Bidding Farewell to an Icon of Democracy 2 Wednesday, Aug 5 2009

Perhaps the heaven wants to join the Philippines in mourning the loss of the country’s gift and treasure.  Today, August 5, 2009, Former President Cory Aquino will be buried in Manila Memorial Park in the tomb beside her beloved husband, Sen. Ninoy Aquino.

The strong rains and flood did not deter the people to go to the Manila
Cathedral for the last mass before President Cory Aquino will be laid to rest.

A banner carried by the Franciscan order of Metro Manila

Outside the Manila Cathedral, two elder ladies, one clad in a dress with the colors of the Philippine flag prayed the rosary for the EDSA heroine.

Just outside the entrance of Manila Cathedral.

A 4-storey high tarpaulin banner from Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim giving thanks to Cory Aquino.

A row of Manila’s Finest, the WPD policemen form a cordon to secure the people who want to pay their last respect and show their love for the former president.

I saw this man falling in line last Sunday to the wake at La Salle Greenhills.  He was wearing a “NO To Gloria Forever” t-shirt.

The former President’s casket was placed on top of a flat bed truck, instead of a hearse, for the people to catch a last glimpse of her.    She is guarded by 4 servicemen, each representing the various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.    Yellow confetti showered as the truck pass by.  It was like EDSA and Ayala Avenue in February of 1986.

A multitude of people follow the flatbed truck carrying the former President, chanting “Cory, Cory, Cory” while flashing the Laban sign.    Former Senator Pedro Paterno is very right when he said that in 1986, people flocked to the streets in anger and in their desire to end despotic rule.  Today,  people flocked the streets out of love and reverence for, perhaps, the only President of the Philippines who was never seduced by power and prolong their stay in Malacanang.

This reminds me when I was still a 10 year old boy when my father brought me along to EDSA to heed the call of fighting for the restoration of democracy.

From the Manila Cathedral, I ran all the way to the Anda Circle to catch another glimpse of  former president’s Philippine flag draped casket.

A man displayed this placard near the entrance of Manila Cathedral.

This is serendipity.  Beck and I were looking for a way to avoid the traffic that the funeral parade will bring.   I erroneously thought that the funeral will pass along Roxas Boulevard and make a left turn to EDSA, so we went to Quirino Avenue.   We were surprised that are moving right smack to the path of the funeral parade.  But, this gave us the opportunity to capture images of how revered the former president is.

It seems that “Cory Magic” has not lost its luster for the past 20 years.

This is the crowd along Quirino Avenue.

The crowds have not waned even along Osmena Highway (South Super Highway)

And an even larger crowd is waiting at the intersection of Gil Puyat and Osmena Highway (South Super Highway)

I don’t know, if I will ever see Filipinos would again display their respect, love and reverence to a Philippine President or Leader the way they did with President Cory Aquino.

Leave a Response »

 

Bidding Farewell to an Icon of Democracy 1 Tuesday, Aug 4 2009

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.  Live your life in such a way that when you die, the world will cry.  And your soul will rejoice- An Indian Proverb

August 1, 2009 was a sad day for the Philippines.   President Cory Aquino, a housewife who had the courage to struggle for democracy and fought a dictator,  succumbed to colon cancer in the early hours of the first day of the month.

Pres. Aquino’s family are gracious enough to have a public viewing of their beloved mother in order for the hundreds of thousands of supporters and friends of the former president could pay their last respect.  The first two days of the wake was held at the gymnasium of La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City.  The people who flocked to the said venue ignored the stormy weather and the long lines just to have one last look at the person who was instrumental in restoring freedom in the Philippines and end the 20-year rule of a feared tyrant.

I was a veteran of two People Power Revolutions.   In 1986, I was just a 10 year old Elementary school student who was brought along by his father to what will become a momentous part of the Philippine’s history.   In February 1986,  my father and I were part of the crowd who heeded the call to troop to EDSA and protect what the then Manila Archbishop Jaime Sin called, “the friends of democracy”.      EDSA was then a sea of yellow shirts and yellow ribbons.  I never thought that I will be seeing that color again being proudly worn by the masses.

The long line to La Salle Greenhills

Yes.  NO to Gloria forever, 9 years is more than enough.

This European man was standing behind me in the queu line.   He’s a Ph.D. in History from Netherlands and he acknowledged that the 1986 EDSA People Revolution was the model and inspiration of the movement that restored democracy that swept across Eastern Europe from Romania to Russia.     Here, a young beggar asked him for some alms.  He instead bought the young boy a stick of ice cream.

A correspondent from Channel News Asia

This is the historian from Netherlands pictured earlier, here, he’s being interviewed by Channel News Asia and explained why he was among the thousands who fell in line for hours just to pay respect to the recently departed former president.

At the entrance of La Salle Greenhills gymnasium

Enduring images of Cory Aquino.

Cameras were not allowed beyond the green cordon.

Flowers from Sen. Mar Roxas and his fiances, Korina Sanchez

Flowers from the Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Bhejjajiva

2 Responses »

 

Tony Blair in Manila Thursday, Mar 26 2009

“What’s the difference between God and Tony Blair?… God never think that he’s Tony Blair“- UK newspapers

“You’re attending his Leadership Conference? He’s the most hated man in the UK!”.  This is the reaction of the British business executive that I recently made some business deals with when I told him that I will be attending Tony Blair’s Leadership Conference in Manila.  Tony Blair, perhaps, is among the majority of world leaders who are more popular abroad than in their home country.  I had a first encounter of this “phenomenon” when I attended an international student conference abroad and several ASEAN youth leaders are all praising Pres. Fidel Ramos for instituting reforms that made the country to experience a short lived economic miracle during his term.  I couldn’t rebut and tell them that I have joined several rallies and demonstrations agains the then President Ramos.  On restrospection, he is indeed for me, so far, best  Philippine President during my lifetime.

Well, it’s not every day that a respected and distinguished, former UK Prime Minister who is credited to bring peace to Northern Ireland will come to the Philippines and give a speech.  So despite, the comment from the good British chap, I still attended the second in the series of Leadership Conferences organized by Campaigns and Grey.

The venue is the Harbor Tent of Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel at the CCP Complex in Pasay City.  Security is tight, with no less than the Presidential Security Group ensuring that no untoward event would happen during this occasion.  In attendance are some national and local government officials, civic leaders, business leaders and students leaders.

Tony Blair exudes the charisma and wit that made him, at one time, one of the most popular world leaders.  This made me wish that I will still be able to see a Philippine President having the same appeal.

For about thirty minutes, Tony Blair discussed about his experiences as Prime Minister, from day one until the day after he stepped down from power.  He recounted the tradition of Prime Ministers kissing the hand of the Queen after their election.  He was advised by a member of the Palace court that he don’t have to kiss the Queen’s hand but he just have to brush it lightly with his lips.  Being only a few days after his election, he was so sleepy that he tripped on the carpet, dropped and kissed the Queen’s hand.  He think that perhaps the Queen is surprised on how fervent the new PM in kissing her hand.  This elicited the laughter of the audience.

In ending his speech, Tony Blair said that every leader had their day and if it is time, they should know how to move on.  He narrated about the day after he resigned as Prime Minister.  For security reasons, Tony Blair never got to use a mobile phone during his 10 years in office.  When he stepped down from power, one of the first thing he did is to get his own mobile phone.  He was so excited about it that he sent a text message to a friend.   Since he never used a mobile phone, he forgot that unless the recipient has saved his number in the recipient’s mobile phone, his name will not appear, only the number.  So when he sent a text message to his friend, he received this reply:” I’m sorry, but who are you?”  And Tony Blair quickly added, “It’s only been 24 hours!”  A lesson in humility indeed.

Here are some snippets of wisdom that I learned from Tony Blair, in his own words:

• To understand the world, you need to look at it as it was.  Not what you want it to be. To change the world, you must first understand it.
• You can’t understand the world today without including China and very soon, India.  Power is shifting to the East.  And the Philippines, being in the East, is in a very good position to take advantage of it.
• Leaders stand out when all other stand back. If you want to be popular, leadership is not for you.
• What is forgivable is to fail.  What is unforgivable is not to try.
• Agree on principles, but understand compromises.  Prepare for comprises to achieve your end.
• In this new century, there will be more than 1 superpower.
• Leaders must fight for the change they want to see.
• There can only be peace if both sides want it.
• When you first propose change, people will say, the world is ending.  When you’ve made the change, people will hate you for it. When the change it successful, people will say that it’s been always that way.
• The best alliances are based on shared purpose and value.
• Understand your opponent as another human being with a different point of view, rather than an enemy.
• Don’t lead for the sake of leading.  Lead if you want something done.
• Different faiths of the world must learn to live together in mutual respect.  Love for your fellow human being must always be your principle.

A trivia about Tony Blair.  Aside from being the youngest UK Prime Minister for the past 150 years, he’s also the only PM who had a child while still in office.   With this, he made a remark “Makes you wonder what the other prime ministers are doing?”

Tony Blair is about to receive a special recognition and award from the De La Salle University

With this scene, you can easily identified who among the audience are the Green Archers.  Tony Blair wearing the DLSU jersey given by officials from the said university.

After the speech,veteran journalist  Che-che Lazaro acted as moderator in the open forum of the conference.

8 Responses »

 

Marie Digby and Powershift Thursday, Jan 10 2008

Although I’ve read Alvin Toffler’s Powershift about 3 times already, I think I have to read it again and check which among his predictions and assumptions came true and are currently happening.  The last time I read this book was way back in 2001 at the height of the Quiz shows craze (The Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Game Ka Na Ba.  I have joined in all of these quiz shows) that hit the country.  A sociologist friend said that these quiz shows reflects the economic condition of the country and that the masses would turn to quiz shows to bring them out of poverty.  I added  that it is also a manifestation of one of Alvin Toffler’s assumption that TV entertainment of the future will be highly interactive wherein viewers want to be a part of the show and not just mere spectators.

In Powershift, Alvin Toffler discussed about how knowledge and technology became tools for building wealth and at the same time, instruments in wielding power.   In one of his examples; 50 years ago, it is the manufacturers who dictates to the supermarket which products will be sold and how much supermarket space will be allocated to which products because they are the ones who control information (via advertisements and their sales force).   All of these changed when the bar code system was introduced that enabled the retailers to gather information about the products being sold and the consumers who buy them.  It is the retailers who now control the knowledge of the market.  Now, it is the manufacturers who beg for supermarket space.   The invention of the barcode enabled a “powershift” from the manufacturers to the retailers.   (For a lengthier discourse on how this happened, read the book) 

A few years ago, I’ve read that  singers/artists or their managers are at the mercy of radio stations and have to pay them to promote their albums.    Power is in the hands of radiostations and/or tv stations.  With the advent of Youtube, artist can now upload their videos and promote themselves in the Internet for free.   Thereby, shifting power to the artists themselves.  A case in point is the Irish-Japanese artist, Marie Digby whose videos in Youtube are being viewed by millions of surfers around the world.   As of this writing, her rendition of Rihanna’s Umbrella has 4.2 million hits and still counting.  In her blog, she said that she posted her music videos in her own desperate move to counter the lack of promotion of her album.  Now,  her music can be heard by millions of people who doesn’t need to tune into radio to listen to her songs.   You can call that powershift. 

I am posting two of her videos that I really like, her rendition of Maroon 5’s Makes Me Wonder (who by the way are coming to Manila on March 5 and I will definitely watch it) and Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn(one of my all time favorites).  Now this has nothing to do with my conviction that its the Irish and not the Brazilians who are the most gorgeous race in the planet. 

One Response »

 

2007 SEA Games Debacle Wednesday, Dec 19 2007

There’s no disgrace in losing.  Only in winning with no honor- Kwai Chang Cane, Kung-fu The Legend Continues.

The Philippine delegation to the 2007 SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima produced only 41 gold medals, which is the worst performance of the Philippine Team in SEA Games history since 1977.  Thailand, the host country, is a run away winner with 183 gold medals.  Thailand winning the over-all crown is not a surprise.  It is common for the host country of the SEA Games to win the over-all crown, plus the fact that Thailand is the capital of home town decisions in this side of the world.  What is surprising is that the Philippine team, bagging the over-all title during the last SEA Games, nose dived to the 6th position in the gold medal tally this year.  

Many point to the faulty or biased officiating in the 2007 games (did I mention that Thailand is the capital of home town decisions in Asia?).    Annie Albania, the lone gold medalist in boxing was able to get the title because she was able to knock down her opponent.  The other Filipina boxers who outclassed their opponents have to settle for the silver because of the judge’s decision.  This prompted the near walk-out of the entire remaining Filipino boxers all of whom are vying for the gold medal.  In a show of unity and of protest, these Filipino boxers withdraw from the finals and gave the gold medal to Thailand on a silver platter.    Even the legendary judoka, John Baylon almost fell victim to faulty officiating, fortunately, his unequalled judo skills enabled him to gather points to win another gold medal.  In 2005, RP Muay Thai Team garnered 3 golds, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals, this year, we only have 5 silver and 5 bronze medals.   The Thai team fielded seasoned professional fighters, most of whom are Lumpinee Champions.   Which is a direct violation of the SEA Games Charter wherein only amateur athletes can compete.   It is sad to see, that an athletic meet, which is envisioned to foster camaraderie among Southeast Asian countries is becoming an instrument to cultivate resentment among its neighbors. 

But the biggest message for me for this debacle, which should also be a lesson for the government, is not to expect too much from the athletes at a budget so miniscule.   Atheletes and the National Sport Associations (NSA) that trains them have to make do with what little the Philippine Sports Commission gives them.     There’s simply not enough funds for elite athlete’s training, foreign training and exposure, equipment, and grassroot program.     More than half of the Philippine muay thai team have not even set foot in a muay thai camp in Thailand.    This is only muay thai, perhaps the case is worse for other athletic discipline.   One only need to go to Ultra or to Rizal Memorial Complex to see the sorry state of our athletes and the facilities where they train to understand why an Olympic gold medal is still a dream for the Philippines.     

It is not the athletes who are to blame but our honorable lawmakers who prioritize their pork barrels over the budget for sports development.  Oddly, it is our athletes who makes the country proud by winning medals in international competitions, despite how little monetary support they are given.  I still have to see a lawmaker coming home to a hero’s welcome after going to another country.   

The equation is simple, no money, no medals. 

2 Responses »

 

Makati Stand-Off Friday, Nov 30 2007

November 29, a busy Thursday, as always the case whenever the AAS Philippine office is facing a long holiday weekend.  Specially that today is the last working day of the month and tons of report have to be generated and submitted to the main office.  My staff are looking forward to attend the street party along Emerald Ave. while I’m anticipating the Akon concert that I will watch later.   Our daily grind was interrupted when we heard news of the miliary stand off in Manila Peninsula Makati.

Armed personnel led by (I hate to use this title on him) Senator Antonio Trillanes and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim holed themselves in Manila Peninsula after walking out of a court proceedings in Makati, in the hopes of launching another people power revolt.   There’s no cable nor TV in the office but we were able to monitor closely the stand-off and military siege unfolds by accessing the website of Inquirer.net and ABS-CBN news.  The stand-off ended around 4p.m. when operatives of the Special Action Force used APCs and teargas to assault Manila Pen and forced Sen. Trillanes to surrender.    In my opinion, what signalled the end of this “revolt” by the senator is the lack of popular support among the masses. 

It’s a deja vu.  1989, the Philippines’ economy is on the upswing then and the Aquino administration is finally getting its act together in moving the country forward.  Until another military coup d etat was staged by then Colonel later Senator Honasan.    The 1989 coup was done a day after Bonifacio Day.  December 1, 1989, I woke up hearing the machine guns being fired by Tora-tora fighters aiming Malacanang.  The rebel soldiers holed up in Makati Twin Towers when soldiers supporting the government came to thrwart the military takeover.   The country took another 4 years to attract foreign investments.   I’m starting to think that I’m lucky that I didn’t invest some of my available funds in an equity mutual fund because surely, the stockmarket will nosedive because of this.

The military/police also enforced a curfew that will start at 12midnight until 5a.m. 

Leave a Response »