Change is Inevitable in the Philippine Senate

Talk about change that is ushering in the U.S. in light of an Obama win and not to be out done the Philippine Senate is also caught up in the same frenzy. Except in the Philippine Senate change is more of the same, that is pathetically moving backward instead of forward to its relics of its ugly past. It was more like waking up to a nightmare with Juan Ponce Enrile of all people as the new Senate President.

Congratulations senators, you just went into a full circle, not that the present leadership is not bad enough but surely it is was from bad to worse and then when the one swearing in the senate president is no other than the perennial coup leader Enrile side-kicked errr side-kick Gringgo Honasan it gets worst than ever.

Manuel Buencamino at Uniffors wrote:

Enrile thanked his supporters profusely.

“Even as I honestly never sought the position of Senate president for myself, I can tell you that no honor or recognition can compare to one such as this, which comes from my own peers. Allow me this opportunity to ask you, my colleagues, to forgive my shortcomings. I am an old man who has acquired some bad habits of sometimes being arrogant, rude, harsh with my words, insensitive and impatient. Yet, you have so kindly overlooked these shortcomings and generously chose me to be your leader.”

Senators who so kindly overlooked Enrile’s acquired bad habits and shortcomings and generously chose him to be their leader are Edgardo Angara, Rodolfo Biazon, Chiz Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Richard Gordon, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Jamby Madrigal, Bong Revilla, Mar Roxas, Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Enrile himself.

Those who for reasons of their own were not so generous are Joker Arroyo, Alan Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Francis Pangilinan, Aquilino Pimentel jr., Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III. They did not vote against Enrile, they were kind enough to abstain.

The nightmare errr the coup was enough for Jove Francisco 's jaw to drop at Facebook when he learned about the still unknown events that transpired before the Senate coup.

MLQ III says it is a mutiny for a bounty or a re-alignment of evil errr of forces in view of the 2010 pissedential contest oooops presidential elections to neutralize Money errr Manny Villar who is a presidential hopeful. Heck that just goes to show how pathetic Philippine politics and The Equalizer sees the devil incarnate errr a Faustian bargain:

It shows that all the presidentiables are willing to make FAUSTIAN bargains to advance their own ambitions.

Mon Casiple’s Weblog on Philippine Politics entry Villar’s Senate Waterloo thinks Enrile’s rise from the dead errr to the Senate Presidency will pave the way for charter change:

Of course, there is the opportunity for the GMA administration to pursue the Charter change agenda under Enrile’s watch. However, he is too much of a wild card at this time of an increasingly lameduck GMA presidency. It is more correct to say that anything may happen. What is more discernible is that the ruling coalition will try to make a play to stay on top of the increasingly unstable situation.

We must watch out for the agreements that underpin the majority’s support for an Enrile Senate presidency. There is more than meets the eye on this one.

Jon Mariano an OFW in Hong Kong says that Philippine politics at least in the senate is all about back-stabbing and even front-stabbing, lol too much callousness in play perhaps that if there is really no rule in the game as in anything goes.

For whatever its worth one thing is certain the Philippine Senate truly reflects the kind of people that occupies that position and it is not pretty..... to think that we thought something positive will come out of Panfilo Lacson's expose' on the C5 extension project dubbed as the Sarah Palin counterpart of the Road to Nowhere, was nothing but a ploy to put his kuligs (insects) errrr colleagues on the spot. No wonder the probe was selective as usual and no one dares touch Mike Velarde whose properties also benefited from the funding (although there were claims they have not received a single cent) which I suspect was aimed solely at Villar. Anyway it is too early to tell if indeed they are too afraid to touch Mike Velarde for fear of losing a voting bloc that he commands coming from his fanatical sex errr sect followers if indeed he can really deliver those votes. Now that Manny Villar has been unseated, will they still pursue the C5 probe and extend the prove to include Mike Velarde? That remains to be seen and in the Philippine political realm we seem to see more of the aberration than change for the better...... let us see how this unfolds.........

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Philippine Politics Politics Filipinos Filipino-Americans

Obama Mania & Delusion Hits the Philippines

Dreaming or was it dreamers seeing the unprecedented rise of Barack Obama to the U.S. presidency has some deluded errr Filipino politicians proclaiming themselves the Filipino version of barrack Obama. I don’t blame them for the inspiration that Obama brings because who would not get inspired by a man on the road to greatness except of course the usual talangka (small crustacean similar to crab) or the rabid cynics of the single-issue Catholic kind.

If Obama has a clone in the Philippines he will definitely lose in the Philippine fraudulent prone electoral contest. Until the comcollect errr Comelec learns how to count the votes not even Barack Obama himself stands a chance of winning a 50% plus 1 majority vote to clinch the Philippine presidency.

Dan Remoto a candidate in the last election for the LGBT sector offers an insight on the Obama wannabe’s:

But look at the survey numbers of Chiz Escudero. He almost toppled Loren in the senatorial race last year. He is catching up in the surveys for president. He will turn 40 in October of 2009. And if Mayor Binay claims he will do an Obama because they both have dark skin (the dark horse in this election), then Chiz Escudero might also do an Obama: they look alike (same hair, shape of head), both young and bright lawyers, both media-savvy.

But Obama won because he built his formidable machinery by forming a grassroots movement. In short, he turned to the people -- mostly the young -- and built a magnificent machinery never before seen in any election.

That, I believe, is the challenge for all Obama wanna-bes in the forthcoming election. Heart attack or no heart attack.

See how pathetic these politicians are? It is not the looks or resemblance that matters but what Obama is all about. In that vein, do they have anything similar to offer that will capture the imagination of the Filipino voters? Nada, none, zilch and yes I agree and disagree at the same time with Remoto’s contention because the grass roots in the Philippines are actually participating in the electoral process. Unlike in the U.S. where the grass roots are cynical of the process it took an Obama to get them to participate and make a difference while in the Philippines it will take more than a scandal prone Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to discouraged voters from voting. It is not a matter of involving the grass roots because they have been involved all along but a matter of raising their political awareness and preventing religious sex errr sect leaders dictating on their fanatical grass roots followers voting as a bloc.

Mong Palatino posted an entry in search of a Filipino Obama, and I say good luck on that one. Although he himself is not sold on the idea because you cannot just copy what you see as there is no comparison when it comes to a third world country like the Philippines’ aping Democracy where the political playing field is tilted to favor the ruling minority elites.

One thing that is hilarious is the spin on Senator Richard Gordon born to an American Caucasian Father so the blogger believes that qualifies his chicken (as in manok in Filipino lingo in reference to political bet like a cockfight) errr man on the opposite side of the equation.

Dreams are free and no one must deny delusions errr people from dreaming that they can duplicate Obama’s campaign except there is only one tiny problem…… technology. Not that the Filipinos are behind on internet usage, the only problem is grass roots in the Philippines have no access to the Internet. Heck, millions of electorate don’t even have access to basic necessities to survive with another 3 million people recently joining the legions of poverty stricken sector swelling their number to 30million+, access to information is the least of their worries or if that even cross their minds.

While there are quite a number of Filipinos with access to the Internet, some “savvy” users treat this like a corner sari-sari (convenient store) congregation of village gossipers spamming their email list with ridiculous chain letter type nonsense from bogus miracles to baseless conspiracy theories. There quite a number of gullible people out there and that should explain why the Philippines earned the much “coveted” award as the spam capital of the world.

Alex Magno a GMA consultant opines below:

There is no shortage here of people who seek to win the highest elective post. But there is scarcity, obviously, of real leaders emerging from the margins and challenging the system. Leaders who can inspire and arrest the drift of public cynicism. Leaders who can make us hope again.

Can there be a Filipino Obama rising to the challenge of 2010.

No, there will never be a Filipino Barack Obama until there is a level political playing field and the organized superstition errr religion stop meddling in politics like the Iglesia ni Kristo (Church of Christ) sect and others exploiting patronage politics for their own vested interest.

I say the Philippines as it stands now has more in common with the McCain/Palin type of Republicans and their “base” than the Barack Obama led Democrats and ideals. If we look at the number of noisy Filipino American supporters of the McCain/Palin camp spamming their email list with black propaganda that are mostly lacking in substance (as if that is something new, lol) attacking Barack Obama on a personal level and some shamelessly being racist as if they are whiter than white shows they can make a lot of noise. The tone and level of the campaign is a very familiar environment for some Filipinos and this is how politics is conducted in the Philippines so having an intellectual like a no-drama Obama will surely not resonate in an electoral process so used to shallow personality politics.

Let us see come January according to Alvin D. C. Lopez of the Pelican Spectator a demarcation line will be drawn separating Old America (a promised country) and the New America (a fulfilled country) in his entry Obama: mending the wounds of history......... Now, how will a wannabe Obama of the Philippines do that or even come close to being fulfilled when there was no promise in the first place.......... except perhaps the usual broken promises from Filipino politicians?

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Politics Philippine Politics Filipinos Filipino-Americans

Palling Around & Wasilla Hillbillies

Sarah Palin is on a media blitz allowing exclusive interviews and press conference visible as ever as if 2012 is just around the corner. Although recent polls suggest that there are more who prefers not to see her in the national politics she probably will be but with a little glitch. That small opening that she will plow through is closing in right before she even gets there as Stevens the convicted felon appears to be losing at the latest count.

Forget about the polls where a majority does not want to see her in the national limelight as long as she inspires the “base.” The “base” probably includes 40% of mental colonist errr FilAms with colonial mentality whose choice of a president is racial as shown in the survey conducted by Balitang America. That number was validated with a pre-election survey of community leaders (conducted by the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations and the Federation of Philippine-American Chambers of Commerce) showed Obama trumping McCain 58 to 42.

Oh well, maybe she should just deal with that McCain aide reportedly talking behind her back with harsh derogatory statements such as "diva," "whacked job" and worst of all as reported by Newsweek, to quote:

Wasilla Hillbillies Looting Neiman Marcus from Coast to Coast!

Not exactly nice to say to a defeated candidate and to think that it is coming from within the Republican camp says more about the people in the campaign. The effects of divisive politics and sleazy polarizing level brought about by Pit Bull with lipstick combative nastiness always on the offensive seems to linger on even from within their circle. It is ironic that Sarah Palin’s polarizing effect on the campaign trail rubs off within the campaign that feeds on adversarial targets sticks like a sticky gum under one’s sole that is difficult to get rid. Then there is that notion that Sarah Palin is not aware that Africa is a continent that she responded forcefully by saying those behind the rumors are JERKs.

Negativity galore characterized the way they run the campaign and Michelle Malkin is a perfect fit for this kind of political hullabaloo and the inquisition like campaign begins code named Operation Leper. What is odd is seeing of all people those on the right in a “commie” like purge dubbed Operation Leper launched by Red State to ferret out the “traitors.” A campaign that will treat those campaign operatives who they suspect are responsible for bad mouthing Sarah Palin behind her back to see to it that they never work in any campaigns forevermore. It all boils down to flushing out the “rats,” awww shucks then that will take out the fun with the comedians very disappointed if they are booted out forever. Does that mean they will run a decent campaign next time around? How about the comedians, where will they get their materials if they do that?

Nasty really nasty if it was false but if it was verified then it says more about the person who blames the blamer without looking at the veracity of the accusation. Then to make matter worse it appears that there is communication problem within their camp as shown below:

McCain himself rarely spoke to Palin during the campaign, and aides kept him in the dark about the details of her spending on clothes because they were sure he would be offended. Palin asked to speak along with McCain at his Arizona concession speech Tuesday night, but campaign strategist Steve Schmidt vetoed the request.

Then the report further stated the obvious lack of communication or which probably explain why the “maverick” in Sarah Palin went rouge with the Wrong errr Wright attack:

Palin launched her attack on Obama's association with William Ayers, the former Weather Underground bomber, before the campaign had finalized a plan to raise the issue. McCain's advisers were working on a strategy that they hoped to unveil the following week, but McCain had not signed off on it, and top adviser Mark Salter was resisting.

That was during the election and post election she just could not get over the palling around in an interview with Wolf Blitzer at CNN posted at Huffington Post:

BLITZER: Because, you know, during a campaign, every presidential campaign, things are said, it's tough, as you well know, it gets sometimes pretty fierce out there. And during the campaign, you said this, you said: "This is not a man who sees America as you see it and how I see America." And then you went on to say: "Someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he is palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."

PALIN: Well, I still am concerned about that association with Bill Ayers. And if anybody still wants to talk about it, I will, because this is an unrepentant domestic terrorist who had campaigned to blow up, to destroy our Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol. That's an association that still bothers me.

And I think it's still fair to talk about it. However the campaign is over. That chapter is closed. Now is the time to move on and to, again, make sure that all of us are doing all that we can to progress this nation.

Keep us secure, get the economy back on the right track, and many of us do have some ideas on how to do that and hopefully we'll be able to put all of that wisdom and experience to good use together.

BLITZER: So looking back, you don't regret that tough language during the campaign?

PALIN: No, and I do not think that it is off-base nor mean-spirited, nor negative campaigning to call someone out on their associations and on their record. And that's why I did it.

BLITZER: I just want to sort of footnote, was that your idea or did somebody write those lines for you?

PALIN: It was a collaborative effort there in deciding how do we start bringing up some of the associations that perhaps would be impacting on an administration, on the future of America. But again, though, Wolf, knowing that it really -- at this point, I don't want to point fingers backwards and play the blame game, certainly, on anything that took place in terms of strategy or messaging in the campaign.

Now is the time to move forward together, start progressing America.

I wonder how attacking a person based on guilt by association is not negative and mean spirited, while those suspected of talking behind her back she calls jerks? So what's the difference between those "jerks" and her guilt by association that still persist to this day when the campaign season is done and over with? Sure, if moving forward is about "guilt by association" then it is actually a misstep........ it is too early to tell who are moving forward or blocking the path of the nation's destiny but one can sense this early who are destined to the dustbin of history.

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Nay Phone Latt, Burmese Blogger Sentenced to more than 20 Years

Nay Phone Latt is a young businessman named Nay Myo Latt owner of three internet cafes in different suburbs of Rangoon sentenced to more than 20 years in jail by Burmese authorities. A blogger posting mostly novel-style expression about music and Burmese youth culture and a leading member of the opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy marked him as a target for suppression by the anti-democracy regime of Burma.

A list of ridiculous if not hilarious “crimes” that he committed according to the dictatorial regime of Myanmar formerly known as Burma was possession of a banned performance video of Thee Lay Thee a comedy skit poking fun at Burmese authorities. Talk about losing their sense of humor indeed, jailed for possessing a “seditious material” inciting people to laugh is as incredulous as it gets. Of course he was also cited for his statements that the humorless regime has seen as a “threat to state security,” yeah like having a good laugh will incite people to revolt.

Nay Phone Latt is a “grave threat,” according to Burmese authorities, started monitoring bloggers for their role in the 2007 “Saffron” or “Golden” revolution in Burma. It should be noted that bloggers had a main influence on spreading news about the demonstrations and following the Junta’s crackdown on the peaceful protesters where thousands of people were arrested. While only one blogger was arrested, it was enough to intimidate other bloggers going underground or virtually fleeing cyberspace as it became a dangerous ground in Burma under threats of arrest.

Nay Phone Latt’s (Burmese Blog) “transgression” earned him enough blogger points deserving confinement in Insein Prison near Rangoon where he is kept in very bad condition in a cell dedicated to prisoners awaiting execution. If that is not intimidation, I don’t know what is.

Failing to stop bloggers from expressing their sentiments showing the dire poverty in Burma and support for the Democracy Movement the Burmese low tech brigade decided to block blogs unfriendly to the regime but without success easily countered by technology savvy bloggers.

Hence, they decided to attack from another direction, that is, to slow down internet connection and blocking certain Burmese blogs so that the people in Burma would not be able to view them. Many well-known pro-democracy blogs were their first targets. The SPDC or the Burmese Military Regime also resorted to blogging with the intent of discrediting and attacking pro-Democracy bloggers that only insults the intelligence of the Burmese people. To further suppress internet access the military regime also restricted the usage of internet cafes by asking the users at those places to register using their identity card, filling in their personal details, keeping a log of visited sites and taking screenshots of various pages. They have also redirected pro-democracy blogs to porn sites, as if that will help in stopping the people’s desire for a regime change.

Obviously no matter how hard you suppress the truth it will always find it way to the people because they are the ones who feel the hardship on a daily basis and blocking blogger.com will not stop people from blogging and will just look for other platforms. Raising the price for internet access will probably work but now that this is all over the internet it is now time for international bloggers to pick up where Burmese bloggers left off.

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