By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
8 April 2012
Cebu, Philippines - About ten years ago, I retired from the Country’s top government-owned-and-controlled shipping corporation where I spent more than ten years. This year, after my sojourn from my Middle East adventure, I luckily joined another shipping company; this time, it’s privately owned and with almost the same compensation package as I had overseas.
As part of my job orientation, I had to undergo an immersion trip via one of the company’s cargo ships. From the port of the “Queen City” of the south, I had to sail to Cagayan to meet the branch staff and to get familiar with the operations. From Cagayan, I had to enplane to Manila for the same objective.
Fifteen minutes past six, I took pride in boarding the steel-hulled carrier that holds tons of assorted cargos. The apprentice ushered me to the messroom while waiting for the master. He reminded me of the associate who ushered detained former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos to a meeting with ZTE officials that led to the hospital arrest of the petite lady he unwittingly served for. As I took a seat, I overheard from the background the news anchor of one of the terrestrial giants broadcasting the proceedings of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Obviously, these sailors are keeping track of the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice. And like other Filipinos, these calamity-tested white-uniformed men, who are as fiercely convicted to live as the Vikings of the golden era of seafaring, are eager to know the results. In fact, quoting the Second Mate, he wanted Corona convicted.
But for most of them, there is more to it than the session in the messroom: Life. Known to be bold and strong, they wittingly conquer the high seas that often pose overwhelming and threatening perils: Nature and man-made calamities. Most often, they overcome these perils by utilizing their skills and an ounce of providential luck; failure to overcome these dangers would certainly imperil their very own lives.
Peeping through, Titanic, the biggest and the most sophisticated luxury liner during her prime, lost hundreds of lives to Atlantic Ocean when it hit a submerged portion of the iceberg. Though it was a contact of nature, human error was the prevailing and proven factor in that case. Recently, Italy-based luxury liner Costa Concordia ran aground and tilted off the coast of Miglio, an island off Italy.
In two months time within the domestic shores, at least three storm-caused maritime disasters were recorded and reported: Off the coasts of Batanes, Catanduanes, and Aklan. Luckily though, all crew members survived.
Peeking through, the perks of sea-based workers are, by industry standard and practice, relatively higher and different from that of the land-based. For one, the risk involved is undoubtedly greater. Two, the detachment or alienation they experience is uncompromisingly incomparable.
Whether tsunami or hurricane, tropical storm or sand storm, cyclone or avalanche, they all fall under one label in life: Dangers. And in that we mean, dangers that put all of them, including us, in threatening situations. Any error in calculating the ships position in the navigational highway would certainly mean a maritime disaster that would consequently translate to loss of properties, loss of lives, or even nature.
Seeing through the barriers of opaque horizon, seafarers oftentimes dismiss the idea of seeing loved ones soonest, discount the possibility of sleeping with their wives, or forget the idea of dining with the family.
Cruising with the seafarers and sailing through the ups and downs translate to sailing with the two extremes this government accorded its constituents: the roller-coaster ride to uncertainty.
When was the last time we had our best cruise with any of the highest political leader of the country? Glitch: It’s not fun in the Philippines anymore!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Harboring the Harbour
By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
15 April 2012
Manila, Philippines – As the Philippine Airlines airbus touched-down the tarmac of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I couldn’t avoid transporting myself back to the years my family and I spent in the imperial Manila, home to egocentric approaches of self-propelled political platform in the guise of consumer-istic economic development.
Overwhelmed by the perks I had to enjoy in visiting our branches located in major seaports of the country, the stimulation gradually deteriorated as reality of Manila was slowly unfolding.
The supposedly shorter trip from the South to North Harbour took hours due to severing traffic congestion that has plagued the metropolis for decades now. As we drew near the Harbour, a glimpse of the informal settlers’ asymmetrically constructed shanties lining from the entrance of the bridge to the end part of the area caught my attention once more. From my recollection, the number significantly increased since late nineties.
Looking at the canvass reminds me of the informal settlers in most towns and cities in Negros Oriental that I have been to or have lived. From 2003, the number of shanties at the riverside, creeks, bridges and government-owned lands increased tremendously. In the neighboring town of the capital city alone, the alarming increase of informal-settling immigrants disturbed the government and the populace.
Based on my assessment, the bliss houses constructed by former Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos seem like aged significantly over time. For someone who had witnessed its inauguration, the beautiful structures are beyond recognition: devoid of colors, sanitation, and order.
Drawing nearer to Vitas, West of Tondo’s Smokey Mountain, supplied deeper sense of my probe: Tondo has never improved and the government has failed in their programs of transforming the area from being a dump-site to a business-earning industrial estate of the sprawling North Harbour. Tons of garbage are dumped daily in the area and hundreds of informal settlers are arresting the area every month making it another “Bagong Silang” in the west of the metropolis. What a sight it would have been if the government is only sincere in their programs of eradicating poverty in the country. Thanks to pork barrels and election sheets attached to illegal squatting and poverty.
Side dish: Will the “tuwid na landas” of the younger Aquino succeed in relation to this agenda? Will he be able to put his teeth on what he was professing? As it is now, the country has been dragged to a more destructive process that brings us to another distortion; he is more inclined to convicting the people who became obstacles his family’s interests, instead of focusing on economic reforms that can propel the country to another paradigm and consequently alleviate long-running poverty.
Formerly known to be home to the beautiful sunset that became the tourism brand in the early Marcos years, today, Manila bay is a spot no more: a sanctuary of nocturnal flesh trades, crimes and criminalities, and commercial urban thrash that slowly deteriorates the country’s business and economic profile in the Far East.
And Manila is not Manila alone. It is a depiction of human and political greed that translates into a cascaded political disorder and economic chaos down to the smallest political subdivision of the country from Batanes to Tawi Tawi.
And what more can we expect from this wrong turns of uncontrolled and unprecedented economic and socio-political activities: A promise of wrath only titans can abort in their own sense and style, time and passion, and self-serving will.
And Dumaguete or Negros Oriental is not spared from this!
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
15 April 2012
Manila, Philippines – As the Philippine Airlines airbus touched-down the tarmac of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I couldn’t avoid transporting myself back to the years my family and I spent in the imperial Manila, home to egocentric approaches of self-propelled political platform in the guise of consumer-istic economic development.
Overwhelmed by the perks I had to enjoy in visiting our branches located in major seaports of the country, the stimulation gradually deteriorated as reality of Manila was slowly unfolding.
The supposedly shorter trip from the South to North Harbour took hours due to severing traffic congestion that has plagued the metropolis for decades now. As we drew near the Harbour, a glimpse of the informal settlers’ asymmetrically constructed shanties lining from the entrance of the bridge to the end part of the area caught my attention once more. From my recollection, the number significantly increased since late nineties.
Looking at the canvass reminds me of the informal settlers in most towns and cities in Negros Oriental that I have been to or have lived. From 2003, the number of shanties at the riverside, creeks, bridges and government-owned lands increased tremendously. In the neighboring town of the capital city alone, the alarming increase of informal-settling immigrants disturbed the government and the populace.
Based on my assessment, the bliss houses constructed by former Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos seem like aged significantly over time. For someone who had witnessed its inauguration, the beautiful structures are beyond recognition: devoid of colors, sanitation, and order.
Drawing nearer to Vitas, West of Tondo’s Smokey Mountain, supplied deeper sense of my probe: Tondo has never improved and the government has failed in their programs of transforming the area from being a dump-site to a business-earning industrial estate of the sprawling North Harbour. Tons of garbage are dumped daily in the area and hundreds of informal settlers are arresting the area every month making it another “Bagong Silang” in the west of the metropolis. What a sight it would have been if the government is only sincere in their programs of eradicating poverty in the country. Thanks to pork barrels and election sheets attached to illegal squatting and poverty.
Side dish: Will the “tuwid na landas” of the younger Aquino succeed in relation to this agenda? Will he be able to put his teeth on what he was professing? As it is now, the country has been dragged to a more destructive process that brings us to another distortion; he is more inclined to convicting the people who became obstacles his family’s interests, instead of focusing on economic reforms that can propel the country to another paradigm and consequently alleviate long-running poverty.
Formerly known to be home to the beautiful sunset that became the tourism brand in the early Marcos years, today, Manila bay is a spot no more: a sanctuary of nocturnal flesh trades, crimes and criminalities, and commercial urban thrash that slowly deteriorates the country’s business and economic profile in the Far East.
And Manila is not Manila alone. It is a depiction of human and political greed that translates into a cascaded political disorder and economic chaos down to the smallest political subdivision of the country from Batanes to Tawi Tawi.
And what more can we expect from this wrong turns of uncontrolled and unprecedented economic and socio-political activities: A promise of wrath only titans can abort in their own sense and style, time and passion, and self-serving will.
And Dumaguete or Negros Oriental is not spared from this!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Near miss
By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
22 January 2012
Recently, the tilting of luxury liner Costa Concordia off the island of Giglio in Italy shocked not only the maritime industry but the entire world as well. As the rescue and retrieval operations are currently conducted, the incident draws more dramatic attention when it revealed that the captain, Francesco Schettino, abandoned the ship devoid of plan to save four-thousand-two hundred lives on board.
Before the Senate-conducted impeachment trial began on Monday, Chief Justice Renato Corona instantaneously dared his detractors by saying: “If you want to remove me, kill me.” As the impeachment hearing continues, the most awaited real life drama that rose from the judiciary-executive conflict attracted more dramatic attention when it revealed that the captain of the court, the Chief Justice, owned about two hundred million pesos worth of properties, a figure his salary cannot afford.
These two men, both donning majestic robes and gigantic responsibilities toward mankind, have deliberately undertaken two major yet opposing gestures only an officer and a gentleman can believe and condemn: retreat and attack. The former fortifies cowardice and neglect; the latter personifies courage and responsibility.
On several occasions, Schettino argued that he was the last one to leave the portal of the ill-fated seventeen-deck cruiser. The audio transcripts of conversation between him and port authorities revealed that he was insistently informing them of leaving the sea craft despite warnings. The passengers and crew members cry for the captain’s conviction for manslaughter due to his ignoble act of abandonment.
Such was a blatant display of formidable cowardice in the midst of clear and present danger where an officer is expected to protect his men. An officer retreating from the perimeter or jurisdiction of responsibility in the midst of crisis espouses defeat, an act of willful neglect, and an act only a corporate coward can emulate.
On several occasions, Corona bravely implied to be last one to leave the portico of a credibility-torn Supreme Court. The eight allegations charged against his persona as embodied in the articles of impeachment purport to depict glares of the Magistrate’s credibility and moral fitness. The entire nation cries for the conviction of Chief Justice for allegedly betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, plunder and impliedly, manslaughter.
Such was an apparent and clear manifestation of courage under fire where an officer is expected to lead his men. An officer protracting the attack against the enemies in the middle of the battle espouses genuine leadership, an act of utter regard to responsibility, an act even the beggars down the street can emulate.
Sadly though, such were not the cases of Schettino and Corona. The former cowardly washed his hands with the stale water of Judas, escaped through “Jacob’s ladder” and disappeared while the horizon met the sky in the cold Mediterranean sea; the latter mollusk-ly cleft and held on to his position, made controls through “Herod’s court” and emerged while the cloak of the Judiciary has chaotically entangled with that of the executive and the legislative.
If I may opine, Schettino should have done the Corona’s “mollusks way” while Corona, Schettino’s “Judas way” and elude what seemed to be the most perilous prosecution of all times.
Arguably though, Schettino and Corona are graphical revelations of former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arrroyo’s foiled attempt to leave the country, and her insatiable grip to power by way of her congressional representation. Merging these two can produce the classic political masterpiece, which literally and figuratively known to many as “greed” in its truest form and meaning.
And what do Schettino and Corona do commonly possess? It is the near miss of truth and lies that borders the posh domain of Gloria and her cohorts!
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
22 January 2012
Recently, the tilting of luxury liner Costa Concordia off the island of Giglio in Italy shocked not only the maritime industry but the entire world as well. As the rescue and retrieval operations are currently conducted, the incident draws more dramatic attention when it revealed that the captain, Francesco Schettino, abandoned the ship devoid of plan to save four-thousand-two hundred lives on board.
Before the Senate-conducted impeachment trial began on Monday, Chief Justice Renato Corona instantaneously dared his detractors by saying: “If you want to remove me, kill me.” As the impeachment hearing continues, the most awaited real life drama that rose from the judiciary-executive conflict attracted more dramatic attention when it revealed that the captain of the court, the Chief Justice, owned about two hundred million pesos worth of properties, a figure his salary cannot afford.
These two men, both donning majestic robes and gigantic responsibilities toward mankind, have deliberately undertaken two major yet opposing gestures only an officer and a gentleman can believe and condemn: retreat and attack. The former fortifies cowardice and neglect; the latter personifies courage and responsibility.
On several occasions, Schettino argued that he was the last one to leave the portal of the ill-fated seventeen-deck cruiser. The audio transcripts of conversation between him and port authorities revealed that he was insistently informing them of leaving the sea craft despite warnings. The passengers and crew members cry for the captain’s conviction for manslaughter due to his ignoble act of abandonment.
Such was a blatant display of formidable cowardice in the midst of clear and present danger where an officer is expected to protect his men. An officer retreating from the perimeter or jurisdiction of responsibility in the midst of crisis espouses defeat, an act of willful neglect, and an act only a corporate coward can emulate.
On several occasions, Corona bravely implied to be last one to leave the portico of a credibility-torn Supreme Court. The eight allegations charged against his persona as embodied in the articles of impeachment purport to depict glares of the Magistrate’s credibility and moral fitness. The entire nation cries for the conviction of Chief Justice for allegedly betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, plunder and impliedly, manslaughter.
Such was an apparent and clear manifestation of courage under fire where an officer is expected to lead his men. An officer protracting the attack against the enemies in the middle of the battle espouses genuine leadership, an act of utter regard to responsibility, an act even the beggars down the street can emulate.
Sadly though, such were not the cases of Schettino and Corona. The former cowardly washed his hands with the stale water of Judas, escaped through “Jacob’s ladder” and disappeared while the horizon met the sky in the cold Mediterranean sea; the latter mollusk-ly cleft and held on to his position, made controls through “Herod’s court” and emerged while the cloak of the Judiciary has chaotically entangled with that of the executive and the legislative.
If I may opine, Schettino should have done the Corona’s “mollusks way” while Corona, Schettino’s “Judas way” and elude what seemed to be the most perilous prosecution of all times.
Arguably though, Schettino and Corona are graphical revelations of former Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arrroyo’s foiled attempt to leave the country, and her insatiable grip to power by way of her congressional representation. Merging these two can produce the classic political masterpiece, which literally and figuratively known to many as “greed” in its truest form and meaning.
And what do Schettino and Corona do commonly possess? It is the near miss of truth and lies that borders the posh domain of Gloria and her cohorts!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Fraction
By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
15 January 2012
There are no written rules that squatters must learn for a safe habitation in the accident-prone multi-billion dollar gold-encrypted Compostela Valley. As Mines and Geosciences Bureau and other scientists once warned, the Valley is landslide prone and that no mining activities must be undertaken.
In the same token, there are no written rules that informal settlers must learn for safe habitation in the areas of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, or Negros Oriental where tropical storm “Sendong” recently unleashed its might in complete havoc.
Unlike mathematics though, there’s no school where the greatest common factor that should divide both numerator and denominator to arrive at the least expression be any different from the disparity of distribution of wealth and privileges from the overwhelmingly miffed and gaffed poor Filipino people are taught.
As a result, a bizarre masterpiece of madness and chaos hit the fragile habitation of Compostela Valley, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, and Negros Oriental that paralyzed the normal lives of the under-privileged; the same underprivileged who incessantly tried to outwit poverty by any or all chaotic and impecunious ways and means of survival. It is the same gigantic canvass of despair and utter poverty that rocked the demi-gods of the lip-service adorned halls of men of the explicit few numerators.
Indeed, the mathematical expression of fraction that obviously defines the disparity between the numerator-ical rich and the denominator-ical poor is as pandemic as the unfair distribution of land in the crisis-torn Philippines. It is the same fraction that apparently divides the domestic animal to produce the greed-labeled pork in a barrel; the same pork that disintegrates assemblies of commoners, lords, queens and kings. Relentlessly, it is the same “pork” that becomes the staple of political marauders to lure these squatters and informal settlers to stay in the danger zone such as Compostela Valley, Cagayan de Oro, et al in exchange of a bite size of it.
On the one hand, there are no written rules that Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts must consider to learn remorse before her fate is completely blown out of proportion: Abalos, et al are jailed; Corona is impeached; Gutierrez, Garcia and Reyes are out; Lagman falls out. All her hushed puppies, puppets and stooges are slowly, if not one after the other, exiting from her camp.
Unlike religion though, there’s no school where the scalpel edge of right and wrong, lies and truth are taught. More so, there’s no school where the hellish consequential wrath of plunder, electoral sabotage, extra-judicial killings, vicious graft, sadistic corruption, political adultery and concubinage are taught.
As a result, grotesque sculptures of hushed puppies like Angelo safeguards the loot; tamed puppets like Renato and associates secure the crown and revering stooges like Mercedita protects the political will. Of course, numerating these numerators would not be complete unless we romp them with another breed of political concubines and adulterers like Benjamin, Romulo, Mike, Vicky, et al who facilitated scandals and scams, fraud and sabotage, and the classic graft and corruption.
Indeed, the classic political virus called “greed” that consummates leaders across creed, race and culture continues to unleash its magical whims unconsciously rotting the souls of looters like Gloria, Ferdinand, Hosni, Moamar, Adolf, Fidel, et al.
Finally, there are no written rules that the entire Filipino community must learn in selecting leaders that should represent their voices in various fractional assemblies and halls.
Unlike political science though, there’s no school that teaches the pro-rata use of pork in a barrel in exchange of political paper called ballots. More so, there’s no school that teaches the gravity of these ballots when casted with the power of the pork, or a fraction of it, to produce the array of mentally-dehydrated political stars.
As a consequence, the classic science of election produces corrupt and corruptible politicians and insatiable leaders whose personal and vested interests, and not the mandate of the general Filipino electorate, illuminate their pathways. Obviously, the likes of Arroyo and their cohorts top the list.
Indeed, if the philosophy continues to dominate the minds of both numerator-ical rich leaders and denominator-ical poor voters, cases like Compostela Valley, Cagayan de Oro et al, Gloria and her cohorts, etc. shall forever befall on the doormat of Philippine politics and subdue all the hushed puppies, puppets and stooges to serve a fraction of one-hundred-million Filipinos.
Occasionally, a fraction is not good.
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
15 January 2012
There are no written rules that squatters must learn for a safe habitation in the accident-prone multi-billion dollar gold-encrypted Compostela Valley. As Mines and Geosciences Bureau and other scientists once warned, the Valley is landslide prone and that no mining activities must be undertaken.
In the same token, there are no written rules that informal settlers must learn for safe habitation in the areas of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, or Negros Oriental where tropical storm “Sendong” recently unleashed its might in complete havoc.
Unlike mathematics though, there’s no school where the greatest common factor that should divide both numerator and denominator to arrive at the least expression be any different from the disparity of distribution of wealth and privileges from the overwhelmingly miffed and gaffed poor Filipino people are taught.
As a result, a bizarre masterpiece of madness and chaos hit the fragile habitation of Compostela Valley, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, and Negros Oriental that paralyzed the normal lives of the under-privileged; the same underprivileged who incessantly tried to outwit poverty by any or all chaotic and impecunious ways and means of survival. It is the same gigantic canvass of despair and utter poverty that rocked the demi-gods of the lip-service adorned halls of men of the explicit few numerators.
Indeed, the mathematical expression of fraction that obviously defines the disparity between the numerator-ical rich and the denominator-ical poor is as pandemic as the unfair distribution of land in the crisis-torn Philippines. It is the same fraction that apparently divides the domestic animal to produce the greed-labeled pork in a barrel; the same pork that disintegrates assemblies of commoners, lords, queens and kings. Relentlessly, it is the same “pork” that becomes the staple of political marauders to lure these squatters and informal settlers to stay in the danger zone such as Compostela Valley, Cagayan de Oro, et al in exchange of a bite size of it.
On the one hand, there are no written rules that Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts must consider to learn remorse before her fate is completely blown out of proportion: Abalos, et al are jailed; Corona is impeached; Gutierrez, Garcia and Reyes are out; Lagman falls out. All her hushed puppies, puppets and stooges are slowly, if not one after the other, exiting from her camp.
Unlike religion though, there’s no school where the scalpel edge of right and wrong, lies and truth are taught. More so, there’s no school where the hellish consequential wrath of plunder, electoral sabotage, extra-judicial killings, vicious graft, sadistic corruption, political adultery and concubinage are taught.
As a result, grotesque sculptures of hushed puppies like Angelo safeguards the loot; tamed puppets like Renato and associates secure the crown and revering stooges like Mercedita protects the political will. Of course, numerating these numerators would not be complete unless we romp them with another breed of political concubines and adulterers like Benjamin, Romulo, Mike, Vicky, et al who facilitated scandals and scams, fraud and sabotage, and the classic graft and corruption.
Indeed, the classic political virus called “greed” that consummates leaders across creed, race and culture continues to unleash its magical whims unconsciously rotting the souls of looters like Gloria, Ferdinand, Hosni, Moamar, Adolf, Fidel, et al.
Finally, there are no written rules that the entire Filipino community must learn in selecting leaders that should represent their voices in various fractional assemblies and halls.
Unlike political science though, there’s no school that teaches the pro-rata use of pork in a barrel in exchange of political paper called ballots. More so, there’s no school that teaches the gravity of these ballots when casted with the power of the pork, or a fraction of it, to produce the array of mentally-dehydrated political stars.
As a consequence, the classic science of election produces corrupt and corruptible politicians and insatiable leaders whose personal and vested interests, and not the mandate of the general Filipino electorate, illuminate their pathways. Obviously, the likes of Arroyo and their cohorts top the list.
Indeed, if the philosophy continues to dominate the minds of both numerator-ical rich leaders and denominator-ical poor voters, cases like Compostela Valley, Cagayan de Oro et al, Gloria and her cohorts, etc. shall forever befall on the doormat of Philippine politics and subdue all the hushed puppies, puppets and stooges to serve a fraction of one-hundred-million Filipinos.
Occasionally, a fraction is not good.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Ballots in Christmas
By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 December 2011
Some of them live in quarters in what is socially known as informal settlement sites. And still many of them live in shanties constructed along riversides, creeks, coastlines and dumpsites. Technically, the areas do not belong to them but to some rich businessmen, - some maybe Chinese, politicos or the government.
In short, they are illegal dwellers, or, roughly, “squatters” in their own land.
I have seen many of them occupy some spots of the Boulevard during lazy afternoon, creepy evening and sleepy hour of the morning. They sell a variant of commodities: from cigarettes to junk foods, stuff toys to souvenirs, and entertainment to flesh. Nope, they don’t live there; they simply work to live!
They live in areas where angels fear to tread but only politicos do. Most often, they work closely with the sweet-tongued “champions of the masses” who promise them heaven and earth, half of the moon and half of the stars. And very often than not, they gamble their lives with these tyrants who promise them some kingdoms on earth made in heaven.
In short, they allow these mentally-dehydrated and selfish dramatis personae to flap with their wings to land at some privileged spots of the arena. Take note, their wings are far more precious than these politicos’, at least for some time. Their wings are far greater than these politicos’, heaven knows that.
They thrive in areas where “bread and butter” can be available. Having been the victims of economic imbalance, they endure the heat of the sun and the chilling evening to take control of the consumerstic streets and highways and vend for life. Yes, they can vend more than anything and even everything and again, it can include what gods condemned in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Their shanties and quarters become the haven of politicos. These political marauders shake hands with them, dine with them, and play with them. And still some of them sleep with someone’s wife or daughter disguised as assistance, or sleep with enemies disguised as reconciliation.
At the end of the day, these people are winners for having made to believe that they are for having won for themselves these politicians that thrive in the porticos of Peoples’ Hall. They are always made to believe that without them their “heros” couldn’t have won the eyes of the great mass, that they are what these politicos have become, that they are these politicians’ command, that they are these politicians’ bosses. Sadly though, only a few ever realized that these politicians are connoisseurs of classical form of political art called mouth-synch.
In short, they become victims of the game only these champions dare to believe as fair play.
To Tom, Dick, and Harry, these people could have been more than what they have: untitled piece of land and contractual jobs. Most of them possess considerable sizes of agricultural lands to till in their provinces that can consequently earn for them their living and yet don’t leave, and cannot leave the metropolis due to what is known as politically decorated economic assistance in the guise of political game called “ballots.”
At the height of the disaster, they are the last to be heard or attended to. When disasters are gone, they are very well cared for and given reliefs behind thirty-second spotlights and paparazzi.
They have come in a variant of names: informal settlers, illegal dwellers, and squatters. Yet to a political wisdom, they have come only in one name even The Devil and Daniel Webster could not believe: Victims!
Sadly, they are victims of “Sendong,” the worst atmospheric disturbance to have battered the country. Yet, there is more to it than being victims: they are the used items, stuff toys, and canned foods of these classic Santa Clauses called politicos in the guise of political stuff called “ballots in Christmas.”
Please, don’t double kill the Filipinos; Beware!
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
24 December 2011
Some of them live in quarters in what is socially known as informal settlement sites. And still many of them live in shanties constructed along riversides, creeks, coastlines and dumpsites. Technically, the areas do not belong to them but to some rich businessmen, - some maybe Chinese, politicos or the government.
In short, they are illegal dwellers, or, roughly, “squatters” in their own land.
I have seen many of them occupy some spots of the Boulevard during lazy afternoon, creepy evening and sleepy hour of the morning. They sell a variant of commodities: from cigarettes to junk foods, stuff toys to souvenirs, and entertainment to flesh. Nope, they don’t live there; they simply work to live!
They live in areas where angels fear to tread but only politicos do. Most often, they work closely with the sweet-tongued “champions of the masses” who promise them heaven and earth, half of the moon and half of the stars. And very often than not, they gamble their lives with these tyrants who promise them some kingdoms on earth made in heaven.
In short, they allow these mentally-dehydrated and selfish dramatis personae to flap with their wings to land at some privileged spots of the arena. Take note, their wings are far more precious than these politicos’, at least for some time. Their wings are far greater than these politicos’, heaven knows that.
They thrive in areas where “bread and butter” can be available. Having been the victims of economic imbalance, they endure the heat of the sun and the chilling evening to take control of the consumerstic streets and highways and vend for life. Yes, they can vend more than anything and even everything and again, it can include what gods condemned in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Their shanties and quarters become the haven of politicos. These political marauders shake hands with them, dine with them, and play with them. And still some of them sleep with someone’s wife or daughter disguised as assistance, or sleep with enemies disguised as reconciliation.
At the end of the day, these people are winners for having made to believe that they are for having won for themselves these politicians that thrive in the porticos of Peoples’ Hall. They are always made to believe that without them their “heros” couldn’t have won the eyes of the great mass, that they are what these politicos have become, that they are these politicians’ command, that they are these politicians’ bosses. Sadly though, only a few ever realized that these politicians are connoisseurs of classical form of political art called mouth-synch.
In short, they become victims of the game only these champions dare to believe as fair play.
To Tom, Dick, and Harry, these people could have been more than what they have: untitled piece of land and contractual jobs. Most of them possess considerable sizes of agricultural lands to till in their provinces that can consequently earn for them their living and yet don’t leave, and cannot leave the metropolis due to what is known as politically decorated economic assistance in the guise of political game called “ballots.”
At the height of the disaster, they are the last to be heard or attended to. When disasters are gone, they are very well cared for and given reliefs behind thirty-second spotlights and paparazzi.
They have come in a variant of names: informal settlers, illegal dwellers, and squatters. Yet to a political wisdom, they have come only in one name even The Devil and Daniel Webster could not believe: Victims!
Sadly, they are victims of “Sendong,” the worst atmospheric disturbance to have battered the country. Yet, there is more to it than being victims: they are the used items, stuff toys, and canned foods of these classic Santa Clauses called politicos in the guise of political stuff called “ballots in Christmas.”
Please, don’t double kill the Filipinos; Beware!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Gloria et Santa
By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
4 December 2011
It has finally arrived. And they have finally arrived at one point. Adding fuel to the fire, the Tribunal has finally arrived at a unanimous verdict. Yes, accountability and reckoning have come, at least for one little girl and one big man. This time, accountability and reckoning have gotten into everybody’s nerves, not just into one’s spine.
After the exchange of speculative hullabaloos from both camps, the government, through the court, has finally ordered the hospital arrest of former President now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. To my own understanding, this is more fitting for a former leader sans the conviction, at least to save the face not just of the President but of the Filipinos as well from external humiliation.
Juxtaposed with Estrada’s plunder case, Arroyo’s shouldn’t be any different. Upon commission, whether in millions or in hundreds of pesos, plunder is plunder and shouldn’t be defined as Estrada or Arroyo plunder. The only difference I know of, and this has already taken precedence over presumption of innocence, is the twist and turns called Corona and Luisita.
First off, Chief Justice Renato Corona is a midnight appointee of Gloria along with the host of justices less three. He was her former legal adviser.
In their minds, it was Chief Justice Corona and his “utang na loob” who declared Aquino’s Truth Commission unconstitutional; it was Chief Justice Corona and his “utang na loob” who issued the TRO against the travel ban of Arroyo. Unwittingly though, it was Chief Justice Corona and his magistrates of the High Tribunal who did all those in the absence “utang na loob.” It was only Aquino and his allies who are saying that it was “utang na loob” that did it all, an allegation that undermines the integrity of the Supreme Court as a democratic institution sans the insults on the credibility of the magistrates composing it, whether appointees of Arroyo or Aquino.
If “utang na loob” dictates those magistrates, the three justices appointed by Aquino would have dissented, thus, leaving the decision on the Hacienda Luisita case questionable. Conclusively, the three therefore did not intend to repay Aquino in this respect.
Secondly, the complexity of the decision of the High Tribunal against Hacienda Luisita, the hacienda of Aquino’s family added fuel to the fire.
In 1958, Pres. Aquino’s maternal grandfather Jose Cojuangco acquired what is now known as Hacienda Luisita from Spanish firm Tabacalera through a loan from the Government Service Insurance System and the Central Bank of the Philippines. The condition of the loans was that the hacienda’s agricultural lands would be sold to its tenants at “reasonable” costs.
And the Cojuangco’s did not comply and continued to fail compliance of such condition. During the time of Cory, Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was enacted and the Hacienda subjected to comply with distributing the lands to its tenant-farmers. “Stock certificates” were distributed, instead.
In November 2004, seven farm workers drew their ire at the picket fence that cost their lives and seven others were murdered one after the other by unknown assassins. Due to this, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo accelerated its investigation over a complaint by the hacienda union that the stock distribution scheme was a pretense.
In December 2005, the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council created in 1987 by Cory Administration, made up of 15 Cabinet members and chaired by President Arroyo, ordered the fraudulent land reform ended, and to distribute the land to the farmer-workers. The clans legally contested.
Finally last month, the High Tribunal upheld the 2005 decision of the Court and not only ordered the Cojuangcos to immediately distribute 4,915 hectares to the haciendas’ farmer-workers. It also ordered them to pay the farmer-workers P1.33 billion, the proceeds of the sale of hacienda lands that became the industrial and business parks. Agrarian reform laws peg “just compensation” at 1989 levels, or just about P200 million.
The Court’s decision could mean the Cojuangco-Aquino clans’ bankruptcy.
Now it makes sense why they hate Chief Justice Renato Corona so much, why they’re asking him to inhibit from Arroyo’s cases. Arguably though, Gloria’s critics should also believe and understand that in doing so, all the three appointees of Aquino should also inhibit. This leaves the High Tribunal with three justices to squabble on the cases against Arroyo.
At this point, Gloria should stop acting like a little girl wanting for more; P-Noy should stop acting like superman dominating more and more. But they can do one thing: make a wish list this Christmas and post it in a chimney wall.
After all, even justices believe that Santa exists!
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
4 December 2011
It has finally arrived. And they have finally arrived at one point. Adding fuel to the fire, the Tribunal has finally arrived at a unanimous verdict. Yes, accountability and reckoning have come, at least for one little girl and one big man. This time, accountability and reckoning have gotten into everybody’s nerves, not just into one’s spine.
After the exchange of speculative hullabaloos from both camps, the government, through the court, has finally ordered the hospital arrest of former President now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. To my own understanding, this is more fitting for a former leader sans the conviction, at least to save the face not just of the President but of the Filipinos as well from external humiliation.
Juxtaposed with Estrada’s plunder case, Arroyo’s shouldn’t be any different. Upon commission, whether in millions or in hundreds of pesos, plunder is plunder and shouldn’t be defined as Estrada or Arroyo plunder. The only difference I know of, and this has already taken precedence over presumption of innocence, is the twist and turns called Corona and Luisita.
First off, Chief Justice Renato Corona is a midnight appointee of Gloria along with the host of justices less three. He was her former legal adviser.
In their minds, it was Chief Justice Corona and his “utang na loob” who declared Aquino’s Truth Commission unconstitutional; it was Chief Justice Corona and his “utang na loob” who issued the TRO against the travel ban of Arroyo. Unwittingly though, it was Chief Justice Corona and his magistrates of the High Tribunal who did all those in the absence “utang na loob.” It was only Aquino and his allies who are saying that it was “utang na loob” that did it all, an allegation that undermines the integrity of the Supreme Court as a democratic institution sans the insults on the credibility of the magistrates composing it, whether appointees of Arroyo or Aquino.
If “utang na loob” dictates those magistrates, the three justices appointed by Aquino would have dissented, thus, leaving the decision on the Hacienda Luisita case questionable. Conclusively, the three therefore did not intend to repay Aquino in this respect.
Secondly, the complexity of the decision of the High Tribunal against Hacienda Luisita, the hacienda of Aquino’s family added fuel to the fire.
In 1958, Pres. Aquino’s maternal grandfather Jose Cojuangco acquired what is now known as Hacienda Luisita from Spanish firm Tabacalera through a loan from the Government Service Insurance System and the Central Bank of the Philippines. The condition of the loans was that the hacienda’s agricultural lands would be sold to its tenants at “reasonable” costs.
And the Cojuangco’s did not comply and continued to fail compliance of such condition. During the time of Cory, Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was enacted and the Hacienda subjected to comply with distributing the lands to its tenant-farmers. “Stock certificates” were distributed, instead.
In November 2004, seven farm workers drew their ire at the picket fence that cost their lives and seven others were murdered one after the other by unknown assassins. Due to this, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo accelerated its investigation over a complaint by the hacienda union that the stock distribution scheme was a pretense.
In December 2005, the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council created in 1987 by Cory Administration, made up of 15 Cabinet members and chaired by President Arroyo, ordered the fraudulent land reform ended, and to distribute the land to the farmer-workers. The clans legally contested.
Finally last month, the High Tribunal upheld the 2005 decision of the Court and not only ordered the Cojuangcos to immediately distribute 4,915 hectares to the haciendas’ farmer-workers. It also ordered them to pay the farmer-workers P1.33 billion, the proceeds of the sale of hacienda lands that became the industrial and business parks. Agrarian reform laws peg “just compensation” at 1989 levels, or just about P200 million.
The Court’s decision could mean the Cojuangco-Aquino clans’ bankruptcy.
Now it makes sense why they hate Chief Justice Renato Corona so much, why they’re asking him to inhibit from Arroyo’s cases. Arguably though, Gloria’s critics should also believe and understand that in doing so, all the three appointees of Aquino should also inhibit. This leaves the High Tribunal with three justices to squabble on the cases against Arroyo.
At this point, Gloria should stop acting like a little girl wanting for more; P-Noy should stop acting like superman dominating more and more. But they can do one thing: make a wish list this Christmas and post it in a chimney wall.
After all, even justices believe that Santa exists!
Thursday, November 24, 2011
58
By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
27 November 2011
When Vincent Van Gogh painted “Field with poppies” in 1890, never had he dreamed that years after, he would be best remembered with the masterpiece. When the Ampatuans brushed a stroke of terror in November 23 2009, never had they believed that their creation, the most bizarre of all, would send them to superior Court of Laws, if not inferior as weakened by Men in Robes, or worse, end up their political career, including their cohorts’ who allegedly conspired with them.
They were like poppies in the field that exemplify hope, energy, and life. Bright hopes drove them to the town of Shariff Aguak to file for candidacy for the one they believed would bring new form of governance. Leveled energy propelled them to trek the rugged terrains and treacherous slopes for the one they believed would shower brighter hope for the constituency. Beautiful life dared them to plot against a scion of the most powerful Muslim clan or tyrant. But greed ruthlessly scythed their hopes, energies and lives and torn down their very edifice of nobility; greed mowed their simple hope, active energy and single life in the vehicle of the dirtiest of all political games: election.
They were fifty and eight: one, a journalist, is still missing; thirty-two are journalists and the rests are workers and supporters of the then Vice Mayor of Buluan town now governor of Maguindanao. This poor man, Gov. Mangudadatu, even lost his wife and sisters in what the world called crime of the century.
They worked for Mangudadatu because they believed and hoped in him just as the entire Philippines believed and hoped in P-Noy. Two years after the gruesome carnage, the bereaved families still believe and hope that this man will persecute those annihilators just as the entire Philippines hope and believe that P-Noy will persecute those who stole the money of the people; that Mangudadatu will bring justice to the victims and their bereaved families just as P-Noy will accord the same justice to millions of Filipino people who are victims of crime, grime and slime , not to be specific on plunder and graft, of his predecessors.
As the world calls on Wednesday to end “impunity,” the bereaved families of the “58” still believe and hope that the incident would bring full stop to the extrajudicial killings and killings of journalists in the country, in the world. The call is for the world, the citizens and the government to act now or be doomed, Filipinos and P-Noy included: so urgently now as it endangers each and single life or let alone hell dismiss us all.
Doomed as the devilish Philippines years after EDSA brought new life, new democracy; doomed as the evilest advocacies of the Arroyo’s and their cohorts for their collective sins fueled by greed. It is the same doom that should send shivers not only to the spines of Gloria, but also to the spines of Mike, of Mikey, of Angelo, of Benjamin, of Romulo, of Garcillano, et al.
As we observe the second year of terror in Maguindanao, the “58,” to be exact, should bring us new hope, energy and life: New hope that would bring about pivotal, gigantic, and meaningful change; new energy that would allow us to combat the plaguing graft and corruption; and new life that would renew and strengthen our presence in the world map.
The “58” still hope and believe that justice will be served fairly just as the entire Philippines believe and hope that P-Noy will serve justice fairly in handling the alleged cases against the Arroyos and their cohorts.
In perspective, when Vincent Van Gogh opted to paint the poppies in the field, it was mainly due to lack of funds; when the Ampatuans and their Sponsors opted to shear these beautiful poppies in the field, it was not mainly due to funds but the desire to amass more of them, at the people’s expense.
Putting my non-depleting two cents in, the “58” deserves full military honors for taxing their lives in the hope of bringing forth better governance and cleaner politics. They were not paupers after all; they were killed by this kind of marauders!
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
27 November 2011
When Vincent Van Gogh painted “Field with poppies” in 1890, never had he dreamed that years after, he would be best remembered with the masterpiece. When the Ampatuans brushed a stroke of terror in November 23 2009, never had they believed that their creation, the most bizarre of all, would send them to superior Court of Laws, if not inferior as weakened by Men in Robes, or worse, end up their political career, including their cohorts’ who allegedly conspired with them.
They were like poppies in the field that exemplify hope, energy, and life. Bright hopes drove them to the town of Shariff Aguak to file for candidacy for the one they believed would bring new form of governance. Leveled energy propelled them to trek the rugged terrains and treacherous slopes for the one they believed would shower brighter hope for the constituency. Beautiful life dared them to plot against a scion of the most powerful Muslim clan or tyrant. But greed ruthlessly scythed their hopes, energies and lives and torn down their very edifice of nobility; greed mowed their simple hope, active energy and single life in the vehicle of the dirtiest of all political games: election.
They were fifty and eight: one, a journalist, is still missing; thirty-two are journalists and the rests are workers and supporters of the then Vice Mayor of Buluan town now governor of Maguindanao. This poor man, Gov. Mangudadatu, even lost his wife and sisters in what the world called crime of the century.
They worked for Mangudadatu because they believed and hoped in him just as the entire Philippines believed and hoped in P-Noy. Two years after the gruesome carnage, the bereaved families still believe and hope that this man will persecute those annihilators just as the entire Philippines hope and believe that P-Noy will persecute those who stole the money of the people; that Mangudadatu will bring justice to the victims and their bereaved families just as P-Noy will accord the same justice to millions of Filipino people who are victims of crime, grime and slime , not to be specific on plunder and graft, of his predecessors.
As the world calls on Wednesday to end “impunity,” the bereaved families of the “58” still believe and hope that the incident would bring full stop to the extrajudicial killings and killings of journalists in the country, in the world. The call is for the world, the citizens and the government to act now or be doomed, Filipinos and P-Noy included: so urgently now as it endangers each and single life or let alone hell dismiss us all.
Doomed as the devilish Philippines years after EDSA brought new life, new democracy; doomed as the evilest advocacies of the Arroyo’s and their cohorts for their collective sins fueled by greed. It is the same doom that should send shivers not only to the spines of Gloria, but also to the spines of Mike, of Mikey, of Angelo, of Benjamin, of Romulo, of Garcillano, et al.
As we observe the second year of terror in Maguindanao, the “58,” to be exact, should bring us new hope, energy and life: New hope that would bring about pivotal, gigantic, and meaningful change; new energy that would allow us to combat the plaguing graft and corruption; and new life that would renew and strengthen our presence in the world map.
The “58” still hope and believe that justice will be served fairly just as the entire Philippines believe and hope that P-Noy will serve justice fairly in handling the alleged cases against the Arroyos and their cohorts.
In perspective, when Vincent Van Gogh opted to paint the poppies in the field, it was mainly due to lack of funds; when the Ampatuans and their Sponsors opted to shear these beautiful poppies in the field, it was not mainly due to funds but the desire to amass more of them, at the people’s expense.
Putting my non-depleting two cents in, the “58” deserves full military honors for taxing their lives in the hope of bringing forth better governance and cleaner politics. They were not paupers after all; they were killed by this kind of marauders!
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