THE PHILIPPINE LEADERS MUST HAVE A SERVANT-LEADERSHIP MENTALITY

A VOICE FROM AMERICA

By Ernie D. Delfin

THE PHILIPPINE LEADERS MUST HAVE A SERVANT-LEADERSHIP MENTALITY

            Today is America’s  Memorial Day 2003.  It’s  exactly a week  since President George “Dubya” Bush  gave a State Dinner to Phil.  Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo  in the  White House,  the third state dinner that he ever hosted since he became president.    With the lavish praise and recognition accorded the Philippine president in the White House,  the Filipinos in America as well as in the Philippines were again euphoric.  This is  somewhat  reminiscent of the euphoria that the Filipino people  felt during  People Power Revolution of 1986, popularly called as EDSA I,  that kicked Dictator Marcos out of Malacanang,   that was repeated in January 2000 when the EDSA II uprising forced  the actor Erap Estrada turned President out of Malacanang.   Fiesta-like activities like the State Dinner  hosted  by  the most powerful person in the world,  President  Bush with all his key cabinet members and many VIPs in the United States have  put Pres Arroyo in a pedestal,  and  made her the   “Darling of the Month” among the coalition of the willing.   To quote STAR publisher Max V. Soliven during last Saturday (May 24^th) dinner reception hosted by this columnist in Los Angeles,  “The White House accolades  are  too lavish that Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo does not truly deserve because of her “urong-sulong” (ambivalent)   commitment to the so-called Coalition of Willing in Iraq.”  (Max Soliven was  the only non-governmental official who was included in Pres. Arroyo’s  official party--Editor)  His  description probably sums up many Filipino Americans’  feelings about  Pres. Arroyo’s state visit that has  overshadowed the serious  bombings in Mindanao and ephemerally buried the   political drama surrounding the Con-Ass  or Con-Con  maneuverings  in Manila. 

            Now, President Arroyo,  with his official as well as unofficial entourage, is back in the Philippines   ------  after a week of  extravagant media coverage of her US visit that started in Los Angeles where she met Cardinal Roger Mahony in the new  multi-million cathedral that stand truly magnificent amidst the background of a poverty stricken East  Los Angles,  to  Washington D.C. where she was made to stand on a pedestal ( pun intended)  and to San Francisco where she met a chosen group of 50 people that caused some intrigues and  jealousy among the Filipinos in the Bay Area  ---  to work harder  to make the Philippines a stronger republic which she promised in her SONA last July.   Many of her opponents, however, would say that the Philippines has become a weaker republic as the socio-economic  and the peace and order situation in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao has worsened.   The peso continues to depreciate, a  barometer how the  nation’s economy is measured against other countries.  Without the billions of remittances of the Overseas Filipino Workers and immigrants, euphemistically called as the Modern Day Heroes, the Philippine government would gave become bankrupt.

           President Arroyo has another year as the president. She faces insurmountable challenge to implement programs to fulfill his SONA promise to make the Philippines a stronger republic especially in the areas of the economy and the peace and order. With the forthcoming May 2004 election, unfortunately,  her decisions and  acts  of commission or omission (supported by her “body language”)   will  again be interpreted by politics-loving Filipinos as  plain “politicking”  to regain her popularity as  more people are convinced that she will  reconsider her December 30,  2002  decision NOT to run for re-election. Bouyed by  President Bush’s  unequivocal support through military and economic and financial help to resuscitate the Philippines economy,  coupled with the fact that there is no strong contender in her Lakas Party to succeed her,  she might easily be persuaded to change her mind .  This writer joins other Filipino writers who  fearlessly predict that   she will run for reelection, either under the l987 Constitution or a new one that will convert the Philippine government into a Parliamentary form of government where the number one deal maker Joe De Venecia will be her prime minister.  In our macho society, Filipinos  still give  women  ample  allowances  for changing their minds because of their  nature, especially during their monthly mood swings.   Furthermore,  Filipinos have short memories… we have forgotten the plunder that was caused by the Marcoses.  Almost everybody has forgotten that they were accused of massive looting but now they are all in the corridors of power from the Governor’s mansion in Ilocos Norte to the Halls of Congress.

           This early,   the Filipino people  are now  beginning to enjoy their number one hobby, which is  politics that is at par with Filipinos  love for “sabung”  (cockfighting)!     Forget that we have 100l  cancerous problems that have afflicted  millions of our people --- poverty of values, poverty of good education, poverty of basic necessities,  poverty of moral and upright leaders, poverty of good governance   amidst the gargantuan material opulence  of the very few   who really do not care about our people!      A lot of these so-called business or government leaders   who   are leading the Philippines to hell have stashed some of their unexplained wealth to other countries, like Canada, United States or Europe where they can  jump ship and immigrate anytime.   Names like Dewey Dee, Atong Ang or Ricarforte and many others   come to mind as  living proofs that the Philippines still produce many millionaires despite the deplorable  economic ruins of the country.   What a country!

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           Can faith, hope and love survive decades of terror and  hellish problems of the Philippines?   That is the  challenge posed by the  recently  published book of Gracia Burnham,  “In the Presence of my Enemies”,   a  poignant story  detailing the torturous conditions that she and her (deceased) husband Martin  and l8 others suffered under the Abu Sayyafs  when they were kidnapped  in May 2001 (Memorial Day Weekend exactly  two years ago today, which we have almost forgotten due to the state dinner, Con-ASS or Con-Con factors among others).  The  lives Martin Burnham, Guillermo Sobero, Nurse Deborah  Yap,  Sonny Dacquer and Armando Bayona were just wasted by these Abu Sayyaf terrorists.  Most of the hostages survived the ordeal and  are now presumably  trying to go on their lives after their traumatic experiences in the jungles of Mindanao. 

             Unfortunately, the problems that gave rise to these kidnappings and ransom cottage industry continue to   worsen and can still explode  anytime.  While GMA was in the White House,  for instance,  a bombing in Koronadal City exploded where dozens were killed.    Why?  I am no expert as the problems of Mindanao are very complex that existed as long as centuries ago.  But,  I believe that the   solution will not only be the show of military force but also massive work to alleviate the conditions of the residents  in the areas of  education, employment,  integration and socio economic conditions of all the people. A  culture that idolizes guns and superiority of  naked force  is hard to change.  But the Abu Sayyaf’s recruitment of young people  will be much  more difficult if the young become  more educated, have good sources of livelihood and have other options in their lives.  The road to his ideal destination will  very long and difficult  but each journey always starts with the first step. 

               Mrs. Gracia Burnham (and her deceased husband Martin) were active  missionaries of the New Tribes Mission based in Kansas City   lived in the Philippines for over 15 years.  They liked the Philippines and  have learned to love the Filipinos as happy and spiritual her people despite the many ills of her government,  a  fact that can be gleaned from her book.  Understandably, the book  is also brutally honest in her portrayal of her  stay in the Philippines, which centered around her captivity by the Abu Sayyaf  that lasted exactly one year and eleven days.  As American missionaries who worked long hours without the obvious compensation of material success,  this Kansas City couple during their once-in-a lifetime wedding anniversary at an exotic Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan started a  series of mental, as well as physical and spiritual challenges that an average human being will never  experience.  The  mental scenarios caused by the uncertainties of each day is  quite tormenting;  it is a test of the resiliency or indomitability of the human spirit.

         Not only did they face near starvation, constant physical exhaustion, frequent gun battles, and cold-blooded murders around them but they also faced extra-ordinary test of their faith  and love in a God that has seemingly abandoned them. The book is filled with human real-life drama narrated in gripping first person  experiences. The reader like me is touched  by this ultimate triumph of  faith  and enduring love of an ordinary American couple  who by God’s  hands were thrown into an extra-ordinary difficult circumstances l5,000  miles away from their Kansas City home.  As active members of their New Tribes Mission Church, they were sent as missionaries to help enhance the lives of  others in a third world country which they learned  to love but were made a sacrificial lambs  of the cruelty of man’s politics against his own government.  Despite, all these tragic experiences, Mrs. Burnham was not bitter  and remains steadfast in her faith in God and the innate goodness of the Filipino people amidst the presence of her many enemies.

           To quote USA Today “ the issue … is not why an all-powerful God might choose to subject a man to evil, but how a man, with God’s help, responds to evil.” Lastly, the book gives a powerful encouragement and everlasting hope amidst the many struggles in life in a very honestly woven story of an ordinary woman who is poor in material possessions but very rich in a commodity called LOVE which the world needs most during these troubled times… The book is  a good read, I give it  a nine-and-a-half.

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              In our cyberspace forum called ProgressiveTimes,  someone circulated some specific but disturbing  examples of some corrupt BIR government officials who have amassed great wealth that are can never be supported by their  salaries that they “legally” make, complete with names and  pictures and addresses  of their mansions, expensive cars and all their properties.  Hard working people especially the Overseas Filipino workers were not only enraged but became sick just reading these exposes.  As the creator of ProgressiveTimes,  I have suggested that we  start a “Fund to put these Corrupt People in the Government in Jail” and the responses all over the world is beyond  my dreams.  From my initial $200.00 pledge, we possibly have over $5,000 pledges now in just a week!  The idea is catching fire although we still  do not have the mechanics how to home front in the Philippines will implement this peaceful revolution of the OFWs against the corrupt, bad and ugly government officials.

           Paging  OFWNet Foundation, under Dr. Eddie “Ka Edong” del Rosario and Dr. Chee Garcia,  Plunder Watch,  Sen. Jovy Salonga’s Bantay Katarungan  and the Center for Investigative Journalism.  You guys in the Philippines must  form an alliance to do this and let us, hard-working Filipinos outside the Philippines,   be a part by contributing  some of our hard earned dollars or dinars or pounds  to  see a corrupt government official in BIR, Customs, SSS or Malacanang go to jail.  We,  the OFWs probably can even hire  unemployed people to  become the guards of these jails  that are soon  filled with corrupt government officials to  manifest to the entire world that the ordinary Filipino is sick and tired of these plunderers  who   are worse than “pulgas del tierra” (fleece of the earth).  This is one peaceful  way that the OFW can invest in the social engineering  to bring back the moral values that our grand fathers used to live by.  The possibilities of this revolutionary movement is great,  like that of Mahatma Gandhi’s   protest against the British that started with the symbol of salt.

            My dream is that 7,000,000  OFW just contributing $10.00 a year is enough to prosecute a lot of corrupt people in ALL branches of our government that  will also employ  young idealistic lawyers to put these plunderers in jail.  We then need   construction workers to build more jails,  unemployed police academy graduates to be security guards,  restaurant caterers to feed and prisoners,  realtors to sell the sequestered assets,   writers and journalists  to publish a national magazine to profile these economic plunderers  and inculcate the right values among  our young people….The possibilities are endless.  Once  we the OFWs and our  families can see that poetic  justice  (putting the corrupt in jail) is possible it will motivate us do more projects proactively.  Just dream that we if we put 50% of all corrupt people to jail, the government revenue collections will also  increase dramatically.   Everybody wins except the corrupt, the bad and the ugly government officials!

            It can be done!  We need more people to be pro-active. Join us by subscribing our ProgressiveTimes towards a more Progressive Philippines!

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 E-mail this writer at:           erdelusa@hotmail.com or  drbannatiran@yahoo.com

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       On the  Philippine front,  let me also profile  another unsung hero and silent employer who I  met during my recent visit to the Philippines. His name is Naido Duldulao, a cousin of my ‘kabagis’ (brother) Nestor Duldulao of Northern California, whom I’ve known since our  CPA auditor years in Manila decades back. Naido, a fellow GI (genuine Ilocano),  who like many industrious Ilocanos ventured in the Promised Land called Mindanao.  Married a beautiful Davaoenia, Tong, Naido ventured  into  some thriving businesses from shipping, overseas placement and recruitment and to operating bangus and catfish fish pens in Samal Island.  He also started exporting these freshly and instantly frozen  bangus to America and Europe.  After early retirement from the Philippine Navy as a Captain, he found Mindanao the perfect place for him to raise his family and grow his diversified businesses.

       A soft spoken businessman, Naido, the CEO-Founder of ND Shipping Group of Companies in Davao City and Manila,  is not only making an excellent living but also giving lots of opportunities and employment to hundreds of Filipinos.   In our trip to Davao and Samal Island, I met dozens of his employees who love working for his companies.  One late weekday late afternoon, past 6:00 PM, I was surprised that almost everyone was still working without watching the clock, unlike in most offices in America. The few days that I was with Nestor and Ceny Duldulao and  another couple Art and Essie Claveria, all from Northern California as guests of Naido and Tong Duldulao in Davao City  with an overnight stay in their luxuriously built family resort in Samal Island, where the fish pens were situated,  I  knew then that he is living in paradise compared to the Ilocandia region that he came from. Perchance,  this writer if circumstances were different I would possibly have done the same in my younger years.  (Why is it that human beings dream to be in other places other than where they are?)

      On the eve of Valentines Day 2006,  two Rotarian friends of mine, Jess Cifra and Litay Ferrera Brunner, past presidents of the Loyola Heights and Makati Rockwell Rotary Clubs, respectively,  met Naido Duldulao at Shangrila EDSA to discuss how we can jointly help employ more Filipinos. As he is in the home front, he told us that given the chance he would like to place thousands of unemployed Filipinos to work not only in cruise ships but also in North American cities that are being rebuilt, like New Orleans where massive rehabilitation and  construction work worth billions due to devastation caused by Katrina are still ongoing for  the next several years.  Collectively, we agreed with Naido that the best way to elevate the living conditions of our people is through good education and sustainable employment. For all his silent efforts, Naido’s  contributions to Philippine society did not go  unnoticed.  His fellow Ilocanos in Ilocandia honored him together with dozens of accomplished and successful “Sons and Daughters of Ilocandia” that included Supreme Court justices, military generals, educators, authors and businessmen. 

       In these competitive days of globalization and information society, our Philippine society needs more of the tribes of Naido.  The country needs doers and not just talkers. The politicians, the so-called national leaders, are often the cause of problems as evidenced by so many unconscionable, extravagant, stupid  government projects like mothballed Westinghouse project of yesteryears, the overdue NAIA 3 airport and the alleged “fertilizer scam” that apparently  did not produce more crops to eat or export  but suspiciously purchased votes for some incumbent politicians. Cumulatively these kinds of government officials’ shenanigans  and stupid ways of doing government projects  are adding tons of baggage that have prevented the economic airplane of the Philippines from taking off!

      The Philippines certainly needs more  people who  walk the talk and really  help, like our silent and modern day heroes of Davao City and Ilocandia like, Naido and Tong  Duldulao. 

       Naido and Tong, I am fortunate that our paths crossed;  thank you for that memorable trip to Davao and Samal Island and above all for the employment you create for others!   May your  tribe  increase!  Happy Easter to all!

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Email:   erdelusa@hotmail.com  or ernie.delfin@gmail.com

Visit:   www.katipunan-usa.org and www.ptag.or

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U.S. ELECTION IS STILL THE ENVY OF THE WORLD

THE METAMORPHOSIS

By

Ernie D. Delfin

U.S.  ELECTION  IS  STILL THE  ENVY OF THE WORLD

        President Barack Obama just made history,  being re-elected to his second term as president of the USA,   despite the financial fiasco in the housing industry and the collapse of the stock market that almost brought America to another great depression, and amidst the lingering  anemic U.S. economy and high unemployment that  characterized Obama’s first term of office.  The very spirited challenge from his Republican Party opponent,  Mitt Romney, made the election very nerve cracking to the very end.   Now, the proverbial  reaching out and mending of  broken egos and relationships between the victors and losers must commence  for the common good of America.

          Like millions of Americans,  this writer was also glued on the TV screen till the early hours in the morning just to watch the real time happenings, political surprises and analyses of this exciting political exercise in  the greatest democracy on earth.   Although the surveys  several weeks before the election were quite accurate that  the battleground states, namely Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada, Virginia, Iowa, Florida   would  determine the final outcome,  the hours after the election  was still full of excitement.

             The wonders of social media added to the excitement and drama as millions of people learn and become witnesses of what is happening in  all the swing states in real time.  When CNN predicted just after 8:00 PM Pacific Standard time, just 18 minutes after California closed its polls,  that President Obama was re-elected for a second term, euphoria erupted, especially among the Democrats in their Headquarters and also in Time Square, N.Y. as if it’s another   New Year celebration!

         It’s also commendable that within  a couple of hours,  Mitt Romney called the President to congratulate him and shortly thereafter made his brief but very graceful concession speech sprinkled with hopeful wishes  and prayers that the reelected president will be do good for America.  That was followed by a stirring acceptance speech of President Obama that is filled with challenges to all his supporters and fellow Americans that there is still much work to be done to make America great again ---to be the beacon and envy of the world. That is quite moving to hear as the president apparently has the pulse of the people as his message resonated well with the hopes and fears of the  majority of the popular vote, that also led to his impressive  victory  in the  Electoral College.

               The recent America’s  election, political leadership  and the shinning  example of democratic exercise  became the center of the world  stage for a day and remained the envy or dream of many countries on Earth.  The spirited debates, often with some sting of bitterness,  among opposing candidates espousing  their  different visions for the  country were openly discussed and analyzed.  Despite the high octane in the verbal duels among  the candidates and their passionate followers, however, the political atmosphere was peaceful and  no one was killed or assassinated (unlike in third world countries, including the Philippines) due to political reasons. The speed and reliability of the results hours after the nationwide election  is commendable and second to none.  Politicians all over the world can emulate the deportment that America’s political leaders exhibited  throughout their campaigns across the nation.  That is the greatest centuries-old legacy that America can give to many countries in the world in their quest for a true democratic government.

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             A day after the election, however, I am still wondering  how many voters like me experienced that inexplicable angst or anxiety for feeling  out-of-sync with the American mainstream  electorate,  when I compared  my stand,  YES or NO vote,  on  all the Propositions in the ballot.  I felt some degree of anger and/or sadness that only about 40% of them passed! Simply, I did not agree with 60% of California voters!  To put in another way,  only 40% of them agree with me on the  same issues!   It will be consoling to hear, if there are readers who are feeling the  same anger or sadness that I had felt after discovering  that majority in the electorate and I no longer believe in the same issues.  Or does it really matter, if someone does not conform with the majority?

         * * * * *               

   Although I voted in the Philippines only two times before I left for the United States almost 40 years ago,   I have also followed the  political and democratic journey of the Philippines  to this day.  Although the Philippines professes to be a democratic country like the  United States, the political atmosphere and exercise between the two countries are still day and night in comparison.    For instance,  many candidates in the Philippines change party affiliation for convenience and their philosophies and convictions  change also with the political manna. In the USA, it will be highly  preposterous that a Democratic leader like Hillary Clinton or a Republican leader like Newt Gingrich to abandon their respective parties just to be a candidate of the other party.  Furthermore, Philippine candidates, especially the filthy rich buy votes from the voters in order  to win and be in a lucrative government position,  while in the USA,  it is the candidates and their party that request for political contributions from the electorate to finance their campaign expenditures.

           Due to these stark  differences between the land of my birth the Philippines and my adopted country, I am ardently praying that the political exercise be improved significantly  to really reflect the deep yearnings of Filipino citizens,  to be truly free from their political and economic shackles that is controlled by  the upper 5 percent of their so-called leaders, both in public and private.   It may take another one hundred years that this ideal scenario may happen, but it is never too late to start the process now. Education, coupled with more stable socio-economic and financial stability of more Filipino families and voters will accelerate the maturity of the Filipino  electorate, who will not sell and compromise their votes during election time.  The problems are man-made and their solutions must also be man-made with vigilance.

           There is another election in May 2013 and what happens between now and then  will be a good start. Furthermore, any electoral reforms initiated before the May 2016 presidential election will also contribute to the enhancement  of the Philippines political system, thereby strengthening the country’s democratic foundation.

           Only time will tell.

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Email writer at:  ernie.delfin@gmail.com and  drbannatiran@yahoo.com

THE CONTINUING SAGA OF FILIPINOS IN AMERICA POST 9/11 (ARE THERE REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL THIS THANKSGIVING DAY?)

A VOICE FROM AMERICA

By Ernie D. Delfin

THE CONTINUING  SAGA  OF  FILIPINOS IN AMERICA POST 9/11

(ARE THERE REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL THIS THANKSGIVING DAY?)

  

         First, the “bad” news  in the continuing sojourns of  Filipinos in  the land of milk and honey,  aka    America.

            It has been over l4 long months since   that horrific tragedy called  9/ll, and the world has changed  --  from  A  (as in Airport’s  security that is making air travel much more difficult)  to  Z  (as in Zimbabwe’s continuing struggles)  and  we inhabitants of this planet are never the same again!   Americans,  rightly or wrongly,  have been awakened and realized  that they are not invulnerable after all and have become paranoid in many ways as a  consequence of this national tragedy inflicted upon her nation’s  heart of political power and commercial might.  Supported  by both houses of Congress,  President George W. Bush  has been waging a Texan-like Lone Star  war against terrorism globally that affected many people of the world, including the Filipinos in Mindanao as well as the many hard-working Filipinos in the United States.   Lately, we have seen some  tangible gangrene of this political vendetta’s  against America’s  might.  An overzealous U.S is making some people of color, who are probably innocent, as “scapegoats”.  governmental agencies.     Without  the 9/ll catastrophe,   the Patriot Act of 2001 would not have been enacted. Without this Patriot Act, the firing of many non-US citizen screeners at U.S. airports, the summary deportation of dozens of Filipinos and now the incarceration (since June 2002) the so-called “Dallas 10”  Filipinos in Dallas  would possibly not  be a BIG news.  And there are more less-publicized  “victims” of the renewed zealousness of the American government   because U.S. has become over cautious within her borders as well as in other countries like in Afghanistan and the Philippines.

                                                                 ---------

            Last year also saw the   struggling  NaFFAA (the National Federation of  Filipino Associations of America) being  embroiled with charges and countercharges of dictatorial practices and election improprieties against its founder, Alex Exclamado and his clique, by a full-time community activities in Los Angeles, Roberto “Bobby” Mercado Reyes.  From a distance where you can see some smoke, Reyes’  charges seemed  credible,  but they are all  put under the rug to this date, and the truth possibly will never be known  although another national chairman, Loida Nicolas Lewis who just took the helms of  power,    is seemingly  not interested “ to right or rectify what was possibly wrong or dysfunctional  in the past.”   Reason:  there are much more  pressing problems, like the ‘Dallas 10’  in the growing Filipino American community in the United States.  To the delight of many silent supporters, Mr. Bobby Reyes, amidst his human frailties, is succeeding in gradually raising the consciousness of many Filipinos to subscribe to his ATIC (accountability, transparency, integrity and credibility) principles of conduct in all Fil-Am organizations.  I hope NaFFAA will eventually abide by  Mr. Reyes’ demands for ATIC so that  there will be  more time devoted to genuinely work for the betterment of all  Filipinos in America.  

              Despite its own leadership flaws, however,  NaFFAA, especially the Texas Chapter led by a certain  Mr. Gus Mercado must be commended for taking the initiative to bring out the true situation of the ‘Dallas 10’  persecution  …er prosecution by the US government.  Without NaFFAA,  these poor (still presumed innocent until proven guilty) Filipinos will languish in jail for a long long time.  From what we read,  the Philippine government through her ambassador or consular officials  is inutile (another word for spineless or good-for-nothing)  despite the huge budgets that they are spending in the US  supposedly for the general welfare of the  more than a million and a half Filipinos in the U.S.  who are called as modern day heroes for helping the Philippines financially afloat.  What  the government has done or is doing to help defend or alleviate the suffering of these “Dallas l0” Filipinos  remains to be seen but indications are seemingly  negative.  To add insult to injury, it’s been published that other governments like Mexico or Peru have already helped their nationals  (who were also apprehended with the Filipinos)  to be out of jail.   For Christ sake, the Arroyo government must also respond with decisiveness within her legal and diplomatic rights to  assist these Filipino citizens.  As of this writing, these Filipinos are still incarcerated for about six months now.   This disturbing event must unite all Filipinos in America  because the next time it would happen, it might be YOU or ME or  a member of our own  family.  For further details, e-mail Gus Mercado in Texas at  gusmercado@attbi.com

             As one Filipino in America,  I am doing what I can  to help, like writing this story and sending a check  to the  NaFFAA Legal Fund in Texas.  In the Spirit of the forthcoming Christmas Holidays,    I challenge more Filipinos to do the same. 

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               Before the Thanksgiving weekend,  Filipinos in the U.S.  were again shocked with the headline news that former Carson, CA Mayor Pete Fajardo (the first elected Filipino elected mayor in the US) was arrested anew with serious allegations of bribery and extortion when he was still the  mayor. Another young Filipino councilman, by the name of Manny Ontal, was also arrested with the allegation of accepting bribes too.  It was reported that he (Ontal) has already pleaded guilty for accepting a $5,000 bribe and was cooperating with the FBI.  ($5,000  is a measly amount compared to   the alleged $2,000,000 bribe and extortion that  Mark Jimenez, the infamous fugitive from the US justice system  dubbed as a “corporate genius” during the Erap presidency who was able to buy  his way to the House of Thieves… er Representatives,   gave to the Secretary of Justice (on leave) Nani Perez).  From our vantage point, this duplicitous    Mark Jimenez  seems to be really “scared” to be tried and be jailed here in the U.S.  because he would never be able to  wield his wads of dollars to  buy even a lowly clerk  of the court,  a Municipal Court Judge, much less a  Secretary of Justice here in America.    (Filipino readers,  this is what set  our American system of justice  light years away from the kinds of  crooked justice you often  experience in the Philippines!)

             Back to Fajardo-Ontal short lived political success.  Both small-time Carson Filipino politicians  were part of an ongoing investigation spearheaded by the FBI and the IRS  for bribery and  extortion   shenanigans  that were allegedly rampant in  Carson politics.    It must be pointed out, however, that in addition  to  Fajardo and Ontal,   the incumbent Carson Mayor Daryl Sweeney, another councilperson Raunda Frank, former Inglewood city councilman Garland Hardeman, Sweeney’s lawyer, Robert Pryce, two BFI executives Allyn More and David Duan Robinson  were also arrested.

                                                               ******

            As a Filipino who has been living in this part of Southern California since the  mid l970s, I have seen many rising “stars”  (in politics, law, medicine as well as in business)  fall from their  man-made sand castles.  I am both very mad and always baffled why.   Now, with Thanksgiving hiatus, I am writing my thoughts WHY are these “tragedies” of self-destructive shame,   self-inflicted public humiliation   continue to happen in our Filipino American community that is still seeking its own place in this adopted country? 

               The common thread that I could see is that these fallen “angels” do not have the moral fiber and fortitude to control that   “demon that is  within each of us”  once they are in power.  They apparently did not anticipate  nor have  prepared that there will be  greater temptations that come with the four  P’s  of the world:  power, prestige, possessions and politics.   A little background:  I knew Pete  Fajardo personally since  1980, when he was just a DPSS (Department of Public Social Services) eligibility clerk in the County of Los Angeles, where I was also working as an auditor-accountant  for the County of LA- Health Services Dept.   He was quite humble,  modest person and a likeable guy,  then.  From those humble beginnings he rose to a commissioner (appointive and honorary) position in the city of Carson where he resides,   then elected as a councilperson, then became an elected mayor even defeating  Mike Mitoma, a Japanese-American banker-businessman.  As I decided to lead a much quiet, simpler life, Mr. Fajardo’s  political star and popularity started to rise in the US as well as in the Philippines,  until his unfortunate first  arrest last year.    I left the government service after two years, because I didn’t like  the politics in the  government service  (nepotism and spoils system  also exist in the US, dear kabayayans, but not as blatantly cancerous  as that in the Philippines!)  where the less deserving often get more perks or promotions and  where the Peter Principle is evident  everywhere.  

              At the height of his political career,    Fajardo  even relished the dream of becoming the  first elected Filipino representative of congress either in Sacramento or in Washington  because Carson is in a heavily Democratic district composed of working class people of color.  Now,  that ephemeral possibility of a rising politician just vanished in the air with his second serious arrest and still in custody as of this  writing ( Dec. 1) for not being able to a $100,000 bail  while the others are now out of bail.

               My dream and  fervent hope is that the next set of Filipino leaders in politics should be more morally upright, honest, intelligent economically stable and  must be first successful in his career, business and family.  Any Filipino worth his salt who aspires to become  a political leader of any  city or any  political district  must also be active in the mainstream civic affairs and must know al  the relevant issues of his community at large and not just the narrow concerns of his Philippine town or parochial associations where he  might be the proverbial  big fish in a very small and  shallow lake.

                Are there any potential political leaders in Carson where about a quarter of 95,000 residents are Filipinos?   Only time will tell.  Meanwhile the  Filipino community is  shamelessly shaken as it  grapples and prays   for some miracle that someone will rise to the occasion to redeem another tarnished reputation of the Filipinos in America.

* * * * *

                AND NOW, SOME GOOD NEWS:   Amidst these human tragedies of our times,  however, are  also plenty of good  deeds in our communities.  In our Catholic  Church last Thanksgiving Day, for instance,  it was quite beautiful  be a part and     witness  a tri-lingual services during the entire mass:  Spanish, Vietnamese and English.  (Wala nga lang ang Tagalog!)   The modern-day co-existence of different people in their worship is incredibly moving to see.  After church activities, one can see the  headlines of  many “disturbing” news that sells and the onslaught of huge advertisements of Thanksgiving Weekend Sales in  department stores. But there are also wonderful  human-interest stories  of   love, hope and charity  practiced by people  silently towards  their  fellowmen.   

                 For instance, there is this  retired priest, fondly called Father Bill,   who has been going to the Skid Row of Los Angeles where the highest concentration of homeless people, estimated to be about 8,000 people,  the last TWENTY years to bless and touch these forsaken people while giving them crisp dollar bills.  The newspaper profiled his experiences and recollections. He said he always comes alive in giving as he recalled that despite the infrequent visits to this poor area, he has gotten lots of encouragements, inspirations  and love from the people he has touched over the years.   For some homeless people, it is only Father Bill who has given them that  human touch  and the dignity that  they crave and long as human beings.  Father Bill’s love and kindness have given them reasons to persevere and improve their lives because they were touched and loved without any strings attached.  It is a heartwarming story on a long Thanksgiving weekend.

          On a personal and  family level,  I  also enjoy this weekend as it is a brief hiatus for another  hectic month.  Traditionally,  my two brothers Kent and Jess and my brother-in-law Oscar and their wives, Lily, Florie and Emer, respectively, and their children   all come to our house for a huge sumptuous lunch and dinner.  And after  all the unusual and “sinful”  eating,  we all cannot help but reminisce  all  our collective  experiences as well as our individual struggles many years back starting in an obscure farm town in the  Philippines.  For some reasons,  each story or joke  always ends with  laughters. That is the best and most inexpensive medicine for an often-stressful life here in  America.

          So, with our loving  families, true friends,  our good health   and  prospects for a brighter future  for  careers,  work and business,  we definitely have  MORE reasons to be grateful to That Somebody Up There  amidst  all   these stupid shenanigans of a few Filipino politicians and the many challenges, trials or tribulations that  are part and parcel of living on this Earth.

           BELATED HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, IN ADVANCE  TO ALL MY READERS!

                                           ------      3  0  ---------

   E-mail this writer at:   erdelusa@hotmail.com  or drbannatiran@yahoo.com

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PRES. ARROYO’S STATE VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES / GRACIA BURNHAM’S “IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES

A VOICE FROM AMERICA

By Ernie D. Delfin

               PRES. ARROYO’S  STATE VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES /

             GRACIA BURNHAM’S  “IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES”    

            Today is America’s  Memorial Day 2003.  It’s  exactly a week  since President George “Dubya” Bush  gave a State Dinner to Phil.  Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo  in the  White House,  the third state dinner that he ever hosted since he became president.    With the lavish praise and recognition accorded the Philippine president in the White House,  the Filipinos in America as well as in the Philippines were again euphoric.  This is  somewhat  reminiscent of the euphoria that the Filipino people  felt during  People Power Revolution of 1986, popularly called as EDSA I,  that kicked Dictator Marcos out of Malacanang,   that was repeated in January 2000 when the EDSA II uprising forced  the actor Erap Estrada turned President out of Malacanang.   Fiesta-like activities like the State Dinner  hosted  by  the most powerful person in the world,  President  Bush with all his key cabinet members and many VIPs in the United States have  put Pres Arroyo in a pedestal,  and  made her the   “Darling of the Month” among the coalition of the willing.   To quote STAR publisher Max V. Soliven during last Saturday (May 24^th) dinner reception hosted by this columnist in Los Angeles,  “The White House accolades  are  too lavish that Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo does not truly deserve because of her “urong-sulong” (ambivalent)   commitment to the so-called Coalition of Willing in Iraq.”  (Max Soliven was  the only non-governmental official who was included in Pres. Arroyo’s  official party--Editor)  His  description probably sums up many Filipino Americans’  feelings about  Pres. Arroyo’s state visit that has  overshadowed the serious  bombings in Mindanao and ephemerally buried the   political drama surrounding the Con-Ass  or Con-Con  maneuverings  in Manila. 

            Now, President Arroyo,  with his official as well as unofficial entourage, is back in the Philippines   ------  after a week of  extravagant media coverage of her US visit that started in Los Angeles where she met Cardinal Roger Mahony in the new  multi-million cathedral that stand truly magnificent amidst the background of a poverty stricken East  Los Angles,  to  Washington D.C. where she was made to stand on a pedestal ( pun intended)  and to San Francisco where she met a chosen group of 50 people that caused some intrigues and  jealousy among the Filipinos in the Bay Area  ---  to work harder  to make the Philippines a stronger republic which she promised in her SONA last July.   Many of her opponents, however, would say that the Philippines has become a weaker republic as the socio-economic  and the peace and order situation in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao has worsened.   The peso continues to depreciate, a  barometer how the  nation’s economy is measured against other countries.  Without the billions of remittances of the Overseas Filipino Workers and immigrants, euphemistically called as the Modern Day Heroes, the Philippine government would gave become bankrupt.

           President Arroyo has another year as the president. She faces insurmountable challenge to implement programs to fulfill his SONA promise to make the Philippines a stronger republic especially in the areas of the economy and the peace and order. With the forthcoming May 2004 election, unfortunately,  her decisions and  acts  of commission or omission (supported by her “body language”)   will  again be interpreted by politics-loving Filipinos as  plain “politicking”  to regain her popularity as  more people are convinced that she will  reconsider her December 30,  2002  decision NOT to run for re-election. Bouyed by  President Bush’s  unequivocal support through military and economic and financial help to resuscitate the Philippines economy,  coupled with the fact that there is no strong contender in her Lakas Party to succeed her,  she might easily be persuaded to change her mind .  This writer joins other Filipino writers who  fearlessly predict that   she will run for reelection, either under the l987 Constitution or a new one that will convert the Philippine government into a Parliamentary form of government where the number one deal maker Joe De Venecia will be her prime minister.  In our macho society, Filipinos  still give  women  ample  allowances  for changing their minds because of their  nature, especially during their monthly mood swings.   Furthermore,  Filipinos have short memories… we have forgotten the plunder that was caused by the Marcoses.  Almost everybody has forgotten that they were accused of massive looting but now they are all in the corridors of power from the Governor’s mansion in Ilocos Norte to the Halls of Congress.

           This early,   the Filipino people  are now  beginning to enjoy their number one hobby, which is  politics that is at par with Filipinos  love for “sabung”  (cockfighting)!     Forget that we have 100l  cancerous problems that have afflicted  millions of our people --- poverty of values, poverty of good education, poverty of basic necessities,  poverty of moral and upright leaders, poverty of good governance   amidst the gargantuan material opulence  of the very few   who really do not care about our people!      A lot of these so-called business or government leaders   who   are leading the Philippines to hell have stashed some of their unexplained wealth to other countries, like Canada, United States or Europe where they can  jump ship and immigrate anytime.   Names like Dewey Dee, Atong Ang or Ricarforte and many others   comes to mind as  living proofs that the Philippines still produce many millionaires despite the deplorable  economic ruins of the country.   What a country!

                                                              ** * *

           Can faith, hope and love survive decades of terror and  hellish problems of the Philippines?   That is the  challenge posed by the  recently  published book of Gracia Burnham,  “In the Presence of my Enemies”,   a  poignant story  detailing the torturous conditions that she and her (deceased) husband Martin  and l8 others suffered under the Abu Sayyafs  when they were kidnapped  in May 2001 (Memorial Day Weekend exactly  two years ago today, which we have almost forgotten due to the state dinner, Con-ASS or Con-Con factors among others).  The  lives Martin Burnham, Guillermo Sobero, Nurse Deborah  Yap,  Sonny Dacquer and Armando Bayona were just wasted by these Abu Sayyaf terrorists.  Most of the hostages survived the ordeal and  are now presumably  trying to go on their lives after their traumatic experiences in the jungles of Mindanao. 

             Unfortunately, the problems that gave rise to these kidnappings and ransom cottage industry continue to   worsen and can still explode  anytime.  While GMA was in the White House,  for instance,  a bombing in Koronadal City exploded where dozens were killed.    Why?  I am no expert as the problems of Mindanao are very complex that existed as long as centuries ago.  But,  I believe that the   solution will not only be the show of military force but also massive work to alleviate the conditions of the residents  in the areas of  education, employment,  integration and socio economic conditions of all the people. A  culture that idolizes guns and superiority of  naked force  is hard to change.  But the Abu Sayyaf’s recruitment of young people  will be much  more difficult if the young become  more educated, have good sources of livelihood and have other options in their lives.  The road to his ideal destination will  very long and difficult  but each journey always starts with the first step. 

               Mrs. Gracia Burnham (and her deceased husband Martin) were active  missionaries of the New Tribes Mission based in Kansas City   lived in the Philippines for over 15 years.  They liked the Philippines and  have learned to love the Filipinos as happy and spiritual her people despite the many ills of her government,  a  fact that can be gleaned from her book.  Understandably, the book  is also brutally honest in her portrayal of her  stay in the Philippines, which centered around her captivity by the Abu Sayyaf  that lasted exactly one year and eleven days.  As American missionaries who worked long hours without the obvious compensation of material success,  this Kansas City couple during their once-in-a lifetime wedding anniversary at an exotic Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan started a  series of mental, as well as physical and spiritual challenges that an average human being will never  experience.  The  mental scenarios caused by the uncertainties of each day is  quite tormenting;  it is a test of the resiliency or indomitability of the human spirit.

         Not only did they face near starvation, constant physical exhaustion, frequent gun battles, and cold-blooded murders around them but they also faced extra-ordinary test of their faith  and love in a God that has seemingly abandoned them. The book is filled with human real-life drama narrated in gripping first person  experiences. The reader like me is touched  by this ultimate triumph of  faith  and enduring love of an ordinary American couple  who by God’s  hands were thrown into an extra-ordinary difficult circumstances l5,000  miles away from their Kansas City home.  As active members of their New Tribes Mission Church, they were sent as missionaries to help enhance the lives of  others in a third world country which they learned  to love but were made a sacrificial lambs  of the cruelty of man’s politics against his own government.  Despite, all these tragic experiences, Mrs. Burnham was not bitter  and remains steadfast in her faith in God and the innate goodness of the Filipino people amidst the presence of her many enemies.

           To quote USA Today “ the issue … is not why an all-powerful God might choose to subject a man to evil, but how a man, with God’s help, responds to evil.” Lastly, the book gives a powerful encouragement and everlasting hope amidst the many struggles in life in a very honestly woven story of an ordinary woman who is poor in material possessions but very rich in a commodity called LOVE which the world needs most during these troubled times… The book is  a good read, I give it  a nine-and-a-half.

                                                               * * * * 

              In our cyberspace forum called ProgressiveTimes,  someone circulated some specific but disturbing  examples of some corrupt BIR government officials who have amassed great wealth that are can never be supported by their  salaries that they “legally” make, complete with names and  pictures and addresses  of their mansions, expensive cars and all their properties.  Hard working people especially the Overseas Filipino workers were not only enraged but became sick just reading these exposes.  As the creator of ProgressiveTimes,  I have suggested that we  start a “Fund to put these Corrupt People in the Government in Jail” and the responses all over the world is beyond  my dreams.  From my initial $200.00 pledge, we possibly have over $5,000 pledges now in just a week!  The idea is catching fire although we still  do not have the mechanics how to home front in the Philippines will implement this peaceful revolution of the OFWs against the corrupt, bad and ugly government officials.

           Paging  OFWNet Foundation, under Dr. Eddie “Ka Edong” del Rosario and Dr. Chee Garcia,  Plunder Watch,  Sen. Jovy Salonga’s Bantay Katarungan  and the Center for Investigative Journalism.  You guys in the Philippines must  form an alliance to do this and let us, hard-working Filipinos outside the Philippines,   be a part by contributing  some of our hard earned dollars or dinars or pounds  to  see a corrupt government official in BIR, Customs, SSS or Malacanang go to jail.  We,  the OFWs probably can even hire  unemployed people to  become the guards of these jails  that are soon  filled with corrupt government officials to  manifest to the entire world that the ordinary Filipino is sick and tired of these plunderers  who   are worse than “pulgas del tierra” (fleece of the earth).  This is one peaceful  way that the OFW can invest in the social engineering  to bring back the moral values that our grand fathers used to live by.  The possibilities of this revolutionary movement is great,  like that of Mahatma Gandhi’s   protest against the British that started with the symbol of salt.

            My dream is that 7,000,000  OFW just contributing $10.00 a year is enough to prosecute a lot of corrupt people in ALL branches of our government that  will also employ  young idealistic lawyers to put these plunderers in jail.  We then need   construction workers to build more jails,  unemployed police academy graduates to be security guards,  restaurant caterers to feed and prisoners,  realtors to sell the sequestered assets,   writers and journalists  to publish a national magazine to profile these economic plunderers  and inculcate the right values among  our young people….The possibilities are endless.  Once  we the OFWs and our  families can see that poetic  justice  (putting the corrupt in jail) is possible it will motivate us do more projects proactively.  Just dream that we if we put 50% of all corrupt people to jail, the government revenue collections will also  increase dramatically.   Everybody wins except the corrupt, the bad and the ugly government officials!

            It can be done!  We need more people to be pro-active. Join us by subscribing our ProgressiveTimes towards a more Progressive Philippines!

                                                       ---  3  0  -----

 E-mail this writer at:           erdelusa@hotmail.com or  drbannatiran@yahoo.com

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Visit our websites:              www.progressivetimes.org  and  www.katipunan-usa.org

SOME ‘THINKING-OUTSIDE- THE- BOX’ IDEAS TO HELP THE PHILIPPINES’ IMAGE AND ECONOMY

A VOICE FROM AMERICA

By Ernie D. Delfin

THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THIS COLUMNIST 

(SOME  ‘THINKING-OUTSIDE- THE- BOX’ IDEAS   TO HELP

 THE PHILIPPINES’  IMAGE AND ECONOMY)

                    Whenever  first generation  Filipinos  in America  have a social gathering (we make up many excuses, like birthdays at any age or anniversaries for any occasion,  just to be together),   conversations always lead to our “lives” in the Philippines.  Nostalgia always comes to visit us.  Funny, while Filipinos live here, they want to go back to the Philippines; but after a few months there, they want to be in the States.  Man is really never satisfied.   The irony of life, I suppose.

           Today’s column is about these ironies of life, daily frustrations of things beyond one’s control but  sprinkled with hopes and pounds of optimism with  humor  just to dispel the wrong perception that this writer is always a serious writer who never knows how to have fun.                                                                                   

              To plagiarize   David Letterman’s  TOP TEN List,   I would like  to also  share my  TOP 10  “WISH LIST”    for my suffering   Philippines especially that the  Christmas Season is  just around the corner:   Are you ready to read some outside- the-box-ideas?

           #10.    To  require all  government officials to use aliases,  ( not just Erap Estrada using Jose Velarde or  the Arroyo brothers (was  it the Fat Guy…errr First Gentleman  or  the smaller one, named Iggy (that  is also the name of my son’s lizard)  that the FG can easily bully) using Jose Pidal.  Reason:  So that the last  names of the guilty  will remain “pure” as it will  affect the reputation of  their many children’s  whether they are born within or outside marriage.   I like the name Pidal  as it is reminiscent of Apo (meaning Lord, not drug or jueteng Lord) Marcos’  admonition to the Filipino people” “Sa ikakaunlad ng bayan, bisikleta ang kailangan”  That was 30 years ago.  Now, under an economist president, the national motto seems to be:  “Dahil hindi mo pa kaya ang  bumili ng motorsiklo, kailangang magPIDAL  kang maghapon upang umunlad ang pamilya mo!”  (Come to think we are already  in the 21^st century!)

       #9.         To  grant  amnesty  to all political prisoners to manifest  that the GMA administration  really believes   compassion to all the   junior  mutineers (officers) who were just trying to become like their superiors  (generals) who have already acquired mansions  and/or   operating some lucrative  businesses.  As  the Malacanang occupant is a devout Catholic,  she should practice what the Church teaches  that “to err is human but to forgive is divine.”  I do not know if that move, however, will make a strong republic.                                   

              #8.   That both Bishops Yalung  and   Bacani  be given a lucrative  book contract to write their beastly… err  priestly memoirs  with their “divine” (or earthly)  loves with women  who  always  pray the “Our Father” to lead them NOT into temptation.    If their  books ever  become best sellers, they  should be made into a movie  with  suggested titles  such as:  “Hindi Na  Ako Nag-iisa”  or  “Sa Pagkat Ako’y  Tao Lamang at  Mali…” (you may add a 3-letter word that sounds and spells like a “bug”).   Rationale:  The profits should  support  Yalung’s offsprings and beneficiaries or “victims” and not use  church funds  for their earthly (mis)adventures.  

                  # 7.     That  the Philippine  National Police  hire  the escaped convict Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi or any of the Abu Sayyaff piracy leaders (hopefully they  are captured alive, not killed and silenced forever)  to advise  the military   how to make more money  from prison cells as soldiers are miserably underpaid  but not necessarily hungry or emaciated.   Again,   a  movie could  be done  about these Great Escapes. To entice millions of  moviegoers, the title should be  “Damned the  Military”  or “Dumb and Dumber Soldiers of Today”.  The profits should be utilized to hire more  consultants from the Underworld Academy to teach our  military leaders from our elite PMA how to build a  “network” with the criminal elements  for some  future  or  potential benefits.

               # 6   That the  Philippine government should  enter into a  working agreement  or economic treaty with as many governments in the world that the Philippines, for pecuniary considerations,  provide the necessary number of  Filipinas  (not maids)  who are college graduates  who can do any household work  and  nanny responsibilities to  all  foreign government officials’  families.  This arrangement will definitely prevent  more AIDS  (Acute Income Deficiency Syndrome) in the country that will also help the  SARS (Severe Absence of Romance and Sex) epidemic  that leads to population reduction  in the countryside

              The expected revenues from this government to government treaty   can then  help build   a modern college  to prepare  our  young people to become our future  nanny  and maidtech exports.  To prevent traumatic cultural shocks of  our Filipinas who will be working  abroad,     foreign “professors” should be hired to  train these students the  proper deportment or  decorum whenever these future  “modern day heroes” are  reprimanded or abused   by  their masters who may speak neither English nor any Filipino dialect.

                 #5    That the Philippine Congress should have Special  Extravaganza as a major fundraising to be able to augment more funds to the Congressmen and Senators’ meager pork barrel by hosting  a  “Congressman or Senator  Wrestling  a  Crocodile” …. This can be done  a few times a week to provide not only pure entertainment, like the Gladiators in Ancient Rome,  but also a good stress reliever activity for our overworked senators and Congressmen in their investigative and grandstanding work.  

           Secretary Gordon  can  use this out-of-this-world extravaganza in his WOW advertisements to lure more foreigners to visit the country.  This will not only be a good show of sportsmanship for our distinguished and hardly working senatongs and tongressmen but also to showcase our Philippine raised crocodiles known for their thick skins and never ending appetites to the entire world. (Secretary Gordon,  I will guarantee that our Progressive Times will help you pre-sell  the tickets  as thousands and thousands  of balikyabangs, sorry that should be spelled balikbayans, are going home especially during the Holiday Season). 

             Furthermore, to maintain  the steady influx of tourists from overseas, The Tourism and Local Governments Departments should   hold and sponsor a  MISS OVERSEAS FILIPINOS PAGEANT in different Philippines’ tourist resorts regularly.  The millions of Filipinos overseas especially in North America love and spend much for  these  beauty pageants (“beauty”  is often a misnomer because the winner often has no beauty or brains but one can still win as long as she can outsell anybody in their  raffle tickets  or advertising sales competition.   The pageant  can be done at least Quarterly or even Monthly like  Larry Flint “Playmate of the Month” or  Baskin and Robbin’s  “Flavor of the Month” ice cream. 

              These Spanish  traditions of fiestas  will attract our so-called Modern Day Heroes, the 7 million OFWs from all corners of the world to  come and visit the Philippines just to show off and support their respective  candidate.  Extrapolate the possibilities.   A minimum of  50 contestants from all over the world  going home with say just TWENTY people in each  entourage:  parents or  uncles or  friends or  classmates,  will bring  additional  1,000  Filipinos with  their friends as tourists  who will  spend at least l,000 dollars will produce extra $1,000,000 or over 55 million pesos that circulate inside the Philippines every time this   pageant event  is held.

             What do we have to give to them for their   15-minute  (make that l5 hours, for Christ’s sake!) worth of “purchased” fame?    Foremost is   SECURITY.    NO KIDNAPPING FOR RANSOM, PLEASE! Why?  Because only the bold and daring and the military make the  money.  The  entire country does not benefit.  Next in priority should be enough CLEAN PORTABLE TOILETS near the venue of these pageants because  foreign tourists do not know  how to just pee against the wall!

             (Kaya ba ninyo yang mga kondisyones na yan,  Secretary Gordon and Secretary Joey  Lina?) 

             #4    To attract more basketball fans,  all the basketball leagues like the  NCAA  should not have any prohibition or limitation to have all their players imported  from overseas… If the Philippine team owners  can   afford to import  seven foot foreign players like some stars  in the  NBA, they should be allowed.  Who knows the Philippines can even win an Olympics competition taking advantage of non-Filipino sizes and colors like NBA stars like Kobe or Shaq or Yao Ming.   Again,  this will help Secretary Gordon to have more tourists flock  to the Philippines. 

            #3  With  the coming national Election,  the Phil Congress should pass a law authorizing the President to make arrangement  with the US government to allow  Philippines  business genius  Mark Jimenez and business consultant Atong Ang to  have some supervised  furlough in the Philippines at least  through May 2004.  Their expertise is needed by the government  how to raise more money to be able to buy votes, I mean  COMELEC materials.   I am optimistic that the US would agree in order to cut their   prison and court expenditures,  to be  able to finance the gargantuan budgets needed to continue their  US Iraq adventure of destroy-then-build business strategies.

           # 2   That  Congress pass a law that will also grant Philippine citizenships for any citizen in the world provided that he or she has the  money to build a mansion in the Philippines with two conditions:  employ local laborers and professional and utilize at least 50% of the construction materials from domestic sources.

                 Furthermore, if  foreigners can afford to buy an island, like the Americans buying Alaska or Louisiana,  let them buy one up to 1,000 maximum islands.  What’s  1, 000 out of our 7,100 island, anyway?                       

                 And finally my

      # 1   in my Wish List is:    Let  the Government of the Philippines hire former NY Mayor Rudolph Guiliani (he can name his price as the Philippines needs his proven expertise and no-nonsense leadership)  to become the PNP Chief as soon as possible. He is the best to clean this very popularly notorious PNP organization so that  our own BAYANI   Fernando can have a partner in  cleaning Metro Manila and the rest of the Philippines from  the many pulgas and kutongs  of our society.

           After breakfast, my wife  when she read the unedited version of this column had only one great objection  that my proposals and  “wish list” will cost billions of pesos that the Philippines does not even have.   I  have a ready answer to that:   The government can just instruct the Central Bank to   just print as much money as it is  necessary to finance all these projects and overnight the Philippines can become great and can compete globally!  It’s common sense   that a country  cannot spend what  she does  not have.  I  hope and recommend, therefore,  that the government should also consider investing  in a state-of-the-art reliable printing press to print  all the money that she needs  especially before the next presidential election!  

                                                             *  * * *

               Any comments or better proposals than the above, dear readers?

  Let me know and I will include them in future columns.

                                              --- 30-

Email the writer at:              erdelusa@hotmail.com     or  drbannatiran@yahoo.com

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Visit his websites:                 www.katipunan-usa.org    or www.progressivetimes.org

MANNY VILLAR'S LENTEN JOURNEY TO DAMASCUS, OPSS TO MALACANANG PALACE

The Metamorphosis
By
Ernie D. Delfin
MANNY VILLAR’S LENTEN JOURNEY TO DAMASCUS,
OPS TO MALACANANG PALACE
(while Benigno “NoyNoy” Aguino III just awakened
from his deep slumber since his mother’s funeral)

From where I stand somewhere in Southern California, I am having fun while gazing over the political landscape as I am critically analyzing, dissecting and discerning over the complex political circus that is now happening in my benighted land of my birth, to borrow my former professor Lito Banayo’s adjective . This is one man’s soliloquy disguising as a political satire , written at the beginning of Lent 2010, about 80 days before the May 10th election, to provide some amusing political entertainment.

At the outset, a disclaimer: I cannot vote in the Philippine election nor do I personally know the top two candidates, and more so the others. I only knew them from what I read and hear (from online, magazines, online newspapers and the internet and YouTube) and also from informal discourse with politically-minded friends. Whoever wins the election (praying that there is NO failure of election) will have a very insignificant impact on my life, socially, economically or financially simply because our business and livelihood do not depend on the Philippine environment but rather on the realities of America’s business climate. I am just as concerned as anybody else as I am still a Filipino who happens to live in another land.

Now, on my lead topic.

Every body has read about the gargantuan political expenditures of Mr. Manny Villar (not spelled MONEY) from his own independent wealth in having his name recognized by all voters, especially the WoWoWee crowd (the show that “exploits the poor people”) that go to this shallow but popular show to win something without any labor except to fall in line and get a ticket , and if lucky enough to be a recipient of dole outs from big businesses marketing their products or wealthy people like Manny Villar. (This WoWoWee mindset or phenomenon deserves another commentary, another column).

* * *

Dreaming and assuming to be Manny Villar for a few minutes, I felt that I am just stricken – like Saul --- by an invisible lightning on my way to Damascus… ops Malacanang. I just made a timely, if not remorseful, decision not only to spend my wealth in my political campaigns but an inexplicable but profound heavenly voice told me to rather spend most of my wealth to make 1,000 more Manny Villars inside the Philippines. This silent voice advised me to invest more in the countryside, so the rural and poor people know that I am serious on my way to the Presidential Palace, after the term of GMA. my ‘secret’ supporter and ally for the years to come. After all, all that Gloria who wants is more MONEY (and protection), while I, Manny, want more GLORY.

Once I become the president of this archipelago of a nation, I can make more money by buying agricultural lands like where my friend Joc-Joc Bolante in Capiz, and converting them into residential zones and asked my party mates to invest their pork with me. But I will also be very generous to those who support me. I intend to become both a Robin Hood and a benevolent dictator. I am convinced that the money that Manny makes makes, makes more money that Manny really does not need, but to provide as an opium to my own brand of Ali Baba followers, like my friend Gloria successfully did the last nine years.

To decrease potential opponents I will build healthy coalition$ by hiring some of my opponents and a few unemployed politicians, to tap their talents and expertise and even arrogance, like Gordon who can be in my cabinet. Gibo can be the head of the AirForceAcademy, Bayani as an engineer can head the Dept of Public Works. Perlas to be in the Dept of Agriculture. Jamby ,the tomboyish senator, can be my partner to expand the Maritime Industry, to build more ships for fishing as well as transportation between our islands. Combining our wealth, this Villar-Madrigal Industry is a done deal, to lure back all the DH s to work in this rediscovered industry.

Erap can be tapped, while he is still coherent somewhat and can still enjoy his drink, to become the official “wine taster” of the Republic as my administration must also embark the wine making industry in the Philippines, especially in Mindanao and in the Cordilleras. It will take time, however, to think where the others can help me, if at all. I will extract from all my appointed government officials their “beginning balance sheet: how much they own and owe” as of July 1, 2010, and every year, we must audit them that under my command… I will not allow anyone to be richer than me. Nor do I want that in six years of my Administration, any of my appointees will be richer than Gloria Arroyo or his very “talented” investment savvy son, Mikey, who made fortune only after marriage compounded a thousand times by being the son of a shameless, evil mother, as described by her former cabinet members.

Right away, I will re-align millions of education budget to construct and establish my MONEY aka ENTREPRENEURIAL COLLEGES for groups of 5 towns or less to teach how a “poor” boy from places like Tondo sell fish and then go to a private school, take up Business and MBA degree and then become one of the richest men in the Philippines in just one generation , which cannot be equaled even by the Ayalas, Sorianos or the Zobels. I can teach teachers to teach how I became mega-wealthy by simply selling fish in every town that capitalized my real estate developments without using my political powers as a Speaker and Senate president. My innocence in the allegation of unethical behaviors is already explained to many naïve journalists who went along with me in the circuitous and zigzagging journey along C-5, that is also explained in my website. Those who accused me of impropriety and corruption are just “inggit” (jealous) of my wealth! They refuse to “read my lips” that I am not guilty!

I believe in teaching the poor people “how to fish.” To the good fishermen, I will give them loans to build or buy a boat, so they can employ other poor people to fish with them… With the over supply of fish to be eaten domestically, I will partner with the Koreans or Chinese or Japanese or any of our Asian neighbors to can our catch and export them rather than importing them.

I will also lure back the supermaids to come back by creating jobs for them in the countryside, to become P.T. (Punas Tae) Pinays to their own young children and tend to their aging parents in their own backyard in the Philippines. I will give great incentives to the thousands of caregivers who will come back to the country and who can bring with them their aging patients and bosses, to take care of them in the Philippines, instead . This can be arranged government to government especially the countries of Japan, the United States and Canada where there is a serious shortage of nursing and caregivers.

I will also create an ASaP (Alay Sa Pilipinas) program to have the 10% of the 8-9 Million Filipinos, especially those belonging to the baby boomers generation, like me, those who are about to retired or have been retired to give back to the country of their birth. After they achieved some degree of success in the foreign land, many successful doctors, engineers, CPAs and businessmen have acquired and been conditioned to a better economic system where merits are rewarded more than affinity or pakikisama or the cumpadre system. With the full support of my administration, these balik –talinong Pinoys can be my priceless and effective partners as they will spearhead and create a new paradigm and a better environment for all to share and enjoy. These SCORE (Service Core Of Retired Expatriates) can be new breed of heroes, and not just the super maids, in our New Philippines!

There is too much to do, that I may not be able to finish it only in six years. I am now getting stressed out just thinking how to make this nation great again! Can the people who are now making more MONEY in Manny’s administration start a nationwide referendum to extend the term of a moneyed President another 6 year term?

Then, I woke up from this fantastic dream!

* * * *

On a serious note, there are so many factors to consider in choosing the “best” leader that the country needs to lead the Philippines to progress. Let me advance some leadership CRITERIA, that can somewhat measure the qualitative attributes of a better leader, based on our educated perception, if not factual knowledge. Although I cannot vote, I am optimistic that I can “dictate” (I mean recommend) to my relatives who still receive pecuniary, spelled dollar$$$$, considerations from me, to vote according to my invented criteria.

Let me share my scoring between Aquino and Villar with my readers, done this Ash Wednesday 2010, the beginning of Lent. It is still incomplete and will change again as soon as I am done with more research in some equally important areas, especially in Social Justice issues. However, the intelligent readers will somehow get the “drift” to challenge them to have their own criteria and not just vote for a candidate based on their self-serving advertisements.




C R I T E R I A MAXIMUM POINTS AQUINO VILLAR

A. INTEGRITY/CHARACTER 25 24 11

B. COMPETENCY 25 12 23
(Executive, Entrepreneurial
Experience)
C. DECISIVENESSS/INTELLIGENCE 10 6 8
(Decision making experience)

D. TEAM (COALITION) BUILDING 10 6 8

E. CHARISMA / COMMUNICATION
SKILLS 10 8 6

F. WORK ETHIC (industriousness) 10 7 8

Sub Total 90 63 64

G. SOCIAL JUSTICE PLATFORM 10 ?? ??
(Example: level of support
to empowering the poor like
the Gawad Kalinga Movement) ____ ____ ____
TOTAL 100 ?? ??
====== ====== ======
(NOTA BENE: I will update this CRITERIA every month or so, and will then publish it in my
“THE METAMORPHOSIS BLOG :
http://ed-metamorphosis.blogspot.com

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Email this writer at: ernie.delfin@gmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com