Go out and Register for Election 2010

September 15, 2009

The nation goes to the polls anew next year to elect a new President, Governor, Mayor & Barangay Officials who will chart the destiny of this benighted land for the following years.
    
Considering the importance of elections in ridding the country of corrupt and inefficient public servants, all citizens of voting age ought to participate in the forthcoming political exercise.
   
And while many national and local politicians carefully position themselves as the ideal candidates by delivering fiery speeches containing lies and half-truths, the suffering people must not completely turn a deaf ear to the growing fears of many sectors of society.

 
An estimated one million voters across the country were reportedly delisted from the Commission on Elections roster following their failure to vote in the last two elections (2004 and 2007).

  
Let’s help the poll body, chaired by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Melo, in addressing the problem of voter disenfranchisement. This, if we want to protect the will of the electorate.
   
There’s still no guarantee that our candidates will be successful when facing the challenges of the office. A great mayoral candidate may still have a nervous breakdown, a governor may still yield to temptation when confronted with temptations while in office.

 

Even if the best candidate becomes the best office holder, unless the will of the people support him, then it won’t matter. If the public isn’t behind him, then others can take advantage, and exploit his unpopularity their own agendas.

 

We share the view of many that the credibility of  elections does not only depend on the actual counting of votes but on the registration of voters.
 
So, let’s go out and register now!

 

Download Forms here: ( make sure to download all files )

1. Page 1 (front)
2. Page 2 (back)
3. Provincial File
4. Central File

 

Aquino - Roxas In 2010

September 2, 2009

Yes it was Noynoy Aquino for President and Mar Roxas for Vice President.

I will stand with you.

Itutuloy natin ang Laban.

Hindi ko kayo pababayaan. Lalaban tayo.

We are on the threshold of a defining moment for this country.

This act of statesmanship by Sen. Roxas and Sen. Aquino’s emergence as the opposition’s presidential standard bearer rekindles the hope for a genuine overhaul of the Philippines corruption-ridden political landscape, te advent of honest and accountable government, and impetus for economic progress trickling down to the masses.

So it will be: Aquino-Roxas for 2010.

It will become a close fight between the Team of Noynoy Aquino, Mar Roxas, Kiko Pangilinan & Franklin Drilon versus the Team of Manny Villar and Willie Revillame for 2010 election.

Country above self, yan ang habilin sa aking ng aking ama.

Our nation is in trouble, our people are hungry, our government is bankrupt.

Noynoy and I share the belief: clean, hones,t and selfless public service.

We need to unite to achieve what we want.

We need to be a force for good.

I choose to lead the Liberal Party for unity.

We agreed to forget about ourselves.

This is about our people and ourt country:

I am announcing my support for Noynoy Aquino for President in 2010.

Our dream will be realized: good will win over evil.

I do this for unity in support of change.

I choose to make this sacrifice.

This is a ticket that’s one generation late, but it’s the realization of the same Aquino-Roxas tandem being worked out by Senators Gerry Roxas and Benigno Aquino Jr. that was ambushed by the declaration of martial law.

 

Willie Revillame for Senator

August 26, 2009

Would you vote for him?

There are talks going around that Willie Revillame is being considered as running mate of Noli de Castro in the 2010 Presidential Elections

I don’t think it’s even a question of whether Willie is running or not. Everyday, people watch his TV show and a lot, I mean a lot, of Filipinos adore him. He has the money, he has the machinery to use, and he has the voters to vote for him. So why would he not run, right?

Over the years, celebrities, some with with smaller clout than Revillame, have ran and won. But have they served, truly served the Filipino people in their capacity as public servants? Not all of them have. This is probably why during the last elections, only a few celebrities won in the national and local elections. But I have a feeling that it will be different for Revillame next year. He will most definitely win.

Populay comedian Dolphy has always said that running for office is easy. It’s the winning and being in office that’s hard. That’s what Revillame should think of.

So am I voting for him or not? Are you?

 

Five Traits Of Charismatic Politicians And People

August 17, 2009

1. They find everything fascinating

Interesting people find everything interesting: their fellow humans, a leaf, the sound of the ocean, even a pebble on the ground. JFK was noted for his ability to consume several thick tomes in one single sitting. They pay incredible attention to detail; it has been said that Bill Clinton has the ability to recall the names of people he shook hands with years prior. Life is in the details, and good politicians should be able to recall the names of every foreign dignitary and the voting record of all their major rivals.

The only way to verbalize particularly fascinating or insightful ideas is to actually be fascinated by the ideas which are being conveyed. There is no way to fake this. If a candidate has shallow knowledge of a particular platform issue, their rhetoric will reflect their lack of passion.

2. They relate well to their audience

The archetype for the late 20th century politician would have to be President Clinton. Not only was he artful with his diction, he was able to adapt instantly to any social setting. His appearance on MTV, marked by the famous “I didn’t inhale” (talk about artful), was a lesson on suavity and assimilation. His other famous TV stunt, a Jazz saxophone performance on The Arsenio Hall Show, was like watching Woods 30′ chip-in at Augusta: a remarkable performance by a professional in the prime of his career doing exactly what he does best. By showing America that he was actually in touch and even somewhat cool (especially in comparison to the incumbent George Bush), he was better able to relate to the general public and thus gain their trust. The elder President Bush was only able to watch his opponent on television, wholly aware of his own inability to relate to the common citizen.

3. They always leave you with a sense of wanting more

Comedians save their best joke for the end of their set. Magicians save their best trick until the finale. Lawyers save their best rhetorical defenses for the closing arguments. They are all trying to leave the audience with a sense of wanting more. By verbally slapping the audience with a brilliant piece of logic in the closing sentences of a closing argument, a shrewd lawyer can negate holes in the mind of the jurors and swing the panel in their favor.

A good ending can be almost a panacea. It allows listeners to dissolve any logical fallacies they’ve discovered prior to the conclusion and turns their attention solely on the piece of information in climax. So the charismatic politician takes this idea one step further and sandwiches their audience with a great opening, then boring political rhetoric, then a great close. One of the better speeches in the history of this young nation was extremely short as Presidential speeches go, but featured a great opening and a great close and almost certainly left the audience wanting more. A gifted politician is always giving his audience the gift of missing him.

4. They often have hyper-masculine or other sexual auras

A politician is a salesman who is selling himself as the product. The strong and distinctive voice, from Roosevelt to JFK to Clinton, is a testament to the power of a strong masculine aura. America adores its combat heros; it’s the reason why former Generals get elected President. It’s the reason why an actor with practically no prior government related experience can beat an incumbent on a recall for the highest position in the California state legislature. The gamblin’, rough-and-ready cowboy is in every young American boy’s imagination and every young female’s heart.

Ann Coulter is engaging because of her contrasting hyper-masculine demeanor combined with her attractive feminine appearance. It is human nature to assume that an extraordinarily masculine person would also be a good leader. Here comes the Governator to kick the “wussies’” asses, take their women (funny how those accounts of Arnold’s infidelity and harassment only increased his popularity), and fire .50 caliber ammo through all of his predecessors “girly” contracts. What about the first televised Presidential debate featuring a sickly, sweaty, stooped over Nixon and a dynamic, effervescent Kennedy? Sex sells, especially in politics, because it is an area which is mostly devoid of attractive personalities.

5. They always make you think they have your best interests at heart

An adept statesman can make a voter believe that he is actually more important than just one individual. Politicians in their speeches use the royal “we” instead of “I” to create a sense of togetherness. It’s “us” versus the system, “we” are “united” against this Bush administration, a “coalition” to boycott Knott’s Berry Farm. He also makes you believe that he is “working for the little guys,” and he can still hear their voices despite the “underhanded smear tactics” of his opposition trying to reframe the “real issues.”

Justin graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Information and Computer Science from the University of California at Irvine in 2004. Justin serves as the Deputy Editor of the Prometheus Insitute and has been on the staff since the Institute’s inception. Justin is an expert in internet research and development, and plans to graduate with an M.B.A. from the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California Irvine in 2009. His interests include swimming, meditating, and low stakes games of Hi/Lo Crazy Pineapple at the Bicycle Casino.

Maria Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino (RIP)

August 1, 2009

Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino (January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a President of the Philippines and a world-renowned advocate of democracy, peace, women’s empowerment, and religious piety. She served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the first female president of the Philippines and was Asia’s first female president.

A self-proclaimed “plain housewife”, Aquino was married to Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. (1932–1983), a leading figure in the political opposition against the autocratic rule of President Ferdinand Marcos. After her husband was assassinated upon his return from exile in the United States on August 21, 1983, Aquino, who had no prior political experience, became a focal point and unifying force of the opposition against Marcos. She was drafted to run against Marcos in the 1986 snap presidential elections. After Marcos was proclaimed the winner despite widespread reports of electoral fraud, Aquino was installed as President by the peaceful 1986 People Power Revolution.

SONA 2009 Full Text / Transcript

July 28, 2009

Thank you, Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Before I begin my report to the nation, please join me first in a moment of prayer for President Cory Aquino. Senate President Enrile, Speaker Nograles, Senators, Representatives, Vice President de Castro, former President Ramos, Chief Justice Puno, Ambassadors friends:

The past twelve months have been a year for the history books. Financial meltdown in the West spread throughout the world.

Tens of millions lost their jobs; billions across the globe have been hurt—the poor always harder than the rich. No one was spared.

It has affected us already. But the story of the Philippines in 2008 is that the country weathered a succession of global crises in fuel, in food, then in finance and finally, economy in a global recession, never losing focus and with economic fundamentals intact.

A few days ago, Moody’s upgraded our credit rating, citing the resilience of our economy. The state of our nation is a strong economy. Good news for our people, bad news for our critics.

I did not become President to be popular. To work, to lead, to protect and preserve our country, our people, that is why I became President. When my father left the Presidency, we were second to Japan. I want our Republic to be ready for the first world in 20 years.

Towards that vision, we made key reforms. Our economic plan centers on putting people first. Higit sa lahat, ang layunin ng ating patakaran ay tulungan ang masisipag na karaniwang Pilipino. New tax revenues were put in place to help pay for better healthcare, more roads, and a strong education system. Housing policies were designed to lift up our poorer citizens so they can live and raise a family with dignity. Ang ating mga puhunan sa agrikultura ay naglalayong kilalanin ang ating mga magsasaka bilang backbone ng ating bansa, at bigyan sila ng mga modernong kagamitan to feed our nation and feed their own family.

Had we listened to the critics of those policies, had we not braced ourselves for the crisis that came, had we taken the easy road much preferred by politicians eyeing elections, this country would be flat on its back. It would take twice the effort just to get it back again on its feet—to where we are now because we took the responsibility and paid the political price of doing the right thing. For standing with me and doing the right thing, thank you, Congress.

The strong, bitter and unpopular revenue measures of the past few years have spared our country the worst of the global financial shocks. They gave us the resources to stimulate the economy. Nabigyan nila ang pinakamalaking pagtaas ng IRA ng mga LGU na P40 billion itong taon, imparting strength throughout the country at every level of government.

Compared to the past we have built more and better infrastructure, including those started by others but left unfinished. The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway is a prime example of building better roads. It creates wealth as the flagship of the Subic-Clark corridor.

We have built airports of international standard, upgraded domestic airports, built seaports and the roll on/roll off transport system. I ask Congress for a Philippine Transport Security Authority Law.

Some say that after this SONA, it will be all politics. Sorry, but there’s more work.

Sa telecommunications naman, inatasan ko ang Telecommunications Commission na kumilos na tungkol sa mga sumbong na dropped calls at mga nawawalang load sa cellphone. We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law. And we need to do it now.

Kung noong nakaraan, lumakas ang electronics, today we are creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines of growth. Electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy. But BPO remains resilient. With earnings of $6 billion and employment of 600,000, the BPO phenomenon speaks eloquently of our competitiveness and productivity. Let us have a Department of ICT.

In the last four years tourism almost doubled. It is now a $5 billion industry.

Our reforms gave us the resources to protect our people, our financial system and our economy from the worst of shocks that the best in the west failed to anticipate.

They gave us the resources to extend welfare support and enhance spending power.

For helping me raise government salaries through Joint Resolution 4, thank you, Congress.

Cash handouts give the most immediate relief and produce the widest stimulating effect. Nakikinabang ang 700,000 na pinakamahihirap na pamilya sa programang Pantawid Pamilya.

We prioritize projects with the same stimulus effects plus long-term contributions to progress.

Sa pagpapamahagi ng milyun-milyong ektaryang lupa, 700,000 na katutubo at mahigit isang milyong benepisyaryo ng CARP ay taas-noong may-ari na ng sariling lupa. Hinihiling ko sa Kongreso na ipasa agad ang pagpapalawig ng CARP, at dapat ma-condone ang P42 billion na land reform liabilities dahil 18% lamang ang nabayaran mula 1972. Napapanahon, it’s timely because it will unfreeze the rural property market. Ang mahal kong ama ang nag-emancipate ng mga magsasaka. Ii-mancipate naman natin ngayon ang titulo.

Nakinabang ang pitong milyong entrepreneurs sa P165 billion na microfinance loans.

Nakinabang ang sandaan libo sa emergency employment ng ating economic resiliency plan. Kasama natin ngayon ang isa sa kanila, si Gigi Gabiola. Dating household service worker sa Dubai, ngayon siya ay nagtatrabaho sa DOLE. Good luck, Gigi.

Nakinabang ang isang milyong pamilya sa programang pabahay at palupa, mula Pag-Ibig, NHA, community mortgage program, certificates of lot award, at saka iyong loan condonation.

Our average inflation is the lowest since 1966. Last June, it dropped to 1.5%. Paano?

Proper policies lowered interest rates, which lowered costs to business and consumers.

Dahil sa ating mga reporma, nakaya nating ibenta ang bigas NFA sa P18.25 per kilo kahit tumaas ang presyo sa labas mula P17.50 hanggang P30 dahil sa kakulangan ng supply sa mundo. Habang, sa unang pagkakataon, nagawa nating itaas ang pamimili ng palay sa mga magsasaka, P17 mula sa P11.

Dahil sa ating mga reporma, nakaya nating mamuhunan sa pagkain—anticipating an unexpected global food crisis. Nakagawa tayo ng libu-libong kilometro ng farm-to-market roads at, kasama ng pribadong sector, natubigan ang dalawang milyong ektarya. Mga Badjao gaya ni Tarnati Dannawi ay tinuruan ng modernong mariculture. Umabot na sa P 180,000 ang kinita niya mula noong nakaraang taon. Congratulations, Tarnati. We will help more fisherfolk shift to fish farming with a budget of P1 billion.

Dahil dumarami na naman daw ang pamilyang nagugutom, mamumuhunan tayo ng panibago sa ating hunger mitigation program na sa nakaraan ay napatunayang mabisa. Tulungan ninyo ako dito, Kongreso.

Mula pa noong 2001, nanawagan na tayo ng mas murang gamot. Nagbebenta tayo ng gamot na kalahating presyo sa libu-libong Botika ng Bayan at Botika ng Barangay sa maraming dako ng bansa. Our efforts prodded the pharmaceutical companies to come up with low-cost generics and brands like RiteMed. I supported the tough version of the House of the Cheaper Medicine law. I supported it over the weak version of my critics. The result: the drug companies volunteered to bring down drug prices, slashing by half the prices of 16 drugs. Thank you, Congressmen Cua, Alvarez, Biron, Locsin.

Pursuant to law, we are placing other drugs under a maximum retail price. To those who want to be President, this advice: If you really want something done, just do it. Do it hard, do it well. Don’t pussyfoot. Don’t pander. And don’t say bad words in public.

Sa health insurance, sakop na ang 86% ang ating populasyon.

Sa Rent Control Law ng 2005 hanggang 2008, di pwedeng lumampas ng 10% ang pagtaas ng upa taun-taon. Ayon sa kakapirma nating batas may isang taong moratorium, tapos hanggang 7% lamang ang maaaring pagtaas. Salamat, Kongreso.

Noong isang taon, nabiyayaan ng tig-P500 ang mahigit pitong milyong tahanan bilang Pantawid Koryente sa mga small electricity users.

Yung presyo ng koryente, ang EPIRA natin ang pangmatagalang sagot. EPIRA dismantled monopoly. Ngunit minana natin ang power purchase agreements, kaya hindi pa natin makamtan yung buong intended effect. Pero happy na rin tayo, dahil isang taon na lamang iyan. The next generation will benefit from low prices from our EPIRA.

Samantala, umabot na sa halos lahat ng barangay ang elektrisidad. We increased indigenous energy from 48% to 58%. Nakatipid tayo sa dollars tapos na-reduce pa iyong oil consumption. The huge reduction in fossil fuel is the biggest proof of energy independence and environmental responsibility. Further reduction will come with the implementation of the Renewable Energy Act, and the Biofuels Act.

The next generation will also benefit from our lower public debt to GDP ratio. It declined from 78% in 2000 to 55% in 2008. We cut in half the debt of government corporations from 15% to 7%. Likewise foreign debt from 73% to 32%. Kung meron man tayong malaking kaaway na tinalo, walang iba kundi ang utang, iyong foreign debt. Those in the past administrations conjured the demon of foreign debt. We exorcised it.

The market grows economies. A free market, not a free-for-all.

To that end, we improved our banking system to complement its inherent conservatism. The Bangko Sentral has been prudent. Thank you, Governor Tetangco, for being so effective. The BSP will be even more effective if Congress will amend its Charter.

We worked on the Special Purpose Vehicle Act, reducing non-performing loans from 18% to 4% and improving loan-deposit ratios.

Our new Securitization Law did not encourage the recklessness that brought down giant banks and insurance companies elsewhere and laid their economies to waste. In fact, it monitors and regulates the new-fangled financial schemes. Thank you, Congress.

We will work to increase tax effort through improved collections and new sin taxes to further our capacity to reduce poverty and pursue growth. Revenue enhancement must come from the Department of Finance plugging leaks and catching tax and customs cheats. I call on tax paying citizens and tax paying businesses, help the BIR and stop those tax cheats.

Taxes should come from alcohol and tobacco and not from books. Tax hazards to lungs and livers, do not tax minds. Ang kita mula sa buwis sa alak at sigarilyo ay dapat gamitin sa kalusugan at edukasyon. Pondohan ang Philhealth premiums ng pinakamahihirap. Pondohan ang mas maraming classroom at computers.

Pardon my partiality for the teaching profession. I was a teacher.

Kaya namuhunan tayo ng malaki sa edukasyon at skills training.

Ang magandang edukasyon ay susi sa mas magandang buhay, the great equalizer that allows every young Filipino a chance to realize their dreams.

Nagtayo tayo ng 95,000 na silid-aralan, nagdagdag ng 60,000 na guro, naglaan ng P1.5 billion para sa teacher training, especially for 100,000 English teachers.

Isa sa pinakamahirap sa Millennium Development Goals ay iyong Edukasyon para sa Lahat pagdating ng 2015. Ibig sabihin, lahat ng nasa tamang edad ay dapat nasa primary school. Halos walang bansang makakatupad nito. Ngunit nagsisikap pa rin tayo. Nagtayo tayo ng mga paaralan sa higit sanlibong barangay na dati walang eskwelahan upang makatipid ng gastos sa pasahe ang mga bata. Tinanggal natin ang miscellaneous fees para sa primary school. Hindi na kailangan mag-uniporme ang mga estudyante sa public school.

In private high schools, we finance half of the students.

We have provided college and post-graduate education for over 600,000 scholars. One of them, Mylene Amerol-Macumbal, finished Accounting at MSU-IIT, then she went to law school, and placed second in the last bar exams – the first Muslim woman bar topnotcher. Congratulations!

In technical education and skills training, we have invested three times that of three previous administrations combined. Narito si Jennifer Silbor, isa sa sampung milyong trainee. Natuto siya ng medical transcription. Now, as an independent contractor and lecturer for transcriptions in Davao, kumikita siya ng P18,000 bawat buwan. Good job, Jennifer.

The Presidential Task Force on Education headed by Jesuit educator Father Bienvenido Nebres has come out with the Main Education Highway towards a Knowledge-Based Economy. It envisions seamless education from basic to vocational school or college.

It seeks to mainstream early childhood development in basic education. Our children are our most cherished possession. In their early years we must make sure they get a healthy start in life. They must receive the right food for a healthy body, the right education for a bright and inquiring mind—and the equal opportunity for a meaningful job.

For college admission, the Task Force recommends mandatory Scholastic Aptitude Tests. It also recommends that higher private education institutions should be harmonized with state universities and colleges, and that CHED should oversee local universities and colleges. For professions seeking international recognition—engineering, architecture, accountancy, pharmacy and physical therapy—it recommends radical reform: 10 years of basic education, two years of pre-university, before three years of university.

Our educational system should make the Filipino fit not just for whatever jobs happen to be on offer today, but also for whatever economic challenge life will throw in their way.

Sa hirap at ginhawa, pinapatatag ang ating bansa ng ating overseas Filipinos. Iyong padala nilang $16 billion noong isang taon ay record. Itong taon, mas mataas pa.

I know that this is not a sacrifice joyfully borne. This is work where it can be found—in faraway places, among strangers with different cultures. It is lonely work, it is hard work.

Kaya nagsisikap tayong lumikha dito sa atin ng mga trabahong maganda ang sahod, so that overseas work will just be a career choice, not the only option for a hard-working Filipino.

Meanwhile, we should make their sacrifices worthwhile. Dapat gumawa tayo ng mas epektibong proteksyon at pagpapalawak ng halaga ng kanilang pinagsikapang suweldo. That means stronger consumer protection for Overseas Filipino Workers investing in property and products back home. Para sa kanila, pinapakilos natin ang Investors Protection Task Force.

Hindi ako nag-aatubiling bisitahin ang ating taong bayan at kanilang mga host sa buong mundo – mula Hapon…hanggang Brazil, mula Europa at Middle East hanggang sa American Midwest, nakikinig sa kanilang mga problema at pangangailangan, inaalam kung paano sila matutulungan ng ating pamahalaan—-by working out better policies on migrant labor, or by saving lives and restoring liberty.

Pagpunta ko sa Saudi, pinatawad ni Haring Abdullah ang pitong daang OFW na nasa preso. Pinuno nila ang isang buong eroplano at umuwi kasama ko.

Mula sa ating State Visit sa Espanya, it has become our biggest European donor. At si Haring Juan Carlos ay nakikipag-usap sa ibang mga bansa para sa ating mga namomoblemang OFW. Ganoon din si Sheikh Khalifa, ang Prime Minister ng Bahrain.

Pagpunta ko sa Kuwait, Emir Al-Sabah commuted death sentences. We thank all our leaders, our world leaders, for showing compassion to our overseas foreign workers. Salamat.

Our vigorous international engagement has helped bring in foreign investment. Net foreign direct investments multiplied 15 times during our administration. Kasama ng ating mga Together with our OFWs, they more than doubled our foreign exchange reserves. Pinalakas ang ating piso at naiwasan ang lubhang pagtaas ng presyo. They upgraded our credit because while the reserves of our peers have shrunk this past year, ours reserves grew by $3 billion.

Our international engagement has also corrected historical injustice. The day we visited Washington, Senator Daniel Inouye successfully sponsored benefits for our veterans as part of America’s stimulus package.

I have accepted the invitation of President Obama to be the first Southeast Asian leader to meet him at the White House, later this week.

That he sought us out testifies to our strong and deep ties.

High on our agenda will be peace and security issues. Terrorism: how to meet it, how to end it, how to address its roots in injustice or prejudice—and first and always how to protect lives.

We will discuss nuclear non-proliferation. The Philippines will chair the review of the nuclear weapons non-proliferation Treaty in New York in May 2010. The success of the talks will be a major diplomatic achievement for us.

There is a range of other issues we will discuss, including the global challenge of climate change, especially the threat to countries with long coastlines. And there is the global recession, its worse impact on poor people, and the options that can spare them from the worst.

In 2008 up to the first quarter of 2009 we stood among only a few economies in Asia-Pacific that did not shrink. Compare this to 2001, when some of my current critics were driven out by people power. Asia was surging but our country was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Since then, our economy posted uninterrupted growth for 33 quarters; more than doubled its size from $76 billion to $186 billion. The average GDP growth from 2001 to the first quarter of 2009 is the highest in 43 years.

Bumaba ang bilang ng mga nagsasabing mahirap sila sa 47% mula 59%. Maski lumaki ang ating populasyon, nabawasan ng dalawang milyon ang bilang ng mahihirap. GNP per capita rose from a Third World $967 to $2,000. Lumikha tayo ng walong milyong trabaho, an average of a million a year, much, much more than at any other time.

In sum: 1. We have a strong economy and a strong fiscal position to withstand global shocks.

2. We built new modern infrastructure and completed unfinished ones.

3. The economy is more fair to the poor than ever before.

4. We are building a sound base for the next generation.

5. International authorities have taken notice that we are safer from environmental degradation and man-made disasters.

As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible; to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not. The mapping of flood- and landslide-prone areas is almost complete. Early warning, forecasting and monitoring systems have been improved, with weather tracking facilities in Subic, Tagaytay, Mactan, Mindanao, Pampanga.

We have worked on flood control infrastructure like those for Pinatubo, Agno, Laoag, and Abucay, which will pump the run off waters from Quezon City and Tondo flooding Sampaloc. This will help relieve hundreds of hectares in this old city of its age old woe.

Patuloy naman iyong sa Camanava, dagdag sa Pinatubo, Iloilo, Pasig-Marikina, Bicol River Basin, at mga river basin ng Mindanao.

The victims of typhoon Frank in Panay should receive their long-overdue assistance package. I ask Congress to pass the SNITS Law.

Namana natin ang pinakamatagal na rebelyon ng Komunista sa buong mundo.

Si Leah de la Cruz isa sa labindalawang libong rebel returnee. Sixteen pa lang siya nang sumali sa NPA. Naging kasapi sa regional White Area Committee, napromote sa Leyte Party Committee Secretary. Nahuli noong 2006. She is now involved in an LGU-supported handicraft livelihood training of former rebels. We love you, Leah!

There is now a good prospect for peace talks with both the Communist Party of the Philippines and the MILF, with whom we are now on ceasefire.

We inherited an age-old conflict in Mindanao, exacerbated by a politically popular but near-sighted policy of massive retaliation. This only provoked the other side to continue the war.

In these two internal conflicts, ang tanong ay hindi, “Sino ang mananalo?” kundi, bakit pa ba kailangang mag-laban ang kapwa Pilipino tungkol sa mga isyu na alam naman nating lahat na di malulutas sa dahas, at mareresolba lang sa paraang demokratiko?

There is nothing more that I would wish for than peace in Mindanao. It will be a blessing for all its people, Muslim, Christian and lumads. It will show other religiously divided communities that there can be common ground on which to live together in peace, harmony and cooperation that respects each other’s religious beliefs.

At sa lahat ng dako ng bansa, kailangan nating protektahan ang ating mga mamamayan kontra sa krimen’ — in their homes, in their neighborhoods, in their communities. How shall crime be fought? With the five pillars of justice, including crime fighters. We call on Congress to fund more policemen on the streets.

Real government is about looking beyond the vested to the national interest, setting up the necessary conditions to enable the next, more enabled and more empowered generation to achieve a country as prosperous, a people as content, as ours deserve to be.

The noisiest critics of constitutional reform tirelessly and shamelessly attempted Cha-Cha when they thought they could take advantage of a shift in the form of government. Now that they feel they cannot benefit from it, they oppose it.

As the seeds of fundamental political reform are planted, let us address the highest exercise of democracy, voting!

In 2001, I said we would finance fully automated elections. We got it, thanks to Congress.

At the end of this speech I shall step down from this stage, but not from the Presidency. My term does not end until next year. Until then, I will fight for the ordinary Filipino. The nation comes first. There is much to do as head of state—to the very last day.

A year is a long time. Patuloy ang pamumuhunan sa tinatawag na three E’s ng ekonomiya, environment at edukasyon. There are many perils that we must still guard against.

A man-made calamity is already upon us, global in scale. As I said earlier, so far we have been spared its worst effects but we cannot be complacent. We only know that we have generated more resources on which to draw, and thereby created options we could take. Thank God we did not let our critics stop us.

As the campaign unfolds and the candidates take to the airwaves, I ask them to talk more about how they will build up the nation rather than tear down their opponents. Give the electorate real choices and not just sweet talk.

Meanwhile, I will keep a steady hand on the tiller, keeping the ship of state away from the shallows some prefer, and steering it straight on the course we set in 2001.

Ang ating taong bayan ay masipag at maka-Diyos. These qualities are epitomized in someone like Manny Pacquiao….Manny trained tirelessly, by the book, with iron discipline, with the certain knowledge that he had to fight himself, his weaknesses first, before he could beat his opponent. That was the way to clinch his victories and his ultimate title: ang pinakadakilang boksingero sa kasaysayan. Mabuhay ka, Manny!

However much a President wishes it, a national problem cannot be knocked out with a single punch. She must work with the problem as much as against it, turn it into a solution if she can.

There isn’t a day I do not work at my job or a waking moment when I do not think through a work-related problem. Even my critics cannot begrudge the long hours I put in. Our people deserve-a-government that works just as hard as they do.

A President must be on the job 24/7, ready for any contingency, any crisis, anywhere, anytime.

Everything right can be undone by even a single wrong. Every step forward must be taken in the teeth of political pressures and economic constraints that could push you two steps back-if-you flinch and falter. I have not flinched, I have not faltered. Hindi ako umaatras sa hamon.

And I have never done any of the things that have scared my worst critics so much. They are frightened by their own shadows.

In the face of attempted coups, I issued emergency proclamations just in case. But I was able to resolve these military crises with the ordinary powers of my office. My critics call it dictatorship. I call it determination. We know it as strong government.

But I never declared martial law, though they are running scared as if I did. In truth, what they are really afraid of is their weakness in the face of this self-imagined threat.

I say to them: do not tell us what we all know, that democracy can be threatened. Tell us what you will do when it is attacked.

I know what to do:

As I have shown, I will defend democracy with arms when it is threatened by violence; with firmness when it is weakened by division; with law and order when it is subverted by anarchy; and always, I will try to sustain it by wise policies of economic progress, so that a democracy means not just an empty liberty but a full life for all.

I never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term. Many of those who accuse me of it tried to cling like nails to their posts.

I am accused of misgovernance. Many of those who accuse me of it left me the problem of their misgovernance to solve. And we did it.

I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit. Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime.

We can read their frustrations. They had the chance to serve this good country and they blew it by serving themselves.

Those who live in glass houses should cast no stones. Those who should be in jail should not threaten it, especially if they have been there.

Our administration, with the highest average rate of growth, recording multiple increases in investments, with the largest job creation in history, and which gets a credit upgrade at the height of a world recession, must be doing something right, even if some of those cocooned in corporate privilege refuse to recognize it.

Governance, however, is not about looking back and getting even. It is about looking forward and giving more—to the people who gave us the greatest, hardest gift of all: the care of a country.

From Bonifacio at Balintawak to Cory Aquino at EDSA and up to today, we have struggled to bring power to the people, and this country to the eminence it deserves.

Today the Philippines is weathering well the storm that is raging around the world. It is growing stronger with the challenge. When the weather clears, as it will, there is no telling how much farther forward it can go. Believe in it. I believe.

We can and we must march forward with hope, optimism and determination.

We must come together, work together and walk together toward the future.

Bagamat malaking hamon ang nasa ating harapan, nasa kamay natin ang malaking kakayahan. Halina’t pagtulungan nating tiyakin ang karapat-dapat na kinabukasan ng ating Inang Bayan.

And to the people of our good country, for allowing me to serve as your President, maraming salamat. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

 

Secretary Gilbert Teodoro also wants to become president.

June 4, 2009

Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro also wants to become president. Well,  he should run because PGMA says so. I don’t really know anything about him apart from being the administration’s bet for 2010.

Gilberto Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. also known as Gilbert Teodoro, is the youngest Secretary to hold the Defense portfolio at the age of 43, when he assumed the post in August 2007. As head of the Department of National Defense, Secretary Teodoro is keen on ably pursuing Philippine defense reforms and is determined to make the defense and military establishment truly responsive to the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people.

His passion for public service and aptitude for leadership is evident even at a very young age. Shortly after he completed his secondary education at the Xavier School, he was elected President of the Kabataang Barangay for Tarlac in 1980 and concurrently assumed Presidency of the Kabataang Barangay for Central Luzon until 1985. He also became a member of the Sanguniang Panlalawigan of Tarlac from 1980 to 1986.

Even with his hands full, Secretary Teodoro successfully completed his Bachelor of Science in Commerce, Major in Financial Institutions at the De La Salle University in 1984. Since then, he focused his sights on acquiring for himself further education and knowledge to aid him in his desire to pursue public service. In 1989, he completed his Law studies at the University of the Philippines where he was awarded the Dean’s Medal for Academic Excellence. In the same year, he topped the Philippine Bar exams.

Sen Loren Legarda for President on Election 2010

Legarda for me has always been sour graping at De Castro since she lost the VP bid. This is pathetic. How lame could these two losers get? De Castro doesn’t do much except pat Manny Pacquiao on the back whenever he wins a new boxing title while Legarda does nothing but to, what else, relieve and recount how De Castro and PGMA stole her’s and FPJ’s would-be positions. Come on, tell us something we don’t know and even if Legarda tells her story a thousand times, PGMA will not step down. I mean, not even Lozada, could bring her down.

Manny Villar for President - Sipag at Tiyaga. Moving forward with Manny Villar

June 3, 2009

Manny Villar for President - Sipag at Tiyaga. 

Moving forward with Manny Villar

Former Philippine Senate President, known as Manny, announced in September plans to run for president in 2010. Largest shareholder in high-end homebuilder Vista Land; son is its chief financial officer. Stock down two-thirds in past year. Has stake in condo developer Polar Property Holdings. Shrimp vendor’s son grew up in slum.

Iboboto niyo ba si Manny Villar or May ibang candidate po  kayo? 

Presidentiables Election 2010

Philippine Presidentiables Election 2010

List of Presidential Candidate for 2010 Election

1. Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay.
2. Vice President Noli de Castro
3. MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando
4. Senator Ping Lacson
5. Senator Loren Legarda
6. Senator Mar Roxas
7. Senator Manny “Sipag at Tiyaga” Villar
8. Senator Francis Escudero
9. Pampanga Governor “Among” Ed Panlilio
10. Secretary Gilbert Teodoro
11. Senator Richard Gordon
12. Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada
13. Bro. Eddie Villanueva

           

Willie Revillame for Vice President

June 2, 2009

There are talks going around that Willie Revillame is being considered as running mate of Noli de Castro in the 2010 Presidential Elections. Willie Revillame dismisses the idea and plans to stay out of politics saying:

“Hindi ako pupwede. Para sakin, gusto ko, ang buhay ko,Wowowee lang. Bakit ako tatakbo ng vice, dahil sa popularity ko? Dapat handa ang puso mo, pag-iisip mo, spiritually, mentally, lahat ready ka. Kasi tingnan mo, pag pumasok ka sa pulitika, mahirap. Nakikita naman natin ang pulitika, e. Nakikita mo naman kung gaano kadumi, hindi ba? Sa loob na nga ng Senado, nag-aaway-away, e. Sa Wowowee lang walang away, di ba?”

Eh kung mag-change mind, will you vote for him?

Governor Ed Panlilio for President?

June 1, 2009

 

its about time to have an honest to GODness person who will lead our Beloved Philippines for 2010.

Panahon na ng bagong pag-asa para sa PILIPINAS !

AMONG ED for PRESIDENT 2010

The news flash said Governor Ed Panlilio of Pampanga will run for president in the coming 2010 election.

Although I am half-expecting it since he won as governor of Pampanga in the last election, I was still surprised that it really happened.

What do you think? Leave your comment.

My Fellow Filipinos

October 17, 2008

When I was small, the Philippine peso was P7 to 1$. The president was Ferdinand E. marcos. Life was simple. Life was easy. My father was a farmer. My mother kept a small sari-sari store where our neighbors bought sang-perang asin, sang-perang bagoong, sang-perang suka, sang-perang toyo at pahinging isang butil na bawang. Our backyard had kamatis, kalabasa, talong, ampalaya, upo, batao, and okra. Our silong had chicken. We had a pig, dog & cat. And of course, we lived in the farm. During rainy season, my father caught frogs at night which my mother made into batute (stuffed frog), or just plain fried. During the day, he caught hito and dalag from his rice paddies, which he would usually inihaw. During dry season, we relied on the chickens, vegetables, bangus, tuyo, and tinapa. Every now and then, there was pork and beef from the town market. Life was so peaceful, so quiet, no electricity, no TV. Just the radio for Tia Dely, Roman Rapido, Zimatar, Dahlia, Tawag ng Tanghalan and Tang-tarang- tang. And who can forget Leila Benitez on Darigold Jamboree? On weekends, I played with my neighbours (who were all my cousins). Tumbang-lata/ preso, taguan, piko, luksong lubid, patintero, at iba pa. I don’t know about you, but I miss those days.

These days, we face the TV, Internet, e-mail, newspaper, magazine,grocery catalog, or drive around. The peso is a staggering and incredible P45 to the $dollar (last year ay umabot pa nga ng P55 per $1). Most people can’ t have fun anymore. Life has become a battle. We live to work. Work to live. Life is not easy. I was in Saudi Arabia in 1983. It was lonely, difficult, & scary. It didn’t matter if you were a man or a woman. You were a target for rape. The salary was cheap & the vacation far between. If the boss didn’t want you to go on holiday, you didn’t. They had your passport. Oh, and the agency charged you almost 4months of your salary (which, if you had to borrow on a ‘ 20% per month arrangement ‘ meant your first year’s pay was all gone before you even earned it).

The Philippines used to be one of the most important countries in Asia . Before & during my college days, many students from neighboring Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia , Japan and China went to the Philippines to get their diplomas. Until 1972,like President Macapagal, President Marcos was one of the most admired presidents of the world. The Peso had kept its value of P8 to the $dollar until I finished college. Today, the Philippines is famous as the ‘housemaid’ capital of the world. It ranks very high as the ‘cheapest labor’ capital of the world too. We have maids in Hong Kong, laborers in Saudi Arabia, dancers in Japan, migrants and TNTs in Australia and the US, and all sorts of other tricky jobs in other parts of the globe.

Quo Vadis, Pinoy? Is that a wonder or a worry? Are you proud to be a Filipino or does it even matter anymore? When you see the Filipino flag and hear the Pambansang Awit, do you feel a sense of pride or a sense of defeat & uncertainty ? If only things could change for the better…… . Hang on for this is a job for Superman. Or whom do you call? Ghostbusters, joke. Right?

Tax on Text! Grabe!

October 1, 2008

We say ‘I love the Philippines .. I am proud to be a Filipino‘. Dati ang pamasahe nun sa jeepney ay 25 sentimos, ngayon ay tumataginting na P10.00 na at may mga nagbabalak pa na itaas ito. Ultimo text messages sa cellfone ay balak pa rin lagyan ng tax ng mga ungas na pulitiko, eh sila itong dapat taasan ng tax. Mga pulitikong graduate sa 4 na sikat na kolehiyo/unibersida dito sa Pilipinas (alam nyo na kung ano yung mga yun) na namumuno ng bansa, mga aktibista kuno ngunit may bahid ng pagnanasa na nakawin ang kaban ng bayan! Mga ungas at magnanakaw talaga, na nagsipag-aral pa sa mga sikat na kolehiyo upang gawing perpekto ang pangungurakot!

MY SHORT ESSAY ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES

July 19, 2008

Bakit

November 5, 2007

Ilang beses ko bang susubukang sabihin sayo
Na sorry sa mga kasalanang nagawa ko
Ngunit sa tuwing sinisimulan kong subukang sabihin sayo
Chaka mo namang sinasabing…
Ay! Puchang problemang to'y simula na naman
Madaming beses ko ring sinabi sa sarili
Bakit di ka na lang matutong bunganga'y itikom
Dahil masakit sa akin ang marinig ang mga salitang ibinabato mo
Mga salitang itinatalak mo
Sabihin mo sa 'kin
Bakit, Bakit?

Buwang man ako
Bulag man ako
Maaring may galit at mapang-husga
Subalit nababasa ko pa rin ang iniisip mo
At di ilang beses ko ring narinig na mas mabuti ang kalagayan ko
Kung sa halip…
Bakit di mo makita itong bangka ay lumulubog
Layag na 'to'y lumulubog, ang bangkang ito ay lumulubog
'Tena sa gilid ng tubig
At dooy i-itcha ang pagdududa
May mga bagay na mas mabuti pang di na dapat sabihin
Ngunit nakakapanghimutok
'Turan mo
Bakit? Bakit?

Heto ang bibliya na di ko nabasa
Heto ang mga salitang di ko nasambit
Heto ang mga landas na di ko tinahak
Heto ang mga pangarap na napanagimpan, sa halip
Heto ang mga tuwang di naipamahagi
Ito din ang mga luha, luhang itinangis
Ito ang hinagpis
Ito ang laman ng aking isip
At ito naman ang mga taon ng ating pagsasamahan
At ito rin ang aking mga nararamdaman
Alam mo ba ang aking nararamdaman?
Dahil, iniisip kong di mo batid ang aking nararamdaman!
Di mo alam, wala kang alam
Di mo batid ang aking nararamdaman…

October Fest, Fiestang Kuliat, Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan

September 24, 2007

In a nutshell, the celebration of Fiestang Kuliat embodies the emergence of Angeles City as one of the progressive urban centers in Region III after the “double whammy” that hit the City in 1991 — the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the withdrawal of the US Military base in Clarkfield.

The Angeleños resiliency and steadfast resolve to recover from these trials brought us to where we are now. The aftermath of these natural and man-made disasters brought anew the inherent Kapampangan trait of determination to survive. Amidst widespread uncertainty, the local government responded to the needs of its people in crisis; various institutions and civic organizations came and gave assistance. Affected businesses started to gain new ground, and Angeleños from all walks of life temporarily set aside differences and worked together to regain normalcy in their lives.

Angeleños felt a need to jubilate from these significant experience and historical milestone. Hence, a year after Pinatubo came the realization of a bright idea — the celebration of Fiestang Kuliat, which aptly represents the triumph of Angeleños inspite of these crises. Since its birth in 1992, the Fiestang Kuliat has been an integral part of Angeles City's rich culture and heritage. The significant event also gives an opportunity to fellow cabalens from nearby towns and local tourists from manila to experience the revelry and the enticing charm of the city.

Check Schedule on : http://angelesportal.com/fiesta.html

New Government Accounting System (NGAS)

September 6, 2007

To download the System and Procedures Manual on the Management of Barangay Funds and Property and Accounting System Manual for Barangay under the New Government Accounting System (NGAS) just go to this URL…

http://barangaynetwork.co.nr

or visit Angeles Portal Network

HINANAKIT ng sang ordinaryong office worker na ayaw nang magbayad ng tax…ever!

August 23, 2007

Alam mo, marami tayo sa bangka. Ang ibig kong sabihin, pare-pareho ang nadarama nating frustration sa bansang Pilipinas na kahit na anong pagtulak at pag-iwan dito ay nananatiling kaisa-isang bansang pinanggalingan natin. Gusto kitang batiin dahil kahit na hindi ka ka-eloquent katulad ng mga politician, naipadala mo ang mensahe na malinaw para sa lahat.

Kaisa mo ako sa frustration naito : Tuwing mamasyal ka sa Pilipinas para magpahinga sa kakakayod, lalo lamang stress ang mahahagap mo.

Paglabas pa lang ng airport ay stress na ang sumasalubong sa iyo dahil sa dami ng taong basta na lang bubuhatin ang ang mga bagahe mo at hihingan ka ng pera.

Mamasyal ka sa mga sinasabing tourist spot, halimbawa sa Pagsanjan Falls>> hindi mo man lang ma-enjoy ang views dahil walang tigil ang mga boat men sa kapapaalala sa iyo ng tip nila, ng pagkain ng anak nila, ng birthday ng kung sino at kailangan nila ng pambili ng alak…. haaay.

I-kumpara mo ang tarif nila sa ibang bansa, pareho lang ang presyo, kadalasan ay mas mahal pa, pero por dyos por santo, walang matinong facility, ni sa simpleng kalikasang pangangailangan na pag-ihi!

Saan nga ba napupunta ang mga perang ito?!?

Sa bansang pinupuntahan natin ay malaki din ang binabayaran natin para sa comfort na ito, an indirect taxation. Pero sa Pilipinas, napupunta saan ang pera.

Nabanggit ko ang paglabas sa airport, mayroon ding tax sa paglabas ng bansa. So far, Pilipinas lang ang alam ko na nangongolekta ng 550 pesos sa lahat ng pasaheros ng eroplano, imagine ang dami ng pasaheros araw-araw! Saan napupunta ito samantalang ang Philippine airport sa kasalukuyan ay good as trash, pinakapangit na international airport na nakita ko!

Para ba sa bagong airport ang kinokolekta??

Gusto kong tanungin sa custom officer; baka may alam sya aside from collecting the 550 pesos from each passenger, pero dios mio, mukhang un-approachable ang itsura.

Sa bandang katamaran,katangahan at pagdami ng mga pinoy : gobyerno din ang may pakana nyan. Walang epektibong programa para sa mga kaalaman; sa TV punong puno ng mga patalastas sa shampoo at magkakandaduling ka sa dami ng text messaging na kung anu anong kabalbalan.

Pero attractive na patalastas para tulungan ang mga kabataan, ang populason tungkol sa Family Planning at mga simpleng kaalaman ay wala (well, wala lang siguro akong nakita, dahil panay contest)

Tutuo na nakapanlulumo na kandahirap ang middle class para magkaroon ng kaayusan, pero hinuhuthot ng mga taong nasa position. Resulta, ang mayayaman lalong yumayabang, at ang mahihirap, lalong nagiging miserable at tanga.

Angeles City Portal Network - Kapampangan Premier City

Angeles City is one of the Cities in Pampanga which is dotted with spanish-era ancestral house, churches premier city and hub of commercial activity. The city and historical markers. Angeles' colonial past can be best seen along the city's main and oldest street, Sto, Rosario, and Clark Field (Formerly known as Fort Stotsenberg). while history is maintained, progress takes its steady course in the province. Clark - former bastion of U.S. military might - is now the site of the booming Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ). Angeles and Clark together form the hub of air transport, tourism, trade, finance and industry in Cetral Luzon. One can also enjoy sightseeing, hiking and Mt. Pinatubo treks, special interest activities, shopping, fine dinning and entertainment.

for more details : visit: http://angelesportal.com