Interns and Student Nurses

Note: this is my last article on my running thoughts on health care in our country. Read the previous posts for the past articles.

Ahh….interns and student nurses. They are always eager to help, eager to reach out and eager to make a difference. While the intern doctors are taught on how to be the best, they are not really the best yet. This actually creates a problem because the life of an individual is placed on someone inexperienced or someone who might crack under pressure.

Now, don’t bash me for hating interns. I have seen some of the most impressive interns here in Iloilo City and they can easily beat some of the experienced doctors they know. As I’ve said, they’re feisty in terms of helping people – your questions are always answered and your requests will always be considered. The tools are not yet there though in some situations. But thank God, the older ones are still there when trouble or very difficult cases arrives. I guess, we have to work with and thank the interns because they are willing to help and reach out the older ones when worst comes to worst.

This also goes the same with the student nurses. They are willing to help for a piece of knowledge they will use in the future.

But what made me tick is when I try to think about what they have to go through to become professional doctors and nurses. These are two professions you don’t want to get in if you don’t have any serious cash. There are too many things to buy, too many people to pay off (in form of “fees”) and the school is just too expensive – even in a public school. If you’re a parent who struggles to pay for a student studying AB English or any Education related course, count yourself lucky because nurses would cost twice as much.

And for what? Go Abroad? Now that’s a dandy idea. The kid studies for 4 years, passes the board exam the next year, studies for NCLEX and passes the exam the next year, gets some experience for two years and BOOM! Your nurse is already somewhere but not in the Philippines. You and your relatives up to the nth degree are now enjoying your kid’s hardship. What does your kid get’s in return? A weekly chat and messages on Facebook. Yep. Life is good when I can see someone I know in the computer and some Facebook requests to fertilize my farm.

The problem is that our kids are pushed to the school for all the wrong reasons. I know there are still kids who wanted to be a nurse because they want to help the sick. But many will answer “I’ll help my family”, “I want to get out of this country” or “I want to visit Disneyland!” could be the answer. Where’s the caring of the sick? Where’s the idea of helping other people dying? Yes, yes, I may be cruel about this but I always thought that a degree is chosen because of a desire. Not to go out and earn money but a desire to do what you really like to do.


What’s worst is that not everyone can go through the plan of going out of the country. After college, some can’t pass the board exams immediately. Out of those passers, only a few are able to pass another exam. Some would end up unemployed, others in a call center while others simply go to another industry. All the millions spent on one kid will all be for nothing.

If a kid would like to be a nurse because he or she wants to be abroad, they don’t have to be in a hospital trying to help the sick. They should be in a travel agency looking at pictures of the countries they want to visit. This is the reason why I’m not really comfortable facing student nurses in the hospital because at the back of my mind, many of them are there just to get out of the country.

I just hope I am sooooo wrong about this idea.

Decoding the Hospital System in the Philippines

If you’ve been following my blog, you already know that my topics will be related to healthcare because of experience nearly two weeks ago. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the hospital system in the Philippines.

The hospital system in the Philippines has a love-hate relationship with its people and patients. It doesn’t matter if the hospital is a government or privately owned – people will hate and love the same hospital at the same time. This is the reason why some would prefer one hospital over the other.

Unfortunately, some of us are never given any choice. Because of financial constraints, they are “forced” to use government hospitals.

The Fo(a)rce in Government Hospital

While boarding a taxi, my mother-in-law talked a bit where my wife should go. We have two options: Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital and West Visayas State University Hospital. I asked her to take my wife to “Doctor’s” because of their recent experience there which is favorable to the medical requirements of my better half.

But this doesn’t mean West Visayas State University Hospital is not a good hospital. I have seen thousands of people going in and out of the hospital that were given the cure they need. I even assisted an old guy once who didn’t have any ID and money but gained consultation and x-ray. Now that’s government service.

Unfortunately, something has to be done in our government hospitals particularly here in Iloilo City. The emergency rooms in two hospitals have no air-conditioning system and in this really, really hot weather it’s going to be near-hell for those who don’t feel well. The poor companions will forced to fan their patients for hours. This is the first reason why I didn’t take my better half to the government hospital – she is suffering from high grade fever and conditions in the government hospital would only make her feel worst.

Another challenge to government hospitals is the lack of personnel. I love working with intern doctors because they are so eager to help. But the real doctors are rarely seen because they are also busy on helping others. They are practically overwhelmed that they often focus on those who really need them. I can say that those who were stabbed or shot are the first ones who would be given attention.

The Private Institutions

I don’t have a beef with these private institutions. I respect their way of doing business since they will give a good service but will require a fee. The latter factor has been my problem though.

Money is always a question in private institutions but they are very subtle. I like the way they support their patients. They treated my wife as soon as she arrived in the hospital, no questions asked. After 4 hours and a couple of tests (that I paid for) her results arrived with the diagnosis.

Private hospitals will always provide patients with an option – you can always deny the hospitals recommendation for some tests. In fact, you can go home as soon as possible if run out of funds. You can just ignore their pleading for tests.

But who can ignore these recommendations. I can’t say no to X-rays, blood and urine tests since this are the only way my wife would be diagnosed and a cure would be formulated. They subtly are telling me that “yes, we’re not forcing you but this is a matter of life and death”. Fortunately, I was able to get Philhealth’s help which slashed the hospital bill 60% (maybe more).

Stay tuned for more articles related to health care system. Up next: Interns!

My Learning Experience in Philhealth

As I’ve said in my previous blog post, I’ll be providing some thoughts on what I learned while my better half is in the hospital. In this blog, I’ll be tackling Philhealth which is our insurance system.

I always thought that when it comes to national healthcare, we’re a bit better compared to Americans until their national healthcare system was pushed through their congress a few months ago. Through Philhealth, we’ll be able to have some discounts in medicine, hospitalization and even in doctors. Almost every hospital in the country is accredited by Philhealth which means I can easily walk to every hospital and ask for some assistance thinking that the Philhealth will help me with the bills.

While staying in the hospital, I often find myself going back and forth to the Philhealth liaison to check if my drug I’m about to purchase is covered by Philhealth. Imagine my grin when they stamp “Ok” on some prescriptions. It has saved me more than 2 thousand pesos just on medicine. When I checked out, I also asked for a couple of deductions in the room which was gladly provided by Philhealth. There are also prescriptions that I personally bought during the stay in the hospital that I gave to Philhealth. They told me to wait for 3 months for a reimbursement. Sounds great right?

But along the way, I have realized why many are complaining about Philhealth. I was a bit frustrated running around just trying to confirm my wife’s Philhealth membership. Luckily, I was able to get what I need and saved some money in the process. Yes, I’m still broke but not too broke.

Here are the things I learned about Philhealth:

• Better go on individual paying member rather than employed member – when you are employed, the documentations required by Philhealth is very difficult to access especially when you’re dealing with a big company. An added difficulty comes in when the person in the hospital is the person employed and you have to be there as a representative. But an individual paying member only needs to show the receipts of their payment to Philhealth.

• Look for a doctor accredited by Philhealth – I know there’s a doctor that is a proud member of Philhealth but I didn’t seem to find one in the hospital. I could have saved more in the process.

• If employed, double check with Philhealth every six months – I don’t know how you can do this but you have to double check with Philhealth to make sure the contribution is actually forwarded to Philhealth.

• Be paranoid on names – Philhealth is very, very strict in names. Double check the name, last name and middle name of the person so that you’ll get confirmed immediately.

• Look for the Philhealth office immediately and get the required documents. Complete the documents early so that you don’t need to run after documents when you’re getting out of the hospital.

Stay tuned for more articles regarding my hospital experience.

I Missed Blogging and Learned Many Things

For one week I was not able to write anything in this website and I'm sorry about that. But there is always a valid reason why I have to leave my responsibility (yes, this is my responsibility) a bit. Luckily, I also learned a couple of things why I missed my posts.

You see, a week ago (almost 1am Thursday) I took my wife to the hospital. She was suffering from fever for more than 2 days and after some medication and visit from the popular "manog-hilot" nothing happened. At the emergency room, she was given some tests on her blood.

Alas, she has to stay in the hospital...for 4 days. So I was stuck in the hospital from Thursday morning until Sunday afternoon. It was very humbling experience because I was left with nothing to do. Screw the money - I can sell everything just to buy the medicine or yank someone to take a look at my wife. Have you ever felt helpless while your love one just laid there suffering? It's really bad - I've seen this stuff in the movies and it actually freaked me out.

Well enough for my feelings. My better half is better than ever. My proof? She made me Jellp before she went to sleep. Ah..good times.

Looking back, I learned a lot of things and I'll share them in this blog. It's semi-political so it should still be relevant.

Here are some hints: Philhealth and Insurance, Hospitals, Student Nurses and Public Hospitals in Iloilo City.

Stay tuned. It's going to be a better week.

Another Letter to Sir Percy Lapid

I'm a big fan of Percy Lapid of DWIZ. His show starts at 12 midnight until 1.30AM and it has an audio feed online as well as live video on USTREAM. It's a great show because he doesn't hold back to any candidate and institution. He also welcomes reactions from his listeners and happily engages on their thoughts. With that said, here's my latest letter to Mr. Lapid while listening to his show:

Hi Sir Percy,

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed on your comment with CBCP. I am a staunch supporter of the church but I am also a thinker like you. But I think the way you prove your point against on what the bishop's are is misconstrued. The logic is simply not there.

The idea of getting some endorsers is to solicit votes. If you tell the people not to listen to the endorsers that means you are questioning everything the candidate does. I'm with you on that idea but shielding the endorsers (I know you're a big fan of Dolphy) by blasting the CBCP for blasting some endorsers doesn't sound well. They are simply stating that bad endorsers will provide a bad example to the people.

You also said that the Catholic church doesn't provide any criteria on who to vote without sounding partisan. I attended last Sunday's mass and before the mass ended the priest read and explained something to the parishioners and they are providing warnings on candidates and how we should choose. I think they are not partisan. They are simply pointing out something is wrong. I know they have some lapses but I don't think they do it deliberately. Why? They should be the ones who will be very fearful and careful on what they do because they know God is monitoring their actions.

I'm sorry to say this but getting sick of journalists and politicians saying the "separation of church and state". That's just a lame excuse of people who wanted to get away from doing something bad. For example, a journalist would say really bad words or show lewd material on radio, television or newspaper and the church will react. First response? "Separation of church and state". This is also true when bishops or any religious group try to tell the politicians that they are doing something really bad for the country. There is a clear line between what is legal and moral. The bishops only stands for what is moral that also happens to be legal. If the church doesn't stand for anything, what message does it give to the people? They are doing everything they can on their flock and standing up to blatantly tell the candidates about their endorsers is one of those methods.

Your idea of "Freedom" is also misconstrued. Being free doesn't mean you can do anything or say anything. You and your co-hosts are stating this is a democratic country. This means our freedom is not based on what we want to do but on what we have to do to maintain a democratic country. Our freedom lies on our ability to do something great and not just what is required from us. Our freedom does not lie on the evil or bad things we can do to our fellow men.

Still an avid fan though :) Keep up the good work Sir. Midnights is always a fun activity when you're online.

Thanks.

Sincerely,
Ryan
http://www.pinoypolitiko.com

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.

Who the Hell Made that Post?

There’s a new leak on “Noynoy’s Psychiatric Report” and as a political blogger, I became curious and tried to look for the actual data so that I can learn more. But the more I search, the more I realize that the post is a hoax – that means it’s not true and it has angered some bloggers. Count me in for the angry mob.

This is the reason why we bloggers are being hounded by the law – we could easily end up in jail for something that we post here. We can be angry at their actions, we can be angry at their decisions, hell, we can even be angry on what they’re thinking. But proactively saying something that’s not true is not a way of a blogger. Yes, I am a pseudo-journalist (feeling journalist ba’) but that doesn’t mean I can post nasty things about people.

Mind you, I am not for Noynoy nor for any presidential candidate. I am still thinking about the right candidate but these blogs are only bothering me because it tries to muddle my decision making.

I want to blame also other people who only flamed this news. C’mon guys, you are actually paid to investigate on the veracity of the report. I am never paid for these things I post here and I don’t think I’ll earn from it even if I write vigorously about politics. Again, YOU ARE BEING PAID TO KNOW IF THESE THINGS ARE TRUE SO YOU BETTER DO YOUR JOB.

So what do we do about this? I suggest two drastic actions:

• Read other news – I suggest focusing on other news. The President of Poland is dead along with his wife which is more tragic that this false report on Noynoy. You could also check out some things you can do to avoid too much heat in summer.

• Watch movies, lots of movies – if you don’t like other news, then don’t listen to the news for at least two days. I will even accept it if you don’t go back here for two days. That’s how I love my country – screw my blog as long as we get out a better person.

See you in two days. But tomorrow I’ll still post something.

We Will Never Learn – Just Look at the Surveys

The latest senatorial survey was released and I am shocked! There are only 12 senatorial positions up for grabs and who do I find in the top spot? Actors! Artista! Are we getting bored in choosing the right candidate that we just choose the name that’s most familiar to us? I hope our common answer is not yes but my gut feeling is saying another thing.

Of the 12 available positions – 4 of those positions according to survey are on television and movie personalities. Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, Tito Sotto and Lito Lapid. That means a third of our senators are run by people whose claim to fame is being seen on films and television. Yes, they did have some experience but where did they start? How did they got the position in the first place? They were actors. Bong, Jinggoy and Lito were known for their ability to punch a guy on film and Tito Sotto was one of the goofiest guys I’ve seen on TV. Now, they are leading the country. The logic is simply not there.

Yes, you can argue that these guys are probably great in person – kind, approachable and probably helpful. But if that’s the only way a person can become a senator, I can think of a lot of people who has the same quality. And don’t get me started on education. Of these guys, only Jinggoy Estrada had a degree (AB Economics – Like GMA). The rest have little to no college education.

I do not endorse any candidate but I don’t think we should place actors in the senate, congress or in any political position. But the way I see it, the fastest way to grab voters’ attention is to be seen in movies. To hell with college degree, I’d better call my agent so that I could be in congress someday.

For the next 6 years, we’re going to use the same garbage hoping it will become gold so that we’ll prosper one day.

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.

Help! Tips on What You Can do to Clean the Streets

Our country is a dump. It has become a wasteland of useless posters of local and national candidates. COMELEC only has to appeal to these gooks and they often fall on dumb ears. I am writing this article not on anger but on HATE! I don’t like the word because it’s too degrading, strong and people on the worst condition can only use the word. But I think our country is in that situation.

I HATE campaign posters.

I HATE politicians who do not do anything about these awful posters that just destroy our town squares.

I HATE COMELEC because they do not do anything about it.
But I am not one of those people who only shout my problem without a solution. So with my HATE I also offer my solution. This is not a vague solution just like COMELEC’s plea. You, my dear reader, can do this tomorrow when you go to work or right now while reading this.

• Grab a poster and yank it – placing posters in the town square or plaza is ok. But if they are placed in illegal areas, you can easily pull it out. On the streets, the electric posts or any place where posters are unnecessary.

• Never allow any posters in your property – they can only place posters if you allow them to. If they insist, call the police. If you support one candidate, show it through other means. You’re simply whoring your house which should be an abode of your family, not for the candidate.

• Visit the candidate’s satellite office and complain – they can’t do anything about it. If they try to touch you, it will be their candidate’s problem and their downfall. But don’t go inside charging like a bull. Explain your complaint and they will surely understand.

• Never accept flyers that only contain “Vote for Me!” – this is just a waste of money which probably came from the people’s taxes. Only accept flyers that have complete data about the candidate. Anything less than that should be refused.

It’s too late to tell these candidates what they should not do. They are too engrossed in their world of politics. What we can do though is to slowly tear those posters down. If every voters removes just one illegal poster, we’ll get rid of 50 million illegal posters.

Watdapak Balita #1 – Create a District and Rule!

I was browsing for some Easter news for a little cheer up news for you readers. But this is what I saw online:

“Lawmakers running in new districts that they created"

What?

A few decades ago, there was a story revolving that the small town where I was born was created simply because someone wanted to become mayor badly. But since the politician can't win – a town was created. Thus, my small town was born. It's an unfortunate story but it actually happens.

I like the idea of being aggressive. Some of the successful individuals are not just smart people but aggressive as well. You should push yourself to make the sale, become successful and become the leader of the pack. I also like the idea of additional districts. This means people will have more voices and the locals from those district will be able to get a voice in the congress faster. But there is always boundary.

If you can't win the game – don't just create another game with you as the leader of the stage. Those are for wimps.

The sad part according to the news is that 6 of the new districts are being vied by the same congressmen who created the new district. The rest (other 4) is being vied by the relatives of these congressmen. Really? Debasing yourself doesn't really matter as long as you earn millions every year. Yep. Debase yourself for money and power.

Stepping Down as the Leader of the Pack You’re Supposed to Lead - What Now Mr. Teodoro?

I have to say, I was a bit shocked when I read the news on Gibo’s decision on stepping down as the leader of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD. Although I was expecting Gibo to be upset with the lack of support from Gloria Arroyo, I didn’t expect that the retaliation would be this harsh. What’s even worst is that other leaders in the party started resigning as well. But these guys didn’t leave the party – they just stepped down as the leaders of the ruling party.

Gibo’s situation is one of the weirdest situations when you take a look at the past elections. For example, the late Cory Aquino raised the hand of Ramos and even went out to inform people on her support. Ramos also showed support on Jose de Venecia in for the 1998 elections but the man lost to Erap Estrada. Where is this guy by the way? Erap was not able to endorse someone and Gloria only endorsed herself. Everyone is expecting her to get out and raise the hand of this guy but nothing happened. They reasons her low ratings might affect Gibo’s bid for presidency. I think that statement doesn’t ring any bell. Whether she raises this guy’s hand or not, Gibo will always be Lakas-KAMPI-CMD and Gloria is also Lakas-KAMPI-CMD. The people are not stupid. I think Gibo would even have the chance to increase votes if she raises the guy’s hand simply because she is the president.

But the rumor saying Gloria is now talking to Villar is taking its toll on the Gibo. I think Gibo might have received a misdirected text message, received a phone call that was supposed to be from someone else or simply overheard a conversation from an important person. He feels betrayed – it’s like a boyfriend receiving some text message from his girlfriend with “mwah” but the message was for another guy. Ouch!

So what should Gibo do? I have three recommendations:

• Step out of the party and go berserk on them (including the President) – this is the perfect moment to tell the people what you really feel. If you get out of the party, you can say anything about the party and get away with it. Plus, you’ll be seen as a great guy because you had enough balls to get out of your house and put it on fire.

• Release an official statement telling them the real deal – I know you have the gift of gab but you don’t have to spin this situation. Everyone knows why you stepped down and saying another thing will make the people think you’re just another politician. Rattle the cage a little bit by stating something horrible about the party. Let the PR guys of Lakas-KAMPI-CMD and Malacañang worry about your words.

• Change your name on the President’s phone to MVillar – meet with the president and try to borrow her phone as if you want to change your number (tell her you’re on Sun now). Don’t change your number, change your name on the directory to MVillar. This will allow you to receive text messages that were supposed to reach Manny Villar (this is the cheating girlfriend/boyfriend technique).
Please tell us the real score. And don’t tell us you want to concentrate on campaigning because that’s just crazy.

Midnight Appointments – a Sign of Loopholes and Dirty Secrets

Appointing someone in the final days allowable is often seen as final political movements for survival. Forget about the welfare of the country, the decision is simply to get someone there that will help the politician’s cause in the future. If the person is really worthy of the position, they should have been there in the best possible moment. Getting someone there in the last few days (or hours) will only raise suspicion and questions.

The recent decision made by Malacañang to nominate Alfonso Yuchengco is one of those appointments that only raise questions rather than provide solution. Former Amb. Yuchengco was nominated as ambassador to Germany and the nomination was made 2 days before the 6-day banning period. Yahoo News actually has a great piece regarding this nomination. You’ll actually find some conspiracy theories that can be very scary because they editorial points to something obvious. The appointment might have been done to hide something. Fortunately, this nomination will most likely be void.

But who is Alfonso Yuchengco? He’s the head of one of the wealthiest families in the country and he is the head of Yuchengco Group of Companies including Pacific Plans which was highly controversial. He was also Ambassador to China, Japan and UN in the past. By the way, he’s already 87-years old. No disrespect for the elderly but with his wealth, he should be at home enjoying the presence of his grand kids while handing out scholarships and grants. Making him an ambassador today might still work but I think there are younger people who can be more agile than Yuchengco.

What do we need to learn from nominations? We should be listening closely to the news on radio and watch intently on TV. We should be vigilant and react to news that affects our country and future. Things like this can go through without our knowledge if we don’t keep a watchful eye.

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.

A New Look and New Form of Content Coming Up

I would like to thank Google for finally noticing Blogger needs to change – and the new things they have introduced are pretty impressive. Now, I have three columns which will allow me to provide more content to you my visitors. For more than three months, my website has been faithfully visited by readers and the comments are very engaging. I learned so many things about politics because of my research required for this site and I will continue to do so even after elections.

But the information given here is only part of the information we’re planning to give out. For nearly one month, I have been setting up a podcast so that I can provide more information. For more information, check out these sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast (popular definition of the word)
http://www.podcastalley.com/ (huge database of podcasts)

I have placed a poll on the side and a few people are still learning about podcast. Basically, it’s a form of online show that you can download and LISTEN in your mp3 player. I’ll be discussing the biggest news of the week and provide some basic information regarding Philippine politics.

That’s it for now. Thank you very much for visiting the site. More posts are coming and your inputs are only pushing this site to better grounds.

Network Sponsored Debates is NEVER a Good Idea

I am a firm believer of debates. Although I'm not good at it, I love watching the way debaters jab at each other. You'll feel like they are going down the pulpit anytime and start throwing punches. This is especially true in college debates. Honestly, they could be a bit annoying but you just have to deal with the bad to get the best.

I also prefer that our candidates show up in debates. Debates will bring out the best in them and the worst in them. I believe that a presidential candidate should be a quick thinking individual and articulate. How can they speak in front of world's leaders if they can't defend themselves with a simple question. Candidates who resort to mudslinging instead of attacking their opponent's opinion are simply dumb. He or she is not there to show what they can do but they are there simply to destroy an opponents' reputation.

This is the reason why I feel frustrated when I learned some candidates are no longer taking part of debates on television. Most would argue that they will just state their case to the people. Well, the political roadshow is a lot different in a debate. They are just there to babble without anyone talking back. They don't want to see the dark side of their ideas.

This is quite unfortunate because Gibo and Erap is no longer taking part on various debates. Gibo can speak well so he could easily present his case. But for some reason, he opted to say "no" along with Edu Manzano. Maybe the reason is Edu Manzano - after all, the upcoming debate is a tandem debate. I also prefer Erap to show up because he's a lot funnier today and with Binay at his side, they can easily lambaste any candidate.

The TV networks can also be blamed why candidates are no longer interested in nationally televised debates. Why have separate debates? I wish they could just meet and set the time and date. ABS-CBN, GMA, TV5, RPN9, NBN, UNTV, IBC and other TV stations can organize one debate without any commercial. But I think that's the way they think. Mr. Percy Lapid, a popular radio commentator is always clamoring for this type of debate.

So the debate with a complete list of presidential candidates is almost impossible. Shame on those who said they have no time and to the TV stations who don't give a damn about the country.

It is Going to be a LOUD Summer

The jingles are coming friends and we have to be prepared for it. This is the first day candidates can practically do anything in order to solicit votes. That includes visiting your home, which is ok. They might also place some stickers or posters in your home if you approve it, which is relatively ok. Or they could have some caucuses so that they could offer their ideas for your town, which is actually fun.

But look out for jingles – the songs will be ripped off from popular tunes and will run continuously until Election Day. Here in Iloilo City, you’ll hear “Nobody, Nobody but (You)” blare with a twist. Take note that it’s not election season yet for the locals. But everyone is guilt of electioneering if the COMELEC is serious about it. Everyone will be disqualified.

Now that we’re starting the campaign period for local officials, we anticipate louder music. Take note that it’s very, very easy to create a minus-one or remove the vocals of a popular tune. Many computer geeks and audio-philes can remove the voice in a minute or two. What you just need is very corny lyrics in a local language.

I admit it, I don’t like it…but we have to acknowledge their effort. After all, this is part of the election. Although no one will learn anything from these jingles, this will increase awareness and people might find more information.

But still it’s going to be a very hot and LOUD summer.

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.

More Statements mean More Concerns for Everyone

For the past few weeks, you’ll always find something like this online and in the newspapers:

Palace Slams Scare Tactics
Palace Assures Transparency in Chief Justice Selection

Please take note of the worlds “Slams” and “Assures” these are verbs that doesn’t really mean anything for our country. These words are actually great for basketball and contact sports but not for Malacañang. I’m sorry Malacañang, but what you’re just saying is to forget about what you do. Everyone is concerned about the recent ruling of the Supreme Court since this will virtually place the current president in an unprecedented position for future power. She can (and might) hire someone that will say “yes you can” to anything she wants and that includes circumventing the laws of the land.

I wish the Palace will not say anything else and let the people complain. Instead of using vague verbs, they should have DONE something about it. They could have asked the SC to appeal the ruling. Better yet, let the current president skip the decision making and retire in June 30. At least, the heat on her will not be as much. If they really want a peaceful transition, they should prepare for the next president and never create any headaches for the next leader of the land and its people.

This recommendation doesn’t only apply to Malacañang. Every government officials should avoid “vows” and “promise” as these are useless statements. Give out concrete plans that can be understood so that we’ll have a better understanding who to vote on Election Day.

These are scary times and we need concrete actions (and verbs). These statements are only increasing our suspicion because you are pushing too hard to bluff the people.