Category: Politics

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rePost::Rich Germans want higher taxes | FP Passport

Hey friends what’s your over and under for this??
How many Rich people from the Philippines do you think would sign a petition such as this?

Rich Germans ask for higher taxes
Fri, 10/23/2009 – 4:12pm
They’re the kind of citizens any cash-starved government would want: a group of wealthy Germans have launched a petition this week calling for higher taxes on wealthy Germans. The group claims that Germany could raise €100 billion if the richest people paid a five percent wealth tax for two years.
Germany is not known as a low-tax country–tax revenues were 37% of GDP in 2007, in line with other EU countries, and above countries like South Korea (29%) and the United States (28%). The petitioners claim, though, that those who “made a fortune through inheritance, hard work, hard-working, successful entrepreneurship, or investment” should put their money into an economy that, while better off than some other EU counterparts, is still facing rising unemployment through next year.
via Rich Germans want higher taxes | FP Passport.

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rePost::Charter Cities: Rules and Culture: Corruption in Hong Kong

Fighting corruption is not hopeless guys, although can’t see how we can implement something like this in the Philippines. I think we need something like No Term Limits for Ombudsman.  How does one find good people ? This is a recurring problem that I fear is really unsolvable, in the sense that we need to first foster a or encourage a culture of honesty and trust and the way I see it if people in government are corrupted in a way that may be called systematic, people from below, need to take honesty from the ground up. For now the top down corruption is winning but I am hopeful that eventually the bottom up idealist will eventually succeed!

The government’s initial attempt to fight corruption relied on a combination of an anti-corruption branch within the police force and a reduction in the prosecution’s burden of proof. For instance, the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (1971) made it an offense to be in control of property unexplained by past income. However, since the police themselves were corrupt, relying on the police to investigate corruption proved futile.
After initial failures, in 1974 the governor general moved anti-corruption responsibilities to a new elite ministry: the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The ministry was independent, directly responsible to the governor, well paid, and recruited from the civilian population. The public, confident in the new ministry’s independence, became much more cooperative in reporting instances of corruption.
via Charter Cities: Rules and Culture: Corruption in Hong Kong.

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Obama's Nobel Musings

a thought occurred to me. One of the hallmarks of the Bush 2 administration is the total lack or disregard for it’s allies and neighbors.
I’d like to think of Obama’s Nobel as a way for the nobel committee to give and anti nobel to the other George Bush!

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rePost::Aquino, Roxas get pop star welcome in Negros – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Noynoy needs to differentiate himself , his volunteers, his friends and followers otherwise, this is just another popularity contest. He must not only try to rise above Philippine Electoral Politics but he needs to take us along, he must be the tide upon all our boats rise! People go with the tide , Leaders are the Tide!

Aquino, Roxas get pop star welcome in Negros
By Carla Gomez
Inquirer Visayas
First Posted 17:47:00 10/08/2009
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who have announced their candidacies for president and vice president under the Liberal Party in next year’s elections, got a pop star welcome from a sea of yellow crowds in three cities in Negros Occidental on Thursday.
People shouting “Noy-Mar Na!” surged forward to touch the two, get their autographs and have their pictures taken as the duo went on stage in Talisay, Bacolod and Bago cities.
Aquino said the crowds were overflowing because people want to see change in government.
“If we continue with this momentum, we will make change a reality,” Aquino said.
Butch Abad, campaign manager of the two, said it was not very hard to campaign for Aquino and Roxas because of the spontaneous outpouring of support from the people.
“This is a normal reception for them everywhere they go because they have made it very clear that this is a people’s campaign,” Abad said.
via Aquino, Roxas get pop star welcome in Negros – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.

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Villar: Choose president based on competence, managerial ability – Nation – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News

FUCK  YOU Villar, If manegerial ability is what is really needed then I would rather have someone like Bayani or Binay for president. Mr Villar where was your volunteer operations, were you able to mobilize “UNPAID” people to help you? Yes maybe you are a good manager but what we need is a real leader. The verdict is still out on who is the best leader among you presidential wannabees but You must also understand that a leader is only as good as the (UNPAID/UNCOMPENSATED) people who choose to follow him, and in that department you are sorely lacking!

Villar: Choose president based on competence, managerial ability
AMITA O. LEGASPI, GMANews.TV
10/02/2009 | 03:52 PM
In an obvious snipe at his prospective rivals, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. on Friday urged Filipinos to choose their next president based not just on popularity but on competence and managerial ability.
Speaking at the national convention of public attorneys at the Manila Hotel, he said having good intentions alone is not enough qualification to lead a country that has plenty of problems to deal with.
“Karanasan sa pamamahala, hindi lang malinis na intensyon ang kailangan natin (Experience in governance, not just good intentions, is what this nation needs)” he said.
via Villar: Choose president based on competence, managerial ability – Nation – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

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rePost:: Malaya – The National Newspaper ::

Saang universe ba nabubuhay itong mga ito! Tangina!

LWUA bash called ‘insensitive’
BY JP LOPEZ
THE Local Water Utilities Administration, a government-controlled corporation, held a “lavish” feast for its 36th anniversary Wednesday night, a virtual slap on the face of half a million Filipinos victimized by storm “Ondoy” who are scrounging for relief goods.
President Arroyo arrived at 9 p.m.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said that while most celebrations have been cancelled to donate to victims of Ondoy, the move of LWUA to proceed with its anniversary is the “height of insensitivity.”
“Kawalanghiyaan na ito,” Cayetano said
A source said LWUA ordered 500 reservations for cocktails and 250 reservations for a seven-course dinner buffet from Henry’s Catering Service.
A check with menu showed the catering cost about P200,000 (at P510++, P530++ to P610++ per head).
The celebration, complete with a live band, was held at the LWUA main office on Katipunan avenue, Balara, Quezon City, which was one of the worst hit by Ondoy floods.
The menu consisted of baked mussels with olive oil and garlic as appetizer, “sinigang” soup, and roast pig.
via :: Malaya – The National Newspaper ::.

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rePost::Kahneman on Happiness

In one recent study examining money’s effect on happiness, Kahneman, and others, have found that people with a relatively high income, although more satisfied with their lives, are barely happier at any given moment than those with a significantly lower income. The age-old myth that money buys happiness needs to be refined, as does the competing myth that wealth does not matter.What he’s found in comparative studies of nations is that both the level of corruption and the degree of trust in society are important predictors of well-being. “Corruption is a measure of trust in society, and trust, it turns out, should be essential to well-being.”
Countries where the level of trust in society is very low have a lot of difficulty thriving economically—so you need a certain level of trust to get moving.
“But even when you look at the Western world where GDP is more or less constant, you find large effects of trust, and that’s why Northern Europe always emerges as the best place to be in the world in terms of well-being research.”
Can this be applied in developing countries? “If there is a way of encouraging increasing trust in society—and that should probably start with trust in institutions—that is going to make a contribution to GDP through the rule of law, respect for property, and so on. It will have an extra contribution to human welfare because happier societies are ones where people trust each other and spend a fair amount of time catering to social needs.”
via Finance & Development, September 2009 – Questioning a Chastened Priesthood.

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rePost::Makeover for brother: Kris wants a more fashionable Noynoy – Nation – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News

We would definitely have a funnier campaign because of Kris,
Just imagine the unintentional comedy potential of all of this.
Hehe, must say feeling strangely giddy!
On another note Kris is simply a born publicist!

Makeover for brother: Kris wants a more fashionable Noynoy
09/09/2009 | 01:02 AM
From a baby sister to a stage mom? Television host and actress Kris Aquino–Yap wants a makeover for her brother, Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III, who is being urged to run for president in next year’s elections.
Noynoy’s youngest sister says that since she is the most fashion-oriented among the siblings, she has decided to take charge of improving her brother’s image from head to toe.
Lahat ng shirts niya kasi, ako nagpatahi. Lahat noong black. Kasi pangit ‘yung fit, kaya pinasukatan ko siya ng maayos. (All his black shirts, I had them made for him. His shirts before did not fit him well, so I made him fit better ones),” says Kris in an interview aired Tuesday night over GMA Network’s 24 Oras, adding that she had asked fashion designers Paul Cabral and JC Buendia to take care of Noynoy’s formal wear.
via Makeover for brother: Kris wants a more fashionable Noynoy – Nation – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

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Catch-22 Philippine Presidential Politics edition

malabo ito masyadong maraming skin in the game na si manny villar, nasa point of no return na siya, although pag pinili niyang hindi tumakbo, naku parang proof na rin iyon na isa siya sa dapat na tumakbo, I like the way this sounds so catch22

Estrada to drop presidential bid if…

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:46:00 09/01/2009
Filed Under: Elections, Politics, Inquirer Politics, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—Ousted president Joseph Estrada, who is eyeing another go at the presidency, on Tuesday said he would only cancel his planned run if the entire opposition unites behind Liberal Party’s Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Estrada said this in the wake Senator Mar Roxas’ announcement of backing out from the presidential race in 2010 throwing his support behind the Aquino should the latter decide to run for the highest post in the land.

Estrada, in a phone interview, said Aquino, son of the late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino and martyred senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., is a qualified candidate, being the son of a hero and a former president.

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rePost:Would really like to know other people's thoughts on this!:GMANews.TV – Botika ng Barangay not in poorest places – Special Reports – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News – BETA

As stated by the article I’m paraphrasing this, The politicians from those poorest of the poor provinces need to get off their asses and aggressively initiate a botika ng bayan (drugstore) in thier baranggays. Think that the problem is two fold, It would be helpful to see the feasibility studies of the BNB, I’m particularly interested in how they arrived at the 15,000population. Maybe the private sector or individuals can come up with the 25000 peso seed money and directly pay the DOH for the medicine for the poorest baranggays that cannot even meet the minimum requirements or have very lazy local public officials.
Wow two public health policy posts in a day woot woot!

Botika ng Barangay not in poorest places
JAN MARCEL RAGAZA and ALLIAGE MORALES, VERA Files
04/14/2009 | 04:49 PM
Email this | Email the Editor | Print | ShareThis
First of two parts
If a minimum wage earner were to be stricken with diarrhea, relief can come cheap from the Department of Health’s Botika ng Barangay BnB outlets, where a 2-milligram capsule of generic loperamide would cost only P1.05.
The BnB price is vastly lower than what loperamide costs in commercial drugstores—P4.10 for generic and P14 for branded.
Launched by President Gloria Arroyo in 2001, the BnB program is the answer to poor Filipinos’ need for cheap medicine. But here’s the catch: There is not a single BnB outlet in some of the country’s poorest provinces and towns where they are needed most.
As of January 2009, there were 12,341botikas, a long way from the 427 in 2003. But the program covers only half of the country’s 42,000 barangays and suffers from poor implementation and conflicting priorities from top to bottom. As a result, the BnB program has wasted scarce resources while denying health care services to the poorest areas it was meant to serve.
One example is the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao which, aside from having the least number of hospitals and barangay health centers, has the smallest number of BnB outlets, numbering 78 as of last January. All the BnB outlets in ARMM are in Maguindanao, leaving the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Lanao del Sur and Tawi-tawi without any BnB drugstore.
via GMANews.TV – Botika ng Barangay not in poorest places – Special Reports – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News – BETA.

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