Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts

Monday, June 22, 2009

Politicians cause of poverty, hunger and insurgency

FLAGS OF THE UNITED STATES, PHILIPPINESImage by mtfrazier via Flickr


by Nomadicasian, November 22, 2007

This strong accusation by a nomadic Asian is worth republication and reconsideration.

Yes indeed, Filipino politicians and those who are in government service are the cause of poverty, hunger and insurgency in the Philippines.

Majority of these politicians belongs to the prominent families of the Philippines who ruled the country since after independence from the American colonizer. The neo-politicos who gained prominence after the EDSA Revolution of 1986 are likewise to blame for the unrelenting debacle of the poor Philippines.

The seats of power are divided and passed onto their relatives, to their next of kin, father, mother, brother, sister etc and the cycle continues.

These people practically owned almost the entire Philippines. And holy cow, these politicos are educated in the world renown Universities in America and Europe. They have their Master of Arts and doctoral degrees prominently displayed in their personal information. They send their relatives one after the other to the same schools abroad and return to the Philippines to run for public office only to amass wealth as a reward for a stint abroad as students.

They are well educated alright, but once they’re in power, they accumulate wealth in so short a time, almost triple the money that they spent as students abroad.

They have no regards to the poor masses; all they have in mind is their personal interests on how to remain rich at the expense of the uneducated and poor people of the Philippines.

Also, the men in government who are appointed to run the day to day affairs of the country contribute to the problems by using their positions to manipulate, rigged, influence every contract at their own disposal in exchanged for FAT COMMISSIONS.

They are not taking chances; every available transaction is considered easy money and must go to their pockets by hook or by crook. Both politicos and the men in government have their mansions, flashy cars, acres of lands and buildings around the country.

Their sons and daughters are in private, air conditioned and stately schools and blessed with luxuries.

The poor masses lives in small shacks, in squatters, [with] no lands of their own and work as scavengers, tradesmen, mendicants. Their sons and daughters are poorly educated, roaming around town, clawed by pedophiles and sex predators and oftentimes die in hunger. Others resort to criminality and in the rural areas join rebel movements.

This is SAD - REALLY SAD. How I wish that someday the Philippines will be great again, again because once upon a time the Philippines was second to Japan but now the country is a step ahead of Timbuktu, whatever that means.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Son fears for absent father's welfare

Philippine Army seeks guerrillas around father's home town

At 09:54am this morning, Philippine time, Jason contacted me from an internet cafe in San Isidro, Laguna using the Yahoo Messenger program.

He was sad and worried, having received text messages yesterday from Susan, a woman friend of his father Melchior.

Susan said for the past week Melchior had been absent from his home in the hilltop village of San Antonio, Laguna, and staying in the town of Majayjay, Laguna.'Last night', Jason said, 'I can't sleep thinking about my father: what happened there?'

I wondered why Melchior went to Majayjay. 'That's my problem Bern' Jason said: 'why he went... I ask Susan why but she can't answer; that's why I'm thinking and worried.'

Jason had no idea about his father's situation. 'I don't know what he['s] doing there; I ask Susan if my father have work there; say nothing...'

He wanted to accompany Susan to Majayjay this morning. 'She know where he is. That's why I want to go in San Antonio now; to [be] clear about my father['s] situation and why he went there but... '

Jason was worried because he suspected Susan had many friends in the communist New People's Army.

There were many NPA guerrillas around San Antonio, and many Philippine Army troops trying to find them: 'And my father every day is in the mountain' [as part of his charcoal-making and rice growing activities].

I did not see that Jason's father had done anything that should cause him to be afraid of the NPA or the army but Jason repeated: 'I'm very worried Bern; that's why I want to go with Susan in Majayjay now.'

Majayjay was far from San Isidro. Jason had a motorcycle, 'but I don't have money for transportation, or for the gasoline; I need 500 PHP [to go] with Susan; I think it is enough to go there to see my father.'

I was sad about that but my own life had become quite difficult and I lacked the financial resources to help.

'Also: last night Tina wanted money to take two children to the Laguna Provincial Hospital but I couldn't help.

'Michael planned to take Mel to the Philippine General Hospital Out-Patients Department this morning. I fear they'll need money for pathology tests and prescriptions but that's a big problem for me too.'

Jason was downcast and repeatedly apologetic: 'I know your situation Bern... sorry for sharing this to you ... I try what I can do now; I'm sad and worried about my father; I want to see him... don't think about what I'm sharing.'

Jason's hour online was running out. I hoped his father had family cellphone numbers in his possession, and someone kind enough to allow him a text; and that Jason still had some cellphone credit. 'Texts to me via Yahoo are OK', I said. They would be much cheaper than SMS messages to my cellphone.

An hour and 20 minutes later, Jason sent me a text: 'Bern, I'm not yet go to Majayjay, can't borrow money for d transport, or for gasoline. All my [friends and relations] are "don't have." I'm sad.'

I was sorry to hear that. 'I'll think about the problem', I replied, 'but money is a big problem [for me too] now. I suppose Susan is also short of money.'

'I don't know what to do now Bern...' Jason said. I want to see my father but I can't do nothing.'

'Maybe you're worrying too much', I responded. 'There's an old saying, though: "No news is good news." I trust something will turn up.'

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

College girl's skin lesion healed following surgery: father seeks help again


Fernando (10:38:13): Hi, how are you now? Hope you're OK. About Rhea-Fe: she is good condition and also operation is perfect. We are here in my house. I am a candidate as a councilor in our Brgy. 2 at Kalye Pogi. Thanks a lot to your help my family.

Bern (10:45:28): Fernando! It's so good to hear from you at last, and especially good to hear that Rhea-Fe is in good condition and the operation perfect!

Fernando (10:51:12): Thanks very much Bern. [I] was running a candidate as a councilor this coming Oct 29 barangay election.

Bern (10:55:40): Yes, congratulations! You have wide experience of life so I'm sure you'd make a good councilor. I hope you win and also receive a good regular salary for it.

Fernando (11:06:50): Thanks and hope you have a good health and 19 of Oct starting of campaigning so I need your help in a meantime; it's me, Poe*.

Bern (11:09:34): So it's a 10-day election campaign? I worry when you say you need my help because I suffer from great financial stresses now.

Fernando (11:16:56): It's OK, I [am] just asking to you if you give me help a good for us. I am going to Comelec** now to file my candidacy. Thanks Bern.

Bern (11:18:23): My best wishes go with you. Fernando, Jov's wife Tina from Kalayaan is begging help today. She has fever and no antibiotics.

Bern (11:19:37): Jov's younger brother Mel is also begging urgently for help from Magdapio. He has no work and no money but wants to buy cellphone loads to sell again.

Bern (11:20:50): I just spent AU$600 to pay for an elderly lady to fly to her daughter's funeral and I must spend another $700 or more to register my car immediately.

Fernando (11:28:01): Well thanks again and hope you're always in good health and condition course I knew you have given help here in Pagsanjan especially [to] Jov's family. Rubee-Fer asking when did you come back in Phil[ippines].

Bern (11:29:58): Oh, I wish I could return soon but I just don't see how it's possible for some time. My health is not bad, all things considered, but I suffer many stresses.

Fernando (11:32:44): Regards to you, Rubee-Fer say love you, ninong [godfather]. Take care of yourself. I know you're going older. Thanks, gud a.m.

Bern (11:34:37): Hey, don't remind me I'm growing older! Age is only a number (I wish!). I'm so glad that someone and especially Rubee-Fer loves me! My love to her also!

Fernando (11:39:40): Yes I know only a number getting older not in your body. Rubee getting taller and beauty. She is graduating now at her grade six elementary she wish you come back soon.

Bern (11:42:08): Well, children getting taller and more beautiful, that's a bit different! But please pardon me now, I'm being called urgently to merienda [snack] with a visitor!
---
*Poe: a nickname derived from the movie star Fernando Poe.
 
**Comelec: Comission on Elections.

Philippine president allegedly distributes huge bribes to members of congress

gloria macapagal arroyoImage by gmaresign via Flickr

Bribe it was

By Antonio C. Abaya

IS there no end to our despair, our despondency, our humiliation over our politics and our politicians?

Some 190 congressmen were summoned to a breakfast meeting in Malacañang with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last Thursday, Oct 11. At the end of the meeting, envelopes were allegedly given away to the attendees, each one supposedly containing P200,000 to P500,000 in cash, as “send-off gifts” or “a remembrance” or “help” (See the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Oct. 12.)

In addition, each attending congressman was allegedly promised pork barrel allocation of up to P70 million.

The cash envelopes were given away apparently without any vouchers to be signed by the recipients, without any indication from which department the (presumably public) money was coming from, without any instructions on how or for what purpose the money was to be used and without any indication that the amounts were to be accounted for or liquidated at a certain date.

In other words, each recipient was free to use the cash, partly or fully, for the coming barangay elections or other local community project, or for his or her own personal needs. Which would be a working definition of a bribe.

* * *

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Thursday, October 04, 2007

Laguna vice mayor gunned down

Article posted at 08:41 a.m. GMT+8 by GMANews.TV

Unidentified gunmen ambushed and shot dead a municipal vice mayor in Pagsanjan town in Laguna province early Thursday morning.

Radio dzRH reported that the ambush on Lumban Vice Mayor Zaldy Raga took place at about 8 a.m., just as his service vehicle reached the bridge in Pagsanjan town.

The victim, wearing a white T-shirt and denim shorts, was clutching his cal-.45 pistol when he fell dead to the ground, indicating he tried to fire back at his assailants.

Initial investigation showed Raga was going to Pagsanjan from Lumban when he was ambushed. Police are still trying to determine the motive for the ambush.

Radio dzMM reported that police recovered 43 empty slugs at the crime scene.

Lumban is a fourth-class town with a population of 25,936 people in 5,456 households. Pagsanjan is a second-class town with a population of 32,622 people in 7,274 households. - with a report from Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV