Mobility
by Alan C. Robles
If only somebody could arrange for famed boxer Manny Pacquiao to fight a world championship bout everyday. Or if only Good Friday could be made to happen every week. Then Metro Manila’s traffic problems would be solved, with streets empty because people would either be indoors watching the fight, or out of town on holiday.
Absurd as they are, these “solutions” seem more likely to happen than the actual remedy that experts have long sought: an integrated, unified approach to traffic management free of local government politics. Thanks to those very politics, that vision has remained unrealised for decades.
Yves Gonzalez, head of the Traffic Discipline Office of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) puts it this way: “Metro Manila has a population of 12 million at night and 15 million in the daytime, so there’s a migration of about three million persons. All of them have to use the roads.” And so do millions who commute within the city.
According to Gonzalez, vehicular speed may drop to five kilometres per hour during rush hours on the main artery Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or EDSA for short. A grinding commute to work in the summer heat, aboard a packed bus crawling through fuel exhaust, is certainly not one of Manila’s most enchanting experiences.
The MMDA reports that “major roads are no longer sufficient to accommodate the rapidly rising traffic volume”. The situation is made worse by outmoded traffic signals, poor road conditions and a lack of efficient public transport. A mere accident on an important intersection is likely to paralyse many streets for hours.
The national government estimates that Manila’s traffic congestion annually costs the equivalent of € 2.3 billion in lost productivity, illness, wasted fuel and vehicle maintenance. The burden falls on those who can least afford it. A World Bank report noted that “pedestrians and commuters from lower income groups account for 75 % of all trips in Metro Manila”.
Traffic is not a new problem in Manila. In a novel he wrote in 1887, national hero Jose Rizal described the crush of horse-drawn carriages in the narrow streets of the small Spanish colonial capital. By 1922, under colonial rule by the USA, the city already had 10,000 automobiles and 6,000 horse carts, and it became necessary to set up a traffic division with 97 police officers.
The colonial town has since become Metro Manila, a giant sprawl of 16 cities and one municipality. But while the metropolis has expanded, its roads have not kept pace with the increasing load.
According to the MMDA, 1.9 million vehicles were registered in Metro Manila, almost 15% more than in 2008. Today, the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline Office relies on 1,400 traffic enforcement staff. Its funds are limited. This year it can spend a mere 1.2 billion Pesos (€ 20 million), only 20% more than in 1995.
The MMDA is increasingly relying on information and communication technology (ICT). It set up a Twitter account in 2010, which currently has 180,000 followers. It also started offering downloadable traffic apps for mobile devices last year and recently partnered with a radio station to air live traffic updates. It also uses street cameras, laser speed guns and digital display boards on EDSA. The goal is to make traffic itself smarter. Gonzalez says: “One of the biggest causes of jams is lack of information.” If people do not know there was an accident in a certain place, they keep driving there, adding to the problem. Intelligent traffic management, however, is no adequate response to the underlying problem of too much traffic on inadequate infrastructure.
Four crucial issues
Efforts to arrive at long-term, lasting solutions have always ended up looking like the traffic itself – gridlocked in a tangled mess. There are four core problems:
- the disorganised polity,
- the indiscipline of many people,
- rampant corruption and
- the lack of good public transport.
Metro Manila’s 17 local government units are touchy about their rights. Moreover, they are not the only bodies with a say in traffic matters (see box below). A study prepared for the University of the Philippines states: “The road development programme is still not linked to any particular land use scheme.”
The solution would be to set up an authority over the entire agglomeration, but this issue is politically sensitive. The leader of this authority would be extremely powerful, perhaps second only to the national president. It does not help that Metro Manila once had a governor – she was Imelda Marcos, the wife of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The family plundered the archipelago and is not held in fond memory.
Motorists’ discipline is poor. It does not take foreigners in Manila long to notice that Filipinos tend to consider traffic laws optional, not mandatory. People load, unload and park their cars and trucks pretty much anywhere they please. They disregard traffic signals and sometimes cruise down the wrong side of streets. Motorcyclists often drive on sidewalks. The relaxed attitude to laws is not restricted to drivers – commuters unhesitatingly flag down public vehicles in the middle of the street, while pedestrians are prone to dash randomly across busy avenues.
MMDA official Gonzalez says the issue can be addressed by enforcement and education, but he is not contemplating fast change: “The target should be the youth; they’re the ones who haven’t yet acquired bad habits.” The MMDA will therefore soon start an awareness campaign, including the use of “entertaining” videos on YouTube and in the DVD format.
The impact of bribes
The problem of corruption is probably even more pervasive than indiscipline. Paying bribes is very common. There are probably very few Filipino drivers who have not paid off a traffic policeman at one time or another. It will take generations to address this issue, but Gonzalez says a promising start would be to pay traffic enforcers decent wages so that they’ll have less incentive to accept bribes.
Corruption compounds Manila’s traffic problems in another important way. Gonzalez says that “a bus operator with a franchise for 30 buses is actually likely to operate up to 45 buses”, and will get away with it by “bribing the right people”. The MMDA official estimates that a “surplus” of 30 to 40 % must be added to the 200,000 officially registered public utility vehicles that ply Metro Manila’s streets. To tackle this challenge, the MMDA will soon require public buses to use RFID (radio frequency identification) chips that can be monitored via GPS and linked to a programme that will expose rogue buses.
While the city’s streets are blanketed by registered and unregistered buses, the fabled jeepneys (diesel-powered vans patterned after the US military vehicle) and motorised tricycles, that coverage does not result in efficiency, but in chaos and discomfort. The vehicles are cramped, many are old and seem to be falling apart. Tail pipes emit clouds of fuel exhaust.
Things could be different, as Gonzalez knows only too well. He says: “In Singapore you can get anywhere using public transport, it doesn’t matter if you’re a labourer or a lawyer, you can use public transportation, it’s efficient and it’s comfortable.” Manila has an elevated light and medium train system which is a boon to commuters, but the network coverage is inadequate, the trains are always packed full, their number insufficient to handle the volume of passengers.
Faced with these unpalatable public transport options, many residents can’t be blamed for aspiring to buy their own cars. According to Gonzalez, “everyone wants to get out of the public transport situation”. This observation is borne out by a 2007 paper published in the Journal of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies. According to the study, the first transport preference of Manila commuters is the car, and if they have to take public transport, they prefer the train. The study observes: “It is important for the government to focus its attention to the provision of more mass transport system in Metro Manila.”
Gonzalez agrees. He says: “We need to raise public transportation to a level such that people can actually choose it as a viable alternative.” Otherwise, he warns, Filipinos will just keep on buying cars “even if they have no place to park it, or don’t know how to drive it”. Every new vehicle, of course, adds to the traffic volume.
Without coordination and planning, the city faces the prospect of slowly choking on an increasing volume of vehicles jammed down an inadequate number of streets, and MMDA’s current efforts will be a rearguard battle at best.
[This article first appeared in D+C, the monthly publication funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. My thanks to them for allowing me to publish this on my site. Yves Gonzalez was still with MMDA at the time of the interview. ]
leona says
Please look at the ‘date’ of this news –
“DA conducts own probe into pork barrel scam
By KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA NewsAugust 2, 2013 4:00pm
2 28 0 222
Tags: Department of Agriculture
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has initiated its own investigation into the allegations made against their agency on the alleged funneling of state funds to dummy organizations.
“The Secretary of Agriculture informed us that he has initiated a fact-finding investigation on all these allegations relative of the use of NGOs and the pork barrel of legislators in reference to the Department of Agriculture,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said during a press conference on Friday.
A Philippine Daily Inquirer report published Wednesday quoted pork barrel scam whistleblower Merlina Suñas as saying Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala’s office had also helped fund bogus groups under Janet Lim-Napoles, the businesswoman being implicated in the alleged irregularity in the use of “pork barrel” (Priority Development Assistance Fund) allocations by several lawmakers.
On Thursday, the Inquirer came out with another report saying Alcala’s office endorsed two years ago the release of almost P90 million through one of the bogus organizations.
Valte said Alcala has committed that the results of the probe into these allegations can be expected by next week.”
Today is August 9, 2013. Is the Report of DA’s investigation out today already? How long and wide is the ‘drawer’ in the steel-cabinet of this Office?
leona says
Excerpt Inquirer news –
“Napoles has denied any wrongdoing.
In March, the NBI recommended kidnapping charges against Napoles and Lim involving Luy’s detention.
Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera dismissed the charges on June 10.
Napoles has sued Luy for qualified theft involving P300,000 and P5 million in unauthorized loans.
The case has been resolved and Luy has been ordered arrested. No bail has been recommended for him.
First posted 12:55 am | Saturday, August 10th, 2013
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/462377/2-more-witnesses-vs-janet-napoles#ixzz2bXNm0Lth
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook”
Yun whistling man is the one ordered arrested! Hahaha…blow your horn instead man Luy!
Any pet. for review by NBI to DOJ why the case was dismissed?
jorge bernas says
@ leona,
In march 2013 N.B.I. recommended the filing of charges against napoles & lim involving luy’s detention, then the assistant state prosecutor juan pedro navera dismissed the charges on june 10, 2013. BAKIT? Palagay ko mayroon na naman kasunduan at malamang malaking halaga ang dahilan? Kaya ako kapag may nang-API sa akin ay Ako na mismo ang HAHATOL? Parang wala na ako tiwala sa ganitong kalakaran nang mga prosecutors natin, parang palaging may bentahang nagaganap na nakakaduda?
Sinabi ni janet napoles na hindi siya kumuha ni isang kusing sa gobyerno, Tama po yon dahil hindi isang kusing ang nakuha niya, diba? Sinabi niya na wala siya negusyo/transaction sa gobyerno pero sa bank accnt. niya nakadeposito ang pera nang helmel issue noon at naabsuwelto siya pero ang kapatid ay convicted pero nakapagprobation kaagad, Bakit kaya? Hindi daw niya kilala mga senadores na involve sa PDAF scam pero nakapagpictures silang nagkakasama at closed pa, Bakit kaya? tama na muna at akoy natatae sa dami kong alam… hahahaha…
jorge bernas says
Ang P.A.L.E.A. case nang P.A.L. binaliktad din ulit pabor kay lucio tan at kawawa mga membro nang P.A.L.E.A., Bakit kaya palaging paiba iba nang disisyon ang mga huwes nang corte suprema? nakapagtataka pero ang kawawa ay taga P.A.L.E.A.? Natatae na naman ako, nasusuka at nandidiri sa kalakalang ito sana hindi ko nalang nalaman ito…
Ngayong napatalsik na natin si convicted thief justice nato corona nang supreme court last year bakit wala pa rin linaw ang kaso nang P.A.L.E.A.? Natutulog yata sa pansitan mga hukom natin sa supreme court o sadyang naghihintay ulit mga TUTA nang dagdag na pakinabang para sa pansariling KASAKIMAN? Gaya nang sabi ko noon kong sa akin nangyari yon ako na mismo ang HAHATOL?
kindredspirit says
very worthwhile read that is very relevant to the cyber plaza miranda community.
an excerpt: “Those who have the power to make decisions in the people’s name, those who are expected to see farther and more clearly on account of their education, training, and experience, those who have the time and the leisure to reflect on their actions, those who can teach and act on the truth as they see it but do not—it is they, I think, who ultimately must bear the greatest responsibility for what happens to the human community.”
Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/58061/allocating-responsibility#ixzz2bTY0q5bI
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
Mel says
Unless the lawbreaker(s) has a face(s), it is as good as a paid advert poster (epal) of some sort.
Ultimong mga lehistrador ay corrupt, anu naman ang saysay ng mga batas na pinaglalaruan nila? Jackul…
Halimbawa –
leona says
Are adultery and concubinage ‘crimes against society’? Cong. Lagman files a bill –
A husband sleeping with another man or a wife with another woman is not a crime in the Philippines. Not yet, anyway, unless a congressman has his way.
Under existing Philippine laws, “no crime is committed,” said Albay Rep. Edcel “Grex” Lagman, who on Thursday filed a bill that would penalize marital infidelity committed with gay lovers.
Apparently riding on the current popularity of a TV soap, “My Husband’s Lover,” where the male spouse falls in love with another man, the neophyte congressman said there was need to amend the “obsolete provisions” of the Revised Penal Code and “broaden the scope of what constitutes adultery.”
House Bill No. 2352 would prohibit a married man or woman from engaging in “sexual activity” with another man or woman, respectively.
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/461631/husbands-wives-and-lovers-may-soon-face-jail-time#ixzz2bTJZFjHJ
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook”
I do not ‘suffer’ as like a commuter in road traffic for acts on adultery or concubinage like other spouses on these acts. Then, it is about time to repeal the criminal provisions on adultery & concubinage,and not to engage further by expanding to include lesbians, gays, et. al. The acts are very private in nature and not against society or community norms. The only remedy of an aggrieve spouse is for damages, if any.
Police Power also should not even be used on this matter.
ella says
Please, pag-usapan muna natin ang corruption sa BOC at ang mga ginawa ni napoles para makakuha ng limpak limpak na pera mula sa dugo at pawis ng mamayang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng pork barrel at para ibandera ng kayang anak na kanilang kayamanan, eh nakaw pala sa mamayang Pilipino.
Kailangan po ang corruption na ginagawal ng mga demonyong ito ay di mawala sa media, kahit na anong klaseng media, para hindi mabaon sa limot at balik naman ang mga demonyo sa pangungurakot.
Ms. Raissa, please dig into the Napoles corruption and I am sure many more politicians will come in the picture. It will help us know kung sino talaga ang tunay na makatao at di corrupt.
moonie says
ella at leona, sang-ayon ako sa inyo. what consenting adults do within the four walls of their bedrooms is not really our business. we have more important matters to tackle like napoles and her scamming brood, the traffic congestion with so many people confused and not knowing where to go to get transport, pork barrels that got sent to fake organisations needed to be addressed soonest, customs needed overhauling and streamlining, and in comes lagman behaving like a peeping tom. If lagman wants to be seen to be hard at work and worthy of his pay, bonuses and what else, he can lend a hand and help in fast-tracking the investigations. make life easier for pinoys in general.
moonie says
too much pre-occupation with sex. gloria arroyo wants to pass a law making necrophilia (sex with dead people) illegal. now, lagman is also into sex making it illegal for men to have sex with those not their wives. these two are sex charged.
vander anievas says
@moonie,
the former did some implants. and the latter? who knows. maybe. so both are full charged…:)
moonie says
vander, soon, they’ll be wanting us all to wear chastity belts na may kandado!
moonie says
seriously, married couples having relationship problems should see a marriage guidance cousellors or therapists who can advice them and put their relationships in order. the law can only make it worse, forcing people to make final decision. look at queen alexandra of england, married to debauched king ‘bertie, son of queen victoria. bertie got mistresses, queen alexandra just look the other way and got to keep her crown and jewels, grand palaces and castles to live in, servants to serve her, expensive hotels to stay when she goes on vacations, and given big budget for her daily living. she did not do worse. sometimes, it is better for women to use their brains and be smarter. they might just overcome the odds.
filipino_mom says
correction. BIOMETRICS na kandado daw.
pelang says
i suppose, arroyo is just diverting the issue. i’m sure she is also shivering right now fearing janet napoles to save her own neck might just sing and include her as among those she gave a part of the loot to.
leona says
Rep. Lagman should instead focus on Napoles & Co. their trade, and withdraw his bill on adulterated/concubinated topics of couples.
Maybe the rep has not yet heard or read of news on J. Napoles’ P10B scam? Or other SCAMS? Is he the “son” of the other rep whose term is up? Why did he take up that issue in his bill?
How many million times the corruptions in gov’t been revealed appears un-acted by the leaders up there…the only effective solution is what….? Ex-Comm. Danny Lim of BOC is out of office now. He revealed ‘who’ are the smugglers to PNoy who btw accepted the former’s resignation letter. Why? Was he not credible? Or was a nuisance in the Bureau?
Your guess is as good or bad as mine. As I gave it here, he can forget ‘working in another gov’t office’! The good are ‘taken out’ instead than the bad. Like the saying “the good die young and the bad live longer”.
Corruption crawls into everyone. Though we didn’t have the P10B scam. The events at so many EDSAs didn’t produce the good fruits. The rotten fruits instead grew more!
Butas na bakal instead of Bakal na Batas! Many corrupts got away and many are getting away. Many are attempting to get away. Whistle blowers will land in jail. The rotten eggs will have a field day!
From mighty high to weakest low it’s blown away. Blind Deaf and Dumb is sure to come and came to no end of the dirty game. Weep more ladies and gentlemanes as naughts are all your complaints.
At the ends of our days we’ll find ourselves at the receiving ends! …and nothing more.
leona says
Look here Rep. Lagman, to persuade you more –
” A Court order with potential political effect
Posted: 09 Aug 2013 11:33 AM PDT
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., in a simple order but one that could have a side-effect on Virginia’s campaign this year to elect a new governor, turned aside on Friday afternoon a request by the state’s legal team to put on hold a lower court ruling that nullified a sweeping anti-sodomy state law.
The Chief Justice gave no explanation for denying the request filed by state legal officers, including Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II — the state attorney general who is the GOP candidate for governor. Cuccinelli has made a legal assault on sodomy a prominent issue in his campaign, promoting it as an effort to protect Virginia’s children, and he has drawn criticism for that stance. Separately, he and his staff have asked the Supreme Court to review the constitutionality of the state law at issue. The full Court has not yet acted on that request, in the pending case of Moose v. MacDonald (docket 12-1490).
The Fourth Circuit Court, in a split decision in March, ruled that Virginia could not enforce its law that makes it a crime for anyone to engage in oral or anal sex, no matter what the facts were in a specific case. In technical terms, the Circuit Court majority struck down the law as written, not as it might be applied in any given case. That decision relied on the Supreme Court’s 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas, nullifying a Texas anti-sodomy law and recognizing a constitutional right of privacy for homosexual sex acts.”
Right of Privacy! Sure hoping your bill will not be revised to include “acts of sodomy”!
filipino_mom says
dear congressman lagman:
if you really, REALLY want to do your job, or make us believe you’re doing any semblance of it, two words: DIVORCE BILL. i dare you.
vander anievas says
may bagong news kahapon. dadagdagan pa ang PDAF.
hahaha. enjoy your day.
leona says
@vander…I join you…hehehe…it’s 6 hours more to sunset! Make My Day.
Mel says
Tapus na ang eleksyon.
Singil season, naman.
Maniningil na sila.
Nakapila na at uulit pa ang mga kubrador ng mga Campaign Donors.
Pay Back Time, kuno.
jorge bernas says
@ vander a,
Nakakagulat naman news ito, Ang dapat aksiyonan kong saan napunta mga PDAF Scam tapos hito magdadagdag pa, Ang kapal naman nila?
Tiyak ko tataas na naman kilay at dugo ni sen. santiago nito? Gusto nga nito na dahan dahan alisin tapos dagdag naman plano nang iba? iba yata plano nila kay sen santiago? Laking gulo na naman mangyayari? ha ha ha ha…tingnan natin…. ha ha ha ha…hindi na ako natae… NAUTOT NA…
leona says
InterAksyon –
“Institutionalized corruption
Santiago said corruption has been institutionalized in the pork barrel system, where more than half goes to the pockets of the congressman, senator, mayor, governor, vice president, and president.
“Lahat ng opisyal ng government, mataas man o maliit, may pork barrel. Lahat problema. Lahat natuto na tumanggap ng kickback (All government officials, big or small, have pork barrel. All problematic. All learn to receive kickbacks),” she added.
Santiago said the only solution is to stop allocating funds for the Priority Development Funds (PDAF). In a bill she filed earlier, she sought that PDAF be cut by half in 2014, and halved again in 2015, until it is fully abolished in 2016.
“The only solution to that is to abolish the pork barrel system. Hindi mo puwedeng biglain ang Senado or Kongreso, maghihimagsik yan laban sa presidente (You cannot shock the Senate or Congress, or they will rebel against the President),” Santiago said.”
…what’s the chances her bill will be supported as filed? If rejected, what then is the recourse of the people? Can the traffic problem be solved? Can scams be stopped? Can corruptions continue then? Answers: No No No…all of the NO!
What shall “we” the people do? Remember – THAT’S OUR MONEY!
davide says
Out of Topic, Please read the this Blog. It might be true and maybe it should be verified. What ANONYMOUS is saying of what is happening now is somewhat hitting the nail deeper.
http://dulzspeaks.blogspot.com/2013/08/anonymous-speaks-pork-barrel-scam.html
leona says
The ‘Blog-story’ is like as cone-perfect as the Mayon Volcano! It’s zizzling but will it explode? For the volcano…God forbid! The other…may God’s people explode it…!
Alizarin Viridia says
Why should God Forbid when God did not in Sodom and Gomorrha.
leona says
@Alizarin…in Sodom & Gomorrha there was no volcano. It was ‘the will of God’.
Sen. MDS says corruption is institutionalized in the pork barrel system. ‘Institutionalized’ – ‘accustom to living in an ‘institution’ – ‘organization for promotion of a specified activity’ – what is the activity? Corruption. ‘Institution’ is establishing a rule or custom…for ‘charitable activity’…to whom? For corruptors.
The senator says “abolish it.” Can it be done? That is like tigers playing golf with a thousand holes in the golf course…the ball is always in!
Yes, it can be done if tigers are not around or there is no more ball-money to putt, or there is no more golf course! People can live without a golf course.
The “if” is the link…to ‘what, when, who, where, why and how.’ WsH. “i” makes it “WIsH” !
praetorius says
this is the same comment lifted from the momnpop blog.
vander anievas says
@davide,
yes, a few days back, nabasa ko ang mga posts sa blog ni Jan. if true, the revelations of anonymous is another manifestation that those involved sucked Phl and us. i go for the max penalty for them.
moonie says
I’ve read one of raissa’s past comment way, way back, that anonymous make lot of allegations but no evidence.
nasescobar says
Let’ s all start a campaign to abolish the senate. Waste of time and an an inordinate amount of public funds for a lot of duplicated efforts. A single house congress will be less expensive, more effective and ultimately more responsive to the needs of the people.
“Pork” is a practice engaged by all legislature around the globe. It’s for a congressman to shepherd projects to be included in the budget for the benefit of his district. Unfortunately we have congress people who are very “creative”. They are putting the cart before the carabao, so to speak. Funds are appropriated prior to identifying a a real project, It seems. The job of congress is to identify a project, experts in the executive prepare feasibility and implementation studies and then funds are appropriated. Congress has nothing to do with implementation. But congress has the right and obligation of review. At least that’s how I will do it. Ultimately the people have the power of review wielding that power through elections to throw the ineffective rascals out.
vander anievas says
@i nasescobar,
i think i must support your call to abolish the congress. both the lower and upper. imo, laws crafted by them mostly favor them and their cohorts.
Paul says
Taxpayers shld pay also 50% in 2014 & 2015, by 2016 back to 100%
nasescobar says
People power! Let’s march again! Throw the rascals out! To the barricades!
Those people are tone deaf. Maybe if we shout loud enough long enough they will hear us.
Come on, let;s go!
moonie says
ha, ha, they’re tone deaf, their earmuffs must be state of the art and very, very expensive. no point in shouting louder it will only give us sore throats. marching? no, not me. I dont want to make another policeman cry. but I’ll help with investigations.
Newark2002 says
I’m looking for an on-line petition to abolish the pork barrel of the senators and congressman, do you know of any? I can’t find any link from Inquirer.net. If someone know, can you please post the link. Any petition that will force the lawmakers to investigate the scam is fine with me too. Thanks CPMers.
drill down says
maybe it’s time to reduce or abolish the 12% vat. it could be a source of food for these crocs.
alizarin viridia says
Panghuling post:
WHERE IS THE KARMA?
After reading the news about the celebrator and her family and their money. After seeing themselves not as props and background but as center pieces of the grand show going the rounds, orbiting cyberspace, what will they think of their rich friend NOW? Will there be hugging and crying, sobs and crocodile tears? May be. But will they come if invited again to the next party? Will there be another grand party?
In the Philippines where the law is harsh to the poor but inutil to the POWER OF MONEY, KARMA IS BETTER and may be God given. KARMA IS DIVINE. PERO, Hindi masamang ma awa sa isang batang Magna Cum Laude na bulag sa tadhana.
alizarin viridia says
Pangalawang post:
When I saw the footage of the birthday party the loins and the heart became young again. Never in my longish life had I seen so many happy beautiful people. The shapes of lithe bodies and the glow of young faces and their fig leaves were WOW, awesome. The guys and dolls, este the chicks and cats were gallery exhibits of expensive food and wine and coke. It’s a fashion show in Nirvana, where true male and female models DON’T look undernourished, underfed, and underpaid. Watch and think, THINK DEEP of these perfect party frolickers.
WHERE IS THE KARMA?
alizarin viridia says
After reading the news about the celebrator and her family and their money. After seeing themselves not as props and background but as center pieces of the grand show going the rounds, orbiting cyberspace, what will they think of their rich friend NOW? Will there be hugging and crying, sobs and crocodile tears? May be. But will they come if invited again to the next party? Will there be another grand party?
In a place where where the law is harsh to the poor but inutil to the POWER OF MONEY, KARMA IS BETTER and may be God given. KARMA IS DIVINE. PERO, Hindi masamang ma awa sa isang batang Magna Cum Laude na bulag sa tadhana.
alizarin viridia says
Mahaba kasi kaya hindi seguro lumabas ng unang i-post kaya dapat por piraso ang
Posting heto:
Unang post:
PAKIKISABAT : Sa tunay na LIVE na eksena, lumalayo ako sa naguusap na kabataan kasi lagi akong meron opinyon , kaya damdam ko asiwa sila. Pero dito sa pahina ni Ms. Raissa
Puedeng pakawalan ang pangigigil at awa sa kapwa tulad ng nangyari sa isang anak na dalaga sa kwarta lumalangoy ng pahiga kaya hindi kita ang pupuntahan. Kaya paumanhin, por pabor mga ninyas Raissa at Chit heto ang say ko.
CHILD OF PLUNDER AND VIDEOS OF HER KARMA
A Buddhist will say: KARMA is what you have done to yourself because of what you did to others. You therefore will have Karma if you did not understand and failed to heed:
DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT OTHERS DO UNTO YOU, or something like that but not relevant to this one, the case at bar.
alizarin viridia says
nawala yung pangalawa kaya ulitin, gawing dalaang piraso
alizarin viridia says
nawala din yung pangatlong post
try uli baka ma post na
After reading the news about the celebrator and her family and their money. After seeing themselves not as props and background but as center pieces of the grand show going the rounds, orbiting cyberspace, what will they think of their rich friend NOW? Will there be hugging and crying, sobs and crocodile tears? May be. But will they come if invited again to the next party? Will there be another grand party?
In the Philippines where the law is harsh to the poor but inutil to the POWER OF MONEY, KARMA IS BETTER and may be God given. KARMA IS DIVINE. PERO, Hindi masamang ma awa sa isang batang Magna Cum Laude na bulag sa tadhana.
alizarin viridia says
nawala yung panghuli, saka na lang ipo-post
alizarin viridia says
WHERE IS THE KARMA?
After reading the news about the celebrator and her family and their money. After seeing themselves not as props and background but as center pieces of the grand show going the rounds, orbiting cyberspace, what will they think of their rich friend NOW? Will there be hugging and crying, sobs and crocodile tears? May be. But will they come if invited again to the next party? Will there be another grand party?
In the Philippines where the law is harsh to the poor but inutil to the POWER OF MONEY, KARMA IS BETTER and may be God given. KARMA IS DIVINE. PERO, Hindi masamang ma awa sa isang batang Magna Cum Laude na bulag sa tadhana.
Mel says
ON … the shooting of the Taiwanese fisherman.
This is the Executive Summary and full report on the incident that occurred in the Balintang Channel on May 9, 2013, which involved an encounter between members of the Philippine Coast Guard and fishermen from Taiwan. This report was submitted by the Department of Justice.
Read the full report: Balintang Channel Incident report
Mel says
Excerpt –
leona says
The ‘report’ says – “the burden of proof is on the PCG to establish the same during the preliminary investigation or trial proper.”
In all criminal prosecutions in this country, the law and procedures on the burden of proof is on the gov’t or the investigators for preliminary investigation on probable cause, and on the prosecution for trial proper, and not the suspects or accused.
The crew of the Taiwanese vessel were also not truthful. Same with the PCG crew. No autopsy on the victim Hong Shi-Cheng was allowed on the NBI Team.
“There is inconclusive proof of an imminent or grave threat to the PCG posed by the Taiwanese vessel. ” It should be “there is inconclusive proof whether there was an imminent or grave threat or there was none to the PCG posed by the Taiwanese vessel.
“This inconclusiveness in the evidence establishes the presumptive culpability of the concerned PCG personnel in the killing of the Taiwanese fisherman.”
It should be “This inconclusiveness in the evidence cannot establish a clear culpability or liability of the concerned PCG personnel in the death of the Taiwanese fisherman – Chong Shi-Cheng.”
@Mel…thanks for the copy of the Report.
moonie says
tampering with evidence raw, and splicing the video submitted proved costly for pcg. they lost credibility and the ramming they spoke of could not be substanstiated.
moonie says
we should ask to see the original copy of the autopsy if mr hong’s daughter sue our govt for the murder of her father. we may even ask the body be exhumed and dna’d to make sure it is really him and none others, also check all 206 bones of his body laid bare so we can see injuries gotten from the fall. see if they’re consistent with how they said he fell. my bet, is at 65, he had pre-existing medical condition, his heart might not be up to par, had heart attack while on deck and fell into line of fire. we would need to see his previous medical records as well, see if there’s any more contributing factors.
Mel says
chit navarro says
Hi Raissa,
I am sure you must have been intrigued by all these write-ups on the Napoles kingdom and have done your own investigation, etc.
Can you share with us your thoughts on this money-making venture? Perhaps, we can learn a thing or two and share in their venture…. :)
alizarin viridia says
Doon sa nakapanood ng birthday party, nakita ang maraming
kaibigan ng birthday celebrant, ano kaya ang sasabihin nila,
hindi kaya magalit o masuklam sa birthday celebrant
matapos malaman kung saan nanggaling ang ginastos
sa birthday party? Matapos malaman ang akusasyon ng
pagnanakaw ng magulang ng kanilang kaibigan?
Mel NL says
I agree to your suggestions. Raissa, any news from you about Napoles?
raissa says
coming.
Vibora says
I’m not sure but, are recent bombings in Mindanao and sex video of a singer and his gf were designed to bury this 10B scam?
moonie says
could be, considering that janet lim napoles ay lumaki sa basilan (?) at may mga kapamilya siya roon.
pinay710 says
may suhestyon po ako bilang pangkaraniwang mamamayan. sabi ni senadora Santiago unti untiin na pagtanggal ng pork barrel. kung yung mga tatanggalaing pork barrel ilagay sa pondo ng transportation para ang pamahalaan na ang mamahala ng mga pampublikong sasakyan. ibli ng mga bus ang malilikom sa mga tatanggalin na pork barrel. unti untiin na din tanggalain ang mga jeepney at bus habang bumibili ang pamahalaan ng mga bus para pagdating ng panahon ang pamahalaan na ang mamamahala sa mga pampublikong bus. parang sa America pati mga drivers ang pamahalaan na din ang mamamahala mababawasan na ang mga hindi karapatdapat maging driver ng bus. gayahin ang systema ng America sa pagpapatakbo ng pampublikong sasakyan.
kaya ang mga pork barrels na yan sa tunay na proyekto mapupunta at totoong bayan ang makaikinabang. hindi mga pekeng organization.
leona says
On CORRUPTION, by Reuters via Yahoo news –
“MIAMI (Reuters) – FBI agents arrested two Florida mayors at their City Hall offices on Tuesday on corruption charges, alleging the two men separately accepted bribes in connection with purported government contracts awarded to their Miami-area towns.
Manuel Marono, the mayor of Sweetwater, and Michael Pizzi, the mayor of Miami Lakes, both appeared in Miami federal court hours later. Each faces a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion.
“This is a sad day for South Florida,” said Wifredo Ferrer, the U.S. attorney for Florida’s Southern District. “This betrayal of our public trust is intolerable.”
If & when incriminating facts are in the hands of law enforcement authorities, arrests are immediately made! No delays.
Here, it is not done most of the time. Why? Even if incriminating facts are in possession with law enforcement authorities, still a long, very long, investigation is instead conducted. For what?
Fear [politics -padrino system] or ignorance of the law and rules [ when & how to make arrests etc. ] ? ? …ALL OF THE TWO (2) above!
Rene-Ipil says
My wife and I went to Baclaran at about 10 a.m. today. She proceeded to the church while I drove going to MOA. While approaching the intersection of Roxas Blvd. and EDSA coming from SLEX, I told my wife that one proof of success or failure of the establishment of the Southwest Integrated Bus Terminal at Coastal road would be the condition of traffic at the bus stop at the foot of the overpass near the Baclaran church.
Several Wednesdays before, the traffic congestion in the area seems the “gate to hell”. Many buses, maybe about twenty, occupied all of the four or five lanes loading, unloading and waiting for passengers. Today as we pass the bus stop where I dropped my wife, I thought I was into the “gate to heaven”. I saw only one bus unloading/loading passengers.
My congratulations to Chairman Tolentino.
leona says
@Rene…that’s GOOD NEWS!
CONGRATULATIONS Chairman Tolentino!
pinay710 says
oo nga po napanood ko sa tv patrol ang bilis nila kumilos. NGAYON LANG PO AKO NAKAKARAMDAM NG PAGMAMALAKI SA MGA NASA PAMAHALAAN NI PANGULONG PNOY. yan ang mga MAKABAGONG PAGTUTUWID NG DAAN.
MARAMING SALAMAT PO SA INYONG MABILIS NA PAGKILOS PARA SA IKAUUNLAD NG BAYAN PARA SA SUSUNOD NA GENERATION.
SA WAKAS NAKAKAKITA NA TAYO NG LIWANAG NG BAGONG PILIPINAS!!
SANA ANG SUSUNOD NA PANGULO AY IPAGPATULOY ANG MGA SINISIMULAN NG ADMINISTRATION NI PANGULONG NOYNOY!!
KAUNTING TIIS LANG MGA KABABAYAN. MAKIPAGTULUNGAN TAYO SA ADMINISTRATION PARA SA KABUTIHAN NG ATING MGA ANAK AT APOS.
jorge bernas says
@ Pinay & Rene,
Tama kayo, Unti Unti na natin makikita ang pagbabago ang kailangan lang ay konting tiis, sakripisyo at pakiasama sa mga mabuting paraan pinapagawa sa atin nang pamahalaan, SALAMAT SA MGA TAONG GUMAGAWA NANG KABUTIHAN PARA SA LAHAT…
At sa mga Tao na hindi makaramdam nang pagbabago kasi hindi kayo nag-isip kong ano ang makabubuti para sa inyo at higit sa lahat ay hindi kayo nagplano nang PAMILYA? Sino ba naman makakaahon sa hirap kong kayo ay mayroong higit sa limang anak sa hirap nang bilihin ngayon at kong kayo ay wala pang maayos na trabaho, walang maayos na bahay, at imformal settlers/squatters at nakatira lang sa danger zone. kong ang mga anak ninyo ay hindi ninyo pinag-aral nang maayos at kayo mismo ay hindi marunong mag-ayos nang dapat gawin, magpakita nang magandang halimbawa at nang PAMARISAN..
Para makaahon sa Hirap ay Pagtiyagaan Pag-aralin ang mga anak dahil ang Pinag-aralan at Karunungan ay sandata para sa hinaharap para makamit ang minimithing Pangarap…At ang importante sa lahat ay maging responsably?
Sa mga gustong Mag-ASAWA ay mag PLANONG MABUTI kong ilang anak ang gusto ayon sa inyong makakaya at para matupad R.H. LAW ay ipatupad na? NOW NA?