Whether in A complex achievement, in Elections are like water, and Circle to circle or most recently, in The perpetual avoidance of opportunity,a great concern of mine has been not only to come to grips with the present crisis, but by discovering its origins, to propose a framework that will enable concerned citizens to arrive at a consensus for solutions.
My column yesterday was The civic imperative: a reflection. For some time now, I’ve been returning, again and again, to Titus Livy‘s summation of the exhaustion of Rome:
Here are the questions to which I should like every reader to give his close attention: what life and morals were like; through what men and what policies, in peace and in war, empire was established and enlarged. Then let him note how, with the gradual relaxation of discipline, morals first subsided, as it were, then sank lower and lower, and finally began the downward plunge which has brought us to our present time, when we can endure neither our vices nor their cure.
Of course there are morals and there are morals; there is sectarian morality and what should be preferable, a civic sense.
For over a year now, one of the many projects that are simmering away on the backburner because of so many reasons, is a compilation of reflections on the various civic-consciousness raising projects of the past. As it stands, roughly, the book would look like this: the text of a civic code, and a reflection on it. So, Rizal’s Constitution of La Liga Filipina, with an essay by Dean Jorge Bocobo; the Kartilya of the Katipunan, with an essay by Conrado de Quiros; Mabini’s True Decalogue, with an essay by Randy David; Quezon’s Code of Citizenship and Ethics (thinking of an essay by F. Sionil Jose, but haven’t asked); Laurel’s Citizen’s Code of Rights and Obligations (no idea yet, who to ask); the Magsaysay Credo, with an essay by Eggie Apostol; and Alex Lacson’s Twelve Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country, with an essay by Willy Prilles.
The genesis of the project was an experiment I conducted with college students from different Catholic schools to whom I presented copies of these codes, and who I then asked to reflect on them. First of all, they were unfamiliar with all of them; second, the concepts of citizen’s rights and obligations incorporated in most of the codes was an alien concept to them; as were the pretty basic principles of good citizenship and so on that the codes espoused. We then had a vigorous discussion on the relevance of the codes, and from time to time, I’ve tried repeating the experiment with other student groups I’ve encountered.
This was further underscored when, during the campaign against the Palace-proposed constitutional amendments, I found myself having to conduct a 3-hour discussion on the basics of our constitutional set-up instead of doing what I was supposed to do, which was pitch the case for One Voice. And afterwards, I overheard one priest tell another, “you know, maybe we should teach the students about the constitution.”
You think!? I wanted to scream at him. But I didn’t but instead, encouraged him to take it up with his faculty. The point being, never has the citizenry been so ignorant not only of its obligations, but its rights; and never has the workings of government, even in the ideal sense, been so obscure and mysterious to the public.
And all the more the need to inform, when, it (change, improvement, discussion, debate, consensus, whatever) always begins with a few but the few blaze a trail for the many: see Letter From Vietnam.
For, as Mon Casiple says, the country faces hard choices:
What we see is a presidency in the midst of fighting for its very survival. The pressure won’t let up–the awakening of the middle class will not permit it. The timidity and the self-interest of power institutions may prolong its life but certainly things will not go back to normal governance anymore. The next two years of the GMA presidency–if it reached that far–will be a constant crisis presidency.
The lines have been drawn on the streets of Makati and elsewhere. This situation leads inexorably to a political polarization. Either GMA gives way or she has to assert the power. Every democratic institution will become a battleground or will have to give way. At the end, she is confronted with the constitutional end to her term.
Will she abide by it? There is a great doubt about it. Since holding on to the power has become the sine qua non of her survival, the logical path for her is to continue beyond 2010.
Only a constitutional change process can give even a modicum of legitimacy to this decision. Thus, even if the obstacles are almost insurmountable, she may opt for it in desperation. From this perspective, the 2006 failed charter change initiatives are lessons towards another try, not lessons to stop.
Of course, this time she had more obstacles–an awakened and hostile citizenry and the political forces gearing up for the 2010 elections. Only a martial law regime–as in the case of Marcos–will have the remote chance of carrying it off.
GMA may still opt to negotiate her way out of the crisis. Those who want to manage the transition from her regime are avidly waiting and working for it. For them, the popular movement is useful as an instrument of pressure but not as the decisive instrument for her ouster. She will, of course, as a minimum condition ask for immunity or protection from the suits that are certain to be filed against her once she is out of power.
The presidentiables are also a target in this negotiation scenario. However, they run the risk of being identified with an unpopular president and thus the probability of losing in the presidential race. On the other hand, it is no secret that the presidential access to government resources and the prospect of a ready-made campaign machinery in the ruling coalition are tempting to these presidentiables.
The option to resign is now basically only a function of the popular pressure to oust her. It has been a logical–if unspoken–end to the search for truth being pursued by many in the church sector and others in the middle class. However, the actuations of Malacañang do not support the scenario of a voluntary resignation.
Im not a little bit surprised. Since when did we have a normal presidency in the Philippines?? Since when did we unite to an authority? Every leader had always been undermined from the start. They a used a good part of their term busy fighting fires with no time for governance. Every political capital wasted to shore up their own survival. No chance for reforms as every radical change in policy are met with skepticism and cynicism. Does a change in presidency change all of this? I bet not.
magdiwang,
what do you propose then?
stop criticizing this government, be satisfied with what is happening,enjoy the blissful life amidst endless stories of corruptions, ( anyway, they are all hearsays and lack an iota of evidence)
what,what what?
frombelow, we should not only criticize but must also be pro active in looking for wrongdoings. a solid evidence based accusations would suffice better than throwing mud and hoping something would stick. wild allegations just muddle the whole process and we all turn up losers.
did you mean that most who criticize are not pro active in looking for wrongdoings. and most of the accusations are just exercises of throwing mud at one’s integrity. If that is the case, all that is happening is surreal. We might as well all go to the beach and swim. Enjoy.
fronbelow, currently those who castigate are not pro active at all but vindictive. it will be a futile exercise to lambaste anybody without doing due dilligence on the insinuations. people wont buy it as it borders in injustice..
Magdiwang,
Amen to that.I am very sure that you have exercise due diligence to conclude thoe who castigate are not pro active and vindictive.Must sure also that you have evidence that those who criticize dwell only on insinuations.Enjoy.
I have been reflecting on what should be the proactive approach. And one of the thing that came to my mind is the strengthening of the impeachment process. After three impeachment attempts, learnings should been gathered and work on the fixes. But rather fixing teh problem some sector would rather go for people power and the court of public opinion that doesn’t help much at all.
frombelow, i do really believe that people who bash an individual without solid proof are resentful. How will you ever explain that behaviour?
I saw someone cheated and stole, and it’s my property. I hate it so much I have to castigate the someone. Therefore I am vindictive but not pro active!
It’s summer time, yiheeeey! Let’s go to the beach!
Lucky are the bloggers who see the ails of the world and have peace of mind, castigate us for our concern, asking for solid proof like defense lawyers, as if we are the cause of the ailments.
magdiwang,
i really think so. That is why i do not castigate someone if i dont have solid proof. Specially when it is very hard for me to get solid proof. i just remain silent rationalizing that it is better to be called naive than resentful.
Enjoy the beach.
Being pro-active simply means going back to the basics of things – ‘common sense’, which is unfortunately not common anymore these days. Politicians know what to do, it is just their ‘inactions’ that really hurt things up. Those simple things (as I mentioned in my blog)are the things we need. A true ‘internet’ Procurement system for the government – which should minimize if not eliminate shady deals and purchases. We can’t even go for ‘automated’ elections, and its barely 2 years from the next Presidential election. And no senator or congressman is too serious enough to make sure we have this. Expectedly, these politicians will be the same people who will cry ‘cheated’ by then. What have they done to ensure these things will be avoided? Being pro-active i government is synonymous with genuine love of the country – a civic imperative for each and every politician. But it’s in being ‘reactive’ and ‘firefighting’ that people sees a HERO in anyone. Very unfortunate.
This should be done officially, inserted in the public school curriculum. Voluntary-wise, it wouldn’t be good enough, you’ll still end up with the haves and have-nots, in this case, the constitution-educated and the rest.
This will automatically limit corrupt practices a generation from now. Imagine a Philippines where evryone or most everyone loves his rights and is willing to protect it. Corruption will be minimized.
I find your link to “12 litter things a Filipino can do to help…” mildly annoying.
Baket kelangan ng listahang ito?? It applies to everyone not just Filipinos. Has the writer been doing things on the contrary, hence the need to remind himself to ‘start obeying traffic laws”? When he got his driver’s license did he start breaking those laws?
“When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively about us and our country.”
What???? Who doesn’t??
However, Honesty takes precedence over this. I get asked a lot – “Is the Philippines corrupt?”
My answer is always “Yes, the very much so…but we are doing our best. People are changing and speaking out against it.” followed by “Just try your best to avoid any government official on your way to our magnificent beaches.”
cheers
Ps:brianb – bea ledesma daw
nash,
wha have I got to do with bea ledesma?
Jesus! Really, Bea Ledesma writes celine’s column, So unreal.
Guccigate is on South China Morning post. I know several people who submitted the blog to Gawker as well.
@brianb
I have no idea who bea ledesma is but if you have some literary work under her own name, please advise.
Sorry manolo, nagka-crosstalk itong blog comments mo…but since this involves the Philippine Star, it has some relevance to the inquirer too 😀
Happy Easter
Two years more? I say no more. The more time she stays in power, the more time she has to cook up something to save her skin after her current usurped term expires.
It may be summer break and school is out, but this fight is not over. Not by a long shot.
Mga Kababayan ,My Countrymen:
I have 830 days left in office .
After much soul searching, I have decided to make two very important announcements to the nation:
First, the “ bad news†to my political opponents: I will not resign! I am following the wise advice of Senator Johnny Ponce-Enrile that I should hold on to power till June 2010 for personal safety reasons . But I am also doing this brave move for the sake of the country since there is no national consensus on who should be my successor should I decide to quit before the 2010 elections.
Secondly, I am announcing my new covenant with people….I promise before God and our people that I will be a truly non-political President for the rest of my term.
This new covenant will cover ten very important points:
1)NO CHARTER CHANGE:I promise that I will not initiate any move to change the Constitution during the remainder of my term. This means that the 2010 Presidential Elections will push through to elect my successor without any political roadblocks on my part.
2)TRULY INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS:I will appoint men and women of probity to the Comelec. I promise not to appoint Comelec members who have had any political ties with my political camp.
3)NO MORE EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE:I will not use any legal excuse to prevent any Cabinet member from attending any Senate hearing.
4)NO MORE POLITICAL GENERALS:I will ask Congress to pass legislation that will set a fixed three-year term for the AFP Chief of Staff.
5)MORE DYNAMIC CABINET:I will also stop the practice of appointing retired Generals as cabinet members,as “political” ambassadors and as Cabinet Undersecretaries.
6)NO MORE FAMILY MEDDLING IN GOVERNMENT: I will request the First Gentleman to make a painful personal decision for the sake of the country. This announcement will be made later.
7) POLITICAL RECONCILIATION:I will meet with members of the Political Opposition, the Left, the MILF and Civil Society Groups to draft a “JOINT STATEMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY†on the national objectives and strategies for the next 800 days of my term.
8)NO MORE DEALS WITH CHINA: This administration will no longer enter into any soft loan agreement with “strings attached†with China or any other country.
9)INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY:I will NOT appoint any of my Cabinet members, regardless of their qualifications, to the Supreme Court to avoid issues of partisanship.
10)NO PRESIDENTIAL PARDON: There will be no backroom deals with my successor regarding the possibility of pardon in case of legal suits at the end of my term.
PLEASE HELP ME BE A GOOD PRESIDENT!
GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
(EQ NOTE:Too GOOD to be True;JOKE ONLY)
Good citizenship has always been my advocacy. I believe it is part of the solution for we are all part of the problem.
We hear calls for moral revolution and transformation from politicians and bishops but they only remain as such, calls.
Only if we could create a critical mass of reformed constituency, the road to our salvation won’t be far. If majority of Filipinos will practice any of the codes mentioned, be it from Mabini, Quezon, Magsaysay or Atty. Lacson, we won’t be in this mess we are in right now.
Apparently the right formula on how to inspire our people to be good citizens is yet to be found. But I think I have.
Iniibig ko ang Pilpinas is the key. Everything will evolve from there. It is a long process but it can be done.
to rego (and magdiwang and frombelow) : re “I have been reflecting on what should be the proactive approach. And one of the thing that came to my mind is the strengthening of the impeachment process. After three impeachment attempts, learnings should been gathered and work on the fixes. But rather fixing teh problem some sector would rather go for people power and the court of public opinion that doesn’t help much at all.”
I sense that both rego and magdiwang (and definitely me) would like it if someone just makes mention in this blogthread about what preparations are being done regarding the next impeachment opportunity. Of course, Equalizer may mention — no! those are tactical items we don’t want to make public because GMA has spies. Then state the obvious if the obvious is true, e.g. the sentence “Atty XYZ of Black&White is lobbying Congressman ABC and Congressman DEF” helps or even that Congressman-ZZZ is already working to be the first to submit a Complaint of Impeachment.
And maybe Equalizer can mention how extensive the movement is to inform the electorate. Why not, right — inform the electorate? The electorate Filipinos are the same ones who can obviously be encouraged to join interfaith rallies. These are the same people who can write their congressman. These are the same people who have to be thinking of how to choose the next president, vice-president… and congressmen.
I want to add that if the only message to the electorate is JOIN US! — We will scream “talsik diyan”…. sayang naman. Wasted opportunity. Just scan back to the body of Q3’s column. If today’s students DO NOT KNOW THE CONSTITUTION, then how do they know this process of impeachment, that the battle goes beyond “talsik diyan”… the battle is for congressmen, too.
Preaching to the converted is good because the converted gets re-energized. Preaching to the doubtful is okay, too, because then the base grows. But “the coverted” and “the doubtful” listen differently.
Side-topic: The link below provides a video a speech titled “How To Achieve Your Childhood Dreams” from “The Last Lecture” series. The speaker is Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch. Among the message is the virtue of tenacity.
http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=ithct48cqw
pinoy
“Apparently the right formula on how to inspire our people to be good citizens is yet to be found. But I think I have.”
I think I have also. GMA is my inspiration. But from another perspective. She inspired me to love this country, otherwise…
nash, bea ledesma also writes for the Inquirer. She’s not very prolific though so not many people know her work. Sayang ang talent.
Will she abide by it? There is a great doubt about it. Since holding on to the power has become the sine qua non of her survival, the logical path for her is to continue beyond 2010. – Mon Casiple
This is a little bit of a stretch. What? One smart president and ninety million stupid citizens?
Since charter change and martial rule are out of the question, the best option for her is to give do-or-die support to the chosen successor. And extract the needed concessions.
And hope that Filipinos will soon forget the greed gone berserk.
“…the logical path for her is to continue beyond 2010” m. casiple.
wrong!!! it is the constitutional and legal path, not just logical.
it’s not like pgma will be prosecuted, convicted and jailed when she finishes her term. unless her successor is so vindictive and somehow makes him/herself a dictator and empowers him/herself to discard the due process of the law and the entire legal and justice systems, that is higly unlikely. sure, she can be accused and prosecuted like imelda marcos or erap. but is there really any evidence that can stand up in court that a crime has been committed and that pgma committed it? imelda was acquitted of multiple charges because of weak evidence. erap was convicted because of really strong evidence. if there was comparable evidence against pgma as that against erap, wouldn’t it have been known by now? aren’t her enemies trying to get her since day one? does anyone think that a new administration can manipulate the system to railroad her to incarceration?
btw, imelda was charged and prosecuted under cory aquino. i’m sure she was most interested in her conviction. did that make any difference? i sure don’t think so.
@bencard
I agree with you. I think that GMA will go scot free after her term. Such a lucky bitch. Very cunning.
At least she’s a devout Catholic. We know she’s going to hell because there is no way she’s going to heaven.
“Take it from Pope Benedict XVI. He says the modern world “is losing the notion of sin.†And not just personal sins such as greed, lust or the rest of the infamous Seven Deadlies, but social sins, too, such as polluting the planet or ALLOWING INJUSTICE to flourish.â€Â
–USA Today
“…the logical path for her is to continue beyond 2010″ m. casiple.
wrong!!! it is the constitutional and legal path, not just logical.–
pardon me but how will it be the constitution and legal path for arroyo to continue beyond 2010? as the president i assume.
i am for educating the masses and strengthening the insitutions and legal processes of this country. let us begin with the right first step, that is to get rid of all the people responsible for corrupting and bastardizing the same institutions and systems we want to strengthen. before we can reform our electoral processes, we must rid of comelec the likes of garci, bedol, abalos and etc., and make sure none of their kind ever holds an office of any position in comelec.
we should rid of these people from top to bottom otherwise it will be just a vicious cycle of the old guard corrupting the young minds and turn them into the dark side as mr.lozada puts it.
after ridding our government of the liars, cheaters and thieves, we should stay vigilant and pro-active that any attempt to subvert our laws and constitutions will be prevented and punish the guilty ones.
best way to do this is gather all these trapos and sent them to iraq or afghanistan. then bring back death penalty, by firing squad, exclusively for government persons found guilty of cheating, lying and stealing. no minimum amount required, even for stealing a single centavo. brutal it might sound but our problem is none of our laws are being followed and no punishment are ever imposed on the big fish. no pardons as well, will be great. it is time that we stop copying our system of government from USA. we need to tailor our own laws specifically to filipinos’ needs.
There is something worth reflecting in “My Concept of public Service” by Emmanuel Pelaez. This was an excerpt from an article in “The Citizen” (1960):
” I remember many things about Father John P Delaney, SJ, but what stands out in my mind is what I heard him say to a group of students whom he was advising on what carer to pursue.
“If you are after personal advantage, if you are seeking personal and material success, then public servifce is not the career for you. Public serices is an apostleship of sacrifice and service. You must use it to give of yourself unsparingly in the service of your people, not to make something for yourself.”
Then he gave a piece of advice that burned itself into my mind: ‘If I had my way,’ he said, “I would put in the office of every public official the picture of Christ washing the feet of the aspostles to remind them that even God went down on his knees to serve his fellowmen. This must be the symbol of service to all public officials.” ”
This reflection may also apply to those who have more in life.
““I would put in the office of every public official the picture of Christ washing the feet of the aspostles to remind them that even God went down on his knees to serve his fellowmen. This must be the symbol of service to all public officials.†â€Â
NOT all public officials are Christian, nor the citizens they serve. Public offices should minimise any religious imagery. The Philippines is a republic and its government buildings exist to serve all citizens. It is not a church.
Having said that, Jesus was a good man, a radical, and worthy of emulation.
you think? you’re making me want to scream, too. hehe.
people who still hold out to this hope are fools. not only voluntary resignation, but voluntary stepping down in 2010. the course of the republic has already been cast in stone. we are watching a bastardized parliament being born. unresponsive to its constituents, more rapacious in its actions once all checks and balances fall.
we already see a preview of the future parliament, the present lower house junking all those filed impeachments – that’s the future parliament we will have.
people get scared stiff of GMA in power past 2010. hehehe no worries on that happening if innuendoes will hold water. i believe she will be in jail for a long time if proven she committed high crimes. the senate should look for the smoking gun, allegations of wrongdoings are not enough to convince a lot of people. They have been burned time and time again by supposedly credible witnesses with flimsy evidence.
its human nature to keep all her options open to protect herself when many are screaming to high heavens for her ouster. implied threats against her after losing immunity will forced her to dig much further to insulate herself from those taunts. backing her up so much against the wall might just make her think the unthinkable.
magdiwang, sana di mangyari ang kinatakutan nang marami, ang “unthinkable” na example na maari ipakita nang manga mamayan ,o yong manga napupuno na sa katiwalian at iyon a babagsak sa kay GMA at sa kanyang Pamilya sa panahon na iwanan na siya nang manga hudeyos na nangsamantala lamang habang sila ay na kapagyarihan..mayron possibilidad yon, kasi ang Bukas and di natin alam kong ano ang mangyayari.
btw, imelda was charged and prosecuted under cory aquino. i’m sure she was most interested in her conviction. did that make any difference? i sure don’t think so.
Pero si Aling Imelda, sa kagalingan nang manga Abogados nya, na pa-atras atras ang kaso hanggang umabot sa administration nang kanyang Kakampi. At sa bilyong, bilyong na pera na mismo si Madame ay nag admit na siya na ata ang pinakamayaman na Babae sa Mundo, “talo pa raw nya si Queen E II walng dya” kayang, kayang yon, alam mo nanam dito sa Bayan natin, kay Erap naman, talo lang sya sa Bidding, nagkata-on na kalaban ang administration at mas marami ang Resources kay sa Kanya, ang Toto-o, si Erap hindi lang kasing Marunong sa LUSOTAN Ikumpara sa Marcoses at sa Macapagal Arroyo, Harvard ata ang manga yon, si Erap drop out lang, at lansenggo pa…Pero tinggan natin, Libre nanam sya, Clean Slate, habang si Madame Arroyo Haharap pa sa kanyang Turno at Hindi pa Alam ang Hatol, Ma-ari Lusot, Ma-ari walang Kaso, yan ngayon ang kanyang Problema, habang si Erap Resolvar Na..
“Since charter change and martial rule are out of the question, the best option for her is to give do-or-die support to the chosen successor.”
Either that’s a very reassuring statement, or overly underestimating the the capability of a battle-tested regime.
A ‘do-or-die support to the chosen successor’ would mean cheating in the 2010 election to assure the winning of that chosen successor, which is possible too but doubly hard this time considering that an annointment to whoever is the chosen would redound to a sure lose by big margin if the unpopularity of the present regime is to be any indication.
So, if the the heat in the pressure cooker is not sustained, as DevilsAdvc8 would say:
“people who still hold out to this hope are fools.”
Lucky Arroyos! Or rather, she’s really good.
Wawa naman tayo!
some are really living in delusions. if GMA is that evil as she is being portrayed, they must assume that she will rule until she is ousted or dead.So why bother of 2010 elections. Or they think she is not that bad really. Which is which?
i think we must make up our mind.No in between. If GMA is that scheming, then we must forget 2010 elections. Either we join her or fight her with a clear mind. Not like now that we seem to be fooling ourselves. But if we thnk that she s not that bad, then we must stop asking her resign and devote our energies for the coming 2010 elections.
“Lucky Arroyos! Or rather, she’s really good.Wawa naman tayo!”
Now, now , this is really what I suspected all along…
Crabs, crabs, crabs, …. tsk tsk tsk
“some are really living in delusions.”
Some are, but some not. We joined rallies, we shouted to high heavens,we cajoled, we convinced, we cursed, we insulted, we put our safety in the line, even to mockingly fooling ourselves in sheer desperation, everything, short of carrying and using a gun. In which side we are is clear enough.
While some just rant.
Which is good enough also…better than being a loyalist/defender.
Which some of us are too.
Lucky Arroyos! Or rather, she’s really good.Wawa naman tayo!
“Now, now , this is really what I suspected all along…
Crabs, crabs, crabs, …. tsk tsk tsk”
Gotcha! Singing hossanas at the first inkling, hehehe.
She’s really good. At what? We know what she’s really good at. And it’s not good. Heheh.
Arroyo vows to remain being ‘force of good’
By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 14:51:00 03/22/2008
Mensahe nang Presidente:
kong si Ginang Arroyo katumbas lang sana nang kalahati nang Kanyang Magandand Mensahi, sana tayo ay hindi na sa gitna na ganitong Krisis sa Gobyerno, di na inilathala, na pina ka “corrupt sa buong Asia”, at Hindi na naghihirap ang Masa na sa ngayon ay Kinukulang Pati Bigas, di lang makaya makabili nang Gamot na sakdal ang ta-as ang Presyo, mas mata-as pa sa Western Countries, kahit na-iconvert pa, challege Me, bigyan kita nang maramimg examples, isa na ang hydrochlorothiazide na worth lang nang 5cents sa ibang bansa at cycloperin or allopurinol, para sa uric acid na manga 3to 8 cents na lang.
Kaya sa dalawang ta-on pang naiwan sa kanyang termino, sana maiwasan na ni Madame Arroyo ang Manga Magandang Salita at Mapalitan nang Magandang Gawa..sakalit makabawi lang naman nang kaunti..
Mang Kiko
‘Kaya sa dalawang ta-on pang naiwan sa kanyang termino, sana maiwasan na ni Madame Arroyo ang Manga Magandang Salita at Mapalitan nang Magandang Gawa..sakalit makabawi lang naman nang kaunti..
Asa ka pa. Yang ang sinasabi kong living in delusions.
“…the logical path for her is to continue beyond 2010″ m. casiple.
“wrong!!! it is the constitutional and legal path, not just logical.–Bencard
What? Constitutional and legal beyond 2010?
Sabi ko na nga ba, forever na iyan, eh.
A probable lesson from Taiwan for the next elections:
The platform — more cooperation with CHINA
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan’s opposition candidate cruised to victory in the presidential election Saturday, promising to expand economic ties with China while protecting the island from being swallowed up politically by its giant communist neighbor.
Ma won 58 percent of the votes compared to 41.5 percent for his challenger, according to the Central Election Commission. Turnout was 76 percent, the commission said.
“People want a clean a government instead of a corrupt one,” said Ma, also a former justice minister. “They want a good economy, not a sluggish one. They don’t want political feuding. They want peace across the Taiwan Strait. No war.”
Across town, a crying crowd gathered at the campaign office for ruling party candidate Frank Hsieh, a former premier.
“Don’t cry for me today,” Hsieh said in his concession speech. “Although we lost the election, we have a more important mission. The torch of democracy should not be extinguished.”
EQ POLL:”Pagkaraan ng pitong taon ramdam nila ang pag asenso!” Sabi ng mga TV ads ng GMA administration ay ramdam na ramdam daw ang pag-asenso ng ating mga kababayan. Agree or disagree? Kayo – ramdam ba ninyo ang pag-asenso?
OO naman!6%
Ano iyun?11%
Pwede iyan sa joke of the day!81%
No comment na lang!2%
Votes cast so far:226
Kayo – ramdam ba ninyo ang pag-asenso?
“…..On this feast of the Resurrection, I remain …. deeply committed to being a force for good,†– GMA
GMA issued this statement from Baguio.
When GMA wants to say a very big lie, she likes to do it from Baguio. It’s a GMA tradition.
GMA you bitch of a liar! Magsama na kayo ni DJ Montano. 😀