Misunderestimating The Philippine Left

By admin | January 3, 2010

There are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ leftists. ‘Good’ leftists must belong to a partylist group. They demand the inclusion of civil society groups in government transactions. They participate in tripartite meetings, they attend UN conferences, they hate Joma Sison, and they endorse the candidacies of Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas.

The ‘bad left’ is always wrong. It is dogmatic if it refuses to participate in the elections but it is opportunistic if it joins the elections. It is arrogant if it shuns coalition politics but it betrays the revolution if it builds an alliance with mainstream parties. The left is ridiculed if it fails to gather a big crowd during rallies; but it is also criticized (by armchair activists) if it succeeds in mobilizing its members and supporters in the streets.

A ‘bad leftist’ is a dead leftist. Bad leftists are harassed, abducted, tortured and killed in this part of the world. They are demonized as destabilizers and terrorists. They are not recognized as legitimate political players who can use valid political practices in the electoral arena. Hence, they are mocked if they build coalitions or endorse the candidacies of mainstream politicians.

If the left can do no right and if it cannot be allowed to succeed in parliamentary politics, its only option (and the only correct decision it can accomplish) is to surrender its political goals. Be irrelevant. Disappear. Build an NGO. This is the fantasy not just of the fascist state; but also the wet dream of liberal “fundamentalist freaks.”

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Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza are often described in the media as leftist politicians. This is not wrong. But the practice of naming people and animals for who or what they really are is not applied to centrists and rightists. May kilala ba kayong pulitikong nagpakilala o ipinakilala bilang maka-kanan? Villar is a businessman-politician. Noynoy is the politician son of Cory and the brother of Kris. Gibo is the politician nephew of Danding who studied in Harvard. It is easy to add the leftist tag to Ocampo and Maza but writers often omit to mention the proper political background of Villar, Noynoy and Gibo. Imagine the impact of this seemingly objective writing on how the public perceives progressive leaders like Ocampo and bourgeois politicians like Noynoy. Ocampo’s politics is immediately placed under debate because he is already identified as a leftist while Noynoy’s political leaning is overlooked because his family ties are given more attention. Ocampo’s motive as a public servant is already suspect because of his ideology while Noynoy is introduced as a sincere (and reluctant) politician who is not motivated by any ideology. Rejecting ideology, denying ideology are ideological acts.

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Gibo speaks in behalf of Arroyo; Noynoy speaks in behalf of his family; Villar speaks in behalf of his party. We do not see each one of them as representing the whole political right and center. Meanwhile, the left is treated as a monolithic political bloc. The actions of one section of the left are attributed to all leftists in the country. Ocampo and Maza are leaders of popular partylist groups Bayan Muna and Gabriela. But academics and commentators want Ocampo and Maza to speak in behalf of ALL leftists – whether they are striking workers, arrested rallyists, student protesters, evicted farmers, exiled communists, and armed rebels.

A leftist is guilty of being a leftist. A leftist is held responsible for the sins committed by dead and living leftists. The weakness of one leftist is blamed on all leftists.

Meanwhile, we do not hear mainstream commentators and academics asking mainstream politicians to pay for the sins of the ruling class. There are no class dictatorships; only evil dictators, selfish leaders, and warlord dynasties. The sins of Quezon are blamed on Quezon alone. The sins of Marcos are the burden of the Marcoses alone. Arroyo’s transgressions are hers alone. We do not speak of the political center and right when discussing these abominations. The forces of domestic reaction have not yet apologized for plunging the country into darkness in the past century.

The liberal right-wingers are always reminding the public about the alleged excesses and blunders of the left. They are obviously suffering from pathological narcissism. They refuse to remember and recognize the bloody record of their reactionary ancestors and conservative gurus.

FYI: Yes, the extreme left has already apologized for its past mistakes.

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Many writers have commented about the historic significance of the militant left’s endorsement for Villar. Let’s view it the other way around. A mainstream politician like Villar is willing to be openly endorsed by the left. A major candidate is not afraid to be identified with individuals who are accused by the military of supporting the rebel movement. A bourgeois party has two militant and anti-imperialist leftists in its senatorial ticket as adopted candidates.

According to a veteran activist, the left was ready to endorse Salonga in 1992 but the grand old man of Philippine politics requested the left not to publicize its endorsement. Was Salonga afraid that an endorsement from the left would alienate his voters? Maybe he was not impressed with the organized strength of the left.

Fast forward to 2009. Villar and other presidentiables have many good reasons to seek the support of the left. The electoral victories of the left in 2001, 2004 and 2007 signified many things: The left has a loyal following among the electorate; its progressive agenda is appreciated and supported by a core constituency; the red-baiting tactic of the state has lost its efficacy. An astute politician cannot afford to ignore the solid base of the left.

Villar’s brave decision to openly embrace a platform-based unity with the left has smashed the taboo in Philippine politics. From now on, the participation of the left will be expected in future electoral contests for top political posts.

But why Villar? Why not Noynoy?

The analysis of the left about the character of the Philippine political party system has not changed. The left continues to assert that politics in the country is dominated by the traditional elite. Villar and Noynoy are both members of the ruling class. If the left will endorse one of them, it should be based on the willingness of the candidate to promote a reform agenda. It was Villar who took the time to draft a document in response to the challenge of leftist groups to advance a people’s agenda in 2010. It was Villar who invited Ocampo and Maza to join his senatorial lineup as adopted candidates. Noynoy was never interested in seeking the support of the left. Maybe he wanted the left to endorse him quietly, a la Salonga in 1992. Noynoy and the mafia in the Liberal Party do not recognize and respect the political strength of the left.

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Ambitious apostates (John Pilger’s term for ex-activists) are protesting the decision of Ocampo and Maza to endorse the Villar-Legarda tandem. They criticized this act as a betrayal of revolutionary principles. They did not notice the irony in their remarks. The people who turned their backs on the movement and those who had tirelessly attacked the left are now concerned about the revolution.

Let us assume they are sincere in upholding the purity of the leftist movement. What revolutionary principles were violated by Ocampo and Maza? What revolutionary goal was abandoned?

The anti-left gang is mad not because the left endorsed a presidential candidate. They are mad because the left has refused to endorse Noynoy Aquino.

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The left is ridiculed for behaving like a religious cult. It’s not a new accusation. It’s often raised by writers and academics every time they want to attack the politics of the left. The intention is to mock the ‘fanatical attitude’ of leftists. But this reasoning has lost the power to insult. Here is a relevant quote from Slavoj Zizek: “Instead of adopting such a defensive stance, allowing the enemy to define the terrain of the struggle, what one should do is to reverse the strategy by fully endorsing what one is accused of: yes, there is a direct lineage from Christianity to Marxism; yes, Christianity and Marxism should fight on the same side of the barricade against the onslaught of new spritualisms – the authentic Christian legacy is much too precious to be left to the fundamentalist freaks.”

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According to French philosopher Alain Badiou, many liberal thinkers have this attitude towards the left: “As a public spectacle the Revolution is admirable, while its militants are contemptible.” There are many writers and intellectuals in the Philippines who are sympathetic to leftist causes but unkind and unfair to leftist militants. There are academics who are masters of subtlety and sarcasm when attacking trapos but blunt, brutal, and rude to leftist leaders. To borrow some words from the great economist Joseph Schumpeter, these anti-leftists “lack any organ for the perception of absurdity.”

Related articles:

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Militants and leftists
Total war vs the left

Posted in reds | Tagged , , | 42 Comments

Politics and immorality in Southeast Asia

By admin | December 28, 2009

“Immoral” rock concerts were banned in Malaysia. An “immoral” gay group was disqualified from participating in the Philippine elections. Immorality was blamed for the natural disasters that hit Indonesia this year. It seems public authorities are playing the morality card to uphold the dominant social order in many Southeast Asian countries.

To protect the morals of society, the youth arm of Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS Youth) proposed the banning of the Michael Learns to Rock reunion concert in Malaysia last August. This is the same political party which banned the concerts of “indecent” music stars like Beyonce, Avril Lavigne and Gwen Stefani in Malaysia.

Malaysian Muslims also weren’t allowed to watch the Black Eyed Peas concert because the show was sponsored by an alcohol company.

PAS Youth accused the foreign artists of corrupting the minds of the public. The group claimed that these types of concerts “will not help motivate the people to become good citizens, but instead will weaken their morals and mental strength, and at the same time will drag them down to drown in the turbulence of lust.”

For promoting same-sex relationships, which are contrary to religious beliefs, the Philippine Commission on Elections has rejected the petition of gay group Ang Ladlad to be recognized as a party that can run in the 2010 elections. The poll body used religious texts like the Bible and Koran, instead of legal documents, to justify its ruling.

The Ang Ladlad group was described by the government election body as an immoral party because it espouses same-sex marriage and other equality demands of the Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender or LGBT sector.

Indonesia’s Communication and Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring surprised many when he asserted during a prayer meeting that the powerful quake that rocked Indonesia this year was due to declining public morals.

During an interview he said, “Television broadcasts that destroy morals are plentiful in this country and therefore disasters will continue to occur.” He cited the Indonesia-made porn DVDs which are available in street markets as proof of public decadence. His statement about the immorality-disaster link was supported by the influential Indonesian Ullema Council.

The concert ban in Malaysia, the anti-LGBT ruling in the Philippines, and the immorality equals earthquake thesis in Indonesia confirm the dominance of traditional and conservative values in modern Southeast Asian societies. Despite the economic and technological advances in the region, medieval thinking still reigns in many countries. Government bodies are still ruled by old bureaucrats who cling to feudal values and beliefs. Tech-savvy leaders like Tifatul Sembiring still espouse anti-scientific views.

Church leaders are expected to remind the faithful about the need to follow the teachings of their religion. On the other hand, public officials are not required to subscribe to a particular religious doctrine in fulfilling their constitutional duties. In fact, they are disallowed from using their power and position to advance and impose their religious beliefs on the public.

Secular institutions and public officials usurp the role of the church when they act as guardians of public morals. Their mandate is not to serve as spokespersons and proxies of church leaders. They should not behave like morality cops who dictate what is right and wrong for everybody. Asian countries may have won their political independence decades ago but many are still not free from the clutch of religious bigotry.

To maintain peace and order, governments always devise procedures to control the activities of their citizens. The morality card is being played to produce desirable attitudes, sentiments and behavior among the population.

Perhaps the morality issue is used today in response to the worsening global economic crisis. Governments are afraid that the jobless and hungry segments of the population will express their frustration through radical actions. By invoking morality, governments aim to discourage dissidence.

By banning concerts, denying equal rights and blaming immoral behavior for the occurrence of natural disasters, repressive governments with democratic trappings are hinting that they are ready to displease a certain segment of the population if it will serve their political interests.

Today, immorality is equated with rock stars, same-sex relationships and pornography. Soon the sin of immorality might be extended to all those who dare oppose the policies of the government. Moralist politicians want to normalize the practice of naming things they dislike as immoral. It is important to prevent the morality cops from monopolizing the debate on what constitutes moral and immoral behavior.

When hypocrites accuse our favorite rock stars of being immoral, we should advise them that they can choose not to listen to these immoral entertainers. When gay groups are disqualified from running for public office, we should appeal that all corrupt politicians should be prevented too from holding a public position.

Asserting equality demands is a moral right. Rejecting bigotry is a moral stand. Defying unjust policies is a moral act. If we are labeled as immoral because we refuse to surrender our principles, then by all means, let’s prove that sometimes promoting immorality can be the most subversive act we can achieve in our lifetime.

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Posted in east asia | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Travel tips. Travel habits

By admin | December 27, 2009

1. Always bring a book. Read a book in the pre-boarding gate. Read a book while waiting for delayed flights. Read a book inside the plane. Reading reduces stress. Reading distracts your mind from the bad plane food and lousy seatmates. When travelling, it is wise to go on high-tech fasting: don’t use your phones (save load and battery – they are needed in case of emergency), open your netbook only if it is really urgent. Do you really need to play the PSP again? Ok, use your iPod, but read while listening to a relaxing music. Choose a good book. Don’t read newspapers and magazines since you can access them online. Don’t read those glossy magazines which lower your self-esteem. Don’t read inflight magazines which entice you to buy non-essential goods. Read a good book. Por pabor: wag naman mga phony self-help books and compilation of pinoy jokes.

2. What to bring. Don’t forget these lifesavers: short umbrella, slippers, light jacket, cap, shorts, hand sanitizers, pen, notebook, Good Morning towels. Pack extra calling cards and political pamphlets. Don’t bring bottled water, snack food, condoms (if you’re married like me). Wear a facemask if you’re sick. Bring only decent underwear. Aba kung ma lost baggage ka, o kaya pag-initan ka sa custom at buksan ang bag mo, di ba nakakahiya kung butas ang brief o panty na dala mo?

3. Airport sanity. Be at the airport on time: one hour before time of departure for local flights and two hours for international flights. For smooth security inspection, keep your coins, phones, belt inside your handcarry bag. Expect long lines at the check-in counter. If you don’t have a check-in bag, proceed to the express lane. If you’re annoyed by the slow moving line, don’t lose your temper by holding on to a happy thought. It’s hassle to be accosted by the airport police. Always smile and hide your anger. Request a window seat for the view or an exit row for more leg room. During boarding time, don’t panic. Don’t join overeager passengers who want to be the first to board the plane. Remember, you won’t lose your seat because you have a seat number.

4. Money. Store the money needed for the taxi fare and terminal fee for your return trip in the hidden pocket of your bag. Don’t buy pasalubong items in the airport. Don’t buy pasalubong on the first day of your travel. Don’t be too excited, marami pang mas mura kang mahahanap. Don’t buy goods which you can already buy in your home city. Do you really need to buy pasalubong for everybody? Exchange your foreign currency at the airport. Sometimes, it is not unwise to buy duty-free products. But don’t buy chocolates. Sa mall ka na lang bumili.

5. No to fastfood. You’re a stranger in a strange city, province, or country. You’re hungry. You’re afraid to eat street food. Then you see McDonalds. What will you do? Don’t ever think about it. Resist! Ask locals for restaurant tips. Do your online homework. Research the recommended local food stores. Enjoy the native delicacies. Eduardo Galeano was right when he described fastfood as a “violation of cooking’s right to self-determination.” Bakit ka nga naman kakain sa Chowking kung may La Paz Batchoy naman sa Iloilo.

6. Don’t be an ignorant and arrogant tourist. Strive to know more about the places you visit. Talk to people. Read the local papers. Get a free copy of the local map. Respect the local traditions. Don’t overdress. Ask permission before taking pictures. And is it really important to take facebookable pictures? Sometimes, the picture-perfect moments are best left in our memories. Keep a travel diary. Explore the countryside. Use public transport.

7. Water transport. If you have a big delegation and you’re going to Visayas or Mindanao, a ship transport is a fun way of travelling. If there is enough time, consider riding a ship. Sea travel allows us to appreciate the archipelagic beauty of the Philippines. Yes, Manila Bay is polluted. But we must not forget that we are surrounded by clean sparkling waters. Visit these natural wonders, visit the islands (hindi lang Boracay ha). But I guess this mode of transport is no longer popular among urbanites like us who need to reach our destination fast so that we can immediately update our facebook status. It’s also unfortunate that maritime disasters often occur in the country.

8. Bus ride. If the ride is 5 hours or more, it is better to take the midnight trip. You can ride a bus to reach Visayas and Mindanao. Try it sometimes. It is a thrilling experience. Are there RoRo bloggers?

9. Railways. It is tragic that I can’t offer some tips on rail travel. How can I do that? We only have the MRT, LRT, and PNR – which are all located in Metro Manila.

Related articles:

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Posted in travel | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Local and foreign trips

By admin | December 24, 2009

Kapit ng mahigpit, babyahe tayo….

From Laoag airport, we travelled to San Juan, Ilocos Sur. I attended the flag ceremony and delivered an inspirational talk in a public high school. Then, we went to the Vigan campus of the University of Northern Philippines. I visited the provincial capitol first before proceeding towards Candon. I met the SK officials of Candon and nearby municipalities. I also attended a forum in UNP-Candon.

I arrived in San Fernando, La Union to meet the SK officials of the province. I also gave a lecture in St. Louie University. We went to a surfing site to swim. Two days before, I was in Cagayan State University.

I went to UP Baguio a week before the State of the Nation Address. Later, I met student leaders from various schools at Oh My Gulay resto.

I spoke at Tarlac State University, Gordon College in Olongapo, Bulacan State University, and Baliaug University. I went to the wrong St. Mary’s College in Meycauayan but fortunately, we made it in time for the closing of the forum.

I was invited to address the convention of youth leaders from the Iglesia Filipina Independiente at Maryhill School of Theology in Taytay. I participated in an Asian Youth Day workshop at Rogationist College in Silang, Cavite. I’m impressed with the Cavite campus of the Adventist University of the Philippines. A provincial assembly of Kabataan Partylist was held in Philippine Christian University – Dasmarinas. Southern Tagalog student council officers met at the University of the Philippines Los Banos. We tested the Comelec-Smartmatic voting machines at the Lyceum of the Philippines in Calamba. After attending an assembly of youth leaders, I bought a bag of kapeng barako in Lipa, Batangas. Campus journalists from the College Editors Guild invited me to speak in their Congress in Lucena.

I was at the Ateneo de Naga University last July. I visited the Legazpi campus of Bicol University twice this year. I was invited by UP Ibalon during their annual Padunungan event in Guinobatan, Albay. I joined new voters when they registered at the Comelec office in Sorsogon.

I visited three schools in Iloilo: West Visayas State University, West Visayas College of Science and Technology, and UP Iloilo. I explained our opposition to Con-Ass during a Sunday mass in an Iloilo City church. I was surprised to discover that the cityhall is located inside a Robinsons mall. I saw an abandoned Lopez Jaena shrine in the city.

West Negros University hosted a meeting of campus journalists in Negros. I saw the imposing but controversial Bacolod City Hall. I met the incumbent mayor who is Pacquaio’s lucky charm. Siya yung may hawak ng belt ni Pacquaio. I visited a “liberated” farm village in Bago City.

I was in Davao City not once, not twice, but thrice this year. I was finally able to set foot on Samal Island. Durian and Marang are my preferred pasalubong items from Davao. I was at the provincial capitol of North Cotabato. I sang during the flag ceremony in the provincial capitol of Misamis Occidental. Nakakahiya ang boses ko pero mas nakakahiya naman kung hindi rin ako kumanta kasi lahat ng bisita kumanta. Ang aking inawit: More than words. I went to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan too. Cagayan’s pastel is a favorite of my wife. I visited the ancient city of Butuan. The cost of a movie ticket in the city is only P40.

I gave a lecture on leadership at the Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College in Marikina and Polytechnic University of the Philippines Taguig. I presented the anti Con-Ass position in Rizal Technological University Pasig, Miriam College, Philippine Normal University, College of St. Benilde, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, St. Paul Manila, Adamson University, and University of the East. I discussed the role of the youth in the 2010 elections in Miriam High School, Philippine Women’s University, College of Holy Spirit, De La Salle Araneta, Univesity of Makati, UP Diliman, UP Manila, UP Integrated Schools, and Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology. I joined a fellowship of youth leaders and parishioners at the United Methodist Church in Pandacan and a catholic church in Novaliches Bayan.

Through our Tulong Kabataan campaign, I was able to participate in clean-up operations in Pasig, Sta. Mesa in Manila, Tumana in Marikina and Lapaz in Tarlac.

I visited Taiwan in June, Canada in November, and Thailand this month. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office sponsored and organized the trip to Taiwan. I joined a Congress delegation which visited Taipei, Kinmen Island, and Kaoshiung. The Canada trip was an official trip. It means my plane ticket, visa, and hotel expenses were shouldered by the government. I met Filipino-Canadian students and migrant groups in Toronto. I spoke at the University of Toronto. Thanks Diwa for taking me to the majestic Niagara Falls. I gave a lecture on Globalization and Philippine Education at the Student Christian Center in Bangkok. The trip was sponsored by the Asian Students Association. I cut short my Bangkok trip because of the joint session of Congress.

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Posted in travel | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Introducing @kabataancrew

By admin | December 23, 2009

I should not get all the praise for the many victories achieved by Kabataan Partylist this year. I have to recognize the bigger contributions of our officers, personnel, and members throughout the country. I am also blessed for having a superb and hardworking staff. Let me introduce the cool and intelligent Congress staff of Kabataan Partylist….

@adarna. Her name is Sarah Maramag, our Chief of Staff. She is a prolific writer and an outstanding political activist. She wrote for the Philippine Collegian during her undergrad years. She used to be a national staff officer of Anakbayan and College Editors Guild. Like me, she is a big fan of Eat Bulaga. She is afraid of cats.

@glygotiangco. She was president of the PUP Student Council during Edsa Dos. We were contemporaries in the National Union of Students. She is part of the People’s Chorale, an activist cultural group. She is our political affairs officer. She is single and very happy at the moment.

@jose. Jose Cosido is a former president of the College Editors Guild. He designed many of our official campaign materials. He is our projects officer. Jose recently figured in a Facebook “incident” but I think the evidence has been deleted.

@jmragaza. JM Ragaza is our media officer. He is also our website admin. Aside from writing our press statements, JM drafted two of my privilege speeches. JM loves to watch movies but he walks out every time the movie sucks. Case in point, JM didn’t finish the film screening of New Moon at SM.

@eightyseas. Airah Cadiogan is our legislative officer. She prepares interpellation guides, issue briefers, and committee spot reports. She wrote most of the bills and resolutions we filed this year. Airah spent two years in South Korea as an exchange student. Her love life is always a mystery.

@bikoy. Victor Villanueva is our researcher and legislative officer. He drafts bills and resolutions, plenary manifestations, and issue primers. He is an award-winning and famous blogger. Bikoy should start a food and travel blog.

@paul. Ka Paul is my close-in security. He is a veteran activist. He is now a lolo. Congrats!

@bern. Tito Bern is our driver. He is the oldest member of @kabataancrew. I consider him as part of my family. His laing recipe is the best.

@mongster. This is me. I often tweet my political activities. Through twitter, I share the url links of excellent and interesting web articles. I also announce new blog posting through twitter. Via SMS, I tweet while inside the plenary hall of Congress. I plurk my personal activities. I rarely open my Friendster and Facebook accounts.

Officially, I’m the boss since I’m the congressman. But this title is conveniently overlooked inside our office because we are all activists. Besides, halos magkakasing-edad kaming lahat. Pantay-pantay kami sa opisina. My advantage is that I have the biggest table and I don’t answer the phone.

This is how our office operates on a regular session day: Everybody scans the online news in the morning. We email news stories that are related to our work. We also email new updates from google alerts for Kabataan Partylist. We report for work before lunch. We arrive at 9:30am if there is a committee hearing in the morning. Airah or Bikoy prepares a summary of issues to be tackled in the committee. JM drafts a press release. Sarah will review these papers. Gly ensures the completion of administrative and political tasks inside the office. We meet to collectively discuss our position, statement, and tactics. Then I attend the plenary session at 4:00pm or 5:00pm to hobnob with the rich and powerful. The session highlights will be livetweeted by our staff. Around 7:30pm, one of the members of @kabataancrew will accompany me in the lounge for a light dinner.

I will let @venzie, the party secretary-general, to introduce our HQ staff. But I have to mention Anna and Carl, two of the founding members of Kabataan Partylist.

Posted in congress | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Kabataan Partylist: Bills and Resolutions Filed

By admin | December 22, 2009

Kabataan Partylist sponsored (13) house resolutions, (6) house bills and delivered three (3) privilege speeches between April-November of 2009.

House Bills

a. Public Libraries Bill – HB06770: This will modernize the country’s public libraries by amending Republic Act 7743. We are proposing the establishment of e-library facilities in the country’s 1,231 public libraries. We also want to uphold the “public’s right to information and freedom of expression by prohibiting the exclusion of reading materials based on the origin, background and views of the creator or author.” Officials of the National Library are supportive of this bill.

b. Free SPED Bill – HB06771: This bill aims to provide free and appropriate basic education to all Filipino children and youth with special needs. It was my college professor who urged me to file this bill. Kabataan Partylist is also a co-author of the SPED Bill sponsored by the Committee on the Welfare of Children.

c. Styrofoam Ban Act of 2009 – HB06798: The full title of the bill – “An Act Declaring as Unlawful the Use of Expanded Polystyrene Food Service Containers and other Synthetic Materials Harmful to the Environment in all Educational Institutions and for other purposes.” By banning Styrofoam, we hope to promote environmental awareness and practice environmental protection in schools. This bill was suggested to me by an educator from Taguig.

d. Anti-‘No Permit, No Exam’ Policy – HB06799: This will ban the common school policy of preventing students from taking their periodic or final examinations due to unpaid tuition and other school fees. As a compromise to school owners, the final grades and transcript of records of students will not be released if they still have outstanding financial obligations. Congresswoman Cari of Leyte is a co-author of the bill.

e. SK Strengthening and Reform Act of 2009 – HB06870: Last August we met the national leadership of the Sangguniang Kabataan. We discussed the need to reform and strengthen the SK institution in response to the widespread observation that the SK body has lost its relevance. The output of the meeting became the guiding document in drafting HB 06870. Here are the pertinent features of our proposed SK Reform Bill: Instituting a uniform procedure for releasing and reviewing SK budgets; empowering the Katipunan ng Kabataan as the basic unit and consultative body of the SK; recognizing duly-elected SK officials as persons of authority in the community; clearly defining the procedures for succession and filling of vacancies; appropriately adjusting the calendar of SK elections; and to regularize training seminars by NGOs, national student and youth organizations, and Peoples’ Organizations for SK members. The bill also incorporates the earlier proposal to adjust the age requirement for SK officials.

f. BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act of 2009 – HB06921: Employing half million young workers and generating billions of dollars in revenues, the Business Process Outsourcing sector is touted as the country’s sunshine industry. But the welfare of BPO workers is seldom reported by government, media, and industry analysts. There is a need to uphold the labor rights of BPO workers. Kabataan Partylist has filed a bill that would allow BPO workers to join and form unions, institutionalize an occupational safety and health policy, and ensure just compensation for BPO workers who attend work during non-working holidays.

House Resolutions

Kabataan Partylist has three resolutions on the issue of shortened voters’ registration: Extension of Voters’ Registration (HR01162), Day-off with Pay for Registrants (HR01336), and Extension of voters’ registration deadline in typhoon-affected regions (HR01443).

We sought an investigation on the following issues: UP Graduation Program Tuition Hike (HR01197), Vanishing Loads (HR01237), Smartmatic-TIM overpricing (HR01260), Anomalous purchase by DepEd of overpriced medical and dental supplies (HR01288), Abduction of an Anakbayan member in Cagayan (HR01411), DENR constructive dismissal of employees (HR01408), Military surveillance of National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera’s home (HR01421), Violent dispersal of a rally in front of Malacanang Palace (HR01337), and the imposition of a new tax on imported reading materials (HR01161).

The UP resolution was proposed by the university faculty regent. The Vanishing Load resolution was the House counterpart measure of a Senate resolution filed by Senator Bong Revilla. The Smartmatic-TIM resolution was drafted in reaction to a PCIJ report. The DENR resolution was lobbied by concerned employees of the agency. The rally which was violently dispersed was a student protest against the lavish dinner of Arroyo and her politician friends in New York.

Kabataan Partylist also co-authored (25) house bills, (1) joint resolution and more than (100) house resolutions of partylist representatives from Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, and Gabriela.

Privilege speeches. Committee memberships.

I delivered (3) privilege speeches: The Tragedy of Philippine Education (May 18, 2009),
The Call of Call Center Agents (August 17, 2009), and Who Owns Malacanang? (August 26, 2009)

I’m an official member of the minority in (4) committees: Youth and Sports, Information and Communications Technology, Dangerous Drugs, and Public Information. I’m also active in the Committees on Higher and Technical Education, and Basic Education.

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Posted in congress | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

2009 political words of the year

By admin | December 16, 2009

The 2009 Oxford words of the year are unfriend, hashtag, intexticated, netbook, sexting, funemployed, birther, choice mom, and deleb. Many of these words, though familiar to most Filipinos, are not applicable in the Philippines.

Unfriending people in facebook, friendster, and other social network sites is not a common internet habit among Filipino netizens. We cannot easily unfriend friends. We are respectful even to friends who betrayed us in the past. There are people who will assert that unfriending someone is against our culture. According to the president’s spokesperson, the friendship of the Arroyos and Ampatuans will not be affected by the gruesome massacre in Maguindanao.

Hashtag is known only to twitter users. There were many instances when the Philippines made it to twitter’s trending topics: Eat Bulaga, Cory, Pacquiao, Ondoy. Plurk is more popular in the country. Slackactivists always use hashtags.

In the Philippine context, intexticated does not refer to those who use their mobile phones while driving. Intexticated are people who text while walking, running, and even sleeping. Yes, there are people who text while sleeping in the middle of the night. Intexticated people are also seen inside churches, classrooms, MRT, LRT, jeepneys, and airplanes.

Netbooks are popular in the country because they are more affordable. This is an ideal gadget for students and teachers. Sexting is a big problem in U.S. schools. Hopefully, the sexting trend would not plague our local schools.

Funemployed are those who ‘enjoy’ unemployment because they can pursue their other interests in life. Are there funemployed Filipinos? Since majority of workers do not receive unemployment checks, Filipinos do not relish the prospect of being out of work. But Filipinos are known to find happiness even during hard times. We are a smiling people. But it doesn’t mean the jobless are funemployed.

Birthers question the authenticity of U.S. President Barack Obama’s birth certificate. Choice Mom prefers to be single mothers. Deleb is a dead celebrity. The most famous deleb this year is Michael Jackson.

Political words

Here is my list of Philippine political words of the year: hayden kho, swine flu (ahini), con-ass, cory, ondoy, pacquaio, ampatuan, and backhoe.

hayden kho has various meanings. It may refer to a pervert and maniac, as described by the very moral Sen. Bong Revilla. It may also refer to a doctor who becomes a director and actor of sex videos. Beware of hayden kho boyfriends.

Swine flu or A(H1N1) – pronounced by many Filipinos as ahini – is a continuing global pandemic. It replaced SARS, bird flu, ebola reston, dengue, and chikungunya as the most famous virus threat in Asia and the rest of the world. Washing of hands was strictly enforced, holding hands in churches was disallowed, and hand sanitizers became a bestseller. Companies which produce thermal scanners, facemasks, alcohol, and the expensive flu vaccine benefited from the swine flu scare.

Con-Ass or Constituent Assembly became the top political issue from June to August. The proposal to amend the 1987 constitution was vigorously opposed by many groups and individuals. The charter change or chacha fantasy is still alive through the less controversial but equally lethal Constitutional Convention or concon mode.

The death of the original People Power icon and former President Cory Aquino reawakened the public admiration for this great leader. Cory’s legacy in restoring the country’s democratic institutions was reaffirmed. Senator Noynoy Aquino’s presidential bid was launched shortly after his mother’s death.

Ondoy will be remembered for triggering the worst flooding in Metro Manila in the past 40 years. Ondoy exposed the weak disaster preparedness program of the government. On the other hand, the Ondoy tragedy revived the Bayanihan spirit in the country. Tropical storms Pepeng, Ramil, Santi, and Tino – all of them entered the country during the ‘ber’ months – convinced everybody that climate change is a serious problem.

Pacquaio’s victory boosted the morale of Filipinos. Pacquaio succeeded again in uniting all Filipinos. But the sense of camaraderie in the country was only shortlived because election season began a week after Pacquiao’s stunning victory. And people are no longer talking about Cotto. They are more curious about Krista.

Ampatuan Massacre refers to the killing of 57 people in Maguindanao, the “cheating capital of the country.” The prime suspects are members of the very powerful Ampatuan Family. The Ampatuans have been called many names: mass murderers, criminals, warlords, rebels, friends of the President. The other famous political clan in Maguindanao is the Mangudadatu Family.

A backhoe is used to excavate or dig materials in construction sites. But it can also be used for criminal purposes. A backhoe was used to break into a museum in Pennsylvania. A backhoe owned by the Ampatuan-controlled local government was also found near the mass graves in Maguindanao.

Martial Law was declared in Maguindanao. A joint session of Congress was immediately called. To justify the obviously unconstitutional declaration, Malacanang submitted a report to Congress describing the Ampatuan warlord clan as being backed-up by a “formidable group of armed followers.” The Palace resource speakers seem confused. They described the presence of armed civilian troops (read: CVO private armies) in Maguindanao as proof of looming rebellion and actual rebellion.

Elections are always exciting since they generate memorable slogans. Election monitoring groups have Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo, Ako Mismo, Bilog Na Hugis Itlog. Mar has Padyak Padyak and Ramdam Ko Kayo. Villar has Sipag at Tiyaga and Akala Mo. Gibo has Galing at Talino. Noynoy has Hindi Ka Nag-Iisa. Erap has Tatakbo Ka Ba at Babalik si Erap. Chiz has Ang Bagong Pagbabago and Tayo Ang Bagong Sigla. Chairman BF and Gordon are ‘transformers.’

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Posted in nation | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Neophyte reflections

By admin | December 13, 2009

How does it feel to be a congressman? Friends, relatives, and even new acquaintances have been asking me this question for the past seven months. I always reply with a joke. I tell them that my carefree activities have been restricted like jaywalking or buying pirated materials. I am somewhat hesitant to answer this question partly because I feel I still do not have enough experience as a congressman. The regular first termers in the House have been in office since 2007. I moved into my more-than-a-cubicle-but-definitely-not-an-office room only last August. Together with 32 other partylist representatives, I consider myself as a neophyte among the neophytes.

It took several months before House employees were able to recognize me as a lawmaker. There are still times when security guards would prevent me from entering the main building of the Batasan especially when I’m not wearing a barong. In some committee hearings, I have to convince the committee chairman that I’m allowed to speak freely because I’m a congressman.
Perhaps because of my age, many of my colleagues who are old enough to be my parents and even grandparents presume that I’m willing to be lectured about the intricacies of Philippine politics. In most cases, they are right. I’m always interested to hear the unconventional and sometimes eccentric views of veteran politicians on various issues like parochialism, nepotism, charter change and Hayden Kho sex videos. But when I want to disagree with their opinion, I’m torn between expressing my real thoughts and acknowledging the wisdom of elders. I’m worried they might misconstrue my dissenting perspective as a misguided display of youthful arrogance.

During informal chats at the lounge, I often find myself unable to interest my senior citizen colleagues with topics that are popular among the youth. I cannot joke about unfriending them since many do not have facebook accounts. I often have to clarify the difference between vloginng, blogging and microblogging. Some of them couldn’t appreciate how netizens derive satisfaction by uploading short messages in the internet through twitter. To be fair, they too seem perplexed that I am quite an expert at googling but ignorant of golfing.

When it became evident that I cannot grab their attention by talking about RSS, plurk, or farmville, I yield by genuinely trying to be amused with their monologues. And so everyday, I participate in fun conversations about prostates, diabetes, and the many positive virtues of the incumbent president.

Being a politician-blogger is sometimes embarrassing. Well, embarrassing in front of people who are not used to seeing persons taking pictures of the food they eat. Politicians hire official photographers to document all their activities. I don’t have an official photographer. Imagine me in a committee hearing taking pictures of almost everybody in the room. It is awkward to talk to members of Congress after learning their dark secrets and alleged involvement in various scandals through youtube, google, and bing. I accidentally opened an unflattering web image of a lawmaker with a popular surname while inside the plenary.

Veteran members of the House have been reminding me that the Lower House is the best place to retire. Another colleague described our job as the best in the world. Maybe they were referring to the fact that inactive House members can continue to receive their monthly salaries. One can enjoy the perks of being a lawmaker even if he/she is spending time in prison or travelling on an extended vacation abroad. We are obliged to report for work from Mondays to Wednesdays only. Those who are not interested to attend committee hearings in the mornings can go directly to the plenary hall at 4pm. We adjourn around 8pm.

Many writers have already pointed out the perennial problem of absenteeism in the Lower House. Others have also decried the rising cost of legislation resulting from the inability of the House to muster a quorum. I have a personal complaint: I already memorized the names of all members of the 14th Congress but I haven’t met all of them yet. I always bring a copy of the House directory to familiarize myself with the names and pictures of my colleagues but I still have to meet them in person because sometimes our photoshopped faces do not match reality. I am hoping that some of my mysterious colleagues will finally appear and attend the last remaining sessions before the start of the Christmas break.

House members are always caricatured as boring, brute, and boorish. This is not applicable to all House members. We have many reasonable and intelligent legislators. They can be articulate, witty, and, funny if they want to. There are veteran lawmakers who have never been absent from the plenary proceedings since 1987. There are many lawmakers who come prepared during committee debates; they know what pertinent laws and programs to cite when defending or rejecting a bill; they can effectively argue their position without bullying their opponents. They don’t salivate over media attention.

But my admiration for these brilliant members of the House ceases the moment they transform into clueless apologists of the ruling administration. Those who showed their intellectual superiority in the committees become blind followers of the Malacanang marching orders in the plenary. It is disappointing to watch independent thinkers toeing the party line just to secure the much needed but overrated administration support in the upcoming 2010 elections.

From the start, I want to be described as an activist lawmaker. I’m a member of two parliaments: the parliament of the streets and the parliament in Batasan located near Payatas. I’m an activist who is advocating change through meaningful and progressive legislation. I’m a lawmaker who believes that activism is needed to spur fundamental change in society.

Unfortunately, my activist background does not prevent some people from treating me as a traditional politician who is expected to behave in the traditional way. My office is swamped with solicitation letters from senders who do not expect a rejection letter. I always receive bundles of raffle tickets which are considered sold by the organizers. There are people who want to judge my performance as a legislator by counting the number of hard and soft projects of my office. I do not blame this attitude and behavior since patronage politics is a dominant practice and culture in the country. But I detest the thinking of some people that youth legislators like me have no option but to emulate the established political tradition.

I did not lose my license to be an idealist when I took my oath as a member of Congress. I did not and would not abandon activism just to fulfill my duties as a lawmaker. In fact, embracing the principles of activism complements my role as a young legislator. I must remain an activist if I want to escape the curse of politicians who fights the system in their youth but ends up defending it in their later years.

Through my work in Congress, I have the opportunity to prove the sincerity of activists in pushing a workable agenda of change. The prospect of introducing an alternative type of politics inside a conservative institution gives me the inspiration every time I feel cynical about my job. Yes, I rub elbows with landlords, warlords, and other ‘lords’ in Congress but I can disregard this work hazard since I’m more interested in seeing the number of people outside the gates of Batasan getting bigger and stronger. A congressman has term limits but an activist can devote a lifetime in the noble but difficult struggle for lasting freedom, peace, and justice.

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Posted in congress | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Will Malaysia and Singapore fight over water?

By admin | December 2, 2009

Due to its size and location, Singapore sources about half of its water supply from its neighbor Malaysia. It has two major water agreements with Malaysia.

The 1961 agreement provides for the selling of 350 million gallons of raw water daily at 3 Malaysian cents per 1,000 gallons. In return, Singapore had agreed to provide Johor, a Malaysian state near Singapore, with a daily supply of treated water at a price of 50 cents per 1,000 gallons. This agreement will end in 2011.

The 1962 agreement gave Singapore the right to draw water from Johor River. The agreement also guaranteed Johor with a daily supply of treated water from Singapore. This agreement is valid for 99 years.

Since the first water agreement will end in 2011, many are asking if Malaysia will renegotiate for a better deal. If Malaysia decides not to extend the water agreement, where will Singapore get its water supply? Will this issue drive a wedge between the two neighboring countries?

Through his very popular blog, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad hints at the unfairness of the current deal. He is quietly nudging the current government to demand a higher price for the water that the country is delivering to Singapore. Here is an excerpt from his blog:

“2011 is not too far away. Have we thought about extending the 2011 treaty or not extending it or negotiating a new water supply agreement? Are we going to be charitable again and sell raw water at 3 cents per thousand gallons to our rich neighbor? Being charitable and not raising prickly issues is a good way to make friends. But what is the cost to the people of Malaysia?”

The sarcasm is evident. Mahathir is indirectly castigating the incumbent government for failing to raise the contentious provisions of the water deals with Singapore authorities.

As expected, Mahathir’s commentary elicited strong reactions in cyberspace. Several Malaysian netizens have joined Mahathir in pointing out the need to charge Singapore higher water rates to reflect current market prices. They deem it unacceptable that Malaysia is conducting a losing business by charging its customer “horrible” low prices. They describe the present water agreement as an unreasonable and ridiculous deal.

But there are also Malaysian bloggers who blame the Mahathir administration for the stalled negotiations between Singapore and Malaysia. They cite Mahathir’s “inability to compromise and impatience” with Singapore for the failure of the two parties to review the water agreements more than a decade ago.

This was also asserted by Singapore’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, which published a primer in 2003 to clarify the issues surrounding the Malaysia-Singapore water agreements. In this primer, Singapore insisted that it had been fair in dealing with Malaysia regarding the water deals. Below is an excerpt from the primer:

“The water dispute is not about money but Singapore’s existence as a sovereign nation. The Water Agreements are part of the Separation Agreement which guarantees Singapore’s existence as an independent nation. If the terms of the Water Agreements can be changed by Malaysia at will, then Singapore’s independence too could be called into question. This is the root dispute.”

“The issue is not how much we pay, but how any price revision is decided upon. The Water Agreements contain specific provisions on when the price can be revised and how the revisions should be computed. Price revision cannot be at the whim and fancy of a particular party. If Malaysia can change the terms of agreements solemnly entered into at will, where is the sanctity of agreements? Any future agreement we enter into with Malaysia will have no value.”

The Singapore Ministry also emphasized that the payment for the raw water it buys from Malaysia is not cheap since the latter does not contribute a cent in building, maintaining, and upgrading water treatment facilities. The ministry asserted it is Malaysia that should be embarrassed since it sells the treated water supply to Malaysian consumers at exorbitant prices even though the Malaysian government has minimal investments in water facilities.

Perhaps anticipating that Malaysia might use the water deals to acquire political and other concessions from Singapore in the future, the prosperous city-state has been successfully adopting and developing new technologies in order to achieve water self-sufficiency. Singapore has developed NEWater – reclaimed and treated wastewater – and it recently constructed the biggest desalination plant in Asia.

Because Singapore has learned to recycle water, does this mean it can survive if Malaysia stops delivering water? Most likely Singapore needs to continue importing water from Malaysia. The immigrant population continues to rise in Singapore. The government has been aggressively encouraging its citizens to produce more babies. Singapore’s dependence on raw water from Malaysia will not decrease.

This means Malaysia and Singapore should immediately sit down and renew negotiations on the water agreement, which is about to expire. There is no need to spark an unnecessary war between two friendly countries.

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Posted in east asia | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Thailand-Cambodia squabble embarrasses ASEAN

By admin | November 23, 2009

Myanmar’s ruling junta may be the ultimate bad boy in Southeast Asia, but the stubborn attitude of the junta is not always the primordial cause of friction in the region. If achieving unity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is almost impossible, Myanmar should not get all the blame. Also worthy of disgust and concern is the petty but detrimental infighting among ASEAN members.

For example, there are still unsettled border disputes between Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia. Indonesia is accusing Malaysia of stealing its cultural heritage. Thailand and Cambodia are feuding over the ownership of the historic Preah Vihear temple and the four square kilometers of territory around it.

The recent U.S.-ASEAN Summit was an opportunity for regional leaders to resolve these conflicts. Fortunately for Malaysia and Indonesia, their leaders decided to be friendly during the event. Steps were taken to improve political and economic ties between the two countries.

But the diplomatic row between Thailand and Cambodia has worsened in the past few weeks. Thailand and Cambodia recalled their ambassadors from each other’s capital. An energy exploration deal between the two nations was suspended. The issues are obviously no longer confined to a border dispute. What or who fueled the higher level of animosity between the two neighbors?

The decision of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to appoint Thailand’s controversial former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as his special economic adviser did not amuse Thai authorities. Thailand interpreted this move as an intrusion into its internal affairs. The quarrel intensified when Thaksin arrived and stayed in Phnom Penh for five days to give a lecture on the global economic crisis.

Thai officials immediately petitioned for the extradition of Thaksin, who is facing a two-year jail term for corruption. Cambodia refused the request, arguing that Thaksin is a political, not criminal, convict. Also, Hun Sen considers Thaksin his “eternal friend.”

Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup. To escape serving a prison term for corruption, he has been living in many countries around the world. The billionaire politician believes he could not get a fair trial in Thailand. He is accusing the present government of being illegitimate and repressive.

Angered by Cambodia’s refusal to extradite Thaksin, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has threatened to close the Thailand-Cambodia borders, which could disrupt and hurt the economic activities in the region. Thai authorities are also preparing to evacuate their citizens in Cambodia in case a war erupts between the two nations.

It is difficult to ascertain Hun Sen’s real motive in appointing Thaksin as his adviser. He knew it would provoke a negative reaction in Thailand. He knew it would further strain relations between two countries. His action definitely reflected his deep anger against the Bangkok government, which ordered a buildup of Thai troops in the Preah Vihear territory last year.

Thaksin, a master at using the media for maximum political effect, agreed to accept Cambodia’s offer during the same week that the ASEAN Summit was held in Thailand. Thaksin always manages to steal the headlines every time Thailand hosts an international event.

But his decision to become Hun Sen’s adviser could ruin his plan of staging a grand political comeback. Thaksin’s political rivals and some media analysts are accusing the former leader of being a traitor to Thailand for accepting a post in a rival nation.

It is understandable for Abhisit to hate both Thaksin and Hun Sen. The two “eternal friends” are obviously working together to undermine Abhisit’s administration. But the Oxford-educated leader should not lose his cool.

Abhisit should be more diplomatic while not losing his assertiveness. He should study the results of a Bangkok University poll conducted last week, which showed that the majority of respondents preferred a soft approach when negotiating with Cambodia. The same poll also showed that an overwhelming majority is opposed to the closing of the Thailand-Cambodia border.

Closing the border today would not only hurt the economies of the two countries, it would also jeopardize the process of normalizing the relationship of the two neighboring nations.

Hun Sen, Thaksin and Abhisit will all manage to survive the current political tensions between Cambodia and Thailand. They can even benefit from the turmoil if they calculate their moves.

Those who stand to lose in this political drama are the citizens of both countries. Instead of celebrating the common history which Cambodia and Thailand share together, their leaders are finding fault with one another. Instead of striving to build a strong unified economy in the region, they are threatening to destroy the livelihood and economic prospects of their neighbors.

Prolonging the diplomatic impasse between Cambodia and Thailand is not good for ASEAN. It is a global embarrassment since it exposes the inability of ASEAN to foster unity and camaraderie among its members. ASEAN leadership is needed to close the gap between Thailand and Cambodia.

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Posted in east asia | Tagged , | Leave a comment