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DATELINE CHICAGO: “Coronang may tinik!”
By Romy Sager ·
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The “legal spectacle” that has obsessed an entire nation otherwise known as “The Impeachment of Corona” has deteriorated into a word war between P-Noy and Corona (light or with a slice of fresh lime your choice, please!). The President, fixated and vehemently in pursuit of Corona’s impeachment, impolitely and inexcusably pre-empts the Senate impeachment trial by demanding that Corona reveals his SALN or Statement of Assets Liabilities Net worth. Corona’s camp countered by demanding the Chief Executive bares his psychological records to determine if P-Noy is mentally fit to manage the country.
Both are opaque. Both need to be translucent before the Filipino people.
In short and for most of us who have very little patience but bombarded with a plethora of “legalese,” the on-going war between the Executive and Judicial branches of the government is simplified to Corona’s SALN versus the President’s sanity. Both are kept secret and sacred but need to be scrutinized.
When the campaign to impeach Corona started, we thought it was just like one of the Corona lagers…light, smooth and non-invasive. Dragged to almost a month, the impeachment soured like green lime when Congress got involved and muddled the President’s paranoia over Corona. P-Noy became irate, then threatened and now firing at will at anyone getting in his way.
Now the friction has degenerated into “I say”, “he says”, and the festival of finger pointing has intoxicated the Filipino people. Now, we already dread the after-taste and perfunctory hangover.
What is sidelined is the state of the country’s economy. The entire nation is made to believe that Corona’s impeachment is P-Noy’s gold medal in the fight against corruption. Massive and flagrant corruption continues unabated in other branches of the government like the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and practically the entire bureaucracy. The Philippine Supreme Court and Justices are not bulletproofed from corruption but other Filipino leaders are having a heyday and become filthy rich overnight via unexplained or ill-gotten wealth.
It has been almost two years since P-Noy has assumed the presidency and nothing or very little has changed or improved in the life of the Filipino.
While the process to impeach Corona provides comedic relief on “live” television, the drama diverts the attention of the Filipino people from the more acute and urgent issues of poverty and poor economy.
Improved economy or three meals a day for a Filipino family do not hinge on the demise of Corona. Whether Corona is removed from office for unexplained or ill-gotten wealth, the Philippine economy remains comatose and do not erase the stigma of impoverished existence.
Let the Filipino people be reminded that an impeached Corona does not promise a formidable dollar reserve, a healthy export and import industry and sterling trade relations between the Philippines and the rest of the world. Corona’s impeachment is the least and last of our concerns for a better Philippines.
The drama has dragged the country and the Filipino people to irrelevance. The agenda for growth, political maturity and a better life for the marginalized Filipinos have been relegated to an afterthought.
The word war between P-Noy and Corona has reduced the drama into an exercise in futility, a waste of our leaders’ time and energy that should have been devoted to the welfare of the Filipino people.
I hope-- and I am sure it is the prayer of many Filipinos too-- that the political tragedy titled “Corona’s Impeachment” does last until P-Noy’s last year or last day in office.
There are other crucial concerns our leaders should attend to than Corona.
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This week, the Philippines celebrates the 26th anniversary of the People Power Revolution otherwise known as “EDSA 1.” We were in the Philippines last year when the Filipino people observed the same event with renewed enthusiasm because it was P-Noy’s first year in office. The “Yellow Brigade” known as “Coryistas” were all over Metro Manila on the eve of the anniversary.
For some reason, I asked my niece for a copy of a letter from the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) dated February 15, 2011 and sent to all catholic school heads to invite their students to the “EDSA People Power Celebrations.”
The “reminder” or letter to all CEAP members was signed by a certain Fr. Gregorio L. Banaga, CM and President of the association. Last year’s theme was “Pilipino Ako, Ako ang Tatak ng Pagbabago,” and focused on the youth of the land “who did not experience People Power first hand.”
The letter also detailed the bus routes, parking areas and meals for the participants.
The fourth paragraph of the six-paragraph letter caught our attention.
“Should you wish to participate in the February 25 activities, you will have to provide for your own transportation and meals for your participants. We are encouraged to bring streamers or banners identifying our schools and to wear yellow, if possible. For the Salubungan, drop off point for participants is at the corner of Ortigas and EDSA and the meeting is in front of the Corinthian Gardens EDSA gate at 3pm. Parking will be along White Plains Ave. We are currently asking the Organizers for special parking tags or passes for our (CEAP) contingent.”
Fr. Banaga’s letter was well-crafted to avoid accusation of mandatory attendance and participation from catholic school students. Regardless, the hint of “hakot” system can be gleaned from the letter.
A letter such as Fr. Banaga’s was not necessary because: 1) the late President Cory’s son, Noynoy is the sitting President of the Philippines, and 2) Cory, author and icon of EDSA 1, passed on recently and her memory remains fresh and poignant in the minds of the Filipino people. Without the letter, the celebration would have been spontaneous, sentimental and spectacular. There is nothing like an unprompted, non-orchestrated celebration of a critical date in our country’s history. EDSA 1 was historic because thousands of Filipinos descended and revolted on EDSA and other parts of the country sans the prodding of anyone.
Twenty-six years hence and there are still Filipinos who step forward only when the lights are brightest.
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Following is a programming announcement this week from the two giant broadcast networks in the Philippines, ABS-CBN and GMA 7 on the commemoration of People Power.
GMA News TV commemorates the Edsa Anniversary this year by airing two powerful documentaries on former Philippine Presidents: “Marcos: The Fall of a Dictator” and “Cory Aquino: The Housewife Who Led a Revolution”. Commissioned by and first aired on History Channel Asia, the documentaries include valuable archival video of the Marcos era and Martial Law years as well as of the Edsa Revolution and Aquino’s first years in office — footage few of today’s youth have ever seen.
The documentaries feature interviews with those close to the former Presidents including former senators Joker Arroyo and Jovito Salonga, former President Fidel V. Ramos, human rights lawyer Rene Saguisag, and sons of Ferdinand and Cory: Senator Bongbong Marcos, and President Noynoy Aquino, to name just a few.
“The Marcos years were the darkest in our country’s post-war history,” says Executive Producer Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala. “Many paid the ultimate price to restore decency, dignity and democracy in the Philippines. We pay tribute to those heroes, many of them unknown, who chose to fight the culture of fear, silence, corruption and intimidation.”
“Marcos: The Fall of A Dictator” airs Saturday night, February 25 while “Cory Aquino: The Housewife Who Led a Revolution” airs Sunday night, February 26, both at 8:40 pm only on GMA News TV Channel 11.
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Caught by the staff of Crocodile Farm and Nature Park in Puerto Pincesa, Palawan…
A pair of giant crocodiles, a male and a female, were captured separately on Monday and Tuesday in a river in Palawan. The male was 16 feet long, and the female 11 feet.
Above was the caption of a front-page photo of a Manila newspaper. I do not know why it was a news story and merited newspaper space. Is it a surprise to catch crocodiles from the “CROCODILE FARM AND NATURE PARK in Puerto Princesa, Palawan?
Here’s our take on the story. Another pair of crocodiles, albeit from different animal kingdom, is about to be caught. The male has thousands in dollar accounts and millions of pesosin different banks. The female has a long list of properties under her name and equal amount of cash in several bank accounts.
The Coronas, husband and wife, are different from crocodiles, but close!
Email Romy Sager at: SOUNDBITES@COMCAST.NET. This column is published every Friday by the Philippine Weekly, a Filipino community publication in Chicago and the suburbs.
One in a Minyong
Minyong: Makapagtanong nga sa iyo, Minyang. Dahilan ba sa minahal kita noon, mahal pa rin kita hanggang ngayon? Kasi naisip ko…hindi kaya pwedeng NABABALIW lang ako noon at NATAUHAN na ako ngayon?
Minyang: Talak ka ng talak! Nakakasiguro ka bang tao ka???
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Minyong: Pare, tinatakot ako ng ‘Mareng Minyang mo!
Kumpare: Bakit, pare?
Minyong: Nanghihingi siya ng sustento, pare.
Kumpare: Eh ‘di ba, hiwalay na kayo?
Minyong: ‘Yun na nga, pare! Kapag hindi ko siya sinustentuhan, babalik daw siya sa akin!
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Dyok Baks
Nakasakay sa jeep ang isang dalaga at matandang lalaki.
Napansin ng dalaga na bukas ang zipper ng pantalon ni lolo, at wala itong underwear.
Sabi ng dalaga, “Lolo, bukas po ang zi… City Hall ninyo.”
Pasimpleng isinara ni lolo ang zipper niya at nagtanong, “Ineng, nakita mo bang dumungaw si Mayor?”
Sagot ng dalaga, “Hindi po. Pero lumabas po ‘yung dalawang Konsehal.”
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Sa Arithmetic class…
Titser: Brod Pete, what is 34 books + 25 books?
Brod Pete: 59 books po, ma’am.
Titser: Correct. Ang 147 books at 336 books?
Brod Pete: 483 books po, ma’am.
Titser: Very good! Eh ang 950 + 136 +672 + 490 + 854 books?
Brod Pete: Library po, ma’am!
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Itinutok ng rapist ang kanyang patalim sa leeg ng madre at saka siya nagtanong, “Buhay o reputasyon?”
Buhay ang pinili ng madre.
Lupaypay ang rapist matapos ang panggagahasa.
Nakuha ng madre ang patalim at itinutok niya ito sa rapist saka nagtanong, “Buhay o repetition?”