Inside Philippine politics & beyond

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  1. Love your stuff. Minor copyedit: Corazon Aquino’s name in your Riches story was misspelled as Corazan.

    • Sayang.
      I can’t edit it. It’s in the magazine.
      But thanks for pointing it out.

  2. only education can reverse our nation’s plight. let us promote free education to all from prep school to college. those who are not qualified to college must have alternative like trade school.
    this is the only solution i can think of. and this is the shortest process.

  3. Philippines is but a small nation proudly claiming of its 7000 plus islands.
    Meaning small and divided islands furthermore divided by different dialects, traditions and cultural prides.
    As the saying goes “divide and rule”, our country is the most vulnerable to such corruption, coercion and deceptions.
    The Barangay system though it was made to believe that it is easier to hear the voice of the small fraction of citizens in need it is also a great way to be contained and controlled by those in power. they are also the easiest to corrupt for they know also the weak spots of many in the area..the personal needs and the “utang na loob” that is inherent among Filipinos. These system is the weakest form of government of the people, by the people and for the people.
    These people are mostly the ones who stayed loyal to the plunderers that is why it is hard to let go of them ( the plunderers and their followers) considering too that very few among the 90 million people in the country would think of dong things for the nation before their empty stomach and their short sight vision for our nation for lack of proper education and right values to live by.

    • Not considering cheating and other illegal maneuvering, would the Marcoses still hold power / magic charm to the Pinoys all over the land? Probably, there is a chance if the Una Team gets the majority seats. Money befriends money and these politicians are still getting the people’s money because no one is not punished for the sins /injustice committed against the people. Justice system is so flawed that people don’t care anymore. It is just too bad that same people don’t learn anything in the exercise of voting, QUE SERA, SERA is the mantra. Poverty fatigue, hopelessness and illiteracy. Just a query, would investment in proper education for all give the younger generation tools to make changes and a different perspective re: choosing leaders with integrity, unblemished with corruption? Maybe, but in another 15 -20 years after the sons and daughters of these same political leaders decided to join the bandwagon and laws of the land are in standstill. But who are the lawmakers anyways? Same, same leaders in a vicious cycle once again. Merry go round all the way, will there be another Raissa when the country go into an abyss again? OML

  4. sa aking palagay HUWAG natin isisi lahat ang kasalanan sa pagkakalukluk ng mga HINAYUPAK AT MAGNANAKAW na mga opisyales ng ating pamahalaan, yang mga yan ay talga sagad na sa buto at natural nang GAHAMAN AT SAKIM sa kayamanan. mayroon tayong kasabihang mga Pilipino “KUNG ANO ANG IPINAKAIN AT NAKITA MO SA IYONG MAGULANG MULA PAGKABATA NASA SYSTEMA NA NG IYONG KATAUHAN ANG SUSTANSYA NG KANILANG PINAKAIN SA IYO AT MGA HALIMBAWAANG NAKITA NILA SA MGA MAGULANG NILA.” ano ang aasahan ng bansang PILIPINO sa mga ganitong tao?

  5. I am partially aggree wiht Maa’m Leona but the whole truth is KATANGAHAN why these KAWATAN are ruling over us.It doesnt need a good memory to know what is what,which is which & who is who.only a simple CONCERN for our children’s future can guide us to vote for people we think can serve our country best.

    • @Mel, don’t forget that another reason are the questionable people of the media.

      • before winning her seat, imelda once said during campaign na she will not accept pay or sweldo at work, but will give her pay to people in her district. many times, I wonder if she has indeed kept her promise.

  6. “Filthy riches”…or dirty wealth! What raises my one eye-brow is re Arelma’s assets where our SC awarded it to the State, and “Imelda appealed the ruling – and there the matter hangs. The PCGG has been expecting a final judgment on the Arelma account “since yesterday”, Gonzaga jokes.”

    “Appealed” the ruling by the SC? I guess a Motion for Reconsideration and still pending? For years now? If the late Justice Garchitorena of Sandiganbay was reprimanded for delaying “Motions and cases” about 160 altogether for years inresolve [ whch the said Justice never completely resolved until he retired and passed away…may he RIP ] the SC has not resolved the Arelma’s assets on Motion for Recon by Imelda?

    Mr. Gonzaga’s jokes must be correct. Thanks for this Raissa.

  7. POSSIBLY, WHY CORRUPT PERSONS CAN COME BACK TO POWER IN THIS COUNTRY

    “I’m asking Filipinos, how did these people come back to power? Why did we allow this to happen?” – PCGG Chairman Bautista

    Let me give you my idea why:

    Since most Filipinos are Catholics, a movement called Catholic Vote Phils has lobbied that “Catholics vote as Catholics” , meaning we should vote for candidates who pass the so-called first level criteria (which includes their stand on RH, marriage and family issues). They put corruption as a “temporal, second-level issue” which they leave up to the voter to decide on.

    I was amused when I learned about this- that this lay movement, and possibly the hierarchy’s stand is the same – that they consider the integrity of a candidate a secondary concern, and it is up to the voter’s discernment if the likes of the Arroyos, Estradas and the Marcoses deserve to be re-elected into power.

    If you ask me, there is something very wrong here- when Catholic authorities minimize the integrity of an individual and put the focus on his stand on contraception, etc.

    I believe many Filipinos, of various faiths and non-faiths, including many Catholics prefer it in reverse: a candidate must possess integrity first and foremost. The “first level criteria” that they put out – their stand on RH is for me, a matter of faith- you can choose not to believe in it and still be a man of integrity – only the hardline Catholics will insist you are not!

    The argument that those who don’t pass the “first level criteria” on “life, marriage and family” issues are more likely to compromise and be corrupted does not hold water, because the ones they have praised for voting “NO” to RH like Imelda Marcos and the Arroyo brothers were already lacking integrity in the first place, so how can their stand on RH cleanse them?

    This is my theory why officials who have been outed before for being corrupt can easily come back – because the Catholic hierarchy has failed miserably in its role of forming consciences- specially when dealing with corruption and integrity issues.

    The average Catholic does not have a clear sense of right and wrong when it comes to corruption issues, because the hierarchy doesn’t seem to have a clear stand on it also.

    They get so agitated on RH, but will readily compromise with corrupt politicians who voted no to RH. ” Di baleng corrupt, basta kakampi ng Bishop. ”

    I am hopeful that the Filipino voter, Catholic or not, will find that integrity is the non-negotiable criteria, not the stand on RH or related issues.

    • @andrew lim:
      I completely agree. The church hierarchy here in the Philippines seems to have their moral compass damaged, possibly beyond repair. I wish people would wake up and stop giving these people their loyalty. The RCC hierarchy have proven that they cannot be trusted with power over people.

    • I’m telling you there’s no White Vote it’s only Mike Velarde using his sect El Shadai like Erdy Manalo using INK

      .

      • Both El Shaddai and INC are plain OPPORTUNISTS!

        They try to portray themselves as power brokers who can make sure winners of those candidates that they endorse by giving the impression that they can deliver millions of ‘command votes’.

        That’s a lot of BS simply because they disclose their endorsements just a few days before election day . . . and it doesn’t take rocket science to see that their ‘handpicked’ candidates are invariably those who are frontrunners in the latest SWS and Pulse Asia survey results!

    • …like in Pakistan now, the former General Musharaff is barred by the courts from running for a public office.

      Our Cory and her experts during the Revolutionary gov’t should have placed in the 1987 Constitution barring all the dictators Kins and all descendants, etc. from running or holding any public office. Na ka LUSOT sila. ‘Di pinag-aralan ng mabuti kasi.

      Well, this is water under the bridge. Kung may next time, this should be done!

  10. this is a very sad state for our country. many are just contented to be at the sidelines never participating. They will only act if they are the ones aggravated unless the aggravator is high and mighty then they will not pursue. Gone are the days simple things matter..eg. giving a seat for the elderly/ladies etc. Fighting for whats right and not what I will get.
    I have a bad feeling history will repeat itself, and the glimmer of hope that I have inside me is slowly becoming an ember….unless the winds of change will blow it upon it again and give light to the darkness.

    • @michael…the majority of our people needs “Elephants’ Memory”. The ‘massa’ who welds voting power have no memories!

      Maybe Smartmatic Co should produce a PCOS that will embedd a “total recall” mind-set once touched by the voter. Or a capsule “total recall’ for free with a Condum to be taken altogether.