[PODCAST] Acosta, Guingona, Bautista, and Biazon talk about Air Force 1

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Carlo Ople

I was able to meet four senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party during a recent Blog Watch dinner at Sentro in Serendra, Fort. This was the second (or third) time that I’ve talked with Congressmen Biazon and Guingona. It was my first time to grill Dr. Martin Bautista and Teacher Neric Acosta. Since most of the policy and serious questions were already being asked by my fellow bloggers I decided to take a different route. The question?

Other than Obama’s plane, have you ever heard of a place in the Philippines called Air Force 1?

Listen to the lively and informative discussion here:

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I’ll be writing more articles about this interview in Blog Watch in the next few days. Cheers!

Posted in Martin Bautista, Neric Acosta, Podcast, Ruffy Biazon, TG Guingona | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

What is Off Limits in a Campaign?

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Carlo Ople

A few weeks ago, Kris Aquino publicly cried on national television when her personal marital problems would be used to drag down the name of his brother, Senator Noynoy Aquino. A lot of people called that off limits since it was “personal”. Even before that though, the daughter of Senator Manny Villar was also publicly chastised as she gave away scholarships and prizes during a Villar-sponsored concert. Off limits? But wait, there’s more. I just saw a tweet linking to an article on the Philippine Star wherein the author of the piece actually researched the statements made on Villar’s ad with his brother Danny dying due to lack of funds. According to the article, this wasn’t true.

In a political campaign, what’s off limits and what’s fair game?

There’s really no sure answer but ultimately politicians fail to realize that they are the ones who are drawing first blood when it comes to engagements like this. You use your daughter, sister, and even your dead brother on a political campaign then they become fair game. The moment you have them prance around the stage, you are exposing them to a world of hurt, humiliation, and scrutiny.

It’s basic competitive marketing 101. You have a claim, then make sure that it will stand against criticism. The problem here is that instead of hyping on product benefits, politicians prefer to shove their loved ones in the line of fire. Since their competitors can’t hit on product benefits, they will tear down at the people in front of them. This is the sad and brutal truth of politics.

Don’t just think twice, think a million times before you ask your children or your loved ones if they want to participate in your campaign, especially if it’s a heated contest. And before you start pointing at your competitor for going to “off-limits” areas, look at yourself first and ask yourself why those people are in the ring anyway.

Posted in Current Events, Manny Villar, Noynoy Aquino | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

No to Mikey Arroyo and his Party List

Posted on March 26, 2010 by Carlo Ople

I’ve been trying to steer clear of any negative posts here at Juan Country but I can’t just help this one. I firmly believe that Mikey Arroyo is crossing the line with his recent move to run for Congress under the Ang Galing Pinoy party list which is supposed to represent security guards. In his defense, Arroyo says that it’s the right of the party list to nominate anyone that they want to represent them in the party. Excuse my language, but that’s just bullshit.

How the hell can someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth represent the interests of security guards? Does Mikey Arroyo even know how it feels to be a security guard? This guy is not only insulting the Philippine electoral system, but he’s also insulting all the security guards all over the country. I am one with Satur Ocampo and Lisa Maza who filed a disqualification case against the presidential son.

I hope that the disqualification case actually gets Mikey out because it will truly be a sad day for our electoral system if he’s allowed to run under the banner of security guards.

Posted in Current Events, Mikey Arroyo | Tagged | 2 Comments

2 major political parties back out of the upcoming Harapan tandem debates

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Carlo Ople

(This is an article originally posted on my Internet Marketing blog)

According to a Tweet from ABS-CBN journalist Ces Drilon, two major political parties have backed out of the upcoming televised HARAPAN President-Vice President Tandem debates which was scheduled this coming Sunday, 10:15PM. I don’t know the exact reason why they’re doing so but apparently it’s because they’re not comfortable with the use of technology and social media during the debates.

(To read the full article, please head over to New Media Philippines)

Posted in Current Events | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Alcohol will flow tonight; 80% flunk the Bar exams in the Philippines

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Carlo Ople

Would-be lawyers all over the county will have sleepless nights in the next few days. The Philippine 2009 bar exam results should have been released last Friday, March 19, 2010. It was delayed and the Office of the Bar Confidant said that they weren’t done yet checking all the papers. In a report published in the Manila Times, it was revealed that the reason why the release was delayed because less than only 20% who took the exams passed (whoa). I got this info from Gangbadoy via Twitter.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

LESS than 20 percent of those who took the 2009 Bar examinations passed.

A source of The Manila Times said over the weekend that only 17 percent actually passed the tests for would-be lawyers, but added the Supreme Court would hold a special meeting this week on whether this percentage would be increased.

The source added that the release of the results of the 2009 Bar examinations should have been made on March 19 on Friday. He cited 2009 Bar Examinations Chairman and Supreme Court Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura asking Chief Justice Reynato Puno for a special en banc session.

The release did not materialize after the Office of the Bar Confidant disclosed that they had not finished computing and tallying the grades.

“There was a delay in the release because it was harder to compute the grades coming from 16 examiners as compared to eight examiners [in the past],” the source said.

Scary. I can’t imagine myself in their position. :(

Posted in Current Events | Tagged | Leave a comment

Dick Gordon and Moymoy Palaboy in the Jungle

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Carlo Ople

I am officially a fan of Dick Gordon. This guy has balls. LOL! Here’s a video of him collaborating with MOYMOY PALABOY using the “In the Jungle” theme music thingy. Simply hilarious, entertaining, and it just makes Dick Gordon more human. To whoever thought of doing this, you are genius.

Now that’s how you do Viral Videos. :)

Posted in Dick Gordon | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The ABS-CBN HARAPAN Vice-Presidential Forum

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Carlo Ople

As I’m typing this blog post, I’m currently watching the ABS-CBN Harapan Vice-Presidential Forum. Let me just say that I’m very impressed with what ABS-CBN did in terms of the format. It wasn’t your typical debate like the previous forums hosted by the major television networks. It was amazing how they were able to integrate all the various platforms available to make the forum a completely multi-media realtime experience. Other than the live broadcast on ANC, channel 2, and Studio 23, they also had live chat online and they also had people tweeting away and updating via Facebook. The term “#Harapan” even became a top trending topic on Twitter!

Exciting Debate Format
The format was very intense at the start. I loved how they had the candidates do mini-debates. My only problem here is that there wasn’t really enough substance in the discussion. It was mostly mudslinging, counter-mudslinging, and more, hahaha. They tried to redeem the debate in the end by having more sensible questions (via the fishbowl) but it became a bit boring. I guess ultimately it’s a lose-lose situation. They make it exciting, the debate loses substance. They make it meaty, the debate becomes boring.

Personally I found the exchanges between Loren Legarda and Mar Roxas to be the most exciting parts of the debate. Closely following that would be the heated and almost hostile spats of Jojo Binay and Bayani Fernando. Yasay and Sonza definitely had brilliant moments. Yasay’s answer on tripling the education budget because it’s the global standard is one of the more sensible statements in the entire debate.

Where’s Edu?
I was able to contact LAKAS-KAMPI VP bet Edu Manzano about his absence via SMS. He replied saying “Am in Pangasinan campaigning with Raul Lambino.” Edu, whoever is handling your over-all strategy should get a dress down. The Harapan forum would have been a great opportunity for you to present what you’re about to the Filipino people. That’s just my honest opnion.

Where’s the Chipeco?
Now this is weird. There was no mention whatsoever of the Vice-President candidate of KAPATIRAN, Dominador Chipeco. Oh well.

Bayani’s Yellow Engineer Hat
Truly epic. Must post picture.

TANDEM PRESIDENT-VP DEBATE COMING SOON
According to ABS-CBN News Gathering Head Maria Ressa (via Tweeter), there will be a tandem version of this debate next Sunday, same time (10:15PM). If ever that pushes through, I’m definitely canceling all my evening plans and make sure I’m glued to the TV at that time.

Let me just congratulate ABS-CBN for a job well done. My only complaint is that the debate was aired late night. This should be put on prime time.

REPLAY ON ANC
To those who didn’t catch the action, HARAPAN: The ABS-CBN Vice Presidential Debate will be replayed on ANC on March 22, Monday, 10:30 pm.

Posted in 2010 Presidential Elections, Bayani Fernando, Current Events, Edu Manzano, Jejomar Binay, Loren Legarda, Mar Roxas, Ted Failon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Why am I voting TG Guingona for Senator

Posted on March 19, 2010 by Carlo Ople

This is the second article of my “Why am I voting for” series. I’ll be alternating the articles here and Blog Watch but I’ll definitely post snippets of the articles that will appear over there here. The next candidate that I’m supporting is from the Liberal Party – TG Guingona. We had the opportunity to sit down with him for a few hours over dinner and he explained to us the ins and outs of the Philippine budget and how the Arroyo administration exploited the system to turn the national budget into a giant personal piggy bank. For a more detailed article on his explanation, please do check out Rochelle Chua’s post on the topic.

His Track Record
One of the things that I like about TG is that he has a solid track record. The misconception that he’s just running because he’s the son of former Vice-President Guingona is completely off the mark. He’s been in congress representing the Second District of Bukidnon for several terms. He’s filed numerous bills (that make sense) and TG has been at the forefront of fighting anomalies in the Philippine budget. His exposes have led the government to abandon really insanely expensive (and useless) projects.

For his professional background, TG has managed a real estate business. Personally I like people who’ve proven their worth in business management because it shows that they have the capability to deliver and to manage people. TG graduated with an Economics degree from the Ateneo and he even joined the student government. He was actually one of the student activists that marched in protest during the 1978 elections and he got arrested for it. He was jailed together with Nene Pimentel, Lorenzo Tanada, and Joker Arroyo.

This guy has a good track record for his political, professional, and educational careers. He’s clearly competent and will be a great addition to the Philippine Senate.

His Platform
This is a bit general but it shows a clear perspective of what he stands for. This is taken from his official website:

TG Guingona strongly believes in the principles of transparency in governance and accountability of government officials. He has played a major role in the move to impeach President Arroyo and has had a significant role in opposing Charter Change. He involved himself in issues such as military corruption, human rights and extra-judicial killings. His plans and programs are directed towards building a healthy and educated citizenry with improved access to food, technology and energy. He is presently very focused on budget reform policies.

TG has lived his life in accordance with the maxim: “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”

During the blogger event with TG, I took home one thing. This guy will fight corruption. This guy would make a phenomenal Chief Financial Officer and that’s what the country needs. TG will be our guardian when it comes to the budget and where all that money goes. If Toots Ople is a vote for the OFW and local labor workers, a vote for TG is a vote against corruption because we get a guy who will really protect the country’s interests with eagle eyes.

If I’ve convinced you with this article to vote for TG Guingona, please do re-post this in your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Guingona sa Senado!! :)

The next candidate that I will feature here will be posted in full in Blog Watch. Please do watch out for that one.

PS: I clarified the “blogger incident” which was reported earlier. The blogger has withdrew his accusation that TG ignored him intentionally. Apparently it was a big event and TG probably didn’t see the blogger since there were a lot of people during that time.

JUAN COUNTRY BALLOT (As of March 19, 2010)
Senatorial:
1. Susan Toots Ople
2. TG Guingona

Posted in My Ballot, TG Guingona | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Why am I voting Toots Ople for Senator

Posted on March 18, 2010 by Carlo Ople

For the first name on my list, I’m voting for my aunt, Susan “Toots” Ople, who’s running for the Senate under the Nacionalista Party. I’m not voting for her just because we’re related. In fact, my personal friends know that I openly oppose the idea of having more Oples run for government positions especially if they’re not really qualified or if they don’t have the heart for service. That’s not the case with Tita Toots. Here we have a person who is genuinely passionate about helping local and overseas Filipino workers. Combine that with her track record and you have an upcoming phenomenal public servant.

Her Track Record
She’s not just running because she’s an “Ople”. Tita Toots has been working with the government for more than 16 years, including a stint as Undersecretary for the Department of Labor. Her educational background is also quite something else. She holds a master’s degree (Public Administration) from the Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University. She was even given an additional award for Excellence in Communication.

After my grandfather passed away, one of my auntie’s first projects was to put up the Blas F. Ople Policy and Training Institute. This NGO’s main goal was to continue the legacy of my grandfather whose heart was really for the Filipino worker (domestic and abroad). Through the Ople Center, Tita Toots was able to bring home countless oppressed Filipinos which included trafficked victims in Syria and the 137 bus drivers who were stranded in Dubai due to illegal operations of recruitment agencies. For training, the OPLE Center has provided FREE computer literacy programs to OFWs and their families. This is in cooperation with OWWA and Microsoft.

Her track record is solid. Her heart is in the right place. She deserves your vote.

Her Platform
Let me just quote this from her official website:

For Labor:
- OWWA reform: 6 of the 12 members of OWWA’s Board of Directors must be bona fide OFWs, because they are the ones who can genuinely represent the needs of their sector.
- Stop the abuse of contractual workers: Make it more difficult for companies to fire employees indiscriminately at the end of their 6 month contract, to make sure workers who are industrious don’t get fired just because their employer doesn’t want to pay for additional benefits.
- Beef up local employment: Study trends in employment and come up with a 6 to 10 year national employment strategic plan. This employment plan should not have a bias for what jobs will be in demand overseas; rather, it should also give equal attention to local industries that when developed would employ a lot of people (i.e. creative industries).

For the Youth:
- Study Now, Pay Later: Re-introduce and strengthen the Study Now, Pay Later program, where students can borrow money from the government for their studies, and pay it back once they already start working.
- Inclusion of Financial Literacy in HS and College Curriculums: high school and college students, no matter what course, should be taught the basics of saving and investing. They should know how to open a bank account, what a time deposit is, how to buy shares from public companies, and the like. This is practical education that will serve them well once they start earning their own money.

A vote for Ople in the upcoming elections is a vote for someone who fight for the rights of the everyday Filipino worker. We need that now more than ever because the government really isn’t handling the OFW situation properly. One of the programs that my Auntie wants to push is a re-integration program by boosting local employment. Let’s give our brothers and sisters a reason to go home, and stay home as well. :)

On a more personal note, I’ve known Tita Toots for years. I can honestly say that she is too kind for her own good, hahaha! She sacrifices too much even for people she doesn’t even know. She has the right motive and with an excellent track record I see no reason why we shouldn’t support her.

OPLE SA SENADO! :D

Posted in My Ballot, Susan Toots Ople | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments