on worsening corruption: a call for change

On worsening corruption: a call for change

In the “Philippine daily inquirer, Nov. 20, 2008, A15,” a paid advertising was published. It called out for support for the five bishops' call for a “radical change.” Well, here's my version.

Yes! The time for Radical change is NOW. The time to rebuild this country's economy and fix the social and political flaws. But you could prepare for “ a new kind of governance” all you want but to change our leaders does not change who we are.

Yes! Corruption is bad for everything. True, corruption does worsen everything but the government is not the only ones responsible.

Yes! Corruption has become a moral and social cancer, but it is not a cancer that the leaders has spread. It is the kind that grew from the individuals as individuals. We know for a fact that we ourselves are corrupt and unjust in one way or another, but what have we done to be accountable? Did we turn ourselves in? Did we want to stand in trial? Were we jailed? I can not understand why we demand judgment for politicians but refuse to be judged ourselves. Is that equality in judgment? If we seek equality and justice, be ready to stand trial.

“The time for national transformation is NOW where all of us must do right as citizens...” As human beings. “Doing right by our conscience, the law, the people and country is a sacred duty...”

“A commitment to reform requires COURAGE” not only to speak out against other's wrongdoings but to admit OUR wrongdoings, stand accountable for all our actions and do something about it. “It starts with self.”

I call on all of humanity to demonstrate their being “human” and have the COURAGE to use the REST of your natural born lives to do what is right. To put ourselves before judgment and endure the sentence. To put humanity, love and peace above greed, power, politics and self.

“We can no longer afford to do nothing” In calling for a corruption free government, change, real change, must come from ourselves NOW!

Humanity, in desperation, can no longer bare our self annihilation.

Look not on the faults and crimes of others, if you wish to change the world, look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, “am I human?”

To scrutinize the deeds and misdeeds of others but consciously hide your every fault is not righteous, courageous nor is it justice. This kind of actions will not change the world nor uproot corruption. It will simply change the officials, their name, voice, height, face and fidelity (if any) to truth.

I call on all the self righteous(that includes me) judgmental and ignoramus to be, ourselves, accountable for our past crimes and injustice.

It's about time that humans adopt humanity.

_Orville "chubby" Basas

Binay for president?

MANILA, Philippines—He may be attempting to do a Barack Obama, but presidential aspirant Jejomar Binay may end up being a John McCain instead, said a ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats official.
Lakas vice president Heherson Alvarez said Binay’s close association with former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada would be a “heavy burden” in his bid to succeed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2010.
US pundits believe Bush was partly responsible for the defeat of his fellow Republican McCain, despite the latter’s trying to distance himself from the vastly unpopular leader during the campaign.
“It can happen easily with Erap on his back. There will be the heavy burden of trying to explain the Erap factor on his back,” Alvarez told reporters in Malacañang.
Binay, the mayor of Makati for 19 years, declared his intention to run for President at a rally to mark his 66th birthday on Tuesday. The comparison with the African-American US President-elect is apparently because of Binay’s dark complexion.
Alvarez said Estrada’s popularity has been tarnished by his conviction for plunder. He said the pardon granted to Estrada by Arroyo didn’t mean that no crime had been committed.
“Obama was a breath of fresh air, Binay is too identified with the status quo,” he said.
Alvarez, the presidential adviser on global warming and climate change, said Lakas was not taking Binay’s presidential bid seriously at this point.
“He has to prove his mettle as a serious contender,” he said.
Alvarez said his party was still in the thick of deliberations for its standard-bearer in 2010. He said a recent discussion on the matter produced nothing.
But he made it clear that discussion have so far centered on the presidential candidate rising “from our own ranks.”
He gave no names, but the Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte and Bayani Fernando of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have been mentioned before.

-Christian V. Esguerra

--binay has turned Makati around. Makati is beyond compare. I'd choose to live in Makati than anywhere else in metro Manila. Regardless of his acquaintances, he could turn the Philippines around. unlike that parasite Gloria that calls herself the president.--

GMA Ratings

according to an article on the Nov. 13, 2008 Philippine daily inquirer, GMA ratings were still 'rather low.'
but I tend to disagree with the headline as I see it to be quite general.
If I were to rate Gloria Makapagal-Arroyo, in a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the most corrupt, she is a certified 20. she would have the highest rating in the illegitimate presidents. Just an opinion but I think she's beaten Marcos in the illegitimate presidents hit chart. At least Marcos had the balls to own his crimes. Gloria couldn't even address her extrajudicial murders.

But in the issue of popularity, it's no surprise that her ratings are low. I'm actually surprised that she was able to gather 34% for performance and 31% trusts her. I would sooner trust the pedicab driver to drive me safely than trust her to run this country. I would sooner applaud a monkey playing the drums than admire her playing the people.

but I would applaud her for one thing. and that is her thought that Defensor-Santiago could be one of the International Court of Justice. not for courage nor audacity. but I applaud her for her sheer stupidity and their (both Defensor-Santiago and Arroyo) actions even though they're handicapped.(brain damaged.)

reacting to the article "GMA Ratings 'rather low,' I actually burst into laughter. with the rumored coup, the churches call for radical change, impeachment cases and bloggers uniting against her, does anybody really think her ratings would get any higher?

Our economy looks like shit, political killings and abductions, fertilizer scams, red tape, high crime rates, unresolved Mindanao conflicts, poverty, hunger, over population and God knows what else. the Philippines is in a spiral downfall. and if Arroyo is the president (though I doubt it) she would have done everything to prevent it. but all she has done so far was prevent her downfall and feed her greed for money and power in the expense of the people. she is a blood sucking parasite that is sucking the Filipinos dry.

-Orville "chubby" Basas