HOPE MESSAGES

iT'S NICE to read many of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates give out hope messages. They try to raise the people's desires for change, for belief in them as the one to be voted upon. But as for me, I am looking for those candidates who have a spiritual bent, who can show me that we can achieve real change but this requires real connections with the Almighty for divine guidance in choosing the right one. I am not proposing any candidate now, although two belong to religious organizations. I believe that we can intuit the candidate who has that genuine desire to help the people rise above the current economic state.

Hope does not come just like that. It is built up through years. My mother's name is Esperanza and all her life she exuded that hopeful mien, that state of seeing that tomorrow is still another day that will pose challenges in existence. I never saw her deviate from her path of being alive, of enjoying life. She used to wake up early, read the Bible, then go through her business meeting people, discussing with them and then retiring early in the evening. She was an addict for telenovelas in her later years when her physical constitution was no longer as strong as her mind. Yes, her mind was active until the very end and she was fighting to live but the doctors of De Los Santos Hospital left her when the machine showed a horizontal line. Yet when I arrived (as I was told to leave the room then when they would put a hole in her throat), after massaging her body, I felt a glint of hope that her heart was till beating. But the doctors and nurses had gone. "Misis, patay na yan," a man said. I hated that guy. I cursed the staff of the hospital when I came down. "You should not be called a hospital," I said, because you kill people."

But what am I saying here? Life is too beautiful to end just like that. Presidential candidates give us hope but realizing hope in an environment full of crocodiles is almost impossible. So we must weed out those who have an insatiable lust for power and wealth. And maybe, we should not make Malacanang a very palatable place to live in but rather just be a museum forever. Let us just build an office for the President and other positions, a place that will make them feel that they are servants of the people and nothing more.

SHORT ANNOUNCEMENT

Folks, the Supreme Court, through its Clerk of Court, a certain Maria Villarama had rejected our candidacy. I wonder what standards she uses for rejecting urgent motions for reconsideration of comelec rejections of applications for senatorial candidacies. I wonder what kinds of candidates she wants to be put up at all?

Hello?

BUSINESS PREDICTIONS AFTER MAY ELECTIONS

IF we get our cards right and get the right ethical people to be elected, we can expect a boom in business investments in the Philippines addressing climate change, opening markets in Asia, especially China, and increasing jobs in the country in the fields of manufacturing, sales, as well as a bounty of cultural grants to encourage great arts to flourish.

Why should climate change be in the picture? The west put up so many industries that are now being retooled, reviewed and revised, whatever, in order for them not to be ozone-depleting. So what kinds of industries will be raised here: power-related, solar generating-centered,and/or wind-generated.

The markets in Asia will be increasing as we feed many products the materials of which are not found in the west, and in other countries in the region. The creativity of our people will be tapped heavily, as we have and can churn out original ideas, inventions, and many other things that run this earth.

Now why do we put in arts-trelated industries as well? We need the arts to give us an identity as a people. So this SHOULD be encouraged by the government, to make sure that the people are given information on the latest trends in the arts, the use of technology in generating art, and ethical concepts in expressing oneself in the arts.

GOD HELP US FOLKS THAT WE SHALL HAVE POSITIVE RESULTS IN MAY.
By the way, I wrote this while attending the workshop below run by Mr. Isidro ably aided by Ms. Bemdot at Asian Institute of Management along Paseo de Roxas.


JOKES AT AIM, PHILVENCAP (A MEETING TO GENERATE IDEAS IN BUSINESS, ANY BIG OR SMALL, AND JOKES) FEBRUARY 25, 2010 MEETING.

WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN WOMEN STOP MENSTRUATING? MENOPAUSE

WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN A MAN'S P REFUSES TO RISE UP? "KINAPOS"

WHAT DO YOU CALL KINAPOS IN ITALIAN? "LAMBOTINI"

FEEDBACK: FROM BART, 24 FEBRUARY 2010

Sis. Wilhelmina; with or without the church, the major opposition candidates (Gordon, Erap,
Villar, and Noynoy) should unite as one to topple the powers that are hell bent to immitate
Marcos. Trouble is, there's hunch that the moneyed politicians comprising the oligarchs who
can't afford to be out of the limelight and circulation, the Marcoses, Arroyos, JDV, Villar too, are secretly doing the "Alamo" just so they can be out of the arms of the law to
answer for all the greediness and evil done to our country.

Who do we call then?

bart

PAKIUSAP

May mga panahong dapat tayong magpahaba ng pasensiya sa mga sitwasyong ang pagsusulat ay nakukulapulan ng mga ulap ng pagbubura at paninira ng ideya ng mga puwersang hindi nakikita.

BAKIT?

ANG EKSENA NGAYON SA PILIPINAS AY PARANG HULING TERMINO NI MARCOS NOONG 1971.
1970, nagkaroon ng con-con para baguhin ang 1935 Consti tungo sa parliamentaryang sistema kung saan si FM ay magiging PM

1971 - First Quarter Storm. lumakas ang urban mass movement at NPA sa coutnrysides

1972 - martial law contra foreign invasion, NPA NPA at invoking the 1935 Constitution allowing the declaration of ML on certain grounds
BAKIT TILA NATANGGAP ANG ML?
1. sinara ang media.
2. sinara ang Kongreso
3. Kinulong ang mga opisyales ng gubyerno, mga oposisyon at opisyales -- manunulat, senador at congree reps, journalists
4. sinara ang supreme court
5. pinalakas ang militar
6. curfew
7. napa aprub ang Konsti na transitory government at si FM ang diktador at walang tenure ang pangulo
8. tinayo ang batasan na rubber stamp ni FM, kaparis ng nangyayari sa ngayon

ganitung ganito rin nuon -- walang tubig, walang kuryente, walang ilaw = failure of elections.

Ngayon a lang kino kondisyon na tayo na walang eleksyon

1987 Constitituion ni Cory, in case of failure of elections, puwedeng i convene ang Kongreso at 12 senators puwede.

So malaking kaguluhan kung magkaroon ng replay ng 1971. Kaya lamang pigilan ito kung magkakaroon tayo ng mga pag-aaral ng mga pamamaraan tulad ng PP

PAANONG PIPIGILAN ANG MGA HAKBANGING MAGDADALA SA ATIN SA ML? - PAGKAKAISA NG LAHAT NG MGA OPOSITIONISTA, KASAMA ANG SIMBAHANG KATOLIKO AT IBA PANG SPIRITUAL FORCES.

EMMA OROZCO AT YASMIN FLORES

REAL STRUGGLE

Folks, our country is at the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. We can either make her truly democratic or undemocratic all the way. For far too long, we have been at the mercy of forces whose only aim is to make our peoples' coffers their milking cows, from the top to the bottom. I have seen, read, heard about their shenanigans. And this kind of moral culture of exploiting, is being filtered down to the cooperatives -- the very backbone of non-capitalist thinking and behaving, supposedly, the very instrument that should free our people from the shackles of poverty, of lack of education, and of domination, economically and politically. Yes, I can say that our cooperative systems are also infiltrated by forces with the mindsets of corrupt officials. I shall name names once I am through with gathering evidences of misbehavior and other untoward acts.

Let it be said then, that 2010 should be the year when we shall already be all conscious and very deep into acting on all our pledges for clean and honest elections. We need new leaders and to have them, we all need to be active -- reading, writing, giving feedbacks, raising funds for candidates who espouse our principles and are willing to stand by their word to us. Yes let us help them get elected, and push for a NO MORE GMA IN AFTER 2010. Let us also campaign against her clones, those who wish to be seated, her candidates, and those who are there in Congress. let us expose all her allies and make sure that their powers are diminished if not totally eradicated.

FOR OFWS, may I suggest that you divide the country into provinces and have one coordinator each to determine the strengths of our movement in all its aspects. The OFC, the Fil-Am Forum, the Fil-am Nation, and everybody, we should all be in this together.
So be it.

LOOKING BACK

History repeats itself. That is a dictum for those who refuse to consider history (or herstory) as a factor in socio-political development. As we enter a new era in our country -- whereby we expect, hope and pray that we shall have a new set of leaders who would truly lead our country to its greatest heights of ethical and good governance for the majority and not their pockets, we need to look back to history and find out where we failed and succeeded in aiming at achieving our patriotic objectives.

I think that the Philippine revolutionaries of the Spanish era were successful because they were total in their approach to changes in society, despite the factions. They touched the hearts (remember the prayers of Plaridel, changing the wordings of Hail Mary to Aba ginoong barya, among others; the symbolic paintings of Juan Luna, the novels of Rizal, the poems of Bonifacio,) and minds (thoughts of Rizal, Bonifacio and Mabini)

FEEDBACK FROM THE EMAILS:

rp.2011 Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 1:44 PM


1. Ms. Orozco wrote:
x-
Why this all-consuming passion -- is it the limelight, the money, the power/ What kind of power is it if it were false, and forced upon the people?
...
Let us not fool ourselves that we will have peace after voting on May 10th. No, we won't because we know that the twisters of the law would have regained power again.
-x

2. Bart wrote:
x--
This is not only your fight Miss Orozco...the whole country is going to the dogs.
...
My God, please let my country awake!
--x

Pardon me for jumping in
but perhaps not many realize how useful unmoderated sites
like OFCouncil and OFC International can be.

I pray that sites like these will remain OPEN and TRANSPARENT,
not maliciously hiding anything.

Just like dirty politicians that we condemn, owners/moderators of online discussion groups can - unwittingly or not - hide truth or valuable information by moderating or censoring postings.

I pray OFCouncil and OFC International will continue to be truly OPEN and TRANSPARENT.
We tend to take certain things for granted but let us be discerning
and vigilant.
Let us expose any attempts to hide truth or valuable information.

Owners/moderators of online groups can be tempted to be indiscriminate with their power to muzzle dissent or criticisms.

But let us not forget.
We have to start with our own selves.
Let us be truthful. Let us walk our talk.

Let us NOT FORGET there is a Higher Power, a Divine Providence.

I pray that you will have a blessed day/evening.

Salamat!

dido
bart bartolome wrote:
>
> This is not only your fight Miss Orozco...the whole country is going to the dogs.
> There is no solution in sight for our people to be delivered from the evil one.
> The whole world is reeling in financial chaos and economic meltdown.
> The ominous signs of the time manifest the day of the Lord is at hand.
> Â
> We can't stomach the insult and injustices being perpetrated to our helpless kababayans.          the latest the kidnapping of the 43 health workers in Rizal by those who are in
> power headed by PGMA, the military, the courts, the comelec and the PNP and
> the church whose leaders are blind leaders leading the blind. One crazy example
> is the patronizing of a certain "Quibuloy" (a pseudo church leader under his
> name being worshipped by his leaders and followers like Mama Mary and the Lord Jesus. a cult per se) and in full view of the global viewing public in television witnessed
> the appearance of presidential candidates in the likes of Villar, Gordon, Estrada,
> and Teodoro. What in the world are they there for?  Another is the so called
> visit of the same candidates to the patriarch Mike Velarde for annointing?
> How come Noynoy wasn't there?
> Â
> Do you believe in Magic? The tragic earthquake in Haiti is a wake up call. Tens
> of thousands died and according to news accounts the tragedy happened in the
> place were Voodo magic, cult rituals of sacrificing animals and even human is
> common practice. The Bible says, "For lack of knowledge people perished."
> Â
> The tragedy and persecutions of the early Christians and Jews under the hands
> of those who believe in Magic and believed they are gods is still going on. We
> are afflicted and are wondering why and how this same "christian brothers and
> sisters" who goes to church sunday after sunday like us can stomach and be
> naive to make a mockery of our laws and the law of God? Stealing, lying,
> sexual immorality, covetousness, idolatry and even murder seems nothing to
> them. Our election is a farce or an exercise in futility if we can't check the
> anomalous scheme to subvert the free exercise of our liberty and freedom
> to vote without fear of intimidation and vote buying. The "Hello Garci"
> and the manipulation of election returns and canvassing by the Comelec
> is beyond reason that there is no way we can control or stop it? Are we
> that inutil we can't stop the crook and that they can buy our freedom, our
> decency and steal this election hook line and sinker without a fight?
> FPJ won the 2004 election but he died before he can claim it. Fr.
> Among Ed won his election as Pampanga Governor honestly without
> buying a single vote only to lost it to a known "Jueteng" lord? And now
> we can't do anythig about it because the Comelec says so? Wow! ! what
> are we waiting for?
> Â
> My God, please let my country awake!
>
>

WHEN CHANGING LEADERS

BY WILHELMINA S. OROZCO

It has been quite a struggle for us to change leaders since the 80's. Marcos refused to leave his seat until Cory and People Power overcame him.
FVR wanted to extend his term but another mild people power was held in Luneta which stopped him. Erap was not able to finish his term. gma took over and tried to legitimize her ascendancy by running in 2004 vs FPJ. She used all means, even having a pact with the 'devil" those who massacred journalists and other civilians in Maguindanao just so she could win by a margin of 1 M. Right now, she also refuses to vacate the seat and is seeking a comeback through Congress.

Are we not flagellants in a way? Maybe the Catholic Church should have one final and stinging voice against those who violate the people's will.
It is high time that it announces its stance -- that of making gma stop running. No, that is not being anti-Christian. In fact that is the most Christian act because she has had the seat and the perks for more than a deade already. we, the filipino people, deserve a break.

It should come out with a homiy, stating why gma should get out of government, and point out the qualities that are needed in one.

That would be Divine Justice.

Ukrainian election result suspended after PM's appeal

ALL OVER THE WORLD, CHANGE OF LEADERSHIPS BRINGS ABOUT A SHAKING OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF COUNTRIES. IT QUESTIONS THE VALUES OF PEOPLE -WHAT DO THEY UPHOLD, SHEER POWER OR HONESTY? LET US LEARN LESSONS FROM THE UKRAINIAN STRUGGLE FOR CLEAN ELECTIONS. WILHELMINA

BBC NEWS:Viktor Yanukovych had been declared winner over Yulia Tymoshenko
A Ukrainian court has suspended the result of the recent presidential election, following a challenge by losing candidate Yulia Tymoshenko.
Mrs Tymoshenko, the Prime Minister, made the appeal on Tuesday, claiming the result was rigged. International monitors deemed the vote free and fair.
The court says the result should be suspended while it considers the evidence she has submitted.
The winner, Viktor Yanukovych, is due to be inaugurated on 25 February.
The supreme administrative court ruling concerns the Ukrainian Central Electoral Commission's declaration on Sunday that Mr Yanukovych had won the vote.
The results showed him to have beaten Mrs Tymoshenko by a margin of 3.48%.
The court is due to rule on Mrs Tymoshenko's appeal to have the results thrown out in the coming days.
It says it is not in a position to rule on a separate appeal to have the inauguration of Mr Yanukovych put on hold.
Political deadlock
Mrs Tymoshenko has so far rejected Mr Yanukovych's appeals for her to accept defeat.
She has claimed that the election was marred by "systemic, fundamental and general falsifications" and has appealed for a full recount.
She appeared at the supreme administrative court in Kiev on Tuesday with her supporters, carrying several boxes said to contain evidence that the election was fraudulent.
However, international election monitors have said there were no significant flaws in the vote.
Mrs Tymoshenko's challenge is expected to prolong Ukraine's political instability.
The country, which is in the midst of a severe economic crisis, has been in political deadlock for several years.
Mr Yanukovych's election run capped a political comeback from his defeat in the presidential elections of 2004.
After originally being declared the winner in that year, Mr Yanukovych's victory was found to be fraudulent and overturned, following the Orange Revolution led by Mrs Tymoshenko and Viktor Yushchenko.
Mr Yushchenko went on to be president, but was ejected in the first round of this year's vote.
The relationship between Mrs Tymoshenko and Mr Yushchenko later broke down into a poisonous political rivalry.

FEEDBACK FROM L.ROMIN

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 2:09 PM, wrote:

In a message dated 2/16/2010 8:13:28 PM US Mountain Standard Time, miravera2010@gmail.com writes:
We have poured too



We have poured too much blood already under the gma administration, so many media people have been killed, innocent lives have been sacrificed in order to retain her in power. Let us put a stop to this, and the first to act should be Catholic Church; she had better have one voice -- to repent over their being accomplices in putting up a corrupt administration in the country.
Good point!!!

However, the 92 Million Filipinos - you included - just allow her to run the country with impunity.

Her Majesty Gloria is becoming as the "most influential" President that our Lupang Hinirang ever had!!! Why? Because she can do anything she likes! Everybody is complaining but NOBODY is doing something about it.

She has on her side: the Supreme Court, the Congressmen, the Comelec, the Military and the PNP... and even the Church. She has practically bought everybody and while "everybody is complaining" yet NOBODY is doing something about it.

All that was done and is being done is "talk... talk about it... discuss about it.... analyze it.. comment about it.. offer solutions about it.... and talk about it ... and talk about it... ad nauseam.


REPLY- THANK YOU ROMIN FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WE NEED TO PUT OUR PROPAGANDA IN THE STREETS. ALSO, OFWS HAVE TO TELL THEIR RELATIVES OVER HERE TO BE ALERT TO SITUATIONS OF CORRUPTION ALSO. OFW REMITTANCES HAVE THE TENDENCY TO STUFF THE MOUTHS OF PEOPLE AFRAID TO LOSE THEIR ALLOTMENTS.

SILENT PRAYERS

We are keeping tab of Philippine 2010 elections as if it were the race of the century over here. We are all on edge because gma who is supposed to retire from politics already after having been granted to sit rather unwantedly in Malacanang is trying to make a come-back through the house of reps. This is really the biggest joke of all humanity. How on earth can a woman, supposedly nurturing, maternal and kind be so power-driven as to twist all institutions, make different kinds of maneuvers and deal with the scams of the earth like the murdering family in Mindanao be so het up about politics? Why this all-consuming passion -- is it the limelight, the money, the power/ What kind of power is it if it were false, and forced upon the people?

I think that gma should start asking herself, what is love of the people of the Philippines. Since it is arts month, the NCCA, the cultural arm, should start giving lectures on how to be a lovable retiring 'president."

Let us not fool ourselves that we will have peace after voting on May 10th. No, we won't because we know that the twisters of the law would have regained power again.

We have poured too much blood already under the gma administration, so many media people have been killed, innocent lives have been sacrificed in order to retain her in power. Let us put a stop to this, and the first to act should be Catholic Church; she had better have one voice -- to repent over their being accomplices in putting up a corrupt administration in the country.

Secondly, let us pray that the military shall stop being tools of power-hungry politicians who would want to use them again to install themselves in power.

SO BE IT.

HANDLING ELECTIONS

Why is electing officials in our country so difficult to conduct? Why do candidates have to spend a lot in order to be voted upon?

First of all, our country is archipelagic. But this is not a problem since we have officials in every place, from the barangay to the regional offices of the executive department apart from the other branches to take care of the needs of our people. And yet, the manner of electing is prone to manipulation by seen and unseen corrupt hands, eager to dip their fingers into the peoples' coffers once seated.

Secondly, our country is steeped in English use so that the simple rules of Comelec are not being well-studied. Can you see many of those officials talking in English, explaining their rules on radio and tv, as if they were only talking to the highly educated classes? In other words, our people, many of whom are school drop-outs will have to crack their brains trying to decipher the step by step meaning of every word they say.

So, here it becomes incumbent upon Comelec officials to speak the dialects -- every single province must have a Comelec official explaining in the people's language or dialect every rule.

Thirdly, the Comelec is not exercising its duty to inform the public in an official manner who the candidates are, their backgrounds, and their platform of government. In other words, it is lacking in the performance of its role as a guardian of the people's suffrage. Instead, it only deals with those issues that can keep them in the limelight, the not so heavy issues which really are the most contentious.

Every candidate of the DPP that I have talked to has voiced his and her misgivings about the Comelec. One said that they were asked to shell out 5 million in the last elections in order to get accredited as a partylist. Another said that they won in the elections but were not allowed to sit -- the agrarian reform beneficiaries. "Nasunog ang Comelec kaya hindi na mabilang ang boto," Eben Martizano, the head, said. A third, from the KBL party wondered how on earth, a party member of theirs, who was not even endorsed as candidate, managed to get a nod to be the presidential candidate. Really, wonder of wonders. Only in the Philippines.

Even if the Comelec is headed by a former Supreme Court justice now, it has not gotten off the rut of negative comments that are continuously being thrown at it.

Yet when I read of elections in the highly developed countries, their conduct are very elegant, as the people can really see who the candidates are, how they show up on TV during debates, and the people go on with their lives as if the elections were only one of those daily activities they are going through. In other words, choosing their leaders is a common, ordinary thing, not the be-all and end-all of existence.

Hence, with the way the elections are being conducted, mudslinging, murdering, and what have you going on right now, where incumbents and those relatives of incumbents are taking advantage of their positions in government, like the relatives of someone in NCR who keep on violating the ordinances against political propaganda, we can be sure that more blood will be poured come election day.

Yes, I can see how the camps of the different candidates will be slugging it out to get the voters to their sides. And once that happens, then the AFP and the PNP will have their hands full. The judicial branches have better prepare to bring the courts in the field in order to settle disputes right away which could roll up to dire civilian conflicts.

Meanwhile, the latest report is that the Democratic Party of the Philippines is filing a TRO against the Comelec to stop it from executing its functions while the protests against the total rejection of the party's candidacies at the Supreme Court is going on. No, we cannot allow the Comelec to go scot free as if they could just do their thing without being held accountable for mismanagement.

So be it.

ELECTION COMMISSION LESSON

Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo has dissolved the government and electoral commission, casting doubt on when long-delayed elections will occur.

Prime Minister Guillaume Soro has been asked to form a new government.****

Mr Gbagbo had accused the electoral commission of registering more than 400,000 people who were not eligible to vote because they were foreigners.

The opposition says most of the people were from ethnic groups in the north, who were unlikely to support Mr Gbagbo.*****

Ivory Coast, which is the world's biggest cocoa producer, is slowly recovering after being cut in half by a civil war for several years.

However, attempts to hold elections have been repeatedly postponed.

******
'Final actions'

In a recorded message broadcast on Friday, President Gbagbo announced that Ivory Coast's government had been dissolved.

He also said he was disbanding the election commission, saying its director Robert Beugre Mambe had been "running an illegal operation". Mr Mambe is a member of an opposition party.
Map

"I want a government that serves the interests of the Ivorian people and not the orders of political parties," Mr Gbagbo added.

"The mission of this new government will be, under the authority of the president and the prime minister, to complete the final actions necessary to bring Ivory Coast out of its political crisis."

*****
The opposition says most of the people who were disqualified by the election commission were from ethnic groups in the north of the country, who were unlikely to support Mr Gbagbo in any vote.

The decision comes two months after the government last failed to replace President Gbagbo, whose term expired five years ago, and follows a decision by Mr Soro, a former rebel leader, to suspend the parliament because of rising tensions.

The former rebel New Forces seized northern Ivory Coast in 2002. They are now sharing power with Mr Gbagbo under a peace deal.

PHILIPPINE POLITICS -- BLURRED AND CLEAR

Now we can see the color of the political landscape of our country. The ones who hog the limelight are people coming from the elite, the moneyed class, those who have strong connections with people who hold the purse of the country. Who can afford to move around, to campaign complete with a long entourage, with banners and streamers, with matching colored uniforms whether tee shirts or blazers, and whose jingle can be heard every ten minutes on the radio?

********************* Folks, if anyone of you has no money, but wants to run, does it mean you should give up your dream of running for a position so you can help our compatriots? Of course not. Now is the time for us to pressure the Comelec to abide by the law that tells it to inform the people about all the candidates running for both local and national elections, to tell them the backgrounds of these people, to hold meetings and show the people the faces of these candidates, whether in person, or through VCDs and any audio-visual material. The Comelec owes the people an explanation why they have chosen them for them to select the leaders that they want.

********************* What is frustrating about the Comelec is that it purports to be the messiah of Philippine politics, but later on we know that it s merely a conduit for both good and rotten candidates to get to sit in the bureaucracy. For good or ill, it has become a periodic agent, not of real change -- change of faces, but not the chains that bind us.

******************** The Comelec is the culprit in the blurred lines dividing gangsters and officials in our country. They try to appear blameless, mouthing the laws that everybody should abide by on radio and tv but in reality they are not being obeyed, not even by a single candidate. Everybody is presenting his and her faces and names in public to make it recall during voting time.


******************** How should we act now? My friends in the Democratic Party of the Philippines, Bal Falcone tells me to file cases at the Ombudsman against these people. But we know Mercedita Gutierrez, don't we? She does not and has not lift a finger to deal with any case that concerns a celebrity, much more so the Comelec who could hold her hostage should she or her relatives run for a position in the future.

******************* This is how topsy-turvy our politics is -- from the time people present themselves as candidates to the time they get elected, and handle their posts.

******************* I would like to think that ethics should be taught to children as early as 4 or 5 years old, most especially in high school, when the teenagers are already one or two steps to adulthood as they seek role models for themselves. Ethics should cover relationships within the family, the community and the larger society. The lessons should focus on sticky situations where the students will be analyzing what particular actions they should do or say should they find themselves in them. For example I left my bag at a tricycle one evening. Hurriedly, I went to the gas station where I took it. Upon arrival, the people there told me not to worry because the bag had been found.

********************* Then the young boy of about 14, came out of a barung-barong and gave me my bag. As I could not find my wallet which contained my paper bills, I gave him coins worth about 50 pesos. The teenagers around him said, "Barya lang?" Then the young boy approached me and said the same thing. I told him, "Mabuti nga, binigyan pa kita. Nagmagandang loob ka sa akin, kaya binigyan kita ng pangmeryenda mo. At saka, bakit hindi mo binalik sa bahay ko e alam mo naman kung saan ako nakatira?" Then I added a 20 peso bill to the coins.

********************* That was the 2nd time a tricycle driver from the same station returned to me my bag. I am now thinking of getting the barangay to give them an honorable citation together with the public to emphasize the value of being honest and truthful, of returning what is not their property. I shall do this within the next few weeks.

******************* Yes, ethics can be taught even in small situations like that, making those who had little education understand that moral values are worthwhile possessing. Hopefully, they would understand that voting also should be wrapped up in values -- to make us feel safe, comfortable and protected, that the next leaders shall take care of us well through the period of their terms.

********************* For after all, what is being human but knowing that we live among people and that there are still humane values that we must abide by. It is not always a competition to win, but a way of relating with people with hearts, minds and bodies. May the most ethical candidates win.

By Wilhelmina S. Orozco

JM OPINES:

As one among Filipino citizens who read about and share in the vision of the late Ninoy Aquino for the Philippines, my only concern about the election of NOYNOY as the Next President of the Philippines are the TRAPOS (Traditional Politicians) and P.I.G.s (Private Interest Groups) that are hiding behind his back, before and during the election campaign period, and who will surely surface only after 01 July 2010, not only among the Presidential Appointees, but most dangerously, those who will be in the "Inner Sanctum" that will determine the decisions on specific objectives, strategies, action plans, programs, and projects in all agencies and institutions, including GOCCs at the national level. What NOYNOY has to do is to start introducing openly to the public, each and everyone who are already in his list who will compose the Executive Management Team, i.e., the Cabinet and ALL the Presidential Appointees at least at the top of each agency or institution. That is the only way for NOYNOY to show the REALITY in NATIONAL GOVERNANCE. The Presidency was, is, and will never be a one-person job. The issues of INTEGRITY and COMPETENCE are NOT limited to the individual who will be elected as President as the "front act". The issues about INTEGRITY and COMPETENCE are really more about "All the President's Men and Women" who will be the ones who will further screw up the Filipino People or truly work for real positive changes for the welfare and benefit of the marginalized majority of the estimated 98 million Filipino citizens in more than 42,000 Barangays, 1,495 Municipalities, 136 Cities, 81 Provinces, and National Capital Region composed of 14 Cities and 1 Municipality", spread over the 7,107 islands. That is the real bottom line for the MAY 2010 Presidential elections. JM Nepomuceno 6 FEBRUARY 2010

PPI ISSUES MEDIA COVENANT FOR 2010 ELECTIONS

“We, journalists from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, recognize the role of a free media in a democracy. We recognize the importance of honest, orderly, peaceful and credible elections in strengthening our democracy. “We shall abide by the basic journalism principles of accuracy, truth-telling, fair and balanced reporting, humaneness, and stewardship in covering the elections “We shall remain vigilant and impartial in our coverage of elections using our own resources. “We shall not accept gifts from politicians and their supporters to attack their opponents or in exchange for favorable coverage. “We shall not misuse and abuse our privilege as journalists. “We shall ensure that the stories that we write are fully verified. “We shall report on stories about reforms and positive changes. “We shall help educate the voting public on the election processes and laws. “We shall be firmly committed to our own media organization and avoid being used by groups and individuals engaged in partisan politics. “As journalists of the members of the Philippine Press Institute, we pledge to uphold the PPI Code of Ethics and this covenant.” We are aware of the transgressions of many of the members of media. We do not condone those acts that violate the basic rules of journalism of being truthful and fair in our reporting. As watchdogs of our democratic institutions, we know that it’s important that we are credible. This covenant is our way of reminding ourselves of our commitment to the profession and to society. Culled from Ellen Tordesillas' article, 5 February 2010

RETHINKING SENATORIAL AMBITIONS

When I read about what the senators are doing, Miriam is being complained about, about actors being able to swiftly get reelected and even landing up there in numbers 1 and 2, and Sen. Pimentel, whom I used to idolize for his very down-to-earth analysis yet, nationalistic stance on many issues, I am beginning to rethink how I could be stronger to stand being a senator amid those issues and conflicts that are bouncing up and down, left and right, and all around the Senate. There should be a way by which we could make people aspire to the highest positions and also imagine shaping a new Senate that would have caring members, caring of one another, needling each other to be incorruptible, sharing ideas without putting down each other, in others being nurturing individuals. Or am I being too idealistic? I remember when I used to hear the elders in my childhood talk about how respectable people like Senators Recto and Tanada were at the floor and how Sen. Roseller Lim filibustered over a certain issue for many hours. The scenes in my mind were so great and I felt that these people were really caring of our country and of my little self. But now, as I read about the government, I see only officials with their government positions treated as careers, as jobs, and not really as functions that could make them leave a noble legacy to the generations to come. I think that every government official should undergo meditation every month, go to the beach, look at the horizon, breathe in and out, to feel that spiritual uplift and make them aspire for something higher than the day-to-day grind inside the Congressional halls. Maybe then they could create that greatest law, just one, that could help us stop all forms of corruption and raise our country from the depths of desperation and hopelessness. The public can start it for them. Let us start now.

GORDON ADVICE TO SENATORIAL WANNABEES: BE BRAVE TO STAND AND SPEAK OUT!

Friday, February 05, 2010 Gordon to senatorial wannabes: Senate is a 'debating chamber' Senator Richard J. Gordon gave a good advice for Filipinos eyeing a seat in the Senate - prepare to engage in discourses because Congress is an arena for debates. Gordon pointed out that people who are elected to the Senate should have the ability to engage in debates and discourses, particularly those on proposed measures to ensure that they are well crafted. "Dapat maintindihan na kapag dumating ka sa Senado, kailangan makipagtalakayan ka, kailangan sumagot ka. This is a debating chamber. Alam mo ang rules, alam mo ang regulations. Kailangan alam mo ang gagawin mo dito sa Senado," he said. "When you are elected to the Senate, you are supposed to possess the qualifications to speak, to propose, to contravene, to defend and to oppose. Kapag hindi ka humarap diyan, then there is something wrong. May kakulangan. I remember one senator here who once said, "hindi mo pwedeng gawing Kindergarten yung Senado,'" he added. The senator gave the advice when he made a manifestation after Sen. Manny Villar refused to be interpellated and immediately left the Senate premises after he broke his two-year silence by giving a privilege speech on the accusations hurled against him in connection with the alleged anomalies in the C-5 Road extension project. During his six-year term in the Senate, Gordon has delivered more than 100 privilege speeches on various issues and filed more than 200 bills and resolutions, combined. Gordon was also one of the regular participants during floor discussions and debates, articulately voicing out views on the subject under discussion. Expounding on his advice, the senator added that senators should be knowledgeable on a wide range of topics to enable them to participate confidently and capably in discussions and debates. "Dito sa Senado, kung hindi natin maitataas ang kamalayan natin dito, wala tayong business na pumunta rito sa Senado. I'm on my last days in the Senate and I appeal to those who are going to join the Senate, when you are here, as in the past, dapat humanda kang tumayo rito kahit wala kang binabasa," he said. "Dapat haharapin mo ang mga kasamahan mo, makikipagdebate ka, gagamitin mo ang nalalaman mo sa batas, yung natutunan mo sa experience mo sa buhay. It is a conglomeration of everything - your education, your experience, your philosophy, yung iyong mga advocacy," Gordon added.

POLITICS SAMUT-SARI

I heard over DZXL through Lito Banayo, the publicist, this morning that Mike Defensor aponsored the talks between Villar and Arroyo at his house in QC. Lito said that that two are into transactional politics - puro transactions. In other words, they treat the government as their corporation, to earn income for themselves. Now the camp of Villar has to refute that story because anyone associated with gma is like kissing the world goodbye. One ad of Gibo shows him at the airport ready to ride a plane. Then he does ride in it and drove like a pilot. One viewer said, "Lumipad na siya, mag-isa." That was a meaningful statement, meaning he does not carry the people with him. Nowadays, we see an add of Gibo with him and a man walking towards the plane, or from, I can't remember. *** Loren Legarda's ad bastardizes the nationalist song, "Pilipinas Kong Mahal," cutting up the melodies to insert praises of her. Now if Tita King Kasilag were alive, she would not have approved of that. *** Villar's ad about young Tondo children singing about the dumpsites and their poverty is getting to be irritating. It is played every 15 minutes, on radio, on TV and is seen in print. Now is there no law against overexposure? or over repetition? It is sickening to say the least when you are bombarded, inside public vehicles, along the streets, and then at home by such a message which you really know is just about a matter of selling Villar for president. I wish they would have five kinds of ads going in one day, papalit-palit at hindi yung iisa lang. *** The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas should look into these irritants. *** In the ratings game, two of three women senators enter the Magic 12 -- Pia Cayetano and Miriam Defensor, and Risa Hontiveros, but that is because they are incumbents. What about the new candidates? The women's movement has to move now to get more women elected. *** Ms. Lichauco, the firebrand who criticizes Gma, sagad sa buto, suffered from a heart stroke. Let's pray that she gets well soon. *** Tis the season to be political...falalalala lalala.

PEOPLE ARISE IN IRAN

Opposition leader, Mehdi Karroubi urged protesters to stay calm, warning that their enemies wished to provoke them into acts of violence to justify even more brutal measures to suppress them. “The opposition movement today includes groups with diverse demands,” he said. “We might agree or oppose some of the ideas, but we all agree over free elections, free press, unconditional release of political prisoners and a reformed way of political governance.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST COMELEC DISQUALIFICATIONN OF DPP CANDIDATES

A. To Vote and Be Voted Upon – It is the inherent right, inscribed in the Bill of Rights of the Philippine Constitution, that everyone is entitled to the right of suffrage – the right to vote and the right to be voted upon. COMELEC seems to forget this very noble provision which constitutes the reason for our being, that of being a member of a society of humans who relate, interact and communicate with each other under a just, organized and peaceful atmosphere. That our Philippine Constitution contains this provision is a recognition of the highest appreciation and regard for the humanity of all Filipino citizens, men and women, young and elderly, regardless of sex, age, and beliefs. B. Blurred COMELEC Reasons for Rejection of Candidacy. In its Resolution, the COMELEC did not mention anything in the Resolution why this Petitioner’s candidacy was rejected but instead showed in a nebulous manner how the other candidates’ records were worthwhile approving and disapproving. In other words, the COMELEC was not concrete specifically as to why it was rejecting the certificate of candidacy of the Petitioner. C. On the Matter of Conducting a Campaign Nationwide. The COMELEC had insinuated in the Resolution that the Petitioner could not conduct a campaign nationwide. On the contrary, the Petitioner will be able to conduct her campaign nationally as she is allied with various groups that are members of the Democratic Party of the Philippines (DPP) now awaiting accreditation. These groups have memberships that run into hundreds of thousands, and even over a million as in the case of the urban poor associations, rural women’s organization, agrarian reform beneficiaries and the indigenous peoples groups. Even if the DPP is not accredited, these organizations would still be active in participating in the elections as voters. Moreover, the women’s movement composed of various women’s groups all over the country can be counted upon to deliver the women’s vote, in particular, back the Petitioner’s candidacy as she has been consistently writing about women’s situation and initiating activities to bring attention to it. Lastly, the Petitioner is a noted mass media practitioner whether on print, radio or Television as she has been consistently practicing her craft, especially after having been a columnist for several years of broadsheets of national circulation. Her critical articles have brought to the fore issues that could otherwise have been covered up in order to sustain iniquitous situations. Thus, the political and educational track records of the Petitioner are national and international in scope and deal with the different issues of human rights in the country and the world. Such are necessary for someone aspiring to be a senator whose work encompasses dealing with the nitty-gritty details of addressing the problems of the people and Philippine contribution to human rights peace. and the country apart from applying or formulating legislations that would solve them; D. Lack of Justness of COMELEC Decision. The COMELEC is an institution not regarded generally as just and fair in making decisions where candidates are concerned. For example, it approved the candidacy of Nicanor Perlas and Jamby Madrigal as independent presidential candidates who do not belong to any party. By doing so, it simply relied on the strength of popularity of the two people to launch their campaigns. In this regard, the COMELEC becomes biased and parochial in its approach to the tasks of facilitating the conduct of elections, which should not be the case. On the contrary, seeking any elective position is not a popularity contest but rather a competition for principled candidates with the best minds and experiences to tackle the problems of the country, whether locally, nationally and even internationally. E. COMELEC Publicity Duty. The COMELEC forgets also that it carries the burden of informing the public about the candidates under Republic Act No. 9006, an “Act to Enhance the Holding of Free, Orderly, Honest, Peaceful and Credible Elections Through Fair Election Practices,” which emphasizes in Sec. 6. Equal Access to Media Time and Space: “In all instances, the COMELEC shall supervise the use and employment of press, radio and television facilities insofar as the placement of political advertisements is concerned to ensure that candidates are given equal opportunities under equal circumstances to make known their qualifications and their stand on public issues within the limits set forth in the Omnibus Election Code and Republic Act No. 7166 on election spending. The COMELEC shall ensure that radio or television or cable television broadcasting entities shall not allow the scheduling of any program or permit any sponsor to manifestly favor or oppose any candidate or political party by unduly or repeatedly referring to or including said candidate and/or political party in such program respecting, however, in all instances the right of said broadcast entities to air accounts of significant news or news worthy events and views on matters of public interest….” In other words, the COMELEC is duty-bound to help protect the integrity of the elections by insuring fair coverage of all candidates so that the people can make an informed choice. F. COMELEC Sabotage of Raison d’Etre. Presently, the COMELEC has reneged on its duties as it has allowed the sabotage of its Constitutional raison d’etre of being an impartial institution to carry out suffrage duties. Unfortunately, the current propaganda battles being waged over radio-TV-print and tarpaulins show that the COMELEC has ceased to carry out its policing functions as various candidates promote themselves despite the fact that the period for political campaigning has not started yet. Because of this, the others who choose to abide by the rules are being sidelined and losing out this early in the propaganda battles. G. COMELEC Use of Nuisance as a Term. The COMELEC uses the word “nuisance” to refer to those whose candidacies have been denied. This word is not appropriate for use in the case of the candidates. Historically, COMELEC use is carried over from a mindset influenced by the colonial masters who had looked down upon the Filipino people as lowly and not equal to them and who then used the term in formulating the COMELEC laws. On the contrary, the COMELEC should treat any one aspiring for political positions as humanely as possible. Filing a certificate of candidacy should always be presupposed as a noble attempt to exercise one’s duties as a loyal patriotic citizen of this country: “Ang maging kandidato at maging opisyal ay isang karapatan, isang tungkulin, at higit sa lahat, isang karangalan.” -- Orozco It is only the COMELEC that brings down the image of the candidates by its convoluted reasoning and unfair judgment of candidates. Respect of that human right to serve the country through participation in the electoral processes – that of voting and being voted for – should be respected through all the stages of the election process. It is low politics to engage in such and dismiss the COCs of many candidates who could have built their reputation as experts in their fields of endeavor and whose only “flaw” had been to deal with this aberrant institution. It can also be argued that the use of the word “nuisance” brings down the level of debate to ad hominem argumentation used by lowly debaters once they run out of verbal or written defenses. A Constitutional body as the COMELEC must rise from this level of low argumentation and delete that word from its vocabulary because otherwise, the candidates could hurl many other worse epithets at its officials for misjudgment of their COCs. H. Lack of Appreciation of Women Candidates –COMELEC has been a block to women’s emancipation in the country. In the highest echelons of political power, it has consistently approved more male rather than female candidates thus ensuring the marginalization of women on political matters. Because of this, many women feel intimidated to present themselves as candidates, much more so, as equal to men in terms of credibility, honesty and qualifications in occupying posts. Moreover, the ascendancy into power of a corrupt and vote-grabber female official whose dubious election was ratified by the COMELEC has further given the impression of that “justified” exclusion of women from public participation. I. COMELEC Lack of Historical Responsibility. The actions of the COMELEC with regard to the COC of this Petitioner and all other qualified but rejected candidates could be summarized only under one phrase: a grave lack of sense of historical responsibility. The current state of the country, and its worst problem, that of sending its own citizens to look for jobs abroad despite the fact that the country is rich in natural resources and has a warm citizenry almost always open to friendships and long lasting relationships with abilities to perform at par with international achievers, should be traced to COMELEC actions itself. It has been instrumental in the putting up of scalawags, and political gangsters in the bureaucracy who have been elected and when seated in their posts, had made appointments and carried out programs and projects that only serve their pockets, those of their families’, and their cohorts. In other words, COMELEC carries the blame on the degrading state of the country for not having created an environment for the pristine exercise of political suffrage, for not having allowed the people to exercise their best judgment in choosing the right ethical people for the right positions that could address the peoples’ problems thereby bringing their lives to a prosperous and humane state. In other words, the COMELEC is culpable for having been a tool for oppression and exploitation of the country and the people. Being lodged with the power to approve the candidates that could run for sensitive and elective positions, it has put itself up as a kind of god to be cajoled and pleaded to in approving what otherwise are just a simple exercise of human rights of suffrage. Moreover it has become an agent for the consistent and systematic exploitation of the electoral systems in order that political gangsters could rule without critical thoughts attacking them and acts being raised against them. J. COMELEC Lack of Patriotism. All these show that the COMELEC officials do not really love the country. They do not show an ounce of valuation for the right, honest, dedicated and qualified people who love the country and the people to ascend into political power. Hence, it is time to reverse the situation and make the COMELEC do its proper functions of ensuring that the right men and women are elected into posts, both national and local.

OFW POSTAL VOTING

IMPROVED OVERSEAS POSTAL VOTING The collaboration of Commission of Elections Overseas Absentee Voting Committee (Comelec-OAV), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) ensures that the ballots of the registered Overseas Absentee Voters are properly delivered and received on time. Postal voting in 2003 and 2007 elections resulted in “dismal” level because a large number of mailed-out ballots was returned to sender since many global Filipinos had moved to new addresses. Moreover, many of the mailed blank ballots reached their destinations very late. A recent sampling of those whose voter IDs could not be delivered show that at least 16% of the addresses in the roll are no longer current. This led to disenfranchisement of votes of Global Filipinos. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed Feb 2, 2010 significantly changes the course of overseas voting. Turn out of overseas votes for May 2010 elections will significantly increase. A Mailing Center for OAVs provided by PhilPost operationalizes the cooperation. The Mailing Center , manned by Comelec personnel on a 3-shift basis with 11 persons per shift, packs and organizes the ballots. The Voter’s ballot will be sent to the address of the OAV registered voter directly. To ensure proper receipt of voter’s ballot, the mailed ballot will be left at the addressee’s residence or workplace even if the addressee is not around. Some ballots will be sent to the Consulates in bulk. Forty-nine (49) Consular posts with a total of 138,113 registered OAV voters agreed to postal voting mode. Philpost is linked to the postal systems of 190 other member-countries of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) under the United Nations. On Feb. 10, 2010, Comelec-OAV encourages all political parties’ representatives and members of civil society groups and other concerned groups to witness the packing of the individual ballots to be sent. Global Filipino Nation (GFN) calls on all OAV registered voters to be vigilant and vote. Voting period starts on April 10-May10, 2010. All queries regarding your mailed ballots may be addressed to your consular post. email from CONNIE GOMEZ