ALL right. The Comelec has yet to proclaim the winners yet — largely due to the interference of TEAM Unity — but I think it’s safe to say that Genuine Opposition candidates are going to get most of the 12 seats up for grabs in the Senate. 7-3-2 (GO-TU-independent) the last time I checked.
Now what?
I don’t know.
What I do know is that, barring some miraculous turn of events, impeachment is not going to happen. The Congress is unquestionably Arroyo’s; though there are congressmen who oppose her, notably the representatives of party-lists like Bayan Muna and Anakpawis, the grim truth is that they are the minority. Not to mention the fact that Arroyo’s allies in the Congress have demonstrated time and again a lack of delicadeza. They’re not going to shy away from employing underhanded tactics or bulldozing through all opposition (regardless of how legitimate the dissent is) to get what they want.
Which means that though the Senate would probably vote to impeach Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a trial, the Congress would never let the impeachment case reach the Senate in the first place.
Charter change?
Well, the entire country saw what happened the last time Congress tried shoving that down our throats. Every major faction — the opposition, the activists, the Church, etc. — made its opposition to Cha-cha known, and its proponents hastily backed down. But I seriously doubt that’s the end of that. Cha-cha continues to lurk in the background, waiting for a chance to reenter the political scene.
Unfortunately, there’s not much the Senate can do if or when Congress decides to revive the issue. Besides complaining on national television, that is. That worked last time, helping to sway public opinion against the initiative and the proposed Constitutional Assembly, but Filipinos are quick to forget. They can forget, for example, that a candidate who once hated Erap enough to cry is now hand in hand with him in election ads. They can forget all the reasons they didn’t like Cha-cha and become swayed by the propaganda of the administration.
As I said, I don’t have all the answers. No crystal ball wherein the future reveals itself to me. But I have to hope that GO accomplishes something besides proclaiming their disgust at the current administration, and plotting its demise. The 2007 elections are behind us — now we must hope we voted the right people into their positions.
June 5th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
In a P5.50 noodle pack, EVAT is P0.59 from a net price of P4.91. How tragic, 59 cents for a noodle. In a P100 meal, EVAT is around P10.70. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Too much for a P25,000 a month middle class wager.
Even the 10 cabinet secretaries who resigned during the height of “Hello Garci� scandal agreed with the EVAT. They know, even Emilia Boncodin had stressed that Philippine government needs money to keep on going. So that the endless topic of impeachment trial, long hours and press conferences of politicians (now elected in the Senate) and so on and so forth, can run smoothly, conveniently with full aircon and lights (imagine how much electricity bills, and who’s paying?).
Whether we like it or not, tax in Philippines is REGRESSIVE. Why? The middle class who are working and pay 30% of their income as tax do not benefit at all from it. If you get sick and you pay the hospital bill, are you allowed to reimburse this from your tax? But if a poor non-working Filipino, hospitalized in a government hospital full-packed of poor Filipinos who pay only 59 cents of EVAT from each noodle that he eats, with all the arrogant style to avail of his right for the service, would it be sounding as regressive?
Did EVAT made him poor? Did EVAT made him jobless? I don’t see logic claimed by some that there are no available jobs in Philippines when a Sunday news paper classified ads is so thick with pages of jobs posted, needless to say the Jobmarket online of Inquirer. So why can’t they find any job when there are companies looking for many people to fill up their vacancies? Many are not qualified because many did not finish college. Is it because they are poor? THAT’S THE MOST UNREASONABLE EXCUSE FOR LAZINESS.
And Salina, EVAT is not being deducted from wage. It’s being paid indirectly on buying essential items like groceries.
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Fr Salina:
I’m glad he’s losing his butt. He’s losing because the filipino people had enough. Imagine E-VAT. They’re deducting it automaticly from payroll.
Anong klasi yan. Only stupid idiot made this stupid E-vat into law; Only the rich has has been benefitting from this so call E-VAT. Not the poor people. While the rich enjoying their life, The poor people can’t barely eat, Not even 1 x a day.
June 4th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I cannot see any of the winning GO candidates as worthy to be elected as senators. All of them have no principles and their morals are of questionable quality. You know why? How come they have associated with Erap. If they are really brilliant and of high moral standards, Erap is not the right person to associate with in politics. Have we forgotten the cliche “tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” If your friend is a gambler, womanizer, drinker and wicked, they you could be too. If you know and see him as such yet you befriend and cooperate with him then you sacrifice and trash your principles for your own convenience and personal ends. Erap openly and publicly admitted his mistress and out-of-wedlock children. Under this situation, how could he be a good example of a good leader when we know what will be consequences when he possess extraordinary powers. Hence, I therefore conclude that all those winning GO senators are just as trash as Erap. The Filipinos will still remain in the dark as who really are the people who can help and save them from nagging economic problems that beset our beloved country. Congratulations to those who voted for the GO senatoriables. But sorry to say, you been duped again by the charlatans, liars and cheaters who exploited current issues most of which are just articifially created by those who have vested interests
June 4th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
A GO Senate? Why not? You can pick any 12 senatoriables from both sides and come up with a bunch that will work hard for the advancement of themselves and their families and recover their election expenditures. Legarda, Villar and Aquino are some of those responsible for Erap’s downfall. On the other side, Angara and Arroyo are independent-minded individuals who will not be swayed by either side.
I will miss Recto. With his loss, the Senate will lose the only non-grandstanding member who understands economics and who does not propose laws which are unimplementable because of lack of funding. Without him, the Senate will descend into a forum where presidentiables can grandstand and outdo each other in criticizing the administration. Without Recto, economics and corollarily poverty alleviation, will be placed in the bac burner, to be replaced by endless, fruitless, and self-serving investigations.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:44 am
People rarely remember leaders because of Landmark Legislations
June 3rd, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Gerry
Salinas, thank you for your unsolicited advice.
I, by the way am an OFW and had been out of the country for nearly two decades now. I have always been aiming to return to my mother land with my whole family. What foreign currency I have saved and invested into will be put into good use, should I decide to return in the Philippines because I plan to put up a business that will infuse capitalisation into the local economy of where I will reside in the future.
Telling the present president would not gain much mileage, it becomes a personal issue. The one thing that I have learned from working outside of our country is to look for opportunities and not dwell or wallow into peevish attitude.
And lastly, I agree with Englishman and Antisalinaven…it would help a lot if you just stick with tagalog so we can clearly comprehend your opinion or study harder so that you can get a job.
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Fr: Salina
I’m sorry, Sir! But I’m studying harder. This is one of the reason why I’m writing in english instead of visayan/tagalog. So that I can learn more. But, Most of the filipino people in this blog do nothing but critecize me. You people sounded just like Gloria Arroyyo. She’s very good on critecize poor people. Just because you have more money education then me, You think you’re better than anybody else.
This is one of the reason why the Philippines never get out from under because of people like that. Sorry, But I can’t change for what I’am or who I’am and I’m not going to change just because some people like you want me to change.
No offense! I’m just telling it like it is….
Sorry, But I’m not going to apologized for what I’am. Because I’m very proud for who I’am. Thank you!