2007 has drawn to a close. Everybody’s talking about year-ender specials… most of the time, last year’s newsmakers. Every year, magazines publish their own version of who’s the man/person of the year, athlete of the year and so on… I thought of making my own after visiting my favorite gaming website ign.com and it’s the “Winners and Losers of 2007!” Let’s start with Philippine politics.
Loser: Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
He started the year as a loser being detained for a failed mutiny in Oakwood and then come election time turned into a winner having won a seat in the senate with 10,999,999 votes, unfortunately… plus… mine. In a surprising twist before the year ends, he reverted to being the pitiful loser that he is by staging another fart sounding siege at the Manila Peninsula.
So why did I vote for the mutinous soldier? Take note… I am doing this not in defense of my action. I voted for the guy because I am… like what he’s trying to project, an idealist. After the failed Oakwood Mutiny that he led, a research paper he wrote circulated the Internet. After reading most of it, I kind of pictured that he is a man that is against corruption and is only after the welfare of all Filipinos specifically that welfare of his brothers in arms. In his paper, he discussed how high ranking officials in the military get away with ghost shipments of supplies, stealing of fuel later exchanged for cash and others. He even analyzed tactical failures of the military in capturing the Abu Sayyaf bandits when they have them cornered at one of the Mindanao islands suspecting the higher ranks are in cahoots with the terrorist group.
“With great powers comes great responsibility.” He should have watched Spiderman while in detention by the military. He’s a senator now and rebellious acts should no longer be in his repertoire. He should have studied more carefully the country’s last 20 years’ history. You will never topple a government on your own. Not even Enrile, Ramos and Honasan combined can do what the people did way back in ’86 although they usually claim they were the architects of “People Power.”
Come next elections, I believe the Filipino people have or should have learned their lesson, no more freaks coming from the Philippine Military Academy. And to think a friend of mine failed to enter the said institution because he’s “flat footed.”
In the end, he’s just a tamed down defective clone of another senator… Gringo Honasan. But unlike Mr. Honasan, he surrenders at the sight of tear gas and complains like a sissy when allegedly manhandled (during his arrest in the Manila Peninsula) by an upper class man, Director Gerry Barias. Isn’t hazing in the PMA or shall we say terrorizing of new recruits just a common thing?
Winner: Father Ed Panlilio
Pampanga is a province that I always have to cross before I get to Manila. Notably of the province is the poor condition of roads and bridges (which can be used as launch ramps!) but that is understandable since the province was ravaged by the Pinatubo eruption in 1991. In the last elections, the real battle for the highest post for the province is between the younger incumbent Lapid and the wife of alleged jueteng lord, Pineda. The alleged president of the Philippines was torn in choosing her bet between the two gubernatorial candidates. Then came an outsider to the political world… a priest, willing to challenge the much known candidates volunteering as the alternative! The priest that I am referring to happens to have a non-communicable skin disease making some portion of his face whiter and is fondly called “Among Ed.”
Winning the gubernatorial post was no great feat as some would say. If only the younger Lapid and Pineda pitied just one candidate, they could have won and would still control Pampanga. But both have their own agendas and ambition so instead of the usual “choose the lesser evil,” miraculously… the Kampangans was blessed with someone righteous.
Reforms were evident in his first few months. One remarkable improvement was the collections from quarrying. The amount collected in a few months under his watch equaled the younger Lapid’s collection… in years.
But there’s a snag in his administration. A grand display of what is known as “crab mentality.” His second in command, the Vice Governor and at the same time coach of a popular basketball team and some municipal officers are not in tune and rather decided to be thorns towards the province prosperity… the ugly side of democracy.
Kapampangans with Among Ed are already winners but if they let the smaller crabs do their thing… they’ll definitely end up as losers!
Among Ed for President? Why not?
More on Among ED…
click here!
It’s not that I want to start the New Year on a feisty mood but in connection with my first blog entry for this year, to be specific, regarding Trillanes. I think it’s a good idea to let him know (especially those who are pissed) our version of “withdrawal of support.”
He started the year as a loser being detained for a failed mutiny in Oakwood and then come election time turned into a winner having won a seat in the senate with 10,999,999 votes, unfortunately… plus… mine. In a surprising twist before the year ends, he reverted to being the pitiful loser that he is by staging another fart sounding siege at the Manila Peninsula.
Pampanga is a province that I always have to cross before I get to Manila. Notably of the province is the poor condition of roads and bridges (which can be used as launch ramps!) but that is understandable since the province was ravaged by the Pinatubo eruption in 1991. In the last elections, the real battle for the highest post for the province is between the younger incumbent Lapid and the wife of alleged jueteng lord, Pineda. The alleged president of the Philippines was torn in choosing her bet between the two gubernatorial candidates. Then came an outsider to the political world… a priest, willing to challenge the much known candidates volunteering as the alternative! The priest that I am referring to happens to have a non-communicable skin disease making some portion of his face whiter and is fondly called “Among Ed.”
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