By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
16 October 2011
Last Wednesday, President Benigno Aquino III announced that charges would be filed against former President now Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo next month amidst report that the latter would seek medical treatment in Germany due to a life-threatening and very “rare disease.”
On the other hand, Justice Sec. Leila de Lima pronounced that the cases are going on through the process and that her team is yet to finish before December. In addition, she does not give any commitment as to the date of filing these charges. In relation to the former president’s ailment, her husband disclosed that she is suffering from hyperparathyroidism, a non-life-threatening disease, contrary to the announcement made by Arroyo’s spokesperson.
Surely, the optimism of Pres. Aquino is just hard to suppress, one that his mother Cory had exhibited and executed against her predecessor, Ferdinand Marcos and his cohorts. Very fortunately though, the Marcoses are still free and continue to enjoy the same freedom victims of Martial Law enjoy; worse, they still enjoy the fruits of their plunder, if at all it was the most plausible, or to say the least, the decided case against them.
Arguably, De Lima wouldn’t prematurely announce any development her investigating team has raked in; an accuracy she needs to calculate precisely in defense of the Palace. While the President marks the first square based on the mark indicated by the investigating Team, the last square in a row cannot be marked until December comes in.
On the other hand, Arroyo and his cohorts are more ready than Leila de Lima, et al. Whether or not the ailment is “life-threatening,” their defenses are tactically calculative of their state; supporters are playing their own hullabaloos in counterstrike. With the number of cases under the chair of de Lima still undecided, the target of filing plunder charges next month against the petite lady, et al is“water under the bridge.” It is me-and-my-big-mouth syndrome plaguing the Palace Court once again.
At the rate our system is going, any offender can go loosely unnoticed even before the search operation begins. This is a very classic phenomenon in the country especially when political power converges with the colors of the money the offender has in his vault.
Synchronicity is one hell of a game; most cases fail because witnesses and statements are not in synch with each other; worse, people and events, if ever glossily fabricated, are not coordinated according to the flow.
Tact is another.
Clearly, we can see the game played by two players who alternately mark squares in a grid with X’s , with one of them trying to capture the last square in a row they both know cannot be drawn with final “oops.”
When Speaker Belmonte granted Congressman Arroyo with three travel authorities, the former deliberately marks the first square in the latter’s favor. When she finally leaves for Germany for medical treatment, the government, in the guise of the Speaker, marks the second square, again, in her favor. Unless the administration bars the next square, then the game is over.
Tic-tac-toe: Arroyo in self-exile and political asylum! And what could her defense be? – Politically motivated!
Plunder cases are nonbailable; the same are not covered in the Extradition treaty we signed with several countries, including Germany where Arroyo is seeking medical treatment. Loosely, this is one matter the government has to look into without giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Series of inconsistencies from Aquino and his team are clearly happening from day one. Ronaldo Llamas, Presidential Adviser for Political affairs, has recently captured the sixty-second spotlight. His rhetoric: self-defense. Aquino has advocated a “wang-wang-less” administration as one of the engines of “tuwid na daan.” But what surprises the public now is the introduction of a more complicated and edgy program: the bang-bang!
Tic-tac-toe, give me my last square, else: Doesn’t’ “history repeat itself?”
Showing posts with label Good Governance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Governance. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
21st of September
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
25 September 2011
Riyadh,Saudi Arabia – There are two major significance this odd number accords the world and the Filipino people: The “International Peace One Day” and the declaration of Martial Law thirty-nine (39) years ago. The former is an advocacy that calls for all citizens of the world to take on peace and cause to be its agent; the latter is a self-serving interest conceptualized to create a stress-contained serenity narrative of dictatorial dominion and brutal rule of the Palace.
The 21st of September reminds us of the belief that we are one community, one citizen and one spirit: a community with the belief that instilling peace within the inner recesses of the hearts and minds creates an asylum of healthy disposition; a citizen with familial objective of advocating and maintaining peace builds an edifice of genuine people’s supremacy and good governance; and a spirit with contagious resolve fashions a sanctuary of immortal tranquility and peaceful community of Filipino people.
The 21st day of September reminds us of the freedom promulgated in the portico of Aguinaldo’s shrine in Cavite; the freedom that gave us the privilege to enjoy democracy in its truest form and meaning, with the absolute application of the rule of the people and the rule of law.
It brings us back to the memoirs of EDSA, where one trumpet was sounded off by one humble Cardinal that gave birth to the People Power that toppled a regime that abused lives, controlled the economy, and fabricated history. The 21st of September equates with the 25th of February that catapulted the rise of true democracy and eventually indisputable peace.
In contrast however, the 21st of September reminds us of the “Marcos Law,” a partisan belief that the Palace is the Law, the Palace is the Rule, and that the Palace is the Force: the law that revealed someone is above the law; the rule that revealed supremacy over its subjects; and the force that controls the community of believed-to-be idiots.
It reminds us of the Martial Law, the Romualdez-Marcos conjugal dictatorship that re-defined freedom, re-orchestrated peace, and re-created atrocities: freedom re-defined in the guise of cronyism and false application of bureaucracy, peace re-orchestrated in the guise of the New Society, and atrocities re-created in the manifestations of New People’s Army, Moro-Islamic Liberation Front, et al. This later gave unprecedented birth of Abu Sayaff propelled by the subsequent demonic Laws of Man that controlled the palace.
The 21st of September reminds us of the 21st century Filipino idolatries: crime, grime and slime. These three, in all aspects, are powered by greed and voracity. It reminds us of the most heinous of all politically-propelled crimes in Maguindanao; it reminds us of the most popular grime concocted by the wittiest of minds: the Poe-arroyo Presidential race; and it reminds us of the most horrendous slime ever actuated: ZTE-NBN deal, the fertilizer scam, etc.
Surely, the two scenarios vividly define contrasting epitomes of peace in one plane of thought: two extremes that demand both harmony and greed: The former being the end product of genuine peace, the latter being the consequence of a fabricated and highly malicious one. But then again, both lie on the same plane of thought.
Under the precepts of true order, where all the elements in the universe are in harmonious adjunct with its other, harmony and greed do not and cannot meet even when peace becomes the focal or central point of order, or in it its truest form and meaning, is enforced. Harmony and greed do not blend; neither does peace with martial law.
But contrast oftentimes provide colors that sooth, pictures that link, and messages that command: soothing colors that clearly demystify the good, the better and the best; linking pictures that exemplify the bad, the worse, and the worst; and commanding messages that magnify the good, the bad and the ugly.
Demystifying the good, the better and the best gives us the full picture of the Aquino administration, a replica of his mother’s, the icon of democracy, where transparency and good governance are two of his most important spices in re-cooking Philippine government. Linking pictures that exemplify the bad, the worse and the worst personifies the administration of the petite lady, now Pampanga Representative, where her greed and voracity ranks second to the former dictator. Magnifying the good, the bad and the ugly reminds us that once the Country was chosen by the good, ruled by the bad, and led to perdition by the ugliest of political souls.
21st of September should remind us of one thing: never do that again! What ever calls for it, be still!
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
25 September 2011
Riyadh,Saudi Arabia – There are two major significance this odd number accords the world and the Filipino people: The “International Peace One Day” and the declaration of Martial Law thirty-nine (39) years ago. The former is an advocacy that calls for all citizens of the world to take on peace and cause to be its agent; the latter is a self-serving interest conceptualized to create a stress-contained serenity narrative of dictatorial dominion and brutal rule of the Palace.
The 21st of September reminds us of the belief that we are one community, one citizen and one spirit: a community with the belief that instilling peace within the inner recesses of the hearts and minds creates an asylum of healthy disposition; a citizen with familial objective of advocating and maintaining peace builds an edifice of genuine people’s supremacy and good governance; and a spirit with contagious resolve fashions a sanctuary of immortal tranquility and peaceful community of Filipino people.
The 21st day of September reminds us of the freedom promulgated in the portico of Aguinaldo’s shrine in Cavite; the freedom that gave us the privilege to enjoy democracy in its truest form and meaning, with the absolute application of the rule of the people and the rule of law.
It brings us back to the memoirs of EDSA, where one trumpet was sounded off by one humble Cardinal that gave birth to the People Power that toppled a regime that abused lives, controlled the economy, and fabricated history. The 21st of September equates with the 25th of February that catapulted the rise of true democracy and eventually indisputable peace.
In contrast however, the 21st of September reminds us of the “Marcos Law,” a partisan belief that the Palace is the Law, the Palace is the Rule, and that the Palace is the Force: the law that revealed someone is above the law; the rule that revealed supremacy over its subjects; and the force that controls the community of believed-to-be idiots.
It reminds us of the Martial Law, the Romualdez-Marcos conjugal dictatorship that re-defined freedom, re-orchestrated peace, and re-created atrocities: freedom re-defined in the guise of cronyism and false application of bureaucracy, peace re-orchestrated in the guise of the New Society, and atrocities re-created in the manifestations of New People’s Army, Moro-Islamic Liberation Front, et al. This later gave unprecedented birth of Abu Sayaff propelled by the subsequent demonic Laws of Man that controlled the palace.
The 21st of September reminds us of the 21st century Filipino idolatries: crime, grime and slime. These three, in all aspects, are powered by greed and voracity. It reminds us of the most heinous of all politically-propelled crimes in Maguindanao; it reminds us of the most popular grime concocted by the wittiest of minds: the Poe-arroyo Presidential race; and it reminds us of the most horrendous slime ever actuated: ZTE-NBN deal, the fertilizer scam, etc.
Surely, the two scenarios vividly define contrasting epitomes of peace in one plane of thought: two extremes that demand both harmony and greed: The former being the end product of genuine peace, the latter being the consequence of a fabricated and highly malicious one. But then again, both lie on the same plane of thought.
Under the precepts of true order, where all the elements in the universe are in harmonious adjunct with its other, harmony and greed do not and cannot meet even when peace becomes the focal or central point of order, or in it its truest form and meaning, is enforced. Harmony and greed do not blend; neither does peace with martial law.
But contrast oftentimes provide colors that sooth, pictures that link, and messages that command: soothing colors that clearly demystify the good, the better and the best; linking pictures that exemplify the bad, the worse, and the worst; and commanding messages that magnify the good, the bad and the ugly.
Demystifying the good, the better and the best gives us the full picture of the Aquino administration, a replica of his mother’s, the icon of democracy, where transparency and good governance are two of his most important spices in re-cooking Philippine government. Linking pictures that exemplify the bad, the worse and the worst personifies the administration of the petite lady, now Pampanga Representative, where her greed and voracity ranks second to the former dictator. Magnifying the good, the bad and the ugly reminds us that once the Country was chosen by the good, ruled by the bad, and led to perdition by the ugliest of political souls.
21st of September should remind us of one thing: never do that again! What ever calls for it, be still!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tenebrae
By Rolo b. Cena
The Gulf Files
07 August 2011
Riyadh , Saudi Arabia – Shortly before the Ramadan started, seven members of the elite Philippine Marines were killed in fierce fighting with the Abu Sayyaf in the jungles of Sulu; five of them were beheaded. As far as I can recall, in 2007, ten Marines were also beheaded by the same Muslim factionalists.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which lasts for 29 or 30 days. It is the month of fasting in which participating Muslims are expected to refrain from eating, drinking and engaging intimacy with their partners during daylight hours. This month is also intended to teach Muslims about the following virtues: patience, spirituality, humility, forgiveness and submissiveness to God.
For the Islam, beheading is the punishment for committing serious crimes against Qur’an and against the Arabic government. Incidentally though, those Marines were not criminals; they were protectors of the country where they, these bandits, are living and are offered a better life after scavenging for an ideology only they can succumb.
Shortly before Ramadan, five noble Filipinos were beheaded in defense of their country, of their allegiance to the Philippine flag, of their commitment to their family and loved ones. On that very same day, a new breed of hatred and vengeance, frustration and despair, separation and disunity were born.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of patience these breed purport to behold during the month of fasting. It is the same patience those heroes profess to exemplify in the depths of the treacherous jungles of Sulu and Basilan; the same virtue their brothers claim in the badlands of Iraq.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of spirituality these breed claim to practice during the month of fasting. It is the same spirituality those Christians walk that became the living foundation of their service to the Country. It is the same spirituality manifested by Cardinal Sin in calling all the faithful to march to EDSA in the hope of toppling a tyrant without shedding any blood.
It is the same spirituality that brought an Irish priest in the hands of these bandits; the same spirituality that brought American couple missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham to the country and being kidnapped by the same group in 2001; the same spirituality that killed the former and saved the latter.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of humility these factionalists claim in utter disregard. It is the same humility those humble Marines project whose preponderance makes them distinct and elite from all other forces armed to protect the Country. It is the same humility that makes these Muslim factionalists distinct and peculiar from their race; the same humility that their Qur’an and the Holy Bible preach.
It is the same humility that catapulted then former Pres. Corazon Aquino to power; the same virtue that raised her name to be the icon of democracy; the same humility Mahatma Gandhi professed in the height of protests against the aristocratic United Kingdom.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of forgiveness these perpetrators believe they can manifest by way of beheading Christians. It is the same virtue of forgiveness Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ walked along the deserts of the chosen lands; the same forgiveness that Christ epitomized before His Roman and Jewish captors.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of submissiveness to God these attackers exude to their fellow Islam that could lead to total world peace. It is the same virtue that has been guiding those heroes despite the order to kill the enemies of the state.
It is the same submissiveness to God that led all Christians in Iraq to a bizarre situation: being hunted or pushed out of their own homestead. It is the same submissiveness to God that puts the Islam in Israel to be discriminated by Christians.
Those Marines couldn’t do more than killing them in pursuit of national peace and unity for the country; those factionalists couldn’t do more than beheading them in defense of their ideology. Each party is trapped: a circumstance that sprung out of an ideological conflict, the same ideological conflict that rocked the Americas via 911, the same conflict that manifests in the badlands of Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is the same ideological conflict that gave rise to the first and the second global war. Can we ever stop this?
For as long as kingdoms rise against kingdoms, nations against nations, race against race, scenarios like this will never cease. Coupled with the same greed that originated from the Garden of Iraq (Mesopotamia) and Persia (Iran), war will always play its uncanny role in controlling the world: the prey tightly squeezed by the claws of its troubled marauders.
War is more than just an expression of ideology; war is greed!
The Gulf Files
07 August 2011
Riyadh , Saudi Arabia – Shortly before the Ramadan started, seven members of the elite Philippine Marines were killed in fierce fighting with the Abu Sayyaf in the jungles of Sulu; five of them were beheaded. As far as I can recall, in 2007, ten Marines were also beheaded by the same Muslim factionalists.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which lasts for 29 or 30 days. It is the month of fasting in which participating Muslims are expected to refrain from eating, drinking and engaging intimacy with their partners during daylight hours. This month is also intended to teach Muslims about the following virtues: patience, spirituality, humility, forgiveness and submissiveness to God.
For the Islam, beheading is the punishment for committing serious crimes against Qur’an and against the Arabic government. Incidentally though, those Marines were not criminals; they were protectors of the country where they, these bandits, are living and are offered a better life after scavenging for an ideology only they can succumb.
Shortly before Ramadan, five noble Filipinos were beheaded in defense of their country, of their allegiance to the Philippine flag, of their commitment to their family and loved ones. On that very same day, a new breed of hatred and vengeance, frustration and despair, separation and disunity were born.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of patience these breed purport to behold during the month of fasting. It is the same patience those heroes profess to exemplify in the depths of the treacherous jungles of Sulu and Basilan; the same virtue their brothers claim in the badlands of Iraq.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of spirituality these breed claim to practice during the month of fasting. It is the same spirituality those Christians walk that became the living foundation of their service to the Country. It is the same spirituality manifested by Cardinal Sin in calling all the faithful to march to EDSA in the hope of toppling a tyrant without shedding any blood.
It is the same spirituality that brought an Irish priest in the hands of these bandits; the same spirituality that brought American couple missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham to the country and being kidnapped by the same group in 2001; the same spirituality that killed the former and saved the latter.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of humility these factionalists claim in utter disregard. It is the same humility those humble Marines project whose preponderance makes them distinct and elite from all other forces armed to protect the Country. It is the same humility that makes these Muslim factionalists distinct and peculiar from their race; the same humility that their Qur’an and the Holy Bible preach.
It is the same humility that catapulted then former Pres. Corazon Aquino to power; the same virtue that raised her name to be the icon of democracy; the same humility Mahatma Gandhi professed in the height of protests against the aristocratic United Kingdom.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of forgiveness these perpetrators believe they can manifest by way of beheading Christians. It is the same virtue of forgiveness Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ walked along the deserts of the chosen lands; the same forgiveness that Christ epitomized before His Roman and Jewish captors.
Along with those five Philippine Marines died the virtue of submissiveness to God these attackers exude to their fellow Islam that could lead to total world peace. It is the same virtue that has been guiding those heroes despite the order to kill the enemies of the state.
It is the same submissiveness to God that led all Christians in Iraq to a bizarre situation: being hunted or pushed out of their own homestead. It is the same submissiveness to God that puts the Islam in Israel to be discriminated by Christians.
Those Marines couldn’t do more than killing them in pursuit of national peace and unity for the country; those factionalists couldn’t do more than beheading them in defense of their ideology. Each party is trapped: a circumstance that sprung out of an ideological conflict, the same ideological conflict that rocked the Americas via 911, the same conflict that manifests in the badlands of Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is the same ideological conflict that gave rise to the first and the second global war. Can we ever stop this?
For as long as kingdoms rise against kingdoms, nations against nations, race against race, scenarios like this will never cease. Coupled with the same greed that originated from the Garden of Iraq (Mesopotamia) and Persia (Iran), war will always play its uncanny role in controlling the world: the prey tightly squeezed by the claws of its troubled marauders.
War is more than just an expression of ideology; war is greed!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Year That Was
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 July 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – After one year from being sworn to office, President Aquino delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a joint session at the House of Representatives last Monday. As in most State-of-the-Nation Addresses, that was by far a high profile presentation of figures and statistics vis-à-vis reality that were suggestive of, to say it conversely, achievements of the administration to date.
Philosophically, allow me set my own parameters in assessing his performance: Good governance, public finance and economy, graft and corruption, education, environment, peace and order, and health. To put things in proper perspective, let us objectively tackle each parameter in order to get through the assessment vividly:
Undoubtedly, the President is an example of honesty, pure and good intentions. While the world feasted on his purchase of a “second hand luxury car” early this year, no one from his detractors realized that his intention was pure and simple: Transparency. His overall drive to eliminate these malignant species from the public service is alone an indicator of good governance. Unconsciously, however, he failed to anticipate the negative behavioral responses of the Arroyo people in the service against the young Aquino administration’s reform programs. When he created the Truth Commission, no truth ever came out because he wasn’t able to contain the Supreme Court, a government body majority ruled by Arroyo appointees.
The P11B savings the government announced in the last quarter last year was achieved because his administration spent lower than the budgeted plan. It was an example of sort but truly insufficient to use as key performance indicator. These savings resulted from a narrowed public spending as his commitment to the people. Moreover, business programs like public-private partnership was a copy-pasted, Adobe edited version of the build-operate transfer program of the previous administration.
Holistically, Aquino’s stern drive against graft and corruption became his selling point from day one. Given 10 being the highest, I could’ve rated him 9. However, the rating gradually declined to below median when the questionable appointment of friends, classmates, drinking and shooting buddies became the qualification of appointing officials to sensitive posts.
Along this line, what is new? Aquino’s predecessors did the same: Arroyo appointed a classmate of her husband to the Ombudsman to protect and preserve her greed; Estrada appointed drinking buddies and gambling mates; Ramos appointed relatives, allies, and friends; Cory appointed political supporters and friends in her journey to the Palace; Marcos appointed his allies, relatives and friends to complete his political sojourn. What else is new in the Philippine political system?
This is cronyism expressed in different tone; it is the same dog with different collar.
In addition, Aquino appointed Human Rights lawyer and advocate Leila de Lima to the Department of Justice. The feisty De Lima commenced her works with full support from the President. However, shortly thereafter, Aquino had for several times weakened or reversed de Lima’s recommendations particularly in cases where friends or political allies are severely involved.
Department of Education’s K1 + 1 scheme could have been fairly a good indicator for an improvement. However, the lack of consultations from all stakeholders not only drew negative criticisms from the academic and public sectors; it at the same time thwarted the program’s implementation. More to this, the reduction in the budget for all state colleges and universities added fuel to the fire. These drastic moves caused his rating to decline in this critical area.
In the area of environment, nothing’s changed: No new environmental-friendly preservation programs and initiatives are instituted. Categorically, the same programs are in place since the time Aquino was installed to power.
The peace and order situation of the country has moderately changed from good to bad. Not to mention the situation in the South brought about the Abu Sayaff phenomenon, in August last year, the world witnessed how senior police officer hijacked a tourist bus and killed at least eight Chinese tourists. Sans his demand for reinstatement, the failure of the government to abort the merciless killing affected the peace and order situation of the country. It even sent us to travel ban advisories from various countries. Categorically, the President failed to correct and address this stigma the world associated with us.
Nothing is significant in the area of health yet. The Reproductive Health Bill could have been an indicator, but eventually, this will only address the growing population concern of the country. Health issues have to be addressed accordingly. What fails him in this respect is the absence of a short-term plan to address the rising protests led by the “Pajero-troubled” Catholic Church.
If I may opine, the President’s overall rating is barely passing. Personal biases that governed my judgment may have ruled my process but the reason is obvious: In most areas, he consistently mismanaged to outwit his “path to righteousness.”
Just expressing my eighth wonder: How does Aquino differ from Arroyo, Estrada, Ramos, and (Cory) Aquino from day one of service? How do you rate the President then?
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 July 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – After one year from being sworn to office, President Aquino delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in a joint session at the House of Representatives last Monday. As in most State-of-the-Nation Addresses, that was by far a high profile presentation of figures and statistics vis-à-vis reality that were suggestive of, to say it conversely, achievements of the administration to date.
Philosophically, allow me set my own parameters in assessing his performance: Good governance, public finance and economy, graft and corruption, education, environment, peace and order, and health. To put things in proper perspective, let us objectively tackle each parameter in order to get through the assessment vividly:
Undoubtedly, the President is an example of honesty, pure and good intentions. While the world feasted on his purchase of a “second hand luxury car” early this year, no one from his detractors realized that his intention was pure and simple: Transparency. His overall drive to eliminate these malignant species from the public service is alone an indicator of good governance. Unconsciously, however, he failed to anticipate the negative behavioral responses of the Arroyo people in the service against the young Aquino administration’s reform programs. When he created the Truth Commission, no truth ever came out because he wasn’t able to contain the Supreme Court, a government body majority ruled by Arroyo appointees.
The P11B savings the government announced in the last quarter last year was achieved because his administration spent lower than the budgeted plan. It was an example of sort but truly insufficient to use as key performance indicator. These savings resulted from a narrowed public spending as his commitment to the people. Moreover, business programs like public-private partnership was a copy-pasted, Adobe edited version of the build-operate transfer program of the previous administration.
Holistically, Aquino’s stern drive against graft and corruption became his selling point from day one. Given 10 being the highest, I could’ve rated him 9. However, the rating gradually declined to below median when the questionable appointment of friends, classmates, drinking and shooting buddies became the qualification of appointing officials to sensitive posts.
Along this line, what is new? Aquino’s predecessors did the same: Arroyo appointed a classmate of her husband to the Ombudsman to protect and preserve her greed; Estrada appointed drinking buddies and gambling mates; Ramos appointed relatives, allies, and friends; Cory appointed political supporters and friends in her journey to the Palace; Marcos appointed his allies, relatives and friends to complete his political sojourn. What else is new in the Philippine political system?
This is cronyism expressed in different tone; it is the same dog with different collar.
In addition, Aquino appointed Human Rights lawyer and advocate Leila de Lima to the Department of Justice. The feisty De Lima commenced her works with full support from the President. However, shortly thereafter, Aquino had for several times weakened or reversed de Lima’s recommendations particularly in cases where friends or political allies are severely involved.
Department of Education’s K1 + 1 scheme could have been fairly a good indicator for an improvement. However, the lack of consultations from all stakeholders not only drew negative criticisms from the academic and public sectors; it at the same time thwarted the program’s implementation. More to this, the reduction in the budget for all state colleges and universities added fuel to the fire. These drastic moves caused his rating to decline in this critical area.
In the area of environment, nothing’s changed: No new environmental-friendly preservation programs and initiatives are instituted. Categorically, the same programs are in place since the time Aquino was installed to power.
The peace and order situation of the country has moderately changed from good to bad. Not to mention the situation in the South brought about the Abu Sayaff phenomenon, in August last year, the world witnessed how senior police officer hijacked a tourist bus and killed at least eight Chinese tourists. Sans his demand for reinstatement, the failure of the government to abort the merciless killing affected the peace and order situation of the country. It even sent us to travel ban advisories from various countries. Categorically, the President failed to correct and address this stigma the world associated with us.
Nothing is significant in the area of health yet. The Reproductive Health Bill could have been an indicator, but eventually, this will only address the growing population concern of the country. Health issues have to be addressed accordingly. What fails him in this respect is the absence of a short-term plan to address the rising protests led by the “Pajero-troubled” Catholic Church.
If I may opine, the President’s overall rating is barely passing. Personal biases that governed my judgment may have ruled my process but the reason is obvious: In most areas, he consistently mismanaged to outwit his “path to righteousness.”
Just expressing my eighth wonder: How does Aquino differ from Arroyo, Estrada, Ramos, and (Cory) Aquino from day one of service? How do you rate the President then?
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Paranoia
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
30 January 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Tuesday bus explosion along EDSA in Makati sends us a clear and absolute message: We’re still not safe. It’s really hurting but it’s vividly true.
In the last quarter of 2010, countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and others issued stern advisories warning their residents the risk of traveling to the ever-beautiful archipelagic Philippines. Surely, that will still be the advisory.
The Initial investigation revealed that the bomb could have been triggered remotely; the attack was believed to be orchestrated by terrorists.
Maybe;
The terrorists’ behavioral pattern, if it is indeed true, is resoundingly clear: During the early days of any incumbent, civil disturbances like bombings, demonstrations and protests are carried out.
The Tuesday blast is never new; it was a warning! To date, the investigators are running after those perpetrators. To my sound knowledge, I can name at least two: Messrs. Poverty and Injustice.
Poverty set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: its fellow citizens have been severed by high prices of commodities, marginalized education, inferior health services, soaring transport fares and petroleum prices. It set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it has been homeless in its own land for more than six decades now, unemployed in this labor capital of Asia and foodless in the food basket of the Far East.
Injustice set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: its fellow citizens have been denied of judicial processes. Injustice set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it has been the victim of the blatant hoarding of the meat from a domestic animal called pork in a barrel that consumes the major slice of the pie called national budget, thus, sending Injustice back to its tiny house located in the city called deprivation.
When travel advisories were released by these countries, Malacanang sternly quoted that the situation is under control; intelligence reports have been provided to the chief executive. Then why are they not able to contain this when they have been actually, as they claimed, were informed about this?
To date, the bomb explosion claimed lives of five Filipinos named dream, fortitude, perseverance, courage and conviction. Dream perished along with smoke belched within the space of the bus called life; Fortitude died along with the craft’s engine that rocked the power called endurance; perseverance expired along with the passengers’ resolution that dictated the flesh called existence; courage extinguished along with the mob’s motion that stirred the spirit called survival; and conviction passed away along with the passengers’ rejuvenation that boosted the subsistence called willpower. All these five Filipinos died in the blast because they simply wanted to live with their meager-earning jobs.
The surviving fourteen others are related to the families of, either by affinity or consanguinity, rebellion, vengeance, remorse, self-pity and defeat. Yet, undoubtedly, they can be the new breed of perpetrators who will rock legislative or judicial halls and storm dump streets in defense of their brothers Poverty and Injustice.
Maybe not.
The Tuesday blast is never new; it was a warning. Destabilization may only be the motive. And I can pinpoint upfront at least two perpetrators: Their names are discontent and bad governance.
Discontent set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: The government has been hitting the cherry with the blindfold. Barangay Executive is divided; its members are working on its own in the effort of making its own cliché in the trash bin of Philippine politics. The Truth Commission was created without taking a deep breath with the truth of its commission.
Discontent set up the bomb and remotely triggered the explosion because it obviously loosely handled critical situations like the August 2010 hostage crisis, plunder, graft and corruption, drug trafficking, car-napping, kidnap for ransom, etc. This etcetera, when drilled down, will in fact give us the drop-down list of eternity.
Bad governance set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: There has been inconsistency between and among citizens of Barangays Executive, Legislative and Judiciary that are apparently oppressing the one-hundred-million Filipinos in queue. Bad governance set up the bomb and remotely triggered the explosion because it apparently mishandled good governance thus allowing it to slip through the hands of true democracy.
Do you know why Messrs. Poverty, Injustice, Discontent and Bad Governance set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion?
The answer is relatively simple: All of them, all of the people in the government and all of us are paranoid.
Paranoia is contagious; it kills!
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
30 January 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Tuesday bus explosion along EDSA in Makati sends us a clear and absolute message: We’re still not safe. It’s really hurting but it’s vividly true.
In the last quarter of 2010, countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and others issued stern advisories warning their residents the risk of traveling to the ever-beautiful archipelagic Philippines. Surely, that will still be the advisory.
The Initial investigation revealed that the bomb could have been triggered remotely; the attack was believed to be orchestrated by terrorists.
Maybe;
The terrorists’ behavioral pattern, if it is indeed true, is resoundingly clear: During the early days of any incumbent, civil disturbances like bombings, demonstrations and protests are carried out.
The Tuesday blast is never new; it was a warning! To date, the investigators are running after those perpetrators. To my sound knowledge, I can name at least two: Messrs. Poverty and Injustice.
Poverty set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: its fellow citizens have been severed by high prices of commodities, marginalized education, inferior health services, soaring transport fares and petroleum prices. It set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it has been homeless in its own land for more than six decades now, unemployed in this labor capital of Asia and foodless in the food basket of the Far East.
Injustice set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: its fellow citizens have been denied of judicial processes. Injustice set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it has been the victim of the blatant hoarding of the meat from a domestic animal called pork in a barrel that consumes the major slice of the pie called national budget, thus, sending Injustice back to its tiny house located in the city called deprivation.
When travel advisories were released by these countries, Malacanang sternly quoted that the situation is under control; intelligence reports have been provided to the chief executive. Then why are they not able to contain this when they have been actually, as they claimed, were informed about this?
To date, the bomb explosion claimed lives of five Filipinos named dream, fortitude, perseverance, courage and conviction. Dream perished along with smoke belched within the space of the bus called life; Fortitude died along with the craft’s engine that rocked the power called endurance; perseverance expired along with the passengers’ resolution that dictated the flesh called existence; courage extinguished along with the mob’s motion that stirred the spirit called survival; and conviction passed away along with the passengers’ rejuvenation that boosted the subsistence called willpower. All these five Filipinos died in the blast because they simply wanted to live with their meager-earning jobs.
The surviving fourteen others are related to the families of, either by affinity or consanguinity, rebellion, vengeance, remorse, self-pity and defeat. Yet, undoubtedly, they can be the new breed of perpetrators who will rock legislative or judicial halls and storm dump streets in defense of their brothers Poverty and Injustice.
Maybe not.
The Tuesday blast is never new; it was a warning. Destabilization may only be the motive. And I can pinpoint upfront at least two perpetrators: Their names are discontent and bad governance.
Discontent set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: The government has been hitting the cherry with the blindfold. Barangay Executive is divided; its members are working on its own in the effort of making its own cliché in the trash bin of Philippine politics. The Truth Commission was created without taking a deep breath with the truth of its commission.
Discontent set up the bomb and remotely triggered the explosion because it obviously loosely handled critical situations like the August 2010 hostage crisis, plunder, graft and corruption, drug trafficking, car-napping, kidnap for ransom, etc. This etcetera, when drilled down, will in fact give us the drop-down list of eternity.
Bad governance set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion because it wanted to send the message on line: There has been inconsistency between and among citizens of Barangays Executive, Legislative and Judiciary that are apparently oppressing the one-hundred-million Filipinos in queue. Bad governance set up the bomb and remotely triggered the explosion because it apparently mishandled good governance thus allowing it to slip through the hands of true democracy.
Do you know why Messrs. Poverty, Injustice, Discontent and Bad Governance set up the bomb and remotely triggered its explosion?
The answer is relatively simple: All of them, all of the people in the government and all of us are paranoid.
Paranoia is contagious; it kills!
Ricochet
By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
09 January 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – In the last quarter survey of SWS, it was revealed that 93% of the Filipinos tossed to face the year 2011 with the positive outlook. And the President was herding a positive note that “there was a basis” for this.
We Filipinos have been known for our resiliency. When we were tired of the oppression for more than twenty years, we gathered in the street and restored freedom we used to enjoy. In May 2010, we allowed our resiliency to overrule money-controlled ballots ending the modern-day tyrant in the guise of a petite Lady, aborting the resurrection of the pro-poor imaged actor turned politician, trashing the business-propelled team of a real estate magnate, and killing other self-serving political platforms to surface.
Those were epiphanies to stalemates so far; we are in our best moves again! Sadly though, we are the pawns in this political match, matter we Filipinos refuse to realize.
Shortly before the New Year’s Eve, the President announced that we had a surplus of P500 million last November when a deficit of P6 billion was expected. It the reports fed to the President was correct, he was then right in claiming that there was indeed a strong basis for Filipinos to face 2011 with merriment.
In his Executive Order 18, the president scrapped agencies created by the former president that includes Luzon Urban Beltway, the office of the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area, Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, Mindanao Economic Development Council, Minerals Development Council, Office of the Presidential Adviser on New Government Center, Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project, Office of External Affairs and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change.
EO 18 may sound positive to his colleagues but to the majority, it was a twist expected of him. His mother got rid of those rags that seemed to sanitize political trash bin of the Palace; he’s his mother’s son.
Moreover, scrapping these agencies sounds political than economic by orientation – we all know that. When he announced we had a surplus, he knows we can have more if he scraps firmly all the Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) including thirty-six government-owned-and-controlled-corporations (GOCCs) that cost more than half a billion pesos in annual subsidy. Congressmen must give up personal gains by penning bills seeking their closure; these companies unfortunately consume material slice of public funds that primarily comes from the taxes of the impoverished working class and remittances of the OFWs.
When he announced there was a surplus, he knows more than creating the Truth Commission without re-thinking the merit it has in the Arroyo-controlled Supreme Court; more than the inactivity of the graft cases docketed against her and her cohorts in the Ombudsman; more than the reverberation consequential to her imprudence.
When he announced the surplus, he knows we can have more if he streamlines the executive branch sans fear of criticisms: scrap redundant departments, forge departments with overlapping roles and functions, trash agencies that do not perform and deliver. If he does, the whole country and even the world, would praise him for being a leader, not a politician. The leader goes selflessly well along with his team; the politician goes selfishly well ahead of his team.
Certainly, the Filipino community wants a leader, not a politician.
When the President announced he has a surplus, he knows more than this because he is an economist. Yet, there is one thing concealed behind the surplus: Filipinos are homeless in their own land, jobless despite publicly announced job opportunities; behind this surplus shows a canvass of pastel-coated reality, reality that Filipinos suffer, undoubtedly. The President and his Team should take it from reality, not from the numbers produced by paid-by-and-intended-for-whom surveys. Numbers don’t work; reality does!
If the President is serious in re-building the ailing Republic, he should forget future political plans and alliances. Yes, he should forget quenching the thirst of his political allies in order to slake the dehydration and tick mark the agenda of the Filipino people effective immediately.
Cory prosecuted the Marcoses; Erap planned to prosecute Fidel. Gloria prosecuted Erap; Noynoy wants to prosecute Gloria. The pattern is a definition by itself: ricochet!
Noynoy should make the iron hot by striking. If Aquino fails the people, he should expect one after the cycle!
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
09 January 2011
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – In the last quarter survey of SWS, it was revealed that 93% of the Filipinos tossed to face the year 2011 with the positive outlook. And the President was herding a positive note that “there was a basis” for this.
We Filipinos have been known for our resiliency. When we were tired of the oppression for more than twenty years, we gathered in the street and restored freedom we used to enjoy. In May 2010, we allowed our resiliency to overrule money-controlled ballots ending the modern-day tyrant in the guise of a petite Lady, aborting the resurrection of the pro-poor imaged actor turned politician, trashing the business-propelled team of a real estate magnate, and killing other self-serving political platforms to surface.
Those were epiphanies to stalemates so far; we are in our best moves again! Sadly though, we are the pawns in this political match, matter we Filipinos refuse to realize.
Shortly before the New Year’s Eve, the President announced that we had a surplus of P500 million last November when a deficit of P6 billion was expected. It the reports fed to the President was correct, he was then right in claiming that there was indeed a strong basis for Filipinos to face 2011 with merriment.
In his Executive Order 18, the president scrapped agencies created by the former president that includes Luzon Urban Beltway, the office of the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area, Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, Mindanao Economic Development Council, Minerals Development Council, Office of the Presidential Adviser on New Government Center, Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project, Office of External Affairs and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change.
EO 18 may sound positive to his colleagues but to the majority, it was a twist expected of him. His mother got rid of those rags that seemed to sanitize political trash bin of the Palace; he’s his mother’s son.
Moreover, scrapping these agencies sounds political than economic by orientation – we all know that. When he announced we had a surplus, he knows we can have more if he scraps firmly all the Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) including thirty-six government-owned-and-controlled-corporations (GOCCs) that cost more than half a billion pesos in annual subsidy. Congressmen must give up personal gains by penning bills seeking their closure; these companies unfortunately consume material slice of public funds that primarily comes from the taxes of the impoverished working class and remittances of the OFWs.
When he announced there was a surplus, he knows more than creating the Truth Commission without re-thinking the merit it has in the Arroyo-controlled Supreme Court; more than the inactivity of the graft cases docketed against her and her cohorts in the Ombudsman; more than the reverberation consequential to her imprudence.
When he announced the surplus, he knows we can have more if he streamlines the executive branch sans fear of criticisms: scrap redundant departments, forge departments with overlapping roles and functions, trash agencies that do not perform and deliver. If he does, the whole country and even the world, would praise him for being a leader, not a politician. The leader goes selflessly well along with his team; the politician goes selfishly well ahead of his team.
Certainly, the Filipino community wants a leader, not a politician.
When the President announced he has a surplus, he knows more than this because he is an economist. Yet, there is one thing concealed behind the surplus: Filipinos are homeless in their own land, jobless despite publicly announced job opportunities; behind this surplus shows a canvass of pastel-coated reality, reality that Filipinos suffer, undoubtedly. The President and his Team should take it from reality, not from the numbers produced by paid-by-and-intended-for-whom surveys. Numbers don’t work; reality does!
If the President is serious in re-building the ailing Republic, he should forget future political plans and alliances. Yes, he should forget quenching the thirst of his political allies in order to slake the dehydration and tick mark the agenda of the Filipino people effective immediately.
Cory prosecuted the Marcoses; Erap planned to prosecute Fidel. Gloria prosecuted Erap; Noynoy wants to prosecute Gloria. The pattern is a definition by itself: ricochet!
Noynoy should make the iron hot by striking. If Aquino fails the people, he should expect one after the cycle!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)