Reactions to story from Influential Blogger

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  2010 Philippine Elections: Important issues, 4

  http://awbholdings.com/blog/?p=569
  122 days ago in blog @ AWBHoldings.com · Authority: 45

  Janette Toral posted a call for a discussion of issues relevant to the 2010 Philippine presidential elections, tagging a lot of bloggers in the process. Instead of one post, I will make a series of post about this topic, and it will be an issue or two per post, hopefully. For every post, I will state an issue, explain why it should be an issue, and share my thoughts on the issue. In this post, let me tackle something that is close to every Filipino’s heart (or stomach): rice. In a previous post, I noted the Agriculture Secretary’s call to restaurants and fast food chain stores to reduce their serving of rice, yet the official stance of this regime is that there is no rice crisis nor shortage. However, Arthur Yap’s call, and the fact that Gloria Arroyo had to begask Vietnam for a guaranteed supply of rice speak otherwise. Your grandparents (or maybe your parents) might have told you once or twice that the Philippines used to be a net exporter of rice. You might have heard an old citizen lament about the current situation. Now that we have become a net importer of rice, we are now dependent on the vagaries of the world rice market, and a contraction in rice supply worldwide affects this country greatly. The Philippines remains an agricultural country. The fact that we are facing a shortage in the supply of rice is ironic. How have we come to this state? The agrarian reform situation is a failure. The Sumilao case is a good example (though it seems a compromise has been reached). Also, some beneficiaries had sold their land due to debts incurred in tilling the land - of course, farmers had to buy seeds and fertilizers. The unabated land conversion is another problem - for local governments, conversion means more income via taxes. Then we have the related infrastructure problems. For farming to be productive, good irrigation is a must. The same can be said for post-harvest facilities - including grain warehouses, modern farming equipment, and farm-to-market roads. It is said that our level of farming is stuck to the 1940s. For our farmers to be self-sufficient, we must make farming productive. Without the right infrastructure, and pricing their produce very low, farming will remain a losing enterprise. Why is this an issue? Food sufficiency is important for the country. It means we will no longer be dependent on imports. It means our food supply is not dependent on world price fluctuations. Food sufficiency should be addressed immediately. All sectors involved should have a master plan, preferably legislated so that it could withstand changes in leaders. What do you think should be done to insure food sufficiency? — Previously: * 2010 Philippine Elections: Important issues, 1 * 2010 Philippine Elections: Important issues, 2 * Eleksyon sa 2010: Mga mahalagang isyu, 3 CommentsMarch 25, 2008, MINDBULLET writes: Communicating the Philippine water crisis I am posting a communication briefing paper on how a senator can generate public support for the water crisis issue. Hope our presidentiables generate ideas from this. http://brainbang-mindbullet.blogspot.com/search/label/water%20crisisLike my article? Leave a tip! Ask Arbet! Bookmark to: Hide Sites
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  The 2010 Presidential Agenda

  http://paradoxicleyline.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/the-2010-pr...
  123 days ago in The Paradoxic Ley Line · Authority: 6

  In light of the current issues and scandals that is rocking the Executive Branch, it is not too early for us to tell the presidential aspirants what we want to see in their political platforms and what issues they should deal if they became the president of the country. As initiated by Janette Toral in her blog Reflective Thinking, here are the issues that presidentiables must seriously address with urgency if they sincerely want to be the initiator of change in our nation.  Corruption and Public Accountability  Corruption is the root of our many problems. Many studies, both local and international researches, concluded that a bulk of public funds were lost to corruption, leaving most government projects as unfinished or substandard. Corruption is also the reason why there are little funds that actually goes to the education and health. There is also the problem of bribery, which is enjoyed, by the lowly government clerks and senators alike. The Philippines is also tagged by many international groups as one of the most corrupt nation in Asia and the world.  The future president must address corruption seriously and have the political will to eliminate it. S/he should strengthen the Office of the Ombudsman and give it more independence to try erring public servants. To stamp out corruption, she must have the courage to wage war against corrupt local officials, congressmen, and senators and help the Commission on Audit to pry into pockets of such “public servants.”  Rural Development  Urban poverty and countryside unrest stemmed from the poverty experienced by the rural folks. The present system is still under the control of the landed gentries and the hacienderos who were mostly mayors, governors, and congressmen of their provinces. By this reason alone, many laws that will ease the poverty of rural folks were thwarted simply because these laws will hit the landlords.  To resolve this, the future president should have a working plan in developing the rural areas. S/he must uphold the true essence of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. The future president should also deal with rebel groups through negotiation. Stamping out rebellion cannot be carried out by the military alone but should also be accompanied by improving the lives of the rural folks.  Education  Education should be the top priority of the government. Educating the public will give them the power to participate intelligently in the democratic process. I also believe that a growing economy needed an educated workforce. The future president must revolutionize the education sector. The public education system, its curriculum should be evaluated and improved. The problems of the teachers; the insufficiency of rooms, chairs and books should be addressed. The new education system that will be propounded should be nationalized and foster science and technology.  Health  Improvement of the public health service, educating the people on diseases, taking care of poor patients, and cheap but good quality medicines should be included in the political platforms of all the presidentiables.  Environment and Natural Resources  In the light of severe climatic phenomenon that is besetting the world, the future president should include the environment in his/her priorities. The president should drum the war against illegal miners, loggers and industries with longstanding issues of violating environmental laws. S/he should have a policy in curbing greenhouse emissions and in preserving the diverse flora and fauna of the country.  Science and Technology Development of a nation is directly proportional to the number of its scientists and local inventions. Thus, I believe that the next president should end the neglect on the local scientific community. We have many scientists and inventors that have world-class researches and inventions. Now is the time for us to harness the intelligence of Filipino scientists and engineers and decrease our dependency on foreign innovations and technologies.   These are the concerns that presidential wannabes should prioritize. These issues cover a large ground that the whole term of the next president will never be enough to address them fully. The next president need not solve all the problems of the Republic. It is enough for him/her to nudge the nation on the right track. Our country does not need a messianic president, what we need is an initiator of change. Read my new post on my blog Before the Eastern Sunset my post about Jesus’ resurection on Easter entitled NEWS FLASH: Jesus is Alive!. Also read my haiku Angel.
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  Jun Lozada, For President?

  http://www.selaplana.com/2008/02/18/jun-lozada-for-president...
  158 days ago in Learn Lessons with SELaplana · Authority: 334

  Note: I think, it’s my first time to publish a write-up on this blog on Philippine Politics. This post was inspired by the Digital Filipino’s blogging campaign on the 2010 Presidential Election. I don’t actually want to talk about politics because I don’t want to compromise my blogging career. Just like what they say, politics is the dirtiest game in the Philippines, and I am afraid that I will be affected by the dirty tricks of politicians. You know, I was really wondering what’s the real reasons why Jun Lozada came out of his den and revealed the things behind the ZTE Broadband Deal controversy. I know, that what Lozada is doing is really a risk, but I know also that what he’s doing is one of the politician’s game in gaining popularity. Well, for now I couldn’t tell if this is just his way of entering politics or he simply wants to reveal the secrets on the ZTE Broadband Deal. I am not saying that what he revealed is true, not even saying that it’s false and simply fabricated. There’s of course a possibility that everything is true because based on my experiences dealing government financed projects, the under-the-table and dagdag-project-price are always there. I want to make it clear and repeat it that what I am saying is, there is a possibility (only POSSIBLE) that what has been revealed is true. What do you mean, “under-the-table and dagdag-price”? Okay. The contractor for him to win the bidding, he needs to give the officer, who is in-charge of the bidding, the gifts (money or items). Then once the contractor wins the bidding, he will then be asked to double the project’s price or at least add few percent of the price but the the amount added is already owned by the officer. Of course it’s not always true in some offices. Lozada for President? I am not actually thinking that Lozada will run for President on the 2010 Election, but I think he will run for the local office in his area. He already gained his popularity… TV stations are featuring him… Papers are talking about him… Every mouths are praising him. It’s one of the thing aimed by those would-be politicians. And why I am thinking this? It’s 2008 already. It’s the best time to start making a popular name. And to stand at the side of the opposition is the best way to start. And Lozada is already successful on it. He only needs to maintain this popularity so that 2010 election comes, he’ll surely win for the office he will run for.
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  2010 Philippine Elections a wish list

  http://baratillo.net/?p=920
  164 days ago in baratillo @ cubao : www.baratillo.net · Authority: 128

  I think it was the Prussian Chancellor and Then German Imperial Chancellor Otto Von Bismark who once said that people who loved sausages and the law should not watch how both are made. Having been a voter and a citizen of this Republic since the Snap Presidential election this quotation attributed to the Iron Chancellor and the master of Realpolitik seems to be true. Whatever rose tinted glass I had at the beginning had slowly chipped away and what was left was pulverized - smashed to bits by the politicians and politics of this land. One cannot blame if family and friends have become somewhat distant from the politics of our land. Who can blame them it is stressful to watch these crooks try to outwit each other while wrapped in the Nation’s Flag or robed under Fair Play and Divine Justice. It is simply tiring. At this point there has almost been no conviction of a big time politician since Edsa 1 and the only who got convicted was given a pardon. Still one hopes and one does not give up. As a nearly exasperated voter who has seen his vote wasted every time he goes to the poll what does one hope will happen? Perhaps a wish list (A form of answer to Janette’s meme) 1) One wishes for a truly modern voting system. A system that hopefully will ease the process of lining up, sitting down on a cramp chair and write one’s choice on the ballot.If one could eliminate the ballot and go paperless it would be a wonder. Of course to modernize the election would be the first step in this endeavor. 2) Inclusion of a run-off election that would ensure plurality of win in the Presidency would be nice. It would spare the endless wails of election protests and street actions. 3) One thing I would really like, given that one modernizes the electoral system, would be to directly vote on legislation our Senators and Congressmen vote on. - Not for every bill of course. These honorable men can have their way with streets names and whatever they do while spending tax payer’s money. - Only the important bills like: – Power over the salaries and other form of income of all government workers and officers. – The Budget – Constitutional changes and the law 4) Move tje housesCongress and Senate to an island: – Where they could be left alone to do their job. And adopting from the old practice of the College of Cardinals to not be given food till the task was done. – Where they could easily be safe from the mob - us But within striking range of a howitzer called Bonifacio. Ah one can wish..
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  Filipinovela: The Never Ending Political Drama

  http://aileenapolo.blogspot.com/2008/02/filipinovela-never-e...
  164 days ago in An Apple a Day · Authority: 223

  So, we are in the midst of another drama where we find ourselves glued to the news, listening to the radio, or following Manolo's twits (I prefer following Manolo's twits, it's less stressful and distracting than watching TV). We've been through this countless of times already, but no one really sees the end of it. Why? Because no one really gets imprisoned from these things. The trials just go on and on until the public forgets about it... until the next drama special. I care very much for our country and would rather do what I can than really speak out (or blog about it). I am a political scientist, but I never practiced it because I learned early on that if you want change to happen then just shut up and do something that you can actually do. Back in college I was the angry Filipino, some would say aktibista, I immersed myself, attended a couple of rallies, wrote really good political papers (that's what my professors said), and a lot thought I was going to end up being a politician. But I disappointed all my political science and legal management professors by turning myself into a corporate slave. Why? Because I got tired of being angry and reality was biting on my heels even before graduation. I had Miguel and my primary responsibility then was to earn as much as I could. I did that and got myself a masters degree to better our lives. When my Mom and I went into the export business I got to handle about 10 blue-collar workers who were literally living hand-to-mouth. We tried the best we could to given them stable jobs, housing and whatever help we could, but at some point we had to give up because the market for the product we were producing dwindled. It was then that I appreciated that I could actually make a difference to many more businesses and (lives in the long run) by focusing on work that would help a business sector that directly deals with the grassroots Filipino worker - the exporters. So that's the job that I consciously looked for when I finished my MBA, and lo and behold, I got a job to be a product manager for an online exporters directory. Whatever I did worked and I was moved to handle a much bigger directory (for all types of businesses now) and that's when I really actively did service for entrepreneurs and exporters by giving workshops on how to market one's business (both offline and online). I always enjoyed my work because it's what I want to do and I've been so lucky because everything's been a natural progression of things. Eventually I moved on and I think I could safely say that I am very much happy with what I am doing because I think I am making a difference in my own little way, especially for kids. I can go on and on with the things that one can do because I hope that's what I am doing. I have long ago stopped writing criticisms or what-not. One thing I learned from writing for our parish newsletter (and Riza Singson and Kuya Jomar) is inspirational writing. What's the point anyway in lambasting people/companies/events/whatever? Whenever I want to prove a point, I just do it and don't wait around much for others when I am bent on doing something. Funny, but one question that Boy Abunda asked yesterday on The Buzz was, "If you were at door of heaven and St. Peter asked you, `Why do you deserve to be in heaven?' What would your answer be?" (Sorry, I just really have this funny way to tying up the most mundane of things, LOL). Which brings me to answer Janette's question, "What are the important issues that should be tackled during the 2010 Philippine election?" Maybe I should just make my undegrad thesis downloadable huh? Well that one tackled specifically the youth sector (Sangguniang Kabataan) hehehe, but I don't want to bore you with two volumes of our masterpiece (awarded best thesis! hmph! both my thesismates are in the private sector too). Lemme enumerate what I think are very important issues (and just please interview my Dad `bout it hehe): 1. Education - let's bring the core back and make everything else context. 2. Food Security - why do you think prices are going up? That's because there aren't that many supply anymore (I'm sure my friends over at IRRI would agree). 3. The Environment - when I was a student I attended an environmental summit hosted by then DENR Secretary and former Senator Heherson Alvarez and the issues back then were quite a mess, what more today. 4. The Economy - what's the ratio between exports and imports now? I haven't really checked lately and I always thought that we should work on exporting more because that would create more jobs for Filipinos. We're really experiencing more brain-drain more than ever. 5. Love, I mean, moral recovery. Love your neighbor is the golden rule after all and everything else follows. When are we going to stop being selfish? You can earn millions, but at the end of your life you cannot bring this with you. My parents always make me vote and I do choose carefully who I vote for, even to the last barangay kagawad. I also always bring Miguel with me whenever I vote because I want to show him that exercising that right is important. If you don't vote, then hello stop complaining and do something within your neighborhood to help. If each one of us did stuff in our own little way, then there's still hope after all. I am a very positive thinker kabayan and you should too. What do you think you can do to end this drama so that our country will finally have a happily ever after? Mabuhay!
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  Important Issues For the 2010 National Elections

  http://www.atheista.net/?p=530
  167 days ago in Atheista.net · Authority: 134

  This is in response to Janette Toral’s tag. It’s quite noble to analyze the dynamics of an upcoming election despite already knowing how elections are usually played out in this country. It’s no big secret that those who decide the election are the misinformed masses who wouldn’t really care about issues. We would be lucky if these people would even give a token glance on issues before making up their minds on who to vote for. Politics is a simple game of persuasion wherein a box of liquor (during a supposed alcohol ban) and a few hundred pesos per voter could change the fates of candidates. Cynicism has its place in elections because society has not properly empowered the voters. To a certain extent, society doesn’t exactly promote healthy debates and arguments to occur due to the Filipino concept of pakikisama (compromising to get along) and conformity. Aside from the Charter Change issue, is there any other big concept out there that is contentious and worth debating about? None! Because ALMOST all Filipino politicians are centrists. The only people who stick out are those who are rabidly leaning towards to the left like the party-list representatives from the Communist Party of the Philippines and the few bold and brave men like Ping Lacson and Bayani Fernando who choose to go against the grain and push for controversial bills regarding population control and sex education. Everybody else stays in the middle. They simply try to weather the social judgments to hopefully gain the endorsements from various pulpits. The least offensive candidate always wins. For a people who loves to whine about the lack of change and how the status quo is wanting, Filipinos almost always go for least disagreeable candidate instead of going for the candidate with the strongest ideas to address certain issues. You can’t blame them though. There are no debates - there are no contentious points to launch substantial arguments from. Due to this void, the electorate has no choice but to simply go with something more accessible - the personality, affiliation and background of the candidates. Deviance - whether ideological or otherwise — has no place in the political arena. Pre-election, opinions that would go against the prevailing intentions of the local parish would easily make a candidate unelectable. Post-election, this would lead to the alienation of that elected official. This aversion to deviance is of course a result of the influence of the various institutions that have stood in our country for so long. In 2010, no candidate will say that he isn’t for the environment. No one will dare claim that education is unimportant and doesn’t warrant funding. No one will debate and I bet a shiny five peso coin that no one will say anything remotely substantial. It will be all glamor, glitz and sashaying all over again. There are only three relevant issues that will decide the outcome of the 2010 polls: 1. Fooling the masses Elections are won and lost on the basis of sincerity regarding poverty alleviation. All candidates woo the poor and try to win their hearts and minds (term used loosely). If you can prove that you were cousins with a laundry woman, your stock rises dramatically. Consider yourself elected! 2. Face Time! Advertising is expensive so unless you’re willing to hemorrhage three hundred thousand pesos for a 30 second ad placement, you better be crafty and creative. Why not schedule your child’s baptismal or heck, your own wedding on the days leading to the election! Our classy journalistic sector will lap this up in no time and chalk it up as human interest. Anyone else betting on a Korina Sanchez - Mar Roxas nuptials on 2009? 3. MONEY! Unless you’re a throwback to the hacienda era, you will need to raise oodles of money to get elected. How do you do this? Simple, just link up with any drug ring or gambling syndicate and you’ll get the funds that you need. It’s a perfect match. The syndicates get protection while you get non-taxable, untraceable campaign contributions. It’s definitely a win-win! And you, fellow Filipinos, will love them to bits. Questions for possible 2010 candidates Eleksyon sa 2010: Mga mahalagang isyu, 3 Awit na Nananawagan (In Response to Janette Toral’s Call for a Blog Brainstorm about 2010 Elections) The 2010 Elections…. eto na naman tayo! 2010 is Coming Issues for 2010 2010 Philippine Elections: Important Issues, 2 Program of Government for 2010: A Laundry List Important Issues for the 2010 Philippine Elections Two Top Tens 2010 Philippine Elections: Important Issues, 1 Issues come 2010 Philippines 2010 Elections Viewed 1179 times by 640 viewers
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  Awit na Nananawagan (In Response to Janette Toral’s Call for a Blog Brainstorm about 2010 Elections)

  http://lestercavestany.com/2008/02/01/awit-na-nananawagan-in...
  174 days ago in Lester Cavestany · Authority: 63

  Janette Toral is asking for a blog brainstorm and discussion about the important issues that presidential candidates should address during their campaign. Basically, the question is: What are the issues that you would like our candidates to talk about in the 2010 national elections? Here’s my wish list (in countdown order) of the Top 10 Issues I Would Like My President to Address through Policy, Propaganda and Programs: 10. Ensuring National Security and Maintaining Peace-and-Order a. How does the next president plan to convince the rebels to lay down their arms? I read an article by Ignacio R. Bunye in the Manila Bulletin about the government’s recent success of fighting insurgency in Bohol. Does (s)he plan to continue this type of approach or does (s)he have a more effective strategy? b. Does (s)he plan to continue to get US military assistance in resolving the conflict in Southern Philippines? c. What are the plans for the police, the military, and the Justice department? 9. Protecting the Environment In 2001, the Asian Development Bank identified Philippine environmental issues in the ADB’s Asian Environment Outlook 2001. The issues identified by the report include overexploitation of natural resources caused by the increasing population and the expansion of agricultural, commercial and industrial sectors. The report also pointed out the lack of sincere government efforts to control the degradation of the environment. Seven years down the line, how have we addressed these issues? And more importantly, how does the next administration plan to protect our environment? 8. Urban Planning and Management Aside from the usual urban issues such as traffic, pollution, overcrowding, etc. I hope that the next president can address the problems of squatters and slum dwellers. In the July-August 2006 issue of the United Nations (UN) Chronicle, there was an article entitled The State of the World’s Cities Report 2006/7: Urban and Slum Trends in the 21st Century which talks about the issues facing metropolitan areas. The original UN report stresses the importance of reducing urban poverty and inequality by improving the living conditions of slum dwellers and squatters. Issues include malourishment and malnutrition, illiteracy, diarrhea, HIV, short life expectancy, high child mortality, lack of access to water and electricity, poor sanitation, indoor air pollution, overcrowding, eviction threats, and many others. 7. Developing Rural Areas It’s becoming more and more common knowledge that the wealthy landowners in the rural areas have strong links and direct ties with the Philippine government ever since the first Philippine Assembly during the American colonization in the early 1900s. And so the feudalism that began during the Spanish times has never really been looked into because the government has always looked after the hacienderos, and the common tao in the rural areas has always been enslaved by the system. For further reading on this topic, I highly recommend the book, The Rulemakers - How the Wealthy and Well-Born Dominate Congress, (http://www.pcij.org/bookshop/rulemakers.html) written by Sheila S. Coronel, Yvonne T. Chua, Luz Rimban, and Booma B. Cruz and published by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. 6. Implementing a Progressive Population Control In my personal opinion, the present administration needs to review its national population policy. In a GMA News article, PCIJ points out that Filipino women are the ones most affected by the country’s push for natural family planning methods. In addition, Keith Suter’s article in the Contemporary Review points out that 1.4 million new jobs have to be created every year to match our economic growth with the population increase. And what’s scary is that our present population of about 85 million can double by 2034. Needless to say, the Catholic Church’s influence (grip) on state laws and policies regarding birth control is a major cause of the overpopulation problem. So I want a president who can say no to the demands of the officials of the Church or any religious organization. We need a president who will enforce the separation of church and state as written in our Constitution. 5. Ensuring Proper Health and Nutrition for All I don’t think we need to explain why this should be one of the government’s priorities. Two things are worth mentioning: 1) preventive healthcare and proper medicare for the majority of Filipinos; 2) safeguarding of the quality and affordability of generic drugs. 4. Providing Quality Education to All Another one that doesn’t need to be explained. Voters should demand concrete educational programs from the candidates. We don’t need promises. We need action. 3. Fighting Graft and Corruption in all Government Offices As I pointed out in another post, “Ang Lagay Eh” (RP Tops 2007 Bribery Survey by Transparency International), it’s high time we put a stop to the corrupt practices of some of our government officials and public servants. 2. Attracting Foreign Investments and Protecting Labor Welfare We all know that we need more jobs in the Philippines and I would like to know what my next president’s plans are to make sure that we can compete with our South and Southeast Asian neighbors in attracting foreign investments. and the most important issue that the government should address is (drumroll please)… 1. Developing the Philippine economy through entrepreneurship and by promoting the welfare of OFW’s Ris posted “Sir” John Gokongwei’s speech about the power of entrepreneurship and how he has built his empire on it. Read the full speech on Ris’s blog. It’s truly inspiring. I believe that developing the economy should be on top of the list of our next president. We Filipinos are very creative and industrious when it comes to starting a business enterprise. Often, we hear successful businesnessmen tell us that it’s all about sipag, tiyaga, at abilidad (diligence, determination, and abilities). I dare say that these three things are innate to Filipinos! In addition, I hope the next president can have a program to promote the welfare of our country’s number one export: the OFW’s. I also hope the government can find ways to encourage long-serving OFW’s to come back home and invest their hard-earned savings in the Philippines. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!! References: 1. Speaking out; the Bohol Experience on Uprooting Insurgency. Manila Bulletin. Publication August 27, 2007. c 2007 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp 2. Bank report paints bleak picture of Asia’s environment, CNN, June 20, 2001 3. The State of the World’s Cities Report 2006/7: Urban and Slum Trends in the 21st Century. Eduardo Lopez Moreno and Rasna Warah. UN Chronicle. Volume: 43. Issue: 2. July-August 2006. 4. PCIJ: Church’s gain in population policy is women’s loss, Aug 14, 2007. 5. The Philippines: What Went Wrong with One Asian Economy. Keith Suter. Contemporary Review. Volume: 289. Issue: 1684. Spring 2007. Recommended Reading: 1. Challenging Traditional Politics, by Karol Ilagan, PCIJ 2. Asian Environment Outlook 2001, Asian Development Bank 3. The Political Economy of Philippine Rural Development Since the 1960s. Arsenio M. Balisacan, Nobuhiko Fuwa, Margarita H. Debuque. School of Economics, University of the Philippines 4. Family planning flip-flop costs P840m. Christine F. Herrera, Manila Standard Today, Feb 23, 2006

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