Thumbs Down on Chiz Escudero

I heard a kid shout “cheese”.  I figured he was posing for a cutie shot.  I, however, thought of “Chiz” – Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

I was a super fangirl where Chiz Escudero is concerned.   Francis Joseph Escudero used to be at the top of my crush list.  One fateful day in 2005 when I covered a rally in Ayala, I met Chiz Escudero.  The guy is unbelievable.  I met him once; I talked to him once.  He has the kind of smile that made me forget the difference between his age and mine.  He has a way of looking at you that would literally make your knees turn to jelly.  Mine did.

I remember my dad, my PHILGOCO professor and my LAWMAMED professor all taking turns on ridiculing Chiz.  What the heck – I though their negative perception about Chiz was uncalled for.  I realize just now what a coincidence it is that the three men who influenced me to enjoy politics have no respect for Chiz.  Oh well.

Chiz was still a Sorsogon Rep. when he piqued my interest.  As he climbed up from the House to the Senate, I started losing my respect for him.  I must admit that I was one of those people who were smitten by his charm and his boyish good looks.  But as I said, I don’t have high regards for the guy anymore.  For one, his family has uber close ties with the Marcoses, what with his father Sonny Escudero as a loyal Cabinet member during the Marcos regime.  Secondly, he stands by Erap.  Erap, my foot!  Chiz has a slick façade and I guess we need to have a 20-20 vision in order to see through him.  Chiz invariably has it all – the wit and intelligence, self-confidence and of course, his flawless, eloquent command of the Filipino language.  He’s an elite who was also loved by the masas, but his allegiance to Erap is taboo.  Erap himself is taboo.

Chiz prides himself on his visions of moving mountains for the welfare of the Filipinos, but come off it.  Is it not enough that he wreaked havoc in Sorsogon by spending his CDFs on sports cars and the likes instead of spending it on livelihood programs for his constituents?  Moreover, Chiz always has his face emblazoned on our TV screens whenever he has something to say about the Administration but when it was time to comment on calamities that strike his region, he was elsewhere.

So now Chiz has decided to resign from NPC.  Pardon me for saying this but I seriously doubt that he did it to distance himself from the patronage of a party because he realized that if he is to serve his people, he should do so without political ties, blahblah.  I tend to think the worst where Chiz is concerned.  My guess is that he couldn’t get Danding to bankroll his candidacy even if Danding is NPC Chair because of Danding’s ties with Gibo (and Noynoy, too, but I think Danding will back Gibo rather than Noynoy).  Or he simply wants to create some media frenzy to increase his popularity (of course, we all know that he’s already popular to begin with)

Well, we can all guess and wonder but to top it off, I daresay that Chis Escudero is a filthy traditional politician who’s as charming and as wise as a cunning snake.

Incensed – In Every Sense of the Word

I’m thoroughly disgusted with the CCP for honoring Imelda Marcos.  Patroness of the Arts?? What the – as if Philippine Arts was non-existent before that piece of scum had the CCP built.  And what’s more, it’s not as if it was her money that built the CCP.  FYI, the fund used for building the CCP was supposed to be appropriated for the war veterans.  But then again, we all know how little regard the Marcoses have for the benefit of the non-elite sectors of the Philippine society.

If truth be told, I was also  dismayed to find out that it had been St. Scho Hildegard awardee Emily Abrera who chaired the board of directors that decided to go for the said tribute for that imeldific swine.  The tribute was, and is, a grave insult to the memory of those who suffered under the Marcos regime, especially since the tribute was held on September 11, the birthday of that screwed up dictator, Ferdinand Marcos.  Need we be reminded of all those heinous crimes that were committed to us by that evil clan?  Need we be reminded, also, that just last Month, we, as a nation, were mourning the death of democracy icon Cory Aquino?  Have we no shame at all?  No sense of propriety, even?

I can’t turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to what the Marcoses are doing.  They are trying to make their way up again, as if they never did anything wrong.  And we’re sitting at the bleachers, watching them do it.

Doesn’t anybody who voted “yes” to the tribute (it’s entitled Seven Arts, One Imelda) remember that the Marcoses never even apologized for the atrocities they caused to the entire nation?

Are we even aware that their ascent to power is once again looming as 90plus of the100plus (sorry forgot the exact figure) human rights cases filed against them are now brushed aside?

Are we not chagrined by Imelda’s comment during her 80^th birthday last June or July that the Marcoses were broke because the government kept pestering them to relinquish their wealth (which, according to her, was not ill-gotten?)

Are we not going to react that that terrible excuse for a human being wore extravagant jewelry during the gala event sponsored by the CCP when most of us are merely trying to make ends meet?

Do we not see the connection of a Marcos clan paying for Madame Arroyo and her entourage’s extravagant dinner in New York?

Are we not barfing at that old witch’s comment that she hopes her only son, BongBong Marcos, would run for an Executive Seat in the future?

We’re up to our necks paying for a debt we never owed and we had innumerable deaths amongst our people and yet some of us are willing to forgive and to forget the unspeakable crimes of those evil-doers.

I’m utterly sickened at the thought.

Tribute to President Cory Aquino

Growing up in a family where political issues are only tackled when Daddy and I are voicing out our POV’s is probably one of the reasons behind my lack of eagerness to give Cory Aquino a space in my personal web log.  My daddy and I are not fans of Cory Aquino.  He thinks she’s simply a housewife and a martyr who was unable to prove her worth in the political arena.  Meanwhile, the activist circle I had been part of in college had me thinking along these lines:   Cory Aquino is a no-good haciendera, mula sya sa angkan ng mga burgis at mga naghaharing-uri. I mean, you wouldn’t caught me dead singing praises about Cory Aquino when footages of the Hacienda Luicita Massacre are still fresh on my mind; certainly not when I’m conducting ED’s among GY neophytes.  But at this point, I think I’m about to eat my words.  I think I’m just about ready to choke on my shameful rants about Cory Aquino. I’m beginning to realize just how much of an ingrate I am.  Cory Aquino may not have been the epitome of political success, but she’s a decent leader and she loved our country.  She fought against tyrannical leadership and she won over it. We owe her so much…

Here’s a touching excerpt from Ricky Carandang’s blog.  This is my way, too, of saying sorry to Cory Aquino.

It has become fashionable these days to say you failed. That the freedom that you helped us win in 1986 has not gotten us any closer to building a just and prosperous society. That while you yourself were not corrupt, your relatives and your advisers were. That we’ve simply replaced one set of thieves and murderers with another.

It has become fashionable these days to blame you for all of that. Because you didn’t do enough to prevent your revolution from being dismantled from within.

But the people who say that fail to see what 1986 was really about. It wasn’t about you saving us from the Regime and everyone living happily ever after. You did your part everytime you were called upon to do so. The problem was we expected you to do it all by yourself while we stood on the sidelines. We didn’t realize that we had a role to play too and that one person would not be able to do it alone. You didn’t fail. We did.

Plagiarism – Legalized (?)

A close college friend of mine was ranting the other day because her boss, an old priest, was making her do something unethical.  Not that the priest is making sexual advances; no, no, no.  But to a budding journalist like her, I guess this thing has as much weight.

My friend is working for the CBCP; she’s a news writer there.  As the most active person in their news pool, she is tasked to come up with the articles for the CBCP  and for its affiliates.  Anyway, since she is assigned to write most of the articles, all the bylines (bylines:  name of the person who wrote the article, usually comes after the title of the article) there has her name on it.  Of course, this is some sort of an SOP, unless you agreed to be another person’s ghost writer.  For some reason, though, the priests want her name out of some of the articles.  Instead, the priests are instructing her to put the names of the other writers, just so there would be some sort of “balance”.  Nakakasawa na daw puro pangalan nya yung nakalagay.  LOL…

Correct me if I’m wrong but it seems to me that plagiarism is being encouraged in this particular situation.  Priests and lay people might be commended for their sense of fairness and equality but in this case, it simply is not applicable.  In fact, I think there’s some sort of an injustice here.

Plagiarism is the act of passing off another individual’s work as your own.  This means that you copied his or her material without as much as a quotation mark or a mention of his or her name.  What the priests are doing, I think, is based on their principles and viewpoints as church people.  To a certain extent, I guess we cannot take it against the priests for their tendency to see things their way; moreover, they are not trained on media ethics.

It’s so sad that my friend is being chained to the bureaucracy that rules CBCP.  But then again, aren’t we all reined in by the structures of  oligarchies?

The Wise and the Charming Aims for Power

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

I had a semi-political discussion with my roommate the other night.  We were conferring about the no-good traditional politicians in our country.  My roommate, a 23-year old UP Asian Institute researcher, dropped the bomb on one presidential aspirant.  Apparently, this lady senator, known in the media circles as she was once (and still is?) a broadcast journalist herself, is having trysts with a fellow senator.  Oh gawd… This is as crazy as PGMA with H.P.

Does that make this lady senator a political prostitute?  We can’t really say so, really…really…  That’s not what political prostitution means in my book.  But personally, I think there’s something about her that’s a little “off”.

I’m going to jump to another presidential aspirant who is equally popular.

When I was in my junior year in College, I would practically go berserk at the mention of the name Chiz Escudero.  I was a “super fan girl” at that time, so to speak.  But now, several things have opened my eyes about Chiz Escudero.  At this point, I’m really beginning to wonder, given the chance to win the executive seat, is this guy really capable of making a difference in our country?  Hands off on his ability to create wonderful sound bytes, can he really make a difference? And more importantly, can we trust him?

Wise as a monkey; charming as a snake:  behold… the political aspirants are struggling for control.

Qualms of a 21-year old Diabetic

I’ve been following the reports about the cheap meds bill for the past week.  That’s practically the first thing I do at the office after fishing out the contents of my bag for my insulin paraphernalia.

INSULIN.  Okay.  That’s what this post is about:  insulin.  I’ve been using insulin for like eight years to date.  I’ve tried the Humalog, Insulin R, the subcutaneous Insulin N and R, and now Humulin 70-30.  There are various types of insulin:  fast-acting, intermediate-action, rapid-acting, slow-acting, blahblah…  But the thing with insulin is:  1.) it promotes weight gain and 2.) it’s not cheap.

Anyway, as I was obsessing over this cheap meds EO (Is GMA going to sign the EO next week or not), I also conducted my own research.  As it is, I took note of the meds that would have its prices cut once the EO is signed and the law on the price reduction is implemented.  Surprise, surprise! There are no insulin meds included…   In fact, there are practically no meds for type 2 diabetics!!

Here’s the list:  (copied from a PDI article)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090717-215817/Drug-firms-offer-to-cut-prices-by-60-but

The 21 medicines on the DoH’s recommended MRP list are amlopidine, telmisartan, irbesartan, which are antihypertensive drugs; clopidogrel, an antithrombotic drug; the anticholesterol drug atorvastatin; the antidiabetic drug gliclazide; piperacillin + tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, metronidazole and co-amoxiclave, which are antibiotic drugs; and bleomycin, carboplatin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, doxorubicin, etoposide, mercaptopurine, methotrexate sodium and mesna, which are anticancer drugs.

Gliclazide is an oral medication for adult-onset (type 1) diabetics.  I have no use for it.  So much for the hype on diabetic meds on price reduction…

The whole juvenile diabetic community is grieving for this no-good  shot at diabetic healthcare.

To those giant pharmaceutical companies, may you all choke to death.

Thinking Out Loud

We’re so broken, I doubt if we’d ever get fixed.  We’ve tried to undo the damage – we’re still at it, even now.  But just the same, we’re still heading south – we’re going down the drain.  And that’s not an exaggeration.

This sounds like a comment I’d make over a broken relationship.  Gawd… I wish it were as simple as that.

The results of the economic growth for this year’s first quarter are out.  Unsurprisingly, we have a negative economic growth.  0.4%… What the….  I’m admittedly a dumbass when it comes to things that involve numbers.  Figures and percentages – I want none of those on my plate.  But this time it’s different.  We’re talking about financial stability and economic prosperity here.  Talking about it, really, that’s the best we can do because at this point, I don’t think we can have anything close to stability and prosperity, especially not where financial matters are concerned.

PGMA screwed up big time, in every sense of the word.  Just one more quarter to go and we’re technically on recession.  We’re almost done with the second quarter.  How can she ever dream about making up for the damage she and her family has done?  There’s nothing she can do.  As I said, we’re going south. 

Apparently, PGMA is not content with wreaking havoc in the country.  What with her alleged plans to run for a congressional seat in congress – wham!  That’s B***S***, really.  If she does push for the House, politicians say that she would still have to answer to the charges that would inevitably be pressed against her.  Perhaps there is some truth in that observation, but even so, does anyone realize that she still can save her own skin by winning a congressional seat?  Just think… Whenever the Congress is in session, PGMA cannot be arrested (If I remember correctly, I think that’s what Prof. Peter Cruz said in a lecture) blah-blah…  Once the Congress adjourns, she can have her delaying tactics – and that’s a very distinct possibility.

So what do we do now?  I don’t know either.  I’m just ranting, as usual.

THE WRETCHED PLIGHT OF ANOTHER OFW

There is a news story featured in the PDI’s website today about an OFW who was raped. Raped, then jailed. Ulgh…

The woman was married to a Filipino; her family is in Ilocos. She went to UAE to work there but the son of her employer raped her. After raping her, the man went to the police and reported that the OFW offered herself to him. (The gall of the man, ggrrr..)

As mentioned, the OFW is a married woman and as a result of “offering herself” to another man, she was thus jailed for adultery. So now, the poor OFW is in prison and is scheduled for a trial without a lawyer. Gosh. Para shang double dead na baboy, noh? She was raped, so in essence, she was abused, violated, blah-blah… And after such a harassing experience, she was detained, what’s the sense in that?

For starters, I think Filipino women, no matter how slutty some of us are, still have certain, hmm… standards, in choosing who we want to go to bed with. And, regardless of whether an OFW has a formal education or not, it’s a common fact that messing with Arabs is asking for trouble.And while we’re at it, it’s not as if the Arabs don’t have a reputation for being “flesh-starved”.

Sabik sa laman.  LOL…

On a more serious note…

Well, admittedly, we are yet to find proof on whether the OFW was indeed raped or not but in a nutshell, any sane person would know that going on trial without a legal defense is unfair, especially if the person charged with a crime is in a foreign land. Where’s the justice in that? I don’t know either. Maybe the Philippine Ambassador to the UAE has something to say about the issue.

Well, apparently, the Philippine Ambassador to the UAE has nothing to say yet. Maybe if the media makes a big deal out of this issue, gagalaw na din sha.

Haayy… Ano ba nman ‘yan… Npakauseless nman. How come the taxpayers’ money is being spent on the wages of useless appointees? As far as I know, the Executive is solely responsible for appointing the ambassadors. So where does our great and honorable president get her appointees? Is she too busy gorging on the funds (that does not even belong to her) that she cannot even exert much effort in discerning which appointee would be most reliable? Or is she aware that her appointees are worthless individuals but she appointed them anyway because of some personal favor that these people granted her when she was merely a presidential aspirant?

Oh well… Cheers nga pala for Manny Pacquiao for being appointed as a special assistant on intelligence matters for the Department of Justice.  I’m sure he’ll have a significant role in this new assignment.  Baka nga naman wala nang mangahas sa Pilipinas pag binigyan sila ng autograph ni Manny Pacquiao.

Another Slap From the UN

We hear many stories that delve into the human rights that are being curtailed by the employers of the OFW’s.  In fact, I think we’re hearing too much stories about these violations that we are somewhat desensitized on the issue.

Just this morning, I saw a news story on the OFW’s who escaped from their Lebanese employers.  The OFW’s were one in saying that their employers were abusive.  According to the OFW’s, they were tired of the beatings and the cases of sexual harassment and even the disregard for the wage contracts.  One OFW even opted to jump from the 2nd floor of a building just to escape from the harsh working conditions in Lebanon.

On one hand, I think the OFW’s were wrong to take up an employment offer in Lebanon when in fact, the RP Government has long warned them that there is no fixed negotiations between our country and their country, especially with regards to the employment matters of OFW’s.  It is thus clear that the OFW’s are partly to blame.  But then again, the economic plight in the Philippines has gone really, really bad.  If you have no formal education, you don’t have a business, you don’t have influential friends, blahblah… How will you survive?

Drastic situations call for drastic measures.  hence, Filipinos go to other countries to serve the locals there because THEY HAVE NO CHOICE.  The RP Government is aware of this, and yet they are not doing much to make the situation a little better.  Okay, granted, Lebanon should not be on the list of the OFW’s destination when they opt to work abroad.  But the fact is, there are no decent laws and no decent implementation of the existing laws (the existing laws are mediocre laws, really) on the rights and welfare of OFW’s.  And to make matters worse, the RP Government cannot even stand up against the other nations, if only to protect the OFW’s.

I know I’m a leftleaning individual but I can’t help it.  Look at our system.  Ulgh.  Spell bulok.  Really.  Even the UN’s telling us to shape up.  They’re alway calling our attention.  Jeez.  Nakakahiya.

An Update on the 25-M Fund to End Political Killings

The Executive and the Legislative Branches of the RP Government are once again at each other’s throats.

Understandably, the legislators are against the idea that they should raise the 25-M fund to end political killings in the country.  Most of them are not up to the thought of contributing Php250,000 each from their pork barrels.  Here are what the legislators have to say:

Sen. Legarda:  “She (PGMA) has billions in pork barrel funds.”

Sen. Pimentel:  “She (PGMA) has to bribe other people to implement the law. By asking [lawmakers] to contribute funds, she is slyly passing the buck to Congress for a job that belongs to her.”

Sen. Escudero:  Assassinations are not street crimes like cell phone snatching. It takes a lot of sleuthing to unmask guns for hires. This is a job best done by our intelligence guys.”

Rep. Casiño:  “sheer propaganda and the ultimate in hypocrisy”

Rep. Satur Ocampo:  “The fund tends to draw attention away from the longer list of extrajudicial killings of activists since 2001 that have been ascribed to state security forces by the Melo Commission and Philip Alston.”

Even through all these comments and reactions, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita remains loyal to PGMA.  According to him, “The fact remains that the President, as overall head of government, is showing resolve that she needs to take a special measure to stop these killings.”

BTW, not all lawmakers are against the idea of putting up a 25-M fund from their pork barrels.

Jovito Palparan - Rep. Palparan

Jovito Palparan is actually welcome to the idea.  Jovito Palparan, the person who is alleged to be the master perpetrator behind the crimes.  Jovito Palparan, aka Berdugo… And yeah, Jovito Palparan, the representative of a partylist.  Yeah, he’s the one who’s willing to “help” in solving the slayings.

Jeez, how weird is that….