On my way to Luneta today, the 30th of June 2010, the inauguration day of the new President Benigno C. Aquino III and Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay, I was thinking what I could do to remove the boring time of walking from Taft Avenue to the Quirino Grandstand. Why, I found myself reciting a poem: "The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep." Robert Frost who wrote this could not have been less right in describing we, Filipino people would like to do. We want to rest and enjoy our life but then we have many things to do, to keep aright our political life.
Then I also recited Christina Rosetti's "When I am dead my dearest, Sing no sad songs for me, Plant thou no roses on my head, nor shady cypress tree..." From a sense of responsibility to death seems to be our lot -- as we face our life seriously, it seems it will entail sacrifices though death becomes real.
Then I sang, "What a Wonderful Life," and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" all American songs sang by Louis Armstrong and Judy Garland, and I asked myself, why can't we write lyrics that could speak of the beauty of life?
True enough, we heard an earful of Noel Cabangon's nationalistic songs, and the campaign songs sang by Ogie Alcasid and Regine V. together with the Kundirana, as well as the Apo Hiking Society. Our life is so deeply immersed in problems all related to politics that even our music could not but be tied up with what is happening in our midst.
But what truly shocked me was that "Pamulinawen," the favorite Ilocano folksong of Marcos opened the inauguration of P. Noy, while "Dahil Sa 'Yo," Mike Velarde's piece, Imelda's signature song was played before he took the rostrum to speak. Of all songs to be selected why did the PPO picked them? Were they insinuating something here like the perpetuation of a dictatorial rule - which they could have wanted the audience to sink in our minds?
I hope I could be wrong in my reading.
Anyway, the inauguration had very good sounds -- compared to Cory's rallies at Lawton during the Marcos' days when she was bidding him goodbye. Today, the sounds were clear, with high fidelity to the voices of the emcees- Mae Paner and Jim Paredes. Even the symphonies played by the PPO were brilliantly sounding -- as if every instrument had its own microphone and amplifier.
Over-all the speech of P. Noy was straight to the point, no holds-barred. He called a spade a spade, without naming names, but whom the audience knew by heart referred to the last administration's leader.
By the way, when I saw the No. 1 car pass and stop in front of the grandstand, my breath became very difficult. I saw the person responsible for all our broken lives and dreams of ten years. And she was smiling without remorse at all with what she and her cohorts and had done, as if she still deserved a regal farewell. Then I saw P. Noy leave on the other side, and I felt a relief, knowing that a new era is dawning.
While P. Noy was speaking, suddenly I felt weak and my body shaking as if I was going to drop dead. Then I knew I had suffered a heatstroke. I walked back a few feet to the side of the media platform, right of the Grandstand stage facing it, where I had taken a good viewpoint of the proceedings earlier. Kind souls helped me cope with it. A female media practitioner offered water and also rubbed my back. Then a male mediaman offered me wipes which I then sprayed with perfume for me to smell. Thus I felt relief all over and was able to resume listening intently, recording the speech of P. Noy through my celfone, and shooting photographs of the scenery.
After the inauguration, I walked towards the Manila Hotel to get my ride along Bonifacio Drive. Then reality set in. Elderly men and women in barong and long gowns were walking past rows of urban poor people, eager to view who's who, dressed in short shorts, tee shirts, rubber slippers and holding yellow ribbons.Some had gone to sell mais, buko juice, taho, mineral water in plastic bottles, tusuk-tusok fishballs and quail eggs. Others could have gone to googoo eye their favorite stars -- I saw Sharon Cuneta who has grown sinfully obese, her daughter KC, Ai-Ai de las Alas, Albert Martinez who walked to the grandstand together with a woman wearing a mini white dress and five-inched high heels, and the producer who gave us all the sex movies when the movie industry was in the doldrums. Truly, star-struck fans can always be counted upon to brave threats of rain and heat to see their faves.
And thus it went, this historical moment in our country. I am glad I was able to watch it upclose as I had felt the energy of the people in wanting and having changes in our socio-political, economic and cultural lives.
Actually, what we witnessed today is the end of a shattered democratic rule and the shaping of a new democratic regime that hopefully and prayerfully shall live up to all its pronouncements and promises through six years. But what I look forward to really is the strengthening and stabilization of our democratic institutions, which P. Noy mentioned as the central point of his administration.
This will be his greatest legacy to the Filipino people, the culmination of the sacrifices of his parents.
As a Filipino president, P. Noy who spoke in Pilipino was sensitive to the poorest of the poor of our country who probably would not have understood his speech had it been in English. He did not use high falluting and abstract terms but rather a kind of language which could be read even in the tabloids with conscience. For someone who was much maligned during the politcal campaigns, he now presented himself every inch as a respectable president of our country.
We would be proud to have him going around the world, representing the interests and ideas of our people in having a peaceful, prosperous, democratic, just and equal world to the international community.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
NOW FLYING FREE
Political transitions are always rife with conflicts, personal and social. They are not always easy for people, for societies to tackle. Why because they involve changes of faces, of people, of behavior. In the case of administrations, they involve new officials with new behaviors, ideally speaking really.
In our country the only political transitions that we truly enjoyed going through was that from dictatorial to democratic rule in 1986. We felt euphoric to say the least. Our souls, our bodies, our minds, our feelings were all one in the grandest time of our life when Marcos and his family bade goodbye. It was the culmination of our decades of fighting the dictatorship propped up by a corrupt military.
Another political transition that should have been worth seeing for us was when the American flag was lowered to allow the Philippine flag to fly free on our soils. Unfortunately, we were not born then yet. But that was really something worth seeing, I suppose. I could almost feel my heart skip a beat as the national anthem was being played then and the red, blue and white flag with the sun and the stars is raised up first equal to and then finally up there on the flag pole flying alone against the blue skies.
To view that we only have a black and white picture printed in one of those old civic studies books in the elementary, and which is no longer carried by any social studies book in the grades. I wonder why. Isn’t it a sign of loyalty if we could always see it? Our youth would not be too carefree probably if they would know through that picture why the Americans were here then, and to be thankful too that we could speak, read and write in the English language.
I do think that political transitions become meaningful when the new leaders that would be sworn in truly represent the aspirations and dreams of our people for justice, freedom, equality, peace and democracy. Anyone who does not possess the same could be a dent in our consciousness and an obstacle to a peaceful transition. He or she would be someone whose personal interests tower over the needs and welfare of the people And that would be a very sad thing to experience really.
Perhaps we can lessen the impact of some people whom we don’t like going up in that new administration to just beef up our strength and resolve to be more vigilant and check on the activities of that fellow, woman or man. We must also cultivate strong links with Congress so that the laws that we want to be passed shall go through smoothly, without hitch and without some sectors asking for percentages at all.
Every check coming out of the Bureau of Treasury has to be assessed – to which bank, to which name, how much and for what purpose. Then in those hot agencies like the Bureau of Customs, the BIR, the LRA, and other money-earning agencies, we must have a video camera to check what kinds of transactions are going on. Even microphones need to be set up to hear every conversation. No, there is no freedom in these places now when we are undergoing transitions and this shall go on until such time that we can be assured of the strict adherence to the principle that public office is public trust of every government employee and official.
Lastly, where there is an altar put up by Catholic groups, we must allow all other religious groups to set up their own. Catholic altars should not dominate the offices, especially when they look like “panghugas-kamay” in corrupt-ridden institutions. Even that piece of government lot in Mandaluyong which was used to build a church should be made ecumenical. The structure should be set up in such a way as any religious group could make use of it.
My final request though is that large video screens be put up at the Luneta for all folks to watch the swearing in of P. Noynoy and VP Binay. We must have larger-than-life images of them to remind us for the rest of their term that this is a historic event because they will be instruments in transforming our country from the chaotic past of the rule of one beholdened to the protectors of her illegal stay to one that has the interests of the people all the time.
So be it.
In our country the only political transitions that we truly enjoyed going through was that from dictatorial to democratic rule in 1986. We felt euphoric to say the least. Our souls, our bodies, our minds, our feelings were all one in the grandest time of our life when Marcos and his family bade goodbye. It was the culmination of our decades of fighting the dictatorship propped up by a corrupt military.
Another political transition that should have been worth seeing for us was when the American flag was lowered to allow the Philippine flag to fly free on our soils. Unfortunately, we were not born then yet. But that was really something worth seeing, I suppose. I could almost feel my heart skip a beat as the national anthem was being played then and the red, blue and white flag with the sun and the stars is raised up first equal to and then finally up there on the flag pole flying alone against the blue skies.
To view that we only have a black and white picture printed in one of those old civic studies books in the elementary, and which is no longer carried by any social studies book in the grades. I wonder why. Isn’t it a sign of loyalty if we could always see it? Our youth would not be too carefree probably if they would know through that picture why the Americans were here then, and to be thankful too that we could speak, read and write in the English language.
I do think that political transitions become meaningful when the new leaders that would be sworn in truly represent the aspirations and dreams of our people for justice, freedom, equality, peace and democracy. Anyone who does not possess the same could be a dent in our consciousness and an obstacle to a peaceful transition. He or she would be someone whose personal interests tower over the needs and welfare of the people And that would be a very sad thing to experience really.
Perhaps we can lessen the impact of some people whom we don’t like going up in that new administration to just beef up our strength and resolve to be more vigilant and check on the activities of that fellow, woman or man. We must also cultivate strong links with Congress so that the laws that we want to be passed shall go through smoothly, without hitch and without some sectors asking for percentages at all.
Every check coming out of the Bureau of Treasury has to be assessed – to which bank, to which name, how much and for what purpose. Then in those hot agencies like the Bureau of Customs, the BIR, the LRA, and other money-earning agencies, we must have a video camera to check what kinds of transactions are going on. Even microphones need to be set up to hear every conversation. No, there is no freedom in these places now when we are undergoing transitions and this shall go on until such time that we can be assured of the strict adherence to the principle that public office is public trust of every government employee and official.
Lastly, where there is an altar put up by Catholic groups, we must allow all other religious groups to set up their own. Catholic altars should not dominate the offices, especially when they look like “panghugas-kamay” in corrupt-ridden institutions. Even that piece of government lot in Mandaluyong which was used to build a church should be made ecumenical. The structure should be set up in such a way as any religious group could make use of it.
My final request though is that large video screens be put up at the Luneta for all folks to watch the swearing in of P. Noynoy and VP Binay. We must have larger-than-life images of them to remind us for the rest of their term that this is a historic event because they will be instruments in transforming our country from the chaotic past of the rule of one beholdened to the protectors of her illegal stay to one that has the interests of the people all the time.
So be it.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
LUCRATIVE POSTS
Politics in the Philippines is truly a highly competitive arena. Many people would even kill the contenders if they pose a threat to their own chances of winning, or even of image. It is very sad because politics should be a tool and not the be-all and end-all of things.
We move in to political activities because we want to help our people reach their highest level of achievements in all arenas of life, not just to being contributors of dollars to prop up the economy of this government. We act politically because we want our children and our grandchildren and all the incoming generations to savor a life free from want, from hunger and thirst. We want them to be happy, in simple terms.
But as we view the jockeying for positions at this time, the political scenario becomes very confusing, very muddled, in fact it is now blurring our own hopes of a smooth transition of this government to what we have always aimed at when we launched the People Power Movement.
We should not lose the fact that we could have made it had the government of Cory not suffer too man coups d'etats at that time. Probably, if the hotheads then had slowed down a bid, our people need no longer migrate to other lands just to earn a living, to make their families survive.
We should not lose our sights to what is good for our people. If we feel threatened by anyone, I think that the best thing to do is to ask:
1. is his or her behavior legal?
2. was he or she elected by the people and so has th mandate to rule?
3. what are the functions that he or she should exercise to give the utmost for the people's welfare?
4. does he or she have a plan, outside of all the required tasks that are called for by his or her position? Meaning, is there any other creative idea that he or she can do (outside of the prescribed tasks) that will redound to the people's welfare?
5. what are the many ways by which he or she can be helpful in making this coming administration win? Who or what could be blocks or obstacles? Is the person open to discussions for collaborative action?
6. how can we strengthen People Power as a movement to make this and all other future administrations strong enough to defeat any kind of coup d'etat or any move to destabilize the situation to suit the personal agenda of a person or group of persons?
At this time, the call of the times is still: STABILIZATION OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND INSTITUTIONS AND NOTHING MORE.
Let us read Plato's Cave and see for ourselves what could still be relevant in that to our situation.
So be it.
We move in to political activities because we want to help our people reach their highest level of achievements in all arenas of life, not just to being contributors of dollars to prop up the economy of this government. We act politically because we want our children and our grandchildren and all the incoming generations to savor a life free from want, from hunger and thirst. We want them to be happy, in simple terms.
But as we view the jockeying for positions at this time, the political scenario becomes very confusing, very muddled, in fact it is now blurring our own hopes of a smooth transition of this government to what we have always aimed at when we launched the People Power Movement.
We should not lose the fact that we could have made it had the government of Cory not suffer too man coups d'etats at that time. Probably, if the hotheads then had slowed down a bid, our people need no longer migrate to other lands just to earn a living, to make their families survive.
We should not lose our sights to what is good for our people. If we feel threatened by anyone, I think that the best thing to do is to ask:
1. is his or her behavior legal?
2. was he or she elected by the people and so has th mandate to rule?
3. what are the functions that he or she should exercise to give the utmost for the people's welfare?
4. does he or she have a plan, outside of all the required tasks that are called for by his or her position? Meaning, is there any other creative idea that he or she can do (outside of the prescribed tasks) that will redound to the people's welfare?
5. what are the many ways by which he or she can be helpful in making this coming administration win? Who or what could be blocks or obstacles? Is the person open to discussions for collaborative action?
6. how can we strengthen People Power as a movement to make this and all other future administrations strong enough to defeat any kind of coup d'etat or any move to destabilize the situation to suit the personal agenda of a person or group of persons?
At this time, the call of the times is still: STABILIZATION OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND INSTITUTIONS AND NOTHING MORE.
Let us read Plato's Cave and see for ourselves what could still be relevant in that to our situation.
So be it.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
DYING ERA?
FOLKS, I WROTE THIS EARLIER IN MY EMAIL BUT NOW I COULD PASTE IT HERE. FINALLY MY IDEAS ARE IN PRINT.
I can't blog. The cursor disappeared when I wrote the title: "Dying
Era." What is it about death that makes people afraid of confronting it?
Last night, I took a picture of myself with closed eyes with my
celphone, and then edited it, circling my face with flowers. Did it
look like I was thinking of my deathlike existence? Not really. I
entitled it "Om Shanti," meaning " Peace be with you." It's the mantra
of people who go into deep meditation - Yoga, Brahma Kuhmaris, and a
group with Art in its name, among others.
Well, it feels like a matter of life and death thinking and imagining
that we shall have a new set of officials already by June 30, but I
can't help thinking of dire scenarios that could still happen between
now and then. This admin I have not really learned to trust very much
whenever it issues a statement. Everything is suspect -- especially
when it praises itself.
Thus, i am afraid of P-Noy riding with that FP in the car on the way
to the inaugural site. I have jitters thinking how the transition
teams are meeting. Does P.Noy's team have enough arsenal to counter
any voodoo or witchcraft that could be thrown at them? Funny but I
don't even have fears about P.Noy's smoking at all but rather the
political mishaps that could happen to him. BTW, I will have something
to say about that stick after 100 days. Right now, we should allow him
to smoke at will.
Most of all, I think we should rather be bothered by that disease-
BUREAUCRATISM - which I have always written about. We do not deserve a
bureaucratised government that will serve the people's needs. Rather
we need one that is task-oriented. Here are examples of how to make
the services unbureaucratic.
1. For one, tax forms should include payments to Pag-ibig, or GSIS or
SSS by the employers. In this way, it would be easy to check which
ones are paying on time, and those who don't at all. The receipt
numbers they give could readily be checked in those agencies.
2. School enrolment requirements should be lax. Many pParents just
pack up and leave one place with their children in tow without
thinking of the latter's displacement. I know a number of children who
cannot enrol because their parents could not produce their birth or
baptismal certificates. So I have met children, aged 8, and 11 who
just stay at home helping their parents eke out a living.
3. Floods should be the problem of everyone, not only the MMDA.
Barangays should be asked to help in cleaning up the esteros,
unclogging the creeks and watching over them to insure the smooth flow
of water. I have seen MMDA equipment day and night in the creek near
our home but I have seen it in operation once or twice, not all day. I
still am wondering why. When you ask the workers, they would always
have an alibi. And so year in and year out, we experience the floods.
I think that the barangay should be given the power to check how much
the MMDA is spending for flood control and to share powers in checking
the problem.
4. All officials, or their offices should uniform numbers that can be
called right away when there is a problem. So far, the only offices
that are efficient are the Senate and the House of Representathieves.
I could easily call up and get connected to this and that official's
phone.
But try calling your local government. It is pure agony.
5. The police should not be allowed to use private security guards at
companies, and offices, even malls, to harass those who are critical
of the administration. It so happens that during the time of Erap,
Panfilo lacson and his PAOCTF bought modern equipment for surveillance
and I think that included being able to track down critics. Hence, I
have been an object of tracing. A military soldier had told me that
they tried getting control of our subdivision where I live but the
police refused.
I wonder why.
Folks more next time. Wilhelmina THIRDFORCE-PRG,blogspot
I can't blog. The cursor disappeared when I wrote the title: "Dying
Era." What is it about death that makes people afraid of confronting it?
Last night, I took a picture of myself with closed eyes with my
celphone, and then edited it, circling my face with flowers. Did it
look like I was thinking of my deathlike existence? Not really. I
entitled it "Om Shanti," meaning " Peace be with you." It's the mantra
of people who go into deep meditation - Yoga, Brahma Kuhmaris, and a
group with Art in its name, among others.
Well, it feels like a matter of life and death thinking and imagining
that we shall have a new set of officials already by June 30, but I
can't help thinking of dire scenarios that could still happen between
now and then. This admin I have not really learned to trust very much
whenever it issues a statement. Everything is suspect -- especially
when it praises itself.
Thus, i am afraid of P-Noy riding with that FP in the car on the way
to the inaugural site. I have jitters thinking how the transition
teams are meeting. Does P.Noy's team have enough arsenal to counter
any voodoo or witchcraft that could be thrown at them? Funny but I
don't even have fears about P.Noy's smoking at all but rather the
political mishaps that could happen to him. BTW, I will have something
to say about that stick after 100 days. Right now, we should allow him
to smoke at will.
Most of all, I think we should rather be bothered by that disease-
BUREAUCRATISM - which I have always written about. We do not deserve a
bureaucratised government that will serve the people's needs. Rather
we need one that is task-oriented. Here are examples of how to make
the services unbureaucratic.
1. For one, tax forms should include payments to Pag-ibig, or GSIS or
SSS by the employers. In this way, it would be easy to check which
ones are paying on time, and those who don't at all. The receipt
numbers they give could readily be checked in those agencies.
2. School enrolment requirements should be lax. Many pParents just
pack up and leave one place with their children in tow without
thinking of the latter's displacement. I know a number of children who
cannot enrol because their parents could not produce their birth or
baptismal certificates. So I have met children, aged 8, and 11 who
just stay at home helping their parents eke out a living.
3. Floods should be the problem of everyone, not only the MMDA.
Barangays should be asked to help in cleaning up the esteros,
unclogging the creeks and watching over them to insure the smooth flow
of water. I have seen MMDA equipment day and night in the creek near
our home but I have seen it in operation once or twice, not all day. I
still am wondering why. When you ask the workers, they would always
have an alibi. And so year in and year out, we experience the floods.
I think that the barangay should be given the power to check how much
the MMDA is spending for flood control and to share powers in checking
the problem.
4. All officials, or their offices should uniform numbers that can be
called right away when there is a problem. So far, the only offices
that are efficient are the Senate and the House of Representathieves.
I could easily call up and get connected to this and that official's
phone.
But try calling your local government. It is pure agony.
5. The police should not be allowed to use private security guards at
companies, and offices, even malls, to harass those who are critical
of the administration. It so happens that during the time of Erap,
Panfilo lacson and his PAOCTF bought modern equipment for surveillance
and I think that included being able to track down critics. Hence, I
have been an object of tracing. A military soldier had told me that
they tried getting control of our subdivision where I live but the
police refused.
I wonder why.
Folks more next time. Wilhelmina THIRDFORCE-PRG,blogspot
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
ESSENCE OF GOVERNANCE
I watched the proclamation over TV and heard the sounds through the radio, which I got from Filscap member Peewee Trinidad in exchange with a basket of goodies last Christmas. Why the use of two appliances? My TV set has a tendency to lose it sounds, and then have a parade of adverts whereas the radio coverage has continuous sounds about the goings-on at the Batasan. And so I did not miss a single important word said, until the first press conference of Noynoy as president.
It was very refreshing listening to the presscon. Words that touched on the need to have justice, to look after the welfare of the majority of the people, and to seek out the problems to know the solutions -- all these show the readiness to address the people's lack in our lives.
Actually it is very hard to become an official in the government for many reasons:
1. Everyone is expected to sacrifice one's life performing one's duties.
2. The government must be overhauled and bureaucratism must be abolished. No passing the buck, no reference to another person to do the job. All inquiries of the people must be done once -- the recipient of the inquiry must make sure that an answer is provided.
Time and again, I have had to ask a government office, through the phone, and then it would take me several times to dial again before I am able to get the final answer.
Worse yet, some employees think that government equipment are theirs for their sole usage. One time, I was at UP during the time of Pres. Dodong Nemenzo. Then, I entered the registrar's office and said that I would like to fax a letter to Dodong. Do you know that the registrar at that time refused to do so? Where is he now? He is now occupying a very high position in UP Diliman. So you see, bad behavior is rewarded in government.
Nowadays, whenever I go to UP, men in civilian clothes and riding motorcycles pass me by, or at the UP Church of the Risen Lord, where my Bible Studies friends -- Jean, Claire - and I meet, the men ride to the hilt to drown our voices with the sounds of their motor engines. Last year, the police in the area would tell off the janitors at shops that I enter to sweep or clean up beside me and even brush my feet.
Worse yet, I submitted my articles in Business World to the UP Main Library for safekeeping and for students to be able to access right away for research. A few months after, I tried accessing them through the search computers. Lo and behold, I could not find them. The employee incharge had shelved them in the archives. Now who goes to the archives but those who are writing books? And they are rare. And how would the researchers find out about my writings if they had not been listed in the indices of the Filipiniana and if the researcher has not read any article of mine?
I have the feeling until now that the employee, an Ilocano did not like my having hard-hitting articles against Marcos and the untold wealth. Hence, she tried to keep it away from public easy search.
Another instance, I went to the Court of Tax Appeals to request for re-assessment of my condo unit. You see, it is 15 square meters in size, but was sold as 30 sq.m. because of the loft. However, the loft is that tangalable or detachable plywood.
Now the recipient of my query is a woman employee whose face registered boredome and petrification on the job. She told me to go upstairs, about twenty steps up and go and see a lawyer up there. Instead of following her advice, I asked to use the phone to call up the lawyer and talk to him or her about the matter. Would you believe, she refused and said the use of the phone is only for the records division? I had just come from the hot afternoon sun going to the office building and then entering the division's very cold room due to aircon. I had felt very weak from the sudden change of temperature and could no longer have the energy to go up the several flights upstairs.
Well, this is how I examined it, Folks, aside from the cranky character of the employee. Being an intellectual, much more so a female one, is hardly commended nor appreciated in our country. Either she is considered too "mannish" or "too straightforward." The first label presumes that being an intellectual is a male prerogative, whereas the second assumes that an intellectual is a detached observer. Now if one is asserting an original idea, how could he or she be detached?
3. I think that the challenge for all entering the government is how to remove obscure language so that the majority of the people will understand the government -- its procedures, what it stands for, and how to be a good citizen. While watching the Senate and the House of Reps conduct their sessions, my mind kept reverting to the scenes in Tondo. I ask myself, how could they possibly understand the English language being used when many were high school and elementary drop-outs?
Instead of purely English, I believe that government should conduct its business bilingually. It should not be considered a prerogative by the government employees to use the English language alone. Everyone should be able to speak in both languages and speak them to the people during transactions for them to understand all kinds of instructions, procedures and what have you. Even forms have to be in Pilipino.
Folks, try reading the tax forms -- they are all in English and the column titles are only understandable to those who have studied tax reform in college. Now the government keeps complaining about lack of taxes, yet it is not doing everything to make the people understand the forms.
4. In Makati, it is true, the senior citizens enjoy many perks -- like watching the movies anytime they like to do so. This is so different from Quezon City, the highest earning city in the Philippines, which allows only two days, Monday and Tuesday and only until 4:30pm for the seniors to watch the movies.
By the way, why use the word "seniors?" That is highly discriminating of the elderlies. To use "seniors" is to imply that there are "juniors." And why the need to make that implication?
However, I believe that Makati should also be nice to seniors who ride the public vehicles. Would you believe the loading and unloading stations are more than a hundred meters apart? On rainy days, on stormy days, it is very difficult to go out of the building and reach the loading station still with dry clothes. During summer, the heat is unbearable on the streets and then the offices are very cold. Coming from the cold buildings and going out to the scorching heat could produce hypertension among commuters very easily.
Unfortunately, Ayala Avenue has been structured to have stops that are only for Loading and other stops only for Unloading, and these are so far apart from each other. One has to go down the underground passes in order to get to the Loading or Unloading stations. These conditions are worse for the disabled using crutches, for pregnant women, for women carrying market bags, for women with children, for senior citizens and for people of all ages. Sad to say that Ayala Avenue has been organized transportation-wise to be for young adults which is a form of discrimination.
Hence, I would like to suggest to the incoming Mayor, son of Mayor Binay to please provide roving small jeepneys to go around and around Ayala Avenue, to pick up passengers and transport them to the Loading stations for free. "Ganito tayo ngayon sa Makati, mapagkalinga ng lahat ng tao" would be a good motto to post at every station.
Lastly, I would suggest to Pres. Noynoy to have a three-number emergency number to be called for help. Right now, 117 is only for police cases. I do think that the emergency number could be handled by the DSWD and be made to respond to all kinds of queries -- what is the number to call when ill with cancer; when a child is missing; when a government employee is acting in a corrupt manner; etcetera. At this time, the government looks imperious -- people have to adjust to its ways. It should be the opposite.
The goverment has to be sensitive to what the people feel.
That I think is the essence of good governance.
It was very refreshing listening to the presscon. Words that touched on the need to have justice, to look after the welfare of the majority of the people, and to seek out the problems to know the solutions -- all these show the readiness to address the people's lack in our lives.
Actually it is very hard to become an official in the government for many reasons:
1. Everyone is expected to sacrifice one's life performing one's duties.
2. The government must be overhauled and bureaucratism must be abolished. No passing the buck, no reference to another person to do the job. All inquiries of the people must be done once -- the recipient of the inquiry must make sure that an answer is provided.
Time and again, I have had to ask a government office, through the phone, and then it would take me several times to dial again before I am able to get the final answer.
Worse yet, some employees think that government equipment are theirs for their sole usage. One time, I was at UP during the time of Pres. Dodong Nemenzo. Then, I entered the registrar's office and said that I would like to fax a letter to Dodong. Do you know that the registrar at that time refused to do so? Where is he now? He is now occupying a very high position in UP Diliman. So you see, bad behavior is rewarded in government.
Nowadays, whenever I go to UP, men in civilian clothes and riding motorcycles pass me by, or at the UP Church of the Risen Lord, where my Bible Studies friends -- Jean, Claire - and I meet, the men ride to the hilt to drown our voices with the sounds of their motor engines. Last year, the police in the area would tell off the janitors at shops that I enter to sweep or clean up beside me and even brush my feet.
Worse yet, I submitted my articles in Business World to the UP Main Library for safekeeping and for students to be able to access right away for research. A few months after, I tried accessing them through the search computers. Lo and behold, I could not find them. The employee incharge had shelved them in the archives. Now who goes to the archives but those who are writing books? And they are rare. And how would the researchers find out about my writings if they had not been listed in the indices of the Filipiniana and if the researcher has not read any article of mine?
I have the feeling until now that the employee, an Ilocano did not like my having hard-hitting articles against Marcos and the untold wealth. Hence, she tried to keep it away from public easy search.
Another instance, I went to the Court of Tax Appeals to request for re-assessment of my condo unit. You see, it is 15 square meters in size, but was sold as 30 sq.m. because of the loft. However, the loft is that tangalable or detachable plywood.
Now the recipient of my query is a woman employee whose face registered boredome and petrification on the job. She told me to go upstairs, about twenty steps up and go and see a lawyer up there. Instead of following her advice, I asked to use the phone to call up the lawyer and talk to him or her about the matter. Would you believe, she refused and said the use of the phone is only for the records division? I had just come from the hot afternoon sun going to the office building and then entering the division's very cold room due to aircon. I had felt very weak from the sudden change of temperature and could no longer have the energy to go up the several flights upstairs.
Well, this is how I examined it, Folks, aside from the cranky character of the employee. Being an intellectual, much more so a female one, is hardly commended nor appreciated in our country. Either she is considered too "mannish" or "too straightforward." The first label presumes that being an intellectual is a male prerogative, whereas the second assumes that an intellectual is a detached observer. Now if one is asserting an original idea, how could he or she be detached?
3. I think that the challenge for all entering the government is how to remove obscure language so that the majority of the people will understand the government -- its procedures, what it stands for, and how to be a good citizen. While watching the Senate and the House of Reps conduct their sessions, my mind kept reverting to the scenes in Tondo. I ask myself, how could they possibly understand the English language being used when many were high school and elementary drop-outs?
Instead of purely English, I believe that government should conduct its business bilingually. It should not be considered a prerogative by the government employees to use the English language alone. Everyone should be able to speak in both languages and speak them to the people during transactions for them to understand all kinds of instructions, procedures and what have you. Even forms have to be in Pilipino.
Folks, try reading the tax forms -- they are all in English and the column titles are only understandable to those who have studied tax reform in college. Now the government keeps complaining about lack of taxes, yet it is not doing everything to make the people understand the forms.
4. In Makati, it is true, the senior citizens enjoy many perks -- like watching the movies anytime they like to do so. This is so different from Quezon City, the highest earning city in the Philippines, which allows only two days, Monday and Tuesday and only until 4:30pm for the seniors to watch the movies.
By the way, why use the word "seniors?" That is highly discriminating of the elderlies. To use "seniors" is to imply that there are "juniors." And why the need to make that implication?
However, I believe that Makati should also be nice to seniors who ride the public vehicles. Would you believe the loading and unloading stations are more than a hundred meters apart? On rainy days, on stormy days, it is very difficult to go out of the building and reach the loading station still with dry clothes. During summer, the heat is unbearable on the streets and then the offices are very cold. Coming from the cold buildings and going out to the scorching heat could produce hypertension among commuters very easily.
Unfortunately, Ayala Avenue has been structured to have stops that are only for Loading and other stops only for Unloading, and these are so far apart from each other. One has to go down the underground passes in order to get to the Loading or Unloading stations. These conditions are worse for the disabled using crutches, for pregnant women, for women carrying market bags, for women with children, for senior citizens and for people of all ages. Sad to say that Ayala Avenue has been organized transportation-wise to be for young adults which is a form of discrimination.
Hence, I would like to suggest to the incoming Mayor, son of Mayor Binay to please provide roving small jeepneys to go around and around Ayala Avenue, to pick up passengers and transport them to the Loading stations for free. "Ganito tayo ngayon sa Makati, mapagkalinga ng lahat ng tao" would be a good motto to post at every station.
Lastly, I would suggest to Pres. Noynoy to have a three-number emergency number to be called for help. Right now, 117 is only for police cases. I do think that the emergency number could be handled by the DSWD and be made to respond to all kinds of queries -- what is the number to call when ill with cancer; when a child is missing; when a government employee is acting in a corrupt manner; etcetera. At this time, the government looks imperious -- people have to adjust to its ways. It should be the opposite.
The goverment has to be sensitive to what the people feel.
That I think is the essence of good governance.
OF POWER AND SYMBOLS
Sometimes in politics we have to read between the lines. Not everything will be said word for word. And I think the new president knows symbolisms. He knows how to use the English language to convey through symbols what he means.
Cory’s life must have been very difficult after she descended as president. She had to get used to leading an ordinary life – as she herself must have deemed it improper for her to take advantage of her former title to demand the same privileges and rights she used to enjoy as president. But nonetheless, she must have succeeded well in reverting to ordinary life. She went back to her non-government concerns, helping the poor and the disadvantaged.
However, when she started becoming political again, the people shied away from her in the year when Erap’s arms were being twisted to get out of the presidency. Because of her involvement the people began to feel despondent. The icon of democracy then became distant because the person which she had supported did not turn out to be another icon of democracy. Instead it turned out to be a different image – that of accommodation of all forces that could maintain power for it.
In the end, Cory had to resume her critical role and for that I think she must have suffered a lot. So even when she was at the hospital, she was denied guards; whence every president is supposed to enjoy military guardianship until death. I would not wonder much if she suffered from colon cancer. The colon is near the seat, what we use for sitting and having a strong seat is having power. Cory must have felt then that she was losing her power to attract the people’s support, and so her feelings manifested in that illness. By the way, when she was at the hospital, I wrote the family through the doctor that there is a device that could help cure cancer, that laser device called Lyflyt, invented by Panfilo Rieta. It emits a certain light, which is non-invasive but can tickle the cancer cells to self-destruct, and for the body to be detoxified. A woman inventor selling the device here even left a sample of the device for Cory’s use but it never got to her, my message and the device, I learned later.
And so, read between the lines, Folks; it’s very easy to discern what the new phenomena of the new presidency is presenting to us, after we, the people have just legitimized its ascendancy into power.
Where does the question of military leadership continuation come in here? Is it valid to continue powers when the past shows another image of their use?
Cory’s life must have been very difficult after she descended as president. She had to get used to leading an ordinary life – as she herself must have deemed it improper for her to take advantage of her former title to demand the same privileges and rights she used to enjoy as president. But nonetheless, she must have succeeded well in reverting to ordinary life. She went back to her non-government concerns, helping the poor and the disadvantaged.
However, when she started becoming political again, the people shied away from her in the year when Erap’s arms were being twisted to get out of the presidency. Because of her involvement the people began to feel despondent. The icon of democracy then became distant because the person which she had supported did not turn out to be another icon of democracy. Instead it turned out to be a different image – that of accommodation of all forces that could maintain power for it.
In the end, Cory had to resume her critical role and for that I think she must have suffered a lot. So even when she was at the hospital, she was denied guards; whence every president is supposed to enjoy military guardianship until death. I would not wonder much if she suffered from colon cancer. The colon is near the seat, what we use for sitting and having a strong seat is having power. Cory must have felt then that she was losing her power to attract the people’s support, and so her feelings manifested in that illness. By the way, when she was at the hospital, I wrote the family through the doctor that there is a device that could help cure cancer, that laser device called Lyflyt, invented by Panfilo Rieta. It emits a certain light, which is non-invasive but can tickle the cancer cells to self-destruct, and for the body to be detoxified. A woman inventor selling the device here even left a sample of the device for Cory’s use but it never got to her, my message and the device, I learned later.
And so, read between the lines, Folks; it’s very easy to discern what the new phenomena of the new presidency is presenting to us, after we, the people have just legitimized its ascendancy into power.
Where does the question of military leadership continuation come in here? Is it valid to continue powers when the past shows another image of their use?
Monday, June 7, 2010
MY PLEA TO ALL
MY POSTING WOULD BE VERY SHORT AS THE INTERNET SHOP WILL CLOSE SOON.
FOLKS, I have had to contend with some people whose motivations for maligning are truly evil. Despite their being so-called religious, I am wondering where they get their arsenal to wreak havoc on other people just so they can maintain their positions.
The least I want is conflict. In fact I run away as fast as I can from them. But it seems there is a battalion of people out to demoralize me, to destroy my reputation as an activist, to put me down and make me less effective in communicating with all of you. I hope that you would not believe them that easily and would seek out my opinion/s on all of them before believing a single word.
I started as an anti-dictatorship activist, graduated to being a feminist activist and then reverted to being pro-democracy in our country. It is difficult to be purely pro-women when we can see that even the men, especially from the urban poor have a lot of obstacles to hurdle, not just economic.
Frankly speaking, I could almost cry when I saw an urban poor leader reading my booklet, a primer on Political Science. The booklet sought to give them a macro perspective in looking at politics in our country. Even his wife asked me to give them a copy the other Sunday showing how much they hanker for higher knowledge that would make them understand the political goings-on. For many a decade now, they have just been following wealthy officials who come to them to seek votes. And there I was giving them educational materials, penniless as I was but with a lot to share with them in terms of understanding Philippine politics.
And so despite all those darts that are being thrown my way, I cannot be waylaid anymore from what I have been doing all this time. I shall continue writing -- books and producing puppetshows containing themes that affect as a people, politically, economically, socially and culturally.
MY PLEA TO EVERYONE: Please help me overcome all those people. And
my God spare me from encountering those with evil intentions to stop me from what I am doing.
FOLKS, I have had to contend with some people whose motivations for maligning are truly evil. Despite their being so-called religious, I am wondering where they get their arsenal to wreak havoc on other people just so they can maintain their positions.
The least I want is conflict. In fact I run away as fast as I can from them. But it seems there is a battalion of people out to demoralize me, to destroy my reputation as an activist, to put me down and make me less effective in communicating with all of you. I hope that you would not believe them that easily and would seek out my opinion/s on all of them before believing a single word.
I started as an anti-dictatorship activist, graduated to being a feminist activist and then reverted to being pro-democracy in our country. It is difficult to be purely pro-women when we can see that even the men, especially from the urban poor have a lot of obstacles to hurdle, not just economic.
Frankly speaking, I could almost cry when I saw an urban poor leader reading my booklet, a primer on Political Science. The booklet sought to give them a macro perspective in looking at politics in our country. Even his wife asked me to give them a copy the other Sunday showing how much they hanker for higher knowledge that would make them understand the political goings-on. For many a decade now, they have just been following wealthy officials who come to them to seek votes. And there I was giving them educational materials, penniless as I was but with a lot to share with them in terms of understanding Philippine politics.
And so despite all those darts that are being thrown my way, I cannot be waylaid anymore from what I have been doing all this time. I shall continue writing -- books and producing puppetshows containing themes that affect as a people, politically, economically, socially and culturally.
MY PLEA TO EVERYONE: Please help me overcome all those people. And
my God spare me from encountering those with evil intentions to stop me from what I am doing.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
EXPENSIVE AUGUST HALLS
The counting has begun but before that, an investigation of how the PCOS machines work, where the parts come from, how it is operated, etcetera were discussed for more than 8 hours. Now folks, how much did it cost the government to have answers for those questions? over a million, considering the salaries of the officials and the staff, the aircon expenses, the supplies and equipment, light and water used? Well, it sure is a very expensive thing to have officials working in that manner.
Consider this: if a company held a general assembly and before the meeting starts, the chairman would ask, what kind of paper are we using? what is the brand of computers that we are using, how much is the ink, etc. ? Can you imagine corporate-thinking people acting in that manner? Of course not, they are very conscious of money, of expenses, and so they would try to find out those details first before attending the general assembly where NORMALLY, the talks would center on the nitty-gritty of whether the company made money the past year or not.
In other words, the company is more into the macro of things in a general asembly than the microscopic details.
What expensive august halls we have. Maybe democracy does not have to be this expensive, if only the leaders would lead with greater cost-consciousness.
Yet I am still for a democratic set-up, not any other dictatorial thing where one or a group would dominate the rest of the people. And no parliamentary style of government please, just presidential.
Consider this: if a company held a general assembly and before the meeting starts, the chairman would ask, what kind of paper are we using? what is the brand of computers that we are using, how much is the ink, etc. ? Can you imagine corporate-thinking people acting in that manner? Of course not, they are very conscious of money, of expenses, and so they would try to find out those details first before attending the general assembly where NORMALLY, the talks would center on the nitty-gritty of whether the company made money the past year or not.
In other words, the company is more into the macro of things in a general asembly than the microscopic details.
What expensive august halls we have. Maybe democracy does not have to be this expensive, if only the leaders would lead with greater cost-consciousness.
Yet I am still for a democratic set-up, not any other dictatorial thing where one or a group would dominate the rest of the people. And no parliamentary style of government please, just presidential.
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