Solons Gang up on Chiz for Disrespect of Charter

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Manila Standard Today, July 12, 2005

Proadministration lawmakers yesterday censured Minority Leader Francis Escudero of Sorsogon for alleged disrespect to the House of Representatives and the Constitution for claiming that the impeachment process against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was nothing but a trap to reel in the opposition.

“His (Escudero’s) statement is disrespectful of the very institution which he belongs and to the Constitution that he has sworn to uphold,” Majority Leader Prospero Nograles of Davao City said.

Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier said Escudero could be playing his role as leader of the opposition in the House but he could have done it tactfully.

“The oppositionists are obviously frustrated with the failure of their oust-GMA move but they should not be manifesting this frustration by assailing our democratic institutions and the rule of law,” Javier said.

Nograles advised Escudero not to allow his emotions to overpower his responsibility as a member of Congress and should conduct himself in a responsible manner.

Meantime, Reps. Abraham Mitra of Palawan and Benasing Macarambon of Lanao del Sur said the political opposition is choosing to ignore the Church position to push for unlawful ouster of Ms. Arroyo.

“The opposition’s insistence to turn away from the Church’s suggested course of action was a virtual rejection of divine guidance as embodied in the position of the two largest groups of Christian leaders,” the two administration lawmakers said.

For his part, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said last Friday’s events which saw the resignation of eight Cabinet men and two bureau directors was engineered by anti-GMA groups to sway the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines into joining the call for her resignation.

“Fortunately, the bishops were not influenced by the withdrawal of support by former President Cory Aquino, Senate President Franklin and a faction of Liberal Party and by the 10 adventurist Cabinet men,” Salceda said. “I believe the bishops were turned off by an overly ambitious, gravely fragmented and equally tainted opposition.”

But Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos said the swelling dissent and the polarization of forces within the government and the business sector only showed how weak President Arroyo’s leadership has become in finding ways to deal with the crisis gripping her administration.

“It is clear Ms. Arroyo no longer has moral ascendancy to govern. The ugly bickering within her Cabinet has brought instability to the government and the polarization of forces will definitely led to her downfall.”

Rep. Liza Maza of the party list Gabriela said President Arroyo must not gloat over the CBCP’s statement by thinking that the whole Catholic kingdom has suspended calls for her resignation.

“Let her fall into complacency as she thinks the good bishops will shield her from being ousted eventually. This will make her fall harder from grace. This is pitiable,” she said.

Walang Kwenta ang Pilipinas

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

[This is a piece written by an ordinary office worker who goes by the moniker, Jawbreaker. Thanks to my friend, Sparks, for sharing this.]

Hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko. Sukang-suka na ko sa mga nangyayari sa bansang 'to!

Walang katapusang corruption, walang kamatayang pangbabatikos, pagbabatuhan ng tae at pagpapataasan ng ihi ng mga pulitiko sa bawat isa, walang tigil na imbestigasyon ng kung ano-anong isyu pero wala namang matinong resolusyon, walang puknat na pag-aagawan ngkapangyarihan sa pagitan ng mga partido, patuloy na pagdami ng tamad at tangang Pilipino, patuloy na pakikipaglaban ng ideolohiyang wala namang silbi.

Ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas, talo pa ang septic tank na hinihigop ng Malabanan -- saksakan ng dumi at napakabaho. Kaya hindi nakakapagtaka na ang Pilipinas ang isa sa pinakamahirap at corrupt na bansa sa mundo.Kasi lahat sila bulok, lahat sila walang kwenta, lahat sila sugapa sa kapangyarihan at sa pera. Anak ng teteng! !$#%Q!&!* @!!!!!

Kahit Kristiyano ako, hindi ko mapigilang magmura at hilingin sa diyos (minsan nga pati sa demonyo) na mamatay na silang lahat at i-BBQ sila ng habang-buhay sa impierno. Sinong "sila"? Eh di mga corrupt na government officials and workers, mga tambay na Pilipino na ang lalaki ng katawan pero hindi naman nagtratrabaho at hindi nagbabayad ng tax, mga mayayaman at artistang tax evaders, pati mga aktibista, NPA at iba pang ideological groups na hindi nagbabayad ng tax pero pang-gulo!!! Mamatay na kayo!!!

Lagi na lang sinasabi ng mga pulitiko: Ipaglaban ang masa! Tulungan ang masa! Mahalin ang masa! Punyeta! Masa lang ba ang tao sa Pilipinas? Sino ba talaga ang bumubuhay sa punyetang bansang 'to? Saan ba galing ang pangpagawa ng mga tulay at kalye? Saan ba galing ang pork barrel? Saan ba galing ang perang kinukurakot nyo? Kami na mga manggagawa at middle class na bago pa makuha ang sweldo bawas na -- kami ang bumubuhay sa walang kwentang bansa na 'to!!!

Bakit yang bang mga masang yan na lagi na lang sentro ng plataporma ng mga pulitiko eh nagbabayad ba ng tax?! F**k you! Kahit isa sa mga nag-ra-rallyng mga squatter na yan, kahit singko hindi nag-re-remit yan sa BIR! Pero pinapakinggan ba kami ng gobyerno?

Lagi na lang opinyon ng masa ang iniintindi ng gobyerno. Kung sino ang nag-ra-rally, sa Edsa, sila ang nasusunod. Kung sino ang masmalakas sumigaw pero wala namang economic contribution, sila lagi ang focus pag may problema. Sila lagi ang bida. Kaming mga ordinaryong office workers, OFWs, laborers at iba pang nag-tra-trabaho at nagbabayad ng tax -- kami ang nagpapakahirap para buhayin ang Pilipinas. Kami ang mga tunay na bayani ng bansa!!!

Tuwing nakikita ko ang payslip ko, nag-iinit ang ulo ko at gusto kong maiyak sa inis. Napakalaki ng tax na binabawas sa akin pero ginagamit lang sa walang kwentang bagay ang perang pinaghirapan ko. Lahat ng pagtitipid ginagawa ko para suportahan ang sarili ko, pamilya ko at ang punyetang bansang to. Ni hindi ako makabili ng chicken and spaghetti meal sa Jollibee kahit gutom na gutom na ko. Nag-tya-tyaga ako sa waffle na tig-P10, o kaya pag may konting pera, junior bola-bola siopao sa Mini-Stop sa halangang P20. Eh kung yung pera ko na pinapangbabayad sa tax sa kin na lang napunta, eh di sana nakakapanood pa ko ng sine at least dalawang beses sa isang buwan. Nakabili na sana ako ng bagong rubber shoes. Nakapagpagawa na sana ako ng sarili kong bahay.

Yung tax na binabayad ko, karamihan nun derecho sa bulsa ng mga corrupt na mga government officials at workers. Habang hirap na hirap akong i-budget ang pera ko, sila naman nagpapakasarap sa mga mansyon. SUV's at luxury cars pa ang dina-drive nila, samantalang ako sa pedicab lang sumasakay! P*ny*t*! Pera ko yang pinapagpapasasaan nyo!!!

Yung tax na binabayad ko, pinapangsuporta sa mga mahihirap. Saan ba galing ang pera pangpagawa ng housing at pagtulong sa mga mahihirap, di ba sa mga manggagawa na nagbabayad ng buwis? Pero karamihan ngmahihirap, kung umasta akala mo inaapi sila ng sobra.
Sa totoo lang no, kaya ang mga mahihirap lalong naghihirap kasi mga tamad! Ang daming mga tambay sa kalye na walang trabaho pero ang laki ng katawan. Eh kung sila ba nagkargador sa pier eh di sana may pera sila. Tapos wala na ngang pera, anak pa ng anak! P*ny*t*! Lalo nyo lang pinapadami ang tamad at tanga sa mundo!!!

Naaawa ako sa mga batang pakalat-kalat sa kalye at namamalimos. Imbes na nag-aaral, dumadagdag lang sila sa bilang ng mga future criminals sa 'Pinas. Hindi ako magtataka na yung batang nakita kong namamalimos saCubao, pagkatapos ng ilang taon cellphone snatcher na.

Yung mga magulang naman dyan, common sense lang! Hirap na hirap na nga kayo sa buhay, mangdadamay pa kayo ng iba?! Paparamihan nyo pa lahi nyo! Palibhasa walang mga trabaho at walang pinagkaka-abalahan, kaya nagkakalabitan at nagsusundutan na lang maghapon, magdamag. Sa totoolang, nakakabilib. Kasi kahit sa ilalim ng tulay o sa kariton lang, nakakabuo pa rin ng bata! Ibig sabihin, maabilidad ang mga Pinoy. Kung gugustuhin, gagawan ng paraan. Kahit sa makipot, mabaho at maduming lugar. SOLVE!

Isa pang mga grupo ng tao na nakakainis, yung mga aktibista, NPA at kung ano-ano pang ideological political groups. Sabi nila, mahal na mahal nila ang Pilipinas kaya pinaglalaban nila ang kanilang mgaadhikain.

P*ny*t*! Eh hindi rin kayo nagbabayad ng tax! Ang kakapal rin ng mga mukha nyo! Mga ipokrito! Mahal daw ang Pilipinas ayaw naman magbayad ng buwis! Bakit may BIR collector ba sa gitna ng mendiola at Edsa?! May tax collection ba sa bundok?! Wala din naman kayong mga trabaho! Kung may trabaho talaga kayo, hindi kayo mag-ra-rally dahil sayang ang sweldo nyo pag absent kayo! Paano nyo maipapakita ang pagmamahal nyo sa Pilipinas kung wala na kayong gawang matino kundi mag-rally at mamundok?!

Isa pa yang mga mayayaman at mga artista na nangdadaya at hindi nagbabayad ng buwis. Ang kakapal ng mukha nyo! Ang dami nyo na ngang pera nangdadaya pa kayo sa tax!!! Hindi nyo naman madadala sa impyerno yang mga kayaman nyo. Masusunog lang dun yan. Kaya lalong bumabagsak ang negosyo dito sa pilipinas, kasi mga negosyante mandaraya. Pati showbiz industry, bagsak na din. Karma ang tawag dyan. Mga balasubas kasi.

Sana magkaron ng political and national cleansing. Alisin (masmaganda kung patayin na lang) ang lahat ng pulitiko at political families sa puwesto. Tibagin ang lahat ng mapanirang organizations at grupo. Itapon sa malayong isla o kaya i-pwersa ng hard labor ang mga sobrang tamad na mga Pilipino. Ihiwalay ang mga bata sa kanilang mga tamad at tangang magulang upang makapag-aral sila at maturuan na maging mabuting tao at mamamayan.

Hangga't hindi nagkakaron ng radical change, patuloy na walang kwenta ang Pilipinas at patuloy na magiging tanga ang majority ng mga Pilipino. Sa dami ng nag-mi-migrate na Pilipino sa ibang bansa, darating ang panahon na minority na lang ng population sa Pilipinas ang may utak. Yung mga magagaling na Pilipino, malamang maubos na. Sobra na kasi silang na-fru-frustrate at na-de-depress sa mga nakikitanila.

Ilang taon pa at aalis na rin ako sa Pilipinas. Wala kong balak na magkaron ng pamilya sa isang bansa na hindi pinapahalagahan ang kontribusyon ng mga taong tunay na bumubuhay dito. Kawawa naman ang magiging anak ko kung dito sya mabubuhay.

Sa totoo lang, broken hearted ako. Minahal ko din ang bansang ito. Pilit kong pinagtatanggol kahit bulok. Nakarating na ako ng ibang bansa, pero pinili kong bumalik. Pero ngayon, ayoko na. Suko na ko. Sayang lang ako sa bansang to. Simple lang naman ang hiling ko. Gusto ko lang mabuhay ng tahimik at maayos. Gusto ko na kahit paano eh maipagmalaki ang Pilipinas. Pero wala eh. Doomed to be jologs ang bansang to.

Alam ko marami pa ang umaasa at naniniwala sa pagbabago. Good luck and God bless! Sana tama kayo at mali ako.

The Effects of a Devalued Peso

Saturday, July 02, 2005

[This is my reply to the message posted by Ogie Reyes on the Cebu Politics Yahoogroup. He is the moderator of the group and his reply to my article, "What truth?", was:

To immediately put your fears to rest, Larri, you are not going to lose your job on account of Mon's anti-GMA stance; neither will your American employer close shop and leave RP. For the past three EDSAs and several attempted coups, Cebu has always been far from the "maddening" crowd and practically free of destruction. If your company is an export company it will enjoy the new low peso-dollar rate. Timex Phils, where my brod-in-law was once its president, would celebrate each time the peso went down.]

Pardon me for saying this, but this is a narrow, if not crude way, of analyzing the effects of a devalued peso.

Allow me first to discuss three major disadvantages that far outweigh the benefits you just cited, before I prove that your theory that a fluctuating peso will spawn foreign investments is, at best, fallacious.

FIRST: A fluctuating peso encourages speculation on the dollar, which forces the Central Bank to compensate by (1) buying more dollars off the market to keep it stable, or (2) raising interest rates to make it more expensive for speculators to borrow money to fund their speculation.

Option 1 cannot be sustained for a long period because it increases the money supply; and, if you're an economist, you should know this will cause the inflation rate to shoot up.

Option 2 is bad for local business, as this makes it expensive to borrow money to fund operations. Now, you wonder why Alan Greenspan is such a powerful figure in the world today. He controls the interest rate of the U.S., the world's largest economy. If interest rates remain high, "local factories" -- as opposed to those at MEPZ -- will close one by one.

SECOND: A devalued peso makes our foreign debt expensive to service and it consequently erodes the value of our foreign reserves. As of March, our foreign reserve stood at about US$17 billion. A peso or two drop in the forex will translate to a staggering erosion of this reserve.

As our debt become more expensive to service, we move closer to a default. The alarm sounded by the so-called U.P. 11 about a looming Argentina-like financial crisis is even more true today than last year. Allow the peso to breach the US$60 level and this country will disintegrate faster than you can say "yehey!"

Please think of this, sir, before you and your brod-in-law celebrate the next drop of the peso.

Meanwhile, continued uncertainty will trigger a downgrade in our credit rating. Each downgrade translates to PHP20 billion in additional interest payments for us. Just last month, Ecuador and Bolivia suffered a downgrade due to the growing political uncertainty in both countries. Let me direct you to this newsletter for your further enlightenment: http://bankrupt.com/periodicals/sdr.html

THIRD: A devalued peso makes imported inputs of production expensive. One such input is oil. As you know, sir, we source our oil abroad and we pay in dollars, not peso. Higher oil prices mean higher production cost that manufacturers pass on to consumers in the form of price increases. Sooner or later, drivers will demand a fare hike that, if unheeded, will result to transport strikes.

A persistent increase in the level of consumer prices is called inflation. And any economist will tell you inflation is a bad thing. It not only erodes the purchasing power of ordinary workingmen like me, it triggers an increase in interest rates.

Now, this is where I disprove your fallacious theory. You claim that a devalued peso attracts foreign investors because local labor becomes cheap. Theoretically true, but in reality FALSE.

Two reasons:

(1) As the inflation rate rises -- or as transport fares and consumer prices go up -- ordinary workingmen like me will demand a wage hike. Don't be naive, sir, the PHP200 daily wage will not stay that way for long. Workers will demand higher wages the moment prices of basic commodities become too expensive.

Now, you tell me how our labor force will still remain cheap!

(2) Investors don't look at the price of a country's labor force alone. Obviously, you are not a foreign investor and "based on my reading" you are neither a businessman. Because if you are, you have a questionable business acumen.

Foreign investors, especially those looking to relocate manufacturing operations abroad, also look at political stability. Why? Putting up a car-making facility, for instance, requires millions of dollars in capital investments. Businessmen need to be assured that tomorrow or a week from now no coup d'etat will lead to the closure of airports/piers that will delay the delivery of their goods to customers abroad. Foreign investors would rather set up shop in Vietnam where the labor force is not only cheap, the socio-political climate is stable.

Now you wonder why only call centers are sprouting in the Philippines and not manufacturing operations. The answer is simple: putting up a call center is not capital-intensive. You only need computers and Internet/phone connections to be in business.

But call centers only employ a small portion of our labor force -- only those who can speak English fluently. This country needs investment in manufacturing industries to solve its chronically high unemployment rate. We need factories for car-assembly, for instance, to (1) encourage transfer of technology, (2) employ a greater portion of our labor force and (3) fuel the rise of related and downstream industries.

I hope this clears up your head.