tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169580832024-03-08T02:40:06.231+08:00Out of my mindThis blog does not claim to be always right. The blogger has no pretensions about being morally, politically, or ideologically correct. This blog contains random thoughts, rants, raves, hysterical protestations and sporadic thinking aloud by a person who is not out to please anyone or pander to anyone's idea of what is acceptable or ideal. Feel free to disagree, it is a free country.Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.comBlogger1071125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-75869892474908820932018-01-14T02:33:00.001+08:002018-01-14T02:33:22.899+08:00PS to the 2017 MMFF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The 2017 MMFF is officially over although one or two films continue to be screened in some theatres. We went to Glorietta today and noted that Siargao was still showing, although it only had two screenings, sharing a theatre with a cartoon movie.<br />
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I refused to write about the 2017 MMFF; didn't even make a reference to it in my FB account because I honestly believed - and I still do now - that the whole exercise has lost relevance. I don't really know if the festival made money this year; I had this nagging feeling that it didn't because there was the noticeable absence of the usual drumbeating that the major studious used to make to entice more people to patronize their trashy (and usually more popular) entries. <br />
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As usual, and as expected, the better films (Larawan, Siargao, etc) didn't make a killing at the tills. In fact, there was this hullabaloo about the pullout of Ang Larawan in some theatres because it wasn't making as much money as expected. Of course there was the usual uproar from some quarters - and as usual, I wanted to scream "go watch the darn film if you really care don't just make a post about it." In this country, many people do think that writing an indignant scree in Facebook already translates into meaningful support. <br />
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I watched only one entry: Ang Larawan. I knew it was going to be a landmark film because of the pedigree that accompanied it. I need not make a roll call of the first-rate artists that comprised its cast and crew. But a number of Filipino artists did come together to bring Nick Joaquin's opus to the silver screen and an effort like that needs to be supported. I remain ambivalent about the wisdom of deliberately putting an artistic gem into a mud pool, but I guess there's the commercial consideration to consider. But then again, Heneral Luna, Kita Kita, and others did make gazillions even if they were not shown during the MMFF, so I wonder if all that caterwauling was really worth it. <br />
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I am aware that this may represent a minority opinion but there's a large part of me that thinks that the best way to effect changes in the MMFF is to allow itself to gasp and die from its own filth and stink and then take over when it's officially dead. Of course it may take a lot of time before that happens, or worse, the damage could be almost beyond repair. But I have always believed in the inherent ability of Filipinos to force changes when things have become truly untenable. It will come, just as it did many times in the past.<br />
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But I do think that we need more efforts like Ang Larawan. The wealth of material remains unbelievably rich. When we really come to think about it, it is incredibly stupid that our movie studios trundle out endless retelling of the same old trite storylines of mistresses and love triangles when there's a trove of materials that can be mined in Philippine literature just waiting to be tapped. I am not just talking about musicals, although it is a given that that should be given a lot more consideration because we happen to have the best musical artists in the world. I am talking about plays and short stories and novels. <br />
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Smaller and smaller circles (novel), Ligo Ka Na Lapit Na Me (novel), Imbisibol (play), Kisapmata (play), are just some of the movies that were actually adapted for the silver screen. There's a lot more with immense potentials to be turned into a great movie, if only our producers truly cared about developing minds and tastes. But then again, who am I kidding here. Our producers only care about making money.<br />
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Of course just because the material is taken from literature is not enough guarantee that it will become a great movie. Film is a director's medium, although a good story would definitely help a lot. But at the very least, we won't have to sit through a tedious plot; or worst, don't have to suffer through the metaphorical equivalent of being slapped in the face or hit in the head or further dumbed down by a senseless story.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=16958083" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>***<br />
But to go back to Ang Larawan. So much has already been said and written about the luminous performance of Joana Ampil as Candida. Let me add my own rave: Ampil was unbelievably, incredibly, amazingly brilliant in the movie. We saw Candida the character, and not just because we have not seen Ampil in a movie before; Ampil simply gave life to the character - no methods, no affectations, no frills. She didn't seem to worry about how she would register on cam because not even Nora Aunor or Vilma Santos could pull off that kind of honesty and sincerity in acting. <br />
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***<br />
The audiences who raved about the profundity of the material of Ang Larawan should read the original play and marvel at the original text, particularly the opening monologue where Bitoy Camacho delivers a lengthy but moving eulogy about Intramuros and the Marasigans. <br />
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<br />Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-74871060287433224872018-01-03T19:01:00.000+08:002018-01-03T21:45:33.529+08:00Defaulting<div class="MsoNormal">
Choosing a planner is a major annual undertaking for
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Yes, I own an ipad and an android phone, both of which - I
am told – offer more effective ways of helping me document and track my
appointments and activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But habits
are very hard to break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have always
used a planner since I started working (and I need not tell you how long ago
that has been) and has been dependent on those “reengineered notebooks” since
then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just a little more satisfying
to physically write down your thoughts and see them materialize on paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So thanks for the many suggestions about new
apps that could “change my life” – but it’s still the old-fashioned planner for
me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I will admit that there were two years in a row when I
jumped into the bandwagon and drank a lot of designer coffee just so I can brag
about having that overrated designer planner from that overrated but oh so indispensable
coffee chain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But those planners are not
really meant for – ehem – hardworking people with many commitments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just don’t offer as much space for notes
and even for appointments, so I ended up keeping a separate notebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the situation was pretty much like how a
person who wanted to kick smoking by eating mint candies ended up with two
addictions – smoking AND mint candies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the end, I figured I was too old to be a victim of trends and ditched using
those status symbol planners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did not
mean that I stopped drinking their coffee, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or worse, having notebooks as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But to go back to the topic, the process of choosing a
planner usually starts around end of November when the bookstores and the
specialty stores start displaying all kinds of planners for consideration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh yes, they have learned well from Skinner
and company – they are masters in the science of behavioral conditioning.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My preference has always been for a daily planner since I
tend to write not only appointments and a host of To Do’s, but practically
everything else that I happen to be in the mood to document at that very
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can include expenses, bank account
balances, observations about life in general, the price of cabbages, and the
like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sad thing is that I am very
bad at being consistent – I prefer being spontaneous – so anyone looking for a
pattern in my planner would be hard pressed to find one.<br />
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The quality of the paper, the binding, and the cover are
also important considerations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One buys
a planner for a whole year’s use and one tends to lug it around everywhere, so
durability is of utmost importance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
then there’s the quality of the paper. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
tend to prefer a variety of pens and I am partial to fountain pens, technical
pens, and yes, gel pens in different colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If the quality of the paper is not so good, the ink tends to blot and bleed
onto the next or the reverse side of the page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know this sounds like I am an OC person, which I honestly am not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just that I have been using planners for
almost four decades now and thereby possess ample experience on the matter.</div>
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What struck me while going through my annual selection
process, however, has been the growing variety of planners out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not just talking about the design of the
cover, or of the inside<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pages, and the inclusion of pictures and other helpful data
such as a multiplication or conversion table. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am talking about planners designed for every
possible kind of advocacy, temperament, or personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There seems to be a planner for every kind of
person.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For example, I saw a planner meant for the inveterate
traveler, one for budding writers, and another one for chefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A planner I saw must have been designed for
people with spending problems because the details required for budgeting were
just so meticulous. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The variety of spiritual
planners has always been quite wide – from the Daily Bread type to the
write-a-reflection sort - but I recently saw one with pictures of saints,
religious trivia, and interesting biblical facts in addition to the usual
scriptures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a planner with a feng
shui guide; which was quite tempting I almost picked it up except that I balked
when I considered how spooky it would be to have daily reminders of one’s
fortune, or lack of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was amazed to
find out that there are now planners that promote more balanced lives – it was
almost like having a personal manager to manage one’s life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get the drift.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After much
consideration, I decided to just pick up an old reliable Moleskin planner. I
know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that huffing and puffing were all
in vain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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But perhaps that’s exactly the whole point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Experience is the most reliable proof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very often, despite the abundance of choices,
there remains no substitute for the things that we have gotten used to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty much like Levi’s jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or Hanes undershirts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or Pilot sign pens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We consider alternatives because want to be convinced that
our default choices are still the best choices.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-33189909830656878742018-01-02T18:38:00.001+08:002018-01-02T18:38:29.990+08:00Hello, again.A new year is always opportune time to start all over again. A new year always offers a fresh chance - even if it is a chance to embark on yet another journey that is difficult to accomplish or finish. But then again, "try" has always been my middle name. <br />
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It's been almost two years since I stopped writing my column for that daily newspaper. I don't exactly miss writing for that paper - after almost ten years of slaving to meet deadlines in between three jobs, there were days when writing seemed like a chore, like simply filling up a page with words - some of them almost meaningless. A large part had to do with the fact that there were political considerations that had to be "complied" with, which got tiring after a while. <br />
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When do we know enough is enough? When we stop. <br />
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But I have had no regrets. Writing that column helped speed up my maturity process, even if there were times when I wondered if all that was worth being bullied, insulted, mocked, ridiculed.<br />
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But I do miss writing. And not necessarily because I liked being read. Oh sure, having a really good exchange with a reader always helped boost the spirit; a meaningful conversation always does that to anyone. We are all social animals, after all. The problem was that (and I guess this has gotten even worst in the last two or three years) is that people no longer engaged in conversation. <br />
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This is because social media has given everyone not only a voice and the metaphorical equivalent of a megaphone, but also, unfortunately, a weapon to hurt, maim, or kill. And so, people no longer cared about civility, or mature exchanges, or even being fair. There are times when it seems everyone is engaged in a screaming contest where intelligence, logic, or just plain common sense no longer count, just volume and stamina. Whoever screams the loudest, or the longest, wins.<br />
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This is why I have stopped writing commentaries even in my Facebook page. In fact, if it were not for the fact that FB unfortunately hosts the network of communication among many of my social groups (family, high school batch, college friends, etc) I would have chosen to disconnect a long time ago. There are just days when being in FB is so toxic. You are confronted with the fake news, the lack of civility, the cruelty, the political games, and worst of all, the hypocrisy.<br />
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Is everything lost? I do not think so. I hope not. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that all of these is a learning process for all of us. Yes, we've all taken two steps backward; but I believe people will eventually come to their senses. And I suspect that this time around, the process of realisation will be faster.<br />
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In the meantime, I have decided to revive this blog. Without fanfare.<br />
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!<br />
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Actually, I also couldn't access this blog for sometime. But now that I have, I hope to be able to go back to the swing of things.<br />
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-55131708258024372272016-10-15T22:48:00.001+08:002016-10-15T22:48:29.626+08:00US Election Game Changer<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ45VLgbe_E">Michelle Obama</a> recently delivered what I believed to be the most convincing, most heartfelt, most authentic, and most credible speech related to the US elections.<br />
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I have always been in awe of the US First Lady. I thought her "when they go low, we go high" battlecry is particularly inspired. And I love the way she always puts herself above the fray. This woman defines class. And is so good at it.<br />
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I am not American, of course. And I know that what I have to say is not particularly relevant because I am not voting in the US elections.<br />
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However, as a citizen of the world, I feel I have a responsibility to point out exemplary conduct of a public official that is worth holding up as an exemplar.<br />
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<br />Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-53200722182826453852016-10-14T17:22:00.001+08:002016-10-14T17:22:12.694+08:00Interesting timesTo say that we live in an interesting period is a major understatement.<br />
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I suspect that twenty years down, behavior science specialists will have a field day trying to make sense of the seemingly unexplainable phenomenon we are seeing today.<br />
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I have been blogging and writing a column all these many years and I know what it is like to be exposed to all kinds of reactions to an opinion. But I am completely floored down, thrown off the wall, and genuinely alarmed at the viciousness and the utter lack of restraint among those who post political comments and opinions out there. It's like a Roman Coliseum out there, and everyone seems poised to not just take down whoever stands in his or her way, but to maim, obliterate, annihilate.<br />
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The level of violence in the discourse is alarming. <br />
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This is one reason I have not gone back to column writing despite an interesting offer. <br />
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It's the same reason why I have not been as active in Facebook. The temptation to join the fray is high, but I guess my aversion to dirt and gore is more powerful.<br />
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But I do miss writing.<br />
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Which is why I have gone back to blogging. <br />
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Anyway.<br />
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I was passively scrolling down my FB feed this week and was quite saddened to note that someone I know and used to respect a lot (he was deeply religious and was very pro-people, he championed many initiatives that promoted a healthy respect for people and their potentials) had been posting incendiary shoutouts that essentially derogated people who expressed political beliefs that were different from his. Now he justifies certain things that used to be anathema so I wonder if political convictions are indeed more powerful than spiritual values. <br />
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Because quite frankly, I think that when everything has been said and done, we're all just answerable to one Supreme being. <br />
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I keep my political beliefs to myself and try to remain as objective as possible.<br />
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But I do hope that when the time comes, I can honestly say that while I was alive I did not join any conspiracy to kill, murder, or deprive anyone of his or her right to live. I did not give my expressed permission to rob anyone of his or her political, legal, or constitutional rights under the guise of the common good.<br />
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<br />Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-65019207507934947062016-01-01T23:53:00.001+08:002016-01-02T00:15:21.620+08:00Thoughts on a New YearI know -it's one of the oldest cliches out there, this thing about getting into a morose and reflective mode on New Year's day. But I am a creature of habit (some of them really bad, bordering on the neurotic) and making resolutions has been part of the annual routine. Last year I made an extra effort to ensure that at least some, if not most, of my resolutions would get fulfilled. I made the list as the wallpaper of the PC at work and wrote them on the first pages of my planner - I never got through a day when I didn't get reminded of the things I swore I would do in 2015. Did it work? To some extent, yes. I did try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day and tried as much as possible NOT TO EAT MEAT, the operative word being "tried." But hey, the results of the my blood tests have been consistently good, so I guess I did get some headway in 2015 insofar as sticking to the resolutions.<br />
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I haven't gotten around to doing the list for 2016. I need to think some more; I figured I have until Monday to finalize. I would think that majority of those that were in my 2015 list need to be sustained - particularly those that were directly related to health issues such as setting certain targets for weight and health metrics. But maybe I should make more effort to relax more this year, and maybe do some traveling. Perhaps a trip to the USA is a good idea this year, eh?<br />
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I spent a great part of the first day of 2016 doing what I thought I should have done more of in 2015, which was 1) reading - I tried to catch up on my reading; 2) getting organized - I cleaned up the mountain of papers on my study desk and sorted through the stuff that I bring to work and school everyday; 3) and cleaning up my inboxes and PCs. I am bared halfway in all three priority areas, but I hope to at least get real headway before Monday, January 4.<br />
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Of course I checked my news feed in FB, although quite frankly, I got a bit flustered at the seemingly endless parade of buffet tables. Did we really stuff ourselves silly last night??? Apparently posting pictures of what people had for their media noche is the new normal although I must admit I may have inadvertently encouraged some people to do just that with my post on how a long-missed fruit from my childhood (a red bell-shaped fruit called tambis in Leyte) ended up as the most special item in our New Year fruit basket. Well, I truly hope the bountiful tables become portent of what is in store for all of us in 2016; may there be fewer hungry people in the year ahead. <br />
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HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!<br />
<br />Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-66111244000992047982015-11-19T22:47:00.000+08:002015-11-19T22:47:42.282+08:00APECted I honestly and sincerely wished for a successful hosting of APEC2016.<div>
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I didn't agree with those who thought that the country had very little to gain from being host. To begin with, I didn't think passing off on the opportunity was a wise option; it would have been like admitting we were not in the same league as the other countries. Globalisation is far</div>
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However, I did think that holding the summit in Manila was a wrong move on the part of the Aquino administration. I get it - the summit had to be held in a city with adequate facilities to house the various heads of states. The last time APEC was held in the country, President Ramos built villas for each of the heads of states inside Subic (the villas were later rented out). If we stuck to the template we could have brought development to places like General Santos City, or Tagbilaran City, or Tacloban City, or even Puerto Princesa City. Actually, I think APEC2015 could have been held in the island of Mactan in Cebu Province- I think there are enough hotels in the island, or they could have included Mandaue City. They could have contained all the activities in one place.</div>
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But then, as we all know, there's really no arguing with the bright boys of the Aquino administration who happen to think that they have a monopoly of both good intentions and brilliance. So we did it in Manila.</div>
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We all knew what happened.</div>
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The major lesson learned was how not to host a major conference such as the APEC.</div>
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Of course APEC 2015 also highlighted the following:</div>
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1. President Aquino's fixation on heaping blame on his predecessor confirms what everyone has long suspected - it's personal. There's just no other explanation. It's been almost six years and he continues to stick to a script that's quite stale and dated. The funny thing is that while he blamed GMA for supposedly not doing what "he did," he went to town singing paeans to a program (the 4Ps) that he claimed has been very successful. There's just one little issue: the 4Ps Program was started out during the GMA administration - in fact, even Dinky Soliman has said on record that GMA DSWD Secretary Espie Cabral is to be credited for the 4Ps program.</div>
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2. The APEC may be an occasion for high-level discussions on economic issues, but for many Filipinos, it was just another showbiz affair. The insane attention given to the two heads of states with movie star looks was unbelievable! </div>
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3. It may be 2015 and social media might already have replaced other channels for political expression, but there's nothing like a real mass action to dramatise political protest. There were less militants on the streets riling against APEC and capitalism and foreign domination, but their message came out loud and clear, although not necessarily emotional affecting.</div>
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4. We're truly a people with great capacity for forgiving rank inefficiency on the part of our leaders. There's just no way to explain how people actually put up with the way our leaders disregarded in such a wanton and cavalier way the welfare of millions of Filipinos in Metro Manila with all that last minute road closures!</div>
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-28739013832007039422015-11-19T21:48:00.002+08:002015-11-19T21:48:41.730+08:00Trying to get backI am not sure there are still people who visit this blog; when I checked the stats, it says there were at least 35 who passed through today - not sure why, or how. It's been more than three years I think since I last updated this blog, so much has happened since then.<div>
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There's so much I want to write about.</div>
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I started out as a blogger, so I guess I am just returning to my roots.</div>
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I promise to start blogging again.</div>
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But first, I want to rebuild the archives in this site pertaining to my column.</div>
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-90529850960817121392015-10-20T17:54:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:54:56.182+08:00Santiago's political decision<i>My October 20, 2015 column.</i><br />
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Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago has always been a political gadfly. She has never been known to conform to anyone’s idea of what is acceptable, consequences be damned. She has also been renowned for never holding her punches, often spewing what many would consider outrageous statements. She has never been known to have long-term loyalties, or to have a core ideology, other than looking at herself as a Messiah of sorts.</div>
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It would seem as if Santiago’s main purpose in life is to challenge conventions and in the process, annoy or infuriate others. Of course there are those who think the world of her, but it would be difficult to find someone other than her family members who has consistently been pleased with her actuations or statements. Santiago is who and what she is; and it is unreasonable to pick the things about her that we admire and those we find repulsive.</div>
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Her decision to run for President, therefore, should not have come as a surprise. It’s in her nature to be a maverick. </div>
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However, while it really is too early to predict the results of the 2016 elections, I think it’s also important to be realistic. It is an understatement to say that this election will be steep uphill climb for her. And while I sincerely pray that she continues to enjoy the medical miracle that she has been blessed with, I am afraid that the rigors of the campaign might be punishing. I hate being morbid, but we can all draw parallels from what happened to the late Senator Raul Roco. Still, I will not stand in the way of someone who wants to fight. I understand just how important it is for someone who has been dealt with something as overwhelming as cancer to want to fight. My late mentor, Dr. Celia Jessica Villarosa, spent eight years valiantly fighting and overcoming the many challenges that life offered her, including cancer. To the very end, she refused to allow cancer to define her. </div>
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So yes, I have great empathy for Santiago. I am even willing to make allowances for her choice of running mate. I think it’s mainly a political decision; the Marcoses do continue to have a solid following in the North and among diehard loyalists. It’s not much of a consolation, but at least she has brought once again to the surface the horrors of Martial Law and the many reasons why the Marcoses should never be allowed to return to Malacañang.</div>
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I will not demonize Santiago for her political choice. It’s, quite frankly, a futile waste of time and energy. But I will vigorously question many of her assertions.</div>
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Santiago said that the Marcoses, as a family, do not owe the Filipino people any apology. I have mixed feelings about this, mainly because I think the time for apologies have long lapsed. An apology needs to be sincere, must be offered while it still matters, should include an admission of guilt, and more importantly, must offer amends—all of which the Marcoses are incapable of doing. Besides, we’re talking of crimes, the scale of which remains unparalleled in this country’s history, so I am afraid an apology will not suffice. Quite frankly, I would have preferred that they all went to jail.</div>
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Santiago also said that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should not be punished for the sins of his father. I disagree. Marcos Jr. may have been a child when his father rose to power, but he was already wearing a military officer’s uniform and wielding a high-powered gun when they were forced out of the Palace by People Power. He was not a passive observant of the large-scale kleptocracy that defined his parents’ conjugal rule; he was a party to it!</div>
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I think that the Filipino people have really tried to move on from the horrors of the dictatorship, which is why the Marcoses have acquired some semblance of respectability despite the grave injustice they have inflicted on the Filipino people. We’ve allowed them to return to power. It would be a major slap on the face of the Filipino people to allow them to return to Malacañang. First, because such would represent full redemption for the Marcoses and second, because they do not, have not, deserved forgiveness.</div>
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But, like I said, I will respect everyone’s right to run for office, or even make utter fools of themselves. I have bigger respect for the Filipinos’ ability to do what is right—which is to trounce undeserving candidates at the polls in May 2016.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-78657757046383345492015-10-18T17:52:00.000+08:002016-01-01T18:20:59.377+08:00A surplus of presidential hopefuls<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My October 1, 2015 column.</i></div>
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On the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy for national positions last Monday, a total of 22 individuals trooped to the national headquarters of the Commission on Elections to manifest their supposed earnest desire to offer their lives in the service of country and the Filipino people as President. As of Thursday evening, there were close to a hundred presidential hopefuls! The number was astonishing because for a while back there, most of us were actually bewailing the utter lack of choices for the 2016 presidential contest. </div>
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Of course, we all know that the number of hopefuls would be decimated in a few weeks’ time when Comelec declares some, if not most of them, as nuisance candidates. Nevertheless, there are a lot of things that can be said about the surge in the number of people who actually believe in their heart of hearts that they could and should be President of the Republic of the Philippines.</div>
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We can all take an optimistic view of this development and convince ourselves that this is reflective of the very wide, deep, and fertile pool of talent that we have in this country. When we come to think about it, it’s not farfetched to imagine that in a country of 100 million people, there are more choices other than Mar Roxas, Jejomar Binay, Grace Poe, and Miriam Defensor-Santiago. This view, however, is shot down —and rather fatally, at that—by the fact that a sizable number of those who filed their certificates of candidacy seemed like people who desperately need to have multiple sessions with a shrink. How else does one explain the fact that we have someone claiming to be an intergalactic ambassador who said he was urged to run by aliens among the bunch?</div>
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I like the humor theory submitted by some people. This theory says that what we witnessed this week was really yet another expression of our innate sense of humor. We’re just the kind of people who allows moments of levity even in the most tragic or saddest circumstances. We have been known to crack jokes, or even stage practical jokes, to break the tension out of very stressful situations. Unfortunately, this theory presupposes that those who filed their candidacies had higher thinking skills to grasp the concept of irony or satire, something that seems unlikely given the rambling and often nonsensical gibberish they spewed after they filed their certificates of candidacy. </div>
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Someone I know insisted that those who filed their candidacies for president deserve, at the very least, our empathy. She said she still believed deep in her heart that despite the seeming absurdity of the situation, those people were still driven by the overwhelming desire to contribute to making this country great again. An extension of this belief was about how those people were really activists taking matters into their own hands; presumably, they’ve had enough of the the inability of government to make things work in this country so they were rising to the occasion. I would have gone to Comelec to applaud those people if we saw indications that altruism was truly behind their behavior. </div>
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This leaves us with just two more theories. First, people’s perceptions of the qualification requirements for the presidency have reached an abysmally low level—it seems many actually think anyone can step up to the job. It’s difficult to disprove this perception because we did have a President who was an undergraduate and we have people like Emmanuel Pacquiao who keeps on making public statements about how the presidency can be part of his destiny. And besides, it really is true: the qualification for the Presidency and the Vice Presidency as written in the Constitution is ridiculously low —we ask more from production workers and utility people. Am sure the framers of the Constitution had good intentions; making the Presidency a possible career path for anyone with grit and gumption can be inspiring to any growing child. But I am certain they did not foresee the circus that is happening at the Comelec offices, either.</div>
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The last theory is what most people believe in, which is that we just have too many people in this country with too much time in their hands, who apparently have nothing better to do with their lives.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-23075295996467164162015-10-13T17:51:00.000+08:002016-01-01T19:33:43.376+08:00Grain from chaff<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
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<i>My October 13, 2015 column.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The circus officially begins this week when those aspiring for national office start trooping</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> to the Commission on Elections at Intramuros to file their respective certificates of candidacy. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The whole exercise will be marked by all kinds of gimmickry which people will try to pass off as</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">ceremonial pomp and pageantry. There will be ati-atihan dancers, marching bands, cheer leaders,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">confetti, and hordes of placard-waving and shrieking supporters garbed in whatever colors the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">candidates have chosen to represent themselves. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">What all the extravaganza has to do with the occasion baffles the mind. When we come to think</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">about it, the filing of certificates of candidacy should be a solemn, if not sacred, moment. It’s when</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">a candidate declares under oath his or her sincere intention to serve the people. It is supposed to mark</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">the moment when the proverbial die is cast, when a candidate makes a date with destiny. Why candidates</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> cheapen such a potentially poignant moment is indicative of their character and the value they attach</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">to elective positions.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista has laid down the specific guidelines to be followed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">during the filing of candidacies this week. He has particularly asked that candidates limit to a certain</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">number the supporters who would join them inside the Comelec offices. Let’s see if Bautista is able</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">to implement his guidelines—we all know from experience that most candidates and their supporters</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> have the tendency to flaunt laws. The irony is that these people claim to be messiahs representing change</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> and reform, yet they cannot be bothered to follow basic laws of courtesy and responsible citizenship. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">For example, most of them will be organizing motorcades that will create monstrous traffic jams that will</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">inconvenience hundreds of thousands of people—the same ones they swear they will serve. And we can</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> all be sure that all of them will be leaving behind tons of trash at Intramuros that most of them cannot be</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">bothered to clean up. So right at the very start we already know that many of these people are hypocrites</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">—their actions are not aligned with their supposed intentions.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This week, therefore, we really should be on the lookout for the candidates who will treat the filing of</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">their certificates of candidacies with the decorum required of the occasion. It’s when we separate the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">clowns from the earnest public servants, the buffoons from the sensible ones, the grain from the chaff.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">But then again, we’ve already known the real worth of certain candidates prior to this week’s filing of</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">certificates of candidacies. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">For example, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who declared his intention to run for the vice presidency</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">last week, made big declarations about the supposedly bold and revolutionary transformation that he</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">wants to initiate once he gets elected into office. In the interest of disclosure, I will state for the record</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> that having personally suffered from the political repression that was prevalent during the Marcos</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">dictatorship, I loathe the Marcoses and what they represent. However, I will respect, albeit grudgingly,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">anybody’s right to run for any office and to make an utter fool of himself or herself in the process. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">In the case of Marcos, his bold pronouncements about the kind of movement that he will initiate and</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">pursue once he gets elected as vice president come across not only as hollow and insincere —they were</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">also, quite frankly, ridiculously implausible. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Unless the line of succession is invoked, the post of vice president in this country has no value; he or she</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">serves at the pleasure of the President. Of course we all know that the vice president is next in line to the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">President, but there’s no guarantee that he or she is treated as such. In many instances in the past, we’ve</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">even had Presidents who deliberately bypassed or ignored the vice president. Let’s call a spade a dirty</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">shovel—the post of vice president is basically a decorative or ceremonial position. Worse, if the person</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">occupying the post is not on the good side of the President, he or she ends up doing absolutely nothing,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">usually given token responsibilities hardly worth crowing about. So how Marcos intends to initiate his</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">grand movement as vice president is perplexing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">We all know that Marcos is not exactly a moron, so we know that he knows about the limitations of the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">functions of the vice president. All those grand pronouncements, therefore were just that—an exercise in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> rhetorical discourse. That’s what Marcoses do best. Seriously, folks—we’ve been there before, haven’t</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">we learned our lesson from the Marcos dictatorship yet?</span></div>
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-38232786457278371432015-10-11T17:49:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:49:57.510+08:00Choosing the lesser evil<i>My October 11, 2015 column.</i><br />
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<i>It’s too bad there won’t be a box in the ballot in next year’s elections that says “none of the above” because I am sure there will be quite a number of voters who will choose to leave the slot for President or Vice President blank. Of course there is the possibility that some people will still have a change of mind as the candidates begin to engage voters more aggressively during the official campaign period, but there will be many who will not be swayed. I know quite a number who are firmly convinced, this early, that no one among Mar Roxas, Grace Poe, Jejomar Binay, and Rodrigo Duterte—who are considered the frontrunners for the presidency—deserves to become President of the Republic.</i></div>
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<i>I, personally, have not made up my mind on who to vote for President or Vice President in 2016. There’s just no one among the four putative candidates who inspires confidence in me. However, I believe that leaving the spaces blank in the ballot is not a wise option in an electoral system where candidates win by plurality of votes. Even if 90 percent of the voters choose not to cast their votes for the top two positions, there will still be winners. The candidates who end on top after the voting will still get proclaimed and sworn into office even if they only garner a ridiculous percentage of votes—say, eight percent of the total population of voters—so the possibility that the least qualified person will win will still be there. At the same time, choosing not to vote for a President or Vice President is tantamount to renouncing one’s responsibility as citizen of this country. Citizens are obligated to support the person who wins an election regardless of whether he or she was the person we voted for during the elections. </i></div>
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<i>But it sure is disheartening when we consider that the deciding factor on who to vote for boils down to who we think will do the least damage to the country. Put another way, it looks like it’s going to be about picking the lesser evil among the four candidates. This is a complete departure from the usual paradigm where people root for specific candidates because he or she is deemed the best candidate for the post.</i></div>
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<i>Roxas seems like he is ready for the post given the fact that among the frontrunners, he is the one who has actually served in the Cabinet longer, and in various capacities at that. In addition, he has served as congressman and senator, and has management background from his experience in the private sector. However, if the way he handled the Yolanda crisis is any indication of his management style, then we can honestly say that we’re doomed. I personally witnessed the absolute absence of leadership during the first few weeks after the super typhoon struck—Tacloban City was brought to the ground not by Yolanda, but by the anarchy that followed in its wake. The problems of the LRT and the LTO can also be traced to the period when he sat as Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications.</i></div>
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<i>Poe comes across as a refreshing change in a political landscape dominated by traditional politicians. She is the candidate with the least political debt and presumably the one who has not been swallowed up by the murky political system—yet. But Poe is dogged by two main issues. First, her lack of relevant experience and consequently, competencies. And second, issues about her citizenship. The Presidency is the ultimate symbol of our sovereignty as a nation—what does it say of us when we elect someone who once chose to renounce her Filipino citizenship, and apparently without much emotional struggle and only out of convenience, as President?</i></div>
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<i>Binay’s and Duterte’s proven track record as local executives are definitely plus factors. When we come to think about it, experience as mayor or governor is probably the best preparation for the presidency as managing a town, city, or province provides the closest match in terms of relevant competencies. Unfortunately, Binay is hounded by issues of corruption—the scale of which boggles the mind. It just seems unthinkable for anyone who is in complete control of his mental faculties to deliberately put someone suspected of being a large-scale crook in charge of the country’s vast resources. On the other hand, Duterte’s human rights record and his authoritarian tendencies are worrisome. And the way he has been flip-flopping on whether he is running for President or not smacks of indecisiveness, something that a President cannot or must never be.</i></div>
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-53359313517445819692015-10-04T17:47:00.000+08:002016-01-01T19:36:35.154+08:00Twerking to infamy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"></span><br /></span>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My October 4, 2015 column.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The official campaign period for the 2016 national elections hasn’t started yet, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">but the circus has already come to town. The circus acts are bound to be more risqué </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">and the gimmicks dirtier because of, first, the intense competition among the various </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">political parties, and second, it is just so much harder now to entice people to come </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">to political gatherings just so they can listen to some candidate regurgitate shameless </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">self-promotion propaganda. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Gyrating dancers clad in sexy attires; singers who slither onstage and flirt with candidates </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">and the audience; lewd and bawdy jokes and statements with double entendre </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">or laden with innuendoes—these have always been the staple of political sorties </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">for as far back as I can remember. My earliest memory of a political rally happened </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">when I was a little boy and it involved a female singer in sequined shorts singing </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">“Saging ni Pacing” onstage while feeding a mayoral candidate and his slate of mostly </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">male candidates ripe bananas. In the last national elections, I actually witnessed the late </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tiya Pusit singing “Pusong Bato” while literally taking liberties of the male senatorial </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">candidates of the opposition onstage, much to the amusement and howling of the audience. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">These antics have been proven to get crowd all worked up—sex, after all, is a </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">universal preoccupation. Unfortunately, it’s also difficult to contain these kinds of acts </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">and they do stray beyond what is socially acceptable in most cases.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Fortunately, it is now easier to expose shenanigans in the campaign trail because </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">everyone in this country happens to have a cellphone with a video camera which </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">we all like to whip out at every opportunity. This predilection has reached what </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I think is a sad point where people already forego the opportunity to fully enjoy </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">or savor special moments just because they happen to be more focused on recording </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">the event and watching the proceedings from the small LED screen of their cellular </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">phones, but I digress. We’ve become a nation of camcorders that events in this country</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">are now set up so that they will actually look good in video footages. It is now customary </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">for people to whip out their cellular phones at any event and take video footage </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">as if their inability to record the event will diminish their appreciation of the whole</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> experience. And of course we also like to share—videos, in particular, including those </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">that really should remain private, but that’s another story.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I must admit that I, too, was outraged at the videos taken during a recent Liberal Party </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">event (the birthday celebration of a congressman but which was attended by party bigwigs) </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">which showed a group of female dancers twerking against the crotches of grown men, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">presumably politicians. In fact, I was aghast that no one among those who were present </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">seemed to have had the presence of mind to think of the repercussions of such a performance </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">finding its way to the Internet given the number of cellular phones that were recording it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The dance move (twerking) is already scandalous in the eyes and minds of many people </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">as it simulates the sex act. Doing so with a partner onstage is taking it beyond clean fun. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I fully understand why people are outraged—it’s not just about reducing women to </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">sexual objects, it’s also about public decorum, particularly involving public officials. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">However, I think it is quite a stretch to drag Liberal Party candidate Mar Roxas into </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">the issue considering that he was not there. I find the attempts of some people—obviously </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">from people who are virulently against a Roxas presidency—to insinuate that Mar Roxas </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">was one of the guys a dancer was gyrating against quite foul. There were also accusations</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> that the dance performance was a “gift” from Metro Manila Development Authority </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">chairman Francis Tolentino although this has been vigorously denied.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">What we know is that habits are hard to change and that our political parties continue </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">to be ruled by traditional politicians who perpetuate sordid acts that sully our political </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">systems. We also know that vigilance by ordinary citizens are making a difference </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">insofar as changing the system is concerned.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Now that the twerking video has become viral and the culprits have been rightfully </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">chastised, I guess we won’t be seeing girls twerking in political rallies anymore. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">This doesn’t mean, though, that candidates won’t be turning into clowns and wannabe </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">singers and dancers and comedians. </span></div>
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-49333353275218568012015-09-29T17:45:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:46:09.388+08:00Not just about numbers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My September 29, 2015 column.</i></div>
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A friend who lives abroad sent me a message over the weekend, basically expressing amusement tinged with a bit of dismay that Filipinos were about to break another world record, this time for the number of tweets about a single event. Like many other Filipinos, he was closely observing the mass hysteria over the Aldub phenomenon. I empathized with him. I told him he was in a better place compared to many others who got hooked into either hating, defending, or justifying their addiction to the Aldub phenomenon.</div>
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I am not sure if Eat Bulaga was successful last Saturday; but if not, I am sure it will just be a matter of time before they succeed in breaking into smithereens whatever existing record there is on Twitter. The phenomenon is just heating up and I am sure they intend to bring the couple to the altar in a grand wedding ceremony in the coming weeks or months. I wasn’t really sure what benefits—other than bragging rights—could be derived from hitting a gazillion mark on Twitter. At the same time, I did wonder if people saw the possibilities and opportunities in the phenomenon.</div>
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For people who are still doing mental acrobatics trying to make sense of the Aldub phenomenon, check out the mass hysteria over the Nida-Nestor, Guy-Pip, Sharon-Gabby, and other similar pairings in the past. I think I was in high school when the reunion movie of Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III was shown—and I still have vivid memories of the pandemonium that attended the screening of the movie. They had to close streets because of the sheer number of people who turned up. Of course the manner in which people express their adulation has already changed; fans no longer hold vigils and descend in full force at movie events to show their support—there are now social networking sites available. Nevertheless, the world that we live in may have changed dramatically in the last 20 years, but we’re still basically the same deep down inside—we’re still a people who goes gaga over love teams that defy social conventions. We’re still big-time suckers for good old-fashioned romance, particularly those that involve Filipino cliché situations such as an attendant strict or authoritarian parent, class or economic divide, etc. </div>
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To consider the whole preoccupation shallow, or lacking in depth or substance is to mock Pinoy pop culture. Many major events and movements in the world have been sparked by “shallower” stimulus. It can even be argued that the whole phenomenon is yet another reflection of the inherent inventiveness of Filipinos. It’s basically improvisation at work, and those in the know are aware that improv is the most difficult form of comedy. I also think that the set-up actually triggers higher-level thinking. Unlike in a soap opera where audiences are required to suspend disbelief, the Aldub portion in Eat Bulaga goes to town with all its on-the-spot improvisation—the characters fumble their cues and everyone makes jokes about the kind of effort they make in stretching things too far. The Saturday editions of the show basically happens in the vicinity of the Broadway Centrum in Quezon City and while the production people try to make it appear as if the characters run around and travel through a wide geographic area, the hosts make punch lines about how silly they all look because everyone knows they are in the same area, anyway. </div>
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As I wrote in a previous column, a major reason why people are hooked on the Aldub romance is because everyone is in on the whole charade. We all know the various complications are made up and we all know that the people behind the show are basically pulling everyone’s leg—we all know we’re all just having fun. Of course there are those who hope and pray that sparks do fly between the two characters and that Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza really do get attracted to each other in the process. But most people are aware of the realities of the show, and move on with their lives after 2:30 p.m. The madness is kept to a tight schedule.</div>
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But I do concede that there is a part of me that indulges in some wishful thinking; I do wish that the people behind the show see the immense responsibilities that come with the rare gift or privilege of having millions of Filipinos as followers. I do wish that the people behind Eat Bulaga (or for that matter, Showtime which has a similar portion involving a broken-hearted girl who also got her five minutes of fame in social networking sites) find the moral courage to use that power and influence constructively. </div>
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What is not being discussed is that the Aldub phenomenon has filled a need among Filipino audiences and it is up to the Eat Bulaga people to provide direction, and more meaning into the whole experience. </div>
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So yes, while I do think that the current phenomenon is not necessarily lacking in depth, I think that perpetuating the same over time without any effort to channel it towards a loftier purpose is a monumental waste of opportunity. Just imagine, for example, what 25 million tweets on responsible voting, or saving the environment, or even reducing violence against women and children can do. This cannot be all about ratings. There is more to business than just cornering a lion’s share of the audience.</div>
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Similarly, I understand that the Iglesia Ni Cristo has also sent word that they intend to break the existing world record on the number of spectators gathered for a single movie screening event when they unveil Felix Manalo, the biopic on the founder of the religious sect, next month. I personally smell politics behind the whole effort, but there must be more to breaking records than just getting the numbers. Otherwise, it’s a meaningless exercise; like gathering dumb driven cattle.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-42037337020601800872015-09-27T17:44:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:44:19.303+08:00Internet hoaxes<i>My September 27, 2015 column.</i><br />
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<img alt="" height="130" src="http://manilastandardtoday.com/panel/_files/image/columnists%20photo/bong-austero-new.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: right; height: auto; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 765px; vertical-align: middle;" width="115" />Filipino Facebook users are the world’s most unintelligent people. This was the bold assertion made by an alleged study conducted by a Filipino graduate student from Harvard University last year. Highlights of the “study” found their way to various social networking sites recently. Among the supposed findings were the following: 80 percent of Filipino Facebook users click the like button on external links without even reading or opening the links first or being aware of what they are “liking;” most Filipino users share horrific images like accidents, killings, child abuse and other horrendous images that are not normally shared by people who understand the effects of these images; and Filipino Facebook users do not seem to understand the concept of human rights or etiquette. The “study” was backed by seemingly convincing data, citing statistics that appeared credible because they seemed empirically-based, such as total population of Filipinos and total number of Internet users, among others.</div>
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The results of the “study” created quite a stir. There were those who immediately questioned the methodology and the results, while there were those who seemed to agree with the findings, citing various anecdotal evidences that seem to support the findings. I came across an article about the study on the Facebook page of a friend of mine who happens to be among the country’s most respected clinical psychologists. It was discovered later on that the supposed study was actually a hoax; it was a complete work of fiction.</div>
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On hindsight, a closer reading of the so-called findings and the way these were presented showed telltale signs of shoddy analysis. Unfortunately, most of us have profound respect for data presented in a complex form as we tend to associate intelligence, scientific rigor, and even credibility with complexity; thus, it is quite easy to perpetuate hoaxes, particularly if these are packaged well. This brings me to an important question that has been bothering me for quite sometime now: What drives people to spend that much time and effort on making up hoaxes such as the aforementioned study?</div>
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The fact that the so-called study became viral and merited heated discussions seemed to validate the findings of the study. There are quite a number of Filipinos who tend to believe urban legends and hoaxes, and worse, are quick to share these without validating their provenance or veracity. I have personally called the attention of some friends in instances when they shared a meme or an article making certain claims that had already been debunked by experts. For example, there are quite a number of medical advice being shared and re-shared in social networking sites that are not supported by science; some of these are quite dangerous because they are not generalizable or applicable in all situations or conditions. </div>
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However, it must be pointed out very strongly that this predilection is not unique to Filipinos —in fact, this seems to be a universal malady.</div>
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I would like to think that most are driven by noble intentions when they feel the compulsion to share with the rest of the world whatever information they deem important.</div>
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For example, I was aghast that many people immediately posted screen grabs of the street view of their residences when Google Maps made the facility available, in the process throwing security and privacy concerns to the wind. This also includes sharing of photos, information, or even data that should really remain private. </div>
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Of course it would be desirable if people exercised a little vigilance—it is very often easy to check the veracity of certain urban legends as there are reliable Internet sites such as snopes.com that make a compilation of these —but I guess it is difficult to argue with good intentions. </div>
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A large part of the motivation has to do with social coordination as well. Social networking sites are convenient venues for social interaction. Gossip, rumors, jokes, urban myths and legends are the stuff that everyone can easily relate with or contribute to. In this context, analytical thinking or vigilance seem irrelevant.</div>
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All these, however, cannot be blanket justification for rash behavior in social networking sites that need to be reconsidered because, at the very least, they smack of immaturity.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-43841407342493241002015-09-22T17:42:00.000+08:002016-01-01T18:19:58.203+08:00Heneral Luna - a must watch movie for all Filipinos<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My September 22, 2015 column.</i></div>
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There are movies that entertain, and there are movies that educate. And then there is the occasional movie that does both. Heneral Luna, which is currently playing in movies nationwide (the number of theaters were reduced after a lackluster first week results, and then subsequently increased as positive word-of-mouth drove audiences to moviehouses during the second week) not only does a superb job of both entertaining and educating in a compelling way—it does a hell of a lot more. In the two occasions that I watched the movie in the last two weeks, the audience broke into spontaneous and sustained applause as the credits rolled, something that rarely happens today, and particularly when it involves a local movie.</div>
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There is absolutely no doubt that Heneral Luna is well-crafted movie. It’s a period film, which usually becomes an occasion for nitpicking. The people behind Luna tries hard to keep the production as authentic as possible, but whatever lapses and oversights become overshadowed by the tight storytelling, the outstanding technical elements, and the exceptional performances of the actors. John Arcilla as Antonio Luna inhabits the role like second skin; it’s not engaging in hyperbole to say even his spittle seems deliberately timed.</div>
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There are many reasons why Heneral Luna should be required viewing for all Filipinos. It is a movie that engages audiences to challenge many of our appreciation of certain critical and pivotal moments in Philippine history and the roles played, the decisions made, and the actions pursued by the people we collectively refer to as heroes and consequently placed on pedestals. History, after all, is most often reduced to accounts about the courage and valor of the pivotal players of certain epic events during the revolution; the frailties of our heroes and the many tragic stories of conspiracy and betrayal that led to their downfall, are usually presented as footnotes. We’re generally kinder, particularly to people who died during the revolution. Unfortunately, it’s precisely this collective effort to sweep under the rug the many unfortunate and embarrassing events in our history that hobbled and even pulled back our development as a nation that explains our continuing inability to learn from our mistakes.</div>
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Watching Heneral Luna is like holding a mirror in front of our faces and being confronted with our foibles and follies as a people. This exercise is usually attended by a lot of giggling and defensive laughter, but not while watching Heneral Luna where the sense of rage and anger borne out of realization is almost palpable.</div>
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In one scene, Luna successfully sequestered a train to be used to ferry soldiers to the battlefields in Bagbagin and Novaliches; the soldiers could not be accommodated in the train because the officials have already commandeered the train for the pleasure of their families who, naturally got the choice seats. The tempestuous Luna had to throw everyone out lamenting the Filipino’s complete devotion to their families, sometimes to the exclusion and detriment of the country or the common good. This same predilection remains today —I have come across many politicians who, even in public speeches, have intoned the hierarchy of their affections thus: God, Family, Self, and then country. Notice, for example, how we tend to allocate the best seats or the choice arrangements in public occasions for family members of politicians, and how these people eventually prioritize members of their families for political largesse, advantages, and other political benefits—even those who proclaim to be servant leaders and who make a big fuss about how they are all about serving their constituents, the poor, and the underprivileged.</div>
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There are many of these powerful scenes that tug at our collective conscience because we know these incidents continue to haunt us today. The utter inability among Aguinaldo’s cabinet members to come to an agreement on critical issues and for dissenters to respect decisions arrived at is something is a continuing malady; in our country, our leaders never concede defeat be it an election, an argument, or an advocacy—they scheme, they filibuster, and when all else fails, they wait for their turn to assume power at which point they insist on revising everything to suit their own interests and agenda. This is why many programs never really get institutionalized—most end up being replaced or revised regardless of the fact that they are working well. The legendary amor propio of people in positions of authority, the tendency to display blind obedience to individuals rather than to a chain of command, the predilection of the ruling elite to dissociate themselves from the situations of the majority of the people and to exist in a social vacuum, the tendency to identify with regional affiliations (Caviteños, Kapampangan, Bicolano) rather than think as Filipinos—all these are painfully illustrated in Heneral Luna. All these, are sadly, maladies that we continue to suffer from as a people.</div>
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The best movies are those that affect the audience in a powerful way; either provoke higher-level thinking, or move them into positive action. If we have more movies like Heneral Luna, we’d have more luck empowering our people. It’s easy to blame producers and directors who prefer to churn out inane movies about mistresses and ex-lovers, but the audience is actually not powerless either. If everyone supports Heneral Luna, then more producers and directors will be emboldened to replicate it. So please go and watch Heneral Luna. I promise you it will be really worth it.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-15413736879049774752015-09-20T17:41:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:41:21.310+08:0010 Questions for Grace Poe<i>My September 20, 2015 column.</i><br />
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<i>When Senator Grace Poe announced her bid for the presidency last Tuesday, she also put herself out there as a target for scrutiny and ridicule. I was told that her supporters expected wild jubilation and lots of cheering from across the land, but it looks like the reaction was far from what was expected. There were some who were hopeful, but most of the reaction ranged from expressions of disappointment, to disapproval, to outright ridicule. It appears Senator Grace Poe’s journey to Malacañan Palace will not be an easy ride, nor is it an assured one. </i></div>
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<i>I personally have not made up my mind as to who to support among the putative candidates. As things stand, it looks like it’s going to be about picking the candidate we least dislike. Poe, unfortunately, seems to be saddled with too much baggage. There’s just a lot of unanswered questions as well as unclarified perceptions about her overall qualifications. The following are 10 questions that I personally wish she would answer truthfully to help people get to know her better:</i></div>
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<i>1. Did she really renounce Filipino citizenship? When? How? Why? As a related question, what exactly is the citizenship status of her husband and three children—is it true they continue to be American citizens?</i></div>
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<i>2. Given that she has, at one point in time, reportedly taken an Oath of Allegiance to another flag, what meaning would she attach to the sacred Oath of Office of the President of the Republic if and when she becomes President, particularly that line that says “protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines?” </i></div>
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<i>3. What exactly is the Fernando Poe Jr. legacy that she says she wants to continue and perpetuate? Her father was a great filmmaker whose potentials as public servant were not realized. His kindness and generosity may have been legendary but so was his being a womanizer, among other vices. He was probably a great man, but then again so are millions of other fathers who are uncelebrated and unheralded. What makes FPJ’s so-called legacy more noteworthy than those of other Filipino fathers?</i></div>
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<i>4. How exactly does being the daughter of a great Filipino filmmaker translate into becoming the best candidate for President of the Republic?</i></div>
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<i>5. What exactly is she bringing to the post by way of actual accomplishments, achievements, and experiences that showcase her qualifications to become president? Given that past behaviors predict future behaviors, what in her experiences indicate that she will be able to deliver the complex requirements of the highest post in the land?</i></div>
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<i>6. As a senator who has served only half of her first term in office, how has she enriched the quality of legislation in this country? What noteworthy contributions have she made that denote exemplary performance as a legislator? Given that more senior and experienced senators have said that there remains a lot to be learned before they would consider themselves worthy of becoming president, what special learning track did she pursue to maximize the learning in barely three years?</i></div>
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<i>7. Given the absence of a long-term relationship with donors and benefactors and the lack of a well-entrenched political party to draw resources from, how does she intend to finance a campaign that will require hundreds of millions of pesos, perhaps even more than a billion pesos? How can Filipinos be assured that the future of the country is not going to be sold down the river in exchange for campaign donations?</i></div>
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<i>8. Given her relatively shorter political experience, whose opinions and ideas does she value the most? What exactly is the role that Senator Chiz Escudero will play if and when she becomes President? Who exactly will comprise her think tank? </i></div>
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<i>9. She has, on many occasions, chosen to take the middle ground on contentious issues. She ran with the administration in 2013 but did not sever ties with the opposition. She pandered to the INC during a recent crisis. She renounced Filipino citizenship and reacquired it when it was convenient for her. How does she respond to accusations that she is an opportunist person who picks advocacies and takes sides based purely on personal political convenience and interests?</i></div>
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<i>10. As one of the popular public figures who drew attention to the LRT/MRT problem, how did she marshal the resources of her office as senator to solve the problem? Given that the problem has only worsened despite her early intervention, how does she intend to convince people of her ability to solve problems through effective resource mobilization? </i></div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-71397141341552899822015-09-15T17:39:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:39:56.932+08:00Two years for emergency assistance<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My September 15, 2015 column.</i></div>
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How do we know for a fact that government bungled the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of the “Yolanda’’ supertyphoon? </div>
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There’s a report released by the government’s own watchdog —the Commission on Audit—which categorically states that the government not only failed to spend a large portion of the money intended for the victims of the strongest typhoon in history, but that tons of food and other relief goods have also gone to waste because government did not release them to the people before their expiration dates.</div>
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Of course we have heard about all these for the longest time now, I have personally lambasted in this space the foot-dragging that characterized government’s response to the urgent appeals for help from the people, but it’s a completely different matter altogether when it’s written up in an official report. It’s the kind of report that makes one’s blood boil, particularly if one saw with his own two eyes the extent of the devastation and the suffering of the victims. I will continue to insist that it is always infinitely better to over-deliver on food and relief goods to victims of calamities; scrimping on relief goods smacks of bad judgment and misplaced humanity particularly when these goods run the risk of spoilage. We’re seeing yet again how overcautiousness, bordering on paranoia and analysis paralysis, can hurt everyone.</div>
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But we don’t really need an official report to know that something went grievously wrong somewhere with the Yolanda relief and rehabilitation efforts. Let’s just allow a known fact to speak for itself: The release of the government’s much-vaunted Emergency Shelter Assistance program, which was intended to help victims of the supertyphoon rebuild destroyed houses, finally got underway only in the last few weeks. Imagine that—a program that government had the gumption to label “emergency assistance” being made available to the people almost two years after the supertyphoon struck! </div>
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If all of the tens of thousands of victims relied mainly on the promises made by government and did not take the initiative to rebuild their lives through some other ways, they would still be living in tents, or school buildings, or amid the wreckage. (Actually, some towns with stronger political influence got their ESA much earlier than everyone else, but that’s another story).</div>
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I was in Leyte two weeks ago where I met with some families who confirmed that they did get their ESA recently. When I asked what they did with their money— most everyone told me they used it to pay off their debts. In many cases, the proceeds directly went to loan sharks who had possession of their so-called green cards as many of them had already pawned their cards as early as last year. The almost two-year delay in the release of the assistance meant that interest rates had piled up and there was virtually nothing left for the families. </div>
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The delay in the release of relief and rehabilitation funds was supposedly due to efforts to ensure that the process was not hijacked or used by local politicians for partisan politics. Apparently, all that effort was for naught because we know for a fact that local politicians did find a way to insert themselves into the picture. Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman complained last week about the presence of Congressman Niel Tupas during the distribution of the ESA in certain towns in Iloilo and we’ve heard stories about how politician members of the Tupas clan have been engaged in some kind of a contest over who gets to preside or grab credit for the relief and rehabilitation efforts in Iloilo. </div>
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The same happened in other provinces, although the politicians were a bit subtler. But the situation was worst in Leyte where barangay officials directly asked for a cut from the beneficiaries in exchange for elevating their entitlement from partial assistance of P10,000 to full assistance of P30,000. All of these happened because the inordinate delay allowed politicians at the local levels to strategize and marshal their influence and resources in support of their nefarious schemes. Had the assistance been given immediately, the victims could have found more meaningful use for the funds. But then again, all of these is now wishful thinking; as usual, most Filipinos have moved on thankful for whatever little they got.</div>
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There are, however, valuable lessons that all of us hopefully learned from the Yolanda tragedy, particularly on how best to manage relief and rehabilitation efforts. Based on what we saw, the whole response has been severely hampered by lack of effective leadership and an integrated coordination and response. When we got to Tacloban two days after the supertyphoon struck, no one was in charge and everyone was doing programs based on their appreciation of the situation. The situation has remained basically the same—we still don’t know who is in charge and how exactly is the rehabilitation being implemented. As in the first few days and weeks of the tragedy, some towns and individuals have received more than what they needed while others are still waiting for scraps. There remains no visible and palpable mechanism in place to coordinate rehabilitation efforts despite claims that some masterplan has been designed. In fact, people have remained confused as to who is really accountable; the roles Senator Ping Lacson, Secretary Mar Roxas, and Soliman have remained inchoate and in the minds of people, they are all just passing blame to each other.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-86477831155122543022015-09-13T17:37:00.000+08:002016-01-01T18:19:33.244+08:00Traffic Theories<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My September 13, 2015 column.</i></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px;">The theory that happens to be the current favorite of the apologists of the Aquino administration is the volume of vehicles theory. According to this theory, the monumental traffic that beleaguers Filipinos today is caused mainly by the fact that there are just too many vehicles on the road. The proposed solution, therefore, is vehicle reduction—something that was naturally met by a lot of caterwauling. There’s already a vehicle reduction scheme in place that grounds vehicles on certain days based on their plate numbers so yet another scheme would be a cruel imposition. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">There are many things wrong with the volume of vehicle theory, foremost of which is that it renders analytical thinking irrelevant. It’s like saying that the science and technology at our disposal and the combined intelligence of all the people in government are of no use—we might as well just replace everything and everyone with people whose only job is to count vehicles. But my main problem with the people who lean on this theory is that they don’t acknowledge the logical implication of the theory, which is that it is tantamount to admission of incompetence and ineptitude. Projecting the increase of the volume of vehicles is the easiest thing in the world; sales of automobiles are monitored for taxation and for other economic reasons. This data is readily available and simple trend analysis could do the rest of the work. So the question is, what has been done in preparation for the projected increase in vehicles on the road in the last five years?</span></div>
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Linked to the volume of vehicle theory is the complexity theory that is now being peddled alongside a sub-theory on long-term solutions. According to proponents of this theory, the traffic problem is a complex phenomenon that requires multiple and long-term solutions. To the people who have been mouthing this excuse, I say: Nice try, but no cigar. Of course the darn thing is complex and requires long-term solutions, which is why there are government agencies and hundreds of people supposed to be working on fixing it. But my beef with this theory is that there is not a single person in this country who wants a miracle in Edsa— we all just want traffic to move at a reasonable pace. Our expectations are actually quite low. By all means, go ahead and think of long-term solutions, but don’t use that as an excuse not to pursue immediate solutions to alleviate the gridlock on the road.</div>
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The traffic-as-sign-of-progress theory could have been amusing, if it weren’t for the fact that some people actually seemed to believe it. I am sure that there is some empirical basis for the theory, but when we consider the monumental economic costs that traffic brings to business and to individual citizens (and we’re not talking about the medical, social, psychological, and other toll traffic brings), it would be like adding insult to injury to even hint that traffic has its beneficial effects.</div>
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There are the methods and technology theories that have been championed to various degrees by certain government officials. These theories build on the assumption that if we upgrade the systems, methods, and technologies around traffic management, traffic congestion will be reduced. I don’t necessarily disagree with these theories—except that even the most advanced methods, systems, and technologies will not work unless the people component is addressed.</div>
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And this is where and when I reiterate what I feel has been most overlooked in the whole discussion: the traffic problem is first and foremost a people management issue. We have monstrous traffic jams because there is breakdown in discipline and courtesy on our roads. The traffic congestion is caused not by vehicles per se, but by drivers who lack the necessary competencies that should be required of anyone before being given the license to drive. There is mayhem on our roads because there is breakdown of values during crunch situations—everyone becomes blind and deaf to everyone and everything else. It’s every man to his own. The solution is enforcement, communication, education, and most important of all, collaboration. The key that binds all these together is leadership.</div>
</span>Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-56454054250846252522015-09-08T17:35:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:36:01.172+08:00The Aldub Phenomenon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My September 8, 2015 column.</i> </div>
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Traffic around certain areas in Metro Manila and other key cities was unusually light last Saturday. There were less people on the road; in fact, most were glued in front of their television sets. No, there wasn’t a Manny Pacquiao fight on. So instead of the usual cheers and boos, there was the intermittent shrieking and giggling as people swooned over the latest pop phenomenon to hit Philippine television: The Aldub romance, representing Alden Richards and Yaya Dub (Maine Mendoza).</div>
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In case you have been living under a rock in the last two months, it’s a short segment of Eat Bulaga, the country’s longest-running noontime show. Eat Bulaga people have invented the term “kalyeserye” to describe the segment as most of the action happens literally on the street of whatever barangay the show is doing remote telecast from. On the show, Richards and Mendoza haven’t met physically and are merely shown via a split screen, interacting mainly by lip-syncing snippets of popular songs a la dub smash, and by writing and flashing short messages for each other onscreen. Richards “performs” at the Broadway Centrum Studio and Mendoza out in the streets. Mendoza plays the role of the yaya of the snooty Lola Nidora, who is adamantly against the relationship. </div>
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The Aldub phenomenon has shattered new records in Twitter and local TV ratings, which has befuddled many. So how do we explain the Aldub phenomenon?</div>
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I think the main attraction of the Aldub romance is that it has brought out our collective penchant for matchmaking, called “tuksuhan” in local culture. We enjoy setting people up for romantic situations and in this particular case, everyone in the show indulges everyone else’s in the game. We’re all having the time of our lives teasing Richards and Mendoza no end, and the two are more than willing to accommodate.</div>
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There’s also the spontaneity factor; the whole thing is not scripted and it is clear that everything is made up as the show goes along. Everyone is improvising and the mishaps and foibles all form part of the show’s charm. In fact, they stumbled into the “romance” purely by accident; in one episode, Mendoza was caught on cam tickled pink by an on-cam Richards and the audience lapped it up. The show decided to pick it up and made it into the phenomenon that it is today.</div>
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It’s also a hit because for once the audience is not at the mercy of scriptwriters and directors who, most of the time, stretch logic too far in local soap operas to the extent that dead people are resurrected and ill-fated lovers become siblings. Here the audience knows that all the plot complications are just for kicks, that Lola Nidora is a phony (he is a man, for crying out loud), and that everyone is in on the whole charade; there’s a lot of nudge-nudge, wink-wink going on and it’s all part of the deal. Everyone knows that everyone knows that everyone is just pulling everyone’s leg. Everyone can really have fun without the guilt and the second thoughts.</div>
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At the same time, the humor is organic. Because it is mostly improvisation, everyone has to mine the situation for laughs and end up bouncing ideas on each other. It’s like watching classic Pinoy stand-up comedy—sometimes they get a bit physical, or end up roasting each other, but all in the spirit of fun.</div>
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Because majority of the viewers (and those with the tendency to obsess) are women, younger people, and well, gay men, it is understandable that most of the adulation is directed at Richards. The shrieks released last Saturday every time Richards is shown on screen must have reached new decibel levels. There’s also the fact that Filipinos really do relate with the señorito-maid complication which has worked in countless hit movies and shows. I can understand how many women can identify with Mendoza’s Yaya Dub/ugly duckling character. The divides that exist between the two characters on many levels (physical, aesthetics, social, etc) add more spice. We are a people that find great fulfillment in the classic “langit-ka-lupa-ako,” against-all-odds syndrome. It is rooted deeply in our psyche; we are suckers for Pangako Sa ’Yo, Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit storylines.</div>
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But we also know the Aldub phenomenon has a shelf life, which explains the many appeals to GMA-7 to delay the meeting between the two for as long as possible. People know that when the lovers meet, it would be downhill from that point on. And finally, the show has wisely turned the whole thing into a multi-media event and of course people are always willing to jump at the opportunity to express themselves in social media.</div>
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I am not a fan of noontime shows (like most people, I have an 8-5 job so I don’t really get to watch noontime shows) so I don’t really know why the success of Aldub is being flaunted on the face of ABS-CBN’s Showtime hosts. For crying out loud, the Aldub romance may be new and charming and fun, but it has not elevated the overall quality of noontime shows. But if it is any consolation, at least, on this one, we’re not total victims. For once, everyone’s in on what’s really happening.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-46534591534593048932015-09-06T17:32:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:33:43.254+08:00Post mortem on the INC adventurism<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My column, September 6, 2015 at The Standard.</i></div>
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It’s been a full week since the Iglesia Ni Cristo took over a major part of Edsa and most have moved on to more pressing and seemingly more important concerns, such as the horrible traffic jams that seem to become more monstrous with each passing day. But I do have a number of friends who are INC members and I have exchanged views with them on what happened. Most of them, unfortunately, have remained adamant about the rightness of the cause they were fighting for (although unable to articulate exactly what the cause was and therefore hid behind sweeping generalizations such as “separation of church and state,” “harassment,” “interference on an internal matter,” and “undue haste.” But one or two have kept an open mind and seemed receptive to the feedback I gave on what I thought caused the animosity towards the INC.</div>
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First, the resentment didn’t actually happen overnight. It had been building up for sometime now. It got more pronounced when the INC staged a series of mass actions designed to rally support for then Chief Justice Renato Corona. And then there were the series of major INC events that created bedlam such as the centennial celebration and the inauguration of the Philippine Arena, among others. In all of these, the INC has expected the Filipino people to accept and understand without question. We tried, but the continuing INC demands started to take its toll.</div>
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Second, the INC was unwilling to assume accountability for its political decisions, particularly on the critical role their bloc vote plays in selecting the country’s leaders. Many of the politicians the INC have enthroned in power are to blame for the mess the country found itself in, but the INC has refused to assume some measure of accountability. The INC has likewise interfered in the appointment of people to key positions and in many instances, this has resulted in a snafu. And yet the INC has refused to own up to its actions.</div>
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Third, the relationship between the INC and the Filipino people has not been built on mutual trust and consideration. It’s never been a two-way relationship. The rest of Philippine society accommodates the practices the INC imposes upon its members as part of its so-called doctrine. When INC members refuse to cooperate or join corporate activities, citing their “doctrine,” everyone else is more than willing to look the other way. Religious and civic leaders pay their respects to the INC during critical times, but the gesture has never been returned. In fact, even on occasions such as when the Pope was here, INC members gleefully bashed Catholics in their media stations.</div>
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Fourth, the INC has consistently flaunted their so-called influence. For a religious group that is supposed to champion moral and ethical practices, they have not been reticent about collecting political debts. If the INC truly endorses candidates on the basis of qualifications, then the political debt should be considered paid through exemplary programs and services rendered to the people.</div>
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Fifth, the INC has consistently maintained exclusivity—even claiming that when judgment day comes, only their members will be saved. </div>
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Sixth, the issue of corruption within the INC resonates with the Filipino people because, darn it, we want corruption in all its forms to be addressed.</div>
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Seventh, by going to Edsa, the INC members did not factor in the fact that mass assembly in that area holds a special meaning to Filipinos. By making parallelisms between their struggle and the two Edsa revolutions, they unwittingly ignited outrage. Edsa is hallowed ground to Filipinos and for it to be used for dubious political purposes was sacrilege.</div>
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Eight, what happened was a classic lesson on leadership and public relations crisis. On such a critical hour, visible, palpable, and inspiring leadership was badly needed; a clear explanation of the issues straight from the mouth of INC’s Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo would have spelled the difference. </div>
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Unfortunately, the masses who assembled were hardly articulate and quite frankly, prone to making acrobatic logical deductions.</div>
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Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-79255508422519509432015-08-30T17:31:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:31:28.685+08:00Real Solutions, please<i>My column, August 30, 2015 at The Standard.</i><br />
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<i>It takes a lot before Filipinos snap. Our capacity for patience and to forgive the inefficiency of public officials is legendary. It took us more than two decades before we threw up our hands in the air in frustration over the sins of the conjugal dictatorship, and even allowed the family of the dictator to return to power eventually. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lasted 10 years in office despite the supposed illegitimacy of her assumption to power and the many allegations of corruption involving her husband and her minions. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile is now out of jail and back at the Senate despite being charged of plunder. Many officials of the Aquino administration remain in office despite the mounting proof of inefficiency and ineptitude. We’ve been complaining about the traffic situation in Metro Manila for quite some time now. The response from our officials have ranged from the ridiculous (“it’s a sign of progress”), to dismissive (“it’s not fatal”). Last Thursday, the President himself asked for more patience from everyone else and hinted of the return to the punitive odd-even scheme.</i></div>
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<i>The reaction is typical of the insensitivity that has characterized the default reaction of government. As usual, government is missing the point. What people want are real solutions to the traffic situation—not another stop-gap measure. Vehicle reduction through half-thought out schemes is a knee-jerk reaction; aside from it being anti-progress, it penalizes those who do not have the means to buy more vehicles. It also shifts the effort of traffic enforcers to apprehending violators rather than helping move traffic along. There are more vehicles on the road because our mass public transportation system is completely unreliable. I asked officemates and my students and most of them said they are forced to bring a car to work or to school because conditions at the MRT and LRT are subhuman. If government brings back the odd-even scheme, how will employees come to work or students go to school?</i></div>
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<i>Government has been quick to trumpet any sign of progress or development but has not adequately prepared for the consequences of development. Of course there will be more cars on the road! What we need are solutions that are strategic and comprehensive. Even more important now, what we need from our leaders are genuine efforts to show sincerity and commitment to deal with the problem.</i></div>
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<i>The long-term solutions will involve putting in place infrastructures and systems way ahead of time. This means more effective and efficient mass public transportation systems. The construction of the new LRT lines are taking so long and the purchase of those darned trains even longer. Meanwhile, we have a Philippine National Railways train system that is basically a rolling coffin—why government has not maximized the use of the PNR trains is a question that baffles the mind. More efficient traffic systems will have to be put in place such as better and functioning traffic lights and more effective ways of documenting traffic violations so that fines for violators are strictly enforced. Constructing more roads, skyways, overpasses, underpasses, tunnels in critical areas need to be programmed ahead of time. But there are a number of solutions that can be pursued quickly. </i></div>
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<i>First, construction activities on public roads must be strictly managed to ensure that these do not impede traffic unnecessarily. In other countries, construction areas are fenced or even walled off to contain the construction activities. In this country, contractors act as if everyone owes them a favor for some future convenience or benefit to be derived from their work. The truth is that more lanes can be freed up for traffic if only contractors manage their activities with public convenience in mind —in most instances, lanes are blocked off simply because they have not cleaned up the debris, or they serve as parking for heavy equipment or stockpile area which can be done elsewhere. In my neighborhood where a major public work is being done, streets have been closed off for two months already for no other reason other than sheer laziness or lack of strategic thinking on the part of the engineers—they just don’t care about anything else other than their jobs.</i></div>
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<i>Second, improve the general quality of traffic enforcers. The Metro Manila Development Authority must hire people who can apply some degree of critical thinking on their feet. When traffic enforcers override traffic lights, they must make sure that they know the consequences of their actions—just because traffic seems to be moving in one direction does not mean they have succeeded in easing traffic, very often they just redirected it somewhere else. Traffic enforcers who cannot be bullied and who can communicate should be preferred, not just people who stand there as a sentry.</i></div>
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<i>Third, government must scale up public educational campaigns about discipline and the need for a collaborative approach to easing conditions on the road. A major cause of traffic congestion is undisciplined drivers and the “me first” syndrome which results in clogged intersections. People should be reminded constantly about the importance of traffic discipline and courtesy. Part of this effort should be ensuring that people who are given driver’s licenses really know the rules on the road. </i></div>
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<i>Fourth, enforce the rules strictly, particularly on buses, trucks, and other vehicles with capacity to block traffic with just a bit of carelessness or minor error on the part of their drivers. Most of the traffic on EDSA is caused by buses loading and unloading passengers at critical junctions. Take out tricycles and other illegal vehicles on the road. Strictly disallow parking even on side roads that serve as alternative roadways.</i></div>
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<i>Fifth, sit down with all stakeholders to map out a comprehensive scheduling scheme that is mutually acceptable to all. A four-day workweek or school week that is wisely spread from Monday to Friday and from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. may be costly in terms of electricity and other costs, but may help alleviate traffic congestion and help employees and students breathe better.</i></div>
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<i>What we need are signs of serious and sincere thinking and effort; we need to see government being concerned and doing all that it can instead of the usual attempts to spread the blame around.</i></div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-10350593469454920522015-08-25T17:27:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:27:52.418+08:00Breeding resentment<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>This was my column at The Standard August 25, 2015.</i></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px;">What can we make of the fact that the seeming display of conscientiousness on the part of some government officials has been met by a lot of howling? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Two weeks ago, the initiative of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to regulate application-based ride-sharing services such as Uber and Grab Taxi was met by virulent protests. This happened even when the agency made it clear that it really just wanted to guarantee the safety of the riding public and to ensure that the right taxes were paid by the entrepreneurs behind the new transport services scheme. </div>
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And as we settled in for the three-day weekend, social networking sites were ablaze with fiery commentaries directed at the Bureau of Customs over the proposal to open balikbayan boxes to ensure that these are not being used to smuggle goods that would normally be subject to taxes.</div>
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In both cases, taxation was submitted as an issue. It is a given that any discussion about taxes is bound to get an emotional response in this country. Everyone agrees, of course, that taxation is the price people have to pay for the privilege of being called responsible citizens. The problem is that most people believe they are already overtaxed; an assertion that is not entirely baseless given that the tax table for working people who are automatically subjected to withholding taxes is higher in this country compared to most of our neighbors. </div>
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An even bigger problem is the perception that a huge chunk of taxpayers’ money is lost to corruption, or wasted on projects that are not necessary, or used to support the profligate lifestyles or advance the political careers of favored politicians. So people do have a reason to balk when asked to pay more taxes. </div>
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But what’s been riling people up is the fact that government seems more concerned with ensuring tax collection at the expense of more important considerations. In the case of Uber and Grab Taxi, a transportation system that actually works even without government intervention! More importantly, it’s a system that has provided a much better alternative to the poorly-run public transport system, which has increasingly become unreliable and unsafe despite regulatory oversight by government. </div>
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In the case of the balikbayan boxes, the uproar is due to perceptions of government’s insensitivity to the situation of overseas Filipino workers, misplaced priorities, and well, mistrust in the people who run the Bureau of Customs. </div>
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Any Filipino would know that those balikbayan boxes mean more than the goods they contain. Those tins of Spam, packets of chocolates, bars of soap and pieces of apparel carry a lot of symbolism; we’re a people that likes rituals, channels affection and emotions through material things and through certain acts, and we find expression in the time-honored traditions of pasalubong, pabaon, and pabilin. A balikbayan box not just a box of goodies, to the people at both ends of the system (sender and receiver) it represents fulfillment of a promise, or validation of one’s worth, or even a form of reassurance. </div>
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Given the fact that OFWs are the ones that prop up this country’s economy, surely we can afford to give them a little break. Allowing them and their families some privileges might be warranted. Besides, the value of the goods smuggled through balikbayan boxes may not be really worth the effort; the resources could be spent more productively in pursuit of big ticket items such as luxury cars. It’s basic Pareto Principle at work—why spend inordinate amount of effort on something that yields very little results? There are more reasons to ditch the madcap idea. It’s almost impossible to implement the proposal consistently thereby opening the system to accusations of favoritism and unfairness. And there’s always the possibility of pilferage or corruption.</div>
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We can take some comfort in the fact that we have officials who seem to have the drive to implement programs that are unpopular. One wishes, however, that the drive, the initiative, and the political will, be marshaled in support of programs that will truly make the most difference. I think our leaders are wasting precious political capital at this crucial time on the eve of a national election on programs that showcase utter lack of strategic thinking and which breed resentment among the people.</div>
</span>Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-45016374878809401072015-08-23T17:24:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:25:35.598+08:00Lies and half-truths<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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This was my column on August 23, 2015</div>
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The campaign period for the 2016 elections has not officially started but that has not stopped a number of aspirants for certain elective positions from already unleashing their campaign propaganda on the electorate. We know that what these aspirants are doing is not illegal; they are not official candidates yet and precisely because the campaign period has not begun, the Commission on Elections has no jurisdiction over their political activities. But that doesn’t mean that their actions are ethical or moral.</div>
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To begin with, it is clearly indicative of blatant and shameless display of influence and resources.</div>
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Television ads cost a hell lot of money—the cost of a 30-seconder television advertisement shown repeatedly over a one-month period on primetime can reach hundreds of millions of pesos. Even if the candidate is independently wealthy, there still remains the question about how he intends to recover all that investment. Candidates aspire to be known as selfless individuals with qualities that would qualify them for sainthood but the fact of the matter is they are in it for a specific return of investment. It could be for monetary gain, which is why being in politics is also referred to as a career. It could also be part of efforts to consolidate power and influence in support of business, economic, or other family or individual interests.</div>
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The aspirants who are now flaunting their vast resources with those early campaign ads in TV or in various social networking sites are likewise contributing to increasing the inequities in our political system. Of course, expensive television ads do not guarantee victory as illustrated in the case of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s son who lost in the last senatorial elections despite having all those sleek ads. However, it puts ordinary people without economic resources at a clear disadvantage. This is why TV ads of politicians who used to be known as valiant champions against marginalization rankle; now that they are in a position of influence and power, they have become sellouts, turning their backs on their party-list background and advocacies. What a shame.</div>
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Everyone knows that the ads are political in nature and they are indicative of the intent to run for an elective post, but because the campaign period has not started yet and the specific positions these aspirants are aiming for are not advertised, there is no venue for anyone to officially question or challenge their assertions. Thus, aspirants can re-frame issues and bend the truth as much as they wish and get away with it.</div>
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But what is really infuriating about early propaganda is the manipulative way in which these are designed to condition the electorate into rethinking lies and half-truths.</div>
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For instance, I’ve come across propaganda that re-frames certain economic and historical data in an effort to make people believe that the country was better off during the Marcos dictatorship. This is pure arrant nonsense. I was already alive during the years of the dictatorship and I have very powerful and vivid recollection of the stark realities of those years.</div>
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There’s this yarn about how relevant experience is not a requirement for leadership positions. Again, this is hogwash. The only valid predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar or related capacity. There’s only one way to ascertain a person’s capability to deliver the requirements of a particular position, and that is to examine track record or analyze behaviors actually displayed in the past. Potentials are nice to have, but they are not predictors of the desired performance.</div>
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And what about those ads that shamelessly package certain aspirants as exemplars of selflessness with more than enough qualities to make them candidates for sainthood? Please. If these people are truly who they claim to be, there is no need to come up with sleek ads—actual critical incidents, unsolicited testimonials, actual documentation culled from reliable sources, and word of mouth would be more credible.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16958083.post-70505231613011849132015-08-18T17:56:00.000+08:002016-01-01T17:56:50.672+08:00Medical marijuana<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<i>My August 18, 2015 column.</i></div>
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As can be expected in a country where people in positions of authority and influence make the mistake of assuming that being able to hold themselves up to a higher moral standard gives them license to assert superiority over others, the issue of legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes was bound to encounter major hurdles. There’s a lot of stigma associated with the use of marijuana for recreational purposes that most cannot imagine how something that’s illegal, immoral, and supposedly harmful could be allowed as medicine for the sick!</div>
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Just to clarify, it must be pointed out that medical marijuana is not prescribed as a cigarette. It’s important to point this out because there have been people who have been fulminating about the evils of allowing the sick to smoke marijuana. Medical marijuana involves extracting oil from the herb and mixing it with food.</div>
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One of the groups behind the initiative to legalize medical marijuana, a group of mothers fighting for the rights of children with Dravet Syndrome was even publicly ridiculed by Senator Vicente Sotto. The senator accused the mothers of having possibly caused the medical condition of their children. Sotto surmised that the medical condition of the kids may have been caused by the fact that their mothers probably used marijuana when they were pregnant, a sweeping accusation not only bereft of any scientific basis but also indicative of grave prejudice. Dravet syndrome is a rare case of epilepsy that cannot be controlled by medication; there have been documented cases in the country where kids with the syndrome suffered from as high as 300 seizures a week. Those who have witnessed someone experience an epileptic seizure knows just how physically, emotionally, and psychologically debilitating it can be; imagine what it must be like for a mother to have to see her child having a seizure almost every two hours—and then get blamed by a senator for causing the suffering on the child.</div>
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Some hospitals in the United States have been using marijuana to treat children with the syndrome; they have produced encouraging results. Marijuana has also been used extensively as palliative measure among terminally ill patients although its use as medical treatment has remained controversial. Many continue to oppose the initiative for ethical, moral, and even scientific reasons. </div>
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Families of patients, particularly those who are suffering from terminal illnesses, see hope in medical marijuana, not just as possible cure but as a means to reduce the pain that patients experience. I had a friend who had terminal cancer and who used marijuana to dull the pain. </div>
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Many see desperation in the efforts to push for the use of medical marijuana arguing that the impetus may be driven more by emotions. However, it is difficult to argue with those who see it as a means of managing pain and discomfort. Even the Catholic bishops’ group, in a move that surprised many, indicated their support for the use of medical marijuana “when all other options have been explored.” The position of the bishops which was released over the weekend was cloaked in gobbledygook, but it basically advocated compassion for those who are suffering.</div>
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One wishes our doctors had the same insight, particularly that bit about having compassion for those suffering. The various medical associations in the country went to town last week registering their opposition to House Bill 4477, filed by Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, which seeks to legalize the use of medical marijuana. Our doctors basically squelched the idea on the grounds that there is not enough scientific basis for the measure. The Philippine Medical Association said the country does not have the capacity to conduct large-scale clinical trials to determine the efficacy of medical marijuana. There are those who see politics behind the position of the medical community—legalizing medical marijuana would have disastrous consequences to the bottomline of drug companies, which spends for most of the representational and recreational needs of doctors in this country. </div>
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My objection to the position of the medical community, however, is based on philosophical grounds. I’ve always thought that medical and professional associations exist primarily as thought leaders—their main job is to push the frontiers of science. The job of professionals and associations is to go where no one else has gone, to discover new things. Thus, it is rather incongruous for professional medical associations to take on the position that a possible cure should not be pursued because it has not been studied yet. It’s like saying doctors in this country have no brains and scientific rigor. I am not saying that doctors should make prescriptions and recommendations indiscriminately —all I am saying is that the answer should not be a flat out “No”; they owe it to themselves, their professions, and to science to say “let’s give the matter serious consideration.” A more proactive response is to create the impetus for more rigorous studies rather than categorically denying the initiative.</div>
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The problem with the issue of medical marijuana is that there is a lot of static that confuses and confounds; and people do get preoccupied with these, rather than focus on the core issues. In this particular case, it is about hope and compassion for people who are terminally ill. </div>
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Unfortunately, as has been proven many times over, there remains no cure for closed minds.</div>
Bong C. Austerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07798514780319855742noreply@blogger.com0