Aquino Tops October 2009 Pulse Asia Survey

If elections were held today, 44% of Filipinos would elect Liberal Party's Standard Bearer Noynoy Aquino III as president of the Philippines. This is according to Pulse Asia's most recent poll on Presidential Preference. The nationwide survey was conducted on October 22 to 30, 2009.

Far second is Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party (19%). Third is Chiz Escodero (13%), and at fourth is Erap Estrada who got 11%.

Aquino, who, in the previous surveys was not included among the choices, suddenly rose to "stardom" after her mother, former president Cory Aquino, died of colon cancer. After what seems to be a sympathetic gesture coming from the people, Noynoy Aquino became an instant contender for the presidency.

Meanwhile, despite Chiz Escudero's risky resignation from the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) on October 2009, his rankings in the survey did not improve much.

Administration candidate Gibo Teodoro, however, maintained his standing at far below the list, with only 2%.

Thank You, Cory. And Goodbye

I was less than 10 years old when the dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from power via the historic 1986 EDSA Revolution that put Corazon 'Cory' Aquino to Malacañang palace.

As such, I have not, due to my being young, had the best idea how she did being president.

All I remember was that she was the lady in yellow, the wife of Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino, an opposition leader, who was killed in Tarmac in 1983.

Cory's term as Philippine president was marred with coup d'etats, brown out, and an unstable political landscape, mainly because of the country's transition from Marcos' dictatorship.

And what could the people have expected? Even her husband, Ninoy, once said,

"I pity the next president after Marcos"

Never, of course, did he realize that it was his wife, Cory, who would have that broad responsibility of being the next president.

But in all, what I know and what I am thankful for, is Cory's sincere determination to become the opposition's icon or figure that would try to restore the democracy of our nation.

And she succeeded, together with the Filipino people.

To Cory, Thank You. And Goodbye.

Glory Days of EDSA

For three days, men, women and children filled the streets of EDSA holding on frail hope. For those brief moments, they feared for their security, their lives, their future.

Rumors were spreading all over that the forces from the loyalists were coming in from the north to silence the cry of the people through bullets and shells. The prayers grew louder; anxiety filled the air.

From above, the citizens of Manila resembled ants swarming on the entire stretch of EDSA. Most of the streets were blockaded and trees were cut down to serve as makeshift anti-tank barricades. Curious civilians climbed the 25-ft. light posts to have a glimpse over the crowd. Along the curbs, women attended to the thirsty, hungry and the weary. Men stood vigilant and served as perimeter guards just in case loyalist troops decided to attack. Priests and nuns prayed and comforted people as they made their way through the population with rosaries at hand.

Tanks were on the other edge of EDSA, and the people had no hesitation to meet them with bare hands and prayers. Soldiers aboard the vehicles climbed out and were ordered to shoot. Most either shot in the air or were simply shocked at the amount of sacrifice ordinary people are willing to gamble. Tears rolled down their eyes as they were greeted with food and comfort from the rebels.

As Marcos proclaimed his presidency atop the balcony of the Malacañang, little did the remaining supporters realize that their would-be president was already arranging his plans for Hawaii.

This is the EDSA revolution – the peaceful cry for freedom.

(Narration credits: The EDSA Revolution Website)

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Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo

Apo Hiking Society

'Di na 'ko papayag mawala ka muli.

'Di na 'ko papayag na muli mabawi,

Ating kalayaan kay tagal natin mithi.

'Di na papayagang mabawi muli.

Magkakapit-bisig libo-libong tao.

Kay sarap palang maging Pilipino.

Sama-sama iisa ang adhikain.

Kelan man 'di na paalipin.

Ref:

Handog ng Pilipino sa mundo,

Mapayapang paraang pagbabago.

Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan

Ay kayang makamit na walang dahas.

Basta't magkaisa tayong lahat.

Masdan ang nagaganap sa aming bayan.

Nagkasama ng mahirap at mayaman.

Kapit-bisig madre, pari, at sundalo.

Naging Langit itong bahagi ng mundo.

Huwag muling payagang umiral ang dilim.

Tinig ng bawat tao'y bigyan ng pansin.

Magkakapatid lahat sa Panginoon.

Ito'y lagi nating tatandaan.

(repeat refrain two times)

Coda:

Mapayapang paraang pagbabago.

Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan.

Ay kayang makamit na walang dahas.

Basta't magkaisa tayong lahat!

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On that glorious year of 1986 in EDSA, the world witnessed the triumph of the Filipino.

Fast-forward to the present year, though, the country remained in its old self.

Or is it even worse?

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EDSA People Power proved the reality of God's words in 2 Chronicles 7:14:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We have, as a nation, humbled and prayed and searched for God's face. We have exposed corruption and evil in the society, and God heard from heaven. He forgave the sins of the nation. He removed the kings and rulers and have set up new ones. And He healed the pains and gave us a brand new beginning for the Nation.

But somewhere along the way, we lost-track and returned to our old-self.

Can we blame God? By no means! There is no way we can say, 'God! You didn't help us. God! you were wrong in choosing our new rulers!' No way, we can say that.

We have asked forgiveness and healing, and restoration in the land. But seems that we have not totally turned to God and asked Him to 'totally' rule among us. But rather, after seeing God do the changes, we have stopped and let the new leaders reign over us. Men and women who hunger for money, power, and still more power have started to penetrate the leadership of our nation. And since then, as a nation, we have never really returned to God.

As I see the situation today, I believe that there is so much hunger and thrist for change. Such was in the days of Marcos and Ninoy. The people are ready. And God is always ready and willing to give us another brand new start- but we've got to pray and ask Him to install the righteous rulers of this land.

Moral Ascendency: Righteous leaders who fear and obey the word of God. This is what the people clamor for. Again, the people are ready. And God's eyes range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him (2 Chronicles 16:9).


May He finally install the right rulers.
May He finally bring back the glory days of EDSA.
May He finally bring glory to the Philippines.

EDSA 1 2009 Holiday

Malacañang announced February 23, 2009 a holiday for STUDENTS (only) to celebrate EDSA 1.

This was made through Proclamation 1728 signed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Just wondering why the Proclamation limits the holiday only to students. When in fact, baka ang mga estudyante ngayon eh hindi pa nabubuhay noong panahon ng EDSA 1 (1986).

Anyway, I just thought that maybe History books should now include to teach students about EDSA 1, EDSA 2, EDSA 3. I'm just not sure if these are already included. But these should be. We do not want the young to neglect Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, however, they also need to know and learn from Marcos, Ninoy, even Cory, Erap, etc.

Chance of a Lifetime

President Arroyo made a sudden side trip from Bahrain to Washington last Feb 5, 2009, to attend the United States National Prayer Breakfast (and possibly to get the chance to finally, finally, finally meet US President Barack Obama).

But the chance never happened.

Neal Cruz, in his Inquirer column, describes Arroyo's move to seemingly chase Obama as Pathetic.


Must have been better if Arroyo attends a local prayer meeting together with Cory, Erap, Ramos, Villanueva, Velarde, Rosales, De Venecia, Roxas, Lozada, Lacson, Mike Arroyo, Tindero, Jocjoc, Villar, etc.

Wouldn't that be a sight?

(But of course, not to mention, to disallow Sec Dureza to lead the prayer).



To conclude, Neal Cruz states,

"Don’t pretend to be what you are not. Accept what you are but try to be better."


Amen.

The Return

There must be really nothing permanent in this world.

Especially in the world of Philippine Politics.

Take the case of the "Presidente ng Masa"- Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada.

For those few of us who may not know who Erap is, here is Wikipedia's account:

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Joseph Ejercito Estrada

13th President of the Philippines
3rd President of the 5th Republic
In office: June 30, 1998 – January 20, 2001
Born: April 19, 1937 (1937-04-19) (age 71)Tondo, Manila
Political party: Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)
Spouse: Luisa Pimentel
Occupation: Actor
Religion: Roman Catholic Christianity

José Marcelo Ejército (born on April 19, 1937), better known as Joseph Ejercito Estrada, or Erap, is a film actor in the Philippines and was the 13th President of the Philippines from June 30, 1998 to January 20, 2001. He was peacefully overthrown by the Second People Power Revolution after his aborted impeachment trial in the Senate, where eleven Philippine senators refused to examine the second envelope of the Jose Velarde bank account that would supposedly prove acts of political corruption. On April 4, 2001, the trial of Estrada began as Ombudsman Aniano Desierto filed before the Sandiganbayan, a Philippine anti-graft court, a PHP 4-billion plunder suit and a minor perjury charge for falsely declaring his assets and illegally using the Jose Velarde alias. On September 12, 2007, he became the first Philippine President to be convicted of a crime after the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of plunder, which is punishable by reclusion perpetua. He was detained in his Tanay, Rizal resthouse but then pardoned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on October 25, 2007.

++++++++++

Erap must have been one of the most colorful personality in Philippine History. I can just imagine how he became prince to pig and now, seemingly, to prince again in the face of the whole philippine populate.

After arising to become the Philippine President, winning via a V large margin over opponent Joe De Venecia, Erap was accused of Plunder and was overthrown by what we now know as EDSA DOS.

From 2001 to September 2007, his case was heard in Sandiganbayan, until finally he was convicted by the court of Plunder. Finally.

But not yet.

A month after his conviction, he was pardoned by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in what to me as one of the saddest part of the Philippine Judiciary history.

Now, as Gloria Arroyo's filipino trust ratings (amidst the continuous controversies hounding her) surging even below zero, Erap is back on track as the people's favorite political personality.

There are news that Erap threatens to run again for the Presidential Post in 2010 if ever the Opposition people do not unite together. And this time, the rumors are, he is eyeing on Loren Legarda to be his running mate for VP (Loren, by the way, was one of the Senators who is against Erap during the 2000 Senate Impeachment Trial).

In other stories, former President Cory Aquino, apologized to Estrada on her participation of Erap's ouster (EDSA DOS) in 2001.

At the star-studded launch Monday of former Speaker Jose de Venecia’s book that gave accounts of scandals that had hounded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Aquino asked Estrada for forgiveness for joining the Edsa II uprising that ousted him.

“I am one of those who plead guilty for the 2001 (uprising). Lahat naman tayo nagkakamali. Patawarin mo na lang ako (All of us make mistakes. Forgive me),” Aquino said in her brief but well-received remarks at the Podium mall in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

So there, it seems, as Erap is now back on track on the political map, many may say that he is actually vindicated from the 2000/2001 Impeachment Accusations.

If we shall review the past eight years that had happened, we can find a lot of "Wind of Change" scenarios:

* Gloria Arroyo who was hailed by the people in Edsa Dos in 2001 is now the most hated personality in the Philippines.

* Tito Guingona became GMA's VP in 2001 for his significant contribution in ousting Erap and installing GMA as President. Tito is now one of the main oppositions fighting against GMA.

* Then House Speaker Manny Villar presided the endorsement of the Impeachment complaint against Erap to the Senate. In 2007, Villar ran again under Erap's Political Party. Now he is closely seen together with Erap in various political gatherings.

* JDV lost to Erap during the 1998 Presidential Elections. In 2008, JDV finally broke away with his ties with GMA and even authored a book exposing the various irregularities of the GMA government.

*The lipat bakods: Revilla, Oreta, Angara, and Sotto were with Erap during 2000. Now they are with GMA. Roxas, Guingona, De Venecia were with GMA during 2000. Now they are with the opposition.

* Loren who was against Estrada in 2000 ran for Senate reelection in 2007 under Estrada's Political Party (and may now become her running mate in 2010?)

* Erap becomes president-then convicted of impeachment-then pardoned-and may get back the top post (again?)

And, indeed, there is nothing permanent in this world.

Especially in the world of Philippine Politics.

Blue or Green. Green or Blue

I have always been amused with the unending and ever-in heat rivalry between Ateneo and La Salle. Pit these two against each other on a game of basketball at any given day and you will surely find a jampacked Araneta Coliseum roaring to the top.


Coach Dindo Pumaren (UE Warriors) once said that it amuses him how his Warriors, who just completed a rare 14-0 sweep in the 2007 elimination round of the UAAP men’s competition, have been forgotten in the light of the rivalry.


“Even if both schools are in the cellars, every game will always be like a championship. It’s school pride. It’s all about passion. Their games are just different, their rivalry is different," says Dindo, whose brother Franz is calling the shots for the Archers.


This 2008 UAAP season, The Ateneo Blue Eagles got the edge winning over La Salle via a 2-0 sweep of the Season 71 Finals at the overflowing Araneta Coliseum.


Well, talk doesn't end there, as news after news after news and reactions after reactions after reactions are sure to continue amuse people like me about the famed rivalry.

Raphael Bartholomew, a researcher, writer and lecturer, wrote a very interesting article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on 2007 about this extensive fight between the green and the blue.

He even discussed how politicians and other famous personalities, alumni of these two Universities, continue to engage battle.

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A Nation's Passion Lives in a Rivalry of Green vs.Blue
By RAPHAEL BARTHOLOMEW


Senators, foreign diplomats, cabinet ministers, a smattering of Forbes's 40 richest Filipinos, moviestars and enough professional basketball players to play five-on-five. They are the elite of Philippine society, and they all gather at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City to watch the men's basketball rivalry between the universities Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle.


La Salle Coach Franz Pumaren said, "The janitors in Araneta always say, 'If there's an Ateneo-La Salle game, once everybody's out of the coliseum, it still smells good because of the all the socialites watching.'


Ateneo and La Salle are the most prestigious private universities in the country. The question of which institution provides a superior education is a toss-up; the tie breakers take place on the basketball court.


In 2005, La Salle revealed that two of its players had used phony high school equivalency results in their applications, and the team was suspended for the 2006 season.The teams also play different styles, with somewhat different results. The De La Salle Green Archers won four straight national championships from 1998 to 2001 thanks to its vaunted trapping defense.


Ateneo plays textbook basketball, with man-to-man defense and an inside-out offense that relies on post-up moves and perimeter shooting. The Blue Eagles won the 2002 championship, their only title in the last 17 years.


The frenzied crowds are often led by some of the most prominent alumni. Senator Richard Gordon, a former Ateneo cheerleader, is renowned for sideline antics like jumping on the scorer's table to rile up the crowd. La Salle counts the former finance secretary José Pardo and the shipping mogul Enrique Razon Jr. among its supporters.


The rivalry allows Manila's elites to relive their carefree college days, said Ricky Palou, Ateneo's athletic director. "It's the passion they have for their alma mater," he said. "They become immature. They act like kids."


The fans' excessive behavior is matched by the largesse that the alumni lavish on their teams. A group from Ateneo installed the hardwood floor used for the 2000 N.B.A. All-Star Game at the university gym. Not to be outdone, Razon donated about $1 million, which went toward refurbishing La Salle's sports center and financing athletic scholarships.


The heightened atmosphere of the rivalry puts coaches and players under enormous pressure. When Joe Lipa coached Ateneo in the late 1990s, the former president Corazon Aquino, whose daughter Kris is a 1992 graduate, would call Lipa to check on the team's progress, said Ricky Dandan, Lipa's former assistant.


"You can lose to all the other teams, but not to La Salle," Banal said.


When his team defeated La Salle for the championship in 2002, it was "my most fulfilling accomplishment," Banal said, adding: "After that championship it's like the whole Filipino nation knew me. Like if you go to a restaurant, you eat, you're paying your bill, somebody from Ateneo got it already."


But the shame of losing also haunts players and coaches. In the final game of the 2002 national championship series, the La Salle star Mike Cortez missed 11 of 13 shots. Afterward, La Salle students and alumni accused Cortez of throwing the game. Although Cortez is now an all-star guard in thePhilippine professional league, many fans still regard him as a game fixer.


The rivalry has loosened the bond of friendship between the teams' coaches. Ateneo Coach Norman Black and Pumaren won several professional titles together in the late 1980s with the San Miguel Beermen.


"If you're part of the rivalry, you just don't like each other," Black said."Franz played for me and he was my assistant coach, but that has little bearing on what's happening right now. He's the coach of La Salle; I'm the coach of Ateneo. Let the chips fall where they may." ++++++++++

The following article published in the Philippine Star on October 5, 2008, accounts a personal story of an Ateneo graduate who later practiced his profession at the rival school La Salle. This, again, tells of an interesting story between Ateneo and La Salle from on and off the basketball court.


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Blue or Green? That is the question
By Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr.


I first heard about the rivalry between Ateneo and LA SALLE through my eldest sister Ling; it must have been in the mid-50s when I was old enough to play with a mini-basketball, but too young to understand the big fuss over the rivalry between the two exclusive schools. Ling was a fan of the blue-and-white, Hail Mary team. While listening to the radio coverage of the games, she cheered for Ateneo and Ed Ocampo particularly, the team’s outstanding guard then. Her ears were glued to the radio set, listening to a broadcaster named Bobby Ng describing the game play-by-play, in good, straight English. She did attend the big games at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, most probably with my elder brother, until the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) games were covered on TV.

My memory of the early TV coverage of the NCAA games is of Green Archer Kurt Bach-mann’s mom brandishing her umbrella from the courtside. I don’t remember now what for. Kurt Bachmann must have been embarrassed by his mom’s display of motherly concern.

The funny thing is that when I was in Ateneo, my sister could not care less about the Ateneo-La Salle games. I guess she matured and got over that stage of idolatry. But a lot of adults, especially alumni of either school, seem not to have outgrown the rivalry which continued when the two schools moved to the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines).

Atenean Richard Gordon, former cheerleader and now a Senator, is a common fixture during a La Salle-Ateneo game. Lasallian Mike Enriquez, popular broadcaster, plays his alma mater’s hymn in his morning program during championship games. The old alumni of these arch rivals continue still to cheer for their teams, competing for bragging rights of being champions.


I confess that I was never fond of basketball games even when I was in college. I did try out to be a cheerleader of the Blue Babble Battalion because I was attracted by the blue-and-white jacket, but I did not make it to the clique. I must have attended two games in my college life; three max. Okay, I was a nerd.


What’s the big fuss? The press is partly to blame. Whenever there’s a game between Ateneo and La Salle, it is always bannered as the encounter between arch rivals, a long, unending rivalry that can be traced to the pre-World War II period. The management of the Araneta Coliseum must love it. The venue will surely be filled to the rafters. The attendance of around 20,000 is close to the population of the two schools. The UAAP board loves it; an Ateneo-La Salle game means a multi-million-peso encounter. It’s crazy to raise the question at all.

Before I continue writing this piece, a full disclosure is appropriate – I finished my undergraduate degree at the Ateneo (notice “the”; it’s not enough just to say Ateneo). I’m a bona fide alumnus, but not a blue-blooded Atenean, if you ask the likes of Mike Arroyo, for the FG, blue-blooded Ateneans are those who finished their primary and secondary levels at the Ateneo.


I’m not an alumnus of La Salle, but I’ve taught there for a little over 24 years, so I’ve developed some loyalty to this school on Taft.

Which side am I on? That’s the question.


Through the years, the rivalry in sports had become heated, and it extended to other fields, like academics and debate. Man for man (and woman for woman, when the two schools became co-ed in the ‘70s), the two schools can match the other school’s leading alumni. Until Ateneo becomes exasperated with the exercise and drops the name of Jose Rizal. That stops the conversation. Lasallians would just say that “Rizal had no choice then; La Salle was established in 1911. If Rizal were born at the turn of the century….”


Ateneo and La Salle were very exclusive schools, especially before the 60s. I remember a cousin who passed the entrance exams at La Salle but failed the ocular visit to their house made by a representative of the school. My cousin’s family lived in an apartment in La Loma, Quezon City. My cousin should have checked the family names of La Salle alumni then. To make a long story short, he enrolled in San Beda instead.


In the 60s, more scholars from both public and private schools invaded the august halls of Ateneo and La Salle and both schools had become less aristocratic. That was how I came to the Ateneo. Soon, the coño boys became an endangered species until the 80s when both schools became more bakya; the coño boys became totally extinct. (I think they moved to the University of Asia and the Pacific.)


Lasallians would argue that Ateneans are more bakya. Need I name names like Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino? But, actually, alumni or near-alumni of either school have invaded the entertainment industry, showing that they are bakya-at-heart. I’m using the word bakya not as a word of derision, but just a word of fact. More and more Ateneans and Lasallians have embraced the hoi polloi by being entertainers.


Lasallians are proven Vilmanians. Two of them even sired children with the Star for All Seasons – Edu Manzano, one of the original bench boys (the students who spent their break-time, and most probably even much of their class time, at the benches in front of the gym), and Ralph Recto, former senator, who is instrumental in guiding the political career of Vilma. Are Ateneans closet Noranians? I don’t know. But Lotlot’s daughter is in Ateneo.


After all is said and done, Ateneans and Lasallians love each other. Before the attack of the coeds in the 70s, how can one explain the Ateneans’ love for Maryknollers, their kapitbahay at Loyola? And the Lasallians’ love for the Kulasas (from St. Scholastica)? After some meditation, I found the answer. It’s the skirt. Maryknollers’ uniform is green and white; St. Scholasticans’ is blue and white. The attraction to the official color of the competitor is a deep-seated love for the other.


La Salle and Ateneo are two illustrious schools. They have produced leading professionals in various fields, artists, and national leaders. But neither school has produced a President. Erap Estrada would have been the first Atenean President, but being an Ateneo drop-out doesn’t count. Raul Manglapus tried to be President, but his Arnneow accent got in the way. The masa could not connect with his “I Speak for Democracy” – kind of English. La Salle’s Jose W. Diokno was “the President we never had,” according to sociologist and political commentator Randy David. Remember Diokno’s challenge, “Why be honest when it pays to be dishonest?”


The closest Ateneo got to the presidency was by being the First Gentleman. We all know now that the FG is more of a handicap than an inspiration to the President. If a bona fide Lasallian can’t be President, being the First Gentleman is the only way to get control of that seat. Vilmanian Ralph Recto is a candidate to this position.


But back to the question, Which side am I on? I’m in a win-win situation. But that’s no fun when watching a basketball game. One must side with one team during a game, especially a championship game; you can’t enjoy the game by being safe. So, did I cheer for La Salle or Ateneo? Let me put it this was – I was more sad than happy at the end of this year’s championship game. I won, but I also lost – big time.
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Interesting indeed. However, the latest news have brought sadness to my following this historic rivalry. Reports say that during a bonfire celebration conducted by the Ateneans following the recent championship at the UAAP, some of the firewood used at the bonfire had the names of the entire La Salle roster bannered by JV Casio, Rico Maierhofer and coach Franz Pumaren.

As reports and photos of the incident circulated in blogs and online basketball forums, students and alumni from La Salle, and even Ateneo, branded the act distasteful regardless of the rivalry between the two elite squads.

Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres said none of the school officials "saw it ahead of time, because the wood pile was covered by a tarp against the rain until the time came to light it."

Nebres recently apologized to the La Sallian community for an irreverent incident during the bonfire on the Ateneo campus last Sept. 30 to celebrate the UAAP championship won by the Eagles at the expense of the Archers.

"Despite our rivalries in sports, we are both committed to Christian values and what was done is certainly a violation of values we share," Nebres said in a letter to De La Salle University System president Br. Armin Luistro, FSC, dated Oct. 2.

"Our community accepted [Ateneo's apology]," Br. Bernie Oca, FSC, La Salle's representative to the UAAP board, said Sunday. "We are also awaiting the results of their investigations which they said they will do."

It was like having to remember the famous Dark Knight movie-a battle between the Batman and the Joker, and a seemingly epic love story between the two, where Joker tells the Batman, ""I don't want to kill you. You complete me."

Whoever is the good guy, and whoever is the bad guy depends on whose side you are in. Are you on the Blue Side? Or are you on the Green Side? The epic duel between Ateneo and La Salle will sure to make history after history on the years to come.

The battle continues on the next UAAP season.