Makati Rally, Friday 29th of February

I WILL BE THERE.

Because we live in a democracy by choice. Because not speaking up when you know something is wrong makes you an accomplice to the wrong. Because I think everyone must be held accountable for their actions, particularly where their actions impact the welfare of millions. Because of the increasingly brazen disregard for the laws and even basic ethics that should apply to educated individuals. Because in many ways, I am embarrassed to be in the same gene pool as those who are perpetrating and then possibly getting away with such outrageous actions. Because of dozens of other reasons I will keep to myself as I know you get the point.

I was infuriated enough to write a rant on “the cash in shopping bags at Malacanang” issue ALONE, which by the way, got 12,000++ page views and over 100 comments, making it one of the top 2% of all posts in this blog, and I subsequently marched peacefully from the Aquino statue to the Makati post office, accompanied by only a few hundred other equally incensed souls. I have been out there expressing my opinion on several occasions, since I was in my teens. And I do think it collectively makes a difference.

It’s easy to say that nothing will change, that politicians are all the same, that we are all doomed, no matter what. It’s easy to say it isn’t your responsibility to speak up, and let someone else do it instead. Well, would you rather be buried under a mountain of caca, kicking and screaming and trying to get out, or calmly lay down as it grows darker and darker and you turn into worm food? If you have read this blog for any length of time, you would know I would bloody well say something and do something, if only for my own conscience. And I am not advocating politician roulette, I simply want folks to be held accountable for their actions.

SO YES, I WILL BE AT THE RALLY IN MAKATI on FRIDAY AFTERNOON, February 29th.

And if I could, I would send FG BURJERS (“Frigging Good” Burjers laced with truth serum) free to any of the folks involved in the growing list of outrageous political scandals…

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75 Responses

  1. I won’t be there… I was not anywhere during Erap’s time and he was much, much, much worse….I will continue praying for my country…

  2. we are indeed in a sad situation.
    and unfortunately, we have to go to the streets to possibly change something in the system. i wish there was another way.

    i want to go. but education comes first.

  3. I am totally with you on this! What saddens me is the flip flop of the Catholic Bishops. What are these Bishops thinking – Arroyo and her family will go to confession and grant them the plenary indulgence and as soon as the Arroyos set their foot off the church premises they will commit the same corruption at the expense of the Filipino people. You cannot rehabilitate a corrupted rooted governance if she escapes all the issues against her. She builds a tolerance and knows how to get away from them by using our own treasury passing out money and more money that belongs to each and every one of us. The former speaker of the house De Venecia I am not sympathetic with the man. He used to be her partner in crime, her perpetrator and he knows from the start how she operates. If you get on her way you will be eliminated – now he is singing the blues. If the former speaker did his job and obligations in the first place which he owes to the Filipino people by seeking an elected position, we will not be in this predicament. Perhaps we have a transparent and accountable governance. I admire the SON – JOEY DE VENECIA though he started the flame of truth and never fear what future will hold him. He is my patron hero. As to Lozada, I have a deep admiration and consider him my present day hero. Regardless what they say in his previous administration that he was a corrupt individual – he totally reincarnates himself to me as a saint by risking and escaping all the barriers to speak up the truth. There is always a turning point! May the bell of truth ring up loud on February 29th!

  4. EEJ, yes it IS sad that we have to resort to rallies and ousters. Believe me, I do NOT like it. But is it be better to just stand by and let them bleed our country dry? What would that teach the youth about right and wrong? So, bravo, MM! You’re right — all the arguments about how all politicians are thieves anyway, and how nothing will change, do not hold water. When you know a wrong has been committed, you must speak up or be complicit in it. People keep forgetting that politicians are there *because of us* and consequently, must *serve us.* If they do not, then it doesn’t matter how much longer their term is, they have to go. That, believe it or not, is the LAW. I like this analogy: if you knew the chairman of your company was stealing, would you wait for him to bankrupt the company? Wouldn’t you try to oust him ASAP? Why, then, do we think it’s okay to let our “public servants” — technically, our *employees,* get away with robbing us?!

    I hope to see you tomorrow afternoon. I will be there with my family.

  5. My wife and I are alarmed on the political upheaval back home. We pray that things will turn out better. We are hoping that the political leaders will come to their senses and think about what is good for the country instead of themselves. We are praying for a peaceful solution of the current scandal rocking the goverment. I wish we were there to join the rally.

  6. Everybody is corrupt in the government, the fight between the lesser evil, the more corrupt the less talk, ramos’s and de venecia’s pea-amari deal, estrada’s jueteng deals, arroyos zte-nbn deal. All have the share of corruption in their seats of presidency.

    Scrap the appointee of executive cabinets, secretaries of the agency, and etc by the presidents. Must have an independent body to govern the appointees of such positions.

    Police, Military, Marines, and Armies should focus more on performing their duties and responsibilities on there respective talents and skills, leave the agency such as dept of energy, ambassadors, etc.. warfare skills don’t apply their.

    If someone run for position and lose, no appointment seat for that person. If that person want to serve the public, serve the public thru NGO’s.

    Change the constitution. Upgrade all the Laws of the land. Put malacanang palace in mindanao. Metro manila is very crowded already. since mindanao particualrly in cotobato or armm area benefits from election, malacanang palace should be there.

  7. The problem with these rallies is that it’s a mixed bag- there are good citizens who are genuinely outraged by the president’s actions (like you, MM), there are the usual leftists who are against the government (doesn’t matter who sits as president, they are anti-government, period), there are the ever-reliable-albeit-paid-crowd courtesy of the mayor, and then there are the scheming politicians out to benefit as much as they can from the chaos.

    I am as incensed as you are MM, believe me, but I am just not willing to stand side by side with any of the opposition politicians whom I believe to be just as bad as Arroyo. Joey de Venecia spoke at the last rally, I mean c’mon! He’s no whistle blower! And Lozada, although I believe he speaks the truth (at least partially), is as much a hero as Chavit was during edsa II.

    If only there is pure, untainted way for the people to voice out their disgust, without the static from the leftists and the noise from the politicos, only then would I lend a voice to this movement. But that’s just me. Can’t the rally organizers just leave out all the politicians?

  8. I will be there.

    I share your infuriation towards this circus we call the ‘executive office’ and its pack of money-hungry wolves. I cant even start telling about my outrage coz then i will go on without end…

    I also agree with Dick Gordon when he said “What This Country need is not just a change OF men, but a change IN men”.

  9. It breaks my heart that the Filipinos go through this political upheaval all the time. It feels like it’s a never ending cycle. A President gets ousted, the Filipino’s think the next one is the country’s savior and alas, the replacement proves to be another disappointment and seems like worst than the previous one. I believe in the Philippines and the Filipinos could be so much more. It breaks my heart that Filipinos need to get out of their own country and be “slaves” to other another country just to survive. We need changes, we needed it 20 years ago and the change is not happening because just like what Star said when Dick Gordon was quoted: “We need a change IN men.” Hopefully, we can find a person who will be just that person and not be blinded with greed. Just how much money does it take for a person to be happy?

  10. I agree with MM and Katrina that we can’t stand on the sidelines wringing our hands as politicians wreak havoc in the government. Something has to be done. However, what bothers me is that ALL Philippine Presidents right after Marcos have been plagued with coups, mass rallies and every other scandal with the intent of unseating the presidency. I hate to say this, but it seems to have become a routine and part of the cog of a wheel in dirty Philippine politics.

    So, who’s to blame? I daresay, I put full responsibility on Juan de la Cruz who entrenched these politicians to their post.

  11. Amen, marketmanila.
    Thank you for being a very responsible blogger, wish all the bloggers would speak out about the atrocities of the Arroyos and their cronies.
    The Mafias would never think that they are doing anything wrong, Al Capone never thought for a second he did any crime at all. Same thing with the Arroyos, they have the access and enough greed, they’d do anything to hold on to their booties from the kaban ng bayan.

    Tama na, sobra na, Kilos na!

  12. I really feel for the poor people out there. We entrusted these politicins to do better for the country but same thing is happening. It is all greed for power and money. We do not even know if there’s an end. It breaks my heart to see people begging on the street especially the children. Where are the support from the government? NONE. SO SAD.

  13. As long as there is no alternative in sight, GMA will cling to power until 2010.

    What is happening now may be perceived as political posturing considering the people “making noise” about it seems taking advantage of media mileage to prepare themselves for the next presidential election. Assuming GMA quit and De Castro assumed the positon, pupunta na naman ba sa EDSA kasi ayaw nila o ayaw namin sa kanya.

    Our beloved country needs instability. We dont need another EDSA to put back a convicted leader or bring to power the same personalities we deposed on EDSA 1. Dapat natuto narin tayo sa EDSA 2.

    There’s no one to blame here. Sarili na natin ang kalaban this time.

    MM, please don’t get me wrong.

  14. I wish I could be there. I want to be counted in as one of those disgusted with the brazen corruption being committed by the present administration not so much as make the present occupant resign, but to let her know that she and her family will never enjoy the dirty money they amassed. I want to let her know that for every bite of the “cocido” she and her family eat (in their pretensions of being “old money”), hundreds of Filipinos have nothing but saliva for their meals. May the image of the dying famished man be forever burned in their minds everytime they have their meals. I wish I could be there on February 29 because I want the world to know that this is not the administration that I deserve, that I am an honorable man who deserves an honorable administration. I wish I could be there because I don’t want to have the next generation of Filipinos think that I did not do anything.

  15. As much as I really want to take part, I have decided this morning not to go anymore. Upon gathering infos who will be around & who might speak, I am not in anyway comfortable standing next with most of those individuals.

    People’s Power is good, previously (Erap era) I have joined about 95% of the noise barages, forums with political figures, rallies, even the marches from Mendiola to Ayala,Makati & Gate 5 Greenhills to Ortigas EDSA. But I agree with Lety, it is sad that this becomes a cycle as if there is one man to save us all, through a President. And it doesnt help that most visible people in rallies are people just as “evil”/corrupt, greedy with hidden agendas, and even people considered instantenously heroes. Witnesses may speak of truth, but I dont think crediting the truth a person says could qualify the individual as a hero. Especially if you dont know the individual or the ins and outs of the NBN-ZTE project.

    Sure I am disgusted of what present situation is but I rather get to another route than doing it the street way. Unless I dont have other means, then I might be at the street again. I do hope there will be a change in the current & old constitution. For those who will be at the Makati rally with no other intention but for the good of the nation, salute! But be carefully attentive with what those politicos and other individuals say on stage, dont shout so positively please. Hopefully, by next election vote wisely NOT intuitively.

  16. Marketman,
    If I live in Manila, I will join you. Masakit sa aking damdamin na hangang ngayon ay sobra pa rin ang kababuyan ng mga politicians sa atin. Wala na talaga silang mga hiya. Keep fighting, dahil kung hindi tayo lalaban ay lalong nilang bababuyin ang ating Inang Bayan.

    Rowena

  17. good for you, MM! Go for all of us who can’t be there. we’ll do our bit in our part of the world.

  18. That is fantastic that you are going!!! I wish I could go but my understanding is people do not really appreciate foreigners (which I am) getting involved. I really hope the rally gets a great turnout and it brings about some much needed changes.

  19. There is something else we can do; ensure that we have honest and clean elections. Something that at this point in time seems irrelevant but its true.

    We should fight corruption at our work place and school; in our daily lives. If we always resort to these quick fixes, we’ll never solve the problem. It was just maybe 7 years ago that we were in the same situation, and look how we have curiously ended up in a very very similar situation. After the rallies were over and everyone went home, people stopped “wanting the truth” and being “patriotic”. We can’t continue being so spur of the moment. If we had the same passion and faith in ensuring we had honest and clean elections, then we wouldn’t need to weed out corrupt government officials.

    We should fight corruption daily, and not in these “desperate and dire” actions.

  20. I was in Edsa 2, and I like to join in Makati today too. Unfortunately, I can’t leave the office early because of month-end deadlines. It is infuriating to realize that we basically give our 4-month earnings every year to the gov’t in the form of various taxes, only to be squandered by crook politicians for their selfish motives.

  21. mapster, I agree that we have to do everything we can everyday. I pay my taxes and a LOT of them. I have never ever slipped a policeman lunch money. I have voted with a conscience and watched at the polls. I have volunteered services for politicians or candidates which I thought rose above the rest, and I have never accepted any gifts, compensation or positions for the effort. So yes, I think we have to do our daily bit. But I also used to believe that we had a high corruption rate because we were poor… and that somehow the petty corruption of the streets and licenses, etc. were a function of poverty. But that is simply not true. The folks who are implicated in multi-billion scandals are well to do, and as someone above says, how much money do they need to live a decent and comfortable life? And the Hello garci scandal was offensive precisely because it suggests that the elections themselves are rigged, hence the votes of the people are ignored. At the very least, we have to indicate a great deal of displeasure and let everyone know they can’t get away with these kinds of behaviors.

    As for being in the company of crooks and wannabees as some intimate above, I think in all democracies people from all walks of life will band together for similar causes, though they all may not look, sound, or be the same. While some of the folks who will be there at the rally this afternoon are opportunists and perhaps not folks I would normally look up to, many others could or should be every day folks who simply want to say, TAMA NA! And while I am not the biggest of Cory fans, I think she IS someone to look up to and her presence is only one of the minor reasons I would show up this afternoon.

    I agree with other sentiments about changing the system et al. But I would agree more that we need to change the people on a massive scale with folks that really want to do the BEST for their country, a noble and difficult scenario, I concur.

    As for others, you are definitely entitled to your opinion and free to choose what you will, can or want to do. With Marcos it took 20 years to reach the “boiling point.” In subsequent administrations the flare ups occurred with less time required. But at some point, when we all are personally so incensed or affected directly, you too will feel the need to do something.

    If you re-read the post above, I would like to point out that I only said that I WOULD BE GOING. Not that I thought all of you should as well, that is obviously your choice.

  22. There just doesn’t seem to be any accountability. Public servants forget that they are exactly that: ‘Public Servants.’ Voted to do a job. It’s not an honourary, god-given place that entitles you to take advantage of a position…Off the subject. Don’t you hate signs that say “A Project of So and So…” or “Thank You So and So…” next to a road being built or a wall being painted? It’s so ridiculous! It’s the government’s DUTY and OBLIGATION to provide good roads, infrastructure, etc. Why do we need to be grateful?! I am ranting. Sorry.

  23. I have the same sentiments with Chris. I will not be in Makati.

    I have joined the ranks of activists in times past and won’t hesitate to do the same if and when necessary like during Marcos’s and Erap’s regimes. I just don’t want to make a habit of simply going out to rally when I think there is a better way to do things.

    But I will continue to pray for our country and do my share: being proud to be Filipino: inculcating the right values to my son: sharing a commonality and a shared vision of a better Philippines, working for it in every way we can, everyday, with the rest of the nation; keeping the faith–in God, in the good in people and in our country. At least, in the latter, I think we all share. We may differ somewhat in how we deal with it. But all of us, I think, have the best interests of our country at heart.

  24. I support the quest for truth but not standing side by side with the “trapos” and self-righteous people.

  25. Yes, it can be a never-ending cycle of people power…until these politicians have to learn RESPONSIBILITY and SELFLESSNESS! I am in a province where people are meek. So meek!..and go through their lives and hope for enough money to enjoy their fiestas and such. That’s all. Their chance at a better life is really the vigilant and more politically aware citizenry of “imperial Manila.”
    Thank you,MM, for not allowing yourself to be cowed or “tired” of going to the streets when all the other legal institutions can’t act as normal fiscalizers of the powers that be; when the military is beholden to the politicians in power…!
    Personally, I also raise my eyebrows when I read the same names and faces of trapos now riding on the “fire” of honest citizens’ ire over the present administration’s mounting scandals. But then, let’s face it…it is only in numbers when a statement such as Truth and Accountability is heard!Maybe they too have learned their lessons! Or else!
    I pray that everyone (All Filipinos) imbibe how it is to be truthful; really love (a word usually interpreted as being nice and passive) by being vigilant and responsible towards this our only country and all Life!

  26. Well, the question becomes…

    “If you want the current leader to step down, is there a better leader out there to take the spot afterwards?”

    Everyone has their “choice” to lead this country. I have not yet seen a single one who is worth the spit used to say their name. Until someone worth the people’s respect comes along, I think we should all just work our a$$e$ off and do our best to make this country the best it can be.

    For those going to the rally, don’t you people have jobs??? Make your statement by improving the economy! Do your job! I’m sure there are at least a dozen things you can do that will generate clear and tangible RESULTS during the 4-6 hours of the rally.

  27. Mr MM, I will not be there but I will be praying for our kababayan and your safety during this very challenging event. Mabuhay ang masang Pilipino!

  28. I commend you for not indulging in the culture of corruption. I know a lot of people back home are guilty of a bribe or two.

    Whatever happens today, i hope the vigor and fervor that we see in the rallies carries over to what we see on a daily basis in our Nation.

  29. Manila Office Worker, the rally is at 4pm on a Friday. And I understand several companies are allowing staff to leave early if they want to. And who are you to judge what people do with their time if you are surfing the net and leaving comments at 1030 a.m. on a leisure/food blog, probably while you sit in an airconditioned office, and at a likely corporate owned computer, on company time and money… taking swipes at others? So yup, do as you please, go work hard and generate gross domestic product, and eventually some taxes. Which the politicians will pocket with impugnity the next time they think to upgrade the broadband network that you could be using in the future if you ever became a public school administrator…

  30. what we really need is a revolution. str! what makes the trapos (cory? binay? jdv? erap?) who will be there later think that being anti-gloria now entitles them to “rewards” later? dapat walang trapo, walang politicians and their ilk. sila naman yung source ng gulo e. joey de venecia, why was he taking part in the bidding in the first place??

  31. ps. nice point, michelle. another is, why is it that you get the lousiest service from government offices and employees every-effing-time? they are the slowest and the most masungit. kung saan pa galing pa sa taxes natin yung budget nila, di ba?

    when i was registering my business a couple months ago i ended up going to a couple branches of the BIR and landbank–just because no one had bothered to tell me which branch to go to right at the start. what the??

  32. Honestly, I am very tired of these rallies and people power.. Paulit – ulit na lang, then it will be said that Filipinos never learn, na it’s like the common man’s fault why our government is like what it is.. But isn’t it also true that our politicians also never learned? They never learned to let go of their greed and to actually start thinking about this country? College pa lang ako, nag-ra-rally nako.. At this point, pagod nako..

  33. hi, jayjay.

    You know, if you don’t know anyone from the govt offices, maybe it is easy to say that. I actually loathe the govt ads because they usually suck and are cheesy to the core that you can’t believe those are govt produced. But I’ve had clients in the govt offices, (and also, my mom is a public school teacher-cum-principal) and so I ‘get it’ why sometimes they have an attitude. If you are actually earning at least P20k in manila, the tax that gets cut off from you is approximately their entire salary. I think I’d be pretty bummed out, too, if I was getting such a measly salary for govt work, but sure, I’m not condoning the attitude. It’s just understandable how unhappy they are. The worst are the public school teachers, their entire salary, even before it gets in their ATM accounts, are already on loan somewhere else. It is heartbreaking. And they have families to provide for! I can’t imagine for the life of me how they survive with those constraints.

    On that note, I feel it’s better to be irked at the ‘system’ the govt offices are using. It’s not the clerks, people on the other side of that window– the people we’re actually dealing with to blame, I feel it would be their superiors’ responsibility to instigate some infallible system; a foolproof process flow, which these people can follow to a T and be implemented strictly. I say strictly because some, if not most, of the end-workers are, of course, resorting to corruption and red-tape (which is the function of poverty, as MM pointed out earlier) and if there are harsher punishments or strict vanguard for implementation of a properly tested system, then I guess applying for whatever would be a breeze. I remember going to the DFA and when I got inside, it was shameful to find myself being sold pens just to be able to fill out my forms. You won’t find that anywhere else–because that just won’t get thru the leaders of these agencies.

    I hope the rant was worth your time.

    And MM, I support your advocacy. But I sincerely wish you’d try to run for office, or at least be an adviser to a big one. The Philippines need you or any spawn of you. Seriously, please think about it.

  34. Years ago when talk about impeaching Erap was brewing, I asked your father whether it wasn’t a good thing that Gloria would replace Erap in the event. His answer took me by surprise. He said that Gloria will be worse than Erap.

    He was right. Boy does Gloria make Erap look good by comparison.

  35. Bravo, MM. I too will be at the rally. I understand the frustrations of many people about how other politicians can be just as bad. And how we should all focus our energies on improving the economy. Points well taken. But for me, to do nothing- specially when attending a rally is easy enough- is to condone corruption many orders of magnitude bigger than what many of us face everyday.

    To those who say there’s no one better, I offer this opinion: the Filipino people voted Noli de Castro as VP, and the law says if Gloria resigns, he becomes president. I don’t think anyone else should be president until 2010, and I’ll take him over GMA any day. (For whatever it’s worth in the last elections I supported GMA but not Noli).

    I worked for this government for two years, and believe me, what happened in the ZTE case is far from an isolated case. It’s an all-too-typical example, one of many, of corruption gone amok.

    Our problems in this country are so profound that holding this government and the people responsible for this latest mess accountable is not a sufficient condition for things to get better. But I strongly believe it’s a necessary condition. I’m not sure if changing presidents right now will make things better. But I’m sure that not changing presidents will make things worse. And for that alone, I’ll be in Makati today.

  36. good luck, hope to see you guys in the nth ouster rally for whoever will be the leader 20 yrs from now.

  37. hi MM-

    would love to go to the rally unfortunately this *&^% job might get in the way.

    maybe we shouldn’t ask for an extrajudicial ouster. maybe we should just ask for the system to work. that the case be tried fairly in a court. that the guilty ones be brought to justice. we shouldn’t have a rally just to change governments every time. if we can make the system work, then maybe current and future politicians will be more cognizant of their responsibilities to the electorate.

    if i don’t get out of the office on time, i’ll be there in spirit.

  38. The only way we can lift our country from this quagmire is to find regular people (similar to MM), who have the heart and selflessness in helping Juan de la Cruz. A simple desire to help and make a difference — no hidden agenda of diverting government funds for personal gain. Are these character traits so difficult to find nowadays amongst our people? One of the reasons we get stuck in the rut, is that people who actually carry these honorable traits are unwilling to participate and join the political fray. So in the end, we have the same old greedy jackals who are more than willing to pad their portfolios with your hard earned tax money.

    We need and want change; but first let it begin with me.

  39. Sometime_Lurker, our public school teachers truly have one of the most THANKLESS jobs ever. Truly sad, when you you realize that teaching is such a noble profession.

  40. i LOVE this post. right on, MarketMan, right on!!! we’ve already given this poseur in Malacanang a chance when she slipped through the noose in the “Hello Garci” scandal and now this!! too much.. and at this point, i throw my trepidations out of the window about noli de castro, if he’s next in line after she’s nudged out of her cushy seat in Malacanang, so be it!!! i cannot continue to live in this country and call myself a Filipino and still retain my self respect while by my silence I sanction this woman’s holding on to the reins of government.

  41. I wish I could go but work beckoned. Actually I was there around 3 pm as I had to drop off hubby at Paseo de Roxas. I must say the air was thick with anticipation. It was a nightmare going in and getting out, but I think that three more years of GMA is infinitely worse. So hello to hellish traffic if it means goodbye to the demons in Malacanang (my apologies to demons). So good for you MM and for everyone who braved traffic to be there. It’s the least we can do for our poor, poor country.

  42. i can’t be there, but i wish i can…..i totally agree with what you’re saying MM…..it’s exactly how i feel and think, though you articulate it better that i can……
    TAMA NA TALAGA!

  43. You slayed me with “burjers”, Marketman! :-)

    I couldn’t be at the rally today, but I share your sentiments. If I had actually showed up at Makati, though, I think I could have gotten myself hoarse (or beaten up) for booing nonstop the moment Erap came onto the stage. For me 2001 was not too long ago.

  44. It’s now 8 pm and the rally is almost over. I watched it on the news and just as I had feared, Erap and Cory were asked to speak! The people chanted erap! erap! even while Cory was speaking! Wow, I would have died if I was there- if not spontaneously, I would have been lynched by the mob after I expressed outrage over it. I cannot and will not forget what erap did just for the convenience of having an ally in this fight against gloria. He should never have been pardoned.

  45. You slayed me with “burjers”, Marketman! :-)

    I couldn’t be at the rally today, but I share your sentiments. If I had actually shown up at Makati, though, I think I could have gotten myself hoarse (or beaten up) for booing nonstop the moment Erap came onto the stage. For me 2001 was not too long ago.

  46. Just got back from the rally and my dogs are barking. I live in Mandaluyong so I just huffed to and from. I protest against corruption because it takes money away from the people who should benefit from it. I rally against kickbacks and bad government. I rally against elected officials who perpetuate their rule because of they cheat and bribe. I march against the complacent people who say, “why bother? It won’t change.” I raise my voice against those who make money out of the sweat of the the people who have to leave their families behind to make a living.

  47. once again, outrage is expressed against GMA. but shouldn’t moral outrage be equal? don’t the corruption of devenecia, lozada and other anti-arroyo politicians not deserving of our collective outrage? does a mea culpa excuse their sins? i support the call for truth but never when it is led by corrupt politicians of all stripes.

    we all know the sins of the aquino, ramos and estrada presidencies. let’s also call them to task for crimes against the filipino.

    this selective judgement of GMA is hypocritical.
    but yes, she must answer the charges brought against her administration.

  48. Chris, I agree with your latest comment. When I first heard last night that Erap would be going to the rally, I texted my dad (he is somewhat involved with the rally organizers) saying that we went to Edsa to oust him, so I do NOT want to march with him. He reassured me that they do not usually let politicians onstage now, and if Erap does show up, we would boo to show him he’s not welcome.

    The first bad sign was when one of the hosts turned out to be an FPJ supporter — she was wearing an FPJ T-shirt! As this was an interfaith prayer rally, it was also supposed to have been a non-partisan one. Then, what I dreaded happened: Erap went onstage for a speech, and worse, he was there at the same time as Cory. This situation made it harder to boo him. We still did, though! Our little group booed loudly every time Erap’s name was mentioned, and while he was talking. We also chanted for Cory. Afterwards, I could hear my dad and his group discussing that certain agreements were not followed, and that is why that took place. Obviously, someone knew the danger of Erap appearing on his own, so they partnered him with Cory. I wonder what she thought of that? And I wonder what Jun Lozada, who is basically doing to Arroyo what Chavit did to Erap, thinks of a convicted plunderer being at the rally?!

    The good news is, there was an unprecedented number of people today; 80,000 (if some estimates are correct) is a number one cannot ignore. The sad thing is, without the Erap and FPJ supporters, the rally might not have been as big as it was.

  49. I wasn’t in the Makati rally…

    . . . because I don’t believe it is the solution to the problems of my beloved country.

  50. I’ve often heard people say that “they’re tired” of taking to the streets yet again to oust yet another “evil” chief executive.

    I actually believe that we should never get tired of expressing outrage. Especially this time that the mandate of the president is seriously in doubt. and it’s probably why this administration seems to disregard the fact that they are answerable to the people, what with the blatant cheating, stealing and horrible human rights violations. we should show the world that this is a country of the people and by the people.

    And… if the next president is just as bad or even worse, then we should repeat the same thing until public officials start to get it in their heads that they are answerable to the people… and the people start choosing officials that will serve them the best.

    Even if it takes 20 people powers. There is absolutely no shame in that.

  51. For weeks now I have been stewing in outrage at the sheer shamelessness of this administration and this outrage needed an outlet. I too cringed when I heard Erap speak at the rally because his presence at events like this is actually a boon to GMA. But to wish that your rally-mates were untainted, pristine as driven snow, and shared your ideals is unrealistic and naive. The choice is not Erap or GMA; right-thinking people repudiated the former, and are now waking up to the realization that we should repudiate the latter as well. I went to the rally because I have had enough of a president and her minions who think that we are a nation of fools whom they could cheat, lie to, and steal from with impunity. To Manila Office Worker, unlike you I don’t believe that if we citizens simply work ourselves to the bone, the promised land of happiness and prosperity is ours. Not if you have leaders who rob you blind, bribe people into acquiescence, and use the resources of government to obstruct justice. So yes, I do have a job, do it well, and contribute to the economy through it; responsible citizenship requires all that, but this afternoon, I believed it also called upon me to be in Makati.

  52. Katrina, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it! gina, wishing for “untainted and pristine as driven snow” rally mates is exaggerated. But I think it is wise to make sure you are not in the company of opportunistic bottom feeders who are just waiting for you to “make the kill” and then grab your prize from you. Selective morality for the sake of convenience is irresponsible. So hooray to those who booed Erap at the rally. Everyone should be held accountable for their misdeeds, not just Arroyo.

  53. Blaise: totoo..am tired na rin..people power just wouldn’t do anymore as the original one. Its too tainted na. the esssence of people power has been thrown out of the window..am afraid it will turn out to be a mob rule thing. Am outraged that corruption is still churning its ugly head and worsening too but the sad part..we easily forget..we easily allow offenders to slip by and ex-offenders to still walk the walk, unmindful of what they did to our country…we lost sight of people power..we never seem to learn..we are partly to blame..as if this whole political scenario is not for everyone to easily understand..though we wish they would..but it seems na we just want to be entertained. Alot of leaders with good intentions may probably want to do good things for the country, but when they grasp power by the horns..the smell and taste of it changes their focus..We lost it ..because we lost trust..in everything! We have a constitution..but we don’t follow it..We have the chance to amend the laws..but we distrust the people behind it. People are always suspect of some hidden agenda. Its cynical,cyclical and terribly damaging. You are right MM to air your grievances..and rightly so! Change is inevitable but the question remains..did we really learned our lesson? Am afraid not!

  54. Katrina, another thing, I think what is driving most people away is precisely what happened earlier. If the organizers can ensure that it never happens again, I think more people will attend. You lose quite a number of erap supporters, but you gain much more non-partisan support from the public. Imagine if the Marcoses were in EDSA 2 posturing themselves as an alternative, I don’t think people would’ve come to EDSA shrine.

  55. I agree with mikel: all the presidents that preceeded gloria are also tainted with corruption, in the case of cory, her kamag-anaks. It’s only erap who got caught(bec. chavit couldn’t moderate his greed, he decided to tell on his friend instead),and got punished eventually but it wasn’t really his fault if he was pardoned because the president who gave that to him is worst than he is, the most corrupt president this country ever had.

  56. deja vu! it will never change, i am waiting for a more qualified person, hopefully not a jaded politician to rule our country. it seems they got their eye on the public office and go for total profit and ways of hiding from media scrutiny and hiding the ill-gotten wealth and run to the nearest foreign country that they can spend they life with total immunity. stop electing oligarch(they have never been poor like we have been poor) stop electing actors and actresses, some of them should not be acting let alone running our country, wake up we all pay for these. shame.

  57. ako rin pagod na sa mga rally, but there is no better way to tell that woman that enough is enough…there wouldn’t have been any rallies had the impeachment against her prosper…the cheating done, and please don’t tell me there was no massive cheating done during the last presidential elections alone is enough to impeach her and that’s constitutinallly sanctioned. we have rallies because se settled and are settling to the lesser evil. kung sasabihin nating wala naman kasing papalit dahil lahat sila mga corrupt, we’re actually invoking a self-fulfilling prophecy. hindi bale sana kung ang buhay lang natin ang pinaguusapan dito, pero hindi. ang nakataya ay ang buhay ng mga anak ng mga anak ng mga anak natin dahil sila ang magbabayad sa mga inutang ng kasalukuyang rehimen. hindi bale sana kung ang mga inutang ay para sa kapakanan ng lahat.

  58. “If you have read this blog for any length of time, you would know I would bloody well say something and do something, if only for my own conscience.”

    Thank you, you said it best! My being at the rally yesterday was a matter of conscience. We have to physically show the corrupt that it is NOT ok with us.

  59. Yeah, what Siopao said!!! ;-) I understand why people say the frequent rallies have gotten tiring (and tiresome), but democracy is a never-ending struggle. The moment we take it for granted, we lose it: another Marcos, or worse, will take over and before we know it, we won’t even have the right to speak our minds, much less rally anymore.

    I’ve heard so many people deride those who never seem to stop being outraged — the B&W Movement, Akbayan, et al. — but without people like them, we’d probably still be under Martial Law now. The tendency of Filipinos is to make tiis, to just ignore hardship and take care of their families, to make jokes, and to pray the problems would just disappear. We need the “noisy whiners” (as they have been called) to jolt us out of our complacency and light a fire under our asses. People complain about the traffic or lost business that rallies cause, but in the long term, won’t they also be the beneficiaries of a better future for our country — one without the blatant corruption we now have? Won’t an economy that isn’t sabotaged by immoderate greed mean prosperity for them, too? (Notice I didn’t say *zero* corruption and greed; I’m not a dreamer.)

    Of Lozada’s many quotable quotes, the one I like best is (this may not be verbatim), “Ang Pilipinas ay hindi lang isang pamilya, kung ‘di isang sambayanan.” Being a good citizen means more than just looking out for our own family; we have to work for the good of all.

  60. For all the people who are with this civic cause and call I am with you. No reservation should be in our mind and heart who will be at the rally either trapos, partisans, nonpartisan, leftists, trashy, shitty, blue and white collar workers, non-dominional religious leaders and followers, etc. One body counts a lot and sum up together stands for unity of our mutual goal to freed our beloved Country from corruption, bribery, goons, guns, abduction, distribution of cash and other unethical governmental practices. Think about our fellow countrymen who are OFWs in the Middle East especially women working as domestic help they are abused sexually, verbally and physically! They have to put up with unbearable working conditions. Why they have to bear this? They have to support their family! Think about our fellow countrymen who are severely sick and unable to seek medical intervention. No social service program to fund their medical expenditures from our government. We have regained the freedom to express our dissatisfaction, disapproval and zero tolerance with our administration out on the street — unlike 22 years ago the streets are wide open but no freedom to do so. We have long been BRANDED in the international community as a corrupt nation!

  61. Who is our Obama? there has got to be a person who has the integrity to serve the people, who has the conscience to distinguish between self serving acts of corruption and genuine leadership. start from scratch and get rid of everyone in gov right now.

  62. Huwag tayo mapagod sa paghahangad ng katapatan sa paglilingkod at sa kaginhawaan para sa ating mga pamilya ant sa ating mga kababayan. Let us not fall for the gov’t line that there is no better alternative to the current (corrupt) leadership or that joining rallies will scare off investors and derail our economic gains. (What gains?)

    As Gen. Danilo Lim said: “DISSENT WITHOUT ACTION IS CONSENT.” Let us keep ourselves free from sins of commission but let us not fall prey to sins of ommission also.

  63. FYI..corruption is not a Philippine phenomena. Here in France, there is a multi-billion euro investigation resulting in charges brought up against big business and politicians. In the US, there are a multitude of corruption charges vs. politicians in congress, the Pentagon and big business. In China, they execute the guilty by musketry.

    The political system needs change. A parliamentary form of gov’t. would leave the function of gov’t. intact if a lose of confidence against the gov’t. leads to the resignation of the PM. Let’s think about that as a change tool.

  64. mikel, you are right, there is corruption in many places. I think I like the middle eastern soultion to petty theft, chop their arms off… imagine if it were on the scale of $100 million or more… As for parliamentary, it would likewise be easy to buy the votes of the members of parliament, so the form itself will not be sufficient to ensure a properly functioning government.

  65. tama MM. so, what to do? how do we, ehem..discard or liquidate a generation or two of trapo’s and their military & business backers? would that ensure a more benign and moral breed of politicians? maybe if one of the ayala’s can be convinced to run for president? the ideal leader is uncorrupted and incorruptible. is there such an animal?
    .

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