Monday, May 17, 2010

Do we need to be poor to understand their needs?....just an opinion..

It's been quite sometime that political ads A.K.A infomercials are running on our national TVs. Different formats, different gimmicks but the only purpose is, for them to be recognize, so as to gain popularity and get more voters for them in the coming election. As I observe those infomercials, the main agenda or common plot is always poverty, that they came from the poorest of the poor then rose to fame and fortune. They keep on claiming the rugs to riches story as to make it feel that they're one of those poor pinoys who are experiencing how helpless and how hard it is to live in this country. (Siguro mas maganda kung itagalog ko na lang ito para mas maconvey ko ang aking opinion). Para sakin lang po, hindi sapat ng dahilan ang pagiging mahirap dati para maramdaman ang pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayang mahirap. Hindi kailangan nakatulog tayo sa kalye para malaman naten na kelangan ng mga kapababayan naten ang pabahay. Hindi rin kelangan maligo muna tayo sa maduming tubig para malaman naten na kelangan ng mga kababayan naten ang malinis na tubig. Sentitivities to people's needs does not necessarily mean having to experience those things. Kasi kung ang rason pala para maramdaman naten ang lahat ng bagay eh yung maexperience sya eh di ibig sabihin para malaman ng isang tao na masakit ang mapaso ng apoy kelangan muna nating masunog? Or pano yung mga rape victim na humihingi ng katarungan, kelangan mo bang marape muna para maramdaman yung sakit at hirap na dinanas nila, di ba hindi naman? Hindi ba mas nakakatuwang isipin na yung mga taong hindi nakaranas ng ganung hirap eh sya pa ang mas sensitibo sa pagtulong sa kanila. Mga taong hindi man naging salat sa buhay pero buong pusong tumutulong at tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng mga mahihirap nating kababayan. Hindi ba mas masarap na yung ginagastos sa mga kabikabilang infomercials para ipagsabi na galing sila sa hirap eh itulong na lang sa mga mahihirap. Hindi ba kung totoong galing ka sa hirap eh manghihinayang kang gastusin ang pinaghirapan mong pera para lang ipagsabi ang mga sinasabi mong accomplishments. Kasi ang totoong mahirap at pinaghirapan ang tinamasang yaman eh manghihinayang gumastos sa mga bagay na hindi naman naaayon sa imeediate na pangangailangan (subalit siguro nga masyado lang sobrang ang mga kayamanan nila). Para po sa akin, yes it's a plus point that you've experienced those things to know how it really feels, because you have hands on experience on the matter, but we cannot also categorically deny that those who did not experienced those things are not sensitive enough to feel for them. Our less fortunate people don't only need people who have been there, but people who may not been there but have sensible heart to understand how they felt and are sincere to help them uplift their situation. Hindi naten kelangan maging mahirap para malaman kung ano ang paghihirap na dinadanas ng ating mga kababayan. ang kelangan lang eh may puso kang tutugon at didinig sa kanilang pangangailangan.
This is just an opinion...

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"Aanhin mo ang galing sa hirap na kung gumastos naman ay parang wala nang bukas"

Do we really have 3 equal branches of government?

Associate Justice Renato Corona is now the new Supreme Court Chief Justice, this is the news that's been selling hotcake on our local media nowadays. A known ally and close contact of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, his appointment has been the current target of criticsms from different groups and people. From the point of Mrs. Arroyo's 90 day ban in appointments, to his just being so-close to the Lady President. This prompted me to think and analyze, does our government really has 3 co-equal independent branches?

Recalling from college in our political science subject it has been taught that our government is composed of 3 co-equal independent branches, the Executive, headed by the President, the Legislative headed by the Senate President and the House Speaker, and the judiciary headed by the Supreme Court Chief Justice. As to what is indicated in the constitution these 3 branches were to act separately and or independently with each other. They have their autonomy as to how to run their respective branches, or in other words each branches should have no influence with one another's own processes and decisions. The president cannot dictate the legislative what to do, as well as the judiciary and vice versa. Although it is common knowledge that the legislative serves in the pleasure and anointment of the executive, might as well it is true with the judiciary.

But to take a closer analysis, we can give benefit of the doubt to the legislative because their leaders (Senate President and House Speaker) are elected by their own members meaning all the senators and congressmen/women. But if we look at the judiciary, all the justices and the chief justice are appointed by the president, isn't logical to think that the judiciary is under the executive branch and not a separate co-equal branch. Could a separate entity have a leader appointed by the other branch and claim its independence? Maybe I am missing some points here, but on a plain view analysis, its hard to digest how can they be independent in all the decisions they make if you are appointed by the executive branch. To put this in a more simpler example, we have 3 neighboring houses, the 1st and 2nd house has its leaders appointed by members of its houses, but the 3rd one has a leader appointed on by the 1st house's leader, isn't not safe to say that the 3rd house is not independent  but rather is under the 1st house because the leader is delegated by the it?

I think this is the loophole of our government's setup, we can never have a full, honest and sincere independent judiciary for as long as its head and members are appointed by the executive branch. The president will always have the perceived influence on judiciary's actions because he/she is the one responsible for their positions. Its like a master/servant relationship, how can you not give favor to the one who have given you the power, or more likely an 'amo' - house manager relationship, how can you ignore your 'amo', who have given you the power to manage/lead his/her other houses. This is what our lawmakers should take look at and put into consideration. If it is framed in the constitution, might consider reviewing those provisions and start creating amendments that will put the judiciary's independence in a more reasonable and more logical look on a plain citizen's view.

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"A government of influence is a government of patronage"...