The Arroyo junket revealed

Now that Arroyo’s back from the US, let’s take time to review why most people felt outraged by the junket. I got the following from an email by a friend.

WHAT

CAN BE

MORE

CALLOUS

THAN

THIS?

While Typhoon Frank devastated the country and claimed more than 650 lives, including the poor victims of the MV Princess of the Stars sea tragedy, illegitimate President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her 74 junketeers mindlessly spend billions of taxpayers’ money to visit Bush and watch Pacquiao fight in the US.

MONEY SPENT MINDLESSLY

USD 1.5 M JUNKET!

300-5000 – Willard Hotel rate

30 rooms booked

400-500 – Dinner per plate

207++ – Airline rate per person

800-1000 – Rental per car

30 cars rented

250 consulate officials mobilized

THE PERKS

P100,000 – each congressman gets monthly travel allowance

P1,620 – travel tax exemption when traveling with the President

WHO ARE THE 74 JUNKETEERS?

Representative Province

Rep. Narciso Santiago III, Alliance for Rural Concerns Party List Group

Rep. Monico Puentevella, Bacolod

Rep. Albert Garcia, Bataan

Rep. Mark Llandro L. Mendoza, Batangas

Rep. Hermilando Mandanas, Batangas

Rep. William Irwin Tieng, Buhay Party List Group

Rep. Jose Zubiri III, Bukidnon

Rep. Lorna Silverio, Bulacan

Rep. Mitzi Cajayon, Caloocan

Rep. Diosdado “Dato” Macapagal Arroyo, Camarines Sur

Rep. Joseph Santiago, Catanduanes

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Cavite

Rep. Antonio Cuenco, Cebu

Rep. Eduardo Gullas, Cebu

Deputy Speaker Raul Del Mar, Cebu City

Rep. Rommel Amatong, Compostela Valley

Speaker Prospero Nograles, Davao City

Rep. Antonio Lagdameo, Davao Del Norte

Rep. Marc Cagas, Davao Del Sur

Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang, Davao Oriental

Rep. Teodolo Coquilla, Eastern Samar

Rep. Andres Salvacion, Leyte

Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Leyte

Rep. Trinidad Apostol, Leyte

Rep. Ma. Zenaida Angping, Manila

Rep. Amado S. Bagatsing, Manila

Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., Manila

Rep. Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, Masbate

Rep. Herminia Ramiro, Misamis Occidental

Rep. Yevgeny Emano, Misamis Oriental

Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon, Muntinlupa

Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago, Nueva Ecija

Deputy Speaker Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa, Occidental Mindoro

Rep. Anna York Bondoc, Pampanga

Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Pampanga

Rep. Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo, Pampanga

Rep. Conrado Estrella III, Pangasinan

Rep. Ma. Rachel Arenas, Pangasinan

Rep. Eduardo C. Zialcita, Parañaque

Rep. Roman Romulo, Pasig City

Rep. Mary Ann Susano, Quezon City

Rep. Nanette C. Castelo-Daza, Quezon City

Rep. Danilo Suarez, Quezon Province

Rep. Junie Cua, Quirino

Rep. Arturo B. Robes, San Jose Del Monte

Rep. Roger Mercado, Southern Leyte

Rep. Munir Arbison, Sulu

Rep. Rex Gatchalian, Valenzuela City

Rep. Antonio Diaz, Zambales

Senate

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago

Sen. Richard Gordon

Cabinet

Sec. Arthur Yap, Agriculture

Sec. Rolando Andaya, Budget

Sec. Gov. Amando Tetangco, Central Bank

Sec. Gilbert Teodoro, Defense

Sec. Ronaldo Puno, DILG

Sec. Jesli Lapus, Education

Sec. Lito Atienza, Environment

Sec. Margarito Teves, Finance

Sec. Alberto Romulo, Foreign Affairs

Acting Sec. Marianito Roque, Labor

Sec. Ignacio Bunye, Presidential Spokesman

Sec. Jesus Dureza, Press

Sec. Peter Favila, Trade

The Bush and Arroyo meeting: Much ado about nothing

I’d like to thank Pagsasao for calling our attention to the meeting of US president George W. Bush and Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

As we in Bayan earlier pointed out, the meeting won’t really result in anything beneficial to Filipinos it would just be reinforcing unequal ties, more than anything.

Here’s the transcript from the White House website.

President Bush Meets with President Arroyo of the Philippines
Oval Office

A.M. EDT

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 ARROYO: Yes.

PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.

We talked about our friendship, our bilateral relations, and we

spent some time on foreign policy.

First, I expressed our deep condolences to those who suffered as a result of the typhoon. And I know there’s some families that are hurting. Some are wondering whether or not their loved ones will, you know, reappear. We, the American people care about the human suffering that’s taking place, and we send our prayers.

Secondly, I informed the President — Secretary Gates informed the President, th

rough me, that the United States will move the USS Ronald Reagan, a large aircraft carrier, to help with the assistance, along with other U.S. Navy assets. We’re happy to do it. We want to help our friends in a time of need.

We talked about, you know, food, and I assured the President we’ll continue to help. We helped with rice in the past. And, you know, I’m proud of my country. We give a lot of food aid, and this is a time where America needs to step up, and we will, Madam President.

We talked about our mutual desire to advance how important it is to move forward the bilateral and multilateral trade agendas. I’m a — I believe trade is beneficial to both our countries. I’m hopeful we can get a Doha Round done, and we strategized together about how we can move the process.

I congratulated the President on her strong stand on counterterrorism — more than strong stand — effective stand on counterterrorism, as well as laying out a vision for peace. The President has been very strong in having a carrots-and-sticks approach — “sticks,” of course, say we’re not going to allow for people to terrorize our citizens; the “carrot” approach is that there’s peace available.

We talked about Burma, the area, the region. The President has been a very strong leader when it comes to the freedom agenda and human dignity.

And so, all in all, we had a very constructive talk. I’m proud you’re here.

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. Translation provided by the State Department.) Fellow countrymen, America is a strong ally in supporting our efforts to strengthen our economy and reinforce our democracy. The Philippines and the United States have a strong relationship, and we are here today to discuss important bilateral issues with President Bush, members of his administration, and congressional leaders. As President Bush mentioned, we will focus our discussions, now more than ever, on food shortages, defense cooperation, and economic aid. Together with our friends, such as America, let us join forces and move our country forward towards the company of first world developed nations over the next 20 years.

Long live the Philippines, and long live the friendship between the Philippines and the United States.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I couldn’t have said it better myself. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, all.

END of PRESS CON 10:30 A.M. EDT

DUH?! That was it? That was the all important meeting that Arroyo couldn’t pass up even if her countrymen were being ravaged by a killer typhoon? So we can be told how good cooks Filipino-Americans are?

Just to read the Bush quotes like:

“We talked about..you know, food…”

“And, you know, I’m proud of my country. We give a lot of food aid…”

“Some are wondering whether or not their loved ones would…you know, reappear…”

“The President has been very strong in having a carrots-and-sticks approach…”

Any self-respecting and right-thinking person would be appalled to hear such words from the president of the United States. For anyone to actually want to hear such words more than anything else (more than, say the pleas of typhoon victims?)….that’s just plain dumb.

And what about the aircraft carrier to be used to rescue Filipinos lost at sea during the storm? That one’s weird too. A Philippine Senator already said that aircraft carriers can’t be used for rescue missions.

The meeting, as expected, was a big dud. What a waste.

Farewell to Ka Dan, true soldier of the people

The last time I saw Ka Dan Vizmanos alive was on June11. Beng and I visited him to check on his condition, especially his diet. Some kasamas said he wasn’t eating well. His physical condition seemed to have deteriorated since we last saw him during his parangal at the University of Makati. His mind though was still sharp and he would engage us in conversation on political developments. He did not know that Ka Bel had died. No one had the heart to tell him that his good friend had gone ahead.

Ka Dan talked to us about missing his wife who had died last year. He talked fondly of her, saying that she stood by Ka Dan through all of the difficult experiences during Martial Law, including the period when Ka Dan was in detention for two years. I held Ka Dan’s hand during while he spoke of his wife. He loved her so and it made him sad that she had departed.

Ka Dan still thought of others even if he himself was in a bad condition. He almost cried at the thought that a kasama close to him would undergo an operation.

I told him how the Dutch prosecutors still wanted to pursue murder charges against Jose Ma. Sison as part of the continuing harassment of progressives in the Netherlands. He said that he expresses his solidarity Joema. “Tell Joema that I am with him, supportive of his fight. And tell him that Marxism-Leninism has been in my heart from the 70’s up to now.”

Ka Dan was a true revolutionary, a firm believer in the national democratic cause and socialist perspective of the Filipino people.

He passed away last night, June 23 after battling prostate cancer and other illnesses. He lies in state at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart in San Antonio Village in Makati. Our condolences to his family and our highest tribute to a friend and comrade. We will have a parangalfor Ka Dan on Friday, June 27, 8pm.

Ka Dan will forego the usual military honors given to ranking military officers as himself. Instead of honor guards from the AFP, he preferred the display of plaques, books and other mementos from his time in the movement. He wanted to keep his funeral services simple, according to his son. From the simplest casket up to the cremation of his remains, he wanted everything done in a simple way.

Trip to Hong Kong

So far it has been a very interesting trip to the Hong Kong YMCA….

Very interesting….and weird

Underground Radio

The first time I listened to RJ’s Underground Radio (UR) 105.9, they were playing 80’s punk legend Urban Bandit’s Do You Rebel, Rebel.

The radio station will be almost one year now (July 2008). It does provide a wonderful line up of music that we never get to hear on radio. The other day I was driving while listening to The WUDS. One time they featured the album 10 of Another Kind, which is a compilation album featuring groups such as Binky Lampano’s Deans Decemeber. Still one time they featured the Rapu-Rapu atbp, Taghoy ng Kalikasan album produced by environmental group CEC.

Yesterday was Independence Day so they only aired music by Pinoy artists from several decades!

No other radio station in the country would play 80’s punk from the Twisted Red Cross era. No other radio station would play classic Pinoy rock consistently from Juan dela Cruz to Chikoy Pura and The Jerks. No other radio station would play Lolita Carbon’s stirring and exceptional rendition of the protest hymn Bayan Ko. UR 105.9 provides us a glimpse into the rich history of Pinoy music, something the new generation of musicians and bands should at least get acquainted with. Get to know the first bands, the early groups that paved the way for the rockers of the current generation. This is one sound trip that would take you through decades of evolving Pinoy sound.

If only they got a better or stronger signal.

Oh, they also play demos from upcoming bands. Great way to encourage kids to write their own stuff and keep on playing.

I do enjoy the fact that unlike its predecessor in LA 105.9, UR doesn’t go out of its way to bash other music genres. I didn’t really quite get the point of the whole hip-hop bashing that happened during the 90’s.

What about that other exponent of “Nu Music”? Hmm. I’m having mixed feelings about that. I was a loyal listener ever since they did their test broadcast in 1987. I just graduated from elementary school then and was so overwhelmed with NU 107’s playlist, from classic rock, punk, metal, new wave. But right now, I think I’m gonna sit back and enjoy listening to the music that I enjoyed listening to 20 years ago as a kid. I’ll be glued to UR for now, despite their corny plugs…hehe.

Release

I have known Jimmy Encarnacion from about seven years, when I was just new to Bayan. He was then cameraman for Doris Bigornia then (before becoming a cameraman for Ina Reformina then Ces Drilon). We would often see each other at rallies, exchange jokes and make fun of people. We liked having him around rally coverages because he did not think twice of the risks involved during protests, especially during violent disperals and arrests. He would march with us, walking with this heavy camera. He would climb atop vehicles and stuctures to get good shots of the protests. He would always be in the thick of the action, sometimes right between the clashing protesters and police. He was there to cover the news as it happened, despite the risks.

It’s certainly no surprise he’d go out on coverage in areas like Mindanao, in war-torn Sulu.

Our prayers go out to Jimmy and the others being detained in Sulu, Ces Drilon and Prof. Octavio. We hope for their safe and immediate release following the release of Angelo Valderama.

I do hope to see Jimmy if ever he gets assigned to the next SONA rally in July.

Perfect storm

Even the mainstream economists can no longer ignore the gravity of the crisis.

The current economic crisis which saw inflation at a 9-year high, combined with widespread unemployment, has the makings of a “perfect economic storm”, according to economist Benjamin Diokno. There will be unrest he says. Prices of rice, fuel and other basic commodities are increasing every week and the government is not making any headway in protecting consumers.

No longer can the administration hide behind the rhetoric of “economic growth”, not when rice prices, fuel prices, power rates, tuition rates and other basic needs are rising. If anything, the current crisis exposes how shallow claims of growth were in the first place. Those figures, like the 7.3% GDP growth of 2007, are stacked like a house of cards, pretty to look at yet flimsy to begin with.

The current crisis is borne out of years of abuse of neoliberal policies such as liberalization, deregulation and privatization. The imposition of these policies on a basically backward, agrarian, semi-feudal and semi-colonial economy such as the Philippines proved disastrous in the long-term.

Agricultural liberalization, land-conversion and production for exports combined with semi- feudal relations in the countryside, severely undermined the country’s food self-sufficiency. Our reliance on imported rice put the country at the mercy of international price speculators amidst tightening global food supply. The rice crisis hasn’t eased as long lines to NFA warehouses continue to form.

The deregulation policy in the oil industry along with oppressive tax policies such as the VAT, have combined to raise fuel prices to unprecedented levels. It is believed that pump prices could reach up to P60/liter, even more. The current trend in global oil prices is also believed to be the product of speculation. Some say that as much as 60% of prices are speculative. This should be enough reason for the government to stop the policy of deregulation of prices. This should also be enough basis for the government to scrap the VAT on oil, as the tax take increases as prices go up.

The deregulated and privatized power industry on the other hand has given rise to high power rates and billions of pesos worth of unjust charges. Take-or-pay provisions in contracts with Independent Power Producers have allowed guaranteed profits for Filipino and, multinational firms. Unjust charges and high taxes have also combined to raise rates. Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, an IMF-WB-ADB imposition, power rates are expected to remain high in the coming years. The policies embodied in this law have been used by Napocor, Meralco, and other distributors and IPP’s to enable them to gain huge profits at the expense of consumers. Given these conditions, the P500.00 one-time power subsidy is nothing more than a token measure aimed at appeasing growing public disgust.

If there is a “perfect economic storm”, government is readying its “Noah’s Ark” of economic measures. Many doubt that this is in any way a serious response to the crisis. Government measures have long been reduced to tokenism. The P20 wage hike, the fertilizer subsidy, the student tuition subsidy, the electricity subsidy, all short term measures that do not provide real and long-term solution.

And while people are desperately trying to make ends meet, the top officials of the administration are living the life off stolen wealth. Contracts and projects entered into by the Arroyo administration have been exposed as overpriced, a condition aimed at accommodating
systematic bureaucratic corruption. What makes this even more oppressive is that these overpriced projects used as milking cows of the corrupt are being paid for by taxpayers themselves. These same overpriced projects are used to justify such oppressive tax measures
as the Value Added Tax.

The long-awaited de Venecia testimony may shed light on the corrupt practices of the regime. This is perhaps the reason why Palace spin-doctors are busy trying to pre-empt the testimony.

The brewing storm will not just be a confluence of economic indicators. It would be the result of the people’s outrage over government’s anti-people policies, systematic corruption and decades-
old oppression and exploitation. Streets would be flooded with marchers, and righteous anger will rain on the oppressors.

And when the storm comes bearing down on Arroyo, the only boat or “Ark” available for her would be the one waiting along the Pasig river, just outside Malacañang. The same boat that ferried a former president out of the Palace in 2001. ###

Lobo… what went wrong

I have been keeping track of the fanta-serye “Lobo” ever since my wife and mom got hooked on it. I have no choice but to watch it with them in the living room. As time passed, I found the storyline quite intriguing. Then things became interesting. I looked beyond the “drama” of the lovers Lyka and Noah who always end up crying at some point in the episodes. I looked beyond the not-so-polished special effects since this was a series and not a Dreamworks epic. I even looked beyond how lame they showed the were-wolves biting the necks of the humans, with the use of puppets.

For me, it was the story that mattered. The human and meta-human struggles with life, emotions and social contradictions made the series interesting to watch. Of course there have been comparisons to the Underworld mythos, X-men, and other Western pics. But on the whole, the series seemed interesting.

And so it was with great disappointment that I watched last night’s episode features such ridiculous sequences that really proved to be distracting for viewers.

1. The final confrontation between the Luna and the united front of humans, Waya’s and black wolves was a big disappointment in terms of conceptualization and progression. The clash was supposed to be the high point, but the way it unfolded was really… well, lame.

2. The alliance of humans and wolves planned an assault on Silva and his Luna protectors. The assaulting force surprisingly had very few weapons. The heroes were so poorly armed that the fight sequences looked silly (handguns vs assault rifles). Noah was firing his 9mm at fully-armed soldiers while spinning like Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

3. As if the poorly planned assault was not enough, we are later brought to a scene where the assaulting force ends up engaging the heavily armed Luna forces in hand-to-hand combat. They were fighting mano a mano. What happened to all the weapons?! Why are they hitting each other like some 70’s action flick, like some bar room brawl? Did they do this just so we could see the combat prowess of aging Lobo matriarchs like Pilar Pilapil, Timmy Cruz and their human ally Robert Arevalo? Hand to hand combat isn’t exactly something these actors are known for, and I really wonder why the writers had to put them through such a dumb action sequence.

4. I really don’t get the whole Lyka vs Silva fight sequence. The scene when she talked tough looked weak because she had a hard time going down the slopes. It took an awful long time for Silva to choke Lyka. When Lyka actually got the Remus stone, it took her an extended period of time to fight the red moon’s effects. Not even the visual effects made this part any bearable. In fact, Lyka took so long that Silva was able to get up and stab her several times in the back. Of course Lyka, like Wolverine, has an accelerated healing factor so she could withstand the stabbing. But that only made her stand there much longer, fighting the red moon, in a very dragging sequence.

5. How come Silva was so easily shot down by Noah? Was he using special bullets? Or were those like the regular bullets he used against Silva’s henchmen?

6. My wife asked why the Waya’s did not transform into wolves considering the moon was up and that their rage should trigger the transformation. I thought it would have been a production nightmare to mount something like that, wherein wolves were attacking humans. Besides, when Lobo shoots such sequences, they use “puppets”, you can only see the head of the wolf biting on the neck of the victim. That would be too boring if you multiply the same sequence by 10. So maybe it was better they didn’t transform at all. Plus we get to see the ridiculously thought out hand-to-hand combat sequence.

7. And then the cheesy dialogue before the assault. Characters faced their fears and were willing to sacrifice their lives for the mission. Parang Lord of the Rings final battle. “Para sa mga kasama natin… para sa lahat ng mga lobo…” etc. Then one guy says “para sa rock n’roll…” sabay kasa ng kanyang baril. Duh?

I’m hoping tonight’s episode and the remaining four weeks would be better than this. I do understand the pressures the writers and producers have to go through to come up with an interesting story progression and to keep the audiences hooked. Hopefully they don’t disappoint.