IMELDA: MOTHERING THE RISING SPIRIT

The Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil/Cafe Havana bi-monthly lunch forum I attend is a wonderful mixture of people mostly from the journalism profession, some in the culture and in the arts, business, and still some former senior officials of past and present regimes. Yesterday October 22 was quite a treat for we had no less than Mrs. Imelda Marcos as guest of honor. She was her usual talkative and optimistic self when it came to the potential of our country to be a progressive nation again. And yes, her magnetism was indeed remarkable. Later that afternoon, I sat beside her and Mrs. Chitang Nakpil and listened more from her as she spoke on the Marcos era and the injustice done to them by the very same people who would be doing worse things to our country today. She remembers well how my father set up the Palace-based Evaluation, Research and Analysis (ERA-4) group which helped conceptualize some of her special projects as First Lady and Metro Manila Governor - to name a few, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Film Center, the Green Revolution, the New Society, the patriotic slogan "Walk Proud, You Are Filipino," and the Metro Manila Commission (now the MMDA). I reminded her of the RP-USSR Friendship Society which my father organized as well. She was its chairperson, and among its members were of course Mrs. Nakpil, Sec. Carmelo Z. Barbero, Rep. Roquito Ablan, Salvador Bigay, Sec. Blas Ople etal. This special cultural bond between the two countries forged good friendship and honor, and most especially recognition by a goliath of a nation to a tiny archipelago. The Philippines was for some time in the minds of the old Kremlin comrades of the former Soviet Union - in a friendly way. And then years after, some sinister cop and party would put our country to shame to the new Russia in an attempt to slip out of Moscow a prohibited amount of cash which to this day, none of the officers including the equally-sinister DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno could explain to the public in a convincing manner. Mrs. Marcos spoke of the Philippine economy then as compared to now and how the Filipino had a sense of pride everywhere he went, whether here and especially in a far away place overseas. Today, our OFWs are favorite victims of cruelty from their foreign masters, and still victimized some more by our very own government-labor embassy officials, not to mention the inutile Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). She spoke further on her current dream and project to eradicate poverty in our country which she aptly calls her 'No Filipino Poor' project. Its ingredients are filled with positive steps towards the betterment of the Filipino life, with his now tarnished image brought about by poor governance by a rotten regime. Now, before you start labeling me as a Marcos Loyalist, just make a comparison of life then and now. If you still think our life is better off today under this kakistocratic government, then let me be the one to tag you as a 'Gloria Fanatic.' But over and above all that, it was really good seeing again old (not literally) family friends Miss International Gemma Cruz-Araneta and her mother Chitang Nakpil. They surely top my list as the classiest ladies of our society together with who else, but the incomparable Mrs. Marcos. Others in attendance were former UAE Ambassador Roy Seneres, Philippine Star columnist Jarius Bondoc, Malaya columnist Dahli Aspillera, Commodore Rex Robles, General Sonny Yan, General Jimmy delos Santos, Vic Macalincag, Consul Lynn Gavino, former National Historical Institute (NHI) chief Dr. Serafin Quiason, spy-master and JCI senator Erick San Juan, UP Prof. Rene Azurin, Jose 'Pepe' Rodriguez of Instituto Cervantes, Ateneo Prof. Alan Paguia, Rep. Roilo Golez etal. We definitely missed Larry Cruz of the LJC Group, operators of Cafe Havana. Larry has left this world much too early, and his restaurant isn't quite the same without him there with us. Anyways, yesterday was indeed a pleasant afternoon. After we had all stood up to adjourn the lunch meeting, it was already past three and we escorted Mrs. Marcos to her waiting black Chrysler 300 limousine, and after a few hugs and 'besos,' off she and her security entourage went to an undisclosed destination.

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

REMEMBERING LOLO

Today, October 19 is my grandfather's 122nd birth anniversary. Jorge C. Bocobo was born in Gerona, Tarlac of hardy Ilocano parents this day in 1886. He was a man who wore many hats, so to speak, and among them were that of a lay preacher who was instrumental in the building of the Central United Methodist Church along T.M. Kalaw in Ermita, Manila. He was a law professor at the UP College of Law and thereafter became its Dean of the College of Law, and further on became the 5th president of the University of the Philippines. He served under President Manuel L. Quezon's administration as Secretary of Education, was Chairman of the Code Commission which drafted the Civil Code of the Philippines of which he has written most of its statutes. He was a moral crusader, a poet and an essayist, and translaled from Spanish to English Dr. Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. His translations were the unexpurgated versions and thus were censored by the Roman Catholic Church. He wrote many poems and short stories, and among them the first Filipino novel written in English entitled, 'Henry and Loleng.' He served in the Judiciary as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and most of all, he was a patriot who loved his country with a burning passion, and together with that he always looked to the Holy Scriptures as the Living Word of Almighty God. He was a man who lived what he preached. A man who loved the law of the land and the law of God. In Article 19 of the Civil Code, he wrote: "Every person must, in the exercise of his duties, (1) act with justice, (2) give everyone his due, and (3) observe honesty and good faith." This is known to be the golden rule of Philippine laws. Today, many have probably forgotten the man and what he has given to his beloved country. His memory lives on in my heart and in my love for Scriptures the same way he loved it. In the way he loved humanity and how he fought for righteousness and justice, especially for the oppressed. His spirit of patriotism lives on in the hearts of all the brave men and women who dare not bow down to the enemy among us. I salute the man as I toast his contributions to our country.

(Image from http://filam.si.edu/)

PINOYCCHIO

When talking to each other face to face, Gloria Arroyo and Ed Ermita have to step back a few inches, otherwise their noses would be touching each other. I say this because just like Pinnochio whose nose grows longer whenever he tells a lie, so do the noses of Gloria and Ed each time they go fibbing the public. And they did it again recently. First, GMA boasted of an available US$10 billion standby fund for the Asean region of which the Philippines would be one of its beneficiaries, in the event of another paralyzing Asian economic crisis. Gloria made public this alleged assistance courtesy of the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), during the recent oath-taking of the newly-elected officers of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) right at the Heroes Hall in Malacanang Palace, hoping to strike a hero's pose herself as she made the announcement. But soon after, World Bank executive Jim Adams denied Gloria's boast and said that "committments for such funds were never discussed at the regional level," and that the discussions touched only on the manner of which the World Bank may help the country if and when the crisis spreads throughout the region. No such thing as US$10 billion. Perhaps, only Gloria's elongated ilong could have smelled the green backs even miles away? Then comes Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, reacting (anticipating?) to the Supreme Court's decision of the botched Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD) as unconstitutional. Ermita announced that it was a good thing that Gloria wasn't caught in the mess since there were items discussed by the GRP Panel and the MILF of which GMA wasn't in the know, sometimes even in disagreement. It was actually a washing of the hands on behalf of Gloria. It's hard to believe that GMA didn't know every intricate detail of the MoA-AD. I would even imagine that she wanted to be informed of the day-to-day, hour-by-hour developments of the discussions. And of course, as expected, the sour-graping arrogance of General Hermogenes Esperon Jr., the brainless brains behind the MoA-AD, co-conspirator of General Rodolfo Garcia, co-architect of the MoA-AD, declared on nationwide TV that the Supreme Court was wrong to rule that he committed grave abuse of discretion. This guy should be sent to the jungles of Malaysia instead and just hang out with an orangutan, but even that beautiful monkey will surely be bored with Esperon's intellect. He is a disgrace to the nation and to each country-loving patriotic Filipino.

(Image from http://farm2.static.flickr.com/)

IMPEACHMENT AND ILLEGITIMACY DON'T JIBE

There are many ways to remove a sitting (squatting) president, and impeaching one applies only if the subject was legitimately installed. That's why I don't buy the impeachment process. It's a way of recognizing GMA as the legitimate president, and that the power grab of 2001 was a constitutional process. At some point in our lives, we all thought it was. But the truth always comes out sooner or later. We have learned through the course of educating ourselves and the intricate legal factors involving GMA's ascending to the throne to be a plain and simple conspiracy between former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. for the Supreme Court and General Angelo Reyes Jr. for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and several members of the so-called civil society who are now the usual suspects impeaching Mrs. Arroyo. Are these the lessons we want to pass on to our children? That conspiracy amongst the so-called guardians of the constitution and the defenders of the people shall be forgotten and just be written in our history books for our next generation to read and relish? These are the very same faces we now see trying to remove Gloria from office, after conspiring with each other to remove Joseph Estrada from the same. If Gloria Arroyo grabbed power from a legitimate head of state in 2001, then the same power must also be grabbed from her in the same manner. Give them a dose of their own medicine, however bitter you would like it to be for the swallowing to be most unpleasant, for it only serves them right. The impeachment exercise is futile unless one has the numbers in the Lower House. Period. It's not so much a judicial process as it is a political one. In short, if Gloria has the major support of the pro-administration congressmen in the house, then, another failed impeachment is in the offing. The opposition should make up its mind first as to what course to take. They must choose wisely first and not be cry-babies just like Michael Jackson who once cried racism to his detractors. But shouldn't Michael pick a race first before complaining? Same with the opposition. Speak in one voice first before going to battle. There are many ways to skin a cat. We can start something preliminary by boycotting the products and services of the many business entities and firms known to be close to the present administration, as a percentage of their income somehow find their way into some open hands waiting in Malacanang, or to some noisy General to shut him up, or to some one-track minded journalist to encourage him further to praise even the most absurd programs of this administration. Remember the time when then President Cory Aquino called for the collective boycott of San Miguel Corporation and its various products? Well, it didn't exactly put a dent on SMC, but a strong and clear message was delivered. Today, it is common knowledge that the Pagcor is a milking cow of many VIPs in the administration and in the Media. As gambling is an outright evil, Pagcor sends a very dark message to the youth that community-based gambling is alright, since Pagcor operates a gambling joint almost always somewhere in one's neighborhood. Sad to say, even some priests and bishops support and defend gambling, as evidenced in a recent ground-breaking ceremony of one of Pagcor's future projects in Paranaque City. Even local parishes tolerate such, joining forces everytime they sponsor a bingo social. We need a change of heart to fight the immorality all around us. Government-sponsored immorality is the evil that smiles in front of you and then screws you when your back is turned. Maybe if we politely ask Gloria to resign, she may since her popularity rating is still in the negative. Maybe she will still hear the cries of the people for her to step down peacefully. But for a president who claims that she talks to God, and then does so in front of a mirror, well, even one's own reflection can be deceiving sometimes.

(Image from http://ctv.ca/)

LET THEM PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE

Our PNP's criminal activities have gone global. Not satisfied with the usual local criminal acts here in the Philippines, former top-gun PNP Comptroller General Eliseo Dela Paz and party (the police force's equivalent of the AFP's General Carlos Garcia), put our country in a very embarrassing situation when he was detained recently by airport authorities in Moscow, Russia, having been found carrying in his person 105,000 Euros, or the equivalent of roughly PhP 7 million. And this was already at the airport as they were on their way out, about to board a departing plane from Moscow, which means that they surely had much more money because they had already paid for hotel accomodations, meals, transportation, shopping etc. PNP apologists General Nicanor Bartolome and the ever-doubtful DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno were quick to defend their boy when they said that the money found with General Dela Paz was simply a "contingency fund." Tell that to the marines boys! First and foremost, you have disobeyed your mama master's order to spend money like a true-blue Ilocano spends his money. Second, why have that much cash with you? Ever heard of the term credit card? You're supposed to be a law-abiding police officer whether here or abroad, and you should have checked first on the local Russian laws regarding your felon. Looks like it's another junket trip for a recently-retired police general's pabaon. The guilty parties should instead be playing Russian Roulette with a different version: 5 bullets loaded in a 6-shooter.

(Image from http://www.pia.gov.ph/)

SI RAUL O SI GONZALEZ? - PART II

I'm tired of Mr. Raul Gonzalez's dirty antics, and the time to teach him a lesson is now. Imagine, the arrogance when asked about the granting of freedom to Claudio 'Bobbins' Teehankee Jr., when he replied, "the granting of executive clemency is a judgment call on the part of the president, whether there is a basis or not makes no difference." While I tend to agree on the first sentence of his statement, I abhor the second. What would now stop the other inmates like former Mayor Antonio Sanchez from seeking the same? There must always be a basis however shallow that may seem. A Justice Secretary who proclaims that executive clemency is fine and dandy even without basis shouldn't be in the justice department at all. He should now be in some retirement home with a rusty orinola under his bed, teddy bear in tow, playing sudoku or solitaire. he should never have been Justice Secretary in the first place, for his appointment had nothing to do with his credentials. His appointment was a simple political gift for playing the role of attack-dog and Mr. Nasty for Gloria with the occasional game of "fetch" and "roll-over." So, while he's at it tail wagging and all, why not also play the game "play dead?" A Justice Secretary who adds salt to an open wound by addressing the eternal grief of the Hultmans calling them "hypocrites," and telling them to just "go jump in the lake" for simply reacting like any grief-stricken human being must be the first to jump in the lake - of fire. Hypocrites they certainly are not. They were simply reacting as a family who lost a dear teen-aged girl from the hands of a gunman. Any grieving mother or father would react similarly. But it sure takes a heartless, tactless and mindless man like Raul Gonzalez to keep on making insulting statements to the public, or to anyone who dares question the programs of his master's regime, and this is not the first time. He has done this to several people in the past. He obviously hasn't learned his lesson when he got really sick but recovered only to continue abusing his position and insulting people again with his side remarks. Time to repent Raul, or you won't be getting visitors soon in your sick-bed or retirement home, or shall I say - sanatorium?

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

SARAH PALIN AND GARAPALIN

With the US elections just around the corner, Americans will be choosing a new president and vice-president whose priority agenda is to hopefully catapult troubled American economy to a promising future, to say the least. Will they now be having a black man in the White House, or will it be the man who keeps saying, "Change Washington." Well, I find it hard to believe this from someone who's been there longer than the Lincoln Memorial. When it's about Senator Barack Obama, race is the issue. When it's Senator John McCain, age is the issue. And a lot of times, when it's about Governor Sarah Palin, gender is the issue. Back here at home, when it comes to Gloria Arroyo, aside from the issue on corruption, the other main issue about her is the illegitimacy issue, which to this day remains unresolved. I think it won't come now as a surprise for an African-American to shine amongst a still predominantly white America, but not for long. This phenomenon already happens in the PGA, the American golfing world. Whereas, 100 years ago, when 20 men were chasing a black man, that was the Ku Klux Klan. Today, when 20 men chase a black man, that's simply the PGA, with Tiger Woods always leading the pack. And what is to become of Condoleeza Rice, presently the US Secretary of State? Will Filipino-Americans still call her their paella negra or black paella? And what about Republican VP bet Sandra Palin? I think the difference between her and Gloria is this: The Republican vice-presidential bet is Sarah Palin, while the Lakas-Kampi presidential bet is garapalin.

(Image from http://foxnews.com/) & http://manilamaildc.net/)

IT'S THE ECONOMIST, STUPID!

The recent Global Hunger Report Index for the Philippines submitted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) puts our country as one among 34 nations as "nationally-starved" because of poverty. This is the reality, contrary to GMA's so-called successful anti-poverty, "bangkang papel" programs together with her tiny package for economic policies for nationwide development. Our brilliant economist turned chief executive insists that because of her economic programs, poverty and hunger figures have gone down. Our reply to Malacanang: More than the economy, it's the economist, stupid!

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

TODAY'S MERIENDA AT THE BATASAN CAFETERIA: LUGAW HEAVEN; GOTO HELL

I just received this news today. President Arroyo's puppies in the Batasan Pambansa will see to it that right after they amend our Constitution, they will immediately start working on amending the Bible. For a moment there, I was at a loss as to why a gang of dishonorable congressmen be interested in amending the Bible? Then I found out that they were only interested in amending the concept and reality of Hell as mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. They intend to abolish Hell before their respective terms expire here on Earth.

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

WE DESERVE WHO WE VOTE FOR

The picture above is our country's first ever senate assembly with real honorable senators in attendance. Today, with a number of senators gearing up to evolve into presidential timber status but making a mockery of the elected positions they now occupy, mud-slinging, silly antics and all just to gain media mileage in preparation for the 2010 presidential race, one senator will probably still get my vote if and when he runs for president, except for the unfortunate and inescapable reality that his present girlfriend of old could be first lady if and when he wins - for a spouse must be gracious, likeable, well-mannered and humble in all her achievements in life. She definitely has "K," for 'kapal.' I am pertaining to Mr. Palengke himself, Senator Mar Roxas whose organization recruited me in 2004 to head his media bureau when he first ran for the Senate, up until some baduy and bad advertising advertising agency got in the picture and grabbed all the credit. Mar won hands down and even topped that contest. I must admit that I was quite impressed with Mar's data infobank, a rich compilation of anything and everything one needs to know about the Philippines top to bottom. A tolerable Atenista, as I always used to joke about him, Mar has the lineage and the pedigree needed to add honor to such a high position he could someday occupy. Mar has in his genes the intellectual prowess of his father, the late Senator Gerry Roxas, and of course his equally brilliant and compleat grandfather President Manuel Acuna Roxas. On his maternal side, he certainly has the charm and class of his mother, Judy Araneta Roxas. And how can I forget the spunk and boldness of his late brother Dinggoy? I heard he is also doing a good job these days as a single parent. As I do get to observe his performance in the Senate, I can't help but compare him with the others, but how do you compare him with Senator Lito Lapid who I suspect always has a brain-freeze seizure each time he's on the Senate floor or simply in attendance? One other lady senator I do admire, contrary to what many of her critics say is Jamby Madrigal. She has cojones! Balls which other senators do not have. Other than the fact that I adore her for raising wonderful Whippets of which I happen to be an indirect recipient of a darling one (used to be two), is the fact that she really does her homework and goes straight down to serious business during the senate deliberations. Whatever her critics say of her, she would make a great graft-buster and guardian of the people's rights. It's really not her fault if she was born wealthy. I'd pick her anytime of the day compared with other senators who simply want to finish their respective terms rich. Mar and Jamby's family have a long-standing friendship with my family which started from our grandfathers. When Mar speaks, everyone listens. When Jamby speaks, everyone is all ears. But when Lito Lapid speaks, everyone is in disbelief and are instantly reminded that he still breathes. If Mar plays his cards right, he could be our president someday. Other blabber-mouths like Dick Gordon are better off just being head of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), and are better off selling dinuguan on the side at the the perimeter fences of the SBMA (Subic). Chiz Escudero should team up with Manny Pacquiao in 2010 for a president/vice-president tandem and their slogan should be, "Vote Champ with Chiz!" Jinggoy is terrible as committee chair. He should do his homework and lose some weight lest he be our local version of Bibendum, the love-handled or 'bil-bil' mascot of Michelin Tires. Biazon is still his usual tackless and ill-mannered soldier self. I remember one senate hearing where he was grilling a witness invited to appear before the committee whose surname was Pone (pronounced Pon-ye). As Biazon was asking straight questions to the gentleman, he shifted to ask, "are you sure walang 'TA' ang apelyido mo sa huli?" It only shows the kind of ill-bred and stinky-mannered senator we voted in office. Never again, given the chance. He should go back to the barracks. Bong Revilla is probably tired-bored these days counting lizards on the senate ceilings, and sweating it out trying to finish his 'four-letter word only' crossword puzzle. This is one guy who to this day still doesn't know if he's a mediocre senator or a joker actor. And speaking of Joker, how can one ignore Joker Arroyo and his campaign slogan, "pag bad ka, lagot ka!" I think because of his senile stage, he has now confused the word "bad" with "good." And tell me honestly, how serious can you take a senator whose first name is Joker? What were his parents thinking when he was christened? Were they playing cards? But okay, I confess, I'd probably pick his first name any time of the day instead of his last, being a namesake of the illegal occupant in Malacanang, now linked to corruption and illegitimacy since day one of her term. Of course with Manny Villar, whose campaign slogan "sipag at tiyaga," has now been changed without his approval to "C-5 at taga!" due to alleged illegal insertions that benefited his real estate companies. He should also change his surname from Villar to Bilyar. After all, he is now the top patron of pocket billiards in the Philippines having recently sponsored a successful billiards tournament aptly called the 'Villar Cup.' Ping Lacson is his own attack-dog except for his pretty looks on billboards on our main thoroughfares. His PR consultant should advice him to stop endorsing beauty and health products. It makes one wonder if he belongs to the third sex, and people might start calling him Pingky Lacson. Miriam Defensor-Santiago will definitely not be given any chance to endorse any beauty product on billboards, unless of course MGM Pictures puts her face along EDSA to promote their forthcoming blockbuster film entitled, "Godzilla in Manila." Kiko Pangilinan is our perpetual senator who still hides behind Sharon Cuneta's Super Ferry-sized skirts, thumbsucking and all, wearing a UP Centennial boxer shorts. The pseudonym Kiko Cuneta has a nice ring to it though. Migs Zubiri and his Jathropa are gaining momentum but as usual, he's all biogas! Loren Legarda has the reputation of having planted more billboards than trees, and the hostess with the mostest husbands, having shifted to Islam, so I heard. And how can one forget Johnny Enrile who at 85 still looks very good. Of course, one can never forget his admission to a fake ambush done on him once upon a time, and the padding of votes for Marcos in his Cagayan Province. And how about Nene Pimentel? Some pharmaceutical company should get him as their honorable guinea pig to experiment on the causes of eye bags in adolescents up to old age, for pretty soon he may have to check in his eyebags at the airport next time he travels. Pia Cayetano is Alan Peter with long hair as Alan Peter is Pia with short hair. They both magnify the second and third syllables of the word 'dynasty.' As for Sonny Trillanes, well, he still has to set foot in the senate not armed but charmed. He should remind General Esperon that next time he takes his tank for a drive in the Manila Peninsula - literally, that the hotel has a basement parking and valet service as well. Duh! But seriously, I think that a popular individual with a celebrity status should be more careful not to be easily lured into seeking public office, especially if the same knows he will not be of good use at all. They should emulate the great Dolphy, when asked if he was running for national public office to which he simply replied, "e paano kung manalo?" Look at the wasted and inutile positions of the onerous Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid and the elected office they occupy, including their PhP200 million plus each year budget. A senator's office is an ultra-serious responsibility and undertaking. For unlike the congressman who has a direct constituency, a senator virtually has none, meaning that the entire citizenry is his constituency and must at all times exercise sound statesmanship. The senate floor is sacred ground and on it are the invisible footprints and imprints of our senators of old who have protected its sanctity and pureness in the noble duty of legislating sound laws for our land. It is not and should never be an extension of a vaudeville stage or of some extended TV studio of a major network showing idiotic noontime shows like 'Wowowee' with its equally idiotic host. Now I know why I can never complete the senatorial list on my ballot every election day.

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

DEWEY DEE AND THE BANK SCANDAL OF '81

The present day tragedy hitting banks globally due to the economic crash of this era is a result of man's greed for more wealth. It is also the manner in which he acquires them regardless of the ripples he creates ending later as a juggernaut-tsunami. A walking bottomless pit, unmindful of the imminent repercussions. In 1981, a bank scandal rocked the financial community in Manila because of one single greedy banker. His name was Dewey Dee, a Chinese-Filipino whose clan was prominent in the local business circles, proprietor of the Continental Manufacturing Corporation (CMC) which powerfully controlled around 85 percent of the acrylic yarn trade for export, and a banking entrepreneur who was labeled as one gifted with financial banking prowess and genius. He would go on to prove them all right soon after, but in a sinister fashion. In 1980, a bank in Manila, the Security Bank and Trust Company (SBTC) was acquired by nameless Chinoy investors led by Dee and two other Chinoys namely Philip Ang and Ramon Siy. The chair of the bank was a certain Rolando Gapud. One such other stockholder was the more famous Jose Y. Campos. Sometime in March of the same year, a firm in the U.S. Virgin Islands under the name Empire Holdings Inc. purchased a modest bank in San Francisco, California for some US$ 15.3 million, a very huge amount during that time. Well, it still is even today. That bank was the Redwood Bank. Empire Holdings had three wealthy shareholders - Dee, Ang and Siy, while Gapud served as director of Redwood Bank. By January 1981, Dee had vanished in thin air. Some believed he amassed gambling debts in Macau and in Las Vegas amounting in several millions of dollars. He participated in the commodities game and in stocks in Hong Kong, but didn't succeed, and when he fled the Philippines (0n board PAL flight #81?), it was estimated that he left behind debts to the tune of PhP635 million (US$ 84.7 million was its equivalent then). The Chinese community was shocked and rocked with shame because of this, and it was a public relations nightmare as well for many of them in the banking sector, for Chinoy credibility was instantly dead as a doornail. The local banking community was in a state of paralysis and comatose. Then, like a toxic mushroom sprouting one sunny summer morning, Dee resurfaced somewhere in Canada in 1983 while applying for an immigrant visa. This was the largest if not one of the largest financial scandals in the Philippine banking industry and history, causing a severe crisis in our banking system, pushing our banks' panic buttons. Credit was even squeezed tighter and the roll-over of all loans were put to a halt. I wonder, is Dewey Dee related to our present-day certified GMA "sip-sip" Donald Dee of the PCCI and SSS, whose canine closeness to her, being a mother dog herself, reaped many business favors for him? If he is, then we should keep a close watch on himself as well. Today, as banks and financial hubs worldwide are wheeled in the ICU on a daily basis brought about by traces of their own versions of Dewey Dee - greedy and dangerous to the banking community, and with grossly over-compensated bank CEOs having the time of their lives on board private yachts and steamy spas with millions stashed away in their private vaults, one really wonders of a safe place to keep one's wealth, however humble and hard-earned. I'm glad I don't have that immediate concern, and I think it's really one of the rare advantages of being cash-broke, just putting my money in my now emaciated piggy bank. I remember one of my father's philosophy regarding this when he once told me, "When you make that final journey home, the less gold you carry, the lighter the trip will be."

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

PROSPERITY WITH A DARK PURPOSE - PART III
"He doeth everything immoral and staggereth like a drunkard, slipping on his own vomit." - Isaiah 19:14

Drunkenness is a serious social, health, moral and credibility problem. It breaks up families, it ruins careers, it destroys bodies and it tears friendships apart. Sometimes, it even cuts short a person's life. Today, many Christians conclude that moderation is good - but abstinence is much better, especially in view of the clear dangers inherent in drunkenness. Alcohol is a mind-altering drug that if taken frequently and repeatedly can be psychologically and physically addicting. Drinking may fall into the category of an act that is permissible, as evidenced by some church leaders, but certainly not beneficial. If questionable behavior such as drinking alcoholic beverages (like San Miguel Beer, Lites included) controls the drinker, hurts the body, numbs sensation, dulls the mind, makes one susceptible to immorality and other sins, causes harm to other people, or makes another believer stumble and fall, then such practices should be avoided and abandoned. Most times, believers, and most especially pastors and church leaders must choose to use self-restraint because this will be for the good and growth of the church. However, there are times when a pastor thinks he is indispensable, incorruptible, indisputable and unpenetrable. Instead, he goes on to penetrate other people's lives - literally and figuratively. I just had an interesting meeting with my friend who, again, had quite a mouthful to share, including the story of a helpless 15-year old girl our subject wolf molested some years back, and the equally disturbing story of a 17-year old female food attendant this drooling dog preyed on. I am told by my friend that this girl could be coming out in the open soon to tell all, and consecutively other victims as well. But that, among others more will be for future dark prosperity series. Several weeks ago, before our subject wolf was relieved from the church he prostituted, he haphazardly started a 'weekly singles meeting' aimed to tackle the usual expectations of a normal youung single adult. This sounds perfectly fine except for the fact that he had originally planned this to cater only for the young female single members of the church. The reason? He wanted to share some 'secrets' to these lasses for them to learn to deal with pressures from their boyfriends. What a perverted intention. I think this is clearly a sinister way to 'round up the sheep' and 'check them out' to see who among them would make it in his little book under the entry 'future victims.' That's why I have always believed that as real as Moslems have one God and three wives, Christians on the other hand must have three Gods (Father God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, all three in one) and only one wife. My friend goes on to share something that was a major turn-off for me. Subject wolf's original plan concerning church membership, if he had it his own way, would only be for a select group of people who would pass his criteria in economic status, financial soundness, etc. In short, if you're poor, his church doors are only a few centimeters open, thus making it impossible for you to enter, but only for your head to take a quick peek. On the other hand, if you're rich, then the doors are wide open exclusively for you with a matching red carpet and rose petals scattered all over to make you feel instantly welcome. This clearly fits perfectly with his self-serving cultish ideology that prosperity is simply just all about money and material wealth, such as numerous bank accounts, a big house (but not a home), and the latest gas-guzzling Euro-Am imports. The other blessings like a healthy body, long life, sober children (not drug addicts), a happy marriage, a good night's sleep and true friends who remind you when you're over-sinning are only secondary. Meaning, to be truly favored by the Almighty, "you need to be prosperous and rich and materially endowed, otherwise, it would be impossible for you to help others in need if you too are in lack." Now, can't the poor help the fellow-poor in several other ways besides financial dole-outs? What happens now to good deeds and neighborly love? Is this all about just money now? Yes, sad to say it is for him. He would rather rub elbows with the powerful and the wealthy instead of the unwashed and the inadequate. But not even God would be in his shoes! For in God's church, the doors are wide open 24/7 for all who wish to enter - especially the poor and the lost. In fact, not everybody is called to be rich and prosperous, otherwise, what need does man have for God if he has everything on Earth? The poor are still closest to God's pure heart, but the false teachers are somewhere under His feet. When prosperity has a dark purpose, it does not wish to know anything about God's law intended to be engraved in the hearts of all men. It does not listen to the voice of conscience and it turns against humanity and society, and to God as well. Now, on the subject matter, and if there is anyone I put my trust next only to God in all its true meaning, I put that on my grandfather, the late Jorge Bocobo, church-builder, moral crusader and author of the Civil Code of the Philippines and the entire brown race, who fervently said in one of his lay sermons, "True prosperity is worthy of honor and respect. It is living out God's will for your life....It should measure success not in terms of lands, houses, material wealth and a large bank account, but by helpfulness to others, by having rendered service to the poor, by having stood for righteousness at any cost. It fights wrong and oppression in every form." Here, he speaks of the noble and inherent character of prosperity, perhaps knowing that a few decades after, some egotistical pretender would be preaching on the other kind of prosperity - the ersatz and shallow kind he subscribes to. Well, for me, I believe that drunkenness and sexual immorality are a perpetual pair. Somewhat like a Tom and Jerry duo. One makes it easier for the other to accomplish its dark intentions. Or perhaps like the caped crusaders Batman and Robin? But our guy has no cape but a hood to conceal his true identity, a seasoned con-artist, and the best solution to this is to gag him for good, lest he misleads a multitude again to eternal damnation. Let all those concerned with this guy's well-being defend him and find solace and comfort with each other, contradicting all accusations hurled at their boy and finding them preposterous, "exaggerated and unfounded," for after all, even a felon has every right to a counsel - wise or otherwise. Remember cult leader Jim Jones and his People's Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, when after he was convinced by his dark intentions that he had a good number of blind followers who would do absolutely anything he would tell them to do? Well, that's exactly what he did soon after. The day came for him to put their fanaticism to the test, and after delivering what would be his last sermon, instructed his accomplices to distribute to everyone Dixie cups containing Kool-Aid mixed with Cyanide. He told them it was poison and that it was time for all of them, himself included to "move on to the afterlife." And soon after he gave the signal for all to drink the contents in their respective cups, close to a thousand of his fanatics (many children) were all dead in an hour. Jim Jones may be long gone, but our anonymous 'John Doe' is alive and well somewhere in Metro Manila on the prowl to recruit his own set of fanatics. Just a word of caution: next time he offers you a violet-colored drink from a styro cup in a "happy fastfood outlet," make sure it's just plain old grape juice, and not the same liquid Jim Jones concocted for his fanatics. It's really sad to know that there are still individuals who are trapped in his net but have also chosen to stay in that same place somewhat comfortably. Individuals who would rather look blindly at the preacher of the Word and would refuse to see clearly the wrongdoings of the latter, and would not do anything to correct them, for when sin is not followed by repentance, it will surely be followed by judgment. I challenge them now to look clearly at the Author of the Word instead of the preacher of the Word. Believe me, it's good medicine from God and not from some vacuous and temporary relief from an 'albularyo' pretending to be a man of God. May the very same God deliver us from the cowardice that dare not face new truths, from the laziness that is content with half-truths, and from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth.

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

PET PEEVES 1

A pet peeve is a minor annoyance that can instill great frustration in an individual. At worse, it can wreck his day. The picture above is a perfect example of a daily occuring pet peeve of practically anyone. See how that huge SUV is unevenly parked, and in a slot specifically just for compacts? The term originated from the word 'peeve'. Pet peeves involve complaints about specific behaviors, rather than general dissatisfaction. Pet peeves often involve people around you, and may be about manners, disregard to other people's rights, or just simple annoying behavior. UNDERTOW posts its list of pet peeves (starting today) based on a first-hand account of daily life in the urban jungle of Metro Manila.

My top 10 pet peeves for this post are as follows:

1. Motorcycle escort cops who bully and weave their way past you. (Where's a banana peel when you need one?)
2. Ambulance chasers (Literally, and the next vehicle tailgating a speeding ambulance. (If he's already dead, what's the rush then?)
3. Slow-moving, time-wasting Mercury Drug counter sales people. (Please hurry and stop gossiping! I'm having a coronary!)
4. McDonald's and Jollibee counter girls who rudely interrupt you while you're still ordering your food. ("Large Coke and fries for that?" "No, just a small mouth and make it quick please!")
5. Real-estate agents who block your path as they hand you their company brochure. (Which is really their subtle way of telling you to please throw the brochure for them in the nearest garbage bin.)
6. MRT passengers who idiotically insist on boarding before allowing disembarking passengers to do just that. ("Step aside, salmon face!")
7. Mall security guards who poke your bag with a chopstick. ("I have a bomb, but your stick can't detect it.")
8. People who brush their teeth and wash their plates and utensils (spoon and fork) inside a public restroom. (While you're at it, please wash your face in the toilet bowl.)
9. Underbone motorcyclists who play loud music on the road and wear their crash helmets halfway in. (Deaf and dumb riders!)
10. Jeepney and bus passengers who smoke cigarets while on board with you. ("Hey buddy, second-hand smoke can kill ..... you!")

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

MISSING THE MEHAN

Shortly after I had left the Office of the Press Secretary under Secretary Rod Reyes to return to the private sector, I received a personal invitation from then Congressman Heherson 'Sonny' Alvarez to join him at the DENR after himself having been invited by 'newly-installed' President Gloria Arroyo to join her cabinet as Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). There, I was appointed by Sonny to run the DENR's Public Affairs Office (PAO) and work hand in hand with career government employees numbering around 60 in that department alone. This was quite a positive challenge for me, having worked with a much smaller staff at the OPS. After some time, Secretary Alvarez faced a tough battle with his opponents during the hearings of the powerful Senate Committee on Appointments because he had allegedly stepped on big toes both in the private sector and in government. In one such occasion as in several others, the department was on a head-on collision with then Manila Mayor Lito Atienza who had positioned himself to tear down the historical Mehan Garden, probably a favorite 'pasyalan' of our grandparents during their time. The purpose for this was to give way for the proposed (and approved) construction of a multi-level parking complex and to give way for the construction of a new home for the City Colleges of Manila (CCM). Of course, this immediately confirmed reports that Mayor Atienza was more concerned with the 'economic aspect' of the city rather than its historical character by preserving its parks and monuments. One also remembers how the equally old art-deco Jai-Alai building on Taft Avenue was torn down unremorsefully in the name of 'urban development.' Atienza was an overnight enemy of environmentalists and conservationists. This after repeated calls by no less that the National Historical Institute (NHI) to preserve important historical landmarks in our country - Atienza's Manila included. But as expected, all such appeals fell on the latter's coin-clogged ears. Well, now that the table is turned, and he now heads the very same department he once ignored and ridiculed, I wonder what he feels now that a huge chunk of the DENR's programs are geared towards 'green projects' and clamp down on too much urbanization of an already urban environment such as Manic Manila, and preserve whatever historical landmarks there are in existence? Trees aren't anymore going to grow on concrete. The murdered centuries-old trees on the murdered memories-filled Mehan Garden are gone forever. There we only now see smoke-emitting jeepneys and pedicabs, buses and taxicabs. Thanks to Lito Atienza's cross-eyed (as in doble kita) vision of Manila, a city that was better off without him. A 'friend of the environment' who acts just like its enemy.

(Image from http://tornandfrayed.typepad.com/)

MANNY VILLAR'S ALLEGED "INSERTION"

I just got word that Senate President Manny Villar just changed his campaign slogan 'Sipag at Tiyaga. The new slogan he is reportedly planning to use for his 2010 presidential bid will be 'C-5 at TAGA !'

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

"10-4 GOOD BUDDY, WHAT'S YOUR 20?"

I belong to the era of the CB radio, that typical American trucker's communications contraption originally meant for his 'rig.' Long before the advent of the mobile cellular phone, the CB radio was king. Pinoys marveled at the technology put into it and it was an overnight hit. Everywhere one went, cars with mounted antennas or "ears" were a common sight on the road. Of these, the most popular brand names were the K-40, Moonraker, Hokushin, Firestick and the ever dependable bullwhip. CB radios varied in brand name, size, capacity in channels and style. The more affordable ones then were the General Electric (GE) units with a basic capacity of 40 channels. Not to be outdone, homeowners equipped their abodes with CBs with matching antennas on their roofs. The more popular ones were the astro-plane type, the Moonraker and the directional "yagui" type. CB clubs and organizations were sprouting like mobile mushrooms then. This brought about the birth of the civic group, some spuriously created to gain access to law enforcement units and the capricious desire to be "deputized" by the police or the military, for obvious reasons. The CB airwaves were screaming with tireless conversations of almost anything under the hot sun, not to mention the frequent "eyeball" with your "good buddies." The 10-code was the linguae francae of the CB enthusiast. The CB was also the Pinoy's 'other tool' of communication because PLDT connections then were difficult to get. We used it both for business and for pleasure, and some for sinister purposes. Soon after the fad faded came the pager courtesy of Pocketbell, EasyCall, Beeper 150 etc. A gadget made originally for doctors was now being used by anyone on the street. But there was just one problem - one-way communication. A pager subscriber was only at the receiving end and still had to run to a telephone to reciprocate. And then, like a ray of sunshine - the mobile cellular telephone! The cellphone changed everyone's lifestyle in just a short time. It made our world smaller, it made our businesses more dynamic, and made cheating husbands more careful, and doubting wives more suspicious, especially if the husband brings his cellphone with him even in the toilet. It added much stress to our daily lives. These days, people would skip a meal just to 'buy load.' Mobile communication now is key to our progress. The days of the cellphone as a luxury item are a thing of the past. Even a lowly 'basurero' owns a Nokia and our 'kasambahay' probably owns a Samsung camera phone. Not to be outdone, our local gardeners who work in cemeteries and take care of our dearly-departed's 'puntod' or 'nitso' surely own a cellphone each. The only problem they encounter each day is that they're always in a "dead spot." As of this writing, Pinoys send a whopping average of 500 million text messages daily, which is probably the reason why we are technically the text capital of the world. Smart Communications has a subscriber base of roughly 19 million, while Globe Telecom has about 17.5 million subscribers. Translate that into their daily profit, and that's why their tri-media ads are the biggest in cost and in diversity, thanks to the Pinoys' number one pastime - texting. I am reminded of a friend who had this bad habit of texting while driving, so he finally kicked the bad habit of driving. Enough said.

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

PROSPERITY WITH A DARK PURPOSE - PART II
"Can a man taketh fire in his bosom, and his cover not be burned?" - Proverbs 6:27

After reading the first part of this post, my friend sent me an e-mail to tell me that this was only the tip of the iceberg. He goes on to write that subject wolf continues to this day to recruit people into joining a new group he is forming somewhere in Mandaluyong City. This sounds perfectly alright except for the fact that these 'draftees' of his are members of the church he once was pastoring and used as his private playground. A sanctuary (as in a holy place of worship) where he changed its whole essence and purpose to now mean a wildlife sanctuary where he can go hunting, or shall I say poaching? Now that's a big no-no. By all means, he is perfectly free to go out fishing and hope and pray for a bountiful catch, or shall I say catch a 'big fish' as in a wealthy whale, a bejeweled bass, a moneyed maliputo, or literally a goldfish? But it is traditional taboo to go fishing right in your neighbor's very own fishpond especially if you don't have the required license to fish (or a license to solemnize a wedding?) You see, my friend added further that while this guy solemnizes weddings even without the needed license to do so, he is dead serious in 'un-solemnizing' his own by threatening to annul his own marriage. As fate would have it, in one of the meetings he was recently conducting, and during the question and answer portion of the same, one female attendee rose to ask, "Is annulment Godly?" Subject wolf was caught unprepared by the question and nervously uttered, "aah...uhm...well, let's ask our lawyer right here in the audience about that..." to which she continued to repeat her question by adding, "No, I'm not asking you if it's legal. I'm asking you if it's Godly." Bingo! Well, at the start of the day (or end of the day depending if he's having a hang-over), this fraudulent fisherman goes to his favorite fastfood joint to take advantage of a free internet connection to chat with his prey and then invites people to take a peek in his friendster account and join in. As I know it, persons over a certain age shouldn't be creating friendster accounts any longer, unless of course one has a dark purpose in doing so. Some kind soul should e-mail Republican Vice-Presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and tell her of the existence of a lone wolf on the prowl right here in Metro Manila thousands of miles away from her big state. You see, Governor Palin is a staunch supporter and advocate for the 'controlled population' of wolves in Alaska. She says that that state law which she signed as Governor permits certain individuals to pull out their Remington rifles and shoot those wild wolves dead on their tracks. The reason? To give way for the multiplication in number of Alaska's Caribou and Moose, a wolf's favorite 'to-go' meal. Back here at home, a wounded moose is still fair game to our local wolf, somewhat resembling that of an 'askal jackal.' For the deeper the wound, the easier the kill. Talk about responsible sportsmanship and wildlife conservation! My friend has also been hounded not by wolves, but by incessant suggestions to forgive now whoever has blood in his hands, or in this case, beer and lingerie in his hands. He says that's not a problem really, except for the fact that he finds it quite difficult to forgive someone who doesn't ask for forgiveness and instead puts on a cloak of arrogance, defiance and back-stabbing to all who have gone against his grain so to speak. It's quite hard to stop one's scheming self from sweet-talking and recruiting people into joining an organization, especially if that person's orientation and mindset is a simple money-making design in the business of networking, which is really where he rightfully belongs. ("With their words they showeth much love, but their hearts goeth after their own covetousness." - Ezekiel 33:31). Church leaders should not and should never be treated as "clients," as I was told he openly likes to treat them, even suggesting other church members to do the same. His favorite prey are the nouveau-riche and the parvenu types. I think he often or intentionally confuses a business firm from a church. Church leaders who submit themselves to the dark authority of a man like him will have to account for their actions or inactions to God in due time. To me, it really is no different from allowing a shepherd with a crooked staff to lead his trusting sheep into a waiting ravine. In the hoodwinking, networking world, you're just another client to retain with his 'talk.' Problem is, he doesn't walk the talk, and sooner than later, his audience walks out on him disgusted, disappointed and cheated. And if he continues committing his pet sins, they walk all over him, and then he reacts sour-grapingly, rejecting correction and disciplinary action befitting his behavior with disbelief in one hand, and a threat to sue on the other hand. You see, my friend says that it really is all up to him now. If he sweeps this under the rug again to join his clutter collection of old, it will catch up on him again someday. It will never be resolved until he decides to walk too - towards the light. But the sweetest sins are always committed in the dark, and that explains why everywhere he goes, his larger-than-life shadow follows him. Problem is, that same shadow is not caused by the faint presence of light in front of him, but by the overwhelming presence of darkness right behind him.

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

LONG LOST COUSINS?

Our friend Bono Adaza says that Senator Nene Pimentel is related to the late General Fabian Ver, AFP Chief of Staff under former President Ferdinand Marcos. Bono claims that Pimentel's mother comes from Batac, Ilocos Norte, Marcos' hometown and belongs to the Quilingquing family of that town. Now that explains why both gents somewhat look alike, wouldn't you agree?

(Image from http://bulatlat.com/ & http://members.aol.com/)

DRIVE DEFEN-SORELY!

The South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) under the watch of Maite Defensor of the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC), (sister of Nickel-odious Mike Defensor) is in a mess. Talk about poor management. Motorists living in the south of Manila have to face this hell every single day upon reaching the Alabang overpass, as they drive or commute to work, and then return back to their homes. The engineering work is at a snail's pace and there aren't enough safety signs to warn drivers ahead of time of an impending obstruction. In short, when you're driving along the SLEx, drive at your own risk and make sure you say your prayers because you might just be an added entry in the PNCC/SLEx management's statistics on vehicular accidents occuring every single day and night due to their negligence and unsafe work habits, not to mention the astronomical toll fees each motorist has to cough up for 'safe passage' (kuno). It's plain and simple highway robbery, literally.

(Image from http://img182.imageshack.us)

THE REPUBLIC OF ILOKOSLOVAKIA

The Republic of Ilokoslovakia may someday soon become a reality. Ilocano leaders possibly led by Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., Luis 'Chavit' Singson and Roque 'Roquito' Ablan Jr. are reported readying a manifesto for the creation of an Autonomous Ilocos Region (AIR) composed of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan and some other Ilocano provinces. One of its genuine ilocano (GI) leaders said that "if Mindanao and the Cordilleras can gain autonomy, there is no reason why we cannot do the same." And no, their flag will not depict a hammer and tobacco right next to a cup of bagoong and their clenched-fist salute does not mean they are holding tight to their pesos. At the rate our country is being dismembered, we will soon be a nation of dinuguan. Uh-oh, another MOA in the making?

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

MANNY, MANNY, MANNY = MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) under the Office of the President (OP) has issued a joint statement on the forthcoming Pacquiao - de la Joya fight. it said that the boxing match could be a serious disadvantage for Pacquiao because of de la Joya's height and reach advantage, the latter being a bigger boxer. In essence, what the GAB was saying was that Pacquiao and his organizers should back out from this scheduled fight because Pacquiao could be seriously hurt from it. Manny's mindless fanatics led by sports commentators Ronnie Nathanielzs and Recah Trinidad and the equally self-serving Monico Puentevella of Bacolod were quick on the draw to claim that the GAB has absolutely no jurisdiction over the matter, and since the match is scheduled to take place outside the country. True, but methinks that when it comes to the safety and well-being of an athlete, especially if he/she is declared a "national treasure," jurisdiction and greed must be set aside for the meantime and for good respectively. But bogus Filipinos like Nathanielzs even said yesterday over DZBB and I quote: "Who is going to give Pacquiao $20 million for his family?" Say that again Ronnie? When is enough money enough then? Manny Pacquiao is already a walking Money Pakyaw! It sure all boils down now to plain and simple greed huh. Easy for you to say that because it ain't your thick face that's gonna get those punches, although many of us wish it was. Money, money, money. That's all you guys ever think of. Shame, shame, shame. In addition, Pacquiao has reiterated his lust for an elective position (again) possibly in 2010. Calling Darlene Antonino-Custodio, time to teach Manny a humbling lesson again, and while you're at it, could you please knock the teeth off from all his attack-dogs and "commissioners" in the fourth estate?

(Image from http://www.gab.gov.ph/)

THE PALACE BY THE PASIG

Malacanang Palace (or Malacanan if one would like to be historically and politically correct) was once upon a time second home to me having frequented its majestic stuctures and stature during the Marcos era. I found myself as a regular fixture there, visiting my father in his office straight from school which was just across the Pasig. This was also the era of Kokoy Romualdez, Johnny Tuvera, Jake Clave, Ernie Maceda and of course Celso Cabrera who wrote a frequent newspaper column entitled "Inside Malacanang," which featured the latest gossip right in the corridors of power. He too was a frequent visitor of my father. Cabrera knew stuff about President Marcos and the First Lady before anybody knew about it. If something had to be known and was front page material, Cabrera almost always scooped everyone to it, making his column a must read if one wanted to know the happenings right inside the palace. The Malacanang Clinic which was situated across (was it Arlegui?) is a memorable place for me for it was the place where my dreaded circumcision took place. I still remember vividly the man in white who performed the 'cutting-edge' procedure one summer morning. He had a kind face and was also kinder with his 'tools.' His name is Dr. Casanova. To this day, I still wonder what has become of him, for aside from him, I pretty much am aware of what has become of many of FM's lieutenants. Long before the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) was created, there was the Legislative Affairs Office (LAO) / Office of the Legislative Secretary (OLS) which my father headed. He was one of Marcos' longest straight-serving men having been the Legislative Secretary for 20 years (1966-1986) ending only at the height of the EDSA revolt. My father was such a low-key person to a fault that many had forgotten he was working there. And if there was one thing he was found guilty of as is the usual accusation to government officials, his was a simple but bizarre case of "unexplained poverty." As a curious young lad then, I always was fascinated with the huge portraits that hung on the walls of the palace. In one such occasion, I had the privilege to view each and every one of those portraits - imposing presidential portraits they were, which hang majestically to this day. All the portraits of past presidents hang there. Of these, one portrait is unique and differs from the rest because the man was never elected president, nor did he succeed as vice-president. The plaque right below it simply says, "President Jose P. Laurel." I was immediately intrigued by this seeming abnormality because, as far as I remembered my Philippine history at a tender age, Laurel indeed was never elected. I remembered then that Laurel was invited by the Japanese government to serve on the wartime Philippine Executive Commission during the Japanese Occupation. He held several posts on the Commission until he was shot on June 6, 1943 during a golf game with some of his colleagues. The failed assassin was probably an anti-Japanese guerilla, and Laurel recuperated quickly from his bullet wound and was offered the presidency of the Japanese-sponsored republic. He promptly accepted and was installed on October 14, 1943. He served as president from then on up until the American liberating forces returned in 1945, which prompted him to leave immediately for Tokyo. After the war, Laurel was indicted on more than 100 counts of treason and many believed he was just a little too comfy with the Japs. Laurel and Macapagal-Arroyo have one thing in common I suppose - and that both were never elected to the presidency. But that will be another post someday. And so, Malacanang will always be my 'Palace by the Pasig,' even long after the ghosts of yesterday's occupants tirelessly haunt its illegal occupant of today - the 'Squatter in the Palace' if I may. One last item though. If Malacanang is the Tagalog contraction to mean "there is a man of nobility there," or "may lakan diyan." shouldn't Malacanang now be called "Malocanang" meaning, "may loka diyan!"

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

STRONG INSTANT NOODLES REPUBLIC

We have become a society of instant noodles. An archipelago of egg noodles. A government that has carelessly muddled itself in the imbroglio of the recent rice crisis must put a stop to this unhealthy shift to an urgent solution to the alarming hunger and malnutrition situation in the country. Rice is, and should still be the staple food of the nation. The irony of it all is that while the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) - the top honcho agency for rice research and development of the globe sits right here in our own backyard, we shamefully import rice from Vietnam, add to that Thailand, a country we taught everything about riceology now beats us in production and distribution. We have also trained our sights to a possible shift to Biofuels technology whereby we will be converting arable land or ricelands for planting biofuel crops. We don't have enough land to spare unlike other large biofuel efficient countries. We must first feed our nation before we feed our vehicles. But as usual, our so-called public servants in the DA and NFA would not prioritize solving this problem. Why? Well, they probably have other things in mind other than finding solutions to this one. Because of the high price of rice and the contrasting low price of instant noodles, an alarming number of Filipinos have shifted and are shifting to these toxic "pangtawid gutom" menu item. The long-term effects of these seemingly harmless strands of virtual vermicelli are very serious. Cancer, for example can be caused by frequent eating of these noodles. Retardation in young children are also caused by these culprits. High blood too is a regular outcome because of its high salt content, add to that the preservatives - not to mention the wax used by its manufacturers to prolong its shelf life. But once taken, the same wax shortens one's own self life. In a few years, the effects of these instant noodles menace shall be amongst a large chunk of the populace. IQs and rational thinking are the very first to go. If you ask me, I think its long-term effects are now showing in many of our senators and congressmen, government lawyers, judges and justices, cabinet members and generals. And oh, by the way, what do you call smuggled NFA rice when cooked to make rice-soup? Arroyo'z Caldo.

(Image from http://health-issue.org/)

PROSPERITY WITH A DARK PURPOSE - PART I

"Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well." - Proverbs 5:15

I am told of a church somewhere in Makati City's central business district, deep down in Bayani Fernando's wimpish, pinkish Metro Manila where its presbytery recently 'gave the boot' to their pastor for a number of serious reasons. My unimpeachable source tells me that even after numerous reminders to this wayward weasel, he has continued to walk towards the dark and away from the light. This pseudo-pastor loved getting inebriated with beer almost nightly in public places and sometimes in the privacy of his own home. Not satisfied with the numbing effect of the bottle, he goes on to take a special interest with one of its church members. A female I suppose. And only God knows how many more. Prosperity with a dark purpose from a pastor impostor? If you ask me, I think just these two items would be more than sufficient grounds to remove a pastor from the delicate responsibilities of caring for its sheep, him being their shepherd. But a shepherd who "slaughters" his very own sheep in the convenience of his own abattoir deserves to be in for the slaughter himself, especially if that poor little sheep is the most vulnerable in the drove, and one who bleats the most for affection. A so-called man of God who in reality is a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' deserves to be stripped off his cover, so to speak. He must be unmasked for his true colors to be revealed for all to see, not to mention the yellow streak that would show running down his spine. His un-virgin wool must be sheared off from his pachydermic epidermis and then given away to the cold and the contrite, not to the prosperous and the plentiful. Men like him are not fit to carry on preaching from the pulpit, for with it is the divine task of winning souls for God - and not the careless and selfish act of ushering souls to eternal damnation. Some say it's alright for a pastor to drink even every night and then go on to preach the next day, as long as he doesn't preach while intoxicated. Well, on that ignoramus idea, it's just like saying that it's alright for a leader of a church to gallivant and have affairs here and there and everywhere around Metro Manila, as long as he goes home to his wife every single night, right? Wrong! Imagine, this so-called man of God was even so arrogant to address one of his loyal church members who saw the light as "isang langaw lang siya sa buhay ko!" This member snapped back immediately saying, "kaya pala lagi ako dumidikit sa kanya, e kasi, saan ba mahilig dumapo ang langaw?!" And to those who blindly tolerate these actions, you too could be most answerable to God and are responsible for the necessary actions to take to stop this and uproot this wrongdoing once and for all, lest you carry on your tired old backs the heavy wrath of God. Further, I am told that this unrepentant person continues to this day to cast his 'net of deception' from his leaking 'boat of pretention.' He could very well be a 'poacher of lost souls' for his self-satisfaction and aggrandizement. A fisher of men who, in reality, is really just a plain old fisher of compliments - and God must be angry and pissed off at him! With this story shared to me, I am reminded of the great and incomparable Reverend Jimmy Swaggart, when he fell, he fell flat on his face for a similar sin. But he went on to try to restore himself in an orderly fashion and in one occasion, as he read Psalm 51 weepingly, repentantly before an equally emotional congregation, he asked forgiveness from both God and man. In a nutshell, Psalm 51 talks about the Psalmist David's repentance from the sins of pride and lust, among others. We all need to cry our heart's out to God Psalm 51 at some point in our lives, yet some people would rather skip it and jump to Psalm 52 straight from Psalm 50 and use it simply as opening scripture for Sunday church service. And so, this church I am told moves on towards the light, and away from the temporary darkness brought about by this 'angel of light,' with a sign on its door which says: "Wanted: A pastor who fights our battles with us, not a pastor who hides his bottles from us. A pastor with a genuine love for the ministry, not a pastor with a genuine lust for the miniskirt."

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

GLORIA'S ILLEGITIMATE PRESIDENCY IS A LEGITIMATE CURSE

Filipinos above a certain age remember the fifties and sixties as the "golden age of Philippine progress and development." The country led the rest of South-East Asia in scientific research, education, business, the arts, and the practice of democratic governance. Filipinos then exuded an air of confidence and a purpose befitting a people in control of their destiny with a bright future ahead of them. Contrast that image with today's reality as outlined by a fact which we quote in part below:

By her own admission, President Gloria Arroyo accurately assessed that "over the last decades, our (strong) Republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its progressive neighbors, and forty years ago, we were second only to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand." At our present growth rate, it will take us some 30 years to get where Thailand is today. And by the year 2030, our children will experience far worse conditions than we have today:

1. A population of 160 million;
2. Of those, 70 to 90 million will live below the poverty line;
3. Our national debt is estimated to be US$ 200 billion (compared to US$ 28 billion when President Ferdinand Marcos fled the country in 1986, and US$ 72 billion today);
4. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam, but against Bangladesh;
5. We will still be the most corrupt nation in Asia, if not the world.

The signs are very clear. For as long as Gloria Arroyo remains our President, our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence - contrary to what she and her economic snails are now reporting to the people.




(image from http://www.chinapost.com/)