tenth planet discovered!

Read more about it here.

damn.

UP just lost to Ateneo.
'nuff said.

state of a nation divided

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address in a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa yesterday afternoon. Unlike her previous SONAs, this one was concise and straight to the point. Instead of the usual 'long list of accomplishments' (though she did mention quite a few of her achievements), President Arroyo cut straight to the chase.

Our political system has degenerated to the extent that it has become impossible for anyone to make any headway yet keep his hands clean. Perhaps we have strained the present political system to its final limit.

She acknowledged the failings of our current political system and its implications on the growth of our nation. To solve this problem, she called for a Constitutional Assembly which will change our current presidential-unitary system to a parliamentary-federal system.

It is time to start the great debate on charter change.

Charter change, an issue that has been around since former President Fidel V. Ramos' administration, calls for the amendment of the Constitution through either the aforementioned Constitutional Assembly, where Congress is turned into a "constituent body exercising special power to formulate a new constitution or propose amendments to the constitution", or through a Constitutional Convention, where the people elect delegates that will form a body which will either amend the existing Constitution or frame an entirely new Constitution.

The major amendments to the Constitution suggested by those who support charter change include a shift from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary system, and a reorganization of the country into a federal republic.

A parliamentary system of government is characterized by the fusion of the executive and legislative bodies of a presidential system into one body called a 'parliament'. Members of Parliament elect a Prime Minister, who serves as the head of the government. There may also be a president, but he/she would only be holding a 'ceremonial' position. The obvious difference from our current system is that the head of state is no longer elected by the people, but by the representatives of the people. Another difference is the removal of the 'checks and balances' of the presidential system, where the separate executive and legislative bodies serves as a check to either bodies' initiatives.

Federalism is a system of government that unites independent states within a larger political framework, but still allows each state to maintain its own political integrity. It is a shift from the centralized government we have today, where all decisions filter down from the center of power. Federalism allows the individual states to have their own laws and gives local government a greater autonomy in managing their constituents. The state governments would also be able to tailor their policies to better serve their state, allowing more efficient allocation of resources and development of local economic centers. The people will also be able to participate more in government, as power has been devolved to units closer to the people. Federalism also allows the central or federal government to focus on issues of national importance, removing the need for the national government to micromanage local issues.

(For more information see the Institute for Popular Democracy's Primer on Charter Change and the Newsbreak article "A New Order")

However, one can question the timing of the proposed charter change. Is this an administration ploy to appease the legislators who may in the near future vote to impeach President Arroyo? Is it a last-ditch attempt to save an embattled President who has barely survived numerous consecutive scandals that have threatened to destroy her presidency? But more importantly, is the country really ready for charter change?

Granted, the country does need a systemic change to clear out the roots of the problems plaguing the nation. I am still a bit skeptical of parliamentarism, but I believe that federalism will do great wonders for our country, as it holds great potential for solving the problems in Mindanao for it will allow the Muslims greater autonomy, and it will also help boost our weakened economy. However, with the current political climate and the massive number of problems that need immediate attention, is this really the right time to be talking about charter change? More to the point, is the country stable enough to allow the constitutional assembly proposed by President Arroyo?

I don't think so. Our politicians today are, how can I say it, not trustworthy enough to be allowed to draft a new Constitution. With the prevalence of corruption among the ranks of our esteemed legislators, and their tendency to place self interest before national interest, I believe that a Constitutional Assembly is too risky a means for constitutional change. Our country is also plagued by socio-economic problems such as the diminishing quality of education and the weakening of our healthcare due to the exodus of qualified teachers, doctors, and nurses from our country and the lack of funds due to a budget that prioritizes debt servicing (94% of the national budget) above the needs of the people. Before we even consider putting government on hold for a charter change, we should first stabilize the country and attend to the needs of the people.

Then and only then can we start the 'great debate on charter change'.

joke time

ANOTHER tape???!

First there were the 'Gloria tapes', now we have the 'X-tapes'? Governor Chavit Singson's new expose, however, looked like a ploy to distract the people from the controversy now hounding President Arroyo. Those tapes allegedly contain conversations between former President Joseph Estrada and a retired chief of staff of the Armed Forces, where they discussed the 2004 elections. However, in the last part of the tapes they start talking about destabilizing the government and assassinating key political figures. This is where the problem starts. Governor Singson claims that his tapes were part of the 'mother of all tapes' held by Samuel Ong, yet the destabilization plot could not have been planned when the elections had not even been concluded yet. Another problem with the 'X-tapes' is that even though the first parts seem authentic, the last part seems fabricated since the conversation suddenly clears up, like it was recorded at a studio. The so-called voice of former president Estrada also sounds like it was spliced from recordings of his voice. There is no consistency in the conversation, it sounded like it was cut and pasted. In a story posted at the PCIJ's blog site, it is said that the makers of the tapes "could have done a better job by getting professional advice from one of the music pirates at Makati Cinema Square..." What a joke.

Sentiments of the "Filipino people"

In interviews and talk shows we hear the opposition say that "according to the surveys the majority of Filipinos don't trust President Arroyo". What a joke. 'Majority of Filipinos'? Maybe a majority of Metro Manila residents. The recent survey that the opposition proudly announced to the country was only taken here in Metro Manila. No survey was taken in Baguio. No respondents from Cebu. None from Iloilo. Zero from Zamboanga. Manila is not the Philippines, the Philippines is not Manila. So before we all go jumping to the conclusion that the entire nation distrusts President Arroyo, maybe we should find out first where our information comes from.

Supreme sacrifice

A lot of groups are now calling on President Arroyo to resign because of the wiretapping and jueteng controversies. Her former allies, most notably former President Corazon Aquino and Senate President Franklin Drilon, and her former economic team, have asked her to make the 'supreme sacrifice' for the good of the nation. Have they lost their minds? If President Arroyo resigns, who will take her place?

Former President Joseph Estrada? Sure, we booted him out in EDSA 2 for corruption and now we restore him to power?

Actress Susan Roces? Wow. We would finally and truly become a 'showbiz republic'. Who's going to be the Vice President? Willie Revillame?

A military junta? Say goodbye to our (pretend) democracy!

What the opposition and the people calling for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation seem to not understand (or choose to ignore) is that there is virtually no one who can step up and replace President Arroyo. Take her out of play and you will get a power vacuum wherein everyone would try and grab the power and position vacated by President Arroyo. The opposition may be united now, but wait 'til that time comes and you would see them crumble into squabbling factions vying for the highest position in the land. And keep in mind that President Arroyo has not even been proven guilty of the accusations leveled at her. Should we have her resign on the basis of unauthenticated wiretapped conversations that came from former Senator Kit Tatad? What a joke. We should follow the due process of law if we really want a change of leadership. That's why we have that piece of paper called the Constitution. We must not repeat the same mistake we made in 2001. EDSA 2 was a very big mistake. We were all swept by events, and in the process we showed our political immaturity. If this happens again, what would happen in the future? When we tire of our leaders would we just go out in the streets and shout at the top of our lungs? That is not democracy. That is anarchy. Mob rule. We would be forever gripped by anarchy, for this mindset will be inherited by future generations who see that they only need to swarm en masse into the streets to remove a president that they don't agree with or a government that imposed a 1 peso increase in text messaging costs. We now stand at a crossroads in our history. We have to make a choice. Let as make the rational choice, and not push for President Arroyo's immediate resignation. Let us make the intelligent choice, and not repeat the mistakes of the past. Let us think of the future, and show that we have indeed grown up as a nation, and follow the due process of the law.

read this!

Found this while surfing the 'net:
Walang Kwenta Ang Pilipinas (Daw)

All I can say is... wow... I agree with everything this guy said!

anger management

A column of red ants marches in the dimming light towards a dead lizard. Their comrades had already begun to tear at the flesh of the lifeless reptile, and they were there to carry the food back to their nest.
Nakakainis talaga. Ang tanga tanga ko. Multiple choice na nga yung exam binagsak ko pa!

Suddenly, a green bottle appears, tipping over and drenching the ant column in alcohol. The ants panic and break away from their formation, but the flood of alcohol stings at their bodies and keeps them from going far.

Isipin mo ba naman, 12 over 20! Nakakairita talaga! Buti nalang quiz lang yun, at pasado naman ako e, 50% naman nung highest score daw yung passing. Eh 19 lang yung highest...

The alcohol drenches the entirety of the ant column. Hundreds of ants are now wading through the stinging liquid when suddenly, a light flickers in the darkness...

Bakit ba ang iinit ng ulo niyo? Bakit ba ang susungit niyo? Minsan na nga lang tayo magkita e...

A fireball blazes in the sky; molten plastic from the burning cotton swab drops in the middle of the alcohol lake and explodes. A wall of blue flame sweeps over the hapless ants and incinerates them where they stand.

Dami namang problema... Nakakainis talaga! Bakit ba ganito? Bakit ba ganyan? Di ko talaga maintindihan!!!

Whoosh. Crackle. Pop. The sound of the burning ants fills the air. Not one survived the fireball; all were turned into blackened, crispy, twisted carcasses. But that ant column came from somewhere...

Nalulungkot talaga ako ngayon. Depressed ba? Di naman siguro. Weirdo lang siguro ako. Wala akong sinabihan pero muntikan na akong mapaiyak kanina. Nahawa ba ako sa kanila? Di naman siguro... sana...

Thunder. Whistling. Boom! Crash! Kaboom! Kablam! Artillery pounds the hill that contains the ant nest. Rocks fly through the air, crashing into the soft earth and sand.

Haaay, buhay talaga... May klase pa nga pala ako, pero leche! Lagi nalang late prof ko! 1:00 ang klase, 1:20 darating! Kainis!

A metal-tipped umbrella slams into the soil, piercing into the bowels of the colony. Tunnels collapse and chambers crumble. But the entire colony sallies forth, thousands swarm out of the devastated ant hill.

Isa pang mabagal... Ano ba yan! Tatlumpung minuto na akong nakatayo dito, wala pang jeep! Puro Toki at Ikot, walang Katipunan! Aaaargh!!!!!

Thousands of ants emerge into the surface; a red horde bent on revenge. But the green bottle appears once again, pouring alcohol on the seething red mass crawling on the ground. The ants try to scatter, sensing the impending doom. Too late.

Traffic?! Nakakainis na talaga! Ang tatanga naman kasi ng mga lecheng ito e! Diretso ng diretso, walang nagbibigayan! Busina ng busina, harurot ng harurot! Punong puno ng usok ang mainit na hangin; mahirap huminga, mahirap mag-isip!

Again the fireball falls. Again the blue flames burn. Genocide. Thousands of ants now lie dead on the ground. Scorched earth. Even the bushes nearby are scarred by the heat of the flames. The few survivors flee into the dark grass, refugees from the holocaust perpetuated by a sadistic madman.

Sa wakas, nakauwi narin. Tapos na ang araw na ito. Pahinga na. Relax na. Tama na ang pag-iisip. Magpalamig na ng ulo. Makalabas nga sa hardin, marami nga palang langgam doon...

day of rest...

It's been a very hectic month for me. I feel like I'm about to keel over and die from exhaustion. Who knew that four subjects could generate so much pressure? Who knew that I would end up missing Math 17? Hehehehehe... Seems like the only respite I get from the brutal mental sweatshop is, well, today. Well of course there are weekends, but it is only on a Wednesday when I get to sleep up until 12 noon without anyone banging on my door demanding that I get dressed for church or for a party. It is only on a Wednesday that I am free from my cute little crazy sister (at least until she gets home from school), and it is only on a Wednesday that I can sleepily emerge from my sanctuary wearing tattered clothes and sporting an electrified look without fear of colliding with a horde of relatives or with my sister's friends. Finally, it is only on a Wednesday that I have total and complete control over the computer, so I can "study" my "lessons" (sure...) in tranquility. Wednesdays for me are an oasis in the middle of a hot, unforgiving desert; a welcome retreat from the rigors of academic life... Yes, Wednesdays are made for crazy handsome fools like me.

failed gamble?

Thoughts on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's statement to the nation

Mga minamahal kong kababayan.
For the last several weeks, the issue of the tape recordings has spun out of control. Tonight, I want to set the record straight. You deserve an explanation from me, because you are the people I was elected to serve.
At last, President Arroyo breaks her silence on the wiretapping scandal. For 22 days she refused to comment on the tapes allegedly containing wiretapped conversations between the President and Comelec commissioner Garcilliano, now she appears on national television to address the issue.

As you recall, the election canvassing process was unnecessarily slow even after the election results were already in and the votes had been counted.
I was anxious to protect my votes and during that time had conversations with many people, including a Comelec official.
So, she admits to speaking with a Comelec official, but does that confirm that it was her voice on the tapes? A lot of people seem to think so.

My intent was not to influence the outcome of the election, and it did not. As I mentioned, the election has already been decided and the votes counted. And as you remember, the outcome had been predicted by every major public opinion poll, and adjudged free, fair and decisive by international election observers, and our own Namfrel.
If it was indeed her voice on the tapes, this would be false, as the wiretapped conversations took place while votes were still being counted in Mindanao. These places were mentioned in the tapes, along with assurances from "Garci" that President Arroyo would still lead in the polls.

That said, let me tell you how I personally feel. I recognize that making any such call was a lapse in judgment.
Lapse in judgment? How can that be if the tapes showed that she called Commissioner Garcilliano at least 14 times? And if the alleged conversations really took place, why did she not do something about Commissioner Garcilliano's "assurances" that she would win the election?

I am sorry.
Her apology, delivered in a robotic voice and with blank eyes, looked forced and insincere; although speaking live to a confused and mostly angry populace and saying "I am sorry" does take a lot of guts.

I also regret taking so long to speak before you on this matter. I take full responsibility for my actions and to you and to all those good citizens who may have had their faith shaken by these events. I want to assure you that I have redoubled my efforts to serve the nation and earn your trust.
We'll see about that.

Nagagambala ako. Maliwanag na may kakulangan sa wastong pagpapasya ang nangyaring pagtawag sa telepono. Pinagsisisihan ko ito nang lubos. Pinananagutan ko nang lubusan ang aking ginawa, at humihingi ako ng tawad sa inyo, sa lahat ng mga butihing mamamayan na nabawasan ng tiwala dahil sa mga pangyayaring ito. Ibig kong tiyakin sa inyo na lalo pa akong magsisikap upang maglingkod sa bayan at matamo ang inyong tiwala.
I think that she has her work cut out for her. Scandal after scandal has destroyed or at least shaken the people's trust in her. Her unpopular fiscal measures have done nothing to raise her popularity. A president can govern effectively only if he/she has the trust of the people.

I took office with a mandate to carry out a plan for the nation.
That remains open to debate, as the tapes cast doubts on her victory in last year's election.

Since that time, I have focused on making the tough but necessary decisions to make up for years of economic neglect. We passed a comprehensive, fiscally responsible national budget; raised new and necessary revenues to invest in the people; and implemented new anti-corruption measures that have led to the highest collection of taxes in history.
The expanded value added tax took effect today and my wallet took a very hard hit. Let's just hope that those "new and necessary revenues" are really used to invest in the people.
However, her anti-corruption measures leave a lot to be desired.

Nothing should stand in the way of this work, or the next phase of my reform agenda, which includes new investments in education and social services with our new revenues; and an expansion of our successful, anti-corruption and lifestyle checks.
Again, let's hope that that does happen, and that the revenues taken would not land in their pockets.

That is why I want to close this chapter and move on with the business of governing.
Unfortunately most of the people don't want to "close this chapter"; a lot of the articles in the newspapers, a lot of people interviewed on TV, a lot of threads in websites, and of course the political opposition, show unwillingness to just forget this issue.

I ask each and everyone of you to join hands with me in a show of unity, to help forge one Philippines, where everyone is equal under the law, and everybody has the opportunity to use their God-given talents to make a better life.
You wish. With the prevailing mindset among our people, that would remain an idealistic dream. If only we can change that...

Our nation is strong and getting stronger.
Oops. If the recent events show anything, our nation is getting weaker and weaker due to the division of its people and the rampant corruption in its government.

The progress is steady and I ask you to walk with me on this journey to rebuild our great nation. I remain your humble servant and promise you that I will fulfill my constitutional oath of office to serve the people to the best of my ability.
I hope she keeps this promise, given that she broke her previous promises...

God bless the Philippines.
I couldn't have said it better myself.