EXPLOITING THE EXPLOITABLE

On the anniversary of man's landing on the moon, US President Barack Obama proudly declared America would soon be sending her astronauts to other uncharted planets in outer space.

Meanwhile, back in Manila, we have gone back to motorless pedicabs. And speaking of pedicabs, who allowed those rickety contraptions pedalled by mostly uncouth drivers in the streets of the metropolis, completely disregarding all traffic rules and regulations, causing nightmarish traffic snarls? No wonder the lines in the different foreign embassies are getting longer by the day.

And how come they haven't enforced already existing city and municipal ordinances banning pedicabs from main city thoroughfares? We still see those pesky sidecars defying traffic laws on main roads while the police simply look the other way. Is it because policemen own several of these rolling irritants?

And then comes a vice-presidential bet who lauds and promotes these road hazards. Believe me, he's going to create more enemies than friends by the day, which translates to precious votes come 2010 if he continues playing godfather to an illegal trade.

Is this the kind of vision he has for the country? Ask Loren Legarda now, who's steadily eating into his socio-political pie. I'm fine with Loren, as long as she doesn't "cry her way to the bank."

Well, anything just to get those votes. The appropos word I believe is: exploitation. First the palengkeras in the palengkes, and then now the padyakeros in the kalyes. Who could be next to be exploited in 2016 when he runs for president? Perhaps the snatchers or the contratista taxi drivers right under his nose in Cubao's Araneta Center?

(Image from http://www.news.com.au/)

STATURES AND STATUES

The Japanese really know how to deal with Filipinos. They know that most of our leaders and officials are scammers, free-loaders and, in the words of the late Chino Roces, "highwaymen."

I remember when a Japanese cigaret manufacturer contributed some 250,000 packs of cigarets - or 5 million sticks for distribution to a rally on EDSA (Quezon City side) many years ago. And to think that the same city was supposed to be under a smoking ban then. So how come those EDSA organizers accepted the donation?

Recently, another "donation" to Quezon City was consumated, perhaps coinciding with its honorable mayor's "balimbing act." This pertains to Mayor Sonny Belmonte's pledge of allegiance to the Liberal Party, announcing to the whole city his undying support for Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas. Of course, Vice-Mayor Herbert Bautista wasn't far behind. He was on a yellow leash as well. And what better way to reinforce this partisan commitment than to erect yet another statue of Ninoy Aquino right in the heart of Quezon City. The structure now stands on the corner of sleazy Quezon Avenue and Timog. That corner happens to be a bottleneck too because unruly jeepney drivers load and unload their passengers right there causing traffic.

And perhaps, many still remember a donation to the province of Tarlac of a statue of Ninoy Aquino during President Cory's regime. This donation was made by one of the bidders of the Philippines Roppongi property in Japan - whose sale was (and still is) the object of question and controversy, not to mention the all-expenses paid junkets national and local officials then have made several times to Tokyo. Many of these Aquino officials even had the shamelessness to ask their hosts for "pocket money" to finance their spending sprees.

Do you still wonder why our former enemies still regard us as trash, abuse our women, and dump their toxic garbage on our piers, even to the extent of having our senators kiss the wooden sandals of the Yakuza in the country?

(Image from http://politicalarena.com/ and http://farm1.staticflickr.com/85/233597063_0a35788487.jpg)

MARTIAL LAW AND MAR SHALLOW

Nothing in particular. Just playing with words as I always love to, and these suddenly appeared like marquee lights in my mind: "Martial Law," and "Mar Shallow." Both subject matter are currently a daily read these days in practically every publication there is, which brought me to ask myself how long will Martial Law be implemented in Maguindanao and will it spill over to other areas like Metro Manila and then to the entire archipelago to, in the words of Rep. Teddy Casino, "end all other rebellions?" and then coming to mind too is the question how shallow really is Mar Roxas? As one reader puts it, "he's deeply shallow." But methinks Mar is shallowy deep, what ever that means. You be the judge.

Being a little "shallow" can be tolerable, especially from one whose organization tries hard to identify him with the masses or the hoi polloi with pseudonyms first like "Mister Palengke" and then a few years later "Padyak," when in fact he comes from the creme de la creme of such buena familias. In short, an upper crust, top-of-the-foodchain bourgeois. A capitalist who exploits the proletariat. The same thing can be said about his runningmate Noynoy Aquino and most of the presidentiables.

And since it looks like he's a sure winner for the second highest office in the land, I just hope he doesn't become another Sultan of Shallow like VP Noli de Castro.

As for Martial Law, that really is either tolerable or intolerable, depending on whose side you're on.

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A PASSING FEVER

Before selective amnesia kicks in for good to the many yellow fever-inflicted Pinoys who now have blindly shifted their support to Noynoy Aquino and party saying that their candidate comes from an untainted (presidential) legacy some of his ancestors have left the country, perhaps it would be apropos to draw attention to a book on the late former President Corazon Aquino by Lewis Gleeck Jr., a former US embassy official who has lived in the Philippines since his retirement from the US foreign service, and is considered one of the foremost experts on the Philippines and frequently consulted by US officials on Asian and Philippine affairs.

Entitled "President Aquino: Sainthood Postponed," the book is a sequel to his first book "President Marcos and the Philippine Political Culture." It pulls no punches and carries withering criticisms about what he calls "Aquino's failed presidency."

In his preface, Gleeck admits he has written what some may find as too critical of Aquino for which he says he makes no apologies. He further writes in the preface:

"Finally, I am firmly convinced that a government cannot perform adequately if its basic raison d'etre is revenge. I am not so Christian to believe that such sentiment is never justified, but revenge, as a basis of government covers up flaws in both the policies and performance of government. Hatred can so deform thinking that what the dethroned monster has done must be seen to be evil and its opposite, good. This was the rationale of Palace policies for the entire six years of the Aquino government."

"In summary, I regard the presidential term of Corazon Aquino as not only a failure, but at the end, a regression comparable to the worst days of the Marcos regime."

In a special message to American readers, he wrote:

"Cory Aquino, choreographed in 1986 by the world media and championed by the American government, flashed like a meteor through the heavens for two years, but failing to capture the coveted Nobel Prize, quickly sputtered to Earth."

"During the next four years, she was sustained in office largely through the efforts of the US which fell victim to its own delusion that it was supporting a saint who would lead the authoritarian-oppressed nations of the world to American-style democracy."

"Mrs. Aquino was not only inexperienced but untalented, a victim of grossly-simplified view of democracy, which in her mind seemed to consist of anything that ran counter to the acts of the Marcos government, some of whose policies were sound and effective."

"Since Marcos had been a strong leader, Cory abdicated leadership in favor of playing, first, chairman of a mediocre Board which could never agree, and then reached kaffeeklatsch decisions among her own cronies whose husbands occupied official positions which they constantly mismanaged. Mrs. Aquino tolerated total incompetence or corruption in her ministries and through repeatedly promising to correct anomalies, just as repeatedly reneged, blindly clinging to cronies and relatives."

So, if you believe "kung ano ang puno, siya ang bunga," well, here you have it.

(Image from http://www.due-east.org/)

POLITICAL FLIES

'Tis the nippy month of November. It is also the season for some exotic fruits like the balimbing and the unique genus of the Lepidoptera species developed in the Philippines called political butterflies. I'd rather call them political flies, hopping from one dung to another.

Expect the mighty Lakas to semi-disintegrate with many of its officials preparing to make a mass migration to the opposition parties such as the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party whose members and their fantasizing fanatics believe that their bets Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas have already won even way before the 2010 elections. What arrogance. What buffoonery.

'Tis the merry month of November and 'tis also the season for cult members who worship Brutus, Quisling, Judas and Benedict Arnold and other assorted characters notorious for being opportunists, rats jumping from a sinking ship, and pettifoggers.

With such kind of politicians and leaders, no wonder this country is in such a mess. Even our church leaders, who are supposed to be our guides are equally guilty of such deception and deceit and should be lined up against a wall and whipped ahead of those dirty politicians.

If we stop voting, will they ever go away?

(image from http://fohn.net/)

DYNASTIC DUO

SLEEPLESS IN MY SHUTTLE. Filipinos have become the largest Asian immigrant population. In the US alone, it is a fact that every state has at least one Pinoy family cooking adobo and pancit.

But this is not at all flattering. During the Marcos years, Pinoys fled mostly to the US as political refugees. Many came back after Aquino came to power. But soon, they started leaving again because of extreme economic difficulties and government incompetence. During the Aquino years, Pinoys swarmed to other countries to look for employment since they had no job opportunities in the Philippines. When a vengeful, inutile government comes to power, the citizens are the first ones to suffer. Such was the case during the Aquino years.

People leave their homeland when things become desperate and when they can no longer feed their families, very much like the Irish who fled Ireland in the thousands during the potato famine.

With Noynoy Aquino and his runningmate what's his name topping surveys for now, having no clear plataporma but all puro porma, this dynastic duo may have an excellent chance at greatness, that is - solving the country's over-population problem.

(Image from http://zamoracartoons.blogspot.com/)

FROM THE CEO

As your CEO of this company, I have resigned myself to the fact that Noynoy Aquino could be our next president, if elections materialize in 2010, and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a big way. To compensate for these increases, our prices will have to go up by about 10%.

And since we cannot increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, thanks to the Arroyo administration, we will have to lay-off six of our employees instead. This has really been bothering me, since I firmly believe we are a family here, and couldn't quite determine who among you would have to go.

So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lot and found six 'AQUINO-ROXAS 2010 FOR CHANGE' bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these are the ones who will have to go. I can't think of a better way to approach this problem.

They were asking for CHANGE. I gave it to them.

I will see the rest of you at the annual company outing.

(Image from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2312/2328879637_c0d2e376ff.jpg/)

CHINOYS Y TORNATRAS

President-not-so-wannabe Noynoy Aquino, who had recently crushed the dreams of president-so-much-wannabe Mar Roxas and first lady-extremely-wannabe Korina Sanchez to a pulp, will have to look back someday soon to trace his roots, and focus perhaps once again, just like what his late mother President Corazon Aquino did some years ago, proving an extensive and pervasive influence of the Chinese in the Philippines.

Cory indeed said she was proud of her Chinese heritage and believed that many Filipinos share her pride. Hence, Noynoy's family on his mother's side (Cojuangco) descended from the Koh family of China whose members settled in the Philippines in the 19th century.

The Chinese influence seeps down into almost every facet of Philippine life and more so in the economic aspect. This strong influence has extended to the political life of Cory Aquino who, during her term, appointed many with Chinese lineage to high government positions and helped several get elected to local and legislative seats. To name a few: Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee, Undersecretary Manuel Lim, Police General Alfredo Lim, Representatives Jose Yap, Jose Cojuangco, Emigdio Tanjuatco, Renato Yap, Orlando Pua, Jose Ong and Nikki Coseteng. Also, NFA Administrator Emil Ong, Ambassadors Alfonso Yuchengco and Domingo Lee, and BIR Commissioner Bienvenido Tan. If and when Noynoy makes it to the presidency, he could very well appoint Chinoys to his administration, as some old habits are really hard to break, good and bad alike.

Even our very own national hero Jose Rizal was part Chinese. The first Filipino Catholic saint Lorenzo Ruiz of Binondo was half-Chinese.

Contributions of Chinese businessmen spell the difference between victory and defeat especially in local elections. No self-respecting politico would be caught without at least one Chinese millionaire as his compadre.

The first Chinese immigrants to the Philippines came as early as 200 A.D. as traders. Many remained in the country and intermarried with the natives. Their descendants contributed much to the country's economic growth. Dr. H. Otley Beyer says that the first considerable trade between the Philippines and China was initiated by the hardy and venturesome traders who went through the route of the Malacca Straits after they fled South China which was then in turmoil. Dr. Andres V. Castillo writes, "Chinese industry, patience and skill have been demonstrated time and again in practically every phase of human endeavor they have chosen to undertake - in the arts, crafts and trade, the processing and manufacture of commodities from indigenous raw materials, the distribution and marketing of produce, the mining of ores and the use of metals."
The effects of their activities have permeated nearly every social and economic stratum in the Philippines. Chinese blood flows in Filipino veins.

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THE HEROES IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

Today, August 21 is the 26th anniversary of Ninoy's death, and I hate to be a killjoy to his many followers but, the proposal to have Congress declare the late Senator Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon 'Cory' Aquino national heroes is ill-advised. But I guess it's too late to be carping about it now. The Batasan Pambansa recently approved on second reading a joint resolution declaring Corazon Aquino a national hero. So be it. However, generally speaking, the status of national hero cannot be legislated. As the late historian-writer Renato Constantino said in a past column of his - "Ninoy was a martyr. But whether or not he will have the stature of a national hero, we will have to wait historical scrutiny." Legislative action now could create a precedent that may eventually cheapen the concept of a hero.

Many who are now opposed to the idea ask how Ninoy can claim such honors even ahead of others who had done much for the country, such as Andres Bonifacio, Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel. Even the late Justice Jose Abad Santos, who was executed by the Japanese during the Occupation has yet to be officially proclaimed a national hero.

A stinging editorial once said there was need to carefully scrutinize Ninoy's life, including family background. It raised the fact that Ninoy's father was head of the pro-Japanese Kalibapi, which provided aid and comfort to the Japanese invading forces. Ninoy's supporters claim that by giving up his life, he inspired a national upheaval which resulted in the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos and the restoration of democracy in the country. The EDSA Revolution was led by a breakaway group of Marcos people led by Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Valdez Ramos. Observers say that the proposal may face rough sailing even in the two halls of Congress, where many legislators share Professor Constantino's thesis that the status of a national hero cannot be legislated. Even some friends of Ninoy Aquino admit that a move in Congress to declare him a national hero could backfire on him. His political enemies may bring out derogatory aspects of his life that could blacken his memory in the public mind. Ninoy already occupies a lofty place in the country's history. It may be better to leave things as they are instead of trying to stir up another divisive national debate by having him declared a national hero. Let him rest in peace, his many friends say.

And as for Cory, history books will be kind to her, and in the hearts of the Filipino people, she is far more than that of a national hero. She, to them was their symbol of democracy. So potent is the democratic spirit she has left behind to the nation, even making Senator Mar Roxas originally suggest EDSA be renamed to President Corazon Aquino Avenue, but is now torn and having uncontrollable second thoughts about it simply because the Liberal Party is presently in a dilemna between him and Noynoy Aquino as their party's presidential standard bearer. Mister Palengke-turned-Padyakero now has a yellow streak running through his spine. Mar's true color is now showing - and it's Mar-oon.

(Image from http://img.webme.com/)