We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore...

Public school teachers call for Congress to give them the option to refuse service during the elections. read about it
here.

If the electorate can do it, why can't our teachers? Twisted Sister would be so proud...

La Casa Ha Caido

...y con los politicos malos de Thailand.

Syet! The Thais are beating us at our own game! At tayo ang original people power people! [syet! at may alliteration pa!]

Now, La Bruja Loca (aka MaDame Senator hahaha)is talking about una revoluccion Filipina against La Pequeña Demonyita?

WTF? from nauna to gaya-gaya?

WOOOOOOW NAMAN AMF! hahahaha

O siya, review muna ako Spanish porque me hace una examen a la mañana. quiereme buena suerte por favor...Gracias!

Today in Thought Adjustment...

OVERSTAYING G.I.s? NO!

DEVOTED TOURISTS? YES!

The Enchanted Kingdom of Minime has recently released a press release denying rumors of overstaying American troops in the Philippines. The presence of US troops, according to Minime's Propaganda Officer - este - Press Secretary is not a violation of the sovereignty of our nation but rather a boon to the tourism industry of the Philippines. The following is the statement released by the Department of Imagination of the Enchanted Kingdom of Minime:

"The presence of US troops, though primarily undertaking combat training for defense purposes, could also be engaged in 'fun and recreational activities' as US troops also deserve a break from hunting down the Abu Sayyaf - I mean - engaging in joint military exercises with Filipino troops here in the Philippines. The allegation that the GIs are overstaying is preposterous as they are not staying too long in our Philippine Islands. Take note that there are more than 7100 islands in the Philippines and the GIs have taken the opportunity to visit each and every one of them, having heard of the exotic pussy - este - beauty that the islands have to offer. And of course the GIs are kind enough not to stay too long on a particular island, just stay for about three days. This is enough time for them to ravage - este - admire the natural pussy - este - BEAUTY that the Pearl of the Orient Seas has to offer. Of course, after said period, they would have to move on to another island. So far they have invaded - ahem - visited 756 islands. Our government is happy to report that the presence of the US troops have resulted in an increase in venereal - este - revenues for the tourism industry. Thus aside from a ready ally in the person of the American GI, we also have a devoted tourist touring our islands. God Bless America.......and the Philippines, also."

Manila 2024?

One of Lenard's blog post features some videos posted online anticipating Manila hosting the 2024 Olympics. While dreaming is a nice endeavor (plus its free and hardly laborious) let me share some of my thoughts while pondering the "Manila Olympics 2024 scenario"...


1. HOLY SH*T! Really!? Hindi pa nga natin maayos-ayos ang bulok na sistema ng gobyerno dito aasa pa tayong maghost ng Olympics? Kung sa bahay pa, linisin muna natin ang bakuran, looban, bubong, basement, pader, kisame, lahat na ng sulok ng bahay bago tayo magpapasok ng mga bisita...Or did we not forget the 'funny' stories during the SEA Games?

2. Speaking of SEA Games...the dream of Olympics hosting will get a huge boost if Monico Puentevella gets elected as President of the Philippines! Kaya simulan na ang kampanya! wahahahahahaha!

3. Huwag na...mahal ang square meter ng tarpaulin pantakip ng "eyesores" around Manila...

4. The Olympics: an international sporting event notorious for scandals, dubious officiating, and with a ruling committee seen as resistant to complaints. The Philippines: where elections defy the rules of mathematics, statistics (even common sense), scandals are commonplace, where everything (it seems) could be bought, and with a governing body serving only the interests of a few...combine them together and you get...?

5. Malaki na naman ang kickback sa construction nito...hala simulan na ang paghuhukay for the Crocodile's Lair! wahahahahaha!

6. If this indeed pushes through, some of the insane scenarios I proposed in my recent blog MIGHT come true. Psychic na ba ako? hahaha

Olympics: the real and the imagined

I have not yet seen the Olympics on TV. But all the buzz about it is everywhere. Thus, it is unavoidable that I would be giving my reactions to some of the things I've heard about the "Games"...

ON THE "FAKE" MOMENTS DURING THE OPENING CEREMONY: Por Dios, por Santo! Hindi na kayo dapat mabigla na namemeke ang mga Intsik no! hahahahaha Seriously, the opening ceremony is all media blitz and entertainment, so a few tweaks here and there is understandable. Parang Hollywood yan na ang mga sineng pinapalabas puro na lang special effects wala namang nagrereklamo, yung mga artista sa photospread sagad na sagad sa Photoshop - pati ang maitim nagiging puti na, pati mga walang tono at walang karapatang kumanta sa publiko nakakagawa ng album - and it sells! hahahaha Though I am a bit troubled by the singer fiasco - its smacks of discrimination kasi. Di bale palang hindi maganda ang boses basta maganda ang mukha? tsk, tsk, tsk...ano ba yan?

ON'IMAGINED' OLYMPIC MOMENTS: got this inspiration from Lenard's blog post. Lenard opines that if there were a competition on grandstanding, Filipino politicians would take the gold. And I heartily agree with him. A scenario comes to mind...

IMAGINARY OLYMPICS SCENARIO:from the Imagination of Sonofaditch...

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a new event called "lie detector test" is introduced. This was the reason, apparently, for the presence of President Bush and Mini-Me since they are also participating as "athletes" for their respective nations.

Yung criteria in determining the winner is the one which ellicits the most reaction from the lie detector machine wins. As expected, Bush and Mini-Me advance to the finals.

The finals are held at the "Bird's Nest" and viewed by an estimated 200 million people worldwide. Bush is the first to be attached to the machine.

BUSH: "There were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq."

The machine sputters and emits smoke. Still not satisfied, Bush continued...

BUSH: "I think..."

Machine explodes, launches itself into the air and crashes into the spectators, killing twenty and injuring thirty.

Americans were cheering wildly, believing that they have won the gold.

Enter the athlete from the Philippines...

Mini-me nervously takes her place and is attached to the machine. Unsure of what to say, Mini-me decided to make a brief intro speech...

MINI-ME: "As the democratically elected President of the Philippines..."

All cameras monitoring the event go on a sudden blackout. Observers a few miles from Beijing were in total shock when they heard a massive explosion and saw a mushroom cloud over the area that housed the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube and 60% of the city.

Experts were of the opinion that due to Mini-Me's massive lie, a nuclear reaction was initiated within the lie detector machine, setting off the explosion that decimated the city.

Beijing lies devastated, countless lives were lost, the Olympics were postponed and the whole world mourns...

Pero at least panalo ang Pinas...

For Pipoy

Hala...gin-debut ko ang blog mo di dason awayon ta ka? hehehe

Seriously, I would just like to offer my 2 cents (kung may bili pa ang dos centimos hehe) on one of the topics that you've touched upon in your most recent blog post. Let's engage in a friendly tete-a-tete (pronounce it like the French do para indi bastos ang gwa) and I do hope that if you'll indulge me my opinion, we'd launch on an enlightening discourse. In short, fun lang walang personalan hehe

ON THE SONA: Truth be told, I haven't heard it nor seen it on the TV, I've read the transcript online but its the same old bullshit. I was told that Mini-me would often pause and await applause at 'strategic' moments during her speech...the only comment I have to that is KAPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!

ON THE GRP-MILF deal: I don't know if the GRP knows the meaning of "sovereignty" and "national integrity"...going through the terms of the agreement daw kulang na lang ribbon kag giftwrapper ang ibutang nila sa teritoryo nga ihatag sa MILF. I don't begrudge the Bangsamoro and our Muslim brothers their heritage, and I could even sympathize with their desire to secede - if not have a considerably "freer" say with regard to territorial rights and self-governance over the area they deem as "ancestral domain". Muslim rights to their fatherland (or motherland?) is a very touchy issue - especially here in peyups. One noted prof in the History Department was even (verbally) accosted for his innocent comment regarding the Moros. Having said all that, our government is so f*cked up that it's no wonder the Moros want to secede, given that they've endured years of neglect in their respective areas. If the Moros secede, then what is to stop the Cebuanos, the Ilonggos, the Negrenses from jumping ship? Given that the ship is leaking and decrepit hay naku mag-uunahan na lang tayo sa pagtalon with our lifesavers (autonomy? independence?)?

ON BIRTH CONTROL: now THIS is where I put forth my dissenting view. I believe that the problem of rapid population growth, coupled with scarce resources should be viewed not only through the perspective of morality (i.e. the view of the Catholic Church). I do hope you've discussed (or will discuss) Malthus' view in your Econ class which was the rage during the 19th century. A century hence and we see the great strides in science and technology. These, hopefully, would be the balancing force to even out the scarcity and the increasing human population. But there are still stark reminders that the world does not necessarily reflect the ideals of fairness, especially if you consider that we're talking about economic forces here. There are still people in want, there are still those living their lives in abject poverty; then you see the vast difference between people belonging to different social classes, the wide expanse between the "developed and industrial" nations and the so-called "third world or developing" nations.

Any stand of any institution should not be made in a vacuum - all points and perspectives should be considered so that a reasonable solution to the problem could be arrived at. What I am driving at is that it is unreasonable for the Church, especially here in the Philippines, to ignore reproductive health practices as an OPTION for the masses. The Church's stance robs the people of their own personal, private choice on reproduction because let's face it if God's wrath would descend on people who do not keep His Commandments (or the Church's interpretation of them) then the population problem would be nonexistent because a LOT of people would be stricken dead with lighting or pestilence or whatever. Not that I'm implying that God is impotent, but you get the point...

I heard a sermon during a previous Sunday mass regarding this issue. Though I do not fully agree with it, there is one point that the cura made which, in my view, is one ray of hope that the Catholic Church can provide. Padre said that scarcity is an illusion (a fact I do not agree with, as a former teacher of economics) because there is a lot of resources to go around. The only problem is how to equitably distribute these resources so that there will be enough to go around (at this point I was going like: 'interesting...go on Father...'). The key, according to Father, is if we as Christians are willing to step up and do our part, to share what we have with those who are in need. The priest gave as an example the relief efforts for the recent typhoon victims - that despite hard times, people are still willing, and are able to give to their fellow men - is this not a refutation of the fear of scarcity? (at this point, I was quietly nodding my head in assent)

That is something I could agree with. But just like the Church offering to lend its hand to address these troubled times, I do hope that it would not disregard the efforts of the government (for all its worth) in providing an avenue for people to make an informed choice with regard to their decision of increasing or limiting the size of their families. For the Church to spurn the government's initiative in this regard, I believe, is an unfortunate action which only exacerbates the problem.

Phew! ginbalhas man ko bah...teh, Peace whatchutink? If you want to give your violent reaction, please make it as a post on your blog. Looking forward to the lively discussion...

Sulpicio Lines

Sulpicio Lines announces a new fleet of ships with an all-too affordable fare rate. This newest gimmick was launched by Sulpicio as a way of "showing our appreciation for the long years of support the Filipino people has given to our company," said Alma Kapalngmukhangputanginangto, Vice-President for Marketing. "Sulpicio is indebted to the years of patronage that the Filipino people have given to our humble shipping line, we look forward to serving the public in new and deadlier--este, better ways...starting with this new and affordable trips on our newly commissioned fleet of floating coffins--este, ships pala," continues VP Kapalngmukhangputanginangto.


One of the "all-too-affordable" ships on its maiden voyage...12 minutes after setting sail from Manila Bay.

When VP Kapalngmukhangputanginangto was asked about the latest on the MV Princess of the Stars case and the aggrieved relatives of the dead passengers. VP Kapalngmukhangputanginangto eyes glistened as she said:

"Ay pakialam namin sa mga putanginang 'yan! Basta kasalanan 'yan ng PAGASA kasi hindi accurate and up-to-date ang mga bulletins nila! Siguro naman hindi mahirap para sa kanila na bigyan kami ng up-to-the-minute-every-minute na update 'noh para updated talaga kami. Atsaka kung tinawagan nila sana yung kapitan ng barko noh para aware siya kaagad na papunta na pala yung bagyo sa direksyon niya. Kasalanan din ng mga kamag-anak ng mga pasahero kasi pinapauwi nila yung mga tao na alam na nila na may darating na bagyo noh! Hellooooo! Konting common sense naman noh. Basta, wala kaming responsibilidad dyan ha? It just so happened na napasakay lang sila sa MV Princess of the Stars noh. Wrong timing talaga ang pesteng bagyong 'yan. Force Majeure people...Force Majeure nilang mga pagmumukha nila noh! Naku, makakalimutan din natin 'to after a few months noh...sino pa ba ang nakakaalala sa Doña Paz? Seeeeeee...sige, sabuyan lang namin kayo ng petals pa-epek-epek para quits na lang tayo. Oh, OK na? Appear! Wahahahahaha"

It was noted that VP Kapalngmukhangputanginangto started to turn an unnatural shade of pink while delivering her tirade. At the end of said speech, VP Kapalngmukhangputanginangto spontaneously combusted. Sulpicio promptly blamed the weather for the incident.

This Ain't Your Granddaddy's Congress Anymore...

Inquirer.net editorial on members of congress and their product endorsements.

What got me laughing was this statement:

The Senate began to lose its gravitas when it was “invaded” by actors, comedians, basketball players and some nonperforming assets whose voices are seldom heard in sessions or committee hearings. Now, the chamber is further losing its gravitas, with several senators becoming glamorized hucksters for certain products. In the past, one would never see, or even imagine, a Sen. Claro M. Recto, a Lorenzo M. Tañada, a Jose W. Diokno or a Jovito R. Salonga endorsing a soap, a detergent, a health product or a facial care center....

I sincerely believe that the Senate lost much more than its gravitas hehe. Frankly speaking, the collective wit, candor, eloquence and intellectual brilliance of the past five Congresses cannot even reach half of Claro M. Recto's or even that
of Lorenzo Tañada's.

Gone are the statesmen of yesteryears from the hallowed halls of Congress. What replaced them as legislators are misfits, miscreants, pampered dilletantes, shady powerbrokers, criminal kingpins, bloodthirsty warlords, ass-kissing sycophants, diminished scions of political families whose only sole claim to fame is THAT appellido, retired actors and athletes with nary an idea of the legislative process, neurotic babblemouths given to paranoid delusions, the list of 'unmentionables' goes on...

It's a bit ironic to note that the word democracy in its original Greek meant 'rule of the common people.'However, for the Greeks, the term 'common people' was not meant as a compliment...

Palibhasa Babae...

www.foreignpolicy.com lists the worst places in the world if you're a woman.

read about it HERE

Glad that the Philippines isn't on the list. Though there are still some chinks in the system here, las mujeres Filipinas are among the most liberated (and let's not forget, LOVED) women in the world. In fairness naman to Nepal, they are in the midst of revising their political system. Effectively dissolving a centuries-old monarchy is just the first step toward realizing their goal of true democracy. Good luck sa mga Maoist...please don't make a mess of things, OK? hehe

Cyber-Sugilanon

Sugilanon means to reason or a debate, root word sugid (to speak, to tell or sometimes to brag) [ditch's lame attempt to become an Ilonggo dictionary hehe]

I often take time to visit my friends' blogs on cyberspace (refer to links at the left). But it is with lenard's blog that I found some bits and pieces to react to.

His post on the constitution and its provisions regarding foreign ownership of capital has sparked an interesting discussion between us in the comments section of his blog. We often have diverse views on the subjects but so far the exchanges have been civil and informative. Walang away, sugilanon lang ah...

Wanna join in the discussion? here's the link:

http://holding-on-still.blogspot.com

The End is Nigh...

Say goodbye to the old jeepney rates...in less than an hour, the jeepney fare increase takes effect...

It's like New Year is approaching but the feeling is more of dread than anticipation...fireworks, anyone?

Can anybody still remember the time when jeepney fare for students in Bacolod used to be P 1.25? I can. I'm old. hehe

Miss the good old times...leche.

Response to Dmax's 'Strike' Post

Here in Manila it would seem that the strike had mixed results. It is indeed true that oftentimes the ones who bear the brunt of the transport strike are the long-suffering commuters who have nothing to do with the increasing prices of oil and gasoline and other petroleum products.

Sila na gani ang ginabudlayan, madugang pa ang transport strike. hassle...

But before I continue, let us look into the logic of the 'strike' as a weapon of the 'working masses.' The strike was originally conceived in the factories and workhouses as a 'show of force' on the part of the usually disenfranchised and abused workers. The strike is a means to introduce a situation wherein the capitalists shall be forced to bargain with the workers over a certain issue that both sides are arguing over. Indeed, workers have a right to strike and it is also true that the strike has disruptive effects. But this disruption, in my view, is the only means for the workers to air their grievances and get the attention of their employers. A bit Machiavellian, but nevertheless effective.

Applying this concept on the transport sector introduces a host of problems which Dmax has already pointed out in his blog post. The oil executives and the government officials could care less if the drivers would go on strike for eternity. It is the commuters who bear the consequence of this action -- unfortunately for the drivers and transport groups, the ordinary commuter does not hold an influence among the oil companies. The oil companies would blame the invisible and ethereal forces of economics as a reason for the increasing prices, not only of oil and petroleum products, but also other basic commodities. What to do now? declare a strike against economics? against OPEC?

Our nation's transport sector should find new avenues to approach this problem of increasing oil prices. It is clear that suspending operations for several days is not an answer to the greater economic problems besetting our country -- the oil price increase is just symptomatic of this. The fact that here in Quezon City there were some jeepneys still plying their routes despite pleas, even threats directed against them shows that we are all victims of economics -- kailangang bumiyahe dahil walang makakain ang pamilya ng kawawang driver...

The government should not rejoice over the fact that transport strikes have lost their potency. In fact, they should be worried since if our society cannot weather the storms of these turbulent times, the long-suffering Filipino will find ways to make their frustrations, and collective anger known. The 'strike' is one such legal means...I shudder to think of the alternative...

Wala na akong maidaragdag pa...

here's today's editorial on the inquirer website www.inquirer.net. I'm reproducing it in full for you dear readers. As I said in the title, I have nothing more to add to this editorial except maybe a standing ovation hehe

Naked spin

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:05:00 05/03/2008


MANILA, Philippines—It’s a cliché, but it is still one good way to say it: Give it an inch, and Malacañang will grab a mile. It is something Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano rediscovered earlier this week, perhaps to his embarrassment or grief.

Last Tuesday, the chairman of the Senate “blue ribbon” committee on public accountability and investigation told reporters the investigation of the ZTE national broadband network (NBN) deal, which started in September last year and went through 13 televised public hearings, yielded evidence leading to Malacañang but heard “no direct testimony” linking President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. “There is evidence leading to the Office of the President, but it is always better—may it be in a court of law, in an impeachment proceeding or in the blue ribbon committee—that there is direct testimony,” Cayetano said. In this case, he added, “There is no direct evidence.”

That statement was all that the administration needed to claim that the President had been absolved of any wrongdoing in connection with the scandal-plagued $329-million NBN project. “Saying there is no direct evidence is in effect an admission that the case against the First Couple is either very weak or does not exist at all,” said Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, one of the President’s staunchest defenders in the Senate. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita chose to look at it in the better light. “That’s very significant because the fact of the matter is, even if we listen to all the interviews in the Senate, there really was no evidence whatsoever linking the President,” he said. “It’s a vindication of the national leadership.”

There is a big difference between Cayetano’s “no direct evidence” and Ermita’s “no evidence whatsoever” and it is as wide as the gulf dividing the truth and a lie. But why would Malacañang officials quibble over such distinctions? What is one more lie for an administration that has been caught lying, cheating and bribing politicians and anyone who is willing to sell his support for the President?

Now Cayetano has his hands full defending and clarifying a statement that really needs no defense or clarification were it not for Malacañang’s extravagant claim of complete absolution. (Serves him right for speaking too soon or out of turn.) But even in the unlikely case that Cayetano and the three Senate committees investigating the stinking ZTE-NBN deal would agree with Ermita that there was “no evidence whatsoever” against Ms Arroyo, it would be hard to imagine the Filipino public swallowing that line. If there is no “direct testimony” linking the President to the scandal, it is because Malacañang has made sure nobody would come forward to point a finger directly at her. Romulo Neri, the former director general of the National Economic and Development Authority, came close to doing it, until Malacañang prompted him to invoke “executive privilege” in refusing questions about how the NBN project got approved by the Neda board even after he had reported to her the P200-million bribe offer of then Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos.

Lawyers and the President’s defenders may make fine distinctions between direct evidence and circumstantial evidence, but to the majority of Filipinos the fingerprints of the President and her husband are all over the place. For one thing, there was the President’s unusual interest in seeing—literally—the agreement signed and sealed even as First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo lay seriously ill. Then there was her own admission that she had heard talk about an “anomaly” but still went ahead to witness the signing of the agreement. There was Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., and earlier Jose de Venecia III, putting the President’s husband right there where the project was being discussed and at one time ordering De Venecia to “back off” from the deal. And there was that scary abduction of Lozada, carried out by airport officials and the police, and other attempts to keep him from revealing what he knew of the deal. If all this doesn’t make somebody look guilty, nothing will. Not even the kind of evidence that would stand up in court that Malacañang apologists want the President’s accusers to produce.

But Filipinos can tell who is lying and who is telling the truth. The latest survey says three out of every five Filipinos believe Lozada. And going by the President’s falling credibility rating and approval rating, it would seem they have already formed their judgment. They may just be awaiting the day of reckoning.


emphasis on selected portions are mine.

I Love OFWs...

Just read Cito Beltran's column in today's issue of The Philippine Star and I was going: "Correct! COREEEEEEEEEEECT!" (not out loud, or else mabulabog ang UP Main Library hehe)

I agree with Cito's Points 100%. He talked about the lip service the f*cking government pays to OFWs -- regaling them as "modern-day heroes" and whatnot, then contrasted these sweeet, EMPTY words with the way our OFWs are being treated in our very own NAIA. It seems that airline companies hire "baggage interceptors" (meron palang trabahong ganyan?) to apprehend departing travelers who have excess luggage. The hapless traveler then is required to stay within the limits of the allowable baggage and/or luggage.

and suspicion is enough to get you accosted. From what I've read of Beltran's account, the "interceptors" would approach you and have your luggaged weighed to see if you've violated the luggage limit. That's after you have already gone through the check-in counter at the terminal...

What Cito sees as a problem is the brusque (read: BASTOS) manner in which these "interceptors" accost the travelers. Beltran even observed that the ones mostly being targeted by these "interceptors" are often the OFWs -- the luggage of which I am sure are filled to capacity (and excess in most cases) with pasalubongs and every "illegal" (in the Western view) sort of Filipino dish that they could get their hands on, cram into their luggage, and hopefully share with friends back to whatever foreign land they work in. Beltran made the sarcastic observation that well-dressed, "professional", "powerful looking" travelers -- and foreigners, I'm sure of it -- are rarely targeted for violating the luggage limits.

Masama na nga na binabastos tayong mga Pilipino sa mga airport sa ibang bansa, dito pa sa sariling bansa natin -- sa mismong international airport dito sa Pilipinas? Leche!

As someone who owes his life, upbringing, and continuing education to OFWs, let me say this:

MGA LINTE KAMO NGA MGA HIJO DE PUTA KAMO NGA AIRPORT PERSONNEL! MAHUYA KAMO SA GINAHIMO NIYO SA PAREHO NIYO PILIPINO! BISAN DYUTAY LANG NGA RESPETO SA MGA OBRERO NGA GINAHINGADLAN SANG LINTE NGA GOBYERNO NGA MGA "BAYANI" WALA GID? HUYA-HUYA MAN SA KALAG NIYO! LIHOG LANG AH!

Hear, Hear!

Question: does listening to rock music result to acts of deviance and violence? This was an important debate a few years ago when the US was shocked by a violent incident in Columbine High School in Colorado. The event resulted to Americans trying to make sense of the violent episode. Fingers began pointing, and one unfortunate scapegoat was "shock" rocker Marilyn Manson. Here's Marilyn's response in Michael Moore's documentary "Bowling for Columbine."



I was impressed at how articulate Manson was in responding to the criticisms against him, though I'm not too sure about Michael Moore's objectivity here...

Anyway, let's pause for a while...