Friday, January 23, 2009

GMA and her band of army

The reshuffling of the Arroyo government, where key positions were assigned to mostly generals, portends bigger things to come. The move bespeaks danger.

Whether she is paying debt to people responsible for her stay in power is out of the question. With desperate moves to change the constitution, GMA prepares her band of army to clear whatever obstacle comes her way to extending her term beyond 2010.

The fact that most of the appointees came from an institution whose reputation reeks of several cases of human rights violations -- political killings, and innumerable cases of enforced disappearances -- is highly questionable.

Remember Hermogenes Esperon Jr -- the then AFP chief of staff at the time Jonas Burgos was abducted by military men, the man behind the controversial ancestral
domain who several times said that "enemies of democracy shall be decimated."

Then there's former PNP Chief General Avelino Razon who's responsible for kidnapping Jun Lozada to suppress the latter from testifying against the First Family's involvement in the controversial ZTE broadband network deal. Razon, along with National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, is also responsible for the disinformation campaign against Prof. Jose Maria Sison.

Now, can we expect change to come? I say yes. To say expect a more repressive government is an understatement.

I am certain these people were appointed to make sure no amount of civilian upheaval can prevent GMA from pushing through with her agenda. As Inquirer aptly titled today's editorial: More militarization. Click here

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Save our children's future, spare our country from Gloria's evil ways


New Year revelries are over but we must remember the unfinished tasks from the past year. Lawmakers, who are set to return to work on January 19, are expected to come out with a decision on the manner of changing the Constitution – either by constituent assembly or constitutional convention.

There is nothing to be joyful about. We must take bolder actions to foil Gloria Arroyo’s desperate moves to stay in power. Watch out for the signature drive Youth Act Now is set to launch. Let us gather our collective actions and let the people’s will prevail.

Photo courtesy of Newsbreak/Buck Pago

Friday, January 2, 2009

The Dictators by Pablo Neruda

An odor has remained among the sugarcane:
a mixture of blood and body, a penetrating
petal that brings nausea.
Between the coconut palms the graves are full
of ruined bones, of speechless death-rattles.
The delicate dictator is talking
with top hats, gold braid, and collars.
The tiny palace gleams like a watch
and the rapid laughs with gloves on
cross the corridors at times
and join the dead voices
and the blue mouths freshly buried.
The weeping cannot be seen, like a plant
whose seeds fall endlessly on the earth,
whose large blind leaves grow even without light.
Hatred has grown scale on scale,
blow on blow, in the ghastly water of the swamp,
with a snout full of ooze and silence

The year that was

As I witness the year 2008 unfold, I kept track on numerous articles that have been written to give us a rundown of the important events of 2008. Showbiz news, quotable quotes, newsmakers, and to top it all, news stories that we closely monitored.

The US election that proclaimed Barack Obama as the first African-American president was voted the top news story of 2008 in The Associated Press’ annual poll. Meanwhile, Heath Ledger's death was voted the 2008's top entertainment story in a survey still conducted by the AP. Ledger, 28, played Joker in "The Dark Knight."

George Bush once again made it to the news when Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi threw his shoes at Bush at a press conference in Baghdad held to honor the adoption of the US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Zeidi bellowed, "This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans, and those who were killed in Iraq."

Local showbiz writers also had their share of articles on some of the important events of 2008. Ruben Nepales of Philippine Daily Inquirer compiled the past year’s quotable quotes from Hollywood stars. Meanwhile, Dolly Ann Carvajal penned 28 best celebrity quotes of 2008.

Indeed, our hands are full with numerous issues and concerns our countries coped with.

Below are some of the news stories of 2008 that we shall never forget.

1. De Venecia’s fall.

Jose de Venecia was voted out of his seat after an obviously scripted maneuverings in the House of Representatives. GMA ally Prospero Nograles, representative of Davao City, replaced JDV.
It can be remembered that JDV sided with his son Jose de Venecia III when the latter accused Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of being the force behind China’s ZTE bagging the $329-million contract for the National Broadband Network (NBN) project, with husband Mike Arroyo, and other cronies.

2. ZTE NBN scandal, Jun Lozada’s testimony

Whistle-blower Jun Lozada got the people rallying behind him after he was kidnapped by government security forces to prevent him from testifying at the Senate, which had been investigating allegations of corruption in the agreement that was forged with ZTE Corp.

Jun Lozada, in his testimony, implicated the President, FG Mike Arroyo, Chairman Abalos, and other political allies.

3. The rice price crisis

In February 2008, a memorandum from the National Food Authority (NFA) listed down the causes of the rice crisis. This was followed by government pronouncements that rice will be imported from Vietnam. Ensuing scenarios led to people flocking to NFA stores to buy cheaper rice.

According to Rafael "Ka Paeng" Mariano, chairman of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and concurrent representative of ANAKPAWIS party list, the country needs immediate rice price controls and a genuine agrarian reform law in order to address this problem that the government itself created.

KMP asserts that the rice crisis in the country and the world is aggravated by an artificial one made by the rice cartel.

4. Oil price hikes

The country was confronted with incessant oil price hikes causing prices of basic goods and commodities to soar up.

From 2005 when the Arroyo government imposed the value-added tax on petroleum products, a tremendous increase of price by 20 percent on gasoline products occurred. Diesel and kerosene prices have increased by 17% and 19%, respectively. LPG posted the highest increase in price with a 36%-hike. Meanwhile, fuel oil has increased its price by as much as 31 percent.

Unfortunately, the government refuses to repeal the deregulation law and the cancellation of the VAT to regulate the local oil industry.

5. Disaster at sea: the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy

MV Princess of the Stars capsized in Romblon at the height of typhoon Frank on June 22, 2008. The ferry was carrying over 865 passengers and left more than 70 dead, 56 survivors. The blame was placed on the ship’s Captain when it allowed the ship to sail despite the storm. MV Princess of the Stars is said to be the crown jewel of Sulpicio Lines.

6. Ces Drilon and colleagues held up in Sulu

Ces Drilon and her two assistants were sent to Zamboanga to interview Abu Sayyaf leader Radulan Sahiron. She and her companions ended up being held up by the mercenary bandits who demanded P20 million for their freedom.

After a series of consultations, she, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, and her driver were freed.

It can be recalled that Arlyn dela Cruz suffered the same fate while covering the Abu Sayyaf in April 2002.

7. The aborted GRP-MILF MOA on Ancestral Domain

The debates over the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led to the eruption of renewed conflict between the AFP and the MILF.

The issue about ancestral domain still remains unresolved. In fact, it caused further divisiveness in the already restless far South. Mrs. Arroyo further aggravated the situation by ordering renewed military offensives against the MILF.

Christian residents dramatized their protest against the possible inclusion of several villages in the so-called Bangsamoro homeland to be supervised by the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) under the MILF.

8. Manny Pacquiao wins over dela Hoya.

Pacquiao once again proved his might when he defeated Golden Boy Oscar dela Hoya. Dela Hoya manages Pacquiao through its Golden Boy Productions.

9. The global financial crisis.

The country has yet to experience the full-blown effects of the global financial crisis that inundated big capitalist countries starting from imperialist United States.

Just last quarter of this year, many OFWs have already been sent home by their employers. Poverty is expected to rise with numerous job losses, retrenchments, and meager wages, combined with sky-rocketing prices.

10. GMA’s Charter Change.

The battle lines have once again been drawn between pro Cha-cha and anti-Cha-cha groups. Two things remain obvious. Gloria Arroyo will reap all seeds sown and grown by his cohorts in Congress. The Filipino people will have to bear the repercussions of an extremely wicked scheme.

Let us not forget the year that past. This shall guide us to muster the courage to face greater challenges ahead. Let's draw inspiration from those innocent lives that have been taken, voices that have been silenced, stories that were never told. Let us remain vigilant in the light of vicious attempts to trample upon our ancestors’ legacy of valiance to protect this country from falling into the hands of the greedy.

References: IBON Foundation, Inquirer.net, PinoyPress, abs-cbn.com, gmanewstv.com