What no one wished has come to pass: Two Filipinos die in Lebanon.
Response: House-to-house rescue of OFWs
President says, she has a plan. The plan is: Displaced domestic help to return as “supermaids”
It’s crunch time: referendum by November. Word is, the “people’s initiative” position might be filed by Monday. At the very least, the stage is being set for another big administration push.
Emil Jurado, who joins in the unfolding administration charge, can be answered easily with the following points:
1. He grants the point people will lose the right to vote for the head of state and the head of government; none of the proposals he defends eliminates big money or the role of power brokers: indeed it would easier for a gambling or drug lord to fund a prime minister; and if he really cares about cronyism, he’d better look at Japan and Malaysia to see it in parliamentary action;
2. a vote of no confidence is a rare thing in a parliament, and the proposed rules are such that what is envisioned is more of a permanent, one party state;
3. There are three proposals on the table, all of which are presumably in the running, and at least one of them has a loophole permitting an interim parliament to set the date for elections and do so by simply going on until 2010; of course Congress cannot legislate for its own benefit -as the Constitution stands, but it can be revised out in the future; besides which, it isn’t necessary for Congress to do it, the other proponents are doing so by extending terms from 3 to 5 years and removing term limits, which obviously serves incumbents and which they have neither opposed nor pledged to inhibit themselves from enjoying; and the position of president, on other hand, is not up for discussion: whether ceremonial or not, there will be a president, or perhaps he again doesn’t understand how parliamentary government works (the head of government is not the head of state: or does he propose replacing the presidency with a monarchy?);
4. There will be a super-president. It boils down to whether a future prime minister would be in a position to demand powers be delegated, and whether the incumbent president would deign to share anything but a minimum of powers;
5. Well, what’s wrong with those in power now holding it indefinitely? That demonstrates the big difference between Jurado’s ilk and those opposed. What’s wrong? Everything. Under any system, for whatever reason, indefinite power-holding is unhealthy and counter-productive;
6. No weakened supreme court, he says? He fails to understand how a parliament works, unless his frame of reference is the Batasan of Marcos: parliament is supreme and again, look at Malaysia, which is the model of behavior for many present-day congressmen, where parliament reduced the powers of the courts; a judiciary on equal footing with the legislature is not part of the parliamentary scheme of things.
Oh, and truth? What about One Voice not even having gotten around to radio ads, despite what he claims?
Manny Pacquiao reportedly recorded some sort of commercial for the government yesterday, possibly in support of amendments efforts. While his ad hasn’t come out, he’s now being surrounded by buzz over a possible bid for the vice-mayoralty of Manila, in tandem with one of Mayor Atienza’s sons. Pacquiao has petitioned to be consider a Manila voter. (a curious story on Pacquiao’s political loyalties can be found in a comment by a reader from Japan).
Scuttlebutt on the President’s liver makes the news.
In the punditocracy, the Inquirer editorial considers opposition to impeachment nonsense.
Amando Doronila and Raul Pangalanan take a broad look at the political murders taking place in the country, international reactions to them, and the culpability of the administration.
Mike Tan points to one of the latest cases -the murder of the wife of Dr. Constancio Javier (who was also shot) and recounts the shock and sadness of Dr. Mita Pardo de Tavera over a similar murder of a doctor in 1982.
Ellen Tordesillas sits back and watches the President’s people eat each other.
Jose Ma. Montelibano praises Gawad Kalinga.
In the blogosphere, a Nagueño in the Blogosphere recalls Raul Roco’s death anniversary (tomorrow) and wonders what might have been. At the time, this is what I wrote on what the man was: a minority of many.
PCIJ blog: cheaper to hire assassins than to sue for libel.
Iloilo City Boy on big and little crooks. Katataspulong on stealing.
Torn & Frayed on Filipino happiness.
Achieving Happiness irked by glee over Fidel Castro’s illness. Slate examines how Castro’s stayed in power and why American efforts to isolate him have been counterproductive.
Malaysia: fact-checking of blogs will have consequences.
Technorati Tags: Blogging, constitution, impeachment, Lebanon, Middle East, One Voice, people’s initiative, Philippines, politics, president
I don’t see anything wrong with upgrading the skills of domestic workers so we can capture the higher end of the world-wide market. No shame in being a maid, much less a ‘supermaid’.
“Scuttlebutt on the President’s liver makes the news.”
LIVER ailment?! pati ba naman sakit sa atay, ginagaya rin ni GMA???
Manolo,
Does One VOice have a program to answer some valid points made by Jurado like the campaign funds from sources like drug and gambling lords,which results to cronyism … we all know is indeed happening?
I agree the supreme court has less powers,but what has One Voice propose to the supreme courts medling in some areaas were they should not like mining,airports,etc.
Sure most of Jurado’s claims are baloney,but what does One Voice propose other than saying that the parliamentary system won’t solve that either.
Hope you wont take my questions against me.
Karl
I thought Manny Pacquaio would for a gubernatorial post in his province? Wow…I’m amazed with Manny…he really is, a superstar.
Manny Pacquiao should just stick to doing business if and when he hangs up the gloves.
I suspect the Atienzas are just being opportunistic about it and would like Manny to run as Ali Atienza’s vice mayor to prop up the ticket.
If Manny does choose to run, why should he even settle for second-fiddle to Ali Atienza..?
If a presidential election were held now and Manny so chooses to run, he could really give any trapo a run for the money in terms of popularity.
What more the mayoralty race in Manila?
sad to say…politics in our country is just too manipulative and really trapo. when will our country change?
Yuko,
You should publish the Pacquiao interview in your blog as well as the pics.
Hi Manolo, this is something off-topic, sorry, but whatever happened to pangulo.ph?
agree with cvj on supermaids.
if Uk has their school for butler and France has their au pair, a glamorized title for a nanny, why don’t we have one.
Yup, Manny will be a good bodyguard for Ali. Poor bloke does not even realize his being used. Or has his popularity gone to his head. How will the proponents of Cha-Cha conuter Manny’s abition now that the Pidals are backing him up, add the support of the man in Hawaiian shirt. Personality politics, and I thought the administration and Sigaw deplores this practice.
Nice photo, I don’t see the usual hangers-on otherwise the cast would have been complete. Legions of the Round Table. Nice touch Manolo.
re: supermaids. while of course the palace (like any administration) will try to milk any idea for profit, still, the larger issue is: even as we try to stop the deteriorating of education, there should also be an accompanying effort to improve the skills of all workers. fostering excellence in any occupation can only help the public in the long run.
i remember someone marveling over the number of filipinos manning the merchant marines of the world -and asking, we have been significant for twenty years, why haven’t we moved on to producing the captains and officers to command those ships?
karl, the advocacy of one voice includes pointing out the following:
1. there’s nothing to stop legislation on an antidynasty law and against party switching now. you don’t need charter change to make these effective changes.
2. ditto for campaign finance reform.
3. other OV advocacies are ignored or sidestepped by people like the proponents of “people’s initiative,” such as the need to continue land reform, bring support to those who are already benificiaries, and to remain focused on distribution and not on any deadlines that might preterminate the program.
went on a boat trip around the Los Angeles harbor yesterday. the port marketing manager was talking about job prospects on ships, and he mentioned lower level positions, like cooks, etc., are mostly held by indonesians or filipinos.
naks…sikat talaga ang Pinoy! sadly, not in the best way though…
how are you ga, ka manolo at jumper? di hamak na magagaling tayong mga filipino kahit saan daanin. ang dahilan na hindi tayo mabigyan ng pagkakataong mamuno sa mga korporasyong malalaki o banyaga ay ang nananatiling diskriminasyon sa ating lahi. maraming pagkakataong napatunayan ito lalo na dito sa amerika.
“glass ceiling” ang ilan sa tawag dito.
Thnak You Mlq3!
Totoong may diskriminasyon sa ating lahi at di lamang sa ating lahi.
Pero papayag ba tayo na manatili sa baba,at hihilain ba natin ang ating ga kabaabayan na malapit na sa taas pababa.
Nung una di ko masyadong binibighyan ng pansin ang crab mentality,pero ito ay laganap pa din at mas matindi ito sa glass ceiling na tinatawag ;dahil mraming beses na ito nabasag ng pinoy.
Madaming pinoy na ceo o presidente o senior officer ng mga tinatawag na transational corporations.
Pero naniniwala ako sa diskriminasyon,kahit sa bahay natin meron nito ,sa pagtrato natin sa ating mga kasambahay diba diskriminasyon din yun.
Maiba tayo,
Nabasa ko ang article tingkol sa gawad kalinga,ito ay nagsasabi na may pag asa pa!
concerning the why have we not produced captains of ships,despite our two decade significance .
Kasi ang maritime school natin pang seaman lang at ang ating pagdowngrade sa ating sarili sa mga dahilan na di naman nating mapigilan gaya ng teacher becoming dhs,Doctor turned nurses,managers becoming postmen or managers becoming aplle pickers or gas men or even gardeners. I have a cousin who was a sales manager here in RP and he opted to become a caregiver.
So will the present upgrade program counter or cancel out our voluntary downgrade phenomenom
Thank you lang mali na naman ang napindot ko,ulitin ko na lang.
Thank You,Manolo!
is it really necessary to change the entire system and our constitution just to have campaign finance reform?
didn’t sen. mccain had his campaign finance reform legislation passed? i don’t recall them changing the constitution to get it done.
besides, i don’t believe na big money (from gambling lords) will have less of an impact on the selection of a PM. In fact, it’ll be even more easier for the likes of Chavit Singson to fund such a candidate.
Here’s another example of how money can buy you votes. Nangyari ito sa presidential system. But like MLQ3 said, these kinds of BS will become worse under a parliamentary system.
from emil jurado:
hindi ba nag people power rin ang mga ukrainians at mga thais kahit na may parliamentary system sila.
sabi nila maganda raw ang parliamentary system dahil vote of no confidence lang, tanggal na ang isang corrupt of illegitimate na PM.
eh hindi ba may impeachment rin tayo para matanggal ang isang presidente? pero mahirap talaga kung hawak mo ang congress o parliament eh, katulad ni marcos at arroyo.
kung yung impeachment nga, 1/3 vote lang ang kailangan, mahirap nang makuha, yung “vote of no confidence” pa where you need a majority of the votes to oust a PM.
at hindi ba yung mga pro-arroyo congressmen na pumatay ng impeachment ay sila rin ang most likely na magiging members of parliament?
so paano matatanggal si arroyo kung kayang bilhin ang mga tongressmen/MPs na ito, whether presidential or parliamentary system?
from ninez:
More here:
Manolo,
In one forum, a person interpreted the One Voice ad (the one with the greedy children eating cake) as being an attack on the “selfishness”/corruption of LGUs and that it is anti-federalism. I tried, in vain, to explain that the ad is not anti-federalism, but rather questioning the proposed parlimentary system wherein legislators are also in charge of the executive arm. I hope you can reach out to more people in the provinces that One Voice is not actually an attack on federalism.
On Pacquiao running in the Vice-Mayoralty race in Manila: “…stupid is as stupid does.”
The real issue is not Charter Change nor is it a fight between One Voice and Singaw. The present and compelling issue is what to do with a fascist leader like Gloria Arroyo. Of course, Charter Change has to be opposed but it seems that the people’s attention is being diverted away from GMA’s lying, cheating and stealing.
sunking, there was a snafu in renewing the domain! it’ll be up again once the registration is renewed!
That’s nice to know re: pangulo.ph; anything in the works about a similar site for our VPs?
When I was still in the country I could smell and feel the misgovernance and the manipulative maneuvers of the politicians. Now I am an outsider, I can very well see the picture. It frustrates me, most of the time I feel guilty but angry as well. I would tell myself, I could have done more, But, in doing so, the times have spoken. I have to attend to myself as well. Someday, I would give back to my people, my country. Just give back without being noticed, not much funfare and showing-off.