Oplan Hatid: Stories of Typhoon Survivors

Days after Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan struck Leyte and Samar, Phil. and foreign military personnel started to bring the survivors to Manila, with at least 6 C130 planes landing in Villamor Air Base everyday. Then a few caring Manilans noticed that some evacuees are left on the streets, with no means to get to their relatives in Luzon. So this core group of Manilans started the Oplan Hatid (Operation Drop Off) campaign for volunteer motorists to help transport the evacuees to their safe havens.

 

I joined Oplan Hatid last Wednesday night, and continued for 5 more days/night until the night of 30 Nov. 2013. During those 8 trips I made, I heard a lot of stories from the survivors, as well as from fellow driver volunteers. When CNN stops reporting the plight of the typhoon victims, at least this post will remind us on the victims' ordeals.

Desperate Measures to Eradicate Corrupt Politicians

You may have heard of an old story when God created Earth. Just like the yin & yang, God is showing Archangel Michael that He is putting a balance on each country that he creates. There are both good and bad things in any place. In Europe for example, He made the people smart to start the Industrial Revolution, but He also gave them cold winters. In Middle East, it is very hot and barren, but He gave them crude oil.

Then Michael asked why Philippines seem perfect, with lots of natural resources, happy and smart people. Where is that "balance" here? God's reply to him -- "Wait until I give them their politicians".

Transparency International have included two past Filipino presidents (Marcos & Erap) on their list of 10 most corrupt leaders in 2004. I wonder if GMA will be included on their list on their latest update.

Opposing RA # 10175, the Cybercrime Law

Tomorrow may be the end of absolute internet freedom in the Philippines, specifically the freedom to express one's opinions, whether through blogs, forum sites, social networks, etc. This is because RA # 10175, otherwise known as Cybercrime Prevention Act, takes into effect on 03 October 2012.

I was trying to get a soft copy of this new law, and found one here. From what I've read from the web, these are the highlights of the law as follows:

Oops! ..I Did It Again - Sen. Tito Sotto Spears

Last 13 August 2012, the Phil. Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III delivered a speech against the Reproductive Health Bill, blaming a brand of oral contraceptive (Diane) that eventually killed their 5-month old son in 1975. But according to the drug manufacturer Bayer, they introduced the Diane pill in the market on 1978, and only in 1985 was it released in Asia. So did Sen. Tito Sotto used his son's death for political mileage?

Two days later, his speech was criticized for plagiarism, for copying and pasting parts of his speech from 5 sources. The most notable plagiarized part came from Sarah Pope's "The Healthy Home Economist", which he denied at first, but his chief of staff Hector Villacorta later admitted on copying-pasting parts of the blogger's post. 

CJ Corona's Impeachment Trial in Funny Pics

Now that the Philippine Senate have bestowed a "Guilty" verdict to the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, the nation can hopefully focus on other things, like the standoff with China, etc. The senate can also do their prime duty, which is to legislate or enact laws.

People have many opinions on this impeachment trial. For me I think he's guilty, and should have just quit his job to avoid battle scars, like what the former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez did. Well, this blog post would not touch on those serious matters or arguments about the merits of the trial. This is just to show the lighter side of it, for a change, hehe.

Steve Jobs of Apple Inc.

Today, the tech world mourns the death of Steve Jobs, one of the most influential and iconic person in current history. Below is a photo of Steve Jobs that appears now on Apple Inc.'s website, a company he co-founded in 1976.

I first learned of Steve Jobs during college in 1990, when we are discussing the competition between Apple and IBM on one of our management subjects. Back then, our impression of him is a maverick or unconventional type of person, yet he cannot beat the Watsons of IBM in the market share of the computing world. In 1985, he was even pushed out of the company he co-founded.

Kulo Blasphemous Art Exhibit at CCP

Lifted from various internet sources:

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) closed down on Tuesday the main gallery where the controversial “Kulo” art exhibit is on display. In a statement, the CCP said threats to persons and property influenced the management’s decision to close down the gallery.

One of the artworks displayed in the gallery — artist Mideo Cruz’s piece, a mixed-media collage called “Poleteismo” — was criticized as “blasphemous” and then vandalized last week. According to local news reports, the controversial art exhibit includes images and statues such as:

1. A wooden replica of male genital in front of Jesus Christ image.
2. An image of Christ wherein his eyes had been darkened by ink.
3. Crucifix with condom.
4. Religious pictures beside women underwear models.
5. Seated Christ statue with red ball on His nose and a semi mickey mouse ears.

Who's The PR Firm & Big Bad Blogger?

The local internet community is abuzz with Margaux Salcedo's article from last Sunday's issue of Phil. Daily Inquirer (PDI) here. On her blind item, she told a story of Georgia, a restaurant owner who was harassed by a Public Relations Firm and a food critic-blogger aka. "Big Bad Blogger" or BBB.

SLEX's 300% Toll Hike is Highway Robbery!

Starting on 07 July 2010, people who use the South Luzon Expressway will have to endure the 300% increase on toll fees. That is if South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC) or the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) were not bothered by their conscience, to reverse their ruling of increasing the toll fees at astronomical terms. Remember Albay Governor Joey Salceda, the guy who called GMA as luckiest bitch? I couldn't agree more with his recent statements as follows:

"Trade with Manila is the lifeblood of Bicol and the SLEX is the main artery. The SLEX toll fee amounts to an unavoidable imposition on our traders, farmers, students who study in NCR, workers who work in [Philippine Economic Zone Authority] zones in Cavite, Laguna and on ordinary families who visit their relatives in Quezon City. We can not even protest by not using it. The prohibitive cost is tantamount to a curtailment of trade and our freedom to travel," Salceda said in a statement.

Your Precinct Number, Candidates' List & Voting Reminders

For voting Pinoys who have no idea yet on which polling place and precinct number they should go on Monday, you can check it on Comelec's website at:

http://www.comelec.gov.ph/precinctfinder/precinctfinder.aspx

Those who want to see the list of presidentiables, vice-presidentiables, senatoriables, and party lists, you may follow the link below:

http://www.comelec.gov.ph/2010%20National_Local/certified_list_of_candidates_2010_toc.html

To get a list of your local and congressional candidates, view the applicable PDF file per province/city on this link:

Political Butterflies, Prostitutes, and Turncoats

This is a rant, so don't proceed if you don't want to feel bad about the deterioration of our political system. 

Almost everyday now, those necessary-evil politicians are hugging the  local news for switching political parties left and right. Call them anything you like but they have no backbone, enslaved by those who can provide them with campaign financing, machinery, and political clout.

Here's another ugly face of politics, especially here in the Philippines. I hate those politicians who jump on the other political party in the blink of an eye, just to serve their personal interests. Gone are the days when you could separate political parties and people behind them based on their platforms, beliefs, and aspirations.  Integrity is a rare commodity on this sick nation of ours. Is there hope on our rotten political system?

Murphy’s law and Manny Villar

Repost from Business World - http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?type=9
Posted on 08:31 PM, March 30, 2010

Ad Lib -- by Greg B. Macabenta

Murphy’s law and Manny Villar

There’s an axiom in advertising that says, a great campaign can expose a bad product faster -- because it persuades people to try the product sooner and to find out how bad it is. It looks like this axiom is being proven true in the case of would-be-president-of-the-poor Manny Villar.

One of my closest friends in advertising created Villar’s OFW commercials when he was just beginning to water the seeds of his presidential campaign. Apparently, the creative strategy worked, because Villar began to close the gap with VP Noli de Castro who, at the time, appeared to be formidable as a "presidentiable" in all the public opinion surveys.

But on one of my visits to Manila, I learned that my pal had quit on Villar. Apparently, he didn’t appreciate the way Villar had hired a host of creative consultants and political advisers, armed with a variety of bright ideas that violated the cardinal rule for an effective campaign, namely, single-mindedness.

Manny Villar - A Liar?

An article from Philippine Star, which he denies on his site:

http://www.mannyvillar.net/

How Manny Villar lied and used the death of his brother Danny
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo (The Philippine Star) Updated March 28, 2010

“Nakaranas na ba kayong mamatayan ng kapatid dahil wala kang pera pangpagamot (Have you experienced losing a brother because you did not have the money to provide him proper medical care)? — Manny Villar asked in his “PANATA (Advocacy)” TV commercial. Villar was referring to his younger brother Danny who passed away on October 1962. In the same commercial, Villar’s 1962 photo with his younger brother was shown.