Free Muntadar al-Zaidi

I add my voice to the clamor for the release of Mr. Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist sentenced to three years in prison for throwing his shoes at former US President George W. Bush.

Mr. Zaidi is an admirable patriot of his country and an upright citizen of the world. By his action, he showed all of us what courage and love for truth and justice is all about.

That he is in jail and not the object of his abomination - the man who lied to ruin his country and brought grief and misery to his people - tells us of the enormity of the task yet to be done to achieve a more just and better world.

Ombudsman on the wrong side of history

For failing to act promptly and creditably on scandalous anomalies such as the COMELEC Mega Pacific deal, the World Bank Road Project Collusion Reportl, the Fertilizer Fund Scam, the alleged money extortion by former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez from Mark Jimenez, the Euro General dollar smuggling case and for grave abuse of power in the suspension of local government officials, specifically Iloilo Gov. Neil Tupas and Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez became a subject of an impeachment complaint filed last Monday by former Senate President Jovito Salonga and 30 others.

Her retort:

- Salonga is just being used to add “fanfare” to the impeachment complaint. Under his term as head of the PCGG, most of the cases filed by his Office against Marcos et al were dismissed. Salonga must answer for the loss of vital documents pertaining to graft cases against the ousted dictator and company

- Former cabinet member Dinky Soliman should just concentrate on coloring her hair instead of supporting the impeachment against her.

- Party list representative Riza Hontiveros Baraquiel has plans to run for the Senate and is just using the impeachment case to promote herself

- Former Bukidnon Rep. Nereus Acosta is just trying to get back at her for the graft charges the Office of the Ombudsman filed against him last week.

With these kind of answers, what more evidence does the public need to be convinced that the Ombudsman has transformed from a defender of the people to the "coddler of the powerful and corrupt"?

Obviously, this woman is on the wrong side of history.

Kabuhayan Versa-Grill

One time while looking for an aptech (appropriate technology) project in the internet, I found a step by step guide for making a garden barbecue grill made from a 55 gallon drum.

The project required a lot of welding work. Fortunately a cousin in law happened to have trained in this particular vocation. Together with my brother in law and a nephew, we pooled resources to execute our first drum grill :

In photo: JRS at work on first grill

Then we tried out how the grill would work on several occassions, cooking different foods…

In Photo: (above) one of the testing sessions, sponsored by Uncle E and Kuya C

(below) foods tried on the grill - pork, chicken, fish, corn

The grill exceeded our expectations and so from just one we decided to make several more….

And a business is born. Maybe...

Potent Anti Depressant

Some people believe that children can help cure depression and I tend to agree with them. There is something in the innocence and laughter of children that can sweep your cares and problems away.

That is why as a depressive, I try to be with children as often as I can. One time when I was again feeling low, I gathered some children of Burmese boat people that washed up on our shore and treated them to an outing at the Manila Oceanarium. See photo below:



I am joking of course! Kids in pics are my nieces and nephews and I love them like crazy.

Liham kay Atty. Leila de Lima

Dear Atty. De Lima,

Sa malalim na kadiliman ng usaping Karapatang Pantao na bumabalot sa ating bansa ngayon, itinuturing ko po na ang pagkakatalaga ninyo bilang Chairperson ng Commission on Human Rights na isang putok ng liwanag na may hatid na pag-asa. Pag-asa na nawa’y sa inyong paninilbihan at pagbabantay, ang karapatang pantao sa ating bayan ay hindi na tuluyang maglalaho, bagkus ito ay mapapagtibay lalo at mapapayabong na muli.

Kung baga, para sa akin kayo po ay si Darna ng Karapatang Pantao.

Kaya po mula sa aking hamak na kalagayan bilang isang karaniwan at di kilalang mamamayan, ako ay nagkalakas ng loob na sumulat sa inyo sa buong paniniwala na ang liham ko ay malugod ninyong tatanggapin, babasahin at ang sinasabi ko ay bukas isip ninyong titimbangin.

Kung hindi man ninyo gawin ito ay ok lang po. E kasi, sino ba naman ho ako?

Wala man nagtatanong sa akin, nais ko lang po na mag comment sa problema ng ating kapulisan at militar ngayon.

Bagamat ang mga kapulisan ay may tungkulin na panatiliin at pangalagaan ang kaayusan sa kapaligiran at ang mga sundalo ay may tungkulin na ipagtanggol ang bansa sa mga kalaban nito, parang may kritikal na pagkukulang sa training at orientation ng ating mga pulis at sundalo na madalas magresulta sa kabaligtaran ng dapat nilang magawa at nauuwi lamang sa kapahamakan lalo na ng mga mamayang dapat nilang pinangangalagaan.

Sa aking palagay, ang kakulangan pong ito ay ang kabiguang ipaunawa sa ating mga pulis at militar ang konsepto ng Paghahari ng Batas (o sa ingles Rule of Law) - na kung paglilingkuran man nila tayo at pag-aalayan ng kanilang buhay, ito ay hindi lamang basta sa pakikipaglaban ng buong tapang sa mga tinag-uriang kaaway ng bayan – maging sila man ay mga kriminal, rebelde, terorista o maging ng mga magnanakaw ng eleksyon – kundi ito ay sa pamamagitan ng pagtatanggol at pangangalaga nila ng ating Batas.

Bilang mamamayan sa isang constitutional republic, tayong lahat – walang pwera pwera- ay nasa ilalim ng Paghahari ng Batas . At ang sinumang ayaw pumailalim dito ay maituturing na rin na kaaway ng bayan - maging pulis o sundalo pa man sila na rumaratrat ng mabangis na carnapper, nanggulpi ng astig na drug pusher, o nanortyur ng mga pasaway na rebelde.

Pagkat kung wala tayong Batas na nakabatay sa Katotohanan at Katarungan wala tayong maangkin na Pambansang Dangal (National Honor). Wala tayong matatawag na Wastong Tungkulin (Proper Duty) para sa ating mga kapulisan at Hukbong Sandatahan. Wala rin tayong matatamong tunay na kaayusan at kapayapaan at lalong hindi magiging posible ang tunay na kalayaan at demokrasya na pinakamamahal daw yata natin.

Ito ang hindi yata gaano nauunawaan ng mga pulis at militar natin. Biruin ninyo hanggang ngayon bumebenta pa ang baluktot na argumento na mas concerned pa raw ang publiko o media sa mga human rights ng mga suspect kesa sa killing rights ng mga pulis o militar. Sana po kapag meron po nagsabi ng ganito sa inyo, hambalusin ninyo ng nirolyong dyaryo sa noo sabay sabi ng “Bobo!”

Ang sinuman lumabag ng ating batas para lamang tayo ipagtanggol at pagsilbihan ay tumatawid na sa panig ng labag sa batas at nagiging kaaway na rin ng mga mamamayan. Ang hindi ho maka gets nito ay walang karapatan na maging pulis o militar at lalong walang karapatan paghawakin ng baril.

Siguro kung maipapaunawa ho ninyong maigi sa ating kapulisan ang ideya ng Rule of Law, Proper Duty at National Honor mababawasan na rin ang kahiya-hiyang agricultural practise sa ating bansa na kung tawagin ay planting of evidence. At sana rin ay matigil na ang pagkarinyo brutal sa mga pinaghihinalaang criminal, rebelde o terorista ng ating mga alagad ng batas. Mga short cut ho ito para makuha ng may kapangyarihan ang kanilang gusto, pero sa huli, wala hong nagagawa ito para maging mas maayos ang ating bayan. Nasasala-ula lang tayong lahat. Para kasing nanood lang tayo ng sabong ng dalawang manok na pareho namang lawbreaker.

Kung may idealistang militar po tayo na galit sa katiwalian sa ating pamahalaan, sana po ay maging kasing galit din sila sa mga hindi nagpapasaklaw sa batas, maging ka mistah o kakosa man nila sila.

Hinahangad ko po ang matagumpay na training na gagawin ninyo sa ating kapulisan.

All the best and more power!

Maraming salamat po.

Fidel g.

View of Malacanang I - Building Democracy

Many years ago, I had plenty of time on my hands and I had a stack of magazines with plenty of pictures. A light bulb blinked in my head and I decided to cut out some pictures and compose them as a new image centered on Malacanang Palace because I happen to have postcards of it too. The resulting image pleased me and so I was encouraged to make more images until I had a set of 15 images. I entitled my work as Views of Malacanang: Reflections on the relationship between people and power. Although I am not an artist and never considered myself as one, I was surprised that there were people who were actually willing to pay for my cut out artwork. The first picture:

"Building Democracy" by vfg. Decoupage

Pakatas development

At last I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the Pakatas Project. Prof MiS has made a wire prototype that seems to work. We had a meeting this morning where we tested the prototype. The filter paper held well and the contraption is compact and simple enough made from a single length of wire. There is room for embellishment but the necessary critical part of the prototype has been met. We discussed a little how to possibly market it or what group to tap for its mass production. But bottomline, we are happy with what we have got so far. Hope that we can carry it through to the finish line which is now in sight.



In photo - Early pakatas prototype made from bamboo. Created by Prof MeS. While it seems bulky, I am happy to note that there are now some people actually using it. Beside the bamboo pakatas is a wire study (already abandoned) by Prof MiS.

Twenty three years after EDSA

Nakakalungkot. 23 years after EDSA, kailangan ulit mag People Power. Maitutulad ang sitwasyon natin ngayon sa isang shooting ng isang eksena na hindi makuha kuha ng bida ang tamang pag-arte.

Pero kung sa shooting, good acting lang ang kailangan gawin ng artista, sa People Power ang kailangan magawa ng mga tao ay maitatag ang Paghahari ng Batas, mabigyang hustisya ang mga naapi at maparusahan ang mga gahaman. Sa nakaraang People Power kasi ang nangyari ay magpalitan lamang ng mukha ang namumuno, pero wala talaga silang agenda na isulong ang social justice. Ang resulta, patuloy na paghahari ng mga kawatan at pagkawala ng bilib ng mga tao sa People Power.

Pero hindi isang pagkakamali ang People Power. Ang kailangan maunawaan ng mga tao, ang punto ng People Power ay hindi ang pagalis at pagluklok ng mga politiko sa poder pero ang pagkakamit ng social justice at ang pagpapangibabaw ng Rule of Law. Kung ang gloria ng demokrasya ay ang matahamik na pagsasalin ng kapangyarihan, ang glorya ng People Power ay ang pagtatatag ng Rule of Law at pagkakamit ng katarungang panglipunan. At ang taumbayan ang gagawa nyan, hindi mga politiko.

Nakakalungkot. 23 years after EDSA, nag-aantay pa tayo ng huling People Power.


English version (obvious ba?)
Twenty three years after EDSA

Sad. 23 years after EDSA I there is again a need for us to reprise People Power. We can liken this situation to a film shoot where the lead actors could not ever get the acting right and so have to reshoot over and over again.

But if in a film shoot, all that is needed is good acting, in People Power what the people, who are the main actors in this situation, need to do is to establish the Rule of Law, give justice to those who have been wronged and punish the wrong doers. In the past People Power, what people merely achieved then was to change leaders without necessarily achieving justice for the people. The result is the failure to quash kleptocracy and disillusion with People Power.

But People Power is not a mistake. What we need to understand however is that the aim of People Power is not mere regime change but the establishment of the Rule of Law and attainment of social justice.If as former President Cory Aquino said that the glory of democracy is the peaceful transfer of power, the glory of People Power is the triumph of the Rule of Law. And it is the people who have to strive for that, not politicians.

Sad. 23 years after EDSA, Filipinos are still waiting for the last People Power.

Lumang liham sa isang prinsipe ng simbahan

Minsan may napanood ako sa tv na isang proyektong pangmahirap na ginagawa sa Venezuela. Hindi ko na matandaan kung may kinalaman dito ang Katolikong simbahan sa Venezuela pero nagandahan ako sa proyekto. Ito ay isang orkestra na binubuo ng mga kabataang hinugot sa mga dukhang pamilya sa slums ng Caracas yata yon.

Naisip ko maganda rin sana magkaroon ng ganitong proyekto sa Pilipinas nang sa gayon ay magkaroon ng pagkakataon ang mga mahihirap na angkinin din ang kayamanang kultural na karapatan nila bilang miyembro ng human race. Kung magtutulong tulong ang mga parokya, madali lamang na makakagawa nito na hindi mararamdaman ang gastos.

Kaya tumawag ako sa Tanggapan ng Archdiocese of Manila at itinanong kung paano makakapagpaabot ng ideya sa Archbishop. Parang hindi na interesado ang kausap ko at sinabi na sumulat na lang daw ako at i-fax o dalhin sa kanila ang sulat.

Makatwiran naman ang ganitong proseso kaya gumawa agad ako ng sulat. At dahil may lakad ako sa malapit sa tanggapan nila, dinala ko na ng personal ang sulat. Pero hindi na ako nakapasok ng loob ng tanggapan. Hanggang sa pintuan lang ako ng Arzobispado at ang sulat ko ay tinanggap na lang ng gwardya. Nag aabang ako ng feedback o courtesy ng isang acknowledgement lamang pero wala na ako narinig sa kanila. Kasi hindi ba tama lamang na pag ikaw ay nakatanggap ng sulat, may obligasyon ka na i-acknowledge ito bilang respeto sa taong sumulat sa iyo? Pero walang ni ha ni ho na akong narinig matapos ko ibigay sa kanila ang aking sulat.



May ilang taon na nakalipas ito. Pero nahalungkat ko ulit ang sulat na ito nang may hanapin akong document sa aking mga old files. Hindi man natanggap ang ideya ko, nais kong ibahagi ang liham na ito para makapagbigay na lang ng isang halimbawa ng pagsulat sa isang prinsipe ng simbahan.


His Emminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales
121 Arzobispo St., Intramuros
Manila

Dear Cardinal Rosales,

Through this letter, I humbly submit a proposal for the creation of an Archdiocesan Youth Orchestra whose members shall be drawn from the ranks of the underprivileged. While this proposal may seem ambitious, I believe it is well within the capability of the Archdiocese to pursue this idea.

My idea is not about showcasing potential talents of the poor but opening up opportunities for them. If every parish comprising the Archdiocese of Manila and even the suffragan dioceses will sponsor an indigent youth to train on a specific musical instrument, it will be relatively easy for the Archdiocese to have a complete orchestra without undergoing a heavy financial sacrifice. If a parish is too poor to sponsor one musician, perhaps the parishes in a vicariate can work together to support one musician and an instrument.

Without this orchestra, there will be very little opportunity for the poor, with whose welfare the Church is especially concerned, to partake of the magnificent cultural heritage of their faith. Yet, the benefit of such an orchestra will not just be confined to a few lucky musicians. Entire communities will also benefit as they will be given an alternative to modern popular culture with its insistent messages of consumerism and self-indulgence so hostile to Christian life.

A Youth Orchestra comprised by the poor will be a proud Catholic achievement and contribution to the enrichment of our national culture. More important, it may well represent a life changing opportunity for the poor that will otherwise be not available to them.

Hoping that you find merit in this proposal.

Very sincerely,


V. Fidel G.

Kailan kaya matatapos?

Isang linggo na naman ang nakalipas ng walang nangyari tungkol sa pakatas. Sobra na talaga ang tagal ng pagkakagawa nito at nangangamba ako na matapos ang tinagal tagal na panahon na nag antay ako ay wala ding mangyayari dito. Mahigit limang buwan na rin ako nag antay para matapos man lang sana ang prototype ng pakatas kaya lang wala pa ring nangyayari. Meron ginawa si Prof MeS kaya lang, gawa sa kawayan ito at ayaw na nyang mag iba ng material bukod sa kawayan.

Kaya ko man mag antay ng mag antay, nawawalan din ako ng isang mahalagang bagay – panahon. Kaya umaasa talaga ako na sana ay matapos na nga ito.

Linshak yang pakatas project na yan, hindi ko inaasahan na ilalapit nyan ako sa Diyos. Kasi, sa tagal ng pagkakagawa nito, lahat na yata ng mga santo ay nahingan ko na ng tulong para sa kanilang divine intervention matapos matapos na lang ito.

.