Category: PresElecWatch 2010

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rePost::The WYSIWYG president – Paul Krugman Blog – NYTimes.com

Some of my commenters have argued that even with this bill Democrats may well lose seats next year — possibly even more than they would have without it. Definitely on the first point; on the second, I don’t think people realize just how damaging it would be if Obama didn’t get any major reforms passed. But in any case, that misses the point. The reason to pass reform, even inadequate reform, now isn’t to gain seats next year; it is to pass reform, which will do vast good, during the window that’s available. If it doesn’t pass now, it will probably be many nears before the next chance.
But back to Obama: the important thing to bear in mind is that this isn’t about him; and, equally important, it isn’t about you. If you’ve fallen out of love with a politician, well, so what? You should just keep working for the things you believe in.
via The WYSIWYG president – Paul Krugman Blog – NYTimes.com.

Friends this is our generation’s time to be ground troops some maybe even commanders, What I am getting at is that this is the first election that we can be very actively involved in. This is also the first election that we see hope and identify with candidates.  Let us work for what we believe in, if we hate the personality based way that elections in out country is identified with, then let’s be the change by encouraging friendly discourse, by being polite with each other in discussing the candidates we support and in keeping an open mind. Let us let go of the bickering and the “TEAM whatever” thinking that seems to pervade everywhere, It’s been shown that a good way to bind a group together is to create an outsider/enemy, this is just how people are being manipulated by the media handlers of these politicians. I don’t know about you but I hate the thought of someone manipulating me. Let us resist how they are trying to separate us with petty identification with politicians , and let us realize that the fact that we are all trying to get by living and succeeding in this country of ours when so many others have given up and left binds us more than any idolation of a politician.

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rePost::Philippine left backs Villar, Legarda | ABS-CBN News Online Beta

Philippine left backs Villar, Legarda
by Carmela Fonbuena, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 12/14/2009 1:52 PM
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MANILA, Philippines – After months of courtship, presidential candidate Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) succeeded in getting the support of the leftist group Makabayan.
Senatorial aspirants Bayan Muna Satur Ocampo and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza on Monday officially joined the NP senatorial ticket as “guest candidates.”
Ocampo and Maza bring with them the support of the eight party-list groups under Makabayan–Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, Kabataan, Katribu, Migrante, Courage, and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers.
“Matagal pinag-usapan ang pagsasamang ito. Di naging madali sa magkabilang panig dahil alam kong ito ay kauna-unahang pagkakataon. Nagsimula sa maraming pagkakaiba, sa pagwawakas konti lang pala pagkakaiba,” Villar said at a press conference in Quezon City.
“I am extremely happy with this partnership,” he added.
It is the first time that the leftist alliance is officially supporting presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
“Ganun kalaki ang pagtingin namin sa mga kandidatong ito,” said Ocampo’s colleague in Bayan Muna, Rep. Teodoro Casiño.
via Philippine left backs Villar, Legarda | ABS-CBN News Online Beta.

This is probably the first presidential election where the two front runners both give me hope that the Philippines can be a great country within a lifetime. There is only so much angst I can live with.  We can always hope pray and do.

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rePost::Noynoy Aquino – A Leader in His Own Right « Noypipol's Blog

Noynoy would take an active role that would help in the eventual defeat of the coup plotters. For one, he knew the rapacity, anti-democratic and anti-people character of the coup plotters because during a previous coup, in 1987, he was ambushed by the coup plotters along Malacañang. Noynoy was hit by five bullets and three of his four escorts were killed protecting him. A bullet is still embedded in his neck. Moreover, the coup plotters would want to perpetuate themselves to power, declare Martial Law, and plunge again the people into oppression.
At the height of the 1989 coup, Noynoy would call people close to his father, Ninoy, to assemble a group to help crush the ongoing coup. These are the people whom he could trust and would prove crucial in defeating the rebels.
In the early morning of November 30, Noynoy called me and asked me to organize a group to crush the ongoing coup. I immediately called up Ret. Gen. Salvador Mison, Gen. Pete Navarro, Charlie Avila, Wilo Layug, Lingoy Alcuaz, Gerry Esguerra and Steve Psinakis.
The group met at the office of Gen, Jake Carbonell in Pasig. The group under the leadership of Gen, Mison was given authority by the Palace to recapture Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. The order was given to Gen. Carbonell by Gen. Mison to attack Camp Aguinaldo.
The rest is history as Cory Aquino finished her term peacefully and the people elected Fidel Ramos as the next president.
This single action of Noynoy proved to all that he is a man of action. His decisiveness in taking an active role is worth noting when Philippine democracy was imperiled by forces who are loyal only to themselves and not the freedom and democracy that was hard won by the Filipinos through the peaceful EDSA Revolution.
But what was so interesting is that he did not boast of his role in crushing the coup. He simply hid this information and the nation never knew of his participation. This is the kind of leader that should be emulated by the Filipinos, particularly the youth. A leader that does not boast of his achievement. A leader who can lead in the worst crisis in government. This is Noynoy Aquino. A leader, and worthy to be the son of Ninoy and Cory Aquino.
~ Roy Sangil
via Noynoy Aquino – A Leader in His Own Right « Noypipol’s Blog.

I’ve always had this bias towards people who are more into action rather than self-promotion. Its just although I’ve known people who really wowed me in the action and capability department, it always seems that the showpeople type of person has a lot of the boastful can’t do any thing but promote one’s self.
In this department then Noy now at least can be considered and action man. Although in this respect I’ve more respect for Gordon and Villar. They just have that body of work to fall back on.
Who ever you choose to vote for, keep your eyes and ears open, consider the whole person and all the evidence, examine the counterfactuals and for those who believe , pray! We can’t be blamed for the country we inherited but we will surely be blamed for the country we let our children have.

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Senator Aquino launches ‘Vlog’ – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

I fondly remember Obama’s vlog about the state of the campaign, specially for volunteers/supporters.  In “The West Wing” I think it was the last season, The campaign staff was telling Matt Santos the minority democratic presidential candidate that he has to have that “Presidential Voice”.  Matt Santos asked another staffer if she believed he needed to have the Presidential Voice, or at least sound presidential. She ansawered, the man makes the voice. I believe this is where Noynoy Aquino is, trying to find his voice. Hope he finds it in time.

Senator Aquino launches ‘Vlog’
By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:16:00 11/10/2009
Filed Under: Internet, Eleksyon 2010, Elections, Politics
MANILA, Philippines – After joining the popular networking sites “Facebook” and “Friendster,” now comes a video log or “Vlog” for Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to further boost his presidential bid next year.
For the first time also, Aquino answered questions from the media Tuesday through a video satellite from his residence in Times Street in Quezon City.
The video blog, dubbed as “60 seconds with Noy,” will be a series of 18 episodes to be posted in his various websites starting this Tuesday until November 27 or a day before he files his certificate of candidacy.
Aside from his official website, www.noynoy.ph, the senator also maintains an account with Facebook, Friendster, Twitter, YouTube, Multiply, and other sites created by his supporters.
via Senator Aquino launches ‘Vlog’ – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.

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praise for the MMDA/Bayani::Charter Cities: Meta-Rules: The Success of Congestion Pricing in Stockholm

People give the MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority) a lot of flak for their ever changing rules and a lot of useless projects. I prefer to think differently. I see that the way the political system is structured here encourages doing nothing and not really solving anything. Whenever one tries to solve anything a powerful group or sector usually benefits from stopping you and the net effect is nothing is done.  That is what sets Bayani Fernando apart from alot of the politicians who has handled any line department for the government.
What sets him apart?

  • Willingness to experiment: A lot of what bf (Bayani Fernando, bf starting now) does best is that he thinks like the engineer he was educated to be, and the experimentalist sensibilities that he may have naturally been born to. You can see this with the different schemes that he has concocted. From the throwing of dirty cloth to buses who open their doors at areas not designated as loading and unloading areas, to
  • Use of Metrics: When I was still a college student I walked a lot and thus overpasses were my friend. During one of my crossing an overpass I happened upon people with counters happily clicking away with each car passing by quezon ave infront of the INC Central Temple. From sheer coincidence I was able to go at different overpasses  in the metro,  Philcoa, and a few more streets like the intersection of quezon ave and edsa. I was able to observe all these people from morning upto around 8 at night. This happened from monday to wednesday and at wednesday I was so curious that I asked them what they were doing, It seems they were tracking the number of cars passing by. Correct me if I am wrong but BF was probably the first MMDA chairman to do this. Simply put without the proper metrics , success and failure is just a frame of mind.
  • Wise use of resources. The MMDA used convicts to do demolition of informal settlers. This helped in clearing up alot of informal settlers in many areas. (I wish I knew where to get data so we can compare the number of clearing operations at post pre and BF days). Although I do not completely agree with clearing informal settlers en mass.
  • Pro Technology: MMDA was almost able to implement an IT enabled system that allowed traffic violations to be caught on camera and billed directly to the operator/car owner. I also see multiple Bayani Fernando google ads. This shows a surprisingly good grasp , if not at least a non technology averse personality.

This post may have been praising BF/MMDA alot but what I am just pointing out is that assuming almost everyone is tainted by corruption at least MMDA/BF has done more than most of the other PGMA appointees.
The challenges that the future hold are simply baffling. To be shackled or not be open to new ways of doing things, or at least to good ways of doing things is a sure recipe for failure. The people who came before us had many failures, but that does not mean we must fear failure, rather we must learn to learn from everything. Learn from mistakes. Learn from success. Let us embrace experimentation. Only through this can I win my bet the the Philippines would be A-OK in 20 years (3 years has already passed so its actually 17).

Bjorn Harsman and John Quigley describe Stockholm’s adoption of congestion pricing in a recent paper. Before holding a referendum on congestion pricing in 2006, the city conducted a trial. For seven months, drivers paid congestion charges upon entering Stockholm’s center. Officials also increased citywide bus service to demonstrate the benefits of the charge to non-drivers. In pretrial polls, the majority of residents opposed the charge. After the trial ended, 52 percent of residents voted in favor of permanent congestion pricing. Firsthand experience with the benefits of the scheme appears to have tipped the scales.
via Charter Cities: Meta-Rules: The Success of Congestion Pricing in Stockholm.

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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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Presidential Election Watch :: Teodoro stands by pro-RH bill – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

This is A PLUS ONE for Mr. Gibo.

Teodoro stands by pro-RH bill
By Maila Ager
MANILA, Philippines—Defense Secretary Gilberto Toedoro stood pat on his pro-reproductive health bill position, despite fears of losing the support of the church.
“Ay syempre takot ako pero yun ang paniniwala ko anong magagawa ko (Of course I’m afraid but that’s my belief so what can I do)?” Teodoro told reporters when asked about his stand on the bill.
“Takot na takot talaga ko pero ang laban ng simbahan ay dapat sa kaluluwa natin, sa panalangin (I am very afraid but the church’s fight is over our souls, in our prayers) and our spiritual and moral formation. That’s the challenge but not through a law, not through a governmental action,” he said.
Teodoro said he is for freedom of informed choice but against abortion and “enforced belief” that contraception is bad.
The state, he said, should not adopt the view of any particular religion.
“The state should be non-religious, non sectarian. It should give opportunities to all those based on what they personally believe,” he said.
“The advocacy of the Church is important, very important but that is a matter for an individual conscience and own soul, that is not a matter of government enforcement,” he further said.
via Teodoro stands by pro-RH bill – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.

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