I got an email from Mariza “Ningning’ Belmote, the better half of my favorite musician Lolo Andy. They are the proprietors of the popular and prestigious LOLO’S BAR & Restaurant at the Avenue Square, Naga City. She told me that their family attended the People Power Celebration at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao held last February 25, 2010.  She said she got goose bump (makangirabo)...amidst the more than 20 thousand in attendance composed of the elite, celebrities, artists, who are joined by the street vendors, farmers, students, and people from all walks of life. Thousands more who are not accommodated are outside the Coloseum watching the large video screen. They are the ordinary Filipinos who pinned their hope for a better Philippines. They believe that amidst the flaws in our democratic institutions the Filipino is still worth fighting for.

       They came in yellow shirts with all kinds of design about People Power or about Ninoy-Cory and Noynoy, while others came simply in yellow attire and other paraphernalia. They are the Yellow Army that sparked the EDSA Revolution 24 years ago. And once again they are organizing themselves and getting ready for a battle this coming May 2010.

       Ningning told me that their daughter Jaycee was invited by the organizers to sing “Tuloy Ang Laban” in the rally. She said it was a great feeling that through a song (composed by Tonton Hernandez in Naga City) their family was able to contribute in the advocacy for change, and to continue the struggle against corruption, injustice, and abuses in government.

       Ningning also informed me to open Jim Paredes’ Facebook account and look at his photo album entitled EDSA 2010 CELEBRATION wherein Jim posted Jaycee’s photos in the 2nd and 3rd page. Ningning asked me and every Filipino to be vigilant in the coming election. She warned that the forces of evil will try ANYTHING to subvert the electoral exercise for their personal and vested interests. But she said she is confident that the Filipinos’ patriotism will prevail. She trusts in their intelligence to chose the right leaders that will get us out from the quagmire of corruption, poverty, and despair. TULOY ANG LABAN.

       Another email I received from my brother in law Atty. Reno Gonzales Jr was an article of former NEDA Secretary-General and columnist Winnie Monsod entitled “Why I will vote for Noynoy” which I would quote in toto in order to inform the public:

       “I have never trusted Villar since day one. I never trust businessmen who enter politics, because in the end, their core value is and always will be profit maximization. It is well documented that Villar’s real estate empire ran into some serious financial problems when his overexposure to the real estate market and the Asian Financial Crisis made him unable to pay debts he took out to expand his real estate business in the early 1990s. After the Asian Crisis hit, Capitol Bank, owned by Villar and heavily exposed to his real estate investments was essentially ran to the ground and needed to be bailed out. In 2005, Villar tried to solve his debt problems by hiring a group of investment banks to advise him on how he can consolidate all his assets into one company (Vista Land). With the local and foreign investment bankers, Villar came up with a growth story for investors: “Invest in my company because we need it to fund all these wonderful project!” However,

       what was downplayed during the IPO roadshow was that instead of financing growth, resources from the offering would be used to finance his debt. To appease creditors, Villar even had his investment bankers pitch some form of a debt-to-equity conversion that raised skeptical eyebrows of many. In 2007, the IPO of Vista Land did not do as well as planned, in part because many investors and brokers were the same people who were burned by Villar’s inability to pay back his loans.

       Now, as part of a corporate growth (or should I say corporate restructuring) plan, Villar is lusting for the highest position in the land. This scares me because Villar already has a track record of using his political position to gain the upper hand for his businesses. To save his empire and increase shareholder value of his business, Villar used his influence as Senate Finance Chair to shrewdly derail a Cavite road project that was supposed to be BUILD, OPERATE, and TRANSFER. Villar built a longer and more expensive road, the C-5 extension, adjacent to it; subsequently forcing the private investor in the initial project to pull out. The fishy thing is that this new road, longer and more expensive than the previously planned project, passed through all of Villar’s land in Cavite . It is a clear case of graft, pointing to Villar use of influence and government funds to substantially improve the values of his real estate properties. To add insult to injury the right of way the government would have to pay in order to complete the project was substantially higher for the land that Villar owned. These funds could have easily been used to build needed schools.

       This scandal should be a red flag for all voters. However, the scary part is that Villar is spending billions to keep this out of the picture as he continues his attempt to brainwash our masses that he is their saviour. He convinces the masses that he is one of them. A poor boy from the slums of Tondo. In actuality, he is more like the 5-6 and syndicates, slum dwellers themselves who make a profit out of their poor brethren. Villar’s ad agencies are doing an excellent job of maintaining this image as well as doing damage control. TV and radio continues to churn out Parokya Ni Edgaresque jingles that compete with “Nobody, Nobody.” Dolphy is Villar’s new spokesperson and Wowowee is one giant ad for him. In this process of brainwashing, the masses are not cognizant of how Villar conducts business as a politician. What they do not see is a man hell bent on turning our archipelago into his own personal piece of real estate…………

       “Who can stop Villar in his quest for the presidency?

        I am known to be a Noynoy supporter, but to those skeptics and to those who are still undecided, I do concede that he is not perfect. His record as a politician is average and unspectacular at best. He does not have the charisma of his father. Before the death of his mother, he did not get much mileage. But I am going all out in support for Noynoy in 2010 because he stands for clean governance and appear willing to accomplish this. In addition, he has the best chance of preventing a opportunistic businessman, the assured next President of our country before Cory died, from using the Office of the President as a personal growth asset to his business empire.

        Noynoy’s clean record is a big plus for me. It is a trait that I think should be the most important quality that we should look for in our next president. His appeal is that his track record is not tarnished by corruption scandals and his political debts are minimal. I know that many critics are trying to make an issue over his involvement in Hacienda Luisita, but Noynoy is not even heavily involved in the company. As a shareholder, Noynoy only owns .04% of Hacienda Luisita, a drop in the ocean and hardly in any position to do something about it. The case of the Hacienda does not have the substance that the C-5 extension controversy has a lot of.

        In addition, Nonoy also has an incredible legacy to live up to. All the pressure is on him to be clean and stay clean. He can’t afford to tarnish the Aquino name and the immense legacy that his parents left behind. Cory and Ninoy practically sacrificed their family for their dream of a better Philippines . For Noynoy, to know that your father and mother went through so much hardship to improve our country is a heavy burden to think about if you do decide to become a crook and destroy everything that they fought for.  

       We all have to make a choice. In my opinion, it has to go to the presidentiable who has an independent mind, stands up for what he believes in, is clean, and has the legacy his parents to live up to and maintain. For me, Nonoy, with all his flaws, is that candidate. For what this country needs is a clean president who can set an example top-down for the entire state; it needs a president with the will to change things and stamp out corruption; it needs a President who can set an example and is willing to perfect our dysfunctional democracy.

        I want someone who stands for being clean. He does not need a degree from Harvard. He does not need to have a multi-million peso business to show me he can make us all rich. He does not have to speak well. He just has to be clean. Nothing else should matter. He has to prioritize a platform of clean and effective governance and make sure that it delivers on that promise. Policies on the economy, education, energy, environment and health can all follow after the fundamentals are taken cared of. So far, the only candidate who promotes my vision with a clean record to back it up is Noynoy. “

       Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election

       

       Q. Name the four seasons

       A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar

       

       STRANGE FACT:It is believed that Shakespeare was 46 around the time that the King James Version of the Bible was written. In Psalm 46, the 46th word from the first word is shake and the 46th word from the last word is spear.