A Gray Area in the Universe

Is it universally ethical to accept any form of gifts from politicians specially this season of Christmas and election? On the other hand, is it also ethical to give any form of gifts, money or otherwise, if you are a candidate at this very moment of the year? Could you tell me exactly when a gift becomes a bribe?

Gift-giving, especially cash-giving, is a fad among politicians in this very hour. They are all over Facebook. Photos of politicians distributing cold cash were posted. But when a gift is not a gift? Giving, in whatever form, establishes a relationship. One ethical issue to consider when assessing whether offering or accepting a gift is appropriate is whether the relation will be ALTERED or if there is an expectation that it will be INFLUENCED in some way. For example in such a gesture, when the giver is expecting favors (read: votes) in return, this is clearly a bribe and NOT a gift. The giver’s as well as the receiver’s motives are important in pinpointing this but there are still no instrument invented by man to detect or measure one’s motive.

What is “Ethics”? It can be summed up with these words: "Ethics is concerned with how people ought to act and how they ought to be in relationship with others. Ethics does not just describe how things are, but rather is concerned with establishing norms or standards for how human life and conduct should be." Ethics are a set of principles of right conduct. But how can one distinguish clearly what is right from what is wrong? And it becomes more complicated when these two areas (what is right and what is wrong) overlap so that a gray area develops. It is clear to me as once student of Ethics, gifts and bribes as distinctively separate. Gifts are ethical while bribes are not. 

But in Occidental Mindoro culture in particular and the Philippine culture in general, the concepts of gifts and bribes are not distinctly separate. That is why both the giver and the receiver of both bribes and gifts considered their gestures as normal. There are overlapping areas between offering gifts and offering bribes. Gift-giving behavior can be extended into the area of giving bribes, so that the concepts overlap. When this occurs, the behavior is at the same time ethical and unethical. But this is not limited only to politicians and their constituents but also to other “relationships” like between a politician and the other individuals under them.

Applying a code of ethics to behavior becomes very complicated because a gray area exists between ethical actions and unethical actions. As discussed before, offering a gift is an ethical (right) behavior and offering a bribe is an unethical (wrong) behavior. But in the gray area where offering a gift extends into the area of offering a bribe, it is very hard to interpret whether the behavior is right or wrong.

We are not expecting government regulations and laws alone can solve the prevailing problem of corruption and bribery here in Occidental Mindoro or elsewhere in the Philippines. There is a dire need for a group of citizens to differentiate between the overlapping area of offering gifts and offering bribes so that we, Filipinos, are able to distinguish between gifts and bribes. This is not an easy task because gifts and bribes have traditionally overlapped in our culture so that the distinction between ethical and unethical behaviors is not clearly defined and practiced.

On December 3, 2018, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) reiterates the provisions of Republic Act No. 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees which prohibits civil servants from soliciting or accepting gifts, favors, loans or anything of monetary value in the course of their official duties.

Under CSC’s lenses, the propriety or impropriety of the gift is determined by value, kinship, or relationship between the giver and receiver, and the motivation. Thus, gifts exempted from the prohibition are those from family members given without expectation of pecuniary benefit; those coming from persons with no regular, pending or expected transactions with the government office where the receiver belongs; those from private organizations given with humanitarian and altruistic intent; and those donated by one government entity to another. Something of monetary value is one which is evidently or manifestly excessive by its very nature. The CSC reminder is timely. RA No. 6713 is a welcome development and very relevant though it is very specific. Specific laws such as this are imperative in giving clear-cut, crystal-clear legal measures on this ethical issue.

Corruption in the form of bribery and accepting bribes serves as a contributory factor in the commission of human rights violations. Human rights offenses no doubt, are good breeding grounds for impoverishment or poverty. Nonetheless, bribery should be put under human rights lens. Moreover, there is a very thin line that separates gift from bribe, the ethical from the unethical. But we have forgotten that there is also such an animal called delicadeza.

Gray reigns in this universe…

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(Photo: Cebu News)

Beking Pari Ba ‘Ikamo?

Hindi naman talaga maitatatwa na mayroong mga beking pari sa Simbahang Katolika pero ano kayang pampatulog ang tinira ng pangulo na tila sa panaginip lang niya kinuha ang kanyang mga numero. Sa kanyang talumpati sa Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) na ginanap sa Rizal Hall sa Malacañan noong Miyerkules, Disyembre 5, 2018, sinabi niya na 90% ng mga pari sa Pilipinas ay bakla.

Pustahan tayo, ikaw na nagbabasa ng ng sulating ito ngayon ay may kilalang baklang pari, ‘di ba? Ilan sila, dalawa, tatlo, sampu o higit pa? Hayag man o hindi sila ay mga gay o homosexual.

Totoo na sinabi ni Pope Francis na, “Ang mga baklang pari ay dapat maging celibate at kung hindi ay umalis na sila sa pagka-pari”. Ang marami ay ipinapalagay itong pagsasabi ng, “Kung bakla ka huwag kang mag-pari o hindi ka dapat na pari.”  Sa ganitong konteksto at sa nagdudumilat na katotohanan na marami talagang baklang pari sa Pilipinas (o sa buong mundo), madaling pagbintangan na ipokrito nga ang Simbahang Katolika. Ngunit kung ganito ang interpretasyon natin sa sinabi ni Pope Francis, mag-iiba na ang ating paninigin dito: “Ang mga baklang pari na hindi kayang mabuhay sa  celibate life ay hindi maaring mag-pari.”  Malinaw na ang diin ni Pope Francis ay sa celibacy at hindi sa sexual orientation ng isang pari o ng kandidato sa pagiging pari.

Bakla ka man o hindi, maliwanag lang na sa panahong ito ngayon, kung talagang gusto mong maging pari at magpatuloy sa pagiging pari ay dapat na namumuhay ka bilang isang celibate. Walang ka-kulakadidang at hindi nangha-hada ng sakristan. At siyempre pa, kung beki ka man, hindi ka dapat naka-lipstick, o naka-stiletto at naka make-up habang ginagampanan mo ang iyong administrative, pastoral at ministerial duties. Lalong hindi papayagan ng Simbahan na ang mga pari imbes na mag-suot ng sutana ay magsuot ng abito kagaya ng sa mga madre. Hindi pa pwede ang cross-dressing (no pun intended) na ganito. Hindi pa ito tanggap ng Simbahan. Hindi pa ngayon. Kaya meanwhile, habang habang hindi pa tegi ang mga matatanda at konserbatibong kardinal sa Roma and elsewhere, closet queen muna ang mga paring may “pinakatatagong lihim” (parang CST lang ang peg 'no?).

Mabagal nga lang kumilos ang Simbahan sa pagbabago ng kanyang mga doktrina pero malamang na may ginagawa na ito para dito. Super bagal nga lang kaya naman imbyerna ang mga kritiko nito lalo na sa usapin ng pagbibigay ng hustisya at pagpaparusa sa mga paring sangkot sa sex scandal ng mga kleriko. Kabilang ang pag-o-ordena ng mga kababaihan.  

Samakatuwid, hinahamon lamang ni Pope Francis ang pari and other consecrated people na tupdin ang kanilang vows of celibacy. Hindi sila pwedeng mabuhay sa double life, wika nga. Hindi komo bakla sila ay pinalalayas na at inaalisan na sila ng pagka-pari o hindi na sila agad pahihintulutang pumasok sa seminaryo. Hindi po ganoon. Dadaan sila sa mga psychological tests upang matiyak na kaya nilang pumasok sa celibate life at sumunod sa mga patakaran ng seminaryo.

Maganda rin at gumawa ng gawa-gawang datos ang pangulo at nawa ay magising din ang Simbahan upang suriin ang kanyang sarili. Hamon ito upang magnilay ang mga Obispo at mga namumuno sa Simbahan. Panahon na para sa CBCP na magpagawa ng isang impartial survey o study to determine what percent of our bishops and priests ang mga beki. Gayundin ang kaparehong survey o pag-aaral na nagmag-de-determine sa reaksyon ng mga mananampalataya hinggil sa pagkakaroon nila ng mga baklang pari o obispo. Gagawa ng mga paraan para sa obhetibong resulta nito na hindi naman ilalagay sa alanganin ang pagkatao at dignidad ng mga kakapanayamin. Isama rin ang mga Pamayanang Kristiyano at mga religious organizations para kunan ng mga datos.

Hindi pa katanggap-tanggap sa panahon ngayon na ang mga pari, matapos halimbawa ang isang concelebrated mass ay sabay-sabay na mag-iiritan at magde-deklara na, “Mga kafatid, kami po ay mga vaklush!”  Hindi pa handa ang Simbahan sa mga paglaladlad na ganito. Nasa larvae stage pa lang yata ang paru-parong mula sa langit para sa mga beking pari. Hindi kagaya nung paru-paro ni Rustom Padilla na nagpakita bago ibunyag niya  noon sa PBB house na siya nga ay beki. Hindi dapat na talikuran ng Simbahan ang katotohanang ito at dapat kaagad na gumawa ng konkretong hakbang ukol dito. Dapat itong masusing pagnilayan, pagpasyahan at isakatuparan ng Inang Simbahan.

Ang baklang pari ba ay hindi na magiging tapat na lingkod ng Diyos? Masasama ba ang mga baklang pari? Dito pumapasok ang “Who am I to judge” ni Pope Francis. Sino tayo na para lamang alipustahin ang isang institusyon ay hinuhusgahan natin ang mga taong naka-paloob dito na ang batayan lamang ay ang kanyang gender at hindi ang kanyang pananampalataya, gawi, salita, prinsipyo at buong pagkatao?

Tungkulin din nga lahat ng pari, kabilang ang beking pari, ang tumulong sa kaligtasan ng ating kaluluwa ngunit ang kaluluwa ng tao ay palaging kaisa ng kaniyang katawan sa buhay na ito. Ang kaligtasan ng kaluluwa ay palaging konektado sa kaligtasan at kaginhawaan ng katawan. Upang mangyari ang kaligtasang pangkaluluwa, kailangan tumulong at magsalita ang mga pari, kasama na rito ang mga baklang pari, tungkol sa kaligtasang pangkatawan. Nagtatanggol siya at nagtataguyod dapat ng karapatang pantao at lumalaban sa mga lumalabag dito. At saan mabisang itataguyod ang kaligtasang pang-katawan maliban sa larangan ng buhay-lipunan? Sa gawaing ito, ang pakikisangkot sa mga isyung panlipunan, kagaya ng federalismo o war on drugs, na may direktang epekto sa buhay at katawan ng tao ay isang pagpili na hindi maaaring kalimutan o talikdan ng mga naniniwala kay, at tagasunod ni Kristo. Pari man siya o hindi, gay ka man o heterosexual. Magiging ligaw na kawan tayo kung wala sila. At mukhang ito ang gustong mangyari ng tao sa Malakanyang at ng 16 million.

Mr. President, lampake ako kahit na lahat ng pari ay bakla!

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(Photo: Wikimedia Commons, iStock/Composite: America)

Tumatagos sa Lahat ang Karapatang Pantao

Masaya po ako dahil kahit pala ang isang parokyal na blogger katulad ko ay maitatampok din sa isang unibersal na tema ng human rights o karapatang pantao. Masaya dahil kahit na ang karamihan sa aking paksang tinatalakay ay naka-sentro sa Mindoro at Kanlurang Mindoro, ang isla at lalawigang aking pinang-galingan, sa loob ng lampas isang dekada kong pag-ba-blog, ang unang kumilala sa aking mga sulatin ay ang isang grupong “from beyond” Mindoro pa, ang HR ONLINE PH at hindi ang mga institusyon sa aking lalawigan.

Maraming-maraming salamat po sa tumulong sa okasyong ito ng 8th Human Rights Pinduteros Award at sa mga online voters na tumuguyod sa aking nominasyon bilang best Human Rights Blogsite.

Pero kung tutuusin, ang usapin ng karapatang pantao ay hindi natin maaaring ikahon sa isang dimensyon lamang ng buhay lipunan o sa isang gawain lamang tulad ng pagba-blog. Ito ay dapat tumagos sa pagsasakatuparan ng ating piniling propesyon at sa ating everyday life, so to speak.

Ang pagtataguyod, pagtatanggol at pagsasabuhay ng karapatang pantao ay ang palagian nating mithiin bilang guro (kagaya ng aking may-bahay na naririto ngayon kasama ko), duktor, manunulat, brodkaster, abogado, negosyante, pulitiko, magsasaka, mangingisda o sa anumang larangan ng buhay tayo nabibilang. Katulad ng ating pananampalataya, ito ay gabay natin sa ating bawat gawain sa opisina, sa kalsada, sa pagawaan, sa laot at maging sa bukid. 

Sapagkat ang karapatang pantao ay tumatagos sa lahat ng larangan ng buhay.

Kaya lahat ng Pilipino na wala dito ngayon, o yaong mga hindi pa isinisilang, o yung mga bumoto sa akin online ay pawang mga potential human rights advocate.

Inaasahan tayong magtataguyod sa dangal ng tao at maging responsible sa ating kapwa sa lahat ng oras. Sa anumang uri ng lupa tayo tumubo, lumago at namunga,- sa Mindoro man, or beyond.

Salamat sa lahat ng mga pinagpipitagang tagapag-taguyod, taga-pagtanggol at tagapag-patupad ng karapatang pantao sa bansa na naririto ngayon lalo na sa mga kapwa ko nominee.

Hayan sila ….

Batiin natin sila ….

Palakpakan natin ang isa’t-isa…

Nais kong espesyal na pasalamatan ang isa sa aking naging inspirasyon sa gawaing pang-karapatang pantao at malaki ang naging ambag sa paghubog ng aking pananaw hinggil dito. Kagaya ng mga propeta noon, hindi rin lubos na kinilala sa kanyang sariling lugar. Isang magiting na alagad ng Diyos at tanod-karapatan na kahit hindi ko pisikal na nakasama at hindi rin niya ako personal na kilala, ngunit ang mga kaisipan ay malalim na tumimo at humubog sa akin, kabilang ang iba pang human rights pioneers ng bansa na hindi na natin pisikal na kapiling ngayon.

Ang aking tinutukoy ay si Sr. Mariani Dimaranan na tulad ko na ipinanganak din sa Occidental Mindoro, sa Isla ng Lubang, madre na unang namuno Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), institusyon na aking kinapalooban din noon. Si Sr. Mariani na nagpamalay sa atin na may dangal ng tao sa bokasyon. Nagturo sa atin na kaya may karapatang pantao ay dahil tayo ay nilikhang kawagis ng Diyos. 

Saglit po nating gunitain ang kanyang mga ambag at ala-ala.

(Pause for a while)

Human Rights Education Program o HREP regional coordinator ako noon ng TFDP-Southern Tagalog. That was 1990 at si Sr. Cres Lucero ang chairperson noon ng TFD. Lumubog ako sa gawain sa mahabang panahon while Sr. Cres led the institution in conducting massive human rights and peace education and training in a rights-centered approach and capacitate the paralegals with documentation and monitoring skills. Wala yata si Sr. Cres dito, pero sana pahabain pa niya ang kanyang buhay dahil marami pa siyang itatamang historical inconsistencies ni Juan Ponce-Enrile. Biro lang po.

This award is also dedicated to her and the present men and women from TFDP, notably my longtime comrades Brenda Reyes and Jerbert Briola, the project coordinator of this event. Further, since I am now a government employee, I also share this award to a fellow former TFDP worker na ipinagpapatuloy itagos ang karapatang pantao sa serbisyo publiko bilang mga lingkod bayan. Si SB Walter “Bong” Marquez ng Bayan ng Sablayan sa Occidental Mindoro na nagpatunay na kahit na ang taong-gobyerno ay pwede at dapat maging tagapagtaguyod ng karapatang pantao. 

Gayundin sa taong unang humimok sa akin noong 2008 na ituloy ko lang ang pagba-blog na kahit ang mga bloggers ay walang editors at proofreaders ay may automatic grammar corrector naman daw ang computer, si Joma Cordova.

Sabi ko kanina, tayong lahat ay potensyal na human rights advocate. Halimbawa, mula sa presidente hanggang sa mga guro, hanggang sa guwardiya, hanggang sa janitor ng isang tanggapan, lahat tayo ay marapat na nagtataguyod, nagtatanggol at nagsasabuhay ng karapatang pantao ng ating kapwa.

Ang masaklap, kung lahat tao maging yaong mga hindi pa isinisilang ay potensyal na human rights advocate, lahat ay potensyal ding human rights violator. (Isama na natin yung mga bomoto sa akin online!) Maaaring hindi natin namamalayan na tayo ay lumalabag na, sumasagka at walang pakialam sa dangal at karapatan ng iba: ka-trabaho, ka-pamilya at kababayan o maging sa mga social media friends natin na i-unfriend na natin at in-unfollow!

Probinsiyano po ako kaya hindi ko ganap na gagap at dama ang buong kaganapan sa bansa (NatSit) ngayon pero hayaan po ninyong bigkasin ko ang isang tula sa aking blog entry noong ika-26 ng Hulyo, 2016 na pinamagatan kong “Alisin Mo Ang Lahat” sa kalagitnaan noon ng EJKs para lagumin ang mga kaganapan ngayon:

Alisin mo ang karapatang mabuhay

Lahat ng karapatang pantao’y wala nang saysay;

Alisin mo ang karapatang dinggin sa husgado

Sa lahat ng batas ay wala nang sisino;

Alisin mo ang pangamba sa patayang ito

Lahat ng patayan sa iyo na’y panuto;

Isa pa, when human right is retailed, na mukhang ito ang ipinamamayaning kaisipan ng gobyerno ngayon, the essence of human being is degraded wholesale.

Sa panahong ito na ang aksyon tungo sa pagtatanggol ng karapatang pantao ay itinuturing na karima-rimarim, habang ang paglabag dito ay ipinapalagay na kapunya-punyagi, marapat lamang na paigtingin natin ang ating hanay, patagusin lalo natin ang karapatang pantao sa lahat ng larangan. Tayo’y maging pinduteros para dito sa maraming paraan pero humuhugot sa iisang dahilan: ang itaguyod ang dangal ng tao.

Muli, maraming salamat at magandang gabi at mabuhay ang mga tagapag-tanggol ng karapatang pantao!

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(Talumpati ng Pagtanggap sana sa 8th Human Rights Pinduteros Awards Night noong ika-27 ng Nobyembre, 2018 sa Prime Hotel sa Lunsod Quezon.)

A Power Story

I am telling this story anchored on an aphorism I posted in my Facebook Page today: “Power has its own story to tell and every story has its own power when told.” But this is not just my reaction to our present predicament of power shortage, this is also a product of my personal reflection on being a writer and, you've guessed it right, a story-teller. Aphorism oftentimes consist a metaphor, remember?

This coming December 3, 2018, the power company called Energy World will be finally launching their bid for the CSP to be presented to OMECO. This power company is just one of the many prospective new players in the horizon. It looks forward for the finalization of the Off-Take Agreement that would hopefully pave the way for the building of a plant somewhere in Sablayan if no trouble (of whatever nature) would exist in the process. Sablayan LGU had already signed a MOU with Energy World regarding the construction of the plant within the jurisdiction. According to people from Energy World, due to its geographical location, the municipality is ideal in supplying power in the whole of Occidental Mindoro. The company is using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in their operation as fuel. They have plants in Australia and Indonesia and here in the Philippines, they have a service utility in Pagbilao, Quezon. Be reminded that I am in no way endorsing said company and this is a statement of fact.

Led by Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano, concerned heads of the legislative and executive branches of the Municipal LGU visited the plant, and for their part, Energy World already started to conduct prospecting for the plant site since the informal partnership was last year. While the Energy World renewed commitment for its realization, the town’s local chief executive made the same commitment whoever would provide sustained, affordable and reliable energy for the province. We hope that in due time, many players will ultimately be considered to provide power and energy in this doomed part of the planet, power supply-wise.

Electricity is life. Without access to reliable power, our lives would be much more like being sent back to the Stone Age, as one Facebook user used to post it. Needless to say, it is so crucial to modern life, in fact, the history of electricity is really the history of the modern world.

This writer is not pinning all out hope on the realization of the proposed project of Energy World because as we all know, there are still a lot of legal and technical processes to hurdle before this could come to fruition. Nothing in the industry works like magic. Also, it is expected that a lot of peripheral things will come along the way like partisan politics, vested interests of the local elites, to name just two.  

I am relating this not to fully expect its realization for it may bring us false hope. It is still a long, long way but what I am just trying to emphasize is there is an on-going progression with regards to the application of possible power (preferably “clean” energy) providers in the future for our province and this one, too, has a chance to remedy the decades-long power supply problem in our locality. Moreover, it is necessary for every concerned citizen and OMECO member-consumers to be aware of every bidding process which unfolds every now and then. The electric cooperative likewise needs to be very transparent on everything under the bulb, so to speak. The bidders should also be scrutinized and skinned like a jack fruit by the member-consumers in general. The local politicians should be aware of the limits of their authority and power with regards to intervening in the problem specifically in the operations of the electric cooperative.

I am not zeroing-in on Energy World alone or any in existing or other forthcoming specific power providers for that matter. That wouldn’t be my story line ever. I am out of the loop in legal and technical aspects of this situation. My story is all I can offer.  

The issue of problem of power and energy has certain implication to one’s candidacy for sure to those who are occupying or struggling to get a political position especially the provincial slots. It is clear that this issue could again make or unmake political careers. With high expectation, this issue is domineering to be in the front lines in every miting de avance in due time.

Since the time of Thomas Edison, the electricity industry is already politicized. Before Pearl Street (his pioneering streetlight project) ever opened, Edison had to bribe New York politicians just to begin laying the foundations of his work. As Time magazine recounts, Edison “obtained with great difficulty the consent of New York’s famously corrupt city government to build his proposed network on the southern tip of Manhattan.” As the early electricity industry grew, it became more involved with city politics over lighting contracts. Electricity providers had to receive franchise rights from city officials in order to serve local areas, opening the door for those officials to extort power companies for campaign contributions or personal bribes. Who says it’s a different story now? I am mentioning this with the national situation in mind.

In going back, some may say that this and all the proposals are just “drawings”, far-fetched. Well, even drawings, and not only stories, have power. If one is not moved by the power of stories and images, one could not be a story-teller (or a witness) of his time, therefore, he cannot transcend from darkness to light….

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Photo: Concept News Central

References:

https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/history-electricity/

http://www.energyworldcorp.com/

Musmos pang maituturing ang Kanlurang Mindoro

Anaki’y sanggol pa lang tayong kilik-kilik ni Inang Bayan. Musmos pa ang Occidental Mindoro kung ihahambing sa ibang munisipalidad sa bansa na naitatag noong panahon pa ng Kastila at libong taon na mula nang opisyal na kilalanin. Sanggol pa lang tayo sa aspetong ito.

Noong magsimula hanggang matapos ang Ikalawaang Digmaang Pandaigdig, hindi pa tayo ganap na lalawigan. Sa taong ito, 68 anyos pa lang tayo at wala pa sa century mark, ‘ika nga. Ang taunang pagdiriwang upang gunitain ang ating pagkaka-tatag ay tinatawag na Arawatan Festival. Walo pa lang ang bayan noon sa lalawigan nang ito ay likhain sa pamamagitan ng R.A. No. 505 na isinulong ni Congressman Raul Leuterio noong 1950. Isandaan at apatnapu’t siyam na barangay na ang bumubuo dito sa kasalukuyan.

Wala pa noong Magsaysay, Rizal at Calintaan. Ang mga bayan pa lang noon ay Abra de Ilog, Looc, Lubang, Sta. Cruz, Mamburao, Paluan, San Jose at Sablayan. Batay ang nasabing Batas Republika sa Panukalang Batas Blg. 640 ni Congressman Raul Leuterio.

Bago ito, sa bisa ng Act No.  2964 noong Pebrero 20, 1921, itinalagang isang probinsya ang buong isla ng Mindoro kasama ang Lubang hiwalay sa lalawigan ng Balayan (Borbon) na pinagtibay ng Pamahalaang Espanya noong 1581, hanggang sa opisyal na inihiwalay ito sa dalawang lalawigan noon ngang Hunyo 13, 1950 at dito isinilang ang probinsiya ng Occidental at Oriental Mindoro. Nagkabisa ito noong Nobyembre 15 ng taon ding iyon.

Sampung araw na selebrasyon para sa paggunita ang magaganap ngayong taon. Simula Nobyembre 8 hanggang 18, 2018, hitik sa kabiserang bayan ang mga aktibidad dahil maliban sa ika-68 na taon nga ito ng pagkakatatag ng ating lalawigan, sa Mamburao din gaganapin ang 4^th MIMAROPA Festival na kakatampukan ng search para sa Ginoo at Binibining MIMAROPA 2018, MIMAROPA Tourism Unity Night, MIMAROPA Grand Street Dance, at kung anu-ano pa. Pinagsama, sa madaling sabi, ang Arawatan Festival at MIMAROPA Festival na magtatampok sa kultura, sining at kalakal ng iba pang mga lalawigan sa rehiyon. Magkasunod na masasaksihan ang dalawang higanteng okasyon.

Matapos opisyal na malikha na isang bagong lalawigan, itinalaga bilang una nitong gobernador si Damaso Abeleda ng Paluan noong 1950 at noong 1952 naman ay nahalal bilang kauna-unahang kongresista ng lalawigan si Jesus Abeleda.

Noong Marso 10, 1952, sa makasaysayang unang talumpati ni Congressman Jesus Abeleda, sinabi niya, “… (The) people (of Occidental Mindoro are only) 70,000 few, but determined band of pioneering, hardy and industrious men and women. They are carving homes… in the last frontiers of civilization… they are there to stay, including by degree their foothold upon a territory which is a wilderness today but will be towns and cities of tomorrow.” Ganyan ka-optimistiko ang ating mga naunang lider sa punto de vista ng progreso. Pero sa aspeto ng kamulatan bilang mga mamamayan, pasulong ba tayo o paurong? Na-differentiate na ba natin ang Politics of Patronage sa Politics of Service o hindi pa? Ang Politics of Vision sa Politics of Ambition?

Kung noon ay 70,000 pa lang ang bilang ng mga mamamayan natin, ngayon, ayon sa 2015 census, matapos ang lampas anim na dekada ay umaabot na tayo sa 487,414 katao na may density na 83 inhabitants per square kilometer or 210 inhabitants per square mile. Sa pinaka-bagong datos, ang ating lalawigan ay ang may highest magnitude of poor population sa buong MIMAROPA na may 208,435 katao. Sa buong MIMAROPA, ang Occidental Mindoro ay ang may pinaka-mataas na poverty incidence sa bilang sa 41.2%, kasunod ng Romblon na may 36.6%

Magkagayunman, malayo-layo na rin ang naabot ng lalawigan at hindi natin maipaparangal ang kasalukuyang pagbabago at progreso sa iba’t-ibang larangan (gaano man kabilis o ka-kupad ang mga ito) sa iisang pangkat lamang ng mga lokal na pulitiko. Sa mga pagbabagong ating natatamasa ngayon, mas higit ang papel ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan at pribadong sektor, kaysa sa mga halal na lider. Humantong tayo ngayon sa magpi-pitong dekada ng pag-iral at maliban sa mga panandaliang kasiyahan at palabas, sana ay maalala nating kilalanin ang mga tao na nagsumikap upang marating natin ang kinalalagyan natin ngayon, hindi lamang yaong mga kasalukuyang naka-upo sa pampulitikang poder.

Ang susunod na taon ay taon ng halalan, muli ay lilikha na naman tayo ng kasaysayan, maghahalal ng bagong tao at magbibigay ng bagong mandato sa mga nais umulit (o ng paulit-ulit!). Isang pagkakataong muli ito ng pinaka-marubdob na pagkilos para sa ating paghayon sa kasaysayan tungo sa isang maunlad na dako pa roon. Nagkakaiba-iba man tayo sa maraming importanteng bagay ay alalahanin natin na nagsasalo tayo sa iisang lalawigan, sa iisang pamayanan. Sama-sama nating sinisimsim ang mga biyayang mula sa kanyang kanlungan, hininga at sinapupunan na parang mga sanggol.

Sa diwa ng pagkaka-tatag ng lalawigan, sana ay maunawaan natin na ang serbisyo-publiko kagaya ng pulitika ay entablado ng paglilingkod kaya sa ibabaw ng entabladong ito, matatag tayong manindigan upang hindi tayo mahulog….

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Larawan kuha ni Arlo Macaraeg (+)

Mga Reperensya:

http://pcij.org/stories/stats-on-the-state-of-the-regions-hubs-of-wealth-ponds-of-poverty/

Source: House of Representatives, Congress of the Philippines, Congressional Record, 2nd Congress, 3rd Session (march 10, 1952), pp. 696-698.)

A Need for a Political Research about Occidental Mindoro

Marty Rubin, one of my favorite modern-day aphorists, penned this one-liner: “An echo has no voice of its own.” To put it in the positive light, I think an echo can be likened to a research work that only resonates the voices of the respondents.

When I was still at the Social Action Center (SAC) of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose, I dreamed of reading a sort of a political research work aimed at describing and analyzing the structure and the dynamics of the present-day Occidental Mindoro, say from 1970s to date, which is anchored on the province’s politics of public administration. My search was futile. The people in the academic field are apparently more interested in some other scholastic endeavors than this particular kind of investigation or study.

Talking of researches and echoes, in 1962, there was a student paper published by the University of the Philippine’s (UP) students from Mindoro called “The Mindoro Echoes” where some of its staff members are tasked to conduct researches financed by the university’s Institute of Public Administration. Its editor that time is a student named Edgar Tarriela. The Up research team was led by Dr. Remigio E. Agpalo and started 15^th of April that year. Aside from Tarriela part of the team are Juan Tapales and Artemio Arellano. They, at that time, are all graduates of UP with AB Political Science degrees. Tapales and Arellano then are both working for their master’s degree while Tarriela is pursuing his course in law.

The research mostly consists of field interviews and ocular observations and their interviewees were local elected officials in select towns of Occidental Mindoro.  The tedious tasks made by the OCM-born students paved the way for the publication of Agpalo’s book, which was published a decade later (1972), titled “The Political Elite and the People: A Study of Politics in Occidental Mindoro”. This is the only documented and published research on the subject matter as far as I know. I just do know why.

As far as I know, there are colleges in San Jose which are offering graduate studies in Public Administration. I do not know what prevents the students in researching such a badly needed academic output. I have my own speculations that I do not want to share here.

Why such a research is important? First and foremost, the citizens can be provided with information on our political mindsets as a people living in one community that could very well guide us to our main quest of participatory citizenship, civic duty and public functions.

On the part of the local government officials, it will provide data that could help evaluate and assess the needs and aspirations of their constituents or the people. And, from Agpalo’s own words, “Thus, public officials will be able to formulate and adopt enlightened policies based on adequate and objective information to cope with the province’s problems.” I just do not if these are important to them other than winning each electoral race.

Allow me to reiterate the need for such a research and call on the attention of the competent and independent men and women in the academic field to please initiate it for you are the most qualified, credible and capable to handle such a noble work than this biased, lowly blogger and story-teller.

Or I just sound like an echo talking only to myself…

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(Photo: researchguides.library.wisc.edu)

Source: Remigio E. Agpalo;“The Political Elite and the People: A Study of Politics in Occidental Mindoro”; 1972; p. 390-390; University of The Philippines’ College, College of Public Administration, Manila.

Sablayan is Hosting a Provincial Chess Festival

The most popular board game in the world that made many Filipinos famous has never been fully developed in Occidental Mindoro. While Oriental Mindoro is taking pride in the 12-time national champion Grandmaster (GM) Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. of Calapan, Occidental Mindoro is still on its way to discover such a GM-potential among our youth. By the way, GM Antonio a proud native of the other half of Tamarawlandia, is the second ranked player in the Philippines and number 391 in the world. We have so many young talents in the sports but never been fully developed, a determined chess program must be immediately put into flesh.

Responding to such challenge, the newly-formed Occidental Mindoro Chess Academy (OMCA) led by Mr. Renator G. Gatuz and Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano are holding a Provincial Chess Festival scheduled on October 27, 2018, Saturday, at Sablayan Astrodome in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. Along with GM Gatuz, OMCC’s other “pieces of rank” as I have told before are Frederick D. Isip, Branch Head of Social Security System (SSS) in San Jose, GM Renato G. Gatuz of San Jose Water District and Mr. Emmanuel “Noel” Asi, manager of United Coconut Planters Bank or UCPB also of San Jose.

The 7 rounds Swiss System Chess Tournament will be employed in an outing dubbed as First Mayor Eduardo B. Gadiano Chess Festival. In a Swiss-system tournament, players are never eliminated. Instead, players are paired in every round. The number of rounds is predetermined, and the winner is the player who earns the most points by the end of the tournament. Players typically earn a single point for a win and a half-point for a draw, though other scoring systems are possible. In every round, each player is paired against an opponent who has the same or a similar number of points in the tournament. 

There will be a Php 100.00 membership fee per participant to cover expenses such as the rental of clocks, tables and chairs, among others. The remaining amount will be utilized to purchase other training materials for the academy.

With regards to the rating of the participants, the OMCA issued this advisory: “This tournament shall be rated. The OMCA has its own rating system which will be used to measure player’s tournament performance and future progress. A provisional rating of 15000 shall be assigned to unrated players in Kiddies Division, while provisional rating of 1700 shall be assigned to unrated players in Open Division.”  They in the OMCA will also explain to the children participants, if need arises, how to use the chess clock.

For additional information, you may visit and join the Facebook Group of Occidental Mindoro Chess Academy or contact Mr. Elmer Dimafilis at CP No. 09075531545 for further details.

This chess festival falls part in Mayor Gadiano’s program for sports development for the youth in the widest possible reach. Since he considers Occidental Mindoro Chess Academy as a scholastic local chess club, they would provide a challenge for young participants while helping build confidence and self-esteem.

The chess festival in Sablayan offers a combination of educational and social activity so every enthusiast, young and old from all over Occidental Mindoro, are invited to join…

References:

http://nanovio.blogspot.com/2018/07/on-chess-remembrance-and-revival.html

https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/30/10/antonio-seeks-guinness-record-facing-600-opponents

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/the-swiss-system-611537

Wikang Filipino sa Saliksik at Beauty Pageants

Kaalinsabay ng pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa sa bawat paaralan sa bansa ay pumipili din ng Lakan at Lakambini ng Wika. Ang puntong layon sana ng buong buwan na pagdiriwang taun-taon ay upang mapaigting pa ang paggamit ng wikang Filipino para lubos na maipaunawa sa nakararami na wala nang mas hihigit pa sa sariling wika kung ito ay gagamitin sa matuwid at mabisang pagpapahayag o komunikasyon, lalo na sa saliksik, na siyang pokus ng tema ngayong 2018.

Subalit sa labis na pagka-humaling ng mga Pinoy sa mga patimpalak-pagandahan, sa pa-bonggahan ng mga kasuotan ng mga kalahok dahil sa magneto ng masmidya, lumalabnaw ang marka nito sa layon ng pagdiriwang na dapat ay hulmado sa ating kultura at wika. Sa palagay ko, mas marami pang adik sa beauty contest na mga kabataan kaysa sa droga. Bakit nga ba hindi, kahit sa observance ng Science Fair, Valentine’s Day, Nutrition Month ay may beauty pageant at kung saan-saan pa, simula Day Care hanggang sa kolehiyo.

Palibhasa nga parang naka-pagkit na sa kalendaryo ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon (DepEd) ang mga patimpalak paggandahan (o pa-pogian), hindi gaanong nabibigyan ng timbang at wala ang interes ng maraming mag-aaral sa iba pang larangan o aktibidad pang-akademiko tulad ng Pagkukwento ng Likhang Pabula, Pagtatalumpati, Pagsasabuhay ng mga Karakter sa Maikling Kwento at Pagbuo ng Awit, at iba pa.

Sa kanilang Kapasyahan Blg. 18-24, pinagtibay ng Kalupunan ng mga Komisyoner ng KWF na ang tema ng Buwan ng Wika para sa ngayong  2018 ay "Filipino: Wika ng Saliksik." Sa pagitan ng beauty contest at research, walang dudang mas intresado ang maraming estudyante (at ilang guro) sa una kaysa sa huli. Kahit sabihin pa na sa pagpili ng Lakan at Binibini ng Wika ay sinasala sa mga pamatayang ganito: Pilipinong Anyo, Kaakmaan ng Kilos at Gawi, Tindig at Tikas, Pagdadala ng Kasuotan at Pagdadala ng Sarili.

Laksang mga batang babae (at may mga “pusong babae”) ang ginaganyak ng kanilang mga magulang na sumali sa mga patimpalak-pagandahan kaysa sa magsulat, manaliksik, sabihin na natin halimbawa, ng mga kuntil-butil ng kasaysayan ng kanyang pamayanan. Siyanga pala, kapuri-puri ang isinasagawang hakbangin na pinangungunahan ng lokal na historyador na si G. Rudy A. Candelario na muling bisitahin, rebisahin at isulat ang may 20 taon na niyang naipalimbag na Kasaysayan ng Kanlurang Mindoro at mga Bayan.

Sa palagay ko nga, darating ang panahon na wala nang mananaliksik na kabataan at mas kukupas pa ang mga letra sa pahina ng libro kaysa sa kolorete sa mukha ng lipunan. Sa lipunang ito na mas pinahahalagahan ang pagpapaganda kaysa sa pagbabasa (mas mabili ngayon ang mga beauty products kaysa mga aklat).   

Pansinin natin na ang patimpalak-pagandahan sa bansa ay tagos-tagusan sa lipunan. Wala itong kinikilalang uri. Kasama ang LGBTcommunities, mga senior citizen, mga estudyante mula Day Care hanggang Grade 12, at iba pa. Kahit ang mga OFW ay nagsasagawa ng kani-kanilang mga sariling patimpalak sa ibayong dagat. May mga buting layon din marahil ang pagsali sa mga beauty contest, dahil kung wala, hindi bababad ang kamalayang Pinoy larangang ito. May mga magandang bunga na walang duda ang mga komersiyalisadong beauty contests sa portamoneda ng masa pero lalo na sa kaha-de-yero ng kapitalista. Pero ang punto ko lang, sa layong diwa ng Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa, lalo na sa tema ngayong taon, mas dapat na higit nating palawakin ang ating pag-iisip at pagsusuri at paglapat ng interpretasyon sa mga kaisipan sa paggamit ng wika sa pagpapayaman ng kaisipan tungo sa pangkalahatang layon ng bawat saliksik.

Marapat na gawing salalayan ang wika sa pagpapalawak ng karanasan, pagkalap ng mahahalagang datos, pagbabasa, pag-galugad sa mga kaugnay na literatura. Kung ang saliksik ay naglilinang ng tiwala sa sarili ng mananaliksik, may mas katiwa-tiwala pa ba sa kanya at sa kanyang kinakapanayam kaysa sa kanilang sariling wika?

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(Photo: KWF)

Occidental Mindoro: Water World, Almost

Due to recent incessant rain which results to flooding in various municipalities of Occidental Mindoro, the necessity of addressing the problem in a long-term basis is very much needed. Interventions regarding environmental and water resources engineering can also be employed.

On its 94^th Regular Session, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan evaluated the damage to properties and agriculture brought about by these flooding. The Provincial Engineering Office pegged the total damages on provincial road and bridges in the amount of P42,240,000.00. In that particular outing, agricultural damages is estimated at P398,364,963 Million broken down as follows: Rice P223,000.744.00, Corn P18,044,200.00, High Value Crops P17,275,819.00, Fisheries P122,000,000.00. The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist issued a report that the most damaged towns are Sablayan, Magsaysay, Sta. Cruz, Rizal, San Jose and Abra de Ilog.

Overall, the country’s total forest cover went down by 4.59% from 2003 to 2010. MIMAROPA had the biggest drop among all regions. And in the region, the whole Mindoro Island has the highest decrease in forest cover. Oriental Mindoro has 61.03% decreases and in Occidental Mindoro, the number is 53.62%. Aside from logging, both legal and illegal, according to authorities the problem is also attributable to charcoal-making and kaingin (swidden farming). The Mangyans are truly engaged in such an economic activity but not all kaingin are destructive, as far as I know. The problem is that majority of our indigenous peoples espoused the practice of the low-landers throwing the ethnic or cultural ways of doing it. Kaingin farming, also known as shifting cultivation or rotational farming, is a type of accepted sustainable agroforestry system. It is a customary livelihood common across indigenous communities in Asia. In fact, the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) explained that shifting cultivation among ethnic groups is not a major cause of deforestation in countries across the region.

But also consider this: only in May this year, the Manila Standard reported that the DENR-MIMAROPA has approved the cutting of 10,9045 trees standing inside the gigantic Amnay Watershed listed by the department itself as a “critical watershed area.” As we people of Mindoro know, Amnay River is one of Mindoro’s prime rivers that provides irrigation to Sablayan’s five top rice-producing barangays, namely, Claudio Salgado, Lagnas, Elvita, Pag-asa and Victoria, which are all flood-prone barangays. Said communities are most hit in the recent flooding brought about by TS Josie in said municipality. Six persons died in the incidents of flooding in the province. TS Josie causes us P400M damage in agriculture sector, according to reports.

The provincial government and the rest of the municipal LGUs did all they can in the area of relief by way of responding in rescue and other measures in their respective areas of jurisdiction. They all exerted efforts in helping the evacuees, launching relief and rescue operations and medical missions and distributing goods to evacuees and victims.  They also requested other forms of subsidies and assistance for the farmers and fisherfolk from the DA. But we lack the forward-looking plans on flood mitigation and we focus more on reactionary measures rather than pro-active ones.  

If you are living the urban centers of the province, it is easy to blame our poorly designed, clogged or lack of drainage system. But I think drainage or land cover cannot be blamed alone. Generally, the problem must be traced to geography. We all know that most populated parts of municipalities of Occidental Mindoro are positioned in an area next to a river that is swamped when water rises. A land so fertile and suitable for agriculture but when transformed, converted or re-used to residential or commercial areas, it became prone to floods. In areas situated near creeks and rivers, even the most well-maintained and well-constructed drainage system would be hopeless during heavy rains and high tides when rivers overflow. As of this posting, there are still incidents of flash floods in some downtown of the province.

The LGUs have no other choice but to strictly enforce 10-20 meter easements along rivers and lakes, and 3.5 meter easements along creeks and esteros. Retrofitting government facilities against flood waters must incorporate our short-term goal. Massive reforestation of the catch basins and watersheds must also be started and sustained.

In general, spillways and floodways must be built in flood-prone areas of every target municipality. A certain lake or low-lying area will act as initial floodwater container and another one nearby as secondary container. When major rivers reach critical levels, its excess water is diverted to the designated initial floodwater container to the secondary container to protect the barangays near the rivers.

One may immediately design a construction or master plan project similar to this. Since this is a long-term target, we need not less than 15-25 years to finish or at least gain or see initial outcome of this. I heard that the World Bank, through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery Trust Fund could help us formulate or fund, say, a 25-year Occidental Mindoro Flood Management Master Plan. Malay natin.

I am not an engineer and is in no way an expert in urban and rural planning but these are just product of my little readings on flood control measures by governments here and elsewhere. I believe with sufficient fund and resources from the national government and outside funding with the will and dedication on the part of the implementors, this is very possible.

It is now high time to think beyond the canals, drainages and gabions. As a short-time goal, we need to construct road dikes along our flood-prone rivers and relocate settlers to higher areas if necessary so it is but proper to establish relocation areas if there is a need for relocation. But it’s time to turn to a more lasting solution or mitigation. Along with long-term plans on urban development, it is now time to start (re)thinking of a province-wide flood control mechanisms to effectively contain and channel floodwaters in certain parts of municipalities of the province. The provincial government can now initially conduct a study on such a grand project I am discussing above. We have experts to give flesh and bone on this I am sure.

Visionary leadership, good planning and design and good governance would surely ensure our success against this impending “Water World” situation….

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Photo: news.abs-cbn.com

References:

http://manilastandard.net/lgu/luzon/267194/mangyans-protest-10k-trees-cut-in-watershed.html

https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/105742-mangyan-mindoro-forests

http://opinion.inquirer.net/106142/solve-flooding-problem

On Chess: A Remembrance and Revival

Three top honchos of the newly-organized Occidental Mindoro Chess Academy came to our office a couple of weeks ago and presented initial activities in preparation for the forthcoming provincial chess tournament this October. The tourney’s target host is Sablayan being at the geographical center of the Mindoro West Coast.  The visiting local “three kings of chess” I am referring to are Frederick D. Isip, Branch Head of Social Security System (SSS) in San Jose, GM (short for General Manager, not Grand Master!) Renato G. Gatuz of San Jose Water District and Mr. Emmanuel “Noel” Asi, manager of United Coconut Planters Bank or UCPB also of said municipality.

They informed this lowly blogger and Municipal Councilor Walter B. Marquez that platoons of chess players will be joining the contest. The Occidental Mindoro chess comes to life once more and its every step is sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

In the middle of our conversation, Mr. Asi asked me if I play chess. I said I just read a lot about the game.  Actually, one of my greatest frustrations in life is to be a chess player. I was a wood-pusher (it’s the sports lingo for chess player who is not good at the game and has nothing to do with trading illegally-cut logs) but I am pinning high hopes on the “three kings” that they may be successful in their noble endeavor.

I am about to graduate high school when the World Championship was held in Baguio City from July 18 to October 18, 1978. Incidentally, it is on its 40th anniversary this year. The championships set some sort of record for a series of bizarre stunts and even more wacky reactions from the camps of Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi. The Baguio event been considered as the Most Bizarre and Zany World Championships of all. Nonetheless, Karpov won the trophy and Florencio Campomanes, the Filipino political scientist and a chess player, from then on gained prominence at FIDE or World Chess Federation. He’s an ally of former strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos. I dropped playing chess as a hobby when I graduated in high school and turned to writing when I reached college.

My interest in chess reawakened when Sophia, my youngest child, was selected to represent her school, the Divine Word College of San Jose, in the Private Schools’ Athletic Association (PRISAA) girls’ chess competition. As parents, we are glad when our children achieve things we failed to achieve. I posted over FB a photo of her team jersey and jacket and another photo of her playing with his cousin Patrick asking my friends to send me chess book for my dear Sophia. A cyber-friend by the name of Art Catapang who resides in the US, with all his old but generous heart, sent her four books: Tim Harding’s “Better Chess for Average Players”, the US Chess Federation’s “Official Rules of Chess”, James Eade’s “The Chess Player’s Bible”, and, Fred Reinfeld’s “The Complete Chess Player”.  Her “Lolo Art” sent her the books as a Valentine’s Day gift.  He even advised her to, “stay the course and have fun.” I have no illusions of seeing my girl to be a chess master in the future or be the next Judit or Susan Polgár. Sophia didn’t get the most-coveted chess medal in Bongabon’s PRISAA for she only won 1 out of 4 games.

Nonetheless, the tournament made her experience many things and gain friends from different provinces. Chess made her a growing person, I suppose. Chess made my little girl how to be patient, how to bide her time, how to analyze other people’s point of view, how to read the mind of her opponent, how to handle discouraging situations and most especially, how to learn from her disappointments or frustrations, just like her father.

In the Introduction of Reinfeld’s book it says, “Having a feeling of assurance about your game will make it possible for you to extract to the full all the pleasure that chess can give.” (Underscoring, mine) Change the underlined words with the word “life” and that’s it.

My child now understands that in real life, even the backward pawn, if properly fixed, can be promoted to queen when it reaches its 8^th rank…

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(Photo: Wikipedia)

Duterte and Pacquiao in Mahathir’s Malaysia

President Rodrigo R. Duterte is expected to be at ringside as Senator Manny Pacquiao slugs it out against the Argentine WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia on Sunday, July 15, 2018. As far as I could remember, this will be the first time a sitting Philippine president will sit among the crowd and see his fellow Filipino fight in a foreign land.

The SenaPac (pretty odd but this is what I call Pacman since he became senator) is aiming for his 9^th title in this bout dubbed “Fight of Champions”. As of press time, both Pacquiao and Mathysse already arrived in the land of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Though President Duterte’s presence in KL is a “private” visit, there is a scheduled meeting between Duterte and Mahathir after the boxing match if we are going to believe Harry Roque, the president’s main mouthpiece.

Pacquiao as a boxer should learn a lesson or two from Mahathir in some ways and Duterte from the fall of the former Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Who are Mahathir Mohamad and Najib Razak, by the way? Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister for 22 years, who defected to the opposition to take on former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s party, again voted to power a couple of months ago. Mahathir’s political alliance Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) won at least 112 of 222 parliamentary seats in May polls that made a pivotal shift for Malaysia as a nation.

Like Mahathir’s winning moves, Pacquiao has to show that he still knows how to unleash solid blows and be dominant in the ring. Like how Mahathir swept traditional government strongholds of Johor, Kedah and Negeri Sembilan and neutralized Najib’s advantage in the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak. In such a win, Mahathir showed that age doesn’t matter. Mahathir is 92 and Pacquaio is 39. In this brawl in Malaysia, Pacquiao must be, as alleged by Najib on Mahathir during the campaigns, “obsessive about control, calling the shots.” And that is the only way to win against Mathysse and grab the belt. Like Mahathir, Pacquiao has to show the world that he is not done yet as a pugilist. Like Mahathir, Pacquiao need to be the time-tested and thinking dictator in the ring.

Not unlike Duterte, Najib met increased public anger over so many issues. In the case of Najib, according to reports, it’s the goods-and-services tax that boosted prices and a money laundering scandal involving hundreds of millions of dollars siphoned from state investment firm 1MDB that nailed his coffin. Mahathir called Najib, his protégé-turned-rival, a “thief” during the campaign.

Duterte on the other hand fell short in delivering his nation not only from the perils of criminality and drugs but from economic chaos and large-scale trampling of human rights. His government is expected to look or focus more on the economic condition of the people and the fiscal health of the country rather than pushing an allegedly red carpet to totalitarian rule disguised as “Federalism”.  

Surely, the Filipino people will temporarily forget about the P500% in the Office of the President’s expenses for 2017 for the cost of the ASEAN Summit, financial assistance to soldiers, maintenance of presidential choppers and billions of intelligence funds. Why the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of the Office of the President zoomed up to P14.9 billion in 2017, up 534.24 percent, according to COA annual audit report. The bulk of funds, or P8.19 billion, went to “other MOOEs” allotted to expenses such as advertising, printing and publication, representation, transportation and delivery, rent/lease, membership dues and contributions to organizations. The dangers of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP’s expectation that inflation will settle in at 4.6% this year, above its 4% upper target. This means we can expect inflation to further increase till the third quarter of 2018 before it subsides, among other issues involving the national coffer including that dreaded TRAIN Law and the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Asian Development Bank (ADB) covering an indicative 7.1 billion US dollars sovereign lending program to the Philippines from 2019 to 2021. Not to mention other evident issues of the day such as spate of killings of elected officials, our inaction to Chinese military build-up in West Philippine Sea and Duterte’s “stupid God” remark which Pacquiao downplayed by saying “we all have different beliefs.”  Lately, though he didn’t had a chance of selfie with the Almighty, Duterte finally apologized (to God) for calling God “stupid.”

As expected, come Sunday, Filipinos will once more cheer and rally behind the Pambansang Kamao together with Duterte including those in the human rights movements and the Catholic Church even if they are Duterte’s favorite punching bags of late!

Momentarily, we will be forgetting the hardships and the ills around us as a nation especially when the president himself is there to witness our boxing legend’s ring greatness, whether it’s his swansong or not. Along with other celebrities from all over the world, from the entertainment and the boxing circle itself, Duterte, controversial as he is, would certainly add drama to the fight or color to the bout’s media coverage.

Win or lose, Senator Pacquiao, and this time with President Duterte, will in a while send this impoverished country to La-La Land, a speculative state of mind mainly characterized by blissful lack of touch with reality….

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(Postscript: Pacquiao won via 7th round TKO)

References:

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1008595/duterte-to-watch-pacquiao-mathysse-fight-in-kl-meet-with-pm-mahathir

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Malaysia-in-transition/Mixed-fate-greets-Malaysian-companies-after-historic-election

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-07-05/sea-change-in-southeast-asia

https://www.rappler.com/nation/206646-office-of-the-president-expenses-2017-choppers-consultants-intel-funds

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/659853/coa-reports-office-of-the-president-spent-p14-9b-in-2017-up-534-from-2016/story/

Photo: ABS-CBN News