#and I thought the Duterte presidency was bad enough

[thatfraudcassandra]

I am a millennial born after EDSA. Cory Aquino, widow of slain senator Benigno Aquino was already president, and fallen dictator Ferdinand Marcos was on the brink of death in America. Years would go before Martial Law would imprint, but not enough for me to understand. It was not taught in detail during formal schooling, and elders would even go as far as to say that things were "quiet" then. I used to have a friend who revered the elder Marcos, and I followed their lead in repeating what I know now to be lies: that Martial Law was anything but a dark period of torture, disappearances, and killings, and that Marcos did it to protect the country from insurgency.

The Kingmaker starts out cartoonish. It flashes bits and pieces of Imelda Marcos' lavish lifestyle with creepy art renditions of her and her "royal" family and her walls of shoes. Nothing we've never seen before. Then it goes on to talk about this weird delusion that she has mothered the world? Seriously, she repeats this throughout the film, it's so bizarre. I came in knowing close to nothing aside from what shows up in social media about Imelda's ostentation, but her levels of delusion about matriarchy and saving the world were new to me. And yet here she was, the world her stage, spewing her version of how Martial Law years were the "best years of Marcos, because he was able to give the Philippines sovereignty, justice, human rights". She seems high on some good shit.

The documentary tries its best to present an objective view of the phenomenon that is the Marcos family, but knowing the basics--that thousands were killed, tortured, or disappeared during the 21 years that they were in power--it's a difficult task to be unbiased. They do a good job of calling Imelda out on her lies, but as activist May Rodriguez states in a sort of meta manner, "I don't have an answer for why we allow Imelda to even open her mouth". The documentary becomes a pulpit for the Marcos family to repeat their propaganda. There are only bits and pieces of the truth peeking out--when they interview Martial Law victims (in the hardest 5 minutes of the film, Pete Lacaba, Etta Rosales, and May Rodriguez detail their moments of torture, from rape, the San Juanico Bridge, to electrocution.), Leni Robredo's courageous battle against the son Bongbong, and the displaced Calauit community, but it feels sorely imbalanced when much of the film is so focused on amplifying Imelda's lies. She is filmed shoving money down people's throats, cooing over cancer patients, and lamenting how the Aquinos were "unjust, inhumane" towards her family.

But it does its job. I came out of the documentary knowing more than I knew before, more solidly resolved that Leni must run AND win, because anything else would just be a conduit for the Marcoses to slink back into power. And we cannot have that. Never again.

______

Other thoughts I have on my notebook (Kasi dami kong sinulat, sayang naman di'ba).

1. Imelda "misses the clout of the presidency. You can do so much." She isn't even trying to hide her narcissism here. Barf.

2. Those paintings. YIKES ON SEVERAL BIKES

3. Admitting on camera that their marriage was a political strategy, and that his presidency was "to maximize his wealth and talent". Thanks, Imelda. And here I was, the idealist, wanting my presidents to serve the country. Of course they just want to plunder.

4. Admitting that she had no moral compass and coddled dictators and strongmen, from Gaddafi to Mao to Castro. Also while we're on the subject, bakit sila galit na galit sa komonesta pero BFF sa Communist leaders? Duterte really fashioned himself after Marcos, ano?

5. Emo band name ideas: Diamonds in Diapers, or Bulletproof Bra

6. "I don't remember any bad or ugly or sad situations (in our marriage)" and then the film cuts to Dovie Beams. LMAO

7. "That is mothering." - her justification for her excessiveness. Is there a psychological complex named after her? Maybe we can call it the Imelda Complex, much like Freud's Oedipus complex. Hers would be reserved for megalomaniac mothers who think their life purpose is to save the world through buying giraffes and buildings.

8. There is no pressure like Imelda pressure. I hate that this documentary almost made me feel sorry for Bongbong bearing the brunt of the pressure Imelda put on him to restore the Marcoses to glory. Thank God I remembered he was old enough to know what his father was doing at the height of Martial Law, and I come to my senses. Also, what a sore loser.

9. LOL that campaign sortie with Enrile beside Imelda

10. The real tragedy in this documentary is that maid hopelessly trying to clean a mirror with a box of tissues

11. "Penniless" daw si Imelda. Pota

12. Dito pala galing yung meme about BBM complaining about having to fly home in coach. Haha. As an aside, compare BBM's desk to Leni's. Hers is full of books and a couple family pictures, while BBM's is full of portraits of him. Also, BBM mentioned in the documentary how "dealing with the public is a chore", tapos gusto maging public officer. ?????

13. If there is going to be one takeaway here, make it this: $5-10 billion plundered during the Marcos years. I'm not sure if that accounts for inflation, but $5-10B. $4B pa lang daw ang nakukuha. Let that sink in.

14. That Monet painting story was hilarious

15. The last 5 minutes of the film is wasted on Imelda repeating her lie: that the past should be forgotten, "in fact it's no longer there". I would have done away with that and focused on talking to the Martial Law victims, but this is a documentary about the Kingmaker, so we were given that.

[richincolor]

Life Within a Family

There are no new releases this week as most of us are getting ready for Thanksgiving and being with our families, I thought I'd focus on families in YA. The good, the bad, the ugly, all the craziness that comes with the word "family." I asked our contributors to share with me some of their fav books where the family is clearly involved in the MC's life and I'd say we came up with a good list.

Lucy & Linh by Alice Pung

Laurinda is an exclusive school for girls. At its hidden centre of power is The Cabinet, a triangle of girls who wield power over their classmates – and some of their teachers. Entering this world of wealth and secrets is Lucy Lam, a scholarship girl with sharp eyes and a shaky sense of self. As she watches The Cabinet in action, and is courted by them – as she learns about power and repression – Lucy finds herself in a battle for her identity and integrity.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.

You Bring The Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

Five girls. Three generations. One great American love story. Ranee, worried that her children are losing their Indian culture; Sonia, wrapped up in a forbidden biracial love affair; Tara, seeking the limelight to hide her true self; Shanti, desperately trying to make peace in the family; Anna, fighting to preserve her Bengali identity.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Jack Ellison King. King of Almost. He almost made valedictorian. He almost made varsity. He almost got the girl . . . When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over. But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandi Colbert

Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past...whom she knows her parents will never approve of. When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded--she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder. Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story. Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it.

[purplesurveys]

724

From Head to Toe

What kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use? My shampoo is Dove and my conditioner is a local brand. What's your favorite color and brand of eyeshadow? I don’t do eyeshadow. I don’t know the first thing about makeup so whenever someone puts eyeshadow on me I just tell them to go with whatever shade they think would suit me, and thankfully they’ve always made good judgment calls lol. Ever use tinted mascara? I don’t think so. Do you think liquid eyeliner is too much or just right? Man, there’s more to head to toe than just makeup :/ I love liquid eyeliner, it’s the only piece of makeup I was ever invested in and had several of at one point. Lipstick or lip gloss? Lip gloss. I find lipstick too bold and the few times I wore it didn’t feel right for me.

One cosmetic product you can't live without is: Couldn’t care less, honestly. What lotion would you want to have a lifetime supply of? Am not a lotion girl either. The only reason I constantly have lotion is because everyone gives them as gifts, so with me it’s like while I use lotion regularly, I don’t have a go-to brand because I have various kinds haha. Innie or outie? Am an innie. Where is your biggest birthmark? The one behind my left shoulder is the most noticeable one. Are your toenails painted? No, they aren’t. Are your feet ticklish? The back of my feet used to be but through the years other parts of my body have become more ticklish.

Yummy in the Tummy

What's your position on sushi? Love them. Love all seafood. With sushi, the more unfamiliar the fish the better – I always love trying out new kinds. I do think sashimi is a tad bit better though. What about mushrooms? I can’t call myself a mushroom connoisseur haha I know so little about them cause they aren’t really a part of our cuisine. Is truffle a kind of mushroom? I like that, but that’s about it for my mushroom appreciation. Spicy food? You’re not Asian if you can’t handle spicy food and we’ve all been raised to enjoy them. I know only a handful of people who don’t like spicy food, but they’re picky enough eaters as it is so they don’t really count. Johnny Depp is taking you out! What restaurant do you choose? Idk, I’ll let him take me wherever he wants to eat. He deserves that after the shitfest that was Amber Heard. Favorite drink to order at the bar? Like I said in a previous survey, I’ll flock to the Long Island Iced Tea if they have it on the menu. I forgot my back-up whether it’s Screw Driver or Cosmopolitan, but it’s def one of those. For cheaper, more relaxed bars, I’d get a Zombie. Favorite wine? Hate wine. Favorite beer? I hate beer for the most part but we had had to cross paths in the past because some bars I’ve been to only served beer, blech. That said, I found myself enjoying Red Horse the most, followed by Pale Pilsen.

Favorite drink to cool off with? Just good old ice-cold water. Favorite drink to sip by the fire? I don’t really do that. Favorite midnight snack? Mi Goreng instant noodles. What's a food both you and your animal companion enjoy? Burgers. Filipino dogs or askals are accustomed to eating human food with no negative consequences because it’s how they’ve always gotten by, living on the streets; and since my dog is part askal he also loves his human food and started shunning dog food at a super early age.

Favorite snack when you're watching rented movies? I don’t rent movies but uhhhh I like having Potato Corner with me when I’m watching in the cinema, but I don’t typically eat anything if I’m only watching from home. What do you cook well? Nothing. Favorite food at a BBQ? Thanks, Tumblr; today I learned BBQ can refer to an event. Haha seriously though, I just learned that now because we don’t do that here.   Favorite soda when you were a kid? Always hated soda. Dessert you're craving right now? Red velvet cookie sandwiches sound so fucking good right now. Favorite fruit to put in a smoothie? It’s a big nope for me on smoothies, sir.

Good Times

Who do you know that gives the best hugs? Laurice. I don’t even have to think about this. She hugs everyone that enters Skywalk so she’s pretty much a master at the craft. Who took you on your most romantic date? I’ve only had dates with Gabie. Who do you know that can give a good back rub? I dunno. I’m ticklish, so I don’t like the idea of being massaged anywhere. I feel like I’d just flinch the second I feel someone’s hand on me. What's a song you and all your friends sing along with? Does it have to be sing? Super Bass is universally memorized as far as I know hahahaha. But if we’re going with sing, Edge of Glory is very well-loved too. When it's just you and the girls/guys, what movie do you put in? My friends and I don’t really do movie days/nights because we’re constantly busy with academics. The one time we watched a film, though, it was The Devil Wears Prada. Best party you ever threw? I’ve never thrown a party for myself. My best big party remains to be my 7th; my parents really pulled out all the stops for that and it’s still memorable for me until today. 7th birthdays are a bit of a big deal in Philippine tradition (I never really knew why lol) so my party was organized in a way an 18th birthday would be, but some parts were obviously tweaked to be fitting for a 7 year old – it was held at a ballroom in Makati Shang, my mom used plush flowers for my 7 roses, all the kids that were invited had to be in gowns, etc.

Who was with you on the coolest road trip ever? I haven’t had a cool road trip yet. The few road trips I’ve had with friends I was the sole driver, and I was always left feeling completely pooped at the end of the day -__- Who was with you on the coolest camping trip ever? I’ve never camped before. Who would you take with you on a luxury cruise? My girlfriend, but you knew that already. I suppose going on a cruise with my college friend group would be chaotic fun too haha. Who was with you the last time you got into trouble? I got in trouble in a PE class, so I was with my classmates. Who's got your back in a fight? The top three people I can think of are Gabie, Angela, and Andrew. Who makes you feel gorgeous on a bad day? Also my girlfriend. Who makes you laugh until you cough blood? That’s...graphic lmao, but I’d go with either Aya or Jum. Who would you take with you as a date to your sister's wedding? Again, Gabie. Name the first five friends that come to mind. ^ Her, Kate, Laurice, Andrew, Angela.

Hobbies and Interests

What keeps your mind and hands busy when you're not at work? If I don’t have to be doing any work you can usually find me lounging with my phone or laptop. What bars or clubs would we expect to find you at? Nothing you know. I typically go to the bars along the street where my university is since they’re close enough, it’s a lively and popular hub for college kids, and the drinks are cheap. I’ll sometimes go to BGC for drinks but that is extremely random; I probably go there twice or thrice a year. What magazines do you or would you subscribe to? Haven’t thought about magazines in a looong time. If you started a book club, what genre would you be covering? Anything nonfiction I suppose. The only time I’ll cover fiction is if a book is historical fiction. If you could be president of a club or organization, what would it be? My own org’s. I had the opportunity to be president this year but I passed up the chance since I didn’t want my senior year to become too hectic, especially since I was running for honors and I had joined another organization. I went for a certain vice presidency position instead. What causes would we see you protesting on behalf of? Anything to do with women’s rights, anything anti-Duterte or anti-Marcos, anything to support the working class if they are being abused. Do you like to shop for clothes by yourself or with friends? I like having a second opinion. Yoga at home or at the gym? No yoga. Where would you want to work, if you could? WWE.

Odds & Ends

Did you wish on the last shooting star you saw? That hasn’t happened in a very long time. I would though, just to feel like a kid again. Are you a fabulous host? I haven’t held the responsibility of being a host yet hahaha I’m too scared to start. I’d rather hand the job to my friends who I know can do an exponentially better job than I would. Why won't jeans ever go out of style? Because they aren’t limiting and are incredibly versatile – mom jeans, ripped jeans, bell bottoms, skinny jeans, what have you – so it’s been easy to have them adjust to whatever style is trendy any time, any decade. Is the truth really out there? Ugh, get out philosophy questions it is 3:07 AM. Assuming you ever have kids, what will you name your daughter? Your son? Olivia for a girl. Still clueless about boy names. Has anyone ever crossed oceans of time to find you? No? Admit it, you loved Dirty Dancing. I’ve never even seen it.

The Name Game

Who's the first friend you call when you wanna go out? Laurice or Angela, depending on who is free or what I wanna do – if it’s to have drinks I call Angela, if it’s to get a lunch at Area 2, Laurice. Who's the first friend you call when you wanna hang in for the night? I don’t do that. If I have plans to hang in the evening I have to have every detail mapped out – who I’ll be with, what we’ll do, whose house we’ll be staying at – days in advance because my mom is strict and because I’m Asian lmaooooo Who do you call when you're freaking out? Gabie, always. Only she knows how to calm me down. If Gabie’s the one I’m having issues with, I go to Angela. Who do you call to try something new with you? Anyone who’s down to try the new thing, honestly. Who do you call when you need bail money? Myyyyyyy dad, probs. My mom would kill me. Who would kick someone's ass for you? My girlfriend. Who would lie to keep you out of trouble? ANGELA. Sometimes when I’m at home I’ll get a text from her saying, “If my mom calls you, tell her I’m with you studying” even if she’s somewhere either drinking or hanging at Hans’ condo. I’ve pulled the same shit with her too whenever I’m at Gabie’s place. Who would make you go to the gym, even if you're too tired? I don’t think anyone would be able to pull that off. If I’m too tired already, don’t force me to do anything. Who would come take care of you if you were sick? Realistically my dad. But I wish Gab can do it, too. Who would help you host a posh dinner party? Jofab probably. The guy can cook. If we were any closer, I’d recruit him to make some damn good steak and pick out the music to play. I’d also ask Laurice to come up with the decor, since she’s good at that stuff. Who would help you clean your house before you had houseguests? Out of all the people I know, only my mom could make an area completely spotless. Who would enjoy watching Disney movies with you? Gabie. But really, how are you? I’m doing okay, but I really must head to bed after this survey lol. Did you make sure to get in some "you" time today? I’ve had tons of that this whole month. I gotta say I’ve been needing it and it feels really good. How many loved ones did you get to talk to today? I think 11? – four in my immediate family, my dog, my lola, Tito Rocky, Gab, Angela, Andrew, Leigh. Gonna treat yourself to something tonight? Sleep. What would you like to dream about tonight? I’m not hoping for anything but my recent dreams HAVE been part odd and part hilarious so I’m kinda excited to see what my mind has in store for tonight. Did anyone hurt your feelings today? Nope. Do you have a furry companion to cuddle up and read a book with tonight? I have a furry companion but he hates staying on beds, so I’m ruling out cuddling.

Before we part...

What's your name? Robyn. What's your sign? Zodiac? Taurus. Ever had Chicken Guadalahara? No, I’ve never even heard of it. Always willing to try, though. Daquaris or Margaritas? Margaritas, but only because I don’t think I’ve tried the first one before. Ceasar's or Bloody Mary's? Neither. I’ve never tried Ceasar’s and Bloody Mary is just so fucking nasty to me. Mexican food or Italian food? Italian. I very rarely crave Mexican, but Gab and I will often have dates at Mama Lou’s, our go-to Italian restaurant. Ocean, lake, or river? Ocean.

Cabin in the woods or beachfront home? Beachfront, for sure. I don’t think I could ever get tired of the beach/sea/ocean. Karaoke or dancing? Neither if I’m sober, both if I’m drunk. All or nothing? All.

[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

Privacy And Alias Keeps Everyone Safe And Protected

after finding out today about whats going on with the Philippines,

I can’t help but see that what those in power are trying to do,

is only going to bite them back.

bad people could take advantage of that new law, and end up finding someone much easier.

no one would truly feel safe and they would possibly have to keep moving just to get away from the person stalking them.

the only times a person should use their full name and full personal info,

should be when it is needed for doctors and other important stuff in Real Life.

the choice of revealing their full name online should be the choice of the person and not forced.

I don’t want anyone to end up hurt by such a law, cause I believe it can end up letting really bad people find someone much easier.

I’m sharing this link that was on another tumblr post

https://www.change.org/p/president-rodrigo-roa-duterte-statement-urging-president-duterte-to-veto-the-sim-card-and-social-media-registration-act

I want to try to get my family to sign it, hopefully it can be done today.

I’m glad that I sign on to tumblr today (which was mostly to post some fan art and to check out some other art on here.)

and found out about whats going on, it does add another thing to my Semi-Misanthrope....

I’m going to hope and keep praying that the petition is successful and can protect the privacy and the freedom of choice to go by ficto-alias online.

revealing one’s full name and other info should be the choice of the person, and not be forced or made known in such a way that is trying to be made to happen at this moment.

because it could end up hurting many lives and I hope it can be put a stop to and the petition can save everyone’s privacy and freedom to use ficto-alias.

I hope a lot of people share the link and help save privacy and the freedom to use ficto-alias, because if it succeed the possible outcome would end up possibly being slightly similar to a certain episode of South Park.

I can’t help but view it that way, after it reminded me of one episode of South Park.

there can be better ways to deal with Trolls, like ignoring them for one.

there is some stuff in South Park I don’t much care for, but the rest of the show is still good in a way, but not everyone has to like it.

but what’s happening now reminding me of one of the episodes of it,

could also end up causing a slightly similar outcome that could end up hurting many if their privacy and choice to make ficto-alias is taken away.

it is possible that if it is taken away, it can cause really bad people to be able to find them, and even if some might disagree about that happening, it doesn’t mean it wont.

sometimes Youtubers aren’t careful enough, like the Youtube Family that my Mom follows.

I wont say who they are, but I think the past problems that they had before was because they weren’t careful enough.

ficto-alias keeps everyone safe and protects their privacy, and if they have a choice to say only a bit of their names but not fully, then it is everyone’s choice.

plus a person can choose to go by their ficto-alias and even reveal their name but not give out too much info, only bits and pieces.

but being forced to reveal everything, wouldn’t be right and it would be invasion of privacy.

I know there is some things I have to keep from my own family that I can only be open about online.

like when I wanted to be open and come out as Asexual Flux (but right now to be honest my Ace is dominant right now.)

to my family, but after getting their thoughts on Asexuality I knew I couldn’t come out and had to act like the talk wasn’t about me, then after finishing the talk about it I went to my room and let the tears all out.

just because someone is Asexual don’t automatically mean they are gay,

there are some who will be Hetero-Ace....and the reason why I decided not to tell my family about my being Asexual is because they assume that being Ace means you are playing for the other team.

only some Aces will be Lesbian, Bi, Pan and Vincian...

but it isn’t right that family don’t understand that even those who are Hetero or in other words Straight, can be Asexual.   

I believe it is thanks to my bracelets that I wear, that I was able to discover that I’m Aceflux....not everyone has to believe that certain pheromone energies from others where you live, can affect you and cause you to feel things that aren’t yours.

while other times the feelings you feel that has to do with pheromone type hormones could be your own, but other times they wont come from you but are energies you pick up on from the people around you in real life.

even if I could try to feel not Ace, but I just can’t....

I can’t make myself flux to feel the other way, it happens when it happens and my family can’t just force me to not be who I have become.

and there can be worse ways some would do to “fix” someone who has a different sexuality to the ones that are considered “normal”....

which wouldn’t really help at all and can end up being very harmful.

I think it is for the best that I don’t come out as part of a Asexual Spectrum to my family, I can still be some parts of my self to them but not the one that I had metamorphosis into.

privacy is important and it can have a good side to protect you.

I know that my pendulum did give me a Yes about my question about being Enbian, and well if it is true then that is just another part of myself I can’t share with my family.

also if it is true that Peridot from Steven Universe, is Aroace, then it shows that even those who are Aroace and Aroaceflux can ship characters who they believe have the most chemistry.

according to this -->   https://lgbtqia-characters.fandom.com/wiki/Peridot_(Steven_Universe)

Peridot’s Romantic Identity is Aroromantic and her Sexual Identity is Asexual.

and it does seem that her being Aroace is canon, her not wanting to fuse can be seen as a gem version of Asexuality.

even if fusion can be romantic or platonic, not every gem (either half-human or not) would want to fuse and might be disgusted at the idea and might feel uncomfortable and show a disinterest in fusing.

Peridot might of started out uncomfortable with Garnet’s fusion at first,

but she then got use to her fusion and even start to realize thanks to Garnet,

that Garnet herself is like Peridot’s OTP Ship of Percy and Pierre.

anyway I can talk more about the whole characters from my favorite shows own sexual and romantic identity in a future post.

but I hope some see this post and are able to check out the link to the petition.

I’m going to go eat some food and watch a movie now.

I will stay signed in and once I’m finished eating and watching the movie I’m planing to watch, I will check out some stuff on here.

see ya later, keep safe and protect privacy and ficto-alias of everyone.

[isu-aya]

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

*heavy breathing*

My brother, cousin, and I just watched Kingsman: The Golden Circle last night (Sept. 20). It was glorious. And, also, I’m feeling a bit conflicted about it.

To summarise: A LOT of what happens is pretty dark (to Seriously Dark) if you actually stopped to think about it. But the movie doesn’t let you do that, pretty much how the first movie ended. It’s very fast paced and exciting, with very little breathing room in between scenes. Definitely recommend that you go see it, whether you’ve seen the first movie or not. It’s worth the watch.

Apparently, I can’t discuss it completely without talking about spoilers, so here’s the only warning you’re gonna get. SPOILERS!!!!

To be upfront, Hartwin is one of my favorite ships, and I CANNOT WAIT for the waves of new Hartwin, and other Kingsman fanfics to flood in. Because this movie, okay, this movieeeeeee. So much stuff was going on, so many things happened, that I know fandom is just gonna collectively pick it apart and BOOM hundreds upon thousands of fic ideas born. But I digress.

SPOILERS START HERE.

I.      The Characters: Don’t get too attached.

The whole gang is back. And I mean this in the weirdest way possible. As the entire fandom called Harry’s not-death years ago, there wasn’t much surprise for his return (excitement, yes, surprise, no).

The surprising Returning Characters were: Charlie (whose not-death is explained quite early on), and Princess Tilde (who I was so not expecting to be part of this movie, much less play a huge part in the first and last act).

Princess Tilde and Eggsy in an actual relationship was surprising, and while I wasn’t completely happy that there was romance in this movie, I was more than willing to ignore this little fact (seeing as I had the warm embrace of ao3 to look forward to). Then KTGC hits me with The Ending. Like, seriously, I was laughing, but mostly in disbelief (more on this later).

We also get brief, but meaningful instances of Eggsy mourning Harry, missing Harry, and feeling so very deeply for Harry. Thank you, Taron, for pulling it off so beautifully.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle starts off pretty much like the first, only, remember the part in the first movie where we meet Lancelot, who gets snuffed out a few moments later? I was not expecting them to gut us with Character Death so early on.

I AM SERIOUS OKAY MAJOR SPOILERS.

Roxy and the rest of the Kingsman agents, including the newest Arthur, are all blown up. Due to a meet-the-royal-parents dinner, Eggsy was away from home (Eggsy’s home is HARRY’S HOUSE!! THE FANDOM CALLED IT). His buddy was dog-sitting JB at the time. Guys, JB is dead.

One, I refuse to believe Roxy got blown up. Even if it was impossible that she’d survived that explosion *sobs*. Two, why would you kill JB???

We then meet the Statesmen agents and are suitably impressed. Also, Tequila (Channing Tatum’s character) made me fantasize a lot about future one or two (or twenty) size kink fics of him and Eggsy. Tequila is also barely in this movie, and is mostly there for laughs. Prince Obe--I mean--Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) is so sexy, in spite of his American accent. Ginger Ale (Halle Barry) was adorable.

MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH:

F*ck man, cried like a baby. I know things are not always as they seem, and characters we think died can always have been miraculously saved. (Harry, Charlie, etc.)

But, fuck it, Merlin was never supposed to die.

You read that right. He dies in the most bad-ass, self-sacrificing way, while also showing off his vocal range.

II.      The Story & Themes

There were scenes that were pretty Dark, especially near the end where Eggsy kills Charlie. Most of these scenes are slathered in an attempt at comedy and light-heartedness which was mostly hit and miss.

There are also two main villains in this movie. The first one is Poppy (Julianne Moore), an eccentric Drug Lady. All you need to know is that she’s crazy. Delightful. But crazy. I’m sure someone in the fandom’s gonna write a really in depth character study on her, but this isn’t it. She supplies drugs all around the world, wants drugs to be legal, holds her user base hostage to get what she wants.

The second villain was pretty much POTUS. You have to understand, this movie is more blunt force trauma than subtle hits. The themes hit you in the head and don’t even try to cover up what they’re doing. (not to mention the characters barely use their codenames. I mean, the Statesmen do. It’s just Harry, Eggsy, and Merlin, screaming each other’s actual names. And not in the good way)

POTUS couldn’t care less for the hostages, mostly because these hostages are drug users, and thus, don’t deserve humane treatment and have no right to life. Just watch the movie.

I’m a Filipino and our citizens are being murdered in droves in the name of the ‘war on drugs’. It struck a chord. What with President Duterte still remaining popular in the public’s opinion. His supports are many. And crazy. While the movie gets a happy ending (Poppy dies, and POTUS gets impeached), I doubt countries with similar problems will get the same happy ending.

III.      The Ending

While I appreciate getting to see Prince!Eggsy (or close enough as we’ll ever get in canon- Prince Consort) come to life in the big screen as compared to just imagining him while I read Hartwin Prince!/Royal!Eggsy; and while I also definitely appreciate Eggsy and Harry sharing a moment in the dressing room, I did not, and was left with a pretty wtf feeling at the ending.

Eggsy marries Princess Tilde in a fairytale ending.

Eggsy looked dashing and Tilde was beautiful. It was just wholly unexpected.

___________

Final thoughts: I didn’t love the movie for itself. I loved the movie for the characters and the fandom it represented. It was a bit sad that it hadn’t exceeded the first movie in greatness (IMO), but I was happy enough to get anything to give fandom more material to work with.

[unbelievableholland]

Thank you for writing this. It's disgusting how our government can just act like this during a worldwide pandemic.

A lot of our politicians have been selfish, careless, and money-hungry. During this whole ordeal all they've been looking for is money. Some refused to give out relief goods to people in some regions of the Philippines because they refuse to support them and that doesn't even summarize how ugly our government has become.

Our president has been so unhelpful amidst this crisis and after everything he's done, after death threats and after sending out orders to shoot and kill people who disobey the quarantine laws he decides to fuck people over yet again.

The official reason to shutting down ABS-CBN is because Duterte stated that they were ruining their reputation. That they were talking bad about them.

Hello, their main show is a news program. They are only talking about the truth and bringing information across the country. It's not their fault that all the news they can write about is the horrible things the Philippine government does. They mainly do stupid stuff, what do they expect journalists to write about when they write about politicians???? Journalists are supposed to write about the truth, and they were doing exactly that.

So many people lost their jobs and the government doesn't seem to care. They don't seem to care about a lot of stuff.

The resemblance we see with our dictator president before and our president now is unsettling. If Duterte's actions continue on history might just repeat itself, as Ari said.

He's talked about Martial Law and he's been telling the people to go crazy if they wanted to. To cause chaos if they wanted to. All because he wants a reason to enforce Martial Law. In the early 70s and 80s a lot of people died because of this law. A lot of people we're killed and thrown out like garbage and a lot of the bodies of the people who were killed then still haven't been found. They were tortured and they were thrown away as is their lives didn't matter.

It's scary to think the Philippines is always on edge because of the thought of it happening again. We're already suffering enough from the pandemic, our countrymen don't want to suffer more just because of our trigger-happy president.

Though there are still some politicians— mostly some mayors— here who have been angels the entire time, who's helped and who is helping their respective regions but still, the fuckery surrounding our government right now is greater than any few men can handle. There are a few good people in the authorities right now and I hope that someday, they grow in numbers and get higher positions because I really want to see the day where the Philippines has a good and functional government system and government authority.

#DEFENDPRESSFREEDOM

i am enraged, i am disgusted, and i am ashamed of everything that’s been happening in our country and our government. i’m not usually like this. i don’t often speak out my political thoughts on social media. i reblog, like, and share to spread out information to as many people i can inform about the happenings in our community. but i’ve decided to speak out now.

this isn’t the only thing that’s been sending my countrymen into a frenzy, but a lot of other things that our government has been implementing in our country.

despite finding ways on how to fight the corona virus pandemic, they’ve opted to focus on this: shutting down the LEADING broadcasting company in the philippines. this, over a number of other equally serious and important issues. just because they didn’t renew their franchise? no. the network passed a renewal of franchise to the government, same as the other networks. it only took days for the others, but why not this one?

“What is 11,000 compared to the Filipino nation?” - senator in the philippines

the network has over 11,000 employees. the employees will still be given their salaries for three months, but after that, they’re done. 11,000 might be a small number compared to the filipino nation. but within 11,000 employees not only will the employees be affected but their families as well. this only one of the many possible outcomes that just might happen when their franchise gets terminated.

the people are panicking, enraged, and sad of everything that is happening. the recent events happening are a repeat of the events that happened during the reign of our dictator president. said president was responsible for the deaths of journalists, activists, and innocents. we do not want a repeat of this. the Martial Law in the Philippines back in the early 70s and 80s was a nightmare for every filipino.

what i am doing is not for clout. i am not trying to gain popularity using this post. rather, i am informing people outside of my country of the things that are happening in my homeland. i am posting this to fight for the freedom of the press. i am posting this encourage my fellow filipinos and the youth to do the same. history is repeating itself. the only way to fight through it while in the middle of a pandemic is to speak out.

this goes for everyone: SPEAK OUT.

use your social medias! use your works platforms! because this is the only thing we can fight with while we are under this pandemic.

tagging kababayans: @unbelievableholland @lolaywrites @kimireclusive @mayberosey @caqsicle @extasisthemes (y’all are not obligated to reblog this or do the same. okay?)

links of news related to said issue:

[noones-moon]

TL;DR at the end for anyone interested.

Hi. I’d just like to put my two cents in the My Family’s Slave discourse since it’s been bothering me all day and I need to let some of my thoughts out, mostly about the discourse happening on Twitter which has now also spread to Tumblr. I am not the best person to talk about this, and I’m sure I’m missing some parts. If there is a need for clarification, I am open to DMs. Don’t forget to be polite, please.

I don’t wish to insult or offend anyone as this is a sensitive topic. Sentiments can be shared. But for now, all I ask of you is to be silent, to listen, and to understand. If there are any corrections with regards to the content of this post, just let me know. Long posts like these are bound to have some mistakes and will be edited from time to time.

My first point is that slavery that has happened in the West is different from slavery in the context of Filipino culture and history. Yes, slavery is bad and should not be a thing in the modern era where we all strive for equality to further improve society, and yes perhaps Lola Eudocia’s situation might as well considered her a slave and that we should improve the world so people don’t get into those kinds of situations, but please know that there are still differences between how slavery was between the Philippines and the West.

A quick search on the internet can reveal the history of slavery in the West, particularly in America, where slaves were bought from Africa in exchange for firearms (if I remember correctly). The slaves were used mainly to enrich and maintain the farmlands’ production of crops and tobacco. The treatment of these slaves was abusive in nature, mainly because of racism born out of it with class separation by skin color, putting the white slave owners at the top and the black slaves at the bottom. All you Americans know this better than I do; I assume this is taught in American History in most, if not all, your schools, so forgive me if I got some things wrong.

Slavery in the Philippines started in the pre-colonial period when everyone was part of a tribe or kingdom with their own set of royal families, social classes, and slaves. Usually, the rich had their own slaves to attend to them, and some of these slaves had their own slaves as well.  They may or may not have been abused but these abuses were not recorded, or perhaps were recorded but burned when the Spanish took over the country.

When the Spanish colonized the Philippines during the Age of Exploration, there was an obvious difference between them and the local Filipinos. The Spanish came in their giant ships and with their technology more advanced than the tribal Filipinos who wore bahag and fought with barely any armor (or so they are depicted). With the Spanish having the advantage over several things, they managed to colonize the archipelago with barely any difficulties. These Spanish, who are by the way European, tried to erase pre-colonial Philippine culture by massacring tribes that resisted and burning any written traditions and almost completely erasing the native alphabet Baybayin.

The Spanish after a while started to get abusive and own Filipinos, referred to as Indios, as slaves in their own land. Not much was written about how life was for the most of the 333 years of colonization, with most accounts coming from its final years with the rise of the Philippine revolution to gain independence. Little is known about those <300 years aside from the racist social structures regarding people of pure Spanish descent residing in the Philippines who had all the privileges, people who descended from a Spanish and an Indio some privileges, and those who are entirely Indio, who have little to no rights at all.

After we “declared independence” in 1898, Spain sold us to the United States through the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which involved Spain to relinquish nearly all of what’s left of the Spanish Empire—Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. This was the beginning of the American colonization. We were not treated as slaves outright, with the Americans influencing us with their Western culture. Several Filipinos went “hey we just declared independence why are y’all settling here” while others were all “they’re nice and they’re teaching us stuff we like them”. However, the social statuses of some of the Filipinos who were once slaves of the Spanish still remained as they were powerless even in face of these new friendly(?) colonizers.

And don’t get me started when World War II broke out and the Japanese colonized the Philippines as a part of their master plan to conquer the East. Filipinos captured by the Japanese were treated like cattle in their own land.

Is slavery bad? Yes. Is the slavery of Africans in America the same as the slavery of Indios in the Philippines? Not entirely. Should you comment on slavery in the context of Filipino culture using the context of slavery in the West? Please don’t.

My second point is that Lola Eudocia’s situation is almost completely unique to her. Almost. She was taken from her poor family to serve and take care of Tizon’s mother who was close to her age. To the young Eudocia, being offered food and shelter in exchange for taking care of someone was better than her current situation at the time. Maybe if she knew what was in store for her for the rest of her life she would have declined or ran away.

Now let’s put this into perspective. The social class divide has hurt the lower class Filipinos the most. No matter how hard they worked, the world was just too harsh and they couldn’t escape their poverty unless they were lucky. Several poverty-stricken Filipinos nowadays offer their services as maids/katulong (helpers)/kasambahay (housemates/househelp, I will be using this term to refer to them from here on)/yaya (nannies) for the middle class and higher, in exchange for money to send to their families in need.

Most kasambahays are treated well, being given their own quarters, days off, and the liberty to buy whatever they want using their salaries. Others are integrated into the family, with them being included in family celebrations such as Christmas and New Year, and their birthdays being celebrated by the family. A few are abused by unforgiving employers, though most stories relating to this come from domestic helpers abroad. A few steal from their employers, as told by some of my friends. All kasambahays have rights and are protected by the law. It’s literally called the Kasambahay Law and it’s stated there at least how much they should be paid (overpay is always an option so please do not worry about how they may not be paid enough) and how the law protects them from maltreatment and abuse.

Lola Eudocia was an abused kasambahay and working without pay. She might as well have been considered a slave. But please know that this form of slavery is different from the slavery of Africans. That slavery was a form systematic oppression against a group of people. The form of slavery Lola Eudocia endured was abuse directed at an unwaged and maltreated kasambahay. During the time when she was taken in by Lieutenant Tom, the Philippines was being tormented by the Japanese during the war. If there were any actual slaves that were systematically oppressed at that time it would have been the Filipino slaves under the Japanese. And in comparison to that, Lola Eudocia could be considered a family servant and a personal attendant of the author’s mother.

But why do we take in fellow Filipinos as kasambahays even up to the modern time? These people don’t have enough skill or qualification for even the few minimum wage jobs. But what they can do is do chores for people who don’t have the time to do them but can afford to pay people to do them for them. And it’s in a way our way of helping them earn money they wouldn’t have otherwise earned out there. Some kasambahays resign from their households more skilled than when they came in, as they have learned more things like cooking new dishes, using several kinds of appliances, or even experiencing the internet.

Was Lola Eudocia a slave? Yes and no. In the context of slavery in the West, she was not, but given her harsh situation as a kasambahay, she might as well have been.

My third point is the usage of Lola when referring to Lola Eudocia. Filipino is very family-oriented, as seen from soap operas to TV commercials to Binibining Pilipinas Janina San Miguel and her memefuly quoted “My pamilee” and “My family is the most important persons in my life”. Using family titles is a sign of basic respect.

Kuya (older brother) and Ate (older sister) can be used from siblings (usually in place of their names) to people slightly older than you (upperclassmen, your parents’ employees).

Tatay (dad) and Nanay (mom) can be used for your parents (usually in place of their names like how Westerners do with ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’) to parental figures (Duterte supporters towards President Duterte).

Tito (uncle) and Tita (aunt) from actual uncles and aunts to family friends and friends of your parents. Tita has turned to its own adjective to describe people that fit the Tita stereotype.

Lolo (grandfather) and Lola (grandmother) from your grandparents to elderly in general (though some of the posh elderly would prefer to be called Tito and Tita so they don’t feel their age).

Lola is not an insult nor a slave term. It simply means grandmother. In the context of the essay written by Tizon, he may or may not have started calling Lola Eudocia Lola when he had children, as referring to her as Lola would also have his kids refer to her as Lola, and that just stuck with him until the time he wrote the essay.

And she had the right to be called Lola. She was basically Tizon’s second mother who cared for him and his siblings watched them grow up. He took her into his family as his daughters’ grandmother after his mother died, and he gave her a more relaxed life since her former employer had passed. She didn’t have to do all the house chores anymore nor did she have to endure any more yelling. She had the liberty to do what she wanted like a stay-home grandmother. This part was a good chunk near the bottom of the essay, I don’t understand how many people could have missed it unless they stopped reading after five paragraphs in.

As a Filipino who watched American films, I am always caught off guard whenever younger characters refer to people older than them with their first name, and I always feel secondhand offense for the older characters, but that’s cultural difference there and I let it be because it’s how it is for them.

Is Lola a slave term? Absolutely not.

My fourth point is that Tizon tried to defend Lola Eudocia but his own mother was in the way. As the employer of Lola Eudocia, she was basically bound to her until death. A good part of the essay told how Tizon tried to stand up for her, even offering her a way to escape. But his mom was always in control. In the Filipino family, we put our parents at the top, no matter how we despise them for their wrongdoings. And maybe that isn’t the same for Western culture but that’s an entirely different culture.

She was finally sent home after moving in with Tizon, but seeing she barely had anything to go home to aside from her siblings, she decided it would be better to return to America where she had a more secure home with people to take care of her and a garden to tend to.

Was Tizon a slaveowner? By extension of his family, yes. But as an individual, he did not want to treat her as a slave, more especially when his mother passed. He treated her as a mother. I’m not used to saying slaveowner when referring to Filipinos because usually the Filipinos are the slaves.

TL;DR

We also know what it’s like to be slaves, but our enslavement is different from the enslavement of Africans in America and should not be treated exactly the same way.

Being a domestic helper is an option for poor people (especially women) to provide income for their families. It’s perfectly legal and their job and rights are now protected by law.

Lola really just means grandmother and Lola Eudocia was a grandmother figure for Tizon’s daughters.

Tizon would have let Lola Eudocia free if only his mom wasn’t in the way and she knew where to go.

[dubredofanfics]

Not Yet Over You

Summary: Digong and Leni crosses paths again after they decided to separate ways even if they still love each other. Leni is dating someone else.

Pairing: Leni Robredo/Rodrigo Duterte, Leni Robredo/Vladimir Putin

Rating: G

She held his arm as they entered the function hall and greeted the guests together. She looked around as he talked to their friends and smiled at the people she knows on the event.

“Ms. Leni,” Mara greeted, “Mr. Lee Wei has something for you.” She informed her. “Vee, I’ll just go.” She told him, he nodded. “I’ll just be on our seats.”

Mara guided Leni to Mr. Lee Wei’s standby room near the function hall. “He’ll be here in a few minutes po, kinausap lang po si Mr. Sy.” She informed her, “Sige hintayin ko nalang. Thank you—”

Suddenly, one of Lee Wei’s assistant also escorted Digong to the same office leaving the two of them slightly astonished to see each other again after they decided to part ways months ago.

“President, have a seat po.” Mara offered him the seat beside Leni. In a while, the assistants left the two at the room alone.

Her throat started to feel arid, his breaths felt heavy. Neither of them can figure out how to escape the awkwardness swallowing them that very moment.

“Pupunta ka rin pala,” he courageously initiated the conversation. She felt quite relieved, “Oo, sir. Akala ko hindi kayo makaka-attend?” She replied still a bit uneasy. “Di kase natuloy yung sa Mindoro.” He replied, she nodded in response and then the awkward silence crept in again.

Leni’s chest felt so heavy upon seeing him again. She initiated the break up after feeling quite overwhelmed by his immense affection and vision for their future together. She felt insecure of the fact that he acts like a perfect man for her and that she might not deserve him at all. With this issue, arguments became frequent between them tainting their supposedly lovely relationship. Nevertheless, the feelings she felt that moment made her realize how much she missed him.

No. I’m with Vee. I can’t feel this way again for Digong.

Digong quietly remained still beside her, he tried to act stolid despite that his heart started to bleed again because of her. It has been a while since she gave up on him — or at least that’s how he sees it — but he never stopped loving her, he always did. Even until he heard about the news of her dating again and being with another man after they ended things between them, he never tried to date someone else to get over her, she was just the best girl for him and he finds the idea of looking for someone else a waste of time.

“Nakita kita pumasok kanina sa hall kaya lang nahiya man ako bumati,” he interferes with the deafening silence. “Ba’t naman kayo mahihiya?” She chuckled finding his shyness, despite that he’s the country’s president, cute. He smiled with her, “Nahiya ako eh.” He grilled in.

Until her chuckles faded, “Kasama mo kase si Putin eh,” he followed his statement, she looked blankly at the floor.

“Totoo pala yung balita ma'am?” He brought up. “Kayo na pala ni Putin?” He followed silencing her. He tried to flash a soft smile to make her feel at ease and insinuate his approval of it.

She forced a smile and looked away, “Opo, sir.” She couldn’t feel even more awkward with where the subject was heading to.

He felt her uneasiness through her voice’s tone so he decided to make a joke. “Napasagot ka talaga ng anak araw na ‘yun?” He jested, it took her a moment before she replied. “Oo eh,” she chuckled softly, her heart broke for him.

She didn’t want him to feel like she dumped him because he wasn’t good enough but she thought it could be exactly what he is thinking after everything. He stared at her with a fainted smile, she did her best to look back into his eyes but all she could do was to glance at him.

“Kamusta naman siya? Okay?” He asked sincerely. She glanced at him quickly. “Okay naman, sir. Okay naman siya.” She barely noticed how empty her response was. “Nakita ko kayo kanina, muka ngang okay ang russian men,” he tried to speak in Russian accent making her smile.

She was too bothered to laugh at his dorky attempts to speak in such accent but it made her smile. She suddenly missed the days when they were still together and he won’t let a day pass without making her laugh. His humor gave her life.

Silence crawled up the room again after their conversation ended. His heart ached as he looked at her hands, she is no longer wearing the promise ring he gave to her before. It didn’t surprise him but seeing it up close broke him.

“Masaya ako para sa'yo, mam.” He uttered randomly moving his sight from her hands up to her face. She courageously turned to him and met his eyes, she was stunned for a moment. “At least nandiyan ‘yung anak araw para alagaan ka.” He joked but she felt so bad for him to even chuckle.

She wanted to shed a tear and tell him how sorry she is for leaving him back then but her mind felt so blank as she watched him speak.

“Kayo, sir? Kamusta ang love life?” She tried to act casual to dodge the worsening of the awkwardness. She looked at his sweet and adorable face as she asked, it gave her butterflies, it made her confused.

“Wala man, mam.” He chuckled.

At first, she dated Putin, after he confessed publicly to her, to get over Digong and then she eventually developed feelings for him but that moment where she sat beside Digong again, determining whether she’s over him or not became a struggle.

A lot of things suddenly popped up her head that shook her; did I develop feelings for Vee because he holds me like Digong? Did I entertain him because partly, he reminds me of Digong and I know that Digong looks up to him a lot? Am I really in love or am I just trying so hard to get over this man beside me?

After being bombarded by her own thoughts, she looked down and played with her hands quietly.

“Wala naman akong love life, mam.” He reiterated his response as they ran out of things to say. She kept her eyes on her hands, her desire to apologize and talk to him in depth clogged inside her chest but the thought that he might not be interested to reconcile with her again scared her.

“Ikaw parin, wala naman nagbago.” He uttered taking her attention. Did he just say he still loves me?

Suddenly, Francis, Lee Wei’s assistant who escorted him earlier, with Bong Go knocked on the door.

“Digong,” Francis uttered as he opened the door unconsciously cutting their conversation off.

“Mayor, si George Tan.” Bong informed him as he held on a phone call. Digong looked at Leni, “Excuse lang ma'am.” He politely excused himself regardless that she was still speechless after his response.

She felt so distracted, all she heard was the shutting of the door as they left her behind.

She exhaled sharply, she wanted to cry in happiness and relief. He still loves her and that’s what he just said to her. It was everything she wanted to hear from him after all the questions in her head and feelings in her chest.

The only problem is that she’s with Putin and the whole world, including Digong, thinks that she is already happy with him even if this time, she just confirmed that her heart still goes to her president, Rodrigo Duterte.

[phgq]

PRRD to decide on Albayalde’s fate based on Año’s probe results

#PHnews: PRRD to decide on Albayalde’s fate based on Año’s probe results

MANILA -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte will await results of investigations by the Senate and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año before deciding on whether or not to fire Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde over his alleged involvement in the so-called ninja cops issue.

Duterte said he would let Senate and Año finish complete their investigations “in obedience to the separation of powers and respect for each others’ department.”

“The most proper thing to do, which is he in line with procedural due process, is to await for the closure of the investigation by the Senate and when it is forwarded to me since it is under --- the police is under DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government). It’s a bureau under Secretary Año,” Duterte said in a press conference held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before his departure to Russia on Tuesday night.

“So I will forward it to him, give him specific period to complete his investigation. Not so short, not too long, but a period of time that is comfortable if he needs to call people. But all he has to do is to review. And if he needs to conduct altogether another investigation, he can do so,” he added.

Asked to air his thoughts on allegations against Albayalde, Duterte said he would rather not “preempt” the investigation being conducted by the DILG chief.

“If you have to insist that his only link there na 'yung mga tao na 'yon (that those people) was --- were under his command, up to that point. I don't know if Secretary Año would... I do not want to preempt. But I would say that this is not a brief for Albayalde,” Duterte said.

Duterte expressed confidence that Año would be “in his proper equanimity” when he begins the investigation.

“Our emotions, our disappointments and anger do not come to play in investigations,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, Duterte said dismissing a top official should be done “for a good reason” and with “enough proof.”

He assured that procedural due process would be followed and that he would be “fair.”

“When I decide on the basis of the report of Secretary Año, I can dismiss, discharge, terminate any and all of them. So hintayin ko ‘yan (I’ll wait for it),” Duterte said.

“But we will be fair. There has to be… Alam mo ang (You know the) PNP is not that bad. By and large, we have a very good PNP working for our country,” he added.

He, however, acknowledged the existence of the so-called “ninja cop syndicate”, which is involved in the recycling of illegal drugs.

“Iyong (Those) scalawags diyan sa ‘yung (there in those) ninja cops have been there in Manila, one or two in Davao, and everywhere,” Duterte said.

“Iyong amin sa probinsiya natapos na namin (In our province in Davao, we have dismantled it). The ninja cops dito sa (here in) Greater Manila Area are known for their ferocity, viciousness and toxicity. I am sure the investigations will bare these things right,” he added.

Earlier, Albayalde said that the ninja cop syndicate “is a thing of the past” since it has been dismantled since the time of former PNP chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

However, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) director general Aaron Aquino bared that a list of ninja cops coming from Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong showed that a total of 53 active police officers have been named ninja cops.

Magalong is former chief of the PNP’s Criminal Investigation Detection Group.

In a separate interview, Albayalde questioned Magalong’s motive to implicate him as protector of policemen involved in the illegal drug trade.

Albayalde expressed hope that the allegations hurled against him would not affect Duterte’s trust and confidence in him or the campaign against illegal drugs.

He said it would be up to the President to decide on his fate.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that regardless of probe results, there would be “no sacred cows” in the Duterte administration. (PNA) 

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "PRRD to decide on Albayalde’s fate based on Año’s probe results." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1081989 (accessed October 02, 2019 at 03:49PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "PRRD to decide on Albayalde’s fate based on Año’s probe results." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1081989 (archived).

[kyemeruthie]

Ikot-ikot lang

(Originally posted as FB note)

Unahan ko na kayo ng year-end socio-political commentary while we’re inspired by a mix of Madz and Sarah G playlist. 

Freedom should not be sacrificed to achieve growth. The President has his milestones— free tuition, improved health support (new legislations signed on newborn assistance, mental health facilities, etc), and his focus on infrastructure (Build 3X); then the return of the Balangiga Bells recently. There was an effort to campaign for an independent foreign policy, at weaning away from the US. But these supposed reforms cannot outweigh the blood sacrifice that comes with it. Many Filipinos died, and majority of them are the poor and vulnerable— alleged small-time drug pushers, indigenous peoples fighting for their ancestral lands and rights, and many more people trying to overcome the big and mighty mining companies overwhelming their communities. Let’s not forget the fishermen discouraged from exploring traditional fishing grounds because Chinese vessels are scaring them away.

Figuratively, we also experienced death. Our constitutionally-guaranteed rights for free speech and expression are often sanctioned when utilised for dissent, and even drowned with government propaganda. The internet and social media were supposed to be bastions of liberty, as scholars claimed; but only half decade after the advent of new comms technology, we saw how it undermined our speech, manipulated political participation, and even threatened the lives of many people. We can’t help but think, is this the hefty price we have to pay for that promised change? I don’t think so. Democracy is not a zero-sum game; true to Sen’s thesis, freedom is development and vice versa. People thrive when they are free. This administration has to fully understand that. Everyone’s been trying to compare us with Singapore or even Hong Kong; and if we’re really intent on doing so, then we’d learn that they have a different history from ours, and that their young people are already waking with a clearer truth that freedom should never be given up just so we can get to our desired growth trajectories or achieve those much coveted economic figures. 

Continue to make our public officials accountable by voting conscientiously and voicing out our dissent. 2019 midterm elections are crucial for our democracy; actually every election year should be. We should use this democratic pillar to make poor performing officials accountable by not voting for them; for examining the platforms and track records of aspiring officials; and for constantly reminding ourselves that public office is not an inherited position. One thing clear from the recent debacle on the proposed federal charter is our campaign against political dynasties and how these heavily entrenched political families have damaged our political fabric and stunted local development. Numerous studies have already proved this and it is high time we take a stand against it during the coming elections, and hopefully through a peoples’ initiative (or whatever platform we could advocate for its legislation). Further, we’re also already seeing political opportunists flooding our timelines, our billboards, and our TV screens. Just because they’re the President’s favourite or they sponsored your recent party or event, you owe them the vote— no you don’t. And yes I’m looking at you Bong Go and Francis Tolentino. 

Elections are one platform. An equally important tool is dissent. Elie Wiesel cautioned against silence, as it empowers the oppressor. It gives dictators and political opportunists enough tool to take power away from an individual. So speak, criticise, ask questions, and take a stand. In the same manner, continue to learn and read, information as much as speech is a powerful weapon to undermine bad public officials and poor politics. Continue to bang the doors of Bong Revilla to return the millions of pork he stole, also Wanda Teo and the Tulfo brothers on the tourism funds they pocketed; never shade your ballot in favour of the dictator’s daughter Imee Marcos; don’t forget the atrocities of Harry Roque, the Cayetano siblings’ opportunism (Pia on women’s rights when she can’t speak against the President’s rape jokes; Alan Peter’s sheer collusion), and even Sonny Angara’s political indifference (more thoughts on basketball than on legislating a humane tax reform law). Filter through Florin Hilbay’s speeches, or even Kris Aquino’s veiled support for the Dutertes, and push VP Robredo to work more in lifting Filipinos out of the laylayan she campaigned for. This administration needs greater doses of dissent to reflect on how it has further damaged the Filipino society. And yes, it crosses party lines (as if we have legitimate political parties).

Demand better services from our government. It’s a vicious cycle. The government is ineffective, so we look for alternatives to get the basic services we need, government continues to be bad service providers, and we also continue to give that mandate to different organisations that may or may not take advantage of us. NGOs, POs and CSOs are often seen as extensions of service delivery and innovative governance practices; but their altruism and good heart can only go so far. Government still has the larger mandate to supply basic services to Filipinos. And nope, dole-outs should not be the end-all-be-all of service delivery. Use your partnerships with CSOs to be more creative and effective in improving Filipino lives. This is not exclusive to the current administration, the previous ones are also poor service providers. 

More so, ineffective service delivery opened a doors for opportunists to take advantage. Political patronage made us suckers for crumbs of public service: “okay na to, kesa wala.” No, we definitely deserve more. You see what happens? Political families justify pork barrel with the guise of helping our the poor through scholarships, health assistance, waiting sheds and other facilities, plastered with their long family names and shiny botox-ed faces. Its their job to provide us these services, we don’t owe anything to them; but look at how they change the narrative into a family business or personal missions. Aside from politicians, it also allowed opportunists like the Tulfos to take charge. Countless of times I listened to their radio program and often, I’ve heard how desperate Filipinos turned to mudslinging and blackmailing over the airwaves to get a piece of justice the government should be guaranteeing them. These continue to weaken our political institutions such as the rule of law, transparency and accountability, and good governance. 

Lastly, teaching gives us room to challenge the status quo. Two years into teaching at the university, and we’re still learning a lot from the craft. I intend to learn more and become part of a growing movement of young people committing themselves to the noble vocation of imparting knowledge. Young minds are fertile grounds for revolutionary thinking and better nation-building. During my younger years (wow), I’ve never imagined myself inside the classroom, writing on the whiteboard, and teaching social sciences. I was not a good student. I’ve often drawn and parodied our teachers to the entertainment of my classmates. During college, I could count the number of times our professors came to class and actually gave us a lecture. I’m not even expecting a life-changing one; at the very least they should have come and not presented a powerpoint from two years back (haha char). So I cannot say I was inspired to enter such a profession. Much of what I knew I owed to our debate society, to a number of professors who actually taught us (3 to 4 I remember), and then MA. But I’d like to think that these same thoughts spurred me to work for a better educational system, hence the continued advocacy on education in general; and then recently to be a better teacher. I promised that I’d come to class (even if not on time), share reading materials, and be sincerely concerned with the growth of students. I won’t stop them from joining protests or social movements, or from learning from the experts, and asking questions. I’d like them to learn that studying needs not just intelligence and excellence, but more importantly integrity. Learning comes from relentlessly pushing the boundaries of the mind and the classroom, challenging our long-held beliefs, and re-shaping them into perspectives that reflect our humanity and commitment to a better society. We’d continue to read and weigh the choices we make, that our emotions should not get the better of us; anger may spur us, but careful thought and sobriety are also significant ingredients to sustainable action. Teaching allowed me to impart knowledge; but more importantly, it challenged me to continue learning. The previous thoughts I made are observations; but they’re also a product of reading and listening to what my students are saying. I’d observed that student movements are often more successful in revolutions; and so maybe, we’d need to be students once more. 

Thoughts are welcome. Bashing also. Para naman maramdaman kong sumisikat ako kahit papano. Hahahaha! Maligayang Pasko!

[visitorno18]

3 times in 5 months

This has happened to me 3 times in 5 months and it sucks and I want to blame President Duterte for approving it and Banko Central ng Pilipinas for designing it.

The 2018 Philippine Coins collection. This aluminum plated madness should be discontinued because it is very suckish and makes me angry.

It had only been 5-6 months since it got promulgated enough for everyone to have it and already in my area and I've been duped and almost duped 3 times because of the similar designs.

The coins get mixed-up mostly when riding a jeep and a tricycle, especially at night when the orange glow of the street light isnt enough.

The worst part is when I give a twenty pesos and I only get 5 pesos back because they thought they gave back a 10 since they're the same size. Never mind that the 1peso can also be misplaced as a 25centavo by a busy jeep driver who has to drive and do the accounting at the same time.

I know, most people (from the bank) will give reasons like:

1)aluminum and the same design is cheeper to manufacture.

2)other ASEAN countries have similar designs for their coins.

or

3) that in order for the country to improve, we must change the design of our coins, to determine the era and not be held back by global competition and yada yada ...

My answer to all of that is fuck it!

The similar designs are not utilitarian for the country's current system of transportation. While stores can be careful with their change counting, drivers simply can't be 100% certain because they are not robots.

If you designers really cared more about your country, you should have thought more about your fellow men and how inconvenient your design could be to them. And if the Banko Central cared more about the people than the costs of aluminum, bronze and brass, then they should quit the middle men importation shiz and get materials from the provincial mountains instead (legally and eco-friendly way ofcourse). The Philippines isn't dirt poor to not have enough resources y'know. Heck, ever considered scrapping old metal buses the LTO disapproved of for metal to melt? I'm no geologist nor metallurgical scientist but I could get some ideas of what to do to old metal things I want to crush like cans.

And as for global competetiveness. Do you really think this coin design will win an ASEAN award when its just like Hong Kong's coins, but smaller?

Also, you might say you've done a feasibility study on this coin set, but I just gotta ask, is this area a place with advanced transportation and used with beep cards, or is this another urban area with crappy transportation. And do you expect bus drivers to install crappy basket at the back of a jeep or bus like some honesty booth where some bad street urchin can just steal it? No. So ignore that but...

Global competetiveness comes with originality, and sometimes, Filipinos should just stop passing parodys as originals. Heck, you can get sued and havr to answer to legal court hearings like the "Its more fun in the Philippines" slogan and logo taken from the Swiss I think.(if I recall correctly). Saddly, there's no copy right law with regards to design, last I heard.

[shelleyrobbinsus]

Candice Lucy Hotel

There aren’t many scenarios where I would find myself staying at a hotel in Caticlan, or so I thought. In fact, Caticlan is a little industrial town on the island of Aklan whose only purpose in life seemingly was as the one and only access point to Boracay, which is one of the world’s most popular islands. For that reason, Caticlan is like the ugly little sister with bad breath compared to the beauty queen of Boracay – but still necessary if you wanted to get to know her. Each year, millions of tourists stream into Caticlan’s airport and then walk or take a van to the nearby ferry terminal, where they stayed only long enough to buy a ticket and get their asses across on a 15-minute ride to Boracay. When their vacation was over, they did it in reverse, with the express goal to spend AS LITTLE time as possible on Caticlan.

Sure, Caticlan has its hotels, but they’re little guesthouses with Filipino standards, for those who get in too early or too late to make the ferry to Boracay, can’t afford to stay over there, or business people who prefer to avoid the tourism craziness.

So, I never ever ever thought I’d stay for three days in Caticlan no less, until Boracay was closed down recently due to environmental concerns. Shut down for a period of at least six months after the Philippines President Duterte called it “a cesspool,” the island is closed to ALL tourism, guarded by the military as they rip it up and (hopefully) solve the sewage problem and improve the infrastructure.

Luckily, I was able to get a media credential (SCORE!) so I can come and go and visit Boracay any time I want during the closure (and at first glance, my presence freaks some people out there – believe me!).

Which brings me back to Caticlan. My media credential allows me to visit Boracay to report and fact-find, but NOT to stay there overnight because technically, all hotels are supposed to be shut down. Hence my need to find a hotel in Caticlan.

A little disappointed and not expecting much, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Candice Lucy Hotel, which was recommended by my local friend and tour guide, Hayden Fernando. While it’s surroundings aren’t much (it literally sits in a dirt trucker parking lot near the industrial port), the hotel itself is fantastic for a budget accommodation.

First off, it’s spotlessly clean, which is essential. But one of the best parts of the Candice Lucy is also its coffee shop in the lobby, where they have an impressive espresso bar (feed me iced coffees all day long, please!) and a restaurant that has a small but high-quality and well-thought-out menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The staff are also super friendly, helpful, and just delightful to be around, and there are only three or four people working at a time because it’s so small. They have rooms with no Wi-Fi and bunk beds that are a little cheaper and suited to Filipino families or budget travelers, or I got a room with WiFi (It works! It works!), cable TV, a nice double bed, frosty aircon, and a standard bathroom all for 1,500 Pesos a night – or $30. I can even walk right over to the ferry terminal every morning or evening to and from Boracay.

The Candice Lucy is all I need and then some, and now I know where to stay if and when I’m in Caticlan again!

The post Candice Lucy Hotel appeared first on AllWorld.com.

Via https://www.allworld.com/candice-lucy-hotel/

source http://allworldus.weebly.com/blog/candice-lucy-hotel

[allworldus]

Candice Lucy Hotel

There aren’t many scenarios where I would find myself staying at a hotel in Caticlan, or so I thought. In fact, Caticlan is a little industrial town on the island of Aklan whose only purpose in life seemingly was as the one and only access point to Boracay, which is one of the world’s most popular islands. For that reason, Caticlan is like the ugly little sister with bad breath compared to the beauty queen of Boracay – but still necessary if you wanted to get to know her. Each year, millions of tourists stream into Caticlan’s airport and then walk or take a van to the nearby ferry terminal, where they stayed only long enough to buy a ticket and get their asses across on a 15-minute ride to Boracay. When their vacation was over, they did it in reverse, with the express goal to spend AS LITTLE time as possible on Caticlan.

Sure, Caticlan has its hotels, but they’re little guesthouses with Filipino standards, for those who get in too early or too late to make the ferry to Boracay, can’t afford to stay over there, or business people who prefer to avoid the tourism craziness.

So, I never ever ever thought I’d stay for three days in Caticlan no less, until Boracay was closed down recently due to environmental concerns. Shut down for a period of at least six months after the Philippines President Duterte called it “a cesspool,” the island is closed to ALL tourism, guarded by the military as they rip it up and (hopefully) solve the sewage problem and improve the infrastructure.

Luckily, I was able to get a media credential (SCORE!) so I can come and go and visit Boracay any time I want during the closure (and at first glance, my presence freaks some people out there – believe me!).

Which brings me back to Caticlan. My media credential allows me to visit Boracay to report and fact-find, but NOT to stay there overnight because technically, all hotels are supposed to be shut down. Hence my need to find a hotel in Caticlan.

A little disappointed and not expecting much, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Candice Lucy Hotel, which was recommended by my local friend and tour guide, Hayden Fernando. While it’s surroundings aren’t much (it literally sits in a dirt trucker parking lot near the industrial port), the hotel itself is fantastic for a budget accommodation.

First off, it’s spotlessly clean, which is essential. But one of the best parts of the Candice Lucy is also its coffee shop in the lobby, where they have an impressive espresso bar (feed me iced coffees all day long, please!) and a restaurant that has a small but high-quality and well-thought-out menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The staff are also super friendly, helpful, and just delightful to be around, and there are only three or four people working at a time because it’s so small. They have rooms with no Wi-Fi and bunk beds that are a little cheaper and suited to Filipino families or budget travelers, or I got a room with WiFi (It works! It works!), cable TV, a nice double bed, frosty aircon, and a standard bathroom all for 1,500 Pesos a night – or $30. I can even walk right over to the ferry terminal every morning or evening to and from Boracay.

The Candice Lucy is all I need and then some, and now I know where to stay if and when I’m in Caticlan again!

The post Candice Lucy Hotel appeared first on AllWorld.com.

source https://www.allworld.com/candice-lucy-hotel/

[formagdalene]

The Article I Could Have Written Seriously but I’m Rolling my Eyes Too Much

A week ago, my Dad turned on the television to watch the news. I sat beside him to watch another episode of the most preposterous teleserye I’ve ever seen: Filipino Politics. The episode that day featured the President of the Republic of the Philippines, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and His Excellency, Rodrigo Duterte kissing a married woman in an event in South Korea. The episode #SuperConsensualKiss trended everywhere. Everyone has an opinion about it.  According to His Excellency, they enjoyed it. According to the Palace, it was part of Filipino culture. Millennials called him a pig, the act an embarrassment. An international publication labelled it misogynistic.

The next scenes unfolded like a train wreck. Mocha Uson, initially a minor character that somehow became one of the leading ladies in this teleserye posted a video of Sen. Benigno Aguino Jr. in an airplane being kissed by two women right before he was assassinated! Talk about an unforgettable flight. It was so unforgettable Mocha Uson thought she could use this as an analogy to defend her benefactor.

The ratings after this skyrocketed because while Uson might be a leading lady in that “palace”, the Queen of Social Media, the most trusted advertiser of all the big company labels you can think of and most importantly, the daughter of the late Sen. Aquino was offended. Kris Aquino is not afraid to voice out her opinion especially when it concerns her late parents. She has the confidence and the courage of a lifetime spent under the spotlight. A facebook live video, an Instagram post and a series of tweets followed where she expressed how hurt she was as a daughter. It could have been anyone, but hello, this was the Kris Aquino’s father.

“I can stand alone” Kris declared. Visually speaking, she did. I mean, there’s no one else in that scene but in reality, there’s millions behind her--her fans, her family, her colleagues…with their fans. While I’m not really a big fan of her character, I have to admit that scene was powerful.  In more ways than one. This is what courage with influence looks like. I tried to imagine what it would be like if the voices of the impoverished jeepney drivers, the families of the EJKs or the fishermen near Scarborough Shoal were as loud and as confident as her voice. Regrettably, she’s standing on a pedestal these other characters are not privileged enough to afford.

I’m holding my popcorn in my seat, waiting patiently for the next episode. Besides the whole Kris-Mocha fiasco, three priests died in the past six months for reasons that are not yet known. Are their deaths connected? If yes, what was the motive of the killers? Is the presence of the Chinese ambassador in the celebration of the Independence Day in Cavite a clever foreshadowing of the writers? Can we appreciate the cinematography of that scene where VP Leni Robredo stood under the rain with her right palm over her chest on Independence Day (Will she still be called VP in the next season)? Wait, what happened to the fishermen whose catch was taken by the Chinese coastguards in the last episode? I wonder if their family is doing just fine and if Roque can sleep well at night. Meanwhile, it’s still Martial Law in Mindanao.

This teleserye is riveting but so…heartbreaking. It reminds me of the place where I was born. I have so many questions. Too bad, I can only watch and wait. I mean…right? That’s the only thing I can do?  

[conservativeamericatoday]

You just can't believe everything that liberal media says. Subscribe us now to get the REAL NEWS everyday. Click Here To Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Jak4Sa Actor-comedian George Lopez sent a message to President Donald Trump: instead of deporting Latinos to make America’s streets safer, he should “deport the police.” In a post published on his Instagram Friday, Lopez is seen standing next to a caption that reads, “The Trump administration is deporting Latinos to make the streets safer… You wanna make the streets safer deport the police.” The former Lopez Tonight host also said, “This is not an indictment of all Law Enforcement , some still just beat you #gacho #georgelopezonhbo #TheWall ( @momorodriguez #gracias.”Lopez’s Instagram account is now set to private, but an archive of the post can still be found online. The Instagram caption caused outrage among many of the comedian’s fans. “This is a very irresponsible comment bro. You have really disappointed me bro, I thought you were better than that,” wrote one commenter, who claimed to be a police officer. “Not cool @georgelopez. I’m Latina and I’ve been pulled over more than enough times for speeding. All but one cop were nice and respectful,” wrote another user. “I realize there are some bad apples in the bunch but your statement puts all cops in the bad bunch category. Please stick to comedy. You’re not that funny when you bring politics into your posts.” Another commenter wrote, “Keep calm george…i got two brothers that are police officer ..and we are Mexican/Americans..” “That comment is fck up many latinos who fought hard and became cops #alllivematterputo,” wrote another. Lopez has repeatedly attacked President Trump and American voters. Last July, when asked about Trump’s election odds, Lopez told TMZ that “there’s enough racists in this country for him to get elected.” A couple weeks later at a show in Phoenix, Arizona, the comedian led a crowd in a chant of “fuck that puto.” (Puto is Spanish slang for male whore.)After the election, Lopez was even less gracious. When asked if he was willing to give President Trump a chance, Lopez said, “I’ll give him a chance to suck my ass.” Tags The Next News Network LATEST CONSPIRACY THEORIES NEWS Duterte Daily News Breaking News DONALD Donald trump TRUMP TRUMP LATEST NEWS USA morning news abs cbn aguirre ariana grande binira binuking breaking President Donald Trump President Trump RONNIE DAYAN Rais Magufuli news breaking news 365 fox news

[rancorazon-blog]

squaring the circle: poverty and development

Poverty isn’t a new problem to any of us. It is a word that we almost hear in a day-to-day basis from a mother ranting how life hits hard as it affects her family, to the politicians who promise nothing but a better living all by the means of alleviating poverty. It is a common notion that seems toxic for anyone who give a care on it, but it is the kind of struggle we all have in front of us, yet we don’t have the enough courage to face it bravely. 

The launching of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – who, for the longest time, advocates for change connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life – is like a cliché of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) that was set by the same agency 17 years ago, ending it by 2015. Yes, it is good to know that there are people who puts a conscious effort and focuses on things that we ultimately mind off while we are living our own lives. But what is it that makes these things unviable with the problems that we are facing now?

Zoe Williams, a columnist from the renowned paper, The Guardian, publishes her editorial that rebukes the message of the new SDG presented. She analyzed how the thing works, from its promotional aspect involving celebrities who have encouraged their very own fans up to the Pope himself whose objections toward the issue isn’t cleared.

The main argument that Williams posted in her article is reliance on endless growth to end poverty. The means of finding a way to solve the problem commits a fault of having less interest on figuring out the root cause it.

 “It is impossible to fixate an income problem – whether a low income or a high  one – without finding implicit fault in the people who are on that               income,” Williams pointed.

With her analysis being discussed, I personally agree with her judgments because there will be no smarter way to eradicate a problem without going back to the basics and searching for the fundamentals because that is the only way that one would know where he or she shall begin to be able to patch things up and make a sense on the solution that is being demanded.

Sometimes, having that so-called sixth sense or common sense paves the way for a certain complication to be solved. The UNDP, knowing how many countries are participating on the advocacy that they are raising and how heavy and large scale the problems they have been solving, may have undermined the origin of the matter that they are talking about. Of course, there should be no double standards with regards to the way they treat the problem and just shrug it off. The main grounds of the subject is to alleviate poverty, but just like how Williams weighed the problem, there is no possible way of getting up the stairs if you won’t pass by the ground. Knowing what leads to an effect can possibly be a point taken to properly digest the real situation.

Reflecting on how this kind of arguments appear to be seen in the Philippines’ perspective, our government hits an eye on targeting the ‘believed’ cause of poverty in our country. It was when President Rodrigo Roa-Duterte of the 17th congress was elected and laid his platforms by injecting the culture of “War on Drugs” upon assuming the office. This chaos began when Duterte bluntly admits that drugs are the main cause of the poverty in our nation. Therefore, the only way to solve this problem is to catch those who are into this kind of business, not minding if they will be caught dead or alive – but most of the time results to fatality.

His strategy is taking effect up until now, the renowned Oplan Tokhang, where in the recent count concluded to have killed 7000 people, the highest number of death rate that reached the country for an eight-month stay in the office. It is also said that it is likely to beat the great number of casualty that took place during the holocaust of the dictator Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Frightening and cringing, the streets that are intended to make you feel safer now because of lesser drug addicts became much creepier because anyone else could be a possible suspect regardless of innocence, age and the true story behind one’s personality.

In that case, the government equates poverty to the urban poor which now defines those of the drug users and dealers, no matter how long they’ve turned their back from the activity. Eliminating poverty never meant to kill the people below the poverty line. But the horrors of today will forever haunt the history of our nation that mindlessly murdered the hopeful minds of the Filipino who in turn became unforgiving and pro-death penalty.

Supposedly, the master plan will be efficient and effective if brutal means are the only possible way to justify the reduction of poverty. But taking morality into context will purposely suggest that this isn’t the way we should resort to. There are better and concrete means of solving it by curing the psychological, emotional, physical and educational sides of a person, which I hope the government realizes until the population of the Philippines suffer.

Meanwhile, the article resonates on Allan Thomas’s “Meanings and Views of Development” by highlighting the thought of having an all-encompassing change, may it be good or bad. The SDGs primary resolution is to spark a change on how people live their lives, treat each other, and even how climate suits their lifestyle and the way they should treat it now. Yes, this outlook suggests that the improvement we’ve gathered for the last 15 years until now mirrors that the goal of the MDG was reached, but that does mean that the streak of their reclaimed progress continues? If we rely on their own concept of development where there is a positive transformation from the past to present, then yes, it continues to propagate. But relying on this endless growth doesn’t end poverty. Putting a period on the complications of the problem doesn’t resolve the issue of global capitalism, where the poor remains the losers and the rich stays as the winners. The poor become poorer while the rich get richer.

Describing the eighth and tenth goal which addresses decent work and economic growth and reduced inequalities respectively, the “promotion of policies that encourage entrepreneurship and job creation” doesn’t end poverty. The world market is afraid to admit that capitalism, alongside with the rise of neoliberalism, isn’t the kind of strategy that we need in order to “sustain” the “development” we need. We should treat each other equal rather than give each other equal treatment. It is justice rather than equality, that all the governments supposedly look into so that every plate will have enough food and every child can get to school. If we don’t change the kind of system that ties the chain around us, then there will be no clever way out to the cruelty of the ruling class but to continuously be blinded as proletariats for their own good.

Presenting a paper like UNDP did might shed a light on the hopelessness that poverty brought. But suggesting vague and non-concrete responses on the problem will not solve it, but will just intensify it even worse. If we allow the stagnation of capitalism and mind the time we spent after all these years, then we will suffer even longer and carry the heavier burden for the rest of our lives.

Going back to the roots may leave the impression of worry among us, but it is only when we accept the fact that we aren’t going the right way will we only find ourselves on the track that we should be in.

Sources: 

Clemence, Z. (2016, February 9). Finding and promoting solutions to global wealth problems. Retrieved from The Public Sphere: http://publicspherejournal.com/2016/02/finding-and-promoting-solutions-to-global-wealth-problems/

Financial Times. (2015, September 26). The UN obsession with global targets for poverty. Retrieved from Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/7287e72a-6377-11e5-9846-de406ccb37f2

The Rules. (2015, September 24). When it clicked - when it comes to the SDGs, take the red pill. Retrieved from The Rules: http://therules.org/when-it-clicked-sdgs-red-pill/

Thomas, A. (2000). Meanings and Views of Development. In A. Thomas, & T. Allen, Poverty and development into the 21st century (pp. 32-58). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

United Nations Development Programme. (2017, January 1). UNDP. Retrieved from United Nations Development Programme: http://www.undp.org/

Williams, Z. (2015, October 19). Poverty goals? No it's extreme wealth we should be targeting. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/19/un-poor-wealth-sustainable-development-goals