a former president who is convicted,
a deposed president who was convicted of plunder?
a sinner president who lacks the moral fiber to govern;
and who is now implicated in double murder?
yet he is popular. WHY?
Ask the press, the journalists and the media why?
Ask why reporters who keep on reporting and publishing every garbage he says?
Ask a field reporter who is star-struck every time he gets to interview the convicted plunderer;
Ask why reporters do'nt ask him direct questions?
Ask why publishers keep him in the media and in front pages of newspapers?
Ask why media cant simply IGNORE him?
is it because it boils down to getting "exclusive" news?
is it because erap sells newspapers and attracts ads?
is it because eraps calling radio stations give the hosts credibility?
Has media asked itself that ignoring him will do a lot of justice to this country
has media asked itself that reporting about him is not just about making money.
It is spreading truth and helping the masses rise from the pile of ignorance and learn about the truth
In short ALL about him is a pile of muck NOT WORTH REPORTING.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Cost Savings Of Cebu Pacific - A Security Nightmare
Once again, I have used Cebu Pacific on a return flight to Davao and on both occasions, we did not use the bridge that was designed to ferry passengers safely from the departure area to the plane and from the plane back to the airport.
But on this occasion as in many of the Cebu Pacific flights to and from Davao, plane is parked at the tarmac or at the docking bay but were not allowed to use the bridge. In so doing, passengers have to go down the tarmac and walk, yes, I repeat WALK to the airport. Here is what happened upon arrival at NAIA 3. Opening the rear door, the passengers at the rear went down the stairs, the passengers on the front row exited through the bridge at the front door but was instructed to go down the stairs of the bridge. All passengers walked to the airport entrance for about 100 meters, went up one floor where the bridge meets the airport, walked all the way to the other end of the airport and then went down the stairs to the conveyor belt to get the checked in luggage. If one is handicapped and forgot to request for assistance, then this is calvary. This airline may be promoting health to its passengers but this is unheard of.
What happened to the airport tax that we pay? Is this the service we get for the P200 pesos we pay each time we use the airport. How come PAL and other airlines does not do this? What about the other taxes that are charged with the ticket?
I complained to the attendant and her reply was that this is one one gets for cheap fare. WHATTTTT? Not all passengers are paying cheap tickets, I complained because I paid a regular-priced ticket. But more seriously, such practice is a security nightmare. Getting passengers to roam around at the tarmac is inviting possible security breach to happen. What is the use of installing all those strict security procedures when one gets to roam at the tarmac? There are no security personnel there to watch, only Cebu Pacific Attendants. Why did ATO allow this?
Shall we wait for something dreadful and deadly to happen?
But on this occasion as in many of the Cebu Pacific flights to and from Davao, plane is parked at the tarmac or at the docking bay but were not allowed to use the bridge. In so doing, passengers have to go down the tarmac and walk, yes, I repeat WALK to the airport. Here is what happened upon arrival at NAIA 3. Opening the rear door, the passengers at the rear went down the stairs, the passengers on the front row exited through the bridge at the front door but was instructed to go down the stairs of the bridge. All passengers walked to the airport entrance for about 100 meters, went up one floor where the bridge meets the airport, walked all the way to the other end of the airport and then went down the stairs to the conveyor belt to get the checked in luggage. If one is handicapped and forgot to request for assistance, then this is calvary. This airline may be promoting health to its passengers but this is unheard of.
What happened to the airport tax that we pay? Is this the service we get for the P200 pesos we pay each time we use the airport. How come PAL and other airlines does not do this? What about the other taxes that are charged with the ticket?
I complained to the attendant and her reply was that this is one one gets for cheap fare. WHATTTTT? Not all passengers are paying cheap tickets, I complained because I paid a regular-priced ticket. But more seriously, such practice is a security nightmare. Getting passengers to roam around at the tarmac is inviting possible security breach to happen. What is the use of installing all those strict security procedures when one gets to roam at the tarmac? There are no security personnel there to watch, only Cebu Pacific Attendants. Why did ATO allow this?
Shall we wait for something dreadful and deadly to happen?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Doing Business at Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines - A reflection
Because my eldest son was born outside the Philippines during my six-year study stint in Europe, we need to get his original birth certificate from the country he was born in order to fill up his records here at the National Statistics office. The NSO referred us to the Consular Records Division of the DFA.
I took a half a day off from work on Thursday afternoon of October to work on the reconstruction of his birth certificate. I have a copy of the report of live birth I filed several months after the child was born at the Consular office of that country.
Taking the jeep from Pasay rotunda MRT station, I alighted at the corner of FB Harison and walked towards DFA. The distance from the corner to DFA compound was probably 100 meters and walking through the distance, I was harassed by at least 10 men and women branding their large laminated IDs and offering assistance in the procurement of passport. The whole entrance to the passport processing was full of more ID weilding men and women. I could not imagine how DFA could allow such chaos around the area where our own countrymen are being gyped publicly by these jackals.
But my business is at the Consular Records Division, so I was referred to Gate 1. Upon entrance, a security guard asks what your business for entering, another one inspects your bag. I was carrying a camera because I need to do a photo session later that evening. I was informed rather brusquely by the guard named R. F. Sabala that cameras are not allowed. As I would not entrust a very expensive camera to them, because they have no secure place to store it. They would simply issue a receipt and just put is on the table. These are very delicate and expensive instruments. I informed them that the camera are in separate pieces and could not be used. I inquired why they don't allow cameras but allow mobile phones with cameras. If cameras are banned for security purposes, then DFA must also prohibit all mobile phones with cameras. These mobile phones could take pictures discreetly in comparison with what I have which is a very bulky camera. I was wondering whether the issue with cameras has something todo with journalist rather than security. Knowing that these guards are just following orders hook line and sinker, arguing with them is a waste of time. I left my camera at the guard house and placed just on top of the table.
I was again halted in the main entrance of the building. I was informed that I was wearing a pair of sandals and it is DFA policy that sandals are not allowed. I could not believe what I heard because I was wearing a branded leather sandals that covered at least 50% of my feet. With the plan of going to Paranaque and Laguna later in the day where flooding occurs at a slight rain, sandals are, by call of the current times, the most appropriate footgear because I could remove it and put is back again once on dry land.
If indeed there is such a no-sandals policy, then this is such as STUPID and discriminatory because I could not imagine a poor Filipino who could not afford shoes going there to transact a business will not be allowed nor an Indigenous Filipino on a G-string being barred to transact business? Have we changed the definition of being a Filipino? I could not imagine someone from a flooded area to arrive there wearing shoes to transact business? Do we tell them to turn back and get a pair of shoes? Does this mean we are less a Filipinos for coming to DFA premises if we wear only sandals?
If the intention of that anti-sandal policy is INDECENCY, DFA should revisit the policy itself and also the definition of sandals. I think that the DFA policy refers to flip flops which have been been labelled synonymously with those sleek, and decent looking sandals use of sandals. And this is how the guards have selectively applied this to me because I had an earlier argument with them with my camera. While I was complaining about this ridiculous policy, I observed that more than 50% of the women visitors are wearing even slippers and these are allowed inside without a wink!!!!
If decency is the goal of that policy, then its definition based on what i experienced is exposure of 50% of my feet. Perhaps, DFA should look not just on my feet but to the half naked (but shapely women) roaming the corridors of DFA. Perhaps the indecency there is my non-pedicured nails which may be too much for our diplomats to look at?
But this is not the end of my story, I finally reached the office of the consular records division. There I waited not very long and finally, I transacted my business with a very nice person. I have requested for a reconstruction of the birth certificate of my son and explained the urgency of my need. I was informed that it will take 1- 2 months to accomplish this because this request will have to be officially transmitted with a cover letter and sent via the snail mail.
When i suggested that we could simply scan the file and send an email to the appropriate embassy, I was flatly informed that their office have no email facility and using electronic means is not an acceptable way of facilitating business. In our present flat world where everybody is connected by internet, that in a click of a mouse, one could send information halfway accross the world, i could not imagine DFA, the Foreign Affaris of the country, still depend on a very expensive and with a high carbon footprint way of delivering its mail services. If this is the kind of service that DFA delivers to its people, how could it serve efficiently the over 10 million overseas Filipino workers?
I took a half a day off from work on Thursday afternoon of October to work on the reconstruction of his birth certificate. I have a copy of the report of live birth I filed several months after the child was born at the Consular office of that country.
Taking the jeep from Pasay rotunda MRT station, I alighted at the corner of FB Harison and walked towards DFA. The distance from the corner to DFA compound was probably 100 meters and walking through the distance, I was harassed by at least 10 men and women branding their large laminated IDs and offering assistance in the procurement of passport. The whole entrance to the passport processing was full of more ID weilding men and women. I could not imagine how DFA could allow such chaos around the area where our own countrymen are being gyped publicly by these jackals.
But my business is at the Consular Records Division, so I was referred to Gate 1. Upon entrance, a security guard asks what your business for entering, another one inspects your bag. I was carrying a camera because I need to do a photo session later that evening. I was informed rather brusquely by the guard named R. F. Sabala that cameras are not allowed. As I would not entrust a very expensive camera to them, because they have no secure place to store it. They would simply issue a receipt and just put is on the table. These are very delicate and expensive instruments. I informed them that the camera are in separate pieces and could not be used. I inquired why they don't allow cameras but allow mobile phones with cameras. If cameras are banned for security purposes, then DFA must also prohibit all mobile phones with cameras. These mobile phones could take pictures discreetly in comparison with what I have which is a very bulky camera. I was wondering whether the issue with cameras has something todo with journalist rather than security. Knowing that these guards are just following orders hook line and sinker, arguing with them is a waste of time. I left my camera at the guard house and placed just on top of the table.
I was again halted in the main entrance of the building. I was informed that I was wearing a pair of sandals and it is DFA policy that sandals are not allowed. I could not believe what I heard because I was wearing a branded leather sandals that covered at least 50% of my feet. With the plan of going to Paranaque and Laguna later in the day where flooding occurs at a slight rain, sandals are, by call of the current times, the most appropriate footgear because I could remove it and put is back again once on dry land.
If indeed there is such a no-sandals policy, then this is such as STUPID and discriminatory because I could not imagine a poor Filipino who could not afford shoes going there to transact a business will not be allowed nor an Indigenous Filipino on a G-string being barred to transact business? Have we changed the definition of being a Filipino? I could not imagine someone from a flooded area to arrive there wearing shoes to transact business? Do we tell them to turn back and get a pair of shoes? Does this mean we are less a Filipinos for coming to DFA premises if we wear only sandals?
If the intention of that anti-sandal policy is INDECENCY, DFA should revisit the policy itself and also the definition of sandals. I think that the DFA policy refers to flip flops which have been been labelled synonymously with those sleek, and decent looking sandals use of sandals. And this is how the guards have selectively applied this to me because I had an earlier argument with them with my camera. While I was complaining about this ridiculous policy, I observed that more than 50% of the women visitors are wearing even slippers and these are allowed inside without a wink!!!!
If decency is the goal of that policy, then its definition based on what i experienced is exposure of 50% of my feet. Perhaps, DFA should look not just on my feet but to the half naked (but shapely women) roaming the corridors of DFA. Perhaps the indecency there is my non-pedicured nails which may be too much for our diplomats to look at?
But this is not the end of my story, I finally reached the office of the consular records division. There I waited not very long and finally, I transacted my business with a very nice person. I have requested for a reconstruction of the birth certificate of my son and explained the urgency of my need. I was informed that it will take 1- 2 months to accomplish this because this request will have to be officially transmitted with a cover letter and sent via the snail mail.
When i suggested that we could simply scan the file and send an email to the appropriate embassy, I was flatly informed that their office have no email facility and using electronic means is not an acceptable way of facilitating business. In our present flat world where everybody is connected by internet, that in a click of a mouse, one could send information halfway accross the world, i could not imagine DFA, the Foreign Affaris of the country, still depend on a very expensive and with a high carbon footprint way of delivering its mail services. If this is the kind of service that DFA delivers to its people, how could it serve efficiently the over 10 million overseas Filipino workers?
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