A Surreal Day
Written by Major Tom
Filed under: Philippine Politics
February 24, 2006
I see the crowds getting larger and larger along the streets of Metro Manila (The TV is on while I am blogging this at a downtown Internet cafe–about five thirty in the afternoon) and I have a feeling that President Macapagal-Arroyo must have found herself at the end of the road, or perhaps near that point of no return. This morning, newsmen stationed themselves in military camps—Camp Aguinaldo for one—reporting that a coup attempt had just been quashed and Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor was calm as the morning dew when he informed the public that only two military officers ( General Danny Lim and Colonel Ariel Querubin) “withdrew support from the government” and they were already safely in the custody of military authorities. So therefore, there was no more cause for alarm according to the dutiful presidential chief of staff.
But the morning show “Magandang Umaga Pilipinas” kept running way past its runtime and so as its counterpart GMA’s “Unang Hirit” and anchormen from both programs kept on asking questions from Malacañang people the same questions over and over again, about some occurences that seems to show that the security situation must be far worse than what it appeared. If the coup attempt was already contained and succesfully foiled, why would Malacañang called-off classes on all levels in the NCR Region? Why the unusually huge numbers of military personnel and munitions scattered around Malacañang and the EDSA Shrine? When the media smell something cooking, there seems to be no denying it.
And so the usual cartoon shows that should have been aired this morning were effectively pre-empted as my kids wondered out loud to me why the morning news program got way too extended and their favorite cartoon character wasn’t on yet. I just told them that “a grave conflict” was happening in Manila (may giyera yata sa Manila). Well I know kids shouldn’t be told violent things like a coup attempt or an armed uprising but I just couldn’t find a better way to tell them why their favorite cartoon show wasn’t on TV this morning.
I initially fell for Secretary Mike Defensor’s assurance that every danger had already been well-contained and so I just went along with my usual morning routines ( Like sipping on a hot mug of coffee) and I even picked a bestseller that I had alreday read and retreated lazily into the backyard. I even closely examined and analyzed the crowds gathering near Makati (as shown on TV) and I had thought then that the size of the crowd wouldn’t be large enough to bring down a government. It might just be one of those anti-GMA rally that goes pfff at the end of the day.
And yet, when I heard Professor Randy David that morning almost losing his breathe as he summoned every individual as well as every member of the armed forces to finally stand-up against the present government, something got triggered in my head, something that tells me that this would be a real rough day for Malacañang. I mean Randy David doesn’t do this all the time (marching the rugged streets of Manila); he is usually a tame and calm person who was never known for bombarding the government while stomping noisily on the streets. But then, there he was like upon a personal crusade and nothing can stop him except a strike of lighning from the sky. And when a guy like Randy David speaks and shouts, most probably many would listen. So Mr. David signalled to me that this ain’t just another anti-GMA rally. His eventual arrest by the police might just further blow the flames of dissent against the present administration. This day could be the worst day for the Arroyo Presidency ever and this afternoon—while I am posting this write-up—it looks like my apprehensions this morning were true all along.
Could this be the end of the road for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo? There could be no saying as of this moment. I just hope and pray that no blood will be shed at the end of the day—new government or old government.
Support GMA! Rally behind our president!
Comment by gma4ever — February 24, 2006 @ 9:53 am
I was supposed to blog something about this day and event, but I decided to wait and see what happens…
Comment by snglguy — February 24, 2006 @ 11:55 am
Ang dami kasing nababanga ang pandak eh. Pero, I think everything boils down to economics.
Why is Cory rallying every opportunity that she can get? Why? What’s the real reason? OK, I understand it’s the EDSA 1 revolution, but then…what is the real reason talaga?
Well, I found the answer in the news: PDI February 1, 2006, and let me quote it.
SC asked to stop distribution of Hacienda Luisita
First posted 08:18pm (Mla time) Feb 01, 2006
By Tetch Torres
INQ7.net
THE FAMILY of former president Corazon Aquino has asked the Supreme Court to stop the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) from distributing to farmers its vast sugar estate in the northern Philippines. In a court petition, the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) questioned the authority of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) to revoke the 16-year-old sharing agreement in the 4,915-hectare farmland of the Cojuangco family in Tarlac province.
And there’s another.
I have always been wondering why the ABS-CBN in its news always portray the country a bad as possible. Why do they treat the Arroyo administration so badly they want it to go down and be replaced by “something”. What’s the real reason ba talaga? Well, I speculated, and I think the reason is obvious. Diba ang Meralco and ABS-CBN are owned by one family? Tama ba ako? Kong tama ako, I think the news will also guide us. Let me quote some part of it.
ERC to Meralco: Start 2nd
phase of refund by Sept. 1
Posted: 11:05 AM (Manila Time) | Jul. 18, 2003
By Cecille Yap
AFX
THE ENERGY Regulatory Commission (ERC) said it has ordered the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to begin implementing the second phase of a 30.5 billion-peso refund to customers by September 1.
The regulatory body wants the refund’s first phase, costing 2.2 to 2.5 billion pesos and covering customers with monthly consumption of no more than 100 kilowatt-hours, to be completed by the end of August.
The second phase, involving consumers using 101 to 300 kwh per month, will cost Meralco around 4.7 billion pesos.
Comment by arn — February 24, 2006 @ 12:32 pm
it’s really surreal. i hope nothing more will happen. but it’s really ironic that twenty years after edsa, cory has turned into a politician who will get into bed with just about anyone. like daughter, like mother?
Comment by vonjobi — February 24, 2006 @ 1:17 pm
Well, as I said, its about economics…let me quote the recent news:
Estrada gave money to General Lim–Arroyo security adviser
First posted 09:56pm (Mla time) Feb 24, 2006
By Veronica Uy
INQ7.net
Comment by arn — February 24, 2006 @ 2:17 pm
It is of supreme irony that exactly on the day when the Marcos dictatorship was toppled 20 years ago, GMA had revived the very reason why that dictatorship was toppled by declaring Proclamation 1017. GMA has now pushed the country back where it was 35 years ago - under Martial Law.
Comment by Sam — February 25, 2006 @ 1:20 am
i was disturbed when randy david was arrested. i wonder if they’ll gonna go after conrado de quiros for “continuing offense”, LOLz. i was thinking they should have arrested kris aquino yesterday, too. had they done so, maybe, things would have really turned into a real circus…
Comment by the caterpillar — February 25, 2006 @ 12:19 pm
I hope this political turmoil will end soon and for this country to start marching towards progress. Nakakapagod ang kanilang alitang pulitika.
Comment by Abaniko — February 25, 2006 @ 3:25 pm
i had hoped to stay away from blogging longer, but the times, they are a’changin’, aren’t they Major Tom… or is it that the more they change, the more they stay the same? :p Looks like your own sabbatical didn’t last too long :p
Comment by jorge — February 26, 2006 @ 2:40 pm
There’s no shortage of politicians coveting for the presidency or installing “their” president . This simply exposes the fact that there’s just so much money to be had when you are in the “circle of power” that people in the opposition couldn’t wait for the president to finish the 6 years term.
In the meantime, the Filipino people are made to believe that there is a crisis gripping the nation when in fact it is a case of vultures and unscrupulous politicians wanting to take over the drivers seat.
Comment by bw — February 27, 2006 @ 3:53 am
Hi everyone. I couldn’t describe the events that happened that day except that it was sort of surreal. At the end of the day, nothing so grievous happened, or bloody and tulmultous and I could seem to be thankful about it. But in my mind, I was thinking if this country really yearns and craves for the changes that obviously didn’t happened that day. We could only watch and see what happens next.
Comment by Major Tom — February 27, 2006 @ 11:48 am
hmm.. what else is new with GMA? nothing.
Comment by nao — March 11, 2006 @ 3:33 am