Brace selves for any eventuality

Bro. Eddie to Filipinos on SONA:

This was the warning expressed by Bro. Eddie Villanueva after President Arroyo did not categorically mention in her State of the Nation Address her plans once her term expires next year.

“At this point, we have to brace ourselves for any eventuality. Masakit mang sabihin, talagang buhay na buhay pa ang banta ng cha-cha, con-ass, NoEl, declaration of martial law, at term extension ni Ginang Arroyo,” Villanueva, head of the good governance group Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Pilipino Movement said in a statement.

After almost an hour of Mrs. Arroyo’s glowing “praise” report on her administrations’ accomplishments over the past nine years, with her every sentence perfunctorily punctuated by applause from her junket buddies and allies in Congress, Villanueva said that only one thing is certain: GMA is stepping down from the platform, but she is not so definitive about her political plans in 2010.

“How difficult was it to categorically say that she is stepping down on June 30, 2010? But instead of being candid about it and transparent to the Filipino people and nation, she opted to resort to mere rhetoric. She blew a perfect chance to win back the respect of the wary people that have become most distrustful of their government in history,” he added.

Villanueva opined that Mrs. Arroyo’s admission to “have never expressed desire to extend myself beyond my term” is not entirely the same as not actually desiring to extend herself beyond her term. “It does not take a genius to know that there’s a world of difference between the two,” he added.

As to the SONA itself, Villanueva said he was rather disappointed that the issues that are most important to the Filipino people were not touched by Mrs. Arroyo, particularly the worsening corruption and extra-judicial killings.

“This is the reason why the Filipino people have grown tired of this government. Kung talagang nasa mabuti tayong kalagayan ngayon, katulad ng sinasabi ni Ginang Arroyo, bakit itong gobyernong ito ang pinaka unpopular at distrusted para sa mga Pilipino sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas? Whose report would we rather believe then, GMA and her speechwriters’ or that of the greater number of our people?” he asked.

Villanueva also added that GMA’s glowing reports seemed more of an attempt to impress US President Barack Obama and his foreign affairs advisers, especially since Mrs. Arroyo is scheduled to meet the popular US president on July 30, 2009.

Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages; who says, "I will build myself a spacious house with large upper rooms," and who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar, and painting it with vermilion. Are you a king because you compete in cedar? - Jeremiah 22:13-15 (Sojourners)

Laking kasawian para sa nagtatayo ng kanyang bahay sa pamamagitan ng kabuktutan, at ng kanyang mga silid sa pamamagitan ng kawalang-katarungan; sa nagpapatrabaho ng kapwa nang walang kabayaran; sa nagsasabing, "Magpapagawa ako ng engrandeng bahay na may malalaking silid," at nagsusukat ng mga bintana para rito na gawa sa narra at pintado ng mapusyaw na pula. Hari ka ba dahil sa mas marami kang nakamal na narra? - Jeremiah 22:13-15

BAGONG PILIPINAS BAGONG PILIPINO MOVEMENT
27 July 2009