And will someone please tell the Filipino people: How many times did Marcos’ top generals dance in drag?
But first things first, if you are itching to build your very own political dynasty, take the test below and see if you have the aptitude for it. My hubby Alan proudly made the test, inspired by the best practices of current Filipino dynasties.
Are you ready to perpetuate your family’s dynasty?
Hot Manila – by Alan Robles
Many people seem to think that all it takes to set up a political dynasty is for daddy or mommy warlord to snap their fingers and a family member — with absolutely no qualification or experience — immediately, successfully, runs for councilor or mayor or congressman or senator or president.
This is a misconception. There’s a lot more to it than that. To start with, do you think it’s easy for a family to consciously decide to perpetuate its iron, ruthless grip on power and continue to leech and amass unheard of amounts of public money and wealth while putting itself above the law and using its power to punish its enemies and reward its cronies?
To read the rest and take the test, please click on this link.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
And now, about our generals.
A diplomatic cable leaked by the whistle blower site Wikileaks quoted then US Ambassador William Sullivan as criticizing a birthday celebration put up by Imelda Marcos for her husband where the military top brass – except for Marcos’ cousin -Constabulary chief Fidel Ramos – were made to “parade in garish female attire”
The incident took place on September 12, 1973 and Imelda Marcos put up the show, the Wikileaks cable said.
The late dictator’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, now claims the incident doesn’t ring a bell for him. He was quoted by Philippine Star as saying:
“I don’t recall anything like that which happened. I only remember one time, during (my father’s) birthday when generals had performed a hilarious skit.”
Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
How many times did Marcos’ generals perform in drag?
According to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile in his recently-published memoir:
Martial law had just been in place for over a month, I think, when the First Lady held a party in Malacañang. It was her first party since martial law was declared. It was held at the Heroes Hall at the ground floor of Malacañang by the side of the Pasig river.
Enrile then went on to describe the party as “big and grandiose” – the glitterati, both foreign and local, were invited.
Enrile, Marcos’ defense minister and Martial law administrator, then described the highlight of the evening:
General Romeo Espino, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, stood up and walked away from his seat. He was followed by General Fidel V. Ramos, the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary; General Rafael Zagala, the Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force; and Admiral Hilario Ruiz, the Flag Office in Command of the Philippine Navy. They all left Heroes Hall. I noticed the First Lady smiling, laughing, and gesturing.
Then the five generals, reappeared with General Fabian Ver. The six generals were all attired in artificial straw skirts and high-heeled shoes. They had garlands around thier necks and they were wearing bras to complete their costumes. Their lips were painted red with lipstick.
The band played a polynesian tune, and the six generals danced the “hula.” They wiggled and sashayed in front of the guests with their hands raised and rolled above their shoulders.
The First Lady and her retinue of Blue Ladies and their husbands laughed and clapped delightfully. The diplomats and their ladies, including the bankers and businessmen and their wives, sat still on their seats and remained quiet. I felt that they were neither amused nor comfortable with what was going on.
Seeing the senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with their skimpy female attire dancing the “hula” was, to me, a very embarrassing and shameful moment. The top military leaders of the land were made the object of fun by the First Lady. The scene was pathetic, ridiculous and disgusting. I whipsered to Cristina my disgust about the whole distasteful spectacle. She held my arm and cautioned me to just keep my cool and not to say anything.
Now, compare Enrile’s anecdote to that of Ambassador Sullivan’s leaked cable:
Enrile does know how to throw someone a surprise bash.
Watch this below and learn from the expert himself:
leona says
DoF says support paying taxes “he Department of Finance (DOF) is urging professional associations to support the government’s tax campaign in its bid to increase tax collection from the current 12 percent to 16 percent in 2016.
“We urge our country’s professional associations to support our tax campaign,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said in a statement Wednesday. “Everyone will benefit from paying the right taxes when government and private sector work together.”
What about people’s money stolen like in the AFP, Pork barrels, Kickbacks, atbpa? Should all pay taxes with these incidents right under people’s noses?
leona says
Bureau of Customs into a private stock-for-profit corporation under the Corporation Code of the Philippines!
“Believing that any less stringent measure will not suffice to stamp out smuggling, the Aquino administration is considering abolishing the Bureau of Customs and replacing it with a professional institution run by private officials and employees. ” Inquirer news.
No more public dynasty here but operated like SM Malls or Robinson’s Plaza etc. Some Taipans we have can run this agency like they want. For PROFIT. Will the gov’t also profit? Why not!
Abolish the agency then! That way, all the culprits there will have to start looking for work. What about other gov’t agencies…can it be done also? Why not! So the whole people will “profit” too! How about Congress? Nah…the stockholders won’t approve to change their “by-laws” !
manuelbuencamino says
There are as many crooks in the private sector as there are in government so privatization only transfers stealing from bureaucrats to enterpreneurs
Alan says
Correct. The problem is the culture of impunity and non-accountability. How to change that is anybody’s guess. Some say more laws, or more enforcement of laws. My own opinion is that it’s an issue of education — shaping civic minded critical citizens who have faith in their institutions and are activist in holding their leaders accountable.
leona says
Theoretically, that is what is needed to make reality but never in gov’t specially can it be expected that even 85% of them are ‘shaped civic minded critical’ citizens. I love to see it. ‘Faith in their pockets-institutions’ will be their ‘shape.’
How to accomplish the idea is the…? Is there a government agency or agencies anywhere ran somewhat like a private stock corporation?
leona says
News news…off topic?…”LEGAZPI CITY , Philippines – The mayor who made Donsol, Sorsogon the whale shark capital of the world died Thursday while being treated at a hospital after suffering from heat stroke.
Mayor Jerome Alcantara, who was running for re-election under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), was campaigning last Tuesday when he collapsed from heat stroke.” May you RIP Mayor Jerome.
Are there any national candidates collapsing in this summer heat during their standing under the Sun on top of that entablado campaingning? Sigue mag dancing kayo maski 1 hour lang.
Wala pa?
duquemarino says
Ang dami ko na pala na miss. Ha ha ha generals pa pala ang court jesters ni queen Imelda.
jorge bernas says
@ duquerino,
Ha Ha Ha, Ginawang katatawananat TANGA mga heneral at nagpa UTO naman para sa pansariling kabutihan….Nakakaingit na kahihiyan….ha ha ha ha Thanks Mam Raissa…
Rudy says
More power to you Raissa and Alan!
kindredspirit says
lets focus on awakening and enlightening our kababayans to use their votes next month to improve the senate, to show that we listen to wise men like cardinal tagle and not to short-sighted know-it-all bishops and priests, and that we deserve to have senators who have more qualifications than having a familiar name or being related to another trapo. in the last presidential election i heard a lot of predictions that villar with his money would be able to fool filipinos. of course the erap/estrada and binay robinhood stories continue to be such an obstacle aren’t they?
moonie says
so true, manny villar and his money did not work before, it may not work again. sometimes we have to give credit to bobos, they accepted money, pabuya, t-shirts and anything else, but then it comes to actual voting, they followed their conscience.
chonoon says
paulit ulit nmn (dynasty) eh mananalo talaga si Binay kunti lang ang matino pinoy, 60% bobos (squatter) :)
moonie says
the election is not over yet. bobos might just put a stop to binay’s dynasty and voted nancy binay out. they already suspect the real shaker behind nancy is her father, brothers and mother, they’ll be the ones making decisions that will mostly benefit their dynasty. nancy is just a prop, a mouthpiece and a talking head. but you know bobos, they pretend they dont know a thing, and will put their hands out for anything that comes their way.
czech says
I am just sharing ramon tulfo’s column in PDI yesterday……
Home > Newsinfo > On Target > ‘Mahiya ka naman, hija!’
ON TARGET
‘Mahiya ka naman, hija!’
By Ramon Tulfo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:29 am | Thursday, April 11th, 2013
98 1915 1803
I had a lump in my throat when I saw in the front page of this paper a picture of veterans saluting the flag during the 71st Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration rites on Mt. Samat in Pilar, Bataan.
The aging veterans are as old as my father if he were still alive today.
My old man fought in Bataan, survived the infamous Death March, became a prisoner of war (POW) in Capas, Tarlac, until he was released along with many other sick and dying Filipino POWs.
My father seldom talked about his life as a POW at the Capas concentration camp where his father, my grandfather Felix, died of malnutrition-related diseases.
But I once overheard him tell my mother that he and his fellow POWs would catch grasshoppers and eat them alive.
Perhaps by his silence he would not be able to relive the trauma in the hands of his Japanese captors.
He probably also didn’t want to recall the humiliation of defeat.
The Philippines is probably the only country in the world that celebrates defeat instead of victory.
I only now fully appreciate the bitter experiences my father and his fellow Bataan veterans went through after reading the book entitled “Escape from Davao” by John D. Lukacs.
The book is a tale of defeat, humiliation and suffering of American soldiers who fought in Bataan and Corregido who were transferred from one concentration camp to another: Capas, Cabanatuan and Davao, where they staged a daring escape.
No amount of rhetoric about the heroism of our World War II veterans would match the experience they went through.
The best appreciation the government can show these veterans is to give their surviving comrades more financial benefits and to never count the money.
* * *
Why does senatorial candidate Nancy Binay refuse a public debate with a rival, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros?
The reason given by the daughter of Vice President Jojo Binay in not accepting Hontiveros’ challenge to a debate is, “Let’s win the Senate race first, then we can debate on the Senate floor.”
Nancy Binay, who ranks No. 6 in the surveys, thinks debating with Hontiveros is useless since her challenger is doing poorly in the surveys at No. 18.
The nerve!
Binay, whose only qualification for the Senate is easy name recall, doesn’t want to debate with Hontiveros as this would expose her incompetence in public.
All the other candidates with famous family names, who are running for the Senate for the first time, have had experience as members of the Lower House: JV Ejercito Estrada, Sonny Angara, Jack Enrile, Cynthia Villar and Risa Hontiveros.
Nancy Binay has not held any government position, not even as barangay kagawad.
Mahiya ka naman, hija! (Where’s your shame, woman!)
moonie says
I think nancy binay is not ready to enter politics. debate is big part of political life. she’ll be debating her way in the senate, putting her views across, dessiminating discussions, voicing her opinions, pacifying fellow members who have overstepped their marks. nancy cannot be seen sitting and doing nothing, twiddling her thumbs and looking at the wall, o baka palaging absent siya, dahil she has nothing much to contribute and will only be ignored. but when comes to pork barrels, she might be first to claim.
I agree, nancy ought to start as baranggay kagawad, learn the ropes and develop big time people skills across the board, not just those people obedient to her father, not impatient and immediately jump in the deep end and be in the senate.
jorge bernas says
@ moonie,
Tama ka moonie, Dahil lang sa utos nang maitim na Ama ay tumalima agad si nancy kahit alam nito na hindi pa siya handa sa pagka senador at masyadong wala itong alam kong paano patakbuhin ang sarili. Political Dynasties na naman ito. Ibig sabihin ay para sa pansariling Pakinabang na naman…
moonie says
jorge, I dont know why she is in such hurry to enter the senate. she can try later when her skills are up to date, honed and on par with anyone. at the moment, she can’t even identify her transferable skills!
leona says
Actually, @moonie…none of ’em are really ready for politics but only ready to GET RICH atbpa! Sorry to say this sweeping opn but better sweep ’em all away initially and pick later those that should be kept from the dust bin of political elections.
leona says
@czech…” “Let’s win the Senate race first, then we can debate on the Senate floor.” So, mga taga Makati City, the game is ‘be elected first and debate later?’
So, how do voters learn if the candidate can really engage in debate…by ‘electing first’ the candidate? Baliktad yata ang isip!
If it is baliktad, so baliktarin din ang candidate…HOW? Wag iboto!
moonie says
leona, they want us to buy a pig in the sack. maybe in makati that is the norm, but it’s different in the senate. we got to open the sack, to pick and choose, get close and personal, gotta hear candidates speak their way in, give us insight of what they are, what they are made of, what they think, give us indication of their potentialities, capabilities and abilities, that they are self starters and not be needing constant supervision. that they are fast learners and quick studies, motivators and problem solvers who can think on their feet and hit the floor running. the senate is worth all that trouble. already, there are plenty bobos in the senate, palaging papogi at absent sa trabaho, make and sign laws without thinking. let us be vigilant and not add more of the same type of people to polute the senate, our senate. hwag iboto ang hindi karapatdapat.
leona says
@moonie…Tama ka. Mayroon mga sa senado maski ka barangay posts, di rin kwalipikado suba’lit nandoon sila…senador!
GRrrrrr…ArRffff…arFFFF!
netty says
It is one thing to discover ,watch make fun of and blame people for their actions, but we know nothing has changed. Could we now look at everyone and each other to say it is because we let it happen, so it is now time we say to ourselves, us,us us,us not only we allowed things but we admire and carry these same rich dynasty elites to their pedestal. Someone was right when we were compared to the pyramid. We carry the square base, four corners to hold the rich and powerful beyond our might, they were only a few up there in the apex for years, decades. Then we realized that the load is getting heavier, we woke up and saw the pyramid now has reversed its shape but we are still at the bottom crushed and crowded . The powerful is now occupying the inverted base up there, reproducing and proliferating but we still carry them down below. What is it that the 50 million Pinoys still need to do? It is the power of the mind over the stomach and to become color blind with the bundles of money being offered to buy our votes.For us’ we laughed hard with those ridiculous dances, but how about them making fun of us when we take their 500 pesos buying our most precious votes? That is how we build their Dynasty, sadly.
moonie says
those at the narrowed apex that is now supporting the whole of the wide inverted pyramid should up their game and hit where appropriate. they should widen the apex, up the ante and not accept 500 pesos, but 10 thousand pesos for their votes! demand to have a share at that wealth and ask for more money, that’s what the 50 million voters should do. they should not just rely on the words of dancing, singing and smiling politicians, but hit them where it counts. ditch the 500 pesos they’re offering for your votes, ask for 10 thousand pesos. they have surpluses and can easy peasy afford the expenses, they can also easy peasy recoup the expenses as soon as they got themselves seated.so, ask for more! that should make them laugh less and take notice.
manuelbuencamino says
Okay lang na pinasuot ng damit ng babae yun mga general. Pinaalala lang naman sa kanila ni Imelda na wala silang mga bayag. Maganda din sana kung nagkaroon ng isang fashion show kung saan ang mga model ay rumampa ng hila-hila ang mga general na may suot na dogleash. Mga nagpa-tuta.
moonie says
ha, ha, ha, walang mga bayag sila. I wonder how many times they practiced their routines, if their wives helped them in choosing their gears, buying their shoes from shoemart, or borrowed from Imelda’s collection? I bet the dancing inmates, prisoners, from cebu must be laughing, they can dance better, at more coordinated pa sila.
leona says
@moonie…i-ilang mga gov’t opisyales kaya mag DISOBEY sa mga illegal at nonsense ORDERS? Mayroon isa? Dalawa? Kung wala, bakit? Takot ma-walan ng trabaho? Oo…poH!
People wants to see a gov’t official and employee who can stand up to disobey illegal, corrupt and nonsense orders from their superiors, and stand up for the consequences to the extent of being FIRED illegally also!
…’tis better than be BAD!
baycas says
From the US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) compilation:
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=68895&dt=2472&dl=1345
baycas says
http://www.rappler.com/nation/25859-marcos-staged-military-drag-show-wikileaks
It’s as if Wikileaks “leaked” an already declassified document from the public domain…
leona says
…what about that event where Bong2’s friend was “in a diaper” attire? like BONGYING the adult-baby…with milk bottled-tsupon…something like that…does he remember that or can he deny it?
moonie says
leona, apparently they knew where the wind was blowing and learned to sipsip early on. I’d like to see how the friends had panned out, if they are now occupying positions of importance and power. if only we have remaining pictures of them, to remind us of their humble beginnings.
Targrod says
what an excuse from the son. he does not “remember” it. right.
also, “The funeral services for the late Cardinal Santos, which fell in the middle of these events, were very largely eclipsed as far as officialdom was concerned.”
=(
moonie says
the son must have been very embarrassed and resorted to selective amnesia, better to forget the dancing event and pretend it had not happened. ex-president ferdinand marcos could not be ‘dust to dust, from dust thou art, and to dust thou shall return”. his family labag God’s dictum and preferred to keep his body above ground, preserved and not returned to dust.
leona says
hahaha…thanks a big lot Raissa!
…in some scenes here, the DangNam tune makes ’em look like new new birds at the institute of mental rehab!
walangNam bagay for oldies but credit for ’em for trying their best to make ’em selves looka laughin’ fun!
…Looka’ laughin’ FUN only in the ‘Pinas! For ‘d candidates …Vote ’em all OUT! A ridiculous, pathetic and definitely false qualifications. . . not disgusting ’cause not one is a general of the army.
davide says
@leona,
me think that this is a redo of the marcos party after the martial law declaration. its similar except they are not generals. as you said mga walangnam.
onli in the philipines mam leona.