I. Last night on Korina Sanchez’s show, I ticked off some opposition friends because I suggested several things:
1. A People’s Court smacks of Communism and kangaroo “justice,” and won’t achieve even the bare minimum of credibility (earlier on the show, Rep. Baraquel was taken aback by an administration congressman’s suggesting if a people’s tribunal was convened, the President would have to be asked to send a representative; being surprised at such an obvious requirement for justice suggests being out of teach with the public pulse). Furthermore, suggestions that opposition bishops be asked to sit in a jury will alienate conservative bishops. A People’s Court might make for good agitprop but concedes to the government the “rule of law,” when the law belongs to everybody (including the opposition).
2. I am against street protests but not protest actions. Street protests are counterproductive, alienate not only the wealthy and middle class, but workers and students. Prayer vigils are peaceful, reflective, organized, and take place in locations that minimize the inconvenience for the indifferent. Street protests fail to take into account that the urban landscape since 1986 has changed drastically, and congestion is much worse than since 2001. The government no longer tolerates rallies, and mayors in alliance with the administration have barred access to public parks (Rizal Park, Liwasang Bonifacio, Quezon Memorial Circle) which are the natural, and logical, locations for protest actions. So why not explore Fort Bonifacio, UP’s Sunken Garden, and abandon the counter-productive and increasingly meaningless obsession with the Mabuhay Rotonda, Ayala Avenue, People Power Monument and Edsa Shrine? This is not the time to rally in the streets. This is the time to go door-to-door. Direct selling is the order of the day, and opposition groups should examine direct mail, email, and even opposition call and action centers.
3. Invade the bailiwicks of the administration since Metro Manila, anyway, is opposition country, as is much of Luzon. There are oppositionists in Davao, Cebu, and Iloilo after all.
4. Consider that certain pillars of people power are no longer relevant, such as the Catholic hierarchy and the majority of the middle class.
5. Recall that mass actions should come at the end, and not beginning, of a political campaign. In recent years we have had the miting de avance at the start, not end, of the campaign,. The opposition has been putting the cart before the horse.
A final thought, which I didn’t mention last night, because it only occurred to me while eavesdropping on Atty. Dong Puno and his guests during the show that followed: a plenary vote in an impeachment proceeding, Rep. Teddy Locsin said, is a vote of confidence. Nothing more nor less. Therefore, what we say on Tuesday-Wednesday, was a dry run of what parliamentary votes of confidence will be like. So much for the argument that parliamentary, unicameral government will be more responsive to the popular mood.
II. As for analysis. Perhaps around January or February, the following things may be close to being resolved or will have taken place:
1. An appeal to the Supreme Court to review and possibly overturn, the decisions of the House Committee on Justice
According to legal views I’ve received, the results of such a review might be:
(1) they will decide that the decision of the House to affirm the Justice Committee report is a sovereign act and therefore, beyond the pale of judicial review but;
(2) having said that, it will rule on the legality of the amended pleadings in the light of the Francisco ruling so that future impeachment proceedings may be guided.
A lawyer suggests to me that,
In that way, the SC ends up respecting a co-equal branch and at the same time, clarifying the issues in this Arroyo impeachment case. But of course, a decision like this will bring no satisfaction to the opposition. And will bring great delight to GMA and the eventual ascension of Justice Panganiban to Chief.
There’s also speculation on which justices might be open to an appeal from Cory Aquino, to foil an appeal from the President. Whatever the realities or eventual outcome, an appeal to the Supreme Court must be tried, if only to gauge the independence of the court.
2. The resolution of Loren Legarda’s electoral protest against Noli de Castro
This will help resolve the question of succession. Again, it applies pressure on the Supreme Court. In November, we will have a new Chief Justice, and who that Chief Justice is will send a signal either beneficial or harmful to the court.
3. Constitutional amendments
The majority coalition in the House needs 195 votes, according to Newsboy’s calculations (in an entry that you really should read in its entirety), to obtain a 2/3 majority of the entire composition of Congress, to approve constitutional amendments. This is based on the novel, but plausible, theory that the Constitution’s wording (appropriate for a unicameral but not bicameral legislature) requires Congress to vote as one, and not separately, by chamber. This means, though, that 45 votes, distributed between the Senate and the House, will defeat constitutional change. Fifty votes, spread between both changes, and this theory is well and truly dead. This would result in another battle, obtaining a 2/3 majority in both chambers voting separately, and by all accounts, the Senate vote would be lost. Fidel Ramos wants a referendum by February, 2006. Delay or defeat his timetable, and the game shifts to the 2007 elections, which rejuvenates the senate, delays charter change by years (approval in 2007 means implementation at the earliest in 2010), and seriously erodes the political potency not only of the Speaker and Ramos, but even the President (who will be made to pay for what will in effect keep her president with full powers to 2010, and thus become a target for Ramos and the Speaker).
3. A purge within the ranks of the mainstream political opposition
The curious, yet spectacular, manner in which Rep. Imee self-destructed is interesting. Interesting, too, is the infighting going on within the Estrada loyalist camp, and one which might include a split between Senator Jinggoy Estrada (who received permission from the Sandiganbayan to visit Hawaii) and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito (who has been in the street rallies). The former has inferior political and intellectual gifts compared to the latter. The Estrada machine has always been, in a sense, an offshoot and extension, of the old Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the Marcos electoral machinery. It’s getting old. It’s getting tired. It may finally be falling apart, or simply gotten too hungry since 2001 and craves a seat in the administration table. A split of the Estrada camp into Jinggoy and JV wings, with the Jinggoyistas making a deal with the government, and the JVistas remaining in the opposition, helps the opposition as JV is more acceptable than Jinggoy.
4. A purge within the ranks of the mainstream administration coalition
Rep. Ronnie Puno has been confident enough to be spotted at cockfights, and administration congressmen have reportedly received thank you presents ranging from tickets to a recent American has-beens concert, to ringside seats at Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming fight. But word was, governors weren’t happy with the thank you (or lack thereof) they got after supporting the President on July 8; congressmen, having been cultivated so much by the Palace, will expect regular grooming. The Nacionalistas sense an opportunity to be on parity with the Liberals. Kampi, we can be sure, will steadily resume its efforts to engulf and devour Lakas-CMD. The question now is, who runs the administration coalition? The President, or the Speaker? Or does it now think itself on par with the presidency?
5. The determination of who recorded, and then released, the Hello Garci tapes
This is where media comes in, as it has everybody stumped. The two questions remain unanswered, and until they’re clarified, doubts will remain as to whether the opposition was actually set up by the administration, or the administration was sabotaged by disaffected members from within its own ranks, or whether an initial conspiracy spun off subsequent conspiracies (including the government conspiracy to suppress the tapes based on insufficient information it had at the time as to the scope and extent of the original tapes, etc.).
6. The reorganization plan for the entire Executive department
The effects of the President’s recent executive order will have consequences, as the Inquirer editorialized today. The President is not popular with the rank-and-file. There are opportunities for leaks galore to the media and the opposition.
7. The determination of which religious organizations really have political clout
Traditionally, the Catholic Church has not been the friend, but rather, the enemy of progress and of freedom. Under Cardinal Sin, this changed. But I believe the decision by the Catholic Church to turn its back on People Power in the wake of Edsa Tres, then the Catholic Church as a political force for change and not the preservation of the status quo, will have to be considered, and accepted. Accompanying this should be a close watch on religious groups such as the Iglesia ni Cristo which was said to have used its persuasive powers to intervene in defense of the President (Newsstand’s observation on the rhetorical style of Rep. Marcoleta is a clue). El Shaddai has its own agenda but one based on only gambling big when the odds are clearly stacked in its favor.
8. The consolidation of the broad opposition coalition
Here, history can be our guide, and history, I dare say, will be bound to repeat itself, except now you have two factions of the organized Left. Both suffer from a serious political liability in their over-reliance on political principles, strategies, and rhetoric that dates to the 1960s or at best, the 1980s. But the advantage, in terms of coalition-building and communication with the youth, lies, I believe, with the Rejectionists and not the Reaffirmists, a repeat of the splitting up of Bayan into the Bayan loyalists and Bandila in 1985. The intramurals between the Leftist groups can not only be extremely dogmatic, but dangerous to the health. But I suppose for the various sides, they can always repeat what Bobi Tiglao likes to say: “that which doesn’t kill us can only make us stronger.” The so-called Middle Forces will be forced, under peril of sinking into political irrelevance, to rethink their strategies and tactics. They retain one major opportunity: to take the lead, this time, in another impeachment complaint in 2006.
The over-anxious in the opposition don’t seem to realize time is on their, and not the President’s, side. The fatal weakness of the administration is the President herself, who can be counted upon to eventually dissipate whatever good will she accumulates, alienate her allies somewhere along the line, and be unable to prevent the kind of furious infighting that ends up blunting the otherwise effective tactic of having all administration people stick to simple, clear, and emphatic propaganda lines.
Amazed you could tick off them.. What you actually decided not to follow your small crowd, or pamper your friends..
You are a smart man and have had some good ideas and views in the past, remember always who you are sleeping with, coming out with single sided comentaries will always earn you enemies, and being in media and politics, you sure dont need that in the future..
Look at the past your books read them again read where others have stumbled. look at your notes.
This whole affair was written in the sand before it started, no real plan, direction.
Your statements even though i may not agree with them have had a point plan and simple perfect..
The oposition had none and had no one to look up too and get direction. No one from their side stood out to be the leader and unify them behind one goal, one case.. Throwing in so much into the case just fragmented any support, as each group had their agenda. Every day we heard a different person who would be good a president….
Focus on what you are good at history and not the future.
Give GMA a year and support for anything will be removed by constant bickering and the publics annoyance with the little jab here where korina must fill an entire hour of blab blab, cry cry cry (Oh we didnt will so we will go to the streets.).
How many more times does the public have to hear that.
You have heard of the story the little boy who cried wolf..
If you want to win shut up, plan, come up with policies not grievances, Bring them out first get the public interested, Let her use some of the plans, so you guys gain creditability at the moment they have no one that could lead their own groups let alone a country.
GMA could send her husband away but Estrada could not even get his wife to vote the way he wanted….
Maybe she does not want him out of house arrest? With all his womanizing at least in tanay he is kept faithfull..
Brains have always won over in the end.. At the moment she has the grey matter on her side…
mlq3 said: “The over-anxious in the opposition don’t seem to realize time is on their, and not the President’s, side”.
I agree. There seems to be this frenzy, this over-eagernous to do away with the President. That’s what led to mistakes in the impeachment proceedings, such as not immediately filing an impeachment complaint and being beaten to the draw by Lozano. The opposition has to learn to be more cerebral, more deliberate, more surgical. They are too concerned with sound-bytes and dramatic impact.
I believe that GMA knows her days are counted. This is a temporary respite for her, not a victory. She cannot keep this up forever. But don’t expect to just roll up and play dead. She will fight back until the very end, which is where the opposition, the Hyatt 10 and Cory Aquino miscalculated. And she still has considerable resources to fight back. But another impeachment process in 2006, if properly done, will be too much. She must be looking for a graceful way out of this. Instead of inconveniencing people with street protests, the opposition should be mapping out legal strategies. They should use their brains, not their libidos.
Manolo!!!!your great, way to go man!!!
i think your ideas are intelegent (something we have so lil of lately) and are fair and objective.
talk about a breath of fresh wind to this polluted envirment that we have.
the resolution for lorens protest will take a life time though
yah nga the peopl’s court thing is really ridiculos maybe the opposition have to get some comi consultants for it heheheh
quezon circle is an ideal place for protest.
yah nga the opposition should really get rid of ceratin names in their group if they ever wanna get the minimum of respect.
remember that fancy talker who sais “what good of erap is good for pgma impeachment” than agreed to the 11th congress rules that did not allow evidence presentation and than they complianed about not having the chance to present evidence, stupid heheheh
you bet manolo! once and for all determining who is behind the garci tapes or else lets forget the dung about the truth if we do not go to the roots of this in the first place!!!
i just hope that if by chance the suprem court ruling will not be favorable to the opposition, the oppostion will not fault pgma agin for the fact that they are her appointment! or make their own kangaroo suprem court this time!!!!
I don’t wanna be rud or anything but honestly i beleave that the church must do the work it is compitent to do, take care of peoples spiritual needs and really be the church of the people and take sides and make judgments!!
i think they must ask their people like the “fake” priest reyes that if he wants to play politics he must drop his sotana and the security of having a roof over his head and 3 meals a day!!! this goes to all “fake” priest and frustrated bishops” cuz it’s really unbelevabel w/ the work the church has in it’s hands they still have time to play politics!!
I hope the church stops making double talk and just excommunicate pgma once and for all!!!!
they must not take sides because God makes the sun shine on the good and the bad!!!!
and they must be carefull not to join the “popularity” contest to win people on their side!!!!!
anybody around knows the Popes e-mail or even just the papal nunscio???
Talking about the priesthood lets not bring that up…
If they started excommunicating people they would have to start with their own ranks, The priests with Children, The Pedophilia, the double standards.
And the other churches INC.. these brothers of and for the people in their Multimillion Dollar houses, Getting paid every day not paying taxes living it fat off the money of the people, this is worse than jueting as people spend more on church than jueting… Have to buy clothes to look good at church..
GOD – ALLA does not care who you are or what money you have… But the “church” sure does here …
Club 700 pat robinson asked for some one to be assinated, Come on what is in the ten comandments.
Of course none of you have read them because you can go to the washing machine (Church) and get them washed away every week….
sleeping…..
i could not beleave what i was hearing when pat robinson said those things, really crazy,but than again, it’s religion!!
but honestly, i think the church in the philippines is in a crisis themselves.that is why i feel that they must not be taking sides or judging people.
i really think the worst people to make a judment are the rightous and those in the religion business.
their authority are on the dogmas of the church, other than that better that they don’t venture to say it kindly
did you read about the sexy religion teacher in italy that was dismissed by the church for her being to sexy, heheheheh
i think there will always be a job for her here in the phil. heheheheh
so the opposition has given up taking their case to the suprem court and would just take it to the streets.
guess there are more suckers in the streets!
all the more reason to prove that everything happening is pure dirty politics!!!
it won’t survive the real test of the law!!!
the garci tapes where purely to create max damage to pgma & create doubt and confussion.it was ment to confuse and manipulate the people.
there are those who listened to it but ask more questions,
there are those that did not even pay attention to it cuz it was illegal from the start.
sad to say there where those who very affected by it. and those where the apple of the eyes of it’s evil planners.
I find it strange that “kiss & tell queen” dinky s said that pgma is evil.
and not say anything about the evil planners of such an evil plot of playing w/ the people’s emotions and thoughts for political ends.
This is politics, and it is evil it hurts people if they are rich poor it hurts everyone.
It has no line where it says enough is enough.. It breeds on itself and consumes the GDP of the countries deals in.
A good dictatorship is what some places require sometimes to remove the evils. Since voting will not work until politics is out and policies are in…
Check out the latest a song. The music industry had to get involved at some stage as it started on a cd so has to end there i hope…
that interview with ms sanchez was very much astute…korina was mesmerized definitely (napansin ko di siya gaano maka butt-in sa conversation…which was a definite sign of agreement)…concerning the people’s court…philippine politics is gradually becoming a sporting event (somewhat parang yung film na future sport – which stars dean cain)…tsk tsk…anyways i never got the wind na si sec bunye na pala presidente ngayon – speaking directly in behalf of pseudoPRES. GMA
PS…
the suggestion of people going to the streets again may not be as viable as it was before (which i agree with kuya manolo)…i suggest a campus tour maybe (or even better a synchronized-simultaneous events on these campuses)…and just for the fun of it why not also do it in malls (since a lot of filipinos go to these places) with the plus factor that they are scattered throughout the archipelago…if television stations could do it then why not those organizing such movements…
Agree with you. The opposition has been doing a media campaign without any effort at grassroots recruitment. If this is how they execute their election campaigns, I’m not surprised that they’ve lost. Ask any marketing professional and he would tell you media campaigns alone will not make a product a success. You need sales and distribution, insuring the product is available to the customers, and a means to contact you when the customers want the product.
Up to now I have yet to see the opposition instruct the people how to contact them if they want to help. Could you imagine CNN appealing for people to help the Katrina victims but failing to provide contact numbers and donation sites for people willing to help? That’s how disorganized the opposition is.
It’s organization that killed the impeachment. The lack of it from the opposition and the surfeit of it from the administration. Has the opposition tried to organize the bloggers who are on their side? The administration has blog brigades to ensure that their views are heard.
With the youth and cause-oriented groups asking for GMA’s resignation, did anybody organize them into groups of 20 to 50 gave them the address and celphone no. of anti-impeachment congressman and told them to rally in front of their houses and text them on the phone everyday.
I know somebody published the phone number of around 25 congressman, but it was in a blog or email which I doubt more than a 100 bloggers have read. They should’ve distributed it in schools to student leaders and their(the opposition’s)political constituents.
There’s a lot more things they could be doing but it seems they can’t think out of the box.
For starters they could put up hotline numbers for people who want to help to call up. They could put up recruitment booths in schools and churches (starting with La Salle) for people to sign up. At the minimum they have cel phone numbers of congressman and administration staffs that they can give to people who want to join the text brigade. For those who want to join the rally brigades, they can give house addresses of anti-impeachment congressman and administration personnel and organize rally sessions in agreed upon times.
Just like what GMA did with holidays, they could pre-announce rallies weeks and months in advance to give people who want to join enough time to schedule their affairs around them.(Come on, People need to eat as much as they want to oust GMA)
Actually, if they put their heads together they can think up a lot more creative ways to organize and campaign for support.
Teddy Boy Locsin is right, the opposition was too busy trying to create an EDSA moment that they never seriously tried anything else.
Makikisingit, at makikiraan lang mga kabayan.
Marami sa mga Pilipino (lalo sa hanay ng mga kabataan)ang nagsusulat upang ipahayag ang mga saloobin(opinyon)at lalong higit ang ating mga dalubhasang manunulat(professional writers)na mga kilala at respetado sa larangan ng panitikan at pamamahayag.
Subalit kung patuloy tayo sa ating nakagisnan/nakasanayan na uri ng pagsusulat sa paggamit ng wikang banyaga(english)–kagaya sa nauna kong paliwanag sa ‘why Presidents fail'(article ni mlq3 d2)–ang impormasyon o paglinang ng mga bagong kaisipan(ideas)ay umiikot lamang sa iilan(minority),kung totoong pagkakaisa at pag-unlad(o paghahanap ng katotohanan)ang hangad natin kailangan hindi tayo maging maramot sa mahahalagang impormasyon, ang paggamit ng wikang dayuhan ay isang uri ng pagdadamot dahil karamihan ng Pinoy ay mas naiintindihan(nakababasa at nakasusulat)ang pambansang wika(tagalog)kumpara sa english,lalong-lalo na ang bagong henerasyon ng mga Pilipino ngayon–kaya nararapat lang bigyang prayoridad ang pagsusulat sa wikang Pinoy!
‘Wag DAPAT tayong maging maramot sa ating mga kababayan/kapitbahay–halimbawa nalang sa paggamit ng ‘computer'(o pgkakaroon ng e-mail add),kahit nga hindi ka nakapagtapos ng elamentarya napakadaling ituro(matutunan)kung may tiyaga ka lang(mahalaga lang naman ‘basics’).Ako, andami na akong naturuan na kagaya kong mababa lang din ang pinag-aralan.Ang computer ang pinakamabilis na daan sa pangangalap impormasyon at kumunikasyon.
Ang isa pang simple at epektibong paraan ng pagpapakalat ng mahahalagang impormasyon: kapag may magustuhan ‘marahil’ tayo sa internet na ‘blogs’, pwede narin’e-print’,’e-xerox’ at ipakalat kung saan-saan(kaya mahalaga na na nakasulat sa wikang Pinoy-dahil kong hal. sa palengke at ordinaryong Pinoy kagaya ko malamang kung sa ‘english’ hindi pg-intresan)
Hindi ko sinasabi na tama ako, pero “I believe nobody has the monopoly of the truth”…
Kung talagang hangad natin ang pag-angat ng lahing Pilipino(mapa-mayaman tayo o mahirap man)huwag tayong maging maramot,makibahagi tayo…..hindi lang bukluran ng KATOTOHANAN ang kailangan,lalong higit ang bukluran ng PAGKAKAISA… at PAGTUTULUNGAN!
Lubos akong naniniwala sa kasabihan: ‘the more you give,the more you receive in return.’
_____omnia vincit amor
Beso, Manolo. 🙂
Brilliant and well-documented, as usual. Thank you. What would I do without you?
Seems public opinion is really going farther down the fork between experience and faith that something new is being born yet again, whether or not we deserve it…
This morning. I just want to say I agree with the prayer gathering format.This open-ended situation has to go deeper into its roots — and take it from there.
In faith,
Sylvia
As we have all said the opposition could not organise themselves into a real group even last night on korina. It is obvious that they may have something to say but. No one wants them to lead a country as they cannot even lead themselves to congress…..
Dismall try, from what i have seen they could not organise a piss up in a brewery… With a Handfull of 100 Dollar notes..
sleeping
i agree w/ you, nobody really wants that we be lead by the opposition.
i think the things that have happened in the last 3 months speak for themselves.
i don’t want to sound so konta bida or what but honestly it’s time that we let this things go.
i ask myself, how come that there is so much excitment to bring down a goverment?
how come that there is no excitment when it comes to hard work?
how how there is no interest in working for our country to make it prosper
the column of alejandro roces said this morning, pgma has a ten point agenda.
what does the opposition have?
can’t we work together to make the ten point agenda work?
honestly guys at times it’s kinda a depressing to see that we seem to have great dificulty i focusing on the right things.
we seem to be easely carried away w/ exciting and rightous and loud things always.
we seem to have become a country of fault finders thirsty for intrigue, dreaming of the past glory days of edsa 1 & 2.
i think that before we go judging and accusing and making a lot of noice we should first look into our selves.
are we really wanting to help the poor or are just adding to their dificulties?
just as me see that the opposition is disorganized, are we who really want to have a better country organized?
are we really working hard on the points that unite us?
or are we just a bunch of discordant voices?
guys lots of questions to answer first truthfully before we can even dream of being a positive factor for our hopes and dreams.
Caught the replay this morning, Manolo (please forgive my presumption – calling you “MLQ3” makes me feel like I’m talking to R2D2’s sidekick). Cong. Risa’s reaction was priceless – “I’ll bring it up in the Bukluran” was all she could offer as a reply to the admin Congressman’s question about a counsel for the defense!
“You mean, Congressperson Risa, it never occurred to you to let the defense make a case? What kind of kangaroo court are you planning, anyway?!”
These slips only make it harder for the Opposition to convince me that they’re only after “truth” and “justice” (I can only speak for myself). What they’re selling as a “struggle for justice” just sounds like another partisan exercise, with different players.
Then again, are they really seriously trying to convince the unconvinced? They only seem to be succeeding in alienating them.
what do you guys think about the bukluran composition?
i read about it in dong punos and monsods column this am.
as far as i’m concerned, it’s really a bunch of desperate and starnge bed-fellows.
looks more like the circus is in town.
honestly when i see a starne grouping makes me wounder where are we going w/ this debate??
are we really using precious time for nobel reasons?
don’t get me wrong but it’s really getting so imbarasing in the eyes of the world the way we do things here.
edsa 1 was a moment of glory that was imulated in other parts of the world.
but after that it looks like it’s all down hill!!!!!!!
if putting together a group like that is looking for the truth?
oh wow man, wer out of this world na talaga!!!
if you don’t call that an insult, i really don’t know na talaga what is?????!!!!!!!!
Joey, I thought Winnie Monsod hit it right on the head. Cory, Ping Lacson, Risa Baraquel, Crispin Beltran, Satur Ocampo and Susan Roces – working together? How long can that partnership last?
sorry guys talaga but i just can’t hepl it that after reading winnie monsods & dong punos columns, i just have to suggest this name so as to give them a semblance of minimum honesty.
they must call themselves insted “BUKLURAN SA PAGHAHALO NG TUBIG AT LANGIS”
really guys things are just getting so funny.
only in the philippines can water & oil mix!!!
Went and had a quick read of that Winnie Monsod. He did not just hit it on the head he drove that nail right through the board..
The first paragraph and last ones are quite interesting. Lying next to a monster and that getting into bed with a strange bedfellow for sex: It may have fatal consequences.
INQ such a slow site i dont read it much..
It is funny they call it a partnership though.
dictionary defines it as:
1. The state of being a partner.
2.
1. A legal contract entered into by two or more persons in which each agrees to furnish a part of the capital and labor for a business enterprise, and by which each shares a fixed proportion of profits and losses.
2. The persons bound by such a contract.
3. A relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal: Neighborhood groups formed a partnership to fight crime.
I am sure some of these people will not share the profits or losses. it also mentions crime but it talks of mutual cooperation and responsibility which has not really been seen yet.
I hope the people of the country including me can get away from this intrigue and Chika Chika and can get back to earning some hard earnt Pesos, Thus making the country thrive again. It was the pearl of the orient..
Oil and water do mix actually its called mayonnaise.. And we have Mt Mayon?
Just don’t open it and leave it out of the fridge to long..
Ang mayonnaise pa naman, madaling mapanis.
What Winnie Monsod failed to realize that however the philosophical or political differences that exists between those who marched on the streets,the truth is GMA, like FM, has galvanized the parties to come together. That should not be something lost on Ms. Monsod.
It happened once with FM, it happened once with FVR when he wanted to change the charter, it happened once with Erap, you can draw your conclusions.
And whatever argumentum ad hominem that Winnie Monsod may foist, her article skillfully skirted the issues where her reasons will be found wanting.
GMA may have galvanized many prominent parties against her, but it can be argued that she hasn’t galvanized the populace against her. I’m talking about the 90% of the Philippines that lives outside Manila, and have felt concrete improvements thanks to her policies.
The Opposition has made a hash out of convincing the unconvinced. And as Risa’s bewilderment on ANC reveals, they’ve even made a hash out of the pretense of searching for “truth” and “justice”.
sleepy
eggs have fatty substance so they mix w/ oil,i enjoy cooking for a hobby, hehehehe
i consulted one of the chemist in the office and i learned that commercial mayo has an emulsifier needed for shelf life and all that stuff.
the home made mayo insted is made to be consumed pronto since i dont add artificial stuff.
anyway buti na lang di ako absent noon hehehe
1. We thought that getting rid of Spanish rule would free us. We got it, and what did we get in return?
Aguinaldo and his henchmen sold us down the drain to the Americans.
2. We thought that getting rid of the Americans would free us. We got it, and what did we get in return?
A government run like hell by wild and woolly politicians.
3. We thought that getting rid of the politicians would free us. We got it, and what did we get in return?
We got Ferdinand Marcos and Martial Law, which wrecked us economically and morally and permanently warped our sense of values.
4. We thought that getting rid of Marcos would free us. We got it, and what did we get in return?
We got the politicians back, running our government like hell.
5. We thought that getting rid of Erap would free us. We got it, and what did we get in return?
More politics and more hell. And no relief in sight.
Now they’re talking about people’s courts? Wasn’t that discredited after World War II when they were used as kangaroo courts? Juntas? Revolutionary government? Transitional council? We’ve been there before. Are we codemning ourselves to repeat history, again and again?
We seem to share the same fate as Sisyphus. Why do politicians inflict so much pain on our nation?
micketymoc,
i agree 100%,
the pgma detractors have miscalculated non stop.
since metro manila is really a lsot cost, it is forever opposition to any president.
pgma cultivated carfully the provinces, her policies have really improved
she attend to the local goverments, the best way to bring goverment closer to the people.all this not to say she has her faults and limitations too.
personaly i elected a president, not a saint or a Pope and certainly i don’t agree that she be changed to another devil who has no program of governance
Opposition miscalculated because they are focused on that resignation then went to impeach mode but failed again.
Joey – Bukluran also includes manolo I think. Watch your words. calling them strange and desperate bedfellows is such a bad no no. Those people went far ahead and achieved un achievable goals unlike ordinary mortals like you and me kaibigan. They respected your views and didint bad mouth you maybe you should also do the same.
I am against the “president” because of all the words she spewed but didint do. How can I trust somebody who breaks her words everytime? How can I follow a leader that I dont know if she cheated or not in the last election? but I am not anti government.
Street Protest wont prosper not because of the lack of enthusiasm but because of the weather. Wait till december or january comes. One thing though. I DONT SEEM TO RECALL SOMEBODY MAKING COMPLAINTS WHEN EDSA 2 IS HAPPENING? I DONT SEEM TO HEAR PEOPLE MAKING SMART COMMENTS AGAINST THE TRAFFIC, OR WHAT EVER? MAYBE AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE DOUBLE STANDARDS?
pinoy nga naman.
Ed, please don’t shout, sensitive ang ears ko.
Poking fun at the Bukluran is not the same as poking fun at our esteemed host. It can be argued, furthermore, that the Bukluran has made plenty of mistakes over the past week that may make it fair game for criticism.
I don’t know who you were listening to when EDSA 2 was going on, but I heard plenty of complaints about the traffic even then. The difference was, the impeachment trial then galvanized most everybody against the administration in a way that this fiasco failed to do.
It also doesn’t help that the very same people pushed out of power the last time are at the forefront of today’s threatened EDSA IV. Not everybody wants to support Zamora, the Ejercitos, and the Escuderos – or do anything that might bring them back to power.
ed, really sorry about that. my coment was a result of gathering different reactions to columns in the news papers w/c i think where fare and objective observations.
i still think bukluran has a serious flow because of the combination of people in it.
i’m really sorry that things like this come up where divisions are made.
the opposition has done so many mistakes yest.I don’t wanna generalize but for me their mistakes are also signs that lessen their credibility more.
i guess your fight is aginst the individual.i think your referening to that time she said she wont run than she ren, right?i guess some people aree just more sentive than the others.as for myself, the way i try to keep my peace is to rimind myself politicians are all the same.I also keep my peace by not pretending to much, politics is not always about logic.you know wat we may maybe never know weather she cheated or not and maybe it will be twice as hard yet cuz emotions and feelings and perception are running high.I keep my peace by going back to the facts of the surveys and treands of the last election.i try to tell myself always to be strong and not be caught in the wirlwind of confussion.i’m aware that we leave in a world where there will always be somebody to try to sell you anything and everything.but i should keep a certaing degree of yabang and pride that will allow me to be in control of my life.just like i do not want to be carried away by the consumers society or the badwagon.
you know it’s really true that nobody was complaining about the traffic.do you also remember also that the impeachment was such an fantastic show that provided so much clarity, where every body was equally informed.even the law profession was so much admired because of the demure of the Chief Justice.and because of the over protectivness of erap layer the envelop episod really caused a really spontanous uniformed reaction from society.i guess you where there too just like i was. i remember it was peacefull and orderly,personaly i never experienced being cursed cause i was causing traffic.
insted in the present situation, the expose of the tape by that nbi guy was a dud, nothing happend in san carlos.the indignation rally was another dud, what everybody was hopping to hear from cdcp was a dud, cory demand was a dud,the kiss and tell gang was a dud,the rallies in makati where domenated by red flags,the pro-impeachment kids where pathetic,the walk-out was an inmature act cuz they where the ones who agreed on the 11th congress rules that did not allow evidence presentation,they only have themselves to blame for not being capable of getting 79 votes.
in short there where so many moments that something spontanous could have happened but did not,does that not tell you something?
even the expose of “kiss & tell” queen dinky s was a dud in her “it downed upon me line”.
one dud after the other ed.In the professional world you can’t make so many mistakes that you’ll get fired.
are we using kids play for an adults game?
honestly, the bukluran gang is bad news.
I tell you this cause it pains me that really honest and good dissent people be misundestood cause they where not careful of the company they keep.
disaster dont just happen, it’s always because of a series of mistakes.
we obviosly do not know each other but i sincerly hope that you guys act more convincing.
pls. don’t get me wrong for the things i say.
fancy names are like fancy bookcovers but what is important is what’s inside the book that counts.
sorry if i offended anybody but i really beleave that it’s better to talk stright cuz where adults anyway, right
As a matter of courtesy to our host, may we try to make our points as briefly as possible? With no one in mind, long-winded discourses are counter-productive since most of us are just trying to digest maximum information in as short a time possible. There is such a thing as information overload.
but the good news is, We ought to think more about politics and how it affects our daily tasks of getting by. We filipinos lack delicadeza.
that walkout has nothing to do with the article of impeachment that was implemented when it was erap’s time. if you tried to analyze the situation it was a proceeding and not a trial where you have to show evidence. They were I think just trying to say hey Soliman knows something about that first complaint and lets hear it but datumanong said to the effect of fcuk off dude. then they walked out. who wouldnt do that?
peace i heard you.
Just one person’s observation:
It doesn’t look like the opposition can gather enough steam to make any headway – whatever it is they want. I really think GMA will make a graceful exit, probably before a 2nd impeachment complaint can be filed in Congress. In exchange for this, ChaCha will be on its way…and we’ll have another government altogether.
ABS-CBN reported there’s an old lobby group in DC working for the Philippine government to gain funding from the US Congress for – get this – funding to support a Philippine shift to a paliamentary federal form of government. I’m surprised it has gone that far. Malacanang is denying any knowledge of this. So who’s behind that effort?
I’m starting to realize the ball is already rolling for ChaCha, just as what happend with the impeachment. The opposition will find itself with its pants down again in a few months because they were not paying attention to the meat of the matter – AGAIN. Battles are won before they are fought so Sun Tzu said. And this battle for ChaCha is already in the works while most of us still have our eyes on a different battle…
For the record, I think this is the only blog which has a semblance of balance, with commentaries that actually present many viewpoints, not just the host’s fervent own. I like the openness. So far the language has not deteriorated to unbridled, over-the-top name-calling. I think there’s a filter for that but still, I’m amazed that–for the most part, I’d say 95%–the discussions have been civilized. Let’s keep it that way.
aba mukhang pahinga si kuya manolo ah…eto po muna masasabi ko dyan…as the great horatio said “There are more things on heaven and earth…than a drenched hope in yout philosophy”…i hope people would realize that the world does not revolve ONLY around their own but extend to others as well…buksan sana ng iba yung isip nila para sa ikabubuti ng marami…
MitaMs. You are correct madam. One of the reason that I want Gloria gone is that she is so indebted to a mouse face who wants to be the supreme ruler with out an election and a cigar toting dude with a real very sinister brain to boot. She is probably in prison with her grandchildren and the rest of her family if wasntfor those 2 who came to the rescue. Now how can she survives the second wave next year? by a so called graceful exit. Makikipag pustahan ako aals ng bansa si Gloria ala exile sya pag wala na sya sa pwesto. if i am Gloria that will I do too. to escape the wrath of the people.
GMA will survive only if there is no military revolt. As was the case in both EDSA’s, the military tips the balance. It doesn’t look likely right now, but one never knows. She could leave for the U.S. this week and not be able to come back because a military junta has taken her place. Unless the military makes a move, the best option is to wait for next year. GMA won’t survive a second impeachment attempt, especially if the opposition makes an intelligent case. The stone wall provided by the majority Congressmen will erode. So she really doesn’t have a choice but to seek a graceful exit.
As for those who keep putting Joe de Venecia down, give him credit for creativity and organizational skills. His debt-for-equity scheme deserves to be given a chance. If he can pull it off, he will be a hero to this country. He will have done what no President could ever do. Despite the bad rap, JDV is more of a patriot than most people blogging here. After all, what material accomplishments have most of us to show?
very good analysis mlq3. as always…
for me, these are the questions that are paramount:
1. who did the wiretapping, if indeed it was one.
2. who ordered it, and for what purpose.
3. who released it, for what purpose.
until these become clear, everything/something will stay muddled.
i hope government or media is doing something about this.
I give props to JDV for his win win stance on everything but as I said earlier JDV wants something without the will of the people. Since he was beaten by a college drop out in that election he wanted to become the head of the government. He have some good moves but the suspicion is always there. still if he wants to be the head ruler of this country he’s gonna need the will of the people first.
peace
Heres a good news! namakyaw si pacquiao!
it’s true that JDV was beaten by a collage drop-out, but look where the collage drop-out is now?
i admire JDV, the win-win attitude is positive.i think it’s high time we try to look for the things that unite us rather than divide us.
Just asking, how would you feel if a close friends turns his back on you?
kiss & tell, snitches have never been accepted in any society.
there have been worst presidents who have been boothed out, but have you ever herd their cabinet members bad-mouth their boss?
would you hire anyone w/ a kiss & tell reputation in your organization?
mixing oil and water has a great significance when it is a nobole cause.putting together personalities who have no love-lost for goverment and making them work together w/ goverment to be ultimatly help the poor is indeed significant.something the world commuity will applaud to.but mixing oil & water tohether to bring down a goverment is a big joke!
i certainly won’t entrust my children to la salle brothers!!
is bukluran using each other for who has crowd power and good nane??
even if you had the truth in front of your face but but your mind is closed and made up,you wont see the truth.
manolo,honestly, pls. do not identify yours self w/ a very questionable group.
friends won’t always tell you the real score,maybe because they do not want to lose your friendship or because they dont want to be allienated from a group or other reasons.
credibility is about the company that you keep.the moment you stop listening to the people who disagree w/o you is the moment you will stop growing.what importance is it to listen to those who agree w/ you?all that is a close circle.
i don’t pretend to know you but from what i read i think your really smart.you have something to contribute.but pls. don
t blow it by mixing w/ bad news people.
juan dako
we seem to ba a country “ng maling akala”
and we dont seem to learn.
juan it is not only the policos who give us pain.it is also us!because of the ting we do & don’t do!
we always point a finger to the others and for once think that we to have obligations.
not being in power does not mean not being able to do anything.
maybe wer just to busy w/ our selves that we just have time to comment, judge and protest but never really got down to rolling-up our sleeves.
As always, mlq3 gives the most objective analysis of the current events and a foresight on what might become. But it seems that the battle is left to the opposition at one side and the administration on the other side. We offer our 10-cents woth on almost everything that the opposition has failed to do to impeach the president.But I wonder if we ever rejoice about the victory of the president in fighting what looks to be the worst crisis in her administration.
gloria may have won [I dare say: at what price?] that battle at committee level,
but let us remember that the war isn’t over. Not yet.
Samantala, the fight continues.
Tanong: KAYA kaya ng apog ni gma ang manatili sa puwesto? Kung sabagay, kung uuriin natin ang mga pakana ni gma at asawang opisyal, puwede….
Tanong ulit: May nanainiwala pa ba kay gloria?
KUNG sasagutin n’yo ito, pakiusap lang, huwag kayong mang-go-“gloria” ha?
It isn’t just Gloria who is the problem. To generalize and think that by getting rid of Gloria, we will get rid of our problems is foolish. The present alternatives to Gloria are a problem, too. Like forming juntas or people’s courts. As I pointed out in my post above, at least 5 times in our history we thought that by getting rid of a problem, we would have solved everything. Most of the time the cure turned out worst than the problem. That is what we have to be careful about. We don’t want to repeat history. Sure, Gloria is not credible. But it is also valid for the people to take stock of the situation before they act. What are the alternatives? Wouldn’t it be better to wait for the situation to clear before taking action? It is prudent to ask those questions because we have been burned so many times in the past.
I agree with the observations of some who post here that Gloria has at most a year in office. Bakit tayo manggigil? It is the opposition that is “gigil” because they are “atat-na-atat” to take power. If we can resolve the situation in a year’s time, we should be willing to wait. It is better than taking an adventure with a junta or revolutionary council. Malamang mabibigo na naman tayo dyan. The cure will again be worst than the disease.
yes juan dako, your right, lets make the dust settle muna.
haste makes waste
that is why the opposition will never succed because you said it right man.
all the emotions, moralazing & self rightouness will not help
we really have to way things very carefuly.
fencesitter, even if you get rid of pgma, there will be nothing to rejoice about.you would have just continued the vicious cycle that i belaeve pgma is trying to break because if not we will be just another “banana republic”
Cat, why are you so negative, when you don’t even know the details of the plan? Give JDV a chance. He may come out with something which the Leftists only bitch about, but never do anything about.
I am not saying JDV will pull a rabbit out of the hat. But, heck, I sure am hoping he will, for the good of the country! The Leftists want JDV to fail because that will deny them another another issue to bellyache about.
I am not negative.
I am sure you do not understand how the scheme works.
Give it a chance and what , convert them back as lenders when our natural resources have been depleted.
PATRIOT=ALLOWING FOREIGNERS TO USE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES FOR PROFITS? Is that your idea.
Sometimes, it is best to keep quiet when the principle is not understood.
In business, that means you are giving away a part of your business to your lenders and allow them to manage with you.
TO foreigners, to hell if our natural resources are depleted. To hell if our environment is
polluted. See those mines owned partly by foreigners. You see how much poisionous materials they have dumped to our river system?
And that must be the reason why Africa and other third woorld countries are poor and yet they have the richest natural resournces.
Yep from the beginning of this crisis, I have been critical about the way, it is handled.
The wrong alliances, the personal agenda being revealed before the goal of eliminating Gloria is attained, the bluff of the representatives of having the number, the not so credible withnesses.
I say, it is an insult to one’s intelligence if mediocrity is expected to yield the result.
Your opposition used the argumentum ad odium.
Cat, you mouth the tired old slogans of the Left. You are a bore. Even Russia and China, the mightiest Communist countries, have abandoned your line of thinking and are opening up to foreign investment.
Nigeria is an oil-producing country with very rich natural resources. It was left behind, not because of the foreigners. It was left behind because it was CORRUPT and INCOMPETENT. Just like the corrupt and incompetent Philippines, which was corrupt from day one, with Emilio Aguinaldo at the helm. The problem with the old-line Leftists is that they are always in denial. They always blame foreigners instead of confronting their own demons. You can take a few lessons from mlq3, who has the courage to reflect on reality.
Why don’t you guys get a life?
C.Inting,
You are funny.
You praised an organization that includes left leaning personalities to remove GMA and when I bring out the advantages of adopting a debt-equity scheme, you call me a leftist because you perceive that I am mouthing their cause.
Short to calling me a terrorist because that is exactly the motivation of these AlQaeda cells.
Or you are not aware of that.
I am a lefty, I know but I am a CPA and therefore I know the pros and cons of attracting investors or equity holders to finance a busines or any project that had required or are about to finance.
It is a matter of choice between ownership and control vis-avis adequate capital financing.
Foreign investment is different.
Even investments contracts in China have fine prints. Their trade offs are not their huge debts.
It is the opportunity to produce more at lesser costs and bigger market to tap. The scale is tipped to their side when it comes to negotiation.
While it is different for the Philippines.
It is offering our debts to be paid by assuming ownerships.So we have no leverage.
Sa Tagalog kung hindi mo naintindihan. Hindi pa man nireremata dahil wala silang karapatan, inoofer muna ang iyong ari-arian para sa kanila na.
Don’t shout at me to ge a life.
If you have been following discussions, I never
failed in giving the expected outcome because of weak strategies employed by the opposition groups.
Advise:
When you handle arguments? Don’t shut up people you talk with because you are just spreading your saliva to your face.