www.OhMyGas.com a fraud?

As you know, I'm thinking of cutting down costs. One of the most problematic money depleting assets of mine is, obviously my car. It's a Mitsubishi Adventure which gulps 55 liters (yet one of the most fuel efficient vehicles today---18 kilometers per liter). And you know the pump price of diesel right? Every week, I spend close to 2,000 pesos for fuel costs.

While writing my recent post at Facebook, I stumbled upon an invitation from www.ohmygas.com. As I learned later on, this is a site maintained by Streetedge Media, a local below-the-line advertising agency based in Makati City, specializing in this niche market of car advertising. They promised to give car owners 10,000 pesos every month in exchange for giving them advertising space. If you allow them to stick advertisements in your car, they'll initially give you 5,000 pesos and when you complete 1,000 kilometers, they will then honor their end of the bargain by giving you the rest of the 5,000. Not bad, given that this could possibly save me easily 10,000 pesos worth of fuel and car maintenance costs.

Me and my wife went to their Streetedge Media booth in Makati and registered our vehicle. We were made to pay 40 pesos as registration fee. Our vehicle was photographed. The speedometer was read and registered. And they posted a www.ohmygas.com sticker at the back of my car. The guy from Streetedge Media told me that the last week of November, they'll be a campaign and someone from their company will visit me and post the ad.

It's already December and no StreetEdge Media member in sight. And I'm beginning to think that I just paid 40 pesos for them to post their sticker in my car. No hi, no hello. Nothing. And I'm starting to think that I've been had.

I'm starting to consider complaining but I am giving the Streetedge Media people the space they need to explain their side. A promise is a promise. I promise to compromise myself and my car for you; you better honor your side of the bargain. Otherwise, I'm also giving you the chance not to honor your word. Overpromising is best kept outside the advertising industry.

Dangerous Times Ahead

People are starting to suffer due to the worsening food crisis. It would not be long before another May 1 situation breaks out and finally gore this administration out.

Yesterday, a group of personalities have also risen against the creeping dictatorship. Kadamay, an urban poor organisation, spray painted MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando's "pangit" posters along EDSA. Calling him "berdugo", Kadamay members engaged BF to a debate over national radio over the program of Ted Failon and Korina Sanchez.

Fernando was stunned. He was no matched to the wits of the poor. BF claims to be that intelligent but pitted against a poor guy like that spokesperson of Kadamay, BF is a weakling, a nobody. BF is an insecure guy wanting to project power but in truth, has no power at all. And he's gay.

Now, let's see if BF can stand against Makati mayor Jejomar Binay. Binay has just ordered the tearing down of BF's illegal "pangit" posters in Makati. Binay said those posters are signs of BF's arrogance. That's true. Who in his right mind would do such a thing except an arrogant person?

Go ahead Jojo! Fight this scoundrel, this anti-democracy scum. BF is the symbol of this regime's arrogance. Let all the democratic forces go against BF. Tear him down!

The people should make BF the symbol of anti-democracy and autocracy here in this country. This pseudo-leader should be punished by the people now!

I encourage Jojo and all the rest of those who hate autocracy, especially the Black and White Movement. Rally behind Jojo in his fight against this character BF. Call for BF's resignation. Call for BF's head.

This is a very good way to regain the momentum lost in the fight against Gloria.

If MMDA launches their forces against the poor and tries to break our ranks, let them do so! That would be the one that would break the camel's back.

Protection

Protection is the new old term being used by everybody in Philippine society today. When asked why police abducted Lozada, PNP chief Razon said cops were just trying to "protect" him. When Lozada testified before the Senate yesterday, he revealed that the reason why the ZTE deal ballooned to an astounding 325 million dollars was "Abalos was just trying to "protect" his 130 million dollar commission. The nuns and civil society witnessed Lozada's testimonty, saying they were trying to "protect" him from the evil forces of the state.

JDV in his valedictory speech before Congress told how he and his partymates "protected" Arroyo from being impeached many times. He was unprepared though to be ousted himself. Senator Cayetano asked Arroyo to "resign or go on leave" to "protect" the integrity of the ZTE investigation.

Now, the chief of the Eastern Police District Supt. Nilo de la Cruz are mobilizing his men to "protect" the EDSA shrine. The state recognizes that the explosive tenor of Lozada's Senate testimony might again see huge throngs of people going to the shrine to oust Arroyo. Dela Cruz said, they want to "protect" the Shrine from the people.

So this word protection was used for:

1. Protecting a person (i.e. Lozada and Arroyo)
2. Commissions (like what Abalos did in ZTE)
3. Impeachment (JDV did that to Arroyo before finally being ousted himself)
4. Integrity (Cayetano is asking Arroyo to at least find the temerity to be ethical)
5. Monuments (EDSA Shrine and the Mendiola bridge)

So we now see the state transforming itself as a garrison state, the kind that only exists in dictatorial regimes. The use of the word admits being attacked or being in a vulnerable state. Both sides (the side of Arroyo and the anti-Arroyos) are protecting themselves from each other, belying the fact that, indeed, both groups are now gearing up for a major fight.



What this means to all of us?

Both groups are appealing to the powerful neutrals for support. The fight between the Arroyo mafia and the Anti-Arroyo groups have now reached strategic neutrality. Contrary to belief, Arroyo is not as powerful as she thinks she is. In one swift stroke, Arroyo's position has changed from the most powerful political leader to a slowly marginalized leader.

I am revising my earlier observation that, Arroyo can't be ousted from any political act. The Lozada episode exposed the weakness of Arroyo. This action of a few nuns and priests from La Salle showed how vulnerable this administration is. It is just a small group of God-fearing men and women who stood up to challenge a dimunitive yet powerful personage such as Arroyo.

It is now, a matter of time and a matter of resources for this thing to snowball. Korina Sanchez asked the most relevant question--where do we go from here? Many people are thinking that this could spell the end of this regime. The Makati Business Club and JDV predicted this to be so. When two of the most powerful voices talk about being ousted, this administration should listen and take the cue. Historically, when both the business sector and the militant religious merge, this means that a campaign is in the offing and we should take this very seriously.

Let me say that the political situation has drastically changed for Mrs. Arroyo. Her fate as a leader now lies in its perilous state, more vulnerable than other previous attempts. Why? Because Lozada has provided the dramatis causa so to speak, that could galvanize public anger and turn it into a huge mass of dissenters. When people are angry inside and they don't find an outlet fast to show their anger, this has very dangerous security implications because it would manifest itself in other forms.