Mar Roxas on Duterte's viral video regarding the rape of Australian woman

DUTERTE DID IT AGAIN.

Not a week has passed since Rodrigo 'Digong' Duterte belittled Roxas by calling him 'bayot' and cursed Cotabato Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza in public, here he is again with his unfortunate remarks against women.

This video was recorded from one of Duterte's recent campaign rallies. Listen to how he 'joked' about an Australian gang rape and murder victim from 1989:




TRANSCRIPT: “Ni-rape nila lahat ng babae…So ang unang casualty, ang isa dun yung lay minister na Australyana. Tsk, problema ito. Australyana eh! Pag labas, binalot. Tiningnan ko yung mukha. P********, parang artista sa Amerika na maganda. P********, sayang ito! Ang pumasok sa isip ko…ni rape nila! Pinag pilahan nila! P********** yan, nagalit na ako. Kasi ni rape? Ah, oo. Isa na rin yun. NAPAKA GANDA, DAPAT MAYOR MUNA ANG MAUNA.”

THAT'S IT. Using 'rape' as a joke is not funny. Not funny at all! At the moment, loyal supporters of Duterte are still defending him saying that he is not a good stand-up comedian and that he RESPECTS WOMEN AND CHILDREN. Lol. Are you too blinded by worshipping this man?

The other Presidential Candidates have expressed their disgust over Rodrigo 'Digong' Duterte's latest brouhaha. Here's the official statement of LP-DM's Mar Roxas:

I WILL NEVER EVER VOTE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS INSENSITIVE TOWARDS RAPE. I personally find it sad that some of the female supporters of Duterte need to swallow their pride by campaigning for him even if he generally feels entitled to do anything he wants to do with them.

 As I type this, a Facebook post from one of the Australian victim's friend is circulating appealing to Filipinos NOT to vote for Duterte:

ON BEHALF OF MY SISTER IN CHRIST, MISSIONARY JACQUELINE HAMILL, I PUBLICALLY DENOUNCE THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY OF DUERTE, IN THE PHILIPPINES. Jacqueline was raped and had her throat slit while ministering in the jails in southern Philippines in a 1989 hostage taking. Duerte was recorded this week saying in his political rally that while he ordered the killing of the hostage takers while he was mayor, he wished he could have raped her first, since she was so beautiful. Looking back on this photo, I realize ministering in jails as a woman is very risky and looks outright naive, like the "you got what was coming to you" mentality that is prevalent today. But all ministry and everyday LIFE is a big risk, and we must be obedient to the voice of the spirit of God, even if it leads us to death. Jacqueline's death affected me deeply personally, as I had been visiting just about every jail in Manila with the ACTION/CGM teams from 1986-89. I couldn't yet speak the language but I could play the flute and just show love to people in horrible situations. LOVE TRUMPS HATE. DON'T STOP LOVING. DON'T VOTE FOR PEOPLE who speak vile things against WOMEN!! We are ALL made in the Image of God!!



If you're a woman, would you elect for someone like him to lead the country? If you love your mother, sister or daughter, please spare them from sexism and don't vote for Duterte! BE WISE AND THINK OF THE FUTURE!

CONCEDE THE OWNERSHIP BUT NOT THE SOVEREIGNTY, SAY WHAT??

Perhaps by now, the issue of territorial disputes with China over the West Philippine Sea have been broadcasted, dissected and analyzed several times that no need for elaborate background information is needed. Simply put, the Philippines claim that we have the full two hundred nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in Palawan. With this being said, the disputed zones are our own and should be under the Philippines sovereignty.

               

The most talked about concern as of now is a presidential candidate’s statement  on conceding the claim to ownership over these EEZs in order to stay in good favor with Asia’s giant which is China. Better yet, the statements from his camp claims that in exchange of the ownership, at least 3 major train lines should be made. I felt the bile in my mouth.

For a first time voter, I am seriously at lost for words. Being taught from a young age the unyielding and commendable characteristics and the sacrifices of our national heroes I have always envisioned my country to be led by men and women of the same caliber. Men and women ready to fight for what makes the country great and never to kowtow to foreign powers and international pressure. Heck, they gave their lives for the freedom of the nation, and in no other circumstances could I imagine them throwing away their pride and dignity.

It was perhaps the best decision of the Aquino administration to bring the case of the territorial disputes to the arbitral tribunal in The Hauge, Netherlands. When all is said and done according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the best next move of the country is to wait. There and then, the responsibility to continue the fight of protecting our land and interest therefore lies on the next president of the country. I, together with the millions of Filipinos here and in abroad, will not allow a part of our mother land to be sold in exchange of something that is rightfully our prerogative. In this case, the EEZs in Palawan for a decent network of transportation.

                That is why I had to read and reread several times the statements issued by Duterte.  According to him “We will not insist on the ownership” of the EEZs but then he clarified that he will not relinquish the Philippines’ sovereign right over the West Philippine Sea.  As far as my understanding serves me correctly, not insisting ownership is the same as giving up the sovereign rights. If it is, then him winning the upcoming presidential elections will open a possibility of a divided Philippines, the country where the man sworn to protect the land actually gave away the land that needed protecting. Pathetic.

               

Another possibility that we should prepare for is the government’s claim for the likely joint explorations with China, Duterte even said that if the Philippines cannot put up the needed capital and technology to start the exploration over the disputed areas, he would like it if China builds three major railways for the country in return. He also insinuated that if it is the only thing he can get from the disputes, then he is done. If he wins for presidency, it is obvious that he can settle, and he will settle. In this case, the settlement is to the detriment of the country.

               

However, given the case that the country can supply its share of proper capital and technology, China had already insisted that no negotiations will be made until the Philippines recognizes China’s ownership and therefore sovereignty over the disputed area. No matter how I try to look at it, the only way we could make it through this whole and undivided is for the favorable decision from The Hague.

If it is inevitable that Duterte wins the presidential elections this year, then many questions were left unanswered. In the case of Mayor Duterte, his camp should have a definite plans on how to strike an arrangement with China without surrendering the Philippines’ sovereignty and ownership over the disputed EEZs and the camp should also decide on how to handle the final decision of the international tribunal in terms of opening bilateral talks and agreements.

What am I driving into? As a Filipino who continues to dream for a better nation, I would like my countrymen to not take the upcoming elections so lightly. This is a matter of national and international relations and the statement “a lot is at stake” barely describes it. Candidates vying for local and national positions should be enormously scrutinized and their policies and programs should be evaluated according to the current and future needs of the country and its people. Remember, if the Filipinos are worth dying for, the Philippines then is worth every single sensible vote there is. Vote for the people who would protect our nation and uphold its laws. Not for people who blatantly disrespects it. Vote sensibly.  

Understanding OFWs: It Takes One to Know One

            One of my favorite authors of all time wrote, “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals”

           

            Among the many commendable and well-thought platforms of the presidential candidates, I was struck by the Liberal Party’s standard-bearer Mar Roxas’ economic proposal pertaining to our overseas Filipino workers or OFWs. If successful in the recent campaigns, part of his program is “to create more domestic jobs so that working abroad will not be a necessity, but rather a choice for Filipino citizens; and when a Filipino opts to become an overseas Filipino worker, his/her welfare and protection will still be guaranteed by the government”.

                As a Filipino considering working and settling overseas, what does it mean to me and other potential OFWs? Simple – we will be properly and timely accounted for.

            This guileless albeit meaningful program for today’s modern day heroes comes from a deep root and exudes a lot of meanings. It is a common knowledge that majority of the Filipinos would want to work abroad, given the chance. In fact, a huge chunk of the Philippine population is currently scattered across all seven continents. Why is this alarming? Two words - brain drain.

            People often mistake “capital” as just money or financial investments. Sometimes, their definition of capital is tangible goods such as machineries and infrastructures that will be used to manufacture other goods and services. But they fail to consider the more profound concept, which is human capital. I am not simply pertaining to the number of laborers and migrant workers available in our labor pool, I am specifically relating to the knowledge and skill that they possess. 

            At a certain point in time, a worker can perfect a skill, which can cut down production time that leads to more products produced in less amount of time. Similarly, a worker, after hours of applying his or her skill, develops techniques and expertise that can be only be gained with time. In short, given time, a worker has the skill and knowledge comparable to a master craftsman. So, if they leave, they take the talent, experience and knowledge with them.

            What will happen to the country then? It will be a training ground for potentially productive laborers, but the ones who will be benefitting from the training and skill will be countries and corporations overseas. We will be a country of dregs.

            So where does Mar come in? After graduating from Wharton, he worked for almost a decade as an investment banker in New York. In fact, he was skilled and talented enough to be the assistant vice president of Allen & Company, a New York based corporation. During his stay, he was involved in mobilizing venture capital funds for small and medium enterprises.  As a former OFW, he is not new to the perils and challenges that other Filipinos faces everyday overseas. Most importantly he is at one with the most intimate desire of our OFWs – to bring a dignified life and better opportunities in our home country.

                

The adage “it takes one to know one”, therefore, perfectly sums up one of the numerous reasons why presidential candidate Mar Roxas is the perfect person for the job.

He is a person with vision as he has solid programs and policies that would make our country progress and prosper so that no Filipinos will be forced to leave their families and loved ones again. 

He is a person of experience as he was a former expatriate and very capable of addressing their needs and protecting their rights.

He is a person with impressive educational background that is necessary if we want long-term economic progress.

He is a person with proven track record in the government service. The laws that he fought for are now reaping social and economic benefits for millions of other Filipinos.

Finally, and most important one of all, he is one with the people.

ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE: On NPA Taxation

I remember one of the greatest advices Niccolo Machiavelli wrote in his infamous work, The Prince is the three possible ways in holding a state that has been accustomed to living freely under their own laws.  First, is to devastate them. Second, is to occupy them. Finally, allow the state to maintain their own laws but they should be subjected to taxes and an established oligarchy. With this and more cutting edge political tactics that he wrote, The Prince has become one of the greatest literatures of all time.

            What do this century old literature have to do with today’s article? A lot.

            On a speech made in front of agri-business players, Davao City Mayor Duterte advised these business peopleto just pay “revolutionary taxes” if asked by the New People’s Army, during the opening of the Davao Trade Expo three years ago. Though he conceded a peaceful way of dealing with these “revolutionary” and “ideological” groups by talking to them, he admitted to paying these revolutionary taxes to NPA, which drew flak. In his statement, he also admitted that he couldn’t put this practice to stop and just “factor that in your investments.” A comparison between paying to the Bureau of Internal Revenue was also made synonymous to paying the NPA.

           

           

From an observer’s point of view, there is a more efficient way of handling situations like this, and not by adding fuel to the already scorching fire. These revolutionary taxes will be used by non-state groups for violent means. Why would we finance them in the first place when one of the main roles of the government is to maintain peace and not to provoke it. As I interpret it, the act alone in paying revolutionary taxes is simply condoning the notion of being subjected to monthly or regular terror brought about by these revolutionary groups. The act of paying is a signal that corruption and the insurgencies brought about by these ideological groups are parts of the everyday life and should therefore be accepted as a norm. But in reality it is not. The government continues to battle with these groups and as citizens our role is to condone any act in support of or in line with their unorthodox ideologies. These should never be tolerated no matter how widely practiced it is.

            If we kowtow to the demands of these groups, our actions will send a signal to them that we are afraid; we are voluntarily offering ourselves as subjects to their regime. Thus we too fight in a manner that is just and civilized.

            So how should we tackle this situation, obviously not through elimination of these groups? Neither is through occupying them as there is a high risk of being immersed in their ways and it would make the move moot. The best way, according to Niccolo Machiavelli is to allow them to maintain their own laws but they should be subjected to taxes and an established oligarchy. Simply put, let them keep their own orders but install a different regime.

           

            A regime of what you might ask?

            A regime that would properly manage the economy and give stable source of income for both sides – insurgents included. Why is this effective and efficient? Because we would remove the dependency of these revolutionary groups towards the agri-people and the rest of the local government.  We cannot continue to give them fish everyday, we should teach them how to fish. When this happens, windows of opportunities opens – economic growth, political stability for the law abiders and accesses to education and healthcare for the insurgents. We have to establish a regime that follows a rule of law, advocates peace processes and proper governance. Though it may take time, the potential benefits are aplenty. Once we establish enough jobs and employment, decent housing, network of transportation and communication, we can attract these insurgents to live normally with them at our side, not against our side.

 So in the end, it is a Pareto Optimal scenario, which produces a win-win situation.

HIS WAY OR NO WAY: A ONE MAN’S RULE

Recently, presidential candidate and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas released lambasting statements about fellow candidate, Rodrigo Duterte saying that he is “a threatto democracy”.

The crux of the statements is that the latter, according to Roxas, practices a form of politics, which is his way or no way. Roxas also insinuated that when confronted with what is true, Duterte would answer with invectives, insults or bullets.

How true are these allegations?

Perhaps, Roxas, like many of our fellow Filipinos, is afraid of being subjected to a regime under a one man’s rule. For many years, the Philippines who fought so hard to achieve the elusive right to democracy, has been subjected to a military stronghold, bereft of democracy and freedom. This traumatic and unpleasant experience had molded the people’s minds into automatically rejecting any form of slavery towards unjust rule. Being the freedom lovers that we were born to be, we are in constant fear that the next leader to assume the highest position of the land will take it away, instead of protecting it.

Among the many statements released, what struck me most is the part when Roxas accused the current mayor of Davao City as “the judge, jury and executioner” despite the state of the country “we’re in a democracy”. What makes a country democratic anyway? Simply put, it is a government by the people or a rule of majority. Having had monitored the presidential campaigns closely, I was able to read a lot of articles involving the candidates. The issue that automatically made connection with Roxas’ claims is the extrajudicial killings in the south. Upon reviewing and rereading the articles again, the common denominators for these are, the alleged killings were done without the rule of law implemented. Backing up the issues with the reports from the Human Rights Watch, and the recently releases crime indexes and statistics by the Philippine National Police, it seems that there are many laws and rights being trampled upon with the so called practice of the rule of law. Instead, there is no rule at all.

What happens then to our country if one man’s rule is the rule for all? Chaos? Pandemonium? End of life as we know it?

No. There would be life, or a semblance of it. We will start living our everyday lives in constant fear of being mistaken for a drug user, or our daughters, sisters or wife being victims of the ghastly crime of rape and our sons, brothers and husbands being accused of drug dealers or pushers. Unsolved murders and killings may be a more common occurrence in our national news and media. If left unchecked, a single man’s way may be made toward his own personal interests or that of his families, colleagues and constituents. Anything can happen if one man’s rule becomes the rule for all. Most of these things, however, are at the detriment of a nation.

                                                   

Yes, we are in dire need of change. We have been craving for a leader that is worthy to govern the nation of heroes and great men and women. But how do we select it?  As one of the 21st century’s greatest author wrote, “If you want to know what a man is like, look at how he treats his inferiors.” Would you vote for a man who publicly came out and supported the killings of alleged criminals both minor and not by vigilantes in the form of death squads in his own city? Would you vote for a man who is a self confessed womanizer? Or a man who overtly sent expletives to the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics because of a traffic situation that is a normal scenario in a country?

By this time, we Filipinos should have learned our lessons from our past decisions. We do not vote based on popularity and we are not persuaded with flowery but empty words and promises. We are Filipinos, capable of making educated choices. We should vote for a leader that is first and foremost, respectable and gives due respect to all, may it be to people, or to the constitution.  

The Audacity of Grace Poe

               

Photo Source: Ugnayan

We are a country of great people. In our veins runs the blood of courageous men who fought for independence, women who broke stigmas in a patriarchal society, inventors of great breakthrough and everyday heroes. Also, in our blood runs the tenacity of being stupid, or at least continuously choosing stupid decisions. In fact, we have been on the front cover of the Time Magazine for being the most stupid country to elect 20-Year OJT as a Senator. That senator happens to be the daughter of a presidential candidate.

                  Just last year, Grace Poe announced her bid for the presidential position. Her candidacy was welcomed with bouts of challenges; one of them is the question of her identity. Being the adopted daughter of two prominent names in the film industry, Grace Poe has dealt with very controversial issues regarding her origin. One of the recurring hearsays is that she is related to the Marcoses. Yes, those Marcoses of the Martial Law.  The issue didn’t end there; perhaps, it even started the bouts against her citizenship. She was educated in the United States, was a kindergarten teacher and a former citizen there too. A former citizen you say? Yes. She had to renounce her citizenship to be able to occupy a position in the Philippine government.

                  Aside from these issues of origin and citizenship, what else do we have to know about Grace Poe?

She was first recognized in the political circles as President Aquino’s appointee, the successor of Ma Consoliza Laguardia, then the chairwoman of Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). During her tenure, saw the implementation of new ratings system for television programs and movies. Fairly impressive I would say. But what are her backgrounds in the legislative and executive departments? After her stint at the MTRCB, she ran as an independent senator in the election of 2013. With her surname as her biggest advantage, she won and secured a seat.

                  As a senator, Grace Poe promoted “film tourism” which encourages local and international film industries to shoot in the country. Another bill she filed is the “Sustenance for the Filipino Child” that aims to provide nutritious meals to children in primary and secondary education. Finally, “First 1000 days” was filed in order to support Filipino children in the first 1000 days after they were born. There. Those are the few notable things she did while in office. Though you might say to give her some slack, as she was only an incumbent senator since 2013 that, my friends, is exactly the point. You wouldn’t entrust the highest position of power in our land to a neophyte.

                 
With her surname on her back and a mere three years experience in the senate, what does Grace Poe have to offer? She claims that she wanted to pursue his father’s legacy? But what exactly was the late FPJ’s legacy in terms of progress and development? Her bid for the presidency seems to be grounded on non-existing achievements, in terms of public office of her late father.

                  Reading through her platform, I find myself laughing. These are theoretical proposals with no definite plans for execution and implementation. It seems to me, that majority of her platforms were recycled from several administrations. Let’s take into consideration her plans under the Legal Framework for Children, which aims for the restructuring of educational system in the Philippines through creation of programs that will ensure decent classrooms, high quality of education and conducive environment for learning. Since the dawn of an established government, those aforementioned are the goals to achieve development among nations. It has been said, rewritten and revised numerous times but the spirit remains the same. That same goal has been targeted by leaders with more practical and political experience than Poe, and those attempts, successful or not, leads us to where we are now in our educational system. Classrooms remain insufficient, quality of education is still lagging behind and a conducive learning environment remains flighty. For a neophyte vying for the top governmental position in the country, she could have presented us with better.                
                   

                  At the end of the day, same thing still remains, she has the least experience among all presidential candidates, her campaign platforms are not even at par with the others and her only steadfast reason to run is to resume the non existing legacy of her father.

                  Self-entitlement sure can bring you to places.

CONTINUITY IS BETTER THAN CHANGE

             

Data shows that in 2010, the Philippine economy is at $198B. But as President Aquino ends his 6-year term, it has grown to a $320B economy. This surpassed half of all the Presidents of the country with a term of 40 years. Also during his term, the average GDP growth is at 6.2 percent. The World Economic Forum (WEF) also supports this information where in the competitive ranking of the country increased by 7 slots from 52 in 2013-2014 to 59 in 2014-2015.  Moreover, according to the report, the country’s gain of 33 places since 2010 is the largest over that period among all countries studied. In terms of the investment desirability of the country, during the past administration, at least eight sovereign credit rating upgrades were acquired.

            So, what are the implications of these on the upcoming presidential elections? A lot.

            The current system of voting for our leaders allows a big possibility for the occurrence of conflict of interest. Since the president and vice president are voted separately, chances are both do not come from the same political party, as historical records show. Upon being sworn into office, these two, will have a mismatch in the direction they want to lead the country in. Perhaps, the elected president’s main priority is the abolition of crime, the vice president wanted to focus on employment creation. This conflict of interest and lack of agreed upon political platform severely damages the economy.

Source: http://www.investphilippines.info/arangkada/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Screen-Shot-2016-01-06-at-4.19.54-PM.png

            Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows the yearly growth rate of two of the most common economic indicators we use – Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Income (GNI). Upon further scrutiny, one can see the almost scheduled dip in the country’s performance during the change of a new administration. A notable example is the second people power revolution where the incumbent Joseph Estrada was ousted to be replaced by his vice president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Another obvious economic slowdown was the change of administration from Arroyo to the current president, Benigno Aquino Jr.

            What have we learned so far? Change in political administration is an extremely crucial factor that detrimentally affects the economic performance of a country. Why? Call it lag. The most sought after goal of economic development do not happen overnight. It takes months for a certain program or policy to be placed in practice and years, sometimes decades, to see the desired effect. The K-12 educational system that was adopted for the purpose of producing skilled Filipino laborers may only produce advantageous effect years or even decades from today. This means the economic direction that the former President spent 6 years in establishing will lose its leverage. Due to inconsistent policies prioritized by changing leaders, the country’s economic progress is halted. Back to ground zero, if you please.

            One does not need to be an economist to figure things out - continuity is better than change. With the above achievements cited earlier, presidential candidate Mar Roxas, undoubtedly, is the best man for the job at hand. With his experience working with the previous administration, he will be able to translate these rankings and rates into something that is tangible – a development that is seen and felt. We need a leader that is consistent with the policies of the Aquino administration. The country needs to be coherent in its infrastructure building, foreign policies and development programs. We need someone who will continuously build on what the past administration had already built, not someone who will destroy it in lieu for his own personal and political interest.

            It is time for the Filipinos to let go of the typical “business as usual” way of doing politics. We are better than that. We deserve more. This coming election, we should vote for continuity over change. Building on what has been established, continuing the straight path to progress and pushing through further development is what the country needs right now. It is never the grass is always greener on the other side. Rather, and very aptly put, the grass is greener where you water it.