(Pictures taken around lunchtime, C.P. Garcia Avenue, University of the Philippines Diliman. Pardon my photography skills.)
He said, “Son when you grow up,
Would you be the savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?”
He said, “Will you defeat them,
Your demons, and all the non-believers, the plans that they have made?”
Because one day I’ll leave you,
A phantom to lead you in the summer,
To join The Black Parade.- My Chemical Romance,
“Welcome to the Black Parade”
I’m not the biggest fan of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and I’m not certainly the biggest fan of Mr. Bayani Fernando. As far as traffic violations go, trabaho lang yan. As far as U-turns and pink lines, trabaho lang yan. But with This Government running things, apparently, who – or what – I am a fan of really doesn’t matter.
Trabaho lang, which means that I should see my taxes go somewhere they should go. Not in self-aggrandizing gratuitous parades on a Sunday afternoon. I’m a blogger, a career writer, some sort of journalist, a taxpayer, a regular commuter, a citizen, a Filipino. Trabaho lang din yan.
If you have 100 MMDA vehicles at your disposal, a lot of printed tarpaulin, and a win at a singing show, I guess that in this country, you have the license to go on a parade.
There were over 100 trucks that plied C.P. Garcia Avenue this morning, all bearing praises for BF’s win, “MMDA Labs U,” and all that jazz (so to speak). You kind of figure where these trucks are supposed to be, you kind of figure what these trucks are supposed to do, and if some accident or mishap happens, and they’re all singing praises and joy for Mr. Fernando.
Wonderful. Great. Fantastic. I’ve never been angrier. I was shivering, shaking, trembling, taking pictures and trying to let go of my angry thoughts to, at the very least, write something reasonable and objective.
Then again, what’s so reasonable and objective about 100 MMDA trucks run by taxpayer money hooting and parading and blasting music in the name of Bayani Fernando and his singing talent?
I personally think that for all that you can say about BF (or his singing talent; he can’t win Celebrity Duets if you don’t know how to sing), he’s a good man at heart and he really and sincerely wants to improve the Philippines… even if his tastes in color do remind me of Modess. The point here, I believe, is propriety and prudence. You have to do the right thing. If you’re an official directly under the Office of the President, accountability and responsibility is mandatory, whether you use your own money, and especially if you use public money.
Here are things that I believe in:
- I believe that if you’re a government official, you should inhibit yourself from joining TV-sponsored contests. Not only it is out of taste, but it gives the public the impression that you’re electioneering and you’re only out to make a feigned image for yourself. It also gives the impression that you’re using taxpayer money for your interests, and not for the common good; let’s face it, there’s no “common good” to speak of when you’re clogging a street for a parade.
- I believe that if you’re a government employee (like if you’re an employee of the MMDA, for example), you should inhibit yourself from participating in a parade not directly related or involved in the business and affairs of your office. While you have the right to choose who you want to win in any contest – be it political or strictly entertainment or for political entertainment – it is wise to refrain from expressing these beliefs and opinions for so long as you’re wearing the uniform of your office.
- I believe that if you’re confronted with one, or a group, of angry taxpayers, you should behave yourself properly and take the crap coming to you. When this angry taxpayer screams, “Those are my taxes (invective),” you don’t say “I love you!” You’re doing this in a time of economic crisis, and in a time where the people are slowly losing faith in their government officials. You should, in fact, hang your head in shame for participating in wanton and gratuitous displays of self-aggrandizing behavior.
These are reasonable and objective expectations we have for our government officials, right?
Well, not exactly. It does go to show how much the MMDA “labs” me.
This is one parade I’m not joining. Rally ’round the family, pocketful of shells.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Ergo, my apprehensions regarding a BF presidency, as opposed to what manong Bencard thinks.
Jon: I’m not exaggerating about the 100 trucks. I think there were around give-or-take 150.
(I hope the youngn’s would come across this entry when they search for my chemical romance lyrics.)
I knew from the start that BF will win that singing contest..because Joey is not running anymore…lol!
Kidding aside, I agree that he has a good motive for running but I really disagree when he’s promoting himself that early. I have seen a lot of flags with “BAYANI” in it, and they’re really annoying me. I am sure he will say that it’s his personal money he’s using.
Anyway, I am sure you also see the repetitive TV commercials of Loren and Villar.
Just sharing…
I think one can see a pattern starting with the “metro gwapo” (ugh) tarps along edsa. Now this. What’s next? A “Win a date with BF” contest??
I got an anonymous text message saying something like “Vote for BF on celebrity duets!” a couple of weeks ago. Sigh.
Question: how much is the prize money for celebrity duets winners anyway? Is BF donating his to the MMDA or any other govt office or maybe some project?
Such blatant electioneering accompanied by possible misuse of government property are violations if the truck were indeed government vehicles.
Marck did you get a look at their license plates? BF’s likely explanation could be these were loaned by private contractors/truck owners at their expense.
Sunnyday,
Mr. Bayani Fernando is praktisado. He is a singing buddy of Secretaries Angelo Reyes and Lito Atienza. They are regulars of posh sing-along joints in Metro Manila.
Hindi lang siya Metro Guwapo. He’s One of the Three Tenors of Manila. Yikes!
Is that so? Hmm, I take it none of the proceeds from his “concerts” go to public funds then? Then his performances can be called “trabaho lang”…
I wonder if the 100-truck parade will be on the news tonight.
If the 100-truck parade will not be on the news tonight, at least you read about it here.
@Ding: I just found it obnoxious and unfair. You should have seen me shaking and shivering taking the pictures, some of whom were saying “isa pa, isa pa.”
What really annoys me is that many of the bystanders can’t do anything but just stand there and make the occasional comment, “Pera namin yan.” Between that many trucks and the voice of the people, you wonder what goes first.
It’s sickening.
Spot on Mark. Am montage-ing your pics and with proper foto credits, am thinking of doing a piece on the incident. will email you before I post tomorrow
Election in the country is a carnival and street parade is part of that carnival. Clowns come dime a dozen in a carnival grounds.
On a serious note though, I have an entry in my book:
” x x x local as well as national elections are oftentimes considered national pastimes and a great vaudeville to watch. Every candidate has the recipe on how to achieve peace, security and economic boom that every Filipino only dreams about. Election is both a merrymaking celebration and a bloodbath. Three dozen or so deaths from the warring political factions serve as a backdrop of this supposed democratic exercise, and unlike the stage players in a real vaudeville where the participants get up as the drapes close, some players in this political vaudeville never get the chance to rise”.
i’d rather have a vaudeville than a bloodbath, anytime. wouldn’t you? every citizen aspiring to lead has to get elected first normally. if what it takes to get elected is to employ clowns and hold a parade, why not? the only way to stop this practice is for the electorate to shun it, treat it what it really is – a ridiculous gimmick of the candidate, and make it, instead, a cause for losing the election. would that be possible for the kind of society we are? i doubt it.
I doubt it, too, Bencard. Hence, for me clowns and parades will have to do — what matters is that taxpayers’ money NOT be used for such gimmicks.
I sure hope, though, that someday our society will go beyond such a level.
a 1950 style of marketing and advertising. nothing’s new. in leyte, I will use the carabaos of my neighbor instead of those four wheeler’s :)at least it’s not people’s money. who authorize him to use the people’s trucks. I already know what kind of power he’s got.He will take advantage of people’s resources. My God Philippines. You haven’t learned.
Next candidate please besides Bayani is not good looking enough :) I’d rather have Loren.. hehehe
Why so surprised? This kinda thing has been going on for DECADES.
Even if it is not an election period, we still see politicians’s names splashed all over PUBLIC facilities like pedestrian overpasses, etc.
I’d say, the more interesting aspect of this whole thing is the fact that everyone is still supposedly aghast at such a display.
Kung baga:
Yeah. Someday.
Just like we are all hoping that someday we will see an end to senseless loss of life due to our society’s continued tolerance of the use of sub-standard passenger ships.
If 800 lives lost in the recent swept-under-the-rug ferry disaster cannot change the character of our society, I doubt that token expressions of disgust over use of public facilities for politicians’ media exposure activities will make a dent.
benign0:
i leave it to you what you would do if you were watching BF’s parade yesterday.
Someone should file charges against BF for, say:
- mis-appropriation of public funds
- use of public facilities for purposes other than that which serves the collective good.
Or something to that effect.
And then there should be an initiative to lay the same charges on politicians whose names are displayed on public structures (those who write “a gift from the Hon. XXX to the people of Barangay YYY”, etc.).
That is of course if we can keep our eye on the ball and not be distracted by shawarma topics that tend to proliferate. ;)
benign0:
I don’t have the money or the time to press charges, if that’s your solution. So I guess that this blog entry is the best that I could do. :)
You got that right Benigno. This is a very simple case for any lawyer. Enough is enough. Where are the lawyers in our country? Can they not see the crime at all? My God Philippines. Get Real :)
“You got that right Benigno. This is a very simple case for any lawyer. Enough is enough. Where are the lawyers in our country? Can they not see the crime at all? My God Philippines. Get Real”. LEYTENIAN..
That we assume that we have a very ideal court system. Take it from someone who had been there and was suffocated by the system. :)
Benigno, some of us hope and continue to hope while doing something without looking down on other people and while expressing our sentiments — including disgust and aspirations — while being capable of resisting the temptation to feel superior over everybody else.
And some of us know that still being surprised over things that others have gotten used to, is actually a strength and use that surprise to do something productive, taking other people with us to do something constructive, again without belittling others. And we do not behind online identities in the course of doing those things.
“…and we do not HIDE behind online identities…”
Marck, don’t get me wrong, what you say above is the same position I take, having myself been told many times to personally act on any “solution” I pontificate about.
Obviously I am not a lawyer nor am I any longer directly affected by the idiocy of the stuff going on in the Philippines. What I am though is a Web author. Which means that is an area where I am most effective at.
A very small minority get that.
As for the vast majority, I can pretty much pigeonhole them into the following categories:
:D those who take license to tell me to butt out and not to stick my nose into the affairs of a country I no longer live in;
:D those who take issue about my “hiding behind” the cloak of comfy anonymity; and,
:D those who easily feel insulted or looked down upon by what are essentially matter-of-fact assertions that are published not just for public consumption but to invite people with insight to challenge.
The common denominator across the above three is an inability to get past personal circumstances and actually focus on the actual substance of what people choose to put on the table for public consumption and evaluation. ;)
since when in post-marcos era has ‘delicadeza” meant for anything? it seems in our current state of politics, the golden rule (in its modified form) is strictly observed: “do unto others as you would not like others do unto you, just do it first”.
most of our politicians will do anything fair or foul to win. and when they lose, they will still do anything fair or foul to make it a win. it seems in philippine politics, the old cliche “good guys finish last” cannot be any closer to the truth.
btw, is it for certain that BF is running for president? or are we here just speculating, as usual, that the “parade” is for the purpose of promoting his candidacy? couldn’t it be just a crude PR attempt for DPWH with him as the “hero” (for his singing prowess) a la manny pacquiao?
I’m happy to see Benign0 is updating his pop culture references from ocho-ocho which disappeared years ago to shawarma, which is a bit more modern than lechon manok.
Benigno,
Arrogance leads to many wasted opportunities. Sayang lang.
And just because many of the public figures being discussed here seem to lack common decency and other such virtues, it doesn’t mean we’ll imitate them. But to each his own, I suppose, especially for those who value democracy over human nature in the hierarchy of things.
That’s the BF “fascistic” ideology on parade. The ideal national socialist parade has earthmovers, sweepers, workers etc. When he becomes prez, these earthmovers will turn into tanks. BF is our Dear Leader! :-)
One thing that many pundits have missed out is that the emerging core of BF’s ideology is simply stated as “Metro Philippines”! Since many of our pundits have been time warped in the 20th century , BF seems to have grasped the idea that a majority of the Philippines and the world is urban. BF’s “Metro Philippines” is something not to be laughed about! Social conditions and problems in urban areas and BF’s perceived answer to them is a plus in his presidential ambitions!
sunnyday..
“And just because many of the public figures being discussed here seem to lack common decency and other such virtues, it doesn’t mean we’ll imitate them. But to each his own, I suppose, especially for those who value democracy over human nature in the hierarchy of things”. sunnyday.
I share the same enthusiasm and that enthusiasm is limited to blogging in this and other sites. But I hope that time will come where the people and those who lead the country will look for blog pundits to guide them through state stewards.
If I were a leader of a country, I will look upon your daily discourse, or that of Bencard, cvj, leytenian and other notable bloggers to guide me through the rough and tumble of running a fractious and divided country. But you were right, I will ditch benign0′s cup of wisdom 24/7.
No offense is meant to benign0, because if I were to parse his one liner, “majority opinion is not always correct”. :)
it’s too much of a compliment to describe BF fascistic. It credits him with too much thought when he is essentially ad hoc.
Spot on mlq3: “…he is essentially ad hoc.”
For a while there I thought you were describing Joey Salceda’s boss.LOL
ad hoc- job description do not fit the presidency. in management, acquired skills are not transferable . a temporary solution.
ad hoc or not, fernando gets things done and not on a ningas kugon basis. you guys should make up your mind. should it be a talker, a thinker, a matinee idol (not ugly as leytenean requres), or a DOER?
ok, i will keep my eyes open for Fernando. sure, why not give him a chance.
Bayani is the politician’s version of Mike Velarde. Bro. Mike found the golden goose in Religion after going bankrupt. Bayani, in Marikina, now, Metro Manila politics.
jcc,
Thanks :-) I, too, look forward to reading what bloggers here have to say — some more than others. Persistently cynical ideas may make the discussion more interesting at times, but eventually it’s prompting people to act, bouyed by a positive and proactive mindset, that matters.
Btw, I saw nothing on the news last night and on the papers today about the pink and blue parade. I wonder if that’s good or bad…
there are aliens amongst us.
first gma. now bf!?!
but i digress. on with the serious discussion.
ooops. sorry. apparently the image i tried to copy didn’t show up.
the link is this: http://images.comicbookresources.com/news/spoilers/1/sm/secinv01_finalpanesequence.jpg
the alien keeps on saying “he loves you”.
i saw this entry in the blog of http://mackyramirez.wordpress.com/2008/11/05/when-did-bohol-become-part-of-metro-manila/
Comment by Ronald Herrera on November 6, 2008 10:44 am
I accidentally bumped on this article which was written by a group of Bisayans who called themselves “Circle of Founding Fathers”. This article by Yahoo as the besty answer to the question “who is your preferred next president of the Philippines”.
To wit:
“Whenever somebody ask who is the NEXT president of the Philippines, the top of the brand answer is always BAYANI FERNANDO…why?
Just like the rest of them, I also prefer BAYANI FERNANDO as the next president because…….
1. While Money Villar is working hard for money…insertions,behest loans, influence peddling, Bayani Fernando is in the field directing MMDA staff in fixing the drainage and water system of the squatters of Recto in front of Isetannn. Well, Bayani Fernando together with the Three Tenors, also raised money once in a while ….by singing and the beneficiaries are often the Churches and charitable institutions. Bayani Fernando agreed to join the Celebrity Duets and dont wonder if he donate half of his prize to the Caritas. Bayani Fernando has a soft heart for the Church because he was a Church worker (sacristan, yes, just like Basilio and Crispin), when he was a small boy.
2. While Noli de Castro is leaving his first wife to marry a Muslim, Bayani Fernando was in EDSA Revolution with his construction equipments blocking the pro – Marcos tanks from open firing on the armless people in EDSA.
3. While Mar Roxas is stalking Korina Sanchez ..appearing like a jologs teenager crazilly smittened with the oozing sex appeal of Korina, BAYANI FERNANDO is appearing presidentiable by sending people to typhoon stricken Panay.
4. While Ping Lacson is being haunted by the public in the Kuratong and Dacer cases…. BAYANI FERNANDO will look at you straight in the eye and say in a charming Marikina accent na”wala pa syang pinapapatay sa buong buhay nya maski sino”.
5. While Loren Legarda is marrying a married man now accused of murder, BAYANI FERNANDO has been a loyal husband to Marikina Mayor Marides Carlos Fernando (daughter of the old rich industrialist Meneleo Carlos) and a doting father to his only child Tala Fernando.
6. “MAREA FROM Heaven” was dominating the political grapevine when GMA 7 featured the MAREA Marcos, Aquino, Ramos, Ejercito and Arroyo in a primetime. FROM is Fernando, Roxas, probably Osmena again and probably Magsaysay again. Then HEAVEN, which is still too mystrious to predict. Then GMA 7 invited Bayani Fernando to join the Celebrity Duets and FVR has revealed a “slip of the tongue” in an speaking engagement that the next president is a bayani (hero) and a pink panther which of course he clarified the next day…the usual psywar charm of the dear FVR.
7. Then there was a talk that Noli de Castro accepted a “downpayment’ for him to run for reelection as VP, and not as President.
8.. Then the “C5 at Taga” scandal which effectively cut down Money Villar to a money making businessman masquerading as a public servant.
9. Then people are printing BAYANI FERNANDO stickers and paste them in their cars….and reports have it that this BAYANI FERNANDO stickers and poster are sprouting all over the country.
What is really MAREA FROM HEAVEN? It is the mysterious spirit that put an ordinary housewife, a lowly paid professional soldier and a college drop out into the Philippine presidency…(But hey, the Atheist group of UP Diliman is promoting the MAREA DeVil Team..whatever that is….)
Well, all said, the direction is pointing to BAYANI FERNANDO becoming the next president….the script is FROM HEAVEN…..”
Comment by tropicalrain143 on November 12, 2008 5:52 am
What really scares me is that BF’s tack just might work. *shudder* Even though BF may not have that many supporters, vis-a-vis Villar or Noli who have vast amounts of money and machinery at their disposal, BF’s supporters are loyal and avid. A group of them have even taken time to make up this “marea from heaven” bullcrap and posted it all over the internet. It’s all over the place. It’s either that, or one of BF’s enemies has the crass craftiness of circulating disgusting propaganda in BF’s name.
boy,
nice political literature for BF. Speaking of “shallow bench” of second stringers, I will field BF to play a good 12 minutes in the first quarter.
Manilans may not like BF, but the Philippines is not the “imperial manila”. With the present crop of pretenders to the throne, I am entirely neutral on BF. I hope he runs and wins the Presidency. Lacson, Villar, Mar, Escudero, Noli, JDV.. Legarda.. what’s so sterling about their public life?
I’m giving BF a chance in 2010. My family lives in Antipolo and they are all praises with BF’s achievements. I recently had the chance to tour Marikina and I was impressed with the City. My family is right in saying he gets things done! Among the presidentiables, he is the only one who doesnt have political debts. With that, he is not afraid to take on activities that will benefit the majority.
I certainly will campaign for him here in the Visayas.