There is something about Filipino public servants and Philippine society in general that could make one lose faith in humanity. It could be the fact that a lot of public servants do not have any qualms about lying to and stealing from the Filipino public. Or it could be the fact that the majority of Filipino voters keep voting the same people into public office despite their mediocre performance and track record of abuse of power. Or it could also be because the majority of Filipinos lack interest or show apathy towards the problems that plague the nation. The Filipino people’s attitude in general make the idea of aiming for real change in the Philippines seem so hopeless.
Tama na, sobra na, palitan na!
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The members of Congress who accepted BS Aquino’s “reward” money for convicting former Chief Justice Renato Corona for instance were more than willing to participate in the sham. Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s speech exposing the Chief Executive’s use of public funds to bribe the Senate may have helped uncover the truth about the length with which BS Aquino went to to persecute his enemies, but it doesn’t change the fact that senators like Estrada were more than happy to accept the money in exchange for his “guilty” vote.
Likewise, the general public who were gullible enough to believe the black propaganda against Corona pitched to them by the prosecution team with the help of some members of mainstream media prior to and during his impeachment trial, still think that rewarding the Senators was justified. In other words, BS Aquino doesn’t have to do much to “convince” the Filipino people to support his dirty deeds.
Why can’t ex presidents and incumbents all just get along?
Even during his first year in office, some of his critics have already noted that it seems like he would keep blaming GMA until he steps down from office. Nevertheless, it is still quite outrageous to see that the prediction is coming true. It’s like BS Aquino’s predictability never ceases to amaze his critics. His use of the blame-game is simply a tactic to deflect blame away from himself. His loyal supporters – those who are still beholden to the Aquino name, unfortunately swallow every thing he says hook, line and sinker.
An instance wherein BS Aquino and his minions tried to fool the public was when they contradicted themselves in their response to the claim that the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) is illegal:
On Tuesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte cited the Constitution’s Article VI, Section 25 (5) and the Administrative Code’s Chapter 5, Book VI, Sections 39 and 49 as legal bases of the DAP.
Malacañang has also said the DAP was abolished around the same time when Aquino scrapped the pork barrel of lawmakers.
“Tinanggalan ko yung kakayahan kong mamudmod [ng pera],” Aquino said on Wednesday.
In his statement, BS Aquino does come across like someone whose hands got caught in the cookie jar, who then immediately becomes defensive by saying “Okay, I’ve already put the cookie back!”.
A typical road in the Philippines presumably funded by pork (net of ‘commissions’)
“When we are told that we can request [projects] … we assume that it can only come from two sources—PDAF [the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel] or from savings. We did not know there was such a program as DAP,” Cayetano said.
The fact that the Senators didn’t know that there was such as thing as “Disbursement Acceleration Program” only means that it was not included in the 2011-2012 budget, which also means that its use was not approved by members of Congress.
Malacanang also claimed that they already abolished DAP together with the pork barrel of the lawmakers. But the truth is, the pork barrel of the lawmakers hasn’t been abolished. The lawmakers are still currently deliberating it. The Senate President, Franklin Drilon himself admits that abolition of the PDAF is “not easy after all”. Drilon cited that “only three (lawmakers) so far have written him of their desire to waive their PDAF.”
Our best guess is that two of those would be Senator Panfilo Lacson and Joker Arroyo, two senators who already do not avail of pork barrel funds anyway. This leads us to conclude that most of the senators still want their pork barrel funds. This just proves how thick faced Filipino lawmakers are. Despite its unconstitutionality and the calls by some sectors of the public for the pork’s abolition, the lawmakers still don’t want to give in.
Career options haven’t improved much for Filipinos under the BS Aquino regime.
So while Government spending may have contributed to the much-talked about 7.1% economic growth rate and credit rating upgrade, the reason why it hardly makes a difference to the poorest members of society is because the government’s economic policy doesn’t include job creation. Despite all the money spent by government, many poor people still don’t have a steady source of income.
It seems BS Aquino’s government doesn’t realize that when people have jobs, they have more spending power and they won’t have to rely too much on government’s handouts. Unfortunately, the number of Filipinos who can understand that concept is so small it is enough to make one lose faith in the Filipino people in general.
[Photo of ‘tambays’ courtesy AboutPh.com.]
In life, things are not always what they seem.
Yet another bullseye of an article Ilda, although I’m very sure our “village idiot” will show his face here again since malacanang is clearly running out of defenses to the scandals that keep popping up.
Thanks, Johnny! The spam filter will take care of them.
They might try using a different name to attack this site but they still won’t succeed.
The “matuwid na daan” was finally exposed as the greatest propaganda sham ever devised to fool the Sovereign Filipino People. It is also good that the PDAF and DAP scams surfaced and showed the true colors of the politicians and their supporters. Mga walang hiyang magnanakaw ng bayan! Resign BS Aquino!!! Buking na kayong lahat!
I agree. Aquino should just resign.
BS Aquino voluntarily resign? Its like asking for the moon. No shameless pinoy politician in his right mind will ever resign. EVER.
Matagal na silang buking. In fact its in your face broad day light thievery. But the Filipinos doesn’t. In fact they’re asking for more.
doesn’t mind i mean..
A case of BSA encouraging Drilon… From the Manila Standard:
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/2013/10/21/drilon-taunts-high-court/
BSA and his P63 Billion racket. From the daily tribune:
http://www.tribune.net.ph/commentary/editorial/too-many-holes-for-a-p63-b-racket
But of course the Failipain govt was never been interested in job creation locally – why? The easiest way to create job is not to create job and encourage and send more OFW. OFW phenomena is hitting 3 birds w. 1 stone 1) “job creation” abroad that triggers domestic consumption 2) domestic consumption to fuel oligarchs businesses 3) polpoliticians can just sit, relax, enjoy their pork barrel, and pretend that everything is the fruit of the their hard work 4) bonus – pinoys are happy with their politicians/govt
From Jinggoy Estrada to Cayetano; then to that Hacienda Luisita Swine called Drillon. Everybody is pointing their finger, to somebody else. Why did they not shout to high heavens, when Aquino was bribing them?
Aquino administration is the most corrupt administration, the Philippines ever have. The stink rise to high heavens. This may be the reason, we have too much natural calamities.
These clowns will justify , in any way their thievery. So that, they can steal again…
@HT, the reason the Failippines has natural calamities is because the country sits in the middle of the ocean (that is rising) near the equator. NOT because the gov’t. is being paid back ala some karmic attack. that is about as cracked a statement as I’ve read in GRP.
I know the Philippines is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. However, if you have a little grain of humor. I compared the failure of the Aquino administration ; in contrast to some past dictatorial reigns. The ancient Romans from the City of Pompei, were burried by Mt. Vesuvius eruption. Pompei was where prostitution flourished, and too much corruption.
Before the fall of Marcos. The Church where his daughter would had wed; was demolished by Earthquake. Remember also, Sodom and Gamorah , the twin cities , in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament; Christian Bible)…Heaven is not pleased with the Aquinos , his Hacienda Luisita Swines, and his cahoots. Because of their thievery going on…
“Remember also, Sodom and Gamorah , the twin cities , in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament; Christian Bible)…”
Don’t inject the Bible into this. The politicians here are brain-dead enough as it is.
Philippine geography is not the issue on natural calamities bttering the country evry year. The disaster risk reduction program is the issue:we don’t plan well, and if there is a plan, we do not implement effectively, on a timely basis, and proactively. People are a stubborn lot, unless they are fatally stricken to learn and comply with disaster risk reduction programs.
Natural calamities are not punishment coming from a supernatural power. Our country is the gateway of typhoons that once gestated in the pacific right smack in our open eastern seaboard. We are also sitting above a faultline that stretches up north to Japan and circling the pacific rim. No amount of prayer and divine intervention if there is any can stop this natural pheneomenon to happen. The thieves in both houses and the entire government bureauracy wont return what they stole by just praying. they have to be handled physically by force or termination.
@GRP, to flat out accuse the President is a pretty ballsy move. If the author is inside the country a ‘pseudo-nym’, VPN would be wise. One of the beauties of the West is that slander laws are rarely enforced, although sometimes they are, it is just not as bad as in the Fails.. I have noticed that a well known staff member has not been posting lately, could it be?…nah!
Hats off to the Author for having some REAL nerve!
So what if it’s an accusation? And if you read it again, its her analysis of how this failed government is run. Whether it is correct or not, it’s up to the BS herself to answer.
And if the Philippines is truly democratic then the author doesn’t really need balls does she?
I woke up this morning and saw the headlines of the Philippine Star… “No more cash in Malampaya; Noy wont give up discretion.” Where did the money go?
The malampaya fund all gone! From the daily tribune:
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/p130-b-malampaya-fund-all-gone
I for one blame not only the government but also universities in the Philippines for for promoting change but hardly doing anything to pursue that change. We are as good as dead in this country, we will forever stay stagnant with how things are going. It isnt just president that needs to change, its the whole thinking and ideology of the Philippines that needs to change. Even if we were to remove the president, the corrupt officials, we still have people who are largely uneducated. Up to now, we still have people who continue to follow the hierarchy think rational. It will be a pattern of people following in their footsteps. Unless we change the way we think, we can actually make the first true steps to change.
he should be forcibly removed from office and be tried including his allies for fooling around with peoples money. If found guilty…shame and execute him in public.
B.S. = Bull Shit
Its not a problem to lose faith on reality the problem is losing faith on their president and leaders who are lost in their lovely office. Leaving everything to the foreign volunteers to fix the job they cant handle. Taxing the German volunteers is unbelievably ungrateful gesture by the government. They cant touch the donations so they intend to take it by taxing the German volunteers? Its getting from bad to worse. Genius! I mean the other way around. Shame on you guys!
The gov’t has a lot of money, generated from taxes, from VAT of 10% to EVAT of 12 %. Everyone buys, and everyone pays sales taxes. There is Sin Taxes, many drink and smoke, hence more taxes. That is why legislators know that PDAF can be funded. There is Malampaya Fund, which keeps on getting revenue. There is a lot of money at the disposal of government. Check and balance on the use of these money is always subject to negotiation, and horse trading. The Supreme Court cannot do anything about these things because it is the Legislative prerogative. The SC can only make judgement on its misuse or abuse, but cannot prevent its existence. Only the Executive can regulate the use and disposal of these appropriated funds. Any misuse can only be determined much later when COA audited the use of funds. I agree with COA Chair Pulido-Tan, what happened to misuse or abuse of PDAF is the failure of the control system, which is the role of the Executive. Minding the control system will clean up the augean stable, and realize the ‘matuwid na daan’.
Parang bata ang isip!
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I’m glad all you PNoy bashers do get to enjoy freedom of expression. Had PNoy been like your Marcos, you would all be either jailed, tortured, or salvaged by now.
Pnoy is not the origin of free speech, he is not a god, hence we don’t owe him anything. Is that supposed to be a threat?
It’s a threat but it is one that doesn’t hold much water.
That’s already expected from a paid hack from malacañang.
Your succinct situationer of our national psyche is very informative and as well frustrating, due to the fact that only a handful of our people understand the import of what is revealed. Let those few who understand take courage and pursue the change that needs be done just the same, tirelessly until we attain that level of mentality when thought and action are in sync. What else can one do under such conditions? What sayeth?