing their jobs. Hence all challengers of the incumbents are working on an uneven playing field, because the Commission on Elections hardly has the time nor the resources to look at every violation being committed during elections in 42,027 barangays all over the country. Thus, preventing the use of government resources for personal interests of the incumbents is hardly tackled at all. What are the issues that need to be addressed by the COMELEC then? 1. Candidates who break election rules should be penalized heavily, not just reprimanded. They are actually guilty of distorting democratic processes and providing erroneous role models to the youth who would later on want to be get involved politically. Also their act/s violate everyone's right to free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections which is mentioned in our Constitution, Article IX-C. Acting contrary to this provision is a form of Constitutional sabotage. 2. Election registrars who turn a blind eye to violations should be transferred to a lower position immediately to show that the COMELEC means business; 3. The COMELEC should provide an allotment of P100,000 per barangay for the duration of the campaign period to finance the allowances for those who will watch over the violations of rules and regulations regarding campaigning. Time and again, barangay elections appear like an entertainment program being promoted at every street with tarpaulins, posters tacked here and there. There seems to be no serious effort nor attention to stop these violations when the proper thing to do is just place them at the designated poster area. 4. The allotment should also be used to reward citizens who report such violators/violations in order to encourage them to be vigilant. Later on, we could expect them to do these things voluntarily without reward, and the candidates to be more wary about committing violations. 5. The total allotment is only P4,202,700,000, an amount that is minuscule if we could insure electing honest officials who will perform without pocketing a single centavo and thus save the coffers for meaningful programs and projects. 6. The COMELEC should not allow candidates who have no platform to run. How could any candidate run without knowing what he or she will do later on once elected? The people should be allowed to choose intelligently from candidates who would explain and tell them that their involvement in the barangay would benefit them. If the candidate has no program of action, then the people will not be able to pin him or her down on anything because they had merely voted them into office without requirements. So then, that would be the start of corruption. Why, even the deaf and blind candidates would be able to tell through sign language (deaf) or voice (blind) what they could do for the people. 7. The COMELEC must provide security to all candidates. There are many hecklers in the barangay especially those who are linked to the present administration. The candidates should be protected and respected at all stages of their campaigning as all citizens should be. Being candidate should be a respectable state. 8. There should be a limit to the number of political paraphernalia -- posters and tarpaulins. To insure that all candidates adhere to the limitations, the COMELEC should choose three printers who would report honestly on how many they had produced. Then the watchers should count how many of these were put up in the barangay and if the number conforms to that ordered by COMELEC. Should there be violations, then these should be reported and candidates' paraphernalia shall be removed at their expense and penalties against such actions provided as well. SOCIETAL CHANGES especially those that will strengthen our democratic processes, thus insuring that everyone has equal opportunities to serve in the government will take time but now is the best time in preparation for 2016. The presidential elections then should be a model for all election periods that will forever be remembered. While well-meaning people are still in COMELEC we must insure that they perform their role well and that they bring about changes that should redound to a creating a vigilant citizenry that will elect honest and not-PDAF thinking officials.

FAITH AND DEATH

Abraham is said to have offered his son Isaac as sacrifice to show his faithfulness to God. That was during Biblical times. Nowadays, being faithful is measured not in terms of killing (although probably among organizations with nefarious activities that is the norm), but rather in terms of being united with the principles of the organization, like a political party extracting unwavering loyalty among its members.

However, that faith or loyalty can be questioned if the political party is mandated by a higher goal and that is to protect and serve a greater number of people, or the national interests instead of their particular concerns, such as insuring the victory at the polls.

Difficult isn't it to be in a party, as you will have to challenge the leadership of people who espouse such truncated set of values that give more premium to continuous political power, instead of the interests of the people. Quezon aptly said, "My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins." He died of tuberculosis at Saranac lake while in exile in the United States, and at the height of the Japanese regime in our country. Nonetheless, his statement is oft quoted because of its ardent love of country seldom? or often found among politicians.

I would not delve into political life so much as the short time we have on this earth. How long can an individual live, 70, 80 or 90 or 110 years? What happens when people age - wrinkles, grey hair, absentmindedness, decrepit bodies -- everyone seems to be vulnerable to all these changes in life, probably except those who drink goji and other berry juices, supposed to be rejuvenators of cells in the body.

And when we die, what happens to our bodies? They turn to dust, or would turn to dust if exposed to the elements. Buddhists say that the individual assumes another life, whether another human or an insect's body, it all depends on the karma earned while living. Christians say that we either sit on the right side of Christ, live in paradise, or in hell, no longer any in-between like purgatory. So what happens after death, can we still be repentant and ask the Almighty for another good life on earth?

I am sure that all those who have died ask themselves, I wonder what I had done on earth. Did I live truthfully? What is living a truthful life? Necessarily a truthful life lets other people live truthfully and humanely, I would say. No other positive life is worth commending than that of being humane to other folks especially those in need.

But supposing, instead of doing that, an individual schemes to make life hellish for other people, like divesting them of jobs, making sure that they would not be able to earn a living, or make them feel insecure for the rest of their lives, or even for a short while, would he or she still merit a good place in paradise, or any another life that is full of blissful blessings?

I think we Christians or Buddhists or any other faiths, know that there is some norm to follow to define what is a humane life. And faith has nothing to do with that at all. Instead, let us talk of the moral life -- of being humane to others -- ensuring that they have the right to live decently and humanely and not use them for whatever evil purposes -- this is the only kind of life that I know of. Maybe it also has some hint of being faithful -- faithful to some principles in life as this in itself -- to lead a moral life, an ethical life -- is a principle -- and so it must be embraced by all.

If the countries in the world are not able to surmount the great materialistic tendencies in politics -- whether for silver or greed for political power -- then it is time for us to prepare ourselves for a higher cause. With that, we need to start with the young, to insure that they will be the right guardians of the world not only in the realm of politics.

MAKASAYSAYANG LAHI

Self – identity is very important for a nation to co-exist equally with other nations. Without self-identity that nation will always be a slave to others and will not be able to carve its own destiny. It will just be a follower of world events, and its people become mere so-called cogs in the machine.

Hence it is important for use, the Filipino people to recognize our own self-identity. What distinguishes us from other people? During the Spanish colonization, the Filipino people were considered literally as slaves. Our forefathers and foremothers were not given education, and if there were any at all, they were reserved for children of the social elite. During the American period, our parents were given education but denied full independence not until 1946. Our country was a great source of labour for the Hawaiian pineapple plantations and natural resources – like gold and other minerals -- for the American factories.

After independence in 1946, our sense of identity was still not fully carved. Our consciousness was largely colonized as the books and magazines, as well as films that were shown then heavily put up the stars as white, tall, with aquiline noses. Thus, compared to them, we were patsies – short, dark or kayumanggi, with almost flat noses. It is logical to feel diffident, less confrontational and obedient under that set-up.

Actually, we have many things to feel great about like our own history. Did you know that there were already people in the Philippines way back 250,000 to 500,000 BC, according to the voluminous tome KASAYSAYAN NG ATING BAYAN written by Fe Mangahas and adeptly illustrated by Imelda Cajipe. Although no human bones were found then, yet, some animal bones which could not have existed without humans disciplining them were discovered. The same animals were found in Cagayan Valley and parts of Mindoro.

Why do we say that there were people then at the same time that the animal bones were found? That is because, in other places like the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes and Formosa, the same animal bones had been found together with human bones. And we were connected to the same places via land bridges. At that time, people moved about through these land bridges and so we all belonged to one region without boundaries.

Homo erectus --- meaning capable of standing up -- was the name of the people inhabiting the land then. They were nomads, living off fruits, seeds and plants. They knew how to set fire to cook their food and to keep themselves warm during cold climes. They also lived inside caves when the weather was not so good. For evidence, Fe Mangahas cites stones used by them at Cagayan, Novaliches and Angono, Rizal

Around 100,000 to 30,000 BC human bones had been found in the islands, in the caves of Callao, Cagayan, a female skull in Tabon Cave in Palawan (around 43,000 BC) .

Kasaysayan ng Ating Bayan: Ang Pilipinas Noon at Ngayon is very creative in teaching our history as a people and written in Pilipino, thus understandable to any group in the islands. It is full of illustrations, page by page actually, and can be readily understood even by those with not a full grasp of Pilipino.

The book is composed of four volumes:
Volume I –our roots in the ancient period – 500,000 to 1500 AD
Volume ii –the Spanish period from 1500 to 1898
Volume iii – the American period from 1899 to 1946
And Volume iv – Government and the people from 1946 to 2012

The second volume covers very meticulously how the Filipino people were made completely subservient through religious upbringing. It also mentions the important role of Filipino women revolutionaries in the Katipunan thus revealing that not all had felt at ease with colonial rule and even to the leadership of male revolutionaries. The third volume mentions that the Americans paid Spain $20 million dollars in 1898 as compensation for the turnover of the country to them as well as how the process of Americanization was carried out. The fourth volume covers post-independence, martial rule, and then the various regimes of Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The book is not only full of facts but also has discussion points for those studying by groups. Then after discussion, activities are posited like exhibits, drawing, making dioramas and dramatizing the fight in Mactan between Lapulapu and Magellan, as well as singing of songs that will enhance our idea of being Filipino and Filipina like Florante’s entitled “Ako’y isang Pinoy.” Gary Granada’s song lyrics, “Ang Misyon” is also quoted which talks of the aspirations for justice and the need to answer the call for involvement to obliterate poverty in reality.

Fe Mangahas tackles fearlessly political questions and issues. involving the left, the right and the centrists in Philippine society. Her book tackles the basis for and corruption under martial law, the problems of the Cory Aquino government in strengthening democratic processes in the country, Fidel V. Ramos, the first soldier to become president of the country and how he tried to change the Constitution to extend his term; Joseph Estrada’s unbelievable poll victory at more than 40% of the votes and how he had to leave Malacanang in order to prevent bloodshed that was being foisted by some groups massing at EDSA led by Cory, Ramos and the Church; the unwieldy rule of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who relied on corrupting legislators and the military in order to stay in power; and lastly Benigno Aquino III and the need for his administration to be transparent in fund allocations, among other issues. Fe does not mention that Cory revealed her misgivings later on in supporting the bringing down of Estrada and had even apologized to him for having been a part of the group that sought his toppling.

Imelda Cajipe Endaya has a full article in Volume iv, entitled “Sining Biswal sa Pagbubuo ng Bansa: 1946-1986,” where she discusses indigenous art, and foreign influences in the current crop of artworks - films, sculpture, paintings, and print, as well as women’s art.

For Philippine migrants in other countries with children who find it difficult to related with the roots of their parents, the book will open their (both parents and children) hearts and minds and make them feel proud of our race. No longer will they think that being alive means being subsumed to any other race.

Moreover, the book has spiritual leanings, as it asks questions like: “Paano mo maiuugnay ang ebolusyon ng tao sa kabanatang ito sa Genesis 1:1-31?“

Another is, “Sagabal ba ang sinaunang pananampalataya sa iyong pagiging Kristiyano? Ibahagi ang iyong personal na repleksiyon tungkol dito.”

We must read this book, even just by devoting our chapter a day, in order to understand that in the world history, the Philippines has been part and parcel of that march to full development from the very beginning as all other humans in other countries. By absorbing that thought, there is no way by which we could underestimate our capability to progress at all as other nations.

“Actually it is often the people of faith who preserve their culture and history. Sila iyong ‘people of history.: Kasi tayo ang daluyan ng continuity ng faith natin mula noong unang panahon hanggang ngayon. Mahaba ang kasaysayan natin at mahaba rin ang lalakbayin sa hinaharap.” – Melba Padilla Maggay, Ph.D. Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture.


Ed Lapiz, pastor and active Day by Day Ministries, says “Kailangang matagpuan nating muli ang ating sarili. Hindi ito mangyayari kung ang alam natin sa kasaysayan ay nagsimula lamang sa 1521. Kung ganito, malayo tayo sa simula, malayo tayo sa sarili, sa Lumikha.”

“Ang aklat na ito nawa’y magbigay-daan upang maiwaksi nating ang poot, pait at tinik sa ating buhay at kasaysayan. Bigyan natin ng patotoo ang winika ng Panginoon sa bibig ni Isaias 65:17-25. Gamitin natin ang malalim na pananampalatayang kaloob ng Diyos sa bawat Pilipino. Pagyamanin natin ito sa paglikha natin ng bagong kasaysayan para sa bagong Pilipinas bilang tahanang nagpapahalaga sa katotohanan, katarungan, kaunlaran at kapayapaan.” – Ruth S. Callanta

Kasaysayan ng Ating Bayan makes reading history a living and reflective experience that must be related to our innermost core as beings with faith and understanding of our own roles in society and in the universe.

The book – four volumes all in all – is available at the publisher’s office, Center for Community Transformation Group of Ministries headed by Ms. Ruth S. Callanta, president. CCT is located at 5/F Joshua Center, Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila with telephones: 632 – 524 1819 or email at ho@ cct.org.ph.

BASTARDIZING RIGHT TO LIFE

AS POLITICAL EVENTS ARE UNFOLDING ALL OVER THE GLOBE IT WOULD BE IMPERATIVE FOR US TO REVIEW THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

How has the world been run since December 10, 1948? How have the countries affected the lives of their constituents?

I really cannot understand why the Taliban and the Al Qaeda exist in any manner than ethical. They do not really care about the right to life of any citizen, their own compatriots many of whom they send to suicidal acts just so to create havoc and capture international attention. What kinds of upbringing were they subjected to? Why did they turn out to be anti-human? Is violence the only way to solve problems?

Last night, I found out that my pillow, which used to have very soft fillers, suddenly was filled with hard cotton balls. I don't know who did it but I suspect someone from our compound. I examined the pillow and my attention was caught on the kind of thread used -- pink which can be found in my box of threads. The sewing is new on one side where presumably the soft fillers were removed. It is new because the color is bright pink whereas the rest of the thread on the other sides were grayish from use for many years.

Now this is the kind of intel gathering that is being done under PNoy's administration by the PNPolice. And I feel too weak to shout help to anyone because it is a gang of intruders who violate my privacy, my bed, my pillow where I lay down my head and most of the time ruminate on what I could write about.

Do I deserve this? Isn't this a kind of bastardizing my right to a decent life? A Buddhist would say, keep silent, let it pass. A Christian would say the same thing. But why should I keep quiet?

I think that that "RIGHT TO LIFE" is being violated every minute all because of power, POWER to be wielded secretly and openly against those who choose not to bow down to dictatorship and all other forms of authoritarianism.

I could say the same thing is happening to the American people on a grander scale. The stand-off which hinges on the issue of delaying or not delaying the funding of Affordable Health Care, among other things is creating jitters, insecurity, and renders meaningless that UN Declaration that everyone has the right to life.
I must say that

...this is a clear case of "disregard and contempt for human rights which outrages the conscience of mankind." Rendering people jobless at this time in that part of the globe where autumn has come and winter not far behind is unfathomable indeed.

The right to life which basically means having a job that gives an individual income is not being respected, but rather disregarded.

Folks, let's reread those UN statements which have a lot to do with how we lead our lives today. I hope that those responsible for not respecting the right to life would see the light.


Here is the UN Preamble and the pertinent provisions:
PREAMBLE

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.



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Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

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Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

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Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

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Article 4.

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

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Article 5.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

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Article 6.

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

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Article 7.

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

REREADING PAST PRESIDENTS' THOUGHTS

Maybe it's time for us to review some thoughts of presidents which have guided the people in one way or the other as developments in politics have gone on. By rereading them maybe those responsible for shutting down the US government will be able to rethink what they have done to others. As well, those in the Philippine government responsible for bringing our country to its sorry economic state could feel remorse, return the money and promise, swear while kneeling not to do it again. - a Christian punishment.)

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
Abraham Lincoln 
(Who in the government is doing this? In our country, those destroying our faith in good governance are the officials who are being bribed with pork and the briber too)

We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.
Abraham Lincoln
(Do we need to overthrow those who pervert the Constitution? Let them have their day in court. So we may know the kind legal defenses they have and respond to them as intelligently as we can. In a sense we are honing our skills in democratic exercise.)

You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
Abraham Lincoln
(Yes, they tried fooling us that pork is good. Now we know -- it brings out the worst in people -- the worst which is to buy people's votes.)

Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.
Abraham Lincoln (Hallelujiah! Sana! Sana! Sana!)

A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Abraham Lincoln 
(Our Congress is not really divided because most have had their pork. They are only divided -- on whether to share the loot or not.)

WE SHOULD NEGOTIATE ON THE MALAMPAYA FUNDS THIS WAY: BRING DOWN FUEL OIL PRICES BY 50%. THAT IS WHAT MALAMPAYA IS FOR -- TO HELP THE PEOPLE.!

Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.
Theodore Roosevelt 
(That sounds like the TP.)

Andrew Jackson
Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error.
(May there be brave men and women who will accept their error.


Abraham Lincoln
Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.

Nelson Mandela Speech, May 1994
Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

Nelson Mandela

Getting into Peaceful Politics

Reading the news about American politics, I can see that one really needs a good grounding in English, a firm knowledge on politics and handling political wranglings, as well as having a good supportive network of officials who value and will stand by you through thick and thin. I wonder if our Kababayan in the United States of America view this as true. I am sure that they also want to advance politically and not just wait on the sidelines, watching what will happen to the fight between Democrats and Republicans. I hope they would stand by democratic principles.

Now why is it so difficult for the Republicans to see the value of health care? It seems as if this is going back to square one, defending the value of the law so that all of the American people, not just our Kababayan, mind you, could enjoy living and when getting sick, know that they could always go to health institutions and be cared for. That's as simple as I understand the health care which the Republicans want to curtail by delaying its funding.
How could the American voters vote into office such people who would not want them to get cared for? I don't really understand that side of the question. Maybe it is time to

Our political conflicts in the Philippines have been resolved not only in the halls of Congress but outside, in the People Power sites since 1986. I think that People Power should not be misused again, as what happened during the Estrada administration. We must be more circumspect now and see through the hidden aims of people who are behind the scenes and stoking the fires for us to conduct People Power.

It is good that we are able to hold PP so that we can air out our views in public, which otherwise could be shut out in the media -- which by the way selects those views of people that should be printed or aired. Not all have a say. But being in the demonstration allows us to feel and shout our slogans if need be in order to give vent to our pent-up emotions.

Some quarters are still hopeful for the resurrection of GMA in the political limelight. Or some pork-barrel-guilty senators want the issue to die or to let those pushing for its abolition to fade away as well. Hence, the intelligence community has to be more vigorous in unearthing such plans of these people and find out how to quash their anti-democratic acts even before they are started. That is what those funds are for, right? and not for destroying the work of democratic writers who are asserting their principles in their works.

Come October 4th, tomorrow, let us bring banners of peace, and flyers detailing how we can use democratic means to resolve conflicts, no longer attracted to quick fixes like violence, and murder. (Let us have more artworks and paintings most of all that will depict peace-loving themes.) I think that is what is lacking in our educational system, ideas on how to negotiate (which most of the time is only confined to business and some social-work courses.)We must teach the young, starting as early as the grades on how to assert themselves, how to get what they want in a gentle manner, and how to have their way without using fisticuffs.

My problem in my country is overly political. Everytime I write my blog, there are heads looking at my screen from other tables. Or, someone puts up the volume of the computer blaring irrelevant sounds so that I won't be able to concentrate, or one or two start smoking so that the smoke puffs inside the room where I am typing my article. You see Folks, some people are just damn corrupt, and unthinking, willing themselves to be used for doing anti-democratic acts I don't really know for how much. Garapal at makapal. To the bones.

ON CREATING HEALTHY SOCIETIES

Are we creating child - friendly societies or are we building societies that push children to grown-up roles right away, instad of enjoying their childhood? Let me comment on the PAGCOR donations of chairs and desks to schools. The idea of the agency looks benevolent, but it has an insidious message: it is all right to gamble. The fact that Pagcor comes out as the donor, that its act of donating is reported on radio and tv, gives that tacit approval for everyone to engage in gambling. Is that not a contradiction with the aims of education - that of molding the minds to contain moral values? And what is that prime moral value we uphold? That life is not a matter of chance but of choices. I hope that the Education Secretary will examine this issue very well and stop all kinds of labeling of PAGCOR donations to education as its donation. Whatever extra money PAGCOR has should be passed on to the Department of Budget and Management which should dispose of the money to the other sections of the government. PAGCOR has no business making donations, especially to educational insitutions. This is corruption of the young, and a blatant one at that.

Secondly, the latest news is that France has banned children beauty contests. I agree with that wholeheartedly. Girl children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood and not fill their minds with questions like "Mama, am I beautiful?" or "Papa will I be beautiful when I grow up?" Instead, girls should be made to focus their minds on how best to tap their skills in music, literature and all other endeavors that increase knowledge and raise the consciusness.

Thirdly, I saw little girls with heels as tall as 1 and 1/2 inches and the parent did not see anything wrong with it. I think that there are many businesses that should go out of business literally, especially those that manufacture such shoes and sandals for children. The Department of Trade and Industry should shut them down because they are not critical of the effects of their products on children. Wearing high heels will make girl children aspire to be adults again, instead of acting as children. I think that psychologists will agree with me that every human being must pass through several stages before entering adulthood. Those that skip phases, like the childhood stage, meaning they are forced to assume grown-up roles right away, are bound to suffer from psychological hang-ups. I can surmise now that the pedophiles like children because they missed that particular stage in their lives.

Fourthly, I like that little girl in a lunchtime TV program but I don't like the way she is costumed. She is made to wear short shorts showing her thighs. When she talks like an adult wearing that, then the sexiness of her attire is a subtle come-on toe the male viewers. (Have you heard of the 7year old who was raped by a drunk construction worker and eventually killed? The report is incomplete, but I would like to know what she was wearing at the time, how she dressed up in the past days as she was seen by the worker/s, and whethere there were other women there as well and their attires too.) I think there is over-permissiveness on sexy attires. I remember one conversation I had with a State University dean. I asked her if I could post a signboard which read Hita-pansilid tahanan, hindi pampaaralan." She replied that the University exercises academic freedom. If I want to post this in the college, then I should ask the office of the chancellor to approve it. With regard to the substance of the quote, she said that the Uiversity practices freedom of expression.

When I replied that that is over-permissiveness, and that UP has already gone down in ranking worldwide, she continued to hold on to her viewpoint. Then she asked why I had to approach her regarding this matter and I said, I thought you would not be so bureaucratic, being the dean of the college. She got mad and stormed out, saying that she would not allow herself to be talked to in that manner. And I countered, "But that is academic freedom." She left the room.

So I told the assistant "She has selective application of academic freedom." I do think that for us to create healthy societies, we must get out of the box of authorities which usually breeds authoritarian thinking. We must be original thinkers and not copycats. The young will be able to grow up in a healthy manner if the adults will treat them with respect, respect for their age level, for their dignity as young people, and help them shape healthy and ethical aspirations in life. Surely beauty contests for children hardly creates healthy aims at all.Instead art and music contests would always be the alternatives.

"The unexamined life is not worth living,"

"The unexamined life is not worth living," said Socrates. That was many thousands of years ago, but the thought is still so apropos until now. Does everyone examine their lives daily? What is examining one's life? I think it is being aware of oneself and of others. One could be so self-immersed, have such a strong identity but lack that neighborliness, or sensitivity to what is happening to the other fellow.

I can feel that in the way politics is viewed by some people. Some would stick to their political principles through thick and thin only because they could affect the lives of many people. While others would stick to their standpoints, regardless of what happens to other people, only because they have to abide by their party's standpoint.

Scary, isn't it when the latter become the leaders of the country? What is important to them is how to make the party stick together, and insure that they will win the next elections.

I think that at this time, we need to develop healthy political thoughts. We need to analyze up to what point we can insist on certain political principles, and up to what point we need to compromise. But that is better said than done. I think in certain countries where political power is so attractive and that losing it becomes a very unfortunate happening, then political parties become the tool for insuring that that power does not become elusive.

I told my neighbors in our barangay, I want to run as barangay captain because I want to serve. Some people have asked me to form a list of kagawad who will run with me. But I said, I would just like to run as barangay captain and nothing more. If the people want me, then they would vote for me. I need not campaign for other people whom I do not really know very well. Actually, I hardly socialize in our subdivision because my work as a media practitioner makes me go out all the time. But I do have exchanges with the barangay officers now and then when there are domestic problems I have to settle with them, like a renter of a room who cannot pay and yet can afford to have a new blouse every time I see her, or one who has a more modern celfone than I.

Most of the time, my exchanges with the barangay tanod is for the officers to silence the noise of our next door neighbor who has a tarpaulin business that goes on 24 hours a day, and becomes loud between 1 and 6 a.m. So my sleep gets disrupted and I cannot anymore sleep so I have to do some artworks or use my computer in order not to waste my waking time.

Yet, I see the need to serve in our barangay. I want to be able to have a say on how the funds of the barangay is being used. I want the mothers who send their children and carry heavy loads of books to Betty Go-Belmonte Elementary School to have a shuttle that will bring them to the stop where they can easily get a transpo easily. So many more ideas I have in mind in order to serve the barangay.

What I am afraid of in being in government is that hankering for more and more power. I don't like that to happen to myself. I just want to be able to serve, to see that the funds of the government are going to serve the needs of the people, and to make it a continuing occurence forever. I don't want to be forever on toes trying to do this and that. I think that being in government is not a permanent thing but insuring that others will follow a certain model of governance and that this will be on a continuing basis.

You see folks, the problem with the pork barrel funds that went to the pockets instead of serving the people's needs, is not really as to who got what. By the way, I saw on TV one of the pocketers of the millions of pesos. His name crops up all the time as one of the guilty. But on TV he smiles and gloats as he narrates what happens to the wild ones, as if nothing has been done to his political career. But I wonder what the youth think of him as they watch his face with the wild animals. Is he unethical in handling finances because he lives through a life that upholds the wild, sans all kinds of ethical analyses except survival techniques?

Anyway, the problem of the pork barrel is rooted to vote-buying during elections. Many politicians are so desperate at being voted upon and so they would do everything, by hook or by crook to get elected. If the people do not sell their votes then they would not elect corrupt people. A candidate who buys votes will always steal, steal, steal. That we have to remember.

So come October 4, at the next Million March, one of the topics that should really be hammered down by every speaker is that 'DON'T SELL YOUR VOTE!"

Going back to the unexamined life, I think there are environments that would nurture that kind of analytical mind. That environment accepts all kinds of questions, healthy ones, and especially the philosophical. This means that even if it is a child who is asking the question, then an answer would always be available. In other words, every thinking individual who has a question to ask will always be attended to.

Why do I insist on the examined life? That is because I think that the many problems of the world have been thought over, but not really examined. Otherwise, we would not have poverty, violence, and all types of perversions. We examine in order to know if our thoughts, behavior, and feelings are healthy, are humane, are not harmful to ourselves, much more so to others.

In politics, we call this being democratic. But democracy is not really an acceptable principle in some countries or maybe even for certain political parties. For people in such countries or parties, what is utmost need is political power, for oneself, and for the party, not for the people. How sad.

I can see this happening in the United States where there are over 2M Filipinos and Filipino-Americans working and living there.

Shouldn't the bigger questions in this situation be: "Why are we in this situation at all? What is the ultimate purpose of politics? Who are the ultimate beneficiaries of government service?"

Come to think of it, when we think of government, do we always add the word "service?" PNoy said, "Kayo ang boss ko," but we are penniless, and all the servants have millions. So what's the point of being the boss? Lip service? Cosmetic decoration?

So next time there is an election, whether here is elsewhere, why not ask the candidates, "what do you think of being in government?"

I had a big laugh inside when I heard an urban poor leader exclaim, "Kapag ako nahalal, aangat ang buhay ko. Hindi na ako maghihirap. " Ever since I heard that, I knew that he would not really be an exemplary leader.

But in the First World countries, I think the problem is more or power. So many officials are well-off and corrupt is always being checked at every turn. So, political power not financial power is more hankered for although both could be related.

To be in powerful political post is to have the financial clout, the say on where the funds will go.

Anyway, Folks, we can go on and on talking about political power. I hope that in the next rally, on October 4th at Makati City, we would get to define true political power. Let us make everyone think of that. Let us have a polling place where people may write down what they think of it, and of the PDAF, the Malampaya, but most of all what is political power.

Once the people are aware, conscious and knowledgeable that everything else that is happening boils down to political power, then they would know that it is something that should not be sold to the highest bidder, but something that should be protected in order for our interests to be served by those in power and those who will succeed them.