Random Notes (16 May 2008)

Picture Borrowed from National Geographic

PDI, A1:

“The earthquake that struck Sichuan province on Monday has so far claimed 15,000 lives…” Most of them are children.

Yahoo! News:

“SAN FRANCISCO - California’s Supreme Court declared gay couples in the nation’s biggest state can marry — a monumental but perhaps short-lived victory for the gay rights movement Thursday that was greeted with tears, hugs, kisses and at least one instant proposal of matrimony.”

Los Angeles Times, Kenneth R. Weiss

Photo Borrowed from sxc.hu

“The [US] Interior Department on Wednesday designated the polar bear as threatened with extinction because of shrinking sea ice, making it the first creature added to the endangered species list primarily because of global warming.”

–

I’m lost of words, something’s truly near.

Earthquake in China

Philippine Daily Inquirer, Tuesday, May 13, 2008, p. A1:

“Chongqing, China – A massive earthquake struck central China on Monday, killing thousands of people in one county alone, flattening schools and homes, and trapping nearly 900 students under rubble – a powerful jolt that was felt across a swathe of Southeast Asia.”

“The epicenter of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake was in Sichuan…”

“The initial death toll in Sichuan was 7,651, including up to 5,000 in the county alone…”

–

Should we be surprised if almost everyday, unusual and unprecedented calamity, disaster, and crisis happen in different parts of the globe?

Events and Opinion Mapping (April)

Photo Courtesy of sxc.hu

Goodbye ZTE, hello Rice Shortage.

It was a few months ago when the circus in the Senate began. The interesting act? To directly link President GMA to the anomalous ZTE deal. Every Senator has his own portion, unique trick, and interesting questions. None, however, succeeded. The show has been proven to be short-lived, not much different from the Hello Garci Scandal, Fertilizer Scam, Jueteng Issue, Extra Judicial Killings, and tons of other accusations. All were oppositions’ hopes to bring down the GMA Administration. Too bad, political hopes are not meant to come true.

But what will happen now? After the 9-6 vote of the Supreme Court to uphold Neri’s right to invoke Executive Privilege, what will become of the ZTE Show? Senate Blue Ribbon Chair, Alan Cayetano, even has this to say while pulling the stage curtain down: There is no enough evidence to directly link President GMA to ZTE Scandal. So? What now? Aside from the waning popularity of Lozada, of course.

It’s not hard to tell. The stomach of Juan dela Cruz begins to grumble. The resources to fill it up commence a journey of scarcity towards crises, impending to reach a complete shortage.

This is like a déjà vu. GMA was previously in the hot seat for “Hello! Garci, I’d like to commit a lapse in judgment, how about if I do it to Mindanao votes.” (Sorry, what does lapse in judgment mean again?) Then, Kris Aquino began to bleed profusely; she’s breaking up with Joey Marquez. That certainly was more interesting, so the people trashed Garci and watched Krissy.

GMA survived.

When I was young and didn’t want to eat the food my mom prepared — perhaps because I was too busy playing — she would usually scare me and say in an emphatic, clear — really scary voice, “Your tummy will hurt. The large intestine will eat your small intestine until you die.” It was effective. I’d eat out of fear, not of the intestines grinding one another, but of my mom. Surely, if I wouldn’t fear her, or at least pretend to, the next scene would no longer be an appalling persuasive confrontation, but a strong-and-tough-rod-on-my-ass action.

I think all Filipino moms taught the same lesson to their children. Not the one about hitting the child if he doesn’t want to eat, but the one about the large intestine devouring the small ones in the absence of food. This is why Juans started to leave their seat before the TV screen (showing Senate inquiry) and began to fall in a long line to buy a kilo of NFA Rice.

I can see it, the Palace by the river is beginning to rejoice subconsciously: “Alas! My people, you’re hungry? Leave the Senate, here’s an 18-Peso per kilo of rice. Dig a grave deeper than six feet, bury the ZTE dead, and I’ll feed you.”

Obviously, Filipinos can live longer without knowing what would happen to the Senate investigation, which hadn’t shown a tiny shed of hope and ability that it could successfully bring down GMA from power. So, people opted to a question of far greater interest: How can Filipino families survive without rice? This shifting of issues is much more like changing the channel from Hello! Garci Show to The Kris Aquino Bares All buzz news.

Alas! GMA has survived, again — saved by the bell that clangs Rice Shortage.

The next tough question is: In these coming months, where are we going to get our staple food? Can we survive? Where’s Janina San Miguel? Can she answer this for us?

Cyclone Nargis

Photo Courtesy of Christians Concerned for Burma

“They have never seen anything like this before.”

In the absence of exact words, this was the most precise expression a witness could say to describe how shocked the Cyclone Nargis victims were.

It’s almost a week now since the extremely severe cyclonic storm Nargis hit Burma (Myanmar) on May 2, 2008, leaving an estimated “60,000 people dead or missing” and millions of settlers homeless, according to Philippine Daily Inquirer. This count is even smaller. A Wiki entry has this: “…the final total of fatalities ranging up to 100,000.”

Amidst political issues brought by the recent take over of a military junta, Burma is facing more serious problems — catastrophic effects that seem to have just started. This time, bigger and greater. Reports say decomposing dead human bodies are found everywhere, towns are submerged in deep floods, fallen trees are blocking major roads and highways, and the military government is refusing international aids. There are also millions of people with no access to clean water, not to mention the soaring prices of rice, cooking oil, medicines, and other basic necessities.

Who wouldn’t be strongly affected by this news? I was appalled but not surprised.

We need not to become environmentalists to say that this is how bad our nature can take its revenge — unforgiving, inconsiderate. But our surrounding has just no choice. And the term revenge, inappropriate. It’s us who made this happened. Perhaps, if mother earth could only talk, she’d say, “I hate this to happen, but it’s inevitable. Climate Change, heard it? It’s a common symptom I’m dying, and you, my beloved people, are causing it. My immune system is just trying to fight back what it thinks is a major disease. It’s releasing a kind of defensive cells in the form of cyclones, hurricanes, storms, and polar-caps-melting heat. It’s not too late though. If you make your small share, I could still live, or at least have a longer time to provide you with a safer shelter, free from human-induced natural disasters. Can you do your obligations to save me? Can you commit yourselves to make Environmental Awareness happen?”

Let’s be united in our answer: Yes!

News Summary 4 (08 March 2008)

Photo Courtesy of unc.edu

· It was reported yesterday that the Philippines, together with China and Vietnam, entered into an agreement called Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU), which aims to explore and develop the Spratly Islands. As of now, the full details of the accord have yet been made public by the participating countries. Nonetheless, numerous international and local sectors have expressed their disgust to the GMA Administration for entering into such an agreement. It had been reported that even the US had voiced out that it is “pissed off” to the government actions. Former President Franklin Drilon said that the US is displeased with the government’s decision that seemed to be a warm up to China.

· Pangasinan Representative and Former House Speaker Jose De Venecia asked the President and her Secretary of Foreign Affairs to disclose the full details of the JMSU.

· The following information are quoted from the Philippine Daily Inquier, 08 March 2008, Front Page, with a title – PCSO admits regular donations to Church Groups:

“…reports emerged that some Church organizations have been recipients of generous funding from cash-rich state agencies.”

“The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, for instance, is an acknowledged donor of the diocese of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, and of Radio Veritas, to name just two Church-related beneficiaries.”

“…the PCSO released a P1.6 million donation to the Bayombong diocese and made P2.5 million worth of ad placements with Radio Veritas, according to an official source.”

· The Russian arm dealer Viktor Bout, also known as “Merchant of Death,” was arrested yesterday in Bangkok by the US Agents who posed as Columbian Marxist Rebels.

· Rep. JDV finally gave up and agreed with his LAKAS party mates and GMA’s staunch allies to step down as LAKAS President. This was after he refused to stop throwing accusations and criticisms to President GMA, the LAKAS standard bearer.

News Summary 3 (06 March 2008)

· Senator Hillary Clinton won the caucuses in Texas and Ohio, bringing her back on the race to be the Democratic Presidential Candidate.

· President GMA scrapped the EO 464 after various social sectors expressed their great clamor against it.

· Although the Supreme Court decided that CHED Chairman Romulo Neri could not invoke EO 464 to refuse the summons of the Senate, the same decision, however, expressed that he could not be forced to answer the Senators’ questions pertaining to his personal conversation with the President. It can be recalled that on the first time Neri appeared before the Upper House, he said that he informed the President about Former COMELEC Chair Abalos’ offer of sharing with him millions of pesos just to get the approval of the NBN project. Despite this awareness, however, the President still instructed Chair Neri to continue with the contract. Aside from this information, the former NEDA Secretary has declined to divulge more about his conversation with the Commander-In-Chief by invoking the executive privilege.

· The Supreme Court had proposed a compromised agreement with the Senate so that Secretary Neri may be lawfully instructed by the court to testify without disrespecting the executive power. However, the Senate, through the leadership of Senate President Manny Villar, refused to accept the Tribunal’s suggestions, saying that such compromise would lessen the power of the body, which is supposed to be co-equal with the executive and judicial branch. Hence, the standoff between Chairman Neri and the Senate remains as the Highest Tribunal resolves the issue.

· The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) released the 2006 Official Poverty Statistics report that says 4.7 million Filipino families or nearly 27% of the country’s population were poor in 2006. This figure is 4 million higher than the previous report released in 2003.

News Summary 2, (05 March 2008)

Photo Courtesy of PIA

· First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo went to the Office of the Ombudsman to respond on the graft and corruption cases filed against him.

· The Supreme Court made a ruling that the former NEDA Secretary and current CHED Chairman, Romula Neri, cannot invoke Executive Order 464 to refrain from answering the questions of the Senate’s Blue Ribbon Committee on the NBN Scam Investigation. The EO 464 states this:

“ENSURING OBSERVANCE OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS, ADHERENCE TO THE RULE ON EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE AND RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS APPEARING IN LEGISLATIVE INQUIRIES IN AID OF LEGISLATION UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

(full details, click here)

· This order bars any Cabinet Members and Executive Officials from attending the Congressional inquiries without the duly consent of the President.

· President signed the Civil Aviation Authority Act, which states that the Aviation Transportation Office (ATO) will be replaced by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

· Two more social groups, namely the Assumption Women and former senior government officials, expressed their fervent desire to find the truth concerning the NBN Project. They published two separate open letters on Philippine Daily Inquirer.

· The countdown before Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez began, and its 12 days to go before that big day. Paquiao, who is still undergoing a difficult and rigorous training, is now down to 133 lb.

Tired of Reading Today’s News? Switch to Its Summary

Photo Courtesy of The Peninsula

Photo Courtesy of Saint Scholastica College Timeline

01 March 2008

· An estimated number of 15,000 to 80,000 gathered yesterday at the intersection of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas for an Interfaith Rally. It was marked by prayer, poetry, and speeches clamoring for the truth and accountability. Various religious, social, and business organizations from all over the country participated in the said event.

· Pulse Asia showed the result of its recently conducted survey about the President’s distrust rating: 2 out of 3 Filipinos believe Rodolfo Lozada Jr. leading to a 76% distrust rating for the Philippines’ Commander in Chief.

· After the news of his assignment to Afghanistan was leaked online, Prince Harry was promptly pulled out from his deployment by the British Military.

Journal Writing: Building an Archive of Current Events

Photo Courtesy of The Internationalist

I learned to love history. I did not know how and why, but I just felt it. Maybe it’s because I enjoy reading too much of Ambeth Ocampo’s columns at Daily Inquirer that I got convinced history is fun.

Recently, I have come to realize that this passion in events should not only end with reading, but should also be extended to expression so that my opinions may also be heard by others. I want to begin doing this by objectively taking accounts of the recent events. Through this way, I may have history to look back and share with my grandsons someday when I get old.

Gloria, Resign!

I would like to begin my archive with the history of my own country and the events that have recently unfolded when Jun Lozada decided to testify before the inquiry of the Senate’s Blue Ribbon Committee. He divulged the secrets of the National Broadband Deal (NBN) Project, threw in accusations against former NEDA Secretary and now CHED Chairman Romulo Neri, and categorically admitted the participation of former COMELEC Chairman Benjamin Abalos in a corruption plan to get huge commission from the broadband project.

Everything began when Jun Lozada’s family reported to the media that Jun was kidnapped from the airport. Later on, it was learned that he was fetched by a group of policemen under the instructions of PNP Chief Avelino Razon. General Razon said that he gave the order to secure Jun because his wife, Violeta, requested for it. However, Violeta and the family members denied it.

After the policemen fetched Jun from the airport, they gave him a long free ride around the Metro and the nearby province of Laguna. Finally, Jun was brought to the Brother’s House in La Salle Greenhills. That was when the probinsiyanong Intsik decided to speak before the media about what happened and what he knows about the NBN project. In the press conference, he admitted that he was asked to fix and approve the NBN Proposal to allow Abalos get at least $130 million as commission. Even the name of the First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was dragged and was accused of having planned all of these fraudulent acts.

Upon hearing the testimony of Jun about this huge NBN graft and corruption issue, the public violently reacted and promptly went to the streets to ask for the resignation of President GMA. And the last time I checked it, my fellow Filipinos were still out there, on the streets, shouting with all their might – Gloria, Resign!