Have War, Make Money: The Mindanao Crisis

War makes good money.

Or at least, some people in Muslim Mindanao seem to think so.

I mean, honestly: I doubt it if anyone would like to live by the gun every single day -- unless he/she can profit from it.

This is probably the ultimate reason why fighting in Muslim Mindanao continues up to now. Several enterprising individuals out there are benefiting greatly from this strife. It is no longer a question of ancestral domain, ideology, or religion: at the end of the day, it all boils down to money.

Let us look at present circumstances: government forces and leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were so close, so close to signing an agreement that would possibly end the conflict on ancestral domain. Yes, the MOA was a bit -- no, very sketchy, considering that several of its key features were created outside the framework of the Philippine Constitution. This is on top of complaints issued by residents of several areas to be covered by what is supposed to be called the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) that they were not given prior consultation before this said MOA was drafted. Nonetheless, this MOA by the government and the MILF was supposed to be one genuine step toward lasting peace in Mindanao.

Then suddenly, renegade forces of the MILF decide to storm into several towns in Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte, ruthlessly killing civilians and/or using them as human shields, ransacking commercial areas and residences, and ambushing military troops.

Heartless, trigger-happy pigs who think with their balls and guns...mga leche kayo, lumaban kayo ng patas!

What appalls me more is that the MILF Central Command is apparently coddling these traitorous creatures, making no move to restrain their ranks. When asked by media on why such attacks were undertaken, they rationalized that some of their men were already getting restless due to delays in the signing of the MOA.

Under all the euphemisms being mouthed by MILF leaders, the crux of the matter is that they are simply finding a license to loot and kill -- and they found it in the delayed MOA signing.

Why don't we just cut through all this bullshit and see things for what they really are? The MILF doesn't give a hoot for peace. They don't care much for ancestral domain either. Poor Allah would turn in his resting place if these terrorists even mentioned religion as their cause.

At the heart of it all, it's money that keeps the MILF at war. If the MOA was signed by the Chief Executive, then there would be no cause for seizing whole villages and pillaging homes. The firearms business will die because armed struggle will be a thing of the past. What kind of reason would these bandits provide to rationalize any of their attempts to take hostages again? There will be nothing to fight for because of the ensuing peace in Mindanao.

The end of the war would certainly be bad for business.

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On the side of government, I am disappointed that they acted haphazardly with regard to the drafting of the MOA with the MILF Central Command. Instead of drafting something that would bring Mindanao closer to the rest of the Philippines after years of political and economic alienation, they come up with an accord that could further isolate Mindanao, making it a "state within a state."

The said MOA calls for the creation of the BJE. Under this, the group of provinces under its jurisdiction will have a free hand in creating its own system of laws, political leaders, and governance. This accord even calls for oversight and maintenance of the BJE's own natural resources.

Technically, the creation of the BJE is tantamount to the creation of a federalist system of government, and this is not allowed under the present Philippine Constitution. Thus, with this MOA in mind, several members among our "esteemed" congressmen are once again calling for charter change.

The more observant among our political personalities, as well as several civil society groups, saw right through this ploy and are now in arms against it. Probably the most prominent among these anti-ChaCha advocates is my crush and opposition spokesman Adel Tamano who is a Muslim himself. Despite the promised benefits that the MOA can give to his fellow Muslims, he noted that it was only used as a coffer for the present administration's alleged grand scheme to extend Pres. Gloria Arroyo's term of office and to do away with the Senate.

However, with the recent spate of violence in the South, even the president is distancing herself from discussions pertaining to the MOA signing. She has, in fact, already made known her intention not to sign the said agreement.

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So, to sum it all up, the MOA for the creation of the BJE is as good as dead, peace talks between government forces and the MILF are on shaky ground, and Lord knows how many more civilians will be butchered by MILF bandits.

It's just going to be another regular war-torn day in Muslim Mindanao.

The Faces of Philippine Public Service

I just saw this on ICanHasCheezburger.com, and I just had to share this with everyone. Reminds me of our government solons.

Was looking for a crocodile version but cannot find any, so I guess this will do. Yes, laugh all you want.

The Voice of the Philippine Conscience

Even if I normally get irritated just from looking at Kris Aquino on TV, for once, she had me glued onto the screen and I was taking in all she had to say. In between spurts of sobs that she was obviously trying to control, Kris announced to the Filipino nation that her mother, former president Corazon Aquino, has colon cancer.

I guess the only good side to this is that at least, she’s in good company. My favorite Roman Catholic icon, Pope John Paul II, also suffered from colon cancer before he moved on.

I read in one medical online journal that if diagnosed early, there’s a ninety percent chance that one can survive colon cancer – that is, if diagnosed early. Now this is the issue: Cory told her children not to divulge to media the stage of her cancer. Methinks that if she’s not willing to tell the people how far her cancer has progressed, then it must already be at its latter (and deadlier) stages already.

I’m still crossing my fingers that this isn’t so. Cory is among the last of a dying breed of Filipino statesmen. Another member of this elite circle is the honorable (in every sense of the word) Jovito Salonga. Alas, but this man is deaf and very old already, even if his mind is still sharp. Thus, the burden of becoming the vessel of morality in the dirty world of Philippine politics falls on Cory’s shoulders. If she moves on (God forbid), then what will we be left with?

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I was in high school when Cory’s husband, former Senator Ninoy Aquino was killed by still-unidentified men on the tarmac of the Manila International Airport in 1983. With the original hope of the Filipino nation dead, our countrymen decided to turn to Ninoy’s widow for deliverance from the clutches of the Marcos dictatorship. Cory was not a political figure – she was schooled in Economics. Nevertheless, she eventually emerged from grieving widow to political flagship of the Opposition.

It was in 1987 when all political skirmishes in the Philippines finally came to a head with the first and the most monumental People Power Revolution. It was at this time when the former president Ferdinand Marcos was finally ousted, and an era spanning more than a decade of atrocities, excesses, and corruption under his dictatorship finally came to an end.

Of course, leading the triumphant Filipinos toward victory was Cory Aquino: the first woman president of the Philippines.

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As a president, Cory Aquino was not one to use an iron hand – and this was probably so because she didn’t need to, except for those times when she was bombarded by coup attempts. Thank God she had then-Chief of Staff Fidel Ramos to quell these military adventurists.

Cory ruled in a transitional government, so at that time the main thrust of her administration was to reach out and tell the world that the Philippines is finally free and open to investments. She travelled to different countries where she was welcomed with open arms by her foreign counterparts. Her speech before the US Congress was even much-applauded. Economics and foreign relations seemed to be at the top of her to-do list, and she implemented these with fervor.

Unfortunately, Cory’s foreign relations policies, especially with the United States, created some strain between her and her former supporters. Much of the hullabaloo dealt with the existence of US bases in Clark and Subic in Pampanga. Some people believed that the existence of these bases only showed the United States’ vice-like grip on the neck of the Philippines. Their presence was somehow proof of an “I-scratch-your-back-you-scratch-mine” understanding between the US and the Philippine government, thereby reinforcing the idea that the Philippines was still over-dependent on the US not only for products and services but also for recognition in the global community. This did not stand well among Filipinos who wanted true freedom without any strings attached – especially from America the Beautiful.

What began as a very triumphant installation to the highest seat in the land ended with nary a peep, as Cory Aquino quietly but gracefully concluded her leadership with an election for the next president. Despite her stand to let the US bases extend their already-extended stay in Philippine shores, she simply had to give in to the clamor by the Senate and in the streets to take the bases out.

Nevertheless, the positive long-term effects of Cory’s deeds in her term manifested themselves by the time Pres. Fidel Ramos took over after her. The Philippine economy soared to all-time highs, and we were highly respected in the global community. The Philippines was even considered as the “Sleeping Tiger of Asia.”

Alas, all of these are now just part of Philippine history…

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Next to the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Cory Aquino became the conscience of freedom- and truth-loving Filipinos. I have yet to name another individual who can step in her shoes. And no, it’s definitely not Kris Aquino. I’ll change citizenship the moment she tries to do a Cory.

We still need someone – a voice of conscience – like Cory Aquino, especially in these times when corruption in government is rearing its ugly head again.

Thus, I urge everyone who manages to read this blog entry to please pray that Cory gets through this new and more formidable challenge. No people power rallies can topple this one – not even a new coup attempt.

At this point, prayers for Cory’s recovery from her colon cancer are all we can do – not just for her but also for the Philippines.

Lord knows the Philippines is in dire need of a conscience right now.

Streams of Thought

Much has been going on in the past weeks but I could barely juggle my time between obligations, rest, and blogging. Then there's also the Christmas rush to consider. I swear: whoever thought of commercializing Christmas should be shot.

Okayyyy....enough bah humbug-ging. Let's just go through several issues in review:

The Ranario Experience. Once again, another overseas Filipino worker in the person of Marilou Ranario almost bit the dust in Kuwait for allegedly killing her employer. Her relatives, as well as the socio-civic group for OFWs, Migrante, were hysterical over the Kuwaiti court's decision to have her executed. In comes the valiant Pres. Gloria Arroyo, fresh from her Europe junket -- er -- state visit, who went straight to Kuwait to personally make an appeal on behalf of Ranario to the Emir of Kuwait. Lo and behold, Pres. Arroyo eventually became successful in convincing the Emir not to execute Ranario and to have her sentence lessened.

All's well that ends well. However, how many other OFWs are currently facing similar fates like that of Ranario but are not being given the same presidential treatment?

Ranario and her relatives should thank their lucky stars that their situation was hyped up by media, or else, Marilou would be destined to be buried six feet underground by now.

Another thought: OFWs are called "mga bagong bayani" (new heroes) because of the risks they take upon going to other countries. Of course, one cannot expect other countries to have the same culture and laws as we do. Thus, it is important for our OFWs to "toe the line," as they say, if they want to have a fruitful and safe working experience abroad.

However, there are some OFWs who continue to bring with them their bad habits abroad and then cry a bucket of tears when the laws of that foreign land catch up on them. Yes, I get the point that they are fellow Filipinos. Boo-hoo-hoo. That doesn't excuse them from facing up to their misdemeanors. Heck, if they truly deserve to be hanged, then by all means, HANG THEM!

Return of the Comeback: the Anti-subversion Law. Once deemed as a legal loophole to justify persecution of alleged enemies of the state, the Arroyo administration is now considering the revival of the Anti-subversion Law. This, according to the presidential spin doctors, could accelerate military efforts to finally quash once and for all the numerous insurgency groups in the Philippines.

Upon deeper analysis, is it really that important to resurrect an outdated and misused law? The way I see it, this is only an effort to justify two things: first, the perpetration of more extra-judicial killings by the police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines; second, the muzzling of several civil society groups and members of media.

Even people with half a mind will be thinking that Martial Law is back -- under an assumed name.

Holiday Bells Toll in UP Diliman. This time, let's look at the brighter side of life and rejoice at the return of the Carillon bells in UP Diliman.

After a long, looooong time (Sorry, I can't be as precise), people of the UP Diliman community and surrounding areas will once again hear the chiming of the bells in the Carillon Tower starting this December. Through the efforts of UP Diliman alumni, enough money was collected to buy a new set of bells to replace the old ones that have since depreciated due to neglect and exposure to the elements. This project is in line with the upcoming activities for the much-anticipated UP Centennial.

During my time in UP, I was never blessed to hear the beautiful melodies being chimed by the Carillon bells. However, that isn't to say that I haven't heard them toll before. And it was a kind of sound that you wouldn't want to hear. That was because the only time I heard the Carillon bells toll was at the height of the intensity-8 earthquake that hit Luzon in 1991. The ground movement was so violent that the Carillon Tower was already swaying left and right, sending that ominous tolling all over the entire UP campus. I was almost certain that at any time, the tower would eventually give way. Thank God, the shaking stopped before it did.

And I think the Carillon Tower and its bells will still stand sturdy and strong for another century, especially now that the entire UP Community has already seen (and heard) its true worth.

Loss and Hope. Many Pasay City residents will be spending the holidays in an evacuation center, especially after a massive fire razed their homes to the ground yesterday.

On one hand, I pity these poor souls who have just lost their homes and material property to the fire -- and with barely a few days left before Christmas. However, based on the news reports, it was said that most if not all of these fire victims were squatting on private property.

In other words, they shouldn't be there at all.

Actually, I no longer want to delve into the details of this squatting issue. I would rather focus on a scene I saw on GMA News (link showing actual video) that underscored the value of life -- human or animal alike.

The scene unfolded like this: a news team focused their camera on a young couple could only stare teary-eyed at the remains of their burned house. Apart from fleeing their burning home without being able to save much of their belongings, the woman related that they had a pet dog with them. They managed to get the frightened canine out, but probably due to its confusion and terror it ran back into the house which was already being engulfed by flames.

This is a common trait among well-cared for pets who have come to believe that their home is their "comfort zone." The moment they encounter a threatening situation, they immediately run back into their home, thinking they will be safe there.

However, this dog's comfort zone was definitely comfortable no more. The couple was fearing the worst for their pet.

After their house was hosed down, the man decided to enter their house to look for their belongings that may have survived the fire. Suddenly, he started pulling at something from under a singed shelf. The news camera continued rolling as he managed to retrieve their pet dog who miraculously survived the fire and intense heat with a few scratches and burns here and there. Overall, the "askal" (asong kalye, or native dog) was very much alive, and its owners hugged their soggy and shaken dog -- relieved that at least one important entity in their life was not taken away from them by the fire.

Attention, PAWS: you guys should be commending this couple because of their unconditional love for their pet. May they serve as models to other Filipinos who still think that pets are only meant as props in their homes -- or worse.

Holiday Wishes and Greetings. This may be my last entry -- for this year, that is. Thus, I would like to make the following wishes for the holidays and for the new year:

* World peace. Yeah, yeah, this is such a tired old Miss Universe line...

* New inspiration -- in my career. What are you guys thinking...?

* Better financial prospects. And I think everyone else is wishing for this, too.

* PAID LOANS! And no more loans to add to my financial account.

* Love for everybody. Another Miss Universe line...

* Lesser people complaining of hunger and poverty in the Philippines.

And finally...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!

The Oil Debacle

Recently we have experienced another round of debilitating oil price hikes. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, over the weekend gasoline prices have gone up by 50 centavos a liter, while prices of liquefied petroleum products now have an additional 56-centavo increase. Various transport groups like PISTON (Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide) -- the largest group of jeepney operators and drivers in the Philippines -- are now planning to stage a series of transport strikes to air their demands for a one-peso increase in jeepney fares.

Meanwhile, Filipinos are once again faced with the debacle of making ends meet with the rising costs of basic goods and services -- a typical after-effect of oil price hikes. What a way to greet the Christmas season.

The people so comfortably seated in Malacañang are now trying to appease poor Juan dela Cruz by saying that the situation with the oil price hikes could have been worse had not it been for the "strong economy" we are experiencing right now.

What an irony: our local foreign exchange says that the Philippine peso is now at 42 against the dollar, but I have yet to see Filipinos dancing in the streets because of its effects. C'mon, Malacañang hotshots: stop pulling our leg! The only time I'm going to believe in a Philippine economic recovery is when there are no more reports of children like Marianet Amper committing suicide over hunger and extreme poverty.

Going back to the issue at hand, local oil firms are only reacting to the continuing rise in the prices of oil, or the so-called "black gold" in the world market. As of late, world oil prices have already soared at an all-time high of $100 a barrel. The Philippines is a major oil importer since it cannot generate its own oil resources. Thus, it becomes prone to any price fluctuation in the world market.

In the meantime, members of the OPEC as well as non-OPEC but oil-producing nations garner a windfall over the plight of numerous oil-importing countries -- the Philippines included. Such is the vicious cycle of dependence between these oil-rich countries and the Land of Pinoys.

In fairness to the Malacañang people, one of them managed to share a nugget of wisdom in the light of recent events. Palace Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye stated last Friday that -- well, maybe I should quote him verbatim: "...Now is the time to pool our collective patriotic efforts to intensify the search and development of alternative energy sources, as well as provide the appropriate legal environment to accelerate such initiatives." Nice quote. Whether there's a follow-up to that or not is another story.

Once and for all, we must face the fact that this dependence on a non-renewable resource like fossil fuel -- oil being one of its by-products -- is causing all of us Earthlings more harm than good. On the global scale, oil is now becoming a politically and economically viable bargaining chip in the race for supremacy. He who owns the oil has the oil-driven machines and weapons at his disposal. And oil eventually becomes a tool in the quest of some quarters for world domination.

On local shores, some government solons still insist that oil is the lifeline that keeps the Philippines alive. In fact, inspite of several environmentalists' warnings that it could destroy marine life and habitat, the government through the Department of Energy (DoE) proceeded with its project to drill for oil off the coast of Aloguinsan and Pinamungahan (Cebu).

It shocks me that DoE Secretary Angelo Reyes himself is supportive of such a move. Once again, it has boiled down to a question of economics versus the environment. And we know what this government chose. Apparently, Reyes and Bunye are not seeing eye to eye with regard to this issue.

And so Filipinos are back to another round of belt-tightening, especially this holiday season. Plans of having roast pig (lechon) for Noche Buena may well end up with roast chicken (lechon manok). Others may not have anything for Noche Buena or Media Noche at all.

Oh well, come to think of it: we won't be the only ones in this world to suffer this Yuletide. Take solace in this fact -- if there is any.