Keep Echoing!

LRT's treatment of disabled

2011-11-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

LRT’s treatment of disabled
Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:26 am | Monday, November 7th, 2011
3share17 14

It is a pathetic scene: physically impaired Filipino citizens struggling to go up and down the stairs of LRT Recto.

Escalators and elevators in this station are out of order. The staircases are also dimly lit, and LRT passengers can hardly see their way. It seems that the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) does not care about the welfare of its passengers, especially those who are disabled.

The trains are even badly maintained. The recorded voice-over announcing the next stop is almost muted, so that anyone who does not know his way in Manila would not know where the train has stopped off, especially because LRT coaches are wrapped with advertisements blocking the view from the inside.

The LRTA management should look into this. The trains are meant to be of service to the public and not for profit. It should think about the safety and welfare of the passengers, particularly our physically impaired citizens.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO, reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com

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Arrogant Officials

2011-08-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

Arrogant Officials
Published in Philippine Free Press July 30, 2011 Issue

It is appalling to see government officials displaying their arrogance in public. A local official pummeling a helpless court officer. Another gesturing indecently at critics of the other official. Such arrogance derives from power and fortune. Such officials also display their vanity, riding around in flashy cars with special license plates and wearing expensive shoes, rings, and watches. When are we going to have modest, unassuming, and self-effacing officials? Today it’s hard to find such leaders whom we can recommend to our children to view as models of simplicity, integrity, honesty, and clean living. —Reginald B. Tamayo, Marikina City

Arrogant public officials

2011-07-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

Arrogant public officials
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:01 am | Friday, July 22nd, 2011

It is heartbreaking that some of our public officials are so ego-driven and arrogant that they can insolently display such behavior even in public, like that local official who pummeled a harmless government employee. Another official defiantly flashed a dirty finger on television.

Such arrogance and egotism are often manifested not only in their cruel treatment of the lowly and the meek but also in the way they flaunt their fortunes and ride in flashy cars with vanity license plates.

Take notice of their shoes, watches, rings and other personal accessories and you will find personifications of narcissism.

When shall we have public officials who are modest in their ways? When shall we elect leaders who are unassuming and self-effacing? Nowadays, seldom do we find leaders we can recommend to our children as models of integrity, honesty and clean living.

That is why we should be cautious with politicians who appear to be gentle and timid during elections, during which they are submissive and do anything we want them to—from singing to dancing. Their true colors, however, emerge once they are elected into office, after which they immediately reveal themselves to be uncivilized and crooked.

We share the blame for their election into public office. We have not been meticulous enough in choosing the right leaders. We allow ourselves to be hoodwinked by their pretenses. We should realize that we helped turn them into monsters by gratifying their selfish political ambitions.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO,
reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com

Is the Church to be faulted?

2011-05-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

Is the Church to be faulted?

I received many emailed reactions to my published PDI May 14 letter-to-the-editor "Why save the Filipino culture.". Some were appreciative of my observations that our culture is the culprit of our societal ills. Others were not charitable though in their views to the extent that they sorely verbalized their hatred to the Catholic Church and her priests as the inauspicious sources of our problems in society.

This to my mind is an unfair criticism. Even when the Catholic Church and her ministers have an opposing view as regards Reproductive Health Bill, this should not be a reason to despise the church and her clerics. The church can’t be blamed when it protects its flock from the pounding hand of the devil. The church can’t be faulted when it assesses critically national policies when chiefly they run counter to the Gospel values. The church can’t be accused of meddling in the affairs of the government when she finds it leading the faithful into the dark pit of sinfulness.

It is a witty remark for a congressman who said that he is allergy to an uncalled for homily. Many, for sure, share his feelings especially when listening to priests who give moralizing admonition which they themselves do not follow. There is even some who do not prepare their homilies that people with insomnia would simply doze off. Priests have limitations too. After all they are humans like us who have their own share of transgressions. But, more importantly, the Church is a human church.

Be that as it may, the Church is not faltering to her mission to evangelize. Evangelization is designed for all- those within the society or within the Church itself and even those outside her flock. It spreads the Gospel values to her own who distrust her teachings and ethos. That is why, the Church keeps on reminding Catholic politicians and her pastors of her teachings and the saving truth of the Gospels. Without this vital role of the Church, everything goes and everything becomes vicious. And if this is infuriating and irritating to some that they develop allergies listening to homilies as reminders to the extent of hating the Church and her priests, it is understandable. They simply cannot yet take pride in their faith and therefore cannot yet appreciate fully the significance of the teachings of the Church.

My son's Valedictory Address

2011-05-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

MY VALEDICTORY ADDRESS (MARCH 30, 2011)
by Reiner Lorenzo Tamayo on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 7:46pm

To our beloved parish priest, Rev. Fr. Adalbert Barut, our Directress-Principal Sr. Alfreda Maria Rosario V. Piguing, SPC; Sr. Alicia; Sr. Leah; our scrupulous advisers, Mrs. Teresita Taguba and Mrs. Karen Chan; the Student Affairs Chairperson, Mrs. Ronalyn Agustin; our Student Council President for the school year 2010-2011, Mr. Ryan Esquibil; patient mentors; parents; friends; guests and fellow graduates good afternoon!

A few weeks ago, we were taking up Latent Heat in our Physics class with Mrs. Noemi Sibayan. It is also referred to as Hidden Heat. Why? It is because the heat that was absorbed by an ice cube for instance does not affect its temperature. But a change in its state happened. From a solid ice it turned into liquid ice. Like the ice, we have absorbed some 1,000,000 calories of knowledge from our teachers. We are now going through a phase change at this very moment. We are ending our being solid hard headed people and are travelling in the speed of sound to be more flexible individuals ready to go with the turbulent waves of a more crucial life.

Sir Winston Churchill once said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Yes, I failed several times. I lost hope but eventually I never lost faith. Failure has been and will forever be a part of the cycle. Without it, fluorescent lamps and ballpoint pens couldn’t have been invented.

Our graduation song with the title “The Climb” best describes the journey I went through before I got here. Let me state two lines from its chorus: “…sometimes I’m gonna have to lose. Ain’t about how fast I get there…” It was not really that fast and easy to reach the top for it took me eight long school years. I waited eight years for me to be called ‘First’ once again. The last time I heard people call me the ‘First Honor’ in class was way back 2002 when I was on the 1st grade.

What I humbly prayed for in the past ten months was to simply finish the race with whatever distinction I deserve. But God is good to me and my family for He gave me more than what I prayed and hoped for. I have faced tons of obstacles and jumped hundreds of hurdles or even thousands. Duties on the council and school requirements came like a tsunami day after day drowning me in stress. The zits you see on my face are living proofs.

Those difficult times and depressing moments did not stop me and all of my batch mates from dreaming, claiming and working for it. Nothing, ever, is impossible to get. What you need to do is to stick with that goal and get busy with those special codes in order for your plan to work out like a computer program.

We have been waiting for this day for us to finally escape Catch-22s and dilemmas encountered on the four corners of our classrooms. After this day, the disgust whenever there is an assignment or project, the eye bags during and after examination days, and the trepidation and anxiety we feel after each grading period will be all gone! They are all replaced by euphoria or a feeling of great happiness. At last, our story is in its conclusion part already! Everyone is glad about it for we are now a part of SPSA’s history and SPSA is now a part of our history.

Today, March 30, 2011, we are gathered here to harvest the fruits of our efforts. These recognitions represented by metal medals will soon rust. They will look old and ugly and will not serve their purpose. That is not the matter to be talked about. For the most important thing here is that you recognized our small and simple efforts. We do appreciate every compliment and comment, even criticisms perhaps, before these medals and diplomas were handed down to us. A piece of metal and a piece of paper, could they make another Jose Rizal? Mahatma Gandhi? Or even Ludwig van Beethoven? Definitely, not! Yet there is always a possibility that one or two of these 60 graduates can be like them or be greater than them.

Next semester we would be studying and taking up different courses in different colleges and universities; from Green and Gold to Maroon, Blue, Red or else Black, Gold, White. The next level is eventually more difficult but still is not the hardest. We must not be afraid and just thank St. Paul School of Aparri who equipped us with all the necessary knowledge and virtues needed to win another battle. I say it is not the hardest for the hardest level in life is when you are already earning money to support a family. This institution has prepared us for this final level, inculcating into our innocent minds that whenever we stand on a high platform we must keep our head facing down and never forget the fact that before we got there we were once on the ground.

Graduation day is also a day of gratitude. It is but proper to thank all those who have played their role in making up our short story.

First and foremost, I would like to thank you dear parents for the opportunity to study in the No.1 provider of Quality Catholic Education in the Northeastern part of Cagayan. Thank you for the very day or night that you decided to work on a special biological process to conceive a new baby into the wombs of your wives. Thank you for taking into consideration all the ironic attitudes we staged on the early years of our lives. Thank you for everything, especially the incomparable love you are giving us.

To the SPC Sisters, thank you dear Sisters for understanding us. We tried our best to make you happy and be proud of us. We hope that you will consider our batch as one of the good ones. May the Holy Spirit be with you to help you continue your mission here.

To our mentors, I am glad that you did not reach your elastic limit. Your wrinkles alone proved to us that your profession is quite hard. Thank you for the unending support on all our endeavors. We hope to see you after five years when we finally landed on a specific job. The strong gravitational attraction between us and this school will keep us going back and say ‘thank you’ to each and every one of you who molded us. Ma’am Rona, I thank you for being a shoulder to cry on. May your decisions be for the best. Just keep on praying. I know that one day they will appreciate all our sacrifices especially what we have done which they refer to as “ordinary and little achievements.” Again, to all the teachers, thank you.

To the non-academic personnel: Ate Aida, Ate Mary Ann, Kuya Edmund, Kuya Nelson, Kuya Rey, Kuya Erol, and our three security guards together with Nurse Dianne, Ma’am Nida, Ma’am Roldan and Ma’am Sol, you are special contributors to our success. We thank you for the services you unceasingly offered which made our stay in St. Paul School worthwhile.

To my older sister Regine and Ate Aurea who are both in UST by this time, thank you for inspiring me to just go on with the race. Ate Regine, I now know how hard it is to study here. The experiences you shared gave me distinct ideas on how to go about every individual in this school. You are right. Some tried their best to put my face in the mud but their plans did not work out. I stood mightier.

And to my parents, Mom and Dad thank you for everything. You knew the sacrifices I needed to do and the temptations I needed to resist. This is it! I graduated Valedictorian. Our long lost dream became a reality. My fight was tough. But without you here beside me made it tougher. You urged me to be strong and so I did. You are miles away from us to work. I did not complain because I know you are doing that painful sacrifice to make our lives better. I am not asking anything from you or even let you buy things for me. It is because I know that a single cent costs a thousand drop of sweat. This is my birthday and anniversary gift to the both of you.

Batch mates, I will truly miss our craziness, laziness and also the kilig and sunog kilay moments. We are like Lego pieces. We are of different shapes, sizes and colors. But even though we have physical differences we are classified as one. Cecilians, I’m gonna miss our more than 5 minute morning worship. I will miss all those long prayers and Bible passages that we pray and read every morning. But what I’m gonna miss the most are the moments wherein we get to bond with each other. I hope that you will be able to reach your dreams and pursue your ambitions in life. Thank you for cheering me up during the times when I feel I couldn’t make it. You have made my last year in SPSA memorable.

Finally, to the Creator – I thank you Lord for keeping my faith strong and giving me people like Fr. Diddi who let me realize the importance of claiming and not just dreaming. Thank you for giving me this life, this school, and everything that I am. Whatever and whoever I may be in the future, be it for your glory!

To all of you present in this commencement program, thank you for coming. You have just witnessed one of the important occasions in our lives. Your presence made it more special. God bless you and your families.

One more thing batch mates do not stop believing. We are notes and we make up a harmonious song of love and unity. We are not fortune-tellers, not even prophets, who could read palms and predict what will happen in the forthcoming years. We do not know what lies ahead in our future. But never forget that we are the composers of our lives. Whatever we think and do now will reflect to who we will be later. Make your song – your life – a masterpiece!

Caritas Christi Urget Nos! Thank you and Congratulations to all of us! (Reiner Lorenzo J. Tamayo)

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Is the Church irrelevant?

2011-05-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,

I truly enjoyed your letter and agree with most of your insight in the downward spiral of our country. I left the Philippines in 1963 when we were second only to Japan in the economy and first in Asia in education and in mastery of the English language so much so that many Asian countries send their citizens here if only to gain education and learn he English language. I was so excit3d that I remember excitedly telling my dad, who saw me off on the ship to San Francisco, "Pagbabalik ko number 1 na tayo!" I did not get the chance to return until a decade later and to my amazement our country was rapidly deteriorating!

May I be bold to lay the major part of the blame to the CHURCH, which has become inutil and irrelevant in its mandate to Proclaim the Gospel and disciple its adherents into the teachings of The Lord Jesus Christ. This is supported by our IGNORANCE of the Scriptures. The Church had become a habit, a tradition, nothing more. The Life-changing Gospel is glaringly absent in its teachings.
What when we see Bishops going to Malacanang and taking bribes!! When a mass is said in the palace among crooks who assuaged their consciences with a bunch of mambo-jumbo and leaving worst than they first came.

The Church has lost (Don't really think they had it) the life and heart changing GOspel. I teach Bible Study in the campus of a local University here in Dagupan and am appalled at the lack of, even a hint, of scriptural knowledge among the devout Catholics that attend. They are devoid of spirituality though deeply religious!

Prayer is our only hope, GOd's people banging on heaven's gates asking for mercy and grace.

Until the Nets are Full,

Douglas G. Chanco
Dagupan City

May the Lord's peace and joy be with you today and always.

Your Brother In Christ,

Doug (Matt 25:40)

Pathetic situation

2011-05-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

Pathetic situation

To Mr. Tamayo,

I have read your write-up published in the Inquirer newspaper. I find your views and assessment of thePhilippines' current social predicament worth reading and sharing to the public. I, too, find the situation pathetic, to say the least. It is saddening to see our values have gone corrupted. It is when we reached the point of complacence and indifference that positive changes and hope seem remote.

I am Psychology professor, by the way, and I try to do my humble share of making a difference in educating our students to be morally and socially responsive persons.

Thank you for sharing your time and views.

Amapola Lustre

People should change

2011-05-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

People should change

I agree that the Philippine culture is getting worse. I am a foreigner living in the Philippines and have seen it get worse each year. I also agree that politics is a big reason. One can not get elected without some sort of illegal activity. The people come to expect and yes hold out their hand to receive the expected rewards of voting for one person. The politicians expect to get power and yes more money from their election. Why would you spend millions of peso for a job that only pays thousands? You must also understand that the Philippines is not very christian. Their largest church has much to be ashamed of.

It has been said that you can not change a country without changing the people. I do not see the people changing.

From:
Tom

Role of the colonizer

2011-05-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

I read your letter in the PDI,

This is the only former colony of Spain that I ever hear still saying all their social problems come from the Colonizer...

I think Pinoys should grow up and take responsibility for their own problems.. every week or so in the media we read somebody else blame Marcos for our lousy economy.. when its all BS..our lousy economy is due to our closed and restrictive over burdensome Constitution, and the domination of our business world by Tsinoys... rather than Pinoys!

Nobody in South or Central America and certainly not Mexico, Guam or Puerto Rico ever blames Spain for any of their troubles. Spain hasn't been here for more than 100 yrs, and the U.S. has been out for more than 50 yrs...

Any problems we have are of our own making!, We have a lousy Govt. because we elect lousy people... Why would we knowingly elect a do-nothing president just because of his mama and papa, when he did absolutely zero while in congress and the senate??
That kind of behavior, electing trapos like Binay and crazy people like Jamby is our problem, NOT some antiquated relationship with Spain!

Most grade school and high school students DO NOT even know anything about Spain and how we came to be called the Philippines, ask any of them who Philip II was and they have no idea...

Our former Colonizer is the least of our many problems and has nothing to do with our weak, and soft mentality.... Spain had nothing to do with our Pres. kissing the ass of China only to see the drug runners executed anyway.. Our neighbors all know we are weak and soft.. the Prime Ministers of both Sinapore and Maylaysia wrote scholarly papers about our weak soft behavior... The Problem is US not Spain!

sincerely,

jose luis pidal

Still, imagine

2011-05-18T06:51:00.001-07:00

Theres The Rub
Still, imagine
By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:47:00 05/16/2011

Filed Under: Culture (general), Religions
Most Read
There were a couple of interesting letters in this paper over the weekend.

One was from Benjamin Mallorca Jr. who said he felt moved by my column on the 9-year-old Japanese kid who gave to others though he himself had lost everything. The kid had lost all his family to the tsunami, but after being given rations by a cop as he queued up at a food line, he brought the rations to the distributing officer so others could partake of them.

Mallorca agreed with me that “the Japanese boy and Vietnamese cop are not Christians, yet as the story showed us, they had more Christian charity than we do, and they demonstrated a capacity for self-sacrifice more than we Filipinos do.”

“How soon will we Filipinos, who are mostly Christians, transform our society into one that can produce a generation of Filipinos with values like those of the 9-year-old Japanese orphan? When can we produce a generation of Filipinos who ‘understand the concept of self-sacrifice for the greater good’? Or will we just remain as we are now, mired in the culture of corruption, where selfishness and greed are (rife)?”

The other letter was from Reginald Tamayo, which runs along the same lines. “I once listened to a homily of a priest-friend who said it is the degenerating Filipino culture that is the culprit behind our present difficulties. I agree: a malignancy afflicts our culture. Government anomalies no longer scandalize us. Corruption and immorality no longer outrage us. We have become numb to heinous crimes. We are no longer incensed by the arrogance of the powers-that-be. We no longer cringe in the face of brazen dishonesty, blatant lying and lawlessness.

“It’s as if we’re back under the yoke of the colonizers… Our forebears fell into apathy and low self-esteem, and they developed a willingness to be exploited and abused. We manifest these attitudes in similar fashion these days.”

Tamayo goes on to call on us to revive bayanihan, pakikisama, and pakikipagkapwa-tao so “we can bring back our country to its old glory.”

These are thoughtful letters and reflect an ache that is widespread among, well, the thoughtful. And again it compels us to ask if religion—or at least the kind of religion we’ve known, which, courtesy of the friars, is not altogether removed from superstition—is not a factor, and a huge one, in the culture of backwardness blighting the country.

I remember in this respect an Australian (whose name escapes me now) who incensed a lot of people here a couple of decades ago by writing letters and articles blaming Catholicism, or our brand of it, for pretty nearly every ill in this country. It was the one thing that stood in the path of science and reason, he said, things that have long held sway in the civilized world. If he had to name one factor that thoroughly screwed up the Filipino, he said, it was that.

From the other end, Tony Meloto, the founder of Gawad Kalinga, notes the same thing but finds it totally unacceptable. We are the one predominantly Catholic country in Asia, he says, but we are also the one country that has fallen far behind, home to a teeming poor and even more teeming hopelessness. He believes that that should not be the case. He believes the opposite should be so, that the power of the Catholic faith lies especially in being given to tending to the poor—Christ was so, and did—and can be employed magnificently toward that end. He at least walks the talk.

The truth is probably somewhere in between. The problem is not religion, or even the Catholic faith per se, it is the kind of religion or Catholic faith we have. True enough, as Tamayo says, we never seemed to have shirked off the colonial yoke, and a good deal of the reason for that lies in the mental yoke the friars bequeathed to us, a set of beliefs that conduces dysfunctional behavior.

At the very least it encourages self-centeredness. You do only as much as is necessary to save yourself, or your soul from perdition. In fact you can buy a berth in heaven by accumulating indulgences the way you accumulate money in the bank. Such as by donating to the Church, which many landlords fearing for their souls did on their deathbeds in Spanish times. Contrast that with what the 9-year-old Japanese boy did, which was to share what little he had, or what virtually nothing was left to him, for no other reason than that it was the right thing to do, for no other reason than that it was the only thing he knew how to do. It had nothing to do with saving his soul, it had nothing to do with feeling big-hearted, it had nothing to do with, well, being Christian.

At the very most, it is a system of beliefs given to form over substance, to ritual over essence. Why worry about corruption? All you have to do is hear Mass and receive the sacraments, preferably before dying, and you’re good. You can spend the rest of your days, lying, cheating and stealing, or even murdering. I bet GMA considers herself a very good Catholic.

The opposition to the RH bill is a variation on that theme. The people who do so feel a lot more fervor for the “unborn children” (who must number in the trillions if you include concupiscent youth jerking off) than for the born ones, the ones who forage in the mountains of trash or sleep the effects of cough syrup in the sidewalks of the city. They would rather defend the mythical existence of the “unborn children” than the existence of the very ones who have neither the life of the body nor the life of the soul, neither the life of the heart nor the life of the mind, whose existence is slow-motion suicide, if not homicide. What is this but form over substance? What is this but ritual over reality? What is this but saying, “I love humanity—it’s people I hate”?

Still, imagine.

Why save the Filipino culture

2011-05-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

INQUIRER OPINION - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Why save Filipino culture

Philippine Daily Inquirer

May 14, 2011

I ONCE listened to a homily of a priest-friend who said it is the degenerating Filipino culture that is the culprit behind our present difficulties. I agree: a malignancy afflicts our culture. Government anomalies no longer scandalize us. Corruption and immorality no longer outrage us. We have become numb to heinous crimes. We are no longer incensed by the arrogance of the powers-that-be. We no longer cringe in the face of brazen dishonesty, blatant lying and lawlessness.

We have grown used to social iniquities. We know the gravity and danger of “small sins,” yet we tolerate them. We claim to be a Christian country yet we do a lot of things that are unchristian.

Gone are the old traditional Filipino values of bayanihan, pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa-tao, paggalang, etc.

The government has had a big role in destroying our culture of the past. With its power and influence, it has slowly instilled in many of us its crooked values, practices and ways—dishonesty, cheating, corruption, disloyalty and disrespect for life and property.

We are as if we are back under the yoke of colonizers. Because of their colonizers’ strong influence over a long period of time, our forebears fell into apathy and low self-esteem, and they developed a willingness to be exploited and abused. We manifest these attitudes in similar fashion these days.

Let us reject these ghastly attitudes and their accompanying evils. Let us be agents of cultural change. Let us revive and preserve our traditional Filipino values. It is only then that we can bring back our country to its old glory.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO,

reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com

©2011 www.inquirer.net all rights reserved

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Decaying Filipino Culture

2011-05-13T13:50:00.000-07:00

Decaying Filipino Culture

Published in May 14, 2011 Free Press Issue

A priest who’s a friend of mine once said in a homily that the culprit in our difficulties is our declining culture. I agree. We are no longer scandalized by scams in the government. We are not outraged anymore by corruption and immorality among our officials. We are no longer incensed by the arrogance of the powers that be. We have become numb to heinous crimes. We seem to have accepted that all this is part of our culture. The government, instead of being the agent of change, is dictating its values to us. This cannot go on. We must deconstruct our culture and return to the traditional values that have made us Filipinos by practicing them—starting now.

—Reginald B. Tamayo, Marikina City

The malignancy of our present culture

2011-04-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

The malignancy of our present culture

I once listened to a homily of a priest-friend who said that it is the declining Filipino culture which is the culprit in our present difficulties. I concur. There is malignancy in our current culture that causes all our troubles in our country.

We are no longer scandalized by the many scams in the government. We are not outraged anymore by the numerous graft and corruption practices and immorality of some of our public officials. Our sensibilities are by now numbed to the countless heinous crimes committed by devious individuals. We are no longer incensed by the arrogance of the powers-that-be. We do not cringe on the brazen dishonesty, blatant lying and rowdiness of the bigheaded people. Indeed, we seem to admit that all these ghastly social evils are already integrated in our culture. We have grown used to these iniquities in our society. We know the horror of these peccadilloes yet we genially consent to them. It looks like we already shaped our consciousness and accept that this is now our contemporary culture.

These are diametrically opposed to the culture of the past. We do not seem to feel good about ourselves when we practice the social values of bayanihan, pakikisama, pakikipagkapwa –tao, paggalang, and many others. It appears that we feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when we practice these values. It is delusional to believe that we are a Christian country yet we do unchristian ways.

The government, among others, plays a vital role in the formation of this culture. Though debatable, it imposes this culture to us. It is no longer us, I opine, who are the agents of change of our culture. The government, many say, takes the center stage and rams down our throat the social values it insists on. We, as ever, are silently subservient of this. Along the process, we assimilate the culture of dishonesty, cheating, corruption, disloyalty and disrespect to life and property.

This is no different when we were under the rule of our colonizers. Because of their strong influence, our forebears for some time developed the attitude of passiveness, low esteem, and the willingness to be exploited and abused. We display this outlook in similar fashion nowadays.

Let us deconstruct our culture. Let us be the agents of cultural change and not as obedient recipients of disvalues. Let us not fall victims of the purveyors of social evils. We can preserve our traditional Filipino values by practicing them, now. It is only then that we can bring back our country to its old

Ang Bagong Internal Rules of Procedure ng Ika-6 na Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Marikina

2011-04-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ang Bagong Internal Rules of Procedure ng Ika-6 na Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Marikina
Ni Reginald B. Tamayo

Ang pagpupulong o session ng ating ika-6 na Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Marikina ay mas organisado, mas epektibo at mas mabisa sa ngayon. Mas matagumpay sa kasalukuyan ang bawat session ng Sangguniang Panlungsod dahil sa ipinapatupad nitong Revised Internal Rules of Procedure. Kadalasan ay tinatawag itong Rules. Ang Revised Internal Rules of Procedure ay ang makabagong patakaran na sinusunod ng mga konsehales sa kanilang session para maging maayos ang kanilang talakayan. Maihantulad ito sa larong basketbol kung saan ang mga manlalaro ay may mga patakarang sinusunod upang ang laro nila nasisigurong ay malinis, tunay, at mapayapa. Ang mga kasapi din ng ating Sangguniang Panlungsod ay nagkaisang magkaroon ng panibagong Rules katulad ng kanilang pinagtibay kamakailan na Revised Internal Rules of Procedure. Ito ay kanilang malalimang pinag-aralan, pinadebatehan, at pinaggugulan ng panahon upang ito ay masusing balangkasin na naayon sa kagustuhan ng lahat. Hindi maikakaila na dahil sa bagong ipinatutupan na Rules na ito, ang mga konsehales ay nagiging mas aktibo at mas masigasig sa kanilang mga tungkulin bilang mga lokal na mambabatas ng kalunsuran,

Maaring ang tanong ng ilan ay bakit binago ang dating Internal Rules of Procedure? Sa anong kadahilanan na ito ay pinalitan? Hindi ba angkop ang dating Rules na tugunan ang pangangailangan ng lokal na lehislatura? Sa mga nakakasaksi sa mga session ng Sangguninag Panlungsod tuwing Miyerkules sa ganap na 9:00 ng umaga, ito man ay sa loob mismo ng session hall o sa pamamagitan ng panonood ng live session sa internet, ay makapagsasabi na base sa dating Rules na ipinaiiral noon, ang session ay mistulang nawawala sa direksyon. Sa madaling sabi, ang mga session ng ating Sangguniang Panlungsod bago pa ipinatupad ang bagong Rules ay mistulang hirap na abutin ang layunin ng mga kasapi na makapagpasa ng mga lokal na batas na tutugon sa mga pngangailangan ng nakararami. Sa kabilang banda ang dating Rules ay naglalaman ng mga probisyon na may iba’t ibang interpretasyon. Kaya naman madalas nagkakasalungat ang mga mungkahi ng mga kasapi, nagkakapersonalan ang usapan, at nalalayo na sa layunin ng pagpupulong ang pagkakaroon ng isang pangkalahatang desisyon.

Dahil dito sa bagong Rule, mas malinaw na sa mga konsehales kung paano tugunan o pagpasyahan ang mga problema na ipinaparating sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng pagbalangkas ng mga iba’t-ibang resolusyon o ordinansa. Higit lalo na mas handa na ang Sangguniang Panlungsod kung paano hawakan ang mga mahihirap at kontrobersyal na isyu.

Laking pasasalamat sa tagapangasiwa ng ika-6 na Sangguniang Panglungsod na si Bise Alkalde Jose Fabian I. Cadiz, M.D. dahil sa kanyang pamumuno sa planong ibahin ang Rules. Nakasalalay kay Dr. Cadiz ang maayos na takbo ng pag-uusap at pagdesisisyon ng mga kasapi ng konseho. Ika nga si Bise Alkalde Cadiz ay parang pulis-trapiko na siyang nagpapaandar at nagpapahinto at nagpapalinaw ng usapan sa session na naayon sa bagong Rules. At pasasalamat na rin kay Konsehala Eva Aguirre-Paz dahil siya ang nanguna at nag-ambag ng mga probisyon ng bagong Rules sa pamamagitan ng pagsasaliksik sa mga batas katulad ng Rebublic Act 7160 o ang tinatawag na Local Government Code of 1991 dahil karamihan sa probisyon ng bagong Rules na ipinapatupad sa ika-6 ng Sangguniang Panlungsod ay tugma at naayon sa batas na ito.

Globe's Reply To My Query

2010-10-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

Globe's Reply To My Query

Dear Mr. Tamayo,

We apologize for the inconvenience this incident may have caused you.As of the moment, we do not have any information regarding the exact number to SMS to be sent when subscribed to unlimited text promo.Please be advised to monitor the number of SMS sent to avoid to exceed in the limit.NTC rules that promos are subjected to Globe’s Fair Use Policy. Globe Telecom reserves the right to terminate/suspend promo subscription/s that violates this policy. This policy prevents network abuse, allows us to fully optimize network capacity and maintain quality of its services for subscribers.For more details, please refer to NTC website http://www.ntc.gov.ph/.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated as this will help us in determining how we can improve our service handling so we can meet and exceed expectations of our valued subscribers.

Should you need further assistance, you may reach us through any of the following channels:

Web:talk@globe.com.ph
Chat Assist
Add Globe Telecom on Facebook
Follow @talk2Globe on Twitter

Or through our hotline 211 (toll-free via any Globe mobile) or (02) 730-1000 (toll-free via any Globe Landline).

Thank you and we look forward to serving you again in the future.
Sincerely,

Ava Halcon
Globe Customer Service

Unlimited Limited Text Messaging

2010-10-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

Unlimited Limited Texting

I recently inquired from Globe Center Cubao why my TM Sim Card (09051331617) could not register with its ASTIGTXT10 Unli texts to TM/Globe. I was told that I exceeded the number of messages I sent during the onset of typhoon “Juan”. Worse, accordingly, I have to wait for one month before I could avail and enjoy again this unlimited text promo. There is no denying I sent scores of text messages to my fellow Aparrianos about the status of the typhoon based on the website information of PAG-ASA.

Aparri had no electric current on that day and practically Aparrianos could not access the internet to source typhoon reports. Many of my townmates, especially my family, were hungering after updates about “Juan.” During the onslaught of typhoon “Juan”, many of my fellow Aparrianos stormed me with their text messages asking information about it. During my stint as a municipal councilor of Aparri, it has been my habit to send text messages to our constituents about public announcements, electric interruptions and conditions of typhoons. It was part of my advocacy as a public servant. I continue to do so even while I am here in Marikina City.

I pose the following queries: Why is Globe advertising an unlimited text promo when there is a limit to the number of texting messages to be sent? How many messages are allowed to be sent in this unlimited text promo so as not to be branded as “abusive” text user?

I bought a new TM Sim card and is now registered with ASTIGTXT 10 unlimited text. However, I am now cautious of my sending of text messages because I understand that it is limited after all.

Schools that promote indifference

2010-05-25T04:33:00.000-07:00

Schools that promote indifference
Inquirer

I READ WITH INTEREST THE COLUMN “Catholic education” written by Michael L. Tan. He particularly cited Xavier School and St. Scholastica’s College. Indeed, both schools play an important role in making a better society by helping citizens pursue their vocations and fulfill them.

In my town Aparri, there is also this Catholic school, the Lyceum of Aparri, which is not only seriously committed to giving quality Catholic education to the youth of the north. It is also firmly involved in community-building. For instance, its school policies, mission statement, goals of its departments and even the lesson objectives on the lectures of teachers are consistent with the dogmas and teachings of the Catholic Church. A student here not only gets to be enlightened about the world, he is made to appreciate his being a Catholic.

But I know of some Catholic schools that are indifferent to social issues, thus producing students with little--if any—-sense of social involvement.

For the school, a measure of the students’ functional literacy is knowing the social issues of the day and discussing their possible solutions. Teachers and administrators see to it that the students get first-hand information about the poor and the neglected in society, the moral issues attached to jueteng, illegal fishing, graft and corruption and the like. Thus, students become aware of present-day social concerns and get to know the saving truth of the Gospel.

Catholic education has a lot to contribute to making a better society. It is most unfortunate, though, that there are some Catholic schools which remain passive or indifferent to social concerns. No wonder the graduates of these schools are also passive and indifferent. Indeed, most Catholic schools are mere learning institutions. Students who belong to affluent families are generally the ones who have access to these schools. Thus, the schools become “exclusive” in the real sense of the word, violating in the process Christ’s command for all his disciples to “preach the good news to all nations.”

The Catholic Church promotes “preferential option for the poor.” Therefore, Catholic schools should not be blind to the needs of the poor and the marginalized in society. They should defend the poor against unscrupulous leaders, and educate all in the ways of truth and the saving grace of the Gospel.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO, member, Sangguniang Bayan, Aparri, Cagayan

Copyright 2010 INQUIRER.net and content partners. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Un-Catholic Catholic politicians

2010-05-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

Un-Catholic Catholic politicians

I lost the senatorial race but I gained a firmer faith to my God. I felt I did not campaign at all to win a senate seat but I ran to defend my church. The attacks even came from our own flock, the Catholic Church. I was a witness to a disgraceful display of Catholic politicians and even priests and religious strongly espousing the RH Bill. Worse, they even support the candidacy of Catholic politicians who champion platforms of government that are antithetical to the teachings and traditions of the church. These are scandalous and they may entice others to commit sin.

Shall the church ignore the sinful acts of these Catholic politicians? Does it not concern the church hierarchy to protect the sheep from the wolves?

A believing Catholic who loves the church should defend her at all cost and unconditionally embrace her teachings on the fundamental contents of faith and morals. It is my humble opinion that anyone who professes that he or she is a Catholic yet acts in a contrary manner is a humbug.

Ours is a pluralistic society and probably most of the Catholic politicians aver that in this situation they can make up their own minds on different social issues without being guided by any moral directives from the church. That is fine by me. Yet, the Church through some of her bishops and priests are relentlessly reminding the Catholic politicians of their moral obligations to the teachings of the church.

When shall the Catholic politicians truly behave as Catholics? Shall the bishops and priests dilly-dally or be tongue-tied on these crooked behaviors of the Catholic politicians? All of us Catholics should be awakened from our moral slumber and denounce these anti-Catholic outbreak from our own Catholic politicians.

I believe that the church is God’s living voice. I will remain to be a part of that voice and continue to evangelize politics either in or out of the senate hall.

Facebook | Reginald Tamayo

2010-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Facebook | Reginald Tamayo

AN OPEN LETTER

2010-02-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Mga mahal kong Kababayan:

Ako po si Reginald “Regie” Balisi TAMAYO ng Aparri, Cagayan tumatakbong SENADOR sa ilalim ng Ang Kapatiran Party.

Kagaya po ninyo ay pangarap ko ang mamuhay sa isang ligtas, makatarungan, at maunlad na bansa. Subalit hindi ito matatamo kung hindi tayo magkaisa at isulong ang nararapat na pagbabago. Simulan natin ito sa ating tamang pagpili sa mga kumakandidato sa ngayon. Iboto natin ang may plataporma, ang may malasakit sa bayan, ang makakalikasan, at ang may takot sa Diyos.

Ngayong halalan, manindigan tayo sa tama. Huwag nating balewalain ang ating prinsipyo. Ito ang paraan para maitama natin ang katiwalian sa bayan, ang pagsasamantala at pagmamalabis ng mga ilang namumuno sa atin. Gawin nating layunin ito sa buhay, tanda na mahal natin ang ating bayan.

Palaging sinasabi na ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. Tayo rin ay pag-asa ng bayan dahil tayo ang naghahanda ng bayan na kanilang kinamumulatan. Bigyang pag-asa ang kabataan na mamuhay sa bayang ikakarangal nila.

Malawak ang karanasan ko sa lokal na pamahalaan at may sapat na edukasyon. Bitbit ko ang mga pangaral ng aking mga magulang, mga turo’t gabay ng aking simbahan, higit lalo ang mga pangarap ninyo para sa ating bayan. Ito ang magiging inspirasyon ko na malingkod sa inyo bilang Senador na walang bahid na pagsisinungaling at panloloko.

Tulungan po ninyo ako at hindi ko po kayo bibiguin. Tama na tayo ay mangarap! Tama na tayo ay mag-kaisa at magkabigkis-bigkis at isulong ang tama para sa bayan!

Salamat po at nawa’y pagpalain tayo ng Poong Maykapal.

Gumagalang,

Reginald “Regie” Balisi TAMAYO
Para SENADOR
Ang Kapatiran Party
0916-2513562/0928-2886878
http://reginaldtamayo.blogspot.com
reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com

- AB Philosophy, UP Diliman 1985
- MA Education, Lyceum of Aparri
- MBA, Lyceum of Aparri
- 6-term Municipal Councilor of Aparri, Cagayan
- Executive Assistant IV, Office of the Vice Governor
- Former Dean, Liberal Arts, Lyceum of Aparri
- Former Dean, Student Affairs, Lyceum of Aparri
- Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President, Lyceum of Aparri
- Lecturer, Graduate School, Cagayan State University
- Deputy Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus Aparri Council 4366
- Chancellor, Knights of Columbus Aparri Council 4366
- Prex Member
- Marriage Encounter Member
- President, Pugad Lawin Philippines, Seabreeze Base Call Sign “Java”
- Faculty President, Lyceum of Aparri
- Outstanding Councilor of Cagayan Awardee - given by Phil. Councilors League Cagayan Chapter
- Freelance Journalist
- Columnist, Northern Forum (Tuguegarao City), Guru Press (Tabuk City)
- Author, Barangay First, Empowering the Sangguniang Kabataan
- 45 years old, married to Lalaine Lubbui Jarabe-Tamayo, with 4 children Regina, Reiner, Riazel, and Ricci

The politics of conscience

2010-01-26T05:48:00.000-08:00

The politics of conscience

I am saddened by the comment of a party-list congressman who thought that the “Catholic Church in the Philippines is practicing a double standard when it tells the people to choose the country’s next leaders by following their conscience, but at the same time it tells them not to vote for those candidates that support the reproductive health (RH) bill”(Solon hits Church double standard, PDI 01/26).

I presume he has a wrong notion about conscience. He must be referring to personal preference or a bad conscience and not to an informed conscience as taught by the Church. A person who claims that he uses his conscience in electing a candidate but his conscience is opposed to the teachings and ethos of the Catholic Church is using his personal preference or bad conscience. He only expresses such and not a showing of a well-formed and informed conscience. The Church helps the conscience to be formed by imbuing in the conscience of the person the teachings and traditions of the Church. It is only then that the conscience is informed. And only a formed and informed conscience should be followed.

Is the Church playing a double standard as claimed by the congressman? He said that “On the one hand, [the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines ] has said vote according to your conscience. On the other, it says it’s not moral to vote for people who support the reproductive health bill. There is a double standard here” This is an uncalled for remark. It is the moral obligation and duty of the Church to protect its flock from sinning especially by following policies that are anti-life and anti-family. It follows that the Church admonishes the faithful not to vote for candidates who push for anti-life and anti-family bills. In both cases, the Church persuades the faithful to use their informed consciences. That is not double standard- that is consistency!

Am a proud Catholic servant-leader

2010-01-25T00:12:00.000-08:00

Am a proud Catholic servant-leader

Of late, I attended a forum about population dynamics and government resources. I presented my position as regards the hotly debated Reproductive Health Bill. I admit that my position is basically an echo of the stand of my church, the Catholic Church.

I pointed out that there are certain flaws in the bill. Among them is the not-so-clear view about the reckoning period of the protection of human life. I stood by my ground that human life begins at conception and hence the unborn child is human and possesses rights. Although the bill speaks of abortion as a crime but I suspect that it may be wantonly resorted to when the unborn child is deemed not a human being.

I also explained that I support that natural way of family planning. My church abhors the contraceptive mentality. The government seems to be pointing to population problem as the cause of poverty, street children, unemployment, and other social evils. What population problem is the government talking about? Probably, it is a narrow view to claim that there is over population when such is seen only as a problem in Metro Manila. In many of our provinces, there are many tracts of land that are not habited. If the country is overpopulated then these vacant lots should have been massively occupied by our people.

During another round table discussion, I presented the same position about the Reproductive Health Bill. I observed that that some of my listeners, who even claimed they are Catholics, frowned upon my ideas. They said that I was pontificating. I resisted the idea and said that I was only faithful and was showing my fidelity to the Gospel of Life and the teachings of the Church.

It is an unfortunate phenomenon that some of the clergy even support candidates who are pro-Reproductive Health Bill. They seem not to realize that the bill is anti-family and anti-life. I beg for their forgiveness if I say that they are showing their ignorance about the Catholic Faith and are still influenced by the antics of traditional politicians.

Everyone, before elections, calls for change and demands honesty in our leaders. I was being honest with my thoughts and I was trying my best to contribute my fair share in changing the political life in this country for the better. I don’t really mind if they don’t appreciate the effort. Be that as it may, it is a consoling thought that I remain firm with my faith and continue to live an authentic life as a Catholic.

We demand honesty

2010-01-17T01:16:00.000-08:00

We demand honesty

I COMPLETELY agree that “The depth of the depravity that the Philippines and the Filipino people find our governance to be, however, make honesty and how much of it, or the lack of it, the primary factor of choosing candidates” (The Crying Need For Honesty PDI 01/14). It seems that we have not produced honest leaders in our country because many of us are not also honest in choosing them.

It is a welcome sight in local elections for us electorate to be pleased with candidates who can entertain us. We sometimes snooze listening to platforms of government from honest candidates and instead heedful to the jokes, songs, and dance numbers of unscrupulous politicians. Any candidate who presents his platform of government is an outcast and a killjoy. We do remember the names of candidates who did perform like a clown in a circus than the honest candidate who recited details of his agenda. If only politicians give high value to truth-telling and fair play during elections and if only we demand honesty from them, our elections would be more crucial and, as a consequence, we would elect honest leaders in this country.

More often than not, we complain that we are served badly by our leaders. Cases of graft and corruption, side-stepping of laws by the powers-that be, deception, cover-ups, and many more- all these are indications that we are shortchanged by our elected leaders. But the question that arises now is whether or not we have also been honest in our voting privileges? Have we been honest in voting honest leaders? We seem to take our right of suffrage lightly that we don’t use it prudently. Electing dishonest people in the government seems to be no longer a matter of privilege but as a product of tradition because we always do it on a regular basis.

I imagine our country where truth is given a high premium. I picture our people especially our leaders not to bend the truth. I visualize our country to become a country of character where we build a culture of integrity and accountability. I envision a better Philippines after the May 2010 elections when truth reigns supreme.

Catholics can make a difference in 2010 elections

2009-12-23T02:24:00.000-08:00

Catholics can make a difference in 2010 elections

Time and again, Catholic bishops say there is no such thing as a Catholic Vote. In fact, they do not even endorse candidates nor support politicians during elections. They have a limited sway over Catholic politicians and voters. However, Catholics are thankful that bishops do not renege in their obligation to assert firmly their moral authority on issues that are not in accord with the teachings of the Church and are not reflective of the Gospel values. Indeed, there are non-negotiable issues that bishops would not admit any exception because they run counter to Catholic moral teachings. The Reproductive Health Bill is a case in point.

If we Catholics take our faith seriously, we will make a difference in the 2010 elections. Our voting privileges should be used prudently and elect only candidates who promote policies and programs that are in harmony with Catholic faith and morals. Conversely, if we vote for candidates whose policies and programs are contrary to the ethos of the Church, we participate in and condone in the intrinsic evil of such.

It is important then for us Catholics to go through the political agenda of the candidates and find out if they go along with the moral principles of the Church. It is unbecoming of Catholics to vote on the basis of neither party-affiliation nor popularity of the candidates. We have to dissect the stands of the candidates on the different issues of the day. We should not be misled by the seemingly early campaign ads of the candidates who appear to hold the answers to the problems of our country. Let us not be misguided by the pronouncement of candidates that they are Catholics yet they advance programs which are un-Catholic.

My pious mother, Tersing, taught me early in life to bend my knees in prayer. It is my daily prayer this Christmas that we Catholics will choose candidates in the 2010 elections that promote the faith and morals of the Church.

De-Christianized Philippine politics

2009-12-09T00:07:00.000-08:00

De-Christianized Philippine politics

The Maguindanao massacre bespeaks of the kind of politics we have in this country. Human life, it seems, is not precious in our political arena anymore. Gone are the days when politicians, at most, would besmirch only their rivals with contemptuous issues. At this time, unscrupulous politicians who dread they can be unseated in the elections silence to death their political contenders who are auspicious and service-oriented.

How many of these kinds of inhuman atrocities could have prevented had the government done something before to resolve the political differences in Maguindanao? Could the political lords in Maguindanao have stockpiled high-powered firearms if the government, particularly the military and the police, did its homework like intelligence network? Could anybody just slaughter the innocent lives of the victims of the massacre if he thinks he cannot be exculpated by the powers-that-be?

I just wonder how many of our public officials were elected into public office based on their platforms of government, credentials and character and not on the barrel of their guns as they use this to bully and terrorize people to vote for them. Such that when they are elected into public office, they act like self-empowering kings and queens who could do whatever they please in their political turfs even to the point of exterminating the lives of our people.

Politics in the country is seemingly de-Christianized or a Godless human activity. When shall we place God and his teachings at the very center of politics? Let us use politics for our own good based on the Gospel values. St. Thomas Aquinas says: “God is not offended by us except at what we do against our own good."

A peaceful dialogue is still the key

2009-11-28T21:28:00.000-08:00

A peaceful dialogue is still the key

I sense a great deal of frustration and anger about the Maguindanao massacre. I am sure this exacerbated the present political tensions in Maguindanao. Probably, this could have been prevented if only the government had done something before to resolve the prolonged conflicts among the political leaders in Maguindanao. The situation is likened to a family which has unruly kids. If the parents condone the misdeeds of the riotous children then they only have themselves to blame. The government has an important task on matters where rights of the people are at stake, that is, to act as parens patriae, or guardian of the rights of the people. The government cannot be insensitive to the pleas of our countrymen in Maguindanao when their rights are jeopardized.

I am concerned about the speedy and peaceful resolution of this political violence so that people there would not shudder in fear living in an atrocious environment and would resume their normal lives again. Admittedly, peace dialogues may have been initiated in the past to resolve the conflict but the results were neither clear nor helpful. The government probably can facilitate anew a peaceful and respectful dialogue among the political leaders in Maguindanao. The government should be prudent though in the choice of venue and circumspect in brokering the dialogue so as not to create further tension nor inflame misunderstanding among the political leaders. The dialogue should include talking points on how the warring political factions co-exist and probably share political power with one goal that is uppermost in their minds- to do public service.

Dialogue is a bridge and it involves a sense of trust. Dialogue means listening to these political leaders without trying to change them. The government failed in this field I guess because it wanted to impose its will on those who participate in most peace dialogues it initiated.

Unless the government moves expeditiously, the political violence would escalate and become more death-defying and unsafe for our people in Maguindanao. God save our country!

Bets urged to register early

2009-11-25T04:17:00.000-08:00

Manila Standard Today

Bets urged to register early

by Joel E. Zurbano

THE Commission on Elections is reminding candidates for national positions to file their Certificates of Candidacy now and not wait until the last day before the Dec. 1 to submit them.

“If they delay too long and they get crushed at the end because of the number or volume of filers and this is especially true in the local races, that’s their own lookout. They are politicians they are not exactly babes in the woods,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

Jimenez said the commission will stick to its scheduled deadline as the poll body received the papers of one of the first presidential candidates backed by an existing political party.

The standard-bearer of Ang Kapatiran Party Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes filed his certificate of candidacy for president together with his running mate Dominador “Jun” Chipeco Jr. at poll body’s central office at Palacio del Governador in Intramuros, Manila.

The 39-year-old De los Reyes said they decided to file their CoCs early so as to get it over and done with.

He said they came straight from a Mass in Sta. Cruz church that was attended by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, and Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias.

He was asked on what the bishops message to him. He said it was more of a message to the faithful.

“It’s a general message to the lay faithful that even if all the reforms are made in the Comelec, kung bulok yung binoboto natin balewala lang,” De los Reyes said.

The group’s senatorial candidates who also filed their CoCs were Rizalito “Lito” David, Atty. Jo Aurea Imbong, Atty. Zosimo Jesus “Jess” Paredes, Adrian “Dado” Sison, Reginald “Reggie” Tamayo, Hector “Tarzan” Tarrazona, and Manuel “Manny” Valdehuesa Jr.

In 1995, he ran and was elected city councilor of Olongapo. The organizations he helped propagate as an active member since 1995 was the National Renewal Movement and the Ang Kapatiran National Political Party or the Alliance for the Common Good, a registered political party that seeks to promote the politics of genuine social concern.

In the 2007 elections, among 27 local and national candidates, he was the lone winner of Ang Kapatiran Party, placing second among 10 slots for the Olongapo City Council.

By late afternoon yesterday, at least 18 have filed their certificates of candidacy for president, two for vice president and 18 for senator.

21 presidential candidates so far- Comelec

2009-11-25T03:20:00.000-08:00

21 presidential candidates so far--Comelec

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:17:00 11/23/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) legal department accepted seven more candidacies for presidency on the fourth day of filing Monday, including that of Ang Kapatiran’s John Carlos Delos Reyes.

Delos Reyes, nephew of Senator Richard Gordon, is a councilor in Olongapo City.

Overall, the Comelec legal department has accepted 21 candidacies for president, two for vice president and 10 for senators since Friday, said Comelec legal chief Ferdinand Rafanan.

Aside from Delos Reyes, Comelec accepted the candidacies of seven new presidential aspirants including Valeriano Dante Reloj, 48, lawyer from Sta. Ana, Manila; Enrique Rueda Sadiosa, 46, a businessman and an overseas voter registered in Hong Kong; Maria Magdalena Apura, 81, from Trece Martirez City in Cavite province; and Simeon Paz Jr., 69, a retired post master turned preacher from Pillila town in Rizal province.

Marcelino Donato, 52, a herbalist and therapist from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, who filed his candidacy for president was also accepted as the twentieth presidential candidate. He was followed by Felix Baling Jr,. 46, a retired engineer from Zamboanga City, who filed his candidacy just before Comelec’s legal department closed office Monday.

Comelec also accepted the vice presidential bid of Dominador Chipeco Jr., 66, along with seven Ang Kapatiran senatorial candidates.

Delos Reyes said Ang Kapatiran party's local and national bets received the blessings of Manila Archbishop GaudencioRosales before they headed to the Comelec office for the CoC filing.

The party’s seven new senators include social scientist and consultant Rizalito David, lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong, professor Zosimo Jesus Paredes, journalist and consumer advocate Adrian Sison, councilor and professor Reginald Tamayo, Hector Tarrazona and former UN executive Manuel Valdehuesa Jr.

Candidacies for local and national positions may be filed until 12 midnight of December 1.

Kapatiran's JC de los Reyes files CoC for presidency

2009-11-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

Kapatiran’s JC de los Reyes files CoC for presidency

By Philip Tubeza, Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:56:00 11/24/2009

Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Churches (organisations)

MANILA, Philippines—The first of a number of “serious” aspirants to the presidency has formally declared his intention to seek the No. 1 post with the blessings of Catholic bishops.

Ang Kapatiran standard-bearer John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes, his running mate Dominador Chipeco Jr., and the party’s seven senatorial candidates filed their certificates of candidacy (CoC) Monday afternoon at the main office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Intramuros, Manila.

“The Filipino people are fed up with traditional politics and we’re the only game in town when it comes to alternative politics. We have a good chance of winning,” De los Reyes, who turns 40 on Feb. 14, told reporters.

He echoed Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales’ lament that even if the May 2010 elections were fully automated, the Philippine political system would remain rotten if Filipinos continued to vote for traditional politicians.

“Enough is enough. Something ought to be done to free Filipinos from corrupt, dirty and unproductive political parties,” said De los Reyes, a former councilor of Olongapo City.

“If we win, we are in for reforms and to transform politics. If not, then at least we would have sown the seeds that will be reaped by our children and grandchildren,” he said.

Mass first

De los Reyes and his party mates attended the noon Mass at Sta. Cruz Church in Manila before proceeding to the Comelec office.

The Mass was celebrated by Rosales, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias on the request of Ang Kapatiran party founder Nandy Pacheco and president Eric Manalang.

But Manalang denied it was a tacit endorsement from the Church leaders: “We found it appropriate that we have their blessing, which is important to us because we are going on a mission. [Rosales] blessed us like any father would bless his children.

“It’s a simple blessing. I don’t think it’s endorsing. He did not say ‘vote for us.’”

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines as a body has been careful not to endorse or disapprove of specific candidates. But individual bishops have spoken out against those taking a position contrary to that of the Church, such as in the debate over House Bill No. 5043 (or the Reproductive Health Bill).

In his homily, Rosales stressed the importance of making the right choices despite the planned use of voting machines for the first time in the May 2010 elections.

He said automation was not the solution to the country’s political woes.

“It’s easy to count rotten votes. What is more important is that we teach people to think over their choices, study them and pray over them. These are the votes that should be counted by the automated machines,” Rosales said.

“You see, the solution is not in the machine; it is what is in the minds and hearts of the people,” he said.

Said De los Reyes: “I think the message from our shepherds of the Church is a general message. But they have affection for Ang Kapatiran because we are a response to their call for the laity to be faithful to their mission in renewing politics according to gospel values.”

Good luck

After the Mass, De Los Reyes, Chipeco and the other Ang Kapatiran candidates stood before the altar as Rosales, flanked by Arguelles and Tobias, gave his blessings for them to enjoy good health, remain steadfast and continue doing good.

Arguelles later said in a brief interview that he wished the Ang Kapatiran candidates good luck even as he acknowledged their slim chances to win in the elections.

The party has been dubbed the “Catholic” political party. But De los Reyes said it also had many Christian and Muslim members.

He said it was running on a platform of “radical” and “transformative” politics that would abolish the graft-ridden pork barrel system, do away with entrenched political dynasties, impose gun control, and “remove all forms of gambling.”

“We are introducing prophetic politics, something that is radical and controversial and requires self-sacrifice,” De los Reyes said.

“And for that to happen, we must do the opposite of what traditional politicians are doing,” he said.

Dynasties

De los Reyes said he and Chipeco, a lawyer, were scions of political dynasties but were determined to flesh out the anti-dynasty provisions in the 1987 Constitution if they win.

“We come from dynasties. I’m a nephew of [Sen. Richard] Gordon. I’m a Gordon. He is a Chipeco,” De los Reyes said.

“But if anyone is to make a sacrifice for the country, it’s us who are in power now. Even if the implementing rules and regulations of the anti-dynasty provisions of the Constitution are put in place and we are swept away, it would be OK for us,” he said.
De los Reyes’ parents are the late Sonny de los Reyes, who served as president of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines for nine years, and Barbara Gordon, elder sister of Senator Gordon and Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr.

A product of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University, he obtained a degree in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, reputed to be one of the most orthodox Catholic universities in the United States.

In 1993, he taught philosophy at the then Center for Research and Communication (now the University of Asia and the Pacific). He ran for and was elected councilor of Olongapo two years later, but did not seek reelection.

He completed a law degree at Saint Louis University in Baguio City in 2005.

In 2007, De los Reyes emerged the lone winner of Ang Kapatiran, again as Olongapo councilor. He chaired the city council’s committee on human rights and filed a number of graft cases against certain local officials.

He and his wife Dunia Valenzuela have three children.

Senatorial slate

Ang Kapatiran’s senatorial slate includes social scientist Rizalito David, lawyers Jo Aurea Imbong and Zosimo Paredes, consumer advocate Adrian Sison, Councilor Reginald Tamayo, educator Hector Tarrazona, and former United Nations executive Manuel Valdehuesa Jr.

“Many are telling us, ‘You don’t have the money. You don’t have the money.’ We have the money, but we don’t have the billions that our enemies have. If they say that billions are needed to win, then let us forget about changing our country,” De los Reyes said.

Outside the Comelec office, some Ang Kapatiran members paraded wearing masks a la Bacolod City’s Masskara Festival with the slogans “Vote in Common Good,” “Vote out graft and corruption,” “Vote in pro-environment.”

Ang Kapatiran fielded three candidates in the 2007 Senate elections. They all lost, but each garnered an average of 800,000 votes.

“We’re coming back with much passion. We believe and we have hope that Ang Kapatiran will really make an impact on Filipino politics,” De los Reyes said. With a report from Inquirer Research

Gordon's nephew files candidacy for president

2009-11-23T04:31:00.000-08:00

Gordon's nephew files candidacy for president
By Anna Valmero, Philip Tubeza
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:33:00 11/23/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday accepted the candidacy for presidency of John Carlos “JC” Delos Reyes, standard-bearer of Ang Kapatiran party and nephew of Senator Richard Gordon.

Delos Reyes, an Olongapo City councilor, filed his certificate of candidacy along with his running mate, Dominador Chipeco Jr. of Laguna, and his seven-man senatorial slate.

Gordon, whose sister is Delos Reyes’s mother, himself has expressed plans to join the presidential race, but has yet to submit his certificate of candidacy before the poll body.

Ang Kapatiran Party, which has been joining the election since 2004, boasts of a voters’ base of 800,000, Delos Reyes said.

Its candidates for senator are composed of social scientist and consultant Rizalito David, lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong, professor Zosimo Jesus Paredes, journalist and consumer advocate Adrian Sison, councilor and professor Reginald Tamayo, Hector Tarrazona, and former United Nations executive Manuel Valdehuesa Jr.

In filing his candidacy, Delos Reyes called for a new kind of politics
. He warned that even if the Comelec was cleaned of corruption, the electoral system would still remain rotten if voters continued to put in office traditional politicians who would use their offices to protect vested interests.

Instead of the traditional infomercials, Delos Reyes said his party will embark on a house-to-house campaign to give them a chance to deal directly with the voters, said Delos Reyes, who is serving his third term as a city councilor.

“Enough is enough. Something ought to be done to free the Filipinos from the corrupt, dirty, and unproductive political parties. We are introducing prophetic politics of personal and social transformation through our agenda that aims to cleanse the system of dynasties, gun control, and the like,” said Delos Reyes.

The 12-point program of Ang Kapatiran is anchored on serving God and country, economic reform, quality education for all, justice, and peace, said Delos Reyes.

Ang Kapatiran fielded three senatorial candidates in the 2007 elections. None of them won although their bets garnered votes reaching hundreds of thousands.

Since Friday, the Comelec has accepted candidacies of 14 for president, one for vice president, and three for senator, according to Comelec law department records.

Deadline for filing of candidacies is midnight of December 1.

OLongapo councilor De los Reyes formalizes presidential bid

2009-11-23T04:18:00.000-08:00

Olongapo councilor De los Reyes formalizes presidential bid
KIM TAN and ANDREO CALONZO, GMANews.TV
11/23/2009 | 03:53 PM
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Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos “JC" De los Reyes on Monday formalized his presidential bid in the 2010 elections by filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), becoming the 16th aspirant for the country's top elective post.

De los Reyes, the 39-year-old bet of the Ang Kapatiran National Political Party, filed his COC with the Comelec law department at 2:10 p.m.

Ang Kapatiran's presidential bet JC De los Reyes, together with running mate Dominador Chipeco Jr. and senatorial candidate Reginald Tamayo, formalizes his bid for the government's highest post in 2010. - Andreo Calonzo
Interviewed by reporters, De los Reyes said he filed his candidacy early “to get it over with."

"We also wanted it to coincide with the Mass just held at the Sta. Cruz Church. It’s just a general message to the lay faithful that even if we perfect the automation, if we elect rotten leaders, everything will still go to waste," he said in Filipino.

De los Reyes was accompanied by his running mate Dominador Chipeco Jr., and his party’s seven senatorial candidates: social scientist Rizalito David; lawyers Jo Aurea, Zosimo Paredes, and Adrian Sison; teachers Reginald Tamayo and Hector Tarrazona; and former United Nations executive Manuel Valdehuesa, Jr.

He said his party’s bets might not be popular but are all "local gems" who do not practice traditional politics.

In the 2007 elections, De los Reyes was the only winner among the Kapitaran Party candidates. He placed second in the 10 slots for the Olongapo City council. He studied B.A. Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, USA. After graduating, he taught Philosophy at the University of Asia and Pacific.

He later pursued his graduate studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1999 and his law degree at the Saint Louis University in Baguio City in 2005.

In September, De los Reyes appeared as guest on GMANews.TV’s web show "Exchange" where he talked about the implications of being an independent candidate.

The Olongapo City councilor is married to Dunia Valenzuela with three children, Gabriel 10, Santiago, 7, and Barbara 5.

Since Friday, 21 presidential aspirants, one vice presidential aspirant, and 10 senatorial aspirants have filed their COCs with the Comelec. - RSJ, GMANews.TV

Cardinal, bishops bless faith-based party bets

2009-11-23T04:17:00.000-08:00

Cardinal, bishops bless faith-based party bets
By Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 14:52:00 11/23/2009

Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Politics, Religions

MANILA, Philippines—Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales on Monday celebrated mass at the Sta. Cruz church in Manila for the candidates of the fledgling Ang Kapatiran Party (Brotherhood Party) led by its presidential candidate John Carlos "JC" de los Angeles.

Party founder Nandy Pacheco said his group asked Catholic Church leaders to bless them before their candidates file their certificates of candidacy at the Commission on Elections on Monday.

With Rosales were Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles and Novaliches Bishop Antonio Tobias.

Ang Kapatiran says it seeks to restore morality in government service and declares its party principles to be based on their Catholic faith.

Comelec has set the period from November 20 to December 1, 2009 for the filing of certificates of candidacies nationwide.

This group hasn't caught 'yellow fever'

2009-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

This group hasn’t caught ‘yellow fever’

By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Posted date: October 19, 2009

MANILA, Philippines—A young political party seems immune from the “yellow fever” that is fast spreading, together with the rising popularity of the No. 1 presidential aspirant, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Ang Kapatiran president Eric Manalang on Sunday said his group had rejected invitations to support Aquino because the Liberal Party standard-bearer was offering the usual “trapo (traditional) politics.”

“This Noynoy phenomenon again shows the highest form of personality politics, one that is driving the elite from all sides—from the time of the Marcoses and Cojuangcos to the time of the Arroyos—to unite and bet on him,” Manalang told the Inquirer.

“Once again, members of the elite are bringing the other clueless middle class to their fold,” he said.

Aquino, who topped the latest Social Weather Stations survey of presidential aspirants, nevertheless continued to draw cheers, especially in his provincial tours.

On Saturday, he revved up the party machinery in Bohol by tapping show biz celebrity Cesar Montano as one of his lieutenants in the province.

New epidemic

Manalang’s statements marked a rare, if not the first, instance an opposing political party became openly critical of Aquino since the senator declared his intention to run for president on Sept. 9.

Clamor mounted for the only son of the late President Corazon Aquino and martyred opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. to aim for Malacañang after his mother died of colon cancer on Aug. 1.

“Everyone catches the ‘yellow’ fever which is now an epidemic that doesn’t exactly bring more principles in Philippine politics,” Manalang said, alluding to the campaign color adopted by Aquino’s parents.

Formed in 2004, Kapatiran promotes itself as an alternative to the more established parties, espousing what it calls “politics of virtue,” nonviolence and the application of Church teachings to governance. It took part in national elections for the first time in 2007.

Manalang also questioned Aquino’s campaign strategy, particularly when it started encouraging ordinary Filipinos to contribute to his campaign fund.

“It’s crazy. These people (Aquino and his backers) have all the money. The call is just a matter of sound bites,” he said.

Manalang also questioned Aquino’s track record in public service.

Any super deeds?

“It’s as if Noynoy has done any super deeds in the past,” Manalang said. “He really hasn’t done anything that would be anywhere near what his mother or father had done.”

According to his official website www.noynoy.ph, Aquino has authored a total of nine bills and eight resolutions in his tenure as senator.

The party has announced it would field Olongapo City Councilor JC de los Reyes in next year’s presidential derby.

Ang Kapatiran has also filled up eight of the 12 slots in its senatorial lineup, Manalang disclosed. They included Dominador Chipeco Jr., a human resource expert from Laguna; Reginald Tamayo, a longtime councilor from Aparri, Cagayan; and Manny Valdehueza, an “anti-trapo” advocate from Cagayan de Oro City.

The ticket will again include Martin Bautista, Jesus Paredes, and Adrian Sison, who all ran for senator in 2007, Manalang said.

Bohol welcome

In Tagbilaran City, Aquino and his running mate, Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, received a warm welcome from supporters during a mass oath-taking ceremony for LP members.

In his solidarity message, Aquino reiterated his platform, which, he said, would be anchored on good governance, transparency, fighting graft and corruption, and sound and sustainable development and commitment to the poor.

“Corruption is the single biggest threat to our democracy. It deprives the poor of the social services they badly need. It destroys the moral fiber of our society,” Aquino told the gathering at JJ’s Seafood Village. With a report from Kit Bagaipo, Inquirer Visayas

Helpless government?

2009-10-16T23:07:00.000-07:00

Helpless government?

Some say the government seems wishy-washy in responding to the unwelcome consequences of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. There are practically hues and cries everywhere asking for help from the government and, in turn, the government is baffled as to what it should prioritize. It is good that there are private companies and individuals who volunteer their resources and time to alleviate our trouble typhoon victims. The cash and in-kind donations amassed by the two giant television networks for sure assuaged the burden of the government to look for enormous funds for the rescue and rehabilitation of the victims. We are thankful that there are many generous and unselfish Samaritans around in these times of crises to lend a hand. Probably they are aware that the government is not ready yet to solely borne the responsibility of caring for the victims.

From my own personal view, the government should think of the following suggestions:

1. Strengthen the local disasters coordinating councils. These councils should not only convene during calamities. A disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan, and conduct drills should be a must for these councils;
2. It is time for the senators and the congressmen to make a supreme sacrifice of parting some of their pork barrel funds and create a common subsidy for the rehabilitation of devastated infrastructures like schools, roads, and the like;
3. The government should not only offer money to those victims to go back to their respective provinces- it should also ensure that they have a place to go in their provinces like relatives, and that their children can go back to school. Otherwise, they would be an added predicament of the concerned local government units;
4. A law should be designed requiring bus, jeepney, taxi drivers, would-be couples and all others to plant seedlings prior to the issuance of their driver’s license and marriage license;
5. The cost of damage probably is to the tune of millions of pesos. Why not make a comprehensive plan for a true-to-goodness flood control and fund it even if it requires a huge capital outlay? It is better to fund this project than to use it for rehabilitation purposes; and,
6. There should be a 25-year moratorium on extractive and logging activities to allow our legislators to review our mining and forestry laws.

I am sure the government is trying its best to make its presence felt in times of these crises. It is not helpless as it employs all means at its disposal to help the victims of the typhoons. I am confident that the government heeds too to unsolicited suggestions such as this.

Parroting a ghostwriter's piece

2009-09-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Parroting a ghostwriter's piece

Please allow me to comment on the highly incensed speeches delivered by Senator Panfilo and Senator Jinggoy Estrada. I agree that the exchange of verbal darts between the two is incredibly “lamentable, deplorable and sickening.” Let me add another description- it is irritating. Tensions run high in the Senate hall because it is evident that the two senators are gnashing their teeth as they delivered their speeches with almost perfect rhetorical grace and theatrics. After hearing their speeches, one would think that it is shameless and useless to dedicate one’s time to be listening to old tunes that were rehashed.

However, it is a great day for their ghostwriters, if there are any. I am sure their ghostwriters in the preparation of their speeches aided these two Senators the reason being that senators generally are pre-occupied with their other non-legislative tasks and they don’t have the material time perhaps to prepare their enlightened speeches. However, the big question is whether their involvement in the preparation of their speeches is true because otherwise, it would be irresponsible and reckless for these two senators be handed their respective speeches and deliver them without knowing their content. The senators in this case would just be parroting what the ghostwriters prepared. Take away the prepared speeches, probably they would be clueless about the issues to the extent of exposing their ignorance, unfiltered self and woefully incompetence.

We thank for the ghostwriters who help speakers appear as knowledgeable authorities. The adulation and reverence accorded to these public figures like the senators are to be attributed to the intellectual acumen and writing skills of the ghostwriters. My only is that wish that ghostwriters should be more prudent in the preparation of speeches to be delivered by our public officials. They should not fan the burning issues of the day into becoming a hellish inferno.

Popularity not an index of good leadership

2009-09-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

Popularity not an index of good leadership

These past few days the political landscape in our country has become volatile and unpredictable. Unexpectedly, Senator Mar Roxas gave up his bid for the presidency in favor of Senator Noynoy Aquino. If national elections were held today, for sure Senator Aquino would win as president because of his rapid and astounding popularity nowadays.

However, popularity should not be used as an index to vote politicians into public office. Let us first and foremost examine the platform of government of these aspiring politicians. Are they reflective of our ideals and aspirations as a people? Are they pro-God, pro-poor, pro-environment, or pro-life? Let us ask too whether they live moral lives and are practicing the Gospel values. Are these politicians good models for our children? Are their modest ways and lifestyle worthy of emulation? Let us check too whether or not money is their only god. Are these politicians motivated by their lust for money? Would these politicians use their authorities and influence to enrich themselves and impoverish the whole country because of their greediness for material wealth?

It is worthy to note that there are some rare breed politicians who in spite of their being poor and virtually unknown are also sincere and are desirous to serve the country. These are the politicians who are nameless and voiceless yet they live with good manners and right conduct, with character and competence to lead our country. These are the politicians who can ill-afford to spend millions of pesos to project their image using infomercials. These are the same politicians who place God at the center of politics.

If we choose politicians still on the basis of popularity then I think our country is moving once more in the wrong direction. It becomes a cyclical life for us Filipinos. We elect the wrong leaders then we later whine and complain of their wrongdoings; after which we clamor for ethical and moral leaders to replace these unscrupulous leaders. But when elections come, we still choose the most popular candidates to lead us even when we know that they are undeserving because they lead shady and dishonest lives. When will we ever learn to choose the right leaders of our country?

Orson Welles says “popularity should be no scale for the election of politicians. If it would depend on popularity, Donald Duck and The Muppets would take seats in senate.”

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR COUNTRYMEN

2009-08-30T04:07:00.000-07:00

Aparri, Cagayan
August 30, 2009

Dear Friends, Relatives, and Countrymen:

I am REGINALD BALISI TAMAYO, 45, married, a public servant and a humble Christian.

I am writing to inform you that I am running for the Senate in the 2010 elections under the ANG KAPATIRAN Party. I expect a certain amount of skepticism on your part. In fact many asked me these questions- “Isn’t that a little unrealistic? Isn’t that a wishful thinking?” I also asked the same questions a few times. I was clueless. By default, I dismissed my nomination to be a Senatorial candidate as a joke. I thought that I was not prepared to re-shape my life and that of my family by running into a national office.

However, as many put it, there’s a reason for everything. It is in this spirit that I am inviting you to read my story why I am taking this long shot for a Senate seat.

Looking back

After completing AB Philosophy in 1985 at the University of the Philippines, it was my plan to pursue my law studies. My parents were tongue-tied when I told them about this. Knowing that they didn’t have the financial resources to support me, I did not insist my plan. My father was a clerk-typist and my mother worked as a gasoline girl. With the measly amount of salaries they were receiving, I understood their silence. I thought that poverty would hamper my dream of becoming a lawyer.

I went home to Aparri to find a job and to be with my parents. It was timely that the Lyceum of Aparri opened a major seminary. I applied for a teaching job there and was hired as a lecturer. I was at the young age of 21 when I was appointed Dean of Liberal Arts and Dean of Student Affairs of the Lyceum of Aparri. During that period, I was invited by politicians to join local politics in my hometown Aparri purposely to represent the youth sector. Truth to be told, teaching the seminarians with Philosophy subjects and supervising a college became an all-consuming drive for me such that I courteously declined the invitation. I thought politics was farthest from my mind at that time.

I will never forget the day when my school superiors told me to try it. They were able to convince me though to run for a municipal councilor. However, I lost and I was very happy about it. I went back to my school work with zeal to teach and to oversee a college.

The Transition

A few months after the elections, one of the elected municipal councilors passed away. There was no other choice but for me to take his place because, after him, I was next in rank and we belong to the same political party. I was sworn in as an appointed municipal councilor to serve the unexpired term of the said local official.

The effect this had on my work as a teacher and as a dean is obvious. I was spreading myself too thin to attend to my work as a municipal councilor and as a teacher and a school administrator while completing my masteral studies too. In order not become inefficient I was asked to give up one post- I decided to try my new life as a public servant because I was overwhelmed by the many concerns of my townspeople that need to be addressed squarely thru legislation. However, I never gave up completely my teaching job, I still teach at the Lyceum of Aparri as a part-time college instructor.

Period of Achievements

During my stint as a municipal councilor of Aparri, I was awarded as Outstanding Municipal Councilor of Cagayan by the Philippine Councilors League. I pioneered thru legislation many innovative legislative measures ranging from giving awards to outstanding public school teachers, scholarship program for the poor but deserving students, instituting a local newspaper, to many and varied ordinances that benefit the Aparrianos.

I wrote two books for the barangay officials (Barangay First) and the sangguniang kabataan (Empowering the Sangguniang Kabataan). The latter was reviewed by DILG Region 2 and was approved for distribution to all sangguniang kabataan throughout the country.

I shared, and I am still sharing, my views on local and national issues and many of them were published in Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Philippine Free Press, and other major dailies. I am a regular columnist of the Northern Forum of Tuguegarao City, Guru Press of Tabuk City, and several others. You can read all my articles in my site at http://reginaldtamayo.blogspot.com.

After I finished my 3-term as a municipal councilor, I ran for the vice-mayoral post but lost. But a year after the elections, I was asked by the then Vice Governor Oscar T. Pagulayan to work with him as his chief of staff. I accepted the job and was exposed to politics on a higher level for almost two years.

In 2004 elections, I ran again as a municipal councilor of Aparri and I won a seat, a position which I still hold up to this time. Truth is I already spend 20 years more or less of my life as a municipal councilor of Aparri.

Time to have a breather

Early this year I decided not to run anymore in the forthcoming local elections. My wife Lalaine Jarabe-Tamayo, and my children Regine (UST Philosophy 4th yr. student), Reiner (3rd yr. high school), Ria (2nd yr. high school), and Ricci (grade 4) were happy about my decision. They egged on me to continue my law studies which I did. “I needed some breathing space,” I said, especially when I was not given any committee to chair in the municipal council and almost my proposed resolutions and ordinances are not given due course. It is indeed a lonely fight when you are an opposition. I am up to my neck. That is why I was resolved to hide myself from politics next year.

God’s providential hand

But God works in mysterious ways. I recall that I hesitated to enter local politics when I was immensely enjoying my role as a teacher and as a dean of a college but God made a way for me to become a municipal councilor. Also, when I lost in my bid to my vice-mayoral post, God led me to experience politics in the province. I recently decided to take a time out from politics by not joining the local elections next year but God knocked at my heart to try national politics this time. I have been praying to God that he will pluck me out from the noisy politics and put my life in a more quiet place. God answered my prayer but He alone knows the reason why he answered my prayer differently.

I was like Jonah, the fugitive figure in the Bible. I was running away from politics but only to discover that there is no hiding place from God- He still found me and invited me to try national politics.

To be honest, I never asked to become a Senatorial candidate. Somebody nominated me as Senatorial candidate under ANG KAPATIRAN Party. The party informed me that I was nominated and asked if I am wiling to accept it. My wife and I took the nomination lightly knowing that we don’t have the resources to back me up. When I attended recently an international convention in Manila, I thought of contacting the secretary of the party and told him that I was ready to be subjected for a panel interview. I never thought that I would be severely grilled in that interview with many raised questions about national issues, political and moral concerns. I passed with flying colors the interview and without much ado I was named the 7th Senatorial candidate of the party. The party tendered a lunch for me after that.

My dear friends, relatives and countrymen, I am presenting myself and my partymates of the Ang Kapatiran Party as alternative candidates. Having been asked to run for the Senate is a grand and a grave challenge. I say grand because I see God’s providential hand into it; and I say grave because it is no joke to run for a national office.

I don’t have any personal resources to sustain my candidacy but I sincerely believe I have you on my side, and with the guidance and provision from God I will not be another Jonah but to willingly accept the call and the challenge to run as a Senator in 2010 elections because there is no hiding place and hideout from God

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

REGINALD B. TAMAYO
Member, Sangguniang Bayan
Secretary-General, SAVE Cagayan
Aparri, Cagayan

0916-2513562/0928-2886878
reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com
http://reginaldtamayo.blogspot.com.

Kapatiran launches 2010 bets

2009-08-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

National Back to Home Page

August 21, 2009 06:35 PM Friday Article read 262 time(s)

Kapatiran launches 2010 bets

THE Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP), a national political party accredited by the Comelec, formally launched its candidates for the 2010 elections at a fund-raising dinner held at the Social Hall of the Christ the King Parish in Greenmeadows, Q.C. on Aug. 19, 2009.

Dubbed “Dine for Psalm 20:10,” the sit-down dinner was attended by some 400 AKP supporters to help raise funds for the party’s national and local candidates. The dinner event featured a significant dish, porridge or “lugaw” that symbolizes the worsening poverty of Filipinos.

The national candidates included presidential candidate John Carlos “JC” delos Reyes and senatorial candidates Atty. Adrian “Dado” Sison, Dr. Martin Bautista, Atty. Zosimo Jesus “Jess” Paredes, Atty. Dominador “Jun” Chipeco, Jr., and Aparri Councilor Reginald “Reggie” Tamayo. Two other senatorial candidates would be named later.

Other candidates for local positions were also introduced, namely, Atty. Leo Ferrer of Quezon City, Conrado Tejada of Ibaan in Batangas, Dr. Luisito Lacatan of Oriental Mindoro, Victor del Rosario of Naval in Biliran, Engr. Dhara Mamacol of Lanao del Norte, and Jose Policarpio Jr. of Zamboanga Sibugay among others.

For more information on AKP and its candidates, visit www.angkapatiranparty.org.
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People's Tonight

Unfair pre-political ads

2009-08-16T02:59:00.000-07:00

Unfair pre-political ads

I watched with interest the recent Senate hearing led by Senator Miriam Santiago on the issue of premature campaigning through commercial advertisements. The use of television, radio, billboard, and newspaper advertisements by some cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking government officials are effective ways to toss them to national posts in the 2010 elections. Regardless of the reasons offered by these government officials why they advertise their programs and activities of their departments, theirs are clearly pre-political gimmicks purposely to make inroads into the consciousness of our people that they are running in the 2010 elections. They imprudently squandered the people’s money for such advertisements when such can be more judiciously used in other productive endeavors that would alleviate poverty condition or ease the social and economic plights of our people.

It is becoming apparent that most of our politicians suffer from what I call attention-crisis syndrome. All unscrupulous politicians fight for attention and there seems to be no cure for this. They starve to be seen and be heard of- kulang sila sa pansin. Media exposure is what they thought to be their medication. Obviously, because of their media exposures, they have a better advantage to win in the 2010 elections than those of us who cannot afford to pay this kind of expensive media spectacle of premature campaigning. Worse, these image-building advertisements relegate the more important issues of the day into oblivion. Elections should be based on platforms and what candidates say their stand on issues besetting our country rather than on how many times we have seen their faces or heard their voices in these commercial advertisements. If elections were held today, would we vote for the candidates who had spent millions of people’s money for the advertisements or would we go for those candidates whose advertisements are eye-catching or dramatic? Only the uncaring citizens of this country would probably vote for them.

I simply cannot afford to pay for such commercial advertisements in order to win a Senate seat. I am virtually unknown as a Senate aspirant but I trust that our people would elect Senatorial candidates not on the basis of media exposures but on the platforms of the candidates, their integrity, zeal to serve with a sense of responsibility, and honesty to bring the gospel-values into the world of politics.

Issues I raised during Senate Committee Hearing

2009-07-20T00:51:00.000-07:00

Issues I raised during Senate Committee Hearing

I recently attended the Senate Committee Hearing of Senator Panfilo Lacson. The hearing was focused on the proposed bill “An Act Instituting Reforms In Real Property Valuation And Assessment In The Philippines” which is authored by Senators Lacson, Lapid, Angara, and Biazon.

During the deliberation, I raised some concerns regarding Section 16 of the proposed bill which deals with the preparation of scheduled of market values. It says, inter alia, that assessors “shall prepare a Scheduled of Market Values (SMV) for the different classes of real property and special purpose property situated within their respective local government units, in consultation with the concerned Sanggunian, pursuant to the valuation standards and specifications set” by the National Valuation Authority. In the same sections it says in part that that National Valuation Authority “shall review and approved the SMV within ninety (90) days upon receipt of the same, otherwise, the said schedule shall be deemed approved.” It adds, “the approved Schedule of Market Values shall be sent back to the concerned Sanggunian for enactment of ordinance for the general revision of real property assessments within ninety (90) days from receipt thereof. After the lapse of the said period, the ordinance shall be deemed enacted and thereafter, a general revision of real property assessments shall be made in said local government units using as basis the approved SMV.”

I questioned the rationality of this section by asking the committee to consider the role of the Sanggunian concerned. I said that if the phrase “in consultation with the concerned sanggunian” would be tantamount to getting the comments only of local legislators without public consultation, then I strongly oppose it. On matters like this, it is the interest of good governance that the concerned sanggunian cannot decide unilaterally without a rigorous public consultation on the proposed SMV. It is the responses of the people to this public consultation that the concerned sanggunian can base its impartial and judicious decision whether or not to enact the corresponding ordinance for the general revision of real property assessments in its respective jurisdiction.

I emphasized that the power to review and give approval of the SMV should not be lodged exclusively to the National Valuation Authority. Otherwise, this would bring frustration to the sanggunian and worse embarrassment because it would make a mockery out of what the sanggunian is responsible of doing. It must be noted that in this case the sanggunian has the legislative authority to enact the required ordinance and this is not within the ambit of authority of the National Valuation Authority.

Senator Lacson though assured me that the concerned sanggunian will not be chained. However, I still believe that the Section in question should be better phrased for clarity’s sake and to give proper respect to the sanggunian on matters of legislation that are within its authority.

Insensitive president

2009-07-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

Insensitive president

This refers to the article “Arroyo to CIA Chief: Blasts are nothing” (PDI 7/12). I am deeply troubled by these offensive remarks of the president. For a president to say to a visiting CIA chief Leon Panetta that waves of bombings in Mindanao is not a cause of worry is not a joke. It is symptomatic of an insensitive president. The intent of the president may not be one of malice but she can never take back what she said. It is pretty juvenile to make such imprudent remarks amidst the mourning and anguish of victims of these Mindanao bombings.

Was the remark made in jest? That would be unpresidential. We, Filipinos, claim that we are humorous but I don’t see and any humor in these insulting and derogatory remarks of a president. I opine that such uncalled for remarks have profound negative consequences for the people from Mindanao. I consider it too as an affront to our Muslim brothers and sisters.

The president is so fixated with a tunnel view that everything going on in the country is rose-colored and promising. I hope that the CIA chief have also asked people other than the president about what is really happening in the country especially in Mindanao. I am not saying that Panetta cannot get a true picture of what is happening in Mindanao from the president but there is always the tendency for a pro-government people to draw a romanticized picture of Mindanao.

Panetta should realize that telling lies and making deceits are favorite pastime of many of our politicians. Panetta should then be cautious in this country of lies. He should resolve not to be easily swayed by the wagging tongues of liars who deserve some blasts of wet baby diapers.

I was nominated as a Senator

2009-07-01T22:50:00.000-07:00

I was nominated as a Senator

I recently received a letter from Dr. Martin Martinez, chairman of the National Electoral Committee of Ang Kapatiran Party and Eric Manalang, president of the party, informing me, among others, that my humble self was nominated as a Senator by a concerned citizen. Frankly, I was on cloud nine and could only thank in prayer the citizen who nominated me.

I read carefully the founding principles and platform of AKP and its Code of Conduct. The party calls for the building of a nation of character. It urges the integral development of the Filipinos through values formation. The language used is without embellishment with quotes like “Abolish all forms of gambling,” and “Abolish the death penalty.” The party works towards an ideal society where the citizens are sovereign and that there is no room for the ambitious, greedy, and tyrannical politicians.

I opine that the target “constituencies” of AKP are those Filipinos who believe in ethical and servant leadership. Many are disgruntled about the present crop of leadership in this country and they want a nationwide moral change. Personally, AKP provides an additional and an alternative spectrum in our political field challenging our voters to exercise their judgment within the bounds of reason and morality as to what political parties can best respond to the needs of our times.

After consulting with my wife, relatives and friends, I made the decision: I accepted the nomination.

Presidency for life?

2009-06-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

Presidency for life?

Has the president resolved to become a lifetime chief executive of this country? Sensing that she has an opportunity to hold on to her power beyond 2010 by running as congresswoman in her district, this impresses us that power indeed intoxicates. How true are the words of James Byrnes when he said, "Power intoxicates men. When a man is intoxicated by alcohol he can recover, but when intoxicated by power he seldom recovers."

Any elected president must realize that he or she is a president of a country and not a president of a family-owned corporation. He or she as president must govern the people with respect and not make the country as his or her personal toy. Does the president not want to live as a former president with weakened immunity liable to prosecution by whoever will be her successor?

The time has come for us Filipinos to stand up and protest against this cheap political ploy. Let us vehemently oppose this re-entry and life presidency plan of the president through the backdoor. Let us oppose any political scheme to make her chief executive for life. Let us not remain sheepish and docile. Instead, let us be assertive with our rights to choose the next president of this country come 2010 elections and at bayonet point tell the president she already had her time and that she cannot flout the constitution.

I suggest that she should start looking to history and reflect on how people in the future will judge her and her presidency. I suggest too that she should rather plan on how to have a dignified exit before her term ends on 2010 and not to think on ways to perpetuate her hold on power. She and her political entourage’s campaign of self-perpetuation will be a mistake. God forbids, they will be embarrassed and a great deal of their dignity will be robbed off.

The president should now start unifying our fragmented country. She should now mend fences with her political opponents. She has still an ample time to prove herself that she is the president of the people by initiating actions that will redeem her esteem and her office and who knows, our people will have kind thoughts of her after she leaves her office.

Madam President, your time is running out- prepare now for a dignified exit. It is time for you to go home. For the remaining months of your office as our president, leave a lasting legacy for us to remember you by. Godspeed Madam President and have a peaceful life.

Global Balita June Series#5

2009-06-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA

Opinion » The GMA regime’s weakness and vulnerability
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar
Many Filipinos are nearly panicking these days that Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) will not leave Malacañang Palace in 2010. This is more emotional and less rational. More than anything else, it reflects the cowardice of a nation to assert its collective will — in utter fear of the imagined strength of GMA.

If reason is to rule one’s judgment, then all the signs point to GMA having very slim chances of pulling off a magic stunt and remain in power after her …

Read the full story >> The GMA regime’s weakness and vulnerability

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Opinion » The Race For Control
GLIMPSES
by Jose Ma. Montelibano

Reality in the Philippines is so dark that writing about the good news, which I have tried to do with greater resolve in the last few years, can be daunting. It is less the content of good news that is challenging, it is more writing them and blocking the incessant temptation to focus on the more sensational bad news. When one really wants to see the good in the other, the good in society, there are more than enough people and developments that truly lift the spirit. …

Read the full story >> The Race For Control

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Opinion » Comelec has responded
by Frank Wenceslao

Chairman Jose Melo responded to our proposal that the Comelec should assert its powers to ensure clean and honest elections next year and onward. He said it’s being considered by the appropriate unit for its implications on their present work and legal requirement.
To further support our proposal I sent Pamusa’s manifesto: “Safeguarding the Philippine Constitution, Fighting Graft and Corruption and Enhancing the Emergence of Transformational Leaders through Clean and Honest 2010 Elections Onward” as well a letter from the Office of California’s Attorney General advising that Pamusa has …

Read the full story >> Comelec has responded

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Politics & Government » Panlilio: Pampanga has an ace to defeat Arroyo
By the looks of it, it’s going to be a classic David vs. Goliath contest. Randy David is one of the most respected Pampangueños and he’ll give Gloria a run for her money. — Perry

Panlilio: Pampanga has an ace to defeat Arroyo
by Roy Legarde

MANILA, June 25, 2009—Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio said he and his supporters have an ace up their sleeves to match President Arroyo’s deemed candidacy in Pampanga’s 2nd district.

Panlilio said they will not let the province of Pampanga to be used by Mrs Arroyo’s ‘political agenda’ ...

Read the full story >> Panlilio: Pampanga has an ace to defeat Arroyo

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Opinion » The Yellows and the Greens; the Slut and the Flower People
Kapeng BARAKO
by Jesse Jose
from Fil-Am MegaScene
Let’s talk about Iran.

But first, tit for tat.

Do y’all know that Senator John McCain was called a “yellow belly” by a newspaper editor (I am not gonna mention his name) because of the good senator’s stand on Iran in which he said that President Barack Obama must be more forceful on speaking up on the unrest there?

I beg your pardon, but Senator McCain is no yellow belly. That’s a misnomer. To me to call Senator McCain THAT is surely an ignorant remark. Mr. McCain is …

Read the full story >> The Yellows and the Greens; the Slut and the Flower People

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Opinion » Trafficking the Enslaved
by Fr. Shay Cullen
from PREDA Foundation

It was for Jennifer an all too familiar story similar to that of thousands in Asia and Eastern Europe. Born into poverty,living in a poor village on Negros Island in the Philippines and dreaming of better life Jennifer went with a recruiter and her parents approval to work as a domestic helper in the capital Manila. But soon her naive dreams of earning a modest wage for a 12 hour day to help her five brothers and sisters were shattered when her employer and his …

Read the full story >> Trafficking the Enslaved

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Opinion » Vandalism in Cagayan
by Reginald Tamayo

In my Cagayan province, one gets to notice flyers “Gising Cagayan” and “Gobierno Ti Umili” glued to practically every conceivable public space. These flyers are highly visible as they maliciously defaced newly painted bridges, historic markers, walls, waiting sheds, and the like. They create the perception that the areas where these flyers are put on are tagged as belonging to a group or a political party known as “Gising Cagayan” or “Gobierno Ti Umili.” Probably, the people behind these nasty tagging of areas wanted to heighten the awareness …

Read the full story >> Vandalism in Cagayan

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

Global Balita June Series #4

2009-06-27T18:06:00.001-07:00

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA
Opinion » GMA’s narrowing political options
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

The political options of Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) to remain in power beyond 2010 have been the cause of sleepless nights for many Filipinos. Over 60% of Filipinos have consistently registered in the SWS and Pulse Asia periodic surveys as seeking regime change.

Three political options have been considered as her likely means for staying in power beyond 2010. There is the Charter change (Cha cha) option where we shift to a Parliamentary form of government and she then reinvents herself as …

Read the full story >> GMA’s narrowing political options

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Opinion » The Class of ‘78
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

“It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”, is a wit’s description of how “boring” operas end. Those who do not appreciate the long arias and have ears only for the operatic highlights often wonder when it would all end.

What this country has had to suffer through the years has been a long and badly sung, badly-scripted, badly-acted opera. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has inflicted her unworthy presence in the life of the nation far too long. First she pushed off the popular troubadour, Joseph Estrada, off the …

Read the full story >> The Class of ‘78

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Opinion » The Return of the Jedi
by Erick San Juan

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates after attending the Annual Asian Defense Conference in Singapore went to the Philippines the next day to meet his counterpart, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro at Camp Aguinaldo. They talked about the RP-US relation on counter-terrorism and how the joint military exercises benefit both nations especially, the humanitarian and disaster assistance given by the US government through the US armed forces.

Several newspapers reported that Gates talked about US government’s confidence in the Philippine defense leadership and the reaffirmation of their mutual security …

Read the full story >> The Return of the Jedi

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Opinion » Letter from Alaska

by Antonio C. Abaya
from Standard Today

First of all, I would like to apologize to my readers for disappearing from print and cyberspace since May 15.

I have been on vacation all this time, first in San Francisco, then on board a cruise ship to Alaska and back, and finally in Chicago.

My companion and I were booked on the ms Amsterdam of the Holland America Line, which sailed from Seattle on May 23 on a seven-day voyage that took us to Juneau (the capital of the state of Alaska), then through the …

Read the full story >> Letter from Alaska

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Opinion » Consigliere
Editorial
from Philippine Daily Inquirer

Something is not right in the apparently sudden designation of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez as chief presidential legal counsel, and the appointment of Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera as acting DoJ chief.

“He knows that it was he himself who hinted that he wanted to go on vacation” from the Department of Justice, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in Filipino, expanding on the explanation offered by Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo that Gonzalez was being reassigned to a “less strenuous” job.

The problem is, Gonzalez himself said he would have …

Read the full story >> Consigliere

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Opinion » Dr. Kho-Katrina Sex Video Scandal: Only a tip in the Iceberg
by Ben Serrano

While here in Manila attending my daughter’s major operation at state-owned Philippine General Hospital (PGH) practically doing everything from bed side hospital watching and securing medicines and necessities with the help of my elder daughter, Beverly, third year in computer engineering for another daughter of mine, Beneva June, a graduating honor student at the Science High School in her major surgical operation (very successful indeed), every gossips in the corner were all about Katrina and Hayden Kho’s sex video.

Riding a passenger jeep, all Filipinos (common and …

Read the full story >> Dr. Kho-Katrina Sex Video Scandal: Only a tip in the Iceberg

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Opinion » North to South, Sort of
by Renato Redentor Constantino
Our nation’s enduring hex is forgetfulness. If only we’d remember the word.

It’s like we have a national reboot button and every three weeks someone steps on the big clicker and everyone stops mid-step in a bazillion tiny pieces of a second. Then the music lurches forward again and we do a little skip and we sneak furtive looks left then right and our mind squints, as if it’s staring at the sun.

Blink, blink.

Same, same.

That’s been our lot for a while.

Insipid, shabby future.

Godawful present.

A few curious blips of …

Read the full story >> North to South, Sort of

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Opinion » House of Law breakers
by Reginald Tamayo
Where is the sense of respect and of common decency of congressmen and congresswomen who signed House resolution calling for a constituent assembly purposely to amend the constitution sans the participation of the Senate? I am tempted to say that the House of Representatives is a House of Lawbreakers since there are some members thereof who wantonly violate the constitution just to suit their political convenience and perpetuate themselves in power.

Do our people really demand the amending of the constitution? Have there been calls from various sectors for …

Read the full story >> House of Law breakers

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Opinion » Bush/Cheney Duo: Is American Justice in Jeopardy? (Part II)

by Rawlein G. Soberano, Ph.D.

Water-boarding consists of immobilizing the victim on his back with the head inclined downwards and then pouring water over the face and into the breathing passages. By forced suffocation and inhalation of water, the subject experiences drowning. The Spanish Inquisition used it for interrogation purposes to punish, intimidate and force confessions. In July 2007, it was reported that the CIA was water-boarding prisoners and that DOJ had authorized the procedure...

Read the full story >> Bush/Cheney Duo: Is American Justice in Jeopardy? (Part II)

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Opinion » PerryScope: Betrayal of Edsa
by Perry Diaz
In 1986, twenty three years ago, a new republic was born from the womb of Edsa, fathered by the spirit of People Power. A new generation of Filipinos sprang that she hoped would lead the nation out of the morass of corruption and poverty bred during the dictatorial reign of Ferdinand Marcos. Finally, the people were free once again.

Edsa became the symbol of a nation that aspired to be great. A shrine was built for her to remind the people that freedom lost could take a lifetime to …

Read the full story >> PerryScope: Betrayal of Edsa

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

Global Balita June Series#2

2009-06-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA
Opinion » Simple questions for Manuel B. Villar

by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

We write this article hours before the Senate, acting as a Committee of the Whole, begins its adjudicatory proceedings in a complaint filed by Sen. Jamby Madrigal before the Senate Ethics Committee against Sen. Manuel B. Villar Jr.

The facts of the case, as Madrigal alleges in her accusations, are: One, that Sen. Villar violated Article VI Sec. 14 of the Philippine Constitution, which states that “No Senator or member of the House of Representatives…shall, directly or indirectly, be interested financially in any contract with, or in …

Read the full story >> Simple questions for Manuel B. Villar

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Opinion » When ‘the 3 stooges’ conduct a Senate hearing

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

Larry, Moe and Curly Joe, or better known as The 3 Stooges, were among the favorite comedians of Baby Boomers like your Chair Wrecker. The term LOL (laughing out loud) was not yet in vogue during our pre-teen years but that is what we did every time we watched The 3 Stooges on television.

When The 3 Stooges portrayed car mechanics and were attempting to simply replace a defective car part, they would end up destroying the entire vehicle. When The 3 Stooges …

Read the full story >> When ‘the 3 stooges’ conduct a Senate hearing

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Culture, Sports, Entertainment & Technology » Matter of Taste

The following is from a British journalist stationed in the Philippines.
His observations are so hilarious!

Matter of Taste
by Matthew Sutherland

I have now been in this country for over six years, and consider myself in
most respects well-assimilated. However, there is one key step on the road
to full assimilation which I have yet to take, and that’s to eat BALUT. The
day any of you sees me eating balut, please call immigration and ask them
to issue me a Filipino passport, because at that point there will be no
turning back. BALUT, for those still blissfully …

Read the full story >> Matter of Taste

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Culture, Sports, Entertainment & Technology » The Real Best in the East

Even Bruce Lee would’ve challenged Pacquiao
by Alex P. Vidal

SAN DIEGO, California – The best in the East.

This titanic title once belonged to the legendary kung fu maestro Bruce Lee who as the pride of the East even the best boxer in the world dared not to see him eyeball to eyeball in his heyday in the early 70’s.

But after dismantling Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton in the IBO light welterweight duel dubbed “The Battle of the East and the West” in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2, Manny Pacquiao is now …

Read the full story >> The Real Best in the East

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Opinion » Even Hitler was entitled to have a fair trial
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

There is a very basic principle of justice and the rule of law that has been grossly overlooked in the raging debate surrounding the ethics case that was filed against top Opposition presidential candidate, Senator Manny Villar.

And that principle is the right of the accused – any accused – to a fair trial.

A fair trial is not just the granting of the opportunity to the accused to refute charges and present counter evidence. The more important aspect of a fair trial is …

Read the full story >> Even Hitler was entitled to have a fair trial

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Opinion » The Big Set-up
by Ellen Tordesillas
Hardly had the croaking of the the congressmen who were at the Manila Hotel for the launching of what pundits call Palaka (Partido Lakas at Kampi) died down last Thursday when they were summoned by Gloria Arroyo to a room where she gave her marching orders: pass the resolution amending the Constitution.

Arroyo, the source said, offered the congressmen a hefty incentive: over and above their pork barrel, they will be given P20 million each.

There are two resolutions calling for the amendment of the Constitution pending at the Lower …

Read the full story >> The Big Set-up

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Opinion » On responsible citizenship
by Reginald Tamayo

We don’t seem to appreciate our being democratic citizens. There may be instances proving of our being responsible citizens in a democratic country but these are on a daily and retail bases. To act like responsible citizens in this country is likened to a goody that is only available in a vending machine, that is, it is there when it is needed.

Besides, many of us appear to be uninformed about our rights and obligations in a democratic country. We don’t simply live up to our responsibilities as democratic …

Read the full story >> On responsible citizenship

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Opinion » Senate inquiry: a circus show
by Reginald B. Tamayo

I recently watched on television the Senate inquiry on the sex video scandal of Ms. Katrina Halili and Dr. Hayden Kho. I was expecting to see the inquiry to be conducted with due decorum. I was disappointed. What I saw was a circus.

Some people who were there are likened to vultures who were ready to make a kill or simply people who don’t want to miss a circus show in town. There was even a man who even unceremoniously drenched Dr. Kho. These are not encouraging signs …

Read the full story >> Senate inquiry: a circus show

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Opinion » It’s merger of ‘trapos’; it is a ‘palaka’
by Michael Lim Ubac
from Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—“Kokak.”

That one word captures the opposition’s reaction to the so-called marriage of the two biggest political parties in the country. The opposition also said the political union would not translate into votes to ensure the victory of administration candidates in the 2010 elections.

Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said the merger of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) was a union of “trapos” (traditional politicians).

Roxas, a presidential aspirant and the president of the Liberal Party, told reporters that the name …

Read the full story >> It’s merger of ‘trapos’; it is a ‘palaka’

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Opinion » Being Filipino
The young teacher that provided the author, Evan S. Chen, the inspiration that awakened his Filipino soul is my nephew, Josemaria Esposo Claro and this was when Hossie was still teaching in Xavier University in Ortigas Avenue. The Jesuits has since asked Hossie to teach in their San Andres Bukid Special Education Program for poor kids. - The STAR Chair Wrecker, William M. Esposo

Youngblood
Being Filipino
by Evan S. Chen
from Philippine Daily Inquirer

When I was young, I never truly considered myself Filipino. Sure, I lived in the Philippines and I carried …

Read the full story >> Being Filipino

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

Global Balita June Series #1

2009-06-27T17:59:00.001-07:00

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA
Opinion » Quotes of the day
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

Prospero Nograles, on the eve of the merger of Lakas (Teddy Boy Locsin’s favourite “party of thieves”) and Kampi (Gloria and Mike Arroyo’s favourite party of what else?) was “ecstatic” over the conjugal union of the two. As of this writing, the mega-event is supposed to be ongoing.
Said Nograles: “For now, winning the elections in 2010 is not our main goal. Changing the character of our politics is”.
Oh my God! After almost nine years of Gloria’s hegemony, during which Nograles has seen himself catapulted to …
Read the full story >> Quotes of the day
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Opinion » My rambling thoughts on Kho-Halili sex video
Kapeng BARAKO
by Jesse Jose
from Fil-Am MegaScene

Sheesh.
What’s the big deal?
Bakit pinagkakaguluhan ito?
The people, men, women and children, the media, the tsismis shows led by Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino, the politicians, the police, the NBI, the Dept of Justice, Gabriela, the Philippine Congress …
Even the Philippine Medical Association …
The whole country, actually …
Is riveted to this sex video.
How laughable naman.
How pathetic.
How sad.
Only in the Philippines, I tell ya.
Sure, here in America, people get riveted, too, to sex scandals. Yes, they talk about it. But they don’t talk about it weeks after …

Read the full story >> My rambling thoughts on Kho-Halili sex video

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Opinion » Take Justice Into Our Own Hands
GLIMPSES
Jose Ma. Montelibano

The way I see the political equation is that a weak people attract bad governance. That is why any good governance advocacy will never work unless it carries in it a parallel movement for a strong citizenry. All the way from my boyhood days, I already heard the generation of my parents promote the cause of good governance. Today, 50 years later, most good government advocates insist that never in our history is good governance needed more. This is another way of saying that efforts for good governance …

Read the full story >> Take Justice Into Our Own Hands

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Opinion » Enrile versus Pimentel: Who can we believe?

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

Pikon (short fused) is a term that has often been used by media to characterize Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. On primetime television last Monday, Enrile displayed that side of his character again.

All the way to your bedroom or living room, depending where you watch the TV news, you can almost feel the figurative angry snorts from the nose of the raging bull in the Senate who was accusing Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel of being a “coward, hypocrite, traitor and a spoiled …

Read the full story >> Enrile versus Pimentel: Who can we believe?

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Politics & Government » Good, Honest Governance at Work

PRESS STATEMENT OF GOV. EDDIE PANLILIO
May 28, 2009

GOOD, HONEST GOVERNANCE AT WORK
Quarry collections reach P395.598M in 23 months
Exceed NRDC collections in 3 years

Today, I congratulate the Biyaya a Luluguran at Sisikapan (Balas) committee, the provincial checkers, the provincial environment and natural resources office, the members of the provincial mining regulatory board, and the provincial treasurer’s office for their collective success in being able to collect, on behalf of the province, P395.598 million in taxes from sand and gravel.

Read the full story >> Good, Honest Governance at Work

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Opinion » What a country!
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

Another boat sank off the waters of Batangas, and twelve people are reported to have died. Another 42 have survived. On the basis of the arithmetic, Marina officials say the boat was overloaded, because it had registered capacity for only 42 passengers. Soon, when the victims shall have been buried, the issue of maritime safety will be forgotten. Months ago, another boat capsized off the waters of Calayan Island off Sta. Ana in Cagayan. I don’t even remember how many perished. The same reason was given …

Read the full story >> What a country!

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Opinion » The defeaning silence of the church on the sex video scandal
by Reginald Tamayo

The sex video scandal of Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili is like a wild virus. It has traumatized the families of the victims and it has demoralized many women especially the young ones. The extent of the impact of the scandal is undeniably strong that it has become a favorite topic in coffee shops, beauty parlors, market place, and many other public places. All are practically mouthing their views about this scandal. But there is one sector which I haven’t heard saying its views: the Catholic Church ...

Read the full story >> The defeaning silence of the church on the sex video scandal

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Opinion » Writ of Amparo

Telltale Signs
by Rodel Rodis

It was reportedly “imported” from South America as a response to the widespread extra-judicial killings of journalists and activists which have proliferated in the last decade. The Writ of Amparo (Spanish for “protection”) was promulgated by Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno and his associate justices on October 24, 2007 to provide an opportunity for aggrieved parties to seek a Court order directing the military and police authorities to spare a particular individual from harm.

On May 20, 2009, the Philippine Supreme Court issued a Writ of …

Read the full story >> Writ of Amparo

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Opinion » U.S. Aid: A Joke!
by Erick San Juan

I was shock to read in a “public relations” newspaper that most of our bilateral agreements with the United States government, benefits us more than them.

In its opinion page, it is said that the United States is the Philippines’ only mutual defense treaty partner and the largest source of foreign military financing. It added that the U.S. government’s foreign military aid to the Philippines helps in modernizing the Philippine Armed Forces. We allegedly received the highest level of funds in East Asia and the Pacific under the …

Read the full story >> U.S. Aid: A Joke!

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Opinion » Children Suffer Most When Justice is Denied
by Fr. Shay Cullen
from PREDA

Beth was a docile and submissive child. She lived in fear of her dominating father and he was addicted to buying the dirt cheap child pornography CDs that are widely available in the Philippines. It was perhaps inevitable that he would rape her and he did several times over two years ago in the province of Bataan not far from Manila. When she was rescued and brought safe in the Preda Children’s Home, she recovered and was soon strong and brave enough to tell her story …

Read the full story >> Children Suffer Most When Justice is Denied

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

Eulogy for Uncle Jim

2009-06-26T00:55:00.000-07:00

EULOGY FOR SIR KNIGHT JIMMY BALISI
By Reginald B. Tamayo

Today, we say farewell to a father, to a grandfather, to an uncle, to a friend, to a neighbor, and a brother Knight, Sir Knight Jimmy Cuntapay Balisi. We say farewell with sadness for we have lost him, but also we say farewell with joy for God had taken him in the bosom of His love.

Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi loved the Knights of Columbus. He served the Knights of Columbus faithfully and for that we will always be grateful. I remember with gratitude his long service as an emcee of the various programs and activities of the Council, as a crystallizer of issues and concerns during our breakfast meetings. Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi was also an endless source of knowledge about policies of the Knights of Columbus, including social issues and political concerns in the community and in the country. He is known also for injecting humor in his talks that would create a robust laughter among the members and among his listeners. Indeed, Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi was the kind of person that any Knight would want at his side.

Wise as he was, experienced as he was, faithful and totally dedicated to the cause of the Knights of Columbus, his concern for the welfare of the members of the Council were immense and this for sure will be long remembered. His warm, generous smile and genial nature helped transform the Council into a family that we are. He lived our principles of charity, unity, patriotism, and fraternity not just in the Council, but every day, wherever he was.

Many would seek the help of Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi practically on all matters ranging from love-letter writing to making speeches. Anyone who needed legal advice but could not afford to pay the services of a lawyer, Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi would be there to offer his help. Anyone who needed a graduation speech, a sample speech on siete palabras, Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi had all of them in his file. Anyone who needed to write a congressman, a senator, even a president but could hardly express himself, Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi was an expert in that field. Anyone who felt aggrieved by the government, Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi would be willing to help and make peace with the government.

After his awful diagnosis several years ago, Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi was determined to live out his life with grace and dignity and courage. Although the outcome of his sickness was never doubted, the very character of a knight of Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi as a courageous man and with a faithful heart to his God was not also doubted. He would not permit himself to easily admit defeat and he charged straight at his ailment with all his strength and determination and with the inspiration from his wife Manang Delia, his children, and grandchildren.

Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi was not only an admired knight but also a well-loved father, a well-like uncle and a doting grandfather. I personally know Uncle Jim as a passionate man about family. He kept us his family members connected, he kept us in touch, he kept the Balisi, Tamayo, Rigunan, and Gan clan vibrant. Every special occasion like birthday, Christmas, New Year, and the like, he and Manang Del would always invite us to share a meal with everyone at their place. He was generous with his phone calls to his children and grandchildren, he was lavish with his gifts, and he always had a fatherly advice to any member of the family. It was a rule of a thumb that he would make a phone call to his children who are living abroad and greet them and their families during Christmas seasons and during their birthdays. My teary-eyed uncle Jim would be happy hearing at the end of the line his eldest son Manung Abbeh and his family and his daughter Grace and her family. In the recent past, when he returned from the States, he was mouthful telling stories that he had the grandest time in his life with his grandchildren Janel, Jansen and Jonathan.

Indeed, Uncle Jim was a passionate man about family. Every time he and Manang Del invite us to share a happy occasion with them, it was always a reunion of the clan, an occasion of renewal and strengthening of family ties, an occasion of celebration, and an occasion of thanksgiving. Today, he extended an invitation to all of us members of his family to share with him for the last time, and that is, an occasion to send him off on a journey to the next life.

On a personal note, Uncle Jim was my mentor and critic in speech-making and writing. I will always treasure the journalism books and notes he gave me. It was Uncle Jim who showed and opened the path for me to write my thoughts and share them with others. And for this I am forever grateful to my dearest Uncle Jim.

To Manang Del, and to his children Manung Abbeh, Manang Elena Manung Jerome, Manang Teh and Grace and Manoj, and to his grandchildren and their families, we offer our heartfelt prayers and sympathy. Uncle Jim’s suffering is over, and he already sees the happiness that awaits him in God’s heavenly kingdom.

God bless you Sir Knight Jimmy Balisi. God loves you Uncle Jim. For sure, we will miss you. Till we meet again.

Vandalism in Cagayan

2009-06-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

Vandalism in Cagayan

In my Cagayan province, one gets to notice flyers “Gising Cagayan” and “Gobierno Ti Umili” glued to practically every conceivable public space. These flyers are highly visible as they maliciously defaced newly painted bridges, historic markers, walls, waiting sheds, and the like. They create the perception that the areas where these flyers are put on are tagged as belonging to a group or a political party known as “Gising Cagayan” or “Gobierno Ti Umili.” Probably, the people behind these nasty tagging of areas wanted to heighten the awareness of the Cagayanos that these are existing political groups. Perhaps it is also the desire of these groups to conduct self-publicity or status-promotion simply because they are aware that they are virtually unknown. Moreover, it may be their craving to be recognized that the areas they vandalized are their identified turf or political territory.

The people behind these pasting of flyers have low regard and respect for properties. They damaged or disfigured properties without the consent of the people who own or have control of such properties. We take pride of Aparri as one of the cleanest municipalities in the province but with the flyers all around they cheapened our town and make it unattractive and frightening. Take for instance, our newly refurbished Knights of Columbus marker in Aparri, it is now peppered with these flyers. It will cost us much again to repaint and restore it.

We feel angry and hurt by this vandalism. We condemn this wanton act of disrespect to private and public properties. The people behind this may think that we don’t care for our surroundings hence they are least troubled if they vandalize them. We care for our properties. These vandals should respect our properties and they should respect us too.

Draw up nationwide response to A(H1N1)

2009-06-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

Draw up nationwide response to A(H1N1)

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:01:00 06/24/2009

Filed Under: Health, Swine Flu

WHILE I appreciate the Department of Health for regularly giving us updates on the number of A(H1N1) victims in the country, it should do more than that. The rapid spread of this pandemic seems unstoppable and, worse, some of our people have started to panic rushing to buy anti-viral medicines and face masks.

It is time for the DOH to draw up specific and strategic plans on how to cushion the impact of A(H1N1) and keep down the number of its victims.

The DOH should lead in securing a national commitment and resolve to protect the health of the citizenry against this pandemic. It should now issue guidelines to schools, malls, churches, offices, movie houses and other public places, with emphasis on non-medical interventions.

In other words, the DOH should orchestrate the efforts of all sectors regarding the problem. For example, it should suggest to all schools that they ask their canteens to serve, as a matter of policy, meals and snacks that strengthen the immune system. Also, it should, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, issue guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of local government units in relation to the inherent dangers and complex threats the A(H1N1) poses.

My apprehension is that politicians might use the A(H1N1) as an issue or as a means to advance their own personal interests. If the DOH dilly-dallies, it could leave itself vulnerable to the manipulations of politicians. Before this happens and before A(H1N1) kills a Filipino, the DOH should ask politicians to appropriate an amount so the department can stockpile anti-viral medicines. The DOH should act now.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO, member, Sangguniang Bayan, Aparri, Cagayan

DOH should unify national efforts against A(H1N1)

2009-06-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

DOH should unify national efforts against A(H1HN)

While I appreciate the Department of Health in regularly informing us about the number of victims of A (H1N1) in the country, it should do more serious jobs. A plenty of tasks is at hand for the department other than consistently broadcasting the number of latest victims . The rapid spread of this pandemic influenza seems unstoppable and worse, some of our people are panic-stricken as they run on fumes to buy anti-viral medicines and face masks. DOH should now act and should address this with a unified national effort. It should now make specific and strategic plans on how to mitigate the number of victims or cushion the impact of this dreaded disease.

On the national front, DOH should lead in creating a national commitment and resolve to protect the health interest of the citizenry against this pandemic influenza. It should now issue common guidelines with emphasis on non-medical interventions to schools, malls, churches, offices, movie houses and other public places in order to address this health hazard. In other words, it should unify the efforts of all sectors in their response to this A(H1N1) problem. For instance, in schools, DOH should propose as a matter of policy that school canteens should serve meals and snacks that would enhance the immune system of the students. Also, it should, in coordination with DILG, issue guidelines on the roles and responsibilities of local government units in relation to inherent dangers and complex threats of this health problem.

My apprehension is that politicians might use the A(H1N1) as an issue or a vehicle for their ulterior motives. If DOH dilly-dallies, then it leaves itself to vulnerable manipulation by these politicians. Instead, it should urge these politicians to appropriate an amount so DOH could stockpile anti-viral medicines. If DOH wait until somebody dies because of this flu, it will be too late. DOH should now take the time to get the game plan in order so that it can begin the action right away. DOH should act now, not later.

House of Law breakers

2009-06-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

House of Law breakers

Where is the sense of respect and of common decency of congressmen and congresswomen who signed House resolution calling for a constituent assembly purposely to amend the constitution sans the participation of the Senate? I am tempted to say that the House of Representatives is a House of Lawbreakers since there are some members thereof who wantonly violate the constitution just to suit their political convenience and perpetuate themselves in power.

Do our people really demand the amending of the constitution? Have there been calls from various sectors for the amendment of the constitution? On the other hand, do some of our congressmen and congresswomen are dying to amend the constitution that they drastically signed the resolution convening a constituent assembly? Do they really care about the situation in our country that they think amending the constitution would be compatible with our times and circumstances? Alternately, do they care more about themselves that they want to hold on to their political turf without end?

It appears that our people are against the amendment of the constitution. The congressmen and congresswomen just ignored this and instead focused on what they could personally gain from amending the constitution. They chose rather to take a radical and oppressive way of amending the constitution even to the extent of deserting the trust of our people. The constitution is not our problem. It is not even an obstacle to progress of this country. Our problem is our leaders who defy our constitution and who have no sense of common good.

These honorable congressmen and congresswomen should be reminded that the constitution was not established by the members of Congress but it was presented and approved by the majority of our people. Nobody can just amend the constitution without the consent of our people. The power to amend the constitution was never relinquished by our people. The House of Representatives cannot take upon itself the authority and supremacy over our people to amend the constitution.

I wonder if our congressmen and congresswomen are really doing their legislative work. I just doubt it. What I am seeing is their relentless and excessive pursuit of materialism, political power, and prestige.

Is noodle a new symbol of education?

2009-06-02T15:55:00.001-07:00

Is noodle a new symbol of education?

The action of the Department of Education to call off its feeding program using noodles of dubious nutritional value and alleged overprice is a reasonable and timely move. Otherwise, the department will open another reprehensible scandal under the present administration. The money to be spent for these noodles could be used wisely to improve school facilities especially now that there are many schools which noticeably lack school rooms, chairs, blackboards, among others.

However, what is also noticeable in public schools are the billboards of Sharon Cuneta which are strategically placed near school gates. Probably this is true not only here in the province of Cagayan but nationwide. One can never escape seeing these billboards upon entering the public school premises. In these billboards, Ms. Cuneta is seen as promoting noodles. Lucky are the schools if the manufacturer or Ms. Cuneta gives free noodles to these schools for their feeding program.

Are the schools selling school space for commercial advertisements? Did the Department of Education enter into a contract with the manufacturer of these noodles that the latter can use a space near the school gate where these billboards can be placed? Do the schools admit that they are implicitly endorsing the noodles advertised by Ms. Cuneta? Do these schools urge their pupils to buy the noodles too? What is the honest purpose of this commercial of Sharon Cuneta? Is the noodle a new symbol of education?

Schools should be commercial-free zones. Our children are already seeing many messages of these commercial advertisements on televisions. Seeing these billboards everyday in going to and from these schools does not make nor improve the grades of the pupils. These billboards only remind them that the husband of Sharon Cuneta Senator Francis Pangilinan is running for the vice presidency in 2010 elections.

In fairness to all concerned, I suggest that commercial billboards should be removed from the schools. Let us spare the schools from being used as places for commercial advertisements. More importantly, let us not use the schools for political gimmicks.

Global Balita May Series #4

2009-05-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to GlobalBalita.com!

Global Filipinos in perspective --

"From Manila Bay to San Francisco Bay"

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA
PerryScope » PerryScope: Gloria’s Gambit
by Perry Diaz
It seems to me that Charter change (Cha-cha) is going nowhere in the House of Representatives because of the infighting between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s henchmen Speaker Prospero Nograles and Congressman Luis Villafuerte. They’re the respective leaders of Lakas and Kampi which will soon merge under a new name: Lakas-Kampi-CMD. The merger would boost Gloria’s control of the House of Representatives after the 2010 elections assuming that she would still wield power in her party after she steps down from the presidency. But the prospect of losing power …

Read the full story >> PerryScope: Gloria’s Gambit

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Featured, Opinion » A question of trust
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

You realize that things are all awry and priorities all wrong among us with the inordinate attention showered upon a video showing two adults in private sex. Last week, the sleazy episode found its way into the Senate floor, and more than half of the entire evening news was devoted to various angles of the same story.
News about the first recorded victim of the “swine” flu in the country is eclipsed by Hayden and Katrina, who has every right to get mad because clearly she was …

Read the full story >> A question of trust

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Opinion » AFP training urgently needs a curriculum overhaul
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar
Worse than being ill-equipped in war materiel, it is most detrimental if the policy makers and officers of a country’s national armed forces are ill-equipped up there in the head. Not having enough bullets or bombs is not as deadly as not having enough brains to know the real enemy and conceive a winning strategy.

A blundering British High Command ordered the charge of the Light Brigade in the Battle of Balaclava during The Crimean War and we all know the folly of …

Read the full story >> AFP training urgently needs a curriculum overhaul

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Politics & Government » EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Gov’t Offers $1 M Reward for Arrest of Abu Sayyaf Chief Sahiron
by Alex P. Vidal

SAN DIEGO, California (MAY 27, 2009) — Enough is enough.

This seems to be the battlecry of the Department of States of the United States of America as it announced in Washington D.C. today a reward offer of up to $1 million for information leading to the location, arrest and/or conviction of Radullan Sahiron, senior leader of the Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

Many innocent men, women and children have been killed or seriously injured as a result of Sahiron’s actions, announced Ian Kelly, spokesman of the Bureau of …

Read the full story >> EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Gov’t Offers $1 M Reward for Arrest of Abu Sayyaf Chief Sahiron

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Culture, Sports, Entertainment & Technology »
11-year-old Ilonggo son wins U.S. speech contest
by Alex P. Vidal

SAN DIEGO, California – Inspired by the life story of Australian naturalist, zoologist, animal and wild life conservationist and television personality, the late Stephen Robert Irwin, known simply as Steve Irwin, Nathaniel Dean Baldevieso Viejon’s inspirational speech on Irwin won him the 2009 Modern Woodmen’s Speech Contest‘s trophy recently in Aurora, Illinois.
Nate, as he is known to his family and friends, is 11 years old and a 5th grader at Schneider Elementary School in Aurora district, a suburban west of Chicago. Nate, who is an animal lover, …

Read the full story >> 11-year-old Ilonggo son wins U.S. speech contest
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Opinion » Ban seminars before national elections
by Reginald Tamayo

A Barangay Captain told me that he regretted attending recently a convention of all Barangay Captains in Manila. He said that they were billeted in exquisite hotels. It was supposed to be a 3-day convention but it was incised into just one day. This only means that they paid their 3-day stay in the hotels but had actually lodged only for a day. Worse, he claimed that during their assembly they did nothing except to listen to the presidentiables who talked about their plans to run for the …

Read the full story >> Ban seminars before national elections

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

END

Senate inquiry: a circus show

2009-05-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Senate inquiry: a circus show

I recently watched on television the Senate inquiry on the sex video scandal of Ms. Katrina Halili and Dr. Hayden Kho. I was expecting to see the inquiry to be conducted with due decorum. I was disappointed. What I saw was a circus.

Some people who were there are likened to vultures who were ready to make a kill or simply people who don’t want to miss a circus show in town. There was even a man who even unceremoniously drenched Dr. Kho. These are not encouraging signs for the Senate. The Senate deserves the kind of respect that is due it as the highest legislative body.

Senate inquiries are serious occasions. Resource persons are invited to these inquiries purposely to help the Senators craft better legislative measures. Hence, people who are privileged to attend any Senate inquiry must show some kind of respect to the proceedings. They should behave in a civil and respectful manner. Even the manner of dressing of people who attend Senate inquiries should be decent and appropriate to the occasion.

During the hearing, a Senator berated a legal counsel by saying that the latter has no authority to question the legislative intent of the Senate. As a student of law, what I know about legislative intent is that it is invoked when the language of a law is ambiguous. It is what lawmakers had in mind in passing an act or statute. It is obvious that the Senate inquiry was not aimed to discuss a law that legislative intent should be brought up. I was interested to find out the facial expression of the lawyer when this legislative intent was hurled at her. She must have found the Senator’s comment very amusing.

Let us show respect to the Senate when we attend its inquiries both in attire and demeanor. I hope that Senators should also show some respect to our people by showing that they are truly knowledgeable and capable legislators.

A Christian vote to finish off evil, traditional politics

2009-05-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

A Christian vote to finish off evil, traditional politics

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:21:00 05/28/2009

Filed Under: Governance, Local authorities, Politics, Religion & Belief, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

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The strange case of GSIS retiree Nane Bacani
Sexy ads promote violence

A Christian vote to finish off evil, traditional politics
Opinion Most Read RSS Close this

I recently attended a symposium on good governance. This was held at St. Peter Gonzales de Thelmo Parish Church here in Aparri. In that forum, Gov. Eduardo “Among Ed” Panlilio graphically narrated how he won the 2007 gubernatorial race in Pampanga. In a scholarly manner, he explained elements of good governance like transparency, accountability and the participation of people in governance, among others, by citing his first-hand experiences as governor.

From my personal point of view, there is nothing new in the concept of governance that he shared. But what was striking to hear was the role and responsibility of the people, especially the Catholic faithful, in promoting good governance. He said that the people should elect the right leaders of this country and should not allow moneyed people like the jueteng lords to ram their anointed candidates down our throats. It would be worse if these kingmakers decide to become the kings themselves. Simply put, our people should vote according to their conscience and should not allow the kingmakers to “fix” the results of elections.

During the open forum, I asked the governor two things: first, is there a deadline for his period of discernment, after which he should tell whether or not he is running for president? Governor Panlilio said that he is not setting a deadline. But when shall we know that his period of discernment is over?

I asked him too whether he would take the challenge to run for president if there would be no good candidates to choose from. He was consistent in his answer that he was open to the possibility of running for the presidency, but only as a last option.

I agree with those who say that the 2010 elections would be a contest between good and evil. If Governor Panlilio runs for the presidency, he would be on the side of the good. But without him as a presidential candidate, the 2010 national elections would be like any previous elections—the playing field of naughty devils. Our country would remain hellish as ever.

Why don’t we have a Christian vote? Let us not be particular about the religious denomination this time. If a presidential candidate is bent to destroy the teachings of Christ then let us finish him off with our Christian vote. As for the presidential candidate who lives the gospel values of Christ, let us support and champion his cause.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO,
member,
Sangguniang Bayan,
Aparri, Cagayan

The deafening silence of the church on the sex video scandal

2009-05-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

The deafening silence of the church on the sex video scandal

The sex video scandal of Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili is like a wild virus. It has traumatized the families of the victims and it has demoralized many women especially the young ones. The extent of the impact of the scandal is undeniably strong that it has become a favorite topic in coffee shops, beauty parlors, market place, and many other public places. All are practically mouthing their views about this scandal. But there is one sector which I haven’t heard saying its views: the Catholic Church.

The church seems to be stunned at the ferocity of this sex video scandal. However, if the church remains silent about this scandal, I would say that it would lose its moral authority to speak on issues about corruption and dishonesty in the government. I do not question the church’s handling of moral issues against the government. I only raise now the issue of the church’s deafening silence about this sex video scandal. The church is in danger to lose its moral credibility in speaking out on political issues if it turns away from or is afraid to look at the moral issue of this scandal. By being silent, the church damages its reputation as a moral authority.

I venture to say that Katrina is no different from Lozada. Both are victims of wickedness and dishonesty. If Lozada enjoys the protection of the nuns and priests why not extend the same courtesy to Katrina? If the church sides the truth in Lozada’s case, is there no truth to be unearthed from Katrina’s case? If the case of Lozada is not only legal but a moral one, is this not also the same in the case of Katrina?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Scandal as: “… an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized.”

The sex video of Hayden and Katrina is definitely a scandal. It breaks the teachings of the church; it is sacrilegious, intolerant, and wrong. The church should not be voiceless when such scandal contravenes its moral teachings. The church- its hierarchy and laity- should affirm that it is a moral authority to reckon with by not being silent about this sex video scandal.

Ban seminars before national elections

2009-05-26T02:49:00.000-07:00

Ban seminars before national elections

A Barangay Captain told me that he regretted attending recently a convention of all Barangay Captains in Manila. He said that they were billeted in exquisite hotels. It was supposed to be a 3-day convention but it was incised into just one day. This only means that they paid their 3-day stay in the hotels but had actually lodged only for a day. Worse, he claimed that during their assembly they did nothing except to listen to the presidentiables who talked about their plans to run for the 2010 elections and to adopt a measure extending their term as barangay officials to 5 years.

The money and time spent on such convention should have been used to activities that are more productive. Even seminars and workshops nowadays are useless. Some participants like local officials register during the first day then unceremoniously flee without attending the seminar. It is even sad to note that only a miniscule fraction of the lessons presented during the seminars is ever put into practice and the hoped-for benefits. The participants who break away from the convention or seminar are usually seen herding themselves in videoke bars and ill-repute clubs.

I suspect that many and varied seminars and workshops are organized this year prior to the 2010 elections. These become vehicles for the presidentiables to ego-shine themselves. These seminars would not cure our social ills. If the attendees would just honestly do their work, improve their work ethics then there is no need for these seminars or conferences.

The Comelec should request the national government to ban the conduct of seminars and conferences a year before the national elections. The moneys spent for this are people’s money. Let us not mess with people’s money with the conduct of these useless seminars and conferences. Let us rather use them for activities that are more constructive and beneficial to our people.

Global Balita May Series #3

2009-05-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

Global Balita May Series#3

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA
Opinion » Why many Filipinos are like Jason Bourne

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar
Actor Matt Damon’s portrayal of the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) programmed assassin Jason Bourne was such a box office success that it became a movie trilogy — The Bourne identity, The Bourne supremacy and The Bourne ultimatum.

Jason Bourne, the movie character, was a patriot who wanted to serve his country and save American lives. His patriotic zeal was taken advantage of by the CIA when they indoctrinated him to be a programmed assassin. The CIA erased Jason Bourne’s recollection of his real …

Read the full story >> Why many Filipinos are like Jason Bourne

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Opinion » What should the government do in the face of sex video scandal?
by Reginald Tamayo

The sex video scandal of Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili is indeed a “recurring theme” (PDI Editorial Cautionary Tale 05/23). Many of our innocent young continue to be victims of this kind of scandal. The government had not done and is not seriously doing something substantial to eradicate this repulsive subhuman behavior. It appears that it silently condones this by its ineffective ways of addressing this social problem.

In case the government needs some suggestions on how to deal with this, let me humbly offer some ...

Read the full story >> What should the government do in the face of sex video scandal?

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Opinion » Embattled SKorean ex-president jumps to his death
by JEAN H. LEE
from Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Embattled former President Roh Moo-hyun — a reformist shamed by a corruption scandal that tarnished his image as a “clean” politician — jumped to his death while hiking in the mountains behind his rural home in South Korea, his lawyer said. He was 62.

Roh was hiking in Bongha village when he threw himself off a steep cliff around 6:40 a.m. Saturday, lawyer Moon Jae-in told reporters in the southern city of Busan. He said Roh left a suicide note ...

Read the full story >> Embattled SKorean ex-president jumps to his death

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Opinion » One brave woman
Streetwise
by Carol Pagaduan-Araullo

Should Lieutenant First Grade Nancy Gadian manage to live to tell her story about anomalies and corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP), she will have carved a niche for herself among the thinning ranks of today’s whistleblowers. For Lt. Gadian has all the disadvantages working against her. She is a junior officer accusing a general; she is not a graduate of the fiercely fraternal Philippine Military Academy; and, not least of all, she is a woman in a time-honored bastion of machismo. She will have …

Read the full story >> One brave woman

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Culture, Sports, Entertainment & Technology »
Pacquiao Dwarfs Onyok Velasco’s Olympic Stardom
by Alex P. Vidal

SAN DIEGO, California – Filipino Olympian Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco Jr. joined the Team Pacquiao as guest during “The Battle of the East and West” in Las Vegas, Nevada for two weeks but his presence hardly made any impact compared 13 years ago when he was the toast of Philippine sports for bringing home the silver medal in boxing in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics after 32 years.

“Parang nakalimutan na si Onyok at ang karangalan na ibinigay niya sa bansa (It seems they have forgotten Onyok and the glory …

Read the full story >> Pacquiao Dwarfs Onyok Velasco’s Olympic Stardom

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Opinion » My Vision Where We Can Go and How to Get There
by Henry “Hank” T. Wilfong Jr., MBA, CPA
Back when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in the White House, he had A. Philip Randolph over dinner. Randolph was one of the pre-eminent Black leaders of the time, and a future organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King electrified the world with his “I Have a Dream” speech. President Roosevelt, after hearing what he said, and agreeing with him, then said: “Now go out and make me do it.” In other words, if you organize and …

Read the full story >> My Vision Where We Can Go and How to Get There

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Opinion » Our Appointment with Destiny
by Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS
Chairman, Filipino United Network (USA)
The destiny of a nation is in the hands of its people, the dreamers and visionaries who love their country with pride and nobility.

The history of the Philippines is replete with heroes, men and women like you, who envisioned a peaceful, prosperous, and proud homeland with justice for all, free from oppression and abuse, even by its own people.

You are all here today because you want to help our fellow Filipinos who have been abused and neglected by their own …

Read the full story >> Our Appointment with Destiny

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

END

Suggestions on how to deal with sex video scandals

2009-05-23T03:34:00.000-07:00

Suggestions on how to deal with sex video scandals

The sex video scandal of Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili is indeed a “recurring theme” (PDI Editorial Cautionary Tale 05/23). Many of our innocent young continue to be victims of this kind of scandal. The government had not done and is not seriously doing something substantial to eradicate this repulsive subhuman behavior. It appears that it silently condones this by its ineffective ways of addressing this social problem.

In case the government needs some suggestions on how to deal with this, let me humbly offer some:

1. Celebrities especially actors and actresses should realize that they have serious social and moral responsibility as role models in our society. This responsibility can be given stress by having their own professional ethics to follow. The government can initiate the move to draw up this code of ethics for the celebrities likened to professionals ethics in other callings. This will enable the celebrities to secure their ranks from exploitation and immorality;
2. PRC should require all professionals to regularly take refresher course about their professional ethics in order to enhance their professional responsibilities and integrity. This continuing education will be a requirement for them to maintain their licenses;
3. Cameras and cell phones like guns should be licensed. There are camera and cell phone users who use their gadgets for evil deeds at the expense of innocent victims;
4. The Department of Education should give a serious thought of bringing back the subject GMRC which when taken gives the pupils basic lessons about values and ethics;
5. The government and its leaders should be role models themselves. We do not expect the people to be moral when the leaders themselves are immoral.

The government has in its hands many social problems. It seems panicky with all the issues around it. And this worrying problem on sex video scandal is another pain in its neck. The government can reinvent itself by thinking through some helpful suggestions such as this.

Good talker is no good leader

2009-05-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

Good talker is no good leader

Aside from being charismatic, a leader should also be a good talker. A leader needs to be a good talker in order to communicate his thoughts and vision to his followers. He cannot expect the led to follow him if he cannot inculcate his ideas in them. But a good talker does not necessarily mean a good leader. Senator Chiz Escudero is a good talker yet I find him not a good leader. Hence, I say that he does have the quality of a good talker but none of those that can make him president of this country.

To one familiar with subtleties in talking dealing with issues of the day, Senator Escudero’s style of talking is apt to be somewhat a disappointment. He gives no evidence of having a full grasp of the problems besetting our country. Every time the Senator speaks, it would seem that he reduces the issues only to rhetoric. Unfortunately, it seems a habit of thought that his hearers agree and reify with what he says. This is quite understandable, for most of us have developed the admirable taste and have been used to the lying lips of many politicians and we would be more inclined nowadays to listen to half-sincere rhetoric.

There is a note of uneasiness from the senator every time he attempts to portray himself as a good talker. There is no indication that he had given much reflection to whatever he says but only to show consistency that he talks fluently even without discernible effect to his hearers. Whether his shared ideas to his listeners are innate or are carefully thought out is not clear. The question of whether his ideas make sense is, to my opinion, for the senator not worthy of serious attention inasmuch as his listeners do not hesitate to affirm that he is a good talker.

Here is manifested another thing that we should be cautious of: while many of our presidentiables are good talkers, we should not be misled that they are innately knowledgeable and hence are fitted to become presidents. The next leaders of this country should not only be gauged by their words but also by their works and accomplishments. It would be good to ask Senator Escudero of his accomplishments in the past.

Global Balita May Series #2

2009-05-16T02:51:00.000-07:00

Global Balita May Series #2

Welcome to GlobalBalita.com!

Global Filipinos in perspective --

"From Manila Bay to San Francisco Bay"

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA

Opinion » Crystal Balls

by Antonio C. Abaya
from Standard Today

In his paper on The 2010 Presidential Elections: Assessments and Analysis, A Year Ahead, political analyst Antonio Gatmaitan presented a traditional and uncontroversial overview of the political scene.

Namely, that the contenders will be Joseph Estrada, Noli de Castro, Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda, Kiko Pangilinan, Mar Roxas, Manny Villar, Jejomar Binay, Bayani Fernando, Gilberto Teodoro, Reynato Puno, Among Ed Panlilio, Eddie Villanueva, and (whom he unaccountably left out) Ping Lacson.

That Lakas-Kampi will choose their candidate from among the party members (Teodoro, Fernando), and that consequently the Independent …

Read the full story >> Crystal Balls

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Opinion » Magical, enchanting Loboc
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

When you’re feeling depressed and need to get your mind off personal problems or problems of the benighted state, or when you just want to get out of the dreadful metropolis of smog and traffic and ugly billboards, hop into a Tagbilaran-bound flight. There are now seven of them each day, PAL, Cebu-Pacific and Zest-Air. Ten years back, there was but one flight, and it wasn’t even daily.
And if there is any president who could truly be considered pro-tourism, it must be Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Not …

Read the full story >> Magical, enchanting Loboc

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Politics & Government » Commentary: The Plot Thickens
COMMENTARY: The Plot Thickens

Amidst speculations that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is going to run for Congress in 2010, Gloria’s spin doctors were saying, “why afraid of Arroyo running?”

It appears that Gloria’s henchmen are now trying to condition the people’s mind that Gloria is going to run; thus, the question, “why afraid of Arroyo running?”

If the opposition is afraid of Gloria running, it’s because that Gloria might pull another “Hello Garci” cheating job using the yet to be installed Automated Election System. And it would be hard to detect cheating this time around because “Garci” …

Read the full story >> Commentary: The Plot Thickens

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Opinion » Villar’s two chances to get a fair Senate hearing: none and nil
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar
During the 1975 Ali-Frazier III (‘The thrilla in Manila’) press conference, Muhammad Ali was asked: “How much chance does Joe Frazier have to beat you?”

The loquacious all-time boxing legend replied: “Frazier has two chances — none and nil.”

This came to mind as we follow the so-called ethics case against Senator Manny Villar (by no coincidence the leading Opposition presidential wannabe) being promoted by the ‘Katzenjammer Kids’ of the Upper Chamber, Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Jamby Madrigal.

For those who are unfamiliar with …

Read the full story >> Villar’s two chances to get a fair Senate hearing: none and nil

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Culture, Sports, Entertainment & Technology » ‘Mayweather will never commit Hatton’s mistake’
by Alex P. Vidal

SAN DIEGO, California –A member of the Philippine boxing team in the 1976 Montreal Olympics has predicted an “inevitable” showdown between newly crowned IBO light welterweight king Manny Pacquiao and former best boxer in the world pound-for-pound Floyd Mayweather Jr. before the end of 2009.

“Weeks after Manny Pacquiao brought down England’s greatest warrior with a single sledgehammer- like punch in the much-ballyhooed ‘The Battle of East and West’ at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, boxing fans all over the world, especially in Canada, are still …

Read the full story >> ‘Mayweather will never commit Hatton’s mistake’

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Opinion » Would you bet on Erap?
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

Thursday last week, a favourite cabinet official of former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada motored to the residence of a Catholic charismatic lay leader. They were after all neighbours in an exclusive, gated subdivision in the southern periphery of the national capital region. Together they proceeded to a meeting with the former president who in his prime was quite close to the charismatic figure.

The former president declared before his “spiritual adviser” that he had decided to run for re-election, or another election as he distinguishes it. The …

Read the full story >> Would you bet on Erap?

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Opinion » Premature ejaculation*

by Manuel Buencamino
“Filipinos come quick.”—Lenny Bruce

I know that writing about 2010’s probables is premature but, what the heck, I’m Filipino.

Chiz Escudero hopes his age, communication skills and Danding Cojuangco’s resources will do the trick.

Loren Legarda wishes Danding would mistake her for Chiz.

Gilbert Teodoro hopes Danding will listen to Gloria and trust Emperor Bangit’s ability to make things happen.
Mar Roxas believes he can padyak (pedal) his way to Malacañang on a pedicab and a Korina.

Manuel Villar hopes his campaign slogan—“Sipag at Tiyaga” (hard work and perseverance)—will convey the message that he’ll make …

Read the full story >> Premature ejaculation*

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Opinion »
Will Martin Nievera dare to sing Iran’s national anthem his way?
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

Outside of Americans and Filipinos, can you recall other nationals who sang their national anthems during a public event in a way that deviated from the traditional beat?

It’s not surprising that the disrespectful practice was popularized by showbiz personalities who are always trying to be different or just simply trying to be noticed. They justify it as the freedom of artistic expression.

Many Filipinos are the ‘monkey see, monkey do’ types when something is started by Americans. Now, we have this recent controversy …

Read the full story >> Will Martin Nievera dare to sing Iran’s national anthem his way?

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Opinion » Only for the brave
by Issa Cuevas-Santos
Wife, Mom, Missionary

Light rain from the window touched my face tonight as I put my daughter Calliya to sleep. I don’t know why, but it truly felt like God’s hand brushing my face and gently reminding me of a promise that I had made on a rainy evening, many nights ago, in Panglima Estino, Sulu.

Together with 200 others, I had made a commitment to tell others about my Sulu story and yet after almost a month, I have not done that. At first, …

Read the full story >> Only for the brave

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Opinion » This Irrational Season
by Gang Badoy

A year from now the Philippine Presidential elections will be held.

Filipinos will, once again, be caught in the vise grip of the few who are vying for positions of power. The campaign materials will once again range from slick to tawdry- mostly in-between. Money will be the ace. Money will buy air time, media space, and in-your-face announcements. I haven’t decided yet if I love or hate the election season. By default, I hate it. It is when I am most cynical. I doubt every candidate’s intentions. I …

Read the full story >> This Irrational Season

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Opinion » A question on motives and timing
by Reginald Tamayo

This refers to the editorial “Lighting a candle” (PDI May 12) which says that a nameless group headed by Senator Francis Pangilinan and ChangePolitics Movement are taking the cudgels of responsibility of convincing around the country “about 9 million lazy or apathetic citizens to register and vote in 2010” and “to get rid of vote-buying” respectively.

I am not questioning the effort of Senator Pangilinan on his desire to bring about political reforms in the country by urging the youth to register and vote. However, I question his motives …

Read the full story >> A question on motives and timing

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Opinion »
Alston’s Upcoming Report Gives Filipino-American Human Rights Advocates Justification to Ramp Up Pressure on Philippine Government

For Immediate Release
May 8, 2009
Reference: Katrina Abarcar, Katarungan: Center for Peace, Justice, and Human Rights in the Philippines katarungan@comcast.net

Washington, DC – Recent news that Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, believes the Philippine Government has failed to institute the substantive reforms he recommended to address extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses in the country is the evidence that US Congress needs to strengthen the past conditions it placed military aid to …

Read the full story >> Alston’s Upcoming Report Gives Filipino-American Human Rights Advocates Justification to Ramp Up Pressure on Philippine Government

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

END

On responsible citizenship

2009-05-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

On responsible citizenship

We don’t seem to appreciate our being democratic citizens. There may be instances proving of our being responsible citizens in a democratic country but these are on a daily and retail bases. To act like responsible citizens in this country is likened to a goody that is only available in a vending machine, that is, it is there when it is needed.

Besides, many of us appear to be uninformed about our rights and obligations in a democratic country. We don’t simply live up to our responsibilities as democratic citizens aside perhaps from paying taxes. But to be branded as democratic citizens goes beyond paying taxes to the government. There should be a subject in the curriculum that gives special emphasis on good citizenship.

We always hear the aphorism that we get the government we deserve. This is true in our experience. We don’t involve so much as responsible democratic citizens in establishing a government that favorably responds to our needs and protects us. We must remember that we make the government because we elect the leaders who run it. But citizens’ responsibility is not only displayed during elections. It should be a lifetime habit and an attitude. But more often than not we choose the wrong leaders hence we deserve a rotten government. That is why we have a government that threatens our freedom and makes our democratic life unbearable. Conversely, it is only in choosing wisely conscientious leaders who have the country in their hearts that we can claim that we are responsible democratic citizens. This is so because it truly bespeaks of our appreciation to have a good government. Otherwise, we are irresponsible citizens.

We can also be critical about the government but this should be done within the bounds of reason and law. To air anti-government sentiments without justifiable reasons would be an act of irresponsible citizenship.

Our sense of national unity should also be a daily habit. This kind of unity is hard to come by except when there are national catastrophes that jolt us or triumphs that stir up our sense of nationalism just like the recent victory of Pacquiao over Hatton.

We submissively swallow the deficiencies of the government because our role as responsible citizens in a democratic country is lifeless and unconcerned. It is high time that we should wake up to the reality that we cannot go on living in this way- we have to learn and recognize the value of being responsible and democratic citizens.

A question on motives and timing

2009-05-12T02:34:00.000-07:00

A question on motives and timing

This refers to the editorial “Lighting a candle” (PDI May 12) which says that a nameless group headed by Senator Francis Pangilinan and ChangePolitics Movement are taking the cudgels of responsibility of convincing around the country “about 9 million lazy or apathetic citizens to register and vote in 2010” and “to get rid of vote-buying” respectively.

I am not questioning the effort of Senator Pangilinan on his desire to bring about political reforms in the country by urging the youth to register and vote. However, I question his motives and timing. Is it really his sincere wish to encourage the youth to register and vote or is he using this laudable effort as a prelude to his political nationwide campaign for a higher political post in the 2010 elections? The timing is even shady. If the senator had this “register and vote” youth campaign in mind during his first few years as senator, he should have introduced at the earliest time a bill requiring the youth to register and vote.

Why don’t we make it a national policy that students who already reached the voting age have to present to the Dean of Admission of colleges and universities their voters ID as a proof that they already registered and such ID be made also as a requirement of their school enrollment? In this way, there is almost the assurance that practically all youth will vote every election and prove themselves ultimately as a potent group in charting the fate of this country.

It is admirable for the senator to share his most precious time, energies and talent to improve our electoral system by his involvement in this youth register and vote campaign nationwide. But in my opinion this is a kind of cheap visibility campaign. For sure he will be benefited from it because it will boost his popularity and enhances his image as a youth leader. I think the best campaign advertisement so far of any elected official is the service he renders to the public. The work of the public official speaks for itself. Conversely, those politicians who put tarpaulins and streamers to advertise themselves and the despicable ploy of going around the country enticing all to register and vote probably have not done any good job and have no honest-to-goodness accomplishments to speak and be proud of.

If the senator is eager to position himself as a citizen who will work for political reforms such as initiating this nationwide campaign for youth to register and vote, he should do it in his capacity as private citizen and not as a prospective candidate for a national office on 2010 elections.

Global Balita May Series #1

2009-05-11T23:53:00.000-07:00

Global Balita May Series #1

Welcome to GlobalBalita.com!

GlobalBalita.com is dedicated to publishing articles about Filipinos and all that affect them.
The new site will still have all the content you’ve come to love here—we’ve just made it a lot easier to navigate through. We will also introduce the Pinoy Forum (an online message board) where you can have discussions or share your opinions with other Filipinos. Look for that in the next month.

We’re still making enhancements to the site and would love your feedback on the progress thus far. You can now subscribe to our RSS Feed, making it easier for you to see the latest articles. Feel free to comment or email perrydiaz@....

Thank you for following PerryScope.org and all of its contributors. The site was successful because of the readers. We look forward to meeting you here at GlobalBalita.com where you can find all the previously published stories from PerryScope.org as well as new ones.

All the best,
Perry Diaz
Editor

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA
Featured, Opinion » It’s all about the money
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

A legislator sat beside the wife of a highly-touted “presidentiable” in the first seats of a flight bound for Bacolod the other week. After the usual pleasantries, the legislator asked the wife, “O, tatakbo na ba talaga si (name of husband)?” The reply was quick — “Ay, oo.”
The legislator asked further: “E tatakbo yata si Erap, tutuloy pa rin ba siya?” The reply was just as quick as the first, “Oo naman, wala nang makakapigil”. And then she started explaining why.

“Alam mo kasi, ang tingin namin parang …

Read the full story >> It’s all about the money

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Opinion » The flawed arithmetic of the Opposition
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

The Opposition should master their arithmetic if they are to win in 2010. The logic behind their concept of addition and division is terribly flawed.

Also, the Opposition should brush up on their Marketing 101. Politics is very much the social science of Marketing. But the way the Opposition is wittingly or unwittingly creating disincentives, one gets the impression that they are promoting the status quo.

Politicians swear by their mantra of “politics is addition” and yet they miscalculate that some additions result in …

Read the full story >> The flawed arithmetic of the Opposition

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Politics & Government » People’s Inititiative to Establish Anti-Dynasty in Government Service and for Other Purposes
Dear Perry,

Please go over and recommend or support the anti-dynasty initiative for launching by July 1, 2009, and approval by the people via Republic Act 6735 before the end of 2009 to prevent the scrapping of the Constitution by GMA’s plans to declare martial law. Kindly refer to Section 9(b) of this proposed Initiative found on page 9.
Marlowe Camello
Homeland, California

————–

Dear Marlowe,

This initiative is long overdue. It’s about time that we put a stop to dynastic reign in the Philippines. I endorse this initiative in the belief that democracy works best …

Read the full story >> People’s Inititiative to Establish Anti-Dynasty in Government Service and for Other Purposes

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Opinion » U.S. “Jekyll and Hyde Op”
by Erick San Juan

I almost stopped writing about the truth about the U.S. Foreign Policy in the Philippines especially, when the good Ambassador of the U.S. to the Philippines, Kristie Kenney, had shown sincerity in dealing with the Filipinos, but I was wrong! The Jekyll and Hyde Operation of the “power” behind the scene in the U.S. government was unmasked by its own policy.

At the Philippine Daily Inquirer dated May 4, 2009, it reported that the U.S. says its anti-terrorism strategy in the Philippines is working. Cynthia Balana …

Read the full story >> U.S. “Jekyll and Hyde Op”

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Opinion » Shrinking Middle Class: Threat to National Security (Part IX)
by Rawlein G. Soberano, Ph.D.
The state of our global economy can be described in foreclosures, evictions, repossessions, bankruptcies, layoffs, abandoned projects and industries caught in the middle. The February unemployment report showed the labor market deteriorating at an even faster rate, with the unemployment rate rising from 7.6% to 8.1%. The economy lost 651k jobs in the month, but reported 2,113,000—an average of 671k per month. A measure of unemployment has almost doubled over the past 2 years to 15.6%. Along with a historic drop in the percentage of the …

Read the full story >> Shrinking Middle Class: Threat to National Security (Part IX)

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Opinion » Swine Flu Re-examined

by Antonio C. Abaya
from Standard Today

This is becoming confusing. Last week (April 29), 159 were said to have died from the swine flu, all of them in Mexico, and some 1,600 others were said to have been infected.

But now we are told, only 19 have died in Mexico, and one in the US – and he happened to be a Mexican boy visiting relatives in Texas. Or a total of only 20 deaths worldwide, out of a world population of more than six billion, plus some 900 confirmed infections in …

Read the full story >> Swine Flu Re-examined

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Politics & Government » Police Officer Killed in Ilocos Norte Highway Ambush

by Artemio A. Dumlao

BAGUIO CITY (May 4, 2009) – A police officer enroute to his duty at the Batac town police station was killed by motorcycle- riding gunmen Sunday.

Police Inspector Jimmy Ulep immediately died when gunmen peppered him with bullets along barangay Bungon, along the national highway to Batac town.

Ulep reportedly suffered a fatal wound on his head from a caliber 45 pistol.

Police investigators initially said Ulep’s Toyota Corolla was tattered with bullets from a caliber 45 firearm from two motorcycle-riding gunmen whose identities police has yet to uncover ...

Read the full story >> Police Officer Killed in Ilocos Norte Highway Ambush

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PerryScope »
PerryScope: The Evil Empire Strikes Again

by Perry Diaz

Sun Tzu, the ancient master of the “Art of War,” said 2,500 years ago: “When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum. When the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.” With that in mind, what the Evil Empire did in the past few weeks couldn’t have been more timely.

First, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo consolidated her political power by taking over as interim president of her political parties, KAMPI and LAKAS. Second, her allies in the House have …

Read the full story >> PerryScope: The Evil Empire Strikes Again

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Opinion » We don’t honor the truth

by Reginald Tamayo

It is no longer safe to say the truth in this country. Truth and truth-seekers are silenced. Anyone who speaks and stands up for the truth finds himself voiceless for fear of reprisal. In fine, truth is suppressed out of fear. Truth is a costly possession in this country and is not easily obtained without sacrifice and hammering from those who hate the truth.

Seemingly this is the Philippines today, to a great degree. Truth is elusive in this country and falsehood is popular. Graft and corruption is normal …

Read the full story >> We don’t honor the truth

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Opinion » Change we never get
by Lito Banayo
from MALAYA

It’s been two years since Jonas, son of Joe Burgos, the late founder of this paper who dared fight the dictatorship even when it was not yet fashionable to do so, was snatched by men suspected to be from the storm troopers of a military general who believes that the only way to fight the ideology they hate is to maim and kill those who rightly or wrongly, subscribe to those “unthinkable” beliefs. His mother Editha, along with his siblings and other relatives, cry to the …

Read the full story >> Change we never get

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Opinion » Unkind judgment of history
by Reginald Tamayo

All things considered, Manny Pacquiao is now a living legend in boxing. That is how our history will remember Pacquiao as the country’s greatest boxer.

I wonder if our present crop of leaders will also receive similar kind thoughts from our historians. I say this because I am sure they are also interested to know how history will judge them. Historians have the perspective of judging whether or not history will be kind to our present leaders. They are entrusted with the sacred task of creating opinions about our …

Read the full story >> Unkind judgment of history

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

END

Unkind judgment of history

2009-05-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

Unkind judgment of history

All things considered, Manny Pacquiao is now a living legend in boxing. That is how our history will remember Pacquiao as the country’s greatest boxer.

I wonder if our present crop of leaders will also receive similar kind thoughts from our historians. I say this because I am sure they are also interested to know how history will judge them. Historians have the perspective of judging whether or not history will be kind to our present leaders. They are entrusted with the sacred task of creating opinions about our leaders. Probably these leaders can purchase their space in history or ask the historians to re-filter their stories about them and make them appear good and heroic. What a shame.

Our country is a mess. Only the naïve believes that our leaders are not to be blamed for this. There is no denying that the government is drenched with many anomalies and lies and most of them are authored by our leaders. One reason for this is their misplaced loyalty. They give blind loyalty to their party leader but not to the people who elected them into office. Moreover, these leaders don’t even make apologies when they mesmerize their leader with their dutiful and even deferential affirmation to what their leader wishes deliberately not wanting to hurt their leader’s ego. As a result, they reduce themselves to buffoons nourishing the inflated ego of their leader or they act like robots incapable of rational thoughts and with no sense of responsibility. It’s a funny thing that we keep on electing these leaders to public office even when we know that they are swindling us. We easily get amused by the leaders’ phony, uncultivated ways and uncaring attitude. It is very unfortunate that things have not dramatically changed after EDSA 1. Lessons we learned from EDSA 1 appear to be in trash bins of our collective memory. Are we getting dumber and dumber?

After the victory of Pacquiao, who is sure to have a good space in our history, it is now the propitious moment for our leaders to sincerely ask themselves whether they too like Pacquiao wish to be remembered kindly by history. But I guess with all their cheap ploys, their misplaced loyalty, political antics, and suspicious schemes history will be unkind to them.

We don't honor the truth

2009-04-29T20:11:00.001-07:00

We don't honor the truth

It is no longer safe to say the truth in this country. Truth and truth-seekers are silenced. Anyone who speaks and stands up for the truth finds himself voiceless for fear of reprisal. In fine, truth is suppressed out of fear. Truth is a costly possession in this country and is not easily obtained without sacrifice and hammering from those who hate the truth.

Seemingly this is the Philippines today, to a great degree. Truth is elusive in this country and falsehood is popular. Graft and corruption is normal and honesty is out of this world. Deceit is accepted and integrity is unheard of. Truth tellers are not appreciated in our society and are often considered as threats to the government. And our leaders are insecure of the truth because it smites them.

Telling the truth is at this time critical in our nation’s history. What happens if all of us reject truth? What happens to our country if all of us are peddler of lies? What happens if the government befriends more the pathological liars than side with the truth seekers? We cannot live with lies and let the government take away our liberties and freedom.

Our leaders who lead us by telling lies are also urging us to tell lies. Our leaders are teaching us by their attitudes and behavior that they do not value truthfulness. They teach us to hide or distort the truth and love falsehood. It appears that telling lies is a qualification of becoming a leader in this country. It is ironic that we address our leaders “honorable” even when we know that they are liars. One indeed reaches the reputation of being called “honorable” if one is a liar.

This is the truth about our country today- we don’t honor the truth.

Highway robbery and trees

2009-04-29T00:20:00.001-07:00

Highway robbery and trees

I have been dashing around Luzon lately to give talks, accompany a chess team, visit relatives and friends, among others. On my route to my destinations I noticed a lot of repairs being made along the highway. They caused heavy traffic and they are almost impassable making it dangerous and inconvenient to motorists and travelers.

I ask why we have to repair these roads almost every year. Why does it have to be done this year when our people are going on their way to spend their summer vacation in provinces and tourists areas? Some say that this is a “highway robbery” because the roads do not show any major damage that would require repair yet they insist on repairing them. Others say that the repair of these roads means that election is in the offing. The billboards of politicians who initiate these road projects of course provide them political mileage.

Our people are irked by these uncalled for repair of the roads. They question the spending initiatives of the government. Instead of using the people’s money to these misplaced priority projects, they should have been more wisely used in the construction of additional classrooms for our children or to other social services that are more responsive to the needs of our people.

Another concern is that many trees along the highway are being cut down. These trees probably were planted by boy or girl scouts or members of civic organizations. Now that these trees are full grown it is shocking that they have to be cut down. Are they chopped down because of a highway expansion project or because they pose hazards to telephone and electric companies? Many are upset by this cutting of trees along the highway and are confused as to how the government could have permitted this given its commitment to clean and green programs and initiatives on sustainable development.

There should be a national regulation on the planting of trees along the highway. DENR, DPWH and other concerned government agencies should coordinate with electric and telephone companies, local government units, and civic organizations on the technicalities and procedures to follow on planting of trees along the highway. We should remember that the trees did not grow along the highway spontaneously. They were planted there on purpose.

Global Balita April Series #2

2009-04-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

The politics of conscience

2009-04-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

The politics of conscience

We have come to live in a society where conscience is a stranger. Instead of having a society ruled by people with conscience, we have a society that is governed by dishonorable men and women who don’t seem to have conscience. They rule our society with arrogance and deceit and they supplant our individual consciences with their own rules and interests. Unfortunately, we also have some of our people who make moral choices independent of conscience and the teachings of the Church such that their moral choices are anchored on what is politically convenient.

The Catholic Church has long upheld the significance of informed conscience especially in making moral decisions. We make moral decisions on the basis of the authoritative teachings of the Church, the values of the Gospel, and the will of God. Informed conscience does not invent the truth. It discovers and evangelizes the truth based on the teachings of the Church. Only an informed conscience then can make good moral judgments. Conversely, uninformed conscience is always prone to make erroneous moral judgments.

Nowadays our leaders are so much engrossed with the issue on constitutional change. And as early as this, some presidentiables and other would-be political candidates for the 2010 general elections are busy positioning themselves in the political field to ensure their electoral victories. Lies, deceits, and dishonesty of these leaders and politicians horribly creep into the very political fiber of our society in order to protect their selfish interests and promote their ulterior motives. We naturally expect that all of these petty concerns would end up into compromises which would sidestep once more moral decisions based on the used of informed conscience.

We are challenging the Catholic politicians to lead by their informed conscience. We challenge them to become proxies of the living Church and be moral exemplars and leaders of our times. We ask them to stand on the commitment of the Church regarding moral issues besetting our society. Their political actions and decisions should be reflective of their enlightened faith and the teachings of the Church.

It is about time that we should catalogue the performance of our Catholic politicians especially on how they stand on issues of the day. If their public life shows clearly that they do not side with the Church and they morally judge on the basis of their uninformed conscience, then it is proper that we dismiss them as not fitting to any public office. We would rather go electing a protestant politician who lives a public life with an informed conscience reflecting the Gospel values than a Catholic politician who opposes the teachings of the Church.

Cagayan mining creates social division

2009-04-24T03:42:00.001-07:00

Cagayan mining creates social division

Many Cagayanos watched GMA 7’s Reporter’s Notebook last April 21 which featured, among others, the conduct of mining along the coastal areas in Cagayan. Many were alarmed that heavy equipment are used in a supposed small scale mining operations in these areas. Truth to tell coastal mining in Cagayan had already opened social wounds and divisions among friends and relatives.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. in his press release recently urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to strictly implement the statutory ban on quarrying and mining along seashores and to impose sanctions on individuals and companies engaged in this pernicious activity.

Pimentel stressed that “the extraction of black sands on beach areas within a radius of 200 meters from the shores – known as salvage zone – destroys the natural protective barrier that prevents seawater from overflowing and causing floods in coastal villages.”

“All mining and quarrying activities on seashore areas should be completely discontinued and banned because of the damage to the environment they are causing. Not only do they render the coastal communities vulnerable to natural disasters. They also cause degradation of adjoining agricultural lands because of the resulting intrusion of sea water,” Pimentel said.

“DENR and local government officials who have recklessly allowed these illegal and reprehensible activities should be held liable and criminally charged for flagrant violation of environment and mining laws,” Pimentel added.

It is very unfortunate that these environment and mining laws are ignored and unashamedly violated for the sake of economic interest. The mining operations may create employment and a rich source of national income but these are outweighed by the long-term social cost and ill effects to the environment. When these mining operations close, we presume that the foreign investors will not own the responsibility of the damaged done to the environment. The cost shall be borne by the people with environment problems to contend with while the foreign investors and local counterparts enjoy their prosperity here and abroad.

The social dimension of suicide

2009-04-23T04:22:00.000-07:00

The social dimension of suicide

It is understandable that families of victims of suicide wanted that people should be more considerate by not overly pestering them with unresolved questions and issues concerning the unspoken motives of the victims and on the unearthing of antecedent episodes of the suicide phenomena. However, this should not be construed that the acts of suicide work in a vacuum. We cannot simply regard suicides as personal affairs of the concerned families nor they are simply regarded as personal misfortunes of the victims and hence society has no business with them. This is a myopic view.

Committing suicide is not a one-sided individual act. Suicide is a social act. It is not attributed to the personal guilt alone of the victim. Behind every act of suicide are a social environment and a society that give unduly pressure to the victim to commit suicide. Suicide is contagious that it instigates other members of the society who are similarly situated with the victim to commit the same horrid act. It also reveals the social attitudes of the members like allowing them to condemn the act of suicide or to sympathize with the victim and the family. Families then of victims of suicide cannot preclude members of the society to wonder and speculate stories surrounding the acts of suicide.

Sociologist Emile Durkheim says that suicide is associated with societal crises of economic or social nature. That is why society is involved when a member of it commits suicide. Suicide presupposes societal ills. It reflects the problems of society like unemployment, immorality, financial constraints, which contributed to the mental and physical isolation of the victim. A hopeless victim prefers to commit suicide rather than living in society that is cruel and unfriendly.

Finally, suicide does not only offend the victim nor the family. It wounds and disturbs the society as a whole. From the Christian point of view, suicide as a sin has a social dimension. St. Paul says that Christians “are the body of Christ and individually members of it” such that if one member is hopeless, all other members suffer from it.

Our penitential meditation

2009-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Our penitential meditation

Lenten season is a time for reflection on the passion of Christ and its meaning for us. It is a timely period for us Filipinos to think if we still have that Easter hope for moral change in this country. When all social evils and government scandals are now pressing in on all sides, we need to have an ethical regeneration because our country continues to get shrieked by the never-ending tales of insolence, incivility, and immorality of some our leaders. We always cry for hope in this country but we never get through it. The Lenten season always offers hope and this we must benefit from.

Many of us look for private ways on how to spend this Lenten season. Many of our people find themselves enjoying the season along beaches and resorts. To them, Lenten season is an opportunity to get pleasure from a long vacation. The season no longer jogs the minds of some of us to make a prayerful reflection indicative of the fact that the season is not taken seriously. The essence of Lenten meditation falls by the wayside and paves way to a joyous celebration of family outings and parties.

Just like the passion of Christ, we experience disappointments, doubts, and other sacrifices. Let us take this penitential season to examine ourselves and ask why we are suffering from all of this and reflect the agonies of Christ. Aside from focusing ourselves on prayer and fasting, we should take a look at the brokenness of our country and ask why it is in a dismal condition.

In our Lenten meditation we should learn to appreciate the value of sacrifice, fasting, and abstinence. May we realize that reasonable sacrifices and self-denial efforts we can offer can make a difference in making this country a better place to live in.

Only good ads are invited

2009-04-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

Only good ads are invited

Hi,

We are interested to place our ads on your site. If interested, please email me.

We, WuTravel.com , are a start up travel site in Singapore.

Best Regards,
Samantha

An Invitation from the Sangguniang Kabataan of Zambales

2009-04-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Republic of the Philippines
SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN PROVINCIAL FEDERATION
Province of Zambales

OFFICE OF THE PPSK PRESIDENT

March 23, 2009

Hon. REGINALD TAMAYO
SB Member
Aparri, Cagayan

Dear SB Member Tamayo

Greetings!

We, the Sangguniang Kabataan Panlalawigang Pederasyon of the Province of Zambales in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will conduct a Sangguniang Kabataan Provincial Convention on April 2 - 5, 2009 at City Travel Hotel, Baguio City with the theme “Simulain ng Batang Zambaleno: Adhikaing Pang-Kabataan; Tagumpay Pinoy Ito”.

The Convention aims to develop the participants into an empowered youth sector in participating in the government affairs, particularly as advocates on environmental protection and on livelihood venturing.

In this regard, may we respectfully request you to be one as our Resource Speaker on April 3, 2009 (afternoon slot) to share about Youth Empowerment thru Dynamism, Nationalism, and Social Reform that the Sangguniang Kabataan of Zambales would be developed their experience and expertise to govern and guide their fellow youth in the community.

Thank you for your continued support for the Kabataang Zambaleno.

Very truly yours;

Hon. JJ D. BILLMAN
PPSK President

*JJ/amy

GlobalBalita Series April #1

2009-04-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to GlobalBalita.com!

GlobalBalita.com is dedicated to publishing articles about Filipinos and all that affect them.
The new site will still have all the content you’ve come to love here—we’ve just made it a lot easier to navigate through. We will also introduce the Pinoy Forum (an online message board) where you can have discussions or share your opinions with other Filipinos. Look for that in the next month.

We’re still making enhancements to the site and would love your feedback on the progress thus far. You can now subscribe to our RSS Feed, making it easier for you to see the latest articles. Feel free to comment or email perrydiaz@gmail.com.

Thank you for following PerryScope.org and all of its contributors. The site was successful because of the readers. We look forward to meeting you here at GlobalBalita.com where you can find all the previously published stories from PerryScope.org as well as new ones.

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA

We have nine very interesting news, opinions, and stories today:

1. Billy Esposo in his article, "How Tony Blair can complicate the peace process," writes: "Unable to see the big picture, the nation finds itself grasping at straws and clinging to false Messiahs and palliative solutions that do not address our real core problems."

2. Tony Abaya in his article, "Second-Round Vote," writes: "If our constitutional geniuses had thought of inserting a run-off or second round vote in the 1987 Constitution, every president elected since then would have enjoyed the support of the majority of voters from Day One and, perhaps, would have governed with more consensus and support from the electorate, instead of the endless bickering that marks every presidential term in this country."

3. Atty. Ernesto B. Francisco, Jr. in his article, "Ombudsman takes 80 million Filipinos for fools," writes: "This latest move of the Office of the Ombudsman (“Ombudsman”) to spare First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo and other individuals prominently mentioned in the World Bank reports from preliminary investigation and from the risk - no matter how remote - of being charged before the Sandiganbayan, coupled with the ploy of passing on its job of investigating them to the National Bureau of Investigation (“NBI”), is totally disgusting and sickening."

4. Hong Kong columnist Chip Tsao's controversial article, "The War at Home," has created worldwide furor over his insulting article in regard to the Spartly baseline issue." He writes: "There are more than 130,000 Filipina maids working as $3,580-a-month cheap labor in Hong Kong. As a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter." Read some of the readers' comments.

5. Ellen Tordesillas in her article, "Mikey, truly the son of Gloria and Mike," writes about Congressman Mikey Arroyo's effort to get House support for Charter Change which many believe is an attempt to keep his mother stay in power beyond 2010.

6. Herman Tiu Laurel in his article, "For truth and justice," writes: "For one, DNA examination of the alleged Dacer-Corbito bone fragments by the University of the Philippines Natural Sciences Research Institute stated thus: “Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis targeting the 121 bp intergenic region of the COH and tRNAlys genes of the mitochondrion gave NEGATIVE RESULTS for the presence of human DNA.” In lay language, what Herman was saying is: the bones claimed by the government to belong to Dacer and Corbito are not human bones.

7. Reginald Tamayo in his article, "Wanted: Honest leaders and people," writes: "In our search for the new breed of leaders, honesty to one self and to others should be the first criterion. Anybody who presents himself as a leader but knows too well that he cannot do the job is a dishonest leader."

8. Bert M. Drona in his article, "THE FILIPINO MIND: Decolonizing the Filipino (Mind) - A Brief Sketch," writes about the nationalist struggle to "decolonize" the Filipino.

9. Ben Serrano in his article, "The search for that elusive lasting peace in Mindanao in the eyes of the Presidential wanabees," writes: "With 2010 presidential election fever is about to start (until November 30 when they filed their certificate of candidacies), we have not seen or heard any of among eight or nine presidentiables talking about Mindanao. What are their agendas for Mindanao? How will they do it?"

Once again, GLOBAL BALITA TODAY strives to bring to your "doorstep" interesting articles for your reading pleasure.

All the best,
Perry Diaz

*******************************

How Tony Blair can complicate the peace process

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

An event of the past week demonstrated anew the pathetic state of the national mind and how it fails to see the big picture. Unable to see the big picture, the nation finds itself grasping at straws and clinging to false Messiahs and palliative solutions that do not address our real core problems.

Such is the case of Peace Process Presidential Adviser Avelino Razon’s proposal to engage former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as an adviser for the Mindanao Peace Process. Whether Razon [...]

To read more, click here How Tony Blair can complicate the peace process

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Second-Round Vote
by Antonio C. Abaya
from Standard Today

The framers of our 1987 Constitution were not thinking when they prescribed a multi-party political system but failed to provide the mechanism for making that system function more democratically.

I am referring to the absence of a run-off or second round ballot. We have been so used to the American-style two-party system, in which one party usually gets 50 percent plus-1, or the numerical majority of votes cast, that when we switched to the more democratic multi-party system, our constitutionalists failed to make provisions to make sure [...]

To read more, click here Second-Round Vote

*******************************
‘Ombudsman takes 80 million Filipinos for fools’
by Atty. Ernesto B. Francisco, Jr.

This latest move of the Office of the Ombudsman (“Ombudsman”) to spare First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo and other individuals prominently mentioned in the World Bank reports from preliminary investigation and from the risk - no matter how remote - of being charged before the Sandiganbayan, coupled with the ploy of passing on its job of investigating them to the National Bureau of Investigation (“NBI”), is totally disgusting and sickening. This is too much. This also proves that the Ombudsman really takes 80 million [...]

To read more, click here ‘Ombudsman takes 80 million Filipinos for fools’

*******************************

The War at Home

Read the comments from readers at the end of the article. Interesting comments.
— Perry Diaz

Source: http://hk-magazine.com/feature/war-home
by Chip Tsao

The Russians sank a Hong Kong freighter last month, killing the seven Chinese seamen on board. We can live with that—Lenin and Stalin were once the ideological mentors of all Chinese people. The Japanese planted a flag on Diàoyú Island. That’s no big problem—we Hong Kong Chinese love Japanese cartoons, Hello Kitty, and shopping in Shinjuku, let alone our round-the-clock obsession with karaoke.

But hold on—even the Filipinos? Manila has just claimed sovereignty [...]

To read more, click here The War at Home

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Mikey, truly the son of Gloria and Mike

by Ellen Tordesillas
Mikey Arroyo, son of Gloria and Mike Arroyo, who represents the second district of Pampanga in the House of Representatives, must really take all Filipinos to be stupid.
He thinks we could not see through the deception in the still- to- be filed resolution of Camarines Sur Representative Luis Villafuerte “calling upon all members of Congress to convene for the purpose of considering proposals to amend or revise the Constitution, upon a vote of three-fourths of all the members of Congress.”

In all his interviews about his having approached former [...]

To read more, click here Mikey, truly the son of Gloria and Mike

*******************************

For truth and justice

by Herman Tiu Laurel
from The Daily Tribune

“It is in justice that the ordering of society is centered.”—Aristotle

If we are a topsy-turvy society today, it is because justice has been overtaken by power politics and the use of force and deception. This is what can be observed in many of our most celebrated crime mysteries, from the Ninoy Aquino, Lean Alejandro, and Popoy Lagman assassinations to the present and highly charged Dacer-Corbito case. Even though all have been marred by still many unanswered questions, accusers in the present instance do not have [...]

To read more, click here For truth and justice

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Wanted: Honest leaders and people

by Reginald Tamayo

Looking for new breed of leaders is one of the most widely talked about topic nowadays. This is understandable considering that 2010 election is fast approaching. It is our wish as Filipinos to have leaders that can inspire and enrich our lives, leaders who can serve our best interests and liberate us from poverty. We don’t need leaders who manipulate us, peddle lies and leaders who are greedy, and immoral.

Do we have these new breed of leaders today who have a sense of mission and direction to [...]

To read more, click here Wanted: Honest leaders and people

*******************************

THE FILIPINO MIND : Decolonizing the Filipino (Mind) - A Brief Sketch

by Bert M. Drona

A few decades ago, our great nationalist Prof. Renato Constantino (1919-1999) wrote: “The true Filipino is a decolonized Filipino.”

During the late 1960s, Filipino nationalism was approaching its zenith when President Marcos, constrained by the Constitution with its presidential term limits but wanting to stay in power, declared Martial Law. Marcos glibly equated Filipino nationalism with communism to rekindle the “fear of communism” and thus gain support from the middle class, the Catholic Church and most of the elite. With his US-supported dictatorship, Marcos issued proclamations that allowed [...]

To read more, click here THE FILIPINO MIND : Decolonizing the Filipino (Mind) - A Brief Sketch

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The search for that elusive lasting peace in Mindanao in the eyes of the Presidential wannabes

by Ben Serrano

BUTUAN CITY- In past elections and even until now, when 2010 election fever is about to commence (or has started?), no Presidential wannabes have presented specific, measurable, attainable, reliable and time bound plans for solving that elusive peace and development in Mindanao.

While we are bragging to be the “food basket” supplying 60% of food supply requirements of the whole archipelago, we end up sometimes empty basket full of promises, hopes and aspirations in the boulevard of broken (LEGACY) dreams.
While Mindanao inhabitants now close to 17-M (16-M I think) [...]

To read more, click here The search for that elusive lasting peace in Mindanao in the eyes of the Presidential wannabes

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

END

The role of Church in politics

2009-03-29T23:13:00.000-07:00

The role of Church in politics

I read with interest the articles “Religion and politics according to Pope Benedict XVI” of Randy David (PDI 03/28/09) and “Panlilio bid new Church intervention” of Amando Doronilla (03/30/09). On the one hand, David said the interrelation between the Church and State “has caused confusion.” On the other hand, Doronilla stated “he bishops are in a quandary as well. They are acutely aware of the interventions of the Church hierarchy to curb the abuses of the regime of Ferdinand Marcos and the high-profile activist role of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin in the dictator’s overthrow in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.” I wish to add my own opinion on the same issues.

In the 1987 Constitution, there are two points to be understood as regards the separation between the Church and State. One is that there is no official religion of the State and two the State may not favor one religion over others. This is in accord with Pope Benedict’s words: “The state may not impose religion, yet it must guarantee religious freedom and harmony between the followers of different religions.” There is no constitutional provision that prohibits the clergy and the religious from partisan politics. Only the Church’s own teachings and laws bar them from participating. It would be seriously wrong then to say that Gov. Panlilio violates that provision of constitution on the separation of the Church and State.

As a Catholic, I strongly believe that the Church is never partisan but that doesn’t change the fact that it has the moral duty to renew the political society in accordance with the Gospel values. The Church is duty-bound to proclaim the Gospel “to all creation” and that includes the political order. The Church, as the pope said, cannot replace the State but, in my opinion, it has to transform it in the light of the light of the Gospel. The State is peppered with many social sins and most of them are probably committed by Catholic politicians. For the clergy to be silent, or ignore, and downplay about the social sins of the Catholic politicians would be equivalent to allowing themselves to become cooperators of the commission of such sins. Doronilla mentioned of the interventions of the Church during the Marcos regime. The Church cannot simultaneously commit to renewing the political order in harmony with the Gospel values, while tolerating the Catholic politicians to attack the Church by their dishonesty and other unchristian ways. The bishops and the clergy are the voices of the Church and as such we expect them to continue to be our voices amidst the many injustices in our society.

The Church has bred her own destroyers. They are not only destroying the nation within but also the Church. Just because there are few bad Catholic politicians it doesn’t mean of course that we have to pain the Church with broad and negative brush.

About the alleged plan of Gov. Panlilio to run for the presidency, I share this excerpt from the Catechism on the Church and Politics by the CBCP: “Question: Is there any case when the Bishops can authoritatively order the lay faithful to vote for one particular and concrete option? Answer: Yes, there is and the case would certainly be extraordinary. This happens when a political action is clearly the only one demanded by the Gospel. An example is when a presidential candidate is clearly bent to destroy the Church and its mission of salvation and has all the resources to win, while hiding his malevolent intentions behind political promises. In this case the Church may authoritatively demand the faithful, even under the pain of sin, to vote against this particular candidate. But such situations are understandably very rare.”

Gov. Panlilio for President? Why not!

2009-03-28T03:39:00.000-07:00

Gov. Panlilio for President? Why not!

I recently attended a symposium on Good Governance by Pampanga Gov. Ed Palilio at St. Peter Gonzales de Thelmo Parish Church here in Aparri. The governor graphically narrated how he won the 2007 elections in Pampanga. He scholarly explained elements of good governance like transparency, accountability, participation of people in governance, among others, by the use of his first hand experiences as governor.

Personally there is nothing new in the concept of governance which he shared. There is good governance because of bad governance. But what was striking to hearing was the role and responsibility of the people, especially the Catholic faithful, in good governance. He said that the people should elect the right leaders of this country and not to allow moneyed people like the jueteng lords pushing down our throats their choice of candidates. Worse, these kingmakers would themselves decide to become political kings. Simply put, our people should vote according to their informed conscience and should not allow the kingmakers to magically fix the results of elections.

During the open forum, I asked the governor two things: first, is there a deadline for his period of discernment and divulge later to us whether or not he is running for the presidency? Governor Panlilio said that he is not setting a deadline. But when shall we know that his period of discernment is over? I asked him too whether he would take the challenge to run for the presidency if there would be no good candidates to choose from. He was consistent with his answer that he was open to the possibility of running for the presidency but only as the last option.

I agree with some who say that come 2010 national elections it would be the Good pitted against the Evil. If Governor Panlilio runs for the presidency he would be on the side of the Good of course. But without him as a presidential candidate, the 2010 national elections just the same would be a playing field of naughty devils. Our country would remain as hell as ever.

Why don’t we have a Christian Vote? Let us not be particular about the religious denomination this time. If a presidential candidate is bent to destroy the teachings of Christ then let us finish him with our Christian Vote. And any presidential candidate who lives a life of the gospel values of Christ then let us support and champion his cause.

Political squid ink

2009-03-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

Political squid ink

It is a political squid stratagem. The resurgence of Dacer-Corbito double murder case is clearly timed to divert the attention of our people. Such stories are obviously dripped with squid ink. Like the squid, Malacanang oozes out a cloud of ink and hides behind it. They bury the more important issues like unemployment of returning OFWs, charter change, fertilizer scam, ZTE deal, VFA, and other major corruption scandals. Probably in a bid to defuse criticisms against the present administration they want us to focus on issues that unfold stunningly similar to telenobelas. They want us to be amused with old stories but with turns and twists. Besides, nobody seriously believes that the re-emergence of the Dacer-Corbito case is not politically motivated. Probably Malacanang has the impression that Senator Lacson and former President Estrada, who are allegedly involved in the double murder case, are the closest rivals of their presidential candidate.

I read that squid produces ink when confronted by predators. It's also a way for the squid to warn its fellow squid to react to a threat. The squid tactic cues the supporters of Malacanang to react to the attacks being made against the present administration. And their political allies react with no less dramatic by stimulating the debates on charter change in order to save the president. The political imperative is to remain in power beyond 2010.

We are watching silently these unfortunate events in our country and we are saddened and in fact angry that we are being fooled by our leaders. We don’t feel that the government cares enough for the dignity of our nation because our leaders are fighting for political survival.

Well, a word to the wise is enough. Remember, you can fool some people all the time and all the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

Let us retool our people

2009-03-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

Let us retool our people

We deserve better leaders in this country but we don’t seem to get them. Why? With the entire hullabaloo we make as to who should be elected as the next president in the 2010 national elections, we overlook the importance of the role our people play. We should remember it is our people who are going to elect the president and nobody else.

It is understandable that we look for in the next president or any other elected official qualities of honesty, commitment, hard work, and with moral courage. But this is less significant if we take a preview of the qualities of our people who cast their votes. It does matter of course that a presidential candidate is electable or winnable but it does matter too how the people vote. The presidential candidate may have all the sterling traits of a president but these are rubbish and even anomalous when people do not mind them.

Our people are too busy to stay alive as they live through privation. It is likened to not making a conscious choice of food being served when one is suffering from toothache. They stare wide-eyed into their empty pockets and their empty tummies give a moan of frustration. This is the most unfortunate predicament of most of our poor people nowadays. Many of our people are more interested on what they can take away from the candidates like money. It is a common knowledge that elections in our country are ruled by money power. Candidates woo our people through the distribution of money to them. Money, not the qualities of the candidates, assumes the biggest role in every election in our country. Money rules and it is what it takes to win an election. Worse, moneyed candidates even prefer to lose our respect than lose an election.

I have long wondered if our people can be more serious with their role as electorate in the 2010 national elections because many of our people have not really given much thought on the importance of electing better leaders. They don’t have the time to digest all information about the qualities of the candidates nor their programs of government. They spend more their time on filling their stomach. They sidestep the question “Which candidate will bring about change in the country” with the question “How much money can we get from these candidates?”

It is time to retool our people. Let us teach them that they should demand for change in this country. It is important then that we have to have a serious voters’ education program. Let us prepare our voters to choose the right leaders.

Welcome to GlobalBalita.com!

2009-03-24T03:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome to GlobalBalita.com!

GlobalBalita.com is dedicated to publishing articles about Filipinos and all that affect them.

The new site will still have all the content you’ve come to love here—we’ve just made it a lot easier to navigate through. We will also introduce the Pinoy Forum (an online message board) where you can have discussions or share your opinions with other Filipinos. Look for that in the next month.

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Thank you for following PerryScope.org and all of its contributors. The site was successful because of the readers. We look forward to meeting you here at GlobalBalita.com where you can find all the previously published stories from PerryScope.org as well as new ones.

LATEST FROM GLOBAL BALITA

We have eight very interesting news, opinions, and stories today:

1. Lito Banayo writes about the long, long list of presidentiables and the "art of the possible." He says, "In the tragic comedy that is the Philippine polity, we will have to watch what the little lady does or hides, says or whispers, assembles or dissembles, as she pirouettes atop the tips of bayonets."

2. Alex Vidal writes about limitless opportunities for medical professionals in the U.S., with or without the recession.

3. Ben Serrano writes, "Finally, President did the right thing on Alabang Boys' case." However, he says, "Madam, kindly take a second look at Caraga Region’s illegal drugs and illegal gambling problems, they are worsening than ever deep insider and reliable information from the field claimed. I pray it’s not true."

4. Ben Serrano asks, "What’s the use of elegant government offices when its people are dying of hunger, victimized of fraudulent schemes taking chances they profit but ended up bankrupt not only financially but morally?"

5. Billy Esposo writes about a true story: How God found an atheist.

6. Is a "Third Force" looming in the political horizon? Read two articles about the possibility of Gov. Fr. Ed Panlilio running for president in 2010.

7. Reginald Tamayo writes, "We are likened to sleepwalkers and sleeptalkers. Sleepwalkers and sleeptalkers are difficult to awaken. However, once awakened, they are often confused and disoriented." Interesting and insightful.

8. Alex Vidal writes, "Filipino athletes stand to earn more cash incentives if they harvest medals in the 2012 London Olympics compared to what members of the United States track and field team will get for the same feat."

All the best,
Perry Diaz

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The long, long list

by LITO BANAYO
from MALAYA

Those who have been regular readers of Malaya and this space will recall our articles on the ten presidentiables (I still wonder at the grammatical precision of that description, but language and communication is a dynamic thing, so there). It started with “The Hamlet Act” of Joseph Ejercito Estrada, 13th President of the Philippines, (08 Jan 2009) and the second to be ousted from office by what savants call “people power”. It ended with an article on “The atypical Ping” (12 Feb 2009). In all, I wrote [...]

To read more, click here The long, long list

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With or without recession: ‘Medical professionals have limitless opportunities in US’

by Alex P. Vidal

AURORA, Illinois — Gemma Esmalla-Kosanam of Igbaras, Iloilo in the Philippines already holds a masters degree in nursing she obtained from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, but she decided to pursue a higher education and will soon finish her doctorate in management and leadership.

“My goal is to become a corporate nurse executive, a CEO (chief executive officer),” beamed Kosanam, 38, married to Indian national Venugopal. “With a doctorate degree, it is easy to go to the academe.”

She credits “strong family support”, her husband in [...]

To read more, click here With or without recession: ‘Medical professionals have limitless opportunities in US’

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Finally, President Arroyo did the right thing on Alabang Boys’ case, congratulations Madam!
by Ben Serrano

BUTUAN CITY- There is really also a need to appreciate people who really does his or her homework while head butt those who are sleeping on their duties, the worst is, some are pretending to have fallen asleep when in truth they are fully awake and this kind of people are dangerous. Filipinos call it, “Ang taong gising ay mahirap gisingin.”

And finally, seeing the worsening illegal drug problems in this country, President Arroyo did the right decision on the “Alabang Boys Case.”

Some may don’ like it but on [...]

To read more, click here Finally, President Arroyo did the right thing on Alabang Boys’ case, congratulations Madam!

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Misinformed people and the Presidentiables of 2010

by Ben Serrano

BUTUAN CITY- What’s the use of a new and shining budget office without a budget to alleviate dire poverty at its worst but only served elite politicians (in reality through big bucks of commissions or kickbacks from budgeted government projects earning kickbacks to buy votes during election day)?

This maybe the reason why the regional director like his politician friends are now extremely wealthy with all the adorning luxury vehicles at their disposal while majority of the people are wallowing in poverty and just walked without slippers …

To read more, click here Misinformed people and the Presidentiables of 2010

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A true story: How God found an atheist
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
by William M. Esposo
from Philstar

Your Chair Wrecker loves to share meaningful stories and articles that improve our values, thinking, perspectives and insights. Today, your Chair Wrecker will share with you this touching true story that a Jesuit from Loyola in Chicago wrote and circulated.

Father John Powell is a professor at Loyola University in Chicago and he once had a student named Tommy in his Theology of Faith class. Tommy happened to be an atheist.
When Tommy turned in his final exam, he asked Fr. Powell in a [...]

To read more, click here A true story: How God found an atheist

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“Third Force” looming in the political horizon
With a “third force” looming in the political horizon, can it break the traditional politicians’ grip on power? Can this “third force” lead a “people power” movement to victory at the 2010 elections? — Perry Diaz

Panlilio eyes Presidency
by Tina Dumlao
from Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – This early, pledges from overseas are coming in for Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio.

An elderly gentleman has expressed his intention to part with $100 from his budget for hypertension and diabetes medicine. A Filipino in New York is also putting in $100, and another is contributing $5.

A member [...]

To read more, click here “Third Force” looming in the political horizon

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A sleepwalking society

by Reginald Tamayo

The 2010 election is in the offing and still our country is reeling in economic crisis. The government boasts that our economy is improving because it grounded on sound economic principles and that ours is comparatively better than those of our Asean neighbors. This presumptuousness of the government is belied by widespread unemployment, skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, and the sight of poverty along the country side, among others. Our national leaders, instead of focusing themselves on how to address these national concerns, they embroil themselves in politics …

To read more, click here A sleepwalking society

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Effects of Recession? - Pinoy Olympians to earn more than U.S. tracksters if they win medals

by Alex P. Vidal

CHICAGO, Illinois — Filipino athletes stand to earn more cash incentives if they harvest medals in the 2012 London Olympics compared to what members of the United States track and field team will get for the same feat.

While the Philippine government, with the help of a giant telecommunication company, has pledged to award cash prizes worth P12 million (about $232,800), P3 million (about $58,200) and P1 million ($19,400) for gold, silver and bronze medal winners, the United States Olympic Committee will give only $25,000 (about P1.175 million)[...]

To read more, click here Effects of Recession? - Pinoy Olympians to earn more than U.S. tracksters if they win medals

Visit www.GlobalBalita.com for more news, updates and to comment.

END

Gov. Ed Panlilio- a politician of God's words

2009-03-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

Gov. Ed Panlilio- a politician of God's words

Please allow me to react on the article “Leave priesthood first, Panlilio told” (PDI March 23). The article said “Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio should leave the priesthood if he were to further his political career by running for president in 2010.” This reminds us of Pope John Paul who insisted that the canon law forbids the priests "to assume public offices that involve ... the exercise of civil power."

I find this very disturbing. Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council, 1991 (PCP-II) says that priests, religious men and women, and lay people, i.e., the Church “must involved in the area of politics when Gospel values are at stake.” Then why ask Gov. Panlilio to renounce his priesthood when he could be instrumental and in a better position as a priest in renewing the political landscape of this country according to the Gospel values?

There is no doubt priests must uphold the teachings of the Church. In the past, many of them have played their roles as moral guardians especially during election period. While it is true that they should not involve themselves in partisan politics they should not also be indifferent with their duties to provide the moral compass for the people to elect only those candidates who uphold the teachings and ethos of the Catholic Church.

They have done this for the nth time. They have taken seriously their moral and political duty to guide the flock in electing those who are authentic Christians to become public servants. They do this because they are cognizant of the fact that there are many politicians who are being Pharisaical in calling themselves as Christians. However, their efforts are in vain. Most of our people are stubborn and they do not listen to the admonitions of our priests. Our people still elect devious politicians who do not care for the needs of our countrymen and ignore the teachings of the Church. And as a consequence, these ruthless politicians do not only bring ruin and scandal in the government but also to the Church.

Shall we allow this to happen again come 2010 elections? Must we in this country render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s perpetually? Must we allow our lives to be shortchanged by the politicians who think nothing but their own self-interest? Must we allow these elected leaders to continue making a mockery of the Church and do things that run counter to the Gospel values?

Let me describe Panlilio as a politician of God’s words. He brings the Gospel values in governance. He witnesses the Gospel values in politics. He evangelizes our political culture and intersperses it with the teachings of the Church.

When he as a priest was allowed to run for the governorship, what should prohibit him to run for the presidency?

"Let the lying lips be put to silence"

2009-03-18T05:44:00.000-07:00

"Let the lying lips be put to silence"

For some obvious reasons, many lies are told by ruthless politicians before, during, and after elections. Politicians who are only concerned about winning in the elections do not mind telling lies. We are sometimes not even bothered by this at all. We usually choose to remain silent and enjoy hearing these politicians as they peddle lies. Worse, sometimes we even repeat these lies ourselves. This is a kind of disease known in the medical community as pathological lying. Any person who cannot control his telling of lies is said to be suffering from this kind of disease.

But is it true that unprincipled politicians cannot control their telling of lies? There are politicians who purposely tell lies to manipulate people. Simply put they can control their lies. For purposes of clarity let us look at the definition of lying. Webster Dictionary fittingly defines what lying is and, if I may say, describes the lying attitude of these politicians, to wit: to make a statement that one knows is false, especially with the intent to deceive; to give a false impression or action or false statement, especially with the intent to deceive; to make a false statement in order to evade the truth; and, the invention of a false story or excuse in order to deceive. It would then be wrong to describe these devious politicians as pathological liars. Probably they deserve better title- habitual liars.

Lying is everywhere in this country. It has become a commonplace. Like a virus it spreads in our society where lying is almost a way of life to many people. Lying had caused many scandals in the government. Lying had hurt many innocent lives. The moral climate in our country has been declining because of lying. I fear that our children would also fall into the habit of lying because there are few truthful adults to emulate. How many more lies must we listen to from this society? How many more lies must we tell? How many more political scandals must we endure because of lying?

It seems that we tell lies because we are afraid to tell the truth. We are also afraid of its consequences. Telling the truth hurt some people. That’s why some opt not to tell the truth. Shall we tell lies then in order not to hurt people? No one likes to be lied to. Even the liar does not like to be lied to. It is very sad that there seems to be more lying lips in this country than helping hands. Let us stop this epidemic lying in this country. The book of Psalms admonishes us- "Let the lying lips be put to silence."

Wanted: honest leaders and people

2009-03-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

Wanted: honest leaders and people

Looking for new breed of leaders is one of the most widely talked about topic nowadays. This is understandable considering that 2010 election is fast approaching. It is our wish as Filipinos to have leaders that can inspire and enrich our lives, leaders who can serve our best interests and liberate us from poverty. We don’t need leaders who manipulate us, peddle lies and leaders who are greedy, and immoral.

Do we have these new breed of leaders today who have a sense of mission and direction to bring about moral change in our country? Do we have leaders who know simply what is good and evil and the difference between temperance and greed? While none of the leaders in the past elections fit our ideal breed of leaders, we ironically and continually choose the lesser evils among them. Isn’t that a sad waste of time and effort that we cannot choose moral leaders except the lesser evils among those who present themselves as leaders? This manner of choosing our leaders is seemingly unbroken. Every election we choose the lesser evil ones and later we get the shocks of our lives when these leaders scandalized us by their dishonest ways and shady deals. Where have all the good leaders of this country gone?

In our search for the new breed of leaders, honesty to one self and to others should be the first criterion. Anybody who presents himself as a leader but knows too well that he cannot do the job is a dishonest leader. Plato in his Republic conceptualized a leader- a philosopher first, then king second. The philosopher-king would be a dishonest monarch if he relegates himself to the level of warriors or artisans. Virtually, many among our leaders are not completely honest. A senator or a councilor is not honest to himself and to the electorate, though popular among the masses, when he cannot legislate. A presidentiable is not also honest to himself and to the people when his only qualification is his wealth or charm but none of the skills and qualities of a president. Anyone who leads a moral life and has the skills and competence to become a leader should come out and be elected as a moral leader. Anyone who in all honesty leads a shady life and has no competence to lead should humbly drop his plan to get elected into public office.

We demand honesty in our leaders because we allow them to have power over our lives. We exact honesty in their leadership because we want them to look after our nation and make our lives as citizens better.

Likewise we the electorate should be honest with ourselves. Let us have a reality check. How do we feel when our leaders fail us? To be honest, we feel angry and entertained. We are angry because we are disappointed by our leaders. We are amused because we see the human frailties in them and we did not expect so much from them after all. We think that they are entitled to do their corrupt practices in the government because they are human beings after all. We have that mind set that government officials are always corrupt and we don’t expect them to be saints. In fact, we get excited, like watching telenobelas, in finding out how these government officials weave their stories when they get stuck in scandals and controversies.

In this coming 2010 election, let us be honest. Let us do this not only for ourselves but for posterity’s sake. Let us not be lured by the looks and promises of leaders. Let us not be fascinated by their inducements and charms. For the Philippines to move on and be great again, we need honest leaders and we need honest people in this country.

The Latest From Balita-USA

2009-03-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

THE LATEST FROM BALITA-USA

We are currently in the process of finishing the construction of the GLOBAL BALITA website -- the "Global Filipinos in perspective." Read the articles of some of the best oipinon writers and journalists. GLOBAL BALITA will be launch next week. Stay tuned.

We have nine very interesting news, opinions, and stories today:

1. Reginald Tamayo asks, "Is there such a thing as a Filipino identity?" Read his insightful thoughts on this issue.

2. Billy Esposo writes about how others view our "shameless Filipino elite."

3. Tony Abaya writes about why justice is denied when justice is delayed in our judicial system.

4. Herman Tiu Laurel writes, "Like wolves or sharks going for the kill, the Philippine oligarchy has once again descended upon the power industry; this time for its piece de resistance—Meralco."

5. Renato Redentor Constantino writes, "Year after year, behind the burnished marble slab, beneath the old wood cross beams of consumption, black coat and black tie delivered the liturgy of bling and the brass cross, and the sanctity of the system was upheld."

6. Thea Alberto writes about Kris Aquino's anger over the release of the killers of her father, Ninoy Aquino.

7. Marlon Ramos writes of his interview with the prison chaplain who believes that the freed convicted "killers" of Ninoy Aquino did not kill Aquino.

8. Ben Serrano writes, "The Manobo-Mamanwa Joint Tribal Council Conference Association today have requested the Congress particularly the House Committees on People’s Participation and the Indigenous Peoples to conduct congressional inquiry on alleged wanton neglect and violation of the indigenous people’s rights."

9. My weekly PerryScope delves into the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas "Mercy" Gutierrez. Should Congress show mercy or no mercy?

Once again, BALITA TODAY strives to bring to your "doorstep" interesting articles for your reading pleasure.

All the best,
Perry Diaz

Clemency and forgiveness

2009-03-06T16:45:00.000-08:00

Clemency and forgiveness

I was in my sophomore year at UP Diliman when Ninoy was gunned down on the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport. We know that his death set off public outrage that ended the Marcos regime in 1986. In my own little way, I blended my outcry with the enraged people by writing political essays about Ninoy’s death and posted them on the free walls of the UP College of Arts and Science building. I even shared copies to friends from different universities. However, I don’t remember making an essay about the ten soldiers who were jailed for the murder of Ninoy.

Now the soldiers are set free after being granted with clemency. There are lots of questions being asked. Is the granting of clemency to these soldiers tantamount to forgiving them? Does the death of Ninoy finally achieve justice? Do these soldiers deserve our forgiveness? Are we asked to forgive and forget? With these handful questions, I am inspired this time to write something about the fate of these ten soldiers.

There is a simple way of understanding justice and clemency by the use of a mathematical equation. If I borrow from a friend P100 then I return to him the same amount of P100 then that is justice. It is injustice if I only return P80.00 to my friend instead of P100.00. In other words, in an uneven equation it is injustice. From this notion, there is no justice when the ten soldiers were freed because they cannot restore or repay the harm to Ninoy their victim. These words in a song capture this point- “Kung ano ang iyong inutang ay siya ring kabayaran.” What about clemency? The concept of clemency is more aptly applied in the situation of the freed soldiers. Clemency welcomes an unbalanced scale of justice. If I can only pay the amount of P80.00 to my friend and my friend writes-off the remaining balance of P20.00 then it is done out ofmercy or clemency. Probably my friend sees the difficult situation I am in and he knows that I am incapable of paying the amount in full. In the case of the ten soldiers, the president sees fit to commute their sentence and grants executive clemency because of good behavior. In other words, they won’t serve their sentence in full in the national penitentiary because of clemency.

Do the ten soldiers deserve our forgiveness? Many say that only the victim or the wronged party can forgive his offenders. Nobody can substitute the victim in his granting of forgiveness to his offenders. But it is worth remembering the slogan “Hindi ka nag-iisa!” This bespeaks that Ninoy was not only the victim of the repressive regime but Filipinos all over were victims too. But forgiveness can only be meaningful and is generously deserved when there is admission of guilt on the part of the offenders. From the looks of it, we don’t find any feeling of remorse or regret on the part of the ten soldiers. They seem to have developed the talent of pretending. It is hard to forgive an offender when he disowns the responsibility of his wrongdoing.

Granting without admitting that they deserve our forgiveness given their admission of guilt, shall we forget what they did to Ninoy? Forgiving is not forgetting the wrongdoing. Forgiving is an empty word when we sidestep the wrongdoing. Ignoring what they did to Ninoy would only cheapen his martyrdom. His martyrdom would be nothing but a sheer street crime committed by crooks. His martyrdom would be bereft of any meaning and his words “the Filipino is worth dying for” would just be parts of an empty rhetoric.

Finally, though the ten soldiers are given a fresh start they cannot hope to be forgiven and they cannot expect that what they did to Ninoy be forgotten.

How I love the Philippines

2009-03-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

How I love the Philippines

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:13:00 03/03/2009

Filed Under: Social Issues, Graft & Corruption

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I am a Filipino and I am proud of being one. And I love this country not only because it is where I live but because it is where my roots are. It is the sanctuary of the Filipino values I cherish, and it is where my home and my heart are. Here I was born and here will my final resting place be.

I show my love for myself as a Filipino and for this country by being a good citizen. I don’t just watch what is happening in this country. I humbly participate in building this nation into a better place even when there are some of us who spit on the face of our motherland. I show my concern for this country by expressing my dismay and displeasure if the state of the nation is bleak and the political leadership is weak. I show my care for this country by encouraging others to look deeper into themselves and find ways to make this country more decent and more respectable. I wish I could say something riveting or moving to them.

In my prayerful wishes, they will not be forgotten.

I am a voice of change and I would like to add this voice to the chorus calling for a genuine moral change in this country. I am aware that there are other sounds in the air — the noisiest among them from politicians who think they are the saviors of this country but are in fact modern-day Pharisees praying with pretentious piety before the public; but deep inside they are as evil and treacherous as vipers.

The reason we are in a continuing cycle of national crises is that we don’t love our country enough. It is not love but apathy when we watch our country being gang-raped by political psychopaths. It is not also love but boredom when we allow the illegal numbers game “jueteng,” graft and corruption, immorality and other social evils to persist.

Nowadays, there seems to be no Filipino leader who has the moral resolve to make a difference in the lives of the Filipinos. Instead, it appears that we are pleased to coddle the present crop of leaders who are plundering our resources and desecrating our social and moral environments.
It is not love but sheer hatred that we are showing our country when we are submissive, aloof and detached to these nasty, revolting social realities we are in.

I wish our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal or Ninoy Aquino had been born during these trying times to inspire us, to put meaning into our lives as a people, and lead us into a culture of genuine change. It is so sad that we don’t have the likes of them in our midst. Regretfully, the leadership torch they passed to us has been extinguished by this present generation. This is a shame for this country.

Still, I am in love with this country. I wish I could be another Rizal or another Ninoy just to prove that I really love this country.

REGINALD B. TAMAYO, Member, Sangguniang Bayan, Aparri, Cagayan

Copyright 2009 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

A sleepwalking society

2009-03-02T01:24:00.000-08:00

A sleepwalking society

2010 election is in the offing and still our country is reeling in economic crisis. The government boasts that our economy is improving because it grounded on sound economic principles and that ours is comparatively better than those of our Asean neighbors. This presumptuousness of the government is belied by widespread unemployment, skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, and the sight of poverty along the country side, among others. Our national leaders, instead of focusing themselves on how to address these national concerns, they embroil themselves in politics of mudslinging, finger-pointing, and popularity contest. Instead of getting a national consensus of pooling ourselves together and collectively seek solutions to these crises, we wallow in a national shame of unending scandals of graft and corruption and immorality which make life in this country hard and almost unbearable.

The government cannot alleviate social poverty by handing out a measly amount of money to those who could hardly afford to pay their electric bills or to the needy senior citizens. This only creates a culture of mendicancy and a society of parasites and far from being a solution to resuscitate our dying economy. These palliative steps are cheap political ploys and gimmicks which were poorly worked out to create an image of a compassionate national leadership and to boost its popularity.

We are likened to sleepwalkers and sleeptalkers. Sleepwalkers and sleeptalkers are difficult to awaken. However, once awakened, they are often confused and disoriented. In 1986, we were awakened and we overthrew a dictator. After that historical awakening, nowadays our confusion and disorientation are recurrent. Like the sleepwalkers and sleeptalkers, we are being awakened by our prophetic church and some well-meaning members of the political opposition but we seem to be in our deep sleep that we do not get up amidst our screaming with terror.

When shall we wake up? I contend that people who are sleep dislike having their sleep disturbed. But this is an emergency case. It is high time that we open our eyes wide. It is time for us to be awakened and realize that many political crooks and clowns are fooling us and flooding our consciousness with their mean and shameful political games. We should wake up not soon but now. Unless we still have to wait for a worse thing to happen, that is, for us to experience bedwetting in our slumbers.

Filipino- a bundle of many identities

2009-02-28T17:23:00.000-08:00

Filipino- a bundle of many identities

Is there such a thing as a Filipino identity? I remember 18th century Scottish philosopher David Hume saying that there is no such thing as self but only a bundle of selves. Using Hume’s argument, there is no such thing as a Filipino identity- only a bundle of many Filipino identities.

By asserting that the Filipino is just a bundle of many identities it means that there is no sense of Filipinohood in us that should bind us as one people. The bundle theory of Hume sidesteps our sense of unity and interconnectedness within our country and in the larger sense among all Filipinos worldwide. There may be a point in arguing about the continuity of the physical attributes of Filipinos like having small flat nose, brown in complexion, and with small physical structure, and the like. There may be physical regeneration of our physical attributes like some of us today are mestizos and mestizas but they are not that substantial to miss our traditional looks and posturing. There may also be psychological continuity that we persist as Filipinos because we can remember our past. In other words, our Filipino psyche is long-term. However, if I were to put words into the mouth of Hume, these ongoing identities in terms of physical and psychological identities do not make up the Filipino identity. The continuity of physical and psychological identities is not a ground for making out a genuine Filipino identity.

In the world of Hume, we have many Filipino identities. These identities are our subjective experiences. We experience Filipinohood or simply a sense of being united as Filipinos when we are in a foreign land. For instance, we are proud as being Filipinos by speaking Filipino or eating our own food in a different country, meeting regularly with our kababayans, working long and hard because it is the mark of being a Filipino toiling abroad, etc. But there are also some of us who after staying for sometime in a foreign land would willfully forget our sense of Filipinohood – we talk the way foreigners do as if our native tongue is a social taboo, or we eat and live like our foreign counterparts. On a different vein, we likewise feel this closeness and solidarity as a nation within ourselves when we pool our resources to help victims of man-made and natural calamities. But we feel indifferent about the untold social calamities in our midst caused by power-hungry politicians. Simply put, the Filipino identity is erratic. We seem not to get the real picture of the Filipino identity. Hume explains that it is nonsensical to grasp the self because there is no such thing as self. Just like us Filipinos it is without any sense to talk about unity of the Filipino people when there is no clear cut and definitive Filipino identity.

This Filipino identity crisis undeniably has been a perennial problem. To date we are unable to comprehend what it takes to be a Filipino. From all indications, it appears that we are still grappling for our Filipino identity, a Filipino being whose self is unified. The Filipino today is no more than a collection of his many and varied subjective experiences. Hume’s bundle theory asserts that a unified self does not even own these experiences because the self has no peculiar identity among the many and confusing selves almost leading to a Shakespearean comedy of errors. Our physical continuity and remembered experiences as Filipinos do not guarantee our Filipino identity.

Thus in conclusion, we still have much to discern what is meant and what it is to be a Filipino. The bundle theory of Hume is compelling and very telling yet I am hopeful that the necessity to have a Filipino identity will dawn upon us soonest.

I care for this country. Do you?

2009-02-26T08:13:00.000-08:00

I care for this country. Do you?

I am a Filipino and I am proud of it. And I love this country not only because it is where I live but it is where my roots are. It is the sanctuary of the Filipino values I cherish and it is where I find my home and where my heart is. It is here where I was born and it is here where my final resting place will be.

I show my love for myself as a Filipino and for this country by being a good citizen. I don’t sit on my arms and just watch what is happening in this country. I humbly participate in molding this nation to become a better place even when there are some of us who spit on her face. I show my concern for this country by expressing my dismay and displeasure if the state of the nation is bleak and the political leadership is weak. I show my care for this country by encouraging those who bother to look deeper into themselves and find out how to make this country more decent and more respectable. I wish I could say something riveting or moving to them. They have though my prayerful wishes and my assurance that they will not be forgotten.

I am a voice of change and I would like to add this voice to the band of voices who call for a genuine moral change in this country. I am aware that there are also voices that speak noise. There is much political noise being heard nowadays. These are from politicians who think they are the political messiahs of this country yet they are like the biblical Pharisees who prayed sincerely before the public yet inwardly they are evil vipers.

The reason why we are in a cycle of national crises is we don’t love much our country. It is not love but apathy when we watch helplessly our country being gang-raped by some political psychopaths. It is not also love but boredom when we passively allow social issues to persist like illegal numbers game of jueteng, graft and corruption, immorality, and other social evils. There seems to be no Filipino leader anymore who has a moral purpose to make a difference in the lives of the Filipinos. Instead, it appears that we are pleased to cuddle the present crop of our leaders who wantonly deplete the resources of our physical environment and who drain off our resources in the social and moral environment.

It is not love that we are showing to this country but sheer hatred to our motherland when we are submissive, aloof, and detached to these nasty, revolting social realities we are in and worse ultimately foster them because we easily volunteer our silence due to our spinelessness.

I wish our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal or Ninoy had been born during these trying times to inspire us, to create meaning into our lives as a Filipino people, and lead us into a culture of genuine change. It is so sad that we don’t have the likes of them in our midst. Regretfully the leadership torch they passed to us had been extinguished by this present generation. This is a lifetime shame for this country.

Be that as it may, I am in love with this country. I wish I could be another Rizal or another Ninoy just to prove that I really love this country.

The use of the environment and development

2009-02-23T01:20:00.000-08:00

The use of the environment and development

Many blame environmental destruction brought by logging and mining for the recent flash floods in the country. The accusing finger is pointed at the rampant logging and mining operations as culprits. These tragedies and incidents belie all assurances of responsible and sustainable use of the environment that the government is telling us.

Let me present my thoughts in relation to the use of our environment:

1. Our government, just like any other government, desires development for the country. And there is always a trade-off between development and the use of the environment. Development is impossibility without the use of the environment. Hence the use of the environment for development is inevitable. However, when wanton use and greed are involved, the environment may be abused to the hilt. Personally, I do not espouse a zero-use of the environment. Conversely, I am for the intelligent and efficient use of it;

2. Income growth is different from development. If the use of the environment is purely for income growth then it should be discouraged because it is a short-term economic program. It should focus on development- a sustained economic growth coupled with the empowerment and improvement of the lives of our people, plus their health is robust, and their immediate environment is clean. If the environment is abused then development is also impaired;

3. Environment should be harnessed and not harvested. This means that we can use the environment but it should be within the bounds of reason and morality and withn the context of simple, not excessive, lifestyle;

4. Our environment should remain healthy which means that we should allow the environment to heal itself and not to harm it just to satisfy our overwhelming needs. In other words, we should integrate sustainability in our environment which is equivalent to environmental protection;

5. I do not like to pontificate but we are considered stewards of the environment. As stewards, we should find out if the environment can sustain us and the next generation without harming itself. Otherwise, we should not disturb the environment and insist that it should put up with our insatiable human greed;

6. We are beset by global concerns like hunger, poverty, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. If the use of the environment aggravates these global threats then we should leave the environment in peace. It is highly imprudent and immoral to pursue the exploitation of the environment in the wake of these global threats;

7. If the use of the environment is to provide wood materials and metallic needs of other countries other that ours, I oppose it. There are unscrupulous people who are unconcerned and would allow the infliction of injurious damage to our environment because of greed and that is grievously immoral;

8. I am not convinced that logging, especially mining, is the only option open to the government for the country’s economic recovery. We can have sustainable economic benefits in other areas like tourism, agriculture, rich marine resources, cultural heritage, and natural landscapes;

9. There should be a science-based extensive study on the use of the environment for development purposes. It should be impartial and objective though. The result of the study should be politics-free, not fabricated or distorted, not biased, not interest-driven, and not pre-determined and market-oriented findings;

10. Principles of community-orientation and social acceptability should be the regulative guides in the use of the environment. If the people do not like logging or mining after informing them with detailed information about the use of the environment then at all cost we should respect the will of the people. Our people are our strongest assets and not the short-term economic gains we benefit from logging and mining.

Logging and mining would not have been hard pills to swallow for our people if their communities and their lives would have attained real development and that their health and well-being are robust and their environment is protected from abused. It is also disheartening that there are some of our leaders who push with brute force and chauvinism for the revitalization of mining. I just wish that that they would have more compassion, respect, and understanding of our poor people who have less in life.

Ethical and moral leaderships- do they really matter?

2009-02-22T00:17:00.000-08:00

Ethical and moral leaderships- do they really matter?

Many sectors are calling for ethical leadership to initiate change in our society. But what makes leadership ethical? Will ethical leadership solve the ills of our society? And who are qualified to become ethical leaders? And do our people know what ethical leadership is and will they accept it as a catalyst for change?

Other sectors are calling for moral leaders to come out from their shells. Is this a different variety of leadership? Are moral leaders different from ethical leaders? Is moral leadership the answer to the problems besetting our country? Is ethics after all similar to morality?

My daughter Regine, a 3rd year philosophy student of UST and a dean’s lister, supplied me the answer. She said “personally I venture to say that such definitions of morality and ethics mentioned are high-flown and theoretical. I propose a simpler way of defining them and an easier way of differentiating them without deviating from their core ambits of the concepts of good and bad. In fact, if there is a common ground between morality and ethics it is that both are always anchored on the concepts of good and bad. Let us say what is considered good or bad in morality mirrors good and bad also in ethics.

“God’s commandments either from the Old or New Testaments are generalized rules of conduct. Obeying them renders our deeds good; otherwise, bad. Hence, they as generalized rules are used as standards of human acts. This is the realm of morality. Any generalized rule of conduct which man passively accepts as gauge or measurement of human acts is morality. Man, in other words, looks up to these generalized rules as absolute and static. Man cannot motu propio modify them to suit his moral interests. These rules of conduct were handed over to man, like the Ten Commandments, without man’s hint of turning them down. Man, in this case, is pictured to be at the receiving end, unmoving, and unquestioning.

"When man is faced with a moral dilemma of either following these generalized rules or not, then it is the realm of ethics that is involved here. In other words, man operates on a moral choice, makes a reflective decision, weighs his options, and cautiously moves towards a moral decision. In fine, ethics, unlike morality is process-centered and oriented. For instance, a father is considering theft as a means to enrich himself and his family and is yet unresolved whether or not he would pursue it because of a regulative principle like the 7th Commandment that says “Thou shall not steal.” It is clear here that the father, aware of the said commandment, is not impulsive or hasty in his decision but is careful to make a thoughtful moral decision before plunging into any display of a corresponding human act. This is ethics in its essence- there is deliberation and caution.”

The distinction is quite clear. Basing from that clear-cut division, ethical leaders are action-driven and purpose-oriented. In their policy-formulation or decision-making process, they take into consideration what is good for the welfare of the community. However, there should be a modicum of mutuality between the ethical leaders and the people being led. The people should freely agree and accept the purposes of the ethical leaders knowing that they are for their own good. The acceptance by the people of ethical leadership and its purposes must be, to be repetitious, free and they should not just acquiesce out of fear and autocratic control. It would be useless to have ethical leaders if the people do not know and freely consent to the purposes of the ethical leaders. The influence relationship between the ethical leaders and the people would be assured if they have common or shared values, purposes, and goals. Short of saying, we need ethical followers as much as we need ethical leaders. There is no sense of calling for ethical leadership if the people themselves are not ethical.

Moral leadership is likened to shutting up oneself in an ivory tower, undisturbed and without regard to the welfare of the people. These leaders are stuffed with moral truths but they have to be induced to actions so that they become ethical leaders. It is tantamount to ethical hazards if moral leaders are paralyzed by their inability to influence the people with the values, goals and purposes that they have to share. They are just there as models of moral leadership, inauthentic and phony leaders because they miserably fail to influence the lives of the people with the moral truths they know or the gospel values they hold. Moral leaders are imposters if they are not ethical leaders. Conversely ethical leaders are also great pretenders if they govern with no moral truths to proclaim and if their interests take precedence over the interests of the people.

The whole point is simply this: ethical leaders should internalize moral truths known to moral leaders and moral leaders should openly incarnate and put them into practice like what the ethical leaders do. What kind of leadership do we need then? We need a combination between ethical and moral leadership. We need moral and ethical leaders who know the moral truths, and without pretense, promote and share them to the people in a free and non-coercive environment.

The Asch Effect in our society

2009-02-19T03:02:00.000-08:00

The Asch Effect in our society

If you haven’t had the chance to read Solomon Asch’s theory of conformity, I suggest that you read it. It was part of my lesson when I was in college. I still remember how my professor applied it in our experience as a people. I want to highlight some of the lessons I learned which I am sure would be an eye-opener especially to those who push for a change in our society.

Imagine yourself in the following situation: you were asked to take part in a psychology experiment together with five other subjects who, not known to you, are confederates of the experimenter. The experimenter shows two cards- one card contains one vertical line and the other card contains three vertical lines of varying length. The experimenter would ask which of the three lines on the card matches the sample line on the other card. The five confederates, as per arrangement, unanimously make incorrect responses by choosing the wrong line. You, the subject know that they are wrong in their responses but you are also aware that they have given the same answer. What would you do when you are asked by the experimenter? Would you say that they are wrong? Would you give the same incorrect answer? Would you go along with them? Or would you trust your perception and stick to your guns?

Asch said that more often than not, group pressure does not affect our perceptions but it affects our behavior. This means that you as a subject, without any hint of disapproval, go along with the group even when you know that their choice was erroneous. You don’t want to be different from the group. The reason is simple: you want to be “in” with the group, you don’t wish to be desolated from the group even when they make the mistaken choice. This goes to show how strong group pressure can be that sometimes we don’t trust ourselves, our judgment and allow others to make faulty judgment for us.

There is some evidence in our society that supports this view of Asch. Because it is unlikely that our leaders can make a difference in our societal life, it is likely that we go along with the crowd in electing our leaders even when we know that they are not morally upright. The impact of people who accept our fate as a hopeless society influence our thinking that our society is indeed a desperate society.

What we can do at most is to educate our people to form their own judgments. We will probably see a better Philippines when our people tend to be more autonomous and responsible in their choices of leaders rather than be easily swayed by the uninformed and careless many.

If I were the President

2009-02-15T23:05:00.000-08:00

If I were the President

The late US President John F. Kennedy once said “We need men who can dream of things that never were.” I wonder if I am one of those men mentioned by President Kennedy since when I was younger I had been a dreamer of grand things likes becoming the president of this country. I was one of those who obsessed about this grand hope and impossible dream. However, as I wrote in my article “To stop monsters, RP needs good citizens” (PDI 1/7/2009), I no longer have that dream.

Truth to tell, when I was elected as municipal councilor of Aparri, I told myself that that could be the start of my journey to realize my dream. But I grew increasingly frustrated with our political system that only the elite politicians seem to have the privilege to be elected into the high echelons of the government including the presidency and the poor and marginalized are sidelined to bit players only.

From the time I was municipal councilor of Aparri, for almost 18 years now, to date I keep in my wallet together with a pocket prayer book given by a priest-friend, my programs of government if I were the president of this country. I would do these dozen things:
1. Stop jueteng and other illegal gambling;
2. Put a blanket ban on small and large scale mining;
3. Fight the drug menace;
4. Restore ethics and morality in the government;
5. No relative would be hired in the government service;
6. My wife would be my personal chef and would spend full-time as a mother to our kid(now we have four);
7. I would not extend my term of office and abide by the constitutional term-limits;
8. Make government officials and employees accountable and responsible for their actions;
9. I would make national government plans and projects locally relevant;
10. Education, health care, technology, agriculture, business, and tourism would be my core programs;
11. I would not encroach the powers of congress and judiciary; and, finally,
12. I would listen to the people, act as their public servant in order to serve and not as a King to be served.

Grand programs of government, aren’t they? Ironically, their seeming impossibility is a refection of the sad social reality we are in. I am reminded that Plato wrote the Republic because of the irremediably corrupted Athenian politics during his time.

Meet my parents instead

2009-02-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

Meet my parents instead

For the past few days I received many email messages congratulating me for putting up a personal blog (visit http://reginaldtamayo.blogspot.com). My blog followers are mixed ranging from former classmates, friends, relatives, regional directors, national journalists, priests, a former beauty queen to unknown but well-meaning blog site readers. Of late, most of them especially those who revealed themselves only online asked me to introduce myself too. In fact my online readers keep on expanding everyday and the pressure to open my self to them is overwhelming. As is true elsewhere in the world of blogs, bloggers are fixated with anonymity, locked their profiles and used pseudo-names. However, I lay down my arms and opt to introduce myself but in a different manner- by introducing my parents to you. Shakespeare said “The tree may be known by the fruit, as the fruit by the tree” (Henry IV, Part 1," Act 4, Scene 2). This echoes the biblical words “For each tree is known by its own fruit…” (St. Luke 6:44). I will exactly do the opposite- I will introduce myself by letting you know the “tree” for you to know the “fruit.”

I am one of the two sons of poor but pious parents- the late Rogelio Espiritu Tamayo, Sr. and Teresita Cuntapay Balisi. My father did not finish college because of poverty. My mother only finished a vocational course again because of poverty. I say ours is a generational poverty because my grandparents were poor too. However, to be in a poor home with pious parents was a blessing.

My father worked as a typist. He accepted typing jobs from a logging company. He was out of work when logging was banned. My mother was a gasoline girl. On one occasion, when I was in 2nd year high school my mother asked me to teach her how to write numbers from 1 to 10,000, how to use a calculator, how to fill up an official receipt, and how to add numbers with decimal points. I told my father about it. My father and I painstakingly taught her these things for many nights. I saw joy in the eyes of my mother when she learned them well.

I vividly recall when my parents and I have to watch over the house of the boss of my mother. There were times when mother’s boss and his family have to leave for Manila. My mother always admonished me not to touch anything inside the mansion while she and my father have to mop the floor, clean the window panes, change curtains, and the like. I usually helped them clean the mansion while giving an envious look at the expensive and dazzling toys of the sons of my mother’s boss.

I remember my parents to have pawned their wedding rings because of our needs. Our unmet needs were blessings too. These needs motivate us to pray. We were Sunday mass-goers. Papa visited the church on weekdays to pray while mama attends mass daily. Nowadays, if mama is not at home, she would be with her prayer group to lead a pawalu (prayer for the dead) at any wake, she would be in the church arranging flowers before religious relics or dusting them off.

I also reminisce when one day my father took me to Tuguegarao to visit his parents. I was comfortably seated beside him inside the bus. Unceremoniously, he asked me to vacate our seats for new passengers on board. From Lallo to Tuguegarao my father and I remained standing. When we got off the bus I heard the conductor saying “Pasensya pare ha. Marami kasing pasahero.” Hearing such, I understood that my father did not have much money for our fare and had asked for a free ride for both of us.

When I was in college at UP Diliman, my parents usually send my monthly P600 allowance thru a bus from the province. I have to go to the bus terminal in Sampaloc, Manila every last Saturday of the month to get it. At times, when my parents were unable to send my monthly stipend, I received a glass coffee-container with dried fish or adobo. I have to consume this for a week until I get back to the bus terminal to push my luck. It was good I have my late uncle UP History Professor Wilfredo E. Tamayo to lean on during those trying times when I was completing my AB Philosophy.

When I was asked to prove my teaching skills in a teaching demonstration at the Lyceum of Aparri, I did not have a short polo-barong and a leather shoes. My mother borrowed a loose barong tagalog from a neighbor and I was forced to use the shoes of my father. I looked like a clown when I gave lecture before the Academic Deans and priest-administrators. When I got the teaching job, as a gesture of patting on my back, my father gave me a belt as a gift. I still used this dull and old belt whenever I miss my father.

When DILG requested me to lecture about legislation and parliamentary procedures, my father, who was then a barangay captain, was one of the audience. I asked him to come forward and I introduced him to the provincial director and other dignitaries. He was beaming with pride that he asked the photographer to take picture of us before my lecture.

When I was appointed Dean of Liberal Arts and Dean of Student Afairs, I toured my parents once in our school, the Lyceum of Aparri, and in our office at the municipal hall and introduced them to people from both the school and government but personally that is nothing compared to their manner of touring me into the ways of humility and the love for lady poverty and the way they introduced me to God. From them, I learned how to pray the rosary and novena everyday. From them, I learned the value hard work and honesty. From them, I learned to bend my knees in prayer.

My parents may not have the aristocracy of the schooled and the learned but they were my first teachers who taught me valuable lessons in life. They will forever be etched in my heart.

Now, you know me.

Moral choice

2009-02-12T01:30:00.001-08:00

Moral choice

In the fairytale story of Snow White, her step mother asked “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” We ask about some of our politicians (private citizens included!): “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the greediest of them all?”

It is so discouraging to watch our country run by some politicians who are greedy and dishonest. Those politicians who are greedy and dishonest are also those who we described as “haves and have mores.” Indeed greed and dishonesty are sometimes rarely seen by those politicians who benefit from them. Nowadays, it is rare breed specie of a politician to run this country who is disinterested, unselfish, and honest. One writer says, “Looking for an honest politician is like looking for an ethical burglar.”

Examples of graft and corruption in the government abound and the latest of which is the alleged participation of politicians, private citizens, and construction firms in collusive practices for a major road construction. I am sure other scandalous and immoral graft and corrupt practices will unfurl in due time if these are left unchecked. It seems that the country is no longer ruled by decent and respectable lraders. This country seemingly is now ruled by thieves.

It is the corruption of greed and the politics of dishonesty of some of our public officials that have created dislocation and suffering in our society. It is greed and dishonesty that caused the shortage of classrooms in our schools. It is also the same greed and dishonesty that we have unpaved roads and decrepit bridges. They are also responsible in widening the gap between the rich and the poor in our society; render the poor homeless, the sick untreated and create unemployment. In the book of Jeremiah, he addresses these wicked people, in this language: “But you! You are full of selfish greed and dishonesty! You murder the innocent, oppress, the poor, and reign ruthlessly.”

There is no use beaming with pride saying that our country is booming in its economy while our society is greed-ridden. Even when our peso gets stronger, this does not outweigh our culture of greed and dishonesty. We have to make a moral choice: either to speak out and stand up for the gospel values of honesty or silently condone these social evils. Simply put, we can elect to stand up for morality or just keep our heads down. Carl Jung reminded us that “we live not only for our own lives but, whether we know it or not, also the life of our time.”

A note from Aurora Pijuan

2009-02-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

A note from Aurora Pijuan

--- On Mon, 2/9/09, aurora pijuan wrote:

From: aurora pijuan
Subject: Fwd: reaction
To: reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, 9 February, 2009, 3:37 AM

Hi Reginald,

I read your reaction to Tony's article and requested him to give you my
email address so hopefully, you can keep me in the loop on the next discussion
of Soul of the Nation. What he did instead was he gave me your email address.
Hope that is all right with you.

regards,

Aurora

A bad national habit

2009-02-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

A bad national habit

Nowadays we are beginning to get a glimpse of people who intend to run for high political posts come 2010. They appear ready to lead and govern this country to greatness. On the one hand, some politicians posed as product endorsers on television and as advocates of pro-poor programs like cheap medicines, livelihood, and assistance to OFWs. On the other hand, there are also those well-meaning groups who package and advertise people as ethical leaders hoping that they will change our political landscape and our national life for the better. We are overwhelmed by the lofty-promises and sweetened assurances of these seemingly innocent and virtuous people that our country will be better off with their kind of ethical leadership. We are clueless if what they are saying is true or not. We should be cautious then. Politics after all had changed its meaning- it is no longer the art of governance but the art of not telling the truth. However, we will soon know the truth after election if indeed they are our sincere leaders who have the heart to truly care for us and this country.

Perhaps, equally important to consider aside from knowing the candidates for the 2010election is how to choose the best leaders. These days, we are going through tough times because we elected into office not the right kind of leaders. This is obviously becoming a bad national habit. Rather than working for our aspirations and hopes as a people, these elected leaders use their positions to enrich themselves and their supporters. We deserve this lot though. And true to the cliché- we deserve the kind of government we have.

When will we ever learn how to choose the right leaders to run the affairs of this country? When will we ever know how to cast a thoughtful vote and not a bought-vote? When will we discover that we have a reasoned conscience and God to deal with when we cast our votes?

At the very least what we need in this country are informed electorate. We can avoid an ineffectual government and forestall the influx of corrupt and shameless leaders when we vote intelligently and with conscience. Let me address this challenge to those who call for the moral force and ethical leadership of this country: help us voters prepare ourselves to choose the right leaders for this country. Help us have our voice be heard in the 2010 election. It’s about time that our voice be heard. We can change the fate of this country because we can vote wisely and rightly. Our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal eloquently echoed this sentiment when he said, “This people does not complain because it has no voice, it does not move because it is lethargic, and you say that it does not suffer because you haven't seen how its heart bleeds. But some day you will see this, you will hear its complaints, and then woe unto those who found their strength on ignorance and fanaticism!”

Celebrating the Centennial in Aparri

2009-02-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

Celebrating the Centennial in Aparri

Philippine Daily Inquirer
Saturday, May 30, 1998

NOW that the May elections are over and that Vice President Joseph Estrada is the winner in the presidential race, it is high time that we focus on the forthcoming Centennial celebration.

Please alow me to share with you and my fellow readers what we are doing here in Aparri to prepare for this historical occasion.

Every Monday since March all employees of the government agencies in their Filipiniana attire participate in flag-raising ceremonies at the Aparri public park. Each agency leads in the singing of the national anthem as well as in reciting of the "Panunumpa sa Watawat." Then a cultural number is shown by the lead agency and topics about freedom, independence and love of country are shared by the head of the agency concerned.

Every Monday, too, government workers are encouraged to speak Filipino in their offices as they conduct their official business or transactions.

In various government offices are Centennial corners depicting symbols of Filipino freedom and independence.

In grocery and department stores, hardware and restaurants, beauty parlors, owners and proprietors have encouraged to tag their goods and services worth P100 with a "Centennial price."

At the park is a billboard showing the countdown of the Centennial replicas of the flags of the Katipuneros and quotations to stir feelings of nationalism.

Philiipine flags are displayed in all business establishments, government and private offices, households, jeepneys, government and private cars, and tricycles.

On the night of June 11, we will have a cultural program at the public gymnasium showcasing Filipino dances and songs.

On June 12, it will be a red-letter day for all of us Aparrianos. In the morning, we shall have the longest parade the town has ever seen. All public and private offices, NGOs, civic and religious organizations, schools and others will join in the parade. Participants, in their Filipiniana attire, will hold small flags.

After the parade, a short program will follow at the gymnasium. More than 20 floats displaying our national heroes and heroines to be modelled by chosen government employees will be the highlight of the parade. Also included among the morning activities on June 12 are the well known fluvial parade of Aparri and Filipino games for our children like palo sebo, sack race and bunong braso.

On the night of June 12, the Ms Centennial will be selected and crowned from among the representatives of 42 barangays. Prizes will also be given to our centenarians.

These are just but a few of the many activities we have lined up in Aparri as we celebrate 100 years of independence.

REGINALD B. TAMAYO
Municipal Councilor
Aparri, Cagayan

Uneven IRA shares

2009-02-03T03:33:00.000-08:00

Uneven IRA shares

Should poorer towns have bigger IRAs, and richer cities less or none at all? This is now being floated by some local government authorities in order to even the economic growth in all localities in the country. This suggests that economic growth should have been more balanced geographically if there is equal distribution of IRAs.

I must add that that the economic paths taken by towns and cities are not only generated by this inequitable sharing system of IRAs among LGUs but also the ambiguity of goals and plans of local and national governments. The Local Government Code of 1991 gives special emphasis on the harmonization of local and national development goals. But it is very unfortunate that LGUs sometimes have their own priority programs, projects, and activities which more often than not deviate from those of the national government. Every budget year, LGUs are required to prepare and review documents like Local Development Plan, Local Development Investment Plan and Annual Investment Plan. These documents generally known as local development plans are vital in the preparation of the principal budgets of the LGUs, meaning, the plans shall be ‘operationalized’ only through the budgets. And, moreover, these local development plans must be aligned with the plans of the national government as indicated in the Philippine Development Plan, Medium-Term Philippine Development Program, Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, and Sectoral Plan. These plans of the national government are bases for the enactment of the General Appropriations Act.

However, are these local plans in harmony with the plans of the national government? Do these plans create an economic impact nationally and not only to those LGUs which have bigger chunks of IRAs? Do they create a synergy or partnership between the local and national governments in the effort to enhance economic growth and reduce poverty?

There is mushrooming of waiting sheds in LGUs with names of politicians etched on them. There are plenty of city, town and street markers around. There are many tarpaulins with pictures and greetings of politicians all over the country. Are these the only projects contained in the local plans? Are these the indicators of economic growth?

There should be a strategic direction of all LGUs and that is to follow the path of national development. The plans and goals of the LGUs should be in harmony with the national plans and goals. I strongly suggest that oversight agencies like NEDA, DILG, and DBM should carefully review also the local development plans of the LGUs prior to the release of their IRAs. If the local development plans match the national plans then IRAs be released. Otherwise, they have to be modified for consistency and synergy with the national plans. In that way we can feel a spectacular economic growth not only to towns and cities whose IRAs are huge but also in poor LGUs whose IRAs are merely pittance.