July 2008 – Page 3 – ellen tordesillas

It’s the economy, stupid

Published by Ellen on July 20, 2008

Executive Secretary is finding it hard to understand why the Filipino people do not like Gloria Arroyo despite her working so hard, traveling all over the country doling out crumbs from the billions of pesos that she rakes in from the citizenry.

Following the release of the SWS survey for the period June 27 to 30 where dissatisfaction over how Arroyo runs the country was reflected in an all-time low rating of -38 , Ermita said, “Of course people have to wonder why after the many things that she is doing for the well-being of our citizens that that should still be the perception.”

Can Arroyo reign beyond 2010?

Published by Ellen on July 20, 2008

Read this article by former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban in the Inquirer and be afraid:

President Macapagal-Arroyo’s present term expires on June 30, 2010. Can she legally extend her reign beyond that date? My answer: Yes, if our Congress, Supreme Court, Commission on Elections and people will agree to a revision of our Constitution.

Failed Cha-cha bid. Let me begin my thesis by recalling the most recent bid for Charter change (Cha-cha). In 2006, during my term as chief justice, the allies of the President, led by then Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., launched a “people’s initiative” to alter our form of government from presidential to parliamentary.

Bagsak

Published by Ellen on July 19, 2008

Sabi ni Gloria Arroyo sa Baguio City noong isang araw, “Kung alisin ang VAT sa gasolina at kuryente, ano ang ipapalit sa P80 bilyon na kita na ginagamit para sa mahihirap>”

Hindi ko alam kung siya ay tanga o nanloloko?

Ang VAT o value added tax ay 12 porsiyento sa presyo ng gasolina. Ibig sabihin noon, sa bawat isang daang na binabayad sa gasolina, ang P12 ay pumupunta sa pamahalaan. Kung wala ang VAT, dapat P88 ang ibinayad sa halip na P100.

Strained SC credibility

Published by Ellen on July 19, 2008

Malaya editorial:

Malacañang has a standard retort to accusations of thievery: File a complaint with the Ombudsman. With Merceditas Gutierrez, the classmate of Mike Arroyo, at the helm of the anti-graft body, accusers rightly let the Palace challenge pass. A complaint is likely to sleep the sleep of the dead, unless, of course, the grafters in question are inconsequential clerks or minor officials without close links to the bigger thieves.

Now Malacañang has come up with a new line when it comes to constitutionally questionable actions: Bring the case before the Supreme Court.

Gloria Arroyo’s rating dips to record low

Published by Ellen on July 18, 2008

The Social Weather Survey of June 27-30, 2008 found 22% satisfied and 60% dissatisfied with the performance of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, giving her a Net Satisfaction rating of -38 (% satisfied minus % dissatisfied), which is a new record-low for Presidents since 1986, surpassing the previous record of -33 in May 2005.

The new net rating is a 12-point drop from net -26 (27% satisfied, 54% dissatisfied) in the First Quarter 2008 Survey of March 28-31 .It is the fourth consecutive quarterly drop in her net rating since June 2007, when it was a neutral -3.

In all areas, majorities are dissatisfied

Plebiscite set next year on Muslim Homeland

Published by Ellen on July 17, 2008

From Malaya:

The government will hold a plebiscite early next year in more than 700 barangays to set up an ancestral homeland for Muslims, part of a deal with the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Hermogenes Esperon, presidential adviser on the peace process, yesterday said the proposed Muslim homeland would also be empowered to collect about 75 percent of taxes from oil, mines and fisheries in the area.

Disempowering the people

Published by Ellen on July 17, 2008

Once again, it is the words of the “Great Dissenter,” as Chief Justice Reynato Puno is called these days, that captured the real issue in the petition of Akbayan for full disclosure of the terms of JPEPA which the Supreme Court rejected in a 10-4 vote.

JPEPA stands for Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement which is awaiting ratification by the Senate.

In his dissenting opinion, Puno said: “We elevated the right to information to constitutional stature not without reason. In a democracy, debate – by the people directly or through their representatives in Congress – is a discussion of and by the informed and not an exchange of surpluses of ignorance.

Maling dahilan

Published by Ellen on July 16, 2008

Okay ang ideya ni Ozamis Archbishop Jesus Dorado na hindi magbigay ng holy communion sa mga pulitiko ngunit mali yata ang rason.

Sabi ni Dorado na ang mga pulitiko na sumusulong ng batas para magiging legal ang abortion ay nasa “situation of sin” o nasa a na sitwasyon kaya hindi sila dapat bigyan ng holy communion.

Sa Kristiano lalo na sa mga Katoliko, ang banal na communion ay isa sa pitong sakramento na tinutupad ng mga nanampalataya. Sa communion, tuwing misa, tayo ay pinaalalahan ng sakrispisyo na ginawa ng Panginoon para tayo ay mailigtas sa kapahamakan. Kapag tayo ay mag -communion tinatanggap natin ang Panginoong Jesus sa ating buhay kasama na ang kayang mga itinuro.

Luzon also heavily damaged by Frank?

Published by Ellen on July 16, 2008

Malaya editorial:

The agriculture department has announced that it will soon launch a P70 million piglet dispersal and feed subsidy program for backyard hog growers hit by typhoon Frank. The program, DA said, is part of its efforts to rehabilitate farms and fishponds hit by the typhoon.

That’s the kind of short-gestating projects that the typhoon ravaged areas need to get back on their feet. After 90 days, a piglet reaches marketable size. The grower gets additional income. There’s more food to go around, easing the pressure of demand running after commodities in short supply.

Kilyawan Boys Choir, another winner in World Choir Games

Published by Ellen on July 15, 2008

In my excitement about the gold and silver medals won by the Las Piñas Boys Choir, I failed to notice that there’s another Philippine choir that won another gold medal in the World Choir Games held in Graz, Austria last week.

The Kilyawan Boys Choir under the baton of Mark Anthony Carpio also won first place in Popular Choral Music-Vocal Ensembles.

Congratulations!

Month: July 2008