Corruption (And Everything Else) In The Philippines?

I understand that Corruption (the country’s Big C) is a big issue in the Philippines, especially as of late.

What I do not understand though is the seeming blindness of certain Filipinos about all this considering some of the very people who cry the loudest against corruption there are the same one who benefit (directly or undirectly) from these practices. And worse the very same ones who cry the loudest are the very same ones who absolutely do nothing about it.

Also what I do not understand is how this same group of people would vote in the same “corrupt” people into public office and believe things would change or that these people wouldn’t be corrupt and bite them back  and that they aren’t to blame for that (this one cracks me up).

[I know I am not a very “understanding” person]

Lastly, I shiver in the thought that people who are pointing a finger at a corrupt public official aren’t really squeaky clean themselves or are more “corrupt” themselves… [shaking in my boots here]

I know…

And this brings into remembrance what President Noynoy Aquino has once said…

 “Walang lamangan, walang padrino at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong. Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap. Hindi lamang ito pang slogan o pang poster, ito ang mga prinsipyong tinatayuan at nagsisilbing batayan ng ating administrasyon.”

[I’ll try to translate that into English as best as I can…”No selfish interests, no (illegal/immoral) leveraging and no stealing (from the government coffers). No illegal sirens (on vehicles), no driving on the wrong side of the road, no bribes . If there is no corruption, there will be no poor people. This is not a slogan or for posters (publicity) but this is the principle that our administration will build and stand on .” President PNOY]

And so we go back to why corruption and other illegal activities in the Philippines are in the spotlight (as it should be). But people, do not be deceived. Corruption and all those things happen all over the world, yes even in the most advanced and the “richer” countries (often even worse).

And it is not that hard to find these information out as almost everything is at our own reach because of the current technology.

But guess what, it just dawned on me that, maybe, just maybe the Philippines really needed somebody like President Noynoy Aquino to be president at this present time just for the single reason of finally exposing these ills in Philippine politics and society.

I know that you may say that “exposing” is not the right term as this kind of things are public knowledge anyway. But rather somebody “clean” or perceived to be clean is just the right person to be elected to have a presidency wherein corruption and all it’s related ills can finally be placed in the forefront and finally tackled headon.

I asked this on the public forum Yahoo Answers Philippines.

Click here if you care to put in your two cents worth.

[And just me thinking out aloud again, two US cents are worth about One Philippine Peso and I am guessing it is good enough to buy a cheap hard local candy off a street vendor… enjoy]

The 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Presidents of the Republic of the Philippines

Photo embedded from: holaa_802_3rd_flickr _account

The (current and) 15th President

Miss Universe 2010

Ms. Philippines Answering Her Question for the Ms. Universe Beauty Pageant 2010, held in Las Vegas Nevada

Okay, I read somewhere that this year’s edition of the  Miss Universe Beauty Pageant was one of the toughest to judge as there were a lot of very beautiful contestants to choose from.

And once again, Miss Philippines was among the top picks in the preliminary phase and even on the night of the pageant itself.

And rightly so as she went on to go to the Top 15 (chosen last) and into the semifinals (top 10). And then ultimately into the Top 5 Finalists (again chosen last).

And as they say time and time again, it boils down to the question and answer portion.

And this year’s edition would probably be remembered as the year the crown slipped away from the Philippines, on the last and final answer of the night.

This could have made the country a three-time winner of this world pageant joining only four other countries with 3 or more winners. (Sweden, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and the USA).

Now with still two crowns, the Philippines is still in the Top 15 or so countries in the world with two or more winners. But the last one was won in 1973 (or 37 years ago) and this could have been the year. Anyway, there is always next year. Curses, foiled again…

At any rate Miss Philippines’ answer in the final round is now the talk-of-the-town and of the beauty-world so to speak. And it is also abuzz in all the social networking sites.

And this is the same in online forums all over the web. Here’s one from the many discussions in Yahoo Answers:

What big mistake have you committed in your life and what have you done about it?

that one I answered and got the Best Answer…

And so that how it is on this Miss Universe crazy country in the Far East.

It’s the Start of Summer Vacation In the U.S. But It’s the Start of School At The Other Side of the Pacific

That is correct.

Summer vacation has just started or is just about to start for kids in the U.S.A. and graduations and graduation parties are being celebrated left and right.

While at the other side of the Pacific Ocean in the Islands of the Philippines, summer vacation has just ended and School has just started.

Talk about opposites and even though the Philippine Public School System is almost entirely patterned and it was started by the Americans from the American Public School System back at the start of the 20th Century.

Indeed, the good thing is that for kids migrating or moving to the U.S. from the Philippines, this setup is just perfect.

Imagine, school ends in the Philippines during their summer season around March and then it extends to April then May and part of June when classes then resumes. So anybody wanting to migrate to the U.S. can do so right after their school ends or even right after summer ends there and when they arrive in the U.S. there it is still summer vacation, extending to July, August and part of September. Woohoo.

My brother’s kids found that out some ten years ago when they migrated from the Philippines to the U.S.A. around June or July of that year.

Now, the bad thing is that anybody moving from the U.S.A. to the Philippines, if they go there right after classes end in June, then move to the Philippines, they will soon find out that they will have NO SUMMER VACATION. And they will be back to school almost the same day their plane lands there. LOL. Also as a lot of kids have found out.

Any which way, welcome back to school to the kids in the Philippines and welcome summer fun to the kids in the U.S. of A.

Philippine May Day of 2010

MAY DAY!  MAY DAY!

Ready or not the Philippine National Elections of May 2010 will be over and done within a few more days.

But for the candidates and their politcal parties, families, friends and supporters, these last few days will be the last two minutes of what could be a tightly fought game 7 of an NBA Playoff or Finals.  Or for some, it could be a blow-out game and they are just counting down the seconds waiting for the final buzzer.

Any which way, I still believe, that it will be the Filipino people and the Filipino nation as a whole who will be the real winners as this could very well be among the cleanest elections if not the country’s cleanest elections ever.  Of course it should be the fastest counted (I hope).  And of course this should be the most expensive elections ever, just ask the Comelec, the Nacionalista and the Liberal Parties.

So to all Filipinos, go out and vote on May 10, 2010! Vote wisely! And while you’re at it, be vigilant and safeguard your vote.

God bless.

SJT45STEVPFF

Automated Elections

I found this website which in English translates to New Voter:

http://www.bagongbotante.ph/

And ready or not, the Philippines will be holding it’s first Nationwide Fully Automated Elections in just a few weeks. Yes as in welcome to the Digital Age (finally).

You know for many years, I was kind of hesitant to admit and tell other people that back in our home country (in this day and age) we still vote using pen and paper (which of course is not really the issue) and we still count the votes manually. Yes, as in one person reading each vote from each ballot, and somebody else writing in chalk tabulates it at the black (but color green) board behind them. Okay, maybe some of them have upgraded to white board markers writing on white boards but that’s still basically the same system.

Now after all the ballots have been read off without mistakes and hopefully tabulated corrected then it is tallied by hand again and also hopefully accurately, all these done within the same voting day, yes even if it takes them all night and in many instances it had and yes even in candle light or flashlights for also in many instances blackouts or power outages occur during vote counting time.

And this long tedious process is repeated in all the tens of thousands of voting precints all over the country’s 7,100 islands  and then the totals are written down (of course by hand again) and then signed, sealed and delivered to the House of Representatives if I am not mistaken. And again it is recounted manually as mandated by law, well because there is just no other way I guess because of the inherent limitations of the system which might have worked or was the only way to do it back in the 1950s even up to the 1970s but have since been obviously out of date since then.

And all these takes months of counting and tabulating in most cases of course. Quick counts have been in use though, using computers, the internet and other electronic coomunication devices I believe since the 1980s but that is of course are not authorized results.

Going back to that site, in it there is nice section called:

http://www.ibanangayon.ph/

Translated that will be Now It’s Different.

And it better be. For we as a nation have tried for decades to fix the unmistakeably flawed or flaws in the Electoral Process, and this should be a start to doing just that and more.

Now if only the majority of the people will cooperate and make this work, this time and everytime.  Otherwise, the few strong ones who have held out losing their hope for the country will probably start joining the many who have started losing all hope since the late 1960s.

So to all the eligible voting Filipinos, I tell you do not lose hope and to vote and safeguard it wisely.

Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

Election Time

I know this is late, but still being fashionably late is a Filipino virtue.

“Ika nga, Filipino time.”

Anyway, better late than never I always say, I haven’t been back in this place in a looong time, but here I am & there you are so that’s all we need. Let’s just exchange ideas & hang out for a while.

Anyway, I’m guessing back in the home country, people are just abuzz with the Election Fever & back there we just love this season, where paper litter the streets, posters abound everywhere, political ads dominate the airwaves, tv commercials & even movie theaters. Political caravans travel dusty towns where they only see politicians every election time, stage shows with showbiz stars introduce the candidates and of course the tons & tons of giveaways, be it cash, candies or anything in kind.

I do hope something changes though & that most people would stop electing the same people (if not the same kind of people) they have voted for time & time again and who they know have done nothing & worse who even have corruption issues all over their heads for all these years.

Wake up Filipino People!

I just recently watched this Sexbomb video regarding the upcoming automated elections, and I just want to share with you guys… enjoy & vote wisely everyone!

Mabuhay…

http://ph.promo.yahoo.com/purple-thumb/editors-log-article?blogid=editors_log&postid=46&viewPost=1

First WordPress Blog Post

Yes, welcome back.

And you read right, this one would actually be my first WordPress post–the other one is actually an Introduction.

And the funny thing is that I wrote something before this that seemed to have vanished in the cyberspace air. But that was at Yahoo Profiles, so still this should be the First Post over here (in the new place, right).

And the even funnier thing is of all things & of all people, today I am very much inclined to write about the ongoing Willie Revillame fiasco (yes again). And from my instincts this could be something way too deep for even him to crawl up and out from.

If you know nothing about Willie or about Wowowee or their booboo regarding the live feed from the funeral march of the most beloved late ex-President of the Philippines, Madame Corazon Aquino, then I suggest that you let it stay that way as it could leave you with a sour taste in the mouth.

But if you are like most Filipinos or foreigners who are more Pinoy than real Pinoys, then I encourage you to read on & listen in as I once again think out aloud.

Okay, first thing off, have you ever found a live national tv show host anywhere in the world who upon finding a small live feed (of the funeral march of their own country’s ex-President) being aired in a tiny box simultaneously with his show who would say “live” on the air something to the effect… “Can you guys take that live feed out of my show?” But yes in the nicest way he can say it, of course, if there was even a nice way to do it.

And second, the network obliged and took off the tiny screen right after the “request” or the command if you may.

Remember the whole nation was in mourning for an ex-President. Remember it was only a one day (few hours) funeral march–and it is not everyday that a President of a nation dies. Remember the show was on everyday. Remember the live funeral feed was only on for a few minutes at a time.

And so again, have you seen that happen anywhere else? Or do you think that would ever happen elsewhere?

Yes, I know, I think this should be added to the long list of “Only In The Philippines”.

My thoughts?

Yes, I have a lot, so that is why I just want to get it off my head (& hopefully into yours,… Take it! Take it!).

First: TV Networks all over the world, show “live” the funeral of ex-Presidents or events of national importance such as this, all the time.

Second: TV Networks all over the world would even cancel or reschedule regular progamming to show the funeral march live.

Third: I have yet to see the gall of a tv show host “ask” his bosses to take away something “live” on the air which is first and foremost the prerogative & the call of the network in which the tv show host is working for & getting his paycheck.

Fourth: I have yet to see the network itself seem to cower in fear & obey the tv host.

Fifth: I rest my case. Before I start to have a big disrespect to my fellow Filipinos back home who still believe that a mere tv show host/personality could have the right or the privilege to do something like that & get away with it. And of course I also would like the network to do some explaining of this fiasco as well, as they are as much a part of all this.

Have a great day.

New Lease On Life – Entry for August 8, 2009

Hello to you, welcome to my (new) place.

This blog used to be housed over in Yahoo 360 for a few years. And in case you haven’t found out yet, all the Yahoo 360 bloggers were kicked out when Yahoo closed their 360 site sometime in July of this year. Yes just a few weeks ago.

I was vacationing in the Philippines when that happened. But prior to that Y360 made a way for all the 360 tenants to pack their stuff & move out. They mentioned WordPress and so I packed my bags and I went over here.

I wrote my blog a few days ago (at that time I tried doing it at Yahoo Profiles, another option 360 gave it’s previous inhabitants). It showed it posted, but when I went there today, actually yesterday as it is now past midnight, it was nowhere to be found.

I guess, I have a copy of that somewhere, if I do I’ll put that in right after this one.

Anyway, I just wanted to post this as an intro to everyone who might wander or wonder about this site.

And lastly this is also to welcome everyone (you included), and you are also welcome to leave your coments and what nots.

Mabuhay!

NOTE: I am a type as you think guy. So I type on the fly. Most times I think faster than I could type, so there would be times wherein you would find errors in spelling, grammar & problems/issues with what I wanted to say & what I actually typed in. Anyway, when I do have the time I come back & reread what I wrote & try to edit it. I know I should spellcheck & all that stuff but I guess at heart I am still a typewriter kind of a guy.

Can Filipinos Ever Unite For The Good of the Nation – Entry for June 25, 2009

Hello people, if you have been listening to my thinking out aloud sessions in here, you would be aware that I have not been back in the Philippines for over six years!!!

But not anymore, I’m now physically here in Metro Manila!!!

But I’m both happy & sad at the same time.

Shell-shocked is the better term.

As I was blown away by the number of new streets, flyovers, street works, street signs, roundabouts, u-turn slots, traffic enforcers, pedestrians, motorists, street vendors, billboards, malls, stores, buildings, housing & everything else (the high cost of some prices especially).

But overall I was really saddened at the way in which many of our fellow Filipinos have become almost anarchic in the way they cross the street and the way they drive & park their cars & go about their normal everyday thing.

I am almost tempted to think that most of them have already given up hope in being civilized because they assume that Filipinos are beyond hope.

But I beg to disagree!!!

Most of the Filipinos I have met overseas are a testament to this. Yes we can (to borrow that famous slogan).

Yes!

But who will spearhead it?

You & me & each one & all of us of course. We have to change our way of thinking & be convinced that we are world-class. We are!

People are people everywhere in the world. We are no worse than all of them.

In fact, we are better in a lot of aspects, but some of us just have not been exposed to the bad deeds & the evil ways of the other peoples of the world. OFWs, migrants & travellers overseas all know this & this huge group should of all people start to believe that yes we can.

Do you?

Sign of the Times – Entry for May 21, 2009

You’re up late. Or early, depending on where you are in the world.

But no matter, welcome.

And I’m up late too, it’s past midnight & I’m not that sleepy enough to go to bed yet.

So come in, make yourself at home as usual. No worries over here. Chill.

I was thinking out loud again as I just witnessed something weird & something which though I can easily explain logically, it still just boggles the mind, or my mind at least.

I am talking about the phenom of the Laundromats & who we normally see over there. Well anyway depending on the time of the day or night, the day of the week &/or the location we normally see different types of people inside a laundromat.

Well normally one expect to find females doing the laundry, it could college kids, it could be sisters, it could mom & daughter, it could daughter, mom & grandmom, it could be with the aunt & the females cousins. Or it could be a couple (female & male) or the whole family. Single males we do see on occasions.

But not on this particular day. You see I have not done the laundry in a while. But yesterday I was asked to do it & I had to do it. And so I went to this laundromat that I last went to, many months ago.

It was a weekday, it was morning, before noon. And when I got there the parking spaces were surprising empty. Well there was a shiny & new & red Jaguar but I never assumed it belonged to somebody doing the laundry over there. Well, come to think about it, I did not really assume all that much, as I know anything is possible in our place & I am just prayerfully thankful that the laundromat was not full.

And so I parked alongside the Jag & remembering I did not have any laundry detergent (of course) I walk to the adjacent store first & bought one, plus I bought a few things I would munch on. And then I went into the laundromat & saw it was deserted. I thought that’s strange I never remember it being this way. But then I was mistaken there was one guy inside, a male Hispanic who looked Thai or South East Asian to me. He was a short man & was about 5 or 10 years older than me.

Okay, so I did get change for the machines & loaded up three machines & was waiting for them to finish as I snack on a bagel & a drink. And then another male comes in, an older African American (Black) guy. He was about the same age as the first guy & again I thought nothing of it. But then I looked at the parking spaces outside & saw there were no additional cars there. And as the Black guy goes out, I saw that he went way into the next parking lot to get to his car. He parked way over there when there was a ton of parking spaces in front of the laundromat. I said to myself, “How strange.” But then I let go of that too.

Then a few minutes later, in comes a White guy. He was about my age or younger by a few years. And he was driving a newer model shiny silver two-door Mercedes. Now I said to myself. “This is weird”. For here we are in the day time, in a weekday, inside a laundromat & who are there with me but three other males, One Hispanic, one Black, one White guy (and one Asian guy–me).

But there’s more. In comes an Asian female, but she was out of the place in less than two minutes. And from what I assume, she came in thrown in a couple of throw pillows inside one machine & went out again.

Then as I was starting to use the driers, in came another Hispanic male, about my age. He was driving an older model Mercedes. For some reason I know he is Hispanic, even though he looked Middle-East Asian. But I digress. But that’s just a habit I have whenever I have nothing better to do, I kind of guess the ethnicity of people, before I hear them speak. Now there are five people inside this place, all males.

Okay, okay I finish drying my laundry and then a monster truck arrives & parks alongside my tiny car. The truck is American, I believe a Ford F150 but with those huge tires. Out comes a big Whte guy. He goes to the the bed of his truck & takes his laundry & enters the place. Now we are six males inside this laundromat.

I said, “I’m out of here.” Well of course I had enough & I’m done. But wow, never in a hundred years would I thought I could witness something like that.

As I was going, there was another adult guy coming in, with his wife or somebody who could be his wife, his girlfriend, or his older sister or his mother (nowadays I can’t be sure). And they have a teenage male with them.

Oh well, signs of the times I guess. And one thing too, they said for the first time in history there are more females joining the workforce than males. And that for the first time there are more males being laid-off from work than females. So maybe all the females were out working that day & all the males were doing the laundry.

What do you think?

[I asked this considering most Filipino men consider doing the laundry & all other household chores feminine & wouldn’t even touch it with a ten foot pole. Well unless they really have to anyway.]

ADDENDUM:

Okay I went to bed after that & this morning I woke up a little late. And around 9 went out to have a Pinoy breakfast & I went to the park to do some aerobic activity. Well I only managed to put in 20 minutes as I got tired quick & it was a hot day (that’s my excuse & I’m sticking with that).

Then I went to the shop to have my (vehicle’s) tires rotated & while waiting & just for the heck of it (because there was a looong line), I did some laundry (old rags, towels, the jackets I had in the car & what have yous) at my favorite laundromat which was located about 50 to 100 feet away.

Mind you, this place was a different one than the one I talked about earlier but it’s in the same city. Okay the minute I got into the parking lot, I was telling myself “Okay, full-packed. Lots of people doing the laundry this (weekday) morning”.

I walked in, threw in 3 loads & eye-scanned the laundromat. Wait a minute, there are about 3 females here, could be four. But there are definitely at least 7 guys here, 8 when you count me. in. About 4 of the men younger than me & the rest a few years older.

Yes, I might be on to something here. The times have turned the city upside down.