Natanggap ko itong text ni Atty. Adel Tamano:
“I have received death threats via text messages because of my stand on the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Ancestral Domain. Some persons who claim to be Muslim have declared me as persona non grata and deserving of scorn or even death merely because I am a Muslim and yet I protested against the MoA for being unconstitutional and excluding other stakeholders.
“While I respect everyone’s right to criticize, the threat of violence because of differences in opinion has no place in a democracy. Finally, Islam comes from the root word salaam which means peace and it is my hope that we can all debate on the MoA in a spirit of peace, respect, and brotherhood.”
Maiinit itong isyu ng Mindanao at mahirap para kay Adel. Marami nga akong natanggap na e-mail na binabatikos si Adel dahil nga sa kanyang pagkontra sa MOA na sinakyan ni Gloria Arroyo para maitulak ang charter change para manatili siya sa kapangyarihan lampas ng 2010.
‘Yun naman ang ayaw ni Adel. Hindi yung MOA.
Kawawa nga itong mga Muslim nating kababayan na ginagamit ngayon ni Arroyo para sa sarili niyang ambisyon. Ang isa ring gumagamit sa kaanila ay itong Amerika. Sinasang-ayunan ang pagpatayo ng Bangsamoro homeland para mapalitan ang Constitution para maalis ang pagbabawal ng miltiary bases at nuclear weapons sa bansa.
Sa ngayon lang sinasabi ni Eid Kabalu, spokesman ng MILF sa isang interview sa Asian Times, na okay sa kanila kung maglagay ng military bases sa Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. Kailangan daw yun ng Amerika sa kanilang war on terror.
Maliban sa war on terror, kailangan talaga ng America magkaroon ng base sa Mindanao para ma-secure ang mga karagatan doon kung saan dumadaan ang mga langis mula Middle East papuntang Japan.
Kailangan din sila doon para hindi masolo ng China ang lugar na yun. At siyempre, mayaman ang Mindanao. Anong malay mo kung may langis doon sa Liguasan Marsh na sakop ng MILF?
Nakikita ko pinaglalaban ng mga Filipino-Muslim ng mga ilang taon na ang nakaraan. Nauna naman talaga ang mga Muslim dito sa Pilipinas kaysa mga Kastila. Never din sila na nagpasakop sa Kastila.
Kaya hindi sila pumayag na isinama sila ng mga Kastila sa pagbenta sa Amerika sa halagang $20 milyon noong 1898. Tuso din naman itong mga Kastila. Ibinenta ang hindi kanila.
Kaya nagkaroon ng Kiram-Bates agreement ng 1899 na parang kinilala ng Amerika ang reklamo ng mga Muslim at ginawa silang “protectorate” at binabayaran pa nga ang Sultanate ng Sulu.
‘Yan ang sinasabi ng Amerika na bases ng kanilang pagtulong sa MILF.
Sa akin, kung gusto ng mga Filipino-Muslim na humiwalay sa Pilipinas, okay lang. Kung gusto nilang gawing presidente si Arroyo doon, okay lang.
Ngunit pag-usapan yan ng hayagan at huwag na nilang idamay ang sistema ng pamahalaan at ang Constitution ng bansa.
The nation’s interest is placed over one’s ethnicity and religion. That’s exactly Adel’s position. What has being a Muslim got to do with his stand against the MOA? Adel is a principled man. If he has the desire to run for Senator in 2010 (he’s on Erap’s list), he would have just kept quiet and not involved on the issue for fear of losing Muslim votes. However, Adel feels this concerns the country’s future. We can only pray for him and his safety. May Allah protect him!
I consider ADEL TAMANO of the most promising young Filipino leaders.Principled,highly intelligent,patriotic.
Flipinos ,Muslims and Christians, should remember ADEL in the next senatorial elections.
As-Salaam-Alaikum
Peace
To end all these talks about Cha-Cha, Con-Con, Con-Ass…we only have to use the example of a bad driver changing his car to another one. No matter how good and expensive the car this bad driver uses to replace his old one, the problem remains. It’s his driving that’s the problem, not the car.
Iyan ang tama, Ellen. Kung gusto ng mga Muslim na humiwalay ng tuluyan ay pag-usapang mabuti at hayagan isama ang lahat ng opinyon ng lahat ng mga kapatid na Muslim, hindi ang iisang grupo lang na terorista pa, ayon na rin kay Gloria at US. Basta usapang matino, hindi lokohan na ginagawa lang silang pawn ni Gloria para manatili sa pwesto for her perpetual rule.
Ang nakakasura ay isinasama pa ang sistema ng pamahalaan at pagbabago sa Pinas Konstitusyon. Ginagawa ni Gloria na tanga ang lahat ng pinoy. Kampante naman siyang masyado na walang handang mamatay ng dahil sa bayan. Ugok!
True, evil never sleeps!
Off-topic but finally nakapasok rin me. I mean, I usually navigate first before logging in but that had been impossible for the past two days or so–until I thought of logging in first (hindi kasi kita agad the “log in” link and bago pa lang me here.
Na-hijack na ba site mo Ellen?
This is presumptuous and may I be forgiven if I’m wrong but so desperate na ba si Pekeng Pangulo kc bulilyaso post-2010 plans niya (MOA muna, then war vs MILF KAPAG lapit na end of fake term niya)?
Yung non-member readers mo can’t get beyond the default page, Ellen. I think you should consult an internet expert or something. I’m almost sure you have already checked with your site host pero local siya eh. I mean, more susceptible to political pressures? Just asking….
Off Topic:
A Latest news reported that the Chairman of the Democratic Party in Arkansas was shot and killed by a lone gunman. This happened only weeks before formally anointing Obama as the Party candidate. Was that some kind of a signal to Obama? That Obama might be killed during the campaign or after being elected? How easy it is for a determined killer to accomplish this task…That guy should have entered Malacanang first before doing his mission in Arkansas.
A nice piece from columnist Lito Banayo:
“Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has absolutely no class. And the grace of self-abnegation is alien to her persona, certainly not in character. When Joseph Estrada appointed her his social welfare secretary, she and her husband started plotting, along with faithful acolytes some of whom have regretted their participation, on how to prematurely eject the duly elected president. Estrada had the grace to conscript her in his government, the kind of grace Carlos P. Garcia did not deign her father Diosdado, who was his elected vice-president, worthy of. But her father Diosdado plodded on, and defeated Garcia fair and square in the elections of 1961. And Garcia had the grace to accept defeat.
Not his daughter Gloria, though. She conspired with many to eject Estrada. She succeeded, by “grace” of Sin and the treachery of Estrada’s military generals.”
Re: “…Anong malay mo kung may langis doon sa Liguasan Marsh na sakop ng MILF?”
ilang ibat’-ibang independienteng survey teams na ang nagsasabi na ang Liguasan Marsh, nasa rendero ng Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao at North Cotabato, ang siyang unang kumpirmadong inland natural-gas deposit ng bansa.
circa 1995, patok na ang balitang ito sa mga residente duon at alam na din ng karamihan sa Mindanao…
prior to this uncharacteristically strong stand by Adel, i was beginning to worry that he is just a mere pretty face: lacking in substance, and in imagination.
this perception mainly stems from his previous booboo chiding Koko Pimentel when the latter decided to make a case of his stolen votes before the SC by explaining Comelec’c dubious scheme through the impartial lens of mathematic; specifically, that of Statistics of Probability—an arcane science maybe, yet no less effective in ferreting truths especially when dealing with numbers.
Adel, then, to my eternal dismay, expressed misgivings on Koko’s resorting to Math to unmask a massive fraud. the former, perhaps afraid that the vast masses may not be able to appreciate science (easy translation: do not know how to count), went public tasking the latter to conduct his protest in a trapo-like-style-politician as everyone else.
thus, Adel’s most recent pronouncement is a welcome relief, amply negating his previous mistake.
his bold take on the peace process fiasco and deteriorating peace and order situation in Mindanao, squarely laying the blame on the illegal Palace occupants, deserves support and commendation.
it rings, and resonates clearer, too, among the people as he is a legitimate son, a native of Mindanao, and a full-blooded Maranaw to boot.
(Maranaw or Maranao, is the fiercely independent,trading- inclined Muslim grouping native to the provinces of Lanao; with its own distinct dialect setting it apart from the Tausugs of Jolo, or from the Maguindanaons of old Cobabato provinces)
Adel Tamano’s critical stand on BJE-MOA secret pact with some personalities of dubious character claiming to represent the government and the people, hopefully, will serve as a rallying point of all concerned Filipinos, regardless of differences in faith.
in’sha Allah!
Adel Tamano is not just a pretty face. If you have a wrong impression about him in the past, we’re glad you’ve changed your mind now. Adel is a lawyer. Adel is a Muslim who knows how it is to be a Muslim. Adel could not have been appointed as UNO Spokesman if he didn’t have those qualities. In fact, Adel is among those on Erap’s Senatorial list for 2010.
I do not subscribe to such argument on the historical (and hysterical)claims the Muslims have on their so-called ancestral land. They unilaterally decide to make a reference point in history that is convenient only to their cause.
Before Islam came to the Philippines, Mindanao was inhabited by other native tribes. If we go by which minority group are the true original ancestors of Mindanao, it is not the Muslims who came first, thus, the lumads are rightful owners of the ancestral domain the Muslims are now claiming. Many of these tribes were chased away by Muslim settlers from their lands on orders of the Sultans of Sulu and Maguindanao whose kingdoms came much later. That is neither Constantino’s nor the MILF’s twisted account of history.
I would prefer that Mindanao becomes like Hong Kong or Macau Administrative Regions which continued to live their prosperous lives with some form of political and economic autonomy initially but pretty soon I’m sure will choose to become integrated with the whole of Greater China. Taiwan will eventually walk in the same queue, too.
Giving full independence to an impoverished region will spell bigger troubles in transition which may turn from bad to worst that such crisis may likely spill outwards to the Christian-Moslems in non-BJE communities for ages. Remember what happened to Manila after it was flattened in WWII? Independence was the cheapest alternative that the Americans had back then.
When that happens again now in BJE, we’re back square to one, nah, maybe negative ten!
Tongue, very good point. It’s a good idea and suggestion. However, not at this time when the Evil Bitch is in control. First thing we must all make sure is for her to step down in 2010 or earlier. Any change of constitution including your above idea can come later. And we must also make sure that the next President or leader is not her puppet. Let’s make sure a patriot from the opposition is elected.
Why do I keep on double posting? Just like what Ellen said, this blog is under strong spam attack. How do we counter attack?
be,
Personally I prefer my spam fried lightly to keep the juiciness (oops, wrong spam).
re: Ellen’s, “… Anong malay mo kung may langis doon sa Liguasan Marsh na sakop ng MILF?”
circa 1995, popular na ang importansya ng Liguasan Marshlands, nasa rendero ng Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao at North Cotabato, sa mga residente ng Mindanao.
ilang independiente na banyagang survey teams na ang pumunta duon, at deklarado na ang lugar ay ang unang confirmed onshore (or inland) natural-gas deposit reserve ng bansa.
*****
meron nga palang nagtatanong: sino ba ang nagbigay karapatan sa MILF bilang boses ng Muslim Filipinos?
ang sagot ko: sino bang bansa na ang kanyang Ambasadora ay labas-pasok sa mga kampo ng MILF?
From Skip, who is unable to post comments:
Although there were a few people who got ahead of the curve and immediately saw Gloria Arroyo for what she really is, let it not be said that she does not have enough people who truly believe in her.
On the contrary, despite scandal after scandal that continue to rock her administration, Arroyo still commands the confidence of many important sectors. It’s something even her fiercest critics grudgingly concede and perhaps even admire about her — Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the consummate politician and they realize that it would take more than the usual mudslinging to topple her.
So what explains this seemingly baffling phenomenon?
Of course, chronology helped. Coming right after Estrada, Arroyo reaped the benefits of the Principle of Contrast. Juxtaposed with the bleary-eyed, English-impaired philanderer who swaggered, nope, waddled, Gloria Arroyo looked positively intelligent, articulate, immaculate.
Powerful stuff.
(more)
More from Skip:
She deftly used this savior-image to solidify her hold on power. With that out of the way, she then set out to employ the marketing technique called positioning to make it appear that she is the only one and only person capable of leading the country.
The spin was “If not Gloria, then who?”.
Cleverly, she had also capitalized on the Estrada-phobia that lingers persistently among the middle-class as she successfully lumped all those who oppose her as one of those “uncool” Estrada-supporters.
Consequently, all oppositionists, regardless of political stripe, thereby became Erap-supporters. It doesn’t matter if you went to EDSA II and cried for Estrada’s head along with others. If you oppose Gloria, you are pro-Estrada, one of the masses, part of the Great Unwashed. Baduy.
Whatever one thinks about her, it cannot be denied that Gloria Arroyo has a deep understanding of how the mind works.
More from Skip:
And yet, while marketing is a powerful tool to sell a product, it can only do so much. Lincoln famously said : You can fool some
of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
Sooner or later, they will wise up.
You can put cattle leavings on a nice packaging and market it as Authentic Artifact of Rusticism and Bucolism. You can probably even sell a couple of them. The product could even develop a cult following with devotees singing praises about it.
But sooner or later, people will realize that it’s only bull shit.
What probably worries Gloria Arroyo is that a lot of her erstwhile defenders are waking up to one rude fact: She doesn’t care about any of us.
Her recent announcement that she wants to change the Charter is sending chills down the spine of many former Gloria supporters.
For the first time, many of them are realizing what their anti-Gloria friends have been saying all long : She will not step down in 2010. Not if she can help it. No matter if soldiers die. No matter if hundreds of thousands are driven from their homes. No matter if the whole f*cking country goes to the dogs
For the first time, many are realizing: OH. MY. GOD. They’re right. That woman is not leaving.
Two words: Cattle Leavings.
She doesn’t care about any of us.-Skip
And yes, she doesn’t give a fucking damn about our county.
Missed you, skip.
Tongue,
Excellent point, gawing Hongkong or Macau administrative regions and Mindanao.
Kaya lang ay wala ang component ng US interests, paano nila ito ipapasok? I guess Uncle Sam’s interests in Mindanao are first and foremost kaya natataranta si Pandack Omama.
Why don’t we ask the question now, “If not Gloria, who?” If Gloria steps down tomorrow, who would we want to take her place? What are our alternatives? Do we have an alternative and how do we deal with the political vacuum that will follow? Who will we tap to manage the economic situation of the country, or is it manageable at all? What is the alternative scenario to this nightmare?
Yes. Lets ask the question “If not Gloria, who?”
Tongue: I do not subscribe to such argument on the historical (and hysterical)claims the Muslims have on their so-called ancestral land. They unilaterally decide to make a reference point in history that is convenient only to their cause.
*****
Sinabi mo pa, Tongue. Truth is the Moslems were driven far down Sulu,and the rest of the islands were either occupied by Christians or nature worshippers like the other tribes in other parts of the Philippines, so they cannot claim that the whole island of Mindanao is theirs to own. If they go by that reasoning, then they should own Manila, Cebu, etc. with Moslem chieftains like Rajah Soliman, et al. And hinang katwiran. Gusto lang talaga ni pandak na manggulo para may katwiran siyang papasukin ang mga kano na nangako siguro they will not do the same thing they did to Marcos as long as she gives permission for them to reestablish a military base in Mindanao that judging from the Moslem movements around the world will be far from finding peace once the Americans get there permanently.
More like the idiota is really being instrumental in the prophesized destruction of the world prior to the Second Coming. Heaven forbid! Huwag naman sana in our time, generation and dispensation.
juggernaut,
Ellen’s blog had its healthy, fair share of the discussion on that particular issue in recent past.
there were a couple, or three, standout proposals, i think, and am of the opinion that succession issue is easiest to hurdle depending on the manner people collect their wits to finally boot the Usurper out of office:
a) if easement is done in a relatively swift and peaceful manner, 1987 Constitution serves as the guide on matters of succession.
b) if the mode requires protracted struggle, meaning messy and possibly longer, obviously, any act requiring principals to abide by the Charter would be extremely difficult, albeit not impossible altogether.
under the foregoing, if people opts for former (letter a) scenario, succession line is quite clear: the Vice-President, takes the place. provided of course, the VP, on the struggles’ aftermath is of SOUND mind and body,
otherwise, the Senate President as 3rd man in succession line, gets to the top,…4th is the House of Thieves Speaker,…5th slot belongs to the SC chief.
the question thus, on who will succeed Gloria, is mainly, a cheap ploy to deflect people from facing a more bigger and cerebral question: the willingness to let the Charter find its voice on succession issue;
or on the other hand, continue to allow its collective destiny in serious peril in the bloodied hands of Gloria and her cabal of cohorts.
some sectors may grumble if VP Noli takes the helm, but am thoroughly convinced that the person far more cruder, far more lacking in class, far more devilish than Gloria, is not yet born.
hindi pa pinapanganak ang mas masahol kay Gloria, diyan kumbinsido ako.
Unable to find a good team for 2010 Presidential Election, Malacanang is seriously considering a Noli-Vilma team. So, the opposition must match Malacanang’s strong candidates this early.
Guess who. A newly appointed Cabinet official received a new BMW from a Chinese businessman. He returned the car.
But, he asked for its cost in cash!!!
***Who are the recent Malacanang appointees? Tito Sotto? Ralph Recto?…
Bitchevil, who’s the low-life ? I’m curious.
Bitchevil, who is the low-life ? I’m curious.
If Gloria is not ousted before 2010, she will perpetuate herself–as we have witnessed in the recent MOA-AD on the BJE. Gloria is a desperate animal, that is why she is dangerous.
As long as Gloria is in Malacanan, she will remain a threat to the people of the Republic.
Gloria must be removed. As in yesterday !
Great comments, Skip !
Folks!
Peace! I am very impressed by Adel Tamano’s analysis and position vis-a-vis the controversial MOA. The events that follow simply confirm Adel’s analysis…
GMA is using the MOA and the peace process for her own sinister plan of amending the Constitution…
I believe that any peace agreement would belong to the next administration… with a lot of social capital and credibility. You need both to make peace…
In solidarity with Adel Tamano…!
Sa wakas naka pasok na din.
Si Vilma Santos hindi nakaimik ng tanungin kung nakatanggap din sya ng paper bag kagaya ng kay Among Ed
Of course she received the brown bag. Otherwise, she would have immediately denied it. Let’s all remember that Vilma is now with the Administration; so let’s dump her whatever political plan she may have.
WASHINGTON — Whites in the United States will no longer be a majority of the population by 2042, nearly a decade earlier than previous projections, according to US Census Bureau figures released Thursday.
…No wonder Dandaw is so excited now!
Wala akong problema sa succession/papalit kaya Gloria per our Constitution kasi ay “hindi pa pinapanganak ang mas masahol kay Gloria, diyan kumbinsido ako”. (Zen)
Sipain muna si Gloria at ang papalit ay hindi problema.
Since she’s the worst, the next President will be better than her. Well, that’s kind of consolation.
Finally! We are able to blog again!
sobra sobra na talaga ang kawalanghiyaang ginawa ni Gloria sa Pilipinas at sa mga Pilipino. Nang dahil sa pera naman kasi, maraming chuchuwa ang dumikit. hay naku.
ang gandang basahin nung column ni Tita Mids sa Daily Tribune ngayon. talagang kapal na ang mukha ni Gloria. yung nga, she is beyong shame!!!
pilipinas kong mahal…hanggang kailan pa ba magtitiis ang mga pilipino???
Be, it would be naïve for the Pinoys to believe that the presence of the U. S. forces in Mindanao is to protect their shipping lanes. They don’t have to be there physically to do it….they have submarines to do that. They are there for some other purpose. Of course they will construct and build roads, bridges, piers and runways and airport strip for fast mobilization which most would construe that they are there to help.
The towns from Pigcawayan down to Midsayap was where I spent my childhood years….I am sad to know what is happening there but then we have to face reality; by culture, religion and geography (look at the map) it’s a foregone conclusion some days Mindanao will be a Muslim state. The tip of Sarangani Bay is close to Indonesia, the most populated Muslim country in the world.
Unfortunately, we do not have the likes of Salipada K. Pendatun and Datu Ugtog Matalam in any of the present Muslim leadership. Adel Tamano and hopefully Uy-Ampatuan can come up close to those two great Muslim leaders.
Be, dont get me wrong…I am loyal to my adopted country
but my heart belongs to my homeland.
Camusta sa imo.
zen2,
We have to be realistic, it will be downright impossible to move without the business community, and as I see from countless casual discussions, most would prefer a democratic, smooth transition of power to a more responsible and competent person/s if at all there is a transition. If there is going to be a people power sort of movement, the business community will not be there or at least those that have the clout. For as long as the alternative they see is “anarchy” as painted so well by Gloria et al, she is likely to be tolerated and her shenanigans dismissed as “better the devil we know than the devil we don’t know.” Of course we can complain all we want, blog all we want, but bottomline its the ones who can get things done that matters…So the question remains, but let me paraphrase it, “What would be a viable alternative to Gloria? Does the opposition have concrete, doable plans or direction to include personalities that will more or less assure us that the economy will not go below negative GDP? Its easy to comment from the heart, from emotion, but what matters in the end is what we can really do about it and what we are prepared to do…In our business, we always look at the bottomline, not just the dream…
coeL,
I spent several childhood years in Gen. Santos myself, in fact most of my family are still there. You may accept the possibility of Mindanao becoming a moslem state but I cannot afford to. If we need to bring back Erap and let him “all-out-war” the sobs (MILF) then bring him back then!
juggernaut, i have lots of childhood friends in gensantos.
my referencing to “some days” will not happen in my lifetime…it took them more than 40 years to where they are now. but with arroyo around their next step might be shorter than another 40 years.
you are right…..let them bring back erap. this guy was on the right track…he acted against the milf and mnlf within the framework of the constitution whille arroyo was based on self-preservation, ambition and greed.
i’m not advocating any sinister plan or something but to dispose of the disease, we need a cure. and to dispose of a cancer like gloria, we need someone who would put a bullet on her head and , voila! the queen of thieves is history. any takers?
we need someone who would put a bullet on her head and , voila! the queen of thieves is history. any takers?
*****************
That’s too merciful. I want her to live to the ripe old age of 103, in a quadriplegic nursing home. Your taker, he should aim for the spine. I want to say that about Esperon, but he has no spine.
Someone asked who would we pick for transition after the Evil Bitch is gone (presumably before 2010). Not, Noli de Castro because he was a party to the 2004 election cheating. I strongly suggest Erap. So far, I think Erap is the only one who could unite the opposition and country. If the opposition doesn’t come up with a single presidential candidate in 2010, Erap should run then give up his office after three years to the Vice President who should also come from the opposition. Picking the Vice President is therefore very crucial. To me, that’s a very good option. I remember Erap once expressed his willingness to such an arrangement. Unknown to many, Erap prefers to be a citizen and remain a political symbol. His age and health don’t allow it even if he wants. He has tasted all the fame and power. He has become Mayor, Senator, Vice President and President. What more does he need except to proof his innocence and be vindicated? Getting elected in 2010 and then serving for only three years could end his frustrations
and bring back peace to the country no matter how little it would be.
Do I see finally a trend of planning for organizing and operation for resistance against the puppet government instead of just cries of desperation and anger as the trend in the past months? This is a good development!
Before action must be planning. Part of planning is analysis. I see that the analysis of skip is stimulating and a bit of psychologically strategic. I find the argument of tongue on history, solid. To me, the rationale by zen2 and chabeli behind the need for the puppet government to be removed ASAP is igniting. The information bitchevil provided on the intervention of a chinese businessman in the governance of the Philippines is valuable. Let us all focus our efforts on mobilizing the Filipinos to unite by a strong reason to resist the puppet government.
re: “… In our business, we always look at the bottomline…”
jug, i would like to imagine, you are in one of those satirical moods, and actually without rancor, when you say this…
not far from home, in the place where i earn my keeps, there is more to business than those awe-inducing, eye-dropping balance sheets. entrepreneurs, and business people form of activity, is generally expected by a vigilant community at large to contribute positively for society’s betterment.
the oft-abused concept that business must be given a golden seat, a consequence of, by being provider of jobs, while others sit in an unkempt floor (obviously a residual effect
of feudal social order) is no longer given a prominence.
it’s being discouraged at every turn.
the essentials of an alive, working democratic order though still imperfect, thus, are present and readily recognized. as businesses are expected to adhere to both written and unwritten set of norms; workers and citizens share what is expected of them—-by being vigilant.
a profound mistake, it is, to diminish, or worse, disregard the role of a critical, enlightened, and vigilant citizenry in any socio-political order.
if i may quote, for reference, US SCJustice Potter Stewart, the man not exactly a champion of liberal ideas, (in fact, considered by many as a conservative) has this to say:
“… in the absence of the governmental checks and balances present in other areas of our national life, the ONLY effective restraint upon executive policy and power in the areas of national defense and international affairs may lie in an enlightened citizenry—in an informed and critical public opinion which ALONE can protect the values of democratic government…” (caps mine)
a society striving for a just, fair, egalitarian social order must discourage nudging, tempting the business community to take a special golden notch to detriment of other sectors. a failure may hasten entry of another anathema to democracy.
re: what would be the viable alternative to Gloria?
the Usurper’s continued existence at the helm of power amid the heaps of scandals confronting her administration, is a stark, concrete manifestation of serious breakdown in the country’s democratic order.
imagine (just try) if she were to govern a country, any nation that professes and adheres to, even just, the basic democratic tenets, she would have been not only booted out of office, but most likely jailed for life, too.
the only reason why Gloria still able to continue dispense illegally favors to herself and cabal of supporters is because of her lock, a quid pro quo, on the nation’s security forces leadership; effectively transforming the AFP and the PNP into her own private shock troopers.
be that may, the country still has solid potentials to rapidly shed itself off from its own squalid, physical and moral conditions.
the only sector that is readily poised to extend help, not only from the financial standpoint, but of equal importance, the experience on ethics —-in governance and in work—against the conventional wisdom, is no longer the Philippine-based business sector, but in the new middle-class: the Pinoy migrants and OFW’s.
all economic indicators, without exception, point to facts without this sector’s remittances, given Gloria’s shameless propensity to spend, the country’s econ-financial life, would NOT last 3 months.
unfortunately, this sector has not found itself yet a voice in the affairs of the nation’s political life.
if only, our leaders—legitimate or otherwise, take counsel and heed that the only way out of socio-political quagmire, is to allow democratic structures to work.
a careful reading of this decade’s Nobel Prize laureates on Economics thesis and writings is a variation of one theme: democracy if allowed to work, together with its inherent checks and balances, leads to greater economic activity;
when citizens participation and voice becomes broader, again, against conventional wisdom that it induces chaos and mob rule; thus, harmful to the economy, the exact opposite is true: economic pie expands proportionally.
people will then have a bigger chance to depend on themselves, and less they become dependent to those who traditionally dispense powers.
zen2,
You’re right, at times I am tempted to nod off to cynicism. I really believe that we can al make this work if we do according to democratic tenets. What I’m pointing out is that at the moment we seem to have a shortage of people willing to “step up the plate” has it become so bad that leading a decent opposition is like Moses going to see the Pharaoh and demand that his people be freed?
I am an OFW myself, but just like you, and countless others, we are asking ourselves “who do we follow?” “when are they going to call us?” “whats the next step?” or “is there really a plan at all?”
zen2,
In case you didn’t notice, inorder to get things done around here, we need to have the numbers, we need to have that “booming” voice, we need to be more persuasive…
We have the numbers. The problem is no one wants to lead.
Let us just do our part. Those who can do research, those who can organize, those who can do the networking, those who can provide logistics, those who can mass communicate, those who can open the eyes of people in the government, can do one’s share.
Let us emphasize that we have a home, a Filipino nation with a spirit of 1898, a flesh and blood, a malolos constitution, a Republic of the Philippines, a nation independent from Spain. It was snatched, raped, corrupted and enslaved in the 1900s by the American invasion. It was introduced with American Colonization Virus by our invaders. This resulted to loss of national identity, damage DNA which resulted to autoimmune disease in our defense system.
Let us provide the vision, real, a part of our natural history, organic. Let us breath this to every Filipino.
Let us reclaim our nation. We know what is the original DNA, let us restore it. Let us regenerate our identity. Let us come home to our nation, the Filipino Nation!
From our cultivation of the Filipino populace, from this social soil, it is a matter of time when out of this and for this, a leader or pool of leaders will spring.
Jose, what about those who are willing to risk their own lives to terminate this Evil Bitch? Is there any…or none at all?
There were and there are. They are not only soldiers who offered their lives against terrorists in Mindanao, there are many who are civilians who have been active in this war against the puppet government. Some have already died.
It is for the right reason that fighters are willing to die for.
But to me, risking one’s own life is a matter of timing. One has to have the feel of the harmony or rythm of the social wave. Just like a surfer or a boxer. He moves forward because not only the movement of the wave or his oponent but also of his own movement and momentum in such a way that it is of optimal energy because it is within the natural movement and momentum where he has a chance to gain and succeed. Look at what happened to past EDSA movements, marine stand off, peninsula manila movement. It was premature. The brain that conceived may have been fully developed but the nervous system that relays signals to the body or the body itself, was not. The enemy knows this. That is why they succeeded and we failed.
The enemy reads our messages. But it is OK. They now the dynamics of social behavior. They know this. What they do not like is to see even for themselves the reason for our resistance which is to regenerate our nation of the spirit of 1898- our genuine Filipino Nation. If they see this, not only their personnel in the puppet organization but even they themselves might be convinced to join the resistance movement. They do not like that, not because they will realize that we are morally right but because they will lose their pride– their ego.