By Lester Cavestany, Contributor
INQUIRER.net
FILIPINO patriots went for a swim Monday morning, the 21st of April, to cool down and relax in the crystal clear waters of Manila Bay. Well, not exactly! They dived into the swim-at-your-own-risk waters of Manila Bay to protest against the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). Pro-JPEPA senators will be feeling the heat from Filipinos who believe that the government has once again outdone itself when it comes to pimping our motherland to other countries.
According to the swimmers who braved the waters of Manila Bay, the treaty will allow large and high-tech Japanese fishing vessels to sweep our waters and get all the fish they want. But the government says that we don’t have to worry about any shortage in fish supply. Keep in mind that this is the same government who’s also telling us not to worry about the shortage in rice supply. So I guess it’s okay for Japan to catch all the fish they want because our government says it’s alright.
Greenpeace has also protested against JPEPA saying that it will allow Japan to ship toxic waste to the Philippines. “It’s okay,” the Philippine government says, “we don’t have to revise the treaty because ‘notes’ have already been exchanged between Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo and Japan Foreign Minister Taro Aso.” They now have a “gentleman’s agreement” that toxic waste will not be dumped in our country. I would like to believe the foreign ministers and I am sure they are men of their words. But the thing is, I can’t forget what happened in August 1999 when toxic waste from Japan was found in 92 (yes, 92!) 40-foot container vans. They were marked as recyclables but they contained used diapers, used syringes, incinerator ash, radioactive waste, and other disgusting things we should never speak of again.
If you still insist that it’s okay to be the trash can of a rich country because they will help our economy by providing jobs and by allowing our exports to enter their country with no tax, then you may join the ranks of our Politicos In Mama Pilipina, PIMPs for short! Join them as they try to convince the nation that JPEPA is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Join them as they say: “Let’s take in all of Japan’s toxic waste and let’s give all our fish to Japan so that they will give us jobs and economic aid.”
O Inang Bayan, patawarin mo po kami.
Also posted in www.lestercavestany.com
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June 20th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
We have seen lots of mistakes and wrong doings in our government officials, We always critisized them of their incapabilities and immoralities, are we not the one who casted our votes on them? And here we are again on the blame game, pointing fingers to others, change should always start on ourselves, if we say thats wrong in our opinion, then we tell the right way, I’ve read good comments but were are those alternatives that may help making your criticism constructive, if we dont want blue, white would be an alternative. We always seen the bad side of our government and the politicians who run the show, as popularly known that we human being loved to see others deffects, but before casting stones on them we should leap on our own first, you cant take others burden while your heavily loaded.
If we want change in our government, lets start in ourselves.
June 13th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Jang-jang
Tama ka, suwapang talaga ang gobyerno natin. Una, nilason na tayo dahil sa pagbukas ng maraming “mining”, tapos eto nanaman tayo, inaprobahan an JPEPA.
Wala na talaga akong “bilib” sa mga mambabatas natin. Hindi naman lahat, kundi, karamihan.
Ang hirap kasi sa mga mambabatas, puro mayayaman, at may “vested interest” ang mga yan.
Alam ko, matalino at magaling manalumpati ang mga hinayupak na ito, kaya lang walang moralidad.
Isipin mo sumama ke PGMA, nagliwaliw sa ibang bansa, akala mo, sarili nilang pera ang ginagamit.
Bastusan na ang mga nagigiral sa mga mambabatas. Kaya hindi na impeach si PGMA kahit na lantarang dayaan noong election dahil sa mga alipores nito sa Batasan.
May 18th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
We have high regards for foreigners, especially if they are rich. In these agreement with Japan, the Phil Govt focuses on the MONEY that Japan will bring in.
It is very Filipino, From our President to her cabinet secretaries to the Senators to the Congressmen and even the Judiciary down to the the Filipino businessmen, managers, employees and futher to the illegal settlers or squatters.
We tend took at the wallet first before telling them what we can do or share.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:05 am
The only trash I know is squatting in Malacanyang Palace, Alone with her corrupt croonies……
May 4th, 2008 at 2:00 am
While the forest is burning, the monkeys are playing cheapipay in the banana trees. But doesn’t anyone disturb them with another jeep pee pie, for it is I, not the fire who will consume them.