A confession

I just read Atty Cortes' sermon on "Honoring Christ" over at his blog. It's a very insightful, simple and beautiful essay. It hit me right on the mark. Kung sa Bisaya pa, "Igo kaayo ko!"

So you see, God is in control of our circumstances, no matter how difficult they may be. For all we know God has allowed our circumstances to be what they are because he intends to save souls. Precisely because Paul was a prisoner the gospel reached Rome. And precisely because he was a prisoner he had access to the Praetorian Guard; the case would probably have been otherwise had he been free! Therefore let us not be dismayed by the circumstances God has allowed us to be in. For all we know our very failures, our very difficulties, are the very circumstances God intends to use to lead people to Christ. (Emphasis mine)

I am in such a difficult circumstance right now. For many months now I have been inactive in our Singles For Christ community here in Cebu. I can give many reasons for why I have been absent in all of our major gatherings (cluster, chapter, and weekly prayer meetings, teachings and talks, retreats, and fellowships). I can tell my "bros" and "sis" that I've been busy with a lot of things in school. But the truth is, I could've attended the meetings if I really wanted to. The truth is, I didn't want to.

Prior to being a constant absentee, I was quite active in the community. I attended all the meetings. Being in the community, meeting people, serving, listening to talks, sharing thoughts, problems, and laughter with my "bros" and "sis" truly gave me joy and peace, and certainly strengthened me each day, gave me confidence, supported me in the hardships that life offers. Until bad habit got in the way: laziness, irresponsibility, insincerity, lukewarmness to service, and most of all, pride.

I was assigned to be a household head. I was reluctant at first to accept the responsibility, because I knew it was going to be a big responsibility, because I was going to be taking care of people; that is, I was to be put in charge of looking after the new members of our community, of guiding them and helping facilitate their growth in the Christian life. I was also hesistant because I have a great weakness in dealing with people - I'm not very good with people. I accepted it, eventually, and during the first few weeks and perhaps months all went well. It was challenging, but it was a good experience. However, little by little I became weaker in my service. I was not very sincere with my obligations. Then our prayer meetings became less frequent, until another "bro" who is also a head from another household became concerned; he did not want our households to disintegrate, so he proposed that we merge our households together so that we can become more united and bonded. It worked well. Although we didn't acknowledge it, we had a silent understanding/ agreement that he was now going to be the head of our two households. He's really a very good leader. He has his way with people. He's very humble, and he can easily make people at ease with him. We in the community really see that he's serious and very dedicated to the community. Around that time I enrolled in nursing. It was then that I started missing our weekly meetings. My classes would usually end up at around 7 in the evening, and they would usually fall on the night of our prayer meetings. If I was not absent, I was late. It became a habit. I started not taking my service seriously; I became less and less dependable. Later my "bro", the one I was talking about, and her girlfriend, who is also our "sis" in the community, got a job in Manila, so they had to transfer there. During our last prayer meeting together my "bro" announced that he was assigning another member of his household to be our new head. That really hurt me; that is, it really injured my pride. I felt bad and offended about his decision, although, deep inside me, I know that the "bro" he's appointing to replace him is truly more qualified and capable than me, and he is indeed dedicated and zealous with his service, whereas I, am the opposite.

I accepted what happened for a while, but I couldn't help feeling hurt about it. I nurtured the hurt inside me. Later I learned that before my "bro" left for Manila he had a "despedida" party at his house with most if not all of the members in our chapter. I didn't know it, I wasn't invited. This injured my very high pride even more, and so steadily I distanced myself from the community. That prayer meeting was the last one I attended, and it was 3 months or so ago.

To make things uglier, I became more envious about his great fortune (landing a good job in Manila). That despite the knowledge that those are God's blessings to him for his faithfulness to his service. I know it's very wrong to feel envious, but I can't help feeling that way. That reveals something truly ugly about my character.

Anyway, I now realize that the Lord may have a reason why He has allowed me to be where I am now.

Besides, the Lord knows best: it is possible that by humbling you and laying you aside he intends to accomplish much more than you ever dreamed of.

Or He may only want to teach me a lesson in humility, because that is one of my greatest weakness.

For the same reason he was beyond envy, for what mattered to him was not his personal influence or honor, but the honor of Jesus Christ. In the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase, I must decrease.” There is no room for envy in the ministry. The ministry is not about competition; it is not about self-exaltation. It is about glorifying the Savior. Sometimes the Lord allows us to be humbled while others are honored. Nevertheless we will rejoice, for the ministry is not about this servant or that servant – the ministry is about the glory of Christ and his glory alone.

That has been my problem mostly. It's not about the people in the ministry. It's Who the ministry seeks to serve and honor and glorify. It has never been about the personalities in the ministry.

I am really hoping of going back to SFC. It has really been a source of strength for me (perhaps that's a very selfish motive). The Christian life, as we have been taught, can be likened to a wheel. The hub of the wheel is Christ, because He is at the center and therefore He acts as the 'foundation' of the wheel. The wheel has four spokes, namely, Prayer, Study, Fellowship, and Service, and these are the pillars of the wheel. The road signify life, with its rough and smooth surfaces. Without the spokes the wheel easily breaks or is crushed. When one or two spokes are missing, the wheel is damaged and it can't function properly. Same with Christian life, even if the two pillars of Prayer and Study are present, but you don't belong to a Christian community, meaning you don't have Service and Fellowship, you can easily be weakened in your faith; you are easily defeated by the trials in life. I want to go back to the community but I'm struggling with my fears and my pride.

A highly interesting Pinoy theology blog

I was searching Google for Pinoy theology blogs (because I wanted to know if there are Pinoy bloggers out there who tackle theology in their blogs) and I found this highly interesting blog:

Philippine Theo Law Gee: On Theology, Law and everything else from a Filipino perspective

A lot of interesting stuff in there. It's by a lawyer who also teaches theology, writes songs and loves books. Wow!

I have found a treasure of a blog. Why treasure? Because we virtually don't have Pinoy bloggers who blog about the beautiful subject of theology (the only other blogger I know is Father Stephen Cuyos). I sure do hope Atty. Cortes (I believe that's his name), will continue his blogging. I would've wanted to leave a comment in his blog but I don't have a Wordpress account.

A quote from his blog:

“What is it that true theology aims at? To gain understanding and wisdom in gospel mysteries by experience of personal knowledge of God in Christ, to gain an insight into the marvels of God’s plans and covenants through the ages, and to experience and partake of spiritual worship and obedient faith…. Above all, let those who undertake the study of theology and have no wish to squander away their time and efforts always keep in mind that their aim is to attain wisdom, and that wisdom is the spiritual, saving wisdom of the gospel.”

– JOHN OWEN, Biblical Theology (Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 2nd ed., 1996) p. 694

Guru of what?

This is unbelievable:

Fr. Bernas: From law dean to 'guru of destabilization'

Asked to comment, Gonzalez said: "It seems to me he (Bernas) is the guru of destabilization. Everything he says is always against the President. The problem with Bernas is that he thinks he's the only one who knows the law ... the Constitution.

What an irresponsible thing to say. It's hard to think that he's our Justice Secretary.

Here Gonzalez sounds even more childish:

Gonzalez went on to describe Bernas as the "lord and master of all constitutionalists and we have to bow to him."

The coming qualifying exam, and some recently acquired books

We finished our final examinations last week. It went okay. I studied at the last minute (as is my habit). Fortunately, the exams weren't very hard. I still can't celebrate or relax yet, though, because we'll be having a qualifying exam this coming Friday. It will cover Anatomy and Physiology, and Health Care 1 and 2. The exam will compose 20% of our final grade. That's a lot. So we better do good on it. They said the type of exam is only going to be "multiple choice". I hope so. They said it's only going to be easy, as it is "general", and requires only "stocked knowledge". Gee, I sure hope I still got a few of our lessons in Anatomy and Health Care 1 stocked here in my head.

Maybe I'm very lucky to have found this very interesting book: Nurse by Peggy Anderson. (Notice the picture of the nurse on the cover of the book. Doesn't it look like a figure of a white lady??? Hehehe... creepy; you'd think it's a horror book.)



It's the true story of a nurse (Mary Benjamin, not her real name) as she goes about the daily challenges and routines of her work. From the back cover:

"Sometimes I help people live.
Sometimes I help them die.
Always, I help them. I'm a nurse."

"The shocking, inspiring, surprise bestseller, Nurse is the story of eight weeks in the life of a nurse in a large urban hospital. It is all here: the joy and pain, the death and drama, the mistakes, successes and secrets. Nurse reads like a novel, but sticks in the memory like a real experience. Because it is."

I found it this afternoon in RSO Bookshop in SM. I have started reading it and I'm enjoying the story so far.

I also found a second-hand copy (still in very good condition) of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.



I already have my own copy here at home, but I like the one I saw in SM because it's bigger. The texts are larger and more readable (Nindut unta palitun, pero it's a bit expensive, PHP350). The one I have is somewhat pocket-sized. I haven't read it yet because I'm still learning more about Theology of the Body. I'm still trying to finish the audio programs about TOTB over at the EWTN website and I am still planning on reading more about it at Christopher West's website, plus I also hope to read the late Pope John Paul II's work itself on TOTB (Whew, it's going to be a very tough challenge). I am also reading this book called Marriage: A Path to Sanctity, by Javier Abad and Eugenio Fenoy.



It's not an easy read (theological texts aren't usually immediately understandable to laymen like me), but the effort is worth it. There are gems of thoughts in the book. Here's an example:

"This should explain why married couples who engaged in pre-marital relations soon discover that they never got to know each other well. A relationship ruled by passion clouds the mind and maims the will: one loses the freedom to love. The sense of touch is not enough to discover a person's qualities and defects, which can bring about disconcertment, frustration and "falling out". We have said that courtship is a period of getting personally aquainted; and this is possible only when the couple use their mind to guide their will and thus freely decide whether or not they should go on with their relationship." (Italics mine).

The quote is significant for me because of my belief that pre-marital sexual relations, or sex outside of marriage, is wrong. My Pangga and I understand this... :)

I also bought recently The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within the Family, by the Pontifical Council for the Family. It was pure coincidence that a saw an only copy of it at St. Paul's in Ayala. It was mentioned as a reference in the Abad and Fenoy book. I got it for only 25 pesos (it's only a booklet).

Tonight I'll be staying late to continue the bi-monthly report I have to make for my father's, or our family's, business. It's quite a tedious, monotonous work. The only thing that keeps me going is my listening to the EWTN radio over the internet.

PCIJ targeted by the DOJ

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in its blog has come out with a statement expressing its disappointment with the Department of Justice over what Raul Gonzalez recently said in an interview on ANC.

Why is the government singling out PCIJ? The DOJ is clearly resorting to intimidation tactics. PCIJ is not the only media group who carried the "Hello Garci" audio recording in their website. Several media websites and blogs also carried it. The audio recording was even played in Congress during its hearing on the issue. And what's more ironic is that Malacanang itself, through Ignacio Bunye, released a copy of the recording, which it claimed to be the "authentic" one, when the controversy first broke out.

More and more this administration is resembling the Marcos regime. It's truly scary and disturbing, how this administration is going after the media, resorting to all sorts of threats and harassment. But what is perhaps more troubling is that the public seems to be complacent about what is happening.

Hope for sea turtles

A beautiful news story about sea turtles over at Inq7.net:

Feeling the rough sand for only the second time since they were hatched on this resort island, a dozen marine turtles inched their way toward the waters off the coast, following the fading light of sunset as their guide to a vast new home.

What a noble thing Club Paradise is doing! What a hopeful message to bring to this environment-hostile world of ours.

And I just found out about this amazing fact:

According to Humphreys, it is important for marine turtles to walk on the sand before reaching the sea to allow the minerals in their body to register the magnetic field of the earth at that spot.

Female marine turtles that survive return to the exact same place where they were born to lay their own eggs.

It is hoped that the dozen or so babies released last week would make the return trip to this island and deliver the next generation of marine turtles, which will again follow the sun and propagate their kind for another 30, 50 or 150 years.

Sea turtles have that ability? To be able to find the exact same place where they were born? Wow!

New look

I think it's about time I change the look of this blog... :)

Thank you to this cool site: Blogger Templates.

I'll still be working with the links (I'll be adding a lot of GREAT sites I've come across lately. I've long wanted to link them here, but I haven't got the time), as well as the Haloscan comments system and the tag board...

Nostalgic about PS

I met Marty tonight at National Bookstore in Ayala. She's our officemate when Pangga and I were still working in PS. She was still the same cool person I knew her to be. I waved my hand in front of her to disrupt her distant glance and she was surprised to see me. She is now a TRON (I forgot what this stands for), meaning she no longer takes calls and troubleshoots client internet problems (technical support, which was very hard and emotionally draining, especially when you're not used to irate customers). She now coordinates with technicians who fix clients' internet problems at their homes. That's a far easier job to handle than what we in our batch first dealt with. Memories came flooding in. I became nostalgic again about PS. These questions came back to haunt me again: "Would I have been happier if I stayed in PS a little while longer, at least until the time I can get promoted to another department and to a more bearable kind of job? Did I make the biggest mistake in my life by leaving PS? Was I such a great fool?" Yet, that night when I decided never to report for work again, I felt sure that I never wanted to work in PS again. I felt quite certain that I can't take anymore my job, that I've had it with call center life. I even assured myself that I will never ever regret my decision to leave. Strange how things change as time pass by. I now doubt whether I made the right decision. I now doubt whether what I did was wise. In fact, sometimes I find myself criticizing my decision as totally foolish. I find myself telling myself that I lacked foresight and did not use my head. That's why these days I've learned never to make decisions based on mere feelings... And I now admit that my decision then was based on my feelings. I did not use reason.

Even now I am still amazed how radically different my life has changed since I left PS. It's quite painful to contemplate, that often I shun the memory off, and choose to focus instead on the present.

Pictures from our duty in Calamba

Today was the last day of our "community duty" for Health Care 2. We were assigned in Calamba Health Center in Labangon. We did not do house visits or assessed families. We only stayed in the health center the whole day listening to our CI's discussion on Family Planning and the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI). EPI has become a very tiresome topic for us because it has been discussed to us countless of times.


My duty mates strike for a pose. 


The gang up close (minus me, Ranel, and Ronald). 


The class is about to begin... 


Break time. Reyan shows us his talent for playing the guitar while Charyn displays her talent in dancing. At the back, left to right, Ate Neyla, Ronald, and Ranel. 


Can you guess what the lady in the photo is holding? Can you tell why most of the class is smiling? Yup, that's a condom. We were having a discussion on Family Planning. 


... And can you guess what our CI is holding in his hands? 


We rushed immediately to the nearest carenderia after the morning's health teaching. We were starved. (L-R: Disney, Charyn, Noel (partly hidden), Ronald, me (in the mirror), Ranel, and Ate Neyla) 


Group picture nasad! (L-R, standing: Ranel, Mischerie, me, Charyn, Reyan, Ate Neyla, Noel, Erma; seated: Ronald and Disney) 


Together with the CI, who was my school mate in high school... :) 

I really enjoyed my time with my duty mates. They were so much fun to be with. I'm so blessed to have been part of the group. I will surely miss these guys...

Pictures from our "community duty" in Banilad

(Clockwise: Disney, Ranel, me, Ronald, Mischeria, Ate Neyla, and Charyn) 


Getting ready for the 3 kilometer hike to Sitio Calubihan in Banilad. 


We're almost there... we're almost halfway through the walk... It's not exactly a walk in the park, is it? 


After about 45 minutes of walking, the group reaches Sitio Rotunda, where everyone takes a break from the scorching noontime sun. A sign board hung on the tree/ waiting shed behind the group interestingly reads: "Ger-ger not allowed (in this area)". Hmmm... 


We did an ocular inspection of Sitio Calubihan when we arrived in the area. Some of the houses were located at the side of a mountain, so we had to climb up to them. Erma is obviously out of breath, while Disney urges her to keep going. 


A view from the top. 


The class getting ready to leave. 


Lunch at Chowking, Gaisano Country Mall. (L-R: Mischerie, Erma, Charyn, Reyan (standing), Disney, Noel, Ate Neyla, and Ronald) 

Callousness of a network

"ABS-CBN will launch on March 15 the controversial Wowowee noon-time show hosted by Willie Revillame, a program that promotes mendicancy and dependency of the poor, all anticipating rich prizes and rewards doled out by program organizers.

"It would seem that ABS-CBN is out to prove something, unmindful of that tragic stampede that killed 71 elderly women and a four-year-old child, and scores of others injured. I call it utter insensitivity of the ABS-CBN to resurrect Wowowee, since that program has become the badge of shame and monumental embarrassment of the Lopez network.

"At a time when government prosecutors are still trying to pinpoint responsibility for that tragic incident because of the shortcomings of the network’s program organizers and management itself, to foist Wowowee and its program host on the public exhibits gall and temerity."

-- Emil Jurado, Manila Standard Today

Strong words there, and I agree with him totally. Resurrect "Wowowee"? That's the height of insensitivity. What is "Wowowee" all about anyway? It's mainly a mindless, stupifying TV show that caters to the public's irrationality and exploits the poor's hopes and dreams. Apparently ABS-CBN cannot just let it die, perhaps because it is very profitable for the network...

Show Us Edsa

An eloquent and moving essay by Carmen Diokno, widow of Senator Jose Diokno:

Show Us Edsa

On July 2 last year, the Jose W. Diokno Foundation called on Mrs.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down from office. Today, on the 84th
birth anniversary of Pepe, we no longer address Mrs. Arroyo, who heeds
no one but herself and her coterie of advisers, and needs Proclamation
1017 to prop up her flagging government. We prefer to address our
people, whom Pepe so loved and with whom he struggled for a better
life.

On the matter of leadership, we say: Out of 80 million Filipinos, Mrs.
Arroyo is not the best we can produce. She does not even come close to
the best. But Mrs. Arroyo’s display of arrogance is not what disturbs
us, though I must admit it is irksome. It is, rather, the implicit
assertion that we deserve her kind of leadership—for our people do
not—and that there is no alternative to her, when there are. Remember
that martial law lasted as long as it did in part because some
accepted the notion of a so-called ‘lesser evil’.

We who have asked Mrs. Arroyo to resign from office are often
criticized for being disunited. So let us examine the sources of our
disunity. Clearly there is an element of distrust, that some in the
political opposition are out for their own ends just as some among
organized groups are perceived to have their own agenda. Suppose we
accept this to be a fact of our present political life. Is it
nonetheless possible for us to come together on the basis of certain
principles? I believe it is.

For example, we all want our elections cleansed of corrupt election
officials, cheating and other corrupt practices. We desire an
electoral process and system that will bring out new, good leaders who
have a fair chance of winning.

We do not want the constitution changed at any and all cost, in the
manner that Mrs. Arroyo and Speaker de Venecia know best. They make no
effort at subtlety in their attempt to subvert elections and remain in
power in the name of constitutional change.

Most of all, we reject the social inequity that our political system
feeds on. Using the poverty of the people against the people is the
worst, most painful crime of all.

So what is to be done? First and most immediate, we must not surrender
our civil liberties. Sometimes I think that martial law was effective
because it didn’t hurt enough people; the dictatorship selected its
targets skillfully and then isolated these targets from the public
view. A false sense of comfort thus resulted. Let us not allow
ourselves to be fooled again. One act of suppression, if unopposed,
makes possible other acts of suppression.

Second, let us seriously work out the bases of our unity and agree
that we cannot have all that we want now. This is a difficult task—I
know how hard Pepe worked to bring the opposition together during
martial law. But try and try again we must.

In all this I ask that we think of our youth and consciously cultivate
young leaders. We widows and veterans of martial law have reached the
pre-departure area; our knees do not allow us to line the streets and
march in protest. This is not just a world we are about to leave, but
one we will bequeath to our children, grandchildren and, in my case,
great grandchildren. Listen to 17-year old Jose Miguel Bermudez, a
freshman studying in Las Pinas, who wrote in the Inquirer’s ‘Young
Blood’ column. “Everyday of my life,” he says, “my teachers and my
parents admonish me to shape up. I think it is now my generation’s
turn to tell my parents and those who run this country that it is time
for them to shape up. They are being selfish and myopic when they
complain about the inconvenience and disruption caused by people
protesting against lying, cheating and stealing. They would rather go
about their regular business even if that means leaving many
fundamental and moral issues unresolved.” Talking about how these
issues will haunt the next generation, Jose Miguel asks: “Guess who
will be left to deal with this ghost when it returns? Guess who will
be left to deal with the ugly litter of an irresponsible and apathetic
generation that would trade their children’s future for short-term
convenience?” (7 February 2006)

My own grandson, Jose Lorenzo—we call him Pepe for short, who was born
a little over a year after Edsa, wrote in yesterday’s Inquirer: “We
relegate Edsa to these four days, we remember Edsa only when we feel
the need to and we kill Edsa…. It makes me angry that the revolution
to most of us has become a set of dates and actions that little
children memorize for Sibika. And I’m angry that most of what we’ve
read so far is about the events that transpired, and the generals and
politicians ‘who made Edsa happen’. Edsa is not about them. Edsa is
also more than the people who were there. It’s even more than the
leaders it ousted.” My other Pepe ends with a request: “I’d like to
ask a favor from you who were lucky enough to have felt the joy of
revolution. Don’t tell us about it. Show us Edsa. A lot of us don’t
even know what it looks like.”

So we who know, must show Edsa. But in this process of showing, I
advise our youth: do not be passive onlookers. Your job, like that of
my generation that is about to pass, is to constantly improve upon
what is shown and to never give up. This was Pepe’s dream of a nation
truly for our children, and it remains ours.

(Via MLQ 3's blog)

Why GMA Must Go

WHY GMA MUST GO
By Yoly Ong

Like the rest of the ABC+ ECO classes, I figured we should just ignore GMA and go about our lives. After all, there's no acceptable alternative on the horizon. Better the devil we know than the one we don't, right?

I even said she was most likely the real winner in the 2004 elections. After all she had the incumbent’s advantage. She spent billions of pesos for her campaign. The P800M fertilizer fund and P500M health insurance budgets were diverted to buy votes. Then to ensure a convincing victory she topped it off with Garci. You see, the little woman vowed she would get a lead of at least 1M votes over FPJ. That way, even if the Opposition cheats, she would have a buffer. Her other ambition was to get more votes than Erap, partly to thumb her nose up at him and his loyalists. Mostly so she would feel the love of the people because in truth everything she did was really for love.

She wasn't always a cheat and a liar. In fact there was one moment of epiphany when she actually had the decency to say she wasn't going to run because she was such a polarizing and divisive personality. Alas the Holy Spirit left too soon. And her broken promise became yet another one of many more to come.

Since the Hyatt 10 resigned, the dark side has completely taken over. Like the votes she bought, she systematically bribed cronies and critics alike. When position and money didn't work, fear and intimidation was the alternative mode of persuasion. Instead of capable men and women, she filled up critical government positions with loyalists whose self-interest hinged on preserving her own.

And so she has slowly corrupted everyone and everything she has touched. The military. The judiciary. The businessmen. The church. The police. If the soldiers are restless--- give them a house and an increase. If media cannot be co-opted, threaten them with PP1017. It’s actually PP1081 all over again. Arrest all who speak out against her. Commies or Professors, it doesn't matter. You’re invited for questioning if you’re not for her.

Now she wants the charter changed in order to perpetuate herself. Using tried and tested methods she tried to use No-EL to suborn Congress.

Can you imagine the damage she can wreak till 2010 and beyond? All this while the First Gentleman amasses a fortune from all government deals and the son smuggles racehorses and God knows what else.

But who will replace her? Even Noli has been persuaded to remain loyally supportive. All trapos are the same. We replaced an incompetent plunderer with a diabolical one. What’s to assure us it won't be from “the pot to the fire” again?

And with this unanswered question we go about our own business. Irritated at the inconvenience caused by street protests. Disdainful of Cory, Hyatt 10, Civil Society and the whole sanctimonious lot for trying to get us back to the streets and pricking our conscience. We couldn’t possibly link arms with Ping Lacson and Jinggoy and God help us, the Reds! Why even Winnie Monsod said so! And she’s credible isn’t she? She even wonders what the fuss is about a state of emergency!

Hold on a second. We are now questioning even the basis of democracy. Has the little despot insidiously corrupted us without our knowing it? We are actually making excuses to help her stay in power, even if we don’t really like her and we all know she and her husband are corrupt beyond belief.

We close our eyes to the horde that surrounds her. One adviser operates big time illegal logging. Another “owns” the entire pier and the multi-million smuggling operations that go with it.

Now with PP1017, we have another reason to pay no heed to politics. After all we don’t want to be invited for questioning, do we? In fact, we don’t want to be questioned by anyone. We’ve put our conscience on sleep mode.

What is the life span of a tyrant? History will tell us that they will reign while good men do nothing. But one thing is sure: A leader who does not possess the “friendship” of the people CANNOT lead. Even Machiavelli knew that. Well Madam, you will go down in history as the most UNLOVED president this country ever had. Poor Little Rich President!

I am going back to the streets and anywhere else where I can shout my disgust in the most powerful way I know how. GMA has to know that there are some Filipinos who cannot be bought or frightened.

(Via The Black And White Movement)

Is Gloria Macapagal Arroyo actually more corrupt than Erap Estrada?

From today's PDI Editorial:

IF THE Arroyo administration had hoped to cover the trail of the P728-million fertilizer scandal by barring top government officials from testifying at the Senate, then it hoped wrong. True, the Senate blue ribbon and agriculture committees couldn't get the full story, with Executive Order 464 getting in the way of the fact-finding inquiry. And because of the proclamation of a state of national emergency, they even had to call off the last hearing scheduled last Monday for fear that witnesses might be arrested for being a party to alleged destabilization moves in that legislative body. Still, this did not keep the Senate from laying the blame right on the doorstep of Malacañang.