Congratulations are in order to Antonio Trillanes IV, finally due to be proclaimed senator-elect.
From the intramurals in the House to the Palace rigodon: President doesn’t want courtesy resignations, she wants resignations, period. Or did she? Finance Secretary says no order has been received. Still, media looking into who is in and who is out and whether it’s fallout from the TU senatorial implosion. The President is inclined to give her BIR Commissioner an extended lease on life. She withdraws a previous order that was meant to clip the BIR chief’s authority. Perhaps she doesn’t want to rock the boat: Moody’s says government finances still vulnerable to shocks.
The Marcoses want to get even with Lucio Tan. Mrs. Marcos in a celebratory mood. Joseph Estrada must be getting nervous as his trial draws to a close.
Bataan Nuclear Plant debts finally paid off. Coincidentally (?) Disini wins in court. Personally, I wonder why, despite the eruption of Mount Pinatubo and the major earthquakes of the past, people still wonder if the plant would be safe. Shouldn’t we go nuclear? Is the old plant not viable still? What of proposals for future expansion?
Coup rumors in Thailand. See In Asia for an analysis of the end of the Thaksin era.
My column for today is Pig in a poke. A reader informed me the exact Lunderdoff quote is: “Wir hauen ein Loch hinein. Alles andere wird sich finden” (We punch a hole; the rest will follow).
Carol Arguillas on the incredible Bedol.
In the blogosphere, Norwegian Would looks at two competing views on energy self-reliance for the Philippines. Along the way, he recounts some interesting experiences and observations about working in the government.
katataspulong looks at how Supreme Court justices have been selected since the Marcos and Ramos years, and how presidents and justices calculate their political debts.
blurry brain recounts participating in a forum on constitutional issues and trade.
All of the above ties into what big mango says (by way of Randy David) is the major debate of our day: our country and society wrestling with the challenges of modernity.
Demosthenes’ Game doesn’t think a two-track runoff elections system is the best. But what he considers a better option is problematically expensive.
Blogger buzz surrounds Lakbayan: How Much of the Philippines Have You Visited? by the talented vaes9. YugaTech got a C+, better than my plain old C (same as baratillo@cubao). Go ahead and try it out: Lakbayan: How much of the Philippines have you visited?
The Purple Phoenix Talks about Philippine Politics wittily creates her own 2007 election awards.
manila rat on a World Bank report on doing business around the world: the Philippines is categorized as “difficult”. Captain’s Log and The Unlawyer both comment on the proposal to require registering cellular phones with the government. Captain’s Log sez:
What would they think of next? Register every rodent in our homes?
If they want to stop terrorism, require everyone who owns a prepaid SIM to register for FREE! Then if the subscriber looses the SIM, he/she can just bring her registration info at Globe or SUN and be issued with a new SIM with the same number. My idea is far better than having phones registered since text spammers and scammers will have a difficult time in purchasing dirt cheap SIMs.
blackshama’s blog shares some thoughts on English;
Punzi on dangerous blogging mentalities. Pinoy Potter’s Chronicles on what it’s like to have participated in a game show (a year later, people still greet him on the street). To the Tale, and Other Such Concerns, makes some observations about Warsaw. Bryanton Post on where young people get their news: the rumor mill! Congratulations to A-Musing Life for the English Camp she helped organize winning an award.
Red’s Herring on… The Sopranos!
Technorati Tags: Blogging, constitution, elections, journalism, media, military, philippines, politics, president, Senate, society
I got a C- on the Lakbayan thing,
to think, a whole lot of people want to go out of the country, without having traveled The Philippines first…
Team Chiz-Antonio Trillanes Branch (a very informal group) will be celebrating the victory of the Magdalo leader. Next hurdle is his attendance of the senate session. The DOJ will not prevent him from attending his proclamation…but will Raul Gonzales allow him to attend senate sessions? In a radio interview, Trillanes expressed his desire to join the Blue Ribbon and Defense committees. Start the investigations! 🙂
Japan operates 55 nuclear power plants, deriving 30% of its electrical energy from nuclear. Nuclear power plants can certainly be operated safely, even near volcanoes. Mt. Natib, is of course a dormant volcano. But then of course so WAS its sister, Pinatubo!
BTW, Odious Debts Dot Org still has my old PDI column piece on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant on their website: PPA the Bitter Fruit, BNPP the Rotten Root
I got an A+.
MLQ III
Pig in a poke is a nasty poke at the pigs.
EDSA Dos (at least Davide and gang, says DJB) bought a PIG in poke. So “swineherd†may be an upgrade. Ms. Porky, you know, has yet to prove her swineherdship.
obtained B-…
The Ca t, damn! Are you serious? An A+?
I bow to you!!! Now, that’s some serious travelin’ you’ve been doing 🙂
Bataan Nuclear Plant viable?
Dismantling huge parts of it to replace with new would cost as much to build a lower megawatt plant.
It’s like an old aircraft carrier – not worth drydocking for refurbishing. If it were the size of a little corvette, alright to refurbish but that huge old decrepit power plant, comparable to an aircraft carrier? Nah, not viable!
JUST BREAKING ANNOUNCEMENT : Vatican Calls On Catholics To Stop Supporting Amnesty International
Click on one or both links for Vatican & Amnesty International :
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7007637008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6750887.stm
Yes Nic.
Work-related as auditor and consultant. Read my profile.
The Vatican is calling for this in regards to the abortion stance of AI, which is pro choice…
But with this announcement, the Vatican also endangers all the human rights work that AI is working on…
To make such a brazen announcement, without considering repercussion, is really taking into extreme their stance on abortion…
If this is the case, the Vatican should stop supporting all countries, The Philippines included…
They focus on the whole, instead of focusing on specific issues…
The same with Cardinal Rosales, with his recent “move on” stand with regards to Garci…
I wonder if Jesus Christ would’ve said, “you know what, Pilate just offered me a way out, I think I will opt not to get crucified now”…
I have a tough stand on abortion too, but let’s put into perspective the inhumane acts done unto our brothers and sister in wars, under poverty, and under child trafficking, slavery, etc…
I’m disappointed with the Vatican’s announcement.
Hmmm, come to think of it, the Jesus Christ analogy doesn’t work too well…
Vatican Calls On Catholics To Stop Supporting Amnesty International
Or else what? 🙂
Ha ha ha ha!!! Oo nga naman . Does anybody still listen to vatican??? I mean outside their heirarchy…
Don’t get me wrong though. Im with Nick. I dont support abortion-on-demand, but Amnesty does good work. Catholics are in a bind here.
Does anybody listen to the Vatican? Have you listened to the Filipino bishops recently? Wacha think about Governor Panlilio… will he protect women’s health, or will he follow the Vatican?
And maybe within 2 weeks, GMA or one of the Cabinet secretaries will pooh-pooh the earlier pronouncements of Amnesty International on Philippine human rights… that AmnestyInternational lacks moral authority, haven’t you heard what Rome said?
For those thinking the requested resignations by the bureaucracy heads are a breath of fresh air, hold your breath or u myt jz inhale some very toxic fumes.
GMA is not turning over a new leaf. zebras dnt change their stripes overnyt. and pigs dnt fly all of a sudden when their feed is taken from them.
if GMA’s history tells a story, it is this: everytime she says something that gives people hope that maybe she’s changing for the good, she’s actually planning the opposite. more sinister and more BAD.
don’t you think that maybe she’s making heads roll to prepare the red carpet for her extended stay past 2010? put in more rabid, err, loyal followers in all appointive posts. And that she’s making a point to her followers, sending the message that: if u dnt deliver what i want, look what’ll happen to you. the ff appointees would be more beholden to her than anything.
change for the country’s good can wait in hell for all she cares.
C- lousy, lousy…
The last time the “Church” threatened PM Paul Martin (a devout Catholic) with ex-communication, refusal to give communion or what not for his Government favourable stand on same-sex marriage, he just completely ignored IT. And what? Nothing, that’s what. He still go to his Church, attend Sunday Mass, and has his Dignity Intact. Like another Liberal (although I am a true blue, conservative) Pierre Elliot Trudeau would say, “the government has no business in the Nation’s Bedrooms”, might as well add, the Church has no business in Government’s Business….
Vic: I don’t think you meant to be as absolute-sounding about that — that the Church has no business in Government’s business. Filipinos understand that the Church as an institution (like San Miguel Corporation or the Gokongwei group are institutions) has the right to speak on governance issues and even to try to influence the government. At minimum, makes sense for the CBCP to protect their tax-exempt status, right? But the dismay of Filipino Catholics is that the local bishops do not SEEM to be as effective in regards pushing GMA, the military and the police in regards human rights as the CBCP has been, say, in regards the divorce-law. And you are right… the CBCP really expends a lot of energy making the government pass laws about the conduct of adults in the privacy of their bedrooms; the CBCP demonstrates an apparent lesser concern for the state of the Philippine health delivery system.
Or maybe politicians are simply outsmarting the CBCP bishops… giving the bishops cake — divorce still illegal — while the nation staggers under the weight of more important issues.
UPn, yeah you are right, not absolute, in reality when the Church and government work together there are a lot of good things that could be unravelled.
Like the Catholic Schools in Ontario. Majority of Ontarians are Catholics and sending their children to Catholic Secondary Schools (from Jr. kindergarten to Grade 13, now reduced to grade 12) is very, very expensive, but with the Church and Government working together, now All Catholic Schools are Publicly Funded same as Public Schools. Some other religious school are not yet fully funded, but fees are entitled to Tax Credits. Social Programs, like helping the homeless, addicts, single mothers are the partnership of the Church and Governments. Salvation Army even have their own Hospitals, same as St. Michael’s, St. Joseph’s, Mt. Sinai although they are run by religious Orders, they are all Standardized and Fully Funded by Government and open to all Religions to their own specialties and all are Non-Profit. Churches and Governments working in Concert makes things Happen…working against each others, well, Hell is on Earth…
“now All Catholic Schools are Publicly Funded same as Public Schools”
correct me if i’m wrong, but i think there is logic after all in funding catholic schools. you as a parent wants the best for your child. studies have shown that catholic schools are far better than public schools. so you opt to send your child to a catholic school then, if you want to rear a person who is better educated, which will translate later to higher social benefit. which means you as a taxpayer has the right to demand that catholic schools be funded from public money because society will later enjoy the higher social net effect from sending your child to catholic schools. i think that is the logic that works in both the canadian and australian system.
Since the government has taken upon itself the responsibility for basic education, I think it’s only fair that private elementary and high schools get tax-exempt status.
In a related development, it’s quite an indictment of the American public school system when an atheist donates $22M to the Archdiocese of New York to fund a scholarship program for inner city youth. He recognizes that public education isnt up to snuff.
Link
The logic that works in our situation is that eventually the courts will rule that under the provision of equality,(section 15, Charter of Rights and Freedoms) the parents who want to send their children to Catholic Schools don’t have to be burden for the payment of their school fees. and the government don’t have to wait for that rulings.
And other than religion teachings in Catholic Schools and other religious schools, all curriculum are standardized and all are funded “equally” that even contributions from parents for capital projects for their children schools is still a very contested issue that will offset the balance as some areas of middle class income or well-to-do parents will have a better school facilities than in those, whose parents who can not afford school donations.
So far only one school board, the Peel Region in the whole Province that have the Policy of openly accepting donations from parents for capital projects and is not challenge yet in courts yet.
Public School here are considered as good or not better than religious school, that’s why even when most families here are Catholic, they prefer to send their Children to Public Schools than Catholic.
One reason is Children don’t want to wear Uniforms and Pray. But boy, have you seen those teenage students pulling up their skirts up, up, and lower it down a bit as soon as they enter the campus. And anyways, it always a co-ed, not heard of any exclusive, girls or boys schools here.
Most if not all, of Canada’s Political Leaders and Business Leaders, and Professionals and Tradesmen were the product of Public School systems, a universal scheme. all the same as all are equal before and under the law…