When I first thought about this entry, I was outraged by the way our politicians bastardized the party-list system.
On how a novel idea of marginal representation was abused with the entry of the sons of Mike Velarde and Eddie Villanueva as partylist representatives. Partylist representation should enable groups and sectors marginalized by our society can be represented in Congress. It turned out that the system was used by people unpopular enough to be elected as usual Congressmen in their districts to sneak into Congress.
But it only gets worse, armed with a Supreme Court decision the number of Congressmen was expanded. Hence, partylist representatives including a child of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago were joined by Pres. GMA's sister and her favorite general.
Not to be outdone, the regular members of the House of Representatives did something more reprehensible. They passed a resolution to convene a Constituent-Assembly (Con Ass) for Charter Change (Cha Cha).
While I do agree that certain provisions of the constitution must be revised, this is not the right process for one simple reason: I DO NOT TRUST OUR CURRENT CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS!!!
I DO NOT TRUST Prospero Nograles!
I DO NOT TRUST the Arroyos (there are now 4 Arroyo congresspeople)!
I DO NOT TRUST the members of political clans in Congress (that would account for about 80% to 90% of all Congressmen and Senators)!
I DO NOT TRUST pork-barrel loving politicians!
I DO NOT TRUST our district's congressman Pedro Pancho! (who is always with the administration and is related to C.M. Pancho Construction, one of the firms banned due to the World Bank Road Mess)
I DO NOT TRUST politicians in general!
Showing posts with label president. Show all posts
Showing posts with label president. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
5 disgusting things in Philippine politics (no. 5)
April is a busy month... summer vacations, out-of-town trips and numerous adventures. But no matter how frustrated you get with the way the weather ruins all your plans, Philippine politics undoubtedly is far from being frustrating, it is disgusting. Here are five of the most disgusting things in Philippine politics:
5. GMA legacy "investments"
When we went to Los Baños, Laguna, we stayed at Trace Suites, a hotel inside Trace Colleges- Los Baños Campus. It is where the swimming and diving competitions f
or the most recent ASEAN Games were held. It also hosted the swimsuit competition for the Miss Earth Beauty Pageant. We were surprised and amazed on how a small, relatively unheard college could afford such a expensive aquatics facility and hotel complex.
When we learned that Trace College is owned by the family of PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino, all our questions are answered. We were surprised further when our friends from UPLB
told us that the real owners of the hotel and college is the First Family.
When we went to Coron, Palawan, our tour guide told us that the governor, allegedly in partnership with the First Family is building a new hotel and resort complex in Coron (they are referred to as The Boracay Group).
And a friend who just came back from Mindanao, told me that a new chain of gasoline station sprung up all over Mindanao, Phoenix Petroleum. Its biggest endorser/part-owner is Manny Pacquiao. However, rumor has it that the real owners of the gas company is... the First Family.
Is this GMA's legacy??? Crony investments similar to what the Marcoses did? Simply disgusting....
5. GMA legacy "investments"
When we went to Los Baños, Laguna, we stayed at Trace Suites, a hotel inside Trace Colleges- Los Baños Campus. It is where the swimming and diving competitions f
or the most recent ASEAN Games were held. It also hosted the swimsuit competition for the Miss Earth Beauty Pageant. We were surprised and amazed on how a small, relatively unheard college could afford such a expensive aquatics facility and hotel complex. When we learned that Trace College is owned by the family of PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino, all our questions are answered. We were surprised further when our friends from UPLB
told us that the real owners of the hotel and college is the First Family. When we went to Coron, Palawan, our tour guide told us that the governor, allegedly in partnership with the First Family is building a new hotel and resort complex in Coron (they are referred to as The Boracay Group).
And a friend who just came back from Mindanao, told me that a new chain of gasoline station sprung up all over Mindanao, Phoenix Petroleum. Its biggest endorser/part-owner is Manny Pacquiao. However, rumor has it that the real owners of the gas company is... the First Family.
Is this GMA's legacy??? Crony investments similar to what the Marcoses did? Simply disgusting....
Friday, March 27, 2009
10 million votes to elect Panlilio and Padaca in 2010
A major concern for people who expressed their excitement in news regarding the possible candidacy of Among Ed Panlilio and Grace Padaca in 2010 is their ability to win.
Some (or most) people only vote for winners. Regardless of principle, political stand or affiliation, they would never vote for a loser (or a probable loser). There is a certain level of pride when you can tell yourself that you voted for the person who won.
This mentality is very alarming. It leads to self-fulfilling prophecies. If everybody (or the majority or plurality in an election) thinks the a candidate will lose, then, no one will vote for that person, and he will definitely lose. This mentality also re-enforces the need for early campaigning and expensive media campaign, the same expensive campaigning that leads to a circle of corruption and vote buying. I hope that there will come a time that people will feel prouder when they vote for a candidate with principles no matter what.
This leads me to a crude analysis on voters decide and how elections are won in the Philippines.
FOUR GROUPS OF VOTERS
Sadly, up to 40% of votes cast are sold (the sold vote) and can be bought by the highest bidder. This can be done through direct vote buying or through organized vote buying. Direct vote buying involves giving cash, groceries, rice and other goods to registered voters. Organized vote buying involves talking to the leader of an organization, group or company. Money and/or favor is negotiated between the leaders, and the followers vote whoever the leader dictates. The leader can be a local political leader, a union leader, an elder in the community or the head of the household.
Around 30% of the vote goes to the popular candidate ( the popular vote). Popularity may be based on different factors such as looks, gender, box-office performance, links to celebrities and other politicians, etc. Some people vote for candidates with the best campaign slogan, the prettiest or largest campaign poster, or name that is easiest to recall (hence the proliferation two-letter-named-candidates in Quezon City). Rumors can easily sway the popular vote to and from the candidates.
Only around 25% of votes can be considered as the thinking vote. Voters who thoroughly assess each and every candidate's platform, track record and political stand. Most of the thinking votes go to the least evil, after finding all candidates imperfect.
The remaining 5% of votes are cast by religious blocks.I am not sure how the religious leader decides on who his or her flock should vote. Five percent might be very small but it can decide a close race.
CAVEATS.
1. People can easily move from one category to the other. Some members of religious groups that practices block voting tend not to vote at all if they really cannot accept their leader's anointed candidate. Some people vote for the popular candidate even if they have sold their votes. Some people will vote for the person they really like and accept payment for the vote (iboboto ko din naman talaga sya, bonus na yung pera).
2. It is very hard to discern between the popular vote and the thinking vote. Some people may cite certain profound reasons for voting for a certain candidate, but deep inside, they vote for him because he is cute. Or the other way around, "I don't like him because of his stand on nuclear power, but really, it is just his hair style that I cannot stand."
3. The grouping of voters I presented knows no income classes, educational attainment or religious beliefs. Contrary to popular belief, you can buy the votes of rich people, you just have to pay a higher price. Not all people with college and graduate degrees vote intelligently, some vote with their religion others vote with popularity.
When making their political strategy, most politicians and their advisers consider all the groups. Politics and elections are all about addition; a candidate must be able to get some or all of each group in order to win.
In a crowded race like the coming 2010 elections, a candidate can win by as small as 20% of the vote (In 1992, Ramos won 23.6% of votes with a margin of around 875,000). There are around 45 million registered voters for the coming election, the winning candidate must get at least 10 million votes.
And this is the tricky part in the campaign of Among Ed and Grace. They can get some of the thinking vote, some of the popular vote but definitely none of the sold vote and the religious block vote.
The hope is that the wealthy candidates (those with a war chest of PhP2 billion or more) will outbid each other and divide evenly among themselves the sold votes (40% of 45 million = 18 million sold votes divided by 4 rich candidates = 4.5 million votes each). Since these wealthy candidates are also popular, the hope is that they also divide the non-thinking popular votes (30% of 45 million = 13.5 million popular votes divided by 4 celebrity candidates = 3.375 million votes each). A rich, celebrity-type candidate can get around 8 million votes, still shy of the 10 million needed to win.
This is meant to bring good news to supporters of Panlilio- Padaca tandem. It means that by targeting 10 million thinking voters, Panlilio and Padaca can win. There is also a very strong need to convert as many voters possible from a sold voter or popular voter to a thinking candidate.
The campaign for Governors Panlilio and Padaca will never be easy, but stakes are very high and we cannot afford another corrupt and incompetent leader. We owe it to ourselves and the future generation!
Some (or most) people only vote for winners. Regardless of principle, political stand or affiliation, they would never vote for a loser (or a probable loser). There is a certain level of pride when you can tell yourself that you voted for the person who won.
This mentality is very alarming. It leads to self-fulfilling prophecies. If everybody (or the majority or plurality in an election) thinks the a candidate will lose, then, no one will vote for that person, and he will definitely lose. This mentality also re-enforces the need for early campaigning and expensive media campaign, the same expensive campaigning that leads to a circle of corruption and vote buying. I hope that there will come a time that people will feel prouder when they vote for a candidate with principles no matter what.
This leads me to a crude analysis on voters decide and how elections are won in the Philippines.
FOUR GROUPS OF VOTERS
Sadly, up to 40% of votes cast are sold (the sold vote) and can be bought by the highest bidder. This can be done through direct vote buying or through organized vote buying. Direct vote buying involves giving cash, groceries, rice and other goods to registered voters. Organized vote buying involves talking to the leader of an organization, group or company. Money and/or favor is negotiated between the leaders, and the followers vote whoever the leader dictates. The leader can be a local political leader, a union leader, an elder in the community or the head of the household.
Around 30% of the vote goes to the popular candidate ( the popular vote). Popularity may be based on different factors such as looks, gender, box-office performance, links to celebrities and other politicians, etc. Some people vote for candidates with the best campaign slogan, the prettiest or largest campaign poster, or name that is easiest to recall (hence the proliferation two-letter-named-candidates in Quezon City). Rumors can easily sway the popular vote to and from the candidates.
Only around 25% of votes can be considered as the thinking vote. Voters who thoroughly assess each and every candidate's platform, track record and political stand. Most of the thinking votes go to the least evil, after finding all candidates imperfect.
The remaining 5% of votes are cast by religious blocks.I am not sure how the religious leader decides on who his or her flock should vote. Five percent might be very small but it can decide a close race.
CAVEATS.
1. People can easily move from one category to the other. Some members of religious groups that practices block voting tend not to vote at all if they really cannot accept their leader's anointed candidate. Some people vote for the popular candidate even if they have sold their votes. Some people will vote for the person they really like and accept payment for the vote (iboboto ko din naman talaga sya, bonus na yung pera).
2. It is very hard to discern between the popular vote and the thinking vote. Some people may cite certain profound reasons for voting for a certain candidate, but deep inside, they vote for him because he is cute. Or the other way around, "I don't like him because of his stand on nuclear power, but really, it is just his hair style that I cannot stand."
3. The grouping of voters I presented knows no income classes, educational attainment or religious beliefs. Contrary to popular belief, you can buy the votes of rich people, you just have to pay a higher price. Not all people with college and graduate degrees vote intelligently, some vote with their religion others vote with popularity.
When making their political strategy, most politicians and their advisers consider all the groups. Politics and elections are all about addition; a candidate must be able to get some or all of each group in order to win.
In a crowded race like the coming 2010 elections, a candidate can win by as small as 20% of the vote (In 1992, Ramos won 23.6% of votes with a margin of around 875,000). There are around 45 million registered voters for the coming election, the winning candidate must get at least 10 million votes.
And this is the tricky part in the campaign of Among Ed and Grace. They can get some of the thinking vote, some of the popular vote but definitely none of the sold vote and the religious block vote.
The hope is that the wealthy candidates (those with a war chest of PhP2 billion or more) will outbid each other and divide evenly among themselves the sold votes (40% of 45 million = 18 million sold votes divided by 4 rich candidates = 4.5 million votes each). Since these wealthy candidates are also popular, the hope is that they also divide the non-thinking popular votes (30% of 45 million = 13.5 million popular votes divided by 4 celebrity candidates = 3.375 million votes each). A rich, celebrity-type candidate can get around 8 million votes, still shy of the 10 million needed to win.
This is meant to bring good news to supporters of Panlilio- Padaca tandem. It means that by targeting 10 million thinking voters, Panlilio and Padaca can win. There is also a very strong need to convert as many voters possible from a sold voter or popular voter to a thinking candidate.
The campaign for Governors Panlilio and Padaca will never be easy, but stakes are very high and we cannot afford another corrupt and incompetent leader. We owe it to ourselves and the future generation!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Panlilio-Padaca 2010
Even if the presidential election is more than a year away, I am already announcing my support for Among Ed Panlilio and Grace Padaca (or whomever they will support in 2010).
Previously, I have told several of my friends and colleagues that among those who have announced their intention to run for president I am likely to vote for Bayani Fernando. He has very good executive experience and a practical, can-do attitude. It seems then that he is the least among evils. I was likely to vote for him but not support and/or campaign for him.
The news about the possibility that Pampanga Governor Panlilio and Isabela Governor Padaca teaming up in 2010 brought mixed emotions. It raised my hopes up, but I fear for their safety. I imagine the groundswell of support from the grassroots and the possibility of disappointment if they lose. I have anticipated all the criticisms to be launched, character assassinations, mud slinging and all the dirty tricks than any one can think off.
Right now, the traditional political elite are cooking up plans to sabotage their campaign. Expect any or all of the following.
1. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca have illegitimate children (this is a big issue because Among Ed is a priest while Grace is unmarried)
2. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca had an affair with someone
3. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca are secret NPA members or at least supported by the NPA
4. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca are disabled hence incapable of leading (Among Ed has a skin disorder wile Grace was a polio victim. This criticism sounds stupid, biased and unfair, but their critics have no sens of fairness).
5. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca are as corrupt as any other politician.
It will be an uphill battle and my stomach will probably turn every time I hear politicians launch any of the attacks against them. Please support them also, but please prepare for the worst.
Previously, I have told several of my friends and colleagues that among those who have announced their intention to run for president I am likely to vote for Bayani Fernando. He has very good executive experience and a practical, can-do attitude. It seems then that he is the least among evils. I was likely to vote for him but not support and/or campaign for him.
The news about the possibility that Pampanga Governor Panlilio and Isabela Governor Padaca teaming up in 2010 brought mixed emotions. It raised my hopes up, but I fear for their safety. I imagine the groundswell of support from the grassroots and the possibility of disappointment if they lose. I have anticipated all the criticisms to be launched, character assassinations, mud slinging and all the dirty tricks than any one can think off.
Right now, the traditional political elite are cooking up plans to sabotage their campaign. Expect any or all of the following.
1. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca have illegitimate children (this is a big issue because Among Ed is a priest while Grace is unmarried)
2. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca had an affair with someone
3. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca are secret NPA members or at least supported by the NPA
4. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca are disabled hence incapable of leading (Among Ed has a skin disorder wile Grace was a polio victim. This criticism sounds stupid, biased and unfair, but their critics have no sens of fairness).
5. Among Ed and/or Grace Padaca are as corrupt as any other politician.
It will be an uphill battle and my stomach will probably turn every time I hear politicians launch any of the attacks against them. Please support them also, but please prepare for the worst.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Presidential Legacy
After George W. Bush became the 43rd US President in 2001, he said that his father's presidency (George H.W. Bush, the 41st President) failed, mainly because daddy-Bush was not reelected in 1992.
To win and re-win the presidency, Bush employed the services of Karl Rove, the engineer and mastermind behind the most vicious and dirtiest campaigns in modern US history. In 2001, Rove launched an attack on John McCain, Bush's strongest contender for nomination of the Republican Party. While campaigning for reelection against John Kerry in 2004, they discredited Kerry's service record during the Vietnam War including the multiple medals he received.
At the end of Baby-Bush's presidency, he is perceived as one of the most unpopular presidents ever. But baby-Bush can still be considered as an achiever compared to his dad. Daddy-Bush launched the Iraq War, Baby-Bush launched two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Daddy-Bush left the economy weak, Baby-Bush wrecked the economy into recession. Daddy-Bush failed to capture Saddam Hussein, Baby-Bush captured Saddam Hussein but failed to get Osama bin Laden. Other than that, Baby-Bush can boast of other legacies including his failures regarding Katrina, Guantanamo, sub-prime mortgages, financial market collapse, debt and deficit, and the list continues (no comparison for daddy-Bush).
With all the wrong intentions to become the president, baby-Bush's legacy is still debatable, whether he is "the worst president ever" or just "one of the worst" or "the worst so far".
Back home, with a more than a year left in the GMA administration, I wonder what her legacy would be. On the negative side, I think GMA is really not worse compared to past presidents. GMA failed in battling poverty, unemployment, homelessness, corruption, cronyism, nepotism and others, just like her predecessors. We still have a failed agrarian reform project, no centralized land registration bureau, cumbersome and inadequate social security programs, peace in Mindanao and the countryside is still elusive, just like when Aguinaldo proclaimed independence in 1898.
Nevertheless, Marcos definitely has the worst record in terms of corruption, human rights and temper. But it can be mainly due to the length of their presidencies. When GMA steps down in 2010, she has been president for 9 years, the second longest in Philippine history after Marcos' 21 years in power.
On the positive side, I think the following are GMA's greatest legacies (in no particular order):
1. E-VAT (Expanded Value-Added Tax Law raised the rate from 10% to 12% and widened its scope)
Th E-VAT helped diffuse the impending fiscal crisis the Philippines chronically faces. VAT is relatively easy to compute and collect. As a consumption tax, it follows the principle of taxing people based on what they take out of the economy instead on their contributions to the economy, i.e., VAT discourages consumption while income tax discourages work.
One of the greatest advantages of the E-VAT is its imposition on oil, a highly unpopular decision avoided by Aquino, Ramos and Estrada. VAT on oil is good for several reasons:
i. Richer people (private vehicle owners) pay more compared to poorer people (those who take public transport).
ii. It serves as a pollution tax, thus discourages the use of gas-guzzling SUVs and encourages walking, biking and the use of mass transport systems.
iii. It is the only way that the highly informal transportation industry is taxed (most public utility vehicle operators, drivers and owners don't pay income tax... but I still cannot use this argument when talking to a tip-asking-taxi-driver).
With the unpopular E-VAT already in place, the next president should personally thank GMA for it. Let us just hope that E-VAT will not be scrapped due to populist tendencies of politicians.
2. Holiday economics (the practice of moving national holidays to a Monday or Friday)
As a promdi, the holiday economics allowed me to spend more time with my family in Bulacan. It also helped me and my friends plan out-of-town trips, (we have visited numerous places and islands around the country). With tourism, income and wealth is distributed more equitably around the country. With tourism interlinked with numerous industries such as land, sea and air transport, food, hospitality and local handicraft, the multiplier effect is much much bigger. Aside from providing numerous jobs, tourism allows people from different places to interact and learn from each other.
3. RORO (Roll-in Roll-out) Facilities
As an archipelago with 7,107 islands (is the Kalayaan Group of Islands included in this count?), the transport of goods and services within the country is hampered by high cost and the lack of infrastructure. The RORO System lowers cost, minimizes spoilage of agricultural products, promotes tourism, increases productivity and brings people together. I really wonder why this project was not launched earlier by other administrations.
4. Bridges, Airports and Public Infrastructure
Going around the country, we saw the numerous infrastructure programs launched by this administration. Although these projects are typically overpriced due to multi-billion dollar worth of kickbacks, the final output is still very useful.
Aside from being an archipelago, each island is dotted with several rivers, lakes, mountains and hills, making transportation difficult. It is sometimes surprising how much improvement a new road can bring to far flung town. Bridges that connect communities to major markets, can lead to substantial increase in income for farmers and craftsmen. These were complimented with new and expanded expressway systems and airports.
I most excited with the new mass rail transit systems (North Rail, South Rail and new lines of MRT), that I hope can be finished much sooner.
5. Bayani Fernando's Metro Manila
Bayani Fernando at the MMDA is the longest serving member of GMA cabinet after his appointment in 2002. Although his tactics are controversial, his methods are unpopular and his decisions and gut instinct questionable, he has brought so much order into Metro Manila's chaotic nature.
Most of his projects were initially greeted with skepticism, protests and sometimes outright rejection. However, he pushes through with pure political will. Way back in college (early-2000s), I can distinctly remember the we were often stuck in traffic for 30 minutes or more in-front of Muñoz market in Quezon City. That is no longer the case, thanks to the much derided U-turn slots.
I don't agree with all of Bayani's projects, some are downright wasteful while some are obviously kickback-friendly. Bayani might be corrupt or Machiavellian, but he has done so much for Metro Manila that I hope he can be MMDA chairman forever. And I salute GMA for not axing the controversial, unpopular but very effective MMDA Chairman.
Now, if only he can remove those kotong traffic enforcers and implement a bus-scheme similar to those in Hong Kong and Singapore...
To win and re-win the presidency, Bush employed the services of Karl Rove, the engineer and mastermind behind the most vicious and dirtiest campaigns in modern US history. In 2001, Rove launched an attack on John McCain, Bush's strongest contender for nomination of the Republican Party. While campaigning for reelection against John Kerry in 2004, they discredited Kerry's service record during the Vietnam War including the multiple medals he received.
At the end of Baby-Bush's presidency, he is perceived as one of the most unpopular presidents ever. But baby-Bush can still be considered as an achiever compared to his dad. Daddy-Bush launched the Iraq War, Baby-Bush launched two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Daddy-Bush left the economy weak, Baby-Bush wrecked the economy into recession. Daddy-Bush failed to capture Saddam Hussein, Baby-Bush captured Saddam Hussein but failed to get Osama bin Laden. Other than that, Baby-Bush can boast of other legacies including his failures regarding Katrina, Guantanamo, sub-prime mortgages, financial market collapse, debt and deficit, and the list continues (no comparison for daddy-Bush).
With all the wrong intentions to become the president, baby-Bush's legacy is still debatable, whether he is "the worst president ever" or just "one of the worst" or "the worst so far".
Back home, with a more than a year left in the GMA administration, I wonder what her legacy would be. On the negative side, I think GMA is really not worse compared to past presidents. GMA failed in battling poverty, unemployment, homelessness, corruption, cronyism, nepotism and others, just like her predecessors. We still have a failed agrarian reform project, no centralized land registration bureau, cumbersome and inadequate social security programs, peace in Mindanao and the countryside is still elusive, just like when Aguinaldo proclaimed independence in 1898.
Nevertheless, Marcos definitely has the worst record in terms of corruption, human rights and temper. But it can be mainly due to the length of their presidencies. When GMA steps down in 2010, she has been president for 9 years, the second longest in Philippine history after Marcos' 21 years in power.
On the positive side, I think the following are GMA's greatest legacies (in no particular order):
1. E-VAT (Expanded Value-Added Tax Law raised the rate from 10% to 12% and widened its scope)
Th E-VAT helped diffuse the impending fiscal crisis the Philippines chronically faces. VAT is relatively easy to compute and collect. As a consumption tax, it follows the principle of taxing people based on what they take out of the economy instead on their contributions to the economy, i.e., VAT discourages consumption while income tax discourages work.
One of the greatest advantages of the E-VAT is its imposition on oil, a highly unpopular decision avoided by Aquino, Ramos and Estrada. VAT on oil is good for several reasons:
i. Richer people (private vehicle owners) pay more compared to poorer people (those who take public transport).
ii. It serves as a pollution tax, thus discourages the use of gas-guzzling SUVs and encourages walking, biking and the use of mass transport systems.
iii. It is the only way that the highly informal transportation industry is taxed (most public utility vehicle operators, drivers and owners don't pay income tax... but I still cannot use this argument when talking to a tip-asking-taxi-driver).
With the unpopular E-VAT already in place, the next president should personally thank GMA for it. Let us just hope that E-VAT will not be scrapped due to populist tendencies of politicians.
2. Holiday economics (the practice of moving national holidays to a Monday or Friday)
As a promdi, the holiday economics allowed me to spend more time with my family in Bulacan. It also helped me and my friends plan out-of-town trips, (we have visited numerous places and islands around the country). With tourism, income and wealth is distributed more equitably around the country. With tourism interlinked with numerous industries such as land, sea and air transport, food, hospitality and local handicraft, the multiplier effect is much much bigger. Aside from providing numerous jobs, tourism allows people from different places to interact and learn from each other.
3. RORO (Roll-in Roll-out) Facilities
As an archipelago with 7,107 islands (is the Kalayaan Group of Islands included in this count?), the transport of goods and services within the country is hampered by high cost and the lack of infrastructure. The RORO System lowers cost, minimizes spoilage of agricultural products, promotes tourism, increases productivity and brings people together. I really wonder why this project was not launched earlier by other administrations.
4. Bridges, Airports and Public Infrastructure
Going around the country, we saw the numerous infrastructure programs launched by this administration. Although these projects are typically overpriced due to multi-billion dollar worth of kickbacks, the final output is still very useful.
Aside from being an archipelago, each island is dotted with several rivers, lakes, mountains and hills, making transportation difficult. It is sometimes surprising how much improvement a new road can bring to far flung town. Bridges that connect communities to major markets, can lead to substantial increase in income for farmers and craftsmen. These were complimented with new and expanded expressway systems and airports.
I most excited with the new mass rail transit systems (North Rail, South Rail and new lines of MRT), that I hope can be finished much sooner.
5. Bayani Fernando's Metro Manila
Bayani Fernando at the MMDA is the longest serving member of GMA cabinet after his appointment in 2002. Although his tactics are controversial, his methods are unpopular and his decisions and gut instinct questionable, he has brought so much order into Metro Manila's chaotic nature.
Most of his projects were initially greeted with skepticism, protests and sometimes outright rejection. However, he pushes through with pure political will. Way back in college (early-2000s), I can distinctly remember the we were often stuck in traffic for 30 minutes or more in-front of Muñoz market in Quezon City. That is no longer the case, thanks to the much derided U-turn slots.
I don't agree with all of Bayani's projects, some are downright wasteful while some are obviously kickback-friendly. Bayani might be corrupt or Machiavellian, but he has done so much for Metro Manila that I hope he can be MMDA chairman forever. And I salute GMA for not axing the controversial, unpopular but very effective MMDA Chairman.
Now, if only he can remove those kotong traffic enforcers and implement a bus-scheme similar to those in Hong Kong and Singapore...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Audacity of the Audacious and the Race to 2010
I am currently reading Barack Obama's second book, "The Audacity of Hope." After he was declared as the president-elect, I could not resist the temptation of not buying the book. The book is very good (I am not yet finished, though). It provides insights on Obama's view on issues. It also provides a quick review of US and world history and current events. Ten years from now, you can judge whether his presidency changed his world view, for better or for worse, by reading this book.
According to some sources, the success of the book was actually one of the reasons why he was encouraged to run for president. The publishers and Obama's handlers were very surprised on how many people show up for book signing. It is also one of the reasons why Oprah endorsed him as "the one."
I once lamented that presidential candidates in the US write books, in the Philippines, they make movies, or movies about their life or join singing contests... or any other way for them to appear on TV.
American politicians who hoped to claim their party's nomination has a book of some sort, including McCain, Hillary Clinton, Biden, Giuliani, Kerry and Gore. It elevates their status as an intellectual, a person knowledgeable of issues and events, a statesman who can grasp the problems of their constituency and a person of experience with lessons to tell.
Here, writing books are for old, retired and nearly forgotten politicians writing their memoirs as their legacy. I am not sure who to blame for it, or if blame is actually necessary. If presidentiables write a book, I am not sure if they can actually sell more than a thousand copies. Even if they give it away for free, I am not sure if 1% of the 40 million electorate will read it.
After Obama won, I told myself (and my office mates) that at least one presidentiable will claim to be the Filipino Obama. Not a week has passed and Binay was audacious enough to claim the title (ginugel ko, audacious means bold). I can cite ten reasons why Binay is not an Obama but I'll wait to hear from him more.
So far, here are the possible presidentiables and their parties
Senate President Manny Villar: Nacionalista Party
MMDA Chairman and Celebrity Duets Champion Bayani Fernando: Lakas CMD (or his own party)
Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay: PDP-LAban
Prayer leader and losing presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva: Bangon Pilipino Movement
Senator and losing presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson: Independent
Senator Mar Roxas: Liberal Party
Senator and losing vice-presidential candidate Loren Legarda: Nationalist People's Coalition
Vice President Noli de Castro: Kampi
It is already a crowded race and I am sure a few nuisance candidates will join the race. I do really hope that there will a debate of issues and not just populist causes (Villar is pro-OFW, Legarda is pro-environment, Noli is pro-housing). Although 'causes' are good they are not good enough, not one will run as an anti-OFW, anti-environment and anti-housing crusader.
A significant issue that can and must be tackled is federalism. With two former local executives running for president, they can push for more responsibilities for local leaders. However, they probably run for president to consolidate power and they will not give up that power.
When Obama won, a lot of prominent African-Americans said that they did not expect that within their lifetime America will have a black president. Shall we witness a true presidential debates and real political parties within our lifetime?
According to some sources, the success of the book was actually one of the reasons why he was encouraged to run for president. The publishers and Obama's handlers were very surprised on how many people show up for book signing. It is also one of the reasons why Oprah endorsed him as "the one."
I once lamented that presidential candidates in the US write books, in the Philippines, they make movies, or movies about their life or join singing contests... or any other way for them to appear on TV.
American politicians who hoped to claim their party's nomination has a book of some sort, including McCain, Hillary Clinton, Biden, Giuliani, Kerry and Gore. It elevates their status as an intellectual, a person knowledgeable of issues and events, a statesman who can grasp the problems of their constituency and a person of experience with lessons to tell.
Here, writing books are for old, retired and nearly forgotten politicians writing their memoirs as their legacy. I am not sure who to blame for it, or if blame is actually necessary. If presidentiables write a book, I am not sure if they can actually sell more than a thousand copies. Even if they give it away for free, I am not sure if 1% of the 40 million electorate will read it.
After Obama won, I told myself (and my office mates) that at least one presidentiable will claim to be the Filipino Obama. Not a week has passed and Binay was audacious enough to claim the title (ginugel ko, audacious means bold). I can cite ten reasons why Binay is not an Obama but I'll wait to hear from him more.
So far, here are the possible presidentiables and their parties
Senate President Manny Villar: Nacionalista Party
MMDA Chairman and Celebrity Duets Champion Bayani Fernando: Lakas CMD (or his own party)
Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay: PDP-LAban
Prayer leader and losing presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva: Bangon Pilipino Movement
Senator and losing presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson: Independent
Senator Mar Roxas: Liberal Party
Senator and losing vice-presidential candidate Loren Legarda: Nationalist People's Coalition
Vice President Noli de Castro: Kampi
It is already a crowded race and I am sure a few nuisance candidates will join the race. I do really hope that there will a debate of issues and not just populist causes (Villar is pro-OFW, Legarda is pro-environment, Noli is pro-housing). Although 'causes' are good they are not good enough, not one will run as an anti-OFW, anti-environment and anti-housing crusader.
A significant issue that can and must be tackled is federalism. With two former local executives running for president, they can push for more responsibilities for local leaders. However, they probably run for president to consolidate power and they will not give up that power.
When Obama won, a lot of prominent African-Americans said that they did not expect that within their lifetime America will have a black president. Shall we witness a true presidential debates and real political parties within our lifetime?
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