Newsmaker: Philippine Federalism Campaign Gains Momentum
Last week, Sen Aquilino Pimentel and 10 other senators presented Joint Resolution No 10 which seeks to change the Philippines to a federal system. With almost half of the senators co-sponsoring it, it should be unchallenged in the Senate. It will then move onto the House of Representatives where it is already gaining momentum, thanks to the support of House Speaker Prospero Nograles and former speaker Jose De Venecia.
The lawmakers want the creation of 11 semi-autonomous states, the transfer of the legislative branch to Central Visayas and the judiciary branch to Northern Mindanao - The executive branch will remain in Metro Manila. These proposals would involve amending the constitution which always creates controversy. But political analysts say that the change is necessary for peace and development in the country. They were also quick to point out that changing to federalism doesn’t require us to move to a parliamentary form of government - We can still have a president.
But whatever the Congress agrees on, it will still be up to the people to decide if it’s acceptable. Rep Rex Gatchalian suggested that the constitutional amendments can be voted on by the people during the 2010 national elections.
Is it time to say goodbye to Imperial Manila?
Life is Fun: World Day for Safety and Health at Work
Today is World Day for Safety and Health at Work. We remember the workers who died or got injured or got sick because of occupational hazards and accidents. This observance started in Canada where they celebrate Workers’ Memorial Day today. Here’s a story about a Mafia godfather, a laywer and a deaf bookkeeper:
A Mafia godfather finds out that his deaf bookkeeper has stolen ten million bucks.
Deafness was considered an occupational benefit, and the reason the bookkeeper got the job in the first place, since it was assumed that a deaf bookkeeper would not be able to hear anything he’d ever have to testify about in court.
The godfather figures he’s going to have a little chat with the bookkeeper about the missing $10 million, so he brings his attorney, who knows sign language.
The godfather asks the bookkeeper: “Where’s da ten million bucks you embezzled from me?”
The attorney, using sign language, asks the bookkeeper where the $10 million is hidden.
The bookkeeper signs back: “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
The attorney tells the godfather: “He says he doesn’t know what you’re talking about.”
The godfather pulls out a 9 mm pistol, puts it to the bookkeeper’s temple, cocks it, and says: “Ask him again!”
The attorney signs to the underling: “He’ll kill you for sure if you don’t tell him!”
The bookkeeper signs back: “OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed in my cousin Enzo’s backyard in South Beach on Staten Island!”
The godfather asks the attorney: “Well, what’d he say?”
The attorney says to the godfather: “He says you don’t have the balls to pull the trigger.
Quote of the Day: US President James Monroe
Our quote today comes from US President James Monroe who was born on April 28, 1758. His family lived on a small farm and when he was a boy, he had to walk for several kilometers to get to school everyday. When he was his 16, his father died and his uncle became his guardian. Monroe held numerous military and government positions and he also studied law under Thomas Jefferson. In 1817 he became the 5th president of the United States and served for two terms. President Monroe is known for the Monroe Doctrine, which he proclaimed in 1823. The Monroe Doctrine is a declaration of America’s sovereignty and independence. It can be recalled that during those times, the US government was in its infancy and the North American continent was a favorite battleground of the colonial powers of Europe. With the Monroe Doctrine, the United States declared that any intrusions to their property by any European country will be considered a threat to their national security and can lead to war.
Our country may be likened to a new house. We lack many things, but we possess the most precious of all - liberty! — James Monroe
The Power of the Word
The Lord takes delight in his people. - Psalm 149
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About this post:
This is the daily post of Lester Galvez Cavestany entitled Perlas. The information here is presented to you in bite-sized servings so that it’s quick and fun to read. It has four parts: 1) Quote of the Day contains history, quotes and biography tidbits; 2) Life is Fun aims to give you a healthy dose of medicinal laughter; 3) Newsmaker is the author’s take on news and views that matter to you; 4) And lucky last, we have The Power of the Word which can serve as your daily spiritual bread.
If you enjoyed reading this post, come back to this site every day and be sure to share Perlas with your friends.
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References:
www.answers.com Newsmaker: http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?&aid=20080426113&type=2& http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/apr/26/yehey/opinion/20080426opi1.html http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080427-132946/De-Venecia-pushes-federalism-as-final-solution http://www.pinoypress.net/2007/11/14/philippines-gma-jdv-may-have-hidden-agenda-behind-federalism-move-pimentel/ http://www.kas.de/proj/home/pub/69/2/year-2002/dokument_id-3228/index.html Quote of the Day: www.jamesmonroe.net http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/james_monroe.html Life is Fun: http://sheridan_conlaw.typepad.com/sheridan_conlaw/jokes/index.html/ The Power of the Word: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/readings/042808.shtml
Visit www.filipinovoices.com for more socio-political blogs.
6 Responses to “Philippine Federalism, World Day for Safety and Health at Work and US President James Monroe (Perlas)”
I’ve read that one of the arguments why Federalism is being proposed by Sen. Pimentel is to save on expenses during elections which the senator says is part of the tradition of corruption.
Then again, with 350 Congressmen and 75 Senators in a federal system, where’s the savings there? It only translates to a larger list of names on the government payroll. Besides, it does not guarantee that it will draw the final curtains for corruption. With more politicians in the land, it can only worsen the corruption issue.
Too many cooks spoil the broth. Too many alligators and, well, that’s got to be one feeding frenzy.
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75 senators? Wow! Does that mean they will each get the same P200 MILLION pork barrel that every senator is entitled to? So 72 x P200M = P14.4B.. whoa!
In Guam there is a saying that a working man dies only out of his own stupidity and not because State did not care.
I remember one time I was working two-scaffold high. That’s around 10 feet high. Code says I should be working on a scaffold with a toe board, a mid-railing, and a top-rail. I did not bother because I figured I’ll be there only no more than 30 minutes. My Malaysian superior saw and ordered me to fix things properly before anything else. I told him it was nothing as I was staying there for short and that he should have seen me dangling on a piece of 2’x 4’ slab and nothing else, not even safety harness, any safety shoes and safety hat, 10 stories high, back in the P.I.. You should have seen him blew his top. “I don’t give a damn about your life! But, don’t get me fined or I’ll send you home right now!” I guess it’s those safety people who have the habit to come without telling, and citations are always non- negotiable, that make construction supervisors always nervous.
Health and Safety people: They don’t bark. They just bite and bite hard where it hurts. They come in the construction site, sometimes as often as twice a week. They just go looking around. They take pictures, talking less like asking names or to look for IDs. When that happens, company should expect violation citation, which could be a warning, a fine, or both. And that’s what terrorized companies – all their profit will be go to fines if they don’t watch themselves.
Anyway, emancipation does not fall from heaven. They are won. My impression is: American progressives make less noise but deliver more. Our radicals won’t even qualify as moderates in there in terms of achievements. Carpenters in there earn more than P4,000.00 a day, no bonus, no 13th month, no cola, everyday is simply Christmas day.
Sa Pinas may kasabihan: ‘Bahala kayo sa buhay nyo kung matitano kayo sapagkat naka tsinelas o nakayapak lang, o mabasag ang ulo nyo sapagkat pwede walang hard hat, o mahulog sa 10 palapag na taas sapagkat daig nyo pa si spiderman. Ha-ha, if you find that funny! And our (formal and informal) construction work force is almost bigger than all workforces put together.
Carpenters dont owe anything to Senator Pimentel, not even to Ka Satur Ocampo
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About Pork barrel. This was originally sent to Bayan Muna blog last june 28, 2007. Modified
Not a very long time ago. Kabayan Miriam called Senator Ping as a Gago. I believe more than half of the people who voted for Kabayan Miriam also voted for Senator Ping. Araguuuy! Ouch for them.
I remember when I was a boy; I had a chum who was chased by his grandpa with a stick for shooting a bird with a sling. It was not about the bird. The stone missed the bird but oops! It hit an old earthen tadjao straight behind, a family relic actually, that old man took pride and enjoyed taking cool baths from! I think Miriam owes apology to many PEOPLE who voted for her, come next election.
In the Upper house, I will agree with Senator Ping that pork barrel is just a duplication of functions of what already are in place like the Ministry of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Health, and everything of national in scope and character. Nothing wrong with pork barrel per se, nasa klase ng tao lang iyan sure, so most Filipinos seem to look the other way.
In congress (lower house) I would even laud an idea of increasing Pork Barrel for all the districts. More safeguards against misuse and abuse and less control by traditional politics (TRAPO) and by the Palace are, I think, what people really need in there. Nobody has to be a Sipsip so his district gets equal share of progress. That will also make Congress less of a rubberstamp, one of the complaints, and congressmen will be freer to follow their conscience and their constituents.
Other than pork barrel, another option towards getting share of progress is back to the old PALAKASAN, which some congressmen still complain, is not really eradicated in the present pork barrel system.///rltj
Simply viewed, Pork barrel is just a system where legislators have a say on where or on what some public money should be spent. If I am not mistaken, Senator Miriam appropriated some of her pork barrel to the D.O.H. Senator Ping, for his own reasons, never availed a centavo of his. Others spent them on waiting sheds, basketball courts, roads, bridges, school houses, others – in short public work contracts. I think P14.4B would even be small amount. [P700M for fertilizer, assuming that EVERY farmer got his due share, wont even make ONE BAG of fertilizer for each farmer.]
I think the problem there is corruption. As we all know, to generalize, public works is always full of worms!
On the proposed change in the Political system, to point to the system as the fault, I guess, is no more than fault finding never pointing shortcomings to the selves. No operating system - presidential, parliamentary (or federalism) will work with that virus that we call graft & corruption. The proposed change in the political system is only a waste of time and money in that situation.
Sure, one thing might prove better than another. Somewhere else, Presidential or Parliamentary, any of them, seems to be doing well. It proves na sa lahi lang ‘yan, at least in this point in time.
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Federalism! We will go back in time, have a taste of the feudal (feuding) states where all nooks of government are stuffed with dynastic family members. If and when a federal state has a preponderance of chinese business and politicians, it could cede in favor of becoming a chinese province. Federalism is only good if any charter change is effective before 2010. Changes necessary are; there shall be only one in a family that can be elected in office for one term only; any candidate with past elective position is disqualified. Increase of the SAL net worth can increase only by the amount of savings from renumerations while in office. Lands with CLOWA shall revert back to the owner once it is converted or cannot meet a 150 cavans of palay each planting.
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Right. Its not about the system. Its all about the weaknesses in Philippine society, of Filipinos in general, that should be corrected first. Defects of electorates that result to ‘political dynasty’ for example.
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Feel free to express your self