The Davao Landslide Was "A Tragedy Waiting to Happen"

Filipinos are routinely lauded by government officials for being resilient in the face of disaster. But the fact is many of those disasters, be they fires, typhoons, floods, or landslides, are either directly caused or exacerbated by the same corrupt government officials applauding Filipinos for being resilient.  

Case in point is the recent landslide in Davao which, so far, has killed 92 people. This disaster would NEVER have happened if corrupt government officials had not ignored warnings to not build in the area.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/a-tragedy-waiting-to-happen

However, these stories of the survivors would have not been here should the concerned government agencies, officials, and even the residents have followed the advisory of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in the Davao Region (MGB-Davao).

During the Budyong Online held on February 10, MGB-Davao revealed that Barangay Masara has been assessed to be a "No Build Zone" since 2008. 

The bureau's Geosciences Division Chief, Beverly Mae M. Brebante revealed that as early as 2008, Barangay Masara was already identified as a critical area.

"In 2008, we all know that there was this kind of deluge of earth, and it covered part of the barangay Masara, the original Barangay Masara before, that is why it was already recommended to be a "No Build Zone," Brebante said.

Brebante said that Barangay Masara's land is mostly made of up volcaniclastics, or in the word of the official, "this was previously rocks that after volcanic eruptions it became easily withered and eroded."

Volcaniclastics, according to Collins Dictionary, is composed mainly of "fragments of volcanic origin, as agglomerate, tuff, and certain other rocks."

Despite a "No Build Zone", Masara is not only home to many residents, but also to barangay halls, schools, and even small- and large-scale mining companies.

In fact, the operation of one of the largest mining companies in the country is located in Masara.

"As early as January, we have already experiencing the impacts of our shear line, that was on January 15 to 19, around that week, then it was followed by the trough of LPA on the later part of January, during this time the whole region experienced continuous rainfall and naturally our land here in the region, especially in Davao de Oro, particularly in Masara...too wet and saturated ... and of course if that is already the condition of our soil then it would easily give in," the bureau's official said.

The bureau's Geosciences Division Chief also revealed that after the 2008 landslide, they always go back to the area and give updates about the situation to the concerned government offices.

"We always find the area to be progressing, meaning there is active falling of soil in the area where the landslide exactly occurred," Brebante said.

She also said the bureau had provided listings of barangays down to the puroks which are identified as as areas highly to very highly vulnerable to landslide and even to flooding.

"And in fact, Masara was already part of that list even prior to the landslide, mga January namin na advisory... We haven't prepared much so that's why this is the impact of what happened," she said.

Since 2008, for 26 years, government officials have been aware that this area is a "No Build Zone." But instead of NOT BUILDING they allowed residents and businesses and even schools to move into this very dangerous are.  

The current Governor has passed the blamed to past administrations excusing their negligence by saying they had nowhere to relocate the people so "they had to give the semblance of normalcy to the lives of our community." Normalcy apparently meaning continuing to live and build in a dangerous area designated as a "No Build Zone."

Meanwhile, Gov. Gonzaga said she cannot answer as to what had happened before her administration, since she was only seated as governor in 2022.

"First and foremost, these structures and the fact that there are still residents, I could not comment because I was just governor in 2022, so all these structures and the people were already there," the governor said.

"I could only say for the past administrations that since they haven't been able to relocate the people, of course they had to give the semblance of normalcy to the lives of our community, so they did. There is also a school there, there is also a barangay hall, because the communities haven't been moved yet, why don't they have schools," she said.

She also emphasized that the MGB has not yet given a "definite recommendation" on where the residents in critical areas in Maco be relocated.

Brebante revealed that a team from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau has already conducted an assessment for possible relocation sites.

"Kasi nga gusto natin na it's already declared as a "No Build Zone" (Because we want the area to be really a "No Build Zone)," she said.

But as to the areas ideal for relocation sites for vulnerable places in Maco, the bureau has yet to provide the results of its assessment.

Meanwhile, Gov. Gonzaga reiterated that ever since she started to sit as the governor, it has been her priority to find an ideal place for relocation sites that is recommended by the MGB itself.

The "No Build Zone" classified by the MGB does not only cover the residents but all the businesses inside the critical areas as well.

"It is regardless of establishments, may it be residential, industrial, or commercial, when we say zone, ito po yung area," Brebante said.

But in the meantime, will people, businesses, and activities inside Masara continue?

After 26 years are we really to believe that local officials could not find a suitable relocation area for these residents? At the very minimum they could have prevented the building of any new residences and businesses but that did not happen. 

Instead 92 people, as of this writing, are dead and 63 people are missing all because of corrupt and inept government officials. But who cares because of all the miraculous survivals and rescues? After all the downtrodden Filipinos who get stomped on by the people elected to serve them are resilient in the face of disaster. 

The REAL Problem With the 1987 Philippine Constitution Nobody Wants to Discuss

Once again talk of Cha-cha, or Charter Change, is in the air. Why is this a perennial topic amongst Philippine politicians? Surely the 1987 Constitution is wonderful and any change would be a betrayal of EDSA People Power, right? Wrong. Senate President Zubiri gives us some hints as to the problem plaguing the 1987 Constitution. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1889682/senate-launches-own-bid-to-amend-constitution

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday led the filing of a resolution rewriting specific economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, amid the controversy over the decades-old charter change agenda being revived once again under President Marcos’ administration.

“This is to avert a constitutional crisis between the House of Representatives and the Senate,” Zubiri told reporters after filing Resolution of Both Houses No. 6.

Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed his “unwavering support” for the Senate’s initiative. (See related story on this page.)According to Zubiri, the resolution resulted from his consultations with the House leader and a separate meeting with Mr. Marcos himself.

The Senate resolution is limited to “three topics on economic provisions. We are doing this to preserve the bicameralism of [Congress],” he said.

“[This is] to make it clear that there are no other planned provisions or amendments,” emphasized the Senate leader.

Under the resolution, the proposed constitutional changes should only cover Section 11 of Article XII (National Economy and Patrimony), which requires 60-percent Filipino ownership of public utilities; Section 4 (2) of Article XIV (Education), which requires 60-percent Filipino ownership of educational institutions; and Section 11 (2) of Article XVI (General Provisions), which requires 70-percent Filipino ownership of any enterprise in the advertising industry.

“The nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age while still protecting the general policy of Filipino-first that guides the economic provisions of the Constitution,” read a portion of the resolution.

Can you see what is wrong here? The problem is that there are economic provisions in the Constitution. There should not be ANY economic provisions in the Constitution. Zubiri's statement illustrates why this is the case.

"The nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age"

Economic policy can be and at times must be changed. But a constituion is not about economic policy. It is about how an organization, in this case the government, is to function. 

A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution

The functions of the government should NOT change except under extreme necessity. The Constitution should only delineate the powers and functions of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. This is exactly what the 1987 Philippine Constitution DOES NOT DO. Only the Supreme Court, Commission on Elections, Ombudsman, and Commission on Human Rights have specific powers and functions listed. 

Article 6 describes the Legislative Department in minute detail over 32 sections.

Section 1 says the legislative power shall be vested in a Congress composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. 

Sections 2-15 describes the qualifications of  members of the Congress, tells the time of their election, and grants limited immunity from prosecution during their terms

Sections 16-22 tells how the Senate and House are to govern themselves and describes the manner in which cabinet heads are to appear before the Congress.

Section 23 says the Congress has the sole power to declare a state of war and authorize the President to enact needed restrictions during war time. 

Sections 24-27 describes how bills are to be written and voted upon. 

Section 28 says the Congress must "evolve a progressive system of taxation."

Section 29 says describes how money from the public treasury is to be employed.

Section 30 says the Congress cannot pass a law increasing the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. 

 Section 31 forbids the granting to titles of nobility. 

Section 32 says the Congress must develop a system "whereby the people can directly propose and enact laws or approve or reject any act or law or part thereof passed by the Congress or local legislative body."

At NO POINT are the powers of the Legislature described. Compare the 1987 Philippine Constitution to  Article 1 Section 8 of the United States Constitution.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

See the difference? Take these two provisions for instance:

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

While the 1987 Philippine Constitution mentions the military nothing whatever is said about the Congress' power to maintain them. In fact their maintenance is not mentioned at all but is apparently assumed with the Armed Forces, in Article 2, being called the protecter of the people.

Section 3. Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military. The Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and the State. Its goal is to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory. 

As far as economic policy goes the United States Constitution only says the Congress shall have the power:

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Yet in the 1987 Philippine Constitution we are met with Article 12 which spells out in great detail the nation's economic policy. While the U.S. Constitution tasks the Legislature with the power

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

The Philippine Constitution devolves that power to an independent Central bank. From Article 12:

Section 20. The Congress shall establish an independent central monetary authority, the members of whose governing board must be natural-born Filipino citizens, of known probity, integrity, and patriotism, the majority of whom shall come from the private sector. They shall also be subject to such other qualifications and disabilities as may be prescribed by law. The authority shall provide policy direction in the areas of money, banking, and credit. It shall have supervision over the operations of banks and exercise such regulatory powers as may be provided by law over the operations of finance companies and other institutions performing similar functions. 

Until the Congress otherwise provides, the Central Bank of the Philippines operating under existing laws, shall function as the central monetary authority. 

Section 21. Foreign loans may only be incurred in accordance with law and the regulation of the monetary authority. Information on foreign loans obtained or guaranteed by the Government shall be made available to the public.

What a vast difference between the teacher and the student, that is the USA and the Philippines. The Founding Fathers of the USA generally abhorred the idea of a central bank and would be appalled at not only the 1987 Philippine Constitution but also the Federal Reserve of the USA.

There are also many nebulous and undefined phrases and words in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. This includes: patriotism, progressive system of taxation, sovereignty resides in the people, and prescribed by law. 

The phrase "prescribed by law" appears eleven times in the 1987 Philippine Constitution which is rather odd because this document is setting out detailed policy which itself should be "prescribed by law." That is exactly how the Philippines has wound up in this predicament of having an unchangeable economic policy that is at odds with the current global situation.

The Legislature should only be given the broad power to regulate commerce and then it is up to the Congress to fine tune those regulations. 

To sum up here the REAL problem with the 1987 Philippine Constitution which nobody wants to discuss is that it is not specific enough in detailing the powers of Congress and it has policies both economic and social which simply do not belong. Take this policy from Article 13 on Social Justice and Human Rights:

Section 9. The State shall, by law, and for the common good, undertake, in cooperation with the private sector, a continuing program of urban land reform and housing which will make available at affordable cost, decent housing and basic services to under-privileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlement areas. It shall also promote adequate employment opportunities to such citizens. In the implementation of such program the State shall respect the rights of small property owners.

According to the 1987 Philippine Constitution the State is required by law to make sure everyone can afford a house. But what law? The Constitution is not that law. The law to fulfill this mandate is something that must be passed by Congress and approved by the President. The Constitution is assuming a law that does not even exist. 

The 1987 Philippine Constitution is flawed because it says too much one way and not enough the other way. I compared the Philippine Constitution with the U.S. Constitution because it is the U.S. that taught the Philippines the basics of how to operate a Constitutional Republic. In the USA less government with greater freedoms for the people is the operating philosophy while the opposite is true for the Philippines which has more government with lip service to the rights of the people. Amending the Constitution, flawed though it is, should not be done lightly. But, once again, the Philippine people, at least the short-sighted men who wrote this document, have only themselves to blame for this mess.  

Cebu City to Round up Stray Dogs for Sinulog

Stray dogs are a huge problem in the Philippines. It seems the problem is so out of hand that nothing can be done. However, that is not the case as shown by the City of Cebu.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/550542/stray-dogs-to-be-impounded-for-safety-during-fiesta-senor-sinulog-festival

Stray dogs in Cebu City are being impounded by the Cebu City Veterinary Department for safety of both dogs and attendees during the Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival 2024.

Doctor Jessica Maribojoc, the head of the Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, mentioned that dogs without owners and deemed as nuisances in the community will be removed, as the safety of both dogs and the community is crucial during the celebration of the Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival.

"On our part with the government, those that we took, based on the report or based on the request, are the ones to take and then I mentioned that it is possible that he (dog) is a stray. Whether it is in our ordinance that 12 meters away from the owners or there are no owners, we can get it," Maribojoc said in an interview on Frinday, January 12.

Cebu City is rounding up dogs for Sinulog in the name of safety. They say "the safety of both dogs and the community is crucial" during the upcoming celebration. But what about the rest of the year? Is not the safety of dogs and the community crucial al year round? Why does the city allow these dogs to roam?

Even though the city is rounding up dogs for some of them it will be far from safe. 

Dogs that are impounded and not claimed within two weeks may be considered for euthanasia if they become sick.

For context, euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of a patient to alleviate their suffering.

However, dogs that remain unclaimed in the pound for more than two weeks but remain healthy have a “possibility” of becoming candidates for adoption.

Two weeks and then death for some of these dogs. Sad but at least it shows the problem of stray dogs can be dealt with. In fact it is the city's duty to take care of this problem.

Maribojoc said this is a request from several barangays and also their duty as an indirect part of the Sinulog cluster.

Less stray dogs means less garbage all over the place, less rabies cases, less bites, and a safer community. Why wait until a festival and allow the problem to compound exponentially?

This story proves the Philippine government has the power to make the nation safe. What it lacks is the will to do so. 

Private Donation of 4 Million Plastic Cards Shows The Land Transportation Office Is An Inutile Agency

The Land Transportation Office of the Philippines has long been known to be a wholly ineffective and inutile agency. From backlogs in issuing license plates to backlogs in issuing drivers licenses drivers have had their fill of failed promises from the LTO.  When will driver's licenses be issued? Soon, says the LTO. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/09/15/2296347/lto-may-resume-drivers-license-issuance-soon

With at least one million plastic cards set to be delivered to the Land Transportation Office by the end of September, the LTO said yesterday it may resume the issuance of driver’s licenses soon.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said the 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) issued in August by a Quezon City court, which stopped the awarding of the contract for the production of driver’s license cards had lapsed.

Mendoza said the agency is slowly building up supply of the driver’s license cards to address the estimated 2.4-million backlog.

“Tuloy-tuloy na ang delivery. We hope to complete one million license cards by the end of the month. Siguro kapag nakaisang milyon na, we will start working on the backlog,” he said in a radio interview.

According to Mendoza, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court is still hearing the petition filed by a losing bidder, which questioned the P240-million deal for the supply of five million plastic cards.

One million cards at the end of September would still have left a massive backlog. With the LTO's procurement deal being scrutinized by the court millions of more cards would remain undelivered meaning no solution to the backlog. 

Until now. 

Enter the Philippine Society of Medicine for Drivers. They have recently donated 4 million plastic cards to the LTO to finally clear out the backlog. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1876825/donor-to-give-lto-4-million-plastic-cards-for-drivers-license-in-january

300,000 blank plastic cards on which driver’s licenses will be printed are set to be delivered by a donor organization to Land Transportation Office (LTO) on the first week of January 2024.

The agency said after this turnover, subsequent deliveries of 300,000 more pieces will be done every 15 days.

These movements will go on until a total of four million cards are brought to LTO.

The plastic cards are worth a total of P160 million.

LTO said the items are an “unconditional donation” for drivers from Philippine Society of Medicine for Drivers (PSMED).

PSMED is an association of medical clinics accredited by the agency.

“This donation is timely as it came at a time when we in the LTO are facing a serious challenge of addressing the backlog and daily usage of plastic-printed driver’s license amid the uncertainty on the outcome of the legal battle on the plastic cards that the LTO procured early this year,” LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza II said.

There are many questions here such as: from where did they procure these cards at a much lower price than the LTO? 

It is a question of price and due process that is holding up the procurement of cards in the courts. The lowest bidder says he was wrongly denied the deal which was given to a higher bidder. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1818138/qc-court-issues-tro-to-stop-lto-in-delivery-processing-drivers-license-cards

A temporary restraining order (TRO) has set back the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) delivery and processing of plastic license cards meant to address the current backlog of 1.7 million cards.

In an order dated August 15, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court branch 215 issued a TRO against the LTO, effectively suspending its delivery of plastic license cards for 20 days.

The court’s order reflected a petition filed by AllCard Inc., a losing bidder for the supply of plastic cards, after it accused the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Centralized Bids and Awards Committee of committing grave abuse of discretion.

AllCard argued that it was disqualified even when it presented the lowest bid of P176,853,600, which was significantly lower than the P240.12 million budget approved for the plastic licenses.

The card supplier also pointed out that the LTO wrongfully accused it of having had delays in its ongoing projects with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Social Security System and the Land Bank of the Philippines without even giving the company a chance to verify it.

Furthermore, the firm also alleged that the LTO immediately awarded the deal to Banner Plasticard Inc., without even waiting for the reglementary period to file a protest to finish.

This, AllCard said, caused it “irreparable injury in terms of massive financial injury due to opportunity loss and injury to [its] reputation.”

The court then granted AllCard its petition, affirming how it was deprived of its right to due process.

“This case unfortunately reeks with unfairness or injustice to the petitioner who was clearly deprived of its right to due process, and deserving judicial intervention,” the order read.

Let's do the math here. AllCard's deal works out to 35 pesos per card while the winner, Banner Palsticard Inc., comes to 48 pesos per card. Amazingly the Philippine Society of Medicine for Drivers was able to procure 4 million cards at 40 pesos per card. 

How was the Philippine Society of Medicine for Drivers able to get a significantly cheaper deal than the LTO?  None of the articles discussing this story say. Why is Banner Palsticard Inc. printing cards for 13 pesos more than AllCard and 8 pesos more than the corporation from whom  the Philippine Society of Medicine for Drivers procured cards? Again no article offers an explanation or even mentions that price disparity.  

What we can take away from this ridiculous debacle is that the LTO is a corrupt and inept bureaucracy. They awarded the winning bid for plastic cards not to the lowest bidder as required by law, nor did they wait to hear the appeal from the losing bidder before finalizing the deal, and now a private organization has had to step in to correct everything. Maybe it's time to abolish the entire government and hand it over to the private sector.

Resettling Squatters

This is a picture of a field and is part of an area where the local government is building a relocation site for squatters.

It is also the scene of the horrific rape and murder of a six year old girl by her twenty-four year old neighbor. But more of that later. And who wants more of that later? The fact is the local government is resettling hundreds of squatters way out in the middle of sugarcane country without any plan at all except to get them out of the city. 

Let's begin with this scene.

This picture does not capture the reality it represents. This picture was taken on October 20th, 2020 and shows the accumulation of garbage since 2015 or maybe 2016 when people started moving into this area. I do not know when people first started tossing garbage here but what I do know is that no garbage trucks come this way. There is no garbage collection in this area!

The fact is there is no proper infrastructure at all in this area to support a population. There is no running water or sewage. The electric grid is shoddy and jury-rigged. And there are no roads. Don't let the picture above fool you. There is a small area that is paved but the rest is a muddy and rocky mess.

That is an older picture from February but the point is the same. There is no paved road to this part of the resettlement area. 

Along with the people come their animals. Here is a pig. 

Think of everything that goes with raising a pig and you will being to understand the magnitude of filth that is now in this area. Chickens are there too and that leads to crime.

I was told that other people's chickens had been stolen too but only one man dared to put up such a sign.

The local government is clearing some area and making room for more houses. I thought that they would be building apartments of one kind or another but I was told that they are only clearing lots to sell to settlers who can build their own tin roofed bamboo huts.

It's just going to be a mess.  No running water, no trash collection, none of the amenities that should come with life as provided by the city. They are basically on their own.

This article was originally written in November, 2020. While a bridge has been built and a few roads have been paved everything remains basically the same. The fact is the local government is resettling squatters from the city into the country and have provided little to no infrastructure to support them. The area remains covered in filth, squalor, litter, and is a hotbed of crime. 

Dog Owner Neglects 101 Dogs at Private Shelter

A dog's life is tough in the Philippines. Owners will let you run about all day which sometimes results in you getting struck by a vehicle. Sometimes a crazy owner will harm one of your brethren. In this case the crazy owner corralled 101 dogs at her house as a private shelter and instead of taking care of them she  abandoned them to die. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1776545/sick-abandoned-dogs-in-cebu-city-face-death

At least 77 abandoned dogs in this city may have to be euthanized due to their deteriorating health condition.

Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, the Cebu City veterinarian, said these dogs were among the 101 canines the Cebu City government rescued from an abandoned animal shelter in the mountain village of Adlaon two weeks ago after their owner left them sometime in February this year.

Of the 101 dogs, 16 had died while eight others were healthy and were qualified for adoption.

“I hope people will understand that we have to lessen the agony of these dogs. They came from a very stressful environment and now they are in this kind of situation that is very taxing,” Maribojoc told the Inquirer on Monday.

She said the rescued dogs were very weak and sickly since they had not eaten for probably a month.

“In fact, some of them killed other dogs just to survive,” Maribojoc said.

This is a very tragic situation right here. A single owner was running a private animal shelter with 101 dogs! How was this allowed to happen? How does one acquire 101 dogs? Clearly she had no money to feed them or to keep them healthy. And then she cruelly walks away leaving them to their fate.  

Based on the information they gathered, she said the rescued dogs were fed by the shelter’s caretaker for three months using personal money even without any salary.

However, she said the caretaker eventually left the dogs. Since they were already very weak and sick, the remaining dogs have to be euthanized.

Maribojoc, however, assured the public that the sick dogs will be euthanized in a rapid, painless and stress-free death.

Instead of exposing the animals to carbon monoxide, she said they would adopt a system where the dogs will simply be put to sleep.

Maribojoc said the city government had postponed the euthanasia of these dogs several times, hoping that some people would come over to adopt some of the dogs.

“I appeal to dog lovers who have enough space at home to visit the Cebu City dog pound to possibly adopt some of these dogs,” she said.

Maribojoc reminded those who wanted to rescue animals and put them at home to coordinate with the Cebu City government. Those who have more than 10 dogs must inform the city government and have their pets listed at the Bureau of Animal Industry, she added.

Republic Act No. 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act states that if a dog is captured, the city pound has the authority to fine the owner or to euthanize the dog if they are not claimed within the holding period, which is usually within one day to a week from capture.

Surely the community knew of this private shelter with 101 dogs.  You can't hide that kind of smell or sound. 

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of humane treatment of all animals, said euthanizing unclaimed animals in a pound after the holding period remains legal in the country.

The group, on its website, however, stressed that the government must employ humane methods when catching and performing euthanasia on animals.

The most humane way to euthanize an animal, it said, is through barbiturates, a kind of depressant or sedative drug. Other methods, such as gassing or electrocution, are inhumane and illegal, PAWS said.

Gassing was formerly used to kill dogs by connecting the hose from a vehicle’s exhaust pipe and revving the engine continuously for 10 to 15 minutes, emitting poisonous fumes and sending the dogs to death.

“We have very little influence on what happens in city pounds, but PAWS will take action if there is evidence of inhumane methods or acts of animal cruelty taking place in an animal pound,” it said.

Running a hose from a car to a room filled with dogs seems rather cartoonish and ridiculous. Would they be using a government vehicle? A private vehicle? Maybe they will call a taxi? 

Of course breathing in toxic fumes and slowly drifting away is less violent than being shot in the head which is what happens sometimes in Philippine animal shelters. 

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3095186/animal-shelters-full-millions-stray-dogs-and-cats-roam-philippines-one

Vet and clinic founder Maricelle Licuanan, 41, says some strays in the Philippines were born on the streets, while others are abandoned family pets.

“Once these animals become an inconvenience to the owners, they are neglected or tossed onto the streets. Most of them are intact [unsterilised] so they mate with other strays and more unwanted animals are born. Sadly, it’s a never-ending cycle,” says Licuanan, whose clinic desexed more than 60,000 animals between March 2017 and July 18, 2020. 

Malou Perez, 30, is the founder of Pawssion Project, a Filipino dog rescue charity, and she believes letting animals die on the streets or shooting them dead in pounds is far more cruel than having them desexed in a painless operation.

“Based on the Animal Welfare Act of the Philippines, it is legal for city pounds to euthanise unclaimed dogs by gunshot,” she says. “The government authorises this because using a firearm is cheaper than using other procedures. 

“When I went to the pound in 2018 to rescue dogs that were about to be executed, I saw how horrible the situation was,” she adds. “I was standing right next to a hole where the dogs were to be buried. It was very traumatising. I remember fiddling with my phone to distract myself from the dogs whimpering out of desperation and anguish. I had to go into the cells to calm them down. It was awful.”

Indeed death by gunshot is one of the few legal and acceptable means by which an animal is allowed to be euthanized in the Philippines.

https://paws.org.ph/downloads/AO%209%20and%20%20AO%2013%20Euthanasia%20of%20Animals.pdf

While only a licensed veterinarian is allowed to euthanize an animal when it comes to the gunshot method a person skilled in firearm usage must pull the trigger. 

6.3 Physical Methods

6.3. a Firearms (gunshot)

Firearms may likewise be used in euthanasia of specific animals. Shooting however, should only be performed by highly skilled personnel trained in the use of firearms such as those who are members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies. Only licensed and authorized firearms shall be used in the euthanasia of animals.

The following must be considered when firearms are used in euthanasia:

1. 6.3.a.a  Firearms shall be with no less than 22 caliber using non expansive bullets provided that the animal is pursued until death.

2. 6.3.a.b  The person using the firearm should aim or target the brain for the quick and immediate death of the animal. This should be done under the supervision of a duly licensed veterinarian.

"Provided that the animal is pursued until death?" One clean shot should be all that is needed. But dogs shouldn't be shot or mistreated. However this is the Philippines where life of any kind is cheap.

47% of Filipinos Say it is Dangerous to Criticize the Government

One ought to not put a lot of stock in surveys. They are mostly popularity contests with a small sample size that can be twisted every which way. However one recent survey does give cause for concern.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/10/23/sws-47-pct-say-publishing-govt-criticism-dangerous

Almost half of Filipinos agreed that it was dangerous to publish anything critical of the government, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed. 

The SWS survey released Tuesday showed that 47 percent of Filipinos believed that it was dangerous to print or broadcast content critical of the administration, even if it was the truth. 

Some 27 percent of Filipinos were undecided, while 26 percent disagreed with the statement.

"The resulting net agreement score of +20, classified by SWS as moderate, is 4 points below the moderate +24 in December 2021," the SWS said. 

The highest number of respondents who said it was still dangerous to publish content critical of the administration came from Metro Manila, followed by the Visayas, Luzon, and Mindanao.

However, net agreement scores in Metro Manila and Visayas fell in the recent survey compared to the figures recorded in December 2021, during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

In Metro Manila, the number of people who said it was dangerous to publish anti-administration content fell to +28 from +41 in December 2021, while the number in Visayas also decreased to +23 from +36.

The pollster said it aimed "to assess respondents' opinions on the state of press freedom in the country." It noted the World Press Freedom Day was observed on May 3. 

SWS conducted the survey from Dec. 10 to 14, 2022, using in-person interviews for 1,200 adults nationwide: 300 each from Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The pollster also clarified that the survey was non-commissioned, and was only done on SWS' own initiative and released as a public service.

Now, this is not shocking at all. To an outsider yes it would be not only reprehensible but incomprehensible. In light of the EDSA protests in 1986 which ousted Ferdinand Marcos one has to wonder what happened. Let me offer a theory.

By 1986 Marcos had been in power for over 20 years. By that time his hand had become heavy and people were tired of it. They responded by forcing him and his family to leave the country. But over the years complacency set in. Those who replaced Marcos didn't fix the nation which culminated in the election of Duterte who ran as a strong man desirous to not just rid the Philippines of criminality but to kill all the criminals! 

Throughout his administration any and all critics were red-tagged and declared to be destabilizers of the nation. Even Vice President Leni Robredo did not escape this charge. Now the status quo has set in so much so that Bongbong Marcos, a lying convicted criminal who continues to defend his parents' crimes against the nation, was elected to high office. 

The good thing is that these respondents do not run the media. The bad thing is that many Filipinos with this same attitude have immigrated to the West which undermines the values of those nations who see it the duty of the people to criticize the government. The other bad thing is that the media in the Philippines is incredibly superficial and does not go far enough to condemn and criticize the government when it is warranted. 

Which media outlet has truly covered the Marawi siege and all the inconsistencies and so-called intelligent failures? None as far as I know. 

Which media outlet has constantly covered the regular assassination of politicians throughout the nation and demanded an end to it? None that I know of. Not unless it comes to a head like it did in February, 2023.

There are a lot of easy takeaways from this survey but I don't think they are necessarily true or helpful. Are Filipinos complacent and submissive? Yes. To a large degree yes they will endure the boot stamping the face by elected officials. Do not forget that officials are quick to file libel cases against their critics.  Who wants to deal with that? Truly criticizing the government is dangerous for anyone who would dare to do so. 

But there is something more at work here than mere bootlicking. I don't think you will ever find a Filipino who will say, "To Hell with the government."

But maybe you will!

National Government Refuses to Build A Fire Station in Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur

It is beyond dispute that the Philippine government is corrupt and ineffective but sometimes it takes a special case to demonstrate its astounding ineptitude. Case in point is the town of Lakewood in Zamboanga del Sur which has been requesting a fire truck for the past 35 years to no avail.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1765790/zamboanga-del-sur-town-mayor-repeats-35-year-request-for-fire-truck

Saying it has been a standing request in the last 35 years, Mayor Domingo Mirrar of Lakewood in this province on Saturday asked Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos that his town be allocated a firetruck.

Mirrar made the request during the launch here of the Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Bayanihan ng Mamamayan, the anti-drug campaign of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“It has long been our people’s dream that Lakewood will have its own fire station and firetruck. It has been our dream for a long time. Every time we experience a fire, we are reminded that this town, of all the towns in Zamboanga del Sur, doesn’t have this service,” Mirrar said.

Lakewood has a population of 21,559 people, according to the 2020 census. It is one of the 26 towns of Zamboanga del Sur.

“Now with this El Nino, we fear of forest fire, slash and burn farming that can affect our barangays, so I made this personal and open appeal to the Secretary, so he will know the real situation in our town,” Mirrar said.

He told the Inquirer that he first made this request in 1988, upon winning as mayor for the first time. Now, Mirrar is in his 8th term as the town’s chief executive.

“We never stopped appealing to DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Governmen] and to the province, but nothing happened,” Mirrar said, noting that if there would be a fire in the town, they have to wait for firefighters from Pagadian City, some 50 kilometers away.

If we have fire trucks in the town, he explained, “we can respond immediately and not wait more than an hour for a response from nearby towns, by that time, everything may already be razed down.”

Abalos advised Mirrar to work with the Bureau of Fire Protection in the region.

“There has to be a property where to build the fire station, and we will ensure that this will be a priority infrastructure in Lakewood,” Abalos vowed.

Abalos also instructed the BFP regional director to visit Lakewood to look into Mirrar’s request.

That is pretty pathetic. This is the kind of infrastructure building that should be on going. How many other towns are without a fire brigade? It's not as if the fire brigade would be idle all day if there are no fires. Who has been conducting building inspections for fire safety for the past 35 years and more? A fire station is a necessity for any municipality. 

The DILG Secretary told the Mayor to coordinate with the Bureau of Fire Protection but has he done this already? There must be more to the story than a blank refusal of the national government to provide proper fire protection to the residents for 35 years. Of course with the Philippine government being as corrupt as it is the story could be just that simple. 

Book Review: Neither Trumpets nor Drums

Neither Trumpets nor Drums is a memoir written by former Vice President Salvador "Doy" Laurel about his time in the Cory Aquino administration. Rather than being a pean to or a complete takedown of Cory Aquino, Salvador Laurel gives his honest impressions of the time both documenting his hope for her Presidency after years of martial law under Marcos and his disappointment at what actually happened. The subtitle is Summing up the Cory Government.

The major drawback of this book is that it is a big tease. Though Salvador Laurel offers "revelatory" insights and behind-the-scenes stories about Cory Aquino’s governance he never explores them. It's all a sketch with a very faint outline. He skips over a great deal during the period of 1986-1987.  For instance, while he makes a big to-do about Cory scraping the constitution and imposing a revolutionary government he never once mentions the newly written Constitution and the 1987 plebiscite. That is a huge and stunning omission. 

Several times he mentions people were secretly advising Cory but he never asks "who." He seems disinterested in that subject as if their identities are obvious and either we should know or perhaps he would rather not say. For instance, Doy notes that Cory Aquino swore to him she would never seek the nomination for the Presidency and to show her sincerity she nominated him at the UNIDO convention. But then she heard a voice from God and decided to run. Doy did not think it was the voice of God speaking:

One day, she told the Cardinal: "I will run. I have decided. My decision was made on December 8." It was the closing of the Marian Year. Cory was then on retreat at the Pink Sisters Convent. "I am sure to run. It is God's will," she repeated.

Our first meeting was at her house on Times Street on Saturday, November 23 at 5:00 p.m. I told her she should not run. "You are are Ninoy's widow. If you run, they will attack you and vilify NInoy. Your victory will be Ninoy's victory but your defeat will also be his defeat. You should not risk that. When you go up a boxing ring and put on gloves, they will hit you even if you are a lady. You should just be our symbol - above and beyond the fray. Let me do the fighting, let me take the blows for you," I said. But she did not answer. It was obvious that she was told just to listen by a hidden group of advisers.

p. 37-38

Why is it obvious she was being advised by a hidden group? Who were these people? Doy refers to this hidden cabal again a few paragraphs later.

Our fifth meeting was held at the Puyat residence in Quezon City. Present were my brother Sotero, Cory's daughter Ballsy, and our host, the late Vincente "Teng" Puyat. On that day, Cory confided to me that she was not really interested in running the government. She simply wanted to be the instrument to remove Marcos. Since she did not know anything about running a government, she said she would be just a ceremonial President, like Queen Elizabeth.

She then offered me the Prime Ministership and promised to step down after two years. She offered 30 percent of the Cabinet, the remaining 70 percent to be appointed after prior consultation between us. All these were written on a piece of paper which she initialed, item by item, on the left margin of the document.

I asked for time to decide. Early the next morning, I left alone for my beach house in Matabungkay. I had to make the hardest decision in my life. I knew Ninoy well. His word was good. But I did not know Cory well enough. Could I trust her? Would her word be as good as Ninoy's? Or was she a mere instrument of her family's interests and her hidden advisers? It was obvious that she has been changing her position and reneging on her words because her secret advisers had been changing her agenda for her.

p. 39

Those are explosive revelations that Salvador Laurel simply does not explore. Not here and not even in his concluding remarks. He never asks who "her secret advisers" might be or what were her family's interests and how they affected her governance. He also never discusses the fact that she said she would step down after two years to make way for Doy. Did he really think Cory offering to step down after two years to make way for him was actually going to happen? Did he really think that it was an ethical offer? He must have since he accepted the offer and later asks her why she reneged on those promises.

These hidden advisers return when Salvador Laurel discusses Cory's decision to abolish the constitution.

I felt it ironic that after abolishing a dictatorship, we should again resort to dictatorial power by abrogating the Constitution and governing by decree. It had become apparent that Cory's manipulators had planned from the very start that they would monopolize power through Cory.

I recall, for instance, that a few minutes before we took our oath on February 25, 1986, Cory showed me the text of her oath of office. I noticed that instead of the phrase "preserve and defend the Constitution of the Philippines," what she had typed out was "preserve and defend the Fundamental Law," obviously prepared by her hidden advisers.

p. 54-55

If "Cory's manipulators had planned from the very start that they would monopolize power through Cory" then it should be rather easy to discover their identities and to figure out exactly what their plan was. Likely it would come through the new Constitution. But Doy skips over that whole period. He does not discuss the writing of the new constitution at all. Not even a blurb. Nothing. Nada. That is a glaring omission of arguably the most important event after EDSA. Why does he do this? He is writing a book exposing the truth about the Cory Aquino administration and he charges her with being manipulated by others seeking to seize power through the abolition of the Constitution and the writing of a new one but he never explores that line of thought. That makes no sense espeically as Laurel is very critical of her decision to trash the 1973 Constitution.

History might have taken a different course if Cory had not abolished the 1973 Constitution. If her avowed objective was to achieve political stability at the earliest possible date, she should have repealed only the Marcos amendments, particularly Amendment No. 6, which had perpetuated one-man-rule. It was like burning a house just to kill a rat.

But Cory chose to burn the entire house. In her attempt to demolish the infrastructure of dictatorship, Cory wrecked the entire political structure and thus delayed and derailed the application of needed solutions to our worsening problems. Her policy of vengeance and retribution likewise fueled a power struggle that would last beyond the end of her term.

p. 59-60

Again, explosive revelation with nothing to back it up. He never gives a single example of "her policy of vengeance and retribution" nor does he discuss this "power struggle." Who was struggling for power? How and to whom did Cory show "vengeance and retribution?"

The issue of the Constitution returns again on page 117. This time Laurel claims he discovered a plot to dissolve Congress and invest the President with legislative powers.

In 1991, I exposed a surreptitious plan to convert Congress into a constituent body with the objective of changing our form of government to the parliamentary system. Although I am not per se against the parliamentary system, the haste and stealth with which the House railroaded Concurrent Resolution No. 42 made it highly suspicious. Not enough time was given for the thorough discussion and deliberation of such a major issue. House Concurrent Resolution No. 42 would convert the Congress into a constituted assembly to amend the Constitution, dissolve both houses of Congress, and then unconstitutionally vest the President with legislative power. Some commentators saw this as an illicit attempt on the part of Cory's manipulators to extend her tenure.

p. 117

That such a brazen plan that Salvador Laurel himself exposed gets only this lame paragraph is brazen in itself. How would this plan have worked exactly? Who were its authors? Why does he refuse to name names? Why does he refuse to discuss who Cory's manipulators might be? Surely Doy was not a stupid man and knew exactly who these people were but he chooses to leave us in the dark.

Laurel does not only brush over the actions of Cory. He brushes over the entire 6 year period of 1986-1992. Here is one example among many.

The most controversial forum took place on March 4, 1991 on the subject of amnesty. At that time, the Secretary of National Defense and the Chief of the AFP were opposed to the idea of a general unconditional amnesty and had proposed instead the grant of a conditional and selective amnesty - a move which stirred very heated discussions. 

I have always maintained that the country's sad star of disunity and disorder is one of the main causes of our economic mess. A nation cannot move forward amidst disunity and disorder. And so we chose "Imperatives of National Unity" as our topic for the sixth CCF.

In preparing for the forum, I met with top military officers in Camp Aguinaldo and visited captured military rebels in their cells. Reports and video tapes of my meetings became the main resource for materials for discussion. A consensus was reached, among others, that the proclamation of a general amnesty accompanied by vigorous institutional reforms, including all-out war against graft and corruption, was the key political solution consistent with the Constitution. 

Because there was yet no Presidential Proclamation of general amnesty to which Congress would concur, the forum urged the President to fill the legal vacuum by issuing a new Presidential Proclamation and to determine once and for all, with the concurrence of Congress, whether such amnesty would be conditional, general or selective. 

p. 119-120

What is he talking about? Amnesty for who and for what? This talk of amnesty comes straight out of nowhere.  At this point in the book it is 1991 and he has mentioned no coups at all except for the one which took place on August 28th, 1987. There were actually nine coups throughout Cory's term. Laurel finally mentions those coups several pages later on pages 135-137 but he says only two were serious. He actually calls the Manila Hotel coup a "cocktail party!"

The Manila Hotel incident of July 6, 1986 was more of a cocktail party than a coup. Although Senator Arturo Tolentino was perhaps dead serious when he proclaimed himself Acting President, the theoretical basis on which he propped himself up was old hat. He claimed that ht legislature had legally proclaimed him and Marcos; but that proclamation had already been superseded  by the EDSA revolt. Besides, nobody was hurt in that tragic-comic episode and the punishment meted out to the conspirators was "thirty push-ups.

p. 136

The Davide Commission report of 1990 gives a completely different account of this so-called "tragic-comic" "cocktail party."

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/1990/10oct/199010-Report-Fact-Finding-Commission.pdf

Barely five months after the assumption into office of President Aquino, a group of armed military men and supporters of former President Marcos occupied the Manila Hotel for 37 hours ostensibly demanding constitutional reform and stronger anti-communist measures, on one hand, while declaring their own government, on the other. There were at least 490 fully-armed soldiers and some 5,000 Marcos loyalists who witnessed former Senator, Foreign Minister, and Marcos's Vice-Presidential running mate Arturo Tolentino take his "oath of office" as "acting President" of the Philippines on behalf of Marcos, who was then exiled in Hawaii. The hotel was declared as the temporary "seat of government". 

p. 135

490 fully-armed soldiers and 5,000 Marcos loyalists showed up to the party. On page 142 of the report there is mention of P10 million worth of damages done to the hotel including cancelled bookings caused by this "cocktail party."  A contemporary report from the Chicago Tribune expands on that.

The last time Tolentino was in the Manila Hotel, his supporters had trashed the place. 

The gleaming Italian restaurant, where Tolentino sat behind a starched white table cloth drinking ice water Monday morning, had been littered then with mud, paper cups, spilled rice and chicken bones. 

Carpets had been pulled up and doors had been kicked in. Phones had been ripped from the walls and safe deposit boxes had been pried open. 

In all, hotel officials said there was $500,000 worth of damage, all done in the name of Tolentino, who proudly proclaimed himself the proxy of Marcos. Tolentino and most of his followers managed to avoid any major reprisals for their actions.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-10-14-8603170548-story.html

That's some "cocktail party!" Why does Salvador Laurel dismiss the seriousness and significance of this coup attempt? We shall never know.

One has to wonder what the real agenda behind this book is. Every paragraph is written in such a way as to leave the reader expecting the next revelation. Here is one such revelation.

Cory's claim about having restored democracy has to be examined against the facts. When Cory assumed office, a number of media establishments were found to have been operating under Marcos rule as state enterprises. In line with the principle that the press must be free from government control, a process of restoring these media outfits to their original or rightful owners was set in motion. Cory aborted the process by keeping a number of TV and radio stations on sequestry status.

Up to the end of her term, these sequestered media functioned as propaganda arms of her government, competing with the private media, and unabashedly obfuscating issues in her favor.

p. 143-144

As awful as that sounds Laurel offers no proof for this claim. He does not name a single one of the media establishments she kept as a propaganda arm nor does he show any of the said propaganda. I am not accusing him of lying. I am accusing him of not being forthcoming with the whole truth. From the introduction we are told that the purpose of this work is to assess the Cory Aquino government. But there is no assessment going on here, only a superficial description of events. There is a quick movement from one event to the next focusing primarily on the work of Salvador Laurel and not the governance of Cory Aquino. I suppose he could be forgiven having written this book in 1992 when the long term effects of her administration could not yet be seen. 

If there is anything that could be called an assessment of Cory Aquino's presidency it is the oft cited "love letter" Laurel wrote to her on August 13, 1988. Here are a few excerpts.

We promised our people morality and decency in government. What do we have instead? The very opposite. It is now openly admitted by many, including your former Solicitor-General and some of your own close relatives in Congress, that the stench of “accumulated garbage” — I’m quoting your own first cousin, Congressman Emigdio Tanjuatco, Jr. — rises to high heaven; that the last years of Marcos are now beginning to look no worse than your first two years in office. And the reported controversies and scandals involving your closest relatives have become the object of our people’s outrage. 

We promised to ‘break the back’ of the insurgency. But what is the record? From 16,500 NPA regular when Marcos fell, the communists now claim an armed strength of 25,200, of which 2,500 are in Metro Manila. They have infiltrated not only the trade unions, the schools, the churches and the media but your government, above all, and now ‘affect’ 20 percent of the country’s 42,000 barangays, according to official statistics. 

The truth is that the peace and order situation is much worse today than when you came into office. It is now the number one problem of the nation. 

From city to countryside, anarchy has spread. There is anarchy within the government, anarchy within the ruling coalesced parties, and anarchy in the streets. These require your direct intervention. Yet you continue to ignore this problem.

p. 90-95

Once again these are scathing accusations that he has chosen not to explore or mention except for in this letter. Just before the text of this letter begins Laurel gives the context for which he has written it. Laurel had been ordered by Aquino to resign as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the stupidest reason possible.

All I could make out was that she wanted the resignation of the entire Cabinet, including mine - all because Joker Arroyo and Joe Concepcion "had shouted at each other" in her presence.

p. 84

In an interview in August 1988 with Louie Beltran, Salvador Laurel gave a completely different answer as to why he resigned. He said it was because there was no counterinsurgency program being implemented by the administration.

5:25 Louie Beltran: When you were in the Cabinet were you aware of any counterinsurgency program being implemented by the administration?

Salvador Laurel: None and that is the reason I resigned as Foreign secretary.

What are we to make of this admission in light of the book which was written 4 years later? These reasons for resigning contradict each other.

A few days later, this is in September 1987, Doy and Cory met. He finally unburdened himself in front of her.

"Whatever happened to all those promises you made, Cory? Why was the constitution abolished without even telling me? Why did you appoint me Chariman of the Presidential Blue Ribbon Commission to investigate the behest loans only to be suddenly abolished again? Why am I now being asked to submit courtesy resignation - just because Joker Arroyo and Joe Concepcion has a shouting match?

Cory looked down and gave a halting reply: "I was told... that the EDSA revolution... erased all those promises..."

I did not bother to ask who had told her so. Everybody was quiet. Doña Aurora's head was power as if in prayer. I broke the silence. "If that's the case, Cory, there is nothing more to talk about."

p. 88

Cory asked what he was going to do now? Would he join the opposition? 

"No. Not yet. I want this government to succeed. I don't want to see it fail. I've worked hard, sacrificed so much, to bring it to power. I'll wait for a year. I'll support you whenever you are right. I'll disagree with you wen you are wrong. I'll only oppose you when you insist on being wrong."

I kept my word. I waited a full year. But I could not see where she was going. The nation was adrift. Government had no direction. "Rela-thieves" and "Kamag-anaks, Inc." were on the rampage. Corruption, vindictiveness, ineptitude and hypocrisy had started to rear their ugly heads.

p. 89

It is maddening to read this. Laurel waited a full year watching the government taking note of what was happening, concluded it was getting worse all the time, and then he penned his "love letter" of August 13th, 1988. Why then does he give no specifics? Surely he had them in hand or else he could not have penned that letter. Or maybe he did not have the specifics. After all he could not even bring himself to ask Cory who told her that EDSA erased all the promises she made to Laurel. 

Without further elaboration these are merely broad and sweeping accusations. The vagueness of these accusations have been useful to those who would seek to return to the so-called golden years of the Marcos regime. They point to Laurel's complaints without the burden of proof because of the authority Salvador Laurel possessed as Vice President and an insider in the Cory Aquino administration. Why would the former Vice Preisdent lie? I am not calling him a liar. I am saying we need something more concrete than mere accusations.

While this book is an important historical document it leaves much to be desired. It is used by many Marcos revisionists to paint Cory as a devil who set out to destroy the legacy of Marcos. This is especially the case with the incident where Laurel was summoned by Marcos to Hawaii. There he was told to relay the following message to President Aquino:

“Please tell Mrs. Aquino to stop sending her relatives to me," he continued. "They are proposing  so many things. I have already established a foundation and I am turning over 90% of all my worldly possessions to the Filipino people. Enrique Zobel has all the papers. He and the Papal Nuncio, Msgr. Torpigliani, will sit in the Board to see to it that 90% of all that I have are properly distributed to our people. That is much better than what Mrs' Aquino's relatives have been proposing. I am leaving only 10% for my family."

p. 108

Salvador Laurel then goes on to relate that Cory would not see him so he could deliver the message. However she did allot an hour to meet with Tom Cruise. He calls this her greatest mistake and says she could have solved the Marcos wealth problem once and for all if she had only accepted the message. I will discuss this tantalizing episode in-depth in a future article. Suffice to say once again Laurel leaves a lot out and does not tell the whole story.

There is not much more to discuss about the book. It has a lot of shortcomings and they are not exactly made up for. Far from being a summation of the Cory government it is a personal memoir written from one man's viewpoint. There is nothing wrong with that per se but it deprives the reader of any nuance or context in many places. The text is in dire need of annotations. As for the strange title "Neither Trumpets nor Drums" we get an explanation in the last chapter.

In the tradition of heraldry, the trumpet served as the symbol of victory or the birth of a new day. Drums, on the other hand, always preceded an execution, their persistent, percussive sound signifying death or a burial, the end of something evil.

The Cory government, by remaining indifferent to the popular glamour for change, failed to herald a new ear for our country or to bury the traditional forces of cronyism, favoritism, corruption and greed.

p. 150

For as much as Salvador Laurel is critical of Cory Aquino's administration it is very important to point out that he never once whitewashes the Marcos dictatorship. He never apologizes for Marcos. He never indicates in any way that life under Marcos was much better than under Cory or that Cory was worse than Marcos. But that hasn't stopped people from twisting his words.

https://twitter.com/ilda_talk/status/1272667107570802694

Cory’s late former Vice President Doy Laurel had something to say about this. He wrote an open scathing letter to Cory outlining the deception she, her family and allies did. She betrayed him and the people. In so many words, he said Cory became worse than Marcos.

Such an analysis by one of the editors of Get Real Philippines is monumentally moronic and proof positive that she has not read this book and does not understand the letter to which she is referring. At no point in this book or in that love letter does Laurel indicate that "Cory became worse than Marcos." On pages 5-8 he gives a scathing indictment of the Marcos regime starting off by noting, "Our country was not free." Any Marcos revisionists looking to use this book for their purpose should keep that in mind.