THAT’S what former Senate president Jovito Salonga fears.
Here’s an excerpt from the Philippine Daily Inquirer story:
MANILA, Philippines–President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s decision to call out the military to help police disband private armies, man 24-hour checkpoints and stop political killings has prompted ex-Senate President Jovito Salonga to warn that the May 14 elections could turn out to be as “violent and fraudulent” as the Marcos-era polls.
In an open letter sent Tuesday to the President through Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Salonga called on Ms Arroyo to ensure the peace and the credibility of the midterm elections so as not to worsen current problems, including the continuing killings.
Salonga said Ms Arroyo’s order for more checkpoints nationwide was “what [the dictator Ferdinand] Marcos also ordered in the 1969 elections, described by Newsweek (Nov. 24, 1969) and Time (Feb. 16, 1970) as the dirtiest, most violent and most corrupt in modern Filipino history.”
June 15th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
Philippines’ April remittances up 32.61%
Official annual remittances from Filipinos working overseas rose 32.61 percent to $1.19 billion in April, the central bank said on Friday.
Inflows in the first four months of the year were $4.68 billion, up 26.08 percent on the same period last year. Total remittances are expected to hit $14.7 billion in 2007, driving the domestic economy and propelling the peso.
###########################
Fr: Salina
This is one of the reason why the Philippines economy is booming. Not because of Gloria Arroyo, Good governance. Its because of the money remittance of OFW. Sending back home to their love one.
Without the money remittance from OFW. And none of OFW. The Philippines economy will collapse! That I know because the economy has been DETERIORATED but Gloria Arroyo, Keep telling the entire world that the philippines economy is rosy! Yeah, Right. Only her bank account is rosy. Check it out for yourselves if you don’t believe me. While the majority of filipino people are starving her net worth went up to the roof top. Where did she get that kind of money for her net worth to be up that much. If is not from corruption.
June 15th, 2007 at 11:31 am
The real test
Inquirer
Last updated 02:14am (Mla time) 06/15/2007
MANILA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is enough of a political pragmatist to know that, in the aftermath of the opposition’s victory in the Senate race, she will have to find her own Donald Rumsfeld, and then fire him. The problem is she will find more than one deadweight in her administration.
###########################
Fr: Salina
I’ll say, Gloria Arroyo, Should go with the rest of her cronies. They’re not worth a shit. They’re the problem get rid of them. Especially The bugos President of cebu.
############################
Rumsfeld, of course, was the controversial defense secretary who presided over or, more precisely, mismanaged the American occupation of Iraq. The clear anti-war message US voters sent the White House in last year’s mid-term elections led US President George W. Bush to finally relieve Rumsfeld; not a few Republicans thought the decision came too late, since Rumsfeld’s continuing presence at the Pentagon was a constant reminder during the campaign of the deterioration of the situation in Iraq.
Politically, Bush had no choice but to let go of his cantankerous defense secretary. Same thing with President Arroyo: Whether she admits it or not, the results of the Senate elections, the only nationwide contest and therefore the only referendum of national scope in the May 14 elections, force her to respond to the debacle. She has no choice.
The lessons of our own short history are clear: If an incumbent cares about the results of the next election, she has to respond to the results of the present one.
It does not come as a surprise, therefore, that the President has asked for the resignation of all Cabinet members and the heads of all government-owned and -controlled corporations. These are courtesy resignations; that is, the officials concerned pay the President the courtesy of tendering their resignation immediately, instead of individually making their case before her.
But Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, perhaps to emphasize the point that the President actually means business, decided not to use the term. “It’s not courtesy resignation. The President asked them to submit their resignation so that she will have a free hand … to reorganize.â€Â? But of course. That is what courtesy resignations are for. (Besides, the President has to provide for loyal allies who are now out of a job, like outgoing Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.)
Already, two Palace insiders have leaked their own versions of the President’s short list.
On both their lists — self-serving as these leaks sometimes are — the names of the heads of the government’s top revenue-generating agencies appear: Jose Buñag, commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Napoleon Morales, commissioner of the Bureau of Customs.
It is no surprise to find that the positions of BIR chief and Customs commissioner figure in the rumors; in major revamps, they almost always do, precisely because the posts are among the most coveted in the entire bureaucracy. But it is unusual to find the name of Ermita, the second most powerful man in Malacañang, included — even as a trial balloon.
But Buñag and Morales have nothing to do with the outcome of the elections. The same cannot be said about Ermita. While he himself did not run, his son did, as the running mate of Batangas province’s governor-elect Vilma Santos. Today, Ermita’s son is embroiled in a bitter electoral dispute; whatever the outcome of that contest, it is already clear that Ermita came out of the elections diminished.
Ephraim Genuino, the influential chair of the cash-rich Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., is another high official laid low by the elections. Both his sons lost, and Genuino himself figured in wire reports as an arrogant official entering voting centers in Makati City with armed bodyguards.
If the President accepts the resignation of close allies Ermita and Genuino, then it will seem she is really serious about her vow to consider, forthwith, all her political debts paid.
Her real test, however, involves controversial or unpopular officials who did relatively well in the elections, such as the irascible Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez. In the last two years, Gonzalez has served a special function, acting as the President’s lightning rod. In doing so, however, Gonzalez debased the administration of justice and deepened the divisiveness that marks Philippine politics. It is time for him and others like him to exit the stage.
June 15th, 2007 at 6:08 am
Arroyo net worth now P88.5 M
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Fr: Salina
While the rest of filipino people are starving. Gloria Arroyo, And the rest of her cronies are getting richer. She’s only making P693,000. Annually, Thats only P57,750.000 a month. How on earth her net worth increase that much. If is not for corruption. Just add 2+2= Yeah, You got it. Corruption no matter how you look at it.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
By SANDY ARANETA
The Philippine Star
President Arroyo’s net worth grew by P9.3 million from P79.28 million in 2005 to P88.58 million last year, based on her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).
The President filed her SALN on April 30 with the Office of the Ombudsman, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR.
Vice-President Noli de Castro, meanwhile, has a net worth of more than P52 million, as shown in his SALN filed last March 30.
The President’s current net worth was listed at P88,588,172.93. In 2005, it was declared at P79,284,608.64.
The President’s net worth has increased by 30 percent or about P20 million since she assumed office in 2001 when her reported net worth was P66,747,103.36. Her annual salary is P693,000.
Accounting for the bulk of the President’s net worth as of Dec. 31 are “personal and other properties� acquired in various years valued at P85,868,138.58.
She declared her real properties at P6,367,837.
On the other hand, Mrs. Arroyo declared liabilities in the form of “notes payable� of P3,647,802.65.
The net worth is calculated by adding the amount of real properties, personal and other properties, and subtracting the amount of liabilities.
Of the personal and other properties she declared in her SALN, stocks amounting to P55,705,510.06 had the highest value.
Her “cash on hand� and “cash in bank� amounted to P11,228,872.52. Jewelry worth P3,400,000 were listed, as were appliances and furniture in the amount of P2,050,000; “law books and other books� (P1,700,000); motor vehicles (P6,875,476); office equipment (P995,800); “inherited properties in process of transfer� (P1,412,480); and “notes receivable� (P2,500,000).
Mrs. Arroyo declared as one of her real properties a house and lot in Baguio, which was acquired in 1977 for P350,000. The house and lot had a cost improvement of P645,287, her SALN showed, and this property now has a current fair market value of P67,913,200.
Other properties listed in her SALN were: a residential lot in Antipolo acquired in 1986 for P94,000 with a current fair market value of P1,750,000; a commercial lot in Tayabas, Quezon acquired in 1995 for P1.5 million now valued at P2,400,000; an agricultural lot in San Rafael, Bulacan acquired in 1995 (P1,178,550) now worth P4.7 million; another agricultural lot in Nasugbu, Batangas acquired in 1997 for P550,000 with a current fair market value of P1.5 million.
The latest acquired property in her SALN was a parcel of “raw land� in Coron, Palawan purchased in 2005 at P2,050,000. No current fair market value was indicated.
The President declared she has “no business interest nor other financial connections, including those of her spouse and unmarried children below 18 years old living within her household.�
She also declared that five of her family members or relatives are working for the government. They are: son Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo; brother-in-law Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr.; sister-in-law Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, listed as personal secretary III in the House of Representatives; cousin Erlinda M. B. de Leon, a confidential secretary in the Office of the President (OP); and cousin-in-law Carlos de Leon, a special assistant in the OP.
In 2002, the President posted a net worth of P72,048,559.88, which increased to P75,697,687.45 the following year.
Noli’s worth
For his part, de Castro, whose real name is Manuel de Castro Jr., has a net worth of P52,305,801.25.
De Castro, former vice-president for current affairs at ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., is married to Arlene de Castro. He has a monthly salary of P46,200.
De Castro’s real properties are worth P35,945,801.25, while “personal and other properties� amounted to P20,860,000.
He declared liabilities of P4,500,000.
Among the properties listed in his SALN are houses and lots in Lagro, Novaliches (P40,000) which underwent improvements worth P200,000, and in Tierra Pura Homes, Tandang Sora (P3.5 million) with improvements costing P6 million.
Lots in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan (P2,731,440), Mindoro (P300,000), and Forest Hills, Antipolo (P3,832,500) were listed, plus a house in San Jose del Monte built in 2003 with improvements of P3,000,000.
He also declared a house and lot in Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City (P1,400,000), and in San Antonio Heights, Batangas (P695,000).
In 2004, de Castro purchased a house and lot in Barangay Pasong Tamo, Quezon City for P7,743,371.25. The following year, he acquired another house and lot there for P6,503,490.
For his personal and other properties, the Vice-President declared the following: Jewelry (P1,220,000), appliances and furniture (P2,060,000), “paintings and artworks acquired in 2006� (P180,000), motor vehicles namely a Suburvan (P2.9 million) and a Ford Expedition (P2.5 million), both acquired in 2004.
Shares of stocks in ABS-CBN acquired in 1986 were worth P1 million.
His “cash in bank� acquired in various years amounted to P11 million.
De Castro’s liabilities come from “outstanding loans from non-financial institutions� worth P4.5 million.
De Castro also declared two business interests and financial connections: ABS-CBN, where he bought shares of stocks (preferred) in 1986; and Bayan Productions Company, Inc., where he has been on the board of directors since 1988.
De Castro declared five relatives working for the government. They are: brother-in-law Zacarias Catapang, a Sangguniang Bayan member in Socorro, Oriental Mindoro; nephew Dr. Grimaldo Catapang, provincial veterinarian based in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro; niece Veronidia Catapang, who works for the Department of the Interior and Local Government–NCR in Quezon City; niece Dr. Florecita Catapang, revenue collection officer based in Socorro, Oriental Mindoro; and, niece Janice Anne Pasco, who works in the Office of the Vice-President.
All government employees and officials are required to file their SALN annually. These statements are intended to track the accumulation of wealth by public officials, and have recently been used in the lifestyle checks on customs, public works and highways, and internal revenue employees.
June 15th, 2007 at 3:08 am
‘Let’s stop talking about reconciliation and stability, and start talking about bringing back genuine democracy.’
Hypocritical
calls by GMA
——————————————————————————–
AFTER her political debacle in the just-concluded Election 2007, Gloria Arroyo somehow managed to put up a brave front and pretended that all’s well in the country today. It is not.
“We close the chapter of electoral battles and open the chapter of national reconciliation and solidarity,” she declared in a keynote speech marking the centennial anniversary of the House of Representatives. “… We call upon the nation to close the contest of the ballot and step up the contest of excellence in all fields, all for one and one for all.”
What rubbish! What offal! Nobody believed a word of what she said, except perhaps the sycophants, the gang of hypocrites, political satraps who usually burst into applause whatever high-flown rhetoric comes out of her mouth. She had mouthed those same words many times in State of the Nation addresses before Congress, but she failed to fulfill them. Instead, she divided the nation as she let loose her “attack dogs” against critics and dissenters of her regime.
Like before, her latest remarks again were met with the constant questioning of her motives whenever she makes such calls, a kind of automatic disbelief that she is really doing something to make things better for the country.
That’s why the great majority of the electorate voted against her Team Unity senatorial candidates, in spite of the administration’s touted “command votes” and elected overwhelmingly those in the Genuine Opposition. It was a referendum on Gloria’s tainted presidency. Yes, unquestionably a rejection by the Filipino people, and only fools would deny it.
Why indeed should the people believe her at all? They see her as an infinite liar, an hourly promise-breaker. Not only that, they also look at her lawless rule as characterized by greed and corruption so far beyond the levels of the past.
The people still remember when, during her “first” term – actually the remaining four years of legitimately-elected Joseph Estrada after she had conspired to oust him – she had steadfastly turned down moves to change the Constitution. And she had promised not to run, but she reneged on her word and then cheated her way to a six-year term in the 2004 presidential elections. And then, during the campaign, she had agreed to amend the Charter, apparently seeing it as the only way to remain in power and insure her political survival after 2010. It was repudiated by the people and the Supreme Court.
And now, mindless of what the people think of her as clearly manifested in this year’s elections, she and Speaker Joe de Venecia have resuscitated their plan for Charter Change. Obviously, she hopes this would pave the way to extend her rule beyond 2010, while De Venecia sees in it the opportunity to become the first prime minister with the envisioned change from the presidential system to a parliamentary form of government.
If Gloria and Joe de V are allowed to carry out their insidious scheme, it would surely divide the country again, instead of resulting in what she called “national reconciliation and solidarity.” And her call to “close the contest of the ballot” would be met with dismay by the people who would not easily forget what her administration’s cheating operators did in stealing and padding the votes in favor of her senatorial bets. Fortunately her chosen ones lost just the same.
She also alluded to a “contest of excellence in all fields,” but the only thing the people saw during the last six years of her misrule was how “excellently” her regime’s “attack dogs” hounded and tried to silence dissenters, journalists and the human rights activists who exposed the official corruption, the scandals, the unexplained killings, the blatant violations of the rule of law and the Constitutional rights and liberties of the people.
And yet, unblushingly and brazenly, Gloria Arroyo has told the world that we Filipinos “live in a lively democracy.”
What in heaven’s name is she talking about? What we have today is not a democracy, a government by the people, of the people and for the people, but rather a kleptocracy, the Greek name for a government by thieves, of thieves and for thieves.
Gloria, stop talking about reconciliation, national stability and democracy, and start talking about sending the cheating operatives and their bosses to jail, ending the corruption mess , kicking out the thieves in government, rejecting the unconscionably motivated Charter Change, and restoring genuine democracy in our country, once again.
June 15th, 2007 at 12:07 am
Giving too much to Gloria
EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
06/15/2007
Much of Gloria’s fiscal credibility rests on the ability of her administration to even out the budget this year, a commitment she made right at the start of her questionable accession to the presidency in 2001.
Gloria’s raison d’etre was a clean and a professional government, which was supposedly in contrast to what was then the Estrada administration.
Seven years past, Filipinos who were duped into backing the Edsa coup d’etat are now all repudiating the same person they had installed.
The government has been named the most corrupt in Asia and among the least professional in the world based on various yearly surveys.
Fiscal management was also far from what was promised to the people at the Edsa ruse. Just into the second year of Gloria’s mismanagement, the budget blew out into a P214-billion deficit, the biggest ever for any Philippine administration.
Thus, instead of being on the road to balancing the budget, Gloria had led the government dangerously to the path of financial bankruptcy.
A little later, she admitted that her administration was in a fiscal crisis that needed drastic revenue-raising measures to address the financial problem.
Thus was born the effort to expand and increase the value added tax (VAT), a quick fix but regressive solution to Gloria’s fiscal nightmare. Instead of going after big-time tax evaders, the Arroyo administration chose the more convenient path of extracting more taxes from the poor. Thus, the VAT or the sales tax was made to include products that were earlier exempt from the tax such as oil products and electricity since these were deemed essential goods in much the same way as food and water, which by their nature should not be taxed.
Prior to the expanded VAT, taxes on so-called sin products such as cigarettes and liquor were increased but it was the e-VAT that extricated Gloria from the fiscal abyss that she herself dug.
With much theatrics, Gloria asked the Filipinos to bear the brunt of the extreme sacrifice in having to reduce the food on their table and to forgo the dream of higher education for their children to solve the crisis caused by her fiscal mismanagement.
The only consolation that Gloria was trying to peddle as compensation for such sacrifice was a credit upgrade from international ratings agencies which she said would convince more investors to enter the country.
Yet, no such upgrades have happened with the more prominent Moody’s Investors Service and Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services both predicating any changes in the country’s credit grade to Gloria’s fulfillment of the balanced budget pledge.
Now, we have Gloria saying lately, after the mid-term elections featured massive administration campaign money, that she is “anxious� over the flagging revenue collections in relation to balancing the budget.
It seems that all those sacrifices Gloria asked from the Filipino nation had amounted to absolutely nothing.
Expect Gloria to ask for more sacrifices just to cover up for the gross mismanagement of her government finances.
Expect also the budget to miss the balanced target by the end of the year.
Expect, too, that her government would ask for ever-increasing taxes that would in turn jack up the prices of goods and services.
With Gloria at the helm, sacrifices and more of these from those who should instead be benefiting from government are a certainty.