Allow me to dwell on the word “moron” for a bit: when you cede sovereign territory to violent insurgents that you don’t trust, realize an error in judgment and take back the agreement, and then expect that these insurgents will go back to the negotiating table ready to break bread and make peace… well, you get the picture.

That, at least to me, is a perfectly good definition of the word “moron.”

Let me dwell again: when you’re invited by a moron to break bread and make peace, you instead choose to go on a bloodthirsty rampage at a rural hamlet, literally hacking away at the lives of innocent civilians, and then say you’re innocent of the atrocities and say you have nothing to do with it… again, you get the picture.

That, at least to me, is another perfectly good definition of the word “moron.”

So let’s clarify: only morons would give up inalienable possessions and territories, and only morons will take the lives of people who have nothing to do with moronic events.  In effect, the atrocities and offensives – the war – down south, is caused by morons.

Moronic; definition: an unconstitutional memorandum of agreement passed and taken back by the Government to the MILF.

The sad state of affairs is that a moron would not take responsibilities for an act he or she caused, because you really can’t pin the blame on morons.  Morons, being devoid of conscience, act on impulse.  If the Memorandum of Agreement was not an impulsive action, if the dozens of victims in Lanao were not hacked to death out of impulse, then the negotiating panel from both sides must be geniuses.

After all, it’s nothing short of genius to compromise something as basic as the lives of people, isn’t it?

*    *    *

I have to disagree with Cocoy’s comment on an opinion piece I made for Filipino Voices, that war is the crucible by which our relationship with the Bangsamoro peoples and/or the MILF insurgents will be tested.  The crucible was supposed to be the peace talks: when you have peace talks, war becomes the last remote possible option to resolve the conflict once and for all.  You have peace talks to avoid every possibility and suggestion of war.

Protracted as it may seem, the MILF peace talks were supposed to be that avenue for the peace process; if, after years of conflict and struggle, we can come to a win-win solution:

• One, the peace talks were supposed to serve the imperative of preserving Philippine sovereignty.
• Two, the peace talks were supposed to serve the imperative of granting Muslim Mindanao the right to self-determination.
• Three, the peace talks were supposed to serve the imperative for peace in conflict-torn Mindanao.

This sounds weird, but I have to agree with Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen (yes, that very Digs who shrieked, “Shut up, freedom of expression, Your Honor!” back in the Estrada impeachment trials) when he said that suspending the peace talks spells danger for Mindanao.  It’s not that anyone is begging for a bloodless solution – the rationale behind peace talks is to stem bloodshed, not prevent it – but people were begging for a long-term, permanent compromise - a win-win solution - to this matter.

Yes, it’s definitely a pipe dream.  It could have been done if nobody drafted that MOA and took it back.

Yet you can’t do much about the consequences of morons: I cannot blame the Senate if they vote to suspend the Mindanao peace talks indefinitely, because there’s really nothing much you could do about the seething frustrations of a moronic band of terrorists who were baited with an unconstitutional MoA by morons in the GRP negotiating panel.

War is definitely not a crucible here, but an unintended consequence, an oversight that could have easily been avoided if only each side of the negotiating table possessed an iota of intelligence, a modicum of sincerity, and a smidgen of competence.

Yet an iota, a modicum, and a smidgen are too much to ask for, especially when you’re dealing with, well, morons.

From a Green perspective, there’s something wrong with all the yellow ribbons tied all over Metro Manila.  You can only imagine how many strips of plastic and yards of rope will circulate through the metropolis (who says garbage is thrown away here?) come tomorrow, when August 21 will be - yet again - forgotten.

Today happens to be the 25th death anniversary death of a rather controversial figure in Philippine history: Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino III.  Today, I suppose, begs a time to reflect.

When I was younger, my perspective on the man who graces a coveted P500 bill was an exercise in humanizing a hero.  You would respect Jose Rizal for being the national hero, and you would not question why Sergio Osmeña is on the P50 bill if you don’t know a lot about his contributions to Filipino independence.  My parents - my dad, most especially - had this critical view of Ninoy, who apparently became “heroic” not for what he did, but for what happened to him.  I think it’s a sorry feeling to be immortalized in bronze where you don’t look like you died from a gunshot, but because you slipped.

Back in college, the discussion was even more critical; for a person who was perceived by many to be a saint of democracy, Ninoy pretty much personified the antithesis.  He was the archetypal trapo. Ninoy was the scion of an affluent clan, born into privilege, with very little bonds and commonalities with the common Filipino.  Ninoy was pretty much the grand-scale version of what Ferdinand Marcos wanted to be: powerful, rich, landed, and carried a name that literally reeked of prestige and wealth.  Four years ago, at an immersion trip to Hacienda Luisita in San Miguel, Tarlac, the older tenant farmers I talked to did not hold Ninoy in a very high regard.  He was, like the clan his wife and future President Cory Aquino belonged to, the Oppressor.

Yet Ninoy was the enemy Marcos cannot defeat.  His eloquent passion was drumming up patriotic feelings, if not feelings of unbridled resentment, against the Marcos dictatorship.  Ninoy told the Philippines and the world of the excesses of the Marcos regime, from corruption to political manipulation to extrajudicial policy-making, and even the P50-million Cultural Center of the Philippines commissioned by Imelda, which he called a “Pantheon” of the regime and a “monument of shame.”  From the hallowed halls of the Senate, Ninoy’s words resonated with the anger of a people who were sick, tired, and disgusted with the rule of Marcos.

Twenty-five years ago, Ninoy announced that after three years of self-exile, he was coming back home.  Eighty-two seconds after he alighted from the plane, he got shot.  Three years later, the indignation of the Filipino people reached the critical point.  People started that long march to EDSA, and that long march to freedom.  The man who made the “willing sacrifice of the innocent” became the icon of the freedom of a people who stood against tanks and armed soldiers.  Ninoy, the inspiration and the reminder of the People Power Revolution, did not get to live to see that moment.

Yet at that very moment when he got shot, the Filipino was - and still is - worth dying for.

*     *     *

I was planning to write today about some personal stuff, some self-promoting personal epiphany, a mundane realization that I don’t have a girlfriend yet, or some odd memory brought about by quarter-life crisis.  At least for today, I arrived at one of them; something bigger than myself.

I realized that many people today tend to forget the lessons of history; that yellow ribbons might as well be breaks in the pink-and-blue color scheme of Manila’s major roads.  Or a bad reference to bad karaoke hits that feature Perry Como singles.

Come to think of it, we who grew up after Ninoy’s era tend to forget the lessons of a man who, no matter how imperfect a hero or a money décor he made, made a selfless sacrifice in the name of something bigger and far more important than himself.  We have but vague memories of Ninoy, save for those social studies lessons where we learned that this man was more than what you can buy with a P500 bill.  Or the semiotics of Ninoy’s dour, perhaps even depressed, demeanor.

Mainly because it’s one thing to reap the fruits of one man’s sacrifice; it’s another thing to help till the soil and sow the seeds of democracy.

Maybe this generation needs a Ninoy; a person to look up to.  We who will inherit the shaky (if not broken) foundations of this country’s democracy need a role model, someone who will lead us to what is right and show us what is wrong.  Yet we need not look to other people more than ourselves, from the lessons we learned from one man’s sacrifice.  We need not rely on what other people think of a hero, or on the minute details of something so extraordinary, something bigger than the inane things we exchange amongst ourselves in moments of angst and self-loathing.

There are a lot of things to loathe about today: the escalating conflict down south, the sorry state of the economy, the legitimacy of the President, the quality of education, a lost sense of nationalism… so much so that it sometimes - just sometimes - a Filipino is worth killing more than worth dying for.  Those are the same things that years before we were born, Ninoy Aquino fought against, and made the ultimate sacrifice for.

There is - and should be - a Ninoy in all of us, no matter how imperfect we are as people.  We are part of things bigger than ourselves.  Our ideals, our principles, our sovereignty, our right to a quality life, our Constitutionally guaranteed rights, our identity, our country… those are all things that are worth more than us, and as such we should be prepared make sacrifices for.

Twenty-five years after one of Philippine history’s most controversial heroes was killed, it still holds true:

The Filipino is worth dying for.

Updated at 6:30 PM

I have two years to prepare myself to eat my own foot, but I think and feel that this will be how things will turn out in the 2010 national elections…

The Presidency

It’s tough to float names, but I think the following people will rise up as contenders for the Presidency in 2010:

• Manny Villar
• Mar Roxas
• Bayani Fernando
• Ping Lacson
• Ely “Spike” Pamatong

I would personally campaign for Spike Boy for my own personal amusement, but it will be a cut-throat race between Mr. Palengke (Roxas) and Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga (Villar). I’m betting on Roxas; no, not because we met, but because so far, he has the youth on his side. Villar is just too trapo for most people I know. Not that he deserves the epithet, but I don’t know if his rags-to-riches story will work too well with the public.

Some side-notes on BF: I think that he’s the dark horse of the 2010 Presidential campaign.  As much as I don’t like Bayani, I have the gut feeling that if anyone will pull a surprise (if not a victory) in 2010, it definitely has to be him.  The challenge to BF is to expand the vote outside Metro Manila… although in an election where the Manila vote counts for a lot, don’t be surprised if BF lives up to the hype.

Ping has always been a strong contender for the Presidency, but he simply can’t translate votes for the Executive.  He’s always up in the running for the Presidency, but he just doesn’t win.  I don’t really know why.

If there’s anything that list would show, it’s that 2010 wouldn’t be a referendum on Arroyo.  More on that next time.

The Vice-Presidency

Again, it’s tough to float names, but I think the following will rise up as contenders for the second-highest post of the land:

• Loren Legarda
• Alan Peter Cayetano
• Chiz Escudero
• Jamby Madrigal
• Kiko Pangilinan

I’d be lying if I didn’t bet on a victory for Chiz, setting this scenario.  The “automatic” choice would be Loren, but I doubt if the public perception of her is still the same positive one she had in droves before.  Chiz, for all intents and purposes, is the Barack Obama of the Philippines; he has charisma points and kind of positions himself on the “audacity of hope” agenda that is something from Barack’s playbook.

I personally would like to see Chiz and Alan duke it out for the Vice-Presidency of the land.  Say what you will about Alan, but you can only imagine the youth vote taking center stage here.  As for Jamby… well, if you make waves, then you have to have ambitions.

I should add Jinggoy Estrada or Bong Revilla in this list, but I don’t think “Erap Magic” or star power will make them strong contenders for the post.  I think that both these guys do stand a chance, but we all have to wait for that one good reason why they’re worth it.

And then there’s the dark horse: Kiko Pangilinan.  Kiko blends star power with political magic, and I can honestly say that if Chiz loses (there’s a good chance he will), Kiko will be the next Vice-President of the Philippines.

Senators

And here we go… time to do some foot-eating in the future.  Here are just a few of who I’m thinking of right now:

• Romy Macalintal. I don’t know why, but I just have a feeling that the election lawyer will seek election.  Macalintal has this talent of coming into the public consciousness come election season.  Besides, if we’re talking about implicit candidacies, Macalintal has a billboard for that joint-pain thing.
• Prospero Pichay. I’m not saying that Pichay will win, all I’m saying here is that Pichay will run, and have a strong showing.  What intrigues me the most about Pichay is that unlike the other members of the previous administrative ticket, he wasn’t really an “embarrassment;” he actually drew votes on the basis of a novelty campaign that involved a sucky catchphrase and bok choy. Here’s to hoping that I can be proven wrong by the former Congressman.
• Joey de Venecia/Jun Lozada. I don’t know, I don’t want to know, but I have the feeling.  JoeyDV can be the heir-apparent to JDV.  Lozada… well, only time will tell.  I personally shudder at the thought, but that’s another story.
• Willie Revillame/Joey de Leon. Figures.  If either one of them wins… heaven knows what I’m going to do.  Expect privilege speeches that will involve “sinungaling at mandaraya” and rants about ratings.  Forget about eating my foot, I will think about making a promise to immolate myself in front of Batasan.
• Danton Remoto. I may disagree with Danton (his blog here) on more than a few occasions, but now that I know that he’s in the running for the Senate, I think that the LGBT agenda will have a strong showing knowing that Danton is representing the group at the legislative level.  So for all you haters who think that Marocharim should be cruicified for being a “homophobe,” there you go: I support Danton Remoto’s bid.
• Jarius Bondoc. The guy was once backed by Jovito Salonga.  Another journalist in the Senate?  Loren Legarda 2.0?  I hope not, although if you’re asking me if I’d support the man’s bid… hmmm… I guess I would.
• Winston Garcia. This short list would not be complete without the mention of a guy who has positioned himself well enough to jettison (?) himself to a Senate seat.  Winston Garcia positioned himself very well within the public eye with the Meralco feud.  I rue the day it happens, but never say never.

Well, so much for a positive outlook.  I’ll be 25 come 2010, so you have to wait 10 years.

Cubao is a place you either love to hate, or hate to love.

There are a lot of things I like about Cubao.  As much as I hate malls, I really like Gateway.  Cubao is also a great place to do ukay, provided you have the patience and a lot of haggling skills.  Being the transport hub of the Metropolis, you can get to any point in the NCR just by being at Cubao, provided you know train routes, bus routes, jeepney routes, and have enough courage to walk Aurora Boulevard alone.  Aurora is also home to great mami, if you’re too late or too lazy to head on over to Binondo.  On the other hand, I hate Cubao for having a place called “Session Road” that stinks to high heavens with the mingling odors of diesel, urine, and fish.  There’s no place in Cubao where you can whip out your cellphone with confidence.  And the fact that it’s a transport hub, which means that it can get crowded and rowdy at times.

In the 13 stations of the MRT, there are four choke-points.  North Avenue, being the first station, takes the passengers from the CAMANAVA area and Novaliches.  Cubao is a major choke-point because it is the main transport hub of Metro Manila.  Ayala Station is dead-center of the Makati CBD, so it can be chaotic at times.  Taft Avenue, being the last station, takes up the passengers of everyone coming from Pasay City and everyone else south of it.

For a regular MRT commuter, Cubao is akin to the allegories of Dante, the muckraking of Upton Sinclair, and the “Huh?” moments you get watching “The World’s Biggest Gang Bang.”  Most trains already get to full capacity when they depart from the first station at North Avenue, then load up at Quezon Avenue and GMA-Kamuning.  Cubao is where push comes to shove.

Morning south-bound routes tend to be a test of patience, and to a certain extent, common sense.  For example, if you ride the MRT every day, it makes no sense to buy single-journey tickets every day.  Or if you know that the train is already loaded up, you wouldn’t try to pack the commuters already inside the train just so that you can afford yourself an extra few inches of space.  Of course, there’s that other alternative: wake up early and catch the first train to wherever you’re working, and spare yourself the hassle of the crowd.  Although some friends of mine swear by the “quicker” commuting solution to get to Makati from Cubao: ride LRT-2 from Cubao to Recto, and board the LRT-2 from Doroteo Jose to Gil Puyat.  It kind of makes sense, but who would believe in the sensibility of riding two trains and get to your destination quickly, instead of waiting for 30 minutes for space at one train?

I find it inconvenient to board the MRT at night whenever I go home from work, because I’m not actually in a hurry.  Whenever I go home, I take the bus.  (The other alternative would be to ride a jeepney that plys the Ortigas-Libis-Cubao route, ride a jeep bound for Lagro at Cubao, stop at Philcoa, and take another ride to UP Campus.  It’s expensive and impractical, but it sure as hell is faster than a bus by five precious minutes.)  That itself is not without its disadvantages and consequences…

Air-conditioned buses may be a nice way to get somewhere in Metro Manila, but it can get expensive (not to mention overloaded).  The choke-point is, of course, my least-favorite mall in Manila: Farmer’s Plaza.  What makes this place so dangerous and so irritating for bus commutes is that queuing is optional; it’s all a matter of getting to a bus door.

The irritated commuters in Cubao generally are people who would overlook personal discipline and blame things on the more mundane non-problems of the bus system.  Every bus is bound to have a problem, not the least of which is the complaint of a man who shouted that there aren’t “enough” doors on the bus, that’s why they can’t board.  It’s hard to reason with old men; I think there are more legitimate, perfectly understandable reasons for the failings of the bus operators than bus design.

So what does this tell us?  I have absolutely no idea, knowing that all the hectoring and preaching about “discipline” and “order” only results to justifying a lack of it – or its absence, even – in terms of your standing in the economy, or the failings of those richer than you.  As much as I hate to admit it, the Filipino consciousness has been so corrupted with convenience, with being “first” “in” “a line,” and just about everything else.

It’s a lot like Cubao: you either love to hate the justification, or you hate to love it.

Allow me to indulge in some self-promotion, ego massage, and to a certain extent, ass-kissing.

Last night, with an invitation from Mr. Carlo Ople, a few bloggers (myself included) had a casual dinner meeting with Senator Mar Roxas, more commonly known as “Mister Palengke.”  Now before you start to accuse me (again) of being a “sellout,” this is not an endorsement for Mar Roxas in 2010.  After all, I just may be crazy enough to run for the Presidency myself.  By then, I’ll be 25 and people will take me seriously.

The shindig was held at Annabel’s Tomas Morato where, over french fries, crackers, and a fantabulous dinner (for free… and hey, it was Annabel’s), the following bloggers and myself met with Sen. Roxas:

• Toots Ople
• Noemi Dado
• Lester Cavestany
• The Jester-in-Exile
• Arbet Bernardo
• Juned Sonido
• Sonnie Santos
• Abe Olandres
• Paolo Florenda
• Ding Gagelonia
• Gail Villanueva
• Marc Villanueva
• Ellen Tordesillas
• Manolo Quezon
• Ricky Carandang

Mr. Gagelonia writes a cool summary of the meeting at his entry at Filipino Voices, so please do check it out there.  It was also the launch of VirtualRally.net, which is a virtual form of EDSA where you can speak your mind about issues like VAT.

I’m not a very political blogger (and if that was a lie, let lightning strike me), and I sort of got confused with all that had to do with my question about E-VAT.  My theory is that a lot of politicians can answer a VAT question unfazed.  So I decided to ask the Senator a “cute” question (as Ma’am Noemi puts it)…

Sir, you watched The Dark Knight, right?  Who would you want to have dinner with: Joker, Two-Face, or Batman?

Now let me just say that this is not a profound philosophical question, I just wanted to know his answer…

I’d really like to talk to Two-Face and ask… “What happened to you?”

I leave you to make up your minds about it.

Anyway, here’s a picture of me and the Senator… I told you this was a shameless post!

Again, I’m not photogenic.  My camera phone sucks.  I had a fever.  I was chewing on gum.  And I don’t use glutathione.

I must say that I’m very impressed with the Senator’s geniality and attention to detail, although I was waiting for that one phrase when we discussed VAT: “taxation without representation.”  Didn’t happen, but oh well.  Another impression was that he was very articulate, and had a keen attention to detail (the guy takes down notes).

Is Mar Roxas Presidential timber?  Let’s wait and see.  How about Marocharim?  He’s dictator material.  Do you actually want to see my face in posters at EDSA?

*     *     *

Side notes: I am suffering from flu.  Note to self: no more tequila shots on fever.