JOKE: Trillanes Brain

Did you know?

Senator Trillanes' brain has 2 parts, the left and the right. The left was never right and the right has nothing left.

The final State of the Nation Address

To be fair to the Aquino administration, they have done a number of praiseworthy accomplishments during his tenure and it is but proper and fitting that he display and emphasize it on his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) speech. 

However, there are also damages inflicted and unresolved problems that will most probably be left by this administration come his term’s final day. One of the most deplorable issues that the administration was unable to resolve up until now was the setback in the transportation sector. 

The administration remains pretty much optimistic that the reforms implemented during his term will soon bear its fruit which will soon be proved to be valuable to the public the the years to come.

As imperfect as our President may be, as shown by the unsettled mishaps in the transportation sector, President Aquino calmly claimed that they have done their part and the rest of the problems were created by the previous administration.

There were unclear answers and topics which were spoken by the president such as, deteriorating mass railways. There are also some issue regarding congested airways which was already rehabilitated which enabled the Philippine carriers to lift the ban enforced by the United States and European safety watchdogs.

Another magnificent thing initiated by President Aquino and his men was the Public-Private Partnership Program (PPP), though it was also bombarded with a lot of criticisms. 

Despite of that, 10 projects were awarded thus far including big-ticket railways, toll roads and the most recently constructed world-class airport in Visayas.

President Aquino may have been well decorated by a number of remarkable feats and accomplishments during his reign, but all of these were overshadowed by his failure to find concrete solutions to most of the existing and most troublesome national setbacks today. 

To cite a great example of such, the Aquino administration have miserably failed to ease the restricted transportation access in Metro Manila, which is considered as the central hub for the country’s economic progress. It is also the place where most of the Filipino population is densely located.

The Aquino administration only have a few more months left in its term but they still have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to the development of our transportation infrastructures. LRT (Light Rail Transit) Line 1 have been pestered by a series of machine breakdowns. 

Subsequent to that, the PNR (Philippine National Railways) also had it fair share of problems when its operations were suspended last May 2015 after the coaches got derailed allegedly due to stolen railway materials.

But the most prominent dilemma being faced by the Philippine transportation today is the MRT (Metro Rail Transit ) Line 3, almost 16 year of age, which crosses EDSA from time to time, serving close to 500,000 million passengers everyday. Its designed load capacity is only 350, 000 which often tends to be neglected, resulting to continuous malfunctioning of the train system, shutdowns and long line of commuters.

The news about the suspension of former MRT 3 General Manager Al Vitangcol III and him getting charged with graft isn’t going to help either. 

We need more positive actions coming from the Aquino administration for us to finally conclude that term work, was a “job well done”.

Who is Really to Blame?

Mamasapano Incident in the South:

Who is Really to Blame?

It has been a while now since the mainstream media brought us news from the south whereby 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were slaughtered in a clash initially guised as a “misencounter” with the joint forces of Muslim rebels, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), but was actually a result (or casualty) of an operation called Oplan Exodus which aims to capture two of US’s most wanted terrorists namely Zulkifli Abdhir (alias Marwan) and Abdul Basit Usman. Both of whom are believed to be an affiliate to Jemaah Islamiyah, who are also both high-ranking and improvised explosives experts.

The said operation was in an alleged operation with the US’s Federal Bureau of Investigation and Army Special Forces which took place in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, 2015, Sunday. The result of which led to the death of a total of 62 individuals, 44 of which coming from the government’s Special Action Force.

Who is to blame?

Although skirmishes such as this “incident” is not uncommon in a predominantly Muslim south since the birth of the Muslim rebellion, whose issue is present to this day. The clash, now deemed as the “Mamasapano Incident,” is something that may not have existed if not for the recklessness that may have started from our very own government’s higher ups themselves, with special mention of the Command-in-Chief, which also happens to be the President. This is in consideriation to the fact that there was and is an ongoing peace process between the government itself and the Muslim rebels in an attempt to settle a dispute that lasted for generations, and possibly generations more, if not settled.

This ongoing war between the government and the Muslim rebels has benefited no one thus far but rather only costed the lives of many brave individuals whose only difference is the principles they believed in and are fighting for.

The Inviolable Chain-of-Command

There is a reason as to why our systems work under the design of a chain of command: that is to ensure a streamline flow of orders and execution whose powers of authority are coming from the top to the bottom, which, in our present-day context is shouldered primarily by the president, Ninoy Aquino – the top power of this so-called chain of command – and the lower units of power, Mar Roxas, et al. This is not a government held in power by a single individual, however. Our government is designed in such a way that it is composed of “powers-of-authority” other than the president whose existences are there for a reason: that is, to provide additional heads of authority together with the higher-most but whose power structure is set in a hierarchy. Basically, every powers from up-down structure of the government must be in full coordination with one another, not just in a secrecy of few, and is basically the essence of the chain-of-command which has been the power structure that has been in govern to us since the very first government was founded and began. It is not without its flaws, however, yet is something that has worked well thus far.

Alas, however, in an apparent show of improper coordination of those figures within the chain-of-command, an “incident” occured that has costed of not only few, but 62 valuable lives, especially to those families they left behind, whose occurence may have been prevented if proper execution of the chain-of-command has been practiced. Who really is to blame at this point? The figures within the chain-of-command, of course.

My Thoughts on Camp John Hay Returning to BCDA

An arbitration committee has ordered Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo), a former US facility, to vacate Camp John Hay in Baguio City. The committee also ordered CJHDevCo to return the 690-hectare property to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), a government agency tasked to develop the camp.

A bit of history

Camp John Hay was originally developed as a rest and recreation facility for employees of the US military and Department of Defense. It was turned over to the Philippine government on July 1, 1991, which was initially administered by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA).

Ever since, Camp John Hay has caused several conflicts in Baguio City.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Army warplanes were drawn to the camp. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, they stationed at Camp John Hay, igniting the World War II. It was bombed by American forces who tried to drive the Japanese military out of the camp.

In 2011, another war broke out in Baguio because of a dispute between the Camp John Hay developer and the government administrator.

Arbitration results

A decision dated February 11, 2015 from the arbitration committee, made up of Mario E. Valderrama, Teodoro Kalawa IV and Rogelio C. Nicandro, called an orderly transition of Camp John Hay, the country’s prime resort development.

BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said, “We see this as a victory for [the] government. Finally it will be returned and it can now be developed for the benefit of the public” on February 13.

However, the government announced that they have no plans to close down Camp John Hay or the businesses insider the establishment. This announcement was made to pacify investors who expressed concerns “over the possibility of having their businesses disrupted… especially going into the peak season” due to the ongoing conflict between BCDA and CJHDevCo.

John Hay Management Corporation vice president and chief operating officer Michelle Regala-Niebres was quoted saying, “If there will be any disruption, it will definitely not come from us… in fact, we have been talking to Beneco and other utility service providers to ensure that there will be no disruption.”

Although a ruling was already made, CJHDevCo chairman Robert John Sobrepena said the BCDA must first pay CJHDevCo Php1.42 billion in rentals paid over a decade before the government could take over the camp. The original agreement between John Hay developers and the state-run firm was only for a 25-year lease, but it had sold 50-year leases to its investors. T

However, BCDA claimed that the CJHDevCo has not paid them its lease rentals for quite some time, making their arrears balloon to over Php3.4 billion, 25% of that amount should have paid to the City of Baguio.

CJHDevCo’s statement

Chairman Sobrepena said that it is not true that CJHDevCo owe over Php3 billion to BCDA. Thus, they are happy with PRDCI’s decision to direct BCDA into paying the John Hay developers Php1.42 billion in damages instead.

The chairman and the rest of CJHDevCo expressed their concern about the trees in John Hay, which they have taken care of for so long now. Luckily, the arbitral panel granted their wish for a rescission for damages. Still, they are hoping that the over 400,000 trees in the camp will be preserved and developmental footprints reduced.  

PNoy, Purisima: How Involve Were They in the Mamasapano Operation?

Two weeks have passed since the tragic and heart-breaking incident that took away the lives of 44 brave young PNP-SAF men who were sent to Mamasapano in Maguindanao, which is believed to be a Moro Islamic Liberation Front territory, to serve a warrant of arrest to two known terrorists. But the public is still clamoring to bring justice to their sudden deaths.

So who is really to blame for the early demise of the #Fallen44?

Senate probes the Mamasapano tragedy

Last Monday, February 9, 2015, the Senate started to probe into the Mamasapano debacle and are looking into the involvement of top rank officials, including President Benigno Aquino III and suspended PNP Director General Alan Purisima.

Senator Grace Poe, who is leading the Senate Committee on Public Order, said she wanted to know who are exactly involved in the covert operation and how high the order came from. The lawmaker said, “Usually ang SAF, sila ang nagpo-provide ng expertise, warm bodies, yung sa kanila kasi tactical na sila pero yung strategic hindi naman sila.”

Sen. Poe added, “Sinasaba [ni Napenas] na yung window nila from th Jan. 23 until the 26^th na siya na mismo ang kumilos para doon pero sa tingin ko hindi yan maglalakas loob na walang clearance sa mas mataas pa so pilit pa natin yang tatanungin bukas.”

The lady senator also wanted to find out when the President knew about the operation as he was in Zamboanga one day before the mission was carried out. She said, “Magandang tanungin kung kelan nakarating sa kanya ang impormasyon at kung may natanggap na direktiba ang military sa Pangulo.”

More questions about the Philippine National Police Special Action Force operation were raised on Monday, including the involvement of the United States.

Meanwhile, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government, said that based on the testimony of the police officials, Purisima remained involved in the operation to arrest the two hunted terrorists despite the fact that he was suspended since December of last year.

Pointing fingers

Sen. Marcos wanted to know what exactly was the role of the suspended PNP chief and why Napenas seemed to have followed his “advice.”

Sen. Marcos said, “Bakit niya sinundan? Dahil ibig sabihin syempre commander niya yun e kahit suspendido, di ba? Pero sino ang nagpasok ngayon kay General Purisima? Who brought him into the loop na suspendido siya?”

“Despite the protestation of Gen. Purisima, sa dami ng pagtatanggi nya, ay maliwanag na talagang in the loop sya, talagang nasa chain of command sya. Pa'no ngayon nangyari yun? Pa'no nangyari yun na ang isang suspendidong opisyal ay napasok sa chain of command?” he asked.

However, Purisima denied playing a role in the operation saying, “I did not know that the PNP-SAF jumped of already.”

“During my preventive suspension, I did not give any order. I just [gave] advice, not as a directive or order. I have no role in that operation.”

Purisima’s statement contradicts what Napenas told the Senate Committee. He said that he asked Purisima on Jan. 19 whether the operation to arrest Marwan should proceed. Napenas said Purisima responded, saying “Plan is a go on the timeline, Jan. 23 to 26.”

When asked by Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III on where the orders to proceed with the operation came from, Napenas said, “It’s a continuing operation approved by the PNP chief Purisima in Nov. 29, 2014.”

However, when asked to provide more information, Napenas denied any direct order from higher ranking PNP officials to proceed.

Guingona grilled the suspended PNP director general on his supposed motivation in his alleged involvement in the Mamasapano incident. Purisima insisted that he merely advised Napenas, which visibly irked the senator. He said, “Obviously, the response is not adequate. I am just asking your motivation for saying that… your answer was not acceptable.”

After Guingona’s inquiry with Purisima, Senate President Franklin Drilon revealed information of pre-operation meetings done in what they call the “White House” inside Camp Crame, referring to the official residence of the PNP chief inside the police organization’s camp. Purisima admitted he participated in two meeting while on suspension, but again denied giving orders regarding the operation.

Resigned PNP chief Purisima is now being accused with graft charges for his alleged involvement in the brutal killing of the 44 SAF members.

What does the President know of the operation?

Marcos also mentioned in his Twitter post on Feb. 6 that while his father was the President of the country, he knew of every military operation, especially if it is as major as the operation that was carried out in Mindanao last January. He said, “I remember as President, my father was knowledgeable about every military operation. The President would know about an operation this big.”

The public share the same sentiment with Sen. Marcos. Some are even calling for the President’s resignation or worse, impeachment.

The first few days since that fateful Sunday, I was enraged and took to social media to voice my anger, frustration and disbelief. I couldn’t begin to fathom how and why the President and those high ranking officials could not have known of such an important mission. I too wanted for the President to get down from his position because of the lack of empathy he has shown to the bereaved family and how he responded to the whole incident.

However, Sen. Pimentel called for calm amidst the chaos. He said the president’s resignation would only create more problems. He said, “If any, the resignation of the President will only be counterproductive since this will lead to a shake-up in the government. In this highly volatile situation, we need a leader. We need the President to lead us out of these dark days.”

Reading what Sen. Pimentel said knocked some sense to me. Whether the President gave a go signal to the mission or not does not matter right at this very moment. What we should all hope for is to bring justice to those poor men who lost their lives in Mindanao. 

We want Peace with Justice

Saying there can be no peace without equity, a pioneer of the House of Representatives needs numerous homicide arguments recorded against parts of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in charge of the bloodbath in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

January 25, 2015, three detachments of the first class SAF (Special Action Force) of the PNP (Philippine National Police) were sent to Tukanalipao in Mindanao – a spot accepted to be a guerilla enclave. Their central goal was to serve a warrant of rest to a high-positioning Jemah Islamiya explosives master Zulkifli Bin Hir otherwise known as Marwan and Basit Usman. Be that as it may, the SAF troops were blocked by 300 parts of the MILF (Moro-Islamic Liberation Front) and BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters). What happened next will everlastingly be scratched in the personalities of the remaining parts of the PNP-SAF unit, which was made out of 70 extraordinarily prepared cops.

Going from incredulity to misery – on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other informal organizations. Presently, everybody is pondering: What truly happened that day?

44 law requirement operators were mercilessly slaughtered like wild creatures.

Pres. Aquino had a change of heart. He made a 360-degree turn and portrayed the ARMM a "fizzled investigation." He then steered the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to make an "administration peace board" that will take a seat with Moro Islamic Liberation Front agents. A "structure understanding" was marked by the board on October 2012, making a Bangsamoro self-sufficient government over a much bigger zone in Mindanao. Aquino designated Professor Miriam Coronel Ferrer supplanting Leonen as he was selected to the Supreme Court.

On the off chance that the Bangsamoro Basic Law will be established into law, nothing could stop its "self-ruling government" from creating its own particular state army, fiscal framework, police drive and even visa and movement regulations. It appears that the Bangsamoro government will tackle a parliamentary sort of government, which is a sign that it won't work inside the 1987 Constitution.

An alternate convincing reason the BBL ought to be void is that it is not the president's obligation to make an open office, for example, the Transition Commission, however the Congress'. This implies that the making of the Transition Commission is illegal, after the decision of the Supreme Court in Biraogo v. Truth Commission.

So you see? The President urging the quick establishment of the BBL implies he could be submitting an at fault infringement of the Constitution.

Presently, do you need this to happen to our nation?

Tacloban after a year

A slow rehabilitation for the Yolanda Victims is what many people feel after a year when super typhoon Yolanda hit the Eastern Visayas including Palawan.

The people are still suffering from their lost, they are not yet recovered from that tragedy. And the government leaders are slow in giving help.

More than anything, the people are suffering from lost and loneliness.

Last September, I was in Tacloban and I saw the hardships they encounter every day lives.

Many  are still homeless. Still struggling to survive and to earn money.

People needs work to support their daily needs.

According to reports, President Aquino said that they have been giving a lot of help in Tacloban.

There's no concrete rehabilitation plan.

But the people doesn't feel their help and rehabilitation efforts.

So what is the plan?

Rehablitation Czar Panfilo Lacson said that they can implement their rehabilitation program because President Aquino gave his approval to his proposals.

With that, state auditors have pointed out several deficiencies in the way National Government agencies and local government units responded to help typhoon Yolanda survivors.

The recorder donations continues to be delayed while almost P800 million in relief funds sit unused in the bank accounts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development

No one has prepared and nobody knows how to handle a recovery plan for the huge disaster.

The government must know how to deal with it instead of putting political colours on the situation.

Recently, the people from Leyte offered prayers in the memory of their loss. Survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in this devastated city marks the first anniversary of the killer storm.

Known to be the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record killing about 6,300 people alone. About 4 million went homeless.

Places like Guiuan, Samar, Tanauan, Palo and Tacloban were the most devastated.

But Tacloban is the hardest hit city. After a year they still struggle rebuilding their homes.

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reportedly released a total of P52 billion to support government relief and rehabilitation efforts in affected provinces.

There's a strong political conflict which rooted from the issue - President Pnoy is an Aquino and the Tacloban Mayor is a Romualdez.

And that help supposedly to rebuild Tacloban was not provided.

I saw the real situation in Tacloban and that support given as seen on TV was not 100% true.

During my stay last September I directly heard personal stories from the people from Tacloban.

According to them, there's really big help but it is not coming from the local government.

The people I talked to were disappointed to the death count declared by the NDRMC.

The survivors says they don’t agree with this declaration. According to them, the DOH sent 20,000 body bags and they used it all.

The possibility of the people died from Yolanda is almost more than 6,300.

Many are disappointed because of the slow response. Plus there are people saying that the true death count is much more than what is recorded.

...that President Aquino choose to bring donations to Palo instead in Tacloban.

When President Aquino went to Tacloban they said he didn't stay that long.

Aquino was not sincere at all about the real situation. More than 7,000 died and went missing, and anger at him arise for failing to respond to their needs even after a year.

Non-government organization coming from other countries  are the one that gives true help.

Local government has provided transitional homes as temporary comfort.

The national government showed a lot of deficiencies. It only shows that they have not yet acted on providing permanent houses.

After one year the people needs real help and this is a call to the government to give assistance and forget about the political issues.

Are they hiding the truth?

There are claims that government doesn’t want to release the true numbers of the death toll of the tragedy. He skipped helping Tacloban city.

In time of Crisis

Truck ban in Manila was lifted. Mayor Joseph Estrada on Saturday lifted the Manila truck ban effective noon in Manila to help address the problem of port congestion during a press conference in Manila, aired on "News TV Live" and radio dzBB.

Mayor Estrada issued Executive Order 67, ordering the immediate lifting of the truck ban in the city to give way to the efforts of the national government to address ports congestion, blamed for heavy traffic in Metro Manila, GMA reports.

Philippine national government appeals on this issue.

Malacañang appealed for more patience as the government seeks to solve the problem of port congestion.

Palace asks for patience as it works on ports problem. The President has already ordered the formation of a task force to deal with the problem specifically.

These past few days, Manila experiences major traffic congestion. The most recent was the NLEX traffic last September 5, 2014

MRT system also encountered mechanical problems. Palace asks for patience as it works on the problem.

MRT commuters challenge the senators to ride the train and experience the situation.

The frequent MRT breakdowns halted the operations affecting many public passengers.

Is asking for patience help solve the problems?

Mismanagement of the MRT and the traffic in the metro won't be solved.

It's a matter of good leadership. It's a matter of good governance of the President.

A better decision-making in terms of management. There are criticisms saying that President Aquino has been closing his eyes in this problem.

Hopefully he is not sleeping. If he keep on asking patience and not doing immediate actions, he is not going to solve the problem.

Open your eyes.

It has been so many years. It is time that he immediately respond to it.

He might be correct when he say it is Manila city 's fault about the traffic congestion but whatever the reason, he should be creating a master plan on fixing this problem - mismanagement of the MRT and the traffic in the metro.

RIP Mark Gil

Pumanaw na ang aktor na si Mark Gil. Si Mark ang ama ng young actors na sina Gabby Eigenmann, Sid Lucero, at Andi Eigenmann at kapatid nina Cherie Gil at Michael de Mesa. 

Sa kasalukuyan ay wala pang opisyal na pahayag ang pamilya ni Mark tungkol sa malungkot na balitang ito ngunit ayon sa mga ulat, namayapa ang aktor dahil sa sakit na liver cirrhosis. via @pepalerts

Will PNoy run for another term?

If PNoy runs for another term...

...then we deserve an explanation.

In a statement on a response of the Presidential Spokesperson, Secretary Edwin Lacierda, during a briefing on August, 22 2014 released on the following day in the official gazette.

The Palace clarifies the response of the Presidential Spokesperson in a briefing yesterday which he was asked if Aquino has plans of running for President for the second time.

The Palace clears the issue that this is not the case. The President has neither decided on term extension nor on endorsing a candidate, owing to the fact that his efforts are focused on more pressing matters of state.

Palace adds that it should be noted that the 2016 elections will push through, and that the administration will always follow the processes set by the Constitution.

...that the statement may have caused.

But just in case President Aquino has plans of running again, will the people give him another chance?

Another six years of term. We must think about it...Think a few reasons why not.

1. The Aquino administration's satisfaction rating fell on several key issues - including corruption and hunger - in the last quarter of 2013. It was a roller-coaster ride on the issue involving DAP, eradicating graft and corruption.

His plan of fighting against corruption was only good at first. While many people are struggling in life, the corruption cases among the government is still increasing. The tuwid na daan is not tuwid anymore.

Is it time to give chance to others who are more deserving to lead the Philippines.

2. The oil price spiked during his term. During his term theres always a price hike but seldom price rollback. The jeepney fare increased, commuters has no choice. Even protesters failed to stop the increase. No one does.

Economy were unchanged. Last June 2013 Ulat ng Bayan conducted a survey, from June 20 to July 4, Forty-three percent said the economy is unchanged. On the other hand, 29 percent said it worsened, while 28 percent believed it had improved Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/456301/survey-shows-4-in-10-filipinos-dont-think-the-economy-moved-at-all#ixzz3BVFp6TAN

3. Personalan. Revengeful. PNoy didn't sign the petition for Nora Aunor to become a National Artist. Rumor has it that during the campaign period, Ms. Aunor campaigned for Aquino's opponent and that made him mad during those days.

4. PNoy's intention of extending his term for another six years is ridiculous. And since the constitution allows only one term for the President, hopefully it will not be her sister Kris Aquino who will run for him.

Aquino loves saying motherhood statements. He recently suffered a big drop in Pulse Asia Survey. He’s trying to divert the attention away from his own shortfalls. The Philippines may have advanced in his regime but the improvements are not based on his accomplishments but the previous administration's.

5. Failure to appoint an effective DOTC Secretary. MRT3 has been poorly maintained which is managed DOTC/Abaya/government.  The Dept. of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and MRT-3 forced their way into actual operations precisely to award the contract to Global-APT’s dela Cruz. Dela Cruz not only is a compadre of Abaya, but also a campaigner for DOTC predecessor Mar Roxas in 2010.

On a note, the SWS noted the Aquino administration scored a "very bad" -51 rating for "resolving the Maguindanao massacre case with justice," below the "poor" -26 in March 2013.

Source: http://www.gov.ph/