From Statesman to Political Hack Manuel L. Quezon III   Claro M. Recto who could be devastatingly sarcastic, once said of the most famous son of Cebu, the great Don Sergio Osmeña that, “the problem with Sergio is that he is a statesman while in Manila but a politician when in Cebu.” When former Chief [...]

Reporter RG Cruz debuts with his first formal opinion piece on ABS-CBN News online.  The UNO Senate slate is almost-fully-formed (and pretty much a variation on the 4+4+2 ticket I discussed previously):1….  JV EjercitoThe 12th and last slot, I’d wager, will go to Sonia Roco or Adel Tamano.

Alex Magno points out the bare essentials of the administration’s senate slate: the upper house, he says, “must be tamed or torpedoed.”

In the punditocracy, former national treasurer Liling Briones brings up the perils of using “economic growth” as a justification for supporting the administration:It is very easy to come to the conclusion that responsible voters should vote for administration candidates and do everything in their power to prevent such a “catastrophic” event!People in the business and finance community who are making these public statements truly believe that a shift in the current balance of power will surely derail the country’s inevitable march to progress….  To hint that the present administration must be supported in the coming elections is to lay to rest questions about its doubtful legitimacy, tolerate blatant human rights violations, participate in, and abet corruption, and ignore demands for public accountability.One cannot assume that the present administration must be supported because: (a) it is responsible for the present economic growth, limited as it is; and (b) this growth will collapse if administration candidates lose.  One can easily answer “not true” to both arguments.The truth is, and this is something I’ve been trying to digest ever since I read “The Shield of Achilles” (Philip Bobbitt), is that a citizen confronted with the political issues raised in an election, is in direct competition with forces that are rendering the nation-state and its issues, obsolete.

Jove Francisco’s entry on how Lakas-CMD seems out of the loop when it comes to senate slate formations, reminds me of an old entry in Katataspulong’s blog titled May Asim Pa.Over in Pajamas Media, Richard Fernandez (more famously known as Wretchard) begins a special report on conflict in Mindanao, Islands in the War, Part 1….  Wretchard believes that Nur Misuari and the MNLF are part of an older nationalism; but if he were to refer to Patricio Abinales, who is from Mindanao and has written extensively on the nation-building efforts of the 1930s to 1950s, and the origins and ideology of the Bangsamoro, he might find useful ideas to modify his own.  As I understand it, Abinales argues that traditional Muslim society was generally pro-American; that like the princely states in India, these traditional leaders at first felt wronged by their being made part of the Philippines and not a separate American protectorate; that the traditional leaders thereafter adapted themselves and were fairly successfully integrated into national politics from the Commonwealth onwards.What emerged with the Leftist-influenced generation of Muslims represented by Misuari was a new, non-traditional Muslim nationalism, the idea of a Bangsamoro, a new idea and one dependent on the ideological development of other Muslims in the Nasser era: a break with traditional Muslim political and social behavior.

If only I knew more about sports, I might have had a better chance of getting the analogy right.  I think in some sports there’s a system known as ladders, to determine either the composition of teams, or the manner in which teams compete.  Anyway, as it’s turning out, there seem to be different sub-teams in the Us Vs. Them contest known as the Senate race.

THE LONG VIEW The amazing race    By Manuel L. Quezon III Inquirer First Posted 00:52am (Mla time) 01/25/2007 Published on page A11 of the January 25, 2007 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer THE scuttlebutt is that the administration has wooed Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Tito Sotto to their side, to co-star in the Palace’s [...]

Today’s entry will be brief.The scuttlebutt today is that Tessie Aquino-Oreta and Tito Sotto who’ve moved to the administration-allied Nationalist People’s Coalition, are poised to join the ranks of the administration’s senate slate.  The next recruit just might be actor Richard Gomez.  JB Baylon has an interesting column, incidentally, on what the public thinks might make for an effective administration slate.Take a look at Jove Francisco’s report on how the administration tried some hard-sell to try to foster the impression it’s in cahoots with those forming an alternative slate.Then ponder Manuel Buencamino’s argument that determining non-administration senate slates should bear a primordial priority in mind: Hitler first, Stalin later.My Arab News column for this week is Edsa Dos: The Defining Issue.The Inquirer editorial comments on the administration being found wanting in comparison to the South Koreans.

The list Senator Ralph Recto’s put forward is a mixed bag (hat tip to The Lonely Vampire Chronicles):Randy David says running for elected office isn’t for him; as Philippine Politics 04 points out, Joker Arroyo and Luisa Ejercito are out of the race;Thank God he’s back to blogging on the political scene: Jove Francisco reports ; the Inquirer cobbles together pundit’s views: and the consensus remains a “third force” benefits the Palace most.Writing in the Mindanao Current, Ed Montalvan points out the politically pragmatic reasons why the administration is interested in suspending the governor of Iloilo.  As Iloilo@UpClose wonders, does the Palace think Ilonggos are stupid?…  Last night I was with a friend who is pro-Arroyo, whose family is pro-Arroyo, but who are Ilonggos, and they were dismayed by the handling of the suspension of their governor.In the blogosphere, Newsbreak has an article on Blogging about the elections (hat tip to Philippine Eleksyon 2007).Pseudonymity points to an Inquirer.net article on how bloggers are rallying around beleaguered Malaysian fellow bloggers.Basang Panaginip has a manifesto on atheism.

attending the close-door workshop organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)…Ermita intimated that no expense would be spared for this massive election propaganda, saying Malacañang is ready to tap and hire well-known commercial directors to produce television ads that would create a strong impact on the public, and with reports similar to the media hype created by the boxing matches of Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao as well as the TV programs, Pinoy Big Brother and Philippine Idol.“We need to be more aggressive and more proactive….  While the President is not seeking elections or reelection because this is a midterm election, perhaps it will not be difficult for the people to accept the results of the elections since this will be based on the performance of the President, the performance of her government,” Ermita said.Ermita told the PIOs that the Palace aims for an 8-4 slot in the Senate…On the part of the Cabinet, Ermita said Cabinet officials must hold regular press conferences and even visit universities and colleges…“All Cabinet members and their respective agencies are to actively lead in stepping up the dissemination to the citizenry of the effective socio-economic reforms, enhanced pro-poor programs and evident economic gains, specifically those brought about under the Medium-Term Development Plan and the 10-Point Legacy Agenda.  All Cabinet members, together with their officials, should continue to hold press conferences to ensure the proper dissemination of the government’s programs, efforts and achievements,” he said.“All Cabinet members are also enjoined to visit State universities and colleges to inform the students, faculty, and staff of the economic gains primarily brought about by the socio-economic reforms initiated by the government, and to encourage their active participation in meeting the socio-economic targets,” Ermita added.Comprehensive!