an email from a friend:

It was as if I am loved both in heaven and hell. I’ve encountered several “near misses” in recent years (bombing in London and disasters in Jakarta) but this one in Makati tops ‘em all. I am very near the explosion site. If it would not have been due to my full bladder I could have been maimed or dead stiff by now. I was in a rush towards the rest room when suddenly a loud explosion bellowed. Forgot about my exploding urine bladder…went out, saw thick white smoke, people stampeding, noted some are bleeding, I ran with them…next thing I know I am already out the parking lot and racing to go home.

As I take stock of my entire adult life in relation to my God, I knew He was still there for me to avoid the “devilish” invite from somebody down there. He was there for me in every catastrophe in my life. He was there for me despite of having me work overseas away from my loved ones and friends, despite of having me work a different job I was rigorously trained for and which I had envisioned myself to perform “since time immemorial,” and…despite of having me become…an old maid…

But I am loved…I am truly blessed. Not a million thanks would suffice in showing how grateful I am to my maker. I love Him more than ever.

Snapping out of my reflection…I’ll again leave you guys behind…after my most memorable vacation. I’m going abroad again. Rest assured, the Philippines is safe once again.

Interesting take… not so sure that Gloria can stay beyond 2010, coz as you say, Filipinos might not take perpetuating herself in power sitting down – well, that’s my thought. (I’m not Cassandra heh!)

you’re asking of a better way? of course there’s always a better way. but o politician up to now have shown the will to go that way.

all it takes is to institute genuine reforms. not band-aid solutions. my anger at Gloria is that she definitely has political will – only that she’s using it agst her people, and furthering her own ends. she’d almost destroyed all our institutions, even the judiciary is in danger of collapsing. today, she battles the SC with her own EOs and AOs, making SC orders completely superflous or inutile. the writ of amparo being one example. made inutile with AO 197. the judiciary is always playing catch-up, employing knee-jerk reactions. if the SC wants to curb this increasingly authoritative admin, it has to beat the admin to the punch. make GMA’s admin react and not the other way around.

economic numbers would keep on surging, making those who play in stocks happy. but nobody else. as long as MBC and PCOC is kept happy, GMA will be in power. the Aquinos will be tolerated with their Luisita Hacienda, and pretty much everyone else like them. GMA would do well not to anger hacienderos like them.

for a while, Filipinos would bear with this bcoz there’s always the allure to go overseas, as demand for medical professionals, teachers, seamen, and other skilled laborers would hardly go down. why bother complaining when you can just leave the country to ruins?

the crack would start when the country is finally drained of skilled workers. educational quality not improving, demand for such laborers would slowly decrease. quality of life here further deteriorating, OFW families will have no recourse but to emigrate along with everyone from their family they can take with them. this in effect, would mean decreasing dollar inflows, until finally, this economic prop would collapse and finally expose the economic lie this govt has been resting on.

meanwhile, govt would be so degraded that law and order can hardly be kept anymore. somewhere along this line, martial law will have to be declared once criminality is so rampant even gated communities are not spared. demand for private bodyguards among the rich would increase. everyone who has some money or property to protect had better arm themselves.

the country would ignite once the barren Philippines I envision finally happens. this is when all who has the capability to leave has left, and basically what used to be the middle class is now classes D and E. this intellectual desert would be symptomatic of an abundance of messianic characters and groups professing deliverance thru God. except God would not be talked about. only the devil in politic’s robes.

Bastille in the French revolution fashion? oh i think it’ll be much worse if their leaders would be as intellectually bereft as them.

Re: “and my 3 yrs prediction does not mean “bastille” will erupt exactly 3 yrs from now. it will merely be the beginning of the end for the Arroyo admin. it will be up to the people when they will feel enough is enough.”

But by that time, 2010, Arroyo will be on her way out anyway so Bastille might not even happen. Frankly, I doubt it will ever happen (not in the French Revolution fashion.)

and my 3 yrs prediction does not mean “bastille” will erupt exactly 3 yrs from now. it will merely be the beginning of the end for the Arroyo admin. it will be up to the people when they will feel enough is enough.

cvj, i think that waiting for it to ripen is in our interest. we should not manufacture it, we should not hasten it, we should not even campaign for it. a genuine revolution will spark real change. history has proven that.

maybe your “bastille” is plausible, but not in a 3 years time. the people are not ready yet. I meant there are no leaders to rally around, no directions, not even some idea where the revolutions and civil war might led to.
but if the situation and conditions stay as they are, in due time may rise the revolutionary fervours among the oppressed like the Les Mis……