Current Issues: Poverty, Politics, etc
April 2, 2007
Posted by Toti
Vote Wisely!
While walking down the street one day, a powerful senator of the Philippines is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.
"No problem, just let me in." says the senator.
"Well, I'd like to but I have orders from higher-up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell andone in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven," says the senator.
"I'm sorry but we have our rules." And with that, St. Peter escorts the senator to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell.
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him, everyone isvery happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, hug him, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar.
Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that, before he realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit Heaven."
So 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. "Well then, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity." He reflects for a minute, then he answers:
"Well, would never have thought it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell."
So Saint Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to the senator and lays an arm on his neck.
"I don't understand," stammers the senator. Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. The Devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning.
Today you voted for us!"
April 3, 2007
Dear All,
Camarines Norte has consistently ranked among the Top Ten provinces nationwide - a big achievement?. In 1997 and 2000, our beloved province has ranked tenth in terms of poverty incidence. We were out-ranked,however, by another Bicol province - Masbate, which ranked
second.
In terms of food poverty incidence (proportion of families having incomes below the amount needed to be able to satisfy the food requirements, based on nutritional requirements), Camarines Norte also ranked tenth in both survey periods, 1997 and 2000.
In the 2003 survey, which is the latest data available, we have moved up from 10th to 8th place in terms of food poverty incidence. This means, subsistence condition in our province has worsened!
More than half of the families in Cam Norte are poor (below the poverty threshold level), and more than one-fourth are extremely poor (below the food poverty threshold). Among the municipalities, Capalonga has the worst poverty situation and Daet, the least incidence of poverty (in a province with high incidence of poverty).
What is positive is that Camarines Norte is included in the areas targetted for immediate hunger mitigation measures. Let's hope that the budget intended for this program will really be spent as planned and not just go to the pockets of a few. This would require vigilance on the part of the people, who should be able to hold the program implementors accountable for whatever leakages that would happen.
For your information lang po.
Toti
2 comments:
may 15
dear all,
it seems that our egroup has become inactive these days. we miss the messages of the regular 'chatters'.
i think ed is here in manila for a few days, after which he leaves again - for palestine? or montenegro? by the way ed, where's montenegro?
i just came back this morning from naga city where i voted. Yesterday was election day here in the pHilippines. Although many have become cynical with the country's electoral/political system, I still believe that it is our civic duty to select our leaders. It seems that the voting population is slowly growing into maturity. The popular actors are sure not to win, the balimbings (sotto and oreta, two
oppositionists who were with Fernando Poe Jr's camp in 2004, but who ran under Gloria's party this time) will also not likely win. The three kapatiran candidates (na matitino and are being endorsed by the couple's for christ) will not win as expected, but at least they are getting a significant number of votes. The priest who ran in Pampanga as an alternative to the wife of the gambling lord and to the
movie-star son of Lito Lapid is leading in the initial results of the counting. So, mukhang may pag-asa pa rin naman ang Pinas. (Marynat, not only were the 3 kapatiran candidates numbers 1 to 3 in my list,
but I also campaigned for them ha!)
I didn't get the chance to greet the mothers among you a Happy Mother's Day last Sunday so this is a belated greeting.
By the way, I've read in the previous emails that some of you want to come home next year. How many and who are more or less certain? I already informed Boboy, and he'll tell Mendy about this.
Attached are two pictures. Iyong Ateneo de Naga iyong tingnan ninyo ha, incidental lang na kasama ako sa picture. I think it was Susan who did the landscaping of this 10 hectare Ateneo de Naga high school campus.
I hope many of you will resume your regular posting. Anyway, I have a big surprise for you probably during the weekend when I open our blogsite. It takes time to go over all the emails from the start and
to classify them by subject.
Wake up!
Toti
When I left the Philippines and decided to become a permanent resident of the US and afterwards became a citizen, I honestly believed that I already lost my right to air my complaints or disapproval on how elections are being conducted there. I always maintain the belief that if someone wants to fight for a cause, the struggle should be waved in the place where change is being desired to take place. The advent of TFC and GMA Pinoy tv have made people like me to become updated on the ongoings in the Philippines especially regarding the elections of 2004 and 2007. News about widespread cheating were elaborately reported by the two PI TV Network. In 2004, I formed my opinion about the election of Gloria. To my surprise, my opinion was actually the opinions of the majority of the Filipinos in the Philippines. I thought that when the 'I'm sorry' statement was made, Filipinos will rise up and will prove to the world once again that Filipinos do not allow anyone to make a mockery of their democratic principles and what could be the greatest mockery than putting oneself as President of a country that is dubbed as the 'window of democracy in Asia' by way of massive cheating. Poor Danny, he can't complaint, he is no longer a citizen of the Philippines, but so did the millions of Filipinos who were cheated. They all took it in stride. So forget about Hello Garci. The 2007 election came. Again, massive cheating were reported by your TV network and poor Danny, very informed once again of the events that are happening there, but can't do anything but watch. TODAY, I heard about a certain Lintang Bedol, I think he is an Election Supervisor in Maguindanao, and he is challenging the Comelec to sue him.
This was the same scenario with Garci in 2004. He was laughing off all the investigations being thrown his way because he knew that
he was above the Philippine laws. He has in his palm Gloria. Now, Lintang Bedol. He has all the Administration candidates in his palm as well. Jok Jok Bolante, and the guy who forged FPJ's birth certificate, where is he now by the way? These people knew that no matter what, they can not be prosecuted because they were just following the order of the higher up. As I have mentioned initially, I can't complaint and what the heck
why should I be concerned about this when the millions of Filipinos in the Philippines are not concerned at all. But my only question to people like Ed, Toti, Bert and the rest of the so called 'Intellegencias', are you like me? Not concerned at all about this 'not important mockery' once again? Just asking lang po.
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