Sad news. Former first lady Victoria Quirino Delgado died last night in Amsterdam.
As for the news… You know, it’s sort of like the song:
Why do you build me up (build me up) Buttercup, baby
Just to let me down (let me down) and mess me around
And then worst of all (worst of all) you never call, baby
When you say you will (say you will) but I love you still
I need you (I need you) more than anyone, darlin’
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (build me up) Buttercup, don’t break my heart.
But seriously folks. RG gives the lowdown on the gang bang that turned into the sound of one palm slapping. Last night was supposed to be about amending the Rules of the House, so that a resolution would be spared the procedures that normally accompany deliberations on, and passage of, a law. The usual suspects for their part, have already passed their own encouraging resolutions.
The papers elaborate how the game plan’s mutated: the Speaker vows a new constitution in 15 days, with the House targeted to proclaim itself a unilateral constituent assembly on December 6; then a plebiscite to be held before February 12. The problem, as more than one paper reports today, is public opinion is still strongly divided and may be turning hostile to the idea. Well, with flimsy reasoning like this,
Considering the time constraints, ChaCha advocates led by over optimist Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. are considering postponing the 2007 polls by six months until Nov. 30, 2007. The reason for this, they say, is that the same ballot boxes for the scheduled 2007 polls will be the same boxes used for the plebiscite. The deferment will also enable computerized elections to be in place.
The problem here is that even assuming that the ChaCha debates can be finished before Dec. 22, will there be enough time to educate and inform the people of the things at stake in Charter Change? More importantly, granted again that the House can educate and conduct a massive information campaign on what amendments to the 1987 Charter will be made and what form of parliamentary government will be proposed to the people, will the people accept them?
Who can blame increasing skepticism?
Avelino Cruz Jr. says he never explicitly stated the President considered martial law, despite press reports. In Newsbreak, there’s a revealing Q&A.
Augusto de Viana summarizes the story of the Bonifacio Monument the cornerstone of which was laid in 1929 and the monument finished in 1933. Everything Supremo related can be found at Bonifacio Papers. I understand Glenn May recently presented a new paper comparing the leadership styles of Bonifacio and Aguinaldo: let’s hope it will be available on line soon.
American media is at odds with American officialdom as Iraq’s increasingly, and bluntly, reported as being in the grips of a civil war. See History Unfolding, the Belmont Club, and TPM Cafe for contrasting views on the situation.
Just how thoroughly, does China bear down on the internet access of its citizens? One China expert argues, not as much as we think.
In the punditocracy, my column for today is Revolt of the Middle, which you’ve encountered in this space in previous days. Juan Mercado reflects on the Senate -and senators- past and present.
The economy is disappointing? Well, John Mangun opines it’s like the President’s health -needs diet and exercise. Connie Veneracion slogs through portions of the free trade treaty with Japan.
In the blogosphere: best typhoon-related blog heading: Typhoon Durian looks like a real stinker. All the heavy-duty typhoon-related stuff, though, is at Typhoon2000.com of course. On a mailing list I subscribe to, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center was pointed out. Bunker Chronicles says the weather is an intimation of Divine displeasure with the political situation.
Torn & Frayed in Manila on how cut-and-dried legal cases end up not that way at all.
Another Hundred Years Hence on why cities like Naga matter: they’re an opportunity to learn from Metro Manila’s mistakes and do things right.
Check out Touched by An Angel which has made it to the finalist’s list in the “people’s choice” category in the 9th Philippine Web Awards (for which I was asked to judge in some categories: see all the finalists).
I’m in need of a layout person who can layout manuscripts according to Lulu.com formats. Please email me if you’re interested or know someone.
Technorati Tags: Blogging, constitution, history, ideas, media, Middle East, military, philippines, politics, president, state of emergency, war, Washington DC
Skepticism is definitely the word of the year when it comes to defining the Arroyo Administration…
mlq3 said: “American media is at odds with American officialdom as Iraq’s increasingly, and bluntly, reported as being in the grips of a civil war.”
I sometimes wonder if American officials are really all that worried or upset about a civil war in Iraq. The U.S. government has become such a tool of Zionist interests that Israel is priority No. 1 at all costs, never mind if the rest of the world goes to hell.
It is to Israel’s interest that Muslims kill off each other. Better that Muslims train their weapons on each other than to have them aimed at Israel. It is the classic divide and rule tactic. Until the Sunni and the Shia Muslims, Fatah and Hamas, the Arab, the Farsi, the Berber, the Turk or the Pakistani Muslims figure that out, the Americans and the Zionists will continue having their way.
While on the surface the Iraqi invasion seems like an American miscalculation, I wonder if there was method in this ostensibly mad decision?
I love Bonifacio. He’s my hero. I wrote something about him and me — oh, it’s my birthday today. 🙂
Carl, It’s not only in America’s interest that Israel is priority no.1, but I think it’s the interest of the entire Middle East. Make no mistake, a lot of the things that have happened and are continuing to take place is a result of the instability that Israel brings to the entire Middle East. Although American Media will cover Iraq 24/7, the number one priority is Israel and Palestine. It always has been.
The Jordanian President echoes this sentiment in a recent ABC interview last Saturday morning.
But, certainly, without a doubt, Israel has total support from The U.S. and this is still one of the main reasons that Diplomacy with other Arab nations seem to always end with no real resolutions.
a lot of the things that have happened and are continuing to take place is a result of the instability that Israel brings to the entire Middle East
By simply being there? Sure if Israel were pushed to the sea, the Middle East would be a lot more peaceful. Is this what you would recommend for the sake of stability? The instability is caused by the denial of Israel and Palestine’s right to exist. Israel already has taken steps toward a Palestinian homeland. It’s up to the other side to reciprocate.
Carl, you may be right that there was method in Bush’s mad decision to invade Iraq.
But I do believe that American policy makers are overrated, i.e., in spite of the intelligence and great intellectual skills attributed by the world in general to American policy makers, time and time again, they’ve proven that they are not any more methodical or more intellectually gifted than the next tom dick and harry policy maker in third world countries. True enough, they can think and react quickly but this should be more in line with “improvise as we go along” sort of “method.”
Now that they are caught with their pants down, i.e., not knowing what to do, they are resorting to that improvisation tactic, almost puerile method: Bush and his cronies are now saying that it’s all the Iraqis’ fault that there’s an unrecognized civil war in Iraq. This is excacerbated by a leak to the press (which I have no doubt Hadley did himself), Hadley blaming US “hand-picked” Iraqi PM for the mess created by the US in Iraq.
The Iraqis are victims of US methods of war and Blair, serves him right, has become one of the big-time victims of Bush and his neo-con cronies. The Times banner today revealed that Blair’s US influence ‘a myth’.
The news item reports “A US State Department official claims the Bush administration ‘ignores’ Tony Blair’s attempts to influence policy.”
Rejoinder to this: Israel already has taken steps toward a Palestinian homeland. It’s up to the other side to reciprocate.
Let’s not forget Jordan and Egypt’s part. Jordan has given up their claims to the West Bank and Egypt has given up their claims to Gaza for the Palestinian homeland.
Jeg, it’s more than just ‘simply being there’. Israel recently invaded Lebanon and shelled Gaza, both actions killing innocents. The Israel-lobby in Washington also had a lot to do with the US being in Iraq today.
On what to do with Iraq, in addition to the ‘Go big’, ‘Go long’, ‘Go home’ and Belmont’s ‘Go Native’, one option the Americans need to consider in stopping the violence in Iraq is to surrender. They can admit defeat and offer to surrender to the Sunnis (minus AQ) and Shiites, sign a peace treaty and leave with the promise of assistance and future investments. The insurgents would have their ‘victory’, and would hopefully keep their house in order on promise of further assistance. No use postponing the inevitable so they might as well speed up the process.
Veneracion:
Japan’s MOFA has the agreement with all 165 articles
(http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/philippine/epa0609/main.pdf)
Philippines’ DTI has the agreement (both BASIC, containing the 165 articles mentioned in the table of contents, and IMPLEMENTING, containing only 60 articles) and all the 8 annexes
(http://business.gov.ph/DTI_News.php?contentID=136)
PCIJ’s uploaded JPEPA is the same as that of DTI’s.
…didn’t total the pages of the agreement and annexes. anyway, mofa uploaded a 121-paged agreement while dti and pcij uploaded a 153-paged jpepa (some articles without text – only titles)…pages 1-120 of which contain the BASIC agreement while pages 121-153 is the IMPLEMENTING agreement…
maybe, the sassy lawyer can add them all up and, as a journalist, be thorough and be reliable for a change.
Veneracion:
Japan’s MOFA has the agreement with all 165 articles
Philippines’ DTI has the agreement (both BASIC, containing the 165 articles mentioned in the table of contents, and IMPLEMENTING, containing only 60 articles) and all the 8 annexes
PCIJ’s uploaded JPEPA is the same as that of DTI’s.
…didn’t total the pages of the agreement and annexes. anyway, mofa uploaded a 121-paged agreement while dti and pcij uploaded a 153-paged jpepa (some articles without text – only titles)…pages 1-120 of which contain the BASIC agreement while pages 121-153 is the IMPLEMENTING agreement…
maybe, the sassy lawyer can add them all up and, as a journalist, be thorough and be reliable for a change.
Carl,
You said “I sometimes wonder if American officials are really all that worried or upset about a civil war in Iraq. The U.S. government has become such a tool of Zionist interests that Israel is priority No. 1 at all costs, never mind if the rest of the world goes to hell.”
The US should really stop its undying support for Israel. It’s not worth it.
Jeg, It’s not that I’m denying Israel their right to exist in The Middle East. I’m just stating a fact. Israel and Palestine is the main source of conflict.
The entire middle east has never fully accepted the displacement of land after World War 2, to make room for a Jewish Nation.
And existing conflict is fueled by the U.S’ support for Israel, and Iran and Syria’s support against.
I know it’s not as simple as that. But, it just shows you that this is why this conflict has been going on for so long… it’s a conflict of ideals, culture, economics, and even real estate.
Love that song! Beautiful blog design.