Congratulations, President Elect Duterte
![[Photo source: Rappler]](https://joeam.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/image10-e1462795257701.jpeg?w=350&h=287)
[Photo source: Rappler]
Although I am not a citizen, it is clear from the articles and commentary at this blog that I thought Mar Roxas would be the best President to take the Philippines forward with the continuity and growth needed to raise the nation out of poverty. Filipino voters determined otherwise. The choices for us the ‘losers’ becomes:
- Turn bitter and fight the new administration.
- Figure out how to help the new administration.
I choose the latter, although with the knowledge it may be the tougher path.
The Duterte government was properly elected. That is an explicit democratic truth. The new Executive leadership has earned its position under the terms of the Constitution and ruling agencies such as COMELEC.
There are institutions and laws in place that define the way a government is supposed to act, and public mechanisms like a free press and social media to act as public oversight, to the extent they are allowed to operate freely.
To that end, I wonder why one of my contrary tweets was forwarded to the Duterte organization on Election Day, almost as if a list of adversaries were already being compiled. For suppression? If that is the method of the new Administration, then I think it will not last long. That kind of Administration will be in for a tough time generating the unity and wealth needed to feed its hungry and evidently angry masses.
But if there is an earnest effort to act within the laws to build a unified, strong, productive nation . . . hey, I’m all for it.
I don’t expect to run an ‘anti’ blog. Or join in a revolutionary struggle.
I will write to seek ways to build, to grow, to argue civilly and honestly, and invite readers to do the same. I’ll try to be considerate that my way can’t be the only way. To be compassionate toward earnest men and women of good will. To reject bully tactics and insults. To run a forum for intelligent discussions that represents the Philippines as a thoughtful, forthright nation.
A new set of informal editorial guidelines for participation will be drawn up for this blog, generally centered on ways to avoid becoming a negative, complaining place. That will have to await my return from travels in a week or so.
Point of order: President Duterte is the peoples’ choice under lawful elections.
Congratulations to him and his organization for tapping a resonant chord with voters.
Best wishes to him in converting that support to good deeds for the entire nation.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
One good thing that will happen: Binay will go to jail.
Remember, he was endorsing Binay before declaring his candidacy? Tongue in cheek?
Wishful thinkng on my part.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/786360/duterte-wont-prosecute-aquino-binay
All up to the Ombudsperson.
And Duterte cannot remove the Ombudsman, right? The only way to get her out is impeachment? (Oops, I mean Ombudsperson.)
The newspapers call her ombudsman anyway.Yeah she could only be removed through impeachment like Merceditas Gutierez.
Joke lang ito: (as long as he is not yet President he cannot ask Merkel to take me to court like Erdogan did to a German comedian, and even if I am willing to face German rule of law)
Pag nag-bayagra si Duterte, siya na ang President-erect. Serious ulit: congratulations. Good luck.
Singaporean asks Mainland Chinese: When did you have your last election? Mainland Chinese answers: just befole bleakfast. Back to serious: how will foreign relations go?
I am glad that you decided not to make this an anti blog, that will only invite bullies.And sometimes I fight back,I would want to avoid that.
If he follows his “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” approach nationwide with a weekly or even monthly TV show for citizens, it would be worth reporting about in a constructive manner. Even critically if we build on ideas, not wreck them. Iyong kulang punuin, iyong mali itama.
In this brave new world, we’ll have a new mission thereon: be vigilant, so watch the guards.
He will remain accountable for his actions, and anything he does will affect our standing in this world.
Not only him, but also BBM.
Watch out for him.
Yehey,when I woke up Leni overtook BBM.
I can breathe easy now. There was a God after all.
Ok Congratulations in advance.
Congratulations in advance Duterte.
LP still has the Senate, judging from the numbers. And Trillanes will always hound Duterte, in case he has any ambitions… Whatever Duterte will plan, if it is sinister, it will not succeed at least, because he has turned so many upon him/
In my view, the mode to take would be of principled support for his morally acceptable programs, characterized by eternal vigilance.
I am eagerly awaiting his appointees because so far his group of advisers do not inspire confidence. The economic managers in particular because they will really run the show, not Duterte since he has admitted to not being knowledgeable enough. If they are credible, then we may be okay.
For foreign policy, we have to see how his seemingly pro-bilateral, pro-joint venture with China stance will pan out. It’s a reversal of the current position.
This stance will drive away global support for our position. And since we really don’t have leverage, China may just play along at the start, sign the agreements, then renege on them later. What can we do then, after driving away the US?
I actually envision Duterte being invited to a summit on this in Beijing, where he will be given star treatment by China for the first year of the agreement. Then afterwards, China will summon him (not invited) and he will be made to walk a cavernous hall where he has to walk from one end to the other. At the end will be an elevated desk where the Chinese premier is seated.
And Duterte, for all his macho posturing, will have to speak to him looking upwards.
LOL the only oiption left for him would be the jetski
Nice fortune telling. Bitter? LOL. Let’s see if that will come true.
@Zyril, This is a discussion forum. If you have a point to make, state it in a positive manner. Trolling season is over.
We will see. What leverage do we have in a bilateral apparoach?
SC senior Associate Justice Carpio is of the opinion that a bilateral approach has been tried before and has failed, any approach of that kind will appear to be a pull-out of our case in The Hague (if I remember and understand correctly his points in his interview with Mareng Winnie, the link of which I could not find).. in any case, China has been saying that any bilateral agreement must proceed based in our acknowledgement that China owns the contested areas in the WPS based on their 9-dash line.
He will assign Edgardo Angara as the head of DFA – mark my words. Angara’s a smart man, but I don’t know his stance on the West China Sea issue.
He will probably assign DDG Tungpalan as the NEDA head. Tungpalan will be a good NEDA head; people I know worked with him before and said he’s good.
Let’s see how this plays out. I didn’t vote for Duterte but I’m trying to be positive that he’ll assign competent cabinet members.
This background is most interesting, and encouraging. I hope you will continue to brief us on the personalities of the Duterte Admin. Or do a guest article if you wish.
When I watched CNN ph last night, Duterte is considering putting cayetano in DFA.
after a year, redC..right now, Cayetano and Duterte has to be content with a behind the scene advisor.
According to news, NEDA would be given to Joey Salceda.
I doubt NEDA would be good enough for Joey Salceda. He was offered the Finance portfolio before and he rejected it in favor of the Governorship of Albay. My take is that he will serve his three-year term as Albay congressman and then go back to being Albay governor.
“There are institutions and laws in place that define the way a government is supposed to act, and public mechanisms like a free press and social media to act as public oversight, to the extent they are allowed to operate freely.” He has 40% of the vote…
Amending the Constitution is only possible with 60% or even 66% of the House I think, so he does NOT have a blank check… he can initiate a national discussion on a new Constitution, which I would even consider a good thing (my article here: Reconstitute the Philippines) so let’s see.
“almost as if a list of adversaries were already being compiled.” I have seen on Facebook a posting by a major Duterte group that reveals the names of women who protested (masked) on the street against him. This aspect is worrying and will have to be closely watched. Vedemos.
“Best wishes to him in converting that support to good deeds for the entire nation.”
It COULD finally become a nation for, with and by the Filipino people – something I have seen as lacking in the successor of the colonial state that the Philippine state STILL is.
BUT Duterte and his group will have to remember that they are NOT the only Filipinos, they will have to learn to be tolerant of those who are different from them – and will have to learn that the Philippines can be as proud as it wants to, but is NOT alone in this shrinking world.
Irineo, as an IT professional, you may help by thinking of building robust redundancies in internet based communication since that is crucial in maintaining a democracy.
I am not so good in Internet matters… but this might be a hint: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-romanias-internet-is-so-much-faster-than-americas – neigborhood networks like in Romania, redundant and fast, and hard to take down because they are many – they are like the semilegal way Filipino squatters and Romanian gypsies (used to?) get electricity. Anything that goes via Globe or PLDT can easily be taken down centrally. Although Globe belongs to Ayala if I remember right, and he will probably not easily do Duterte’s bidding?
As for blogs, my blog is robust and in foreign jurisdiction. It is managed by a group that is clearly anti-fascist in its leanings, has been subjected to many takedown attempts, which means that its team is experienced in getting the blog up again unlike Raissa and Alan. Look for other people as well who are in the United States and can set up own “bandido blogs” where you can post. I don’t think the link to the US will be severed that quickly – Duterte is also dependent on BPO companies (mostly American) which have that link.
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-the-internet-doesnt-change-everything
“building robust redundancies in internet based communication since that is crucial in maintaining a democracy.”
andrew,
That’s difficult at this point. There really never was a chaos phase in the Philippines, it went straight to the old phone companies and the internet is well consolidated (monopolized). Unless the Philippines opens up to Google or facebook projects to bring internet to the masses by way of floating wifi. That’s a good read above on this topic.
I don’t know if I would be able to sleep soundly tonight. My heart is heavy.
Alcohol,but not advisable if you are taking meds.Just a shot.
Since you are in HK,there was no liquor ban,unlike here.How was your sleep?
Not at all. I don’t drink. It’s tempting though the hubby has a collection of wine and champagne some had been kept for years they accumulated in value.
Sell them, balato hah.
Well, even Hitler was democratically elected, too (notwithstanding the suppressive violence of his supporters and the SA towards non-supporters during the election campaign. In the 1933 German Federal elections Hitler’s National Socialist German Workers Party, was democratically voted as the largest party be far, receiving 43.9% of the popular vote. The second party (SPD) received only 18.25%. Many thought he can be controlled, actually, old embassy records of that time show that many foreign diplomats didn’t take him seriously in the beginning. Until he started to close the parliament and all other democratic institutions.
While accepting the outcome of a democratic election, one has to be very watchful on how he will start his rule. Based on all what Duterte uttered during his campaign (revolutionary government, mass killings, involvement of the CCP, NPA etc), there was nothing in his campaign that gives me any confidence about his presidency. A further nightmare is BBM’s vice presidency. Dark days for the Philippines indeed.
If it is any consolation, for every Duterte voter, there were almost two Filipinos who didn’t vote for him. However, this societal split may cause further troubles for the country, if Duterte will force changes upon the country that the majority, who didn’t voted for him cannot accept.
The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act_of_1933 was passed after the Reichstag burned down, allegedly due to a lone Dutch “anarchist”… but it looks like it was a false flag thing similar to what Plaza Miranda and the Enrile assasination attempt possibly were.
It will be up to the groups belonging to the 60% to be watchful, very watchful, and also make sure they have all bases covered. Make sure their blog servers are secured (Raissa!) and their foreign-based allies are in line, anonymize their IP addresses if needed.
I have been having a hard time accessing JoeAm’s and Raissa’s blog sites, and even my own email. I hope this post will go through after several tries.
It seems that Duterte will be the president elect, and the smart plan that I have posted about was outsmarted. It is now time to move on and concentrate all our efforts into nation-building.
I will however defer my expression of congratulations, or not, to all the Duterte supporters until 6 months later when we will have clearer picture on where the Duterte presidency will lead us to.
In the meantime, my best wishes for the greater good of our country.
Nice to see you here Yvonne,and nice advice to all of us about nation building.
Thank you Karl.
Unlike others who become active commenters only because of the presidential elections,
I have been posting since the Corona impeachment trial and I will continue to advocate for government transparency and good governance for years to come.
God bless our country.
Good luck to the Philippines… I am more likely to believe what Julius Caesar allegedly said, that the only true God there is is Fortuna or Lady Luck who isn’t always a lady…
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL3N1863ZS – very interesting:
DAVAO, Philippines May 9 (Reuters) – Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that if he became Philippine president he would call for multilateral talks to resolve disputes over the South China Sea, which should include the United States and Japan as well as rival claimants.
You are welcome. God Bless our country.
Sorry, guys.
I’m not sure if concession speeches are tradition over there. I gotta feeling Mar Roxas will be the first to do so.
The good fight continues.
Support the President.
(the video didn’t post… but here’s the transcript about concession speeches)
“It’s not going to happen.”– Sarah Palin
“You’re not giving a speech.” — Steve Schmidt
“And why is that, Steve?”
“You’re not giving a speech because the vice presidential candidate has never given a concession speech on election night. It’s not about you.
It’s about the country. Yeah, well, there’s a lot of things never been done before. Governor…
This country has just elected the first African-American president in the history of its existence. And it is the concession speech that will legitimize his succession as commander in chief.
It is a serious and solemn occasion, and John McCain, and only John McCain, will be giving
this sacred speech. This is how it has been done in every presidential election since the dawn of the Republic,
and you, Sarah Palin, will not change the importance of this proud American tradition.”
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/784657/roxas-to-make-an-announcement-at-10-a-m-tuesday-says-spokesman
I hope this is a proper concession speech, for all other concession speeches to follow, to unify (I guess not so much legitimize, since the mandate is obvious and it’s a landslide at this point).
A nice set of posts here starting with Joe’s latest blog. I too join in the congratulations of your election as President though still unofficial, Mayor Duterte.
————
I saw on TV just now Duterte’s waving the proverbial olive branch with his call for healing. I too join him in that, but it will not do if his rabid supporters continue to behave as they did pre-election or he himself behaves such as to sow division than healing that he now seeks. Duterte must in his official speech after his election in no uncertain terms state his intolerance to these behavior of his supporters. Also I join him in his plans for reduced crime and drug-free environment, if not its elimination, but within our Constitution and Laws or their amended versions.
Rarely do I see any online or print publication of such honorable calibre. You have always grounded your firm loyalty to President Aquino not only on his character and accomplishments, but—more so—the dignity and weight of his office. To see this blog recognizes even the candidate that it likes least as worthy of this unwavering, republican support is truly heartening.
In this time of cynicism and apathy—thank you.
Thanks, Ben. Democracy is not always easy, but it’s the best.
Hear, hear !!
I read somewhere that Du30 visited Cesar Virata. If he is appointed Finance Minister I can get on board his administration but Virata was also the Finance Minister during Martial Law, not a very good omen of things to come. Wish him well and the country with him.
Isn’t he too old to still play an active part in government? No offense to the senior readers of the blog.
I think if Duterte is serious about “change”, maybe he can try out some new blood. If he brings in Virata, then add that to a potential BBM VP win, that might wake up too many ghosts of the 70s.
You young whippersnappers need to give us ‘olds’ a little respect. Ahahaha! Good to hear from you, brianitus.
I was about to say something similar. We oldies (I am a septuagenarian close to 80), still have some of those valuable brain cells — some call them the wisdom of old — but much less of the hormones that drive the energy of youth such as you have. Hurray for the energy and drive of the youth, but hurray too for the wisdom of old. I believe all will now pray and hope for the wisdom of Duterte who is a septuagenarian himself, mixed with a good combination of youthful energy and wisdom of experienced, “old” people in his Cabinet.
🙂
Virata is deeply experienced and not corrupt. The knock against him is his lack of moral courage during the Marcos years, unlike Ting Paterno.
I agree. He steered the gov’t finances during its darkest hour and yes I worry about his moral courage and just being a yes man in this embryonic cabinet.
“To run a forum for intelligent discussions that represents the Philippines as a thoughtful, forthright nation.”
I support you, Joe.
If anything, I think Duterte will be good for Muslim Philippines and shed light in that region, long relegated as backwaters.
Thanks.
Joe,
Any chance you can start a series of blogs on what President Duterte can do or ought to do in his first 100 days in office—- on top of fighting crime, etc.? Policy-type suggestions.
ie., different avenues he can take vis-a-vis China, South China Sea, the US; also plans specific to the SEA-US cable into Davao City; And will the Visayan language finally be made equal to Tagalog, how will he do this?, etc. etc. etc. Oh yeah, Muslim Philippines vis-a-vis Salafism & IS-type/takfiri movement in SE Asia.
“will the Visayan language finally be made equal to Tagalog,” in this old blog of mine I suggested three national languages: Tagalog/Filipino, Cebuano, Ilokano… the population of speakers makes it feasible and Ilokano is different being Northern Philippine…
http://filipinogerman.blogsport.eu/identification-communication-learning/ – but one could also have a face-saving Indian-style solution. They have Hindi as national language, English as official language, and 17 other languages as official languages as well…
What I think is an idea is that court proceedings be allowed in any one of 3-5 official languages – many simple people are handicapped by English in court, it makes identifying with law and order a hard sell. Maybe Duterte should follow some of Miriam’s advice on law.
No. I think I would not try to instruct or even suggest. I’m not yet sure what I’ll write about.
Mayor Rody Duterte will be president of the republic by July 1st this year. The campaign is over, I will not retract any word I said about him, but for now, I honor him for his title and position. I bow to the winner. Democracy calls for my support and goodwill for the president-elect. Congratulations po, sir.
Some lessons learned:
1. Meron palang Silent Majority. Their coming out for Mar Roxas in Facebook is good, but they came out too late. Why did they have to be silent in the first place if they were the majority? Yolanda, MRT and all issues brought Secretary Roxas down not because the charges were true, but no one defended him. We let him drown when he needed saving from deep water. Did we learn our lesson yet?
2. When people say they are angry, we better believe it. In the next campaign, let us factor in all elements, including anger. We cannot force feed the population. We have to initiate the programs, AND sell it. Government insensitivity gained traction because we did not address the anger. The lesson is there. Take it.
3. Every political idea must be translated to memes as if it were another language. Responses to memes and trending posts whether good or bad must be a program within the government communications program. Make no mistake about it. We are a millennial nation. Ignore the millennials at your own risk. It’s a lesson begging to be learned.
4. Filipinos do campaigns well. It’s almost like music and dance to us, being political animals. If you’re the incumbent, don’t ever disengage from campaign, even if elections are six years away. Every admin must run parallel to a campaign. If you say you need more than six years to complete tasks, then by all means, have a separate budget and effort for campaign DURING term. Are we learning yet?
At bottom, we have to consistently defend people we elected. We cannot just vote for them, we have to work with them during their term. Hard work? Try losing. That’s harder work. — Will
“but for now, I honor him for his title and position.” Will, this reminds me of what Gerhard Schröder once said – even if you can’t respect me, at least respect the Chancellor…
I voted for Gerhard Schröder in 1998 as I was then part of the “Neue Mitte” – the new middle class, earning first money, wanting to belong to the established crowd. WE of the Neue Mitte were mostly of working-class and migrant origin, we liked “Gerd” BECAUSE of his “cowboy attitude” (gimme a beer and stuff like that in public) and because we were not given time of day by the established crowd yet. Today many of us have become Merkel voters because she unlike Helmut Kohl shows that she accepts the newcomer crowd…
Funny how the lessons of politics are similar worldwide… they just must be learned.
“don’t ever disengage from campaign” my article from last night is about how the movements created in this campaign (Change is Coming and the Silent Majority) might yet develop into REAL citizen partys (in German, Volksparteien, in Filipino partidongbayan which is my own translation) which are carried by citizens all over the nation and by their participation. Eventually they may even have more non-dynastic, Leni-type candidates!
http://filipinogerman.blogsport.eu/pananagutan/ is also about getting along. Constructive opposition – because in the end there is only one Filipino nation you all have to fix. In UK the Opposition is “Her Majesty’s loyal opposition” – her Majesty is a symbol of the nation.
This what the two movements might eventually morph into:
Change is Coming => something like Republicans (their own Trump they already have) 😀
Silent Majority => something like Democrats (Leni and her civic society groups + LP)
I would say that he earn my respect since he works for me and 100M other Filipinos now instead of just Davao. Same way that Aquino earned my respect thru his performance even if I didn’t vote for him and had really low expectations going by his legislative record. I’m honest enough to admit I was wrong the last Presidential elections and I fervently hope that I’m wrong again this time to preserve and improve on the gains we had the past 6 years. Its later in the game and any misstep is much more damaging than if it happened in the past.
It’s time for healing and nation-building. And smart, insightful and good people like you could very well be at the forefront leading us, the less experienced ones.
“Democracy calls for my support and goodwill for the president-elect.” I too have told myself that in case my candidate loses in this election. Thank you for articulating it so well.
“It’s time for healing and nation-building. And smart, insightful and good people like you could very well be at the forefront leading us, the less experienced ones.”
…as we need reasonable folks like yourself who are willing to engage in honest dialogue.
It’s going to be a difficult next few months, with folks on all camps more than willing to be uncivilized, illogical, and deliberately misinformed. It is incumbent upon us, within our spheres of influence, to calm them down and make them realize the goal is for everyone to come out winners.
Congratulations to the president-elect.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.
@Jean
Thank you for engaging here in a very positive manner. You have been forthcoming, considerate and respectful.
We set aside what has been said before, and now focus on principled support. The support is principle based, not on a personality cult or hero worship or tribal instincts.
Principle and issues.
Well, we fought the good fight. I did not expect this article, but hey, it is the right thing to do. With tears in my eyes, I have to accept the will of the Filipino people. BUT all of us should continue to be vigilant. Support should not be given blindly.
Here’s a bottle of Red Horse to the new president, may your promise of change be genuine and beneficial to the majority.
Well said.
Well I just had a can of Pale Pilsen to help me sleep. Cheers mate! Hope he continues the hard won reforms. If he doesn’t do anything else but continue this I’ll be a lifelong fan.
Filipinos are not BLIND; they demanded CHANGE and they will WORK hard to get it. The web has become their weapon. 👓
I do not yet know how to react to the reality of this. It will be probably tough to accept but I’ll try to. There’s a new challenge to us, and that is to prove that we respect democracy and that we will not rip apart the country for ourselves—we will work together, even if we DO have to it with the President-to-be.
These times are kind of a Rorschach test. What do you see? John Oliver sees an upside-down feather and his father’s disappointment. Naysayers see a country that will go to doom. I see the next step in our path to democracy, to prove that we are capable of working with the elected and his supporters, even if we are not the majority anymore. This doesn’t mean we will be blind to their actions. We will watch them. That is the way democracy works.
Yes. I think that is the best approach.
I agree. Sadly, little cracks are already appearing on social media as people start expressing their reactions to this event. I keep my own Facebook profile completely devoid of political posts (bar one or two very mild ones) so as not to alienate anyone I know, but that shouldn’t be the permanent solution. We need a bit more respect for each other, a bit of cooperation here and there….
Uh, sir… You might want to look at the unofficial tally.
Leni is eventually catching up.
Thank you Joe for advocating nation building – the constructive approach as PH badly needs that. I hope he can inspire some of his divisive supporters to unity & healing. As a Davaoeno my default support should have been w/ Duterte but I had serious reservations like most people in this blog. But I assure you Duterte is a consensus builder, he listens & empathizes that’s why he was able to get the support & respect of the leftists, Moros & other minorities in Davao/Mindanao.
I too hope the Muslims (not the rich datus, nor the new Salafis, but regular folks) and the lumads are the winners, Rae_E.
Thank you, Rae. I appreciate the encouragement.
Raissa’s blogsite is still inaccessible. Maybe she needs a morror sie outside the philippines. A day ago, I think her site was blocked at the dns server level and was returning address not found. Now, the home page can be accessed but the hack at the database level is in effect which is a bit more difficult to do. The net effect is still the same and updated blogsite content is inaccessible. This is not rocket science but is a bit more sophisticated than a denial of service attack. In any case, it is true that the Philippine internet system is still in its Neanderthal stages.
All major German outlets have their reports on Duterte out:
Süddeutsche Zeitung (Munich, centrist leanings) – the ones behind the Panama Papers
Frankfurter Rundschau (Frankfurt, center-left leanings)
Die Zeit (Hamburg) – read by thought leaders, Helmut Schmidt was one of its publishers
Tagesspiegel (Berlin) – read by people from all walks of life in the capital city
Deutsche Welle (Voice of Germany) – mentions 7 people killed in Rosario near Manila also
N-TV (like CNN) – also mentions the election violence
Spiegel, Stern and Focus weekly magazines, online editions…
Frankfurter Allgemeine and BILD Zeitung, both conservative, have so far not yet written… but what they say (FAZ’s audience are the decision makers in both business and government, while BILD targets the man on the street) will be indicative of a lot – I think it will be wait and see for now.
Thank you JoeAm; As a dual citizen and active Dabawenyo who participated less in Davao Politics due to my long absence seeking economic upliftment for the betterment of my generation life journey; the success of Duterte’s administration is the reconciliation, transformation and cooperation. I am voluntarily supporting through the spiritual aspect installing Fear of God and Love of Others, everything else will follow through. Thank you and A blessed day!
Ramon D. Naguita Toronto, On. Ca.
On Monday, May 9, 2016, The Society of Honor by Joe America wrote:
> Joe America posted: “The informal election results, barring any major > anomalies, have Mayor Duterte winning by a substantial margin. Although I > am not a citizen, it is clear from the articles and commentary at this blog > that I thought Mar Roxas would be the best President ” >
Good to hear from Toronto, Ramon. Thanks.
Leni has a big chance of winning. As of 1:39am, the lead of Bong Bong is only 88,819 votes and keep on decreasing. Go go Madam!!!
As of 05/10/2016 02:39 update at the link,
http://www.inquirer.net/elections2016,
Marcos = 12,823,523
Robredo = 12,817,984
Difference is a mere = 5,539
with votes counted at 72% of registered voters. We hope the % of total votes reaches beyond 75%.
lamang na si leni man one 575 votes.
Gian,
The trend lines of all LATELY except Marcos is up — as if all are drawing their “nourishment” of votes from Marcos who is monotonously going down. With votes at 72% of the registered voters, and hoping the votes will reach at least 75% of the reg votes, I believe Marcos is gone!!!
Robredo is ahead now:
Robredo = 12,860,722
Marcos = 12, 860,147
Difference = 575!!!
She’s on lead now. Now we have hope for the future.
NO MORE REVISED TEXTBOOKS! The PCGG STAYS! CHR STAYS!
the bosses have spoken. we just hope that those elected will listen to their grievances
in my humble opinion, there’s a lot of blame to be heaped on Pnoy, especially his appointment of his shooting buddies and refusing to fire them when people are beginning to complain on their incompetence
now that DU30 has won, he should remember that people only see the dot on a paper and the elite in Manila will always look for the “butas” to make their move
Binay behind bars is a good start. the Ombudsman is doing a good job. don’t disappoint the people
I believe Ombudsman Conchita Morales-Carpio would get unconditional support from the new president, she being the aunt-in-law of the incoming Davao City mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Region 2 went for Binay? I wonder how much he doled out in my region
*******
1. Congratulations to the 40%, commiserations to the 60%, and good luck to the 100%.
2. Anger has many causes. One cause is the need for instant gratification. Quite simply, the nation failed the marshmallow test.
3. The popcorn is well and truly gone, but there is still enough rum for the Society to drown its sorrows. Salud!
4. The battle royal for the presidency has ended. Drinking is allowed until the battle royal for the vice-presidency is determined. Leni might still be the silver lining of this debacle (or challenge). After that, the great task of moving the nation forward remains.
5. Here are the Laws of Consciousness under current formulation:
5.1. The arch of Consciousness — and of Evolution — is from simplicity towards complexity.
5.2. For any entity, whether individual or nation, the level of Action (or Choice) depends upon the level of Consciousness. That is, the simpler the Consciousness the simpler the Action (or Choice).
5.3. The level of Consciousness is a function of individual and collective experiences – good and bad.
5.4. The path of Consciousness arising is never smooth. Bad experiences tend to repeat until the lessons implicit in them are crystallized and learned.
5.5. Therefore, good and bad are not opposites but streams of possibilities that contribute to the refinement of Consciousness. Good can come from bad and vice-versa.
6. That last Law should be kept firmly in mind in the days, months and years ahead.
7. I will now go back to navel-gazing… as apparently, the president-elect intends to do.
*****
Welcome back, edgar! 🙂
*******
Thanks. I just peeped out.
*****
Nice to see you back sir edgar. Don’t stay away too long, please.
*******
Mary, thank you… and thank you for your efforts.
I will pop up now and then as the spirit moves. Right now, the spirit craves solitude.
*****
I’ll take a small tipple of the juice, please. 5.5 seems to be somewhat of an anchor for hope. For myself, I think bitterness is a horrible waste of the human spirit.
Peeped in to check that the nation failed the Marshmallow Test; then out so soon? Stay a while after Duterte navel-gazes and observe how he instantly gratifies those who failed the Marshmallow Test. (Don’t stay physically though; it is a rather hot summer here but in contrast must be rather comfortable (cold) in the land of Oz. My wife and I was with our daughter and kids in Essendon, Melbourne last September and happened to be cold the week we were there when it was supposed to be summer weather.)
Nice to see you post the result of your navel-gazing thoughts — the path of consciousness thing.
Cheers to you edgar. 🙂
*******
NHerrera, cheers.
It’s fall here. It should be cold but it’s perfect room temperature now at 20 Celsius (68 F).
Having labelled Duterte a fascist, I live in hope. It may be that he is Saul on the road to Damascus. At times, the worst of sinners — Augustine, Beckett, Vladimir — make the best of saints.
*****
Yes, at times. I hope very much it is the case for the President-elect Duterte. I believe though that the country will be very happy with less of a saint but more of being a good President for all the Filipinos — starting ASAP by ordering his supporters to be civil, if being kind is impossible for them.
Cheers from Essendon, not Edgar’s territory; Sir Edgar is from up north ☀
Cheers mercedes from down in the land of Oz; nice place Essendon. 🙂
One of my nephews has recently built a house in Essendon; who knows we might bump into each other, one day. Lovely lady of a place that Essendon. My parents initially thought of buying a house there, when we first came to Oz. Already at that time it was a sedate sleepy suburb. I think it helped that Dame Edna was borne around that area or thereabouts. Essendon is really a neat place to bring up children
Beautiful place. But real estate properties getting pricey, especially since Melbourne has a net attraction to that place lately, even the Aussies themselves , I understand.
Real estate in Oz is ridiculous !!! A million for a 3 bedroom house boggles the mind a.and the pocketbook !!!!
Yehey Edgar,you made my day! Welcome back!
*******
Karl, Here’s looking at you, kiddo!
*****
We will always have Paris!
Edgar, welcome back. The first six months of Duterte’s presidency could be interesting, exciting even. So please keep the corn popping.
Joe is having a tipple of his father-in-law’s lambanog, me just my Energen, but I have here a bottle of champagne ready for the victory of our Leni Robredo.
*******
Ah, Bert, I believe you may pop the cork soon. With my Ovaltine… Salud!.
*****
Great to hear you again edgar the guru! Aside from Leni, who now leads BBM, your presence here always brings us cheer! Glad you are back!
He is just stopping by. He is still on his personal journey.
*******
bauwow, hope your tears have dried. Do not mope, Leni is the hope.
*****
Hi Edgar! There you are.
*******
Hi Wil, thank you for keeping the flame of the Faith alive. Only a battle has been lost… but not the war.
*****
🙂
@Edgar,
I can see you never lost sight on “Salud”.
That’s the spirit!
@JoeAm,
Congratulations to everyone here!
—–
Salud, Bautista’s the surname and Philrem’s her business entity
*******
Ah, baycas. You have been maligned… and I must confess some surprise at your choice. But intuition sometimes trumps rationality.
Great energy has been released. May your perspicacity prove right, and may the means of that energy overcome obstacles in the national psyche and milieu… and move the nation forward to the right ends.
Salud!
*****
I see you are also lurking at raissa’s sir edgar….even if you have gone MIA err MIP
@Edgar,
Well, @baycas is a ‘nobody’ anyway.
But one thing that was clearly ‘maligned’ which mattered most is the “Daang Matuwid” slogan that even the ruling party’s presidential bet somehow abandoned (as evidenced in the last debate) later in the campaign.
The slogan (aka ‘nickname’) probably took its toll on the wide lead I prayed for for ‘VP’ Robredo. Her camp obviously didn’t see the possible effect then when she filed her COC:
httpcolonslashslashastigdotph/mar-roxas-leni-robredo-add-daang-matuwid-slogan-to-comelec-names-list/
Baycas,
buti naman napadaan ka dito.
He he Sheba ang nickname ni Salud.
Salud!🍷
karl, the perspicacity proven right..
Baycas went for DUROBO (Duterte-Robredo). We need a friendly Senate and Congress if ever Duterte is really impeachable (and Leni wins). If BBM wins, it will be like Arroyo/de Castro impasse or “a devil and a hard place” situation….
sorry…I need to give this new government a “honeymoon period”…need to support it and hold my peace. For now.
perspi what? shrewd na lang. hehe
Why did Roxas cancel a 10 am press con,was it about conceding then he changed his mind or what?
Buti pa si Alma Moreno nag-conceive na kagabi.
https://twitter.com/LovelinessAlma/status/729701565393575936?s=04
haha ano yan tanga tangahan o totoo?
It is obviously a fake Twitter account but I find it quite funny.
Alma, are you joking pa rin? Magagalit na naman si Van Dolf sa magre react sa tweet mo.
The fake account was shut down a few days ago because Alma’s children noticed it…
It went pretty viral while it lasted and was one of the funny aspects of this election.
Salud and saludos to you dear, dear Sir Ocker (?)
Congratulations President Duterte…..Lets find out if the few people who managed to put Pnoy and Mar down with Mamasapano, MRT, DAP and Kidapawan will be just as vigil with the next administration….
Peace to all….
I hope Leni was just misquoted about the resignation stuff if Mar is not the president elect.
I believe she only said na mahihirapan sya.
Actually, it was viral news site that claimed she would resign even if she wins. But no, really.
The article “Leni Robredo: If Elected Vice President of Duterte, I will immediately resign my post” came from adobochroniclesdotcom. According to the site, they are the source of up-to-date, unbelievable news. They made the up-to-date news (they called facts) mixed it with fiction to make it funny or hilarious. Unfortunately, those d30 fanatics believed it and made it viral without checking the source.
Oh, I wish they should have read the fine print.
Adobochron commented here a few days ago.
Knowing she was gaining popular support I guess it was her last ditch effort to shore up the chances of Mar Roxas. Admirable loyalty.
Straight from Leni,wala syang sinasabi na ganyan.
plus no plan B (impeachment) and tulong tulong daw tayo.
We fought a good fight this election. As I said it before the battle is in social media FB.
For sure TSM will be the force to recon with.
Let’s move on and work together to deliver the change our countrymen wants.
Irineo,tuloy pa din ang Daang Makulit. 😉
Yes. Long-term naman talaga ang purpose ng blog ko – as a source of learning.
If policymakers and politicians use our ideas, so much the better for everybody.
From Pete Silva:
92.58% Votes counted as of 7:15 AM
41,845,444 votes counted out of 51,202,451
Robredo 13,519,326
Marcos 13,432,961
Leni is ahead of BBM by 86,365 votes!
Leni now leads by 100k with approximately 74% votes counted.
now, it’s by 200k..the trend is clearly upwards!
Hilarious that… BBM had a massive lead in both Luzon and Leyte/Samar, and nobody said about cheating. But when Leni broke the deadlock with votes rolling in from Bicol and some parts of the Visayas, that when the BBM camp started shrieking.
May we live in interesting times.
He is wondering why the vote for Duterte is not seen in his tally. Wow, goes to show that he really placed a lot of faith if grafting himself to the Duterte bandwagon.
Indeed, madame. Even BBM’s son Sandro literally believed in his father’s propaganda. Susmaryosep!
Was he the one who shaded 2 presidential candidates and then had the temerity to asked for another ballot? aarrgghh!
Yes, he was. Can’t stop laughing.
Keep yours eyes peeled on that kid.
Mar got the 2nd highest votes. The combined Mar and Poe votes amounted to almost 55% of the total votes counted so far.
I know what I will ask is is generally not acceptable, any what ifs is usually not – Water under the bridge, no use crying over spilled milk and all that…but just the same, I will ask this just this once and then I will forget about it and move on.
“What if the SC decision favored the Comelec en banc?”
What if Bam Aquino had not voted on Poe at the SET “according to his conscience” and had instead applied reasoning and the law, as one would expect a senator to do?
yep, another what if – that’s a swing vote…a very game changing one…haaaaissst…
Poe = Hubris.
http://pinoytrending.altervista.org/duterte-cried-hard-parents-graveyard/
Presidential frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte broke into tears as he asked his parents to help him rile (rule?) the country
“Tabangi ko ma,” Duterte called on his mother Soledad whom he.missed so much.
After that Sarah told him ”drama queen”!!
🙂
Cmon @Sup enough of this. Lets all follow Mr Joe. Support but be vigilant.
jolly…….this is vigil. The man who said the Manila bay will turn red and the fish will be fat is now crying to ”show” that he is a very ”soft” person? In my opinion, if you did just win the election for President over 105 million Filipino’s you could be able to ask your ”bodyguards” to stop the press for a few honest moments in a cemetery? Anyway, i did congratulate him already in this blog and hope he can make the life of the Filipino’s better………….Time will tell…..
I’d say reserve the vigil for major policy decisions and not persist with the negativity of nit-picking, the way President Aquino was nit-picked. There has to be some consideration that managing popular impressions is a Duterte skill and he ought not be expected to do it ‘our’ way. I write this for my own benefit, not to criticize your pique, to try to shape a positive way forward for this blog.
Off topic, but these paragraphs expressed my true feelings, now that the unofficial counting is almost done.
“That the electorate has decided for radical change instead of continuity should not be considered as a repudiation of your administration, but rather a culmination of a decades long struggle against the status-quo that started even before you became a politician.
Fair is fair Mr. President, and I wish you the best. Thank you for leaving the next President with an accomplishment that he must and should surpass.”
http://getreal.rocks/thank-you-pnoy/
As the polls close to elect your successor, allow me to express my gratitude for giving us your best for six years. Your critics will no doubt belittle your accomplishments, but please take solace in the fact that history has always rendered a kinder and fairer judgement of our past leaders.
It is not easy to lead a nation composed of 7,107+ islands, 100+ million free-wheeling and independent-minded citizens, using a moribund bureaucracy that remains a challenge to motivate, reform and mobilize. That you are ending your term without a dark cloud of personal gain and corruption is a testament of good governance in itself, setting the bar for future presidents to surpass.
As a businessman, this is what I am most grateful for: six years of low interest rates, stable foreign exchange, low inflation and conservative government spending that resulted in our economy growing each year by 6.5% for a straight six years. That is no small feat.
Low interest rates allowed our middle-class to buy houses and cars for the first time, uplifting their status and way of life. Controlling public debt provided an environment for banks to lend more at low interest rates to small and medium scale enterprises, giving them the capacity to supply bigger companies. All in all, you allowed business to grow, expand, create new jobs, increase wages, and explore more opportunities, even in foreign shores.
Stable inflation and foreign exchange provided our OFWs with more buying value for their money enabling them to uplift the lives of their families.
All this provided the bonus of several upgrades in our sovereign rating that elevated our stock market index to levels never before seen, and enticing foreign capital to either invest in the Philippine equities or directly by establishing BPOs and other businesses in the country.
That these economic gains were felt throughout our social pyramid cannot be contested. I see this personally in our increasing sales of mass housing nationwide, and the traffic I have to bear in places like Manila, Cebu and Davao because ordinary people can now afford to own cars.
But perhaps six years of growth at 6.5% is not meaningful enough to change a social inequality that took probably 50 years to develop today.
That the electorate has decided for radical change instead of continuity should not be considered as a repudiation of your administration, but rather a culmination of a decades long struggle against the status-quo that started even before you became a politician.
Fair is fair Mr. President, and I wish you the best. Thank you for leaving the next President with an accomplishment that he must and should surpass.
From a grateful citizen.
JJ Atencio, I never had the inkling that he would be such a big big success in business, worked with him for a while in the Senate, when he was with Senator Guingona (the elder) and me with Senators Gonzales (Neptali) and Romulo (Alberto).
The voice of the businessmen who provide jobs for the masa, considered by the same masa and middle class as oligarchs….!
Technically, when we say oligarchs what comes in mind is that he is very rich and uses his political influence for his own good. And this is generally bad, even they provide jobs. A medium-sized business is no oligarchs. We know who are the oligarchs. I, who belong to the middle class, wont put my finger on this guy (JJ Atencio) as an oligarch, so please hold your words. Yes, oligarchs are bad but not all businessmen are oligarchs. Your statement seems to favor the oligarchs because of the jobs they offer to the masa, thats why i was obligated to put a reply on it, just to clarify. Thank you for reading.
@Games, it is not for you to instruct others to hold their words. This is the worst tendency of Duterte followers, to instruct others. You are on the troll watch list, as well. I allow your comment only to test if Duterte fans can rise to a level of respectful civility.
For what it’s worth the commenter read Mary’s statement incorrectly since her statement says that businessmen like JJ who do good by providing jobs are derogatorily regarded as oligarchic.
So they are actually on the same side so I do not understand why he claims Mary’s statement favors the oligarchs.
A case of reacting too fast, without understanding it fully.
By the way, JJ’s 8990 Holdings company now has a market capitalization of P33B after its IPO. so it is not a medium sized company anymore.
Any businessman is within his rights to lobby the govt for initiatives that benefit their industry sector, sometimes specifically for their organisation — so long as it’s within legal constructs. It is of course left to the govt to see whether such lobbied proposals are in the interest of the nation generally. Of course time and time again, best interests of the businessmen and govt personalities have mostly been the deciding factors and the people’s interest put on the back burner. We have seen Pnoy admin’s moral light burning much brighter than all previous admin, here’s hoping Duterte and his cabinet will measure up morally just as well if not better.
Hi all!
I’m new to this site and am very glad to be learning a lot from everybody’s comments. I don’t understand much of the country’s politics, but I am trying my best to be well-informed. Thank you for presenting ideas the best and the most positive way possible. Congrats to all for maintaining such a classy and well-mannered site. 🙂
Welcome to the blog, Louise. I’m glad you found us.
Have we reinvented the Senate this 2016?
We have 5 LP in the top 12, plus 2 possible coalesced member in Hontiveros and Lacson.
@Mary,
I think Trillanes is still in. He got elected in 2007 and reelected in 2013. So his term ends in 2019. I hope Im right because he will be one of the guardians against abuses.
@jolly,
True, he will be that,
I posted below (@ 12:10 pm) that he will be among those who will compose the Senate 2016-2019, in the company of the 12 who will make it after the final countdown.
Hahaha. Trillanes and Cayetano. A duet they will not do next time around. And Pimentel?
All three will remain Senators…hopefully they will participate in more Senate hearings to expose plunderers, give more teeth to AMLC, and fine tune the confidentiality of bank deposits when crime of plunder is suspected. How will they act on the case filed by Trillanes, or the question of billions of total transactions on the BPI accounts of the presumptive president? Heck, now he has acquired immunity for himself.
Sorry, I’m breaking my promise to keep my mouth shut…aarrgghh!
*******
Mary, milady,
I’ll address this last post for the day to you before I go back into the cave.
JoeAm said something very wise up there: “For myself, I think bitterness is a horrible waste of the human spirit.”
This attitude embodies the wisdom of “letting go.”
The chapter of the book I am currently reading is about the process of keeping the self centered by being constantly aware, but it applies to your present frame of mind. The chapter says in part:
“The stuff that holds you down periodically rears its head. When it does, let it go. You simply permit the pain to come up into your heart and pass through. If you do that, it will pass.
“…There is a law you will learn… The law is very straightforward: When your stuff gets hit, let go right then because it will be harder later.”
The given reason for this is that any disturbance attracts energy. If you don’t let go, the energy that gets “stimulated in your heart works like a magnet” and “the disturbing force of the activated energy draws the focus of your attention.” Draws it more… and more… and more.
***
I am not sure that “letting go” is the same as “moving on.”
I think in the latter, you decide to get on with life because of priorities. If so, the disturbance simply moves down the list of your priorities… but it is still on the list. That leaves a psychological imprint, a psychic residue.
Now imagine: if the angry voters had let go of their anger and channeled their inner self to doing something positive. Like you do: getting up a bit earlier, reading while in transit, or coming up with alternative solutions to the problem. Without the anger, they might have looked at the candidates more objectively and voted differently.
This is not to say we should forget historical wrongs or accept external circumstances as they are. It is only to say that our equanimity and happiness depends largely on our internal reaction to external circumstances. To a certain extent, we can — and must — correct historical wrongs and change external circumstances… as you, and everyone here, rightly and mightily labored to do. To a larger extent, while doing so, we can direct and control our inner self.
I hope this makes sense. I must confess I am still learning.
*****
wow, sir edgar….those are precious gold nuggets of wisdom…many thanks.
I could not look at Mar’s sad and tired face for long, as he makes his conceding speech lest I cry and make a spectacle of myself at the office. I had to scramble back to my room, away from the TV at the reception.
This is not the first time that my candidate lost an election. After all, we had Estrada, then GMA. I heartily supported Pnoy and defended him mightily against my cousins’ razor-sharp words of condemnation but tried to preserve our relationship in a closely-knit extended family. I don’t engage in verbal discussion with the hard core anti-admin that they are, just sharing meaningful posts and articles (had to take care of the BP) But, man..they don’t know the meaning of being magnanimous in victory, a truly challenge indeed. You would think that would let go of their bitterness now that their candidate has won.
Yes, I will let myself feel this loss although sans the bitterness, and eventually let go. My countrymen has decided, this is how democracy works.
Please, please don’t stay long in that cave, we need more of your wisdom. And do take care of yourself, we really worry when you are not around.
Another pampalubag-loob – Binay lost his immunity. OMB Morales, file the cases now, please, err on July 1.
Something to look forward to!
The possible composition of the Senate 2016-2019
Cayetano NP
Villar NP
Trillanes NP
Honasan UNA
Binay UNA
JV UNA
Pacquiao UNA
Legarda NPC
Sotto NPC
Gatchalian NPC
Angara LDP
Bam LP
Drillon LP
Villanueva LP
de Lima LP
Recto LP
Pangilinan LP
Hontiveros Akbyan
Lacson IND
Poe IND
Escudero IND
Gordon IND
Zubiri IND
Pimentel PDP
Will there be coalition in the offing for PDP-Laban? Let’s see.
Good thing that extremist Belgica is effectively out of the race.
Nakasama pa rin si Sotto? Sayang, sana sinabi niya ring “katulad ni Alma, I concieve”. Typically, in sotto-copying fashion.
Villar’s NP has coalesced with PDP Laban with his son getting the DPWH Sec position.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/05/17/1584016/np-pdp-laban-coalesce-villar-son-gets-dpwh
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) and the Nacionalista Party (NP) formally forged a coalition yesterday after both supported the candidacy of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in the May 9 polls.
“2. Figure out how to help the new administration.
I choose the latter…” I hope more Filipinos can rise to that level of maturity. Good one Joe.
Pampalubag-loob – Enrile (former PDAF detainee now freed on bail courtesy of the humanitarian SC), Jinggoy, Revilla will no longer be in the Senate. Ditto for Santiago, Pia C, Lapid and Marcos (hopefully the upward trend for Leni holds)
I will echo a question I posed before, how long must we endure Sotto ..?
More than 1 million votes separate de Lima from Tolentino…Why did de Lima became No. 12? I thought she is among the top 6 in the survey… Aaarrgghh!
At least si Drilon pinakamabigat pa rin sa lahat.
Iyon lang naman ang tanging nararapat.
Bigat as in pounds/kilos ????
I’m addressing this to the regular members of this blog.
You guys bet the right horse, but such is life that the best does not necessarily mean an automatic winner. What is important is that you guys promoted values. You analysed and carefully ticked the value boxes, and left emotion out of the equation. And if perchance a few hundred young Filipinos have visited here and learnt about values, you have done a great job paying forward.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. Well you guys did old Edmund Burke proud. You felt strongly about certain issues and have made your points against it here. You have done your small part in trying to share your views with others.
Personally, I’m prouder for all your post election comments here. You are indeed wise and positive folks. The office of the Presidency has to be respected, and the President-elect given the chance to assume office and give his shot at running the country.
Going forward I think vigilance is not the appropriate word for it betrays an undercurrent of conflict. We should remain constructively critical of governance. Continue with what you have been doing during the Pnoy admin — highlighting inadequacies and contributing ideas that help to uplift the country, one small spark at a time.
I too congratulate Duterte and other winners, and I hope there will be no whiners. There are no loosers in an election, for all candidates have stood up to offer the electorate choices and made Philippines democracy lively.
Long live democracy, and God bless Philippines.
I may sound whiner but it is better than to fool myself. The past few months convinced me that I do not share the values of Mayor Digong. For that, I respect him as a human being but I will not be his follower. He could wear the presidential sash because he was voted by more than 15 million people but I am not one of them, I am not hypocrite. I could do things that will benefit my country without taking away my self respect. Let him do whatever he wants. The rest is mine.
I understand how you feel, @cwl. I feel so bad and almost cried after seeing the tired and sad face of Mar while he is conceding.
For now and until October 1, I will try to keep silent, after that, I hope not everyone will let him do whatever he wants even if it will lead our country down the cliff of destruction. I don’t know if I could if ever he will appoint Joma Sison to a cabinet position. I wonder if he can legally do that.
I share your views cwl. My daughter who is a first time voter just kept asking “what is wrong with us?” No offence meant to anybody but I ask your understanding at this time. Some supporters may not be able to control their feelings. It was a gruelling campaign and I and my husband also had received our share of offensive memes and posts from relative and friends in the charismatic community. We un-followed or blocked them. By their memes and posts it pains us to know who they really are and how different our values are from them.
I am hurting right now. And I want to acknowledge what I am feeling because only in acknowledging would I be able to heal and move on. I know it’s going to be a process and it might take time..
Thank you The Society for being here.
Many are bearing that pain, but bitterness and envy corrupt one’s own soul and is kind of a victory for the manipulators and ‘haters’. Best to stand clear-eyed to play a constructive role, with rational criticisms and not emotional ones.
I know @JoeAm. And that bitterness and envy can lead to anger. I try not to go into that phase. I find Edgar Lores post @4:23 about letting go and moving on helpful. I am glad he is back.
I am advocating constructive criticisms, not the kind of blind fury of those that do not share yellow values. I’m certainly not saying you should subjucate your values to accommodate those of Du30’s that we have argued against. He is entitled to his values, and if he governs wisely, well and good. There is no hypocrisy in abiding by the laws of the land under a leader that we did not personally root for.
Some people were found to be committing election offenses on social media…
They posted selfies with balot on Facebook. Didn’t COMELEC forbid that?
They already got a slap on the wrist.
sayang naman iyong balot kung nahulog…
On likely key people in the incoming administration:
http://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections/2016/132485-duterte-cabinet-secretaries-wish-list
Replying to questions from the media, Duterte identified the following as Cabinet members:
Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr:
Under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Esperon headed the AFP. He has been questioned over extrajudicial killings and related activities by men under the command of former 7th infantry division commander Maj. Gen. Jovito “The Butcher” Palparan, who after having been a fugitive for a couple of years is now in jail, indicted for two counts of kidnapping and illegal detention . This has not deterred him from running for senator this election, which shows that nothing is impossible in this country. Interesting note, given the panic over Duterte’s ties with leftwingers: Teddy Casino of the leftist group Bayan called for the charges to be filed against Palparan.
According to Rappler: “[Duterte] said a good number of [his] appointees would be retired ‘military men.’”
One certainly looks forward to an interesting, though possibly combustible, mix of far left agitators and rightwing military types in Duterte’s Cabinet and inner circle. The Cabinet meetings promise to be exciting. Especially if Joma is seated at the table. But after all, Duterte made his reputation over three decades by arranging deals and tactical alliances between different political and armed groups.
Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez III:
To head DOTC or Department of Finance. Duterte’s long-time ally. Dominguez was agriculture secretary under Cory Aquino and FVR. Ateneo MBA. Businesses include the Marco Polo, and Linden Suites and Richmond in Ortigas. Said to represent the Sultan of Brunei.
Paul Dominguez:
Businessman and brother of Sonny Dominguez. Former Presidential Adviser on Mindanao to FVR. Married into the Alcantara clan. His son “Migs” Dominguez was three-term governor of Sarangani . Close to the Consunjis.
Jesus Dureza:
Duterte’s old classmate “will play a leading role in his administration’s Mindanao peace process.” Dureza is a lawyer who was press secretary in Malacanang under GMA. He has served, from the administration of FVR onwards, as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and chair of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (now the Mindanao Development Authority) , which represents the country in the East ASEAN growth area initiative involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and the Philippines. He was chair of the Government Peace Negotiating Panel for Talks with the MILF, and Presidential Assistant for Mindanao.
Dureza negotiated successfully with Malaysia to bring back his old acquaintance, MNLF founder and former ARMM regional governor Nur Misuari, following the first of Misuari’s Zamboanga uprisings, for which Misuari served a term in detention. Misuari is an old pal of Joma Sison, by the way, from the start of their respective revolutionary movements.
You see? Everyone seems to know everyone else, down in Mindanao.
Leoncio “Jun” Evasco:
Duterte’s campaign manager and mayor of Maribojoc, Bohol. Possible DILG head. Ex-rebel priest, crossed swords with Dick Gordon over relief goods Evasco supposedly held back over politics, following the Bohol earthquake.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/42168-bohol-mayor-earthquake
Albay Governor Joey Salceda:
LP party member who in the last weeks of the presidential campaign defected in order to support Grace Poe. Duterte has mentioned that Salceda might be appointed National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) chief.
And….Rappler again: “Duterte was also intending to give the foreign secretary position to his runningmate Alan Peter Cayetano if he wins. But given the vote count, Cayetano is likely to lose the vice-presidential race.”
Allow me a private chortle at this point.
> Duterte was also intending to give the foreign secretary position
Personally, a civil servant with great experience and expertise, as well as a people person, should be the one for diplomacy with the right foot. And that is Leni.
Esperon can not be AFP CoS maybe SND.
Sorry, Karl, gave him his old title above, and did not mention SND title.
Another online source says the choice is between Esperon and Gilbert Teodoro to head defense.
Is Duterte buds with Ping Lacson? Lacson had a number 2 and number 3, who were big deals in Mindanao, any chance they’ll be back in the picture? Forgot their names, karl, you remember them?
I don’t think they are close,but who knows? i forgot the names of his subordinates.
Ok lang Vicara medyo nagtaka lang ako and about Gibo, I heard that too.
Thanks for the profile of possible cabinet appointments.
THE WINNER’S CURSE
This is not a criticism of President-elect Duterte. It is a post in keeping with the emerging policy of JoeAm, our host. We are in a period of great uncertainty and change in the country, details of which change is still sketchy or unknown except the statement of Duterte in effectively promising to provide as much “Marshmallows” — in the metaphor of edgar — as needed by his enthusiastic or screaming supporters.
A winner’s curse is used in auction situation where the winner usually bids for an item which wins — which is usually at a price higher than the average of the losing bidders; and thus sometimes ending with an item or asset with less value than the price he bided for.
Duterte “virtually bided” for the Presidency using outlandish approach to the campaign putting off big sectors of the country needed to prime the country’s economic engine to perform reasonably well as a President in behalf of the masses he says he wants to serve — a high price paid for the Presidency requiring efforts difficult enough to do in the best of circumstances. No wonder he is said to have cried over his mother’s grave asking for help.
And so I am for the general sentiment expressed here of helping Duterte in his work as a President and thus help mitigate what I believe is the burden of that virtual winner’s curse.
Shrewd insight there, NHerrera. In the end, the business sector will come around, as business always does. But it will be a different cast of characters, with new Palace favorites. Expect a polar shift in governance from the NCR southwards–to the Visayas and Mindanao. Imperial Manila is reaping karma here; Mindanao felt its potential was not properly supported (never enough infra support, or agricultural sector support.)
The key campaign promise he will want to honor is the adoption of a federal system, because this was vital to the buildup of support down south. Note that he almost never mentioned it to his adoring fans on national TV, or at NCR events. For regional consumption only.
The brutally coarse and murderous campaign persona of Duterte differed from what he used to present to his city and regional pro-federalism constituents. It’s different from the little I’d observed when I lived in Mindanao. I don’t know if this is now a genie-out-of-the-bottle situation now, or if it was just all for the election circus. He is adored by his followers for being a sly trickster, I’ve said before, using smoke-and-mirrors.
Vicara,
re infrastructure/agriculture, do you think reservoirs and aqueducts will be prioritized? I read (climate change related?) salt water infiltration into fresh ground water/aquifers is fast becoming an issue of concern (and those affected along the coast of Visayas and Mindanao are Cebuanos like Duterte).
Along with this, something like the Israeli system of water management (ie. drip irrigation, grey water system, etc.). Desalination plants are no go, but who knows— if Duterte can get the Chinese to build him mag-levs up north and down south, why not, de-salination plants?
Is fresh water an issue at all?
Also pollution,
LCpl,_X, drought is the main problem in Mindanao at this time, and the need for irrigation. But I’m guessing that desalination would be considered for the drier island-provinces of the Visayas. At least 15 years back, the same people behind Duterte had mobilized other sectors to formally request government under Estrada, then during the terms of GMA, then Aquino, to raise Mindanao’s share of the national infra budget. (To at least 32 percent, if I recall correctly). Policy recommendations by the private sector were consolidated and coursed through what is now known as the Mindanao Development Authority (MindA).
I’m not sure how irrigation improvements are going, but the Aquino administration has completed significant long-term projects, for example a Lanao road between Wao and Marawi City, cutting travel time between down to a couple of hours of less, when before the roundabout route required an overnight stay in CDO or Iligan. There’s also the completion of the Basilan circumferential road. Those are just two projects of the kind that spur economic activity.
But rightly or wrongly, there’s a perception among the private sector that government should be giving more to Mindanao, as it is the primary agribusiness region. The president who appeared most attuned to regional develpment (again, talking about perception, which may not match reality) was FVR. Then came the administrative shambles of Erap, who had that telegenic little “all-out war” on the MILF, followed by GMA, who favored the Ampatuans and gave them carte blanche in return for votes.
@NHerrera exactly. The bar has been set. The expectation is skyrocket high. I would demand no less.
On July 1, 2016 we turn the tables on.
I have heard rumors in some quarters that the LP is adding/subtracting the total votes of the VP candidates in order to give Leni an advantage.
Personally I don’t believe it myself, but what do the members of the Society think about this?
Continuing lies and manipulations by the desperate who refuse to play fair.
Read this comment on FB:
To those who were asking why Leni is winning instead of Bongbong who has the support of the INC, Alyansang Duterte Bonbong, transport groups, etc. Here’s why, and the numbers don’t lie:
1. Balance Luzon didn’t hold strong enough for BBM: Leni is holding majority votes in vote-rich Regions IV-A, IV-B, and substantially a share in Metro Manila (810k vote difference from BBM). If one can remember MM was supposedly Marcos country, it wasn’t true.
2. Bicol delivered heavily on her, that’s why Solid North impact was lessened.
3. She is heavily favored in Visayas (she’s close second in the Eastern Visayas region which was supposedly BBM territory) and Mindanao, especially in ARMM + CARAGA which is transmitting late (hence the upsurge of the votes for her at the tailend)
Her lead is now at ~160k, and widening as the time increases. At this point, we can only hope that OAV and the remaining clustered precincts are in her favor.
If I may add, the INC block vote is much over rated. Alot of the INC flock did not vote as directed.
Giancarlo votes on his own volition,I asked before if bloc voting was just a myth,I think I he did not reply,so I did not follow through.
I saw this picture posted in facebook. Though it seems the BBM party blames cheating by LP, i thought that we should be asking …. where did BBM get all the 33M votes for 10:20PM time-stamp? Then at 10:29PM, both Leni and BBM almost neck-on-neck at 13M.
so, who is cheating?
why should I trust you, when you just picked it up in social media? can you state your credentials and bona fides?
Hi Andrew,
My post was in response to a question posted by Uht and i attached a picture as a sample of scenario posted in social media. I am also wondering why people always blaming the LP for everything whereas they seems blinded to the possibility that BBM party is the one cheating by adding 33M votes then later retracted.
I am not asking for your trust. Just staying on topic.
sorry about that. 🙂
The rappler count shows Leni leading by 200K with 92.46% of votes counted. Inquirer/Comelec/GMA/Mirror Server says its 75.89% with the same lead by Leni.
With Ancient Mariner saying the Ilocos votes have not yet come in, I’m kind of nervous. Which is correct – 92.46% (hopeful) of 75.89 (fearful)..
Both says its as of today, 3:30 pm more or less…
I think the Rappler count is more up to date… there is a map there showing the provinces and how much is already in including results per province, Ilocos is in at least on Rappler.
Overseas is mostly not yet in I think – maybe the bigger polling stations like Dubai and LA have VCMs, I know for a fact that Berlin being a very small station has NO VCMs, they are doing an open counting with the public invited today. It is not the percentage of votes counted being shown on Rappler, it is the percentage of precincts that have reported. Naturally the smaller and more isolated precincts including those abroad without VCM will take more time to report. Let us wait and then let NHerrera do the numbers as usual.
Sec. Mar has conceded, so the following article is in order:
The Philippines has fallen.
Men, women and children from all walks of life have tried their best to stem the tide of a hideous enemy, armed with insidious sound bytes and memes, and a deadly intent to deceive.
Yes, the Philippines has fallen because Rody or Digong Duterte will be president of the Republic of the Philippines at noon of June 30th this year. He has the upper hand. He can take us to a road we haven’t traveled on, a road full of danger known only to his crooked mind.
He has warned us. He has said take him or leave him. He has said even hell will not want want him because he will prove to be a better anti-Christ than Lucifer himself. He has been forthright about his intentions with women by making them an object of his lust dead or alive, with innocents by disregarding due process, with Congress for he intends to close it if gets in the way, with his enemies if ever he is elected.
His followers did not see danger when they were eye-to-eye with it, believing it’s better for the enemy of God to lead us because God’s very own followers have proven themselves inadequate to address our traffic and snatching problems.
What a waste of country.
We have labored to bring the Philippines to where it was before the elections, to become Asia’s rising star, and disregarded every bit of gain we have had in the last six years to elect a man who has made Davao what it is now. We presented evidence that Davao isn’t the Davao Duterte pictured it to be, but his followers will not be stopped, mesmerized as it were by his coarse voice and equally coarse manner, disrespecting every thing we hold dear, and yet his fan base applauded, cheered, elected him to highest post.
Good men, women and children have tried to defend the country but have been proven defenseless in the face of lies and deceit. Good will succumb to the enemy for now, hoping that someday soon the country will regain its senses and return Duterte if he doesn’t reform from where he came never to be heard from again
For now, we will set down our pens because the sword of unreason has defeated intellect and good will. Only God can help us now. Goodbye, Philippines. This could be my last post. May God have mercy on us all.
My pledge, in Tagalog para mas ramdam:
Susunod ako sa tamang gawain ng bagong presidente. Pero sa summary execution, hindi. Sa pambabastos sa babae, hindi. Sa pagpanig sa China, hindi. Sa hidden wealth defense, hindi. Sa pagmumura, pagaglahi kay Mar Roxas at kung sino man, hindi. Sa di pagrespeto sa values, traditions, institutions and Constitution, syempre hindi. Sa sama ng ugali, hindi ako sasangayon, hindi ako tatawa lang.
Dear President-elect Rodrigo Duterte: Please prove me wrong. How I wish you would prove me wrong.
Wilfredo G. Villanueva
We are not completely defeated, though. Leni is leading, and we need to cling to that hope and pray. Despite the naysayers, if Leni defeats Marcos we will be able to keep Duterte’s feet on the ground, and that in itself will be a great achievement.
I would note that Rep. Robredo said she would serve as VP to Mayor Duterte with the same dedication she would have given to Sec Roxas, and there is no LP ‘plan B’ to impeach Duterte so she moves up. Roxas also wished Duterte success, and President Aquino said the will of the people must be respected. All these comments show respect for the Democratic process.
My bad…sorry if it came out like that. I don’t want to have Duterte impeached, but I do want him to keep his more reasonable promises, and reel in his other tendencies. A Vice-President like Leni would be a very good person for watching his back. That’s what I meant. Forgive me again if it sounded like something else.
No, you sounded like you grasp things well. I was adding to the comment to underline that the premise of this blog, going forward, is in line with what 3 key LP people said today.
If you want Du30 to be a better president, you will need to also become a more supportive citizen. From what I am reading, the impression I get is you are going through the motions but you have so conditioned yourself that nothing Du30 will ever to will be at par.
You like calling on God a lot. Could it not be that this is God’s will? You mention good men and women have fought the good fight, Mar did not have the monopoly on that regard, to think otherwise is a folly. Nor did Mar’s supporters have the lion’s share of intellect, good will,sense or reason. From what I can tell your current attitude and outlook will make your next 6 years seem like 20.
You’ll only get to see the flowers and smell the blooms if you allow yourself out in the garden.
Jean from a year or so…. (why the longer handle?)
Are you talking to Will or most of the readers here?
I am speaking for myself,I am sincere in congratulating Duterte and I want to support him in Nation building,but there is nothing wrong in remaining vigilant,and if something seems not right,I won’t just roll over and play dead.
Jean, not to argue, but the proof is in the eating. Like a woman out on a date, she gives the guy a chance, of course, but any hanky-panky, and he doesn’t get a second chance. It’s as simple as that. Nation building is no laughing matter (every time I remember hearing the ghoulish laughter of that man in the crowd as the Mayor delivered the rape joke I can feel my arteries constrict). But hey, Jean, election doesn’t translate to acceptance of faults. Faults will remain as faults if unaddressed and uncorrected. So there, the line in the sand.
uh I saw another Jean on the chat. Since I tend to err share controversial views, I did not want any of the “backlash” heading the other persons way.
My comment was intended for will. His post was seemed very down cast. Since I really did not have anyway to alleviate his fears at this point, I just thought to remind him that a change in frame of mind might help him in his current plight
I took your post in a positive way, Jean. As you say you meant it. I think it is good advice.
Ah OK Jean.👍🏻
Will, are you saying goodbye? “This could be my last post” you say…no, no…please don’t. We need to be here, we need to be watchful, vigilant. The country still need you…
I know you are tired and disappointed. Rest for a while, recharge but be ready for the next challenge. You fought with us in Edsa, you supported Pnoy, you worked harder than most of us here, in this campaign. It’s no wonder you seem burned out and discouraged, and so diasappointed. I share your feelings, but we cannot give up yet, the millenials havent gained the traction yet, they still need your eloquence, fighting spirit and wisdom.
Sie Edgar will be in his “cave”, rest if you must, but please don’t make the above your last post. Don’t stay away too long…
Mary,
Compose a beautiful love story in prose or poetry or a love song and Wil will come back. Meantime allow Wil to rest in his cave with his (is it) four dogs? For that matter I need a cave too. Hahaha — cavemen: edgar, Wil, NH. Mary, start a cave business; you will have clients here at The Society. 🙂
hahaha..that’s an idea..
You too, sir NH..don’t you dare leave..we need your wisdom and calm manner of addressing us hotheads here…hahaha..I admire your demeanor, you are a picture of a still but deep waters never for once affected by the ruckus of parekoy or uprightbike or victinluz…or me…aarrghh!..you maintain your equanimity and distinguished manner. I need to follow your example for the sake of my health..I keep dipping in my emergency fund which is still far from being replenished to its original amount…
Do take care of yourself, sir. The country needs you, sir edgar, Will, Joe, and the rest of the regular members of the Honorable Society.
At the same time, there is little promise for a blog that postures itself as an antagonist to the duly elected government. If the blog heads that direction, it will have to find a new host.
Joe,
As you have pointed out so many times before, a government, more so a fledgling one needs the support of her citizens. We learned the lesson in PNOY’s admin, elected not by a majority but a plurality of votes, 60% of whom made his term a living hell, damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t, with nitpicking, blaming, attacking the norms in all forms of media.
We would like this new government to succeed for we will be shooting our own foot if we don’t. Just give us time to process our loss.
Hahaha! No, Gracie. It was just my turn to be drama king. I was just imagining how it would be like if it was winner take all, just like the Japanese after Bataan fell. Me give up? No way. Not even close. Thanks, Gracie, for the vitamins.
I miss sonny too. I hope he’s ok.
The elements or factors involved in the Marcos-Robredo conundrum:
– Dr. Tabunda of Pulse Asia in their pre-election surveys over the months prior to election says that Marcos is strong in the urban areas and Robredo strong in the rural areas; Tabunda in the pre-election surveys already knew even before May 9 that it is going to be a tight race between Marcos and Robredo;
– Transmission of result from the urban areas came understandably faster than the rural areas, hence the early lead of Marcos until the rural data trickled in;
– There is still some 2.5m votes still to account for including some 0.4m from the OAVs; the non-OAV or in-country votes of some 2 m votes are still to be accounted for.
It is difficult to do my usual algebra without the data I believe is in the possession, say, of the PPCRV. Even with that it may be difficult to do any forecast with confidence considering that the current difference in the Robredo-Marcos number is only in the neighborhood of 200k votes.
(In fact my post above on May 10, 2016 at 3:44 am where I said “… I believe Marcos is gone” is out of order in keeping with the quality of postings here. My mea culpa for that.)
We just have to wait until either the full un-accounted number of votes come in or a very sizeable difference arise relative to the remaining numbers still un-accounted for.
I’m hoping Duterte’s pre-election strategy was to copy Mayweather. Mouth-off a lot to keep your opponents off balance and guessing, trigger emotional outbursts from opponents to weaken their mental stability and other such tactics. But, come game time, He’ll get down and be all business like… effective, efficient, strategical and surgical, all business, all the time… with occasional show boating here and there will be acceptable. May he also be as financially savvy (for the country, not himself)
I was initially for Du30 but I eventually sided with Miriam. Alas, seeing that he is poised to take the throne, he will have my hesitant support…at least till/if he gives me reason to do otherwise.
I truly wish him the best (for his sake and our country’s). May he stay true to his word and patch things up with people who will be healthy for this country. May he foster Daang Matuwid’s principles and get Mar to help, likewise get Poe onboard and nurture her ways of compassion and positive ideals, may he decide to get Miriam as an adviser for check and balance, May he get Binay… to wherever Binay deserves to be.
get Binay to jail if Binay deserves to be there.(ombudsman’s move as well)
All losing candidates should wait for one year for official positions, for now they must be contented to work pro-bono or behind the scenes if asked for advise.
“Mouth-off a lot to keep your opponents off balance and guessing…”
Jean, the election is over, but since you are putting salt on wounds, my rejoinder is a simple quote from Hillary Clinton (not exact words) in response to Trump “mouth-offs”.
“You’re in the business of running a government, you better mean what you say”. So the Du30 clap-trap boils down to this — If he is honest and meant what he said, woe to all. If he did’nt meant what he said, then he is dishonest. Will one and sundry for the next 6 years be tied to to carefully interpret what he says — does he or does he not meant it?.
Meanwhile, I’m trying to enjoy my last few days of san-miguel on nice cool evenings by the park. And I guess you guys will need to satisfy yourselves with hot chocolates on your gimmick nights.
I wasn’t spreading the salt! I was trying to spread some positivity since I know most of people here dreaded a Du30 win. I was try to say his bark is worse than his bite, is all.
Anyhow, from what I hear, you will still get to have that beer just not a the wee hours of the morning.
You’re a very brave person, Jean from the past.
Lesser mortals like us here in the Society of Honor can be petrified by such horrible and fearsome bark.
But don’t you worry. We’ve been through lots of barks and bites. We know how to take of ourselves.
I hope you do, too.
“…take care of ourselves.” (dumb Chinese keyboard.)
(Snort, chuckle)
Even though my folks know how to take care of themselves, I can’t help but worry for them. I will offer advice, my ministrations and time whether solicited or not, because I feel it’s as much for me as it is for them.
I feel the same here. Though I sometimes don’t readily agree with the sentiments found, I continue to follow because I can not debate the richness of the conversations these discussions take. The collective brain power in the society is astounding. I believe it has the ability to shape tangible, positive change by influencing thought.
I figure its in my best interest to try to contribute and keep the folks here positive when I can, in my own way.
Anyway, I think we shop for computer parts at the same place. All to often, these errr keyboards screw up my attempts at being comprehensible >.< I do wish there was an edit option on these things. I always feel guilty of posting another comment just to correct a typo…
If an error is material, cite it and I’ll try to make the correction. If minor, let it go. We all type free form and understand.
My ‘off the shelf’ WordPress system does not offer the comment edit function.
Thanks for that We all type free form and understand. It does stymie us if we are too mindful of spellings and grammar — is, are, has, have, will, would — and all that. I am one of the big sinners here. But the thoughts, concepts and courtesy I try not to sin. And numbers, but I try to correct myself right away with firmness if I commit the latter mistakes.
When one’s worst fear has come to pass, what is left to do but pray that past this curtain of darkness waits the light of dawn. No more will there be acrimonious bickering of which also ran should have lost or won…or should not even have run at all. Before us behold the boldness and bluster of a triumphant man, whose rule I still fear maybe bloody and brutal but perhaps inside him dwells a simple and honest soul just shielded from our sights by our dread and disdain of his words and deeds. So as for me, I will lay aside for awhile my doubts and fears and instead have faith in the faith of those millions of countrymen that trusted him.
As the danger of a Marcos becoming a Veep — who has clearly aimed to recover his family’s reputation by rewriting history and possibly eliminating the PCGG — has been averted by the unexpected turnaround in Leni’s votes, hence this means the introduction of new possibilities for the upcoming administration.
A through reexamination and reflection is demanded in writing, now that either side that once exchanged words in a titanic battle, have found their heroes placed strategically to create an equilibrium unprecedented in history.
It is hoped that the introduction of Leni as a proper counterpoint for Rody would soften his otherwise much-feared image of a tribal warrior-king, and instead add credible and intellectual backbone attractive to investors and diplomats alike.
Rody, having been found himself in a position of immense power but asking for great responsibility on his part, will have to live with a reality where he will be looking over 100 million Filipinos of differing persuasions and prejudices.
He will also have to spell out his programs regarding discipline and federalism more clearly and with greater detail, and when it comes to security, some of his sweeping, hard-fisted proposals to reduce if not eliminate crime and terrorism will have to be revised according to humanitarian law acceptable to all parties including that of human-rights groups, other partisans and religions.
Finally, anything he said in the last six months, he’ll have to make up for those statements, given the awful responsibility placed on him and hence he’ll have to realize that even the youth are looking up at him, and he needs to become a proper role model for everyone to consider, with Leni as the much appropriate role model of civility.
Now, anyone who have crossed with me in the last several months, I ask for your forgiveness but I insist that I shall be very watchful in this momentous time in history. I hope that some, if not all, the positive programs and projects of the outgoing Aquino administration be continued under a new banner and government.
For those of us in The Society, consider that Binay, Poe, Roxas, Escudero, Cayetano (I will not include Santiago, Honasan, Trillanes for obvious reasons they were “saling pusa” to start with) will have to contend with their loss in more painful terms than us — recalling their miscues, wrong strategies/ moves.
Without provoking discussions if I take another example, I can just point to the case of Escudero. It must be an altogether extremely painful ride from his chart-breaking highs to a number even lower than Cayetano in this election. But he is a veteran politician with resilience. But will he evolve for the better?
Learning thing for everyone. We didn’t have their miscues; we learned from each other; and we will surely be wiser going forward.
In the case of Leni and BBM, it is still a developing story, but I bet it will be a much more painful loss to BBM rather than Leni if it comes to that. But will BBM ever learn if he loses? I will not hold my breath on that.
And if I may add, the least pain — because he can hold his head high — was inflicted on Roxas (or on Leni if she loses, which I have a gut feel she will not).
Sir NH, may be your gut feeling comes true, if not, it is a double whammy, to think of another Marcos just a step away from Malacanang. That would be double pain we need to bear, stoically or otherwise.
*******
NHerrera, I thought my post to Mary was the last for the day, but you raise a good point.
You cite Chiz and Bongbong, but I think the more tragic figure here is Grace. Why? Because in her we find that essential element of Greek tragedy — hubris.
Mary raised the “what if” of the Supreme Court’s decision, and Vicara the “what it” of Bam’s .
The root of these what if’s is Grace… and the worms of her ambition and pride.
o She condescended to look down on PNoy and Mar and rejected their offers — twice. She haughtily said why should she accept their offers when she was ascendant?
o She did not doubt that she was not a natural-born citizen, and put the nation through paroxysms of strife on the issue… which remains undecided.
o She made untruthful attestations in her documents — her birth certificates and her COCs — and claimed the latter was an “honest mistake.”
o Like Corona, she presented herself in prayerful postures when prayer should be an act of humility and privacy.
o And just now she said there was no shame in what she did. It is interesting that she had to say this. It means the thought of doubt passed through her mind, and she was reassuring herself.
In a way she is like Pacquiao (the politician and not the boxer) with nary a scintilla of awareness of her true incapabilities and incapacities.
JoeAm’s judgement of her was on the dime. And in the last two minutes the voters saw through her.
As it turns out, Grace and Chiz are the spoilers of Election 2016. Pride comes before a fall.
*****
*******
And if I may add also, our trust in the Supreme Court justices have been greatly diminished by the inelegance of their Poe decision. For me in particular — the appointees of PNoy.
*****
Agree on all points made on Poe and the Supreme Court. And the interesting part is that Roxas, though still losing to Duterte, gets the higher percentage points than Poe in the election returns.
I think Poe lost some momentum towards the end of the campaign when she got exposed on her deficiencies answering questions she didn’t prepare very well for or questions about her connection with Danding and the coco levy issue. Mar did well on the last debate and together with the Trillanes revelations and attack ads managed to swing some votes his way. All moot and academic with the massive lead but a good example on how impeccable timing and a well thought-out campaign strategy will affect chances of future presidentiables. Not to mention that an aggressive online/social media team is now a de facto requirement in any election campaign even at the local level.
You think the Silent Majority was waaaay too Silent for waaaaay too long, in support of Mar? OR was the true Silent Majority, the poor/Visayans/Mindanaoans and Muslim Filipinos? On Muslim Filipinos, do we know if they voted as a block for Duterte— are there numbers available on this?
I think the TSM was silent for way too long and didn’t do a good job in selling the current administrations successes. They also were to late in countering the online/social media blitz of the opposition which consisted of false/misleading info about current issues and their candidates supposed achievements. To be fair their sophisticated online/social media team was well-funded, well-run and had the simple mission of destroying the gains and successes of the administration and selling simple, shallow platforms that appealed to the emotions and not the intellect of the majority of the voters. I think they sold this powerful messages to the ABC crowd which reached critical mass and did the rest of the campaigning for them to reach the DE crowd. I have no numbers for your other questions and most of these observations are anecdotal but once the #ChangeisComing movement snowballed and at the very right moment just a few weeks before the elections the LP and supporters were ineffective in countering it and selling their own message. Negative news and sentiments even if false is a lot easier to disseminate and propagate and by flooding us with a constant barrage of memes it had the desired effect of very high visibility and publicity for Digong and his message of “Me instead of the incompetent and insensitive administration” Going by the numbers with Mar nearing 10M votes I was actually a bit surprised that he managed to nearly hit this number despite the deafening barrage of the “ChangeisComing” crowd. Exhibit A on how to run a very effective “grassroots” electoral campaign and how to frame public debate and manipulate public opinion.
I agree, eag97a.
Also,
who ever came up with “DU30” was genius, pure genius.
I doubt it if Grace has still a big future in politics after this. She made herself known just what she’s made-up of as a person. A lot of negatives. Matapang nga siya and strong-willed but for wrong reasons. At saka mahihirapan siya ng financial support dahil wala siyang sariling malaking political party to back her up. I don’t think Danding Cojuangco would support her again in the future. For sure, maghahanap iyon ng ibang susuportahang kandidato. He isn’t a shrewed businessman for nothing. Just my opinion.
Chiz did it twice…Mar should have been the 2010 VP if not for his and a Pnoy uncle’s NoyBi, then this year, together with Poe’s hubris.
I changed my mind…Pnoy is still the President until 12:00 pm of June 30…I can still express how I feel about these historical mistakes…or faults, that have resulted in us not being able to have the best qualified candidate to lead us. Looking back, analysing before letting go. By pointing out these things, the next generation can look back on how their government officials and the voters have failed them. Say goodbye to continuity that we longed for, say hello to radical change like a possible costitutional change to pave the way to federalism and other economic provisions? I’d like to have this 40 (more or less) days to adjust and think, rest and prepare for whatever lies ahead, while the presumptive president prepares the transition of government.
Poe and Binay were misled by their high ratings on the surveys and acted accordingly, only to find out that surveys can change dramatically days or a week even, before election day. These and other factors should be considered in the next electoral processes by voters and aspiring politicians alike. Joel Villanueva is a revelation, from being just in the half lower rank in the surveys, he’s now number 2, next to a giant politician, Sen. Drillon. Although with roughly 2.5 million votes still to be tallied, rankings could still change. Hopefully, Sec. De Lima could make it to the top 12.
Lies and deceit are still powerful instruments to sway voters, masa, educated or not, middle class or even the rich. Enablers are scary if they are not principled and are self centered.
I will let myself go through the stages of grief..for my mind to process this before I can accept and to let go and start again on July 1 – give the new government the chance to do their job without nitpicking, look beyond the details and gaze farther for me to see the whole picture, consistently bearing in mind the welfare of the country as a whole.
What an apt phrase – spoilers of the 2016 national election…knowing very well that they can return to the Senate if they lose.
The plurality voters ignored the most qualified one, rejected the status quo and opted for change, so now we will have a new beginning instead of continuity. All aided by the said spoilers and their enablers.
I truly hope this change that they chose will turn out to be for the better and not for worse. Let’s pray it will be the former as we will all be in this together.
We need to pray harder than before.
My daughters asked me who would I prefer, Duterte or Grace? I said Duterte. Binay or Grace? I said Binay. I get paroxysms of hate at the sight of her. Maybe that’s why I have to be Godly. I can really turn on hate, not good for me and the recepient.
Recipient
“My daughters asked me who would I prefer, Duterte or Grace? I said Duterte.”—Wilfredo G. Villanueva
There, Willy, you got what you wished for. What nore do you want? :). 🙂 😦
Will worked really hard to prevent a Duterte win, Bert. The angry people outnumbered the calm ones, that’s all.
I could guess it’s just his way to explain his disillusionment with Poe.
Poe’s value system is all take and no give. The give is for show, to aid the taking. Like church photo ops. Where is the giving, really?
And Bert, it’s the time frame. The question was raised after Llamanzares spurned Mar’s request for a dialogue. “Let’s talk,” Mar said. “Whatever for?” Grace replied.
Sir NH, it will be a way way painful loss for the whole nation if Leni loses, it means the son of the dictator, worst thief in the whole world for decades after EDSA 1, the great human rights violator with billions of dollars of loot still in overseas banks – will be one step close to Malacanang.
I will be truly ashamed to be part of the Filipino citizens who partook of what we vomited 3 decades ago. He, with General Ver, participated in an attempt to decimate or even annihilate the human barricades there at EDSA to protect Enrile and Ramos, and now he wanted to rewrite history by claiming he knows nothing of what was happening then. He who used part of his father’s loot to brainwash the youths like REBEL X (shared by Ajing Abad, below); who used this billions to roam around the country to deceive the rural and urban poor to submit their personal info as well as their friends’ in exchange of a share in their loot, all aimed at getting back at the seat of national power they were forced to leave one February day in 1986.
Another widow is on the verge of stopping another Marcos to the utter disgust of the trolloyalist supporters of this BBM – that has been pointed out before, I wish with all my heart that it will come about.
http://www.mb.com.ph/abigail-binay-is-makati-mayor-husband-wins-as-congressman/
When a city elects a thief for its mayor, then his equally corrupt wife, then his son takes his turn at plundering the city coffers….only to have the last finally thrown out of office, so would you think the city finally learned its electoral lesson? Read the link and weep. How does that ild Catholic saying go? The family that preys together, stays together.
🙂
That’s another LP mistake. Why on earth did they pick Pena against Aby? Pena is enemy number one to many Makati residents. A fresh face would definitely be more acceptable to many residents.
She was disliked in the more upscale villages, though.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/785156/new-makati-mayor-abby-binay-lose-in-posh-makati-villages
Thanks for that news. These village residents obviously want a bit of fresh air after some 30 years.
As in the national demographics, the ABC segment is only a very thin slice of Makati voters and the A+ of the gated village households is just a sliver. The bulk or Makati masa prefer candidates coming from dynastic clans who have ruled over their fiefdoms and they look up to as patrons of the poor and powerless. Its the same story in the provinces, cities, barrios, etc. and what is unique about it Binays are a relatively new dynasty and quite notorious because of the public evidence of the extent and brazeness of their criminal and corrupt activities. It is not the rich are more discerning than the poor, it is like it or not the criteria the latter vote by have little to do with the former. Chemo is absolutely right, the LP should have fielded someone who had a clean record and resonated with the masa other than Pena. But in the same vein, Pinoy’s early instincts about Poe as a more acceptable candidate for the masa compared to Roxas was absolutely correct. In the end, party and personal considerations prevailed over political realities and what the bulk of the country really wanted. So in the end, Digong and Abigail are swept overwhelmingly into office and Kid Pena and Mar are relegated to the the dustbin of political history. If it was not crystal clear before, it should be now…we will always be at risk until the bulk of our voters learn to use a ‘yardstick’ that better measures a candidate’s fitness for a public position than the traditional criteria they go by right now.
It can’t be helped by the unfortunate fact that some prefer the Binays because at City Hall, one can avail of, um, “special services” for speedy processing.
It was definitely a bit more than “some” that swept Princess Binay into the mayor’s office.
Maybe it was ‘strays’ together even.
I am still vacillating between depression and acceptance. It will take a few days for the loss to sink in and for me to achieve my equilibrium. I am glad that most of the Society are here to process the election outcome.
The 5 stages of grief by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross:
http://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/
Welcome back, edgar!
To the Society:
You are all truly honorable. Always magnanimous in victory and gracious in defeat. A group of people always ready to do the right thing even if it means swallowing a bitter pill.
JP. thanks for the link and the kind words, in behalf of the others in The Society which you are a part of too, girl.
Don’t be a stranger again, keep your posts coming!
From JP’s link:
The five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one we lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. But they are not stops on some linear timeline in grief. Not everyone goes through all of them or in a prescribed order. Our hope is that with these stages comes the knowledge of grief ‘s terrain, making us better equipped to cope with life and loss. At times, people in grief will often report more stages. Just remember your grief is an unique as you are.
I am afraid that he will turn the country like a “black market environment” where there is no rule of law, that is not the road where we started & that is absolutely not the foundation of our country.
We just need to continue to be a good citizen of the Philippines, be a good parents to our kids, obey the rules & law, pay our taxes right, civility as Joe is always saying.
We just need to keep our eyes open & be vigilant for what will happen next.
You cause me to wonder, what drives Duterte? Is it power? Is it service? Is it enrichment? Is it taking care of family? Is it ‘just having fun’ or something to do, the challenge? All of the above? None? I have no idea. I can”t get a reading. It seems to be all of the above. If so, we may be surprised and find that he fits his personality to the office, rather than adjusts government to suit his whim.
Absolutely have no idea Joe what is he like & can’t get any reading too. I think the blog should write a lot of suggestion to him of what we like the country to be run & maybe his new team could consider those ideas.
“Dear Mr. President”
1. We have to accelerate the implementation of the RH law, we need that urgently now. Purchase the contraceptives & distribute in all baranggay clinics.
Good idea. We would find out if change is real and substantive, versus destructive, which, after all, is what anger often produces.
Everything comes from God. Good or bad, He allows it.
Maybe Duterte won so that we will finally understand that the Aquinos, the yellow mindset, the slow but sure plod to progress is a far better alternative than any flash in the pan or a return to the bad days of the Marcoses.
Mar Roxas will recover from the pain of defeat, just as we have to recover from the initial shock of having a possible monster for a president. And behold the wise and beauteous Leni Robredo, coming from the country’s center of Marian devotion, to reassure us while we are in exile that this too shall pass.
Return to God, return to believing in miracles again, that’s the underlying message. Who would have thought that the clean and overachieving Roxas, scion of a great name in politics, would lose? On the other hand, who would have thought that an unknown widow (1%) would seize the initiative from a comebacking scion of what is possibly the most outstandingly bad family in Philippine politics, schooled in political warfare, deft in all things fair and otherwise?
Believe again that the Lady of EDSA did descend upon the multitudes to turn Gen. Tadiar away from thoughts of massacre. That incident alone distinguishes the Filipino faithful. We are favored, but forgetful.
Thank you for your words. We do need to learn that a slow reflective approach is the best. But if the people want the flashes in the pan, it is now our turn to help them see when and when not such flashy actions are possible, or appropriate.
This could be the start of REAL people’s democracy in the Philippines, not elite anymore…
Democracy is finally about different groups within the people discussing what is best for everybody and then deciding on it and making sure it is done properly. Let us see.
Joe,
Here’s an interesting topic for a future piece: imperial Manila. I tried doing one, but I dont think I have a good grasp of the issue, so I give it to others who understand it better. It’s a frequent theme of Duterte supporters.
Teddy Boy Locsin’s interesting take:
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-truth-of-the-myth-of-imperial-manila/
It would be a good topic. Let me put it on the chalk board.
“For without Imperial Manila, you out there would be NPA target practice, and the rest of you would be bolo practice for Muslim rebels. Your children would be sold into sex slavery in Saudi Arabia, which is the custom.
Without Imperial Manila and its legions, so badly equipped and barely paid as they are, the poor would be scavenging in the abandoned mansions of the rich. Without the armies that are raised, trained and paid for by Imperial Manila, there would be anarchy worse than we have experienced in the last six years. And without Imperial Manila, you would be eating bacteria in sari-sari stores, instead of clean delicious fare in the food courts invented by SM Manila.”
Is it just me or does this article seem too much like “Hunger Games” written for the Capitol and endorsed by Coriolanus Snow , more importantly w/out merit since the ascension of District 13 (Davao/Mindanao)— I suppose Leni is the MockingJay (President Coin is Duterte 😉 )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolanus
The Roman historian Tacitus said, “Arcana imperii, the secret of empire is out, an emperor can be made in army barracks outside of Rome.”
But seriously, if someone over here wrote something similar about Washington DC, or Sacramento (capital of California) for that matter, they’d be ridiculed, since most Americans are Libertarians at heart, forever suspicious of government.
I think Filipinos, especially Mindanaoans and Visayans, are as cynical when it comes to Manila, so that list of “without”s is as false as when Constantine ruled from Constantinople (now Davao).
Or am I reading it all wrong, and this article is actually satire?
Teddy Locsin is like Duterte, in a way, loud and abrasive for effect, . . also snide and puffed up, full of confidence and hubris. I think the article is exaggeration and ‘simple’, when Manila is today dominant but in the future should be less so. Manila is New York in 1945, but LA and Chicago are coming on-stream fast (Davao, Cebu).
That’s a good analogy, Joe—- and with faster internet speed/girth for Davao/Cebu, also the virtual realm, rendering Manila not so important. Things are indeed topsy-turvy now.
Also,
piggy-back on andrew’s request, how about a blog on the ascendancy of Cebu (since you’re set to move there) and Davao (when you visit?). And how those in Luzon can adjust (or should adjust).
I’ve done that one. The national government ought not be Manila bound, and should invest hugely in the urban infrastructure of Cebu and Davao. Like, trains, broadband, electricity, water and expressways.
What’s the title of the article?
Found it,
How about an update, in light of the DU30 win and SEA-US cable?
Lance,
I think this is the one.
Yes, that’s the one. Thanks.
too late the hero.
LOL! This time I was faster, karl 😉 .
You are welcome Joe and Lance,yes you were the quicker draw. 😉
Chicago is burning, my friend.
Possibly so m, possibly so.
I have read the article of Teddy Locsin. Its bias. It advocates the mentality that “without Manila there will be no Philippines.” This may be true centuries ago, that every progress should have a starting place somehow. But today, progress should no longer stay within Manila, spread it out, consider other major cities of the country. Philippines does not live because of Manila alone. The article mentioned that without Manila, Philippines will become a hollow country and will be easily blown away, exploited by NPAs and Muslims. If the purpose of the article is to instill fear to the readers about the proposed federalization, which is the flagship of Duterte’s presidency then may it serve its purpose. It was written before election time though, and i may concluded that it is political in nature. Me, on the other side, not even advocating to dissolve Manila, just allocate the biggest lump of the national budget to the provinces. You may say that Manila contributes the biggest revenue of the nation, which is taxes, so it is just reasonable that Manila will take the lion share. But think otherwise, Value Added Tax (VAT), is paid by the business’ home office. The home office is located in Manila, but the operating branch is in the provinces. In short, the provinces do the dirty jobs, Manila reaps the gain. Allocate the biggest lump of the National Budget in agriculture. This way, it will be the agricultural provinces that will benefit the most. It makes me wonder, why did the Philippines need to import rice? One of the largest producer of rice but also one of the largest importer? Sounds nonsense. We have very rich lands but we are not using it efficiently. Now, our economy is fueled substantially by OFW’s remittances and foreign investments. As long as our imports exceeds our exports, there would be always a deficit, in simple thoughts. To Imperial Manila, please remember that whats in your table is the fruit of the labor of the entire nation, so lets all have an equitable share.
“Value Added Tax (VAT), is paid by the business’ home office”
Correction Andres, VAT is paid by the branch to the relevant authority located there and certain percentages accrues to the LGU..
No chempo. VAT(12% of revenues less inputVAT) is paid by the main office. Lets consider SM, it has many branches all over the country, but all the VAT dues of SM, including its branches in Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, etc. are remitted in the Bureau of Internal Revenue Regional District Office – Pasay? by its home office which is located in Pasay?. Also, all its income tax dues (30% of income). What the are they paying to the LGU are the local business tax, which is less than 1% of their revenues. I am an accountant by profession.
The Congress holds the purse for the whole country. It enacts the GAA – General Appropriations Act. The Executive branch submits a budget proposal, Congress subject that to strict review and scrutiny before passing the law.
Allocating a major part of the budget to Mindanao will go through Congress scrutiny. Only one PDP Laban senator is there, if I’m not mistaken, so I expect a coalition is in the offing so the incoming President can implement his economic programs as soon as possible. That’s usual, since it’s impossible to proceed with any program with a hostile Congress. I’m all for your idea of giving Mindanao (and other regions, too which is what PNOY and Roxas has done in their annual budget proposals – Bottoms Up Budgeting) the budgetary support that is due them to develop agriculture and other industries, with COA’s strict guardianship, of course, to prevent any ideas to plunder taxpayer’s money. All above board, transparent and according to law.
In all of the 6 years of Pnoy Admin, they never passed a re-enacted budget which IMHO is a big no-no in a democratic government, something I wondered about in the SC decision on DAP, (which was used to fund projects that are faster in implementation than others which have met obstacles in various stages) but ignored GMA’s many years of re-enacting the annual budget, which enabled her to control every peso in the trillions worth of the budget.
Mary, you are also an accountant,please confirm what Andres said about the SM example on taxes.
Duterte would have a curfew on Bottoms Up Budgeting. 😜
I am confirming it, from what I know VAT payment is centralized, only the main office is tasked to pay it.
But the payment goes to the BIR which is national in scope, it’s not as if Pasay or Manila gets to use the money paid as VAT or Income Taxes. I assume they all go to the Treasury where all the allocations based on the GAA is sourced for implementation.
karl, am I correct in that assumption? You are more versed on Budgeting.
Federalism is not necessarily bad, but it has to be adjusted properly. In Germany you have “equivalent living conditions” as part of the Federal Constitution – rich states have to help poor ones, the Länderfinanzausgleich which determines how much goes from the rich to the poor states is adjusted yearly. Formerly agricultural and poor, now agribusiness, richest and high-tech Bavaria last got money from the others in 1992 and is now a donor state. Fomerly rich Berlin is now living from other states plus Federal capital subsidies.
In Germany different taxes are collected by different levels and distributed according to a complex scheme – a mixture of incentives to develop regions and fairness to laggards.
What also is important is subsidiarity – what laws may be passed by what level of government. Noise pollution laws (curfews for loud music etc.) are state laws. Youth protection law (alcohol ban for younger people, curfews as well even if one can see that they are not always implemented anymore, which leads to drug and drinking issues) is federal. Closing hours for pubs and discos are municipal responsibilities – I remember how Munich lifted the 1 a.m. closing rule to 5 a.m. while Berlin is a 24 hour city. Food 4 thought.
In case Duterte initiates a national discussion on a new Constitution, I suggest that the “Silent Majority” be more prepared this time with counter-proposals and reasons for them.
If change is indeed coming, be the ones to help shape the change in a correct manner.
joke only on the bottoms up budgeting. 😉😄 no way I am more versed in budgeting,but i guess you are spot on on those assumptions.
OK thks for the clarification Andres.
WASHINGTON – The United States signaled on Tuesday it will work with the apparent victor of the Philippines presidential election, Rodrigo Duterte, despite allegations of human rights abuses in the city he has led for over two decades.
Washington’s stance reflects the reality that U.S. national security interests will outweigh human rights concerns given China’s increasingly assertive stance in the region and the maritime disputes in the South China Sea, Asia analysts said.
“national security interests will outweigh human rights concerns” !!!
Any concerns on this ?
What is the alternative for the US? Try to run the Philippines? The US can be expected to speak against human rights abuses, but not directly meddle in Filipino affairs. The US actually complimented the Philippines on the free and open democratic process. That does not mean they like the outcome, as far as US interests are involved. The Philippines dealt this deck of cards and ought not expect the US to demand a redeal. It is a Philippine sovereign situation. Look within for remedies, not to the US.
Will US grant him a visa ? They also refused Narendra Modi one in the past.
Heads of States (like Modi and now Duterte) automatically get A’s…
from: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/other/diplomat-foreign-government-official.html
“Diplomats and other foreign government officials traveling to the United States to engage solely in official duties or activities on behalf of their national government must obtain A-1 or A-2 visas prior to entering the United States. They cannot travel using visitor visas or under the Visa Waiver Program. With the exception of a Head of State or Government — who qualifies for an A visa regardless of the purpose of travel — your position within your country’s government and your purpose of travel determine whether you need an A-1 or A-2 visa. Immediate family members of diplomats and government officials receive A-1 or A-2 visas, with few exceptions. Personal employees, attendants, or domestic workers for diplomats and government officials (holding a valid A-1 or A-2 visa) may be issued A-3 visas.
To qualify for an A-1 or A-2 visa, you must be traveling to the United States on behalf of your national government to engage solely in official activities for that government. The specific duties or services that will be performed must be governmental in character or nature, as determined by the U.S. Department of State, in accordance with U.S. immigration laws. Government officials traveling to the United States to perform non-governmental functions of a commercial nature, or traveling as tourists, require the appropriate visas and do not qualify for A visas. The fact that there may be government interest or control in a given organization is not in itself the defining factor in determining if you qualify for an A visa.”
Yes. Unless he goes irresponsible in some way, like kicking the US out and making undiplomatic characterizations of the US. Again, though, that is a Philippine matter, under control of Filipinos.
If we could dial back in time to when Hitler was elected by the German people, would you have to deal with him knowing what kind of atrocity he would bring to the world?
Has he not been associated with Hitler here ?
Yes, but that’s just an intellectual discussion. It tries to confine the future with the past.
May I ask your nationality, location and interest in the Philippines?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. official on Tuesday signaled Washington’s willingness to work with Rodrigo Duterte?????
Translation: US Obama regime want to force the new Philippine elected president to continue be Washington war machine’s puppy in Asia to stir up new chaos, to turn Asia to the new Iraq.
Chinese troll alert. Ooooogah ooooogah!
“Translation: US Obama regime want to force the new Philippine elected president to continue be Washington war machine’s puppy in Asia to stir up new chaos, to turn Asia to the new Iraq.”
LOL! That was actually a pretty clever way of making that anti-US point. And I thought he was from India. LOL!
These guys from Hainan Island, are getting wittier, and wittier, Joe. LOL!
Well, they make clear China’s interest. Drive a wedge between the US and Philippines.
May I ask, Allgoes, what is your nationality, location and interest in the Philippines?
That 2005 decision was based on Mr. Modi’s failure to stop a series of deadly riots three years earlier by Hindus against minority Muslims in the Indian state of Gujarat, where he was (and remains) chief minister. The State Department invoked a little-known U.S. law passed in 1998 that makes foreign officials responsible for “severe violations of religious freedom” ineligible for visas. Mr. Modi is the only person ever denied a visa to the U.S. under this provision, U.S. officials confirm.
The 2005 decision by the George W. Bush administration now puts President Barack Obama in a bind. The U.S. could continue to deny entry to the likely leader of a democracy of great strategic importance.
Please inform us of your nationality, location and interest in the Philippines. I don’t represent the US government and the issue seems off topic.
Remember the US has a similar strategy, Allgoes… this is totally different from let’s get Hindus to riot and kill Muslims— and remember Duterte also said that he has Muslim blood from his mother’s side.
The political eminence grise still carries weight and influence with many sides. Ramos encouraged Duterte to run, but is confident he’ll respect the law. Ramos was key to ousting Marcos, and had a significant hand in both People Power revolutions. As President Cory Aquino’s defense minister he also thwarted nine coup attempts. He’s 88, but still a game-changer. Martin Soong
Being hardheaded and naming all those that doesn’t agree with you a “troll”, made your candidate losing.
Cheers
So why are you dropping off a trollish comment? This is a discussion thread. State your point and support it, positively.
Kindly inform us of your nationality, location and interest in the Philippines.
You banned Tess Pajaron and showed us the typical American approach, black or white as there is no grey for you.
Do expect soon another disappointment.
Cheers
Ahh, that is the connection. Good old Tess. A piece of work, her. Or him. Best pig’s ear peddler ever to arrive here. Actually, you are wrong. I’m Gemini, always working the gray. It is a discipline to develop principles and stick with them in the face of all you manipulative gameplayers.
Who is ‘us’ by the way?
Best Environment for you:
Any busy neighborhood, places where people gather to “gossip”, bookstores, museums.
Is that a threat?
Joe, don’t go there. These are immature inconsequential specks of dust, just flick it off. Utter waste of time to engage.
Right. I just want people to know what comes even with a peaceful Duterte blog. Threat and intimidation. It may be that there is no way to engage at all on Duterte if you have a different view, because of all the dogs he has unleashed and fed. I wonder if he can even control what he has unleashed.
I would add that the article has attracted a flight of likely Chinese trolls. So Duterte has put China into play in the Philippines, it would seem.
It is the manifestation of the emotions that lies dormant for centuries of sly oppression. A little ignition will surely fuel it up to explosion. They are living their lives in darkness and have a glimpse of the light in the form of Duterte. Any means to patch-up the light that glimmers will be welcome by aggression. For it was sleeping for too long, and in its awakening it brings with it the savageness of human nature.
So you are saying there is no way to raise objection with your team, for any objection will be taken as an affront warranting suppression?
Davao ChinaTown, also known as Mindanao ChinaTown, is the only ChinaTown in Mindanao located in the island’s de facto capital, Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines. At around 44 hectares, it is at the center of numerous business establishments, of which a great majority is owned by Chinese Filipinos who were either born in the country or naturalized Filipino citizens who trace their roots to mainland China.
44 hectares of Chinese trolls… 🙂
http://vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Davao-Citys-ChinaTown
“They are living their lives in darkness and have a glimpse of the light in the form of Duterte.”—Andres III
May that ‘light’ shines and brightens the Philippines in the next six years.
Or is that ‘light’ just a mirage in the dark, a portent of more darkness for them, darker than what their dark mind and eyes can see?
Abangan.
@Bert: The “light” is a glimmering light. Its up to the congress to have it blazing. For the President cannot create laws and it is the congress that holds the money. A President without the resources is a dead president. So, if that “light” disappears we know whose to blame.
To that point, I read today that about 85% of the 2016 budget is already released. So to do much different will require some kind of DAP maneuver, which the SC determined is partially illegal. It is an irony, I suppose, that critics of Aquino pay the price of inflexibility in applying the budget brought on by critics of Aquino.
@Andres III, Plus you neglected to answer my prior question in response to your rather revolutionary and threatening remark:
“So you are saying there is no way to raise objection with your team, for any objection will be taken as an affront warranting suppression?”
@Andres III. That sounds to me like passing the buck…like, “If I cannot light my torch, it’s their fault, not mine.”.
Nice. ::) 🙂 😦
@Joe: Sorry, i didn’t notice you have that query. To answer, yes, any objection as early as this time may be treated as suppressing the glimmering light. Note the phrase “objection as early as this time,” refers to any negative criticism on the president-elect that he had not done, like “being a dictator,” “suppression of the freedom of speech,” “ill-gotten wealth,” etc. You may condemn him to your heart’s content, but condemn on the unholy things that he had done or the things that he failed to do. But since you created the above article declaring your support for him, i admire you and believe in you, and even if the president-elect read this he may acknowledge you with all sincerity.
@Bert: Sounds like that Bert. Remember that it also happen to President Aquino with his DAP issue. We cannot deny that it affected his delivery of basic services.
Actually, I am wholly sympathetic to that guideline, as it is parallel to arriving here and calling someone an idiot or yellowtard. No, the focus should be on issues. That said, however, it easy to see why someone could say ‘I am afraid that there will be abuses of human rights under President Duterte.’ If that view is not properly expressed, then he would be operating blind, and might end up like President Aquino on Mamasapano, out of touch with the concerns and feelings of a lot of people.
And, Andres III, it’s true that the people is seeing a glimmer of light in Duterte. But the Filipino people is not a dumb people. They will for sure will know if that ‘light’ is there for them to see their way to a bright future ahead, or for some dubious political agenda by the new leadership.
We, the Filipino People, will know, I can assure you that.
Please don’t threaten us with that ‘savageness of human nature’ thing.
For we all have that within ourselves. And we are not afraid to use it for the best interests of country and the Filipino people.
@Joe: I have answer your query in my previous post, but it did not appear anywhere.
@Bert: No treats here for we are all Filipinos, and we all want the best for the majority of us.
You are on the moderation list, which is where people go if there is suspicion they are here to peddle wares rather than talk and listen, teach and learn. The purpose of this blog is knowledge, in the best interest of the Philippines. It is not a chat room, insult center, distribution list, or PR center.
Okay, you are off moderation, although I remain wary due to the attitude brought here by your ‘cohorts’ Markus and Games17.
Thanks for letting me know the remark was in reference to my being Gemini. I’m not paranoid, but I for sure ‘feel’ the intimidations from the Duterte crowd. That aside, this is a discussion thread. I’ve put you into moderation pending receiving a legitimate, issues-based comment.
huh? what, what? ano ito? The campaign is over, their candidates have won…what is this for?
Cynthia Patag
15 hrs ·
Wow! I’m on the ‘Hateful Eight’ hotlist, assiduously compiled and judged by President Elect Duterte supporters: Carlos P. Celdran, Jim Paredes, Cynthia Patag, Antonio Trillanes IV, Edwin Lacierda, Leah Navarro, Raissa Robles, Victoria P. Garchitorena.
Salamat gid for the glorious honor! ♥
I think an even bigger list is being compiled, and I’m on that one. Those 8 are just the bigger names. I look forward to President Elect Duterte’s policy on free speech, versus the intimidation tactics of some of his followers.
It’s quite ironic, Joe. This article of yours is congratulating the duly elected president, the result of a democratic election. Your position as always is to support a government and not be an obstacle like what other media usually do towards PNOY’s government. All for the general welfare of the people and the country.
And here they are, posting opinions and threats like those Ive just read.
Creepy.
It is creepy, and one wonders at the kind of nation this will become when creeps believe they are the elite.
I wish I had asked my German grandmother more about 1933-1945 in Berlin-Wannsee.
Black Americans who had studied in Heidelberg before 1933 BTW – and had found Germany WAY more tolerant than the USA of then – were shocked by the developments.
Congratulations, President-elect Duterte. You still have to account for your unreported SALN. Best wishes in fulfilling the hopes of the poor that if they vote for you, you will make them rich. This is not anti-Duterte remarks. I am stating facts. That’s what I’ve been told by one of his supporters. Said I was selfish for supporting Mar Roxas and supporting the middle class and the oligarchs. Huh?
grabe mga supporters in BBM
translated roughly for the sake of chempo and other non-Tagalog speaking members :
“Leni you SOB, ride an plane, too, and hopefully that plane crashes also so yuou will be with your dead husband, you SOB.”
I hope the unofficial vote canvassing will complete the count (up to 100%) so that supporters of both camps can lay the issues to rest. It’s not helping that BBM himself is fanning the flames of his loyalist followers like this REBEL X.
Sorry for the typo and other errors in the translation, am so upset that this young girl with an angelic face is capable of such garbage talk.
I’m not sure the ‘girl’ exists, but may be a part of the deceits, threats and lies. That is, an instrument of the ‘new enforcers’.
I suggest that a lot of people read up on the details of Germany from 1933-1939. Plausible deniability is an instrument of dictatorial regimes. Hitler used the Sturmabteilung and then dissolved them to please the public. People were “relieved” for a while. The other stuff worth reading is about Stalin – I still have a book on that I have to check out. Everybody was scared of him and tried to stay on his good side, while he successively got rid of people. Even faking pictures, for example retouching people out, was done by him.
It is worth knowing how things happened elsewhere, even if history never repeats itself but only rhymes according to Mark Twain. Alertness is imperative, not to sleep again. Or do it like the Mexicans – put on your sombrero and pretend to sleep but stay awake. Sorry to say but caliphman was proven right – too much concentration on wrecking Poe by some of Raissa’s group, while NeverAgain looked only at Marcos but ignored Duterte for too long.
Irineo, I only noticed just now your reference to me in passing. That whole exercise of of knocking down Poe as a way to promote Roxas’s election prospects not only diverted energy and focus from the main effort of marketing him to the masses successfully. It was mindless and counter productive. Sure it knocked Poe from being the frontrunner but her loss in supporters was not Roxas’s but Duterte or Binay’s gain.Even now those who pursued this mindless anti-Poe campaign continue spewing venom against her despite the fact that the race is over and they unwittingly caused the triumph of a would be dictator. As if their gloating that Roxas eased into her slot in second place was any vindication of their smear tactics.
‘Mindless’ is a personal aspersion,’counter-productive’ is not. You are spewing venom about the people spewing venom, so where is the kettle and where is the pot? If you have an issue with a specific comment, I’d suggest addressing your remark to the commenter, on the basis of issue. This kind of diatribe is not acceptable in a blog that MUST avoid personal aspersions going forward.
I mean mindless as behavior lacking purpose. If you see it as a personal affront to anyone rather than a description of displayed behavior, it is a projection of your thinking. The reason why I consider it is as lacking purpose, I have elaborated on. It is counterproductive as the the outcome is the opposite of the effect described.
How is that all considered a diatribe, a term you like to use and color a comment that describes accurately why a posting is quote unquote mindless? Everyone should understand the election is over and it is in my view useless to campaign and propagandize why favored candidates should have lost and why disliked candidates were disliked. You and me who have had our share of disagreements in the past campaign included. You may desire to brand this posting as a diatribe itself, but truth to tell, even if you own this blogsite and there are very many good things you have done with it, there are a few things I do not care for and that at times your posts and criticisms are quite biased. Take it for what its worth from someone who is not necessarily a troll. Lets just move on from all this campaign season dirty and bitter as it might have been as there are more pressing issues facing the Philippines that we can all contribute together in mindfully trying to solve.
I am, at this delicate time, calling people to task, even gentile souls such as Mary Grace, to make sure the guidelines for this blog are clear. Get rid of the need to prove politically dominant and talk issues.
Its not an easy task and I am afraid I do not make things any easier for you. The bigger problem is as you mention, that the blogsite must shakeoff its tag as a home for yellowtards and those that campaign under that banner. I myself have moved on but I noticed CPM has not and a few of these posters have found their way here. Raissa is more a passionate anti-Marcos advocate and has scrupolously avoided disclosing her leanings toward or against any political camp. So even if her blogsite is much more a yellowtard camp than here, my strong suspicion is that her site was taken down not by operatives clad in blue but wearing red. It is no coincidence that CPM was a favorite destination resort for Marcos trolls but in the end it seems their efforts to counter Raissa’s articles and exposes were unsuccessful. Lucky for her I suppose.
Edit: “…..as the outcome is the opposite of the apparent intended desired effect.”
Let’s face it.
The fact is that, as of the latest count, there are more than 6,200,000 votes separating Duterte and Roxas. Raissa’s commenters could have collectively concentrated on Duterte but that would not change the outcome – 6,200,000 votes are too big to overcome.
What would have made a difference was if Poe accepted Roxas’ reaching out for a unified front against Duterte. Had Poe accepted Roxas overture, the Smart Plan would have worked.
Poe will be long-remembered as the candidate who said “NO” when it mattered most.
What if they did it two weeks earlier? they all took Duterte’s surge lightly,add to that some pundits said that the call for unity was a big turnoff because it was a sign of weakness.(teehankee or someother guy maybe the pulse asia fellow)
Poe suspected Mar’s camp as the people behind the DQ,that is one major factor of turning down the offer.True or not,it is not just hubris as the reason for turning Roxas down.
Water under the bridge, let s all be vigilant if all there will a surge in summary executions,surge in npa raids in police stations,etc.
It’s good to know the Society Tanod is treading the non-partisan line. It will be important to shed the erroneous idea that this is a ‘yellow’ blog. It is a pro-Philippines blog, and the editor has great respect for democratic principles and institutions. The Executive branch is a very important institution with a new, duly elected head who has not yet made any executive decisions. I note that President Aquino has appointed Exec. Sec. Ochoa to head the Admin’s transition effort, ready to welcome Mayor Duterte’s transition team.
Thanks and I have to reiterate that ths is not an echo chamber.Those people that were suspected as trolls were suspected for a reason,there is no automatic troll labeling as far as I am concerned.
The Three Js as coined by Mary add a C to that,comments here with minimal incident of disagreement that leads to nowhere.
jonathan,jean,jolly plus caliphman.
And those in suspended animation,may opt to be more considerate when they come back,all of them have excellent insights.
Micha,RHiro and Mariano.
I hope that the outgoing and incoming teams can achieve the continuity we are all hoping for.
If there will be charter change I hope it will not be discussed yet,maybe before the mid terms,but hopefully not in the immediate future.
Grace Poe lost the election, her political ambition nipped in the bud. I cannot understand this of people kept on kicking a dead horse. Sadistic comes to mind.
Yes Bert very sadistic.I was talking about the turning down of the call for unity btw.And yes if you keep on kicking a dead horse,that is both sadistic and cowardly,you would not kick a sleeping horse,they kick harder. 😜
Has Grace ever been around horses? Just askin’.
@ Bert, that’s an awesome bark and bite..hahaha….it’s not only Poe or Mar who lost, it’s the whole country if ever what we fear about a Duterte regime will come about. I hope that fear is misplaced but he certainly went his way to feed that fear of a dictatorship, killing fields without due process, and to get attention, spewing forth curse after curse to establishments, allied countries and rivals; etc, etc
It’s not sadistic but some kind of analysis before we close the issue, so acceptance can seep in.
Poe, in choosing to be a public figure must have realized that she, like all the other candidates will come under close scrutiny, it’s her supporters who are super sensitive and seems to snarl at anyone and everyone who says something against her. It’s good that the campaign is over, so we can discuss issues in a cool and calmer manner.
She is real…….16 years…
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/566007/news/nation/leni-s-social-media-basher-apologizes-for-vicious-comment
Thanks. Child’s indiscretion.
Same but RomualdezMarcos…..
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/565970/news/nation/cristina-romualdez-apologizes-for-daughter-s-anti-leni-tweet
Yes, a bit of a parental black mark, that. I’m sure they are mightily embarrassed.
Facebook should make it clear on their front page, rather than in the registration page, that children under 15 or 18 should not be allowed to create their own accounts.
Still, youths manage to bypass it by simply ignoring the flimsy age-limit warning.
ONE MORE TIME — THE ALGEBRAIC ARGUMENT FOR OR AGAINST MARCOS IN THE VP RACE
(Sorry, Joe and others in The Society, this is a rather long technical note)
Data from Rappler (updated as of May 5 2:00pm),
http://ph.rappler.com/elections/2016/results/philippines/position/2/vice-president
gives the following numbers for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan as 13,954,573 13,724,318 5,646,033 4,793,072 839,266 756,013, respectively or in percentages: 35.1%, 34.6%, 14.2%, 12.1%, 2.1%, 1.9%; the Robredo-Marcos vote difference is 230,255.
Now there are 95.50% precincts accounted for as of May 11th 2016, 2:00 pm. Assuming the 4.50% of the precincts not yet accounted for has the same voting size as the in those already accounted for we may CONSERVATIVELY estimate the number of votes in these remaining precincts as 4.50% of 55.7 million registered or 2.5m.
HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS
– assume in the first instance that the same percentage votes prevail on the 2,500,000 votes, then we have for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan the following numbers: 878,458 863,963 355,425 301,730 52,833 47,591 respectively which total 2,500,000.
– by algebraic operation let us give to Marcos most of the additional votes than those numbers immediately above and discount Robredo’s correspondingly while maintaing the numbers for the other candidates so that the same total results. The numbers for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan becomes 756,082 986,339 355,425 301,730 52,833 47,591 respectively with the same total of 2,500,000.
– before we go to the next item below (and this is crucial to my argument), let us take the percentages corresponding to this incremental still-to-be-accounted-for numbers; we get for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan the following: 30.2%, 39.5%,14.2%, 12.1%, 2.1%, 1.9%, respectively
– Now let us go back to the absolute numbers and add the current Robredo-Marcos difference of 230,255; we then have for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan 986,337 986,339 355,425 301,730 52,833 47,591 respectively with the total now of 2,730,255 (which is the 2,500,000 with the ADDITION of 230,255, the existing Robredo-Marcos vote difference).
– Thus, in the above exercise WE HAVE FAVORED Marcos with the final vote difference of 2 from the approximately 2,500,000 votes still to come in; that is Robredo 986,337 and Marcos 986,339.
BUT HERE IS THE “PIECE THE RESISTANCE”
Compare the percentages of the 95.5% precincts accounted so far:
35.1%, 34.6%, 14.2%, 12.1%, 2.1%, 1.9% for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan, respectively.
versus the corresponding percentages for this contrived exercise for the 4.5% precincts still to be accounted for:
30.2%, 39.5%, 14.2%, 12.1%, 2.1%, 1.9% for Robredo, Marcos, Cayetano, Escudero, Trillanes, Honasan, respectively
Is this reasonable — focus on the first two percentage numbers in the two sets for Robredo and Marcos — considering that the votes still to be accounted for do not come only from one isolated place like Ilocos but various places? I DO NOT THINK SO!!
THIS STRENGTHENS MY “GUT FEEL” THAT ROBREDO WILL PREVAIL IN THE END.
So sorry Marcos, no sale!!!
Irineo,
I had you in mind, among others in The Society, when I wrote the above because of your previous note referencing me about this Robredo, Marcos votes matter.
Thanks. The transmissions are nearly complete. Provinces that are still lagging according to the Rappler map are: Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Surigao del Sur which is the most laggard at around 66% transmission.
But even in Metro Manila you will find precincts that are not yet 100% transmitted – the reasons we don’t know but I am sure COMELEC has a log of all matters concerned.
The most important document I have learned is the “Certificate of Canvas” for a precinct. Berlin election precinct (the Embassy) posted the full tally as well as the COC on Facebook. The whole process looks very professional this time, unlike back in 1986.
OAVs (overseas absentee votes) are already in the present Rappler count. Embassies that did manual counting finished yesterday – this I know for a fact from Berlin precinct.
It looks like there are some delays in parts of Mindanao – the usual stuff but of course BBM is trying to make it look like a Hello Garci scenario.
The demonstration planned in Luneta today had a very low turnout – a few red-shirted loyalists shouting under a tree basically.
Leni is not as suitable a target of anger as Mar, because she has a credible track record of “tsinelas” work and taking public transport i.e. living in a down-to-earth manner.
There is a sizable group of Duterte-Leni voters as well as moderate leftists for Leni as well, meaning her support is not exclusively from the RoRo group.
Right. Wrong target to demonize. Sorry again Marcos — NO SALE!
Ah, thanks! I can probably sleep well now. I did a few estimates myself (though very rough since I’m not a Math major) and estimated that Leni needed a 300,000 lead over Marcos to maintain when OAV was factored in. Seems that was unnecessary. Cheers and God bless to her!
No math major here, @uht. But like you we try to make sense with all the “screaming” coming from the Marcos camp. Your analysis is as good as mine. In my case I try to aid my “gut feel” with my number sense. Tinkering with numbers is some sort of hubby with me. Keeps dementia at bay at my old age. (Keeps me away from mischief the good wife says. 🙂 )
Thank you sir NH for this uplifting number analysis.
BBM is busy fanning the flames of hatred of his loyalist supporters, my cousins included. They are for Duterte-Marcos tandem.
Said angry cousins of mine are not satisfied with the landslide win for Duterte, they are for a BBM win also to obliterate any PNOY link in the new government. I wonder what is the source of this deep hatred of Aquinos, I now remember their shared post long ago that Ninoy is a traitor and not a hero as we refer him to be.
Could this be because deep in the back of their minds, they are relying on Duterte’s promise of resigning if he fails to solve crime and corruption in 3 to 6 months and give the presidency to BBM. Then the journey back to Malacanang is truly complete.
And I am flabbergasted. And I can’t believe this of some of my cousins.
Welcome, Mary.
Very high stakes for the Marcoses. Going for broke, no thought of tomorrow. The Marcoses are just adding nails to the coffin of their political life with the behavior displayed. But they are counting on the Filipinos short political memory. But with social media this may change in the future.
NEVER AGAIN mantra should be kept alive.
I wonder if President-elect Duterte will ban Raissa’s book on Marcos Dictatorship. Our youth should be made aware of what happened in those dark years of our history at the hands of one of our own countryman and his family, extended family, cronies and dummies, enabled by the rubber stamp legislature, a cowed judiciary and citizenry, helped in a big way by an abusive military.
NEVER AGAIN!!!
Votes from Region VI which enabled Leni to catch up with BBM…Region VI vs BBM’s Solid North
I saw on Twitter that Tacloban went for Roxas. If that is true, it means the entirety of the Yolanda hit area went for Roxas while the rest of the nation castigated him for it. Is that ironic, or what? The tragedy of it all . . .
I fully agree, the tragedy of it all. and we lost the services of a capable man of good character.
Are we being punished for something we have done?
Scratch the question, am falling in the classic “blaming onself for another’s fault” syndrome, err, is there such a thing?
I think there is little that could have been done. The perfect storm rose up, a media interested in promoting their favorite partner rather than journalism, a huge number of emotional voters not interested in information, the crab culture that made it easy for opponents to sell against Roxas/Aquino, and the lack of emotional hot buttons for Roxas to push. He was a victim of his integrity. Which also means he was not a victim at all. His integrity is stronger today than before the campaign began.
Roxas won in 7 of the 11 LGUs in Cebu that were hit by Yolanda.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2016/05/12/yolanda-vote-not-what-roxas-critics-expected-473139
Rappler (from map search) shows they went for Duterte, not Roxas.
Still, I find it very ironic. And I still find it unjust for someone to be cast aside as if he were nothing for his hard work. His grandfather was, and is still viewed in the same way by historians for his efforts to lead the country after the war…
Thanks for the correction. The mischaracterization of his work in Tacloban is one of the crueler treatments of a kind man that I’ve ever witnessed.
The tweet is not true. Roxas got only 4.85% of the votes (5,168 out of 106,480 votes). It was in this order: Duterte (41.47%), Binay, Poe, Roxas, Santiago and RS.
Anyway, I’m almost certain that Robredo will win the VP. With about 1.8 million votes uncounted, Marcos has to win at least 42% of the remaining votes, and Robredo’s to go down to 38%. Checking on almost all of the uncounted votes, there will be no significant changes on the percentages. The percentages has not changed much since NHerrera’s post above (after about 600k votes added).
Erratum: go down to 28% for Robredo, not 38%.
200 thousand is 9% of 1.8 million. So Marcos needs 9% more than Robredo.
Why I doubt this will happen? 500 thousand votes from Maguindanao still untransmitted.
THEY will most probably NOT have forgotten what Marcos did to the BBL very recently.
Thank you region VI…!
This man definitely needs a hug from everyone. Never seen him this broke.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/784936/look-what-roxas-did-after-conceding-to-duterte
congratulations to president-elect Duterte.. but officially, he has to be declared by our Congress and made to pledge to our Constitution to exercise his official function yet (that is.. to uphold the Constitution and protect its sovereign people).. Nevertheless, congratulations, and may the Philippines will benefit from this recent chain of events..
yup, never seen him broke.. and that worries me after all.. he had visited the resting place of his parents ( i myself had lost both of my parents), that’s a good sign at least he knew how to look back in order to see what lies ahead.. this showed one of his true character.. he seek help from passed away mother.. “Ma, help me” (as he said in his local dialect).. and I might be morbid, but I am nervous at the same time that our beloved country will be ran by the soul of his beloved mother.. what if, his mother instructed him in his dreams that she wanted this, she wanted that, or you have to offer me 1,700 souls as sacrifice, one for each island so that this country will be great again!??! Shivers run down through my spines.. Up to the lowest levels during the campaign, promises for the new government were bone-chilling!! Inmates were campaigned to vote for him, because once he got elected and assumed office, criminals will be let loose, or pardoned as in his language.. they all will be set free!! if these promises will be held true, i am very nervous because I have 3 daughters and they still don’t know the horrors ahead of them.. if promises will not be fulfilled, then empty promises and people who voted for him will revolt once again? for a change again? ahhh.. so much dream for change.. we have info here that local people were practicing on how to shade ballots for 3 straight days, of course, in favor of a monetary reward for their chosen candidate.. that is the sad truth.. truth hurts, ika nga and reality bites.. secondly, Mayor Digong’s camp had stated that the prophecy of his trusted friend Ptr. Quiboloy had been true and fulfilled.. and thus, he will consult him on his prophecy for the Philippines on the next 6 years.. I am bone-chilled to be living in this country ran by a mother’s soul and based on prophecies, not on rock-solid policies.. hope I might be wrong and just over-reactive.. nevertheless, congratulations still goes to our newly-elected president Digong.. and hope his advisers and support groups had no ill-motives on the back of their minds, once they gripped on power.. May God bless us all, and I am very thankful to Joe’s blog, where we still sees hope, and aired our sides in a more ethical and logical way..
Good to have you here, beloved.
Had anybody including Beloved and the new President-elect READ ABOUT the Canadian PM who regularly consulted his dead mother and other spirits? Go Google” “William Lyon Mackenzie King did far more to shape modern Canada than any other man. At his death in 1950, after nearly 22 years as prime minister, the true heritage … Even in King’s lifetime he made no secret of his devotion to his mother and …. Jr. In 1940 Roosevelt sought King’s advice on the destroyer bases deal with …”
I think one’s private moments ought to be private. I wonder why photographers were there. It is a little like Senator Poe’s photo shoots praying in the church. If he wants his private life to be private, he needs to be sure to keep it that way, I think. This is the Philippines, and it is not very forgiving.
yes, i deeply agree on hugging Mar.. being a man despite all the tirades and bashings he got..
From the German and EU front…
EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen has said that it “looks forward” to continuing the deepening of EU-Philippines ties especially certain things started in 2012.
Translating diplomatese to normal language, it could be interpreted that the EU is going on a wait and see course towards the new administration.
Heute (evening news on German national TV) has titled a report on Duterte on the Internet as “Dictator or Clown?” – very interesting.
Summing things up – there is a certain distance and caution from the EU/German side. What I see is that they will not jeopardize existing investments, but probably wait until they make new ones…
“Kalokohan ‘yan! (That’s nonsense!) Our records are for your scrutiny,” Bautista said in an ambush interview.
Something a lot of you didn’t and still doesn’t understand “the very basic but necessary changes”
http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/balikbayan/voices/132616-balikbayan-voice-why-rodrigo-duterte
Maybe they would understand better if you stopped chastising them and explained matters. Regulars here are very good at listening. You are new and have not earned any special platform from which to lecture.
Policy here requests that commenters explain what a link is about so readers know if it is worth clicking over. It”s a courtesy.
What the Establishment underestimated is the mood of the nation, the depth of frustration.
People have simply become sick and tired of propagandas and lies — 30 years. Yes, 30 years, and such lies were bound to be exposed. PNoy doubled down on incompetence, lack of empathy and patronage politics, and thus the entire yellow shenanigan became clear, bright as in a high noon sun.
Continuously trumpeting credit upgrades and window dressed statistics is no way to run a country. Even the unschooled and the non-economist feel the difference between a bubble economy and sustainable development. Believe it or not, the hoi polloi could sense when a country is moving in the wrong direction, or just pretending to be moving in the right direction. This is the reason for the apathy all around outside of election periods.
@Change, I’m putting you into moderation. This is a respectful discussion forum, not a place for continued campaign rhetoric with broad slurs and generalized opinions. You might consider that Mayor Duterte is President Elect and may prefer a dignified representation by his fans.
The moderation may result in delayed approval of comments as I am traveling. Please reflect that this is an established forum, and you are a newcomer. Humility might serve you better.
30 years, ha…it’s clear that your point of comparison is the year 1986, the year the Marcoses were driven away by his irate and extremely fed up countrymen. The “propaganda and lies exposed..ahh, where did that came from – from the attempted revision of history by the Marcoses, financed by his stolen billions?
It’s also clear that you long for his regime to be back since you so hate the series of investment upgrades the country was given since PNOY took over and the positive results that that came from his fight against corruption, transparent governance but thanks to to a biased media, the citizens were not that aware hence this “frustration” and the deep longing for “change”.
What can a single term do to a nation ravaged by 3 plunderers – Marcos, Estrada and Arroyo with the remnants of their admin still deeply entrenched in the system creating havoc to reforms being introduced? That was the reason for RORO supporters’ call for continuity. My goodness, even Duterte is now saying that the traffic problems cannot be completely solved in 6 years. How much more the corruption that has been the way of life since Marcos took over?
30 years you say, quite forgetting that 18 years separate the regime of the first Aquino President and the current one…and that 3 presidents had served in between.
Compared that to the single regime of Marcos for almost 30 years, compared that further with the 5 regimes after him for the same number of years, courtesy of the restoration of democracy which is one of the highlights of the first Aquino President’s administration.
Remember – that single regime under Marcos, beginning from time the country was second only to Japan economy wise, and after a few decades brought the country to its knees hence the label, the sick man of Asia, after he was thrown out. That is the actual history as it happened, not the revised one that the Marcoses are trying to sell nowadays.
Democracy has its shortcomings but it still is the best form of governance.
Rightly said Mary Grace P. Gonzales
Ditto, mary full of grace, well said. ☀
Mary Grace, your points are good but can we please step back from the campaign for now. I need to reset the blog and will require some help getting away from tit for tat political argument.
Sure I can…sorry. Was I in the campaign mode in that comment? haha..didn’t realize that I was. Again, I apologize.
Pinoy politics is not a team game like basketball but an individual player game like swimming. Had it been like basketball, there would have been a battle first between Mar and Poe; where Poe would win the primary elections. Then the final showdown would be between Duterte (iron change camp) vs. Poe (status quo camp).
But Pinoys prefer the chaos and factionalism on a flat hierarchy playing field like a gladiatorial arena with each combatant fighting his own battle for survival, and call it “more fun”. Yes maybe Pinoys can invent a new sport : a basketball court with only one ring and 5 teams playing simultaneously. Oh what chaos – oh what fun. Only in the Philippines.
Welcome to the blog, FunP.
The problem is that a president never receives a majority mandate, so he finds it difficult to forge unity for all the bickering. So you are right, there is little national togetherness or sense of the nation as a unified whole. Patriotism is found in stars and boxers rather than what we have accomplished as a team.
I like the individual player analogy, but organized sports don’t sit well with me, so I’d go with lead climbing (IMHO, a lot more appropriate),
The lead climber’s role is to climb to the top so he can then belay for everyone at the bottom (who themselves belayed the lead climber),
I hope Mar and Leni have seen “Meru”.
Mar was close, but now it’s Leni’s turn to climb lead (but w/ Duterte belaying),
I share your frustration of the “basketball court type” of our political party system – a system that makes a President-elect getting not a majority vote but just a plurality one from the electorate making him subject to all kinds of contrariness by the majority electorate who did not vote for him . Sometimes, though it happens in the US even if they have a 2-party system there, with votes from each state being assigned a number of points or whatever they call it.
The Philippines have 2 major party system before Marcos introduced the multi-party system, (after dancing like a butterfly from LP to NP in his quest for the Presidency) creating the KBL party during his extended reign. I’m wondering why BBM is in the NP when he ran for Senator, and an independent now in his VP candidacy. I know the Aquinos and the Roxases belong to the LP from the start until now.
I don’t know why this was not corrected during the drafting of the 1987 Constitution. If we really are to amend the constitution, it might be a great idea to revert back to the 2-party system for reasons stated.
I think, preferential voting system (australian flavor) is a better approach to get a majority in a multi-party election such as im the phils.
The first Manuel Roxas, after all, is the founder of the Philippine Liberal Party (not entirely sure what role Benigno Sr. had in it). BBM probably ran as an independent to make the “point” that he is someone who sticks to his principles and will not ally with anyone else but the best, like Miriam, because of that—in reality though, it doesn’t matter what he runs as because he has the money of his father to do it.
You’re right, the Philippines really does need to consider a two-party system (I remember my professor in Philosophy making this same point too a while back). However, if we are to apply this, we must learn a bit from America on the dangers of a two-party system: the danger of having politics run by the party, rather than by the people; of having goals for the party, rather than the people. And of course, there is the possibility of having middle choices basically extinguished in such a system—which makes for a dysfunctional Congress.
George Washington noted these dangers and more in his farewell address, which coincidentally was written nearly just 220 years ago in September 1796; you might want to read it for more insight on the subject.
I’ve posted these here before about the two-party preferred system. It explains the advantages of the system .
and
Parliamentary is another possibility. In situations with an unclear majority parties have to negotiate for coalitions and then vote the Prime Minister with the majority they then have.
I have seen that coalition negotiations are hard though and sometimes break down. Filipino political culture is highly volatile and Parliamentary might make things a lot worse.
When coalitions break down in midterm, there is what is called a “vote of no confidence” in the Prime Minister – or Chancellor. The new elections have to be called with all the circus.
Italy had periods where I think the shortest government latest six months and the longest just two years. So no system is a cure-all, it also depends on the cultural fit and country. Discussions that ignore the nature of the people running the institutions are dangerous.
Germany had a vote of no confidence in Helmut Schmidt when then Liberals broke with the Social Democrats in 1982. New elections were held and Helmut Kohl became Chancellor voted by a coalition of Christian Democrats and Liberals (Free Democrats).
The fragmented big and small political partys of the Weimar Republic cause for a totally unstable democracy, which is why a political party in the Federal Republic must get at least 5% at federal level or 3% at state level to enter parliament. Just a few inputs from me.
The idea of coalition governments seems like a nice idea, at least to me. The real problem is whether or not people are willing to put aside their differences to listen to the other side—most people here tend not to be willing. Grace Poe illustrated that point throughout the campaign season so many times.
Parties–as ideological constructs integrating-through-splitting the nation via the replacement of the “many and minuscule jigsaw puzzle pieces” of “personal” ties of blood and town with the “few and huge jigsaw puzzle pieces” of “impersonal” class, ethnicity, religion, etc.–have not arisen yet in this country because long-standing economic inequality and elite dominance, along with institutional factors such as a lack of a historically strong workers party and an overpowered
presidency loaded with excessive powers of patronage have ensured that the arenas of representation–Congress–simply represent more “personal” feuds between elite dynasties (parties that appear and disappear with the families that back them) rather than “impersonal” social divisions (ex: workers vs businessmen) that won’t disappear and serve as an essential part of a nation-democracy’’s identity.
Bringing this back on topic–what I find promising about a Duterte presidency is how it might be a sign of “impersonal social divisions” beginning to supersede and transcend the petty “personal” clan politics that is present all over the nation. Duterte’s election has brought to fore the question of federalism–may that be the question that serves as the basis for the “division” that will form the basis for our first legitimate party system? I can’t help but remember someone say here that Duterte doesn’t quite talk about it on the major news networks–leaving it for regional consumption. Hmm.
Democracy certainly is beautiful in her humanity.
On another note regarding that reference to George Washington–one might say that the battle between Roxas/LP and Duterte/PDP-Laban reminds one of the division between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican party. The former supported few and nascent urban industrialists and bankers that came with a willingness to centralize while the latter had support among the majority farming masses of a highly agrarian economy that came with a willingness to protect and support the rights of the states. Sound familiar?
It does. The odd thing about the American advocacy for state’s rights (republicans) is that they are also the party that favors the biggest of the big businesses. What they really want cut out of the picture is the socialist drive to take better care of the people (democratic income redistribution). So the lesson here is that the idea of state’s rights may not cut out the oligarchs, but empower them. It all depends on how the rights are divided up. For a nation that can’t even figure out how to get on the same page on BBL, building a federalist state may be difficult to achieve, and if it stalls GDP growth, and national wealth-building, it may be a step backward. Someone has to define the intricacies of power and economic drivers. If this has already been done, it would be nice to see the words. Until then, federalism is an ideology best left in university classrooms.
Federalism is a priority for Duterte, and he’s already said he plans to hold a plebiscite for amending the Constitution. The federal system he will put forward will likely be based on the model proposed by former Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, which has been making the rounds in Mindanao and the Visayas for some years now:
Thanks. Worth study.
Having one’s plan for federalism titled “The Final Solution” is hardly the best of portents. But I’m sure the good senator was not deliberately referencing the Wannsee Conference. 🙂
The question could be.
What …..
If Mar would have joint Poe, Duterte was beaten.
Poe joining Mar would have been so so (perhaps, perhaps not a win).
Just my thoughts.
The election is over. We should move on, I think.
Your comment was flagged by the spam system. You have possibly visited under a different screen name and were blocked as a troll.
I absolutely believe 100% that federalism will not work in the Philippines & federalism will never be solution for our physical & moral poverty.
Why federalism will not work? I will use my common sense here.
1. It will only promote regionalism & not patriotism, we will be more divided as one nation.
2. It will create conflict of authority – each region will assert their power to the other resulting the national government to be useless, I could see a blame game situation if something goes wrong, i think it will become messy & very complicated.
3. When you put more power to the head of the region you will be creating a very powerful territory, I could see a powerful clan will control certain areas bigger than their control provinces as of now.
4. When you delegate the authority & power you lose accountability too, that means if the responsibility being shared if something goes wrong there is no central government that will be held accountable.
And so on…..
Mr. President go back to the basic needs of our country, don’t make it complicated. And if I say basic you know what I am talking about.
Bottom line is. : are we ready for federalism? Do the people really know what is it? It may just sound new and “sexy” but as always the devil is in the details. If the incoming administration is serious with this change, this should be discussed fully well, citizen awareness and education should be paramount because if we mess with it, it would be very hard to undo it. And this would take time and resources.
It would be interesting to see a written constitution detailing the boundaries of state’s rights and obligations vis a vis the federal government. There are many federal models, which one are we adopting or are we inventing a new Philippine model? If we are going to adopt the best from other models, I’d like to see it. Bottom-line we don’t want to repeat the mistakes of others. Does Pimentel have a detailed federal system that we can study, something beyond mere broad strokes and motherhood statements?
There is yet another claim of poll cheating that goes like this. An unnamed (is is surprising?) IT expert who is an accredited observer of PPCRV the hash code of the transparency server was compromised and a new script was inserted which rigged the results of the VP polls. What the hell does that mean? Is it possible to jig the system in live mode? Surely the system has to stop, altered scrip loaded as fixes, and the program reorganized (sorry mental block here- can’t recall the correct term). Means such claim is bull. Can Irineo or Gian enlighten?.
There was also the wild goose chase to the hotel owned by roxas family on rumours of VCMs seen assembled in some rooms there. This is extremely serious, indeed seditious, rumour by anti-mar source.
Du30 need to get to the bottom of these two claims and punish the source.
Its the Comelec whose job it is to evaluate cheating claims. In this case, BBM wanted to halt the unofficial count until the allegation was investigated. Comelec decided there was not enough substance to the cheating claim so the counting continues. Never Again
…for now.
Joel Villanueva’s performance surprised everyone. Has anyone here watched his interview on TV today? I won’t spoil yr fun, go watch the repeat. Other candidates should have taken a leaf off him. His campaign was brilluant .
He had two parties campaigning for him and a big religious group. LP his official party and his parents the head of JIL campaigning with Duterte under PDP Laban. We have a saying “namamangka sa tatlong ilog” – rowing in three rivers at the same time.
That is true, but not the reason for his super win. He had a simple approach at all his rallies that made him authentic to the localities he visited and he did tremendous amount ground work. If I were a future candidate, I’ll model my campaign on his.
Not only that. Future Senator Joel Villanueva is also know as TESDAMan.
TESDA gave a lot of working class people excellent vocational training and jobs.
Yes and he used the TEDDA advantage to the limit. He made lots of visits to outlying areas. Every place that he went to, he brought with him a list of names of TESDA graduates from the place he was visiting. And he told the people there, these are the folks from your town, your friends, relatives, they made it through TESDA, got the skills, and found good jobs, and he highlighted those who have done well, so and so, now works in Middle East or Canada, etc earning 100,000 pesos a month, etc. He told them of the millions who graduated from TESDA and the millions more that they are trying to help. In this manner he was received as authentic and well-meaning. A guy who can speak local lingo is well embraced, what more a guy who name names that the locals know about. He emphasised on local visits, not on TV ads. He came across as someone who emphatises with the local crowds.
Joe,
It’s wonderful that Duterte succeeded in getting the exploited and the exploiters, the working class and the rich, lying in the same bed. http://interaksyon.com/article/127578/sws-exit-poll-data–more-of-the-rich-and-educated-say-they-voted-for-duterte
I’m also very happy to hear that the Duterte administration will continue the macro-economic policies of the Aquino administration. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-12/philippines-duterte-vows-to-continue-aquino-s-economic-policies
I will support Duterte as soon as he takes his oath of office; even if I did not vote for him, even if I worked damned hard to defeat him.
It’s the duty of every citizen to help the president succeed. Not only out of duty but also because If he sinks, we sink.
But that does not mean I will never criticize him. I will when I believe it is called for. But if do, it will criticize constructively..
For example I am against his proposal to impose a curfew on serving alcohol. I won’t disagree with him by accusing him of ‘martial law” tendencies, etc. That would not be constructive.
I will criticize him purely on the merits of his proposal.
His curfew does not address the problem of drunks. It only keeps them off the streets after 1 AM when in fact you don’t want drunks at any time.
So my alternative proposal, because, as much as possible, criticism should be accompanied with alternatives, is to hold responsible those who serve alcohol, whether in their homes or in commercial establishments, for any harm or injury or crime committed by their drunk.
Heavy criminal and civil liabilities should be imposed on servers because when you think about it, a drunk does things he normally wouldn’t do when he is sober. So a server should be held accountable for the drunk’s bad behavior while he is drunk.
Holding a server liable is not the same as holding a store liable for selling alcohol. There is a big difference between serving a drink and selling alcohol in an unopened container to be consumed at a later time elsewhere.
I think making servers liable, in a painful way, will give them pause. And that’s how you address the problem of drunks without imposing a curfew on serving alcohol.
As to the proposed curfew on minors. I don’t know if I as a parent would want the government to do the parenting for me. Besides, not every kid under 18 is irresponsible and not every one who is over 18 is responsible. So what does Duterte hope to achieve with his curfew on minors?
Bottom line with the alcohol and minors curfews is shouldn’t giving the state more police power always be the last resort?
.
I have nothing to say about Duterte’s proposal for federalism. Same thing with changing to parliamentary, and lifting restrictions of foreign investment and ownership. Not yet, anyway.
Because it is useless to discuss any of those proposals until we see details. We will only be arguing over political and economic philosophies; we will not be discussing specifics plan.
So I could be for federalism, parliament, lifting economic restrictions for foreign investment and ownership in principle but I could oppose any or all of them because the details, the actual blueprint may not be to my liking.
Anyway, I’m on Duterte’s bus. It is my duty to help him succeed. It is also my duty to offer constructive criticism when called for. Constructive, not destructive like the yellow-haters engaged in over the past six years.
I was shocked to learn that Mar Roxas won in the areas hit directly by Yolanda. What does that say about those who were not even there but raked Mar over the coals anyway?
I hope Duterte is spared from that kind of shit. Criticize him when you must but let it be based on facts and a sincere desire to help the country. Don’t criticize just to destroy the man..
Excellent, excellent statement. I agree with every word.
manuelbuencamino, I have the same appreciation of your post as Joe’s and my thanks to that exit poll link and the link on Duterte’s plan to continue macro-economic policies of the Aquino administration. It is a good “signalling” of what the new Administration will do — which Duterte himself during the election said in so many words: continue with what works and sound. In addition, I believe, the signal is good in at least one hidden meaning — that vindictive moves are out. I hope that his rabid supporters in the campaign change their tactics consistent with this signal.
Further, re-exit pools which showed that the ABC socioeconomic classes and educated class voted mainly for Duterte: high expectations are on the new Admin’s plate and this has to be reasonably filled in balance with its program for the Left. It would not be an easy task. Hence my previous note on the “Winner’s Curse.” I hope he is successful. And I agree we should help him along with our positive suggestions and constructive criticisms.
Two good signals: Cayetano has already conceded – TO LENI!
Duterte has said he will give Leni a Cabinet post in case she wins as VP. Their camp is clearly giving signals to those who would permanently exclude all labelled “yellow”… such as those who make death threats or curses towards Leni. If the winners learn to be magnanimous – unlike the KBL in Marcos days which acted like a ruling class, or parts of the Liberal Party also did which is one thing that turned off many – it may help in unity.
A signal to Marcos and like-minded noise-makers from the presumptive New Administration — (through Cayetano) quit the noise now boy; don’t you see I have enough initial problems running the show. Clear your head, take a rest, and better luck next time. Meantime Leni is in.
Been laboring with my position, and for now it’s something like this:
My protection dogs will bark like crazy when strangers are in their line of sight or range of smell. But when family members approach and enter our territory, you won’t hear a thing. Same thing with Dutertisms. If he copies Daang Matuwid for example, like its economic policies, I should just lay still, at peace.
(Btw, I have a favorite Dutertism: no fireworks on New Year’s Eve, just kiddie noisemakers. Too much aggravation to the environment and to bodily health as a whole.)
But when President Duterte approaches with policies that are askew, awry or wrong, for example, JoeMa’s statement that he’ll clamp President Aquino in jail for PDAF, that’s when watchdogs must bark. I’ll burn out if I bark at every little thing that the new admin will do. Not a good sight to see, smacks of bitter.
Statements like “they voted for Digong but got Mar” vis a vis economic policy must be avoided. Enough already. The nation can take only so much tears, recriminations, coulda, shoulda, woulda. Let’s build the nation with worn-out tools if we must.
Pikon talo. (Sore loser loses.)
All points well taken, Wil. Particularly, ‘… I’ll burn out if I bark at every little thing … smacks of bitter’
Am also on cautious watch mode on the president-elect. So far, good to appoint Arthur Tugade as DOTC: upright and capable man and am familiar with humble and intelligent beginnings. I’m just catching first glimpses of TESDA’s Joel Villanueva; very important and key agency for the country’s manpower and dynamism.
Am still smarting from campaign revelations on Cayetano siblings as part of Duterte rhetoric; their behavior displayed capability of “turning around at a whim” on decision-making. If Cayetano gets DFA job, then another man/office to closely track, viz our image and perception to the outside world.
Me, I’m not jumping into the bandwagon just yet. Where is it going and what are being done I have to see first. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. No pudding, no eating. I am going to be a wary observer. The body language was not to my liking, and the foul mouth needs tooth-brushing. I hate bad breath. And most of all, I need to see tangible results that will show that my country and my people are under the leadership of someone who honestly care for them and not just for self-interests for political or ideological reasons.
I am going to be a wary observer.
President Duterte has to convince me, is all.
Laviña: Heads of Duterte’s cabinet clusters are:
Jun Evasco – Social Devt
Bong Go – Peace and Security
Sonny Dominguez – Economic Devt
Salvador Medialdea – Justice
Loreto Ata – GOCC
Peter Laviña – Infrastructure
can anyone vouch for Duterte’s team?
heard in twitter that MRTH’s Sobrepena has met with the president elect.
Gibo offered DFA
Esperon offered DND
Teodoro adds credibility to the appointments. I don’t know about the others. Evidently, Pres. Duterte will lean on “his people” to do the heavy technical lifting, through that cabinet clustering approach, which makes sense as no one can manage some 30 direct reports. I don’t know any of the people yet, but I suspect they will become well known to us during the next six months.
Sonny Dominguez listed the eight economic development initiatives in very broad terms yesterday. They still have to do the math, and the budget for 2017 is early on the agenda. Expenditures for 2016 are pretty well set and rolling. Only about 15% is left for application, unless he does a DAP of some kind. That would make Aquino DAP critics sputter and search for new rationalizations.
according to one commenter who messaged me,Gibo was not offered,dnd,don’t know with dfa portfolio though.
sobrepena may have approach the transition team,nothing unusual, many are falling in line
Vitaliano Aguirre is going under the radar,if he would not be Sec DOJ,he could be sol gen.
he told my dad to arrange a meeting with Abaya,do not know why.
I am interested who will be DND, i want to know if he will scrap the frigate aquisition or not.
Yes.
Economic Policy
DSWD Social Justice Policy
Defense Policy
are may primary concerns.
Hope he does not scuttle the frigate acquisition. It brings me joy every time we are finally going to ASEAN naval exercises.
If Abaya is given a cabinet level position permit me guys a moment to laugh out loud and accuse abaya of being a mole to derail a certain candidacy.
i think its about his(Abaya’s) cases in DOTC,and maybe they want him to tell them all about it.Purely speculation on my part.
The Abaya family is very loyal to Mar Roxas that I can tell you.
that is reassuring to know karl
If Teodoro was great at DND then why not put him back there?
@karl @Joe @Manuel
some things from Duterte’s team:
Dominguez on where to get money to increase cops’ salary: DAP AND PDAF!!!!
Lavinia: Duterte has mentioned possible merger of SSS, GSIS. We asked for initial study.
dap and pdaf? let us see how this will play out.
I like merger of sss and gsis.The police and afp should be included in that pension system.
I have my biases for the military,but they have an unfair advantage when it comes to pension(especially the retired generals)
I agree with SSS GSIS merger the issue with that one is the co pay or share of the employer.
For private individuals it is capped at around 16000 while for government employees there are no similar caps.
Imagine how much the private sector employers will fight this.
As an employee and based on studies done in the US there is a good chance that increasing this would decrease wage growth.
The SLAI racket should be stopped in my opinion. What’s your take on the predatory like lending practices of (AFP/PN/PA)SLAI
Their come on is 3% interest on savings and more or less 10 % on time deposits.This is allowed by the industry,maybe with raised eyebrows.
I glanced on past plans,he plans to privatize BIR,BOC and GSIS.
The very single time I talked to Peter Wallace,he suggested privatization of BOC,that was about fifteen years ago,maybe he was the one who suggested this to Duterte.
I want a more front facing position for Gibo like DILG etc. We need more choices for 2022.
I predict another Leni BBM showdown,maybe Bill’s preferential or runoff elections must be discussed if they are gonna do chacha anyways.
Well if they push charter change then all bets are off.
We may yet get PM Noynoy Aquino etc
charter change is but a phase..and one i have researched. preferential voting system encourage the process of coalizing and the coalitions usually have agreed policy platforms and that is very useful and encourages transparency
Gibo should have been offered Defense IMO, while the current DFA secretary should have kept his post. But I guess it is better to have the new President start off with someone he is familiar with. It isn’t much of a tradition to keep old Cabinet members under the next administration anyways, not that I know of a particular exception to that.
I want a more front facing position for Gibo like DILG etc. We need more choices for 2022.
uht, Mar Roxas was the DTI secretary (Jan 2000 to Dec 2003) both under Estrada and under Macapagal-Arroyo.
Ah, yeah, I remember now (was too young when Mar was in DTI), thanks!
That gives me a thought too. Maybe Duterte should make Mar return to DTI. If there’s someone better though, that’s fine too.
Interesting, the use of “clusters.” Each cluster head a RD mini-me to oversee a bunch of Cabinet secretaries? Peter Laviña, a communications/marketing guy, to head infra… I would have thought someone with a solid background in engineering would be more suitable, but it’s early days. And this is just the transition team.
They should keep Rogelio Singson..one great guy…
🙂
Bert, Its not to Duterte that one’s allegiance and loyalty but to the country and its laws. The president in his oath of office binds himself to serve the country and uphold the law. As long as he does so and not bend, twist, break or ignore the law then he should have our support. I am like you and would like to carefully watch what he does because of his disturbing words and actions diring the campaign. He was elected leader of all of us and I want to give him a chance even if I did not vote for him.
an interesting observation caliphman..hard for me to grasp as i a very used to the head of government being separate to head of state..
out of action now with a right elbow fracture after slipping and falling heavily last tuesday. operation tomorrow, and then recovery.
we will all watch & see what happens
In a system where the two are separate, Mar Roxas would have been a perfect Prime Minister or Head of Government, and Duterte an arguably good Head of State / Prexy.
Especially in a French or Romanian style dual system where the President or head of state is not just a figurehead link in Germany (his power was reduced after the war because of bad experiences with Hindenburg) – in my latest blog article I write about how (I think but don’t remember exactly, I was after all in Grade School when that happened) the 1973 Constituion originally had a French/Romanian style division of powers, but Marcos had the President strengthened by referendum, reducing PM Virata to a better clerk…
Ouch. Here’s to a speedy recovery, Bill. I presume you can drink with the other arm. 🙂
Get well, Bill.
Off-topic:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9253826/Chinese-media-accidentally-declares-Philippines-as-part-of-China.html
Heheh, a portent of things to come now that they’re seeing a ‘glimmer of light’ as one commenter here love to say.
i see that commentators are discussing federalism & better voting systems. Australia is federal national with no executive president, a federal parliament, a senate etc…. And there will be national elections on july 2nd..For anyone interested in how neighbour elects a government, here is a link ;
http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2016/
Bill, I am presuming the person with a fractured elbow refers not to you but an Aussie government official. Otherwise let me commend you on your southpaw typing skills and determination to be heard…and of course, get well soon.
tis me caliphman.. operated on this morning.. heavy cast on arm but the mind is still working
bill in Oz,
Great news. Operation went well then. And of course that incident didn’t affect the bright mind we need around here. I presume you are relatively young — compared to me of course. Bone fracture is a serious matter for the elderly. (I am ever in the lookout when the 5′ 2″ wife reaches for something in the shelves with our two-step ladder.)
i am 68 so the hospital staff put me through a battery of tests to make sure i would survive the operation. the real stress has been getting my claim for help from the travel insurance company/ multiple emails and 3 phone calls to oz.. but the brain is still sound…
i will try to stay current on the blog but anything by was of comments will be hard. 1 finger with left hand !
Bill, I wish you a very speedy recovery.
Great news,Bill! Great news! 👍🏻
wishing you well mate
Speculations, speculations, speculations. This as seen in my most reliable Crystal Ball:
Paquito Ochoa in in Duterte’s Malacanang.
Duterte said recently he will not sleep in Malacanan because he is afraid of the ghosts there – another joke? Or will Quiboloy exorcise the Palace before Duterte sleeps there?
He an exorcist? I was given the impression he’s a quarck.
http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features/66306/letter-president-duterte-clinton-palanca-a503-20160512
This excellent letter from Clinton Palanca to President Elect Duterte lays down terms for supporting the new President. It is in line with the topic of a blog here, later today.
The article in a nutshell:
Those who voted Duterte want change.; so does the author — Clinton Palanca — of the article
The Difference that Palanca sees:
– Where to change to
– How to change
and come out the better; that is, without destroying ourselves.
Great read. Thanks for the link, Irineo.
Two steps forward, one step back. Duterte’s plan to appoint department heads from a short list provided by Sison’s National Democratic Front organization in the Hague is a bold move to reinvigorate and sensitize the departments of land reform, agriculture, labor and local government. Their ideology focuses on improving the lot of poor peasants and farmers as well as struggling and underemployed in the metropolitan and provincial areas that whose interests have been under represented or neglected in our oligarch-controlled and dynasty-ridden ‘democracy’. Bringing in fresh ideas and leaders not from these traditional power centers are steps in the right direction. The real question is will these new leaders fall prey to the evil of corruption which is so deeply rooted in our cultural and political makeup and which is rampant in the communist politburos from whence their idealogy sprang from.
I have never agreed with Duterte’s vigilante style of justice and his recent pronouncements on a shoot-to-kill and revival of death penalty goes against the basic fabric of our basic laws and traditions. Hopefully there will be a legitimate and lawful process for properly enacting legislation authorizing the implementation these and other crime control policies without resorting to martial law or suspending congress.
Although there is something attractive about a complete change in thinking applied to a problem, these are working departments with major programs underway. I’m skeptical about the management capacity of the ‘reds’ and their ability to motivate or even retain the level below them. No one likes to be bossed by someone who does not know as much as they do about things, and this idea that anybody can do anything seems to me to be a mistake. That is, voters think a boxer can write laws, or some ideological purist can motivate and direct technocrats . . . We could see chaos rather than solution.
Okay, maybe one department if there is a ‘red’ who has management experience . . . Change, not search and destroy.
Joe, it should be no surprise that ojt is going to be quite common from top to bottom in the Duterte administration. But for me, these four departments in varying degrees need changes in management style, approach, and philosophy. Land reform so far has been a joke with the last department head under investigation by for graft and corruption by the Ombudsman. Agriculture has been ridden with Napoles scams with many cases against its department heads for collusion in setting up phony nonprofits and projects targetting PDAF money. Then there is the DILG where provincial and city heads are veritable feudal and warlords. Bottomline, with all the traditional structures, management, and practices nothing significant has been achieved. If Duterte were not so much in a hurry, he should do it department by department starting perhaps with land reform. The Philippines has to reestablish selfsufficiency in rice its food staple and most developing agricultural economies who are successful have achieved significant progress thru land reform. One might call the leftist movement ‘reds’ but most are quite educated and very motivated, relying not on wages but their ideology and support of the community for work motivation and meeting their basic needs. More than anything, if there is to be peace, there has to be a role for them in government and a chance to build mutual trust and confidence.
I believe a role in government should be earned and not gifted. As far as I can tell, the CCP and armed wing NPA have been enemies of the state, and seeing them take over vital functions is unnerving. I agree agriculture is troubled, and it is written into the constitution to be so, given that cooperatives are the chosen business model. I disagree that DILG will benefit from a new ideology or philosophy, as the pathway chosen by Jesse Robredo was continued by Mar Roxas, to recognize and reward those local governments that performed well. I think that is the best approach. I have no idea what the ‘reds’ will do to make the LGU’s perform better. Corruption is the venue of COA and Ombudsman more than DILG.
I use the term ‘reds’ as it is the color of the flag of those who march under Chairman Mao’s thinking, or Lenin’s, or whatever extreme socialist leader fits the current fancy. I have a hard time recognizing the CCP or NPA has having any official role to play in government.
The leftist movement is not as homogenuos as you might think. The NPA, the military arm and the political CCP which are both in country and Sison’s organization in the Hague are not necessarily a homogenuous block. To say that the public is satisfied with how DILG is run and is one of the departments the public wants to see changed is why Duteete won by a landslide. I voted for Robredo but by and large DILG was perceived by the electorate as wanting. as
Public perception, I think, is far from informed. What share even knows there is a National Competitiveness Council and a Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index? Less than 1%, I’d bet. It is public perception that puts an inutile Rep like Pacquiao into the Senate to write laws. A president who runs Executive to suit the public is a failed president.
In your view, the public is misinformed but its their view and not yours or mine that counts. The fact that Pacquio got elected because of his celebrity status is no indication that the public was misinformed in considering DILG did not measure up to their standards. Argue as one might, Aquino was absolutely right in saying the people are his bosses and that goes for all the agencies including the DILG that report up to him. There were very many voters just as informed and judicious who were not impressed with DILG nor its leaders who voted for change and Duterte who would disagree with you. I see no point in rearguing the election results or whether the voters erred or not. All I know is any incident where starving and unarmed farmers are shot and killed by law officers would not be acceptable here in the US and should not be tolerated in the Philippines, in my own view. Anyway, change is going to come to DILG and this is what the new president best serves the country.
We disagree. President Aquino did not mean do what citizens instructed or even wanted, but listen to them and do what is best for the nation. His keeping DBM Sec. Abad on board in the face of DAP criticism illustrates this. He recognized the popular call for resignation, but saw benefit to keeping a capable executive who had done no wrong on board.
As for hungry and innocent farmers, are you referring to that horrid episode of abuse of aforesaid mentioned hungry and innocent farmers by leftists who used them as bait to strike up a confrontation that conveniently played out to the advantage of President Elect Duterte? I have no idea what these farmers have to do with either the issue of DILG or executive prerogative.
My point is fairly simple. The inmates should not run the asylum, although the docs should certainly listen to them.
It depends what facts you believr. It has been established that the dead and injured were local farmers and guns were planted to make it appear the protestors fired first. As for its relevance to the DILG, the PNP or national police is under that agency. Hence, the Mamasapano controversy as to why Sec. Roxas was in the dark.
Surely, if the president feels the public has given him a mandate, he would be remiss if he ignored. For Aquino, it was cleanup corruption and Duterte, it was quick and responsive change. To ignore such mandates would be tantamount failure of the president to represent the people and why they elected him. Which is not to say he follows each and every wish but thats completely different from responding to a clear clamor for change.
Your first para is re-fighting a couple of old wars, and I am not inclined to do that.
The issue is DILG. Is the agency doing its job, or will a rather harsh change of leadership somehow bring better LGU performance? I think the idea that DILG is not performing is just one more myth attached to Roxas/Aquino for political purposes, and the agency is on the right path. If you choose to believe the myth and ignore achievements, as do 99% of the voters, then not much argument on my part can convince you of the error of that conclusion. You are for sure entitled to hang on to it and even use it as the basis for voting.
If enough people do that, then we get what we got.
I am inclined to think that ‘change’ ought not mean destroy and start over again, and an un-vetted ‘red’ in charge of DILG will not do much positive for the nation. Or, rather, vetted by Jose Sison.
To tackle the issue of NPA there is a need to understand their mind-set. For communist insurgents fighting a govt, they are on a constant state of war. We learnt this the hard way from years of fighting in the Malayan jungles. To them, the war has never ended. Inviting the NPA to participate in the govt seems to me a very strange strategy.It is simply giving them the opportunity to ride the tiger.
The hardcore communists will never change their ideology. You have to respect these guys. They will suffer the most intense difficulties for years fighting for a cause they truly believe in. Somewhat akin to to those religious fanatics. There is no way you can convert their beliefs.
Having said that, I am inclined to belief many of those younger ones up there in the mountains are simply either refugees of the law one way of another, or really very deeply poor and destitutes, the economic refugees, with nowhere else to go. The latter are those that can be courted to lay down their arms and come down the mountain and re-assimilated into society.
Chempo, its good you bring up the other reason for Duterte’s plan to bring in NDFP’s picks to run the aforementioned agencies, to push his peace initiative with the NPA. My knowledge of the NPA-CPP and NDFP history is rather dated. It harks back to the 90’s when there was a big schism in the CPP and NPA as to the new direction SIson wanted for the armed conflict and its role if any with the government. I am afraid that Sison is committed to the overthrow of the government and the peace overtures at best provides the movement some democratic space and to free the top military leaders of the NPA now languishing in jail. In fact the earlier schism was brought about by CCP and NPA members who believed there was a role for them in the government, eg. Bayan, Gabriela and other leftist fronts necessitated as the CPP and NPA are banned organizations.
Joe is correct in his admonition that Duterte should proceed carefully and gradually in his collaborative efforts with his former teachet, Sison. The link below affirms Sison’s primary agenda to overthrow the government.
http://www.ndfp.org/about/the-twelve-points-of-the-ndf-program/