March 2007 – ellen tordesillas

The crusade of Sabas Mabulo

Published by Ellen on March 30, 2007

Sabas Mabulo is running against Dato Arroyo, son of Gloria and Mike Arroyo, in Camarines Sur.

Against all Odds

By Sabas Mabulo

More than a decade ago, when I first entered government service by way of running in an elected position, it was clear in my mind that the only desire in me was to give a part of my life in the service for my people.

True enough, I was entrusted a sensitive post for 12 years (3 years as a municipal kagawad and 9 years as a local chief executive). But, least to my expectation and never in my wildest dreams have I considered the thought of wanting a higher post other than what was granted to me by my town folks for I am aware that, that would be like paddling against all odds.

Continue readingThe crusade of Sabas Mabulo

Bizarre indeed

Published by Ellen on March 29, 2007

I looked at the statistics of the Department of Education and I deeply understand why Jun Ducat had to do something drastic for the 145 children in his Musmos Day Care Center.

DepED statistics (2004) showed that for every 100 children Grade One pupils in the Philippines, only 51 or about half manage to finish high school.

DepEd has this term “cohort survival rate” (CSR) that means “the proportion of enrollees at the beginning grade or year who reach the final grade or year who reach the final grade or year at the end of the required number of years of study.”

Alston warns of dire consequences

Published by Ellen on March 29, 2007

Update:The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) yesterday urged President Arroyo to immediately comply with the recommendations of United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston on ending the wave of extrajudicial killings. Click here.

Philip Alston, United Nations special rapporteur on extra-judicial killings in the Philippines, warned of dire consequences of a failure to end extrajudicial killings.

“The consequences of a failure to end extrajudicial killings in the Philippines will be dire. Efforts to resolve the various insurgencies will be set back significantly. Incentives to opposition groups to head for the hills rather than seek to engage in democratic politics will be enhanced, and international support for the Government will be undermined,” he said in his preliminary report submitted to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva last March 15.

Halata ang kamay ni Mike Arroyo

Published by Ellen on March 28, 2007

Napanood nyo ba noong Martes ng gabi ang Strictly Politics?

Nagwalk-out si Oliver Lozano, handler ni Joselito Cayetano, ang kandidato para senador para pampasira kay Alan Cayetano.

Ang guest ni Pia Hontiveros ay sina Alan Cayetano at Oliver Lozano at ang topic ay ang desisyon ng first division ng Comelec na i-deklara si Joselito na “nuisance candidate” o pampagulo lang.

Duque’s P1B bag of goodies

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2007

Malaya’s editorial:

We were prepared to believe the Palace was honest in saying the P1 billion hunger-easing fund would not be used to buy support for administration candidates. Easing hunger pangs is beyond politics. So by all means, we told ourselves, let’s give Gloria Arroyo the benefit of the doubt.

Our new-found charity toward the basic decency of Gloria and her subalterns was immediately rudely shattered, however, by the Palace announcement that Health Secretary Francisco Duque would serve as point man in an inter-agency ad hoc committee handling the war against hunger.

After his designation as anti-hunger “czar,” Duque appealed to everyone to shun partisanship and work hand in hand in providing a food safety net for the poorest of the poor. One out of five families going without food even if only once in three months is unacceptable. Duque said the battle against hunger will show dramatic results in six months.

Not yet time to rejoice

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2007

Yesterday, I was starting to write this column and my opening sentence was: “As long as Joselito Cayetano is not declared a nuisance candidate, I will regard Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos as the hatchet man of Mike Arroyo.”

A few minutes after 12 noon, I got a text message from Comelec spokesman James Arthur Jimenez: “Joselito Cayetano has been disqualified.”

Jimenez said Commissioner Resureccion Borra, in a press conference, announced the decision of the Commission’s first division to declare Joselito Cayetano as a nuisance candidate.

Joselito Cayetano disqualified!

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2007

Breaking news! Joselito Cayetano has been disqualified, Commissioner Resurrection Borra announced in a presscon.

Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said the First Division of the Comelec ruled that Joselito Cayetano is “a nuisance candidate.”

Jimenez quoted Commissioner Romeo Brawner saying that Joselito Cayetano has not shown the capacity to wage a nationwide campaign.

Ang Kapatiran

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2007

Sa panahon ngayon na para ka magiging senador ay kailangan kang gumastos ng P250 milyon (pinakamababa) hanggang P500 milyon para manalo, mayroon din namang mga kandidato na hindi sumusunod sa ganitong malaking kahibangan.

Dapat naman talaga ganun. Kasi naman common sense lang, bakit ka naman gagastos ng ganyan kalaking pera sa kampanya lang para magiging senador na ang sueldo lang ay P40,000 a month lang yata.

Ang malaking gastos sa kampanya ay siyang ugat ng talamak na kurakutan sa pamahalaan. Kasi naman, saan ba naman babawiin ng mga kandidato na yan an ang kanilang gastos, di sa kaban ng bayan?

Arroyo guilty of crimes against humanity

Published by Ellen on March 26, 2007

Tribunal Verdict to be transmitted to the UN, ICJ and European Parliament

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – In a 13-page verdict read before about 300 people inside a church in this city March 25, the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) found both Philippine President Gloria M. Arroyo and U.S. President George W. Bush, Jr. and their respective governments as responsible for gross and systematic violations of human rights, economic plunder and transgression of the Filipino people’s sovereignty.

The verdict, read at the conclusion of the five-day second session on the Philippines by François Houtart, Session President, described the extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, massacres, torture and other atrocities allegedly committed by the Arroyo government as “crimes against humanity”. Such violations which the PPT said were in no way justified as “necessary measures against terrorism”, must be stopped immediately.

PMA ‘mistahs’ cannot campaign for Trillanes

Published by Ellen on March 25, 2007

Classmates of Genuine Opposition senatorial bet Lt. (sg) Antonio Trillanes IV in the Philippine Military Academy who are still in active service yesterday said they cannot support their “mistah.”

“We are prohibited from doing that. We might be charged with electioneering because we are still in the active service,” said Capt. Edmund Mendoza, president of PMA Class `95.

“We cannot support him as a class; may be just personal,” he added.

Month: March 2007