30 November 2009

Kahihiyan sa Araw ni Bonifacio!

"November 30, 2009 - Joseph Ejercito Estrada filed his candidacy for the Presidency... Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced she will run for Congress"

Walang delikadeza. Ganid sa kapangyarihan. Garapal sa karangyaan. Kapal ng mga mukha. Mga walang hiya.

Sa lahat ng mga Filipinong nakapag-aral, nakakaraos sa buhay, di kahirapan, nagkaroon ng edukasyon, mga propesyonal, abugado, artista, doktor, engineers, media practitioners, atbp … na patuloy na naglalaan ng kanilang serbisyo, talino at talento, at patuloy na nag-sisilbi, sumu-suporta at sumu-sulsol sa mga <@#$%!> Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at Joseph Ejercito Estrada …

Nasaan ang inyong mga dangal? Nasan ang inyong pagka-Filipino? Bakit ninyo pina-pabayaang patuloy dungisan ng isang Gloria at ng isang Erap ang mga institusyon ng ating bayan? Bakit ninyo patuloy hinahayaang lapastangin ni Gloria at ni Erap ang institusyon ng kapanguluhan ng ating bayan? Bakit?

Nasaan ang inyong pagmamalasakit sa bayan? Nasaan? Anong aral ang nais ninyong iparating at ipahiwatig sa mga susunod na henerasyong Filipino, sa inyong mga anak at mga magiging anak? Nasan ang inyong konsensya? Nasaan?

Hindi kayo mga mangmang, mas nakaka-intindi kayo kung ano ang tuwid at baluktot na pag-iisip, mas nakaka-alam kayo kung ano ang nararapat sa kinabukasan ng bayan, kung anong respeto ang dapat na binibigay ng bawat Filipino sa mga institusyon ng ating bayan.

Bakit ninyo hinahayaan ang patuloy na pag-wa-walanghiya sa ating bayan ni Erap at ni Gloria? Bakit kayo patuloy na nag-sisilbi at nagla-laan ng inyong mga talino sa mga ganitong klaseng pagkatao? Ito ba ang mga lider na gusto ninyong tuluran ng mga susunod na mga henerasyon? Nasaan nakalagay ang inyong pananagutan? Nasa bayan ba?

09 July 2005

Different Voices, Perilous Times

With so many different voices and messages, some contradicting and yet all supposedly speaking and acting on behalf of the nation’s best interest, how do we then discern whose voice and message should we heed, and whose voice and message truly have the nation’s best interest at heart?

At this point, we’ve already heard Cory, a business group (Makati Business Club), FVR, JDV, a political party (or parties? the “two” Liberal Parties), the ex-cabinet members (the Cabinet-10), the administration’s political party and some of the remaining cabinet members (Tiglao, Ermita, Claudio, Defensor). Of course, we’ve always heard the usual angry voices of the militants, the leftists, and the opposition. (By the way, hearing words like “liars” and “thieves” coming from Imee Marcos’ mouth makes you wonder if she is talking to herself or to her parents or both.)

We also even heard an American government official commenting on the nation’s politics. But we can easily dismiss this American voice and rule it out, as this obviously does not have our nation’s interest truly at heart. We should all ignore it, but nonetheless be very cautious of actions they may take or are already taking, especially those actions done behind the scenes. While they may sound and appear to be after our nation’s interest, the Americans (or any other nation for that matter), as every Filipino should know by now, are really only after their own nation’s interest. Rightly so, I might add. We should not feel bad about it, and perhaps, we could even learn something from that.

The CBCP was supposedly scheduled to give a statement today. While I wonder what the Catholic bishops would say about the nation’s current situation, should we really still listen to them on non-spiritual matters such as politics? As Conrado de Quiros had so elegantly and correctly put, “The bishops do not exist to decide on what's best for this country's political life, they exist to decide on what's best for this country's spiritual life. The bishops do not exist to decide on what's best for this country's body, they exist to decide what's best for this country's soul”. We all know that for centuries the Catholic Church has been a constant factor in the shaping and re-shaping of this nation. For better or for worse, only history can tell. Since Cardinal Sin has already passed away, perhaps it is already high-time that all Filipinos (the clergy included) should now recognize the separation of church and the State. Leave church-matters to the church, and State-matters to the State. This does not only apply to the Catholic Church but also to the other religious organizations, by the way.

I think the voice calling for changing the form of government and the subsequent charter change is very self-serving and very ill-timed. I can see TRAPOS all over this suggestion, as well as ageing politicians with their unrealized ambition of their youth to be in power, or perhaps to be back in power. This is their Viagra, a prescription for impotent politicians, who see this as their only chance at erection, err, election to power (and to hold on to it longer. Pun intended.) I do not think that tinkering with the constitution during these perilous times will serve the nation’s best interest. I am no student of history, and maybe I am mistaken, but didn’t Marcos, at one time, change the form of government to hold on to power?

As I have mentioned before (see post below), the opposition has no alternative (or should I say, “is no alternative”), even if they try to convince the people about a “caretaker council” with “caretaker” Roces as their alternative. So far, their supposed caretaker is not even biting. I just hope and pray that Ms. Roces would continue to be enlightened and not allow herself to be used by these puppet masters (the likes of Binay, Escudero, Marcos, the Estradas, etc). There are too many dark forces (Lacson included) in the opposition to even seriously consider them as a viable alternative.

Both the calls for resignation and the calls for impeachment is a call for Arroyo to step down and be replaced by her constitutionally mandated successor. These voices are the hardest to discern of them all. Which among these calls should we listen to? Which ones should we ignore? Discerning the real objective of the caller is the hard part. What is real and what is not. (Drilon’s call seems to be self-serving as he has something to gain when Arroyo steps down.) I believe that there is more to the resignation of the Cabinet-10 than what it seems, and they are right to say that we should listen to their message, at the very least, instead of entertaining conspiracy theories and name-calling. I have no connections or sources to speak of, but I do know that there are idealists, and there are pragmatists. During these perilous times, the question is which of these two serves the best interest of the nation? Since the future of the nation is ‘only’ at stake here, and since future generations will ‘only’ look back at this episode in our nation’s life, my bet is on the idealists. (Yes, you can call me naive.)

07 July 2005

no Jose Velarde, no Jose Pidal

I recently posted a comment in Jim Paredes' blog (with several mistakes, I might add.) I inadvertently posted my comment twice, and both posts had the same grammatical errors. I blame my fast clicking finger on both accounts. I’m no English major, so sa aking mga kababayan, I am sorry. I ask for your forgiveness for whatever “lapse in grammatical judgement” I may have committed in any of my previous (and future) posts. I now wish to move forward with my blogging life :) Jim’s blog (or Mr. Paredes’ blog, lest somebody thinks that I know him personally) has been insightful, and more or less aligns with my own reflections on what is happening on this nation (or state of the nation. heheh). His “musings and random thoughts” on life and his music make me think that if Apo Hiking Society were the Beatles, Jim would be John Lennon. (How’s that for a compliment, Mr. Jim? :) Hopefully, that would aid in your speedy recovery eh. Godspeed :)

After promoting my blog in his blog (forgive me for that momentary selfish act) and inviting him to check it out, I then signed the post as Jose Andres. I suddenly realized that my chosen nom de plume has a discomforting resemblance to two other notorious Joses of recent Philippine history. Horror of horrors! I immediately disclaimed any relations to the two Joses. Belated as my realization may seem, I have to set the record straight. Although how I wish this could be true, I have no millions hidden in secret bank accounts (or millions for that matter, whether secret or not :) It also dawned on me that Rizal might be turning from his grave upon hearing that his name has become the favorite of money launderers (and not just any money launderers mind you, but the kind that steals from the people they have sworn to serve – the most despicable type of thief.)

I originally wanted “AndresJose” in the URL of this blog, but it is already taken. (I guess I am more biased towards Bonifacio. But I know nothing, so I just leave that to the scholars.) Good thing that after the switch, it is still available. I just hope that through this blog (forgive me for this momentary self-aggrandizing act) that I somehow can reclaim the good name of Rizal that has been so tarnished by the likes of Mr. Velarde and Mr. Pidal. While I am at it (feeling self-important, that is :) , I now call on Mr. Jim and to all the other bloggers (and non-bloggers) out there who still cares for this nation, that perhaps by spreading and making our thoughts about this nation known, we can perhaps help form that collective consciousness as a nation (that we so lack), and ultimately help rebuild this nation blog by blog :) (I can dream, can I?)