The people we will hold accountable for a Duterte disaster
![The man and those accountable for his power. [Photo credit: abs-cbn news]](https://joeam.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/image7-e1462460673487.jpeg?w=370&h=263)
The man and two of those accountable for his power. [Photo credit: abs-cbn news]
By Andrew Lim
A Manifesto of the 70%
If you belong to the 70% who will not vote for Duterte, read this closely and if you agree, share it as widely as you can.
Paraphrasing Makati Business Club chair Ramon del Rosario, there has never been a time when you wished fervently that the campaign promises of a candidate would not be fulfilled.
We do not need to deal with his spokespersons; just like in Erap Estrada’s time they have been proven to be useless: their statements frequently contradict that of their principal’s. There is no sense of order and truthfulness among themselves and Duterte. We also need not deal with his political advisers because their backgrounds are enough to make you feel uneasy. Lito Banayo oversaw the Erap disaster. Peter Lavina is the brother in law of Norberto Gonzales, Arroyo’s National Security Adviser. Hermogenes Esperon was Gloria Arroyo’s general in the “Hello Garci” scandal. Salvador Panelo is the lawyer of the Ampatuans.
But there are supporters and enablers of Duterte amongst civil society who seem to be made of nobler stuff; perhaps they see something we don’t.
We have come to this because Duterte has been making all these shocking and ultimately non-sensical statements which his interpreters say are merely for effect. On more substantial matters like the economy, Duterte has been severely lacking. His supporters are filling in the blanks for him, leading to the insane situation where you really do not know or who to listen to. This is likely a deliberate tactic- to confuse the population and keep them off-balance.
And so we come to the list of Duterte’s enablers, who, at one time or another, have been sane, democratic and well-meaning, but have chosen Duterte. Many have served in government, and understand the democratic process. Some are prominent businessmen, economists, writers.
- Jesus Dureza – former press secretary, Arroyo administration
- Ernesto Pernia – economist, University of the Philippines
- Koko Pimentel – Senator, Republic of the Philippines
- Alan Cayetano – Senator, Republic of the Philippines
- Pia Cayetano – Senator, Republic of the Philippines
- Edgardo Angara – former Senator, former UP president
- Ramon RJ Jacinto – businessman, with interests in steel, TV/radio, music
- Carmen Pedrosa – expatriate, columnist in Philippine Star
- Paul and Sonny Dominguez – Mindanao businessmen, former cabinet secretary
- Tommy Alcantara – businessman with interests in cement and various industries
I may have omitted others. Please include them as well.
They will either be members of the Hall of Shame or become regarded as prescient beings.
I hope they do not flee to South America, if the Duterte presidency crumbles.
Much of the German population saw Hitler as their savior the same way so many of our countrymen regard Duterte, 30% of them. Running for chancellor, Hitler asked for 10 years to transform Berlin into something unrecognizable; he achieved his wish in 1945- a city in ruins.
We hope that they are proven correct, and we are proven wrong. We hope that they will be men of integrity and not abuse the carte blanche authority they will be given because the soon to be President does not understand economic management and foreign policy, having admitted to it several times.
We will hold them accountable if the economy nose dives, reversing all that has been gained in the past.
We will hold them accountable for corruption in high places since Duterte has shown resolve only for small criminals.
We will hold them accountable if a new clique of cronies, of businessmen with special privileges, coming from Mindanao, emerges in the Duterte presidency.
We will hold them accountable if the rule of law is not followed in the pursuit of criminals.
We will hold them accountable if Duterte re-defines “criminality” to include legitimate critics and political opposition and include them in his violent campaign.
We will hold them accountable if our standing in the international community deteriorates and we become disrespected due to reckless statements by Duterte.
We will hold them accountable if our position on the West Philippine Sea is weakened due to Duterte.
We will hold them accountable if the Communist movement in the country regains strength after so many years of stagnation.
We will stand for freedom, justice and democracy, as these are self-evident truths and ideals, and not defined by Duterte.
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The Society of Honor by Joe America 
I am no analyst like you. I can’t come up with smart and kick-ass arguments nor could I pull out statistics to back up my ooinions but I think this article is divisive! Pointing fingers do not serve anything good, just like what Pnoy has been doing in the past six years blaming the preceeding government for this and that.
Why can’t we settle and work together once a president has been elected? I know I am being naive but sometimes simple things such as accepting what the majority wants (that is democracy, after all) and putting down partisanship and working together would be the best solution to this country’s problems.
For the record, I am for Duterte because I am a first-hand beneficiary of his leadership, being a Davaoeño. I was once a critic of his and that was when I was living abroad and all the info I got about him were from the media. But that changed when I decided to come home a few years ago and settle in my hometown. Duterte was and is not the kind of leader that the media paints him to be. And the scenarios you have created in this article are far-fetched, I’m sorry to say.
But in my desire to see this country grow, I am adopting this attitude: that if any other candidate wins, (I will probably roll my eyes and complain for some days) I will make an effort to set aside my bias and well, try hard to work with the newly-elected president, whoever he is. And will try to open my hand to help in whatever way I can and avoid pointing fingers. Let’s all be a source of unity. Good day!
Jean,
There is nothing that would make us non-Duterte voters more happy than to be proven wrong. Because everyone wins in that scenario. But if our worst fears come to pass, may I ask you, which side will you be on?
Besides, Jean, I am not railing against Duterte winning, since that will be the result of a democratic process. I am just warning of potential dangers based on what he has said, and on his silence on many important matters, including economy and foreign policy.
Jean,
I asked this of miss Tess Pajaron on the other thread, but she’s been banned, so let me pose this same question to you, a native of Davao:
Re Duterte’s governance, has it largely stayed within Davao? or did he/has he spread his governance towards closer cities around Davao, especially around the Gulf of Davao, like Mati, Tugum, Digos, etc. What’s Duterte’s relationship with these cities?
If Duterte does win, and turns the Philippines upside down, with Davao on top, will they be able to develop and learn from the mistakes of Manila region? What ‘s your opinion on this?
Thanks.
duterte’s governance is appreciated not only in dvo region but by most of mindanao, only that political leaders have their own obligation with their respective parties such that the style of managing their priorities and their day to day business activities vary extensively, i think it will all boils down to the extent by which federalism is enacted, our experience tells that mindanao will never be peaceful until somebody makes it happen, the consequence of providing greater opportunities enable the regions to be equally accountable without pointing to central govt. for excuses, doing so would never hurt what is already working in place and keeps all other regions busy to make their environment conducive to investments
One question. Having ruled Davao for 20 years and Duterte’s claim on battling crime and corruption, how come the Ampatuans, who are known to be corrupt, grew under his watch?
Jon,
The Ampatuans are from Maguindanao, not Davao City.
Come on Bart, the Ampatuans were throwing their weight everywhere in and around Davao City and they were untouchables.
@Jon and @Mart
They were following the rules in Davao. How do you expect Duterte to ‘apprehend’ them when they have not done anything illegal in the city. He has no jurisdiction over the activities of the Ampatuans in Maguindanao. Perhaps, the question we should ask is, why is it that the current administration is taking so long to give justice to the victims of the Maguindanao massacre?
Because GMA or PNoy does not control the courts.
Not entirely privy to the Davao City mayor’s relationship with other heads of other LGU’s but what I can say is that he is respected by the mayors and governors of the neighboring cities and provinces. In the few years, 6 to be exact that I have lived here, I have not heard of any spats or quarrels with any LGU heads. It is but natural that his governance stays only in Davao City because that is his jurisdiction. Stepping into other cities’ or provinces’ governance would be tantamount to disrespecting that place’s elected officials. Duterte’s mandate as mayor of Davao City remains in the city. And I would say that places like Mati City and Tagum have developed because of the efforts of its LGU and the people and Duterte would never take the credit for it. But as ine living here in Davao, I would boldly say Duterte has a good relationships with the heads of neighboring LGU’s. I hope this answers your first question.
On the second question, I honestly do not have a definite answer to that since it still remains to be seen… but if ever Duterte wins this election, Davao will not be his main concern and that he will start working on what needs to be done in Manila. He’s a practical person and therefore he will surely begin with the pressing issues such as the traffic, MRT and the issues that people have been clamoring to be addressed. Is this the answer you are looking for? Let me know if I need to expound or if I understood your question wrongly.
And yes, I forgot… He is going to prepare the ground for a transition to federalism right away.
Thanks, jaf & Jean.
Glad to hear of Duterte’s relationships with other surrounding LGUs. Regarding more concrete manifestations of these relationships,
How are the public/private transportation system surrounding Davao Gulf, ie. bus system is it pretty easy to go to Mati or Digos, etc.?
Is there a committee composed of local stake-holders to include regular local citizens that meet to sift through all the lessons learned from the development (or lack thereof) in the Manila region, ie. something similar to https://www.facebook.com/livablecebu/ to advocate on behalf of regular folks.
The SEA-US cable will be completed soon, are there places set-up to take advantage of this coming opportunity, ie. more computer science programs in schools, superior internet connection from Davao, direct to the rest of the Gulf of Davao, a Silicon Valley/Singapore’s One-North ready to plug-in, etc. etc.
Are you familiar with the state of Washington, or Seattle ‘s specifically, ferry system, any chance something similar can be done across Gulf of Davao?
Thanks again, guys. 🙂 This is good stuff.
LCpl_X (@LCpl_X
About the SEA-US, that will be a good and perfect long term share stock to investment onto. It will be nicer, once the local infrastructures around it,are build to the latest fiber optics communications technologies. That will promote Jobs to all Filipinos in all levels, improve lives, and stabilized their social issues due to the lack of employment.
Allow me to add a question. if people are saying DU30 cannot do anything outside of his jurisdiction that’s why he can’t act on anything, how come he wouldn’t accept an executive position extended by presidents when he was offered one three times? (He stated this on TV during an interview.)
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/257590/duterte-im-not-qualified-to-replace-robredo-as-dilg-chief – yeah, yeah… he said himself he is NOT QUALIFIED as DILG Chief… and NOW he wants to be President? Come on is being President EASIER, so he thinks?
He said he had always rejected offers in the past for him to head the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) because of his lack of qualification. “I’m not qualified before, I am not qualified now,” he said.
Beats me, Aqua! Your guess is as good as mine.
He’s running for president now. That’s the present reality.
I am for what is right. So if it happens that my candidate wins, and turns back on his words, I am going to fight for what is right even if it means going against him. But having had a first-hand experience of his leadership, I strongly feel that he is the better candidate to bring this country forward… if people just give him a chance just like what we did in Davao. He unites people and we only have to see how his supporters are really rallying around him. (By the way, I do not feel that we are living in a dictatorship here in Davao City. Not.a.single.bit. Perhaps you may get the same answer from any Davaoeño who belongs to the A,B,C and D crowds.) But then, people have their own experiences and agenda.
My experience with Duterte in Davao helped me make my choice. Sometimes, there are just some things that could not be totally explained… like gut feel. Again, I may sound naive here but sometimes, I say sometimes, our gut feel proves to be more right than a well-calculated ‘future scenarios’ based on so-called numbers and assumptions bandied around by the media. I am not out to change people’s mind about who to vote here but I am here to just explain that one needs to experience his leadership in order for you to totally understand where he’s coming from. I personally do not like the way some of the people in his camp is handling his campaign and the way some of his supporters’ rabid (yes, I dare say that) action and yes, I cringe when he curses. And I am not going to waste my time too in saying why Mar or Binay or Poe or Miriam do not make the cut. They have their their own strengths and weaknesses. But Duterte fits the mold of the leader that is needed at this time of our country’s history.
Having said the above, however, I still toast to our freedom to choose our candidate and that I fervently hope for a more united Philippines once this election is over. Thank you too for allowing me to express my opinions here without being shot down especially since this forum is largely anti-Duterte. Great dialogue going on here! 🙂
We certainly hope you are correct. And I am glad you will base your future actions on principles, in case the worst happens.
“I am for what is right. So if it happens that my candidate wins, and turns back on his words, I am going to fight for what is right even if it means going against him.”
there you go. you just contradicted yourself. sabi mo why cant we just support whoever wins. so when erap was dragging our country into the mud, you wouldve still supported him? when gma was screwing our country over and let all her minions take the people’s money, were you still supporting her?
This time, just forget that I have openly said I will vote for Duterte and then read my comments from the top. The one you were commenting to was an answer to the question that the author raised after my first comment.
Thank you!
I know Jean, you will be arm in arm with those who have fought not to get this man elected. During the Marcos times, we call that “balimbing.” There will be a lot of you.
I don’t mind being called ‘balimbing’ as long as I could say that I am following what my conscience tells me is the right thing to do. For now, I believe Duterte is the best person to lead. I do not know what’s going to happen in the future but from our own experience here in Davao, he has done a lot of good things. I am praying and hoping that he continues to be the same leader that we have known here. Call me naive but why can’t people just agree to disagree and hope for the best?
Many are so good at analyzing and judging a person from afar and predicting how the country will go down the drain while sitting in their airconditioned room typing away at their up-to-date gadgets as they sip their favorite drink. Let’s ask ourselves, what have we done for this country and the less fortunate ones? Would love to hear and learn from you.
Have a good day!
This is from Mary, read it: https://joeam.com/2016/05/06/the-people-we-will-hold-accountable-for-a-duterte-disaster/#comment-175155
ako naman walang aircon dahil malamig talaga dito sa Germany… left the Philippines due to resistance against Marcos and never came back, ganyan talaga ang buhay minsan.
I have been quite silent in this discussion and have found it interesting to read the stuff from Filipinos in the Philippines with very different viewpoints… what I don’t think though is that there is anyone from the Makati Business Club among us even the pro-Mar people.
There is great dialogue here because the Dutertards aren’t here now….
Jean,
You said you had been living abroad before settling in Davao. As someone who has a worldview perspective, I would like to ask you this:
How would Duterte handle foreign relations and policies? The “sever ties” and “flag burning” and “rape” jokes had already sent red flags to countries allied to PH because of his undiplomatic behavior and speeches.
How did you feel when you were abroad and PH had a leader disrespected by the world?
@Juana
I am not privy to how he will handle foreign relations. I believe that Duterte will have a team (besides us, the people) working with him for these concerns.
I was embarrassed when the world was watching the Filipinos impeach Estrada and the country castigating GMA for the ‘Hello Garci’ scandal. But life goes on…
Well said: about been part of the most hated race in the world,, because of wars, negligence and greediness guided by our nations leadership.
Just keep the faith and prayers going on, for better prosperity and democratic future for everyone.
Thank you, David. I do have the faith and the hope that one day, our beautiful country will get the acknowledgement it deserves and our noble people will be known around the world for their good heart and intelligence.
You can’t fight a President who has a revolutionary government as the justice system will be under a military junta…the military will govern over the civilian laws…you’re too idealistic to think about this…
You are wrong my friend… u dont understand. Running a city & a country are very much different. He wont be able to make it as a president. Im very sure of that
Why presume that Jean does not understand? Maybe Jean has different information to work with and arrived honestly at a different conclusion. Maybe it would be best to state why you conclude that President Elect Duterte won’t be able to make it as president, in your eyes. Then he and his staff know what to do to prove you wrong.
I seriously want to get away from this kind of continued political contest, the one upsmanship of “I’m right and you’re wrong.” It serves no purpose. Get to the issues.
Wow when the time comes that Duterte wins and you were proven wrong, that would be the time that we are already at the brink of collapse due to the experimentations done. At what cost? Yours only? No no no, everyone including me. So pick up your mind somewhere and follow what your teachers, parents, church leaders taught you. No good will come out from a person with bad principles and morals.
agree with you. but dont worry if he wins his term will be short live 3to6mos. after he kills all the criminals, the drug pushers, the corrupt officials he will commit suicide cuz hez corrupt too. as what his unexplained assets says so. only baka sabihin na naman niya joke lang yon. a joker prez..
There are good values and bad, and there are enablers of both. Letting enablers of bad values off free is truly what is divisive, for they are left to promote lies and deceits and trample on human dignity.
Jean,
I totally disagree with your reasons for choosing Duterte. I see them as myopic and irrational to a degree.
I fully agree with your desire for unity and admire your attitude should another candidate win. May your tribe increase.
I share your frustrations. I have seen folks complain about how Daang Matuwid did them no good, notwithstanding the fact that they did nothing to improve their lot in life over the past 6 years. They throw their support behind Duterte now, with the expectation that the change he promises means an immediate increase in their economic situation (let’s be honest–this is THE issue) without them having to lift a finger.
Discipline by proxy. Prosperity on a silver plate, served bedside.
I shall dare to say that you will find more of your kind from the opposite ranks. We’ll bitch and whine for a few days, but we’ll continue to provide the brand of citizenry this nation needs to grow. I hope you can sway more of those from your group, but I doubt you’ll make gains: what with threats of revolution and anarchy should the unthinkable happen and Digong lose out on the presidency. I implore you to still try, though.
Galit na dumulog si Aso sa kanyang amo.
“Magnanakaw iyang si Pusa”, ‘ika niya. “Pirmi na lang bawas ang pagkain ko.”
Noong hapon ding iyon ay sumangguni si Pusa sa amo.
“Masyadong swapang si Aso”, sabi niya. “Gusto niyang sa kanya lang lahat ng pagkain.”
Umasa si Aso at si Pusa na kikilos ng tama ang kanilang amo at pupuksain ang ugat ng kanilang mga suliranin. Pupuksain sa mabilis at permanenteng paraan. Ganansya na lamang ang kanilang hihintayin.
Kinabukasan ay nilagay sila ng kanilang amo sa tig-isang kulungan. Tapos ay binenta niya ang kanyang lupa sa SMDC. Tatayuan ang condominium.
Thank you Killer (what a name! 😆) for the suggestion. And thank you for telling me that my judgement is myopic and irrational. But honestly, nothing is more myopic and irrational than the smear campaign being launched on Duterte. Just like the judgement you’ve thrown on people voting for Duterte.
Yes, I wish there’d be a lot more people who will eventually see that the real work begins when the election is over. And that peace and progress is not just the leaders’ work alone but everybody’s task. That’s just what happened and is happening in our beloved city.
And naku tama na ang pang-aabuso ng mga imperialistang mga taga-Maynila, Bisaya na pud! (Take this as a tongue-in-cheek comment.) Have a great day!
Jean,
I sense you take my criticism of your ideas as me passing judgment on you as a person. That was not my intention. If you found what I said hurtful, I apologize. I also did not pass judgment on everyone voting for Mayor Duterte. I stated what I personally experienced.
I still stand by my belief that assuming what works for a city of approximately 2 million people will be just as successful for a nation of 99 million is short-sighted. If what we had was a problem with the plumbing, we are way beyond plugging leaks; we need to begin thinking about laying new pipes.
You flatter whoever it is you think launched what you think is a smear campaign against Mayor Duterte. They had little work to do. 🙂
Enjoy your evening.
That’s where many make a mistake… You assume that Duterte is going to pattern the governing of the Philippines on Davao. No, it is his leadership that he is going to bring to the national level. And having had more than a decade experience of governing, he has something to bring to the table and please, though he was in Davao most of this time, he is not living in a vacuum, he sees what is happening and has gained a lot of insight on what is needed in this country. Di tulad ni Grace Poe who just came back to the Philippines a few years ago… Let’s face it. He has experience in an executive capacity and our county badly needs an overhaul. I am not afraid to take a chance on Duterte because there are results to back him up.
I think this is the main issue among Duterte supporters and skeptics.
We know the complexity of Governing.
We know that building institutions trump personality based progress.
We
Ah. Please allow me to raise a few matters.
1) How is his governance separate from his leadership?
2) Regarding experience in governing, what do you say to someone who might replace “Davao” with “Makati”?
3) Regarding apparent results due to the person governing, what do you say to someone who might replace “Davao” with “Makati”?
4) Would you agree that his experience using his brand of leadership as an executive–which he will bring to fore on a national level–still ultimately covers only the City of Davao?
The questions you raised merit a longer discussion but I am not really here to convert you or anyone. I am just a voter who believes in my candidate. Davao is not what it is now if not for the concerted effort of both the leaders of the city and its citizens. Duterte’s leadership was key to the governance of Davao. I am simply pointing out that the Philippines will not be handled in the same way as Davao as the former is so much more complex. But he is going to bring along the same skills, experience and knowledge. Hence, my claim that it is his leadership that he is going to bring to the national level. And come to think of it, who among the present candidates have an extensive experience in the executive branch: only Binay and Duterte and between the two, I am going with the one whose capacity I have a first-hand knowledge of. Miriam would have been an excellent choice too but sadly, her health condition is a deterring factor.
To the second and third questions. I have nothing to say. But I would be asking myself and perhaps that hypothetical person: Why is it that people of Makati are not as ‘fanatic’ (to use an anti-Duterte rhetoric) as the people of Davao about their former mayor? Clearly, there is something about Duterte’s leadership that endears him to his people while at the same inspires them to work with him. Hence, the smear campaign is hideous in the eyes of his supporters because they know who he really is.
To the fourth question: No.
In the long and short of all this discussion, all I wanted to do here is to speak about my candidate of choice in a better light so that in case he wins, you who do not believe in him, will not have those jitters that the naysayers are trying to sow. I do not know who you are voting for but I strongly believe that you have arrived at that decision wisely.
Thank you for this respectful dialogue. 🙂
Hi jean, i’m tired of hearing davao this, davao that. gaano ba kaganda at ka peaceful ang davao na yan? is it more peaceful in Davao than iceland, norway or sweden? Davao is not even in the top 10 safest cities. it was only in numbeo (not a credible site) that it was listed as a safe city.
Your president’s campaign is based on a lie. lots of fake news coming from sites such as Okd2.com, listofrecipes, mocha uson blog.
He won’t even show the transaction history of his bpi account. Such a big liar and a thief at that. tsk tsk
And the argument stops when there’s nothing left coming out from the brains of the Dutertards! 🙂
And you sir have not really contributed anything in the discussion except snippets of negative criticism.
And because of guys like this one why you cannot convert Duterte supporters, you are blaspheming them. As if you know so much, you are standing in a ground different from them. You are looking down on them. This is how democracy works, so bear with it.
Cholo, we all gain nothing if we act like this. Attack ideas, not people.
(I want to believe) Everyone wants a good future for our country but we have differing opinions of how this can be best achieved. There are, of course, inferior opinions, but it is only through dialogue that superior ones are brought to light.
Sorry, Jean, but I lived in Davao on and off for several years, and am in touch with people there, including people who have known Duterte since schooldays and have lived there all their lives. Out of the ten people I’ve talked with regarding the election, only two are voting for him. The rest are divided between Poe and Roxas. They have told me frankly that they do not openly campaign for either one, because they fear trouble from Duterte supporters. But they will not vote for him. This is hardly reassuring, coming from his constituents.
At the beginning of the campaign until two weeks ago, I never felt afraid to tell everyone that I am still an undecided voter and that I was inclined to choose Miriam. The reaction that I often get is that of disappointment rather than indignation. People here are still free to choose who they want to vote and campaign. Even one of Duterte’s sons is campaigning for Chiz Escudero despite Duterte’s plea to his supporters to vote Alan Cayetano. Duterte was asked how he feels about it and he said that he respects his son’s choice.
I don’t know what your friends are really afraid of, seriously. Besides, Duterte is not a thousand-peso bill that everyone will love.
This is a classic example of a situation wherein an erroneous idea is being spread because an isolated case is misunderstood as the norm.
Jean, I have been to Davao, and I have many friends back there. The picture they paint of Duterte is much different from yours. I would not put in print the horror stories I have heard about the mayor which are whispered in dark corners of your adopted city. But the impression I get is that Duterte is not well-loved at all but greatly feared.
It is obvious that you live in a different part of Davao City than my friends. They live in that part where, yes, it seems peaceful but simply because reporting violence is forbidden. Doesn’t it seem to you contradictory that while the mayor’s admirers shout out to Numbeo and the world that Davao is one of the world’s peaceful cities, the mayor himself takes pride in saying that 1,700 criminals have been violently and pre-meditatively killed under his watch? Don’t you see that the killings he boasts of places Davao as the murder capital of the country?
You may say, “But the mayor has never been accused in court.” Just one example: Jun Pala. A staunch anti-communist, a former ally of the mayor who eventually accused him of shenanigans and eventually eliminated by the DDS. As recounted by Homobono Adaza, he heard on local radio the mayor’s rants about the second unsuccessful assassination attempt on Pala and how they will get him the third time. The mayor openly suggesting who is the mastermind of the violence – what kind of emotion do you think he inspires among his people?
And besides, who are the the mayor’s and the DDS targets? Petty criminals – shabu sachet pushers, cellphone snatchers…but no big-time criminals. Lots of killings, but just for show. Just to show that the mayor is a toughie. Do you deny that there are BIG-TIME criminals living under a protective mantle in Davao City and who continue to ply their rice smuggling, prostitution, drug trades there?
You say that Davao is now a very progressive city unlike the dark years after EDSA 1 where sparrows openly roamed the streets. (They still do since they now comprise the bulk of the Davao Death Squads.）But you conveniently do not say that so has the rest of the country progressed. I find Puerto Princesa, CDO, Iloilo, Mactan, Naga more impressive than your Davao. Either you have not gone around the country or you deliberately try to mislead.
Economically, Davao is moribund; more of its educated populace prefer to leave for greener pastures in Manila and abroad than to stay. You are an exception, and I would be curious to hear about your personal background to see where you are coming from.
I do not doubt you one bit when you say you lead a satisfactory life down there. Just like during martial law when the Blue Ladies and the dictator’s cloistered friends have told, and are now once again telling, the world.
You profess a greater love and loyalty to your country than your city, and say you would not hesitate to turn your back on him when he wanders from his promises. Many in this blog, politically correct and respectful as they are, give you the benefit of the doubt. I do not.
Firstly, I will leave you to your opinion. I came here first to point out to the author that I found his article divisive. I continued to comment because I have been directly asked questions by other people who commented. I also wanted to share my own experience in living in this city as a way to help those who paint a grim future about a Duterte presidency see him in a better light. I felt free to do that here because this blog seems to be one that is peopled by intellectuals — though a majority hidden in various pseudonyms — who are open to dialogue. If you refuse to believe my personal anecdotes about living here, I can not do anything about it. If you say your friends paint Davao in a different way than I do and you believe them, then what can I do? I do not have a monopoly of the truth about Davao City.
Secondly, since you really think I lie, then, I do not want to waste my time explaining more things regarding the issues you brought up here. If you really want to know more then I suggest you come to the city, stay here for a long period of time and talk to the people yourself.
Thirdly, I have never painted Davao as a utopia. It is not. But if I am to choose between living here and in Metro Manila, where I had spent my adolescent years and early adult life, I definitely would choose Davao, the city of my childhood years. I can’t say the same about the other cities or provinces I’ve visited (Baguio, San Fernando, La Union, Angeles City, Subic, Olongapo, Batangas, Laguna, Lucban, Quezon, Naga, Tacloban, Ormoc, Cebu, Dumaguete, Surigao City, Siargao, Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Mati, Digos, Tagum, Gen San and a few provincial towns) because I was there for only a few days as a tourist or a volunteer worker.
Don’t worry I will stop ‘spreading lies’ here. I think I have given this article and the blog enough of my time and attention. If you are interested to find out my background, you may get in touch with me at this email address bubblyjean90@gmail.com. I don’t bite, don’t worry.
Lastly, don’t forget to pray for a peaceful and fair elections. Have a good Sunday!
P.S. I suggest that you write about the horror stories that your friends have told you about Davao for my benefit and the benefit of the rest of the readers here.
Jean, I will oblige you with one horror tale. I was thinking of two, but, at the last minute, I decided not to retell a firsthand account since it is definitely slanderous and, more importantly, my friend could be traced.
This has been brought up in many anonymous comments and personally verified by some in Davao who talk of the alleged existence of quashed court records in the mayor’s annulment case that point an answer to the mystery – the identity of Sarah Duterte’s rapist. As the alleged champion of women and the antithesis of rapists, why did the mayor readily deny his own daughter’s claim? It wasn’t even a simple denial – he humiliated Inday before local and foreign journalists by calling her a “drama queen”. He really dunked it on her. The “intellectuals” here would go to the simplest and most logical speculation. You probably won’t. To the blogger who wrote about the Stockholm Syndrome, this is a classic case, right ?
——
Joeam, I would not take it against you if you take this post down. Just give it a few minutes to sink into Jean’s consciousness since she seems to be closely monitoring this blog.
Horror lf horrors! This comment sounds like Trillanes! You know the:
“I heard this from a Joseph de Mesa who heard it from his friend who is a kapitbahay of the sister of the real source.”
You’re right I won’t make the “simplest and most logical speculation” like the intellectuals here (Hala, be careful with what you say!) because I don’t purport to be one. I don’t care if you think I’m bobo but at least I do not bring anonymous second-hand hearsays (aka gossip) just to bring down a person. And if I were you, don’t just insinuate, write your conclusion in plain and simple English if your sources are really to be trusted. So that everyone reading this article would really have a very good reason to continue to trash Duterte and in my case, change my mind about voting for him. If you really want me to believe you, send me details. You have my email address.
Really, my friend, there could be so many reasons why he played that down. If you are a parent, you know what I mean.
P.S. Last of the Mohicans na to. I don’t want to go off topic. The blog has a new anti-Duterte piece. Perhaps we can move on there. Aaaaaand, let’s just agree to disagree. That said, I promise to give you the last word. Enjoy the rest of the weekend! 😊
Why can’t we give the guy the benefit of the doubt, and let us respect who the people vote for, that’s why we are so divided, God Bless the Generations of this country to come.
Benefit of the doubt is for the guy who said the right things, but may not deliver. But for the guy who said all the wrong things, we still give the benefit of the doubt?
What if he says in June, “I already told you what I will do, I meant what I said, not the interpretation of my supporters.”
Word!!
it is an If, so we wait that the “if” will happen. but if the “if” does not happen there will be a big lose on the change to come. maski di ako die hard dutertards as what most of you are saying. i will still give it a chance and take the risk with digong (malay natin titino ang pinas kesa maniwala na gaganda pa rin ang sistema ng tuwad na daan). i used to be a roxas believer but, i really lost or “wa na ko bilib sa kanya” this site is really a yellowtards fanatics sorry to say that, but i have been reading this site a lot di pa sikat si joe america i already got hooked on this blog. although i dont comment much does once a while but i read almost all this issues that had been discussed in this blog. i am just giving my view i am not interested in a debate which most of you would insist on giving a reason for the my choice or @jean. aaah before i forget i do have one i am a bisaya from leyte which is about 70km away from maasin the place where dirty mouth was born maybe that can justify it. but i am not swayed by that, i also get frustrated when he talks to much. but still, i will take the risk on voting him.
Will post this comment on my timeline. Wisdom Sir.
it’s a democracy. you can criticize my candidate, i can criticize yours. if your candidate wins, then there’s nothing we can do about it. but if he starts screwing with us, it’s our democratic right to boot him out of the office
Campaign speeches and promises are to be taken seriously because if the candidate uttering them is voted into office, he/she has the mandate of the electorate to carry out what was uttered and promised.
Benefit of the doubt? You actually believe most of the people in this blog actually have a doubt about this guy? We would not gamble six years for one who had been saying all along that he has no respect for the institutions and the people who are against him. You ask respect for someone who refuses to respect. I am sure the mayor himself would be the first to dispute what you are saying.
The big irony here is that the side you’re on is the one who clearly does not have the mentality you have. What will D do to people who don’t like him, or worse, those who oppose him if and when he gets elected? Who owns up to being a murderer and proud of it? As the saying goes, “In the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” It will only be time before his words take shape and form and I don’t want to see that day happen. It can’t be said enough that the prospects of a Du presidency is grim indeed.
If you believe it to be that way, then who can change your mind. And yes, I respect your choice of candidate whoever he/she may be.
Me thinks, guys or gals that are afraid on a backlash with Digong has hidden dirt in their closets. Kung wala kang ginagawang mali dapat di ka matakot, everyone is taking the worst scenario case which again I say “if” it will happen, are you so sure. Then you will get back again and say suppose it will happen. So we end up as not sure if it will happen, so lets wait? Its the same chances your banking on Roxas which am not trying to dissuade you but respect our choice. You can say all the bad things about Digong, but it is just a few days more and we will cross that bridges on who wins. For me if Mar wins, am still okay with it but kayo, will it be okay if Du30 wins? Thats is a big question?
@davidebebotski
Yes I remember you before. I’ll respond to you because you are not a troll and you have arguments.
We will definitely see in the coming weeks and months whether the chance you took was worth it. But we are on guard, because we base it on what has been said by the candidate, and what Duterte supporters re-interpret otherwise.
I enjoy reading this discussion more than the article.
I was never interested in politics until now. The only answer to all the negative, cheap stunts by the good Mayor’s rivals is simple: Davao is the living testament of Duterte’s leadership.
Sabi nila: wala daw galang si mayor sa kababaihan
Answer: Go ahead and interview the women of Davao and they will say how safe it is walking in the streets at night, walang snatcher, walang riding in tandem, walang hold up.
Sabi nila: may ill gotten wealth si mayor
Answer: Go ahead and visit his humble abode, see and witness his lifestyle, walang kapatid na gumagamit ng helicopter.
Sabi nila: kulang daw ang kakayahan ni mayor to be President
Answer: sa Davao lang po may 911, sa Davao lang din po may ZERO hospital bill for the Class D and E at sa Davao lang din may libreng drug rehabilitation center. Marami pang meron sa Davao na nagawa si Mayor hence my vote goes to him.
I believe in his cause. I believe in what he can do and I am certain he can DO MORE!!! #DU30IsMyPresident
Si Hitler maraming nagawa sa Berlin na maganda. Pero sa labas ng Germany, pangit lahat ng nagawa niya.
Success nga yung anti-crime program niya sa Davao, pero tinaboy lang niya yun sa ibang lugar, at naki-pagalyansa siya sa NPA. Paano kung buong bansa na hawak niya, saan niya itataboy?
Sa China (LOL) or Sa kabaung (LOL) just kidding.
So, anong gusto mong gawin niya? Huwag itaboy? Patayin? Akala ko ba ayaw niyo ng ganyan? Hindi siya nakikipagalyansa sa NPA. Idinadaan niya sa magandang usapan… and really, we here in Davao City are not worried about attacks from the NPA. And don’t we all want to resolve things through peaceful talks? Have you ever talked to an NPA? Have you ever tried to understand where they are coming from and why these people are joining the NPA? If you had, I am sure you will understand Duterte’s way of dealing with them.
@Jean
Duterte’s way of dealing with the NPA is to contain them, while they continue their activities- tax collection, ambushing govt soldiers, etc.in other areas. So while it was a solution for one area, it was not a solution for the whole. For sure the NPA know the practical limits of this deal, and have no illusion that they have become partners and would lay down their arms willingly.
What the NPA appreciates about Duterte is that he lets them operate in certain areas while staying away from others. It is not because he “understands” them.
It’s like that strategy in the movie “Sicario” where in order to keep order and equilibrium, the CIA helps the Colombian cartel operate, while destroying other cartels. I do not know how he will deal with the NPA on a national scale when he sits as president.
As far as questioning our knowledge of the left, me and Irineo Salazar here were inside the movement itself many years ago in one of their legal fronts. So we know what we are discussing.
Thank you for helping me see clearly what’s going on between the NPA and Duterte. I have to admit that all I know are the end results of Duterte’s effort to suppress insurgency. NPA rebels surrender to him and in many occasions he has given them an opportunities to rebuild their lives as normal citizens.
Perhaps having had a first-hand experience with the leftists, you could give ideas on how to manage this long-standing battle between the government and the leftists. We need ideas that will promote peace and lessen, if not eliminate, civilian casualties.
YUNG SINASABI MONG 911, MERON DIN SA OLONGAPO, HINDI LANG DAVAO. SO SUPPORTED MO PATI PAGIGING LEFT LEANING NIYA?
All of a sudden we talk about Davao like it is such an ideal city. Davao is not extraordinary. Yes, it is better than Manila in terms of cleanliness and crime rate but that is because it is a province. You will feel the same security in many other cities in the Philippines. I’m saying this because I still remember how disappointed I was when we visited.
@bellesouth
Davao is far from an ideal city, you are absolutely right. But we Davaoeños love our city. Why? Because we are genrally happy here and feel it is really a good place to live and we largely attribute — take note, not completely — it to the leadership of Duterte.
I am sorry you were disappointed with your first visit. Perhaps you can come again and well, I can give you ideas of what to do. Just let me know. 😊
Jean,
I admire Davao and what Duterte has done for it. He has leadership and good for Davaoeños. But it is hard to accept that in every part of the Philippines that he will implement what he started in Davao for a drastic (bloody) change. I read some articles like from 2009 before this administration has started how executions was done in broad daylight but never in his time that this extrajudicial killings been resolved. Do we ask for peace and harmony for ourselves for the expense of others? Are we sure that there will be no mistakes or miscalculations on this? Do we keep ourselves blind when we see this things happen? Is this right or wrong? Do we accept these kind of values?
Hope you can enlighten me to support this kind leadership when Duterte keep his word.
Whoever said about a “drastic (bloody) change”? The media and well his opponents are putting words into his mouth. The change he promises is a clean government. Period. And yes, federalism.
No one is sure about anything. In life, as in everything, there are risks and uncertainties whenever we make decisions. The same questions could also be asked about Miriam or
Grace or Binay or Mar. I, personally, will take a chance with Duterte because I have seen results in his leadership.
It is not just in the media but it was his exact words that came from his mouth during the debate and all his interviews. This were the same stories that happened during the transition to the peaceful davao today. Are you saying those are just stories and 1000++ extrajudicial deaths are just hoaxes and did not contribute the peace that you are seeing right now in davao?
Jean
I appreciate u view duterte fr your perspective of what u see. But what for the life of me I’m dumbfounded is that here is a candidate who is basically telling you in your face that he is going for dictatorial powers and that doesn’t bother you. Threats to bring back sison, shut down congress, ombudsman, commission of audit, –_all these are taken as jokes. Yet u know duterte says it like it is, meaning he means what he says. These are institutions of your democracy and it means nothing to you.
@chempo
I guess the only explanation I can give you is that we know him. I know that may not be acceptable for many of you but that’s just how it is. We see beyond the soundbites and curses and stupid comments he gives on TV. And I truly understand that not everyone can easily go past that. (I, myself, still cringe when he curses.) I get where you’re coming from.
Hi Jean may i ask if you have been carefully monitoring the words that come out of Mayor D’s mouth? I just hope you are not being selective. Very clearly prior to filing his candidacy, he warned people not to push him to run because he specifically said that it is going to be “bloody”. Please try to recall all his statements that included the words: “papatayin ko sila…”, “revolutionary government”, “socialism”. He is very clear with his ideology and his personality clearly indicates that he will do whatever it takes to push the type of government he believes in. How do you think will he react to the resistance coming from the different sides like the oligarchs, foreign powers, right leaning military, the church and the moderate middle class? Remember edsa 2, which most believe was a product of the manipulation of these forces in order to overthrow erap? If it ever happens again, do you think he will just leave malacanang like what erap did? Obviously not, knowing what type of personality he has. But i guess you know him more than most of us do and you can probably predict how he will think and react. But if you’re wrong do you have an idea what the worst case scenario will be? Is this the kind of “gamble or risk worth taking” that i always here from Duterte”s supporters? Remember that you are not only gambling on your family and children’s future but also on mine and the rest of the 70%. This is why this manifesto makes perfect sense.
Aren’t you also gambling on the candidate that you have decided to vote, whoever he/she may be? We are unfortunately, but fortunately, in a democracy wherein we can vote for the person who we see is fit to lead the country. We both have done our homework and perhaps I see something in Duterte that you don’t. Just remember, we all want what is best for our ourselves and our country. Be assured with that thought.
Have most of you also looked at what Senators and Congressmen to vote?
Remember that it is NOT the President who makes the laws of the land.
But we are talking about exceptional leadership here, to have 911 in Davao
is not beyond exceptional as it very normal accomplishment as part of his responsibility.
I don’t get it why Davao is so over rated, nothing is so special about the city. No drug lord was ever assassinated by the DDS, just poor youth and Journalists.
Is Davao a paradise after 18 years of DDS extrajudicial killings? Has criminality been eradicated? According to the data from PNP covering 2010-2015, out of 15 chartered cities Davao was fourth in terms of Total Index of Crimes: 37,797 incidents. In terms of murder, Davao was no. 1 (1,032 incidents) and in terms of rape Davao was no. 2 (843 incidents). This report gives the impression that in Davao you can be murdered and raped any time. Murder is not really that bad if the DDS and the Mayor can do it. Rape is not really that bad if the Mayor can callously joke about it, wishing he was the first in line when he heard that a hostage–an Australian Lay Missionary–was raped.
MASS MURDER BY STATE APPROVAL?
.Meanwhile, the families of victims cry out for justice as the DDS continue their killing spree. The national government has failed to address this mass murder that could soon multiply many times over.
If the DDS are not stopped and those behind it are not held accountable, this will be a national bloodbath. Those who support it and allow it to multiply will have blood in their hands–they will be accomplices to mass murder. The one who orders this is a mass murderer–the biggest Criminal of them all.
If it is alright to kill suspected criminals–who can stop any one from taking the law into their own hands? Anyone can become judge and executioner–not only the police and public officials. Anyone can form their own vigilante groups. There won’t be any need for prisons or lawyers or judges. There won’t be any peace, no order as long and human rights and the rule of law are disregarded. Meanwhile, the big criminals, the big thieves and murderers will continue to rule the land
We could be entering another dark period of our history–like the dictatorial period in the past or worse.
I dont really subscribe to this hypothesis. Can anyone remember the economic policy that PNoy publicised during his campaign? PNoy was nobody other than being a senator until his mother died. If he has achieved what others consider his achievement for the past 6 years without having executive experience, then I think pinning on Duterte high hopes for a better Philippines is a legitimate act. Whatvwe need in this country is a person with political will to get things done. We already had an economist president in the person of GMA. Was she able address rebellions and secessionist battlecry in the south? No. Others fear of Duterte’s link to the NPAs. Why? What we need is a leader who can elicit obedience and support; who has the charisma and the will to enable others to act. Let us wait and see. Do not negatively based on assumptions.
Jean: xxx what the majority wants xxx.
But who is the majority? By definition, majority is 50% + 1. Du30 got only 30%, so it would do well for him as he assumes the presidency to keep in mind that 70% of the Filipino voters did not vote for him. That’s an enormous lot of potential oppositors to contend with.
I am holding current administration accountable for the mess that is LTO, LFTRB and many other issues by not voting for their favored candidate.
who are you voting for, then?
I’m holding the admin accountable for GDP growth that provides jobs and wealth, for raising CCT enrollment to over 4 million, for raising the image of the Philippines globally, for building alliances, for getting the nation ready to deal with storms, for building roads and buying jets and so many other good things people who are blinded by need evidently cannot see.
I agree but why the failure on such simple agencies like the LTO and other agencies?
How could a President and this administration with all these notable accomplishments let Abaya and the LP party ransack the coffers of these agencies?
I don’t think they have 200 million pesos in their bank accounts.
What more P2.4B…and for running one city, albeit, the biggest in the Philippines…
Agencies have not been automated and are staffed by friends rather than skilled managers. It’s like putting Pacquiao in the Senate to write laws. That ‘style’ is a long established norm. Finding thousands of capable executives to replace them, given that there are employment rules to follow, is not so easy. DOTC is an incredibly complex agency bogged down in contracts and laws and the culture of favor. Abaya and LP have not ransacked anything, to my knowledge. Even the oft maligned Abad is a working executive who has stolen nothing that I am aware of. IF you know otherwise, kindly cite your source. Otherwise, I think you are just accepting popular myth without knowing the actual facts. The PH nationals govt works well, in the main, it seems to me. There are of course exceptions LTO and plates and plastic), but they are exactly that. Exceptions.
You do realize that the LTO was a smooth running agency prior to 3 years ago. License cards were abundant, Plates were available. For an agency that touches most Fiiipinos, it’s a shame that our car loving Predident allowed this fiasco to continue. To me,it reflects badly on the current administration and a ominous sign of what Mar Roxas administration will bring about where more of the
same will be the same and friends will be rewarded richly.
My experience, the LTO has never been smooth running. It took me 6 months to get my plastic license 8 years ago. Last year, it took 10 minutes as the card machine was local, not in Manila. A clear improvement. So I don’t buy your assessment. Nor do I think picking a president on the basis of one agency, while ignoring all the good works done by others IN A WHOLE COMPLEX NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, makes much sense. Plus you skipped past my request for sources for your ‘ransack’ accusation.
And all because of a plate number not delivered on time …we are willing to let all the gains of this government go to someone who clearly does not have a sensible platform of his own… Am sorry did I miss something in your line of reasoning?
@Andoy
Nice observation. So many of these Duterte supporters have no sense of proportion and balance. They zero in on one negative aspect and the whole thing is objectionable to them. Duterte on the other hand, is wholesome in every respect, and words are re-interpreted by them when the evidence to the contrary is overwhelming.
Platform you say? Well, i expect you are talking about the economic side. Out of the presidentiables, only one mentioned that he will copy the programs (referring to economic policies and programs) of the other candidates. Yes, he is no other than Duterte.
aha ha ha so copying without any idea how it will all go together is fine by you..
who sets the agenda and the policy if the president is ignorant of economics, as DU30 has admitted?
DU30 has admitted not knowing anything about economic mgt, so he will just hire experts, who will now behave in warring factions like during Erap’s time. They will all try to secure economic advantage over others, and we are back to cronyism.
DU30 will be clueless how to sort it all out.
Andoy, Joe & Andrew..This business about car number plates needs to be admitted as a complete stuffup..What actually happened ?
Well according to my reading tenders to supply the plates were invited and won by a company that sourced them from Germany. The plate were made and sent to the Philippines. Then the Bureau pf Customs demanded payment of an import tariff worth tens of millions of pesos..
The Filipino company which won the tender then cried ‘foul and refused payment. The containers with the plates languished in the seized goods area of the port for over 2 years..
Finally a few weeks ago the shipping containers with the plates were released by BOC’ as ‘abandoned goods’ or some such. And so finally the plates were handed over the LTO…
What can be learned from this whole fiasco ? Well it was a complete bureaucratic fuck up that left hundreds of thousands of cars & trucks without registration plates. The bureaucrats who did this deserve the boot. And I am not impessed with the competance of the BOC or LTO or their secretaries in charge. who should have sorted this as a matter of urgency years ago.And I am not impressed that Aquino allowed this sorry saga to continue for 2 years without giving it the priority it needed.
There Andoy that’s what happened. Was Roxas involved in this stuff up ? Well he was head of DILG for the time. I suspect that the LTO is bureaucratically separate to DILG. with it’s own bloke in charge reporting to Aquino in that very Filipino way. But if you want to make him personally responsible for that stuff and punish him for it by voting for someone who wants to be a dictator, well go right ahead..
I’ve not really looked into it. My guess is the managers are weak and playing favors, as is commonly done here. Each agency has issues. LTO’s are classic in illustrating how nonsensical some ‘projects’ can be. A forehead slapper, but a weak reason to cross Roxas off the list. The others don’t even know how LTO is organized or works.
hehe your statement of copying without the idea of getting it together is again a fear of the unknown. Every president got experts. Is the president the economist? Certainly not, unless she is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I think you should re consider your standard of being the president. For me, the president is the one , in a broad way, that “get the things done without delay.” Thats why i am rooted for Binay and Duterte.
@ Markus
Getting things done fast and furious is easier at City level compared to central govt level.
I bet you there are thousands of Barangay captains who can get things done much faster than Binay and Duterte.
@Bill: As far as I can tell the BOC is blameless here. The fault is pretty much entirely with the LTO – awarding a contract without an approved budget, letting in an unqualified bidder – etcetera. This was such a stunningly bad project that the Commission on Audit shut it all down.
Now, what did Mar have to do with it? Nothing, as far as I can tell. However, as the candidate preaching continuity, he’s getting hit because there’s a strong “continuity = incompetence” narrative. Note that that stink has hit Roxas badly, but Leni has escaped it despite being from the same party.
@Chempo: Are you not in favor of the president that “get things done without delay”?
Jonathon, thanks for adding to the knowledge we have about this..I am glad that Roxas wa snot caught up in it all.
But you say
” the BOC is blameless here. The fault is pretty much entirely with the LTO – awarding a contract without an approved budget, letting in an unqualified bidder – etcetera. This was such a stunningly bad project that the Commission on Audit shut it all down.”
That may be true. But what the hell was the head of the LTO doing to allow & organise this ? Who the hell was he ? And why was he not sacked pronto ? As in shown the door 2 years ago ? It feels like some one was protecting this incompetent. Who & why ?
As for the BOC surely someone with half a brain would have worked out that impounding/seizing the rego plates for 2 years would lead to a fiasco. and a public relations nightmare. But they did not work it out or care.
Real effective competent government departments Do Not have these problems. And f rom all the discussion & comments I have the very strong feeling that this is what Filipinos want : real, effective quick government ….
As for Mar, he is now in the position where the stuff ups & incompetence of bureaucracies he did not run, are being used as a reason to dump on him. Maybe it’s time for Mar to say that if elected, he will sack the bureaucratic fools of the Aquino government who caused these stuff ups.
Mar Roxas has said he will change the cabinet. He is a diplomat and would not use harsh words, as you are allowed to use. The cabinet is one of Aquino’s strengths, to me. So I hope Roxas will keep a good number of Secs to prevent a slow-down of the growth and building realized these past 6 years.
Jean, pakisagot hinggil sa pagkopya ng platform. Di ba puputulin nya ang relations with US and Australia? Di ba ipagpapalit nya ang disputed islands sa railways?
@Diego: i may comment on this, although you are asking someone other than me. Ang pag kopya nang plataporma nang kasalukuyang administrasyun at nang ibang kandidato ay hindi masama, nag papakita lamang ito na si Duterte ay willing to work with anyone. He will pull ties with US and Austi, pag nang challenge and dalawa, pero wag ka mabahala, ang US mas natatakot mawala ang Pinas sa kanila. Si Duterte ay alam ito, kaya hindi sya natatakot. Papalit nya ang disputed islands sa railway, alam naman natin na hindi lubus na pagmamayari nang Pinas ang mga islands na yan, kaya willing sya makipag areglo tungkol dyan, pero second choice nya lamang ito, base sa sinabi nya sa debate.
Hi Joe, yes I use honest straight forward language.That is my gift to seek to understand a problem and then present it in simple easily understood honest language. In Australia we also have politicians & cabinet members who want to confuse us with long & lengthy explanations full of weasel words. And guess what ? It makes folks extremely annoyed. We have the opportunity of being able to sack such fools every three years. And often that is what happens. It restores faith in the democratic process. Here it seems that even when unable to be competent, they are kept on
If Roxas has said he will change the cabinet if elected as president, good ! I hope he adopts a straightforward policy of sacking anyone who cannot do the job competently. In fact I hope that whoever is elected as president adopts that policy, not just Roxas.
If he is elected, I think you will see a cabinet of capable technocrats or proven managers. With other candidates, you are likely to see a lot of political awards to cronies.
@ Markus
Getting things done fast is not the correct answer in complicated govt projects. It’s getting things done on schedule. More haste less speed. The idea of getting things done fast ala duterte and binary betrays the inclination for one man show.
OT,
Joe, I had a question for Korina Sanchez-Roxas, I just realized I included too many links (I was star struck), can you OK it? Thanks!
Running smoothly? Maybe, but at what cost?
Same thing with MRT, the corrupt people in maintenance don’t like the new contractors therefore they sabotage.
Right on, Andrew! A sociopath for President — he will fall sooner than later!
(Still, I respect all contrary views/opinions; that is basic — respect for human dignity.
No bluster, no insults, no threats.)
Hello, sir. I’m still holding the faintest of hopes that the 70% will be proven wrong but the signs are saying otherwise.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesilentmajorityph/1031207226957660/?notif_t=like¬if_id=1462442376298928
Wil, if you ant us all to read this, post it here.. No all of us want or need facebook accounts. In fact some of us are allergic to Facebook and all it’s nonsence.
Bill, there are always exceptions to the rule. Be patient. I know what I’m doing.
Bill, this is not nonsense.
Renée Will Villanueva
16 hrs
An Open Letter to Manny Piñol Who Wrote an Open Letter to Sec. Mar Roxas, Telling Him that He Could Only Win by Cheating
Dear Mr. Piñol:
You forgot one factor which will make Mar Roxas win: the people’s disgust for your candidate Mayor Rody Duterte. He is not representative of the Filipino people at all. He got his numbers because people were angry, but when his egregious, Satan-like behavior is ranged against Metro Manila traffic and all the garbage you can throw at Sec. Mar, the people awoke. They’d rather have six more years of the imperfect Daang Matuwid than six years of NPA rule, an ogre for a leader who will not stop at anything to rile our sensitivities as a people just to project the image of a maverick. C’mon. People can be angry for some time, but eventually they will calm down and count their blessings. You read the signs of the times wrong, sir.
Wilfredo G. Villanueva
ooops, I need to read all comments first before posting..to avoid posting the same…sorry about that
Bill, you may think FB is nonsense, but it’s the only way we can reach out to thousands out there in remote areas, thousands who are FB addicts who shell out their meager money just to stay connected with friends and relatives. With time and financial limitation, we cannot afford to go to Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, NCR and other regions of our country including those outside of her where millions of Filipinos in diaspora are, who have great influence with their relatives about to vote on Monday.
We cannot be everywhere all at the same time, even those with planes and helicopters have to schedule their campaign trails, some of us has to work, too. so FB it will be until the election and even years after.
Hi MGP, I do not do Face book..And I am glad of it. 90% of what I have seen on other people’s FB accounts is not merely boring and repetitive, it is boring and repetitive…
At one time years ago I was cajolled in setting up a FB account..After a couple of weeks became convinced” This is junk” So I went then to close my FB account..Not an easy think at all..And even after I was bothered by FB emails for months demanding I rejoin ..Duh ?
When I was a kid I read comics. When I grew up I stopped. Facebook is for kids.
Now re Wil’s letter : Ok he knows what he is doing..But I did not..Until you cppied his letter here…Thanks for doing that…
I sent as evidence of the point I am about to make the link above. I hope it opens in your computer. Anyway, it’s about my post in Facebook’s The Silent Majority. That page has some 250,000 followers already, and counting. My post is about my open letter to Manny Piñol, Duterte campaign manager I think (that’s another name for you, Andrew). Before, Mr. Piñol wrote an open letter to Sec. Mar Roxas telling him that the only way he could win is by cheating. My reply:
An Open Letter to Manny Piñol Who Wrote an Open Letter to Sec. Mar Roxas, Telling Him that He Could Only Win by Cheating
Dear Mr. Piñol:
You forgot one factor which will make Mar Roxas win: the people’s disgust for your candidate Mayor Rody Duterte. He is not representative of the Filipino people at all. He got his numbers because people were angry, but when his egregious, Satan-like behavior is ranged against Metro Manila traffic and all the garbage you can throw at Sec. Mar, the people awoke. They’d rather have six more years of the imperfect Daang Matuwid than six years of NPA rule, an ogre for a leader who will not stop at anything to rile our sensitivities as a people just to project the image of a maverick. C’mon. People can be angry for some time, but eventually they will calm down and count their blessings. You read the signs of the times wrong, sir.
Wilfredo G. Villanueva
I posted late afternoon yesterday and so far it has 1,400 likes and loves, and close to 200 comments, 99.5 per cent in agreement.
Actually, Filipinos are prone to vote AGAINST a candidate rather than to vote FOR one. In the 1986 snap elections, people voted against Marcos, Cory was just a symbol of protest. In 2016, people will vote against Duterte, Mar is a symbol of our distaste for the philandering, murdering, cursing, kowtowing (to JoeMa) Duterte. Go to FB’s The Silent Majority and see what I mean. A groundswell is rolling across the land, and it’s saying NO to Duterte, YES to anyone who can make him eat dust. Binay is down by his own accord. Grace is down by her own self. Miriam can talk all she wants, but no can do. It’s only Mar who’s left in our weapons of choice. Do we pick him? Do we allow the obnoxious Duterte to rule the land with clear signs of dictatorial tendencies, partiality to the Left, and utter disrespect for everything we hold dear?
Thanks for this article, Andrew. Way to go.
Thank you Andrew for the blog article and thank you Wil for your letter to Manny Piñol, Duterte campaign manager.
Allow me Wil to quote your nugget of a letter for emphasis:
Dear Mr. Piñol:
You forgot one factor which will make Mar Roxas win: the people’s disgust for your candidate Mayor Rody Duterte. He is not representative of the Filipino people at all. He got his numbers because people were angry, but when his egregious, Satan-like behavior is ranged against Metro Manila traffic and all the garbage you can throw at Sec. Mar, the people awoke. They’d rather have six more years of the imperfect Daang Matuwid than six years of NPA rule, an ogre for a leader who will not stop at anything to rile our sensitivities as a people just to project the image of a maverick. C’mon. People can be angry for some time, but eventually they will calm down and count their blessings. You read the signs of the times wrong, sir.
Wilfredo G. Villanueva
Beautiful!
Thank you for the explanation Wil..No problem…
Regarding your manifesto for the 70% who will not vote for Duterte, it’s interesting to look at the election where Obama was elected president.
Coincidentally, in that election about 70% of eligible voters did not vote for Obama. In fact more eligible voters didn’t vote than voted for Obama. I haven’t done the calculations but I suspect the 70% figure you mention is not unusual for presidential voting where voting is optional.
I’m worried that it’s divisive to wage a post-election campaign against those perceived to be responsible for Duterte’s (possible) win. Dividing the voting population into winners and losers is unlikely to help the Philippines.
Campaigning for a parliamentary system might be a better strategy, as this system takes all the heat out of choosing the Prime Minister, and allows a dud PM to be dumped mid-term.
Thanks for the comment, Greg. The manifesto is not against the win itself, but for what may come to pass based on the candidate’s statements. This is not like the US where it was a battle of political philosophies or ideologies. Everyone still follows the rule of law there, whether conservative or liberal, democrat or republican.
The situation here could easily deteriorate into dictatorship vs democracy, good vs evil, white vs black, decency vs barbarism. Emphasis on the “could”, but there is sufficient basis for it.
I agree with Greg.
Greg, it takes some of the heat out of the election..as many voters know that the ‘leader’ is not the “party’..But marginal & undecided voters are still swayed by who the leader is. The virtue of the parliamnetary system in Australia is that who ever the party leader is who becomes prime minister, he/she, still has to persuade the party room for each new legislative bill…And experience shows that this can been difficult at times..Thus the potential for a dictatorship is very very very small.
Can’t compare US and Phil election statistics. Only 40-45% of electorate normally participate in US elections, while 75-80% do in the Phil.
Jean,
I respect your opinion. But it will be easier for me, personally, to accept his presidency if what divides me and Duterte is political philosophy.
But it is not. Values sets me differently from Duterte. Values that I acquired from my parents, family, school and community.
I cannot force anyone to share my values but still I hold them dear.
Go on, support Duterte and his Presidency. I will not do anything that will undermine him. For it is part of my values. I will not reduce myself into a crying lad and complain everything. Traffic will still be there, criminals will still roam and corruption will still be in our midst.
I will keep silent and just strive to improve my family’s well-being. Anyway, those issues are the favorites of Duterte supporters. I will just watch them while in the long lines of MRT, while stuck in traffic gridlock and when a relative or friend was robbed in broad daylight. And the consolation that I will have is that they now cannot blame PNoy for their daily miseries and hope that they realize that those miseries were not inflicted on them by the President.
But once Duterte shows sign of turning into a dictator. I will not hesitate. I will fight. Not for anything. But to defend values I hold dear.
The last sentence. That’s what I was talking about.
Just to point out that this “Duterte-dictator-Martial Law” issue is far-fetch. Why, because for the President to fully implement Martial Law, he needs the consent of the majority of the congress. The president holds only 1/3 of the government’s power. Yes, i may agree to the statement that we are voting with the process of elimination, that is, we will not vote for a certain candidate because he is this he is that. I will lay down the points why i wont vote this certain candidate:
I will not vote Roxas because i feel that he is too prone to be manipulated by other persons, this will result to a puppet president. Only the privilege few pulling the strings. I can say this because what happen to the 2010 presidential election, Mr. Palengke, give way to Aquino, who at that time Aquino was branded as “no-how” person, capitalize the legacy his parents and the death of his mother. Well, Roxas may be not corrupt, but Roxas will be a weak president.
I will not vote for Poe for the same reason as that of Roxas, a weak one. Poe is just too young, and for the same reason, will be prone to manipulation.
I will not vote for Miriam because of health reasons.
So, its either, Binay or Duterte remaining for me. Its quite clear that my standard for the position of a President is a “strongman.” I won’t mind if he has a bit of other bad issues, no one is perfect. We have another 2/3 of the government to keep him in check in cases he go rouge. Just a person with a strong will, has leadership and mind of his own. Believes that our country can stand of its own, and doesnt need foreigners to count on. He may side (Duterte) to the NPAs, so what? NPAs struggle for communism, it its just an ideology. He may be (Binay) corrupt, although not yet guilty, but who knows, he may “steal” from other countries and have Philippines benefit it (LOL, this one is weird). Afterall, we are in democracy i i just pointed out my personal guidance of voting.
This is the logic of someone who lives in “Alice’s Wonderland’. When you find the rabbit hole up & out to the real world, you will find that life is better.
About the “betterness” of life, in my case, i could say that whoever the president it would still be myself that will dictate it. Graduate, find a job, make a business, profit. Its up really to myself how i handle it. Each individual has different point of view depending on the ground that they are standing in. Have you ever put yourself to the shoes of people whom we can say, poorest of the poor? They will venture to any rabbit hole available because real life are killing them slowly. They will bite and will fix their eyes to any light that may shine upon. The darkness that they are in now is represented by the current leaders sitting there, and its anointed successor in the person of Roxas. Well, the light is of course, no other than Duterte (it was Binay before). Thats what those guys view it. They distaste the current one and want something else. Thats why they are not afraid to gamble. Say, currently their position is at 2/10, 2 being the worst 10 being the best. They will do any gamble to turn that into 6/10, 7/10 or 9/10 rating. The rise of Duterte just reflect the failure of the current administration to address the basic concern of the majority.
Sir that idea of yours will no longer be applicable when Duterte shifts our government to Socialism.
2 things:
1. review all his statements that indicate that he wants to form a government that is both “Socialist” and “Federal”, sounds familiar? Yes USSR.
2. Research about Socialism and how it will affect you and your family. I feel sorry for you if you’re a member of the 10% of the social ladder.
Capitalism may be the unequal distribution of wealth, but Socialism is the equal distribution of poverty.
Vote wisely.
Yes Markus – you believed Marcos set down in Congress and have them voted to give him Martial law powers. And Marcos said thank you children, you have been so understanding and obedient, all of you need not come Congress to work anymore after this.
Why a mention of Marcos here? It was in the 1987 constitution that majority of the congress can repel the declaration of martial law. The point here is that, the president cannot fully implement the martial law without the support of congress. So, any fear of martial law because of a lone president is just far fetch. For martial law to be materialize, the president and the congress should both support it.
And who’s to say your candidate respects Congress and the rule of law? His statements, jokes or not doesn’t inspire confidence about his respect for due process or the law despite being a lawyer himself. If elected I just hope that you are right and 70% of us is wrong. I just hope that he really is a unifier despite the divisiveness and polarization he is causing like his comments against Tagalogs and “imperial” Manila. I hope you are right about your hopes for your messianic leader.
I dont put my hope to any of the presidentiables, he is not a messiah, but he is my candidate (maybe Binay, too). Saying that he is not respecting congress is just plain lie, tell me what the guy did that he disrespect congress? Well, he said he will abolish congress and replace it with a parliamentary federal form of government. The comment against Tagalog and Imperial Manila was rooted from his idea of federalization. We cant deny that Manila got the lion’s share compared to other provinces.
Markus I can see why you are arguing for Duterte.
You simply don’t even see the point that I’m refuting, and that’s why I had to bring old Marcos in.
You need Congress to pass Martial law, Yes? You agreed, you said so yourself. But the point is, Marcos just slammed his fist on the table and declared Martial Law. Would Duterte beg Congress to pass Martial Law or would he also just slam his fist on the table? After all, as president, Duterte gets what Duterte wants.
Yes, im arguing for Duterte because, look, in your case you are branding him as a dictator while he has done nothing any form of dictatorship. Or if there is any i’l gladly hear it from you, please enumerate them, i will sincerely read that. I won’t buy that statement that with just a slam of Marcos fist on the table, boom, martial law. Can you produce your source about this? And your acquisition that Duterte will also slam his fist on the table and boom martial law, well, it just like what? how? how? how can this be done? You may explain in theory how could this be possible, i will listen.
Your strongman jokes about raping dead women. How pathetic is that ?
Just a joke, as you even said, a joke. So i believe that its a joke, and will never actually happen.
It is the insult to human decency, and rape victims, that is the issue. Joke or not. Horrible values. Horrible compassion.
So we all agreed that its a joke. Somebody was insulted, that joke was horrible and insulting. But, the guy said he had the rapist killed. So what about it? Made an insulting joke to the victims, and killed the rapists. He was not perfect because of his mouth, and the guy accepted it, saying don’t bother of his mouth, it was because of hatred. This guy is willing to have his decency and honor devalued, and i myself view it as a strength of character.
Incredible. I have no words, my sense of character being just the opposite. My young son grasps the difference between nice and not-nice, and he picks nice. You consider him weak of character?
How can i consider your son to have a weak of a character if he is a nice son? You have a nice son, and being his father that would be great.
It is great, but the point is, how can ‘not nice’ be strength of character? The only way I can figure is if someone has such a strong need to punish, that they don’t care how it influences kids or civility. Punishment is the goal, not preservation of healthy national values.
It is why now that Poe is speaking that presidential aspirants should be proper role models for children. I remember those Nestle public service advisory TV ads that emphasized on adult responsibility as role models.
Yes, indeed.
I may forgot, he said he is willing to lost his honor for the sake of the citizen. A simple, radical statement. An act of sacrifice as i see it. Having to sacrifice for someone is a strength of character. Further, i have not seen any of the candidates as bold as this one.
Telling the rape joke was an act of sacrifice! Damn. I must have missed that. But I know a pig’s ear when I see it.
Do not misunderstood things please. I have previously said, and agreed with you that the joke is horrible and it insulted someone. But what i say about the act of sacrifice, refer to the other statement of Duterte, not the rape joke.
I don’t see it, so will leave you to your ways. I personally look forward to a civil, forthright, honest, productive nation respected for her democracy, freedoms and integrity. The foundation is in place, the question is whether to build on it or tear it apart.
Logic 101 but pig’s ear hits the mark better.
I’ve reached certain limits of patience.
Yes, you have chosen who you vote for, i have chosen mine. At the end of the way, i can have my way you can have yours. Your article just catch my attention as it hit hard on Duterte. I would really mind if you list down and promote all the accomplishment of your candidate, it was just really the bashing of Duterte that interest me. To sort it out, i personally concluded that the dangers you have pointed in this article if Duterte won has a slim chance of happening, also, it was born out of fear of the unknown and misunderstanding of the man. Some words though, among the canditates, it is Duterte that has the best qualification of being an executive person (also Binay). You are worried so much that the economy will go down, i say, he is willing to upholds the economic programs of the previous administration, he has no qualms whoever started it (unlike what Cory Aquino did). You are worried that many businessman will have special privileges, you should have worried it long-time ago, dont close your eyes, this businessman were already here right now, clinging to the current administration, and afraid to lost that privileges you are afraid of (I could not complain to this, this is capitalism). You belittle him because he is only after of small criminal, well, at least he is after them, he was only in Davao afterall. You are afraid of the NPAs, you should not be, unless you hate communism so much. Duterte knows this guys so much that he knows how to handle them. You worried of China so much, well, China is our neighbor, and had the no. 1 economy in the world (well, may be), it is not bad to ties alliance with them. We are afraid that we will lost America and Australia, it should be another around, America should be afraid if he lost Philppines. Duterte knows this thats why he is blatant to issue a statement that he is not afraid of this countries.
You are new to the blog and have no idea of the effort that has been put in by me and others to understand the issues and the candidates. Your arguments to me are either naive or manipulative rationalizations that miss the mark. It is too late to take up debate on all that you skim over with simplistic pronouncements and trust in a man who offers no platform and has values I personally detest. But it’s your vote. Thanks for visiting the blog. If you wish to research what has been written here over the months, you can go to the home page and search for any topic. I doubt you will, though, because most of you Duterte advocates are here to speak, not listen.
What if, he is elected, then makes a joke about attacking China, and the next thing we have a seaborne invasion of Manila? Just like what Reagan said while on reelection, nearly coming close to war by shocking the Soviets:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes
I think those scenarios are outside the range of vision of his supporters.
Maybe, sir, but then I don’t forget Idi Amin and just how much he changed Uganda.
@Madlanglupa: Haha, war never happened like that. But as i remember in the debates, it was Mirriam who wants to bomb China.
Still, I insist on a very prudent, cautious, and pragmatic leadership. A choice of words can have consequences, good or bad. Already, a man running his mouth has caused some worries to investors, and they take everything that is happening here very seriously.
I hope anyone wishing to live in Rody’s world would be happy. I hear the vision of the future is as interesting as that of Zimbabwe.
@Joe America: I did a surfing of the articles, and it speaks that they are mostly pro-Aquino, and i believe pro-Roxas too. I did not read the contents. Job well done for you guys who created this page, and sorry because i may ruin it as we are rooting for different candidates. But let me say and retype this again, i only got interest in it because the contents really bash Duterte, i have to pass it on if its only promoting your own candidates. Yeah, i presented only very broad points that may counter your argument against Duterte. I myself, will not really vote because this person got this attitude or that, he is decent and presentable or not, he talk harsh or that because its so superficial. I choose Duterte because he is really able, hes Davao will prove that. Also, somehow, we got the same ideology, he is not afraid of the leftist and of socialism. He is also going for federalism, which is i believe, the best way to address this “unequal distribution of wealth” issue. See, you are in Manila, im in the province, Negros specifically. We have a unique features different of that of Manila, holds also true to Iloilo or Cebu or Davao, or Nueva Ecija, i know you understand what i mean. Just to let you know, its not about idolizing the person that is Duterte its the things that he is planning to do, and no dictatorship here. You believe that we retain the status quo, as what Roxas is doing, because the foundation is already there. But i say, we need to change the foundation because its too weak, key word why it is weak, “imperial manila”, yes its Duterte’s word.
I live in the Visayas, not Manila. I think Federalism would reduce the nation’s economic critical mass. A bunch of little countries of no significance. If you’d care to write a guest blog promoting federalism, I’d likely publish it. Should be good discussion.
But Markus, how do you know it was only a joke.. I believe he really thought of it.
You strike me as a Duterte apologist. “Do not bother of his mouth”? SO how then will he communicate to his people? All jokes and no sense.
So his “values” or lack of it shows strength of character??? WOW!!
Markus
I respond to your question here regarding why I refer to dictatorial powers when he hasn’t done anything. Above thread is too long.
Duterte has basically said to everyone he will pull down your Democratic institutions – Congress, ombudsman, COA. You think this is just joke? He means,what he says. Everything he has said point to power grab and u are ok with it. ?
duterte said if there is an impeachment for him he will close congress and proclaim a revolutionary government so whats next he will do. the best thing is to silence the antis
Correct me if I am wrong, but Duterte is not thinking of Martial Law. He said he will set up a REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT. Pls read his pronouncement. He also said if congress doesnot agree with him he will close congress. Because he plans to hire 3,000 new soldiers whose loyalty will not be to the constitution, just like Gen. Ver during the Marcos dictatorship
Yes, he is not thinking martial law. Yes, he mentioned revolutionary government. Yes, he close congress but you forgot the statement after that, and replace it with a parliamentary federal form of government. Yes, he will hire 3,000 new soldiers but not to abolish the congress and not be loyal to the constitution but to address the poor police-citizen ration and to double their salaries to discourage them in illegal activities.
Markus can I ask you. Is the decision for federalism important? Of course its damn bloody important right? It’s Filipinos deciding on new political system, a new way of living. And that decision is to be made by one man? You got to be joking.
Yes. Yes. No.
Markus, permit me to reprint what you’ve written which I quoted: ““Duterte-dictator-Martial Law” issue is far-fetch. Why, because for the President to fully implement Martial Law, he needs the consent of the majority of the congress”. You’re living in a fast lane and seemed to treat life like a race, but if only you paused and listened to his words attentively you might realized that … Duterte wants to close down the Congress WITHOUT ITS CONSENT. That simply means shoving into our throat a revolutionary form of government where once again the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall be rendered inoperative. This plan shall call for the creation of a military junta in lieu of our other institutions like: the legislature and the judiciary which we hold dear. I would presupposed as early … that Joma Sison of CPP/NDF will be one of the sitting adviser. Following the steps of Stalin, Duterte will recreate his DDS/Sparrow unit to eliminate those perceived to be enemies of the state (trouble makers). This is highly possible because he has the mindset of a socialist like Lenin and Stalin. I have also a strong feeling that he was toying with Karl Marx’s theory on communism … evident by the way he took stand on critical issues. I hope this gives you some enlightenment. My 5-cents worth of opinion.
It may sound very perverted, but at least Martial Law declared by Marcos was formally legal… the 1935 Constitution still allowed a President with “superpowers” to go alone…
Revolutionary government is basically a coup by Duterte against himself… super-perverse.
No Irineo, it would be a coup against the Congress, Senate, Supreme Court and any other institution or person who stands in his way.
Again, for the record, why we are talking about a coup here? And put it on Duterte? As i remember it was Trillanes who’s taunting for a coup.
Well, i said that statement (the statement you have reprint) in the premise that it is stated in our 1987 constitution, and i don’t need to think and doubt about that statement because it was not actually mine, its in the constitution. I also request you to reread or revisit that statement of Duterte about “closing the congress.” As i remember, he said he will close the congress and replace it with a parliamentary federal form of government. He cannot just do this as a president, this calls for amendment of the constitution, and it needs approval of everybody/majority. Please again, don’t cut short the statement of a person because it is misleading. Yes, Duterte said he is a liftest, and socialist, but this is ideology. And i myself, consider the advantage of socialist form of government. If we go further, we may arguing which is better, socialist or capitalist? It would be good then as we will be no longer talking of people but of ideas.
“I will close down congress!” He said. Are we being selective of his statements? I just hope this is not one of his pronouncements again being sanitized as a joke by his supporters.
“Just an ideology” you say? Sir you must understand that an “ideology” is the heart and soul, the driving force of any type of people movement. I dont think it makes sense to pair it with the word “just”. If one truly believes in an ideology, one will move heaven and earth to fight and push for it. Digong, himself said he is a leftist and will run a government “patterned from Socialism” which were his exact words when he was speaking to the Communist head Joma Sison. Please watch the video and listen carefully to his words and dont just dismiss it as black propaganda.
hoping for the best. will fight against the worst
Thank you cwl. Just as you’ve done, I’ll leave you to your choice because that is what your values dictate to you. (Hurray for freedom! 😊). But what I probably would like to encourage you to do is to keep your hopes up, whoever wins the election and let’s all work together for our beloved Philippines. I believe that change starts within us and that to me Duterte can be a good catalyst. Davaoeños pride for their city is a testament.
Hi, I’m new here and my first time to comment. I truly wish Duterte and company would do the country good…but the probabilities I see is the opposite. What would stop other local officials or the military from copying what the mayor did in Davao to “rid” it of drug peddlers and criminals? Can he control that if that happens from Aparri to Jolo? His real belief about women also shows up in his actions. I and many women would not feel safe, if he wins as president. His behavior would embolden other men to treat women the same.
I know Mar is not “perfect” – far from it. But he has the heart to serve and the grit to stay in government. He could have returned to his private practice, yet he chose to remain in service to the many. I’ll take my chances with Mar than with Duterte and the lot that he’s with.
So many of our countrymen take a gamble without sufficient information, and without knowing the odds. That is tragic.
…and that is because most of our countrymen lacks WISDOM.
Many are fed up and angry about corruption and the enablers of this system. They want change, but they want it fast, which to me seems not possible in 6 months or even a year. So in their fit of emotions, they’d rather vote for someone who says he can give them that change. “Kakapit sa patalim,” so to speak. A friend describes it as this – Duterte is like chemotherapy – it kills the bad cells and the good cells, too.
The repulsive macho instinct of the Filipino at worst here. Making decisions based on gut feel and without rational. Seeing the smallest of details without looking into the big picture. Idolatry by agreeing with everything he says, even interpreting differently the obvious guffaw to make it appear logical…jeez! So sorry for the Philippines for having people like Dutertards around. If Duterte becomes president, and he enforces his rules strictly, the first ones apprehended are the same people supporting him now…trust me!
Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t use your gut feel in making a decision here. Your i age of Duterte and the presidency is, in fact, a product of gut feel. I bet you haven’t even talked to him. 🙂
Oops, let me correct some typos:
Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t use your gut feel in making a decision on who to vote. Your image of Duterte and the outcome of his presidency are, in fact, a product of your gut feel. I bet you haven’t even talked to him. 🙂
No, sorry. I don’t use my gut feel in choosing who to vote for. I use information, my conscience and intellect. You don’t need to talk to him that is precisely the purpose of his speeches in his rallies, debates and interviews.
@bellesouth
Good to know that you use information, your conscience and your intellect. Sign of an educated voter. We need more people like you!
But people are different… we are diverse. We learn differently and that goes for making decisions too. I would say, I arrive at my decisions using my intellect, values and gut feel which is founded on previous experiences.
And yes, never discount the reality that your decisions might change once you have a closer encounter with a person or a phenomenon.
And so many of our countrymen are also preparing for pre emptive attacks or scenarios. The problem here is nobody knows really what will happen. All of this are “IF” again, that is if Digong will become a dictator, as what Markus has said and I dont think so malabo yon. So we go to the “IF” Roxas wins, and continues the tuwid na daan retaining all the incompetent people of PNOY what will be your take? all yellowtards, sorry for the term but that is the way how this group/blog does, masakit aminin ni Joe America na he is a basher too. I know he got where he is with this blog of his but sorry again to say you also dont listen and you insist what you think or write is right or it is the righteous way for the philippines.
Example of my bashing? Maybe there was a reason.
The only unifying force in this blog is a desire to see a strong, rising, healthier and wealthier Philippines. I’m sorry you feel you are outside this unifying force.
I don’t see Rafael Alunan’s name on the list.
” They see something we don’t ” – come on, they see what we see, but choose to look the other way.
We not only need to look at their names, but also at their business interests so that we may bring them down together with them. Hell, even for those who choose to be neutral in this fight.
For some reason, they have chosen to ride Duhterte’s coattails to the very end, and at this point they can consider themselves having sold their very souls for thirty pieces of silver.
They choose to foist a psychopath upon us and our nation and bring us to the brink of the abyss.
They choose to be damned.
ah yes, Alunan.
Andrew I suspect that you left off former Ozzie, Peter Wallace and his desire to help progress the mining industry in Mindanao..
“They choose to foist a psychopath upon us and our nation and bring us to the brink of the abyss.
They choose to be damned.”
Bull’s eye!!! Couldn’t help but react to this. Feeling hopeless seeing the initial tally. But fighting it.
The current administration is the worst i’ve ever experienced and I was born on 1984. You talk about dictatorships but fail to notice that we are already in one. The total disregard for life, massive corruption on all levels, criminals living like kings, the presidency and other high level posts are occupied by political dynasties, the rich and the powerful cronies just do what they want, high taxes, insufficient infrastructure, Corrupt bishops, warlords in the provinces with private armies, drugs everywhere, i can go on and on. Our so called democracy is nothing but a show to hide that we are living in a feudal country with the royal bloodlines fighting for kingship. Do you know that you need 7 million pesos just to run for the lowest office (barangay captain) in Paranaque and because of this only the corrupt or the rich can run. Duterte is a product of the same system but unlike the others he is willing to change it or break the cycle and that is why I will vote for him. I look at him as our very own Bernie Sanders. MAy they both win the presidency.
“The current administration is the worst i’ve ever experienced and I was born on 1984”
You were only two years old when the Marcoses were booted out, and you make that conclusion. Don’t you read your history? What school did you go to?
Where does your messianic worship of Duterte come from? Is he the savior? Why do you put your hopes in a man instead of principles?
Lastly, my friend, Bernie Sanders is a decent man with democratic principles. He does not talk about his aging organ before a business club.
Don’t want to sound condescending but I’d rather you read history first before proclaiming carte blanche opinions like that. I’ll keep it short; read, read and read.
Dutrete is a foul mouthed puppet of the Arroyo faction. A part of her faction that loves dictatorships.
1984
Yup. Read the book and I hope a lot of Filipinos did. If they did, I am pleading for them to read it again.
Is he talking about the book or this, http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/1984/05/the-roots-of-the-philippines-economic-troubles
Although I’m a fan of 1984 also, I think ‘Animal Farm’ is the most apt right now.
Bentham’s Panopticon also (it’ll start out as architecture first),
Then 1984 (which is the mental mode, docile subjects),
I defer to Peter to answer your question.
To book lovers who want to read or reread 1984:
https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79n/contents.html
Another interesting book with insights about a dystopian society written in 1924:
http://theweek.com/articles/449254/yevgeny-zamyatins-dystopian-novel-21st-century
I was already at the streets at 1984,at ten years old…Had to grow up fast to fully comprehend what was happening at that time…to grasp on the events unfolding…to understand the fear of the many…You will never know the horrors of those times, and the hope with what we reclaimed at Edsa, how it felt to be robbed again and again by Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo and how to feel pride again in being called Filipinos when we can send assistance to Japan after the tsunami, when we can give loans to Europian countries that declared bankruptcy, and to have that sense of gratitude to those who helped us during Typhoon Yolanda by billboards that say,”The Philippines say thank-you”(you heard any other countries that availed help ever did that?);when not so long-ago our children were the banners of UNICEF, malnourished, skin and bones children called Batang Negros…Have you even seen any of those pictures?Definitely not…That is why you whine at the smallest of problems as slow internet and crowded MRT’s, and delayed car plates…
Thanks for bringing your uplift to the blog, Oaktree, the recognition that the Philippines has become RESPECTABLE in the international view. Internally, not enough people see it as clearly as you do and that’s too bad. The Duterte enablers promote the view that the PH is a dark and hopeless place. Shame.
So you’d remember how we were not supposed to talk ill of the government lest the PC snatch us from where we stood, no?
I recall how my parents and grandparents were left to watch in silent horror as Harry Gasser reported on the events of the day, on the evening of August 21, 1983.
I do also remember that infamous poster of Imelda juxtaposed with a malnourished child.
Zaldier u raised very good points on some of the current problems. I can actually add a few more. But tell, how can duterte make those problems go away. Change is a powerful word. All he is showing is just his penis. You mean under duterte u need only 100 pesos to run for barangay captain? Perhaps u have better ideas since duterte is not telling. Oh yeah he said he will copy the ideas of the other candidates.
Since 2010 election i choose Roxas for vp. Very dissapointed when he was cheated by binay, i dont know why i hated this man. I really like Mar Roxas to be our president because from all his opponents he’ s the most outstanding. For me he s sincere and humble even though he was rich.Mar Roxas for president
Duterte is also corrupt like binay. He’s a lawyer but he acts like a gangster. Same with his children they look like drug pushers. And I believed what Trillanes found out about duterte’s anomalies are trur. And if duterte wins this election he will be impeach by the senate. Just what happened to corona.
I am not for Duterte anymore, I don’t even see him winning despite the poll speculations. I believe that Mar, who seems to be the fan favorite here, is going to take it, one way or the other.
Either way, any of both scenarios spell a rocky start for the president to be. Either will have to deal with a country divided. They are opposite sides of the same coin. They may operate differently but at the end of the day, they both have personalities that a lot of people will hate and rally against.
Now, if only Miriam could pull a rabbit out of the hat and the TRUE silent majority get off their collective asses… perhaps we could help get the least controversial candidate to win. I promises you, a Miriam win will be the least tumultuous rule given the selection. I rather risk my vote on someone that is sick than those who make me so.
Thank God for converts!
We only need to deal with the Dutertards…once they evaporate from the face of the earth, near utopia would be achieved.
@ Choco
The only way to “deal with the Dutertads” is to go Ro-Ro and then hold the new admin accountable to carry out all the promised programmes to help improve every body’s lives, including your “Dutertad” brothers and sisters.
And if Duterte’s rule is considered O.K by the majority. If he decides to settle with China—and the majority decides to not care because of an influx of Chinese investment bringing jobs; how the Chinese give infrastructure like candies—none of that “capacity-building” blather. If he decides to alienate America and Japan—and the majority does not care because what do they care about foreign policy anyway; just games by elites that don’t matter on the streets. If he decides to pursue his “tough” stance on crime—and the majority decides not to care because they are safe and settle for that, rather than aiming for “unrealistic” and “un-Filipino” imitation of the West’s rule of law and due process; at least their families are law-abiding and they live in good neighborhoods anyway—and if they didn’t live in good neighborhoods, they’ll still settle and at least Duterte’s a real man who deserves his respect, not some pasty trapo who can’t lift a finger.
And the only people who will complain will be the middle class with their helpers and air-conditioned professional jobs—screaming “liberty, equality, fraternity” while complaining about how Duterte’s “angering the West” and “attacking our rights”. When did rights ever matter to a guy on the streets—maybe it probably did to a middle class guy with enough money to buy a decent lawyer and connections to pull some strings? To the middle class: are you saying that because from birth you were trained to say, or because it was something that you choose to say? The middle class has everything to lose—everything that a democracy entitles to all citizens, they have. The rest have nothing to lose—everything that the ideal of democracy promised to them as their entitlement, they do not have.
They say that “Tuwid na Daan” was just lackluster progress that was only made to look “hip” and “global”. So the middle class boasted its fruits and settled—while the rest grew anger. Perhaps “Tapang and Malasakit” won’t be the rapture that many expected. Maybe it will just be like “Tuwid na Daan” with one difference: the kind of spin. “Tapang and Malasakit” will be lackluster progress that was made to look “rough” and “pambansa”. So the rest boasted its fruits and settled—while the middle class grew angry.
What if a Duterte Presidency ends up being mediocre and OK—but it has the imaging with mass appeal, and people just don’t care and settle for just that—when it could be better.
Those are very big what ifs, and Duterte’s statements belie that. Are we supposed to base our judgment on what people read into him instead of what he actually says?
How about we hold judgement till after the fact? At this point pro and anti-duterte supporters are speculating based on a pre-election persona and on past accomplishments (or lack thereof). While I do align with the school of thought that one’s history is a solid foundation for assessment, I also believe that it doesn’t limit what a person could be.
If he does win, lets wait and see if we are to deal with realizations of hope or horrors, then respond accordingly…
but then again, being forewarned is being forearmed.
we shall respond accordingly, we are aligned on that…
You might also be wrong… pre-Marcos democracy was cacique democracy of the big clans. Marcos became the supreme Cacique and got the urban middle class up against him. The February Revolution in 1986 might still have been your “konyo democracy”.
Erap was the one for the poor while the educated ousted him to put Arroyo in place. Both were disappointed by Arroyo – whose people are behind Duterte. All of this pro-people stuff of Du30 is just a cover-up for Gloria 2.0, close to China and dictatorial in bent.
What fruits of democracy did the poor not get under PNoy? I think they are no longer so much at the mercy of local warlords like during the times before – Du30-Federalism will return them. There are Du30-supporters who say that Roxas supporters are mainly the rich kids who have their drivers bring them to the next Coldplay concert. We don’t know if they are right, if democracy is just a buzzword and wanting to be cool i.e. stateside. Might be the time for Filipinos to think what democracy really means for them or if they care for it.
Those running for president have already been holding national responsibilities but they have not proven much. Their resolve against graft and corruption and crime is so shallow. Duterte held Davao as mayor and yet he did well. Why would I entrust my hopes for another 6 years to anyone who has not proven anything, or less. Mar have been holding his position for years and yet all we can remember are unpleasant experiences. He may claim the BPO industry, attributed more to GMA though, but the BPO is not really the only industry that we long for to become an industrialized nation. We can remember more intervention of the local pre-need industry to favor the larger multinational insurance companies. Your fear about Duterte may be nonexistent after all. Communism? Wouldn’t you open your doors for a true reconciliation between the rebels and the Filipinos, or you just say that the status quo remains where the rich few continue to control the ins and outs of our economy. Ninoy Aquino was a rebel in the first place, he was for the Christian communism not the godless communism though. The GDP that we are enjoying today are is not Pnoy’s achievement alone, many of the economic programs have started from GMA. So there is really nothing to regret if people wouldn’t go for Mar because they have already seen his tracks. And duterte may not be a gamble as well because they have seen his tracks too. If you are corrupt and a small time criminal seeking to go big-time, then Duterte could sow fear in you because as Mayor, he could only go for small criminals, but as president he may be able to reach out to the big ones.
“Your fear about Duterte may be nonexistent after all.”
See, even a supporter like you isn’t sure at all. What if? Which side will you fall on? Remember that we base everything on what he says, not what his supporters tell us.
You have been projecting clean statements onto him, while dirty ones come out from the man himself. Who are we supposed to believe? The candidate or the supporters?
The very name of this author invalidates everything he says. Democracy is never for a poor country because that is precisely the objective of American style democracy. No country in history progressed as a democracy and America right now is crumbling, held by the balls by China economically.
The President in a democracy has to have his cabinet pass the Commission on Appointments, not to mention there is Congress and the Senate to check the Executive. What is this American Joe talking about? The skeptics and cynics and pro-democracy defenders had the same jitters with Lee Kan Yew and Park Chung Hee and had always been afraid if not wary of China. Duterte tops in all classes and sectors of society. Is this Joe America projecting himself more intelligent than than the Filipinos? What an insult from somebody who hides behind a mask and a false name which only cowards do.
And your very name validates what Stalin stood for: mindless totalitarianism. No country progressed as a democracy? God save us all from where you got your education.
I’ve put you into moderation Joseph, because you enter a discussion forum with insults flying. The article was written by a Filipino for Filipinos. I can imagine your type, so typical of the Duterte thugs who believe his harsh words are a style to be adored. Grow up, get civil, discuss issues, and you can have a place in the discussion, too. Act the idiot, and there is no place for you here.
Joe, no point in moderation, Better just to block. this is the language of a Chinese troll working for Duterte…
Add to those persons you mentiond, a group – INC, we will also hold accountable.
I just don’t get it. I usually channel 77 matang agila or eagle news. There commercial are solid values. And then, here they are endorsing a bad-mouthed, rude, “pervert”(necrophilliac tendecies) mayor to head our nation? Coupled with an apologitic son of a dictator!
Where is God? What happened to the ten commamdments? The beautitues?
You know, the meek shall inheret the earth? Ahah! Now i know, mabe, that is exactly what it meant. The meek shall inheret the earth – six feet under.
God is now in the bank, Metrobank and AUB that is..
take 5 minutes Duterte breaktime to read this…
https://incsilentnomore.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/part-2-inc-properties-used-as-collateral-to-secure-multi-billion-loans/
Money speaks louder than words. We must be very wary of the false prophets.
The I.N.C. is a house of cards , with the spending rate like the last 3 years from the top it will crumble soon…Who wants to buy a church? Church for sale, hardly used, good for restaurant, bar.with nice view from the 4 corner towers….. 🙂
We do not wish to live in the future this man is about to give to us. If anything, the people who convinced him to run are those who have vested interests, just like Marcos’ cronies, those who took over after booting out or jailing most of the “oligarchy” in the name of “social justice”.
If anything, the closest we could have to a hypothetical Duterte regime is Venezuela, where the socialist Chavez regime, once a glowing poster boy of grassroots anti-Western socialism that Chomsky praised repeatedly, but in his demise taken over by a lackadaisical Maduro, has become a cesspool of crime, poverty, corruption, violence… despite it being an oil-producing OPEC member.
And the Cayetanos are already a questionable lot: to begin with, Taguig under their reign has feuded with Makati (and by extension, the Binays) in vying to claim Fort Bonifacio as their domain. Why the feud? Oh, yes, it’s the damn money, real estate taxes. Another thing is that despite posturing about discipline and federalism (or is it, feudalism? More power to the warlord dynasties?) Top Gun Alan also has to account for the general peace and order in his wife’s Taguig, in which it resulted to the point where (I repeat again) troublemakers have made it a sport out of dropping concrete blocks and rocks from C5 overpasses onto passing cars and truck.
As for Quiboloy… I smell fishy about this, because in most cases fundies on the level of Bakker and his ilk often purchase expensive stuff (luxury cars, private jets, choppers, boats) and build lavish palaces called “retreats”… in the name of the Lord. And if Rody has his way, I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the state religion.
Can someone tell me why should I vote into office a candidate who has openly shown and declared his support for the New Peoples Army?
Wait would you rather vote for someone who doesn’t, like what the Pnoy administration did where they blatantly dropped peace negotiations and utterly causing bigger issue with the militant group? If support means peace and order, then why not.
*caused
Peace and order? Tell how can you achieve peace with groups like the NPA when they kill civilians to force them in believing and accepting their stupid cause?
I hope the day doesn’t come when we Filipinos are pitted against one another. But this I can assure you: I will be defending our hard earned democracy against people like you who embrace communism.
What peace negotiations, Mark? NPA insisted on special terms, like freeing prisoners, before they would negotiate. Would you agree to a deal like that? The BBL was stopped by Senator Marcos. The president is not a dictator.
Actually, Duterte has caused divisions within the extreme Left as well. Three weeks ago, I asked a member of the women’s group Gabriela if they were going with Duterte: she shook her head vigorously in denial. But since then the order came from “Lolo” (Joma Sison) to support Duterte. When Duterte came out with the rape joke, I believe that this women’s group raised something of a mild protest about it. He ignored them.
Last February he told members of the labor group KMU that he would kill them if they continued forming unions.
http://www.manilatimes.net/labor-leaders-slam-duterte-for-union-comments/244497/
This is a man who causes division and conflict wherever he goes, and makes a mockery of political alliances.
Some of the more moderate leftist groups–particularly women’s groups–are supporting Robredo (although not Roxas), but the extreme left–in thrall to the absolutist rule of Joma–are finding themselves at the mercy of his fellow trickster, Duterte.
Yes, it seems to me that the only unification, the only discipline, can come by imposing the will of Duterte’s executioners on the people and news organizations (silencing them). The normal world is diverse and argues a lot.
Most Filipinos still have to learn how to disagree civilly and constructively.
This discussion thread is a paramount example of that ongoing learning process – if the entire society learns to be less Balkan/Lebanese in its discussions I am quite confident.
That could be, but there are times when I really appreciate Bill’s Balkan/Lebanese candor. Hahaha 🙂
My candour Joe ? Yes I try to be…A good habit that I guess is discouraged often to be polite
Would you rather vote for someone who wants people and businesses to pay the NPA to fight the government? I sincerely hope not.
The article writer must be really out of his mind for comparing Duterte to Hitler and obviously has not been to Davao City to see how clean and orderly it is.
I am a Davaoeno too whose been living in various cities in Metro Manila (namely Makati, Manila, Quezon City and Mandaluyong) for over 10 years now – and who when first arriving in Manila was constantly shocked to see the plight and attitude of people living here. People endlessly littering like the city is big trash can, causing chaos, mugging and killing each other in some street corners any day, walking on non-pedestrian lanes, immense unregulated street traffic, pollution and all the daily evils that a regular employee suffer to get to work.
Im my humble opinion, among the Presidentiables, I think only Duterte is the one who has a proven good track record to fix our country’s current messy situation and therefore worthy of serving as our Philippine President. I am not saying that the others are less capable, but we look to Davao and how progressive its been and how people are happy. This is the kind of peace and prosperity that we need. All this I think can be attributed to good governance that Duterte has led which I find can be applied and replicated across the entire country.
All this article is lop-sided and deals primarily about speculation of how a Duterte-led government will be, but what about a Mar, a Poe or a Binay-led one?
We need to stop this separatist thinking – we need to unite and support each other. There is no better time than now.
Have you been to Naga city?
Have you been to Iloilo?
Have you been to Apaari?
I mean, I can name you a few hundred cities in Philippines.
They are also clean.
They also don’t have crooks or thugs or drug pedlars arround every corner.
And they don’t have a foul-mouthed mayor who kills.
Hahaha i love your answer!!!! bullseye!
Not quite bullseye, because he is comparing apples and oranges here.
Are they metro cities like Davao??
Yes, Iloilo is a metro city and so is Naga. 🙂
Bullseye Mark
You just compared Davao to the whole of Philippines. I’m glad you know there is a difference between apples and oranges.
My father once said… yeah Singapore, they are a city-state that does not have to take care of the Malay hinterlands… some Malaysian professors close to UMNO were his friends, until Malaysian support for the Moro insurrection deeply disappointed him BTW.
But Davao also is similar to Singapore in that respect minus the Chinese/Malay thing – it profits from the hinterlands being totally chaotic and it being RELATIVELY orderly, in fact in that respect it is even more extreme because Johore Baru is NOT like Kidapawan etc.
Irineo..Do you know that Singapore was part of Malaysia for 3 years in the late 1960’s. But Lee Kwan Yoo was to dominant for the Malays in UMNO.. He could have become the PM of the whole country..and the Malay leadership of UMNO did not want that..So Singapoe was quietly asked to leave…
If you visit Malaysia’s National Museum and SG’s you would see the different views of that part of Malaysia and SG’s history.
Yes I imagine so Gian..But at the time I was just reading Far Eastern Economic Review magazine….Of course Tunku Abdul Rahman the PM of Malaysia at the time, did not like being over shadowed by lee Kuan Yuu..
u might want to comapre wd dvo city the economic impacts of
Davao Development Strategies with some of the cities u know in terms of revenue brought about by existing law and order in the city….despite the harsh landscape around davao city where muslim extremist, npa insurgents and criminality threatens stability in the region duterte maintains in total control , truly he is bad ass but not corrupt ..but the safety and welfare of his constituents is paramount in public service
DDS means Davao Death Squads to most people. They laugh about your DDS definition. Duterte has no platform so no one including himself knows what will be done. It will be a ‘wing it’ administration. For sure, it is hard for many of us to find much confidence in forthright development taking place.
And you and your cohorts compare Duterte to Lee Kwan Yew? hahaha
And that’s suppose to mean comparing Duterte to Hitler is better? Nonsense.
Either way, I am not looking or asking you to change sides – I am only trying to unjustify the articles intent. You’re simply as dumb fucked as Dutertards if you keep on being on a defense.
I guess am not… unjustify? Lee Kwan Yew must be rolling in his grave right now.
I’ve watched documentaries about Pyongyang. It’s presented as a hospitable modern city, where citizens are obedient and nice. But behind the fresh paint, behind walls and closed doors, it’s an entirely different story, where the people worship the Kims, either out of admiration or fear.
Of late, some people have become defensive of Davao because of the claimed qualities, but it’s really hiding something else. Is Davao really that special that it should be the capital of a federal state?
I really don’t know why every Davaoeno who opted to leave Davao thinks that Davao is paradise?If Davao is heaven as you see it to be,why leave?
I’ve seen other cities, many peaceful, beautiful in their own right and never I have heard the locals bragging to hell and beyond how beautiful their city is.
Could it be that you, Davaoenos, are just convincing yourselves that Davao is that clean and orderly…Like they say, lies when repeated many times becomes true.
Yeah, it’s an irony that Davaoeños speak greatly of their city and yet they live overseas (including this Tess who’s trying to sell me the idea as though I should join a pyramid scam, double my money!).
He did not explain how he will fixed the country? It is not a secret how he fixed Davao at first. He instilled fear by a number of deaths. As Davaoeno are you willing to see the same pattern for the first 3 to 6 months? For a million people it was 1000++ deaths. How about for 100 million people? How many are we willing to sacrifice and see? Is this how will we be disciplined? At what cost for a fast track discipline? Will Filipinos just follow Duterte as a leader? Will there we casualties or collateral damage?How will he reform from our current state to a federalism?
As he said just wait and see. So we cannot keep on thinking how this will happen.
We can’t fast track change of attitude….it is character founded by the institution of family believing in the reality that only the person with the faith in God instilled in ones body, soul and spirit…….
Correct. Reason I don’t believe in his ideology of change. The values getting instilled to those who believes in him. Are they ready to follow? Are they ready for change.? Will they blind themselves from the process of this change. What are the risks?
Here is an article from 2009
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/tough-justice-on-the-trail-of-philippine-death-squads-1693692.html
Is this the change they are asking? Duterte already mentioned this will be a bloody transformation for PH and he always says he will imposed discipline. Is this the discipline they are looking for?
Most executions follow a similar pattern. Police officers or government officials from barangays – local administrations – approach alleged troublemakers to warn them they have made a hit list known as the “order of battle” – or, in Davao, “Duterte’s list”. Failure to heed the warning by quitting “illegal activities” or leaving town is a sentence of death, usually carried out by men on motorbikes carrying butchers’ knives or .45-calibre handguns.
I showed this to one of my office mates and immediately she was scared of what to happen. But there are followers of Duterte that accepts this change.
Why do we still dwell on Duterte? It’s all about Duterte. Why don’t we instead dwell on the good things about Mar Roxas to make him sell? I guess at this point, his campaign managers have already achieved their purpose: to make Duterte known, whether bad or worse. Clearly, Duterte does not want to be president by the way he has been presenting himself. He was forced into this…whether he wins or loses, who knows…he might have his financial gain.
As the campaign winds down, we should stop talking about this man.
Agreed!
There have been a number of articles here about Mar Roxas. Go to the home page and do a search on ‘Mar Roxas’. Be sure to flip back to the older posts.
I don’t really need those articles….I see the legacy here…my parents told me about the roots of diplomacy of the Roxas clan…..his grand dad became president after the war (and died in line of his duty while delivering speech), Gerry Roxas was a respected senator and he’s the next one….not a dynasty because there are time spaces in between them….he may not have delivered what was expected of him because his service was at the pleasure of his president…I believe he is not corrupt….he can represent this nation in the international community with dignity and he can boast and continue to uphold the good rating of Philippine economy……I am conscience voter…..I vote for the less evil….
Agree, Lorna. It is amazing to me how people get caught up in isolated incidents and lose track of the fundamentals that anchor everything.
hahaha ..total desperation..mar now just begged for poe to join forces (seek her endorsement by dropping her pres. bid) against Digong…sad truth
Begging is a political mischaracterization of what went on. I suspect you, along with several other newcomers, are just trolling the blog. All speak, no listen. Too bad. It represents Duterte poorly. Propaganda merchants.
I removed the link you inserted elsewhere. When you drop in a link, kindly explain what it is about as a courtesy to readers. If you are just selling pig’s ears, you get barred from the forum.
Indeed, I’ve put you in the moderation bucket, as I get tired of peddlers using this blog to insult and distort. It is an earnest discussion forum.
@Joe America: Sorry Joe, ABS-CBN, GMA, Inquirer, Roxas calling for Poe, also PNoy calling for Poe for unity against Duterte. Joe, whatever angle you are looking, this is an act of panic. No propaganda here done by Duterte. Its a headline now.
Why are you speaking for jaf? It is in your mind an act of panic. In the minds of many, it is an act that reflects great concern about the future of the nation. Your characterization is political spin. Propaganda.
Nope, im not speaking for him or anyone. I just browse the ABS-CBN News, GMA News etc. and thats the headline. If they really believe it is for the future of the nation, they should have been in alliance long before. But doing that at this moment, it is not unusual to think otherwise. If they really believe that it is for the future of the nation, they should believe in democracy. It is really difficult to believe that what they are doing now is not without malice, but still, it is better than cheating though. So lets see..
For me .. its Love of country before self. Among the many candidates he has shown time and again how much he loves the Philippines..
It is not an act of panic…In the mind of a wisdomful person who upholds the commandments of God, the future of the generation to come including my grandkids, abhors the cult of socialism, communism, religious, non respect for the dignity of woman…..it is the moral responsibility to view these things in that perspective….GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES….
If its really love of country, then Roxas should gave way to Poe, after hearing that Poe wont back out. This only shows how pitiful Roxas is. I dont hate Roxas, i pity him. Afterall, Poe has better win rate than Roxas. Not giving way to Poe only shows that Roxas is self-centered too. He himself knows that he will never win against Duterte, strategy wise, if they really want Duterte down, he should give way to Poe, but because of his pride and self-centeredness he wont do that.
I envy yours and most of the people here who are a die hard Tuwad na Daan. Hoping that Mar Roxas will win, is NIL better hope that Robredo will do against the son of the maniac dictator. If the rumor is true that if she wins and will resign immediately, if Du30 wins, that will really be a very stupid and childish move by a lawyer. I just came back from the miting the avance in Luneta, and mind you nakaka tindig ng balahibo sa dami ng mga dumalo.
Anyway there still might be hope that Mar will win as he was so sure that he will, sans the rumors again that LP will cheat. Mar for asking Grace Poe for a talk to unite is really a no brainer.
“If the rumor is true that if she wins and will resign immediately, if Du30 wins,” it isn’t.
She categorically denied that, but said she would work best with Mar – of course.
Does anybody (Will maybe) know how the attendance was at Quezon Memorial?
Rumors about LP cheating – one OFW in the Middle East who said that her ballot was miscounted by the machine turned out not to be a registered voter – Embassy lists are publicly available of registered voters. So it could be another typical DU30 fake thing…
I don’t support anybody actually, because being abroad I have little way of finding out if in fact almost everybody (yes, nearly all Filipinos who knows) is lying through their teeth or misguided – even if I am giving this admin the benefit of the doubt – could be a bit cleaner.
Leni is the only one I trust somewhat… her aura is different. Mar I don’t know enough. Just observing and hoping things improve long-term for the country, every step in a BETTER direction than before is progress, even if the way to real first world is at least 18 years…
After democracy.. what? ..communism with CPP-NPA (JOMA) in malacanang? No to DUTERTE/BBM!
Bottom line: Philippines is close to electing a rape-joking thug who has backed the murder of dozens of street kids. Bringing disaster on itself at a crucial time in SE Asia.
If I were to list those directly responsible for placing the country at risk of another brutal dictatorship, I would be remiss if I did not hold accountable those from the impoverished masses who unknowingly or deliberately chose to believe the tough talk and empty promises of a self-declared dictator.Not that they should be regarded with scorn and disdain for many of them know no better or act unwisely in the interest of self-preservation. Still to excuse those who would risk their very freedoms including possibly everyone’s right to vote is to not recognize that we face a fundamental and very persistent problem in our democracy. That the demographic structure of our electorate is such that a significant and decisive segment perennially uses questionnable criteria to pick leaders of dubious character and fitness relative to the positions they are elected to. Admitting that that this is a crucial problem is the first step in finding a so,ution for it.
Implicit in what you say Caliphman is the idea that only those who have a certain level of wealth or property or education should be counted as voting citizens.. Well that has been done before : Britain, the USA, even the Austrian colonies tried it. And it promptly became an issue which polarised those nations.. I suggest it would not be wise to add to the woes of the poor in the Philippines by taking away their right to vote….In fact it would be political madness.
Bill, thats putting words in my mouth. Thst is not an acceptable solution given the traditions and constitution of the Philippines. There have been so many articles published including by Joe that recognizes this phenomenon whether it due to lack of voter maturity as a whole. To even the deny there is such a problem and to go further and state there is no viable solution is pretty extreme. One solution is greater reeducation. It is not because the masa is poor that they have radically different voting priorities and preferences. A large part of it has to do with culture where celebrity,name recognition, tribal and regional loyalties, etc, etc. Are more embedded in the underclass who by their numbers determine who and what kind.of leaders get elected. Maybe 300 years ago during the Spanish era and and the development of constitutional democracies, disenfranchisement was “implicit” as the necessary solution to this type of problem.
Help Trillanes’ ad to get as much mileage as you can. Spread it on social media. Show it to others on your mobile devices.
Cayetano is already behaving like a tyrant by securing that TRO.
Do you think Trillanes took the kids from those cartoons in Stockholm Syndrome?
Yes Andrew, get social media working to spread the ad.
Make a Streisand effect out of it.
Wiki: “The Streisand effect is the phenomenon whereby an attempt to hide, remove, or censor a piece of information has the unintended consequence of publicizing the information more widely, usually facilitated by the Internet.”
weird…trillanes 20m video is already in the net accessible to the public anytime, no need of phenom…duterte is the phenom creating fearsome imagination to the desperate candidates while the people joined by peping cojuangco and fvr laughing off the absurdity of it all…
Peping Cojuangco: “Duterte is not a threat to democracy”
Reply of the 70% who will not vote for Duterte: Yeah, in the same way you were not a threat to land reform. .
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/783684/peping-cojuangco-to-aquino-duterte-not-a-threat-to-democracy
> Peping Cojuangco
What a snake. I bet he’s really itching to get what he wants.
NOT NEW AT ALL…..
Duterte the personified Black Nazarene…
The rulers of the country starting June 30 – possibly…
https://scontent-frt3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13100948_2334872696651622_1675731918346243435_n.jpg?oh=ebba196d7475f9d0600aeb08b255ae01&oe=579E6A46
The old man is exhausted Irineo..And he wants to be President ? He’s a retirement home candidate
I agree….at 60 I have already some memory lapses thanks to the food industry…..I remember Marcos in his last days in office and Favian Ver….
http://www.twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/728525790329995264
Last-minute negotiating…
All Honorable Members of the Honor Society, keep your ears glued to any news that may come out of talks between the LP, NP, UNA and Miriam…
Like the Allies meeting in Yalta to oust Hitler…
This is not a political exercise anymore!
This has become a moral issue now of dictatorship vs democracy, decency vs barbarism, good vs evil, white vs black!
If you believe in the power of prayers, this is the time when it is most needed!
Save the country from ruin!
President Aquino is the tip of the spear!
fantastic..mar did beg for poe’s alliance already… but ..honestly this kind of move just shows the weaklings that they are -mar and pinoy …they don’t really feel or understand what its really like on the ground….the gap has truly widened between the decent and the ordinary…likewise duterte …has kept the gap far reaching at the homestretch….game over!
Andrew
My heart bleeds for you guys. Philippines is in such a precarious situation, its on the brink of falling back into the abyss, and 33 % of your adult population are jumping for joy. This meeting would not have been called if Poe or Binay is in the lead.
My stars still say Mar will win it. Never fear
Factually, Mar should drop out because Poe would get a far higher % of his vote. A lot of her votes would go to Duterte.
Obama could put in a phone call to PNoy and end this but he is very very weak.
Your being so optimistic that Mar will win is just the same what Mar Roxas was spouting few days ago is very very very uplifting. The way things are pointing your RO is not going to win unless LP will cheat, sorry for being sarcastic and hope for the best. If RO wins I will still be happy instead of GPL or Binay.
Wala pa po hindi pa sila naluluklok…
Disaster na?! Ewang mga sinusuportahan nyo nga ang disaster eh palibhasa mga nakaka angat kayo sa buhay kaya ganyan ang mentalidad nyo! Subukan nyo danasin ang hirap ng mahihirap. Disaster yung 6 years sa ilalim ni Pnoy. Alliance talaga eh no! Ano to justice league, avengers o xmen? Takot na makulong si Pnoy ngayon pa lang guilty na!
Haha pagpatuloy nyo ang daang matuwid nyo tutal kayo naman ang tama diba?!
Ang gagaling nyo sobra kaya sobrang unlad bg pilipinas diba! Daming school daming govt agency na matatakbuhan mga infrastructure mga bagong train sa lrt at mrt pati yung automated card sa b.i.r grabe asenso tlga sa panahon ni Pnoy.
LoL, hold your horsie, Francis. If you are talking to guys in this page, you should talk like them. If you are talking guys in facebook, you may talk like them. I understand your sentiments, but be patient. Well, any move of “alliance” between the mentioned parties, to me, is laughable. But it is very very very remote to happen.
Hinay hinay lang Francis. Is this class war. Ano ba ang mentalidad noong nakaka angat sa buhay na parang suklam na suklam ka. Ano ba ang kailangang danasin na dinanas ng mahihirap sa nakaraang 6 na taon? Yung hirap sumakay, yung mabagal ang MRT, Yun ba ang sukatan? Eh kawawa talaga kapag doon tayo tumingin. Hayaan mo, kapag naupo si Duterte eh panoorin ko lang kung gaano ka trapik, kung gaano kadami holdapan, kung gaano kadami corrupt. Tapos sisihin natin si PNoy ha. Huwag si Duterte.
Francis, naranasan ko lahat ang mga dinanas ng mahihirap nang lumipat kami sa Batangas, sa sobrang kahirapan ako galing…naranasan ko na matulog sa gabi nang kumakalam ang tiyan sa gutom, kinabukasan pag gising, wala pa ring isasaing, dinalhan kami ng kapitbahay ng 1 gatang na bigas, isinaing namin at nag sabaw kami ng tubig at asin , naawa kasi baka raw kami magkasakit…wala pa ang mga parents namin kasi nakikiani sa mga may malawak na lupa na may tanim na palay… naranasan ko ang tumigil sa pag-aaral kasi wala kaming pang tuition, pagkain, uniform at pamasahe, pero sa pagtitiyaga, nairaos din dahil sa pagtatanim ng gulay na pangbenta, pagbi breed ng baboy at baka, para pambayad sa utang na ipinang tuition ko, nagtrabaho ang ate ko sa pabrika ng Crispa, tulong tulong kasi that time walang ayuda ng gobyerno, walang scholarship, etc …
ngayon nasa middle class na kami pero tuloy tuloy kaming tumutulong at bumabalik sa nayon namin kasi andun ang mga mahihirap naming kababayan…iba na, sobrang iba kasi may 4Ps na, may K-12 at senior citizen monthly budget support, pa, may tuloy tuloy na credit facility at insurance para kakautang para magtayo ng maliit na tindahan o anumang maliit na negosyo, naka enroll na ang mga pinsan ko, sagot ng gobyernong ito ang up to 16,500 per year for 2 years hanggang makatapos ang mga bata at qualified nang magtrabaho, mamimili na sila kung magwo working student for higher education o mag work na lang..ibig sabihin may choice na…
kapag desididong umahon, may paraan, pero kung tamad at puro reklamo lang ang alam, talagang walang pag-asa.
Francis hijo, ilan taon ka na ba? Sobra na galit mo lalo na sa mayayaman.
Ito sharing ko sa iyo, sana pagpasensiyahan ng nakararami medyo mahaba.
Lumaki ako sa Samar isa sa pinakamahirap na probinsiya sa Pilipinas. Ang Nanay ko taga Quezon, Tatay ko taga Samar. Walang kuryente sa amin hanggang mga late 80’s, huling uwi ko doon. Noong nasa high school kami nagaaral kami na may isang lampara lamang, kung suwerte petromax ang ilaw namin, iyong petrolyo ang gamit at binobombahan pa. Panahon ng Martial Law kailangan pumila dahil rasyon ang gaas, naranasan namin gumamit ng “esso bagul” (bagul sa Bisaya ang bao) sa halip na Esso Gazul. Isang galon lang ang mabibili kasi nga rasyon so kailangan pagkasiyahin hanggang sa susunod na rasyon. Wala kaming gripo poso galing ang tubig namin, di buhos at kailangan umigib pa bago gumamit ng tubig Iyong iba sa balon galing ang tubig. Kailangan pa umigib sa kabilang kalye ng maiinum kasi panghugas at pamaligo lang ang poso namin. Ang bigas noon rasyon na amoy bokbok pa. Sa dami namin na nagaaral halos magmakaawa ang Nanay namin (bless her soul Mother’s Day bukas) sa kanyang pamilya sa Quezon. Para kaming mga yagit pag ikukumpara kami sa mga pinsan namin doon. Madalas pa kaming tawagin na mga “Bisaya” ng mga kamaganak namin pati Instik na nangungupahan sa mga kapatid ng Nanay ko. Iyong pinsan kong maykaya sa ahensiya pa galing ang mga katulong na Bisaya kaya akala nila pag Bisaya, katulong. Pero hindi namin pinairal ay galit. Nagsikap kami para makaahon kami sa kinalalagyan namin. Maraming pagsubok bago ko masabi na umayos ang buhay namin. Nagaaral pa kami halos lahat nang mag-kacancer ang Nanay namin. Nag-ambagan ang mga kapatid niya para maipagamot siya, noong panahon early 80’s parang death sentence na pag may cancer ka. Buwan buwan biyahe siya sa Manila magisa para sa chemotherapy niya mga 14 horas na biyahe. Hindi ko malaman kung papano namin nalagpasan iyon. Pagka graduate ko hirap humanap ng trabaho dahil bagsak ang ekonomiya lalo na sa pagpatay kay Ninoy. Nag-default na ang Pilipinas sa IMF.
Pinalad na makapagtrabaho contractual nga lamang. Dami kong mga kasabay sa GOCC (Govt Owned and Controlled Corp). Mga magagaling, nagtapos at may mga awards, karamihan ng batch namin mga CPA pa pero nagtiyaga munang contractual dahil sa hirap humanap ng trabaho. Pagka tapos ng EDSA pinagbawal na ang contractual pinasa ang batas ukol dito kaya nga sabi ni Mar tatapalan iyong loophole dito sa batas.
Nagsimula ako sa rank and file at doon na ako naging aktibo sa unyon. Naranasan ang isa sa pinakamaling strike noong panahon ni Erap. Lumabas pa lang iyong konsepto ng Globalization noon at kami ang isa sa unang tinamaan noon. Ilang buwan walang trabaho ang asawa ko may anak pang dumedede. Wala sanang balak na lumabas bansa noon ngunit para kaming itinulak. Masasabi na blessing in disguise dahil sa paglabas namin sa bansa marami kaming natutunan, lumawak ang pananaw namin at napa ayos ang pinansiyal na aspeto ng buhay namin.
Subalit hindi namin isinisi sa gobyerno ang lahat ng nangyari sa amin. May pagkakataon at kakayahan naman kami kaya nagsikap kami. Kung umangat man ang kalagayan namin kumpara noon ito ay dahil sa pagsisikap at hindi dahil dati na kaming nakakaangat. Mahirap din ang pinagdaanang buhay ng asawa ko 18 years old siya ay nag trabaho na at nagaaral pa. Self-made man siya.
Nararamdaman ko ang hinaing ng katulad ng hinaing mo dahil galing din ako sa pinagdadaanan ninyo. Marami pa ring mahihirap, totoo iyan at kahit saang panig Ka ng mundo pumunta may makikita at makikita ka pa ring ma hirap. Ang kahirapan ay may dahilan at sanhi rin at 2 ang nakikita ko ayon sa karanasan naming mag-asawa;
1. Pinanganak na ma hirap at walang naging pagkakataon.
2. Pinanganak na ma hirap, may pagkakataon, may tumulong ngunit sinayang lamang.
May tinulungan kami pero iyon nga sinayang ang pagkakataon nila, niloko pa kami. Mas marami naman ang nagsikap at maganda na ang hanapbuhay ngayon. Pero alam mo Francis patuloy pa rin kaming tumutulong at ipagpapatuloy namin ang pag tulong habang ma lakas pa kami at kahit ilang beses kaming niloko kasi naniniwala pa rin kami sa kabutihan ng Pilipino at pati ng kanyang kakayahan. One person at a time hanggang sa dumami iyong tumutulong kumpara sa tinutulungan. Di ba mas masaya? Di ba mas magaan? Pakiramdam ko ganoon din ang layunin ng pamahalaan, iahon iyong kayang iahon pero hindi puwede pag sabay sabayin. Batch by batch kasi pag sumubra ang bigat baka sabay-sabay lahat bagsak.
Sana alisin mo na ang galit mo kasi nakakalabo ng maayos at malinaw na desisyon ang galit. Ok lang kaming makinig kung magsasalaysay ka ng pighati mo rito. Malay mo may maitulong kami sa iyo. Salamat pala sa pagbasa mo nito.
PS. Sorry to JoeAm, to Andrew and the rest, I wrote in Tagalog so as to answer the commenter’s rant in his language. And sorry it was a lengthily one.
grabe waray napalakpak mo ako at napaluha mo ako. sadyang mababaw lang talaga ang luha ko.
Sorry Gian, napaluha ka, pero may nakakatawa din doon sa karanasan namin like busy iyong mata namin sa pag-aaral busy naman mga kamay namin sa pagsapak ng lamok. Walang screen bahay namin, de kulambo pagtulog. Kapatid kong lalaki ang taga-i gib ng inumin sa kabilang kalye nahiya na makita ng mga kaklase sa high school, magtatago muna sa sulok bago tumawid sa kalye (highway iyon tatawiran).
Salamat waray-waray. Napakagaling mong mag-explain. Igkasi-waray-waray daman ako nimo taga est. I know our province is one among the poorest in the country but through one’s goal, many are able to achieve. I have helped some poor relatives go to school because i felt i was blessed that our parents in their humble way, were able to send all 7 of us in the family to college. We had a very poor relation ( a cousin) who had many children and i thought if i help one or 2 of their many children go to college, they would be able to help their other younger siblings if they finish their studies and find work. They did just that and it’s really fulfilling that i saw them succeed and i was instrumental to that happening. I know they were poor, but their children were all kind and well-mannered. They were never bitter. I saw the goodness in their children that’s why my sister and i helped them. So don’t despair, there is still hope if we choose to vote the right people who have good programs and not just intend to kill people.
@waray waray
Thank you so much for this personal account. It is inspiring. It is a proof to the fact that we have the key to the door of a better life, not the government nor our neighbors. If we work hard and take advantage of the good opportunities, we can get out of poverty.
Ahem, excuse me, 70% non-duterte voters? And 30% pro-duterte? Granting, without accepting, that your figures are accurate, can you at least educate me who these 70% of voters are rooting for?
25% Roxas. 20% Poe. 20% Binay. 5% Santiago. Plus or minus a few percents for each.
Where did this figures come? SWS Duterte 33, Roxas 22, Poe 22, Binay 18. Pulse Asia almost the same, plus or minus 2% each. Sorry, i will be here for a little bit.
Mine are roughly what the surveys are saying. It illustrates how the 70% figure was probably arrived at.
You are here at my discretion, not yours. You are on my suspect list of Duterte media manipulators, but you seem reasonably interesting. I have little interest in conversing with you, as you are set with your vote. Others can choose to discuss with you or ignore you.
Joe,
Speaking of moderation, can you OK my comment to Mrs. Sanchez-Roxas? Thanks.
Happy to.
Thanks, Joe. I see it now, https://joeam.com/2016/05/05/qa-with-k/#comment-174990
Joe,
I was just about to recommend the deletion of troll level posts.
I think that as a complement. Yes you may mute/kick me anytime that is why i am asking sorry that may be i violated some rules in here. I am no media manipulator, but i am quite flattered being branded the same. I am just a normal person, see, i am just at mid-20s, no wife, no child, i even played Dota, see the so-called videogames? But i am not trolling here, it is just my ideologies meets yours, and that is. I hope you also encourage healthy discussion. After all, its yours, you got the discretion.
Come on Joe you are becoming like a Hitler too, just because someone is against what you are saying. Now do you consider me as a troll too I really dont care if you bar me from reading your blog (di man mosakit akong tiyan bisag di ko mabasa dinhi), you want discussions exchange of ideas but if it is against what you think is right you consider them as a troll. Most of the people here as so biased on politics (sorry that’s how I seet it) to whoever is against your choice, be it a Dutard, Binay, or GPL. I have nothing against you personally you write a very good blog among the other topics, but your values seems to falter now on the politics side, what you explained or tried to expound on the yellowtards achievement is factual and I agree. I also don’t want to debate why I choose who I want because as I have seen it here nobody accepts reason but will always run around to another point of what they believe and perceive is right. I am not sure if I am right but I will take the risk with and that is the same risk with your choice.
But again, all I read here is the “IF” scenario are you so sure that IF Roxas wins will he fire all the incompetent people under PNOY’s tuwad na daan for sure you cannot assure me or the others. The latest stance of PNOY on trying to unite between Mar and Poe was really a joke. It showed something that our president has some dirty linen that needs cleaning too.
So, it is Sunday now May 8 dawn, tomorrow we will vote and lets find out. Just to assure you, it really doesnt matter to me if Roxas wins he has the brains and track record of a good manager but a little bit weak on the inside. I will rather have Mar as Pres. instead of GPL or Binay. But what IF Du30 wins??????? Do you expect a revolution, impeachment, turmoil and are you sure he will become a dictator?????????? Lets find out and please be fair don’t threaten my respect on you diminished a bit today. Anyway I am a nobody just a guy too who hails from Leyte just about 100 km from your Biliran
You aren’t running the blog, but float in freely with no obligation to want a high level of discourse. So you can drop labels and make personal aspersions and move on. The trolls are extremists at that, you an intelligent observer who will use the tools now and then. I live here every day. When a guy like Markus is peddling his wares, I have to consider if he is respecting the idea of what the blog is about or just using it as a marketing list to reach a lot of people. I’ve declined a lot of guest blogs from people who want to use the ‘reach list’. When Markus implies he is going to continue here at his will, I am obligated to point out that there are terms for doing so. Same for you. It doesn’t matter if you respect me or not. The blog will rise or fall on its merits. Kindly get back to issues, don’t worry about my job or character, and refrain from labeling people.
You did not come up with the same accountabilily format before Cory or Noynoy bacame Presidents of this country, why? Also, your comparison of Duterte to Hitler is a gross ignorance of history. Do we have in our country the equivalence of Jewish group of people distinct from us ? There is no ” final solution ” to any tribe or group of people in our land. Read your world history please.
> gross ignorance of history
It is not so. For example, Hitler’s official campaign poster made by “Mjolnir” reads as “HITLER: THE LAST HOPE”… and then there was a fan-made Duterte art that was passed around Facebook, and it also said, “THE LAST HOPE”.
Regardless, if there is a group of people he intends to exterminate, it’s not only small-time criminals (who could be rehabilitated to become productive citizens), but also anyone — not only the so-called “oligarchy” — who crosses his path and opposes his crudity of methods of governance inimical to morality, as well as the vested interests of the people responsible for making him run.
At least, in this final summer we get to speak or write freely. The next one… Any communications might soon be monitored.
Edgar, here is a kind of amorality in your comments. You defend your hero Duterte from all criticisms even though he has admitted himself to having killed people in Davao outside the normal legal process. You do not think significant his gross joke comments about wanting to be first to rape a murdered gang raped Australian woman doing missionary work in a prison. You do not believe the evidence that he has been corrupt while mayor of Davao and benefited to the tune of hundreds of millions of pesos….
In choosing to follow such a hero you are I think also debasing yourself.
There is much that I have seen that is wrong in the Philippines and that needs o be changed. There are many people suffering from want of more change for the better. But good change cannot come from the heart and mind of a person who is tainted with so much badness.
Well frankly joe was probably in another part of the world during those times.
Also demagoguery only requires an US versus them. It maybe dividing people tp how close they are to the aryan race ideal or how Filipino they are. or pick a thousand useless attribute and they can be used to divide.
It was a creeping, creepy thing in Nazi Germany… starting with the race laws but there were similar race laws in California prohibiting Filipino Manongs and Mexican laborers from marrying their white girlfriends, including American rednecks of that age messing up parties where Ilocanos (who had the reputation of being playboys taking away white chicks) danced with their white women… the Nürnberger laws EXPLICITLY took the California race laws as an example but went further, labelling all with mainly Jewish ancestry by forcing men to put the first name “Israel” and women “Sarah” in their passports, with the infamous Jewish star to label them… just like in South Africa the famous dissident Steven Biko was called “Bantu Steven Biko” in his passport…
No Jews were sent to concentration camps in the beginning… in Dachau (one hour by suburban train from where I live door-to-door) which rhymes with Davao it was ONLY criminals who were “worked to death” there first, not officially killed… the middle class inhabitants of Dachau complained mainly of the stench of the crematorium when the wind went in the wrong direction, I remember to have read… then came euthanasia laws which targetted “Abnoys” and PWDs… Jews were discriminated but not yet sent to the camps…
After the war, women from Dachau went to Munich to give birth for decades, so great was the shame that they did not want their children to have that city on their birth certificate… Dachau is beautiful, in fact one of the greatest Bavarian writers of all time lived there: Ludwig Thoma, whose second wife was half-Filipina, the daughter of a German businessman in Manila – something my brother found out in his research. But the name of that baroque (not Barok) city is forever tainted… associated with murder. Dachau, Davao?
Just like the other concentration camps of the Nazi Reich. At the end there were over a dozen in towns that are now in Poland and Czech republic or even the Ukraine
They put them in the East because they were easier to hide there… and the German middle class could fool themselves into thinking the Jews were just being “deported”.
Track 23 of Berlin-Grunewald station is now a memorial… one goes through the busy underpass and can look up the stairs on the way to the Berlin suburban train and see how things looked for those who were “deported” to almost certain death, mostly Ozwiecjim or Auschwitz… Intel founder Andy Grove (Andras Grosz originally) and George Soros are both Auschwitz survivors, both Hungarian Jews… the United States benefitted a lot from the wholesale slaughter of those who happened to be part of the enterprising elite of Europe… not only Jews but also intellectuals who were classified as “un-German” or “Undeutsch” in their attitudes and were divested of their citizenship. The entire Manhattan project was manned by mainly European exiles… the Soviet atom bomb was mainly due to Prof. Manfred von Ardenne whom the Russians captured while the Saturn V rocket had a modified V2 at the top courtesy of former SS lieutenant Wernher von Braun. The entire German postwar period was a time of rebuilding, but also of humdrum mediocricy due to the brain drain during and after the war… BTW brain drains HAVE significant effects – after the wall reopened IQ tests by the Bundeswehr (German army) showed that the IQ of East Germans was on the average much lower than in the West – it has balanced out now. But one should not forget that one million Filipinos mainly middle class left for the United States during the time of Marcos. The level of public discourse was higher in the 1960s.
One could, debatably, say that until now Europe suffers from the brain drain of then.
The United States has produced Facebook (Zuckerberg, obviously Jewish) and Google (Sergey Brin, Russian Jews who left because of the atmosphere over there) among others.
OK Estonia of all places produced Skype and Finland produced Nokia, while Romania managed to get the fastest Internet in the world going with very improvisational means… but generally speaking any place takes generations to recover from innovational damage.
@Irineo “The level of public discourse was higher in the 1960s.” I was here last in 1974…The almost every one I met spoke English well enough to have a good conversation, even occasionally in private about Marco.
It is not as easy this time despite the lack of fear that Marcos created. I have met fewer people with the sophisticated English language skills.. I hope that in Tagalog these conversations are still happening..
PS Quezon Blvd going South has been closed for the past hour while a rally takes place for Grace Poe at Plaza Miranda.
Jews in Germany were NOT distinct – not in any way more than Chinoys are different.
In fact they were just as powerful in retail as Chinoys are in the Philippines now – Billy Joel’s grandfather was one of those who left, rich enough to bribe the Nazis to be able to leave.
Is this a joke/hyperbole? This is the kind of speech that feeds on people’s fear of a possible return of Martial Law.
Is he capable of disrespecting the Constitution and the established rule of law? Is he a man of his word? What is wrong with that picture?
Looks like he’s as rational as Idi Amin.
If it talks like a duck, walks like a duck…😁
The latest move of LP, calling an alliance with Poe with the latter withdrawing although not specifically cited. could be a brilliant move or a gross blunder. In my opinion, the move was subtle targeting of Poe voters who still adhere to democratic principles to switch to Mar.On the other hand, it could backfire and make Poe the underdog and stick with her, rendering them both losers.
I still believed that the LP possesses some information which led to the LP move. The move was deliberate and calculated. Let us wait.
Maybe they should have gone to the Binay camp instead?
Duterte is being attacked on almost all sides – Trillanes, LP, and Miriam. Something could be boiling
Damn… I have had a new look at my first article in this blog as PinoyInEurope and it scares me… https://joeam.com/2015/02/26/when-will-the-philippines-reach-a-tipping-point/ – 26 Feb. 2015:
But when these silent people notice, through small but encouraging events, that there are after all some people who think like them, they could become bolder and bolder. If enough people who have worked truly hard to build a future for themselves and their kids, and who know what is possible in other countries, want to protect that future without having to migrate and thereby lose there home, get together – then things could change.
Leftists and “nationalists” – who are elite and wanted to use massive poverty for a revolution that would benefit only them – have called these people “greedy” for wanting to work abroad or for multinationals. In truth there is nothing wrong with wanting a good life. The feudal elite wanted to keep these people in ignorance and limit their opportunities and had the upper middle class as their allies – but from my old contacts that are almost all from this class, I sense that that alliance is crumbling. The upper middle class is too modern now.
Politicians that sense these changes are already up and coming. Alan Peter Cayetano I see as trying to represent the new upper middle class mentality. Duterte could be popular among many lower middle class folks because of his focus on economic growth and low crime – his brutal methods appear down to earth to that social group, he speaks their language and their fear of sliding back into poverty is large. But from within these groups themselves, those that were abroad or exposed to the world through the BPO industries, a new breed of politician may arise. This is why I think it will take 10-20 years until the tipping point comes…
The Asian region is becoming more important every year because of its economic growth. There is a Russian saying that wherever there is a lot of gold, there is a lot of blood. Wealth is something that nations fight over, war is always about business opportunities.
If the Philippines does not manage to get its act together it will be partitioned, in my opinion. Getting its act together depends not only on institutions – which are like the operating systems of computers. It also depends on a culture that supports those institutions and is compatible with them – something like the BIOS of a computer.
Philippine culture could become strong to support the institutions and secure the future of the nation if the tipping point is reached.
… trouble is that panic has ensued – and the two politicians I saw as trying to tap into some currents I saw back then are feeding the flames… what could happen now is that the culture instead of moving forward backtracks and destroys the institutions it only partly understands… instead of “deepening democracy” which is what Prof. Heydarian considers the solution against a still oligarchic democracy, people are falling for a siren song which could destroy their dreams.
The path to Hell is lined with good intentions. For me, that old adage sums up the future of a Duterte Presidency. Duterte has plenty of good intentions and, I am sure, that he truly does want to implement change for the better.
President-to-be Duterte was the Mayor of a relatively small city, which enabled him to play a significant role in the enforcement of his edicts. In short, the small size made it manageable. Scaling upwards, though, introduces a whole new set of challenges that will be disastrous for this country. Some of which include:
– Law Enforcement: In Davao, if a policeman was corrupt or did not implement Duterte’s wishes, Duterte would hop on his bike, go down to the Station, and fire him. Easy. Managing a city-level police force is within reason. Managing a nationwide police force and military using this approach is not feasible. The problem is that the police + military will have very liberal orders in terms of identifying & eliminating perceived threats… if he/she resists, kill them. That’s a lot of power. Who will rein in this power? No one. Duterte can’t reprimand individual officers, he’s too busy running the country. Some Police Chiefs will be good and honorable, while others will view the situation as an opportunity to expand their powers with the full blessing of the President.
– Define ‘Criminal’: Over time, the definition of the word “criminal” will also become quite liberalized. How many street level drug pushers can you eliminate in a year? Progress needs to be proven. When crime still has not been eradicated within 6 months, then blame will be placed on other elements perceived to be threats to law and order. The ‘criminal’ umbrella will become wider as Duterte views others as standing in the way of his programs. Politicians, media, and business owners will all be eventually targeted.
– Economic Stagnation: Duterte is the first to admit that he knows little of economics. His Presidency will also introduce and facilitate chaos… mass executions, insults on the international stage, and constant attempts by the oligarchy to regain power tend to do that. Chaotic environments and economics do not mix. Duterte’s plan is to hire intelligent economists, but each of these people will have their own ideas on what to do… and with no guiding vision, policymaking becomes haphazard at best and, more than likely, ruinous.
…I could go on and on. The subject of international relations during a Duterte Presidency probably deserves its own article. So far the policy has been to insult allies and befriend enemies. If left unchecked, the PRC will be more than happy to add 7,000+ islands to their sovereign territory… particularly if a certain isolationist becomes the U.S. President. Duterte’s pro-PRC stance and America’s potential withdrawal from the Asian theatre means that the Philippines will have no one to protect her.
But, the citizenry wants change at any price. In 2 more days their wish will likely come true. Within a year, they may rue the day when they realize the true price they have paid.
Enrique 100 % with you on this. I’m keeping tab on some commenters here whom I like to keep in touch one year later and check if they are still so gung ho
I always ask myself ”what will the fired cop become?” NPA?…Robber? ….Pusher? Etc….he needs to earn something right? Who would hire a kicked out cop?
Someone who needs a hired killer.
chempo, please dont forget to remind me as I will also remind you if it goes the other way. No one is sure what the outcome will be, yours as just perception thru what you hear that it will lead to a disaster so let wait and see and hope for the best.
Kung sino po ang manalo, suportahan niyo naman, tulungan niyo. Isa lang naman hiling nyan malamang. Abide the law. Wag yug maninisi pa kayo kapag may nangyaring masama. Crabmentality talaga, baguhin na yan.
e nung yolanda puro batikos, sa mrt puro batikos, lahat binabatikos ngayon gusto niyo kayo walang batikos? . 🙂
Bakit hindi nyo isama sarili nyo dun sa mga dapat sisihin. Kaka batikos nyo kay poe, maraming umalis sa kanya. Pero kanino napunta diba kay Duterte. Masyado kayong tiwala sa sarili nyo na akala nyo pupunta kay roxas ang makubinse nyong umalis kay poe. Ngayon kung sino sino sinisisi nyo.
Kung talagang patriotic kayo at kapakanan lang ng inang bayan ang hangarin tulad mng pingangalandakan nyo lagi, why don’t you walk the talk and switch to poe.
Dont ask us poe supporters to switch because as roxas supporters had posted so many many times, we are unpatriotic and selfsh. But you are a different breed, as you always say, you are the best of the best when it comes to patriotism and love of country. I hope its not all bluster.
akala ko ba Miriam ka na?
Let me understand. Is this meant to be sarcasm or do you actually think Poe supporters are selfish? I take it as sarcasm and wonder why the emotional resistance to Roxas supporters makes you forget about what is best for the Philippines. The best qualified candidate. So you want to get even with Roxas supporters by letting Duterte win? That’s more or less consistent with Senator Poe, who has her strengths, but not the organization to pull it off. But Punishing LP is more important than the Philippines.
LP, the organization that gave her a way into prominence.
And you wonder why some LP supporters read her as an opportunist, and vindictive at that?
In other words: laying out the cards of Roxas and Poe up on the table, we ask the greater probability of what is best for the country going forward, especially since the status now for several weeks already has shown the vaunted superior survey ranking of Poe going the way of a statistical tie of both Roxas and Poe, forget the debatable reason for that situation. Considering experience, performance and character, I believe a critical thinking person’s vote goes to Roxas on who should take command of the two forces if joined. A decision based on spite does not do well for anyone of us here.
does not do well = does not speak well
Exactly.
Honestly…I don’t want another lady neophyte to be Chief Executive of the Land…needless to say about the past (though the legacy is far different)…and an American first family and dual citizens???
I dont believe that Roxas is the best for the country. That is where the difference lies. We are all for the best of the country, no doubt. I am not for Rxas, Binay or Duterte because i dont believe they are good for the country. So that leaves poe and Miriam.
You praise Roxas to high heavens for his accomplishments but I have personal knowledge that not all that have been posted are true but are actual embellishments.
Lastly, the economy for which I truly credit Aquino did not fly because of Roxas. Actually many of the criticisms against Aquino can be traced to the failing of Roxas.
@jolly cruz
Your spite gets in the way all the time.
in any case, it’s done for now, and Duterte will likely win. May I ask you if in the years to come, if much of the prediction here will come true, and there will be opposition, will your spite for Roxas still get the better of you, or you will support the cause of the opposition?
@andrew
It’s not done for now…Duterte will not likely win…I have faith in our countrymen that they will switch to Mar at the last moment…let’s pray for their enlightenment.
@jolly
We all know Mar is not perfect, you and I and everybody else are not, but his imperfections are more than overshadowed by his experience and clean record. You once mentioned that you are no longer for Poe because of her associations, thank God for that. Miriam has health problems, we all can see how she had difficulty articulating during the last presidential debates, noticeable also is her physical weakness even if she says otherwise…she maybe qualified but she is not healthy enough for the position. I know you realize that of the 5 candidates, Mar is the most qualified, his human imperfections notwithstanding. I hope you will discard your prejudice to avoid propelling our country to an avoidable precipice resulting from a bad choice, even if that choice is well intended.
Could I also return your question to you that if if in the years to come and your predictions will be opposite will spite Duterte still.
MGP
I envy your optimism, I have been to Luneta on Du30 miting di avance, horrendous, I could not imagine how it came to that point. Lets hope your hope will come true but it seems very dim.
I posted the Roxas and Duterte miting de avances downstairs…
Two different “Philippines” that I see… the country is very divided.
What STRUCK me – is that nearly everybody shouted at Luneta… 😐
Kung patayan at pagdanak ng dugo ang kahihinatnan ng lahat ng ito dahil sa desisyon nyo, hindi ba namin kayo dapat sisihin? Tandaan nyo na hindi lang kinabukasan ng mga anak nyo ang isinugal nyo, pero pati na rin ang mga kinabukasan ng mga anak namin.
hitler is not duterte. duterte is not hitler..whats the use of improving our economy if the heart of our nation is in chaos because of drugs, criminality, corruption, smugglers…etc..clean the heart 1st and improving will come along
This is what i think the problem is, supporters focus too much and get drawn into his anti-criminality promises but choose to ignore his ideology – Socialism.
I’ve been a Pessimist my entire life. What scares me the most lately is what consistently comes out of Duterte’s mouth indicating his left leaning stance. I am not anti-poor, but as a part of the middle class, i value greatly the rewards of hard work and education and the motivation to uplift the lives of one’s family. With a socialist federal type of government, which i think Duterte aims to establish after an initial revolutionary type of administration, the motivation to progress individually in terms of wealth is now thrown out the window. This is clearly based on historical facts.
Capitalism, in a democratic form of government, is responsible for the creation of opportunities that motivated people to become professionals, entrepreneurs, executives and investors. Capitalism is responsible for the formation of the middle class by pushing poor people to move up the social ladder thru a form of a rewards system – individual progress.
Socialism and Communism, based on history, are types implemented by authoritarian rule, which carried a promise of equality that is understandably attractive to the poor, the hopeless, the desperate , but unfortunately also to the lazy ones. There will be equality, yes, but the rewards to self progress will slowly be lost and the motivation will then dwindle. Our dreams for our family and children will change. This is my fear. I am a pessimist but that’s just me.
VOTE WISELY
this is scary photos and post…. as I have worked in Australia where parliamentary government works well during the time Gillard and her eventual removal. indeed the Constitution is well respected in this nation….then went to Vietnam with a socialist form of government after unification…indeed there is a great difference from democracy and life is not that easy and free…there is always fear even for expats to say something negative about the government (we are warned by admin), companies are partially owned by the government in which salaries are so small, street peddlers in the like of bangketa vendors here, not so many churches, young generations wanting to immigrate to Australia, the communist party enjoys all the benefits of mansions in the choicest villages, very difficult to send out dollars and exchange dollars that you have secretly look for black market money changers ….there the “peace and discipline ” they experience is coupled with “fear” and most young generation would like to leave…thats what the stories of some I talked to and a first hand experience…………
wow, seems you’ve lived such a colorful life . Like a lot of the members of the society. cheers Lorna all is not lost. The more pessimistic members of TSM are already planning moves to help people through charity and other ways. The thinking is how to cushion a Duterte presidency for the poor and the young. a light in the middle of all this darkness.
He will pardon all the corrupt cops and let them run wild. Enjoy your time there.
What Pnoy failed to realize is his Daang Matuwid program didn’t benefit many of the class ABC (professionals, businessmen, government workers). His anti-corruption drive program made it hard if not prevented many of them to make money illegally and quickly as they used to be during Arroyo’s regime. Their lifestyle changed for the worse they can hardly cope to maintain the lifestyle they’re accustomed before. And so they vent their anger and frustrations towards Pnoy, blaming him for their sorry-assed lives, and subsequently Mar Roxas, who they irrationally think represent the oligarchs.
This.
Mayor D’s supporters, all of you believe that he is an honest man, right? If he is, please tell me why I should not believe his words? He was very open about his affairs with women, he did not have any qualms in admitting that he shoots people, he makes disgusting remarks (or jokes as many of you have defensively called it) about rape and the disabled people, he curses a lot (and i mean a lot!) that he is already so used to it, he is in favor of socialism (which, i believe, is one step short of communism) and a revolutionary form of government, he is giving the NPA revolutionary taxes, he admitted having “a little below 200 million” but he has already spent it “sa happy-happy”, he will ride a jetski to Spratleys and plant our flag there, that he is good sa pangongopya even when he was still young (which if i may ask, is it okay for your children to do the same?), that he knows little about what to do with the economy (some of you even said “that’s why he will get experts di ba?)…etcetera etcetera…ALL OF THESE CAME FROM HIS OWN MOUTH! These were not fabricated and these were definitely not smear campaigns (actually, the other candidates’ supporters need not even lift a finger or had very little work to do about this). Now, should I just take it all lightly? Please let us stop with the lame reasoning -that these are all jokes?!? When is he joking and when is he not? What if he says now that he is just joking and then later on retracts and our fears came true, what is to become of us? My dear Davaoenos and Mayor’s supporters, you may have first-hand experience about how your Mayor runs your city and some of you may even know him personally for you to have so many nice things to say about him and that’s good, that’s okay, that’s how you regard him. But I perceive him in a different way. Like what one good lady said here earlier (sorry, forgot the name and it’ll take a while to scroll up), it’s values. If he is a leader, he should lead by example. If I may add, change has already started in 2010. Many of you will not agree with me but it has. Of course, it is impossible to always have positive results and there will be flaws (there is no perfect government after all).
Off topic
Grace would not give up her slot because Mar and LP is her number one suspect in the DQ.
Binay is claiming that Mar is also talking to him(no further comment)
The Poe camp is telling us that she is number one on the second choice candidate so why would she give up.
Is there really a jugernaut,stampede,avalanche or is it all gypsy fortune telling.
The actual survey are the results of the elections.
Whatever happens there will be bitching,sourgraping,etc.
I do not think a coup or impeachment will do us any good,let us all vote wisely.
Mine now is wait and see….but I will vote what my conscience is dictating me…….GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES….
God Bless the Philippines.
Those are just IF scenarios, I don’t think it will happen.
Sinabi ko na rin iyan sa isang Dutertista on my Learning Center FB page…tignan natin!
Mabuti naman kung makakaganda sa Pilipinas kung hindi di walang sisihan.
Mr. Andrew Lim.. “All you said here are bunch of IF”.
But they are with basis. From statements made by the candidate himself, and not the explanations of his supporters on social media.
Those are from statements ONLY, are you sure he is going to do it. Same with me here am just pointing that what your are saying are IF’s only too. Sorry am not trolling just reversing what you have been saying.
MY THOUGHTS BEFORE ELECTION — WHAT DEFILES A PERSON
Jesus when asked,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Jesus explained:
“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
(Christian Bible — Mathew)
Oh, God… this opportunistic snake. I’m sure he’s eager to get what he wants.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/783684/peping-cojuangco-to-aquino-duterte-not-a-threat-to-democracy
Hitler the far right-wing fascist? What a poor analogy, you are fear mongering. He is a far left communist? No he isn’t, this is just divisive paranoia against the left. In more progressive countries around the world, there is participation of the left parties in policy making and its time we consider their participation in a true democracy if you really stand for it as you say. Maybe you should get an idea of conflict when you yourself put some combat boots on and fire at fellow Filipinos, it’s not nice. At least the rebel groups are more willing to listen now more than ever. It’s welcome news.
Look at the man behind the lack of political correctness, he is pro-business and at the same time pro-welfare. He is willing to open the country to foreign investment. The business environment of Davao is evidence enough!
Again, Hitler used the Communists, including Stalin, for his advantage until he saw no need for them, having risen to become a military power, and attacked Russia to expand his lebensraum (living space).
Well, China is also seeking to expand its lebensraum after taking over Tibet, which is why it’s counting on a China-friendly president to give up the Spratlys. Do we need to have cargo ships go through “customs inspections” by Chinese vessels, who could hold up trade up to days? Or our fishermen having to stare at a heavily-armed “fishing boat” with guns and missiles aimed at them?
And yeah, Davao is now just as friendly as… Pyongyang: show them the beautiful, hide the ugly.
FURTHER MUSING
Is it possible that the Filipinos have NOT been tempered enough with such great disaster to bring out finally a set of positive core values which last and finally define the Filipino? Unfortunately this is an armchair philosophical thought from one at the twilight of his years; it is also rather cruel to subject the innocents just to test this concept. But may be the coming events do not need help to test that concept.
(edgar lores, I need help here.)
the people deserves any kind of government on them. i believe God gives what’s due to all societies of the world. God is still sovereign. He gives trials and tribulations for us to be strong, to mature, to be wise and to understand. Remember, this is not heaven. And this is a corrupt, sin stained deteriorating decaying world. To the worst, satan will rule this world. It is written and will come to pass. But surely this will come.
“God helps those who help themselves” –Algernon Sidney
So you are voting for whom?
Santa or Satan?
Here is an article of the political veteran Homobono Adaza, a staunch critic of President Aquino. This article sounds like a balanced or at least an interesting read two days before the election. It may be worth your while to read:
http://www.manilatimes.net/fearless-forecasts-on-the-may-9-elections-and-the-aftermath/260596/
yes it is an excellent article Nhererra..I think it is good enough to actually put the sections about each candidate here..Here’s what he says about Duterte :
“Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte
He runs on three attractive platforms: eliminate criminality and graft and corruption in the country six months from his assumption of office; establish a federal system in the country; and organize a revolutionary government upon assumption of office. But the first he cannot do because he could not even eliminate criminality in Davao City in the more than 20 years that he was mayor.
In a published reliable index of criminality in the country for the past five years, Davao City is in the TOP 5; ranking NUMBER 1 as the MURDER CAPITAL of the country; ranking NUMBER 4 in RAPE incidents within the period. He had not imprisoned any graft and corruption criminal in his city and there are quite a number of them, some of whom are supporting his candidacy. So his claim is a lot of nonsense and bluster.
What about his federal system and revolutionary government? He has not given any specifics of his federal system and revolutionary government. His knowledge of the federal system, from the way he talks, is at best minimal, at worst abysmal. His encounter with the revolutionary government is as shallow as that of President Cory Aquino’s and as catastrophic as that of his friend, the 50 years’ failed revolutionary, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison. So again, this means nothing.
His solution to criminality and graft and corruption is to kill, kill and kill, WITHOUT DUE PROCESS. He has done it in Davao City, an area he has successfully cowed but he cannot do it in this country because he would be effectively and successfully challenged at every turn—WHETHER IT IS ON THE LEVEL OF ARGUMENTS OR ON THE LEVEL OF ARMS.
He is the best clown on stage, he has mastered the language of the lowest levels of our society that he elicits all kinds of adulating applauses and reactions but he would be the worst example for the children, the young and everyone—his foul, fetid and vulgar language; his disrespect of religion, the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, women and of everyone who does not agree with his ignorant and insane views; his ignorant and incompetent ideas on the nuances of national and international politics, and in the words of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, his sick mind and, if I may I add, a diseased heart based on his behavior and pronouncements.
Only those who are in blind unreasoning rage against the system and sick like Duterte in heart and mind will vote for Duterte.
But does Duterte have a good chance to be elected President of the Philippines? Yes, if PULSE ASIA executives would only be the ones voting in the elections; if the ones who are mesmerized by Duterte are voters and, if they are, they do not wake up on time on how stupid and insane they are in singing hosannas to Duterte before May 9; and if his perceived following in the military pulls a coup d’etat and succeeds. Even if Duterte becomes President, he will not last a year if he continues to act and behave in the same manner as in the campaign trail.
A Duterte presidency is a major scandal and a catastrophic shame for the Filipinos that may result in a repeat of the statement of an American senator during the time of Marcos in describing the Philippines as a “country of sixty five million cowards and one son of a bitch.” This time it could be “a country of a hundred million insane cowards and one insane son of a bitch.”
And here is the section about Roxas. Shorter and to the point. A good read.
Manuel “Mar” Roxas ll
Mar has the best mind among the presidential candidates. He is the best prepared to be President of the Philippines. He is courageous and he’s got character. He comes from good stock—grandfather, President Manuel Acuña Roxas; father, Sen. Gerardo “Gerry” Roxas; and mother, Judy Araneta, though very wealthy, is very simple, charming and gracious. He is educated, civil, civilized, and passionate in his principles and ideas. He has a vision of what the country should be. He has no taint of graft and corruption and speaks out his mind with a passion. He exemplifies the best in Joe Plumeri’s The Power of Being Yourself: A Game Plan for Success. All of these are characteristics of one who should become President of the Philippines.
There are negatives with Mar, though—President PNoy with his natuwad na daan (inverted or distorted road); and his lack of charisma. But Mar has made fools of Duterte and Binay in the debates in full view of national television. He has direct answers to the point better than the evasive lawyers Binay and Duterte.
Based on his background and character, I think Mar would be his own man when he becomes President and the country would be better and in better hands.
This part about Binay is interesting as it gives some details about his misdeeds.. What I find most interesting is what is left unsaid : After Binay steps down as Vice President he can at last be charged with all the grand theft & corruption crimes now uncovered from his time as mayor of Makati.. I was watching Binay on TV last night..Here was a man going through the motions; knowing he has lost and knowing he faces jail and loss of power, influence and maybe even his fortune.
““Jojo” Binay
He had one of the biggest chances to be President of the Philippines before the Senate hearings. He led the pack in the surveys. He was on top of the wave. His presentation of his achievements as Mayor of Makati City impressed so many people in the country, including members of the business community. His media acceptance was warm, though not electric. He is head of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and that is not a joking matter. His victory over Mar Roxas in the 2010 elections while surprising is impressive. It shows that he has a national political machine and a national following. He was almost within spitting distance from the presidency until the bombs in the Senate hearings started to explode. The explosions were lethal to Jojo’s presidential ambitions.
The fall of Jojo Binay from his pedestal could be credited to Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Alan Peter Cayetano for their tenacity in research, intelligent presentation and searching questions as well as getting witnesses like Vice-Mayor Mercado and Atty. Bondal. The evidence of graft and corruption was just overwhelming. Jojo’s posturing and denials failed to click. His counter-propaganda just did not work; one excuse after another dropped like falling dominos. Jojo Binay, the knight in shining armor just became night without the “k” and many are reminded of Binay in the Arabian Nights story of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.”
Even Binay’s avid allies are deserting him—the Remullas of Cavite, the Garcias of Cebu and many others throughout the country. His organization is in tatters; the curtain is about to fall and there are no applauses but deafening boos.
Binay’s fall from grace is best described by the Tagalog maxim of “kwarta na naging bato pa” (it’s already money but it turned to stone). His chances of becoming President of the Philippines are almost nil. But not everything is lost with Jojo; he can still be President of the Philippines if something happens to President Noy before June 30, or in the remote possibility that his boys in the Marines would pull a coup for him. But will they? Or, if he does his controversial relations with some strategic members of the Comelec, then he will be on the road to victory. Only time and circumstances will tell.”
Here is the part about Miriam Santiago. I know very little of this woman beyond that she has cancer and is being treated for cancer.I listened to her last night on TV and she s clearly well informed and intelligent. But with the cloud of such a sickness hanging over her future and life….???
“Miriam Defensor Santiago Intellectually, she has one of the best qualifications to be President of the Philippines. As a matter of fact, she was elected President of the Philippines in 1992. This is a matter of fact. I should know, I was one of her lead counsels in the National Board of Canvassers in Congress. But Fates intervened and she was deprived of the presidency. It is a sad and bitter pill to swallow.
As of the moment, she is at the bottom of the surveys. I think she is passed her prime. She has to sit sometimes during the debates. She is helped by human canes in the course of her campaign. She has long pauses in her articulation during the debates. Age and sickness have obviously caught up with her. She just isn’t in the race. She is an excellent President we never had and will never have.”
I have left till last the section about Grace Poe. Here is what he says :
“Sen. Poe is a foundling and indisputably a natural-born Filipino citizen. Sounds intelligent the way she talks which is a confirmation of her being an alumna of the University of the Philippines and Boston College. She topped the senatorial election in 2010. She has performed well as senator showing it in the Mamasapano hearings. She has no taint of graft and corruption but she has a lot to learn in the task of national governance. She should have run for Vice-President and would have surely been elected. But it is too early for her to run for President.
She needs seasoning and six years as Vice-President would have been perfect for the presidency in 2022. I think she has imbibed the character of FPJ and the training of Susan Roces. But they are not enough. Experience is the best teacher and haste makes waste.
Does she have a chance to become President of the Philippines? Of course, she is at the heart of the contest, if the elections would be clean and honest. But no election has ever been clean and honest in this country except two or three. So that’s where her problem lies.”
In many ways this is the least satisfactory.It does not add anything new to what is already know about her and that is a pity. So I will do so here.
It is clear that the Philippines again faces a major crisis in it’s democratic, legal &constitutional life. With support from about 30% of the voters one candidate is threatening to sweep away the admittedly imperfect rule of law present here and replace it with a dictatorship where the fish on Manila bay get fat from eating those executed. ( Duterte’s woords not mine )
Roxas has tried to reach out to Poe to form an alliance to prevent this awful fate. And she has spitefully rejected his offer…This says a lot about her character. And unfortunately it is deeply flawed.
I hope that there is a calibre of Shakespeare observing this election here in the Philippines.Here is a play worth writing and being preformed to remind us yet again of the nature of life : it’s baseness and it’s heights.
Would you let your lady read the portion about Poe. Of course, Homobono Adaza mentioned her positives. But the penultimate paragraph is scathing.
When you speculate all you can do is come up with a very good and convincing analysis. Look beyond your prejudices. You have already judged a Duterte government that is not even installed yet and you have already identified who to blaim just in case his government crumbles. If I may ask sir, who you will hold accountable for all the external and public debts this present administration has incurred (funds that has not even trickled down to the grassroots)? Who is accountable for the proliferation of shabu factories (inside Bilibid) and became the source of income for the many because this government cannot provide a decent job and pay for its (poor) people. Who is accountable for the misuse and abuse of PDAF (hard earned tax money which i am sure you have contributions too) enjoyed by Napoles and her cohorts? The list is long sir! THESE ARE FACTS….NOT SPECULATIONS! We can probably give this new government a chance to work and govern for the common good. Change will not come from one person (President). Change is a collective effort by its citizens, determined to establish and sustain a government of the people, by the people and for the people (remember the famous speech of Abraham Lincoln).
Those are not speculations without basis. We base it on the statements the candidate has made, not on the explanations and re-interpretations and denials of his supporters. We base it on the resumes of his political advisers.
We have agreement on the latter part of your post – about this being a collective effort, but without sacrificing freedom and democracy.
We would love to be proven wrong, but may I ask you, if our worst fears come to pass, which side will you be on?
The facts are wrong, ma’am. Debt is down, CCT recipients up from 1 million to over 4 million. Unemployment down. Millions of jobs created, classrooms built, roads built, jets bought, and alliances built. Satisfaction with Presidemt Aquino is high. Global ratings are way higher than in 2010. PDAF abusers are being sent to jail under a system of laws rather than personal judgment, and the wrong kind of change will send the Philippines back to banana republic.
I fear you cannot see the beach for the speck of sand in your eye.
Duterte is not even installed yet, yet he is already giving us hints of what he will be like. Straight from the horse’s mouth. And what is inside that mouth is not good.
On your second part though, you are right. Change is a collective effort by the nation’s citizens. Not the effort of a strongman whose plan for change is to kill anyone who does not agree with said change.
Can’t help but share this. (for the 3 Js here – Jonathan, jolly and Jean) and for the rest who are “fed up” with the current admin’s “inefficiencies”:
http://opinion.inquirer.net/94614/the-price-well-pay#ixzz47wReUDtV
How cheaply we sell our freedoms! How easily we give up on democracy!
We all wish for an easier, safer, less draining commute. We are all disgusted with petty corruption, with mulcting police and bossy bureaucrats. When we hear of yet another botched government program, we cry for heads to roll. When news of state funds going to the pockets of legislators and other officials reach fever pitch, we go to the streets to denounce the pork barrel and other anomalous practices.
Yes, we are sick and tired and not taking this anymore!
But sometimes, the cure we seek can be worse than the illness we wish to counter. Yes, life in these islands is messy and inconvenient, and the trains don’t always run on time—if they run at all. Hunger, ignorance, oppression, despair—all these are the burdens the poor live with, day to day, with little sign of relief.
Weighed against all these, what is the price asked of us by those who promise salvation, transformation, a radical change? I don’t know about you, but I am not willing to trade the freedoms I enjoy—the freedom to speak my mind, to choose the paths I am to take, to vote my conscience—just for smoother traffic.
I do not think the ease of doing business is worth committing the next six years to a candidate whose vision of law and order includes instant executions with little regard for due process or even just efficient law enforcement. We all crave to live in neighborhoods where streets are safe and our homes are secure from intruders. But are we willing instead to surrender our freedom of movement in exchange for constant surveillance and fear of a police state? How safe and secure would we be then?
* * *
I found a blog post that sought to trace how the camp of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte managed to create a scenario of fear and loathing, of desperation and despair, to advance his candidacy despite his many failings as a public official and even—he admits—as a human being.
In fact, he has succeeded in selling himself as some sort of lovable rogue, borrowing from the Erap playbook of openly admitting personal weaknesses and character flaws and transforming these into qualifications for “strong” leadership. The Davao City mayor and the Manila mayor have marketed themselves as epitomes of machismo, uncaring of niceties, harsh in language and attitude toward women and opponents, brazen in their approach to dealing with the bad guys.
Says the anonymous blogger: “Mayor Duterte, as planned, became ‘the only hope.’ Never mind the character flaws, never mind the risks, never mind the repercussions of his actions, never mind the incapabilities in other aspects of leadership, and never mind the signs that he’s not truly fit to be the leader of a nation of more than a hundred million. Mayor Duterte became our last chance at saving this hopeless, god-forsaken country.”
* * *
But creating a “need” for a strongman to address the unhappiness of many was just half of the Duterte campaign manual.
The flip-side of that campaign was to create as well an atmosphere of intimidation, of silencing contrary voices, mainly by drowning them out in an ocean of angry rebuttals, complete with cuss words and threats to rape and maim.
But this aspect of the campaign did not stop with words. Reports have been rife of wandering bands of Duterte supporters chasing cars bearing stickers of other candidates and forcing the drivers to remove the offending items, and, in one report circulated in FB, visiting homes with “yellow” streamers and posters and forcing the homeowners to remove these or else face the wrath of the angry mob.
As that blogger describes the process: “As the noise of angry people increased, a lot of people fell silent. Mostly to avoid the wrath of the angry ones. All they could do was to shake their heads and ask themselves: ‘What is happening? What have we become?’”
Campaigners for the Mar Roxas/Leni Robredo tandem embraced the term the “Silent Majority” to describe themselves, partly in self-consolation, I suspect, but also because the continued low rating of their candidate(s) didn’t hold up much hope, much less hubris.
But recent weeks have seen the numbers improve to benefit Roxas, such that Roxas is now tied with Grace Poe in second (albeit still quite a ways away from Duterte), while Robredo is “statistically tied” with that other bogey from the past, Bongbong Marcos.
The “Silent Majority” have yet to reach the same level of vociferousness as the Duterte followers, but they don’t seem intimidated anymore, or cowed into fearful silence.
* * *
In a few days, we will put our democracy to a test. And part of that test is to see if our system can survive the deep fissures created by a campaign characterized by bitterness, heckling, bullying and charges flying from all directions.
Our prayer must be for the system—for democracy—to remain strong despite the many attempts to subvert it or exploit it. The hope is that, whoever emerges the winner, we as a people would be able to recover our innate decency, set aside the anger and hostility that marked the campaign, and find instead amity and cooperation—traits the Duterte camp, to my mind, has tried its darndest to dissipate.
What price are we willing to pay to satisfy our blood lust? To quell the rising tide of dissatisfaction and disquiet in our hearts? On May 9, we must ask ourselves if the dubious promise is worth the heavy price.
Thanks Mary for that Rina Jimenez-David piece; missed it, save for your post.
I have the paper copy and I cannot find it at all.Curiouser & curiouser !
As one of those called out, I will point out that in some of my other of my posts I have called Duterte a thug. I find it amusing that there is an automatic presumption that because of my stated beliefs of the failures of this administration, I would automatically go for Duterte. I have before me other options available to me. I can hold my nose and vote for someone without voting for an insane, mentally unstable, thug.
The rest…I mean the 30% for Du30
Hindi mo naiintindihan ang pusong pagod na sa bulok na sistema. Sisihin mo kaya mananalo si Duterte, ang sinungaling na administrasyon.
“Kayo ang boss ko”
Kailan pa nangyari yon?
Kaya siya binoto, ang paniwala nila may puso siya at malasakit sa mahirap.
Mas pinili niya mag punta sa mitsubishi kaysa sa 44 sundalong namatay.
Tuwid na daan?
Sino ang pinakulong niya? Mga kalaban sa politika, pero sa mga corrupt na kaalyado niya, sino? Wala.
Credit grabber pa sila.
Ang pag claim sa bdo, si gma nagpalago nun, sinagot na niya sa essay.
Cheaper medicine act na pinagyabang ni mar.
Sinagot ni teddy locsin jr na siya at ang 2 pang kaibigan niya ang lumakad non.
Dap unconstitutional.
Ngayon gusto niya umatras ang mga kandidato sa pagka presidente para di manalo si Duterte. Spoiled brat!
Ano kung pumalpak sa programa yung manok mo? Ano kung paggising mo biglang bagsak ng ekonomiya?
“After all, fish rots from the head; so if the leader thinks it fine to bash the Pope for traffic woes, or joke about the rape-slaying of a missionary, or deliver vituperative remarks about other countries for reacting to his extreme comments, what can people expect of his followers?”
~PDI Editorial, Arresting a slide to mob rule
To all those backing Duterte, just remember, when the killings start, you should be beside him. All the way. Even after the river of blood overflows. Stand by him and tell yourself, you helped the blood flow. You are very much a part of it. Don’t wash your hands off it. Be proud of what you’ve done. —Raissa Robles, journalist
What they actually want is only for the best interest of their big businesses. Even if the majority of Filipinos live in abject poverty and fear, it does not matter to the them as long they continue to reap big profits and in some cases, steal people’s money.
Do you actually believe that it is only you or the class you represent who has the intelligence and authority to decide who should lead this country? Let the Democratic process find its way and let the people decide. The people deserve the kind of leadership they choose.
“Do you actually believe that it is only you or the class you represent who has the intelligence and authority to decide who should lead this country? ”
That is a question best posed to Duterte himself who has said he will shut down Congress.
Why must it be presumed we belong to a ‘class’? I’m an individual. Been up, been down. Fought a war. Read a lot. Joined no organization. I detest others painting me by some color of their choosing. Let me be myself, eh?
THE HORROR
Duterte reminds me of Kurtz in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Malowe, the story teller in the novel, describes Kurtz as one with a mind of depth who once wrote a brilliant piece about the native savages until he (Kurtz) himself SNAPPED.
According to accounts, Duterte was once — though not a brilliant mind — a reasonable, well-meaning man. But no one describes him as having SNAPPED. The goading of the enablers Cayetano, Pimentel and Quiboloy must have been the trigger — what with his age, and his state of health, as seen in videos, with supporters literally aiding him in his walks.
A person who has snapped, at a late age and relatively poor health is not a nice thing to contemplate for a leader of the country at this time.
For sure.
Davao: 1.5 million people – Philippines: 100 million people…
Sa salitang kalye, ang Davao sentimo, ang Pilipinas pisong buo.
Change is coming – barya si Duterte hindi pa ba maliwanag iyon?
A Case of the Proverbial One Finger to Point Blame at Someone, But Three Fingers Pointing Back. A Response to THE PEOPLE WE WILL HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR A DUTERTE DISASTER (by Andrew Lim)
This is an interesting article. It will help those who are pro-Du30 to understand a bit of the psychology driving those who are actively anti-Du30. I trust the article will be meaningful and helpful. I do NOT intend the article to be an attack on the writer, but simply to engage issues and ideas that need more nuanced thought (there is already so much heat and smoke from rants coming on both sides, and sadly less light).
Lim’s words in quotation marks, followed by my responses.
“A Manifesto of the 70%. If you belong to the 70% who will not vote for Duterte, read this closely and if you agree, share it as widely as you can.” >> Interesting. But I just have to ask; so this is not for those who are for the pro-Du30? Why? I mean, don’t you want to have some civil and meaningful discourse with those on the other side? Perhaps the Du30 camp can get some enlightenment from your thoughts?
“there has never been a time when you wished fervently that the campaign promises of a candidate would not be fulfilled.” >> In my opinion, this is largely misleading. A lot of the Du30 “negative” sound bites that the media REPEATEDLY broadcasts (to the point of being nauseating!), are Du30’s quick retorts to questions he fielded from reporters; for example, when asked about what he would do if, as president, his political opponents give him trouble and will block/oppose his programs (thru impeachment and other political schemes), his quick retort was, ‘I’ll close down congress; let me do my job, I have work to do; don’t make me an inutil president. I won’t allow that.’ For those who know Digong—his personality, his style (as regularly observed in his local media appearances)—this is the kind of response that you’d expect from him. I think CONTEXT is critical here! Also, I did get the impression that the media (the 2 big networks in particular!) was really rubbing it in the faces of the people—again, and again, and again. I do smell fish. And sure enough the rotten fish finally came out with that big brouhaha fiasco on the children being used to demonize Digong; this blew up on the faces of GMA and ABS CBN. That whole thing—the cutting and splicing of Digong’s words without context, and the use of children to demonize a specific political opponent—was just very bad, very poor taste on the part of Du30 opponents! And Trillanes spent for these 20 to 30 million ads? I don’t think the public is as stupid as they think.
“We do not need to deal with his spokespersons… useless” >> You need to understand that here in Davao the Mayor hardly uses spokespersons to speak for him. He has a weekly program, Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, where he himself talks to the City about issues; straight from the horse’s mouth. But at the national level this has become necessary, and so the problem you cited becomes understandable. Categorizing the Du30 camp with Erap’s and GMA’s is really not convincing. It lacks context and nuance.
“But there are supporters and enablers of Duterte amongst civil society who seem to be made of nobler stuff; perhaps they see something we don’t.” >> YOU BET THEY DO!
“We have come to this because Duterte has been making all these shocking and ultimately non-sensical statements which his interpreters say are merely for effect.” >> You do know that the success or the failure of a presidency is not based on rhetoric or polished eloquence (sure it helps), right? I mean, we’ve had some very articulate presidents who mastered the gift of gab, yet failed miserably in running the country (Marcos for one)! What Digong lacks in verbal finesse, he compensates with his ACTIONS; even his enemies admire his strong political will. I think the story of Davao City testifies to that (witnessed by the entire nation in fact!).
“And so we come to the list of Duterte’s enablers, who, at one time or another, have been sane, democratic and well-meaning, but have chosen Duterte.” – And the not-so-implicit-insinuation is that these guys (listed below) “who, at one time or another” were right thinking people and on the right track, but by their support of Du30, have committed political suicide, or at least have now become politically INSANE, UNDEMOCRATIC, ILL-MEANING! Whoa! Really mr Lim? In one fell swoop you have condemned all those guys on your list as a bunch of unthinking political puppets, INSANE, UNDEMOCRATIC, and ILL-MEANING, and of course far below your (and your anti-Du30 people) sanity, democracy, and well-meaning level of political prowess. Don’t you think it’s a bit thick?
Or perhaps, you’re the one missing something here? Is that a possibility? If Du30 is the mother of this entire INSANE, UNDEMOCRATIC, ILL-MEANING darkness, how come those of us who have lived in Davao City under Du30 feel free, safe (we don’t feel that way when we go to walk the streets of Manila!), and seeing the city growing and moving forward? And how come that Davao, a highly critical potential hotbed for insurgency problems from the CPP NPA on the one hand, and the threat of regional religious conflicts on the other, has largely been left protected for all these years under his rule (when it was a literal killing field before his leadership)? We from Davao know for a fact that it is largely because of the genius of Digong (by God’s grace!) that Davao has been spared from such potential violence (thru his earnest efforts to maintain open communication with representatives of these groups). Of course the government forces, thru his leadership, have also been a big help in keeping peace. But a huge reason for the peace and stability of the City is because the Mayor is able to touch base with these groups, and actually sit and talk with them face to face that Davao City remains free from serious violence. His savvy in diplomacy is unprecedented! Tell me who can match that ability from your list of sane, democratic, and well-meaning candidates?
“Many have served in government, and understand the democratic process.” >> But according to your logic, the people on your list—by their support for Du30, no longer understands the democratic processes—they have become undemocratic, right? Really? Ok, all you guys on the list, according to Andrew Lim’s logic, have now become politically INSANE, UNDEMOCRATIC, and ILL-MEANING, because of your support of Du30! Lim confidently declares that, “They will either be members of the Hall of Shame or become regarded as prescient beings.” >> Perhaps mr Lim you are the one claiming clairvoyance here; for you already are quite SURE that, in fact you are prophesying that “They WILL… be” on the list of the “Hall of Shame.” Hmmm.
“if the Duterte presidency crumbles.” >> How do I read this? ‘I HOPE AND PRAY, AND WILL WORK FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DU30 PRESIDENCY (I have this feeling that this is what the anti-Du30 camp will actually do; Trillanes is ALREADY saying and doing that OPENLY! Not much of a secret conspiracy there. And you will blame the guys on the list when the Du30 presidency fails? Ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy mr Lim? You’re the prophet here; a prophet who, like Trillanes, perhaps WANTS and will WORK for the destruction of the Du30 administration, IF and when indeed Digong does win).
Comparing the Du30 phenomenon with Hitler’s? Wow, just wow! The comparison you make is as THIN as a grocery plastic bag! What more can I say? I’m just flabbergasted! Fear-mongering now mr Lim? Pinoy, Mar, the media, ad nauseaum have been crying wolf every chance they get for quite some time now. But I guess the people are not that dumb to simply bite into it? Well, I hope not at least.
“We hope that they are proven correct, and we are proven wrong. We hope that they will be men of integrity and not abuse the carte blanche authority they will be given because the soon to be President does not understand economic management and foreign policy, having admitted to it several times.” >> Really? Why do I get the feeling that what you really “hope” for is that these guys fail; and when they do, you then eagerly point your fat finger and say, ‘Aha, see? I was right! Shame on you Du30 nutjobs!’ May I invite you instead to take the following attitude, ‘IF Du30 wins, let’s help them build the nation. Pilipino tayo lahat; magtulungan na lang tayo.’
Or do we just want to just go on crawling as CRABS as usual? I think I see here a case of the proverbial one finger pointing blame at someone, while the other three pointing back.
“We will hold them accountable…” So, what you’re really saying is, ‘You watch out; “Every breath you take, Every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take we’ll be watching you!” (ok, borrowed that from The Police). Again, let me invite you, instead of just sitting on the sidelines and being smug faultfinders, IF Digong wins, why not say—and act on it, ‘Let’s help this administration do its job.’
“We will hold them accountable…”
“if the economy nose dives, reversing all that has been gained in the past.” >> Take this into consideration. Perhaps a BIG—if not THE major—cause of the supposedly looming economic “nose dive” (if that happens) is the NON-STOP FEAR-MONGERING FORECASTING FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE AND HEAR of the anti-Du30 camp (led by Pinoy and Mar)? Ever heard of CONDITIONING mr Lim?
“for corruption in high places since Duterte has shown resolve only for small criminals.” — Let’s wait and see.
“if a new clique of cronies, of businessmen with special privileges, coming from Mindanao, emerges in the Duterte presidency.” — Let’s wait and see.
“if the rule of law is not followed in the pursuit of criminals.”– Let’s wait and see.
“Duterte re-defines “criminality” to include legitimate critics and political opposition and include them in his violent campaign.”– Let’s wait and see.
“if our standing in the international community deteriorates and we become disrespected due to reckless statements by Duterte.” >> So what do you say to the non-stop “reckless statements by” (and indeed they are ABSOLUTELY RECKLESS and GROUNDLESS!) by Pinoy, Mar etc of the “back to the Marcos dictatorship dark ages of Martial Law” under Digong forecasting for all the world to hear, to DEMONIZE Digong before he can even set one foot on Malacanang, and so must be stopped at all cost? They’re now calling on Miriam, Binay, and Poe, to gang up on this despicable guy Digong. Thank God Poe is not such a wimp as those two desperados who want to manipulate and control the electorate!
SO WHO’S THE DICTATOR NOW???
“if our position on the West Philippine Sea is weakened due to Duterte.” >> Ok, at least you qualified your statement; if indeed it is “due to Duterte,” for this problem will pester the Philippines for a long time whoever’s in Malacanang!
“if the Communist movement in the country regains strength after so many years of stagnation.” – Funny, under Digong’s leadership, Davao City has been relatively free of serious NPA activities for decades, and communism appears to be dead in the water as far as the city and the local government is concerned! Hmmm.
“We will stand for freedom, justice and democracy, as these are self-evident truths and ideals, and not defined by Duterte.” >> Define? I say we in Davao are enjoying the fruits of such values already. Didn’t even Mar himself award Davao City with the Seal of Good Local Governance? And wasn’t Davao recognized as among the top safest city in the world? Hmm.
You are putting the Du30 group in “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” position. You criticize Digong’s spokespersons and advisers as highly suspect and “useless.” But with the same breath you praise his “supporters and enablers… who seem to be made of nobler stuff… who… have been sane, democratic and well-meaning,” you also have, with one stroke, dismissed them all as corrupted and have “lost their minds” politically speaking! Why is that? Instead of looking at the bright side, like, “With these people of “nobler stuff”, at least there is hope that they can help Digong in his areas of weakness.” But instead, you automatically dismiss them simply because they are associated with Digong! Ang baba naman siguro ng tingin mo sa kanila IN THE FIRST PLACE. You seem to see Digong as like this leper in ancient times; whoever touches him automatically becomes unclean and unworthy.
This is quite long already. But hopefully, more light has been shed instead of heat and smoke in the present circus that’s going on. God helps us!
So Marcos has the gift of the gab but failed miserably in running the country…. your words but for Duterte your beloved Mayor of Davao, Marcos is the best and you want me to believe him?
Zgob..Such a long comment..And boring mate ! So you have wasted your time here.
I dropped in at random at various points of your monologue so I would not fall asleep. And I saw this ” we don’t feel’ safe ‘when we go to walk the streets of Manila!”
How you ‘feel’ when you walk the streets of Manila is your business…But I’ve been here in Manila the past few months living in the old poor center of the city near Binondo/Carriedo. It’s crowded. It’s noisy. There is a lot of poverty with people sleeping on the streets and begging.There is a lot of traffic and gridlocks every Friday because of the crowds at Black Nazarene church…
( Now if Duterte promised to move the Black Nazarene statue and the church out of Manila to somewhere else, I’m sure that the traffic would improve a lot. :- )
But I do not feel unsafe !
For a blog that promotes itself with the slogan “Think well…” the response is a bit disappointing.
“Zgob..Such a long comment..And boring mate ! So you have wasted your time here.”
I responded to an ENTIRE well articulated article. What do you expect me to do, give you a paragraph or two? But then, as usually happens, the retort would often be, ‘Well, inadequate and shallow response mate; you didn’t deal with the rest of the argument. Your points are already answered in the rest of the article.’
You say I wasted my time? I always value the 5th habit by Covey; seek first to understand, then to be understood. I first try to carefully understand an opposing view, so as to properly respond to its claims and assertions. It takes serious—long!— effort. But I don’t consider it a “waste of time.” If trying to carefully understand your opponent’s view to offer a legitimate response is a waste of time to you, then perhaps that’s part of the problem here? We just talk past each other; there’s no real communication going on. We seem to have become so dependent to the INSTANT GOOGLE thing you know; need an instant info? Google it then you get a sentence or two, and that’s it. No need to dig into long and boring arguments.
“But I’ve been here in Manila the past few months … But I do not feel unsafe!” – Good for you mate! I hope you will enjoy your stay (i do have some good memories when i visit Manila). But don’t take it from me, take it from the people who have lived in Manila all their lives—they are sick, tired and afraid of the open criminality of the streets of Manila. The three networks often express lament over the ever burgeoning criminality of Manila. And it’s funny how every once in a while, Noli or Ted (ABS CBN) in angry and frustrated reaction to yet another crime done would joke and say something like, ‘perhaps we need to borrow mayor Duterte for a while here.’ That says a lot.
http://www.rave.ca/en/news_info/86230/all/ Philippines: Duterte Begs Off As Anti-Crime Czar, 2002-07-09 Manila Times (Philippines)
DUTERTE BEGS OFF AS ANTI-CRIME CZAR, CLAIMS PRESIDENT ‘OVERRATED’ HIM
DAVAO CITY — Claiming he was “over-rated” by President Macapagal-Arroyo,
Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday reiterated he prefers to be an adviser or
consultant than chief of the proposed Special Task Force on Anti-Kidnapping
and Anti-Illegal Drugs.
Bien, can you please refer me to a source where Duterte made the statement that Marcos was the best? If there is such a statement, i’d like to see the context of it. Historical records do show that when Marcos was ousted in 1986, Duterte’s mom (Nanay Soling) was a well-known activist fighting against martial law in Davao (also a leader in the women’s movement), while her son Digong (Rody) was assistant City Prosecutor (at the time this position was life threatening!). When Cory Aquino (Pinoy’s mom) established a revolutionary government Nanay Soling was offered the position as OIC Vice Mayor of the city, She turned it down. And the Aquino administration then offered it to Digong. Note that he and his mom were tagged as “leftist” at the time, meaning of course, those who opposed Marcos’ martial law. Then in 1988 he was then duly elected as Mayor of the city, and the rest is history. Davao City was known at the time as a no man’s land, the killing fields of Asia. Duterte ran on the promise of restoring peace and order, and he delivered! Within that very decade of his first term the then prestigious Asiaweek magazine listed Davao City as in the Top 20 most livable cities in Asia (and thus the top in the Philippines!). So your claim that Duterte considers Marcos as the best is suspicious to say the least.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/554350/news/nation/marcos-the-best-president-ever-in-duterte-s-book
Context was ‘before he became dictator’.
Groucho Marx said that he knew Doris Day before she was a virgin… I am still a Marxist. 🙂
“Context was ‘before he became dictator’.” Ok, thanks for the clarification. Haven’t visited the link yet. Many who opposed Marcos and his Martial Law did say that he could have been a great leader, he had the goods, and a lot of potential. But then corruption got the best of him. POWER. O well. Sad.
Thanks Joe.
“We will hold them accountable…” So, what you’re really saying is, ‘You watch out; “Every breath you take, Every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take we’ll be watching you!” (ok, borrowed that from The Police). Again, let me invite you, instead of just sitting on the sidelines and being smug faultfinders, IF Digong wins, why not say—and act on it, ‘Let’s help this administration do its job
How were so many people towards Aquino when the smallest mishaps happened to him? Could it be that Filipinos in general are such fault-finders? My experiences with student councils, Filipino overseas associations etc. in various roles paralleling different politicians bear it out. At times I was in Noynoy’s or Mar’s position of being the culprit, at times I was a devious consigliere like Cayetano, at times I was a treacherous opportunist like Poe, at my best I was able to unite different “tribes” like Duterte in Davao but that did not last for long.
What did Heneral Luna say at least in the movie? The worst enemy of Filipinos are Filipinos themselves. And Aguinaldo who obviously Duterte admires had his own Kawit Brigade as the Death Squad that killed Luna, even if nobody can prove to this day whether he ordered it. What I like about the discussion in this article is that FINALLY Filipinos from different groups are really talking to one another or at least trying to in a civil way. Ituloy ninyo iyan para magkaisa.
Filipinos are usually fault-finders with those they perceive as “iba”… those who are part of the “kami” or in-group are forgiven nearly anything and defended right or wrong…
Often the in-groups want everything for themselves including the monopoly of right and wrong – it was like that with Marcos’ KBL, it was a BIT like that with parts of the LP and it is very much like that with Dutertistas – who want to define kung sino ang tunay na Pilipino.
I remember an incident where the chapter of the Philippine association lead by me wanted me to make sure a raffle prize went to our group and not to the other chapter… the naive egoism of Filipino groups which is almost anti-social in nature is what destroys society.
Good of you to visit the blog Zgob. Like Bill, I found the long droning worked against my ability to extract meaning. I skipped about and see you don’t care for Andrew’s take, and you believe the contexts for Duterte’s various statements and acts are misread. Well, it seems to me … based on the widespread reading of the article … Andrew is accurately representing the views of many. So many are missing all the contexts. I’ve noted frequently here that it falls to the speaker, not the listener, to make sure the message is heard correctly. So I conclude that Duterte is pretty bad at communicating with a lot of people. He is not presidential in that regard, able to welcome to his speech and deeds the moral values of large segments of the population.
> God helps us!
He helps the ones who helps themselves. So I am preparing for the worst. Because he, the new demigod of this world, brought out the worst in the Filipino.
If he fails in any of his programs (as if flip-flopping wasn’t enough in the last five and a half months), and instead decides to go full Idi Amin, I wouldn’t hesitate in becoming part of the resistance. You, the supporter, will also be responsible for his actions.
I have written something as a note on my Learning Center FB page – which I have kept RELATIVELY neutral to make it into a forum, lots of millenials there among the 4.7K+ likers.
Look at the Senators and the Congressmen you are voting, not only the President. Look at the Governors and Mayors you are voting, they are important at the local level.
Do you really expect any President to raise his hands like a voodoo priest and solve the problems of a nation of 7500+ islands (latest count), 80 provinces, ca. 42K barangays?
Judging from what is going on at Luneta today, his supporters are going to have their Nuremberg moment. Wow, Romauldez, Tolentino, and then more coming to praise this demigod blessed by Quiboloy.
Nürnberg today is very different… it has a major Turkish-Bavarian migrant community and even right-wing Catholic former Bavarian Interior Minister Beckstein allegedly had his allies among conservative Muslims there (he comes from that region) against radicals..
I still remember a night at a Nuremberg hotel… watched a game with Galatasaray Istanbul on satellite TV… when they won, a Turkish star (siyempre may bigote) appeared singing “IIIIstanbuuullll”… outside the Turks came to honk their horns for an hour… after that I slept.
I usually do not respond to comments that, to a decently thinking, informed, and open-minded person, are just so outlandishly unreal that they don’t deserve a response. But in this climate of confusion, black propaganda, outright lies, i think records need to be set straight; for the sake of the country’s health and sanity! Duterte “decides to go full Idi Amin”??? Do you really know what you are talking about? Let’s do a little history here.
Idi Amin was a raving lunatic, that in just about 10 years of his crazy reign, his own people has had enough of him and vomited him out! So when you suggest the possibility that Duterte “decides to go full Idi Amin” you are really only making YOURSELF look really bad by such an historically ignorant statement. Duterte has been mayor of Davao for MORE THAN 2 DECADES (since 1988, never lost an election), and the City seem to still can’t get enough of him! Why? Here’s a brief background.
In 1986 Marcos was driven out of the country. Corazon Aquino (Pinoy’s mom) established a revolutionary government; from assistant city prosecutor, Duterte was appointed as OIC Vice Mayor of the city. Duterte was considered for the position because his mother, Nanay Soling, refused the offer (Duterte’s mom was a well-known activist fighting against Marcos’ matial law, and was also a highly recognized leader in the women’s movement in the city). And when the first general elections under Aquino took place, Duterte was then duly elected mayor of the city, and never lost an election since. He and his mom were known as “leftist” at the time (anyone who resisted Marcos and his rule was branded “leftist”).
When he first officially ran for mayor in 1988, his agenda was to restore peace and order to Davao City, then known as a “no man’s land,” the “killing fields of Asia.” One infamous area in the city, Agadao, became known as Nicaragdao for reflecting the chaos and violence of Nicaragua at the time. I can still remember those years; when we hear gunshots during the day we would start counting, “one policeman down… that’s number 2…” It almost became a joke. And when gunshots are heard at night, we knew that the police and the military were hunting down NPAs and communist assets. There was one evening that will stay with me the rest of my life; to our horror, just a few meters from our house a grenade exploded (shaking the entire house!) and started a 30-minute or so gunfight! Later we came to know that the most notorious NPA hit man named ‘Django” (for his style of assassinating policemen always using two guns, in broad daylight!) and his buddy were killed in the encounter.
In all the chaos and violence that Davao City was engulfed in, mayor Duterte DELIVERED. He cleaned up the city, restored order, and that within the decade, the then prestigious Asiaweek magazine listed Davao City in the top 20 most livable cities in Asia (thus the most livable city in the Philippines!). Under his leadership Davao has been recognized for its cleanliness and orderliness. Davao City people would probably elect Duterte as their mayor until his deathbed (note he started in 1988!). There’s a very RATIONAL and FACTUAL reason for this—the life and atmosphere of the City of Davao, what was Davao before him, and what became of Davao under his leadership!
So when you try to put Duterte alongside Idi Amin, you are simply exposing your utter ignorance of the established facts. No offense; i honestly don’t mean to offend. But there is just so much lies in our country right now that I think we do have a responsibility to set at least some things straight. We need to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.
unfortunately Zgob that is how we feel whenever Digong opens his mouth. Whatever he says is unreal. a decent person would not say something like that.
please not no one attributes anything TO digong that he did not say. he is a walking time bomb full of contradictions. Someone a thinking man does not take seriously.
Curious. How would you explain Davao’s TWO DECADES under him (comparing what was Davao before, and what became of Davao under his leadership), and note that Mar himself awarded the City the 2015 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) in the Highly Urbanized City category for 2015 in Region 11 by DILG, with Mar’s signature. If he is as dangerously volatile as you seem to paint him to be, a “walking time bomb,” then how do you explain this? How do you explain the fact that he is able to keep peace with both NPAs and the MILF and MNLF and thus keep the city safe from violence coming from these groups? Just curious.
The true hero even of the Davao prison thing which Duterte boasts about is Colonel Franco Calida according to many sources.. Col. Calida organized the Alsa Masa which was a right-wing vigilante group in the mid-80s when Duterte was just starting as mayor from what I have read in American papers from that period, easily found on Google… and I have also read that Calida is a town mayor just a few kilometers away from Davao NOW…
As for the seal of good governance, all Duterte did (Parekoy from Raissa Robles’s forum can confirm that, look for my article Seguridad ni Duterte in this blog for more infos) was to follow what Jesse Robredo instituted with LGPMS – other mayors also did that not only him.
The “true hero” is Col. Calida? I remember the Col. very well (he almost died of gunshot wounds when he tried to appease a rogue military in a drunken rampage). People here in Davao who are actually on the ground know that Duterte works well with the military and the police chiefs (except one new police chief who started a web of corruption in the city; Duterte fought with him and requested a replacement—the name escapes me at the moment). It is highly inaccurate to say that Col. Calida was the “true” hero. People here on the ground know for a fact that indeed it is a team effort, but the buck still stops at Duterte. He still calls the shots. And when his men get into trouble for doing their jobs, he would immediately be the first to defend them and spend for their needs.
You also said, “As for the seal of good governance, all Duterte did>… was to follow what Jesse Robredo instituted with LGPMS.” First, Duterte has always been more than vocal in adopting good programs initiated by others (he would publicly say “copy” Poe’s or Roxas’ good programs that he’s convinced would truly benefit the people). Isn’t that a sign of a good leader—humble enough to learn from others? But when you say “ALL Duterte did” was simply follow Robredo, that’s not really that enlightening. Duterte did more for the city than that.
Here are some specifics:
1. World class 911 emergency service (with a comprehensive CCTV system) recognized as the first computerized (computer aided) emergency service in the Philippines (in Asia?).
2. City-wide speed limit ordinance—30kph downtown, 40kph outer borders of downtown, and 60 kph at the city borders (saved so many lives since its implementation!). His own daughter, Inday Sarah the former Mayor, was even apprehended (she wrongly thought that the speed limit in that area was 40kph, when the apprehending officer realized it was the former Mayor he tried to just let her go, but Inday insisted on getting the ticket, and she did and went thru the proper process).
3. Strong anti-smoking policy all over the city.
4. Absolute ban on firecrackers (this was no mean feat; the city loved firecrackers! And for Duterte to push for this was risky at different levels; it’s been the long standing tradition of Davao to celebrate festivities with firecrackers; also, the city has a sizable and wealthy Chinese community whose religio-cultural celebrations involve firecrackers. Duterte potentially had a lot to lose, but he valued more the general wellbeing of the city and the people than public approval).
5. Anti-noise pollution drive: videoke playing only up to 10pm.
6. Liquor ban from 1am to 8am (local businessmen balked at this, and publicly complained and warned that the city would lose business, but again Duterte decided for what was for the greater good of the city and its people).
These are just some examples of what and who Duterte actually is as a leader, and not this DEMONIZED version his political opponents paint him to be. He does not seem to care for political considerations for the policies he pursues; if he is convinced that it would be best for the city and for the greater good of the people, he would do it.
You also mentioned Palaparan’s opinion that “Duterte is just an empty braggart… a “sheep in wolf’s clothing”” What does Palparan know about Duterte? How long has he actually stayed in Davao and took part in its operations? A month? A Year or 2? 5? I doubt that very much, and I seriously doubt whether he truly knows Duterte more than the people in Davao City who have lived, watch, and worked closely with the Mayor for more than 2 decades!
One thing that sticks with me is the story my late father told me about Duterte (they were friends; my father was the city Sheriff–later turned businessman—and Digong Duterte was the assistant city prosecutor). My dad said that as an LG lawyer, policemen often would come to Duterte for papers to be signed. Now you must understand that many (not all) policemen in Davao at the time acted as LORDS of the city (you just don’t cross their path or you’re dead, they were greatly feared!). One day a policeman came up to Duterte for papers to be signed (I think it was about some arrest he made and legal papers were needed to be processed). So Duterte started reading the papers. The police was annoyed that Digong actually was spending time reading the papers. The policeman said something like this, “Attorney I don’t have time; just sign it. I need to go now. You don’t have to read it; I just need your signature.” Duterte stared straight into this cocky policeman’s eyes, threw the paper on the ground, and with a raised voice told the policeman, “#&@:! YOU SIGN IT YOURSELF! IF YOU WANT ME TO SIGN THAT THEN YOU WAIT; I WILL READ THAT FIRST, AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER I SIGN IT OR NOT. UNDERSTAND?” The policeman backed down. What Duterte did was risky to say the least; during those times, you just don’t do that to these kinds of rogue policemen (people who stood up to them usually ended up dead!). But that’s the kind of consistent character Duterte has shown all thru out his political career that earned him the respect and admiration of the city.
And that’s why, in the ears of those who have lived most of their lives under Duterte’s rule, all the demonization of Pinoy and Mar of Duterte as this evil monster eating up people, sounds pretty hollow—a mythical monster their own insecure minds have created.
As vicara has said, And she has lived in Davao.
The media is muzzled and nobody dares oppose them.
That is why his children can beat the crap out of anyone (except of course the warlords like ampatuan etc) and nobody cries out loud.
The LPGMS was already answered by someone.
As Andrew said and I hope you read. It is easy to keep them out if you are just a city but when you are a country what do you do?
Duterte could be more like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlad_the_Impaler who is seen as evil especially in Western Europe but also in Russia, but is a hero to many Romanians because he fought the Turks… he was certainly brutal as the time and place demanded it, his nickname “Dracula” (son of the dragon or son of the devil in Romanian, dracul is dragon or devil) but this German account of him is most probably black propaganda (well I think Duterte is actually not as tough as he wants to be but more on that further down):
“He roasted children, whom he fed to their mothers. And (he) cut off the breasts of women, and forced their husbands to eat them. After that, he had them all impaled.”
There ARE definitely indications that the DDS has had many killed, even innocents, collateral damage so to speak – women and children even including the four children of Clarita Alia… so I guess the big picture is a mixed bag just like with the original Dracula.
I think the worry of many who do not know Mindanao and its brutality over decades. Remember Norberto Manero the priest-killer and alleged cannibal who was even greeted by Gloria Arroyo, the Ampatuans and the Rock Christ sect which was allegedly cannibal?
Stories of lost commands with necklaces of ears of killed people – a thing I have also heard from veterans of the equally brutal wars of the Balkan in the 1990s – Munich was a place where many of them went later on to hide, only to meet each other in pubs later…
Duterte may or may not be the killer he has said he is – General Jovito Palaparan has recently testified that he thinks Duterte is just an empty braggart, and if anyone most probably knows “The Act of Killing” (Indonesian movie about the 1960s massacres) it could be the alleged “Butcher of Southern Luzon” Palaparan – LCPL_X looked at his picture in another article, LCPL_X is a US Marine who has been in Mindanao AND in the Middle East and said “those are the eyes of a killer” – now I know many former soldiers and they have the capability to see that especially the hardcore pros… so I will not discount the other intuition of Lance Corporal X that Duterte is just a “sheep in wolf’s clothing” – which I just like LCPL_X think is worse, they don’t know their limits at all. You are right we must find the truth, as much as possible. Be part of the big picture solution.
He’s Idi Amin in that he often contradicts himself, or flip-flopping. One minute he supports women’s rights, the next minute he gets Gabriela infuriated.
I don’t see how could you support such a man, but sure he’ll have advisers, cronies and hand-picked favorites — I hope they have the proper knowledge — to prop him up when he has no inkling what he’s dealing with.
I hope you’ll love the interesting world he’s about to give to you.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.
“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.” Who will watch the watchers.
In simple native Filipino wisdom it is said in one simple compound word:
Bantay-salakay. Or in Duterte foolish jokes: “sayang dapat Mayor ang mauna.”
“He’s Idi Amin in that he often contradicts himself, or flip-flopping.” >> Whoa! If that’s your criteria for categorizing Duterte with Idi Amin then put MOST (if not ALL) POLITICIANS (local and abroad) in that place! We all know that politicians, for some reason or other, flip flop every now and then (particularly during elections!). But more seriously, madlanglupa, the name Idi Amin represents NOT the political flip flop phenomenon (you are absolutely wrong in this!), but a MONSTER cannibalizing his own people. Your use of Idi Amin to represent political flip flopping is just idiotic; terribly intellectually insulting!
“I don’t see how could you support such a man” >> You mean, the man who led Davao from being a “no man’s land,” from “Asia’s killing fields,” from being “the Nicaragua of Asia,” to what Davao is right now—peaceful, progressive, as one of the most livable, orderly, and clean city of the country? Yes indeed I SEE a LOT of reasons why I support the man! It’s a pity that you can’t (or won’t!).
In my response to Ireneo on Davao winning the 2015 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) awarded by DILG signed by Roxas himself, I added a few more of Duterte’s RECOGNIZED (not a few a first in the country!) accomplishments for the City—
1. World class 911 emergency service (with a comprehensive CCTV system) recognized as the first computerized (computer aided) emergency service in the Philippines (in Asia?).
2. City-wide speed limit ordinance—30kph downtown, 40kph outer borders of downtown, and 60 kph at the city borders (saved so many lives since its implementation!). His own daughter, Inday Sarah the former Mayor, was even apprehended (she wrongly thought that the speed limit in that area was 40kph, when the apprehending officer realized it was the former Mayor he tried to just let her go, but Inday insisted on getting the ticket, and she did and went thru the proper process).
3. Strong anti-smoking policy all over the city.
4. Absolute ban on firecrackers (this was no mean feat; the city loved firecrackers! And for Duterte to push for this was risky at different levels; it’s been the long standing tradition of Davao to celebrate festivities with firecrackers; also, the city has a sizable and wealthy Chinese community whose religio-cultural celebrations involve firecrackers. Duterte potentially had a lot to lose, but he valued more the general wellbeing of the city and the people than public approval).
5. Anti-noise pollution drive: videoke playing only up to 10pm.
6. Liquor ban from 1am to 8am (local businessmen balked at this, and publicly complained and warned that the city would lose business, but again Duterte decided for what was for the greater good of the city and its people).
He does not seem to care for political considerations for the policies he pursues; if he is convinced that it would be best for the city and for the greater good of the people, he would do it—the hell with political consequences. These are just some examples of what and who Duterte actually is as a leader, and not this DEMONIZED version his political opponents, in cahoots with the major media networks, paint him to be. It is sad that you only see (or only choose to see) that version.
So it’s actually easy for me to see why I support the man. The question is why can’t you?
Why do I suspect you cut and paste material you have written before?
Don’t you have a better, substantial, more relevant question than that???
Why do I suspect you cut and paste material you have written before?
Here, i copy pasted this one — Don’t you have a better, substantial, more relevant question than that???
Because he is also like Erap. Because he made so many promises of miracles that the likes of you, placed him up so high a pedestal, that if he fails, it’ll be a very long and hard fall.
This’ll be it. I’m not buying the snake oil.
“But there is just so much lies in our country right now that I think we do have a responsibility to set at least some things straight. We need to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.”
Can you please start with your own backyard? You know, like the so many fake FB posts made and shared by digong supporters. I am sure you have seen more than a dozen.
“Can you please start with your own backyard?” — Yes i do my best to stop, correct, even rebuke friends and family who just want to rant and not listen to the other side and reason thru the issues. HOW ABOUT YOU???
I don’t know you, but you are supposed to be happy for whom your voting for, instead of sounding desperate to get more people to follow your master.
Sigh. And i thought people here were willing to have a fact-based intelligent discourse. Instead, i get such inane responses such as this one. I’m not out to proselytize anyone, but i do want to set some records straight,and give a more realistic perspective than the one you get from boob-tube. That’s all. But if you wanna stay in your cave of ignorance, lies, and prejudice, well then go ahead. Not my problem.
Good of you to visit the blog. I’ve put you on the troll list though.
In your defense, you think he knows everything, you think he’ll solve your problems, and you think he’ll give you a brighter future. It is not.
Kennedy said it best: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” You need not to rely on one man to make your wishes come true. What is more critical is to look at how your mayor, your governor and your congressman is actually doing to your locality because they also affect how you live, and not the president. Are they committed to their posts? Otherwise concentrate on that because presidents cannot be omnipresent as you want.
Hope someone can write a post where we go full imperial manila mode and we go hard against the provincials. That would be a fun satire.
Hahaha! Maybe I’ll try that one on for size. Prissy provincial self-centered hayseeds. Or riceseeds. Or Irineo could probably whip out a beut.
Naalala ko kasi yung mga kasama namin sa bahay. Out of siguro 10, walang nakatapos kahit isa. ngayon pa lang (fingers crossed) laging natatalo ng kamunduhan kaya di nakatapos ng pag aaral.
I was chatting with a few of my friends earlier today. One of them works for a major international logistics company, so out of our little circle she’s probably the one who deals the most with other people. She had an interesting observation: business owners and executives were the ones who tended to be pro-Mar; rank-and-file workers tended to be pro-Duterte
One wonders if the reason that the growing economy has not been a great selling point for this administration is because it has not really impacted average household incomes that much. Consider the US “recovery” – the GDP numbers all say the economy is doing great, but household income numbers say otherwise. It may have been a case of the administration believing their own good news and not stopping to think what it really means.
The last Philippine family income data I saw dates back to 2012. I would be curious what any 2014/2015 data would look like.
http://www.quezon.ph/2009/02/26/the-long-view-the-end-of-social-mobility/
why the middle feel left out.
This is our sacrifice Jonathan the few remaining middle class squeezed at all sides. seemingly invisible to the admin. Yet as I’ve always said this is a worthy sacrifice. 4Ps and the scholarship programs create more people like us. More middle class til the time when the number of people below are dwarfed by the number of middle class that the present admin created.
This is our sacrifice. own it. This is what we guard. this is what we fight for.
Gian sorry, This is unnecessary and politically a version of suicide.
And I feel intuitively it is hubris to say ‘we’ & ‘our’ here..You can only speak for yourself “I ” & “Me”. And allow other Filipinos to speak each for him/her self about being willing to accept such a sacrifice.
Gian has been subjected to threats and harrassment by Dutertistas and has closed his FB account… so I only have Karl, Will, Mary and Joe left to chat with at rare times… 😥
Gian’s we is Filipino “kami”… but a defensive reaction to the “kami” of Dutertian aliens…
I see the country once more breaking down into “kami”-groups… my father tried to create something like “tayo” via his pantayong pananaw group… but I told him recently that what Duterte has created is a wrong variant of this, a primitive version of “tayo” – all-of-us – possibly the Filipino bandwagon mentality which all show to some degree (in yellow even) is the issue – the lack of “I”, the word forbidden in Ayn Rand’s “Anthem” but found again by a group of rebels against “We” (also the title of Yevgeni Zamyatin’s novel on totalitarian movements from 1923 which Juana mentioned recently) – only Ayn Rand novel I really like.
Cuban patriot Jose Marti wrote: “the first duty of a man is to think for himself”. Jose Rizal read Jose Marti – and even followed his words “I want to die facing the sun” when executed.
Closer to home, the Indonesian spirit was formed by the poem “Aku” which was recited by revolutionaries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aku_%28poem%29 – originally written by the poet when he left his father in anger, but it’s message became part of the national soul:
“If my time has come
I don’t want anyone to beg
Not even you
I don’t need that sniveling!
I’m but a wild animal
Exiled even from his own group
Even if bullets pierce my skin
I will still enrage and attack
Wounds and poison I’ll take running
Running
Until the pain leaves
And I will care even less
I want to live a thousand more years”
“Kalau sampai waktuku
Kumau tak seorang ‘kan merayu
Tidak juga kau
Tak perlu sedu sedan itu!
Aku ini binatang jalang
Dari kumpulannya terbuang
Biar peluru menembus kulitku
Aku tetap meradang menerjang
Luka dan bisa kubawa berlari
Berlari
Hingga hilang pedih peri
Dan aku akan lebih tidak peduli
Aku mau hidup seribu tahun lagi!”
Could it be that this spirit suffused them, made them less dependent on the group than Filipinos who need all sorts of colors (yellow, red) and religions of all sorts to be strong?
So that is why Rizal died shot in the back – facing the East, towards the sea !
Thanks Irineo ! It is so long since I read Indonesian poetry. Speaking aloud the words of this poem brought tears to my eyes..So moving; so powerful ! For some reason it reminds me of “Prostitutes of Jakarta Unite” by who ? I forget ! It also had this searing honesty.
http://filipinogerman.blogsport.eu/ako/ – thanks Bill for inspiring another article…
Kung panahon ko na
ayokong may maawa
maski ikaw pa
Ayoko ng may sumipsip
Isa lamang akong mabangis na hayop
itiniwalag maski ng sarili kong pangkat
Maski tagusan ng bala ang aking balat
Magagalit pa rin ako’t lulusob
Sugat at lason titiisin ko’t tatakbo
tatakbo
hangga’t sa mawala ang sakit
At mas lalong babaliwalain ko
nais kong mabuhay ng isanglibo pang taon
With a reference to Trillanes leaving the Senate majority when he quarreled with Enrile: “I’m but a wild animal, Exiled even from his own group”- “mad dog Trillanes” I respect much.
‘Prostitutes of Jakarta Unite’ by By Pramoedya Ananta Toer.. from around 1980.
Well Bill if nobody sacrifices how will there be progress?
If each one takes more than he gives who contributes for the people who cannot contribute because they have nothing?
We do not have the low population and the mining money of Australia. If we did I suspect we would have a more vibrant economy.
Also There are lots of nurses why do they have to get the higher salary? You are an economist between 2005 to 2012 more 300k nurses. For every nurse job there are what 20? If they cant live here with what they are making then they should live somewhere else.
I actually dont believe what I wrote about nurses but I am just saying If I apply Jonathan’s thinking that is what I would be saying.
Also Irineo got what I was saying.
Gian, simply none of us can make others sacrifice themselves. It is something taken on willingly by individual decision.
So “This is my sacrifice. I own it. This is what I guard. this is what I fight for.”
Sacrifice is only feasible if you can see a goal, a light at the end of the tunnel. Clear, visible steps towards that goal are also useful. You said so yourself: we are invisible to this administration. They don’t care about us… except when we pay our taxes.
You say you’re willing to own that sacrifice. I don’t see it that way. I see an administration that has seen fit to place the burden of “sacrifice” only on one group. Where I come from, I call that exploitation. When we ask for relief, what do we get? We get pandered to. I have not forgotten how the tax reform issue was handled – or rather, not handled. This administration doesn’t care about me and others like myself, and guess what – I return that enmity in full.
I’m no Objectivist. But right now, in its own way, Duterte is the Philppine form of Atlas shrugging.
Ahahahaha! “I be done seen every thing when I seen a pig’s ear fly.” Adaption of Disney’s song from Dumbo, sung by crows . . I’ve been reading your comments rationalizing Duterte, Jonathan. Must be 20 of them. Not a one leads me to think Duterte is capable of anything productive. Everything is a hope and a prayer. ‘Atlas shrugged’, though, put me on the floor laughing.
JOTFL = Joe on the Floor laughing…
Haha.
Joe, you amuse me. Take me for whatever you want. I’ve always said: I understand where the anger leading for the support of Duterte is coming from. Have I ever said I support him? No. Do I think he’s the right answer? No. In fact, in my hierarchy of choices for President, he’s the lowest. I’ve never even considered giving him my vote.
But, if you hold yourself as a true supporter of RoRo, you need to understand WHY that support is out there. WHY right now, Rizal Park is full of Duterte supporters. WHY comparisons to Hitler, Marcos, and whatnot, are completely, and ridiculously, unhelpful to your cause. You can’t just dismiss it as voters being dumb, or uneducated, or whatnot. They have their own reasons – and frankly, given what they know, and what they’ve experienced – I completely understand why they feel that way.
And if you can’t bring yourself to know why that rage is felt, then all the editorializing here isn’t really meant to convince people. All it is is a virtue signalling. Do you want a debate or do you want to feel better about yourself? I leave that up to you.
The rage is social/cultural, built up over decades of poverty and inept service. Assigning it to Roxas is the pig’s ear. Rizal Park is filled for the same reason Poe and Roxas venues are packed in the thousands. Last political rally of the campaign. Attributing it to anger against Roxas is nonsense. Another pig’s ear.
Voters are poorly informed. They are not dumb. The are also not inquisitive, and Roxas had nothing to do with that.
You speak as if that “inept service” was this discrete thing that this administration had nothing to do with – as if it was this amorphous blob that was there. The truth is, that inept service had a lot to do with this administration. Did it help in some areas? True, but in others, they screwed up. Bad.
Crowd estimates of hundreds of thousands in multiple cities? That’s not merely just the “last political rally” – that’s a powerful movement. That movement is animated by many things, but it started with anger and disgust. Those numbers? Far beyond than what “hakot” crowds can deliver. These are numbers you’d associate with significant social movements. Edsa Dos threw out a president, and it wasn’t generating these crowd numbers.
“Pig’s ear”? Please. If you truly believe that Duterte is a threat to democracy, then take him seriously. I don’t think you do, I don’t think the Liberal Party ever did. Invocations of “Marcos”, “Hitler”, and “Nuremberg”…. that’s not taking things seriously. It’ll make the person making that call feel better. But convincing them to come to your side, to support the guy who you think is the best choice? Not a chance in hell.
I agree there is not a chance in hell of dislodging you from your position. That would require the concept of listening. I take Duterte seriously. His election would be one of the greatest national-level tragedies I’ve had occasion to witness, other than the American war in Vietnam Nam.
I stand by my Hitler comparison – because the rise of Hitler was because of the failure of the Weimar Republic and democratic idealists. The ragtag rests of German democracy gathered, humiliated and chastened, to form the Federal Republic after World War 2.
I pray to God or the Force or Allah or Buddha or Fortuna, which according to Julius Caesar was the only true god there really is – luck – that Philippine democratic idealists will NOT have to repeat the mistakes of their German predecessors in the Weimar Republic.
Torn apart by nostalgia for an old authoritarian regime (the Second Reich of Wilhelm II), massive poverty and crime, a tabloid press (oligarch Hugenberg thrived on crime stories and fueled the rise of Adolf Hitler) and and educated elite that did not reach out to the poor. The “social market economy” of the postwar period, formed under the umbrella of the USA, was the civic response to the issues that cause the rise of “National Socialism” in the years before. The German constitution postulates federalism – but also “equivalent living conditions” in the budgeting part – federal states that are richer have to help develop the poorer ones, similar to Mar Roxas’s BUB plan, because in Germany vast differences between rich and poor areas fueled urban migration and resentment ALSO…
Jonathan, lets presume for the moment that you are correct in your understanding of why Duterte’s followers support him whilst many of us here do not and according to you, even if some do, are responding to that awareness in the wrong way: ie., trying to point out what a huge mistake electing Duterte would be in so many words. Am I correct in saying that you also understand why many here online and outside believe that electing him would also be a catastrophe, since you yourself say he is your last choice to be president?
Let me do some listening in case you have some other approach to convince Duterte followers to change their support other than citing instances of what he has said and done in the past. Maybe you can suggest your ideas of how you might go about doing this. As for myself, I believe only those who are truly undecided or have not seriously considered their vote and are open to reason are worth trying to convince. And I would spend time talking and discussing my antiDuterte and their proDuterte views together, which is what already is happening in some subthreads here. What things would you do differently that might be more persuasive? I will tell you outright, I observed that misplaced anger and frustration whether justifiable or not is a nonstarter because you argue it is there regardless. How does one argue that without accusations of bias, irrational, or worse…being a delusional fanatic? You have my ear and its not nessessarily porcine.
Okay 2006 while in college doing some OSY teaching I was musing to a friend lots of wasted potential and some of these kids when they reach a certain threshold of crime, they become full blown criminals. I was saying WTF is our country doing for these kids.
It is now 2016
4ps are from 700K during GMA’s time the present admin is helping 4Million households and helping around 10Million kids finish school.
As I said even in a country like the US the oligarchs rule. Just ask caliphman about SuperPACS and how big money controls the US elections.
What more in a country without a sizeable middle class.
As pointed out by numerous writers the new middle class is loosely connected with their civic duties. This is the middle class that wants to protect what it has at all costs.
I do not subscribe to that.
I will not sacrifice poor kids driven to petty crime to a fucking demagogue so that these middle class immorals feel safe in their homes.
I believe we have an obligation towards each other, to help each other out.
400,000 scholars, Free college education through SUCs for ALL that is a promise that a mocked Presidential candidate uttered.
These are the seeds of the new middle class. A middle class that will be proud of what they accomplished but will know that along the way the government helped.
If you can’t see the vision look harder. It is there. Listen to the speeches , read the plans. K-12 is an epic achievement from a supposedly student council level administration.
Changing the norms. Because of integration of TESDA with the K-12 curriculum you are using the norm that any decent parent at least gives his/her children a highschool education. If the integration of vocational skills to the HS curriculum we get highschool graduates that are job ready. Ready to become OFWs or Ready to work in the factories that will be build by an administration that has an actual Industrialization plan.
I am actually mad at myself right now because I hate the spoonfeeding I am doing.
“I believe we have an obligation towards each other, to help each other out.”
Yep, and even though this is a Catholic song and you are INC – that’s the spirit! And yes spoonfeeding is truly awful, I took a break from it to help the feeding full force these days.
In my defense I didn’t know this was a catholic song.
No need to defend… there is a common spiritual ground to all religions practiced well…
Edgar Lores (I miss our Master Yoda) could express it better I am sure… but I had my spiritual revival after being in the Hagia Sophia where I took this picture… and after listening to the wonderful civility of two competing muezzins calling for prayer in the square just near the former holy Sophia church which is now a museum – competing but taking turns in outdoing each other (walang sapawan!) leaving me with a feeling of deep peace…
Yes I think you are right Jonathon. There no institutional mechanism for wage increases ( especially minimum wage increases) other than negotiating with the employer..
Aquino vetoing the proposed SSS increases last December was really a major stuff up by Aquino. And his continuing refusal to sign in the salary increases for nurses employed in hospitals is also a major stuff up..If Roxas were standing for election in Australia, he would be ‘dumping’ Aquino in order to make sure the public know that he would not be making the same mistakes..
More than SSS, I think it was tax reform that was politically a fiasco for this administration.
You ask me, almost everyone were screaming at Henares because she was so efficient at her job. Before she came, BIR taxation was easy to dodge at by fudging figures and so on.
BIR taxation has never been easy to dodge for fixed income earners. If you have to file and pay on your own, sure. But if you’re salaried – like the vast majority of Filipinos – tax evasion on a meaningful level is not possible.
> like the vast majority of Filipinos
Most others are taxed differently, in the form of tax stamps for those who run stalls in markets, those who buy cigarettes or liquor, or through VAT.
Personally, I regard the American IRS as being more stringent than the BIR, and with monstrous amount of paperwork to fill out every Spring.
Umm I agree Jonathon..But on a technical English note : tax ‘evasion’ is illegal. Tax ‘minimisation’ is the right of every tax payer….
I do not know Jonathon..All the tax saga happened before my time here..Bur the SSS is recent and indicative…
Joe has chastised me for saying that Aroyo was an’ I***t ‘ for pardoning Erap. Well I feel that Aquino has made more than his share of major mistakes and has earned the same I***t status. The Prime Minister of my country was PM for just under 2 years. He did a good job in some areas but made some fundamental mistakes in 2 areas.So his own party sacked him last March because public opinion was so hostile.
The Philippines needs a quick & easy way of removing incompetents from high public office when there is a loss of public confidence.
I think GRP may be a better blog for you to hang your hat. I work hard to understand and present positive views in a negative environment, and you charge through undermining that effort with easily spouted insults and little real knowledge to base it on. Our disagreement is too fundamental to persist.
For you to pronounce that the president of the Philippines is an idiot . . . that’s too much, too personal, too insulting.
Fiasco??? The campaign promise back in 2010 was that he would not raise taxes, but would improve collection disciplines. That’s what he did. Fulfilled that promise. Where was the ‘fiasco’ of which you speak? Reference source?
I speak of it in political terms. I saw the reaction once it was clear that tax reform was not going to happen – voters who would be sympathetic to Mar under normal circumstances turned toxic. It would be foolish to deny that the denial of tax reform did not have a political impact on this administration. If it wasn’t, how come its now on the lips of every presidential candidate?
Tax reform is not being touted by candidates. Tax cuts are, for political reasons. That’s why it is on their lips. Simple politics. Roxas has said tax reform is worth looking at, but not during the heat of the campaign. So you are sympathetic to that ‘pols’, the ‘players’, but not the mature, non-political solution. You really are one of these ‘haters’ I read about, I think. You shade every situation to the negative in a relentless attack on Roxas and his supporters.
The ‘stuff up’ on SSS kept the fund solvent. The Senate did not pass the partner bill to properly fund the increase. That’s where the ‘stuff up’ was. President Aquino is not the idiot you make him out to be. The nurse situation I don’t know about, but I have learned that we in the public, with little information at hand, are usually the ignorant party.
Let’s have an ignorant party… anyone with lambanog over here folks?
And since we are all “sosyal” according to some let us have the sosyal version that is drunk even in Sylt which is the high society island of Northern Germany….
🙂
Joe back when I wrote the SSS article I pointed out that many SSS contributors are now living in poverty in old age because they are receiving miniscule SSS payments – 500 50 1500 pesos a month even though they made good solid monthly contributions when they were working.
The reason is the massive devaluations of the peso since the 1970’s…These devaluations happened because of the incompetent or plunderous actions of Filipino governments. Thus the state is responsible for their impoverishment. The state is thus responsible for putting this issue right. It is a major moral & I think, legal responsibility.
As head of the executive arm of the Filipino government it has been Aquino’s task for the past 6 years to sort this out. You say the senate has not cooperated.Ummm So ?
It was his job to sort it out mate. He had 6 years. And did not sort it. He just veto’ed veto & did nothing. Aquino has washed his hands of them and their impoverishment. That is even more wrong. ( So did many in the Senate.So ? Good leadership is stopping that sort of BS behaviour by making the Senators accountable. There are always ways to do that )
Meanwhile the impoverished elderly SSS recipients probably don’t know or care how this has happened. But on Monday they will blame Roxas for their pain & poverty. And that is even more wrong.
It’s a poor country. It didn’t have you as president. Shit happens in those circumstances.
I wouldn’t want to be President of any group of Filipinos – I have been there on micro level.
Every day I look at the Philippine condition – which even in the safety of abroad and being away from the clamor of Filipino communities which are often oh so petty (my father’s own words, he told me be happy you’re away it is NOT your fight son it is mine I have to stay) makes me FEEL (yeah hugot!) miserable – I respect the fortitude of Mar more every day, staying there in an often nasty, niggardly culture that mocks the best and loves the worst.
Bill you are failing to see that the Incompetent goverment you are talking about is primarily the Marcos government. He has left a debt that is 95% of the GDP. Now that same administration used the SSS and GSIS as credit cards during their shopping sprees abroad,
Now why is the present administration to blame if they proceed with caution?
When It’s the senators I suspect probably from the minority who blocked the funding bill?
Gian, Sure Marcos stole from SSS. I hear you & agree.
But Marcos did it as President of the Philippines. The current government has inherited financial and legal and moral responsibility for the debts of Marcos Filipino government. just like it has inherited all the other debts..
Listen none of the governments since Marcos have defaulted on Marcos’ foreign loan debts.
These debts have either been repaid or are being repaid. And the government has been paying off foreign debt at a very fast rate.
So why, why, why should government be allowed to default on a major debt it owes to poor elderly Filipinos ? A moral debt ! A financial debt ! And if it was taken to a uncorrupt court, a legal debt.
Bill the president would have agreed to 500 Pesos per month. But the legislature wanted 2000.
Why 500 because the government could help with that.
There is a moral debt but you do not sink the boat to plug a hole. you keep the boat afloat and try to find a way to plug the hole. 500 pesos was plugging the hole while we are waiting for the rise of the new middle class. etc. If the middle class is big enough and if more people are pushed to paying their dues to SSS then that is another calculation. We cannot fix everything.
I get your impatience in behalf of our seniors but again we do not sink the boat to plug a hole.
Bill we understand each other it’s a matter of time horizons.
German social security is also strained… but it was decided to take the strain because the ones benefitting from it now are the generation that rebuilt the nation after the war…
We who benefitted from the prosperity of the postwar period will have to work longer, until 68 at least, maybe until 70 if the latest laws being discussed come through as we did not do our civic duty of making enough kids to pay into the pension fund which it basically is…
I agree that Aquino took a too simple way out, too focused on the fiscal side of things.
“Bill the president would have agreed to 500 Pesos per month. But the legislature wanted 2000.” This is like Sigmar Gabriel (Social Democratic party head, Merkel’s coalition partner and Minister of Trade and Energy) saying the pension age should NOT be 70…
Of course he might be thinking of getting a stronger share of the vote in 2017, this is epalitics in any system… possibly even being the senior coalition partner and Chancellor. Parliamentary of course makes alliances easier, even after the elections are finished.
Gian the law prohibits short term ‘endos’ and mandates that all employers are to pay SSS contributions for all employees. But I remember reading recently that a Government Secretary appointed by Aquino signed a letter exempting employers from the law…Duh ?
So we have the government saying Ok don’t pay SSS and you can all do endos with your employees. ….And later on saying “Oh No we can’t pay a just monthly SSS payment to poor elderly retired SSS members…
That’s an Aquino government stuff up.. But not a Roxas one.. As I don’t think he was involved in any of these decisions. However I think the point is if a President appoints people to public service jobs for favors, incompetence is inevitable…
Joe look up the article about Alan Purisma in the Enquirer today on page A2….
“Ex PNP Chief indicted for graft” about 100 million pesos of graft.. And join some dots…,,,
This is the same Purisma who was Aquino’s point man in the Mamasapano debacle in early 2015..
Purisma got the job of head of PNP because he was a good old pal of Aquino. Just like Puno. And remember Robredo was in charge of Department of the Interior but not the Philippines National Police, because Puno & Purisma were reporting directly to the boss Aquino.
So Purisma is doing lucrative graft & corruption behind Robredo’s back with a direct link to Aquino in case thing go South.
Purisma was ‘suspended’ when the COA found out about the graft & corruption. But he is still a pal of Aquino and still involved in Aquino’s ‘back office’ cabinet as an adviser. Ummmm What doesn’t Aquino know about the word “suspended for graft & corruption ? ”
The Robredo dies in the plane crash. Roxas gets his job at DILG. And later Roxas the political boss of the PNP is kept out of the loop when it comes to the planning for Mamasapano….
AND who is getting the crap dumped on him for Mamasapano ? Roxas…
Sorry Joe, for a while i did not do the research. And then i did..And sat on it for while and wondered..There is more to be said when I have worked it out. .But I decline to be silent here when it is so damaging to an honest man trying his best to be an honest and competent job in this country – Roxas.
The buck for the stuff up stops with the boss as Truman once said.
“who is getting the crap dumped on him for Mamasapano ? Roxas… I decline to be silent here when it is so damaging to an honest man trying his best to be an honest and competent job in this country – Roxas.” Exactly – you have understood very well I think.
First picture of Roxas I ever saw was in the post-Mamasapano news – he looked frazzled, his hair standing on end. His PNP commander General “Kalbo” (forgot his name just now but he is bald) looked very worried. Aquino is what he is – done good work but a bit too much of an arrogant spoiled senorito so very often. Bongbong is much worse than him though in that respect. Roxas is BETTER than Aquino but most don’t realize that, sadly. Roxas has worked quietly under several masters, quietly for the good of the country.
Espina
I’ll fill you in with some details.
During the early days The head and the deputy of almost all major departments were at ODDS with each other.
This was the Balay and Samar group fighting it out. One of the real reasons progress was slow during the first 3 years was the undercurrent of infighting between supporters of Balay and the Samar group.
You get Binay’s housing group blocking or slowing down the progress of the DILG’s in city resettlement for informal settlers living in calamity areas. I had a room mate who worked for SHOFC and he ranted a lot about the barriers being put by the HUDCC people. He resigned in disgust.
Add to this that a lot of agencies had long term contracts with people from different power centers. GMA/FVR/Erap and
Add the religious groups, the oligarchs, the leftist and the secessionist and you are about a quarter of the way to understanding the fucked up nature of government in the Philippines.
Gian, you have brought up the politicised character of the public service here..I agree it is a huge problem….You have inherited it from the USA where the same problem exists.
That is the problem : therefore the solution is a depoliticised public service.
I can relate to this problem as it existed in Australia once. And was eliminated in about the 1940’s. The government made the decision to establish a Public Service Commission. The leadership of the public service commission are appointed until they retire – permanent public servants.
And all public servant department heads are selected by that commission. They are appointed on merit = competency with the proviso that they have to be capable of working with a given minister of the government.
And all members of the Public service commission ( even base grade clerks & IT people ) are forbidden from being a political party member or affiliate.Even friendship with a current pollie can be grounds for suspension.
So we have, and aim to have, a professional unpoliticised public service. When a new government is elected almost all positions in the government departments remain as they were. The public service heads may or may not change – depending on individuals ability to work together. It works most of the time.
One reason why it works is there are far fewer opportunities for a new government to appoint it’s mates & pals as reward for favors done as in the USA & here in Philippines.
Frankly I think the USA model you have inherited here in the Philippines is wide open to mass corruption
this is why parliamentary will not work for the Philippines 🇵🇭 as it is practiced by most countries. the civil service is not fully professionalized.
My experience with government shows me that few good things will happen before July this year. Almost all appointive officials are lame ducks. they just wait for the next administration and just not do stuff.
The question Joe would ask is where do we start? What can be done to get off this cycle.
“And all members of the Public service commission ( even base grade clerks & IT people ) are forbidden from being a political party member or affiliate.Even friendship with a current pollie can be grounds for suspension.” that is far better than what I know about Germany.
Officially no favoritism… but what I have heard is that party networks distribute their people all over at all levels – federal, state, municipal. With the so-called unofficial Proporz or proportionality, a kind of pork barrel system for positions… but that is just what I HEARD.
You can’t fully eliminate favoritism in ANY system, people being people – but any system that reduces its occurence is good. The Proporz system might exist in Germany but what I heard is that it was REALLY bad in Austria. It might be more of a senior level thing over here but in Austria somebody told me you had to have pull with either Social Democrats or People’s Party to even be a doorman in a ministry – one reason why the populist Freedom Party has kept winning elections could be that, if what people have told me is really true.
Irineo, that may be the case in Austria and Germany. It is not the case in Australia or New Zealand. How things are implemented may be important. In both these countries denazification was a priority post 1945..So an element of politics was built in.
Gian where to start you asked ? I think you dismiss the parliamentary system without knowing how it works. The political head of each department of government is a member of parliament. ( usually called the ‘Minister’ ) Each day that Parliament sits there is at 2.00 pm an hour or so of question time. Ministers are publicly questioned about matters to do with their portfolio by other members of parliament. They are expected to have good knowledge and understanding of what is going on. And it goes hard if they are ignorant or unable to deal with issues. The ministers also get written questions. This process helps sort out the competent from the rest. A minister who stuffs up risks his/her position as a minister.It embaresses the entire government. So they are often replaced by the Prime Minister.
Where to start ? I think a Leader who was open with the Filipino public about the nature of the problem in the public service and said “:I want to change this. and make it non political ” would meet approval from most Filipinos. In fact that is a good policy platform for a new Philippines. Why ? Because it would stop all the uncertainty and nepotism and favoritism. And replace it with an ethic of being professional & competent….A public service to be proud of. Now isn’t that a good idea ?
Bill, you may know the Filipinos well, but it might be you DON’T know them that well…
Favoritism, patronage relationships and everything else are part of ALL Malay cultures.
In Germany I think it was about winning ex-Nazi appointees to become loyal democrats.
It happened I heard in all parties except the Greens who were an offshoot of the 1968ers…
In fact it allegedly even happened in East Germany – the so-called Nazis painted red…
———————-
Back to the Philippines – it has dawned upon me that the system breeds dictatorships…
Why? Because many Marcos supporters were favored by positions in army, PC, INP etc.
Many appointees to all sorts of places as well, but the most secure tenure is with a gun.
————————
After 1986 it returned to the old system of President appointing, but the Commision on Appointments approving every single appointment – even consuls in Foreign Service. The Commission on Appointments is Congress+Senate – now I heard of some DFA people in Germany who basically had to go home to “follow up” their promotions, or complaining their promotion was stuck because they were behind some controversial Commissioner…
Lots of horsetrading I can imagine – the President’s power to influence Congress+Senate WAS the pork barrel which was reintroduced during Cory’s time, also an American thing, but it was deemed unconstitutional after the PDAF scandal / Napoles so no more of that…
Parliamentary under Marcos meant basically lots of hangers-on of the ruling KBL party in government service. So any way you go it is the same nonsense – DFA I heard was able to professionalize in the past decades, a far cry from the Marcos appointees of before…
—————-
Back to dictatorships. Increasing Army and PNP (police was centralized by Marcos first, used to be under the control of mayors some of whom allegedly made them private forces) is a way to give Mindanaoans and others from the clique of Duterte cushy jobs…
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The “kapit” (hanging on) system has always worked that way I heard…
You support me, or coerce/buy votes, I give you a job in return.
People expect it, and anyone wanting to change it… well…
There ARE Civil Service Examinations in the Philippines, a GOOD American legacy BTW…
Police or soldier might get you in though, even without them, I don’t know maybe Karl does.
Duterte might “integrate” NPAs into the Army, the way ex-MNLF were for a while… careful.
I have no idea what is required for someone to become a policeman, though they have obviously professionalized the service in recent years… for enlisted men I think as well, officers of course usually go through PMA or PNPA which are military/police academies.
What is truly dangerous is Duterte bringing in all kinds of dubious goons and militia into the gun-bearing services… I don’t know how much power he has to appoint people there. But he will need such people if he wants to close down Congress which he can’t do legally.
The perverse but, within the old Filipino “system”, quite simple logic of why Duterte could want an OFW Department when in fact “Assistance to Nationals” is a DFA domain and DOLE I think still sends Labor Attaches to major countries could be this:
the DFA is so professional that he can’t make a dent there, and he knows he needs his poor diplomats to iron out the note verbales and summonses they will get every time he insults another foreign country – but his OWN new ministry is nice for appointees.
Even in Marcos times the old pros in the DFA/MFA remained, the Marcos appointees at higher levels were all pros as well, lower levels less… army was partly deprofessionalized, Fabian Ver was Marcos’ driver, somewhat like the Roman Emperor who appointed a horse.
Hitler’s SS was about bypassing the Prussian officer corps (which later tried to coup him out but that was nearly too late, Stauffenberg and Valkyrie ie. Tom Cruise) that he needed.
Hitler’s SA he disbanded to please the public, saying STOP to the goons that helped him.
Overseas appointment – a perfect way to reward loyal people. And a way of legal smuggling because of diplomatic immunity, this is what I heard was common in MFA/DFA during Marcos times. One Mercedes imported without luxury tax made a peso fortune…
ANY system will fail in the Philippine as long as the classic Filipino attitude persists.
This attitude developed in Spanish times – the state as to be MILKED by groups.
Binay supporters of the crudest type embody this old mentality to the purest.
Yes here a new president appoints a cabinet secretary and under secretaries if not enoughan assistant secretary will open up. We have a civil service commission,were career officers hope ot dream that one day they sill be cabinet secretaries,but with the presence if a commission on appointments all of those dreams of a cabinet secretary position would be reaching for the stars with a different meaning or suntok sa bwan.
The military effectiveness is also affected by this commission on appointments, our case of star syndrome had made us to a country of a hundred plus active generals from the less than 70 during the time of Marcos.
Bill you say that the public service commission prevents any public servant to have ties to policiticians. I will take your word for it,even If I have my doubts.The thing is that would be nice to HAVE here as well.
I guess that kind of professionalization is more needed than the anti dynasty law.
I also like your anti gun laws,you have mentioned,by the way.
@Bill. There are multiple issues involved here.
1. The principles that drive the editorial policies of the blog. Philippine well-being. Civility. Issues-based.
2. The negative tenor of discussion in the Philippines, fueled by a crab culture and tabloid press. The nation would be better served with a positive view of herself. Self-esteem.
3. The culture of power and favor. One cannot overlay Australian judgments on people who think and relate to each other differently than Australians (or Americans) do. That is a sure path to GRP style negativity. This is the arrogance of the outsider, and I strive mightily to separate the blog from it.
The term “idiot” applied to the President is not a respectful approach. It violates civility, is negative, and is arrogant. That is a ‘three strike’ comment.
President Aquino operates by Philippine cultural norms. He is loyal to his friends. He also operates with information we don’t have, and accountabilities we don’t share.
You want a better SSS, but you don’t have to fund defense. You can address them as if they stood alone. He can’t.
There are two tendencies to argument here that are damaging to good thinking. One is to defend one’s view at all cost, against all logic and information. To protect one’s personal power. The other is to generalize to the whole from a specific incident. I suppose the reason has something to do with projecting power, the ease of being a commanding authority. That power and favor culture again.
Calling President Aquino names because you don’t like how SSS was handled, or nursing salaries, demonstrates the latter tendency, and discounts the good deeds and oft-dysfunctional culture he must operate within. You join the crooks, leftists and malcontents who themselves are consumed by that culture. Rather than get outside it to help build rather than tear down. There are enough tear down specialists. I expect more from the commenters here, and it is uplifting to see how many people ‘get it’. The blog discussions are deep with commenters who are builders.
If you don’t get it, then it is a practical matter. You belong at GRP, not here. I won’t allow anyone to undermine what this blog is about.
@Joe..A good day doing sight seeing and away from politics whether Philippines or Australian…:-)
Re GRP : I do not read what is there. I do not use it as a source of information or opinions. I don’t even have it bookmarked on my laptop. So if there is some overlap of views, it ‘may’ be because the information is correct…But as I said I do not read or contribute there. it feels to generally abusive even to me.
Re President Aquino : Lets have a discussion about this. You say ” President Aquino operates by Philippine cultural norms. He is loyal to his friends. He also operates with information we don’t have, and accountabilities we don’t share.”
Look Joe in any democratic country, the principle is that ALL of us are subject to the law. This includes the President. In the USA in your youth, Nixon resigned when he was proved to have broken the law. His Vice President Agnew also resigned after being shown to have broken US law.
Joe I think you are saying that the ‘democratic ‘ Philippines is different and special. That the president is not accountable to the law, not accountable to the people. That is very very close to saying that the culture of inpunity here where the rich & powerful are not held accountable to the law, is OK because it is Filipino. But many Filipinos disagree.
And that very issue is a major election issue. How often have Filipinos on the Blog complained about this ‘inpunity ‘. How often have you complained about it. It is an issue in the media at least the English language media that I read or watch
One way of changing the culture of inpunity is simply holding accountable the people elected to power& authority. Thus if/when they make mistakes publish them; discuss them; complain about them; embaress them. President Aquino is human Joe.he makes mistakes. It is more honest to get the mistakes out in the open air…Rather than hidden and not discussed.
Does this mean that President Aquino has made lots of major mistakes in his 6 years as President ? To be honest I do not know.Others can answer that better. I think you can answer that better. I have simply discovered some ( a few ? ) & discussed then in your blog, because I noticed that Mar Roxas has been fingered for them by his opponents. And i think that is unfair & dishonest.
A second question : Has Aquino done things which are good for the Philippines ? That is fairly obvious. His economic policies have been immensely beneficial for the country with lower unemployment and more jobs. The PPPP program is a great help for many poor families with children all over the Philippines. The K 12 Education program is a huge improvement..The stance on China’s occupation of the West Philippines Sea is just and right; Aquino’s rebuilding alliances with the USA & ASEAN nations is good foreign policy.
RE SSS : i want to make a quick reply to your remarks on SSS. If you read the Guardian article on the Marcos Plundering you will read that Cory Aquino a year or so after coming to power, told the PCGG not to try to hard to get back what Marcos stole.
Quote : Cory Aquino’s government, which had launched the commission in the heat of revolution, rapidly stepped on the brake. Her supporters say there was no option: Marcos and his cronies owned so much of the economy that to seize their assets would crash the banks. Her critics, meanwhile, argue that her government was always compromised: the Aquinos were one of the wealthiest families in the country; the old oligarchy was back in power. Whatever the motive, the PCGG was ordered to seize nothing, but instead to work through the courts. Over the following few years, it became clear that this had handed the initiative to the Marcoses, who had the money to hire the very best lawyers. Soon, dozens of cases were sidetracked by endless technical argument. ” And they have kept most of the loot.
So Marcos steals and the SSS is bankrupted. Then the Marcos get a “get out of jail card” from the government, and keep the loot. And poor elderly Filipios ( among others ) go through retirement dead poor as a result. This problem wil go away soon because they are old and will die soon. But President Aquino ( among all the other presidents since Marcos ) had an opportunity to put it right.And he did not. That’s poor government I think.
He could not put the SSS right with the bill presented to him, as has been explained by others.
Yes, President Aquino makes decisions I disagree with. Caliphman and I co-wrote a blog about Customs, and I definitely think the game playing done in replacing the head of Customs was a huge step backward. I dislike Abaya’s decision on a common terminal joining LRT and MRT lines. Criticisms are needed, as long as it is understood that we street people lack a lot of information and may be very wrong in our reading. I also think it is important to always provide the positive context of the Admin’s achievement to avoid the distortion of labeling an entire effort ‘poor’ because a given decision or set of decisions to us seems wrong. Also, the term ‘idiot’ has no place in any civil discussion.
The President is a president of laws. It is his strength, what he brought to the job after the law breakers and game players who preceded him. He is a politician. He is a Filipino. He has powerful people to deal with and works under relentless criticisms. We ought not be so high on ourselves to think we have any comprehension of what it is like, or that we could do the job better.
I have seen this phenomenon in the IT industry – as one of the field workers or one of those “an der Front” (on the front, a term still used in Germany for those who get their hands dirty and go into the trenches) of managers in denial about reality on the ground.
It takes an improved communicative culture (listening on the managerial side and speaking truth to power on the frontliner’s side) to resolve this – it is hard especially in a culture where the powerful are used to having maids to everything for them and where the powerless are not used to saying NO to the powerful, much less expressing it in a way that they can be heard – but I have had experiences that show it is hard even over here…
Even the overhaul of German bureacracy from the old “Kaiserzeit” attitude of imperious bureacrats to the present service-oriented municipal offices (I will never forget the friendly young woman who processed my national ID extension hehe, while I still remember with some irritation the atmosphere at the transportation office where I had my driver’s license extended) took time. For the social security and job offices to become friendlier and more service-oriented also took around 10 years – and there still are offices where the clerks have to be protected by security guards in the areas where joblessness and frustration is high. But the government(s) at all levels took issues seriously also thanks to social media and a very professional press (mostly) – and responsive, not defensive politicians.
Irineo,
I am reminded of the Power Distance Index. I think for Germany it is very useful that the power distance between ruler and ruled is relatively small, whereas in the Philippines it’s off the charts – the last set of numbers I saw has us worse than Middle East countries.
About the same as Russia which has it’s Duterte, I mean Putin. But I think that the German PDI only became like that after the war – in Imperial Berlin of Prussian times it was different. Bavaria was sidelined, which is why Munich became the womb of Nazism.
The Guardian is now interested in the Philippines. It is inviting Filipinos to state how they fel about the state of the nation just before the national elections… It takes a bit of time to do but will make for an interesting record for the international public.
( PS I have not filled in the survey..It’s for Filipinos only )
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/572b1173e4b00455bdea3ccb#contribute
It is actually very easy to understand if there is no rule of law I could imagine everyone can form their own vigilante group & execute anyone they like even if it is for personal reason.
How the hell that scenario can solve the criminality in the Philippines, you inject more violence to stop violence??? How come people buy in for this mentality?
Anger has the weird habit of being capable of justifying any weird thing. That, and the government hasn’t done well at connecting with people.
Every candidate who chose to run seemed to have a plan that they were sure would bring them 100% victory, but at this point it is hard to tell whose gambit wins.
Binay had a nearly perfect plan in the making, while disguising his real intentions, then Cayetano and Trillanes killed his chances–but he’s still at large.
Roxas also had a very good plan, and unlike Binay he has proven himself. But he is crippled right from the start by being LP’s candidate, and Poe ruined half of that plan. Fortunately Leni is there, and she seems a much better running mate.
Poe has the sympathy of many, but she is fooled by her backers, pitted against the Supreme Court, and she doesn’t signify a lot of change to come.
I find it funny that they didn’t destroy their own chances at their plan, while Duterte is ruining his own chances by being completely incongruous and attacking everyone and everything not China or the CPP-NPA….yet many people love it. Many of us really do have an undeniable love of theatrics.
I wonder if the people who vote for Duterte really understand the implications he brings? Life isn’t merely knowledge of the means, it is also knowledge of the end…..
Hopefully Mar wins so I will not have to bother myself so much about this anymore…
They have no idea. The ‘street’ arguments you get from taxi drivers and other working citizens is very simple. They are ‘headline’ arguments, or the titillating viral variety. Buy some worry beads. They can help.
MAJOR, Major Off Topic Everyone : The Guardian has published a very detailed report on how the Marcos’ stole 10 billions and more from the Philippines…here is the link :
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/07/10bn-dollar-question-marcos-millions-nick-davies
It says it straight out with no politeness Joe …I doubt any unbiased Filipino reading this would ever support a Marcos for political office ever again
thanks for this Bill.
I think it’s time for me to depart this corner of the Internet. I think that while some people understand where I’m coming from… our host does not. I’ll leave the readers here with two posts that I found very useful.
#1: Replace “Trump” with “Duterte” here and that’s what we’re dealing here. I don’t think a Duterte supporter would post something like this.
https://storify.com/DougK/trump
#2: How badly has this administration fouled up transportation? This badly.
UNDERSTANDING HOW DUTERTE HANDLED THE NPA IN DAVAO
As reflected in several Davao residents’ posts here, a strong source of pride is how Duterte was able to achieve peace in his city thus paving the way for development. Easy to understand that. as they were direct beneficiaries.
But Duterte was able to achieve that not by ending insurgency or because he had a special understanding of rebellion or the peace process . What he did was to strike a deal: there will be parts where you can operate, but there will be parts you cannot. So the NPA readily agreed because they can now use the “allowed” areas as safe havens. Essentially Duterte was telling them: I do not care if you ambush govt soldiers or collect revolutionary tax as long as it is not done in the areas I do not allow! Which is consistent with his remark about complying with the revolutionary tax.
Click to access 202%20The%20Communist%20Insurgency%20in%20the%20Philippines%20Tactics%20and%20Talks.pdf
In this report the districts in Davao City with NPA fronts (52, 53, 54) are listed.
To use an analogy, in a large house with many rooms, Duterte was in charge of one. The house was dirty, so Duterte swept all the dirt in his room into the adjoining rooms.
When you are president of the whole country, there will be no more rooms to sweep dirt into, since you are responsible for the entire thing.
To use a more real-world analogy, there is a movie titled “Sicario” about the drug cartel wars and the involvement of the CIA in it. The favored strategy nowadays is to strike a deal with one cartel, say Medellin and allow them to flourish, but eliminate the others with the help of the Medellin. It is essentially a deal with the devil. It aims to achieve equilibrium and order by reducing the number of players, and lowering the level of violence. But it involves looking the other way for Medellin.
So it is misleading to say that peace has been achieved in Davao; the NPA has merely cooperated on the areas where they will operate or not. A fragile equilibrium has been achieved yes, but lasting peace, no.
In response, let me tell a counter-story to make my point;
Era A: There were these two kids who just kept on fighting, and fighting, and fighting. They were on the ground like MMA fighters in a championship match: choking, biting, slapping, punching, elbowing, kicking… blood was all over, teeth on the ground, ribs broken and all.
Era B: Then someone comes along, stops them and says, “C’mon guys, let’s talk this out; you don’t really have to do this. Listen, you play on this side, and you play on this side. Are you both good with that? Ok, that’s wonderful. So let’s start playing. See? It’s better no?”
From your take, basically this is how Duterte did it. But then you will not give Duterte an iota of recognition; you say, “it is misleading to say that peace has been achieved in Davao.” Really mr Lim? Looking at the story I narrated above, surely mr Lim, being objective about it, is not the advance from Era A (guns blazing, blood oozing, bones breaking, death ruling—in the very heart of Davao!) to Era B (violence of Era A virtually eliminated) already in itself a great progress? Why not simply acknowledge that? No one said it’s heaven on earth already (Duterte himself admits that, and at times warn the people to take extra care when there is a looming threat to the city). But surely mr Lim the advance from Era A to Era B is already a great progress. Don’t you think so?
“Duterte was able to achieve that not by ending insurgency or because he had a special understanding of rebellion or the peace process.” >> I find this terribly naïve! Duterte sits and talks face to face with NPA commanders (he talks to Joma Sison in fact), and with Moro leaders both from the MNLF and the MILF. Duterte understands their cause; and they understand Duterte’s position, and they respect and listen to him. So mr Lim, do you have an insider’s perspective, a deeper insight than Duterte about “rebellion or the peace process” when it comes to actually dealing with these guys, their issues, their causes, and their actions? If you do then perhaps you should be our mayor! That’s not sarcasm by the way; if indeed you can deal with these groups better than Duterte then please run for mayor here!
“the NPA readily agreed because they can now use the “allowed” areas as safe havens” >> FYI mr Lim, these “safe heavens,” are not really that safe, for local government forces often go on incursions into these “safe havens” to capture or eliminate them. This has been demonstrated recently in the killing of the top NPA commander, Ka Parago (who was a friend of Duterte).
“Essentially Duterte was telling them: I do not care if you ambush govt soldiers…” >>> Wow! When you say “Essentially,” I read that as, SPECULATION BASED ON VERY THIN ICE! A speculation that’s terribly naïve, simplistic, and lacks careful nuance of the actual situation on the ground. Davao people know that Duterte is sticking his neck out for the sake of the city. When he goes to the very heart of the camps of these groups for talks, things can easily go wrong and he can be taken out just like that. But for the sake of the people he is serving he personally risks his own life, and not just hide behind government powers and programs when they do not work for his people.
So all that to say that I find your analysis quite flimsy, misleading, and unconvincing.
By the way. loved the movie Sicario.
This comment from Zgob is allowed to pass, for substance. He is on the troll list.
Thanks Joe. I wonder though why you placed me on the troll list. I’ve been trying to post thoughtful pieces here. I admit that i got quite annoyed by madlanglupa, for all i get from her are derisive and dismissive reactions (not responses). On her high horse she basically ridicules me as a worshiper of a “demigod,” an “Idi Amin” follower, and a mindless follower of a “master.” Now, there would be no problem if only she articulates her thoughts to demonstrate that her judgments are at least RATIONALLY defensible. But she does not. And i get to be the troll?
There are several qualities that attach to people who do not have a vested interest in the care-taking of this blog, a blog that is indeed a society of people with similar values about discussion, if not agreement on issues. 1) they are new to the discussion, 2) they are active to the point of dominating the thread, 3) they are hard on the view they are pushing and are interested in repelling opposite views rather than listening and respecting them, and 4) they go easily to insults and condescension as a line of argument. Madlanglupa is a long-established contributor to the blog; many topics, many comments, many insights, good listener, high values. You are the impudent freshman at the frat house taking on a senior loyalist. Maybe if you demonstrate a commitment to care-taking the society, rather than pushing product, you’ll find yourself off of moderation.
Ok Joe, your blog, your rules. I respect that. But let me just be clear on where i’m coming from. I’ve tried to stay away from the circus, but as a fellow citizen i felt some responsibility to contribute something that will bring some light on some critical issues that i felt are just being so muddled in the media and in social sites, creating more heat than light. I am passionate for clear and balanced thinking, and so I just can’t stand much of the superficial and nasty exchanges I’ve heard, read, and witnessed (both from the proDu30 and the antiDu30 camps–let me say I am TERRIBLY EMBARRASSED and OFFENDED by the ugly attitude displayed by many of Du30 supporters!).
So when I read Lim’s article and traced it on this blog, i felt that the article was substantial enough and worth the effort to respond to. I do not, and CAN NOT, defend everything that Duterte says and does (i just can’t stand his mouth to be honest!). But behind that rough image that people see is a heart that truly cares for the people he is serving–and ACTS on it. That’s why to the people of Davao who’ve actually lived for more than two decades under Duterte’s leadership, the demonized version of Duterte as this Darth Vader wielding the dark side of the force that you get in the media, is a MYTH; the media has created a mythical monster that must be slain for the salvation of the nation. It may stir up media attention, but it’s really more FICTION than fact.
One thing Duterte is not is power-hungry. A case in point; his long time political nemesis in Davao (who once occupied one of the highest position in the land) has his name plastered on every nook and cranny of the city (in preparation for elections of course) e.g., “This building/basketball court etc etc etc etc is made possible through the initiative of _____.” But you will NEVER find Duterte’s name advertised anywhere in the city! In fact, he always tells people, ‘You know me. If you don’t like what i’m doing for the city, then DON’T VOTE FOR ME. Simple.’ Yes he may cross some lines here and there. He can be accused of justifying means to ends. I don’t know. In the end he will have to answer before God. (Remember that DOJ de Lima had a free hand investigating Duterte in Davao on extrajudicial killings, but somehow came up empty handed.) My prayer is that Duterte will rise above his areas of weakness and by God’s grace will do the good work in building the nation.
Many are already conceding a Duterte win. Poe conceded. Trillanes himself made quite a noble statement recognizing Duterte’s win (I hope he is truly sincere and will work for nation building).
God bless the Philippines!
Published here yesterday evening when the outcome was clear: https://joeam.com/2016/05/09/congratulations-president-elect-duterte/
Time for all of us to stop complaining and peddling and continue building, focused on issues and worrying less about the character of those who disagree with us. Presume they are earnest. Leave trolls to me, as editor.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/783937/benevolent-dictator-theres-no-such-thing
Exactly our point.
Funny how people in the past never complained about the lack of an economic plan during the campaign trail and now they do 😉
Mar Roxas miting de avance…
Duterte miting de avance…
very different flavors of support.
http://www.thedailystar.net/world/middle-east/forget-the-laws-rights-1220422
Duterte, who has hypnotised millions of voters with his promises to eradicate crime and corruption, repeatedly warned tens of thousands of fans in Manila on Saturday night that there would be mass killings under his presidency.
“Forget the laws on human rights,” said Duterte, as he boasted of killing criminals during his more than two decades as mayor of the southern city of Davao.
“If I make it to the presidential palace, I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, hold-up men and do-nothings, you better go out. Because as the mayor, I’d kill you.”
In his 90-minute speech, the last of his campaign, Duterte said he would be prepared to kill a criminal even in front of human rights campaigners or other critics.
“I will butcher him in front of them if they want,” he said.
http://www.thedailystar.net/sites/default/files/styles/very_big_1/public/feature/images/rodrigo_duterte.jpg?itok=84Eh5jNS
http://www.neopresse.com/politik/asien/und-dann-werden-die-philippinen-brennen/
Neopresse is a possible Putin site… judging from the slant of its other news and opinions…
The news says Duterte is winning, Roxas might cheat, but then there might be an uprising of the people and the Philippines will burn – if it is lucky only the houses of the oligarchy will burn…
No reputable German newspaper is reporting like this only them. China/Russia are close we know.
Because of Aguinaldo who had the Americans take him back to Manila from Hongkong in 1898, the Philippines became an object in the geopolitical shift of those times – Spanish-American War. – now if the Philippines makes that choice CONSCIOUSLY, I will be VERY sad, because it will no longer be the country I grew up in, it will become as different as the Philippines became when the Americans came – NO when the Japanese came but it could be MUCH worse… THINK guys – what reason would a strange fringe publication in GERMANY have to publish THIS?
https://raissarobles.com/2016/05/08/mayor-duterte-please-disclose-what-you-told-chinese-officials-about-the-south-china-sea/
What Duterte hasn’t told his supporters, though – including his new-found senatorial candidate Rafael Alunan – is that in early October 2015, Duterte was visited by the newly-appointed Chinese Consul General Song Ronghua plus four other Chinese officials from the Chinese consulate in Cebu.
– The Gulfstream jet is owned by Beijing Capital Airlines. [Planefinder]
– Beijing Capital Airlines is owned by Hebei Aviation Group. Hebei is a subsidiary of Jizhong Energy Group Co., Ltd, based in Xingtai, China. Jizhong manufactures and markets coal-based products. [Bloomberg]
– The plane arrived in Davao on April 12 from Shenzhen, China, and departed on April 17, to Shenzhen, China. The Plane had previously been in Tokyo. [Flight Radar]
– The notorious ZTE corporation, embroiled in corruption allegations against former President Gloria Arroyo, is based in Shenzhen.
Lawyer Panelo was seen with Arroyo recently, the FB thing spread… Esperon is one of Arroyo’s generals… Arroyo was also quite close to China we know…
Will the Philippines once more be an OBJECT of other’s interests like in 1571,1898,1942?
“Chinese side reportedly offered to withdraw from Scarborough Shoal if Manila did not file document on dispute; Beijing denies any offer. The visit came before the start of the filing for candidacy for the presidency and other national elective positions. At that time of the visit, Duterte was still vacillating over running for president”… what does a MAYOR of Davao have to do with Mainland China? How stupid can we be not to see the obvious?
Below is an excerpt of his “miting de avance” speech. Did he just said, “Forget human rights law and man-made laws?” Is that his 11 year old daughter with an unknown toddler in the article picture?
“The mayor said he would replicate a ruthless anti-crime campaign in Davao City that, he said, helped the city become an economic hub in the main southern island of Mindanao.
“Holdupper, you better go out kasi pag andito ka, ako mayor ako, papatayin kita,” he said.
“Kalimutan muna batas sa human rights, kalimutan mo muna regulasyon ng tao,” he said.”
http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/05/07/16/duterte-says-ready-to-die-vows-mass-murder
Whoenver wins in this election must be responsible enough to lead our country to become a strong and developed nation. naungusan n tayo ng vietnam and other asian countries. Stop crab mentality please.
> Stop crab mentality please.
How can you explain crab mentality if anyone who disagrees with Duterte on Facebook are bullied with threats of rape or murder?
Vicky P. maghunos ka ng dilis: dili mo naiintindihan yong alimango mentality mo !!!!!!!
Reposting the entire article of Raissa Robles which goes with the photo of Duterte meeting with the Chinese Consul General at Marco Polo hotel above.
Raissa’s site cannot be accessed at this posting, probably being blocked.
Mayor Duterte, please disclose what you told Chinese officials about the South China Sea
May 8, 2016 36 Comments
Exclusive by Raïssa Robles
This evening, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte practically accused President Benigno Aquino III and Senator Antonio Trillanes of selling out to China. He vowed to investigate the role played by both officials in the loss of Scarborough Shoal to China.
What Duterte hasn’t told his supporters, though – including his new-found senatorial candidate Rafael Alunan – is that in early October 2015, Duterte was visited by the newly-appointed Chinese Consul General Song Ronghua plus four other Chinese officials from the Chinese consulate in Cebu.
See photo below –
Chinese side reportedly offered to withdraw from Scarborough Shoal if Manila did not file document on dispute; Beijing denies any offer
The visit came before the start of the filing for candidacy for the presidency and other national elective positions.
At that time of the visit, Duterte was still vacillating over running for president.
I’ve already written extensively about Aquino and Trillanes on the South China Sea issue. This is the first time I’m delving deeper into Duterte’s stance on the issue.
For my story on this, see – Philippines ‘rejects China deal on disputed shoal’ – as China denies making any such offer. Chinese side reportedly offered to withdraw from Scarborough Shoal if Manila did not file document on dispute; Beijing denies any offer
Senate Minority Floor Leader Juan Ponce Enrile later revealed that the go-between for this offer was Trillanes. Two sources also separately told me the same thing.
As a long-time observer of Philippine-Chinese relations, I found the high-level visit last October by Chinese envoys to a mayor down south highly unusual.
First, because ever since the standoff over Scarborough Shoal in 2012, China has implemented an almost total snub of Philippine officials, except during such occasions as China National Day (October 1) or the celebration of the Lunar New Year.
You can count the number of top level Filipino officials whom Chinese envoys still see outside of those two occasions. Among them is Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family.
When ConGen Song visited Duterte in Davao in early October,the Chinese official had newly arrived in the Philippines. Weeks later on October 21, ConGen Song would be wounded in a bizarre shooting of two of his staff at the consulate in Cebu during the celebration of a birthday party. (A retired Chinese consular official and his wife were tagged as the suspected perpetrators and hastily flown back to Beijing.)
What the photo of Song and Duterte suggests is that Mayor Duterte has an open pipeline to Chinese officials.
In contrast, Duterte has shunned talking to US Embassy officials. He has publicly disclosed that the US Embassy had also invited him to talk about his plans over the South China Sea dispute, but he hasn’t accepted the invitation.
Duterte bared:
“The American embassy would like to talk to me. I want to make this public because I feel lukewarm toward the United States.”
Duterte indicated that he has not yet found the time in his schedule to meet with US envoys.
Coupled with his meeting with Chinese officials, Duterte also disclosed last March that “a Chinese” had partly funded his political ads. His exact words to reporters were:
“May nagbayad niyan na Chinese sa initial ads ko.” He added, “Ayaw naman sabihin [kung sino siya].”
Which leads me to ask this question – is Duterte getting funding from a foreign Chinese corporation or the Chinese government? What I find really puzzling is that the tough-talking Mayor of Davao City, who has repeatedly warned that “blood would flow” if he ever gets elected President because he would be tough on criminals, seems all but ready to lie down and give up sovereignty over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) claimed by the Philippines in the South China Sea.
I base this on the series of statements that Duterte has publicly stated on the issue.
I am assuming that as a candidate running for the highest office, he means what he says.
Duterte has publicly said the following:
On February 29, 2016, he asked China to build a railway in exchange for silence and inaction on the part of the Philippines:
“Build us a railway just like the one you built in Africa and let’s set aside disagreements for a while.
Build us a rail for Mindanao, build us a railway from Manila to Bicol, I will be happy, let us not fight. Build us a railway because no nation on earth ever progressed without a railway.”
He also offered himself up to the Chinese as a sacrifice:
“If worse comes to worst, I will not waste the lives of Filipino soldiers, I will go to the boundary line, myself; maybe have someone take me there, and I will go there on my own with a jet ski, bringing along with me a flag and a pole and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, ‘Kill me.’ Huwag na ang sundalo (Don’t kill the soldiers).
I’ll tell (the Chinese authorities)’kill me,’ because I also want to be a hero.”
On March 7, 2016, he said he did not believe in the Aquino government’s move to bring the conflict before an international arbitral tribunal because anyway, China will not abide by the ruling:
“I have a similar position as China’s. I don’t believe in solving the conflict through an international tribunal. China has said it will not abide by whatever that tribunal’s decision will be. That’s the same case with me, especially if the ruling will be against the Philippines.”
Later, his own campaign team backtracked on his behalf but he hasn’t.
Duterte has also offered not to talk about ownership of the islands in exchange for joint exploration and economic perks:
“Let’s not talk about ownership and I will not make noise about it. If you want, let’s do a joint exploration. Just give me my part [of the agreement] whatever it is, [it may be] a train system from Manila to Mindanao. For six years, I will shut up.”
On April 15, 2016, Duterte said he would start bilateral talks with China, or talk with China directly, on the issue.
He said,
“We will not insist on the ownership for the simple reason that we cannot enforce our desire to own….There’s no conflict. You have joint exploration without giving up sovereignty. It’s like you told your neighbor, ‘let’s not talk about who owns that but let’s split the profits.’ There are legal formulas around the world recognized by the US, accepting that.”
To put it bluntly, as a Filipino I am shocked.
All these approaches – joint exploration, trains and aid for amicable relations with China, and bilateral negotiations with China – all these had been tried before and failed with disastrous results for the Philippines.
After President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo agreed to a joint seismic exploration of a portion of the South China Sea where China did not even have any claims, China put one over the Philippines. It started claiming even this portion.
President Arroyo also accepted a concessional loan from China to fund North Rail. When the South China Sea conflict erupted during the administration of President Benigno Aquino, Jr., China made the entire concessional loan due and demandable. This nearly affected the Philippine economy, President Aquino told me in an interview last year.
Before the arbitration, President Aquino also tried to explore joint exploration and bilaterals. But the negotiations bogged down over China’s insistence that any contract should be signed under its own laws, and not under Philippine law.
Duterte said on April 15: “We will not insist on the ownership for the simple reason that we cannot enforce our desire to own.”
This reminds me of what the late foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus told female overseas contract workers at the height of the Iraq-Kuwait war when they faced sexual assault – that they might as well lie back and enjoy the rape since anyway it can’t be prevented.
It’s intriguing that Duterte seems to be very confident that China will negotiate with him fair and square if he is the President. I really wonder what gives him that air of confidence over this very thorny issue.
> Raissa’s site cannot be accessed at this posting, probably being blocked.
Looks more like someone’s assaulting the site with a denial-of-service attack.
And, yeah, connect the dots and I smell he’s going to sell out… and to make that even more disturbing his fanatics are very loyal regardless of what he is going to do.
Stinky stench right out of the cold climes of Denmark !! GISING mga Pinoy !!!!!!!!
Another ABC news story about the Philippines elections.This time the focus is on where candidates get money from for their campaigns. Grace Poe’ s connections with Former Marcos crony Cojuangco from San Miguel, Corp, is highlighted.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-08/philippines-election-campaign-financing-sources-a-mystery/7394446
Danding. And Peping supporting the Duts.
Itago nyo sa bato, si Edgardo Angara ang gagawing head ng DFA ni Duterte. Mark my words. 🙂
LecheFlan, itinago ko na po sa malaking bato. Walang makakaalam sa sinabi mo, tayong dalawa lang.
“Crab Mentality”.. yan ang hirap sa atin hindi pa nga nagsisimula hinihila na pababa… tsk tsk tsk… pagtrabahuhin nyo muna bago nyo batikusin.
Eh sa taas ba naman na napwesto… Ano kung nabigo na gawin ang sinasabi niyang “pagbabago”? Ano kung nauwi (na naman) sa dahas at kahihiyan?
Bahala na kay Punisher… DAW!
Anong kinakatakot nyo? Magiging successful naman si DuterTAE di ba? Yan ang opinion nyo di ba, kaya nyo sya binoto?
Anong paghihila pababa, linilista lang ang mga sisisihin in the eventual pagbagsak ng ekonomiya ng pinas.
I was right !!! Considering Andrew Lim’s article, I can now say with 200% confidence and certainty the people are accountable to Jejomar Binay’s Vice-Presidency. They are also hold accountable if Duterte’s government crumble.
Here is the problem with Filipinos, they do not blame themselves in electing crooks in the government. They blame the very people they elected.
And I suppose that raises the question of what to do about that. Like, how to move from complaint to solution. Lest one find oneself operating exactly like the Philippine people.
Can we also have a list of celebrities and/or establishments who supported DuterTAE as well?
And to those who are complaining that what we are doing is divisive? What have you to fear? You voted for DuterTAE because you 2-digits are so sure that he’s going improve our lives. Shouldn’t you be proud if you are included in this list and DuterTAE turns out to be a success?
Let it go, man! Let it go! Move on. Move on to issues.
smart people .. only can talk nonetheless. probably its so hard to swallow that your standard manila-based traditional politician with the cleanest image to represent can no longer fool majority of the voting Filipinos 🙂
Trolling an election after it is over. Now that is intelligent, as if to rub salt in wounds to hurt people were admirable.
Let’s offer a prayer for Cynthia Patag and her mom, picked up by a Medical City ambulance. She’s truly upset hence this post which is in all caps.
Jose Leonardo A. Sabilano commented on her post:
Jose Leonardo A. Sabilano Real name is Imelda Claravall. Both Ilda and her husband are based in Australia, out of which they operate GRP.
As an aside, I pray for your mom’s well-being and speedy recovery
Cynthia Patag
8 hrs · ..
I’M CALLING YOU OUT (1) IMELDA CLARAVALL (2) IMELDA FONZ – FACEBOOK (3) ilda_com – TWEETER. (BOTH SHE AND HUSBAND @benign0, ANOTHER COMPULSIVE HATER/BASHER, ARE BASED IN AUSTRALIA, “GET REAL POST” IS THE SLEAZY COUPLE’S BUSINESS.) YOU’RE THE SNAKE WHO IMPERSONATED ME ON TWEETER, USED MY WALL TO POST VILE TWEETS AGAINST “MAYOR” DUTERTE, ATTRIBUTED YOUR CRASS LIES TO ME FOR MAYOR’S FROTHING HYENAS TO FEAST ON.
UNLIKE YOU, I’VE NEVER USED THE PEJORATIVE “DUTERTARD,” NEVER CALLED ANYONE ON FACEBOOK ‘BOBO,’ ‘TANGA,’ ‘BAYARAN,’ ‘LAOS,’ KSP, ETC. NOR SHOWN CONTEMPT FOR ANYONE’S ERRONEOUS ENGLISH, SELDOM GET INVOLVED IN ARGUMENTS ALTHOUGH SUSMARYOSEP – IT TAKES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SELF-CONTROL NOT TO RESPOND TO BLATANT, EGREGIOUS LIES OF IGNORANT FOOLS.
AGAIN, I HAVE NEVER SENT A TWEET NOR USED MY TWEETER ACCOUNT. I OPENED ONE YEARS AGO BEFORE ANYONE ELSE GRABBED IT, ATTACHED IT TO MY FB ACCOUNT. EVEN THEN, IT’S ALREADY BEING USED AS A NOUN, ADJECTIVE, VERB, ADVERB, EVEN A “THE CYNTHIA PATAG.” WHY ON EARTH WOULD I MALIGN “MAYOR” (AS HE PREFERS TO BE CALLED) WHEN HE’S ALREADY WON BY A LANDSLIDE? I’M ALSO A KIND PERSON, I NORMALLY DON’T DO AD HOMINEMS. NOW IS AN EXCEPTION.
TO ALL WHO PILLORIED ME HASTILY, VICIOUSLY: YOUR COMMENTS REFLECT YOUR ODIOUS CHARACTER. I’M NOT IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR MISERABLE LIVES, SELF-HATE.
YES, I AM CONSIDERING FILING A CYBER BULLYING CASE AGAINST YOU “ILDA”, “GET REAL POST,” THOSE WHO POSTED THIS LIE MEANT TO DEFAME ME. YOU ARE A CRUDE, CRUEL LIAR; YOU VILIFIED PNOY AND MAR ATROCIOUSLY ON “GET REAL POST,” TOO.
DIOS KO. A MEDICAL CITY AMBULANCE JUST COLLECTED MY MOM AND HER CAREGIVER; SHE’LL GO STRAIGHT TO ER – AGAIN. I’VE ALREADY CALLED MY TWO SIS IN THE US ABOUT MOMI’S FAST DEGENERATION. PRIORITIES: MY MOM WHO’S TURNING 90 COMES FIRST.
HOLD YOUR BREATH, YOU LOW GRADE WORM.
ADDENDUM:
Nadia Montenegro filed a case against a poseur – FILED!
RA 10175 2012 ANTI CYBER CRIME ACT
6yrs & 1 day to 12 yrs IMPRISONMENT & minimun of P200,000 fine.
THIS IS A WARNING TO ALL “IRRESPONSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA USERS”! #StopTheHate #PNPAntiCyberCrimeGroup
CELEBRITY OR NOT, EVERYONE SHOULD STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS!
I religiously agree with what Duterte and His people is saying quoting the divisiveness of the Duterter’s platform. People in the Philippines seems to be like a little boy’s mind or worst than them. You cannot let say for instance If you vote Duterte and your vice is not duterte’s people e.g. Leni Lobredo or Chiz escudero and some other guys there outside of duterte’s vision. Why? because this people who are not of duterte’s platform will only create division and worst is they will just make trouble and fight back with duterte especially this Leni Lobredo who says that if duterte will do bad she will not concede to it but she is talking in the win because she already knows that the platform is good then why would she choose to say the word bad? It is the fault of the Filipino people. Like I said before and I said it again. Even in abroad, Filipinos sells or betrays fellow filipino. IT is wise and common sense according to Sandra cam that if you voted for duterte’s people the result is unity but people in the Philippines loves to see trouble. I suggest that all those people who voted other candidates not in duterte’s platform even they voted duterte must be removed from all the benefits duterte has given to the Filipino people. For example, One Policeman voted for duterte but did not vote for cayetano and other dutertes’ supporters must not receive the 100k/ monthly salary and all of duterte’s project to teach them a lesson being ignorant and dull with no common sense. Naka bwisit talaga itong karamihan sa mga Filipinos.
So kindly let us know your location, nationality and interest in the Philippines, Rick, lest I conclude that you are just one more Chinese troll tromping through to demean Filipinos and divide them.
Pros and cons in politics. The people who wanted to do good for our country are looking forward for the progressive Philippines. We are in needs of brilliant people who had the heart to help others. This incoming government officials are the Hope of the poor Filipinos.
Our hope also that the Opposition will help towards the Nation building, It is now to the Opposition if they want to go for the development of the nation, or still become the ‘Great talangka.’
I think it falls to the incoming government to embrace diversity and respect the opposition. It is not unity to demand that everyone give up their beliefs and ways to fit this pronouncement or that. Commanded unity is not real unity. It is a facade, a fake. Respect builds real unity.
mr . who you are, i would like to acknowledge your being futuristic yet pessimistic. as you can see our country has been divided for so many personal greedy reasons that lead to the downfall of everything. it has been decades that the presidentiables have promised for economic changes and etcetera but never succeeded because mostly or mainly those that in positions have grotesque ideas. Now those presidentiables were given their terms already and have been to trial and more errors,here comes duterte for another vow to end corruption which is the true cause of every countries downfall. We may not be totally submissive to all his wills and presumptions but at lease give him the chance to prove himself once and for all, please let us give him one more chance just like what we did with the previous leaders. i believed he could be successful if we all bind ourselves together for the good of our country and please – we can only succeed with our goals if we start disciplining ourselves and be optimistic. God bless philippines
15million plus + ! Anong 70% ang sinasabi mong hindi boboto kay duterte! Eh di mali ka noh? Anong disaster ? Ang disaster yung mga korap at epal ng mga nakaraang administrasyon ! Patawa ! Hahahahaha!
Why are you still trolling after the election? 61% did not vote for Mayor Duterte. Many are worried that the extreme acts he himself proposes will lead to disaster. Why don’t you grant them some respect and explain why we should not take him at his word, that he will disband congress or execute people at will?
To my dear brothers and sisters, I really salute of all your bright opinion about the possibility and the probability of what will happen to our country in the future under DU30 administration but we need change. why don’t we help him changing the country by starting the change to our family first then support the Govt Mission and Vision. I admit that I’m a DU30 supporter even Davao is too far from Masbate but for the past many decades still Masbate did not improved because of the corrupt local officials..
That is the fundamental position of the blog, that a strong presidency is good for the Philippines. No one wants him to fail. On the other hand, he can fail through his acts if they are not really in the best interest of the nation. We don’t need to support bad decisions.