PARENTHESES

It’s a SNAFU all over again!

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) had misspelled the name of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the one hundred peso bill. Instead of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the bills have Gloria Macapagal-“Arrovo” printed on it. The BSP had admitted to the mistake and apologizes to Mrs. Arroyo.

These bills are already in circulation and the BSP has assured everyone that these bills are still Legal Tender. If you happen to have one, don’t panic, instead feel lucky. The BSP said that this is the very first time that such a mistake happened, hence what you got is a collector’s item.

However, “The very first time” may not exactly be true, if one remembers the misspelling on the 1983 50 centavo coin that featured the Philippine Eagle on the reverse, where its scientific name was misspelled as Pithecobhaga jefferyi, instead of Pithecophaga jefferyi.

The misspelt one hundred peso bill is indeed a collector’s item not only because of its typographical error but for the political parody the mistake brings. Citing the misspelt Arrovo, robo or robar in Spanish means steal or to steal. Arroyo is still haunted by allegations that she won the Presidency by stealing votes. This one-of-a-kind one hundred peso bill is a collector’s item if only to show the government’s perennial “honest” mistakes.

I’ve got to find one and start a collection.

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Photo taken from Agence France Press (AFP)

I’m no big fan of sci-fi movies but there’s this sci-fi TV series by Steven Spielberg entitled TAKEN which I followed with much interest. Unlike big and complicated sci-fi movies, TAKEN is able to present in a simple plot the phenomenon about alien abductions.

Since June this year, former COMELEC Commissioner Virgilio “Garci” Garcillano disappeared from the face of the earth. Nobody knows where he went or where he is right now. The DFA and Malacanang are silent about his disappearance. Perhaps they’re contemplating about the feasibility of taking as an alibi, the possibility of Garci as being TAKEN, abducted by aliens.

For Garci and Malacanang, as Allie Keys (played by Dakota Fanning) in TAKEN succinctly puts it, “…Your choice is not about going back to the way things were. Your choice is about hiding, or about going right to the heart of the thing that scares you.”

But wherever Garci is right now, Allie Keys, has another point for us: “Even when we know we’ll never find the answers, we have to keep on asking questions.”

Hindi ako mahilig mamasyal sa mga Mall. Napapagawi lang ako dito kung mamimili o manunuod kami ng sine ng Mrs ko, o minsa’y may ka-meeting sa mga coffee shops o restaurants sa loob nito. Naging isang makabagong paraan na nang pagliliwaliw ng pamilyang Pilipino ang pagpunta sa mall.

Kasabay sa paglaganap ng mga mall ay unti-unti ring nabubuo ang sariling life patterns nito. Halos iisa ang porma, hitsura at environment ng mga mall at sabay nito nagkakaroon din ng halos iisang porma’t hitsura ang mga masugid nitong mga parokyano.

Heto ang ilan sa aking mga naging obserbasyon sa buhay mall. Karamihan dito karanasan ko lang sa mga mall ng SM, kung saan nagpapanagpo ang masang mamimili ng sambayanan.

1) Sa sampung pumapasok sa mall, apat lang dito ang sadyang may bibilhin. Ang natira ay may kameeting, ka-eyeball, nagpapalamig, binibreak-in ang bagong biling damit o sapatos, nakikiusyoso kung anong in sa moda, nagpapacute, nangangarap na makakita ng artista, nagpapalipas ng oras, tataya ng lotto, manunuod ng sine, nang-iispot ng madudukutan, etc.

2) Halos hindi mahulugan ng karayom ang mall kapag may Sale sa kapal ng tao. Asahan mong dagsa ang tao kahit walang bibilhin. Pupunta lang para tingnan kung anong mga naka-sale at sabay magsisisi bakit bumili siya ng ganitong bagay nung wala pang sale.

3) Sa mga booth na nagtitinda ng mga gitara, ewan ko kung bakit, pero makikita mong puro lalaking naka-long hair ang mga nagtitinda.

4) Iisipin mong parang may bagong bukas na daycare center, kindergarten school at pediatric ward sa loob ng mall sa dami ng mga batang naglipana. Meron ka pang makikitang mga sanggol na tila kahapon pa lang ipinanganak at ngayoy kasama na ni daddy at mommy na namamasyal sa mall. Tiyak ko nagmumura na si baby dahil si Mommy at Daddy lang naman ang nag-eenjoy at habang si baby ay ginawang parang bagong cellphone na pinang didisplay lang.

5) Akala mo may eleksyon dahil bigla ka na lang sasalubungin ng mga ahente ng real estate, credit cards at iba pang raket upang magpamudmod ng mga polyeto at mangungumbinsi. At hindi ka tatantanan ng mga ito hanggat hindi mo sila sisimangutan o di kaya’y nag-ala autistic kang bigla.

6) May mga product promoters (i.e., plantsa, kutsilyo, atbp) na kahit wala nang nanunuod sa kanilang mga demo ay parang tape na naka-play, tuloy-tuloy pa rin sa pagsasalita.

7) May mga salespersons, crew at sekyu na parang mga robot na naka-program ang sasabihin kahit hindi nakatingin sa’yo ay biglang magsasabi nang “Good Morning Ma’am (kahit lalaki ka), thank you for coming Sir (kahit babae ka). Minsan kahit gabi na, Good Morning pa rin.

8) Pagpasok mo sa CR (ng mga lalaki), may maaabutan kang nag-tototbrush, nag-bibihis, naghihilamos at kahit bakante na ang ibang urinals, nakapila pa rin ang iba sa toilet booth – kahit didyingel lang. Nahihiya sigurong may katabi sa pagdyingel o di kaya talagang napapa-ebs na.

9) Kadalasan mong maririnig ang announcement: “Calling the attention of the Companions of a lost girl/boy wearing so and so, please come to the information center immediately.” Misteryo para sa akin ang pangyayaring ganito. Hindi ko lubos maisip kung paano nakakawala sa kanilang tabi ang mga bata nang di nila napapansin. Bigla na lang ba silang nagka-amnesia kaya nila nakalimutang may dala pala silang bata? Sadyang iniwan na lang ba nila ang bata para maging si Moses? O kaya’y naglalaro sila nang taguampung sa loob ng mall?

10) Ang mga presyo nang bilihin madalas kesa hindi ay bitin, halmibawa 299.95, imbes na 300. At aasahan mong tatanungin ka nang Cashier kung meron kang singkwenta o biyentesingko sentimos.

11) Kahit puno na ang parking areas pinapapasok pa rin ang mga sasakyan. Mauubusan ka na lang ng gas sa kaiikot sa paghahanap ng bakante. At saka pa lang lalabas ang ibang nakaparking kapag lumampas ka na sa kanila. Hindi ka na makabalik para magparking sa nabakanteng puwesto dahil naunahan ka na nang kotseng nakasunod sa’yo.

12) Palaging mahaba ang pila sa mga ATM machines. Karamihan sa mga nakapila rito ay magbabalance inquiry lang.

13) Sa Grocery naman, may mga naka basket lang ang pinamili pero sumisiksik sa pila ng lane para sa mga naka-shopping carts, habang may mga naka-shopping carts naman na nangungulit pumila sa may basket-lane. Ewan ko ba?

Ganyan ang buhay sa mall, nagdadagdag kulay sa buhay Pinoy. At gaya ng kanta ng Yano, kahit mahirap ang buhay …”Patuloy ang laboy, walang iisipin, Kailangang magsaya, kailangang magpahangin…”

No this is not a scene from an action movie. This is a shot taken from the UNTV video during a supposed “shootout” between the PNP-Traffic Management Group’s Task Force Limbas and an alleged carjacking-carnapping syndicate.

The video captured how the cops (all in civilian clothes with no distinguishing marks or badges) pumped more bullets into the seemingly already lifeless bodies slumped inside the car.

The PNP manual of operational procedures states what steps to take immediately after a shootout. The manual says the officer in charge of the operation shall:

• Secure the site of confrontation.
• Check whether the situation still poses imminent danger.
• Evacuate the wounded to the nearest hospital.
• Account for the killed, wounded, and arrested persons for proper disposition.

The video footage prompted an investigation by PNP for possible irregularities committed during the operation. But even before the investigation can come up with results, the cops involved are reinstated and were already commended by the DILG Secretary for a job well done.

“Buti na lang hindi kami pinabayaan nang aming mga nakakataas”, said a happy cop involved in the shootout interviewed after being reinstated. The video was gruesome but for some reason this statement is more scary.

Last Saturday, GMA gleefully announced in television the capture of one of Abu Sayyaf’s most notorious leader, Radilon Sahiron. Less than a day after her announcement, the PNP retracted by saying they got the wrong guy.

The Palace has once again made a slip.

One after another, a string of gaffes had plagued GMA’s government.As recorded by the PDI:

July 26, 2002: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced in Sarangani province that suspected kidnap leader Faizal Marohombsar had been arrested. Minutes later, she withdrew her statement, saying she was fed wrong information.

A month later, Marohombsar was killed in a shootout with security forces.

July 28, 2002: Media men were called to a press conference where senior Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon was supposed to be presented. The press conference did not push through. It turned out that Hapilon had not been captured. He is still at large.

Aug. 2, 2002: Ms Arroyo visited the NBI offices and presented Acsa Ramirez, a cashier of the Land Bank of the Philippines-Binangonan branch, as a suspect in a P203-million tax diversion scam involving officials of the government bank.Ramirez, it turned out, was the one who exposed the scam. She got an apology from Ms Arroyo a year later.

Oct. 17, 2002: Police arrested 21-year-old Mark Bolkerin Gumbahale, an alleged leader of the Abu Sayyaf. “He’s one of the top eight Abu Sayyaf leaders with a P5 million price for his capture,” Ms Arroyo said at a press briefing.

Five days later, then national police Director General Ebdane apologized for the misidentification. Gumbalahe was not an ASG leader but simply a member.

Recently, GMA accused ABS-CBN broadcaster, Julius Babao as coddler of a suspected terrorist by allegedly bailing out Tyrone “Dawud” Santos. Later, after much prodding from media both ISAFP and Malacanang admitted that they don’t have any evidence to prove their accusations against Babao. GMA doesn’t want to make a public apology.

The Bunye caper on the Garci tapes. Secretary Bunye presented to media supposed doctored and real tapes where he said that the woman’s voice on tape was not GMA but sounded like her. Weeks after the Bunye’s blunder and a period of silence, GMA admitted it was she on the tape and according to her it was just a lapse in judgment. She apologizes by merely saying “I am sorry”.

The list continues, but over and above all these, perhaps the greatest of all gaffes, blunders and lapses is that of GMA claiming she is President of the Philippines.

When the time comes, the Filipino people will have to say, “Apologies not accepted”.

Executive Assistant Emerito Magdangal, a Malacanang employee under Press Undersecretary Robert Rivera has shown the nation and the world the proper protocol and procedure now being observed by Malacanang on handling written notices addressed to the President – by ripping it to shreds.

The newly formed Citizen’s Congress for Truth and Accountability (CCTA) had submitted to Malacanang a notice for GMA to appear before a Peoples Court. Everybody knows that such act was only a symbolic gesture. Of course, GMA will not budge at any and all attempts that question her credibility. She wouldn’t even want her Cabinet members to attend any Congressional hearings, much less to appear before a Peoples Court that will put her on trial.

After receiving the two-page notice of appearance and a copy of a complaint against GMA, Magdangal walked away and started tearing the documents in full view of the media and proudly saying “Kalokohan ito [This is nonsense].” He added later on that the documents have “no legal basis and was not important and will merely clutter our files.And because it is nonsense, it is but proper to trash it.”

I had once worked as Executive Assistant in a Government Commission under the Office of the President. We properly received all letters addressed to our principal regardless of its relevance. We logged it and put it in the files for proper documentation. I don’t remember assuming the task of interpreting the legality of any document addressed to our office nor was it our task to determine the clutter in our files and putting them in the trash.

Perhaps for Magdangal, and Malacanang, what he did was a heroic gesture exemplary of a good civil servant. But to many who have seen the video footage of Magdangal smiling and happily tearing the documents can easily discern that it was a display of arrogance, an indecent and improper demeanour of a civil servant and the height of utter fanaticism.

The intent of the CCTA in serving their notice might only be a symbolic gesture, but Magdangal has put real meaning to that symbolic gesture by receiving it and then ripping it apart.

In the battle of propaganda whose gain would it be?

Mendiola

Mabuhay ay langit sa sariling bayan
Kung ang sambayanan ay may kalayaan
Umaga ay tula ng kaligayahan
At ang dapithapo’y awit kung pakinggan.

Inang-bayan, bakit may piring ang mata
May busal ang bibig, may takip ang taynga?
May gapos ang kamay ng lumang kadena
Hanap ang paglaya sa daang Mendiola.

Taas ang kamao, tanda ng paglaban
Daan-libong anak pagtutol ang sigaw
Putok ng aramalayt, sagot ng kaaway
Ang akala yata’y uurong ang bayan.

Nagliliwayway na’t mapula ang langit
Ang bayang inapi ngayo’y nakatindig
Pakikibaka ay lalong sumisigasig
Sa daang Mendiola, tagumpay ang awit.

Nilikha ang awit na ito sa kamaynilaan noong 1970. Ang tugtugin ay hango sa isang popular na kundiman.

Kasagsagan noon ng mga sagupaan ng Pulis at mga demonstrador sa daang Mendiola. Ang mga sagupaang ito’y tinaguriang Battle of Mendiola, ang hudyat sa pagsiklab ng Sigwa ng Unang Kuwarto (First Quarter Storm) noong Dekada 70.Noong 1987 naganap ang Mendiola Massacre kung saan pinaslang ang 17 nagpoprotestang magbubukid. At noong 2001 sa daang Mendiola lumusob ang masa at niyanig ang Malakanyang.

Naging simbolo ang daang ito sa pakikibaka ng mamamayan para sa kalayaan. Dugo, pawis, luha at buhay ang idinilig sa daang ito para lamang marinig ng Estado ang hinaing ng taumbayan. Sa tulay ng Mendiola mismo itinirik ang istatwa ng yumaong Don Chino Roces, isang dakilang Pilipino na nakibaka laban sa Diktadurang Marcos, bilang paalala na ang lugar na ito ay sagisag ng malayang pagpapahayag ng mamamayan.

Ngayon pinagbabawal na ni GMA ang magprotesta sa Mendiola. Ni umapak sa paanan ng Mendiola Bridge ay bawal na sa sinumang nais magpahayag sa mapayapang paraan. Ngayon tuluyan ng naging simbolo ang Mendiola sa pagkakahiwalay ng kapangyarihan ng Estado Poder at ng taumbayan.

Ang kantang Mendiola ay muling nananariwa sa aking alaala. Ang huni nito’y muling tumutugtog sa aking isipan sa bawat hampas ng truncheon ng mga Pulis ni GMA laban sa taumbayan. Nais kong kantahin ito muli hanggang sa maangkin ng taumbayan ang makasaysayang puwesto nito sa daang Mendiola.

Ang daang Mendiola hindi ang EDSA ang tunay na simbolo ng pakikibaka ng sambayanan laban sa mapanupil na Estado. Tapos na ang panahon ng EDSA, ibalik sa Mendiola ang pakikibaka, angkinin muli ang Mendiola.