“Free the Philippines! Join the Liberation Party!”
That’s the rallying cry I imagine would attach to a group of middle class and enlightened upper class Filipino citizens who believe the nation is not yet free in the fullest, richest sense.
How is the Philippines not free?
- Enrichment opportunities are bound in ways that favor the entitled.
- The poor are bound by lack of money, poor education and limited opportunities.
- The people are bound in victimhood and a crab culture that condemns ambition and success.
- The nation is bound by a negative self image generated by relentless criticism that is magnified by a tabloid press.
- The judiciary is bound by slow cases and political justice rather than quick, fair correction of wrongs.
- Administrative processes are bound in paper, red tape, make-work and nonsense. So are transportation and communication.
- Land and sea resources are poorly managed, binding the nation to the risks of climate change, indiscriminate chopping up of the land, and long-lasting environmental damage.
This liberation class includes:
- Middle class employees and managers who want a fair shot at a career and are tired of all the penalties they pay.
- Socially connected citizens who see the dysfunctions that surround them but are powerless to stop them.
- Wealthy citizens and business people who understand that the Philippines would thrive if the bindings were removed and the nation were allowed to compete on its merits. And they would thrive, too.
Members of this liberation class are intelligent enough to know that things will not change unless they MAKE change happen. So they choose to band together to form a new team, a forceful team, on the political landscape.
I imagine that the Liberation Party would not be personality based but achievement based. It’s mission would be principled and top-line objectives would point to specific goals. As an example:
Liberation Party Mission
The Liberation Party seeks to remove the constraints that hold the Philippines back. We aspire to build a nation that is vibrant and globally recognized as a leader, that does a better job of developing wealth and distributing it, and that seeks better education, social values, justice and health care for all citizens. The Party does not espouse revolution but advocates stability and ambitious change.
Liberation Party Top-Line Objectives
- The Party endorses the 1987 Constitution as a reasonable legal rule book, but believes it must be applied more rigorously to meet government’s mandate to earn the public’s trust. Public servants must live up to their oaths of service and set aside personal ambitions that interfere with their public duty.
- The Liberation Party will aggressively seek to remove the barriers that prevent the nation from achieving its natural level of growth, which we believe to be annual GDP gains of 8% or more per year. This is the single most important goal for relief of poverty.
- If the nation is to be productive and progressive, government institutions must work better:
- The Executive Branch performs poorly. Too many Local Government Units fail to care for citizens by removing corruption and operating in a service-based way. Furthermore, some Executive departments have significant management and achievement failings. The Liberation Party will advocate to identify and correct these shortcomings within three years.
- The Legislative Branch operates loosely with low performance standards for members and a weak ethical foundation. The Liberation Party envisions that the Senate and House Ethics Committees can be drivers of better accountability and service to citizens. The Liberation Party will seek to correct shortcomings of Legislative bodies within three years.
- The Judiciary is in critical condition. Funding is weak, the pace of court decisions is slow, politics is too influential, reliable case law is weak, administrative processes are weak, and many judges lack high ethical bearing. It is possible that Constitutional amendment may be required to correct these deficiencies, for example, to establish staggered terms for Supreme Court justices and to allow removal of justices for reasons short of impeachment (for instance, lack of confidence). The Liberation Party will advocate to correct these shortcomings within seven years.
- The Liberation Party believes a pro-business environment is essential for wealth generation, and that better distribution of wealth is not inconsistent with that goal. The “pro-business” Party will seek to reduce the incidence of families below the poverty line from the current 26% to below 8% in 10 years.
- The well-being of the Philippines over the long term is determined by the knowledge, values, confidence and skills of its school students. The Liberation Party will advocate a refocusing of the educational model away from rote, book-based learning to the building of character, confidence, problem-solving competence, and internet-based learning. The Party will advocate for substantial transformation to occur within seven years.
- The Liberation Party believes in much stronger management of lands and seas to protect natural resources, reduce risks from natural disasters, and assure substantial self sufficiency in food and mineral production. The Party will advocate for a comprehensive national land use law to be passed within three years.
- The Liberation Party advocates negotiated, law-bound settlement of international and domestic conflicts. However, the Party also subscribes to use of force to defend its lawful territory and its citizens’ well-being. The Party believes this is not inconsistent with Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution which renounces war as an instrument of policy. The Party will advocate to achieve a substantially peaceful, conflict-free nation within 10 years.
_______________________________________
Citizen membership
The Liberation Party will seek broad membership so citizens may take an active role in support of the mission and objectives of the Party. Joining the Party will be a point of honor. The Party will become an important force for social advocacy and improvements in government organization and results. Outreach will go deep within all socio-economic classes, including D/E classes.
Steps to implementation
The steps toward implementation might involve:
- Appoint an interim governing board.
- Secure initial funding for the hiring of operating staff and computers.
- Gain qualified endorsements from well-known citizens.
- Begin publicity initiative via social media; enroll voluntary staff.
- Initiate fund-raising drive.
- Begin enrollment of citizens as party members.
- Complete bylaws and documentation required to gain party certification.
- Appoint or elect the official governing board.
- Complete and gain board approval of the Party Platform.
- Identify candidates who would be endorsed for 2016 elections.
- Gain party certification.
- Identify candidates for 2019 and 2022 elections.
The rallying cry is:
“Free the Philippines! Join the Liberation Party!”
Hypothetically speaking, of course . . .
I am conceptualizing here . . . merely mulling. I am not meddling.
Meddling is up to citizens.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
Yo Joe! As they said in the old Commodore C64 game GI Joe that my brother loved to play.
Some inspirational MUSICA from our Cuban brothers in revolution – and in being under the USA.
The street national anthem of Cuba, salsa with Latin hip-hop – Yo vengo de Cuba.
I am from Cuba, with words singin’ yo soy de Havana, soy de la Cabela proudly.
Translated to the Philippine context, it would be like saying I am from Manila, I am from Tondo!
And starting with the words – yo vengo de Cuba, con mi gozadera.
I am from Cuba, with my fun girl – gozar in Cuban means to have FUN.
So let us be like them, patriotic but having more FUN in the Philippines all the while! SALSA!
And let us be to China as Cuba was to the United States – just off their coast but defiant.
Let us be like Raul Castro and reach our hand to Joe America, our white brother!
Take if from Joe America, a Yankee who was in Vietnam, close to LP and Noynoy at heart, and from me, son of a former Marcos ghostwriter whose family is close to the NP. Let us dance together, fun and yet disciplined like the Rueda de Casino group in the video.
Joe provides the jeep, I color it to become a jeepney all the time. Joe provides de burgers, I put Filipino salsa in them to make them taste good like Jollibee, but not too much so that our Dances with Wolves Kano may not burn his tongue! I as a half-Bikolano can do more.
This is Irineo Baginda Rainer Salazar II in DA HOUSE of American Joe, rappin’ to y’all!
And let us be to America as Cuba was to Russia – allied but with our own pride. Viva Fidel! Y viva Raul Castro y Barack Obama! Viva Jose Marti y su compañero de revolucion Jose Mercado Rizal y Alonso! Both died with their eyes facing the sun, as Jose Marti wrote.
Is a jeepney liberating? I suppose so in the sense that the colors are wild and they are the kind of cultural distinction that is rather cool. I do think patriotism could be fun instead of these dire straits we face all the time.
They ARE our culture, they are our creativity. ADD follow-through to that, and in 10 years you will have jeepneys that are better than SUVs. And more colorful.
Look at the video – Cuban salsa in perfection, tropical people doing things fun and perfect. A people that has risen from the victimhood of slavery through revolution, dance and music! A people that has KNOWLEDGE about how to make a perfect music video!
A people that have baseball moves in their Salsa, a clone of something in Washington in the middle of Havana, pride in their fun culture, using their own creole language mixed with Latin hip-hop and YEAH, YEAH, even Afro-Cuban dialect is sung in that video!
I don’t like the jeepney. its only shows that we didn’t progress beyond those handouts from the liberating americans
Yes. But what did the Japanese do. They only made bad copies in the beginning – now the pupils are better than the masters, because they worked very hard.
We ASIANS are all fast learners and good imitators. What the Japanese have and we lack is FOLLOW-THROUGH. We should see to it that we IMPROVE on what we IMITATE and not just stay where we are.
Our lack of follow-through is probably the reason we did NOT adapt BASEBALL from the American like the Cubans did. You gotta follow-through to succeed there.
AND may I note that I have noticed that some people apparently do not read and reflect on the entire thread or subthread before commenting. I already wrote something about that above regarding the Cubans. And don’t come to me with the excuse they’re different.
MAY I REQUEST that all commenters try to grasp the whole topic before commenting?
Joe, you’ll see – I am one of the nicest teachers, but also the harshest taskmaster.
I am a motivator, like a Master Sergeant who has been through many tough battles.
You should start your own blog where you can write all you want all day and all night.
Thank you for the wake-up call… I got overeager. Carry on guys.
You can request it, but people have lives, and you write a lot. It’s too much at times. We are B and C types, not lazy exactly, but we pace ourselves. You are A, supercharged.
Yeah, like I wrote below, I went overboard…
A bit too much and drifted off.
agree!
And FINALLY: that stuff about the handouts is true, but they were not handouts, they were used spontaneously by creative people at that time. But they did not go any further.
TOO many unreflected, hand-me-down comments here out of the standard repertoire.
PLEASE try to reflect a little bit more and read, then reflect again before commenting. Furthermore I request the other members of the Society to also correct mistakes. For the moment I am going to be the Filipino-German smartass meddler, but not all the time folks.
I’m the policeman, Irineo. There is only one. Your job is ideas and being kind.
Sorry. Got overeager. And drifted off the topic somewhat.
Yeah, but won’t you miss them when they are gone? I will.
count me in. i’m not into politics but this is an exemption. for a better and greater Inang Bayan
That’s the idea, Miguel, I think many many people are looking for a way to contribute.
Let us open some bottles of San Miguel beer to that. And smite the devil Binay down like San Miguel on the gin bottles. But let us not raise the bottles too far up, as they say on the streets of Manila where I learned much, the devil is up when you do that! 🙂
🙂 I do declare this revolutionary stuff is in your blood.
YEAH. Always was. My great-grandfather Hilario Salazar was a bandido and part of the Philippine revolution, also part of Simeon Ola’s troops that resisted the US for YEARS.
He was plantation guard head, and my great-grandmother Doña Josefa Saenz, daughter of abaca plantation owner Don Marcelino Saenz, like the bad boy like many young girls do and married him as a teenager, my grandfather Atty. Irineo Saenz de Salazar the result.
My grandfather scaled the walls of a nunnery because he loved a beautiful novice, Luz Atayza, my grandmother. He baptized the son out of that union Zeus, which caused the Spanish parish priest to refuse my father the sacrament and my grandparents marriage.
When a compassionate Filipino parish priest – a man in the spirit of Cardinal Tagle, replaced the old Spanish dickhead, he baptized my father under the condition of some Christian names added. Herr Prof. Dr. Zeus Mario Roberto Saenz de Salazar y Atayza!
That was the name he introduced himself with to my mother Dr. Marlies Johanna Brigitte Salazar geborene Spiecker, daughter of Dr. Walther Spiecker, one-fourth Hungarian and coming from a family whose ancestry is documented back to 1648, the end of the Thirty Years war in Germany, and Maria Spiecker geborene Ruthenberg, Prussian woman with possible Slavic roots – my mother has not shown me the ancestry papers until this day…
I have the suspicion that Hilario was partly Negrito, coming from the Agta Taboy, the outcast Agtas mixed with Mexican stragglers and others who did not want to work on the galleons that cast anchor in Legaspi City nearby, first stop after Acapulco guys!
I look like Rez Cortez a little bit – in my youth I was kulot, I also danced, when my hair is short I can look like a soldier or a gangster. Rez is from Buhi, Camarines Sur, which is a day’s walk in the jungle from Tiwi, Albay where there are Agta Taboy, so who knows!
In elementary school, I was called the white nigger, ’cause I have my mother’s skin color, but the strong Australoid features of a Negrito still came through. My grandfather had a motto – improvement of the race for his sons, he had married a one-fourth Spanish woman from Sorsogon, my great-grandfather had sired a son with the daughter of a haciendera. When my father introduced my mother to Irineo I, he told him, yes father, I am improving the race – the German race! This is the spirit that we Salazar’s have, Bikol fighting spirit!
Lake Buhi was created when Masaraga volcano, the purported abode of the devil, father of Bikol founding Queen Oryol, erupted when he got mad that his daughter married brave King Handyong instead of eating him like the other warriors. But Handyong was an Alpha Male, did not let Oryol lure him into the Tiwi Hot Springs, but told her hey baby come to me if you want me. She did, and helped him defeat the evil beasts of the forest – after cleaning up the damage the fire and the great wave that came did to Bikol/Ibalon land.
The river was dammed up and created a lake, the big rocks can be seen to this day.
At the entrance of Buhi is a sign saying Naka-Buhi – those who survived. Ancient Buhi shimmers strangely beneath the waters of the lake till this day, Spanish friars recorded the eruption in the 1700s. Probably we come from these SURVIVORS who love Buhi – LIFE!
I too will join, Joe and we should continue to discuss the Liberation Party instead of Cuba and baseball. I noted though about 3 instances when Liberal Party (typo?) was mentioned.
Thanks for checking in, art. I think politics is not what most people DO, although they have opinions about it. The goal of a popular party should be to make it easy for them to add their voices together and become a force. Indeed, blog commenters are a different class. We just want one click that says “we are with you”. Get enough of them, and it is a force.
Liberation as in Liberation Theology? Viewing politics from the perspective of the poor? A party that liberates the Philippines from sin,” which is the root of all disruption of friendship and of all injustice and oppression” (see Gustavo Gutiérrez).
I know nothing about liberation theology, but I know about a nation bogged down in chains.
Which raises the point as to whether or not the Catholic morality helps the Philippines soar, or holds it back. We can ask a priest, a pauper and Micha.
Ask the Cubans! They were real sugarcane SLAVES man, Spanish, Catholic. They were under the Spanish like us, made their revolution at the same time, Jose Rizal was inspired by Jose Marti, they were sold to the US at the same time together with Puerto Rico.
Now look at the energy and confidence they have, the video I posted above PROVES it. So much confidence that Raul Castro shook the hand of Barack Obama recently! Santiago de Cuba is definitely better than Miriam Santiago, I tell you Mr. Joe!
Which morality? Based on orthodoxy or based on orthopraxis? According Ratzinger or Boff? Following Paulus’ Jesus Christ of Peter’s Jesus the Nazarene? That’s the problem with Catholics they can justify black and they can justify white.
Better to promote a complete separation of church and state, but one could adopt (not just Soto) some of the others ideas.
This morality:
Maybe secular is the charter, not separation, as that is too controversial and we want inclusion, not division.
Let us be like the Cubans in the first video – all colors dancing together. Let us by like the Americans in the second video – all colors singing together. Let us be like the Filipinos in the third video – all joined in singing and emotion, united whether masa or burgis, Chinoy businessman like Sharons love interest, Kastilanoy like Eddie Mesa, Kastilanoy-Bikol – Puerto Rican – American like Gary V, and Pinoy like the two comic masa on the side! 🙂
Let us dance our chains away like the Cubans! Did you know that baseball is all the craze in Cuba – that way what THEY copied from the Yanks when they were there, till now every Cuban kid gets baseball stuff when he learns to walk, just like Pinoys get a basketball?
Did you know that Fidel Castro was a damn good baseball player in his youth? That allegedly the Yanks refused to take him? He could have been a Cuban Pacquiao… 🙂
Great! Where do I sign up! I may be young and inexperienced but I’ll do what I can…
So noted. Thanks for popping in with that statement of activism.
In the music video, three black dudes sing. The gangsta boss with the sexy-ass chick is Joe.
I am his sidekick. The youngest guy in the baseball cap is Karl. 🙂 Think broader y’all!
JoeAm, Dances With Wolves, you are OUR white nigger now man. Chief of Wildlife has looked at you with suspicion, but you now are part of our Filipino nation. S A L A M A T !!!
I’ve been called many things, but that is a new one. I claim it with no small amount of swagger . . .
The beautiful woman the three Cuban gangstas – Joe, Karl the Kid and me, dance with is the Philippines in my analogy. 🙂
A long time ago, one respected opinion writer stressed upon Philippine Renaissance on the horizon. How prophetic. Joe, when this mulling of yours bear fruition we will find that there is no dearth of citizens insisting on their kaizen.
I believe you are right, Kiko. I think no one has figured out how to marshal the EDSA energy as a constructive democratic force that does not dissolve when the crowd disperses.
’cause they forgot to add music man, music is the supreme energy. Spiritual energy that is cool, an Afro-American word coming from West African kul which means good spirit, good fun soul!
Sir Joam, the masses feel betrayed starting from the Revolution to EDSA, for we have felt that the rich allow us to do the dirty work and then after all has been done, they divide the spoils among themselves and dance with the devil. This is a cursed republic for what has been done to Gat Bonifacio. Once that had been corrected only then will this republic prosper and be on its way to moral recovery. My two-cents worth of observation and opinion. I hope I don’t get shot at.
Signing up for the LIBERATION PARTY.
Yes, the problem we have is that the entitled are organized. They run the political parties and the personal associations that get things done . . . to favor them. The ordinary man and woman has no such organization . . . other than the Legislature, which is compromised. In today’s era of social media, it ought to be relatively easy to organize a peoples’ force and right the tables a little.
Thank you Sir. God bless your soul for loving our country!
Let’s get down to business.
We have mission/vision/principles.
We need conflict Resolution and Constitution!
Any takers?
There is also a guy like you dancing in the video. A chubby geek with glasses – like ME!
Have a look at the video, let yourself be inspired, then let’s get DOWN to it brother!
Revolutionaries are not meant to organize. We have too many ideas, talk too much and don’t listen enough. We have a my way or the highway mentality. We need diplomats ang level headed politicians who can compromise one inch at a time.
that seems to be the reality inquirercet
WE CANNOT TRADE AWAY INTEGRITY FOR COMPETENCE
If there’s just one thing that Filipinos ought to take home as a learning from this administration, it’s this: corruption cannot be tolerated and fought tooth and nail. Everything follows from that. Without it as a starting point, everything collapses. For all of its errors and foibles, I hope the people see that in this government. There could be no tradeoff between competency and integrity. The latter comes first! And it is a pre-condition to the other!
If our people just bear this in mind, then we can sail even if the seas get rough. The economy will continue to grow and business will discount the political noise.
UNA is trying to sell the idea that competence in governance comes at a price- tolerate the corruption, but we will serve you better! 🙂
Let us destroy those who are evil, like was done in this classic Filipino film of vengeance and forgiveness, and join together with those that are well-meaning like in the final scene:
The most important message is in a few words of the final song, written by the man played by Eddie Mesa, the Philippine Elvis, Spanish mestizo, unjustly thrown in jail by his rival, his son played by Gary Valenciano is taken and raised by his murderous producer rival.
Sharon and Gary play half of the song which she found in her mother’s cupboard in jail for inmates, their father comes up and sings the second half. In the end the evil man dies while trying to shoot the father, and in the end all – father and siblings – reunite in song.
These few words are: if your heart learns to smile again, trust that the world will change.
Let us make our hearts smile again, but get rid of the cockroaches, then sing together.
This is the Filipino version of rising out of victimhood, my favorite film from early 90s! 🙂
UNA to the Liberation Party is like a scruffy alley cat to a tiger.
YEAH, let’s PARTY! And if anyone in the party wants to take anyone to court, may it not be the Supreme Court, may it be the basketball court! Our white nigger Joe is gonna show you how to dunk a ball and shout KAON BULA when he does!
Three videos with three themes:
1) our Spanish colonial roots, our revolutionary Cuban brothers
2) our American colonial past, where we were little brown brothers.
3) our Filipino present with all its mixtures and contradictions.
All very happy and positive. Its more fun in the Philippines!
Unleash the beast
Anak ng Laksamana! Salamat sa iyong pagtangkilik sa amin bilang tunay na mandirigma!
Heto ang tugon ko sa iyo kapatid, bilang anak ni Zeus, na itinatawag di na Bathala! 🙂
Ireneo who do you prefer, Hercules or Perseus?
Prometheus Unbound.
wala lang, just connecting unbound to liberation.
Apollo when I work hard.
Dionysos when I play hard.
When I dance salsa I am both…
When I believe I am strong, I prefer Hercules. When I believe I can fly, I prefer Perseus. When I believe in both, I am a Philippine-German eagle! 🙂
Right now German Sheperd unleashed would suffice.
German Shepherd – Azkal mongrel street dog por favor, compañero!
You are right my nigger, gotta watch out, Snoop Doggy Dog is nuff.
Why must I feel like that, why must I chase the cat, nothin but the dog in me!
By funk god George Clinton, not by George Bush or by Bill Clinton.
Gotta start workin’, Juan Tamad has a deadline by tomorrow morning. 🙂
I translate the final song of Kaputol ng isang awit, the Filipino video I posted above!
Gary V.: The beginnings of our lives were the same, in a part of the world down on luck.
Every day that passed I never forgot, every time a burden was added, is there another way to live?
Sharon C.: That is why.. I was taken many different ways – yet no one and nothing had the power to change things, even if the future I hoped for passed by…
I only want to help you find the truth.
duet: once I heard a gentle song coming from my breast… it told me that if the heart learns to smile again, the world we came into will change.
…
duet: : once I heard a gentle song coming from my breast… it told me that if the heart learns to smile again, the world we came into will change.
Father rises from the piano and starts singing with his children: once I heard a gentle song coming from my breast… it told me that if the heart learns to smile again, and we trust the power that lies in love – trust the world that a miracle will happen in the world we came into!
This is my song too, which is why I cry with joy while writing this translation on the fly… 🙂
1. Trillanes accused Binay of paying off Court of Appeals. He got no proof. HE GOT WITNESSES. Witnesses for sure do not have evidences to present to Trillanes and to the crab Filipinos and to the world. Fish vendor witnesses cannot get hold of bank accounts of CA Judges and the Binays. CANNOT HOLD WATER IN MY COUNTRY, THE U.S.A. FOR SURE.
2. Bondal accused Binays of billion in bribes. AGAIN, only witnesses. No proofs.
3. Trillanes has not proved Binayland belongs to Binay and Tiu … so he moved on ….
4. Trillanes cannot proved Binays wanted Mt. Makiling … so he moved on ….
5. The Philippine Media has become a Marvel Comics of America where Captain America is Trillanes. THANK GOODNESS THIS IS JUST A COMICS.
Filipinos believe in these. Because they have very little capacity to understand the importance of evidences and the future of the judicial system of the country. They believe these because of inherent crab culture. They do not know that they are part of the crab culture because they cannot know it and 2ndly, everybody believes it.
They believe it because as what they always tells me, “Mariano,, billions of people cannot be wrong that there is God”.
PLEASE LIBERATE ME FROM THE FILIPINOS. LIBERATE THE WORLD FROM THE FILIPINOS. LIBERATE US FROM MISINFORMATIONAL PHILIPPINE MEDIA. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE?
To this day, Obama and the White House is still silent on Marwan. Obama is Liberated from Philippine Media and their stories.
Obama would rather believe and came out from the Rose Garden to tell the world that, from Yemeni sources, some low-level Al Qaeda inspired bomber is dead, yet, OBAMA IS NOT TELLING THE WORLD WHAT HAPPENED TO MARWAN.
Obama did not want to be dragged to the controversy brewing in the Philippines inspired by misinformational Philippine Media.
OBAMA IS LIBERATED. NOBODY IS BELIEVING THE FILIPINOS. When Michelle took over White HOuse she brought her own cook not the civil servant Filipino chief.
Let us not care about Obama. Let us liberate ourselves from HIM!
He is what the other blacks called him – the house slave who speaks for the white massa, who thinks he is better than the slaves out in the plantation.
Like many from LP and Makati and BPOs who are also house slaves of international interests and speak for them, looking down on the plantation slaves, masa and OFWs!
We shall liberate people from the darkness by shedding light – here in the Society of Honor and in the Liberation Party. Like Sarastro, the magician inspired by Zarathustra sung in the final part of Mozart’s magic flute, killing the Queen of the Night:
DAS LICHTE DES TAGES VERTREIBE DIE NAAAAACHT! in a DEEP voice!
May the light of day dispel the darkness, with his arms raised like Gandalf the White, who was first Grey, then came back from the darkness after the Balrog took him. JoeAm! 🙂
The over-reliance of eng-get, jealous, crab, paid witnesses makes Filipinos think that paid witnesses is the way in the Philippines and the world.
The misinformational Philippine Media, run by U.P. graduates, are promoting mediocrity and inferiority. THAT IS WHY WHEN CHINA BUILT THE AIRSTRIP IN THAT TINY SPEC OF ISLAND, THE WORLD DID NOT COVER IT. But when Vietnam was rammed by Chiense it made news all over the world.
If Filipinos wanted to be respected, FILIPINOS HAVE TO DO IT MY WAY AND ONLY MY WAY, THE AMERICAN WAY.
If we truly respect ourselves, we will not give a damn whether the Americans respect us!
Did Fidel Castro give a damn? Does his brother Raul Castro give a damn?
This guy (the Philippine Eagle) is fettered – and needs liberation:
A POWERFUL beast, the strongest eagle there is.
Let him have that monkey Binay for lunch! 🙂
Ibon man may layang lumipad kulungin mo at umiiyak bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag ang di magnasang makaalpas Pillipinas kong minumutya………
Theme song from the 70s movie Agila starring Fernando Poe Jr., written by U.P. professor and composer Ryan Cayabyab himself, creator of so many OPM songs:
The Best of Birds!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/RP-Eagle/photos/albums/458389936
http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/phil_eagle.html
And just to show that I have skin in the game – I will answer anyone directly who mails me.
My mail addy can be found on my business website http://irineo.eu, my private address as well.
Munich meat packing district, putang ina mo Binay, kahit sinong ipadala mo rito handa na KAMI!
Time to get cigarettes from my former Tamil Tiger grocer Mr. Suthakaran.
Then eat some stuff at the McDonalds on Munich’s Goetheplatz.
So Binays – YOU KNOW WHO I AM AND WHERE I AM!
Easy cowboy!
Ayos lang. Kumain ako, nagyosi na ako, pero hindi ko ibinabawi iyong aking hamon.
Para lumakas din ang loob ng mga kababayan natin sa darating na labanan… 🙂
HIndi ko naman binantaan si Binay na i-Du-Duterte ko siya di ba? Hamon lang dai banta.
Pasalamat siyang dito lang ako sa Alemanya, ang Bikol at Maranao magka-angkan daw, kaya para akong juramentado o kaya Mount Mayon kung magalit kahit mabait ako! 🙂
Mayon, the abode of God himself according to ancient Bikol legends, has erupted.
Leaving fertile soil for our endeavours – and a ruined but still beautiful church behind.
But let us be careful – God’s jealous, vain, vindictive brother the Devil hides in Masaraga.
The Final Scene of the Great Historical Epic Teleserye Amaya, starring Marian Rivera and advised by my father Zeus, among many other historical gods.
The evil Rani takes Amaya’s favorite little girl hostage. Visayan warrior and magician queen Amaya calls upon the Bakunawa, the sea monster that tried to eat the moon when she was born during a lunar eclipse, to eat the evil Rani. The Bakunawa comes and she thanks him.
The evil Rani arrives in Filipino hell, where all the people you have harmed in your life are there and can take vengeance upon your for eternity. IMELDA, GO THERE!
The little girls transforms into an old woman, chief ot the babaylanes, the magic women in the ancient Philippines. She tells her pupils – this was the tale of the great Amaya and the man she loved, Raja Bagani. Yet she tells them to watch out:
for others shall come that will conquer and oppress us, make us slaves, and then we must remember the brave ancestral spirits of Bagani and Amaya. Spanish galleons appear in the background of the beautiful Visayan seas… It’s a 33 minute long thing guys just to let U know.
OK, members of the Liberation Party, Juan Tamad is going to start working, deadline bukas sa German steel plant, I am logged on remotely since this morning but have not done ONE byte! 🙂
I wanna see some Facebook, LinkedIn and other shares, not a single one pipol – I will start…
Done, including on my father’s wall and that of some others. Only 2 shares are showing but it is definitely more already. People who believe in JoeAm’s Liberation Party cause!
And since I am not a Filipino citizen either – my father gave me a strict command to choose – you cannot play for two football teams at once, in my town of Munich, it is either Bayern München or 1860, I am only a German citizen. Actually wala talaga akong pakialam.
All I can do is be an inspirational half-foreign coach. I will be silent starting campaign time. All the rest from now I leave to the Filipino citizens, for it is your country, your sports team.
If I do decide to go back, I shall reapply to be Filipino – and relinquish my German passport.
FILIPINOS CANNOT BE LIBERATED, not yet !!!
Currently, in the state of affairs of the Philippines, the source of information, PHILIPPINE MEDIA, have a penchant for gossips so is Trillanes and his cohorts.
Trillanes and his ilk are inculcating a judicial culture that witnesses can be paid and evidences are written on papers. ONCE THE FILIPINOS HAVE PROFESSIONALIZE THE PHILIPPINE MEDIA, the Filipinos will have unbiased objective news. And that is the only time the Filipinos can know how important evidences over gossip are.
Right now, like yesterday, evidences are only for foreigners. Gossips are for dark-skinned Filipinos. And Gossips are witness accounts from witnesses without evidences.
THERE CANNOT BE LIBERATION FROM THE FETTERS OF INUTILITY until the Filipnios are educated. Filipinos may be educated but they have very low critical thinking capacity. They even make Manny Pacquiao a God who Filipinos did not complain that he is a paid congressman that only attended 4 congressional sessions while the rest of the days are practice boxing.
MAYWETHER WILL SEE TO IT THAT HE WILL GO BACK TO SERVE THE COUNTRY, HIS PEOPLE THAT HE REPRESENTS AND HE EARNS WHAT THE PEOPLE PAID HIM TO DO: PASS LAWS not promote education-optional boxing whose skills are honed in prison rumbles, domestic violence and retire in assisted-living: PRISON
“THERE CANNOT BE LIBERATION FROM THE FETTERS OF INUTILITY until the Filipnios are educated.” So? Let us start by educating each other first here in the Society of Honor.
Then let us educate others – poco a poco mi amigo Mariano.
Sa ikauunlad ng bayan, bisikleta ang kailangan. Sigasig at tiyaga, maging Juan Masipag tayo sa mga bagay na mahalag sa ating mga hangarin. Dagdagan ng tatag at lakas loob! OK I hope to read no more negative stuff here anymore, I am working now but watching! 🙂
ASSIGNMENT, SIR MARIANO, I am the Filipino-German teacher here:
Make positive recommendations out of all the stuff you just mentioned.
Mention the problem, but never without mentioning a possible solution.
Is telling that the emperor is naked a positive or a negative statement?
First Facebook like from one of my UP Elementary classmates. Here my text in sharing:
Mga kababayan, hindi ko minsan malaman kung ako si Hercules o si Perseus, pero maliwanag na anak ako ni Prof. Dr. Zeus Mario Roberto Saenz de Salazar.
Isang mahalagang artikulo mula sa isang Amerikanong may pantayong pananaw!
Jeep niya, kinulayan ko para maging jeepney, Hamburger niya, nilagyan ko ng konting panlasa para maging Jolibee! Basahin ninyo at ipabatid ninyo, magsama-sama tayo para sa kaligtasan ng bansa natin sa demonyong Binay!
Filipino PRIDE! Lakas-loob mga kababayan! Hindi pa tapos ang laban was one of Fernando Poe’s movies – the fight ain’t over yet, no givin’ up, Rocky Balboa made it too.
And from this point onward, I will keep very QUIET! Have someone to take care of, even more important than work. I want this group to find ideas, but please:
1) for every problem, suggest a solution. No just mentioning the problems. The goal is to find solutions not further complaints. There has been enough of that everywhere. OK?
2) If you dislike something another person’s idea, suggest how to do better. Or shut up. Please listen to what people have to say and not how they say it, that is not important.
3) Do not discuss about where an idea comes from. If it is not applicable, MAKE IT SO. Make jeepneys out of jeeps, Jolibee out of McDonalds. The Filipino can do that well.
And I suggest a threefold approach to solving problems.
a) define what the problems are, then stop before you start getting negative.
b) define what the goals are based on the problems, so that it becomes constructive.
c) define what goals are top priority, then define solutions as measures for progress.
Of course, any comments and suggestions are welcome to improve on this approach. Nobody and nothing is perfect. Improvement always possible. That’s it. I shut up for now! 🙂
Huli na talaga ito hehe:
Countrymen, DARE MORE. Dare have your own ideas. Joe likes that, we discuss, we inspire each other. Get out of your shells. Use your coconuts!.
Short comment in between about my comparisons: only two comparisons made today.
Otherwise very positive FILIPINO stuff to inspire. And regarding the others – see the similarities not differences first – and if they can, we also can, W H Y N O T – in our way!
I have made my statements, very many but it is up to you to put it together. Develop your mental muscle and attention span (mental endurance) step by step. The sharpest weapon in life is the mind folks, it can beat guns and knives and even the pen and the keyboard.
I am giving you some time, I will be patient even if it does not seem so. But if I do not see a critical mass growing with time, I will finally give up the Philippines as a hopeless case.
PROVE to me that you can do more folks, believe in yourselves, then I will bilib in yu. 🙂
First productive point, what we must change to succeed. The jeepney is an example of our talent for improvisation. The problem is when only sottocopy. When I copy things, I salazarcopy them.
Meaning the Japanese way – cheap imitations in the beginning. Then learn how the stuff works.
The retool the cheap imitation so that it is a not so cheap imitation anymore. Then learn MORE.
Keep doing that and you have the progression that Honda, Mitsubishi and others all went through.
They were nobodies in the 1950s, people laughed about there cars, Chrysler and Ford RULED. But where are Honda and Mitsubishi now, where are Chrysler and Ford folks compared to them?
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Second productive point: Attention span and being able to look back and look forward are things that must be developed. Otherwise you get caught in an eternal present without understanding. Without progressing, and in todays world you regress because others are also moving forward.
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Third productive point: Use analogies, but remember that analogies are limited, so do not come and press on the irrelevant differences, focus on the content of the analogy. New York is to LA as Manila is to Davao and then as Berlin is to Munich. Many big differences there, but get the point?
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No, I am not spoon-feeding the public here anymore. Put the stuff together yourselves.
I have given you enough examples of how to do things, I expect some asses moving here.
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If I notice you really are struggling, I will give new examples of how to go, then let you try them.
ONE very important point though: if you just fix the symptoms, NO CHANCE.
You have to go after the disease, then the symptoms will go away by themselves.
So look at the fundamental problems first, let us fix them in ourselves first of all.
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Fundamental issues the Philippines has, IMHO in order of importance:
1. Lack of initiative. Solution: get your asses up, no excuses!
2. Path of least resistance. Solution: keep on keeping on, no excuses!
3. Lack of broad and bold thinking. Solution: train your brain, no excuses!
Solve these three aspects, starting with ourselves first, then things get moving.
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No, I will not write about the SYMPTOMS now, while the DISEASE is still in many of us.
Damn, fell back into my old name. 🙂 And into some old habits as well.
In any fight, you have to watch for backsliding, I include myself there.
Irineo, you are awake whilst we sleep, and if you keep pushing, people will simply stop reading. Most are not revolutionaries. They have jobs or things to do and honor us by reading. No one likes to be lectured and told they aren’t up to speed.
They do NOT have to be up to your speed.
Yeah, that is what I meant with I have to watch for backsliding. Got carried away.
Besides, the revolutionary days are over for me. Other stuff is more important now.
I have given a few ideas, will continue to but this Liberation party is stuff people have to organize by themselves back home – and I see there is a lot of interest. 🙂
you sure did.
Agree!
How can I be a member of Liberation Party?
me too?
It is just an idea, here at this blog. The answer to the question has to be provided by people who take the idea and work it.
the comment thread has been liberating enough to speak against people i know, if and when they do not make sense. Sec Abaya has had his share of critical comments, Sec Luistro too and even Senator Trillanes.
I have a second degree cousin,though he does not know me shares this blog to thousands of his folowers and fans.Jim Paredes.
Ah, Cousin Jim, is it? He is indeed generous with his sharing of the blogs. I actually think we are brothers, he and I. We tend to have the same values and same interpretations of events, although he is a little more restrained in his choice of words.
So now you too are my cousin then. Cousin Jim does not know me that well, because of my social media silence and I seldom attend reunions, my mother’s side of the family is huge.My mother’s maiden last name is Misa she and the mother of Jim are first cousins.The Misa clan are spread all over the country and the world.
🙂 When you DO see him, extend a handshake and thanks from his bro in deep disguise.
Will be glad to. 🙂
I am not proud of my spelling dear editor.
Form is not important, meanings are. You can be proud of your meanings, and I’ll catch an excess o now and then. 🙂
🙂
@Joe America
“I am conceptualizing here . . . merely mulling. I am not meddling.”
——-
The country has myriad problems … that are also opportunities.
Some are very complex.
Let us …
Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.
Can’t we place everything under 7 main categories?
Proposed categories (to start with):
1 Governance
2 Education
3 Technical
4 Humanities
5 Health
6 Arts/Culture
7 Faith/Spirit
Let us propose solutions to problems in each of the 7 above.
(Let us simplify and categorize the solutions that have suggested.)
Permission to speak.We discuss a little of everything anyways.For action give your e mail add to Ireneo, they will start with history. I Know you can help and can even turnover the egroups you initiated.
Simplification is good. But there is also the matter of priorities, rather than doing everything, which is a form of simplification. Of the 7 categories you have listed, I would put as high priority 1, 2, 3 and 5. I’d put 4, 6 and 7 as cultural qualities, and unless the goal is cultural redesign, they are not as important as the generation of wealth and caretaking of the poor, in tangible food-on-the-table terms. Governance is the way things get done, education is the long-term character and intelligence infrastructure of the nation, technical is the way things get done, and health has to do with the essential job of the State to take care of its people. I’d put defense of the nation in this category.
Why don’t we try an example:
CRRP (Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan)
Let us say it is a priority under 1 Governance, if only because it is supposed to be fully implemented next year.
It was completed and approved one year after supertyphoon Haiyan had devastated the Visayas.
CRRP is supposed to be 8,000 pages long.
Let us try to simplify it by relating it first to, say, the most adversely affected barangay.
But we have to peruse it first, ‘di ba?
It has been over four months now and I, for one, have yet to find a copy online.
Perhaps I did not know where to look?
May we hear from someone who has found it and can give us a link to it?
Simplify by structuring:
Level 1: Mental models. Vision, beliefs, environment.
Level 2: Processes (to identify, prioritize, plan, develop, implement, control, improve)
Level 3: Factual level, detailed descriptions, instruction of the above.
Level 4: Forms and documentation.
I’ll play Debbie Downer here and just express my (presumably unreasonable?) apprehension that this grand idea will again deteriorate into the usual mess of petty Pilipino interpersonal politicking that tends to plague social/political/other organizations/associations of Filipinos here and abroad. (See: homeowners’ associations/Pinoys abroad associations/etc. where squabbles over positions of power result in factions, then factions splitting off and making their own competitive groups…and so on.) There is no question that Filipinos excel at words. I for one however would love to see those translate into reality. As has already been discussed in this blog and in this very piece, that reality would mean, for example, Filipinos rallying around transcendent ideals/concepts rather than personalities. Hope it doesn’t cast any aspersions on my patriotism or other virtue that I–and maybe others–would rather hang back and observe for a while.
More specifically, I do hope that the “we-versus-them” tone of this piece doesn’t actually mean the too-common mentality that, imvho, helps perpetuate this society’s “unfreedom”: It’s THEIR fault, not ours. It’s the guvmint’s. It’s the executive, it’s the legislative, it’s the judiciary. THEY’re evil. WE’re not When–as my humble two centavos–I for one firmly believe the guvmint is the symptom, not the disease. The disease afflicts more or less the whole society–anyone, middle class or no, social media addict or not, who refuses to do (and not just say/write –this is not against you, incidentally, Mr. America, as I do assume your foreignness still tends to assert itself in culturally abnormal discipline and individualism, wink wink) what he can where he is. And the formation of yet another group with yet another bunch of lofty speculative statements for when WE get rid of THEM (“when WE’re in power, we’ll do this and that–unlike THEM”) is nothing new in (admittedly short) Philippine history.
What does seem to be “doing what one can where one is” these days takes the form of private initiatives, collective as well as individual, trying to right the wrongs. Expensively educated middle-class young ‘uns are stubbornly defying their well-meaning, hand-wringing, middle-class parents and becoming public school teachers; joining the other, invisible ranks of government service (oh, THOSE evil ones); starting or joining projects and organizations that deliver niche services that help improve the lives of the lower classes, Gawad Kalinga for a well-known example. (Let’s just hope the system–i.e. those perfectly normal, perfectly average, older Filipinos who have simply been there years or generations ahead of them and have been festering and rotting in the system since–doesn’t corrupt them before they can improve it.) Speaking for myself, in other words, I don’t think forming a new political/other party/group is the answer. I think social/cultural rehabilitation is. But that’s obviously incredibly more difficult on so many levels.
I prolly need to be clearer: I would love for all that was said to be reality. I fear it will not. Not least because of, say, the cultural differences between Pinoys and Japanese as Mr. Salazar has pointed out.
That said, I’d love to be proven wrong and I’ll keep an eye out for the day that happens. Til then, I, for one, do what I can where I am. I’m sure JoeAm and many of the other commenters/readers on his site do the same.
You were perfectly clear, as always, pussyfooter. I think such an organization would have to be led by people who accept that they wage the uphill fight, and crafting a strong politically central position is going to be tough in a culture that loves to criticize and divide. So they will have to be stronger than the average Jose, and more patient, and determined in a sense that they will not fall for division or vindictiveness, but will tread the durable path of listening, respecting, learning, and explaining their positions, once taken.
Indeed, the tone of the article is “we the right thinkers” versus “they the hypocrites and lousy performers” is a reflection of the everlasting criticisms and divisions that exist here. It is a huge cycle that we all participate in, and yet, to bust out, we must stake some kind of position, based on some standard.
Take the judiciary, for example. If speed is an element of fairness, which it is generally recognized to be, then by objective standards, the Philippine judiciary is not doing a good job. If we agree on the standards, we can usually agree when criticism is constructive, versus just carping, and we know what to focus on for performance.
If we use consistent strong GDP growth as the overall standard of our effectiveness at fighting poverty (something that takes a bit of mental leap), then we don’t just run around complaining about red tape. Departments know they have to get rid of it. And they do it.
(Ten days later is better than never? Ehehe sorry ’bout that! Am moving house and chaos has ensued.) I won’t take much more of your time on this old thread, but will just agree (as you know I do) that yes, no standard, no position is definitely worse than some standard, some position. It is the means that just need some concurring upon, certainly not the end 🙂
I do like the sound of “Let’s Party” though. Silly and self-effacing enough that it just might deter the always-pompous and self-satisfied, never-useful political narcissists that abound. Maybe we could even call it “Let’s Parteh” or “Let’s Par-Tay” for extra flippancy. 😉
“There’s class warfare, all right,” Mr. Buffett said, “but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”
The openness of a society, its willingness to permit creative destruction, and the rule of law appear to be decisive for economic development.”
—Kenneth J. Arrow, Nobel laureate in economics, 1972
Acemoglu/Robinson in their piece on “Why Nations Fail” and Constantino’s “The Past Revisited”
clearly describe the extractive economic and political institutions that exist in present day Philippines.
These have resulted in macroeconomic problems of immense proportions…
The country continues to be a resource challenged state.
To move from extractive institutions to one of inclusion requires strong political will, action and commitment.
Perfect example on how not to do this was the flawed impeachment of the former chief justice.
Jury tampering is a big no no…
The issue of the Binay’s may or may not prove to be decisive. An executive department who really believes in their slogans would have moved decisively to assist the process in what may be an opportunity for creative destruction of the extractive economic and political institutions that are primarily responsible for the Binay’s rise to power.
Pinoy should have proposed a law amending the bank secrecy law when it comes to elected officials and government functionaries.
All this talk of building soft and hard public goods are useless unless the extractive nature of institutions are addressed.
Wealth screams in this country.. The wealthy can buy judges and justices simply because the complex foundation of institutions have not been properly addressed and are still incomplete.
The effects of a resource challenged state can be seen all around…The wheels of justice move at glacial speed for victims…It has become a way of life.
What are you recommending as the way to end the screaming of the wealthy? The idea presented here is to use social mechanisms to create a new voice that can scream back.
Just thinking, couldn’t decide my favorite yet, couldn’t decide to what degree, rigorous to the extreme implementation of one of the following or a “healthy” mix of the current system infused with elements of the following:
1. Liberation Party as in Freethought. Liberate from dogmas, freedom of critical thoughts.
2. Liberation Party as in Anarchism. Social or individual anarchism.
3. Liberation Party as in Direct Democracy. Eliminate politicians. Referenda. Random representation as in a jury.
4. Liberation Party as in a no tax party. All common works as infrastructure, education, health, security…to be decided by the individual donations.
5. Liberation Party as in a Barangay centered democracy, All decided on Barangay level. Barangay representative on regional level. Federation of regions.
Each of the above requiring a separate blog to discuss the definitions, pro’s and con’s, practicalities and the degree of implementation.
Hehe, thanks for breaking that down. Guess I interpreted it as a mixture of 1 and 2.
No tax party based on donations – forget that in the Philippines. I have seen Philippine overseas associations where money was either pocketed by some people, or where honest people did good work but were accused of all sorts of stuff by some groups of members.
5 is something that might work out and might even suit the social structure of the Philippines much better. The barangay as the “user interface” to the state.
crowd funding, patriot bonds,donations as long long as it gets the job done.
Write away. It’s only 5 blogs. 🙂
For me, it is to liberate the voices of millions of people by joining them together and giving them power to influence. Their legislators are not doing the job. I’m not even sure that it has to be a formal political party. It just has to be loud.
In that case, it should not be called Liberation Party. Josephivo is right, Liberation is a very dangerous word with so many connotations. Political parties are also a bit iffy.
An idea for a name would be “Citizen’s Action Forum”. Combine the power of an Internet Forum with the requirement that all who post are members of the “CAF” and post with their real names only. Local groups, workgroups and assemblies to complement the online stuff.
More like a watchdog group to give citizens a lobby and a voice, especially in Manila.
Then call it let’s party. Many movements already came and go like akomismo,etc.
Speaking of akomismo.short lived because they put color into it.
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Ako_Mismo
That suggests this is not an original idea, nor was it successful. The Ako Mismo had 350,000 likes on the facebook page but evidently died of neglect.
I like “Let’s Party” better than “Citizen’s Action Forum”. I agree Liberation Party is easily confused with Libation Party.
I’m thinking it is likely another idealistic idea (I prefer idealistic to “naive”) tossed to the wind and carried out to sea, to end up on some distant shoreline 10 years from now coated with barnacles.
Sense of community is what most come first. Cure the disease of lacking that first, then the symptoms go away. Cuba has it now after enduring old-school Communist cures.
That was my point, made in a very visual, Filipino way. We sometimes have to go through the intuitive, pre-rational, “superstitious” ways of understanding things before we wake up to the rational version and are able to express things in word. Medieval in many ways.
Now like I wrote, there are modern cures available now. Communism was like pulling teeth out with rusty pliers. Still the Philippines needs root canal treatment by a really good dentist. With good anesthesia. The present crisis shows how little pain they endure.
Which brings us back to the basics. Initiative is often lacking. If it is there follow-through is missing. If there is initiative and follow-through, broader and bolder thinking is lacking.
Leftists and Santiago for example have follow-through but only in one direction. I am a Marcos baby and a former activist, I respect what Cuba has achieved but I think Raul Castro will open the country to business, now that they have sense of community, discipline and equality of opportunities, so they cannot be easily played against one another by big business players, they will see to it that the country and the people benefit.
There are other ways to get there, but the spirit my first video shows must be the goal.
IF ONLY this can happen in reality.
At the current state of Philippines, a group of brave, talented and influential of young intellectuals, who are prepared to embrace single blessedness, is needed.