Thursday, August 27, 2020

RACIST AND AUTHORITARIAN TENDENCIES IN THE POLICE FORCE

 

"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people"

George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. 

Jacob Blake was shot seven times in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 23, 2020. 

So in a matter of three months, colored men were killed and shot by the police.

This shows a very  low regard of the police on the people they are supposed to serve. Worse, the  men were not confronting the police. Floyd was killed by an officer who stepped on his neck until he could no longer breathe while Blake was shot 7 times while wanting to go inside his SUV. He is now paralyzed and is in serious condition in the hospital

If you will examine the map of the USA, you will find, the two states, Minnesota and Wisconsin are contiguous areas in the north. This speaks a lot about the authoritarian and racist consciousness of the police and of that portion of the States. 

 What is authoritarianism?

 It is "the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

"lack of concern for the wishes or opinions of others."

 

For a police officer to possess this kind of consciousness is very odd indeed. A police officer is supposed to solve crimes and not be the criminal himself/herself. 

Racism is the "belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another."


And for police officers to have an authoritarian and racist consciousness. combined is to have a powder keg in the police stations. 

The killing of George Floyd strengthened the movement: Black Lives Matter in the United States.  

Actually, racism has a long history in the States. It started during the colonial era, when slaves were kidnapped from Africa and other Caribbean countries for sale in the plantations in the continent owned by white people. Many histories have been written already about this. 

In this regard, I would suggest that a psychological test be conducted on all the police forces all over the world, not only in the US, measuring the level of consciousness with regard to racism and authoritarianism. Those who have a high score on these items ought to be removed from their positions and transferred to the department of social welfare, their guns surrendered to authorities. They must be made to serve the needy and disadvantaged groups in society. 

The need to stop crimes especially against minority groups including women,   should start now.  

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15th, 1929. He was a pivotal advocate for African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. 

   

VEGETABLE VENDORS, PAINTING BY PAT REYES

 HOMAGE TO PAT REYES | Pre-selling – Art Circle Gallery

ART CIRCLE GALLERY

Remembering Pat Reyes

(1937 – 2017)


Join us as we remember and honor the life of Pat Reyes and his innumerable contributions to Philippine Art in this tribute exhibition.


July 15, 2017

4th Level, Art Plaza, Shangri-la EDSA, Mandaluyong City


In Memoriam: Pat Reyes


His Life


Pat Reyes was born in Sampaloc, Manila in 1937. He went on to pursue art degrees from the University of the East and the University of Santo Tomas; and sought mastery of his craft, dabbling in different artistic styles and media, from lettering, graphic design, and painting, to name a few.


His innate prowess and keen artistic eye did not go unnoticed; Pat was tapped by many private and local institutions: he was commissioned to paint the large murals for Solid Bank and was also part of the artists who did the iconic dioramas found in the Ayala Museum. Pat’s work was also prominently featured as part of group art exhibitions in Germany, Singapore, and USA. It was only a matter of time that his name would be immortalized in many art books and anthologies.


His Work


Born in a time of the turbulent war, Pat had seen its horrors and lived through them, and for all its darkness, his eyes chose to see beauty in life. His paintings are depictions of a simpler times, a happier time of remembrance – from quaint folk and urban markets, lush summer harvests, extolling themes of motherhood, unity, and community.


Heavily influenced by Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s elongated torsos and muted colors from Oscar Zalameda, his figurative abstractions hold crisp forms, lines, and solid colors. Later on, Pat would imbue his works with light, and this unique style of phosphorescence would later on become his personal artistic signature.


No public nor private collection is complete without Pat Reyes’ iconic obras.


His Swansong


To the very end, Pat Reyes wanted nothing more to give to the world, and with defiant strokes, he painted and persisted. Despite knowing this is the end of his life’s journey, he never stopped and forged on, staying true to his artistic calling and purpose.


As a way of paying our final respects, Art Circle Gallery is honored to host this posthumous art exhibition in his name, at his behest - one last hurrah for the artist behind the great art.


WRONG PRIORITIES

 

  • Real Estate. ...
  • Construction. ...
  • IT, BPO, and Business Services. ...
  • Banking & Finance. ...
  • Gaming. ...
  • Retail

These are the most viable industries in the country today. Ask: how come agriculture and fishing are not there? What makes farmers and fisherfolks not worthwhile investing in?

This is why food is very expensive in our country, except junk food. Saba is 6 pesos each. Luya is 15 pesos. Carrot is 15 each. 

How can our people's bodies get strong against Covid 19 when they cannot even afford to buy theseveggies?

There is something wrong in our priorities. 


Wednesday, August 26, 2020

REPUBLICAN PARTY ONE-MAN RULE


 

MOBILITY IS A KEY

  Mobility is a key to removing disparity in wealth during pandemics, especially. All public servants must have ingrained in their minds that the life status of each citizen must be approximately equal to theirs.   

 

WHERE SUPPORT OF MOBILITY IS A MANDATE

 Do the functions of the transport secretary stop during this pandemic? Of course not. He has to find alternative transport systems that are cheap for the general public to enjoy as they go about their business, going to work, marketing or taking their children to school, and the like.  

I notice that our transport secretary has shown favorites with regard to the choice for public transport to ply the streets of MetroManila. They are invariably few and expensive for ordinary folks like me. 

While mandating social distancing protocols, the secretary must not forget that he is still the transport head and therefore, the transport problems of the people are still his burden, and that includes ensuring the lifeline of the jeepney drivers. 

Unfortunately, it is taken for granted that just because there are vehicles plying the streets providing lackadaisical opportunities for people to move around, then the nitty-gritty problems of moving about in the smaller streets have been ignored. 

This is rather unfair. I think that we must include the IATF in this problem. When imposing lockdowns or reducing the movements of people, they must insist, order would be the better word, that transport is still available everywhere, and that they are TIMED, every 15 minutes at the latest at stop points and not "que se hoda." 

For senior citizens, mobility is crucial. They need to be able to buy their medicines food needs at the cheapest places. For artistic seniors, they can buy their art materials from Divisoria cheaply, and some other stores that are somewhere else i MetroMaila. Having no cheap transportation is denying them  the right to decent living, to practice their careers and thus providing only the young and the vigorous to move around.  

For example, the routes from Kamias to Welcome and/or Quiapo, of Marikina to Divisoria, these have been dismissed as inconsequential. so that business people who have to buy their supplies from cheap Divisori stalls, have no other alternative but to take a cab.  Jeepney drivers do not come out to service the public in these places. 

HERE IS WHERE SUBSIDIES ARE IMPERATIVE. THE TRANSPORT SECRETARY HAS TO THINK OF SUBSIDIZING THE REDUCTION IN THE INCOME OF THE  DRIVERS WHO CHOOSE TO WORK. AND AT LEAST 60% OF THE ROUTES MUST BE SERVICED EVERY DAY, 24-7.  OR ELSE, COMMANDEER THE MILITARY TRUCKS TO GO OUT AND SERVICE THE PUBLIC 24-7 ALSO. THIS IS HOW IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION IS NECESSARY. 

We must try to learn how to professionalize our government service even at these critical times. Pandemics should make us rethink the many ways we can still deliver important services to the people with the same quality if not much better. 

Removing restrictions on mobility is ensuring that everyone has the right to shape their destiny, to create their own future -- here and everywhere else- ; and to move about in this globe for their education, for business opportunities, or for their own simple self-satisfaction. 

The nurses who have left the country to service other patients than the Filipino people are so lucky as they will be leaving or have left for countries that are sensitive to the transport needs of their citizens. 

SO WHAT ARE THE POINTS THAT WE ARE MAKING HERE?

1. Jeepneys must be available everywhere in MetroManila;

2. They must ply the routes 24-7;

3. Their arrivals at every stop point should be every 15 minutes at the latest;

4. Though we recognize the right of the drivers to drive or not to drive, the jeepney federations must be reminded of their public duty - to provide public use jeeps or PUJs -- and at least 70% of their members must adhere to the call of the government for them to be out in the streets. Otherwise, they should be penalized or their license to operate suspended. 

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

NOT ONLY PHILHEALTH

 

Sunday, August 16, 2020

HEAL THE GLOBE



 

QUESTIONS TO THE WORLD

 QUESTIONS TO THE WORLD:


Philippines:

1. What happened to the dispersal of IATF members to different spots? What did they discover? What are their concclusions and recommendations? If they cannot provide the answers, would they be gracious enough to admit that they need a vacation?


2. What happened to the granular lockdowns? Why is it not working?

3. How much money has been poured into the solving of the disease?  Where and when did it come from? Who got what and how much? What are the expenses and how muh is left?

4. How much is spent for the meetings of the IATF? What are their salaries and other perks?

5. How come other Asian countries can tamp down the rise of this disease? How come we can't?

Time to change horses. 

No, Generals, we need power to solve the problem, not power for power's sake. 


INTERNATIONAL:

1. Why doesn't the WHO analyze the Covid 19 developments in countries that have successfully eradicated it?

2. What are the plans of WHO? How come it does not push for the strengthening of the bodies by giving food and vitamins and minerals? Why all these artificial methods?

 3. How much has WHO spent for solving the COVID 19 pandemic? What are the items that have been covered? 

With all the highly qualified doctors up there how come no abatement in the contagion?

4. If so, we need to change horses too, is it not? The horses are too slow and old. Their methods are old and useless. 


USA

Time to curb the mouth of the IO of WH. He is destroying the world's hope for a better life the peaceful way. 

He is crashing down the people's, women's movements. He is another contagion that ought to be suppressed.


Friday, August 14, 2020

HIDE ALL PLATFORMS FROM THE MISOGYNIST

 




Aristotle Tagbo saved to Pinterest

HIDE ALL PLATFORMS FROM THIS MISOGINYST

 When I listen to the VOA (Voice of America) I feel very depressed. It seems to be the mouthpiece of the IO, not of the American people. When I read the American newspapers, the more I feel depressed. 

Why? Because they are repeating the misogynistic labels that the Illegal Occupant of WH hur be ls at his opponents. 

Should media objectivity be upheld when the statements revert the position of women to a dominated slot? 

I think there ought to be a moral value to be upheld. Media educates, uplifts the spirits and makes us feel humane and caring of our fellow earthlings. 

Let us providing a platform for dirty politics to prevail, especially those that reverse the historical gains of women all over the world. 


TOO THIN MASK

 
The blue facial mask is too thin.

Wearers or patients must have another piece

to protect themselves with it.

Place a white pad with anion strip on it

before wearing it. Wet it then pin with safety pin or

perdible on the mask.

The anion negates all viruses that come in

contact with it.

FRONTLINERS ESPECIALLY SHOULD
TAKE NOTE OF THIS. YOU ARE INSIDE
THE HOSPITAL. DON'T RELY ON THAT
BLUE FACIAL MASK. IT IS A WEAK DEFENSE.
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Sunday, August 9, 2020

SING SING SING "I WAS POORLY BORN ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN"

 

1. Linggo ng pagninilay-nilay ngayong araw

Dapat kalkalin ang ating konsensiya, di ba?

Panahon na upang tingnan kung gawang moral

Ang trabaho natin araw-araw.

REFRAIN: 

Ay Bayan, masakit tingnan

Kapaligiran o kay dilim

Kaluluwang halang

Bilyon ninanakaw

Jeepney drivers naman

Pulubi sa daan


2. Nais kong mabuhay Bayan sa mundong ito 

Walang nakikitang dukha at batang kalye

Pati batang babae ay  iligtas natin 

Mga kadugong pedophiles sibat na yo

REFRAIN: 

Ay Bayan, masakit tingnan

Kapaligiran o kay dilim

Kaluluwang halang

Bilyon ninanakaw

Jeepney drivers naman

Pulubi sa daan


3. Nais kong makitang tapat ang lingkod-bayan

Puwede bang magnilay-nilay ang IATF

Limang buwan na tayong bumubulusok 

Papunta saan tayo kangkungan 'ga?


Kayraming walang wala at walang masakyan

Nguni't ang IATF, may suweldo at kotse

Pagkain araw-araw

Resayn na lang kayo. 


REFRAIN: 

Ay bayan, masakit tingnan

Kapaligiran o kay dilim

Kaluluwang halang

Bilyon ninanakaw

Jeepney drivers naman

Pulubi sa daan


NOTE: YOYOY VILLAME KNOWS THE SONG. SURF HIM. 

FEEL FREE TO TRANSLATE THE LYRICS IN YOUR OWN DIALECT. 



 



 

Saturday, August 8, 2020

FAREWELL IATF

 

SING SING TO THE TUNE OF PAMULINAWEN

 Magandang araw po

Mga taga IATF

Saludo sa inyo

Ang sisipag ninyo

Araw-araw pa

May miting at report

Kaya nga lang

Taas ng namamatay. 

2. Kaya IATF

Maaari bang isipin

Kung sinong ipapalit

ninyo sa trabaho nyo

Tiyak ang kailangan

Isang duktor na tapat

At isa pa

magaling na ekonomista


3. Kailangang iangat

ang ating ekonomiya

Hikahos ang taumbayan

Wala pang masakyan

Mahal ang bilihin

Murang sasakyan wala

Mukhang sintunado

ang inaawit nyo. 


4 Pakiusap lang

Magmove-on na kayo

Iba naman dapat

Hahawak ng problema

Maraming salamat 

Sa kasipagan nyo

Kay PDD

Huwag kayong mahihiya. 




Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

SING A SONG AND HEAL




 

A. ANG DUKTOR NA HINDI DUKTOR

Sing to the tune of BAHAY KUBO

Duque, Duque/

kapit tuko sa puwesto, /

At palaging palpak/

ang kanyang numero/

Ano ang/

pakay mo/

Magkamal ba ng milyon/

 kapal / mo naman/

puwede ba/

magdasal ka na?

 

A.     B. ANG ALENG MATAPOBRE

B.     Sing to the tune of LERON, LERON SINTA  

 Mayrong isang ale/

lumaki sa kayamanan/

ang tingin sa medico/

mga palamunin niya/

Marami ng/namatay/

mga nurses at duktor/

tumutulong sa iba'y/

inaalipusta pa niya.

2. Nasa senado siya/

masuwerteng masuwerte/

 bintog ang bulsa niya/

 pati kamag-anak/

anong tinuturo /

ng ating Senado/

maging lingkod-bayan/

o matapobre ba?

 

 C. DOON PO SA AMIN

Sing to the tune of 

"DOON PO SA AMIN"

Dito sa bayan ko/

may isang bisita

Covid nineteen ang pangalan/

marahas at pumapatay/

 

 Litung lito ang gubyerno/

Paanong dudurugin/

Pinasok si Duque/

Duling namang duktor/

 

 Dumami ang nagkasakit/

Araw-araw may patay/

Hindi, hindi ito grabe/

Kaya daw ni Duque/

 

 Nagising ang medico/

Nagbalak na mag-rally/

Nabigla silang lahat

Kaya MECQ tayo.

 

Mulat na ang bayan

sa ating lipunan

Sagot sa kahirapan

Sama-samang kilos

 

 Pumirma sa petisyon

At sumali sa rally

Huwag kang mag-atubili

Buhay ang kapalit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Monday, August 3, 2020

MOBILITY HIGHLY IMPORTANT

PROHIBITION? OR REGULATION?

Kneejerk reaction. "a sudden involuntary reflex kick caused by a blow on the tendon just below the knee"

When you hit the tendon on your knee, the tendency of the leg is to kick. No thinking necessary. It just involuntarily moves up. 

The response of the government to the cries for help of medical workers is like a knee-jerk.

So we go now to MECQ again - no dine-in restaurants, no jeepneys, no tricycles. Everybody stays home. 

The problem with Covid 19 is that it can be avoided, or stopped in its tracks given very creative approaches. But definitely, inhibiting general mobility is not good.

Mobility is important for people, especially for the elderly. We need to be able to exercise our muscles and move our joints. Now confining us to the house may be good but given a small space, slowly we could develop decrepit bodies which could lead to being an invalid. 

Youngsters also need mobility, especially our millennials who are used to fraternizing or developing deep friendships with the opposite sex. Eventually, they could lapse into depression should they be prohibited from getting out of the home.

Limit the hours

What should be done is to limit the number of hours that people can be out in the streets. For example, seniors and youngsters may move around only in the mornings. Then afternoons, they should not be allowed to be seen anymore in the streets. In this way, they will be able to breathe fresh air, sunbathe, and develop a sunny disposition instead of depressed. The wet season make the rains arrive in the afternoons. Hence being out in the mornings is great. 

Dine-in 

Restaurants should be allowed to offer dining in but only on one person per table only. That should keep out any close contacting even between couples. Pasensiya na. Pahinga muna ang loverly ideas. 

I really bat for opening of restaurants because it is very hard for me to cook at home. And many folks I am sure would prefer going to their favorite restaurants to eat no matter how short the time allotted for it. 

Thirdly, restaurants must offer foods that can be easily cooked so that the diners need not linger too long inside.

Jeepney transport

Fourthly, jeepney transportation must be maintained – as the drivers have already developed a system of preventing passengers from having too close contacts. Jeepney mobility is important for workers, vendors, professionals who cannot afford to take a cab all the time. Besides the jeepney drivers also must generate their daily income.

I think we must make people feel that they could still travel from one place to another. Not everyone can be holed up in their homes. Mobility is a must, especially for the urban poor.  

Transmission

By the way, how does the transmission of Covid 19 happen? The DOH put this reminder up in the internet:

"Remember, COVID-19 is only spread through respiratory droplets coughed by an infected person. Therefore, if an infected person does not cough, he/she most likely will not infect others. However, many infected persons only experience mild symptoms. This is particularly true at the early stages of the disease. It is, therefore, possible to get COVID-19 from an infected person with a mild cough but is not feeling ill."

Ergo, really close contact could cause the spread of the virus. 

Now if you look at our streets, there is not much chance to get the virus unless you hug a person, or converse with them lengthily, or maintain close contact for a long period. 

The environment is not the total problem. It is the way people relate with each other that causes possible transmission of the virus. 

At a mall, I feel ill always after going there. The ceiling is high but there is something wrong with the exhaust pipes I think. These should be cleaned up. And air should circulate, not just cold air from the air conditioning units. I am thinking that there should be windows that would allow hot air inside to blow away the virus that really lingers inside cool conditions.  

I don't feel ill when I go to this other mall as the air seems to circulate well. 

Exhaust fans

Also, I have an approach to kill the virus. We could place exhaust fans in the streets to blow it up to the skies. These fans would be placed across the streets on even level with the electric wires. Say, for  Aurora Boulevard, we could have several exhaust fans sucking up the virus and blowing it upwards. I want to know what the DOST thinks of this idea. 

Uniforms

Whoever developed the idea that the police should be in SWAT or fatigue uniform? Their appearance doubles the fear that we feel. First we are afraid of catching Covid 19. Then the fatigued uniform makes us feel as if someone is being hunted down or could be shot at anytime. 

I think that they should wear uniform of a sunny color not this olive green that covers their whole body. Then the police all carry firearms as if the people will be defended from a real war, whereas the enemy is invisible. 

So what for is that war-like get up if not to scare us into submission?

Knee-jerk reactions should be reassessed. Even the appointment of that guy in the DOH I am sure was done without much assessment if he would be capable of handling it. the fact that he had to be quarantined during the beginning of the entry of the virus in our midst, shows his shortsighted view of the problem. 

Let us show a stronger will and strength to face this virus. But not in the manner that would scare us out of our wits.