SONA 2009

Note: I submitted this reaction to Victorina I think just a few minutes late. It never got out so I decided to publish it here. Make no mistake, I am angry. I am so tired that our country's problems have been going on and on. It saddens me that some of those who were our student leaders back then are now the ones part of the machine that adds burden to what we were fighting against way back. So here goes...

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo gestures during her State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines on Monday, July 27, 2009. Arroyo said she has no desire to extend her term beyond next year. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

I was really looking forward to another series of geography lesson that was evident from last years SONA. I was anticipating a good laugh. A friend from Bicol, came to Manila just to be part of the SONA. No, he was not invited to congress as part of those who were there dressed up for the occasion. He was dressed to kill, nonetheless, but he was on the streets, in white leather boots. For that, I dare call him a SNAP - Susyal Na Anak Pawis. Yes, he was one of those who weathered the rain that miraculously fell heavily only in Quezon City.

As I listen to the nonsense being delivered on the screen, I was no longer amused by the customary applause at precise moments of the mostly lies being said of yet another year in power. The introduction of individuals who were used as props to highlight some of her programs. This year, the biggest prop was Manny Pacquiao.

I said lies. Yes! Lies! As in that disclaimer about her leaking silicone implants. We have all been boobs all along, and now even our president leaks. She presented to the people a new set of numbers and claims indicating the supposed growth of the country in spite of the financial crisis the world is experiencing now, even bragging to the nation of an upgrade in that Moody credit rating. But those numbers mean squat when a lowly mother of four cannot even make ends meet. Those numbers have been presented long ago. How long before it can trickle down and be enjoyed by the masses? So sad when we know that the supposed economic growth she has been announcing is only enjoyed by a handful of oligarchs. Good news for them, bad news for us. These same people are now contemplating on who to put in that hallowed seat in that palace by the polluted river, so as to keep the status quo, thereby assuring the games continue. The sadder part is, we, the pawns are always the first to be sacrificed.

No Madame President, the state of the nation is not strong. Only the dissent of the people is getting stronger due to your and your minions mismanagement of the county's affairs. I do not care what your numbers say when we the people are getting hungrier day by day. I do not know what part of the Philippines she is looking at, but what was given in her reports were just that, numbers, lies and more cover-ups of what the true state of the nation really is. No Madame President, the state of the nation is not strong, for what you have said in your past SONA's have not come into full fruition. Many in fact remained as illusions. Some even became the source of expensive embarrassments. ZTE.... NBN... what more acronyms will pop up in your last months as president? She was caught with her hands in the cookie jar once, sort of speak, and she said she was sorry. No more sorry than we were for letting it slide and allowing her to remain in power. But to her credit, it was better than letting someone with a bigger hunger than her and her family, take the reins and make the havoc her power brokers caused, and turn everything into total carnage. Her supporters fastidiousness is to be credited for her extended stay. But still, I am not laughing, most especially when I realized that I spent an hour of my life watching and listening to her deliver nothing but something closely resembling and smelled of fecal matter. I am sorry Madame President, but unlike your minions, I don't eat shit.

Good luck to all of us in your final days of stay in power and may you bring all your minions with you when you leave. Oh and please close the door on your way out.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: A few hours after GMA delivered her 9th and hopefully final State of the Nation Address, gasoline prices rose P2.00/liter.





*Photo of GMA used w/o permission however photographer duly credited. Pacquiao picture was taken from the web.

LUZVIMINDA: Issues & Tissues

With so many issues plaguing our beloved LUZVIMINDA, it would take a major overhaul of all three branches of government to effect a positive change.

The way I see it, most of these incumbent government officials are like termites. The only possible way to control their colony and hamper their growth is to neuter the queen. But somehow, they have this ability to mutate into something else, reproduce asexually and provide buffers that protect them and their ravenous appetites. And to think we pay our taxes dutifully to finance this circus.

Just try to imagine, they keep on proposing new taxes to break our backs further and then sick their watchdogs on us to harass, silence and even worse kill when we voice out our outrage. Our national budget now stands at P1.415 Trillion. But have you heard of a single senator or congressman proposing that they slash their pork barrel to save our ailing finances? NADA! Not a one! Even the deliberations and the contents of the proposed budget were done behind closed doors. Where is the transparency in that? When was this approved? Saturday, October 11, 2008, 3:34 AM. Yes you read right, 3:34 AM. Just when everybody was still focused and busy shouting at each other on that high profile clemency. They had slipped another one by us once again. And now, that issue about the budget will die down faster while media vultures will focus their sights on another filed impeachment complaint and that issue of ancestral domain. Jeez.

In essence, our young democracy to me is somewhat like farce. It seems what we actually have, is an established and deeply rooted but unconfirmed oligarchic dynasty. Isn’t it obvious? How many of them have family members in every strata of government? Start counting from the top and you'll see what I mean.

The cast for a tragic play is complete. We have a ruler with an alleged knave for a consort now for the nth time being subjected to another unseating. We have a supposedly fallen former star sashaying in our midst with her wannabe minions. Two very expensive chambers of filibustering legislators accomplishing almost nothing except for a few insignificant band-aid solutions rather than truly representing the people. A justice system which leaves so much to be desired. A military and police force with almost no teeth to fight off the state's enemies no thanks to alleged corrupt officers who control their purses, hence, cultivating a cesspool of law enforcers that do unlawful deeds only because they too need to survive. A media culture that is bias and thrives on the glamour of sensationalism rather than objectivity. And of course, we have the people who are ravenous for even the most basic of necessities for daily survival. Add to that, the presence of outsiders peering over our shoulders acting like big brother, observing and meddling in our state of affairs. I hope our historians are keeping record of the goings on so that the coming generations will be able to learn of the fallacies we are faced with today, day in day out. That is, if the country is still whole and our race is not scattered all over the world in the coming centuries.

Sometimes, I can't help feel like a piece of meat roasting slowly in my own juices in a pit of spit, almost ready to be devoured by hungry cannibals and my bones cracked and sucked of its blood-making marrow. Nevertheless, this is my country. And I love it here. I am not ashamed even with its artificial poverty and the covert systematic rape being done by some unscrupulous members of its citizenry. I love my country the Philippines. LUZVIMINDA: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. That’s how she is known, that’s how I hope she will stay. Let us all do our part to resuscitate her and revive her starting with our own families.

May God keep her whole.

.

Cha-Cha 2008

Two years ago, the incumbent set of government people put out it’s “grand deception” as the Supreme Court called it, the Cha-Cha or Charter Change. They needed to convene a Con-Con (Constitutional Convention) or a Con-Ass (Constituent Assembly). For various reasons and interests, the prime would be to alleviate the country of its sorry plight it is in now. Now for Cha-Cha 2008, another reason being given out is to ensure a long lasting peace in Mindanao.

I, for one am for change. Positive change that is. In my personal opinion, any form of Cha-Cha, Tango, Tinikling, Singkil or Pandanggo will not help since the intention is truly shady. It doesn’t matter to me how many Con-Con’s or Con-Asses they convene unless they say or truly divulge HOW a change in the bible of the land will help millions of starving Filipinos when the same characters will remain at play. It was really not a shocker for me that most of today’s (8/13/2008) Philippine broadsheets came out with screaming headlines “Systems go for Cha-Cha.” Come on, we’ve been through that already with the freedom constitution and what change has it provided us with?

Well we did have more freedom to express our views not present before. That’s positive. But aside from that, came also a new set of problems we haven’t had experience in dealing with before, not even during the time of the Spaniards. The people in general have been under some form of Pontio Pilatos glorifying themselves as a blessing to the people. Some of them truly are but most are just that, media hogs. Sad to say that even some of our Barangay Captain’s set themselves as demi-gods in their area of responsibility. As I’ve said in the past entries, we had a chance during EDSA 1 and we squandered it. It may have been the opportunity we were waiting for but the reality is, we didn’t know how to use it properly. We were all bent on revenge and getting all that was lost, real or concocted. We lost the real gist of what must be done to rehabilitate not only the coffers of the land but also instilling positive changes in the minds of our youth for this new found freedom we have. Again I stress that these are my personal views. And if you, dear readers, are not happy with the way I think, please feel free to go somewhere else because there are more coming.

Unless we learn from our mistakes in the past from the history of our country, we most likely will fail in this pending smoke and mirrors game plan behind this new attempt. They are saying it will effect change citing this and that but how? Can they not do it if they truly mean it in the present set-up? What’s stopping them? We always hear these words during election period and that’s a given. Have any of those lofty ideals surfaced? You be the judge. Are you securely employed? Are your streets and community safe? Can you look at your Honorable straight in the face and say “you are doing a miserable job” and not be sued or worse just vanish on the face of this earth? If you are legally in any form of trade, are you content with the way things are run when you get to renew your business licenses and permits? If you buy any form of item from a store, can you return it for a refund if you are not satisfied with the product? Can indigent people really rely on the government for lasting assistance instead of dole outs to help them get back on their feet? Are you silently wishing to have your relatives and work here instead of abroad away from the clan? If you are an honest taxpayer, are your taxes being handled correctly and used accordingly? Cha-Cha “daw” can help. HOW? And why now?

Whoever the major players are in this latest Zarzuela must come forth and let the real truth and intentions be divulged. For once I wish that they do so. Let’s play with the cards on the table. Let the people truly decide without any form of diabolical scheme behind it or coercion and threats or bribery. We’ve also been through that and it never worked for us, only them.

I am not looking for someone to blame even though my statements may say it. If there is someone to blamed, it is also us. Us because we blindly allow it to happen right in front of our faces and do nothing other than sulk in a corner or just talk without action. We may now openly curse everyone in government even your Barangay Kagawad, but other than that, we remain indifferent. Maybe we became numbed because of the countless promises and half-truths we are served with on a daily basis. Even more during election season and yet we half-wittingly swallowed it and then we silently spit or regurgitate it all later when it bites us back.

Cha-Cha is not an answer. If we bite into this latest form of deception, we might as well, as a people, be labeled Tan-Tan (Tanga-Tanga). All things considered, change is inevitable and we truly need it. But how we go about it will be an entry for the history books. After all, history is written by the victors. Let the victors be the entire Filipino nation.

State of the Nation 2007 (Philippines)

I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday, Monday, July 23, 2007, due to so much heat, so I opted to stay home and sleep it out. I have mentioned in one of my blogs that I didn't like taking medicines, owing to the belief that I want my body to recover from the illness and reserve the use of artificial medication only when my body truly needs it. So I dozed on and off, only getting up to drink more liquid or go to the toilet. Around 4:00 PM, I turned on the TV, lo and behold, the president was on in a "recycled" red "terno" in front of the joint session of the Senate and Congress. What the....? Oh yes, she was about to deliver another state of the nation address. Her seventh.

As she began her opening spiel, I quickly scanned the channels for other broadcasts only to find the major networks are all glued on her. Why wouldn't they be? She "is" the President after all.

What surprised me was the presence of Congressman Jose de Venecia sitting as Speaker of the House along with Senator Manuel Villar as the Senate President. As it turned out Congressman de Venecia was still hot being voted only a few minutes before the SONA as the Speaker of the House. Interesting. Very interesting. I'm sure we will hear various oinking about this in the next few days.

Setting all pessimism aside, I listened to her speech taking note of the various points she raised about the year that was under her administration and the years about to come. I was impressed by her knowledge of Philippine geography and the development that are underway or have been done. You are right Honorable Senator Chiz Escudero, that was one hell of a geography lesson.

The more I listened, I can't help but feel a slight chill slowly creeping up my spine. Most of what she delivered are a rehash of what she has already delivered a few SONA's back much like the "terno" she was wearing for the occasion. Some are way incredible (but not impossible) one will wonder, where are we going to get the money to finance them?

During her speech she mentioned an airport down south, crediting its construction as financed by an "honorable" of that province. However, she failed to mention it came from the pedestrians taxes. She called it a "pork that gave good cholesterol." Whoa! Even the President acknowledges the use of or lack thereof of the majority of our "honorables pork barrel." Well, I just hope they all follow suit and finance the President's programs for all of our benefit both administration and opposition alike. If they all do this within the next three years, the President's vision will come to fruition, and we will all reap its rewards. After all, isn't the "pork barrel" called the "Countrywide Development Fund?" These funds are given to Senators and Congressmen which are discretionary in nature. Meaning to say, our "honorables" has the option which projects to fund for the "development" of their area of constituency. Each Senator gets P200 million a year (24 X P200,000,000 = P4,800,000,000) while each Congressman gets P70 million (224 X P70,000,000 = P15,680,000,000) or a grand total of P20,480,000,000 in pork alone. "Wala pa yung sweldo nila diyan" P35,000 per month plus P2,000,000 each a month operational expenses of their offices, P760,000 per month foreign travel allowance. Add to that another P1,000,000 per month for committee membership per committee. Goodness, that's a lot of pretty pennies. Just imagine, if all the honorables use this money for it's real purpose, the government will not have to penny pinch other priority projects, raise taxes, or heaven forbid, "borrow" from outside sources. Our soldiers fighting the insurgents in the plains of Luzon or the mountains and jungles of Mindanao will not have to pray that their equipment will not fail them in their time of need. Just think. But unfortunately, most of them just carry their pork and cry "wee wee wee all the way home."

All in all, kudos to the President who says that she is "...always as strong as she can be." Who says that now, based on her vision, ..."she would rather be right than popular." She continuous on saying that, "... Fine, I stand in no ones (political) ambition, but I ask no one to stand in the way of the people's well being." Lofty statements indeed but timely. I just hope that these statements will be heeded by all starting with the President herself and down to the Barangay level. Only then will I truly believe her last statement, "The State of the Nation is Strong."