Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Martial Law: National Inter-agency Task Force

The weeks leading up to September 21st are always tense because that is the national day of remembrance for when Marcos declared martial law. It's kind of like remembering the death of a loved one only the loved one is the nation and instead of silently and tearfully remembering there are loud, angry protest shouts of, "NEVER FORGET!"

But this is 2018 and the people of the Philippines need not fear that marital law will ever be imposed in such a way that the nation will be destroyed again.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/09/22/1853664/palace-no-nationwide-martial-law
It is very clear that there is no reason to impose martial law in Luzon and the Visayas. Although there is martial law there in Mindanao, there is a reason for that and this is what the people of Mindanao wanted,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in an interview with radio station dzRH yesterday. 
He stressed there is no point comparing President Duterte with the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, whose declaration of martial law in September 1972 unleashed a wave of human rights abuses by security forces directed at enemies and critics of the regime. 
The period of martial law also witnessed the rapid deterioration of the economy weighed down largely by corruption instigated by Marcos, his family and his cronies. 
Unlike Marcos, Duterte enjoys wide support from the public, according to Roque. 
“To those who are greedy for power, dream on. The President is duly elected by the people and enjoys their support. The President has his mandate, unlike during the time when martial law was declared more than 40 years ago when the former president had lost his mandate,” Roque said. 
“So, that is the big difference. The people will only revolt if there is no democracy, but our President is a product of democracy,” he added.
Duterte is a product of democracy? This is not true. Erudite and forward-thinking men like Plato and the Founding Fathers of the USA were adamantly against democracy as being one of the worst forms of government. Truly the people hardly ever know what is best for them and mob rule serves no one best. That's why Duterte is a product of Constitutional Republicanism which is a system of government where representatives of the people are elected to rule and they are bound by a constitution. The Philippines is a constitutional republic and that should never be forgotten.  I do not recall the people of Mindanao being consulted about martial law but the fact that there are indeed many who are for it does not prove that marital law is a democratically appointed necessity but rather that Mindanao is so violent and lawless that no other option was viable. And that is a huge difference.

Crime in some places did decrease once martial law was imposed but that only proves that those areas are full of crime! What will happen when martial law is rescinded? The crime rate will increase of course. 

It's hard to believe the Palace when they say that there will be no nationwide marital law since terrorism affects the whole country. Most notably the NPA have infected all regions of the Philippines and not just Mindanao. Bombs have exploded in Manila and elsewhere in Luzon. If enough violence were to occur it could be that nationwide martial law would be imposed and Duterte has said as much before. However he seems to think the communist insurgency will be finished by the middle of next year.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/09/19/Rodrigo-Duterte-CPP-NPA-2019.html
[Translation: I think, God forbid, this will be over by about the second quarter of next year. There are plenty of surrenderees. And what's good is that they will also surrender their weapons.] 
He said communist fronts in Mindanao have already failed. 
"I think we are winning the war finally. Maraming front sa Mindanao bumagsak na, especially on the right side, eastern — Davao, Agusan, 'yan banda. Dito sa western, wala naman silang malakas na front because the Moros are there," he said. 
[Translation: I think we are winning the war finally. There are many fronts in Mindanao that have failed. Especially on the right side, Davao and Agusan. In the west, they have no strong fron because the Moros are there.
Duterte also lauded the military's efforts, which have led to almost a hundred members of the New People's Army (NPA) — the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) — to surrender. 
"The development of our nation has always been hindered by insurgency and terrorism. I therefore commend the active involvement and relentless efforts of the 5th Infantry Division against various threat groups in your area of operations," he said.
It may be that the NPA is declining in numbers but their influence amongst the people has not been diminished one bit. They still maintain a powerful and threatening enough grip to rake in millions in "revolutionary taxes" every year.

http://visayas.politics.com.ph/army-npa-collects-p40m-annually-from-extortion-activities/
New People’s Army rebels are getting up to P40 million a year from extortion activities in Western Visayas, an Army officer stationed there said. 
Col. Benedict Arevalo, 301st Infantry Brigade commander, said they expect the NPA to intensify its extortion racket with the 2019 elections looming closer. 
“We recovered proofs that are more than sufficient to prove that they have been into massive extortion activities,” Arevalo said. 
He said the NPA-Komiteng Rehiyon Panay (KRP) gets P30 to 40 million a year from such activities, based on documents seized from Maria Concepcion “Concha” Araneta-Bocala, the CPP-NPA-NDF secretary general of KRP.
40 million just from the Western Visayas! With this much money coming in they can surely continue to purchase weapons and even compensate their soldiers. How then can the Duterte administration think they will defeat the communist insurgency by next year? Just because many NPA soldiers are surrendering? They will recruit more! What's the solution to stoping recruitment?

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/668785/palace-ok-with-afp-proposal-to-create-body-to-end-communist-insurgency/story/
"The AFP, which requested the creation of a national inter-agency task force, may wish to coordinate and submit its formal recommendation to the Office of the President, through the Office of the Executive Secretary, for the drafting of an executive order in this regard," Roque added. 
In an interview with ANC, Galvez said the military still needs the help of other government agencies in addressing the issue of communist insurgency. 
“They are very potent on the parliamentary struggle because they want to infiltrate government agencies and also our political system. The problem that we have is the component of the civilian agencies," Galvez said in the interview. 
“We have to stop the recruitment and the recruitment is coming from the schools. From student activism, from being a nationalist, the NPA will brainwash them to become extremists—they become fundamentalists," he added. 
Roque, however, earlier said that military solution is just one of the options they are considering.
Will the Philippines take a cue from the USA and form a House Un-Philippine Committee? Will AFP and PNP officers infiltrate colleges and student organisations? Or will such a national inter-agency task force, if formed, be nothing but another black hole which funds enter but never return?

The AFP has been active in the fight against insurgents both Muslim and communist for 50 years now. It's funny Duterte says the NPA has no strong front in the west of Mindanao because of the Moros. As if the Moros care about the "Philippines." As we have seen in these marital law updates the Moro people do not consider themselves to be Filipinos and the purpose of the BOL is to form a sovereign Moro nation.

https://www.luwaran.com/news/article/1507/biaf-chief-al-mansoor--barmm-is-better-than-armm
During the Advocacy on BOL sponsored by 128th Base Command of Eastern Mindanao Front held in this camp, Al-Mansoor emphasized that “Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is better than ARMM because the BARMM is the closest to our political aspiration.” 
Al-Mansoor explained that Bangsamoro Parliamentary Structure is different from current Philippine Political Structure. 
“Our political structure has Shari’ah, Islamic Banking System, Madaris System, Haj and Umrah that will be managed and run solely by the BARMM”, Al-Mansoor added. 
 “Parliamentary System of Governance is nearer to right to self-determination,” he also said. 
He further said that the first job of Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTA) is to draft a local government code, electoral code, revenue code and administrative code. 
“All Moro people with ages raging 18 and above must strive to vote ‘yes’ in the upcoming BOL Plebiscite,” underscored Al-Mansoor. 
Al-Mansoor holds three key positions in the MILF, videlicet; BIAF Chief of Staff, Secretary General of United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) and as a Commissioner of Bangsamoro Transition Commission representing the Moro Front. 
Prof. Esmael A. Abdula, Training Officer of Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI), said “The BOL is the fruit of our long struggle against oppression.” 
Abdula added “The BOL is the answer to our long-dreamed right to self-determination in our homeland.”
The BOL will be a fully-fledged Islamic State within the Philippines. It will be the dream of ISIS come true. Of course with all the armed groups in Mindanao, especially the MILF who will head the BOL, the BOL could break away and become a separate nation. 
https://www.luwaran.com/news/article/1506/prominent-personalities-guest-at-bangsamoro-and-beyond--a-national-conversation
The activity aimed to discuss the beauty of Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and its relation to socio -economic development that can be possibly provided for the future Bangsamoro, as a develop nation. 
Do not be fooled by the bad English on that page. The Moro people really do see themselves as a separate nation and not as Filipinos which is why wording had to be added to the BOL which declared the Bangsomoro people to be Filipnos. Never forget this:
 “Most [of the original BBL provisions] were contentious,” said Sen. Ralph Recto who, along with Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, introduced most of the amendments. 
“[Its] framework to begin with is forming a state, which is unconstitutional, until we adopt a federal form of government,” Recto said. 
Drilon successfully moved for the inclusion of a provision reiterating “that the Bangsamoro people are citizens of the Republic of the Philippines.” Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, the bill sponsor, said this was opposed by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/996061/house-oks-bbl-bill-but-senate-introduces-contentious-changes
The BTC does not want the inhabitants of the new Bangsamoro state to be referred to as "citizens of the Republic of the Philippines." Never, ever forget that. These people want their very own Islamic state and if the BOL passes the plebiscite expect secession within a short time frame even if it takes a decade or two.

It's election time in Marawi for the first time since martial law was imposed and it turned out just like you would imagine.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/22/18/violence-vote-buying-mar-2018-marawi-barangay-sk-elections
A brawl and reports of vote-buying marred the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections here on Saturday, as the polls finally pushed through after a postponement in May.  
In a polling center in Barangay Lumbac Madaya, police had to fire warning shots to break up a fight among supporters of competing candidates.  
Voting was momentarily suspended as authorities addressed the situation and was resumed immediately after those involved were arrested. 
A group of election observers called Citizens Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reforms said the incident was nothing compared to past election violence in the area. 
"Now, at least we are sure the shots were all coming from the authorities and none from the civilians," an observer said. 
A civilian was also, meanwhile, held for questioning after he was found with campaign flyers with P20 bills attached to them. The civilian denied buying votes but has yet to explain to Commission on Elections (COMELEC) officials. 
The Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) and authorities hope to finish the voting before nightfall as there are no lights inside the polling place.
Go watch the video at the link. The violence begins at the the 6:00 mark. A fight breaks out and the police fire machine guns to disperse the crowd. With thousands of MILF terrorists being first time voters in the upcoming BOL referendum should more election violence be expected? Of course. This is the Philippines.

There are a few things Duterte and others do not wish to admit or confront, at least publicly, in the continuing war against terrorism. The first is that the issues in Mindanao with terrorism are wholly Islamic. Islam is the deciding factor in all the conflicts except when it comes to the communists.

https://www.luwaran.com/news/article/1505/milf-chairman-al-haj-murad-congratulates-students-who-graduated-from-memorizing-the-noble-qur---an
“Today these students will finish their course with sacrifices and struggle on memorizing the Noble Qur’an, we congratulated you and we ask Allah to nurture your knowledge that you have gained,” Al haj Murad said. 
Al Haj Murad said that the holy Qur’an is the center and the backbone of Moro struggle’s objectives to the right to self-determination. 
He also said that studying Qur’an should be part of the priority of every Bangsamoro Muslim to learn.  
“Qur’an is our reference in advancing the Bangsamoro cause. Muslim must learn to read and comprehend the meaning of Qur’an because it is the basis of our life, source of our religious affairs, politics, social and economics,” Al Haj Murad explained. 
He said it is a big lose for Muslims who fight for the Bangsamoro cause if he or she doesn’t know the meaning of Qur’an.
Another thing the Duterte administration is loathe to admit is that the Americans are essential in fighting the wars in Mindanao.
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/169939/lorenzana-mattis-discuss-ph-us-partnership-pentagon
“During their meeting, the two leaders highlighted the longstanding friendship and values between their countries,” the DOD said. 
“The Philippines-U.S. alliance remains robust, based on an enduring history of close engagement and our unwavering commitment to work together on shared values,” Lorenzana said in his remarks during the meeting. 
Quoting Filipino statesman Carlos Romulo, Mattis said the alliance of both countries brings “common love for liberty, shared allegiance to democracy, and a battle-tested comradeship.” 
No other details of the meeting were immediately available. 
The meeting comes almost a month after three U.S. officials, which included Mattis, supposedly wrote to President Rodrigo Duterte, to express support to the Philippine military’s modernization program and to offer a partnership with them for defense procurement. 
The U.S. has expressed concerns about the Philippines’ plans to buy military equipment from its rival, Russia. 
Last week, President Duterte met with U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim in MalacaƱang, but he refused to discuss the details of the meeting: “I cannot discuss that until I get his [Kim’s] permission…There was nothing earth-shaking but more of confidentiality. I hate to break the rules.”
Goodness know what Lorenzana discussed at the Pentagon that could not have been discussed at the embassy or over a secure phone line. It must have been serious. Certainly a trip by the Philippine defence secretary to the Pentagon is clear evidence of a very close partnership and more joint military operations ahead. This means any bad mouthing about America from Duterte can and should be dismissed. Such bad mouthing could be dismissed without Lorenzana taking this trip because it is the Americans who continue to provide much needed equipment, intelligence, and training to the AFP.

What is next for the Philippines in the war against ISIS and the communists? Obviously no one knows but whatever is coming American assistance will be valuable. As it is the Philippines cannot seem to deal with reality and we see this in their continual downplaying of the threat of ISIS and now Duterte saying the communist insurgency will be defeated by mid-2019.  

The NPA will not stop until they are all dead.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1035061/2-soldiers-hurt-in-quezon-clash
Two Army soldiers were wounded in an encounter with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Macalelon town in Quezon province Friday, police said.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1035079/2-militiamen-hurt-in-albay-clash
Two members of the Army’s militia unit were wounded on Saturday in an encounter with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Guinobatan town in Albay province, a police report said.
As violent as these terrorists are it's easy to wish they really were as much for the people as they pretend to be.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/09/17/1852162/npa-helps-typhoon-rescue-relief
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) over the weekend ordered all units of the New People’s Army (NPA) as well its unarmed forces in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon to carry out rescue, relief and rehabilitation work for millions of people whose homes and livelihood were ravaged by strong winds and rains brought by Typhoon Ompong.
If they did offer any assistance the media did not report on it. But that's probably because these communist terrorists did not offer any assistance!

Monday, September 24, 2018

Jeepney Art 16

Despite the ongoing jeepney modernisation program the government is facilitating I have seen a few new jeepenies, which do not look like the jeepnies the government is pushing, with brand new artwork in my area. None of those jeepenies are in this post but here is a diverse selection of jeepney artwork.








Friday, September 21, 2018

Retards in the Government 68

Your weekly up to date source of all the corrupt and foolish goings on within Philippine politics.


https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/09/14/duterte-unfazed-by-ouster-plot/
Why would he be fazed? Likely this plot does not exist but if it does now that he has given a specific date any alleged plot would necessarily not go through. It's a win-win situation for Duterte because if nothing happens he can say that his speaking about the plot stopped it from happening.

Garcia was meted a penalty of dismissal from service and perpetual disqualification from public office. 
Whether the penalty would be carried out, however, was in the hands of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a close ally of Garcia.
Good thing this lady is close friends the Speaker of the House, Arroyo. Will she enforce the ombudsman's judgement or allow this corrupt woman to continue to serve in the House?
https://entertainment.inquirer.net/293697/p2fb-degrading-disrespectful-mocha-uson-drew-olivar-get-flak-for-making-fun-of-sign-language
In a now-viral post shared by netizen Angelo James F. Esperanzate yesterday Sept. 15, a clip of Olivar can be seen, wherein he mimics sign language. Uson can be heard laughing while filming Olivar.
First a sexy pederalismo dance. Next mocking deaf people. What's next for these two?
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1033116/woman-touted-to-succeed-husband-as-mayor-shot-dead
The wife of Mayor Librado Navarro was killed on Friday in a case that the mayor said was politically motivated because his wife, Carmencita, was running for mayor next year to replace him. 
Carmencita, 62, died after taking a bullet in the back around 6:15 p.m. on Friday as she supervised work on a beautification project for Baywalk Boulevard in the city. 
Mayor Navarro said his family had been receiving death threats from his political enemies and syndicates involved in illegal logging, adding his wife could be the immediate target.
Did he report these threats? Did she have a security detail? It's very disturbing that this woman had not even announced her candidacy and she was murdered preemptively.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/212145-bulacan-court-judgment-kidnapping-illegal-detention-cases-vs-jovito-palparan-september-17-2018
Retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan was found guilty on Monday, September 17, of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in the 2006 disappearance of University of the Philippines (UP) students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. 
Palparan’s co-accused Lieutenant Colonel Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt Edgardo Osorio were also found guilty of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. The decision was promulgated by the Malolos Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15.
High ranking AFP Officers guilty of kidnapping and serious detention. Did they murderer these women too? Some think so. This man was able to run a Senatorial campaign in 2016 from his jail cell. What a great country.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/212134-duterte-coa-auditor-ilocos-norte-pushed-down-stairs
President Rodrigo Duterte joked that the Commission on Audit (COA) auditor in Ilocos Norte should be pushed down the stairs so he would not be able to report on the local government's transactions. 
Duterte made the statement on Sunday, September 16, at the prodding of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, who was complaining about various prohibitions that COA has been imposing on her local government's spending.  
"Sino'ng taga-COA dito? Ihulog mo na sa hagdan para 'di mag-report (Who's from COA? Push him down the stairs so he won't be able to file a report anymore)," said Duterte during a meeting with his Cabinet and Marcos in Laoag City. 
They were meeting to discuss the effects of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) on Ilocos Norte.  
In response to Duterte's remark, Marcos laughed and clapped her hands while saying, "Yes, yes!"
Humour is a funny kind of weapon because you can say what you really mean and then claim it's just a joke. This was no joke. Imee Marcos is currently under investigation for numerous questionable projects.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/07/04/coa-audit-report-millions-fabricated-documents-doubtful-purchases-imee-marcos-ilocos-norte.html
When Duterte makes a joke people end up dead. How long until motorcycle men kill a COA officer? That would be funny right?

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/668066/coa-flags-bfar-for-inefficient-maintenance-and-delivery-of-boats/story/
The Commission on Audit has flagged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for failing to deliver 199 fishing boats on time and poorly maintaining 57 foreign-funded vessels purchased from 2001 to 2009. 
The delivery of fiberglass motorized bancas in Regions 3 and 10 is still incomplete since BFAR only started distributing them in the 4th quarter of 2017, the commission noted. 
The boats were part of BFAR’s P26.398-million Fishing Gear/Paraphernalia (FGPs) distribution to improve food security and raise the income of the agriculture and fishery sector. 
COA said only 153 boats out of the 400 targeted for Region 3 have been completed, and only 96 have been distributed. 
None was delivered in Region 10 since all 142 boats were still under construction as of Dec. 31, 2017 due to delayed delivery of materials. BFAR decided to build them on its own. 
Meanwhile, only seven of the 14 monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) patrol vessels were declared as “ready-for-sea.” COA said. This was funded by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and Instituto de Credito Oficial to the tune of P991 million in 2001. 
BFAR also has 43 patrol vessels at its disposal courtesy of a P96-million grant from the United States’ Public Law (PL) 480, or the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act. 
The boats were distributed to coastal towns in Bohol, Cebu, Palawan, Negros Oriental, Sarangani, Batangas, Aurora, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Marinduque, Mindoro Oriental, Siquijor, Davao del Sur, and Davao del Norte. 
COA said the whereabouts of patrol boats could not be ascertained as BFAR was not able to properly monitor them. 
The last time the bureau monitored the vessels was in 2015. Mindoro Oriental and Sarangani last issued a report on the boats in 2016. 
Based on those reports, COA noted that thirty-seven LGUs had funds to use the patrol boats for monitoring coastal waters. But since there was no monitoring after that, COA said it was not able to determine what happened in the case of two LGUs while the ownership of four vessels were transferred since the LGUs concerned were no longer able to fund the operations. 
Five LGUs used their funds for tourism activities, the commission said.
Millions spent on fishing boats but man not delivered or operational. Millions spent on patrol vessels and no one has any idea whee they are.  Some of the money given to local governments to use the boats for patrolling coastal waters has ben diverted to tourist activities! Truly every branch of the Philippine bureaucracy is full to the brim with corruption of one sort or another.

The DILG, however, did not name the local chief executives under probe for apparent neglect of duty, claiming that the agency does not want to subject the mayors to trial by publicity.
That concern has never stopped any agency from naming derelict or allegedly corrupt officials before. Ah well we all know who they are.  They toured the Palace last week. Here they are visiting MalcaƱang at the behest of Bong Go.

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/212007-cagayan-officials-bong-go-malacanang-tour-eve-of-typhoon-ompong-landfall-september-2018
A day before Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) was set to make landfall in their province, Cagayan's vice governor, some mayors, vice mayors, and provincial board members were being given a tour of MalacaƱang. 
They were invited there by no less than Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, according to two independent sources on Friday, September 14. 
Go later clarified in a statement published Saturday, September 15, that the invite was extended to the local officials two weeks ago yet and that he advised them a few days ago against pushing through. 
Go himself never got to meet with the officials, however. But he confirmed to Rappler that such a visit was set to take place that day and that Medialdea was scheduled to meet them. He was evasive when asked if the meeting with Cagayan officials was in his schedule. 
The officials were told there would be a meet-and-greet with Go but this was canceled at the last minute as he supposedly had to quickly fly to Davao City.
If Go advised them against coming because of the storm then why were they welcomed by Medialdea? Why were they promised a meet-and-greet with Bong Go? Why were they not promptly shown the door and told to get back to their duties because of the oncoming storm?


http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/668224/palace-hopes-inflation-won-t-spike-after-supertyphoon-ompong/story/
“We can’t deny that P14 billion was a very high cost to agriculture. However, we now have policy shift. We have allowed the entry of imports of food products which we hope will bring down the cost of goods,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said at a news conference. 
“We’re hoping that inflation will not worsen because of institutional steps already taken by the government to help rein in inflation.”
Too little, too late. September is already halfway over. Hard to imagine these last minute changes will effect any change in the trend.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/668179/350-000-students-at-risk-of-losing-scholarship-under-proposed-2019-budget/story/
De Vera said this is because the Department of Budget and Management reduced the allocation for CHED’s Tulong Dunong program, a needs-based scholarship for students, from P4.19 billion this year to P1.19 billion in 2019 or a 251 percent decrease.
That is quite a decrease! Is this where they are cutting to increase the budgets of the PCOO the Office of the President, and elsewhere.  This decrease belies claims earlier that the 2019 budget was prioritising education.

https://www.dbm.gov.ph/index.php/secretary-s-corner/press-releases/list-of-press-releases/1118-proposed-2019-budget-to-prioritize-education-and-infrastructure

Can you say irony?

The victim, identified as Buanito Buan, 57, former chairman of Barangay 849 in Pandacan, was reportedly sleeping with his children when the suspects who wore bonnets arrived at their home, police said. 
Renzy Buan, son of Buanito, told the police that the suspects woke them up by shoving a flashflight on their faces. When the suspects identified Buanito, they pushed him away and shot his father  four times.
The man was murdered right next to his sleeping children. The horror and evil never stop in the Philippines.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1033962/salary-grade-28-sc-hikes-judges-pay-to-p127000
The Supreme Court has increased the salaries of the country’s first-level court judges. 
First-level courts refer to municipal trial courts, municipal circuit trial courts and Sharia circuit courts. 
In a resolution issued on Sept. 11, the Supreme Court increased the monthly salary of these judges to P127,000 from the previous P102,000 to P114,000 monthly compensation. 
The Supreme Court said funds for the salary increase would come “from the available savings of the lower courts” while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had yet to issue the document needed to effect the pay increase and release funds for this.
Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, who will retire on Oct. 8, gave the green light to implement the salary increase ahead of the issuance of the DBM’s notice of organization, staffing and compensation and funds from the national coffers.
Is this the kind of reforms de Castro was planning on implementing during her brief two-month tenure? The lower courts are jammed with cases and backlogged for years and she gives them a pay raise!
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1033960/duterte-give-storm-survivors-ukay-ukay
President Rodrigo Duterte wants smuggled used clothing — known as “ukay-ukay” — that were seized in the country’s ports to go directly to the government’s disaster relief operations. 
He added: “Go to [BOC Commissioner Isidro] LapeƱa. Tell him, ‘Rody said all of your ukay-ukay should be given to me.’ And divide it and see to it that there [is enough].” 
Republic Act No. 4653 bans the importation of used clothing on grounds of protecting public health, and requires that these be burned, destroyed or shredded. 
The BOC, however, had gone around this law in the past so that seized ukay-ukay may be turned over to the DSWD for relief efforts.
If this clothing is to be destroyed why is there any at all? It's not without precedent but perhaps the government could get a little more prepared for disasters so they aren't flaunting the law just to clothe people.
“We missed the near-brawl over pork in the House caucus this morning. Watch for new developments affecting a major (House) committee,” Lacson said on his Twitter account. 
The senator was apparently referring to the alleged shouting match between Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. and Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chair of the appropriations committee, during a midmorning executive meeting on the proposed 2019 budget.
What's a Philippine national budget without a little pork?
He said that only “a massive and immediate additional supply of rice can bring down prices to affordable level.” 
He then went on to suggest three main courses of actions on how to effectively increase the rice supply and eventually bring down the price to the normal level. 
The first thing to do, Roxas said, is to increase the Minimum Access Volume to 1.5 million metric tons. 
Secondly, there should be a removal of the requirements usually being imposed by the National Food Authority (NFA) in order to allow all in the private sector to import rice. 
And third move is a proactive one by asking popular food chains such as to independently source and import their own needs in order for the national stockpile to focus the supply on public markets, said Roxas. 
The same should also be done with large grocery and supermarket chains in order to ensure that the rice they would sell would not come from the national stockpile. 
“In the short term this will provide a definite physical buffer, put a definite timeframe for when supply tightness will end, and induce hoarders to release their stocks bago maiipit sila,” said Roxas.
Sound like sensible advice. Could it work?
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1034029/palace-to-roxas-shut-up
Hindi ko pa naririnig ang kanyang sinasabi, pero dahil sa kanyang karanasan doon sa Leyte ay mabuti pong manahimik na siyang muli (I didn’t hear what he said but because of his experience in Leyte, it would be better for him to just keep quiet once again),” Roque said in an in interview with dzRH on Wednesday.
Who cares!!? Just shut your piehole Roxas!

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1765145/Manila/Local-News/Lanao-del-Sur-board-member-3-family-members-nabbed-P34-M-shabu-seized
A Lanao del Sur board member, his wife, son and son-in-law were arrested in an anti-illegal drug operation in Iligan City early Wednesday, September 19. 
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Special Enforcement Service Acting Director Levi Ortiz said together with the police, they raided the house of Lanao del Sur first district Board Member Hussein Magandia around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Tubod. 
Ortiz said Magandia was not included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of narco-politicians, but he is one of the members of Iwaram drug group that operates in the areas of Marawi City, Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. 
Magandia's wife, Norhainah, was also tagged as a “drug queen” of Mindanao who also supplies illegal drugs to other regions.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1765170/Cagayan-De-Oro/Local-News/PDEA-Bilibid-source-of-shabu-seized-in-Iligan-raid
Juvenal Azurin, PDEA regional director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), said the half a kilogram of suspected shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) confiscated by anti-narcotics agents during an operation in Iligan City early Wednesday morning, September 19, came from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. 
Azurin did not name the person responsible for supplying the illegal drugs to the suspects, but said the supplier is a high-level inmate. 
From Bilibid, the illegal substance is transported by land to Lanao del Sur, he added. 
So far, they are the biggest narco-politicians [we have] arrested,” said PDEA-Armm Director Juvenal Azurin during the press conference at the PDEA-Northern Mindanao office Wednesday afternoon. 
Azurin said the arrested officials were not on President Rodrigo Duterte’s original drug matrix, since it took PDEA about a year to verify the suspects’ involvement in the illegal drug trade. 
“We were very careful in conducting the validation considering the fact that these personalities are prominent,” he said, adding they spent several months conducting validation, surveillance and intelligence gathering before carrying out the search operation.
Azurin also confirmed that Norhaimah is the first cousin of Johaira “Marimar” Macabuat, the former mayor of Maguing town in Lanao del Sur and suspected drug queen who was on PDEA-Northern Mindanao’s watch list.
Four people arrested for drugs.  One of which is a local political who's wife is a known drug queen and was on the PDEA's watch list.  But her husband was not on Duterte's list because the PDEA needed to verify his involvement in drugs. And yet people on Duterte's unverified list keep dying at he hands of motorcycle men.

This story has a lot of threads in it so let's tie them together or at least look at them. These two people are big time drug dealers from the same province as Duterte, Mindanao. They are receiving drugs from New Bilibid prison which is headed by Duterte appointee Bato. Bato was appointed to head the prison specifically to clean it up yet drugs are still making their way as far south as Mindanao. Neither of these narco-politicians were on Duterte's drug list despite one being a known drug queen. Things really don't add up. Much speculation could be made but I won't do it here. I would be surprised if these two were not suddenly killed.

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/09/19/garin-ubial-reckless-imprudence-charge-dengvaxia.html
"It is unfortunate that several complaints were filed against me and other DOH officials when in truth only Sec. Ubial's negligence contributed to the alleged reported deaths," the complaint read.
No one wants to take the blame for the mess-up with the Degenvaxia program. Blame passing all around.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/668400/public-transport-should-not-be-a-source-of-livelihood-says-dotr-exec/story/
According to a report by Joseph Morong in “24 Oras”, DOTr Asssistant Secretary Mark de Leon said those involved in public transportation should already be "financially capable." 
"Mali po 'yung pagtingin na livelihood ang isang public transportation,” De Leon said at a news briefing in MalacaƱang. 
This frame of mind, he said, has contributed to the traffic congestion on the country's roads.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1034513/poe-hits-dotr-exec-over-insensitive-remark-vs-jeepney-drivers-operators
“Walang pakiramdam itong mga taong ito,” Poe said. “Ano, gigising ka nang napakaaga para mamasada, trip-trip lang ‘yon, para lang pampalipas oras?” 
“‘Yung mga driver na nakapagtaguyod ng kanilang mga anak na nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral, bakit kaya nila ginagawa ang sakripisyong ito?” she added.
Poe is right. De Leon is stupid.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1034523/international-police-tribunal-finds-duterte-guilty-of-human-rights-violations
“The Defendants Duterte, Trump and all other Defendants are guilty of all the charges specified in the Indictment, which account for their accountability for crimes against humanity, war crimes and violations of law and legal instruments referred to in the Indictment,” IPT said in the final verdict filed in Brussels, Belgium.
LOL!
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/169972/palace-shrugs-off-ipts-guilty-verdict-vs-duterte-sham-decision
They appear to be a propaganda body of the international left and therefore we set it aside as being a useless piece of propaganda against the government,” he added. 
The IPT is a global court convened by the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, IBON International, and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.
I think Roque is right about that.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1034533/ex-cop-slain-in-tuguegarao-city

Lucas Mangada was driving his motorcycle, with his three-year-old son strapped in front, and a backrider, Kurt Javier, when they were attacked along Washington Street in Barangay Centro 4. 
The gunman, who was trailing behind Mangada’s motorcycle, fired at the former cop, killing him and wounding Javier in the arm. Mangada’s son was unhurt.
Sad that another government official has been assassinated by motorcycle riding men but why was his son strapped to the front? And how was his son not hurt? If they killed the driver wouldn't that mean the motorcycle wrecked? Surely this former PNP officer knows it is illegal to have toddlers riding motorcycles.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1034330/no-laws-yet-to-enforce-boracay-tourist-cap-denr-aklan-execs
“We’re still looking in that direction. Indeed, there must be some legal mandate on this, so we’re talking about … how to be able to control the influx of people in Boracay,” he said.
They better hurry up. Opening day is only a month away!

https://www.manilatimes.net/sk-chairman-cohort-nabbed-in-cebu-sting/443072/
Police arrested a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK or Youth Council) chairman and his cohort in a buy-bust along the national road in Barangay Gaas, Balamban town, in southwest Cebu on Tuesday.
Another local politician charged with drug offences. 

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Fil-Ams, Identity Politics, and The Racist Philippine Media

This week there have been three big "triumphs" for Fil-Ams within the American media-industrial complex.

First up are the two guys who "pranked" McDonald's by hanging a picture of themselves inside their local McDonald's restaurant. They are now going to be part of a McDonald's marketing campaign.

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/294026/watch-fil-ams-who-hung-self-made-poster-at-mcdonalds-to-be-featured-in-campaign
The television host surprised Jehv Maravilla and Christian Toledo, two Filipino-Americans who hung their self-made poster at the fast-food chain, by announcing that they would be featured in its marketing campaign. Degeneres made the announcement on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” aired Monday,  Sept. 17. 
Degeneres said that what Maravilla and Toledo did was a “good prank,” and invited them to guest at her show. She asked them how they pulled it off. She got curious as to how Maravilla managed to get into the fast-food chain unnoticed—by dressing up as a fake manager. 
But she saved the best for last: Not only do they get featured in the campaign, but also get paid for it for $25,000 (approximately P1.3 million).
A good prank? Hardly!  By no means was this stunt a prank. It was more of a political statement since the genesis of the "prank" was that these two guys thought Asians were not being represented enough in the media. The one guy even says in the video clip that he was influenced by the movie Crazy Rich Asians, having seen it three times.
“If you haven’t noticed, there isn’t a lot of Asians represented in media,” Maravilla said in a YouTube video titled, “How to Become McDonalds Poster Models.” 
“And hopefully one day I could see someone like me on the big screen,” he added, alongside another Photoshopped picture of himself on the movie poster of the latest blockbuster hit “Crazy Rich Asians.” 
https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2018/09/fil-ams-give-free-publicity-to.html
A good prank would have had these two guys eating a Burger King Whopper or a Subway footlong in that picture. That would have been subversive and hilarious. Or if they had been dressed like zombies to represent mindless consumerism. Or if they had been dressed as butchers and one of them holding a bloody cow's head because McDonald's uses factory farming to get its meat.  

But instead they did the whole identity politics thing and Ellen, a woman famous for her identity politics as she "came out" as a lesbian on her 90's sitcom, got them a spot on her show and a paid spot in a McDonald's advertising campaign. Ellen actually says, "McDonald's loves customers like you and they're committed to diversity and want to represent all their customers so they are going to use the two of you in a marketing campaign." Jehv and Christian become verbally excited at this literally shouting in surprise and joy. Do these two realise that now they are marketing tools in a campaign to allegedly promote diversity but the only real aim of which is to sell more Big Macs? McDonald's does not care about these two friends and is not rewarding them for their "prank." They only care about how they can capitalise on their ethnicity. Their ethnicity has now become a marketing ploy! Welcome to the machine!

Jevh and Christian have been given $25,000 as a price for their bodies. That translates to P1.3million which is not chump change over here and I can just picture relatives they barely know or have never met coming out of the woodwork, holding out their hands, and expecting a slice of that pie.

Second up is this guy:

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/294185/darren-criss-first-fil-win-major-emmy-prize
Darren Criss won best actor in a limited series or movie for his performance in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” in the 70th Prime-time Emmy Awards held on Monday (Tuesday morning in Manila) at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. 
Criss elicited glowing reviews for his transformation as Cunanan—from a bright high school student, the son of a Filipino-American father and an Italian-American mother, who grew up in the San Diego area, to a spree murderer who killed himself eight days after fatally shooting Versace. 
According to Murphy, one of the reasons he cast Criss was that he is half-Filipino as Andrew Cunanan was. Criss, whose father Charles William Criss is of Irish heritage, noted the irony that he won plaudits for essaying the true-to-life story of a Fil-Am who was on America’s most wanted list.
Fil-Am plays gay Fil-Am who murdered Gianni Versace (that's the fashion designer if you do not know). It's another case of identity politics. According to Philippine media this guy is not just Darren Criss. No not at all. He has transcended himself and become an ethnic archetype of success in the West for all Filipinos to follow. He is not just a good actor, he is the first Fil-Am actor to win an Emmy in a major category. It's historic! 
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/showbiz/showbizabroad/668220/fil-am-actor-darren-criss-wins-historic-emmy-for-lsquo-assassination-of-gianni-versace-rsquo/story/

To the Philippine media the only thing important about this guy is that he is the first Fil-Am to win an Emmy in the Primetime Lead Actor Category. He is not the first Fil-Am to win an Emmy though.

Darren Criss also thinks his performance is historic but not for the reason the Philippine media does.

http://oceanup.com/2018/06/21/darren-criss-explains-why-its-a-fcking-privilege-to-portray-gay-characters/
“It’s a historically heroic narrative that involves resilient brave people and to be any kind of beacon for that story for any characterization of that element is fucking amazing…Like what a f**king privilege,” he says.
Darren thinks homosexual roles are "historically heroic" and involve "brave people." Does that apply to the homosexual killer he pretended to be and for which portrayal he won an Emmy? It's funny Darren thinks playing a homosexual character is a privilege because there are many who think that straight people playing homosexual roles marginalises homosexual actors by taking away roles they rightfully deserve. According to these people only homosexuals should play homosexuals.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mb4wqb/how-straight-actors-playing-gay-can-hurt-the-lgbtq-community

In contrast to the Philippines it seems no other media outlets are making a big deal out of Darren Criss' Filipino heritage or his Irish heritage either. It's only the Philippine media that is screaming "Ethnic-American wins an Emmy." Is not this highlighting of race inherently racist? Having been born in San Fransisco and raised in the USA all his life the only thing "Fil" about this "Am" is his mother.

https://web.archive.org/web/20120718025806/http://www.zeibiz.com/2010/12/glee-star-darren-criss-visits-his-moms-homeland-the-philippines123/
My mom is Cebuano, she’s Spanish, Chinese. My father is very, very white. I’m not like full Filipino but definitely I have many parts of me that are. My family’s Filipino. My family’s in the Philippines. It’s our culture and heritage that I’ve always been proud of, simply because it’s such a cool place. And my friends who are Filipinos are the coolest.
There you go. He admits it. He is not Filipino. This man is an American. Like the lady who was lauded by the Philippine media for being the first Fil-Am federal judge he most certainly has no "Filipino consciousness." He does not even describe his mom as Filipino. She is described as Cebuano while her ethnic background is Spanish and Chinese! I have a thesis that Filipinos do not actually exist and this lady's genetic make-up seems to verify that hypothesis. What is a Filipino anyway? Ethnically I mean. A very mixed bag! If a Spaniard and a Chinese woman have a child in Europe would he be an ethnic Filipino?

Finally, a Fil-Am has been cast as the host in the revival of Blue's Clues.

https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/news/211978-joshua-dela-cruz-new-blues-clues-host-reboot

How great is that? Nickelodeon is hopping on the reboot and revival train and is firing up this old preschooler's TV show once more. Will it be as successful as the Roseanne revival or the X-Files revival? Will dela Cruz get recognised in public and hit on by single moms like his predecessor, Donovan Patton? (A long time ago I read that happened to him but that 16-year old article is not available.)

There is not much biographical information about Joshua dela Cruz online. His resume states that he earned a BFA at Montclair State University which is in New Jeresy. This article in Philstar does not give a definitive answer as to his birthplace though his bloodline is mentioned:
With Ilocano and Bicolano bloodlines, a Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from Montclair State University in New Jersey, Joshua disclosed in an earlier interview that working with other Filipino-Americans reminded him of fiestas.
https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2018/03/12/1795754/another-filipino-takes-lead-broadways-aladdin
But he does say he is remind of fiestas. Maybe he visited the Philippines when he was younger. Or maybe he was born here. I don't know. But it sure is great that a Fil-Am, not just a successful Broadway actor, is going to be the host of the revival of Blue's Clues. It's definitely more important to celebrate this guy's ethnicity than his years of hard work and professionalism in such a demanding field.

Filipinos sure do get excited when anyone with the slightest drop of Filipino blood coursing through their veins does anything noteworthy and positive. Is it racist or is it merely ethnic pride to reduce a man to his ethnicity so long as he has done something which reflects positively on his ethnicity? What is the difference? Is it racist to be proud of your race? 

It's understandable that Filipinos want to be recognised. They want to see their countrymen's faces in bright lights because they think they have been marginalised and left out of society at large. Couple that with the world-wide trend of people demanding studios accurately portray fictional characters in TV and film (which means only transexuals should play transexuals and only an Asian actress should play the main character in an anime film) and it's hard not to miss the hypocrisy that FIVE Filipino actors were cast in the Broadway production of Disney's Aladdin.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/594453/broadway-rsquo-s-lsquo-aladdin-rsquo-one-big-happy-filipino-family/story/
Five of the “Aladdin” actors playing at least five distinct roles in this Disney musical are Filipinos. If we are to count Angelo Soriano juggling a dozen male parts, it does feel like an all-Pinoy cast, validating a popular notion that there is, indeed, an ethnic Filipino enclave on Broadway.
The hypocrisy is that in the Disney movie everyone is Middle Eastern. In the original tale from the Arabian Nights Aladdin is Chinese! Do they realise the whole production is guilty of Filipino-washing!

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Puppy Tied to Door Right on The Street

Just as bad as letting your dogs have the run of the neighbourhood is tying your dog on a very short leash. Especially when the place he is tied to is right on the side of the street.




This poor little puppy is the victim of a bad owner. He is tied to a door the entrance of which opens onto the street! How stressful it must be for this puppy to be subjected to the loud sounds of cars and trucks and tricycles and people shouting.

It might be that he is tied up here so he can do his business but if that is the case the owner could easily take the dog for a walk down the street where he can quickly do his dirt and then come back into the safety of the shanty. Maybe the owner does not have time for that!