This is, the work where people said the ad was allegedly plagiarized from, an Argentinian TV advertisement which won silver lion in the 2006 Canes Lions.

“The ad from Argentina is from SAVAGLIO/TBWA Argentina, and the local ad agency of Villar is reported to be Santiago/Puno/Mangada/TBWA. It’s possible the local ad agency paid royalties to the Argentinian ad agency or permission was given for use in the Philippines.” (The 2010 Presidentiables Blog)

Category: Public Awareness Messages
Title: TRUTH
Advertiser: RECREAR
Product or Service: POLITICAL MESSAGE
Entrant Company, City: SAVAGLIO\TBWA, Buenos Aires
Country: ARGENTINA
Advertising Agency, City: SAVAGLIO\TBWA, Buenos Aires
Country: ARG This excellent political advertisement, it won the silver lion in the Cannes Lions Contest 2006.

Category: Public Awareness Messages
Title: TRUTH
Advertiser: RECREAR
Product or Service: POLITICAL MESSAGE
Entrant Company, City: SAVAGLIO\TBWA, Buenos Aires
Country: ARGENTINA
Advertising Agency, City: SAVAGLIO\TBWA, Buenos Aires
Country: ARGENTINA
Creative Director: Ernesto Savaglio
Copywriter: Ernesto Savaglio – Alexis Alvarez
Art Director: Pablo Carrera
Agency Producer: Eduardo Suárez
Production Company, City: AWARDS CINE, Buenos Aires
Country: ARGENTINA
Director: Jojó/Bosco
Producer: Fernando Rambo Damiano
Editor: Awards Cine
Music: Fernando Sorín
Account Supervisor: Ricardo Martino/Diego Campos Galante

Like Bongbong Marcos, Manny Villar now ventures into manga-like comics with himself as the main character, and his "story" to tell.

Villar Jingle (Japanese) by jhoeneseyel

This is something I got from Jio. With all the money to spend, why not make a Japanese version of your “Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura” jingle, right?

Dr. Edilberto de Jesus, President of AIM and Former Secretary of Education and Ms. Teresita Quinto-Deles, INCITEGov Managing Trustee and Former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process welcomes and opens “The Powers of the Presidency: Preventing Misuse and Abuse.” by the International Center for Innovation, Transformation and Excellence in Governance (INCITEGov) in partnership with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) and with the support from the National Endowment for Democracy.

At this forum, there are 4 powers of the President the keynote speakers will tackle, but there are more powers of the president they wish to tackle in the future.

• Power of the Purse – Emilia Boncodin, Former Secretary of Budget and Management
• Power over Fiscal Policy – Ernest Leung, Former Secretary of Finance
• Power of Appointment – Karina Constantino-David, Former Civil Service Commission Chairperson
• Power of the Commander-in-Chief – Atty. Rodel Cruz, Former Undersecretary of National Defense

Accountability to Institutions that checks this powers, and accountability to the people.

THE POWER OF THE PURSE

This presentation excludes the Power of the President over GOCC and LGUs. This will tackle the expenditure side, and the next speaker will tackle the resource side. The powers of the President this will discuss is the President’s authority to set the budget, spend the public funds, suspend appropriations or withhold approved budget, unpopular use of savings, approval of lump sum appropriations, grant incentives to all personnel of government in the executive branch.

Budget Setting:

• President prepares and submits budget of expenditures as basis of general appropriations for approval of Congress. If the president fails to submit the budget on time makes the president liable and can be ground for impeachment.
• Congress may not increase appropriations, and President may line-item veto, or veto in whole certain items.
• An effective instrument of fiscal discipline because expenditures are based on identified source of revenue and financing.

Expenditure of Public Funds:

• Appropriated by Congress, DBM releases appropriations, agencies obligate allotment to expenditure
• An effective mechanism by which the Executive exercise control over the use of government funds, ensure allocation to agencies and instrumentalities, and track accountability.

All budgets in the recent past have been reenacted, in full or partially – meaning no budget was ever passed and the previous budget enacted. As of today, we still have no budget and we are running on 2009 budget.

Withholding of Appropriations

• Suspension of expenditure of appropriation when public interest so requires, except otherwise provided in GAA.
• Modification or amendment of allotment previously approved.
• Necessary instrument for keeping public expenditures in line with fiscal objectives when there exists an unmanageable fiscal deficit and withholding of appropriation in 2003 when fiscal crisis was declared

Use of Savings

• Cover deficit in any other item of appropriation
• Practical approach to augment appropriations; use of savings will ensure smooth flow of expenditures. However it is subject to abuse (i.e., Agencies will force savings to fund personnel benefits, thus, projects will not be implemented.)

Approval of Lump Sum Appropriations

• PDAF – Supposed to be an equalizing factor for the regions; Calamity Fund and Contingent Funds
• AFMA, AFP Modernization Fund, Agrarian Reform Fund
• Cover contingencies and flexibility in operations; however, it suffers from general lack of transparency and abuse of discretion (i.e., selective release of PDAF)

Grant of Personnel Benefits

• Giving additional benefits to the executive branch.

There are checks to the Presidential Powers. There must be a congressional oversight, civil society participation, pubic information system (transparency, periodic reporting, citizen-friendly budget)

Over-all it’s an instrument for development, and meeting the countries objectives. “A budget is a good budget under a good president and a bad one in the hands of a bad president. It’s only as good as the President,” says Boncodin.

THE POWER OVER FISCAL POLICY

Tax and Non-Tax revenues comprise the Revenue Effort of the Government. “For the Tax, we should bring it down towards simplification and unification. It will tend to be avoided because it’s high,” says Leung. In so far as presidential powers are concern, the President can always veto unsound tax measures. Those powers should be done for public welfare, and not for themselves and their allies.

PAGCOR earns more or less 10 Billion pesos, and by law must give 50% to the government. The question now is where the other 50% goes? That money doesn’t really get audited. There’s a significant amount which goes to the President. There are a lot of discretionary things in the office of the President. Once the President appoints people in those institutions with a different agenda, other than for the public welfare, and with not much citizen watch, it isn’t good.

In the non-tax revenue area, some of the government corporations, run it bad and get money from the budget, and becomes obligation to the budget side. We need to be vigilant with the Central Bank, and the republic had to absorb in 1993 300B pesos, despite our opposition in the finance industry. There’s no need for the central bank to have a positive net worth, much less a huge one, 50B pesos. However, we locked in a 10B peso mark, an unlikely compromise. You gave that power to the President not for them, but for you, for the public good – and not everyone is doing that.

We should borrow more locally, than foreign.

THE POWER OF APPOINTMENTS

The power to appoint is the most important power of the president, even if it’s the most unnoticed. It deals with the most important resource of government, the people. It is the act of designating an individual who is to exercise the functions of a given office. It includes the power to appoint in an acting capacity, re-assign, transfer and discipline. The power to appoint has also become the power to control.

We have 1.3 Million or 89% in the career service. 28% are in the administrative personnel, the largest level are the 2nd level at 70% (highest level are division chiefs), and the third level is the smallest, most important in the bureaucracy are the executive and the highly specialized. The non-career comprises 11% of the government, 85 % of which are co-terminus to the President.

Presumptions of this power assume good faith, motivated by public interest, self-imposed limits of decency in a President. When this power is exercise, we assume he or she is choosing the best person at that time, in terms of competency, character and capacity.

The cabinet is a collegial body, an alter-ego of the President, are the direct supervisors of most Presidential appointees; but they themselves are Presidential appointees and serves at “the pleasure” of the President. If the cabinet exercises their powers, they are the immediate checks and balance of people the President appoints. The bureaucracy can also serve as a watchdog, by empowering government unions; but fail to do so because they stopped at getting better benefits for the personnel.

Because the president appoints at least 10,000 people, he or she cannot judiciously appoints the best people. It tends to become politicized in the end. Constitutional checks of this power includes the Commission on Appointments (ad interim appointments – allowed to people who need to go through CA during congress at recess – you have cabinet members haven’t been approved who serve 6 years). This is limited to Constitutional bodies (excluding Ombudsman, cabinet, foreign service, AFP)

In the Judiciary, the Judicial and Bar Council acts as checks and balance; but the members of the JBC are also Presidential appointees, except for the representative of the legislature. The permanent check to the President should have been the CSC. Inconsistencies between and within provision sof the Constitution and laws (PD 807) provides for CSC to approve all appointments except those of Presidential appointees even if CSC had the authority to prescribe, enforce and amend rules and regulations without approval of the President.

In the final analysis, it is the people and the civil society, mediated by media who makes the checks and balance. This is being done now, with the Supreme Court appointment of the supposed next Chief Justice.

How is this power misuse and abused?

• Warped perspectives – personal loyalty above qualifications, political spoils above competence, appointment as reward, control above public service.
• Ad interim appointments – an exception that is now the rule, a failed check
• Third Level Appointments – no checks, no qualification standards, more than 55.67% not eligible, undermining professionalization
• Excess Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries – undermining career paths
• Appointments in an Acting Capacity – mechanism of control, “midnight” conversion into permanent positions
• Calling Card Secretaries and Other Designations (Presidential Advisers, Consultants, Assistants) – most with the rank of Secretary, vague and sometimes duplicating and even comical titles, duplication of functions, confusion, blurring the lines of accountability
• Desire Letter – something that has been happening all these years, and you’ll get confused and surprised of the appointments (if you are given the desire letter, you’ll have to appoint those people)
• Abuses in the Power to Discipline
• Abuses in Personnel Movement – floating status, replacement by non-eligible and political appointees, reassignment and transfer

The third level should be a repository of expertise, and and should be the model. If the third level is politicized, and can get in if they are strong to the appointing power, then they stop thinking. There are 81 excess USECS or ASECS by the time Karina left CSC. If you are in an acting capacity, you are removed if you do not follow orders.

The CSC came out with a memo telling the President nicely the violations in the Third Level, after that, 6 members of the Board were summarily removed. They were replaced with 6 other members in an acting capacity. Today we are plagued with midnight appointments of those in an acting capacities who turn out to be permanent.

In the final analysis, it is the character and the decency of the president and his or her honest dedication to public service and not just to power that will spell the difference between decency and judiciousness on the one had and misuse and abuse on the other.

POWER AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

In the constitution, the president serves as the highest ranking officer over “all armed forces,” for state and public welfare. Civilian authority is at all times supreme over the military. The president has a sequence of graduated powers:

• Power to Call out Forces
• Power to suspend Writ of Habeas Corpus
• Power to declare Martial Law

When it becomes necessary the president may call out forces, meanwhile when he or she suspends Write of Habeas Corpus or to declare Martial Law, an actual rebellion or a necessity (respectively) happens. The state of Martial Law doesn’t suspend constitution or the Writ of Habeas Corpus, for that matter.

Emergency Powers of the President

• Emergency Power – Congress may authorize the president, powers necessary to declare emergency powers on national policy, control.
• Take-over Clause
• Power of Appointment and Reorganization – chief of staff

Abuses in the excersise of the power:

• warrantless arrests
• unlawful searches and seizures
• chilling effect
• muzzling the press
• curtailment of freedom of assembly and expression
• confiscatory acts against private business

Recommendations:

• Legislate law to limit powers but preserve essential prerogatives
• Protect the independence and integrity of the judiciary
• Support a professional and non-partisan armed forces
• Empower vigilant citizenry
• Choose well (next President)

We’re now in the Open Forum.

ROXAS: I have no insertion on any matter. In fact, I have no insertion, period because we were in the minority. Let alone an insertion for a road to pass through any such property.

PIMENTEL: Well, I’m sure that after your marriage you’ve had some insertions…

ROXAS: Mr. President, I demand that that be removed from the record. That is an affront on my wife!

PIMENTEL: Mr. President, I remove it immediately.

Photo and Text quoted from Brian Ong’s site.

Electoral Violence: Death of Innocents

Two weeks ago, our entire nation was plunged into a nightmare of shock and disbelief upon hearing reports that almost sixty people had been slaughtered, their bodies tortured and defiled. As the news slowly trickled in, we learned that the victims were the contingent representing Buluan Vice-Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, who was planning to run in the 2010 Maguindanao gubernatorial elections. His female relatives were going to file his certificate of candidacy on his behalf, and were accompanied by 37 journalists and 2 lawyers.

This latest re-enactment of electoral violence occurred only six months away from the 2010 national elections, where thrice-elected and incumbent Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr. was reportedly grooming his son, Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. to succeed him. It must be underscored that these are the same Ampatuans who are the Lakas-Kampi- CMD stalwarts in the region, and who had delivered the 12-0 sweep to Gloria Arroyo’s senatorial slate. And in old-fashioned quid pro quo, these are the same Ampatuans who were allowed to concentrate their power and wealth throughout the length of Arroyo’s regime, as evidenced by their vise-like hold over local politics, and backed by their private armies which had been legalized by Arroyo’s EO 546. The high-powered arms and the military vehicles discovered on the property of the Ampatuans only further strengthens the link between the Ampatuan warlords and Arroyo.

Proclamation 1959: Death of Truth

As the public outcry for justice intensified, Arroyo responded by declaring martial law over Maguindanao. In a complete turnabout, the once-sanctioned private army is now branded as a rebel group responsible for the closing down of government offices and judicial courts. In her report to Congress, Arroyo claims that these are the factual basis for declaring that an armed public uprising exists, which impelled her to put the region under martial law.

Our 1987 Philippine Constitution explicitly states that martial law can only be declared during an invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it. The deletion of the phrase “or imminent danger” in the new Constitution meant that a mere threat of rebellion is not enough for the President to exercise this most dangerous power. We must remember that this phrase was deleted precisely because we vowed to never allow the abuse of this power, as when Marcos had used the “imminence” of rebellion as a ground when he declared martial law in 1972.

And while not a single bullet has been exchanged between the Ampatuan private army and the AFP, we are all too intensely aware that Arroyo’s Martial Law is not merely unconstitutional— it is also the greatest threat to the remaining democracy existing in our country today.

Eulogy to Human Rights

Ironically, we are presently commemorating the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10. The long list depicting the human rights situation in the Philippines grows bloodier, with the Maguindanao Massacre added to the numbers of human rights violations in the Philippines. We know too well that human rights abuses had been the State policy under Marcos’ martial law, and that Arroyo’s martial law will not be any different. The fact that there has been more extra-judicial killings under Arroyo’s term than that of former Presidents Aquino, Ramos and Estrada combined, is a grim testimony that she is the number one warlord in the country.

We commemorate this Human Rights Week by reiterating our call for justice for the Maguindanao Massacre victims and all victims of human rights violations. The International Day of Human Rights is a timely reminder that we should remain vigilant in protecting our democracy, and advancing our human rights. We call on all Iskolars ng Bayan to unite against tyranny, and ensure that justice and democracy prevail.

Uphold and Defend Human Rights!

Never again to Martial Law!

Oust GMA!

UP DILIMAN – UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCIL

Opposition Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced that he isn’t seeking for any higher office in the 2010 Elections, at a press conference held in the Club Filipino, Greenhills San Juan. “Napagpasyahan ko na hindi tumakbo bilang pangulo sa darating na halalan (I have decided not to run for President this coming elections),” he said. He later clarified, addressing a question by a reporter, that he would not seek to run for either the Presidency or the Vice-Presidency next year.

He asked for the Filipino people to be vigilant and critical in seeing past the sweet promises and actions of those who have declared themselves to run for the Presidency. It is important to see whether they have or have not been eaten by the system in their quest for the highest position of the land.

Chiz stated in black and white his plans of not running in the near future, but what is important to note is that he expressed his decision and desire to still lead and change this nation. He also hinted on his future plans. “I have decided that even though now is not the time for my dream and destiny for a presidency that won’t be beholden to anyone, I will continue to hold that dream and promise. If not now, in the near future.” (translated from his speech in Filipino)

““Kaisa ninyo ako, at kaisa ako ng kung sinumang pagtitiwalaan ng sambayanan sa mga darating na araw. At bilang botante, bilang Pilipino, bilang Senador patuloy akong mananalig sa kakayanan ng Pilipino at ng ating bansa na malampasan ang mga hamon at pagsubok na ito.”

Video also posted at Blogwatch.ph

KAISA – Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan

in cooperation with the

College of Science Student Council (CS-SC),
College of Home Economics Student Council (CHE-SC),
National College of Public Administration and Governance Student Council (NCPAG-SC),
Asian Institute of Tourism Student Council (AIT-SC),
College of Human Kinetics Student Council (CHK-SC),
College of Architecture Student Council (ASC),
Alliance of Concerned Dormitories (ACD),
Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity, and the
University Student Council-Mass Media Committee

presents

HER TIME IS UP
2010 Election Forum Series

1st Guest Presidentiable is Sen. Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero

November 12, 2009, 1:00-4:00 P.M.
Malcolm Hall Theater (College of Law), UP Diliman

This election forum series is for the benefit of UP students, who wants to be an audience with the future public officials of our country. The one-on-one will focus on the education sector, touching on his/her plans for UP as the premier state university, and overall plans for the youth as a whole. They are also expected to tackle on their governance and economic plans.

It didn’t take a full month before my idealism was tested, or shaken. In an elevator with older congressional staff members, I overheard them talking about the contenders for the House Speakership––Manny Villar, Sonny Belmonte, and Joker Arroyo.

You’d think that the staff members were debating about the merits of the three congressmen, but they weren’t. They were talking about rumors (later echoed in news reports) that Villar was paying off each member of the Lower House to secure their votes, to the tune of Php200,000.00 each.

That bit of news I was familiar with. I had frequently tagged along with Cong. Magtubo in dinner meetings with Cong. Arroyo and fellow supporters, and with each meal I noticed that our numbers were dwindling. So I had a pretty good idea why.

What I found troubling about the discussion between the staffers was that––despite knowing that Villar was paying off congressmen left and right––these staffers wanted Villar to win the Speakership.

Why?

“Siguradong masmataas benepisyo natin kung si Villar maging Speaker.” (Our benefits will surely be greater if Villar becomes Speaker.)

The conversation was so disturbing that I wrote a letter to the Manila Times––a letter that was printed with my name withheld to protect my principal––that condemned this kind of thinking, the kind of mentality that has made Congress truly deserve its title of “The Lower House.”

More than a decade later, the same thing is happening again, but this time, there’s more than the Speakership at stake. Now it’s the presidency on the line, and if the recent SWS Survey is any indication, it seems that Villar’s billions are again working in his favor.

I don’t know if my outrage is an indication I haven’t changed since ’98––if that’s the case, then I’m glad. Because the moment I lose my capacity to be angered by what is undeniably wrong, then I’ve lost myself to the cynicism and pragmatism I promised I wouldn’t give in to when I swore to give my last breath to making my country A Better Place To Live In.

And make no mistake about it, Manny Villar sitting in Malacañang is just plain wrong. And the fact that most of our people are eating up the crap being shoveled down their throats by his ads is even more wrong.

For God’s sake, this is a man who, eleven years ago, practically bought the House Speakership––a fact not proven in a court of law, of course, but a factoid that was oft-reported in the news at the time.

This is a man who says that comedian Willie Revillame is qualified to be a Senator of the Republic, for crying out loud!

A candidate who exploits loopholes in our election laws to engage in widespread, heavy, very premature campaigning!

A so-called leader who does not have the courage to even face his constituents to present his plan of action for this country––preferring instead to have his younger, more articulate proxies speak in his stead!

Is this how far we’ve come over a quarter century since Ninoy was killed? From a nation of cowards we’ve now become a nation of idiots? Or worse, a nation of people who can’t tell right from wrong?

So Villar says he can give us jobs, and his billion-peso empire is proof of it––so we just say, fine, we’ll forget your propensity to shell out cash whenever you need or want something? So, okay, he spends his own money to save abused OFWs from their oppressive employers––is that better than him having a concrete plan for our overseas workers?

Are we so easily bought? Do we so willingly buy this crap?

We complain endlessly about how everyone and everything in this country can be had at the right price. The problem is, we’re all talk. When faced with what could be the most important presidential election in our generation, most are content to complain, to hem and haw, to wish and hope.

Enough talk. We want good leadership, we have to work for it. If most of our countrymen can’t see the light, then we––those who feel and believe we know better––have to help the unenlightened realize that those courting their votes are not the sum of their political ads.

Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa? (If not us, who? If not now, when?)

This article is written by Jed M. Eva III, reposted with permission from Thinking Aloud.