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Kahit anong kahig, walang matuka

Kaya gusto ko umuwi sa amin sa probinsiya ng Antique ay para na rin reminder sa sarili ko na hindi Pilipinas ang Manila.

Ang aming baryo, Guisijan, ay nasa bayan ng Laua-an. Katulad ng maraming baryo dito sa Pilipinas, hindi nararamdaman ng mga tao doon ang national government. Kayod lang sila ng kayod.

Ang kasabihan na “Isang kahig, isang tuka” ay tugmang-tugma sa uri ng pamumuhay doon sa amin. Para may hapunan, papalaot ang mga kalakihan para mangisda. Noong malilit kami, pagdating namin galing sa eskwela, takbo kaagad sa tabing dagat at tutulong maghila ng bitana (fish net).

Paghati-hatian kung ano man ang makukuha. Siyempre mas marami ang parte ng mga sumasama sa bangka. Mas kukunti ang sa amin na tagahila lang ng bitana. Dahil tatlo kaming magkakapatid, marami na rin kapag naipon ang aming parte.

Hinahanda na ng Nanay namin ang kalan para sa isda na aming i-uuwi. Yun ang amin ulam sa hapunan. Masarap, kasi talagang sariwa. Kahit kamatis at sibuyas lang ang ihahalo.

Mabagal ang pag-unlad ng aming baryo. Hindi ko nga masasabi kung may pag-uunlad.Ngayon, sinasabi ng ilang kong kapitbahay na kahit akong kahig nila, wala ka pa ring matutuka.

Katulad na lamang ng manikurista sa aming baryo. Ang pangalan niya ay Gemma. Nang hinanap ko siya noong Linggo, kaalis lang niya papuntang Manila para mamasukang domestic helper.

Nagulat ako na umalis si Gemma papuntang Manila dahil may sanggol siyang hindi pa nagi-isang taon. Sabi nga ni Aling Beheng na kanilang kabitbahay, “Paano kasi talagang wala na halos makain.”

Ang kuwento ni Gemma ay kuwento ng maraming Nanay sa amin. Ini-iwan ang mga maliliit na anak para maghanapbuhay at ng may mapakain sa mga anak. Ganyan ka tindi ang kahirapan sa mga baryo.

Sabi nga ni Aling Beheng, “Ay naku, kahit gaano kami kahirap noon, hindi namin iniiwan ang aming mga anak na ganito kaliliit.”

Sa sampu sigurong kabitbahay namin, walo ang may nagtatrabaho na domestic helper sa iba’t ibang lugar. Mayroon nga sa Lebanon.

Ang caretaker sa bahay naming na si Aling Ludying ay naga-alaga ng kanyang apat na apo. Ang anak niyang babae na may dalawang anak ay namasukan rin sa Maynila noong isang buwan para pantustos ng pag-aaral ng anak.

Ang nanay at tatay ng dalawa pa niyang apong maliiit (pito at limang taon) ay sa Manila rin namamasukan.

Kaya lumalaki ang mga anak na hindi kasama ang Nanay. Hindi buo ang pamilya.Nakakalungkot. Ito ang Enchanted Kingdom ni Gloria Arroyo.

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142 Comments

  1. Your story rings true and its sound is repeated in almost all Barrios in Pilipinas…..

    Labas nyan, broken family o kaya naman, nalululong sa masamang bisyo ang mga bata.

    Mas maganda sa Barrio, kasi malayo sa masasamang elemento na nakapagpapasira ng kabataan gaya ng mga droga, sugal, masamang barkada, atbp. Iba ang kalagayan kung nasa Lungsod ang mga tao. Mas malala.

    btw, Hindi kaya mas maganda ang livelihood program sa ka-Baryo-han? Gaya ng pagtatanim para sa pansariling kakainin…. Gawa yan ng mga matatanda rito. At least, may pansariling gulay….

    Isa pa: ANO ang ginagawa ng mga Kongresista na siyang “representatives” [daw!] ng mga tao? Di ba nga at may pera para sa mga proyektong ganito?

    WHAT happened? Tumigil ang pera sa mga ‘bank accounts’ ng mga ganid na “public servants”?

  2. Jun Jun

    Ang isang tao na gustong mabago ang buhay ay mababago mo kung talagang disidido ka. Kung tamad kang mag-aral noong bata ka at aasa ka lang sa pagiging DH papano aangat ang kalagayan mo. Hindi yan sinasabi kundi ginagawa. Napakaraming tao ang ganyan na nagtagumpay dahil desidido silang guminhawa. Kalokohan ang katuwiran na dahil sa kahirapan ay di nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Nasa will ng tao yan. Hwag ninyong iaasa ang inyong kinabukasan sa iba magsikap kayo at sigurado akong magtatagumpay kayo. Hindi iyong isisisi ninyo sa gobyerno ang kahirapan ninyo. Kumilos kayo. Giseeeeeng! Now na. Yes to chacha ito ang makakapagbago ng kabuhayan sa mga ordinaryong probinsya.

  3. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    “…hindi Pilipinas ang Manila.”

    That’s the spirit, Ellen! Yan ang kailangang isuksuk sa mga kukote ng lahat ng nagpopost dito. They (or should it be You or We) all sound as if the circus that is Manila is representative of the whole country! Galit na nga ang the rest of the country sa “Imperial Manila.”

    Ang tutoong pulso ng Pilipinas ay ang Pilipinas outside Metro Manila, at hindi ang 1,200 respondents ng SWS at Pulse Asia na puro taga-Metro Manila naman.

    Ba’t parang di ko naririnig ang “patalsikin na now na” outside Metro Manila? O baka naman sobrang hina, na malakas pa ang iyak ng sanggol.

    “Kaya lumalaki ang mga anak na hindi kasama ang Nanay. Hindi buo ang pamilya.Nakakalungkot. Ito ang Enchanted Kingdom ni Gloria Arroyo.”

    Haay naku, ayan na naman ang spiel na lahat INAASA SA GOBYERNO.

    I BET ALL POSTERS HERE REACHED THEIR STATUS IN LIFE NOW WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT (studying in public schools and being government scholars abroad not counted). Bitching will not get anyone anywhere.

    Lest you forget, such has been the situation here ever since the 1970s. Macoy, Cory, FVR, Erap and now Ate Glue, same situation pa rin. ANG “ENCHANTED KINGDOM” AY MATAGAL NANG NANDITO, SI ATE GLUE NGA LANG ANG UNANG TUMAWAG NITO AS SUCH.

  4. Basta ang alam ko, kung sino ang sinungaling at mandaraya, di dapat nakaupo sa posisyon presidente man o barangay councilor. Eh si Gloria, nandaya, at maraming proweba iyon nga lang nabubusalan ang bibig. Kaya kailangang parusahan siya!

  5. Mrivera Mrivera

    Inaugural Speech of Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Full English version)

    Luneta Grandstand, Manila (30 June 2004)

    ——————————————————————————–

    (Italicized items translated from Pilipino)

    Thank you, Secretary Romulo, Vice President-elect and Mrs. Noli de Castro, former President Fidel Ramos, Senate President and Mrs. Drilon and the members of the Senate, Speaker and Mrs. De Venecia and the members of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice and Mrs. Davide, and the Associate Justices and other members of the Judiciary, Excellencies to Special Envoys and members of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the Cabinet and their ladies, other appointive officials, mayors of Metropolitan Manila, governors and other local officials, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and its men and women, as well as those of the police, members of the various sectors of society, fellow workers in government, mga minamahal kong kababayan:

    Long live the Filipino nation!

    My sincerest thanks to all of my beloved countrymen, to our democracy, to God Almighty.

    This ceremony never fails to impress. It invests the highest official of the land with the chief care of the nation, and the principal responsibility of leaving it better than when she took it in hand.

    Let me speak plainly.

    When I step down six years from now this will be my 10-point legacy.

    I shall have created more than six million jobs, perhaps, even ten million jobs. I shall have supported three million entrepreneurs by giving them loans and helping them become good managers. That way, we shall be establishing a deep foundation for a broad middle class.

    I shall have developed one million hectares, if possible two million, of agribusiness land by making them productive and transporting their products to the markets efficiently.

    Everyone of school age will be in school in an uncrowded classroom, in surroundings conducive to learning.

    I shall have balanced the budget by collecting the right revenues and spending on the right things.

    The network of transport and digital infrastructure on which my government embarked in the last three years will have linked the entire country.

    Power and water will be regularly provided to all barangays.

    Metro Manila will be decongested, with economic activity growing and spreading to new centers of government, business and community in Luzon, in the Visayas and in Mindanao.

    The Subic-Clark corridor will be the most competitive international service and logistic center in the Southeast Asian region.

    Elections will no longer raise a single doubt about their integrity. The electoral process will be completely computerized. Enough of the manual counting of votes.

    And long before that, peace will have come to Mindanao. All insurgents shall have turned their swords into plowshares. They will have become so absorbed into one society that the struggles of the past will be just the stuff of legend.

    The divisive issues generated by EDSA 1, 2 and 3 will also be just memories shared by friends from every side in those upheavals. Only the lessons of unity, courage and a just closure kept alive in their hearts.

    We must end with justice the conflict brought about by EDSA 1, 2 and 3. There are more things that bind rather than tear us apart as a nation. We are a vibrant country with a lively democracy and fervor burning in our hearts. Industry, patience, fear of God and love for family are common values we hold dear.

    The Filipino is known worldwide for his honesty, honor and dignity. We fight for what we believe in.

    The last election clearly saw this fighting Filipino spirit at its best. Roco, Lacson, Villanueva and Poe all fought with conviction.

    If only we could now fight together, with the same energy and conviction, to preserve our freedoms and advance our nation’s progress.

    We know now what we can do when we set our minds to it. We know now how well we can unite the people around our respective causes. Can we not work together to rally the nation behind the paramount objective of its salvation?

    To win and realize our dream, we must all unite. We must come together by tearing down the barriers of social division and building up economic opportunity for the poor and establishing justice for all. This is the foundation of genuine unity.

    Our unity as a people will be defined by a strong vision of a nation built on common values of hard work, shared sacrifice and love of country.

    The unity we seek is not one of conformity but unwavering respect for the rules and institutions of democracy. A modern country founded on social justice, enjoying economic prosperity.

    To achieve a united country, we need to face the deep divisions of our nation squarely, not only the truth but also the solution. That solution must engage all segments of society in a new government of political reform and economic change.

    Our nation must embrace a vision of economic opportunity, social cohesion and, always and ever, democratic faith. I offer my hand and I hope it will be taken with the same faith.

    Unity is not measured by how many political parties are able to achieve the accommodation of narrow self-interests. Rather, it is achieved by the harmony of sincere convictions based on our agreement on the basic requirements for achieving the national good.

    We are not merely a group of islands surrounded by water but a country linked by the sea and unified by a rich heritage. We are not an archipelago of false hopes but a nation joined together by the progress we seek.

    Our ability to unify will be judged by our ability to come together under a common vision that will erase the divisions that hold us back as a nation.

    The government must make tough choices, but this I promise: they will be tougher on those who have it easy than on those who have it tough already. In this way alone lies unity and not exploitation and division. We must include in our national goals the hopes and dreams of our poorest citizens in order for us to succeed.

    It is immoral for the rich and powerful to keep taking more and more, leaving the poor with less and less.

    It is immoral for the government to grow unresponsive, even corrupt, while leaving the poor without health care, without shelter, without clean water.

    It is immoral for the foes of democracy to terrorize our children, paralyze our economy and jeopardize our future as the poorest among us bear the heaviest burden.

    Therefore, I come to you today with a mandate from the people to unite the nation and fight for change. I come to you today with a mandate to govern by the clear call of the sovereign people.

    I pledge to bring you a pro-poor agenda that will lift up our poorest brothers and sisters, invest them with dignity and imbue them with hope.

    I pledge to you a government that will live within its means and put every spare peso to real work. I pledge to reduce spending where government does not work and increase spending where a government can make a difference for better.

    And while I am doing that, I will crack down on wasteful and abusive officials and influenced peddlers.

    I pledge to collect taxes mandated by law even as I stop extortion masquerading as tax collection. Pay your taxes; do not pretend to be innocent when you are caught. I will crack down on tax cheats.

    And I pledge to do everything necessary to expand the economy, engage it deeper in the world of commerce and advance the interests of our country and our people the world over.

    But for me to do all these, I need you. I cannot do these alone.

    I will need very single Filipino to come together, get involved and help us bind the wounds of the past. I will need every single Filipino to get our nation healthy for tomorrow.

    I challenge our business community to rise to the occasion and embrace selfless nationalism. Invest in our people and our country instead of giving excuses for keeping your money abroad where it cannot put our people to work.

    I challenge our young men and women: there is a role to play in the re-creation of our nation, some in honest public service, most in productive private endeavor. Whatever it is you decide to do, let the greater part of it be for our country. It is personal patriotism, not impersonal free markets, that makes nations strong and great.

    I look up to Congress to seize this moment in history. Its like it will not come again. All eyes are on us. You have it within your power to transform the nation with laws. Laws that modernize our banking, laws that reform our bureaucracy, laws that strengthen the independence and honesty of our judges, laws that invest in our country and secure to our people the promised blessings of democracy, which are a life worth living, liberty worth having, happiness within everyone’s grasp.

    Now, is our time to march forward as one. I seek your wisdom and I trust in your commitment to the common good, to the swift actions you will take.

    And finally, I challenge myself and our government to live up to the highest standards of honesty and competence in the public service.

    Everyday, I shall get up and work for you. I shall make good and I shall do good for the good of all and not just for the cameras. The canvassing for public attention is over.

    I expect you to get up everyday to hold me accountable, in the full glare of transparent leadership. I shall wield the power of the Presidency to uphold truth and justice.

    I devote my life and treasure to serving your mandate. Do your responsibility and I shall do mine.

    United, how can we lose? Together, we will prevail!

    We will strive together. We will triumph together.

    Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

    Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

    kinopya ko nang buo upang maging batayan sa lahat ng kanyang kasinungalingan.

  6. Jun Jun

    Nakatakip kasi ang mata mo sa katotohanan kaya kala mo kasinungalingan. Kaya nga laging nagkakasakit yung tao sa katatatrabaho e. Gusto mo ibalik si Erap na tanghali na kung gumisisng dahil napupuyat sa inuman sa malacanang. Ganyan ba ang gusto ninyo. hindi kayo marunong mag appreciate ng tama.

  7. nelbar nelbar

    Mrivera:

    Meron ka ba ng Inaugural Speech din ni Erap noong June 1998?

    Paki post naman dito oh 🙂

     
    Sa totoo lang ang ‘tunay na Bise-Presidente ng taumbayan’ noong 1998 ay kasama mismo ni Erap sa Barasoain Church oathtaking niya.

  8. Kung hindi lang nag “I’m sorry” so Gloria, parang wala siyang ginawang mali. Pero dahil nag-sorry siya, ibig sabihin noon may kasalanan siya, kaya lang sa halip na totoong paghingi ng pasensiya, pinaliit lang niya kasalanan. Tapos lumabas pa sina Colcol at Rasalan, meron talagang pruweba laban kay GMA.

    Kung wala lang ginawang milagro itong si GMA, baka nga nakatulong siya sa bayan. Kaya lang ang katotohanan ay talagang lalabas at lalabas iyan.

  9. Everytime I hear the Arroyo admin and her allies keep talking about how great the economy is right now,how unemployment is “down”, and poverty level is “down”… I always want to say, “well, tell that to the people, maam.”

    Tell that to the people who lost their jobs. Tell that to the people who still can’t find a job here, and tell that to the doctors and teachers who have given up looking for a decent paying job here and are willing to go abroad to become nurses and maids.

    I think some Filipinos are suffering from “cognitive dissonance”. The arroyo admin keeps telling us the economy is doing great and unemployment is down, but ordinary people you talk to tell a different, more realistic side. They know deep down that they’re not getting the whole truth, and not everything is alright.

  10. nelbar nelbar

    Jon Mariano,

    siguradong nagsisisi ang mga bumoto noon 1998 kay GMA bilang Vice-President.

    Ilang araw bago umalis si Erap sa Malacañang noong January 2001, proposal nya na magkaroon ng SNAP election sa darating na May election ng nasabing taon. Pero bingi ang mga kalaban nya sa ideyang ito.

    Ngayon naman, kung sakaling magkaroon ng SNAP election? Sino naman kaya ang kokontra at papayag?

    May maniniwala pa kaya sa eleksyon sa Pilipinas samantalang dinadaya naman at makinarya ang gumagana.
    At hindi ang kagustuhan ng taumbayan ang nananaig o kagustuhan ng nakararaming taumbayan.

    will of the majority versus will of the trapo/elite

  11. Nelbar, noong 1998 walang dayaan, walang escapades sina Garci, Bolante, Colcol, Rasalan, etc. Kaya magsisi man ang mga bomoto, hanggang doon lang dahil wala naman dapat parusahan.

    Nitong 2004 election, merong mga ginawang katampalasanan, dapat parusahan ang mga gumawa noon. Ito ay para huwag silang maging huwaran at para hindi na maulit (hopefully), para sa kinabukasan ng Pilipinas na inang bayan.

  12. nelbar, here’s more on that snap elections:

    edition.cnn.com/2001/ASIANOW/southeast/01/19/philippines.estrada.04/

    MANILA, Philippines (CNN) — Despite the passage of an opposition deadline demanding his resignation, there is no word yet from President Joseph Estrada on his next move.

    Philippines Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had given Estrada until 6 a.m. on Saturday (2200 GMT, Friday) to resign or face tens of thousands of Filipinos ready to march on his palace.

    Soon after the deadline expired, thousands of Filipinos began to march to the Mendiola Bridge near the presidential palace in a bid to force him out. The Mendiola Bridge, near the main drive leading up to the palace, is where Philippinos have traditionally gathered to express their displeasure with governments. (Not anymore, honey. – John Marzan)

    Renato Corona, Arroyo’s chief of staff told reporters, “I hesitate to use the word negotiations. … It’s more like our panel telling the president he has until six o’clock to resign and leave, and if he does not this whole crowd will march to (the presidential palace) Malacanang.”

    Arroyo — daughter of the late Diosdado Macapagal, who served as the Philippines president from 1961 until he lost a bid for re-election to Marcos in 1965 — had earlier rejected the embattled president’s call for snap elections as key military and government officials defected to the opposition’s side.

    “That’s illegal and unconstitutional,” said the vice president.

    “The president has not only lost moral authority to govern, but now has no government,” Arroyo said in a statement in which she referred to herself as the “new commander-in-chief,” according to The Associated Press.

    Arroyo leads an opposition campaign joined by hundreds of thousands of ordinary Filipinos and unlikely allies from big business and left-wing communist groups. She would take over the presidency if Estrada were to resign.

    Earlier, Estrada said in a televised speech that he would not run if Congress announces snap elections, to be held in May alongside general elections.

    “This, I believe is the best course under the present circumstance,” he said. “Since I still have the support of a significant segment of our people, I do not think that the present polarization can be healed by a new leader who will take over without an electoral mandate.”

  13. nelbar nelbar

    Salamat Jon Mariano at johnmarzan

  14. Jun Jun

    Hindi naman talaga dapat mag so sorry si Gloria dahil ang pagtawag naman niya kay Garci ay para lang alamin niya agad ang resulta. Subalit, sinulsulan siya ni Drilon at ng mga Huwad 10 na mag sorry. Iyon pala ay may binabalak ang mga demonyo kaya pinilit nilang mag sorry si GMA at ng mag sorry na ay saka sinabayan ng resign para magmukha nga namang guilty yung tao. Pati yung pag papa exile kay Mike Arroyo ay sulsol din nitong mga Huwad 10 kahit walang kasalanan ang tao para nga naman in time of crisis ay walang kasama si GMA. Ito ay plinano nila sa Hong Kong, kundi ba naman talagang mga demonyo ang mga taong ito. Pero sa bandang huli ang katotohanan pa rin ang nananaig kaya’t pumalpak ang masamang hangarin nitong mga kupal na ito.

  15. Sa palagay ko ay mas malaki at mas marami ang kasalanang ginawa ni Gloria. Kanya lang pinili at ini-emphasize ang mas maliit na kanyang ginawang mali para hindi siya parusahan. Gusto niya kasi, mag-move-on. Gusto niya kalimutan na lang lahat. Eh hindi naman pwede iyon.

  16. Mrivera Mrivera

    PGMA arrives in Brussels on 2nd stop of European swing
    TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2006 | FOREIGN RELATIONS

    BRUSSELS, Belgium – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrived in this seat of the highly-influential European Commission late Monday evening on the second stop of her five-nation swing that is expected to further enhance Philippine relations with Europe.

    The chartered Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from Helsinki, Finland, where the President attended the two-day 6th Asia-Europe Leaders’ summit, touched down at the Abelag (General Aviation Area) at 6:45 p.m. (12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Manila time) following a two-hour, 45-minute flight.

    Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Cristina Ortega, along with other members of the Special Task Force coordinating the visit here, welcomed the President, who was wearing a black business suit, together with First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo and other members of the delegation that includes some members of the Cabinet, Congress and business.

    The President was whisked in a black limousine at the head of a 10-vehicle convoy to the Conrad Hotel, where she will be billeted for the next two days.

    Tuesday morning (Brussels time), the President will call on Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt at his official residence in “16 rue de la Loi,” considered as the nerve center of Belgian policy as considerable political and social discussions proceed behind its walls.

    The building shelters the Cabinet and the Chancellery of the Prime Minister which meet here once a week.

    The President will then proceed to the Palais de la Nacion, seat of the Federal Parliament, for a working lunch with members of the Belgian House of Representatives and Senate.

    It will be hosted by Speaker Herman de Croo and Senate President Anne-Marie Lizin.

    At 4:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. Manila time), the President will call on Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, at his office on Berlaymont along “rue de la Loi 200.”

    The 30-minute meeting will be followed by a joint press conference at the lobby of the Berlaymont, an important government building that houses the EC headquarters.

    The President caps her day with a 6 p.m. Mass with the Filipino community at the Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudule along Parvis Sainte-Gudule in downtown Brussels.

    The number of overseas Filipinos in Belgium has been placed at 5,800. Of this, only 3,067 are officially registered with the Belgian National Statistics Office.

    On Wednesday morning, the President gets to meet Josep Borrell, president of the European Parliament, at his office in what is known as the European district.

    She will then proceed to the Royal Institute for International Relations at the Palais de Egmont, also along “rue Petit Sablon 8” where she will be the guest speaker.

    The Royal Institute for International Relations is an independent, non-partisan think-tank, study center and forum for debates. It analyses international topics of current concerns.

    For her final engagement here, the President will witness the turnover of refurbished aircraft from Abelag to the Asian Aerospace Clark at the General Aviation Area, a few minutes before departing for London at 2:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m. Wednesday Manila time)

  17. Chabeli Chabeli

    Wala na bang awa si Gloria sa mga mahihirap? During EDSA 2, and in her first State of the Nation address then, Gloria promised so many benefits for the poor. I, for one, believed her at that time; thinking that the focus ONCE AND FOR ALL should be the marginalized ones-after all, they make-up the majority in the Philippines. But what happened? Like most of the so-called, “old rich,” they PRETEND to want to help the poor, only to use them for their own benefit! Yes, it is rather unfortunate that majority of Filipinos are under-educated. Has government helped them through education to give them a better life and arm them for a better future? No, they did not. Has the “old” elite really helped the poor by giving them “until it hurts”? Very, very few do. What is the sacrifice of the haves versus the have-nots? To paraphrase the Good Book, “for those who have more, much is expected.”

  18. Mrivera:

    This crook of a Pandak has been saying since 2001 to help her be a president. This is admission in fact though she may not realize that she is not competent enough to be one. Kaya bakit siya nagpupupumilit? Because as president she has access to where the money is, including private properties, operations and activities like the gambling, etc. Sa totoo lang, diyan yumaman si Marcos!!! Siya ang nilalagyan, hindi siya ang naglalagay.

    In the case of the Pandak, she borrows money from foreign countries, keep the bulk of it and then most likely throw “balato” to the likes of Dementia, Nobrales and Lagayman. Worse is when she drains the treasury dry and then threatens those who will not cooperate with her like RuffyB of not funding their projects even when in fact there are not enough money anymore to give, and definitely not to projects that she cannot claim as her own to try to win the hearts of gullible Filipinos, who thinks she’s generous giving out those small packets and ramen for a photo-op with which to swindle everyone.

    Pathetic? You bet it is!

  19. Jun Jun

    True, itong mga oposisyon ang nagsasamantala sa ating mga mahihirap. Because they know that the poor will accept even the cheapest reward that they will give in exchange for their selfish favor. Pananghalian lang ay sapat na kanilang iaalok sa mga mahihirap para sumama sa kanilang mga rally. Ano ba yan?

  20. Ellen,

    I remember when I was a girl the song with lyrics of “isang kahig, isang tuka!” sang I think by Sylvia La Torre, and that was before Garcia declared “austerity. That was decades ago. Gosh, hanggang ngayon ba isang kahig,isang tuka pa rin?

    PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA! LINKING UP WITH THE MANILA PATALSIKIN NA MOVEMENT WHOSE LEADERS IN FACT HAVE LIBEL SUITS DANGLED ON THEIR HEADS!!! TANGNANG ABUSE IYAN!

  21. Mrivera Mrivera

    hindi nga ba sa first opportunity seen, that was when all their plans to topple (or frame up) erap are already laid, glue de cementada was the first to demand his stepping down? this was what i saw as a clear thirst for power that many uto uto readily bought out. ngayon, sino’ng mga sising alipin? sila rin dahil matapos pakinabangan, pinagsisipa at initsa pwera.

  22. nelbar nelbar

    Mrivera,

    Hindi ko binabasa ang mga posting mo tungkol sa balitang paglalamiyerda ni GMA sa ibang bansa.
    Sa totoo lang, karamihan ng balita sa Inquirer at Philstar na may pamagat at patungkol kay GMA hindi ko na agad ito binabasa.
    Wala akong pakialam kung magkasakit o madisgrasya pa siya. Hindi siya Presidente kaya hindi dapat bigyan ng pansin!

     
    Naalala ko last year sa isang TV footage sa Malacañang na nakikipagkamay si GMA sa mga empleyado ng govt. Isa isa nya itong nilalapitan at kinakamayan. Samantalang may isang babaeng empleyado na nakipagkamay at hindi sinasadyang tumalikod matapos madampian ang palad ng nagpapanggap na lider ng malacañang.

    Bigla itong binalingan ni GMA at sinabihan na tinalikuran daw siya. Kinopronta ito ni GMA at kitang kita ito sa camera. Bagay naman na itinanggi ito ng babaeng empleyado at sinabing “Kinamayan ko kayo Ma’am”.

     

    Dito mo talaga makikita ang pag-uugali at kung papaano pinalaki itong nagpapanggap na lider ng Pilipinas.

  23. nelbar nelbar

    ystakei,

    iyong tinutukoy mo yatang artist ay ang Banyuhay ni Heber Bartolome.

     
    iyong mga chorus na ….

    “isang kahig isang tuka ganyan kaming mga dukha”

     
     

    Mula sa geocities page ni Heber Bartolome:

    “Palatandaan daw na masama ang ekonomiya ng isang bansa kapag nag-e-export ito ng mga manggagawa. E ano pa kaya kung ang ine-export na natin ay ang ating mga anak na babae upang maging Japayuki?”

  24. Elvira Sahara Elvira Sahara

    Thank you sa report mo about Gloia’s escapades sa Belgium,mrivera. Hindi ko lang binasa kasi waist of time lang ‘yan. Ang interesado d’yan ay yung nangangarap na magka-chacha! Anything na balita about this so-called president, hindi namin binabasa Ni hindi na namin binubuksan ang mga online newspapers na “frriendly” o pati yung binabayarang reprters. Ilan naman kayang aliporos ang kasama sa kanyang entourage na bayad pa rin ng Filipino taxes? Isang kahig, isang toka na ang mga kababayan natin ngunit nagagawa pa nilang magpakasarap doon!

  25. vic vic

    Ellen, isang kahig, isang tuka. amo ina ang natabu sa amon sadto back in the 60s. With only a father working, and eight children to raise, it was really very hard. But Dad was so stubborn. He decided to do it in some kind of a Relay. Eldest First and Ladies. Three boys in the family were assigned to work in the farm while my two elder sisters took up nursing. Working in the farm for us young boys was unbelievably hard, but we managed. As soon as my eldest sister finished my Dad mortgaged everything to help her work overseas under the exchanged visitor program of the U.S. and after moved to Canada. The Relay successfully reached the finished line with CPA, M.E. BS agr., Med Tech, AB and M.D. From isang kahig, halos walang matuka to a successful finish. All thanks to the Old Man and Nanay.

  26. Toney Cuevas Toney Cuevas

    Ellen –

    Gemma are not all alone! There are thousands like her within the country itself endeavoring for a much better life. Leaving love ones is such a familiar tone, a travesty in our society. But, choices are limited, and we do what we must. And its not a matter of choice, if any, but to escape poverty.

    Many thanks for sharing your barrio with us, and the neighbors. I believe most of us has common experience living in small barrios. I can relate to every day life most especially in a small fishing village. But, despite of the hardship, isang kahig isang tuka or as you would put it, “kahit anong kahig, walang tuka”, I don’t remember being alone and sad. I guess, being naive and didn’t know any better it help me tremendously to cope with life as I had then. No regret, but happy memories of the past.

    Now, choices and oppotnities are staring at us. Big question is, how to go about dealing with it.

  27. Mrivera Mrivera

    With the words “We, the sovereign Filipino people …“ the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines makes clear that in our democracy, the people ARE sovereign. This is ELABORATED further in the very first section of our Declaration of Principles and State Policies: “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.”

    This is why candidates declare their intentions to run. By doing so, they recognize that they must seek a mandate from the people.

    Sometimes, candidates say one thing and then do another. GMA is the prime example.

    In December 30, 2002, on Rizal Day, she stated:

    “I have decided not to run for President during the 2004 election. If I were to run, it will require a major political effort on my part since I am among the principal figures in the divisive national events in the last two or three years. My political efforts can only result in never ending divisiveness.”

    But in October 1, 2003, ten months later, she announced her candidacy as President in the 2004 elections.

    and the rest is part of never ending lies……..

    from: http://www.sundalobravehost.com

  28. Mrivera Mrivera

    With the words “We, the sovereign Filipino people …“ the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines makes clear that in our democracy, the people ARE sovereign. This is ELABORATED further in the very first section of our Declaration of Principles and State Policies: “The Philippines is a democratic and republican State. Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.”

    This is why candidates declare their intentions to run. By doing so, they recognize that they must seek a mandate from the people.

    Sometimes, candidates say one thing and then do another. GMA is the prime example.

    In December 30, 2002, on Rizal Day, she stated:

    “I have decided not to run for President during the 2004 election. If I were to run, it will require a major political effort on my part since I am among the principal figures in the divisive national events in the last two or three years. My political efforts can only result in never ending divisiveness.”

    But in October 1, 2003, ten months later, she announced her candidacy as President in the 2004 elections………..

    and the rest is part of her never ending lies…… .the rest is part of never ending lies..
    from: sundalobravehost.com

  29. Mrivera Mrivera

    …the rest is part of never ending lies should be deleted.

    nelbar,

    wala akong inaugural speech ni erap noong 1998. maybe ellen can find you one. is also suggest try opening erap’s website.

    just posted the holidaying of glue the wastepresident for all of us to know of her fooling around. and you see, her infiltrator bug is always making singit even without anyone entertaining his bulok antics.

  30. Mrivera Mrivera

    ano ba namang daliri ito? panay dagdag na lang!!! it should be – i also suggest try opening erap’s website.

    na-tonto na ako gihapon?

  31. Nelbar:

    I don’t think the “isang kahig, isang tuka,” although is about the dukha, has anything to do with the kind of situation this Heber wrote about, because way back in the 50’s and 60’s there still were no Japayuki even when white slavery thrived especially in places where there were US bases. Manila at that time was off limits because Arsenio Lacson barred the white slavers from operating in Manila.

    Ironically, what was considered miraculous and swarmed by people who wanted to get rich quick for example was located in the area where there were lots of “putahan.” That was the Baclaran Church that I thought was the church for the biniboys (bakla)!!! This was actually the impression I got listening to the talks of my mother and our katulong, and I would be asked to leave and not listen to their “tsismis”!

    Those were actually the days when parents, mothers especially, would be protective of their daughters and rear them to uphold the Maria Clara virtue—“Magdildil ng asin kesa magputa” value.

    When I came to Japan in the late 60’s, there were still no Japayuki as a matter of fact. There were very few Filipinos here and the only ones I met were mostly from the US bases, and students like me. The others were musicians who dominated the beerhouse and discos then. Japayukis were recruited after the tourism boom in Manila. The first one I met was the wannabe bride of a friend of mine from Waseda University. I did not actually expect him to marry such a woman, who was very frank to tell me of her background. For the sake of my friend, I befriended her after I was asked to be their “nakodo” or go-between, who is an important person in a Japanese wedding.

    She, however, had been helpful when I organized the organization of Filipino women in Japan to protect their interests especially in preserving the sanctity of their homes by keeping the Filipino virtue of “Magdildil ng asin kahit na ano pa ang mangyari!”

    One thing I am grateful for in fact is having good parents. Sila iyong kumahig to provide for my siblings and myself to have a pretty good life, comfort and most of all good education. Early in life, I recognized the importance of education and among us siblings there was the competition of who was going to be better in getting good grades, and would aim for scholarship. In my case, at least, I was able to free my parents of the burden of sending me through undergraduate and graduate schools, and studying overseas.

    Most of all, I thank God for the gift of faith that He has blessed me with. It is that which keeps me to be always in the straight and narrow path. Walang yabang, but I have never found myself wanting especially when I focus on doing things for the good of my fellowmen more than for my own benefit!

    One thing I learned from my parents, especially my father who loved to use the words “find your place under the sun” that he said was his reason for letting me go even when he admitted that he was worried about me adventuring on my own as when I left my parents’ nest to do just that, was “money is not everything!!!”

    “Isang kahig, isang tuka,” so they sang, but I find more wisdom in this, “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” (Luke 12: 24)

  32. If you find google featuring the Ale Boba, then you know she is being what her highly paid propagandists say she is achieving, but if not, she is nothing. Even the news on the JPEPA is not getting prominence in the news in Japan. I get to translate a lot on the Philippines only when there is major disaster there, but not on the Boba’s supposed achievements. Puro palabas lang ng mga tuta niya iyan.

    You can bet your bottom dollar the supposed Japanese trade partners that the highly paid propagandists want the Filipinos to be like like monkeys to jump about will meet with lots of protests and opposition from the Japanese citizenry. Inquirer in fact featured them in its news with pictures of Japanese protesters in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila last week!!!

    Anna was right. Buti pa nga ang mga foreigners nagproprotesta. Mga pilipino, nakatanga lang! But then, who would have the nerve to join the protests that would be blocked by UNRULY policemen who would even have provocateurs in civilian clothes to flame the protesters to anger so those in uniforms can start beating them with truncheons and handguns. Sobra ang barbarism!!! Where is justice there?

    Tangnang Boba na ito, hindi pa bumaba. Kakahiya ang itsura. Punggok na mayabang pa na akala mo ang gandang magsalita, pangit naman ang ingles at accent na ipagmamalaki pa doon sa mga English na sabi ng isang boba rin na mas magaling daw ang ingles ni Boba kesa doon sa mga native English speakers sa England! Tarantado rin, di ba?

    It reminds me of those plastic Filipinos we met in the USA when we first arrived in California. Ayaw pa raw mag-tagalog, paingles-ingles na hindi ko maintindihan despite the training I was getting from our American missionaries. Iyong ngang ingles ng Australia nasanay na rin ako. Then, I found out, mali naman ang ingles nila. Pa-drawl, drawl pa ng salita na parang binisayang Texan!!!

    Itong kumag ipinagpipilitang mag-aral daw ng ingles ang mga pilipino para makilala silang tunay na Super Atsoy and Atsay!!! Iyon lang pala ang layunin! 😛 Nak ng pating!

  33. Oops, this should read: You can bet your bottom dollar the supposed Japanese trade partners that the highly paid propagandists want the Filipinos to JUMP ABOUT like monkeys will meet with lots of protests and opposition from the Japanese citizenry. Inquirer in fact featured them in its news with pictures of Japanese protesters in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila last week!!!

  34. Mrivera, si Boba panay ang sabi ng Constitution e siya itong unang-unang nagbasura niyan. Gusto pa ngang palitan kasama iyong legion ni Satanas na Singaw ng Bayan. Kundi ba naman may mga tupak sa ulo ang ginamit pang quote ay iyong sinabi ng mga demonyo na pumasok sa isang na-possessed, “We are legion because we are many!”

    O di nakita natin na talaga palang possess ng impakto itong si Boba at iyong mga magnanakaw na kasama niya!!! Hindi na nangilabot ang mga gunggong na inihantulad ang mga sarili sa impaktong mga kampon ni Satanas!!!

    Nelbar, pakitago nga ang news tungkol sa quote na ito ng mga kampon ni Satanyitang Gloria Labandera? Salamat!

  35. Tom Tom

    Kawawa naman yung isa diyan. Trying hard. Pero walang pumapansin.

  36. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Bakit iwas-posuy si Pandak sa Germany at United Nations? Pati ang kanyang mga alipores pare-pareho ang mga istolo iwas-posuy sa senado at kamara. Palagay ko maraming silang kasalanan sa bayan. Kaya ang mga tuta tuta ni Pandak T.N.T. (tago ng tago). May araw din kayo mga ulopong!

  37. Ellen,

    I took pics of the rally, spoke to a few people; there were about 20 Filipinos there but most of the rallyists were Belgians, Dutch and Germans.

    I will maka a some kind of report tomorrow. Am tired coz it was very hot here.

  38. The Filipinos hid behind their placards or went away while I was taking pics. My friend, the Star correspondent has most of the more interesting pics and will pass copies to me.

    My journalist friend also interviewed Arroyo and we were listening to the tape and boy, kamuntik na akong masuka dahil sa shallowness ng sagot ni bansot. My friend fired questions which were “hard” but bansot parried the questions.

    I received a late invite to go to the mass-reception for te bansot but I told the embassy official, I prefer not to go because I might puke in front of the bansot!

  39. Atta girl, Anna, ganyan din ang ginagawa ko sa mga wining and dining ni Bansot. I don’t attend such functions, too, to show my protest.

    I get invited, too, because of our UPAA group, and most of the staff of the embassy with ranks coming from UP until recently when they are being conveniently being changed with Ateneans perhaps on instruction of the Fatso, who is interested in monopolizing the Japanese business.

    This is what this trade agreements with Japan are all about as a matter of fact. The only one to benefit most from this are not the Filipinos nor the Japanese but the Fatso and Company and the Chinese!!!

    My friends in the Japanese media and the police told me of the company shoppings made by this Fatso during visits of the Boba here between 2001 to 2003 at an average of 2 a year with only one being a state visit, nagwala pa!

    Kaya on your own lookout kayo diyan sa Pilipinas, Ellen, and we will be on our lookout over here, too. Best thing for you to do Ellen is make friends with the Japanese journalists who will be interested in reporting the pros and cons on these trasactions between the Filipinos and Japanese traders. With Yuchengco there in the background, you can bet your bottom dollar this is not going to be a pure Filipino-Japanese transaction that the Japanese in fact fear but more a Chinese (from Hong Kong and the Mainland with investments in the Philippines), Tsinoys with strong ties in China, and the poor small-scale industrial groups in Japan!

    It would be nice to exchange notes with them like the correspondents from NHK, Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun.

  40. Anthony Scalia,

    You bet, we don’t owe anything from the Philippine government, at least, majority of us bloggers here.

    I, for one, got scholarships from the Japanese, US and British governments and private foundations, never the Philippine government. I was on a fund from a Japanese program when I was at UP, and when I came to Japan. My British education was funded by the British Council and education in the US by public educational system.

    We don’t make “asa” on the government as a matter of fact. We demand what we deserve to have from a grateful government for the taxes paid by our parents if we are their dependents and our own tax payments when we become workers ourselves. This is what should be taught to Filipinos as a matter of fact so that there will be not many free takers especially when they realize that what they take comes from what they give.

    I understand that under the Boba’s government, scholarship is no longer even given freely, and reason why we are being asked to help fund the schooling of some fellow UPians who cannot finish their dissertations, etc. to get a diploma! Never heard of such when I was a student at UP so that I definitely find this piece of shit (sorry for using this word, Ellen) incrediblt unbelievable!!!

    PATALSIKIN NA, NOW NA! KAWAWANG PILIPINAS!

  41. Anna:

    Let’s not be too hard on the Filipino protesters. Hindi pa kasi sila sanay! And you know the kind of culture there is in the Philippines—slavery system where the politicians become the slavers for reason we know all along—binili kasi ang mga boto nila kaya may utang na loob sila as in the case of those who voted for Iggy Pidal for example!

    A friend who ran for position VS the Pidal told me of the vote-buying that he could not match with money. Pati iyong mga campaign manager nga niya, sumama sa kalaban niya!!!

    Sad but true. So, now there should be a kind of indocrinations on these wannabe advocators. They should be encouraged in fact especially if they are protected by the system in the country where they are based like how we protect the Filipinos in Japan to be more civic-conscious and be fighters for what is right and true!!!

    Mabuhay ka, Anna, and all those who showed courage in this protest in Brussels!!! 3 Cheers!

  42. florry florry

    Isang kahig, isang tuka, kasabihan noong araw yan dahil mayroon pang natutuka. Ngayon ay kahig ng kahig, wala pa ring matutuka. Iyan ang malungkot na mukha ng kahirapan sa Pilipinas. Kung tutuusin ang Pilipinas ay hindi naghihirap tulad ngayon. Sa region na ito ng SEA, isa sana ito sa mga pinakamaunlad, kaya lang ang mga politikong namamahala ay walang inatupag kundi ang mag-payaman sa sarili at mga kamag-anakan at puro lip service ang iginaganti sa mga taong naglagay sa kanila sa kani-kanilang mga puwesto. Hindi na rin sana bale na kahit na ninakaw ang puwesto kung maganda ang paglilingkod, baka maari pang tanggapin na rin ng mga tao, kaya lang kapag nakagawa sila ng kahit na maliit na bagay na nakatulong sa mga tao, ipapangangalandakan ito at expected pa nila na tatanawin na isang malaking utang na loob sa kanila na para bang ang mga tao ang nakiusap na maupo sila sa puwesto. Hindi ko naman NILALAHAT, ang mga politikong Pilipino ay ginagawang stepping stone ang politika para magpayaman, hindi tulad ng mga politiko ng mga ibang bansa na kaya pumapasok sa politika dahil sa hangaring makapaglingkod sa kanilang mga mamamayan. Kung ang mga namumuno sana ay matitino at tapat, hindi ganitong hirap ang dinadanas ng Pilipinas. Halimbawa, yong expose ni Cayetano na account sa Germany, isa pa lang yon sa marami at equivalent to almost 26Billion pesos. Yong mga iba pang mga secret accounts, yong mga kinukurakot sa iba’t-ibang sangay ng gobyerno, mga taxes na hindi na-co-collect, yong mga pinangsusuhol, kung lahat yan ay napupunta sa kaban ng bayan, magagamit ito para sa kabutihan ng marami. Kaya nga lang sa bulsa ng ilan lang napupunta.
    Sa ngayon totoong pahirap ng pahirap ang buhay at kahit na anong hirap, hindi umaasa ang mga tao na bibigyan sila ng trabaho ng gobyerno. Ang hanap nila ay trabaho kaya lang walang makita at mapasukang trabaho. May nagsabi pang dahil sa katamaran daw kaya hindi umuunlad, pero ang hindi alam ng nagsabing niyan, na sa ibang bansa gustong gusto ang Pilipino na gawing trabahador dahil sa kasipagan at kahusayang magtrabaho. Walang pinipiling trabaho, sa constructions, kahit na magkuskus ng kubeta, magpunas ng puwet, ginagawa, pagkatapos tatawaging tamad. At kaya sila nagtratrabaho sa ibang bansa dahil walang mapasukang trabaho sa Pilipinas. Mayroon pa ngang nagsabi na puwede kang magtayo at mag-start ng sarili mong business na walang puhunan, kaya lang bakit ayaw niyang ipublish dito para malaman ng lahat kung papaano para ang lahat ay maging business proprietor, at wala ng mamasukang empleyado at mga trabahador ng sa ganoon madadaig na natin yong mga members ng G-8 nations. Magiging number ONE na ang Pilipinas sa first world countries. Imagine a country with no paid workers and employees, all are business proprietors. Kaya lang sino naman ang mga customers or consumers or end users kung lahat ay proprietors na. Only in the Philippine enchanted kingdom.
    Si Aling Glue, nag-aambisyon pa ng mga super regions. Pakiusap lang po, buhayin niyo muna ang naghihingalong economy. Paki-paayos na rin po kay Fernando yong pagbabaha diyan sa Manila, tulad noong isang araw na hanggang baywang daw ang taas ng baha. At magtatayo nga kayo ng mga airports, roads, bridges, kung wala naming business sa super regions niyo, sinong gagamit ng mga yan? Ang mga tao ba na kahig ng kahig ay wala pa ring matutuka?

  43. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    To ystakei:

    Really? I’m proud of you and I’m happy for you. Sa totoo lang, inggit nga ako sa iyo. In the late 1990s, I lost a few opportunities to pursue a master’s degree in the UK. Reason, I was not awarded a scholarship, so I had to pay my way to the UK (oy, nag-rhyme). I couldn’t afford it, so bye-bye UK. Sayang yung mga admissions ko to 5 UK universities. An application for scholarship with the British Council was unsuccessful. Sa US, same thing happened. I was admitted to 2 universities, but no scholarships.

    Anyway, what our country needs now is people like you, who transcended limits without government help, without even waiting for government. Why don’t you reproduce yourself, help other Pinoys be like you? You don’t have to do it alone. It seems Anna de brux is just as accomplished as you; she can also reproduce herself.

    Ystakei, you are self-made. You didnt need a Robin Hood to get where you are. (same with Anna, perhaps).

    The trouble with us, educated Pinoys, is that we see ourselves as a Robin Hood “that will liberate our oppressed kababayans.” It just creates dependency, doesnt empower the masses. That is the strategy of politicians, the creation of a critical mass that is beholden to them.

    You, Anna, me, and perhaps all posters here never needed a Robin Hood to get where we are now. That is what we should be doing to our kababayans, helping them by empowering them, freeing them from looking up to Robin Hoods.

    How do we empower our kababayans? I don’t have the specifics, but one sure thing is in the area of education. The specifics of implementation can come later, as long as we know where the destination is, what the vision is.

    I believe we’d do our country a great good if we, the private sector, can help reduce unemployment significantly. Yes, even while Ate Glue is in Malacañang. Why wait till she is booted out before we start?

    SO LET US JOIN HANDS IN HELPING OUR MILLIONS OF KABABAYANS BE INDEPENDENT OF “ROBIN HOODS”!! NOW NA!!

    It sure beats pagtatatalak!

  44. Mrivera Mrivera

    GMA skipped Germany to avoid Fraport flap

    By Ayen Infante

    09/13/2006

    For her European swing, President Arroyo deliberately left out Germany, reportedly due to the still unresolved contract issue of the Fraport AG deal in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA 3).

    German officials in Manila believe the issue between the Philippine government and Fraport AG in the Philippine International Air Terminal, Co. Inc. (Piatco) deal was the main reason the President decided not to include Germany in her 10-day visit to Europe, Cuba and Hawaii in the United States.

    According to Philippine-German Economic Council chairman Oscar Lopez, an invitation was extended by the government of Germany to Mrs. Arroyo for her to attend the Philippine-German Economic Council meeting in Berlin on Sept. 22.

    But Lopez said: “President Arroyo decided not to go to Germany maybe because of the NAIA 3 problem,” noting that had the payment pushed through earlier, Mrs. Arroyo may have changed her mind and accepted the invitation.

    eto an may sa palos na put.ng presidenteng peke!!!!!

  45. Mrivera Mrivera

    …eto ang may sa palos na put.ng presidenteng peke!!!!

    may kahihiyan din ba??????????

  46. Mrivera Mrivera

    anthony scalia,

    encouragement and motivation will also do better.

    nakakapagod na ring mamasukan dito sa ibang bansa pero mas mabuti na rin kaysa wala. sa ‘pinas? dami ngang nakatapos ng pag-aaral na pila pila sa pagbibilang ng bituin sa tanghaling tapat.

  47. Ellen,

    Just a question: did the news of the protest against GMA here in Brussels, hit the press in Manila?

  48. fencesitter fencesitter

    i recall that incident in the bible where jesus was sharply critized by his disciples for not rebuking mary magdalene annointing him with an expensive perfume. the disciples expected jesus to decline mary magdalene’s gesture as the money spent for the perfume could have been well spent to feed the poor. jesus replied, let it be because the gesture was actually in preparation for his burial and the disciples will always have the poor with them.

    grinding poverty is a social issue dating back even during the time of jesus. if it persists until our modern times, it simply underscores the fact that this social ill can hardly be eradicated because greed then and now still reign in everyone’s heart. this world can produce the resources needed more than enough to feed its population but sadly, the wealth is concentrated only in the hands of the few because of man’s insatiable greed.

    the tax system that we all know it now, is precisely designed to level the social field but then the taxman have been notorious in their propensity to stuff their pockets with half of what they collected. sometimes they get more than what they should surrender to the government coffers. then envious and not wanting to be outdone and left behind, another layer of bureaucrats exercising the power over the national purse and the authority to disburse will do the final raid and the lesser mortals and hapless citizens of this country will have to settle with the left-over crumbs.

    vic was right when he said his dad was stubborn in not letting poverty fail him of his dream for the family. if his dad wallow in self-pity, he could not have produced professionals which are now productive citizens and considered national wealth. it was astounding that his dad realized early on that the government can only offer him a little and that the biggest leg-work to get the family through will have to be provided all by his lonesome.

    i know very well how it is to live in abject poverty. i was born and spent a good number of years as a kid in a remote and obscure barrio in kabankalan (now a city) in negros occidental. both my parents only finished elementary. my late father worked as a fishpond caretaker and my late mother a laundry woman and having 9 children to fed, our situation then can best be described as a hand-to-mouth existence, in fact “maraming kahig, isang tuka” far worse than the graphic description pervading ellen’s barrio in antique.

    when i was 9 yrs old, my father died totally emaciated after a lingering illness rendering him bed-ridden for over a year. barrio folks and even family members really believed a “mangkukulam” or some unseen creatures like “dwende” or “tamawo” was responsible because that was the diagnosis a local witch doctor known “babaylan”, “cirujano” or “arbularyo” told us. my father could have been afflicted with cancer but we were denied of the traditional medical care since we are too poor to afford the services of medical doctor who can diagnosed his ailment with greater accuracy through scientific medical laboratory test.

    three years thereafter, my mother who worked as laundrywoman to feed us died just when i finished elementary. all of us 9 who are then minors scattered around and distributed to relatives. i work as houseboy to continue my studies and later on doing all sort of menial job to support my studies. i entered the university in manila not knowing where in God’s hands will i get money for my food, board and lodging and tuition fees. i paid my way up from my own tireless efforts.

    through sheer luck, hard work, solid determination and a dream approximating the highest mountain peak, i was able to estabish my own humble place under the sun, so to speak. don’t depair because time and again it is shown and demonstrated that success can be attained individually, despite an utterly insensetive, uncaring and graft-ridden government which we have had one administration, after another administration, after yet another administration, ad infinitum……

  49. npongco npongco

    FYI, Senator Miriam Santiago is with Gloria Arroyo in the current European trip. Like Angara, never trust this senator Miriam.

  50. If I delete some of the strong adjectives you have for some people, please don’t get offended. It’s to avoid being sued for libel.

  51. fencesitter,
    THAT is a success story! I feel for you as I feel for our Kababayans who have worked their way through life and made it!

    There are countless others who have not made any target in life at all, and who are contented with what they have…or “wait until the guava fall down into Juan’s mouth…”, so to speak.

    One big-wig in a car company here told me that where there is sense of patriotism, there evolves a better government. Maybe this is true. Our Kababayans have lost that sense, I believe. If we work together and demand a just and honorable society, then we can, at least achieve right services from our supposedly “public servants.”

    I notice that Pinoys nowadays have remained indifferent on the ways of this corrupt administration of the fakes.
    Someone even commented that “we move on…”!!!
    People seem not to care anymore!
    Why is that?

    IF we allow these to happen, then we all lose!
    Pilipinas is our motherland, and thus, we, Filipinos must do everythin g in our power to show respect, and love of country by protecting its very foundation….

    Why allow cha-cha?
    Why allow corrupt, greedy government “servants” to rob the country?
    Why do we allow justice be damned in the face of all these squandering, manipulating unorthodox ways of the FG[fat,greedy] and his gloria, da peyk, along with her askals[asong kalye na lang kayo!…anong poodle? may class pa yun!]

    Gising mga Pinoy!

    Hayagang niyuyurakan na tayo ng mga ganid na yan, ayaw pa ring kumilos!

    Gissseeennnnnnnnggggggggggg!!!!

  52. florry florry

    Mrivera, gustong-gusto ko yong “pila-pila na nagbibilang ng bituin sa tanghaling tapat”. Bull’s eye mo ang target.

  53. npongco npongco

    But Ellen, insane is not offensive. It’s how we describe her. It’s better than calling her stupid, idiot or nut. Can you use another word to describe her mental status?

  54. npongco npongco

    And…let her sue me. You can give her my e-mail address and I can easily be traced. You should see her laughing with this Gloria while walking with the Belgium Prime Minister as published in the papers. Expect this Miriam to sing “hallelujah” praising this Monkey Queen when they return home.

  55. florry florry

    Success stories, that’s inspirational, but the fact is not everybody especially during these times can duplicate the feat of others who emerged successful in their quest to fulfill their visions and ambitions. We also learned that poverty is not a hindrance to succeed. Yeah, that’s very true, then. But first of all, I want to say that I am not a pessimist, or a non-believer. I also want to make a declaration of assurance that I believe those stories, in fact I know people who have done it, and really done it so well above their own set of goals and expectations. But, that was twenty, twenty five or so years ago. This time, we have to be practical and be observant to what is happening around us. Times changed and life then is not the same as today. And if there’s any way to make it happen today we have to set back the time, let’s say 25 or more years earlier.
    Twenty five years ago, you can go to a university even if you work as a houseboy or a labandera. Consider this, tuition fee in a 4-year course at that time is just 50 to 60 pesos per semester, and maybe as a houseboy you are being paid 20 to 30 pesos a month, which means you can afford it because you are a stay-in in your employer’s house. Transportation in a jeepney ride is just 10 cents. Comparing then and now, tuition fee in 4-year university course today is 20,000 to 30,000 pesos per semester plus other incidental expenses and your earnings as a houseboy is just 2,000 or 3,000, how can one afford it? So working as a houseboy now or maybe as a peon in a construction firm or as a janitor and aiming success inspired by the success of others is just a dream. There’s no way you can manage it even though how much is your will, your determination and inspiration. How can a poor family afford a high cost of education? The bottom line is the government is still responsible for the upliftment of its people especially the poor who comprise the majority to about 90%. From where I am coming from, the government is very much concern for the youth that they even force them to go to high school. You can take any university course, be a doctor, lawyer, or anything you want to be and you don’t have to worry about tuition fees, board & lodging, transportation expenses because you can avail of yourself student loans until you finish your studies and you start paying the loan when you get employed. Why can’t the Philippines invest in something so beautiful, why can’t they allocate some funds to help the poor gain an education? Kasi, baka mabawasan yong mga nanakawin nila, saying din yon.

  56. “And…let her sue me. You can give her my e-mail address and I can easily be traced.”

    don’t ruin it for everybody, npongco. just follow ellen’s rules and we’ll be okay.

    ellen needs to do what she has to do to put some order in the comments section. no need for apologies, ellen.

    now maybe if you have your own blog, npongco, you can be more free to say whatever you want…

  57. soleil soleil

    kaya nga ba…ang hirap dito sa atin, ang nagsasabi ng totoo ay siya pang kinakastigo..it matters kung sino ang backer mo…kung sinungaling ka at makapal a ng mukha mo and u can tell everyone straight in the eye saying ur all good and all compassion, ay tamaan na sana ng kidlat kung totoo lang ito!!!…ang kaso mo, ang mga tongressman na siyang puro pangako na sila daw ang mag-aangat ng kabuhayan ng kanilang distrito at barrio ay puro sinungaling din. who suffers? the barrio folks!!! no wonder the NPA is having more and more recruits! mas marunong ng ‘marketing strategy’ ang mga ito kesa sa mga hinayuoak na trapo…na puro pag-papasasa lang ang ginagawa..bakit, san ba nakatira ang mga lintek na yan, si villa-buwitre, mapapalusong mo ba yan sa bundok at mapapagapas mo ba siya sa palayan?…noon siguro nung payak pa silang namumuhay. ngayon!?!?…mumurahin pa nya ang kanyang tauhan kasi mabagal kumilos!!! si nograles, marunong bang mag-biyak ng niyog?..sabagay, biyak na mukha nya!!PWE!!!!
    its a known fact that even the middle-class here in Manila are in the ‘isang kahig isang tuka’ predicament…one should set aside simple luxuries like going to the movies or malling so as to avoid spending, para lang may maipon na kapiranggot!!!All thanks to the bogus administration of the pandak bruha!!!! hail to you, bitch-witch!!!!

  58. anthony scalia anthony scalia

    To vic and fencesitter:

    How encouraging. You embody the saying “IF ITS TO BE ITS UP TO ME.” THANKS FOR SHARING.

    fencesitter also said “…success can be attained individually, despite an utterly insensetive, uncaring and graft-ridden government which we have had one administration, after another administration, after yet another administration, ad infinitum…… ”

    AMEN TO THAT BROTHER! THAT IS WHAT OUR COUNTRY NEEDS! BOOTING OUT ATE GLUE NEED NOT BE THE SINE QUA NON TO THAT!

    Don’t you agree that inspiring accounts such as yours lift our spirits up, more than writing “patalsikin na now na” which only saps the strength? More than the usual invectives?

    Yet we see a lot of the latter here always!

    The invectives may well be a permanent fixture here. But if I want to be encouraged, i will remember to go here and read back your comments in this particular post

    To Mrivera:

    “encouragement and motivation will also do better”

    Yes, agreed. Don’t you think that will yield a thousandfold result more than harping “patalsikin na now na”?

  59. Mrivera Mrivera

    those are what should have been done first by the opposition. encourage our common people to be self reliant while motivating them that is not just a fight for who should be in power. dapat talaga tulong tulong para makita ng mga kinauukulan na sobra na ang ginagawa nila. ‘yung iba kasi, dahil sa pagkawala ng tiwala at paniniwala sa kasalukuyang administrasyon, naghihintay na lang ng resulta.

  60. Mrivera:

    I know for a fact that Senator Pimental is doing just that. But what happens is that when you are in the Opposition, you don’t get much the same privileges as those in power. Worse now is when the bogus president is given the freedom to even make threats about blocking the release of funds for projects of Congressmen in the Opposition. Iyan ang tinatawag na abuso.

    Ang hirap din sa Pilipinas, pinawiwili ang mga taong tumatakbo sa mga nasa Congress at Senate para magpalimos. Dito wala akong nakikitang lumilinya para humingi ng abuloy sa mga parliamentarian namin. Pumipila para maglagay at maglobby, puede pa pero pati iyan bawal. Pag nahuli kulong kung hindi kayang magpakamatay!!!

    Iyan ang dapat matanggal—ang freedom ng mga nakaupo na sumawsaw sa kaban ng bansa!!! Eto ngang si Ale Boba, hindi lang kamay, buong katawan yata nakapasok sa kaban para makapagnakaw ng husto!!!

  61. Mrivera Mrivera

    here’s one good development on this administration:

    3 M Filipinos now unemployed — DOLE

    The Philippine Star 09/16/2006

    Almost three million Filipinos are now out of work, an increase of 200,000 from last year’s figure, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday.

    Labor Undersecretary for employment Danilo Cruz said the number comes from the July 2006 Labor Force Survey of the National Statistics Office (NSO).

    “Labor force expanded by 2.6 percent or nearly a million, thus pushing the unemployed to 2.9 million compared to last year’s 2.7 million jobless Filipinos,” he said.

    Cruz said the underemployment rate also increased to 13.3 percent from 12.5 percent during the same period a year ago.

    “The number of underemployed or those seeking extra job edged up slightly by 0.8 percent, which translates to 4.42 million or 337,000 higher than last year’s figure,” he said.

    However, Cruz said the country’s employment situation continued to improve as more people found quality jobs compared to the number of jobs generated in July 2005.

    “Employment level grew by 2.3 percent in July and this translates to 735,000 new employment generated particularly from the service sector,” he said.

    Cruz said the service sector posted the biggest employment growth of 5.6 percent followed by the industry sector, while the figure for agriculture, and the fishery and forestry sectors fell by 1.2 percent.

    The quality of employment improved substantially as shown by the 3.6 percent growth in full-time employment and 7.5 percent increase in wage and salary employment, he added.

    On the other hand, Cruz said employment declined among part-time workers, own-account workers and unpaid family workers.

    “About 18,000 workers are needed to fill in vacancies from Business Process Outsourcing and higher exports receipts in recent months may also pave the way for the recovery of the manufacturing sector,” he said.

    Cruz projected further improvement in employment situation for the rest of the year mainly due to improved weather conditions and continued demand for workers in the service sectors. Pinoy seamen may lose jobs
    Thousands of Filipino seamen may lose their jobs because of a disagreement between a large foreign ship management firm and a local manning agency.

    Reports said the disagreement started when the Norway-based Barber Ship Management, one of the largest providers of third-party ships management services, sent a notice to NFD International Manning Agents Inc. terminating the agency agreement between them, effective November 2006.

    The two firms entered into the agreement on Sept. 1, 2000.

    Reports said Judge Oscar Pimentel of Makati City regional trial court has issued an injunction stopping Barber from carrying out the termination notice.

    The ruling has raised the question of whether a court can intervene in a business transaction, reports added

  62. Mrivera Mrivera

    ystakei,

    i may have said wrong in emphasizing encouragement of self reliance among our common people while the government does nothing but borrow, borrow, borrow and borrow money from different sources which payment is to be shouldered by the very people who are already down to their knees. ito ang isang napakasakit na katotohanan – ang kawalang tunay na malasakit ng kasalukuyang pamahalaan sa abang kalagayan ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan. mapapansin sa mga talumpati ng ewang presidente ang pag-iwas sa kanyang mga pananagutan sa taong bayan. maliwanag na sa bawat hakbang na kanyang gagawin ay mayroon na kaagad siyang pansalag sa maliwanag na alam niyang kanyang hindi matutupad. please take note of her inaugural address: ” I should have………”

  63. Mrivera Mrivera

    di ba dapat ang public office ay kakambal ng responsibility, transparency, accountability, dignity, decency, honesty, integrity at moral ascendancy? bakit sa kasalukuyang nakaupong presidente na nang-agaw noong una at nandaya nitong pangalawa wala yata kung kleptocracy?

  64. Mrivera Mrivera

    i should say “bakit sa kasalukuyang nakaupong presidente na nang-agaw noong una at nandaya nitong pangalawa wala yata kundi kleptocracy?”

  65. artsee artsee

    Nasaan si Juan Flavier? Medyo napakatahimik yata itong unanong ito sa Senado. Buti pa si Lito Lapid nagta-tumbling sa loob ng kuwarto niya pero itong si Flavier tahimik simula nang nahalal siya sa huling termino. Baka puro tulog lang ang inaatupag. Palagi daw kasi nakakulong sa loob ng kuwarto niya…siguro nagle-Let’s DOH it. Kapag may sesssion naman ang Senado, tulog din o inaantok.

  66. nelbar nelbar

    From Mrivera :

     
    September 16th, 2006 at 1:03 pm

    here’s one good development on this administration:

    3 M Filipinos now unemployed — DOLE

    The Philippine Star 09/16/2006

     
     
    * * *
     

    Eh nasaan na ang “Patrabaho ni GMA”? Siguradong bababa ang unemployment rate next two or three quarters(or first half next year) dahil sa kampanya na ng eleksyon.
    Ibig kong sabihin ay Fiesta time na simula December this year 😯

  67. nelbar nelbar

    Nag google ako ng “patrabaho ni gma” at heto nakita ko:

     

    Macapagal says she spent P152M for campaign
    Posted: 6:06 AM (Manila Time) | Jun. 26, 2004
    By Blanche S. Rivera
    Inquirer News Service
     

    FOR ALL the allegations that she had used massive public resources for her presidential campaign, President Macapagal-Arroyo said she spent only P152 million to get into Malacañang–all of it courtesy of her political party.

    In her statement of campaign contributions and expenditures, the President said she spent exactly P152,613,397.00 during the three months of the campaign.

    The President’s expenditures report was filed with the Commission on Elections on June 18 but was docketed by the legal department only Friday.

    The report showed that the President did not have any individual contributors but received all of her campaign money from the administration’s K-4 coalition, which spent a total of P333 million for the party’s entire national slate.

    A huge part of Ms Macapagal’s campaign expenses, or a total of P101 million, went to television and radio advertisements while P15,269,584 was spent on campaign materials.

    The report also indicated that the President had invested in communications and surveys, which accounted for P3,285,690.

    Salaries of additional personnel amounted to P10,871,648 while hotel accommodations totaled P5,014,157.

    Representation expenses came to P4,457,643, office equipment P1,002,097, and office supplies P1,850,094. The President also spent P1,238,520 on donations and for miscellaneous expenses.

    Comelec Commissioner Resurreccion Borra said the submission of the campaign expenditures report served to clear the way for Ms Macapagal’s official assumption of the presidency at noon of June 30.

    “There is nothing anymore that will hinder her from assuming office on June 30,” Borra told reporters.

    Earlier Borra reminded Ms Macapagal about filing a statement of campaign contributions and expenditures, saying that as President she should be the first to follow the law and set an example for other candidates.

    The Comelec has signed a resolution imposing a fine of P1,000 to P30,000 on candidates who fail to meet the deadline for submitting expense reports.

    Borra said candidates who fail to comply with the resolution should not be allowed to assume office.

    “This would make it clear to everyone how much was spent for the elections,” Borra said in earlier interviews.

    The Omnibus Election Code allows presidential and vice presidential candidates to spend P10 for each registered voter; candidates for local office are allowed P3 for every registered voter. Political parties are allowed to spend P5 per registered voter in the national contest.

    The K-4 earlier reported having spent a total of P333.36 million for the campaign, P326.48 million of which were raised through contributions.

    K-4 spent the bulk of its funds on radio and television advertisements, totaling P140 million. It also reported having spent P86 million for poll watchers on election day.

    Anti-fraud groups have accused the President of using government resources to boost her campaign in the guise of barangay projects all over the country, such as the Patubig ni GMA and Patrabaho ni GMA; the distribution of free shirts and caps; and the production of posters and advertisements under various government agencies.

    The Plunder Watch civil society group has accused the President of using the funds of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to reach out to the the poor, seen as the main constituency of her closest rival, movie star Fernando Poe Jr.

     
     
     
    ©2004 http://www.inq7.net all rights reserved
     

  68. Mrivera Mrivera

    hayan, iyang philhealth na’yan! ayaw pang aminin na ginamit para bilihin ang boto ng mga pobreng botante. maliwanag na mukha ng tikbalang ang nasa background ng card. ano ba naman? nahuli na sa pandaraya patay tanggi pa rin!!!! susmaryosep!!!!!! madasalin, banal, lahi daw ng mga santo, yun pala kamag-anak ng maligno!! ho ho ho hoooooo!!!!

  69. Mrivera Mrivera

    ….and waht does acronyms bearing her nakakasukang initial connotes? classrooms galing sa mga manggagawa abroad (CGMA), pangkabuhayang gawad sa mapagkalingang army (PGMA),ginintuang masaganang ani (GMA) at kung ano ano pang projects bearing her bulok initials? hatttttttttsingggggg!!!!!!

  70. Mrivera Mrivera

    correction…and what do acronyms bearing her nakakasukang initials connotes? classrooms galing sa mga manggagawa abroad (CGMA), pangkabuhayang gawad sa mapagkalingang army (PGMA),ginintuang masaganang ani (GMA) at kung ano ano pang projects bearing her bulok initials? hatttttttttsingggggg!!!!!!

  71. Mrivera Mrivera

    mali pa rin ……. dapat pala connote. hehheheeee. meeeee.

  72. soleil soleil

    nelbar, mrivera…as mentioned..patubig ba kamo??? patubig my ass!!!!..wala pa sya may mga project na ang maynilad to destroy all illegally tapped water on the west zone of metromanila – frm far north of valenzuela to dwn south of imus, cavite..i shoudl knw it was our companies project!!!!..its was during the time of erap pa when this project strted..we were almst halfway thrgh when pandak bruha seized the power and so our prjct was stopped as well..and it was stopped by no less than malacanng’s order..y? it was politically motivated!!!! they will nt have a hold on any revenue that is going in..so they have to reverse everything to find a way to divert..so very clever of them indeed!!!

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