The Way It Is

Last Blog Entry..

2010-07-29T19:23:00.004+08:00

This is my last entry in this Blogspot blog.

I am consolidating everything into one blog for easier maintenance. But I will leave this blog here so that anybody visiting it may view my previous entries.

From now on, please visit my NEW BLOG LOCATION for the latest entries.

Thank you very much!

Ruffy Biazon

www.ruffybiazon.ph

WI-Fi in the Sky

2010-07-29T00:50:00.005+08:00

Everyone who has ever ridden on a plane knows the drill. As soon as you board the plane, the flight attendants instruct the passengers to turn off cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices such as MP3 players and video games until the “fasten your seatbelt” sign is turned off. But cellphones may not be used at any time. Upon landing, passengers are once again instructed repeatedly to only use their cell phones once inside the terminal building.

Of course, there are always some hard-headed passengers who simply ignore these instructions, to the irritation of the flight crew and the horror of some passenger who’s afraid that the electronic device will cause the plane to crash (like my ten year old son). During the last campaign, when I was able to ring up my frequent flyer miles due to the daily provincial sorties, I got used to other passengers continuing with their cell phone conversations even while the plane was about to take off and the beeps of incoming messages as they turned on their mobile units as soon as the plane’s wheels touched the ground.

You can’t blame the flight attendants if sometimes their reminder about keeping electronic devices off while in the plane already sounds like a teacher berating a noisy student. After all, it is already an established safety procedure.

But during our last trip to the United States last month, I was pleasantly surprised that one airline, instead of instructing you to turn off your cell phone and make you feel like you will be in a coffin cut off from the world for the duration of the flight, encourages you to use your wi-fi enabled device and connect to the world (and part with your hard earned money).

Delta Airlines (are you paying attention, Delta?) has wi-fi enabled flights letting you connect to the internet while flying thousands of feet above the ground. Surfing in the clouds! I was so thrilled with the idea, I became the fool who parted with his $10 just to be able to go online and post a status in my Facebook and Twitter and share with anyone who cared that I was up in the high levels of the earth’s atmosphere while surfing the net.

Although the thought crossed my mind that it was a waste of money, I tried to convince myself that the three hour flight would have been boring if I didn’t purchase a connection.

They were also lenient in their rules, allowing the use of cellphones even while the plane was taxiing to its take off position, and allowing the use again as the aircraft taxied to the terminal after landing.

So, it’s not that dangerous to use cellphones after all. I guess the airlines here in the Philippines just want to be extra careful. One time, on a flight to Cebu, I gently reminded my wife (emphasis on gently) to turn off her cellphone because we were already taxiing to the runway for take off. I told her it was a safety rule.

She did turn off her cell immediately. After which she told me, “if these were really that dangerous, then why don’t the terrorists just ride the plane and turn their cellphones on?”

She was kidding, of course. But it did get me thinking.

During that mile-high wi-fi experience, I got to surfing about electronic devices on board airplanes. One site said that the Federal Communications Commission of the United States banned the use of cellphones on bard aircraft back in 1991 because there was a suspicion that the signals interfered with aircraft navigation and communications equipment. The Federal Aviation Administration agrees with the FCC and imposed the regulation on commercial aircraft.

Another site tells of an interview with a pilot over ABC News where in the pilot said that the rule for electronic devices to be turned off is meant to ensure that the passengers’ attention are exclusively fixed on the flight crew as they give the safety briefing before the plane takes off. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Some say that the suspicion that the electronic devices cause harm to the planes equipment has not yet been proven by tests, but it was decided that prudence dictates that it would be better to err on the side of safety. Hence, the ban stays, although various airlines have adopted various rules as to when the cell units should be turned off and when it may be turned on.

As for me, being an avid viewer of Air Crash Investigations in National Geographic Channel, I’d rather not risk my cell phone causing anything that would make the plane I’m riding in get in trouble so I’m obedient when it comes to instructions to turn off electronic devices. And if you’re sitting beside me, you will get a verbal reminder from me if you are not convinced by my accusing glare.

But if I fly Delta, I will happily get my credit card and iPad out and surf in the sky.

Noynoy Aquino Did Not Become a Hostaged President

2010-07-28T09:19:00.003+08:00

Politics is a realm that neither political analysts nor fortune tellers can accurately predict the outcome. The reality is that the outcomes are determined by the interests of the politicians which they hold dearly to themselves as a poker player would his cards. Anlaysts can only do an educated speculation, fortune tellers can only do blind guesses.

Politicians’ interests and game plans may change as the seasons do, depending on the situations during a particular time, or the convenience at that moment. That makes them unpredictable, which is sometimes a necessity in the cut-throat world that they move around in.

I am happy to admit that one analysis I made while in the thick of the campaign of the last national and local elections did not materialize into reality. Yes, I’m happy that it did not materialize. That analysis, which I posted in my blog ( Noynoy Aquino Could Be a Hostaged President), pictured a scenario where both chambers of the Philippine Congress are dominated by opponents of Aquino, with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo heading the House of Representatives and Manny Villar leading the Senate.

The basis of that analysis is the fact that both politicians had a good number of allies (at that time, at least) that should have been enough for them to take hold of the helm in their respective chambers. That, combined with the usual expectation for politicians of such stature to crave for the post of top banana and the craving to get back at political opponents, served as the foundation of the analysis.

But to my surprise, neither seemed to have exerted effort not exhibited the desire to make life difficult for the new president. Perhaps the overwhelming mandate and the people’s high trust and confidence in President Aquino was enough to dissuade them. Or they lost their allies to political expediency, each of them characteristically looking out for their own interests. Or, uncharacteristically for politicians, they both lost the desire for power and the need to get back at their rival.

I am thankful to Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Sen. Manny Villar for not acting like typical traditional politicians. Ordinarily, one would expect a typical trapo to use the situation to get back at the opponent who defeated him or do everything to use the position to protect herself.

Whatever it is, I am just glad that President Noynoy Aquino enjoys the goodwill and support of both chambers. Both Houses have super majorities that support the President, led by personalities who have expressed cooperation, if not complete support, to the new administration.

Indeed, President Aquino is a blessed man. Not just because he won the Presidency in a relatively easy manner (considering that he decided to run just 5 months before the campaign began), but because as he begins his term of office, he has a high trust rating from his constituency and the support of the two chambers of Congress.

I pray that those around him will not waste this golden opportunity for the Philippines to be great again.

It's Everybody's Concern

2010-07-26T17:52:00.003+08:00

It’s turning out to be one of the most awaited events of the year. Media networks are all geared up for their coverage, the internet is buzzing with chatter about what might and might not happen, and people are eagerly anticipating what’s in store for them in the coming years.

Some attendees probably prepared their wardrobe weeks in advance, more concerned with what they will wear to the occasion rather than the substance of the proceedings. Indeed, the event has been likened to a movie industry awards night, with reporters and photographers waiting along the sidelines of the red carpet jostling to throw the question “Who are you wearing?” (a question about who designed the outfit) and capture a photo worthy of a spread in the papers.

Even the ordinary Filipino seems to be more interested, compared to years past. I was surprised to read some Twitter messages from students and working people alike expressing their disappointment that a holiday was not declared making it impossible for them to watch the event. Quite unlike previously when either the people were indifferent or even questioned why a holiday had to be declared.

I remember a story told to me years back by one of my dad’s staff. She was rushing to work when a friend asked her why she had to go to the office even if a holiday was declared. My dad’s staff said, “I’m going to the SONA”. The friend said, “Ok, I’ll go with you”. She said, “I’m sorry you can’t. It’s by invitation only.” The friend, flabbergasted, said, “By invitation only? What kind of sauna is that?”

There was a time when people could care little what the SONA was all about, content with only reading about it in the papers the following day. Not only when reports began to give extra focus on who wore what made by whom did the masa take enough interest in news about the SONA, perhaps due to the Filipinos’ fondness of celebrities.

But now, with the overwhelming confidence in President Aquino’s leadership, it seems that the people’s interest in what he has to say about the country’s state and what he intends to do about stems from genuine concern.

Technology has also made it easier to monitor the SONA, with social networks in the internet serving as public information tools. Increased accessibility through wireless broadband and live streaming has given those with access to those facilities the ability to view the proceedings live over the internet. Of course, those who are still dreaming of such connectivity have the old reliable transistor radio to rely on.

The SONAs of the past president has always been a show and tell spectacle, not unlike those presented by celebrity storytellers to kindergarten students. Whether they just wanted to show their powerpoint skills or they thought that the people could be mesmerized by the show, it basically led people to take the SONA as just an entertaining event rather than a government’s presentation of what is in store for them.

But it seems with the new President’s first SONA, the people genuinely want to hear what he plans to do for the country. With the overwhelming and unquestionable mandate that he has, much is now demanded from him.

After listening to the SONA, the people should not be left with a feeling of having just been treated to an interesting report from the President. More than just having their eyes opened to anomalies of the previous administration and presented with a smart program of government, the SONA should give the people a feeling of ownership of the challenges faced by President Aquino. The fight for the country’s future is not the President’s alone. It is a shared responsibility between all who would like to see this country move forward.

The Book of Eli - More Than Just an Excellent Movie

2010-07-18T14:14:00.004+08:00

WARNING! Spoiler alert! Do not proceed if you don't want to find out the ending of the movie!

My Saturday afternoon was free, there was no place to go. The kids had their cousins sleeping over so I had no place to squeeze in and play with them. I couldn’t do Facebook and Twitter lest I be called an addict (but you can call me in denial). So what else was there to do?

I declared Saturday afternoon as movie time. After all, there are quite a number of good movies these days and with the various sources available (legit DVD, pirated DVD, online sources, relatives and friends) it’s easy to choose which one to watch.

Of course, being the “macho man” that I am, I have preference for action films. And being a self-styled movie critic, I also choose movies based on who directed the film. And the Hollywood fan in me does not pass the chance to watch movies starring actors and actresses that I adore.

So among the available choices that afternoon, I chose a movie which had a trailer that teased my desire for an adrenaline rush, directors who had already proven to me that they are worth the money that producers pay them to make a film and a lead actor who ranks on top of my all-time Hollywood favorites.

My chosen movie for that Saturday afternoon was The Book of Eli, directed by the Hughes Brothers with Denzel Washington as the lead character.

The trailer that I had seen months before gave me an idea that the movie’s setting was post-apocaloyptic, very much like Mel Gibson’s Mad Max series and last year’s The Road, which I have yet to watch. To me, post-apocalypse movies tend to have similar looks and storylines. The protagonist is usually plunged into a conflict with the desolate and cruel environment as well the deranged and despicable character that live in it. There is usually a journey involved which is made exciting by fights, gunfire and explosions.

But in this case, aside from the actor starring in it, the scenes in the preview and the title of the movie gave me an inkling that somehow there will be a lesson learned here, not just the adrenaline of blood-squirting action and foul language in the script.

The title, Book of Eli, immediately gave me the impression that the Bible has something to do with it. Eli is the shortened version of the name Elijah. In American culture, those who named their sons Elijah are usually those who come from the Bible Belt (the Southern part of the US) and those familiar with the prophet. Being a Bible-reader/believer myself, not to mention a Denzel Washington fan, I had an immediate interest in the movie.

The story revolves around Eli (played by Denzel Washington) who was a survivor of an event which led to the destruction of civilized life as we know it. The land was destroyed, anarchy reigned and cannibals roamed the countryside. It was the period after an event which may have been Armageddon itself. Not only did it destroy man’s home, it destroyed humanity itself. Violence ruled, and every person lived only for survival.

Eli, who was living in the East Coast of the US, one day receives a message presumably from God. The voice told him to bring the book west, and that a path would be laid out before him, that he would be led to a place where the book would be safe, and that he would be protected anyone or anything that would be in his way. During a conversation with one of the characters, he described the encounter with the voice : “I was just moving from place to place,trying to stay alive.And then one day I heard this voice.I don't know how to explain it, it's like it was coming from inside me. But I could hear it clear as day. Clear as I can hear you talking to me now.”

That basically describes how those who have had the faith to hear the word of God get the message from God. Nowadays, whenever someone says, “God told me to do this”, that person is greeted with either patronizing looks or ridiculing snickers. Often, that person is tagged as having loose screws.

But a person who is in the appropriate level of faith and has a clear idea of God’s will and purpose will be able to hear the Word of God, as clear as one can hear another person talk. How do you know what God’s will and purpose is? Simple. Just read the Bible.

And that’s what Eli has been doing. He told Solara that he’s been reading the Bible everyday. In the past thirty years that he’s been wandering, he’s been reading the book in his possession everyday. Reading it revealed to him God’s will and purpose and it filled his faith, faith which gave him direction to where he was suppose to go. In a conversation with Solara, this was what he had to say about faith:

Solara: You know, you say you've been walking for thirty years, right?
Eli: Right.
Solara: Have you ever thought that maybe you were lost?
Eli: Nope.
Solara: Well, how do you know that you're walking in the right direction?
Eli: I walk by faith, not by sight.
Solara: [sighs] What does that mean?
Eli: It means that you know something thing even if you don't know something.
Solara: That doesn't make any sense.
Eli: It doesn't have to make sense. It's faith, it's faith.
And he’s right. Faith doesn’t need to be rationalized, otherwise, it is not faith at all.

So as he journeyed for thirty years on the way to where he was told the book should be brought, it is assumed that he learned his survival skills as he went along. In one of the early scenes of the movie, he encounters people called Hi-Jackers, who apparently prey on travelers, not only to ransack their belongings but also to eat them.

Eli was lured by their bait, a woman pretending to need his help on the side of the road. Being the good natured man that he was, Eli was drawn by the bait and it was then that he was encountered by the gang. He tried to evade but was forced into a fight with them, one man against many. In the end, they all end up dead, with him fulfilling his warning to the leader , “Touch me with that hand again and you’re not getting it back”. Eli cut off his hand with one swoop of his bolo.

Thirty years is a long time to endure to reach your goal. Yet Eli continued in his journey fraught with danger and death in order to fulfill his mission. It takes great faith to embark on a journey with no end in sight. That was what the Israelites did when they fled Egypt. Through the leadership of Moses, they walked for forty years through the desert until reaching the Promised Land. They almost lost faith but because of their leaders’ belief in what lay ahead, they avoided falling into self-destruction. Of course, had they been more faithful to God, their journey should have just been forty days.

In many instances, we are impatient with what we seek. Many times people have prayed to God and wanted results overnight. But God does not work within the time limit we prescribe. Our impatience usually gets the best of us, as exemplified by the cliché, “haste makes waste”. We must understand that sometimes what we desire comes to us delayed because the timing is not right.

One of the reasons that our desires are delayed is that we have yet to be prepared for what we ask. For instance, we don’t get a high paying job immediately after we graduate because we still have to build up experience in the practical world.

In Eli’s case, he did not reach his destination immediately but his long journey prepared him for the challenge that he was to face in the fulfillment of his duty. His fighting skills were honed roaming the ravaged land and encountering various obstacles and dangers. While stayed true to his objective of reaching the west coast, he didn’t know that someday he would encounter someone who was determined to take the book for himself and do everything and anything to get it.

But his long journey prepared him for destiny crossing paths with Carnegie, a character who knew the relevance of the book that Eli was carrying. Carnegie was the leader of a band of violent bikers ruling over a small town. He had control of everything, including one of the most precious resources, water.

But he wanted more, and he believed that the book is the key to gaining power. He even had gangs of bikers going around the countryside looking for the book. One time he was asked by one of his lackeys why they were being sent out just for a “f*#king book”.

Carnegie answered, “IT'S NOT A F*#KIN' BOOK! IT'S A WEAPON. A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them. If we want to rule more than one small, fuckin' town, we have to have it. People will come from all over, they'll do exactly what I tell 'em if the words are from the book. It's happened before and it'll happen again. All we need is that book.”

Indeed, the power of the Words in the Bible has been proven. It motivates people, it drives revolutions and it has conquered countries, shaped civilization. A weapon, indeed. But just like any weapon, if not used properly in the way it is meant to be, it can also bring misery to people. Carnegie’s desire to use for his personal agenda is not fiction. We have seen many times when those claiming to be working in God’s name using his Words have in fact been working for their own vested interests. The Bible itself warns us about those kinds of people.

But one of the important messages in the movie regarding the Bible and the Word of God is that the power one gets from it is not in the mere possession of the Book. As Carnegie found out in the end after he was able to get the Book from Eli through force, violence and intimidation, the book is no different from any other pocketbook or magazine if the heart of the one reading it is not in the right disposition. To the evil, the truth in it may be distorted for evil purposes, and to those who lack faith, it is but a mere collection of words and stories that mean nothing.

When Eli and Solara were besieged by Carnegie and his gang, Solara ended up being hostaged by Carnegie and by threatening to kill her, he was able to get Eli to surrender the book. Carnegie then shoots Eli and goes back to his den.

Back home, he is unable to open the locked book, and has to enlist the help of one they call “the Engineer” who then picks the lock and open it. To his surprise and anguish, it turns out that the Bible is a Braille version of the book. It is then that the moviegoer is led to the conclusion that Eli was blind, in spite of having been able to go through his 30 year journey and overcome all the obstacles and challenges.

The worst thing for Carnegie is that the only one who could possibly read it is his blind lover Claudia but whom he has been maltreating over the years. HE asks her to read it for him, but she realizes that she doesn’t have to. With his wounded leg becoming gangrenous, it won’t be long before he kicks the bucket. She mocks him, saying, “You sacrificed so much for that book. So many men. More than you can spare. And now, all the people who were afraid to speak your name, they're downstairs, tearing up the bar right now, did you know that? And there's nobody to stop them. And you're feverish. I can't imagine what it must feels like, to have something so close, that you worked so hard for, and it might as well be a million miles away.”

Indeed, many have Bibles in their possession yet they either do not read it or they do not comprehend what it is all about. They are blind and ignorant to the message of Truth in the Bible because they lack the necessary attitude and faith needed to understand what is being conveyed.

But the most relevant and striking message is in the end. With the Book in Carnegie’s hands, the moviegoer would think that Eli had already failed his mission. He goes on the West Coast in spite of a bullet wound in his belly and reaches the destination---the island prison of Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay, which apparently has been turned into a secure repository of culture and literature. He is able to gain entry into the heavily guarded fortress-library by saying that he has the King James Bible with him.

The curator welcomes him and says that the Bible is the only book they do not have since the apocalypse happened. Eli then asks the curator to get some paper (“lots of ‘em”) and instructs him to write down everything he will say, word for word. He then starts to recite the New King James Version of the Bible beginning with Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 1. “In the beginning God created the heaven and earth…”

The message is that the Word of God should not just remain on paper and be one of our possessions as we go through this life. It must be taken in and given a place in our hearts, because only then will it bear fruit in our lives. Paper and ink may be erased or destroyed, but words committed to our memory and its meanings and purposes embedded in our hearts will never be lost nor destroyed.

The Word becomes living when we pass it on to another, not just by the physical transfer of possession by inheritance or gifts, but by teaching others about its wisdom and truth. And by teaching, it is not just by dictation or repetition but more effectively by living it through our daily lives.

Eli says this so profoundly when he told Solara, “In all these years I've been carrying it and reading it every day, I got so caught up in keeping it safe that I forgot to live by what I learned from it. To do more for others than you do for yourself.”

In the final analysis, Eli is us and we are all Elis. We are called to bring the word to where it is safe--- in the hearts of our fellow man. We are called not to keep the Word in a bookshelf to gather dust but to pass it on. But before we embark on that mission, we must put the Word in our hearts and live by it. Otherwise, we might end up like Carnegie, living our lives chasing after the wisdom of the Word until we exhaust our last breath.

Get the Balance Right

2010-06-12T11:52:00.001+08:00

Last week, my wife and I agreed to take the kids out of town for a vacation before they go back to school because for them, summer was spent just in the house while their parents were out campaigning. It was pretty much a boring summer for them, and there wasn’t much quality time between us.

In fact, over the last nine years, I must admit that work pretty much came in the way of being a father and husband, although I did manage to squeeze in some quality time every now and then. But that’s just it...it shouldn’t be just a matter of “squeezing in” family time. There should be a time for work responsibilities and time for family responsibilities.

We decided to go to Albay, to a resort in Misibis Bay. The place is relatively new, they just opened last year. I never even knew there was such a resort. My wife and I are a curious pair, always wanting to try something new instead of repeating an experience over and over again and falling into a routine. I guess that’s one of the secrets of our staying together for twenty years now, even though we started out married life at quite a young age.

Along with us came my sister in law and her family, my brother in law and two of their cousins. We scheduled our departure for June 9, because I wanted to attend the proclamation of Sen. Noynoy Aquino. At that time, the end of the canvassing was estimated to be on June 8. But the canvassing was extended one more day so the proclamation was rescheduled to June 9. My dad wanted me to attend, suggesting that I reschedule our trip. Pia Hontiveros, a friend from the ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel) said that I shouldn’t miss this historic event.

Indeed, I did want to attend Noynoy’s proclamation. It was really a historic event and so far, in my three terms of being a congressman, there have been many historic events that I was part of, events that someday I’m going to tell my grand children how their grandpa was right there as those events were happening. I wanted this one to be one of those stories. And I also wanted to be there to take photographs of the event.

But I already made a promise to my family that we will leave on that day. And God knows how many times in the past nine years that I set aside a commitment to my family just to be able to be at an event as history unfolds or to do an important job in line of duty. Perhaps to me those events are something to forever remember as a chapter in our country’s history, but my family’s disappointment will be something that will haunt me until the day I die. I don’t want that.

And so I would miss the proclamation at Batasang Pambansa. I would get on a plane with my family and spend precious moments with them that will last a lifetime of memories, much more valuable than any historical event in the country.

The plane ride to Legaspi City took about just an hour, although for me, it was an hour spent well. There is nothing compared to having your children depend their life on you. One of my sons, afraid of flying because of watching too much National Geographic Channel’s Air Crash Investigation, clung to my arms the whole flight, asking me to pray before we took off. It’s such a good feeling to have your children rely on you, although you will also have to train them to be self-sufficient and survive on their own. You just have to get the balance right.

The approach to Legaspi City airport was spectacular, with the majestic Mayon dominating the horizon. As we descended to land, the children were treated to seeing the volcano with a perfect cone spewing smoke. It was a clear day, and the clouds had not yet formed on top of the Mayon and she showed us her full glory.

]Since we were a big group, we were picked up by the hotel’s coaster and we traveled for another hour to get to Misibis Bay. Along the way, the kids were treated to the beautiful scenery of Albay’s countryside. It was an educational trip for them, their questions about what they see around them answered right then and there.
One nice experience for them was crossing a wide channel to get to the island of Cagraray where Misibis Bay is. There was no bridge but there was a roll-on/roll-off barge. The coaster was driven onto the barge’s platform and when it got to the other side, it just drove off onto the road. The kids were excited about the experience. My son, used to seeing the LCT’s and LCM’s in his video game, asked me if this RO/RO barge was the same as those used in World War II.

Not long after, we arrived at the resort, greeted by several dancers dancing to what sounded like tribal music. Welcome drinks soothed our parched throats and the well done landscaping and architecture already beckoned us to romp and play.

After checking in to our rooms and settling down, the kids were more than eager to go out and swim in the pool. The cold rooms and television were unsuccessful in enticing them to stay indoors. They completely ignored those and preferred the warm water of the swimming pool under the heat of the sun. I’m glad though, because back home, they’re indoors most of the time. There should be time for them to stay indoors and time to go outdoors. You must get the balance right.

I joined my kids in the pool, playing with them as a father should. I particularly wanted to stay with my youngest son, who at three years old, spent his entire life with a father who had to give his time to his constituents. This was an opportunity for some bonding time.

As I played with the kids in the pool, all the worries and cares of this world were quickly set aside. For a while, I left all troubles behind and life became simple again. Whether it was in this resort or in another place, it doesn’t matter as long as you are with your family enjoying the company, life becomes wonderful. For a while I became not just a father but a kid as well.

In the pool, there were inflatables for the children to play with. There was a scaled down version of a banana boat, that favorite ride of beach goers. But it was a bit too large for the kids, and they had difficulty getting on it. I decided to use it, to amuse the kids. But the funny thing is, once I get on top of it, I had difficulty staying on it.

Somehow, it was difficult for me to balance because of my weight which makes it top-heavy once I’m riding it. So I kept on falling over and over again, which made the kids laugh. Oh well, that makes their day, so I gladly got on and fell off over and over again.

Of course, I really tried to stay on it for my personal satisfaction but I really never was able to. I was always off-balance. For you to stay on top of it, you must get the balance right.

Later in the day, we went to the beach where there was an on-the-water playground for the kids and watersports for the adults. Now was the time for grown up activities. We rode Hobie Cats, small sailing catamarans that sliced through the waters with swiftness and speed that matched even motorized bancas. It had a capacity of four people, and rode really close to the water. We took off with such speed that in a few minutes we were already in the middle of Misibis Bay in deep blue water.

It was my first time on a wind-powered vessel, and it was a great experience. I had always wondered how people could write a song about sailing, but riding the Hobie Cat, I could really related to Christopher Cross’ song “Sailing”. In fact, I almost immediately sang the song in my head as we were cruising through the waters of Misibis bay, with no sound except the splashing of the waves, flapping of the sails, and the whistle of the wind. Initially, there was some kind of weird feeling about the absence of noise from an engine while we were speeding through the choppy waters. But later on, it became a peaceful experience to be out there in the vast expanse of water which you can easily touch while the breath of God filled the sail to give you speed.

Before one gets used to it, the Hobie Cat is a bit awkward to ride because it could tip over if the weight was not easily distributed and the wind blows the sail hard. But after a while, you get the hang of it and it becomes a such a wonderful experience. You just have to get the balance right.

When we got back to shore, other activities awaited us. I just had to try wind surfing. I’ve seen others do it before and I thought to myself, if they can do it, why can’t I? The instructor gave me the pointers on how to do it and I patiently waited for the lecture to finish. Deep inside I kept saying, “Alright, alright, enough with the talk, let’s go into action!”.

But it turns out that it’s not that easy to do. Just to get on the board and balance was tough enough, add to that the act of pulling the mast upright and catching the wind to make yourself move on the water. I fell down so many times it was starting to look like lessons on how to fall on water instead of how to wind surf.

As I fell into the water and got up to re-mount the board, I kept on scraping my knees on the sand and on the board itself. It wasn’t long before it was beginning to hurt due to the exposed raw skin. But I kept on doing it, because I was determined to see myself move across the water and claim to have been able to wind surf.

After almost an hour of trying, I was able to finally do it. Although the speed was not impressive, I was able to go a distance and turn to go the opposite direction. Yes! I can finally claim to have wind surfed. All I needed was to get the balance right.

Carpe Diem. Seize the day. That was our motto during our vacation. The following day was another opportunity to experience what life has to offer in terms of excitement. We started it with scuba diving, which was a much awaited activity.

]We were brought out into the bay about a kilometer off-shore to dive. A couple of us were certified divers, some had already done introductory dives (such as myself) while others were first timers. This was going to be an introductory dive, meaning we will just dive not more than twenty feet. Or at least that was the idea.

The most basic thing to remember in this kind of dive is never to hold your breath. Just breathe regularly, as you would do on land. Next is to equalize, which means to relieve the pressure on your ears as you go deeper. It is done by pressing your nostrils closed while slightly blowing air into them. It’s pretty much like blowing your nose if you have colds but in this case, you don’t let the air out. You will then feel the pressure in your ears being relieved.

You must be conscious about equalizing because if you don’t it could cause injury to your ear drums or cause discomfort. You just need to get the balance of pressure right so that you will enjoy the experience.

And enjoy the experience we did. I spent a lot of time scanning the ocean floor and admiring the underwater sea life, although it didn’t have as much color, vibrance, variety and quantity as other areas I’ve been too. I was told that dynamite and cyanide fishing in these areas were stopped only recently, so marine life had yet to fully recover. So sad, really.

Lunch was served on the beach, set up by the resort management for the guests. After a hearty meal, it was back to the watersports. That day, however, aside from the Hobie Cats, kayaks and windsurfing, a jet ski and banana boat were available.

Of course, the jet ski was irresistible. The speed, the wind and sea spray in your face and the rush of momentary flight as you cut across the waves is an intense experience that gives you and adrenaline high. It didn’t take long before my seven year old son saw the thrill and wanted a part in the action.

So it was that he rode tandem with me, and we cruised a distance from the shore. It was his first time to ride a jet ski and he asked if it was difficult to handle. I told him it was quite easy, not so much different from riding a bike. I told him that you just need to get the balance right.

And soon enough, he was enjoying it and asked for more speed. The longer we rode the jet ski, the more he wanted to go faster. He particularly liked the part where the jet ski jumps as it hit the waves. But for me, what I enjoyed more than the ride itself was my son holding on to me tightly in an embrace that I hoped would last forever.

We would not let the day pass without riding the banana boat. Together with my in-laws and their cousins, we got on the five-seater banana boat, hungry for the excitement. We were towed by a twin-engined speed boat which promised a wild ride.

As we were towed out to sea, the waves made the banana boat jump up and down along the waves, making it difficult to stay on top. I pulled myself to a low profile, trying to keep my center of gravity low. As the speed increased, the excitement we felt increased as well, highlighted by my sister-in-law’s screams which was a mixture of delight and fear.

We slowed down as the speedboat slowed to do a turn. Then a funny thing happened. As we rounded what was actually a slow and safe turn, we got off balanced and we all fell into the water in what felt like slow motion. It was a ridiculous way to fall off the banana boat, during a slow turn. Simply because we didn’t get the balance right.

After getting back on the banana boat, we got ready for our second run. This time, we tried to go for the thrill of speed. The speed boat gradually picked speed, creating a larger wake behind it. This made our banana boat buck wildly, very much like a wild stallion being broken in a rodeo. The five of us were bouncing up and down on the inflatable banana boat which threatened to kick us off into the water.

It didn’t take long until we all completely lost hold of the banana boat and fell into the water. But this time, it wasn’t a harmless and ridiculous fall. As I hit the water, I hit an oncoming wave, and with the speed we were going and the angle that I fell, it felt like slamming onto a concrete floor.

I got the wind knocked out of me and my left chest felt like it was caved in. There was pain in and around my ribs and for a while, I couldn’t talk. After several seconds, I realized we were all quiet unlike the first fall when we were all laughing and talking. This time, it seemed we were all stunned by the impact of the fall. My sister in law had the same experience as me and we both had chest pain.

We did another round but in a more cautious pace. Were then brought back to shore where we still continued with other activities. In fact, later in the day, we rode All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) on rugged trails up and down mountainous terrain. It seemed that no injury could stop us from having fun.

We had many other activities during this trip, which was only a three day break, including the time to travel to and from home. We would have wanted to stay longer what with all the fun we were experiencing, not to mention the quality time of playing together as a family.

But it was time to go back to the business of living life, which is actually a balance between work and play, spending and saving, resting and moving, and time to be alone and time with others. There is a purpose for us not to be excessive in one or lacking in the other. It makes us well-rounded and, of course, well-balanced.

As Depeche Mode said their song, we just need to get the balance right.

June 4, 2010- A Significant Day in the House of Representatives

2010-06-05T11:55:00.001+08:00

To the average Filipino on the street, June 4, 2010 was supposed to be just another day that will uneventfully pass just as the previous one and those before it have done in that person’s lifetime. In fact, for most of our countrymen, that day was nothing different from any other day, even including June 12, Independence Day, or July 4, Fil-AM Friendship Day or June 20, Father’s Day. To a big majority of Filipinos, everyday is the same, a day to survive the challenge of day-to-day existence.

But to those who have cared enough to take action for quite a number of years now, June 4 was a special day. It was the day that they had been waiting for since the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines was given life by the people’s voice in the plebiscite that institutionalized our country’s charter. It was supposed to be the day that the Freedom of Information Bill, mandated by the Constitution, was to finally become a law that would guarantee the people’s right to know how its government serves its constituents. After more than a decade of lobbying, June 4 was supposed to be Victory Day.

To me, June 4 was of special significance because it is the last session day that I will attend, my last day at work as a legislator. Although my term officially ends on June 30, I still intend to earn my pay by working for the welfare of my constituents until that day. But for me the work done in the committee hearings and plenary sessions is the essence of being a lawmaker.

After nine years as a member of the House of Representatives, I wanted the last day of session to be not just a day that would cap my three terms in routine fashion, but a day that would close with the passage of an important piece of legislation. I was eager to end the day with a vote ratifying the FOI Bill.

For the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, they prepared for this last day. For the first time in the history of the House, they prepared a special program for the closing session to honor the members of the House for the work that they have done in the Chamber. They intended to present to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd term members mementos of their membership in the House and compiled bounds of their legislative performance in a ceremony that certainly necessitated much preparation on their part.

It was just one day, but it had different meanings for different people. Actually, everyday is like that. What may be an insignificant, ordinary day for one is in fact, a special, life-changing or even historical day for some. It really just depends on what point for view we are coming from.

And so it was that June 4, 2010 was a significant day in the House of Representatives. While elsewhere in the country, anniversaries were celebrated, eulogies were being delivered, babies were being born, employees were punching out after their shifts, someone just lost his job…the session hall of Batasang Pambansa, the People’s House, was gradually getting filled with people attending the last session day of the 14th Congress.

The proponents, advocates and supporters of the Freedom of Information Bill filled sections of the gallery wanting to be personally present the minute that the vote of ratification institutionalizes this landmark piece of legislation. Many of them labored long and hard just for the bill to reach this day and they waited with anticipation for the proceedings to begin.

Actually, what was left was just a routine step of the process of passing a bill into law---ratification. The bill had already passed through the three readings of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. It had also passed through bicameral conference. The Senate had ratified it, so the only thing left was the ratification by the House. Ratification was a simple ayes and nays vote of the House, the members not even required or expected to explain their votes. After that, it could be considered institutionalized as law. But in all its routine nature, it was a special piece of legislation.

The rest of the gallery was filled by employees of the House Secretariat, after having been directed to attend the ceremony to honor the Members of the House. Of course, also in the hall were the usual observers of the proceedings of the House, congressional staff and probably some curious citizens who happened to have time to spare to watch the proceedings.

But what promised to be a “special routine session” turned out to be quite an emotional one, with contrasting sentiments that pulled me in opposite directions.

The Members of the House were more psychologically prepared for the Honor Ceremony in the closing session. I would compare it to the emotions one had during high school graduation, the bittersweet feeling of wanting to move on in life while at the same time hanging on to the memories of good times spent with friends.

The honor that was to be given by the Secretariat also had its significance, since they were the people who served as our backbone during our work in Congress, and they were the ones who can truly make an objective judgment on how each and every congressman performed as a legislator.

Late by almost and hour, the session as finally resumed (it was just suspended in the previous session day) and the motion to ratify the Freedom of Information was immediately made by the Majority Floor Leader. As immediate as the motion was filed, the quorum was also immediately questioned.

Just by looking around the hall, it was difficult to make a judgment if indeed there were enough warm bodies present to constitute a quorum. When I entered the hall, there seemed to be not enough legislators on board. But with Malacanang joining the call for the passage of the bill, I did not expect that there would be a problem in the bill’s ratification. Nevertheless, congressmen began trickling in not long after the session was underway.

The session was suspended in order to resolve the issue that was raised. In this line of work, the adage “the squeaky wheel gets oiled” sometimes best describes this kind of situation. Many times in the past, when the quorum question is raised during a debate on a very important bill, the issue is settled after a little discussion with the one who raised the question during suspension.

After about thirty minutes of suspension, the session was resumed and the roll was called. Obviously, the quorum question was not resolved so the names of the members of congress were called one by one, with the secretariat staff ticking off the names in their list. At the end of the roll call, the Secretary General reported to the Speaker that 128 members of the House responded to the call. With that, the Speaker declared that with 128 members, there is no quorum and therefore, according to the rules, the House cannot conduct legislative business and would have to adjourn.

As expected, this ruling was met with vehement objections and impassioned pleadings from the proponents and supporters of the bill. Legislators pushing for the bill alternately took the floor questioning the results of the roll call and calling on the speaker to use a particular provision in the rules allowing the House to arrest the members who are absent. Understandably, emotions ran high and a bitter exchange threatened to mar the proceedings.

In the end, the Speaker stood pat in his ruling and adjourned the last session of the 14th Congress. What was intended to be a “special routine closing” and parting of friends now turned into a highly polarized legislative battle among peers. Definitely not what was envisioned as a last day of work for this Congress.

Naturally and rightfully so, those supporting the bill felt betrayed and cheated, and cast judgment on the House for failing to pass such an important measure. As I was doing live tweets of the proceedings over Twitter, I could see the numerous reactions of people online castigating the House most especially the Speaker. All the frustrations were posted and perhaps if not for the facility of the internet, people might have gone out to the streets to vent their anger.

The session had been adjourned but the honor ceremony still had to be undertaken. Actually, many had begun to think that it might not be appropriate anymore to have the ceremony. I felt it would not be taken well by the public who had just been treated to disappointment by the very House that would now give distinction to its members.

After quite a while of lingering, the Deputy Secretary General for Committee Affairs went on the public address system to inform everyone that the leadership of the House had decided to forego the honor ceremony, in deference to what the public might construe as the congressmen giving themselves a pat on the back after the emotional, divisive and controversial adjournment.

Her voice was cracking and straining under what seems to be a failed effort to hide her emotions. Clearly, she was distressed with what was happening. She went on to say that although the House leadership already made that decision, they in the Secretariat tried to convince the leadership to proceed with the ceremony. After all, she said, this ceremony, the first time held in the House’s colorful history, was initiated and prepared by the Secretariat to give due honor and recognition to the members of the House whom they had worked with on many important accomplishments of the institution. She pointed out that being first hand spectators to the performance of the legislators, they would like to proceed with the presentation of mementos and plaques of appreciation.

Indeed, while there are many highlighted occasions that the House had not displayed the righteousness that the people expect and deserve, there are many more unnoticed moments of low profile accomplishments that only the secretariat were witnesses to. They wanted to give due recognition to these accomplishments by way of the honor ceremony.

And so it was that under the contemptuous glare of the public, the House proceeded to honor its members. It basically consisted calling out the 1st-term, 2nd-term and 3rd-term members of the House in front of the hall and presenting them with plaques of appreciation and book-bound volumes of each legislator’s performance record (bills filed, laws passed, speeches delivered and transcripts of interpellations) and a CD version of the same. For the graduating congressmen, a Congressional medal was also presented in honor of completing the whole three terms in the House.

For me, it was a well appreciated gesture on the part of the Secretariat. What they presented was a symbol of the acknowledgment of the work I had done these past nine years. The mementos and volumes they gave me were things that I can present to other people to show that the mandate given to me by my constituents were not wasted and this was incontrovertible proof that I had earned the pay that people granted me the privilege to receive.

Indeed June 4 seemed to be an ordinary day. For some, it was. For others, it was a day that the House of Representatives failed the people. For me, it was the final day of a special period in my life when I had the privilege of being able to directly contribute to the welfare of this nation. Sad to say though, that by this final act of the House, the last thing in the people’s mind would be that the 14th Congress betrayed them.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE PHILIPPINES?

2010-05-27T13:45:00.000+08:00

What’s the exact number of registered voters in the country in the May 10, 2010 elections? Initial canvass reports in the Senatorial Canvass showed 153,902,003 Filipino voters. The Canvassing and Consolidation Server (CCS) in the Presidential and Vice Presidential Canvass indicated that there are 256,733,195 registered voters.

Which of the two is the correct number? Actually, both are wrong.

Without even checking references, one would immediately know that both figures are incorrect because it is common knowledge that the Philippine population is just about 89 million. Since these figures are supposed to be system generated (meaning that they are automatically produced by the program of the Consolidation and Canvassing Server), these can be called defects of the product supplied by Smartmatic. Or in a more benign-sounding techie terminology, these are “glitches”.

Photo at left shows the Report No 1 of the National Canvass Report for Senator, certified by three Comelec Commissioners indicating the wrong number of registered voters in the Philippines. Photo at right is the close up of the document. The error in the CCS of the Presidential/Vice Presidential Canvass was the subject of discussion between Senate President Enrile and Smartmatic officer Cesar Flores during the first day of canvassing.

The “glitches” did not go unnoticed, though. In the senatorial canvass, representatives of the candidates, not having outgrown the habit of closely scrutinizing canvass documents during old, manual system where errors were aplenty, went over the system-generated report (which is supposed to be reliable because of less human intervention) and discovered the incorrect entry.

Comelec and Smartmatic officials apologized for the glitch, promising to correct it. Most of those in the canvassing teams of the candidates brushed it off, although when it was reported to me by my staff, I took a little bit more serious note of it. This was during the morning session of the canvassing.

When the Board of Canvassers (BOC) printed out the afternoon report, the first thing my staff did was to check if the error was corrected. It was not. It was then that I decided I had to go to the PICC to personally check on the documents and inquire about the process. At that time, I didn’t know it was a system generated report.

At the PICC, I was able to talk to Cesar Flores and I conveyed to him my support for an automated election. I then queried him about the reports that are being generated, particularly the reports per province as they are received by the BOC, because there are no reports being generated. The BOC simply reports out the consolidated tally, without us knowing the breakdown of results per province, unlike in the old system where you know the results that come in per province and you can cross check it with your field reports.

After our short chat, I was informed by my staff that the afternoon report was not corrected. It still contained the error in registered voters. I was also able to talk to a Comelec technical person who told me the Canvass Reports are system generated and that they will look into the error. After getting non-responsive answers to my questions, I left my staff to monitor the canvassing further.

When it was revealed through a report by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that a similar error was found in the CCS of the Presidential / Vice Presidential Canvass Board, red flags were raised in my head. Two separate systems, one error. But the curious thing is that while the nature of the errors were the same, the outcomes were different.

Of course, when both errors were discovered, the logical thing to do was to correct them. Not only was it logical, it was imperative. So the CCS in the Senatorial Canvass was corrected and the registered voters in the CCS of the Presidential /Vice Presidential Canvass was adjusted.

Most people settled down after those assuring actions were made. But wait, hold your horses!

In the canvass of the senatorial race, which has the same voting constituency as the President and Vice President, the figure that was indicated in the Total Registered Voters field after the correction was 51, 317, 073. Below is an image of the document, National Canvass Report No. 3 indicating the new number of registered voters which was used all the way through to Report No. 8.

But as revealed in the discussion during the first day of canvass for President and vice President, the figure that Smartmatic and Comelec used in correcting the erroneous entry in the number of registered voters is 51,292,465. I remember Senator Enrile asking what figure they used to change the wrong entry and if they were sure with the number as I was listening to the proceedings in the radio. True enough, those figures are the ones reported in the news.

With the two Consolidation and Canvassing Servers once again having differing numbers of registered voters, I decided to check which one was accurate. Where else will I turn to but the Commission on Elections? So I visited their website and clicked on the page where the registered voters were indicated.

Lo and behold, a figure different from both numbers appears in the website of the Comelec itself. In their tally, there are 50,723,733 registered voters in the Philippines as January 2010. To my knowledge, the last day of registration was October 31, 2009 per Comelec Resolution No. 8585, so this should be the correct figure. There couldn’t have been additional voters between January 2010 and February 9, 2010 when the campaign period started. Besides, this is the Comelec’s website, which should be updated with the latest data considering the importance of their work now.

Image of the Comelec website indicating a figure for registered voters different from both the CCS from the Senatorial Canvass and the CCS from the Presidential / Vice Presidential Canvass.

I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. After all, it might be that the COmelec website was not updated. So I did a double checking using a document I knew to be reliable (or it should be, unless it, too, is faulty). I referred to the Certificate of Canvass in my District, Muntinlupa City.

I checked the registered voters in Mutninlupa as indicated in the Certificate of Canvass for that city, certified by the City Board of Canvassers. It indicated that Muntinlupa City’s registered voters totaled to 291,333, as shown in the image below:

I cross-checked it with the figure in the Comelec website and they matched:

This shows that the data on the Comelec appears to be the correct data since the information pertaining to Muntinlupa City’s voting population is the same with the information contained in the Certificate of Canvass for the same city.

The question now is how come the information in the two Consolidation and Canvassing Servers are not only different from the information in the Comelec website but even different from each other?

It appears that three official sources have their own data with regard to the total number of voting population that the Philippines has. Smartmatic downplays the error in the Presidential and Vice Presidential Canvass as “innocent glitches”. But the fact that it happened also in the Senatorial canvass gives it a more than just an “innocent glitch” flavor. In addition, the error in the Presidential / Vice Presidential Canvass was discovered ahead of the one in the Senatorial Canvass which was even included in the first two reports signed by the Comelec Commissioners. That negligence caused the Comelec Commissioners to affix their seal of approval on something that was erroneous on something as basic as the total registered voters. In the case of the CCS for President and Vice President, the error was found out only after the Senate President did his official task of initializing the server.

Let me clarify though, that even if it does not take a genius to figure out how this error could be used for cheating, I am not saying that these observations are enough to suspect cheating. I am not looking at this as an indication of fraud but rather as an indication of sloppy work on the part of the supplier of the system.

But as the explanation was given that the program mistakenly added the voting population of each level of the reporting (from PCOS to Municipal Board to Provincial Board to National Board, etc.) the layman in me has enough common sense to question that it would take major programming “error” to mistakenly put into the program an instruction to add a mathematical formula (either addition or multiplication) in a field that is supposed to be static.

The so-called IT experts of Smartmatic and (those who worship them) want us to believe and take in hook line and sinker all that they say. I would want to, but I only believe something after it has passed scrutiny using my educated and ignorant questions. So far, some of their answers to questions have only bred more questions (like Mr. Flores’ explanation about the wrong date stamps on ERs being caused by clocks resetting while in transit. I countered that if a clock is reset, it is reset to a default “beginning of time” such as 01/01/1900 and not just resetting to a few days or few months back from the correct time. But that’s another story…)

Once more, with feeling…I am not complaining that I was cheated. I am not accusing anyone of cheating. But I do say that there’s enough to accuse someone of sloppy work. Sloppy work that the Filipino people are going to pay more than 7 Billion Pesos for.

Some people would probably ask, what should we do then? Well, I say we tell those who are responsible that they have sloppy work and tell them that right in their faces. Then we find ways to penalize them. Because if we take a lackadaisical attitude towards this negligence (or much worse, if we take their side and even defend their errors), it will surely come back and thumb its nose in our faces again in 2013.

I'm Still for Automation in 2013

2010-05-24T16:03:00.000+08:00

We just concluded another session of the hearing in Congress regarding the 2010 Elections. Incidentally, the hearing is entitled, “The May 10, 2010 Automated Elections : An Assessment “.

This means that the hearing is convened not just as a venue for those complaining about alleged election fraud. It also serves to see how the Automated Election System, Smartmatic and Comelec performed in the recent elections. That’s why I’m participating in the hearing, not to complain, but to do an assessment coming from the point of view of a candidate and policy maker.

As I was going out of the hearing room, I was asked by a reporter, “Sir, do you still think that we should automate the elections in 2013?” My immediate answer is “Yes, I think we should still automate the elections in 2013!”

The reporter seemed to have been expecting a different answer. “Sir, aren’t you concerned that with all of the allegations coming out in this hearing, there will be cheating again in 2013?” She added that with the critical questions I’ve been asking it seemed that I was against automation.

“I want automated elections”, I said. “With the manual system, I already know there’s cheating and it’s difficult to control that because at every step of the way, there is human intervention. And that’s the dangerous part, human intervention.” I went further to tell her that all we need to do with the Automated Election System is to put into place additional safeguards and correct its flaws in order to become more reliable and secure. If we can design it in such a way that there is least opportunity for human intervention, it would be good for us.

I further reminded the reporter that at this time, all we are listening to are allegations of fraud which have yet to be pursued through the legal processes and proven as actually having occurred. “We should look at these hearings as an opportunity to answer questions that could either clarify issues or improve the system.”

I believe the best time to do the evaluation is immediately after the elections where the interest and desire to look into the issues are still high. If we let months pass by, it will surely be relegated to the dustbin of our memories and remain unresolved, only to be pulled out again as an issue that needs to be addressed at the last minute before the next elections.

I would like to see automated elections in this country succeed. That is why I’m asking my questions during these hearings because I want it to be implemented in the next elections. I don’t want to give naysayers a reason to say that the system is a hopelessly flawed system and therefore, the justification to go back to the manual method.

With only about a month left in my term, I would like to be able to do my part as a policy maker, an overseer of the people’s interest in Congress, and earn my pay by doing my duty up to the very last day. This is not about whining after a defeat. It is about doing my sworn duty and contributing to the security of the next generation’s future.

In the Philippines, There Are No Victims of Cheating, Just Sore Losers

2010-05-23T12:20:00.001+08:00

At the risk of sounding too redundant and defensive, I would like to once again categorically state that I have long accepted the fact that I did not make it to the circle of winning senators in the recently concluded elections and that I have not filed any protest case to question the results. I want to make that clear in order to preclude any judgment on what I write in this article.

There has never been an election in the Philippines where there isn’t anyone who cries “I’ve been cheated” after losing their electoral race. Immediately after the proclamations, or sometimes even before, you will hear candidates howl in protest against what they claim are votes that have been stolen from them. Some engage in mass action, some use the media, while others take legal action and file electoral protests in the courts, the Comelec or the electoral tribunals.

Indeed, these accusations of cheating has become as regular as the elections itself that Filipinos, with our brilliance in satire and sarcasm, came up with a cliché---“In Philippine elections there are no losers…just the winners and the cheated”. Perhaps many would agree to that statement, fueled by the seemingly inherent disdain for politicians.

With that kind of attitude towards losing politicians, we can take the cliché even further. We can even say that in the Philippines, there are no victims of cheating…just sore losers. After all, that’s how we look at those claiming that they’ve been cheated—sore losers.

But there lies the contradiction. While we look down upon those who claim to have been cheated, we also believe as truth that in the Philippines, there are politicians who get to where they are because of cheating. The disdain that people have of politicians who claim to have been cheated is the same disdain that people have of politicians who are generally seen as cheaters, liars and stealers.

So in a society where people generally believe that politicians cheat and yet dismiss as sore losers those who claim to have been cheated, where will a victim of cheating get justice? We might as well abolish the mechanism of filing election protests.

Even the Comelec, which is mandated to ensure clean and honest elections, easily dismiss those who claim to have been cheated. The most recent example is the 2010 elections where we see claims of fraud and cheating being treated lightly, even with ridicule, by Comelec officials. Instead of lending at least a listening ear, they greet the complaints with sarcastic tongues.

We seem to have been pushed to callousness in our attitudes towards election cheating to the point that while we accept as reality that there are cheaters in our midst, we do not care enough to act on eradicating it.

After the experience of my father with Dagdag-Bawas in 1995 and Hello Garci in 2004, I can empathize with those who cry foul during elections, although I am certain that not all have real basis to make the claim. But there are those who do have experienced the injustice of having been victimized. After all the money spent and the sweat, tears and sometimes even blood that they have shed, losing candidates do have a right to cry for justice if they feel aggravated. Of course, that right is accompanied by the obligation and responsibility to justify their claim.

Automation of the counting seems to be our placebo, with the quick reporting of results lulling us into the belief that cheating has been eradicated in the country. We must remember that the PCOS machines did not wipe away from this earth those whose objectives are to be able to make the elections have a predetermined outcome and benefit from that ability, whether to earn money or win a position. The PCOS machine did not drive away the evil mind which will use its creativity to attain its ends.

Let me state for the record that I am all for automation. I was one of those who supported and pushed for the passage of the automation law and am grateful to have been part of the Congress which passed it.

Cheating in elections has always been driven by the intentions of men, not the abilities of the system. The manual system or the automated system are just neutral tools to be used to achieve the goal of recording the votes. It is the human hand behind the tool which will determine if it will be a tool for evil or righteousness.

While I am not casting doubt on the integrity of the Commisison on Elections’ present commissioners and officials, let us not forget that history has shown us that evil intent knows no boundaries and may penetrate even the high levels of leadership. It is up to us whether we allow that to prosper or not. As another cliché goes, all that is needed for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.

In conclusion, let me restate that I have moved on as far as my candidacy is concerned. In fact, I am looking forward to the future and will prepare for the next challenge by looking back to the past to review where I made mistakes in order to learn from them.

It is in the same vein that I am hoping we are not overwhelmed by the euphoria of the quick election results and lulled into a sense of security that henceforth, cheating has been rendered extinct.

Now is the time for us to thoroughly review this automated election system. Every observation of a flaw, whether real or perceived, should be looked into. Complaints of cheating using the system, whether believable or not, should be given the benefit of close scrutiny and not mere dismissal. Because if we fail to ensure that this system is cured of any flaw, then we will all be guilty of passing on a legacy of flawed elections to the next generation.

SMARTMATIC’S NEGLIGENCE TAINTS CREDIBILITY OF AES

2010-05-20T17:07:00.000+08:00

A curious thing was revealed during the inquiry conducted by the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms. When Smartmatic was asked why there are election returns which bear dates different from the date of the election, they responded by saying that this is a negligible error in that one can still determine the activities of the PCOS machines since the audit logs will show the time frame that it was active.

Simply put, Smartmatic is saying that as long as the audit logs show that the PCOS machine was active only during an twelve-hour period corresponding to the official voting and counting schedule of the elections, there is nothing to be concerned about the election returns having a wrong date and time stamp.

The Smartmatic official’s reply merited not only a terse but a harsh retort from an obviously irritated chairman of the committee Congressman Teddy Locsin Jr., who pointed out that the official’s answer was “ridiculous”. He observed that the erroneous dates on the ER is a breach of security for the election returns. I totally agree.

Logically, the importance of the date stamp on the election returns cannot be downplayed. It is supposed to be the proof that the ballots were read and counted on election day, May 10, 2010. In the old, manual system, the dates manually written determines whether a document is credible or not. In an automated system, it should not be any different. The machine should correctly and faithfully record date and time of the activities of the machine.

Smartmatic tried to downplay the presentation of ERs with wrong dates by saying that with more than 80,000 machines being deployed from their warehouse in Cabuyao where the dates of the machines are supposed to be programmed, there is bound to be a certain percentage which will have errors. What percentage they deem allowable and how many they have actually found to have wrong dates, they did not reveal.

To me, it is an unacceptable excuse. It speaks of poor quality control and security on their part. Setting the correct time in the internal clock of each PCOS machine is an act that should be part of standard operating procedures especially in quality control for such expensive and high-tech equipment. It is expected that it is part of their S.O.P. for the clocks to be programmed in the correct setting before the units are sent to the different jurisdictions.

What makes it really unacceptable is that the law, Republic Act 9369, commonly known as the Automated Elections Law, prescribes that the election returns “shall also show the date of the election” (Section 32). In Section 2 of the law, where terms are defined, Election Return is defined as “a document in electronic and printed form directly produced by the counting machine, showing the date of the election…”

In the election return churned out by the PCOS machine, the only space provided for the manual entry of information are spaces for the signatures of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) and the pollwatchers. There is no space for manual entry of the date because the intention is for the machine to automatically put a date and time stamp on the document, supposedly as an added measure of security against fraud.

In my own district there were seven election returns with wrong dates. I won overwhelmingly in my district, placing first among all the senatorial candidates (yes, including all the actors), and my father also won in all precincts. But I do not hesitate to question the performance of Smartmatic particularly on the issue of the wrong date/time stamps. I can perfectly understand the outburst of Cong. Teddy Locsin against the Smartmatic officials, especially since he personally pushed hard for the automated elections.

But such negligence should not be tolerated. Smartmatic should be sanctioned for this irresponsible act which now jeopardizes the credibility of the automated election system and possibly even its results. It would be unfortunate if it comes out that Smartmatic may not be smart after all.

The 13th Place

2010-05-15T11:56:00.003+08:00

With the senatorial count winding up, people I meet ask me this question, “Can the Comelec proclaim 13 senators instead of 12, owing to the vacancy that Sen. Aquino will leave behind as he assumes the Presidency?”. It is a valid question, one that I myself asked in the middle of the campaign as I was writing an analysis of a post election scenario (Noynoy Aquino Could be a Hostaged President, March 18, 2010).

I am not a lawyer, but in my 9 years as a congressman and previous 8 years as a senior legislative officer in the Senate, I have already learned how to research on laws and come up with my own opinions on some legal matters. So when that question came to my mind months back, I did some readings and study on previous cases of the same circumstance.

First of all, what does the law say?

Of course, the basic law of the land prescribes what we should do. Article VI, Sec. 9 of the Philippine Constitution says, “In case of vacancy in the Senate or in the House of Representatives, a special election may be called to fill such vacancy in the manner prescribed by law, but the Senator or Member of the House of Representatives thus elected shall serve only for the unexpired term.”

This means that the position that Sen. Noynoy Aquino will leave behind when he assumes the Presidency on June 30, 2010 may only be filled by complying with laws which prescribe how to elect a senator to fill the vacancy. To meet this requirement of the Constitution, the 8th Congress passed Republic Act No. 6645 which prescribes “The Manner of Filling a Vacancy in the Congress of the Philippines”.

RA 6645 provides that in case of a vacancy in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, the Comelec shall hold a special election to fill the vacancy “upon receipt of a resolution of the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, certifying to the existence of such vacancy and calling for a special election”.

The Senate of the 14th Congress could not have passed a resolution to declare a vacancy and call for an election to fill the same because the vacancy will only occur on June 30, 2010 when Sen. Aquino will assume the presidency or 51 days after the elections. The call for a special election to fill a vacancy should be done before the elections. And of course, the Senate has to certify to the existence of an actual vacancy.

For the May 10, 2010 Elections, the Comelec cannot simply proclaim the 13th placer as a winner because there is no call for a special election to fill the vacancy to be left by Sen. Aquino. In fact, it is quite clear that the election for senators is only for the regular elections to fill vacancies arising from the constitutionally scheduled end of terms of 12 incumbent senators. The ballot itself is proof this, since in the space provided for the names of the candidates for senators, it is written “Vote for not more than 12”.

RA 6645 requires that the Comelec announce the special election to fill a vacancy and properly inform the public about such a special election. Congress even further refined the law with the passage of Republic Act No. 7166.

RA 7166, amending RA 6645, says, “In case a permanent vacancy shall occur in the Senate or House of Representatives at least one (1) year before the expiration of the term, the Commission shall call and hold a special election to fill the vacancy not earlier than sixty (60) days nor longer than ninety (90) days after the occurrence of the vacancy. However, in case of such vacancy in the Senate, the special election shall be held simultaneously with the succeeding regular election.”

This means that for the vacancy created by Sen. Aquino’s assumption of the presidency, it will be filled through a special election to be held simultaneously with the elections in 2013. The Comelec cannot fill the vacancy using the results of the May 10, 2010 elections because the requirements are impossible to meet:

1. The Senate has to certify to the vacancy and call for a special election to fill the vacancy. But the Senate could not certify to a vacancy and call for a special election on May 10, 2010 because there was no vacancy. It will only occur on June 30, 2010.
2. The Comelec could not call for a special election because there was no resolution from the Senate. It has no mandate to proclaim the 13th placer as a winner.
3. The law provides that a special election to fill the vacancy shall only be held simultaneously with the next regular election which is in 2013.

It is therefore quite clear that the vacancy to be left behind by soon-to-be President Benigno Aquino III may only be filled in the 2013 elections, provided that all the requirements are met.

I have no problem if my fellow SLAMAT LORRRD candidate Risa Hontiveros lands in the 13th spot and is proclaimed as the 13th winning senator, if there is no legal impediment. I would be happy for her. But even if it was I in 13th place under the same circumstances, I would still acknowledge that the law will prevent me from assuming office.

So right now, it would be best to remind the Senate of the 15th Congress to pass the resolution certifying to a vacancy and calling for the Comelec to set a special election to fill the same simultaneous with the May 2013 senatorial elections.

By then, the battlecry will be “13 sa 2013!”

****CORRECTION*****

I inadvertently forgot that there will be barangay elections in October 2010, unless the Congress decides to set it on another date. The provision of RA 7166 which provides "in case of such vacancy in the Senate, the special election shall be held simultaneously with the succeeding regular election” makes it possible to have a special election for to fill Sen. Aquino's vacancy. But the law still requires that the Senate certify such vacancy and call for a special election to complete the 24-seat chamber.

I Am Fine

2010-05-13T02:39:00.000+08:00

It’s a unique situation I’m in now---not really a winner, but not necessarily a loser. I’m tempted to concede, but with five million votes still to be counted in the parallerl count and the official canvassing just starting, it’s also difficult to hang up the gloves now. I guess it won’t be taken as un-statesman for me to just ride out the storm. Besides, I had already made up my mind long ago that whatever the outcome is, it is the Will of God which will prevail. I have faith in Him in that the Bible says, “his plans are to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Win or lose, God has something good for me.

I consider myself blessed that during this time, aside from my wife and immediate family, there are those who show their concern for me and make me feel that I am not alone to face this challenge. Their encouraging and comforting words soothe my soul, and provide the cushion to dull the blow of an unsuccessful venture. Their mere company is enough to drive the spirits of sadness and depression away, and replace them with hope and cheerfulness.

I can feel the concern and sympathy of those around me. I know that relatives who immediately make their presence felt for me, even without them saying so, are there to offer a crying shoulder (literally and figuratively). Indeed, it is really during times like this that one understands the value of family. As I have said before, we should give priority for our families because when we are in dire straights or on our last breath, it will always be our family who will be there beside us.

It is also during these times that sincere and reliable friends come to the rescue. I am heartened by the numerous text messages, emails, Facebook comments and Inbox messages that I receive from friends encouraging me about the count and expressing their confidence in me. The simple “How are you?” does wonders to lift my spirits. Their comforting words and rousing exhortations fuel my desire to stand up and face this challenge instead of slink into a corner and wallow in self-pity.

But I have always been one to look at the brighter side of things. I have managed to downplay the final outcome of this contest and focus on the new things that I have learned, the experiences I underwent, and the friendships that I have established in the course of this journey to the august halls of the Senate.

Whether I do get to enter the Upper Chamber as a member or remain in the sidelines and watch the few who are given the privilege to be part of the Senate perform (or not perform) their duties, I will forever treasure the experience of being a Senatorial candidate trying to earn the trust of the nation.

In the months that we went around the country, I met thousands of our countrymen who received us with such generosity and warmth, reaffirming my belief that Filipinos are a good-natured people. I marveled at the beautiful countryside and each place I visited beckoned me to stay longer, even convincing me to say, “I could live here!”.

But I also saw the poverty in the countryside, the devastation of natural resources and the abuse of those who were given the trust to lead but eventually failed their own people. The more I witnessed, the more determined I became to pitch in and do my part to help achieve change.

The grueling campaign, which was a drain not only on the financial resources but also in physical strength as well as the emotions, would have driven the faint at heart to quit. But for me, the saving grace and the pillar of strength came from the staff and support group who endured with the candidates the emotional strain and the physical fatigue. A candidate is only as good as his staff and support are, and without them the battle can easily be lost.

With the indulgence and understanding of others, I am proud to say that my staff is the best. What they lack in numbers, they make up for in performance. Their dedication is matched by their abilities and I am happy and honored to have worked with them all these years and hopefully, in the many years to come.

But it would be unfair and self-serving of me to only give credit to my staff. The SLAMAT LORRRD team of Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, the group of young men and women who were given the designation as sherpas to the senatorial candidates, were a crucial and vital component of the whole campaign. Without them, it would have meant the collapse and failure of the Liberal Party’s senatorial campaign.

These sprightly, dependable, patient and hard working sherpas ensured that our movements during sorties were on time and in the right direction; they cued us when to get on stage and how long we could speak; they handed bottles of water to us to quench our thirst and avoid dehydration; they arranged media interviews and room reservations. In short, they made life easier.

In previous senatorial campaigns the candidate guides were called shepherds. I think the term sherpas used this election fits the functions they performed for us. They did not merely show the way, they sometimes carried the load for the candidates.

I will always look back to the 2010 campaign with fondness as an experience that enriched my life and increased my friendships. I find comfort in the fact that I gained the trust of millions of my countrymen and somehow touched the lives of some and moved them to take action.

The gratitude I have for those who spent their money and gave their time to campaign for me, without asking for anything in return, is one that I will forever hold. The people who covered me with prayer, crying to the heavens for my protection and provision, they have a spot in my special people list. All of them are my heroes, my lifeline, my safety net.

But above everyone else, this campaign has proven that I am blessed with a wife who performs the roles of my staff, the sherpas, the supporters and the prayer shields. She is all of those rolled into one, a precious blessing from Heaven. The best thing about it is that she isn’t there for me just during the elections. She is there for me for the rest of my life.

My children are gifts from God. One glance at them and the concerns of this campaign are set aside. They're my sanctuaries, the embrace of their small arms are like walls of protection for me against the cruelty of this world. I take comfort and inspiration from my eldest son Carlo, who displayed composure, grace and steadfastness in facing disappointment when he experienced his own electoral defeat years back.

So as this campaign winds up, and the count places me in a precarious standing, all I need to do is remind myself of the good things I have and I gained and the anxiety of the outcome fades away. And with a smile on my face, I can truly say, “I am fine.”

Ruffy Biazon Thanks Iglesia ni Cristo

2010-05-05T12:40:00.001+08:00

It is with humility and honor that I thank the Iglesia ni Cristo for including me in their list of endorsed candidates for the 2010 National and Local Elections. The endorsement, which I view as a gesture of trust and confidence by the INC, will surely help boost my candidacy and bring electoral victory closer to reality.

While an endorsement by the INC is usually seen as a valuable means to gain more support from the electorate, it is actually a vestment of a responsibility to serve this country in the highest moral, ethical and professional standards. It is not a mere tool to get more votes, but it is a challenge to perform one’s duty as a public official not only with efficiency but also with compassion especially to the less privileged.

Because of this endorsement by the INC, I have a sense of obligation to do my duty not only to those who endorsed me, but to all the Filipino people if I am elected into office. The Oath of Office I will take will be a commitment to my countrymen and God, especially because the mandate from the People is a mandate from God.

Black Propaganda Against Cong. Ruffy Biazon

2010-05-02T12:18:00.001+08:00

With the few days remaining before elections, black propaganda has certainly become the strategy of choice by some candidates who are desperate to gain a winning margin over others, throwing away decency and honesty in campaigns.

I am the latest victim of this unscrupulous campaign method, with text messages circulating in public attacking me as an author of the Medical Malpractice Bill. The text messages being circulated says, “Ruffy Biazon, is also one of d sponsors of d medical malpractice bill….don’t vote for Biazon. Your friend, Atty. Leo O. Olarte, MD”.

If it is indeed true that the text messages came from Dr. Olarte, then I would like to convey to him that the Medical Malpractice Bill has not been been in my legislative agenda for a long time now, and that this campaign against me is unfounded.

While I must admit that in my previous term I filed a bill entitled Healthcare Liability Bill, I have long abandoned the pursuit of the proposed legislation especially when the groups who were initially lobbying for the bill shifted their efforts to the Patients’ Rights Bill. The official list of bills that I have filed in the present 14th Congress does not include any Medical Malpractice Bill or any other proposed legislation similar to it. It is absolutely not true that I continue to support the bill.

Back in the 12th Congress, I first filed the bill when an organized group of victims of negligence by medical professionals brought their plight to the attention of legislators, considering the absence of a special law on injuries, dismemberment, psychological trauma and even death brought about by the negligence of healthcare professionals. With the objective of opening the discussion on the matter so that it could be determined if a such a law is needed, I filed the bill for consideration of Congress.

But after lengthy and emotional debates on the matter, the interest groups themselves decided not to pursue the bill and instead focus on other proposed measures that would address their concerns. Since the proponents themselves had already abandoned the cause, I saw no need to further push the bill and therefore did not pursue it any more and did not refile it again.

It is in this regard that I denounce this attempt to derail my candidacy by attributing to me something that is not true. I have long dropped the desire to push for the Medical Malpractice Bill and focused my advocacy to the delivery of reliable, affordable and quality health services to the grassroots.

My legislative agenda includes the upgrade of hospitals in the countryside in order to qualify them for accreditation by Philhealth which will make it more affordable to the people. This will require a more determined and focused drive to increase appropriations for the government hospitals in rural areas.

I will work to provide better incentives for our government health professionals to curb the migration of doctors, nurses, medical technologists and other professionals to other countries to the detriment of the Filipino people’s interests.

I also intend to pursue legislation which will upgrade the capabilities of barangay health workers, as well as their compensation in order to increase the quality of health service delivered in the grassroots health centers.

I am hoping that in the campaign for or against any candidate, only the truth is employed. I have always faced squarely any opposition to my candidacy based on issues and will fight for what I believe in. But I will oppose anything thrown against me especially if it is not founded on truth.

Secretary of Defense Undermining the 2010 Elections and the Looming Victory of Certain Candidates

2010-04-30T13:25:00.001+08:00

The statement of DND Secretary Norberto Gonzales that cheating in the 2010 elections has already begun seems to have no other objective but to undermine the elections and the looming victory of certain candidates

Without naming names, Secretary Gonzales makes it appear that he has reliable information about alleged bribery and pay-offs between political parties and Comelec officials. His public disclosure during the Bishops-Ulama Conference is bereft of any credible reference, but is only backed up by his claim that his information came from Comelec officials themselves.

If his story is true, it is the height of irresponsibility to make such a casual statement with about 10 days left before the elections. He should have mobilized the intelligence resources at his disposal and gathered concrete evidence to support the statement and even publicly reveal the identities of those involved. If he is sincere in stopping election cheating, he should have made steps to bring the culprits out in the open and prosecution.

Instead, Sec. Gonzales is playing a guessing game, teasing the public with a controversy but withholding vital information that only tends to tarnish the credibility of the elections and the expected outcome. Coming from someone who proposed months ago a revolutionary government with President Arroyo at the helm instead of conducting the 2010 elections, it is consistent with his attempts to prevent a transition in the government.

The AFP Should Not be a Party to Midnight Defense Contracts

2010-04-26T12:41:00.002+08:00

The Armed Forces of the Philippines should be careful not to become party to midnight deals that are being cooked up by the Defense Department in its rush to close contracts before the Arroyo Administration ends its term in June 30 of this year.

The military should keep in mind that any controversy or flaw in these deals will greatly affect the long-delayed AFP Modernization Program and further set back the military’s strategic and tactical targets in the performance of their duty.

It has been publicly stated by Secretary Norberto Gonzales that it is his desire to rush the AFP Modernization Program by entering into contracts before the end of President Arroyo’s term using the Multi-Year Obligational Authority (MYOA) granted by Congress under the 2010 General Appropriations Act.

This rush is widely believed to be supplier-driven with Secretary Gonzales admitting that he has already received offers from four governments, namely, Canada, Israel, France and South Korea. For example, military sources reveal that Sec. Gonzales is favorably considering the acquisition of Cobra attack helicopters from Israel, even though they are just refurbished and are single-engine aircraft even though the Philippine Air Force prefer twin-engined helicopters.

But as the end-users, the AFP has a vital role to play in ensuring that the Modernization Program will not fall victim to shady midnight deals . The military should not subscribe to the rush being espoused by Sec. Gonzales who was quoted as saying, “Yes, we are rushing what we can still do under the AFP modernization program in our very limited time left. Aren’t we Filipinos known to be good in the last two minutes?”

The MYOA granted by Congress will expire on December 31, 2010, or six months beyond the term of President Arroyo. The next administration, which will serve from June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2016, is in the best position to utilize the MYOA and proceed with the AFP Modernization Program without the need to rush into midnight deals.

The AFP itself should not give in to the desire of the Defense Secretary who will be out of office in several weeks to rush the military contracts . It would be to the best interest of the Armed Forces to proceed with the Modernization Program under a new administration. The Multi-Year Obligational Authority is a golden opportunity for the AFP to achieve honest to goodness modernization. As the principal sponsor of the DND Budget for 2010 and one of the sponsors of the MYOA, I do not want to see this opportunity squandered by the rush to deliver the goods before the administration steps down just so that it could be written down as one of its major accomplishments.

Aside from waiting for the new administration, it will also do well to wait for the 15th Congress to assume office, since the AFP Modernization Law requires the DND/AFP to submit the contracts to Congress for scrutiny before the appropriation of funds. The current 14th Congress will not have time to scrutinize and appropriate funds for any midnight deal that the SND will enter into at this time.

There simply is no need and urgency to rush these military contracts before the expiration of President Arroyo’s term. It will only serve the desire of this administration to have something to brag about as it steps down, although it would be to the detriment of the AFP’s and the country’s interests. This is one instance when it will be good for the military to delay action on the wish of the outgoing administration.

No Need for Martial Law in Basilan

2010-04-16T08:52:00.001+08:00

A call by Basilan Catholic Bishop Martin Jumoad for the imposition of martial law in the aftermath of the deadly bombing which killed 15 persons should not even be considered since its declaration is not necessary in going after the culprits.

In the case of the Maguindanao massacre where members of the Ampatuan clan were apprehended, the declaration was made in order to facilitate the arrest of the suspects even without warrants. But eventually, it proved to be a faulty decision since the court dismissed the rebellion case for lack of evidence. It turned out that there was no basis for the declaration since there was no rebellion as defined under the law.

With regard to the Basilan bombing, the suspected culprit is the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a known terrorist organization which has been involved in terror activities like kidnappings and bombings. The Human Security Act, which provides for wiretap surveillance and warrantless arrests, makes it unnecessary to impose military rule because the declaration of martial law is only justified if rebellion or invasion is present.

In the case of the Basilan bombing, there is no invasion and the acts of the ASG should not be considered rebellion. It would negate their tag as a terrorist organization and considering them as rebels would only make them qualify for amnesty some time in the future. We should not fall into the temptation of copying the government’s response to the Maguindanao massacre declaring martial law just so that the suspects will be apprehended. As we have seen with the Ampatuans, their rebellion case was dismissed because it was found by the court that there was no rebellion.

Coming so close to the elections, declaration of martial for convenience will only cause unwanted anxiety among the people who will surely suspect that martial law will be used for the administration’s political advantage. It is disturbing to hear Secretary Norberto Gonzales say that they are studying the martial law option. Malacañang’s statement that it is not considering martial law is also not reassuring, since days before the declaration of martial law in Maguinanao was also preceded by statements from high government officials that military rule was not necessary.

Rather than declare martial law, the Human Security Act, also known as the Anti-Terror Law, should be used against the perpetrators of the bombing. It is a law that is specifically meant to address acts of terrorism by terrorists and terrorist organizations and it is a law that is already in force.

The Human Security Act will also be applicable to the situation if the government’s suspicion is true that the ASG is being used as a private armed group by politicians. Those who employ the ASG may be considered as an accomplice or accessory to terrorism and be charged accordingly using the HSA. The law even has provisions for probing the bank accounts of suspects so if there are politicians suspected to be involved in the actions of the ASG, their finances can even be looked into.

While I share the desire of the people of Basilan to bring the bombers to justice, I do not agree to the declaration of martial law as the solution. It will only further tarnish the image of the country in the international community; it is the inappropriate measure and will result in the failure to convict the suspects; it is untimely in the face of the coming elections and it is only a tool of last resort.

Justice in Agrarian Reform Includes Going After Illegal Conversions of Agrarian Land to Residential Subdivisions

2010-03-22T10:12:00.000+08:00

It is worrisome to hear stalwarts of a rival political party express their eagerness to see a rushed distribution of Hacienda Luisita, particularly because of the incidence of illegal conversions of CARP farmlands into residential subdivisions such as the one discovered in Iloilo where large tracts of irrigated farm lands were alleged to be anomalously converted into a residential subdivision owned by a presidential candidate.

Hacienda Luisita is a prime piece of real estate, very much attractive to developers of commercial and residential projects. It is not surprising for developers to have a lustful eye on the property, considering the value that it has and the potential for development.

While members of some political parties expressed their concern about the Hacienda Luisita not being subject to land reform under an Aquino administration, there is also a serious basis to be concerned about illegal land conversions under and administration led by a real estate developer who has been linked to activities which have undermined the agrarian reform program.

The next administration should not only promote genuine agrarian reform, it should also be committed to protect the gains of agrarian reform and go against greedy land developers and run after those who have bamboozled farmer beneficiaries into selling their rights and illegally convert agrarian land to commercial and residential projects.

Contrary to what others seem to believe, the pursuit of justice in agrarian reform does not end with the distribution of Hacienda Luisita. It includes the prosecution of those who have been engaged in illegal conversion and the prevention of such schemes which undermine the agrarian reform program.

Noynoy Aquino Could Be A Hostaged President

2010-03-19T09:39:00.001+08:00

The campaign for national candidates is almost halfway through as we near the start of the campaign for local positions. At this time, there is an indication of how the results will turn out, although the remaining half of the campaign period may still see changes in the ratings of candidates. Therefore, it is important that during this time, an assessment of the candidates’ ratings and political parties’ campaign strategies and direction is in order.

Focusing on my own party, the Liberal Party, both our presidential and vice presidential candidates have consistently topped the surveys ever since they first announced their intentions to run for the posts they’re now candidates for.

In the Pulse Asia survey done from Feb.21 to 25, Senator Mar Roxas’ lead over his rival is comfortable, and it seems that the 16 percentage point spread is too big for the other candidates to have a real chance of catching up with in the remaining days of the campaign period. Senator Noynoy Aquino led Villar with a 36% versus 29% margin. After months of spending hundreds of millions (possibly even more than a billion pesos) in the past several months trying to catch up, Senator Villar is still second place with only a month and a half remaining. It seems that only a major blunder will make people change their minds about who to support for president in the coming elections.

With the prospect of an Aquino-Roxas victory more real than imagined, it becomes necessary now to do a post-election scenario analysis of what awaits an Aquino-Roxas administration. Of course, the significant scenario is one that will pertain to the Legislative branch of government, because the plans and programs of the president can only push through if there is support from the Congress.

Let me emphasize that this is a worst-case scenario analysis. Of course, it may turn out differently, but one never really makes plans using the best case scenario. In order to be effective and relevant, you always consider the prospect of the worst situation you can face.

With this in mind, I would venture to say that the House of Representatives seems to most likely become an Arroyo stronghold. With Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself running for a seat in the House, cabinet members seeking both congressional and party list seats, many more incumbent pro-administration congressmen seeking reelection, it stands to reason that the future Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has a very good chance of getting the Speakership of the House of Representatives at the maximum, or come up with a major bloc in the lower chamber, big enough to be a significant threat to launch an impeachment which requires only a third of the House membership.

That significant bloc will also have a very strong influence in how legislation will pass or not pass in the lower chamber. It will be an excruciating and tedious effort to get bills through the legislative mill in the House.

An Aquino-Roxas electoral victory will only mean that Senators Villar and Legarda will go back as members of the Philippine Senate. It is therefore necessary to play out the scenario in the upper chamber, since under the bicameral system of government, legislation is passed by both chambers before it become law.
In the senate, there are twelve senators who are now in their mid-term, and they are either up for re-election or at the end of their term in 2013 (with the exception of Sen. Noynoy Aquino, who we are assuming to have been elected president in this scenario):

1. Sen. Miguel Zubiri
2. Sen. Edegardo Angara
3. Sen. Joker Arroyo
4. Sen. Alan Cayetano
5. Sen. Francsis Escudero
6. Sen. Gregorio Honasan
7. Sen. Panfilo Lacson
8. Sen. Francis Pangilinan
9. Sen. Antonio Trillanes
10. Sen. Manny Villar
11. Sen. Loren Legarda

Using the Pulse Asia survey referred to earlier, the possible winners in the 2010 elections are:

1. Sen. Bong Revilla
2. Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
3. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago
4. Sen. Pia Cayetano
5. Former Sen. Franklin Drilon
6. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile
7. Former Sen. Tito Sotto
8. Former Sen. Ralph Recto
9. Former Sen. Serge Osmeña
10. Cong. Bong Bong Marcos
11. Sen. Lito Lapid
12. Cong. TG Guingona
13. Jose De Venecia III
14. Cong. Ruffy Biazon

Statistically, Cong. Marcos is ranked 9-12, Sen.. Lapid is 9-14, Cong. Guingona is 10-14, Mr. De Venecia is 11-15 and Cong. Biazon is 11-16.

Based on the senators serving their mid-term and the possible result of the 2010 senatorial elections, the composition and alignment of members of the Senate of the 15th Congress may be analyzed. The outcome in the Senate will also have a very significant effect on the success of the Aquino presidency.

From the foregoing information, a possible composition of the Senate may be drawn:

1. Sen. Miguel Zubiri
2. Sen. Edegardo Angara
3. Sen. Joker Arroyo
4. Sen. Alan Cayetano
5. Sen. Francsis Escudero
6. Sen. Gregorio Honasan
7. Sen. Panfilo Lacson
8. Sen. Francis Pangilinan
9. Sen. Antonio Trillanes
10. Sen. Manny Villar
11. Sen. Loren Legarda
12. Sen. Bong Revilla
13. Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
14. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago
15. Sen. Pia Cayetano
16. Former Sen. Franklin Drilon
17. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile
18. Former Sen. Tito Sotto
19. Former Sen. Ralph Recto
20. Former Sen. Serge Osmeña
21. Cong. Bong Bong Marcos
22. Sen. Lito Lapid
23. Cong. TG Guingona
24. (vacancy left by Sen. Aquino, assuming he’s elected president)

Owing to the statistical tie in the survey, Mr. De Venecia and Cong. Biazon may land in the 12th spot.

From the above list, the alignment of senators may also be drawn, based on who will support an Aquino presidency:

Pro-Aquino:
1. Sen. Francis Escudero
2. Sen. Panfilo Lacson
3. Sen. Francis Pangilinan
4. Sen. Franklin Drilon
5. Sen. Ralph Recto
6. Sen. Serge Osmeña
7. Sen. TG Guingona / Sen. Ruffy Biazon (if either of them gets in )

Pro-Villar:
1. Sen. Manny Villar
2. Sen. Loren Legarda
3. Sen. Joker Arroyo
4. Sen. Alan Cayetano
5. Sen. Pia Cayetano
6. Sen. Gregorio Honasan
7. Sen. Antonio Trillanes
8. Sen. Ramon Revilla
9. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago
10. Sen. Bong-Bong Marcos

Unknown:
1. Sen. Miguel Zubiri
2. Sen. Edgardo Angara
3. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile
4. Sen. Tito Sotto
5. Sen. Lito Lapid
6. Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
7. Sen. Joey De Venecia (if he gets in )

These projected alignments are based on party affiliation, alliances during the campaign, alignments during issue-discussions and other observed nuances.

Based on this projected alignments, it would appear that Sen. Villar will have a bigger bloc ready to support a bid for the Senate presidency. With a bloc composed of 10 senators who are members of his party, vocal supporters or known sympathizers, Sen. Villar will only need three more to gain the majority in the Senate and propel him to the Senate presidency.

Among the seven unknowns, if Joey De Venecia gets in (and both Cong, Guingona and Cong. Biazon are out), he will not make a difference if he joins the pro-Aquino side since he would have just dislodged either Cong. Guingona or Cong. Biazon who are sure to be with Aquino, but there is a possibility that he will join the Villar side due to the prospect of being with the majority in the Senate and get a chance at choice committees. With De Venecia, Aquino stands to either just maintain 7 allies or be reduced to 6, unlike Guingona and Biazon who are sure to stay with Aquino.

There is basis to believe that Sen. Enrile and Sen. Estrada will side with the pro-Aquino bloc, especially since both have been vocal against Sen. Villar during the campaign. That would give the pro-Aquino bloc 9 senators at best.

The crucial question is where will the Arroyo allies in the Senate, Sen. Zubiri and Sen, Lapid, go? It is highly unlikely that Arroyo will ask them to side with the pro-Aquino camp. The only remaining option is to go the other way and ensure that they get good posts in the new Senate while at the same time not digress from the interest of their party leader.

Such a move would then give Sen. Villar a solid 12 votes, with Sen. Angara and Sen. Sotto up for the grabs. As to where they will go, I will not venture to proceed with an analysis and prediction.

In conclusion, there is a possibility that the relationship between the 15th Congress and an Aquino presidency might be a hostile relationship at worst or a difficult one at best. Noynoy Aquino could be held hostage by an Arroyo House Speakership and a Villar Senate Presidency.

Experience has taught us that the dynamics in the legislature sometimes transcend those of national and even party interests. That when the individual perks and coveted positions are at stake, the decision on who to side with are made with the individual interests in primary consideration.

It is therefore imperative that the supporters of Noynoy Aquino, who have the desire to see him succeed as president, should give equal and committed support to his senatorial candidates in order to ensure that he has enough allies in the legislature to support his plans and programs. The senatorial elections must not only be an afterthought, but it should be considered a crucial part of the strategic plan in gaining leadership of this country and installing a government that will be able to work without the difficulties of an uncooperative legislature.

The Appointment of a New Chief Justice - Make or Break the High Court's Image

2010-03-17T16:13:00.000+08:00

If President Arroyo wants to preserve the integrity and image of the Supreme Court, she should refrain from appointing a new Chief Justice and leave the decision to the next president. Even if the SC ruled that she can name the next Chief Justice, she also has the option not to do it, for the sake of preventing any speculation on the motive behind the appointment.

At this time, an appointment by President Arroyo will only suffer from credibility, with people suspecting that the Supreme Court is controlled by the President since all the justices are appointed by her. The seeming eagerness of the President to name the next Chief Justice in spite of the doubts raised also fuels the doubts that people have regarding this appointment. With the entire Supreme Court ending up to be Arroyo appointees, suspicion as to the members’ independence will certainly not be easily replaced.

It is now in the hands of President Arroyo whether the Supreme Court will be spared from this cloud of suspicion especially by her administration’s critics. Her actions will determine whether the people’s confidence in the Supreme Court will be restored or eroded. While Midas, a king in Greek Mythology (and coincidentally the namesake of the High Court’s spokesperson), turned everything he touched into gold, it seems that the President has the opposite effect on those she lays her hands on. Look at the candidacy of Gibo.

New AFP Chief of Staff Should Serve Only Up to the End of PGMA's Term

2010-03-09T16:18:00.001+08:00

The primary role of the new AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit is to ensure the orderliness and credibility of the 2010 elections. It is therefore his supreme obligation to alleviate fears about his partisanship in favor of the present administration. Or any of the other aspirants.

He should condition himself that he will only serve for the remainder of the term of the one who appointed him because after all, the next president will have the authority and prerogative to replace him.

In fact, he would gain the trust, confidence and respect of all sectors if he makes a declaration now that he will only serve until the end of President Arroyo’s term and voluntarily relinquish his post on June 30, 2010.

Such a move will ensure he would have no motivation to pander to any of the presidential candidates. For the same reason that I had previously suggested that Gen. Victor Ibrado be extended up to the end of President Arroyo’s term, so too, will Gen. Bangit’s relinquishing the post at the end of PGMA’s term give the new president the courtesy of not having to remove him and appoint a new Chief of Staff.

He should consider the conduct of a clean, honest, orderly and peaceful elections and a smooth transition of power as the ultimate accomplishment he could have in his entire career as a military officer. He would be redeemed from the Hello Garci issue and suspicions of being an administration puppet.

So if he does a commendable job in this election, there really wouldn't be any need for him to serve under another president. By such an accomplishment, he would give his person, his position and the AFP as an institution a reason to receive the appreciation of a grateful nation.

Money in the Time of Elections

2010-02-28T11:34:00.001+08:00

A candidate who fails to see what’s wrong with handing out money during election season only shows that he has limited understanding of the concept of traditional politics and its ill effects. Worse than the cunning and calculating traditional politician is the naïve and innocently ignorant traditional politician because he is perpetuating the scourge of Philippine political culture and public service without him realizing it.

That kind of tradpol (or trapo, in Philippine political lingo) is personally beyond reform because he thinks he is doing the country a great service although he is unwittingly perpetuating patronage politics. He will always think what he is doing is noble and will only look at those who have an opposing view as detractors to his cause. But for him not to realize the ill effects of his charity, there must be really something wrong with his values orientation and judgment.

What exactly is wrong with giving away money in the time of elections?

Well, it really smacks of vote-buying. During the time of elections, a candidate is only expected to spend money on the production of campaign collaterals, payment of hired personnel, campaign operations and other services. To simply hand over cash to anyone in exchange for nothing, whether voter or non-voter, young or old, male or female, it only serves one purpose—to get votes.

Handing over cash to a child in the time of elections, even if the child cannot vote, only serves to solicit votes for the candidate handing over the cash. Especially if the cash is handed in full view of the public, and even played up in media because during political campaigns, each action of a candidate which is done in public is assumed as a means of attracting votes.

The child who was given money most probably had parents or guardians. Most likely they are voters. And it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the money handed over to the child is indirectly an appeal to the parents or guardians of the child to support the candidate giving the money.

In such a scenario, the appeal goes out not just to the parents or guardians of the child, but also to the observers of the whole event. The message to those who witness such charity is “look at me, I’m so caring I’m giving away money. So vote for me”.

Under normal circumstances, such actions may be considered charity. But during elections, it should be seen as nothing other than vote buying. The circumstances make it so. It might be said that it would be unfair to make that conclusion because the candidate may just be sincere in wanting help, but the circumstances call for better judgment on the part of the candidate giving the money away.

If the candidate had the right sense of values and principles, he would realize by himself that giving money away during elections will only be seen as a political gimmick and perpetuate a practice long identified with the trapo.

A candidate with better judgment, sound discretion and creativity would be able to think of ways to extend help without resorting to giving away money. For example, if a child is hungry, the candidate can buy food and hand it over to the child. There is a world of difference between handing money over to a child and giving the child food to satisfy his hunger, especially during the election season.

To a child, when he receives money from a candidate during campaign season (which they undoubtedly know owing to the streamers, stickers and smiling faces of candidates), he learns that a “good candidate” is a candidate who hands out money. At an early age, their young minds are already being corrupted by practices of traditional politics. What kind of voters will they turn out to be when they grow old?

Having been a candidate myself four times now, I get frustrated and disgusted at voters who return my handshake with the words “wala bang naka ipit na isang daan dyan?” These are the kinds of voters that the young children who were given money by a candidate turn out to be.

A candidate’s failure to discern this effect of this “political charity” says something about his own character and values. It reveals his principles and his views on what the guiding force in the process of selecting the country’s leaders is ---“pera pera lang yan”.

Statement on the Support by the Magdalo to my Senatorial Candidacy

2010-02-25T07:44:00.002+08:00

It is humbling to be included in the list of senatorial candidates that the Magdalo are endorsing in the 2010 elections. With the support that the group is giving my candidacy, victory in this election is one more step closer to becoming a reality. Their support deserves nothing less than my most sincere thanks and appreciation.

This support is not anchored on mere electoral convenience or temporary converging interests. Belonging to the same generation, the Magdalo and I are both concerned on how the Philippines will proceed towards recovery and reform from the debilitating downward spiral of the country’s political culture and integrity in public service. The fate of the future generation rests on what the country’s leadership will do in leading this country further into the 21st Century. We want to play a relevant role in it.

The ideals of the Magdalo are not different from that of my own. While our professions would normally make us different as apples are to oranges, the ideals we are standing up for are one and the same---the welfare of the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the modernization of the Philippine military, the pursuit of peace in Mindanao, the eradication of poverty and the restoration of trust in government through good governance.

Our alliance is not one between strangers. Being a son of a career military officer, I know by personal experience what the life of a soldier is, and the perspective that a soldier has with regard to government and society. The friendship I have with some of the members of the Magdalo were built decades before the existence of the Magdalo while others were forged from the commonality of principles that were made public in their first outing as a reform movement.

The support of the men and women of the Magdalo will not go unreciprocated. This is a symbiotic and synergistic relationship where both sides mutually benefit from each other and work towards a common objective which is the restoration of the people’s trust in government through a reformed, reoriented and rejuvenated governance.

NP Candidate Has Been Immersed Too Much in Showbiz, He’s Resorting to Sowing Intrigue Rather than Dealing With Real Issues

2010-02-17T11:53:00.000+08:00

One of Nacionalista Party’s candidates, a lawyer, has been immersed too much in show business that he’s taken the role of “intrigero” by taking potshots at the Liberal Party’s presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino whom he accuses as being plagued by the “virus of distrust” based on rumors that Aquino centralized the management of his campaign funds and designated his sisters to handle it (read it here).

Apparently lacking substantial issues to discuss, the lawyer is using the issue to portray Aquino as someone incapable of managing the country. The matter of how a candidate manages his campaign finances is not really one that should be of consequence with regard to capability to run the country. Any politician knows that campaign finance management are purely a candidate’s discretion especially that a candidate has to make sure that every centavo that he gathers for his campaign goes to the right expenditure.

The handling of such funds require the highest level of trust, especially at a time when opportunists, swindlers and other characters hover around candidates hoping to get a piece of the campaign fund pie. Who the candidates trust in handling their finances during their campaigns should not be a point of concern. Management skills cannot be judged just on the basis of how a candidate handles his campaign funds.

It’s a pity that a Harvard educated lawyer running for the Senate chose to assume the role of “intrigero” instead of taking on issues of greater national concern such as the postponement of the peace process in Mindanao. We can only guess how his fellow Muslims and Mindanaoans think about choice of issues to discuss.

RP-MILF Peace Talks’ Snag Just Appropriate

2010-02-17T08:49:00.001+08:00

The postponement of the RP-MILF peace talks which were supposed to resume tomorrow is just appropriate, considering the fact that the Philippine Government is now in a period of transition with the 2010 National and Local elections to be held in May.

The position of the MILF in pursuing a deal that is not within the bounds of the Constitution further erodes the possibility of coming up with a peace agreement before the end of President Arroyo’s term. This administration cannot guarantee amendments to the Constitution under this 14th Congress, what more under the 15th Congress.

The composition of the 15th Congress, which will be the one to tackle any revision or replacement of the Constitution, will only be known after the May 2010 elections. No one knows how the 15th Congress will collectively think about changes to the Constitution so even if the government gives in to the demands of the MILF for concessions outside the Charter, it cannot guarantee that the concessions will be followed by the new government.

It is even incumbent upon the Arroyo administration not to commit anything that it cannot deliver, such as amendments to the Constitution. It would be an empty promise and it would be unfair to the new administration and the new Congress.

The Arroyo Administration should not look at this peace agreement as just another feather in their cap or as another mark in their list of achievements to highlight the end of their rule. A peace agreement should not be forged just so that President Arroyo can say that it happened within her term. At this point, it is foolish to sign an agreement is not guaranteed to be implementable. The prevailing circumstances make it necessary to pass the torch of crafting the peace agreement to the next government.

The offer of “Enhanced Autonomy” by the Arroyo administration should also be abandoned. Aside from questions on what kind of and how much enhancement the Executive Branch can give without legislative action, the issue of a midnight deal comes to mind. In the dwindling hours of the Arroyo Adminsitration, it shouldn’t go into such commitments.

Instead of offering “enhanced autonomy”, the Administration should just work for the adoption of a Period of Peace beginning now and until the new government takes office. During such period, both parties agree not to engage in hostilities and continue talks at the technical level in order to prepare the ground for fresh round of talks between the MILF and the new government.

Gibo Tedoro’s Conditional Cash Transfer for Natural Family Planning only Good for Sound Bites

2010-01-28T12:48:00.002+08:00

The proposal of Presidential Candidate Gibo Teodoro to give cash incentives for those practicing natural family planning methods only good for sound bites but in the real world, it is difficult to implement, impossible to monitor and will only tempt the unscrupulous to engage in deceit just to avail of the cash incentives.

While the intentions are good, the implementation is not clear. Teodoro proposed that “If they use the rhythm method, we can have some resources to support that by a conditional cash transfer if they do not a have birth within a year or so for the poorest of the poor”. His policy proposal raises a lot of questions on how government will implement his alternative program.

How will it be determined who will qualify? Will the government monitor the sex life of couples who want to avail of the program? How will the government determine the start of the one year period? How will the government know that the couple indeed is using the natural method during that one year period? How much resources will government need to monitor those participating in the program?

And most importantly, how will government determine that the couple claiming the benefit is not trying to pull one over the government’s head? A couple may claim to be using the natural method but actually use other methods such as using condoms or birth control pills. Or worse, they may even not be fertile at all and still claim the cash incentive. While these may be determined through medical tests, it is a cost which the government cannot afford to shoulder just to screen those who will claim the cash incentive.

For those who are against the Reproductive Health Bill, Tedoro’s proposal should also merit their opposition on the basis that it is no different from the objectionable proposal in the bill which provides for incentives to those who limit their children to two. Oppositors to this provision of the RH Bill say that this could lead to an aging of the population and a demographic winter. Under Teodoro’s proposal, couples are encouraged not to have children for one year in order for them to claim the cash transfer. So if a couple would like to receive the cash incentives for the next several years, or even forever, they only have to stop producing offspring.

While it is Gibo Teodoro’s right to change his mind about the RH Bill and withdraw his support from the bill, it is a pity that he has retreated into a proposal which seems to lack substance and wisdom. It is only good for sound bites and publicity, not public policy.

Oppose Marriage Contract Expiration

2010-01-12T11:54:00.002+08:00

A party list group participating in the 2010 elections proposed the establishment of an expiration for marriage contracts.

The proposed marriage contract expiration should be opposed because it will endanger the integrity of the ties that bind Philippine Society. The Filipino Family is acknowledged as the basic unit of society and it cannot be denied that marriage is the foundation of most Filipino Families.

Marriage and families cannot be treated separately and impose policies on one and not consider the other. The Philippine Constitution guarantees the protection of the family's integrity and states that marriage is an inviolable social institution. The non-expiring marriage contract is not a violation of any human right because entering into a marriage is an option where those engaging in it are well aware of the terms.

To give marriage an expiration is also to give families an expiration. It will be dangerous to open Philippine Society to the mindset that marriages and families have a predetermined end. While proponents may argue that the contract is renewable, the fact that when you enter into marriage you already know it will expire at a certain date, it already affects the way society will look at marital unions.

And how will we treat the offspring produced by marriages? What will happen to the legal status of children produced by marriages if they expire? It will be as if we have predetermined the legal existence of children even before they are born.

While I will fight for the rights of women, I put more premium in protecting the integrity of the Filipino Family. I will oppose marriage contract expiration.

A Leader's Integrity

2010-01-11T08:07:00.001+08:00

I have experienced it many times, so much that it has become a concern…I say that integrity is an important quality that our next president should have, there would be someone who would object and say, “it is not enough that the president has integrity”. They then emphasize that it should be competence that should first be considered.

I don’t argue against competence being a requirement for a president. In fact, all public officials should be competent. That is an undisputable proposition. But why the seemingly hostile reaction to the statement that a president should be trustworthy?

Why isn’t it possible for these people to say, “yes I agree that a President should possess a high degree of integrity, as well as competence.” Why does it have to be an Either/Or debate?

In selecting a president, it should not be a matter of choosing between integrity and competence. The two should go hand in hand because our country needs a leader who can govern with skill and at the same time the people need a leader whom they can trust.

But for public officials, there is a higher degree of expectation with regard to integrity. In the Philippine Constitution, Article XI, Section 1 states in the first sentence “Public office is a public trust”. By this simple six word sentence, the framers of the Constitution the most important benchmark for those who serve the People---trust.

It does not need to be emphasized that competence is a requirement for public officials. It even comes naturally. It is a rare occasion that an incompetent person rises to the higher levels of public service. Just getting oneself elected has some credit for competence because not everyone can run for office and win. But of course, we should not settle for mediocrity and still demand a high standard of competence for public officials.

Incompetence has no place in public service. But just for the sake of argument, a less competent leader may still be effective by tapping the expertise and competence of those around him. In fact, one of the best qualities of a leader is the ability to harness the talents of those around and under him. Leaders are not expected to do all the work themselves but to gather the strengths of their team to collectively deliver to their constituents.

But integrity is a quality that is exclusive to a person. It cannot be augmented by those who surround the leader. It cannot be borrowed and it cannot be sourced out. That’s why there is a need for it to be a primary consideration aside from other qualities we should look for in a leader.

Which brings me back to the question which prompted me to write this in the first place…why can’t people simply agree that integrity has a premium in the selection of the next president of the country? Why are there counter arguments, justifications, qualifying statements and what-have-you against the statement that integrity is a primary consideration?

For the record, I value competence in a leader. I will not settle for incompetence. But the competent leader should be trustworthy. So will the competent leader with unquestionable integrity please stand up?

The Filipino Family - The Country's Foundation

2009-12-23T09:09:00.002+08:00

"The Filipino Family is the foundation of the nation."

In order for our nation to have a firm foundation, we must build up Filipino families. We must enable them to be productive, literate and strong. We must empower them with livelihood, education and health.

But more importantly, the Filipino family should be built up with spiritual, moral and traditional values coupled with a deep sense of patriotism and citizenship.

Charity is not the only thing that begins at home. Everything begins at home. We must be able to raise good fathers and mothers, good husbands and wives, and good sons and daughters in order for us to raise good citizens.

Disqualification of BGen. Danny Lim is a Contradiction to Democracy

2009-12-17T08:36:00.001+08:00

Brigadier General Danilo Lim's candidacy is endorsed by three political parties. He is recognized by the Liberal Party as its guest candidate, including him in the party's line up of senatoriables. His wife Aloy represents the Danny Lim in the Liberal Party's provincial sorties and campaign strategy meetings precisely because he is one of LP's candidates.

Danny Lim is faring well in the surveys, and although he is not yet in the top 12, he is within striking distance, way above other candidates whom the Comelec has allowed to proceed with their candidacies. He has an ongoing internet campaign which rivals those of the more monied candidates with an online following which definitely covers the entire country, even beyond.

As a top leader of the Magdalo, which has proven its ability to launch a nationwide campaign and propel a candidate to the Senate, he has an established network on the ground, rivaling other more established political parties.

To me, the decision by the Comelec to disqualify Danny Lim to run for Senator on the gorunds that he is a nuisance candidate because he supposedly does not have the ability to campaign for the senate is a contradiction to democracy. While it is indeed a responsibility of the Comelec to ensure that only the qualified and the serious candidates are included in the list that the people will choose from, it is also their duty to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to vote and be voted upon.

Clearly, BGen. Danny Lim is not a nuisance candidate. He may be irritating to an administration which is sensitive to criticism and calls for reform, but he is definitely worthy to present himself to the electorate and be voted upon.

Maguindanao Martial Law--Is There an Invasion or Rebellion?

2009-12-05T09:32:00.002+08:00

The 1987 Constitution provides for Presidential powers to declare martial law:

“ Article VII, Section 18 - The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. In case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, he may, for a period not exceeding sixty days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.”

The president is then mandated to submit a report to the Congress which may revoke the declaration or suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.

In the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao, the basis of the declaration cannot be helped but be questioned. As provided for in the Constitution, the president may declaration of martial law only in the case of invasion or rebellion.

Under the said provision, where does the Maguindanao situation fall under? Invasion? By who? Is it a rebellion? Is the provincial government of Maguindanao led by the Ampatuans taking up arms against the government?

While I would like to support government initiatives which will ensure the maintenance of law and order in Maguindano following the Ampatuan Massacre, I do not see the reasons that would justify a declaration of martial law as prescribed in the Constitution. Considering the current atmosphere of peace and order, there is not even enough reasons to call out the Armed Forces because there is no lawless violence going on in Maguindanao.

The Congress should reject this declaration because it has no firm basis to stand on and it will open up the avenue for those who have previously expressed their proposal for a no-elections scenario to pursue their plans. If martial law is allowed to go on in Maguindanao, trouble can easily be created in other parts of the country and the expansion of the coverage of martial law can immediately be justified.

With elections just around the corner, and recent talks of No-El scenarios still ringing in our ears, the imposition of Martial Law in Maguindanao under circumstances which do not require it should really be met with skepticism.

A Lesson in Conversation

2009-12-04T07:30:00.001+08:00

This really happened..

I was invited as Guest of Honor and speaker during the anniversary of an academic institution not too long ago. After the ceremonies and the photo opportunities that usually follow such engagements, I was invited to join the college's officials and faculty for lunch.

It was a good opportunity to get to know the people better and establish linkages. Over lunch, I chatted with several of them who were seated near me. It was a bit difficult, owing to the level of noise in the room, what with everyone talking all at the same time. I had to strain a little to understand the person I was talking to.

One of those I was chatting with was a dean of one of the colleges, who was once connected with a well known NGO doing work around the world. She told me prior to settling down in the college, her work with the NGO brought her to countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, East Timor and other places experiencing extreme poverty and conflict.

I was impressed with her experience. A distinguished looking lady who did serious work not just for the Philippines but the world! And now a dean of a college!

To continue the chat, I told her that my father recently visited Ethiopia and he gave descriptions on how terrible poverty is in that country. He said that going out of the hotel which was supposed to be located in the business district of that country's capital, beggars lined the sidewalks shoulder to shoulder. So many people mired in poverty and hunger.

Of course she had experienced it first hand and knew exactly Ethiopia's situation. She concurred with the story and she said, "The biggest problem of Ethiopia is Mass Starvation."

Maybe it was the way she said it or the noise in the room. Or maybe it was me. But for a moment, I had to pause for what seemed to be an eternity of awkwardness as I processed what I think I heard.

Did she say what i think she said was the problem of Ethiopia? I was trying to keep a poker face as my mind raced in the speed of light, thinking of an appropriate response. Should I ask if people are now going blind or growing hair on their palms? Is it the result of a weakening belief in Church teachings? Moral decay?

The suddenly, I realized...oh, MASS STARVATION! Whew!

The lessons of the story is....1) listen carefully to the one you are conversing with and 2) think before you talk.

Political Vendetta Suspected in Decision to Oust Bulacan Governor

2009-12-02T11:07:00.001+08:00

The Comelec decision to remove Bulacan Governor Mendoza five months before elections and a few weeks after he left Lakas and joined the Liberal Party smells like political vendetta.

The administration is now struggling to to rein in it's members and prevent and exodus to other parties and it will do anything to keep it's members at bay within the party.

The threat of sudden resolutions of election cases, as well as administrative and criminal cases of elected officials who are members of Lakas is the Sword of Damocles that the administration has over their members.

The case of Gov. Jonjon Mendoza may be seen both as a punishment to him for leaving Lakas and a warning to others who may be planning or contemplating a move out of the administration party.

But in the end, the practice may result in Lakas only being left with members of who have pending electoral. administrative or criminal cases.

President Arroyo Should Turn Over the Reins of Government if She Runs for Congress

2009-11-30T16:56:00.002+08:00

President Arroyo Should Turn Over the Reins of Government if She Runs for Congress

President Arroyo should either resign or go on leave if she pursues her desire to run for the 2nd Congressional District of Pampanga. Of course, her counsel Atty Romy Macalintal will argue that there is no legal impediment for her to seek another elective post. That is a well known fact. The law does not compel her to vacate her post either by resignation or going on leave. I won’t even go into a discussion on delicadeza. We all know what the answer to that issue.

But I offer other reasons why she should give the post of president to someone else who can take full charge in a full time capacity the role of leading this nation during the elections.

The Maguindanao Massacre was definitely a politically motivated incident, one that is expected to have repercussions all the way to election day. It may even have spill over effects to neighboring provinces and spread throughout ARMM. In fact, one of the president’s allies is even proposing that martial law be imposed in that part of Mindanao to ensure peace and order.

Being a presidential election, other hotspots are expected in other parts of the country, hence the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will surely be on their toes in maintaining peace and order during the elections. This is the reason why I had earlier proposed that the Armed Forces Chief of Staff be extended beyond his retirement date of March 10, 2010, just so that the AFP will not have a change in leadership in the middle of the campaign period.

Being the Commander in Chief, the president should be full time in overseeing the enforcement of laws and measures to maintain peace and order during the elections. The president should not be sidelined by the concerns of her campaign for another elective post, a local one at that. We should not gamble with the president merely allowing an underling (especially the current acting Secretary of Defense Bert Gonzales) to carry out her instructions as she campaigns. Someone should take over the responsibility and accountability during that time.

Another matter which necessitates the full time attention of the President is the implementation of the first automated elections in the country. IT will be best for the country not to have a president distracted and preoccupied with a candidacy in the local elections while this historic venture into uncharted waters is being experienced by the country.

The president’s legal eagles and political pundits will simply repeat their script to defend the president’s decision to run---that there is no legal impediment to her candidacy. And it would be foolish for people to expect delicadeza to prevail. So if she wants to run, let her run.

But what I would like to raise at this point is the duty of the Office of the President ( the position, not the person) to ensure that the elections will be clean, credible and peaceful. She cannot do that full time if she will be a candidate for a local position in 2010. So if she wants to run, then she should turn over in accordance to legal processes the reins of power to someone who is not running for office and can perform the job full time.

Of course that would be the Vice President.

God bless the Philippines!

Malacañang Was Warned About the Maguindanao Massacre Three Months Ago

2009-11-27T00:50:00.001+08:00

The whole world was caught by surprise and shocked by the Maguindanao Massacre. It was something never before seen in our country and it has immediately placed us in the number one position in the list of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists to be assigned.

People are saying this was something unimaginable, that no one expected it and no one could have foreseen the carnage. Well, it turns out that those premises were wrong. Someone did see it coming.

Someone saw it coming and warned the government. He warned Malacañang. And the warnings went unheeded.

About three months ago, August 28, 2009 to be exact, the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security and the Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation conducted a joint public hearing on the peace process in Zamboanga City. One of those invited to be a resource person was the Vice-Governor of North Cotabato Manny Piñol. Vice Governor Piñol is one of the most respected officials whose opinion matters when the Mindanao situation is discussed.

In his statement to the Committee, Vice Governor Piñol revealed that he had warned Malacañang about the potential for the outbreak of hostilities between the MAngudadatus and the Ampatuans in relation to the 2010 elections. It was a warning which was explicit and clear. But in spite of that, it was ignored.

Following is the statement of Vice Governor Piñol lifted from the transcript of that hearing :

MR. PIÑOL : Government must be clear and straightforward with the MILF on what it can and cannot give. Government peace negotiators must get out of the box of the international standards and methodologies for conflict resolution and look at the Mindanao conflict as a problem we cannot and should not compare to the Northern Ireland or Darfur conflicts.

We were amused by the idea of Tony Blair negotiating peace in Mindanao. We were appalled by the suggestion that Manny Pacquiao could bring peace to Mindanao.

This shows how shallow and superficial the appreciation of some of our leaders of the problems in Mindanao. There should be no generic solution to the Mindanao conflict given the fact that problems have different complexions depending on the political, social and economic conditions of a specific area.

Take, for example, Maguindanao. What is the cause of the conflict in Maguindanao right now? It is a feud between the Ampatuans, a big political family and the MILF. And mind you, I have already forewarned Malacañang of an impending bigger trouble come 2010 elections because the Ampatuans are facing another big family, the Mangudadatus, and the Ampatuans are being backed by the military, the government. And that Sends the Mangudadatus towards the MILF orbit and this could spell trouble for Maguindanao in 2010.

I have already warned the GRP panel about this and I have forwarded this message to Chairman Rafael Seguis of the GRP panel.

The statements of Vice Governor Piñol were quite clear. The government was warned. If the warnings were heeded and the government stepped in by disabling the private armed groups in the area, we probably wouldn’t be mourning the deaths of 57 innocent people.

On whose hands have their blood spilled?

The Mindanao Massacre

2009-11-24T12:14:00.002+08:00

The Maguindanao Massacre should unanimously be condemned by society, considering the brutality, ruthlessness and wanton disregard for human life that was displayed by the perpetrators. Killings brought about by political motivation is already despicable by itself, but to include innocent bystanders, especially journalists, is something that is beyond diabolical.

This act of violence, occurring at the beginning of the election season, may be a preview to the level of violence that may happen once the heat of the campaign period begins. With the culture of clan wars and blood debts prevailing in that part of the country, it is not unlikely that retaliatory attacks will occur between warring sides unless the government steps in to enforce the law and ensure peace and order.

At this early stage, the government should step in, with the imposition of localized emergency rule a feasible option. Now is the time for the PNP, assisted by the AFP, to implement its mandate of controlling the proliferation of illegal firearms and dismantle private armed groups. The PNP is now aggressively pursuing individuals with expired firearms licenses, but perhaps it is about time it flexes its muscles against the real threats to peace and order and political stability, the private armies.

As an additional measure, the government should show that there is justice in this country by actively pursuing the perpetrators and deal with them to the fullest extent of the law. The enforcement of laws against illegal firearms and private armed groups in response to this act of violence should also be accompanied with efforts to bring justice to the victims. It is one way to lessen the need for the side of the victims to take matters in their own hands and resort to street justice.

In light of the impact of this massacre in the political scenario in Maguindanao and probably even the entire ARMM, the government should now consider holding the elections in that part of the country earlier than the rest. It has been the experience in past elections that the national polls are effected by what goes on in that portion of Mindanao.

If elections were held there earlier, the PNP and AFP will be able to focus on what appears to be the hottest of the election hotspots during the elections. The level of violence at this early stage is almost sure to escalate. Early polls will also ensure that the conduct and result of the national elections will be insulated from whatever happens in that region.

Lastly, this election related event in Mindanao further boosts the basis for my proposal way back in April of this year that the term of Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Victor Ibrado be extended until the end of President Arroyo’s term. If General Ibrado’s term as AFP Chief of Staff is not extended, he will retire on March 10, 2010, which is right in the middle of the campaign period. With the tense situation in Mindanao, it might be best for the AFP not to change leaders midstream.

Norberto Gonzales is a Risk in the Department of Defense

2009-11-16T12:56:00.001+08:00

The appointment of Norberto Gonzales as Defense Secretary is not an assuring development in the defense sector. Rather, it is a backward step from all the gains brought about by previous leaderships in the department, from Sec. Avelino "Nonong" Cruz to Sec. Gilbert Teodoro.

The National Security Advsier has exhibited partisanship, actively espousing his own political ideology even among the ranks of the AFP, which is mandated by the constitution to be non-partisan, non-political. A few years ago, he conducted seminars among soldiers encouraging them to initiate political change contrary to the policies of the AFP and DND which prescribe soldiers to be insulated from politics. In those seminars, he advocated his personal political ideology and in a not-so-subtle approach, try to convince the soldiers that the current political system needs to be replaced and the ones to take the initiative should be the armed forces. On pressure from this representation, he was forced to stop the seminars which was deemed by the DND as unauthorized.

It is also troubling to note that Norberto Gonzales also recently proposed an extra constitutional transition government, which intended to prevent the conduct of the 2010 elections. With the national and local elections coming, there is great danger that Norberto Gonzales may use it as an opportunity to further his political agenda with the Department of Defense and the Armed Forces as his tools.

These are enough for us to see the appointment of Norberto Gonzales as risky not just to the professionalism and neutrality of the AFP, but also to the constitutional processes.

To top it off, he has exhibited a hostile attitude to the constitutionally mandated oversight institutions. He purposely avoided attending budget hearings of his agency, not giving respect to the House and Senate. As

A more acceptable person should be named as permanent replacement as soon as possible. Otherwise, the AFP will suffer in morale and may affect the professionalism of our soldiers.

Widget

2009-11-11T23:28:00.001+08:00

My Reply to the Editorial About Me in Manila Standard Today, October 21, 2009

2009-10-21T20:17:00.002+08:00

I was the subject of the Editorial of the Manila Standard Today with regard to a comment I made concerning the brazen robbery-hold up in Greenbelt 5. (Read it HERE)

I wrote to the editors requesting that my side be printed, especially since they publicly raised questions to me. I don't know if my reply will see print in their paper, so I will also post it in the web:

The Editor
Manila Standard Today

Dear Editor,

This is regarding your editorial published on October 21, 2009, where questions were posed to this representation regarding a comment on the recent robbery in Greenbelt 5. Since the questions posed were publicly directed towards me, I am hoping that this reply will merit print in your newspaper in the interest of fairness and transparency.

Before I proceed to answering the questions posed by the editorial, please allow me to make some corrections to the write-up, which I think is necessary in order to ensure that only facts make its way to the public’s attention.

First of all, the editorial was incorrect when it said that I “felt compelled to comment on the daytime robbery”. I did not issue a press statement nor did I seek out the press to give a comment on the robbery. It was the media reporter who sought me out for my comment.

Second, the editorial was also incorrect when it said that I proposed there should only be one authorized supplier of uniforms for the police. My comment was that there should be a regulation of manufacturers of uniforms and that only suppliers who are contracted by the PNP to supply uniforms with the specified design, color and material should be allowed to manufacture the same. Manufacture of similar or the same material, design and color should be prohibited.

Third, the editorial was once again incorrect when it said that I proposed secret tags sewn into the uniforms. I made no such proposal, although I did have in mind that the designs should be exclusive and no other material should be manufactured which resemble the design for the PNP.

Fourth, the editorial also erred when it said that I supported a bill filed by a colleague which proposed to impose stiffer penalties on unauthorized use of police uniforms. The focus of my proposal is on the manufacturers and suppliers of those uniforms.

As to the questions, following are my answers:

The first question was how will changing the current uniforms prevent those who are already so inclined to create new counterfeit uniforms? Changing the current uniforms will automatically render all the counterfeit uniforms currently in circulation ineffective since there will be a new way to identify genuine police personnel.

As to the production of new counterfeits, that is where the proposed new regulations on the importation, manufacture, distribution, or sale of the new uniforms or textile material of the uniforms come in. While it is really difficult to prevent criminal intent (even currency, which has enough security measures and regulations are still counterfeited), we should de everything and anything we can to make it difficult, if not costly, to the perpetrators.

The second question, which asks how secret would a secret tag be, is irrelevant because I did not propose a secret tag in the first place. I would like to point out, however, that the uniforms of the US Army and the US Marines have distinct markings embedded in the design to easily identify counterfeit uniforms from the genuine.

The last question, which asks if I really think that determined criminals will be deterred by stiffer penalties for wearing fake uniforms is also irrelevant because that was not the subject of my proposal. My proposal pertains to the unauthorized importation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of police uniforms or textile materials for the uniforms, including those with similar designs or material.

As a matter of additional information, it might interest you to know that such a proposal is not even a unique proposal and I do not claim originality for it. In other countries, similar restrictions and regulations are imposed. I already mentioned above the measures adopted by the US Army and US Marines.

In Canada, there is even a federal law prohibiting the sale of uniforms issued to members of the Canadian armed forces, penalizing soldiers who sell their uniforms to surplus shops or civilians. They are required to return old uniforms to the government for proper disposal. Uniform designs are copyrighted in order to provide additional protection of their integrity under the law.

Finally, the editorial said that if there was anything that I proved, it was that the mouth moves faster than the brain. I couldn’t agree more.

Yours truly,

Ruffy Biazon
Lone District, Muntinlupa City

Install Flood Warning Systems in Areas Along the Path of Water Released From Dams

2009-10-13T14:16:00.001+08:00

Flood warning systems should be installed along the paths of water released from dams in order to alert the people regarding oncoming floods. A flood warning system composed of a loud siren activated by the operators of the dam everytime they release water should be placed at regular intervals along the areas determined to be affected by the sudden volume of water.

While currently there is a system in place wherein dam operators give notice to the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Councils (PDCC) and Municipal Disaster Coordinating Councils (MDCC) prior to releasing water, it is obvious that it is insufficient or even ineffective. It is clear that the information does not reach the grassroots, owing to failures along the channels of communication or the lack of time for thorough dissemination.

A common account of the people who fell victim to the recent floods in northern Luzon is that they did not get warnings about the release of water from the dams.

In other countries, very loud sirens similar to air raid sirens used in World War II are installed along the channels where flood waters flow and warn people residing on or near those areas whenever there is a threat of rivers, creeks or waterways overflowing to dangerous levels.

The flood warning systems should be operated and controlled by the dam operators so that the warnings will be activated instantly whenever needed. While warnings should still be communicated in the traditional manner, that is, through communication with PDCCs and MDCCs, an alarm audible to the residents of an affected area is still a method which will guarantee that there is timely and adequate warning down to the grassroots.

We Were Prepared for an Earthquake, Not a Flood

2009-10-04T22:42:00.002+08:00

Think about this…what was the last disaster preparedness campaign that the government conducted which you heard about?

As far as I’m concerned, the last one was about earthquake preparedness. In fact, I remember the government campaigning only about earthquake preparedness. They even conducted numerous earthquake drills in schools, communities, government offices, etc.

There has been an annual earthquake drill conducted all over Metro Manila, especially after some scientists warned of the inevitability of The Big One hitting the country’s capital region.

Students were trained to do the DUCK, COVER and HOLD, a simple earthquake survival procedure and the drills were even dramatically covered by media.

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing such preparations ( in fact, we should be more alarmed if it’s not being done), there seems to be a gap in the disaster preparedness that the government is doing.

Earthquakes, killer ones at that, are somehow a rare occurrence in our country, even though the Philippines is in the Pacific Rim of Fire. Unlike Los Angeles and Japan where quakes have been so common people tend to ignore the smaller temblors, quakes happen so infrequently here that people tend to be complacent. Hence, the regular drills are quite welcome.

But what is glaringly obvious now, after typhoon Ondoy deluged Metro Manila, is that the concerned government agencies have failed to prepare us for a calamity which actually happens every year---flooding.

Recent years have seen heavy rains which brought about flooding and landslides in various parts of the country ---Ginsaugon, Southern Leyte (Feb. 2006), Milenyo (July 2006), Frank (June 2008) and the Northern Mindanao flooding in January 2009. There were many other cases of unprecedented extreme flooding which were brought about by exceptionally high rainfall.

But in spite of these recurring extreme weather disturbances and its relative predictability (after all, we expect the heavy rains during a particular season of the year), don’t you wonder why there is no awareness campaign on flood safety conducted by our disaster agencies? (or should it be disastrous agencies?).

No one seems to have really taken seriously preparations against a flood calamity which visits us seasonally every year. This is emphasized by the fact that Anthony Golez, spokesperson for the NDCC, when asked pointblank during in an interview on TV if the governemnt was caught flatfooted, used an analogy to earthquakes, saying, "we were preparing for an intensity 7 and what hit us was an intensity 8". This shows that unlike other countries such as the United States which has a Flood Severity Category system, the Philippines does not have a system of measuring flood severity. Mr. Golez had to use an earthquake scale to refer to a flood.

For example, in the same manner that we have been taught to duck, cover and hold, has there been an education campaign on the dangers of wading into rushing flood waters? Have we been taught that rapidly flowing flood waters may contain debris and other objects which could hit a person in the water and cause injury or death?

Have we been informed that knee-deep rushing water could knock down a person and carry him with the waves? Were we taught to position ourselves feet first into the current in case you do get swept away by rushing floodwaters?

Are vehicle owners taught that six inches of flood water is enough to cause you to lose control of the vehicle so therefore, driving into rising waters should be avoided? These and many other information on what to do or not to do before, during and after a flood have not been taught to us. In spite of the fact that we experience flooding every year and that climate change and global warming is causing extreme weather patterns.

Typhoon Ondoy just deluged Metro Manila and Typhoon Pepeng was not far behind. Still, no one in the NDCC or other agencies raised these helpful information that are important for people’s survival.

Here are some measures you can take with regard to risk of extreme flooding (taken from a guide made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States, slightly modified ):

What You Can Do Before a Flood:

• When there is a warning of an approaching storm, you should be aware of potential flood hazards.

• Have an evacuation plan in place BEFORE flooding occurs. Flooded roads may cut
deep. Remember–just six inches of rapidly flowing water can knock you off your feet.

• Know your flood risk and the elevation above which flooding occurs. Do streams or rivers near you flood easily? If so, be prepared to move to a safe place. Know your evacuation routes.

• Find out if you are located in a high, medium, or low flood risk area.

• Develop an evacuation plan. Everyone in your family should know where to go if they have to leave.

• Discuss flood plans with your family. Everyone should know what to do in case all family members are not together. Discussing flood plans ahead of time helps reduce fear and anxiety and lets everyone know how to respond.

• Determine if the roads you normally travel to reach your home or job will be flooded during a storm. If so, look for alternative routes to use during flooding.

• Have a professional install check-valves in plumbing to prevent flood waters from backing up into the drains of your home (if you know that your home is in a flood prone area).

• Keep your automobile fueled; if electric power is cut off, gas stations may not be able to operate pumps for days.

• Store drinking water in food-grade containers. Water service may be interrupted.
• Keep a stock of food requiring little cooking and no refrigeration; electric power may be interrupted.

• Keep first-aid supplies and prescription medicines on hand

What You Can Do During the Flood:

• If advised to evacuate, do so immediately! Families should use only one vehicle to avoid getting separated and reduce traffic jams. Move to a safe area before access is cut off by flood water. Continue monitoring reports in the radio, television or internet for information concerning the flooding.

• Don’t drive if you don't have to.

• Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, underpasses, canyons, washes, etc. Do not attempt to cross flowing streams.

• Never try to walk, swim, drive, or play in flood water. You may not be able to see how fast the flood water is moving or see holes or submerged debris.

• Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.

• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize flood dangers.

• Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. The depth of water is not always obvious. The road bed may be washed out under the water, and you could be stranded or trapped.

• Do not drive around a barricade. Barricades are there for your protection. Turn around and go another way!

• If the vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and move to higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants, sweeping them away. Vehicles can be swept away by as little as two feet of water.

• Children should NEVER play around high water, storm drains, viaducts, or canals. It is very easy to be swept away by fast-moving water.

• If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, STOP! Turn around and go another way. Climb to higher ground. If it is moving swiftly, even water six inches deep can knock you off your feet. Many people are swept away wading through flood waters, resulting in injury or death.

What You Can Do After the Flood:

• Get necessary medical care at the nearest hospital. The government or Red Cross can help by providing shelters, food, water, and first aid, as well as helping you meet your immediate disaster-caused needs.
• Do not visit disaster areas. Your presence might hamper rescue and other emergency operations.

• If the power is out, use flashlights, not candles.

• Use flashlights, not lanterns, torches, or matches, to examine buildings. Flammables may be inside.

• Report broken utility lines to appropriate authorities.

• Boil drinking water before using. Wells should be pumped out and the water tested for purity before drinking. If in doubt, call your local public health authority.

• If fresh or canned food has come in contact with flood waters, throw it out.

• Take steps to reduce your risk of future floods. Make sure to follow local building codes and ordinances when rebuilding, and use flood-resistant materials and techniques to protect yourself and your property from future flood damage.

For an example of how the government should be preparing us (which it is not doing now) check out this brochure :

http://www.weather.gov/os/brochures/FloodsTheAwesomePower_NSC.pdf

I Try to Focus on the Positive…But There Are Heartaches Too

2009-09-30T23:01:00.000+08:00

A few days ago I wrote about how uplifted I was at the outpouring generosity of people who extended helping hands to the victims of typhoon Ondoy. I wrote about the heroism of those who gave even their own lives for others. My eyes moisten when I tell and re-tell the stories of generosity, bravery and sacrifice rising above the misery brought about by the floodwaters of Ondoy.

But it seems that even optimism sometimes gets defeated and discouragement prevails. My eyes still get moist but it’s not because of stories of victory over adversity but because of situations and incidents that drain away all positive energy in me.

Earlier, I wrote about how the best in people are brought out in times like these. I did not mention it before but I’m saying it now, situations like this also bring out the worst in people.

Like our enterprising countrymen who saw the opportunity to earn during this crisis by ferrying people aboard bancas and other improvised floating devices and charging a fee. My constituents tell me that they are charged Fifty Pesos (P 50 ) per head for that ferry service traveling a distance that they used to pay Fifteen Pesos (P 15) for. It’s sad that in this time of need, there are those who take advantage of the situation.

Another instance where the dark side of people come out is seen during the distribution of relief goods. There are those who get more than their share, often resorting to lying, stealing or bullying. People who line up more than once, or in instances where pre-distributed stubs are given out, insist that they just lost their stub and demand to be given relief or swipe the goods straight from the delivery trucks.

An incident happened in one of the evacuation centers here involving a well-known NGO. As the group of the NGO arrived to hand out relief goods, they were met by an eager throng of people all wanting to get the packs of relief goods. The staff of the NGO tried to impose order and told the people to line up to receive the goods. But the people refused to fall in line, and started pushing towards the NGO staff and the relief packs.

The crowd grew more impatient and rowdy and the situation became tense. The NGO staff decided to leave without distributing the goods.

In another incident, two evacuees got into an argument about the relief goods. Tempers grew hot and eventually they had a fight. After a couple of minutes, one walked away and the other had to be carried away straight to the hospital. He was stabbed. Over relief goods.

One would think that such behavior is due to the depressing situation the people are in in the evacuation centers. But even on the other side of the fence—those who give the relief—there are people who show their dark streaks. Workers who, instead of distributing stubs fairly, either choose only those close to them or worse, hoard it for themselves; or pilferages of donated goods by those entrusted with them…these are things that just leave you wondering how people can be so numb to the plight of others while unjustly helping themselves to the goods which were not meant for them.

But as one who has the official and moral responsibility to look after welfare of my constituents, my heartache is most deep when I go home at the end of day, eat a hot meal, take a shower and drop myself on my comfortable bed and then think of the hardship that thousands of my constituents are suffering that moment.

I try to console myself thinking that I was able to make their lives a little bearable, but any consolation immediately crumbles as I remember many more who have yet to receive any assistance.

My constituents are more than just statistics of evacuees to me. Neither are they just votes to go after come election time. Having spent almost nine years as their representative in Congress, I know many of them by name or recognize their faces. I have developed a relationship with my constituents through constant and regular interaction with them through my projects and dialogues. Many of them had me as their wedding sponsor, godfather to their child’s baptism, invited me to their birthday parties and family reunions.

Nowadays my cellphone beeps every few minutes as I receive messages pleading for the delivery of relief goods to my hungry, thirsty and tired constituents. My email and Facebook accounts are no different, with messages calling, crying for help.

It really is a depressing situation. I have tried to put up a brave front and try to focus on the positive. But one can only do so much to avoid giving in. The feeling is not far removed from a situation that we sometimes experience as parents. Imagine this—you have four children all of whom are hungry. But you can only afford to buy food for three. The agony of such a dilemma is the same as the agony now.

What makes it worse and more painful is that not all people know and understand the situation I and others like me are in. What most people only know is that we have the responsibility to respond and any shortcoming is unconscionable. Suspicions about politicians doing relief operations only for votes, accusations of government officials holding back on resources or being choosy on who to give relief to add to the heartache. But it’s part of the job, so all one can do is swallow and continue the work.

Focus on the good. That’s what I keep telling myself. Just focus on the good and do your job well. But once in a while, I think I’m entitled loosen the pressure valve. This job has its fulfilling moments. But it also has heartaches. It is an emotional rollercoaster ride, but thank God, it always ends with hope. Because I end the day with a prayer.

There's a New Game in Town---the Blame Claim Game

2009-09-29T13:29:00.001+08:00

After a tragedy, calamity or monumental failure in government, the game usually played in the aftermath is something we already know---the Blame Game.

But in the aftermath of Ondoy, there's a new game in town--the Blame Claim Game.

And just like all the previous "innovative" ideas that he presented in performing his job as Chairman of the MMDA, Bayani Fernando, Presidential aspirant, is introducing this new game.

He tries to assume responsibility of the Ondoy tragedy by asking people to blame him ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAUuVXgdEGI ). "Blame me, rather than blame God", he said in Pilipino.

But I think it is ridiculous for Chairman Fernando to call attention to himself by claiming the blame for the disastrous flood brought about by Ondoy. This calamity brought about by Ondoy is much bigger than him and he does not enjoy singular responsibility for the any failure of government in the face of the typhoon.

Although it is true that his many years in the MMDA only resulted in the failure to address the perennial flood problem of Metro Manila.

BUt it is more ridiculous for him to make a pitch for his presidential campaign by saying that if there is no leadership with political will (using his campaign line), this will happen again and again. It is ridiculous because he already had his chance to use his much-publicized political will for so many years in the MMDA but he still failed. In fact, he's saying now that he is to blame!

But more than just ridiculous but already insulting is his refusal to resign his post in spite of claiming the blame for the tragedy. He should be informed of what the Premier of Taiwan did in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot. Because of public dissatisfaction of how the government bungled the response to Morakot, President Ma Ying-jeou along with a couple of cabinet ministers resigned. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125231317773090087.html )

Now if Chairman wants to talk about political will, he should take a lesson first from the Taiwanese.

A Great Day --September 27, 2009

2009-09-28T12:16:00.000+08:00

It was a good day yesterday. In fact, I would say it was a great day!

Usually, I reserve my Sundays for my family, taking the time to play with them, have lunch or dinner, or go to the mall. But yesterday, inspite of being a Sunday, I left the house while they were still sleeping and when I got home ( which was actually Monday already), they are already in dreamland.

Eight out of the nine barnagays in my district were under water. People traveled the streets in bancas, making the scene similar to Venice, except that instead of gondolas, people were riding in fishing bancas. Around 1,900 families, or an estimate of 10,000 persons, were living in evacuation centers with little food and dismal sanitary conditions. More people were trapped in their homes, finding shelter on the roof instead of under.

But it was a great day. Why?

Well, it was great because in spite of the gloomy weather, disastrous conditions and me being torn from my usual routine with my family, it was a day that Filipinos showed their best qualities and virtues that made everyday people extraordinary heroes.

I refuse to acknowledge the sorrow and pain brought about by the loss of life and property during the storm. I refuse to give in to the anger at incompetence and neglect which led to delayed disaster response and failure to prepare. I do not want to highlight that which is depressing but rather encourage everyone with what is inspiring.

Yesterday was good because of the various stories of good Samaritans, people who extended their hands to help a fellow human being. Like those soldiers and CAFGU who gave up their lives in order for others to live. Or that video I saw in Youtube and Facebook, where a man jumped from a roof into swirling waters which had cars floating and bumping against each other in order to reach a woman in danger. Or the people who opened their homes to strangers who were stranded by the rising flood waters. There are so many stories during the attack of Ondoy that makes you proud to be a Filipino, proud to be human.

My own experience with these heroes compel me to praise them and give them honor.

Since my district was badly devastated and thousands of my constituents were suffering, my father and I immediately activated our relief operations and assembled relief packs for those in the evacuation centers. Using funds available to our offices, we purchased foodstuffs for distribution to the victims of the typhoon and floods.

Realizing that the people needed many more items other than food, and that our available resources were already depleted, I sent out a call for donations through my Facebook account and text messages to friends.

Admittedly, I wasn’t really expecting much, especially that other groups like the Red Cross and the NGOs of the big media networks were already receiving donations. Add to that the fact that people have low regard and trust for politicians, I was actually expecting to receive responses from friends.

But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that by lunch time that day, donations were coming in not just from friends, but from complete strangers. They said they simply heard the call for donations and felt they had to respond. Actually, it is the good nature of these people which led them to give.

I instructed my staff to give acknowledgment receipts to those donate, but they were puzzled why others did not even bother to wait for the receipts. Still, others even refused to identify themselves.

But I owe it to those people who went out of their comfort zones and gave for others. I will make sure that those who gave will be recognized, not just in the interest of giving them due recognition but also for transparency. After all, it is they who should be given credit. I was just a conduit.

In fact, even those who did not come to my office to donate something specific, as long as they are diligent taxpayers, they have already done their part because a majority of the funds we used to prepare relief goods were funds allocated to our office by the government. We are mere administrators of those funds.

As we went around the evacuation centers, my concern that we will run out of goods to deliver was eased. With each passing hour, more contributions came in. For a while, I was worried that our staff would be overwhelmed. My family members were already lending their hands. But that concern too, was allayed because volunteer workers started coming in.

People who were not even part of my district gave and came, simply because they wanted to be of help to their fellowman. People of such character are heroes in my book.

Am proud to have known these people. I am even prouder to serve them. It was a great day yesterday, September 27, 2009. No amount of destruction, death and deluge will take that away. In the coming days, while there is much work to be done, I will continue to be inspired by these good people. Heroes, really.

2009-09-22T08:42:00.001+08:00

10 Things that Makes Ho Chi Minh City Better than Metro Manila

1. Their pedestrian sidewalks are wide.

2. They have tree-lined streets.

3. They have well-maintained and landscaping in center islands.

4. They don’t have ridiculously colored “roadside furniture” (pink fences and pink toilets), as MMDA calls theirs.

5. There are trash bins at almost every corner.

6. They have many parks with lush greenery and tall trees scattered around the city.

7. They don’t have traffic enforcers but somehow the flow of vehicles is continuous.

8. They don’t have maniacal bus and jeepney drivers clogging their roadways.

9. Even with the millions of motorcycles on the road, there isn’t a single one with a modified muffler to make the motorcycle noisier.

10. Even with the millions of motorcycles on the road, the air is much more breathable than Metro Manila.

10 Things I Observed as a Pedestrian in ho Chi Minh City

1. Motorcycle riders in Ho Chi Minh City, young or old, man or woman, are skilled at avoiding pedestrians.
2. Pedestrian sidewalks serve as alternate routes in case of traffic congestion.
3. A motorcycle can be used to deliver furniture, big boxes, flower arrangements and even a huge glass panes. No need for delivery trucks.
4. A family of four can fit comfortably on a motorbike. And it is allowed by the law, as long as the children are below 7 years old.
5. Few people use the pedestrian sidewalks walking to their destination. Motorcycles are the main mode of mobility. Even on sidewalks.
6. Even construction workers have their own motorcycles to go to work.
7. There is valet parking at some establishments. The valets are skilled not only in driving but also Tetris..that’s how they park the motorcycles.
8. The traffic lights are just a suggestion.
9. If you want to teach your child about how blood cells flow in the body, let them observe the flow of motorcycle traffic in the streets of HCMC. It’s pretty much like that.
10. There are many sidewalk eateries. But they all use kiddie size tables and chairs.

My Pedestrian Experience in Ho Chi Minh City

2009-09-22T07:32:00.001+08:00

It was a Sunday and my wife and I agreed that she could stay in bed longer while I go out for a photo safari in the streets of Ho Chi Minh.

I donned my most comfortable shoes, put a spare battery, memory cards, Vietnamese money in small denominations, cellphone and a small map in my multi-pocket cargo pants. I stepped out of the hotel around 7:00 AM, expecting to take photos of the empty streets.

But the moment I got out of the front driveway of the hotel, I realized that I was wrong. Early Sunday morning in Ho Chi Minh does not equate with empty streets. It was more like business as usual, meaning that the streets are still populated by the continuous flow of motorcycles. I guess taking a photo of an empty HCMC street is out of the question.

I walked towards the direction I plotted out in my map. Good thing I earned my orienteering badge when I was a Boy Scout. My first target was the Saigon Opera House which was just about a hundred meters away from our hotel. In our hotel room, there were a couple of old photographs of the Opera House taken several decades ago. I wanted to do some comparisons.

When I got to the building, there was a set up for what seemed to be a concert. Chairs were lined up like a theater in front of the main entrance, and a sound system set up with massive speakers was ready for the performance. There was no one else around except the sound technician, who apparently likes Kenny G. One of the jazz musician’s top hits in the 80’s was playing over and over again. The song filled the whole square, to the delight of no one in particular except the technician.

After spending several minutes and more than a dozen frames, I continued my walk. I passed what seemed to be a main avenue of the city with small parks in the center island. I came to a rotunda which I took a video of two days ago, amused at how the throngs of motorcycles weaved in and out of the rotunda in what seemed to be chaos, but at the same time an exercise of concerted riding skills of the riders.

The rotunda is just a stone’s throw away from the People’s Committee Building, which I think is the City Hall. Beautiful architecture, European inspired. A statue of Ho Chi Minh stands in a park in front of the building, depicting the Vietnamese leader with a young child in his protective arms. Typical propaganda material.

I took more than a few photos, including a self-portrait using my point and shoot held my extended arms. I had my bulky digital SLR for my more “artistic” shots while I used my digital point and shoot for my typical “tourist” shots. One more benefit with the point and shoot is that it has video capabilities.

My next destination was the Reunification Palace which was several blocks away. It was a pleasurable walk, however, because of the many sights and sounds I encountered along the way. As a photographer, it is always interesting to see the daily life of a foreign city, especially the areas outside the usual tourist routes. I took delight in watching Ho Chi Minh City life go by.

After several blocks and minutes, I heard loud music playing, the kind which I usually hear playing in Chinese variety shows on cable TV back home. I then notice that there was an increasing number of people on red shirts moving about. Being used to public gatherings, I sensed that there was something going on up ahead. Perhaps a political mass action? That would be an excellent photo subject. My pace became faster.

Nearing a corner, I saw that a park was up ahead, one with big trees and lush greenery. More people in red. I then noticed that there was writing on their shirts. I strain to read it. I forget what was written as I do this write up, but when I read it, I guessed it to be some local bank.

I arrived at the park where a stage was set up, and some children were performing a dance in front of about four hundred people in red shirts and more people who I presumed were regular park goers. I couldn’t make out what were written in the streamers and other posters but from what I saw onstage, this seemed to be some promotional event of an insurance company. I walked around in the park taking some photos before continuing with my itinerary.

It turns out that the Reunification Palace was across the park. I walked to towards the building which was in the middle of a huge piece of land surrounded by tall fences. I could see the “palace” but to me, it didn’t look like a palace, or at least as what I expected it to be. Having seen the palaces in Bangkok, Thailand and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I was expecting the same. The Reunification Palace looked to me like a huge embassy. I took some pictures and didn’t bother to go in. I did notice, however that there were some military relics scattered around the grounds.

I walked on to my next destination, the War Remnants Museum. That was actually my main destination, having been keenly interested in the Vietnam War even when I was a kid. It was about four more blocks away. Again, it wasn’t a boring walk, since there were sights to see along the way.

After a about 10 minutes, I arrived at the museum. I stood at the corner outside the museum compound to rest and watch the intersection. Somehow, Ho Chi Minh intersections has become somewhat of entertaining for me. Watching people cross the street and the motorcycles dodge each other through the intersections amused me.

Then a guy sitting on his motorcycle (he wasn’t riding, just sitting there) said, “Hello!…Hello!….War Museum there!”, pointing to the building. I smiled at him. Thn he said, “You can cross now”. I looked left and right and saw motorcycles coming toward the intersection without seeming to slow down. “You can cross now”, he repeated.

Is he trying to amuse himself by luring me to cross the street and see me get run over by a motorcycle? Or is he genuinely trying to help me. Well, I remembered the advice of other people people who have survived the streets of HCMC. “Walk…and they will swerve around you…”

So I took the step of faith…got off the sidewalk and fixed my eyes on the opposite corner, walking in a steady stride. After a few seconds, I got to the other side…like Jesus walking on water.

I entered the gate of the museum, paid the entrance and felt like a kid in a toy store as I walked among the war relics there…reminders of a war where a poor nation of farmers beat a super power of the world. Of course, I took photos left and right.

After walking around the displays outside the building, I entered the museum proper where there were more displays of weapons, bombs, ammunition, clothing and photos of the war.

I entered a room where a sign was displayed beside the entrance: “The Scars of War”. In the simple display cases in the room, photographs of the ravages of war were displayed. Most sobering were those of the effects of the Americans’ use of Agent Orange, an example of chemical warfare.

The high rate of birth defects among the people of Vietnam which were exposed to Agent Orange was shocking. Most of all, the photos of Vietnamese with grotesque deformities was truly moving. The photos of the devastated forests, farms and landscape were compelling. One will understand why there is pain among Vietnamese when they remember the effects of America’s intrusion into their lives more than four decades ago.

Makes you think about America’s war on terror and their presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.

I spent quite some time in the museum. My previous interest in the Vietnam War was now sobered by the perspective coming from the Vietnamese people. Yesterday I had seen how they were forced to go underground for their safety and protection, now I had seen how they had suffered during and after the war. Truly, this experience will be one of those which will be forever etched in my memory and serve as a lesson on man’s ability to be cruel and to be steadfast.

With more than just photos in my cameras to bring home with me, but more importantly lessons for my mind and soul, I began my walk back to the hotel.

I passed a different route, going through another park which was obviously a Sunday destination for many citizens of Ho Chi Minh City. I was headed for the Notre Dame Cathedral, located just after the park from the museum.

As I was going through the park, I noticed that more than a few times, groups of people, mostly young, sitting on the grass in the park, seemed to be looking at me as I passed by. I could sense that they were looking at me with interest, not a few times giggling as they looked at me.

I began to get conscious, thinking of the reason why. I could think of a few:

1. My fly must have been open. But no, I checked, it was closed.
2. They must be thinking how silly of me to carry two cameras, one hanging on my neck, the other in my hands.
3. They must be wondering how this Asian became so big. I did not see a single overweight Vietnamese man, while I am “American size”.
4. They might have been wondering why I was sweating it out walking instead of riding a motorcycle.
5. They might have wanted me to take their photo.

I arrived at the cathedral. By this time, the sun was already shining high in the sky, so I kind of rushed myself in taking photos. Besides, I had to get back to the hotel to join my wife for lunch. After a few minutes, I continued my walk back to the hotel.

It was around 10:30 in the morning and I had been walking for more than three hours. I don’t know how far it was, but I’m pretty sure, it was enough to count as exercise. Along the way, I was able to take in Ho Chi Minh City more than what I could have if I had taken a cab to the places I went to.

Are the Young People of Today Aware That They Are the Fair Hope of the Motherland?

2009-08-28T09:26:00.001+08:00

I am often the subject of interviews by students from schools in the district I represent, and I always cheerfully grant their request for a parley. Usually, the students are assigned to interview a public official and many times they end up having the same subject--me. I never turn down a request for an appointment with students, whom I believe should be given every opportunity to be inspired by their elders.

Well, that makes me feel old, being referred to as an "elder". But I am still within the parameters of being under the coverage of the term "Youth", which spans the range of 40 years old and below. I am in the last months of being part of the Youth, although I always say that I am forever a teenager at heart and soul.

In these interviews, I am often the one who is inspired, admiring the young students' energy, drive, inquisitive minds and confident dispositions. They always seem ready and eager to face the harsh and cruel world, believing that they have learned more than enough in the few years that they have existed in this world.

Recently, I had another round of these interviews. In a well-known private school, a fourth year high school teacher assigned her students to interview a public official of the city and several groups of students chose to interview me. They had various ways of getting to me, from cold calls to my office to tracing friends or relatives who had personal connections to me. As always, I reserved exclusive time for them, even scheduling them as my last appointment so that we will have time to extend if needed.

The interviews went well and the students did not even seem intimidated by the fact that they were speaking to a Member of the House of Representatives.

I was proud of them. Except for one thing...

Towards the end of the interview of the first group, I gave them some parting words and exhorted them for their accomplishment. I told them, "Talagang ang Kabataan ay Pag-asa ng Bayan (Truly, the Youth is the Fair Hope of Our Motherland)".

The teenage boys and girls said,"Wow! That's a great quote! Can we use it exclusively in our project?" I then realized that they thought the quote was an original one from me.

So I asked them, "Do you know who said that?". They had no reply but looked at me with interested and curious eyes, waiting for me to answer my own question.

After a brief moment of silence, I told them that it was our National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal who said it. "Oh. We didn't know that", they said. After a few more pleasantries, they said goodbye.

Actually, I was surprised that they didn't know Rizal's famous quotation. I had to find out if the youth were really not aware of this or if it was just this group who seemed to be clueless to Rizal's exhortation of the youth.

I did the same thing to the next three groups who interviewed me. Sadly, just like the first group, they were not familiar with the quote. Before I was surprised, this time I was disturbed.

When I got home, I talked to my eldest son who is now 18 and in first year college. I ask him, "Who said this---ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng bayan?". He looked at me and said, "You?"

"No", I said.

"Ninoy Aquino?"

I shake my head.

"Cory Aquino?"

We definitely have a problem here.

Eventually, I told him it was Jose Rizal who said it and continued with a lecture in history and nationalism.

What's wrong with the youth? With all the potential that they have, do they even realize at this stage the role that they are going to play in the coming years?

Of course, we do see young people who are politically aware and active, marching in the streets and shouting slogans. We see young persons challenging authorities and facing policemen with shields and truncheons. We see students speak with passion and even anger at the powers that be. But how many of our youth are as aware and involved as they are? Besides, is that the only image of the youth that we want to see?

But the more relevant question is how did the youth come to where they are? Because it is definitely not the fault of those students why they don't know who said the quote. It is the fault of their elders because they failed to convey the message to the young.

The schools are institutions of learning therefore they are at fault. While learning about Rizal and the lessons of his thoughts is not part of the Three R's of basic education, it is part of the basic learnings of being a Filipino. Emphasis should be given on those lessons.

At first, I thought it was just the school of the students who interviewed me which was at fault. But my own son, who went to another school, also was not able to answer. So it is not an isolated case limited to one school.

In fact, the schools are not alone. Learning begins at home and the parents have the primary responsibility of teaching their children. Not just in reading, writing and arithmetic. But more so in character, nationalism and faith.

I stand guilty for my son's ignorance about Jose Rizal's quote. I have taught this quote thousands of times among the students in my district and yet under my very own roof, my son lived unaware of the legacy of wisdom left by our national hero. I accept the blame.

But more than teaching them the what and the who, it is our responsibility as elders to explain to the youth the Why.... Why are they the hope of the nation? We must be able to explain this to them to know their purpose as Filipinos, motivate them to live in the right direction, and fulfill their role as the hope of our nation.

Now comes the hard part..being an example to the youth. Because the youth are impressionable and look up to their elders as role models, it is vital that not only do we talk the talk, but we walk the walk. They may be young, but they are observant and critical. The value of our lessons will be lost if they do not see consistency between what we say and what we do.

The youth, indeed, is the fair hope of the motherland. But they cannot do it alone. They need the guidance of the elders to steer them in the right direction. Are the elders up to it? They were once young and were, themselves, the fair hope of the motherland. How did they fare?

A Letter From My Constituent and My Reply

2009-08-27T07:47:00.000+08:00

I received a message in my Multiply site which came from a constituent who submitted a request for support from my office for their badminton tournament.

From Richard (a constituent):

Congressman Ruffy,

Good day congressman,we came to your office 3 times and asking for the support regarding the badminton tournament and are group are shock cause your secretary personnel said that you are not supporting this kind of events..and our participants is all residence of muntinlupa any way thank you even you are not supporting us and god bless.our tournament is finished with 400 particpants good luck.....

I immediately responded both to his email and in his Multiply site:

Dear Richard,

Thank you for the message you sent me regarding your request for assistance for your badminton tournament.

I hope that my staff was able to convey our policy in the manner that I instruct them to.

BUt in the interest of clarity, allow me to explain...

First of all, requests such as yours are not allowed to be charged against the Priority Development Assistance Fund (Pork Barrel) under the rules prescribed by the General Appropriations Act (the law which governs the funds of national government). YOu may view the rules at http://www.dbm.gov.ph/GAA09/PDAF.pdf

As to the requests from our constituents which are not allowed to be charged to the PDAF (such as your request), we use the monthly operating expenses allocated to my office, which is not much, considering that it is only meant to fund the administrative needs of the office.

Due to the limited funds available for direct requests from constituents, we are compelled to classify and prioritize the requests granted.

Therefore, we give emphasis and priority to social services (medical, educational and community development requests). Additionally, among the so many requests that are submitted to us, we also have to determine which one is urgent and which is not.

In view of those considerations, your request for assistance in your badminton tournament placed low in the list of requests which were considered, giving way to requests such as urgent medical care and medication, our medical missions, education-oriented requests such as teacher trainings, classroom equipment and teaching tools, repair of community facilities such as water systems, feeding programs, livelihood programs, and others.

It is with sincere apologies that we are not able to contribute to your badminton tournament. It is just that in determining who gets to benefit from the meager resources of my office, we are forced to give priority to the other programs because of urgency and necessity.

BUt once in a while, funds are available for requests like yours, so we are able to grant them.

If only I had the resources, I would rather approve all requests, but unfortunately, there is not enough to go around. As I told one federation of youth groups which requested my office for sponsorship of their summer outing, granting their request would mean that I will be turning down someone else's request for medicine or assistance in paying his hospital bills.

Such is the burden placed on the shoulders of public officials and it always requires us to make tough decisions and choices.

I hope that you and your group will understand the difficult situation that I am in. Rest assured that I will always be open to future requests and if resources are available, am very much willing to accommodate them.

Thank you and God bless!

Ruffy

A Few Good Men

2009-08-06T05:47:00.003+08:00

They literally stood up to the essence of being soldiers..disciplined, dedicated to duty and loyal to the Republic.I salute these men for the honor they gave Pres. Cory.

Airman 2nd Class Gener Laguindam, Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Police Officer 1 Danilo Maala and Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez.

Although there was no Marine among them, I borrowed the well known slogan of the Marines as the title of this photo.

Carry on, men!

Inquirer Article on the Honor Guards

Evil Minds Using The Passing of President Cory for their Evil Political Schemes

2009-08-04T17:20:00.001+08:00

As the nation mourns the death of the Icon of Democracy, people with black souls are using the national tragedy to pursue their evil political schemes. I cannot imagine how callous and ruthless these people are, their sinister intentions prevailing over what should at least be a time to give honor and respect to the former president who gifted the nation with the restoration of democracy.

Even while the Filipino people show an outpouring of grief, these evil minds conceived a plan to sow intrigue through text messages meant to drive a wedge between President Cory’s son Nonoy and the Liberal Party.

I received a series of messages which began yesterday, August 3, starting with one coming from mobile number 0909-1452011 at 8:13PM saying “Milyun-milyon pa rin and nagmamahak k Tita Cory! Ipagpatuloy ang adhikain nla Ninoy & Cory. Noynoy 4 prez sa 2010! Pls pass.”

After a few minutes, at 8:20PM, I received another message this time from mobile number 0909-1452004 which said, “Millions troopd to the wake of 4mer Pres Cory! Very clear evidence f Noynoy’s support when he runs. Noynoy 4 Pres in 2010! Pls pass.”

Then at 8:30PM, a message was sent from mobile number 0909-1452013 which said, “Nakakalito naman itong abs cbn…anong pagkaka pareho ng pagkamatay ni Ninoy at ni Cory? C Ninoy, nabaril, c Cory, na cancer! Tama na pulitika, kakasawa na..”

The latest came in today, August 4 at 1:56PM from mobile number 0909-1452014 and it said, “If u like someone frm d Liberal Party, a mama’s boy, who’s neither a boy nor a girl or one who dated Korina why go for Mar, go for d Original go for Noynoy!!”

A closer look at the numbers will reveal that these messages are part of a black propaganda scheme since it is obvious that the messages came from a single source, considering that the mobile numbers come from one series:

0909-1452004, 0909-1452011, 0909-1452013 and 0909-1452014

Perhaps when the text brigade of these people was set up, they bought a whole batch of SIM cards which comprised of a whole series of numbers.

Although I also received a message from a number from a different series at 11:55AM of August 4. The message, from mobile number 0929-3655389 said, “Nakaka aliw panoorin ang confetti sa Makati ng dumaan ang karo ni Tita Cory! D Cory magic is alive!! Kaya mga kaibigan, ipagpatuloy ang Laban nila Ninoy & Cory…iboto natin si Noynoy sa pagka presidente..Pres Aquino again sa 2010!” The number may belong to another series, but it is quite evident that it was conceived by the same person/group from which the others came from.

Since SIM cards are easy to acquire in this country because no registration is required, it will be quite difficult to identify the person or persons who are behind this. But in instances like this, one may have an inkling of who may have the motive.

I can point to a couple of people who may benefit from a split in the Liberal Party or intrigue among its members. I will not venture into giving clues. I will just leave it to the readers to make their own conclusions.

But one thing I will say to the people who conceived and implemented this diabolical scheme…may you be welcomed in hell in the soonest possible time!

Tita Cory--A Great Filipino

2009-08-01T09:02:00.001+08:00

The passing of former President Cory Aquino is a national loss. But her life was a national gift. Her physical life has ended but it will continue to inspire us that there is still hope that goodness will prevail in the Philippines.

I considerate a great privilege to have had the chance to know her personally from the time that I was a teenager when my father served in her administration against the coup attempts to the recent years when I serve the country as a member of Congress.

She is, was and will always be a great and noble Filipino.

My Dream

2009-07-31T11:06:00.001+08:00

No, this is not a Martin Luther King “I Have Dream” write up. This one is about a Rapid-Eye-Movement moment, that portion of life when our body is at its most quiet but our minds are in an excited state of activity.

Perhaps owing to the stress and fatigue of a very active schedule these past days, I fell asleep early last night, which is a very rare occurrence. I was out by 9:00PM, as testified by my wife and that meant that she had to endure longer hours of my snoring.

I needed the rest. Not only for my tired body but more so for my restless mind. So many things to think about, all competing for attention. Work related or personal, these thoughts occupy my conscious mind and it is only during sleep that they settle down and make way for rest.

But last night, my sleep was made colorful by the dream I had. I dreamt that I was a TV Show Host. Yes, I agree that many politicians have that dream and actually try to squeeze themselves in as a broadcast personality. That’s not a dream that I have, but it was a dream I had last night.

I dreamt that I was a host in a TV show. No, not the variety show type where they give out tons of money to people they cajole into doing foolish stunts with scantily clad women grinding their hips in the background. Neither is it the early morning magazine show where the hosts seem to be overdosed with caffeine in order to be perky so early in the morning. And neither were there pretty co-hosts. My wife wouldn’t want that. (Sorry, dear!)

Being a public official, the show was a public affairs show, the one that usually draws yawns or expletives from the public, depending on the topic. And the guest. Or the host. Anyway….

Since it is nearing the elections and everyone seems to be geared towards being part of the change that will happen, the show was a leadership forum starring the Presidentiables.

As I type this blog entry in Microsoft Word, the Spellcheck places a red line under the word “presidentiable”, indicating an error in spelling or an unrecognizable English word. So I check the word, curious as to the official existence of the word “presidentiable”.

I googled it and almost all of the sites listed were Pinoy sites. But one non-Pinoy site, entitled DOUBLE-TONGUE DICTIONARY: A Lexicon of Fringe English Focusing on Slang, Jargon and New Words had this to say –“The noun form of the word probably separately derived in France and the Philippines from the adjective presidentiable ‘capable of being president.’ Such an adjective-to-noun conversion is more common in French and Spanish (from where the word was introduced into the Philippines) than it is in English. A similar word is papabile ‘suitable to be Pope.’”

Well, add this to their dictionary : “Papable”, meaning “suitable to be your papa”.

Going back to the show….

So I was a host in a Leadership Forum show with the Presidentiables. I guess I was not chosen for my good looks (ahem!) but for being someone who is in politics and public office and is familiar with the workings of government and the intricacies of politics.

In other words, the message to the guests was “don’t bull***t the host, he knows the inside story”.

Well, in the dream, the show was pretty well publicized and all the guests confirmed their attendance, unlike in real life where some prefer to hide behind the screen of absence following the principle of No Talk, No Mistakes.

Some have said that if public affairs TV had been around during the time of US President Dwight Eisenhower, he wouldn’t have been president, owing to his physical condition which required him to use a wheelchair. It appears that some presidentiables are following that tact, avoiding public appearance unless it is under their control, not to hide any physical condition but probably some other form of disability.

Back to the program….well, the guests were all seated and the nation tuned in. Final touches on make up were done. Adjustments to the lighting were made and some of the guests were reading notes while another was clearing his throat. Another was wondering “is this my good angle or should I shift in my seat?”. Still another presidentiable kept a smile pasted on, and it was quite obvious that the presidentiable was faking it because the facial muscles were starting to quiver.

“Quiet on the set!” yelled the floor director.

“We’re going on 5..4..” then silently makes the final countdown with his fingers “3..2..1..”

“Papa! Papa!”

No, it wasn't someone who though I was "papable". It was my son waking me up to ask for his allowance. It is a school day and as part of our Standard Operating Procedure in our home, I wake up early just to have breakfast with the kids and send them off to school. It is always such a treat to start the day with my kids, who give me the reason to care for this country and the nation’s youth.

I have four boys aged 18, 9, 6 and 3. My dream is for them to finish their studies, be productive members of society, have a family of their own and be content with whatever God gives them.

Back to the dream I had last night…well, I never was able to see how I performed as a TV host. I never got to ask the questions I was supposed to ask. And I never found out if I would be offered a regular hosting slot in any of the networks.

Well, I do have the questions in my mind. And that’s why I’m writing this. I would like to throw those questions to the presidentiables. I may not have a TV show to do it, but maybe through cyberspace the questions will go out and somehow get answered.

If I were a host in a forum for presidentiables, I would ask them these questions:

Is your campaign reflective of what you really are as a person or is it just presented the way you or your public relations analysts think will capture the attention of the public?

If you win, will you treat Congress, especially the House of Representatives, as the independent and co-equal branch of government that it should be or will you use your position to influence who the Senate President, the Speaker of the House and the chairmen of the various committees will be?

Will you use the pork barrel as leverage on the legislators? Will you use your position to influence how legislators vote on an issue ?

Do you agree to the usual statements of Presidential appointees who say “I serve only at the pleasure of the President” and tolerate them or will you imbibe in your appointees that their accountability is to the people who may call for their resignation any time?

Will you allow horse trading in the Commission on Appointments?

These are but some of the questions that I would like to hear form the presidentiables, aside from the usual queries that have been asked in the past. I have never heard any of these questions in past forums so I am at a loss as to how any of those seeking the presidency think about these issues.

Well, my dream was interrupted (although I very much welcome the interruption) so I never got the chance to hear the responses which could have been dream responses or nightmare answers themselves. But I hope that by putting these questions out in cyberspace, we could all get a response from those seeking the highest post in the land.

After all, they should all be online now. If they’re not, then it only means they are dinosaurs and deserve to be overlooked by this highly connected generation.

The Last State of the Nation Address..or is it?

2009-07-27T13:37:00.001+08:00

Once again, the President faces the Senate and the House of Representatives to deliver her State of the Nation Address which is basically a message to the Filipino people. It is a ritual prescribed by the Constitution, an event anticipated by some and ignored by others.

This is the ninth SONA of President Arroyo that I will attend since I was given by the people of Muntinlupa the privilege to represent them in Congress. I have never missed a SONA during my three terms in the House of Representatives primarily because it is held during the opening of Congress’ Regular Sessions, not because I am eager to show my presence to the President to earn brownie points.

I also see it as my Constitutional duty to be officially present to listen to the President’s report which has bearing on the work I do as a legislator. With all due respect to other legislators who choose to boycott the Joint Session of Congress as a form of expressing their opposition to the President, I think there is no harm in being present during the SONA since in the first place, it is held in our turf and hearing her speech will not change my stand on issues and my assessment of her performance.

We all have our own idea about what we expect to hear from the President, although most will say that they expect her to gloss over what she believes are her administration’s accomplishments. I am pretty sure that the agencies of government have churned out all the statistics, data and information to present an overwhelming list of accomplishments.

What do we expect to hear from the President in this, her last SONA?

I am pretty sure we will be treated to a multi-media presentation of the President’s accomplishments—the thousands of kilometers of roads constructed, the hundreds of classrooms erected, the millions of scholars sent to school and jobs created, the huge amounts of investments that came into the country, etc., etc.

It would be foolish for us to expect that she will admit her failures, the shortcomings and abuses. Of course, we will hear none of those during the SONA. But whatever she reports to the nation, I believe the people have the ability to tell what is fact and what is bull***t and make an honest assessment if their lives have indeed improved over the past years.

Expecting what she will say is different from wanting her to say something.

AS for me, what I want her to say is that she will end her term on July 30, 2010 and that she will participate in that sacred ritual of democracy—the peaceful transfer of power from her administration to the next.

Amidst all the rumors and buzzing in the coffeeshops and political circles that she intends to hang on, I think the best response from her is to reiterate that she will leave the presidency as scheduled in her term and as prescribed by the Constitution. She should say so, and say it categorically.

I cannot help but cite the last State of the Nation Address of former President Cory Aquino, where she said, “On June 30, 1992, the traditional ceremony of political succession will unfold at the Luneta. The last time it was done that way was in 1965. I shall be there with you to proudly witness the event. This is the glory of democracy that it’s solemn moment is the peaceful transfer of power.”

Those words conveyed in no uncertain terms President Aquino’s intention to leave the Presidency at the end of her term and leave a legacy that was the dream that of her husband and she fulfilled---the restoration of democracy.

But the last sentence of President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address in 1991 is one that I think will diminish of not eliminate the tarnish in President Arroyo’s administration if she borrows it verbatim:

“Maraming Salamat sa inyong lahat at PAALAM.”

President Aquino was brave enough to say goodbye, in a manner that evoked so much depth and meaning, one year before her term expired. She was brave enough to face what others say is a self-inflicted relegation to a lame duck presidency.

But it was not only a display of bravery, it was also a manifestation of humility which recognized that someone else is also fit to run the country and the willingness to step down is actually a step up towards maturity in the country’s leadership.

I do not agree with the proposition that for the president to acknowledge or reiterate the termination of her term in one year as a ticket to becoming a lame duck president. In the first place, the people already knew the day the president assumed office that her term will end in six years.

Avoiding a categorical statement on what is an inevitable event will not diminish the president’s powers. Even if she declares that she is stepping down at the end of her term, she still retains all the powers that she assumed at the beginning of her term.

The issue of a lame duck presidency only becomes relevant if seen from the eyes of one who has a political agenda beyond the end of the term. The dispensation of political favors and the exaction of political subservience is the only basis for the apprehension about a lame duck presidency.

More than the litany of self-congratulations, I would like to hear the plans in the remaining months of this administration for the preparation of the transition to the next administration.

I wish to hear how the administration will ensure that the elections will push through with minimal disruption and maximum integrity and credibility. I wish to hear how the administration will begin and pursue the process of wrapping up and helping the next administration hit the ground running. I wish for these things, but some say it’s just wishful thinking.

Perhaps it is. But perhaps this wish will come true. Soon, we will know.

Restore the Death Penalty on Drug Traffickers

2009-07-20T08:31:00.001+08:00

Last night I was informed that the daughter of an anti-narcotics agent was kidnapped. The details were sketchy, but the incident was said to be confirmed. Immediately, I connected the kidnapping to the work of the agent, who does not fit the usual profile of a kidnap for ransom victim. The agent is an ordinary government employee who does not have the riches of a businessman nor the resources of an executive.

Today the newspapers’ headline is that of the abduction of the agent’s daughter. But not only was the girl abducted, she was drugged and raped. The agent’s active role in the campaign against the illegal drugs trade has made a dent in the industry, and apparently, it has earned the ire of those engaged in the business.

This crime is so heinous, so sinister and diabolical that it takes a particularly evil mind to conceive and do it. It is obviously a pre-meditated act, meant to hit back at the person who has been effective in foiling the proliferation of the illegal drug trade. It was meant to hurt the agent, in that instead of merely killing the victim, they let the child live through a harrowing experience and did things to her that only a sick mind will consciously think of doing.

Expectedly, the government says that this means war. Perhaps a belated response, considering that the drug menace has been hounding society for so long and that there was even a narcotics agent who was murdered along with the rest of his family months back. Nevertheless, it should really be war, with the people and the government on one side and the drug syndicates on the other.

So if it is war, what is the government prepared to do to fight the battles? In Colombia, it is literally a war, with drug syndicates even staging assassinations not only of police and anti-narcotics operatives but also of judges using high profile methods such as car bombings and elaborate daylight ambushes on busy streets. With this attack on the family of a narcotics agent, it would appear that our local syndicates may be brazen enough to imitate their counterparts in Colombia.

This is the reason why from the very beginning since I became a legislator I had always been for the imposition of the death penalty on drug traffickers. Even when the death penalty was repealed, I had stated my desire to retain the capital punishment on those who are convicted of drug trafficking.

To begin with, unlike other heinous crimes like murder, rape and other crimes which are usually rooted in emotions of the perpetrator, drug trafficking is primarily rooted in the motive of profit. Profit which is at the expense of other people’s lives that are ruined, maimed or killed. They know that their wares ruin lives, lead people to commit crime and destroy the moral fabric of society.

The repeal of the death penalty is meant to give convicted criminals a chance to repent and be rehabilitated. As a congressman in the District of Muntinlupa City where the national penitentiary is located, I have seen convicted criminals lead changed lives after incarceration. Murderers, rapists, robbers and other types of criminals have repented and even lead lives more pious than others who have been law abiding.

But there have been convicted drug traffickers who have not spurned their criminal ways even behind bars. Having the financial resources, they are able to hire personal assistants, bodyguards and bribe prison personnel in order to live comfortable lives inside the prison and even continue their trade from within. In effect, they are secure while they proceed with business as usual.

All they need is a cellphone to communicate with their colleagues and crew outside the prison and life goes on for them. They still rake in the profits while society bears the burden of the after-effects.

If the government says that the abduction and rape of the daughter of a narcotics agent is the start of the war, then I suggest the government first look at what they will throw against the drug syndicates. The government can mobilize all the law enforcement agents, and ensure that the prosecution is swift, decisive and uncorrupted. But if we send the drug convicts to a life of security, comfort and with the ability to go on with business, then the war will still be won by the syndicates.

Amend the law. Reimpose the death penalty to drug traffickers and implement it seriously.

Series of Bombings Will Put to Test The Government’s Ability and Credibility

2009-07-07T12:20:00.000+08:00

The back to back bombings in Mindanao which claimed several lives and injured numerous other will now put a test the government’s credibility in handling the crisis.

The first test is whether or not the intelligence services, with all the resources allocated for Intelligence was able to get a sense of this bombing offensive. With 600 Million Pesos under the Office of the President, 270 Million Pesos in the PNP and 118 Million Pesos under the AFP, it is highly questionable why the series of attacks seem to go on without the authorities unable to give a clear picture of who is responsible.

The second test is whether our law enforcement agencies is able to investigate the bombings effectively and conduct arrests of the suspected bombers. Bombings are crimes that leave evidence behind and competent investigations will lead to at least an indication of the profile of the bombers.

The third test is the authorities’ ability to prevent further attacks. While the bombers had the initial advantage of surprise, the authorities now have the luxury of expectation. By this time, it should already be anticipated that the series will continue therefore measures should be put into place in order to enhance security and deter further attacks.

The fourth test is the government’s credibility in convincing the people that this is not part of a sinister grand plan to impose emergency rule. With all the talk about the administration doing its best to extend its tenure with scenarios ranging from amending the Constitution to sowing disorder as a basis for emergency rule, the people cannot be blamed for even considering that the bombings are the handiwork of operatives with a political objective. How the government will convince the people that this is not part of a grand political plan will depend on whether they pass or fail the first three tests.

My Suspicious and Malicious Mind Smells Something Fishy With the Pullout of TIM From Poll Automation

2009-06-30T09:28:00.000+08:00

The local partner of the consortium which won the poll automation contract for the 2010 elections suddenly and mysteriously pulled out of the consortium, effectively putting a monkey wrench into the first fully automated elections in the Philippines.

After a very tedious and lengthy process which was the most transparent procurement process in the government’s history, participated in not just by government agencies such as the COA and the Ombudsman but by NGOs and other civil society organizations and election watchdog groups, the Filipino partner backed out from the contract two days before its final signing.

Throw in all the time and expense involved in the passage of the law authorizing the automated elections and the appropriations that accompanied it, the emotional debates which transpired in Congress and the public discourses that occupied the headlines and airwaves for months, the billion-peso contract is now in danger of not pushing through.

The logical question of course, is “WHY?”.

While there were those who supported and worked for an automated election in 2010, there were also those who expressed apprehension and even opposition to it. Some were merely afraid of the unknown, since automated elections are an entirely novel idea in the country. Some were afraid that it would only result in automated cheating. But I’m sure there were some who did not want a departure from the old system, where cheating was already elevated not only to a skill but to an art where unscrupulous individuals earn and immoral candidates win.

So my suspicious and malicious mind is wondering…could there have been an unseen hand which caused the retreat of TIM from the contract? That after failing to stop the procurement process through machinations and manipulation, a final act had to be done a couple of days before the signing of the contract in order to prevent automation?

It is a curiosity why a winner to a historical multi-billion peso contract will back out at the last minute after surviving the selection process. My suspicious and malicious mind tells me there’s a gun pointed to someone’s head.

The excuse given by TIM is that due to “irreconcilable differences”, they had to back out. They are saying that they had wanted to back out a long time ago, but they hung on in the hope that it will work out. They say that certain agreements were not arrived at so, two days before the contract is finalized, they back out.

In other words, they are saying that they entered into the process and sought to get the contract without having settled matters between their partners. They have effectively sabotaged the automation of the elections.

I say the government should look for ways to penalize them. They should not simply get away with this without suffering the consequences. They have been highly irresponsible in their conduct and have caused loss to the government not just in financial terms but in the cause of cleansing the election process.

This matter should be investigated thoroughly.

What I Learned From My Father

2009-06-22T14:08:00.001+08:00

If you were asked what’s the best gift you have ever received from your father, what would be your answer?

I am pretty sure that whatever the answer is, it would be something that was really the best that a father could afford, for after all, being a father myself, I would want nothing less than the best for my child.

Whenever Christmases and birthdays would come, I would scour the shops and shopping malls for the latest toys that my kids are craving for, sometimes not minding if it would cost me an arm and a leg. When they get prizes for their accomplishments, I give them the chance to name a “big prize”, meaning that they can get something with a price tag that is beyond the standard limit that we have set, because I do want to give them a big reward for what they have achieved.

But while indeed, fathers want to give the best to their children, top quality gifts with a big price tag are temporary both in existence and relevance especially as the children grow up. The bicycle which my father gave me for Christmas when I was around seven was really blew me out at the time I received it, but eventually, I outgrew it within a couple of years and now, it is only but a memory of my childhood.

So when I am asked about the best gift I received from my father, I don’t offer the list of gifts he gave me over the many Christmases, birthdays, and special occasions. I appreciate all those things I received from my father, although looking back I realize they were not necessarily the most expensive. But for me the best gifts he ever gave me, and I think the best that anyone could receive are the many life lessons that he taught us both by his spoken words and everyday action.

One of the most important of which is the lesson that the best legacy a father could give to his son is not material riches, property or even social prominence, but the wisdom on how to live a contented life in a manner that you do not destroy the dignity of your family, preserve your integrity and principles, and treat other people with respect.

Over and above the car that my father gave me when I began my life separate from the loving arms of my parents, I treasure more the lesson on responsibility over things that are put under my care without which I wouldn’t have been able to maintain the car and put it to good use.

Much more than his being general and senator which extended to me his prominence in society, I give more value to the lesson in humility that he imposed on us as we were growing up when he always reminded us to treat ordinary soldiers with respect because the privileges of his rank did not extend to us, his children. “Only I am the officer above them, not you”, he would tell us.

More valuable than the help he gave for me to achieve victory in my campaign to become congressman were the many lessons in facing and handling disappointment that I underwent as I was growing up. I am grateful that he did not spoil me by giving in to every desire and demand I had, because it has made me more resilient in life and more appreciative of whatever is given to me, big or small.

Not all of the things I learned from my father are lessons that were given in lecture or advice. The most effective lessons are those that are learned from experience and seen in examples.

Many of the precious lessons I learned from my father I learned not just by listening to his advice but by seeing how he lives his life. If I were to put into sentence one lesson I learned from how he lives his life, it would be “You will always run after Happiness unless you settle down with Contentment.”

Growing up, I never saw my father seek for things beyond his reach, but for all his achievements, I have never seen him struggle for an ambition. Instead, he would have a vision and simply do his best in what he is doing.

Years ago, before the 1986 EDSA Revolution, he was a colonel commanding a brigade in Davao City. For us, it seemed that that was the highest rank he would reach because he had earned the ire of the president then, and we were prepared for him to retire from that last post. But when the dictator was ousted, he was given an assignment which merited a promotion for him, even though he was not a part of the coup that ousted the dictator. He was recognized for his accomplishment as a soldier loyal to the Constitution and democracy.

With that assignment to the Philippine Military Academy as its Superintendent, he was promoted to Brigadier General. With that, he expected that he will retire from the military service with the Baguio post as his last assignment. He even prepared us emotionally and psychologically that we would be settling down in Baguio City, the city where he and my mother met and fell in love.

But somehow, fate intervened and he was given another assignment which earned him another promotion. He returned to Manila and was assigned as Commandant of the Philippine Marines, the dream assignment of all Marine officers. He was promoted to Major General, once again surpassing his own expectations.

Not long after the assignment as Commandant, he was given another higher post, until he finally reached the highest post and rank that a military officer could achieve---AFP Chief of Staff. Eventually, he would then become Senator of the Republic.

What’s remarkable about his story is that he reached those successes without being a slave to ambition. As he rose through the ladder of success, he was prepared to stop at each rung, focusing only on doing his best in the responsibility handed to him and not distracted by a desire for a higher ambition. But in being such, he earned the approval of others and of Fate, earning the reward of promotion and greater responsibility.

It is from his life that I take the most valuable lessons on how to live mine. The most precious gift I have received from my father is not the most expensive but it is definitely priceless. I would never trade his life lessons for anything else in this world. For these, I am forever grateful for what I learned from the best dad on earth.

The Lone Ranger Cha-Cha of the House

2009-06-03T09:19:00.002+08:00

The passage of House Resolution 1109 proposing to amend the Constitution is another blow to the already tarnished reputation of the House of Represenatives. It is appalling that the leadership ignored the sentiments of the people which reject moves to amend the constitution at this time. It gives the House the image that it is callous to public opinion and will only give due attention to matters that pertain to its members’ personal and political agenda.

It is also deplorable that in the undue rush to pass the resolution, the House leadership chose to deny members of the House their right to express their positions on such an important measure. The untimely motion to end the debates aborted the interpellation of congressmen who were already lined up to ask questions. At one point, one congressman who rose to ask a parliamentary inquiry was simply ignored, as if the presiding officer was blind and deaf.

I myself was not spared, when I indicated my desire to explain my objection to the motion to approve the resolution. I was denied the right with the threat of simply being ignored like my other colleague.

The “Lone Ranger” Cha-Cha , where the Senate is likewise ignored by the House of Representatives convening itself as a Constituent Assembly, is immoral and smacks of political arrogance in that it practically ignores public opinion, legal advice and processes and institutional courtesy.

The haste with which it was calendared and forced to a vote exemplifies the House’s distorted sense of priorities, with the Cha-Cha resolution edging out important and urgent measures such as the Agrarian Reform Bill. It goes to show that if the leadership really wants a measure passed, it can do so, in contrast to other measures which languished in the legislative mill without meriting the leadership’s attention.

Finally, the viva voce vote on such a significant measure clouded any semblance of transparency, denying the people the knowledge of how their representatives voted on the resolution to amend the constitution. As a result, accountability for their votes is nil, allowing the members of the House to hide under the cloak of anonymity.

Although drowned out by the majority “yes” votes, my “no” vote is one that I will hold myself accountable to, and am proud to say is reflective of my constituents’ sentiments on the matter.

Playing With the Sharks

2009-06-02T00:12:00.002+08:00

Simplified, the idea seems incredulous, if not ridiculous. You look for a fish in the hundreds of hectares of wide open sea, jump into the 200-foot deep water and chase a creature which is in its natural element and you are not.

Sounds crazy, right? Well it may sound that way, but many have traveled hundreds of kilometers, spent a couple of thousands of pesos and braved personal fears to do just that. Together with my wife, my in-laws and some staff, I jumped into the waters off Donsol, Sorsogon, and swam with one of the most wondrous creatures on earth---the whale shark, or locally known as “butanding”.

“Butanding” has come to mean more than just a fish, or a variety of shark. Perhaps owing to the mild, docile nature of the creature that the word is attached to, “butanding” now seems to be a term of endearment, and a reference to a national treasure.

I’ve heard stories, saw photos and watched videos of other people interacting with the butanding. It certainly attracted my interest, so when I had an opportunity to visit Bicol as part of the Tour of Hope, I made sure to squeeze in some time to go to Donsol, Sorsogon, now tagged as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World”.

Actually, we were billeted in Camarines Watersports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur where the Tour of Hope ended. Since our flight back to Manila was going to be from Naga City, our trip to Donsol was just a daytrip. We left CWC around 4:00 AM and after a leisurely drive of just over two hours, we arrived at Donsol in time for a good breakfast prepared for us by the locals.

Even before our trip, we were told that we might not have a good chance of encountering the butandings since the rainy season had already set in. The peak season for butanding encounters are said to be from February to April and that at this time, the end of May, we might not see any at all.

As we finished our breakfast and headed for the boats, I noticed that the sky was still overcast, in spite of the advancing time of the day. But the waters were still and the wind calm, so we were confident that it would get better as the day wore on.

There were fourteen of us in the group and we had to be divided between two outrigger boats for safety’s sake and for easier handling by the Butanding Interaction Officers. The “professionalization” of what I would call whale shark wardens is a step towards the right direction of controlling the interaction of tourists and whale sharks and nature conservation. Hopefully, it does not start and end just with the conferment of official titles such as “Butanding Interaction Officers”.

In the outrigger with me was my wife Trina, my sister in law Cila and her husband Jim, my wife’s brother and sister, Ichi and Michelle and staff Charina. In the other boat were my cousin Jomer and Rene, Andy, Roland and Bong, all of whom are my staff.

While the motorized banca was pushing out to open sea, the BIO gave us a briefing on what to do, what not to do and what to expect. After that, we were all excitedly chatting for about thirty minutes when the first sighting occurred. Another group was already at the site, but by the time we got there, the butanding already dove deeper. So we didn’t jump in yet. But at least we got to see what we’re supposed to do when we have our own encounter. I noted that the people in the water were all wearing the thick orange lifejackets which made it difficult to swim in the water.

Well, I wouldn’t blame them for making sure that they won’t go under the waters which was so deep it was dark blue in color. A thought crossed my mind…if it weren’t for the prospect of the thrill of seeing the butanding up close, I don’t think people would just jump into waters this deep for fun of it. It looked foreboding and evoked images of the movie The Abyss.

The anticipation of swimming with the whale sharks fueled our excited chatter as the outrigger cruised around the bay. There were other groups scouring the sea, about ten other outrigger boats loaded with tourists eager for the chance to have a close encounter with the butanding.

Off in the distance dark clouds began to swell and after a few minutes, what appeared to be grey curtains rolled down from the clouds and onto the distant land mass. Rain was falling on the shore, although from where we were, it was still clear.

For some reason which up to now I do not know why, the boatman steered oour outrigger towards the area where dark clouds loomed and rain fell in the distance. I didn’t bother to ask why, assuming that the boatman knew what he was doing. As we neared the swirling clouds and the pelting rain, we shivered in the cold wind that blew into the tiny shelter of the outrigger.

Soon the rain drops felt like tiny pricks of needles on our faces, and we got wet even before we dove into the water. We continued to cruise around the bay under the rainshower, which fortunately enough, did not bring with it strong winds that would cause the waves to grow bigger.

About a hundred feet from us we passed by a lone fisherman paddling his small outrigger, with no choice but to ride out the rain. I’m glad I didn’t have to make a living that way. But then again, I’m sure he’s also glad that he doesn’t have the complicated life I have, which is even made worse by the bad reputation that my profession has among the people. Maybe he’s better off than I am. Anyway…..

We cruised around for about 45 minutes to an hour until the sky cleared. Good thing it did, because otherwise, the money we paid would have been washed away without us getting its worth.

Not long after, our guide called our attention to get ready. I strained to look at where the spotter was pointing to but I couldn’t see anything. But after several seconds, I saw the brownish shadow lurking just under the surface, about 50 feet from our outrigger. I’m impressed at how they could see the butanding under the surface. But it’s what they do for a living so I guess they have to be good at it.

Just as instructed, we put on our snorkeling gear and sat on the edge of the banca, ready to dive once the signal is given. Immediately, it stirred my imagination to pretend that we’re a team of Navy Seals, ready to launch for a special mission. In my mind, I played a sound track appropriate for the scene. My heart was pounding, but I was very eager to get wet and meet the butanding face to face. I looked at the faces of the people with me…they’re all as eager as I was. Here we are, ready to rock and roll.

The boatman deftly navigated the outrigger in a tactical maneuver, placing us in a position that would rendezvous with the submerged creature. At the right moment, the guide shouted, “Talon! Talon! Talon!” (Jump! Jump! Jump!). After a fraction of a second’s hesitation, we all jumped into the water. The second I hit the water, I got my underwater camera and turned it on, ready to shoot and quickly swam after my wife who was being guided by the BIO. A strong swimmer, that BIO was.

The water was a bit murky, and in the wake of the BIO’s and my wife’s paddling, bubbles were obstructing my view, but a few moments later, I saw the distinct tail fin of the remarkable . I almost could not contain my excitement, although for a micro-second, I hesitated. But my eagerness overcame the hesitation and I paddled faster to catch up with the butanding.

I found myself swimming beside the big fish, although it did not seem as big as those I had seen in pictures which looked like submarines. But still the excitement of swimming alongside it overwhelmed me. I struggled to get my camera into position, but even though I’m a photography hobbyist, I couldn’t get an acceptable position. So I just clicked away, just hoping that I would eventually get a good shot.

My wife was better off since she was with the guide who managed to tug her to the right position. No sooner was I able to get a good frame of her and the shark when suddenly several people appeared all around and over the whale shark. Other groups had already converged on the butanding when they saw us jump into the water and the water was suddenly full of men, women and even children, all flapping and splashing to marvel at the creature.

Unfortunately, one swimmer couldn’t contain himself and touched the whale shark, something which was prohibited by the BIO’s. Perhaps sensing the violation, the butanding started to dive into the murky deep, escaping from the throngs of tourists.

It was just a short encounter but truly an amazing one, the stuff that unforgettable memories are made of. We all climbed back on board our outrigger, very much excited about the experience, everyone talking at the same time expressing sheer pleasure at the close encounter.

I quickly reviewed the photos I took. Although I was able to get a record of the encounter, the quality was something that left me unsatisfied. I needed to see another butanding.

After that first swim, we were eager for more. Our outrigger once again patrolled the ocean, our guides and spotters covering all angles watching for the telltale signs of the butanding. After a while, the spotter pointed to a dorsal fin protruding from the water. We all excitedly put on our gear while the boatman steered the banca towards the shark. The guides said this was a big one, judging by the size of the fin.

As we got near, the girls in the group jumped into the water ahead, with the BIO guiding them to the butanding. We followed them, but when we got to where they were, the butanding had already gone deep. But the girls were ecstatic since this was a bigger one, much bigger than the first one we saw. Unfortunately, the camera was with me so we weren’t able to take photos. Once again, I was left with the insatiable desire to see another one, hopefully a giant.

This time around, it took us quite a while looking for the next encounter. The excitement waned and the exhaustion brought about by the adrenaline rush and the early morning wake up call and travel from Camarines Sur to Sorsogon also set in.

We could see other boats patrolling the bay, once in a while gathering together in certain spots. It was also an amusing sight to see, the outriggers rushing towards a spot where there’s a sighting. Again, in my mind, a soundtrack played as I watched the motorized bancas racing along the water. “Ride of the Valkyrie”, which was played in a scene in the movie Apocalypse Now where squadrons of choppers flew in formation, was playing in my head as an imaginary background to the movement of outriggers.

After a while, we saw another dorsal fin, and our boat rushed to the spot. Other bancas raced towards the spot, but before we could jump in, the shark disappeared into the depths. We then saw another crowding of bancas so our boatman turned towards the spot. We got there just in time to see a big tail fin break the surface with some people on the water crowding around it. Our BIO told us not to jump in anymore since the fin indicated that the shark was diving deep.

We continued with our quest as the sun was climbing higher into the late morning sky. The heat was taking over and it was a good thing we were all wearing rashguards to protect us from the searing heat of the sun. But we just had to see one more whale shark. We just had to.

Finally we were rewarded with another sighting. We raced to the spot, along with about six more boats filled with tourists. We quickly jumped into the water and swam with all the energy left in us. Within a few seconds, I was right there beside the big fish, and made sure that I was able get a good video shot of the butanding.

The shark lingered long enough for me to get a good shot before it disappeared into the blue. I was very pleased. At least the experience will not just be in my memory which may be forgotten, but saved as a digital file which I can post, pass on and preserve.

We went back to shore just in time for lunch, which was also prepared for us as part of the package. As expected, we exchanged stories among ourselves, reliving and reviewing the wonderful experience. We all agreed it was well worth the effort to go there, and look forward to a future visit.

Truly, the Philippines is a beautiful country. The diversity in the people’s culture is matched by the richness of its natural resources. The encounter we had was just one of the many experiences that is available for us to enjoy. All we need to do is take it all in and enjoy them.

But more than the wonderful experience of seeing the country’s natural beauty, it is the realization that all these are there for us to enjoy, created by a Father who wanted the best for His children. The world is our playground. Thank God for His creations.

Of course, it follows that we should take care of it.

Unanswered Questions About Untimely Deaths

2009-05-22T20:37:00.002+08:00

Unanswered Questions About an Untimely Death

Perhaps the worst experience one can ever have is to lose a loved one in an untimely death, although death by disease is much better than death by accident. Death by accident is like a thief that comes under cover of darkness, stealing your loved one from you in the least expected moment, when your guard is down and emotions vulnerable.

Such sudden, unexpected deaths usually leave behind grieving relatives who are haunted with nagging questions like “What if..?”, “How can it happen…?” and the most compelling “Why?”.

An example is the sad fate which befell the Presidential chopper which crashed in Ifugao last April 7. Eight lives were lost that day, persons who were serving not just the President but the whole country as well. It was indeed a mournful loss, the grief of the family shared by many others.

I personally knew one of the victims, although not enough to say that I am close. I had many occasions to interact with Usec. Malou Frostrom owing to the nature of our jobs. That’s why when I first heard that she was among the passengers of the ill-fated chopper, I had a reason to give the news a little bit more attention.

The circumstances of the crash gave rise to questions as to how it could have happened considering that the area has a reputation of being inhospitable to flying during the time of the day that it took off. The accident could have been avoided if prudence was exercised, especially that there was a practice among aviators not to fly out of Loakan after 3:00PM.

This practice, which at that time was unclear to the public if it was actually a policy, had a reason to be in place and the nagging question in my mind was “why did the chopper take off and who authorized the flight?” The question was coming from the purpose of reviewing aviation policy and avoiding future accidents.

Media outfits carried the questions that I had as news reports which in turn earned the displeasure of Malacanang. I reacted to the tirade of the Press Secretary through my blog and subsequently delivered a privilege speech to call for an inquiry in the House of Representatives.

The inquiry was also given reason to be conducted even by Ms. Marichu Villanueva, a member of the Malacanang Press Corps, who wrote an article entitled “After Grief, Let Justice Be Served” in the April 24 edition of the Philippine Star. In it, she wrote “This sad incident should have ended there. But apparently there’s still a crying need to hold somebody, or some people accountable for this fatal chopper accident. Such sentiments continuously poured. But whether these sentiments are valid or not, this incident must not be just left to God’s will.”

It is no wonder then that my father, Senator Rodolfo Biazon had the same thing on his mind when he called for an inquiry in the upper chamber. Although we did not coordinate on this, perhaps he countless times that he has mentored me in my job as a legislator has resulted in us thinking along the same lines.

But it seems that our line of thinking---that the accident should be thoroughly looked into in order to get the whole picture of how the accident happened in order to prevent its reoccurrence---is not shared by all, especially Malacanang.

The inquiry in the Senate was already scheduled but the committee was asked by the Senate leadership to postpone indefinitely owing to a request from Malacanang on the grounds that “they are not yet ready.”

In the House of Representatives, the hearing was scheduled to proceed with me as chair of the hearing. While we were preparing for the hearing, the committee staff was contacted by some family members of some of the victims who expressed interest in the inquiry.

At first, I thought they were going to object to the hearing, which seemed to be the line of Malacanang. But I was surprised to be informed that the families wanted the hearing to proceed because they wanted to know the whole truth about how the accident which claimed the lives of their loved ones happened.

One of the staff in the House secretariat was a classmate of one of the crash victims and is close to the family. She told me that the wife of one of the casualties is really distraught, owing to the fact her husband was so dedicated to his job that his time with the family was limited and with his death, he is now forever parted from his wife and children. She is simply at a loss on how to live without him.

The House staff went on to tell me that what was really painful for the wife was that as her husband was leaving that day for the flight, she had asked him to stay and let the team go without him. She pleaded with him twice, but saying that he had a duty to perform, he left to board the chopper. Little did he know that that was the last time he would be talking to his wife.

I also received an email from someone who claimed to be a relative of one of the pilots. He said that he too, wants to know what really happened that fateful day. He said he knew his relative to be a good pilot and not one to taking risks.

Confident with the knowledge that the families themselves are interested in finding out the whole story about the ill-fated flight, I advised the committee secretariat that the hearing will proceed as scheduled.

On the morning of the hearing itself, which was scheduled at 1:30PM that afternoon, I was requested by the Chairman of the Oversight Committee on Dangerous Drugs to stand in for him in a hearing of his committee. I acceded to his request, since the hearing of his committee was scheduled at 10:00AM.

While I was in the Dangerous Drugs Committee hearing, I received a text message from the staff of the Defense Committee, telling me that they needed to talk to me before we start the hearing on the chopper crash. I sensed that there was a problem, but I had a task at hand, so I set it aside for awhile and tried to finish the hearing on time.

Due to extended questions by congressmen, we weren’t able to conclude the hearing on time, so I was late going to the Defense Committee. Before entering the hearing room, I was met by the committee staff who told me that they received a message from Malacanang.

Before he even told me what the message was, I already knew what it was. Malacanang was requesting that the hearing be postponed, since they were “not yet ready”, especially that they had just observed the 40th day of the deaths. The invited guests from the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were not going to attend.

I was also shown by the committee staff a letter from the Department of Defense informing the committee that the officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines will not be able to attend the hearing since they were not able to secure permission from the Office of the President. But the AFP sent officers as resource persons for the bill proposing an increase in quarters allowance, since I also included it as part of the agenda for that afternoon’s hearing.

It became apparent that there is an effort to prevent the inquiry into the chopper crash. Even prior to the scheduled hearings in the Senate and the House, there were steps which seemed to be designed to stop the inquiry.

When I delivered my privilege speech on the crash, I moved for the inquiry citing several policy questions which I believed should be answered in order to enhance aviation safety. Although these questions were brought about by the crash of the presidential chopper, the adoption or modification of policies will benefit not just the aviation sector but the public as well.

Normally, privilege speeches are referred to the Committee on Rules in order to determine which committee it will be referred to for action. The one who delivered the speech is invited to explain the purpose of the speech and the action desired by the one who delivered it.

But in the case of my speech, it was taken up and acted on by the Committee on Rules without giving me the opportunity to explain the speech, although it was already clearly stated in my discourse.

The Committee on Rules sent my speech to the archives, even though the speech moved for an inquiry into military and civilian aviation policy and a further motion of referring the speech to the Committee on Defense.

When I came to know about the action on my speech, I decided to raise it as in issue in plenary. But some colleagues, members of the Committee on Rules, offered to just reverse the committee’s action and have it immediately referred to the Committee on Defense. Hence, I was able to schedule the hearing. Sadly, it seems Malacanang is taking steps to prevent it from happening.

After learning from the committee staff the request from Malacanang and the non-appearance of the invited guests from the PMS, PSG and AFP, I peeked inside the hearing room and saw the guests from the private sector, aviation experts and civilian pilots. The families of two of the victims were also there, although they were not officially invited. They came on their own volition, in the desire to learn the truth.

There were also two members of congress there, known close allies of Malacanang. At that point, I had to make a quick decision. Either I push through with the hearing or postpone. If I push through, I already anticipated the possibility of someone questioning the quorum (there was none) which would result in the adjournment of the committee hearing, and waste the time and effort of those who were present. On the other hand, if I postpone, everyone will go home without accomplishing anything.

After a quick consideration, I decided to cut the agenda into two. I would proceed with the hearing on the Quarters Allowance Bill, and just take up the chopper crash as a consultation, which cannot be questioned on the basis of quorum. It would be an activity purely at my discretion as chair. We will still be able to ask questions about the crash minus the possibility of the proceedings being challenged.

I then convened the committee and announced what will happen in the proceedings. The moment that I announced that we were not going to take up the chopper crash in a hearing but rather in a consultation, I noticed the families, who were seated at the back of the hearing room, animatedly talking among themselves looking agitated. A couple of minutes later, they all stood up and walked out of the room.

I immediately instructed my staff to try to catch up to them and explain to them that we will still discuss the matter, only that it will be in a consultation instead of a committee hearing. My staff was able to catch up but when he tried to explain, they did not want to hear any of it.

They were extremely disappointed. They had been waiting for the hearing, even skipping lunch, to find out what they can about the circumstances of their relative’s death. I can understand their frustration. Perhaps they even regard me with displeasure. But I don’t take it against them if they got angry at what happened, although I had all the intention of proceeding with asking questions about the crash. Maybe this is not the first time that their quest for answers were met with a blank wall.

The consultation proceeded in spite of the absence of the victims’ families. The information provided by the resource persons---aviation security experts, air accident investigation experts and pilots---all proved to be important and crucial in understanding the crash. It provided sufficient preliminary information that may be used when we finally conduct the official inquiry into the chopper crash.

What bothers me now is that there seems to be an effort to sweep this issue under the rug and relegate it to a forgotten memory, in spite of the fact that the families themselves are straining to find the truth. In addition, the whole circumstance surrounding the crash should be revealed in order to prevent the recurrence of accidents.

But I have this feeling that the next time I pursue this inquiry, it will once again be met with resistance. If that happens, then maybe I might just have to accept the reality that any effort will be in vain. It just bothers me that the families of the victims themselves are seeking the truth and it appears that I have failed them in their quest.

The truth may never be found out and just remain in the bosom of the cloud-covered mountains of Ifugao. All I can do at this time is offer my prayers for the departed and the families they left behind.

Anti-Cervical Cancer Advocacy

2009-05-18T01:25:00.004+08:00

About two years ago, I joined the advocacy against the spread of cervical cancer in the Philippines.

The Cervical Cancer Prevention Network (CECAP) of the UP-PGH Cancer Institute, led the efforts to save the Filipina women from the life-threatening disease and invited me to join their nationwide campaign and programs.

My district became one of the pilot areas for their programs, which I supported 100% with funding, moral support and even my time and energy by going with them to various municipalities and cities around the country to share the experience in my district and explain how government officials can join the advocacy and programs.

Last year I also joined the Tour of Hope in northern Luzon as one of the speakers in their symposium at the stops of their bike run from Vigan to Subic.

This year the Tour of Hope will be in Southern Luzon, starting from my district in Muntinlupa City all the way to Naga City in Camarines Sur.

In recognition of my participation in the program these past couple of years, I was hailed as an Honorary Woman by the CECAP Network and the SM Women's Committee.

This poster, produced by CECAP and GSK, declares the Muntinlupa City's full participation in the program, with not just my office as congressman but also the city government led by Mayor Aldrin San PEdro.

Shown in the poster are my wife Trina (center), the mayor's wife Leah (right) and the chair of the Health Committee in the City Council, Coun. Amy Patdu-Labios (left). Together, they lead the grassroots implementation of the program and make sure that Muntinlupa's women have accessible service to protect them against the number 2 killer cancer among FIlipino women.

The Text Message

2009-05-14T01:05:00.001+08:00

It’s 11:17 PM and I just stepped into our home. It’s been a long and tiring day which started with meetings around the metro before going to the House of Representatives for the session which starts at 4:00 PM.

I was scheduled to interpellate Cong. Junie Cua, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, on Committee Report No. 1992 regarding House Joint Resolution 24. The measure proposes to authorize the President to make adjustments in the job classification and compensation of government employees.

When the deliberations started at around 5:00 PM, I was number six in the list of interpellators. I patiently waited for my turn, listening intently to the deliberations, which also helped me fine tune my own set of questions. I crossed out those in my list which had already been asked by the other congressmen. I came up with new ones based on the answers of the sponsor.

While the measure is proposing for an increase in the compensation of all government employees, there are those who are not satisfied, in the belief that they are entitled to more in order to make their compensation at par with other public sector employees who have higher salary grades in spite of the fact that they have lower qualifications.

The public school teachers are clamoring for a bigger increase because a public school teacher, whose entry qualifications require a college degree and a board certification, has a salary which is lower than an enlisted personnel in the AFP who is only a high school graduate.

To some, time seems so slow in the Session Hall. Not everything that is discussed there is as interesting as the screaming headlines of newspapers usually report. But to others, time flies as if you’re having fun. Well, it’s not really fun. But it’s interesting. Before I knew it, it was already 8:00 PM.

There were two more interpellators before my turn. But the congressmen who were still in the hall (the patient few) had an agreement that it was time to call it a day. Everyone was already weary from all the debates, especially since the day started with committee hearings from morning until afternoon.

After the session was adjourned, I immediately rushed out to go to the White House in Cubao, where a party was ongoing in celebration of Senator Mar’s birthday. I was already dead tired, but I wanted to greet the senator personally.

There were a lot of guests when I got there, my fellow members of the Liberal party, some form other parties, from the private sector and prominent civil society members. Of course, the bride-to-be of the president-to-be was there and they looked the sweet couple that they are. It was actually my first time in the White House, and I marveled at its simple elegance. For someone who grew up in military camp in a proletarian life, it was a privilege.

After some socializing, I couldn’t resist the desire to go home and rest. It was indeed a full day. Besides, I still had a 7:00 AM breakfast meeting the following day. Mercifully, the drive home at that time was not like the usual crawl during rush hour traffic.

So I step into to my house, drawn by the prospect of taking a cold shower, lying down in bed and in the privacy of my bedroom, just wear my shorts and go shirtless, and cuddle with my wife. Ahhh…there’s no place like home….

But just as I was about to go upstairs, my cellphone receives a text message. I expect it to be a message from my wife, probably asking what time I’ll be home. But when I look at the screen, it shows an unknown number, meaning that it is a number not saved in my directory.

It is not uncommon for me to receive text messages or even calls from unknown numbers. Believe it or not, my cell phone number has remained unchanged for almost ten years now. I freely give it away, even to my constituents. That’s why my directory has over three thousand entries, although I have already lost hundreds or a thousand more when I changed cell phone units over the years. But the number remains the same.

I open the message. It’s from one of my constituents, and it read : “gud pm po cong. Biazon sna po m2lungan u po me mkpgtrbho snap o m2lungan u po aku kht anu po ok lng”.

Again, it’s not an uncommon message that I receive. Specially nowadays, many seek help regarding employment, scholarships, medical assistance and a host of many other personal concerns. It’s my barometer of the state of living of my constituents, perhaps even the country.

But no matter how often or how many messages of such nature I receive (I receive no less than 20 such messages a day, filling up my inbox and slowing down my phone), I can’t seem to get used to it. I still get emotionally burdened by each and every message, because I believe that once it has come to my knowledge, I feel obligated to do something about it.

Sometimes, messages come at a time that is supposed to be “my time”, but I still feel obligated to address the concern. For example, one Sunday (which for me is family day not just for me but also for my driver so I drive on that day) a constituent sent me a message asking for help in getting his child out of the hospital. His child was already well and he didn’t want another day to be added to the bill which was already beyond his capacity to pay. Usually, my office already has a procedure in helping constituents in such a situation.

But since it was a Sunday, my office was closed. I was not in my district and was visiting my in laws in Manila. But to simply say I could not help because there was no office and I was not in my district was something that I couldn’t bring myself to do. The call for me help already reached me. What am I to do?

It was actually not a really difficult decision to make. I drove back to Muntinlupa to meet up with my constituent and help him get his child discharged from the hospital. After that, I went back to my inlaws’ house where I left my wife and kids.

And so it is that I receive this message at this time of the night. I can only wonder what kind of worrying this person was doing in texting me at this time of the night. But the burden also becomes heavy on me since I don’t know how to help him with his request. During these times, I also know for a fact that many companies have frozen hiring, some even retrenching their employees.

As I now lie in bed, my mood is not as I was hoping for. Relaxation is now elusive, with deep thought on what I can do to help this person now occupying my mind. As we discuss proposed salary increases in Congress in which some are unsatisfied with the increase they are about to receive, there are those out there who don’t even have a salary to rely on.

Such a difficult world, indeed.

Leadership Nuggets

2009-05-13T08:12:00.001+08:00

It seems that the times now have made the Filipinos more critical about the country's leadership. With frustrations of the past now merging with the desire and hope for change in the near future, the people are not only more aware about leadership issues, they have adopted strong positions on leadership itself.

For ten days (not consecutive), I posted in my Facebook status what my thoughts are on leadership. These leadership nuggets are all borne from my personal beliefs and experience, although some were derived from lessons I learned from mentors, books and other leaders.

As part of my reflection and hopefully, my own development as someone in a leadership position, I intend to come up with 30 leadership nuggets. That's one a day, which may serve as a daily reminder on how a leader should conduct himself.

The reactions on comments to posts I made in the past several days serve as confirmation to the relevance of the nuggets I came up with. I also received a couple of requests for me to post a compilation for their better appreciation. So here it is:

The first 10 Leadership Nuggets:

1. Leadership is not about claiming credit for what went right but accepting responsibility for what went wrong.

2. Good leaders lead with open ears, not with closed fists.

3. Leadership is not the exercise of power over the people but the endeavor to empower the people.

4. More than giving orders and direction, it is the function of leadership to inspire and motivate.

5. The best legacy a leader can leave behind is not the string of accomplishments he has but an army of leaders he has raised to take over when he’s gone.

6. The ability to lead goes hand in hand with the willingness to learn. One cannot be a good leader if one is not willing to learn even from those one leads.

7. Leaders should be masters over their own faults and weaknesses, not over their followers.

8. The first thing a leader should realize upon assuming leadership is that the position is temporary.

9. Leadership and pride are a dangerous combination. When a leader believes that he is the only key to success, he actually becomes the cause of failure.

10. In the exercise of power, an intelligent leader knows when to start and a determined leader keeps on going; but a wise leader knows when to stop.

Let Them Come Out Now

2009-05-12T16:44:00.001+08:00

It is exactly one year before the country once again goes to the polls to choose the nation’s next leaders. But unlike previous elections, there seems to be a heightened interest in the polls at this early time. Usually, it is just the politicians and aspirants who get excited about the elections one year before E-Day. But now, the entire country, cutting across all sectors, is buzzing with activity in preparation for the elections.

In way, it is good. The change in politics that we have been longing for in the past may actually happen in 2010. The people’s increased interest in the elections will hopefully lead to increased participation in the process, from voter education all the way to vote protection during the canvassing of votes.

It is about time we end the vicious cycle of voter-apathy-then-complain-about-elected-officials and move on to a higher level of national political maturity. We should stare the ugly monster in the face and slay it.

One good step in the right direction was the recently held Leadership Forum in the Ateneo and aired over Cable Television in the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). The forum provided an opportunity for the people to get a glimpse of who the possible candidates are, what their platforms are, how they express themselves and many other facets that we need to know in order to make a wise decision.

I think with the one year left before elections, more of those forums should be held, and it should be done even at the local level. Let the potential candidates come out of the woodwork and present themselves.

In the past, people frowned at such “early campaigning”. One of the changes we should do now is to shed that hypocrisy. What’s wrong with aspirants coming out in the open? Why do aspirants always have to lie with “It’s too early to talk about elections” when they are asked if they are running one year before the elections? Isn’t better that the people find out who are those seeking public office in order for them to know more about those who will ask for their votes?

The result of that pretentious practice is that people only get the information about the candidates during the official campaign period, which is actually superficial. For a national candidate, he only has ninety days to cover the entire country and present himself for voter scrutiny. That’s why the methods are mostly high-impact, attention-getting propaganda instead of having real depth.

We should take advantage of the heightened interest in change among the people and make this one year period an extended-getting-to-know-you pre-campaign activity. This will help the people make a sober, logical and well-thought out decision come 2010.

It is just too bad that not all the aspirants were present in the Leadership Forum. But this is just the first and it is hoped that there will be others that will be held. Perhaps those who shy away or purposely avoid appearing in such forums should already be stricken off the list by the electorate since they are not willing to subject themselves to public scrutiny.

In addition, it would also be better if the forum is made available to a bigger audience. Perhaps the networks will consider airing the leadership forums on free tv instead of just a cable channel. The majority of Filipinos still do not have cable in their homes. They should also relax copyrights on those forums, so that it may be reproduced and further expand the viewership. Voter education advocates and civic groups can conduct screenings of those forums.

As I write this, one day has been deducted from the one-year countdown before E-Day. What we do with the remaining days may turn out to be more crucial than that one day when everyone is equal regardless of religion, ethnicity, dialect, income or sex ----each person with one vote each. IF change is going to happen on May 11, 2010, it has to begin now.

Lessons from Mama

2009-05-10T10:10:00.009+08:00

One of the countless undisputable truths found in the Bible is the one which says that “A good name is more desirable than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1).

I can say that I am a beneficiary of that proverb, since in the time that I have spent in public service, I have always heard good things said about my father whenever I am introduced as his son. My own entry into politics was made easier because of what people say as the good name of my father which I inherited from him.
By keeping his name untarnished, I inherited much more than any material wealth or riches can bestow upon a man. It opened doors for me and even earned kind words for the name I carry. It makes me proud to say that I am a son of Rodolfo Biazon.

Although sometimes, I get puzzled looks when I say that I am a son of the general-turned-senator. Some people actually voice out the question that runs in their minds when they meet me—“Anak ka ba talaga ni Senator Biazon? (Are you really the son of Senator Biazon?).

Not that they don’t think I deserve to carry the name of my dad. They follow up the question with “Bakit hindi mo kamukha?” (Why don’t you look like him?). No, I don’t feel insulted. And neither does my father. We already have a standard answer for that question.To that question, I immediately answer “Mana sa nanay” (I got my looks from my mom).

My mother says she contributed to the improvement of the Biazon bloodline when she and my dad united. My sister was 2nd runner up in the 1985 Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant. My brother was recruited into show business (but was stopped by my parents to urge him to concentrate in his studies). So my mom has a point.

But in fairness to my father, he was a looker when he was young, otherwise my mother wouldn’t have fallen for him. He was the classic pinoy hunk---tall, dark and handsome.It is the ravages of time and the years spent in the field which gave him the wrinkles, the darkened skin and thinned hair which are a contrast to my smooth (as of now) and light skin and thick hair (I hope it lasts) which make people ask that question.

As a public official, I attribute many of my qualities to the principles, lessons and advice that I got from my father. If there is anyone that I can say is my idol as a public servant, it is undoubtedly my father. I have given him that honor in every opportunity that I can.

But I am the fruit of the union of two individuals. Biologically, I am composed of elements coming from my father and mother. While I attribute some of my characteristics from my father, I definitely inherited more from my mother than just my looks.
Much of what I am as a person I got from my mom. While I was growing up, much of my father’s time was spent out in the field, where he was assigned to risk his life in defense of the Philippine way of life. During those times he was away, my mom performed the role of both mother and father, raising us three siblings sheltered from the bad influence from society but at the same time exposing us to life’s responsibilities and prepare us to meet its challenges.

We never had helpers back then. My mom ran the household singlehandedly ever since she and my dad got married and had kids. We had household chores as we were growing up. Understandably, back then we felt we didn’t have to do it.

But now I am glad that was how she ran the house and raised us. Actually, that was her prophecy after she would lecture to us. She would usually say, after her litany, “Pasasalamatan nyo rin ako sa sermon ko baling araw” (Someday you will thank me for my sermons). How true!
She taught me the value of doing work in excellence. She would ask us to repeat something which did not meet her standards. For example, when we sweep the floor, it is not enough that we sweep the areas within sight. She expects us to move furniture in order to sweep the areas underneath, leaving no floor unswept. She would say “makapal na alikabok sa ilalim ng kama mo, baka tubuan na ng kamot yan” (The dust under your bed is so thick cassava could grow in it).

I learned from her that time is precious. To this day, whatever time I slept the night before, I would always wake up early at around 6:00 AM. Even if I partied on a Friday night into the wee hours of Saturday morning, I would still wake up that early on Saturday.

It is a habit from the days when we had to wake up early to do chores before we went to school. When I was in grade school, one of my chores was to scrub the floor using the bunot (coconut husk) before I went to school. This was an everyday chore. Even if there were no visible signs of scratches, smudges or dirt on the floor.

Nope, we didn’t have an electric floor polisher at that time. We only had it at a later time, when I was already in high school. Still, we had to polish the floor everyday. And that meant waking up early everyday. I remember her waking us up to the tune of “Gising na! Tanghali na! Alas-syete na!” (Wake up! It’s late already! It’s 7:00 AM!) if we slept beyond the appointed wake up time. But you know, it paid off. Because it taught me that time waits for no man, and if there is something that needs to be done, I don’t let time overtake me and I do the task at hand as early as I can.

My mother taught me how to spend wisely. It is she who ingrained in me the difference between a need and a want. I remember the time when I was around seven years old and the latest toy was a Six Million Dollar man action figure. It had movable limbs and hole in the back of its head where you can peer through and see the world in Steve Austin’s bionic eyes.

One day we were in Cartimar and I saw the toy displayed in front of a store. I so dearly wanted that toy but my mom wouldn’t buy it for me for the reason that it was expensive. She also said that it wasn’t my birthday and neither was it Christmas so there was no reason for me to buy a toy. I tried to use that age-old manipulative technique that kids, especially the bunso (youngest in a siblings), do to get what they want---I cried and had a tantrum.

She stuck to her decision not to buy the toy. She told me that I could only buy a toy if there was a special occasion such as my birthday, Christmas, or if I did well in school. Besides, she said, even if there was a special occasion, I could only buy something that we could afford, not one that will necessitate us cutting expenditure on things such as food and clothing. Perhaps that’s why many of gifts were clothes.

I am thankful that she maintained steel nerves and resisted my tearful pleadings to buy the toy. Now that I have children of my own, I know the value of steering them away from being spoiled brats.

Many lessons were learned from that episode. Aside from knowing the difference between a need and a want, I also learned the value of money. She told us that she had to make sure we spent our money only on the important stuff because my father was out there in the field risking his life just so that we have food on the table, clothes on our back and a roof over our heads. So shouldn’t spend the money on unnecessary things. “Hindi nya pinipitas ang pera sa puno” (He’s not picking money off trees), she would say.
It also taught me that in life, you don’t get everything that you want. I learned how to handle disappointment and that if you feel life is not giving you chances, all you need to do is move on and look for the next opportunity. Best of all, I learned that contentment is the key to happiness and found appreciation for whatever I have or given to me.

There are countless life lessons I learned from my mother, all of which I am truly grateful for her. Whatever I am right now, I have her to thank for raising me the way she did. The teachings I received from her I pass on to my own children now. It is a heritage and inheritance from her that I will forever treasure. Much, much more than any world riches, I desire the life lessons she has given me. Along with the good name, what else could anyone want?

I give tribute to you, Mama. In front of God and in front of the world, I give you the appreciation and love that a son could give.

I love you, Mama! Happy Mothers’ Day!

A Typical Day in My District Office

2009-05-08T23:42:00.004+08:00

Sessions and committee hearings in the House of Representatives are held Monday to Wednesday. Those are usually full days for congressmen, since hearings are held in the morning, usually starting at 9:30 AM until 4:00 PM. The different committees conduct hearings simultaneously, so if a congressman is a member of multiple committees or is following several bills, the congressman usually hop from one committee to another.

At 4:00 PM, the plenary session begins, which usually goes on until around 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening.
So what do congressmen do after the session and hearing days? Those are the days that are spent with the constituents, catering to their needs and delivering service.

Time with the constituents means going around in the communities for various activities such as consultations, inauguration of projects, visits to funerals and wakes, weddings, baptisms, fiestas, sports events, etc. Things to do and go to never run out.

Congressmen also have district offices where constituents may go to for services. People go to the district offices for medical assistance, application for scholarships, help for problems in the community association, housing and many other varieties of personal and collective concerns.

I asked my staff to take photos of of a typical day in my district office to show what it looks like on an ordinary day that I'm there.

A typical day at my district office where people go to seeking service.

Waking Up Early and the National Anthem

2009-05-08T07:47:00.002+08:00

By some reason, I woke up early today, earlier than my regular wake up time of 6:00 AM. I opened my eyes around 5:00 AM, somehow instantly feeling alert.

Of course at that time, most of the world is still asleep. My kids were still snugly in their beds, sleeping the sleep of those who have no worries in life. With envy for their peaceful slumber, I decided to let them be and just look for other things to do to pass the time.

Unable to go back to sleep, I decided to turn on the television. Thank goodness for cable. I remember back in 1991, when my first born son was still a few months old and somehow chose to be awake during the unholy hours of the day, when I would be up at around 3:00 AM to take care of him. My wife and I took turns in caring for our baby, with me taking the 3:00 AM to 7:00 AM shift before I left the house for the day.

Back then, before the introduction of cable and 24 hour TV in the Philippines, being up at that time of the day gave you the feeling of being alive in a dead world, pretty much like Will Smith in I Am Legend. For those who lived at an earlier era, it would be like Charlton Heston in The Omega Man.

Going back to the present, I switched on the TV and flipped through the many channels (most of which I don’t watch but still pay for), not really watching anything in particular. I was really just passing the time, trying to get back to sleep. My wife was sleeping soundly so I didn’t want to wake her up. She needs it. When I feel asleep the night before, she was still working on something in her laptop, since she’s really a night person and usually goes to bed late.

As I was going for my Nth round of all the channels available in my Skycable account, I landed on one of the early morning shows on local TV. Pretty and handsome hosts all jolly and perky this early in the morning. I begin to wonder what their life must be like, probably waking up just a few hours after midnight, trudge to work and appear that energetic and pleasant. Hmmm….nope, I wouldn’t want their job.

Anyway, as expected, the show’s host started talking about Manny Pacquiao, since he was scheduled to arrive today. Along with the hype of his arrival are peripheral stories, one of which is Martin Nievera’s controversial singing of the Philippine National Anthem.

Indeed, it sparked a debate on whether or not what he did was right or wrong. Of course, if we consider the law, it was wrong. But some say the singer was just exercising his artistic right to perform the anthem in his own interpretation. Whatever.

As far as I’m concerned, I love the national anthem in the tempo and melody which Julian Felipe intended it to be. It evokes a spirit of nationalism and pride in me whenever I hear the Lupang Hinirang in the tempo of a march, especially if it is played by a marching band.

In the same manner that I am excited in hearing Bizarre Love Triangle as performed by New Order, the original performer, rather than the one performed by Frente, the remake, I am stirred more in hearing the Lupang Hinirang in the original, martial tempo than the other versions that I have heard it performed.

I do not see the point of singing the national anthem in any other manner than the one Julian Felipe intended it to be. To me, it’s like singing the funeral song in disco beat. It’s simply not what it’s supposed to be. For me, the lyrics of the national anthem is appropriately matched with the martial tempo, in that the song speaks about a nation’s pride and bravery. But that’s just me.

I do respect artists’ right of artistic expression. So I’m not pushing for Martin Nievera to be crucified. But there is a law and someone has the responsibility to impose it, which happens to be the National Historical Institute. And so they have spoken.

Going back to the morning show and Manny Pacquiao, the hosts continued to talk about the Lupang Hinirang brouhaha, and segue into a report on what Manny Pacquiao has to say about the controversy:

Reporter: “Manny, ano ang tingin mo sa kontrobersya tungkol sa pagkanta ni Martin Nievera ng Lupang Hinirang?”

Manny Pacquiao: “Ok lang naman. Tingin ko marami lang naiinggit at gustong pumapel kaya binatikos siya.”

I don’t know if Manny knows that it was the National Historical Institute which first raised the issue of how Martin Nievera sang the national anthem, but I doubt if officials at the NHI are envious of Martin Nievera and secretly wished they were the ones who performed that night in Las Vegas. Besides, isn’t it their duty to keep history intact and make sure that our heritage and culture is not mangled beyond recognition by pop culture?

(Sigh)…I switch the channel.

By the way, he’s running for congress.