"In societies where Robbing Hoods are treated like a celebrity it is but natural to expect political parties to act like a Mafia syndicate" Political Jaywalker "In a nation where corruption is endemic people tend to confuse due process with aiding and abetting criminals" Political Jaywalker "War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left" Bertrand Russell "You have just one flash flood of money, you keep your people poor. It's like a time bomb and it's scary" Philippine Lawmaker

A hopeful tomorrow

I woke up at dawn on Monday, May 10th. Jet lag and my excitement to vote in the Philippine national elections for the first time as a dual citizen had conspired to get me out of slumber early that fateful morning last week. I just arrived in Cebu from Las Vegas a couple of days before.

I went to my designated Cebu City voting precinct at the Ramon Duterte Memorial High School in Guadalupe at around 9:30 that morning with great anticipation and some concerns.

Knowing how bloody elections in the Philippines could be, and hearing all sorts of doomsday scenarios that might happen during the May 2010 elections, a balikbayan could not help but be a bit anxious, in spite of the fact that I have been visiting Manila and Cebu four to five times a year. But my greater fear was actually how the national elections in the general would go and how the people would vote in this crucial and pivotal juncture in our nation’s history.

On our way to the polling place, my friends, Inday and Jimmy Yap and their daughter, Chris, took me to the office of Barangay Captain Jing Jing Faelnar to say hello.

I was surprised to be greeted by a fiesta-like atmosphere, with colorful banners roofing the streets, bright posters on the walls, and jubilant people, some wearing their candidates’ emblems, merrily walking with no apparent care, CIMPEL-PPCRV poll helpers courteously assisting and directing the crowd. All this gave me a sense of reassurance that the day would go well. I suddenly felt I was going to a festive celebration instead of to a “potentially dangerous” polling area.

The huge turnout was most refreshing. The active young voters dominated the scene. One wore a yellow shirt, at the back of which said “Kung walang CORRUPT, walang MAHIRAP.” There were seniors, who could barely walk, disabled individuals, some with a cane, a couple in wheelchair, others practically carried by a family member, patiently waiting, braving the extreme heat, a truly inspiring vision of hope for our country. I then realized that flying across the oceans to vote was no match to their sacrifices and determination. They obviously believed that the future of the Philippines was in the hands of the people, and that every vote counted.

By this time, I was more inspired than fearful. Knowing the Cebuanos the past 14 years helped a lot in allaying my security concerns, but not my greater fear.

As a person who loves electronic gadgets, and one who has been voting in the United States, I was truly fascinated by this first automated voting in the Philippines. I was glad to be a part of it. I even took a picture of my completed ballot zipping into the PCOS machine, as a souvenir of my participation in this historic event in our country’s history.

Although there were reports of glitches in some PCOS machines around the country, the incidents, according to the experts, were within the industry statistical standard of aberration. The early returns alone were worth the high cost of automation and all the collateral problems that went with it at this initial abrupt trial.

The early concessions made by the candidates who lost, led by Manny Villar, followed by the others, and the absence of allegations about cheating and other electoral fraud, which are firsts in the political history of the Philippines, were also attributable to, and side benefits from, the automated elections. While this electronic system was far from perfect, it certainly was one thousand fold better than the old manual counting method. In spite of the glitches, automation seemed to have brought out the best in people. It has certainly separated mice and boys from men.

Overall, this 2010 national elections in the Philippines will go down in history as a most peaceful and most efficient elections yet compared to those in the past half a century or so. It just proves that the Filipinos, even the politicians, can be disciplined and be magnanimous, if given a system that is honest, superior, credible, and reliable.

However, finger-pointing and blaming will still continue. This time, complaints will be directed to the machines instead of to the opponents. Charges of cheating will be replaced by cries of electronic errors and malfunction. But even this is a step forward. It is easier to adjust or repair machines, or install new valuable data and added security features in them, than to make honest men out of crooks and plunderers.

The same logic and wisdom obviously explain why Noynoy, in spite of all the malicious allegations and personal insults hurled at him during the campaign, came away with a magnificent overwhelming majority. Indeed, “We, the People,” have spoken. And have spoken wisely. At least, those who chose our next president. In other areas, we have yet to learn to be smarter and wiser.

As the Convenor of the Las Vegas Chapter of the US Pinoys for Noy-Mar, I am most gratified by the overall orderliness, smoothness, and efficiency of the voting, counting, and canvassing of the people’s mandate. Noynoy Aquino’s landslide victory was a wonderful icing on the cake, an added bonus for all the supporters of good governance and for the country as a whole.

As an anti-corruption candidate, Honest Noy is clearly the prescription the Philippines needs to eradicate the pervasive cancer of corruption among our government officials, who have plundered and destroyed the nation, and have robbed the Filipinos of their dignity, self-respect, hope, and dream, as a people and as a nation. But Noynoy, alone, cannot perform the miracle. He needs all the help he can muster from all of us. And, certainly, six years won’t be enough to solve the country’s woes.

As his own father, Ninoy, stated during one of my visits with them in Boston in 1981, “Primo, the massive culture of corruption in the Philippine government will take decades to eradicate.

While the mission is impossible to achieve overnight, the Filipinos, this time under the leadership of Noynoy, can at least start and take the first courageous step of rooting out corruption in the government and charter a nobler course for the Philippines.

Hopefully, Noynoy’s honesty will become so contagious as to infect everyone in all the branches of the government and every citizen of the country. This will certainly be a welcome fundamental change.

I came back to Cebu with some anxieties and carrying a chronic grudge against the crooks in our government. I am flying back to the United State greatly inspired and optimistic that The Winds of Change will soon be upon the Philippines. More than ever before, I now look at the future of my native land with a greater hope in my heart that we can now start rebuilding our country in earnest and transform it into a nation with social justice, dignity, peace, prosperity, honor, and pride.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana, USA, trained at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston, is Chairman of Filipino United Network (FUN-USA), Vice Chairman of Filipino American Leadership Council (FALCONadvocacy) and Vice President for Far East of Cardiovascular Hospitals of America, Wichita, Kansas. He is a columnist for five newspapers and one magazine in the United States and five newspapers and one magazine in the Philippines.



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An Open Letter to Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, President-Elect, Republic of the Philippines

Dear Sen. Aquino,

First and foremost, we extend our deepest and sincerest congratulations on your ascendancy to the highest-elected office of our beloved country through a democratic process that every Filipino can take pride in for many generations to come. The first step inherent in the process of transformation is recognizing the need for change – and our capacity to change for the better! Thus, from this point onward, we are hopeful that inspired by your convincing victory and leadership, every Filipino will assume his or her role and responsibility to change the status quo by initiating positive changes towards a better and brighter Philippines, no matter where he or she is, and regardless of what citizenship he or she now holds.

We, the Overseas Filipinos Worldwide (OFW), are a group of Filipinos based abroad and in the Philippines, representing various organizations implementing projects in the Philippines and in our host countries for many years now that are aimed to strategically harness the Philippines’ migration gains into mechanisms for the development of the motherland and our communities of origin.

Migration gains are mainly remittances by overseas Filipinos to their family members, which are now in the region of USD17 billion and are the primary source of livelihood for millions of Philippine households. At 10.8% of the country’s GDP, they are also the third biggest source of the country’s foreign currency reserves and act as primary driver for our economy, shielding us from bankruptcy during the financial crisis in 1997 and the current one. The Filipino diaspora, estimated now at about 10 million working or residing in 239 countries and territories worldwide, send back donations to various humanitarian causes, such as disaster–relief, medical missions, schoolhouses, and other infrastructure. These contributions supplement local and national government deficits and, as of 2003, have already amounted to USD218 million, per BSP figures in that year. We do not count here the investments made by OFWs in real estate and the education and health of their family members, and the money spent on various goods and services, as well as on construction, food, shelter, and other inflows that support sectors like the airlines, shopping centers, and banks. Yet, after more than three decades of overseas employment, we do not see genuine signs of poverty alleviation, and instead more and more of our countrymen leave for work abroad.

Ironically, the Philippine model of overseas migration has become a model of sorts, for other migrant-origin countries to emulate and even copy. This however does not tell the whole story or reveal the other face of migration that has escaped the serious attention of past administrations, specifically, the social costs that migration has bred since government-managed deployment started in the early 70s and up to the present, where we now see at least 3,000 of many of the best and brightest Filipinos leaving daily to take up jobs overseas, due to local employment deficits. Other nations like South Korea, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, and Taiwan, who once were labor exporting countries, have been able to get over their migration hump, as a result of their governments’ consciously harnessing their workers’ remittances and investing them to develop local infrastructure, shipyards, factories, and other industries. Convinced of the effectiveness of government programs and also trustful of their leaders’ sincerity, these countries’ expatriates and overseas workers, at great sacrifice, left their high-paying jobs overseas and returned to their home countries to lend their talents and acquired expertise in further helping their respective country’s leap towards developed status even working at low salaries. India, another migrant-sending country, is also now going in that direction. These examples serve to illustrate the dictum that migration should be temporary, that it must not be used as a substitute for development. The desirable goal of countries wishing to be strong and globally competitive must necessarily be self-sufficiency and the ability to provide its people with necessary components needed for their human development.

The advent of a new administration, especially one under your inspired leadership, is a good time to ask where the Philippines is going regarding migration, and to act accordingly. Shall we continue to send out our people and rely on remittances and without any development objectives in sight? Conversely, don’t we have the talent to formulate a road map towards self-sufficiency over a period of time, in order that the hemorrhage of talents could be stopped, that a crisis in our dysfunctional families and society at large could be averted, and so that our people do not have to take migration as a forced option? If long-term migration goals are set now, the government could in the meantime work on some basic but urgent deployment and migration issues in order to clear the way towards having a genuine and serious program on translating migration gains for use in human development. In view of this, we humbly suggest starting to look at the following:
  • The government must send clear and strong signals that migration and remittances are only temporary measures to help the government prepare for a longer-term goal of self sufficiency,in which Filipinos no longer look at migration as a forced option. This must be integrated in Medium-Term Development Plans, which is currently being formulated by NEDA, and which should also include how in the meantime strategies, policies, and mechanisms for the productive use and investment of remittances could be harnessed to strengthen the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals.
  • Create a position for a Special Presidential Adviser on Migration and Development, who will work with a technical working group (TWG) composed of qualified individuals who have a background in migration and development, including knowledgeable and committed migrant leaders. Among others, the TWG could conduct studies, consultations, and discussions, and come up with updated situationers and appropriate policy recommendations on how to effectively translate remittances and migrant resources to develop local economies; and to address social costs, facilitation of return migration, reintegration, mechanisms for the counter parting of funds between Filipino diaspora groups, LGUs, and development agencies for local and countryside development, incentives for OFW investments in agriculture, SME, infrastructure, microfinance, cooperatives, and other sectors that need stronger funding support. The work could take the form of draft legislation for study by Congress’s standing committee on OFWs or form the basis for an Executive or Administrative Order, whichever is appropriate or workable. The committee’s work shall be purely consultative and should not supplant the work of government migration agencies.
  • Review and monitor the performance of government agencies in charge of migrant workers, such as the POEA, OWWA, CFO, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, with a view to strengthening these institutions, reducing wasteful and ineffective programs or duplication of work, giving agencies needed resources and funds for effective implementation of programs, and strengthening the capacity of their overseas offices to become centers of service to migrant workers overseas.
  • Departing OFWs contribute USD25 each as a requirement for departure and membership in OWWA and entitlement of welfare benefits. The total corpus of this trust fund is already at the level of at least PHP10 billion. The disposition and administration of this fund has been subject of criticisms, as its use has not been transparent and shown susceptibility to mismanagement. Specifically, reforms in OWWA should (1) impose strict criteria in the process of selection of people who will sit in the Board of Trustees, such that only those qualified and are committed to work for their constituents are appointed, e.g., women OFWs, sea-based, land-based, etc. (2) OWWA proceedings should be made transparent and open to public scrutiny, particularly the investment of the trust funds. (3) the incoming administration, for the benefit of OFWs and through the working group, should require from the current OWWA board an accounting of OWWA funds and how they were invested/used. To this end, the most recent COA audit of migration agencies, like POEA, OWWA, DFA, and POLO offices overseas, must be consulted.
  • The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) and the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) are two small agencies that are doing important work on mobilizing diaspora contributions for development and assistance to OFWs who are reintegrating to Philippine society after working abroad. The CFO, for instance, has submitted recommendations on how gaps and barriers to enhanced diaspora contributions could be addressed, but these have never been acted upon. The NRCO, in the three years it has been created, has given assistance and referrals on livelihood and employment to OFW returnees affected by the global crisis. Their work should be seriously looked into, and whenever necessary, the appropriate level of funds, resources, and support should be given to these agencies.
  • Lack of financial literacy or of the ability to use resources and incomes productively and wisely has been highlighted as a major cultural barrier among not only OFWs but also for most Filipinos. It prevents our people from improving their socio-economic conditions, despite years of employment in the Philippines or overseas. This refers to lack of savings or investment mindset and excessive spending on non-essentials. No less than an institutionalized nationwide program on financial literacy will be able to address this and should include not only OFWs but also members of their family. The BSP has been the lead government agency that has conducted financial literacy seminars for OFWs and families since 2006 in more than 30 Philippine cities and 10 cities overseas. This program could be improved and expanded through an impact assessment of the campaign and which might include providing resources for enlisting the DECS to include financial literacy and migration as part of school curriculum, starting from grade school, or the LGUs, by including financial literacy and social costs of migration in the Pre-employment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) conducted in their territories for intending migrants.
As a final note, while the recommendations above address specific OFW issues, the programs you had avowed to pursue in your electoral campaign on good governance—better access to health, education, employment and livelihood, and business opportunities for all—are all in the right track, constitute the basic elements for self-sufficiency, and provide viable options to our citizens to remain in the country and to devote their talents and resources to developing the homeland. On these, please be assured of our continued support.


Signed:
Doris Alfafara, Habagat Foundation, The Netherlands
Ren Arrieta, USA
Alex Veloso Bello, Saudi Arabia
Marvin Bionat, USA
Ding Bagasao, Economic Resource Center for Overseas Filipinos (ERCOF), Philippines
Jack Catarata, Germany
Basco Fernandez, Damayang Pilipino sa Nederland, The Netherlands
Lorna Lardizabal Dietz
Cristina Liamzon, Italy
Judith Puyat-Magnaye, USA
Mariel Vincent Rapisura, SEDPI Philippines
Leila Rispens-Noel, Wimler Partnership for Social Progress, Hongkong/Contact Person
Dennis Yaun, Luxembourg
James Zamora, Philippines

For reaction, please contact:

ofwmanifesto@gmail.com


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Some Filipino Events

World of Fitness

Event: Black and White Gala Inaugural Launch of Exotifit
Start Time: May 21 at 7:30pm
End Time: Saturday, May 22 at 1:00am
Where: Beverly Garland Hotel-Grand Ballroom, Beverly Hills

According to Glendale Commissioner Grace Walker, this inaugural launching is in collaboration with the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce and Business Mixer with the participation of the Hollywood, Woodland Hills & Tarzana Chambers of Commerce. Exotifit is said to be the nation's only Exotic-Ethnic-Dance fitness program. Founder is Kababayan Maria Amor Torres, an AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America) Certified Aerobics Instructor, DVIDA (Dance Vision International Dance Association) Certified Ballroom Dance Instructor, a Paint Artist and Entrepreneur.

More information at:FaceBook here and here.

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Penaflorida Event

Six months since Efren Penaflorida, Jr. won as the CNN Hero of the year. Two months ago he had a ground breaking for the Kalingain and Batang Mahirap Learning Center Project in Cavitie, proceeds of which initially came from his prize as the 2009 CNN Hero. This is in addition to his Kariton Klasrum which continues to encourage others to volunteer and provide education to the children in poor areas in the Philippines.

What : Luncheon and Entertainment for Education
Date : Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 1-5 pm
Venue: Mayflower Restaurant in Los Angeles
Goals:
  1. To promote awareness and involvement.
  2. Launching of the first series of Ef! shirts of which proceeds will go to Efren's projects.

Efren will be virtually present to talk about his projects and answer some questions. Some Filipino performers and talents will also be present to entertain. For more information, contact Evelyn Granada-Enriquez.

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Santacruzan

The Philippine Society of Southeast Los Angeles (Philsela) will present a Santacruzan on Sunday, May 23, at the Cerritos Regional Park, Cerritos. The event is part of the celebration of the organization's 36th anniversary which earlier saw the coronation of Miss Philsela 2010, Kayla Marie Magadia, and the induction of a new set of officers headed by Linda Bautista, president. For more information contact Lydia Soriano, Hermana Mayor of the Santacruzan.

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Washington, D.C. Exhibits

The Philippine Embassy will feature Filipino fabric and fashion as well as paintings and sculptures in two separate exhibits that will highlight the country's diversity and the rich heritage and traditions of Filipinos.

Fabrics and designs by noted Filipino designer Cora D.J. Manimbo are virtual artworks with meticulous embroideries, beadwork and hand-painted accents. The exhibit, entitled "Habi ng Lahi: An Exhibit of Filipino Farbric and Fashion" is open to public until May 21 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Embassy's Carlos P. Romulo Hall.

Abdulmari Asia Imao is the first Filipino Muslim artist to be honored as National Artist. Imao's use of indigenous ukkil, sarimanok and naga motifs have "popularized and instilled in the consciousness of the Filipino nation and other peoples as original Filipino creations." Also featured in the exhibit are the

works of Imao's son, Jose Mari Imao. A dentist by profession, Jose Mari is noted as a muralist and portrait artist. He was commissioned to do a series of official portraits of the Senate Presidents of the Republic of the Philippines. The exhibit, entitled "Henerasyon: Two Generations of Imao Art," will be open to public from May 26-31 from 10 am to 4 pm at the at the Embassy's Carlos P. Romulo Hall.

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Comedy for a Cause

Top Asian-American comedians collide to help raise funds for Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches, the recruitment center of the National Marrow Donor Program.

Friday, May 21, 2010 at 8:00pm
Aratani/Japan America Theater
244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA. 90012

Spewing an evening of laughter in California LOL! Comedy Jam 2010 will be Danny Cho (who has performed on stage with the likes of Tim Allen, Paul Rodriguez and Dane Cook to name a few); Tina Kim (the television-news-reporter-turned-comedienne and who has been featured on VH-1); Paul Ogata (winner of the San Francisco International Comedy Competition and can currently be seen on the Showtime network's "Pacific Rim Comedy"); PK (aka Paul Kim the founder of the popular "Kollaboration" performances); Room To Improv (the L.A.-based improvisation sketch-comedy troupe) and headliner Dat Phan (Original Winner of NBC's "Last Comic Standing" and has appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "The Family Guy" voiceover, and the movie "Cellular"). Tickets can be purchased at the Aratani/Japan America Theater Box Office or by calling (213) 680-3700 or online..

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UCLA Samahang Pilipino Cultural Night

Saturday, May 22, 2010 / 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Royce Hall - Auditorium, UCLA Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90095

A major program of Samahang Pilipino, a student advocacy group at UCLA, SPCN is the largest student-initiated and student-run cultural production on the UCLA campus. With a cast of roughly 250 participants and an audience up to 1,800 individuals, this cultural production serves as a major avenue for UCLA students to celebrate, explore and share the culture and history of the Philippines with the UCLA and greater Los Angeles community. This year's cultural night is managed by 26 students of diverse educational backgrounds. SPCN aims to interweave dance, song, theater and music to present a cohesive production. Free and open to the public, but tickets required.

Contact by email.

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Museum of Tolerance

As part of a month long celebration throughout the country, a whole day of programming devoted to the multi-cultural heritages of Asian and Pacific Islander communities will be held on

Sunday, May 23 / 12:00pm - 4:00pm.
Museum of Tolerance
9786 West Pico Boulevard, West Los Angeles

Fil-Ams to be featured in the program include professional boxer Brian "The Hawaiian Punch" Viloria who will play the ukulele and Dante and Arianna Basco. The Basco family will host the event. Tickets: $15.00 (Adults), $12.00 (Seniors), $11.00 (Students). For additional program information, please call (310) 772-2452 or visit here, here, and here.

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UCLA Workshop on Applying for Fulbright Fellowships

For international travel, study and research abroad

Thursday, June 3, 2010 / 10:00 – 11:30 AM
6275 Bunche Hall, UCLA Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Fulbright IIE applicants: be a U.S. citizen, hold a BA degree or equivalent before the award begins, and have proficiency in the language of the host country. Campus deadline for applications: August 19, 2010.

Website
Contact: Jozen Gibson @ 310-206-8743
RSVP required

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Discussion on Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta

Friday, June 4, 2010 / Noon to 2 PM
CHASS Interdisciplinary South 1109
U.C. Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
Free and open to the public.

Sharon's Noranian Turn: Stardom, Embodiment, and Language in Philippine Cinema is a colloquium with Bliss Cua Lim, Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies, UC Irvine. This lecture revisits the star personae of Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta, arguably the two most important female stars of Filipino cinema in the post-studio period. Lim's analysis of their films and their star texts at the decisive moments of their explosion into national popularity in the late 1960s (for Nora Aunor) and the early 1980s (for Sharon Cuneta) considers the dovetailing of racialized star embodiment and language as markers of social distinction.

INFORMATION
DIRECTIONS
PARKING: visit http://parking.ucr.edu Pay per space options available in LOT 1 and LOT 24.
Web information

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Consular Outreach in West Virginia

The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., in partnership with Rev. Michael O. Lecias of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, WV, will conduct its first-ever consular outreach program in Wheeling, West Virginia on June 4, 2010, Friday. The Embassy's consular team will accept and process applications for machine-readable passports, dual citizenship, notarization of documents, and registration of births and marriages. The outreach program will also include an oath-taking ceremony for individuals who will reacquire their Filipino citizenship under the Dual Citizenship Law.

The consular services with be held at the St. Alphonsus Parish Hall located at 2111 Market Street, Wheeling, West Virginia 26003 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on June 4, 2010 (Friday).

For details please contact the Philippine Embassy at tel nos. 202-467-9312; fax nos. 202-467-9417 or email.

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Pista Sa Nayon celebration

Date : June 5th
Place : Vallejo Marina Water Front.
For further info, please refer to their website.
Posted by the Cultural Section, Philippine Consulate General, San Francisco
Tel. No.: (415) 433-6666 ext. 314
Email

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Ongoing

Road to Saigon

This new East West Players production starring Jennifer Paz, Joan Almedilla, and Jenni Selma is going on until June 13 (Wed—Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm).

Tickets $40-$50
David Henry Hwang Theater
120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles

In the spirit of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, a 20% discount is offered of all regular priced tickets sold

using the special promo code "SIPARTS". The amount will be donated back to SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans). For tickets, 213.625.7000 x20 or email

Parking available for $7.00 in Lot 7, adjacent to the theater OR street parking.
For more information, please call East West Players at
(213) 625-7000 or email.

Intersections: World Arts/Local Lives

Features approximately 250 of the finest objects from the Fowler's collections in a long-term exhibition that celebrates the richness of world arts and considers the roles these works of art play in peoples' lives. Although they are scattered throughout the exhibit, there are a number of artifacts from Southeast Asia (Burma, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia) including ancestor figures, puppets, masks, and other sculptures.

Place : UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Los Angeles
Museum admission is free. Some of the exhibit can also be viewed online.

*********************************************************************************

Dionesio C. Grava - Part-time community journalist based in Los Angeles and editorial writer at Forum Asia.






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Losers in the Philippine 2010 Presidential Contest Cries Hocus PCOS Electoral Fraud?

Only in the Philippines where unsubstantiated serious allegations makes it to the madaya errr media, are the media people forgetting that their job and duty to the public is to report the truth? Even supermarket tabloids in the US at times come out with accurate stories with reliable source complete with photo images like that of John Edwards’s scandal. Something unexpected considering tabloids are mostly about gossips and yet they do their due diligence at times, can we say the same when it comes to the Philippine media? I suspect the practice of AC-DC ATM Journalism will explain why they are so loose like a woman of ill refute in airing or going to press with obvious lies or unsubstantiated allegations.
The Philippine 2010 presidential election is one bitterly fought contest with only Noynoy Aquino coming out as a clear winner but of course losers even known cheaters will cry foul, back not by compelling evidence but pure allegations relying on the public's gullibility to validate their claims via gossips. There is no question that the recently held election was not without fraud, but what is astonishing is the fixation on zeroing in on the Automated Electronic System (AES), and yet no attention is given on the wholesale vote buying and flying voters. What, cheating only applies to the one who won with a very convincing landslide and those who openly cheated abusing their position and influence to violate election laws are not covered by the indignation?

Amando Doronila's Wild Card sums up the results quite accurately below:
The results also wreaked havoc on the credibility of the media’s prolific pundit industry, with many of its commentators eating crow and expressing profuse regrets for their “fearless forecasts.” This bacchanalia of feasting on humble pie usually happens when political commentators go beyond the facts and write passionate commentaries of what they “want to happen.” Hubris is not the monopoly of politician in power; it also afflicts the commentating industry, and intoxicates journalists who appear to believe that they make the news and that the events are shaped by their accounts as eyewitnesses of unfolding events.
Indeed, Doronilla has a very valid point in his observation that pangits errr pundits are going beyond the facts as in stretching or outright lying to be precise. Why they do that is not exactly about these nut jobs having a huge ego because in the end they get exposed and yet they persist without remorse on dissing out lies.

Now why does it not surprise me when Belinda Olivares-Cunanan is the first to give credence to a “whistle blower resembling a Koala Bear?” She was also gung-ho on the forged psychological report on Noynoy Aquino who did not bother to check the veracity of the faked documents. Cunanan did not just went along with it but even added more spurious claims that was proven time and again to be false or outright lies by her diligent colleagues.

15 million she reports is the number of ballots supposedly manipulated by the Electronic Garci Hocus PCOS syndicate, uhhhh psssst Bhel, I am selling Villar’s C-5 for P50/KM but I am willing to go low to P20/KM, would you like to buy it? 15 million, that is about the same figure that Noynoy Aquino will get, so is Bhel Cunanan mathematically challenged just like the dagdag/bawas (add/subtract) backdoor operators? 15 million is 3 times Manalo’s Iglesia ni Kristo (INK) 5 million solid votes and you can see how most if not all the politicians treats the sex errr sect like heaven sent. Don’t you think “koala bear” along with his Hocus PCOS syndicate cohorts with what they have to offer will be treated like god and no one will dare double cross them? How may I ask in the name of Garci is it physically possible to print 15 million ballots without getting noticed? We are talking of 15 million more additional ballots comprising 40% of the total votes when the printing of legitimate ballots did not make it on time requiring the Comelec to add more printing machines?

If the Comelec has to extend the voting because it was physically impossible to accommodate 1,000 voters per machine and here is Cunanan talking about 15 million ballot switching? Assuming we raised the number to 10,000 a very high improbable number instead of just the 1,000 since we can have one person doing all the shading and one person inserting the ballots, under time constraint you will need a whole village or even a province and not just 60 machines they found in Antipolo to do the trick of inserting 15 million switched ballots. Give me a break, if we are believe this telling story a lie it will not be very difficult to find other koala bears as this involves quite a number of people. who I suppose would like some payback of sorts for the double cross and will have no problem corroborating the allegations if indeed it was legitimate. I have no idea if the intent was to amuse us, but to say that it was the administration candidates that was targeted for the Hocus PCOS sleight of hand is just preposterous, the original Garci beneficiary is the victim? Same argument used by the Comelec 3 stooges in ruling that Among Ed cheated the Mother of Jueteng, I don't know about you but I think that the koala bear and those who readily believe his tall tale ought to see a psychiatrist pronto.

The clincher here is when koala bear claims that Manny Villar was too cheap thus he did not use the "services" he was offered. This reeks of stupidity. For one how come it is only now that Villar is saying that this is disturbing? If Villar has no problem pressuring Aquino to take a psychiatric test even if it was an outright lie, don't you think he would have exposed these anomalies ahead of koala bear instead of appearing surprised? That does not add up and this really makes one think who and where this story telling a lie is coming from? People who treats lies and forged documents as if they discovered a gold mine are the most likely suspects behind the shenanigans, wouldn't you agree?

DJ Bocobo can’t contain himself back then and it tells a lot on Bhel Cunanan’s math wizardry, to quote:
Philippine Daily Inquirer's Bhel Cunanan, who writes the OpEd column Political Tidbits (far too many times every week for public sanity and credulity) is the reigning maven of Palace crony apologists in the elite ranks of the demagagosphere, and proves her lockhold on that dubious distinction in her Monday piece, Nine Million Hits for Sigaw Website.
Are we supposed to listen to one who seems to have the propensity to exaggerate by the millions her Singaw ng Bayan website having 9 million hits when it was not even close to what they actually got and what was her basis in believing koala bear? Bhel Cunanan says he seems to know the process so he is believable, heck just because one seems to know the process it does not follow that he is legit. This is just like that guy from Mandaluyong Mental Hospital errr resident who came out with a forged psychology document on Noynoy Aquino and the idiots in the media including Cunanan scrambled to air his story telling a lie without checking the veracity of the claims. Instead of dismissing it and wasting air time on outrageous lies the media despite knowing that it was a fabrication still aired it, shades of ATM journalism I suppose.

Now why am I not surprised that Manny Villar is the first to seize on the opportunity to taint and put in question Aquino’s landslide victory in the guise of being concerned? Liars will of course flock together and without any solid evidence Erap Estrada’s accusation that Villar is a liar is indeed holding up.

Funny but on the first day of the Congressional hearing on electoral fraud it is looking more like a loser’s convention. There is noting wrong in investigating fraud because it does exist as old habits die hard but in order to succeed hard evidence is required and not innuendos or questionable nut jobs looking like a koala bear with allegations that defy logic where one has to be insane to buy their fallacious claims.

If Congress bungled the Garci scandal where strong evidence was presented, do these losers expect a different outcome? How about not being selective and investigate all these frauds once and for all, oh wait they can’t do that because there is a possibility that some if not most will lose their job for violating electoral laws ranging from campaign overspending, source of campaign funds as in jueteng and other illegal activities where they fund politicians acting as their protector or even owning the shady enterprises, vote buying etc……….

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Malacañang Cuteness, Search Committee, and some Post Election Dystopia

Imagine a football game where more than 2 teams are playing and each player are playing not for their team but for their own individual glory of getting the ball for a touchdown. Now that is one pandemonium that will be a sight to see and it seems something similar is going on complete with the usual but more intense scramble, pushing, and tackling going on over at the palace by the murky Pasig River. What precipitated the boot licking was due to Liberal Party spokesperson Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III saying that Aquino may retain some members of the Arroyo Cabinet but will of course depend on the yet to be formed or may have already been formed search committee by Aquino.

To say that the people at the Malacañang were elated is an understatement, delusional for most is most likely even dystopian to borrow my idol Senadora Miriam Santiago’s fancy high falutin terminology. It was almost impressive to see outgoing deputy Garcified presidential spokesman Rogelio Peyuan saying all the right things except for some quirks here and there that got me flabbergasted. I must admit I was bowled over and could not contain myself bursting in uncontrollable laughter at what seems like a finale punch line of a stand up comic when he offered his unsolicited advice below:
If we are to make a suggestion, he should pick somebody who is cute, smiling, clean-smelling, so he will have a clear outlook on how to run the Republic. They should have a good sense of judgment.
Who is this guy Rogelio Peyuan, is he really serious? Huh, cute? Are you serious, did he really say that? Well, if he thinks he is cute he is dead wrong and if that is the criteria there will be no one, yes I repeat no one will qualify. C’mon, we have seen these very high profile cabinet members and they are not exactly cute but more on the nakakatakyut (scary) side. Heck no, there is no way someone is cute or trying hard to be cute when they are more like the take no prisoner surrender is no option type. Now what’s up with that? I hate conspiracy theories but from the looks of it this is a subtle endorsement for would be retained or desperately wanting to remain in their position like midnight appointee Renato Corona to go see at their own risk (even untimely death from massive infection) cosmetic surgeons hopefully not the quacks responsible for leaking boobies and deadly butt augmentations and dinged dongs.

Ok, just because we all know that Noynoy Aquino is a bachelor it does not mean he is a sexual pervert, there is no need for him to be surrounded by smelling good, and always smiling cuteness; he has Shalani Soledad for a fiancée fer cryin’ out loud, or was that how it is in Gloria Arroyo’s acuteness errr cuteness reign? If it is a joke, Rogelio Peyuan risks having the same fate of getting fired by the whimsical one like his predecessor Glorialie errr Lorelie Fajardo. If Peyuan think he is indispensable like Renato Corona, he is in for a big surprise.

Speaking of CJ Renato “Midnight” Corona, I was wrong that he accidentally sat on his cheat errr seat laden with super glue. It appears that he may have put all his eggs in Gloria Arroyo’s basket thus he has no choice but to slug it out..... as in who cares about ethics this is about self-preservation. His voting records are mostly favorable to Gloria Arroyo and his wife it appears has been very “successful” career wise under and courtesy of Gloria Arroyo. It is a smart move for Corona to tell his wife to resign effective June 30, but I doubt it if that will effectively remove the questions on his integrity or if it will be seen as a joke on us if we go by Jarius Bondoc’s Gotcha article below:
But there’s a pesky item. Corona’s wife Cristina is an official in the executive branch. Soon after Corona became justice in 2002, Arroyo made Cristina a board director of John Hay Management Corp., a subsidiary of the Bases Conversion Development Authority. In Mar. 2007 she promoted her to chairman-president. Cristina functions as CEO and COO.

How Cristina came to hold all the positions shows her clout with the President. As JHMC director she refused to sign any of the board minutes but regularly drew her per diem. When she rose to chairman-president she withheld the minutes from the directors’ ratification, then created and filled up high managerial positions without board assent. The assistant corporate secretary and internal auditor reported cases of misconduct. Managers swore about being ordered to deliver office equipment to her (two mobiles, three PDAs, a laptop, and a copier-printer-scanner-fax, but refusing to sign receipt. The directors confronted Cristina in June 2007. Arroyo ordered all of them to resign and retained Cristina as chairman-president. Since then the Baguio mayor and congressman have complained about her firing their constituents in violation of a city council resolution. The Commission on Audit has red-flagged unnecessary expenses incurred by her holding extra office in Quezon City instead of Baguio. She remains at the top of JHMC.

His wife’s executive rank puts Corona’s independence in question. The Judicial Code of Conduct forbids judges from letting family and social ties from influencing their conduct and decisions. The prestige of judicial office may not be used or lent to advance private interests, especially those of family members. Judges and family members may not solicit or accept any gift, bequest or favor in connection with performance of judicial duty.

Stretching the imagination, one may say that Corona does not let his wife’s executive position get in the way of independent judicial rulings. Still, the Code specifically states that judges shall not only be free from inappropriate connection with or influence by the executive and legislative, “but must also appear to be free therefrom to a reasonable observer.”
Speaking of joke, what’s up with Jejomar Binay joking about being the first black vice-president? Ok, at least no one can accuse him of having ties with the Arroyo’s and everyone knows that Gloria Arroyo is not fond of him. No not because he is not cute, but certainly his former mistress thinks otherwise or was it the cuteness of having a deep pocket? We need to ask Senadora Miriam Santiago if that qualifies in her dystopian concept not on free wheeling ethics but on cuteness. How else can we explain the fact that instead of getting affected by the scandal his popularity soared and almost with certainty at this point to be proclaimed the vice-president elect?

Now what’s up with the chizzy one? Chiz Escudero probably meant well when he urges Aquino to reveal the identity of the search committee for transparency. It is not the individuals that is important but the vetting process that will make a difference. Besides, when majority of the people gave Aquino a landslide victory, it translates into giving him our full trust and confidence that his search committee will be composed of individuals with proven integrity and honesty…. After all that is the mandate the electorate gave him and the platform of governance we expect out of him. The priority is to set a parameter on the vetting process, then once that is settled the people who are task to do the job must of course believe and live up to it. If they are perceived doing the opposite then it defeats the very purpose of the advocacy for change. The disadvantage of revealing the identities of the committee members will just complicate and the likelihood of failure is not far fetched. The present political realities where jockeying for positions, horse trading, high pressure influence peddling, debt of gratitude and vested interest is very real as seen in the past. We really can’t expect greedy people in high places used to the old corrupted ways of subverting even the constitution to miraculously transform into saints in an instant, what more with a simple vetting process on appointments to the corridors of power?

Vigilance in the proper context is a good thing otherwise it becomes vigilantism which sadly is illegal and we don’t want our people morphing into vigilantes. Chiz Escudero definitely has ambitions to be president one of these days and there is nothing wrong with that, but to realize that dream it is not enough that while it appears that the result of the election seems to favor him he has to choose his talking points well. Otherwise, he might be in for a big surprise and hopefully not the one wished for by Bob Arum in still being in this earthly place on Congressman Manny Pacquiao. I am hoping that Arum will change his mind as we did nothing wrong against him for him to unleash such humiliation on us.

Speaking of vigilance, did people who wants Kris Aquino to leave the country voted for Noynoy Aquino because they thought that was part of his platform? Now whoever did not tell that ought to be held responsible that they can’t hold Kris Aquino on what was clearly a conditional statement. Guess what, if it is causing people some grief there is that small device called remote control that is very useful in changing channels if they can’t stand Kris Aquino. Heaven forbid what if she succumbs to the pressure and actually leave the country, what has the people in her destination country did to deserve her. Ok, it’s just a joke, I actually have no problem with Kris Aquino but I also am not a big fan of her show like Willie Revillame’s Wowowee. Heck, I only watch Filipino news and that alone gives me so much grief what more if I watch those shows, I think I am better off doing some self-flagellation thingy to ease my misery…….

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Noynoy Aquino’s Campaign Promise on Renato Corona’s Appointment as CJ

There is no question that what the Philippines need right now as of yesteryear's is a unifying leader to lead us out of the muck that past elected leaders legitimate or garcified has continuously failed time and again to live up to their mandate.
When President-Elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III declared in his campaign that he will not recognize the appointment of Supreme Court chief justice Renato Corona by outgoing thief errrr chief executive Gloria Arroyo who seems to have the propensity to tiptoe like a thief in the night with her midnight appointments, and subsequently follow it up that he refuses to recognize said appointment, is he really sowing the seeds of divisiveness? When Aquino issued the statement is that not being consistent with his campaign promise that shows he is a man of his word and true to himself and the people? Are we really serious about change or we just want to argue and talk about it till we are blue and now that he is showing signs that he is fulfilling his promise to the 13million Filipinos who gave him the mandate for his anti-corruption stance we are buckling down?

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and their decision being the court of last resort is therefore final that effectively becomes part of the law and the rule of law should be respected. I am not a lawyer but when the SC justice who were demoted to mere judges by JM Nepomuceno in our exchange at FB came out with a decision that is in direct contradiction to what is written in the constitution and the appointee knowingly accepts said position when the provision is so crystal clear that even a 5th grader comprehends without a problem, is it then the rule of law or the rule of man? If that is the case do we have justices whose comprehension ability was that of a 4th grader or lower as they are inquisitively asking which part of Section 15, Article 7 of the Constitution did they not understand that an outgoing president cannot appoint Two (2) months immediately before the presidential election and up to the end of his term? UP Constitutional Law Prof. Harry Roque has this to say at Inquirer in his article a breach of the mandate:

The issue is not the jurisprudence but the breach of the mandate. The fact that the Court is referred to as “Supreme” is not a guarantee that it is infallible and will never abdicate its constitutional mandate. This happened in our recent history on two occasions: in Javellana when the Marcos Supreme Court sought refuge in the political question doctrine and abdicated its all-important tasks as guardian of constitutional supremacy, and in Aquino, which eventually inspired People Power 1.

The presumptive president-elect must keep his promise not to recognize the legitimacy of an Arroyo-appointed chief justice for two reasons. First, he must honor the mandate of the sovereign people when they ratified the 1987 Constitution. Second, this has become a political issue already decided by the people when they gave the presumptive president-elect an overwhelming mandate.

Does the majority of the members of the high court believe that their rulings can be etched in stone without any political context? I submit that the Court’s role is to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution so that despots may be prevented from rewriting or interpreting the fundamental law to suit their personal and selfish interests. It should, however, not be exercised to thwart the true intent of the people who gave their mandate to the Constitution. And certainly, judicial power cannot and should not be used to thwart the popular will of the sovereign who only now chose Noynoy Aquino as their true leader based on a promise not to recognize the legitimacy of an Arroyo midnight appointee.
This is coming from a constitutional law expert who will soon take an indefinite leave of absence from teaching Constitutional Law and Public International Law at the UP College of Law and will also resign as professor from the Philippine Judicial Academy in protest over De Castro vs JBC. Is this an act disrespecting the rule of law especially when he is also exhorting other law professors to do the same?

This is not just giving me a headache but at the rate things are going I may need to go see a psychiatrist especially when I read my idol Senadora Brenda errr re-elected Senator Miriam Santiago drops some insanely heavy terminologies in defense of Corona’s appointment as unassailable, to quote:

The controversy had been “laid to rest under the doctrine of res judicata, meaning it can no longer be re-litigated in court, because it has already been decided with finality,” Santiago said on Monday.

“After the Supreme Court decision in De Castro versus Judicial and Bar Council last March, which settled the issue, any petition is now precluded, on the theory of so-called collateral estoppel,” the senator said in a statement.

Santiago was referring to the fact that the high court had decided twice that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo could appoint a replacement for outgoing Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who retired Monday.

She also reminded critics on the need to obey the law, which she defined as “the doctrine that general constitutional principles are the result of judicial decisions determining the right of private individuals in the courts.”

“The problem with critics is that they mistake the law as it is with the law as it ought to be, according to their layman’s interpretation. A line has to be drawn between the rule of law and the dystopian concept of freewheeling ethics,” she said.
Whew, that was heavy, res judicata, collateral estoppel but what struck me was the term dystopian concept of freewheeling ethics, now is she serious or is she seeing a different reality that she alone sees especially when I am reminded of her similar dystopian description of the Supreme Court she now wants us to respect upon getting dropped out of the list for the justice of Supreme Court appointment awhile back which I quote:

“I’m not angry, Mr. President, I am not angry,” she began, addressing Senate President Manuel Villar.

I am irate. I am foaming at the mouth. I’m homicidal. I’m suicidal. I’m humiliated, debased, degraded. And not only that, I feel like throwing up to be living my middle years in a country of this nature. I am nauseated. I spit in the face of Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban and his cohorts in the Supreme Court.”
So how is it that when people who are not frothing in the mouth in anger like her are insulted and belittled as ignoramuses? Those who agrees with Noynoy are definitely not homicidal or worse suicidal. They maybe humiliated and debased too in feeling nauseated, but not necessarily wanting to spit on the face of Renato Corona as chief justice and his "cohorts." So why are the people getting lectured with such heavy terminology by one whose statement puts her sanity in question?

By the way dystopian is dys-/dus- (Latin/Greek roots: 'bad' or 'abnormal') + -topos (Greek root: 'place') = 'bad place'

eu- (Greek root: 'good') / ou- (Greek root: 'not') + -topos (Greek root: 'place') = 'good/no place'

dystopia n. an imaginary wretched place, the opposite of utopia

utopia n. a place or state of ideal perfection, the opposite of dystopia

So if we go by my idol’s take on the controversy, we the public has a dystopian concept of freewheeling ethics, but wait a minute here, is this not supposed to be an accurate description of those in the cheat errr seat of power which includes her? The world seems to turn upside down, ooops, wait that is not accurate since it is round and that is just how it is but in the bola bola Republic of the Philippines, Virginia M. Moncrieff at Huffington Post seems to accurately describe what comes close to a dystopian concept not of those Santiago targets but the other way around especially the nut jobs, to quote:

Noynoy is the comfort candidate. In a country where crooks, charlatans, film stars, sportsmen and nut jobs routinely stand for, and get voted into office, Mr. Aquino represented a steady and secure vote. He campaigned heavily on anti corruption - "If there is no corruption, there is no poverty" is a rough translation of his election logo - and has promised to start prosecuting corrupt officials with weeks of his swearing in.
I believe Renato Corona is highly qualified for the position and a man of integrity, except his voting record seems to favor Gloria Arroyo, but of course we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately it is probably more on doubt as in whatever Gloria Arroyo does is doubtful and in order to restore his and the Supreme Court’s credibility and respect they deserve, he should exercise delicadeza by resigning, deferring and waiting for the president-elect to perform his duty in appointing the chief justice. I say don’t take resigned former administration poll lawyer Romulo Macalintal word saying that Aquino’s plan not to take oath before incoming Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona would be an embarrassment for the country. What is embarrassing is the fact that a 5th grader has better comprehension abilities than the SC justices and I am afraid that someone will be laughing their way to the bank if the SC does not reverse themselves and Corona as if he sat on his seat with a super glue thus he is staying put.

During the reign of Hitler's terror in Germany and Europe people have no choice but to respect the rule of law. It does not matter that they are committing genocide, systematically exterminating the Jews because that was the political climate back then. But in the end no evil deed goes unpunished and what we have while GMA's reign of corruption pales in comparison, did we forget or are we forgetting that her mandate is questionable at best and do we want the incoming administration to legitimize an otherwise illegitimate regime? Are we heading towards dystopia and the irony of ironies is it seems and I pray not, that it takes a nut job to recognize one, lol.......


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On Noynoy Aquino’s Plan to Take his Oath with a Barangay Captain

This early Noynoy Aquino announces his plan to break tradition in protest over the midnight appointment of Chief Justice Renato Corona by outgoing president Gloria Arroyo by taking his oath with a Barangay Captain.

Filomeno Arevalo Arteche III posted the implication of the plan in his FB page:
The plan of Noynoy to take his presidential oath before a Barangay Captain is certainly a slap in the face of incoming Chief Justice Renato Corona, my Ateneo Law Professor. While it is legal, it is an embarrassment for Justice Corona. GMA still has an option to defer the appointment to the incoming President, UNLESS, she wants an "insurance" from the Highest Court on possible graft charges to be filed against her.
Indeed a slap in the face but what Baby-Bringas Apruebo says is that it was more of a bitch slap, I just don’t know if she wanted to include the you know who that started all this drama.

Inday Espina-Varona is having a hard time what to make of it especially on retired CJ Reynato Puno’s statement that "...the higher you are in the government, the more you should respect the rule of law," reacting to Sen. Benigno Aquino's threat not to recognize new chief justice Renato Corona. She then explains below why she is having a hard time:
I don't think so :) the fact is, the Supreme Court ruled that in the case of the cj, GMA could appoint. That she did is, perhaps, tasteless, but not illegal. Until the SC reverses itself, the corona appointment is legal. And a president cannot just dismiss that -- or are we saying there is one standard for GMA and another for Aquino?

I say we can criticize the SC decision but should obey it. Or as Atty Teddy Te says, we have to obey even if we don't respect (a statement that admittedly makes my head ache hehehe)
Is it really the rule of law that is at stake here or is it about power tripping and huge egos or perhaps there is more to this than meets the cross eyed type of justice errrr ok just plain eye.

There is nothing in the constitution that will prevent Noynoy Aquino from proceeding with his plan coming from Malacañang people themselves so if that is the case there is no law that is violated. In contrast the midnight appointment is clearly against the constitution and therefore patently illegal according to Senator Aquilino Pimentel. Worse the Supreme Court handed down a ruling that effectively change the constitution that is beyond their pay check errr duty. There is a long process involved in changing the constitution and the need for ratification by the electorate so did the Supreme Court justices who came out with the decision favoring Gloria Arroyo’s whims and caprice respecting the rule of law? Sen. Aquilino Pimentel’s argument below as reported by Christine Avendaño makes more sense than the argument presented by retired CJ Puno:
He said Ms Arroyo was "guilty'' of treating "frivolously'' the issue of the appointment of Chief Justice, as he cited Article 7 Section 15 of the Constitution which prohibits the President from making appointments two months prior to the next election and until the end of her term.

And while he said majority of the members of the Supreme Court said Ms Arroyo could appoint the next Chief Justice, he said this should be challenged.

"If we allow the Supreme Court to have its way there without challenge, it allows the Supreme Court to amend the Constitution,'' Pimentel said.

He then sought for any of the high court justices or "all of them'' to a "public discussion'' of the issue which he stressed was a "matter of public interest.''

Pimentel said he had earlier filed a motion for reconsideration seeking a discussion of the issue but the high court did not allow it.

Pimentel also said he was blaming Ms Arroyo for the "faux pas'' in making the appointment.

He urged the President to reconsider her appointment of Corona or for Corona himself to act like a "statesman'' and refuse the appointment.

Otherwise, he said it was possible that the issue would lead to a Constitutional crisis, with the new President clashing with Corona.
Something smells not just fishy but nasty as well in Puno’s reaction and if it is respect that he demands he may just lost whatever respect the people have when he peddles the implication of a Noynoy Aquino’s oath with a Barangay Captain to further sow the seeds of divisiveness. The highly partisan conduct ends when the election is over and I doubt that the insanity errr partisanship extends to the Supreme Court justices and the anointed errrr GMA appointed Chief Justice. Majority of the people are sick and tired of Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts wanting to see them behind bars and preparations are on the way in celebration of booting her out. The question then is will Aquino’s plan undermine the Supreme Court but then again how can you undermine a broken institution when they refuse the motion of Sen. Pimentel?

Pimentel citing and agreeing with the opinion of former Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza that President-elect Sen. Benigno "Noynoy'' Aquino III can revoke the appointment of Renato Corona as the new Chief Justice through an executive order. Until he takes his oath that will have to wait, so on with the oath with a Barangay Captain. There is only one problem here, Barangay Captains serves as the politicians grass roots machinery and therefore responsible in vote buying. Hopefully there are more honest Barangay Captains than crooked ones in order for Aquino to show that he respects and is with the people…. with the honest ones with integrity to be precise.

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