Presidential Car - 3 Reasons Why PNoy Deserves a New Car

For the past few days, the debated issue of giving Philippine President Benigno "NoyNoy" Aquino III (or PNoy as he is affectionately known) a new presidential car has been gaining quite a bit of heat from many fellow Filipinos. Granted, any significant expense for a public official automatically raises eyebrows here in the Philippines (who can blame them?) but here is my rundown of reasons why it is perfectly alright to grant PNoy his new presidential car.

President NoyNoy Aquino, probably wondering Y U NO approve his new car.

Fixed Pay for Bus Drivers and Conductors

As of February 1, 2012, the Philippine government has mandated a fixed-pay salary for bus drivers and conductors, in a move to promote better working conditions for employees of the public transport industry.

From the Philippine government website:

"... the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued Department Order No. 118-12, series of 2012, which establishes the rules and regulations governing the employment and working conditions of drivers and conductors in the public utility bus transport industry."

I agree with the implementation of this system for the following reasons:

Better Financial Compensation

The public transportation system of the Philippines - as far as I am aware - has been working on the 'boundary' policy for the longest time. A driver needs to pay X amount to his employer at the end of his shift, regardless of how much he actually pulled during the day. For example, a driver may be given a PHP 2,000 boundary, to be given daily to his employer (the vehicle company/operator). This ignores the fact that the driver needs to buy fuel too, and maybe even pay for some maintenance of the vehicle. At the end of the day, a public transportation driver in this country sees an average of PHP 300.00 - PHP 500.00 as his net daily income. This is, according to drivers I've spoken with, a 'good' day. Now imagine if he was ill or unable to drive. A fixed-pay system that cannot go below the minimum wage ensures that the driver will always have some sort of financial stability that is independent of his health, weather conditions, and passenger availability on top of whatever commission he may receive from his efforts.

Risking life, limb, property, and public safety.

Better Public Safety

Since drivers will now have some 'bacon' to bring home on a regular basis (no matter how small the amount may be), I believe public transportation employees are far less likely to involve themselves in dangerous activities in order to 'make the boundary' as well as bring home a little bit for the family. I have personally taken late-night bus rides home, where drivers run red lights and take risky short-cuts in order to maximize the number of 'rounds' they can do. Pedestrians in the Philippines will attest to these buses madly speeding - even through pedestrian crossings! - in streets and highways. Perhaps this fixed-pay system could encourage drivers to drive at a more leisurely pace and increase awareness for safety not just for the public but for themselves as well.

Better Environmental Practice

While seemingly having no direct correlation to the Order, buses that move slower during trips and buses that are not operational for longer hours (since employees will not be trying to push for longer driving hours) simply mean less emissions on a day-to-day basis. This is probably not a long-term effect, but in my opinion, having buses belch out poisonous and smelly smoke for eight hours is much better than having these said vehicles produce the same emissions for twelve, even fourteen hours daily. Also, buses that aren't too over-used would require less maintenance and parts replacement, which surely saves on materials and resources.

I think that this Order is one of the better policies that the Philippine government has implemented in recent years, and certainly one of the highlights President Aquino's term in office. I look forward to a similar Order mandated for public utility jeeps, tricycles, and pedicabs.

Also, as a public service announcement, this is the list of the Top 10 most dangerous bus operators in Metro Manila, according to this September 2011 Inquirer article.

Based on the number of deaths (passengers and bus personnel)

1. Admiral Transport
2. Nova Auto Transport
3. JAM Liner
4. Gassat Express
5. Joyselle Express
6. Philippine Corinthian Liner
7. Rainbow Express Inc.
8. Alberto Garating
9. Alps the Bus
10. EM Transit Service

Based on the number of injured (passengers and bus personnel)

1. Admiral Transport
2. Nova Auto Transport
3. AM Liner
4. Gassat Express
5. Joyselle Express
6. Miami Transport
7. Pascual Liner
8. Philippine Corinthian Liner
9. Rainbow Express Inc.
10. CEM Transit Service

Based on damage to property

1. Don Mariano Transit
2. Nova Auto Transport
3. Gassat Express
4. Miami Transport
5. Pascual Liner
6. Rainbow Express Inc.
7. Ropal Transport
8. A&B Liner
9. GELL Transport
10. CEM Transit Service

Sources:

Montecillo, P. G. (2011). "Most Dangerous Metro Manila Buses Named". Inquirer News. Retrieved on February 2, 2012 from Inquirer online article.

Image retrieved from same Inquirer online article.

Philippine Government Website (2012). "Bus Drivers, Conductors to Get Fixed Pay Starting Feb 1". Retrieved on February 2, 2012 from Philippine government online press release.

The Mistress, The Flag

It's a generally accepted statement that having a mistress is a bad thing.

Having 'another woman' (or another man) is mostly never a good thing in any culture, and is frowned upon by most members of any society. This split in loyalties has been described in more colorful language than one can bear to hear, and has destroyed many a good relationship, far too many for counting.

Why then, do we Filipinos tolerate dual-citizenship?

In my opinion, having 'another flag' is far worse than having another woman.

This is not only a split in loyalties; I believe that this is tantamount to having no loyalties at all. One's flag must be the object of one's complete loyalty, one's perfect allegiance.

It pains me to see people renouncing their nationalities.. and worse, publicly swearing fealty to two nations. To fit in? To find better employment? To have benefits for one's children? What reason is so compelling and so potent as to make an individual turn his back on his flag? Only death should separate a person from his loyalties to his culture, traditions, and country. 

Whatever your nationality is, hundreds and thousands of people bled and died so that you may have that sense of belonging to a particular territory. It is identification redeemed in warm, red currency, and dual-citizenship makes a joke of this payment.

Jay~

Stereotyping the Planet

I hate to think of the reason why that sheep is upside-down.

I came across this thought-provoking picture, "The World as We Know" at Anis ART, and it struck something in me because I ended up looking at it for quite some time, reflecting on the narrow world-view the picture presented while at the same time offering a reasonably accurate portrayal of places. Places where the vast majority of us Earthly tenants may never set foot upon.

The sweeping generalizations presented in the picture have important implications to each and every one of us, especially with how we, as citizens of our own countries and belonging to specific groups of people, see ourselves and those around us. I personally see at least five major implications from the liberal assumptions taken in this picture.

Drop a note in the comments section if you think likewise :)

Jay~

Anis ART (2011), retrieved from Facebook on December 15, 2011.

9/11 - Defining a Decade

9/11 Tribute Lights light up the Manhattan skyline.

It has been ten whole years since the world experienced one of the worst attacks on a nation in recorded history. It was an attack that painfully exposed the vulnerability of the world's lone superpower, and an attack that prompted two major wars and many more small-scale operations. It was an attack that affected the lives of virtually everyone, from policy makers to the average air traveler. It was 9/11, and akin to 12/7 (Pearl Harbor), it will forever be an event that can be summed up and remembered just from the date of its occurrence.

9/11 occurred when I was thirteen years old, in the first year of my secondary school. I remember watching it live on television, and as it unfolded, my young mind was understandably confused and scared at the same time. I grasped neither the impact nor the importance of this event at that time. Six years later, as I majored in International Relations, the 9/11 attacks virtually became the center of my academic life. As I wrote papers on national security, domestic and international policy-making, international law, and even international economics, 9/11 somehow, some way found itself in my work. It defined so many things that we are 'used to' now. Strict airport security measures? This stemmed from 9/11. "Terror" as a household word? Blame it on 9/11. Muslims around the world - radical and moderate alike - branded as "fundamentalists" or worse, "terrorists"? 9/11 played a big part. The attacks on America not only changed our experiences in the days that followed; lifestyles and mindsets changed as well.

Ten years on, the world is still experiencing two combat theaters, Iraq and Afghanistan. American involvement in these two countries - I have said this countless times on many academic papers - have strained the American (and in turn, global) economy and willpower to its limits. These wars have destroyed billions of dollars worth of property, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, alienated entire demographics, and claimed an appalling number of lives. Al-Qaeda, the group claiming responsibility for the attacks, has recently lost its mastermind, Osama bin Laden, after more than nine years of eluding international operatives. Has this changed anything, created an impact that can be felt? It still remains to be seen. What is important, perhaps, is that the world knows that threats can and may come from anywhere. A culture of paranoia has been created from 9/11.

9/11 represents, in my opinion, two sides of a coin. On one side, you have the United States and its allies, defending themselves and reacting to the terror attacks. On the other side, the radical religious groups, hellbent on bringing down democracy and everything Western. In the middle, much like the proverbial coin, is the very thin and small group of neutrals and fence-sitters, choosing neither side and risking the complete wrath of the other. Ten years on, this group division is still very much evident. Ten years on, we still remember, and we are still affected, whether we like it or not.

Jay~

External Links:
25 Powerful Images of 9/11

Everything but an Infidel

An "infidel".

That is the latest alleged characteristic pasted on the Filipino national hero Jose Rizal. Whether true or not, the fact is that a Tweet was published as saying that Dr. Rizal was "an infidel".

The original Tweet actually said:

"@BikMama2U: @datozainab Biasala tu, @anwaribrahim mmg pro-Kristian, pemuja Jose Rizal si Melayu kafir tu! Oh ya, jgn lupa..."

The user @BikMama2U was allegedly claimed by user @datozainab (the wife of the Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines) to be a fake account. Whether this is true or not, the Tweet is very offensive to any Filipino. Why? Because the Tweet translates as:

"@BikMama2U: @datozainab... That’s usual. Anwar Ibrahim is clearly pro-Christian, an admirer of Jose Rizal the infidel Malay! Oh yes, don’t forget..." *

I am not quite sure at which angle I should approach this very sensitive issue. On the one hand, my Filipino blood boils at this rude, inappropriate, and very classless description of a man who helped (in a huge way) bring down an oppressive and unjust Spanish regime more than a hundred years ago. On the other hand, I did spend almost half of my life so far in Malaysia, and my culture and sense is a mix of the two. I do know that racist comments can fly in a very off-hand manner in Malaysia (my Malaysian readers, please do not deny this.. not too vehemently, in any case) but for a racist comment to even be related to an envoy to the Philippines is perhaps a little too much.

As Filipinos, how should we react to this? We are a little notorious for our tempers (admit it; how many of us have witnessed hot-headed violence during inuman sessions?) and therefore, I think it would be wise - not to mention prudent - for us to remain more or less neutral in our reactions. Dato Zainab deserves the benefit of a doubt, as there is a chance that she was really not involved in smearing the good name of Dr. Rizal, and was merely tagged in a bad Tweet. I am sure that there will be due process in investigating this issue because 1.) this is a very sensitive and important topic for Filipinos, especially from a nationalistic, patriotic, and cultural angle, and 2.) because we expect foreign envoys and their families to always hold the utmost and utter respect towards the icons of their host countries. I can only pray that this issue does not get blown out of proportion, and that cooler and more reasonable heads prevail during this incident.

* Anwar Ibrahim was a former candidate for the Prime Minister position until a sex scandal ruined his otherwise illustrious career. He is currently back in the Malaysian political sphere and is currently the leader of the Opposition.

Jay~

Full article and source here.

Hard Arm of the Law

It was never going to be a pretty incident.

Today, three Filipinos were executed in China for drug smuggling. According to Chinese law, smuggling and trafficking more than 50g of illegal drugs is punishable by death by lethal injection.

The three Filipinos were supposed to have been handed the death penalty a month ago, had not Vice President Binay personally brought a letter from the President to the Chinese authorities requesting a stay of execution. The stay was granted, but earlier today, the fate of the three were released to the public: they have been executed as per Chinese law.

Too harsh?
Amnesty International has continually berated the People's Republic of China over the harsh laws it has, as well as the numerous cases of death penalties meted out on nationals and non-nationals alike. The three Filipinos executed today follow the fate of several other foreigners convicted of drug-related crimes within China. Many online comments on the news posts that I have seen show people expressing sympathy towards the families of the drug mules (people who are hired to smuggle drugs into another country for a fee) and increasing resentment towards the drug syndicates abound. Many are arguing that though Chinese laws are harsh, perhaps it would have been a wiser course of action for both the Philippine and the Chinese governments to have pursued the "head of the snake" instead, as compared to chopping off the "appendages" - the drug mules, in this case.

One thing I do see a problem was the claim that drug syndicates have "duped" these people into smuggling drugs into another country. That may be so, and I honestly believe that these three were probably driven to the point of desperation as to resort to taking huge risks such as the one they all did, in order to provide for their families. It is painful for us Filipinos to admit it, but the three individuals executed were adults capable of weighing decisions; it was a matter of unfortunate circumstance that they were caught, arrested, tried, and found guilty. It was even more unfortunate that all of those happened in a nation-state that still implemented capital punishment. However, I think we also need to understand the point of view of the Chinese government. It was enforcing its laws. Nothing more, nothing less. It was painful to see our countrymen die by the hand of another nation's justice system, and it was also painful to know that these same persons were duped and/or tricked. However, from China's point of view, its laws were broken, and in the spirit of maintaining its sovereignty, it enforced those selfsame laws; the death of three 'criminals' would simply be another case of lawbreakers meeting their fate. Sad? Yes. Fair? Probably not. In accordance to Chinese law? Yes, and that's what matters to the Chinese government.

I hope that this incident serves as a lesson to many Filipinos who are driven to take any and all measures in order to provide for their families. Honest living may not provide the same financial rewards as illegal activities do, but the risk - such as being prosecuted and found guilty in a foreign court - is far too much for our loved ones to handle when worse comes to worse. It is not fair to them, especially if they find out of our fate through television as it had already happened. It is also not right for us to go to another country and break the laws of that country. In the same way that we will never think of smashing our host's windows as they accommodate us in their home, we shouldn't have to take unnecessary risks that could well end up unhealthily.

My favorite author, Michael Crichton, said it best:
"Justice is never about fairness.. It is merely a resolution for conflict."

Jay~

Of/For/By The People.. NOT

My own government has screwed my family.

And to think that this is my field.. understanding international relations and government institutions. It makes this infinitely worse. Understanding and knowledge amplifies the pain.

I can never forgive you, dear government.
NEVER.

Jay~

Winners and Losers - Philippine National Elections

An entire day has passed, and this post will mostly be personal observations and should not be taken personally by anybody. This year's elections featured some clear winners - and when there are winners, there are definitive losers.

Winner
(New) President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III
Why
Well for one, he is the new president of the Republic of the Philippines. He is also a clear winner because he was not as well-known as the other presidential candidates such as Manuel Villar or Joseph Estrada. Apart from being very unexperienced vis-a-vis some of his opponents, he is mostly riding on the fame of his parents, Philippine heroes Ninoy Aquino and Cory Aquino.

Loser
Senator Manuel "Manny" Villar
Why
After having spent TONS of money from his billion-peso business empire, the tycoon saw himself a distant third in the presidential race and correctly seceded the victory to the Noynoy camp. His massive advertising campaigns and catchy songs are definitely now part of local political folklore.. as well as his rather obvious snips at the Noynoy camp which ultimately proved his downfall.

**

Winner
(New) Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" Binay
Why
Apart from being mayor of Makati City (and apparently doing a good job at it), he has edged out Noynoy camp vice presidential bid Mar Roxas for the VP position; something a lot of critics believed he would not have won. Makati wins on this as well; their former mayor is now VP.

Loser
Senator Mar Roxas
Why
He saw his President win his respective office, and he loses out. Not something to feel good about, especially losing to a city mayor. Also, he didn't lose by much; the results were showing close statistics all the way, but Jojo Binay edges him out in the end.

**

Winner
Villainous Individuals
Why
Political conflicts arose all around the country as Election Day started, violence erupted in several areas (especially in hot-spots such as Mindanao), and vote-buying still stayed rampant, with voters allegedly receiving groceries and/or cash to vote for another candidate (or not vote at all), as well as armed thugs raiding polling booths in an attempt to scare honest, responsible voters away.

Loser
Filipino Voters
Why
Apart from extreme weathers (extremely high temperatures or pouring rain), many voters could not even vote: their names disappeared from registries, processing of votes was snail-paced at best, and the automated machines (being used for the first time) were breaking down all around the country. In the end, many patriotic Filipinos were denied their right to vote for their future, all because of a lack of properly managed voting system, a novel method of voting for many, and impossibly long queues before they could actually vote. Also, instability in several districts prevented many from really voting, willingly or otherwise.

**

In the end, the new administration has a lot to work on. With way less than the 50 million registered voters voting, it needs to gain the trust and confidence of the Filipino people; reducing the national debt, increasing attractive employment opportunities in the country (the Philippines is suffering massive brain drain annually), revamp a struggling economy, and of course, repair the political system that has made many Filipinos discouraged, distraught, and disappointed with their own homeland.

Mabuhay, Pilipinas kong mahal.

Jay~

Philippine National Elections

Today is the day.
The Republic of the Philippines - my motherland - will elect its new highest public servant today. Hopefully, this new president (whoever it is, but polls show that Benigno Aquino III is a clear favorite) will indeed put some truth in the title public servant.

God bless the country, the voters, and the next six years of new administration.

Jay~

Obama-Biden 08

Congratulations to Democratic President-Elect Barack Obama, and his Vice-President-Elect Joe Biden on winning the 2008 US Presidential elections.


I believe that you, Mr. Obama, is the change that America and the world has been longing for. Expectations are great, and I am quite confident that you will carry the nation of America to greater heights and further grow to be an example for the world.

Obama's Victory Speech.


It's time for a change.

Jay~