Far From Neutral Notions - Philippine politics, culture and stuff

No, not those babes. Shame.

I’m talking about an article from the GMANews.tv site, on kids’ reactions on the political ads saturating local TV. Some of my favorites:

“Political ads never really work. The Filipino people already know who they will vote for. The politicians just waste their time and money on putting their faces all over the Philippines. They can just use the money to start projects that we can benefit from. The ads on TV never say how they will help make the country better. They should think about what they say and keep their promises.” ~Bianca

“Ang hindi ko nagustuhan ang kay mike defensor dahil wala naman siyang ginawang kahit ano, na dapat siya ang an gating iboto. Ang nagustuha kong advertisement ay yung kay migs zubiri dahil pinapakita na siya ay sumasama sa rally ng mga tao. Ang tingin ko sa political advertisement ay dapat gawin nila ang sabi nilang ginagawa nila sa political advertisement.” ~Julio

“Ang pinaka gusto ko sa kanila ay si Manny Villar. Kasi sinabi niya na hindi dapat magabuso ng mga babae. Ang ayaw ko naman si mike defensor. Dahil wala siyang ginagawa sa advertisement niya. At ang mga tao ang nagsasalita sa advertisement niya.” ~Mia

“Pangit yung kay Chiz Escuderro dahil ‘corny’ ito at old school. Pero kahit maganda ang iba dapat hindi lamang binabase ang boto sa ganda ng advertisement o dahil ginamit nila ang kantang Bumtarat, tarat. Kailangan ipakita nila ang mahal nila sa kanilang bayan at dapat may tiwala ang mga tao sa iyo. Para sa akin ang pinakamaganda ay ang kay Kiko Pangilingan dahil maganda ang kanta. Pero sa totoo lang naaasar ako sa mga political ads.” ~Mica

Ah, kids say the darndest thing

Popularity: 3% [?]

Halfway through “Akap”, I hear a click, and a whirr. My first roll of film just ran out — I only had 24 exposures on that one. Biting on my cigarette and trying not to fall, I reloaded as fast as I could — not easy considering the sheer number of people jostling me — and I was able to set up just in time for “Taralets”. I just lost myself, merrily taking shot after shot. With the possible exception of Barbie Almalbis, is there a cuter band chick than Imago’s Aia de Leon? Nanggigil ako, sobra.

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Popularity: 7% [?]

Brown-nosed, that is. And that’s from the politicians kissing the collective assess of Gloria, Erap, and everyone in between.

Case in point: Mike Defensor, the once-promising former activist, Spice Boy and Quezon City representative turned Gloria apologist. In the recent Inquirer’s podcast, he gave his reasons for running in the May polls, saying that (I’m paraphrasing) he sees a need for “someone to bridge the Senate” [and Malacañang, presumably], “someone to work for political reconciliation”, and push for the legislation currently pending in the Senate.

The first two reasons are certainly telling: in an upper house whose majority is openly against Gloria, the administration needs more allies in the Senate, since the opposition might have enough congressmen in place to finally push for an impeachment trial.
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Popularity: 10% [?]

Interesting discussion over at MLQ3’s blog, about party list hopeful Ang Ladlad, the National Organization of Filipino Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders. Apparently, the Comelec, in a resolution dated Feb. 27, 2007, signed by Presiding Commissioner Florentino A. Tuason Jr. and Commissioners Rene V. Sarmiento and Nicodemo T. Ferrer, alleged that Ang Ladlad lied about its national membership, saying “Contrary to petitioner’s allegation in its petition that its membership is national in scope, reports from our field offices reveal that it doesn’t exist in most regions of the country.”
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Popularity: 100% [?]

Good government never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer that machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders.

Law and Governance - The Spacing Guild Manual, Children of Dune

Looking at the current crop of senatoriables and incumbents got me thinking about the 2010 Presidential elections — if Gloria ever lets it happen, anyway. Hopefuls that still have half of their terms left are bound to start making some noise soon, and those seeking office this May will likely base their ambitions on how many votes they can convincingly buy — err — how well they do in the polls.

Then, while I was looking at the list, I almost threw up. Which is funny, because the list was full of crap as it was.

Would we even dare vote, anymore? Vote buying’s even taken a back seat to vote rigging. At least when you buy votes, you’re paying for it. Vote rigging, well, the military and the Comelec takes care of that for Gloria. Elections are important in any democracy, but there isn’t anybody that I believe in, and it’s a damn shame. I miss Raul Roco. He was feisty and mean-tempered, but I believed in him.

I remember when I once thought Michael Defensor was promising, rather than compromising. I never even dreamed that the late Raul Roco’s wife would align herself with Erap. How in the blue hell did Chiz Escudero transform himself from being Erap’s lapdog to being the great brown hope? And what’s up with Noynoy invoking his late father’s name to justify his political ambitions? Hacienda Luicita, Kris, Tessie Oreta… my, how the Aquino name has fallen.

And a lot of them are setting their sights higher, too. After all, the Senate has long been the breeding (festering) ground for future Presidents. Just a few of the obvious ones:
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Popularity: 6% [?]

Incumbent Pampanga governor Mark Lapid is expected to get the administration’s endorsement for the gubernatorial post after he was chosen by Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, the ruling party in the administration coalition.

Lapid was criticized by his opponent in the upcoming polls, provincial board member Lilia Pineda, for not paying enough attention to the province, instead choosing to unleash upon the Filipino people garbage like this movie, Apoy sa Dibdib ng Samar:

Click here for major silliness.

Pineda, despite being a member of Arroyo’s party Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), will not be getting GMA’s endorsement, but is backed by 17 out of Pampanga’s 21 mayors and the majority of barangay leaders.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Nope. Still not voting for him. These are from The Preposterous Ninja Tales:

1. Chiz Escudero’s full name is Chizus Christ Escudero
2. Chiz Escudero can drain a three pointer..from the free throw line
3. Chiz Escudero knows all blind items in the tabloid, tv, and radio
4. Una pa si Chiz Escudero sa Unang Hirit
5. Alam ni Chiz kung anong briefcase ang may 4million pesos
6. Chiz will not run for the Senate, the Senate will run for Chiz
7. Chiz Escudero was the masked member of Death Threat named Pooch
8. Slapshock got their name when they tasted the pimp hand of Chiz
9. Chiz once fronted the band named Cheese..but left as they we’re getting soft and could not rock the way Chiz rockz
10. Mine-memorize ni Chiz lahat ng dapat di kailangan i memorize
11. Manny Pacquiao decided to run for office when rumors spread that Chiz will fight in his division
12. Chiz Escudero does grow a moustache and a wicked beard, but the facial hairs are scared shitless to show up IN HIS FACE

More at the Preposterous. Ninja. Tales.

Popularity: 2% [?]

In basketball, it’s called a crunch time situation: you’re the home team, and inbounding. Down by two after leading most of the way, and there’s only seconds left in the clock. The ref’s not on your side because of incessant flopping early in the game, and the crowd is firmly with the visiting team after your GM made so many bad trades the last few years. Your team has no overwhelming presence inside, and your treys have been bricking throughout the game. Your starters can’t hit the broad side of the barn, but you have a promising bench. Every coach has what they call after-timeout plays, often a play to get the ball to their best shooter or slasher for a quick jumper or a drive to the hoop. The safe play is to go for overtime and hope you can duke it out. The gutsy call is to go for the spectacular win, or the heartbreaking loss.

What do you do?

The administration’s TEAM unity, in replacing Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla with actor Cesar Montano, is trying for the spectacular game winner. Montano is a decorated actor, director, screenwriter, a pretty decent guitar player, and the UNESCO Philippine commissioner for culture in the arts. He is immensely popular, particularly with the masses. He’s also quite famous for his short fuse, but lists few other qualifications; par for the course in an arena growing increasingly bereft of candidates with even a modest claim to credibility.

The administration is confident, however: Presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio remarked “we have always believed in his capability and winnability.” Montano himself was on truth serum, however, when he said “I am really glad because I was chosen to run as a candidate despite there are so many people more qualified than me.” (Philippine Star)

Indeed. Here’s a thought: stop using the electoral process as an ego booster. This goes double for even less talented celebs like Richard Gomez, and triple for morons like Pacquiao. They never listen though, continuing to equate popularity with ability and believing themselves God’s gift to the electorate. And to politicians trying desperately to hang on to power, he may very well be. Make no mistake: Pacquiao, Montano and their ilk are nothing more than puppets on Gloria’s string, nothing more than desperate measures to win over a voting population heavily against her. Even the inclusion of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III reeks of desperation, borne of GMA’s wanton display of arrogance and hubris.

I for one, while an admirer of Cesar Montano’s cinematographic achievements (not the least of which is getting it on with Sunshine Cruz :D), would be mortified to see yet another actor with nothing to offer in the Senate. Particularly when said actor will be depending on the country’s coffers for his campaign: when asked where who will finance his campaign, Montano mentioned that it will partly be paid for by the administration. The same administration that pilfered PHP728 Million from the fertilizer funds that were supposed to go to farmers but instead spent it on Gloria’s re-election campaign. As curious as I am as to the identity of the next Garci, I wonder who the next Joc Joc Bolante will be. Because while Gloria may or may not watch much WWE, she does embody everything the late great Eddie Guerrero would say: she lies, she cheats, she steals. Only the former wrestler was hilariously open about it. GMA would just make you disappear if you said it loud enough.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Stumbled upon Janette Toral’s Ituloy ang Isulong page about the recent Chiz Escudero chat over at the Yehey rooms. Recent as in I found out about it 2 hours after it ended. Nice. I am kicking myself right now. Repeatedly. With vigor.

A lot of people just normally assume I support the Sorsogon representative, which is funny considering my anti-Erap bias. It’s even more hilarious once you factor in my anti-Marcos bias. My being anti-GMA does not, and will not - ever - equate to me being in the same side with her enemies. His father was a Marcos man, and I still remember Chiz defending Erap. Still, if the upcoming elections have one selling point, it’s that it’s a rare opportunity to send a strong message to GMA. Should the opposition win, it’s as clear a statement as any that the people do not favor her. But should the opposition win, it gives Erap leverage.

Chiz makes a lot of noise, and has talked sense in the few instances I happened upon his radio show. Included in his platform are a few of the things that I’d like to see addressed: education, healthcare and employment, among other things. He says the right things to get the youth vote, and it helps that he shares a passing resemblance to Bamboo. In this day and age of instant connectivity, he held the aforementioned chats, he has a website, and has successfully built himself up as - gasp - one of us.

He also spins a good rhetoric about the rule of law, and that the ouster of Erap was unconstitutional. And fine, it was a railroad. Fine, the walkout during Erap’s impeachment hearing was, in retrospect, dumb. But you know what? Given the circumstances, when he and the other Erap loyalists railroaded that proceeding, I would’ve done the exact same thing. And I still would. When the other guy doesn’t play by the same rules, it can be a very infuriating game.

There’s the Rorschach in me that demands an uncompromising stand: screw sending a message, support the candidates on a case-by-case basis. Inasmuch as I view Chiz with scepticism, I am equally not sold on Alan Peter Cayetano, who strikes me as a glory hound with a stiff upper lip. And certainly I have my reservations regarding John Osmeña, Nikki Coseteng and Mr. Sharon “Noted” Cuneta. There is a side of me that will not forget, because to forget is to set aside past principles for the sake of winning the current battle, and there’s been too much of that. This is the part of me that screams to the oopotunistic opposition and the GMA apologists alike: I will not be one more body oin the foundation of your “utopia”.

On the other hand, I like how MLQ3 puts it: “I have only one vote, but by golly, I intend to protest with it.” And not that it’s such a bad proposition either. As unsavory as some of the characters in the UNO state are, TEAM Unity’s members make me physically ill. Pichay? Jueteng lord Chavit Singson? Mike Defensor (geez what happened to this guy)? Miguel Zubiri? Please. If Zubiri didn’t have such a hot wife I wouldn’t even bother watching him on TV. The administration almost makes it easy to vote straight for the opposition.

Which brings me back to Chiz and the rest of the crew. I said before that a lot of people normally assume I’m for Chiz, and they assume wrongly. But neither am I against him. Yet. The problem with compromise - and that is exactly what supporting all 12 opposition candidates will mean for me - is that it’s like buying stolen goods: there’s no warranty, and you get what you pay for.

Popularity: 6% [?]