south parketeer me

thanks chinks!

the people's will last elections

i heard cabinet secretary ricardo saludo give malacañang's side on many of the different issues targetted against it last week. i would like to share here what he presented regarding the results in the 2004 election.

first he was quick to "not say that there was no cheating last elections". basically, what he said was that the results of the presidential elections (gma's having won) "reflected the people's will". he proved this basic point by presenting the blow by blow monthly results of studies from different survey groups months before the may 2004. he showed how the lead of fpj over gma at the surveys got trimmed down slowly until eventually in may, gma was leading by around 6% over fpj. he cited controversies hounding fpj's citizenship, his "animosity" towards the media, and the opposition's being divided. on the other hand, he factored in k4's strong election machinery in gma's eventual overtaking of fpj.

he also gave statistics presented by 4 independent media who made exit polls, and there were in fact "agreement" in all. gma won according to these exit polls.

he presented also namfrel's partial results and cbcp's declaration that the elections didn't have any significant anomaly to have such a great effect on the results.

everything it seems points to either a collusion of all these independent groups or to the fact that it was gma whom people wanted to be president during that time. even with my bias, i can't really subscribe to the collusion theory.

however there are still things about it that need to be asked.
1. secretary saludo claims that gma's triumph reflected the people's will. but it's not the same as saying that gma won fair and square. "i'm not saying there was no cheating that happened." <-- his exact words. i don't suppose he is referring to fpj's camp who cheated.

2. if gma cheated, imagine the compromises that she had to make (and the side of the deal she has to fulfill perhaps even up to now). to think that fighting corruption is on top of her priorities.

3. and lastly, secretary saludo's general argument about all the issues during that talk were all practical. if it's true that he's speaking the side of malacañang, and all he talks about is practical reasoning, the government might lose sight of (or drop the desire totally for) the ideal, the true, the upright.

i think it's still cheating that is at the core of all these, and not whether it's her whom the people wanted to win in 2004. from that core, we can ask next what the surrounding conditions were there that made cheating possible, then make the people concerned go through the proper consequence. and also a restructuring of all offices concerned, if needed.

i will post next parts of the discussion on the other topics he covered, like the impeachment, other venues for the truth, ofw remittances and the economy, and alleviation of poverty.

"pahinga"

i went through a 3day silent retreat last weekend, and happily i was able to sketch again. i think the last time i tried to draw was in grade school, in our art classes.

i liked what i was able to come up with since i didn't really expect much. i'm just someone who tries his hand at new things every now and then.

so what do you think? :)

Pulse Asia dims GMA’s glad return

(www.abs-cbnnews.com)

President Arroyo’s happy arrival -- she brought good news from the APEC summit, where the Philippines was hailed as a model in the antiterrorism war, and enjoyed a relaxing stopover in Hong Kong with her family -- was dimmed by the result of the latest Pulse Asia survey.

The research company’s "October 2005 Ulat ng Bayan," released Monday, shows that her following in the Visayas has gone down. Forty-seven percent of the Visayans believe her resignation would be most beneficial for the Filipino people, while only 43 percent think the best thing is for her is to remain.

Nationwide, nearly 6 in 10 Filipinos, or 58 percent, preferred exit scenarios for her.

What would be the most beneficial thing to happen after her exit?

Seventeen percent think it would be a presidential election. Twelve percent believe it would be Vice President Noli de Catsro’s assumption of the presidency. Only 11 percent want her replaced by a temporary junta, which would prepare the nation for the election of a new president or a prime minister.

step back and rest

the evening local news tonight had nothing to say anymore about any of the following issues: jueteng, hello garci/cheating last elections, hyatt 10, gma resign, fvr, cory aquino, cbcp, black and white, rallies, mendiola, satur ocampo, communist, charter change/venable deal, graceful exit. except for several opposition congressmen who toyed with the "arrovo" booboo in some of the new 100-peso bills issued by bangko sentral, there was nothing in the news that could remind people that only several weeks ago, gma was under extreme pressure coming from various camps to step down. this is totally the opposite of the images of gma in the news tonight, enjoying a popsicle with his family in disneyland hk.

though the news was sadly still mainly about killings and carnapping and npa offensives, i thought that the absence of anti-gma news was a welcome breather for everyone. it's been there since late may, when the jueteng payola hearings started, and everyone, starting from those who love and adore gma from head to foot to those who would love to see her crucified upside down, would surely have good use for the break that we are in right now. for those who believe that gma deserves to stay in the position that she is holding right now, they will be sleeping sound tonight. for those who believe that there are questions which still needed answers, and that there is no quick way to close the various issues which hounded our nation the last 6 months, tonight's a night to recollect, rethink, replan.

and to rest. everyone needs to rest every once in a while.

sweet dreams everyone...

forum on the jesuit guidelines

fr danny huang sj, provincial superior of the society of Jesus in the Philippines, will be leading discussion on the guidelines he endorsed to jesuit partners and institutions this coming wednesday, 430pm at the ateneo de manila university (escaler hall). he will also try to answer questions and receive comments and suggestions regarding the said guidelines. everyone is invited...

3 stars & a sun

" It's been 4 hundred years of tears
For the brown man,
Still and all the fight has just begun
...3 stars & a sun!
...3 stars & a sun!
I'm ready to defend the 3 stars & a sun! "

lyrics from a song by francis magalona