Stupid Questions to Questionable Statements

The Economic Miracle

If the economy were that great then why all the officials hinting at the need for increased taxes? Shouldn't we be reducing taxes instead because we are now better off than before? Why are multilateral lending agencies advising against spending cuts? Is it because the expansion is really through debt and government spending instead of commerce?


Erap's Housing Program

Shouldn't we be thanking his Housing Czar for delivering so many homes to the people? Wasn't that the job of then VP Gloria? So Erap should really thank her for doing such a great job in the Erap government?


Tough Cop

Where is Ping Lacson?


The Ratings Upgrades

Why is the administration so proud of an upgrade in outlook when its not the same as an upgrade in rating? Didn't we get two or three downgrades during this administration? Does that mean we're still worse off in the eyes of investors?

Liberal Party 509

I've been trying to get to the Liberal Party site for 2 hours now. I've been getting a Bandwidth Exceeded error (error 509). Have we reached a new level in the presidential campaign? Or is this a case of bad hosting choice? Tune in for further developments.

Manuel Villar

I've finally found the supposed Nacionalista Party Platform. Why do I say supposed? Simply because I can't find any link to it through their Party website nor through Manny Villar's sites. It's not hosted on any official site. It's on Scribd. If the situation changes please let me know, hopefully before May 10.

Now, before I go through the platform itself, let me explain the significance of the Platform's location. Without a link to any official NP website we are not certain that the party or at least a party official recognizes the Scribd based platform. In short, it could be a fake. God knows the mud has been thick in the air these past few months. I wouldn't be surprised to see faux platforms used as a way to discredit or misinform people.

How did I find this document? I Googled it. That in itself is also significant. It's like the boss telling his subordinates:

Boss: "We have a strategic plan! Everyone must be on the same page so read it!"
Subordinates: "Great boss give it to us!"
Boss: "Its somewhere in the building... look for it"

Sounds like a Dilbert strip? Here's the catch. In a democracy the people are the boss so that conversation is actually:

Boss: "Lets fix the company. Where is your strategic plan?"
Applicant : "Its in the building. Look for it!"

Sorry, that one little act is indicative of character. And the character is disregard for people. Is access to the platform a privilege for the few? Should I even bother to read the platform given that the party behind it does not respect the citizens? Should I even bother to analyze something that may be fake?

Now before this turns into a rant I will do the appropriate thing.

walks out

Eduardo Villanueva

Brother Eddie placed last among the presidential aspirants in 2004. I’m not exactly sure why. Some people distrusted his intentions because he is a pastor. The rabidly Catholic feared a mass conversion to Protestantism. The rabidly secular feared a dismantling of the separation of church and state. Some others said he did not have the political experience. Like Nick Perlas, nobody knew him.


And now he’s at it again. (http://broeddie.ph/)

And, like before, he has a platform

(http://broeddie.ph/what-does-brother-eddie-c-villanueva-stand-for/)

Like Gibo, he's had it revised and it is now a party platform:

Bangon Pilipinas Party Platform

Unlike Gibo though, Brother Eddie has had a comprehensive and cohesive platform since 2009. So if there are similarities between the two then forgive me for thinking that somebody copied his seatmate's work. I also appreciate the act of maintaining the webpage of the previous platform. I consider it a gesture of honesty.

The new platform is more aggressive, cohesive and confident. No, I don't mean assertive nor progressive, I mean aggressive.

Check out the first chapter. Reinstatement of the death penalty. Ok, suck it in. This is coming from a pastor. Chapter 2: Policy of Self Help before Foreign Assistance. Same chapter: Developing Smart Labor. Same chapter: Purchasing Power as an Economic Target instead of the Exchange Rate. Just read the document. It's pretty juicy.

The original platform, while sensible, rational and cohesive lacked impact. It was too safe. I originally thought Bro. Eddie spent 40 days and nights in the desert writing out the old platform. I was wrong. That was like the baptism in the Jordan. The new article is the one that came out after 40 days in the desert. And even if he brought a few disciples to help him, the new platform is better thought out. And frankly it can get pretty scary.

How scary? A push for Federalism. A Greener Philippines. Budget redistribution along regional lines. Privates sector development programs in exchange for tax credits. Those are pretty big and bold changes. Education in moral values. That sounds suspect because dictatorial regimes tend to harp on it. Some people will not like their stand on abortion.

Its pretty much a real platform. It identifies problems, its identifies the ideal situation, it has a plan to solve the problem and reach the ideal. I am thankful that there are more candidates who understand the concept of a platform.

My misgivings about Bro. Eddie relates to his background. I really prefer my government secular. Nothing against religions per se, more like the tendency of the religious to impose their own culture on others. Since the Philippines is generally a multi-cultural society, this could cause conflicts and broad division. 

As with most things, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. There will be instances where Bro. Eddie will seem like a dogmatic Pharisee and others where the liberal activist roots show through.

There is also that question of capability. As an outsider, he doesn't have the connections or the machinery of the more experienced politicos. That is the real cross of the outsider, of candidates with little exposure to the machinations of politics. We can bet he doesn’t have the connections, the political favors to call upon, the financial networks and the insider knowledge. He is burdened with the utter lack of ability to politick like a traditional politician. On the other hand that may not be such a bad thing.

Sarcasm aside, I am not sure how to judge his capability for governance save his ability to sway his flock. And during this campaign the flock is moving alongside people with different beliefs. To overcome the apparent lack of funds they've been getting creative with things like the Human Chain event and Operation Living Ads. Whether the man wins or loses I think it's worthwhile to watch his methods.

Finally, Bro. Eddie, like all the other outsiders, is a living challenge. Do I have the guts to actually vote for the non- traditional if that appears to be the best option? We have a few days to find out.

Nicanor Perlas III

Nick who?

It's unfortunate Nick Perlas remains obscure.

I call him Mr. Consistent. He's had a platform since 2009 and it has barely changed. Lets add emphasis.

Nick's platform has, so far, stood the test of time

Out of all the candidates, it seems he's the one who spent the most effort in crafting his plans. Not only that, he did extra work and actually outlined his whole ideology. How's that for A grade?

The platform of Pangmasa promotes several measures which are derived from current scientific research or implements current technology. Nick Perlas cites the use Gardner's Multiple Intelligence framework in education. He espouses environmentally conscious practices. He wants to create measures to safeguard us against rising sea levels. He's the only one promoting household energy production. He recognizes the importance of online journalism.

If Brother Eddie has the "Wrath of God" platform, Nick Perlas has the "Discovery Channel + Nat Geo" platform. It even starts with the entymology of the word Democracy. Pure geek heaven. For me, that is positively a good thing.

If there's any problem with his approach is that it may be difficult to grasp for the Regular Juans and Marias. His use of language is unusual. There are terms like Promote Holistic Education and Inner Change, bio-geographical equity, and societal threefolding partnerships. Come on man, get a marketing consultant! Heck, get an English professor to edit! This is practically specialist jargon. It gives off the image of an unapproachable intellectual. You want people to relate to you through your words, immediately. Approachability helps in politics, no really, it does. I find it ironic given that the party calls itself Pangmasa.

It's sad because the parts that I do understand without resorting to Google make sense like:

Irrigate all rice lands using both large-scale irrigation infrastructure and artesian wells for small farms

or this:

Advocate for the removal of pork barrel from the national budget to ensure that tax pesos are used, not to promote transactional politics that worsen the condition of the poor, but to eradicate poverty 

It's sad for another reason. While I find Nick Perlas intelligent and capable, I get the impression that he lacks empathy. Perhaps other people feel this way and will look for their president elsewhere. Who would follow a leader that can't be understood? How can you? That platform with the great ideas will  be so much wasted brain juice.

I have one appeal. In case Mr. Perlas loses the election, can the new president at least get him as a consultant?







  

Gilberto Teodoro

Speaking of Kamaganak, Inc. I stopped over at DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro's site to check it out again. Last time I visited, it had two separate areas dealing with his plans for the country: a detailed strategy for each region of the country and a list of issues he deems important. (urls were http://gibo.ph/strategy.aspx and http://gibo.ph/issue.aspx)


Well, those are now GONE! Go ahead and check the 404.


Sec. Teodoro has a brand spanking new platform which is the Lakas Kampi CMD party platform.


And so we have a winner for the Most Improved in Platform Authoring!


Unlike the previous incarnations which were too disjointed, this one actually makes more sense and appears more consistent. Here's one example from the previous format: He identifies innovation as a key economic issue yet none of his strategies addresses this. Instead there are a lot of infrastructure development ideas without an overarching rationale. It's a grocery list. Where's the innovation in that? To further confuse the message, the site had Sec. Teodoro declaring the age of copying previous trends passe. My impression was that the strategies and issues were written by a band of consultants who did not consult the candidate or each other.

The newer platform is a quantum improvement. For the issue of infrastructure it notes the need for the integration and convergence of all transport modalities. It calls for the expansion of inter-island transportation and communication. The infrastructure agenda coincides with and supports the thrust for rural and agricultural development (which are separate platform items). Things work together.

If the party hired a multitude of consultants to write this script, I'm glad they're now talking to each other and to their candidate! So team Gibo gets an A for effort instead of cousin Noynoy.

Too bad there's still that stigma associated with the old regime. In previous statements he openly admitted favoritism for Gloria Arroyo and even professed a debt of gratitude to her for giving him his break in government. In a TV interview he expressed his hesitance in pursuing graft charges because of these reasons. Disturbing statements indeed. Who else will he let off the hook because of a debt of gratitude? What if these people were guilty of severe crimes?

Those troubling statements have also disappeared from his website. I think it's part of the move to sanitize his image. If I monitor elections again, I will be shamelessly copying the interesting statements from political sites. That way I can keep a better record of a campaign's development.

I doubt the recent move to create distance from PGMA will do much good in the middle of the game. Something more dramatic needs to happen before people completely dissociate the Secretary from the passing administration.

Gibo Teodoro redeems himself on Platform but his past life leaves a big question mark on character. Admittedly, he's well trained and capable. The question is: capable of what?

Benigno Aquino III

Noynoy has a platform. In fact he had it up before December 2009. Sadly for him, it won't silence the critics. Just like Richard Gordon's platform, this one is long on vision and short on solution. I'm tempted to cut and paste bits of the previous Dick Gordon post. The observations are about the same.

There is a difference though. Noynoy attempts to get at the root of the problems instead of just recognizing inadequacies. Look at health care:

Noynoy: From treating health as just another area for political patronage to recognizing the advancement and protection of public health, which includes responsible parenthood, as key measures of good governance.


Dick: we must provide adequate access to HEALTH CARE for all our people, especially the needy


Check that one out. Senator Aquino thinks politics is a reason for the poor state of health care. Senator Gordon is merely telling us health care is poor. I'm surprised. No actually I'm a bit shocked. It seems Senator Aquino is making some effort to actually create solutions. By identifying the cause he now has a target. I did not expect it from him. And if he didn't write his platform, at least he got someone who is trying to think.
 
Still, an A for effort will hardly cut it given our immense problems.And stopping without offering concrete plans hardly merits an A.
 
And what of capability and character? Honestly, I can't pin anything on him except for the old Kamaganak, Inc. accusations that emerged during his mother's administration and the Hacienda Luisita situation. While the accusations sound grave, I've always wondered why it's taking everyone so long to resolve it. If the critics have any solid evidence against the clan then let them present it in the proper forum. Its been decades already and these two issues conveniently crop up during elections. Once those are over, the issues conveniently vanish without resolution. It's my impression that many of these critics actually profit from their periodic silence. How convenient....

As it is I'm getting weary of all this anonymous mudslinging via text or internet. Like the boy who cried wolf, these agents will likely find the public disbelieving their claims, true or not. Who will suffer then? I bet it's not the text brigades.

Usually you start getting black propaganda when you earn the ire of rivals. That occurs when you do something they don't like. If you don't do anything, they won't react. In this case, Sen. Aquino attracts attacks because of sheer popularity. You can check the bills filed during his tenure. He's not exactly a paragon of hard work. Nothing there to earn the enemy's ire.
 
So this is what the LP selling: an upstanding guy with a spotty plan and indeterminate ability. It's apparent why no one stands out among the aspirants. They are all lacking in one way or another.

Party List Fiasco

The Party List Mechanism was a good idea until it got hijacked. This was taken from the Philippine Daily Inquirer and is placed here for posterity.


Millionaires to represent ‘balut’ vendors in House

By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:54:00 04/01/2010

Filed Under: Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Congress

MANILA, Philippines—They properly belong to the party set, not to a party-list representing a so-called marginalized sector.
Among the nominees of Ang Kasangga, the party-list group of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo’s sister, are multimillionaires and influential people, not balut vendors and other micro-entrepreneurs, administration critics said yesterday.
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said the first two nominees of Ang Kasangga—Teodorico T. Haresco and Eugenio V. Lacson—are multimillionaires linked to the Arroyo administration.
“They do not fall within the category of micro-entrepreneurs,” he said.
“The law and Commission on Elections guidelines are clear: A party-list nominee must not only be an advocate of the sector it is representing,” Bayan and the poll watchdog Kontra Daya said in a joint statement.
“The nominee must belong to the marginalized sector,” it said.
In its website, Ang Kasangga claims it represents micro-entrepreneurs.
In the House of Representatives, it is represented by Maria Lourdes Arroyo, sister of the First Gentleman.
Her “entry into Congress drew heavy criticism because it was alleged she did not represent small business. It was during this period that Ang Kasangga defended her, saying she represented small businessmen, including balut vendors,” noted Reyes.
The party-list group defines micro-entrepreneurs as “those with individual capital of P3 million and below.”
‘Bridges to nowhere’
“If Ang Kasangga’s nominees are allowed to stand as nominees, what will prevent big business interests to seek or even buy a seat in Congress in the future?” said Reyes.
Haresco is a member of the board of directors of the state-run Philippine National Oil Co., said Reyes. He was reportedly involved in the President’s controversial Bridge Program which has drawn criticism for allegedly being the “bridges to nowhere.”
Among many other things, Haresco is chair and chief executive officer of Winace Holdings Philippines, which is involved in the acquisition and sale of stocks, bonds and investment securities, Reyes said.
Lacson is a three-term city mayor and is ranked No. 79 among the top 100 stockholders of Fidelity Stock Transfers Inc. Others in the list are businessman Luciano Tan and several members of the Ortigas and Villonco families, all of whom are not considered micro-entrepreneurs, Reyes also said.
Lacson was being considered by the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD as a vice gubernatorial candidate in Negros Occidental for the May elections before he decided to run under the party-list system.
Arroyo-linked groups
There are at least 14 other party-list groups with links to the Arroyo administration, according to Reyes:
• Ang Galing Pinoy, whose first nominee is Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo. The group’s other nominees are Mayor Dennis Pineda of Lubao, Pampanga, and Mayor Romeo Dungca of Bacolor, Pampanga. The party, formerly known as Guardians Anti-Crime, Pro-People Organization, claims to represent security guards, tricycle drivers and vendors.
• 1-Utak, party-list of the transport sector, whose nominees include former Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes and lawyer Vigor Mendoza, ex-official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
• Batang Iwas Droga, BIDA, which says in its website it was the “brainchild” of Efraim Genuino, chair of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). Its nominees include Efraim’s daughter Sheryl Genuino-See; businessman Johnny Tan and Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio, currently a nominee for the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
• Kabayan, which claims to represent transport sector workers, farmers and fisherfolk, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, anticrime crusaders, and overseas Filipino workers, among others. Its nominees include Ron Salo, former subordinate of ex-Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.
• Pacyaw, which claims to represent urban poor youth, has tourism assistant secretary Janet Rita Lazatin and former consul Reynaldo Pineda as nominees.
“Also in the list are Association of Labor and Employees, Abot Tanaw, APO 1, Bantay True Marcos Loyalists, Aangat Tayo, Abono, Abante Tribung Makabansa, Alliance of People’s Organizations, and Anad, an “anticommunist group believed to be supported by the Armed Forces,” Reyes added.

Media Revelations: Noynoy and Manny

Those political ads have been on facebook for a while now. There is however, one set that intrigues me. Its the one using the Hacienda Luisita situation as a way of smearing Noynoy. No, I'm not going to bother contesting the info. I just found it interesting they mostly hit Noynoy when in fact Cory was in a better position to fix the problem. And she didn't. I remember Cory's critics spotlighting the situation as a sample of her impotence:

Land Reform is Cory's flagship program, Luisita is the flagship project of Land Reform.

Well, something along those lines. The original statement had more flair.

Those Facebook ads are a stoke of genius. Not only does it hit Noynoy, it also takes a swipe at Gibo. Both are Cojuangcos and implicated in the mess by relation. Who could be behind it? I guess it really could be anyone although another candidate seems more likely.

More recently there's been this expose about Manny Villar. A local journalist is accusing Manny of fabricating the circumstances surrounding a brother's death. I think many people already know the senator wasn't as poor as he portrays himself. I also think they find the whole poverty myth a non-issue. However, putting a spin on your dead brother's story leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

It should be noted though that the writer, Mr. Esposo, is a Noynoy supporter. He's openly admitted this in previous columns. So maybe he's putting a spin on those two public documents to make Villar look bad. There could be all sorts of explanations for the documents. For example, relatives could have given the family the rather sizeable property. Friends could have sponsored the brother's medical expenses. But even these possiblities raise questions. If my conjectures were true then why didn't Villar just say so and give credit where credit is due? Nope, it doesn't seem like Mr. E is just doing a baseless demo job.

If anything, I'd like to remember these two articles as characteristic of this election: 1) So far no one is emerging as a clear choice and 2) its also easier to dig up info thanks to technology. 

Richard Gordon

The man known for the WOW Philippines Tourism campaign is now waging a new one for the presidency. Now I finally get to see what he's planning.

It's not much.

He definitely has a vision of a better country: more caring, responsible, tolerant, competitive, etc.. etc..
but then his competition echoes similar sentiments. We all want a better country. It's the how that needs answering and Senator Gordon doesn't really give answers.

Check out his vision and his manifesto on the website [http://www.dickgordon2010.com]

Theres a lot of lofty goals but no real plan for achieving them. How does he intend to generate jobs? Or provide adeqate health care? What measures do we implement for saving the environment?

If I just look at the surface it would seem strange. He has the experience in government and business. He has the training. You'd expect better planning from a Proctor and Gamble alumn.

It gets stranger when I review his achievements. He did a good job at Subic. He transformed Olongapo.  He was effective as Tourism Secretary. He's still effective in the Red Cross. It's obvious he can get things done. Why doesn't he share his roadmap so everyone can get on the same page?

Another aspect that troubles me is the political history of the family. They appear to be passing political positions from one family member to another. It's not necessarily bad. Family members can also be trustworthy, qualified and effective. However, I don't think there's a dearth of capable people in Olongapo or Zambales. Why are potential leaders not developed to take on the big jobs? Why should potential leaders only be drawn from one family?

Senator Gordon gets 1 point for ability. I hope that platform develops into something more substantial. That Transformer appellation currently means something else for me. The alien robots change from one form to another but you don't really see how they do it. That pretty much sums up the Gordon Plan. You know what the end is supposed to be but not how to get there.

The Philippines is a SPED Case

I attended the first Special Education Expo in Makati this Monday. One reason why I didn't get to post my platform on December 1. How sad. It would have been so much more dramatic...

As I sat there trying to make sense of topics far from my field, I realized that there was some connection after all.  A speaker commenting on the state of education in the country noted that a majority of school children should be deemed "At Risk" simply because of the high incidences of poverty, malnutrition, crime, emotional abuse and other contributing factors present in the country.

In that instance it dawned upon me that the entire country is actually a SPED Case. Think about it, the poverty, malnutrition, crime, etc. etc. affects everyone not just the students. It means we are not really able to absorb the lessons the should have educated our citizenry. It also explains why many Filipinos become productive responsible citizens outside the country. They are removed from the situation that places them at risk! That being the case, we should implement Special Education techniques to effectively help the nation to get its act together.

So using a SPED framework our approach must be adopted to the student. Given that the learners' situation is abnormal our usual methods will have diminished effectives. In short we must alter the following:

• Content 
• Method
• Measures

Briefly we define these as:

Content - what we teach the learner. Some things may be more appropriate or less appropriate given the situation. What is taught should take in to consideration what the learner experiences.

Method - the system of delivering the content should be appropriate to the learner.

Measures - how we measure progress would also differ.

Since I am not a trained educator I think I'll consult with the experts I know. It might be worthwhile to see a development agenda in terms of the educational component. In any event, it should be interesting to see what experts come up with given a shift in paradigm.

Pascal's Wager for Philippine Elections

What if you had to choose between a politician who's been around and an unknown candidate?

If you vote the traditional politician he will run the country as it has always been run... into the ground. If he wanted to do anything different he would have done so already. Besides, what are the chances the old politico will have a change of heart? Right. Moving on now...

If you vote an outsider two things can happen:

• He will run things as it has always been run... into the ground.
• He will have actually change things because he doesn't know how to run things the old way or is wise enough to know better.

So the likelihood of going to hell are pretty high, but with a non-traditional candidate you get a slim chance for change.

Political Platform v1.0

Well this is the first version of my political platform. For those who came late to the show: No I'm not running for any office in 2010. I'm working on my own political platform to show that its not that hard to make. Although I'm posting this 3 weeks after my declaration, the actual working time was in the range of four days with one of those days devoted to formatting.

Economy

Widespread Poverty

Issues:

Overpopulation = Reproductive Health Bill - Challenge dissenters to provide alternative solutions and show consistent results even in small areas. Provide access to affordable contraceptives as well as expand reproductive health education. Tax incentives for 3 children only. Eliminate tax breaks for 4^th child and up.

Lack of Jobs = Support MSME’s. Strengthen microfinance - provide support for micro lenders and NGOs. Continue OTOP initiative – provide marketing and RND support for these products. OTOP gives us a framework for choosing marketing and RND initiatives. Provide Tax incentives for MSME’s – no gross minimum tax. 

Low Pay = Increase minimum wage. Stop advertising the country in the usual manner: cheap labor. Focus on high quality of labor and back it up with education and support.

Reliance on Labor Export

Issues:

The OFW phenomenon was supposed to be a short term solution. Reducing the poverty factors should reduce the need for people to work abroad for survival. Working abroad for career advancement is another matter. 

Ballooning National Debt
issues

Weak revenue collection = Increase efficiency of collection. Tie pay incentives of all employees to collection target of agencies. 

Reduce debt servicing = Renegotiate with creditors. Review the debt of the non-financial sector, especially from non-profitable government corporations.

Do not grow the debt. = moratorium on borrowing while we try to plug the money outflow.

Weak agriculture sector

Issues

Poor infrastructure: transpo, irrigation, facilities = many addressed in infra section. Agriculture specific facilities should be built. Concentrate on those that use local resources and allow decentralized management.

Land Reform = implement and support – encourage farmers to form larger cooperatives to take advantage of economies of scale those that can not should be taught techniques that replace the advantages of economies of scale. Provide support to beneficiaries as mentioned in the GTZ report. Implement some of their suggestions such as increased loans, technical support. Reduce the number of people in the DAR so that ratio between personnel and operating costs are at least 40 – 60 favoring opex. At least 10% of the national budget to should be devoted to CARP.

Culture

Lack of appreciation of the arts

Issues
Local industry is heavily commercialized = Support for independent producers especially those using the digital media. 


Stagnant indigenous media = provide financial support for those using indigenous art forms or materials.


Concentration in traditional media = build capabilities in digital art forms. provide grants for those involved in the new media.


Human Capital

Poor Education

Issues

Not enough classrooms = distance education and home schooling guidelines. 

No teachers = higher pay for teachers. Support continuing education program. Institutions that fail to support this will be penalized. 

No textbooks = let institutions choose textbooks based on guidelines by DepEd. Let schools publish textbooks.  Publish DepEd choices/ recommendations so people can review it.

Weak Research = make government data freely accessible - more internet. Review the government websites. Focus is on  easy access for the citizens. This will encourage freelance research.

English as a medium of instruction = use it.

Foreign Affairs

Limited Participation in World Affairs

Issues

Weak linkages = improve ties with Asian neighbors and non-traditional partners.

Infrastructure

Poor transportation

Issues

Provincial linkages are in bad shape = build a railway backbone for Luzon and Mindanao. Improve ports in the Visayas.


Maritime Disasters = more stringent monitoring of ship boarding procedures.Work out computerized reporting so the coast guard has immediate data regarding ship loads.

Flooding

Issues

Good plans not implemented = review development plans especially those where we paid expensive consultants. Make the information public.

Poor sewage = make a plan to expand the sewage system. Seek inexpensive solutions like rain gardens that people can do at the baranggay level. 

Informal settlers = remove them starting with those in dangerous areas. 

Power is expensive

Oil importation = find oil. Substitute wind, tidal, solar etc… clarify rules on environmental measures such as the ethanol bill so that investors have a better picture of the legal environment. 

Pollution

issues
Polluting Vehicles = Retire vehicles of a certain age. Ban 2 stroke vehicles from city roads.
Garbage = nationwide implementation of garbage segregation. 

Communication
issues

Lack of Connectivity = More internet - wiring the country will support a lot of economic efforts. Also supports education. Don’t use foreign debt to do this or we may get another ZTE deal. Use a local company even if its one of the conglomerates.


Environment
issues

Mining = allow mining. Ask for first world quality pollution controls and community aid.


Logging = in tree farms only (at least for 10 years). Identifying law breakers will be easier.


Fisheries = provide alternative livelihood for fisher folk so they are not encouraged to practice damaging methods  (dynamite fishing, cyanide fishing). Those that insist will face stiffer penalties.


National Security

Secessionists and rebels

most of their concerns deal with poverty and governance. address those and they will lose a reason to exist. Those that refuse to disarm should be treated as criminals

Porous Borders
issues
Unclear Boarders = firm up national boundaries. Ask help from international bodies if necessary.


Spotty patrolling = Improve coordination with neighbors' boarder guards. Create transnational procedures for handling problems. 


Governance

Poor governance
issues

Transparency = non-sensitive documents should be digitized and published online as well as printed in hard copy. The public should be given free access to these documents. 

Corruption = Encourange and reward intra agency initiatives for reform. Kill the pork barrel.

Reduce red tape = Benchmark the processing time of vital procedures vs. those of our Asian neighbors, especially the developed nations. Match them. 

Election Season = Hunting Season

Q: What do you call 100 armed police men killing 50 unarmed civilians including women and journalists?

A: Maguindanao politics

Ok I’m not being fair. The police were accompanied by an indeterminate number of armed people as well. It could also be that the armed people were accompanied by 100 policemen. Either way it’s atrocious.

The casual observer may find it strange when they read the newspapers. Members of the Magundadatu clan are fingering their political rivals. But up until recently, both clans were allies. The papers report that the government knew the Ampatuan clan kept private armies. Apparently even the Magundadatu kept a private army. One cause being posited was that the Magundadatu brought their private army to a meeting with the other clan. We can assume the Ampatuan didn’t like that gesture.  Despite this the government hasn’t done anything.  It’s not so strange when you find out the Ampatuan are administration allies. Or that even this powerful clan has experienced assassination attempts for about a decade. The situation has its own bizarre logic.

Something ugly and rotten is happening. It’s not just politics as usual. The move is too audacious and arrogant. Even a person greatly favored by the current administration wouldn’t dare do something this brazen.

Or maybe the stinky rot revealed is that certain people do feel untouchable. That they feel they can escape justice because of connections to other influential people. Perhaps the stink is also the decay of civility. That people are so desperate they feel only violence can save them. Perhaps it is the stench of political horse trading. Leave my fiefdom alone and we will deliver votes.

If anything I hope people remember this and learn from it. I pray people remember this. Unfortunately, I doubt people will remember this. The Arroyo administration is not the only one that has its share of brazen characters. Estrada’s administration had it as well. And even certain people escaped justice during the times of Ramos and Cory. If we ever learned our lessons, the evidence is hard to see.

Platforms 2010 Philippine Elections

watch this site: Platform, plez

It collates known information about the platforms of the candidates for the 2010 elections. My experience is consistent with the info here; only a handful of candidates actually have a platform out. I agree with Ben Kritz on this one: understandable but not acceptable. The site promises updates as they get information. In fact, people are encouraged to contribute to the effort.

Check it out if you want to know what they politicians say they are planning to do. Note: planning to do.

DIY Political Platform

Now here is a very useful article from The Bad Manners Gun Club. It describes a framework for making your own political platform. Just like the title says: Its Not Rocket Science. In fact, it's downright easy if you follow the steps. It makes me want to spread the idea around. In the meantime, I will be looking more closely at the other sites.

The Mystery of the Invisible Platform

I've gotten a bit frustrated about the utter lack of platforms. It seems like the candidates have yet to hammer out their plans for the nation.  The last time I checked only G. Teodoro had a platform online. Does this mean I have to go contact the political party or candidate just to ask about it? Maybe I was too early in performing due diligence. When should I expect to see any platforms? December? January 2010? December 2010?

It's a bad sign. It seems the candidates still operate with the traditional mindset that popularity is the most important ingredient in this election. Sure it's a big part of any election, but the popularity ideally comes from having a good plan and the backbone to implement it. It's not because of some PR generated drama.

So now I'm sort of stuck. I'm getting tired of checking a candidate and then attaching a "no platform yet" statement to the work. So while I'm waiting, I'll go make my own platform. Now these candidates will get benchmarked against something. Tough for them. I'll still check out the aspirants, but I will set a criterion for the platform's declaration: 1 December 2009. I will be wary of people who declare plans after that.  

 

Save the Nation, Garden Today!

I landed on this page after following a trail of informational links that began with an outdoor grill ad. Strange? That's the internet for you.

Its about gardening. Specifically, It's about a Rain garden Project in Minnesota, USA. The community uses these gardens to reduce run-offs into their scenic lake and river. While this project focuses on preventing contamination from sediments and pollutants, it did indicate a reduction in the volume of water. The test results show that run-offs diminished by 90%. That's a lot of water that does not need to go into the drain system. In short, its water that will not contribute to the kind of flooding we had recently.

You'd think that such a simple solution would have found its way here. No suck luck. We've been concentrating on plastering the land with concrete and asphalt. Even the decorative plants along the roads are encased in concrete boxes. And I'm not wondering. I've said it before - public works has a nasty reputation. Big contracts = big player = big money. From the looks of it, the rain garden project favors small independent contractors with a cheaper organic approach.

This one makes it into my list for "Nice to have, unlikely to get".

Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr.

Suddenly, his ads are appearing in the papers. Now, several provincial politicians are pushing for his candidacy.

The good news is he seems to be capable of doing his job. Supporters frequently point out all the infrastructure work he has completed. That’s great. Anyone care to audit it? No seriously, I am a big fan of building up our infrastructure simply because I see the utter lack of it. Provincial roads have become synonymous with dirt tracks. We need transportation and communication structures, not to mention flood prevention facilities, classrooms and irrigation works. Unfortunately, public works has the nasty reputation of enabling and cultivating corruption: kickbacks, overpriced projects and things that never get built.  An audit of the department during Sec. Ebdane’s tenure sounds like a reasonable request don’t you think? After all he is aiming to be president. We want an honest president right?

Speaking of honesty, we should also remember that Sec. Ebdane’s name came up during the “Hello Garci” drama. Allegations ranged from his having provided transportation to Mr. Garcilliano to providing protection to the same. In short, he was involved. Take that how you will. I find it hard to judge because I was not paying a lot of attention that time.

While we’re at it, I feel that his supporters should stop labeling him a man with a plan or a vision. I’ve checked online and have yet to see any platform of any form. Even the news fails to mention any sort of agenda other than “become president.” So, until I see a plan, the imaging is pure hyperbole and does disservice to the Sec.

What about his other qualification? Police and Security. We need that too. He was the SAF commander in 1989-991. During his tenure as PNP head (2002-2004), his old unit involved itself in numerous high profile activities: fighting terrorists, disarming private armies, arresting criminals, protecting ballot boxes. Seems he did pretty well because the 2004 election was the most peaceful. Oh wait, wasn’t that the one that involved the “Hello Garci” thing? Maybe I should stop right here. Every time I think about his qualifications more questions come up. I doubt I’ll find easy answers. More research will eat a lot of time. But I’ll still keep an eye on this one.

Alright, questions aside, my current assessment is:

He has a track record keeping the law and building infrastructure. He seems reliable in these aspects.

No Platform.

Platform and Personality

It’s not an either/or statement. It does not end in a question mark. I’d like a president who stands for something and possesses the qualities to follow through. I’d like it for all our officials actually.

Previously, I placed a premium on platform. My teachers and friends kept pointing out its importance when I was still a formal student. It’s the usual reasons: issues not personality, The candidate’s stand, a plan of action is more important, must have clear goals. So for several years that’s what I looked at. After a few elections, I realized platform is not so important in this country. Let me risk the ire of educated political observers:

Platform is not so important in this country

Ok before I get lynched, understand there is a good reason for saying this. It’s because politicians lie. It’s not the only reason but let’s leave that for another time. To soothe some tempers:

It’s because politicians lie

I’ve seen some well presented very logical and well meaning platforms. Were they ever enacted? No. In many cases, not vigorously if there was ever an effort. By the time the politician got into office the ball game changed in his eyes. Once elected, he spent his energy defending or expanding his turf. And of course he had to exercise his power. After all, a person’s got to enjoy what he has right? To paraphrase Stan Lee: with great power comes the responsibility of using it to crush opposition.

So the politician will do and say anything to get into office. Then he can coast and do his own thing. If anyone dissents he can use his influence to silence them.

I’m not going to deify platform politics at this point. It can’t be the only criterion. The best bet should have decency and a good heart as well as a good platform. Having a plan does not magically make one willing to implement it. What’s the use of the best analysis and most masterful plan if the person has no intention of following through? Basically, I want someone who seems reasonably willing to work for the nation, to keep his political will, to be transparent, and to listen to the citizens. In short:

Let’s look for a decent person

This election, I will look for a person that seems decent and sane. If I see a likely candidate I’ll go look at his platform. Conversely, if I find an interesting platform I’ll go check out its champion. If the person is untrustworthy, that platform is near worthless.

I realize it will be difficult to ascertain a person’s character through observation. The alternative though is less acceptable. Having a good president will pretty much be a crap shot. Expect more of the same for the next 6 years. Same placebo government projects. Same political drama. Same graft and corruption. Wonderland is eternal.