Said and Done

2006-04-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

Smoke signals from America to GMA

A FILIPINO can only wonder how all the current political turmoil in the country will end.

The Arroyo administration got a stinging editorial from the New York Times over the weekend, quickly sending an eerie reminder to the Palace about how such smoke signals have often preceded both overt and covert action from Uncle Sam before a denouement. Not that such "intervention" is devoutly to be wished because it plain smacks of the Orwellian Big Brother meddling image. But with the country degenerating into a big and ever widening political arena, despite some economic advances, many Pinoys wish a quick and long peace will finally settle in the country, especially at the heart of its commercial areas in Manila and Makati. And they invariably look at the U.S. to engineer such peace in the homefront, the way it did on Marcos EDSA l) and to some extent, Estrada (Edsa 2).

We are sure the deeper meaning of the American newspaper editorial is not lost on the astute Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and to some of her more sober lieutenants, both political and military. We would not be surprised if in the next few days, the President would again, for the nth time, be offering "a fresh hand in reconciliation" to her political detractors, seeing as how peace -- or a projection of it --no matter how fleeting, is so important NOW after BigBrother had spoken, and spoken strongly, about his disappointment over the wranglings and hostilities in that little island post of democracy in the Pacific.

Whether or not she encourages it, the combative stance of some of her trusted
men in both the Cabinet and the House of Representatives adds fuel to the
fire in the belly of her enemies; many of them (that is, Gloria's
men), truth to tell, having seemingly thrown away all pretense
at moderation and respect in addressing issues involving
the Opposition like the latter were scums of the earth who deserve no heed.

It must be said that these detractors, no matter how shrill and ridiculous their tirades sometimes could be still have their own constituencies, and for which, they too deserve some acknowledgment and respect.

All told, unless the Arroyo administration wants to head inexorably to something cataclysmic, it must endeavor to issue a calming voice even to the most strident of critics; after all she is not dealing with unthinking or unfeeling machines. She is dealing with men, capable of reason and emotion, whose defenses could and would crumble before a woman who shows sincerity in keeping a lasting working relationship.

Nothing is ever gained by insult; many things get done by sincerity.

2006-03-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

Muslims take no offense
on preacher’s ill remarks

IF the taped messages of leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) aired over the Ang Dating Daan television program the other night are any indication of goodwill by the supposedly aggrieved Muslim sector, Bro. Eli Soriano of that religious sect has nothing to worry about..
MILF Spokesman Atty. Eid Kabalu and Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar said in their messages that Soriano’s earlier potshots at Muslim prophet Muhammad would not goad them into inflicting harm on Soriano or his group just like that, saying in so many words, that Muslims are not that narrow-minded nor that violent to bring harm on people belonging to a different faith. To expect the Muslims to be stampeded into attacking Soriano and his group because of what many feel was his bashing of the Islamic religious leader during one of his religious fora on national TV is to misread the Muslim faith, Kabalu stressed.
Kabalu sought to disabuse the public’s mind that whatever “misfortune” befalling Soriano or ADD followers henceforth should not be readily blamed on the Muslims as they do not believe in hurting those who hold different beliefs and doctrines from theirs.
That’s a most reassuring pronouncement for Soriano who is known to have this unsettling flair for mocking almost every religious icon on earth – Erano Manalo of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Joseph Smith of the Mormons, the Pope of the Catholics and the latest; Prophet Muhammad of the Muslims.
With Kabalu and Jaafar having publicly“waived” any Muslim ill will against Soriano, we guess that’s the end of that. And Soriano need not be looking over his shoulder every now and then. Lucky him.

2006-02-24T23:53:00.000-08:00

Media quakes -- and it's not from the rolling tanks

AS I start writing this, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has just signed Proclamation No. 1017 declaring a State of Emergency throughout the Philippines, following a seemingly aborted coup d' etat early today, February 24, 2006 by disillusioned troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

More than any other actual or imagined implications of this presidential action, the threat to press freedom as in actual closure of media stations or outlets critical of the administration, and banning of the normal news reportage is ever present. In fact, it is what the print, broadcast and television media fear(?) most as borne out during the press conference called this afternoon by Malacanang Palace with concerned cabinet members arrayed against mediamen.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer representative was most combative, if articulate, putting even the usually abrasive Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales visibly on the defensive. At one point, Gonzales could not answer a direct-to-the-point question of the PDI reporter if there was any plan to close his newspaper which have been quite critical of the Arroyo administration since after the failed impeachment bid against Arroyo last year.

Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor, a staunch Gloria defender, was visibly struggling with himself not to be offensive as he took over from a suddenly speechless Gonzales. Badgered by the young and persistent PDI man for an answer to his question, he finally blurted out "that (closure of the Inquirer) is always an option." The moderator quickly called for the next question.

As in the final hours of the deposed Marcos administration, everyone present in that hall must have been aware how that scene and the exchange would form part of a historic event years from now -- whether the coup eventually succeeds or not.

The light of day is almost fading as we write this blog. It is suddenly chilling out there.

Deja vu, is that you forming?

2006-02-22T22:20:00.000-08:00

Business Costs

THERE’S something interesting in that seemingly minor news item about Dagupan City’s recently being awarded as one of the Most Competitive Cities in the Philippines for ‘small cities’ category.

The award was conferred on top performing urban centers by the AIM Policy Center in ceremonies at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati with Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez and several city aldermen receiving it on Mayor BSL’s behalf.

Our own research showed that San Fernando City in Pampanga ranked first in the “small cities” category of that search.

Somewhere in the bottom lines of the news release by the City Information Office, it said the city ranked 31st in terms of the “cost of doing business.”

Now that’s a rather unsettling compliment as there were actually only 37 “small cities” evaluated. That meant we were down in the cellar with five others. But of course in the overall rankings for that category, we still made it among the country’s best.

The question begs: Is doing business in Dagupan really rather “too costly?” Juxtapose this with a news item this week, also from the CIO about the Quezon City treasurer’s discourse to Dagupan officials last week on the “trade secrets” for a robust financial health among cities, foremost of which is an improved (read: more) business tax collections by a local government unit.

Also, put the question alongside the stratospheric taxes and fess being implemented by Dagupan just this year for business permits (thanks but no thanks to the Revised Revenue Code of 2006) and you already probably have the answer—in the affirmative.

We scrutinized every word by the QC bursar in the news item and we seem to have missed reading in them any piece of advice about fiscal restraint on excessive ‘festival expenses’, ‘consultancy service fees’ and ‘donations’ to civic clubs and assorted mendicants among them. Quezon City probably is also doing the same with aplomb, so it can’t afford to shoot its mouth off on that. Or, maybe, shoot its foot is more to the point.
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One more thing.

Treasurer Victor Endriga of Quezon City talked about something like ‘presumptive income level’ as basis for tax rates which, to our layman’s understanding, is simply something like the cops’ “plain view” doctrine in searching houses, establishments or vehicles for inspection. You presume that if you don’t see anything irregular on plain sight, you don’t have to dig deep or ask further.

On the other hand, it could also mean the city and its taxmen have the right to presume you earn this much just by looking at your style of dressing, the places you go to – or the kind of entertainment houses you frequent. Presumptive, see? It’s probably the fancy cousin of the phrase ‘unexplained wealth’.

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