ASEAN must help rebuild disaster-hit countries

By admin | October 5, 2009

Ketsana is a Lao term for agarwood, the resinous heartwood from large evergreens that are native to Southeast Asia. But from now on, many people will forever remember Ketsana as the name of the typhoon that caused massive destruction in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos last week.

Ketsana was not the first great typhoon of the year in the Asia-Pacific region. Early this year, a series of flooding disasters struck Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. A minor flooding calamity also hit Brunei. But the flooding disasters did not force the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries in the Asia-Pacific to meet as one body to coordinate relief and rescue efforts.

So how strong was Typhoon Ketsana? It dumped more rain than Hurricane Katrina. In about six hours it unleashed a whole month’s worth of rain in the Philippines, which triggered the worst flooding in Metro Manila in 40 years. It claimed almost 300 lives. More than 10,000 houses, including 260 schools, were damaged.

Half a million people are now living in overcrowded evacuation centers. More than 200 schools have been converted into refugee centers, which could affect the schooling of many children. As of Oct. 2, typhoon Ketsana had affected 3 million people in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

After wreaking havoc in the Philippines, Ketsana unleashed its fury in Indochina. It forced the evacuation of 350,000 people in central Vietnam and destroyed more than 300,000 homes, schools and other vital infrastructure in the country. It killed at least 92 people, left 19 missing, and injured 199 according to a government report. Ketsana also destroyed millions of dollars worth of agricultural crops in six provinces, which will affect the country’s food security.

Residents described Ketsana as the most serious and ferocious typhoon to hit Vietnam in the last five years. They also compared the floods caused by it to the deadly 1964 floods.

Ketsana also battered Cambodia and Laos. The casualties in these countries are lower compared to the Philippines and Vietnam but they also experienced unprecedented flooding.

An expat in Cambodia said that it was the first time floods have been so bad in Siem Reap. Another expat wrote that the level of water in the moat surrounding Angkor Wat had reached its peak. A civil society group reported that in one province alone, almost 15,000 homes were flooded.

Ketsana also damaged the southern part of Laos and caused widespread flooding in Xekong and Attapeu provinces. Authorities are also worried that 50 hectares of agricultural land is flooded.

Last August, Typhoon Morakot became the worst calamity to hit Taiwan in the past 200 years. Again, Asia-Pacific nations failed to call an emergency caucus to discuss collective efforts on ways to minimize the negative economic, social and environmental impact of natural disasters in the future.

Today there is a need for ASEAN unity and cooperation to help rebuild the flooded communities in four Southeast Asian countries. The least ASEAN should do is to share resources and volunteers to aid flood victims. ASEAN should lead the international campaign in seeking more economic relief for the calamity-stricken areas in the region.

ASEAN should have a regional disaster-preparedness program. It should identify the environmental high-risk areas in the region and establish a common fund to modernize the weather monitoring facilities of member countries.

It should implement an innovative system to quickly respond to natural calamities. It should have green soldiers, medical teams and volunteers who can be swiftly deployed to any part of the region that needs assistance.

If Typhoon Ketsana were a terrorist group, ASEAN members would have met by now to denounce it and plan measures to prevent another terrorist group from destroying more lives and properties in the future. ASEAN governments should refocus their priorities. Climate change and not terrorism is the number one threat to stability in the region.

There would be many advantages if ASEAN’s efforts in combating the negative effects of climate change were synergized. This would facilitate a productive exchange of new ideas, efficient programs and modern approaches in dealing with climate change. It could foster economic progress based on the principle of environmental sustainability and generate a sense of solidarity among the people in the region. It would also guarantee immediate relief to disaster-hit countries.

This year, as in past years, ASEAN has failed to demonstrate unity although its member countries were ravaged by various natural calamities. Can Typhoon Ketsana finally force a change in attitude among ASEAN leaders?

Related articles:

Asia-Pacific floods 2009
Typhoon Milenyo
Typhoon 101

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East-West

By admin | October 3, 2009

North-South refers to the political-economic division between rich and poor nations. This designation is still relevant when analyzing the worsening economic inequality in the globe. The North-South divide is also a North-South conflict. The North exploits the South; the North accumulates its wealth by dominating the South.

In the Philippine context the North-South divide refers to the lopsided set-up between Imperial Manila and the rest of the country. Urban Mega Manila is North while the rural areas of the Philippines belong to the South. Mindanao is the famous image of the South. The 20th century witnessed the exceptional struggle of the rural South to dislodge the Imperial North.

Imperial Manila is expanding today. It is now Mega Manila. Soon, it will be Metro Luzon. The western corridor of Luzon is included in the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway of the Super Regions program of President Gloria Arroyo. The political-geographical landscape is changing.

As urbanization spreads outside Metro Manila, the West-East divide will soon become apparent. The West refers to the coastal cities of Luzon facing the South China Sea. It also includes the emerging urban areas and tourist zones in South Luzon, West (Iloilo) and Central Visayas (Cebu). The West is the country’s premier trading outpost which targets the dollar investments from Japan, China, and other East Asian giants. The West is an economic hub represented by Metro Manila, Metro Cavite, Metro Laguna, Metro Bulacan, Subic, Clark, Mariveles, and Poro Point. The country’s major international airports, seaports, and modern railways are located in the West.

The East refers to the rural provinces facing the Pacific Ocean. It includes Cagayan Valley, Cordilleras, the provinces located on the eastern side of Sierra Madre, Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao. The country’s poorest provinces are located in the East. It is no accident that armed rebels seem to be proliferating in the East. All empirical studies show that rebellion is strong in areas where there is rampant poverty.

The East is condemned because it is too poor. It is too remote and detached from Manila. It is too rebellious. Therefore it deserves to be oppressed. It has to be colonized by brute force. But the East is also feared. Its very backwardness can cause the defeat of the dominant political class. Its unbelievable defiance can inspire the poor to rise and punish the oppressors.

The State is prepared to defend the North from the attacking forces of the South. It can effectively prevent dissidents from invading the North by controlling the major transport routes north and south of Mega Manila. But is the State ready to defeat the rebels if they come from the East? The literal east. From the Sierra Madres. From the Rizal highlands. From the eastern corridor of Metro Manila. What if an enemy force will attack the archipelago from the Pacific Ocean?

Scenario: The revolutionary forces can manage to overwhelm the modern machinery of the armed State by deploying their forces in all directions around Mega Manila: north, south, west, east. Build the army in the countryside. Attack from the mountains. Maximize the seas and lakes. Invade the north from the south (though the nautical highways, expressways, railways). Invade the west from the east. A political force which has the creative will and imagination to unite the East – South can claim political victory in the future.

To travel outside Manila is to go north or south. People don’t go to the west (water transport system is not efficient) or east. Few Manilans know that Metro Manila has an eastern corridor. The recent flooding tragedy damaged several eastern cities of Metro Manila. It is through this eastern side of Imperial Manila where the weakest link of the State is located. The political and economic infrastructures of the ruling class are not well-developed here. If the rebels and other historymakers gain momentum in the future, they will enter Manila through this passage.

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Loob-labas
Bundok, dagat, pulitika
20th century: Imperialism and Revolution

Posted in reds | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Byahilo: Evaluating Philippine Tourism (2009)

By admin | September 27, 2009

Tourism continues to be a promising sector of the economy. It employs more than 3 million Filipinos (mostly in passenger transport segment of the industry). It contributes roughly 3 percent to the country’s GDP. It showcases the beautiful and exotic hotspots of the country. If the country is composed of more than 7,000 islands and islets, it means there are also more than 7,000 different ways to promote tourism in the country. There are dollar opportunities but also significant challenges to confront.

Tourist arrivals in the Philippines registered a 16.5 percent growth in the 1st semester of 2009, according to the Department of Tourism. The country’s top 16 tourist destinations attracted close to 4 million visitors (800,000 international tourists and 3 million domestic tourists). The DOT claims this is an achievement noting that the country managed to improve tourist arrivals despite the spread of A(H1N1) virus and the worsening global financial crisis. But the tourism numbers are still low if we compare the number of tourists in neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

What is the top tourist destination in the Philippines this year? Boracay? No! Guess again. Cebu? No! Palawan? No!

Camarines Sur is now the most popular tourist attraction in the country. More than 900,000 domestic and foreign tourists visited the province during the 1st semester of the year. The local government’s investment in wakeboarding tourism has yielded very positive results. This success story can inspire other local governments to draft and implement innovative and exciting tourism programs. Camarines Sur was not among the top tourist destinations last year.

Cebu is the 2nd most popular tourist hotspot in the country. It is also the favorite destination of foreign tourists. More than 320,000 foreigners and half a million local tourists visited the province during the 1st semester of the year.

The very famous Boracay Island only ranks 3rd. This is somewhat surprising and alarming. Surprising because everybody assumes Boracay is the most visited tourist attraction in the country. Everybody who plans to relax and spend money wants to stay in that world-famous island. Alarming because Boracay is already experiencing sanitation problems despite attracting only 380,000 tourists. It seems the tiny sparkling island is not ready to receive too many visitors. We need to promote other island gems. Boracay should not suffer the fate of Baguio City. Baguio used to be the country’s beautiful summer capital; the refreshing mountain vacation resort. Now it is overcrowded and dirty. Sagada is the new Baguio.

Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Bohol also attracted a bigger number of tourists this year. How? They promoted diving, ecotourism, birdwatching, adventure and incentive tourism. Dive tourism grew by 60 percent this year. Adventure tourism is the buzzword today. For example, spelunking in the Sohotan Caves in Basey, Samar. In Danao, Bohol, adventure tourism features a thrilling 45 meters plunge, 1km suislide, caving, river tubing, rappelling, kayaking and root climbing.

Where do international tourists come from? Korea (600,000), United States (580,000), and Japan (360,000). The fastest growing tourist markets come from Russia, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

DOT should not just promote the Philippines as a unique travelling destination. It should also aim to improve the country’s tourism competitiveness. The Philippines was given a dismal ranking of 86 in the 2009 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index report of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Singapore scored 10 in the tourism competitiveness index, Malaysia 32, Thailand 39, and Indonesia 81.

The Philippines scored lowest in ASEAN in terms of infrastructure competitiveness. The country also fared badly in safety and security (kidnapping?), health and hygiene (coliform? lack of clean public toilets? By the way, Dagupan has the most number of clean public toilets in the country), ground transport infrastructure, tourism infrastructure, ICT infrastructure, and availability of qualified labor (shortage of tourism graduates that can be employed in managerial positions). On the other hand, the Philippines scored high in cultural resources and price competitiveness.

The Philippine government should be worried with the lower score of natural resources index. The lower ranking reflects the inadequate measures adopted by the government in addressing the negative impact of tourism in preserving our pristine natural resources. Promoting tourism to generate dollar revenues must be pursued without destroying our cultural and natural treasures.

Tourism activities also engender prostitution, children and women trafficking, illegal drug trade and labor exploitation. Steps must be undertaken to prevent the spread of these criminal activities. Pedophiles must be punished. Foreign tourists should be compelled to respect and obey our laws and customs.

The DOT is now promoting wellness programs that include medical tourism. It is not wrong for hospitals to develop medical packages that will benefit foreigners but they should not abandon and reject poor and sick Filipinos. It is not wrong to build retirement villages for foreigners in the rural areas but the government must also address the housing needs of homeless and landless Filipinos.

The bulk of DOT’s budget for promotions is focused on international tourists. This is understandable since the government wants to earn more tourist dollars. But the DOT should not forget that domestic tourism significantly increased this year. This means we can rely on our kababayans to expand the tourism industry. Because of the lingering financial crisis, we can’t depend too much on foreign markets. Filipinos should be encouraged to visit the different islands of the country.

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Posted in places | Tagged | 7 Comments

eGovernance

By admin | September 22, 2009

The Philippine government subscribes to the UN-ASPA Four Stages of E-Governance: Stage 1 – Emerging Web Presence (website that contains basic information and contact details about the government agency). Stage 2 – Enhanced Web Presence (websites that are regularly updated and have a working search function). Stage 3 – Interactive Web Presence (websites that have web-based databases and feedback forms). Stage 4 – Transactional Web Presence (citizens can conduct complete and secured transactions online).

Out of 324 National Government Agencies, 294 have web presence. About 95 have interactive websites and only 15 have transactional websites. Based on President Gloria Arroyo’s 2009 State of the Nation Address Technical Report, 30 national agencies have no web presence.

Based on the same report, 68 State Universities and Colleges have web presence. Of this number, 29 are interactive websites, 29 are enhanced websites, and 10 schools have emerging web presence. It is quite surprising to learn that 42 state colleges have no web presence. Again, we have 42 public colleges which have no online presence! How do these schools advertise their curricular offerings? How do they disseminate information to students and faculty? How do they update the public about university activities and programs? What is so difficult in creating a simple website that contains basic information about the school?

There are 33 government agencies offering frontline services that have web portals. An example is the e-Serbisyo program for passport processing and PhilHealth membership application. There is also an e-Bayad program which allows citizens to process their payments for public services online. Through the m-Governance program, about 50 agencies have short messaging facility which provides a mechanism for the public to send their feedback to government agencies through text.

What is the status of the e-LGU Development Program? As of January 29, 2009, about 1,688 LGUs, or 99 percent of the total number of LGUs in the country, have web presence. Of this number, 1,120 are Stage 1 websites and only 115 are Stage 3 websites. There are 17 LGUs which have no websites. More than 103 Community e-Centers were established for remote local villages. The Philippine CeC Web Portal for LGUs was designed to promote local products online.

It is positive that most government agencies, whether national or local, have established web presence. But most of these websites are emerging websites. They contain only very basic information about the agency (and they are not regularly updated). There is little or no interactivity with website visitors. It is best if most agencies have transactional websites.

The e-governance report should also include a qualitative assessment of government websites. These web portals should be constantly reviewed by experts and the public to improve online transactions. The security features of public web portals should be strengthened. It was recently reported that the Comelec website was hacked a few days ago. The m-Governance program should be enhanced to serve the needs of 56 million mobile phone users in the country.

Government agencies should strive to offer the best online services to our citizens. Improving the country’s digital infrastructure can generate enthusiasm among investors and the public in general. But these expensive modernization projects should be transparent. Remember the botched NBN-ZTE deal?

Online work

I cannot blog everyday. I cannot tweet and plurk all my activities. I only open my Facebook account twice a month. I open my Friendster once a month. For updates about Kabataan Partylist, please visit our official website. To learn tidbits about our Congress work, follow @kabataancrew on Twitter.

I cannot blog everyday. As much as possible, I post 1-2 blog articles a week. But it is impossible for me to blog everyday. I am still familiarizing myself with Congress work. I have so many documents and government reports to read and criticize everyday. I attend committee hearings (and budget hearings too) which demand my full concentration. Our sessions start at 4pm and usually end around 8pm. If there are no work-related events in the evening, I devote my time and remaining energy to my family. I have two children.

I read blogs and online news articles in the morning. I write my speeches and conduct my online research in the morning too. If there is a committee hearing, I am already in Congress around 10am. I check my email in the session hall.

Before the budget season, Thursdays and Fridays are usually reserved to meet our constituents. I visit schools and communities in Metro Manila. Sometimes I attend meetings in our HQ. I go to the provinces during weekends. I usually tweet while I’m out of town. Thank you gmail for that offline feature of your email service.

I promise to improve the design and lay-out of this blog during our session break next month.

Related articles:

Cybercampaigning
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Posted in media | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Pagbabago para sa Pilipino

By admin | September 18, 2009

Talumpating binigkas sa UPIS kaninang hapon.

Maraming change ngayon: Charter Change, Character Change, System Change, Sex Change, Change of Citizenship. Kayo, anong change ang gusto ninyo?

Sa pangkalahatan, hangad natin ang pagbabago. Mga emperador at diktador lang ang may ayaw ng pagbabago. Dapat lang na manawagan tayo ng pagbabago; at inaasahan natin na kabataan ang manguna sa panawagang ito. May karapatan tayong maging ideyalista, mapangahas, matapang. Maging pilyo at suwail paminsan-minsan.

Anong pagbabago ang dapat nating ipaglaban? Pagbabago na kailangan natin. Pagbabago para sa magandang kinabukasan. Hindi ampaw na pagbabago. Hindi atrasadong pagbabago.

Lahat ng bagay nagbabago. Kayo ang magsabi kung mabuti o masama ang sumusunod:

Noon, bigas ang pangunahing pagkain ng mga Pilipino.
Ngayon, bigas at instant noodles. Kahit sa mga eskuwelahan, instant noodles ang pinapakain sa mga bata.

Noon, ang mga mahihirap ay walang pera pero dalawa ang kanilang kidney.
Ngayon, ang mga mahihirap ay wala pa ring pera pero isa na lang ang kanilang kidney.

Noon, ang mga nurse ay nag-aaral ulit para maging duktor.
Ngayon, ang mga duktor ay nag-aaral ulit para maging nurse.

Noon, bukas ang mga bar, disco, at restaurant sa gabi.
Ngayon, bukas ang mga bar, disco, at restaurant sa umaga dahil ito ang uwian ng mga call center agent.

Noon, kapag ngumiti ang isang tao, may kislap ang kanyang mata, buong giliw ang kanyang ngiti.
Ngayon, kapag ngumiti ang isang tao, walang emosyon ang kanyang mukha dahil sa…botox.

Noong 2001, ang yaman ni President Gloria Arroyo ay P67 milyon.
Ngayon, ito ay P143 milyon. Tumaas ito ng 114 percent.

Noon, ang simple dinner ay pagpunta sa isang mumurahing carenderia o restaurant.
Ngayon, ang simple dinner ay nagkakahalagang $20,000 sa isang restaurant sa New York.

Malaki ang kinalaman ng pamahalaan sa mga pagbabagong naganap, nagaganap, at magaganap sa bansa. Kaya dapat lang na piliin natin nang husto ang mga taong iniluluklok natin sa gobyerno. Dapat sa 2010, pumili tayo ng bago. Let’s vote for change.

Alam kong hindi pa kayo botante pero marami kayong magagawa para maging malinis ang darating na halalan. Noong 1986 maraming NAMFREL volunteers ay mga high school student. Sa 2010 kailangan natin ng pollwatcher na may batayang kaalaman sa information technology. Kailangang turuan ninyo ang mga nakakatanda kung paano ba ang pagboto at pagbilang sa poll automation system. Pwede pakibanggit din kung ano ang partylist system.

Sabihan ninyo ang inyong mga ate, kuya, magulang, kaibigan at mga kamag-anak na hanggang October 31 na lang ang deadline para sa voters’ registration. Aabot sa 40 percent ang youth voters na may edad 18-35. Humigit-kumulang limang milyon ang first-time voters. Ito ay malaking bilang. Isang milyon lang ang lamang ni GMA kay FPJ. Sa 2010 pwedeng idikta ng kabataan ang resulta ng halalan…kung rehistrado at boboto ang mga kabataan.

Kaso sabi ng mga PR firm, wala raw youth vote. Hindi raw kasi bumuboto ang mga kabataan. Patunayan nating mali sila. Pero ako ay naniniwala na may youth vote. Sinuportahan ng mga kabataan si Cory noong 1986. Mga kabataan ang bumoto kay Miriam Santiago noong 1992. Naging pangatlo sa halalan si Roco noong 1998 dahil sa mga kabataan. Naging senador sina Chiz Escudero, Alan Cayetano, at Antonio Trillanes dahil tinulungan sila ng mga kabataan.

Kailangang bumoto sa araw ng halalan. Bakit? Dahil sa araw ng halalan, tayong lahat ay pantay-pantay. Mayaman ka man o mahirap, may pinag-aralan ka man o wala, taga-UP ka man o hindi, ang boto natin ay iisa ang bilang. For 364 days, makapangyarihan ang mga pulitiko, pero sa araw ng halalan (for that one day), makapangyarihan ang mga botante.

Bilang kabataan, bilang estudyante, pwede kayong magbalangkas ng youth agenda. Criteria sa pagpili ng mga kandidato. Hamunin ninyo sila, kami. Interesado tayo sa plataporma ng mga kandidato; hindi sa kanilang infomercial, kasintahan, kayamanan, o magulang. Ano ang kanilang adyenda para sa edukasyon? Ano ang solusyon sa korupsiyon? Ano ang alternatibong programa para iahon ang ekonomiya?

Kailangang labanan rin natin ang maduming sistema ng halalan. Ayaw na natin ng 6G sa halalan – Guns, Goons, Gold, Garci, Generals at Gloria. Dapat hindi na gamitin ang KBL ng mga lokal na kandidato – Kasal, Binyag, Lamay. Gusto natin ng mga makabuluhang proyekto, hindi lang dapat 4B – Basketball Court, Basurahan, Bingo at Beauty Contest. Kailangang ilampaso ang Theory of Relativity ng mga pulitiko. Na kapag ikaw ay aking relative, ikaw ay tama, magaling at pwedeng ilagay sa posisyon. Huwag bumoto ng mga pulitiko na magiging miyembro lang naman ng Committee of Silence.

Sa Senado, may majority bloc, may minority bloc, at may entertainment bloc. Trapo ang tawag sa mga makalumang pulitiko. Ngayon sila ay Transpo o Transactional Politicians. Kung may chacha, may tango. Tinatawag itong politics of ta-ngo. A politican never says no during elections.

Paano lalabanan ang ganitong sistema? Paano magkakaroon ng pagbabago? Magsimula muna tayo sa pinakamadali at pamilyar sa inyo.

Ang sabi nila tayo ay nasa Information Age na raw. Makapangyarihan ang impormasyon, kaalaman. Kung gayon, dapat maging masigasig upang magpalaganap ng bagong kaalaman sa lipunan. Pakikinggan ng publiko ang inyong tinig dahil kayo’y kabataan. Magpadala ng mga letters to the editor sa mga magasin at dyaryo; magsulat sa youngblood ng inquirer. Makinig sa AM radio paminsan-minsan. Sulatan ninyo ang mga pulitiko (huwag naman solicitation letter sa lahat ng panahon) at iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan. Kung hindi kayo magrereklamo, walang aksiyong maaasahan. Kung hundi kayo magsasalita, sino ang magsasalita para sa inyo? Ang mga senior citizen?

Gamitin ninyo ang teknolohiya para sa ating kampanya para sa isang malinis na halalan. Ang cellphone at internet ay hindi lamang para sa mga sex scandal at pornograpiya. Bisitahin ang blog at website ng mga kandidato; suriin ang kanilang programa. Mag-iwan ng komento. Magblog tungkol sa reaksiyon ninyo sa mga nangyayari sa ating lipunan. Alamin kung ano ang saloobin ng ibang kabataan sa ating bansa sa pagbabasa ng kanilang mga personal na blog.

Gumawa ng mga online petition. Basahin ang mga news websites. Pumunta sa google map at google earth; hanapin ang bahay na binili ni Mikey Arroyo sa California. Alamin kung gaano kalaki sa mapa ang hasyenda ng mga Arroyo sa Negros.

Bago ipataw ang tax sa text, bago mawala ang unlimited texting, magtext ng mga political quote. May m-governance tayo: ibig sabihin pwede ang text para magreklamo sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan. Nakakatulong ang text jokes para batikusin ang mga tiwali at loko-loko sa gobyerno.

Marami pang pwedeng gawin sa internet sa pamamagitan ng inyong mga blog, twitter, plurk, at Facebook. Kaso ayokong i-endorso sa lahat ng panahon ang virtual activism. Minsan kasi kuntento na ang marami na kumilos para sa pagbabago sa harap ng kompyuter. Dumarami ang mga kabataang naniniwala na posible ang pagbabago sa pamamagitan ng pagdagdag ng mga advocacy o cause sa kanilang Facebook. Hindi na sila lumalahok sa mga pulitikal na aktibidad dahil pinanonood na lang nila ito sa youtube o kaya’y binabasa na lang sa mga blog o mga tweet sa twitter. Noong 2001, ang sigaw ng tao ay People Power sa EDSA. Ngayon, ang sigaw ng kabataan ay People Power sa…Facebook.

Sa YM at gmail pwede kang maging invinsible kahit nandun ka naman. Pwede kang maging busy kahit hindi ka busy. Ganito rin ba ang ginagawa natin sa ating tunay na buhay? Gusto nating maging invinsible sa harap ng mga samu-saring problema sa ating paligid? Kunwari busy tayo kaya wala tayong panahon para sa mga isyung panlipunan.

Kapag tayo ay nasa cyberspace, expert tayo sa multitasking. Pwedeng bukas ang ating email habang may bukas na window rin para sa facebook, friendster, multiply, youtube, at mayroon tayong tatlong ka-chat – habang bukas ang TV sa bahay; at habang may binabasa tayong libro para sa ating homework. Hindi sa lahat ng panahon uubra ang multitasking. Nakakagulo ito ng utak. Hindi maganda sa kalusugan. Dapat may pokus. Dapat may prayoridad. Sana isama ninyo sa multitasking, sana kasama sa prayoridad ang paglutas ng mga problema sa ating komunidad.

Dahil sa teknolohiya, mabilis at instant ang access natin sa impormasyon. Kapag may tanong, i-google. Kapag may kailangang dokumento, i-download. Kapag may ipapakitang dokumento sa iba, i-upload. Google. Download. Copy. Paste. Save. Print. Click. Left click. Right click. Double click. Ganyan kadali ang buhay sa internet.

Pero wag ninyo sana isiping ganyan din kadali ang totoong buhay, lalo na sa pulitika, lalo na kung nais nating baguhin ang mundo. Sa totoong buhay, hindi instant ang sagot sa mga tanong. Hindi pwedeng i-download ang solusyon sa ating mga problema. Hindi pwedeng nakaharap ka lang sa kompyuter. Kung gusto natin ng pagbabago, may katumbas itong sakripisyo. Laging matagal ang paghihintay ng resulta. Minsan, walang resulta ang ating pagod. Laging may kabiguan. Pero dapat maging mapagpasensiya, masusing inaaral ang sitwasyon, at sumasangguni sa kapwa. Pinag-uusapan sa grupo ang mga problema.

Sa kompyuter, kapag may problema ang hardware o software, pwedeng i-restart, i-reboot, lagyan ng anti-virus. Sa totoong buhay pwede rin ang restart at reboot pero kailangan mayroon kang tamang aktitud at disposisyon sa buhay na ito’y tanggapin. Mahaba ang prosesong ito. Kapag naghang ang ating mga kompyuter, napapamura na tayo. Sa totoong buhay, laging naghahang ang mga plano natin. Dapat lagi tayong nakahanda sa anumang aberya.

Huwag nating gayahin si lola techie ng Bayan DSL ad: isang matalino’ aktibong lola pero nilalaan ang oras sa harap ng komyuter. Ito ay isang malungkot na buhay. Celebrate life, not virtual life. Social interaction, hindi virtual interaction. Heal the world, not the cyberworld.

Noon, nagbabasa pa ang mga estudyante. Nagpupunta sa library para magresearch. Nangongopya ang iba. Ngayon hindi nagkokopyahan pero pare-pareho ang sagot dahil sa Wikipedia.

Noon, marami tayong kaibigan sa totoong mundo. Ngayon, marami tayong kaibigan sa Friendster at Facebook. Ilan dun ang tunay nating kaibigan?

Noon nag-uusap pa ang mga tao sa kalye. Ngayon nakatutok ang ating atensiyon sa cellphone, ipod, at PSP habang nasa byahe. Noon nagyayakapan ang magkakaibigan, naghahawakan ng kamay, naghahalikan ang mga tao, nagkakapit-bisig. Ngayon bawal maghawakan ng kamay sa simbahan, bawal ang beso-beso, kadiri hawakan ang kamay ng ibang tao dahil sa swine flu

Ano ang epekto nito sa isip ng mga bata, ng mga kabataan? Dahil nasa aking mga kamay ang kaalaman, dahil kaya kong i-download ang lahat ng sagot sa aking tanong, ako ay makapangyarihan. Hindi ko na kailangan ang iba. Kumpetisyon, indibidwalismo, imbes na bayanihan. Kaya para sa ilan, ako mismo ang kikilos para sa pagbabago. Ako mismo ang magliligtas ng mundo. Ako, ako, ako. Me na me. Myspace.

Pero kung ako ang inyong tatanungin, dapat tayo mismo, sama-sama kasama ang masa. Sabi nga sa High School Musical, we’re all in this together.

Anong pagbabago ang dapat ipaglaban?

Kung ako ay tatanungin kung anong imahen ang pinakaakma sa ating bansa ngayon, eto ay ang lumubog na barko ng MV Princess of the Stars. Ganyan ang nangyari sa bansa, lumubog o papalubog. Pero ang imaheng ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa trahedya. Ito ay simbolo ng rebolusyon. Ito ay simbolo rin ng pagbabago.

Sa mga unang pahina ng nobela niyang El Filibusterismo*, sinabi ni Rizal na ang kaayusan sa bapor Tabo ay kahalintulad ng kalagayan sa lipunan. Ang ilalim ng bapor ay mga mahihirap at ordinaryong mamamayan. Samantalang ang nasa ibabaw ay mga mayayaman at mga banyaga.

Kung titingnan natin ngayon ang MV Princess of the Stars, ang ibabaw ay nasa ilalim. Ang ilalim ay nasa ibabaw. Sabi nga ng Buklod, na inulit ni Bamboo, baligtarin ang tatsulok. Kadalasan ang mga barko, lumulubog na lamang. Pero ang MV Princess of the Stars ay nag-iwan sa atin ng nakakatakot na imahen. Hindi kaya ito ay isang pangitain ng hinaharap? Na ang lipunan ay lulubog pero mga nasa ilalim ay mapupunta sa ibabaw

Gusto natin ng pagbabago? Tayo na at baligtarin natin ang bapor.

Maraming problema ang ating bansa tulad ng kahirapan, kagutuman, korupsiyon. Maraming hinahapag na solusyon ang iba’t ibang tao, maraming inisyatiba, maraming pag-aaral. Pero kulang sa aksiyon. Bilang kabataan, ang tungkulin natin ay kumilos. Mag-aral, maglingkod, kumilos para sa pagbabago.

Ang sabi nila 7C ang pangarap ng mga kabataan ngayon: career, car, cash, credit card, country club, condominium, citizenship. Nakilumutan nila ang ikawalong C (hindi condom, charter change) – the Filipino youth also clamor for change.

At para magkaroon ng tunay na pagbabago, kailangan ng sama-samang pagkilos. Pana-panahon, isarado ang kompyuter, ilagay sa bulsa ang cellphone at iPod, iuwi ang PSP, at sumama sa mga pagkilos sa kampus, simbahan, komunidad, at maging sa kalye. Tayo mismo ang kikilos para sa pagbabago. Ayon sa wonder girls, nobody nobody but you. In Filipino, wala nang iba wala nang iba kundi ikaw. Wala nang iba wala nang iba kundi tayo.

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* “On the lower deck appear brown faces and black heads, wedged in between bales of merchandise and boxes… Seated on benches or small wooden stools among valises, boxes, and baskets, a few feet from the engines, in the heat of the boilers, amid the human smells and the pestilential odor of oil, were to be seen the great majority of the passengers.”

“While there on the upper deck, beneath an awning that protects them from the sun, are seated in comfortable chairs a few passengers dressed in the fashion of Europeans, friars, and government clerks, each with his puro cigar, and gazing at the landscape.”

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“Industrial peace of the grave”

By admin | September 16, 2009

In 1986 there were 581 factory strikes and lockouts in the Philippines. Last year the number of actual strikes went down to five. Using this data, the labor department of the government claims there is now industrial peace in the country. Is this true?

Labor groups were quick to dismiss this assertion by describing the labor situation today as an “industrial peace of the grave.” They denounced the military approach of the government in handling labor disputes. A labor leader further explained the predicament of organized workers:

“How can workers launch strikes when factories and neighboring communities are militarized? When after filing notices of strike, the (Labor) Secretary immediately issues an Assumption of Jurisdiction order, even before strikes are actually launched? (President Gloria) Arroyo provided a blanket justification for these moves by talking about ‘terrorists in factories,’ thereby declaring legitimate workers’ unions targets of state repression.”

To probe these allegations, top-level officials of the International Labor Organization are arriving in Manila this week. Another goal of the trip is to investigate the rising number of extrajudicial killings and abductions involving workers. The ILO visit is an opportunity for domestic labor groups to prove before an international body how the government is violating the human rights of Filipino workers.

Industrial peace is enforced in the country’s export processing zones by prohibiting the establishment of unions. Workers are also disallowed from conducting factory strikes. These policies are violations of the country’s labor laws, but they are implemented by the government to attract foreign investment. This makes factories inside the export processing zones the country’s prestigious and privileged sweatshops.

Industrial peace is equated with the establishment of factory zones that employ underpaid laborers who are willing to work long hours with little or no job security. Proposals to improve the working conditions in these modern sweatshops are denounced by government authorities and technocrats as anti-competitive measures.

Government and business leaders are more eager to help achieve the profit targets of foreign companies than to improve the wage benefits received by Filipino workers. Industrial peace is promoted to advance the interests of foreigners and big business.

The low number of strikes also reflects the decreasing number of organized workers in the country. The government is not aggressively promoting the formation of unions in workplaces. In fact, the Labor Department does not even include the number of unionized workers as an indicator of its performance in its annual accomplishment report submitted to Congress.

This may explain why the majority of workers are not union members. Many young workers are unaware of their right to form unions. Thus they are denied the right to demand better compensation and other work benefits.

The rise of the service sector is also a factor which has contributed to the weakening of the bargaining power of organized labor. A majority of companies in this industry are prohibiting their employees from establishing or joining labor associations. The most famous example is the Business Process Outsourcing sector, which employs almost half a million young Filipinos.

The phenomenal growth of the service sector was not achieved by the manufacturing industry, the traditional base of organized labor. In the past 25 years, the contribution of the manufacturing industry, including the agricultural sector, to the economy has been diminishing.

Stiff competition from foreign companies has forced many domestic establishments to reduce or cease their operations. Free trade was rabidly and blindly promoted without enacting adequate safeguards to protect the local economy.

As factories close down in major urban centers, organized labor is also losing its core membership. In the past months, many bankrupt companies were forced to lay off their regular workers. Most of them are union members. During an economic crisis, workers are the first to be sacrificed in order to prevent massive profit losses.

The government may be partly correct when it boasts that the country has achieved industrial peace. But this kind of peace was enforced by using the iron hand of the state to quell dissent among the ranks of workers. The concept of industrial peace is anti-labor and anti-poor. Big Government and Big Business have joined forces to undermine the just demands of organized labor.

But as long as labor exploitation exists in society, no government or capitalist enterprise can stop workers from mounting legitimate actions in workplaces and in the streets. If we continue to ignore the plight of workers, they will have no choice but to call for a revolution.

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Posted in economy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Save More

By admin | September 6, 2009

As of June 30, 2009, Henry Sy’s SM has 102 stores composed of 34 department stores, 41 supermarkets (16 SaveMore branches), 13 hypermarkets, and 14 Makro wholesale outlets. For the rest of the year, SM plans to open one new SM Supermarket, 7 SaveMore outlets, 6 SM Hypermarkets, and 2 SM Department Stores.

SM is the undisputed leader in the local retail industry. But it seems SM has a more ambitious and nefarious plan: it wants to be the only retail store in the country. It kills competition by buying out local stores; it establishes branches beside public markets; it uses its political clout to benefit from mega public projects – Northrail will have an SM Clark station, a central MRT station will be built in front of SM City North Edsa. (It is incredible that railways along EDSA, the site of two People Power uprisings, have station links to supermalls but none to historical sites or public parks).

Save More stores are sprouting everywhere. They are established in our favorite local neighborhoods; in places where we didn’t expect would be invaded by SM’s corporate tentacles. But SM is now going hyperlocal. SM is targeting the savings of kuripot residents who are not fond of malling. SM wants you buy your lunch and dinner needs at the clean, affordable, and accessible Save More branches and not in your dingy, crowded, and smelly public markets. Through Save More, SM is offering you an opportunity to experience the allure of modern shopping without the inconvenience of hobnobbing with the sosyaleras in the malls.

But Save More stores do not empower customers. They are anti-poor (and anti-labor) business establishments. After SM is finished devouring local stores like Glo-ri (Champion stores) and Masagana, it could soon dictate the retail prices in the market. It is only a matter of time before the ubiquitous Save More stores can force the shut down of small supermarkets like Hi-Top, Parco, Anson’s, Liana’s, SSG, Kemp, GL, etc. The establishment of a modern chain of supermarkets has permanently affected the profitability of maintaining public markets. SM stores are killing the businesses of small vendors in public markets. SM stores forces and seduces you to ignore and forget the ever reliable public markets.

Without competition from village stores, SM can decide what things we need to buy for our daily lives. SM can modify our shopping habits by hypnotizing us to buy goods we don’t need. Through marketing magic, SM can make us feel satisfied if we consume their products. Through its dominance of the local retail trade industry, SM can alter our senses by presenting its products as constituting the national standard for what is true, the good, and the beautiful. Soon the SM standard will be used to measure if a product is reasonable priced and of high quality. This is homogenization of taste. We will appreciate only the things and products sold by SM.

SM’s supremacy weakens the power of local farmers, growers, suppliers, and manufacturers. SM can bargain for the lowest prices from its suppliers. SM can demand unfair product requirements from producers. It can sign deals and agreements with suppliers that do not reflect an equal business partnership. SM can afford to be arrogant because it no longer has competition. Suppliers which want better deals can no longer threaten SM that they will sell their products to other village stores because the latter have already closed shop.

As the number of village stores and public markets continue to decline, the livelihood of local farmers and manufacturers is affected. They will be forced to sell their products to SM at a lower price. Consumers are at a losing end too because they will be denied of the right to choose and buy products from diverse local sources.

SM stores are changing the relationship of customer and trader. At public markets, customers can be suki in the morning; they can make tawad-tawad; they can demand dagdag (“suki, dagdagan mo naman. Suki, paubos na yung benta mo, ibigay mo na lang sa akin”); they can complain and force a change in the store policy (“Masungit yang katulong mo. Masyadong mahal ang benta mo.”); they can make pisil-pisil the products to test the freshness; they can demand new products (“Suki, gusto ko bukas ng ganitong prutas at gulay.”).

At SM stores, customers are given (dis)advantage cards but they cannot make tawad-tawad; customers are greeted by smiling employees but their complaints will most likely not affect the store policy; customers can suggest new products but the management will not act on a single request.

Through Save More, SM wants to grab more. In the end, you will pay more. Today, going to the public market is a threatened cultural and economic activity. Soon, buying a product from a public market will be an act of protest against corporate predators like SM. We need Farmers’ Markets. Once in a while, go to the nearest tiangge.

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Posted in economy | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Electoral reforms

By admin | September 3, 2009

Written one week after the 2007 elections….

Modernization of elections should be one of the top priorities of government after the midterm polls. We cannot afford to have the same slow, fraud-prone and chaotic manual elections in 2010. The Presidential elections three years from now is looming to be as significant, if not more momentous, than the 2004 polls.

Assuming that the Administration will resurrect the ‘charter change’ initiative this year, the need for modern electoral system remains. If we shift to a Parliamentary form of government, or whatever form of government we will adopt, a credible election result will always be required. Governments will continue to be hounded by questions of legitimacy if elections are marred by high incidences of fraud and violence. In short, a faulty electoral exercise is a recipe for destabilization.

The 2007 midterm polls are no different from past elections. There were cases of ballot switching, ballot-snatching, kidnapping (and burning) of teachers, harassment of pollwatchers, fake election returns, missing names of voters, padded list of voters, ghost voters, vote-buying, power interruptions, last minute disqualification of candidates, failure of elections in some areas and ‘slow’ quick count. There were more than 120 people killed in a “generally peaceful 2007 elections.” Indeed, it’s the usual election experience, Philippine-style.

Foreign observers may be shocked over these incidents but to most of us who are familiar with local politics, these were ordinary cases we expect to happen every election year. It’s time we should be outraged over these abnormal circumstances. If we really want to preserve democracy, then we should protect the sanctity of our votes. We always boast that we have a strong democracy yet our method of freely electing our leaders is erroneous and deficient. We have been voting for the past one hundred years yet our election process remains premodern, slow and embarrassing.

What should be the blueprint for electoral reforms? We can begin with the national leadership of the Commission on Elections. At the minimum, Comelec officials should admit its mistakes, incompetence and complicity in abetting poll fraud and violence. At the maximum, we need to revamp Comelec and appoint new officials with high credibility, intelligence and moral integrity. The Opposition should have its official nominee among the roster of Comelec Commissioners. Past Comelec officers accused of manipulating election results should be charged in the courts. For Garci’s sake, let us put a closure to the 2004 election scandal by punishing the individuals involved in the infamous ‘Hello Garci’ audio recording.

Congress should start deliberating and hasten the passage of the bill which would computerize our election process. The technology is already available to modernize our voting process. Most countries have already adopted modern and efficient system of voting and counting. We should also experiment with internet voting. We have enough time and (hopefully) resources to modernize elections before 2010. What we really need is political will to kiss dagdag-bawas goodbye.

We also need to address the following issues: banning of political dynasties, imposing more sensible qualification of candidates, limiting election advertisements in TV and radio, and implementing party discipline.

We have to improve the Overseas Absentee Voting system. This is one way to show our Overseas Filipino Workers that their votes still matter in choosing our leaders. Their votes, plus the money they send home, are necessary in the process of nation-building. The Comelec and the Department of Foreign Affairs should quickly assess why there was a low turn-out in the overseas absentee elections. Was the information drive adequate? Were the polling centers accessible to our OFWs?

Congress should revise the partylist law to prevent unscrupulous politicians from bastardizing the essence of this landmark legislation. The partylist system should not be used to extend the sphere of influence of Malacañang and local warlords. We should subsidize genuine partylist groups and modify voting procedure to allow each marginalized sectors of our society to vote for their chosen sectoral group.

The next three years should also be devoted in conducting rigorous voters’ education. This is essential so that we will have more responsible, matured and intelligent voters in 2010. This is our ‘calibrated preemptive response’ against attempts of evil politicians to bribe, coerce and idiotize our naïve voters. Through this measure, we can prevent voters from patronizing famous candidates who have nothing substantial to offer other than their charisma and good looks.

We also have to overhaul the political culture in our country. This may be impossible to achieve in just a short period of time but we have to change this political system which privileges the interests of the rich over the poor. Only the moneyed class can afford the very expensive national elections. The poor has little influence in the governance of our public institutions. It’s not just electing good leaders that matters. We need elections where both the rich and poor can participate as candidates without fear of being cheated and killed in the process.

****************************

Vision 2010

Six months before election day. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced the calendar of activities and guidelines for a peaceful and orderly conduct of the coming elections. Comelec has new set of officers. The public is eagerly awaiting the trial of previous commissioners accused of electoral sabotage.

Three and a half months before election day. The four major political parties in the country have just submitted their official list of candidates to the Comelec. There were nuisance candidates but they were immediately rejected by the poll body. Incumbent senators who filed new candidacies were deemed resigned from Congress. There were fewer showbiz candidates. Partylist groups with nominees directly connected with Malacañang were disqualified from running.

Three months before election day. It’s the start of the campaign period. Political advertisements are strictly regulated. Political parties, especially the partylist groups are given subsidies to finance their campaigns. Media networks allot more coverage for candidates who are less affluent. Debates between candidates are given more priority over reality shows.

Two months before election day. Comelec disqualified candidates who were found guilty of vote buying and distributing/posting illegal campaign materials. A presidentiable was also disqualified for giving away health cards, insurance items, grocery bags and cash gifts. The candidacy of a senatoriable was rejected after he/she exceeded the limit for allowable campaign expenses. Soldiers are barred from interfering in election disputes. Instead, Comelec has tapped religious groups and civil society in supervising election hotspots. Soldiers found guilty of actively campaigning for or against any candidate were accosted and punished by the Courts. Police detains journalists and publishers who were asking for payola. The MMDA recommends candidates who should be disqualified for making the cities dirtier and uglier

One month before election day. Local and overseas absentee voting has commenced. Election turn-out is impressive. Voting centers are more accessible. Internet voting is a success. Text voting is being pilot-tested. Religious groups are discouraged from forcing their faithful to vote according to the wishes of their leaders. Comelec disqualifies more partylist groups for not being true representatives of marginalized sectors in society. Private armies of politicians are apprehended by authorities. Government officials using government resources and their power to campaign for certain candidates are suspended.

One week before election day. Comelec announces the completion of cleaning up the voters’ database. Candidates reveal the names and affiliations of their campaign contributors. Candidates disclose their initial campaign expenses. Electoral watchdog exposes candidates who spent too much money during the campaign period and those who received dirty money from crime and drug syndicates. Teachers will already receive half of their extra pay for overseeing the election process. Voters will receive through mail or email an official sample ballot from the Comelec.

Election day. Voting starts at 7am and ends at 8pm to allow more time for more people to vote. Public school teachers will not be forced to perform election duties. Private schools will assist in the elections. Voters will immediately find their precints, flying voters will be identified and handicapped voters will be assisted by election volunteers. Elections are already computerized. There will be no power interruptions throughout the voting and counting process. No failure of elections will be declared in remote areas. Election results will be tabulated in less than an hour. Results will be transmitted to municipal and provincial Comelec centers. Teachers, volunteers and pollwatchers will all get their full stipend.

One day after elections. Foreign observers will report how efficient and peaceful the elections were conducted in the Philippines. Provincial election results will be transmitted to regional Comelec centers. Winning local candidates will be proclaimed. The Comelec’s national office will tabulate final results coming from the regions and overseas. A new president and members of Senate will be proclaimed within the day. Electoral protests of some candidates will be filed. Comelec will resolve these cases in less than a week.

One week after elections. There will be a reshuffle in the Comelec bureaucracy. Comelec officers who were unable to deliver an acceptable turn-out of voters or those who failed to prevent high incidences of fraud and violence will be removed or suspended from office.

Three years before election day. Voters are praying and hoping these marvelous dreams will be realized in 2010. Meanwhile, we are still stuck with the ancient voting process which distorts the will of the people. More than one week after elections, canvassing has not yet been finalized in many areas.

Will 2010 yield a different kind of elections? I hope so.

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Organ trafficking victimizes poor Filipinos

By admin | August 31, 2009

Last month a Saudi national was accused of marrying a Filipina wife so that he could get a kidney donation in the Philippines. A news item like this has lost the power to shock readers in the Philippines because by now almost everybody is familiar with the story of desperate foreigners arriving in the country in search of organ donors.

A foreigner can buy a kidney from a healthy but poor individual in a depressed community in the Philippines for as low as US$2,000. This figure is small but in a society where millions of families earn less than US$1 dollar a day, this amount can convince an unemployed individual to sell his or her organ.

In 2005 the Philippines was identified by the World Health Organization as the No. 5 hotspot in the world for organ trafficking. According to the registry of Philippine Renal Disease there were 531 foreign recipients of kidneys from non-related donors in 2007, as against 313 Filipino recipients, with 29 cadaveric donors as against over 1,000 living donors.

Last year kidney transplants in the country went down to 690, as reported by the Philippine Society of Nephrology. But almost 200 transplant beneficiaries were still foreigners – despite a ban on organ sales to foreigners imposed by the national government. Health authorities believe 50 percent of kidney transplants in the country may involve organ sales.

The Philippine Congress has been deliberating several legislative measures that seek to address the issue of the rising number of victims of organ trafficking, while sustaining efforts to help those in need of organ transplants.

Some of the proposed measures include the removal of the ban on senior citizens to become kidney donors. Doctors argue that the organs of persons above 60 years old may still be used by older patients. Another measure seeks to establish a national registry and reporting system of donors and recipients to remove the role of middlemen who make a business out of organ donations.

The Philippine College of Physicians and Philippine College of Surgeons are supportive of the proposal to include the concept of health promotion, disease prevention and organ or tissue donation in the basic education curriculum.

A bold but controversial measure is the “opt out” system, or presumed consent bill. The author of the bill explains how the bill addresses the commercialization of organ donation in the country: “Upon reaching the age of 18, each Filipino will be asked if he or she would refuse to be an organ donor and in the event that he or she would not refuse, he or she is then presumed to be a willing organ donor. In the event of an untimely death, the person’s relatives will be notified of his/her wish to be a donor.”

The lawmaker wants to maintain a national registry of persons who have refused to donate their organs. Those who don’t register their objection will automatically become a donor. This procedure is observed in several European countries like Austria and Spain. This radical proposal was conceived out of frustration with the “opt in” system that has been in place in the country for the past decade but has produced only 1 deceased donor with a donor card.

Regulators of kidney transplants should learn from the country’s Eye Bank Foundation, which claims to be the most successful eye bank in Asia with 90 percent of donations from medico-legal cases, and only 10 percent from voluntary donors.

Sharing one’s kidneys is not wrong since it helps save lives. A healthy individual has the right to donate his or her kidney for altruistic reasons. But organ donations become controversial if the poor are encouraged and forced to sell their kidneys for a hefty sum.

The government has to intervene and regulate organ transplants to protect the rights of the poor while balancing the needs of the sick who require urgent organ transplants.

The government should also clarify the objectives of its medical tourism program, since it could be abused by crooked doctors who want to promote organ selling to desperate foreigners in urban poor communities. The government has to act now if it wants to disprove the accusation that its economic strategy depends on the exporting of its skilled labor to other countries and the selling of organs of its poor citizens to rich foreigners.

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Posted in health | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Isang milyon

By admin | August 20, 2009

Maikling talumpating binigkas sa Pamantasang Lungsod ng Maynila. Nilunsad namin kanina ang kampanyang Isang Milyon, Isang Panata para sa nalalapit na halalang 2010.

Mahiwaga ang isang milyon bilang numero sa ating kultura. May sikolohikal itong epekto sa mga indibidwal. May kapangyarihan itong umantig ng damdamin. Ang isang daan ay marami, ang isang libo ay malaki, ang isang daang libo ay higante, malawakan; pero ang isang milyon ay milagro.

Ang isang daan ay mura, ang isang libo ay mahal, ang isang daang libo ay maluho, ang isang milyon ay kayamanan na.

Ang isang daan sa kalye ay piket, ang isang libo ay malaking rali, ang isang daang libo ay prayer rally, ang isang milyon ay People Power.

Isang milyon ang pa-premyo sa mga noontime show.

Isang milyon ang sukatan ng yaman ng mga tao. Kapag may 500,000 kang pera, mayaman ka. Pero kung isang milyon ang nasa bangko mo, parang Bill Gates na ang tingin sa iyo ng mga tao.

Isang milyon ang target sa mga online petition at halos lahat ng mga signature campaign.

Isang milyon ang halaga ng simple dinner ni Gloria Arroyo at ang kanyang mga kroni sa New York.

Isang milyon ang sumama sa funeral march ni Ninoy noong 1983 at Ka Lando Olalia noong 1987.

Isang milyon “yung dagdag, yung dagdag” na lamang ni Arroyo kay FPJ noong 2004.

Ngayon mayroon tayong bagong isang milyon. Hindi pera, hindi suhol, hindi nakaw. Iipunin pa lang natin ang bilang na ito. Isang milyong bagong botante. Isang milyong kabataan na may isang panata para sa pagbabago.

Isang milyong bagong botante na aktibong lalahok sa halalan.
Isang milyong bagong botante na mangangampanya para sa isang malinis, mapayapa, at maayos na halalan.
Isang milyong bagong botante na hahamon sa mga kandidato; ipaglalaban ang adyenda ng kabataang Pilipino.
Isang milyong bagong botante na lalabanan ang mga corrupt, tiwali, at abuso sa kapangyarihan.
Isang milyong bagong botante na magbabantay ng balota sa araw ng halalan.
Isang milyong bagong botante na tutulong sa bilangan, ipagtatanggol ang boto, ang boses ng kabataan.
Isang milyong bagong botante na kikilos para sa demokrasya at kinabukasan ng bayan.

Kapag sama-sama, hindi imposibleng maipon natin ang isang milyong bagong botante. May hinahabol tayong deadline: October 31. Gawin natin ang lahat para magtagumpay ang ating dakilang panata para sa pagbabago.

Isa ang ating panata: maging pwersa ng pagbabago sa lipunan. Gamitin ang kapangyarihan ng balota upang panalunin ang mga karapat-dapat manalo at talunin ang mga kaaway ng pagbabago.

Maaaring tanungin ng iba, panata na naman? Hindi ba may panata rin ang mga mambabatas na pumirma sa Con-Ass Resolution na hindi nila pahahabain ang termino ng mga nakaupong pulitiko sa bansa? Hindi ba panata ni Marcos na “this nation can be great again.” Hindi ba panata ni Ramos na ang Pilipinas ay magiging Newly Industrialized Country noong 2000?

Hindi ba panata ni Erap noong siya ay kinasal na magiging tapat siya sa kanyang asawa? Hindi ba panata ni Gloria na hindi na siya tatakbo sa 2004?

Totoo, maraming panata. Totoo, may panata tayong hindi sinusunod sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa. Pero ibahin natin ang ating panata ngayon. Malaki ang tiwala natin sa kabataang Pilipino. Malakas ang ating paninindigan na hindi tayo bibiguin ng mga kabataang titindig para sa katotohanan, katarungan, at kinabukasan. Ang kabataang Pilipino ay hindi lang pag-asa ng bayan; tayo ay maaasahan ng bayan.

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Posted in speeches | Tagged | 6 Comments