It will be almost two months now since the last piece of writing was posted on this blog. It was an an awful day. I was pissed and frustrated. I felt dismayed and betrayed. I was and I am still angry. The feeling of exasperation and hopelessness dawned on me.

I am breaking my two-month silence because of an extraordinary event; because an extraordinary person passed away. A person I never imagined I could learn to admire and respect despite of and in spite of her perceived frailties. And today I write not because of anger or frustration, but because of hope and inspiration.

I grew up hating Corazon Cojuangco Aquino for the simple reason that my grandfather hated her. My grandfather believed Ferdinand Marcos was the best president we ever had. He was a true Marcos loyalist.  While I know now how much influence elders in the family have on a child, I do not put the blame entirely on my grandfather for my childhood and adolescent dislike for Cory. While my grandfather was obsessively blinded by his admiration of Ferdinand Marcos, Tita Cory for her part has had not so few shortcomings and mistakes during her term as president.

As a matter of fact, the misgivings I have for Tita Cory only grew in numbers when I was studying in UP. Upon learning how she failed to seize the moment to implement a genuine agrarian reform in the country, how she bowed to the pressure of honoring instead of repudiating the corruption-laced foreign debts incurred during Marcos’ time, and how she lobbied for the ratification of the US Bases Treaty, I never entertained any idea I would someday be saddened and emotionally affected in anyway except feel a feeling of relief by her passing.

As I remember Tita Cory now however, I keep in mind not her shortcomings as president but her contributions to the nation. I recall her kindness, sincerity, and humility not her frailty, elite upbringing, and so-called political miscues and naivete.  Indeed, if I am to speak about Cory Aquino now, I am gonna talk about her steadfast commitment to root out corruption, her unyielding tenacity to keep the integrity of the Philippine constitution, and her undaunted courage to bring back freedom and democracy to our country.

They say when a person dies, people instantly tend to look back at that person’s life in a more judicious manner.  Thus, the tendency to revere more the dead than the living. This may hold true for Corazon Cojuango Aquino.

However, I am glad I never waited for her death for me to learn how truly magnificent and magnanimous a person she was. Truly, we lost a gem of national treasure with her passing.

What is keeping us from storming the House of Representatives and setting it on fire? With the majority block in it of course. How long can we stand around and wait for things to happen?

From the way I see it, GMA and her cohorts in Congress are not only trying their luck. Neither they are testing the relatively calm political waters. With their latest political stunt, they are insulting our political and intellectual sensibility. Do we not feel insulted? Ashmed of our continued inaction? Or of our inability to get angry?

What is keeping us from hurling stones (and other things that can injure, maim, or kill) at these congressmen and women who voted for House Bill 1109?

Call it a hit list or a shit list. Either way, it is a fitting description on the type of people that are in list. People that are, because of the kind of politics they play, should be dead in our eyes or ought to be “stoned” with all kinds of dungs and droppings we can muster for the kind of stench that they represent is of the lowest order…shame on them for “raping the constitution” and bastardizing democracy. Shame on us if we do not do something about this and about the list.

*Many thanks to Antonio Luna M. Ocampo and Marlowe Camello for providing us with the list

ABANTE, BIENVENIDO M. “BENNY” 6TH District Pandacan

ABLAN, ROQUE R. JR, Ilocos Norte, 1st District

AGBAYANI, VICTOR AGUEDO E. Pangasinan, 2nd District

AGYAO, MANUEL, S Kalinga Province

ALBANO (III), RODOLFO T. Isabela, 1st District

ALFELOR, FELIX R. JR. 4th District, Camarines Sur

ALMARIO, THELMA Z. Davao Oriental, 2nd District

ALVAREZ, ANTONIO C. Palawan 1st District

ALVAREZ, GENARO RAFAEL M. JR. Negros Occidental, 6th District

AMANTE, EDELMIRO A. Agusan Del Norte, 2nd District

AMATONG, ROMMEL C. Compostela Valley, 2nd District

ANGPING, MARIA ZENAIDA B. Manila, 3rd District

ANTONINO, RODOLFO W. Nueva Ecija, 4th District

APOSTOL, TRINIDAD G. Leyte, 2nd District

AQUINO, JOSE S. (II) 1st District Agusan del Norte

ARAGO, MARIA EVITA R. 3rd district, Laguna

ARBISON, A MUNIR M. Sulu 2nd District

ARENAS, MA. RACHEL J. Pangasinan, 3rd District

ARROYO, DIOSDADO M. Camarines Sur, 1st District

ARROYO, IGNACIO T. 5th district Negros Occidental

ARROYO, JUAN MIGUEL M. 2nd District of Pampanga

BAGATSING, AMADO S. Manila 5th district

BALINDONG, PANGALIAN M. Lanao del Sur, 2nd District

BARZAGA, ELPIDIO F. JR. Cavite, 2nd District

BAUTISTA, FRANKLIN P. Davao Del Sur, 2nd District

BELMONTE, VICENTE F. JR. Lanao del Norte, 1st District

BICHARA, AL FRANCIS C. Albay, 2nd District

BIRON, FERJENEL G. Iloilo, 4th District

BONDOC, ANNA YORK P. Pampanga 4th District

BONOAN-DAVID, MA. THERESA B. Manila, 4th District

BRAVO, NARCISO R. JR. Masbate, 1st District

BRIONES, NICANOR M. AGAP Party list

BUHAIN, EILEEN ERMITA Batangas, 1st District

BULUT, ELIAS C. JR. Apayao Lone District

CAGAS (IV), MARC DOUGLAS C. Davao Del Sur, 1st District

CAJAYON, MARY MITZI L. Caloocan, 2nd District

CAJES, ROBERTO C. Bohol, 2nd District

CARI, CARMEN L. Leyte, 5th District

CASTRO, FREDENIL H. Capiz, 2nd District

CELESTE, ARTHUR F. Pangasinan, 1st District

CERILLES, ANTONIO H. Zamboanga Del Sur, 2nd District

CHATTO, EDGARDO M. Bohol, 1st District

CHONG, GLENN A. Biliran, Lone District

CHUNG-LAO, SOLOMON R. Ifugao, Lone District

CLARETE, MARINA C. Misamis Occidental, 1st District

CODILLA, EUFROCINO M. SR. Leyte, 4th District

COJUANCO, MARK O. Pangasinan, 5th District

COQUILA, TEODULO M. Eastern Samar, Lone District

CRISOLOGO, VINCENT P. Quezon City, 1st District

CUA, JUNIE E. Quirino, Lone District

CUENCO, ANTONIO V. Cebu City, 2nd District

DANGWA, SAMUEL M. Benguet, Lone District

DATUMANONG, SIMEON A. Maguindanao, Lone District

Dayanghirang, Nelson L. Davao Oriental, 1st District

DAZA, NANETTE C. Quezon City, 4th District

DAZA, PAUL R. Northern Samar, 1st District

DE GUZMAN, DEL R. Marikina City, 2nd District

DEFENSOR, ARTHUR D. SR. Iloilo, 3rd District

DEFENSOR, MATIAS V. JR. Quezon City, 3rd District

DEL MAR, RAUL V. Cebu City, 1st District

DIASNES, CARLO OLIVER D. (MD) Batanes, Lone District

DIMAPORO, ABDULLAH D. Lanao Del Norte, 2nd District

DOMOGAN, MAURICIO G. Baguio, Lone District

DUAVIT, MICHAEL JOHN R. Rizal, 1st District

DUENAS, HENRY M. JR. Taguig, 2nd District (2nd Councilor District)

DUMARPA, FAYSAH MRP. Lanao del Sur, 1st District

DUMPIT, THOMAS L. JR. La Union, 2nd District

DURANO (IV), RAMON H. 5th District, Cebu

ECLEO, GLENDA B. Dinagat Islands, Lone District

EMANO, YEVGENY VICENTE B. Misamis Oriental, 2nd District

ENVERGA, WILFRIDO MARK M. Quezon, 1st District

ESTRELLA, CONRADO M. (III) Pangasinan, 6th District

ESTRELLA, ROBERT RAYMUND M. ABONO Party List

FERRER, JEFFREY P. Negros Occidental, 4th District

GARAY, FLORENCIO C. Surigao Del Sur, 2nd District

GARCIA, ALBERT S. Bataan, 2nd District.

GARCIA, PABLO JOHN F. Cebu, 3rd District

GARCIA, PABLO P. Cebu, 2nd District

GARCIA, VINCENT J. Davao City, 2nd District

GARIN, JANETTE L. Iloilo, 1st District

GATCHALIAN, REXLON T. Valenzuela City, 1st District

GATLABAYAN, ANGELITO C. Antipolo City, 2nd District

GO, ARNULFO F. Sultan Kudarat, 2nd District

GONZALES, AURELIO D. JR. Pampanga 3rd District

GONZALES, RAUL T. JR. Ilo ilo City

GULLAS, EDUARDO R. Cebu, 1st District

GUNIGUNDO, MAGTANGGOL T. Valenzuela City 2nd District

HOFER, DULCE ANN K. Zamboanga Sibugay, 2nd District

JAAFAR, NUR G. Tawi-Tawi, Lone District

JALA, ADAM RELSON L. Bohol, 3rd District

JALOSJOS, CESAR G. Zamboanga del Norte, 3rd District

JALOSJOS-CARREON, CECILIA G. Zamboanga del Norte, 1st District

JIKIRI, YUSOP H. Sulu, 1st District

KHO, ANTONIO T. Masbate, 2nd District

LABADLABAD, ROSENDO S. Zamboanga del Norte, 2nd District

LACSON, JOSE CARLOS V. Negros Occidental, 3rd District

LAGDAMEO, ANTONIO F. JR. Davao del Norte, 2nd District

LAPUS, JECI A. Tarlac, 3rd District

LAZATIN, CARMELO F. Pampanga, 1st District

LIM, RENO G. Albay, 3rd District

LOPEZ, JAIME C. Manila, 2nd District

MADRONA, ELEANORA JESUS F. Romblon, Lone District

MAGSAYSAY, MARIA MILAGROS H. Zambales, 1st District

MALAPITAN, OSCAR G. Caloocan, 1st District

MAMBA, MANUEL N. Cagayan, 3rd District

MANGUDADATU, DATU PAKUNG S. Sultan Kudarat,

MARANON, ALFREDO D. III Negros Occidental, 2nd District

MATUGAS, FRANCISCO T. Surigao del Norte, 1st District

MENDOZA, MARK LEANDRO L. Batangas, 4th District

MERCADO, ROGER G. Southern Leyte, Lone District

MIRAFLORES, FLORENCIO T. Aklan, Lone District

NAVA, JOAQUIN CARLOS RAHMAN A. (MD) Guimaras, Lone District

NICOLAS, REYLINA G. Bulacan, 4th District

NOGRALES, PROSPERO C. Davao City, 1st District

OLAñO, ARREL R. Davao Del Norte, 1st District

ONG, EMIL L. Northern Samar, 2nd District

ORTEGA, VICTOR FRANCISCO C. La Union, 1st District

PABLO, ERNESTO C. APEC Party List

PANCHO, PEDRO M. Bulacan, 2nd District

PANCRUDO, CANDIDO P. JR. Bukidnon, 1st District

PICHAY, PHILIP A. Surigao Del Sur, 1st District

PIñOL, BERNARDO F. JR. North Cotabato, 2nd District

PUNO, ROBERTO V. Antipolo City, 1st District

RAMIRO, HERMINIA M. Misamis Occidental, 2nd District

REMULLA, JESUS CRISPIN C. Cavite, 3rd District

REYES, CARMELITA O. Marinduque, Lone District

REYES, VICTORIA H. Batangas, 3rd District

ROBES, ARTURO G. San Jose Del Monte City, Lone District

Rodriguez-Zaldarriaga, Adelina Rizal, 2nd District

ROMAN, HERMINIA B. Bataan, 1st District

ROMARATE, GUILLERMO A. JR. Surigao del Norte, 2nd District

ROMUALDEZ, FERDINAND MARTIN G. Leyte, 1st District

ROMUALDO, PEDRO Camiguin, Lone District

ROMULO, ROMAN T. Pasig City, Lone District

ROXAS, JOSE ANTONIO F. Pasay City

SALIMBANGON, BENHUR L. Cebu, 4th District

SALVACION JR., ANDRES D. Leyte, 3rd District

SAN LUIS, EDGAR S. Laguna, 4th District

SANDOVAL, ALVIN S. Malabon-Navotas, Lone District

SANTIAGO, JOSEPH A. Catanduanes, Lone District

SANTIAGO, NARCISO D. (III) ARC Party List

SEACHON-LANETE, RIZALINA L. 3rd district of Masbate

SEARES-LUNA, CECILIA M. Abra, Lone District

SILVERIO, LORNA C. Bulacan, 3rd District

SINGSON, ERIC D. Ilocos Sur, 2nd District

SINGSON, RONALD V. Ilocos Sur, 1st District

SOLIS, JOSE G. Sorsogon, 2nd District

SOON-RUIZ, NERISSA CORAZON Cebu, 6th District

SUAREZ, DANILO E. Quezon, 3rd District

SUSANO, MARY ANN L. Quezon City, 2nd District

SY-ALVARADO, MA. VICTORIA R. Bulacan, 1st District

SYJUCO, JUDY J. 2nd Dsitrict, Iloilo

TALINO-MENDOZA, EMMYLOU J. North Cotabato, 1st District

TAN, SHAREE ANN T. Samar, 2nd District

TEODORO, MARCELINO R. Marikina City, 1st District

TEODORO, MONICA LOUISSE PRIETO Tarlac, 1st District

TEVES, PRYDE HENRY A. Negros Oriental, 3rd District

TUPAS, NEIL C. JR. Iloilo, 5th District

UNGAB, ISIDRO T. Davao City, 3rd District

UY, EDWIN C. Isabela, 2nd District

UY, REYNALDO S. Samar, 1st District

UY, ROLANDO A. Cagayan De Oro City, Lone District

VALDEZ, EDGAR L. APEC Party List

VALENCIA, RODOLFO G. Oriental Mindoro, 1st District

VARGAS, FLORENCIO L. Cagayan, 2nd District

VILLAFUERTE, LUIS R. Camarines Sur, 2nd District

VILLAROSA, MA. AMELITA C. Occidental Mindoro, Lone District

VIOLAGO, JOSEPH GILBERT F. Nueva Ecija, 2nd District

YAP, JOSE V. Tarlac, 2nd District

YU, VICTOR J. Zamboanga Del Sur, 1st District

ZAMORA, MANUEL E. 1st District, Compostela Valley

ZIALCITA, EDUARDO C. Parañaque, 1st District

And just like that. Summer has ended, June is here. Schools are abuzz again with students as they open their doors to those wanting and willing to learn.

In the midst of this school year’s opening, what has pre-occupied the many revolves on the issue on whether the government and other stakeholders in the education sector have laid down proper procedures for dealing with the possibility of a swine flu virus outbreak in our schools like what just happened in Japan and Mexico. While questions about this are valid and important, I believe things are being handled quite successfully by the Department of Health and the Department of Education.

Having said this, parents, teachers, students, and other Filipinos who all have a stake in how the young are educated should focus their energy on other pressing issues affecting our schools and our youngs. And what are these issues?

Books and cigarettes.

These are the two particular issues of great importance to all of us that if not discussed seriously and acted upon with haste, would gravely affect the future of our country. These two issues, while distinct from one another are tied to one common denominator: that of question of access.

The first issue concerns the imposition of import levies on imported books not of educational material by the Bureau of Customs. While many of us in the academic community have struggled to make our students read more, it seems our officials at the Bureau of Customs just gave our students a perfect reason not to read: by making books more expensive.

I know for a fact that there are quality books out there and there are those which, oh well, not worthy of our time to read. But the decision whether to read or not a published material should not be decided by the government by virtue of their power to tax. For all intents and purposes, books should not be judged by their cover (i.e. of teaching and non-teaching material) and should by default, be always considered as educational materials.

The second issue that needs our attention is the growing number of Filipino youths under the age of 18 who are smokers. A law was passed a few years back banning the sale of cigarettes to minor but apparently, it is not working. Why? Because the prices of cigarettes in the country remain very very low. What makes this possible is the government’s inability to tax these “sin” products.

Many sectors at national and international levels have called the attention of the Philippine government on this issue. From the Department of Health issuing a health bulletin on the rising deaths, injuries, and illnesses arising from tobacco use to the Department of Finance urging Congress to pass the bill increasing the excise tax imposed on sin products to generate more income for the government for social purposes.

Despite the pleas and the calls for action, nothing so far has convinced the present administration in Malacanang to certify such a measure as urgent. Not even the study conducted and published by the World Health Organization has moved the government to action. Its utterly frustrating but only a government with retarded priorities would put books over cigarettes, knowledge over certainty of illnesses and early and agonizing death.

It is about time we do something for our students this June. Protect them from the preying marketing strategies of the tobacco companies and give them the ultimate gift of a lifetime: access to books, access to knowledge, and access to healthier lifestyles.

Our message cannot be simpler and clearer: No to taxes on books and yes to increased taxes on tobacco and other sin products!

There is a reason why the word retarded is no longer associated with mental conditions. It is not just for political correctness. It is to separate the otherwise persons with pure intentions and noble heart from the less noble ones. The word retarded thus finds its way to disparagingly describe a people who thinks of and acts so little for others.

Time and again, our government has proven that they keep a handful of retarded people in their ranks. For what can be more retarded than a government refusing to raise taxes on sinful products like tobacco and alcohol but arbitrarily increasing the taxes and levies imposed on books?

Last time I checked, books are good for all people of all ages, gender, and social class. Indeed, books are the complete remedy to ignorance, apathy, and all sorts of other problems one encounters throughout a lifetime. There only downside? They are pretty expensive.

Tobacco? It kills. That is certain. Alcohol? Makes you dizzy and vomit at best. May induce you to kill or maim someone at worst. And depending what type you take, alcohol can either get you into thinking you were raped or you were having a consensual sex too. Their only upside? They come cheap in this country.

In the Philippines, you find milk and other food staples more expensive than alcohol and tobacco products. In the Philippines, books are already over priced that most people resort to buying DVDs for entertainment, recreational, and even educational purposes. No wonder the country’s libraries seem to run out of good books while booze and cigarettes come in handy as these can be bought anywhere and practically at anytime.

What kind of government would, as a matter of state policy, allow a crate of beer, a box of rhum, whiskey, or gin, and most importantly, a box of cigarette more accessible to the young than a copy of a good book?

Worse, what kind of people would allow such a government to pursue and implement such a policy?

From a retarded government comes retarded citizens who would rather drink and smoke their way out of personal and national problems rather than read, learn, and raise questions. What a pity.

The House of Representatives yet again stood up to its monicker as the premier HORE (pronounced whore) government institution in the country by freezing the needed increase in the excise taxes imposed on tobacco and alcohol products. By being a Lucio Tan and Danding Cojuangco lackey, Ways and Means committee chair Exequiel Javier of Antique should be ashamed of himself as he has dishonored the memory of his father, who is considered by many as a hero during the martial law years.

The urgency of increasing the excise tax on tobacco and alcohol has been certified urgent by the Department of Finance since the collection resulting from the proposed changes would yield at least 20 Billion, which will be used to cover a ballooning budget deficit. Revenue from tobacco and alcohol products has been steadily eroded by inflation because they are currently taxed on the basis of volume rather than value. For example, many of Lucio Tan’s cigarette brands are still being taxed at their 1996 selling price when in fact these are now being sold more than twice their 1996 value.

The Department of Health has also called for the approval of the bill since increased in taxes on sinful products would help improve the health of the Filipinos. Year in and year out, public service-minded congressmen like Rep. Danilo Suarez of Quezon have been proposing to correct this pricing imbalance but to no avail. The lure of lobby money from tobacco and liquor companies always seem to hold sway in congress.

Misplaced priorities,  misaligned allocations, and malignant virtues of greed would again deny Filipino people of the needed money to build more hospitals and schools while protecting the health of the millions of Filipinos victimized by cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol drinking. Moreover, streamlining taxes imposed on sin products would also help improve our tax collection ratio and if we do this, we can even use the fresh infusion of money to achieve the MDG Goal 1 of eliminating extreme poverty in the Philippines. That is at least 2 million Filipinos out of extreme poverty (living on less than 1 USD a day) by 2015!

But alas, this is not the goal in mind by many of our congressmen. They would rather not take anything from Lucio Tan, considered to be one of the wealthiest Filipinos by the way, and give it back to those in need. What is even more disappointing is the manner good bills are being disposed of in the House of Representatives. They are not even being debated as these proposed bill never reach plenary discussion.

Since GMA assumed office, the House of Representatives has found a knack in getting rid at the committee level urgent measures and proposals wanted by the public to be passed or at least judiciously debated.  First to suffer this fate are the impeachment complaints against GMA for the past four years. Second are the proposals to increase the sin taxes for the past half a decade. And third to suffer this fate, and this is my fearless forecast, would be the impeachment complaint against Ombudsman Merceditas Guitierrez.

It seems the good days for sinful people inside and outside congress are here to stay. For how long? That is the question we have to ask ourselves.

I do not hate it. I simply do not like it. It is a disservice to the man, his accomplishments, and the values he represents and fights for.  Another blogger has declared that the new Mar Roxas advertisement is simply the wrong way to do Padyak. I agree with him but mainly for different reasons.

The latest political advertisement by Mar Roxas is a failure for many reasons. First, the script is plainly nonsensical, the message fails to connect, and the image it wishes to convey is nothing but short of being superficial. Second, it is not yet time to do political campaigning. And the Mr. Padyak commercial is clearly a political advertisement for the 2010 elections.

While a rival to the presidency has been spending millions everyday since last year for these advertisements, Mar Roxas need not imitate the strategy of this traditional and corrupt politician from Las Pinas. Known for his statesmanship rather than political showmanship, Mar Roxas should be delivering political messages and not political advertisements. The former puts premium on issues, substance, and advocacy while the latter prefers to waste time on political tidbits and image-creation.

The core strengths of Mar Roxas as a candidate for the presidency, the very reasons why many people are supporting him lies not in his image or surname but the kind of politics he represents. We do not support him because he is soon to be married to a television personality. Rather, a number of his supporters have expressed reservations on his marital plans. We support him because of his accomplishment and track record as a public servant, his unblemished political integrity, and his intelligence and acknowledged capacity to be president. These are the things that should be emphasized in doing a political message by and for Mar Roxas. Image should come after, not before these core values.

And why change or alter an image that has already worked wonders for Mr. Palengke on the first place?Why stick to the politics of image when for all intents and purposes, Mar Roxas can win the politics of action and compassion hands down?

Let the wedding and showbiz interviews do the image work. This early part of the 2010 game, political advertisements need to be political – meaning with substance and advocacy. Hence, why not emphasize the recent laws he has authored that helped millions of Filipinos save their hard earned money through the Minimum Wage Income Tax Exemption Law and the Cheaper Medicines Act? By doing so, one combines both the image and advocacy of a compassionate and effective leader in one coherent message.

Instead of saying vaguely “lalaban tayo,” without really emphasizing how and pinpointing who or what the enemies are, why not declare lalaban tayo sa kahirapan, korapsyon, at mahal na gamot. These can then be followed by his achievements as congressman, as DTI Secretary (when he refused to use his position to grant Araneta Center a special economic and investment zone status) and senator?

I once read a Mar Roxas speech during his visit at Lyceum of the Philippines University in 2007. It was the height of the self-aggrandizement by Mrs. Arroyo for having achieved the highest GDP growth in 20 years for the Philippines (see my related post about this topic).

Mar Roxas retorted, something like: Ang sukatan ng kaunlaran ay di nakikita sa pagtaas or pagbaba ng ekonomiya base sa mga kumplikadong sistemang panukat ng GNP, GDP, or ng Philippine Stock Exchange. Ang tunay na sukatan ng kaunlaran ay ramdam natin sa mga talipapa at mga palengke. Ang mga lugar na ito, na nagpapakita kung gaano kadami or kaunti ang nabibili ng Piso mo para sa iiuwing pagkain, gamot at pang-baon sa eskwela ang dapat pinagtutuunan ng pansin ng pamahalaan at di ang mga numero lamang na walang kahulugan sa buhay ng mga Pilipino. Sapagkat sa talipapa at sa mga palengke lamang natin makikita ang tunay na pamumuhay ng mga Pilipino.

I wonder where the Mar Roxas who said these words and the people who helped him craft this message have gone. I want the genuine Mr. Palengke and not the bogus Mr. Padyak.

Would the real Mar Roxas please stand up.

No question mark this time. Only affirmation of the date. The next affirmations that will be spoken would be, “yes, I do.”

And yes, they are going to do it. They are getting married this year.

Mar Roxas is scheduled to make an official announcement of the wedding this coming Monday, April 20, 2009. A pamamanhikan is already in the offing with Korina’s two siblings (I think Korina’s parents have both passed away.)

And so the predictions hold true.

This marks the start of the long march for Mar and Korina – not the march along the wedding aisle but the march towards the presidency in 2010.

Bonn World Conference Center, Bonn, Germany: As the 700 delegates from 151 countries leave the conference plenary, a mixture of optimism and pessimism about the possibility of realizing the items enumerated in the declaration adopted by the plenary can be felt. The same can be said of the NGO conference I was part of last week where we also made our own declaration coming from the NGO perspective.

Two particular items that made an impact on me are EFA (Education for All) and ESD (Education for Sustainable Development). But more than the content, the greatest learning I had from my participation in the two events in Bonn is about protocol and how, in many ways and for many reasons, the UN ways of doing things actually maintains, legitimize, and reinforces the many forms of exclusion from their events.

Coming from an NGO perspective, I felt somewhat an outsider in the UNESCO event which was supposed to promote the values and ideals of inclusion, transparency, and participation through EFA and ESD. I must admit that I feel more at home with people from the NGO community than with the UNESCO event populated and dominated (yes, dominated both in numbers, presence, and influence) of people representing the various government and UN structures around the world. Perhaps the most important reflection I realized in these past few days is this: we do not need to go far as to cite the shortcomings of the UN or the Security Council on hard issues of security, climate change, education, and development to realize how bad things are at the UN.

I have experienced first hand the reason why the UN system of doing things must be reformed. This gathering UN agencies and their partners in governments and civil society can and should be the barometer on how the UN system, in structure, form, and process should change.  In promoting ESD and EFA, the UN itself must ensure that all their conferences are participatory, inclusive, and enabling. By many measures, the organizers in Germany of the UNESCO World Conference failed to live up to these ideals.

Aside from my birthday, new year’s day is usually  the traditional time for me to reflect on what and how things wenty by. While birthdays give me time to think about what I have achieved after another year of existence, every new year makes me ponder about important events that have had influenced on me. The past two years saw career moves, travels, weddings, and funerals being the basic ingredients of my most recent reflections . I have discussed the first two in some of my earlier posts, let me delve on the last two items.

What about weddings and funerals? They say there are two ways of knowing when you are “progressing” in life; one is you start to get more than the usual number of  invites to weddings and second, you start to get more than the usual notices of funerals you have to attend or deaths you have to deal with and think about.

I have had to deal with these two monumental events in every person’s life the past two years or so. Just last week, I received with complete shock and sorrow the untimely demise of a close friend from Bacolod whom I had the chance of spending my first European tour in 2007. He just slept over in the house in early February after our reunion of sorts and two weeks later, he is dead.

Aside from news of friends, associates, and relatives crossing over, wedding announcements are also becoming extraordinarily common in my age group lately. Some of these were those of my sister, a cousin,  and a couple of very good friends back in UP who are lucky enough to wed their university sweethearts.

In contrasting ways, weddings and funerals remind us to celebrate love and life in the same way that birthdays and new years remind us to look back and take stock of what we have done and look forward to what we have yet to achieve. While I always welcome the opportunity to reflect and to hope on my birthdays and every time a new year dawns, I always unwittingly set aside the opportunity to ponder about weddings and funerals – at least until the last two birthdays and new years ago.

Maybe its about time I include these two items in the regular things I think about. Curiously, while most people are afraid of death for the sheer ending it brings to one’s life and journey, I am not. And while most people I know anticipate their own wedding for the obvious (at least to them) reason of joy and happiness it brings, I do not.

Why I see these things differently? I have some hunches but I honestly do not really know.  Funny thing is, it seems the people who share my sentiments on weddings and death are expanding in numbers too. Why oh why? Well, that is why there is always the next birthday and the next year to look forward to. And if they do not come, then we still had confirmation that life indeed is full or surprises. And they usually come with a question mark.

Yes. So it seems.

The political and showbiz stars of the 2010 universe are finally aligning and giving us signs that Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez are going to tie the knot before the 2010 presidential elections. Rumor has it that Korina already filed a leave of absence effective second half of this year to commit full-time to the wedding preparations and for Mar’s candidacy. Well, this is not entirely new.

Mar has already made it public that the ball has always been in Korina’s hands and it is up to her to decide when to formalize their destinies. Mar is not known to play coy and is considered to be a private person – until of course her much publicized romance with Korina. And so, maybe it is Korina’s way of playing coy and helping Mar’s candidacy in the end. If Korina gets her dream wedding, what is it for Mar then?

On a political analysis level of things,Mar, by marrying Korina, will be hitting at least two birds with one stone. First, he confronts head-on the intriguing and still very potent myth that no single person can be president. I have featured this issue for over a year and even dedicated a page of this blog for those curious enough to post their comments on what John Nery calls the ‘invisible barrier’- that no bachelor will win the presidency in famously family-oriented polity – not even Mar Roxas.

Indeed, despite the majority of opinions expressed favoring a single Mar Roxas running for and occupying the office of the president, it seems there are many more out there – at least according to political observers – who would want Mar to get married first before plunging into the presidential derby in 2010.

The second reason why Mar will probably marry before the elections is, what else, the free national publicity the event will generate. Notwithstanding the exponential interest the wedding will generate through gossip, Mar and Korina will get the nation glued to their television for weeks and even months waiting for updates leading to the event. Sort of what we do before the big time match of Manny Pacquiao. Indeed, not even the COMELEC can impose its will and prevent Filipinos from watching this latest installment to Mar-Korina love story.

Mar supporters would welcome this news about their wedding. Most with open arms while some reservations. Supporters of other presidentiables meanwhile can only perhaps shake their heads and, well, drool.