Is Dr. Jose Rizal, whose death we remember today, established by law as a our National Hero

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Philippines  December 30, 2013

From Philstar

From Inquirer - Jose Rizal joins list of Nick Joaquin's dubious heroes

From Philstar - Why Co became Mercado became Rizal
His father's surname is Mercado.  Why is he being called Dr. Jose Rizal?

"His father Francisco Engracio/ Mercado then married to Teodora Alonso) opted to use the Spanish surname Ricial (meaning greenfields) after a Gov Claveria decreed that Chinese immigrants and mestizo adopt a Spanish surname.  Due confusion, they adopted Rizal Mercado as his surnname.  Jose dropped Mercado when his brother Paciano was placed under surveillance due to his link with martyred priest Gumborza)

Today is the 117th death  anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, whom our country venerate as our national hero.  But no Philippine law has established that fact.  Not even with an executive order.

Dr. Jose Rizal, who was executed on December 30, 1896 by Spaniards at Luneta for allegedly inciting the Filipinos has been long remembered as our national hero.  But no such law or proclamation declaring such has been passed.

Only five Philippine icons have been declared  officially as "national"

Sec Petilla's dare to restore electricity by Christmas was bound to fail; thus he must resign

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Philippines  |  December 30, 2013

 

Sec Petilla sets resignation in motion

From Rappler - Sec Carlos Jericho Petilla will resign if there is no power in  Leyte by Christmas.
Check  - There is no power yet in Leyte from NGC

In our MBA class, I solicited comments regarding the plan of DOE sec to have Luzon and Visayas grid interconnected by December 8, 2013.  Sec Petilla warned MM consumers of possible power shortage in Luzon grid, so they must save 100 mW to cover the Visayas demand.

The student who is nearly to be one of the Senior Manager of a local distribution company commented that the promise is in the unrealistic territory because there are about 500 transmission tower that were damaged.  He doubts whether NGC has the capacity (financial) or capability to restore the fallen/damaged tower given the self imposed deadline by the Secretary.

So out of delicadeza the poor secretary must eat his hat, and swallow his pride,  and keep his word out of delicadeza.

In our self mastery, we are warned to be careful of what we say because they soon become our destiny and they will haunt us.  When our words come home to roost;

Maybe out of hubris, many people like the Emperor who wore no clothes are blinded by psychophants , fail to see reality and thus make bad decisions.  Or had to make lofty statements for political reasons

  So sorry sir.  A promise is a promise

 

The IRS is Obama's hand puppet. (others call it attack dog). are you next on his get-even list?

Do you agree with this report?
 


USA is reportedly very active in spying on its citizens due to the Patriots Act.  NSA collects phone records, phone conversations, and even remittances of US citizens to and from foreign countries through Western Union.  It is reportedly tapping into telephone conversations of EU heads of state (like Chancellor Merkel Germany)  Pres Obama reportedly denies knowledge of the activities of its intelligence agencies.

How about IRS?

What happenned to Pres Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan case by US Atty. General.  And the Republicans who were investigated by IRS?









Find out more how IRS has been made an attack dog by Dems

Mayor Binay's Convoy stopped at Dasma, what really happenned?

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Philippines  |  December 19, 2013

 

From Rappler  12.19.2013

ANC showed earlier this evening a CCTV that showed a convoy being stopped at a subdivision gate.  The guards did not raise the bar.  There was a man who went out of the car, whom the narrator said was Mayor Binay.

The story later said that the man identified himself as the Mayor of Makati.  The Makati police allegedly came to the rescue and pacified eased the situation  With the Mayor was the sister.  Senator Nancy Binay.  The incident happened last November 30 and is just being reported lately

The detention of the SG by Makati police was denied.  And the owner of the Security Agency Ram Antonio said that there were lapses on the part of the SG who were supposed to give special privilege to three VIP:  Pres of Phil, VP of the Phil (the father of the Mayor) and the Mayor of the City.

So was it a case of power trip of the mayor, who could have exited through another gate, or SG misunderstanding the order to them?

The social media criticized Binay for being arrogant today  December 19, 2013

Are you Juan of them?

That is why dynasties should really be banned.  Feeling monarchy and pamilya:  kanila Pinas.  What Pinay este Binay wants, Binay gets done.  

Executive to the hilt.  A Mayor must have balls, and not be timid.  He has balls.


"MANILA, Philippines – Was it a case of power tripping or security guards failing to follow protocol?
Makati Mayor Junjun Binay allegedly ordered the arrest of 3 security personnel from the posh Dasmariñas Village in Makati after his 4-car convoy was not allowed to exit through one of its gates on November 30."
But Binay spokesman Joey Salgado called the report "false and downright malicious."

22 dead as Don Mariano bus falls off skyway near Bicutan

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Rizal Philippines   |   December 16,2013

 

From ANC Yahoo

It is indeed sad that it is just 9 days before Christmas and 22 people died in a very bizarre accident  which again involved Don Mariano bus.  I rode on that bus last Monday from Estrella to EDSA crossing.  In front of EDSA Central, a Don Mariano bus rear ended another bus causing massive traffic jam.  My experience with that bus ride was hair raising.   It was as if there were no other vehicles on the road. 

The bus fell off on closed van and the rescuers had difficult time extracting the injured. The bus was on its way to Pacita complex.

The accident paralyzed the traffic in the area.

A suspension order will be served, effective for 30 days for 3 of the 78 buses of Don Mariano

What the traffic enforcers doing to enforce traffic rules?  Maybe they turn the other way around as Don Mariano bus violates the speed limit, safe driving because..... (Guess....)

If the traffic enforcers were faithful doing their job, would this have happened?

Was the driver drunk or high on drugs, or simply reckless?

 

What was JE request to COA head?

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December 16, 2013

I happened to go on plane travel yesterday and was seated beside the lady from COA.  Our conversation veered towards PDAF, the senators and solons involved, and JE.  I asked her what did JE request their head in  a phone conversation.  Well she said, JE requested for replacement resident auditor for City Hall (where the father  is the mayor).  This was denied by the lady head of COA.

Now you know

Tax collection efforts will lose traction because of DAP and PDAF

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Philippines December 10, 2013



Our friends remarked and they are under BIR tax audit, that voluntary willful payment of taxes would have been the order of the day were it not for the PDAF and DAP events.  It would have been tuwid na daan and many would be willing to pay their taxes promptly and faithfully.  But not after PDAF.  With the wanton wastage of the taxpayers money, with the plunder and stealing that is going on at the highest level (without the PNoys knowledge) we cant expect belligerence or revolt on the part of the taxpayers.   Their agressiveness in  tax collection should be matched with care and diligence how that money must be spent

What are needed for relief and rescue operations? What must the disaster units invest in?

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Rizal Philippine  December 10, 2013

 

As we discuss the Supertyphoon Yolanda aftermath with our business partners who just arrived from abroad, several equipment need to be acquired by our disaster, relief and rescue operations.  We should be beyond transport, health, extraction, rescue  equipment: (that is what you call solution after next) We move towards rehabilation:

1.  At the disaster level, we need:  Instant Network (Huawei has this available technology VFIN)  Communication must be restored immediately.

2.  Power generators (maybe we go solar for cheap and fuel less power source;  fuel becomes scarce during disaster)

3.  Water filtration plant.  I have been told that there are portable emergency water treatment plants:  from brackish to clean (about $80,000) or salt to fresh ($100,000)Their units run on solar power.

From Firstwater Inc

Operation smile will provide shelter repair kits for Leyte typhoon victims; so has Habitat for Humanity

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Tiendesitas, Pasig City, December 10, 2013

 

I had a business meeting with our Joint Venture Partners and one of them, Dr  James is a cosmetic surgeon, and is member of operation smile.org.   (As you know, they operate free on children with cleft chin worldwide for free, so that they can smile again) They will be donating $100,000 for the Supertyphoon Yolanda victims.  They are now doing away with relief packs, water rice. the usual food and relief donation.

They thought, Dr. James thought that they will be donating housing kit, each worth P10,000 be shipped from Cebu. What the people need now is shelter.  The $100,000 will be good for about 400 housing kits (that is what the Melinda Gates foundation did for the Habagat victims in our place)

Providing sheleter repair kits - from CNN

ShelterBox was already in the Philippines providing shelter after the 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol on October 15. They are now expanding their operations to provide tents and essential equipment for families left homeless after Typhoon Haiyan. You can support their work in the Philippines either online or by calling 1-941-907-6036.

Habitat for Humanity is providing shelter repair kits to help survivors rebuild their damaged homes. You can support this work by donating from the Philippines to their Re-Build Philippines Fund or from the U.S. by contributing to their Disaster Response Fund. You can also make a donation by phone at 1-800-HABITAT.

Habitat for Humanity has allready provided 5,000 shelter repair kits in the supetyphoon Yolanda damaged areas. It plans to distribute 30,000 more. More than a million lost their homes from the supertyphoon  The kits contain plywood, lumber, galvanized iron sheets, a hammer, a saw and nails. In addition to distributing the kits, Habitat provides training on safe building practices. The shelter repair kits fast track rehabilitation and recovery of typhoon victims by giving them hope - by having restored their homes instead of living in tents or barracks (Obama?)

God bless their souls and many thanks.  May you believe more in what Andrew Carnegie once said

(For other businessmen, Andrew Carnegie, a steel magnate and one of the early millionaires in US said that "one of the biggest disgrace is to die with plenty of money"

 

Who does not lie? Everybody lies?

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Rizal, Philippines  | December 8, 2013

Let us pause for a while it is the feast of Immaculate Concepcion

 From neurological and psycholigical studies, we cant
'
From Self development blog

We read in the news:   Napoles is not telling the truth;   MDS is accusing JPE of being a liar.  And yet, she does not seem to be transparent about her car.   Senators accuse CSC Corona of lying, and yet, are they not lying about PDAF?

Senators lie, Presidents lie,  everybody lies.

Find out from Nat Geo Brain games, why everybody tends to routinely  lie.  It easier to accept this way that we humans lie as a matter of course and survival. Species employ deception to survive.   This site may even lie.  People in the internet lie, and post scams

Saudization Law now in effect; thousands of Pinoys being repatriated;

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Philippines, December 7, 2013

 
Bulk of workers at KSA are not Arabs but Filipinos 28%


From Rappler

From Inquirer - Saudization

All good things must come to an end.  Before OFWs thought that jobs in KSA will be forever.  But as they say in a song, "Nothing good gonna last forever"  And the jobs in KSA is expected to dry up, now that demand for oil is on the decline.  Signs that things are not so good in Saudi:   unemployment  is high (9%), Saudi is going solar to save on their oil production for export 

Thus the Saudization is expected.  Saudis  cannot depend on foreign labor forever.  KSA is for Arabs and expatriates will have their time end.  Saudization finally took effect November 3, 2013, after long period of extensions to give time for workers to regularize their documents.  The law mandates that KSA residents must now be employees of over 300,000 companies located in KSA, as KSA faces huge unemployment problem

The bigger problem is the illegals in KSA.  Those who abandoned the original labor contract in effect are illegals.  Filipinos who went there and found out that the job offers here in RP is different from the actual contract abroad, quit, and work for others.  They in effect violated, not the Arabs the labor and other agreements and must face imprisonment.   They could have resigned.  But they did not.  And so they face punishment from the host country

The Commission on Overseas Filipino Workers made an estimate of 1,27 million in KSA, with 108,000 considered as irregular or undocumented.  ASec Raul Hernandez of DFA, said that 4,302 Filipinos in Saudi have been repatriated;   and issued travel docs to 9,000 others.   Some l,500 have voluntarity signified their intention of going home and awaiting their travel documents

 

 

 

 

What? Solving their problem with another problem? How....?

From Newsmax


Democrat Polis' Solution: Legalize Immigrants to Fix Obamacare

From God father politics - Polis is rather bizarre



It does not seem to be a sound solution;  may be full of sound.  I used to have great admiration  for Dems and Americans.  Today, I doubt whether they still have that admiration. Take a look at the idea of Rep. Jared Polis, a Democrat on immigration law and Obamacare and their relevance to one another.

Polis wants to legalize illegals so that can be covered by Healthcare, so that the burden is not passed to taxpaying, with health insurance US citizens

One of the biggest problem of USA is burgeoning debt and federal expenses which does not seem to have any end in sight.  And now Polis wants to ad some more weight to sink their government?

Excerpt from the Newsmax article.

"The Times cited a Congressional Budget Office report showing the Senate immigration bill, offering legalization for current illegals and expanding legal immigration, could cost $82.3 billion in the next decade, increasing Obamacare subsidies for new legal immigrants.

Those who are in the country illegally would not be able to enter the Obamacare system for a decade after they obtain green cards under current law."

A Gang of 8 Senate measure was passed in Senate to legalize illegal immigrants but was stalled in US Congress

CIA spying on international finance and monetary system?

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CIA Collecting Records of International Money Transfers

From Wall St. Journal online

From Leaksource blog

The current accusations of various govt:    spying  by US seems to be gathering confirmation as true.  Why is Barack Obama, a democrat allowing this?  He does not know this?  What happens to command responsibility?

CIA seems to be using the same law, the Patriot Act that NSA uses in tapping phone and internet records, in monitoring records of Western Union on wire transfers (to track funding of terrorists?)

That is there is a group of Civil Libertarians who are activitists vs this kind of govt curtailment of US liberties.

Well CIA could always invoke national security in monitoring money transfers.  Is this legal or constitutional, moral?
 


 

Sen Santiago attacks Sen Enrile personally; calls him various names; a counter attack to JPE

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Rizal  Philippines  |  December 4, 2013

 From Rappler by Ayee Macaraig | December 4, 2013


 

Sen Myriam Defensor Santiago, who was accompanied by sister, and husband delivered a privileged speech at the Senate today and mentioned the following (aside from being a liar and being guilty of 7 crimes)
1. architect of martial law (true)

2.  mastermind of PDAF;

3.  behind gambling and smuggling at Port Irene in Cagayan (hmmm friends and students hinted this to be correct)

4.  womanizer  (of his chief of staff) had special relations with another top level personality, and even had relations with the domestic help;

What do you think of this speech?

What do you think of Sen Enrile?

Of Sen Santiago?

Of our public sector leaders?

Maybe Sen Santiago counter attacked Sen Enrile on account of this portion of the privilege speech of JPE last 11/27/2013 for which Sen Myriam is particularly sensitive about:

"During the hearing of the Commission on Appointments on her confirmation as Secretary of Agrarian Reform, testing the suitability and qualifications of the nominee then, I asked her if she was ever under the care of a psychiatrist. She admitted that she was. She said that she was treated by a psychiatrist at the Makati Medical Center.
In the same Commission on Appointments committee deliberation, I asked her also what grade she got in her bar examination. She replied that she got 76%. That meant that she obtained low grades in all her bar subjects. In fact, I remember that she got a grade of 56% in Ethics, the easiest bar examination subject.


In that same Commission on Appointments committee deliberation, I asked about a white Toyota Celica sports car that the nominee then was said to be driving as her personal car when she was a judge in Quezon City. Toots Trinidad, a former PNB Vice President, owned that sports car. He shipped it back to the Philippines upon his return from the United States after his surgical operation for a brain tumor at the Standford University. That sports car disappeared from the compound of the Bureau of Customs when it arrived in the Port of Manila.


Toots Trinidad learned that his sports car was with a judge of Quezon City. Toots Trinidad asked then Judge Miriam Defensor Santiago to give the car back to him. She refused. I was told that she claimed that her husband, Narciso Yap Santiago of the Province of Tarlac, who was at that time employed in the Bureau of Customs, gave her that sports car as a birthday gift. Later on, I found out that the car was registered in her name in the Bureau of Land Transportation in the Province of Tarlac.
As a consequence of my opposition, and among other concerns taken into consideration, the Committee on Agrarian Reform of the Commission on Appointments voted to reject her appointment as Secretary of Agrarian Reform."
 

Jeepney drivers strike over continued unjust arrests

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Rizal Philippines  | December 2, 2013

 

From Inquirer News | December 2, 2013

The FEDOJAP, headed by Zenaida Maranan went on strike early this morning to protest the alleged "unreasonable apprehensions by traffic enforces in Manila"  Some 3000 to 4000 units were involved in the protest action.  She said that the protest will continue because she felt that Vice Mayor Isko Moreno does not have anything concrete to solve the issue.

Really, can the VM solve the problem.

It is Christmas time, and for the traffic enforcer, who does not get much anyway to arrest, and make hay while he may.  What else is new?  When the NPA still roamed freely, the Sparrow attacks had a way of stopping this banal act dead on its tracks.

But there should be a better way because the drivers are shooting themselves in the foot and hare hurting their customers;  damned if they do, damned if they dont.
 

Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) is indeed the moment of truth, the defining moment for the "Tuwid na Daan" of this regime!

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal, Philippines  | December 2, 2013

 

The comments of Christianne  Amanpour of CNN to the President during their interview, post Yolanda typhoon crisis, still ring clearly in my ears " How your respond to this crisis, defines your Presidency"  as he was embarrassed by apparent grasp of reality on the ground.

As I got the other stories from somebody whose relatives were victims of the typhoon  (Inside story of the Typhoon Haiyan devastation)  there were several incidents that may not speak well of the rule of the national govt:

1,  The staging of relief distribution;

2.  The repacking of relief goods by the government agencies.

3.  The military commandeering the relief goods for personal use of disposition.

4.   The grandstanding of the Presidency with the LGU Mayor Alfred Romualdez

5.  The military men leading the civilian in commandeering private goods for personal use (the military were in bonnet as seen in TV and fully armed)

It is the time for compassion rather than greed.  How the people in the govt, representing the national government really really reflects zillions the values, the mores of the present govt, and whether the leadership now, has made a dent on how we run things here, especially during crisis.

 

A convenient way to donate to Typhoon Yolanda victims

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Rizal   Philippines  |  December 2, 2013

I just learned from an announcement in ANC that an online gift giving portal has reinvented itself to help generous individuals send donation to typhoon victims in Eastern Visayas.  I did not get the name correnctly but it should be www.regalo.com.ph   You can select packs of P200, P500, 1,000 and they will be delivered to the typhoon affected areas.

I think this is a better and secured way to donate.  Donating to a well known national NGO is not safe because the friend we talked to last November 30,2013 said that the NGO personnel have been known to :   1.  repack the gift packages,   2.  bring home the donation packages.  Whew.  I hope this hearsay is not true.  We sent our donation through the mass media companies spearheading the donation

Inside story of the devastation by Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte

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Manila Philippines, November 30, 2013

We met with our construction contractor for labor tonight.  He just arrived from Leyte and he has been there since November 13, 2013 to assist his relatives who were victims of Typhoon Haiyan.  He brought to assist his stricken relatives 50 relief packs and it cost him about a P100,000.  He had many interesting stories to tell regarding the situation there:

Some relief goods distribution were just for a show

Not all were given relief goods.  Those lines which were deemed to be full of people in same household were not given anymore.  After photo ops, relief goods that were given were retrieved/recalled.    Some relief packs were repacked (what for?)

Relief goods even as of this date have not reached the intended beneficiaries;   why?

Some container goods were kept in warehouses and remained undistributed and heavily guarded in warehouses of local officials.  What for?

Commandeered by the military?

He alleges that some relief goods carried by helicopters c/o the military were not 100% delivered;  some were taken for personal use of the military personnel.  Some military men were behind the pilferage of fuel in tanks (the guys in bonnet were encouraging the people to pilfer the gasoline in underground trunk?  why?)

We can see generosity and cruelty of people in times of crisis

There was this townmate businessmen of this contractor who was hated before.  But he brought from Cebu 3 truckloads of relief goods costing several hundreds of thousands of pesos to distribute to the typhoon victims in his town.  On the other hand, there were rapes and robberies going on.  Abandoned cars and motorbikes are being strippped for parts.  There were wholesale theft of motorbikes in a store which was carried out clearly not in the name of survival.

There was even a band of robbers who shouted tsunami, and everybody ran away injuring many in the stampede that ensued.  That was a ruse for the 3 robbers to rob the vacant houses.  They were soon discovered and one of them was lynched, one was caught, and one ran away.

Gasoline is sold for 2x the price, construction materials are sold 2x their price that is why people cant rebuild their lost homes.  If only construction materials were made available at prevailing market price

Lack of strong leadership and management needed

Our friend really deplored the politicking that was going on, greediness, self interest, and cruelty that was going on and the inability of the public sector to control this and take charge. It will tell heavily on the elective officials if they will still stay in office

Logistics management, crowd control, leadership must be practiced and taught.   Many educated people only bring in cash, goods, and repacking labor to the table, but I guess we need good management practices in this kind of situation (and even morality and ethics)  Amanpour was right -  the actions here define the kind of people who lead and manage us.

Unbelievable devastation

From the stories he heard, the surge was more than 30 ft high.  And people were not prepared for that.  Many died from the ships that crushed their homes.  There were little tornadoes that tore the structures apart.  Would you believe that coconut trees were twisted by the strong wind?

Did Pacman pay or not pay the proper taxes?

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Repost from Herald Sun | November 27, 2013

We have heard and seen the media battle between BIR and the Cong Paquiao on what appears to be a battle for the money -  P2 billion ($50million)  in tax deficiency being claimed by BIR from the congressman and Pambansang Kamao Pacman.   Now, if the claims are true, then he is penniless if he cant touch is bank accounts.  And this is humiliating, and embarrassing for the sportsman (have you been in this kind of mess)

Pacman's lawyers claim that income taxes have been paid in US as soon as they were paid to Pacman.  Newspapers have listed him to have earned more than $300 million in purse money in his career.  Last year his earnings was placed at $14 million. 

Meanwhile, the PHL president has suggested to Pacman to face the issues at BIR  (From PHLstar - PNOY to Pacman: Pay up, shut up | November 29 2013

Pacquiao needed a win over Rios not because it is a symbol for "Bangon Pinoy" but because he is broke?

From SB Nation - Requiem for Welterweight Manny

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News has it that Cong Pacquiao needed the Rios fight badly and many more fights, despite having aged all ready, because he is broke.  He is hemorrhaging lots of money.  Team Pacquiao entourage has mismanaged the earnings of Pacquiao, despite having accumulated more than $200 million.

His downfall will be his generosity, according to a Times article written by Michael Koncz:

Let us quote the excerpt:


Despite earning nearly $200 million during his brilliant career, Pacquiao always hemorrhaged money. Gary Andrew Poole's 2010 biography, "Pacman," laid out how Pacquiao's contracts were split: After his manager's took their 20-percent cut, his trainer Freddie Roach took 10 percent, strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza shaved off a few more points. There were also training camp expenses, tax bills in the U.S. and the Philippines, and his boundless, ever-growing entourage, all guzzling funds. According to a 2009 New York Times article by Greg Bishop, "Team Pacquiao has perfected the art of dysfunction. The entourage consists of trainers, assistants to the trainers, advisers, assistants to the advisers, cooks, dishwashers, car washers, publicists, gofers and security." For each fight, Pacquiao also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars flying his entourage to Las Vegas, buying hundreds of tickets, covering hotel rooms, and providing spending money. In the Times article, Michael Koncz, singled out Pacquiao's Achilles' heel: "The downfall of Pacquiao, if there is one, will be his kindness and generosity. At some point, I fear that's going to catch up to him." Beyond Pacquiao's generosity, he reportedly squandered millions from gambling. That doesn't even account for his fleet of cars and extensive property holdings, including houses, condos, apartments and such an intense desire to give his money away to the poor he had to hire people simply charged with the responsibility to apologize and prevent him from throwing money at all the open hands spread out before him.

Let us move on to culture of resourcefulness and initiative away from culture of patronage and the free

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal  Philippines   |  November 24, 2013


 

Our laundryman seldom comes to work: when the govt local or national, distributes relief goods.  She gets more from her working out her duties but would rather degrade herself lining up for the coupon and registration, and getting the goodies --> measly 2 kgs of rice, two pieces of sardines, 1 kg of sugar.  The politicians rewarded her for doing that, and now that is her mindset.  She and the rest of her compatriots who were victims of the typhoon leave everything to the government, and without the govt, they will die.  They say:   "We did not die from the typhoon, but we are going to die without the govt help coming our way."  As if God did not create us without the power to be resourceful and have initiative.  We know the devastation is so much;  but as a Nora Aunor movie tells us:  "We create our Gods and our own miracles"

It is time we change the mindset of our constituents.  If it is backfiring even on the President and his cabinet, we only have ourselves to be blamed.  It starts with politics of patronage, of campaigning, and having a indebtedness and gratitude for that vote.

We have forgotten:  "Ask what you can do for your country, ask not what your country can do for you."

 

 

 

Are you betting on Pacman to win his match vs Rios today?

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Rizal Philippines  |  November 24, 2013

 

The Pacman fight vs Rios today at Macau is but several minutes away.  But  I doubt whether he will win this time.  My reasons:

1.  He is on  a losing streak:   twice:   Bradley and Marquez

2.  He is not a focused anymore;  he has many concerns:

    1.  As a congressman

    2.  As a singer/party goer

    3.  As a religious leader

    4.  As a games man.  He plays and bets on billiards, and cockfight.  On cockfights, some people report that he can lose millions in an hour, just like that.  And he knows, whether he bets also in his fight.

    4.  He just said he worries about the compatriots who suffered from Super typhoon Yolanda.

This is to not to mention other concerns on his personal life.

Since he is all ready wealthy,  (From Forbes - Pacquiao career earnings reach $300 million) I could not see the same fire and enthusiasm in his training and even in his last two fights.  As they say, all good things must come to an end.  Life could not be perpetually up, there are downs.

I just pray I am wrong.  <Well I was wrong, he won and toyed with Rios yesterday, it was a vindication of  Bradley and Marquez losses.  ESPN - Pacquiao wins over Rios>

Pacman outclasses Rios 

UK Telegraph - History of Pacman Career Fights


Bloodied and battered Marquez had a lucky punch?

Leyte residents victim of deadly typhoon and politics?

It is more fun criticizing,

Philippines   |  November 23, 2013

There was this news at Asia News that mentioned about Casiple analyzing why there was a standstill in the distribution of relief goods in Leyte after the supertyphoon Yolanda.  There was a comment by the anchor that the residents of Leyte  suffered from two deadly attacks:  that of the typhoon and politics.   Political grandstanding, (rather than positive action) found its way into the aftermath of the disaster and we know the adverse results

Right after the typhoon the President visited Tacloban and met with the local officials.  The mayor was surnamed Romualdez (Alfred), an enemy of the President's family.  As a political rival, you know, there would be lack of support for relief, rescue.  And Casiple remarked that the President should have acted as President of the PHL not as President of Liberal Party.

I hope it is not.  Now there is Senator Poe proposing a new law strengthening disaster preparednesss.

I would like to say:

1. There are the NDRRMC  and whose leadership and procedures may just need to be tweaked/improved:

2.  There is the RA 7077 whose primary mission is disaster and relief operations;  the officers who are heads of the companies can be mobilized to assist in the relief operations using the assets of their company;  but that will smack of martial law (but we have such a law).

3. I just witnessed this morning the water rescue team of a nearby town and the members told me that they had a budget for training, drills, supplies, equipment

What else do we need?

More bodies recovered, death toll now at 5,258 from Supetyphoon Yolanda

Social and political criticisms

From Manila Bulletin, November 21, 2013

 

More bodies are being recovered at the Supertyphoon Yolanda ravaged areas bringing up the death toll to 5258 according to Task Force Cadaver.  1,602 are still reported missing.  If the 1602 missing can not be accounted for, the death toll could reach 6, 800+ and there could be more.  The 10, 000 announcement by Police Officer Elmer Soria who was relieved as a Recon Commander for making such a huge number (to the embarrassment of PNoy) could be true after all.  Shall Pnoy reinstate him for being accurate?  Or will Amanpour do that for officer Soria?

Some 2, 145, 359 families, or 9,996,065 persons were displaced by the typhoon.

Good news -  Filipino nurses in the US would be coming home to assist in the disaster relief and rehab of affected areas

"US Nurses Reach Out
At least 1,500 nurses working in the United States will be Philippines-bound, dispatched in several batches, to augment Filipino medical contingents aiding the victims of super-typhoon “Yolanda.”
The first batch of volunteer-nurses, with disaster assessment experience, arrived in Manila from San Francisco over the weekend to join 36 other Filipino members of the 170,000-strong National Nurses United (NNU) already in the country.
The Registered Nurses Response Network (RNRN), a project of the California Nurses Foundation, launched a campaign to reach out to support local caregivers who are on the front lines right after news of the devastation to lives and property wrought by “Yolanda” in the Visayan region.
RNRN, also known as Heroes for Disaster Relief, called for volunteer nurses in the US and reponses were received from 50 states and its affiliate organizations in 12 other countries. Those who cannot come contributed to the response network funds. Each team will stay in affected areas in the country from 10 to 14 days for the humanitarian mission.
NNU had been in constant communication with the Philippine Alliance of Health Workers, an affiliate organization.
Zenei Triunfo Cortez, a top official of California nurses’ group, said every nurse sent was trained on disaster situations. Cortez, the first Filipino to head the group founded in 1903, added that the initial team “will effectively determine needs on the ground as we continue to contact volunteers.”
Filipino migrant Mary Faith Buenaventura, a medical neurology unit nurse at Kaiser Permanente in San Jose City, California, with training in disaster assistance, said she had not gone back to Manila for more than a decade, “but this time for a compelling and self-fulfilling reason to be of help.” (With reports from Hannah L. Torregoza and Luchie A. Arguelles)"