A quick look at what has happened in the Philippines in 2011 will give Filipinos a very good idea of what is in store for the country in 2012. Another year has passed but not much has changed for most Filipinos. If you prefer the status quo, you’ll get more of the same. If you are tired of the status quo, it’ll be like the saying, it’s the same old sh1t. Pardon my French.
The Year 2011 will be marked as the year regular guy, Christopher Lao, got very annoyed at “not being informed†about the flooding on one of the streets of Metro Manila after his car got submerged when he tried to drive through floodwaters. The year finishes off with a Malacañang Palace official, Edwin Lacierda, admitting they were informed about the possibility of a flooding in an area that includes the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan as early as several weeks after President Benigno Aquino III (PNoy) took over the presidency in 2010 but failed to act on the information.
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Indeed, what one does with the information given to him or her could make or break his or her standing in society. When Malacañang just sat on the information, the effect was devastating. 1,249 deaths and millions of pesos worth in damage later, please be informed of the Palace admission that they simply dismissed warnings about the looming climactic catastrophe in the country. It is tantamount to admitting their incompetence. The word impeachment comes to mind…but we’ll discuss that later.
In just a few days, we will be welcoming 2012 but the mentalities of some Filipinos are still stuck in 1986, back when the late former President Ferdinand Marcos was still alive. This is evident in the way some people still wear yellow clothing or paraphernalia the way the late former President Cory Aquino used to wear a yellow dress all the time during her heyday. Cory’s son, PNoy even wears a yellow ribbon on his chest the way Hitler used to wear his swastika on his sleeve – proud and loud; meant to distract everyone from flawed reasoning.
2011 didn’t start off well for PNoy and the Filipino people. PNoy’s purchase of a Porsche in January also attracted some hard-hitting criticism. It was one of those times the incumbent President’s lack of empathy towards other people became obvious to others especially the poor – those who live in squalor. His pleas not to judge him for buying a P4.5 million worth of sports car were ignored and the decline of his popularity rating by 13 points in March was widely attributed to that impractical purchase.
The Filipino people were apparently reminded of the perceived excesses of the past administration, which PNoy took every opportunity to rant about. Within just a few months after purchasing it, PNoy had to sell the Porsche citing that it drew too much attention whenever he drove it. His apparent lack of foresight even in simple things never ceases to amaze. He should have known that a Porsche would not blend in well in a country infested with tricycles and jeepneys.
Those who can’t afford to buy even the tiniest of cars have to use public transport to get around the country. And riding a public bus was a mistake for 18 Filipinos, five of them dead and the rest injured when the bus they were riding in exploded along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Makati City in an apparent terrorist attack on the last week of January. Like with most things in the Philippines, the cause of the explosion remains a mystery to the public even after PNoy ordered a thorough “investigationâ€. The glacial pace of every investigation ever conducted by our law enforcement agencies tend to result in the easily distracted public’s waning of its interest in the case and in the process allowing those responsible for the crime to get away.
From low profile deaths to one high profile one — we come up to the death of a decorated general from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) General Angelo Reyes. The late general was embroiled in a scandal in which it is alleged that he skimmed off military funds when he was still an AFP chief of staff and received P50 million on his retirement. Reyes wasn’t even on trial yet, but after having his dignity stripped and reputation tarred in a pointless spectacle mounted by some Congressmen and Senators, he committed suicide. The humiliation he received during a “routine†grilling in the Senate was too much for the elderly man.
It was former rebel and now Senator Antonio Trillanes who was said to have humiliated Reyes. Trillanes acted like a heavy-handed Pit Bull during one of the hearings:
“I’m just trying to protect my reputation here,†Reyes then said. “I have served this government for 48 years.â€
“No, no, no, you don’t have any reputation to protect,†Trillanes said. “I believe this is the time of reckoning. … You better find very good lawyers.â€
What happened during the hearings involving the AFP could be what is in store for Supreme Court Chief Justice, Renato Corona at the start of the sessions in January 2012. Corona will be grilled by Senators “who hold their positions only by virtue of the popular vote and not by any other qualification of any consequence applicable to the task of systematically uncovering the truth. These are basically men and women who, with no formal training in cross examination, investigation, and the scientific method are let loose to feast upon ‘persons of interest’.”
2011 also marks the 25th anniversary of the first People Power Edsa revolution. The lack of economic and social stability in the country tells us that the pomp and pageantry the organizers prepared to celebrate the event is nothing more than what they call the smoke and mirrors effect. There is also an obvious irony in celebrating the anniversary of the toppling of a dictator considering the immediate family members of Marcos are now currently serving as public officials. PNoy’s term is even beginning to look more and more like a dictatorship with allegations of him arm-twisting his allies just to get his way. Likewise, allegations of nepotism, favoritism, and incompetence also plague PNoy’s administration.
More senseless Filipino deaths followed the senseless celebration of the Edsa anniversary this year. The Chinese government executed three Filipinos jailed for drug trafficking in March despite the embarrassing pleas from PNoy and his Vice President, Jejomar Binay for their sentences to be commuted. The appeals for clemency included three letters from PNoy to his Chinese counterpart and a taxpayer-funded visit to Beijing by Binay. Their efforts were all in vain because, as can be expected, the executions were carried out after the Chinese government turned down their request. This experience did not stop VP Binay from using the same tactic again with the next Filipino drug mule scheduled for execution. He might just keep doing it over and over for the rest of the 200+ Filipinos languishing in Chinese jails. It seems Binay is not familiar with the saying prevention is better than the cure.
Not everything that happened in 2011 was all bad news. It was this year when the Filipino people, at least the so-called “elite†members of the Philippine society finally said, “enough is enough†when it comes to dumb television shows like “Willing Willieâ€. The show’s host, Willie Revillame got embroiled in controversy after he bullied a crying six-year-old boy Jan Jan into mimicking the salacious dance moves usually done by the shows mainstay back-up dancers in exchange for money. Because of the ensuing uproar headed by outspoken social media mavens on the Net, some of the show’s sponsors pulled out forcing Revillame to take a an indefinite leave of absence and hopefully reflect on his actions – if only for a short period in his “fun†life.
Good news comes to those who wait (that statement depends on whose side your on). This year saw two high-profile public servants resign after mounting pressure from their political opponents. First, it was one from PNoy’s top ten hit list, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Gutierrez filed her resignation after being impeached for allegedly neglecting her duty in failing to act on the criminal and administrative cases filed against former President Gloria Arroyo and her husband. In her statement, she said, “to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would, as it is, almost absorb my time and attention.†Who can blame her when she was up against the PNoy machinery that spun the “guilty by association†propaganda around GMA?
Next to resign was Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri who filed his resignation following allegations of electoral fraud during the 2007 senatorial elections. The move was a first in Philippine political history. There has been no Filipino public official on record who resigned out of delicadeza or shame over the past. The allegations of cheating initiated by losing senatorial candidate Koko Pimentel reached a turning point after two high profile witnesses came out – suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor and Maquindanao massacre suspect, Zaldy Ampatuan and a former election supervisor in Maguindanao. The development in this case is also the basis for the one and only case filed against GMA — electoral sabotage — that prevented her from traveling overseas.
As if Filipinos needed a reminder of how backward the country is, a town mayor proved how things are done wild, wild, west style. Davao City Mayor, Sara Duterte repeatedly assaulted a court sheriff back in July for defying her orders. Whether the order made sense or not was not the point, the point was that, what she says is the rule. Whether you are under her jurisdiction or not is not even the point, the point was that, what she says is the rule. Even her Facebook update confirms this: “Wala akong pakialam sa public opinon†(“I don’t care about public opinionâ€). After another thorough “investigationâ€, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) opted not to charge Duterte despite admitting that her actions were wrong. Goes to show that in the Philippines, the padrino system still trumps the rule of law even (or specially) when an Aquino is in power.
In a surprise attack in October, members of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) ambushed 40 members of the Special Forces of the AFP in Al Barka, Basilan Province resulting in the deaths of 19 soldiers. Both the MILF and the AFP are pinning the blame on each other. The MILF says that members of the AFP violated a cease fire agreement when they encroached an area known for being an MILF camp while the AFP defended its troops saying that they did not intrude and were about 4 kilometers from it when they were fired upon by the rebels, prompting the troops to fight back.
The death of the soldiers put to question PNoy’s secret meeting with MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad in Kuala Lumpur back in August. It also came to everyone’s attention that PNoy gave P5 million to the rebel group during the said meeting, which some suspect were used to buy guns and ammunition, which were then used against the military. If only PNoy was more transparent with his plans, it all would not have backfired on him.
Horror of all horrors, 2011 was the year international boxing champion; Manny Pacquiao almost lost a boxing match to Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez. “Pacquiao was the aggressor throughout, and landed some sharp punches of his own. But when the decision was announced, the crowd booed roundly and, once again Marquez had lost a close fight. One ringside judge had it a 114-114 draw, while two others favored Pacquiao by 115-113 and 116-112. The Associated Press had it 114-114.†Pacquiao won on technicalities but the question remains: what would most Filipinos do when Manny finally loses aboxing match? Are they still going to be “proud to be Pinoy†or are they going to bury their heads in the sand in shame?
The third runner up for the highlights of 2011 was the total disregard for the rule of law and the defiance of the Supreme Court by PNoy and Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary, Leila De Lima. De Lima justified putting GMA on the “watch list order†and “hold-departure orders†using her gut feel and an “unverified†text message from “an unknown source†that GMA is seeking political asylum in the Dominican Republic; a claim that was denied by the Dominican Republic’s foreign minister, Carlos Morales Troncoso.
Pandemonium erupted when De Lima ordered officers at the Naia International Airport (NAIA) to bar GMA from leaving for Singapore for medical treatment despite no charges so far being filed against her related to anything used as bases for the ban, and despite the Supreme Court putting a temporary restraining order on the travel ban on GMA. Her move resulted in her being questioned by the Supreme Court for acting as if she is “more powerful than the courtâ€. The justices also questioned her impartiality in handling the criminal case against GMA. One SC judge also asked De Lima to refresh her understanding of the Bill of Rights and the legal principle of the rule of law.
In an apparent act of retaliation, De Lima then issued a stern warning to the ten justices appointed by GMA that they also face impeachment similar to what happened to Chief Justice Renato Corona stating “PNoy was reclaiming the court for the peopleâ€. If we are to interpret that, it seems PNoy and his minions have made it their mission to get rid of the judges who ordered the distribution of their family’s land, Hacienda Luisita.
And the 2nd runner up for the highlights of the year goes to Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment. I also think that CJ Corona should bag the title “the coolest guy†in the Philippines for 2011. Not that I think he is necessarily innocent of the allegations against him. I just think that CJ Corona acted with dignity throughout his ordeal. His trial may not be over but he has won many supporters just by acting like a gentleman while PNoy acted like a toddler throwing tantrums and hurling insults directed at the Chief Justice on a number of occasions.
CJ Corona also knows how to deliver a speech and make a point. Some may have already judged him by his mere association to GMA, but his resilience is undeniable. Being cool is not defined by the number of likes one gets on Facebook or the number of supporters gathered by survey firms. “Being cool is being comfortable in your own skin. Everything stems for that.†And CJ Corona seems like the type of guy who acts that way. I just hope that the Senators in charge of his impeachment trial will not make a mockery out of his plight.
If the past Senate and Congressional hearings are any indication, Corona’s trial will be another chance for some senators and congressmen to make a name for themselves by acting like jackasses. Pardon my French. Some who are rabid supporters of PNoy might use it as an opportunity to pressure Corona into resigning the way they pressured Ombudsman, Guttierez earlier this year. PNoy seems confident enough that the Corona will be gone by next year because he already ordered his legal team to come up with a list of possible replacements to CJ Corona. Never mind that the list of the nominees should actually come from the Judicial and Bar Council, which nominates candidates to the Supreme Court.
The year 2011 culminates with the unfortunate deaths of about 1,249 Filipinos as of this writing from the killer flood that struck Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities. “Tropical storm Sendong brought heavy rains, overflowing rivers and flash floods to the southern Philippines from December 16 to 18, sweeping away whole villages built on sandbars and riverbanks.â€
Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) Mayor Vicente Emano said they were not warned of the strength of Sendong but new revelations indicate that the Aquino government received warnings “from the Climate Change Congress of the Philippines several weeks after President Benigno Aquino III took over the presidency in 2010. The group claimed it repeated the warning to several Cabinet officials, but it remained unheeded.†This prompted Environmental advocacy group, Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (KPNE) to say that the Aquino administration should be held accountable for the disaster in “Mindanao’s key cities, Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, for allegedly ‘coddling’ loggers and [for a] lack of disaster preparedness that could have saved thousands of lives.â€
It makes perfect sense for the Aquino government to be held accountable for the devastation. Their government was the one who received the warning not the previous government but they chose to ignore it because their priorities are wrong. There’s just no way to blame this on GMA. I would be surprised if they do not own up to this. But then again, when it comes to PNoy, nothing should surprise us anymore, unless of course part of his 2012 New Year’s resolution would include quitting his habit of pursuing retribution so he can have more time to concentrate on rebuilding the country.
And that was the year that was 2011. To us who monitor and evaluate the people involved in, the events that transpire over, and the ideas that underlie our nation’s deepest issues and most formidable challenges, 2011 was a year packed with much to talk about. But perhaps to the average Filipino, 2011 will be just another year like many before it and, most likely, like many more to come — years where they scratched and will continue to scratch together the meager living that has come to consistently characterise their lot.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
The old year is coming to a close. Like many people I am not optimistic. The straight, wide path of the new order is full of peril. The dictator Mr. Aquino is not focused at all on his job. He is more interested in widening his absolute power base.
His friendly association with socialists and mainstream leftists bodes ill for the country. Mr. Aquino’s special MILF friends makes us wonder if the MILF state is a done deal. Informal associations do not build trust or confidence. The people are wondering why the enemies of the state are his friends and associates.
Will there be a formal coalition of power sharing with his leftist associates? Will the MILF tread the corridors of malascanang? Only time will tell. The economy is not moving forward. Law and order is a joke. That Mr. Aquino is a growing dictator without a plan shows our dangerous times. Destruction is not an option.
The madness is still there and things will not change for the better. The madness for absolute power is destroying the country. It is time to wake up from this nightmare. Let freedom’s banners unfurl again. Not yellow… but red, white and blue. Let freedom of speech and expression battle for the truth. Let the silent majority rise again in peaceable assembly. The battle lines are forming and the war of words against the darkness will determine the fate of the country.
May God defend the right!
Let’s be productive at the same time enlighten ourselves. Learn a new word/skill/important info everyday.Don’t watch the poisonous media anymore, GRP is our reliable source of news. We may not support the incompetent president but we must not submit ourselves to mediocrity and surrender. I am optimistic that we can uplift ourselves from this intellectually-deprived landscape known as the Philippines. We must live to tell the tale even at troubled times.
Good advice, Terra. The point of highlighting all this is for each of us to realise that we cannot rely too much on the government. We need to be more vigilant of their actions; be more critical but at the same time work on becoming more self-reliant.
well done ilda,well done.
Thanks! 🙂
@Der Fuhrer
Hopefully, Malacanang has now learned the lesson that any dealings with underground organizations have a tendency to backfire. He probably thought that his secret meeting with the chairman of the MILF would go under the radar. It seems they don’t think things through before going ahead with their plan.
Incompetent public servants are just a crisis away from being exposed as a pretender.
Typo alert!
Now this is the REAL State of the nation for 2011! 🙂
Congrats to Ilda for her effort in making a comprehensive list of all the flip-floppery created by our present administration.
One would wonder why our society fails to protest the actions of the government. The mass media were successful in poisoning the minds of its audience by focusing their hate on the previous admin and ignoring the more important and pressing issues like poverty, health and education.
It’s also lamenting that many of Pnoy’s defenders/propagandist come from outside the country. They do not understand the real situation here. They are gobbling up the lies and the half-truths promoted by the Kapamilya TV news team. They attack in waves with various accounts, preach lies thinking that they have promoting the truth, but what truth are they talking about? Are they blind? No amount of evidence can convince them.
Also, what about the leftist protesters? I thought they are for the plight of this country. They are hypocrites! Particularly Anakbayan, who are only protesting against Pnoy’s enemies but not on the lousy actions and incompetent of their boss. They rarely fight the real issues.They would rather Photoshopped placards and banners and take snapshot in front of the media like modern day harlots looking for attention and popularity. It’s obvious that they are driven by interest, hope someone will expose their corruption someday.
Our society is busy arguing about RH bill, K-12 and FOI, what happened to them? They all went down the drain. Guess what Noynoy doesn’t care, it was a lame attempt to distract us from the real issues.
It makes me want to leave the country and promote my talents elsewhere where the government is sane and the offers are better than this sad state mess we live in.
It will take “years” before this country will recover to it’s normal state. But even in really tough times, at least there are people who are active in recording the actions of the administration.
Even though the media doesn’t recognize you, I recognize you as “modern day heroes”. God bless Ilda, Benigno and the rest of the writers, video editors and protesters who are exposing the real issues our country is facing! 😀
@Ms Jaine
Thanks! I was planning on just writing a short yearend message but it got longer because so much has happened in one year.
Looking back, you will realise that PNoy hasn’t done anything significant to uplift the status of the nation. His pursuit of GMA and her cohorts while defying the law is wrong and will not strengthen our institutions.
I predict more of the same things for 2012. But I hope more people will wake up from this nightmare.
You may not have the support of the greedy interest driven mass media and leftist harlots, but I will always support you in your campaign for enlightenment. Go GRP! 😀
Thanks, Ms Jaine! I’m always glad to hear from rational people. I hope our numbers will increase.
I hope so too.
The buying of Congress, and the buying of Congressmen. To vote for the impeachment of Corona. Which they admitted, they did not even read; tops all the stupid news for 2011.
The insensibility of a President. To party and listen to Jokes of Valerie. While his people are drowning and dying was another top list.
Then, he blames the flood to a person who is sick and confined in a hospital.
2012 will highlight the impeachment of Corona…will we become another Hitler’s Nazi Germany or not?
More natural calmities are on the way…more sufferings for our pweople. Noynoy Aquino will not be able to handle them…because they will occur frequently, in unusual ways…
Too bad for PNoy he won’t be able to control the typhoons. The calamities will show what he is truly made of.
Noynoy can’t contol calamity because he himself is the calamity of our lives.
Hi Ilda
The title of the article should have been… 2011 SHORTCUTS point to more of the same for 2012 under Benigno S. (shortcut) Aquino.
That would be an alternative for next year. 😉
hehehe… happy new year madame. but for pinoys AHHHHHHHHRG… sori na lang. unaccomplished candidate won the presidency… ayan ang napala… NO ACCOMPLISHMENT AT ALL!!! NIL NADA NONE ZILCH!!!
Very well written, Ilda. 🙂
It nicely summed up the highlights of 2011, all in great transitions from one issue to another.
Kudos to your article! More power to GRP!
Thank you for reading. Happy New Year!
HERE ARE THE SUGGESTED NEW YEARS RESOLUTION TO PNOY.
1.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF BLAME GAME ATTITUDE.
2.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF BAD MOUTHING ATTITUDE AGAINST HIS POLITICAL OPPONENT.
3.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF PROTECTING HIS KKK AND CORRUPT BUDDIES.
4.QUIT THE BAD HABITS OF PARTYING WHILE HIS CONSTITUENTS ARE SUFFERING FROM CALAMITIES.
5.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF PREEMPTING THE CONCERNED DEPARTMENT TO GIVE FAVORABLE JUDGEMENT TO HIM.
6.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF SMOKING.
7.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF PLAYING PSP.
8.QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF TARDINESS.
9.AND THE MOST IMPORTANT IS QUIT THE BAD HABIT OF ALWAYS”LYING” TO THE PEOPLE.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ADD SOME MORE,PLEASE FREE TO DO SO ACCORDING TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE.HEHEHE…..
10. Quit the mind conditioning of the public just to get support. Just do your job.
11. quit the presidency.
if he wants to add 100 more items, i don’t need to hear about it as long as he follows through on #11.
Hahahaha! That is the best solution, indeed. 😉
2012 and more of the same. Anything bad happens, he’ll blame the midget.
” cheers to a new year and another chance to get it right”
oprah winfrey
..or should that be “get it wrong”!
headline in to days philstar
95% face 2012 with hope
another propoganda survey.
the frequency and results of the ‘surveys’ are becoming a scandal
the firms should be investigated
Hope in what, exactly? To hope for the best, you need to work towards achieving it.
The PhilStar article itself mentions that the survey was done on Dec 3 to 7, days before the flooding in CDO and Iligan. When the survey was being held, the public is feeding off feel-good propaganda that the administration is supposedly kicking corrupt ass.
That’s right. They should have conducted another survey immediately after it was revealed that PNoy was partying while hundreds were washed off in CDO and Iligan.
Anyway, for the sake of analysis, from this article, here are the past SWS surveys (the coming year:%hopeful)…
2011:93%
2010:89%
2009:92%
2008:91%
2007:91%
2006:85%
2005:81%
2004:90%
2003:95%
2002:88%
2001:87%
Basically, this shows that Da Pinoy is very, very, very, very, very optimistic in meeting the new year, coming in at 80+ percent optimism level. Note how optimism drops slightly when the coming year is a presidential election year (2004 and 2010), which is naturally marked with some uncertainty.
The optimism for the coming years 2005 and 2006 is low because the period around 2004-2005 is when the GMA administration is getting hit hard with scandal after scandal, with the opposition intent on booting her out in one way or another (outvote, impeach, mutiny) while creating political instability. Note also how the optimism levels returned to 90+ percent points when it became clear that she would weather these attacks, or maybe the public has learned to live with her presidency again.
Now, you say that SWS needs to be investigated for propaganda. In the survey results listed above, the stats seem to be consistent with only those for 2005 and 2006 appearing to be anomalous. You could speculate that the survey was tweaked at those times as part of the overall propaganda, or it may be reflecting the effect of the propaganda, but without proof we don’t know which is true. Opinion polls like these should be taken with a grain of salt because they are essentially unverifiable.
A better set of surveys you may base your judgement would be the pre-election surveys and exit polls because these are verifiable with the actual election results. I remember SWS boasts how their surveys accurately reflect the 1998 election results (I’m not sure if it’s the pre-election surveys or exit polls or both but I would assume that the exit polls would be more accurate).
Curiously, back in 2004, the pre-election surveys were more accurate than the exit poll. All surveys correctly predicted the ranking of the presidential candidates, but the voter percentage in the exit polls was off the mark especially for FPJ. If we assume good faith, this was because there were mistakes in conducting the exit poll. Details here: http://www.nscb.gov.ph/headlines/StatsSpeak/071204_rav_polls.asp
Come 2010, the exit poll was more accurate than pre-election surveys. The latter were rather off in the vote percentage especially for Estrada and Villar in the presidential race as well as Binay and Roxas in the vice-presidential race. Now this is more normal, and last-minute changes in opinion are expected in fiesta elections like in the Philippines. Details here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_presidential_election,_2010
It would appear then that the surveys are within believable accuracy when they can be verified (or if inaccurate, there is plausible deniability). Personally, I would still prefer that pre-election survey results be restricted to those who can pay a hefty sum (P100k or more perhaps?) for access. Interested parties may commission surveys or access existing ones, but there should be no broadcasting in any form of media. Aside from being a revenue-generating measure for survey firms, this would reduce the bandwagon effect that those in the know would like to exploit.
the point is everyone is invariably optimistic about the coming of a new year , whoever and wherever. thats human nature
it usually lasts until 3 january.
Thanks for the analysis, Peste. This might come in handy one day. 🙂
PNoy’s minions obviously use surveys to control the public. Notice how they dismiss it when the result is not favorable to them?
new year – old ways
a case of deja vu
Mam Ilda, the October incident you mentioned happened in Al Barka, Basilan Province not in Zamboanga City. The slip is of no consequence really for your article is a great read as always. Please do be more thorough next time.
All the best this new year. Cheers!
@bubi78
Oh yeah! Of course it was Basilan. 🙂
The solders went to a hospital in Zamboanga City. What am I going to do without you guys?!? Thanks. I’ll correct it.
Happy New Year!
Spot on, once again. Many thanks, Ilda, for articulating what many of us see and continue to see. I hope many more will open their eyes, remove their blinders, and get over their fascination of a “great” president, who happens to be a fake. We’re in for many more ineptitude, give and take for 5 more long years.
Hi mommyjo
We can only hope that more people will realise what they need to do to help the country move forward.
In the meantime, we have to continue what we do. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Happy New Year!
Ilda
I hope you and benignO will continue to give us incisive analysis of our political situation next year. Dont let up. Otherwise we might be swamped by the propaganda of the writers of the yellow papers, the Philippine Star, Inquirer, Manila Times, etc, etc.Come to think of it,nearly all of them pala. By the way how come you make a lot more sense than That old man Conrado de Quiros and his ilk. You look so young to do that deep analysis of Philippine politics.
@Robert
Perhaps it is because I was never a part of the whole “people power” Edsa revolution thingy. I do not feel any nostalgia or attachment to the Aquinos. Likewise, it has a lot to do with viewing the world with a child-like perspective at no matter what age. We shouldn’t lose that ability to ask questions the way children do. This is one way to avoid being gullible or falling into any kind of propaganda. Think of the short tale The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Thank you for the words of encouragement. Happy New Year! 🙂
mam, hindi ho town ang Davao City. city po kami.:)
I do know Davao is a city. I even wrote Davao City.
sabi mo lang kasi town mayor…smile…hehe..i’m a fan of yours ma’am
the only solution.
tow 7,106 islands out to sea and sink them.
leave one for ilda and me to start a brave new world.
free speech, free love
lol 😉
Isama niyo naman ako sa mga pangarap niyo. Hahahaha..