A Season of Violence and Death
Written on May 17th, 2008 | by butchRom wrote with anguish on the deaths of ten individuals, murder victims who were killed in a successful robbery of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) branch in Cabuyao, Laguna. They were murdered, meaning they were deliberately, willfully and premeditatedly killed in cold blood by the murderers who merely wanted, in all probability, to hide their primary crime. Which was robbery. It was the money they were after, and these people were simply in the way. The victims were all shot in the head, quickly, efficiently and with little fuss.
The killers’ calculus was simple and chilling: No witnesses, lesser chances of getting caught. And so they went about their grisly business, systematically slaughtering ten people, whose grim fate was sealed the moment the butchers stepped into the bank .
And they were successful in their task. So successful, in fact, that they left behind bundles of cash worth hundreds of thousands (possibly millions) of pesos in various denominations and currencies, including U.S. dollars and Japanese yen, scattered in and around the bank premises, bills soaked in the blood of their hapless victims. And they got away with it, at least for now. Read more
What justice?
Written on May 17th, 2008 | by RomRoberto Panganiban Castro. Ferdinand Bernard Antonio. Benjamin Manalo Nicdao Jr. Bernardo Lapaan Jr. Noel Olaes Miranda. Juan Marza Layva. Aguilando Baltazar. Olga Gonzalez. Teresita Umayao. Isagani Pastor.
You’ll probably forget those names not five minutes after you’ve read them. But that isn’t what they deserve. These were people killed by people who wanted money that wasn’t theirs and who didn’t want anyone getting in their way or maybe screwing up their enjoyment of the money they stole.
2010: The Cyberspace Strategy
Written on May 16th, 2008 | by The Jester-in-ExileVia Aileen’s work blog, I downloaded the Social Media Tracker Wave.3 study by Universal McCann, and after digesting its results, I thought of how this would impact the political landscape come the 2010 elections.
Of course, I did have to take the numbers provided in the study with a grain of salt (especially since I am not certain if the Philippine numbers did include our compatriots overseas), but the trends do provide interesting insights that just might influence the thinking of political strategists.
See, despite the relatively low internet penetration in the Philippines, I am certain that cyberspace will be one of the battlegrounds for the hearts and minds of the Philippine electorate.
Let’s see what we can glean from the study, shall we? Let’s dedicate this post to political strategists for 2010 candidates. Read more
The Importance of Debate, Discussion, and Dissent
Written on May 16th, 2008 | by NickIn the lead up to the Iraq War, initiated by George W. Bush, it was the absence of debate, discussion, and dissent that plunged The United States into a war they were really never prepared for.
It was the argument that if someone didn’t support the war, that they were unpatriotic, if they didn’t support the war, they also didn’t support the troops. It was the strategy to cease discussions altogether.
And those who chose to ask questions were silenced, but for the most part, the media ate it all up.
So this brings me to my point that dissent is not a tragic action going against the grain of unity, it is actually the weapon of humanity to advance knowledge, and bring democracy to the forefront of any discussion. If there were no dissent, a conflict of ideas, then we would still think that the earth was flat, or that earth was the center of the universe.
Yes, that’s right. A conflict of ideas is crucial for the advancement of knowledge. If we all thought alike, then our own progress would be impeded. Read more
The Never Ending Battle… for Language
Written on May 16th, 2008 | by cocoyLike clockwork it goes, the never-ending battle for what language to use, to teach Filipino children, Math and Science and whatever. The debate on language is as volatile as the debate on Religion. What’s your opinion?
Once upon a time, I would have said, go English— simply because I learn better using English and simply because just about every reference material and new discovery in the world is in English. There are expressions from English that lose itself in the translation, the same goes for Filipino to English and just about every other language in the world. Read more
The other Gods
Written on May 16th, 2008 | by RomToday, I wrote something about the Vatican astronomer’s recent statement regarding extra-terrestrials and how their existence - if ever they’re out there - does not contradict the idea of God. Serendipitously, I also re-discovered Atheista. That particular combination of events - finding an affirmation of the idea of Deity, and a blog whose central theme is the denial of it - started me thinking: so is there a God?
And if there is a God, how relevant is that Deity to our everyday lives?
My answers: We need for there to be a God; and, it depends.
Who’s Afraid Of The ZTE Man?
Written on May 15th, 2008 | by Nick
It’s a stretch to say that this next round of revelations will push The defunct and corruption ladened ZTE broadband deal back into the media spotlight. With the rice crisis and Meralco taking up all the space and all.
But, it seems that even with everything else happening around the nation, and around the world, the palace is trying so hard to downplay this issue, that it seems almost obviously clear that it may still be afraid of what ZTE and the NBN deal scandal can do to its seat in power. Read more
Selling Optimism Through Fish Mucus
Written on May 14th, 2008 | by BenjJust barely a month ago, I was tasked to judge a public speaking competition’s semifinal to help screen the 18 applicants. The prize at the end was huge - it was the right to represent the Philippines at the English Speaking Union International Public Speaking Competition held in London. We are no strangers to the prestige that this competition brings. Back in 2004, after wowing judges of her musings on the Filipino diaspora, Speech Communication major Patricia Evangelista was catapulted to national consciousness. She is now one of the more prominent young media personalities appearing in the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Opinion page and various shows for the ABS-CBN News Network. With great education, matching chutzpah and the exposure that made her a household name, Patricia Evangelista is now being heard on various media - something that is arguably rare for somebody her age.
Clearly, it’s easy why high school students and college students in their late teens would like to try their luck in the competition. The payoff is tremendous. Despite the lack of monetary compensation, the privilege of representing one’s country to an international tilt can be considered as a great reward on its own. The opportunity to be heard by people of diverse backgrounds and to have one’s thoughts published on the dailies makes the attempt even more appealing. Though not as life-changing as a win in Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition or Pinoy Idol, the contest does give a single high school student the shot to be recognized as better than most and the rightful representative for a prestigious competition. Read more
SWS Survey - How Many Filipino Families Are Poor and Hungry?
Written on May 14th, 2008 | by Lester CavestanyTake the quick survey below and see how your family compares with other families/households in the Philippines: Â
1. Question on poverty: Where (or How) would you place (consider) your family?Â
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Not poorÂ
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On the lineÂ
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Poor
2. Question on hunger:  In the last 3 months, did it happen even once that your family experienced hunger and not have anything to eat (because of poverty)?Â
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Yes
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No
3. IF YES: Did it happen ONLY ONCE, A FEW TIMES, OFTEN, or ALWAYS?
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MODERATE HUNGER = Only Once or A Few TimesÂ
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SEVERE HUNGER = Often or Always
 The questions above were the ones used in the First Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey (SWS) conducted on March 28-31, 2008. SWS had face-to-face interviews with 1,200 statistically representative household heads (300 each in Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao), from 240 geographical spots selected from all regions. These are the results of the survey: Read more
Money talks louder than politics
Written on May 12th, 2008 | by benign0Cocoy is once again spot on. The reason politics occupies the limelight that it does is that economic activity in Pinoy society is so atrophied and impotent as to not provide enough clout to overshadow politics in people’s psyches.
Interesting too, is what he said here: “the most basic thing is that anyone with resources can manipulate Law to suit their own purposes”. I realised from reflecting on this that maybe influence in politics (beyond elections) is all about economic clout. In societies where wealth is distributed more evenly, the difference in political influence between the elites and the masses and middle class is less pronounced.
In the Philippines where the elite monopolise a big chunk of national wealth, their political influence sticks out out like a sore thumb.
My point is, it all leads back to developing that economic clout in the masses to tip the balance a bit in their favour. It’s not about drumbeating and footstomping about political rights. The reality is that influence will always NEED TO BE BOUGHT. The elites do it because they can. People who take a crybaby approach and blame the elites for doing so won’t get anywhere. The SOLUTION lies in the non-Elites figuring out how to develop their OWN arsenals of influence. Nobody else will do it for them.
Read more
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