Let’s get it on!

GMA is clearly in denial. At her SONA, she made no mention of the political crisis she caused on herself and on the country. She said she will continue her economic reforms regardless of the costs. Coming from one with an MS, that means More of the Same programs that she has been imposing on us for five years. And the lady has a PhD too, that means we’ll be buried under programs Piled higher and Deeper. There’s no escape for the Filipino people.

Meanwhile, she is opening the ChaCha debate to escape from the rut she is in. She took the JDV and FVR bait on the parliamentary system. JDV has been ranting on the benefits of the parliamentary system in Europe, and why the Filipinos go there for jobs. Somebody has to remind him of the US model. The point is the system did not drag us down. It’s the people that run the system that caused all this. Even if we shift to any other system, if it’s led by people like GMA, JDV, Erap, and FVR, we’ll still be in this hellhole. Did the present system make all those loans? Did the present system sign the EPIRA? Did the system make them accept jueteng payoff and call Garci? Did the system overprice public works projects? I don't think so!

If they can convince the people that the new system will replace the greedy, patronage politics that we have, then the people will gladly embrace change. But not if it's clearly to distract us from the real issues. And certainly not before uncovering the truth about Gloria. So, are you ready GMA? Are you ready impeachment/truth commission? Let’s get it on!

GMA has to go now

GMA has to go now before the people drives her out of office. Filipinos are very patient. We put up with Marcos for a long time. During martial law, many rallies and protests called for FM's ouster. But even with Ninoy's murder, it still took quite a while before protests reached a critical mass. The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back was election related. We remember Enrile admitting that he was ordered to produce votes in his province. We remember the walk-out of data-entry volunteers. Filipinos can bear with lots of government abuses, but not electoral fraud because we believe that election is the only way we can remove an unpopular leader.

The Filipinos patience was once again evident with the way we put up with Erap. The news of his drinking binges, lavish lifestyle and extramarital activities were not enough to anger most of the people. But with the jueteng controversy, the people believed it's his time to go. Maybe we didn't like the idea that the small change (a small fortune to most bettors) we bet being skimmed off. 'Munting pangarap na nga, kinukupitan pa'.

But what could have been GMA thinking? She has committed the two crimes that caused FM's and Erap's downfalls. Electoral fraud and jueteng. That shows how bad a leader she is, and how greedy she is. It won't be long before we, the people show her what we do with such leaders.

No alternative? Only for simple minds

Secretary Ignacio Bunye says there is no alternative to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. That's true only to his simple mind, and it doesn't take away the fact that she isn't fit to run this country anymore.

The country cannot rise again with Ms Arroyo at the helm. Sen. Aquilino Pimentel is right in demanding Ms Arroyo's resignation to pave the way for a snap election. But a snap election will take too long and will be costly, divisive and prone to controversy and manipulation just as the 2004 elections were.

If Ms Arroyo resigns now, she will be treated more kindly by the people and later by history. Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada had come to know this. But if Ms Arroyo insists on hanging on to power and dragging us deeper into the mess, she'll be booted out of office, literally, by an angry mob.

The smoothest way to Philippine recovery is Ms Arroyo's resignation. Not coups, not people power, not US intervention, not a snap election. I'm not a fan of Vice President Noli de Castro, but he gets to inherit the post. He needs all the help he can get. Everybody who wants anybody but Ms Arroyo should help. He should be acceptable to civil society because it invested in him, and he should be acceptable to the masses because of his roots. He has no bad record yet. I just wish there is no tape of his alleged "AC/DC operations" while he was with the media. Page A14, Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 21, 2004

The right thing to do

Well, GMA did the right thing in pulling out of Iraq, didn't she? But why is she still getting flak from some Filipinos? Never mind Leno and the American bullies, they need to put up a brave front in the groundswell of public opinion. But why from Filipinos? Because it appears that GMA made a halfhearted decision, that it was almost too little too late. She didn't want to pull out, but realizing her shaky mandate, she finally relented. Even the ambiguously worded statement smacks of deceit. She passes off the members of the Filipino contingent on leave/R&R as the start of the pull-out process. But they're on leave/R&R even before the kidnap. Sus, gustong manggulang, pero 'di nagpagulang ang kidnappers. They'd release Angelo when the last Filipino troop leaves. Maybe GMA wanted first an arm of Angelo to be released. Paunti-unti, hulugan, kaya konti munang Angelo ang i-rerelease.

But these are not kidding times. GMA deserves support on this one. She should start making decisive moves and not be reactionary. Tirang takot, ang nangyayari sa atin. But this is a start. As we said before, others are bound to follow and abandon GW on this one. He's about to lose in November, anyway. Look, Thailand followed our trail. Marami pa yan.

There is reason to believe that the Americans themselves 'support' the kidnappers, if not outright behind them. They need the sympathy of the public. They martyred some Americans, but nothing happened in the homefront. Now they martyr other nationals, hoping to get the international sympathy, still no dice. Maybe in time, Oliver Stone and the director of F9/11 can collaborate to uncover the truth.

Angelo bound to happen

It was bound to happen, the Filipino OFW captured in Iraq set to be beheaded by Iraqi dissidents. With GMA’s blind adherence to Bush’s unjustified war, I am mildly surprised it took this long for Iraqis to nab one Pinoy. In fact, GMA might be annoyed that a Korean was beheaded first before a Pinoy because GMA is second to none in licking GW’s ass.

This is got to be a tough one for GMA. But this may yet become her chance to finally be the hero that will unite the Filipino nation. This may be her last chance to finally win the hearts and minds of every Filipino. She should order the withdrawal of all Filipino troops in Iraq as demanded and denounce the war as not for the Filipinos to fight. That should be enough to merit the hostage’s release and earn for her the gratitude of the entire nation. She shall also be a hero to 75% of the world; she shall start an avalanche of public opinion against Bush. The rest of the world will follow and soon enough the Nobel Peace prize will be hers. That is something even Cory wasn’t able to do. With that singular achievement, I see the world at our feet and our internal problems will be easily solved. All that may be just wishful thinking if GMA runs true to form and be GMA.