By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:02:00 11/27/2008

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila City government wants to rid the city streets of jeepney barkers, saying they only impede the smooth flow of vehicular traffic.

Mayor Alfredo Lim issued the order following complaints from various sectors, particularly public utility drivers, against the barkers who are usually seen calling passengers for waiting jeepneys parked at street corners and intersections.

Instead of helping clear traffic, barkers obstruct the smooth traffic flow, the complainants told the mayor.

“Kapag nandyan sila [barkers], nagtatambak iyong mga dyip sa kanto kaya humaharang sila sa ibang mga sasakyan [When the barkers are there, jeepneys pile up and block other vehicles],” they said.

In reaction, Lim directed concerned agencies, particularly the Manila Police Traffic Management Group and Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau, to intensify their campaign against jeepney barkers.

At the same time, Lim also ordered traffic officials to take action against illegal jeepney terminals on street corners and street intersections around the city.

He ordered gutters of street corners painted yellow to indicate that portion as a no-parking zone and to discourage public vehicles from stopping in these areas to load or unload their passengers.

— Finally, a mayor who’s making a move to regulate our damn jeepneys and their barkers!  Might as well limit the number of jeepneys!  Calling LTFRB, pwede bang tama na ang pag issue ng prankisa sa mga jeepneys?! Muka ng tanga ang Pilipinas sa dami ng pumapasadang jeep e.  Tama na kickback sa mga prankisa huy!  Isama nyo na rin ang mga bus sa edsa! Pwede ba silang bawasan!?  I believe  LTFRB and MMDA officials receive “payrolls” from bus companies so they won’t disrupt their operations.  Nakakahiya kayong mga hayup kayo!

In hs speech, the United Opposition president criticized the Arroyo government by bringing up issues like the national broadband network scandal and the fertilizer fund scam and said there was need for another “revolution.”

“I am acceptng your challenge to lead ths revolution toward a progressive and respected Philippines,” he said in Filipino to about 2,000 supporters, as they released yellow and blue balloons with the print “Makati ngayon, Pilipinas bukas” (Makati now, tomorrow the Philippines).

—Wow Binay! Daming supporters ha. 2,000! hanep! Makati now, tomorrow the Philippines. Yung pasay road mahigit isang taon bago natapos ang pagpapaayos…kawawa naman ang pinas pagikaw naging presidente… Huminga ka ng malalim at mag-isip… kaya maganda ang makati hindi dahil sa ‘yo kundi dahil sa Ayala!  Maswerte ka lang at nasa Makati ang Central Business District ng Pinas kaya madami kang collection at may “say” ka.  Tingnan natin galing mo sa probinsya.  Di dahil ikaw ang presidente ng opposition, akala mo napaka sikat mo na sa buong pilipinas.  Huy, magtanong tanong ka muna sa mga Pilipino sa labas ng Makati kung gusto ka nila. Testingin mo lang sa mga kapitbahay mo sa Pasay at Mandaluyong. Tingnan natin kung maka dalawang libo kang supporters na hindi ka magpapa-merienda. Akala mo kasi center of attraction lagi ang Makati kaya akala mo super star ka e.  Yabang mong hayup ka!

“The request was made primarily for the security and safety of Ces and her companions. At that time (Monday), we did not know what their situation was. We don’t want to speculate on any information that would jeopardize their safety,” said Bong Osorio, ABS-CBN head of corporate communications.

I have questions.  Would ABS CBN give a shit if it were somebody else? Would they be extra careful if it were some ordinary guy whose life is also in danger?  Would they go out to the media community and shout, “Hey don’t go out and tell the whole world about this guy kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf because his life will be at risk if we do it now!” 

I don’t think so!  Media doesn’t give a damn if it were other people.  Hell, look at what transpired in the Peninsula siege.  Was the media careful enough to think that people would be put into danger if they get in the way of the police and military?  No, as long as they get the story, they don’t give a shit.  But now, Ces Drilon is in the line, they cry ”Let’s be careful, she might get hurt!” 

My point here is that media sometimes is unfair.  They choose the ones they want to protect.  They pick who they want to get out safe.  I just want to see a news blackout from the media to help an ordinary person out of harms way next time..  The way I see it…. our media can’t!

We are all being made witness to an amazing spectacle, and although this isn’t the first time that blindness and hypocrisy are seen holding hands, it is, nevertheless, an amazing sight.

Two forces have come together. Each already poses a lot of danger to any society, so just imagine what they can achieve together.

On one side of this alliance are the misguided idealists. These people never outgrew the martial law era. They believe that the only way to express patriotism and love for country is by screaming their lungs out in the streets while holding a placard with a defaced picture of the President. These misguided idealists have arrogance running through their veins as they believe that they have a monopoly on righteousness. Whatever they do, they do because it is in the best interest of the nation. Well, since when did spray-painting a U-turn sign on Commonwealth Avenue with bold black letters that read “OUST GMA” [“OUST GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO] become part of promoting the nation’s interest?

They have so much hate against the government that they have become allergic to rules. Their ideas push them to believe that the government and the people running it are perpetually bound to oppress the poor and enrich themselves. They make this eternal call for change, yet they don’t change—or better yet, they don’t want to change. These people waste resources, time and energy by burning effigy after effigy. They believe that only through noise, disorder, turbulence and confusion can a new society be born—descending slowly and graciously from the heavens, like the New Jerusalem, with angels singing in the background. Yes, that’s how blind they are.

In their minds, they are catalysts of change. In reality, they are plain and simple anarchists. They should start looking for jobs and become more productive.

On the other side of this alliance are the politically motivated personalities, hypocrites to the bone. They are using scandals and controversies to become more popular, and their end-goal is to get the highest political position possible. And they have been quite successful. Last year, we saw young congressmen rise to the Senate based, not on merit and achievements, but on controversies they had destructively stirred.

They are populists because it’s the only way they can climb the political ladder. They can’t enact strategic legislation, which will provide long-term benefits, such as developing the transportation system, increasing exports, improving revenue collection and assisting businesses, because all these entail short-term sacrifices, which might cost them their positions—a risk they are unwilling to take.

All they do is complain, and they complain with a fiery passion to make the people believe in the fantasies they are selling. They are polemicists, criticizing without presenting solutions and alternatives. They speak only words that are pleasing to the ears of the masses. When they face political dilemmas, their decisions are based on what would profit them politically, not what is right and just. They are slick talkers, and if you’re not careful enough, they can easily deceive you.

This is a dangerous alliance, as it seeks to plunge society into chaos. They want our society to lose any semblance of stability so that they can create a new order. But even they themselves have no idea how it will function.

But I am not afraid. They cannot achieve anything unless we let ourselves be used by these political clowns for their own blind and selfish goals. They can make as much noise as they want, but they need many more warm bodies to join their ranks before they succeed in destabilizing our society. I have already counted the many curious, naïve, gullible, ignorant and politically immature countrymen who are neither misguided idealists nor hypocrites but will take part in this political adventure, and they still won’t make it.

I can hear the noise, but I still can’t feel the heat. After each and every protest rally, the crowds would fizzle out, the streets would be left empty and dirty, and the leaders of the carnival would be eating a fancy dinner while most of the gullible people they drew into the activity would be walking home. Every demonstration sends a clear and strong message to the whole world that while countries across the globe are taking measures to strengthen their exports, develop their industries, attract new investors and ensure their competitiveness in a fast changing, globalized world, we are busy playing on the streets of our financial district.

Having taken this unpopular stand, I ask:

Why do we have to change the government, when we are all part of the problem? Imagine how much more we could have achieved if all the wasted time, resources and energy were utilized to enact good legislation, build more houses, establish more schools, help small and medium enterprises, and construct more roads.

Why do we waste time, resources and energy in asking the President to change or to change the President when we can, in our own little ways, bring about change? When will we realize that we have better things to do? When will we understand that regime change, right here and right now, will not solve anything?

In this day and age, genuine reform and revolution no longer necessitate the dramatic street episodes of the martial law era. Today, our society’s transformation depends on small, quiet, often undocumented steps toward political and economic stability.

I refuse to be part of this political circus of blind and selfish clowns.

Leondro R. Lojo, 23, has a master’s degree in political economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific and works as a research analyst in a risk-advising company.

Just read today’s headlines – “The crowd is the statement”  This is from the organizers of yesterday’s interfaith rally saying that the crowd size yesterday showed that the “whole” Philippines wants Gloria out now and be replaced asap.  OK let’s do the math.  PNP says that the crowd estimate was 15,000.  Binay’s camp however said the number of protesters reached to 80,000.  Do they even know how many Filipinos are there? It’s 88 Million.  Eighty thousand is just 0.09% of the population of the Philippines.  Comparing it to the population of Metro Manila which is  11 million, 80k is only 0.7%.   If I used the numbers given by the PNP, eh baka lalo silang magmukhang kuto niyan.

Please don’t make statements that are not mathematically credible.  I know we want change but not the way these people want it done.  We cannot afford to have another people power.   Konti lang kayo na may gusto ng ganyan, hindi ang buong Pilipinas.  I believe the majority of the people is sick and tired of these political frenzies.  Political instability is what we don’t need right now.  Economy is good.  Businesses are thriving.  Let’s just wait for the next election and replace Gloria with a president that we think is right for our country or better yet, change our system completely to parliamentary.  It’s not about being pro-gloria or pro-opposition, it’s about being pro-country.

I just came back from a trip in Bohol.  It was nice to see the Philippine countryside without hearing the political chaos happening in metro manila.  Down there in bohol, tingin ko, wala silang pakialam sa mga nangyayari sa maynila e.. para sa kanila ang kabuhayan nila ang kanilang kayamanan.  I am happy for them. Ang swerte nila’t ganyan ang diposition nila sa buhay.  Di sila nanggugulo. Dito kasi sa metro manila, may mga tao na akala nila sila lang ang mga pinaka importanteng pilipino.  Katulad ng mga nagrarally sa makati kanina?  Akala nila dahil naka sampung libo na sila, sila na ang boses ng mga pilipino.  Baka nga kalahati sa mga yan e binayaran lang ni Binay e. Mga ulul!!!  Di nyo lang alam, madami nang sawa sa mga ganyang protesta.  Sana isipin nila na di lang Makati ang pilipinas.

Ganito lang yan.. eto sana isipin ng mga taong tuwang tuwa kay joey de venecia.. Naawa ako sa inyo at nauto kayo ng hayup na yan.  Isipin nyo kung si Joey ang nakakuha ng kontrata sa NBN?  Sa tingin nyo ba, walang mapupunta sa bulsa niya at sa tatay niyang isa ding parang baklang nagtititili sa kongreso?  Gago pala siya e, naagawan lang ng kickback, feeling niya siya na ang pinaka-inagrabyadong tao sa mundo! Hayup talga!!! Hindi ninyo ba alam yun?  E langya, ginawa pang bayani ng mga obispong tanga yang hayup na yan e.  Ang sa akin e, lahat yan magnanakaw. Sige magprotesta kayo, pero tingnan niyo naman mga kasama niyo sa paligid.. mga politiko din na gusto lang pabagsakin si Gloria para sila naman ang magnakaw.  Si Binay, diyos ko! Isa sa mga pinakamagaling na magnanakaw!  Hawak niya ang Makati business club, kaya kung ganun ganun na lang magreact yang grupong yan na akala mo sila lang ang nagbibigay ng yaman sa bansa. Hoy makati lang kayo! Gago! 

Ang tanong ko e, kung napabagsak niyo nga si Gloria, kung lang a… sino papalit nyo? si noli? anong alam nyan?  Kahit sino pa yan.. magnanakaw lang din yan.. 

Puntahan natin si Lozada… Sino naman ang gagong kikidnap na di kukunin ang cellphone sa biktima?  Kung ako ang kidnapper, tingin ko ang una kong gagawin e kunin ang cellphone ng bikitma ko… Eh di ba stir tong hayup na Lozadang to?  Pangalawa, may natanggap daw siyang death threat kay Abalos.. May tanong ako sa inyo.  Kayo ba pagbinigyan ng death threat ng isang taong tingin nyo e kaya talaga kayong ipapatay, magdididisplay pa ba kayo sa pugad niya, kasama pa ang pamilya mo a.. and to think golf pa ang nilalaro mo sa pugad ni abalos.. siguro di ka na nakapalo sa kaba…Di ba para kang tanga nun?  Malaking kalokohan! Tigil tigilan nya ko sa gusto nya daw salbahin ang natitira nyang kaluluwa.. Di ba naiisip ng mga madreng nauuto niya na may backer yang hayup na yan? may kapalit yang pagiyak niya!!! Wag kayong mabulag!!!  Walang credibilidad ang umamin mismo na nagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan.  Kaya naman sana wag nating gawing bayani yang hayup na yan.. nakakahiya e. Please!!!

My stand is this, kung gusto natin ng change, we should do a complete makeover.  Our government structure is really not gonna work for us.    Parliamentary would do with a Lee Kwan Yew type of prime minister.  Bakal ang kamay, pero may pangarap sa bansa.  Hindi kurakot kahit alam niya nasa kapangyarihan niyang kumikback!  May ambisyon sa bawat pilipino. Yan ang kailangan natin. Hindi yang, ganito na puro papogi, pabagsakan na lang ng pabagsakan para makakickback ng malaki!

Sa totoo lang, kung di rin lang naman magkakatotoo ang pinapapangarap kong gobyerno para sa pilipinas e sana wag ng mangulo ang mga taong gusto lang din magnakaw. Hayaan na lang muna nating si Gloria muna ang magnakaw. Kahit papano e, maganda ang ekonomiya.  Nakakagulo lang kayo e.  Please naman!!!

Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines – “DBM junked P100-m pork for Trillanes.” (Inquirer, 12/12/07) I believe Malacañang is wrong in not releasing Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s pork barrel. The Palace should be reminded that the pork barrel is not a private resource to be disposed of as its officials wish.

The pork barrel comes from the taxpayers and is meant to benefit the whole Filipino nation, regardless of religious belief, color, creed and political affiliation.

—BENJAMIN JALECO, via e-mail

  — I would assume Trillanes will just use his 100 million peso pork barrel to pay the damages caused by his careless actions during the Peninsula siege.  I wouldn’t want my tax money being used by a stupid senator like Trillanes for his stupid activities.   I believe it is just right that Trillanes be stripped off his rights to his Pork barrel. In the first place, nung tumakbo siya at nanalo, may pabida pa siya na di daw niya gagalawin ang pork barrel niya dahil dito daw nanggagaling ang katiwalian sa gobyerno.  Ano nangyari? Ngayon gusto din niya kunin… Tangina nasilaw sa 100 million eh.  Natabunan din ng pera ang prinsipyo mong ugok ka!

 Sa akin lang, baka gumawa na naman ng kalokohan yang loko lokong yan.  Ipang babayad lang niya sa mga abogado niya ang pera.. wag na lang!  Gamitin na lang sa mga pabahay at gamot yang pera. 

Mag isip naman ng konti parekoy… ‘wag mo nang pinaglalaban yang ugok na yan at pikon na pikon na ‘ko dyan.