The results of the 2010 elections had the ardent supporters of now-President-elect and oft-dubbed savior of the Philippines Noynoy Aquino rejoicing, feeling hopeful, and eagerly awaiting June 30 when Aquino could finally take the reins from Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and steer the country into a brighter, corruption-free future. Perfectly normal; everyone’s looking forward to the end of the Arroyo era.

But the Noynoy supporters are something special altogether, because along with their joyful afterglow comes an uglier animal: the gloat. They’re just not content with merely triumphantly sounding the horns of victory and feverishly shaking their yellow pompoms. They have taken to jeering, mocking, and pointing derisively at those who are critical of Noynoy. Every time a negative word is lashed against him, these people’s responses follow one particular track, and could be any of the following:

1. “Hahaha, bitter lang kayo, kasi natalo mga kandidato niyo!”
2. “Ang lakas ng loob ninyo mag-criticize. Bakit, may nagawa na ba kayo para sa bansa natin?”
3. “Wala kang kwentang Pilipino, crab mentality talaga, hindi niyo nirerespeto ang electoral process, hindi mo mahal ang bansa natin, lumayas ka na lang, hindi ka namin kailangan dito.”
4. “Wala na kayong magagawa, siya na ang presidente natin, magtulong-tulong na lang tayo.”
5. “Go P-Noy! Don’t pay attention to these negative people. We fully support you!”

Of all these responses, the fourth one makes the most sense. But the other four speak volumes about the intelligence and reasoning skills of Noynoy’s supporters. Despite all attempts at voter education and intelligent discourse about politics and elections, people still default to their elementary-school ways. It’s not enough for Noynoy to have won; they have this indescribable need to taunt those who weren’t on their side, haha, kulelat kayo, beh buti nga, panalo kami. Which leads to everyone else scratching their heads and wondering when it became a bad thing to complain about or oppose those who are in power, especially since those same taunters were among those who complained the loudest about Arroyo.

To all Noynoy supporters: We’re not asking much from you. We’re not trying to force you to stop supporting Noynoy, and we’re definitely not calling for his head or for him to get kicked out. Like you, we’re hoping for the best, and that he really will be up to the job of fixing the country, because heavens know we need fundamental change. But what we would like is for you to remember that there is such a thing as free speech, and that whether you like it or not, there will be people who will not approve of Noynoy’s decisions, policies, or behavior. It would be such a relief if you realized that criticism doesn’t mean we hate the country, but that we love it and are perfectly willing to say what needs to be said if it can help people wake up and start thinking. We also wish that you exercise discernment as well, and that you keep a close watch on the incoming government as well, rather than simply cheering on every effort just because it’s Noynoy at the helm.

Of course, none of what I or other critics say will matter, because you’ll be too busy howling in outrage and telling us we’re a bunch of unnationalistic assholes who need God in our lives and to just believe that Noynoy is The Answer To All Ills.

Here in Quezon City, a sign recently started coming up on roads.

Looks straightforward enough, doesn’t it? It should be a strong enough reminder for people to, uh, not put posters and banners bearing their names and mugs. But oh no, politicians are slimy, creative sorts, which is why they’ve been able to get around this ordinance. Case in point:

First of all, I don’t see why we ever really need to thank public officials for doing their job. It’s their damn job. But knowing the kind of officials we have anyway, I guess we should be grateful that something beneficial is happening at all. But the main thing is, this damn streamer which is slapped on practically every footbridge on Commonwealth Avenue clearly counts as political propaganda. Does anyone really believe that private citizens got together and thought it would be a great idea to have banners printed to thank the president for bestowing these holy footbridges upon us? I think not, especially since I just saw MMDA elements hanging up the streamers a couple of days ago.

Another person who’s found a way to imprint his name, or at least his initials, in people’s minds is a councilor by the name of Winnie Castelo. Seriously. Posters saying “Working Citizen ako, Working Congressman ang kailangan ko” with the W and C highlighted? Clever ploy. Same goes for Aiko Melendez, whose massive poster bearing birthday greetings is found several yards away from a sign informing people of the ordinance. The complete sign reads “Happy Birthday, Aiko Melendez, Public Servant ng Masa,” with the V and M standing for “vice mayor,” which she’s gunning for this coming elections. Do private citizens really take the time and money to have a huge birthday banner printed for a politician? Someone enlighten me.

Whoever was responsible for that sign should probably slap it in the faces of public officials who like having their names in the public eye, as well as people who are planning to run for office, rather than citizens who don’t have anything to do with those banners in the first place. And speaking of the person doing the reminding, that Tady Palma, could that person be running for public office as well since the name is in bold and wants us to remember the name?

I got to watch Isang Tanong just now, thanks to this YouTube channel, and ye gods, it did not help me make a decision at all as to who I’ll be voting for president. On second thought, no, it actually helped me. It made me realize that I don’t want any of those buggers ruling my country, and that I’ll just most likely end up scratching a long line on the ballot like I did last elections, assuming that the automated ballot counting won’t push through and we’re going with the usual ballot we’ve used for the past several decades.

And the political ads are popping up like angry zits hellbent on destroying your life–except the ads and the people they feature are worse, because they really can destroy your life. Much has already been said about political ads, and I’ll toss in my own thoughts about them when I don’t feel so lazy. In the meantime, I just saw the music video from the surprise presidential candidate earlier this evening, and it left me reeling from Regine Velasquez’s caterwauling, the earnest expressions on the faces of Sharon Cuneta, Ai-Ai de las Alas, the infernal Kris Aquino, and Anne Curtis, among other celebs, with the exception of Marian Rivera who was gliding across the screen looking utterly confident that she’s the most gorgeous creature on the planet. I don’t care for Noynoy Aquino, the same way I don’t care for any of the presidential candidates who’ve been crawling out lately, and I don’t care for the music video at all.

And am I the only who thinks that this scene from the video looks like they’re marching onward and preparing to lay waste to wherever they’re heading?

Everyone was incensed when Gloria came out with a statement telling everyone that donations sent in from abroad will not be taxed so long as they’re addressed to DSWD. Everyone saw through this charade and suspected that the government will just squirrel away any donations addressed to DSWD anyway, and opted to send relief goods and other forms of aid to private groups. Still, there were others who complied and today, thanks to Ella’s report, which she was able to put together properly having worked as a volunteer, we all got to see where the donations really went. Hint: Not to the typhoons’ victims, but rather, stored away in DSWD’s warehouse.

Here is Ella Ganda’s blog post, reposted here in full along with the pictures as a back-up just in case her site crashes again from the swarm of her outraged fellowmen. Great job, Ella, and we’re all grateful to you for exposing this!

---

Dear friends,

I’m asking your help to spread the word. Tulungan po ninyo akong ikalat ito. Beyond this, we should also demand action. I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses. You can link this post to your blogs, facebook, websites etc. You can also email the photos.

Philippine News (US based Philippine newspaper) will use this as its front page story this week. Every Filipino has the right to know where the tons of donations from the UN and other counties go. Kahit po nakakahiya sa mga nag-donate. Kung sa ganitong paraan, matutulungan natin ang mga nasalanta, then by all means, let’s do it.

For those who have the time, please try to volunteer sa DSWD warehouses. Getting in was not easy. A friend had to put in a word for us. Let’s see kung madali nang makapasok sa DSWD warehouse ang mga volunteers.

Please read on and good luck to us.

Ella

(This post was last edited Oct 22, 12:30 pm)

Kahapon, tinanong ng Philippine News si DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral:

Editor of Philippine News: Why are the relief goods in DSWD warehouses not moving?

DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral: Wala kasing volunteers.

This short interview was done over the phone. Philippine News wanted to hear her side pero ayaw niyang makipag-usap sa press. After four tries, pinasabi na lang niya ang maikling sagot na ito sa secretary niya – “Walang volunteers”.

I don’t want to accuse her of corruption but at the very least she is showing signs of being totally incompetent. We are in a state of calamity where every second counts. May namamatay araw-araw dahil sa sakit.

In my opinion, these deaths could have been prevented if Secretary Cabral had tried a little harder to do her job.

Deaths from Philippine storms nears 1,000

“Tropical Storm Ketsana left 420 dead and 37 missing when it flooded 80 percent of Manila on September 26, a disaster the government said affected 4.35 million people.

Some areas are still flooded three weeks later and 189,000 people remain in evacuation centres,

Typhoon Parma hit the northern Philippines on October 3 and lingered as a tropical storm for a week, triggering landslides that killed 438 people and leaving 51 missing mostly in mountain communities.

The government agency said Parma affected 4.16 million people, including more than 32,000 who remain at evacuation centres.”

During the first week after the storm, lumabas ang “bayanihan spirit” ng mga Pinoy. “Makatulong lang kahi’t konti,” katwiran nila.

kung walang volunteers, ano ‘to, komiks?

From Stella Arnaldo’s blog:

“At the offices of many civic groups and private organizations, hundreds of people showed up to volunteer in packing relief goods.

At the Tulong Bayan center at the Expo Centro in Cubao, Most of the volunteers were adolescents as young as 10 years old, along with their kuya or ate in high school and college.

They came in huge numbers, many of them barkadas, classmates or siblings, dressed just in their tees and shorts, wearing their Havaianas. All were just enthusiastic to do their share!

_{Photos by Leah Navarro}

Even grade school kids pitched in to help!

Youth volunteers repack detergents for distribution

Making beds from carton boxes

GMA asked world for donations

Our government begged the world for more donations. Sumagot ang buong mundo sa ating panawagan. In less than three weeks, dumaong ang mga barko, ibinaba mula sa mga cargo planes, i-diniliver ng mga trak at container vans ang sandamakmak na relief goods. Cash donations were in the millions of dollars.

But these donations must be coursed through DSWD

Nagpalabas ng directive ang pangulo. Individuals, private companies and other nations were ENCOURAGED to send their donations to DSWD. I blogged about it here and the video of her announcement here.

This PGMA directive sounded suspicious to me then. Now I know why. Here’s the story.

A group of eight people, your ate Ella included, went to one of DSWD warehouses to help in repacking relief goods. We know they need volunteers pero hindi namin akalaing WALANG TAO TALAGA SA LOOB NG WAREHOUSE!

As in sa isang humongous warehouse (1000++ sq.m) NA PUNONG-PUNO NG RELIEF GOODS HANGGANG BUBONG, ISANG DSWD employee lang at ISANG SECURITY GUARD ang tao!!

Kailangang magpa-register at i-schedule ang volunteering

1) UNICEF Registration (as a volunteer)

The warehouse can only take as much as 50 volunteers at a time or per shift. Here you will find that there is a 4-hour shift, and an option for a 6-hour shift for the volunteers to indicate their availability.

What “volunteers”? Nasaan?

Aside from the 8 of us? Nope, there was nobody there. Bakit kailangan ang scheduling? Feeling hindi ba magkamayaw at nagu-unahan ang mga volunteers?

I know somebody who wanted to volunteer many times. She was always bumped off, laging nirere-schedule kasi “there were too many volunteers” daw. At tuwing Sunday lang daw puwede. What the hell is going on here?

Nakatambak ang donations ng UNICEF sa warehouse, local and international

Mga banig na dapat ay nahihigaan ng mga nasalanta. Mga imported camp beds na hindi na yata masisilayan ng mga biktima. Mga kumot na hindi naman nakabalot sa katawan nila. At mga pagkaing hindi sumasayad sa sikmura nila.

The relief goods are not going anywhere

We arrived at about 8 am and left by midafternoon and yes, you guessed it right. Kami pa rin ang tao bukod sa isang DSWD employee sa loob ng warehouse maghapon. Walang ibang dumating.

The relief goods are not moving. By the way things look, they are not going anywhere. Hindi maglalakad mag-isa ang mga donations na ito papunta sa mga evacuation centers.

LET THE PICTURES DO THE TALKING

Note: Pinagbawalan kaming kumuha ng pictures sa loob ng warehouse. I wonder why.

“Not a creature was moving, not even a mouse.”

Parang haunted warehouse ang dating. May multo na yata.

Kahit na daig pa ang tindahan sa Divisoria sa dami ng naka-stack na kaldero

At walang katapusang kaldero pa ulit

Kahit halos natakpan na ang mga bintana sa dami ng mga kahon

Kahit umabot na hanggang kisame ang stack ng mga kahon

(Close up ng Coleman camp beds sa previous photo) Hindi ito kasama sa ni-repack naming goods. Para sa mga “special victims” kaya ito? Ire-repack kaya ang mga “imported” camp pads na ito ever?

Sabagay, may BANIG naman para sa “ordinary victims”. Ito ang kasama sa inimpake namin. Sayang ‘yung imported.

Ano kaya ang laman nito? Hindi rin pinabuksan. Pang-special victim din kaya ito? (teka, dito nga pala galing ‘yung mga kumot)

Mahiwagang mga kahon from Japan Aid.

(close up ng mahiwagang kahon) Hindi rin ito kasali, of course. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang laman nito. “Imported” are not included, we have concluded.

Marami ito, mga laruang kasinlaki ng tao. Hindi nakunan ng pic kasi nasa tabi ng sikyo.

PORK AND BEANS? Yup, you’d think kasama ito sa relief bag. Pork and beans lang ‘to, puwede na sigurong ipamigay,

Naaah! “Imported” pork and beans from Spain po ito. Sorry, hindi pa rin included

Now let’s take a look at what a victim will get from DSWD

Look Ma, sampung lata ng sardinas! How generous! Kaldero ang unang ilalagay sa sako. Sabong panglaba (bar soap) at sampung sardinas sa ilalim. Siyam na sabon sa gilid ng kaldero. Local goods lahat syempre.

Tapos papatungan ng isang tuwalya at isang pack ng sanitary napkin.

Sisiksikan ng tatlong rolyo ng kumot(?) ang blue water jug tapos ipapatong sa kaldero sa loob ng sako.

Last but not the least, lalagyan ng dalawang banig.

Sabay tatahiin na ang sako. O di ba, parang asong tinapunan ng buto ang mga nasalanta? Eniwey, busog naman sila sa SAMPUNG lata ng Mega sardinas

Do not delay

YOU THINK?? WTF is the matter with these people? Mag-iisang buwan na mula nang masalanta ang mga kababayan natin. ISANG BUWAN!! Do you mean “do not delay ang dati nang delayed”?? Shet.

Anong ginagawa ng mga donations na ito sa warehouse?? APAT na warehouse ang nasa loob ng compound na ‘yon! APAT na warehouse na punong-puno ng inaalikabok na relief goods! Relief goods na ayaw yata ibigay sa mga nasalanta. Halatang-halata.

Marami pang pabubulukin

Wow! May bagong shipment na naman! At the rate DSWD is moving, next year na madi-discover kung ano ang laman ng mga kahong ito.

“The first of two of the largest high-energy food shipments from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) arrived in the country two days ago for victims of storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng.”

The biscuits were fortified with essential vitamins and minerals for supplementary feeding to children, pregnant women and the elderly in evacuation camps. Another 100 tons of biscuits will arrive on Oct. 24, in a continuing effort to provide food assistance to flood victims.

Sige, ideretso ‘nyo ulit ‘yan sa DSWD warehouse. Para AMAG naman ang abutin ng biskwit… at sapot ng gagamba.

Conclusion

Sa maghapon namin sa warehouse,nakagawa kami ng 150 sacks of relief goods. 150 bags of relief goods lang ang lumabas sa warehouse na ‘yon that day. At nandoon pa rin sa loob ang mga imported relief goods, safe, sound and packed as the day they arrived.

Nakisakay kami palabas sa isang DSWD delivery van. Gusto sana kaming ihatid ng driver hanggang Makati pero wala raw siyang sobrang gasolina. Ibinaba na lang niya kami sa gitna ng EDSA. Millions of dollars in donations, walang extrang pang-gasolina.

Susulpot din siguro ang laman ng mga mahiwagang kahon at mapapasakamay din ng mga tao…sa ARAW NG ELEKSYON. O mabibili na nila ang mga imported goods na ‘yon sa mga puwesto sa Quiapo at Divisoria.

Suggestions lang po sa DSWD:

Alam ‘nyo palang walang mag-volunteer sa inyo, bakit hindi kayo mag-hire ng mga tao? Bayaran ‘nyo ng arawan para mag-repack. Ang daming walang trabaho, makakatulong pa kayo. Hindi naman malaking kabawasan ‘yon sa bilyong pisong donasyon na natanggap ninyo.

Isa pa, gaano ba karami ang mga sundalo natin? Hindi ba puwedeng ipagawa sa kanila ‘yan? Baka isang araw lang, tapos na ang problema ‘nyo

Bakit hindi ‘nyo ibigay ang trabaho sa mga NGO, churches, private charities, TV stations? I’m sure they are more than willing to help. Time is of the essence. Huwag kayong suwapang. Obvious ba, hindi ‘nyo naman kaya.

Kung talagang gugustuhin ninyong makarating agad sa mga kawawang biktima ang mga donasyong ‘yon, nagawa ‘nyo na ‘yan. Maraming paraan…kung talagang gusto ‘nyo lang.

You are the government. You have the power, the resources and the money. You just have to really care.

I don’t know how many times I’ve said that with regards to Philippine politics. This latest occurrence should be the most worthy of that line, though.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay will be former President Joseph Estrada’s running mate in the 2010 presidential election, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said Tuesday.

“Confirmed. May Erap, may Binay pa (You have Estrada and you have Binay, as well),” Estrada told reporters at the Senate Tuesday. Read more.

Oh boy, this only adds to the number of presidential candidates I won’t be voting for!

Something about her annoys the heck out of me. Is it the voice? The hair? The way she says D-S-W-D in the same tone? The way she stole the last election? How the country has gone to pot further under her rule? The crazy corruption? How the government will joyfully all other tax relief goods not addressed to DSWD? Help me, I can’t put my finger on it.

From GMANews.tv

Filipinos may soon spend every October 20 to celebrate the Bayanihan spirit with a “National Thank You Day,” if a bill pending in the House of Representatives is passed into law.

The Congressperson responsible for this bit of inanity is Cynthia Villar, wife of presidential wannabe Manny Villar. Honestly, the House of Representatives seems like one big clubhouse where people just mill around in a self-satisfied daze and occasionally coming up with silly bills, about which they no doubt congratulate themselves and believe would greatly improve the condition of the country. From the looks of the article, it seems that Cynthia Villar was so horribly upset by the Reader’s Digest Canada survey on common courtesies, which had Manila landing on the 22nd spot, and is now pulling out all the stops to rocket Manila to the top spot.

Most courteous city. Yeah, that achievement will definitely turn the world on its head and make everyone groan in defeat and fall to their knees in admiration. It will improve the lives of people, surely. Foreign investors will swoop in by the droves, corruption, unstable political climate, and the occasional trouble in Mindanao be damned. “Say what you will about Manila, but boy, that city is really courteous.”

While we’re at it, let’s have a National Fuck You Day, too. On second thought, scratch that. It happens every day anyway, especially when the so-called esteemed lawmakers give us all a big “Fuck you” every time they sit around uselessly and come up with stupid ideas that don’t help anyone.