Friday, February 29, 2008

A dangerous alliance

This is taken from inquirer.net worth sharing:

Youngblood
A dangerous alliance
By Leondro R. Lojo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:33:00 03/01/2008

We are all being made witness to an amazing spectacle, and although this isn’t the first time that blindness and hypocrisy are seen holding hands, it is, nevertheless, an amazing sight.

Two forces have come together. Each already poses a lot of danger to any society, so just imagine what they can achieve together.

On one side of this alliance are the misguided idealists. These people never outgrew the martial law era. They believe that the only way to express patriotism and love for country is by screaming their lungs out in the streets while holding a placard with a defaced picture of the President. These misguided idealists have arrogance running through their veins as they believe that they have a monopoly on righteousness. Whatever they do, they do because it is in the best interest of the nation. Well, since when did spray-painting a U-turn sign on Commonwealth Avenue with bold black letters that read “OUST GMA” [“OUST GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO] become part of promoting the nation’s interest?

They have so much hate against the government that they have become allergic to rules. Their ideas push them to believe that the government and the people running it are perpetually bound to oppress the poor and enrich themselves. They make this eternal call for change, yet they don’t change—or better yet, they don’t want to change. These people waste resources, time and energy by burning effigy after effigy. They believe that only through noise, disorder, turbulence and confusion can a new society be born—descending slowly and graciously from the heavens, like the New Jerusalem, with angels singing in the background. Yes, that’s how blind they are.

In their minds, they are catalysts of change. In reality, they are plain and simple anarchists. They should start looking for jobs and become more productive.

On the other side of this alliance are the politically motivated personalities, hypocrites to the bone. They are using scandals and controversies to become more popular, and their end-goal is to get the highest political position possible. And they have been quite successful. Last year, we saw young congressmen rise to the Senate based, not on merit and achievements, but on controversies they had destructively stirred.

They are populists because it’s the only way they can climb the political ladder. They can’t enact strategic legislation, which will provide long-term benefits, such as developing the transportation system, increasing exports, improving revenue collection and assisting businesses, because all these entail short-term sacrifices, which might cost them their positions—a risk they are unwilling to take.

All they do is complain, and they complain with a fiery passion to make the people believe in the fantasies they are selling. They are polemicists, criticizing without presenting solutions and alternatives. They speak only words that are pleasing to the ears of the masses. When they face political dilemmas, their decisions are based on what would profit them politically, not what is right and just. They are slick talkers, and if you’re not careful enough, they can easily deceive you.

This is a dangerous alliance, as it seeks to plunge society into chaos. They want our society to lose any semblance of stability so that they can create a new order. But even they themselves have no idea how it will function.

But I am not afraid. They cannot achieve anything unless we let ourselves be used by these political clowns for their own blind and selfish goals. They can make as much noise as they want, but they need many more warm bodies to join their ranks before they succeed in destabilizing our society. I have already counted the many curious, naïve, gullible, ignorant and politically immature countrymen who are neither misguided idealists nor hypocrites but will take part in this political adventure, and they still won’t make it.

I can hear the noise, but I still can’t feel the heat. After each and every protest rally, the crowds would fizzle out, the streets would be left empty and dirty, and the leaders of the carnival would be eating a fancy dinner while most of the gullible people they drew into the activity would be walking home. Every demonstration sends a clear and strong message to the whole world that while countries across the globe are taking measures to strengthen their exports, develop their industries, attract new investors and ensure their competitiveness in a fast changing, globalized world, we are busy playing on the streets of our financial district.

Having taken this unpopular stand, I ask:

Why do we have to change the government, when we are all part of the problem? Imagine how much more we could have achieved if all the wasted time, resources and energy were utilized to enact good legislation, build more houses, establish more schools, help small and medium enterprises, and construct more roads.

Why do we waste time, resources and energy in asking the President to change or to change the President when we can, in our own little ways, bring about change? When will we realize that we have better things to do? When will we understand that regime change, right here and right now, will not solve anything?

In this day and age, genuine reform and revolution no longer necessitate the dramatic street episodes of the martial law era. Today, our society’s transformation depends on small, quiet, often undocumented steps toward political and economic stability.

I refuse to be part of this political circus of blind and selfish clowns.

Leondro R. Lojo, 23, has a master’s degree in political economy from the University of Asia and the Pacific and works as a research analyst in a risk-advising company.

Copyright 2008 Philippine Daily Inquirer. No infringement intended. Visit: http://www.inquirer.net

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

.:: Post a Memory of Me ::.

DALIIII fun to!!!

Got this from my officemate Lois.

If you read this journal, even if I don't speak to you often, post a memory of me.
It can be anything you want.
It can be good or bad, just so long as it happened.
Then post this on your journal too!


Be surprised (or not) about what people remember about you. :)

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Ang aking Utang...

After a weeklong and a much anticipated conglomerate forces of “Libres” from our Hong Kong and Thailand balik-bayan officemates together with two birthday celebrants, and a reunited-with-her-husband girl, nangyari na ang dapat mangyari: “Libre Spree”.

Only 2 out of 10 people lang ang nakinabang dito kasi the rest of us is obliged to take part on the “Libre”. Si Pew lang at si Ms Jane ang nakinabang sa libre na to kasi halos kaming lahat has no excuse not to celebrate life’s blessings.

First hop was on Gilligan’s at Glorietta
At sinimot ang big bottle of tequila
Si BB at GB ay ginawang pulutan
Sa kaliwa’t kanang malutong na usapan

Gusto daw nila akong paiyakin
Ngek ngek nila nag-focus sila sa pagkain
May sinigang doon, may pansit dito
Sa kaliwa ang hipon at ang manok na pinirito

Nang medjo tipsy na ang galaw
Trip ay magdisco at sumayaw
Sabi nila sa may Edsa Shang Waterhole daw
At doon ang continuation ng paghataw

Ngunit nang dumating kami doon
Acoustic naman pala sila sa gabing iyon
Walang nagawa kundi maghanap nalang ng iba
Para ipagpatuloy ang pag-arangkada

Sa Libis nalang daw kasi may marami
Sa walang pag-aalinlangan pumunta kami
Pero ang ginawa ay naglibot-libot lang
At nagpapicture na parang kagalang-galang

Hindi pa nakontento ang makakating mga paa
Gusto pang humirit sa Malate, Manila
Dahil doon daw siguradong may sayawan
Para maipagpatuloy ang kasiyahan

Pumasok sa Bed Rock nag-order ng pizza
Kasama malamig na iced-tea tig-iisa-isa
Doon yumugyog at nakisayaw sa banda
Solved! Dahil nakaindak na

Nang panahon na para umuwi
Kelangan na magbayad ng salapi
Dahil sagot ko kasi despedida raw despedida ko
Ako ang magbabayad ng bu-o

Dumating ang itim na leathered folder
Nakalagay ang bill ng aming in-order
Dahil nga cash ay wala sa pitaka ko
Swipe nalang sana pwede to

Bumalik ang babaeng sa amin ay naniningil
Sabi rejected daw card ko nakaka-minus-appeal
Pano ba yan eh wala nga akong pera
Buti si Ate Badette binayaran muna

At dun nag umpisa ang aking utang
Kung kelan ako ay sana lilisan
At least ung card ko hindi ko na ginamit
Pero may utang pa akong 1400 kay Ate Badette

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Import

Hahaha... Pwede palang mag import ng blog from Blogger to Multiply?! Hahahaa..