Bakit iniiwasan ang Maynila?

Ipinadala sa atin ang sumusunod sa pamamagitan ng Internet mula sa panunulat ng isang mag-asawang Fil-Am na mali mit sumakay sa mga cruise ships (at atin g isinalin sa wikang Pilipino):

“Kaming mag-asawa ay mali mit na sumasakay sa cruise ships bilang turista. At malimit ay mga Pinoy ang crew sa mga cruise ships na ito, na amin namang nakakausap. Kamakailan ay kumuha kami ng isang 12-araw na packag e sa Mediterraneo (Italya, Grecia, Slovenia, Albania, malamang kasali ang Turkey).

Tinanong ko sa mga waiter na Pinoy kung bakit tila hindi dumadaong sa Maynila ang mga cruise vessels na nagtutungo sa ibang mga lungsod sa Asya (tulad ng Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tsina, Hapon).

“Bakit wala sa itinerary niyo ang Maynila?” tanong ko.

“Ang sagot sa akin: Noong una ho may cruises kami na humihinto sa Manila, pero masyadong matakaw ang mga taga-Customs sa atin, kaya ang management ho ay nagdesis yon na i-skip na ang Manila. Kapag dumaong ang barko sa pantalan, at umakyat na ang mga Customs inspectors, kasama pa ang pamilya nila para kumain ng libre sa barko. Tapos bago magbigay ng clearance para maka-depart ang barko, maraming hinihinging sigarilyo at mga alak.

“Sa Manila lang ho namin nai-experience ang ganito. Kaya nga ho nahihiya kaming mga Pinoy dito sa barko. Sa ibang mga Puerto sa Asya, wala namang nanghihingi.

“Karamihan sa mga bagong cruise ships ay lumululan ng dalawa hanggang tatlong libong pasahero.

Isipin mo naman ang nawawalang tourism revenues sa Pilipinas dahil sa ayaw dumaong sa Maynila ng mga cruise vessels na ito. Pero paano mapapatino ang mga taga-Customs kung ang mga taga-Malacañang, Kongreso, gobernador, alkalde (maging mga huwes) ay mas malaki pa kung mangurakot?”

Totoo po ang iniliham na ito sa atin, at sa iba pa sa Internet. Minabuti ko pong itampok ito sa ating pitak dahil nga sa ang turismo ay isa sa mga dapat ay “sunrise” industries ng maganda nating mga kapuluan. Ngunit ang turismo ay hindi aasenso maski ilan pang advertisements ang ating itanghal sa CNN o BBC, at maski na ano pang mga promosyon ang ating isagawa sa ibang mga bansa upang hikayatin ang tour operators na ibenta ang Pilipinas sa kani-kanilang mga bansa, habang hindi natin isinasaayos ang dalawang mahalagang bagay: ang katahimikan at seguridad (peace and order), at ang pangingikil at pang-aabuso ng mga kababayan natin na imbes ipakita ang mainit na pag-welcome sa turista, ay kinikikilan at sinasamantala sila, maging ang mga carrier (tulad ng cruise ships) ng mga opisyal ng ating pamahalaan.

Sa ilan pang mga linggo ay malalaman ng sambayanan kung sino ang mga opisyal na ihihirang ng bagong pamahalaang Aquino. Sana naman ay seryosohin na ng mga ito ang malinis at mabuting pamamahala ng mga kawanihang ipagkakatiwala sa kanila.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

ABANTE para sa Miyerkules, ika-26 ng Mayo, 2010

Pagbabalanse

Isa sa pinakakritikal na ginagawa halos araw-araw ng isang pangulo ay ang pagbabalanse ng mga nag-uumpugang interes. Interes halimbawa ng negosyo laban sa mga hinaing ng mga manggagawa. Interes na pangsandalian laban sa interes na pangmatagalan. Interes ng mga pulitiko, lalo na sa Kongreso, laban sa pangkalahatang interes at sa pangmatagalang bisyon ng Pangulo. At napakarami pang iba. Tungkulin ng Pangulo na siguruhing patas ang laban. Siguruhing matiwasay ang barko ng estado sa mga sumasalpok na iba’t ibang alon ng suliranin at balakid.

Sa pagdedesisyong ito ng isang Pangulo nagi ging mahalaga ang kalidad ng impormasyong napapaabot sa kanya. Ay dito rin nagiging mahalaga ang kalidad at abilidad ng mga taong pumapaligid sa kanya -- ang kanyang mga gabinete at mga tagapagpayo. Hindi maaaring pipitsugin ang mga taong ito, ‘pagkat ang nakasalalay sa pagbuo ng desisyon ng Pa ngulo ay ang kasalukuyan at kinabukasan ng sambayanan.

Hindi mapagkakaila na ang susuunging mga suliranin ng bagong halal na Pangulo natin ay mabibigat.

At lalong hindi mapagkakaila na kapos at kapos siya sa pondo, dala ng napakalaking deficit at pagkakautang na mamanahin sa kasalukuyang Pangulo. At hindi rin madaling agarang buwagin ang mga nagsama-samang buwaya ng korapsyon na matinding balakid sa pagpapalakad ng mabuting pamamahala. Handa ang mga buwaya na iyan na lumaban nang husto, sapagkat kapangyarihan nila ang siyang mahahamon ng tunay na mga reporma.

Kaya nararapat lamang na huwag nating masyadong i-pressure ang sunod na Pangulo, na tila baga ay kaya niyang magmilagro. Bigyan natin siya ng sapat na panahon upang magawan nang hustong prayoridad ang mga suliranin, at tamang panahon para labanan ang mga balakid na kokontra sa mabuting pamamahala at pamamalakad ng pamahalaan.

Dapat din ay tulungan siya ng iba’t ibang mga sektor upang makahanap ng mga taong tutulong sa kanya sa pag-ugit ng pamahalaan. Ang mga nababasa natin sa mga text messages at nariri nig na ispekulasyon sa binubuong gabinete ay hindi nakatutuwa. Marami ay “re-treads”, o kung baga sa gulong, ay gamit na, gasgas na, at tinagpian lamang. Mayroon namang ang serbisyo nu’ng datihang mga administrasyon ay hindi naman sadyang kahanga-hanga. Kaya’t dapat ay huwag magkait ang pribadong sektor ng kanilang tulong. Isangguni sa bagong Pangulo ang alam nilang karapat-dapat, mga talu-batang negos yante o ekonomista, mga mahuhusay na akademiko, mga propesyunal na dapat lang na tanggapin ang hamon na tumulong sa isang sinserong Pangulo. Higit sa lahat, mga taong may taglay na “common sense” dala ng karunungang napanday sa karanasan, na tutulungan ang bagong halal ukol sa wastong pagprayoridad ng mga suliranin, hindi paurong-sulong, hindi lubhang “mainit ang kilikili”, wika nga. Cool under pressure. Sa wikang Ingles, na magbibigay naman sa bagong Pangulo ng “grace under pressure”.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

ABANTE para sa Martes, ika-25 ng Mayo, 2010

Paghilom ng mga sugat pulitika

Marami-rami rin akong nakausap na mga pulitiko sa aking pag-uwi rito sa Butuan, pati na rin mga miyembro ng media.

Damang-dama mo na sadyang sawa na ang taumbayan sa lisyang sistema na pinag-ugatan ng sobrang korapsyon sa nagdaang mga dekada. Tila may hangganan ang pasensiya ng tao. Tinatanggap ang kaunting korapsyon, basta’t may kapalit na benepisyo sa kanilang buhay, sa pamamagitan ng mga serbisyo publiko at kaunting kaunlaran.

Kaya nga ba’t may mga nagwagi, at patuloy na nagwawagi sa larangan ng pulitika, na hindi mo naman masabing sinlinis ng bulak. Ngunit hinahayaan na ng taumbayan ang mga paratang sa kanila, basta’t may kapalit silang natatamasa, at may pagbabago sa kanilang buhay, sa kanilang kapaligiran. Su balit, gaya nga ng wika ng yumaong si FPJ, “kapag puno na ang salop, kinakalos”. Napupuno rin ang taumbayan sa sobrang korapsyon. May listahan sila sa kanilang isipan, at sa araw ng pagtutuos, sa araw ng halalan kung saan pantay-pantay ang karapatang bumoto ng bawat Pilipino, mayaman man o mahirap, ay saka nila kinakalos ang dapat ay kalusin.

Dangan nga lamang at pati paghalal ay napepeke, sa pamamagitan ng mga Garci, o nabibili, sa pamamagitan ng mga katulad ni Bolante, kaya’t lubhang nasasalaula ang pagpili ng liderato. Ang kasalanang iyan ay siyang lalong nagpadiin kay Ginang GMA, na sa ayaw niya at gusto, ay nahusgahan ng matindi ng buong Pilipinas, liban na lamang sa lalawigan niya ng Pampanga, para sa sarili lamang. Ngunit maging sa lalawigan niya ay hindi niya maipanalo si Gilbert Teodoro na opisyal niyang kandidato, o sinumang tulad ni Villar, na mas nais niyang maluklok sa panguluhan kaysa kay Noynoy. Pagkat ang anak nina Ninoy at Cory, na taga-karatig lalawigan ng Tarlac, ang siyang nagwagi sa Pampanga. At salamat sa automation, hindi nakagawa ng kawalanghiyaan ang mga Garci at mga mandaraya. Hindi sila nakamaniobra ng tulad dati.

Mainit ang mga pagtutunggali sa bawat halalan, lalo na kung gitgitan ang laban. Dito sa Butuan, 9,000 boto lamang ang pagitan sa dala wang magkatunggali, sa 120,000 nakaboto. Sa karatig-lalawigan ng Surigao, na lalong mainit ang laban ng mga Barbers at mga Matugas, nasa 2,000 boto lamang ang inilamang ng kumare kong si Sol Sering Matugas laban sa incumbent governor na si Ace Barbers. Talo rin ang kapatid ni Ace na lumaban sa bayaw ni Sol sa pagka-alkalde ng Surigao City. At mu ling nagwagi ang kumpare kong si Francisco Matugas bilang kinatawan, maging ang kaalyado nilang si Rep. Romarate na tinalo ang kandidato ng mga Barbers. May mga banta pa ngayon sa buhay ng mga nagwagi, na maaring hindi naman sadyang nais ng mga natalo, kundi ng mga mainit nilang tagasuporta na ngayon ay mawawalan ng trabaho at pagkakataong kumita ng malaki. Andyan din ang mga kontratang mawawala, mga gawaing ilegal na hindi na kakayanin dahil hindi kakutsaba ang liderato. Iyan ang mga maaaring mag-isip ng masama.

Kaya nga sa pagtatapos ng halalan, kapag naiproklama na ang mga nagwagi, ay dapat umpisahan na ang paghilom ng mga su gat pulitika. Dapat ay tanggapin ng maalwan sa puso ang hatol ng sambayanan. Hayaan na ang kasaysayan at ang susunod na mga halalan na siyang magbitiw ng matagalang hatol sa ginawa o hindi nagawa ng mga pulitiko. Iyan ang nararapat.

Subalit sa paghilom ng sugat pulitika, hindi kaakibat diyan ang hayagang pagpapatawad sa mga pagkakasala, kriminal o administratibo, dala ng korapsyon at iba pang kasalanan sa bayan. Kaya nag-ugat ang korapsyon ay dahil todo pasa ang mga namumuno, maging ang sambayanan. Kapag tapos na ang halalan, kalimutan na. Kaya nga’t nag-ugat ang “culture of impunity”, o walang pag-usig sa pagkakasala, walang kaparusahan ang pagkakasala sa bayan.

Hindi nararapat na maging mapaghiganti, ngunit kailangang may pagtutuos ang lipunan sa pagkakasala. Kailangang maparusahan ang mga nagkasala, lalo na at lubha, o garapal ang korapsyon.

Maging sa ating paniniwala at pananampalataya, doktrina ang kapatawaran, ngunit may kaakibat na katarungan, may kasamang pagbabayad-utang.

Ito ang “moral dilemma” na hinaharap ng bagong halal na pa ngulo na si Noynoy Aquino, na itinanghal ng sambayanan dahil sa pagiging malinis, dahil sa pangako ng tunay at makabuluhang pagbabago.

Totoong hindi siya dapat, at sa pananaw natin ay hindi magi ging mapaghiganti. Subalit hindi niya maaaring talikuran ang katotohanang kung walang katarungan, kung walang pagtutuos sa pagkakasala sa bayan, ay hindi mababago ang kultura ng korapsyon. Kaya basta’t naaayon sa proseso ng batas sa ilalim ng demokrasya, dapat ay ipatuloy niya ang pagkakalos ng salop na puno.

Hindi maaaring hayaan na lamang na umapaw ng umapaw ang kasalanan sa bayan.

Sa paghilom ng sugat pulitika, hindi naman maaaring band-aid na lamang ang itapal, at hayaang magnaknak ang bulok na nasa dugo at laman ng mga nagkasala.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

ABANTE para sa Martes, ika-19 ng Mayo, 2010

Pagbabago

Narito ako ngayon sa lungsod ng Butuan upang magbakasyon ng saglit matapos ang kampanyahan at makasaysayang eleksyon. Nagkataon pa man din na araw ng halalan ay kaarawan ng aking inay, kaya’t pinagpaliban ang family reunion nitong nagdaang linggo.

Dito sa Butuan, ang pulitika ay napakatradisyunal at ang pamamahala ay napakapiyudal. Bilihan ng boto ay umugat na noon pang dekada si­senta, magpasahanggang ngayon. Pami-pamilya ang naglalabanan, lahat may malaking salapi na noong araw ay mula sa pagtutroso, at ngayon ay bunga ng mga kontrata sa gobyerno na dala ng panalo sa halalan at patuloy na kapangyarihang nakamit sa pamimili ng boto.

Sa kasaysayan ng lungsod ng Butuan, may apat na dekada nang nag­hahari ang pamilya Plaza.

Panahon ni Marcos, ang nakababatang kapatid ni Democrito, o taguring “D.O.” na si Figurado ang siyang alkalde. Ang kuya niyang si D.O. na malaking magtutroso ang siya namang gobernador ng lalawigan ng Agusan, na hinati sa dalawa, ang Norte at Sur.

Magaling namang mayor si Figurado, o Lado; hindi abusado at maayos magpatakbo, at hindi magnanakaw. Hinalinhan siya noong matapos ang martial law ng OIC, na hindi naman nanalo laban sa salapi ni D.O. noong nagkaroon na ng halalan matapos ang bagong Saligang Batas. Ang nagwagi ay anak ni D.O. na si Boy Daku, kuya ni Ompong Plaza na tumakbong senador kamakailan sa tiket ni Erap.

Mula nang mahawakan na ni Boy Daku ang pagiging alkalde ng Butuan, siya at asawa niyang si Daisy ay nag­halinhinan na sa pwesto. Sinumang piliin nila sa pagka-congressman ay siya ring nagwawagi.

Ngayong 2010, nag-expire na ang ikalawang tatlong termino ni Boy Daku, kaya’t asawa niyang si Daisy ang siya na naman sanang hahalili. Pero tinapatan sila ni Dr. Ferdinand “Jun” Amante, isang orthopedic surgeon na bagama’t galing sa angkan ng mga Amante na may dinastiya rin sa lalawigan ng Agusan del Norte, ay ngayon lang napasabak sa malakihang pulitika.

Dala ni Jun Amante at kanyang bise na si Lawrence Fortun, batang-batang abogado na anak ng yumao kong kaibigang si Camilo Fortun ng PDP-Laban, ang tiket nina Noynoy at Mar, kaya’t dala rin nila ang mensahe ng tunay na pagbabago. At bagama’t incumbent at napakaraming salapi ng mga Plaza, nagwagi ang dalawa bilang mga tanghal na bagong liderato ng Butuan. Sa halos 150,000 na botanteng nakarehistro sa highly urbanized city ng Butuan, halos 120,000 ang nakaboto. Siyam na libo naman ang inilamang ni Jun Amante kay Daisy Plaza. Sawa na ang taong-bayan sa matagal na paninilbihan ng mga Plaza.

Sa mahabang panahon ay nakita kasi nila kung paanong naungusan na sa kaunlaran ang dati-rati ay mayamang lungsod nila ng Surigao, Dipolog, Pagadian, maging ang lungsod ng Valencia sa Bukidnon.

At milya-milya nang napag-iwanan ng karatig na Cagayan de Oro. Hirap sa industriya at trabaho, at matumal ang kalakal.

Hudyat ng pagbabago ang bagong lide­rato, na sana naman ay hindi biguin ang mga taga-Butuan.

Harinawa ay magtagumpay sila Jun Amante at Lawrence Fortun. Hindi nila ka­sangga ang congressman, na loyalista at dikit na dikit kay GMA. Maging ang tiyo ni Amante na si Edelmiro, kasama ng mga anak na sina Rep. Angelica at Gob. Erlpe, ay mga tradisyunal at piyudal. Sana ay maging makabago at tapat ang bagong liderato ng aking adopted hometown ng Butuan.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

ABANTE para sa Martes, ika-18 ng Mayo, 2010

The morning after

I WAS unable to submit my Tuesday article as I monitored some voting centers in Manila, trying to get a first-hand observation of how the polls went.

I was quite satisfied with the way the Smartmatic machines worked.

I was dismayed at the lack of personnel and proper systems in the clustered precincts, where the process of finding the voter’s name in the voters’ list took quite a time, with the long lines of anxious voters getting longer by the minute, and well past hours and hours.

I wondered at whether there was any time-and-motion study made by the Comelec and the DECS, and in my particular precinct, I personally suggested ways by which the process of identifying voters and the ritual thumbmark printing and indelible ink application could be speeded up.

I salute the teachers who comprised the Board of Election Inspectors, for their heroic dedication to the traditional work they additionally get each time the elections come. On Monday, they overdid that dedication, missing lunch, patiently holding even their visits to the restroom, just to be able to serve the needs of long lines of anxious voters queuing for their turn.

But over and above the machines which thankfully worked despite all our fears and apprehensions, over and above the dedication and good work of the teachers, we witnessed the atypical patience of the Filipino voter, motivated indubitably by the desire to participate actively in the beginnings of genuine and meaningful change. They braved the wilting heat, the muggy humidity, the pangs of hunger, frayed nerves, and patiently lined up for their chance to exercise their sovereign right of leadership choice in a democracy. Few were those who went home to forego their democratic to vote, which explains why the turn-out exceeded 75 percent nationwide. I had feared, seeing the long lines as early as seven in the morning, that less than 50 percent would be able to vote. But the process became faster as BEI members improvised, and the public cooperated.

Once more, Mabuhay ang Pilipino!

***

When the polls closed and the PPCRV began giving out the tallies of their precinct-sourced election results, it was clear that Benigno S. Aquino III was the overwhelming repository of the people’s trust.

As I had recounted in previous columns, I predicted a 42 % win for Noynoy, followed by 24 % for Estrada, and 18 % for Villar as early as the second week of April. While the numbers may differ a few points up or down, it would seem that I had predicted rightly.

What became rather surreal was the surge of Jojo Binay and the decline of Mar’s numbers, both in quick fashion, during the last two weeks of the campaign. Even then, I kept telling everybody that Mar would still win, albeit by a margin of 5 % or so. Jojo Binay and Chiz Escudero, his "miracle worker", proved me utterly wrong.

Tell you what --- in the early stages of the campaign, this writer Chiz, who had already announced his support for a Noy-Jojo mixed ticket sometime in February, were in one of our regular beer and pulutan sessions at his favorite Taste of LA in his beloved Kyusi. He told me Jojo would win over Loren, which I disputed. At the time, Jojo was doing 9 or 10 % in the surveys; Loren was in the 30’s, and Mar was 46 % or so.

"Pustahan?" Chiz asked. I wagered that Loren would beat his Jojo. But both of us agreed Mar would make it still. By April, it was clear to me that Jojo would overtake Loren, as it was clear that Erap would overtake Villar. Buti na lang Chiz has forgotten to collect on my losing bet.

It will take more than an article and several interviews to chronicle Jojo’s amazing climb, both in the surveys and in the actual numbers on Election Day. While the 800,000 figure has firmed up, I would await the final results. As of the time I am writing this article, the numbers may yet change, as some 10 % of the total vote has yet to be reported (that’s about 3.5 million), but it’s pretty safe to extrapolate, based on the trend set by regional tallies, that Jojo should yet be ahead by a little less than a 500,000 vote margin, at worst. I just hope that like the Chicago Tribune editors the morning after Truman defeated Dewey, I will not have to eat crow later.

***

After a night of applauding the figures instantly reported in the night of May 10, and the wee hours of May 11, reality sank in the morning after. Late on Tuesday morning, my campaign assistants, myself, and a relative of the winning presidential candidate were having coffee in the patio of our "secret" campaign headquarters, an old mansion in Quezon City lent by a Noynoy friend for use as "war room", lawyer’s quarters, and Noy media bureau center all rolled into one.

"Now comes the hard work for Noynoy", the relative said. "Last night, we were in Tarlac, and we noticed not only how Noy had lost so much weight, but how he was trying to get his mind out of the task ahead by playing with his nephews," the relative, who drafted me into Noy’s campaign, was recounting.

"But in moments of self-reflection, we could see how Noy has been trying to analyze the problems that lie ahead, and how daunting these are," he observed.

Hours after, Noy appeared before the media at Max’s in Tarlac City, and had his first interview since he cast his vote Monday. He was as humble as ever, as when he said it was premature to claim victory until the last vote has been ascertained.

I recall what he said in an after-voting interview, when asked why he chose to wait it out for four and a half hours in the precinct, when both BEI and the voters themselves were graciously offering that he and his sisters vote ahead of the long queue. "One who aspires to lead should also learn how to be a good follower", he said in Tagalog, adding that one should join the people in their suffering.

The right words from the right leader for these difficult times. For as long as Noynoy remains the humble and sincere person that he was brought up to be by Ninoy and Cory, his North Star will not wane.

***

Let me also use this article to applaud Manny Villar’s gracious message of concession the morning after. It was a long and difficult campaign, harsh words were spoken and hard accusations were thrown by handlers of both sides. Manny Villar’s sportsmanship the morning after was like a refreshing shower of rain in the heat of campaign passion. It was a class act.

***

I shall take a voluntary leave from my writing chores after this article. I will take a brief vacation, recharge my physical batteries, soak in some sun in the family’s small hamlet by the sea, and momentarily take my mind off the issues that concern the nation of which I write in this space.

***

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

LITO BANAYO
MALAYA Column for Tuesday, 13 May 2010

Mabuhay ka, Pilipino

Habang sinusulat ko ito, dakong alas-otso ng umaga ng Martes, Mayo 11, malinaw na ang resulta ng halalan para sa panguluhan ng Pilipinas. Lumalamang si Noynoy Aquino ng halos 5 milyong boto sa pumapangalawang si dating Pa­ngulong Joseph Estrada. Nasa-75% na ng boto ang nabibilang ng mga PCOS machines, at masasabing may malinaw na “trend” na sa panguluhan.

Bagama’t hindi natitinag ang lamang ni Jojo Binay na humigit kumulang sa 800,000 boto kontra sa pumapangalawang si Mar Roxas, hindi pa siguro maaaring masabi na malinaw ang trend. Ang natitirang boto sa Kabisayaan na halos 25% pa ay kailangan pang pumasok, kung saan inaasahang huhugot ng boto si Roxas. Ngunit ganoon din ang Mindanao, kung saan lumalamang naman si Binay. Sa araw na inyo itong mabasa, Miyerkules, malamang sa hindi ay pasok na ang boto ng mga naturang rehiyon at ang balance pa ng Luzon at Kalakhang Maynila. At doon masasabing tapos nang talaga ang halalan.

Ang mga pangamba natin ukol sa Smartmatic PCOS machines ay hindi nagkatotoo. Naging mapagpuna tayo, ngunit iya­n ay dahil sadyang maraming mga isyu ukol sa sistema at ang posibilidad ng malawakang pandaraya. Subalit maayos ang naging halalan, pati ang kahanga-hangang bilis ng pagpapadala ng resulta mula sa mga 76,000 PCOS sa iba’t ibang lugar sa kapuluan. Binabawi natin ang mga pangambang iyan na naisulat sa pitak na ito, at sa Smartmatic --- congratulations.

Subalit isang sektor ang kahanga-hanga ang nagawa sa halalang nairaos. Ito, tulad ng palagi, ay ang mga gurong Pilipino. Bagama’t salat sa paghahanda, kapos sa gamit, walang tulog at wala halos panahon para kumain at magtungo sa palikuran, buong dedikasyon nilang ginampanan ang kanilang tungkulin. Ito ay saludo sa gurong Pilipino, ngunit hindi sa mga amo nila sa DECS, na tulad ng dati, ay natulog sa pansitan. Gaya ng sinulat natin kahapon, dapat sana’y dinagdagan ang mga guro sa clustered precincts, sapagkat sentido kumon namang magkakaproblema kung tatlong tao lang ang mag-aasikaso sa 1,000 botante, samantalang sa lumang sistema ay tatlo rin ang nag-aasikaso sa 200 botante. At kakulangan din ito ng pag-iisip sa parte ng Comelec, na bagama’t inasikaso ang mabilis na pagbilang, ay nakaligtaan ang simpleng time-and-motion studies patungkol sa pagdagsa ng botante, at kaukulang pila nito.

Ngunit ang talagang nagpakita ng kahanga-hangang pasensiya at masidhing kagustuhan sa pagbabago ay ang mamamayang Pilipino. Maaga pa ay dumulog sila sa mga eskwelahan kung saan idaraos ang pagboto. Tiniis nila ang haba ng pila, ang init, ang siksikan, upang maipakita lamang ang kanilang soberanyong kapangyarihan. Tunay na sa araw lang ng halalan nagkakapantay-pantay ang lakas ng mamamayan. Boto ng mahirap ay iisa, at boto ng mayaman at makapangyarihan ay iisa rin.

At dahil sa nahirapang mandaya ang mga mandaraya, ang pagkakapantay-pantay na ito ay nanaig.

Kaya’t sa ating lahat, sa buong sambayanan --- Mabuhay Ka, Pilipino!

At sa bagong tanghal na pangulo na si Benigno Simeon Aquino --- isang tagumpay ng bayan ang nangyari, gaya ng nangyari noong 1986 sa ina mong si Cory. Malakas talaga si Cory at si Ninoy sa langit, kaya’t ang maaaring masamang mangyari noong araw ng halalan ay hindi nangyari, at muling ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon ang tamang landas sa tunay na pagbabago.

Hindi ka rin nag-iisa, Noynoy, at nawa’y hindi mo biguin ang sambayanang Pilipino, na gaya ng iyong sinabi, ay “aping-api --- dala ng korapsyon at kahirapan”.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

ABANTE para sa Miyerkules, ika-12 ng Mayo, 2010

Benigno Simeon Aquino III

(This is my last article in this space prior to the elections of May 10, 2010.)

(I am not sure if I would have either time or inclination to submit one on May 10, after I had come from the voting precinct, Based on founded fears, it is possible that I may have to line up for hours just to cast my vote and feed the ballot into an uncertain fate, placing blind trust in the PCOS machines that some smart guys of Venezuelan origins and their local patrons assure us will count our vote accurately and faithfully. Oldtimers in the Comelec tell me that at best, only half of the 1,000 voters in clustered precincts will be able to cast their vote before the close of the polls. Which means by the time I get back home, I may either be too tired, too angry, too emotionally distressed to be able to put down my thoughts on the keyboard of my faithful laptop.)

By all statistically scientific indications, a bandwagon has formed around the person of Benigno Simeon Aquino III, whom destiny has fated to become the 15th President of the Philippines.

In 1986, I supported his mother Corazon and her vice-president, Doy Laurel. I was an active part of that campaign, beginning my political odyssey in the lobby of a Washington DC hotel, thence Boston, then back home. When Ninoy came home only to meet his fatal appointment with martyrdom, I was at the NAIA to welcome him with streamers and banners proclaiming, for the UNIDO I helped organize, “Ninoy, Hindi Ka Nag-iisa”. In the aftermath of the people power revolt that catapulted Noynoy’s mom to the presidency, I was appointed Postmaster-General of the Bureau of Posts, to preside over a humongous bureaucracy of close to twenty thousand men and women.

In 1992, I did not support Cory’s choice for president, Fidel Valdez Ramos. I did not trust a military man to become president, so soon after the bitter memories of martial law. I was spokesman of the Mitra-Fernan campaign, which eventually lost out to a Ramos-Estrada win. It was too close to call, and in the end, FVR squeaked through a slim majority which Miriam Defensor Santiago, to this very day, disputes.

In 1998, Erap Estrada went to my adopted hometown of Butuan City, lunched in my place, and forthwith drafted me into his campaign. He won overwhelmingly, in part because FVR chose a candidate unable and unwilling to depart from the quintessential trapo mold. FVR won because Mitra and Danding were viewed by the voters as very traditional politicians, but when he became president with a slim majority, he bedded with trapos of all stripes in a rainbow coalition to push through his legislative agenda. It would seem, by his choice of Jose de Venecia, that FVR had embraced traditional politics, eaten up by a system of entrenched political patronage. Estrada thus won, overwhelmingly by comparison to the poor showing of Joe de V, yet still short of an electoral majority. He got more than 39% of the total vote in a field of seven candidates.
In 2001, for so many reasons too long to detail in this article, (and which I hope I would be able to put together in a book, or many books I have so long wanted to finally write down), Estrada fell from power. I was in the seat of political power then, in Malacanang as Erap’s adviser for political affairs, concurrent with being Philippine Toruism Authority CEO.

What was instant hope for good government in the hearts and minds of those who helped Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ascend to power, turned sour days after she entered the gates of the stinking palace beside the stinking river. By the end of 2002, so badly damaged by accusations of corruption and divisiveness, she swore in front of Gat Jose Rizal’s monument that she would not seek election in 2004. I never took her word for it, and I was proven right in October of 2003, when she declared she would run. By then she had ensured the conscription of Ronnie Puno and his operators, and further, the services of that salamanquero of the Commission on Electoral Cheating, Virgilio Garcillano. Nothing, absolutely nothing, would deny her another six more years in Malacanang.

I chose Ping Lacson in 2004, in part because of a fear that the inexperienced FPJ might be putty in the hands of the same cabal of whisperers who hounded Erap’s court, and foreboding that the king of Philippine movies would, like his buddy Erap, be unable to transcend the attitudes and habits built around a lifetime in show business. I had unfairly judged the late cinema icon, because subsequent to his death, close friends who chose to support him convinced me that he would have been quite different from the Erap I observed at close range in Malacanang. But I do not at all regret supporting Lacson, in whose disciplined mind and uncompromising reform agenda I conjured visions of a Filipino Lee Kuan Yew.

Last year, in June of 2009, Lacson threw in the towel on yet pre-campaign positioning for the presidency of 2010, unable to even hope to match by ratio of 1 to 10 the huge campaign treasure chest of a Manny Villar, who had by then re-defined the contest in terms of money and money and more money. I was convinced by Chiz Escudero after a series of brainstorming sessions to hop into his political wagon, amazed at the store of knowledge, the street-smart sense of the public sentiment, the idealism of youth, and communication abilities second only to the late Ninoy Aquino.

But it was uphill, again because Villar had defined the political contest in terms of an obscene amount of required spending. Meanwhile, providential game-changer entered the scene. Cory Aquino, the icon of our democratic space, died after a lingering illness. And the public outpouring of grief overwhelmed everyone, and touched every heart except those of the malevolent and the greedy. I wept like most everyone who appreciated the enormity of what this frail and reluctant leader had achieved for the nation in her lifetime.

In much the same way that the death of Ninoy ushered in a public cri de coeur for Cory to run in the snap elections, his mother’s death in turn revived images of the heroic struggles of 1983-1986, turning into a public clamor for Noynoy to run.

In time, young Chiz, barely 40 (the age limit for those who would be president), decided to bide his time, bowing to political and logistical realities, and in part because he hated to stand against bosom friend Noynoy. It was clear to both Chiz and me at the end of November that we would end up supporting Noy. It was only a matter of time, unwilling to volunteer services in what seemed to be a full house of able assistants. But as fate would have it, I could not resist the call to service, impelled in great part by the need to prevent another Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, her re-incarnation or assign or look-alike in terms of amorality, from abusing the nation any further, and in part by the sincerity I saw in the son of Ninoy and Cory.

I had written against genes being determinant of leadership choice. I have always questioned the theory of the “leader class”, and dislike dynasties based on some kind of hereditary right, rather than merit. But it is not Noynoy’s genes that matter. It is his upbringing that I admire --- the ability to discern between what is intrinsically wrong and immoral, and what is indubitably right. And in the short period from February 15 when I officially got on board along with the return of Serge Osmena, when the chips seemed to be falling down on what was heady start, I got further glimpses into the quintessential Benigno Simeon Aquino III. Two weeks earlier, Chiz Escudero’s media staff had been volunteered into Noy’s campaign. I brought with me some of Ping Lacson and Escudero’s trusted people.

A personal dilemma was whether to continue writing this column. In the past, I would always disengage from writing whenever I would actively work in a national campaign. This time, I chose to violate my own rule of propriety. I apologize to my readers for that, but I thought that somehow, my essays would contribute to the effort to stop those who should be stopped, for the sake of the nation and my children and grandchildren’s future. Those who have faithfully read my articles in this paper and our sister publication Abante would appreciate whereof I aver.

I shall no longer enumerate why I am for Noynoy. These have been evident in the thread of several articles. Let me just state that in these desperately parlous times, TRUST ought to be the most important determinant of leadership choice.

Would you trust Manny Villar with your future, and that of your family’s? Would you trust someone who has duped the Bangko Sentral, duped the Senate, duped the DPWH, duped the Unified Housing Loan Program and the housing agencies of the Republic, manipulated the BIR and several unnamed judges and the land registration authorities, and abused the powers and prerogatives of an elect of the people, for another six long years at the helm?

Would you give former President Joseph Estrada another turn at the bat, after sterling promises turned into dross realization of the human failings of his leadership? Would you entrust the nation’s fate once more to him?

Who would be in the best position to undertake reforms in a system so corrupted by a decade of perpetual abuse? A decade of institutions rendered ineffective by corruption most gross and most pervasive? Sure, the cleansing will take time, given the checks and balances of democracy, given further the not-too-easily dismantled transactionalism between the executive and legislative, and the rooted flaws of our present judiciary. But we must begin.

And only Benigno Simeon Aquino III can lead that new beginning.

But let me add a postscript. The evils that hold sway will not go away too easily. Already, the automated election system had been discombobulated, and our worst fears suddenly become true.

Nonetheless, we have to march into May 10 and beyond with utmost resolve. It is like 1986, when we put our blind trust in Divine Providence.

Which is why I call on all those yet undecided, torn between Noynoy’s relative inexperience versus the lack of character of those who oppose him. Decide on the side of the right. Shed your indecision and go with the bandwagon for the beginnings of meaningful change. Likewise do I call on those who would support men and a woman with good intentions but unable to capture the public imagination, with no more wind behind their forlorn sails. Join too the bandwagon for change, not as a surrender to political reality, but more to add your vehemence against the system into a solid block of immovable obstacle against the enemies of change.

Let us give the clamor for change a clear and convincing majority vote. Let us impress upon the whole world that as a people, come May 10, we elect to change a system so perverted by corruption and ineffectiveness. And thus strike fear upon the hearts even of those so hardened by the spoils of corruption.

Remember --- we owe it to ourselves, our children, our collective future.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

LITO BANAYO
MALAYA Column for Friday, 07 May 2010

Discombobulated

Just as everyone was preparing to cast his vote less than a week away, the automated system that would govern the sanctity of sovereign choice gets discombobulated. What was billed by its sponsors, principally the discredited Comelec and the pollyanish PPCRV as a foolproof, Garci-proof “high-tech” system has suddenly seemed like Humpty-Dumpty.

Tested with actual ballots and actual candidate names printed on front and back, the Smartmatic PCOS machines failed quite miserably. In Batangas, in Mindoro, and even in the country’s most affluent Makati, the PCOS read the front of the official ballot well enough, but failed to read the back where the local candidates were listed, accurately. Contrary for instance to both surveys and plain sense, Jun-jun Binay got zero, Ernesto Mercado got 2, and Erwin Genuino harvested an unbelievable 76 votes in pre-testing. In Mindoro, Josephine Sato had zero versus Villarosa of Pa-La-Ka. Even the immensely popular Vilma Santos registered a cipher in the machine-printed tally.

By Tuesday, Comelec could only mumble lame excuses, and PPCRV, heretofore as gung-ho as the deaf being led by the blind towards uncertain fate, could only admit its composure was shattered. Smartmatic executives were profuse with apologies, assuring everyone and his uncle that they could yet “fix” the incompatibility of quickly-printed ballots with the 76 thousand memory cards imbedded on their counting machines. And with so little time left.

People had made up their minds, the religious blocs have battened down the hatches on their “command” vote, national candidates have been winding down their campaigns, and then this sudden discombobulation. Was Humpty Dumpty all broken to pieces, or is it just a crack that Elmer’s can glue together?

Meanwhile, the little lady in the stinking palace beside the stinking river is as eerily quiet as ever. Nary a beep, nary a squawk. Only Gary Olivar, her American spokesperson, is cackling. Is she up to something? With her candidates, official and secret, unravelled in naked glory and naked gore, is this her way of throwing a monkey wrench on the predictable win of those she most despise? Is this pre-programmed? Or is it sheer incompetence?

The political storm has begun. It has yet to hit land, but gale force is predictable. Will the ship of state founder?

* * *

Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) of which I am a part, has been warning about this automated system from the beginning. As early as last year, I rean a series of articles on what I called “a disaster waiting to happen”. Comelec never listened. Neither did PPCRV. Commissioner Rene Sarmiento wrote me a letter saying that he appreciated my concern and that he would take these up with the commission en banc.

Yesterday, CCM, through my good friend Harry Roque, whose heart is always in the right place, and whose mind is as sharp as his tongue could cut. Issued a statement on the disaster that has come:

“This has been a problematic contract to begin with – how can anyone be surprised that the machines are not performing correctly given the haste by which the contract was crafted, the speed by which the contract price was paid, and the haphazard way the AES is being implemented?

“When we questioned this contract before the Supreme Court, we indicated that we were not against the automation of elections per se; we were against this particular contract because it was disadvantageous to the Philippines.

“The malfunctioning of the machines would not be happening if Smartmatic and Total Information Management (TIM) complied with the mandatory testing of all PCOS machines as soon as they are delivered to the COMELEC and on time. Smartmatic-TIM and COMELEC used the delay in the delivery of the PCOS machine as justification to waive the mandatory testing and effectively short circuit the processes provided by the law.

“Based on the ‘creatively’ crafted contract between Smartmatic-TIM and Comelec, the Philippine government is obliged to pay for the full price of the contract, whether the PCOS machines are used or not, and whether irregularities with the machines and the software are subsequently discovered.”

But worse than the billions poor Juan de la Cruz will be charged with yet once again (after Ben Abalos threw a billion and more in the Mega-Pacific deal of 2004), is the despair and anger a failed electoral exercise will unleash.

It may be a case of democracy, and not just Comelec or Smartmatic, becoming a Humpty Dumpty whose pieces can no longer be put back together.

* * *

Meanwhile, angered Fil-Canadians, speaking through Mike Moreno of the Fil-Can Alliance, warns of the spectre of the AFP Chief of Staff, Del Bangit, installing a “transition” government, whether in the form of a military junta or Dona Gloria yet in the saddle. Moreno warns thus:

“Should this happen and I wish it won't, we will see and witness again a massive peoples power uprising with the assistance of some influencial church leaders and the patriotic men and women in uniform to protect civilians, in complete abandon to the illegal order of few loyalist Generals in the AFP to their Commander-in-Chief and bloody, it will be and far worst than what is in Thailand today.”

Hindi naman siguro, Mike. I happened to chance upon a Strictly Politics interview of General Bangit some last week. For someone in whose person most Filipinos get paranoid with fear and mistrust, General Bangit sounded truly sincere in upholding the laws of the land, particularly the Constitution. He did not seem willing to risk his name over adventurism or vile utilitarianism from the person who appointed him CS. Neither, I trust and I hope, will the professional corps of the military, even the police, let alone the junior officers and enlisted men who have suffered just as much as any other Juan de la Cruz, from the criminal excesses, the abuses, and the ineffectiveness of this regime that is in its last dying gasps of putrid air.

* * *

Yet in the Bank of Banks, apart from fatal silence on how a preceding leadership allowed it to be the vaca lechera of a failed bank belonging to the family of a “failed” presidential candidate, dark forces have succeeded in getting their Dona Gloria to sign approval of the New Generation Currency, set for release before the end of this year. Agreement of Malacanang was needed to trigger a “public bidding”, as “privately” being stitched together, as it is rushed. As if there is a compulsion to begin demonetizing the present banknotes, unmindful of the fact that there will be, or should be, a new president and a new regime come noon of June 30.

Earlier, as part of a massive outsourcing process began six or seven years ago, the Bangko Sentral ordered some 900 million pieces of fresh new paper bills, some 100 million of which arrived recently. But to its consternation, the first batch of the 900 million bills imported from a German printer had a serious flaw, likely because the Bank specified a new kind of printer’s ink. When the freshly minted notes arrived, they were of a paler hue than the usual 100-peso banknotes bearing the likeness of Pres. Manuel A. Roxas.

Worried that (1) the public, through naked eye, might spot the paler hue, and mistake the same for counterfeit notes; and (2) that there needs to be an ample supply of lower-denomination peso bills (it used to be that 20 and 50 peso denominations were used for vote-buying, now of course, the local candidates need tons and tons of hundred-peso denominations) for the elections, the Bangko Sentral has been going overtime on its 34-year old printing machines at the East Avenue Mint, printing the new 100-peso bills to replace yet another botched delivery from its outsourced printers (“Arrovo” all over yet again?). They even assigned a lady Monetary Board member whose family is in the printing business, among many others, to oversee the rush, round-the-clock printing, like a taskmistress of sorts.

For a fiduciary of the people’s monetary system, one wonders if it is only sheer lack of foresight that has got the Bank from replacing equipment depreciated several times over, and preferred imports of currency in its stead. The deputy governor, Diwa Gunigundo, has written that outsourcing is necessary because of demand outstripping supply capability. Fine. But why seven years, Mr. Diwa, sir?

Now it wants to rehabilitate its print and mint plant, allocating 5.7 billion pesos for the purpose. The Bank reasons that upgrades and rehabilitation are needed before buying new printing machines, reputedly the most modern, with capability to print banknotes almost fool-proof from counterfeiting. Why so? That seems to defy all logic.

It would cost them some 2.6 billion to buy new printing machines, ready for installation by end-year at the latest, by mid-year if they had proceeded with their indefinitely postponed bidding. Now they would spend some 5.7 billion just to rehabilitate and upgrade three decade old machines? And meanwhile, continue importing printed paper currency which costs them some 20 million euro (about 1.2 billion) each year?

Did these guys at the Bangko Sentral forget their lessons in incremental costs and logical reasoning? Or is the smell of freshly-printed euros too overpowering? Last two minutes, ala-IBC 13 and other sorts of privatization deals, not to mention Norbert Gonzales’ buying spree of defense materiel?

A new government under Noynoy Aquino will have to look into this, as it has to discover what made an earlier Bank leadership to grant 4.5 billion pesos in loans to a failed bank and accepted payment in kind of worthless, even dubious titles. “Independence” of the monetary authority does not mean exemption from transparency and public accountability.

So many more details, so many new leads, so much documentary trail, but so little time. The elections, real or faked, failed or un-proclaimed, demand full attention at this point.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

LITO BANAYO
MALAYA Column for Thursday, 06 May 2010

Bakit si Noynoy?

Ito ang huling pitak ko para sa pahayagang Abante bago mag-halalan sa parating na Lunes, ika-sampu ng Mayo. Sa mga pitak ko nitong nakaraang mga buwan, malinaw na kontra ako na maging pangulo si Manny Villar. Ito’y hindi dahil sa anumang personal na dahilan, gaya ng sinusumbat ng iba, tulad ng: (1) hindi raw kasi ako kinuha ni Villar; (2) dala ko lang raw ang alitan ni Ping Lacson na aking kaibigan kay Manny Villar at mga kasamahan nitong tulad ni Alan Cayetano.

Sa totoo lang, inalok ako noon pang 2008 ng kaibigan kong si Rep. Ronny Zamora ng San Juan na sumama na at tumulong kay Villar, sa pagnanais nitong maging pangulo ng Pilipinas. Tumanggi ako, una, dahil tumatakbo pa noon sa pagka-pangulo si Lacson; at pangalawa, dahil hindi ako kailanman “bumilib” kay Villar. Maging noong siya’y Speaker, at lalo na nung minadali niyang ipa-impeach si Pangulong Estrada. Kapag ipinagtahi-tahi ko ang aking mga nalalaman noong ako’y Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs ni Erap, hanggang sa naging consultant ni Lacson, at bilang manunulat at taga-masid ng mga pangyayari sa ating bansa, sadyang wala akong nakitang ano mang galing o katangi-tanging ugali itong si Villar, liban na lang sa simpatiya na diumano’y nanggaling siya sa hirap, at umasenso dala ng “sipag at tiyaga”. Nang mapag-alaman ko batay sa malinaw na mga ebidensya na inabuso niya ang kapangyarihan upang lalong magpayaman, na malimit kong isulat sa pitak na ito, lalong namuo sa aking isipan at damdamin na hindi dapat maging pangulo si Villar.

Bakit ako hindi sumusuporta kay Erap ngayon, samantalang masugid akong sumuporta sa kanya noong 1998, at naging miyembro ng kanyang gabinete bilang Political Adviser at General Manager ng Philippine Tourism Authority? Hindi ko siya iniwan noong nasadlak siya sa krisis ng impeachment, at maging noong siya ay nakulong sa Veterans at sa Tanay. Nguni’t nung siya ay nabigyan ng pardon ni GMA, sa aking pananaw ay nasuklian ko na bilang kaibigang tumatanaw ng utang na loob ang kanyang kabutihan. Ngayong pipili na naman tayo ng isang lider upang palitan ang pinakamasamang pangulo sa ating kasaysayan, na nang-wasak ng mga institusyon na ngayon ay kailangang lubusang i-reporma, sa aking pananaw ay hindi si Pangulong Erap ang dapat na mamuno at magpalakad ng bansang nais ang tunay na pagbabago.

Naniniwala ako, noon maging hanggang ngayon, na kung sana’y tumuloy si Ping Lacson o si Chiz Escudero, maari silang mamuno ng isang pamahalaang sadyang iri-reporma ang ating bulok na sistema. Subalit ang pamumuno ng isang bansa bilang pangulo ay itinatadhana ng langit. May dahilan ang Panginoon para sa lahat ng nangyayari, at sa kanyang takdang panahon.

Nang namatay si Pangulong Cory Aquino, na nag-nombra sa akin bilang Postmaster-General noong 1986, biglang nagbago ang takbo ng pulitika ng ating paparating na halalan. Kasasama ko lang noon kay Senador Chiz Escudero sa kanyang campaign team. Ano pa nga ba at dahil sa malawakang simpatiya kay Tita Cory, nabago ang kandidato ng Liberal, at nagparaya si Mar Roxas para sa bugtong na anak ni Tita Cory at kaibigan kong si Ninoy, na si Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

Noong nakita ni Chiz na tila hindi nakatakda ang kanyang panahon sa ngayon, at siya’y umatras sa labanan ngayong 2010, malinaw sa aming dalawa na ang aming nasa puso at damdamin ay walang iba kundi si Noynoy. Nguni’t hindi kami agarang nagprisintang tumulong, dahil tila sapat naman ang kanyang mga kasamang tumutulong, at mataas ang kanyang mga survey ratings. Kaya’t noong umangat si Manny Villar, dala ng napakaraming magagastos na advertisement sa media, saka kami sumali sa pag-suporta kay Noynoy.

At ang nakita kong Noynoy ay isang taong tapat ang nais na magsilbi sa bayan. Hindi mapagmalaki, hindi mayabang. Kung minsan ay naiinis at napipikon sa mga batikos na walang basehan, pero sino ba naman ang hindi? Subali’t malinaw ang direksyon ng isipan; alam ang dapat gawin. Higit sa lahat, mabuti ang pagkatao. Hindi nagnakaw, at hindi magnanakaw. May wastong paninindigan, at kailanman ay hindi gagawa ng ikahihiya niya at ng angkang pinagmulan. Ito’y wala sa dugong nananalaytay sa kanyang mga ugat, kundi dala ng pagkakapagpalaki sa kanya nina Ninoy at Cory. Hinubog siya sa wastong paniniwala, sa wastong asal, at lumaking taglay ang responsibilidad na magsilbi sa iba.

Hindi perpektong tao si Noynoy, at sino ba naman ang ganoon? Nguni’t siya ang napapanahong maging lider ng isang bansang nalugmok sa hirap at napariwara ang pamahalaan. Pagka’t higit sa lahat, ang kailangan ng ating sugatang bayan ay muling magtiwala sa pamunuan. Tiwala ang siyang magiging batayan ng muling pagbalik ng pag-asa sa nalugmok nating Inang Bayan at sa kaawa-awa nating mga kababayan.

Dahil siya ang higit na mapagkakatiwalaan sa siyam na tumatakbo bilang pangulo, hinihikayat ko ang lahat ng mga taga-subaybay ng pahayagang ito na sa darating na Lunes, iboto si Noynoy Aquino. At mula sa Hunyo 30, tulungan natin siyang ma-reporma ang ating pamahalaan, at nang manumbalik ang sigla sa bansang sadlak sa karimlan.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

LITO BANAYO
ABANTE para sa Miyerkules, ika-03 ng Mayo, 2010

The “religious” side of politics

Former president Joseph Estrada went to the Northern highlands, and as is the wont of tribal leaders, was feted through a “canao”. I have been through some of these canao, where they slaughter a pig in full view of everybody. The “mambunong” or tribal high priest digs into the entrails of the butchered pig, then gets the bile. He then looks at its condition. If it was reddish “pink” as in Bayani Fernando’s “in the pink of health”, that was a good omen. If it had dark blotches, that was an omen of ill portent.

Apparently, the mambunong was happy with what he saw, and declared Erap would once more be president of the benighted land. He and Jojo Binay probably drank the native basi to that “endorsement”.

* * *

In the deep South however, Apollo Quiboloy, the “appointed son of God”, as we predicted in this column last week, went not for one or the other of the two main protagonists in this electoral contest. A dear friend of his, we wrote then, asked him to choose even someone who probably would not make it due to dismal survey ratings, rather than choose someone who had assiduously courted his endorsement, but who this close friend deemed “totally unworthy” of the presidency because of questions of integrity and character.

The problem with these endorsements is that if you back the wrong candidate and he loses (as in Numero Dos), your credibility as a political “power” diminishes. For Quiboloy, who supported Gloria in 2004, the choice was between someone who had fawned over him, or someone who paid him mere perfunctory courtesies. But then again, if he chose the one who publicly showed obeisance, what if the guy loses, and miserably at that, as the surveys show?

So he probably took the good friend’s advice, and made a less than harmful endorsement of the “appointed one”, or so he declared last Sunday. Even if the guy loses, as a Quiboloy endorsement cannot stem the tide, it may get Gibo Teodoro a point or few up by election day. The loss of face is less, and it certainly would not look too unfriendly, or defiant of the eventual victor.

* * *

Now this puts Jamby’s “swami” in a bind. Good for her that few in this country knows anything about this Indian guru, quite popular in Kuala Lumpur and adjoining parts, and in Singapore with its huge Hindu-descended population. Jamby hardly does anything of consequence without going through a session with her swami.

In 2002, when she was planning to run once more for a Senate seat she lost in 2001, she consulted a Taoist “master” about her political plans. She was told she would win this time around (2004), but she had to get married first.

True enough, she married a Frenchman in 2003, and then hitched her wagon to the late FPJ’s train, and with the help of a most influential religious sect, got elected senadora de la pais.

This time, the swami told her she would become La Presidenta, after she forgot the feng shui master who predicted her win in 2004, provided she married. With survey ratings so awfully low, the swami must really call on all his deities and all his gods to make Jamby win.

Next oracle, please.

* * *

Now that another religious leader failed to get his dream alliance of “orange” forces through, how will he position his “charismatic” following in this crazy amalgam of politics and religion? Would he follow the lead of Pastor Quiboloy, or would he also go consulting Jamby’s swami? Would he try to ask the mambunong how he reads anything out of pig bile, or would he just stick it out with his realtor-friend, come hell or high water? It’s a dilemma, surely not at all a moral one.

He could of course await the decision of another group, the most politically influential, and hitch his “Tiyak ‘yun!” to whoever they choose. That was what he did in 1998, and then again, in 2004, after Poe and Ping failed to concile, and the hugely influential religious sect had to settle for Gloria. (Despite that decision, which was heart-rending for many in the “kapatiran”, Gloria needed Garci to win by at least “a million”).

In 1998, he was very close to FVR’s anointee, who promised him top price for road right-of-way payments on land that was to be traversed by C-5. But when it became imminent that Erap would win, and had long bagged the most influential sect’s yet un-announced endorsement, this charismatic leader shouted “Tiyak ‘yun!”, and forthwith became the new president’s “spiritual adviser”, dumping his friend with the mostest in promises alone to bite Erap’s dust.

From such lofty perch did he try to get the popular president to give him the same price the losing candidate of FVR promised for his real estate. But a decent cabinet member stood his ground and would not put his John Hancock on a deed so grossly over-valued. Haggling happened to and fro in Malacanang, with the popular president assigning the dubious task to one in the PMS who is now a congressman from Cavite. Finally, in the year 2000, Malacanang and the charismatic leader met half-way, between the overprice the lost but close politician promised, and the fair valuation the upright cabinet member insisted upon. The whole deal cost the Republic 1.8 billion pesos in road right-of-way payments.

The Cavite congressman is now one of the “other” orange candidate’s attack dogs, and his younger brother, aside from running for senator, is the spokesperson of an increasingly doomed campaign. The congressman’s hope of becoming the next Speaker of the lower House, as promised by his patron, seems forlorn, first because Dona Gloria wants it, and is price to pay for Villarroyo deal. But worse, it looks like Villarroyo is not going to make it. But I digress.

For wait! After having gotten what was a “killing” in real estate prices, the charismatic leader and his long-time realtor-friend got the Republic to construct another road nearby, which, thanks to Ping Lacson’s curiosity over doubled budgetary allocations, became the C-5 at Taga episode in the life of orange candidate. The paid-for road right-of-way remains unutilized.

* * *

And where are the bishops of the numerous Church in this amalgam of politics and religion?

Some of them openly endorsed J.C. de los Reyes, who would impose a theocracy upon this benighted land. Despite this open endorsement, JC’s survey numbers have not perked up a bit. Akala ko ba, vox populi, vox Dei?

And now comes that unworthy eminence in his Villa de Mandaloyon, pontificating about the absurdity of “people power” which once made this nation and its people proud. He riles against those who would call for defiance if sovereign choice is trampled upon by cheats and liars and thieves.

This paragon of submissiveness really leaves Catholics with conscience cold. Up to the very end, this cardinal prefers Medy Poblador to righteous indignation.

(banayo_at@yahoo.com)

LITO BANAYO
MALAYA Column for Tuesday, 04 May 2010