PAGC - sisihan mo kaya ito?

The Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, the agency created by presidential decree in 2001 to go after public officials who were taking liberty with public funds, was abolished by President Aquino citing cost-cutting as the main reason. Apparently, the president doesn't mind losing hundreds of millions to graft and corruption if he can save a few hundred thousands in staff salaries, etc.

Cost-cutting is a noble concept, if only this was truly the government's policy.

If Malacañang is sincere in tightening its belt why then was an adjunct to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) - with two additional secretaries to boot - created. Note that these new positions have administrative staff of their own! And to add to that they have a "situation room" in the works; which from the description of the press secretary seems to be just another press room.

And it'll cost only P5M! Five million... the same amount the DOT threw away for the "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" fiasco. Must be a lucky number...

Pilipinas "Ang Ganda"

So the effort to "re-brand" the Philippines has apparently been shelved; and some unlucky (though, in my opinion, not undeserving) appointee had to take the fall yet again. This is turning to be a government of fall guys!

Why tamper with something that isn't broken anyway? There are so many more pressing matters which the reported P100M allocation could be used for. I thought we were trying to save money.

I was surprised to learn that Enteng Romano was behind the whole campaign; or so he says now. It's no surprise that it turned out to be a total fiasco. If you don't know who Enteng Romano is, he is the "self-labeled IT expert" who tried, quite unsuccessfully, to collect 1 million digital signatures in a petition to have President Estrada ousted circa 2001. I heard they were able to collect a mere 25,000! Later on, he was a convenor for the Black and White Movement which joined forces with the Hyatt 10 in yet another failed effort to oust a sitting president; this time, Gloria Arroyo.

Based on such lackluster background, it is indeed a surprise to learn that he earned a USec appointment. Well, so much for good governance.

PS: I heard that it cost P5M to develop and deploy the website. That's a little steep isn't it? Even if we add the expenses for the "formal unofficial soft launch" it won't even approach half of that. Nice walking away money?

On hanging and pregnant chads...

The Makati Business Club (MBC), headed by yellow baller wristband wearers" along with some "civil society" groups lobbied (unsuccessfully) for a parallel manual count of votes cast during the May 10, 2010 Philippine national elections. What is the point of automation if one will still insist on a manual count? Isn't the point of automation to speed up the canvass and lessen the tensions (and opportunities for cheating) brought about by the long process characterized by manual counting? Or is this the intention?

Are they creating a scenario similar to the 2000 US presidential elections where each paper ballot in Florida was scrutinized and the intention of the voter questioned? Do they want a manual count so they can delay the proclamation of a winner long enough to organize a coup; or in Noynoy's own words "another People Power"? Can they not accept defeat?

I take cabs 'coz I have to

I was stuck in traffic with the cab meter running as hundreds of bikers took control of the roads yesterday (Sunday) morning in what was supposed to be their prelude to "Earth Day". And I mean, they took control of the roads, with motorcycle borne marshals from DOTC and ABS-CBN blocking the intersections as the bikers took their sweet time; pedaling as if they had leased the streets for the day!

Needless to say, not a few were irate (to put it kindly) at being forced to sit for minutes with engines idling, under the intense summer heat, while waiting for the tail end of what seemed to be an interminable parade. All those engines stewing and spewing their fumes; kinda defeats the purpose of "biking for clean air" - as their little flags proudly announced. Not to mention the emissions from dozens of motorbikes (notorious polluters), several cars, vans, SUVs and ambulances escorting the bikers. Among these bikers, after all are the metro's elite - the rich and the powerful - who would have to be driven back home after all this hoopla.

Organizers of this event should have been more considerate of the needs of the other road users. Their parade was stretched and broken at several points and these breaks should have been utilized to let crossing traffic through.

Although it was Sunday, people had places to go; as did I. And I was in a cab that did not move for more than ten minutes, meter running, waiting for these "eco-warriors" to underscore their point: "I bike for clean air."

Well, I don't bike. Unfortunately, I have no time for such frivolity. I can't be an eco-warrior because I have mouths to feed. And that's why I take cabs: I take cabs because I have to.

We need the NBN

I have purposely avoided discussing the NBN controversy, especially the self-proclaimed "truth crusader", Jun Lozada, because this topic serves only to divide. I just want it on the record that after all has been said, after the politicians have had their fill of publicity "in aid of re-election", after the media organizations have had their coffers to the brim from increased circulation/ratings, after the neighborhood rumor mongers and barbershop pundits have ran out of tales, that we seriously consider implementing the broadband project.

This project is vital to national development; especially in the light of our positioning ourselves as a techno-economy (similar to India). Even now, the dozen or so call center companies are pleading for an upgrade of data facilities.

We are in serious need of a digital backbone to service, not just the call centers' needs, but our own local needs. Try visiting a few of our government websites. Often they would be down due to server or bandwidth issues.

I hope when we finally get around to building our network, whether funded locally or from foreign loans, we won't have people like Mr. de Venecia and Lozada whose only interest in these undertakings is the commission (patong) they can squeeze from them.

PS: When they finally send to jail those who may have been guilty (if indeed there were kickbacks) I certainly pray these two aforementioned are incarcerated as well for as "brokers" and "moderators of greed" they are as guilty; if not more so.

Rules are not meant to be broken...

I was at the commencement rites of the UST Faculty of Engineering a couple of weeks ago and was struck by the lack of decorum and total breakdown of discipline among a majority of the parents/family members of the graduates.

First, very few came properly dressed for the occasion. Forgive me for being "consevative" but your son, daughter or sibling is marking a significant milestone; the least you can do is dress appropriately. I espied not a few guests in jeans and T-shirts (the collarless type with commercial logos emblazoned across them). I remember a time, not so long ago, when one attended such events in business attire (at the least)! I know it was scorching hot but make the effort; these are once-in-a-lifetime events, man!

But more than the non-adherence to the dress code, it was the complete disregard of the rules of proper conduct that really bugged me. Weeks before, it was made clear that photography will not be allowed; save for the officially sanctioned photography team. In fact, even without the university's admonishment, the "no photography rule" is a standard "house rule" at the PICC where the event took place.

True to the "Pinoy way", rules are there to be disobeyed. And disobey they did to the annoyance of those whom they blocked. Some even had the audacity to go down to the floor, which was off limits to all but the students and university officials, march to where their sons or daughters were and take their photos to the dismay of the marshals who were helpless against this mob.

This chaotic scenario is a microcosm of our society. We have rules but no pays attention. Or, at least, there are those who make a habit of breaking them because, they would argue, "they could."

"I will cross the road, flag a cab or a bus, or park wherever I damn please," you could almost hear them boasting, "because I can."

This bravado, usually borne out of a certainty of not being taken to task or the probability of getting out of punishment, by bribing or name-dropping, if caught, is proudly worn on our sleeves. This is the Pinoy macho. Ang tunay na lalaki! Actually, this is the Pinoy bobo!

This behavior merely highlights our lack of education as a nation. Disobeying rules because "we can" rather than obey them because "we must" only shows our disregard for others. And I am only talking about petty rules here.

Before we can grow as a nation, we have to grow as individuals. We cannot do that if we do not take the higher road. As long as we keep breaking rules because we can, or because everyone else does, we will never progress.

We celebrated our centennial as a free nation ten years ago, let's free ourselves of these old habits, why don't we.

What the f...?

What was ABS-CBN fussin' about? It's not as if their people were the only ones detained following the Manila Penn siege. I don't see the others complaining; I mean, not the way the Lopez crew were. They weren't being arrested, as Ms. Drilon and the rest of the studio anchors wanted us to believe!

Any person of intelligence knows that it is SOP (standard operating procedure) for police to check the identities and backgrounds of everyone found within the vicinity of a crime scene; which the Penn was. It is also standard procedure to de-brief the same as part of the investigation process.

Despite the explanations from the police chief, the military chief of staff and the DILG and DND Secretaries, the ABS-CBN people would let go. It makes me wonder... maybe they're party to the propaganda...

After all isn't somebody in the Lopez group involved in the foundation which supports the Magdalo? Maybe, they should have been arrested after all!

A Day of Reckoning

It's been a while since my last post because work has been hectic. As I am writing this short post, the rebel Trillanes is back to his old stunts. What does this bastard have for hotels? A fetish? Or doesn't he care for the inconvenience of a true and moral revolution. Or, maybe, his knowledge of military tactics is so limited that he can only defend a hotel; which is a formidable fortress indeed.

This time, I hope the government take DECISIVE action. Rebels should be dealt with appropriately; and by this I mean SHOOT THE F***ING BASTARDS! These mutineers should have been executed before a firing squad for their crimes from the start. It is only owing to the magnanimity of the government that they are allowed to continue pollute our air with their self-serving propaganda.

As he himself (Trillanes) said in a press statement "This is the last opportunity for change"; I hope that the government put these rebels in their proper places once and for all - and that is SIX FEET UNDER.

In taking decisive action, I hope the government make to answer for their transgressions the supporters of this renegade; including incumbent and has-been politicians, military and police officials and so-called civil society members. Let's put this nonsense behind us and get rid of these pests once and for all!

(Later in the day...)

So that's his game plan... It was all just a ruse, after all; mere propaganda meant to embarrass the government. So what else is new? This so-called freedom fighter doesn't really have what it takes to be a hero. He is only looking out for number one: HIMSELF!

"I was elected by 11 million" he said, and yet he rues the fact that because he is incarcerated, he cannot serve (read: take advantage of the perks of his office). He, like those who surrounded him today, is lamenting lost "economic opportunities" and occasions to wallow in power.

There were has-been politicians who are still hoping for one last chance to enrich themselves further; not content with having implanted their scions in positions of power. There were discredited former government appointees who, obviously, longing for the chance to regain their lost clout and wealth. There were members of the First Estate who, under the guise of pastoral duties, were there to further their influence and protect their vast economic interests. There were members of mass media who had their own personal axes to grind; or ratings to resurrect. And, of course, there were the communists who are just waiting in the wings for their opportunity to seize power.

What gets me is that so many fell for the drama. Doesn't the Filipino think for himself anymore? Does he still possess full faculties for clear and logical thought? How can a nincompoop like Trillanes take so many for a ride. He isn't even smart. Just listen to his impromptu interviews; his brain is empty. I hope he and his cohorts and supporters get what they justly deserve.

And the idiocy continues…

I would have wanted to move on to other concerns but I cannot help but comment on the latest idiotic idea of “German” Bayani Fernando of the MMDA; now he wants to arm his traffic enforcers with bolos! Has he really sat down to consider the consequences of this proposal? Has he forgotten the dozens of incidents where these very enforcers have been shown (on TV) to have used their authority to intimidate, harass and extort from hapless pedestrians and motorists? Does he care?

Some time ago, I remember, the MMDA tried to arm its personnel. Fortunately, this was widely criticized and was officially abandoned (although you would invariably see MMDA personnel toting firearms in plain view of the public). As then, the agency cited personnel safety as the reason for arming their field operatives. Or is the chairman building his own peasant army?

Arming the traffic enforcers will not improve vehicular flow in the city, it will only add to the tension on the streets which could foreseeably result in higher incidents of road rage. If these enforcers are, indeed, under threat, it is the local police’s job to secure them; that’s why we have the police!

The only rationale I can sense from this idea is to enforce “collection of bribes”. Maybe, what we thought to be petty corruption extends all the way to the top. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it were so.

A Shameless Plug...

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Smart Ideas? (Part 2)

A friend once told me, “Nobody has a monopoly of wisdom”; conversely, I suppose, stupidity cannot be monopolized.

Last week, another politician/bright boy went on TV announcing his earthshaking legislation which will help the country save on energy bills – ban the production of incandescent bulbs! But wait… his logic: compared to fluorescent lamps, incandescent bulbs consume way more electricity; therefore, they should be banned.

This proposal is so stupid it doesn’t deserve much attention. And the proposer, one-time postmaster, self-proclaimed security expert and perennial political opportunist, shouldn’t be given much heed either!

Has he considered the impact of such legislation on the other applications of incandescent lighting? After all, incandescent technology does not refer merely to your ubiquitous bathroom light bulb. It has applications in home and kitchen appliances, hospital equipment and industrial machines. Did the congressman consider these or was he really just after the media mileage?

If the aim is to discourage people from using the less energy efficient light bulb in favor of the more expensive compact fluorescent lamps, wouldn’t it have made more sense to impose a heavier levy or tax on them? Conversely, lower taxes on the more efficient technology would have the same effect.

In the mid-1970s, during the height of the energy crisis, the purchase (much more the manufacture) of gas guzzling vehicles was not prohibited; rather, a stiff energy surcharge was levied on the importation and sale of the same. This provided the same chilling effect without having to do anything quite as drastic as stopping production.

I hope our leaders would stop grandstanding and actually work on feasible solutions!

Smart Ideas?

A few weeks ago, the MMDA announced that it was set to implement a regulation obligating motorcycle riders to sport their plate numbers on their helmets. This, they said, was to address the rising statistic of crimes perpetuated by motorcycle-riding outlaws.

As expected, the announcement was made by the agency’s henchmen, not by the chairman; although the scheme was classic BF in its insensitivity and heavy handedness. (Remember, this is the same guy who said that people with disability would best stay at home!) Chairman BF only conjures these absurd schemes, he never owns up to them. He doesn’t even have the gall (or the balls) to face the very people whom he is supposed to be serving. Such is this guy’s arrogance.

You cannot pick a sector and make them bear the penalty for inept and inadequate law enforcement. Even if the motorcycle can be proven to be the criminal’s vehicle of choice (no such study has ever been presented), it is unreasonable to penalize ordinary, law-abiding citizens who happen to prefer this mode of transportation. This is analogous to prohibiting or regulating the use of knives because the kill people. If this is the pattern of thought that exists in government, we might as well ban the use of lighters since these are essential drug paraphernalia.

Not only are motorcycle owners stigmatized but are saddled with the added burden of allocating “one helmet per motorcycle” since, obviously, two bikes won’t sport the same license plates!

To add to this inanity, Manila’s Dirty Harry proposed his own “no tandem riding” amendment to the proposed ordinance. (I underscore the word proposed because rumor has it that it is already being implemented by certain over zealous elements of Makati traffic.) I would no longer expound on the merits (or lack of) of this amendment especially since it comes from the same official whose “war on drugs” effort consists solely of painting derogatory signs on suspected (read, non-affiliated) drug dealers’ and users’ homes; all without the benefit of due process!

The only thing these ordinances would accomplish would be to afford law enforcers yet another opportunity to fleece the motoring public.

Before I sign off, let me state that I do not own, drive or ride tandem on a motorcycle (and nobody in my immediate family does) and this regulation would not affect me in any way except in the knowledge that, if implemented, this is another right taken away from us.

Consider this (inscribed on a plaque on the stairwell of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty)…

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

Streets are for Pedestrians Too!

This was the sentiment that hundreds of persons with disability (PWD) delivered to the offices of the MMDA yesterday following a treacherous trek through EDSA. The PWDs literally snaked through the behemoth buses, further risking injury, just to reach their destination. The march (more hobble, actually) underscored their plight. Because of the pink fences and foot bridges that the agency has erected city-wide, roads were rendered unnavigable for PWDs.

I have long brought up this issue among my peers and anybody else who would care to listen. In fact, two years ago, I complained to the MMDA citing that the footbridges were a bane to the elderly and the disabled. Through SMS, the MMDA suggested that they (PWDs) should seek the assistance of traffic enforcers who will then escort them across the street at ground level. I indicated that no enforcers could be found. To this the MMDA replied “pasensiya na lang kayo" (akin to saying “we’re unable to do anything about it so that’s it… goodbye!”).

I was infuriated! This was a violation of the law and completely unacceptable!

Pedestrians contribute to the traffic problem, I admit that; but, they are not the sole cause of it. For the large part, undisciplined drivers are more to blame. Therefore, pedestrians should not be made to bear the brunt of the ill effects of any remedy. The MMDA has practically banned people from the roadways, making them the exclusive domain of vehicle owners. How fascist!

Rather than building foot bridges (which I reckon cost hundreds of millions of pesos) the more practical solution should have been strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations. Posting a couple of traffic enforcers, who know their jobs and perform them honestly, at each critical or problematic crossroad, is more economical than building these monstrosities. A year or two of faithful enforcement of the law, I truly believe, will educate and discipline both motorists and pedestrians; making both the bridges and enforcers unnecessary. The root of the problem is inadequate law enforcement!

These stupid traffic management schemes are neither scientifically proven nor are they effective; not one of them! They are all being implemented for one purpose and one purpose alone - to make money. Someone is raking in tons of mullah from all these civil works! Whose family is involved in the business of construction anyway?

Do the math… how much more do we spend for these civil works vis-à-vis the salaries of a couple of hundred enforcers over, say, five years? The civil works are more expensive, aren’t they? And they don’t solve the basic problem – lack of road discipline!

So why do you think the more expensive solution was selected?

POSTSCRIPT: Early this evening the “MMDA German” was interviewed on TV and actually confirmed my earlier statements. The agency he heads, and himself in particular, does not give a damn about the plight of PWDs. "You can’t have everything you want" was basically what he said, referring to the protesters. This only proves that this delusional sorry excuse for a public servant should be booted out of his office and dunked in the Tulyahan River along with the garbage his agency has consistently failed to dispose of properly. He does not deserve any respect; hell, he doesn’t deserve to be a member of the human race!

Mass Mediocre

Have you noticed how much TV news has deteriorated over the last couple of decades? If you’re too young to know the difference, let me educate you.

In the years before the 1990s, prime time news was delivered by well-trained professional presenters like Bong Lapira, Harry Gasser, Frankie Evangelista, Dong Puno and Tina Monson-Palma in a formal manner; much like the way it is done today by big international networks such as CNN and BBC without, of course, the high tech bells and whistles.

News presenters were a beautiful lot. They were carefully selected from among the better looking members of the population. They were highly educated and knowledgeable about current events. They were always well-dressed (in business suits) and properly groomed when presenting. In short, news anchors and correspondents then were good looking, well-educated, properly attired and believable.

English news was presented in plain English while Filipino news was presented in formal (as opposed to colloquial) Pilipino. Slang wasn’t used, except in quotations, and Taglish or Engalog was NEVER EVER used!

Entertainment, lifestyle and other trivial news was left for the latter part of the broadcast (time permitting) and never as part of the main news program. Therefore, watching prime time news then, one would not have become aware of the back-and-forth between Ruffa Gutierrez and his Turkish spouse; and no one would have cared.

Today, our news programs are peppered with showbiz scandals and trivia reports masquerading as news, reported by correspondents who look more like our domestics and speak with the same accents. No longer do these pseudo-journalists strive, or even pretend, to prepare for, nor research the news they report; or, at the very least the proper pronunciations of the words they use! Just last night, a senior news anchor (once a congressman even!) pronounced St. Tropez as saint tropis! To think that his network’s mother company is also an internet service provider; it would have taken just a few keystrokes to learn what the proper pronunciation was.

News correspondents don’t even care to dress properly nor act in proper decorum. And the networks don’t seem to care anymore how their presenters and correspondents look like!

Why is appearance so important? Look at the other TV news networks in the world. Their correspondents could pass as models. They go to the extent of dolling you up (as in the case of Veronica Pedrosa, originally with CNN now with Al Jazeera) to bring out the best in you. This is done because when you are presenting the news, you are also presenting your country or organization.

In today’s world where we shoot up all our broadcasts into space and are retransmitted by satellite all over the world, it pays to put your best foot forward at all times! Unfortunately, what we are presenting to the world are not our crème de la crème, rather, the least common denominators (easily identifiable by the masses) who are maybe not the worst but are certainly far from being the best!

How credible would a correspondent be if he were dressed inappropriately, could speak either English or Pilipino fluently or went on air unprepared (such as the infamous Michael Fajatin fiasco below)? What impression would they leave on a viewer from a foreign land? Would that not validate the oft repeated slur that Filipinos live in trees?

Putting your best foot forward?

I haven’t even scratched the surface of this mass mediocrity. We haven’t even discussed the idiocy of what stands for our daily fare of prime time news. That will be for another time.

Till then, ciao!

What's in a name?

Hello! Welcome to my first blog.

My daughter has been bugging me for years to host my own blog. Owing to a very busy schedule, I have put off the idea in the back burner waiting for the day when I would have a surplus of time. But I knew that day would never come because one never really runs out of things to do. So I had to make time!

What is filotaz? It is merely a play with the words Pilosopong Tasyo. What makes it significant is that children of Filipino migrants in most parts of the English speaking world refer to themselves as filos. And this blog is about the Philippine experience.

In the next few weeks, I will strive to put into words ideas that have been festering in my mind over the past few months. Mostly, these will be critical observations of life in the city: traffic, politics, mass media, etc. I will strive to be fair. However, I must warn you, I tend to get riled and overly emotional when the topics cuts close to home.

Thank you for your time. Feel free to drop in any time and tell your friends about my blog.

BTW, thanks to my friend Beng O. for the Rizal image I used in the masthead. I did the artwork myself and would explain the elements in a later post.