PINOY TANGA KA BA?

TRANSCRIPT OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO AQUINO'S SPEECH BEFORE THE 65TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS

2010-09-25T23:44:00.000-07:00

(Transcripts courtesy of High Accuracy Transcription Solutions, Inc)

Mr. President:

Allow me to convey the greetings of the Filipino people to you and the delegates gathered for the 65th session of the UN General Assembly.

The United Nations was founded on the belief that in collective action lies collective security. It is when nations reach across their borders that the immense problems of our age begin to be manageable.

In a world that has become increasingly globalized, the challenges that we face have become globalized as well. Climate change; pandemics; terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; transnational organized crime such as human trafficking and the illicit drug trade; the continuing vulnerability of migrants, women, persons with disabilities, and the poor; and the challenges posed by increasingly interconnected economies all call for a further strengthening of international cooperation.

All of us here, representing our respective nations, are stewards entrusted with the well-being of our respective peoples. We are also called to be responsible and responsive members of the community of nations. Clearly, we are already aware that the problem of one poses a problem for all. Any solution, then, depends on us recognizing that each of our nations does not exist in a vacuum, but rather, in an increasingly interdependent global milieu.

The central revelation here is that for humanity to progress, all nations must progress as one. The quest for universal human dignity should not be defined by geographical, racial, or cultural boundaries, nor should it be set back by our desires to move our own nations forward. Global progress means equitable progress.

The industrialized nations of the world can look with pride on the living standards their peoples enjoy. But, as one of my distinguished predecessors once said, “Those who have less in life should have more in law.” This basic principle of social justice is also the most basic humanitarian challenge of our times. The wealth of nations must become an instrument to move the world further along the straight and righteous path of compassion and communal responsibility.

The message is clear: there are those who need help, and acting with compassion toward those who need help is a response that is both humane and necessary.

This idea has been trumpeted for decades, and yet, combating inequality remains one of the greatest challenges of our times. The chasm between the powerful and powerless, the haves and the have-nots, remains to be bridged.

The past century has demonstrated, in terms so stark that it inspired the creation of this organization, that when the mighty clash, those who have less end up trampled. This is true where conflict exists, and true where markets exist; true in our nation, and true in an international context.

The concept of vulnerability and inequality is all too clear in the global effort to address climate change. Those who stand to lose much, if not everything, from the effects of man-induced climatic conditions are those who did little to cause it.

There is an enormous need to ensure, as a matter of justice, that countries, particularly the vulnerable, are assisted in their adaptation and disaster risk-reduction efforts and are provided the necessary resources to build climate-resilient communities. This should go hand-in-hand with ambitious commitments by major economies to significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Many of you may say you have already given mightily of your resources. But surely we do not need flood and famine to remind ourselves that there is so much more that must be given, because there are so many more who deserve the hope of a better life.

The most immediate focus of cooperation demanded of us today is to collectively ensure that the eight Millennium Development Goals will be achieved by all in the remaining five years. This is a daunting task; and we are all aware that national resolve has to be complemented by bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation.

Rising to the challenges of our era requires, within each of our countries, a strengthened regulatory system. This does not mean a cumbersome, intrusive government, but rather a government that allows private enterprise to thrive, while ensuring that they remain cognizant of their social responsibilities, and empowers them, in turn, toward fulfilling these responsibilities.

Many governments are tackling this challenge, including the government of the Philippines. Our administration’s pledge: To channel the gains we might reap from Public Private Partnerships into social services, like those in health, education, and poverty alleviation.

Across boundaries, the battle against inequality requires a balanced approach from those in authority: to be conscious of our responsibilities to our own people, and of our duties to regions and the globe. Already we are witnessing a rethinking of traditional paradigms, a shifting of our focus towards ensuring that the global system does not leave anyone behind.

And while my nation continues to benefit from the compassion of those who are more able to help, this does not mean that we, or our friends in the developing world, will be entirely dependent on the largesse of the developed world. We will not be passive players in our quest for development. My nation remains active in the G77 and other efforts toward enhancing South-South cooperation, and articulating and promoting our collective economic interests.

This is what our people put us in power for. This is what the world expects of us as leaders—to be exemplars of what it is to be compassionate human beings, and vanguards of hope for our common humanity.

For is not this hope also the hope that unites us as human beings? It is the same hope that allows us to break down walls of mistrust, which may take the form of intolerance, fear, or violence. It is the same hope that leads us to gather in this hall as our predecessors did.

It is the same hope that will give our generation of leaders the strength to elevate this global assembly to a place where, collectively, the nations of the world could find ways to make a better life possible for all.

For so many times in our history, my people have shown that, united, nothing is impossible. We called it People Power. It is my earnest hope—and in the greatest interest of humanity—that we harness the energies of dialogue, solidarity, and communal responsibility, so that a global People Power toward equitable progress may be achieved.

Thank you.

THE FIGHT AGAINST WANG-WANG

2010-08-04T22:23:00.001-07:00

It borders the comical when I saw how the police and transportation department personnel reacted to the presidential statement of "Bawal na ang Wang-wang." To those who do not know, "Wang-wang" is the tagalog word for "sirens" used mostly by politicians and power pretenders to get ahead of a traffic jam.

Saw checkpoints stopping 'muscle' vehicles and indeed made several successes that hit the headlines. But is the war against these contraptions limited to noisy, blaring excuse to get ahead of everyone else?

Remember part of the president's statement was "Bawal na ang naghahari-hariang de wang wang" again in the local language meant people who act like they are Kings and are above the law.

So to those who are going to implement the existing laws against these people I ask you - "Will your actions be limited to accosting cars with sirens?"

Take for instance this group of highway policemen along EDSA that day. They were waiting for a chance to catch a "big fish" (so they can make headlines as one cop quipped). In the meantime several buses were stopping in the middle of the road and a lot were driving like crazy endangering the lives of their passengers. Aren't they "naghahari-harian" too?

Same day inside the airport on my way to Macau, while we were queued in line at the immigrations, I saw several airport personnel escorting politicians ahead of everyone else. Fine, I would take that as a common practice in this country BUT, BUT when I saw a different group of personnel escorting Koreans and Japanese ahead of us then I couldn't allow that.

My cooler head prevailed after I asked the counter staff about it and she replied "I don't know Sir there are a lot of that here. They do that everyday."

On my way to the Business Lounge I saw the Korean group with their gang having coffee in the coffee shop and I just decided to grab myself a seat and have coffee myself while eavesdropping to find out why they deserve to be Kings.

The older guy apparently is an immigration boss who was with these guys last night in a girlie bar. No other reason, they are not diplomats, not government visitors, just plain tourists who came here to have fun. What pissed me was when they left, the Korean handed over an envelope to the immigration boss. Fine, there was a little back and forth action but in ended in the hands of immigration boss just the same.

So for me a lot of politicians, foreigners included are naghahari-harian in our own country because crooks in the government service spoil them. Policemen who allowed non-government officials to drive counter flowing the traffic just to get ahead. Immigration officials who process entry and exit of people who can pay. Government staff who would issue you driver's license, permits, papers etc. for a fee for faster delivery. These situations leave the ordinary Pinoys or people like us who refuse to bribe to wait in line while they deliver lousy public service.

So I believe "Bawal ang naghahari-hariang de wangwang", aside from that gizmo which creates magic in traffic jams, was a call for government men to stop giving extraordinary services to moneyed pinoys or those who can pay but provide services to everyone -ALL PINOYS- because that is their right for paying their taxes.

After all in the same speech he said "Kayo ang Boss ko" -THE FILIPNOS ARE THE PRESIDENT'S BOSSES.

FULL TEXT OF PRES. BENIGNO AQUINO'S SONA

2010-07-26T02:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to High Accuracy Transcription Services, Inc.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Vice President Jejomar Binay; Chief Justice Renato Corona; Former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps; my fellow workers in government;

Mga minamahal kong kababayan:

Sa bawat sandali po ng pamamahala ay nahaharap tayo sa isang sangandaan.

Sa isang banda po ay ang pagpili para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan. Ang pagtanaw sa interes ng nakakarami; ang pagkapit sa prinsipyo; at ang pagiging tapat sa sinumpaan nating tungkulin bilang lingkod-bayan. Ito po ang tuwid na daan.

Sa kabilang banda ay ang pag-una sa pansariling interes. Ang pagpapaalipin sa pulitikal na konsiderasyon, at pagsasakripisyo ng kapakanan ng taumbayan. Ito po ang baluktot na daan.

Matagal pong naligaw ang pamahalaan sa daang baluktot. Araw-araw po, lalong lumilinaw sa akin ang lawak ng problemang ating namana. Damang-dama ko ang bigat ng aking responsibilidad.

Sa unang tatlong linggo ng aming panunungkulan, marami po kaming natuklasan. Nais ko pong ipahayag sa inyo ang iilan lamang sa mga namana nating suliranin at ang ginagawa naming hakbang para lutasin ang mga ito.

Sulyap lamang po ito; hindi pa ito ang lahat ng problemang haharapin natin. Inilihim at sadyang iniligaw ang sambayanan sa totoong kalagayan ng ating bansa.

Sa unang anim na buwan ng taon, mas malaki ang ginastos ng gobyerno kaysa sa pumasok na kita. Lalong lumaki ang deficit natin, na umakyat na sa 196.7 billion pesos. Sa target na kuleksyon, kinapos tayo ng 23.8 billion pesos; ang tinataya namang gastos, nalagpasan natin ng 45.1 billion pesos.

Ang budget po sa 2010 ay 1.54 trillion pesos. Nasa isandaang bilyong piso o anim at kalahating porsyento na lang ng kabuuan ang malaya nating magagamit para sa nalalabing anim na buwan ng taong ito. Halos isang porsyento na lang po ng kabuuang budget ang natitira para sa bawat buwan.

Saan naman po dinala ang pera?

Naglaan ng dalawang bilyong piso na Calamity Fund bilang paghahanda para sa mga kalamidad na hindi pa nangyayari. Napakaliit na nga po ng pondong ito, ngunit kapapasok pa lang natin sa panahon ng baha at bagyo, 1.4 billion pesos o sitenta porsyento na ang nagastos.

Sa kabuuan ng 108 million pesos para sa lalawigan ng Pampanga, 105 million pesos nito ay napunta sa iisang distrito lamang. Samantala, ang lalawigan ng Pangasinan na sinalanta ng Pepeng ay nakatanggap ng limang milyong piso lamang para sa pinsalang idinulot ng bagyong Cosme, na nangyari noong 2008 pa.

Ibinigay po ang pondo ng Pampanga sa buwan ng eleksyon, pitong buwan pagkatapos ng Ondoy at Pepeng. Paano kung bumagyo bukas? Inubos na ang pondo nito para sa bagyong nangyari noong isang taon pa. Pagbabayaran ng kinabukasan ang kasakiman ng nakaraan.

Ganyan din po ang nangyari sa pondo ng MWSS. Kamakailan lamang, pumipila ang mga tao para lang makakuha ng tubig. Sa kabila nito, minabuti pa ng liderato ng MWSS na magbigay ng gantimpala sa sarili kahit hindi pa nababayaran ang pensyon ng mga retiradong empleyado.

Noong 2009, ang buong payroll ng MWSS ay 51.4 million pesos. Pero hindi lang naman po ito ang sahod nila; may mga additional allowances at benefits pa sila na aabot sa 160.1 million pesos. Sa madaling sabi, nakatanggap sila ng 211.5 million pesos noong nakaraang taon. Beinte-kuwatro porsyento lang nito ang normal na sahod, at sitenta’y sais porsyento ang dagdag.

Ang karaniwang manggagawa hanggang 13th month pay plus cash gift lang ang nakukuha. Sa MWSS, aabot sa katumbas ng mahigit sa tatlumpung buwan ang sahod kasama na ang lahat ng mga bonuses at allowances na nakuha nila.

Mas matindi po ang natuklasan natin sa pasahod ng kanilang Board of Trustees. Tingnan po natin ang mga allowances na tinatanggap nila:

Umupo ka lang sa Board of Trustees at Board Committee meeting, katorse mil na. Aabot ng nobenta’y otso mil ito kada buwan. May grocery incentive pa sila na otsenta mil kada taon.

Hindi lang iyon: may mid-year bonus, productivity bonus, anniversary bonus, year-end bonus, at Financial Assistance. May Christmas bonus na, may Additional Christmas Package pa. Kada isa sa mga ito, nobenta’y otso mil.

Sa suma total po, aabot ang lahat ng dalawa’t kalahating milyong piso kada taon sa bawat miyembro ng Board maliban sa pakotse, technical assistance, at pautang. Uulitin ko po. Lahat ng ito ay ibinibigay nila sa kanilang mga sarili habang hindi pa nababayaran ang mga pensyon ng kanilang mga retirees.

Pati po ang La Mesa Watershed ay hindi nila pinatawad. Para magkaroon ng tamang supply ng tubig, kailangang alagaan ang mga watershed. Sa watershed, puno ang kailangan. Pati po iyon na dapat puno ang nakatayo, tinayuan nila ng bahay para sa matataas na opisyal ng MWSS.

Hindi naman sila agad maaalis sa puwesto dahil kabilang sila sa mga Midnight Appointees ni dating Pangulong Arroyo. Iniimbestigahan na natin ang lahat nang ito. Kung mayroon pa silang kahit kaunting hiya na natitira – sana kusa na lang silang magbitiw sa puwesto.

Pag-usapan naman po natin ang pondo para sa imprastruktura. Tumukoy ang DPWH ng dalawandaan apatnapu’t anim na priority safety projects na popondohan ng Motor Vehicle Users Charge. Mangangailangan po ito ng budget na 425 million pesos.

Ang pinondohan po, dalawampu’t walong proyekto lang. Kinalimutan po ang dalawandaan at labing walong proyekto at pinalitan ng pitumpung proyekto na wala naman sa plano. Ang hininging 425 million pesos, naging 480 million pesos pa, lumaki lalo dahil sa mga proyektong sa piling-piling mga benepisyaryo lang napunta.

Mga proyekto po itong walang saysay, hindi pinag-aralan at hindi pinaghandaan, kaya parang kabuteng sumusulpot.

Tapos na po ang panahon para dito. Sa administrasyon po natin, walang kota-kota, walang tongpats, ang pera ng taumbayan ay gagastusin para sa taumbayan lamang.

Meron pa po tayong natuklasan. Limang araw bago matapos ang termino ng nakaraang administrasyon, nagpautos silang maglabas ng 3.5 billion pesos para sa rehabilitasyon ng mga nasalanta nina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Walumpu’t anim na proyekto ang paglalaanan dapat nito na hindi na sana idadaan sa public bidding. Labingsiyam sa mga ito na nagkakahalaga ng 981 million pesos ang muntik nang makalusot. Hindi pa nailalabas ang Special Allotment Release Order ay pirmado na ang mga kontrata.

Buti na lang po ay natuklasan at pinigilan ito ni Secretary Rogelio Singson ng DPWH. Ngayon po ay dadaan na ang kabuuan ng 3.5 billion pesos sa tapat na bidding, at magagamit na ang pondo na ito sa pagbibigay ng lingap sa mga nawalan ng tahanan dahil kina Ondoy at Pepeng.

Pag-usapan naman natin ang nangyari sa NAPOCOR. Noong 2001 hanggang 2004, pinilit ng gobyerno ang NAPOCOR na magbenta ng kuryente nang palugi para hindi tumaas ang presyo. Tila ang dahilan: pinaghahandaan na nila ang eleksyon.

Dahil dito, noong 2004, sumagad ang pagkakabaon sa utang ng NAPOCOR. Napilitan ang pambansang gobyerno na sagutin ang dalawandaang bilyong pisong utang nito.

Ang inakala ng taumbayan na natipid nila sa kuryente ay binabayaran din natin mula sa kaban ng bayan. May gastos na tayo sa kuryente, binabayaran pa natin ang dagdag na pagkakautang ng gobyerno.

Kung naging matino ang pag-utang, sana’y nadagdagan ang ating kasiguruhan sa supply ng kuryente. Pero ang desisyon ay ibinatay sa maling pulitika, at hindi sa pangangailangan ng taumbayan. Ang taumbayan, matapos pinagsakripisyo ay lalo pang pinahirapan.

Ganito rin po ang nangyari sa MRT. Sinubukan na namang bilhin ang ating pagmamahal. Pinilit ang operator na panatilihing mababa ang pamasahe. Hindi tuloy nagampanan ang garantiyang ibinigay sa operator na mababawi nila ang kanilang puhunan. Dahil dito, inutusan ang Landbank at Development Bank of the Philippines na bilhin ang MRT. Ang pera ng taumbayan, ipinagpalit sa isang naluluging operasyon.

Dumako naman po tayo sa pondo ng NFA. Noong 2004: 117,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply ng Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 900,000 metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit pitong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra pa rin ang binili nila.

Noong 2007: 589,000 metric tons ang pagkukulang ng supply sa Pilipinas. Ang binili nila, 1.827 million metric tons. Kahit ulitin mo pa ng mahigit tatlong beses ang pagkukulang, sobra na naman ang binili nila.

Ang masakit nito, dahil sobra-sobra ang binibili nila taun-taon, nabubulok lang pala sa mga kamalig ang bigas, kagaya ng nangyari noong 2008. Hindi po ba krimen ito, na hinahayaan nilang mabulok ang bigas, sa kabila ng apat na milyong Pilipinong hindi kumakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw?
Ang resulta nito, umabot na sa 171.6 billion pesos ang utang ng NFA noong Mayo ng taong ito.

Ang tinapon na ito, halos puwede na sanang pondohan ang mga sumusunod:

1. Ang budget ng buong Hudikatura, na 12.7 billion pesos sa taong ito.

2. Ang Conditional Cash Transfers para sa susunod na taon, na nagkakahalaga ng 29.6 billion pesos.

3. Ang lahat ng classroom na kailangan ng ating bansa, na nagkakahalaga ng 130 billion pesos.

Kasuklam-suklam ang kalakarang ito. Pera na, naging bato pa.

Narinig po ninyo kung paano nilustay ang kaban ng bayan. Ang malinaw po sa ngayon: ang anumang pagbabago ay magmumula sa pagsiguro natin na magwawakas na ang pagiging maluho at pagwawaldas. Kaya nga po mula ngayon: ititigil na natin ang paglulustay sa salapi ng bayan. Tatanggalin natin ang mga proyektong mali.

Ito po ang punto ng tinatawag nating zero-based approach sa ating budget. Ang naging kalakaran po, taun-taon ay inuulit lamang ang budget na puno ng tagas. Dadagdagan lang nang konti, puwede na. Sa susunod na buwan ay maghahain tayo ng budget na kumikilala nang tama sa mga problema, at magtutuon din ng pansin sa tamang solusyon.

Ilan lang ito sa mga natuklasan nating problema. Heto naman po ang ilang halimbawa ng mga hakbang na ginagawa natin.

Nandiyan po ang kaso ng isang may-ari ng sanglaan. Bumili siya ng sasakyang tinatayang nasa dalawampu’t anim na milyong piso ang halaga. Kung kaya mong bumili ng Lamborghini, bakit hindi mo kayang magbayad ng buwis?

Nasampahan na po ito ng kaso. Sa pangunguna nina Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, BIR Commissioner Kim Henares at Customs Commissioner Lito Alvarez, bawat linggo po ay may bago tayong kasong isinasampa kontra sa mga smuggler at sa mga hindi nagbabayad ng tamang buwis.

Natukoy na rin po ang salarin sa mga kaso nina Francisco Baldomero, Jose Daguio at Miguel Belen, tatlo sa anim na insidente ng extralegal killings mula nang umupo tayo.
Singkuwenta porsyento po ng mga insidente ng extralegal killings ang patungo na sa kanilang resolusyon. Ang natitira pong kalahati ay hindi natin tatantanan ang pag-usig hanggang makamit ang katarungan.

Pananagutin natin ang mga mamamatay-tao. Pananagutin din natin ang mga corrupt sa gobyerno.

Nagsimula nang mabuo ang ating Truth Commission, sa pangunguna ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide. Hahanapin natin ang katotohanan sa mga nangyari diumanong katiwalian noong nakaraang siyam na taon. Sa loob ng linggong ito, pipirmahan ko ang kauna-unahang Executive Order na nagtatalaga sa pagbuo nitong Truth Commission.

Kung ang sagot sa kawalan ng katarungan ay pananagutan, ang sagot naman sa kakulangan natin sa pondo ay mga makabago at malikhaing paraan para tugunan ang mga pagkatagal-tagal nang problema.

Napakarami po ng ating pangangailangan: mula sa edukasyon, imprastruktura, pangkalusugan, pangangailangan ng militar at kapulisan, at marami pang iba. Hindi kakasya ang pondo para mapunan ang lahat ng ito.

Kahit gaano po kalaki ang kakulangan para mapunan ang mga listahan ng ating pangangailangan, ganado pa rin ako dahil marami nang nagpakita ng panibagong interes at kumpyansa sa Pilipinas.

Ito ang magiging solusyon: mga Public-Private Partnerships. Kahit wala pa pong pirmahang nangyayari dito, masasabi kong maganda ang magiging bunga ng maraming usapin ukol dito.

May mga nagpakita na po ng interes, gustong magtayo ng expressway na mula Maynila, tatahak ng Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, hanggang sa dulo ng Cagayan Valley nang hindi gugugol ang estado kahit na po piso.

Sa larangan ng ating Sandatahang Lakas: Mayroon po tayong 36,000 nautical miles ng baybayin. Ang mayroon lamang tayo: tatlumpu’t dalawang barko. Itong mga barkong ito, panahon pa ni MacArthur. May nagmungkahi sa atin, ito ang proposisyon: uupahan po nila ang headquarters ng Navy sa Roxas Boulevard at ang Naval Station sa Fort Bonifacio.

Sagot po nila ang paglipat ng Navy Headquarters sa Camp Aguinaldo. Agaran, bibigyan tayo ng isandaang milyong dolyar. At dagdag pa sa lahat nang iyan, magsusubi pa sila sa atin ng kita mula sa mga negosyong itatayo nila sa uupahan nilang lupa.

Sa madali pong sabi: Makukuha natin ang kailangan natin, hindi tatayo gagastos, kikita pa tayo.

Marami na pong nag-alok at nagmungkahi sa atin, mula lokal hanggang dayuhang negosyante, na magpuno ng iba’t ibang pangangailangan. Mula sa mga public-private partnerships na ito, lalago ang ating ekonomiya, at bawat Pilipino makikinabang. Napakaraming sektor na matutulungan nito.

Maipapatayo na po ang imprastrukturang kailangan natin para palaguin ang turismo.

Sa agrikultura, makapagtatayo na tayo ng mga grains terminals, refrigeration facilities, maayos na road networks at post-harvest facilities.

Kung maisasaayos natin ang ating food supply chain sa tulong ng pribadong sektor, sa halip na mag-angkat tayo ay maari na sana tayong mangarap na mag-supply sa pandaigdigang merkado.

Kung maitatayo ang minumungkahi sa ating railway system, bababa ang presyo ng bilihin. Mas mura, mas mabilis, mas maginhawa, at makakaiwas pa sa kotong cops at mga kumokotong na rebelde ang mga bumibiyahe.

Paalala lang po: una sa ating plataporma ang paglikha ng mga trabaho, at nanggagaling ang trabaho sa paglago ng industriya. Lalago lamang ang industriya kung gagawin nating mas malinis, mas mabilis, at mas maginhawa ang proseso para sa mga gustong magnegosyo.

Pabibilisin natin ang proseso ng mga proyektong sumasailalim sa Build-Operate-Transfer. Sa tulong ng lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno at ng mga mamamayan, pabababain natin sa anim na buwan ang proseso na noon ay inaabot ng taon kung hindi dekada.

May mga hakbang na rin pong sinisimulan ang DTI, sa pamumuno ni Secretary Gregory Domingo:

Ang walang-katapusang pabalik-balik sa proseso ng pagrehistro ng pangalan ng kumpanya, na kada dalaw ay umaabot ng apat hanggang walong oras, ibababa na natin sa labinlimang minuto. Ang dating listahan ng tatlumpu’t anim na dokumento, ibababa natin sa anim. Ang dating walong pahinang application form, ibababa natin sa isang pahina.

Nananawagan ako sa ating mga LGUs. Habang naghahanap tayo ng paraan para gawing mas mabilis ang pagbubukas ng mga negosyo, pag-aralan din sana nila ang kanilang mga proseso. Kailangan itong gawing mas mabilis, at kailangan itong itugma sa mga sinisumulan nating reporma.

Negosyante, sundalo, rebelde, at karaniwang Pilipino, lahat po makikinabang dito. Basta po hindi dehado ang Pilipino, papasukin po natin lahat iyan. Kailangan na po nating simulan ang pagtutulungan para makamit ito. Huwag nating pahirapan ang isa’t isa.

Parating na po ang panahon na hindi na natin kailangang mamili sa pagitan ng seguridad ng ating mamamayan o sa kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak.

Oras na maipatupad ang public-private partnerships na ito, mapopondohan ang mga serbisyong panlipunan, alinsunod sa ating plataporma. Magkakapondo na po para maipatupad ang mga plano natin sa edukasyon.

Mapapalawak natin ang basic education cycle mula sa napakaikling sampung taon tungo sa global standard na labindalawang taon. Madadagdagan natin ang mga classroom. Mapopondohan natin ang service contracting sa ilalim ng GASTPE.

Pati ang conditional cash transfers, na magbabawas ng pabigat sa bulsa ng mga pamilya, madadagdan na rin ng pondo.

Maipapatupad ang plano natin sa PhilHealth. Una, tutukuyin natin ang tunay na bilang ng mga nangangailangan nito. Sa ngayon, hindi magkakatugma ang datos. Sabi ng PhilHealth sa isang bibig, walumpu’t pitong porsyento na raw ang merong coverage. Sa kabilang bibig naman, singkuwenta’y tres porsyento naman. Ayon naman sa National Statistics Office, tatlumpu’t walong porsyento ang may coverage.

Ngayon pa lang, kumikilos na si Secretary Dinky Soliman at ang DSWD upang ipatupad ang National Household Targetting System, na magtutukoy sa mga pamilyang higit na nagangailangan ng tulong. Tinatayang siyam na bilyon ang kailangan para mabigyan ng PhilHealth ang limang milyong pinakamaralitang pamilyang Pilipino.

Napakaganda po ng hinaharap natin. Kasama na po natin ang pribadong sektor, at kasama na rin natin ang League of Provinces, sa pangunguna nina Governor Alfonso Umali kasama sina Governor L-Ray Villafuerte at Governor Icot Petilla. Handa na pong makipagtulungan para makibahagi sa pagtustos ng mga gastusin. Alam ko rin pong hindi magpapahuli ang League of Cities sa pangunguna ni Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.

Kung ang mga gobyernong lokal ay nakikiramay na sa ating mga adhikain, ang Kongreso namang pinanggalingan ko, siguro naman maasahan ko din. Nagpakitang-gilas na po ang gabinete sa pagtukoy ng ating mga problema at sa paglulunsad ng mga solusyon sa loob lamang ng tatlong linggo.

Nang bagyo pong Basyang, ang sabi sa atin ng mga may prangkisa sa kuryente, apat na araw na walang kuryente. Dahil sa mabilis na pagkilos ni Secretary Rene Almendras at ng Department of Energy, naibalik ang kuryente sa halos lahat sa loob lamang ng beinte-kwatro oras.

Ito pong sinasabing kakulangan sa tubig sa Metro Manila, kinilusan agad ni Secretary Rogelio Singson at ng DPWH. Hindi na siya naghintay ng utos, kaya nabawasan ang perwisyo.

Nakita na rin natin ang gilas ng mga hinirang nating makatulong sa Gabinete. Makatuwiran naman po sigurong umasa na hindi na sila padadaanin sa butas ng karayom para makumpirma ng Commission on Appointments. Kung mangyayari po ito, marami pa sa mga mahuhusay na Pilipino ang maeengganyong magsilbi sa gobyerno.

Sa lalong madaling panahon po, uupo na tayo sa LEDAC at pag-uusapan ang mga mahahalagang batas na kailangan nating ipasa. Makakaasa kayo na mananatiling bukas ang aking isipan, at ang ating ugnayan ay mananatiling tapat.

Isinusulong po natin ang Fiscal Responsibility Bill, kung saan hindi tayo magpapasa ng batas na mangangailangan ng pondo kung hindi pa natukoy ang panggagalingan nito. May 104.1 billion pesos tayong kailangan para pondohan ang mga batas na naipasa na, ngunit hindi maipatupad.

Kailangan din nating isaayos ang mga insentibong piskal na ibinigay noong nakaraan. Ngayong naghihigpit tayo ng sinturon, kailangang balikan kung alin sa mga ito ang dapat manatili at kung ano ang dapat nang itigil.

Huwag po tayong pumayag na magkaroon ng isa pang NBN-ZTE. Sa lokal man o dayuhan manggagaling ang pondo, dapat dumaan ito sa tamang proseso. Hinihingi ko po ang tulong ninyo upang amiyendahan ang ating Procurement Law.

Ayon po sa Saligang Batas, tungkulin ng estado ang siguruhing walang lamangan sa merkado. Bawal ang monopolya, bawal ang mga cartel na sasakal sa kumpetisyon. Kailangan po natin ng isang Anti-Trust Law na magbibigay-buhay sa mga prinsipyong ito. Ito ang magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga Small- at Medium-scale Enterprises na makilahok at tumulong sa paglago ng ating ekonomiya.

Ipasa na po natin ang National Land Use Bill.

Una rin pong naging batas ng Commonwealth ang National Defense Act, na ipinasa noon pang 1935. Kailangan nang palitan ito ng batas na tutugon sa pangangailangan ng pambansang seguridad sa kasalukuyan.

Nakikiusap po akong isulong ang Whistleblower’s Bill upang patuloy nang iwaksi ang kultura ng takot at pananahimik. Palalakasin pa lalo ang Witness Protection Program. Alalahanin po natin na noong taong 2009 hanggang 2010, may nahatulan sa 95% ng mga kaso kung saan may witness na sumailalim sa programang ito.

Kailangang repasuhin ang ating mga batas. Nanawagan po akong umpisahan na ang rekodipikasyon ng ating mga batas, upang siguruhing magkakatugma sila at hindi salu-salungat. Ito pong mga batas na ito ang batayan ng kaayusan, ngunit ang pundasyon ng lahat ng ginagawa natin ay ang prinsipyong wala tayong mararating kung walang kapayapaan at katahimikan.

Dalawa ang hinaharap nating suliranin sa usapin ng kapayapaan: ang situwasyon sa Mindanao, at ang patuloy na pag-aaklas ng CPP-NPA-NDF.

Tungkol sa situwasyon sa Mindanao: Hindi po nagbabago ang ating pananaw. Mararating lamang ang kapayapaan at katahimikan kung mag-uusap ang lahat ng apektado: Moro, Lumad, at Kristiyano. Inatasan na natin si Dean Marvic Leonen na mangasiwa sa ginagawa nating pakikipag-usap sa MILF.

Iiwasan natin ang mga pagkakamaling nangyari sa nakaraang administrasyon, kung saan binulaga na lang ang mga mamamayan ng Mindanao. Hindi tayo puwedeng magbulag-bulagan sa mga dudang may kulay ng pulitika ang proseso, at hindi ang kapakanan ng taumbayan ang tanging interes.

Kinikilala natin ang mga hakbang na ginagawa ng MILF sa pamamagitan ng pagdidisplina sa kanilang hanay. Inaasahan natin na muling magsisimula ang negosasyon pagkatapos ng Ramadan.

Tungkol naman po sa CPP-NPA-NDF: handa na ba kayong maglaan ng kongkretong mungkahi, sa halip na pawang batikos lamang? Kung kapayapaan din ang hangad ninyo, handa po kami sa malawakang tigil-putukan. Mag-usap tayo.

Mahirap magsimula ang usapan habang mayroon pang amoy ng pulbura sa hangin. Nananawagan ako: huwag po natin hayaang masayang ang napakagandang pagkakataong ito upang magtipon sa ilalim ng iisang adhikain.

Kapayapaan at katahimikan po ang pundasyon ng kaunlaran. Habang nagpapatuloy ang barilan, patuloy din ang pagkakagapos natin sa kahirapan.

Dapat din po nating mabatid: ito ay panahon ng sakripisyo. At ang sakripisyong ito ay magiging puhunan para sa ating kinabukasan. Kaakibat ng ating mga karapatan at kalayaan ay ang tungkulin natin sa kapwa at sa bayan.

Inaasahan ko po ang ating mga kaibigan sa media, lalo na sa radyo at sa print, sa mga nagbablock-time, at sa community newspapers, kayo na po mismo ang magbantay sa inyong hanay.

Mabigyang-buhay sana ang mga batayang prinsipyo ng inyong bokasyon: ang magbigay-linaw sa mahahalagang isyu; ang maging patas at makatotohanan, at ang itaas ang antas ng pampublikong diskurso.

Tungkulin po ng bawat Pilipino na tutukan ang mga pinunong tayo rin naman ang nagluklok sa puwesto. Humakbang mula sa pakikialam tungo sa pakikilahok. Dahil ang nakikialam, walang-hanggan ang reklamo. Ang nakikilahok, nakikibahagi sa solusyon.

Napakatagal na pong namamayani ang pananaw na ang susi sa asenso ay ang intindihin ang sarili kaysa intindihin ang kapwa. Malinaw po sa akin: paano tayo aasenso habang nilalamangan ang kapwa?

Ang hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataong mag-aral, paanong makakakuha ng trabaho? Kung walang trabaho, paanong magiging konsumer? Paanong mag-iimpok sa bangko?

Ngunit kung babaliktarin natin ang pananaw—kung iisipin nating “Dadagdagan ko ang kakayahan ng aking kapwa"—magbubunga po ito, at ang lahat ay magkakaroon ng pagkakataon.

Maganda na po ang nasimulan natin. At mas lalong maganda po ang mararating natin. Ngunit huwag nating kalimutan na mayroong mga nagnanasang hindi tayo magtagumpay. Dahil kapag hindi tayo nagtagumpay, makakabalik na naman sila sa kapangyarihan, at sa pagsasamantala sa taumbayan.

Akin pong paniwala na Diyos at taumbayan ang nagdala sa ating kinalalagyan ngayon. Habang nakatutok tayo sa kapakanan ng ating kapwa, bendisyon at patnubay ay tiyak na maaasahan natin sa Poong Maykapal. At kapag nanalig tayo na ang kasangga natin ay ang Diyos, mayroon ba tayong hindi kakayanin?

Ang mandato nating nakuha sa huling eleksyon ay patunay na umaasa pa rin ang Pilipino sa pagbabago. Iba na talaga ang situwasyon. Puwede na muling mangarap. Tayo nang tumungo sa katuparan ng ating mga pinangarap.

Maraming salamat po.

FULL TEXT OF THE INAUGURAL SPEECH OF PRESIDENT BENIGNO C. AQUINO III

2010-06-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

(Thanks to HATS SOLUTIONS for the transcription)

His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, members of the diplomatic corps, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, former President Fidel V. Ramos, former President Joseph E. Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and other members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and other members of the House of Representatives, members of the Supreme Court, local government officials, distinguished guests, mga minamahal kong kababayan.

Ang pagtayo ko dito ngayon ay patunay na kayo ang aking tunay na lakas. Hindi ko inakala na darating tayo sa puntong ito, na ako’y manunumpa sa harap ninyo bilang inyong Pangulo. Hindi ko pinangarap maging tagapagtaguyod ng pag-asa at tagapagmana ng mga suliranin ng ating bayan.

Ang layunin ko sa buhay ay simple lang: maging tapat sa aking mga magulang at sa bayan bilang isang marangal na anak, mabait na kuya, at mabuting mamamayan.

Nilabanan ng aking ama ang diktaturya at ibinuwis niya ang kanyang buhay para tubusin ang ating demokrasya. Inalay ng aking ina ang kanyang buhay upang pangalagaan ang demokrasyang ito. Ilalaan ko ang aking buhay para siguraduhin na ang ating demokrasya ay kapaki-pakinabang sa bawat isa. Namuhunan na kami ng dugo at handang gawin itong muli kung kakailanganin.

Tanyag man ang aking mga magulang at ang kanilang mga nagawa, alam ko rin ang problema ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Alam nating lahat ang pakiramdam na magkaroon ng pamahalaang bulag at bingi.

Alam natin ang pakiramdam na mapagkaitan ng hustisya, na mabalewala ng mga taong pinagkatiwalaan at inatasan nating maging ating tagapagtanggol.

Kayo ba ay minsan ring nalimutan ng pamahalaang inyong iniluklok sa puwesto? AKO RIN!

Kayo ba ay nagtiis na sa trapiko para lamang masingitan ng isang naghahari-hariang de-wangwang sa kalsada? AKO RIN!

Kayo ba ay sawang-sawa na sa pamahalaang sa halip na magsilbi sa taumbayan ay kailangan pa nila itong pagpasensiyahan at tiisin? AKO RIN!

Katulad ninyo ako. Marami na sa atin ang bumoto gamit ang kanilang paa – nilisan na nila ang ating bansa sa kanilang paghahanap ng pagbabago at katahimikan. Tiniis nila ang hirap, sinugod ang panganib sa ibang bansa dahil doon may pag-asa kahit kaunti na dito sa atin ay hindi nila nakikita.

Sa iilang sandali na sarili ko lang ang aking inaalala, pati ako ay napag-isip din – talaga bang hindi na mababago ang pamamahala natin dito? Hindi kaya nasa ibang bansa ang katahimikang hinahanap ko? Saan ba nakasulat na kailangang puro pagtitiis ang tadhana ng Pilipino?

Ngayon, sa araw na ito, dito magwawakas ang pamumunong manhid sa mga daing ng taumbayan. Hindi si Noynoy ang gumawa ng paraan, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit ngayon, magtatapos na ang pagtitiis ng sambayanan. Ito naman ang umpisa ng kalbaryo ko, ngunit kung marami tayong magpapasan ng krus ay kakayanin natin ito, gaano man kabigat.

Sa tulong ng wastong pamamahala sa mga darating na taon, maiibsan din ang marami nating problema. Ang tadhana ng Pilipino ay babalik sa tamang kalagayan, na sa bawat taon pabawas ng pabawas ang problema ng Pinoy na nagsusumikap at may kasiguruhan sila na magiging tuloy-tuloy na ang pagbuti ng kanilang sitwasyon.

Kami ay narito para magsilbi at hindi para maghari. Ang mandato ninyo sa amin ay pagbabago—isang malinaw na utos para ayusin ang gobyerno at lipunan mula sa pamahalaang iilan lamang ang nakikinabang tungo sa isang pamahalaang kabutihan ng mamamayan ang pinangangalagaan.

Ang mandatong ito ay isa kung saan kayo at ang inyong pangulo ay nagkasundo para sa pagbabago—isang paninindigan na ipinangako ko noong kampanya at tinanggap ninyo noong araw ng halalan.

Sigaw natin noong kampanya: “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap." Hindi lamang ito pang slogan o pang poster—ito ang mga prinsipyong tinatayuan at nagsisilbing batayan ng ating administrasyon.

Ang ating pangunahing tungkulin ay ang magsikap na maiangat ang bansa mula sa kahirapan, sa pamamagitan ng pagpapairal ng katapatan at mabuting pamamalakad sa pamahalaan.

Ang unang hakbang ay ang pagkakaroon ng tuwid at tapat na hanay ng mga pinuno. Magsisimula ito sa akin. Sisikapin kong maging isang mabuting ehemplo. Hinding hindi ko sasayangin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ninyo sa akin. Sisiguraduhin ko na ganito rin ang adhikain ng aking Gabinete at ng mga magiging kasama sa ating pamahalaan.

Naniniwala akong hindi lahat ng nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ay corrupt. Sa katunayan, mas marami sa kanila ay tapat. Pinili nilang maglingkod sa gobyerno upang gumawa ng kabutihan. Ngayon, magkakaroon na sila ng pagkakataong magpakitang-gilas. Inaasahan natin sila sa pagsupil ng korapsyon sa loob mismo ng burukrasya.

Sa mga itinalaga sa paraang labag sa batas, ito ang aking babala: sisimulan natin ang pagbabalik ng tiwala sa pamamagitan ng pag-usisa sa mga “midnight appointments." Sana ay magsilbi itong babala sa mga nag-iisip na ipagpatuloy ang baluktot na kalakarang nakasanayan na ng marami.

Sa mga kapuspalad nating mga kababayan, ngayon, ang pamahalaan ang inyong kampeon.

Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya’t sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.

Unti-unti din nating babawasan ang mga kakulangan sa imprastraktura para sa transportasyon, turismo at pangangalakal. Mula ngayon, hindi na puwede ang “puwede na" pagdating sa mga kalye, tulay at gusali dahil magiging responsibilidad ng mga kontratista ang panatilihing nasa mabuting kalagayan ang mga proyekto nila.

Bubuhayin natin ang programang “emergency employment" ng dating pangulong Corazon Aquino sa pagtatayo ng mga bagong imprastraktura na ito. Ito ay magbibigay ng trabaho sa mga lokal na komunidad at makakatulong sa pagpapalago ng kanila at ng ating buong ekonomiya.

Hindi kami magiging sanhi ng inyong pasakit at perwisyo. Palalakasin natin ang koleksyon at pupuksain natin ang korapsyon sa Kawanihan ng Rentas Internas at Bureau of Customs para mapondohan natin ang ating mga hinahangad para sa lahat, tulad ng:

• De kalidad na edukasyon, kabilang ang edukasyong bokasyonal para makapaghanap ng marangal na trabaho ang hindi makapag-kolehiyo;

• Serbisyong pangkalusugan, tulad ng PhilHealth para sa lahat sa loob ng tatlong taon;

• Tirahan sa loob ng mga ligtas na komunidad.

Palalakasin at palalaguin natin ang bilang ng ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan, hindi para tugunan ang interes ng mga naghahari-harian, ngunit para proteksyunan ang mamamayan. Itinataya nila ang kanilang buhay para mayroong pagkakataon sa katahimikan at kapayapaan sa sambayanan. Dumoble na ang populasyong kanilang binabantayan, nananatili naman sila sa bilang. Hindi tama na ang nagmamalasakit ay kinakawawa.

Kung dati ay may fertilizer scam, ngayon ay may kalinga na tunay para sa mga magsasaka. Tutulungan natin sila sa irigasyon, extension services, at sa pagbenta ng kanilang produkto sa pinakamataas na presyong maaari.

Inaatasan natin ang papasok na Kalihim Alcala na magtayo ng mga trading centers kung saan diretso na ang magsasaka sa mamimili - lalaktawan na natin ang gitna, kasama na ang kotong cops. Sa ganitong paraan, ang dating napupunta sa gitna ay maari nang paghatian ng magsasaka at mamimili.

Gagawin nating kaaya-aya sa negosyante ang ating bansa. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance, to business. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin mapupunan ang kakulangan ng trabaho para sa ating mga mamamayan.

Layunin nating paramihin ang trabaho dito sa ating bansa upang hindi na kailanganin ang mangibang-bansa para makahanap ng trabaho. Ngunit habang ito ay hindi pa natin naaabot, inaatasan ko ang mga kawani ng DFA, POEA, OWWA at iba pang mga kinauukulang ahensiya na mas lalo pang paigtingin ang pagtugon sa mga hinaing at pangangailangan ng ating mga overseas Filipino workers.

Papaigtingin namin ang proseso ng konsultasyon at pag-uulat sa taumbayan. Sisikapin naming isakatuparan ang nakasaad sa ating Konstitusyon na kinikilala ang karapatan ng mamamayan na magkaroon ng kaalaman ukol sa mga pampublikong alintana.

Binuhay natin ang diwa ng people power noong kampanya. Ipagpatuloy natin ito tungo sa tuwid at tapat na pamamahala. Ang naniniwala sa people power ay nakatuon sa kapwa at hindi sa sarili.

Sa mga nang-api sa akin, kaya ko kayong patawarin, at pinapatawad ko na kayo. Sa mga nang-api sa sambayanan, wala akong karapatan na limutin ang inyong mga kasalanan.

To those who are talking about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. Sa paglimot ng pagkakasala, sinisigurado mong mauulit muli ang mga pagkakasalang ito. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.

Ikinagagalak din naming ibahagi sa inyo ang pagtanggap ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide sa hamon ng pagtatatag at pamumuno sa isang Truth Commission na magbibigay-linaw sa maraming kahinahinalang isyu na hanggang ngayon ay walang kasagutan at resolusyon.

Ang sinumang nagkamali ay kailangang humarap sa hustisya. Hindi maaaring patuloy ang kalakaran ng walang pananagutan at tuloy na pang-aapi.

My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflicts, inclusive of the interests of all—may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.

We shalI defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. Sa tamang pamamahala gaganda ang buhay ng lahat, at sa buhay na maganda, sino pa ang gugustuhing bumalik sa panahon ng pang-aapi?
Kung kasama ko kayo, maitataguyod natin ang isang bayan kung saan pantay-pantay ang pagkakataon, dahil pantay-pantay nating ginagampanan ang ating mga pananagutan.

Kamakailan lamang, ang bawat isa sa atin ay nanindigan sa presinto. Bumoto tayo ayon sa ating karapatan at konsensiya. Hindi tayo umatras sa tungkulin nating ipaglaban ang karapatang ito.

Pagkatapos ng bilangan, pinatunayan ninyo na ang tao ang tunay na lakas ng bayan.

Ito ang kahalagahan ng ating demokrasya. Ito ang pundasyon ng ating pagkakaisa. Nangampanya tayo para sa pagbabago. Dahil dito taas-noo muli ang Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay kabilang sa isang bansa kung saan maaari nang mangarap muli.

To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of nations, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmonizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.

We will be a predictable and consistent place for investments, a nation where everyone will say, “it all works."

Inaanyayahan ko kayo ngayon na manumpa sa ating mga sarili, sa sambayanan, walang maiiwan.

Walang pangingibang-bayan at gastusan na walang wastong dahilan. Walang pagtalikod sa mga salitang binitawan noong kampanya, ngayon at hanggang sa mga susunod pang pagsubok na pagdadaanan sa loob ng anim na taon.

Walang lamangan, walang padrino, at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong. Panahon na upang tayo ay muling magkawang-gawa.

Nandito tayo ngayon dahil sama-sama tayong nanindigan at nagtiwala na may pag-asa.

The people who are behind us dared to dream. Today, the dream starts to become a reality. Sa inyong mga nag-iisip pa kung tutulong kayo sa pagpasan ng ating krus, isa lang ang aking tanong—kung kailan tayo nanalo, saka pa ba kayo susuko?

Kayo ang boss ko, kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to the people’s needs and aspirations.

Kayo ang nagdala sa akin sa puntong ito—ang ating mga volunteers—matanda, bata, celebrity, ordinaryong tao, na umikot sa Pilipinas para ikampanya ang pagbabago; ang aking mga kasambahay, na nag-asikaso ng lahat ng aking mga personal na pangangailangan; ang aking pamilya, kaibigan at katrabaho, na dumamay, nag-alaga at nagbigay ng suporta sa akin.

Ang ating mga abogado, na nagpuyat para bantayan ang ating mga boto at siguraduhing mabibilang ang bawat isa; ang aking mga kapartido at kaalyado na kasama kong nangahas mangarap; at ang milyun-milyong Pilipinong nagkaisa, nagtiwala at hindi nawalan ng pag-asa—nasa inyo ang aking taus-pusong pasasalamat.

Hindi ko makakayang harapin ang aking mga magulang, at kayong mga nagdala sa akin sa yugto ng buhay kong ito, kung hindi ko maisasakatuparan ang aking mga binitawang salita sa araw na ito.

My parents sought nothing less and died for nothing less than democracy, peace and prosperity. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.

Layunin ko na sa pagbaba ko sa katungkulan, masasabi ng lahat na malayo na ang narating natin sa pagtahak ng tuwid na landas at mas maganda na ang kinabukasang ipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon. Samahan ninyo ako sa pagtatapos ng laban na ito. Tayo na sa tuwid na landas.

Maraming salamat po at mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

GOODBYE TITA CORY! TULOY ANG LABAN!

2009-08-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Please view the video. Our own little way of sharing memories.

http://www.facebook.com/notifications.php#/video/video.php?v=1203564850289

NAGIISIP PA BA MGA PINOY?????

2009-06-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Okay it is a fine cool transition from spring to summer here in downtown Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. My sabbatical having been extended more than a few months than expected.

I wanted to concentrate more on sponsoring children in poverty getting better education so they can be productive citizens in the future and I have promised to stay away from Philippine politics for the time being frustrated by the reaction of Filipinos to what is going on around them. Seeming apathy for the blatant display of powerful people to control the fate of the Filipino future just to serve their ulterior/selfish motives.

The incident in Makati have proven to me that no matter how corrupt and how evil a person is for as long as he has money to spread around he will be able to control people's will and obedience. He who has the gold rules, so the cliche goes. No matter what is the source of their gold and power.

My friends and I were seated near the table of two congressmen chatting away with their friends in their top voices explaining why they passed HR 1109. In his treacherous glib of tongue justifying an evil deed passed like thieves in the night.
Yes, we all agree that a constituional reform is necessary to improve the Philippines but their plans/schemes are blatantly obvious and I wonder why the FIlipinos are taking it with a grain of salt.

Anyway to cut it short as we were leaving I thought it was just right to give them a piece of my mind to the point that I said "P...I nyo sino ang niloloko nyo?" The lawmakers knew there were educated people in this land, far better educated than they are and did not react but the security men were all hovering around my group. I chanted away on how they are fooling the Pinoys and there will come a time when they will react. Kapag napuno na ang salop so to speak. We have proven it in EDSA and as I have been blogging for more than 20 years now we have gone NOWHERE since then.

The staff were quick to react telling us that the lawmakers are regular customers and I was thinking "Yeah good tippers, I guess." Bottom line here is where did their money come from? From stealing from the coffers of the government and they want to stay in power some more because it is hey day that they steal and because the Filipinos are not reacting.

Lawmakers were elected in a position of TRUST. The people TRUSTED them to improve the lives in their particular districts. They should not play coy with EVIL MEN who scheme of grand designs to fool the Pinoys.Some of these god men were forced into submission because politics dictate that you tag along our line or you will not get funding and you will look bad to your constituents.

Darlene have proven in her area of responsibility that you cannot put good men/women down. Deprived of resources she handily won against Manny Pacquiao and people in her area, who I talked with when we were there, knew what the central government is doing when they deprive her of resources. "Wala pong pera so kaya naman magtiis" as one old lady would say.

These Congressmen who gathered together and boast that "they have the numbers" have proven time again that they can manipulate the will of the people. That they can change the future of this land to serve their selfish design. Let us not sit down and watch as our country goes down the drain again.

DO NOT BE PINOY TANGA! HINDI KAYO MGA TANGA!!!

MAGALING BA TALAGA MGA PINOY???????

2009-04-25T23:48:00.000-07:00

Image by wolfgang.wedenig - wuschL via Flickr

Bill Gates organized an enormous session to recruit a new Chairman for Microsoft Europe.

5000 candidates assembled in a large room.

One candidate was BINO BATUNGBAKAL (FIL-AM).

Bill Gates: "Thank you for coming. Those who do not
know JAVA/PHP may leave."

2,000 people left the room.

MARIO said to himself, "I do not know JAVA/PHP but I have nothing to
lose if I stay. I'll give it a try."

Bill Gates: "Candidates who never had experience of
managing more than 100 people may leave."

2000 people left the room.

Mario said to himself, "I never managed anybody but myself but I have nothing to lose if I stay. What can happen to me?" So he stayed.

Bill Gates: "Candidates who do not have management diplomas may leave."

500 people left the room.

Mario said to himself, "I left school at 15 but what have I got to
lose?" So he stayed in the room.

Lastly, Bill Gates asked the candidates who do not speak
Serbo- Croat to leave.

498 people left the room.

Mario says to himself, "I do not speak one word of Serbo-Croat but
what do I have to lose?"

So he stayed and found himself with one other candidate.

Everyone else had gone.

Bill Gates joined them and said "Apparently you two are the only candidates who speak Serbo-Croat, so I'd now like to hear you converse in that language."

Calmly, Mario turned to the other candidate and said,
"Huy Kumusta ka, pare ko."

The other candidate answered,
"E, Eto Mabuti naman, ikaw?"

And they were send off to Croatia to manage the Microsoft branch.

NADYAN KA NA NAMAN!

2009-04-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

I cannot believe how some of you will think that I love CHip for what he said about Pinoys just because my title says 'he is my hero.' Why can't you read the total content to see that I was using it to anchor my thoughts that Pinoys can elect leaders they have made popular and as such have made Chip for what he is now and thus he is ready to be our nation's leader. Bad Logic, sorry deduction. So I will add another to our sorry label TAMAD PINOY???

I have said time and again that it will indeed need a collective reflection of our minds and soul of what we are as a nation, of what we want to be in the future. THIS WILL BE THE REVOLUTION OF SELF. ARE WE GOING TO BE A NATION WITH A COMMON VISION?

Long story short, I will give you a brief on what this 22 year blog is all about. You were oppressed as a people and as a nation. You all kept quiet, scared and would rather push what we now call heroes as Roces, Diokno, Pimentel, Tanada, Binay, Arroyo etc. It took a handful to march to EDSA TO fight for a cause with their lives. We slept in the streets,went on with our lives waiting what will come next. We were there not scared of the roaring tanks or sudden blasts of gunfire. We were there to fight for our principle and our vision that we as a people should not be oppressed. The rest is history and I need not say more because nations have followed our example.WE WERE ONE NATION WITH PRIDE!

Fast forward, same with EDSA 2, there were a handful of us who were in front of the Senate building at that time, 20 to be exact, everyday. Placards telling the august halls of congress not to fiddle with the will of the people. It took the 11th envelope to garner the bursts of emotion that you or all of us regret till this day as an exercise of stupidity.

Now it was clear "Gloria is not the people's choice!" So why do people get mad at me when I defend some of the programs of the Arroyo government. Look, I may hate the person because it was in her watch that all these atrocities happened. People have called us thieves in Europe (did you know that?) We were one of the topnotchers of corrupt governments in the world. Now a CHIPMUNK calls you "servants" and we react as the Jews wanting to crucify Christ.

We deserve what we get. Our inability to express our thoughts and feelings have made the powers think we are BOBO, our apathetic ways have made them blatantly steal right from our very faces. Our complacency have made it a status quo of disarray, undiscipline,corruption even in its lowest form, a garbage of a metropolis etc...

My goal is to make you aware of what is right and moral. I like Binay for giving the senior citizens their rights, I like Atienza for cleaning Divisoria, I also like Lim for cleaning Roxas Blvd, I like Belmonte for reforms in Q.C. etc.. Now, I do not like Gloria and her cohorts to win but at the same token I do not like Mar Roxas (Yet) because I believe that he will bring the rich in power, I do not like Among Ed to be President just because he exposed gifts in Malacanang, PAdaca and Robredo for their exemplary performance in office. They can be part of a DREAM TEAM.

That does not stop there, now we have the likes of Justice Puno, Manny Pangilinan,Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda etc being forced by moral force to run. A lot more names will come out later as more people with ulterior motives will encourage people to run...and then what...? Same as EDSA - mauna na kayo, binobomba na kami ng bumbero, kinukulong, pinapalo ng batuta pero pagnanalo lahat tayo BIDA?

Come up with a clear solution to our problems. Elect officials who will serve the will of the people. Those who took part in thwarting that very WILL because "we have the power of numbers!" should be exposed for the nation to judge. Do not let evilness abound in the halls of our government. Do not let the greed reign in our land. Death to corrupt officials as dictated by the laws that they themselves enacted.

You do what you want! We will never get tired of exposing them to the fore. I do not care less of you listen or not. I will persevere as it is my moral right to do so. As Jim PAredes said " Bill, hindi ako nagsasawa para sa ating bansa!" and hey don't hark on me because I am only the messenger of your inadequacies as a nation!

A NATION OF PINOY TANGA!!!!!

CHP TSAO MY HERO!!!!!!

2009-04-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Millions of Pinoys have overreacted! Politicians jump in to exploit the situation! Somebody calls you " SERVANT" and we all react with a passion. STONE HIM, KILL HIM, TORCH HIS HOUSE. Reminds me of the Jews when Pontius Pilate asked for a concensus.

REACTIONARY FILIPINOS -where were you when the children are dying in our arms due to poverty? Where were you when millions of Pinoys cannot even buy food for their families' tables would resort to criminal acts just to survive-you think these people would mind being called "servants"if it meant food for their families?

Millions and millions of Filipinos continue to leave this country, leaving small children behind, to work as "servants." What do you call an UP Political Science graduate working as a maid in SIngapore? They wouldn't mind serving because THAT IS THE ONLY CHOICE!Their families will not be able to afford education, or even food sometimes if they do not work abroad. KAPIT SA PATALIM. The government calls them HEROES, without them the Philippine Government will collapse because everything is in the wallets of the corrupt and the greedy?

Do you react when this nation is being pushed to the brink of collapse, when politicians lord over our lives and steal right in our faces. When every single iota of this society are so corrupt they would even accept a 20 peso bribe. DId you know that in London and so many other places in the world we are called " A NATION OF THIEVES" because of what is happening in the country.

With all your eloquence and might you condone somebody for calling you what you REALLY are " A NATION OF SERVANTS -TO IDLE THINKING" ANG KULTURA NG PAGWAWALANG BAHALA! MGA WALANG PAKIALAM!

MGA ALIPIN NANG DAMDAMING WALANG PAGIISIP!!! MGA PINOY TANGA???

So Filipinos would always say that we deserve the officials that we have so maybe a good suggestion here:

CHIP TSAO FOR PRESIDENT???? LMAO!!

And hey he apologized already so what is next, Oh what a pooper! I cannot vent my emotions anymore maybe another EDSA??? Oh you are so out of fashion!

WHERE WERE YOU AFTER THE EDSA REVOLUTION?

2009-04-01T01:36:00.000-07:00

Just shared my experience in one of the blogs how we were met at the airport when our flight arrived in Honolulu. I think it is a good opportunity for me to share it again.

We arrived on board a PAL FLIGHT when the airport operations resumed a few days after the Marcos family were skirted out of the country.

As the plane's exits were opened we were met by embraces and words of congratulations from the airport officials. People were shaking our hands from the gate all the way to Immigrations.

While lining up for our clearance, other nationalities together with the airport officials were clapping their hands and embracing some of us. It seemed like forever. It felt good that nations all over the world recognized our efforts.

The deafening applause continued all the way to the baggage claim. People were telling us how great we are as a race and as a nation. A BLOODLESS REVOLUTION from what the world had perceived as a nation of the weak, The breed of PINOY TANGA!

We were surprised when we got out of the airport and the media was there to interview all of us together with a multitude of Pinoys who continued the applause and chants of MABUHAY KAYO MGA FILIPINO! That was too much for us to take and my lady friends broke down in tears. "So this is how it feels to be a hero!" as one of them would comment! "We only fought oppression nothing else!"

I will never forget that day. The only thing left for me to say to the reporter was " Do not underestimate the Power of the Filipinos as a nation!"

Maybe I was wrong? Where are we now? Are we back to our old ways and remain MGA PINOY TANGA???

YOU PINOYS SHOULD PUSH THIS FORWARD!

2009-03-26T01:30:00.000-07:00

I have been out and indulged in a past time that is very close to my heart-lounge on the beach and travel around the world. Enjoy great food and sights, de-stress and figured life's purpose.

My friends in Manila were asking me how come I stopped blogging about Pinoys.

One is I think the propensity of Pinoys to be the center of attraction. The BIDA, THE POGI, etc. Instead of appreciating other people's effort to create a Utopian Manila they would try to ruin your site and take the credit for themselves. I have been writing about issues of world peace for more than twenty (20) years and never have I encountered a breed like you Pinoys.

Being half Pinoy myself I thought it best to help create for you a situation that would best fit your culture. A predominantly Christian/Muslim society but elect officials who are so immoral and corrupt it makes me puke.A country where the future is dictated by the illiterates who were easiy bought for a few cents and the academe would blame later for selling their souls. Why won't I sell my vote if that means food on my table? The answer to that should be _ OUTNUMBER the POOR who seLl their votes and be active in promoting a MORAL CHOICE. Do you expect results by just fence sitting? Why not register first and exercise your right?

I have been hit left and right for supporting Gloria and let me categorically state that "I do not hate a person" but I despise the Gloria regime that she represents. Why do I have to explain all the time. I do not hate Mar Roxas but I am afraid of the elitist governance that he will represent once he has the power. I hate most the public officials and polticians that would cowtow to what the central government dictates because there is promise of monetary rewards.

I do not support Governor Panlilio because he returned the money from MAlacanang and now is campaigning for Moral Governance. So Is Ms. Padaca, Robredo, Ang Kapatiran, KAya Natin, MAgdalo, Moral Reform etc. You may have all the good efforts but are so divided you are going nowhere. Do not be stupid! You can only topple a corrupt tower of power with a collective effort!

Do not be so BIDA and divide. It reminds me of a good breed of men in Los Angeles, California who had visions of brighter Philippines. They had an election some lost and started other parties and the cycle goes on and the movement failed.

DO NOT BE PINOY TANGA! dO NOT BE STUPID! THE YOUNG GENERATION RIGHT NOW ARE SO BUSY with other business that they do not have a vision of the future. LAHAT KAYONG PINOY TANGA and if you do not do something about 2010 then you forever keep your peace. Maybe Bangla desh will be better than you guys in 2020. lol

GOLF TURNED TO MAULING

2008-12-27T23:48:00.000-08:00

Image by fitaloon via FlickrThis is a re-post from a friend please read:

So, I just had the worst day of my life.

At around 1:30 PM today, at Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo City, Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr., Mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur, his father, Secretary Nasser Pangandaman of the Department of Agrarian Reform, and company, beat my defenseless 56-year-old dad and my 14-year-old brother to a pulp because of some stupid misunderstanding on the golf course.

This is a golf course. I have been a golfer all my life, and I have never seen anything like this. NOTHING. This is hard to comprehend. And it happened to my own father and my own brother too. Right in front of my eyes.

My brother and I were playing golf at the South Course of Valley. We were on the 3rd hole, and we see two golf carts going past us, overtaking our flight, and setting up to tee off on the next hole. My dad goes up to them and asks them why they would do that, why they would overtake us without even asking for our permission. Golf etiquette 101. One of the guys says that they're with the flight in front of us. (So what? That doesn't give them the right to just pass us WITHOUT asking.) So, we go to the 5th hole. The flight behind us catches up with us, and asks us what caused the hold up. We said that this flight just slipped in front of our flight. So we complained to the marshall. We play the 5th hole and walk towards the next hole, where there is a teehouse, and both the flights in front of us were there, talking with the marshall. The mayor of Masiu City, Lanao del Sur talks with my dad. Things get heated up. Voices were raised. But never, in my wildest dreams, did I ever imagine that someone would pull out a punch. Apparently not. He attacks my father. His flightmates, maybe 2 or 3 of them, rush to his aid and beat up my father. My 56-year-old father. My younger brother and I could not just watch. We rushed to break the fight.

My younger brother pleads to the mayor to please stop it. To not hurt my dad. To just stop. His words still ring through my head..."Sorry na po, sorry na po...tama na...tama na po..." With his hands in front of his chest in a praying position. PLEADING. The mayor socks him in the face. My brother defended himself. My dad is still on the ground getting clobbered. My brother is the same way. I try to stop the fight, but all I can do is stop one person. There were 4 or 5 of them attacking now.

Someone breaks up the fight. I thought it was all over. The mayor shouts to his caddy: "Hindi nila kami kilala! Sabihin mo nga sa kanila kung sino ako!" And believe me, I had no idea who this person was. But now I know. He's the person who, with 4 other men, beat up my 56-year-old father and my 14-year-old brother. He's the person who sacks a pleading 14-year-old kid in the face. He's a person who, I am sure, is gonna rot in hell.

I lash out, but my dad held me back. I was screaming my lungs out, shouting to this mayor, telling him about what he had done. I said:"Nakakahiya kayo. Singkwenta'y sais anyos ang tatay ko. And kapatid ko kakatorse anyos. Anong ilalaban nila sayo?"

The mayor looks at my brother, point to his face, and says, "Tatandaan kita!" And he tells me that my brother has a bad attitude and that I need to watch him. WHAT THE HELL?! So, my brother's bad for defending his father?!

We leave. We walk to the clubhouse to file a complaint. My brother asks for a doctor. My dad could barely walk. Their group comes to the clubhouse, sees my brother. Once again my brother pleads, says sorry, and is crying. He was CRYING, for crissakes. But no. The relentless mayor still punches him in the face, and then sees my dad and goes after my dad again. Him and his friend pull my dad to the ground, pulls at his feet, and steps on him like he's dirt. I run to him and try to hold him back, holding him back by his shirt, while this other guy and this girl tries to stop me. She tells me to just stop it. I scream in her face "they're beating my father up and you want me to stop?!" I pull at his shirt--I don't let go. All I can see was my dad being trampled on. I didn't even see my brother getting beat up.

People pull them away. I get my dad, and I saw my brother. His right ear was bleeding. I freaked out. I told the receptionists to bring my brother to the clinic. I pull my dad away. People were separating us.

My mom and my older brother come. I tell her Bino's right ear is bleeding. They both look like they could kill. My dad holds my brother off, I hold off my mom. When I finally got my mom under control, my older brother gets away and I hold him off. Two of the mayor's bodyguards pull out guns. I embraced my brother from the back, just holding him back, crying. The receptionists came to us, crying, hugging me, my dad, and my mom, whispering to us to just leave. "Maam, umalis na po kayo, may mga baril sila...Maam...umalis na po kayo please..."

I am pretty sure the Secretary of DAR did not take part in the fight, but he just watched all this happen. He watched two of his sons, as we figured out, the other guy was his son, too, beat up my father and my 14-year-old brother. He didn't do anything to stop it. And this person is what now? A cabinet member. A politician.

Sounds like something out of a movie, doesn't it? But this is what happened. TODAY. The day after Christmas. To my family. And all I ask for is JUSTICE. The people at Valley Golf did not seem to want to help us. None of the security guards even tried to stop the fight. Right in the clubhouse. I came back after the fight was over and talked to the receptionists. They say they did not see anything. The general manager of Valley Golf would not give us the names of the men who made my brother's ear bleed. It took him an hour. Maybe even more than that. He seemed to not want to help us. Because, we were against the SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRARIAN REFORM and the MAYOR OF MASIU CITY, LANAO DEL SUR. They were all scared.

The world is has gone crazy. Two politicians beat up a defenseless 56-year-old father and his 14-year-old son. At a golf course. I swear to God, I thought golfers were decent people. You would think politicians were decent people. I guess not. I guess they gang up on 56-year-old men and beat up pleading 14-year-old kids.

Please pray for my dad, my brother and for my whole family. Please pray that we get JUSTICE. Oh God, please, give these people what they deserve.

Here are related links:

http://pinoytanga.wetpaint.com/page/the+world+has+gone+crazy#link

http://pinoytange.blogspot.com/

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/141440/Sec-Pangandaman-di-kasama-sa-gulpihan-sa-golf-course----report

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/141418/DAR-chief%E2%80%99s-son-5-bodyguards-face-charges-for-alleged-mauling-of-2-golfers

MAR ROXAS SHOULD APOLOGIZE

2008-12-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaPoliticians and advisers licking the asshole of the President are again on the attack, this time asking 2010 presidentiable good Senator Mar Roxas to apologize for the cuss words he uttered in a rally against Charter Change in Makati. He said something to the effect of "Patayin ang P.I. na Cha Cha ni Gloria!"

While I am not yet convinced that Mr. Roxas will make a good president, not yet anyway, because of his close association with the rich and the chances of him getting swayed to decide in their favor, I do not at all agree to grandstanding pols asking him to apologize to the nation. What? Good Lord!

Apologize for expressing his views against a clearly manipulated ploy to change the Freedom Constitution just to extend the Term of Greed of a chosen few?

Where are these F*ing bastards when we marched the streets of EDSA which led to our freedom from suppression thus leading the way to the new constitution? That is the only GOLD LOOT we gained from our sacrifice because new looters still abound in the chambers of power after our short lived euphoria.

Your guess is as good as mine. These people were sitting in the their G'damn F*ing asses waiting which side of the fence they would go. And now that we have a Freedom Constitution, nay with all its imperfection, they want to change it to serve their purpose. Over my dead sexy body, people. I will do whatever it is in my power till my last breath to help stop your ulterior motives with all your pseudo nationalistic stance of doing the country good, you Machiavellian fools.

My cries to heaven might not be as powerful as your machinery but we have proven time and again that the voice of the people MUST be heard. I agree that changes can be made but to extend your terms? Have you not stolen enough? Have you no guilt for whatever you have done to the poor people of this country? How can you sleep at night?

Now it is my belief that President Arroyo was not behind the move and I have heard violent reactions about this but evidently there is such a move and we should empower ourselves to stop this from happening. Let us not allow these fools to insult us any longer. I may not march in the streets anymore to help the new gang of kleptocrats to take the helm of governance. I have vowed to extend my energy in making people BE AWARE of these treacherous few.

Now Mr. Palengke Mar( feeling close!) do not say sorry! It is our right as provided for by the constitution to freely express our views. Just make sure that when you become a president you should not be a thief or keep a den of Sinbads in your midst like the others.

I will say sorry for my cuss words here because it is not in my nature to do so because when I am mad I beat the bloody hell out of my opponent with my lethal karate chops :-) If I see trapos again saying they just want a better Philippines I might have to do just that.

So Cha Cha it wil be but not to extend your Reign of Greed. Stop the efforts to change what we have gambled with our lives. Let us not be PINOY TANGA.

THINGS THAT YOUNG FILIPINOS CAN DO TO HELP THE PHILIPPINES

2008-12-16T02:09:00.000-08:00

pardon the pictures as we do not have Pinoy student's pictures available. If you have available pictures please get in touch with the authors.

Harvey S. Keh The Manila Bulletin, July 20,2008 (Sunday)

Is the Filipino youth apathetic and indifferent to the plight of our country? That is a question that I am often asked by my friends who seem to be frustrated with the seeming lack of concern and action from the Filipino youth. My answer to this question is simple, I don't agree that young Filipinos don't care anymore about our country, they want and can do something but they just don't know how they can contribute positively in our society. In this regard, I'd like to share my own views of how young Filipinos can get involved in creating a better Philippines.

1.) Register and Vote in the upcoming 2010 National Elections. One of the major problems in our country today is our lack of effective and ethical leaders who will set aside their self-interest for the sake of the common good. In 2010, a great majority of Filipino voters will be aged between 18-35 years old thus, this is a perfect opportunity for young Filipinos to shape our country's future by choosing the right leaders who will lead our country out of poverty. You can help encourage young Filipinos to register and vote by joining IamChange 2010, send an email to the organizers at kai.pastores@ yahoo.com or you can contact them at (02) 426-5657.

2.) Keep yourself informed about what's happening in our country. In a talk that I gave last summer to a group of college students, I asked them if they knew the different between the roles of a congressman and a mayor. 95% of them said no. This was disheartening since they were already college students studying at a prestigious university. If we really care about our country, we should make a conscious effort to know what is happening around us by reading the newspaper, watching the news or simply taking time to visit websites that contain news about the Philippines.

3.) Harness the power of the Internet to share your sentiments about issues in our country. With the rapid growth of social networking sites and blogs, young Filipinos are now able to easily share their opinions and views with the rest of the world. This can be an effective means of sharing with your friends your views about different issues in our country and by doing so you can help generate more awareness and concern about particular issues and advocacies that need to be pushed for the betterment of our society. If you have time, visit my blog at http://filipinochan gemaker.blogspot .com .

4.) Share your books with public school students. The state of Education in our country is in a crisis. We have students who reach high school without even learning how to comprehend a Grade 3 textbook. This problem is compounded by the fact that less than 15% of our public elementary schools have adequate and functional libraries. How can we teach students to read if they don't have books that they can read? If you want to donate books or start a book drive for our public schools, you can get in touch with AHON Foundation by sending an email to ahonfoundation@ gmail.com or calling (02) 683-0262 local 109.

5.) When you go abroad or meet foreigners, share nice things about the Philippines. If you watch CNN or BBC, there are advertisements wherein countries showcase their beautiful places and encourage tourists to come and visit. This is being done since tourism can be a major driver in the economy and development of a country since it not only brings in dollars to the country but it also provides livelihood opportunities for the local communities. Given the meager budget we have to promote our country abroad, we can help by sharing nice things about the Philippines when we meet foreigners and through this we are able to encourage them to take time to visit our country's most beautiful places and enjoy the world famous Filipino hospitality.

6.) If you can, don't leave the country. Many of our best minds like our teachers are leaving the country in search of better opportunities and the effects are already showing in our public schools where there is a lack of highly skilled English, Math and Science Teachers. I totally understand and don't blame those who come from very poor families which decide to work abroad to provide a better quality of life for their families, some of them may have no other choice than to leave. But for those that have a choice and live a relatively comfortable life here, then I hope you can consider staying and working here to contribute towards moving our country forward. For those who decide to leave, I hope you don't forget to give back to the Philippines by helping send a poor but deserving student to school or sending books that our public school students can still use.

7.) Volunteer your time and Share your skills for causes that are bigger than yourself. According to studies on what makes people genuinely happy, being able to help and take part in causes that are bigger than yourself is one of the most fulfilling and happiest experiences. There are so many non-profit organizations and foundations that are currently doing their own share in helping change the Philippines but for them to reach more people and do more good work, they often need volunteers who can commit time to help in their activities. For example, Pathways to Higher Education-Philippin es needs volunteer tutors who can commit 2-3 hours a week to help poor but deserving public high school students gain access to quality higher education. Another example is Museo Pambata which looks for volunteer tour guides and storytellers who can help in entertaining and educating children who visit the Museum. You can visit the Pathways website at http://www.pathways philippines. org or call them at (02) 4266001 local 4048.

8.) Join advocacy groups that promote good governance in our country. According to a study made by the World Bank, the Philippines is one of the most corrupt countries in Asia wherein billions of pesos are lost every year due to rampant graft and corruption in our government. These billions of pesos could've been used to build homes for the poor, provide quality healthcare to the sick and build enough public school classrooms for the Filipino youth but instead they money just goes to the pockets of a few elite families which govern our country. It is no wonder why the poor remain poor in the country while those in power continue to drive around our streets in their brand new luxury vehicles. In order for us to achieve genuine and lasting reforms in our country, we need to work together to promote greater transparency and accountability in our government leaders. If you are interested to volunteer and join the fight against corruption, you can join TEAM RP by sending an email to team.rp.official@ gmail.com .Insights and comments are welcome at harveykeh@gmail. com.

Please feel free to post this in your blogs or share it with your friends. Let us all work together for a Better Philippines!

Simplified Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2008-12-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

Article 1 – All Human Beings are born free and equal.
Article 2 – No Discrimination. We all entitled to all human rights.
Article 3 – Right to life, liberty and security of person
Article 4 – No slavery
Article 5 – No torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
Article 6 – Everyone should be recognized by law, everywhere
Article 7 – We’re all equal and entitled to protection against descriminition.
Article 8 – For violations, you have legal remedies.
Article 9 – No arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. Need legal cause.
Article 10 – Right to fair trial.
Article 11 – We are presumed innocent until proved guilty, by legal means.
Article 12 – Right to privacy and to reputation.
Article 13 – Right to freedom of movement and residence
Article 14 – Right to seek asylum
Article 15 – Right to nationality and to change nationality
Article 16 – Right to marry. Marriage needs consent. Family is protected.
Article 17 – Right to own property. No arbitrary deprivation.
Article 18 – Right to freedom of thought and religion
Article 19 – Freedom of expression and opinion
Article 20 – Freedom of peaceful assembly and association
Article 21 – Right to take part in govt. and equal access to public service
Article 22 – Right to social security & economic, social and cultural rights
Article 23 – Right to work, just and equal pay, form trade unions.
Article 24 – Right to rest and leisure, holidays with pay
Article 25 – Standard of living, Social Services, Protection for all children
Article 26 – Right to Education
Article 27 – Right to cultural life, copyright
Article 28 – Right to world where all rights can be realized
Article 29 – Everyone has duties to the community for human rights
Article 30 – No one can take away your human rights.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLANNING TO GET MARRIED THIS MONTH

2008-12-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

So here we are with light moments again if you think issues are too strenuous for your taste

I recently read that love is entirely a matter of chemistry.
That must be why my wife treats me like toxic waste.
David Bissonette

When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him
keep her.
Sacha Guiltry

After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just
can't face each other, but still they stay together.
Hemant Joshi

By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get
a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates

Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.
Dumas

The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, 'What
does a woman want?
Sigmund Freud

I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
Anonymous

Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to
a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music
and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.
Henry Youngman.

'I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years.'
Sam Kinison

PACQUIAO-DE LA HOYA FIGHT

2008-12-06T20:46:00.000-08:00

Hot Sunday morning and I received an early morning call from the US. My friends were looking for me in Las Vegas. How come I didn't watch the Pacquiao fight today like I always do, I have never missed one? Would have been a good excuse for me to go back to the States.
Suffice it to say that I watch the Pinoy Prides (at work) all the time like the concert of Arnel Pineda with Journey just to give support to Pinoys but this fight is beyond my intellect. This is plain and simple scam (too harsh a word, I guess, well). A shot at more money for 2 equally popular sportsmen.
While I enjoy watching sports, it is clearly exploiting people's minds and pockets and I do not want to be a part of it. I am watching it now in my friend's wide screen because I love to be with my friends but most of us are outside the Lanai enjoying the BBQ and the worthwhile chat-of course politics again. What a boring Sunday :-)
Bottom line here is these two millionaires wanted more money-greed for money is a deadly sin and we will watch how this will unfold. Would it make their careers better? Would they enjoy more millions? Do they give a part of their earnings to charity?

Well, worth one day to waste with good old friends. Enjoy this no-brainer!

WHO ELSE IS FOR SALE????

2008-11-29T01:28:00.000-08:00

I was listening to Orhan Pamuk and Oe Kenzaburo's Discussion about representing one's country and I was struck by a comment made by Mr. Pamuk -"Most of the time it is easy journalism and sloppy reporting that give us a wrong representation of country’s real situation."

In the book "Orientalism" by Edward Said he fought for the Western view about the Islamic movement in the Eastern world. Undauntedly correcting the representation made by the Western press about the real conditions in the Islam World. Clearly making a goos point on Iraq where years after the US is now thinking maybe Mr. Said is right.

Here in our country, I believe, journalism is dictated by patronage as ex President Fidel Ramos once quipped- "Kung pro government ka magbasa ka ng Star, kung galit ka Inquirer, pag di mo na alam kung sino ka, Malaya?" So who is going to write about what is the real situation in this country? Do we still have writers who have balls to write about what is right or moral? Do we have still young men of letters who can write for the future of their motherland? I still dream.....I can name a few but would rather keep it close to my chest and let the people judge for themselves.

In the meantime....I DREAM.....Tanga ako eh!

EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY IS FOR SALE

2008-11-29T00:21:00.001-08:00

WHOOAA, Quote/unquote. This was taken from a statement made by the Speaker of the Lower House himself that drew reactions from both sides of the fence.

Was he glorifying himself or washing his hands so others will be blamed?

Should he be like Chavit Singson who Mr. Mendoza demolished as another criminal pointing an accusing finger on another criminal? (Sorry such strong words quoted)

Or wouldn't it be easier for him to just say "Okay guys fine, we all accept money from the administration, now it is time for a change, let us all admit our faults and move on with our lives forward." "Let us give the Filipinos what they deserve."

Let us give the Filipinos what they deserve. A life where the poor will be given a chance to fight for their future. A life where none of their rights are being trampled upon. A life where you can have the power to change the future of your children simply by getting the right to proper education, health services, infrastructure etc...

EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY IS FOR SALE!!!! Sinong Tanga ang di nakakaalam nang lahat ng ito? It is a fact and we Filipinos simply ignore it.

EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY IS FOR SALE!!!! I rest my case , Your Honor!

WHAT A DAY!!!

2008-11-25T02:17:00.000-08:00

It was a hot-like-holy-week-summer day so I decided to drive around and visit my mom's grave. It has been a while since I have done and I have always enjoyed the solitude that it offers. Makes me think well of my inner being, so to speak. I brought myself my favorite books of History of Philosphy and Ninoy's Poems. It struck my senses when I read aboout his Laur experience. Oh well, all men will have to back to God, ALlah, Yahweh, Kristo etc...We will al realize that there will always be a SUpreme Being mightier than anyone of us.
ANyway before I drift away, main point of the blog is when I was passing along KAlayaan(why are all roads here named kalayaan?meron ba tayo nun?) when a teenager stuck a knife at a teenage girl while grabbing her cellphone. The girl fought back and the snatcher persisted. I went down waved at the guu in the car behind me that I am going to help her-Now guess what happened? The girl almost got killed while the people around her watched her ordeal and as I was going back to my car the cars behind me were cursing and blowing their horns?? ANG TANGA TANGA KO BA???? Why did I have to help? I know I can protect her if I saw her right away, so did the men beside her.Well no one did not even shout for help, Well, what do you think sino ang TANGA? Then two more things on my way back to MAkati but my friends are here so tom.

TO ALL PINOYS by Dina Sembrano

2008-10-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn't true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can it get any worse than this?

Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these â•²honorableâ•¡ crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and apalling that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainment at its worst!

I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like "Honorable", "Senator"¡, "Justice"¡, "General"¡ and worse, "President"¡. Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do! These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation Robin Hoodlum and his band of moneymen. Their motto? "Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich."¡

It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!

I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family's, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation's coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.

And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone's morality! The already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own "pag bad ka, lagot ka!"¡ slogan. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it's all about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?

And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. "Love (of power) is blind"¡ takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband's financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don't agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality. It is not that I won't make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it.

But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines . I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could for it.

Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good.

We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!

I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world. I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion "right from the sandbox" till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor. &nb sp; I call on educators and teachers, we always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us
into. The youth is our future and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.

I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere to look around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders. YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Let your voices be heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your heritage. Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good. Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves. You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did.

Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country. You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else. I voted for Atty. Martin Bautista and his team and I sure hope they will run again. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants,computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.

For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.

RH bill: Sometimes things become clearer in Tagalog... To: Ed Tirona

2008-10-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

1. Ano ba talaga ang pangunahing layunin ng HB 5043? Di ba population control o ang mas bagong terminong population management? Itinataguyod ng may-akda na ang problema ng kahirapan ng bansang Pilipinas ay nag-uugat sa over-population kaya ang solusyon ay population control, samantalang ang bansa ay number one sa corruption. Ang mahirap sa mga pinunong bayan at opisyal ng gobyerno natin, tayong mga mahihirap ang sinisisi sa problemang kanilang nilikha. Sila naman ang may kagagawan ng corruption sa bansa natin tapos ngayon sasabihin ang ang ugat ng kahirapan ay ang maraming mamamayan.
Di ba lohikal lang na kung ano ang problema o ugat ng problema ang siyang dapat tugunan o lapatan ng lunas? Kung corruption, kapabayaan at kapalpakan ng pamahalaan ang pinagmumulan ng kahirapan, lohikal lang na iyun ang lutasin. Ang masaklap sa HB 5043, tayong mga mamamayan ang sinisisi.
2. Sinasabi ninyo at binabanggit sa Constitution na natural and primary right ang pagmamagulang at pagtatayo ng pamilya, at tungkulin ng Estado na pangalagaan at ipagtanggol ito. Bakit ngayon pinakikialaman ng HB 5043 ang ideal na bilang ng anak, mandatory sex education, pamamaraan ng pagkokontrol ng panganganak at may kaparusahan pa ang di-umayon?
3. Ayon sa depinisyon ng reproductive health ay para magkaroon ng "safe and satisfying sex life". Ano ba ang layunin ng sexual act? Procreation? Pagpapahayag ng pag-ibig o pagmamahal sa pagitan ng mag-asawa o magkapareha (para sa mas liberal, pagpapasarap? ) Mapapansin na ang lahat ng nabanggit na layunin ay puro positibong kategorya. Sa kabilang banda, ang "safe" o para maging "safe" ay nangangahulugan ng pagbabadya ng kapahamakan o kamatayan. Kung positibong phenomenon ang sex bakit kailangan mag-ingat? Okay sasabihin ninyong may STI/STD na dulot ng sex. Hindi kaya ang STI/STD ay nature's way nang pagsasabi na mali ang makipag-sex kahit kanino at sinasabing isa lang ang dapat ang partner o asawa. May pagkakataon bang nagkasakit ng STI/STD ang tapat na mag-asawa? Wala yata akong alam na nagkasakit ng STD ang mag-asawang tapat sa isa't isa. Nakipag-sex na ba kayo sa asawa ninyo, tapos nagkasakit ng STD? Magaganap lang ito kung isa sa inyo ay nakipag-sex sa ibang tao.
Ang pagbubuntis ba ay isang negatibong pangyayari sa buhay ng babae? O ang pagiging ama ng lalaki ay negatibong pangyayari? Kung iresponsable siguro, negatibong pangyayari, pero sa isang responsableng lalaki o babae, positibo ito. Kung magkagayon, ang pagiging safe sex ay para sa mga iresponsable. Ang paggamit ba ng contraceptive o safe sex ay magiging responsable ang isang lalaki o babae? Ang usapin ay ang iresponsabilidad, samantalang ang solusyon ay contraceptives. Parang malayo yata ang dalawa. (slippery slope?)
3. "Satisfying sex life." Satisfaction o happiness ay isang subjective phenomenon. Paano ngayon maapektuhan ng isang social act ang subjective phenomenon na happiness? I may be healthy but not happy or satisfied. Halimbawa, tumigil akong uminom dahil pinagbawal sa akin ng doktor, hindi ibig sabihin na happy ako. Maaring happy ako kung umiinom ako. Paano yun, gustong tiyakin ng HB 5043 na magkaroon ako ng satisfying sex life, pwede ko bang ihabla ang asawa ko kapag hindi ako sexually satisfied?
4. Gayundin ang pagtatakda ng "ideal family size" na dalawang anak. Ano ang kahulugan at implikasyon ng ideal dito? Ideal sa anong konteksto at pamantayan o panuntunan? Sino ang nagtatakda? Isang subjective category na ginagawang batas. Pwede ba yun? Ang pagkakaalam ko ang batas ay dapat malinaw at ispesipiko. Sabi ni Lagman, wala naman daw itong parusa at hindi sapilitan. Kung magkagayon, bakit niya nilagay pa sa HB? Ano ang gusto niyang palabasin? Marahil ito ang gusto niyang total fertility rate ng bansa, ibig sabihin, walang ideal dito kundi population control lang ito. Ideal siya sa konteksto ng population control. Hindi kaya pakikialam ito ng Estado sa natural and primary right ng parents na ginagarantiyahan ng Constitution?
5. Palagi na lang pinag-uusapan ang paggamit ng contraceptives at abortion. Ewan ko, conclusive na ba ang pag-aaral sa direct correlation ng contraceptive prevalence at abortion? Sang-ayon kina Lagman, directly proportional ang dalawa. Kung totoo ito, bakit sa USA na kung saan ay 9 out of 10 babaeng reproductive age ang gumagamit ng contraceptive pero 1.5 M ang abortion kada taon? Kapansin-pansin din na sa ilang mga bansang may mataas na contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) ay may mataas din ang abortion rate o legal ang abortion o habang tumataas ang CPR tumataas din ang abortion rate. Sa kabilang banda, may mga bansa ding inversely proportional ang dalawa. So hindi conclusive at maling sabihin na ito nga ang katotohanan sa relasyon ng dalawa.
6. Basahin nyo ang contraceptive guide ng US FDA, halos lahat ng contraceptive drugs at devices ay hindi nag-prevent ng STI/STD liban sa condom. Gayundin, ang condom ay hindi epektibo sa HPV. Hindi po Simbahang Katoliko nagsabi nito, US FDA po.
7. Bakit ang Simbahang Katoliko ang palaging pinagbibintangan ng pagtutol sa RH Bill? Nakatutuwa o nakalulungkot isipin na kapag tutol sa RH bill at moral ang batayan, mabilis ang pagtatatak ng relihiyosong doktrina ang dahilan o propagandista ng relihiyon. Hindi ba maaring mangyari na may parehong pagtingin ang isang atheist at relihiyoso sa isang sosyal na usapin? Bakit pareho ang pagtingin ng katoliko sa barbaric nature ng Kapitalismo sa sinabi ni Lenin na ang kapitalismo ay barbaric dahil kalikasan nito ang pagkamal ng tubo na sumasalanta sa kapakanan ng mga manggagawa. Binansagan ba si Lenin bilang propagandista ng Katoliko?
Magkagayon, ako marahil ay pagbibintangan ding propagandista ng Simbahan. Kawawa naman ang Simbahang Katoliko.
8. Sa konteksto naman ng limitadong rekurso o resources ng bansa, ang usapin ay kung paano gagamitin ito. Ibibili ba ng contraceptives ang P 2 billion o ipantatayo ng mga bagong silid-aralan, ibibili ng mga libro, o iuupa ng mga bagong guro o ibibili ng ascorbic acid, gamot sa TB, malaria control, subsidyo sa mga mahihirap na may sakit, o tutugunan ang 10 nangungunang sakit o sanhi ng kamatayan ng kababaihan (para sa inyong kaalaman, wala sa top 10 causes of morbidity and mortality ang maternal death)?
9. Wala namang batas na nagbabawal sa babae na gumamit ng contraceptives. Ano pa ang gustong gawin ng HB 5043? Available naman sa market. Sabi nila para raw magkaroon ng contraceptives ang mahihirap. Kung may pambili ng gin o pangtong-it ang mahirap di may pambili rin sila ng condom. Sang-ayon mismo sa family planning survey ng NSO, 9 out of 10 ay handang bumili ng kanyang supply ng contraceptives. Bakit gagastos ang gobyerno ng bilyong piso para magpakasarap sa sex ang mga iresponsableng mahihirap na ito? Dapat turuan ng gobyerno ang mga mahihirap na mga teknikal na kaalaman at kasanayan para magkaroon ng hanapbuhay at lumikha ng mga oportunidad para magkahanap-buhay.
10. Sangayon sa liberal kapitalistang doktrina, hindi dapat makialam ang gobyerno sa pamilihan. Bakit nakikialam ngayon ang gobyerno sa merkado ng contraceptives? Dagdag pa, hindi naman welfare State ang porma ng pamamahala ng Pilipinas, bakit ngayon isusubsidyo ang pagkikipag-sex ng mga tao? Bakit hindi isubsidyo ng gobyerno ang pagsasaka ng mga magsasaka lalo na ngayong napakataas ng presyo ng mga farm inputs at mababa ang farm gate price ng mga produktong agrikultura lalo nang palay.
Ako po'y simpleng tao lang at nagtatanong lang po.

PEOPLE GET BORED WITH ISSUES

2008-10-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

THOUGHT TO PONDER:
Hindi kaya ang dahilan ng pagbaha no’ng panahon ni Noah ay dahil pinutol
niya lahat ng puno para gumawa ng napakalaking arko?!?

Example ng mga hindi tamang sagot sa maayos na tanong:
1. Kumain ka na?
- Busog pa ako

2. Andyan ba ang nanay mo?
- bakit po?

3. Anong oras klase mo?
- mamaya

4. San kayo galing tol??
- nagstroll lang tol

5. Paano mo ginawa yan?
- madali lang

Sa ospital.....
TATA : Hon, nahihirapan ako huminga….
ERLAN : Kung nahihirapan ka nang huminga, itigil mo na!

Nagbubungkal ng lupa si Allan para magtanim. Akala ng taong nakakita
naloloko na siya dahil wala naman siyang tinatanim…
ERLAN : Pare wala ka namang tinatanim ah!
ALLAN : Bobo! SEEDLESS to!

In a Miss Gay Pageant…
HOST : How can we uplift our economy today even though we are under
economic crisis?
ERLAN : (namutla) Mga bakla! Akala ko ba Miss Gay ito? Quizbee pala!

Erlan and Allan in a buybust operation…
ALLAN : Freeze!
ERLAN : Sir mga kasamahan natin yan.
ALLAN : Ah ganoon ba? ok, DEFROST!

ALLAN : Alam mo ba kung bakit hulog ka ng langit??
DEBBIE : Bakit?
ALLAN : Kasi bawal ka dun!!!

TATA : Magkano ang facelift???
DOKTORA : Complete treatment ay P145,000.00
TATA : Mahal naman!!! Ano bang pinakamurang treatment para magmukha
akong bata??
DOKTORA : Eto TSUPETA, P20 lang!!!

TATA : Wanna know how Hindu (India) people communicate without
talking?
DEBBIE : Hindi! Pa’no?
TATA : See the red dot sa NOO nila?? INFRARED yon mare!!!

DEBBIE : Whats worse than finding a worm in the apple you are eating???
TATA : Ano?
DEBBIE : Kapag nakita mong KALAHATI na lang yung WORM!!!!

A boss confused about his Math asked his secretary…
ERLAN : If I give you P3M less 17%, how much would you take off?
TATA : Everything sir! Dress, bra, panty!

Death of Mr. Bean's Mother…
MR. BEAN : (Crying) The doctor just called up, my mom's dead.
FRIEND : Condolence, my friend.

(After 2 minutes, Mr. Bean cries even louder.)
FRIEND : What now, Mr. Bean?
MR. BEAN : My SISTER just called. HER MOM DIED TOO.

Nakabasag ng VASE si Tata sa Museum kaya nataranta ang attendant…
ATTENDANT : Naku Ma’am, more than 500 years old na po yang vase.
TATA : Haaay salamat. Akala ko BAGO.

ALLAN : Nanay, ano po ba yung 10 Commandments?
TATA : Yon ang sampung utos ng Diyos.
ALLAN : Mas makapangyarihan pa po pala kayo sa Diyos eh!
TATA : Bakit?
ALLAN : Ang DAMI niyong UTOS eh!

Misis, nagagalit sa asawa dahil nahuling may ka-textmate…
DEBBIE : Magaling! At sino tong Baby na nagtext sayo?
ERLAN : Ah eh kumpare ko yan! Lalake yan! Baby lang ang palayaw.
DEBBIE : O eto replyan mo. Hindi daw kayo tuloy at may MENS daw ang
tarantado!

TATA : Walanghiya ka! Niloko mo lang ako! Ba’t hindi mo sinabi na may
asawa ka na?
ERLAN : Excuse me noh! Sabi mo, naghahanap ka ng husband. Well… I’m a
HUSBAND!

ALLAN : Alam nyo ba yung lolo ko! No’ng panahon ng hapon dun lang sya
nagtatago sa maliit na pader! Hindi sya tinatamaan ng bala!
ERLAN : Wala yan sa lolo ko! Eh yung lolo ko sa flywood lang nagtatago!
Hindi sya tinatamaan ng bala.
ALLAN : Talaga?
EVER : Wala palang binatbat mga lolo nyo sa lolo ko eh! Yong lolo ko
nakatayo lang sa gitna.
ALLAN, ERLAN : Talaga? Bakit di sya tinatamaan???
EVER : Eh bakit sya babarilin! Eh HAPON ang LOLO ko.

KANO : Nakagawa ako ng isang barko!
INTSIK : Ikiskis ko lang yan sa puwet ko! Ako nakagawa ng eroplano!
HAPON : Ikiskis ko lang yan sa puwet ko! Ako nakagawa ng robot!
KANO : Ikaw Pinoy, ano’ng na-imbento mo??
PINOY : Simple lang, KUDKURAN NG NIYOG! O sige, subukan nyong
ikiskis sa PUWET nyo naimbento ko!

TATA : Sir, what is retirement?
ALLAN : Retirement is when you are replaced by a COMPUTER at work and a
VIBRATOR at home!

BEYOND PARDON?

2008-10-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

PUBLISHED: Student & Campus Section, Manila Bulletin, 15 October 2008 Issue (Page F-4) Is anyone beyond pardon? BY James Soriano

In answering that question, perhaps the case of Claudio Teehankee, Jr. would be a good place to start. Should he be pardoned? He’s rich and influential; no less than the son of one of the great chief justices in Philippine history. He clearly committed a heinous crime, and he has (purportedly) not shown any signs of remorse. He is, in short, the perfect example of a person whom you shouldn’t pardon.

There are other issues as well. Many have complained that the process was not transparent. Some individuals have even claimed that money changed hands in this case. The victim’s family declared that they were not informed. It seems glaringly evident to everyone that this is not just a case of a lapse in judgment—this was a deliberate act of political indiscretion.

In fact, no matter what way you look at it, this can’t be anything but political. Our very own Justice Secretary did admit that Teehankee’s brother, ambassador and representative to the WTO, ended up being a factor in the decision. Considering how even impeached Presidents get pardoned nowadays, I guess the issue is not just about one deliberate act of political indiscretion, but rather, a whole system founded on it.

Also, we shouldn’t forget about the victims’ families. If there is anyone against whom this crime has been committed, it is to them, who are in themselves victims, first and foremost. Why should they—or we—forgive him? Some things that have been taken away can never be returned. If it were our friend, our parent, our brother or sister, whose life had been taken on a whim, would we not feel the same way? We don’t have to undergo their experiences to be able to grasp they are experiencing. Forgiveness does not come easily for wounds that will never heal.

If so, then is every other pardon just as objectionable?

A decade ago, a lot of controversy surrounded the case of Flor Contemplacion, who purportedly murdered a fellow OFW as well as the son of their Singaporean employer. We claimed that she was framed, that she was innocent. We demanded that she be pardoned. Our then-president went so far as to personally appeal her execution sentence. It was denied. Her execution strained our country’s relations with Singapore for some time. Even if the facts of the case were never fully established to us, our then-president went so far as to call her a hero.

But in contrast to Teehankee, Flor Contemplacion was a poor Filipina forced into an abusive working condition. If so, then is pardon simply a question of race or social class?

Say a poor, oppressed farmer murdered his usurious landlord, who happened to be a wealthy and corrupt politician. Assuming he did his country a favor, does that make his murder any less objectionable? Would you call him a hero? Would you think twice about saying that he deserves pardon?

Maybe it would help us answer the question if we turned our assumptions around for a minute. Let’s say that pardon is acceptable and justifiable under certain circumstances. If our administration can do it, and regularly, for the rich and influential, then it is fair to say that the same standard should be applied for those who are poorer.

But assuming there was a case parallel to Teehankee’s, where the murderer a poor drunkard, the victims in question from the slums and the scene of the crime was in an obscure street alley rather than a high-class subdivision. Would that man have a right to be pardoned, too? Would there be an outcry if our president pardoned him?

In the end, however, the question of pardon is about morality, more so than about politics, race, or social class. It extends to our conscience as individuals who live in a state which respects rights, including the benefit of the doubt.

But if we were to talk about morality, then it goes back to the question: Is anyone beyond forgiveness?
(Visit http://james.soriano-ph.com, or email me at james@soriano-ph.com)

JAPAN'S ABOUT FACE

2008-09-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

Know everything that we are talking about. How important is it to stop the scrapping of an Article and open the world's Pacifist regime into the arena of a world nuclear war.

MASARAP MAG SENADOR

2008-09-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

ANG SARAP MAGING SENADOR! Miriam Defensor Santiago was featured in Correspondents last week.
Maganda rin naman ang naidudulot ng pagiging prangka ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Ayon kay Santiago , marami ang tumatak-bong Senador dahil sa laki ng budget na ibinibigay sa kanila kada buwan.
Lumalabas na P35,000 suweldo nila kada buwan ay pakitang-tao lang sa milyun-milyong budget ng bawat senador. Kada buwan ay may Fixed Monthly Budget ang bawat Senador ng humigit-kumulang P2 Milyon.
Sa opisina pa lang nila ay humigit-kumulang P500,000 ang budget nila sa Maintenance and Operating Expenses (Rental, Utilities, Supplies at Domestic Travels) at P500,000 para sa Staff at Personal expenses. Kaya para makatipid ang ibang Senador, kaunti lang ang staff na kinukuha nila. Nagtataka ka pa kung bakit mayroong mga Ghost Employee?
Bukod diyan, may P760,000 allowance pa sila kada buwan para naman sa Foreign Travel. At ang masakit pa nito, hindi na kailngan i-liquidate ang mga resibo ng mga gastusin 'yan kundi Certification lang ang Requirement.
Heto pa, lahat sila ay Chairman ng mg Komite sa Senado. Ang Committee Chairman ay tumatanggap din ng budget na sinlaki ng tinatanggap ng mga Senador na humigit-kumulang P1 Milyon din! Hindi sila mawawalan ng Komite dahil 24 lang ang ating mga Senador at 37 naman ang Committee sa Senado. There's food for everybody 'ika nga! Lumalabas na doble ang kanilang benepesiyo at kita kapag sila ay nabiyayaan ng Committee Chairmanship.
Sa P200 milyon na Budget para sa Pork Barrel ng mga Senador bawat taon, awtomatikong may 10% na S.O.P. o kita ng Senador na P20 milyon. Ito ang porsiyento na ibinibigay ng mga kontratista sa mga Senador na nagbibigay sa kanila ng mga Infrastructure at Livelihood Project.
Bago matapos ang termino ng isang Senador, kumita na siya ng P100 milyon sa Pork Barrel pa lang. Yung ibang Senador mas gahaman, hindi lang 10% kundi 20 - 30% ang komisyon hinihingi sa mga kontratista.
Pansinin niyo na lang ang pagbabago ng buhay ng ilan sa ating mga Senador simula nang manungkulan sa puwesto. Kung dati ay simple lang ang kanilang pamumuhay ngayon ay nakatira na sila sa mga eksklusibong subdivision, maraming bahay sa Pilipinas at abroad at mahigit lima ang sasakyan.
Ngayon nagtataka ka pa ba kung bakit gumagastos ng daan-daang milyong piso ang mga Senador sa kampanya para sa isang posisyon na P35,000 lang ang suweldo kada buwan? Bawing-bawi pala ang gastos kapag naupo na!
ANG SARAP MAGING SENADOR! ! !
PLEASE FORWARD TO AS MANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND LET THE WHOLE COUNTRY KNOW THAT ELECTION IS MORE OF PUTTING AMBITIOUS PEOPLE IN POSITION WHO ARE GREEDY IN POWER, WEALTH & PRESTIGE THAN OF PUBLIC SERVICE.... ANG MASAKIT PA PERA NG BAYAN PARIN GAGAMITIN SA ELEKSYON MALUKLOK LANG ANG MGA BUWAYA SA PWESTO!!!

MANG PANDOY NAMATAY!

2008-09-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

Si Mang Pandoy. Ang hinirang na image ng Pinoy na nagtitiis sa kakarampot na kinikita at tumatawid sa gutom. Si Mang Pandoy na pinaakyat ng dating PAngulong Ramos, in his State of the NAtion address, sa entablado para ipamukha sa lahat na mahihirap na mga Filipino na may pagasa ang lahat na umahon sa kahirapan.Si MAng Pandoy na kumikita lamang ng 50 pesos o isang dolyar sa araw araw.

SI Mang Pandoy dakilang ama, isang Pilipino.

Si Mang Pandoy namatay sa sakit na tuberculosis. Sakit na pwedeng lunasan kung mayroong konting salapi. Sakit na itinuring na isa na lamang parang lagnat dahil madaling malunasan.

Si MAng Pandoy- ulirang Pilipino. Ginamit ng mga politiko para mangako ng magandang kinabukasan. Isang pangako na nanantiling isang masamang panaginip para sa mga nakararaming mga Pilipino.Isang pangako na kapag ang isang pulitiko ay iniluklok sa pwesto ay magnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan at iiwan magmuli ang lahat na Pilipino na nakalugmok sa kahirapan.

PINOY ANG TATANGA TALAGA NINYO!!!!! ( tHE eNGLISH vERSION WILL FOLLOW TOMORROW AFTER THE NOSEBLEED

EDISON CHEN & GLORIA ARROYO

2008-03-05T23:35:00.000-08:00

While Hongkong is being rocked by a sex scandal of a big star caught in compromising liaisons with equally famous starlets and actresses, the Philippines was also not spared of a bigger scandal of grand theft and treason involving its own president together with her family.

Edison Chen a young singer,very popular because of his good looks and flamboyant style was blackmailed by his computer repairman when the lucky guy hit lotto and found the sex videos and pictures of the star in his PC that he sent for repair(How stupid!!)

Gloria Macapagal was exposed by her own staff of conniving with government officials to push through with a telecommunication project with kickbacks amounting to as much as US$200M.

Turmoils and denials. While the Hingkong star admitted being guilty by virtue of ownership of the lewd exposures the polticians here at home were playing their denial games and pretending as if nothing happened.

Which one has a higher morality ratio the politicians or the star?

Diploma from Manila, BULOK NA DOCTORS!!

2007-10-04T00:18:00.001-07:00

A new outrage is again brewing over the statement made by no less than Superman's girlfriend Lois Lane( Terri Hatcher) in a TV show "Desperate Housewives".
" I just want to make sure that your did not get your diploma from Manila!!!"
So, the Filipinos are again united saying things against Terry Hatcher, as a nobody, a has-been, a program without redeeming value hahahahahaha.
Why hit on Hatcher- she was herself molested when she was a kid remember. For crying out loud why don't you find out who wrote the script????????

PINOY TANGA KA BA?????

I was in touch with my doctor friends in the US yesterday and they are taking it with a grain of salt. We don't have to prove it. I am an administrator of one of the biggest hospitals in CAlifornia, I am a great surgeon in New York WHY BOTHER!!

Again as I always say our energies are channelled in a wrong way. We start an outcry over a TV statement and we flood the internet with harsh words against an actress who is just doing her job.

Where did the writer get the material. I must say she is well-read and picked up news about our diploma mills here in the country, the recent scandals about the Nursing Licensure Exams which led to the US hospitals banning graduates of that batch.

So what do we do??? Instead of raising hell or flooding the internet with ills that are happening in your own country we bark on a hapless professional actress delivering a line made by a writer.

Where were you when the leakage was being broadcasted over CNN and major news channels? Where were you when the Philippine System is being corrupted by the officials tasked or elected to their posts? Where were you when polticians play with the hearts and souls of the Filipinos who are here sufferinf in their own lands?

Hindi mga bobo ang mga filipino doctors and nurses in the American Health Services!!!! I AGREE!!! AND WE DO NOT HAVE TO PROVE IT!!!!!!Pero karamihan sa mga Filipinos TANGA????

DEAL OR NO DEAL?

2007-10-04T00:08:00.000-07:00

We are a quiet audience recently to statements coming from no less than our State Capitol- MAlacanang!
The ZTE Deal is a no deal because there were no contracts signed yet. The President herself announced that " We will honor all contracts entered by our Government with the Government of China." Followed by announcements that it is a done deal.
A week after they were singing a different tune- "Wala pang kontrata", or "we have not entered into an agreement yet and everything was exploratory" to the straight faced lie" NAwawala namin ang kontrata"
HAHAHAHA this country is pathetic if not downright STUPID. sO CAN YOU ANSWER MY BLOG QUESTION " PINOY TANGA KA BA???
While I was writing this there is yet another announcement-this time coming from the President from you get it==from China--the ZTE Deal will be scrapped! Totally?
"But we will honor other deals that we have entered into with China! HAHAHHHHAHAA

As this events unfold right under your very noses what do you Filipinos say? OK LANG YAN?
Indeed this country will never be great again!

TOW IT AWAY

2007-03-19T17:49:00.000-07:00

This morning on my way to Makati I saw a middle aged lady talking/crying to a group of men with an ugly jeep converted into a money-making tow-truck. The knight in me dictated that I get off my car as I smell something wrong with the picture.
Apparently the car of the lady suddenly stopped but was lucky to be helped by some construction workers to bring her car to the curb. She began calling up for help and was glad that these men arrived only to find out that even before asking her what was wrong they immediately attached their contraption and got the lady's driver's license. They then brought it to a yellow uniformed sickly man who has to fight for weeks bout with alcohol and started the usual " a hindi pwede yan gregorian chant that would lead to extorting money". SOUNDS FAMILIAR?
I asked this sickly policeman if they tried to help the lady first before trying to extort money? "E Sir sira sasakyan dapat hatakin!"Ano ang sira? I asked "Ewan ko problema na nya yan!"I was pissed, took my suit off and asked the lady to open her trunk. Voila! The battery's connection was loose and it was aggravated when she fell into a hole along EDSA. The car was OK and no congestion was created. I then asked these men whose leader is tenacious ."Dapat hatakin na yan"was his unending cry. How much does it take for you to let her go?E sir mahigit isang libo yan pag dinala namin" OK fine I am impatient and don't have time, I pulled out a crisp 1000 bill and handed it to the "leader"(who has mastered the craft of extortion). He then said "di po pwede ganyan" and boarded the driver's side of the lady's car and asked us to board as well.
On the side street going to Urdaneta he demanded for the 1000. I got off the car and ran to my car behind and asked my driver for my son's toy gun. "E kung barilin na lang kaya kita P.I. mong hayop ka?" and pointed it to his cohorts. When we started catching attention he jumped into the jeep and while cursing me sped off.
I was surprised to learn that this has been happening for a long time. Without offering to help first they make things worse by adding the cost of towing. Fine if it is causing traffic congestion or it it is an old car and without proper maintenance it is bound to break down.BUT HELP FIRST. Your jeeps with their welded contraptions have made a fortune already. ENOUGH!I believe your mandate is to help. Tow to ease congestion of traffic flow but do not extort from helpless civilians. PI kayo lahat.
A friend's car was towed at 2300 Hrs along SSuper and was brought to this small house two meters away from where his car was. He was thankful he gave them five hundred as a token of friendship. When he came back with the gasoline, the men in the house was extorting 12oo from him and bluffing him with a long ticket. He asked for the guys he gave 500 to and they said they left for home already. AY PILIPINAS!:)

MEN OF CONVICTION /FIRM BELIEF

2007-03-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning with a throbbing headache after partying with balikbayan friends from Canada. Twas a productive party having gathered several opinions of Canada based Pinoys who shared their observations on where this country is heading to. Some were downright stupid but funny. Some were quite visceral I didn't believe it was spontaneous.
I will share some of these in our next blogs.
What I am going to share with you now is this group on TV that I am watching at the moment. They are hitting columnist,journalists who are supposed to be MEN OF DIGNITY AND TRUTH.
I share the same opinion that a lot of these journalists are swayed (bought?) coz the contents of their articles move like an unstable yacht. I remember ex-President Ramos said kung galit ka sa Gobyerno basahin mo ito(name of newspaper) pero kung pro ka eto!.
So what is the cornerstone of real and responsible journalism? Isn't it supposed to be TRUTH!!!!?
Is it now TRUTH based on how much money one gets. If I am a drug smuggler who is now enjoying the clout of my influential friends I only have to pay millions and journalists can make me look good? So what are journalists nowadays? Are they just plain PR machines? Don't they adhere to some ETHICS anymore?
I guess these 3 people on TV are right coz they are hitting on an editor of a widely read newspaper we used to send articles to- to hit the ills of the Marcos era. Thought of him as tough and his belief solid. We had coffee with him one time and he mentioned "compromise over his dead body"as we were telling him how our group are willing to lose our lives for the truth and this country. Our motto being " FOR GOD AND COUNTRY". (A politician running for the Senate,is using this cry of ours-he is not one of us(disclaimer).:)
Now he firmly believes that this politician is good and we should admire him. When I told him that I am close to the politician's son and he said that YOU(the journalist) are on their payroll,he became more tisoy than Redford White.Wag mo ko bolahin! As the old cliche goes "THE truth will always come out!"
Anyway these 3 journalists? on TV are preaching the Gospel of Truth. This government staff is immaculate,the government is this etc.OK There is nothing wrong with that and I kept on listening till I saw the commercials. Their program is being powered by ads from this administration- that is why lahat ng nangyayari sa Gobyerno tama. Scratch my back!!!!!so to speak!
Please I beg you! Don't go to Church and pray with your eyes closed. Don't buy your children food or send them to school with BLOOD MONEY. And don't preach when you know it is not the complete TRUTH. We call that "HYPOCRISY". Konting pera lang yan.
If you know the truth I report mo! Kung may katiwalian isulat mo!
I am quite close to some of the Marcoses but we were in EDSA fighting for the ills of his administration.One night in Louie Y"s at Hyatt I told the President's son " You are in a position to affect change-just do it!"Bulok na ang gobyerno ninyo. He made some moves but powerless to the cabal surrounding his Dad.
When I saw him in Makiki a few months after we talked about it and I still believe that these kids of Ferdinand will still make good polticians. And they don't have to pay me for it. Remember how Jinggoy got so mad at his friends for telling the truth?But things would have turned out to be better if they were not blind. I firmly believe that Estrada could have changed this country(he won by a landscsape,remember?) If he followed his heart"walang kaibigan etc.)All that this country needs is someone who has REAL LOVE for this country.
But everyone campaigns like that "Mahal kong Pilipinas! and gets corrupted by the system?Ewan ko lang ha!
So,If you are a journalist and in a position to change this country for the better-just do it!
Wag ka ng magpabayad pa!

QUI TAM LAW/WHISTLEBLOWER ACT

2007-03-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

Politicians or PUBLIC SERVANTS get into deals with several businessmen in the course of their managing this business we call" governance". Governments are supposed to be given the cheapest deals that is why there is a need for bidding. Remember they are using money(TAX MONEY-we paid) to be able to upgrade the lives of their constituents. They were not entrusted these money to make more money to line their pockets.
In the USA there is a law called QUI TAM LAW which aims to protect the citizens(taxpayers), here represented by the Government, from corrupt deals or "kung nagpapalusot"-- erroneous transactions. If you know that the government lost money in a transaction(erroneous or otherwise) there is a venue for you to report it. That is our money! We have the right to know how it is being managed.
Defense contractor fraud, construction fraud, grant fraud, education fraud, public housing fraud, railroad fraud, and healthcare fraud (including kickbacks, upcoding, miscoding, unbundling, double-billing, cost-accounting, falsifying paperwork, over-prescription, medical devices, and failure to obtain proper documentation). We have the right to report all these. And if we succeed we have the right to be protected from retaliation.
Anyone or any company who has defrauded or made false claims and entered into a deal with the government will also be fined. The government cannot afford to lose anymore. In some countries those who claimed that their cement is of good quality and entered a contract to build roads were fined millions of dollars to be returned to the Government to make new roads. DITO SA PINAS ISANG ULAN LANG SIRA NA ANG ROADS.
Eto masarap! The whistleblower is entitled to handsome rewards coming from the Government or from the settlement. Nakagawa ka na ng maganda sa bansa may pera ka pa!. Sounds like good business? Post your mails here and we will make it a business to send corrupt officials and businessmen to jail. Quidale Joc Joc!

KEEPING LANE OPEN-No right turn on red light

2007-03-10T06:04:00.000-08:00

I am perpetually in a hurry. I wake up early around 5 in the morning, go to breakfast meetings and hop from one hotel to another to conduct this business.
What is most irritating is when people block your way and even if you blow your horn they pretend that they don't hear it at all. Drivers try to assume spaces to be ahead of the others( one of the negative traits of Pinoys-PANG GUGULANG!)
This is evident in bus drivers stopping in busy highways and jeepneys getting passengers in the middle of the road. Well, we have gotten used to it that we don't mind them at all- lest we die of high blood pressure or worst heart attack. I have even instructed my driver to avoid these highways at certain times of the day.
Now this issue- I will talk about the most common mistake drivers of different levels of education make. KEEPING BUSY INTERSECTIONS OPEN-let's start with turning right.
I am aware of the fact that some intersections need the sign "No right when RED. This is to prevent clogging of small intersections and it works well.It is the same as most countries around the globe.
Now in big highways like EDSA we have signs that says "keep LANE open"or right lane must turn right meaning you wait till you have an opening then you can proceed to turn right. You just have to know the rules of basic decency and not just CUT the cars along EDSA coz they have the right of way and you are just merging.
Let us check the case of Ayala going towards EDSA. One time all ten cars were blowing their horns and the car in front wasn't moving at all. I had to go down and tell the driver off. He said " E boss bawal lumiko pag red". Kung ang sign is YIELD do you understand? "Hindi po" so "Keep lane open" alam mo din?
I couldn't get mad at the driver of the car-he looked like a decent employee of a company and I was shocked that he is not aware of the meaning of the signs. Worse yun kung illiterate na driver ang kaharap mo.When do we educate them?When they kill innocent commuters?
But this is the pits. One time on the same route we were accosted by MMDA blue boys and after much discussion a policeman came and explained to the MMDA's that it is not a violation. Ano? pati traffic enforcers hindi alam meaning nang signs?
When will this country progress?To be continued :)

SINGA AND DURA ! EEWWW!\

2007-03-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered why mga tangang Pinoys love to blow their noses in public? Something of an enigma to me. Ambiguous why will someone blow his nose in public in front of so many people.
You must be saying "ang linis mo naman!" But for those of you who don't understand I will explain what is this Filipino Martial art we call SINGA>
Well, SINGA< is something inevitable,everyone catches a cold and we have to relieve ourselves so we can breathe better right? When i catch a cold I stop myself, If I can avoid it, from going to public places. Why? As everyone knows a cold is viral and once you sneeze or be around others you spread it fast. That's why Japanese cover their faces with a mask when they have it. It is because we don't want to infect others, some of whom cannot even afford medication-or in a case of a cold-a cold relief because walang medicine for common cold(not colds).

But the Pinoys elevated this to an art form! They can propel their mucus to its all time high or length. See how Pinoys cover either of their nostrils and with such powerful force from within their souls relieve their mucus to as far as Timbuktu with a single blow. Then they wipe their hands on their shirts. Olympic Games quality. Later,mura lang tissue bili ko kayo!

JAMES YAP AND GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

2007-03-03T22:06:00.000-08:00

Recently professional basketball player,James Yap husband of popular TV host and ex presidential daughter Kris Aquino announced on national TV-" I AM SORRY". Everyone was glued on their tubes waiting for the details of why he was sorry.
He said that he didn't do anything and he did not father the child of a receptionist named HOPE.
So we we're left asking what he is sorry for?
Tongues started wagging and comparing this announcement to President Macapagal Arroyo when she announced the same- "I AM SORRY' . She followed it up later that she talked to Ommission on Election(again mistake intended) official but that there is nothing wrong with that. Again we ask-What is she sorry for?
Are Filipinos in the habit of saying "I AM SORRY" even if they did not do anything wrong?
SORRY means apologetic,repentant,regretful,remorseful,penitent. I can't check the origin of the word right now but my expertise in crossword puzzles suggests a synonym which could either be despicable or pathetic.

So what are they sorry for? That's for me to know and for you to find out. Answer it based on your prejudices and biases.

Well,for now I cannot give an advice to the president because she is surrounded by a group of intelligent, hopefully well-meaning, honest and most of all moral advisers. But I can give my piece to James, who is trying to save his marriage, and ,by the way, is also expecting the birth of his first son?or daughter?

Well, James it was a choice that you made, decisions should be thought about a million times. Will you gamble your marriage and your kid for a piece of meat that you can get for a few bucks? I am not saying that the girl is a professional piece of meat, I guess she is also a decent young girl just wanting for affection. What I am saying is-If you can't control your loins like the Kennedys check the website for professional sex professionals, they are good and they keep secrets for an amount of money based on your criteria of beauty. Look at Kris' ex, Joey Marquez, but he got sick and nabuko pa din, naannounce pa sa TV na may tulo-natalo tuloy sa election. Sana lahat kayo makakuha ng AIDS.

SO as far as your marriage is concerned-will you still be able to save it from this ultra rich-toughie wife of yours? I say " James! Don't you lose HOPE!!!!!

Land Transportation Office

2007-03-03T19:51:00.000-08:00

A few years back when I went to register my cars in Land Transportation Office the staff informed me that there were additional charges to car registrations. One of these is for computerization.
OK! transactions will be faster and hassle free> I don't have to wait in line for a long time( I hate fixers-I don't pay bribe money to make life easier for me) The government does not have enough money to fund it, so what is a few hundred.
Anyway it has been years and after millions of registrations and license renewals don't you think we have paid more than enough for all those computers. Then again they'll say that it has to be maintained. Fine! I pay my main IT 50,ooo pesos, the rest of my IT team gets paid minimum. I don't spend millions to maintain my infrastructure(security and new developments) a year. And my infrastructure is WAY sophisticated than that of the LTO.
So what's my point? We have given them enough cash for them to start the ball rolling. They obtain funds from the government( which,by the way, should have funded it) to spend for their developments. They make money from our fees. Do we have to make them rich? Public service is different from private organizations.
Feeling of deja vu dawns on you when you remember that MERALCO used to charge us more than we should pay. They tried to justify the fees but in the end the VOICE OF REASON prevailed. They had to refund consumers to the brink of their demise. All in the spirit of fairness.
Again! Enough is enough. They have made a fortune and change the system. The government is posting growth. We have paid for the computers and maintenance. Don't you think it is aout time they remove the fees. Kailangan pa ba natin bayaran yan? Are we not paying enough taxes to fund it?
Oh and ,by the way, just for you to know that I don't have an ax to grind against the agency. I would like to send KUDOS to Makati LTO. They are the BEST! They got rid of fixers and transactions are so fast you don't see a lot of people queuing everyday. You can pay the stencil boys,sure,(but they don't want to accept it). Some of their staff are stone cold ,you don't see them smile,but they get the job done. NOW THAT IS PUBLIC SERVICE!
I don't have to mention the other branches where I register my other cars coz they skim you for money. Imagine my driver bringing my truck(smoke belcher) and getting it registered for an additional 300 pesos. I was furious! I told him to have it fixed, meaning-ipa calibrate para hindi mausok- and register. Masaya pa sya eh! Boss naayos ko na! Wala na smog test nakatipid pa tayo.hahaha. I had to return to that branch and complain about the smog subcontractor and the guy in the office said "Kumikita si chief dyan sa mga yan walang mangyayari sa reklamo ninyo?-So now you know why even with the clean air act ang dumi pa din ng hangin natin.

REPORT TO LTFRB

2007-03-03T06:59:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed those numbers printed in every type of public transportation? "Report to LTFRB!"?
Do you want to try and call that number? A friend of mine was molested by a taxicab driver. We reported the matter to the police and they said report it to LTFRB.
The police added "you can see the numbers in the cabs" so we stopped a cab, paid the driver fifty pesos just to jot down the number.
They don't work! Those numbers are wasted paint plastered on all public transportation. It is a sorry excuse just to let people know that the agencies- the budgets of which were taken from our good taxes-are doing their jobs.
So If cab drivers don't take you to your destination. Or you left something and couldn't get it back. You rode a bus and you were held up. A flasher doing his thing beside you in the MRT.
Who do you call? try BATMAN!or SUPERMAN or try DOTA superheroes maybe they can help.

HELLO EVERYONE!

2007-03-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

It's 10 pm Manila Time March 3,2007. Not the time and date that I have targeted but what the heck! it's only a fewdays before my late Mom's birthday. It is also a few days after her death anniversary so I'm in the midst of things-correct ba yun?

I just got the inspiration to start this blog when I heard tiny little voices behind my ear telling me tuloy mo na !!!!!

I have been planning a site like this but time was wasted when I lost time searching for a good webdesigner, IT specialist etc.. Stupid me didn't know that I can get it for free without the hassles coz everything was in templates already.

I wanted to start this blog to make Filipinos aware of who they are, where they come from, where are they heading, and what is in store for their future(meron ba?)

As the blog title TANGE I aim to make pinoys aware of what they do,what they fail to do and how they influence(D)-(past and present-mistake intentional)- the people around them.

I have tried to talk to my abroad based friends to start something like this but all I hear is "Uy Maganda yan!" or "ang nationalistic mo naman". Some are sarcastic "Sayang lang ang pagod mo dyan Pre!" and "sinong makikinig sa yo?"

I know my target market here is people who have money to buy computers or have the funds to pay for internet cafes. But as I have observed even kids nowadays are spending so much time in front of their puters searching the net.

We read in the papers that our economy is growing and peoples lives are getting better. But is it really? Is it just influenced by other factors around the globe? I say this coz we gauge growth to the exchange rate of the peso vis a vis the almighty Us dollar. But we all know that the US moolah is loosing its luster because of the war they are waging around the world. Check the rate compared to Euro. Anyway

The aim of this is for you guys out there to share our faults ,our thoughts,our gifts hoping that if we expose these to the fore we will be aware,or the readers, of what we can do for the future of our children.

"Mag a abroad ang anak ko!"-is a common reply I get from our less fortunate pinoys when asked "Ano ang plano nyo sa buhay? I tell them "Galing ako ng abroad and mas maganda dito"
"Sabi mo lang yan kase may pera ka"

Is that the only solution? To seek greener pastures elsewhere? Why not generate jobs here and let the poor families stay together? Why do you have to break them apart just so one can support the whole clan?

Another trend of thought is "Why do I have to work hard when my government should do that for them?". Gobyerno and may kasalanan! Nagbabayad ako ng tax -di naman ginagawa ang kalye namin!-Sounds faniliar? OK so what do we do about it.

It pains my butt to see fellow pinoys being set aside in immigration counters for additional check. MagTNT yan, terrorist kase,di namn kase nagbihis etc...comments from other pinoys!
Pinoys selling their wares in train terminals in Italy, peddling drugs in Amsterdam, cracks in Los Angeles, maids in Hongkong, dancer in Japan ano pa?Gusto mo pa? Next issue na.

Are you still proud to be Pinoy? Well,I AM! That's why I am here. Same thing I said to Jim Paredes when I heard he was leaving for Sydney. Nandito ang laban! Walang iwanan.

So if you are with me- let us all try and bring the PINOY PRIDE. Let us stand proud abroad and proclaim "FILIPINO AKO!"