The
Pearl of the Orient Seas
Letters
Great
Website, thanks from Worldwide Filipino Alliance, Inc. Cita Garcia citagrc@yahoo.com
Our
problems loom really large especially if the issue of graft or corruption
is the forefront of our
political life.
I
have been writing my thoughts about our country like others in our cyberspace
exchange. Maybe and if you have the time and energy, you can probably write out
thoughts individually or collectively and I am sure there will be response to
your editorials. Our problems loom really large especially if the issue of graft
or corruption is the forefront of our political life. As you know democracy will
not exist nor survive if graft is pre-eminent in our lives. For graft can make
us all selfish and non-law abiding. We can achieve the people who
elected us in offices if we will not follow their wishes or we lied to them
of our motives and character once we are in office. And remember again and
again that our Congress passed the anti-graft law during the administration of
President Carlos P Garcia. But this law is not being observed let alone enforced
meaningfully. Again I would emphasize that being unfaithful to your spouses is
also a major component of graft. For such behavior sets us up to being
bought, to be dishonest, to commit not only sin against our Lord but also
crime against our fellow beings. Dr. Paguyo and others have good ideas about
having a country where we won't go back to past and present day political
experiences where we are totally relegated to making protest and condemning our
government officials for not fulfilling the mandates of the people who put
them into office. But again the majority of the people are not always rights.
Consider the majority of those who wanted ex-Congressman Jalosjos to be back to
Congress despite being imprisoned. When Mr. Manalang sent me a response on one of
my latest e-mails about reforming our government, he said that the task was for
the people to do something to improve our lot. The major function for us to
attain this is to reunite all our diverse groups such as labor unions, concerned
citizens, church groups, even college fraternities and sororities, the
university/college bodies for working to improve the well-being of our
country. Placido
Calderon
(placido05@yahoo.com)
1.16.10
US
Pinoys for Noynoy-Mar Organize Nationally
SAN FRANCISCO
-- “Ituloy ang
Laban!” (continue the struggle!) is now reverberating throughout the United
States as Filipinos in America who are supporting the presidential tandem of
Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas II have
formed a national organization called US Pinoys for Noynoy-Mar (USP4NM) to boost
the Liberal Party bets’ candidacies in the May 2010 Philippine elections. The
US Pinoys for Noynoy-Mar was founded by members of the Ninoy Aquino Movement
(NAM) in the
South San Francisco
home of Gloria
Navarette in September 2009 and now has chapters in key cities all over the
US
, such as
Los Angeles
,
New York
,
Houston
and
Las Vegas
. More chapters are
being organized in other
US
cities. Its goals, as
announced in its website Noymar2010.com, are to campaign among registered
Filipino voters in the US to vote for the Noynoy-Mar tandem and to rally US
Pinoys, whether registered voters or not, to contact their relatives, friends,
and acquaintances all over the Philippines to vote for Noynoy-Mar. The
group has also pledged to raise $2 million for the Noynoy-Mar campaign by getting
at least 100,000 US Pinoys to contribute $25 each.
NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA
In
San Francisco
, members of the
Northern California
chapter of the
USP4NM met on
December 30, 2009
at the home of
chapter chair Rodel Rodis to map out plans for the 2010 campaign. Membership
committee chair Emmie de La Cruz reported that the chapter now has 148
registered members. Among the 40 members at the meeting were Filipinas Magazine
publisher Greg Macabenta, past Philippine Medical Society President Dr. Carmelo
Roco and Integrated Bar of the Philippines California chapter president Rene
Pascual. The NorCal chapter discussed plans for a continuation of the series of
Town Hall Meetings for Noynoy-Mar which have already been held in four
counties:
San Mateo
,
San Francisco
,
Alameda
and Contra Costa.
Under the committee chaired by Mike Macapagal, the group scheduled town hall
meetings in the next two months in the following cities:
San Jose
,
Alameda
,
Vallejo
,
Sacramento
, and San Ramon. The
group also agreed to celebrate the birth anniversary of Cory Aquino on Sunday,
January 24 (January 25 in the
Philippines
) with a memorial
mass at St. Patrick’s Church in
San Francisco
. A fund-raiser for
the Noynoy-Mar campaign is also scheduled to be held at the Edna’s Ichiban
restaurant in
South San Francisco
on January 31.
Chairing the fundraising committee is Charito Benipay, assisted by Marian
Catedral-King and Erlinda Galeon. Plans were also presented to hold a People
Power for Noynoy-Mar rally at
San Francisco
’s
Union Square
on February 25 to
celebrate the 24th anniversary of People Power. The event will simultaneously be
celebrated throughout the
United States
and throughout the
Philippines
. At the December 30
meeting, chapter chair Rodis also provided the members with an update on the
move to get the Philippine Supreme Court to order the Comelec to extend the
voter registration deadline for overseas Filipinos. Members Ted Laguatan and
Fluellen Ortigas reported on their recent trip to the
Philippines
and on their meeting
with Sen. Noynoy Aquino to update him on the activities of the group.
NEW YORK
The
New York
chapter of USP4NM was
formed on
December 12, 2009
when community icon
Loida Nicolas-Lewis and her sister, Imelda Nicolas, hosted a town hall meeting
attended by 75 members of the Filipino community. At the meeting, Ms. Lewis
announced the launching of the group’s website, NoyMar2010.com, which will be
used to inform the community about the activities of the group and on the
reasons for supporting the Noynoy-Mar ticket. The website has also been
connected to Paypal to allow Philippine citizens, including dual citizens, the
opportunity to financially contribute to the Noynoy-Mar campaign. “Our goal
is to get 100,000 Filipinos in the
United States
to donate $25 each to
the Noynoy-Mar campaign,” Ms. Lewis announced. After forming the
New York
chapter, Ms. Lewis
also set up Noynoy-Mar chapters in
Massachusetts
,
New Jersey
and
Connecticut
. Filipinos in other
east coast cities have contacted her about organizing chapters in their
localities. Ms. Lewis also plans to visit
Michigan
and
Texas
to help set up
chapter Noynoy-Mar chapters in those states.
SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA
Filipinos
in
Los Angeles
met on December 13 at
the residence of Rocio Nuyda in Reseda to form the
Southern California
chapter of US Pinoys
for Noynoy-Mar. Aside from Ms. Nuyda, the principal organizers and convenors of
the group are Wally Reyes, Josie Castro and Prosy de la Cruz. At their initial
meeting, chapter fundraising chair Leo Maranan announced that the group had
raised $1,533 to contribute to the Noynoy-Mar campaign. The group laid out
plans to host a series of “Salo Salo for Noynoy-Mar” events in cities
throughout
Southern California
.
“We believe that the tandem of Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas can provide the
political change in the Philippines come 2010, resulting in a corruption-free
and morally-upright government which is why we Filipinos in the United States
should do our part to ensure that we achieve the change that our country
needs,” Reyes and Nuyda said.
Among those who attended the rally were members of the USA Pinoy Pinay, the US
La Salle Alumni Association, and private individuals. Also introduced during
the affair were the various committee heads of the southern California chapter,
as follows: Secretariat and overall coordination -- Wally and Maryrose Reyes
and Herbert Wenceslao; Fund Raising Chairperson -- Leo Maranan; Publicity --
Val Abelgas; Finance -- Jerry Hermogino; Legal Affairs -- Chito Barredo;
Logistics -- Rocio Nuyda; Special Events -- Grace Walker; Associations
Coordination -- Josie Castro. Copies of the candidates’ platform, entitled
“A Social Contract with the Filipino People” which speaks of the national
leadership in need of transformational change and about a people crying out for
change, were distributed to the attendees so that they could explain the
platform of Aquino and Roxas to Filipinos in
Southern California
. Also during the
afternoon event, video clips showcasing the candidates’ speeches were played.
To start off the fund-raising, official yellow campaign shirts of the Noynoy-Mar
team and other campaign items were offered to those who attended the event.
LAS VEGAS
The Las Vegas Chapter of the US Pinoys for Noynoy-Mar was organized over the
Christmas weekend by Wally Reyes, Undersecretary of Tourism under Cory’s term,
who met at the home of Nanette Alcaro. Chosen to head the Las Vegas Chapter was
Dr. Philip S. Chua, a cardiac surgeon, who is the Chairman of the Filipino
United Network (USA), a
United States
advocacy Foundation
for good governance and eradication of corruption and poverty in the
Philippines
(www.FUN8888.com).
"The Noynoy-Mar tandem and their slate is The Wind of Change the
Philippines needs to transform our country beset with corruption into a nation
with dignity, social justice for all, prosperity, honor, and pride,"
wrote Dr. Chua is his newspaper column.
Assisting in the formation of the Chapter were Ms. Alcaro, Rolly Malig, Louie
Macapinlac, and Jen Salgado. Dr. Chua has so far tapped Dr. Daniel Fabito, Luz
Micabalo, R.N., and Belen Gabato, R.N., to join the core group. More
appointments are expected to help handle
Las Vegas
, which has the
largest Filipino population outside of
California
.
A dinner-meeting has been scheduled at the home of Dr. Chua on Sunday, January
10, 2009 to complete the organization of the Chapter and to firm up the plans
for the People Power Rally and Fund Raising on February 25-27, which event is
scheduled to take place simultaneously in California, Las Vegas, Chicago, New
York, and also in the Philippines, in commemoration of the bloodless and
prayerful EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986, which toppled the Marcos
dictatorship and catapulted Cory Aquino to the presidency of the Philippines. In
the meantime, the Las Vegas Chapter has scheduled a dedicated Memorial Mass to
commemorate the birthday of President Cory Aquino on January 24, which will be
the 25th in the
Philippines
, the actual birthday
of President Cory. Email contact of the Las Vegas Chapter of US Pinoys for
Noynoy-Mar: scalpelpen@gmail.com
CHICAGO
Filipinos
in
Chicago
also
announced plans hold their Noynoy-Mar rally on Saturday, January 23, from
1
to
5 PM
at the
Westin
Hotel-
Chicago
North
Shore
in
Wheeling
,
Illinois
. The
Chicago
chapter
is being organized by Marlon Pecson, Bart and Yoly Tubalinal, and Jerry Clarito.
Filipinos in the city of
Detroit
,
Michigan
, under
the leadership of Willie Dechavez, will meet on January 22, at
6:00 pm
, with
a Prayer and Birthday Celebration of President Cory Aquino. A Town Hall
Meeting for Noynoy-Mar Townhall Meeting will be held at the Fuji
Japanese Buffet on
Madison
Heights
,
Michigan
with
Loida Nicolas-Lewis as the principal guest. Filipinos throughout the US who are
interested in joining the US Pinoys for Noynoy-Mar are encouraged to log on to
the group’s website, NoyMar2010.com, to find out the contact
information of the convenors in their areas. If there are no chapters in their
cities, they are encouraged to form one by contacting Rodel Rodis at Rodel50@aol.com.
Operation
Smile
Yes,
it is not easy, indeed. But I like your Project Smile, and I agree that
educating our fellow Filipinos is most important, to open their eyes as a people
and as a nation. As I have stated in the past 4 decades on various occasions, I
felt (and I still do) that our people needed a revolution --- not a revolution
of arm, where guns and bombs shall
shed the people's blood, but a revolution of ideas, integrity, dignity and
honor, where sweat and tears shall
be shed to bathe the nation clean. Perhaps
I am dumb or stupid, but I still feel some hope for our country. And that hope,
boosted by the emergence of a handful few men leaders of unblemished
character and record in the
Philippines
, inspired us to launch the Moral
Crusade for good governance in the
Philippines
.
Greetings
from Las Vegas!
I
wonder if the FUN Dollar Moral Crusade Against Graft and Corruption in the
Philippines
, which I have attached, could be posted on your
website PhilippinesMyPhilippines? You may Google me for verification and
confirmation. Please visit www.FilipinoUNITEDnetwork.com
Your website is fabulous !!!! More power to you. Please open attachment.
Thank you, best wishes, and God bless.
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Chairman, Filipino United Network (
USA
)
Thank
you very much for your email reply and kind assistance and support for our Moral
Crusade. Your posting our appeal in The Philippines My Philippines News Magazine
will certainly help the Filipino United Network (USA) disseminate our campaign
to Filipinos around the world. I am inspired by your vision and words of wisdom
about the
Philippines
.
They are individual leaders like you who could make our dreams come true: a
better and more progressive
Philippines
with
good governance and where poverty is a thing of the past. I am pasting hereunder
a Commentary for your considerations for posting in The Philippines My
Philippines News Magazine. Thank you again, best wishes, and God bless.
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS Chairman Filipino United Network (USA) scalpelpen@gmail.com
What's
Stopping Us?*
The
Philippines
is in ill-health. As a nation, we are
afflicted with a stunted growth in our economy that is starting to float but
still barely above water (certainly a dwarf compared to its potential), massive
poverty, deficiency in pride in our country and in ourselves, severe anemia in
discipline, and an open, widespread cancer of corruption in our government.
While there are some noble and honest officials in the government, by and large
"they are mostly crooks and plunderers with bottomless pockets, overflowing
with bribes and stolen money," as the general perception goes. We cannot
argue with that bull's eye evidence-based diagnosis. But how about being honest
with ourselves and zooming in the microscope into high power mode and, for a
change, candidly examine us, "we, the people," its citizens, up close
and personal, instead of burying our head in the sand, deceiving ourselves, and
putting the blame only on the politicians alone. Are we, the accusers and
finger-pointers, totally innocent and faultless in the sad state of our nation
today? While the
Philippines
and its robust economy were only second
to
Japan
a little more than half a century ago,
we are now at the bottom, second to the last, just above
Bangladesh
.
Singapore
and the other Asian countries, including
Vietnam
, are now more progressive, way above
us, in spite of all our potentials as a people and as a nation. Shame on us! I
would be the first one to condemn the crooks in our national, provincial and
city governments, but didn't "we, the people," the majority of us,
who, time and again, elections after elections, the ones who voted them into
office, repeatedly? Then, aren't the majority of us to blame? Plain and simple.
Those who elected them, which included the disorganized, disunited and
dysfunctional opposition, and "we, the people," who supported the
known corrupt politicians, certainly deserve the rape of our nation, our people
and our economy. Unfortunately, the minority, who did not vote for the "kurakot
candidates," are also suffering as victims of the amoral leaders in public
offices, who are nothing but common thieves, cloaked and hiding behind the
dignity of their offices and titles. For a moment, let's pull our head out from
under the sand, take off the tinted glasses we are wearing, look at ourselves at
the mirror, view the reality before us, and do some soul-searching
self-analysis. And let's start from the basic and fundamental behavior and
character of most of us. For instance, what's stopping us from exercising proper
social etiquette (which was taught to us in the kindergarten) and wait for our
turn when we are entering a crowded church, a mall, a movie house, boarding a
plane or a boat, or at a line in a restaurant buffet, etc.? What's stopping the
cigarette smokers among us from respecting the rights of the non-smokers and not
expose them to the more than 4000 chemicals in one stick of cigarette (200 of
them poisonous) in secondhand smoke, which has been proven beyond doubt to cause
cancer and respiratory diseases? What's stopping us from following the rules of
the road when we drive (or asking our driver to do so) and stay within our lane
and not being inconsiderate hugging two lanes, blocking the cars behind us? Or,
from driving through an intersection cautiously, and not disregarding those cars
which have the right of way? What's stopping us from not littering the streets
and not throwing cigarette butts and trash out of our cars? Or, from flashing
public toilets after we use them? Or, from voluntarily moving to sit nearer the
front of the jeepney to allow a struggling old lady with a heavy and bulky
luggage to sit near the door? Or, from smiling and saying "thank you"
to the person we "assign" and nonchalantly hand over our jeepney fare
to give to the driver? Why can't those of us who drive motorcycles adhere to the
traffic rule that mandates us to use their designated lane, and not drive
between cars in any which way we want, disregarding all safety precautions, and
endangering even the lives of the little ones by taking them with us on a
dangerous machine, and not even providing them with a helmet? Why are our
traffic enforcers not enforcing the laws to protect the citizens? What's
stopping us, "we, the people," from demanding our city government to
implement our laws and put an end to irresponsible and reckless jeepney drivers
and others who stop anywhere, even in the middle of the street, causing
dangerous traffic jam, to load or unload passengers? Why can't we suggest to
those unthinking officials concerned to designate a specific loading and
unloading site for every 5 blocks or so, since walking is good exercise for all
of us anyway? This is done in other countries. So what's stopping us from doing
the right thing for the safety of our citizens? What's stopping us from paying
our friends the money we owe them, when they were generous enough to trust us
and loan us money when we needed it? Or, from any acts of dishonesty and deceit?
Or, from showing respect (instead of contempt) towards the less privileged
amongst us, and from being kind and compassionate towards the poor? What's
stopping the majority of us from voting for and electing only candidates who
have no prior history of graft and corruption, only those with integrity,
honesty, and care and compassion for our poor? And what's stopping us from
teaching our movie stars and unqualified candidates that "we, the
people," demand quality and experienced leadership, and not popularity and
good looks, to help lead our country out of this moral decay and devastation?
The fact that we do not have optimum requirements for those seeking public
office, where even the unqualified is allowed to run, is in itself an indictment
of our poor political system the quality of leaders we have, and the kind of
people we are.What's stopping those of us who know better from persuading and
pressuring our fellow Filipinos not to sell their votes to the candidates, who
obviously spend millions during the campaign, which amount they have pre-planned
to "get back" a thousand-fold when elected into office, by plundering
the nation's coffers and by accepting kickbacks and bribes, etc. ? What's
stopping us from realizing that these crooks among our elected
"leaders," ran for office, not to serve the country and their
constituents, in the first place, but to rob them blind and get rich fast? And
that these dirty politicians are actually insulting our intelligence, secretly
mocking us for our "naivete, if not stupidity," and capitalizing on
our very short memory? Moreover, what's stopping us from demanding a
higher expectation from our elected officials and legislators, holding them to a
higher (the highest) standard of the laws of our nation, and bringing the
corrupt ones to swift justice with maximum punishment, be they members of the
executive, legislative or judiciary branch of our national, provincial or city
government? If those public officials proven guilty of corruption beyond
any reasonable doubt were expeditiously executed (or sentenced to long jail
terms for lesser offenses than plunder, like what our Philippine laws
prescribe), and like what they do in other countries, I am sure decency and
honesty among our government officials and among our people would not be
far behind. Is the Philippines not less civilize and arguably more barbaric
allowing massive corruption amidst us for more than half a century, causing more
than 70% of our people to wallow and languish in poverty, compared to those
other Asian countries, more disciplined and more progressive than we are, who
expeditiously incarcerate or bring before a firing squad their convicted
officials? With their citizens enjoying prosperity from honesty and
transparency in governance and swift justice even against the "big
fish," who is really less barbaric and more civilize? And going back to the
basic structure of our society and family, what's stopping many of us parents
from aggressively teaching our youngsters more religion, moral values, common
courtesies, proper behavior and decorum in everything they do at home or in
public, and making sure they learn and obey? What's stopping us from shedding
our crab mentality, especially among expats abroad, and support each other, and
root for successful Filipinos, instead of stepping on and putting them down,
just to destroy them to get ahead of them? Could this apathy, envy and greed be
the reasons why we, Filipinos in the United States and around the world, lag
behind our fellow Asians, like the Chinese, Koreans, Indians, Vietnamese, etc.,
as far as business, economics, and politics are concerned? If the four million
Filipinos in the
United States
, for instance, could only unite, they
would be a potent force, with great power and clout, to benefit their welfare
and interest, and protect themselves from abuses and discrimination. So what's
stopping us from uniting? Those are only a few of the signs and symptoms of the
contagious epidemic that afflicts the majority of our people, resulting from
lack of discipline and integrity, lack of pride and self esteem in the
Philippines and in ourselves, our indifference and apathy, and our crab
mentality. "We, the people," are the basic building blocks of our
society. Our individual and personal principle, behavior, and actions determine
the integrity of the structure of the whole nation. If the majority of the
citizens are undisciplined, indifferent, opportunistic, and corrupt themselves,
we cannot expect our elected officials in the government to be honest,
scrupulous, just and fair. After all, they "came" from us, the
citizens, chosen and elected by us. It is clear to me that the primordial fault
lies in us, the Filipino people and those "good" officials who simply
look the other way, and not only in the corrupt politicians we voted into
office. Our government, our integrity and image as a nation and as a people
will, and can only, be as good as "we, the people," the individual
pieces of tiles that make up and form the mosaic of what is called The
Philippine Society. Our society, our government and our elected officials are a
reflection of our individual behavior, character, integrity and wisdom as a
people. For our beloved "Pilipinas" to become a great nation,
"we, the people," must apply the pearls of wisdom taught us at home,
in school and in church, the Godly principle of love and compassion towards our
fellowmen and the protection of our integrity and dignity --- all of which we
learned from Kindergarten. The recent election of the Revered Father Ed Panlilio
(who did not even have a bank account) as Governor of Pampanga, defeating two
well-funded, super powerful and "unbeatable" trapos with well-oiled
political machineries, has shown us that the "impossible" is possible,
that "we, the people", can create miracles here and there if we will
it. So, what's stopping us from electing a "Lee Kuan Yew," the
"Dirty Harry" who "cleaned up" Singapore, an idealistic,
honest, and God-fearing leader who can help discipline us, terminate the massive
corruption in our governments, bring back our national pride as a people, and
lead our nation to peace and prosperity that could only be the envy of other
nations? Indeed, what's stopping us? By Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS,
FPCS, Chairman, Filipino United Network (USA), Vice President,
Cardiovascular Hospitals of America (Wichita, Kansas), Past President of the
Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA) and the Society of
Philippine Surgeons in America (SPSA).
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