First of all, why do people who favour the passing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in its current unconstitutional form see themselves as “peace advocates”? Does that imply that war is a certainty if the current draft BBL is not passed? What does that say about the Moro Islamic Liberation Front — that terrorist organisation the Philippine government foolishly got in bed with? Obviously, it implies that they will be flooding the Mindanao countryside with blood if they do not get their way. That seems to be the logic in the notion that pro-BBL Filipinos are “pro-peace”.
Faced with my expression of dissent to the passage of the fatally-flawed BBL now being debated in the Philippine Senate, some bozo on Twitter challenged me to provide a “better alternative”. So I gave her this response:
.@tatancast #Federalism. Grant autonomy to 1 group & it sets the precedent for others. So far only the MILF get its way coz it’s got guns.
After that there was silence. Or, to be more precise, some further inconsequential waffling that failed to address the pertinent points made during the short “discussion”.
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And that little micro-debate, in essence, is a microcosm of the Philippine “debate”. You can easily see now why Filipinos stick to old, traditional, obsolete, and even fatal ideas. It is because they habitually fail to explore ways forward. Instead, they cling to the quaint historical myths that imprison their small minds.
Step further back and we will note that, today, the only Filipino politician providing real thought leadership in this time of abject national confusion is Philippine Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. He stands out amidst all the other politicians — more astoundingly those who have categorically proclaimed their intent to run for no less than the Philippine presidency in 2016 — who are spending their days contributing to the drivelous national noise of traditional Filipino-style political ‘debate’.
Marcos is the only Filipino politician who habitually maps a way forward. He was the first to do that back in the dark days following the cold-blooded massacre of 44 of the Philippines’ finest police officers by elements of the terrorist Moro Islamic Liberation Front. While Filipinos waited for days, utterly baffled by Malacanang’s silence following that tragedy, Marcos had been busy developing a roadmap forward to guide fellow Filipinos who had been reeling from the shock of that hideous atrocity.
Today, still consistent with that proactive approach to leadership and going against the tide of Filipinos’ renowned retrospective style of thinking things through, Senator Marcos is exploring viable alternatives to what is evidently the failed “Bangsamoro” enterprise of the administration of President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III. By all accounts, Marcos had done his homework. He spent months travelling the islands consulting with a soundly representative cross-section of stakeholders in that affair, making sure that all sectors of Philippine society are heard.
On the back of that hard work and unprecedented statesmanship, Senator Bongbong Marcos is the only Filipino national government official truly qualified to talk about the future of the people of Mindnanao.
Note the words in the statement above: the people of Mindanao. Senator Marcos has made this about all Filipinos who happen to be living in Mindanao. He does not make it about the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, nor about Muslims or Christians. Even Malaysia has been cut out of the discussion altogether.
Why then do Filipinos need to continue listening to the moronisms being served to them by the likes of Teresita Deles, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, and the man still known as “Mohagher Iqbal”? That’s not a difficult question to answer. Filipinos habitually listen to idiots and allow themselve to be mesmerised by their ululations because they are too lazy to think like modern human beings.
A Filipino faced with a sound argument that runs counter to the body of ancient pre-21st Century beliefs she holds sacred acts like a cat frozen in its tracks in the middle of the road blinded by the headlights of a car barrelling towards it. Like that Twitter bozo I mentioned earlier, Filipinos, like the imminent roadkill that they are, simply lack the brain power to process alternative views essential to their very survival.
What does Senator Marcos get for his trouble? Well, when you are a bright strobe standing amongst dim bulbs, you become a target of the ambient dimness. According to a GMA News report, the following constitutes the “intelligent” response of the Philippines’ community of so-called “peace advocates”…
In a statement, the coalition of 32 peace advocacy groups called Marcos’ plan to draft an entirely new version of the BBL as indicative of the “depths of megalomania he is capable of and the utter disregard he has for all government institutions and peace process.”
Classy indeed.
If Filipinos can call spending months meeting with the people who are most affected by the BBL fantasy a “disregard” for the “peace process” with a straight face, that by itself describes the profoundness of the intellectual bankruptcy that grips this former American colony which, by the way, was given its independence by the United States in 1946 (not “won” in 1898 following some mythological “revolution”).
It’s time Filipinos step up and catch up with the modern way the rest of humanity thinks and put a stop to their comfy relationship with mediocrity.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
“…Marcos has emerged from the shadow and is now demonstrating the pontificating, autocratic, single-minded mien of his father… He is so single minded that he is willing to toss 17 years of dedicated work by hundreds, on both the advantaged and disadvantaged side of the divide, in favor of his own personal work.”
______________________
So writes this PNoy courtier. I wrote in reaction, judge not by the length of time spent for the work or by the number of those involved but by the result, by the quality of work. If anything, the sloppy result is an indictment of those who were involved and what a time wasted, indeed.
About “his own personal work”, we’ll see what it says. It is a working draft I suppose to facilitate the process. Not something he will be imposing on everybody
Hahaha but I forgot, I got banned from his blog months ago
He has a good idea for our brothers in Mindanao.
The first, the supreme, the most far-reaching act of judgment that the statesman and commander have to make is to establish by that test the kind of war on which they are embarking; neither mistaking it for, nor trying to turn it into, something that is alien to its nature.
A great statesman is he who knows when to depart from traditions, as well as when to adhere to them.
Without BBL, it seems Aquino administration can’t do anything for Mindanao or for the Moro people (since they are now being specific that BBL is really for peace settlement with MILF).
As for Sen. Bongbong, here’s what he’ll tell you about the good of all Mindanao
“Improvement can be made in Mindanao via 10-year plan.
And you don’t need a new law for that, frankly!”
https://twitter.com/bongbongmarcos/status/608430891875094528
Shows how weak the Philippines is. Has to negotiate to terrorists. Shouldn’t have to. Just beat the shit out of them.
Why is the senate still wasting time for that. Forget about that BBL bullshit and move on to other big issues. The gov should never have to handle issues anything about religion. Whats the use of separation of church and state?
Why is the EXEXUTIVE/PNOY still wasting time for that. Forget about that BBL bullshit and move on to other big issues. The gov should never have to handle issues anything about religion. Whats the use of separation of church and state?
@za robin
@Dick S. O’Rosary
Bakit pareho sinasabi n’yo? Iisang tao lang ba kayo?
Read closely. I was referring to the Executive, while za robin was referring to the Legislature. Two co-equal branches of government, separate and distinct. za robin complained that the legislature is wasting its time crafting relevant laws. I replied that the executive is wasting our time dealing with terrorists.
Reach out if you need further clarification.
In your haste, you did not even notice our fundamental disagreement.
Oh yeah. Since I have to point things out for you kambal, my argument uses the classic logical fallacy of “tu quoque”. In responding to the anti-Marcos comment of za robin, I assumed he was pro-Aquino so I muddled the issue by saying “you too”. Yeah, sorry that was low blow and a bit unfair. I just wanted to apologize since you pointed this out for me kambal.
Somehow, there will always be poetic justice. Those who have wisdom, who think of the common good, who work hard, who pay attention to details, who have a clear vision, etc, always win in the end.
A narcissist may win battles, but will never win the war. PNoy tried hard to extract a legacy out of BBL, but if there is poetic justice, he will unwittingly hand over that legacy to Bongbong, who will of course thank him for the opportunity, without mentioning that the opportunity came because PNoy wittingly allowed the SAF44 to be massacred in one high noon. It must be for Bongbong is interested only in a much better BBL.
The Israel Palestinian conflict should be a good example ; against this BBL Law. We are fighting a political/religious ideology. The land issue is just, a “sugar coating” of the Real Intent of the Islamic Radicals.
Israel agreed to give the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians; land in exchange for Peace. Did Israel got Peace? What it got is a daily barrage of rocket attacks . And suicide bombings…
You have to understand the Mindset of these Islamic Radicals. They think they have to kill the non believers/infidels…to please their God:Allah. Along with the 72 virgins, reward in Paradise. The Islamic Radical “witch brew” is mixed, and very potent to those people…
“Israel agreed to give the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians”??
You obviously have no idea at all about modern political or Biblical history. According to the latter, God cast the jews out of the Promised Land because they repeatedly failed to fulfill their religious commitments. With that, the jews lost their Promised Land forever!
After the jewish diaspora, the land became Palestine until in 1948, the British colonialists GAVE their protectorate to Ashkenazi jewish converts from central Europe.
Palestinians are not “Islamic Radicals” they are freedom fighters of various religions including christianity. Do some homework before you post – idiot!
@Joe:
You are also an idiot. I do not care about who your God is…some Palestinians were involved in kidnapping and suicide bombings…So, some are Islamic Terrorist Radicals.
Israel was established by the U.N. mandate…the British gave Palestine to the Jews, and established the nation:Israel. Yasser Arafat was a terrorist..together with his PLO…they committed various acts of terrorism. Remember the Munich Olympics in Germany? That murder of that man in a wheelchair on a cruise ship in the Italy? Are those not terrorism?
Amen to this Hayden. You nailed it.
proactive? isn’t this just a buzzword that dumb people use to sound important?
tama naman eh. why not consult with various stakeholders? why not use the processes usual in representative governments?
the problem is we do not hold our supposed representatives accountable for their output. that’s why we have shitty laws that, if enforced at all, are enforced simply because they are laws convenient to certain groups.
who does not want peace? only those who profit from war i guess. we all want peace, right? but at what price? 75 billion? loss of sovereignty over some areas of the country? “they have suffered much in the past so we have to pay them off?” 2.4 billion to rehabilitate 145 ex-MILF fighters? maybe nurses and teachers should take up arms to get the pay that they deserve? lots of questions no answers?
Its not just that he bears his father’s name. He is also enjoying the loot of his family and he has shown no remorse whatsoever on the evil of his father’s regime. A renowned journalist also recounted how Bongbong and Ver wanted to assault the massive gathering in EDSA during the revolution. You want voter education? Start with yourself and see the atrocities of the Marcoses that didn’t just stop with the strong man.
And so what about all that? “senator” Antonio Trillanes is guilty of rebellion and was convicted for it. He endangered thousands of Filipino lives and destroyed millions of pesos worth of property using military resources that were not his to employ for his private agenda.
Trillanes, a convicted rebel leader who should have faced a firing squad is now a Philippine “senator”.
The stuff you say about Marcos may be true or may be false. Who’s the final authority in the Philippines as far as a person’s guilt for crimes he is accused of? None other than the Philippine judiciary. But Marcos has never been convicted of anything. If there should’ve been a conviction, then that failure is on Philippine society as a whole for tolerating a system that does not work.
So get over it. Pinoys completely missed the bus on that one. Tough luck for all the crybabies.
What’s on the table TODAY and in the FUTURE is what Marcos has achieved during his term as Philippine senator.
well said!
And not to mention that just because Ferdinand Marcos did some horrible things to our country doesn’t mean that his son would do the same. If there’s one thing Bongbong would do, that would be to prove to us that he is his own man and not a silhouette of his father.
Let me get this straight. You think the son the guy who caused the event (Jabidah massacre) that created the terrorist group MNLF has the best solution for resolving this conflict? Are you f&$#n9 kidding me?
So what about him being that ‘son’? If your father was a rapist that makes you a rapist as well? Is that the line of thinking you are on? #PinoyDaBest.
Between Bongbong Marcos and ABn0y Aquino I’ll go for Bongbong anytime. State of mind alone he miles away.
haha between bbm and noynoy I go for bbm period and don’t u ever ask me why…
BBM’s record for the past six months one can gather from the news
-come up with an action plan right away after the SAF massacre in Maguindanao
-calls for justice for SAF 44
-hold a meeting and listens to indigenous peoples and other stakeholders of BBL
-working on a substitute bill for BBL that won’t go against the constitution and the rights of all stakeholders
-stay firm on upholding, protecting and defending the constitution
-urged PNoy to fire Purisima
-support renewable and clean energy (bdw, accdg to news, “Burgos town, Ilocos Norte is now the first site of the world’s combined solar and wind farm”)
-urged long-term plan to prevent energy crisis
-urged bilateral talk with China
I must say he’s breaking the mold and raising the bar for Philippine political leaders.
BBL- BongBong Latta, this is the new chant!
If you’ve read the Old Testament, there are these books on the Kings of Israel and Judah (I and II Kings). In Judah, the lineage of David is unbroken until the last king was exiled to Babylon (talk about political dynasties).
Every time there was a new king after the previous one died, the young ruler is introduced as either “___ did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” or “___ did what was right in the sight of the LORD”. King Ahaz was a bad king, but then his son Hezekiah was a righteous king. On the other hand, Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh, turned out to be a bad king. And it goes oscillating on and on.
So what’s the point? It’s possible that BongBong Marcos is a clean politician / public servant, unlike his father who siphoned public wealth. Remember BongBong was separated from his father/mother for a long period esp. since he studied abroad – so the “corruption” may not have rubbed off to him. Unfortunately, no matter how in-corrupt he actually is, he bears a tainted name forever associated with corruption.
So be grateful if you inherited a good family name; it’s something silver and gold can never buy.
If BBM win for President I will move back home.
After reading all the comments of people who really do not assess situations actually survived from the war in Mindanao, I was obliged to show my sentiments. Who are these people composed the MNLF, MILF, ASG, or JI? They are the same people with same ideals, traditions and beliefs who betrayed past good government offering peace. What happened to Gen. Bautista and 33 soldiers in Ptikul, Sulu in 1977? What made these people killed 119 officers and men of the 31st Inf Bn in Pata island, Sulu in 1981? And recently the SAF 44? A glaring betrayal to peace process to sum up, this has no end untill personal interest of their leaders will aiso end.
PNoy’s government will surely f*ck up the economy and the people big time before another Marcos sit in higher post like his father and their allies did in the past so the big burden and blame will again be put under the next regime. The mistakes of the past must guide and equip BBM to counter all dark propaganda. These Lumad issue is an NPA issue. MILF is a terrorist issue. Then they are leaving Metro Manila to rot!
This president of our country is HALF CRACK MAD..That is the conclusion…BBM is,the,best.