Kawawa we!

Throngs stayed days in vigil to get inside the Ultra. They wanted a chance to partake of the US$50K that WowWowWee will give away. They thought that the odds of getting inside the show, being selected as contestant, and winning, is more realistic than getting a trickle of the growth that the government claims.

The stampede that resulted in terrible loss of life is unfortunate enough. There will be investigations as usual. But what do officials learn from these investigations? Just very recently, four persons died and scores wounded in another stampede in a rock concert. Investigations showed that there were only about a hundred bouncers/policemen to control 20,000 beer-thirsty-rock-concert-going crowd. In that stampede, the police general that looked like comedian Long Mejia claimed that the stampede started when somebody shouted 'may magnanakaw'. The comical police chief this time may say that somebody shouted 'bomba' to start this accident.

But the government should start a serious investigation on what drives masses of people to flock these mindless shows just to be ridiculed on national TV. The reason, of course, is the same reason for the long queues at the lotto. We think that the chances of getting a small fortune there is better than getting a slice of the growth that this government claims. This indicates that the people has lost all confidence in this government. With GMA, Kawawa we!

Taken off or taken for a ride?

GNP accelerates. The exchange rate is up. Better credit ratings ahead. The economy, again, is poised for a take-off. So what's wrong with all the good news?

We have taken off several times already. GMA said so several times in the past. If her past pronouncements were true, we should be cruising right now. Pero flight delayed yata. Are we in the runway yet? Most are not excited about the flight anymore, having lost confidence in the pilot and crew. The collective mood now, after last year's indignation and exasperation, is mild acceptance - 'if we take off, fine; if we don't, still fine; we're better off with a new pilot anyway.'

The trouble with GMA's chest-thumping news is again their credibility. The government believes in the dictum that lies repeated often enough starts to sound true. They may sound true but still they are lies. And they certainly sound true only to them. The economy is doing well, the government boasts. The people shout, 'show me the money!'.

Maybe the Philippines is really doing well. They surely mean the economic situation of GMA and crew. Government statisticians should measure the growth of this administration's personal economies, then GMA would boast of triple digit growth rates. The trouble with government statistics is they try to spread the rate to the entire nation, thus diluting the growth which in reality accrues only to a select few. This gives the impression that the rest of the nation also enjoys growth. How do we account for the growing hunger despite the purported growth?

How can we believe the economics of GMA and her students? She berates one of her former students in broadcast TV; another student cleverly evades taxes; another looks like an X-Men morphed with Ben David. But kidding aside, the X-Men/Ben David-look alike say the economy is getting better and in the same breath say that 30% is lost to corruption. But they are in control, they should control corruption. They should control themselves from further corrupting this nation. Does this mean they improve their economy so they can skim off more?

Gloria basking in other's glory

What's wrong with GMA wringing out all political mileage out of the PacMan euphoria? Here's what's wrong. It shows that we have sunk so low because no good news have come to us for months. So, the administration has to use Manny's feat to remind us that Filipino are capable of being great. And because the politicians want to bask in the glory, they imposed hours long traffic jam on us last Friday. Hindi nga maliit na bagay ang panalo, pero pinalaki na yatang masyado para ma-picture lahat ng kaalyado.

That GMA took the opportunity to have herself on the same stage with PacMan, the honest little girl, and the beauty queen, is also wrong. She clearly does not belong to the same stage as those exemplary Filipinos. PacMan won in a fair and clean fight. The little girl is honest. The beauty queen is, of course, beautiful. Does GMA belong to the group? She thinks that by association with these model citizens, the people would think that she also has their qualities and achievments. But we know better.

Hail PacMan!!

Manny's convincing win will be discussed for several days to come. The euphoria will rise again when he comes home to a hero's welcome. His feat once more proves that positive things can still come from this country. Unfortunately, the long wait for the fight to start made some of us turn to our favorite past-time - rumor mongering. I received several text and phone messages saying either Pacquiao won in 3, lost in 6, KOd Erik in 9, etc. All were untrue, of course, as the fight was yet to start. This rumor mongering even reached a message board dedicated to boxing discussions. It was embarassing and annoying to know that fellow Pinoys flooded the message board with nonsensical comments, and in Tagalog at that, when all members should just be waiting for the round-by-round updates. Ang Pinoy talaga!!

I have way too much time!