Gaano nga ba kalaki ang 500 daang libo?

Noong nakaraang buwan, naging napakalaking kontrobersya ang nabalitaang “panunuhol” ng Malacanang sa mga kongresista at gobernador na dumalo sa isang pag pupulong na naganap sa Palasyo.

Ayon sa pagbubulgar ng paring nagging gobernador na si Ed Pallilio, sya ay inabutan (o ang kanyang opisyal na tauhan) ng isang supot na naglalaman ng kalahating milyon.

Hindi nakakapagtaka na magulat at maguluhan ang gobernador pagkat hindi nya alam kung para saan at anung dahilang kung bakit sya nabigyan ng ganung halaga.

Sa ngayon ay samut sari na ang mga pagpapaliwanag at pag e esplika kung kanino at para saan nga ba galing ang halagang natangap na maykalakip ng “tagong pabor?”

At ang mas nakakalungkot (o nakapang gi gigil) ay ang mga pulitikong nag sasabi na wala raw masama sa pag tanggap ang ganung halaga, lalo’t nat bigay daw iyon? (Hindi bat bigay din inyong perang pinagtatalunan kaya na kulong at napatalsik si Erap?)

Malamang me punto sila, lalo na at ang nasabing halaga di umano’y gagamitin sa pagtulong sa mga proyekto sa pagpapalakad ng mga distrito at probinsya…

Ngunit, ang tanung, gaano ba talaga kalaki ang kalahating milyon, ilang eskwelahan ba ang maari mo maipagawa sa halagang ito? Ilang kabang bigas ang kaya nitong bilhin? Ilang tulay ang kaya nitong ipakumpuni? Ilang gamut at maaring bilihin?

Sapat na ba ang dami ng mga ito upang msabing malaking tulong ito sa pag uumpisa ng isang bagitong gobernador tulad ni Ed Pallilio? O mallit itong tulong, ngunit malaking suhol?

FINE DAY.

Well this week could not be a lot interesting than it is, on my way to POEA, I got stuck in Traffic due to a special Police checkpoint, maybe the Government is serious in preventing any havoc that the communist threat might cause...

Or maybe its just one of GMA's power tripping, what day is it anyway?
anyway, I got this funny thing that happened after I arrived at the Office.
An OFW approach me and ask me a question.

OFW: Sir, pwedeng magtanung... saan ang daan patungo paitaas?

Im a bit confuse...Is this a religious question or he is just too darn stupid to realize that there is an elevator at the lobby and he probably saw it when he entered the Office.
(OH PROBABLY NOT)

Anyway, I directed the poor soul which way to go... but I'm a moment away in giving him a bible.
but I guess its sacrilegious... he he he

The Middle Class Talk

Received it from the mail. A bit self righteous but most of his/her points are valid

Walang kwenta ang PilipinasBy: jawbreaker.

(isang ordinaryong office worker na ayaw na magbayad ng tax...ever!)

Hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko. Sukang-suka na ko sa mganangyayari sa bansang 'to!Walang katapusang corruption, walang kamatayang pangbabatikos,pagbabatuhan ng ta* at pagpapa-taasan ng ihi ng mga pulitiko sa bawatisa, walang tigil na imbestigasyon ng kung ano-anong isyu pero walanamang matinong resolusyon, walang puknat na pag-aagawan ngkapangyarihan sa pagitan ng mga partido, patuloy na pagdami ng tamadat tangang Pilipino, patuloy na pakikipaglaban ng ideolohiyang walanamang silbi.Ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas, talo pa ang septic tank na hinihigop ngMalabanan ? saksakan ng dumi at napakabaho. Kaya hindi nakakapagtakana ang Pilipinas ang isa sa pinakamahirap at corrupt na bansa samundo. Kasi lahat sila bulok, lahat sila walang kwenta. Lahat silasugapa sa kapangyarihan at sa pera.ANAK NG TETENG! !$#%Q!&!* @!!!!!KAHIT KRISTIYANO AKO, HINDI KO MAPIGILANG MAGMURA AT HILINGIN SADIYOS (MINSAN NGA PATI SA DEMONYO) NA MAMATAY NA SILANG LAHAT ATI-BBQ SILA NG HABANG-BUHAY SA IMPIERNO.SINONG "SILA"? EH DI MGA CORRUPT NA GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND WORKERS,MGA TAMBAY NA PILIPINO NA ANG LALAKI NG KATAWAN PERO HINDI NAMANNAGTRATRABAHO AT HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG TAX, MGA MAYAYAMAN AT ARISTANGTAX EVADERS, PATI MGA AKTIBISTA, NPA AT IBA PANG IDEOLOGICAL GROUPSNA HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG TAX PERO PANG-GULO!!! MAMATAY NA KAYO!!!Lagi na lang sinasabi ng mga pulitiko: Ipaglaban ang masa! Tulunganang masa! Mahalin ang masa!nyets! MASA LANG BA ANG TAO SA PILIPINAS?SINO BA TALAGA ANG BUMUBUHAY SA PUNYETANG BANSANG TO?SAAN BA GALING ANG PANGPAGAWA NG MGA TULAY AT KALYE? SAAN BA GALINGANG PORK BARREL? SAAN BA GALING ANG PERANG KINUKURAKOT NYO?KAMI NA MGA MANGGAGAWA AT MIDDLE CLASS NA BAGO PA MAKUHA ANG SWELDOBAWAS NA ? KAMI ANG BUMUBUHAY SA WALANG KWENTANG BANSA NA'TO!!!!!!!!!BAKIT YANG BANG MGA MASANG YAN NA LAGI NA LANG SENTRO NG PLATAPORMANG MGA PULITIKO EH NAGBABAYAD BA NG TAX???!!!!F**K YOU! KAHIT ISA SA MGA NAG-RA-RALLYING MGA SQUATTER NA YAN, KAHITSINGKO HINDI NAG-RE-REMIT YAN SA BIR!PERO PINAPAKINGGAN BA KAMI NG GOBYERNO?LAGI NA LANG OPINYON NG MASA ANG INIINTINDI NG GOBYERNO.KUNG SINO ANG NAG-RA-RALLY, SA EDSA, SILA ANG NASUSUNOD.KUNG SINO ANG MAS MALAKAS SUMIGAW PERO WALA NAMANG ECONOMICCONTRIBUTION, SILA LAGI ANG FOCUS PAG MAY PROBLEMA.SILA LAGI ANG BIDA.KAMING MGA ORDINARYONG OFFICE WORKERS, OFW'S, LABORERS AT IBA PANGNAG-TRA-TRABAHO AT NAGBABAYAD NG TAX ? KAMI ANG NAGPAPAKAHIRAP PARABUHAYIN ANG PILIPINAS. KAMI ANG MGA TUNAY NA BAYANI NG BANSA!!!Tuwing nakikita ko ang payslip ko, nag-iinit ang ulo ko at gusto kongmaiyak sa inis. Napakalaki ng tax na binabawas sa akin pero ginagamitlang sa walang kwentang bagay ang perang pinaghirapan ko.Lahat ng pagtitipid ginagawa ko para suportahan ang sarili ko,pamilya ko at ang punyetang bansang to. Ni hindi ako makabili ngchicken and spaghetti meal sa Jollibee kahit gutom na gutom na ko.Nag-tya-tyaga ako sa waffle na tig-P10, o kaya pag may konting pera,junior bola-bola siopao sa Mini-Stop sa halangang P20.Eh kung yung pera ko na pinapangbabayad sa tax sa kin na langnapunta, eh di sana nakakapanood pa ko ng sine at least 2 beses saisang buwan. Nakabili na sana ako ng bagong rubber shoes.Nakapagpagawa na sana ako ng sarili kong bahay.Yung tax na binabayad ko, karamihan nun derecho sa bulsa ng mgacorrupt na mga government officials at workers. Habang hirap na hirapakong i-budget ang pera ko, sila naman nagpapakasarap sa mga mansyon.SUV's at luxury cars pa ang dina-drive nila, samantalang ako sapedicab lang sumasakay!P****** INA! PERA KO YANG PINAPAGPAPASASAAN NYO!!!!!Yung tax na binabayad ko, pinapangsuporta sa mga mahihirap. Saan bagaling ang pera pangpagawa ng housing at pagtulong sa mga mahihirap,di ba sa mga manggagawa na nagbabayad ng buwis! Pero karamihan ngmahihirap, kung umasta kala mo inaapi sila ng sobra.SA TOTOO LANG NO, KAYA ANG MGA MAHIHIRAP LALONG NAGHIHIRAP KASI MGATAMAD!Ang daming mga tambay sa kalye na walang trabaho pero ang laki ngkatawan. Eh kung sila ba nagkargador sa pier eh di sana may perasila.TAPOS WALA NA NGANG PERA, ANAK PA NG ANAK!nyets! LALO NYO LANG PINAPADAMI ANG TAMAD AT t*nga SA MUNDO!!!!!Naaawa ako sa mga batang pakalat-kalat sa kalye at namamalimos.Imbes na nag-aaral, dumadagdag lang sila sa bilang ng mga futurecriminals sa Pinas. Hindi ako magtataka na yung batang nakita kongnamamalimos sa Cubao, pagkatapos ng ilang taon cellphone snatcher na.YUNG MGA MAGULANG NAMAN DYAN, COMMON SENSE LANG! HIRAP NA HIRAP NANGA KAYO SA BUHAY, MANGDADAMAY PA KAYO NG IBA?! PAPARAMIHAN NYO PALAHI NYO!Palibhasa walang mga trabaho at walang pinagkaka-abalahan, kayanagkakalabitan at nagsusundutan na lang maghapon, magdamag. Sa totoolang, nakakabilib. Kasi kahit sa ilalim ng tulay o sa kariton lang,nakakabuo pa rin ng bata! Ibig sabihin, maabilidad ang mga Pinoy.Kung gugustuhin, gagawan ng paraan. Kahit sa makipot, mabaho atmaduming lugar ? SOLVE!Isa pang mga grupo ng tao na nakakainis, yung mga aktibista, NPA atkung ano-ano pang ideological political groups. Sabi nila, mahal namahal nila ang Pilipinas kaya pinagpalalaban nila ang kanilang mgaadhikain.nyets! EH HINDI RIN KAYO NAGBABAYAD NG TAX! ANG KAKAPAL RIN NG MGAMUKHA NYO!MGA IPOKRITO! MAHAL DAW ANG PILIPINAS AYAW NAMAN MAGBAYAD NG BUWIS!BAKIT MAY BIR COLLECTOR BA SA GITNA NG MENDIOLA AT EDSA?! MAY TAXCOLLECTION BA SA BUNDOK?!WALA DIN NAMAN KAYONG MGA TRABAHO! KUNG MAY TRABAHO TALAGA KAYO,HINDI KAYO MAG-RA-RALLY DAHIL SAYANG ANG SWELDO NYO PAG ABSENT KAYO!PAANO NYO MAIPAPAKITA ANG PAGMAMAHAL NYO SA PILIPINAS KUNG WALA NAKAYONG GAWANG MATINO KUNDI MAG-RALLY AT MAMUNDOK??!!!ISA PA YANG MGA MAYAYAMAN AT MGA ARTISTA, NA NANGDADAYA AT HINDINAGBABAYAD NG BUWIS. ANG KAKAPAL NG MUKHA NYO! ANG DAMI NYO NA NGANGPERA NANGDADAYA PA KAYO SA TAX!!!! HINDI NYO NAMAN MADADALA SAIMPIERNO YANG MGA KAYAMAN NYO. MASUSUNOG LANG DUN YAN.KAYA LALONG BUMABAGSAK ANG NEGOSYO DITO SA PILIPINAS, KASI MGANEGOSYANTE MANDARAYA. PATI SHOWBIZ INDUSTRY, BAGSAK NA DIN. KARMA ANGTAWAG DYAN. MGA BALASUBAS KASI.Sana magkaron ng POLITICAL AND NATIONAL CLEANSING.Alisin (mas maganda kung patayin na lang) ang lahat ng pulitiko atpolitical families sa puwesto. Tibagin ang lahat ng mapanirangorganizations at grupo. Itapon sa malayong isla o kaya i-pwersa nghard labor ang mga sobrang tamad na mga Pilipino. Ihiwalay ang mgabata sa kanilang mga tamad at tangang magulang upang makapag-aralsila at maturuan na maging mabuting tao at mamamayan. Magkaron ngbagong lider na walang political ties at utang na loob sa kahit sino.At higit sa lahat, dapat tax payers lang ang pwedeng bumoto!Kung kinakailangang magka-giyera para magtino ang mga Pilipino, ayoslang. Masyado na kasing matigas ang ulo ng mga tao dito. Gusto ngkalayaan, pero hindi naman handang panagutan ang responsibilidad ngpagiging malaya. Meron daw pinaglalaban na prinsipyo at adhikain perotakot namang mamatay para dito.(Sa mga nakaka-alam sa anime na Gundam Wing, yan ang inspirasyon kosa new Pinas hehe. I love you Zechs! I love you Treize!)Hangga't hindi nagkakaron ng radical change, patuloy na walang kwentaang Pilipinas at patuloy na magiging t*nga ang majority ng mgaPilipino.Sa dami ng nag-mi-migrate na Pilipino sa ibang bansa, dadating angpanahon na minority na lang ng population sa Pilipinas ang may utak.Yung mga magagaling na Pilipino, malamang maubos na. Sobra na kasisilang na-fru-frustrate at na-de-depress sa mga nakikita nila.Ilang taon pa at aalis na rin ako sa Pilipinas. Wala kong balak namagkaron ng pamilya sa isang bansa na hindi pinapahalagahan angkontribusyon ng mga taong tunay na bumubuhay dito. Kawawa naman angmagiging anak ko kung dito sya mabubuhay.Sa totoo lang, broken hearted ako. Minahal ko din ang bansang ito.Pilit kong pinagtatanggol kahit bulok. Nakarating na ko ng ibangbansa, pero pinili kong bumalik. Pero ngayon, ayoko na. Suko na ko.Sayang lang ako sa bansang to. Simple lang naman ang hiling ko. Gustoko lang mabuhay ng tahimik at maayos. Gusto ko na kahit paano ehmaipagmalaki ang Pilipinas. Pero wala eh. Doomed to be jologs angbansang to.Alam ko marami pa ang umaasa at naniniwala sa pagbabago. Good luckand God bless! Sana tama kayo at mali ako.

We The Jologs: A Reaction to Jawbreaker’s "Walang Kwenta and Pilipinas" by Iona

I am working class, I pay my taxes, I am an "ordinary office worker," I know how it feels..... but this person, whoever he or she is, does not speak for me. While the writer did not claim that he was speaking for anyone but himself, the same passion that compelled him to compose his message is the same passion which compels me now to say my piece.I write this for several reasons. First, the email (or more accurately, the blog entry) now circulating, as strongly-worded as it is, is bound to reach more and more people and lest more are led to believe that most of us think in the same vein, I have to say that we do not, or at least I don't. Second, many of his statements do a great many Filipino grave disservice. Third, it is time to speak.I am just as sick of the corruption and the scandals and the politicking. Pagod, sawa, at sukang-suka sa walang katapusang pagbabangayan, tama siya doon! Ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas ay saksakan ng dumi at baho... tama ulit! We are all sick of watching these politicians fight over positions in goverment like rabied dogs, all in the name of public service kuno when in fact the only interest they ever serve is their own. But this issue goes so far beyond politics! Sino nga bang kawawa sa mga nangyayari ngayon? Kahit naman anong mangyari doon sa itaas, wala naman sa kanila ang maghihirap. Even if Gloria resigns or is removed from office, she's not going to end up anywhere near the poor house scrounging for a daily living. Lahat sila, administrasyon, oposisyon, militar, the big business players... all those powers that be who seem to be driving the country further and further into the depths of oblivion... they have nothing to lose except the opportunity to accumulate more wealth a! t our expense. If this country does self-destruct, all they have to do is hop on an airplane and fly, business class at that, to some other country.At sino ang maiiwan dito? Tayo. The so-called "middle-class"... and the so-called "masa". Sama-sama tayong maiiwan dito to drown in the muck. And because of this, I see no distinction between the purported middle-class and the masa anymore, definitely not one that will help us in these trying times. To hang on to the notion that our interests are different is myopic. To believe that the middle-class have more at stake is arrogant. To continue to keep a line between "them" and "us" is elitist and wrong. It also borders on prejudice, which is unacceptable. This kind of hatred is just as bad as greed. Look around you. Unless you are surnamed Ayala (exception na lang siguro si Joey Ayala) or Cojuancgo or Gokongwei or what have you.... working or not, MASA ka rin! So what if you dress better, or went to a private school, can speak decent English, or listen to Coldplay instead of April Boy? Does it make you more of a person? Does it make you more deserving of a better life? Does it make you more entitled to decent service from an honest government? All it makes you is, well, better-dressed and eligible for a higher tax bracket.You know what the real differences are? The real difference between "us" and "them" is that while "we" complain about not being able to afford a fancy dinner at some expensive restaurant or buy a new pair of sneakers or get the latest cellphone, "they" worry about where to get money for their next meal. "They" worry about diseases like pneumonia and TB and not having even a hundred bucks to even go to a doctor to ask for a prescription that they won't be able to afford to buy anyway. Our children give up going to the movies; their children give up fare money and walk to school, if they are able to still go to school in the first place. The taxes that you pay may mean an out-of-town family vacation. The taxes that according to you they don’t pay could spell the difference between life and death. THAT is the difference.Paying your taxes does not make you better than anyone else. Haven’t you thought about the fact that so many Filipinos are exempt from paying taxes precisely because they are too poor to pay any tax? And for sure, kahit kailan hindi sila naging bida. Kahit kailan, hindi sila nasunod. Kahit kailan, hindi sila ever pinakinggan ng gobyerno. Pinarada si Mang Pandoy dati, yung tatlong bata naman nung panahon ni Gloria, pero nasaan na sila ngayon? The Government has always claimed to but has NEVER actually championed their cause. EDSA I? Mind you, hindi yun laban ng mga jologs na masa. Laban yun ng lahat ng Pilipino, led foremost by the middle-class! Lalo naman ang EDSA II which put Gloria in power. That was almost a purely middle-class movement. Maybe you’re talking about the so called mob which rally to support Erap at every opportunity, but they have not been heard. More importantly, they do not properly represent the poor of this country. The "masa" can be found not only in Metro Manila; they are scattered all across these 7,107 islands of ours. High tide or low tide, they have never been empowered. They remain desolate and neglected and oppressed. True, pag kampanya sila!ang bida sa plataporma, pero pagkatapos hindi ba yung mga crony na business tycoons at foreign investors din naman and naghahari? And you will deny them their right to basic government service? No need, because the Government never served them anyway.And besides, OO, tayong working class ang nagbabayad ng buwis at OO dahil dun nabubuhay ang Pilipinas. But do you know who really keeps this country afloat, albeit barely? The farmers! The fishermen! Those people who still somehow keep the agricultural sector going. They feed you and me. Literal pa yan! Economically, agriculture is still our major industry. By traditional definitions, I’m sure kasama sila sa masa na sobrang kinagagalitan mo. Will you deny them their proper place in keeping this country alive for all of us? They probably contribute more than both you and I do. Besides, the way things are going right now, meron pa bang tao na hindi nagbabayad ng buwis one way or the other?Yung mga big-time tax evaders, tama, sa kanila ka magalit. Pero wag doon sa maliliit na wala namang magawa.Totoo, nakakainis ang mga tamad. At totoo naman na maraming tamad sa Pilipinas. But the poor do not have a monopoly of the indolence in this country. At sa totoo lang, hindi sila mahirap dahil tamad sila. I find it tyrannical, and such a terrifying recall to the Spanish colonial era, that some people still seem to think so. As much as there are lazy people in the squatters of Tondo, there are just as many lazy people in Forbes Park. The only difference is that they have Daddy’s money to disguise their lack of productivity. At kahit tamad sila, hindi sila nagugutom.Totoo, may mahihirap na hindi umaangat kasi tamad. Pero karamihan sa mahihirap humihirap dahil kahit anong gawin nila, hindi sila nabibigyan ng pagkakataong umayos ang buhay. Do we really believe the poor are content with their poverty and do not try to do all in their power to change their fate? Tell that to the driver of the next pedicab you ride. The bare naked truth is, in most cases, they are simply not given the opportunity to prosper. For one, Government does not give them the education they need and deserve to equip and empower them to do better. And there’s the capitalist economy of consumption and excess, where profit is the end that justifies any means, which simply will not let anyone other than the key players and investors and top-level executives have any share of the wealth. I find it strange that you shouldn’t see this. You are the best example of what I mean. You complain of having to content yourself with a 10 peso waffledog at Mini-stop instead of your favorite value meal at Jollibee… yet you work your butt off, don’t you? Hindi ka tamad, pero yumaman ka na ba? Like I said, masa ka rin. The simple fact is, for poor people like us, there is a much bigger hurdle than the fight against one’s own "tamaditis." You also attack those activitists who take to the streets. Unang-una, sana ihiwalay mo yung mga tunay na aktibista dun sa mga binayaran lang ng kung sinong pulitiko para manggulo. Hindi lahat ng nakikipaglaban sa kalsada walang trabaho at tamad at hindi nagbabayad ng buwis at nagbibilad sa araw para lang manggulo. There are those of them, and believe me there are many, who are decent hard-working people. They sacrifice time that could otherwise have been spent with their families to fight for what they believe in. They sacrifice the daily wages they might otherwise earn precisely because they feel that it is the future of their children at stake. And it is precisely because they are the disadvantaged lot that their sacrifices are even more proportionately significant. More than income, they have sacrificed life and limb for this country, and will do so again if the need arises. For anyone to scoff at this, no matter how much we disagree with the form their ideology takes, is!disrespectful and cruel. It is an insult to those who have made such sacrifices, to their families who have made the sacrifices with them, and to those of us who still believe that this country, damned as it seems to be, is still worth fighting for.Besides, ano nga bang masama sa ideolohiya? You use it like it was a bad word. What is ideology, really, but a principle by which we aspire to achieve our ideals? And what are our ideals? Better lives for ourselves and our families? A better future for our children? To live in a peaceful and just society, where there is enough for all and no one is hungry or poor or uneducated? To be called a great nation and take pride in our citizenship? Isn’t that the ideal we all strive for? Ikaw, yun lang din naman ang gusto mo di ba? The ideologies may vary, but still, the ideals are the same. Bottomline: we all want the same thing. Masa man o middle class, (kahit nga yung mga mayayaman at corrupt na pulitiko, nasobrahan lang sila), we all want the same thing. Kelan ba kasi naging synonymous ang ideology sa idealismo at ang idealismo sa imposible? It is precisely because we have abandoned our ideals and idealism that we are in the muck. It is precisely because we have been so frustrate! d by our experiences that just the mere mention of the word "ideology" makes us cringe and turn away. But if all these ideologies die, then how will we even start to strive for our ideals? Siguro nga tama ka, mamatay na nga silang kumakapit pa sa prinsipyo at ideolohiya. Mamatay na tayong lahat.We have different ways of fighting for what we believe in, different ways of contributing. Some of us take to the streets, some of us stand quietly by but in our hearts we protest the injustices that surround us and in our own ways, we do what we can. But I say, better do something than nothing at all. To give up now will do nothing but assure our doom. The present political crisis is more than just political. True, this needs to be resolved and at the soonest possible time. But however which way this plays out… what we need to assure is that we do not let this happen again. Like I said, tayo ang kawawa. Buti sana if the effects of these political upheavals are contained only amongst those people who keep on playing musical chairs with the seats of power. Pero hindi eh. Lahat tayo, apektado. From ordinary office workers to the jobless man with five mouths to feed waiting at home, tamad man o hindi, we are the ones who suffer. These political maneuverings have translated into decades of poverty for so many and that makes me sick and livid with anger. It makes my heart break. And we are all accountable for that. Yes, all of us. And merely paying our taxes does not make us blameless.We are accountable in so many ways that may seem innocuous but are just as dangerous nonetheless. We are accountable when we vote for a person because of nothing else than kababayan natin siya, or tatay siya ng kaklase natin sa elementary, o nakikita natin siya sa pelikula, o gwapo siya o maganda. We are accountable when we go to the LTO and bribe the employees there so we don’t have to spend two hours in line. We are accountable when we solicit favors from politicians and public servants and contribute to the prevalence of patronage politics. We are accountable when we allow our friends or relatives to solicit (or grant!) those favors. We are accountable when we engage in business practices that deprive laborers of their fair and just wages just so we could keep our profit levels as high as we possibly can with nary a thought of how we owe to our employees not just to give them wages but to raise their quality of life. We are accountable when, in the name of job and investm! ent generation, we develop industries and technologies that wreak havoc on the environment and the health of local communities thereby effectively pushing them once and for all into a place of irrevocable poverty and true disenfranchisement.More so we are accountable when we sit by and say nothing or do nothing to register our dissent and make things change. We are our own worst enemies. But, we could also be our own best friends.I say this to you in fellowship and with respect for the great love you have for our country, which is obvious in spite of your disillusion and decision to give up. Go. Be the proverbial rat who abandons the sinking ship. Save yourself and pursue the life you want. You have a right to it. Iwan mo kaming bayan ng mga jologs. Like I said, I respect your opinion. Hindi kita inaaway, and if I sound like it, I apologize. Actually, ito naman talaga ang punto ko: Hindi tayo ang magkaaway dito, just as much as I believe na hindi yung mga aktibista sa kalye o mahihirap na hindi makapagbayad ng buwis and kaaway mo. I cannot accept that they should deserve this kind of ire. And I find it counterproductive, to say the least, to put the impoverished majority of this country on the other side of the fence. You are angry, which is how most of us feel, but your anger is somewhat misdirected. Para sa akin, nakakatakot kung ganyan ngang mag-isip talaga ang lahat ng "middle-class." Rage against the corrupt and greedy people in power and I will rage with you. Rage against those who resort to murder and terrorism to get what they want. But please, spare the rest of us who just like you, flawed as we are, are just victims here. And herein lies the crux: we may be victims here, but we are not helpless. We have to fight together. We must exercise discernment and distinguish propaganda from truth. Now is not the time to point fingers at each other and call each other names and wish each other one-way trips to hell. We must identify who and what the real enemies are; and in my heart of hearts, I know that I will not find them in the shantytowns of Manila. There is so much that ails our country. There is something so terribly wrong when you live in a society where some people can afford 700,000 peso TV sets while just a few feet away there are children dying of malnutrition. The fact that even people with the greatest love for this country give up and leave, is the saddest commentary of all. As urgent as the need to change the people who govern us, is the need to change so many of the intrinsic things that make our systems and institutions so vulnerable to manipulation by the few. Not the least of these things is our own individual tolerance. There is much work to be done. And it must start, now.You’re right. What we need is radical change. A revolution is in order. A real one. One that will go beyond changing the names of the people we empower to abuse us. Take that statement however which way you want. Take it to the streets, if you will. But my real prayer is that you take it to your heart. Evaluate. Discern. Participate. Change. Sacrifice. Hope. Act. And yes, leave if you must. I wish you the best of luck, too. And one day, I hope that you will come back to a Philippines that we, the jologs, will have rebuilt to make you proud.

One thing is clear Folks. both authors have good points, and also lots of time to write.

In the Eve of Political Turmoil

Coming from P.I.A on my way back to Intramuros i pass thru the Quezon Boulevard, there in San Domingo Church I saw various Militants, basically those that were identified with the deposed President Estrada, and some groups that also joined the recent EDSA movement. it seems they are building up their forces for the upcoming movement this coming saturday, among them are the media and some students... one will be able to notice those familiar banners and makeshift placards calling for the resignation of the president...
a couple of blocks from san Domingo church, in the Welcome rotonda, there i saw another groups building up, but unlike the militants statoned at the San Domingo church, these groups are in small numbers but rich with banners saying "Shut Up""Trabaho hindi Gulo" and "no to Destabilization", common sense will say that these group are pro administration.
If one would be able to observe, unlike the militants building up in the San domingo church, the banners and streamers of the people holding the Welcome Rotonda are using tarpaulin made banners and framed placards in full colors. i have been engage in producing the same materials in my ojt and quite experience in how much these things cost... by looking at those materials, it seems that it could be roughly be amounting to 30-40,000 already. excluding the food packs that the people in Welcome Rotonda seems to be enjoying. comparing the two groups, it seems other than the number of people joing the movement, the people in welcome rotonda is abundant in everything to stage a political rally.
another thing one could observe would be the vicinity of what seems to be a pro-administration rallyist to t he Police/military personnel stationed near the University of Sto. Tomas.
Now, many would say that those police units are there to prevent troubles, and that is what it seems. but looking closely, why is it that they let the pro-administration establish a staging point very near to the group calling for the ouster of the incumbent.? if ever havoc would be brought out, the question would be who started it first,a dn if the police is really there to provent troubles, why not pose there selves between the two groups with comflicting political view?
is it staged?
and regarding the materials and resources used by the those stationed in Welcome Rotonda, who is this generous enough to finance something just to express their support to the incumbent?
looking at the people in the welcome rotonda, their faces is quite similar to those same faces one would see if his been in slump areas rampant here in the city -
one can observe that there are no enthusiasm in their face, as if they are there not because of something they believe in...
The same face one would see during the same times when the country is in political turmoil -

The Fire is Out, the Passion is gone
I Guess were tired
So it seems that even if there will be a real "hard" evidence against the regime of Macapagal Arroyo, people would hardly care.
Even if all the Jueteng Lords in this country admit it that Arroyo have been receiving Payola from this illegal games, the people would hardly care
whether its because they know that
-her removal would not change their socio-economic status
-her resignation would give way to a Puppet of the Elite
-the change would only mean a new guy would be recieiving the same damn payolas
or
- her admission would not really help the country nor eliminate the scourge of this illegal number game.
The Truth doesnt matter anymore, a friend told me, who cares really if those confessed bagman-turned-state-witness are telling the truth or being used by the opposition to grab the power once more.
Who cares if FPJ is really telling the truth that his been cheated in the previous election
Who cares if the COMELEC is nothing but a puppet of the Ramos-Aquino-Arroyo reign to hold this country untill it crumbles.
Who cares if the dollar end up amounting P100.00/$
It will all be the same, in the eyes of the poor...
the only difference is, we will be much greater in number than before.
there will be no more Edsa, no more cry that the Truth have been murdered, no more College students walking the streets of Quezon City and Manila to express their seemingly disgust tot he current administration. No congressman walking out of the Senate Hall because a lousy envelope were refused to be open, no more murders in the Airport, no more tanks to be stop by the nuns and priest, no more spitting of Politicians, or creating hundreds of websites dedicated to the removal of the president. No more cheap publications designed to the ouster of the president.
All of them are monkeys in a clown suite in the peoples eyes, makes one wonder how come we keep seeing the same entertainers in our Senate Halls and Presidential Palace.
If only we become tierd immediately after the 1st one :)

Short Sighted

I was talking to a collegue, about how some people tend to collect things that seem to be insignificant for our daily lives...like toys or comic books. He said that many Americans have these tendency, maybe because they are really fanatics of just plain lucky to have some extra cash. But one needs to understand why people collect things, is it plain hobby or something else.

My collegue share to me that when he was working at McDonalds at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia... his co-workers wonders why he spend 200 dollars for a bunch of Snoopy Figurines (the Character in the comic Peanuts). He said that even though it seems stupid now, one ould not deny the value this things could hold several decades from now, these things are collectors items, specially now that the author of that world famous comic book-Mr. Charles M. Schulz - have died.Sooner or later, other hobbyist would be looking for these items to add for their collections, thus such investments could actually paid off.

Now, what that teach us?

Ever wonder howcome we have a huge problems with traffic, or with overpopulation and political leadership. Because most of our countrymen have a hard time looking farther than tommorow (some are even sooo short sighted, they can even look beyond NOW).

Traffic

If our leaders just stop think before they start creating something, they might realized that some roads/bridges or infrastructure should be made trice of the original necessity of the present times. It's just like one of those stories shared by Sen. Juan Flavier in his book "Back to the Barrios" He narrate that some barrio folks thought that the contrcution of the bridge have been excessive for it now can hold five carabaos walking side by side, but ten years after, that same bridge have proven to be obsolete. Same with the widening project of the NLEX 8 years ago, after adding another lane from Malinta tollgate to Balintawak, 4 years after, they undergo a much larger contruction, wasting the contruction of that same lanes 4 years earlier. some might say that making something excessive for the current use is expensive... but looking at homw much it gonna cost now, and the cost and hassle it will bring a few years after, i guess its very much justifiable.

Leadership and Population

As long as we as a country failed to look farther to the horizon, we could never expect progress in our country, Why do people keep voting and installing the same leaders that we know are corrupt and have vested interest. Why are we so willing to sell our vote thinking that whoever we place there could never help us in our effort to have a better life. why are we so stuborn to always worry things when they are alreay here and never plan ahead, How come so many marriage and childbirth seems to be aproduct of an accident rather than a well place plan.

We cry for change, we thirst for progress, yet we refuse to lif our head and look beyond the horizon

Destroying Reality


According to webster dictionary, "Reality" means a state of being real, a Fact...I guess everybody knows that. Just a couple of weeks ago, PDI have a headline story stating that the country is the 2nd most Corrupt Country in the World, others are saying is not true, and we should be hailed as number one (the No.1 Most Corrupt is our Neighbor Archiepelago - Indonesia). Ever since this Generations manage to realize whats happening to the world, they have been oriented that things could not work in this country if you dont have the resources (like money or connections) to make it work your way. To get justice from this existing System, you need those magic M&C (money and connections), to get your papers to be process immediately, you need those MC's, to get someone out of a shit situations, yep guess it right...you have to have those MC's...(IMO, even the Salvation of your soul seems to be in need of those MC's).

I have nice chat with my kumpare the other month, as usual, his relating to me how hard it is now to work in the government, and not just financially speaking bu also morally...

Why?

well me kumpare is one of those very very rare people that still have a sense of morality working in the Government Agency, (My kumpare works at DPWH) so no hold bars, the DPWH and just like any other Government owned institutions is riddled with corrupt people, from high and low. (everybody knows that) But even if most of his co workers and those that he deals with in his works treat stealing/corruption as a livelihood, he still manage to stay clean...(for how long, time will only tell) Anyway, my frined relate to me how some people in the Media treat corruption as the reality of todays business, if you want your news to go rounds, you need to attach money on it, if you dont want bad news or gossip go on spreading to the people, just attach several envelopes on your press release, and you'll come clean.

Many of my country men have accepted corruption as the harsh reality of the peolpe in posistion, in the course of 20 years after the late strongman Ferdie Marcos was over-thrown... they have accepted that those with moeny can make things happen their way, and those that are in need or plain greedy will always be used by those same people.

How can we stop it?

I have to admit, in a society that has a less and less belief in a divine being, and has more and more luxury in their life...i guess we can't. As i stated... it i the reality of the Philippine Society.

Yet, i refuse to admit in myself the defeat that many of my countrymen have accepted. (do you really think that giving money to those policemen, or paying for your son to pass the ROTC is not an example of corruption).

Our problems is made non other but us, and no divine being is needed or a bloody revolution for us to see that continue doing this will ultimately bring down our country. is Corruption is our reality, then let us strive to break the Myth that Filipinos could not follow a simple rule or doesnt have the moral capability to look up to themselves.

Price of Democracy

...As i walk in the streets of Quiapo, i see nothing but illegal trade/ nothing but immoral reads and people that care less what they are doing as long as it benifits them and hassle somebody else...Is this the society the people of EDSA Uno fight for, is this the society that we thought stolen from us by the Martial Rule, is this the society that we shouted to the whole world that we will bring after overthrowing the "Dictator"...now now, don't get me wrong here... Dictorialship is not a good thing, it never is... but for a society still too young to express theirselves, too powerless to protect and to uphold what is right and what is just... i guess we really need some "Deciplinary action"I look around and i see pirated sofware/ arts and DVD's. I go around the streets of Caloocan, and i see people throwing their trash in the sidestreets, walking in the middle of the streets, disregarding the "authorities". I travel in the hiways of NLEX and i see people crossing the great wide Expressway, stealing the phones set for emergency. I buy myself newpaper and you will see in the front page of the tabloids, pictures of no... not skimpy wearing shirt women, but totally "exposed girls". It is sometimes funny to think that the Gabriela group is screaming foul regarding an Ad of Napoleon Brandy -=Nakatikim ka na ba nang Kinse=- but you don't see them protesting in the streets to show disgust to the image made available in the Headlines of severals of our Tabloids. Media only focus on those things that are "issues" they focus only those things that they can "Sensationalized" rather than important events that will affect our daily lives (=-Remeber the Kris Aquino-Joey Marquez issue=-) Do you really think that people would talk about it if it haven't made frontpage by the leading dailies and made headlines in both the leading Broadcast station in the country?We sneer on the people that vote for people like Erap or even FPJ, yet we did'nt sneer on the very medium that brought this illusion to the people themselves. I remember a time when a certain Tabloid was ban because they feature stories deemed immoral and pictures that are considered pornography. their defense, that's what the people want, If they will not buy it, we won't sell it, thats freedom of expression for you...hmm makes me wonder, what if we take his kid, parade it buttnaked, and tell them its for sale, would he be suprise if someone actrually bought him/her? (Yes it's demented, but i view the same reasoning demented too)Of course people are going to buy it... that the benefit of "Democracy". We have a kid in my subdivision, along with her friends we see them dancing in the current craze "Otso-Otso" or Sphagetti pababa popularize by the sexy dancers such as the G-Girls an SBD, then i heard them talking, "when i grow up, i wanted to be just like them (SexBombDancers)" Suprising and sad isn't it, rather than aspire to become doctors or astronauts, kids today are aspiring to become dancers, or join starstruck because that's what they see in the TV or even in several posters. We might not see it, but this kind of mentally will not be benificial to the future of our country/ can you imagine what will America be if their youngs have this mentality 60 years ago? some will say that it's parent duty to "screen" what are the kids watching nowadays... but how can the parents do that if they are both working and their Lola or Yaya's themselves enjoy wathcing this "Brain Rottening Shows"I really think the state should do something about it, but when ever they do it, people in the "capitalistic/ Media wolrd" cry it is an attack to the freedom of expression...mind you, yes Expression are free, but are we safe from it?I can post several things more about the horror that is going on because Media become the most powerful part of the state, they are the real ones that can make and unmake a leader.

Kumusta na?

It's been a while, since the last time I add anything to this worthless hole...(I mean, does anyone other than me, read my rants...I guess not...Maybe I should do something, like rob a bank, or assassinate Gloria arroyo and have a tattoo of the URL of this site in my arm, so that when they finally capture me...of course I would never surrender to them alive... The world would finally took notice) PATHETIC isn't it? =)

Anyway, as I mentioned... It's been a while... Tons of things happened since the last time, FPJ-the man considered the King of Filipino movies died last December 16? A super Typhoon lay waste half of Luzon, killing at least 1000 people, and a freaking Tsunami destroyed most of southern Asia killing at least 250,000 people.

With all this things happening in my country (don't even get me started to what's been happening to the world) I started to frequently remembered how have it easy during our High School years, (well yeah, college years are kindda easy too...But its a bit more complicated than HS). Were we hardly care what was written in the Headlines, we hardly give a damn on how many people died last Typhoon (to us, it's just another reason why we could have some breaks from the homework) Or who will be the next president, what are those taxes that will be implemented or who is the comptroller of AFP.

We have it easy, almost on every aspect in life, we have it easy, school is quite easy, studying is easy, having a relationship is very much easy...(im not kidding, but back in highschool, I could see many beautiful girls compare to my workplace).

Maybe the reason I have those frequent reminiscing, is that because after 6 years, I manage to talk (well actually, write...Via Friendster) to some of my HS classmates. All of them are working now, and Ludy for one have her Baby now. In the back of my mind, I could not believe that that girl that I use to accompany home when school ends, have her very own family. Is that really how long it is? I do know that some other classmates have their very own family since last year...or a year before that... But still, in the back of my mind, I see them as the same people that I used to play baseball with or talk about the latest episode of Dragon BallZ, they were ones the same people that I use to tell how much I like my HighSchool crush, and my plans in getting her attention, they are the same people that used to borrow my pens and rulers (in which, there are times, they forgot that they just borrowed it from me). These are the same people that I know cheated in their exams, or did not make their homework. Looking at them now, I kindda feel sad that I have let the moment go with out too much noticing it,. I do remember that back then, many of us are in such a hurry to grow up...I wonder now, if these same people are also wondering, or reminiscing those times that we buy those Banana cue infront of our School's driveway, or drink from the faucet, cut grass when were late or not wearing a proper uniform, sleep at the class only to wake up because your drool was noticed by your seatmate and started to announce it to the entire class. Maybe most of them are now busy with their life, or worrying where would they get the resources when their kids finally go to school... or perhaps worrying the expenditures in their upcoming wedding. Me....well I can't help it, I usually visit my HS school every week (i tend to run into it when ever i visit my fathers grave) and everytime, I started to remeber the things that we done, and the things that I wish I did, back then.

...

EVER wonder about RELIGION?


Nowadays, people are blaming religion for the current events happening in the middle east and some parts of Europe, the thoughts that Religion have generated more Hate, Wars and suffering than anything this planet have seen is getting more intense...

Here is a link of such discussion - One mans, disillusion, cause a thousand years or WAR

In regards to this discussion, this is my 2 cents in blaming religion as the cause of it all:

Just wondering... with all this thoughts of how the world have been a mess because of (no...it is just darn stupid to blame Christianity, Islam or Judaism to the current woes of the world) "conflict of belief" (not religion perse) Ever wonder if this Planet would have reach this stage with all nationalities still intact if there are no scuh religion?or lets just say only one religion prevail? (well... im under the impression that people has this thing of getting " strenght and assurance" when they ought to believed into something)do you really think... the world would have been better...I was told that in China... there is only one basic beliefs... (hmm..is that confucionism?) Yet....(well not reported in World news) killings, murder and rape and outright massacre still happen... same with other countries (places in Africa and Asia)Thus... its really childish to blames ones belief with all this terrorism and wars going on...i would rather believed that its the peoples greed and selfishness that drives this war and terrorism...I manage to read in a book that there was a priest and a soap peddler walking in the road... the sop peddler told to the priest " You know what, Religion is useless... with all the teachings and norms, still...people are at wars, people are killing each other and hurting each other"the priest just look at him and then look in another continue walking...thinking that he won becuase the preist refuse to reply, the soap peedler continue talking about how it would be better if this world never have any religion.As they walk, the notice some kids playing in the mud, with a soap. and even thou the soap have been applied in the bodies of the kids playing in the mud... they still look filthy."Tell me good sir," the priest ask. "isnt the soap meant to clean you when you applied it...?" "look at those kids""But father!, they are using it the wrong way" the peddler defended"same with religion" the Priest repliedYour god damn stupid if you fail to understand this

The WORKS of BOB Ong

I first encounter the black book last year, when my sister brought it home with her... now im that type of person that love reading "easy read" books -books na hindi mo kailanang na may bit-bit laging dictionary para lang maintindihan yung bawat naka katha dun sa libro... Well IMO the black books is the coolest book out of the three works of Mr. Ong. Dahil sa sadya namang mahuhulog ka sa silya kababasa nito... pero... mas na appreciate ko yung dilaw na libro dahil sa napapnahon ito para sa akin... nitong nakaraan na buwan... kinastigo tayo nang mundo dahil sa pag -diumano- yuko natin sa mga terrorista nang bihagin nila si Angelo dela Cruz...at hilingin na pauwiin ang mga sundalong Pilipino na nasa Iraq...(para sa hindi nakakaalma, Humanitarian reason kung bakit tayo nandun at hindi tulad nang maliit na bansa (na galing Africa?) na nabangit sa akin (nakalimutan ko yung bansa pero ippost ko rin next time) na ang pinadalang sundalo ay for combat mission Bakala daw tayo, walang mga bayag, dahil sa pag atras natin sa Iraq. nang binabasa ko ang dilaw na libro, nasabi ko sa sarili ko, isa na naman ba to sa masasama sa napakahabang listahan nang kahihiyan para sa bansa? Nang binasa ko pa ang ibang nakasulat sa dilaw na libro, natatawa ako na naiinis pagkat nakikita ko sa katha ni Bob Ong kung ano talaga yung reaksyon nang pilipino/pilipinong nasa Amerika at Fil-Am tuwing napapahiya ang bansa...

(i usually post in the Pinoyforum which i really think is misnamed for the place is compose of Americans leaving in the Philippines and Filipinos leaving in America.)

Dito ko nadama kung gaano kagalit yung mga fil ams sa atin sapagkat sinagip ni Gloria si Angelo dela Cruz at tinaraydor ang bansang amerika sa ating sumpa na kasama tayo sa "coalition" Bakit nga ba laging saliwa ang nagiging role natin sa mundo bilang bansa, bakit nga ba nakakapagod maging Pilipino PEro mas nakakapagod pag pilit mong pinagtatangol sa ibang lahi yung pagka pilipino mo gayong taalaga namng wala kang kinalaman sa mga pangyayari... tulad nang nabasa ko sa dilaw na libro, nang tanungin yung isang mama nang isang africano na sa Pransya, "are you abu sayaf" (retarded noh?) Nakakapagod ipamukha sa mundo na 85 million ang filipino at 50 lang ang abu sayaf nakakapagod na ipaliwanag na 85 milyon ang filipino at isa lang yung gumawa nang ilove you virus nakakapagod ipaliwanag na 85 milyon ang filipino at isa lang yung nang holdap na geroplano at tumalon gamit ang home made parachute... --- Binili ko yung libro ...ung itim dahil gusto ko maaliw, pero hindi ko alam na tutulong ito para mamulat ako sa role nang diyos sa buhay nang tao Binili ko yung berdeng libro, kasi na sira yung lrt na sinasakyang nang gf ko at wala akong magawa, pero hindi ko naiisip na tutulong ito upang sariwain ko ung buhay estudyante at ang pagiging sagrado nang mga guro... binili ko ang dilaw na libro para, wala lang...para mamulat pang muli

ANGELO dela CRUZ + MEDIA = Sickening

* NOTE: I have nothing against Mr. Angelo dela Cruz, for I myself pray for his safe return... But what have transpire have force me to write such an entry to my blog.

CAN WE CALL HIM A HERO

Who ever first suggested this should be tied up and thrown to the raging Pasig River, for he is soooooooooooooooooooo dumb to misunderstand or to confuse himself to Heroism and being a plain hostage pleading for his dear life.

I was so disgusted after learning that some Politicians or public figures actually suggested that we should make a hero out of Mr. A. Dela Cruz. What did he do to deserve such designation. as far as I could remember, the only thing he did was to plead for his life and claim that his hostage takers are his friends.

And what did he do to deserve such mileage, from the Media and from other so called institutions? What did he do that makes him so special that we cant offer the same thing to the families of Catherine Yap and the rest of the hostage abducted by our own Terrorist. What did he do that now give him the rights to have a movie so that it can be shown to the people have Gloria failed to uphold something that she sworn to do?

I as actually laughing when I first read the news about the plead of Angelo dela Cruz eldest son to Mrs. Arroyo " My father was "forced" to work in Iraq!" Really, did someone pointed a shotgun in his Kapangpangan head when he signed that two years contract to be a truck driver stationed in Saudi Arabia to deliver supplies to Baghdad. Did the Philippine government sent him letter that if he dont work in Iraq, he will be imprisoned. Who force him?
----
"Fate for him" a friend tells me when were discussing it...FATE?! Man!, if we can see fate, or if he has a face, it should be black and blue with all the misery in the world were blame on FATE. Is it fate that he has 8 kids, is it fate that he didn't graduated or earn a diploma to have a decent work in here?

ACHOOO!

Sorry, im allergic to Bullshit! (originally from I, Robot)

I feel sorry for him, not just because he was abducted, but because he has become a pawn to GMA's effort to prove to the Filipinos that she deserves to be a president, Angelo become a pawn to the grand design to show to the world that GMA is really compassionate to his countrymen... The problem is... Consistency

If she really wanted to help those so called New Heroes, it should not stop with Angelo dela Cruz or to those Filipinos that will be abducted by the Iraqi terrorist... She should have made sure that all OFWs are given support to every plight that come in their way in order to earn dollars that they remit to the country that help keep this country afloat. And help this State to rise from the depths of Economic and National crisis.

MESSAGE to the PEOPLE

"Pag na kidnap ka at ginawa kang Hostage, instant jackpot ka na nang House and lot at Scholarship sa mga Anak mo, kahit isang dosena pa yan"

I find is really irritating that OFW's since time immemorial have experience sooo manage hardship, so many torment along with their family members, were neglected by the Administration. those that were killed by their Arab boss and employer, those that were rape and received physical harm from them Saudi retards. What did the Government offer to them, or those same institutions that are giving all these goods to Mr. dela Cruz?

I say, if they cant continue it or guarantee that they could do it to all OFWs that suffer the same fate or worst... Don't do it to anybody, not even those that were broadcast worldwide via internet threatened to be beheaded or otherwise.

COWARDICE

Such an ugly word, and for a race that takes pride in struggling out from the conqueror's hands, such remark is a slap in the face.

A month or so ago, a truck driver in Iraq were captured by the militants group while he is driving his lorry from Saudi Arabia to Baghdad. That truck driver is no other than Mr. Angelo dela Cruz, a Kapangpangan father of eight that went to the Middle East even thou there is a clear danger of abduction in connection to the current situation in Iraq.

After being abducted, he was presented in in a Saudi base network and relay to the world how he pleaded for his life and ask the Philippine government to withdraw its support to the US led coalition so that he wont be beheaded and will be release after the last Filipino soldier left Iraq.

With the current unrest and no clear mandate to the previously held Presidential election, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was somewhat forced to betray her pledge of support to the Bush administration and give in to the Kidnappers/ Terrorist demands.

and even before Mr. Angelo dela Cruz were able to set free, news travel all over the world that his abductors have release them, but to Mrs. Arroyo's surprise, its not true. And regretfully informed the family of Angelo that its a mistake.

Another "kuryente" incident to the beleaguered president...(Her administration last three years ago is rigged with such incidents of wrong info passing thru her Info Department)

But after that "pagkakamali" words have been confirmed that Arroyo have give-in to the demands that earn the ire of the Coalition Members, specially the USA and Australia. Even the Japanese and the S. Korean government have express disgust to the decision, for they themselves have sacrificed their own nationals for this so called WAR on Terrorism.

After confirming that the Philippine Government have announce that they will pull out the tiny contingent from Iraq in an effort to save the Truck driver, other countries and nationals have express how coward the Philippines is - to give in to such barbaric demands and even blame the country to the succeeding incidents that happened in Iraq after the country have fully withdraw form the war-torn country.

Fil-Americans or those born with a Filipino Heritage but live in other countries express disgust to the move done by Mrs. Arroyo, for they say it bring shame not only to the Filipinos in the eyes of the Coalition but to the world, they branded Filipinos as cowards/ spine-less and cannot be trusted to keep their words, They call us traitors to our promise and weak to our own convictions... All because GMA wanted to save Angelo dela Cruz.

-------------

Funny, as if USA and Australia never pull-out its troops in order to save some lives or even because of Public clamor... I never really believe that there "is" a huge clamor for the Filipino Pull-out or even to reject the US-led war...(those that rally in the streets are the very same people that rally every time US do something or Philippines is doing something that will benefit the USofA. But still, I guess GMA really did what she needed to do to avoid any unrest, specially knowing for that fact that her Administration is rigged with issues regarding how she cheated to the Presidency.

She sacrificed the Philippine honor to save - no- not Angelo, but her self... Indeed she cant be trusted... Specially if she cant keep her words, why would someone trust her... The problem is, that She is the considered President, and the one challenging her cant even be trusted to safe guard a barangay less we have him (FPJ) look after a country.

I doubt if she will try to save that old Kapangpangan if it happened a year ago, before Bush actually visit the country.
--------

Cowards-
Filipinos can be cruel, un compassionate, undisciplined or even be uncontrollable and with out moral... But being cowards is something that we could not accept.

A country that fought so many conquerors compare to anyone in the region,the people that have been legendary to charge a line of rifle wielding soldiers, holding nothing but a farmers sword (Itak) or even fought a more advance and fully reinforce warriors in the land of Bataan and island of Corregidor and held on longer that any other Allied forces during that faithful year of 1942. A country that have been fighting their very own War on Terror even before the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center...

Yes, we are no cowards... And even if the other countries attack us with harsh remarks because of that Angelo dela Cruz incident, we should never look down to our selves, cause not even the great USA should look down upon us. We should never be regretful that we share the very same blood that flow in the veins of the likes of GMA or Angelo dela Cruz, because its the same blood that flow in the veins of our so called Heroes. Heroes that face death to protect not just our countrymen, but the very pride of our country.

Election Aftermath


Filibustering-well that another word for my limited lay mans dictionary We all know how people from all walks of life hate and disgusted with Sen. Pimentel in his role in "delaying" the canvasing, How others claim that he is no longer the man they know back in the Marcos years, nor he was still the man that have been considered the champion of Human rights... i have read Phil Star inbox various comments regarding Pimentel's "Filibustering" and how he is wasting time and Tax payers money to "Grand-Stand" in this scenario... But somehow, it seems that majority of our country men really does not understand why Pimentel is "really" doing this.

I m a person that is very fond of the previous World War, i play PC games such as Call of Duty/ Suddenstrike 2/ Pacific Theater of Operations and the likes... looking at this situation at the senate, it made me remember the comment that Gen. Erwin Rommel made when he was pondering about the impending Allied invasion at France, he is well aware that if Germany lose the Beach, they will lose the WAR.

Well, it doesn't take more than commonsense to see that GMA cheated (in the grandest scale) in the last Presidential Election. Stealing votes from all the candidates, getting more votes than the actual registered voters, and making votes made for rival candidates to vanished into thin air. GMA is very much resourceful in terms of budget and connection...not to mention influence... just like the Allied forces in that fateful dau of June 6 1944. GMA has all the resources she needs to make a grand invasion to the voting precints... Pimentel is just trying to emphasis that before proclaiming anyone to be the next president, we must be sure that it was the "real" mandate of the Filipino People... IMO, his not wasting Tax payers money but actually giving its worth that we will have a true elected leader in our midst.

If Pimentel is wasting Taxpayers money, then we should all cry foul how GMA wasted our "tax money" in helping her trick those poor souls in voting for her because she have given them health cards that are years over due... and how about Chairman Abalos, how his Automated Voting gone to waste after investing billions of pesos to the so called computerized election? If you think Pimentel stinks now... i really don't know how unbearable the stench of those two that I mentioned.

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Well, everybody is tiered already about the things happening in the canvassing, most Filipinos doesn't even care who is leading in this "official" canvass. I mean come on, the minimum fare in the PUJ is 5.50 pesos already, from 4.00 pesos a week ago, within 2 months, Fare have increase to at least 30+% (50+% if you'll include that .75 increase three months ago. and everybody is saying "Oh come on, get it over with already...GMA won already, and who cares is she cheated, everyone will cheat given the chance and the machinery, everyone will stay in power! so what if she used PAGCOR funds in the last election, she'll end up using it anyway, same if Erap is still the president, he'll use it to help the one he will be endorsing provided he didn't got booted out in that EDSA 2 scenario"

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Makes you wonder, how come when the people thought they were cheated in the last impeachment in Estrada's administration, they run to the streets... but when it is obvious that the people are once again "cheated" in this Presidential Election, it seems that going to the streets is a stupid option. (well thats what the elite are saying) and any form of protest is an act of Destabilization (Darn, i think that word have been used too much in this Administration) its like this:


Meaning of Protest in terms of Regime

Marcos regime- Democracy at Work
Cory Regime - Communist Militant at Work
Ramos Regime - Democratic Militant at Work
Estrada Regime - Democracy at work
Arroyo Regime - Destabilization move


anyway, why I should I care, Prizes are going no where but up, unemployment is booming with all this non-medical graduates no where to go but as CC agents (medical graduates can always apply abroad, with all the wars going on in the middle east, US needs all those nurses to take care of those poor soldiers.

-My point (i really should stop this sideways habit of mine).

It really obvious that if the People were convinced that Estrada is trying to cheat his way out of that impeachment, with that 2nd envelope thing that end up containing nothing really significant (I think i read in the PDI that is there is anyone to blame why Erap lost the Presidency, it would be those 11 senators that voted No) The Opposition is hoping to convince the people that Arroyo is cheating her way "IN" to the Presidency

Casting a Vote

Yesterday, 43 million of my countrymen trek to their local precinct to once more live their right of suffrage and vote their respective candidates from the President to the municipal councilors.

and yes, I myself share the hassles and difficulties in trying to cast your vote to the official ballots. We started early, yet encounter some problems when we were told that we are in the wrong precinct and the proper precinct still doesnt have the list of voters in their hands. We line up there for 2 hours just to cast our votes to the people that will end up rubbing us blind the moment they taken their respective seats.

Well, I guess it will still be long before my countrymen will wake up in their illusion that those that gave them 300 hundred bucks every election will be the key to their salvation from poverty. Those that promise them food in their table will actually deliver the same old promise. those that claim that have studied abroad will be the ones to give them a decent work...

Im betting that i'll be rotting six feet under before such awakening to my beloved country. But unlike the most of my countrymen, I still have faith, that my prediction are wrong, and one day, I will see the real "Dawn" of my Mother LAND

VOTEs that I Cast

President: Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (I really believe that his stance of discipline can really help this country in this time of disarray and lost of confidence to the leadership
Vice-President: Loren Legarda (Well, she did a lot of help to the public and to the nature, i do believe she will do better as a Vice President compare to ol' Kabayan)
Senators:

Dick Godon - What can i say, the man have lots of achievements, and everybody wanted him to make the same miracle he did to Subic

Ponce Enrile - Well he did help in bringging to the publics attention the PPA anomaly (damn those Lopezes for robbing us!)

Robert Jaworski - most of his achievements and contributions have help the Philippine Sports and providing the most necessary element to the human being "water" to the barangay level.

Jamby Madrigal - well what can I say, she been hoping for a seat for the past 2 senatorial election, let her have it :D

Ernesto Maceda - according to ol' Tulfo, this guy really place shiver to the other corrupt officials :D

Carlos Padilla - what can I say, Im a Ping Fanatic

Frank Chavez - plain and simple, He deserve to be in the Senate

Alfredo Lim & Rodolfo Biazon - cause we need men that was trained in the iron will of discipline to be among those that will forge laws for this society

Dilangalen, Didagen & Meriam Defensor Santiago - To make the freaking senate more livelier

Herrera - I do believe this guy have done more even thou he suffer the lost of his ability to walk on his feet.

A Sad Story

Yesterday, I recieve a very strange phone call from a guy named "Salde", he is looking for the secretary of Mr. Raffy David, I inform him that he is speaking with him. Now, Salde ask me if hr could leave a message to Mr. David and inform me the urgency of the message. I told him "Yeah, well sure... what is it?" Then he told me that his father once works as a carpenter in my boss residence in Valle Verde. and he mentioned that two years ago, my boss "Promised" to Salde's dad that if he ever need something, do not hesitate to seek his assistance. Not long after that promise, The Carpenter (Salde's father) got sick, and true to his promise, my boss according to Salde, gave his assistance by giving him some money(the amount was used to purchase medicines and drugs) Now, the by also told me the sad news that his father have passed away, The reason that he gather enough guts to call my boss office is to beg for the last time to my boss in order for them to claim his father's remain that is being held in the morgue because they couldn’t pay off the amount of 850.00 pesos.

After getting details from Salde (i.e. Address, land marks) I ask him to call me back after an hour to get Mr. David's response to this message. Salde is already crying at this time, and you could really feel in his voice the pain and helplessness. I tried calling my boss, but it seems to be his on a meeting, so I texted him. After 40 minutes, I receive his reply; He called me and told me this -" I don’t know anyone by that name or i could not remember anyone that has that name or any of my family members remember this person" - I tried clarifying it with him, telling my boss that He once helped them before, and they are now trying to get one last help from him. But my boss stand firm that he knows no one with that name or remember anything about it.

I was really heartbroken, knowing that the guy will be calling me again, and hoping to hear a good news, yet what I will tell him is the exact opposite. (Bad enough that some one will reject your plea for help...but its far worst, if some one actually reject the idea that they know you) After ten minutes or so, Salde did call and I gave him the bad news, I could hear him broke down...as if the entire world just fallen out on him...He mentioned that he was force to go to the Town because its the only place where there is a Pay phone for him to make that call. That his entire family is really hoping that my boss will be their Hero in that time of need. But I guess fate have once more played tricks on them. A very sad trick... I could really feel Salde's pain, for up to know I could not believe that my father is no longer with us. Yet, I’m still thankful that my father earned the love and respect of those people that attend his wake, guess I could say we have it easy in regards to burying my Father.

i could not sleep that night, thinking... what if its true....what if that guy really lose a father, and now is struggling to give their father a decent burial, yet they don’t have the resources to do so. I really wish my boss gave a fraction of time to verify who are those guys anyway.

To be fare to my boss, his a very generous person, but there are times that he tend to give promises to those people that he only met once, and unfortunately those guys honor his word. Well my boss, most of the time really strive to help those that he promises to help... but sometimes, it really sucks when the time came, when you really need some help... and the one that you expect to do it, give you a cold shoulder.

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TWO BRAVE MEN

I just read in the news today, Two men were slain because they struggle to fight off several men that conduct a Hold-up in a bus traveling in EDSA Hi-way. Two men are dead because a bunch of guys, wanted to earn with sweating it out, because of greed and stupidity, another family have lost a father, a brother, a husband because some guys are too darn lazy to stretch some muscle or use their brain to earn a decent living.

I also read that the holdapers were drunk when they conducted the act. Fortunately, concern citizens informed the authorities and were able to stop these marauders.

I say, they should be executed right on the spot, this kind of behavior should not be taken lightly, when will we learn that these kind of people have abused the compassion that our society (breed by religion and being apathetic) have given them. This kind of criminals will go on and on, killing off innocent civilians that done nothing but to be in a wrong place at a wrong time. There are witness that they killed those two guys, what will be their defense for shooting that guy...NONE! Thus, I say, let give them something that they truly deserve, a one way ticket To HELL!

For the Kicks:

Well, Me and my GF have been going steady for the past three years, and yeah...there are lots and lots of time that i said to my self "Why is it soo hard to understand them"...guess they are asking the same thing.



Well, being a US nave have its ups and down...LOL

BEER = Helping Pinoys kill each other since 1951



At least you can get it now for free (or not)

My "Ball Sport" area is my (PC GAMES) area and i have a 5% larger Domestic Skills

Memories of Child Hood (Part 1 to 3)


Part I - When Day was Turned into Night

It was a normal day for us 12 year olds to sleep during noon, waiting for the sun to almost set at around 4:00 pm so we could play some traditional games like Tumbang-Preso , Patintero or Taguan (Taguan= Hide and Seek)... anyway, i slept at around 1:40 pm that day, and because i was sleeping so near the window....i was awaken 2 hours later because my eyes was irritated by somewhat sands like particles that landed in my face... when i open my eyes, i realize that it was dark already...i was very dissapointed at that time cause im really looking forward for a good afternnon of fun playing those games mentioned...

when i walk out of the room and look at the TV, i saw my cousin watching a local variety show that usually ends around 4:00 pm... not realizinfg it immediately, i went outside to go to my friends hous a few blocks away from our house..as i walk... i notice that im gathering too much dirt in my body, yet it was raining (actually, its more of a drizzle)...so as i reach my friend's house, i saw them watching back then a favorite tv series dubbed "Shaider" -its a japanese TV series translated to Tagalog)... i know for a fact that Shaider's air time is around 4:30 pm...so i look up in the clock and i was baffled cause the TV series did not lie...it is just 4:30 pm...yet it's so dark outside, you'll think its 9:00PM already... i then ask my friend uncle whats happening... is it the end of the world...why is it its that DARK when it suppose to be just 5:00 pm and we could still see the sun set... he laugh of the idea that the world is ending because we have an early nightfall... then i learned, from a breaking news... it is indeed the End of the World...well not for us...but to most of my countrymen living in Zambales/ La Union and Pampanga Provinces...

It was June 14, 1991...Mount Pinatubo...a Dormant Volcano, sleeping for the past 600 hundred years, erupted, blasting tons and tons of smoke and debri in the atmosphere, causing climate change and pouring sands and dust to nearby provinces and even countries... (there are even account that the explosion of Pinatubo promted the US to forget the renewal of US bases stationed at Subic and Clark Air Field... but of course i could not be sure with this)... the eruption cause the death of at least 10,000 people and injury of 100,000 more...

In that two days that the entire island of Luzon was engulf in that dark cloud, of ashes and sand... seeing the sun on the third day, is like witnessing the return of the messiah... really hope such experience (fear and confusion) will never befall to the next generations...

Part II - World War II Underground Base

I guess it was 14 years ago...

A friend of mine accompany to catch some fist in a pond ...about 700 meters away from our house. He brought along with him his dog named Blue Thunder (most probably base in that ol' TV series about a hilocopter with the same name)...

I was carrying a long bamboo stick (about 9 feet long) to be used in our fishing and preparing the nets... It was the 1st time that blue thunder venture in that area (most of the time he is lock up in my friend's house)

all of a sudden while we are walking, the dog stop and starts digging on the ground, we ignore him and continue on our way, but when my friend notice that the dog is not following us, we decided to fetch him... then... we notice that he have dug quite a deep hole...(around 10 inches or so...) i unmindedly strike the ground with my stick, and to my shock... in went straigh into the ground... and before we know it...a portion of that ground collapse, revealing a large hole in the ground (about 3 feet wide...) when we look at it... its a deep epty hole... i immedietly run to our house and look for a ladder...(back then, we are dreaming that it coul be a hiding place for some short of treasure. hidden by the Japs...: )

anyway, after gathering enough courage, we decided to went down in the hole...now it cant be naturally made, cause base on the markings it was dug using some digging tools that we call "Piko"... it was very obvious... the hole is about 9 feet deep...and has an extension of at least 10 to 12 feet long. ... we know it could be longer than that because it seems that a portion of that hole collapse due to the composition of the sediment wall and the top soil and rocks that block the end of the extension... not long ago, whne my father and a bunch of worker excavated the land beside our house, they found several networks of supposedly tunnels...and trench... but they didnt give much thought about it, and destroy everything... not it seems to me that what we discover back then was the main entrance for those tunnels... we found an old strap that resemble a rifle strap... a piece of i think a reading glass, and some thorn clothes... we didnt realize, that my mother have been looking for us... so when she saw the dog, waiting in the middle of the field, she come nearer, she was shock and very much angry when she saw us emerging from the hole... she asked my friend to go home and i took a beating after that... then she ask some help from one of the neighbor to cover the hole....

My father told me it could just been only a well or something... but i disagree... it seems the hole is leading to somewhere, except that a portion collapse that why it was block...beside... it just nine feet deep... it cant be just a well...

... 2 years after.... i manage to meet an old man that manage a carenderia near our school... i was talking about him how old he is... and what it was like back in the days when they were fighting the japanese (i assume he took part in the guerrilla fighting cause our place host a number of gueriila fighters back in the 40's) He told me he was 17 years old back then... they hardly engage the jap...they just monitor their movements... he even told me that even thou there is at least 60 to 70 member of their unit...only 30 or so has a rifle... and most of them are hidden in their hide out... beside the pond just across the subdivision... my face lighten when we mentioned it... and i narrate to him that we discover their hideout...

he told us that they bombed it after hearing that the Americans have already landed in Leyte, and they will took part in the liberation of Manila.

I told him we are hoping to take a look at their former hide out, but he discourage me, saying, he is not be sure if they did not left some ammunitions there... it is best that we leave it alone...

yet...I can't help it a place with so many historic significance could be forgotten, just because nobody care anymore about how those young men once took part in an effort to ensure we will be free from the Japanese oppressor

Part III - In the Midst of the 1989 Coup de Etat

Baguio is not a good place when a unch of rebelious Soldiers decided to seige the Presidential Palace...if i remebr it right, it was the morning of December 7th, 1989. two days after we arrive at the Northern City of Baguio that we heard in the news that Col. Gringo Honasan and his men have siege several media and Commercial establishment in the Metro Polis. Baguio is located at least 250 Miles away from the City, but the thing is, we are suppose to be going home that day... even in the midst of warning that we will be facing tons of Hassles in our trip, my Father decided to go for it and proceed with the 7 hours travel. It was a busness trip, those accompanying us were officemates of my Father in the Department of Agriculture. All were worried sick because most of them reside near where Hostilities have been reported occuring.

Thus we continue our trek, and even before we manage to leave the city of Baguio, we were greeted by APC and trucks of Soldiers...we are not sure if those soldiers are going to Manila to fight off the rebels or to join them, back then, i could not understand why are they trying to get rid of the Administration that Mr. Honasan help to be installed... all im thinking back then is, darn i need to take a crap but i could not find a decent bathroom

As we reach teh province of La Union, we were stopped by company of Army soldiers to inspect if were transporting more troops to the metropolis, luckily, the one incharge of the checkpoint knows my Father, fortunately, the Lt. in charge also hail from my Fathers hometown of Catbalogan, and incedently one of those that tried to court my Auntie... after a small talk, they let us pass thru and even gave me some sweets when my father introduce me as his son. He also offer us a route to take to avoid the other checkpoints that are stationed every 50 kilometers. As we reach the province of Tarlac, my father decided that we take our lunch in one of them carenderia, and as we order, we saw our countrymen fix on their TV sets listening to the hostilities happening in Manila and Makati Area. scores of soldiers have been killed and there was an incident where a certain army soldiered fired an anti tank rocket to the approaching APC and destroyed it, upon inspection he realized that it was his brother that was driving the APC who joined the rebel forces... he killed his own brother in an effort to protect the incumbent administration.

We continue our trip, is still tune in to the developments in the city... as we approach the province of Pampanga (it was pass 7:00 PM already...we left Baguio at around 6:00 AM) we end up in the stand still when we near the tollgate.. it was blocked by several Trucks, reports had it that earlier that day, 2 trucks of rebels pas thru that tollgate, and the poor guards is no match to face an entire company in their race to help their fellow soldiers fighting in the Capital. We stay there for another 2 hours, trying to sleep and gaining strenght... then my Father remember that there is a passage way from the express way to the McArthur hiway ...ut we need to pass thru the Pampanga river to be able to reach the other side. Checking the low tide high tide period, my father calculated that if we hurry, we could reach the river where it is still shallow... but due to the delay and due to the unfamiliar terrains, we reach the river, an hour later... but the river is still shallow, but we need to hurry, cause we could see it rising and the rapids is getting strong... as we proceed to cross the river, (were going on a slow speed) a pick up truck tried to overtake us in our right side...now...the reason while most of the vehicle is following a single line is becuase it is the known route where the river has a shallow part... in our surprise and to the pick ups horror, the vehicle plunge into a deep part, submerging the entire vehicle.... the rapids is getting very strong, but we could not live the poor man alone in his pick up becuase we are uncertain how deep his Pick up plundge into the river... we stop, and my father along with his office mates tried to save the man... and drag him from his pick up, that is now fully submerge... waters are already starting to get inside our VAN, but we manage to pull thru and a red light have been opened to signalled that the river is no longer passable...

another hour later, we reach my hometown... in the journey, youll see in our face the exhausting feeling, yet a sign of relief, that after a laborous 25 hour drive, im finally HOME.

Wonder Years

My nephews... *sigh*....

Miguel (Center) is attending summer school now, *sigh* soon they will be off to college and contributing to the booming population of this planet...

LOL

Fireflies, Dragonflies, and Butterflies

Today is considered a special day for our beloved planet

-=editorial=-

In case you haven't notice it yet...

WE ARE DESTROYING IT!!!

I really dont know whats with those people that could bare the sight of floating trash in the rivers or the dreaded looking smog in the air. And yet do

NOTHING!

about it.

In the editorial, it mention that not long ago, the people of Metropolis could enjoy the sight of seeing those beautiful firelies in the darkness of the night... now it seems that they are among the extinct species because hardly anyone have ever seen one in the pass few years (as if anyone care).

I also notice, in our own province, it have been that long that last time i ever seen a butterfly and the dragonflies, they were once very abundant in our subdivision. I could even play, trying to catch as many as i can, place them in a jar or something...and pretend that they are little princess cursed by a witch and could only broken a spell by a kiss from a handsome prince. (Well, I'm no prince nor i could claim I'm handsome) Anyway, my point is, nowadays, You could only seem them in those butterlies farms in Quezon City and i think they also have those in Batangas, Tagaytay and some areas in northern Bulacan. What happened to those beautiful creatures... Is it true that years from now, our children would only think of our stories playing in the cool waters of the rivers, or climbing the trees and catching butterflies are among our fairytales when ever we wanted them to sleep (cause the Testorones are acting wild). Do we really need to pay some farm for us to once more have a look what does "Salagubang"(Beetle) or "Salaginto" (Tiger Beetle) really looks like. Do we really have to travel all the way to Bicol or Batanes Island so that once again we could breath the fresh air the the trees in the mountains offer?

Unless we really start waking up, and our Leaders start inforcing real laws in protecting what little we have... I guess the composers of "Asin" would have a sequel to their song "Wala ka bang napapansin" and carry the title "Kapansinpansin".