Interestingly no real account of cyber bullying has ever made headlines in the Philippines yet (this is probably because of the socio-economic reasons as majority of the nation’s population accesses the internet through Internet-Cafes). Though there is no precedence, Mirriam isn’t really taking any chances with there are many reports of children committing suicide in other countries due to cyber bullying.

There might not be any real accounted precedence for this but I can attest that it has happened to me before, I just probably have thicker digital-skin than other people but then again I’ve never experienced getting videos of my personal-sexual-relations getting leaked online or having the entire 4chan community flame me.

The quest for equality among persons and the advancement of human rights start from basic education, where children learn the values of cura personalis [the Jesuit principle of caring for the whole person] and being men and women for others from their teachers and apply what they’ve learned to their classmates and friends,- Sen. Mirriam Santiago

Though it doesn’t seem like a big deal right now but with the latest trends in technology, children will only get more and more exposed to the internet and will use it more and more making this more and more probable in the country.

Risa Hontiveros – Again, the RH bill, we need that law passed. I feel it really should be top priority, even if the whole Carper thing puts her on shakey ground

Franklin Drilon – The big man is a powerful writer and excellent debater.

Alex Lacson – I rarely am supportive of politicians who don’t have an actual track record or platform to put into action but he does have a focus on specifics each time he speaks.

Well thats the most I can think of when it comes to senators.

Now what everyone has been waiting for.

President

I am and have always been a strong Gibo Teodoro supporter. To tell you the truth, I find there really isn’t a bad candidate if you take out Villar and Erap (seriously people? a womanizing ignoramus?) but Gibo has the most realistic platform I have seen out of all the presidentiables (filipinos like inventing terms don’t they). He has an actual step by step plan for the implementation of his platform and I like that he doesn’t promise the eradication of corruption or poverty cause seriously you’ll never be able to do that in one term. I like how he sees the Agrarian reform project as only a start and wants help develop and equip these farmers so they can actually use the land (and not sell it to Villar to turn into some real estate subdivision).

Before I start ranting I will state that I am not registered to vote (because of circumstances that I shall explain). My dad constantly told us that the village clubhouse will be having voters registration for new voters. Everytime I asked if we should register already on a particular day (since they needed to register as well as their still registered as voters in Caloocan), he would keep saying “magkakaroon naman sa village ng regstration (they’re going to have registration at the clubhouse anyways) and he kept saying the same thing until it was the final weekend for registration and there just wasn’t enough time for us to register. I also don’t have a driver’s license (which means I also lack a valid ID with an address for registration) and don’t know how to drive or commute myself to the city hall (who wasn’t making registration any easier by rejecting downloaded forms). If you ask why I can’t drive yet, that’s another long story.

And so, I am not voting this Monday but I do still have an opinion about candidates, issues and elections.

Lets start with PARTY-LISTS.

First of all, I think we really need to overhaul this system in the government. People are just making unions over unions over unions, its redundant.

I would probably vote for ang Ladlad because I do value equality for all and I do realize that our government is becoming too tied down to the Philippine Catholic Church.  Though I do still identify myself as a Catholic Christian, there really are some issues (like the RH bill) where I wanna shout STFU.

Next going on a general look lets look at issues. Be forewarned that these are personal opinions which I am entitled to, I will accept any comments regarding them so long as they are ABOUT THE ISSUE and are not disrespectful in anyway.

Land reform

Big issue, and probably where I’ll get criticism. I am actually against land reform as it is currently implemented by the government. My family owns sugar plantations in Negros and I see the negative that it can do to an economy and industry. First of all I should explain that majority (including my family’s hacienda) of Haciendas in Negros use hired labour not tenant farmers and that is a huge differentiating factor from land reform that happens in Central Luzon.

In Bacolod, a lot of land was already given away to the workers but the question is what happens after the land was given. Bacolod being known for sugar products produces less sugar now than it used to and a large part of this is because the lands that we’re given to land reform were eventually sold to real estate, not agricultural use.

RH Bill

I am for the RH Bill, I am for sex education in public schools and I am pro-contraception. I do not understand that in a world filled with sexual predators and constant carnal temptation we refuse to arm ourselves, our children and our families with the information that could save their lives (in all possible ways).

An idiotic mayor once said on radio that “sex education will just make our youth more curious and more deviant with sex”. I’m sorry I come from a Jesuit upbringing and this is BULLSHIT. Even in gradeschool we we’re taught to “respect our sex organs” (I remember this in guidance classes in grade 1 and 2) and sexuality. I remember being taught about referring to it properly (“penis” instead of “hotdog” ). We had talks on it throughout middle school. Though our form of sex education was most often mixed with catholic morals (because it was and still is a catholic school), I think this can still transmit to public schools without the addition of morals based on religion.

Cha cha, con-ass and all that jazz.

I made my feelings clear on this last year actually in a facebook status statement (and Im glad it was well received).

I am pro cha cha, whether by con-ass or con-con its progress. If you don’t agree with the proposed new charter then simply vote “No” on the plebiscite. According to the current constitution (which processes must be followed for the constitution to be changed), you can’t change the constitution without a plebiscite. If No wins then No.

For the fun part, the senators

I am not and I don’t think people should vote for Bong Revilla. A man who uses a slut actress’ idiocy to bring his name popular in the “political” (if you can even call it political) arena and by doing so halts legislation (and in a sense his job as a lawmaker) is power hungry man who craves attention which he wasn’t getting anymore because of his blockbuster blunders in Philippine Cinema.

I’d vote for Defensor Santiago because she certainly has the best track record when it comes legislation. I’ve always been a strong supporter of Mirriam (even though I find her campaign portraits extremely funny sometimes), the woman is a la Mirriam wyer who knows the law, knows her job as a writer of the law and is not afraid to speak out against the circus that the 14th senate sometimes becomes. I do know of her past questionable acts (such as voting not to open the second envelope during ERAP’s impeachment trial) but then again I find that a senator’s job is primarily to create laws.

Right now these are my only opinions on senatorial candidates so I’m gonna do more reading. Since this post is getting long as well, Im going to hook you into visiting my blog again to see who WOULD I have voted for president and vice-president.

The color yellow became part of her signature. I never really understood why yellow was the color for the whole aquino heroism and holiday until I actually searched it up today. The idea of the yellow ribbon came from when Ninoy referred to the song “Tie a yellow ribbon” in an interview. The yellow ribbon then became a symbol for Ninoy and Cory (not to mention on a shallow level, yellow did look good on Cory).

I just wanna give my tribute to madamme aquino, I was barely able to talk when she was president and barely able to see her T.V interviews (it was a time when cable TV was rare and blackouts we’re common) but she is a remarkable lady none-the-less. It is well quite a shallow attempt at glorifying Cory because really I don’t know much about her and I never had much curiosity till recently. In any case, the earthly world just said good bye to one magnificent lady may she rest in peace

I can’t enumerate how many times my balance has gone to from 100 to zero in just a day without me even calling or sending sms messages. People who know me know that I rarely send texts without an actual reason to text. I don’t send “mzta?” or “gud morning poh” to people nor do I pass on quotes and shit and on average I send around 2 txts a day, one to tell my dad to pick me up and one to ask him if he’s nearby already.

I have to say senators good job. I thought this legislation was just nothing, focusing only on trampy whores and sex scandals.

While the nation is under threat of the Swine Flue and the World is at constant war with the recession, our senate is worried about a celebrity sex scandal. We act as if this is the first sex scandal that aired in our nation when dozens have been shown before. While farmers starve and walk a thousand miles to protect the lands that were promised to them our law makers think that the whole country can’t function if a case of infidelity is unsolved.

First of all, I do not understand why they compared this case to that of exploitation and human sex trafficking. I find a perverted man’s habit of taking a video of his unorthodox sexual habits to be no where near of the sex offenses that can even be likened to those. Looking at this case, the only fault I see in Hayden is taking those videos and not informing any of his partners that he was recording videos. What else can they charge him for? Sodomy (which is legal in the Philippines)? Untraditional forms of sex?

In my opinion, if there is a case that THE SENATE should be looking into  it should be against Hayden’s friends who took his laptop and hardrive and spread those videos of him. They’re probably guilty of theft, breach of intellectual property rights and invasion of private property.

Lastly, I said in the 2nd paragraph, I don’t think this is a case that a SENATE inquiry should be held for. Senate inquiries are for matters that deserve public attention because they are matters that concern the public such as the ZTE deal or CAR. From what I the things that I’ve heard on the radio, listening to the senate, I don’t really see a motive behind Bong Revilla’s complain besides getting some limelight and making himself look like a hero so he can get some public support for campaigning next year. How pathetic.

Just to say, I am all for women’s rights and female empowerment, but I do not believe this is a proper method or the proper opportunity to be fighting for it. Again, politicians are just using such activism and ideologies to their advantage just so they can keep their butts in those air-conditioned rooms that the people’s taxes pay for so they can pilfer more money from the already suffering nation. Again, Pathetic