Thread For Our Next National Administration

[islander]

It’s all a little disturbing for those of us who want the Philippines to get on with stability and away from self-serving opportunism.

But voters get to decide. So it is not settled yet. The question is, do voters want any of these characters for President... ever? Because that is what the Vice Presidential race is all about.

http://joeam.com/2015/11/08/who-among-the-vp-candidates-are-actually-running-for-president-and-who-is-running-for-vp/

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[islander]

president by default?  mao na ni ron.  ang mga young politicians sa una, who were deemed as different from the trapos and on whom the people's hopes for better elective officials were pinned, are now the trapos.  worse, they are now the opportunistic trapos.

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[hubag bohol]

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[islander]

10 Qualities to Look for in a Presidential Candidate

1. Integrity/ Honesty – Does your chosen candidate have a track record of being an honest person? Dishonest leaders had been voted into office before with great costs to the citizenry. Money stolen by a mendacious official is money earmarked for public infrastructures and services the citizens will never receive. A corrupt pilferer of government coffers should not receive any vote.

2. Ability to delegate – Has your pick demonstrated an executive ability to hire, supervise and monitor people? The president has the duty to pick and appoint upstanding people to the Executive Office of the President and the Cabinet. The government is a complex system with a lot of duties and responsibilities to its citizens that is dispensed through its various offices and departments. The President needs the ability to delegate, as he cannot do all the tasks needed to run a country by himself.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

[islander]

3. Confidence/Security – Does he/she exudes confidence and appears secure? A confident and secure leader has no problem believing and engaging others. He/she does not have the need for arrogance or feeling of superiority in order to convey his presence. As they say in the Southern US, “ If you have to tell someone you are a lady, chances are you’re not.” It is je ne sais quoi and someone with confidence and security radiates with it.

4. Communication Skills – Does he/she communicate his/her intentions effectively with people from all walks of life? Communication is done not only by speaking but also by listening. A good leader speaks in clear and concise manner and listens attentively. A good president will need communication skills to keep the citizens up-to date with the government’s performance, successes and failures as well as to find out what his constituents want or need from the government.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

[islander]

5. Sense of Humor / Positive Attitude – Does he/she smile a lot and not take himself/herself seriously? Is he/she able to diffuse a difficult situation by looking at its lighter side? A good-natured leader will often make better decisions, as he/she is not afraid to show his/her humanity in public.

6. Commitment/ Passion – Has he/she shown commitment and passion in her past jobs? Committed and passionate people make highly effective leaders, as they are tenacious and persistent. They will see to it that a goal is met and a vision is realized. Their focus and perseverance often pays off so betting on a committed and passionate candidate will likely yield positive results.

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[islander]

7. Ability to Inspire – Does he/she has achievements that motivate others to emulate? Is he/she sincere and forthright? The ability to inspire is an important quality, as people look up at the president as a role model. “Do what I say but don’t do what I do” will breed societal resistance and sanctimony.

8. Competence – Does he/she has the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities to govern a morally and fiscally insolvent country? A competent president does not need to be an expert in all theories and practices of public administration but he/she needs to be self-motivated and a fast learner.

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[islander]

9. Courage – Is he/she decisive and able to make tough calls when it’s needed? A courageous person is not fearless. He/she just has the ability to face fear, danger, pain, uncertainty, intimidation and other difficulties without warping or caving in. Calm self-assurance raises the level of confidence in one’s decisions.

10. Servanthood/Selflessness – Does he/she put people first as his/her priority? Does he/she eschew personal power and wealth building on the back of the masses? The president is still a public servant who is tasked to look after the well-being of the populace. He/she works for the citizenry and not the other way around.

The world is finally watching the Philippines closely and with great interest. Exercising the right to vote is a privilege as well as a great responsibility, especially in 2016. The future of the Philippines is in the 2016 voters’ court. If they do not drop the ball, the long-awaited tiger economy might be just around the corner.

Please choose wisely and vote responsibly.

-excerpt from WHY MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE IN THE 2016 ELECTION IS CRUCIAL
Juana Pilipinas, http://joeam.com/2014/04/11/why-making-the-right-choice-in-the-2016-election-is-crucial/

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[islander]

Pensées


by Fr. Ranhilio Aquino
January 22, 2016

Ching and Poe

I have no evidence that Vicente Ching and Senator Grace Poe ever met each other, but the story of one is—or should be— lesson for the other.

Vicente Ching was the legitimate son of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, born in 1964, and therefore under the citizenship provisions of the 1935 Constitution.  He was born in the Philippines, resided here, studied law, and in 1998, sat for the Bar Examination.  He passed the Bar, but then because his status as a citizen remained unresolved, he was not allowed to take the lawyer’s oath, nor to inscribe his name in the Roll of Attorneys.  On October 1, 1999, the Supreme Court finally passed upon the issue of his nationality in the case formally docketed as “In re: Application for Admission to the Philippine Bar of Vicente D. Ching, Bar Matter 914.”

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[islander]

The 1935 Constitution required children of Filipino mothers and foreigner fathers to elect Philippine citizenship “upon reaching the age of majority.”  While the Court was did not rule that such a person had to elect Philippine citizenship immediately upon reaching 21 —the age of majority at the time —it did rule that “the extension of the option to elect Philippine citizenship is not indefinite.”  Ching, the Court found, had elected Philippine citizenship seven years after reaching the age of maturity.  This was stretching forbearance inordinately.  The Supreme Court held that Ching had failed to elect Philippine citizenship as required by the Constitution and therefore was not qualified for membership in the Philippine Bar—despite four years of law school and a passing grade in the Bar!  Tough decision, it can be rightly said, but one that paid tribute to the intent, the letter and the spirit of the Constitution.

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[islander]

Ching invited the Court’s attention to “special circumstances,” not unlike those Ms. Poe now cites: his continuous stay in the Philippines (something Ms. Poe cannot claim), his admission to the practice of accountancy, his status as a registered voter as well as a former elected public official.  In shoving all these considerations aside, the Supreme Court, with utmost serene rationality, ruled: “The special circumstances invoked by Ching cannot vest in him Philippine citizenship as the law specifically laws down the requirements for the acquisition of Philippine citizenship by election.”

Justice Kapunan ended his ponencia on a very instructive note—shorn of all appeal to pity: “Philippine citizenship can never be treated like a commodity that can be claimed when needed and suppressed when convenient.  One who is privileged to elect Philippine citizenship has only a inchoate right to such citizenship.  As such, he should avail of the right with fervor, enthusiasm and promptitude.  Sadly, in this case, Ching slept on his opportunity to elect Philippine citizenship and, as a result, this golden privilege slipped away from his grasp.”

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[islander]

My point should not be too difficult to divine. The Court dealt with Ching as the provisions of the Constitution ordained—and yet, it was known of Ching without a doubt that his mother was a Filipino, that he never renounced his citizenship, that he never lived abroad, and that he was an elected public official at some time in his life. 

True, Ms. Poe’s case is different.  Only that it is not “better” than Ching’s.  It is more troubled, for in her case, we have absolutely no knowledge of who her parents were, nor of where she was born. Presumptions are never evidence, and it is not even too sure that she is entitled to presumptions in her favor.  There would have been far more reason to allow Ching to take the oath he had labored arduously to recite, but the Court never mistook its role of interpreting the Constitution.  No prejudice was done Ching, the Court held, because he had the chance to elect —a chance he forfeited by letting seven years pass by!

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

[islander]

Since 1935, we have had two other chances to rewrite the provisions of our citizenship articles in view of the lot of foundlings, a problem to which the framers of the Constitution were not oblivious.  But we chose to frame the provisions as they now stand.  And so before we want to do favors to those we think deserve them, let us respect the Constitution sufficiently to amend it first as our best lights see fit.  But until we take that step, the fundamental law of the land does not leave its provisions to the whim of the populace—even if this should be unctuously called “the will of the people.”  These are the technicalities that allow a State to truly claim “a government of laws and not of men.”

http://thestandard.com.ph/

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[hubag bohol]

Monday, February 15, 2016


DESPITE her disqualification by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Senator Grace Poe has been included in the final list of presidential candidates for the May 2016 polls.

In a memorandum issued on February 15, the Comelec Law Department released the certified list of candidates of those running for the presidential, vice presidential, senatorial and party-list positions.

Aside from Poe, the five other presidential candidates to be included in the official ballot are Vice President Jejomar Binay; Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago; Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte; Manuel Roxas II, and the late former ambassador Roy Seneres.

Seneres' name has been included in the ballot as his party has expressed its interest to name a substitute candidate for the late congressman.

Poe's petition against the Comelec decision disqualifying her from the 2016 presidential race is now pending before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the six official vice-presidential bets include senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Gringo Honasan, Bongbong Marcos, and Antonio Trillanes IV; and Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

[hubag bohol]

Below is the full list of senatorial candidates:

· Sharrif Albani
· Aldin Ali
· Raffy Alunan
· Ina Ambolodto
· Godofredo Arquiza
· Levito Baligod
· Greco Belgica
· Walden Bello
· Sandra Cam
· Mel Chavez
· Nero Colmenares
· Leila De Lima
· Isko Moreno Domagoso
· Ray Dorona
· Frank Drilon
· Larry Gadon
· Win Gatchalian
· Dick Gordon
· TG Guinggona
· Risa Hontiveros
· Eid Kabalu
· Atty. Lorna Kapunan
· Princess Jacel Kiram
· Alma Moreno Lacsamana
· Panfilo Ping Lacson
· Rey Langit
· Mark Lapid
· Dante Liban
· Romeo Maganto
· Edu Manzano
· Allan Montano
· Mon Montaño
· Getulio Napeñas
· Susan Ople
· Sergio Osmeña III
· Manny Pacquiao
· Mr. Coop Paez
· Samuel Pagdilao
· Jovito Palparan Jr.
· Kiko Pangilinan
· Carlos Jericho Petilla
· Ralph Recto
· Martin Romualdez
· Roman Romulo
· Dionisio Santiago
· Vicente Sotto
· Francis Tolentino
· Diosdado Valeroso
· Joel Villanueva
· Migz Zubiri

According to Comelec, 115 party-list groups have been included in the official ballot for the upcoming polls.

Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said the ballots that will be used in the May 9 elections will have three variations, the majority of the ballots will be shorter from the 8 ½ x 27 inches used in the 2010 polls, they reduced it to 8 ½ x 20 inches this year. -- http://www.sunstar.com.ph/

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[islander]

GET REAL

The Philippines’ ‘buwaya problem’


By: Solita Collas-Monsod
@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer

All our candidates in one form or another are of course promising faster growth and improved development outcomes. What has been the Philippine track record on growth?

When asked to do an economic briefing two days ago, I decided to tackle the issue. I decided to look at the forest rather than the trees—the big picture, as it were. The title of my talk was “The Philippine Economy: A Long (and Wide) View.”

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[islander]

And it was a long view—showing the growth rates of the Philippine economy, post-World War II (courtesy of the Philippine Statistical Authority), and then comparing these with those of other countries over a 50-year period (1960-2009). The 50-year comparison comes from the Economic Development text I use (Perkins, 7th Edition) at the University of the Philippines.

The table shows each country’s per capita GDP (measured in international dollars) in 1960 and then in 2009, and computes average growth rates. It divides developing countries into four categories—those that showed negative growth over the period, those that showed slow growth (from 0 percent to <2 percent), moderate growth (2 percent to 3 percent) and rapid growth (>3 percent). Not all countries are included, only those for which data are available over the 50-year period—about 34 developing countries.

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[islander]

The Philippines was categorized as a slow growth country, its per capita GDP growth rate averaging 1.58 percent. Its Asean, East Asian (South Korea, China), or even its South Asian (India, Sri Lanka) neighbors were rapid growth countries.

Actually in 1960, the Philippines was ahead of the pack (except for South Korea) with per capita income of $1,313. Everybody else’s was lower (China’s per capita income was $403).  By 2009, that had been completely reversed. Philippine per capita income was P2,838. The comparator countries all had higher per capita incomes.

A counterfactual: Had the Philippines grown as fast as Thailand (4.4 percent), our per capita GDP (pcgdp) would have been $10,635 instead of only $2,838. Even if we grew only as fast as India (3.14 percent), our 2009 pcgdp would have been $5,477. Doesn’t that make the Reader sick?

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[islander]

What causes the differentials in country growth rates? Studies by Sachs, and the Asian Development Bank, have narrowed the contributing factors to four: Initial Conditions, Natural Resources and Geography, Government Policies and Institutions, and Demography. Sachs studied the Philippines over the period 1965-1990, during which our pcgdp growth rate was actually 5.3 percentage points a year behind those of the Asian Tigers (South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore), and 3.3 percentage points behind the Tiger Wannabes (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia) and China. He found that the largest contributing factor to these differences was government policies and institutions. These were responsible for between 70 percent and 79 percent of the differences in growth rates.  These findings were confirmed by ADB studies.

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[islander]

So now we know what the culprits are, right?  Wrong policies, weak institutions. Therefore, Reader, you  should ask: Who are responsible for these? Short answer: our political leaders (now the connection to elections is clear). This I call our “buwaya problem”—which is the surfeit in this country of political leaders “whose decisions, supposedly taken for the public good, are in truth motivated by a desire for private gain and result in policies and projects that impoverish rather than enrich our country.” The “buwaya problem” is compounded by even more greed, because these politicians find “public service” so lucrative that they decide to make a family enterprise out of it, creating dynasties.

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[islander]

Any evidence to support these statements? I give you Nobel Laureate Gunnar Myrdal (Asian Drama) who singled out the Philippines thusly: “Graft and corruption permeate all levels of public life.” And even more painful: “…Perhaps in no other country in South Asia is political dishonesty so widely recognized, accepted and talked about as a part of the political game….” This, in 1968.

Thirty-five years later (I told you, this is a long view), in 2003, the World Economic Forum conducted an Executive Opinion Survey in which the countries surveyed were classified as: low corruption, moderate corruption, and high corruption. The Philippines was one among 10 countries in the last category—and the only Asian country at that. The other comparator countries were all “moderately corrupt.”

In other words, Reader, we were unique—in corruption. And it is not a question of eradicating, just moderating, for now.

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[islander]

What about the effect of political dynasties? That, too, has been studied. And the conclusions are that the presence of these dynasties is correlated with higher poverty, lower per capita income, and lower primary education completion rates. And how pernicious are these dynasties? The Asian Institute of Management estimates (2012) that they accounted for 70 percent of regular legislators in the Congress at that time.

The costs of corruption are not limited to low growth rates and per capita income. They affect development indicators, too.

But on the bright side, some improvement has come since 2009. Data on the Corruption Perceptions Index for  2010-2015 indicate that the Philippines has risen from 139th out of 180 countries in 2009 to 102nd out of 180 in 2015. The pcgdp growth rates for the last five years averaged 4 percent a year. And health, education, and long-term antipoverty prospects are great.

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[islander]

So, Reader, if you want things to get better, use your vote wisely. It may help to know that two of the presidential candidates and three of the vice presidential candidates are dynastic. That should make our choices easier.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/

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[islander]

ON TARGET

It’s all in the family

By: Ramon Tulfo
@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer
March 5th, 2016


Vice President Jejomar Binay, dismissed Mayor Junjun Binay and Sen. Nancy Binay. FILE PHOTO

I’m not motivated by personal reasons when I criticize Vice President Jojo Binay who’s running for President in the May 9 election.

Trabaho lang, as they say in Filipino. Just doing my job as an opinion writer.

I dug into my memory bank recently and asked my subconscious mind why I have distrusted Binay ever since.

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[islander]

 
The answer came fast—-accidentally.

I was digging through my files of past columns, which I intend to compile and make into a book, when I chanced upon an item I wrote for the June 4, 1990 issue of the Inquirer.

Here’s what I wrote in my column then:

“The YMCA in Makati has been closed to the public since May 22.

“If you want to know the reason, ask His Highness, Mayor Jejomar Binay.

“Binay and his children wanted to take a dip in the YMCA pool last May 20, Sunday, according to my sources.

“The mayor sent an advance party of security men to ‘sanitize’ the swimming pool area.

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[islander]

“But the receptionist at the time who’s new at her job and so didn’t know any better disallowed Binay’s security men from entering the pool area.

“She said she would have to look for a certain Mrs. Judilla who would give permission to the men to enter the area which is exclusive to YMCA members and guests accompanied by members.

“Mrs. Judilla took a long time in showing up so Binay’s men left in a huff.

“And then a few minutes later, Makati’s ‘Royal Family’ led by Jejomar The First came. Binay was fuming and threatened to close down the YMCA.

“He made good his word. The closure came two days later on May 22.

“For a guy who, friends say, washed orinolas for prostitutes in Culi-Culi when he was young, Jejomar Binay has come a long way—in success as well as in (acquiring a sense of) entitlement..”

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[islander]

Folks, in 1990 when that column item about Binay was written, he was not yet an elected mayor of Makati.

He was named officer in charge of the city by the new Cory Aquino government, his reward for consistently joining protest rallies against the Marcos martial law regime.

If power had already gone to his head when he was just an appointed mayor, how much more if he becomes our President.

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[islander]

Being abusive seems to run in the Binay family.

People still remember what happened to the security guards at the gate of Dasmariñas Village in Makati in 2013 for not allowing then Mayor Junjun Binay to pass the gate as it was only already late. Junjun orered the arrest of the guards who were deheld by police for several hours.

The vice president  defended his son’s and Sen. Nancy Binay’s acts—yes,  Nancy was with Mayor Junjun—saying Junjun should have been given due courtesy because of his position as mayor.

Rep. Abby Binay, who’s running for Makati mayor in the upcoming election, was also reported to have warned her family’s critics that they would get back at them if her father becomes President.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

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[islander]

GET REAL

Binay according to Mercado


By: Solita Collas-Monsod
@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer
March 12th, 2016

Jojo Binay had every chance, since the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee hearings started in mid-2014, to face his accusers and give the public a chance to determine for itself whether he was a corrupt city executive or not. He turned down those chances in favor of press conferences where he entertained no questions. That was his way of exhibiting his vice-presidential airs: How dare the rabble, or anyone else, question the Vice President?

Charges of corruption have hounded him since 1988—28 years ago—when Makati Councilor Roberto Brillante, reportedly an erstwhile friend and supporter, filed graft charges against him based on a 1988 Commission on Audit report regarding “ghost” employees and unexplained cash donations (then Vice Mayor Conchitina Bernardo resigned because she couldn’t stomach what was going on). The Ombudsman then was not as fast as Conchita Carpio Morales is now. It wasn’t until 1994 that Binay and six aides were charged with graft at the Sandiganbayan. True to its reputation for slowness, plus the fact that Binay kept going to the Supreme Court on every legal toehold he could use, the Sandiganbayan, I think (it’s hard for a nonlawyer to go through the legal maze), finally resolved the case after 12 years. And guess what? There was a dismissal. Why am I not surprised?

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[islander]

But what should give us pause, particularly those who think he should be president, is his management style: “But soon enough, former supporters of Binay began parting ways with him, insisting that the mayor didn’t welcome criticism, controlled the council, and entered into corrupt deals. One of them lamented the absence of debates in the council, saying, ‘Walang debate, kindatan lang’ (We don’t debate, we just wink at each other).”

If we were applying the MGG (Movement for Good Governance) Scorecard on that kind of leadership, he would get a very low score. And that was circa 1995.

Comes now another COA report, 2016 this time.  Which states that Binay pere and fils unlawfully approved at least P14 billion worth of supplemental budgets that were for multimillion-peso infrastructure projects that were not contained in the city’s annual procurement plan. I guess this is an example of kindatan at its most lucrative, and he has had all those years to perfect it.

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[islander]

Isn’t it ironic that a lifetime ban on government service has been imposed on Binay fils by Ombudsman Carpio Morales, while Binay pere who has been there much longer is allowed to run for president? The Ombudsman says that he cannot be charged even if she wanted to, by virtue of his position as Vice President and the fact that it is so close to Election Day.

What if, heaven forbid, he is elected president? Who will have the courage to press charges against him? And if anyone who should be so brave arises, there is also the fact that as president, he will be appointing 10 associate justices of the Supreme Court up to 2022. Kindatan will raise its ugly head again.  And corruption will enter a new phase never before felt in the Philippines. Binay’s mastery of turning “prosecution” into “persecution” will once again have triumphed.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

[islander]

Aside from the supposed corruption amounting to plunder magnified ten- or twenty-fold, Binay has been caught red-handed with lying. He has a political ad where his mother is said to have died because she had no money for medicines. Then in the first presidential debate held in Cagayan de Oro and in other occasions, he claimed that the land he owns was inherited—from both parents. How can he claim to have been so poor that his mother died for lack of medicine, and at the same time claim to have inherited valuable land from both his father and mother? Which is the truth?

Former vice mayor Ernesto Mercado supplied me with the following information (remember that he and Binay parted ways after 20 years of being closer than kin):

Binay did inherit a 2-hectare farm lot in Cabagan, Isabela, from his mother (present value: about P500,000 to P700,000 per hectare), and a 7-hectare lot in San Pascual, Batangas, from his father (present value: P3 million per hectare). So that puts paid to his poverty story.

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[islander]

And while we’re at it, Mercado emphatically states: All other property Binay has, he acquired when he was mayor of Makati. Which, if true, confirms the corruption, because no way could he buy that property on a mayor’s salary, with a large family to support.

How did the corruption start? Mercado: When he took over as Makati mayor, there were contractors with receivables from his predecessor, Nemesio Yabut. They knew they had no chance of getting those receivables. So when they were offered payment so long as  50 percent was given to “SOP,” they grabbed the offer. Better 50 percent than nothing. It is interesting that apparently, Binay didn’t really go “big time” until he linked up with Gerry Limlingan. His SOP, which started at 15 percent, climbed to 28 percent (of which 13 percent was his).

How much did Binay make from corruption? Mercado: Not less than P15 billion.

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[islander]

Well, what was Binay’s legacy to Makati? Mercado: the free movies for senior citizens, the P2,000 doles to them, their birthday cakes, and the free bags and school supplies. Former mayors Yabut and Maximo Estrella were responsible for the Makati Polytechnic (the forerunner of the University of Makati), the free medicines and hospitalization (there was a contract with Makati Medical Center). He did build the University of Makati building and the Makati Hospital (at great personal benefit, according to the COA). Even the cakes he made money on.

The question to us: Can the country afford a Binay presidency?

http://opinion.inquirer.net/

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[islander]

RETURN THE ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH FIRST, BONGBONG (#SAANGALINGANGPERAMO)

Posted by Joe America on October 10, 2015


Young Bongbong . . . out of touch?

by Andrew Lim

With Bongbong Marcos running for Vice-President in 2016 sans standard bearer and party nomination, one easily sees it as a tactical move, one that sets a higher future objective: becoming President of the Republic. It is a test, now or never, and would be the Marcos family’s last chance since Bongbong’s siblings are not interested and their matriarch is near the end of her life. A last chance to artificially cleanse their legacy and revise history.

A common rationale – “he is not his father”, used in the past by the extreme Left when the Nacionalista Party adopted Satur Ocampo, and used lately by the plummeting Binay does not hold water because of the massive ill-gotten wealth. In both instances laughable since all their principles went out the window. Where exactly did the Marcos wealth come from?

An even weaker argument – one that this writer believes is a product of the “easy forgiveness” culture encouraged by the dominant religion here- is that we should forgive and forget, and move on. As if the pursuit of justice is not as central and important to one’s faith as forgiveness.

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[islander]

Marcos Squid Tactics

Bongbong is not the least apologetic. He re-frames constantly, avoiding direct responsibility for anything, and tries to dangle alternatives to make people forget their track record.

“We are here to serve. That has always been the culture in my family.”

“Many cases have been brought to court here and in the US. But if you talk to people, they are not concerned about that. Filipinos are concerned about their lives today. They want answers: ‘Why are there drugs in our streets? Why is the crime rate going up at an alarming rate? Why is the educational sector miserable? Why is distribution of wealth not happening? Why is the government not doing anything?’ . . . This is what people are worried about, and that’s what I will address.”

“What happened in 1986 happened already. These things have already been decided. To analyze it belongs to those historical scholars. But I am not a historical analyst. I am a public servant. All I look at is what people want from their public servants. It’s very simple: leadership, a plan, a program, policies to improve their lives.” [Marcos: Filipinos want solutions, not history talk]

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The senator shows no remorse about his family’s role in Philippine history.

“I felt it to be an advantage, a blessing and I’m very thankful that I am a Marcos. . . . I am very happy that I was born into the Marcos family. I never felt it to be a burden.” [Bongbong: ‘I’m thankful I’m a Marcos’]

This comment has earned some sharp rebukes, and I hope the President and others in civil society will take up the cudgels and rebut the Senator.
Here’s the best tongue-in-cheek response to Bongbong, written by Boying Pimentel for the Inquirer; Boying was a veteran of the student protest movements in the eighties.

“It’s tough to know what’s going on when there’s so much partying going on. And as we now know from the home movies retrieved from Malacanang after the Marcoses were chased out of the country, the dictator and his family loved to party!

So how in the world would Bongbong know about the repression and the plunder that was taking place around the country. How was he supposed to understand this dark era of pain and brutality when all he saw were bright party lights and happy times.” [Bongbong Marcos is right: Why should he say ‘Sorry?’]

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

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And for levity, Boying has this to say in a separate article:

“Yes, I think Marcos Jr. running for president would be a great idea for the following reasons:

(1) He wouldn’t win. . . .
(2) Bongbong would speak (and say crazy things). . . .
(3) Imelda would be in the spotlight again, speak (and say crazy things). . . .
(4) It would force the Marcoses to tap and move their hidden billions. . . .
(5) It would remind young Filipinos what Marcos Sr. did to the country. . . . “[Why Bongbong Marcos should run for president in 2016]

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0

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A Brief Primer on these Neo-Marcos Loyalists

Most of the original Marcos loyalists – the politicos comprising the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the corrupt military men, and the civilians are either very old or have died by now. Kit Tatad, the youngest then in Marcos’ Martial Law cabinet is already in his late seventies. So who are these new supporters of the Marcoses?

Intrigued by this development, I investigated this phenomenon some years ago by engaging a number of these neo-Marcos loyalists in online and face to face conversations. And this is the disturbing and sad insight I got: Many of these kids come from very dysfunctional and broken families. The absence of responsible adults in their lives make them vulnerable to targeting by the Marcos camp. Some have one or both parents who work abroad, and multiple problems emerge from this set-up: many of the marriages break down, one parent carries an affair and the long periods of separation lead inevitably to alienation amongst the family members. Gradually, all crumble. The kids are adrift. They have to fend for themselves – either economically, socially, mentally and for the unfortunate ones, in all of them.

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Lucky are those who have aunts and uncles or grandparents who can take over parental responsibilities, but they generally cannot give the constant attention and teaching, specially on political awareness.

It is a very gloomy world these kids live in, full of frustration and despair. They see the country as hopeless, and their futures bleak.

Enter the Marcos camp. Making full use of internet-era tools like Youtube, Facebook and blogsites, they create alternate universes of reality – that the Marcos era was a morally upright one, and cite its dubious achievements while glossing about the corruption and the abuse.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=80729.0