2010 – Page 49 – ellen tordesillas

The best of Gloria Arroyo’s lot

Published by Ellen on March 4, 2010

Mendoza is now both DOTC and executive secretary

By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Same faces, no surprises.

Heeding the Supreme Court, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Wednesday replaced Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and at least five other Cabinet officials running for local posts in the May 10 national elections, Malacañang announced.

Ms Arroyo tapped Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza as her new executive secretary in a Cabinet revamp prompted by the Supreme Court ruling that appointive officials running for election were deemed resigned.

Ermita, 74, is seeking a seat in Congress in his Batangas hometown.

Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. admitted that Ms Arroyo’s moves were prompted by the high court ruling that officials running for election were deemed resigned and should leave their posts effective March 2.

Lipat kulungan lang

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2010

Paglabas sa kulungan sa Camp Crame, lumipat lang sa kulungan sa Camp Aguinaldo.

Itong ang nangyari kina Marine Capt. Gary Alejano at Navy Ltsg James Layug ng grupong Magdalo na nanindigan sa pekeng presidente na si Gloria Arroyo.

Noong Pebrero 17, inaprubahan ni Judge Elmo Alameda ng Makati regional Trial Court ang pagpiyansa ng 18 opisyal at sundalo na sangkot sa Nov 2007 na insidente sa Manila Peninsula. Maliban kay Brig. Gen. Danny Lim, ang kasama doon ay miyembro ng grupong Magdalo sa pangunguna ni Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

Gary Alejano and wife Minnie whenhe filed his certificate of candidacy in Sipalay

Sabi ni Alameda hindi naman rebelyun ang nangyari noon at walang rason para hindi sila payagan magpiyansa.

Kaya nagpiyansa naman sina Alejano at Layug noong Pebrero 19. Si Alejano at Layug ay kumakandidato para sa halalan sa Mayo. Si Alejano ay tumatakbong mayor sa Sipalay, Negros Occidental at si Layug naman ay para congressman sa pangalawang distrito ng Taguig.

Akala nina Alejano at Layug ay lalaya na sila kahit pansamantala para naman maasikaso nila ang kanilang kampanya. Mali pala kasi paglabas nila sa Camp Crame custodial center, kinuha sila ng military at nilipat sa ISAFP (Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines) compound.

Nandun ngayon sina Alejano at Layug. Magkasama sila doon ni Marine Col. Ariel Querubin.

Ang tatlong sibilyan na nakasama sa Manila Pen (Julius Mesa, Cesari Gonzales at Emmanuel Tirador) na kasama sa 18 nakakulong sa Crame ay nagpiyansa na rin at pinayagang makalaya. Dapat naman.

Bastardizing the partylist

Published by Ellen on March 2, 2010

Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez sees conflict of interest in the membership of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes in 1-Utak (United Transport Koalisyun), a partylist group.

Golez said in the hearing of the House Energy Committee last Monday, Reyes admitted that he was offered a slot in the 1-Utak party list and in a TV interview, he said he is considering it.

His nomination indicates that he has been a member of the past three months because the law states that a nominee should be “A bona fide member of the party he seeks to represent for at least ninety (90) days preceding election day.”

Partylist naman ang pasok ni Mikey Arroyo

Published by Ellen on March 1, 2010

Hindi talaga humihinto itong mga Arroyo sa pambababoy ng batas para lang manatili sa kapangyarihan.

Dahil nawalan siya ng kaharian sa pagtakbo ng nanay niya bilang congressman ng pangalawang distrito ng Pampanga, nakahanap siya ngayon ng paraan na mananatili sa Kongreso sa pamamagitan ng partylist, na linagay sa Constitution para mabigyan ng representasyon ang mga grupo ng mga mahihirap at mahihina sa lipunan. Kasi naman hindi sila maaring makipaglaban sa mga tradisyunal na pulitiko sa eleksyun.

Nominado si Mikey bilang unang kinatawan ng Ang Galing Pinoy (AGP) na ang nirepresenta daw ay transport drivers at security guards. Kasama niya ang outgoing mayor ng Lubao na si Dennis Pineda.

Ang kapal talaga at ang kapal din ng Comelec kung aprubahan ito.

The benefits of preparedness

Published by Ellen on February 28, 2010

The Philippines is in the Pacific Ring of Fire and the two massive earthquakes that occurred in less than two months in other parts of the world should give us ample warning.

Internet search gives this description of the Pacific Ring of Fire: It is an area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. It’s an arc stretching from New Zealand, along the eastern edge of Asia, including the Philippines, north across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and south along the coast of North and South America. Over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes are within the arc.

The volatile activities are a direct result of movements of the earth’s plates, which are like giant rafts which often slide next to, collide with, and are forced underneath other plates. There is a tremendous amount of energy created by the movements of these plates. Thus we have volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Massive earthquake in Chile; alert up in Pacific Rim countries

Published by Ellen on February 27, 2010

As we commiserate with the victims disasters, this time in Chile’s earthquake, we should remember to remain calm and alert. Prepare for the worst, pray for the best.

A massive earthquake has hit central Chile, killing at least 82 people, the interior minister says.

The 8.8 magnitude quake struck at 0634 GMT about 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital, Santiago.

President Michelle Bachelet declared a “state of catastrophe” in affected areas and appealed for calm.

Tsunami warnings have been issued for Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Central America and Pacific island nations.

Click here for the rest of the story.

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It is not possible to predict the time and magnitude of an earthquake, but certain places on the Earth know they are always at risk from big tremors. Chile is one of those places.

Tagtuyot

Published by Ellen on February 27, 2010

Galing ako sa aming probinsiya sa Antique at talagang feel na feel na doon ang El Niño.

Ang aking tanim ay naninilaw at namamatay. Kahit ang mga orchids na vanda na gusto niya ay araw, bumibigay. Sabi ng aming caretaker, binibinyagan naman daw niya ngunit “puerte gid ang init, “sabi niya. Kawawa nga ang aking mga staghorn dahil gusto noon malamig at palaging basa.

Nang nandoon ako, umaga at hapon ang aking pagdidilig ngunit parang nakonsyensiya naman ako na ang kumukunti nating tubig at gagamiting ko ang marami sa pandilig ng halaman smantalang sa ibang lugar, tumitigang at bumubuka na ang mga lupa sa kakulangan ng tubig.

Comedia at Skylab

Published by Ellen on February 26, 2010

ANTIQUE – Ang titulo nitong kolum ko ay hindi komedya na na nakakatawanan kungdi tungkol sa isang klaseng palabas na dinala ng mga kastila dito sa Pilipinas.

Dahil ang comedia ay galing Espanya, ang kwento ay tungkol sa laban ng Kristiyano at ng mga Muslim. Ang mga “cast of characters” ay mga hari at reyna, mga prinsipe at prinsesa at mga sundalo.

Maganda pakinggan ang sagutan at ang eskrimahan. Inaabot ng sobra 10 oras.

Iyan ang aking pinagkaka-abalahan nitong mga nakaraang araw. Kaya medyo missing in action ako sa national politics.

Muzzling the victims to protect Arroyo

Published by Ellen on February 25, 2010

Last Feb. 3, the relatives of 13 journalists killed in the Nov. 23 2009 massacre in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao filed a suit with the Asean Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights to hold accountable the Arroyo government for the carnage that murdered at least 57 people, 30 of them journalists.

The rationale for the charge, which was done with the assistance of CenterLaw Philippines, is simple and easily understandable: All of those responsible for the carnage are agents of the Philippine State.

Harry Roque of CenterLaw yesterday disclosed that Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera (who is supposed not to be holding that position since she filed her certificate of candidacy last Nov. 30) is pressuring the kin of 13 journalists who filed the suit with the AICHR not to pursue it.

Only in Arroyo’s administration: cabinet members as “guests” in a cabinet meeting

Published by Ellen on February 24, 2010

by Regina Bengco
Malaya

Malapascua Island, Cebu. – President Arroyo had an innovative explanation for the presence of Cabinet officials seeking elective positions in May in last Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting in Palawan when she announced they were only there “as guests.”

Trade Secretary Peter Favila said Arroyo wanted to put on record that the concerned Cabinet officials are just “guests” to prevent any future legal question.

“She wasn’t laughing. Nobody laughed,” Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano said when asked if Arroyo made the announcement in jest.

Year: 2010