57 Peaceful and Non Violent Ways to Resist the GMA Occupation Regime (GMAOR)

1. The GMAOR has snuffed out the light of democracy in our country. Turn off lights where possible when they are around..
2. The force of darkness are defeated by light. Carry mirrors and reflect light on the members of the GMAOR when they are on stage or in public places.
3. The GMOAR is a confederacy of those who are on the dark side of the moral divide. List down and remember all actors and collaborators of the GMAOR in a Record Book of Abuses for the day of reckoning.
4. Join telephone/fax brigades to call government officials serving the interest of the GMAOR and ask that they step down from office.
5. Join the call for the resignation and prosecution of GMA and cohorts.
6. Write to GMAOR officials and family to state what you feel about them..
7. Post photos and picturesof the crimes and victims of the GMAOR in government offices and public places.
8. Do good and be a servant to others, especially the less fortunate in the name of the resistance.
9. Enjoin others to actively but peaceully and non-violently work for the return of the Rule of Law and genuine democracy in our country.
10. Appeal to the patriotism of the military to uphold the Rule of Law by defying unlawful orders and to arrest those who give them.
11. Reach out to the police and other agents of the law to ensure that they will always be on the side of the people and abide by their proper duty.
12. Help fight graft and corruption. The interest of the corrupt and the craven are aligned with the GMAOR.
13 Lend your voice in choosing appointed government officials to protect the integrity of government offices and institution which could be hijacked by the GMAOR and turned against the people.
14 Encourage government workers to gather documents and informartion that can be useful in the eventual prosecution of officials and employees who serve the GMAOR and who may be committing illegal activities themselves.
15 . Appeal to media outlets for a complete news embargo of the GMAOR personalities and their activities.
16 . Boycott media outlets giving publicity for the GMAOR.
17. Appeal to advertisers to withdraw ads from GMAOR friendly media outlets
18. Do not patronize, as far as you know them, businesses of the members of the GMAOR
19. Avoid contact and social interaction with members of the GMAOR and family.
20 Wear symbols of protest until the occupation of our country is ended and the Rule of Law has returned.
21. Keep a miniature Philippine Flag at half mast on your desk or working table as a reminder that the country is under occupation and struggling to be free
22. Fly black and red kites of protest
23. Throw black and red confetti during public functions.
24. Write “57 DEAD” on all publicity and newspaper photos of the GMAOR.
25. Always include the name of the main protagonists in the scandals and crimes the members of the GMAOR are involved in.
26. Sail paper boats on the Pasig with the names of the victims of the GMAOR.
27. Give comfort and support to the victims and families of the GMAOR
28. Demand for government restitution and support for the GMAOR victims and families.
29. Paint the roads that lead to the offices of the GMAOR red and black
30. Write to embassies and ambassadors to make them aware of the abuses and excess of the GMAOR that they deal with and for them to know the pulse of the people
31. Reach out to th supporters of the GMAOR and present your position calmly and quietly
32. Register to exercise your suffrage rights
33. Protect your vote. Join organizations working for clean and honest elections
34. Enjoin and help other people to exercise their suffrag rights as well
35. Be vigilant and report election anomalies to the COMELEC and media and eletoral watchdog groups
36. Help defeat candidates supportive of the GMAOR
37. For people with relatives abroad, discourage them from attending functions for or hosted by the GMAOR.
38. Instead, encourage your relatives abroad to join protests against the GMAOR
39. Bring your indignation to cyberspace. Mark your site with 57 candles.
40. Speak your indignation and grief on blogs, vlogs, youtube etc.
41. Join peaceful and non violent public gatherings against the GMAOR
42. Join prayer rallies and protest vigils
43. Add your voice to the clamor to arrest and prosecute those who have grossly violated the constitution, committed plunder and killed for the GMAOR
44. Protest functions where members of the GMAOR are present
45. Make noise – blow car horns, blow a whistle, bang on pots and pans whenever you see members of the GMAOR in public
46. Red is the color of blood the GMAOR spills to stay in power. Make red the color of protest and let them see red everywhere they go. Sport a red handkerchief or wave a red flag in their presence.47. Cross out in red mark publicity photos of people associated with the GMAOR
48. Recite the names of the victims of GMAOR in public places.
49. Emulate the “tatsulok” of Andres Bonifacio and organize yourselves as a trio of peaceful and non violent protesters. Each member will in turn create a trio of his/her own to carry out a chosen plan of action to support the resistance to the GMAOR
50. Unleash your creative potential for a peaceful and non-violent resistance to the GMAOR
51. Make a poster
52 Do a play
53 Make a joke
54 Paint a picture
55 Compose a song or an anthem for the Resistance
56 Recite a poem
57.Link arms with others and shout - Enough! Enough of the GMAOR!

Efren and Gloria

Efren Penaflorida is an ordinary citizen, son of a tricycle driver and an itinerant vendor.

Through his Kariton Classroom project, he battled the dragon of ignorance releasing hundreds, maybe thousands of children from the mental prison of illiteracy. He did not seek to be elected first to a position of power before he can do good. He just did it from where he was standing, from where he moved. And he made a difference.

For his achievement CNN recognized him as a World Hero.

On the other hand, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had to lie, cheat and even kidnap her way to the Presidency and when her term is almost finished proclaim that she is not ready to step down from public service and files yet her candidacy for another albeit lower elective post.

Is she truly motivated by a desire to serve? Or is she merely a power addict with an insatiable desire for power?

Considering the litany of scandals and crimes imputed to her administration and which she would not squarely face, maybe what she truly is , is that she is a prisoner of power.

If so, she will never give up power. But it is up to the people to transfer her imprisonment from that of power to jail.

The GMA Occupation Regime

The day Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said "I'm sorry" on tv was the day when our country fell under the GMA Occupation Regime. On that day, GMA appropriated the law and made sure that she will not be made to account for accusations that she stole the May 2004 Presidential Election as evidenced by the illegally tapped Hello Garci tapes.

Henceforth, she could only rule by force, by co-optation of the craven co-optable and by wile. And she did.

It is the duty of all just and freedom loving Filipinos to rid themselves of this power usurper and make her to account for what she did.

Ang Babaeng may Malamig na Halik

(isang tulang bunsod ng larawan sa pahayagan ng isang babaeng malamig na hinahalikan ang asawang kampeon matapos makarinig ng mga balita na labis labis na nakasakit sa kanya)

Ang mga mata mo ay walang ningning,
Ang mga ngiti mo ay walang sigla,
Nagbalik ka sa iyong bayan
Na parang malamig na tropeo
Ng isang kampeon
Na ang dinurog
Ay ang puso mo na mas higit
sa tunay niyang kalaban.

Walang maliw ang madla
Sa kalbaryong nilalakad mo
At sa sugat na iyong iniinda
Pagkat lahat ay lasing sa galak
Ng tagumpay na maging ikaw
Ay inaasahang magpakalasing
Sa kabila ng kahihiyan at dagok na
Lumatay sa puso mong naninibugho.

Ngunit sa kabila ng iyong ipinapakitang
pagsasaya
hindi maitatago ng larawan
Ang iyong tulirong diwa at malamig na halik.
Bakas sa iyong mukha,
ang lungkot ng pagkagupo
sa gitna ng maingay na pagdiriwang
ng isang malupit na panalo

Kung may lamat na ang iyong puso
Dahil sa bugbog na inabot nito,
Ano ang gagawin
Kapag namatay ang pag-ibig?

Sabihin mo Noynoy

Dear Noynoy,

Marami ang nagsasabi na ikaw ay mabuting tao. Ang iyong ama ay martir at ang iyong ina ay bayani. Dahil dito, marami ang naniniwala na sakali mang mahalal ka na pangulo, ikaw ay hindi gagawa ng masama.

Ok lang ito. Ang inaalala ko, baka naman kahit wala kang gawing masama, ay wala ka rin namang gawing mabuti.

Kaya sana Noynoy, ngayon pa lang ay sabihin mo na sa amin kung ano ang iyong gagawin. Sabihin mo sa amin na hindi mo lang balak maging poster boy ng People Power. Sabihin mo na hindi ka parang pop corn na mukhang malaki pero walang laman.

Sabihin mo na kaya mong pamunuan ang laban sa mga kawatan na nanambang sa ating demokrasya at sumalaula sa ating saligang batas. Hindi sila baliw na matapos mahuli sa kanilang katampalasan ay matiwasay sila na bibitiw sa kapangyarihang kanilang inagaw. Ngunit huwag kang mag-alala, nasa likod mo kaming mamamayan.

Sabihin mo sa amin kung paano mo ibabangon muli ang paghahari ng batas na pinagtulung-tulungang ilibing ng mga politikong hayok sa kapangyarihan at gahaman sa kayamanan. Sabihin mo sa amin na ang mga politikong ito ang iyong ililibing sa kasaysayan at kung kinakailangan ay ibuburo sa kulungan. At sabihin mo sa amin na sa ilalim ng batas na iyong itatatag muli ang lahat ay tunay na magiging pantay pantay – para sa mayaman, gaya ng sa mahirap, kulungan lamang at hindi ospital ang luklukan ng sinumang gumawa ng krimen.

Sabihin mo sa amin kung paano mo binabalak linisin ang pamahalaan at bakunahan ito laban sa katiwalian. Sabihin mo sa amin kung ano ang aming gagawin upang ikaw ay matulungan. Sabihini mo sa amin na titiyakin mong mabubulok sa kulungan ang mga tulisan sa pamahalaan.

Sabihin mo sa amin kung paano mo bibigyang katarungan ang bayang pinagsamantalahan at pinagnakawan - na ngayon ay tumataghoy at lugmok sa kahirapan. Sabihini mo sa amin na hindi mo isusubo ang taumbayan sa pagbabayad ng imoral na mga utang na hindi sila ang gumawa at nakinabang. Sabihin mo sa amin na sisikapin mong bawiing muli ang mga ninakaw na yaman ng bayan at gagamitin ito sa pagbibigay katarungan sa mga higit na nagdusa at napagsamantalahan.

Sabihin mo na kapag pangulo ka na ay haharapin mo at gagawan mo ng paraan ang legal na pagnanakaw sa kinabakusan ng milyong mamayan sa anomalyang kung tawagin ay kontraktwalisasyon. Kapag ang isang tao ay pumasok sa mall at kumuha ng bagay na hindi niya binayaran, agad siya ay tinatawag na magnanakaw. Ngunit ang mga negosyante kapag hindi ibinigay ang benepisyo na nararapat sa isang manggagawa dahil may paraan na maka-iwas dito, ito ay wala lang. Ninanakaw ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan ngunit ito ay wala lang. Nakakapagtaka ba kung bakit sa ating bayan ang mayaman ay lalong yumayaman at ang mahirap ay lalong naghihirap?

Sabihin mo sa amin na ikaw ay may paninindigan, na marunong kang pumili ng boses na pakikinggan – ang boses ng mga mahihina at walang kapanyarihan, hindi ang boses ng basta lang maiingay o mga nagpapakasasa.

Sabihin mo Noynoy. Sabihin mo sa amin na hindi mo bibiguin ang bayan.

Wala lang

Ngayon ko lang uli nabalikan ang blog na ito. Nagdaan si Ondoy, nagdaan si Pepeng, dumalaw ang kaibigan kong si Foster pero wala akong naisulat.

Kaya eto, kahit walang kapararakan...

PAKATAS

Finally my project is finished and here it is - the PAKATAS.

For something that may look so simple, it still took me over a year to turn this idea into a reality.

The Pakatas is really just a simple coffee filter holding device to make drip coffee on demand. For some people, the pakatas may seem just like a piece of twisted metal, but for me, they are objets d'art. There was sacrifice, pain, frustration in its pursuit but there was also great delight and joy in its achievement that made all the effort and trouble encountered well worth it.

Through the pakatas, I learned many things. Not just about coffee and its paraphernalia but also about the nature and true color of people.

The Pakatas. Bow.

Passing of a Hero

Former President Cory Aquino was the hero and face of the 1986 People Power uprising that toppled the ruthless Marcos dictatorship and who restored constitutional democracy in the country. For these alone, Filipinos owe her eternal gratitude and the love they demonstrate for her while she was still alive and now that she has passed away is well deserved.

But in mourning the passing of a beloved President, we must not lose sight of the never ending task of nationbuilding that calls for the engagement of all of us. And we still have a lot of work to do - the flame of our democracy has been reduced to a flicker, inequality mocks our nationhood and our people still cry for social justice.

President Cory may be gone, but let us take courage and inspiration in what she stood for that we may continue to carry the torch she carried to bring light and hope to our country and people.

President Cory is dead. Long live President Cory.

Letter to a Coffee Queen

To: Ms. X
Philippine Coffee Board


Dear Ms X,

I write to express my extreme disappointment with the “don’t call us, we’ll call you” policy practiced by your staff for the organization that you represent.

This practice shows either misguided haughtiness, laziness or a lack of proper education in business ethics where respect and courtesy are given importance. It is also not worthy of an organization that appropriated the name of the Philippines to project representation of a national interest only to be selectively accessible to those who pass the grade of your social economic discrimination.

While I had respectfully written you a letter over a month ago requesting for a meeting, I received no definite feedback from your staff on whether a meeting is possible or not. Cognizant of your busy schedule on account of your work, I had limited my follow up to once a week until I gave up trying to get an answer.

When I happened to see you at the Kape Isla last 28 July 2009, I thought it would be a good opportunity to follow up on my request but I found it incredible that though I was a mere few feet away from you, your staff could still prevent me from having a few seconds of your precious time and haughtily drive me away with a lofty “don’t call us, we’ll call you” mantra.

I could have gone over the heads of your overprotective staff as you had acknowledged my presence with a brief smile. But I had lost interest in my original purpose and only wanted to tell your staff that what they are doing is ugly and wrong. Will they be doing the same if I were white and looking filthy rich or will they grovel and fall over themselves to bring me to you? If it is the latter, what does this make of you?

I bother to write this letter because I held you in high esteem. We may have different stations in life but in the end we are all in the same boat. We may commit ourselves to great missions in life, but in the end, it is the little details of civilized living like courtesy, respect and equal treatment of others that make our society a better place.

Peace.

Just a thought

It is a long lonely road to follow a dream, so one should not let dimwits and pompous assholes stand in one's way.