Finally, the Genuine Opposition has a blog! I have been longing for a site that would completely entail the informations about the agenda of the Genuine Opposition. The site was made last March 21, 2007. (How I hope I could contribute in the site)

10 Point Program of the Genuine Opposition

GO will strive to create more opportunities for all Filipinos, especially those who have less, to achieve a higher quality of life in a society that is justly, peacefully and honestly governed.

GO adheres to the principles of transparency, accountability and good governance and will endeavor to eliminate lying, cheating and stealing.

GO assures to protect the sanctity of the Constitution by opposing any attempt by the Arroyo regime to amend the Constitution by any mode as recent attempt have exposed the desires of said regime to tamper with the Constitution solely for the purpose of remaining in power.

GO reinforces the Constitutional provisions of checks and balances in government and pledges that the Senate shall continue to be the people’s vanguard against abuses.

GO will sponsor and/or support legislative initiatives that would:

1. Generate more jobs through labor intensive infrastructure projects in the rural areas rather than mega projects which are prone to large scale corruption.

2. Train our youth in higher skilled disciplines through increased budgetary allocations for our educational system at all levels including teacher’s pay, books, classrooms, computers, distance learning and school feeding programs except anomalous rice subsidies.

3. Substantially lower the cost of drugs by as much as 90% by providing incentives for domestic production of drugs, adoption of procurement reforms in the health sector and parallel importation of affordable medicines.

4. Lower the costs of transportation and power through the aggressive development of renewable domestic sources of energy.

5. Reject any new tax such as the proposed tax on text messaging, improve tax administration and exclusively utilize the additional revenues collected from EVAT for priority areas like education, healthcare, agriculture and science and technology.

6. Strengthen the protection of human rights by granting prosecutorial powers to the Commission on Human Rights and upgrading its investigative capabilities and review the government’s counter-insurgency program to de-emphasize the heavily militarist approach and once again address the deeper causes of social conflict – poverty and injustice – through development programs.

7. Contribute to the arrest of global warming and ensure a cleaner and better environment for future generations through programs that would accelerate the use of cleaner fuels, reforestation, lower electricity consumption and waste recycling.

8. Organize additional support programs for OFWs that will provide them with legal assistance abroad in their countries of work, retraining services, entrepreneurial mentoring and welfare and counseling services to the families they leave behind.

9. Reinforce the effectiveness of the press in its role as watchdog against graft and corruption by decriminalizing libel and increasing penalties for harm done to newspersons.

10. Institute other meaningful reforms to make the economy more dynamic, efficient and equitable and make the Filipino workers and enterprises more globally competitive.

Labels: election 2007, genuine opposition, pgma, senators

The time has come for the youth to be represented. Finally, Kabataan Party has come for us to let the House of Representatives hear the sentiments of the youth with regards on the issues of the country.

I am encouraging all the first-time voters and the voting public, as a whole, to let the youth's voice be heard. We want to the youth to help shape their future.

With your vote, you can help stop the abuses of the government that makes the youth's future more close to danger. Vote KABATAAN for partylist this May 2007 elections!

Labels: election 2007, pgma

It's final, Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos is running for Batangas Governor, under the Lakas-CMD, against incumbent Gov. Armand Sanchez, who is running under the KAMPI, and Vilma's brother-in-law Vice Gov. Ricky Recto, who is running under the Genuine Opposition.

She made the announcement in an event together with her husband, Sen. Ralph Recto (also called as Mr. E-VAT) and Sen. Joker Arroyo. The event was also attended by Vice President Noli de Castro and Edwin Ermita, the son of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. Edwin is the one being groomed as Vilma's runningmate in the upcoming elections.

Vilma is on her third and last term as Lipa City Mayor. As what her constituents can say, she has made Lipa City from a barren place into a star-studded city. Star-studded in a sense of development in infrastructure, social services, social welfare and health.

Labels: batangas, election 2007, genuine opposition, kampi, lakas-cmd, pgma

It's very clear that the people are tired of candidates who really don't deserve to have a seat in the Senate. These candidates I am referring to are mostly in the Team Unity (TU). Most of TU's bets are lagging behind the Genuine Opposition's (GO) candidates and even Independents! What's the real score behind it? Well, most of TU's bets are not united at all. They have different views on issues thus the name TEAM UNITY doesn't make it deserving to call for themselves.

In the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey that was conducted last February 24-27, 2007, from 1,200 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, the balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages), the result was in favor of GO bets.

The survey topnotcher was not from GO, not from TU but an Independent (though he's anti-administration): Francis Pangilinan (Liberal Party-Drilon Wing) with 56%.

Trailing behind him are Loren Legarda (Nationalist People's Coalition-GO) with 54% followed by Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party-GO) with 52%, Alan Peter Cayetano (Nacionalista Party-GO), Panfilo Lacson (United Opposition-GO) with 43%, and Francis Escudero (Nationalist People's Party-GO), 37%.

Ralph Recto (Lakas-CMD-TU) got a percentage of 37% while his fellow team mate Vicente Sotto III (Nationalist People's Party-TU) got 31%.

Completing the last 4 seats are John Osmeña (United Opposition-GO) and Benigno Aquino III (Liberal Party-Drilon Wing-GO), 30%; Gregorio Honasan (Independent) gaining 29% and lastly the People's Dragon, Joker Arroyo (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-TU) with 28%.

On the other hand, the government agency Social Security System (SSS) also held their own mock polls where unknowingly, GO bets led the said polls. It was ironic that the agency under the Arroyo administration is favoring its rival's bets that theirs. It just shows the dissatisfaction of government employees to Gloria Arroyo!

The result was 9 GO, 2 Independents and 1 TU. It was casted by 4,800 employees from 118 SSS branch offices participated in the mock polls that started last March 6. Here's the result:

The mock poll topnotcher was Francis "Chiz" Escudero with 3,862 votes; followed by Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III with 3,149 votes and on third place was Alan Peter Cayetano with 3,100 votes.

Landing in fourth, fifth and sixth places were Loren Legarda (2,985), Manuel Villar (2,872) and Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (2,855).

Wrapping up the Magic 12 were Arroyo (2,555), Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan (2,361), Antonio Trillanes (2,147), Sonia Roco (2,011), Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III (1,095) and Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan (1,679).

It's now clear on who's winning the soon-to-be-vacated 12 Senate seats. It will be an opposition-dominated Senate. The TU bets will make it hard to have a 12-0 in favor of them because they're dimwits. They're running for the public office that they want to abolish.

Labels: chiz escudero, election 2007, pgma, senators

The report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions Philip Alston is very "alstonishing"! It has closely matched the government-sponsored Melo Report headed by the former Supreme Court Justice Jose Melo.

Finally, the alleged killings of several leftists and mediamen have been enlightened. Though, it's not a very comprehensive report, it has already gave an account on the military's role in perpetrating these killings.

After he ended his 10-day visit in the Philippines, he made a controversial report that made the faces of those in Malacañang and in the Armed Forces awful. He said to the media that the military was in a denial of these killings.

Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon said that Alston was in denial, though he was not. His report is based on the facts that he gathered from several persons allegedly involved and affected by the extrajudicial killings.

There's a possibility that the military is behind the killings of several leftists and mediamen because somebody ordered it. Whether it's a high-ranking official from the National Executive, Legislative, Judiciary and even in the local governments.

It's no secret anymore. Our country is the 2nd most dangerous place after Iraq. Iraq's reputation of being the most dangerous place is very well justified because of the ongoing war of U.S. President George Bush. But, c'mon. Philippines is not under a state of war! The government insists that we are on war against poverty, criminality, terrorism, etc. and not against our own deserving compatriots.

The Alston report is done. It will be delivered to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Thus, the UN will finally make a stand on whether to scold its non-abiding member or not. But of course, we don't want to be scolded by the UN, neither do I! We should solve these killings immediately so that we would not reach that point.

Mrs. Arroyo is not doing enough. Whether she's involve with these political killings or not, she should do something NOW! If she can't sincerely do it, the people would be curious. Let's see if she's really sincere in solving this crisis in her administration.

Another thing, this issue can also be a good point of argument for the Genuine Opposition (GO). The irresponsibility and insincerity of the Arroyo administration is evident in solving these political killings. It has been a long time that we are hounding this to our leaders and they're are only doing a magnified big (because it's small) action now because the world is watching them.

To the military and Mrs. Arroyo, my message to you: The world is watching on how you solve these political killings, and we are waiting. Abide by the findings of the Alston and Melo Report.

To those who want to read the entire text of the two reports, just visit this PDF link for the Melo Report and this PDF link or HTML link for the Alston Report.

Labels: election 2007, political killings

After the Team Unity of the election-cheater president was proclaimed in the Cebu City Coliseum, the Genuine Opposition (GO) also made their proclamation rally in the historic Plaza Miranda last February 24.

Trillanes has a more convincing excuse for not attending the said event because he was in detention by the Philippine Armed Forces. In his lieu, he sent his representative, in the person of Sonny Rivera.

Meanwhile, Pangilinan, who has declared himself as an independent candidate, refused to attend the proclamation rally because of a certain thing. He doesn't want to be viewed as an Erap supporter.

Pangilinan is an adopted candidate of GO. When he was made known that he was adopted by GO, he said "Thank you!". With that gesture, he was willing to accept the offer. So? Why would he distance himself from the opposition? His track record in the Senate is undeniably among the best. But, if his opposition stance remain in question, he is in risk of replacement (maybe, if he keeps on doing that!) by either Gringo Honasan, Zosimo Paredes or Richard Gomez.

Well, c'mon! This election is not about a proxy fight between Erap and PGMA. It's about choosing candidates who want to abolish the Senate (ironically, TEAM Unity's Senate candidates are running for the office that they want to abolish) and those who want to protect the Senate from the hands of PGMA.

In my 2007 senatorial preferences, I chose mostly from the Genuine Opposition than in Team Unity as what my post entitled "2007 Senatoriables: Who should win" said. The 2 GO senatoriables that I didn't like to win in the election are Nikki Coseteng and John Osmeña.

Nikki Coseteng is a good politician as far as my knowledge is concerned. She is an anti-graft and corruption, women's rights and environmental protection advocate. She also gives importance to arts as her special passion. But, her winnability is at stake in this election. Honestly, she's not too appealing to the people anymore.

Lastly, John Osmeña was used to be a Cebuano pride of the Senate. He has a magic within that made him one of the longest serving senator in the Senate's history. But aftr 2004, his magic fade out. He's too old, and I'll tell you my fellow citizens, he's ironically an anti-Cebuano. Why? He supports the move to break Cebu into 3 provinces namely Cebu del Norte, Cebu del Sur and Cebu Occidental together with the Cebu province proper.

As I am predicting, it would be a 10-2 victory, in favor of the Genuine Opposition. The people are tired of PGMA's lying, election-cheating and corruption.

Labels: election 2007, erap, senators

We've seen their respective senatorial line-ups, and we had heard a few of their platforms. Now, they're scrambling to get the endorsement of their "supremos" namely Joseph "Erap" Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for the Genuine Opposition (GO) and Team Unity, respectively.

The Team Unity recently made their proclamation rally here in Cebu and showed up their strong "kuno" ticket that would surely beat the opposition's.

Huh? Are you joking? Having an endorsement from PGMA would be a kiss of death! Just look at the Philippines under her watch. Increased killings of leftists and of media practitioners, widespread corruption, toleration of election cheating and vote rigging, an many to mention.

Actually, I was one of the supporters of Erap's ouster in January 2001. Though, as the years past, I have seen this person as a symbol of oppression and abuse of the Arroyo regime. I really admire Erap's deed of forgiveness to his mortal enemies in politics.

When I am chosen to have an endorsement between Erap and PGMA, I would rather chose Erap! PGMA's record for the past 6 years has been the worst that any Philippine President. Erap may have served for only a few years because of his immorality. I admit that. But time has changed,and he also has changed. Now, he's the real symbol of the "masa" and PGMA of the "elite".

So, how about you? Given a chance to be endorsed by Erap and PGMA, whose hand would you like to be raised? I've given my side, now it's your turn.

Labels: election 2007, erap, pgma, senators

It's final. Leyte Governor Jericho "Icot" Petilla is out of the Senate Race for the Team Unity of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the reason that her mother, Leyte 1st District Rep. Remedios "Matin" Petilla decided not to run for governor of Leyte and instead wants him to run again for another term. This is a great development for me because today, the Team Unity will be in Cebu to formally proclaim their complete senatorial line-up in the Cebu Coliseum.

But what about his substitute? Don't worry, after a 5-hour talk with President Arroyo in Malacañang, they had finally decided to appoint one. It's Cesar Montano, the long-rumored bet of the Arroyo bloc since last year. It was really a surprise for us that Montano will be the replacement of Petilla. Nobody knew that it would happen. After the Team Unity completed its senatorial slate, there was no more rumors that Montano would be running for the Senate.

C'mon! Miracles do happen on election period.

Petilla insisted that he would still run even if he's not popular to the people. He has the platform of local government empowerment and autonomy just like senatoriables Zambales Gov. Vicente Magsaysay and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Petilla and presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio together with Montano, arrived in the main office of the Commission on Elections in Intramuros, Manila around 7 p.m yesterday to formalize the substitution of candidates.

Montano, whose real name is Cesar Manhilot, is one of the popular actors in the Philippine movie industry. Just to name a few of his blockbuster hits, "Jose Rizal", "Panaghoy sa Suba", "Muro Ami", "Bagong Buwan", "The Great Raid" and others that I hard to remember.

But if he really succeeds, and gets elected to the Senate, I hope he will be a true servant and not only on his campaign. I am really disappointed with his decision, but who are we to stop him from his decision. We are not his mind. It was Arroyo's pups who made him run even though he insisted before that he wouldn't.

Labels: election 2007, senators

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao will be running for Congress, and he's ready for it. But it seems that a lot of people around the country and in his district disagree with his initiative.

This boxing superstar has a lot to offer for the country and yet his joining the confusing world of politics. He's no Superman to others. He may be when he wins against his boxing opponents.

He can unite the people through his fight. But, having this ability doesn't mean that he's ready for the position he's gunning to.

I am not saying that he's really not worthy for the position. Anyone can run for the said public office. It's our right by the way with the compliance of pertinent qualifications. But he has a job to do. Boxing is his passion and not politics. He would just be listening to his "alipores" whose only aim is to function him as a robot.

His promises are non-sense. Giving healthcare, education, etc. to his constituents. Enough of that. I've heard that for several times.

And what if he would be a congressman? Debates in the House of Representatives will like be a Mano-a-Mano Opposition vs. Pacquiao? When someone disagrees with him on issues, he might give a little bit of South Pow and a little bit of Right Hook punch. Automatically, the fight between the erring congressmen and Pacman will be a Technical Knock-out ! Will the Filipino people rejoice with him?

So Manny, my unsolicited advice to you is to stay away from politics. Remember, politics is dirty. It might be the realm of your weakness and it may even destroy your career as a boxer more popular than Jesus.

Labels: election 2007, manny pacquiao

Another person whom I admire in this 2007 elections is Antonio Trillanes IV, the leader of the group who staged the Oakwood Mutiny last July 27, 2003. It's his crusade and principles whom I really admire. But most people view him as a son of a crap kid who's only job is to create paranoia in the ailing country of Philippines.

Labels: election 2007, senators, trillanes