Impeachment? Oh, Glory To God!

Congress is just wasting their time in trying to muster the attention of the audience in their theatrical performances replaying the impeachment proceeding four times where they themselves politically benefited. Thinking that they can get the popularity and free publicity from the media -who have the fancy of painting mud on the incumbent president- those congressmen particularly the opposition party list representatives are angry that the latest impeachment process was untimely junk by 42-8 votes of the House Committee on Justice and declared the impeachment complaint “insufficient in substance” or rather kaput.

 

It is not only the opposition congressmen and party list riders who are dying mad into frustrations by the “killing of impeachment” but the Pontius Pilates of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines. They are particularly irked by the used of analogy to crucify Gloria by Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia, Sr. They are mad in the comparrison of the opinion survey to discredit the President as has been used in judging Jesus Christ. (Garcia should have said, “Whom would you prefer, De Venecia or Barabas to be crucified?”) Puerto Princesa Bishop Pedro Arigo in his disapprobation soberly said: “Let’s keep our sense of respect for religious matters,” discounting the fact that they are overstepping on Ceasar’s backyard. They go beyond the limit of their religious diocese and jumping on the matters of the State. They are now campaigning for the President’s ouster by force and out of the bounds of the constitution together with the likes of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, the CBCP president, and Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan –where the terrorists prosper and burned many buses in his archdiocese.

 

I do not approve the actuations of the Catholic bishops who encroach in the authority of the State. I grew embracing the catholic Christian faith but the way they are herding us to unreligious upbringing, where can I turn-to to fire-up my faith?

 

I believe they cannot unseat Gloria as what we did with Jose Velarde whose accounts kept the oppositions kicking and barking.

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Global Warming is Nothing But Money

The global warming business is now on the global money earning stage. Its proponents are now busy extending loan to Asian countries with projects related to climate change and global warming.

After the global warming instigators have taken possession of the United Nations through IPCC and scrambling throughout the world and scaring people of catastrophic effect of unmitigated carbon dioxide emission; they are frantically competing in refinancing high-interest project loans link to mitigation of CO2 and global warming scare. Billions of dollars and euros have been provided to countries with projects related to reforestation, water treatment, renewable energy, and anything which have something to do with clean energy under the red herring of green environment. (Pls. see the original article at Warming Sun.)

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10,000 Jobs in Australia & 1,000 Workers for Citigroup

I was quite elated upon hearing 10,000 and one thousand more jobs for Filipino workers needed locally and abroad. This is exciting and stimulating news after a back to back announcement of laid-off and company bankruptcy. Despite of the job cuts being announced worldwide due to financial trouble experienced by labor intensive companies, Filipino workers are being sought and relied upon to man the offices of recuperating economies of the world. And the Philippines is riding out of the crisis.

Sipping a hot and aromatic barako coffee -considered superior to Robusta and Arabica varieties- I glanced with eagerness the early local TV morning program, the “Umagang Kayganda” of ABS-CBN, announcing the 10,000 jobs for Filipino workers in Australia. Interestingly glued to the program, I waited fifteen minutes for the details of the job announcements but it’s just an upbeat statement. I too become optimistic, lingering in my thought that this will be a big boost to overseas job-seekers who are already losing hope to be gainfully employed. Unemployment is a nightmare to workers unable to land a job and a bailout approval of ailing institutions will be a sure job generating cure.

Switching my computer on and searching the internet, I arrived at Pinoy Bloggers Society site. And a glaring article “Citigroup to hire 1,000 workers in Philippines” grabbed and revitalized further my curiosity thereby expounding more on the implication of demand and uniqueness of the Filipino workers. Citigroup will require more Pinoy workers early next year in its call center and financial reporting operations in the Philippines. The Manila Standard Today reported that:

“Citigroup Inc. will have $306 billion of troubled mortgages and toxic assets guaranteed by the US government under a federal plan to stabilize the bank after its stock fell 60 percent last week. Citigroup also will get a $20-billion cash infusion from the Treasury Department, adding to the $25 billion the bank received last month under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.”

With this development the said bank is breathing new life into its system and specifically requires Filipino workers. There are questions as to why Filipinos are being hired and why is it in the Philippines where Citigroup planned to expand its overseas operation. And there are good and unfair comments as to the demand of Filipino workers but as Citigroup's country business manager Mark Jones was quoted as saying: "There's a whole lot of activity moving in the Philippines as we grow our businesses. Citi is moving more equity in the Philippines. If you look at the business, we're repositioning globally."

Despite of the mud being painted by the bunch of opposition groups, the Philippine government is remarkably outpacing its Asian neighbors in overcoming the onslaught of the world economic depression. And I am proud to be a Pinoy!

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Distress Calls at the Horn of Africa

A Thailand flag flying boat is heading from Oman to Yemen loaded with goods humanity needs. And suddenly, they were being chased by two speedboats. They sent a distress call to Sirichai Fisheries Co., Ltd.; but the message was cut off midway. Mayday! Mayday! . . . A distress call may not have completed, at least three times, to emphasize the urgency of the call. The pirates might have already boarded. As it was, Somali pirates have boarded and seized the vessel and the crew were held hostage at gun point.

This was the statement of Wicharn Sirichaiekawat, manager of the Thai fishing company that operates the “Ekawat Nava 5,” which was the latest ship held hostage by Somali pirates, last Tuesday, base on AFP report. And another, a Hong Kong cargo ship, The Delight, carrying tons of wheat, was also hijacked by Somali Pirates on the same date. And another supertanker, a Ukrainian ship, loaded with heavy weapons and assorted ammunitions that may fall in the hands of terrorists’ organizations . . . and another much heavier supertanker, “the Sirius Star, with a capacity of 2 million barrels of crude oil, was hijacked by Somali pirates Saturday, some 450 miles (725 kilometers) off the Kenyan port of Mombasa”. . . and maybe more!

The hijacking incidents perpetuated by the Somali pirates have gone out of control. How many more ships or cargo vessels will fall in the hands of these modern-day-ransom-hungry pirates before an all-out and final action can be effected? These pirates have inflicted too much harm on sea-plying vessels which resulted too much tragedy the world should not overlook. These ships, transporting goods and services to the needy and doing fair and legal jobs are always intimidated at gun point –helpless to depend her selves. What is the International Maritime Bureau doing? Why can’t the UN Security Council condemned the Somalian criminal activities. Piracy is the thing of the past and in our modern day world, international irritation should not stay long as an ugly misdeed of the few. A concerted international action can be swiftly undertaken to avoid further economic impairment. UN should authorize the use of force against these gangs as they can be considered terrorists and deserve utmost punishment. Somali pirates are only handful criminals victimizing the world’s seafaring nationals and this should not happen as a day-to-day threat in one of the world’s busiest sea lanes. The maritime authorities should act with dispatch to avert a more disastrous event.

I am seriously concerned as I am a Filipino. Majority of the crew victims are Pinoy. There are 134 total numbers of Filipino seafarers currently in Somali pirates’ hands and since the beginning of the year, 39 ships have been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden –in the Somali Peninsula considered as the “Horn of Africa,”- out of 95 attacked according to GMA news. Many of international seafaring lines are manned by Filipinos and more and more families are dependent on maritime industries for a living. If their means of livelihood will be always exposed in grave and imminent danger, what future aspirations will they be in . . . an added burden to society? Or an added number to the poor, patronizing poverty?

Where is the world going? A handful of criminals holding the civilized-spaced-age-world hostage while they maintain their sumptuous lifestyles and a yearly $30m lucrative business! Oh! What a great shame to humanity!

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The October 2008 Temperature NASA-GISS Is Doctoring

Why are the many chances that the NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) tampering of climate data being allowed to pass without even reprimanding those responsible officials? They should be made to explain why they are doing this when the world are always searching for truth. NASA-GISS is being funded by peoples’ tax and they should be made accountable. There must be congressional investigations on these irregularities to prevent people, like James Hansen, from distorting further climate record and corrupting the truth. People are dependent on NASA-GISS for climate data and it is the source where researchers are referencing the information to arrive into a conclusive report. If data to be sourced from said space study center are full of anomalous manipulations, where can we now rely for true and uncorrupted records? If this is being done by only one man, why is he being retained in his post, why not let his head roll on his stupidity and insane thing. Why can’t we petition that Hansen be laid-off from NASA-GISS and be put inside the coal plant chimney where he helped Greenpeace activists to be freed from criminal charges in causing damages to the said Kingsnorth plant in Kent. There, he will realize the global warming concoction he has been profiting for so long a time. According to Meteorologist Art Horn from Icecap, Dr. James Hansen has been doctoring the temperature data between the late 1970s and the late 1990s and eventually reconstructing a new “Hockey Stick” graph to support his global warming legerdemain. See more @ Warming Sun Read more on this article...

Religion: An Instigator of Unrest

Ranking Catholic Bishops are fond of playing politics with the Philippines government. They are always in the forefront in criticizing the government even if the issue has nothing to do with religion. They are a savvy group equating the unpopular guidelines of the state into a ”social and moral cancer” and hence construed as connected with the Christian faith. They are always instigating the people to rise against the government and it seems they act corroboratively with the visions and aspirations of the radical left.

Only recently, Archbishop Angel N. Lagdameo, Archbishop of Jaro and CBCP President called the people to rise and oust the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo anticipating the global financial crisis that may contribute or may fuel the people’s uprising. He further cited that “liberators” are just around the corner and they are ready to support a people power revolt against Gloria Arroyo. Lately, Caloocan bishop Deogracias Iñiguez Jr. was prompting the house representatives to proceed with the impeachment proceeding and appealing to take it seriously to ensure Arroyo’s ouster.

The same with other sect, religious leaders are advocating the immediate downfall of the present government. Bro. Eddie Villanueva, leader of Jesus Is Lord, is also supporting the move of Archbishop Lagdameo to pin down Arroyo. It may be recalled that Villanueva even sought the Philippine presidency when he ran for president in the 2004 election using his religion as his political party or the Bangon Pilipinas Party thinking that he can dislodge President Arroyo.

The separation of religion and the state is no longer recognized by the many bishops and leaders of the religious congregations in this country. There is now a one-way exchange of benefits. The government recognizes the privileges of religions not only in terms of devotion and other activities but of free taxes as well. Religious parties are in all forms business enterprises and their commerce are considered the best and the most expensive today. And they even engaged in the lowest business activity of “Pinoy”, the “Hot Pandesal” business. And all their profits are sent or remitted outside of the state in a form of dollars. It is a significant loss to the state and may be the reason why the Philippines is considered as one of the poorest in Asia today –it is the only Christian country in the region. And religion has an unending demand to the state up to the extent of changing government policy and it basic constitution.

Religion is one of the major sources of the world conflict today. This has been the purpose of Millennium World Peace Summit that was called by the United Nations. And if religion will always transgress or interfere in the ways the government is running the administration of the state; conflicts are here to stay and to the detriment of the Pilipino Nation.

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World Bank Provides Funds To Terrorists?

I thought funds contributed to World Bank are for rural developments. The money from the rich countries is to be channeled to the poor. And this is one of the worthwhile purposes of its establishment. But why contribute to terrorists who thrive on kidnapping and murder of innocent civilians?

I was dumbfounded upon getting information from the Philippines’ daily newspapers that the World Bank contributed funds to MILF-Abu Sayyaf terrorists group. I understand that the trust fund from the World Bank and other contributing countries provided funding for the rebuilding of Mindanao and other conflict-affected areas but not to the dreaded head-cutter menaces that were alluded to be funded allegedly by World Bank! Unthinkable! Unsound and unjust! Come to think of it. These rascals and fearsome killers have just raided several towns in Central Mindanao in August, killing more than 60 civilians and innocent children, destroying properties, setting fire countless of houses, and displacing close to 150,000 residents. Are they worthy of support from the world fund body whose primary concern is for the upliftment of the rural populace?

MILF-Abu Sayyaf leaders are wanted and millions of pesos are the prize on their heads –dead or alive. Prominent on the wanted list are: Umbra Kato, Abdullah Macapaar alias Bravo, and Aleem Pangalian. There is a standing suggestion from Senator Richard Gordon to double the prize on the terrorists’ head to ensure that they are taken into custody. Higher prize is hard to resist even by their closest aides and the suggestion is quite convincing and may have reason to be taken into consideration.

If there is actually trust fund –phase 1 was already disbursed by the beneficiaries which was launched in Cotabato City on March 27, 2006, as reported- provided by World Bank and other donor countries, it should be intended to the reconstruction of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and not to Bangsamoro Juridical Entity who is seeking unconstitutionally to be an independent and separate state? MILF and Abu Sayyaf are the armed combatants of the Muslim secessionist party and are often link to al-Qaeda, particularly the Abu Sayyaf. They mix together and hide in their camps to evade pursuing government authority whenever they are being apprehended for numerous crimes committed. By their terroristic activities in Central Mindanao which was later labeled as terrorist by the international community, it is quite surprising to hear that they are aided by the fund from the world financial institution.

Instead of providing funds to millions of victims of malnutrition, food, and shelter to evacuees caught in conflict of wars in Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other parts of the world and those suffering refugees brought about by natural disasters such as fires, earthquakes, typhoons, flood, and hurricanes throughout the world; World Bank should not be rumored to be funding terrorists group who were reported to be using the funds in buying guns and ammunitions to annihilate the helpless and terrified populace! The Bangsamoro Development Authority is trying to cover up and downgrading the issue saying that “BDA officials didn't lose hope that the issue will linger only for moments and will eventually disappear leaving the agency unscathed by the controversy,"

Be that as it may, lingering doubts as to the motives of participation by the World Bank and other foreign countries cannot be just set aside. Why are they interested in a separate Mindanao State? Is it up for grabs for its rich natural resources? All developed countries are risking lives and the ire of international community in acquiring more territory instead of giving off. Why are Philippine officials letting it off? What a maze and stupid acts, many are those who are not contented with what they have. When will be they satisfied?

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Obama: A Dream Fulfilled And A Victory Of The People Of The World

America’s exciting possibilities, anything can happen in the so-called land of the free. These are the words emitting from his mouth right on the night when he fulfilled the dream, a dream of change in scores of centuries ago is an impossible dream. Today he is the President, yesterday he was not allowed to vote.

Barack Hussein Obama did not only have encashed the check, he now heads the bank of justice. This is the vision of Martin Luther King, Jr., when he declared in his speech, “I Have a Dream,” as follows:

“This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." . . .But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

Today you can be satisfied that Negro cannot only vote in Mississippi but voted as President of the Land of Promise -the United States of America. Today “the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners” will be sitting down at the same table and at the same podium shouting together the brotherhood of all nations and together will clear and traverse –and sleep in the same hotel without the signs “For the Whites Only”- on the road to greatness no matter how insurmountable. Today, right there in “Alabama little black boys and black girls” are now joining hands with “little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers” in enjoying internet games and playing in the same playground or Internet Café and together growing up in the pursuit of change Obama is dreaming of.

Let it not be a reminder of jealousy everytime you will feel the presence of Obama and his family in the White House. For so long the Negro was issued a bouncing check, now he is the one signing it.

And finally, let the victory of Obama be the enlightening memento of change not only in the so-called land of the free but in the whole world where everyone is free to roam in the pursuit of his stead and contentment.

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It’s Barack Obama In American Presidency

It is done. Barack Obama is the elected President of the United States of America. A new American history was unfolded. Obama is the first black African-American elected president.

I congratulate Obama for his outstanding accomplishment. He has opened a new beginning, a new perspective of American politics. He has shown the true color of the American people –it is the spirit and not the skin.

I, too, appreciate the way John McCain conceded defeat with high esteem to the winning opponent. And I regard McCain with greatest respect when he said with a sense of humility: “All candidates make mistakes and I share a part of it.” He further added: “The failure is mine not yours.” With these statements of McCain, I am also saying … Sorry for everything I wrote which might have offended him. It’s just politics and I’ll be contributing in my little way in healing the divide I too have shared with.

To those with the winning bet. . . go down and collect!

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The American Presidency Is Just A Ball Away

‘Just like to be updated what is in today. I have been watching the American Election development and trend -the unfolding event in an American history, right on our naked eye.

I’m sharing to you some of my observations on both protagonists in the presidency. These persist in my mind and just don’t like to fade away before the contest is done.

John McCain’s 26 years in American Congress provide him a decaying judgment. In his long years of service in the government, he has learned so many tricks. Like a “Mahjong Player” he threw old and less reliable tiles and drew unknown and luck-like tile. (See, he cannot stretch his arms straight just like holding mahjong tiles on a worn-out table.) This can be reflected by his choice of Sarah Palin who lacks the experience and it appears that she is viewed as unfit for the position of Vice President –a clear successor if anything happens to an aging President.

And this is my bias notes for the other candidate:

Cafe BarakObama is like a billiard player. Always pointing his stick on a weak-placed ball and managed to slick in a crowded corner. He prefers a long shot on a freshly furnished table in what he called a shot for change. And looks like a presidency ball is already in his table’s pocket.

In a few hours, Barack Obama will be the change. The Change America has been looking for. Wanna change your bet?

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Trip To Memorial Park: A Sacrifice For The Living

Traffic is worst when I thought it’s less. Thinking November 2, “All Souls Day” is the appropriate time to go to cemetery, I preferred the said date to visit our dead dearest ones. But to my disappointment and as if all the wrath of purgatory showered to every motorist on the road, my timing was the worst I may never forget.

Few days before “All Saints’ Day”, I was already planning how I will visit our beloved departed. We are from Laguna, Philippines, south of Manila Memorial Park which is located in Paranaque City. My plan was to go on Sunday, November 2, and not on the first day of November to avoid traffic and crowded cemetery site. Friday and Monday sandwiching the Halloween days were regular working days and were not declared holiday as has been usually pronounced years ago by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and we have not anticipated those days as others did. We prepared candles, flowers, chairs, and temporary tent for shelter on hot day or in case it rains as the weather’s Intertropical Convergence Zone is threatening the area during the week. For food we prepared “Pansit” noddle and loaf bread as substitute to the traditional food we have in the barrio or countryside such as “Suman Sa Ibos”, Biko or rice cake, and “Kalamay.” All these are traditionally done by Filipino families in remembering their dead love ones on “All Saints’ Day.”

Came Saturday, November 1st, in the morning the weather was uncooperative. It was raining as has been forecasted by the weather bureau and many failed to make it in the cemetery. Few tried in the afternoon when the rain stopped as was broadcasted over the radio and television’s news. During the night, cemetery visitors were quite heavy as those who were unable to proceed in the morning decided to come in the evening. And these I thought would have lessened the volume of traffic for the following day.

Then, came Sunday as we have prepared with all we need and also, I saw to it that our car is road worthy to avoid any inconveniences while on travel. But the night before, my son, Ivan unexpectedly called from Singapore that he will be leaving by midnight through Philippine Airline and will be arriving by 4:00 A.M. Sunday. He requested that we fetch him from NAIA airport. So we moved again our schedule to afternoon cemetery meeting.

On our way to Manila Memorial Park, right after the exit toll gate and highway overpass at Sucat, Paranaque City, we were crawling like a turtle in the dense road. Vehicles coming from different directions converged in the only road to cemetery site. There were those who stopped on the roadside to buy candles, flowers, etc. from road peddlers, flower shops, and food vendors. All these compounded the road pandemonium. As we got near the gate of the memorial park, the more snail-paced movement we got entangled with. We reached our destination site already very, very late to the consternation of our relatives.

That short distance, we negotiated from highway junction to the park gate, took us two hours –a one and a half kilometre stretch- to enable us to get in.

I chose not to relate what happened next inside the memorial park. I’m still profusely exasperated. You too might have experienced the same –the worse sacrifice for the living!

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