PNOY'S SONA 2011

State of the Nation Address: President Benigno Aquino III

‎(initial reaction to PNoy's SONA)

"Naglalatag po tayo ng pagbabago upang mas mapatibay ang pundasyon ng maaliwalas na bukas para sa lahat."

I think this statement pervades the whole theme of PNoy's SONA. It is not such a bad idea to stick to such a theme under the circumstances. He stuck with the good points, played those up, and evaded confrontational issues. He highlighted results against corruption, cited data to back it up (those ones will need to be validated still). He obviously avoided mentioning controversial legislative agenda - this will not be consistent with his SONA's theme. Any mention of the RH bill would be out of place, though it should not mean he has abandoned support for it. The reference to the bishops is tasteful I must admit. Overall the tone is upbeat. I must say PNoy's speechwriter did quite well (who's the guy?), considering there was really not much to report in terms of strategic direction. The Pro-RH crowd will definitely be disappointed and I doubt they will understand. What's new.

Blame it on the stupid economy

Obama blames election rout on economy

WASHINGTON—US President Barack Obama would not concede Wednesday that a Republican election rout marked a massive repudiation of his agenda, but did shoulder the blame for deep voter frustration over the economy.

Hours after Republicans captured the House of Representatives and slashed the Democratic majority in the Senate, a subdued Obama said in a White House news conference that voters were mostly preoccupied with the slow recovery.

"I think that there is no doubt that people's number one concern is the economy," Obama said. "And what they were expressing great frustration about is the fact that we haven't made enough progress on the economy."

After two years of "hope" and "change", the US economic recovery remained sluggish and unemployment is pegged at a stubborn 9.6 percent. The voter's discontent just materialized with stunning clarity.

Yes, the economy is to blame. And then of course -- someone's got to be blamed for the economy.

Don't blame it on the sunshine
Don't blame it on the moonlight
Don't blame it on the good times...

I doubt if the Obama camp is in any mood to dance.
The pro-life camp however, appears poised to rock and roll.
CatholicVote says virtually every so-called “pro-life” legislator that voted for Obamacare went down to defeat last night.

Blame it on the boogie

Aquino's SONA

I didn't get the chance to catch it live, but the transcript of President Noynoy Aquino's 1st State of the Nation address is posted online here.

As expected, there were varied reactions. Some legislators pledged support. Some, like the militants, noted here that 'there was no mention of any concrete plans or policies to address the issue of human rights.". Forces loyal to the previous administration commented that "much of it was spent blaming the previous administration for the many problems, but...the figures that were mentioned were misleading”. They were actually preparing for a "counter-SONA" to refute Aquino.

At any rate it would be premature to judge the new administration's concrete plans on the basis of this SONA alone, and it is quite understandable that it is couched in general terms at this point. President Noynoy has been in the hot seat for only three weeks, and detailed action plans should take more time in the making. As far as the nitty-gritty is concerned, one should feel especially interested in the fiscal policy details. Aquino's SONA has hinted at a policy of "public-private partnerships" to deliver social services, which a solon found "dangerous". The president also talked about pushing a "Fiscal Responsibility Bill", which would require legislators to identify funding sources for bills. It has been noted that P104.1 billion is still needed for the many laws have already passed but whose implementation remains pending because of "lack of funds". Hmm, what's the point in expending legislative resources cranking out all those laws if there is no money to implement them.

The brief situationer is that Aquino's government has inherited a budget deficit of P325 billion for 2010, while the debt stock has already ballooned to P4.4 trillion. On this note I remember Noynoy's campaign promise not to impose new taxes while seeking to improve the delivery of social services. Already, DOH Secretary Ona has asked for an additional P9 billion to increase the reach of basic PhilHealth services for the poor. The other departments are expected to follow suit, noting urgent requirements. It is going to be a agonizing tightrope of belt-tightening, running after revenue, strictly prioritizing and controlling expenses while targeting the biggest bang in the bucket for every peso spent. Tough, very tough. It beats me why so many people are so eager to become president...

Meanwhile, congressman Lagman has re-filed the RH bill on the very, very first day of Congress. The bill seeks to appropriate gazillions of taxpayers money so that the government can buy and distribute the full range of contraceptives for free.

Tsk-tsk.

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Aquino names Cabinet members

The members of Aquino’s Cabinet are:

1. Paquito Ochoa Jr., Executive Secretary

2. Alberto Romulo, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs

3. Cesar Purisima, Secretary of Department of Finance

4. Leila de Lima, Secretary of Department of Justice

5. Voltaire Gazmin, Secretary of Department of National Defense

6. Bro. Armin Luistro, Secretary of Department of Education

7. Florencio Abad, Secretary of Department of Budget and Management

8. Cayetano Paderanga Jr., Secretary of National Economic Development Authority

9. Proceso Alcala, Secretary of Department of Agriculture

10. Ramon Paje, Secretary of Department Environment and Natural Resources

11. Jose "Ping" de Jesus, Secretary of Department of Transportations and Communications.

12. Rosalinda Baldoz, Secretary of Department of Labor and Employment

13. Enrique Ona, Secretary of Department of Health

14. Alberto Lim, Secretary of Department of Tourism

15. Gregory Domingo, Secretary of Department of Trade and Industry

16. Corazon Soliman, Secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development

17. Mario Montejo, Secretary of Department of Science and Technology

18. Jose Rene Almendras, Secretary of Department of Energy

19. Rogelio Singson, Secretary of Department of Public Works and Highways

20. Virgilio de los Reyes, Secretary of Department of Agrarian Reform

21. Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on peace process

22. Julia Abad, presidential management staff chief

23. Edwin Lacierda, presidential spokesman

24. Eduardo de Mesa, presidential legal counsel

25. Patricia Liguanan, Chairman of Commission on Higher Education

26. Kim Jacinto-Henares, Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue

27. Benigno Aquino III, Secretary of Department of Interior and Local Government

(Source)

Presidential quote: “You will see old and new faces, the young and also young, but the bottomline is these are the people, who I believe have committed (to solve the problems of the country),”
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I have no reason not to believe so. May the Lord guide and strengthen you all.

Cheers!
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100% of failure is caused by simply not showing up

House kills Freedom of Information bill

House fails to ratify Freedom of Information bill

List of congressmen absent during FOI approval session

No special session for Freedom of Information bill - Palace

Bishops urge next Congress to pass ‘freedom of info’ bill

"The nine-year-old bill was set for ratification during the House’s last session on Friday. However, Speaker Prospero Nograles adjourned the session after Camiguin Rep. Pedro Romualdo questioned the quorum and a roll call showed that only 128 out of the 268 lawmakers were on the floor. At least 135 solons are needed to constitute a quorum and enable the chamber to tackle official business."
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Right, Woody. And the remaining 20%, is perhaps coming on time.

In every company, there is always a severe penalty for being inexplicably AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave) most especially when there are important and urgent things to do. It beats me why congressmen are exempt from this common business rule, and why we even allow it to happen. The FOI bill has been in the making for nine years, and taxpayers have spent gazillions to pay for legislative time, resources and salaries of congressmen to make it happen. Now they tell us there is no result because of lack of quorum. Surely, all 140 of the honorable, absent Congressmen cannot be suffering from LBM all at the same time. Beats me why are they not being confronted for this shameless behavior, and why on earth are we taking this sitting down.
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Up for grabs

The rambutan is ripe for the picking. It usually happens this time of the year when summer is about to fade. Today's harvest happened to be cornered by this little tyke who ate much of it...

Meanwhile, the House speakership is also ripe for the picking, or to put it in a better way, up for grabs. In the Senate side, it seems Manny Villar already cornered the rebound, although Drilon and Pangilinan are going for the steal. Jockeying for position in the lower house is now the order of the day. There is bound to be some deft picks, screens, and bone-shattering box-outs. Hopefully, there is no illegal pick in the scramble for position...

Lakas may field Lagman for speaker

Speakership in the bag for Belmonte

The test comes early for... kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap...



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Odds and Ends 5/14/10

Celtics oust James' Cavaliers in six games

The Boston Celtics beat Cleveland 94-85 Thursday to reach the National Basketball Association playoff semi-finals, sending LeBron James into a possible uncertain future with the Cavaliers.

(Kevin Garnet spoke to an apparently dejected Lebron James after the game)

"'You have a very, very, very bright future. Continue to work and make decisions based on you and your family.' 'That is the best advice I can give...'"

Amen to that.
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Noynoy may not take oath before Corona

TARLAC CITY , Philippines - Anyone except Justice Renato Corona.

Presidential race frontrunner Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III revealed he is contemplating on taking his oath as the new president before any magistrate but not before newly appointed Chief Justice Renato Corona.

“I’m considering it (not taking oath under Corona),” Aquino said, stressing the appointment of Corona by President Arroyo is questionable and “inappropriate.”

Not so good a sign for a smooth transition.
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Bishops remind Aquino of Church’s stand on RH Bill

MANILA, Philippines—Roman Catholic bishops around the country Thursday aired their support for “president-in-waiting” Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in his promise to fight poverty and corruption, but reminded that the Church’s stand on the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill would never change.

Before anything else, the RH Bill needs to be re-filed in the forthcoming 15th Congress. If so, it will be the fourth time that the same bill is filed. The indefatigable Rep Edcel Lagman has vowed to do so in the Lower House. I remember that he quit all his House committee memberships just to focus on the RH bill. I hope his heart and legs can still stand it. On the other hand, staunch RH bill co-sponsor and avid advocate Rep Risa Hontiveros also vowed that once she wins in the Senate race, she will likewise re-file the Senate RH Bill counterpart. Looks like her vow is all for naught. Ms Hontiveros seems stuck at the losing 13th place in the senatorial race for 12 seats, still a formidable million votes behind 12th placer Guingona. Maybe she can start looking for someone sympathetic in the Senate to re-file the bill for her. At any rate, it remains to be seen whether Noynoy and the Congress leadership endorses it as priority legislative agenda.

As for Risa Hontiveros...maybe she should listen to Kevin Garnet's advise.
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Senators can do...

PPCRV-Comelec Tally (Senators)
*source: philstar.com



Except for Marcos Jr. and Guingona III, the senatoriables landing on the top twelve are the same old, same old faces. Marcos and Guingona are not exactly new names either, as the surnames of their more well-known fathers must have worked wonders for their respective candidacies. There are a lot of comments going around (most of them snarky) that four (ex) actors managed to place in the magic 12, with two of them even garnering the two highest slots. The HR practitioner in me tends to empathize with the concern. Matters of professional preparedness, capability, and evidence of past achievements appear to have been thrown out the window. If I were to draw up the job profile for a senator and try to match it with the voters actual choices, I would end up scratching my head.

The situation is not a bad thing by itself, considering that the citizenry get routinely burned by the extremely disappointing performance of your usual highly-educated, elite, smart-talking, glib barista of a legislator. I opine therefore that perceptions of professional integrity trumps all other criteria, although professional integrity should actually be a given for all candidates. The absence of significant legislative achievements in the last six years (and more) of parliamentary wranglings makes one wonder whether most of our legislators are really just playing actors themselves. I guess similar voter sentiments likewise prevailed in the presidential elections. This is not to say that our country is doomed with the prospect of lightweight leaders in the face of the country's heavyweight problems. After all, the most famous twelve leaders of all times were composed of lowly fishermen and tax collectors, and they faced much greater odds.

That said, it is good to expect that any change normally works out for the better. There is a time for disagreement and there is a time for unity. Regardless of whom we voted for, the moment has come to support the new leadership and take it to task. A determined leadership together with a more vigilant, enlightened, and engaged citizenry should be the People Power of the future. And lest we and our leaders forget, we should all pray towards that end and abide in God's grace. For without Him, all of us can do nothing.
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The real work just begins

Aquino maintains huge lead

Aquino opens up commanding lead in Philippine vote

Well, I guess it's all over but the shouting.

Many thanks for all those PPCRV volunteers who braved the stifling heat, patiently calmed the hot-headed voters, and kept their cool throughout.

COMELEC also deserves kudos for the apparent overall success of the country's first automated elections. For a while there you gave us a real scare.

Thanks to all the voters who thought long and hard in choosing our country's next leaders, and for queuing up many hours in the stifling heat to cast that vote. This is also the first time I saw so many senior citizens casting their votes.

Thanks to the police force for generally keeping the peace.

Shortly, the real work just begins -- for everyone.
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To be vehemently tactful

Cardinal Rosales says another people power is ‘crazy’

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales, upon learning that some sectors are threatening People Power:

“Why infuse that into the present situation when it’s different? Come on, let’s use our head. These are two different things,” said Rosales. “That’s just crazy, crazy, crazy.”.

While I understand the concern of the good Cardinal, I feel a little uncomfortable with his choice of words in conveying his disagreement. It was likely in reaction to Noynoy issuing a warning for people power in the event that the polls fail (and he fails to win the presidency). The word 'crazy' is particularly strong enough as it is, yet the good Cardinal says it three times, for good measure. I do understand that at these times, 'crazy' is a highly-loaded word, especially since Noynoy's psychiatric condition has been put into question.

Maybe Cardinal Rosales should have used an alternative word, like 'insane'. No, I guess that's not quite right either. At any rate, the good Cardinal should have searched for more tactful words to convey to the effect that anyone who wishes to threaten people power at this presumptuous point should have his head examined.

Expectedly, there were howls of protest from some militants. Among these, the protesting words of Sr. Mary John Mananzan -- a top official of the influential Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines -- is worth noting:

“With due respect to the cardinal, I disagree very vehemently with what he said. I think doing nothing (against poll fraud) is more irresponsible,”.

My. I found it rather amazing that the words "with due respect" and "disagree very vehemently" can actually be combined in one sentence. The good Sister also manages to infer that the cardinal's position is "irresponsible".

At this point, I take note here that the issue in contention boils down to opinion against opinion, hinged upon assumptions against assumptions. Besides not being a matter of faith and morals, it is at a point where the issues behind the contentions were still contingent on the presence or absence of certain conditions either way.

Probably in retrospect, Cardinal Rosales had to explain his position further. In a more recent statement, he clarified that he will not turn down any possibilities of having another uprising in the aftermath of the May 10 polls as long as it is justified. The statement claimed that the cardinal’s statements against those threatening a new people power last Sunday were just not “reflected” upon.

So in the end, it appears there were actually no reasons to disagree (and get hot under the collar), since both sides actually agree in principle. In everyday life, this kind of thing happens many times. I guess there is a lot to learn here from Steven Covey's fifth habit: "Seek First to Understand". When there is still disagreement, perhaps there is also a lot to learn further with the fourth: "Agree to disagree agreeably".

I wonder if that last one can possibly take hold in the local political debates, considering the level of disagreeable intensity that I see in the political mudslinging hereabouts. Furthermore, I see that the norms of propriety have gone down to a level wherein a radio interviewer can have no qualms in addressing a Senator, many times his senior, as "chickenshit". It's the perfect way to lose an argument, besides making an a-hole out of oneself.

All this goes without saying that it is not impossible to assert one's positions in a firm manner, tactfully and with due respect, especially when we disagree with people in authority. Yes, I think that tact and vehement defense are not mutually exclusive. But then again, one has to understand the other's position first; take an objective, evidence-backed perspective; then prepare a well-thought-out response. When there is room for ambiguity, adopt the charitable assumption that the other side means well.

St. Peter has something to say about defending the faith, and it is worth reflecting into for its broader application.

"...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Pet 3:15).

Gentleness and respect, right. St. Peter should have added: and don't lose your sense of humor.
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For your consideration: Richard Gordon

No, I am not campaigning for Richard Gordon. I am not campaigning for Manny Villar either, although I gave space to his piece here. I am still woefully undecided. I just came across this well-written piece in Facebook that I thought worth sharing with readers. Let the piece speak for itself. I must admit it is good reading, after reading that diatribe of Pat Evangelista. It is written by one Kenzei Yonzon.
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For your consideration: Richard Gordon

Today at 8:02am

I put down my thoughts today with much regret for the time I had let pass. Time I have lost. Perhaps, if I'd made up my mind sooner, I could have done more. But here we are, five days to go before we, the Filipino people, are given an opportunity to steer our nation. In five days, we will let our voices be heard and brace ourselves for a change in leadership that we all hope will bring this troubled country some relief. By this time, most of us will have decided on whom to support. I write in the faint hope that my verbosity might help at least one person decide.

This note is borne partly in response to an article written by the young and brilliant Patricia Evangelista which is certain to sway many minds. In her piece entitled 'People call me Dick.' (you might have read it or will find it with relative ease), she delineates her dislike for Richard Gordon and questions his character. She gives as an example Gordon's dismissal of UNO editor Erwin Romulo as a "nobody" during his interview on NU 107's RockEd Radio.

But she is disingenuous in that she fails to mention how Romulo relentlessly goaded Gordon into committing slander and, in failing, calls the Senator 'chickenshit' on live radio. To subvert that context in a powerfully worded piece is rather irresponsible. Perhaps, in Evangelista's perfect world, no statesman will lose their cool in the face of such blatant disrespect. Alas, Gordon fired back as he is wont to do. That is his character. He won't take any bullshit and he won't give it, either. Richard Juico Gordon is about as straight a shooter as you can possibly imagine.

Humility is not merely spoken. It is not in reticence to say what needs to be said. Humility is also found in action. And let me tell you that giving about two thirds of your life in volunteer work is humility that speaks greater volumes than presenting an affable face in front of the cameras.

Let me address that Cojuangco issue to you now, Patricia Evangelista, and to you, Erwin Romulo, so that you may understand what it means and why there are such insinuations and why it gets Richard Gordon's goat. Because it gets me incensed just thinking about it, too.

The lynchpin of Benigno Aquino III's campaign is the tagline, "Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap" (If there is no corruption, there is no poverty)

The question Gordon asks -- and which I also ask as a voter and Filipino citizen in response is, "so why are there still poor people in Tarlac?" We all agree that there are poor people in Tarlac, right? I hope nobody will deny this.

It is a logic argument, simply. That either means Aquino's campaign slogan is a fallacy, an outright lie, or it could be absolutely true. In which case, well, you can draw your own conclusions.

I would like to think that the statement is pure political bombast, cooked up by Aquino's crack team of political strategists and advisers, and not an honest statement to be taken for fact. That is better than the alternative, which Romulo was so intent on getting Gordon to say. There is dishonesty in either case, because obviously there are still poor people in Tarlac, for one reason or the other.

I don't want a leader whose campaign is based on an outright lie. This is why "Tapusin ang kahirapan" (End poverty) is an equally false promise. A capitalist, of all people, should know better. This is why Gibo's "Galing at Talino" (Skill and Intelligence) appealed to me. But Gibo doesn't have a monopoly on that -- Richard Gordon has galing and talino in equal measure.

It boiled down to those two candidates for me: Gilbert Teodoro and Richard Gordon. To many who will vote for either man come May 10, it comes down to preference. In order to proceed to my choice of Richard Gordon, I must first explain why I didn't choose Gilbert Teodoro.

My brother explained to me that he supported Teodoro because he was willing to work with everybody as opposed to Gordon and VP bet Bayani Fernando's often criticized method of 'my way or the highway'. Teodoro is envisioned by many to be a unifying leader, someone who will galvanize opposing forces under his vision for a better Philippines. They point out his refusal to participate in mudslinging and tearing at opponents, focusing instead on the positive. The message certainly sold well to my hippie parents.

The flip side of such passivity, unfortunately, also reeks of transactional politics and compromise. There is much to be said about Teodoro and his wife, Congresswoman Nikki Teodoro's withdrawal of support for the RH Bill after championing it staunchly. The timing -- at the cusp of the elections -- is suspect. It's not as if Teodoro hadn't deliberated well on the issue before endorsing it. His 180º turnaround hints of compromise and political maneuvering.

It was gravely telling to me that the Ampatuan massacre happened so shortly after his tenure as Secretary of National Defense. It stands to reason that the position is privy to the most sensitive military information including, but not limited to, the accumulation of firearms by private armies. That there was no effort to de-escalate this accumulation at all during his tenure is baffling. He claims that disarming private armies in Mindanao was difficult due to the volatile conflict in the region. But private armies exist in Luzon, too. Just ask Chavit Singson. In April, Teodoro curiously declined to discuss the issue of private armies when invited by the Human Rights Watch to air his plans.

When typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) hit in September 2009, there was a clear lack of preparedness for the event. While a disaster of that scale can reasonably be considered something out of left field, to rationalize the inadequacy of relief efforts to the lack of a budget for rubber boats falls somewhat short of credible. Especially in a country that sees flooding and typhoons on a regular basis, the efficacy of the government's response -- Teodoro's domain -- was underwhelming.

On a personal note, it also doesn't sit well with me that Teodoro's seven year tenure at the EP Mendoza law firm, the same firm that defended Joseph Estrada during his impeachment trial, was spent mostly on the defense team of Lucio Tan and Danding Cojuangco in their ill-gotten wealth cases. While not passing judgement either way, his political leanings are demonstrated here, and I am not inclined to side with it.

Galing at Talino are both excellent qualifications, but so is Gawa (Action). I would love to believe that Teodoro is the right choice for our nation as he certainly exudes a most stately demeanor on top of his obvious intelligence, but his performance in my opinion leaves much to be desired.

So. Richard Juico Gordon.

I will address here first the perception that a vote for Gordon is a wasted one because he has no chance of winning.

I believe that the purest vote is a vote cast in a vacuum, cast without regard for probabilities and surveys. We vote for whom we think is best for the position and not for whom we think has a chance to win. This is not the Lotto. The moment we allow surveys to dictate our voice, or if we decide to play kingmaker and cast our votes as a preventative measure, then we will have been compromised. The integrity of our vote will have been diminished. No, the only wasted vote is one that isn't cast. You don't second guess 50 million Filipinos.

On May 10 I will vote for Richard Gordon because of his platform, his accomplishments, and yes, even his oftentimes overbearing personality. One big difference between Gordon's platform and those of other candidates is that Gordon calls upon the Filipino people -- you, me, every one of us -- to work hard to change this nation.

Gordon's record speaks for itself. Olongapo, SBMA & Subic, Department of Tourism, and six years in the Senate with numerous bills authored and passed. He has already come under fire for flaunting his accomplishments, almost rubbing it in his opponents' faces, so I don't think his record is in question. However, out of all his accomplishments the one that stands out for me is his over forty years in service with the Philippine National Red Cross. It's all voluntary.

In fact, if anything jumps out at me from all his media interviews and reading his work, it is the fact that he engenders volunteerism. He demands it. His work in Olongapo, Subic, and the Red Cross are all driven by volunteerism. Gordon understands that the Philippines will not rise on the power of its President alone but on the efforts of every Filipino. It will take hard work to make this happen. Bawal ang tamad (No room for the lazy).

Gordon runs at the end of his six year term in the Senate. This means that if he loses this election, he will have no position in government. Villar and Aquino were both elected in 2007 and will return to the Senate if they don't win the Presidency. In other words, Gordon has thrown all his chips in the pot. He's gone all in and stands to lose everything. Well, everything except the PNRC, which I can guarantee you he will continue to volunteer for even if he doesn't win.

That's the point. Gordon has been at this longer than any other candidate. He's been serving the Filipino people with or without public office, volunteering his time -- and many of those who have worked with him will tell you of his long hours -- and his life to the people of this nation. Because he loves this nation and its people. Boy, does he ever.

Richard Gordon wears his heart on his sleeve, vacillating between teary-eyed sympathy and vein-popping lividity even under the watchful eyes of the media. He is who he is. What you see is what you get. If Richard Gordon is abrasive it is because he knows nothing else but brutal honesty, and I appreciate that more than duplicitous timidity and tactful restraint. I appreciate honesty and straight shooting because so few politicians are capable of it.

If Gordon is angry it's because his passion to change this country is so overwhelming that it tears at his very core to imagine the Filipino people, out of sympathy and nostalgia, so willing to hand over the keys to an ineffectual public servant bankrolled by the country's oligarchs. If you truly love this country and want to effect change, you'd be offended, too. I know I am.

This is why Gordon's strong personality is endearing to me. I don't want compromise. I'm sick of it. I'm tired of politicians spinning lines and making this a morality play. The heart of the issue is that the country is sick. The Philippines is in the mud and we need to get up. One person won't be able to do it, and Gordon knows that.

We know that. At the back of our minds, we know that in order to actually change this downtrodden archipelago, we have to get off our lazy asses and work hard. Some of us will hide behind the thought that if we vote for this or that candidate, our involvement can end. More than a few of us will gladly hand the keys over to the nation and be happy to ride in the back seat.

That's not going to get it done.

Our involvement doesn't end on May 10 after we cast our vote. It only just begins there. The most telling of Gordon's traits is that, no matter the outcome of these Presidential elections, I know that Richard Gordon will continue to devote his life to serving the Filipino people, working with the PNRC. That speaks volumes to me.

What this country needs isn't a change of men, Gordon says, it needs a change IN men.

I have never been so inspired by a leader as I have by Richard Gordon.

At the end of the day, even if none of these words manage to sway your vote, understand that I am hopeful that this country is moving in the right direction. We have a new automated election (thanks to a law authored by Gordon), the emergence of social media as an alternative and complement to traditional television and print, and the most informed voting population in history. Voter education will only continue to get better, and I'm hopeful that along the way, we'll continue to make the right choices.
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Prayers for the success of automated elections

Malfunctioning PCOS machines can be fixed, PPCRV told

Senator wants Congress to look into poll machine glitches

No cellphone signals at nearly 5,000 precincts

Defective data cards for poll machines recalled

PCOS machines in Palawan declared faulty
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Naloko na.

I get this mounting feeling that the automated election process does not invite much optimism for success. In the manufacturing environment where I work, much, much smaller incidences of failures provide enough reason to reject the whole thing. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to reject the automated election process this late in the game. The call for parallel manual counting only asks for the moon at this point. In my experience in IT, pilot runs are normal and mandatory for a such a large-scale, complex computerization project. It stretches the imagination that there was none, but that is now water under the bridge. Apparently, they also did not employ failure-mode analysis in the planning process.

Massive prayers are called for.
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On the matter of endorsing political candidates

CFC WILL NOT ENDORSE ANY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Related cbcpnews item here: ‘Mainstream’ CFC will not endorse candidates

In this memo CFC merely clarifies its stand to remain non-partisan, to avoid confusing its position with that of the breakaway group who insists on using the CFC name in some form. From a prerogative point of view, it is acceptable for a Catholic lay organization to either support or refrain from supporting particular candidates. As long as it's the official stand of the leadership, I would say it falls under a matter of legitimate prerogative. Of course if there is a particular endorsement, it goes without saying that it should never carry any element of coercion to its members. Endorsement or no endorsement, the bottom line is that in the final reckoning, it is still the individual's conscientious choice that must be respected. In the contentious matter of selecting the best political candidate, reasonable people can come to different conclusions.

The matter is different though, when we talk of an official endorsement coming from the Catholic clergy. The danger lies when such an endorsement is perceived to represent an official Church stand that the faithful must follow. To my knowledge, there is no allowance in the Church's principles for political partisan endorsements. The Church as a matter of principle avoids endorsing particular candidates for public office, as the matter of voter's choice rests upon contingent and controvertible matters that are beyond the scope of certainty as it relates to the articles of faith. It is the role of the Church however, to issue moral guidelines for arriving at a conscientious choice in line with Catholic teaching.

Here are some profitable readings along the line.

DOCTRINAL NOTE on some questions regarding the Participation of Catholics in Political Life

- A document released in 2002 by the Congregation of the Doctrine for the Faith, headed by then Cardinal Ratzinger. An interesting portion of the document talks about "moral principles that do not admit of exception, compromise or derogation". Thus we infer that that voting for persons who unquestionably hold such adverse positions goes against a conscientious Catholic choice.
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A Catechism on Family and Life for the 2010 Elections

- The voters guide released by the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, which is rather heavy in its admonition against voting for candidates who promote contraceptives. Coincidentally, when the document was released last December 27, 2009, all the popular leading presidential candidates changed their tune and withdrew their support for the RH-bill. Interesting coincidence.
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Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

- A good explanation by Catholic Answers on the Five Non-Negotiable Issues
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Abortion Is the Black Hole of Moral Issues

- A great explanation by Jimmy Akin in his featured article for Catholic Answers, explaining Cardinal Ratzinger’s "Proportionate Reasons".
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Voters Guide, NOT!

- And lastly, a Voters Guide for the Not-so-Serious Catholics
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10 days to go and I am still undecided. Sigh.

Odds and Ends 4/28/10

Tabloid journalism against Pope Benedict XVI

The New York Times report last March 25 on sexual abuse of an American priest relied on speculative sources without authentic documentation as proof. The writers likewise failed to verify the accuracy of their report by consulting directly with duly authorized Church authorities. Without close scrutiny, news editors of the world simply parroted the inaccuracies of the New York Times...

The commentary also quotes: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

They don't?
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Question for today

Why is it so terribly wrong to suggest that there might be a connection between sexual abuse and homosexuality, but perfectly acceptable to say that the sex-abuse crisis shows the need to reconsider clerical celibacy and other aspects of Church teaching regarding sexuality?

Or to put it differently, why is it outrageous to suggest that a homosexual is more likely to molest an adolescent boy, but logical to suggest that a celibate is?

We know something about a homosexual: he likes boys. We know something about a celibate: he is continent. So of the two men-- one who likes boys, the other who controls himself-- which is more likely to molest boys?

Take your time. I know this is a tough one.

Wait. I'm still thinking.
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No litmus tests-- except this one

Asked whether he would consider a Supreme Court candidate who did not support legal abortion, President Obama replied that "I don't have litmus tests around any of these issues."

Good. So he might possibly nominate a pro-life jurist? No. Having expressed his distaste for litmus tests, the President immediately applied one:

"But I will say that I want somebody who is going to be interpreting our Constitution in a way that takes into account individual rights, and that includes women’s rights. And that’s going to be something that’s very important to me, because I think part of what our core Constitution -- constitutional values promote is the notion that individuals are protected in their privacy and their bodily integrity, and women are not exempt from that."

What he means, I guess, is that he won't actually use litmus paper.

Or that giving litmus tests is above his pay grade. Whatever.
/

Finally for the liberal press, all politicians, and especially for all those vying for public posts in the coming May 10 elections:

Here is a quote from Alfred Adler:

A lie would have no sense unless the truth were felt to be dangerous.
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Campaigns to intensify

May 10 is just around the corner...
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Roxas City, Philippines - Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on Thursday said that the Nacionalista Party (NP) also has many good and upright candidates. "I believe LP has the best platform for governance. Although we have different political views with the NP, I have a high respect for Villar and his partymates. May the best candidates win in the coming elections. Let the people decide." NP spokesman and senatorial candidate Gilbert Remulla said in response: "The feeling is mutual. Although we are convinced that Villar is the best candidate for the presidency, we believe that Noynoy Aquino is a very worthy challenger.". For this part, LP vice-presidential candidate Mar Roxas added that their campaign has been marked by "a strong emphasis on instructive platforms for good governance", which shows the "high maturity level" of our politicians and the electoral system. Meanwhile, former President Joseph Estrada's campaign manager reported that Erap is still busy campaigning in Cebu, informing the people of his "comprehensive plans to eradicate poverty".

With just 24 days to go before the May 10 presidential elections, the campaigns are seen to intensify.
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The above report are excerpts from the highly accurate New York Times.

Doubting

While reflecting on 'doubting Thomas' in yesterday's Gospel, my thoughts turned to choosing the right candidate in next month's presidential elections. So far the campaigns, if they might properly be called campaigns, appear to revolve around one basic issue: lying. That candidate is lying. My opponent is twisting the truth. The other camp is fabricating stories. That candidate cheated in the past. This candidate is making false claims, and so on. I have never even heard of campaign platforms bandied about, as the campaign issues mainly revolve around destroying the credibility of one's opponents. Being the case, the electorate is steered towards rejecting certain candidates based on perceptions of dishonesty, most of which are devoid of evidence and are simply innuendos. It is a very unsound way of evaluating presidential candidates, yet we cannot totally blame the electorate who are wounded by our painful political history.

But let us assume for a while that all the candidates are telling the truth, and let us give everyone the benefit of the doubt that each one will rigorously drive their political platforms once elected. No accusations of dishonesty will be made. The contest would now be focused on the political platforms, and how well the candidates justify and defend those platforms. Secondly, we must look at the qualification and track record of each candidate to give us a reasonable idea that the person has what it takes to drive results. In HR, we have this tried and tested assessment technique. The record of personal accomplishments (or lack thereof) in the past is a reasonable indicator of the suitability of the candidate to fulfill future requirements. While I do not discount personal re-engineering, usually a duck does not turn into a lion overnight.
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Villar vs Noynoy heats up

How Manny Villar lied and used the death of his brother Danny
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo
The Philippine Star 2010-03-28
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Awesome (claims)
By Solita Collas-Monsod
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:18:00 03/27/2010
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Noynoy doubts Villar's rags story
By Ces Oreña Drilon
ABS-CBN News
03/30/2010 4:02 PM
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And now here is Villar's rejoinder, going the rounds

DATING TINDERO vs. LUMANG ASENDERO - Iyan ang TOTOO! Direct from Manny Villar - Walang Spinner!

As told to Exequiel Villacorta:

Hindi daw siya magnanakaw. Pero bakit siya nagsisinungaling? Hindi ba’t kapatid ng magnanakaw ang sinungaling.

Sa napakatagal na panahon ay nanahimik ako. Naniwala at patuloy akong naniniwalang may mas mahahalaga pang isyung dapat harapin sa halalang ito kaysa sa magbatuhan ng putik, lalo na kung ito’y pawang kasinungalingan lamang.

He claims he is the son of heroes. Heir to the legacy of his parents, their courage, and integrity. Ngunit bakit siya nagtatago sa likod ng black propaganda? Hindi ba’t utang din niya sa sambayanan ang ipaalam sa mamamayan
ang kanyang plataporma, kakayahan, at kapasidad na mamuno?

The issue in this election or any election is competence and track record. Why does he keep quiet on these issues?

Inapi raw sila. Ano naman ang natutunan niya sa karanasang ito?

Noong sinabi kong ako’y ipinanganak na mahirap, kaakibat nito ang leksiyong patuloy na mangarap sa kabila ng kahirapan. Nagsipag ako, nagtiyaga. Natuto akong makipagkapwa- tao sa mga tulad kong isinilang na salat sa oportunidad.

Bakit siya naman ngayon ang nang-aapi?

The issues he and his thousand advisers have hurled against me, have hurt not only me but my family and friends. Nasaktan na po ang aking pamilya, maybahay, mga anak, mga kapatid, at ang aking ina.

Paano mo sasabihin sa isang tindera ng hipon at isda na hindi talaga siya mahirap? Paano mo sasabihin sa aking mga kapatid na karangyaan pala ang magsiksikan sa isang banig at isang kulambo, gayung mas malaki pa ang
kulungan ng aso ng isang haciendero sa aming tahanan?

Panahon nang basagin ko ang kanilang mga kasinungalingan. Utang nating lahat na mga kumakandidato, Nacionalista man o Liberal, na ipaalam sa taumbayan ang katotohanan.

Anak ng Tondo

Kasinungalingan ang kanilang paratang na hindi ako kailanman ipinanganak na mahirap.

Katotohan. Ako si Manuel Bamba Villar, Jr., isinilang sa 500 Moriones St., Sta. Maria, Tondo Manila. Ang aking ama ay isang kawani ng pamahalaan, ang aking ina ay naglalako ng isda at hipon sa palengke. Siyam kaming magkakapatid. Nanirahan kami bilang mga squatters. Natutulog kaming siyam na magkakapatid sa isang makitid na banig sa isang maliit na kulambo.

Kapag umuulan tumutulo ang tubig-ulan mula sa butas-butas na bubong ng aming bahay. Kapag malakas ang ulan at bumabaha sa paligid ng aming tinitirhan, naglulutangan ang mga basura sa paligid. Wala kaming pakialam na naliligo sa ulan, lumalangoy sa baha.

Ganyan ang maging mahirap. Bata kami, walang mga ilog at beach sa kamaynilaan. Lalo namang walang swimming pool, jacuzzi, o bath tub sa aming lugar. Sabik kaming lumangoy kahit na sa dagat ng basura.

Hindi nila ito kainlanman mauunawaan.

Tindero sa Divisoria

Kasinungalingang mayaman daw kami kaya sa pribadong Catholic school ako nag-aral.

Katotohanan. Nag-grade 1 ako sa Isabelo de los Reyes elementary school. Kung mayaman kami, sana nag-nursery, kinder, at prep pa ako, pero hindi. Nag-drop out ako sa Isabelo de los Reyes, inaamin ko. Mas ginusto ko pang maglakwatsa t tumulong sa nanay kong magtinda sa Divisoria.

Ang sinasabi nilang Holy Child Catholic School ay dating maliit na paaralang itinayo ng mga pari para sa mga mahihirap. Malapit sa aming bahay, at walking distance lamang. Dun ako nag-aral. “Pribado” dahil hindi pinapatakbo ng pamahalaan pero hindi pribadong kagaya ng La Salle o Ateneo na alam natin ngayon.

Pag gabi, naglalakad kami ng nanay ko papuntang Divisoria. Bumibili kami ng ilang banyerang hipon para itinda sa palengke. Sa likod ng puwesto, sa isang makitid na bangko ako natutulog. Pag dating ng umaga, nagtitinda kami.

Buong buhay ng ina ko, nagtinda siya ng hipon. Bulag na siya ngayon, ngunit patuloy na naluluha sa tuwing maririnig niya ang mga kasinungalingang ipinapakalat ng mga taong kainlanman ay hindi mauunawaan kung paano maging mahirap.

Napakarami nilang nahagilap na dokumento, bakit hindi sila pumunta sa Divisoria at ipagtanong sa mga matatanda doon si Coring na tindera ng hipon, si Nanay Coring na ina ko? Bakit hindi nila puntahan ang mga batang kasama
kong nag-swimming sa dagat ng basura o ang mga nakakita sa aking matulog sa gitna ng lansangan?

Katotohan ba talaga o paninirang puri ang motibasyon sa likod ng kanilang pag-iimbestiga?

Ang aking kapatid

Kasinungalingan at kalapastanganang kwestiyunin nila na kahirapan nga ang dahilan ng pagkamatay ng aking kapatid.

Katotohanan. Oo, naospital siya sa FEU. Oo, Funeraria Paz ang nag-asikaso sa pag-eembalsamo sa kanya. Alin diyan ang patunay na kailanman ay hindi kami naging mahirap?

Idinala siya sa FEU dahil may kamag-anak kami roon na maaaring tumulong upang mapadali ang pag-admit sa kanya. Dahil ba sa mahirap kami ay hindi na namin nanaising makatanggap ng magandang serbisyo ang miyembro ng pamilyang may sakit? Bakit hindi nila sinabing sa charity ward siya tinanggap?

Namatay siya sa Leukemia, sakit ng lahi namin. Nang mga panahong iyon, hindi namin lubusang nauunawaan ang ibig sabihin ng Leukemia. Lumalaki ang tiyan niya, at wala kaming sapat na perang pambili ng gamot. Ganunpaman, sa panahong kailangan na siyang itakbo sa ospital, iisipin pa ba naman namin na wala kaming pambayad? Iisipin pa ba naman namin na wala pang teknolohiya para sa bone marrow transplant gaya ng sabi ni Esposo?

Sa mahirap, ang cancer ay cancer. Sa mahirap, ang pamilya ay pamilya. Anuman ang sabihin nila, igagapang, ipagpapalimos, ipagmamakaawa ang isang kamag-anak na may sakit. Nang mamatay siya, at nag-iiyakan kami, iisipin pa ba naman namin kung pang-mayaman o pang-mahirap ang funeraria na mag-eembalsamo sa namatay?
Tatanguan nalang namin ang unang ahenteng lalapit, pipirmahan nalang ang unang dokumentong iaabot para lang maisaayos ang bangkay.

Sa bahay siya ibinurol, kasama ng kanyang mga pangarap dahil maaga siyang binawian ng buhay.

Kami na lamang ang nangarap para sa kanya. Ipinagpapatuloy naming ang pangarap na ito hanggang sa ngayon.

Binanggit ko ang kanyang kuwento sa aking commercial upang magbigay-inspirasyo n sa kapwa naming mahihirap.

They violated the memory of my brother by putting spins on our life and his death. This is what Noynoy Aquino and the Liberal Party call principled campaign. Cheap politics. Cheap politicians!

Hindi sila mga Diyos para magsabing bawal mangarap ang mahihirap!

Lupa sa Navotas

Natatakot kayong maniwala ang mga mamamayan sa aking kuwento dahil natatakot kayong maglakas-loob ang mga magsasaka’t mga kasama na pangaraping balang araw ay ariin ang inyong mga hacienda, ang lupang kanilangang binubungukal at pinagyayaman.

Minamana ninyo ang inyong mga lupain at ari-arian. Dangal lamang ang maipapamana ng mahihirap sa kanilang mga anak.

Nangarap ang aking pamilya, nagsipag at nagtiyaga. Ipinangutang sa gobyerno ang lupa at tahanang nilipatan.

Hindi ito kagaya ng San Raphael Village na binabanggit ni Winnie Monsod. Hindi ito exclusive subdivision noon, walang gate, walang guwardiya. Hindi sementado, hindi aspaltado. Isang kapirasong lupa sa Navotas, malapit sa
Smokey Mountain, lubog sa baha tuwing umuulan.

Kasinungalingang sabihing patunay ito na hindi kami naghirap.

Ang katotohanan ay patunay itong unti-unti man ay nakaangat din kami at maaaring makaahon ang sinumang matapang na haharapin ang mga hamon ng buhay.

Sino ang tuta ni Arroyo?

Ang katotohana’y naninira sila upang pagtakpan ang kahinaan ng kanilang kandidato. Ang katotohanang sa loob ng tatlong termino sa mababang kapulungan at kalahating termino sa senado ay walang naipasa ni isang batas
si Noynoy Aquino.

‘Yan naman ang kanilang sagutin. Hindi ba’t trabaho ng isang mambabatas ang magpasa ng batas? Hindi ba’t nangako at nanumpa siyang gagampanan ang responsibilidad na ito, sa mamamayan, sa Diyos, at sa Konstitusyon ng Pilipinas?

Walang-bahala, iresponsable, at tamad, ipagkakatiwala ba natin sa kanya ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan?

Nasaan si Aquino nang iniimbestigahan ang Hello Garci? Hindi ba’t hinarangan niya ang pagpapatugtog ng Hello Garci tapes upang protektahan ang kanyang kaalyadong si Gloria Arroyo?

Mula sa fertilizer scam, Hello Garci, NBN-ZTE broadband, north at south rails, inimbestigahan ang mga ‘yan sa ilalim ng aking pamumuno bilang Senate President. Pinangunahan ng partido Nacionalista ang pag-iimbestiga. Nasaan sila noon?

Sa halip na tumulong ay nakiisa sila sa Administrasyong Arroyo upang palitan ako bilang Senate President. Opo, nakiisa si Noynoy Aquino at Mar Roxas upang tanggalin ako sa puwesto. At nang sila na ang nakaupo, inimbestigahan ba nilang muli si Arroyo? Hindi.

Ako daw ang sikretong kandidato ni Gloria, ngunit kaninong mga kamag-anak ang kasama ng mga Arroyo sa poder maging hanggang sa kasalukuyan? Hindi ba’t ang mga Cojuangco at mga Aquino?

Ilan sa mga dating miyembro ng gabinete ni Arroyo ang nasa grupo ngayon ni Aquino? Dapat bang paniwalaan na nanatili silang malinis sa kabila ng ilang taong paninilbihan sa isang tiwaling pamahalaan?

Ang C5 Road Extension

Mga hipokrito’t mapagpanggap, ako ang inimbestigahan nila sa halip na ang administrasyong kanilang kunwari’y pinupulaan.

Kung totoong may kinalaman ako sa diumano’y kontrobersiya sa C5 Road Extension, di sana’y sa husgado nila ako kinasuhan. Wala akong immunity kagaya ng isang Pangulo Gloria Arroyo. Madali akong maisasakdal kung talaga mayroon silang ebidensiya.

Sa halip ay pinulitika nila ang Senado. Ang mga taong nagtanggal sa akin bilang Senate President ay siya ring nagsabing may kinalaman ako sa C5.

In truth, like the Cojuangco-Aquinos, Araneta-Roxases, and Madrigals, these are the old-rich in Philippine society who cannot and will not accept that someone who comes from the ranks of the poor may just one day lead this nation.

Hindi kayang tanggapin ng mga naghaharing- uring mga ito na isang katulad kong dating mahirap ang mamumuno sa ating bansa. At upang huwag suportahan ng ating mga kababayan ang kagaya nilang hindi haciendero o nagmula sa angkan ng mga pulitiko, sari-saring dumi at baho ang kanilang iimbentuhin upang mapanatili ang kanilang mga pamilya sa kapangyarihan.

Babawiing gastos sa kampanya?

Napakalaki na raw ng ginastos ko sa kampanya. Babawiin ko raw ito kung sakaling umupo ako sa Malacanang.

Nangarap po akong maging Speaker of the House of Representatives, natupad ko na ito. Nangarap po akong maging Senate President, natupad ko na rin ito. Ang pagiging Pangulo na marahil ang pinakamatayog sa aking mga pangarap.

Nang mga panahong pinagsasaluhan ng aking pamilya ang kakarampot na pagkain sa mesa, nang mga panahong kailangan kong magbanat ng buto para makapag-aral, nang mga panahong may magkakasakit sa pamilya at wala kaming mahugot na pambili ng gamot --- nang mga panahon ding iyon ay pinangarap kong sana’y magkaroon tayo ng Pangulong kayang tumulong upang wakasan ang ating kahirapan.

Isinilang ang pangarap na iyon sa aking kamusmusan. Ngayong ako’y may sapat nang kakayahan upang tuparin iyon, bakit ko tatalikuran ang pagkakataong makapagsilbi sa mga taong katulad ko’y nangarap ng isang mas magandang bukas?

Hindi ako isinilang na anak ng isang pangulo’t isang bayani, ngunit sa aking mga mata’y wala nang hihigit pa sa kadakilaan at kabayanihan ng aking mga magulang.

If an haciendero can claim to never besmirch the legacy of his parents, why can’t a Tondo boy say the same?

Bakit ko rin yuyurakan ang ala-ala ng aking ama? Bakit ko rin sisirain ang pangalan ng aking inang bagama’t bulag ay makikita pa rin kung ako ay naging mabuti o masamang pangulo?

Hindi ba’t sa isang anak ay magkasing-halaga ang sakripisyo ng isang Cory na pangulo ng Pilipinas at isang Coring na tindera sa Divisoria?

Gumastos ako upang magpakilala. Ginastos ko ang salaping aking pinaghirapan mula pa pagkabata.

Hindi ako nangungutahang- loob sa mga campaign contributors. Wala akong kailangang pagbayaran sakaling maging pangulo. Ilang mga pulitiko, mayayamang pamilya, at mga kamag-anak ang kailangang pagbayarang- utang ng isang Noynoy Aquino?

Kung may pinagkakautangang- loob man ako, ito ay ang mga kasama kong lumaki sa Tondo at kasamang nagtingda sa Divisoria na nagsilbing inspirasyon sa aking kinatatayuan sa kasalukuyan.

Hindi gaya ni Noynoy, mayroon akong mga anak. Dangal at magandang pangalan ang gusto kong ipamana sa kanila.

Hindi ako magnanakaw!

Hindi magnanakaw

Sabi niya sa kanya ang mga linyang ito?

Nagnakaw na po siya simula nang naging maging bahagi at nakinabang siya sa isang pamilyang nagkait sa mga magsasaka ng Luisita sa lupang sila dapat ang nagmamay-ari.

He was a Congressman, he is a Senator. Why didn’t he do anything?

Dapat bang paniwalaan ang pangako niya ngayong tumatakbo siyang pangulo gayung naging bulag, bingi, at tamad siya sa lumipas na napakaraming mga taon?

Ang mambabatas na walang ipinasang batas ay pangulong hindi kayang panguluhan ang bansa.

The Luisita farmers shall have their land not under another Aquino regime. They shall have it under my presidency!

Ang isyu

‘Yan po ang isyu sa eleksiyong ito at hindi ang paninirang-puring patuloy na pinagkukublihan ng salat sa kakayahan.

Kasinungalingan ang sabihing may sinseridad mamuno ang isang kandidatong hindi namuno at nanilbihan ng tapat sa mga posisyong kanya nang nahawakan.

Kasinungalingang sabihing mamumuno ng mahusay ang taong walang track record.

An incompetent cannot run a government. His advisers will do that for him. Ang isang mangmang ay paiikut-ikotin lamang ng mga buwitreng nakapaligid sa kanya.

A vote for Manny Villar is a vote for Manny Villar. A vote for Noynoy Aquino, is a vote for his thousand advisers.

Laban ito ng isang Tondo boy sa isang haciendero sampu ng kanyang mga kamag-anak, alipores, at tagapagpayo, .

Sa tulong at tiwala ninyo, hindi ko sila uurungan.
/

Odds and Ends 3/19/10

Quiboloy wishes presidency for Madrigal

SACRED MOUNTAIN, Davao City – Senator Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal was on Cloud Nine after Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, head of the religious sect "Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name" said he wished she would win the presidential elections and cited her for her "crusade" against corruption.

No, he ain't kidding. Expect the loaves, rather the votes for Jamby, multiply. Only problem is, when you multiply zero by 5000, it will still be zero.

Meanwhile, Aquino and Villar seem to have gone into confession.
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Singing fishermen land a whopper of a record deal

The Fisherman's Friends have signed with Universal Music -- whose roster includes Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse and Take That -- for an estimated one million pounds (1.12 million euros, 1.53 million dollars), news reports said.

"We don't really know what to expect, to be honest -- we're just making it up as we go along," said fisherman Baritone Brown, one of the group's members who are mostly in their 50s.

Watch out, mate. Listen to the Mexican fishermen first.
/

French mother sentenced to 15 years for killing six babies

COUTANCES-A court on Thursday sentenced a French mother to 15 years in jail for smothering or strangling to death six of her newborn babies...

How horrifying and how sad. But how come in France, you can get away with smothering 12-week-old babies to death?
/

Nuns Backstab Bishops on Health Care, Demand Bill's Passage

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 17, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The health care reform controversy appears to have brought serious disagreements within the U.S. Catholic Church out into the open. Just days after the Catholic Health Association endorsed the Senate health-care bill, the Catholic Leadership Conference of Women Religious has also now publicly broken ranks with the US Catholic Bishops, demanding that the House of Representatives pass the abortion-promoting legislation.

In the book Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVI talks about the first temptation: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread". Apparently, these nuns see bread where there is only stone.
Perhaps Prof. Monsod and Sec. Cabral see stones in their statistics too.

Here is an abbreviated excerpt regarding the first temptation:

"At the heart of all temptations is the act of pushing God aside because we perceive him as secondary, if not actually superfluous and annoying, in comparison with all the apparently far more urgent matters that fill our lives. Constructing a world by our own lights, without reference to God, building on our own foundations, refusing to acknowledge the reality of anything beyond the political and material, while setting God aside as an illusion - that is the temptation that threatens us in many varied forms. Moral posturing is part and parcel of temptation. It does not invite us directly to do evil, no - that would be far too blatant. It pretends to show us a better way, where we throw ourselves into the work of actually making the world a better place. What is real is what is right there in front of us: power and bread. By comparison, the things of God fade into unreality, into a secondary world that no one really needs."
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Odds and Ends 3/16/10

( Some odds and ends on the culture of law abidance and the wheels of justice hereabouts [sigh] )

Strictly implement gun ban, Nograles urges

Why oh why is the word "strictly" normally used as an adjective for "implement"?
/
Gordon, Fernando on big posters: Why single us out

In other words: if others are allowed to violate the law, why can't we?
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SC fails to rule on Bulacan governorship row

I just hope this 2007 electoral protest finally gets settled by May, just in time for the next gubernatorial election.
/

The wrath of Apollo

Aquino, Villar face pastor’s ‘divine wrath’

Noynoy Aquino and Manny Villar, the top two presidential contenders, failed to attend the presidential forum. Mukhang in-indyan ba. A terribly disappointed Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, head of the sect "Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name", thus declaims:

"There is something that they say about commitment. An unknown man defined it as word of honor. When you fail to fulfill your commitment, you have no word and you have no honor."

Gosh. Since Quiboloy said that his choice of presidential candidate would be announced next month (after "the Father’s revelation", he claims) it is now highly unlikely that his choice will be any of these two leading candidates (now statistically tied for the top spot by the way) whom he already referred to as having "no word and... no honor.".

Villar later apologized but offered no specific excuse. Good ploy, he is keeping his opportunities open without openly offending Quiboloy. I know, he could have attended the forum if he really wanted to. After all, he was already in the area. Further, it could not have escaped his attention that his closest rival Noynoy wasn't attending as well, and the business acumen in him probably decided to call it "quits lang".

Meanwhile, Ang Kapatiran Party presidential candidate JC de los Reyes said he decided to boycott the forum because of his party’s strict adherence to "principled politics.", and visited Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla instead. When Bishop Capalla asked him if he would attend the Kingdom of Jesus Christ forum, de los Reyes said: "I know my Shepherd and His shepherds know me.". I think this is an allusion to John 10:27.

On the other hand, Aquino's excuse was a bout of barosinusitis, which apparently hampered him from traveling by aircraft. I wonder if Aquino would have insisted on attending had it occurred to him that Quiboloy just might be able to lay miraculous healing hands upon his barosinusitis, whatever that is. As the good Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz quipped: "How can you violate what the 'son of God' will say?". How indeed?, given that Quiboloy supposedly commands six million votes. Woe to anyone who displeases Quiboloy, lest they be branded "without word and honor", and lose 6M supporters as well. It pretty much sounds like being condemned to eternal fire. At least those six candidates (who attended) escaped 'divine wrath', so I guess his inspired choice would now be limited to those lambs, I mean, candidates. Maybe Quiboloy would eventually choose Jamby Madrigal. From the looks of the surveys, she needs nothing short of a miracle. Abangan.
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