PamagCUSA Blog

An Accounting for the Province
EDDIE T. PANLILIO
On the occasion of his 2nd Anniversary as
Governor of the Province of Pampanga
June 30, 2009

Let me begin by thanking all of you for your presence today. But more than your presence, we thank you for your support in working with us to keep our province steadily moving forward. The growth and development of Pampanga can not be sustained without the commitment and industry of provincial employees in partnership with other local government units and civil society groups.

The past year was again another very trying year for us, given the recall-resign move against me initiated by our rabid critics as well as the other challenges that came our way during the last several months. Notwithstanding these political storms, we chose not to be distracted as our determined bid and relentless efforts have scored impressive gains and reaped huge dividends for our people.

Our quarry revenues over the past 24 months have scaled unparalled heights as we collected more than Php413 Million during the subject period. The dramatic 300% increase in quarry fees has earned for the provincial government the Gawad Galing Pook Award 2008 in the field of revenue collection. As of May 31, 2009, municipal and barangay quarry shares have reached Php138 Million. This is indeed a huge windfall that would go a long way in meeting the essential needs of the concerned communities.

Our Pamisaupan Caravan remains active as ever, delivering various social services such as free medical/dental check-up and treatment, skills training, supplemental feeding, and a lot more to 31 barangays since its inception in August 21, 2007 in Sagrada, Masantol, Pampanga. More than 52,000 of our constituents in more than 31 barangays of the different municipalities benefited from these services.
• Free medical/dental check-up to more than 17,499 patients;
• Filmshowing/bookreading to more than 3,994 children
• Employment opportunities to more than 1,161 jobseekers
• Livelihood trainings and capability building to more than 771 entreprenuers
• Anti-flu/pneumonia vaccination to more than 1,150 elderlies
• Anti-rabies vaccination to more than 3,986 dogs
• Seeds distribution to more than 4,215 households, and so on.
The very essence of these Pamisaupan Caravans is the fact that we brought to the Capitol to the hearts and minds of our people and they too were able to tell us their concerns. To the different department heads and capitol employees who gladly served our cabalens, I thank you.

I am also proud to report that we have invested Php232M for infrastructure development. Roads, canals, government facilities, public schools and hospitals and covered courts were paved, concreted, repaired and constructed. I wish to emphasize that these projects were built without the add-on cost of SOP. I repeat, wala pong komisyon dito. And for this, let me thank our engineers and the members of the Bids and Awards Committee who monitor their proper implementation.

During my last year’s report to you, I said that we would fine tune our flagship program, HEAL which stands for Health, Education And Livelihood for our needy constituents. For this purpose, we have provided more than Php31.5 Million for public health programs, allocated more than Php26.5 Million for supplemental feeding and have served more than 10,000 undernourished school children so far. Php92.77 Million was also allotted to other marginalized sectors such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, youth, and indigenous people and more so to our indigent constituents for their health and other pressing needs.

Moreover, we have allocated Php22 Million for Philhealth cards, of which more than 10,711 persons have benefited in response to their pressing medical needs. We have given priority to barangay health workers and barangay tanods as beneficiaries of this program. Accordingly, our efforts was recognized by Philhealth in the 6th General Assembly Philhealth Governors Forum.

In the area of education, we continue to distribute various construction materials for the improvement or repair of dilapidated school buildings through our CPM office. The Pamiaduangan 57-75 program which aims to raise the quality of education in the province continues. Php1 Million was allocated as seed money for this project, not to mention the other assistance we are giving to our schoolchildren. And for this, we would like to extend our warmest appreciation to Holy Angel University and our other partner institutions.

For those of you who frequent the 2nd floor of the provincial capitol, you must have noticed during the past few months the crowd of students waiting outside the Provincial Administrator’s Office. They are the 7,940 recipients of financial educational assistance being granted to bright but indigent college students in our province.

Last summer, in line with our Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, our students were granted summer jobs. Aside from their help to the different municipalities and to the capitol, the information they have gathered will pave the way for a skills registry where jobseekers could look for job openings here. These will also be listed in the Phil Jobs Net, a national institution where employers look for their needed workers. At present, we have provided Php3 Million assistance to 955 summer student workers for the different municipalities of the province.

In the same manner, we together with Pampanga Agricultural College will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement to support fully one-hundred of our indigent but bright students. Most of them are children of our farmers.

For the agriculture and aquaculture sectors, it is only now that provincial funds were allocated. We have allotted Php41.9 Million in order to increase our production in rice, vegetables, at various fishes and give assistance to our farmers and fisherfolks.

In the matter of livelihood, our Aku ing Bayung Entrepreneur (ABE) program has so far assisted 1,230 entrepreneurs, providing Php6.15 Million for micro financing. The cooperative movement in the province has gained more strength and has, in fact, been conferred the best Cooperative Development Award during the 1st Regional Cooperative Congress held in Olongapo City.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are only some of the ongoing programs and projects which have been implemented by the provincial administration in the last two years. There are many more that need mentioning but time constraints and the limited attention span of our audience prevent me from enumerating all of our accomplishments here.

While a few of our friends in media say that this is all form, amounting to little substance—particularly the creation and convening of more than 30 different boards, councils and committees which have remained dormant over the years—I say this is an important and integral part of our advocacy towards responsive and consultative governance. The undisputable statistical data speak for itself.

Our aspiration to persist on implementing these programs have radically the way of doing things at the capitol (where discipline was instilled), in quarry operation (where procedures were put in place in securing permit and truck accreditation), and in the repair and rehabilitation of roads and government facilities under the Pamisaupan concept.

As contentious as the issues that continue to confront us today, we must remain on our toes to meet the most pressing challenges. Much is still needed to be done to alleviate poverty, generate jobs, improve living standards and widen access to education, health care, food security and shelter.

Thus, during the past several months, we have laid down several strategies in order to generate additional income for the province, such as:
a. the revision of all existing tax ordinances;
b. general revision and tax mapping along with the integrated tax administration system;
c. making the PEO compound free and available for commercial use; and
d. rehabilitation and development of the San Matias property.

But foremost to that, we have to be aggressive in making the following projects a reality:
a. the rehabilitation of the Macario Arnedo park;
b. construction of new buildings for ENRO, PEO, PSWDO, OPA, and VET and/or the rehabilitation of existing ones;
c. provision of top-of-the-line medical equipment and additional funds for drugs and medicines and medical and laboratory supplies for our nine districts and one provincial hospitals;
d. repair and rehabilitation of all offices at the capitol building; and
e. the construction of an environmental recovery and waste facility.

This is not to mention the repair and rehabilitation of all provincial roads and bridges as well as the repair and rehabilitation of municipal and barangay roads, schools, barangay halls and day care centers, for which we shall provide funds amounting to more than Php350M.

In the past two years, we took the lead in cleaning up, nor only the system but also the structure of governance. We are bringing justice to our people by filing charges against erring officials of the previous administrations for the malversation of at least Php568 Million from quarry collections. We will filed charges against the contractor of the botched computerization project of the previous administration. This is not to mention the charges we have filed to some provincial government employees for their violations of their sworn duties as civil servants.

These are challenging times. We cannot afford to lose hope and faith in one another. Our people expect much from us. We vowed to this responsibility.

I pray that it will not take a major upheaval for us to unite as Kapampangans. There is much room for collaboration right here and right now. I am therefore inviting all stakeholders in our province, specially our partners in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, to stand for a common purpose. My appeal for support and cooperation does not come without my being cognizant of the need to respect the right of the august body to responsibly fiscalize and oppose my administration on matters of principle and policy or honest differences of opinion. We are all seated in the same boat. We have no other choice but to pull together, to row in one direction and in unison to reach our destination faster. Instead of finding fault, let us find ways to help and encourage one another. Instead of condemning, let us seek to remedy and build on the gains that were started.

In closing, I express my appreciation to all provincial government employees, the nameless, faceless workers, who have bestowed upon the province the bounty of their labors. My sincerest gratitude to all for your diligence and hard work.

Lastly, may I invoke the blessings of the Almighty God upon us all. Hail the breed of Pampanguenos.

Posted by pamagcusa at 06:57 PM | Permalink

People talk/write about our current economic, social/political crisis and quite frankly, most often, that is all we do. We just talk and talk…write and write… complain/gripe about the problems plaguing our country but many of us just either have not, cannot and will not do enough to address/resolve the issues confronting our people. Indeed, there are many clarion calls from different sectors to unite as one nation and help in alleviating the deplorable economic plight of our impoverished countrymen. I, for one , have always invoked the distinct possibility of somehow transforming a fragmented, disillusioned and seemingly desperate Filipino people into a united, inspired and hope-filled Filipino Nation with our Christian faith as the solid foundation for such possibility. Indeed, I still believe that the Filipino, in general, is a God-fearing, morally upright, peace-loving, generous/hospitable, industrious/hard-working, honest and trustworthy people and yet ironically, for one reason or another, its beloved country of birth has degenerated into quite the opposite, becoming one of the poorest, most corrupt societies in the process. I dare to say again, that it is simply because, among others, our religious/political leaders with the influence, authority and the resources to make a pivotal difference in our country, just do not put into practice what they supposedly believe.

For a while, I thought that maybe, this essence of Filipino Nationhood was a rather futile, quixotic quest. But not anymore. By the grace and favor of God, there is one group/movement which has been issuing similar calls for unity/the essence of Filipino Nationhood and doing probably much more in accomplishing the same more effectively than any government, religious or private sector ever thought or imagined possible… one particular group which truly stands out and virtually, in a class all by itself! GAWAD-KALINGA (GK)!

In the recent GK Global Summit held June 11-13, 2009 at the prestigious Marriot Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts, the slogans…Less for self…More for others…Enough for all…and the latest one, WALANG IWANAN (No One Left Behind), reverberated throughout the summit which was well attended by no less than Vice-Pres. De Castro, Sen. Pangilinan, Sen Zubiri and local governors/mayors as well as by more than 600 delegates wordlwide. The GK Movement which aspires and envisions the transformation of the Philippines from an inpoverished Third World country to a progressive First World one by 2024, truly exemplifies a profound biblical Christian exhortation written in Ist Timothy 6:17…"Tell those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain thing as wealth. Let them trust in God who provides us richly with all things for our use. Charge them to do good, to be rich in good works and generously sharing what they have." After all, isn’t it a fact that we brought nothing into this world and we cannot take our millions, vast landholdings, expensive toys or adornments into the other world? The good that we can do to the least of our countrymen, we do it unto our Lord and God Jesus and the good that we neglected to do and could have reasonably done, will be held against us for sure.

True stories of how GAWAD-KALINGA fostered peaceful co-existence between the ever-warring Moslems and Christians in MIndanao as well as restored the sense of dignity/self-worth of the poorest of the poor of our country befitting a child of God. By providing them not only with decent shelter, livelihood, a healthy environment but most importantly, a spiritual value formation based on basic Christian principles of love, trust/accountability, family and strong sense of community, such expressions of solidarity evoked and continues to evoke not only a sense of genuine compassion for the poor but also a profound sense of mission/purpose which essentially puts our so-called Christian faith/love into actual practice. After all, Ist John 3:17-18 asks…How can God’s love survive in a man’s heart who has enough of the world’s goods and yet closes his heart to his brother when he sees him in need? Little children, let us love in deed and truth and not merely talk about it." Indeed, talk is cheap, it’s now time for action and involvement and Gawad Kalinga (GK) is definitely in the forefront of it all…Di ba?

*Atty. Ramoncito Poblete Ocampo, "Bro. Mon" is a licensed lawyer in CA and an elder-disciple/preacher of the EL Shaddai DWXI-PPFI, a Catholic Charismatic Movement. He is a GK Advocate and also President of Bangon! Bagong Pilipinas (BBP) USA, an overseas-based advocacy for the moral, economic and social transformation of the Philippines and its people. For comments, please e-mail ocampolawusa@yahoo.com. or log on www.globalhello.com/bbp.

Posted by pamagcusa at 10:26 PM | Permalink

ANO ANG TAYA MO SA ATING BANSA?

An increasing number of Filipino-Americans have signified to me their plans to go back and retire in the Philippines someday and perhaps, get actively involved in the alleviation of the country’s social, economic and political woes. They believe as well as I do that the Philippines will someday/somehow live up to its inherent potentials and become a prosperous nation taking into consideration our abundant God-given natural resources typical of a tropical country but especially more so, since our country is simply gifted with a people imbued with so much talent, abilities and character traits integral in the making of a great nation. Although the election of many existing political dynasties have resulted in the continuous proliferation of graft and corruption and patronage system in many of our local government bureaucracy, I firmly believe that it’s just a matter of time when we will finally be able to install competent, morally-upright political leadership in the highest echelons of our country’s political hierarchy. And without making any attempt to diminish the role of other Filipinos worldwide, I firmly that Filipino-Americans will play a pivotal role in bringing this political Renaissance possible.

It is no secret that our country does not have a strong middle class integral to a strong/progressive democracy. A great majority of the voting population of our country consists of the impoverished sectors which have perennially been susceptible to the degrading electoral practice of vote-buying and the resultant desecration/manipulation of the political will. Overseas-based Filipinos particularly Filipino-Americans, are the vaunted "middle class" sorely lacking in the Philippines and which many believe will be the much-needed catalyst to bring about the political renaissance age of our country. It has always been my hope and prayer that someday soon, a few dedicated Filipino-American imbued with what I call as the "NEHEMIAH" spirit and attitude, working as one cohesive group without any personal rivalries or deceit, jealousy or envy but with each one deferring to the other out of mutual respect, would somehow, harness and/or pool their respective financial resources together and get actively involved in the moral, social and economic transformation of the Philippines. Whether one agrees with me or not, it has always been my belief that this long-overdue transformation must necessarily include the political arena. After all, those who are entrusted with the national leadership are supposed to and could very well...do the most amount of good to the most number of people at the least possible time.

Indeed, the installation of morally upright political leadership must likewise be given equal importance as well so as to expedite the upliftment of the impoverished conditions of many of our people and thereby, restore to them, a healthy sense of self-worth and dignity. A people freed from the bondage of grinding poverry, will in turn, be able to resist the lure of the easy money being dangled like a proverbial lure by the scrupulous-minded politicians whose hidden agenda has always been to continue the endless cycle of poverty if only to perpetuate themselves in power and authority.

There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that it is in this area of poverty alleviation in our country that Gawad-Kalinga headed by Bro. Tony Meloto is slowly but surely, making a big difference. Sadly enough, I find it very disturbing that not very many Filipino-Americans including the most prominent Catholic/Christian communities, are not as actively involved in said project, if at all. Will there ever come a time when many Fil-Am community leaders/organizations will finally rid themselves of their parochial/self-centered mentalities and support Gawad-Kalinga (GK) as the front-line humanitarian project of most, if not all, overseas-based Filipinos, thereby, heeding what is written in Philippians 2:2-4 to… "be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain deceit but in humility, consider others better than yourselves, each one looking at the other person’s interests rather than your own.." From all past indications, this is a rather tall order, to say the least. But in retrospect, what is stopping us from at least, getting involved with GK even once? Isn’t our country and the Filipino people worth a decent shot from each and every one of us? As they say in Gawad-Kalinga, Ano ang taya mo sa ikauunlad ng ating bansa? After all, it is written..."To whom much is given, much is required"…Di ba?

Atty. Ramoncito "Monching" Ocampo, "Bro. Ramon", is a licensed lawyer by profession, an elder-disciple preacher of the El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI Catholic Charismatic community by vocation and a GK Advocate. He is also President of Bangon! Bagong Pilipinas (BBP), an advocacy for the moral, economic and political transformation of the Philippines . For comments, e-mail ocampolawusa@yahoo.com or log on www.globalhello.com/bbp.

Posted by pamagcusa at 10:24 PM | Permalink

An Accounting for the Province
EDDIE T. PANLILIO
On the occasion of his 2nd Anniversary as
Governor of the Province of Pampanga
June 30, 2009

Let me begin by thanking all of you for your presence today. But more than your presence, we thank you for your support in working with us to keep our province steadily moving forward. The growth and development of Pampanga can not be sustained without the commitment and industry of provincial employees in partnership with other local government units and civil society groups.

The past year was again another very trying year for us, given the recall-resign move against me initiated by our rabid critics as well as the other challenges that came our way during the last several months. Notwithstanding these political storms, we chose not to be distracted as our determined bid and relentless efforts have scored impressive gains and reaped huge dividends for our people.

Our quarry revenues over the past 24 months have scaled unparalled heights as we collected more than Php413 Million during the subject period. The dramatic 300% increase in quarry fees has earned for the provincial government the Gawad Galing Pook Award 2008 in the field of revenue collection. As of May 31, 2009, municipal and barangay quarry shares have reached Php138 Million. This is indeed a huge windfall that would go a long way in meeting the essential needs of the concerned communities.

Our Pamisaupan Caravan remains active as ever, delivering various social services such as free medical/dental check-up and treatment, skills training, supplemental feeding, and a lot more to 31 barangays since its inception in August 21, 2007 in Sagrada, Masantol, Pampanga. More than 52,000 of our constituents in more than 31 barangays of the different municipalities benefited from these services.
• Free medical/dental check-up to more than 17,499 patients;
• Filmshowing/bookreading to more than 3,994 children
• Employment opportunities to more than 1,161 jobseekers
• Livelihood trainings and capability building to more than 771 entreprenuers
• Anti-flu/pneumonia vaccination to more than 1,150 elderlies
• Anti-rabies vaccination to more than 3,986 dogs
• Seeds distribution to more than 4,215 households, and so on.
The very essence of these Pamisaupan Caravans is the fact that we brought to the Capitol to the hearts and minds of our people and they too were able to tell us their concerns. To the different department heads and capitol employees who gladly served our cabalens, I thank you.

I am also proud to report that we have invested Php232M for infrastructure development. Roads, canals, government facilities, public schools and hospitals and covered courts were paved, concreted, repaired and constructed. I wish to emphasize that these projects were built without the add-on cost of SOP. I repeat, wala pong komisyon dito. And for this, let me thank our engineers and the members of the Bids and Awards Committee who monitor their proper implementation.

During my last year’s report to you, I said that we would fine tune our flagship program, HEAL which stands for Health, Education And Livelihood for our needy constituents. For this purpose, we have provided more than Php31.5 Million for public health programs, allocated more than Php26.5 Million for supplemental feeding and have served more than 10,000 undernourished school children so far. Php92.77 Million was also allotted to other marginalized sectors such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, youth, and indigenous people and more so to our indigent constituents for their health and other pressing needs.

Moreover, we have allocated Php22 Million for Philhealth cards, of which more than 10,711 persons have benefited in response to their pressing medical needs. We have given priority to barangay health workers and barangay tanods as beneficiaries of this program. Accordingly, our efforts was recognized by Philhealth in the 6th General Assembly Philhealth Governors Forum.

In the area of education, we continue to distribute various construction materials for the improvement or repair of dilapidated school buildings through our CPM office. The Pamiaduangan 57-75 program which aims to raise the quality of education in the province continues. Php1 Million was allocated as seed money for this project, not to mention the other assistance we are giving to our schoolchildren. And for this, we would like to extend our warmest appreciation to Holy Angel University and our other partner institutions.

For those of you who frequent the 2nd floor of the provincial capitol, you must have noticed during the past few months the crowd of students waiting outside the Provincial Administrator’s Office. They are the 7,940 recipients of financial educational assistance being granted to bright but indigent college students in our province.

Last summer, in line with our Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, our students were granted summer jobs. Aside from their help to the different municipalities and to the capitol, the information they have gathered will pave the way for a skills registry where jobseekers could look for job openings here. These will also be listed in the Phil Jobs Net, a national institution where employers look for their needed workers. At present, we have provided Php3 Million assistance to 955 summer student workers for the different municipalities of the province.

In the same manner, we together with Pampanga Agricultural College will enter into a Memorandum of Agreement to support fully one-hundred of our indigent but bright students. Most of them are children of our farmers.

For the agriculture and aquaculture sectors, it is only now that provincial funds were allocated. We have allotted Php41.9 Million in order to increase our production in rice, vegetables, at various fishes and give assistance to our farmers and fisherfolks.

In the matter of livelihood, our Aku ing Bayung Entrepreneur (ABE) program has so far assisted 1,230 entrepreneurs, providing Php6.15 Million for micro financing. The cooperative movement in the province has gained more strength and has, in fact, been conferred the best Cooperative Development Award during the 1st Regional Cooperative Congress held in Olongapo City.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are only some of the ongoing programs and projects which have been implemented by the provincial administration in the last two years. There are many more that need mentioning but time constraints and the limited attention span of our audience prevent me from enumerating all of our accomplishments here.

While a few of our friends in media say that this is all form, amounting to little substance—particularly the creation and convening of more than 30 different boards, councils and committees which have remained dormant over the years—I say this is an important and integral part of our advocacy towards responsive and consultative governance. The undisputable statistical data speak for itself.

Our aspiration to persist on implementing these programs have radically the way of doing things at the capitol (where discipline was instilled), in quarry operation (where procedures were put in place in securing permit and truck accreditation), and in the repair and rehabilitation of roads and government facilities under the Pamisaupan concept.

As contentious as the issues that continue to confront us today, we must remain on our toes to meet the most pressing challenges. Much is still needed to be done to alleviate poverty, generate jobs, improve living standards and widen access to education, health care, food security and shelter.

Thus, during the past several months, we have laid down several strategies in order to generate additional income for the province, such as:
a. the revision of all existing tax ordinances;
b. general revision and tax mapping along with the integrated tax administration system;
c. making the PEO compound free and available for commercial use; and
d. rehabilitation and development of the San Matias property.

But foremost to that, we have to be aggressive in making the following projects a reality:
a. the rehabilitation of the Macario Arnedo park;
b. construction of new buildings for ENRO, PEO, PSWDO, OPA, and VET and/or the rehabilitation of existing ones;
c. provision of top-of-the-line medical equipment and additional funds for drugs and medicines and medical and laboratory supplies for our nine districts and one provincial hospitals;
d. repair and rehabilitation of all offices at the capitol building; and
e. the construction of an environmental recovery and waste facility.

This is not to mention the repair and rehabilitation of all provincial roads and bridges as well as the repair and rehabilitation of municipal and barangay roads, schools, barangay halls and day care centers, for which we shall provide funds amounting to more than Php350M.

In the past two years, we took the lead in cleaning up, nor only the system but also the structure of governance. We are bringing justice to our people by filing charges against erring officials of the previous administrations for the malversation of at least Php568 Million from quarry collections. We will filed charges against the contractor of the botched computerization project of the previous administration. This is not to mention the charges we have filed to some provincial government employees for their violations of their sworn duties as civil servants.

These are challenging times. We cannot afford to lose hope and faith in one another. Our people expect much from us. We vowed to this responsibility.

I pray that it will not take a major upheaval for us to unite as Kapampangans. There is much room for collaboration right here and right now. I am therefore inviting all stakeholders in our province, specially our partners in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, to stand for a common purpose. My appeal for support and cooperation does not come without my being cognizant of the need to respect the right of the august body to responsibly fiscalize and oppose my administration on matters of principle and policy or honest differences of opinion. We are all seated in the same boat. We have no other choice but to pull together, to row in one direction and in unison to reach our destination faster. Instead of finding fault, let us find ways to help and encourage one another. Instead of condemning, let us seek to remedy and build on the gains that were started.

In closing, I express my appreciation to all provincial government employees, the nameless, faceless workers, who have bestowed upon the province the bounty of their labors. My sincerest gratitude to all for your diligence and hard work.

Lastly, may I invoke the blessings of the Almighty God upon us all. Hail the breed of Pampanguenos.

Posted by pamagcusa at 10:22 PM | Permalink

How To Choose A President In 2010: What Should We Look For In A Future Leader?
Antonio G.M. La Viña, JSD

"The enemy of the good is the perfect.” This is the adage I will bear in mind when I enter the voting booth on the 10th of May, 2010. At that time, I will probably have four or five candidates, possibly more, to choose from. They are the ones who remain standing, with serious chances of winning after the longest campaign in Philippine history.

All of the choices will be imperfect: if the country allowed it, one choice would be a reform candidate—a non-“trapo” local government official, a Christian preacher, a young councilor or an environmental and sustainable agriculture activist. If the COMELEC or the Supreme Court allow it (which I cannot imagine them doing, given the clear prohibition for any reelection under the Constitution), another choice would be an impeached ex-President. Three or four senators from varying backgrounds and perhaps a former Congressman turned Secretary of Defense would complete the spectrum of options.

How will I choose a President in 2010? It is tempting to do this in a very simple manner: to approach politics, like all things in the Philippines, as personal. But to say that politics is personal can mean two things. It can mean on the one hand: Sino ang kakilala ko? Who is closest to me? Who is the one I am most personally connected to? Or it could mean: Ano ang alam ko sa kandidato? What do I know about a candidate? I suppose, as a good citizen, I would choose a President based on what I know about the candidate, rather than my personal connections to a candidate. But wait, this is the Philippines: what I know about a person comes not mainly from what she or he has done in her or his public life but largely from the fact that I know him or her personally.

Take for instance, one of the potential candidates, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro. I have known Gilbert for more than 20 years as we were classmates in the UP College of Law. As someone who studied for the bar exams in the same study group as Gilbert, I know him to be one of 2 or 3 of the most intelligent Filipinos that I have personally known, and I have studied and worked with and taught thousands from 3-4 generations in the last 30 years. More significantly, I know him also to be one of the most patriotic, humble and honest public servants (and I have known thousands as well), able to make hard choices even against his own family and class interests. The discipline, professionalism and leadership he has brought in his work in the Defense Department are good qualities of a future President for this country. But does the country have an appetite for a candidate supported by the present administration? Will Secretary Teodoro be compromised and become unelectable if he is endorsed by President Macapagal-Arroyo?

I also know Governors Ed Panlilio and Grace Padaca quite well. They inspire me and many others: I look up to them. Both governors, potential candidates for 2010, are founders and champions of the Kaya Natin Movement that aim to espouse genuine change and ethical leadership in our country. The movement seeks to promote genuine and lasting change in our government by promoting transparency, social accountability, people empowerment and electoral reforms. By upholding these values and principles, Kaya Natin hopes to help make our government and our leaders more responsive to the needs of the Filipino people and enable it to deliver basic services to those who need it most in the most efficient and effective way.

La Viña

Together with Brother Eddie Villanueva, John Carlos de los Reyes, Olongapo City Councilor (Ang Kapatiran Party 2010 Presidential Candidate), and environmentalist Nicky Perlas, Governors Panlilio and Padaca are considered by many to be non-traditional politicians and reform candidates. All of these reform candidates will be running on a bare-bones, volunteer-manned campaign fueled by idealism and hope. Their potential candidacies excite me but it is difficult to imagine any of their campaigns prospering unless they unite and form a unified front. Even then, the odds will be daunting.

We should also acknowledge that, given their lack or limited governance record, the country is also taking a risk with these reformers. I would have preferred that Governors Panlilio and Padaca finish three terms as Governors first and that Brother Eddie, Councilor de los Reyes, and Nicky acquire local executive experience before running for national executive positions.

The good is of course not monopolized by the reform candidates. To me, the candidacies of Senators Mar Roxas, Manny Villar, Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Richard Gordon are attractive and merit consideration.

Behind the hoopla of the padyak commercials, Senator Roxas has a solid record of implementing and legislating economic policies that have created jobs and have benefited the poor. Senator Roxas, as Trade Secretary and as Senator, has also been at the forefront of consumer protections and defending our trade interests in the WTO. For example, he has taken the lead, in the face of the opposition of the multinational drug industry, in ensuring cheap access to medicines by the poor. His recent vote for CARPER (extending the agrarian reform law with reforms) is something I will count in his favor as I make my decision on whom to vote for in 2010. Finally, I like the fact that Senator Roxas is supported by people I have the highest respect for – from veteran political and social activists like former Education Secretary Butch Abad to young and imaginative campaign workers like Rose Romero and Clare Amador.

Senator Villar also has a solid pro-poor and pro-development record, as a businessman and a legislator. The passion with which he is conducting his campaign is also attractive to many. I can personally attest to his commitment to local development, as reflected in the manner with which he supports capacity building of local governments all over the country. I have met many local government officials who have told me that they find in Senator Villar someone who understands the challenges of development that their local government units are facing. Finally, to the extent that political courage and will is an important quality for me in our future leaders, I will always remember Senator’s Villar’s actions the night the House of Representatives impeached former President Joseph Estrada.

Senator Legarda is also a real option for me as I decide whom to vote for in May 2010. Indeed, on substantive issues that I care deeply about, such as peace in Mindanao and environmental issues, her record is admirable. Through many years, I have personally seen how she has been a passionate advocate for sustainable development. Through these years, I have also been quite impressed with the work ethic of Senator Legarda who has clearly put at the center of her life a passion to lead the country to better times.

I do not know Senator Escudero as well as others in the UP College of Law, not having had the opportunity to teach him. But a viable candidacy of a 40-year-old politician who is explicitly appealing to the youth vote is very tempting to support. The clarity and passion with which he articulates his positions will serve Senator Escudero well if he is elected President.

While I see the positive aspects of the candidacies of Senator Roxas, Villar, Legarda and Escudero, I am concerned that they do not have local governance experience. Through the years that I have worked on governance issues, not just in the Philippines but all over the world, I have come to believe that the heart of governance, the place where it matters most, is local governance. My hope is that one day, we will have a President or a head of government that comes from the ranks of local government officials. For this reason, I will include Senator Gordon among the options I will consider, given his record as long time Mayor of Olongapo. For the same reason, if the candidacies of MMDA Chairman and former Bayani Fernando and Mayor Jejomar Binay became viable, I will not necessarily rule them out as I make my choice.

Reflecting on these choices for President, I actually feel good about what is in store for us in the 2010 Presidential elections. I think we have a number of good options. Of the candidates I have mentioned in this article, I could easily vote for any 3 or 4 of them.

So how will I choose a President in 2010 among the three or four that I like? The Movement for Good Governance developed and the Moral Force Movement has endorsed a criteria that would enable us to select transformational Leaders. They have also recommended a score card to use to evaluate the 2010 candidates, for President and other options. It is this criteria and scorecard that I will use and encourage others to apply in answering the question: What should we look for in a future leader?

Our future leaders should be transformational leaders who bring about change in individuals, institutions and the country to build a just, humane, prosperous and genuinely democratic Philippine society. Transformational leaders promote the moral values of integrity, social responsibility, and love of country through their practice of effective, empowering, and ethical leadership.

An effective leader is competent, decisive and proactive and has the track record to support this. As Kapitan ng Barko, she/he has the ability to steer the ship of government, to arrive at the destination of a prosperous and just society. Sample indicators for effective leadership are:

* Does the candidate have a vision of society with a clear, comprehensive and viable platform of government? Does this translate into consistent and clear positions on key issues (e.g., human rights, agrarian reform, education , etc.)?
* Does the candidate work hard, get things done, and demonstrate political will?
* Does the candidate have a sound and effective record
• as a legislator (in terms of number and quality of bills);
• as an official of the executive department (in terms of effective, innovative and sustainable programs);
• as a leader of citizen organizations or business enterprises (in terms of effective, innovative and sustainable programs).

An empowering leader is participative/engaging, inspiring, and is committed to social justice. As a servant leader, a Lingkod ng Bayan, she/he sets a good example for all to follow and work together. Indicators include:

* Does the candidate involve stakeholders in decision-making, and in implementing and evaluating policies, programs and projects?
* Does the candidate promote social justice, address basic needs (food, health, education, shelter) and promote the interest of the disadvantaged (women, indigenous people, handicapped, etc.)?
* Does the candidate inspire unity, trust, and hope in people?
* Does the candidate prepare others to be leaders to succeed him/her?

Finally, an ethical leader is a Katiwala ng Bayan: God-fearing, with moral ascendancy and integrity, a clean and honest track record, and proven integrity. Indicators are:

* Does the candidate demonstrate good moral character (lifestyle); have a circle of associates (allies, backers, party, broad-based volunteers) who are people of integrity and are pro-reform; and transcend self-interest and sacrifice personal/familial/vested interests for the common good (political dynasty, conflict of interest, nepotism)?
* Does the candidate advocate and practice meritocracy in government; personally comply with laws (self, family and subordinates); prosecute/punish offenders; protect and promote human rights; and take responsibility for his/her actions?
* Can the candidate be trusted, based on his/her record and background, to use the national wealth and resources for the common good and to practice transparent use and accounting of public funds?
* Has the candidate acted to expose injustice and corruption and has this led to prosecution and/or enactment of a law or other concrete actions?
“The enemy of the good is the perfect.” I will remember this principle when I vote on the 10th of May, 2010. But I will vote with confidence and optimism. I do so knowing that I will vote not for the least or lesser evil but for the best among a number of imperfect but good choices. If many of us do this, if enough of us do this, we will change the country.

__________
The author is a professorial lecturer at the UP College of Law and the dean of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Government.

Posted by pamagcusa at 10:12 PM | Permalink

“Our Culture is our Destiny”
by
Alexander Lacson

In 1994, Lee Kuan Yew, the father and the builder of the modern Singapore , was interviewed by Time Magazine. In one portion of the interview, Lee Kuan Yew was asked about the importance of culture.

Lee Kuan Yew said “culture is destiny”. Your culture is your destiny. Your set of beliefs will determine how far you will go in life. If you believe you are a failure, you will be a failure. If you believe you are great, you will be great. If you want to excel, you must build a culture of excellence. If you want to become great, you must build a culture of greatness.

Lee Kuan Yew said that this applies not only to an individual person. It also applies to a people. A people’s culture will determine the destiny of that people.

It is in this context that I wish to talk you briefly about our story as a people.

We were a colony of Spain for 333 years, which ended only in December 1898. For 333 years, the Spaniards in our country did not treat our people kindly. In fact, they treated our people harshly, violently. At the height of its power in our country, there were just around 40,000 Spanish soldiers in our country, controlling and subjugating more than 1 million Filipinos. The Spaniards conquered and subjugated our people physically, thru superior weapons. But more importantly, they conquered and subjugated the spirit of our people.

The Spaniards called our people many bad and demeaning names. They called us Juan Tamad, or lazy Joe, and made us believe that we are a lazy people. Even inside the churches, in the pulpits, the Spanish Friars or priests called us – tanga, bobo, at tamad. They ridiculed the Filipino as dumb, dull and stupid. This they did continuously, often with violence, on our people, for 333 years. Until it killed the spirit of many of our people – the spirit to fight, the spirit to aspire, the spirit to excel, the spirit to aim high and dream big.

Napoleon Bonaparte said – the best conquest is the conquest of the mind and the heart.

To ensure that the almost 1 million Filipinos will not be united in a revolution against the 40,000 Spanish soldiers, the Spaniards sowed disunity and division among our people. This they did as a policy. They made Filipino families and clans fight among each other, by sowing intrigues among them. This the Spaniards did also for more than 300 years. As a result, many Filipinos did no trust one another, did not help one another, did not work with one another.

When the Spaniards left our country in 1898, after it sold our country to the United States , the 2 most serious problems they left the Filipino people were these – first, the Filipino lost his faith in himself, his self-respect and self-confidence. The Filipino had a very low and negative self-image of himself. Second, the Filipino people did not trust one another and could not work with each other.

The American rule of our country for the next 42 years aggravated these problems. The Japanese occupation of our country from 1941 to 1945 worsened the problems. The Japanese soldiers raped our daughters and sisters and enslaved our men.

We became a free people only in 1946 – that is 63 years ago. If you deduct 14 years of Martial Law there, we are just 49 years old as a free people.

As you can see, we are still a young nation, a people that is still in search for itself, a nation that is still trying to find its own place under the sun.

Today, our Philippines is perceived as the most corrupt country in the whole of Asia and the 11th most corrupt in the whole world.

Today, our country is considered one of the poorest countries in Asia despite the fact that it is 5th richest in mineral desposits out of 239 countries in the world, notwithstanding the fact that it has one of the richest natural resources in the world, despite the fact that it is the richest in marine life biodiversity in all the world.

Today, according to a Time Magazine article dated 24 November 2008, almost 10 million of our youth are growing up without a father or a mother by their side because the father or the mother has to find work abroad because our country could not provide the jobs to their fathers and mothers.

Today, almost 11 million of our youth are classified as out-of-school youth. They are school aged and should be at school, but they are not at school. They are out there in the streets or in the squatters or in the mountains of poverty.

Today, out of 20 million families in our country, 5 million families are homeless, living in the slums of poverty as squatters.

Today, the problems created and caused by foreign invaders and rulers of our country still exist in the hearts and minds of many of our people. Today, many of our people still have no faith in the Filipino and consider our Philippines a hopeless country. Many among us still bash the Filipino in front of foreigners and speak negatively about our country. Today, many of our people just think and live only for themselves and their families, but never for the whole Filipino people. A number of our political and government leaders just serve themselves and their families, and not the public interest. Many business people only think much of themselves and their families, but not much of their employees and their employees’ families.

Kanya-kanya at pamilya-pamilya pa rin lang ang marami sa atin. As a people, we still have difficulty attaining national unity in our acts for our country.

Our culture is our destiny.

If we want to become great as a people, we must build a culture of greatness for the Filipino.

One of the major challenges we face today as a people is this – How do we heal ourselves as a people? How do we rebuild or build the greatness of the Filipino?

At this juncture, allow me to tell you a portion of my story.

I am a father of four (4) young children, the oldest of whom is 13 years old, while the youngest is just 3. As a parent, I dream of a beautiful country for all my children, one where their dreams are possible to attain, however high they may seem. A society that offers them boundless opportunities and limitless possibilities. One that can and is willing to pay the full value of their talent and hardwork, in the same way that America and Canada are able to pay the full value of the talent and hardwork of their own people. A nation that respects all their rights and liberties, and one that can provide them justice when an act of injustice is committed against anyone of them. A country that will make them truly proud of the name Filipino, wherever they maybe in the world.

As a Filipino, like Tito Tony Meloto and Gawad Kalinga, and perhaps like many of you, I also dream of a beautiful Philippines for the Filipino people. I dream of a Philippines that is beautiful in its march to progress, because it seeks prosperity for all and not only for a few, because there is enough for every Filipino and his family, because no Filipino family is left behind in the streets or in slums to suffer in poverty and misery. I dream of a country that is founded on love for one another, one where there is a culture of familihood among our people, because we as a people commit to the noble idea that we are our sister’s and our brother’s keeper. A society where the weakest of our people can also be strong, where the poorest among us can also be wealthy. A nation where law and justice is the rule, where the strong are just, where the weak are secure. A society that can meet the lowest needs and the highest expectations of our people. A country where every child is able to study, where every graduate is able to find work. A country where every Filipino can attain the fullness of life as he or she conceives it to be, one that can bring out the best, the highest, and the most beautiful of our people, so the Filipino may become a model and a light to many parts of the world.

On January 20, 1961, President John F Kennedy, in whose name and honor this school of government of Harvard is dedicated, called on the American people in his Inaugural Address – “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”.

That is the most famous line the world remembers today of John F Kennedy. His call for patriotism, for good citizenship. His call for the Americal people to step up on their love for their country.

That is also what we are trying to do in our country today. That is also call I make in my book “12 Little Things Filipinos Can Do To Help Our Country”.

But the biggest call in our country today is the one that Tito Tony Meloto and Gawad Kalinga are making to all Filipinos all over the world. A call to care for the poorest of our poor, a call to build homes for our 5 million homeless families, a call to provide the poorest of our people the opportunity to live among us in society, with dignity and hope.

Today, GK brings home millions of our people abroad, to help rebuild our country, to help build the greatness of the Filipino. Today, GK stands as the best vehicle that can unite all Filipinos from all over the world. It is the best hope for our 5 million families who are homeless in the very land where God planted them. GK is the best tool that can build the greatness of the Filipino. It is the best vehicle that can bring us to our dream of a beautiful Philippines .

There are six (6) core values we should all believe in as a people. These core values could serve as the foundations of the culture of greatness we wish to build for the Filipino.

First, as a people, we should believe that the Philippines is our Motherland. It is the birthplace of our race. It is the home of the Filipino. The Jewish Americans tell their children that while America is their country, Israel is their motherland. Israel is the home of the Jew. Japanese Americans do the same to their children. The Chinese and the Korean Americans too. We as a people, wherever we maybe in the world, should do the same. We should believe that, for it is the truth. Wherever we maybe in the world, we should tell our children that, so our young may grow up with deep love and affection for our motherland. For truly, Philippines is the country our Creator chose and gave to us as a people.

Second, as a people, we should believe that the Filipino is great and beautiful for he is a child of a great God who truly wants him to be great. God has equipped the Filipino, within him and around him, with all the essentials he needs to succeed in this world. God wants the best, the highest, and the most beautiful for the Filipino because he is God’s child.

Third, we should believe that as a people we are but one family. That while we have our spouses and children as our small family, the Filipino people is our big family. Therefore, as a people, we should have a culture of familihood, which is higher and greater than brotherhood. As one family of people, we should truly love and respect one another. Dapat wala tayong iwanan. Dapat wala tayong gulangan. Dapat wala tayong dayaan, lokohan, o nakawan.

Fourth, as people, we should believe that unity is higher and more important than individuality, but without choking anyone’s creativity. If we want the best for the Filipino, unity is essential. For a people achieve great things only if they are united. As JFK said “United, there is little we cannot do; Divided, there is little we can do”.

Fifth, as people, we should believe that the Filipino was born as part of the whole, as part of the answer to the question, as part of the solution to the problem, as part of the hope to our people. As a people, we are born to help build a better world for all humanity, and to help the Filipino become great not only in the eyes of the world but moreso in the eyes of our Lord.

Sixth, as a people, we should aim high and dream big for ourselves. For truly, we will only go as far as our dream. If we dream small, our achievements will also be small. If we dream big, our achievements will also be big. For truly, we are the architects of our own success. We are the builders of our own greatness. We are the writers of our own story. We are the creators of our own future.

If the Americans were able to build for themselves a great and a prosperous country, why can’t we Filipinos build for ourselves a beautiful Philippines ? If the Japanese and the Singaporeans were able to build for themselves an orderly and a prosperous country, why can’t we Filipinos build for our children and people a beautiful country?

To all the Filipinos of the present generations, we are today the carriers of the flag of the Philippines . We are today the bearers of the name Filipino, of the identity Filipino. It is therefore our task to build the Filipino great. It is therefore our duty to build our Motherland, our beloved Philippines , great!

This task will not be easy. Our climb will be steep and difficult. There will be a lot of disappointments and frustrations along the way.

But I hope that we will persist and persevere. I hope that we will keep the faith. I hope that we will keep believing. I hope that we will keep trusting. For the very greatness of the Filipino, the very greatness of our race, the very greatness of ourselves, lies in our hands and our hearts. For truly, we are the builders of our own greatness.
-----------------------
This is the short version of the speech of Alexander Lacson at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government during the GK Global Summit in Boston on June 12-14, 2009. Alex Lacson is the author of the book “12 Little Things Filipinos Can Do To Help Our Country”.

Posted by pamagcusa at 01:48 PM | Permalink

The politics of conscience

We have come to live in a society where conscience is a stranger. Instead of having a society ruled by people with conscience, we have a society that is governed by dishonorable men and women who don’t seem to have conscience. They rule our society with arrogance and deceit and they supplant our individual consciences with their own rules and interests. Unfortunately, we also have some of our people who make moral choices independent of conscience and the teachings of the Church such that their moral choices are anchored on what is politically convenient..

The Catholic Church has long upheld the significance of informed conscience especially in making moral decisions. We make moral decisions on the basis of the authoritative teachings of the Church, the values of the Gospel, and the will of God. Informed conscience does not invent the truth. It discovers and evangelizes the truth based on the teachings of the Church. Only an informed conscience then can make good moral judgments. Conversely, uninformed conscience is always prone to make erroneous moral judgments.

Nowadays our leaders are so much engrossed with the issue on constitutional change. And as early as this, some presidentiables and other would-be political candidates for the 2010 general elections are busy positioning themselves in the political field to ensure their electoral victories. Lies, deceits, and dishonesty of these leaders and politicians horribly creep into the very political fiber of our society in order to protect their selfish interests and promote their ulterior motives. We naturally expect that all of these petty concerns would end up into compromises which would sidestep once more moral decisions based on the used of informed conscience.

We are challenging the Catholic politicians to lead by their informed conscience. We challenge them to become proxies of the living Church and be moral exemplars and leaders of our times. We ask them to stand on the commitment of the Church regarding moral issues besetting our society. Their political actions and decisions should be reflective of their enlightened faith and the teachings of the Church.

It is about time that we should catalogue the performance of our Catholic politicians especially on how they stand on issues of the day. If their public life shows clearly that they do not side with the Church and they morally judge on the basis of their uninformed conscience, then it is proper that we dismiss them as not fitting to any public office. We would rather go electing a protestant politician who lives a public life with an informed conscience reflecting the Gospel values than a Catholic politician who opposes the teachings of the Church.

Posted by pamagcusa at 07:34 AM | Permalink

Choice and Change

by : Paolo Domondon

The present predicament of the Philippines cannot be attributed to one false moment in our history. It was never the fault of a single corrupt individual or even the compromised system. What led to the continuous blaming culture that we have is the culture of people not owning up to the choices that we all have made. Right now, we have the collective guilt of the normal Pilipino, who have been in constant quest of defining who he is and his value to his own country. While Inang Bayan continues to cry as her people go hungry and abused, the older Juan is still too busy analyzing what is wrong with her and the young Juan is too busy worrying about the distant and hazed future that he will have.

At least this is what I thought of most of them until I met an ordinary Filipino who owned up to the mess and mire we are all in.

Tony Meloto once said “ The situation of this country is my generation’s fault. I wont die doing nothing.”

What you might call a courageous admittance of his own wrongdoing is a challenge to the awaiting young. Let me be clear to the Me- generation where I also belong- it will then be our generation’s fault if we don’t do something about this now.

The long tale of the so- called cardinal veracity of life- instilled and molded in our psyche- to strive to live better, to be educated to live better, to go against all odds to live better. To earn money, to gain power, to incur wealth- to live better, before you can help- is an accepted myth that is to blame. Because personal aggrandizement cannot be the path to bliss, when you know that injustice is the next big thing.

Just as much as when Gen Aguinaldo signed Biak ng Bato, as much as when Douglas McArthur made that promise, and as much as the decision of returning by the greatest –president-that-we-never-had in Boston, the choices we now make will define the state of our people.

What we need, first, is to make the choice to love the Philippines. I beg to differ when they say that the difference between first world and third world countries is how much a people love his homeland. We made the biggest noise when a famous desperate housewife made an incriminating remark and just recently when a writer tried to downplay the sacrifices of our OFWs. We have people fighting for justice. It is the choice to do something about the promise “of ang mamatay ng dahil sayo” that is missing.

Love your country and show this love by doing something for her people.

Ironically, I was in a party in a Metro Manila Bar, April 1 year 2006, when I decided that my early years in the “real world” will not be wasted in chasing a dream that ignores others who cant dream for themselves. It was tempting to strive for a personal dream that you know is attainable, but painful to realize that everybody around you was doing the same.

The choice to act is best evident in the zealous people I meet in Gawad Kalinga. CEOs retiring early to contribute their expertise; top graduates quitting high paying salaries to devote themselves fulltime; fathers who refuse to accept job offers to continue their service; and our volunteers, regardless of socio- economic status, spending time and resources to live out the call of Christ of being a brother’s keeper and of Mohammad’s cry to serve the people.

GK has restored the dignity of the underprivileged when they built the almost 2000 communities affecting the lives of a hundred thousand of the poorest of the poor in the span of a few years. And because of this, we know that creating significant change in the lives of the poor is no longer an impossible feat. When we transcend our religious and political differences, we know that transformation of the face of poverty is now in the realm of reality.

People sacrifice because, after much waiting, there emerged a movement led by the ordinary taos that has made the poor ‘unpoor’ by using the Filipino values of bayanihan and kapwa-tao.

We must fervently believe that the choices we will be making will be the reason for the change we will be reaping. May we not take the same mistake of turning our backs to golden opportunities that have made significant impact to the lives of the poor, just because we have been conditioned that we are a hopeless and a helpless people.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bono, a rock star articulated it well when he said “because we are the generation that has the right resources, enough technology, and the willingness to change the plight of our nations, we are the generation that must. Because we can, we must.”

Because we can – fight poverty, injustice, and corruption in the Philippines- at this very moment in the life of our nation, we must do it now.

The fastest and longest three years of my life was spent in serving side by side with the most respected people in our country, those who believe in the cause and actually worked for it. And because of them, I am now a better man- far more than what I could have become in any of the paths that I might have been called to do. My own service is not and will never be enough, puny compared to the sacrifices of the people in our work, but the transformational values that my mentor instilled in me will equip me to live out idealism and to fight injustice anywhere I go. The choice I made before, led to the change in me right now.

I call to my generation to consider the poor in all their decisions. I call for them to take into consideration that the statistics we know are not just numbers. The one- third poor should not remain faceless and nameless. After all, the things we do will determine a poor child in whether he will be a stealer or a principled policeman; a beggar or a teacher of injustice; a murderer or an advocate of life. This is what we should be working for during the best years of our lives- to restore the value of treating the poor as an extended part of our family, worthy of love and sacrifices.

I call to the older generation to lead us in our values as we continue to remain true in our pledge of “sisikaping kong maging mabuti sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa.” I call for them to pass the values they inherited in EDSA 1 and to really believe that they will witness this change.

I extend my gratitude to the tireless caretaker teams of Gawad Kalinga who are crazy enough to make the decision to love the poor as they love their own family- because of you my children will no longer know what poverty is because there will be none; because of you my children will no longer know what a shanty is because there will be none; and because of you they will know longer know what a corrupt politician is because there will be none.

By leading thousands to do the same, Tony Meloto kept true to his promise, he will not die doing nothing for the country.

This is a tribute to all the caretaker teams whose sacrifices are now written in the history of our country, to my fellow GK workers who never stopped believing, and to my GK father Tony Meloto whose passion and integrity carried the work to where it is- Walang Iwanan!

Posted by pamagcusa at 07:32 AM | Permalink

I am a Filipino and I am proud of it. And I love this country not only because it is where I live but it is where my roots are. It is the sanctuary of the Filipino values I cherish and it is where I find my home and where my heart is. It is here where I was born and it is here where my final resting place will be.

I show my love for myself as a Filipino and for this country by being a good citizen. I don’t sit on my arms and just watch what is happening in this country. I humbly participate in molding this nation to become a better place even when there are some of us who spit on her face. I show my concern for this country by expressing my dismay and displeasure if the state of the nation is bleak and the political leadership is weak. I show my care for this country by encouraging those who bother to look deeper into themselves and find out how to make this country more decent and more respectable. I wish I could say something riveting or moving to them. They have though my prayerful wishes and my assurance that they will not be forgotten.

I am a voice of change and I would like to add this voice to the band of voices who call for a genuine moral change in this country. I am aware that there are also voices that speak noise. There is much political noise being heard nowadays. These are from politicians who think they are the political messiahs of this country yet they are like the biblical Pharisees who prayed sincerely before the public yet inwardly they are evil vipers.

The reason why we are in a cycle of national crises is we don’t love much our country. It is not love but apathy when we watch helplessly our country being gang-raped by some political psychopaths. It is not also love but boredom when we passively allow social issues to persist like illegal numbers game of jueteng, graft and corruption, immorality, and other social evils. There seems to be no Filipino leader anymore who has a moral purpose to make a difference in the lives of the Filipinos. Instead, it appears that we are pleased to cuddle the present crop of our leaders who wantonly deplete the resources of our physical environment and who drain off our resources in the social and moral environment.

It is not love that we are showing to this country but sheer hatred to our motherland when we are submissive, aloof, and detached to these nasty, revolting social realities we are in and worse ultimately foster them because we easily volunteer our silence due to our spinelessness.

I wish our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal or Ninoy had been born during these trying times to inspire us, to create meaning into our lives as a Filipino people, and lead us into a culture of genuine change. It is so sad that we don’t have the likes of them in our midst. Regretfully the leadership torch they passed to us had been extinguished by this present generation. This is a lifetime shame for this country.

Be that as it may, I am in love with this country. I wish I could be another Rizal or another Ninoy just to prove that I really love this country.

Posted by pamagcusa at 08:06 PM | Permalink

SANGKAP News

Contact No: 0918-929-2467

GOs and NGOs Vow to Unite Against Rabies in Pampanga

“Unity and organized intervention are our best policies against rabies.” This was the common realization among the participants of the Rabies Awareness Forum that was held at the San Agustin Parish Hall on Friday, March 27, 2009. The activity, the first ever public forum on rabies in Pampanga brought together representatives from various groups and agencies involved in the campaign against rabies including the Provincial Health Office of Pampanga, the City of San Fernando Health Office, the City Veterinary Office of Angeles, City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of San Fernando, Pampanga Disaster Response Network, Inc. (PDRN), Health Integrated Development Services (HIDS), Pampanga Pediatric Society, Sindalan Barangay Council, Kapampangan Marangal, Inc., and Couples for Christ.

The forum was initiated by SANGKAP (Santungan ng Kababaihan at Kabataan sa Pampanga) in partnership with the City of San Fernando Pampanga Realtors Board (CSFPRB), Inocencio Magtoto Memorial Foundation, Inc. (IMMFI), San Agustin Parish, and XM Ads and Events in celebration of the Women’s Month and the Rabies Awareness Month. SANGKAP also launched its anti-rabies website (www.rabiespoi.org) during the forum.

According to Dr. Mila Mananggit, DVM of the DA-RFU III (Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit-III), Region III has consistently topped the list in animal rabies cases nationwide for the last six years. Pampanga, along with Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, has always been included among the top 10 provinces with high incidence of animal rabies.

The Provincial Health Office, on the other hand, reported that there were 2,033 reported cases of animal bites in the Province of Pampanga in the year 2008 (excluding Angeles City). The incidence rate for the Province last year was 27.52 per 100,000 population. In 2007, there were five reported cases of human deaths due to rabies in Pampanga, with an incidence rate of 0.26 per 1 M population. Dr. Benito Arca, Assistant Director of the Center for Health Development-III (CHD-III) related his experiences with rabies patients when he was the Director of San Lazaro Hospital. He emphasized the need for various sectors of society to work together, hand in hand with the local government officials and government line agencies to help prevent and control rabies which remains a serious public health concern around the world.

Rabies is a disease that is caused by a virus transmitted via bites, scratches or licks on open wounds from infected animals. Once the signs and symptoms of rabies appear, it becomes irreversible and 100% fatal. In the Philippines, unvaccinated dogs and cats are the most common sources of rabies infection. The Department of Health estimates that 300 to 600 Filipinos die of rabies each year and at least 50% of these are children aged 5 to 14 years.

The Department of Agriculture advises pet owners to be responsible enough to have their dogs and cats vaccinated starting 3 months of age and give them booster shots annually thereafter. The Pampanga Pediatric Society recommends as pro-active measure the inclusion of rabies vaccination as part of the regular regimen for children like what is done for other infectious diseases like measles. The Provincial Health Office reminds the public to seek immediate post-exposure treatment immediately after an incident or exposure to rabies.

There are currently two-government-owned Animal Bite Treatment Centers in Pampanga – the Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital in the City of San Fernando and the Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital in Guagua. The Provincial Health Office hopes to put up two more (one in San Luis District Hospital and one at the Macabebe District Hospital), according to guests Dr. TJ Javier, Dr. Susana Sicat and Ms. Fe Ocampo who came to talk about the on-going efforts towards rabies prevention and control in Pampanga.

“There are many initiatives undertaken by various groups to help eradicate rabies in the country,” says Nina Tomen, Program Officer of the Rabies Prevention and Organized Intervention (Rabies POI) of SANGKAP. “However, there is a need for us to consolidate our efforts towards an organized intervention to attack the rabies concern from all fronts – from legislation to enforcement, to massive information dissemination and treatment. Rabies is a highly misunderstood disease and there is a need to inform the public of the serious threat it poses to everyone.” Tomen’s five year-old son, Gian Carlo died of rabies in December of 2008.

SANGKAP vows to advocate for the enactment of anti-rabies ordinances at the provincial and municipal levels and for organized intervention in Pampanga. For starters, the group joined the Coalition Against Rabies Disease (CARD) initiated by the City Government of Angeles through City Veterinarian Jess Villaroman. CARD was organized to make Angeles a dog-friendly city and rabies-free by 2012. The group which counts among its members Rotary Club Angeles North and West, Holy Rosary Parish-Social Action Center, Pampanga Agricultural College, City of San Fernando Pampanga Realtors Board and Ospital ng Angeles is currently helping draft and review the city’s anti-rabies ordinance.

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