Much levity courtesy of the Summit of the (Lame) Ducks in Washington.
Got this by way of Age of Brillig who pointed to Bush To Filipino President: “I Am Reminded Of The Great Talent Of The — Of Our Philippine-Americans When I Eat Dinner At The White House” in the Huffington Post, and which pointed in turn to Bush jokes about the White House chef in the Los Angeles Times’ Countdown to Crawford blog. What caught my interest was not the famously barely comprehensible American President’s folksy attempt at being gracious (Filipinos are, after all, very proud of Cristeta Comerford, and the White House has a long tradition of Filipino stewards serving there), but rather, this exchange near the tail end of the Oval Office photo-op. See President Bush Meets with President Arroyo of the Philippines:
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thanks for coming.
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you, thank you. Mr. President, with your permission, I’d like to address our countrymen in my own native language. (Speaks in Tagalog.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: I couldn’t have said it better myself. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, all.
Snippets found the President’s delivering a statement in Filipino from the Oval Office curious, but I don’t see why. The President took the opportunity to film a message to her people from the most famous stage set in the world. That message was the justification of the trip, Exhibit A in proving the trip was worth it. (What I do find curious -because the President and her handlers have been very conscious of the subconscious effects of colors on the public- is why the President’s been appearing in cheery and bright colors when she herself and American officials have tried to soberly pay tribute to the victims of the recent typhoon.)
Interestingly enough, though, as of the time I’m writing this, the Palace’s propagandists haven’t posted anything on the Oval Office meeting. So we don’t know what she said.
What I find very interesting -see Matthew Good as an example, or Inky Horizons or Wonkette– is that many Americans offended by their President’s remarks, thought our President was visiting Dubya to rattle a tin cup and ask for typhoon relief. To the minds of these Americans, it makes perfect sense that at a time of tragedy, our President was panhandling their President. But that was not the purpose of our President’s trip, see her list of things to do.
Anyway, the President, having secured her photo-op with the Great White Father, can proudly say “mission accomplished” and have NBN endlessly replay her cameo appearance in the Oval Office: she’s in Good Odor and can brag about obtaining Dubya’s Seal of Good Housekeeping.
According to RG Cruz, the subsequent improvement in the President’s mood can be seen by all and sundry, as a Public Works and Highway Undersecretary discovered:
Aquino: I am representing secretary ebdane who visited Iloilo. Out of nine bridges that were damaged, we have restored two bridges
GMA: Are u talking here of guimbal and sta. barabara
Aquino: No ma’am, these are in Iloilo ma’am
GMA: Yes they are both in Iloilo (laughs out loud)
If u were not such a good undersecretary on the ground I will spank you (laughs more)
Aquino: These are the towns of sigma dau cuatero road in capiz
GMA: That’s not Iloilo that’s capiz
Aquino: Yes ma’am all in panay island
The President continues her torrent of instructions: Arroyo orders flooding of NFA rice in typhoon-hit areas. This as Farm, schools damage: P7B.
In his column, Manuel Buencamino points out, in an open letter to the President,
And then, as an added treat, according to your press secretary’s web site, “Some 600 Filipino-Americans witnessed the President’s conduct of a video conference with the National Disaster Coordinating Council where President Arroyo showed that despite her being out of the Philippines to foster diplomatic relations with its most important ally, she remains focused and on top of the situation back home.”
Your president at work?
A total of 198,545 Ilonggos are in 58 evacuation centers in Iloilo City; 353,000 were displaced in the rest of the province; 33,000 families suffered the same fate in Eastern Visayas; and over 700 are dead in a ferry accident. And you’re in Fresno, California, posing for pictures.
In Washington the only meeting you cannot pass off to a Cabinet member is your tête-à-tête with lame-duck George. That’s nothing but a photo op. What lasting commitment can you get from him, who will be gone by January?
It would be nice to personally thank Bush and the US Senate for the Veterans Bill, but there’s a calamity back home. They will understand.
You don’t have to go to the Pentagon. Gilbert Teodoro can meet with his counterpart to discuss defense reform even though it’s a waste of time because he will be talking to a lame-duck secretary.
There is no meeting in Washington that you cannot cancel.
As for New York, do you really have to personally wine and dine those UN permanent representatives to get their vote for Miriam Santiago? What do you think the people of Iloilo will appreciate more: Your presence in their province or you campaigning in New York for their province-mate?
You have been compared to Marcos countless times. It’s unfair to the late dictator and his family. Marunong makiramay ang mga Marcos in times of calamity.
Imelda Marcos and her children, even at the height of a typhoon, would always be at the scene of a disaster giving aid and comfort to the victims. You always arrive late.
I remember when Milenyo hit the country, the first photo to appear in the papers was you, in your cute little rainwear, inspecting the fallen trees in Malacañang while hundreds of thousands of victims in the Bicol region and Southern Luzon were waiting for some relief. And you wonder why you are the most disliked president this country ever had?
I have seen Imelda shed tears as she embraced victims of calamities. Her tears were real. I have seen you in similar situations; you look uncomfortable, and your discomfort is real.
(more, in a similar vein, from Fil-Ams Perry Diaz and Greg Macabenta who, for some reason, thinks Fresno was on the President’s itinerary to help her avoid, and not see, Fil-Ams! OTOH, knicnax defends the President)
So what, indeed, did the President have to attend to, that her subordinates couldn’t have undertaken in her absence?
Billy Esposo sent an email containing his conspiracy theory, which I find difficult to subscribe to in full:
A state of the art nuclear powered aircraft carrier task force is not needed for Typhoon Frank victims. The US has never been this compassionate. This is all about China and GMA’s shift to China – the real US agenda for the meeting with GMA. A lot things can happen with this development. We cannot discount these possibilities – a US-backed coup, civil war or an MILF war with the US backing the MILF which is just about the last burden the GMA regime can afford to take on.
Esposo seems to believe that America’s interests lie in separating Mindanao from the Philippines, although personally I think his suspicions are a Cold War hangover, the kind that sees the CIA lurking behind every bush. American interests more likely lies in using Mindanao as a kind of sideshow laboratory to learn jungle-fighting but not much else; certainly the Philippines isn’t worth the time and resources required to redraw the region’s map.
But I do think it’s quite possible the President made obtaining Uncle Sam’s blessings for martial law one of the main objectives of her trip -the Americans had vetoed martial law in 2005-06, after all- and if you’re going to go into conspiracy theories, Tony Abaya’s column makes more sense to me:
But my sense is that the real purpose of the visit is the meetings with Bush, Obama and McCain. And she is meeting with these three to protect her flanks. Everything else is mere fluff.
The coordinator of this visit — San Francisco consul general (not Ambassador, as media describe him) Marciano Paynor, Jr. — says he did not see anything wrong with PGMA meeting McCain and Obama ahead of the presidential elections. He said that this was something done by every head of state or government…
Really? In the past 60 days, President Bush was visited by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. I do not recall either of them meeting with McCain or Obama or Hillary Clinton.
President Arroyo has been trying to meet with Bush for years. In the APEC Summits in Hanoi and Sydney, her press people talked about 20-minute one-on-ones with George W, which were either cancelled by the Americans or reduced to a seven-minute “pull-over” photo-op, meaning, I presume, that he was pulled over on his way to or from the men’s room.
In February 2006, on the 20th anniversary of Edsa I People Power “Revolution”, it was suddenly announced that she was leaving for Washington to address the American Press Club (APC), but then, just as suddenly, her trip was cancelled…
My interpretation of this little mystery was: Malacanang’s PR retainer in Washington DC was able to wangle the speech invitation from the APC, a poorer cousin of the prestigious National Press Club With this speech invitation, the White House was asked for a meeting with Bush, since GMA was going to be in Washington anyway.. When the White House said no, the speech date with APC was cancelled.
President Arroyo is not the favorite “ally” of the Americans that she may think she is, after she withdrew the 51 Filipino policemen from the Coalition of the Willing in Iraq in 2004, and after she signed an agreement with Beijing for the joint exploration for oil in the Spratlys, also in 2004. In 2005, Vice-President Dick Cheney is said to have started moves to remove her from power, starting with the Hello Garci tapes, which, according to my information, were made possible by the US National Security Agency or NSA.
The Americans could not have grown fonder of her after the aborted, corruption-ridden ZTE broadband contract in 2007, which would have given the Chinese total and instant knowledge of all decisions of the Philippine government, including sensitive ones such as on the positioning of US troops and intel assets in Mindanao, Sulu, and Basilan. How could she have been so naïve as to be unaware of the consequences of her actions?
President Arroyo obviously wants to personally explain to Bush (and his successor) why she did what she has done. And perhaps sound them out on a possible declaration of martial law if and when it becomes necessary in 2009 or 2010, given the deteriorating global situation. Or a possible asylum in San Francisco, just in case.
The reason America would be a preferable haven to, say, Spain or Portugal (her previously-rumored potential exile haunts) is that her human rights record will result in her being hounded in the European Union the way Pinochet was, arrested in England upon orders of a Spanish court. And her other possible place of exile, China, may not be so hospitable considering the NBN-ZTE brouhaha.
blackshama’s blog says the Vice-President’s coming off looking positively presidential as he presides over disaster management meetings:
Political pundits here on the Mango Isle (hey! They are found from the lowliest barangay of the smallest provinces to the elite kapihans of Manila) say that Queen Gloria’s refusal (even when Frank has caused a national disaster rather than a regional one like previous typhoons) to cut short her glorious junket to the US of A will cost her much. According to the pundits the one who wins the pogi points is no other than the Veep Noli.
Some have remarked that Noli de Castro once dismissed as a talking news puppet, looked soooooo presidential in leading the national disaster response committee, even more presidential than the Queen herself…
So methinks the biggest political beneficiary here is the Veep. We ask the logical question. Did Malacanang intend this? or is Malacanang the victim of the law of unintended consequences?
Palace sez: Arroyo sets Tuesday visit to Iloilo to assess storm damage: President to hold Cabinet meeting there. She’s the Boss.
While I don’t think that once something’s online, it’s there for ever (lots of articles I once had online have vanished), in the wake of any major event, personal stories published in the blogosphere bring the scale and scope of the typhoon to life.
blackshama’s blog recounts arriving at the scene in the wake of the typhoon:
The road from the new international airport is littered with the remains of washed out houses and vehicles some of which were completely filled in with mud. Not a few of the cars were brand new. Evacuees line the road and many have begun the clean-up. One resident told me that the water just rose within five minutes leaving them caught unawares. The only good thing is that this happened during the day and if it did happen in the night,the death toll would have been horrible, says the cab driver who took me around.
Iloilo is defined by two rivers and a geography the gives the city its name. Residents say that they have never experienced an “Ormoc style” deluge in their lives till Saturday. This is attested by a centenarian who lived to see this day.
PromdiLiving.com recounts Iloilo stories:
A friend’s house was flooded up to the roof. A boss’ car was swept by floodwater. I heard a story about a Mayor who cried while watching helplessly a family on top of their roof as they were swept by the current. Poor and rich families were not spared. Typhoons do not discriminate on status. It destroys anything and everything on its path. I am fortunate my family was spared.
On to the ill-fated Princess of the Stars (the nomenclature of which blogged about by Pine for Pine), PCIJ points to its past reports, Sulpicio Lines and maritime safety: An often woeful, tragic tale:
But the occurrence of major tragedies such as the recent sinking of the Princess of the Stars has only served to underscore what problems remain to this day, some of which were identified in the PCIJ story - ageing and badly maintained ships, the absence of minimal safety navigational aids like lighthouses, and lack of competent seafarers, many of whom are lured to work in more well-paying shipping companies abroad.
Back in the early 1990s, a Japanese study already pointed out that at least 700 lighthouses were needed to illuminate the country’s major waterways. At the time of the PCIJ report, existing lighthouses were only half that number. At present, the number has reportedly increased but to no fewer than 500, many in very poor conditions.
The spotlight fell as well on the Coast Guard, whose authority to ensure sea safety continues to be hampered by poor funding and badly trained - and some charge, corrupt - personnel. The Coast Guard now gets almost P2 billion from the national budget, five times the allocation it used to receive when it was still under the armed forces. Back then, a commodore estimated that at least P1 billion is needed to make the Coast Guard an effective regulatory agency. Today, that amount is not even enough as more than P1.3 billion go to cover the cost of personal services, mainly salaries and allowances.
What the PCIJ also found out then was the weak and fragmented authority of the Coast Guard when it came to enforcing safety standards as its decision in the controversy surrounding the Filipina Princess was set aside by the Department of National Defense. Ordering a second review, the DND argued that the Coast Guard’s decision to ban the ship from traveling was “unjustly” issued and without due process. Sulpicio had asserted the safety of its ship, whose navigational record in the last eight months that time included suffering at least six breakdowns at mid-sea, one lasting 20 hours.
If you go through the Maritime Industry Authority website, you’ll find that its mandate is very broad, indeed, while that of the Philippine Coast Guard is more specific, but also very broad and may actually conflict with Marina’s.
They do have a Memorandum of Agreement, PCG_MARINA_MOA_3.pdf but in its editorial, Sulpicio’s ally, the Inquirer also points out the enormity of the problem, in that Marina has a broad mandate and the Coast Guard, responsibilities that have either been delegated by Marina or which have been left hanging.
Austin Dwi Lawyer takes up the cudgels for the Coast Guard but says it’s been compromised by its dealings with Sulpicio Lines:
And add to the equation, the poverty of PCG for which reason, Sulpicio sonofabitches fucking shits gave alms to their weary palms.
Someone said, the PCG is so poor that even their diesel is always up for sale. When the President and the higher ups say: “Hoy, habulin ninyo ang Abo Suyya!” “Mga totoy, hulihin ang mga pirata!” “Oy, ano, intersepin niyo ang mga illegal fishing boats!” “Daliiii!” “Ano ba!?!&%$#” “Kilos na!!!”
The PCG will allegedly only very demurely quip:
“Ay Maaam, Siiir, ay surreee po, wala tayo krudu!!!)
So, Sulpicio knowing, and feeling compassion, gave alms to the Coast Guard. And Coast Guard supposedly feeling the crunch, accepted the beggar’s relief cash. Possibly some relief goods too.
Sulpicio probably knew there was a disaster-in-waiting. They gave out relief cash and goods in advance.
As far as figuring out responsibilty for the tragedy and doing something about it, is concerned, the first step requires untangling the relationship between Marina and the Coast Guard and other agencies, including their mutual mother agency, the DOTC. There’s an alphabet soup of agencies with overlapping functions, and any government effort will be in the nature of a patch-work solution (and thus, only as good as the next, and inevitable, tragedy) unless the current process left to unfold to reveal its deficiencies, then the entire system is reviewed.
The problem is that everything is so interconnected, the official neglect so pervasive, that tackling one problem only leads to others cropping up and everyone ends up despairing over anything actually getting done.
Meanwhile, as both the editorial and At Midfield pointed out, Sulpicio Lines has already calculated its maximum payout from the tragedy -each passenger’s insured to the tune of 200,000 pesos- and surely, the cost of such a payout versus adequate maintenance, etc. for its fleet, was calculated time and again by the shipping line.
Piling on the bureaucracy to address the shortcomings of the existing bureaucracy, is, of course, the solution bureaucrats adore. And so, DOTC drafts executive order creating National Transport Safety Board (NTSB).
But it’s the human cost that keeps being hammered home: two days ago, My beautiful life…… blogged about a missing cousin:
I was hoping that my Mom’s first cousin and Cebu Port Captain for Sulpicio Lines would be able to provide us with information but it seems like Uncle Bondjing had limited info as well. And I’m sure he’s got his hands full right now coordinating and managing things. Jay is his nephew as well.
I really worried about Jay. I spoke to my Aunt this morning and apparently she was able to talk to Jay briefly when the ship was already aground. Auntie Juvy received a text message from Jay asking for prayers due to their very dangerous condition. Auntie Juvy called his cellphone to confirm it was indeed Jay.
Auntie apparently passed the phone to Jay’s son who then told him to be brave and not to be scared because he still wants his tatay to bring his toys back in Cebu. And the phone went dead.
More recently, Tingog.com blogs that he’s lost a cousin:
I just found out a few hours ago that my cousin Bebot was on The MV Princess of The Stars. Bebot used to help drive me around on some occasions when I was still in school. He’s a good guy that everyone is fond of. He has a daughter that just graduated nursing. He’s a good father, having had to sacrifice going overseas, as a seaman, in order to make a living. And now, because of the assholes at Sulpicio, The Coast Guard, and hell even PAGASA, the perfect storm has taken my cousin. A father, a husband, a cousin, a damn good guy.
The Mount Balatucan Monitor and Ricky Carandang (who has an acquaintance whose brother is missing) both take issue Sulpicio Line’s handling of the concerns of relatives of the missing or confirmed lost. Carandang is particularly scathing:
During the press conference held by the company, the vice president Sally Buaron, who answered reporter’s questions kept referring to the loss of the ship and seemed more concerned about that than the hundreds of people who in all probablility are dead.
I remember when one reporter was pressing her for more information about the fate of the vessel and the survivors, she said something like “If you are very concerned, so are we. That was our boat and it was expensive.”
Another reporter asked her if the company had quantified the cost of damage and she said something like “I don’t want to think about it. Sasama lang ang loob ko.”
Pedestrian Observer even points to a comment that brings up the possibility of looting taking place in the capsized ship. Manilenyo in Davao has some interesting observations and suggestions:
Maybe they should increase the number of check-ups/maintenance of their vessels. It was soooo ironic that the ship was reported to have had problems with its engine during that day. There were no reports of inadequate life saving equipment, so i guess its true that the vessel really passed the safety standards.
The Captain knows best, its his ship and for sure he has vast experience sailing even in worst conditions such as that one. Maybe, this is just a hunch, maybe the captain knew that if he asked the people to abandon ship early, they will be crushed by the big waves. Maybe the captain thought that staying in the ship will be better and he was hopping that the tides would push them near the shore. But then again, the captain should know the area. I think the part were they capsized has a rocky sea bed which punctured the vessel.
The passengers should know best. Their lives are at stake here. This are those times where constant communication and information updates should be present. If they knew that there was a typhoon, they should cancel the trip. I hope that Shipping lines could include this in their policies that any customer can re-book their trip in consideration of their welfare whenever there is a typhoon. And when 30% of the passengers re-books, then the shipping line can cancel the trip. That’s just a suggestion. I think its better to cancel the trip than face the consequences of a sunken ship and loosing lives right? Maybe airlines can adopt this also.
I asked around from people who often use and travel by water/sea and they said that big ships like the MV Princess can withstand a signal number 1 and 2 typhoon. I asked 2 of my uncles who works as seamen, they said they often experience typhoons along their way. What made this case different is that the ship had problems. It was not able to “go with the flow” and battle the waves. It was like a sitting duck.
By way of the Washington Monthly, you can You can check out the Map of the (American) Political Blogosphere. For less America-centric mapping, see Frog in a Well (China), which links in turn to TouchGraph and Websites as Graphs.
Still haven’t heard any loss from family or relatives, though family lives on the main street of Jaro. Report there said mud water flowed up to the second floor. I’m not sure how my grandmother fared, but word is that everyone is okay. Someone should check out that 50-year-old dam. I don’t know why there are no aerial photos of the dam in Dingle.
Everyone there should feel close to one another now, rich and poor and it’s possible to come out better because of this even though we’ll have many friends and relatives missing. Ilonggos are serious about their family and livelihood. It’s a relaxed lifestyle there but everyone is focused on the essentials. Our games are mellow, nothing serious, and life is always taken in sombre tone though jest is never far behind.
Somalia tops list of world’s most unstable nations.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5c4f59f0-4185-11dd-9661-0000779fd2ac.html
“One of the biggest declines in this year’s index is registered by Bangladesh, now in 12th place. According to the report, a feuding, deadlocked government, the imposition of emergency rule last year, and the devastation wrought by a cyclone last November that left 1.5m people homeless combined to reverse much of the country’s recent economic progress.”
RP has these symptoms.
But I agree with mlq3, Bill Esposo’s conspiracy theory is too much of a stretch.
tambakan tayo ng mga junk
we have a different way of cost cutting here.
instead of developing our shipybuilding which by the way exports ferryboats abroad tinitipid natin we buy scraps.
I am beginning to understand the advocacies of some to nationalize instead of denationalizing
on overlapping agencies
after creating an agency tailormade for a specific duty we create one that overlaps it.
I am beggining to see sense in the advice of scrapping the afp all together because of overlaps with the pnp and asking help from allies , and some advice to integrate the navy and the coastguard and should only be one,and of course advise to prevent the increase in the number of generals.(too much of a stretch?)I am just saying that we have a bloated bureacracy.
How can you streamline the number one source of employment in the philippines,the government (local and national).
here in the metro ;aside from election purposes, squatters are the source of the manpower of the local governments;maybe not only here but it could apply nationwide..
As many know; bulk of the budget go tot paying of debts and salaries of the bloated bureacracy.
The theory of esposo is a recycled conspiracy theory of the declaration of the republic of mindanao by misuari during the final months of Ramos.
Have not heard of it? Good !
MLQIII,
Please note this is NOT an attack, merely a PLEA. Please read.
ANC Philippines,
I am a TFC subscriber here in San Francisco California. I am deeply concerned/dissapointed in your current coverage of the effects of Typhoon Frank in the Philippines. Let me preface this by saying that I am personally affected by this disaster as I still have family residing in Kalibo, Aklan, one of the areas deeply affected by this disaster.
When we first heard of the impact of Frank, through the coverage of the capsizing of MV Dona Paz and some reports from Iloilo we believed this to be a huge disaster especially concerning the 700+ passengers and crew aboard the ship. With the reports coming from Iloilo, we were also concerned as Aklan is a neighboring province and wondered how it affected our family and relatives. For the most part we were not expecting a disaster as big as it is now. However we we got hold of one important text from a cousin reporting that flood water was now more than 10 feet tall and has eventually drowned the whole town of Kalibo and other municipalities in proximity to the Aklan River we were shocked first, then deeply worried. Phones started clicking and we panicked trying to get a hold of our family with no response. Soon we would realize that at that capacity surely there would be no electricity undermining any communication. We relied to television as our main form of news and information. We understood that during the first couple of days information was hard to get by even through Manila, as communication has been stifled, but still we managed to gather more information from most of our family. We learned that the disaster was nothing this generation has ever seen. The water was over 10 feet, towns engulfed with water, everything is leveled with water, destroying everything in site. Those who have more than 1 story houses have been the most fortunate. However, this was nothing compared to what happened next. The actual flood may have lasted a day, but its after effect is even worse. The flood has left thick mud at knee length. Food, water, and all basic necessities have been scarce, with prices rising. bodies are now being laid in the town plaza, left for families to claim. Overalll, quality of life is depleting. The poor are especially hit, although everyone must be experience hunger and tremendous feeling of losing everything. One of the saddest stories Ive heard so far, were people turning away neighbors from their 2-storey+ homes scared that it might collapse, leaving neighbors out. As of the moment, I am not very familiar with what the local, provincial, and national government/other relief agencies have done.
My issue is that, Its been a few days since the waters have hit Western Visayas and yet your news about the area among many other regions have been very scarce. I beleive that certainly ANC and ABS-CBN has the power and capacity to highlight this calamity. I am not against the coverage given to the MV Dona Paz, indeed, this should be covered up to the minute, but please keep in mind the effects of Frank is national in scope. Please do not be limited into one story, I expected you to be above that. I have tremendous respect for your news organization which is why I am writing this letter. I expected up to the minute and expansive coverage to this NATIONAL disaster. Im not sure if people from Manila or in the country are aware at these conditions. Looking at your news website right now I am saddened by an article that discusses the effects on Boracay, while hardly touching the story on the rest of the province and region. Are we really just concerned about Boracay, the jewel of Philippine tourism over the life of the hungry? Is this what is considered top news i could hardly care how this typhoon has affected tourism and tourists spots. What about the people, the kids, the elderly? On the economic side, what about the crops? or the billions of peso that has apparently been wiped out by the flood and is now in mud. How long do you think this whole region recover? life has been completely disrupted and many are saying thngs have seemed to be back to zero. How do you reignite economies that have taken its time to develop? A disaster of this magnitude has long term effects long after the water is wiped away. DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS?
We specifically turned to ANC (as I believe most people did) hoping to get an up to the minute and expansive coverage, from different points as this is a NATIONAL disaster. People need to be informed about the urgency and importance of this disaster, not only in the country but outside as well. You have positioned yourself as a global source of news and at this point you have greatly failed. When Hurricane Katrina hit us in the US, it was as if the whole country had been under the disaster. I guess what I’m looking for here is through, expansive, coverage. Show some pictures/videos of the current situation, follow government action and relief, how are they handling the situation? AND everything else that I beleive you are all equipped and capable to do so. At this rate, I feel like the only thing going, if you watch the news coverage is the capsizing of the news. 24 hours of news should be about this, It is in the public interest.
best,
PJ Gubatina Policarpio
__________
Now watching ANC Top Story with Pia and Tony.
Is is really important to run a story about how Boracay is open for business when nearby people are hungry and dying??
pj
Stupid talaga mga to, napaka cono ano? Puro Bora ang alam.
You know, I used to visit Bora in the early nineties and it was a grand and beautiful place before all these druggies arrived. Money is like garbage to these people and what does the local economy get? Any trickle down developments in Aklan?
“Is is really important to run a story about how Boracay is open for business when nearby people are hungry and dying??” – pj
As ABS-CBN’s news head Maria Ressa says, “nothing but the truth.”
Sometimes, truth needs a reality check.
The Lopezes probably wanted to forget where they came from.
Yeah,
first time it happened that whole kalibo sunk.Thanks Pj for the text news dahil totoo yang sinabi mo di masyado publicized ang kalibo kahit sa mga ibang news network.
‘(Filipinos are, after all, very proud of Cristeta Comerford, and the White House has a long tradition of Filipino stewards serving there)’
Really? I often wondered how many Filipinos, especially those still in the old homeland, know about her and her current position.
I confess I got to know of her only because she was featured in a TV segment on White House state dinners. And I consider myself a heavy news consumer of certain things US and the Philippines. And I may have read a feature or two of her in some FilAm newspapers ever alert of FilAm doings.
But the typical Filipino in the old homeland?
Somebody forwarded me an e-mail which says unless you are sending directly to a relative or friend you really know, then
….. think carefully before sending to requests saying they are raising money to help with Typhoon Frank victims in the Philippines. There is too much graft and corruption and stealing
It happened in Burma where local officials replaced with inferior products the donations from overseas.
your continued insistence about the powerless lame duck presidency of bush & arroyo reveals how ignorant you are. both presidents have the ultimate power to set the course of their countries beyond their tenure. to the last day in fact. any agreements entered in to by both presidents become operative the moment they are signed or if needed, upon congressional approval. and bush has the power to command allies in congress for support. likewise, GMA, has all the power and authority, inspite of efforts by anti arroyo gangs to thwart her; as someone siad, SHE’S THE PRESIDENT. malas ninyo.
Facts are on mikel’s statement (about the power of presidents up to their last days in office). In fact, one of the biggest issues in US-of-A is this treaty with Iraq that may be agreed-on-signed-sealed by end-July 2008. [Pelosi and a few other Democrats are trying to emasculate the office-of-the-president from making commitments in the last months in office, but even their own fellow-democrats are hemming and hawwing (because they want the power when it is the democrats’ turn to be in the White House).]
Just as Dubya can commit $$$ for the Philippines, so Dubya CAN still start World War III against Iran.
@ UP n student
Even Pelosi made it easier for Bush to attack Iran:
“Representative Ron Paul says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi removed a section from a bill passed by Congress which would have barred the U.S. from going to war with Iran without a congressional vote, claiming she did so at the behest of the leadership of Israel and AIPAC.”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9393
Yeah as real as the tears when she talked to people who were bussed in at malacanan to become her unwilling audience when she talked about her projects. That’s according to my former boss.
She is an actress.
She cried when there were disasters but she saw to it that all relief goods even perishable ones were not distributed without a stamp of her name. She did not care if they became spoiled.
sheesh.
State visits or any other type of visits by heads of state require long time preparation as to security, activities and schedules of the President of the country being visited. The latter being prepared at the beginning of the year and accommodations/adjustments are made as the year progresses.
It is not just like visiting a neighbor in the Philippines. even for ordinary residents here in the us, you just don’t drop by in a home of a friend; you have to call and asked if they are available.
substitute? how would you feel if you are head of a company and you are advised to meet a substitute below your rank.
sheesh
The Presidential Entourage (USA JUNKET):
Gloria and FG
10 cabinet secretaries
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago
59(Fifty Nine) congressmen of the Responsive House of the People :
(With travel authority)
1)Speaker Nograles
2)Dep.Speaker Raul Del Mar
3)Dep.Speaker Amelita Villarosa(Mindoro)Typhoon-affected
4)Mikey Arroyo
5)Dato Arroyo
6)A.Gonzales Jr.(Pampanga)
7)Junie Cua(Quirino)
8)Marc Cagas(Davao delSur)
9)Y.Emano(Misamis Oriental)
10)Anton Lagdameo(Davao del Norte)
11)R.Mercado(S.Leyte)
12)Danilo Suarez(Quezon)
13)William Tieng(Buhay)
14)Jose Zubiri III (Bukidnon)
15)Rommel Amatong(Compostela Valley)
16)Rex Gatchalian(Valenzuela)
17)N.Dayanhirang(Davao Oriental)
18)Rizalina Lanete(Masbate):Typhoon affected
19)Rachel Arenas(Pangasinan)
20)Monico Puentevella(Chair,House Transportation Committee)
21)H.Ramiro(Misamis Oriental)
22)Albert Garcia(Bataan)
23)Joseph Violago(Nueva Ecija)
24)Munir Arbison(Sulu)
25)Narciso Santiago Jr.(party-list);son of Senator Miriam
26)Bienvenido Abante (Manila)
27)T.Coquilla(EasternSamar):Typhoon affected
28)Andres Salvacion (Leyte):Typhoon affected
29)Martin Romualdez(Leyte):Typhoon affected
30)Trinidad Apostol(Leyte):Typhoon affected
31)Antonio Diaz(Zambales):Typhoon affected
32)Antonio Cuenco(Cebu)
33)Eduardo Gullas(Cebu)
34)Ana Bondoc(Pampanga)
35)Amado Bagatsing(Manila)
36)Nanette Daza(QC)
37)Mary Ann Susano(QC)
38)Elpidio BarzagaJr. (Cavite)
39)Marc Mendoza(Batangas)
40)Rozzano Rufino Biazon (Muntinlupa),son of Senator Biazon
41)Conrado Estrella(Pangasinan)
42)Exequiel Javier(Antique):Typhoon affected
43)Mitzi Cajayon(Caloocan)
AND 16 Other Congressmen traveling with presidential party.
@ Equalizer
No matter how objective one tries to look at it, the list is loonnngggggg!!! Are they mostly Kampi or Lakas?
Payback time for ousting Jose De Venecia?
mikel
“SHE’S THE PRESIDENT. malas ninyo.”
Sinabi mo pa. Malas talaga. At least you admit it. Malas kami talaga dahil siya ang presidente.
Cat,
“It would be nice to personally thank Bush and the US Senate for the Veterans Bill, but there’s a calamity back home. They will understand.”
They will understand. Not you obviously because your priorities are different.
Ngeoowwww!
Cat,
“That’s according to my former boss.”
versus “I have seen”
At this point, PGMA could still make a strong gesture of sympathy for the victims of typhoon Frank. She should return to the Philippines ASAP and be with the victims of Frank. Let DFA Secretary Romulo host the “wine-and-dine” event for Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s campaign for the International Court of Justice.
The astute politican that she is, she must realize that any foreign policy initiative is just an extension of domestic priorities.
Cat,
you’re in good company.
“The visit of the President has been scheduled and when the President left, the situation as far as the typhoon is concerned, was still in its development stage. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A STORM IN THE PHILIPPINES†– Eduardo Ermita
“Well, the President’s trip was long scheduled. The storm called Frank had no scheduled arrival.â€Â- Prospero Nograles
In 2007, Gloria Arroyo’s foreign and domestic travels totaled P588.5 million and P34.1 million, respectively, according to the Commission on Audit (COA)’s report on the 2007 financial transactions of Malacañang.
Grabe naman yang listahan ng junketeers. It really is long. 59 tongressman!!!!!! shet!
What bilateral agreements did they sign while spending our tax in the USA?
Maybe it’s time we do something concrete to stop the madness, I meant not just the usual feel good charity but hold those responsible criminally liable.
Corruption kills and it is sooo obvious that Sulpicio Lines’ “special relationship” with whoever sits by the stinking Pasig river allows them to continuously float this mass graveyard of the sea. They have the worse record in the maritime disaster in the world with the sinking of Dona Paz dwarfing the memorialized in stage and film Titanic sending 4,375 people to their deaths.
mikel on, “your continued insistence about the powerless lame duck presidency of bush & arroyo reveals how ignorant you are….bush has the power to command allies in congress for support”.
Wrong. Bush is lame duck. Bush vetoed the Farm Bill. The House voted 316 to 108 to override the Bush’s veto with 100 Republicans siding with the Democrats. Now it speaks of your own ignorance and not of the very resourceful MLQ3.
“The principal purpose of agriculture policy in the United States is to guarantee we’re not as dependent on other countries for our food as we are for our fuel,” declared House Republican Conference Chairman Adam H. Putnam. Makes a lot of sense. No wonder the Philippines inflicted its own rice-crises-injury as it has been world top rice importer since Arroyo became Senator until she is the President of a country where more than 60% of the land is agricultural. Malas ang Pilipinas!
“…One senior congressman expressed the view that so many were invited to join the US trip as part of GMA’s campaign to assure support for her next Cha-cha move.” – former Senator Maceda
http://www.tribune.net.ph/commentary/20080626com4.html
Manny Pacquiao or Cha-cha?
Anyway you look at it, Booooo!!! Mga walang hiya!
PSimeon on, “But I agree with mlq3, Bill Esposo’s conspiracy theory is too much of a stretch.”
Certain past events can hardly be ignored either.
1. Arroyo flip-flopped on coalition of willing in Iraq’s war and US then mentioned there is always consequences.
2. Shift of major contracts to China especially broadband risks US information.
3. Before the NBN deal was full blown and later scuttled, Ambassador Kenney expressed US concern in the view that there were 2 superior contracts both with US or European companies.
4. US set-up its base within base in Southern Mindanao.
5. Senator Pimentel questioned DFA and stressed the importance that Ambassador Kenney should obtain clearance before talking with MILF, a rebel group with ties to US enemy. The Ambassador along with 5 American officials held talks with MILF in Feb 2008.
you believe in that presidential veto/ veto override stuff?
they are all lame ducks, they are controlled by lobbyists
they might have overrode the veto. the bill could have been chopped chopped already to to defeat its purpose…….
as usual mistakes…should have said overriden the veto ,a ewan
let me check wikipedia baka chumaba ako.
However, the veto override is likely to be moot, as a 34-page section of the bill was omitted in the version sent to the White House. In effect, the President vetoed a bill Congress never considered. It is likely that the bill will have to be re-passed by Congress. [7] A similar situation occurred in 2005 with the Deficit Reduction Act, where in the enrolling process certain mistakes were made changing the text of the bill. In that case, the bill was considered to be law even with the mistakes since the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate attested that the language sent to the President was indeed the text that was passed by Congress.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_U.S._Farm_Bill
erase the lobbyists conspiracy fact for a while.
Tanong ko lang sa mga fil ams di ba sabay election ng presidente at congress
what control of congress beyond tenure are we talking about?
conspiracy theories:
kinausap nya si obama para makiusap na wag ipatanggal ang mga call center dito.
an article /blog before the democrats dominated us congress.
http://www.sourcingmag.com/blog/archive/outsourcing_will_it_be_affected_by_democrats_win.html
Outsourcing: Will it be affected by Democrats Win?
The Democrats have won in the recent US elections. Is this a cause for worry for the Indian IT enabled services (ITES) industry? In the run up to the US Presidential elections in 2004, there was a lot of anti-outsourcing slogans doing the rounds. The Democrats did also bring about certain legislation against outsourcing of federal work.
The Indian ITES industry seems unruffled at the turn of events, and they have good reasons to be so. They feel that India has established itself as a major outsourcing hub; cost and economic benefits would be a priority over political changes. Experts say that earlier legislation by the Democrats were the outcome of the employment situation at that time.
Though there would be a renewed debate on the issue in Congress and the topic would be a much discussed one, nothing is expected to be tabled. The Indian ITES industry is also expected to gear up with some hectic lobbying on Capitol Hill.
erase the question about election, may mid term exam este election nga pala
employment situation at that time? ano pa kaya ngayon?
legislation against outsourcing can be found here.
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/employ/outsourcing05.htm
can we afford to be as confident as India on this issue?
confidence lang pala, closeup lang ang katapat nyan
(pun intended)
I had experienced being booted out of the classroom and suffer from losing my lunch break because we have to line up along Roxas Blvd. to welcome Imelda from her trip abroad.
The former boss merely confirmed what I have read from Conjugal Dictatorship, Imelda, the Steel Butterfly and Waltzing with a Dictator.
Even an ordinary mortal would know that. Even us non government corporate slaves in the US schedule our vacations, appointments and time-offs one year or quarters ahead.
If you do not remember, there is a such a word as planning.
Cat,
“Well the people need a hug. Sheesh.”
I know. Why even bother going to funerals, why visit the sick? Ngeeoooow
Cat,
“If you do not remember, there is a such a word as planning.”
I know.If you had a vacation planned and the night before your kid gets in a terrible accident you will go on your vacation anyway. You can always attend to your kid when you come back from vacation.I mean plans are plans, right? We can’t the unplanned spoil things, right?
Ngeeeeoooow!
Poor Cat she missed her lunch break and now she can’t see any humanity in the woman who stole her lunch. Ngeeeow
The Cat,
no use discussing with people who look at everything with ‘Hello Garci’ lens
Gloria Arroyo ‘fiddles as Rome burns’
GLORIA Arroyo is being scorned for acting like an emperor in the dying days of Rome, after she refused to cancel her “extravagant junket” to the US despite the devastation wrought by Typhoon Fengsheng.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23922139-2703,00.html
anthony scalia,
Nothing to do with Garci. Just reminding GMA about pakikiramay. It’s expected of all leaders.
If you cannot see it, you never will. But try this – If you suffer a tragedy in your immediate family instead of personally visiting just send a condolence card or communicate your grief via Skype, Tell them you wish you were ther but you can’t because you had other plans while the tragedy was unplanned. Your grieving relatives will probably be able to explain to you what I can’t.
Official White House Press Release
PRESIDENT BUSH: Madam President, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Oval Office. We have just had a very constructive dialogue. First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that — in which there’s a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the — of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)
President George W. Bush welcomes President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Republic of the Philippines to the Oval Office Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at the White House. The President expressed deep condolences for those affected by Typhoon Fengshen saying, “We, the American people, care about the human suffering that’s taking place, and we send our prayers.” White House photo by Eric Draper PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.
PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080624.html
ang alam ko halos lahat na “employers” sa Amerika o kahit sa Pilipinas pag emerhensa, walang Plano, Plano kong gusto mo Umuwi pag magkasakit o may nay namatay sa pamilya. Kung minsan, bigyan ka pa nang paba-0N.
Ang situwasyon sa Pilipinas ay tinatawag na Extreme Emergency, na kahit na sin-ong Leader mayro-ong “prerogative” na cancelahen ang anumang arranged engagement bago mangyayari. ayon ay sanasabi nang manga supporter nang ating Presidente “prerogatives”.
‘The Armenian government let in foreign aid workers to help with the recovery in the earthquake’s aftermath, and this was one of the first cases when rescue and relief workers from other countries were allowed to take part in relief works in the Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev, on a visit to the United States, cut his trip short and went directly to Armenia to visit the quake-affected areas.’
‘U.S PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON WILL HAVE TO CANCEL OR REARRANGE IMPORTANT PARTS OF HIS VISIT TO JAPAN THIS WEEKEND, BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES. HIS TRIP, INITIALLY PLANNED FROM NOVEMBER 17 TO 21, HAS BEEN CUT TO NOVEMBER 18 TO THE 20. THIS MEANS HE’LL HAVE TO REARRANGE OR CANCEL HIS PLANNED MEETING WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN.’
‘Ms. Tosayaporn Nitya, an official from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman Bureau confirmed with Xinhua that the Thai prime minister decided to cancel the trip to China Tuesday morning, as he does not want to bother the Chinese government which will be busy with handling disaster relief work after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Sichuan Province on Monday in southwestern China and caused vibration throughout many other provinces in the country and even beyond its border, leaving nearly 10,000 people dead by now.’
GMA — not running for re-election anytime anywhere.
VP de Castro — visible. Now where is Mar Roxas??????
“Nothing to do with Garci. Just reminding GMA about pakikiramay. It’s expected of all leaders.”
right