Political Musical Chairs Of The Different Parties

Ok who's really leaving and who's really staying. In the recent days rumors have been abound of members defecting from one party to another.

There has also been rumors of this and this politicians who used to support one presidential candidate now supporting another.

What gives?

Rather, wow it's not that surprising. After all we do have a history of being change coats - what we call "balimbing."

So we go for who's the winner of the moment. Funny thing is we don't really see a problem with that.

And that's the biggest problem there is.

Politics More Important Than Children's Day In The Sun

Children don't really have time to be the center of attention and many don't really like to be the center of attention unlike adults and this was proven recently.

In the midst of a kindergarten graduation at a public gymnasium in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, administration standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and his popular TV star running mate Edu Manzano crashed the ceremony.

I am not really a fan of these graduation ceremonies for kindergarten and grade 6 because I firmly believe that the 2 biggest academic milestones any person should remember is surviving . . .ahem I mean finishing high school and getting your undergraduate degree.

That being said, I don't like it when adults take over a special day supposedly for the children and let politics take over.

Yes the program took longer than expected and yes it wasn't supposed to be in that venue but come on.

Heat being a factor it had to be moved unless you want collapsing children in your hands (and parents I suppose) and the only reason these things take so long is because too many adults just don't know when to shut their mouths. Is it really necessary to have that many people say speeches to these events?

But back to my point it was not a reason to disrupt the event and have a political rally in the middle of it. If Gibo and Edu were civil about it they should have just told their staff to let the ceremony finish before they took over.

There are times when politics should give way to common decency. This was one of them. But then again I doubt if Mayor Menchit Bascon thought about it.

As for the parents shame on you for allowing this to happen without protest. This was your child's moment in the limelight and you all blew it. Shame on you.

But it's not surprising. After all in this country logic and decency gets thrown out the window when politics and kissing-ass take over.

And that's what the "responsible" adults in this graduation ceremony did.

Shame on you all.

Let Children Be Children

So Baby James Yap, son of celebrity TV host Kris Aquino and basketball star James Yap apparently made a ringing endorsement of one presidential candidate.

His uncle Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III right?

Wrong. Apparently in one of the campaign sorties that was held for Senator Aquino in Bacolod City, Baby James Yap endorsed his uncle's closest rival Senator Manny Villar.

Of course Manny Villar was happy. Who wouldn't be. In a press conference later Villar was quoted as saying "I am happy, and it’s a huge honor for me to be liked by children because it’s the children who are the most honest [persons]."

Yes indeed they are honest. But at the same time they are children and at 3-years of age they are also innocent.

Politics are one thing but anything that can affect a child is another. Let's not put too much emphasis on this event.

Yes Baby James said Villar but I doubt if it had to do with her mom's question of who to support but rather a regurgitation of Villar's advertisements.

It just goes to show you just how effective, and scary mass media can be. Villar's jingles have become hugely popular among children, and you can hear them sing it and because of LSS you start singing it too.

And the fact that they see children in those advertisements doesn't help either.

Let's put this to rest. Yes it was amusing and somewhat funny and I will admit I laughed when I heard and saw the news the first time.

But let's put it to rest and leave children out of politics. It's hard enough that politics screws up our adult world - don't let it screw up children's innocence as well.

Finally Full Blown Electioneering Now Ongoing - It's Time For The Big Push

So it's official. All candidates national and local are now officially able to annoy the heck out of everyone.

Before we were just fed the national candidates' crap. Now it's time for the local candidates to get into the act with their own campaigns.

And it will be one interesting ride.

Of course the biggest issue is still that of the party-list system. What with Mikey Arroyo being the major player in that controversy.

In fact he has been challenged to be a "sikyu" or security guard for one 24-hour tour of duty. This was made by his detractors who of course question, and rightly so, his experience concerning security guards, other than being guarded by them.

Yes, Mr. Arroyo, much as it is a novel defense, being guarded by security guards unfortunately does not constitute experience in that sector.

Of course he did not say that - to do so would be downright stupid on his part - but I'm just pre-empting him just in case he thinks of it.

I wonder which group of security guards agreed to have Mikey Arroyo as their representatives? I wonder how much they got paid for it. Shhhhhh . . . I'm sorry I guess we're not allowed to say bribery in these matters.

If there's anything as absurd as Mikey Arroyo as a representative for security guards, it's cosmetic surgeon Manny Calayan as a representative for media and showbiz workers.

As one fellow blogger (and I appologize I don't know the name since I picked it out in the news) said: “[Calayan] must be imagining: if we can use pork to beautify our streets, why not use it to beautify the face of millions of starving Filipinos? We might be poor but we won’t look poor.”

To put it mildly: only in the Philippines.

MMDA Changes Colors With The Seasons?

Perhaps the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or MMDA is into the 4 seasons.

Green for spring? Perhaps.

Supporting presidential candidate Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro? More than likely.

But of course not! Why would you even think that? If you believe new MMDA chair Oscar Inocentes.

According to him, green is the color of progress, of environmental growth. In connection with that tarpaulins printed with slogans like “Green is Cool,” “Green Is Go,” Green Is Hope,” and “Green is Clean” would be mounted along major thoroughfares, especially along EDSA, to formally launch the MMDA's “Go Green Metro” program.

Erm . . . weren't tarpaulins banned because they were dangerous to motorists? Or did I get that wrong? Did I Mr. Inocentes? Ooops . . . that was Fernando who thought that.

Inocentes added that “We would like the world to know that through the MMDA, Metro Manila is doing its share to conserve and protect our Earth, our environment.”

Good thought sir. If only that would work. At least your planting trees again - 4,000 of them. Ironically they will be planted to replace the trees ordered removed by former chair and current vice-presidential candidate Bayani "BF" Fernando, who saw trees as a hazard.

I for one did not agree with that and am glad that the trees will be brought back. Metro Manila needs all the green lungs it can have else it falls further in the toxic pit of environmental disasters.

It's just the timing couldn't be better, or worst depending on how you look at it. After all Inocentes did serve as presidential assistant for political and judicial affairs with the rank of undersecretary under the Office of the President in the Arroyo regime.

And Gibo is the administration bet. And Fernando is with the opposition now. Hmmm . . . how very very interesting.

According to Inocentes “Green is easier on the eyes, while pink is a color associated with gays.”

So it's not political. It's just homophobia.

Why Do They Keep Talking About Failed Elections?

And we haven't even had elections yet. Do they know something we don't - especially the current administration.

Of course they do. They're the ones in power after all. So there is a provision in the constitution that allows for the military to take over should there be a power vacuum and no new president is elected.

Hmmmm between a military junta and a president that everyone hates it's too close to call really. So that's why soon to be former President Arroyo (and I say that with a grain of salt) is running around the country garnering support. Oddly enough it doesn't seem to be for her party's presidential candidate former secretary of defense Gilbert Teodoro, unless of course I miss it which is possible.

"The tours she has been making around the country are her last-minute rounds to check that all her finished projects are being maintained and will be maintained, [and that] all ongoing projects are being continued and the unfinished ones to be assumed and continued by whoever will win in the coming polls,” says Charito Planas, Arroyo's deputy spokesperson.

Good reason. Make it look like she cares for the country's well being.

Even presidential candidate Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III questions the government rumor machine asking, “What is the purpose of raising this scenario? Are they conditioning our minds that this will be the inevitable outcome of a failure of elections?”

Exactly sir. That's exactly what they are doing. Even if another deputy spokesperson, Gary Olivar, blames the opposition of creating it's “own specter” to scare the “people about the so-called election failure in spite of the fact that this has never happened," the fact of the matter is regardless of the finger pointing they all seem to look forward to a failed election.

On an entirely different note I would just like to say that the president (again I say that with a grain of salt) sure has a lot of deputy spokespersons. Which makes me want to ask: what happened to her main spokesperson? Or does that person not want to talk? So much for being a spokesperson, but I digress.

Back to the matter at hand. Well they are calling for a smooth transition and calling on the Church and business community to use their “prestige and moral influence” in averting a possible power vacuum after the elections.

Wow, anytime you combine religion and politics it does not bode well for the people. I always thought that we have what is called the separation of church and state but the fact that the church has more say than the people makes me wonder why don't we just say we have a church state.

And nothing good comes out of it. Them religious people with their holier than thou position as if they're better than us. And it's not like they can suggest anything that can do the country good. They declare things should not be done but they don't offer any effective alternative.

But to get back to the matter at hand. Malacanang assures us that the president will definitely step down on June 30. This from the same president who promised back in 2002 that she would not run for president in 2004.

We all know what happened. Citing a higher cause she ran, supposedly to nourish our future . . . down the drain. 6 years of hell for that.

So her saying that she will step down at the end of her term - well let's just say I'm not holding my breath.

Well until Villar is sworn in that is.

From No Balls Supreme Court To A Revolt - Elections Are Warming Up

Who ever said the our Supreme Court had any balls!? Yes they are the bulwark of our so called democracy but the problem with that is they can change their ruling from one week to the next.

I remember they said before that government officials who wanted to run for an office were ok - that they did not have to resign from their current office. Then lo and behold a week later they said that the officials who were running for office were automatically resigned.

So which is it really? I'm confused. And here I thought the job of the Supreme Court was to make everything clear. Reminded me of the reports that came out about eggs.

First they were good, then they were bad, then the whites were good but the yolk was bad - my breakfast was confused that whole time. And of course the report was based upon who was paying for the research.

So is that the case here? Nah it can't be. Why pay when you can simply pad the court. At least the president did not copy U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt's Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937.

You know, the one with the controversial provision that would have granted the President Roosevelt the power to appoint an additional Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court for every sitting member over the age of 70½, up to a maximum of six. That would have resulted in a supreme court with members loyal to Roosevelt.

So we should be happy that she's only doing midnight appointments. And of course the SC has given itself the clearance to accept those appointments. So what if Section 15, Article VII prohibits the President from making appointments two months before the May 10 elections and until the end of her term on June 30.

Yes Section 4 and 9 of Article VIII, does require the President to fill up the vacancies in the judiciary within 90 days. But the thing is Chief Justice Reynato Puno will retire May 17 which is a week after the May 10 elections.

The president's term will end June 30. She doesn't have to appoint anyone because technically 90 days after May 17 is August 17. Let the next president do the appointment. Only to remove the picture of impropriety in the selection process.

It won't help if it seems she's doing it so she can have a back-up for her run as congresswoman. Wow a soon to be former president running for a lower position. I guess she's really going for that Prime Minister position.

Oooooh was I hinting on a charter change? That's bullshit. Instead of having only 6 years of disaster it's going to b extended indefinitely? Hell no.

And they say vote for the best candidate so that things like this will never happen again. But there is not best candidate. There's only the lesser between similar evil candidates.

Promises of stopping corruption? Hah! I'm sure the candidate will not be corrupt but it will not stop his supporters and power broker backers from being corrupt.

And if you go against them suddenly there's a revolt and you get replaced. A coup threat is in the air courtesy of former Brig. General Danilo Lim who, while in detention, is running for senator.

See this is what I don't get. Why is the Comelec allowing people who have a record of trying to topple the Philippine government the ability to represent the people that they disregarded when they rebelled.

I'm all for giving people second chances but if you fought against the government which is the people of this country, then you have no right to represent the very same people you were trying to destroy.

But then again that's just me. We'll see as the election heats up some more. Who knows, I may have more to say about it.