After a whirlwind three-day speaking engagement in Los Angeles,
California, Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio arrived in the Philippines Wednesday,
September 10, 2008.

"I am overwhelmed by how updated the Filipinos and Kapampangans are on
the current events and issues surrounding our governance," the Governor
said. "it not only stresses the fact that technology has made our world
smaller, but also the fact that we must work double time in improving
our service, for we are also under the scrutiny of our cabalens who are
experiencing good governance in their adopted countries."

Gov. Panlilio gave speeches of encouragement to the different Fil-Am
groups, but the open fora that followed were marked mostly on questions
regarding present Pampanga issues.

Filipino leaders were thankful for being given the opportunity to listen
to the Governor amidst the various news they have been receiving for the
past few months.

Among the groups who had a dialogue with the Governor were the Club Minalin, the United Pampanga Leaders Council, the Pampanga Day Celebration Commission USA, and the Pampangan Crusaders USA (PamagCUSA), which celebrated its first
anniversary last Saturday, as well as other Fil-Am organizations who
expressed solidarity with the crusade for good governance

"We have grown accustomed to the American way of giving everyone a
chance to air their sides," Alvin Ayusa, a PamagCUSA convenor said, "we
see Gov. Panlilio as the face of good governance, while we acknowledge
the need for greater reform in the matter of governance.

For his part, another PamagCUSA convenor, Ram Pineda remarked that "the
background of the current electoral process is a specific instance where
we are afforded the chance to listen to everyone as we believe that this is the best way to reach an informed decision.

"Our position will always be consistent, we are advocates of responsible citizenship in
Pampanga, and this goes hand in hand with good governance," Pineda added. "Our experience of a healthy democracy, more specifically in the debate of issues we are
witnessing in the current presidential race here in the US, is a paradigm that we hope our fellow Kapampangans will indigenize."

Gov. Panlilio was briefed on the current activities of the different
Filipino and Kapampangan organizations in California, specifically on
their advocacies on health and education for the province. "There must
be a greater and tighter linkage between the Fil-Am organizations and
civil society groups in Pampanga," Gov. Panlilio said. "Each can learn
and benefit from each other, so that ultimately, the interest of the
Kapampangans will be promoted."

His visit was capped by his attendance last September 7, 2008 to the
Second Coronation of the Virgen de los Remedios and the homage to the
Sto. Cristo Del Perdon in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, where
2,500 devotees came to celebrate the traditional occasion with him. In
his homily, Bishop Pablo David expounded on the forgiveness and charity
that grows out of the devotion to the Lady.
Before his flight, Gov. Panlilio gave a courtesy call to Consul General
Mary Jo Aragon at the Philippine Consulate.

By Joselito Basilio

I once remarked in the defunct Among Ed website that “Yeng Guiao is the
only Guiao who is not Bren”, an obvious rip-off of one martial law
truism “Rafael Recto is the only Recto who is not Claro” criticizing the
younger Recto’s collaboration with Marcos. The late Rafael Recto is of
course the son of nationalist Claro M. Recto and the father-in-law of
Gov. Vilma Santos. Why is it it’s not “like father like son” in the case
of Tatang Bren and Yeng? Perhaps the good genes of a father are not
always transmissible to the son. It is patently evident that Yeng Guiao
did not inherit the good genes of his great father Bren whose principle
as a freedom fighter was comparable to that of other Kapampangan great
leaders like Ninoy Aquino and Jose Lingad.

Look at Yeng now. He is the exact opposite of his illustrious Dad whom
I admired as one of my childhood heroes during the Martial Law days. He
seems to have mortgaged his life to serving the selfish interest of
his political masters because of huge political debts he can never repay.
Try to observe him. He plays the role of a silent apologist and
henchman of those who raises money by selling slip of paper. He shrugs off
whatever Among Ed utters just to delight and wow his political lords.
Whenever Among Ed executes a clean shot on good governance, Yeng, the hard
court master tactician, “elbows” the governor publicly and pooh-poohs
his pronouncements. The recent support demonstrated by the Provincial
Board on the recall move may lend credence to my belief that Yeng is
profoundly involved in the master game plan to depose the incumbent
governor at all cost, a diabolical plot never tried to the two previous
governors whose castle in Porac was built from quarry sand.

Poor Yeng! He’s on the wrong side of history. He would certainly be
assured of a place in Kapampangan history if he had not been gulp down by
corruption and patronage. He possesses leadership potential and might
become a future governor if he did not take the wrong path to greatness.
I hope this bright UP alumnus would come to his sense of history while
there is time, otherwise his father’s former Provincial Administrator
might assume in near future the position he dearly covets.

We believe that the recall initiative is an attempt to thwart the gains
on good governance and responsible citizenship that Governor Ed Panlilio
has achieved in his incumbency.

While Governor Ed Panlilio's administration maybe imperfect as he
himself admits, we believe that the shortcomings are not worthy of a
recall initiative.

PamagCUSA will continue traversing the path of critical collaboration
with civil society groups in Pampanga and the Office of the Governor in
advancing responsible citizenship among the Kapampangan citizenry.

By Joselito Basilio

A recall is a process which begins with the gathering of the
signatures, and then proceeds to the filing of a recall petition with the
COMELEC, the verification of such petition, the fixing of the date of the
recall election, and the holding of the election on the date scheduled by
the COMELEC.

History reveals that a recall election may take place within a short
span of time or take longer than almost year from the date of its
initiation. In the case of Caloocan City Mayor Rey Malonzo, the recall
election was held on 14 December 1996 or barely 5 months from the gathering of
the required signatures. The recall of Mayor Jovito Claudio of Pasay
City was initiated on 19 May 1999 and the recall election was held on 15
April 2000. On 2 July 2002, the people of Puerto Princesa City
initiated the recall of Mayor Dennis Socrates and the COMELEC set the recall
election on 14 August 2002.

I foresee that the recall of Among Ed would pass the same route as that
of Mayor Claudio. It’s going to be a long protracted legal battle.
Among Ed’s legal eagles would surely file opposition to the recall
petition before the COMELEC citing Lilia Pineda’s pending election protest as
a prejudicial question which must first be resolved before the petition
for recall could be given due course. The form and substance of the
petition would also be expected to be questioned by his lawyers. Even if
the COMELEC would eventually give due course to the recall petition,
the legal battle does not end there. The Supreme Court would finally
decide whether the recall election shall take place.

The whole recall process is a very expensive exercise. The proponents
of the recall of Among Ed would spend millions to buy signatures and
more millions to buy votes during the recall election. These exclude the
enormous amounts to be spent on election campaign, PR and lawyer’s fee.
Among Ed himself would not be spared from the burden of incurring cost
involved in a recall. He would certainly need millions to get
reelected.

It has been said that an initiative to recall an official is always
resisted with stronger vim and venom. The reason is obvious. The incumbent
would not like to lose power just recently won. The challenger, often
a loser in the previous election, would not want to lose a second time.
It foments divisive, wasteful and bloody politics where lives are
often lost. Moreover, a recall election would undermine the delivery of
basic services to the public. The running of the local government units
would slow down as our elected officials would be preoccupied with the
recall election campaign. This all augurs ill for the future of Pampanga.

By Joselito Basilio

The English idiom “sour grapes” is derived from the fable “The Fox and
the Grapes” where the protagonist fox fails to reach some grapes
hanging high up on a vine, retreats, and rationalizes that the grapes are
probably not ripe anyway. The fable’s moral story is that it is easy to
despise what you cannot get. The idiom had later been misused by those
who do not know the original story and is now taken to mean “bitterness”
or “resentment”.

There is a towering personality in the civil society who may be likened
to the proverbial fox. He did not get what he wanted. He’s bitter
about Dabu’s denial of his desire to have his proposed program implemented.
He continues to be resentful at the way he was treated by Dabu and, by
extension, Among Ed.

I am of course alluding to top businessman Renato Romero who’s calling
not only for Dabu’s resignation but for Among Ed’s. He went to the
point of expressing his support for the recall bid against Among Ed. Not
contended, he is now resorting to ad hominem arguments describing, among
others, Among Ed as a thief who stole the advocacy for good governance.

I was right all along. First impression really lasts. With due respect
to the good businessman, I doubted his sincerity when I first saw him
during the campaign. Our support for Among Ed was supposed to be
unequivocal, no string attached. No division of the spoils of war. Obviously
he harbors a different agenda.

Mr. Romero’s new found advocacy (if you can call it that way) -
resignation or recall of Among Ed - merits no attention. He wants us to return
to traditional politics from which he may have benefited in the past.
Will the so-called civil society allow that to happen?

By Joselito Basilio

The curious cat that I am, I visited the blog site calling for the
ouster of Atty. Vivian Dabu, Among Ed’s controversial administrator. I was
glued to it for a long time reading and analyzing the articles posted
by the anonymous blogger and the raves the site has been getting mostly
from anti-Dabu forces.

The anonymous blogger uses vile language in describing Dabu. There, she
is being depicted as an obnoxious, an ugly and a dim-witted character.
If the stinging, bitter and acerbic comments on Dabu were to be
translated into punches Dabu would be knocked down instantly and die of
internal hemorrhage.

I would like to believe that the creator of the blog site is a lawyer
like Dabu because he (or she?) employs words frequently used by lawyers
like “putative” and ably cited a jurisprudence (Supreme Court decision)
to justify his portrayal of Dabu as an unintelligent lawyer. Whoever
this blogger may be, his call for Dabu’s resignation will not gain
ground for a simple reason that he is attacking Dabu’s person and character
rather than presenting a reasonable argument that would persuade people
to support the ouster call. At the end of the day, I believe the Dabu
will earn more sympathy than those who want him fired.

Honestly I do not know or have met Dabu. We all know she is not
perfect. No one is. I agree that she has her own negative qualities like
everybody else. Nonetheless, I believe she is a good and an honest
administrator. She displays a political ill never seen in the previous
administrators, a rare character needed to rid the corruption-prone capitol of
graft and corruption. Like Among Ed, she’s not been tainted with
corruption up to now which I find remarkable. This is much more important than
her perceived bad management style other segments of civil society are
complaining about.

Assuming, for the sake of argument, that Dabu is fired by Among Ed.
What then? Would her ouster placate the Provincial Board and the Mayor’s
League? Would it mollify the civil society? I do not think so. The
aftermath is going to be a vicious cycle as when Cory fired Executive
Secretary Joker Arroyo in compliance to civil society’s pressure. Believe me.

In Kapampangan context, civil society is an unusual concept in that it
always seems to require being defined before it is discussed. In part
this is because the concept was rarely used in Kapampangan discourse
before Among Ed ran for governor in the May 2007 elections and many people
are therefore unfamiliar with it.

Arguably, civil society only gained legitimate recognition in Pampanga
during the May 2007 elections. Many new civil society groups, notable
of which are KMI, KCI and ADCL, facilitated better awareness and a more
informed citizenry, who made better voting choice for governor. In
fact credit should be given to civil society for Among Ed’s electoral
victory.

But what happens when the some members of the same civil society groups
are pulling a direction different from that of the person who helped
them elected governor. How it is going to be decided which direction in
which to go and whether it is the right one as circumstances continue
to change over time? Will they leave the decision to Among Ed or
pressure him to adopt what they want?

I have raised these questions because I am deeply saddened by the
recent turn of events in Pampanga which involves a segment of the civil
society.

I’m particularly disturbed by the juvenile behavior of a civil society
prominent actor who is now calling for Among Ed’s resignation and even
indicated his support for the latter’s recall because this is the only
way to get rid of Among Ed’s most trusted assistant who previously
turned down the actor’s proposal on public policy. This is tragic. When a
civil society conceals its real intentions beneath a sheep’s clothing it
has no more reason to exist.

What is wrong with Dabu at the helm of power? Among Ed put her there.
She enjoys the trust and confidence of no less than the governor himself
apart from the enormous powers she yield as mandated by law. Every
decision she makes is presumed to be the order of the governor. Among Ed
delegated most of his powers to Dabu so that she can effectively deal
with influence-peddlers and favor-seekers, and get rid of graft and
corruption in the capitol. This is how Among Ed manages the affairs of the
office of the governor. Can’t the civil society respect Among Ed’s
management style?

If some people are displeased over how the capitol is being run, that
is part of Kapampangan human nature. We Kampanpangan have this incurable
tendency to envy people who are closer to someone we love. I feel this
is the reason why some members of the civil society have deserted
Among Ed. They want all equal access to the governor’s office. They cannot
accept Among Ed’s regimental management style where decisions are made
through the office of the administrator.

Civil society is supposed to build social capital, trust and shared
values, which are transferred into the political sphere. We have the right
to express our views to influence the governor’s decisions but it is
not right to desert the governor when what we want is unheeded. That’s
uncivil.

Migising ka Balen! Pilan yang ukdung dindam karing mangatenakan watas at mangakudtang Kapampangan. King radyu DZAB kanita balang Biernis Bengi pin ata nung e ku magkamali, ding Poeta Laureado Meyangubie Jose Gallardo ampo ding aliwa pang kayabe nang watas (poeta) gagale lang mangasanting a dalit ampon kawatasan. Ding makanyan a parandam da karing media masikan lang mamye belwan karing kayanakan. Pauli ning Bengi ning Kawatasan ampon Crissotan apilasa ku ing legwan at yaman ning kanakung Amanung Siswan.

Mangatimbang lang salita, mangalaman a amanu ding iyapse rang pamamalino at pamamatulid detang mag-crissotan a alang babasan. Mayayakit keni ing pamanisip malalam at matinung kapanwalan. Ding pake ding pisasabyan kanita ali la man dikil karing sigalut a mangalalang karing politiku. E la dikil karing marinat imalan a pipipyan. Tema lang dikil king ulaga ning biye, kapanwalan, at telakaran abe lang lakwas ding legwan at ganaka ning Tibwan ampong ning Miglalang.

Ding Kapampangan matikdi la't marangal, makaukit la karing ukul at diwa ding Filipinu ini. Ding karelang ganaka at kapanupayan balita karing aliwa. Dapot ing karelang tepangan ampon lugud king Balen da at Bangsa makalaman mu naman king Amlat ning Yatu. Ketang panaun da ding manyakup, neng ing Kapampangan makalibutad yang lugal king pusad ning kapalyaryan maralas yang agad darasnan da ding managap. Pauli nini dakal la karela ding mengalto bayani, lalaki at babayi.

Banwang metung pepakit dang pasibayu ing karelang panga-makabalen, misanmetung la bang maging Gobernador ing Paring Eddie T. Panlilio. Anya ding Kapampangan mibalita nala nanaman mabilug yatu. King ukdung ini ali nala daywan o foreigners ding kalaban da, balamu kalupa da nalang Kapampangan. Ing suliranan king sugal, kapalalwan at pisasabyan mangawalang abli king quarry o balas. Mabilug Kapuluaan Pilipinas at aliwang bansa yatu tinalangan at minanga la karing kabalen.

Katataulyan, mika malinis na sa at malino pamalakad king Lalawigan Kapampangan! King kerakalan da ding trak a mamakut balas a akakit karing superhighways, sukat neng Developed a lugal ing Kapampangan. Mangasanting nala sukat ding dalan, ospital, eskwela at dakal a obra at pamangan. Alang daranup. Matas la sweldu ding mestra't mestru at magobra king gubiernu. Alang bayad ing magaral karing eskwelang publiku. Alang anak kalat-kalat dalan magpalimus. Balang lugal ating libraries, health centers, playgrounds, parks. At aliwa pa.

Meyakit malino king pamalakad nang Among Ed Panlilio ing dayu ning pepalub dang abli ding Mitatang Gobernador Lapids karing akakit a abli ning Pari.

Mangaganaka la ding Kapampangan, mapanupaya la. Ala ku pan dindam a manintun karing abling aliwa karing mengalabas a banwa. Ngeni, ining Paring manintrigang dakal a pera, makabuklat kwenta, Ya kanu ing buri rang ilako at dedemanda. Nanu pu yan?

Kapampangan, Mipakde Ka ! Miglinis ka. Lalako muna ing marok king pamalakad anya pinili me ing Pari. Pelisan mune at inisis ing Capitolyu, bakit ali muna isundu ini? Paytake ka king indredos? http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=20080815-154724 Basan ya ing sinulat nining mayap a taung ini. Dakal la pa ding taung atin panga-racist o prejudiced. Anya maligwa lang masusulsul karing mangulu. Patune nini keni Amerika ya pin ing kinalat dang Muslim ya i Senador Barack Obama. Misip tamu pang makatapulu, o makadinalan bayu tamu paytuki karing aliwa. Nang ibye ra ren king kekatang payntungulan. Nang uring balayan ing buri tang lakwan karing kayanakan?

Ninu ing panwalan mu ing manintrigang pera at tutuki karing Batas o nanu. Balen Migising Ka! Ali mune bibili ing bola bang e masamsam ing kekang Katimawan.

Ketang Ka-27 nang Aldo ning Hunyu, 1987 ding mamuntukan ning Akademyang Kapampangan o AKKAP inabut de ing makalagda rang Parangal kang Poeta Laureado Vedasto D. Ocampo anting Ari Ning Parnasung Kapampangan. Deti ila ri Diosdado P. Macapagal, Evangelina H. Lacson at Archimedes T. David. Metung karing sinulat nining pagmaragul talasulat ning Balean Magalang ya pin ing " Ing Tubud Ning Dios ", sinulat ne ketang salungsungan deng gugulwan ing pamalakad nang Pamuntuk Cory C. Aquino ding memanyubuk coup d'tat kanita. Adwa lang tumpuk ding inagtal kung maka yawig king kabilyan Kapampangan ngeni:

Mipakde ka kabalen ku! Mibule kata saguli
uling king pamimalad ku mamitamit kang masawi,
wari't ibye me king diablo ing katiting mung taliri
pakitaglus-taglus nana pati bitukang malati,
inya ing mayap tang daptan mibule kata't mangadi
ban e dugpa keka't kaku - ing malyaring e ta buri.

E wari keta king EDSA ing ka - Diosan linaganap?
At ikwa tang migtagumpe king parasan tamung mayap?
O'nung sindu tamu sana ing dakila tang paninap
E sa linub ing personal at pansariling pigagap,
Sana, ing pamikalugud menusbung ampon miganap
At ing tune Demokrasya.... e sana mig-undap-undap.

Mayap tamung pigunaman ini ngening Banwang Mumuna tamung diling pagmasusyan ing Dumingu ning kekatang Amanung Siswan. Masayang Aldo pu kekayu ngan Kabalen!

The recall bid against Gov. Ed Panlilio in now being initiated by a
certain group calling themselves Kambilan. I’m sure the Recall issue will
be the talk of the town in the days to come. For ease of understanding
and reference, please allow me to share with some Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs) on Recall.

According to eminent Kapampangan jurist Reynato Puno (now Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court) the right of recall is a double-edged sword.
Rightly used, it can promote the greater good. Wrongly used, it can result
in greater evil.

What is a recall in the context of Local Government Code of 1991 (RA
7160)?

A recall is a power granted to the electorate to remove an elected
official for loss of confidence.

What does loss of confidence mean?

Loss of confidence is the formal withdrawal by an electorate of their
trust in a person's ability to discharge his office previously bestowed
on him by the same electorate.

Whether or not the electorate has lost confidence in an incumbent is a
political question. It belongs to the realm of politics where only the
people are the judge. (Evardone vs. COMELEC et. al., GR No. 94010, 2
December 1991)

What is the purpose of recall?

While recall was intended to be an effective and speedy remedy to
remove an official who is not giving satisfaction to the electorate
regardless of whether or not he is discharging his full duty to the best of his
ability and as his conscience dictates, it is a power granted to the
people who, in concert, desire to change their leaders for reasons only
they, as a collective, can justify. In other words, recall must be
pursued by the people, not just by one disgruntled loser in the elections
or a small percentage of disenchanted electors. Otherwise, its purpose
as a direct remedy of the people shall be defeated by the ill motives of
a few among them whose selfish resort to recall would destabilize the
community and seriously disrupt the running of government. (Angobung v.
COMELEC, 269 SCRA 245 [1997])

The bottomline is that our law intends recall as a mechanism of good
government. It can never fulfill that intent if we allow its use to
foment too much politics. (Claudio vs. COMELEC et. al, G.R. No. 140560, 4
May 2000)

How shall the recall of a governor be commenced?

The recall of a governor shall be commenced by a petition of a
registered voter in the province concerned and supported by at least 10% of
registered voters, provided, however, that in no case shall the required
petitioners be less than 45,000. (Section 1, RA 9244)

Note :

In the case of Pampanga, the required petitioners must be at least
98,703 which represent 10% of the total number of registered voters in
Pampanga as of 20 April 2007 based on the records of COMELEC
(www.comelec.gov.ph).

What happens next after the commencement of a recall?

The process of recall shall be effected in accordance with the
following procedures:

1. A written petition for recall duly signed by the representatives of
the petitioners shall be filed in the COMELEC provincial office.

2. If the petition is found to be sufficient in form, the Comelec shall
form the issuance of the certification, provide the official sought to
be recalled a copy of the petition, cause its publication in a
national newspaper of general circulation and a newspaper of general
circulation in the locality.

3. The Comelec shall proceed independently with the verification and
authentication of the signatures of the petitioners and registered voters
contained therein. The filing of any challenge or protest shall be
allowed which shall be ruled upon with finality within 15 days from the
date of filing of such protest or challenge.

4. The Comelec shall announce the acceptance of candidates to the
position and thereafter prepare the list of candidates which shall include
the name of the official sought to be recalled.

5. The Comelec shall set the date of the recall election, which shall
not be later than 45 days upon the completion of the procedure outlined
above. The official sought to be recalled shall automatically be
considered as duly registered candidate to the position to be voted upon.

6. The official sought to be recalled may file petition for certiorari
and prohibition before the Supreme Court seeking the nullification of
the resolution of the COMELEC giving due course to the petition for the
recall.

What are the limitations of a recall?

1. Any elective local official may be the subject of a recall election
only once during his term of office for loss of confidence. (para. a,
Section 74, RA 7160)

2. No recall shall take place within 1 year from the date of the
official's assumption to office or 1 year immediately preceding a regular
local election. (para. b, Section 74, RA 7160)

If no recall shall take place within 1 year from the date of the
official's assumption to office or 1 year immediately preceding a regular
local election, does it mean that Among Ed cannot be recalled until after
30 June 2008?

In the case of Claudio vs. COMELEC et.al., supra, the Supreme Court
held that the term "recall" refers to the recall election and not to
initiation of recall proceeding. The initiation of recall "merely sets the
stage for the official concerned before the tribunal of the people so he
can justify why he should be allowed to continue in office." Hence, a
recall election for governor in Pampanga cannot be held until after 30
June 2008. However, the initiation of recall proceedings (commencement,
filing of petition with the COMELEC and etc.) is not prohibited within
the one-year period.

In other words, what is forbidden are : (1) the holding of recall
election within one year from the date the official assumed office, and (2)
holding of a recall election within one year immediately preceding a
regular local election. As succinctly stated in Paras vs. COMELEC (264
SCRA 48, 54 [1996]), para. (b)construed together with para. (a) of
Section 74, RA 7160 "merely designate the period when such elective local
official may be subject to recall election, that is, during the second
year of office."

When shall a recall take effect?

The recall of an elective local official shall be effective only upon
the election and proclamation of a successor in the person of the
candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast during the election on
recall. Should the official sought to be recalled receive the highest
number of votes, confidence in him is thereby affirmed, and he shall
continue in office.(Section 72, RA 7160)

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by
poverty. But recent events tell me this isn't true. It is one thing to see people
turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and
poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly
explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty
snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that
the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can
it get any worse than this?

Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my tv to watch the latest
turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are
caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see
these 'honorable' crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other
in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they
themselves are guilty of, is so comical and apalling that I don't know whether to
laugh or cry.. It is entertainment at its worst!

I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug
until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the
confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who
voted them to power, bear titles like 'Honorable', 'Senator', 'Justice', 'General'
and worse, 'President'. Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make
our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do!
These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation ? Robin Hoodlum and his
band of moneymen. Their motto? 'Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich.'

It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of
upbringing t hey had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It
makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had,
what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal
from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed
to serve. It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them,
and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and
liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven
forbid!

I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my
needs and those of my family's, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation's
coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our
government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and
deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health
services, poor everything. But I have always thought that was what all third world
countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more.

And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing
fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time
lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his
interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone's morality! The
already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great
grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own 'pag
bad ka, lagot ka!' slogan. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in
kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security. And it's all
about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine
in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent a nd hardworking
citizens are leaving to go work in other countries?

And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose
addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship. 'Love (of
power) is blind' takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind
eye on her husband's financial deals. And still blinded with all that is
happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her
country is in shambles.

They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer
capable of showing disgust. I don't agree. Many like me feel anger at the
brazenness of men we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality
with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality.
It is not that I won't make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would
only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anyt hing. They can hurt
me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it.

But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let
others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that
would later affect me and my children. I want to make it known that there are also
Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines. I want them to know
that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that
there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a
right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us
that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down. I
refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine
and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could for it.

Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs t o battle the
evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good. We can pray. We
can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we
celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends
here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so
we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these
vermin. After all, they cannot be more powerful than God!

I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not
smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life
even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things
in this world. I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them
the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion ?
right from the sandbox till they are old enough to go on their own. Not just in
your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be
shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who
will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.

I call on educators and teachers - we always underestimate the power of your
influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is
happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country,
inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile
knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women. Encourage our
graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from
the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into. The youth is our future ?
and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to
repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators,
congressmen, justices, lawma kers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.

I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere to look around
and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for
failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let
this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as
you need the wisdom of your elders. YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Let your voices be
heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your
heritage. Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good. Text
meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try your best to fight moral
decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves.
You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do
better than you did..

Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country. You
can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old
trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before
anything else. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers,
civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so
that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a
record that can speak for itself.

For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have
sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you
can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around
and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country
even more.

Remedios C. Paningbatan
Administrative Officer
Office of the General Counsel
Asian Development Bank

Reeling against what powerful wrongdoers dish back, I found myself wallowing in self-pity at times. I know I could have recapitulated several times if only clear and generous offers to do so were presented by life. But, as my fate would have it during my life as an advocate for change and an opinion writer, there were no serious temptations to corruption when I was in my weakest moments. When corruption did knock loudly on my doors, I simply and fortunately happened to be my most steadfast state.

Understanding life to be like a collection of moments good and bad, strong and weak, ugly and beautiful, I cannot but help being understanding (and often, kind) even to wrongdoers. They are also men and women with people who love them, and are hurt when others speak ill of them. I often wish I could resist urges to expose the evil that they do and inflict on others, as I know I have committed similar wrongs and have caused pain to some along the way.

The happy compromise has been, then, for me, to focus on wrongdoing itself rather than wrongdoers. And the higher option has been to focus on good and allow it to conquer evil in its own pre-destined way.

There will be instances when I do not favor the happy compromise for a more stinging rebuke, which I mostly reserve for hypocrites in robes. To me, the wolves in sheep's clothing have a special accountability which I would always like to remind them in this lifetime before the Lord does in the next. Religious leaders deserved special mention from a Christ who was especially offended by their hypocrisy, and I remind myself that they crucified Him for that. I, too, should expect crucifixion, not only from dirty politicians but from dirty religious as well. My deepest wish is not to be rescued from them, but that I will not turn out to be like them.

My stand against wrongdoing, especially the kind that preys on the weak, the sick and the innocent, is not one born of great courage but of great anger, just as my stand on hypocrisy by erring shepherds is not one born of great purity but of great revulsion. There are many behavioral scientists who would say that I could be projecting my great fears, the fear to be corrupt and the fear to be hypocritical. They could be right, and I just have to be vigilant against what I write and speak against so relentlessly.

The higher option of doing good and allowing it to defeat evil, though, is truly much more inspiring and restful to the soul. From my own exhaustion at the endless flailing against the windmill of corruption, I was blessed to find solace and renewed strength in the higher option of simply doing more and more good. Of course, when one is on the path of doing good and promoting the same path to others, there is less time, effort and opportunity to confront the thieves and liars in the bureaucracy of the State and the badly compromised among the hierarchy of the Church.

Comments from readers about how they are inspired, about how their hopes are rekindled, and about how their own resolve to reach out and ease the pain and suffering of the poor, to free them from the bondage of greed and poverty, add greatly to my commitment and capacity to pursue a personal mission of showing alternative and better ways to live out the divine purposes of our lives. If my pride or ego is stoked to momentary pleasure from the praise and gratitude of readers, I must admit that I do allow myself to enjoy the affirmation before moving on to the next opportunity to live out my mission.
In the midst of daily prayer and reflection, I realize clearly my ordinariness, that there are many who are greater, more brave and talented, more committed and pure. I realize, too, that there are the more fearful and cowardly, the more greedy and addicted to power, those more prone to form over substance, pomp over principle. As ordinary people with the capacity for good and evil, we have others who are greater, and lesser, than us. Comparison, then, is a deadly trap.
Steering away from life's landmines would require a determined focus on the value or principle at issue more than the personalities involved. Those who have to enter the arena of criticism, rebuke or censure must also cut across the walls of anger and despair that are erected or strengthened along the way. If we have to expose the corrupt and the hypocrites, we must also show with even more focus the honest and the true. We have to be living witnesses of the higher values, sterling examples of higher ethics, and place on the pedestal of public awareness others who display the same higher values and higher ethics.
As our people slide deeper into pain, from physical poverty and the absence of righteous leadership, there is greater need and urgency to raise principled Davids as available replacements for failed King Sauls who use power and position to cover the wrong they do. New ways must rise above the patterns of history, patterns of exploitation, patterns of corruption, and patterns of hypocrisy. Faith and patriotism might as well not be taught anymore in classrooms if our more publicly known leaders cannot be the models of virtue.
It is my firm belief that much right and much wrong had been taught by leaders of society. They have done so by their behavior more than by their pronouncements. Words are particularly tricky, more easily crafted than character and behavior.
Opinion makers, then, are especially placed for great honor, or great shame, because they can churn our more words than examples to readers who may never get to know them personally. Writers always write but few get written about. Because their own personal lives are often not exposed to public scrutiny, journalists may hide behind their readers' inability to know and judge their persons and integrity.
I strongly espouse righteous leadership. I must work hard, therefore, on my own righteousness. I strongly espouse helping the poor. I must work hard, therefore, on helping them as a personal commitment and daily advocacy. What I write about and promote must find me as its foremost activist. What I write about and condemn must find me its worst enemy. And on these criteria I submit myself before the judgment of my God and country.
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"In bayanihan, we will be our brother's keeper and forever shut the door to hunger among ourselves."