Million People March to Luneta Park with Celebrities :)

Everything started out fine. The sun was starting to come out of the overcast. Roads were blocked before 8 AM and you see people walking on the road to the Quirino Granstand for today's indignation rally over the Pork Barrel scam.

We see Filipinos and foreigners, old men and women, children, whole families with their pets, whole corporations, students, priests and nuns with their statement streamers and noise paraphernalia trekking with smiles on their faces.  

Chanting started to fill the air at around 0930. Shouts of "Baboy! Baboy!" were heard from different groups hanging out on benches or silver mats close to the platform. the "organizers" commenced their programs. "makibaka, 'Wag matakot, (thumbs down) no to pork, even Makibaboy,

it is almost 1000 AM and you hear comments like "Ano ba yan?" Followed by boos coming from a certain area near the stage. Followed by more chants of "Epal" "Epal." We moved from our area to where the chants were coming and much to our dismay we see old politicians (celebrities) waving their hands at a now angrier crowd.

Interviews are being conducted and people would stop and watch then start whispering asking who's the person being interviewed followed by loud curses. More celebrities are coming, trying to gain sympathy from the growing crowd. Different agenda started flying, RH Bill, FOI, and some were even asking for the President to step down. The main object of the gathering is now out of control. Some people started moving towards the nearest coffee shops, restaurants shouting their dismay "Babalik kami pag wala na yang mga leche na yan."

My group, still trying to be nice suddenly felt hunger. Some wanted to go to the toilet (to puke maybe) but on the way out. We started shouting "Libre! Libre" not Fidel Castro's Cuba Libre, but asking a well-known corrupt figure to treat us lunch from the money he stole from us. Loud Conversations were heard on how politicians of past, present and future have done it in bad taste.

We didn't make the million mark here in Luneta but the message was clear, corruption has to stop. system has to be cleaned. corrupt politicians purged. Guilty jailed. All over the country, more than a million would be protesting. I got a call from a friend at a rally in Cebu and surprised that the same thing happened. "What do they take us for? Fools?" "They have the evil marks of greed and corruption, why do they have to go?"

It is now past 3, slight drizzle, people were saying there is a typhoon coming, they parked far, the kids are unruly. Some loud guys would yell from below the restaurant where we were, "Let us go home before I also become a criminal. Because I will strangle those politicians'necks."

Started stuffing my car with the things we brought, half empty jugs, bags of sandwiches given to bystanders. Poor people were waiting around observing, waiting for events to unfold, not knowing what the real issues are but one old lady quipped before getting a bag of sweets "Hindi dito nagtatapos yan, tama po ba ako?" 

She is damn right. This is not an exercise in futility. The message delivery continues.  The people are unfazed and have spoken. We will make them hear our cries of indignation. Every 8 PM we will still chant "Baboy, Baboy" wherever we are. We will MAKE SOME NOISE!! PINOY TANGA KA BA? Let us not be tanga or 'wag magpapatanga. One message to deliver : rid this nation of corruption.

Two powerless men unaware of events unfolding around them. One man continues to collect garbage to earn his day's keep of 100 PHP or $2. The other trying to pack sandwiches we gave him for his children at home. Both expressed their hopes of a clean government and total eradication of corruption. So their next generation will have a chance of a brighter future. "Para naman po sa aming mga apo at susunod na henerasyon!" "Mahirap po maging dukha buong buhay lalo na at alam namin na kami ay ninanakawan ng tulong na dapat ay para sa amin."

Martsa sa Luneta

It is now 06:00 in Manila. It is drizzling quite a bit and people are starting to converge at the Freedom Park, Luneta. We are hoping that it will not rain hard as people claim it is God's will to let us know that we are not doing the right thing. The Park is slowly getting filled with people and the police force have closed the streets going to Luneta.

Strange that I see different placards with different agendas. We are discussing now what this exercise is all about. As far as my group is concerned, it will be an expression of disgust over the misuse of public funds and we are calling for the end to corruption and hope for a nation with a clear national  direction.

We have been approached by several groups when they saw that we are one of the largest contingents but we politely turned them down saying we do not belong to a particular group and we do not subscribe to a particular agenda. We are just ordinary citizens calling this government for change and it is about time to get rid of corruption. 

Have to go to take care of our senior citizens. I will be right back to update you later. 

Pasensya na po Pangulong Aquino Tuloy ang Laban

Maraming salamat po Mahal naming Pangulo at inyong pinakinggan ang hinaing ng bayan. Napakagandang pananghalian ng inyong itinala na tatanggalin na ang Pork Barrel, ang pinanggagalingan ng kasamaan. 

 This just proves that you cannot just be swayed by partisan politics and your heroes' pedigree will prevent any attempts of cover up by your allies. It only proves you are not one of them and your breed sets you apart from these pack of wolves. 

 But I was just disturbed by the recent report of the Majority Floor Leader Juan Ponce Enrile that the Commission on Audit only reported 46% of the total disbursements. This means that half was not reported and I have reason to suspect that this half will no longer be shown to the people? I was hoping this would be Mr. Enrile's signal that "if I go down, we all go on a sinking ship with me." 

Lahat ng may kasalanan ay ngayon lang malalaman sa inyong pamumuno. It has never happened in our history. We never had a President who cross against party line to prosecute the guilty partymates.

 I remember fully well your mother having said in one of our rallies after the death of your good hero father "Tuloy ang Laban." 

 The nation will not sit and watch as these animals go scot-free. That they will again escape prosecution and Makakalimutan na yan ng mga TANGANG FILIPINO! 

Ten Billion is missing and politicians have misused these funds, are we just going to say I am sorry? 

 So heeding the call of our great Mother Cory - Tuloy ang Laban until you have sent the ones responsible to jail. We will continue to be your squeaky wheels until we have been repaired as a nation. Again, make history and jail the offenders. IKULONG ANG MGA MAGNANAKAW SA KABAN NG BAYAN.

You have listened to the cry of the nation to scrap the evil Pork Barrel NOW, tell your colleagues to prosecute those who have wronged the nation. Walang kaibi-kaibigan, walang kaalyado, lahat ng maysala ay dapat managot. 

 Tuloy ang laban mga kababayan lest the politicians in power think that they have poured icy water on the scorching wrath of the people. MAKE SOME NOISE!! Sumigaw ng Baboy! Baboy! let us tell them that scrapping alone of their source of power and evil is not enough. 

 For those who do not understand this call, let me brief you of its nature. We fought the powerful Goliath dictator in pockets of resistance - people would write, restricted media would magnify the cries of ordinary people, students would unify and rally against a regime surrounded by strong evil men. 

 As Ninoy have spoken and warned, "violence is the tool that they will use against us - they might even kill us" BUT we continued to fight, little voices here and there calling for reforms, abolition of Martial Law, and restoration of freedom. 

 We were so scared for our lives we even peed on our pants sometimes. This was our situation until housewives banged kitchen pots and pans, students sang Bayan Ko. Ordinary drivers would honk their horns to pass the message to us - HIndi Kayo Nagiisa.

 Suddenly, ang takot at kaba sa naiimbing kamatayan ay naibsan ng sigaw ng bayan, naging ilaw sa kahindik-hindik na kadiliman. We gained new strength. we found HOPE. We knew we were not fighting alone. 

 To the new generation who have called us "stupid" for marching on the streets before, you have now experienced or "tasted" the power of the people. How as a collective body we can swing decisions to its moral and rightful conclusion. Our voice is supreme, we are the bosses, let them not forget about it. 

The people in the helm of governance have often thought that Filipino complacency is idiocy. We are not a bunch of idiots. we are not stupid. Pinoy Tanga Ka Ba? 

 Tuloy ang Laban, MAKE SOME NOISE! I suggested the 8PM habit of collectively making them hear our noise hoping that after our busy jobs we would have a clear mind to express our disgust, to express ourselves. 

 MAKE SOME NOISE until we see the rightful conclusion to this horrendous scam.Ipasa ang Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) at malinaw na ipaalam sa mamamayan ang patakbo ng pamahalaan

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A message to the President and the Filipino Nation

Years back we thought we were but a small voice in the wilderness. We were fighting against a corrupt system of governance - of powerful men at the helm of governance and military institution sworn to protect the people not the interests of a few greedy politicians. Our cries were not heard then. "Huwag kayong babangga sa City Hall at wala kayong kakayahan" were quite common excuse when we were gathering strength in numbers. The rest is now history. We ousted a world notorious powerful dictatorship. We rid the country of evil men and women who have made the Filipino nation and people in a state of crisis. We installed into the helm of governance the HOPE for a better system. The HOPE OF THE PEOPLE. Fast forward to today and we see that the system has not changed. Several presidents later and they have made the men of the Marcos era look so good, now people want them back. Ang katuwiran? Di bale nang magnakaw basta may nagawang tulay at kalye. We heard and saw scandals being swept under the rug. "Makakalimutan din nila yan" "DAKILANG TANGA ANG MGA FILIPINO" We are now faced with one of the biggest scandals that have rocked the nation - money meant for striving farmers who were devastated by natural calamities were stolen through fake signatures and documents. PDAF or Perang Di Angkop sa Filipino but rather well-fitted to the pockets of politicians and their evil connections. We are not a small voice of complacency. Hindi tayo parating magkikibit balikat. We have known that politicians are corrupt- that the system is corrupt BUT this has put all scams into shame. Ten Billion (10B)pesos worth of funds meant to help ordinary "powerless" Filipinos in crisis STOLEN scandalously and without shame or remorse. TEN BILLION - ilang bahay,ilang pamilya, ilang buhay, ilang magaaral na Filipino? You do the math. I was in a known hotel coffee shop yesterday frequented by powerful men in politics and media. I was in a state of extreme nausea when I overheard their plans to wash this news out through spins at all cost. We have seen how this will be played out- another moromoro in the making. Pababayaan ba natin silang magtagumpay? Do we just standby and watch how this charade will be played out? What is next? Increase in tuition fees, new taxes, high cost of living, substandard government services, low wages, Contractualization etc? name it and we will all get it so we can line the pockets of a few corrupt politicians. TANGA ANG PINOY. EXPRESS YOURSELVES, let the nation know that you are a thinking lot - hindi Tanga ang mga Pinoy. Organize your pockets of indignation and raise your powerful voice as a a people, as a nation. We will be raising our concerns on a special date - August 26. IT WILL BE THE TAKE-off date until we see this drama to its rightful conclusion. MAKE SOME NOISE!! We knew that we were not alone, na hindi tayo nafiisa when we heard housewives bang their pots and pans, drivers blew their horns, students sang, priests and nuns lighted candles. Make a statement that we will not let this pass again like any other scams. Every 8 PM start making your indignation felt. Wether you want to scrap FDAP or not EXPRESS YOURSELF that this scandal will not be covered up. Sobra na ang pagpapalampas sa mga katiwalaan na nagpahirap sa milyong milyong mga kababayan na kasalukuyang nainilbihan sa ibang bayan para mainangaat ang kabuhayan ng kanilang mga anak. MR. PRESIDENT, you only have three more years and you will not run anymore. Make the nation feel you are worth the promise that your parents gave the Filipino people who have installed you where you are now. Ang daang matuwid ay hindi paghuhugas ng mga kamay ng iyong mga kaalyadong pulitiko. Lahat ng may sala ay dapat managot sa taong bayan. Patuloy na naghihirap ang mga Filipino dahil sa kawalanghiyaan ng iilan. MR. PRESIDENT, please make history and be the first president who will set aside partisan politics to do Whatever is right, kung ano ang tama, kung ano ang tunay na tamang DAAN NA MATUWID patungo sa pagbabago. Huwag nating sirain ang pangarap ng iyong mga magulang para sa mga Filipino. It is a move considered to be a political suicide for greedy politicians who do not want to step down and be in power hanggnag sa kahulihulihang mga apo BUT you are not one of them. Mr. President it is a legacy from your parents and will not be forgotten by generations to come. Write history NOW and be the greatest president this country ever had. You have proven that the economy can be turned around and we can be one of the greatest nations in the world again. NOW, Tell the Filipino nation na HINDI TAMA ANG MAGNAKAW SA KABAN NG BAYAN. President Pnoy Aquino the Filipino nation is waiting and watching and this time hindi kami basta mananahimik habang inyong pagtatakpan ang mga may kasalanan sa bayan. Sabi nga ng motto ng isa sa mga pianakacorrupt na tanggapan ng bansa - MAKE A STAND!! DO IT, DO IT RIGHT, DO IT RIGHT NOW.