Three Thoughts at the End of the Day - Games, No Promise and a Stick

Thought # 1: Did you know that we just started Palarong Pambansa? Apparently, there are thousands of kids in Tarlac Recreational Park vying to be the best in their chosen sport. Now why didn’t I hear about this? Except for the kids and those near Tarlac sure knows this is happening but this is Palarong Pambansa which means the whole nation should know. PIA (Philippine Information Agency) and popular media should have said something about this but it’s just tidbits that you’ll never know anything.

Thought #2: Did you know that many presidential candidates are no longer saying anything about their platform of government? Here are the latest news on the top 4 candidates:

Villar: Say sorry to ‘Erap,’ Aquino, Villar asked
Noynoy: Palace impounding my 'pork'
Gibo: Surveys belong in the trash bin
Erap: Erap unfazed by surveys

No one is saying anything on what they’ll do for the country and this is very sad. It appears that we Filipinos are only voting for someone who can really throw mud with a good shield.

Thought # 3: RIP Palito – you were a guy that really made millions laugh. Now your new stint is in heaven. Thanks for the laughs…say hi to Rene Requiestas from all of us here.

Call 163 and Get James Yap’s Son Out of the Campaign Trail!

Yes, he is the son of James Yap and Kris Aquino. Yes, he has the genes of a good basketball star and someone who can really talk. Yes, he has the capability to talk various local languages (Kris is basically from Tarlac and James Yap is from Negros Oriental). But I think he’s too young to be in the spotlight. Someone should call Bantay Bata and let the kid grow up in the most normal sense possible.

What’s worst is that the media is going crazy about this kid. Don’t get me wrong: he could be a good endorser of baby products, show up in movies or simply be part of a kid-friendly television show. But to quote what the kid said for politics? That’s just plain weird. Think about the potential damage the media is giving to this kid. Kris should be scared for his son right now because of the possible backlash it would give to his kid in the future. Imagine the reaction of the kid when he reaches the reading and understanding age and reads this news in the archives. If I’m in his shoes, I will be scarred for life.

I think the kid is not voting for Manny Villar because he can say his name. Kris should have told the press that her kid is actually a good testament that Villar is having too many advertisements. The song Villar is pushing on the radio and TV is now apparently lodged on James Yap’s son.

Please, let the kid go. Kris, let the boy stay home and watch cartoons. This limelight will take its toll on the boy.

An Open Letter to Loren Legarda

First of all, this letter is not to slam you. This is to give you a clear picture on where you’re standing and what you might need to do to have a better chance in this race. Why me? Because I’m your regular Filipino and what I see and hear is what millions also see and hear. I’m writing this in the open because I don’t know how to make sure you read this. So I just place this online so that a lot of people will read this and tell you about it.

Let me give you to you straight – Mar Roxas is leading in the polls and he has the best chance in the upcoming election. Again, let me reiterate: I am not for any politician. If the election is held today, I might end up writing my name on the ballot. To hell if they do not acknowledge what I wrote.

Why is Mar Roxas leading? Not because you are worst compared to him but because he came in the perfect timing. The keywords are PERFECT TIMING. He got married to one of the most popular journalists in the country and many laud him for stepping down for the sake of Noynoy. Personally, I think that’s a stupid idea because he has a fighting chance to be the next leader of the country. I think you will win if Mar did not step down. But the winds of change could be placing you in a bad position – all the time. Remember when you lost the VP elections to Noli De Castro? You were neck-to-neck in that battle.

I think Mar Roxas’ way of thinking can be compared to group chess tournament: why should I put myself in Board 1 where the competition is very fierce when I can go to Board 2 and win them all? See? You are not part of the factor but you were affected by his decision.

So is it over for you? Nope. There is still a fighting chance. Here are my suggestions and none of them are illegal. A bit tricky, yes, but you will not go to jail for these:

• Visayas is already on Mar Roxas so concentrate on other grounds – There are politicians who focus their ad spending on the areas where they will have the least vote. But this strategy is a bit hazy because people have already made their decision. What you can do though is to focus on NCR, Luzon and Mindanao so that you can get the most votes. Yes, you should still campaign in these regions but why fight the war where you’ll just lose?

• Be a bit gritty – I don’t say mudslinging but always COMPARE yourself: why are you better than Mar Roxas? As much as Mar Roxas can write a book why he is the best candidate, you can do the same or even more. Mudslinging makes you a dirty person but comparing yourself to candidates will make you better.

• Tell Manny Villar to include you in the jingle and campaign. I am sick of Manny Villar’s songs because I heard it too many times in my lifetime. Can you ask him to include your name in there? Ask him to change “Villar” with “Loren” to the jingle. The result will go like this – “Si Manny’t Loren ang magtatapos ng ating…” See? It still works.

These are some of the suggestions that could help you in this 2010 election. Nope, I’m not casting my support on your or on other candidates. It’s my way of getting the fight a bit even. We already had a lopsided battle with Pacquiao and Clottey and I don’t want to see that again this national election.

10 Tips for Manny Pacquiao for the Upcoming Election

I always wanted to write about Manny Pacquiao. But since I focus on politics, I never had that chance…until now. Now Manny is also in politics, he could be part of my blog.

Manny Pacquiao is THE best boxer that came out of Philippines. With that said, I’ll never tell him what to do with his career in boxing. I wish I could provide him a tip or two on his singing and acting career (don’t do it), but that’s for other bloggers.

Sir, welcome to the world of politics. I know you’ve been beaten once but you’re back again for another round. This time you’re in Sarangani and you still want the same position. By this time, you already learned a lot about politics and ready to take on the position if you win.

Before you do, here are some tips that you might use. Take note other candidates because you might need these as well.

1. Stay in Sarangani for your campaign – while you’ve been persuaded by Senator Villar, you don’t have to go out and go on a campaign trail with him. Shake hands in your district which will really matter.
2. Don’t spend too much – yes, I know you’re a billionaire but that doesn’t mean you have to spend them all in an election. If you spend more than 20 million (that’s already generous), you have just been fooled by your constituents.
3. Spend your money on sports not posters – people already know who you are so posters are not that good. What people might need there are boxing gloves, uniforms for sports and even dart boards. This might be electioneering but hey, who doesn’t?
4. NEVER use vans that will blare your songs – your songs are pretty ok but that doesn’t mean everyone in your district should hear it everyday until the end of election period.
5. There are only 7 Towns so go on a tour – Sarangani Province only has 7 towns which very, very, very (I could not stress this enough) small.
6. Forget about the Party List PBA (Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta) – they should have started a non-profit organization instead of seeking a seat in congress.
7. In case you lose, do it like before – you bowed out in the election without any complaints which is a sign of a great warrior.
8. In case you win, seek help from your opponent – the Chiongbians are probably the most powerful and wealthy family in Saranggani. No need to fight someone who already knows the game.
9. Seek help from your “friends” – yes, “friends” celebrities that appreciates the way you handle your boxing career. If they are really your friends, they will spend money on plane tickets and go there to endorse you.
10. Don’t buy votes – this will only ruin your reputation permanently. It’s like buying a boxer to drop on a certain round. You don’t do that right?

Fear and Trembling for Iloilo City (and the Philippines)

First of all, this is not an article regarding Kierkegaard's book.

I am writing this article with fear and trembling. I was thinking of covering the latest video of Gordon with Moymoy Palaboy and the hacked website of Villar. But I’ll just forget about them and do something that’s more important to us: our security.

Why? Because no one is protected anymore. You should no longer feel safe at your home. Take this as a word of warning because bad things might happen out of nowhere. Even though you’re not part of the things happening today, it might happen – so watch out. It’s a lot better to be a bit paranoid than being careless and ends up with a body split in half.

Why am I saying this? Read tomorrow’s newspaper from Iloilo. This morning (around 3AM), someone threw a grenade on the ancestral home of Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas. The house is currently owned by his brother. You can read about it online right now.

This incident can be easily pointed to his brother’s possible beef with anyone. But a few weeks ago someone did the exact same thing to the Mayor’s house near the airport. As of this writing, no one was invited for questioning or became the suspect of the grenade bombing.

Does this mean anything to us? A big YES!!! Here are the implications:

• Anyone can become a target and the culprit can get away from it – the City’s most powerful man is susceptible to these attacks. He has an impressive security and we’re just sitting ducks here.
• The police are not ready to do anything – I’m sure they are working double time to find the culprit. But nothing has come out yet. If you become a victim, you’ll most likely end-up looking for a mythical needle in the haystack.

Can we be protected? I don’t know. What we should do for now is to be a bit paranoid about these events. Each candidate could be a target and those who want to inflict harm will do anything to get the job done.

Unfortunate but True: Advertising is the Name of the Game

There are many ways to get your product promoted and patronized. You can either have a really good product and let word-of-mouth advertising improve your business or you can have massive advertising so that people will notice you exist and try your product. You can do both or you can focus on the latter if you want to save money on quality.

One of the hottest news today is about another text message that was claimed to be forwarded a few times (I didn't receive anything). The text message seemed to insult Dolphy for accepting a "bribe" for a whopping 30-million just to endorse Manny Villar. The text message also seemed to have insulted the actor's sons, daughters and grand kids. Atty. Adel Tamano, an NP candidate for senator released a statement condemning the supposed text message.

Honestly, I feel insulted writing about the reaction to this text message. Here are my reasons:

1. A candidate reacting to a measly text message is a sign that some of our candidates are not mature enough to deal with bickering. Politics is not a walk in the park and everyone will try to find holes to debase everyone. Again these are just text messages and they are directed to an actor who didn't seem to care about the messages.

2. Getting actors as endorsements simply means our candidates have become another product. As already said in my introduction, people will spend a lot on their product to be noticed and patronized. It's also a bit insulting to us Filipinos since they are thinking "if Dolphy comes out recommending this candidate, everyone else will do". I think Dolphy would vote for Manny Villar but I don't care...so should everyone else.

Candidates, please do something about your advertisements. Instead of going the easy way by getting actors and actresses to do a commercial about you, spend that money to lay out what you are planning for the country. For God's sake you write too many things in your websites so why don't you read them in a commercial? Not everyone can access the internet so read some of the things you're planning to do on TV. It's even cheaper since you don't need an actor to read the message.

Here's an idea: go to the Pasig River and speak in front of the camera how you will change the place into it's former glory. You can also go to the dumpsters, squatters, red light districts or any place that speaks "poverty and desperation" at first glance. Tell us a very, very specific plan how you will implement these changes. This is a good way to show to the people your plans and aspirations to the country. I don't care if your commercial shows people holding hands.

Yes, your commercial could be boring but believe me - there are millions of voters who will listen to what you will say. Advertising is not just endorsement, it's also getting the right message out.

First Day of National Campaign…an Afterthought

Before anything else, here's the rundown of the political parties who officially started their campaigns today for the 2010 Presidential Elections:

* Liberal Party (Aquino, Roxas) - Tarlac, Pampanga as Aquino's hometown.
* Nacionalista Party (Villar, Legarda) - Calamba, Laguna as Rizal's birthplace.
* Lakas Kampi CMD (Teodoro, Manzano) - Antipolo, Rizal because of it's geographically higher and a lucky place.
* Bagumbayan Party (Gordon, Fernando) - Imus, Cavite since Gordon's grandfather (Jose Tagle) started his revolution in this place.
* Estrada, Binay - Plaza Miranda, Quiapo to show his commitment to the poor.
* Bangon Pilipinas Party (Villanueva, Yasay) - Rizal Park to reveal the biggest Philippine Flag.

No News: Madrigal, Perlas (announced will start on Friday), de los Reyes, Acosta.

(Update: Sen. Madrigal opted to take things simpler - she attended a mass in Quiapo. If you have a Facebook account. You can view the photos here.)

Everyone wants to have some impact on their first day. These candidates clearly want to start strong to have a good momentum. For that reason, they wanted to start somewhere meaningful and can gather the most followers.

But if you ask me, the latter reason (most followers) is the reason why candidates chose these locations. The decision of Gordon, Fernando is a bit risky if they don't have enough peopel who will voluntarily come out and cheer for these candidates. This is also the same with Villar, Legarda; Aquino, Roxas; Estrada, Binay as well as Villanueva, Yasay. The reason of Teodoro and Manzano is frankly a bit weird because they opted to seek something lucky. If I give it a meaning, they are placing the country's future on luck and higher ground - maybe we'll be in Baguio and things will be better…or Mount Apo. If they told the media they want to start strong by starting in the party's strongest town, it could have been an honor for the town and its people.

To the rest of the candidates - be sure to have something big and set it on a date with meaning. Here's a tip: please don't do it on Sunday citing "Valentine's Day" because it's just stupid.

So what do you think? Are we off to a better start?

Image and Source from Philippine Star and Manila Bulletin

No Show on the Last day of Session

According to the twitter post of ANC, the following senators were absent on the last day of the senate session:

Angara,
Arroyo,
2 Cayetanos,
Lacson,
Lapid,
Legarda,
Pimentel,
Revilla,
Santiago,
Villar

The following are obviously there:

Biazon,
Honasan,
Gordon,
Roxas,
Enrile,
Aquino,
Madrigal,
Estrada,
Zubiri,
Pangilinan,
Escudero

There was one guy missing. Trillanes is still in prison.

This just shows that our lawmakers can simply skip on anything for any reason. Senator Lacson was out because someone or something is after him. Senator Villar doesn't want to face these guys because they will just grill him with insertions (Pimentel joke again). Others simply didn't show up.

I always remember my last regular day at school. You're cramming on the final exams but you're anticipating two months of fun in the sun and dust. I don't care if I fail or pass the exam - I'll just face the music in June. For now, I'll finish this as soon as possible and brag to my friends that I was the first one to get out of the shackles of my teachers.

The senators are taking their vacation up a notch. They woke up and said to themselves "Screw the last day of work - I'm going on vacation right now". And they texted other Senator friends to avoid being singled out.

This reminds me of the latest bill introduced by Congressman Zubiri. Here's the link:

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/239095/zubiri-files-bill-seeking-no-work-no-pay-congressmen

I wish this would be passed. But I think this will not happen soon or ever. Asking the lawmakers that they will be paid if they work is like asking the students if its ok to be failed if they don't show up at school. Of course, they will not be ok with it because they are doing themselves some disservice but placing themselves at disservice means we are paying them to stay at home and watch noon time television.

For that, I want to be a senator or congressman too...until they approve Zubiri's bill.

3 "What Happened" News

For the past few days, we recived some startling news about the country. Yes, they are not election related but they certainly would have some impact. So read on and learn.

* Villar Defends…Sparingly

Finally, Senator Villar appeared in the senate to defend the accusations against him regarding the C-5 insertions (Some Pimentel Jokes Here). But he did it in one of the most annoying methods. Instead of taking any questions, he just made his statement and walked away. He could have shouted "I'm not guilty! I did not do anything wrong!" for one full hour and left and it did not made any difference. I think it would have been better if he did just that because it's going to be a great news.

* Lacson Flees…Immediately

Talking about storming out of something, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has left the country to avoid what he calls as "harassment" from DOJ. This regards to possible criminal charges on Dacer-Corbito murder case.

I would like to think he chickened-out of the country. But this has got me thinking: if the DOJ can go after one of the most powerful persons in the country, what can a poor man can do against the DOJ. I did not thought about it further because I already know the answer: none.

* More Nurses…Barely

A few days ago, the 2009 Nursing Board Exam is now available online. But the results mark something very stark. There were 94,462 examinees but only 37,527 passed the exam. This means only 39.727086% passed the exam. Based on what I read, this is the lowest percentage for a nursing exam in the country. What's even sadder is that the number of students who took the exam increased. Even the increase is in just a single digit, it's still a sign that something is deteriorating in our school system. Maybe the current students are getting dumber but I don't think anyone's slacking.

So, what happened?

LSS (Last Song Syndrome) and the Elections

Today I am going to rant. So skip on other articles if you don't want to read a blogger's whine.

There are two songs that can't get out of my head - Manny Villar's and Eddie Villanueva's campaign jingles. It's ok that those songs are buzzing my head because I can deal with it by thinking of other things such as my latest stats on my Mindjolt games, the latest movie I want to check out or simply by thinking about the horror story I heard last night. But what made this worst is that everyone is having the same song in their head. This means right now, someone is blurting a song of a presidential candidate out of their head.

In your part, you could be humming Noynoy's, Gibo's or any presidential candidate's jingle. You could be banging your head right now because you can't seem to get the soung out of your head or you are lovingly humming the tune because you are supporting the candidate.

It's ok. No. I don't think it's ok. I think it's dangerous that we are getting some weird buzz in our head because we are exposed too much to their music. Let me give you a good reason why:

If you are an avid supporter of a presidential candidate and you learn their music, you are not just a supporter who shows up on election day and vote. You become a vicious fanatic who would eat the beating heart of anyone who will never agree to your opinion. The song will never get out of your head and will take over your personality.

Who's to blame for this mess? I blame the "friends of" the candidates. Apparently their friends have so much money they can fund radio and television slots for their commercials. I want these to stop but what can we do? We are heavily influenced by what we see, hear and read so we're stuck.

Let me stop right here before I throw out obscenities to the candidates who are ruining my morning. I'll just look for some April Boy Regino or Willie Garte(God Bless his Soul) music. At least their music will last forever rather than cliche ridden jingle that's only good until May 2010.