THROUGH THICK AND THIN

On every special occasion like Christmas or a birthday, one of the questions persistently asked is what makes a man stick to one particular woman, even if there are much prettier and more attractive others in the field. Of course, to be faithful to your woman is something men must always be. Every man, of course, has to spend the precious Christmas Eve dinner with his special someone, whether it be his wife or his girlfriend. I'd like to stretch it a bit further - spending a special occasion with mother dear. The same thing is applied to birthdays. Hence, what makes these special girls tick?

There may not be really one hard-and-fast answer to this question. The best I can do is to tell a story of the late German dictator Adolf Hitler, who married his long-time mistress Eva Braun, hours before both of them committed suicide and their bodies were doused with gasoline and then burned.

Hitler said Eva would "go to her death with me at her own wish." Their brief marriage he explained, would "compensate us both for what we have lost in my work in the service of my people." What the artist-dictator admired most in Eva, who was a mere store clerk in Munich when he met her, was her "lack of intellectual ability" and "unquestioning loyalty."

A lot of Filipino women, especially those identified with the activist circles and the academe will protest my making Hitler's idea of the most desirable traits in women as an example here. Apologies then are in order. It's only because I thought Hitler made a lot of sense and articulated what most of us men would really want in our women - on the "unquestioning loyalty" part. Wasn't this also what our fathers and their fathers before them wanted in their women - to stay home and take care of the children and stick to their men through thick and thin, not asking why? Just pratlling off some thoughts.

(Image from http://www.evabraun.dk/)

A DEPARTMENT FOREIGN TO ITS AFFAIRS

It turns out that when the late Vice-President Salvador 'Doy' Laurel was foreign secretary during the term of President Corazon Aquino, he had issued Foreign Service Circular 221-86 requiring all foreign service personnel to assist any Filipino national, especially OFWs in need of help in a foreign country.

These personnel were required to submit a weekly report on Pinoys facing court charges and how they had been assisted by these foreign service personnel. They were also required to visit their countrymen who end up in jail, and see to it that they were given adequate legal assistance. The labor attaches were required to be on call at all times to serve OFWs in trouble and make regular reports of their activities to the DFA.

This circular was completely ignored when Laurel was canned by Aquino. The foreign secretaries that followed had a sorry history of ignoring our OFWs. President Arroyo would do well to order the DFA to resuscitate that Laurel circular and require strict compliance with it by all DFA personnel henceforth.

In asking for the revival of the circular, Arroyo could also order all chiefs of mission and other diplomatic officers to get rid of a common practice among DFA staffers of looking down, sometimes with disdain, on our OFWs who run to them for help. Most of these "diplomats" are more obsessed with rubbing elbows with officials of the countries they are assigned to and other diplomatic corps members, than spending time helping our OFWs. If they ever help at all, this would be at a minimal and mostly delegated to low-ranking consular staffers who are anyway also prejudiced against OFWs, in pretty much the same as their superiors are. Arroyo should order ambassadors and other chiefs of mission to personally attend to the plight of our OFWs under pain of separation from the service if they fail or refuse to do so. The President could order presidential monitors to report on the activities of our foreign service people and blacklist those found wanting in their assistance to our OFWs. She should recommend the dismissal of these people from the foreign service. The DFA has embassy inspectors of its own who are supposed to monitor our embassies abroad. Why have their mouths been shut for so long?

As a suggestion, all heads of diplomatic missions abroad should be lawyers or at least have a lawyer in their office to immediatly assure legal assistance to OFWs. There are too many OFWs facing criminal prosecution, and since they have no sufficient knowledge of the law, including customs and traditions of their country of employment, they almost always lose legal cases they face. When a Filipino abroad is investigated, a Filipino lawyer must assist the lawyer assigned by the foreign government. This will ensure that the OFW is not denied due process.

(Image from http://fil.wikipilipinas.org/)

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/)

PRESIDENTIAL PECCADILLOES

Reading recently an old magazine featuring former French President Francois Mitterand, with pictures of him and his illegitimate daughter named Mazarine who was then about 20 years old. Indeed, unlike the British who delight in reporting on the peccadilloes of their royals, the French have always kept mum about the hanky-panky of their top officials. Under French law, it is illegal to publish photographs without the permission of the subject especially if he or she is a public figure.

The reports from Paris about the Mitterand lass who had been kept from the public eye would have surely tittilated local circles, where dangerous liaisons of public figures are staple fare each and every day of the week. Pinoys love to brag that in this country, the public official and business tycoon who does not have backstreet affairs are the exception. They will tell observers that Filipino voters support candidates with fascinating reputations for their machismo. Joseph Estrada was the perfect example. The more he flaunted his extra-marital affairs and his illegitimate children, the more votes he obtained. It was certainly wrong and immoral, but it delivered for him what he needed from the citizenry.

For Pinoys certainly love to relate how their leaders, from Jose Rizal to Jose Pidal, are famous lovers. Pinoys will even argue that this is the reason why some men are great leaders. While the nation awaits Erap's "announcement," will he again flaunt his paramours to the delight of the masa, or will he be a "proper presidentiable" this time around and get down to serious business of governance? It's now a waiting game.

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LESS IS BEST

Do we really need so many congressmen, not to mention the lavish spending-sprees each time they just "feel like it?" Our country has been doing quite fine with some 76 or so governors. Hence, there really is no logical point why we should not have only 76 congressmen and only 15 senators, who should be elected by region. Can you imagine the money we can save with a smaller congress and senate?

By way of comparison, the United States, which is 300 times bigger than the Philippines and about 7 times bigger in population has only about 435 congressmen and 100 senators.

It's time we take a closer look at the matter for the benefit of the Filipino people. That would also mean a smaller bill for us each time they dine in some classy restaurant overseas. Just a thought, wouldn't you agree?

(Image from http://www.vistapinas.com/)

NIXON AND THE FOURTH ESTATE

Speaker Prospero Nograles, Secretary Cerge Remonde and Attorney Romulo Macalintal may be interested about a few words from former US President Richard Nixon on how to deal with the press, as reported in an old copy of Time Magazine I had recently unearthed from my baul. Nixon should know the subject very well, after more than 40 years of a love-hate relationship with media. It should also be a reminder to these gents that the media is the Fourth Estate, meaning, the fourth branch of government, and among its functions is to report how government people behave - and dine in public places.

I have chosen the following Nixon quotes which should be of interest to Boy, Cerge and Romy, and to every Tom, Dick and Harry in public office for that matter: Nixon says, "One tactic that should be used only sparingly is for a public official who has been attacked by the press to counter-attack. He may win in the short run, but in the long run, the press has the last word and they will never forgive him for taking them on. This does not mean he should take their barbs lying down or that he should go crawling after them to win their support. It does mean that he should give as good as he receives, but in a manner that will not expose him to the charge that he is taking on the press to divert attention from his own vulnerabilities."

"Based on 44 years of dealing with media on the national level, I can say they are above average in intelligence. They are proud of their profession and sometimes find it difficult to hide their contempt for the less-educated politicians and businessmen they cover. Many believe they are underpaid compared to the lobbyists and PR flacks who rip off their employers so shamelessly. Finally, most are interesting people. An off-the-record session with a group of top-notch reporters can be far more stimulating and informative than with a meeting with a group of senators and congressmen."

(Image from http://www.historylink.org/)

FOR OFFICIALS' MISUSE ALSO

Among the austerity measures Malacanang and both houses of Congress must agree on are the prevention of misuse of government vehicles and prohibition of foreign travels (a.k.a. junkets) by government people. Ban abuse of government vehicles and ban foreign travels? Such already have whiskers and people think they are one big joke. Indeed, what the master does, the slave shall do as well.

Previous administrations mounted campaigns against the abuse of government cars, but nobody obeyed directives that all government vehicles be marked "For Official Use Only." Honestly, how many of these government vehicles do you see on the streets with these markings? Only a few, right? Hence, these numerous vehicles must be used only during office hours and should be issued trip tickets, and a definite ban on "security plates" must be strictly enforced. Users and abusers of these plates include cabinet members, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, senators, congressmen, governors, mayors etc.

Malacanang should order the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to immediately recall all these plates and stop issuing new ones. This is one way of checking misuse of government vehicles, and millions of pesos will be saved if the campaign against such rampant abuse of official cars is carried out in earnest. People are fed-up with these abuses even by the wives and children of officials who use them to the market and to schools, golf courses and even out of town family road trips.

Well, they really form part and parcel of the lure of a government job, don't they? It's about time something is done to really ban these frequent abuses. A no-nonsense order from Malacanang must be followed that all government vehicles be marked "For Official Use Only" on each side of the vehicle. And, the Palace can curb this scandal by simply banning the use of security plates - the only thing that enables officials to mock the flood of orders against abuse of government vehicles. There should also be no exemption whatsoever from this ban. But of course trouble is, most Palace officials are always the first to violate such orders.

(Image from http://www.pcij.org/)

HONEST JUDGE - AN OXYMORON?

A retired Supreme Court justice has been banned for life in the practice of law. This is one fella who was unfortunate to get caught. Many more like him are out there lurking in the dark - justices, judges, lawyers and pseudo-lawyers.

Concerned lawyers' groups have been agitating for action against these crooks in robes. Even some honest justices and judges (there still are?) have admitted that there are rotten eggs in their midst and have endorsed a clean-up drive (ho-hum) before the situation gets out of hand and the people completely lose their trust in the courts. The public perception is that gone are the days when justices and judges were much respected and revered because of their probity and integrity, and when they led exemplary lives and were never seen in social functions and official parties. Today, these members of the bench can be easily seen in karaoke establishments and casinos, restaurants and hotel lobbies, enjoying themselves at the expense of people who court their favorable decisions.

It's about time for Congress to enact a Judicial Reform Act in order to attempt to clean up the judiciary and ferret out its corrupt members. Congress leaders could dig up an old judicial reform bill submitted before martial law was declared but never reached enactment because it simply got caught by events.

Among the reforms sought in the proposal were:

- No judge may serve in his own province.

- No new judge may serve in Manila before he has served for some time in another province.

- No family members may be appointed by justices and judges in their courts.

- There should be no interference in the raffling of cases among the courts.

- Recommendations by politicians for judiciary posts must be rejected.

In addition, 'judicial fixers' must also be banned by the courts. These people act as liaison officers of justices and judges, looking for the right clients since decisions can be had if the price is right.

(Image from http://www.enn.com/)

STANDING FIRM

Certain groups are now bent on elevating the late President Corazon Aquino's status to sainthood, unmindful that she was not a religious figure, but a political one. As such, even on the issue of making her a national hero, many other Filipinos must first be accorded such a high status before her. If so, it only shows that even in death, our dearly departed deserving heroes can be 'bypassed.'

On my objection to her being a "saint," simply because she was never a religious figure - but allow me to make mention of a book Standing Firm, written by former US Vice-President Dan Quayle which devotes an entire chapter on the US role in smashing the 1989 coup against Cory Aquino.

Quayle's book discusses the frantic President Aquino's appeal for US aid to defeat the RAM rebels, who were on the brink of ousting her because they had control of the air. Quayle, who had to decide whether or not to rescue President Aquino since President George Bush Sr. was enroute to Malta for the Malta Summit with President Mikhail Gorbachev at the time of the Philippine coup. The book contains certain revelations which would be embarrassing to the legions of die-hard Corystas.

After her administration was saved by the US Air Force, President Aquino and her officials quickly adopted the line that they did not seek US support and that anyway such help was not crucial to her quelling the coup. Quayle said that President Aquino begged him three times for US aid, even asking for the bombing of rebel positions. Quayle claimed credit for saving the Aquino administration. In fact, that particular chapter of his book was titled "Saving Aquino." If it's true that Cory indeed asked Quayle to bomb rebel positions, then that could automatically disqualify her to be a candidate for Catholic sainthood. Hard to imagine a soft-spoken Philippine president asking a super-power nation to eliminate several of her fellow-Filipinos in a foreign and sovereign country at a time of peace (for the US). Quite disturbing, don't you think?

Quayle asks why Aquino became anti-American even after she was saved by the US jets. He refers to the fact that she caved in to the anti-US elements in her government who wanted to boot out the US bases in the country. Political circles believed that her stance on the bases showed that certain groups dictated her economic and foreign policies.

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BAN MULTIPLE POSITIONS

Malacanang will surely say that the reason why most if not all cabinet members hold multiple positions is that they are mandated by law to do so - ex officio, by virtue of being department heads. So, simply put, the Palace cannot really do anything about it even if there is a silent public outcry over such multiple positions together with its corresponding fabulous allowances and other seemingly endless privileges.

Granted. But President Arroyo can easily settle this if and when the matter blows off its lid by telling her department secretaries and other executive officials that they may hold on to their multiple positions, as long as they refrain from collecting the allowances and the per diems, and give up the privileges like service vehicles, free food and drinks and accomodations in the various classy establishments such as hotels and restaurants, not to mention additional jobs for their relatives and friends.

Only then can we really find out if they really desire to serve the public without such privileges, pomp and perks. Let's start with those fat cats in government banks and institutions, and remind them that a public office is a public trust and never a private ATM.

(Image from http://pcij.org/)

BODYGUARDS

High-profile public officials will surely make a big fuss about it if and when a crackdown (again?) on bodyguards and private armies are implemented. It is common knowledge that many national and local executives, acting like miniature monarchs, employ the services of armed-goons who terrorize the citizenry. Even the wives and children of these public servants are escorted by armed-goons.

We do not quite understand the penchant of these government executives to have armed hoodlums following them every minute of the day. If they are really loved by the people as they claim to be so, what then is the need for bodyguards? Most of the time these security people are instruments of oppression and abuse.

Sad to say, some of these armed men will kill on orders of their masters, and many crimes, especially in far away localities, are committed by these bodyguards who remain unpunished. These security people are the curse of businessmen who cannot refuse their demands. Ask owners of bars and restaurants who have lost large sums of money simply because these men do not pay their bills. Ask waitresses who had to submit to the advances of these people, and they will tell you that indeed, many of these security people abuse their authority. The Palace should strictly enforce the rule that no local executive may employ no more than two bodyguards, who must have PNP and NBI clearances.

(Image from http://www.newsimg.bbc.co.uk/)

THREE PRESIDENTS AND A NOT QUITE

One night, President Gloria Arroyo is awakened by President Manuel Quezon's ghost in Malacanang. Gloria asks: "Mishter Preshident, what ish the besht thing I can do to shave the Philippinsh?"

"Don't pursue Charter Change, listen to your countrymen, and always set an honest and honorable example, just as I did," Quezon advises.

The next night, the ghost of President Elpidio Quirino moves through the dark bedroom. "Mishter Preshident," Gloria asks, "What ish the besht thing I can do to shave the Philippinsh?"

"Cut taxes, fight corruption, live a simple life, and settle your legitimacy issue once and for all," Qurino advises.

Gloria isn't sleeping well the next night, while FG Mike is snoring like a warthog, embracing his favorite Winnie the Pooh coloring book. She sees another figure moving in the shadows. It's President Ramon Magsaysay's ghost! "Mishter Preshident," again Gloria asks, "What ish the besht thing I can do to shave the Philippinsh?"

Magsaysay replies: "GO RIDE A PLANE."

(Image from http://kibaka.org/)

GLORIANIUM

Filipino scientists recently achieved an amazing historical and scientific breakthrough after discovering what they now claim to be "the heaviest and the most unstable element known to science." The new element has been appropriately named "Glorianium," which has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons, and 11 assistant deputy neutrons, giving an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held hostage by forces called morons, surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

While Glorianium has no electrons, it is however inert. It can be detected as it impedes every action with which it comes into contact with. A tiny amount of Glorianium causes one reaction to take over 4 days to complete when it would normally take less than a second only.

Glorianium has a normal half-life of 6 years, but acts and reacts just like its cousin Diktatorium. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Glorianium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization causes some morons to become neutrons, forming iso-dopes. This will happen when her honorable iso-dopes in Congress convene, forming an amoeba-like Constituent-Assembly, hoping to extend her parasitic reign against the will of a host nation.

This characteristic of moron-promotion leads some Filipino scientists to speculate that Glorianium is formed whenever morons reach a certain quantity in concentration.

This hypothetical quantity is referred to as "Critical Morass."

(Image from http://www.uniffors.com/)

JUST COMPENSATION?

There is a group of Filipinos who want our government to ask Japan to extend benefits to all those who collaborated with the Japanese Imperial Army during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines. These Filipinos say that Japan should treat collaborators in the same way that the United States treated Filipinos who fought in the U.S. Army, and that Japan should grant them Japanese citizenship. Thousands of Filipinos served in pro-Japanese organizations, such as the Bureau of Constabulary, the propaganda office and the Makapili.

Thousands of other Filipinos were forced to work for the Japanese Occupation forces or for the Japanese-backed government. People who worked for the Japanese at the point of a bayonet are also entitled to some form of compensation from Japan, whose government has declared that it wants to make up for the evils the Japanese Imperial forces committed during the Pacific War. This sense of guilt has raised the issue of compensation for the thousands of Asian women who were forced to serve as "comfort women" for Japanese soldiers.

Some of the Filipinos who are pushing the idea of compensation for Japanese collaborators go as far as to suggest that the Philippines may have chosen the wrong side during the Pacific War. They cite the long list of injustices Filipinos have received at the hands of the Americans even though the Philippines was the staunchest U.S. ally in Asia. If we had sided with Japan, would we now be an economic power like South Korea and Taiwan, which were ruled by the Japanese for many years?

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WILLIE OF IMPORTUNE

While the nation stood still as it said goodbye to a dame of democracy, an icon of immorality insulted the former's funeral cortege simultaneously aired on his noontime show Wowowee as an inset on nationwide TV, displaying absolute disrespect and arrogance as he complained for such. He didn't find it appropriate that his hypnotized fanatics would be viewing the pre-burial procession of Mrs. Aquino at the same time he was acting his usual day after day behavior, wantonly insulting our womenfolk with his sexual innuendos, while likewise promoting mendicancy to his contestants, each competing against each other with the most tragic and saddest misfortunes in life - in exchange for a dollar dole-out or a a peso-prize, and then invisibly patting himself on his back for a noble deed well done for the day, unmindful and uncaring with the damaging precedent it always delivers.

Willie Revillame is a monster that ABS-CBN has assembled from cheap scrap metal, in the hope of turning him into fine gold, and then into a goldmine too. And in achieving that, here is an example that not all that's gold glitters. And sure enough, whatsoever it soweth, it reapeth. Its owners and its talents like Revillame must never forget that if it weren't for Corazon Aquino, their station would, to this day, still be a huge bodega for antiquated teleprompters and TV cameras. It was right after the 1986 EDSA people's revolt that ABS-CBN received its second birth, after many years of "off the air" status courtesy of the Marcos regime's iron grip on press freedom. By now, they should have learned their lessons that they could be switched off again by an irate citizenry who demand its deserved respect and moral uprightness. It's now obvious that 'faux-bonhommes' like Revillame and his network bosses are willing to sacrifice morality and wholesome programs in exchange for ratings and profit. Wowowee is simply a euphemism for those sleazy establishments along Quezon Avenue, a day-time version of the night-time shows there, and is it a coincidence that these joints are a stone's throw away from kapamilya kingdom? I wonder, does Big Brother who tolerates not any form of wrongdoing have anything to say about this?

I am tired of seeing Revillame apologize before a nationwide telecast after making an ass's ass of himself with his verbal diarrhea. He seems to have made the practice of a public apology a convenient way out for him, after doing so a few times, with matching crocodile tears and a pachydermic long face. Another apology from him this time must be deemed lacking and insufficient. Both the MTRCB and ABS-CBN must act decisively and now focus towards a genuine attempt at bringing good, family-based wholesome programs on air. They should always bear in mind that a huge number of their viewers and subscribers are the young generation, and if these media do nothing day in and day out but pass on the wrong values to our youth by way of unregulated filthy programs like Wowowee, then our youth is in for some big-time moral bankruptcy.

It's time to borrow the Marcos regime's spirit of censorship and erase for good this program once and for all. And as for this Willie of Importune, he has made his pile and can always return to playing the drums in one of those places along neighboring Quezon Avenue.

(Image from http://www.mukamo.com/)

A DIFFERENT APPROACH COULD WORK

"Fishes live in the sea, as men do on land; the great ones eat up the little ones." - Sulu proverb

Living by the implications of the Sulu proverb has enabled Muslim Filipinos to survive over 300 years of military and political efforts by the Spaniards, Americans and Christian Filipinos to subdue them. The little fish have to be swifter and smarter than the big ones to survive.

The mighty Americans were the most frustrated at the grit and tenacity of the little fish from Mindanao. To crush the Muslim resistance, Washington sent General Leonard Wood, the Indian fighter, who defeated Geronimo and his Chiricahua Apaches, and who, with Teddy Roosevelt, founded the "Rough Riders" of the Spanish-American War.

When he took over as commanding general in Mindanao, he sternly told the sultans: "I am going to be frank with you. At present, your rights as a nation are nothing. I believe we are here forever unless some greater country comes and drives us away, and we do not know of any such country."

But General Wood changed his clenched-fist policy after years of fierce Muslim resistance. He began a softer approach which recognized Muslim laws and customs. In effect, he admitted the failure of the military approach to govern Mindanao. But the continuing attempts by the "Christian majority" to exploit and humble the Muslim minority prevail even to this day.

And perhaps, Bayani Fernando is correct in saying that infrastructure in Mindanano is the key to peace and harmony amongst Christians and Muslims. The sad news for Mr. Fernando is that the Muslims are believed not to be too fond of the color pink.

(Image from http://en.wikipilipinas.org/)

THOSE BUNKERS BY THE PASIG

There is much speculation over that PhP100 million bullet-proof building in Malacanang that was built during the Aquino presidency, that the building will soon be refurbished in preparation for the people's wrath in the event President Arroyo decides to hang on to power beyond 2010. The building will have enough room to provide shelter for the President, her family and her select few. That mystery building is reported to have underground bunkers which are not only bullet-proof but also bomb-proof.

The bunkers would be where President Arroyo would make a last stand should a new group of military putschists succeed in penetrating the Palace, and should the people begin to storm Malacanang in a civil war.

Some of Arroyo's advisers may have been studying the Third Reich under Adolf Hitler who built the Feuhrerbunker in his Chancellery where he, Eva Braun and his trusted staff and a favorite German shepherd made their last stand as the Russians poured into Berlin and where they all committed suicide rather than surrender to the enemy.

This Gotterdammerung talk resulting from the secrecy of the building is a grim forecast of the worst scenario and should be discouraged. This could be achieved if only Palace officials were not so mysterious about the edifice. Are they really hiding something other than the enormous sum that was spent for such a seemingly useless building?

Any which way, it does appear that the building is to be reconstructed and reinforced because Palace officials have already began to fear the people and have taken steps to protect themselves if and when their boss breaks another promise not to seek another term - in case angry and hungry hordes begin to storm the Palace.

And again the choice narrows, as leaders are chased by the people like the mobs in Russia and France, between fight and flight.

(Image from http://vistapinas.com/)

RENAMING CLARK

In 1898, the United States grabbed from the Aetas an area known later on as Clark Air Base - to be used as grazing area for the horses of the U.S. Cavalry. When the place was given back to the Philippines some years ago, its condition after the Mount Pinatubo eruption was worse than what it was in 1898.

"They didn't even clean it up," laments a flustered Philippine Air Force officer who attended the turn-over rites then. It would do well for us to return the land to the Aetas who owned it in the first place. And while at it, why not propose Clark Air Base to be renamed after a prominent Filipino - the late Justice Jose Abad Santos who hailed from Pampanga, before some sneaky Malacanang apologist throws a suggestion to rename it to another person who hails from the same province - or worse, to 'Bong Pineda Resort & Casino,' or 'Lito Lapid Stud Farm.'

Abad Santos was executed by the Japanese because he refused to cooperate with them by serving in the civilian government formed by the invaders. One of the outstanding officials in the Quezon era, the justice led an exemplary life.

(Image from http://upolad.wikimedia.org/)

BULLION

Hazardous Duty, a book by retired General John K. Singlaub, a trusted adviser of the Republican Party, confirms that the late President Ferdinand Marcos had a gold hoard worth US$12 billion. The gold, Singlaub says, came from treasures confiscated from Japanese military officers, and not from "skimmed-off" U.S. aid.

Singlaub said he had participated in efforts to locate the Marcos gold bullions when he accepted a consultancy with Nippon Star, a treasure-salvage group headed by a reputable couple surnamed Harrigan.

Singlaub said Nippon Star had documents to show upwards of 300 tons of bullion and other gold that had been buried in the Philippines by the Japanese military, which had looted the national treasures, private banks and temple complexes in Hong Kong, Burma, IndoChina and the Dutch East Indies. The treasure hoard was sent to the Philippines because Tokyo planned to make the Philippines a colony. General Tomoyuki Yamashita dispersed the treasure in 172 carefully chosen sites, and an elite team of geologists and engineers came from Tokyo to bury the gold. All the sites were disguised. All were protected by several layers of booby-traps. One underwater site in Calatagan Bay was a shaft blasted 70 feet deep into a coral reef. According to Japanese records, 5 tons of gold bullion and several barrels of precious stones were buried there.

Somehow, the shrewd Marcos was able to get the Yamashita treasure by arresting American, Japanese and Filipino treasure hunters and confiscating the treasures they found. But Marcos was able to rake off only a dozen or so of the biggest sites, leaving well over a hundred untouched.

Singlaub said the Nippon Star operations failed because they committed a tactical error of concentrating on the Calatagan site. The firm ran out of money and he returned to the U.S., convinced there are still billions of dollars worth of the Yamashita treasure lying around in the Philippines. He said the Nippon Star operations were known to the Aquino government which gave its permission for the group to locate the Marcos gold hoard. A percentage of the find would of course have to be given to the Aquino government.

I don't know about you, but I think I'm taking scuba diving lessons soon.

(Image from http://asianpacificpost.com/)

ONCE A MEDDLER . . .

There must be another group somewhere out there more credible than the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL). With the 2010 elections just 'round the corner, I dread the thought that Comelec will again deputize the NAMFREL and another equally-partisan group - the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). Both groups have such well-sounding nomenclatures, but that's really just about it. Legions were disappointed with the way their leaders manipulated the NAMFREL to suit many of their politico friends. A considerable number of those are still in high positions to this day.

These groups have been suspected of meddling in past elections to favor those candidates preferred by its leaders. Hence, once a meddler, always a meddler.

The NAMFREL was a brainchild of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the fifties, when it helped secure the election of then Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay as President. The CIA played dirty tricks on Senator Claro M. Recto, a third-party candidate in the 1953 elections, whom it suspected of being sympathetic to the leftists.

Colonel Edward Lansdale, who closely worked with Filipinos in and out of government who were identified with the right, was instrumental in the creation of NAMFREL. Lansdale later worked in Vietnam, using many of the tactics that worked in the Philippines.

Surely, the nation deserves credible institutions to ensure the sanctity of the ballot.

(Image from http://blogs.gmanews.tv/)

ABUSIVE ARMORED-VANS AND AN AMERICAN CRY-BABY

Coming back home today, I witnessed an ordinary, everyday traffic altercation involving an armored van and a taxicab, and what looked like a simple 'gitgitan' case turned out quite ugly soon as one of the guards alighted from the van and positioned himself to poke his shotgun at the cabbie - in the midst of several onlookers. By the looks of it, I'd say the armored van was at fault, having counter-flowed his way at the inconvenience of many motorists on that narrow service road. Was he in a hurry, I thought - on a sluggish Sunday?

Indeed, drivers of armored vans have acquired a deserved reputation of being arrogant and reckless. I remember several years ago, one of them tangled with the wrong guy, when he ignored and ran over a man who was directing traffic on one fine busy day in one of the major thoroughfares in Makati. The man turned out to be the late former Vice-Mayor Arturo 'Toro' Yabut.

That incident subjected the youthful city official to hobble around on crutches for just a few months, but he said this won't deter him from cracking down on abusive drivers of armored vans, who justify their mindless recklessness by saying they simply want to avoid street-holdups.

And that wasn't the last we heard of our good friend Toro directing traffic. Some months after that, right after shedding those creaky crutches, an incident between him and an American motorist over a traffic violation occured, which could have sent our two countries at war with each other. Well, seriously, it led to a bad precedent. The American provoked the incident by violating a traffic rule while Yabut was directing traffic. The former flashed a dirty finger sign at Yabut when the latter tried to apprehend him.

The US embassy, claiming Yabut mauled the American, filed a diplomatic protest with the Philippine government. Yabut was subsequently ordered suspended for 60 days by then Interior and Local Government Secretary Raffy Alunan.

Because of this, it won't be a surprise if local government officials have now been lax and toothless in enforcing the law if it involves a foreigner, especially an American. Would the local officials now dare to enforce traffic, anti-pollution, zoning, health, anti-littering, anti-jaywalking and other ordinances against Americans, who might just run to the US embassy for help?

Well, at least it cannot be said that the US embassy does not look after and take care of their own people no matter if they're right or wrong.

Can you imagine the Philippine embassy in Washington filing a diplomatic protest on behalf of a Pinoy involved in a traffic incident along Pennsylvania Avenue? Well, I didn't think so either.

(Image from http://farm1.static.flickr.com/43/79748052_6389972b04.jpg?v=0)

LONG TRAIN RUNNING

Many agree that one sure way to push the economic recovery of the country is for the rehabilitation of our railways both to the north and south of Manila. The modern and efficient rehabilitation of the Bicol Express all the way up to the province of Albay and the reopening of the Ilocos Express up to La Union must be taken into serious consideration by the current administration. Faster trains also mean faster deliveries of basic goods to the marketplace. And the result is that, if more people took to the trains and left their vehicles at home, we could live to see the day where a remarkable drop in air pollution may be a reality.

The biggest stumbling block for these plans are the presence of thousands of squatters along the tracks. Efforts to move them away have been sluggish, and many relocation efforts have ended up in violent confrontations due to the squatters' adamance to be transferred to other sites. Sadly so, they have become so uncontrollable and have contributed to stone-throwing at passing trains, including threatening Philippine National Railways (PNR) personnel with bodily harm.

On a lighter note, the new PNR could help solve the metropolis' traffic woes. Wouldn't it be great to have clean and comfortable PNR trains plying Los Banos to Manila and Malolos to other connecting routes, and then possibly connecting Damortis, La Union and San Jose, Nueva Vizcaya up to the Cagayan Valley? PNR stations could well be made with clean restrooms and snack shops, much like the ones in big American, European and Japanese cities - where commuters arrive by train, leaving their vehicles in the countryside. Or, how about reviving the pre-war streetcar or trambia in Metro Manila? Wouldn't that be something?

(Image from http://i.ytimg.com//)

SAM TING WONG (SOMETHING WRONG)

I couldn't help but chuckle over reports that an agreement with Cambodia (Kampuchea) had been signed wherein the Philippines would send advisers there to help develop rural health services, agriculture, animal health, irrigation and farm marketing.

In a few years, I thought, that country could overtake us and may even be exporting their products here. Remember, we taught Thai, Indonesian and Taiwanese students who studied agriculture, engineering and medicine right here and then went back home to become leaders of their respective countries. Applying what they had learned here, their countries overtake us to become Asian economic tigers. In the meantime, we remain in the economic doldrums.

Even Vietnam, devastated by close to 50 years of continuous wars and laid waste by tons of bombs from the US Air Force, has risen from the ashes, and many predict would soon overtake the Philippines in a race to become Asia's next economic tiger - or have they already?

What is puzzling is that many Filipino businessmen have rushed over to Vietnam and Cambodia, establishing varied businesses. Do these businessmen now feel they have more chances to strike gold in those countries than here in RP?

The biggest car manufacturer in Vietnam is a Filipino. He could have remained right here. Many other industrialists have formed partnerships with Vietnamese and Cambodian businessmen confident of economic boom in those Asian nations. How come they don't have the same enthusiasm with their ventures here?

(Image from http://danfoss.com/)

WAR-TIME PUBLICATIONS

While many of us have not heard of these war-time publications, I believe recognitions and tributes are in order for the following newspapers and the people behind them.

- Matang Lawin, by Colonel Guillermo Nakar who operated in the Sierra Madre mountains in Nueva Vizcaya.

- The Liberator, by Leon O. Ty, distributed in Manila, Cavite and Bulacan. One of the writers of the Philippines Free Press.

- The Flash, by Pedro dela Llana, which concentrated on war news.

- Ing Masala, the Hukbalahap paper published by the Huks operating in Central Luzon under Luis Taruc.

- Thunderclap, run by the Hunters ROTC guerillas, by Colonel Eleuterio Adevoso, one of the most decorated guerilla leaders during the Occupation.

- Kalibo War Bulletin, by Colonel Macario Peralta.

- Ang Tigbatas, by Colonel Tomas Confesor in Iloilo.

- The Saber, by Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, distributed in Bicol and Laguna.

- The Commentator, by Governor Juan Frivaldo of the Escudero Guerilla Unit of which he was propaganda officer. Distributed in Sorsogon, Masbate and Samar.

- The Bugle, by Colonel Ruperto Kangleon, distributed in Leyte.

These underground newspapers should be given due recognition by no less than the National Historical Institute (NHI), The UP Philippine Historical Society, the National Press Club, the National Museum and the National Library. Let us preserve the memory of these brave editors and writers who fought the Japanese invaders during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines - and risked their lives in the process. Their respective families should be given the honor for their service and bravery in defending the right to information during an oppressive moment in the nation's history.

(Image from http://erepublik.com/)

IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT

Many factors have forced numerous Filipino women to work abroad as prostitutes. These include poverty, lack of education, lack of opportunities, and the most hideous of all - a culture that normally treats women as sex objects, as bodies that can be bought, sold, raped, murdered, harassed, ogled at and whistled at. A culture that is not friendly to and at times dangerous and difficult for women.

We need to take a closer look into the lives of these women forced into prostitution to discover that many of them have been sexually abused as children or by their partners and spouses. Most of them had been raped in their early teens by their fathers and step-fathers, uncles and brothers, forcing them to become hookers saying, "wala na ang pagkababae namin, sira na ang buhay namin, sino pa ang papatol sa amin?"

These women sink to the lowest brink of self-esteem and self-worth. Our hypocritical society puts so much premium on virginity and chastity but at the same time nurtures a culture of misogyny wherein women are really left few choices. Menfolk assume the right to sex regardless of the women's consent.

Our government is also to blame for the plight of our women who have gone into prostitution overseas. I think the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) could be the biggest pimp in the country, allowing recruitment agencies to prey on these innocent and desperate victims. Members of Congress should also get the blame, who are supposedly looking into the matter, motivated simply for publicity and propaganda.

Can the POEA for a change embark on a real program to close down all these "talent/promotion agencies" who are really just recruiting women to work as "entertainers" abroad? Entertainers who are expected to transform into prostitutes soon after. Or are government institutions simply interested in the Dollar remittances of our overseas labor force? It's time our honorable legislators look into the POEA and compel the institution to correct any and all practices that obviously hurt and not protect our Filipino women seeking employment overseas.

(Image from http://sapp.org.my/)

RED ROMERO'S DREAM

The government and civic leaders should give support to an uphill fight by the late great violinist, composer and symphony orchestra conductor Maestro Redentor Romero to preserve the beauty of our own music and culture amid western influences, which drown Pinoys 'round the clock, especially over radio and television.

Statistics show that the Philippine music industry is an over PhP11 billion a year industry, 65 percent of which are foreign recordings and 35 percent local. Out of PhP11 billion, barely 1 percent goes to classical music, which includes the Philippine classics.

Having won countless international recognition and accolades, Maestro Romero's music is perpetuated in timeless Pinoy romantic and classical pop music that have all touched our lives. His arrangements and orchestrations feature a totally different approach. His memory lives on forever.

The various radio stations would be doing a great service to its listening public by playing the type of music played by Red Romero and other great Filipino composers. We are simply too American-oriented in our radio programming. Even our local announcers would like to sound like American DJs, aping their pronunciation and slang. It only makes them sound like inebriated apes. For love of Filipino music gems and compositions, let us support the return of truly original Filipino classics in the airwaves.

(Image from http://www.titikpilipino.com/)

ARE FREEMASONS TRULY FREE?

The Spanish Inquisition has been revived in the Philippines, it seems. Catholic zealots have started attacking Freemasons for unexplained reasons. Pastoral letters have been read in parishes banning Masonic societies and prohibiting their members from associating with Masons.

Maybe the successors of the Catholic church hierarchy have not forgiven our national heroes, who were mostly Masons, for leading the fight against abuses of the frailes and church domination over the government. Could it also be because present-day Freemasons have started protesting religious intervention by the current administration?

It is a historical fact that Freemasonry is vibrant under oppressive periods when tyranny exists, and "belief in God" is one major requirement of Freemasonry, but memberhip also means immediate excommunication from the Catholic church. This explains why many Masons have become Protestants. But, many too were already Protestants long before they became Masons.

While I personally do not agree with most of the rituals performed during Masonic meetings and rites including its symbols, I too cannot deny the fact that great Filipinos like Rizal, Bonifacio, del Pilar, Pardo de Tavera, the Luna brothers, Aguinaldo, Mabini and subsequent leaders down to Quezon were all Masons - and most of the founders of the Katipunan were Masons. My very own father is a Protestant Mason. The society may have many ritualistic errors, but it may not be that all bad as the Catholic church claims it to be if all these heroes joined it. Or is it?

It's time we take a closer look at this "secret brotherhood" and find out once and for all the true meaning of its existence. But if we do, then it won't be a secret any longer.

(Image from http://www.web-books.com/)

CORREGIDOR: CORRECTING AN ERROR

Plans by the government to rehabilitate (again) Corregidor into a major tourist spot presents an opportunity to correct a monumental injustice to the Filipino soldiers who fought valiantly in Bataan and Corregidor to halt the rampaging Japanese troops.

Military historians, mostly Americans, recorded the Bataan-Corregidor battle as purely an American campaign, and the role of the Filipino soldier was totally ignored and deserved only passing comments.

The Bataan-Corregidor delaying action saved Australia and allowed General Douglas MacArthur enough time to regroup and launch a counter-offensive that led to final victory in that Pacific War.

The proposed dioramas and markers on that fortress island must stress that the Filipino troops played an equal if not a larger role than the Americans did, if only because there were much more Filipino soldiers than Americans. Movies and books about that gallant stand on Corregidor showed only the Americans as having fought that war. Even the infamous Bataan Death March focused only the American G.I.s

Years later, many scholars and historians referred to the Bataan-Corregidor action as the war where the Americans fought to the last Filipino.

The government has a golden opportunity here to correct a monstrous historical error.

(Image from http://www.mcw.edu/)

CRUSH THE CARTEL

An exhaustive report on the activities of cartels was sent to me recently. The paper bares experiments from experts from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who had studied the problems of farming in the country, blaming the cartels as a "social malaise" which had impoverished the nation. It seems that the cartels' powerful network from within and outside has bound our helpless farmers into the quagmire of perpetual poverty and hopelessness. It's high time the government embark on a real crackdown on cartels which operate in all levels of Philippine society. I would have been overjoyed to hear President Arroyo declare war on these existing cartels in her SONA yesterday. But in doing so would only mean turning her back on her friends and business associates.

This is how cartels work, suffocating the farmers: The inaccessiblity of government and banking credit facilities to these sectors is where the cartels thrive. They take advantage through the scheme of "offer of a helping hand." They take advantage through the delivery of "the inaccessible credit" to the farmers, the marginal traders, millers and retailers. Credit is given the farmers but their harvests are already mortgaged to the cartel even before planting. Thus, they control the price not only of rice, but also in their grip is the supply of yellow corn, vegetables, coffee, cutflower, mongo, copra, fish and literally whatever crop is harvested by the small farmers and fishermen. Cartels control the delivery of credit to the small farmers and fishermen in the countryside, and in exchange, they virtually dictate the prices of prime commodities. Yes, the vicious tentacles of cartels are there, pervasive as sharks in the sea.

It's time these sharks are cut down to the size of fingerlings.

(Image from http://bulatlat.com/)

BAD RICE

Balikbayans have noticed that the Thai rice being sold in the Philippines is not as tasty and of the same high quality Thai rice they have eaten in the U.S. This could be explained by an admission made recently by a member of the Thai embassy here that the rice we have been importing from their country is of the same cheap and poor quality which they export to poor countries in Africa.

Even in the choice of imported grains, our crooked officials have to pick the inferior kind so they can make more money out of overpricing and commissions. And these crooks still lord ot over in their offices and laugh over demands for their ouster knowing they have strong political clout in Malacanang.

Do you think overpriced rice cooked to make lugaw may be called Arroyoz Caldo?

(Image from http://www.asiancook.co.uk/)

TAIL-LESS MONKEYS?

Some years ago, I heard an American television commentator describe Zamboanga City, jokingly saying it to be a place "where the monkeys have no tails." It's an allusion to a song American troops used to sing at the turn of the century. The insulting song went: "Oh, the monkeys have no tails in far Zamboanga ..."

Despite the strong protests of Filipinos, U.S. troops continued to sing the song to their hearts' content. That contemptuous song probably explains why so many American troopers were speared or hacked to death in the South - and why the Yanks never conquered the Muslim warriors of Mindanao. The U.S. Army could not stop the Moro fighters. U.S. Army gunsmiths had to develop the .45 caliber pistol that was powerful enough to stop Moro suicide squads who were charging at rattled U.S. soldiers.

American ambassador Kristie Kenney should be careful next time she travels to Mindanao. Some bitter Muslim might be reminded of the song and may just pull out his Kris on her.

(Image from http://www.cryptomundo.com/)

FILIPINO FIRST

The Filipino must be supreme in his own country. He must define his national destiny. A people's participation and predominance is vital in defining the national agenda. It should emphasize the primacy of the Filipino in the pursuit of all national goals.

We are a nation divided. The divisions are beginning to develop into fragments, and before long, nothing willl be left but ruins. In the past as in the present, the wealth of the country has been parcelled out among the country's elites. Elites who are greedy and who are without a conscience. Elites without a vision and without competence to manage the affairs of the country for our people. Elites who mouth democracy but practice despotism. In defining our national destiny, the Filipino must be master in his own land. There must be just and democratic allocation of the national wealth among our people. There must be just sharing in the exercise of political and economic power among ethnic groups and various regions of the country.

The Filipino must always be first in his own country. If he comes next to that as in second only, he really never wins the silver. He simpy loses the gold.

Image above is Dr. Jose Rizal, the First Filipino.

(Image from http://www.ac.wwu.edu/)

HEY JUDGE

A distinguished lawyer recalls that in the past, judges and justices were so virtuous and upright, they practically led the lives of hermits just to avoid any suspicions that might reflect on the judiciary.

In those days, no judge was ever seen in a nightclub or any other similar place. And, as a general rule, judges stayed away from public functions where their presence were not vitally important. Any socializing a judge did was strictly limited to family affairs to which very few outsiders were invited. A judge would not attend a gathering where he might meet a person or persons involved in a case he was judging.

Today, we see judges and justices in places where even imps dare not go. Oh, how times have changed.

(Image from http://english.safe-democracy.org/)

HALF-BREED

There are some people in the Philippines who will be happy to be reminded about a law in Japan which allows persons born of Japanese parents who were in the Philippines before and after the Pacific War to return to Japan.

Many of these people were sent to the Philippines as spies, working in small department stores, restaurants and halo-halo and mongo con hielo parlors. Quite a number worked as gardeners of affluent people, mostly Americans.

Sorry, but the law, sad to say, does not apply to children of so-called comfort women. Japanese law discriminates against mixed marriages. There is a general racist attitude here against half-breeds.

During the American occupation of Japan, children born of U.S. servicemen and Japanese women were scoffed at and otherwise ostracized by Japanese society. Many had to leave Japan.

In the Philippines, children born of U.S. servicemen and local women had happier fates. Here, children of mixed marriages enjoy privileged status, especially if one of the parents is a Caucasian.

On the other hand, there exists a bill in the U.S. Congress which grants U.S. citizenship to some 50,000 children left behind in the Philippines after the U.S. bases here were closed. Most of these abandoned kids were living around Clark Air Base in Angeles, Pampanga, and Subic Naval Base in Olongapo, Zambales. Many of these kids have been living on charity and not a few have turned to drugs, prostitution and criminality after their stateside fathers failed to send money for their support. Many of their mothers worked in the seedy bars and clubs which sprouted outside the U.S. bases and had illicit relations with American servicemen.

This bill corrects an injustice against Amerasians in the Philippines. A law had been previously passed granting U.S. citizenship to abandoned kids left by American dads in Vietnam and Korea.

It was never the fault of these pitiful children, and that is why they need all the help they can get to be united with their American fathers, or perhaps receive some kind of support if they don't get to step on American soil.

(Image from http://www.aahope.org/)

DROP-OUTS BUT NOT PUSH-OVERS

Let me share this with you. There was a time when the late presidential spokesman, literary guru and newspaper columnist Adrian E. Cristobal Sr. got angry at motor-mouth Manoling Morato for pontificating that college drop-outs like Joseph Estrada were not qualified to run for president. Mr. Cristobal claimed Mr. Morato insulted millions of drop-outs in the country.

And this group includes Adrian himself, Blas Ople, Kit Tatad and JV Cruz, them all being superior intellectuals, poets, writers and speechwriters, eloquent speakers and wordsmiths.

The Constitution, which stipulates the candidates' age and birth limits, does not require university degrees or a minimum I.Q., he said.

One of the country's greatest presidents, Ramon Magsaysay, never finished college as well.

The country's biggest cheats and crooks today have offices adorned with framed diplomas and doctorates, including those from Harvard, Yale, Stanford - and yes, Georgetown. Look where they have brought this country to.

And now that Estrada could be seeking a second term, will Morato be whining again like a blooming Banshee?

(Image from http://www.asiaobserver.com/)

ADOPTING THE FRENCH MODEL

Imagine this scenario: With Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile stepping closer to support former President Joseph Estrada, if and when he runs for president, Malacanang may orchestrate a Senate coup and unseat JPE, to be replaced by a new Senate President/Palace puppet. This possible coup against Enrile would ensure Senate approval of the proposal to shift to a parliamentary form of government. A change in the form of government will ensure that the Arroyo administration will remain in power beyond 2010. Under the plan, the present Congress will constitute itself as a Constituent Assembly to amend the Constitution. It will vote for a shift to a parliamentary system and submit the decision to the people for ratification.

Incumbent senators and congressmen would have to run in their respective districts for seats in the unicameral legislature. The Arroyo people, with their vast resources and political network already in place down to the precinct level, are confident they will enjoy a large majority in the new parliament, which follows the French model which calls for a strong President (the British model has the Prime Minister as the virtual ruler and the monarch as a ceremonial figure head).

Under the plan, President Arroyo, who will run in Pampanga, will be elected President and Speaker Prospero Nograles as Prime Minister. The scenario calls for unseating Enrile if he refuses to go along with the plan. But Enrile's supporters say the Arroyo people have another guess coming. Enrile has his own counter-moves ready.

On that note, that is why I strongly oppose incumbent senators and congressmen from running for Parliament if the proposed shift to a parliamentary system is approved by a Constituent Assembly composed of the incumbent legislators to amend the Constitution. Hence, the proposed shift is merely a political maneuver by the party in power to allow its members to remain in office and even allow President Arroyo to stay on as President, and a Prime Minister chosen from among the majority parliamentarians.

It would be Machiavellian to amend the Constitution just to suit the ambitions of some trapos.

(Image from http://wiki.erepublik.com/)