According to the police, PNP: Akbar was target: Basilan politics eyed in bombing.
My column for today is House in the line of fire.
This piece, The March of the Caudillos, makes for interesting reading, combined with Venezuela scrambles for food despite oil boom and Putin: I have a moral right to continue wielding influence.
A Surigao story I recently saw in a mailing list I subscribe to:
One of the more original Surigaonons is the Ecleo family. The old man Ecleo passed away one week before the elections and he was running for Congressman. The family immediately asked the Comelec to make the wife his replacement and news about the death of the old man Ecleo was quashed.
It was hard, though, to hide news like the death of a political bigwig, so the family came up with a heck of an idea. Since most of his constituents lived in islands close to the mainland, however, they made announcements that Ecleo would be visiting the islands to shoot down the “rumors” about his death being exaggerated. So they put him in a banca on a chair and with fishing line and disguised straps, actually went around the islands, his arms waving up and down. His head turned over by an alalay to the side of the island being visited. They kept the poor guy pumped with enough formalin to last at least two weeks, but only need[ed] ten days, actually. His poll watchers were at each precinct to tell the voters to write the family name or his wife’s name when they got to the polls. Astoundingly, he won.
And, well, just because I can, here’s a link to an entry by Dissenting Opinion who doesn’t believe in criminalizing necrophilia.
And in remembrance of Commonwealth Day, Bacolod preserves Tindalo tree planted by Quezon.
Technorati Tags: law, philippines, politics
yes, dodong, there can be. but by the same token, there are senators who will convict gma no matter what, proof or no proof, principle or no principle, if only because it would personally benefit them – never mind that it would, or would not, be good for the country to have noli, villar or jdv (in that order) to be at the helm.
I agree it is difficult since intentions are not that transparent.
No, d0d0ng, in this specific case, it applies to Prospero Nograles. You yourself said it was funny.
“No, d0d0ng, in this specific case, it applies to Prospero Nograles. You yourself said it was funny.”
Sorry, my mistake.
ronin,
I’m still interested in your description of a blockbuster senator.
shaman: are you referring to the ecleos? actually, the matriarch’s a congressman (er… -woman pala) and ruben junior once served as mayor oftheir hometown. he was busier with his guitar-playing, though, so his vice mayor had to take the slack.
shaman: pls. disregard my post above. i missed your earlier post about ‘blockbuster senators’ (your term).
yes, legislators are supposed to make laws, but in the times we’re in, we need a giant of a candidate, figuratively speaking, for the 2010 polls. somebody who has the vision, the commitment, the guts–yes, that fire in the belly–and the sincerity to really lead our people out of the morass we’re in.
i used the word ‘lackluster’ because, frankly, these two guys are simply that. fine, they might have filed a good legislative bill or two, but other than that, what else?
they intend to run for the country’s highest post in 2010, but what can they offer? more of the same? they have to be more than just legislators if they aspire to the highest position in the land. they must prove they are made of sterner stuff.
that’s why the senate has 24 positions and malacanang only has one.
but it’s perfectly legal, right bencard? and as long as it’s legal, you wouldn’t mind if the senators convict gloria, right? even if the senators have their own personal agendas and whether it would be good or bad for the country. the tyranny of numbers in a democracy.
“
you have somebody in mind who has these qualities you mentioned? maybe you can share it with us. it might help convince me not to vote for mar roxas if there is someone out there better. somebody who is noble, dignified, incorruptible and say no skeletons in the closet.
of course, grd, that would not be illegal. i even think it is not violative of the constitution. it is a political act and therefore, beyond the pale of justiciability. hence, the courts may not have the power to invalidate it.
that being said, what is valid may, nevertheless, not always be beneficial to the country. it would be the responsibility of the senators that made it happen, and ultimately, the people who voted for them.
“you have somebody in mind who has these qualities you mentioned?” — grd
none.
…at least, among the present crop of aspirants.
as it is said, hope springs eternal.
“you have somebody in mind who has these qualities you mentioned?”
ME. can i count on you then to vote for me if I run, grd?
hehe. just kidding. i wonder why the hell they put an age requirement for electing presidents. when age obviously has no relationship with good governance. it may even be said that younger people are inclined to be more idealistic and therefore better able to lead reforms.
maybe for president, but not for PM, not in our case, devil, our constitution states that anyone qualified to vote, (thats means 18 years or over of age) is qualified to run and the voters will decide, isn’t it what democracy all about???
“ME. can i count on you then to vote for me if I run, grd?â€Â
nah, i wont vote for you devils. sorry, but i’ll vote for cvj. he has better plans for the country. and i want the equalizer to be his press secretary.
the campaign period has just officially started.
p.s,
devils, sabi nga ng apo, “batang-bata ka pa at marami ka pang kailangang malaman at maintindihan sa mundo…†(if you know the rest of the lyrics. this answers also the question of vic why age does matter).
when you’re at the right age, we’ll talk again about your chances. 🙂
“devils, sabi nga ng apo, “batang-bata ka pa at marami ka pang kailangang malaman at maintindihan sa mundo…†(if you know the rest of the lyrics. this answers also the question of vic why age does matter).
when you’re at the right age, we’ll talk again about your chances.”
Very True grd, age does matter, both ways, good and bad. Experience so valuable as a person ages always could come handy, and the more experience a person is the more dangerous he or she could be. Nothing could be truer than the experience of the adults, mostly “seniors” that are running the wheels of the country as we could see.
Maybe the younger ones, may not know the “tricks” yet and could easily get caught, not like the older experienced ones that can “spins” their way like the tops with the grace of the Dancing with The Stars DIs (see how Abalos get away with that Broadband deal, and Garci with that Election Scandals)and can conspire better than the Mafiosos.. I rather go with the Young and still the innocent…and take my chances..I will vote for devil..but first I will re-apply for my citizenship back if he runs…
ronin,
But, where do we look for your “giant of a candidate”? What position would he/she be in right now? He/She would now be a “giant” of a what? Anybody in mind?
Unfortunately, there is no on-the-job training for a President. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Got this letter from my PM and also as the Leader of the Party of which I am a member and I support and here I highlights some of his “reports” (he is still very young, and people doubt that at his age and inexperience, he may not be fit to be a PM, but here judge for yourself) and what a party system plus a carefully chosen leader can do for good governance for ALL…
Dear Mr. Vic …..,
I would like to thank you for the support you have given our Party over the past year.
It’s no exaggeration to say that our success as a party and government depends on the commitment and generosity of people like you.
Unlike the Liberals, we can’t rely on established vested interests. And unlike the NDP, we can’t rely on noisy vocal interests.
Instead, we rely on the support of tens of thousands of ordinary Canadians – everyone from workers to small business owners to retirees – to keep our Party strong and competitive.
The reality of the minority Parliament is that there could be an election at any time. That’s why I am asking our top campaign workers to re-chart our campaign plan for the next election. And it’s why I’ve asked our candidates to get started on the hustings.
The Conservative Party is the people’s party. And the Conservative Government is the people’s government.
That’s why we’ve put the aspirations of families and taxpayers at the heart of government decision-making.
We’re a party and a government firmly on the side of those who work hard and play by the rules. And we’re a government that keeps the promises it makes.
We promised accountability and delivered the Federal Accountability Act, the most sweeping anti-corruption law in Canada’s history.
We kept our word and delivered nearly $40 billion in tax relief, including a cut to the GST.
As promised, we introduced tough new crime laws to combat guns, drugs and gangs and keep our communities safe.
We promised direct support for families and delivered a $ 1,200 a year child benefit.
And we promised to rebuild the Canadian Forces and to restore Canada’s place in the world. Again, we delivered.
We’re proud of our record in government. But we want to keep building. Keep moving forward.
But Stephane Dion has other ideas. He wants to get back to power “as soon as possible”.
Friends, we can’t let Canada go back. Back to wild spending. Back to broken promises. Back to the same gang that gave us the sponsorship scandal.
That’s why I’m asking for your support today.
Turning Canada around and restoring public confidence has not been easy. But, it would have been impossible if it had not been for the encouragement and generous support of concerned Canadians like you.
Elections are expensive: from advertising to the war room to renting campaign planes and buses. Your generous contribution of $50, $75 or $100 will be very much appreciated.
The Liberals have their vested interests. The NDP have their vocal interests. We need the support of ordinary hard-working Canadians like you to help us build a stronger, safer, better Canada – for all of us.
That is why I am turning to you today for a generous contribution. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
PS.: The enclosed calendar is a way for the leadership of our Party to say thank you for all of your loyal support.
I also personally want to say how much your support means to me as we work to provide Canadians with the quality of government and national leadership that every Canadian family deserves.
P.P.S.: Please use the enclosed reply form and envelope. There is space on the form if you would like to send a comment or two to me. Thank you again for your friendship and help.
And in the comment box, I request the PM to reduce the processing fees for prospective immigrants and also to gradually reduce the “show money” to enable qualified but financially hardup to qualify…and also to ask the provincial governments to activate the benefits earlier than the 3 months of residency as required at present…
“I rather go with the Young and still the innocent…and take my chances..I will vote for devil..but first I will re-apply for my citizenship back if he runs…†vic
it’s good for a parliamentary system of govt where you can easily change the pm if he fucks-up. but for our system of govt where the president can only be changed after 6 years, that’s too much of a risk as what’s happening now. the reason why some politicians did not back up lacson in the last election is because they are saying (as per john osmena) he’s too young yet (experience wise) to run the country. and so they put fpj in the picture that lessened the chances of lacson. of course, i doubted that it’s the real reason. it’s more of envy i think. i believe lacson with his experience was/is already ripe for the presidency. who knows what would have happened if pfg did not enter the picture. we could have avoided this dire situation we’re in now. so it’s not only gloria who fucked-up the country, erap and the opposition led by angara share the responsibility too.
“But, where do we look for your “giant of a candidateâ€Â? What position would he/she be in right now? He/She would now be a “giant†of a what? Anybody in mind?
Unfortunately, there is no on-the-job training for a President. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
to borrow the title of a short story, ‘a good man [or even woman] is hard to find.’
but i’m not losing hope, shaman. among 60 million plus Filipinos, one of them would certainly be the one. let’s keep on looking at the other politicians, bureaucrats, etc. (i know that’s tough); better yet, let’s even cast the net wider and search in other sectors for that leader who will truly lead us.
lacson? experience in what? do you really have to scrape the bottom of the barrel? how could you be sure fpj’s voters would have voted for panfilo?
“but i’m not losing hope, shaman. among 60 million plus Filipinos, one of them would certainly be the one. let’s keep on looking at the other politicians, bureaucrats, etc. (i know that’s tough); better yet, let’s even cast the net wider and search in other sectors for that leader who will truly lead us.”
ronin, frankly, I don’t know how you propose to conduct your search realistically. Ano ba talaga ang process na nasa isip mo? Can you really identify the “right” candidate when you see him/her? Granted you found the “right” candidate, how sure are you he/she would be willing to run for President?
Here’s the present reality:
In our political system, candidates are chosen by political parties from among their members. It is very rare, if ever, that parties look outside of their memberships for candidates. Of course, there are those who run as independents. But the dynamics of our system stack the odds against independent candidates.
Please flesh out your idea because I’m frustrated with the current system. You might have a better alternative that would really work.
Personally, I don’t believe in choosing a presidential candidate based on experience. The President’s job is so unique and so widely encompassing that no other job can really prepare anybody for it.
Rather than experience, I look at the person’s character to see if he/she has integrity. Just give me a person with intergrity and I don’t care if he/she has a load of other faults.
On qualities for President/Vice-President:
1. Courage – has s/he spoken truth to power when it was inconvenient to do so?
2. Integrity – where there situations in which that candidate’s honesty was tested and did he react in a way that would prove s/he can resist temptation?
3. Intelligence
4. Timing – is s/he the right person at this stage of our history?
With the above critera, off the top of my head, my choices are:
President – Antonio Trillanes IV
Vice-President – Adel Tamano
“In our political system, candidates are chosen by political parties from among their members. It is very rare, if ever, that parties look outside of their memberships for candidates. Of course, there are those who run as independents. But the dynamics of our system stack the odds against independent candidates.” – shaman
which only perpetuates trapos and elitist values, right? if we’re canvassing politicians good enough for the highest position in the land, then let’s look for the mustangs, those who don’t give a damn about party politics (and their own a**es) but rather follow their own counsel on what’s good for their constituents. he/she might be a member of a party yet knows there’s more to national leadership than just party politics.
“Rather than experience, I look at the person’s character to see if he/she has integrity. Just give me a person with intergrity and I don’t care if he/she has a load of other faults.” – shaman
That’s one good place to start, shaman. A morally upright leader is as rare as a $2 coin nowadays. Some managerial experience in either the public or private sector would also help.
“Please flesh out your idea because I’m frustrated with the current system.” -shaman
I’m about to raise my hands too; seems hopeless, right? I am fleshing out this idea.
“You might have a better alternative that would really work.” – shaman
I hope so. But please don’t expect me to give out hard-and-fast rules or a complete recipe. I was reading MLQ3’s column today in the Inquirer online and I was struck by the coincidence. Let me quote:
“…the students themselves took pains to insist they weren’t apathetic, but had yet to find people they could believe in. One plaintively asked, after my talk, “Tell us, who should we believe?†I reminded her of the substance of my talk: engage in learning to think critically, in relishing what Teodoro M. Locsin said was the necessity of exercising the freedom to study, to think, and only then, express one’s selfâ€â€and observe the goings-on around them. Only then, I told her, will you know whom to believe, and best of all, you would then be prepared to take on the responsibilities of a creative, and not destructive, new kind of leadership.”
In short, no spoonfeeding from somebody else.
For me, right now, I’m depending on the lessons of history and a moral compass (and a BS detector, I may add) in looking for that leader.
“Granted you found the “right†candidate, how sure are you he/she would be willing to run for President?” – shaman
then it would simply be tragic if he/she refuses to run.
The search for the Great Leader or a leader of a great party is akin to Don Quixote’s quest.
For how long the President Term is? Six Years? Would that one single leader be able to transform the whole institution, so weakened by years of unchecked intrusions and leave it as a strong (my theme the True North Strong and Free, whoever a leader is) and beyond destruction by successive leadership? It is really hard to figure where to start, but the best is start with eachself.
The best should have been from the top, the leadership, as the have the most influence among the masses, but if we look at the leadership, they are not the role model.
But I think, the whole system should be looked at, the remnants of the feudal system, (yes sir, we are still a country of warlord, master and serf), but that could be tolerated, if the distribution of the country resources is somehow shared fairly. How? Start with this question? Is everyone, paying their right due? And all these dues go to where they’re intended for? Taxes in all forms, should go back to the people for developments, “moving forward†instead of just the few and to prepare the next generation to be able to handle the ever complicating social and fiscal issues, and that is the Education and Health and that too should be taken care NOW…
And as far as I can see, the country does not even have a comprehensive Population Control Program as it is one of the biggest social issue, no matter who sits in Malacanang, ad hocs programs would not just fit in the square, it should be a long-term, comprehensive, fully detailed with goals and financing and the Source, (not just another dream). A step at a time and pretty soon things will just fit in…
ronin, can’t help but this line catches my attention so much. The $2 is not rare, actually it is very popular in our currency, and we call it a tooney, after our $1, known as a loonie, (after the Loon,a bird reflected on the flip side of the coin opposite the image of the Queen)and the tooney has the image of the Polar Bear opposite the Queen. It’s only slightly bigger than the loonie and very popular for use in the vending machines and just perfect for a stop at starbucks or tim hortons coffee(with change of course, coffee not that expensive here). Also the Term Loonie is now used to denote the Canadian dollar.
well, vic, if only good leaders here in the philippines were as commonplace as your $2 coins there, then so much the better. 🙂
p.s. i’ll skip on the ‘loonie’ bit though; we’ve got a lot of trapos like that around here, hehehe. 😉
lols. relying on a BS detector…
that made me laugh. if I switched my BS detector on, it’d never stop squeaking everytime I watch the news.
agree with Manolo too. when people asks, whom should we choose/believe in?
it’s up to you. learn to think critically. and then, you’d know the answer to that question yourself.
“if I switched my BS detector on, it’d never stop squeaking everytime I watch the news.” – devilsadvc8
mine needs a replacement already. and to think i just bought it yesterday. 😉
…for the sheer amount of trash they are dumping on us everyday, these trapos should allocate a budget for bs detectors for the whole populace…
“for the sheer amount of trash they are dumping on us everyday, these trapos should allocate a budget for bs detectors for the whole populace…”
Again, from a multi-millions loan from China? Calling Abalos…
shaman, et al:
i just read randy david’s column entitled “the crisis of cash politics” posted in the nov. 17, 2007 issue of inquirer online.
with all due respect to MLQ3 (since this is his blog), i’m posting some passages which i find relevant in our discussion:
“In the early years of the nation’s politics, the top officials of the land commanded enough awe and respect to be able to whip their followers into line without having to purchase their loyalty. This was when moral ascendancy was a key ingredient of political legitimacy, and moral power was assiduously protected against erosion. So much has changed in the succeeding years.”
“The concern with one’s honor, integrity and trustworthiness, which characterized the behavior of our early politicians, has been replaced by an almost exclusive fixation with political capitalâ€â€party machinery, funds, media popularity and political networks.”
“A distrust rating of 46 percent, Pulse Asia’s most recent finding for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would have compelled a Manuel Roxas, an Elpidio Quirino, a Ramon Magsaysay or a Carlos Garcia to consider stepping down from the presidency. For trust, more than solid performance, lies at the heart of the Filipino public’s valuation of their political leaders. When this is low, nothing that a president reports about the state of the country merits any attention.”
Amen.
bencard, i’m talking about his experience as a leader having once ran a big organization, a person who can curb out graft and corruption and someone who can implement peace and order with a no nonsense approach. in such a short period that he was the police chief, he was slowly able to reform the police force. yung mga malalaki ang tiyan na mga heneral na pagolf-golf lang ay biglang nagulantang at narelieve sa puwesto ng pumasok na si lacson. yung mga kotong cops lalo na sa mga pampublikong sasakyan diyan sa metro manila (it has been there since time immemorial) ay natigil. and of course stopping the kidnappings the reason why he has the full support of the chinese community. to me that’s enough for him to qualify. but if you’re talking about running the economy, i know you have only one person in mind. but then again, if you have heard about the mayor of davao, how he runs the city and how it continuously flourishing with the people loving his style, then i would give lacson a big chance.
lacson was the frontrunner leading to the 2004 election before fpj and his backers (lead by erap) mess it up. he was a big threat to gloria then the reason why her dirty tricks department with the help of isaf under corpus tried everything they can to discredit him (they did it too to the late senator roco when he was with deped) . corpus and doj chief gonzales accused lacson of all the crimes they can throw at him like his alleged hidden wealth in the US, brought mawanay & rosebud to pin down lacson on drugs & kidnappings but at the end, the only case they can throw at him is the old rehashed kuratong baleleng case.
as for those fpj votes, there’s no doubt in my mind that those would have gone to lacson too coming from erap’s supporters. even gloria’s votes would have been reduced had the opposition fielded only one candidate. the INC before supporting gloria tried to talk out lacson and fpg into agreeing that only one of them should run and the other as vp. but as everyone knows, the negotiation failed and this gave gloria the advantage she needed (INC only supports a candidate with a bigger chance of winning and a divided opposition is not a good choice). and the result?
grd, going back to my comment a little up, and referring back to how good Lacson was during his stint as the Police Chief of Manila, my point is, was his tenure as chief made a lasting legacy to the Police Institution that will remain after he leaves?
We can have the Greatest leader of the Day, but the Institution remains the same, the system stay as they are, the change will last as the day the leader term ends. That is why I always advocate re-examining the whole structure, including the Accountability, defining the power, roles and responsibilities clearly between the co-equal branches of government, and most importantly, the ownership of Property. The Philippines is a small “Pie” for more than 80 millions and counting, and only a small percentage of oligarchs own vast property, not by their own sweat, but mostly by the system that was forcefully imposed on the country by successive masters. And the vast majority of the masses remain “slaves” (modern day slavery), whether we like it or not as they are as helpless…
vic, as we all know, the term of lacson was cut short with the departure of erap. those big bellied generals who were out during his term wasted no time in claiming their spots and going back to their old ways. those reforms (systematically and physically) that were instituted were set aside. kotong is back. were can you find a shabu tiangge just a few yards away from a police precinct & municipal hall? everyone was rewarded for abandoning erap. so, you tell me how will his legacy last. that is always the problem. lack of sustainability. no support from the succeeding administration.
identifying what ails the country, the feeling of helplessness, those system changes and reforms that you mentioned, everyone here knows about that (most are frustrated too with the current system). the question is, how and who can implement those changes. one commenter here even detailed the qualities of the leader we need but he has no idea where and how we can find that guy. it’s easier said than done.
but good for you you’re not a “filipino†anymore. you don’t have to live through what the average filipino has to bear with all these dirty politics and now the effect of this “improve†economy. you can talk all the time the good things about your adopted country (it has been laid down before you by people who suffered too during their time so that you and the others will enjoy what you have now) and the opposite of what we have, you can state and enumerate all your advocacies and all the solutions you want on how to change and make this country better and you’ll say you feel too for those poor filipinos but at the end of the day all these talks are just plain rhetoric and wont really matter to people who are in power and wont help a tiny bit this country you once call your native land and nothing you can do about it. you don’t even have the right to choose/vote for a “good†leader. unless of course you decide to avail that dual citizenship and want to make a difference. but i understand you’re still waiting for devils to run for president before you make up your mind.
grd, contrary to your belief that this country has been laid out by those people before us, we as the generation of the day are also doing what was laid out and keep improving on them, otherwise it will revert back to where we started, where racism was rampant, inequality was commonplace and discrimination were everywhere. I experienced those things and they are still going on. To be complacent is abandoning our duties.
And also even I may or may not re-apply for my citizenship back, I also believe that my regular remittances (my brother and his wife need an enormous sum just for maintenance medication regularly) have somehow help the country’s economy and some of those monies go to taxes too (evat and other taxes) and I don’t even get benefits from them. So it’s not just plain talk and rhetoric as you suggest and multiply that by five since I have five other siblings here doing the same.
So to underestimate what the expats can do, like rego, bencard,harv and the rest even physically we can not do anything, as mostly those that are physically present just as helpless, then we might be in some way can not do any Harm at all, unlike those that are there, they are the ones that are causing the harms….
e kayong mga pinoy expats who have sworn allegiance to another country — why don’t you reserve your ideas and suggestions to your newly adopted countries where they belong. you’re all hypocrites really. until you have sworn allegiance again to the republic of the philippines then saka kayo magdakdak
kulit, we had not renounced our allegiance to the Philippines at anytime. It was the law that automatically took our citizenship, and in a democracy it is for us to chose if we agree if that law was fair or not, and it was not. Now that the law was finally repaired, (somebody finally come to their senses) it is still for us to decide if we believe that somebody in the future will not tinker with it again..meantime we still are free to say our two cents, until someone forcefully force us not to.
baloney, baloney — so the law took away your citizenship? which law?? or did you not freely choose to become the citizen of another country? now what kind of excuse is that after freely renouncing your Filipino citizenship? you’re free to say your piece, so am i. but cut the crap, first of all you’re no longer a Filipino citizen! it’s like disowning your own family legally and then saying, oh my, i still care and love my family. but that’s all right really — what’s terribly hypocritical is that you act as if you have the right to criticize the country and put up ideas how it should be ran. have some decency or err, as we filipinos, call it, have some delicadeza people.
kulit, if you go back before the introduction of the dual citizenship, the Philippines law states that any Natural Born Filipino who become a citizen of another country losses his birth citizenship and after that introduction of the law, the Philippine respects Dual Citizenships (in reciprocity with the other country). But most countries including the U.S.A. and Canada mainstain that its citizens can never lose its citizenship unless by renouncing, or by material fraud in acquisition, no matter how many other citizenship they acauired.
That is the philosophy beyond the reason that other than technicality I never loss my being a Filipino. My citizenship maybe and my vote, but to question my allegiance and my loyalty, it is beyond anyone’s, before questioning his or her own. And your answer is my answer…
you renounced your filipino citizenship…. what does that say about your loyalty and allegiance??????? besides, dual citizenship is for two-timers, introduced by the powers that be here — those who want to have their cake and eat it too. you cannot serve two masters at the same time. so why don’t you put up and walk your talk? renounce your us/american citizenship and be a filipino citizen again? naaaa, i bet you won’t — that’s too risky for you i suppose? easier to be miles away whale yakking what’s suppose to be good for poor old Filipinas
Vic’s accounts of politics and governance in Canada are valuable benchmarks that enrich our discourse.
kulit on, “you renounced your filipino citizenship…. what does that say about your loyalty and allegiance??????? besides, dual citizenship is for two-timers, introduced by the powers that be here  those who want to have their cake and eat it too. you cannot serve two masters at the same time. so why don’t you put up and walk your talk? renounce your us/american citizenship and be a filipino citizen again? naaaa, i bet you won’t  that’s too risky for you i suppose? easier to be miles away whale yakking what’s suppose to be good for poor old Filipinas”
Kulit, you sounds envious of dual citizens, then work harder. Your being a selfrighteous Filipino is downright laughable. Tell me what have you contributed to your country worth mentioning that you can convince us what to do. Can you please walk your talk on how you serve your country?
Unlike you, dual citizens pay multiple taxes to begin with, so we pay Philippine taxes. We send money back home to support education, send funds for home building and improvement, invest in small business, support family financially which encourage consumption (GDP) and stimulate local production (which this government is exploiting for its credit). In 2006, we send P12.8 billion in remittances. 56.4% of that was from North America (US and Canada). The amount is even bigger this year to reach P14 billion.
http://www.bsp.gov.ph/statistics/spei_pub/tab11.pdf
You are right, we are miles away. We are one of the major drivers of Philippine economy why its currency is going strong. Think before you criticize us because it will fall flat into your own face.
i miss the action but kulit perfectly filled-in for me.
vic, i should have ask you, was it a shotgun wedding or marriage of convenience? but the way i read your comments here, it’s very clear where your loyalty is. kulit is right, you cannot serve two masters at the same time; for you will love the one and hate the other.
i see, the country owes you for fulfilling that obligation to your brother. you believe that gives you the right… even if you may or may not apply for your citizenship back. very convenient.
vic, to put it simply, i really don’t care what and how you do it there in canada. i don’t see it as a solution. to me, you’re simply showing-off; how good and perfect life is in your adopted country compared to the flawed system in the phils quite an irritant to me. as for your criticism, it’s not a question of who’s doing the harm, it’s a matter of delicadeza as what kulit said. so please, save your rhetoric and cut the crap.
and that goes to you too cvj. just because vic here, is a constant critic of malacanang, what he/she does is acceptable to you (just like that nasty japayuki in another space). but i doubt you’ll say the same to the likes of bencard, dodong, rego and the others here if they start comparing the phils to the US. “valuable benchmarks that enrich our discourse” my foot. you’re a hypocrite too.
“In 2006, we send P12.8 billion in remittances. 56.4% of that was from North America (US and Canada). The amount is even bigger this year to reach P14 billion.”
Correction, everything in USD.
grd, xenophobia won’t do us any good as a people. The Filipino-diaspora is a window to the outside world so we have to take advantage of their inputs. We are free to take (or reject) their advice on their merits (or lack of it).
grd, as far as I know, Canada and the Philippines have a very friendly diplomatic relations, other than some of its citizens do not agree with each others, Canada is helping the Philippines in a lot of ways by way of our government. And to emphasize everyone in this country is an expat one way or the other, and so far no other country or citizen question where our loyalty lies and that is both our birth country and our adopted country unless both are at war with each other and that will be the test. so far we are not. only us here in the forum and only a tit for tat type.
And we have nothing to show off, other than the one we are criticizing, the Corruptions and the defects in governance as we see them and they are correctable and also we have hundreds of relatives left in the country who are in the same predicament and now you are telling us that we are not affected?
We also disagree with each other opinions here, but to get personal and questioning our worth just because we happen to be not stepping in the same piece of land is not very nice for people who want their opinions respected too.
And talking about delicadeza or pride… we all have them, just practising them is lacking, don’t you think so?, so let’s start with it…
dodong,
you cannot quantify the duties of citizenship by money alone… and no, i am not envious of you expat folks, lols, lols. what a cheap shot that is, the jealousy/money card. and yes i pay my taxes and i work my ass off just because i like to work hard — how’s that for your edification? i had opportunities to go work abroad for a multinational — turned them down. but see here’s the deal — just because i chose not to, does not mean i am in any way better as a filipino than most of my countrymen(those who are contract workers) who had to work abroad — i had the luxury of choice which many of them didn’t have. what about you, did you think of your choices, your motivations?
and vic,
so the question of loyalty hit you personally? damn man, don’t you think it hits us personally when people, ex-filipinos like you who chose to turn back on our country mouth ideas as if we should listen to you and act as if we owe you? the filipino nation does not owe you anything, it’s the other way around, if you would take citizenship seriously. but man, it’s just the attitude that’s irritating as grd wrote ….if you really like doing it, help out, silently, sincerely… and i didn’t mean you personally — just those ex-filipinos who display the aforementioned attitude..
cvj, point taken, and i am not being xeonophobic, that’s what i’m actually doing, considering the merits of what they say. when you consider that, they are living, breathing the socio-economic-cultural environment of another country and legally too — now, that’s a red flag and we should draw the line, to how far or the extent they could dip their fingers in our affairs. and no, one should not wait for a war before the question of loyalty be brought up. the brain drain phenomenon is not just a matter of economics, but a cultural one, a matter of values. when the going gets tough, how should one act towards one’s country, the land of your birth, one which poor ole rizal died for in bagumbayan? this i address to the middle/upper classes, the educated, the ones who have the luxury of choice.