Ang pangkating Villar-Zamora at ang Makabayan

Sa mga kasamang naniniwala kay Villar, magandang araw sa inyo.


Yun bang pinagmulan lamang ng isang tao ang basehan ng ating pagsuporta? Na dahil ipinanganak sa Tondo si Villar ay isa nang malaking factor sa pagsuporta sa kanya? Nababasa ko sa Facebook ang inyong mga updates at kitang-kita na ikinakampanya ninyo si Villar at kinakalaban sina Aquino at Roxas na ang basehan lamang ay ang kanilang pagiging anak mayaman o ipinanganak na may gintong kutsara sa bunganga, ika nga. Ito ba talaga ang tunay na damdamin natin, o inililihim lamang natin ang tunay na dahilan ng ating pagsuporta sa partido ni Villar?


Hane, upuan nga natin ito at pag-usapan.


Ilan sa inyo ang hindi galing sa mayamang angkan o sa panggitnang uri? Sige nga, magsitayo ang hindi college student o college graduate sa inyo? Magsitayo ang hindi burgis sa hanay ng mga aktibista.


Bagamat idol ko si Ka Satur Ocampo at iboboto ko siya, hane, sinong magpapatunay sa akin ngayon na hindi siya nakakariwasa? Nakatira sa isang bungalow sa dating JUSMAG si Ka Satur, isang sabdibisyon ng mga nakaka-angat sa lipunan. Nakapag-aral sa mga matitinong unibersidad ang kanyang mga anak. Hane, mahirap ba siya?


Eh, papaano si Lisa Masa na iboboto ko rin, mahirap ba ang kanyang pinanggalingan? Hindi rin. Isa rin siyang burgis na tulad ng karamihan sa mga lider sa kilusan. 


Ang ating batayan ba ng pagsuporta kay Villar ay ang kanyang pinanggalingan o yung kanyang pagpansin sa Makabayan platform? Mukhang yung huli ang punung dahilan bakit tayo sumusuporta kay Villar---dahil naniwala tayo sa pangako ni Ronnie Zamora na kaalyado natin sa Kongreso na mayroon tayong pusisyon sa Villar administration. Ngunit, nakatitiyak ba tayong hindi tayo aahasin o kaya'y gagantsuhin ng tambalang Villar-Zamora?


Batid natin sa likod ng pusturang pang-masa ni Villar at ni Zamora ay ang kanyang track record na anti-mahirap. Sige nga, pakisabi sa akin ngayon ang mga batas na para sa mahirap na ini-akda nina Villar at Zamora? Mabibilang ko sa daliri kung mayroon man. 


Sa tinagal na panahong speaker at senate president si Villar gayundin noong Congressman naman si Zamora, pakisabi nga sa akin kung maraming beses silang umayon sa plataporma ng Makabayan o maski man lamang Bayan Muna? Mulat ba ang kamalayan nina Villar at Zamora sa mga ipinakikibaka nating mga nasasa kilusan?


Nabasa ninyo ba ang naging pahayag ni Villar sa mga opisyales militar na hindi niya pababayaang manalo sina Ocampo at Masa? Narinig at nabalitaan ninyo na ba ang commitment ni Villar sa PMA classes 1977, 1978, 79 at 84 maging sa mga UP brods ng kanyang kapatid na si Jojo Villar na kanyang iniaalis ang suporta sa mga "maka-kaliwa" gaya ng Makabayan? Tiyak kayong sasaksakin sa likod ni Villar kapagka nakapuwesto na ang pangkating Villar-Zamora. Alalahaning may rekord ang mga ito na anti-sosyalista noon pa mang sinisimulan nila ang kanilang karera sa pulitika.


Taktikal ika nga ang alyansa natin kay Villar ngunit ito'y isang maling taktika sa apat (4) na kadahilanan:


1. Una, ito'y alyansang gamitan. Ginagamit ni Villar ang inyong malinis na pangalan upang mapalapit sa masa, samantalang nasisira kayo sa inyong mga hanay at base bunga ng pagkasuklam ng taumbayan sa kanya. Batid nating napakabigat dalhin sa masa si Villar bunga ng mga kasalanan nito sa taumbayan.


2. Nakalutang sa hangin ang alyansa dahil hindi ito naka-angla sa paniniwalang ideolohikal, bagkus, ito'y isang political accommodation lamang. Marubdob ba ang paniniwala ni Villar sa Pambansa Demokratikong pakikibaka? Hindi. Interes lamang ng pangkating Villar-Zamora ang batid at tiyak na ibabandera ng NP sa sandaling makupo nito ang kapangyarihan.


3.  Sa tiyak na pagkatalo ni Villar, mauuwi sa pagbibitak-bitak ang kilusan dahilan sa isa na namang maling taktika/istratehiya. Madadala ang kilusan sa tiyak na hayagang pagkakawatak-watak bunga ng paglusong sa pulitika ng Makabayan at sa mali pang partido nag-alyansa. Apektado ng negatibong publisidad ang sinumang nakadikit ngayon kay Villar. Kitang-kita sa pagbaba ng sarbey ang pagbaba rin sa rankings ng mga kilalang naka-alyansa kay Villar.


Ang nakalulunos isipin ay maiiwanan na naman ang kilusan sa sandaling magkaroon ng isang rebolusyunaryong pamahalaan sa pagputok ng isang civil disobedience campaign kung magkakaroon ng dayaan. 


4. Sa gamitang Villar-Makabayan, talo ang Makabayan dahil unti-unting nalulusaw ang pinagpawisang gawaing organisasyunal ng Makabayan nitong mga nakaraang taon bunga ng umaalingasaw na pangalan at integridad ng dinadalang kandidato.


Kaya naman, sa ganito kaaga, nararapat lamang na itama ng liderato ng kilusan ang pagkakamali, at unti-unting humiwalay sa pangkating Villar-Zamora.  May panahon pa at mayroon ding mga exit o escape routes na maaaring gawing basehan ng Makabayan upang humiwalay kay Villar gaya ng pagputok ng mga negatibong pangangampanya dulot ng pagpapakalat ng black propaganda ng hanay ni Villar.

Himig Natin: Voices of the New Generation of Filipino Leaders

Let me treat you my friends with this Tribute video, a tribute to the new set of Filipino leaders who will infuse new thinking in the Senate.


Bago naman. Let us elect new leaders in the Senate.

Satur Ocampo versus Jovito Palparan on Harapan

Heard from a friend that Nacionalista party senatorial candidate Satur Ocampo and erstwhile senatorial bet Jovito Palparan are expected to square off in Harapan this Sunday. A former rebel versus a rebel killer, some will say. A defender of rights versus a violator of rights, others will say, that is something to watch for. A defender of farmers in one side while a killer of farmers in the other. You judge who you'll vote for this coming elections.

More than this though, both represents two strands of thought---one progressive, the other, regressive. 

One wants to debate the issues out, while the other wants to silence the debater. Who will you side with? One is thirsty for justice, the other blood thirsty. 

History will cancel both out, some will say, since one once thought of Communism while Palparan is simply a nihilist.

Choosing somebody who believed in the liberation of the masses through a revolt over someone who chose to liberate the souls of the masses through machine gun fire, I'll choose Satur anytime. 

Satur represents a higher level of commitment while Palparan, well, a commitment to murder? You can't do that in a civilized society. 

To defeat an idea, you have to present a better one. Pikon lang ang papatay kung talo sa debate, right?

By the way, since YOU is not running, then, I encourage all my friends to vote for KABATAAN partylist this coming elections. 

KABATAAN PARTYLIST is the most progressive youth organization in the country today. Mong Palatino and Mark Aquino represent the brightest and the most inspiring youths of today. 

The only reason why I am still here in the Philippines is the fact that I still hold the hope that Mong Palatino and Mark Aquino of KABATAAN partylist will not betray the masses.

Top 12 Best Philippine Senatorial Bets

Wala ka ba pang senatoriable? Well let me share with you ONE CODE:


LOVE MO BA MAHLIGU AQU , which means:

• Lacson, Alex
• Ople, Susan
• de VEnecia, Joey
• Mitra, Mon-Mon or pwede ding Marcos, Bongbong
• Ocampo, Satur
• Biazon, Ruffy
• Acosta, Nereus
• Masa, Lisa
• Hontiveros, Riza
• Lim, Danny
• Guingona, Teofisto III
• Ariel Querubin

For my favorite senatoriables, here's a pinaghirapan kong video. Enjoy and spread it around.

An Open Letter to Senatoriables Satur Ocampo, Liza Masa and Col. Ariel Querubin

Dear Satur, Lisa Masa and Col. Ariel Querubin:

Mabuhay!

A few entries ago, I included your names in my Magic twelve. For I believe that you are candidates of the highest integrity and with genuine love for the Filipino people.

Now, I am informing you that I am withdrawing my support for your candidacies. And I will enjoin others to do so.

Why?

I cannot support people who blindly follow a corrupt and degenerate man such as Senator Manny Villar who refuses to heed the call of the People for him to "come clean" and face his accusers in the chamber of the Senate.

I cannot support people who will just gloss over this mockery being inflicted by Villar upon our democratic institutions. I cannot support people who will just close their eyes to the very stark reality that they are sharing the same stage with someone who reportedly stole 6.2 billion pesos from our hard-earned taxes.

Call it politics. Call it whatever you like. But the fact remains--Villar refuses to heed the calls, the proddings of the Filipino People for him to say his piece and for him to present or rebut the strong pieces of evidence being heaped against him.

Villar is mocking not just his colleagues in the Senate, but the very people who pay their salaries with their hard-earned labor.

Ka Satur and Ka Liza Masa--I have known both of you to be of a different stock. You have struggled for years, fighting the Cause at the frontlines and even sacrificing your very lives for the People.

Are you now telling me that you are prepared to sacrifice your very integrity in support of a candidate who stole money from us?

Are you now saying that you are ready to close your very ears and ignore the growing shouts of the People against this pretender?

And are you now saying that you believe in your hearts that this C-5 senate probe is all about politics and not about evidence? That you are ready to ignore reading the report for the sake of organizational unity or solidarity with the Nacionalista?

We need people that really aspires for change.

We need people who will not compromise principles with party solidarity.

Thanks and good luck.

Respectfully yours,

Patricio Mangubat

Magic 12 for the Senate

It’s January, a few months before May 10, a time, which, many say, is an opportunity to change things.





As part of my responsibility as a journalist, let me recommend some names for you to consider.

The main worry of Filipinos today is the local economy. Most worry about job stability.


What best to at least enrich our government’s capabilities to address this problem by electing into the Senate, a young entrepreneur by the name of Joey de Venecia III.


Joey de Venecia III represents the young generation. He is an idealist and a no-nonsense fighter for the Truth and for good governance. He will definitely be a very good addition to the luminaries occupying the Senate.


And what more to complement him than seeing the name of Susan “Toots” Ople among the winners of this year’s Lucky Twelve.


Susan Ople has been fighting for the protection of OFW and local workers’ rights. She will definitely complement Joey there.


Of course, we need to have an expert in maintaining equilibrium in our accounts. What best than elect Teofisto Guingona III as your senator? TG, as many friends call him, is an expert in fiscal matters. His expertise would surely enrich the Senate.


Alex Lacson is a name not entirely familiar with most of us. For those who read his book, Alex Lacson is one bundle of inspiration. He is a lawyer by profession, and a political scientist. He has been giving inspiration to the Youth since 2001. His youthfulness and his ideals would surely be a fresh addition to the age-ing generation there at the Senate.


I met Ruffy Biazon once but I was impressed by his views about the economy, the security of this country and the general direction of this Nation. Ruffy deserves to replace his father, the Nationalist, Senator Pong Biazon.


And who would back Ruffy Biazon up particularly regarding the dream of professionalizing and modernizing the AFP than Col. Ariel Querubin and General Danny Lim? These fine gentlemen deserve our support because of their sacrifice to the Nation.


And I told myself, how about electing Senators who will truly work for the protection of the rights of the common tao, those oppressed and down-trodded? Satur Ocampo, Liza Masa and Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel are some of those who will definitely enrich the halls of the Senate with their eloquent defense of the people’s rights.


Not to mention also, Atty. JV Bautista, whose knowledge about the laws would definitely help us fortify our legal systems more. JV is one who will fight for our rights even if it means exchanging his life. He was once the Sanlakas-PM representative.


Don’t forget to vote for Yasmin Lao, a long-time advocate of Bangsamoro civil rights. She deserves to be the voice of our Filipino Muslim brothers and sisters in the Senate.

I am also considering Bongbong Marcos. Marcos deserves to be a Senator. He is intelligent, with a solid ideological grounding.

I know, I know, most of those named here are not as rich as others, not as exposed as some but let's help them so that the likes of Jinggoy Estrada or Bong Revilla or Juan Ponce-Enrile or those comebacking ones like Frank Drilon. Serge Osmena, despite being at the senate for twice already, deserves also support since Serge is the most nationalistic among the Osmena clan members.

So, there...remember

If you worry about job security, remind yourself that Joey de Venecia III can help us hammer out solutions to the job security problems. JDVIII stands for Jobs, Democracy and Values times three. :-)

If you worry about the condition of your relatives working abroad and how best to further protect the rights of both overseas and locally based workers, vote Susan "Toots" Ople to the Senate. Ople means Overseas Pinoy Laborers Empowerment (OPLE).

If you worry where the Filipino Youth is getting into and how to strengthen the Filipino Family, vote Alex Lacson. Lacson knows what he is talking about. AL means (Alternative Leadership)

If you worry about how to balance our national budget and maximize our resources without overstraining our finances, vote for Teofisto "TG" Guingona III. TG means Transformative Governance. :-)

If you worry about our AFP, trust Col. Ariel Querubin and Gen. Danny Lim to lead in the creation of laws that will professionalize the ranks and modernize our military to contain threats of the 21st century. Ariel Querubin means " Altruism Quotient ;-), while DL means Dugong Laya.

If you worry about how government actually handles the overall security strategy, including food security, vote Ruffy Biazon to the Senate. He deserves his father's place. RB means Repormang Bayan.

If you worry about how to protect the environment, how to maximize resources, how to infuse vision and mission to this country, vote for Bongbong Marcos. Marcos means New Hope.

If you worry about the continuing violations of human rights, especially the people's and women's rights, trust Satur Ocampo, Liza Masa and Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel to do the right thing. These people know the real score and they have the right solutions. Masa and Hontiveros are genuine women's rights fighters, not some cyclist out there to perpetuate their family's dominance in Philippine politics.

Ocampo-Masa means Onward Masses (OM). Riza H means Rise Hope.

If you worry about protecting Bangsamoro rights, particularly the rights of Muslim women, trust Yasmin Lao. Lao has been fighting for the protection and recognition of the invaluable role of Muslim women in Philippine society. YL means Youth & Love (Salam)

If you worry about how to strengthen our vital legal systems, remember Atty. JV Bautista. JV means just JV. Wala na akong maisip pa eh. :-)

Happy New Year!

My Hopes and Prayers for the New Year

Let me say that 2009 is not exactly a bad one for me and my family. Despite me leaving a nice job over at an agency, I was still able to survive more than a year of financial threats. Through my solid base of friends, I was able to find some work, was able to sustain the needs of my growing family and able to enjoy some semblance of stability.

Yet, I now face an uncertain year, full of challenges in the first few months of the new year. I put my entire savings to an enterprise called rotisserie chicken. Sometimes I feel that I made a wrong decision. But when I talk with those young men I employed, I felt somewhat vindicated. I tossed good money and for me, its a leap of faith, faith that at least there is still hope in the economy and faith that, in the future, things will turn around.

Yesterday, I sold 9.5 pieces of Manok Kings. Right now, I sold more than 70% of my initial stocks. Some say, that is better than others, but, until I sell 30 chickens per day for a month, this business remains unprofitable for me. Others say, like Andok's, they sell 100 chickens or more every single day. And people say we are juicier, more delicious than Andok's. Nothing to prevent us from dreaming big, like selling at least 30 or 40 chickens a day and maybe, someday, sell at least 60 or even a 100 chickens a day.

I am now at a better location--MCI shoppers mall infront of Cash and Carry in Makati. If you have time, come visit my small nook and buy at least one (1) Manok King roast chicken. My place is easy to find. There's a big sign which says Manok King. If you see this sign

you're in the right place. I am now living off the small profits that I take home every single day.

One lesson---I am good at closing and making money out of big contracts and doing big things. In such endeavours as this rotisserie chicken business, this is not easy as others think.

My hope is, I'll be able to pay my amortizations and some loans, be able to save up and able to employ more jobless people. I pray that God the Father give me more money for my barely two year old kid and finance the education of my other two kids who are all elementary level students.

I pray also for more friends this year. Friends are someone's wealth. Better to have more friends than more money.

Let me use this space also to appeal to government----support us, small entrepreneurs. We put our monies in some business, a sign that we still have faith in our economy. Don't let us down. Don't make our lives difficult.

Make business processes easier for those who build businesses. Support us more by offering us training sessions, make a one-stop shop where we can do business or transact with suppliers so that we don't have to deal with unscrupulous grocery owners and please, offer us tax incentives, since we employ people. Probably, at the first year of our operations, government offers a 75% off our taxes? That way, we'll survive.

My prayers are:

1. That God anoints as his servants my friends who are running for national elective posts. May God grant them the victory. Just to name a few, here are, I think, a list of names to be considered as senators for the new 15th Senate session:

a. Susan "Toots" Ople (Nacionalista)

b. Joey de Venecia III (PMP-UNO)

c. Alex Lacson (Liberal Party)

d. Teofisto Guingona III (Liberal)

e. Ariel Querubin (Nacionalista)

f. Danny Lim (Independent; Liberal)

g. Ruffy Biazon (Liberal)

h. Yasmin Lao (Liberal)

i. Satur Ocampo (Nacionalista; Makabayan)

j. Liza Masa (Nacionalista; Makabayan)

k. Atty. JV Bautista (Liberal?)

l. Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel (Liberal)

2. That I pay off some of financial obligations and that God always give us food in our table and some blankets to cover us during cold nights.

3. That my kids grow healthy and strong and intelligent.

4. That I sell 30 chickens today. :-)

The Senators of the People

General Danny Lim, one of those who deserve to be elected for the Senate, is filing his Certificate of Candidacy on November 27. The good general is running under the Liberal Party AS A GUEST CANDIDATE, contrary to earlier reports that he was asked by the United Opposition to bolster their senatorial slate.

In the last survey, Lim was not in the Magic 12. It means that Lim should work harder. That was the situation that Antonio Trillianes found himself in during the 2007 elections. At the last stretch, Trillianes won.


Aside from Lim, I expect good friend Susan "Toots" Ople to file her CoC. She will do so on November 30, the birthday of our national hero and the only representative of the proletariat, Andres Bonifacio.

Ople is the only one with a Labor agenda. She has been working for the interests of the OFWs and locally-based laborers and workers for the past decades. We hope she will continue her advocacy at the Senate.

There are reports that Makabayan has severed their ties with the Nacionalista Party. Good. Satur Ocampo deserves a seat at the Senate. His entire life has been devoted to the Cause of the People. Same goes to Liza Masa who has worked hard to improve the condition of Filipinas and children in this country.

I had a chance to meet Teofisto Guingona III, also running under the Liberal Party and I must say that the scion of the last Filipino Nationalist also deserves to win. TG, as his friends call him, is quite intelligent.

TG deserves our vote.

Col. Ariel Querubin is also gunning for the senate. I don't know how serious he is in his candidacy but definitely, Querubin deserves our support and vote. I don't quite understand though why he is running under the Nacionalista Party.

My Senatorial Slate:

1. General Danilo Lim
2. Susan "Toots" Ople
3. Satur Ocampo
4. Liza Masa
5. Teofisto Guingona III
6. Col. Ariel Querubin

Randy David bilang Pangulo at Noynoy bilang VP

Maari ba tayong mangarap ng sandali at isulat ko ang mga pangarap na iyon dito sa New Philippine Revolution?

Kung posible nga sana, sino-sino ba sa pananaw ko ang kakatawanin ng isang dream team sa eleksyon sa 2010? Suriin natin at paka ngimiin.



Para sa Pagkapangulo



Nais ko sana ng isang Pangulong may alam hindi sa pangungurakot o kung papaano babawiin ang kanyang campaign funds, kundi sa papaanong maiging patakbuhin ang isang pamahalaang may dambuhalang burukrasya. Maganda sana ang isang Pangulo na may magandang bisyon o pangarap sa pagpapaunlad ng bansa, na maglalatag ng isang agenda na istratehiko, hindi taktikal. Napansin ko sa mga nakaraang mga pangulo, puro taktikal na kampanya lamang ang kanilang mga ipinatupad, mga stop gap measures na lumulutas ng panandalian sa mga problema ng bayan ngunit iniiwanan ang pagpapasya sa paglutas sa mga tunay at ugat ng problem sa susunod na administrasyon.



Nais ko sana ang isang kandidatong walang utang na loob sa mga dambuhalang mga kumpanya at mga lokal na panginoong maylupa.



Sino ba sa palagay ko ang maaaring lider sa panguluhan na tumutugon sa mga kwalipikasyong ito?



Sa ganang akin, ito'y si Professor Randy David.



Opo, ang tanyag na propesor Randy David. Una, may talino siya't may marubdob na pagmamahal sa Inang Bayan. Ikalawa, mayroon siyang pag-asang maging isang tunay na alternatibong kandidato laban sa mga pumapalaot na mga trapong nais maging pangulo. At ikatlo, wala siyang pangarap na maging pangulo, alalaong baga'y para siyang isang Corazon Aquino.



Sa Pangalawang Pangulo



Maganda sana kung si Senator Benigno "NoyNoy" Aquino ay siyang magpahayag ng kahandaang tumakbo bilang ikalwang pangulo o kung hindi man, suportahan na lamang ang kandidatura ni Senator Kiko Pangilinan. Sa ganang akin, tunay ang abilidad at kakayanan ng dalawang ito upang pamunuan ang pamahalaan. Magagamit natin ang kanilang karanasan bilang mga mambabatas para magkasanib puwersa nilang tulungan ang Pangulong Randy David sa pagpapatakbo ng pamahalaan.



Sa mga Senatoriables



1. General Danilo Lim---para sa tunay na reporma ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas at pagpapatatag ng sekyuridad ng ating bansa.



2. Susan Toots Ople---pagpapalakas ng hanay ng lakas paggawa at pagsulong pa ng mga batas na magpapa-igi sa kapakanan ng mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).



3. Joey de Venecia III---pagpapakinis sa business environment upang maging lebel ang playing field at sa gayun, ma-attract ang foreign investments sa bansa.



4. Ariel Querubin--tungo sa pagpapakinis ng relasyong pangtanggulan ng Pilipinas sa iba't-ibang bansa at pagpapatatag din sa pagbigay benepisyo sa mga bayani ng bayan.



5. Risa Hontiveros---pagbalangkas ng isang matatag na batas tungo sa proteksyon ng mga karapatan ng mga kababaihan at iba pang batas na siyang magpapa-igi sa kalagayan ng mga urban poor.



6. Ruffy Biazon---mga batas na magpapalakas sa hanay ng mga kabataan at magbibigay ng libreng edukasyon sa mga kabataang napagkaitan ng gayung oportunidad.



7. Teddy Casino---magkakatawan sa mga middle class gayundin sa mga propesyunal at magiging kasangkapan upang makapagpanday ng mga batas na siyang magsusulong ng isang Pambansa Demokratikong lipunan.



8. Satur Ocampo----magpapatatag sa mga batas tungo sa proteksyon ng karapatang pantao at karapatan ng hanay ng mga manggagawang Pilipino, gayondin ng midya.



9. Teofisto Guingona III---magpapanday ng mga batas upang patatagin ang ugnayang Kristiyano at Muslim sa Mindanao gayundin ang paglikha ng mga batas tungo sa pagpapaunlad ng mga kanayunan.



10. Lisa Masa----tunay na kinatawan ng mga kababaihan sa Senado at magiging malakas na tagapagsulong ng mga rebolusyunaryong inisyatiba.



11. Atty. Adel Tamano---pagsusulong ng mga interes ng Bangsamoro sa Senado.

12. Jamby Madrigal



Dream Team



Prof. Randy David---Pangulo

Noynoy Aquino------Ikalwang Pangulo



Senatorial Slate



1. Gen. Danilo Lim

2. Susan Toots Ople

3. Joey de Venecia III

4. Ariel Querubin

5. Risa Hontiveros

6. Ruffy Biazon

7. Teddy Casino

8. Satur Ocampo

9. Teofisto Guingona III

10. Lisa Masa

11. Adel Tamano

12. Jamby Madrigal

Age and Immortality

Necrological services were held last night for Manong Jules Fortuna. Friends were there to listen to the eulogies of Manong's friends, like Neal Cruz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Satur Ocampo, former colleague in the underground. Last night was an opportunity to revisit the works of Manong Jules, both as a journalist and as a fighter for the Causes of the People. And it was the last time for friends to see him because he'll be flown tomorrow to Romblon, his hometown. He'll rest there.

As for those left behind, its difficult to pick up the pieces after this sudden departure of Manong Jules. I mean, who now will continue his legacy, his struggle?

Hearing my friends leave ages me. I now think that I'm really old when I'm just 38 years old. Yes, I was born January 8, 1971 and being just a tad younger than Chiz or Alan Peter Cayetano feels like am already a relic.

Michael Jackson wanted to be young forever. He even altered his face just to prove a point. But, is it age that kills people? Is it even death that makes people feel their mortality? No.

I remember Bertrand Russell when he said that after his death, his body will just rot somewhere. True. Our bodies will be eaten surely by maggots and with gusto.

Yet, the things we do on this earth will surely live forever. That is the holy grail. That is the cup of immortality.

If you want to live forever, make this world a better place for everyone.

Don't steal.
Don't kill.
Don't cheat.
Don't lie.
Don't harm nature.
Live and let live.

New Media Landscape

Just an hour ago, I talked with Ding Gagelonia. He reminded me that it was only a month ago when Vic Montero, formerly of ABC 5 died. I went to his wake. There, Ding and Manong Jules gave their eulogies.

It was there when Manong told me that "una una lang yan." I remember telling him that this year is most distressing. Noel Cabrera, a good friend, died. Tata Joe Cappadoccia whom I met when I was still a defense beat reporter was killed in a copper crash. Previous to that, many other journalists, especially those who fought against the dictatorship, just faded away.

One of the regular commenters of this space, wrote that the former First Quarter Storm (FQS) pioneers are slowly fading away. Yet, there's still hope because the Movement is being infused by new blood. I believe him.

Philippine media is undergoing a similar fate. Members of the old school are slowly leaving this earth. Those who were accustomed to typing those stories away with their typewriters are being replaced by those who type away from laptops. Those who learned the ropes from old school broadcasting are being replaced by savvy, radio reporters that report news with their monotonous voices.

Manong Jules was one such man. When Ding and I urged him to put up a blog of his writings, he did not know how to do it. I was the one who opened his blogger.com account (http://eastwest.blogspot.com). He never updated it. The last entry was January 19, 2009.

I admit that I personally think I belong to the old school. When I was a journalist, I got my stories the old fashion way, calling sources and authenticating facts thrice. Last night, I had a nice discussion with Rainier of Philippine Star. I was told that media organizations right now are fragmented. Each and every beat have factions.

The situation is very bad indeed. I remember those times when media organisations in every geographical beat were united. In Pasay, there was only one group. Now, there are two. In QC, there's at least three. Before, it was just one. In the Eastern Police beat, there's two. Even I think in the national scene, there are also two---Samahang Plaridel founded by Manong Max Soliven and the NPC.

One thing though that remains the same---journalists both from the old and the new share life over bottles of beer. That is the one thing that probably journalists would never ever give up.

I don't know what would happen in the event of another dictatorship. Who will stand up from the media ranks and fight? Who will give up their futures for the Cause of the Masses?

By the way, here's Manong Jules last column over at Manila Times.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

EAST WEST By Julius F. Fortuna Good riddance
to anti-communist agency

Whatever critics say about President GMA on other aspects of governance, something positive could be said about her recent issuances. This is the matter of her abolishing an anti-communist agency that should properly be described as a relic of the Cold War.
We refer particularly to her Executive Order 8008 issued last May 15 abolishing the
three-year old Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) that was supervised by
the viscerally anti-communist national security adviser, Mr. Norberto Gonzales.
This decision is somewhat a landmark, similar to the move by Fidel V. Ramos
rescinding the Anti-Subversion Act passed in 1957.
Why the government took so long to publicize the abolition of this agency of government puzzles me. But this move is truly imbued with international significance, specially for some countries observing how we comply with human rights and international laws. The abolition of this agency was a recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston who investigated human rights observance by the government almost two years ago.
IALAG had come to be very notorious. It was the group that tried to revive, or more accurately, invent the cases against Congressman Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna. It was this group that charged Ocampo of committing murder in several places in the country almost at the same time—with some committed even when Satur was in prison. It was also this group that tried but failed to induce the Dutch government to file charges against NDF officials.
If there are people who believe that President GMA is on the road to declare martial
law—this recent abolition of IALAG would disprove that there is a conspiracy to
do another Proclamation 1081. From hereon, some professional anti-communists
lurking inside the government could not use the agency to promote their Cold War
agenda.
Best wishes to Ambassador Yano
We have a new envoy to Brunei—Mr.
alexander T. Yano—the former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. For a while, we thought his confirmation would be delayed, but after three sessions of questioning, this soldier turned diplomat passed the standards of our legislature.
He is a political ambassador, one who is not a product of the examination system in our foreign office. But he would be an asset to the Republic because of his experience and also because he has the trust of the President.
An envoy is an extension of the President and the Republic. His word is official and is construed to be a direct and undiluted instruction from the sovereign. In that respect, Ambassador Yano shines because he has the full trust of the appointing power.
This is not to say that career envoys are not as good. I have seen former Ambassador Rodolfo Severino—who came from the career group as envoy to Malaysia. But all reviews of his work say he deserved the honor of being an envoy to an important country.
Let me say that the nation needs both career and political envoys because the
two styles are needed in our foreign service. As a matter of fact, the foreign
service act provides that the President can appoint both career and non-career.
I remember that former President Marcos would appoint former Leyte governor
Benjamin Romualdez as ambassador to the US, to Saudi Arabia and later to Beijing
whenever the national interest so requires. If those appointments were to be
assessed today, they were beneficial to the nation. Romualdez, wearing his
all-white suit—was able to deliver the message of the President to these
countries.
In the case of the US appointment, the Philippine message on the
future of the US facilities in the country was delivered—and later led to the
review of the 1947 bases accord. In the case of Saudi Arabia, we were able to
secure the regular supply of oil and continued deployment of workers. In the
case of Beijing, Romualdez stint was also landmark—as it inaugurated normal ties
with the Asian power.
Brunei may be a small country but it is a gem in the Southeast Asian scene. Its opinion on the region is given weight not only because of its richness but also because of its influence in the Muslim world.
Now that we need all the support to get observer status is the OIC, the more we
need to reach out to countries like Brunei.
In a briefing to reporters last Saturday, one little but significant fact was revealed. Mr. Yano has established close personal ties with the Sultan of Brunei because of their love for the game of badminton. When the Sultan came here last year, the Brunei sovereign sought out Yano for a game. This rapport can only redound to the mutual interest of the two countries.
jules42na@yahoo.com

My 12 Senators (if the elections pushes thru)

Honestly my friends, I only voted once in my life---and it was for Jovito Salonga as president. Salonga lost but at least I stood up and counted myself in those millions who believed in him.

Now, should the elections push thru as planned, though I still believe that elections are being used as social tranquilizers to lull the great masses to sleep, if asked, I'll vote for these people. I remember my colonel friend asking me if I have a list of people in my mind who deserves the support of the masses. His request was about two or three months ago. I decided now is the time for me to reveal my list.

Brigadier General Danilo "Danny" Lim deserves to be elected either as a Senator or a Vice President. He fits into what our group, the Maginoo Movement, describes as the New Patriot. He has Integrity. He has a very good track record of government service. He has a good platform of government and his chances of winning is high. Should Gen. Lim really participates in the 2010 elections, I'll vote for him. We deserve someone who has the fortitude of Spirit and the Vision to lead this nation to glory.

However, Danny Lim and his group should not allow join Villar's Nacionalista Party. No. If they decide to do so, then, I'm sorry sir, I just have to set my sights somewhere else.

I would also vote for Cong. Darlene Antonino-Custodio should she decides to run for the Senate. Custodio has the brains, not just the beauty. What more, Darlene has the right political attitude. However, I hope she does not go the Chiz Escudero route. She must always be consistent on pursuing the Cause.

Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga is one such guy who deserves our support in case he runs for the Senate. Meloto's work is world-class. He could provide valuable knowledge in solving our housing problems. His insights into poverty alleviation are gems that deserve national attention.

Teddy Casino says he wants to run for the Senate. I will support him because he has the right frame of mind and he has the fortitude of Spirit, just like General Danny Lim.

Susan "Toots" Ople deserves a Senate slot due to her relentless passion for the plight of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Its high time that a pro-labor Senator be elected in the Senate.

For all his faults as a pro-Gloria, Gilbert Gibo Teodoro actually deserves a Senate slot. If he abandons his ambitions for the presidency, Teodoro is a fine addition to the roster of senatorial luminaries.

Ka Satur Ocampo is also a revolutionary all his life and deserves to leave a lasting legacy as a Senator. He has passed so many laws that improves the lives of his people and voting for him is both a responsibility and bears urgency.

Atty. Harry Roque is a fine example of a principled barrister. He fights for the weak. He has so many ideas on how to reform this country. He deserves to complete his service in the Senate.

I heard so many good things about Cong. Roilo Golez and analyzed all his statements and concluded that he deserves a chance for the senate.

Another person who deserves a Senate slot is Amina Rasul. She ran for the senate once and lost because she does'nt have enough funds. Nonetheless, we deserve someone like her who fights for the Bangsamoro. She's very intelligent and has the right nationalist frame of mind. She deserves support.

Of course, re-electionists Jamby Madrigal and Juan Ponce-Enrile, should they decide to run for re-election, deserves our support. Madrigal is a fighter of lost causes. Madrigal deserves another term.

Enrile has been doing the right things lately and he deserves another term.

Lapdogs and New Patriots in Philippine Congress

I congratulate my friend and colleague, Raymund Palatino of Ang Kabataan partylist. Raymund is now a Congressman, after being sworn in yesterday by COMELEC officials.

Raymund is a fine addition to the growing bevy of revolutionaries and reform-minded individuals now manning Congress in behalf of the Filipino People. Like Satur and all the rest of the Patriots of the New Generation, Palatino is a breath of fresh air in the rancid halls of Congress. The only reason why Hope is still being talked about by the people is simply there are Patriots like Raymund who'll risk life and limb just to advance the Cause of the Filipino People.

If we expect Raymund to do the right thing, how about former General Jovito Palparan? Palparan claims to have a constituency. He claims to represent those alleged victims of what he claims to be "Communist" terrorists. Is Palparan fit to become Congressman?

If we are to follow COMELEC's fitness test, yes, he is. But, what about the fitness test of the Filipino People?

I remember Germany in the 1930's, when a middle-aged Adolf Hitler entered the halls of Reichstag, Germany's parliament. He represented the National Socialist Party or NAZI which promoted anti-Semitism and German race supremacy.

After a few years, he became Germany's Chancellor.

Like Hitler before him, Palparan became an active part of the military's anti-insurgency campaign. He's anti-revolution, anti-reform and anti-Communist. He subscribes to the belief that force begets force and he does this in brutal fashion.

And there are similarities between Hitler and Palparan. Aside from being anti-Communist, Palparan is also anti-Chinese. He blames the Chinese for the Filipinos' woes. When he was chief of the Infantry division, he did'nt lift a finger when Chinese businessmen were abducted and killed in his jurisdiction despite pleas of help from the victims' families. He was even heard saying "buti nga sa kanila!" when one of the victims got killed.

Instead of running after armed revolutionaries, Palparan takes delicious fancy arresting and killing unarmed reform-minded individuals. He salivates every time an activist gets nabbed, raped (if female), killed and buried in shallow graves. The Melo Commission found this out. Yet instead of castigating him, this administration tolerated and even cuddled him. It's a known fact that Malacanang poured millions of pesos in Palparan's partylist group, Bantay during the elections. And the palace seems to like the idea of having Palparan as its enforcer poster boy. Or imagine Palparan as Speaker of the House? That would surely bring the country down.

Will History repeat itself and see the emergence of a New Hitler in the person of "the Butcher" General Jovito S. Palparan? Will Palparan do a Hitler and go after the Chinese and the Communists when in Congress?

The partylist concept was originally made to empower sectors in Philippine society. It's supposed to be an experiment in democracy. It's supposed to expand horizontally the people's participation in legislation.

Yet, throughout these years, this concept has been mangled and torn to pieces by rapacious and profit-hungry forces out to make a fast buck from the People's sagging resources. Look at the number of partylist groups right now. Examine and study them and you'll find that only a fraction are legitimate groups advancing the People's Cause.

This administration is to be blamed for having smeared the very noble concept of partylist groups. Using government resources, the Arroyo government supported pseudo people's organizations and pseudo cause oriented groups.

Look at the new partylist groups sworn as Congressmen yesterday. We have an Arroyo Watchdog (Bantay) who'll surely promote and legitimize the record of human rights violations of this regime. We have the sipsip group, the Kasangga, who'll surely advance bills that will seek to advance the fiduciary interests of the landlord class. Do you believe what new Cong. Arroyo of Kasangga told the media yesterday, that they'll help the balut vendors improve their lot? Are balut vendors so substantially huge a sector that they can be classified as disenfranchised? Maybe Cong. Arroyo would help balut producers, instead of the vendors? How would they even help them? By asking the MMDA to legitimize their street vending activities which, under the law, is illegal? Will they then pass legislation legitimizing street vending? Or probably, they'll pass laws that would TAX the underground economic sectors to again fatten and line the pockets of greedy government officials?

Since Kasangga is now in Congress, expect the price of balut to go up.

It's interesting that, in the next Congress, two reform-minded individuals from the ranks of the AFP will be gunning for a Congressional seats. Inspired by their idol, Senator Antonio Trillianes, former Navy Lt. James Layug and former Air Force First Lt. Francisco Acedillo will be running as Congressmen in Taguig and Cebu City.

Should they win and Bantay's infamous posterboy, the butcher General also wins, Congress would be a very interesting place to watch. A murderous lapdog going against the New Patriots---that's a classic match even better than a Pacquiao-Hatton fight.

Again, I toss my lambanog filled glass to Raymund Palatino of Ang Kabataan partylist. May God give you strength to battle it out against lapdogs and Arroyo's sipsip brigades. Make the Filipino People proud.

Street Parliamentarians as Senators?

AKBAYAN Representative Hontiveros-Baraquel is running for the Senate. Same goes to BAYANMUNA Representatives Teddy Casino and Satur Ocampo. These are personalities closely aligned with the Left. There are also reverberations on the ground that Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement is running; same goes to her bosom buddy, ZTE whistle-blower Jun Lozada and Joey de Venecia III.

Are we seeing the resurrection of the Bugs Bunny craedo that if you can't beat them, join them? Are we now abandoning street parliamentarism in exchange for Traditional Parliamentarism?

Is this also an admission that other forms of struggle, like EDSA or the People's Protracted War, are failures? That the way to go for change is simply be like those in power except that you're non-trapo? Is that the only difference?

For Arroyo and her bunch of nincoompoops, this is a serious security problem. Hawks within the palace will surely squawk and fidget in their seats. They definitely would try to frustrate the Senatorial ambitions of these personalities to preserve the gains of the reinvigorated oligarchy.

Street parliamentarians as Senators? Why not?

The only worry I have is this---will they transform into Joker Arroyos who abandoned the Cause of the People just to protect his political friends?

Will they be the Osmenas who now protect the interests of big energy players and big haciendero interests when they became senators? Or will they continue their fiscalizing roles and try to effect real, significant changes in Philippine society?

The Rise of the Patriots

I'm supposed to discuss about the raging issues of the day but found one interesting topic from www.filipinovoices.com.

The last few days saw two of my colleagues debating on who has the burden to act for change--is it the middle class or the masses. Benigno proposes in general, the masses, since they are the most affected, ergo, more than ever, the onus of responsibility lies in them. Chuck, on the other hand, sees this as a problem, since all along, the poor has been self-reliant, yet found no time acting to get social justice. A 2007 report shows that to be evident and the obvious fact that more and more Filipinos are going abroad--ergo, self-reliance. Self-reliance, as construed in CVJ, means personal economic self-reliance.

Both has a point and going in the right direction. However, what I find rather insulting is the way they view the masses, especially Benigno who has this obvious cono mentality that thinks highly of himself as the one who knows how the "average Filipino schmoe" thinks.

The kind of talk they're having was the stuff of talk the Indios Bravos and the rest of the Propaganda Movement had in the 18th century. Filipinos already resolved that. Who actually led the Revolution which resulted to our independence? Was it the Peninsulares, as represented by Rizal? Did the masses relied on them to help them resolve the centuries-old colonial rule of the Spaniards?

No.

The "average Filipino schmoe" knows what to do. They know that it is time to change. They know and already have the tools to survive this harsh environment. And, they lack nothing.

Isra is what they need at this point, a "spark". The masses are not "bumbling" idiots or bewildered ("flummox, as what Benigno wrote, a colloquial term which means "bewildered") with their situation. They know they need justice.

And justice will, indeed, be theirs in the future if they own kind again lead them to victory. And where will this action emanate?

It will emanate from the junior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. I am still hoping that a Bonifacio will rise from their ranks and lead the masses towards victory.

Or, from the Armed Patriots of the New People's Army. A synthesis of forces between the idealistic officers of the AFP and the young comrades from the CPP-NPA-NDF would catalyze all revolutionary efforts and achieve one goal--change.

Or, it may probably even spring from the huge, unstructured protest movement. This generation can still mold a David Celdran or a Nat Santiago or a much articulate Teddy Casino or a younger Satur Ocampo. The times call for such men and women of courage to rise up and act for the sake of this generation and the next.