The last play station

A local official stated they received many text messages during the pre-Yolanda period (November 2-7) and until minutes before the huge 3-storey waters overwhelmed the people of Tacloban City, Palo Leyte, several other places in the Visayas, killing as many as 7,000 people (by NDRRMC estimates) or so much, much more.

In selected cases, there were some phone calls, but mostly directed at relatives and high officials; the lowly government functionaries did not get more than these text messages warning them about supposedly 7, 8, even 9 foot-high waters called storm surge.

In many countries in Africa, in Malaysia (Open University System) and India the use of the text message service or short messaging service (SMS), in college education is a real key factor. Malaysia Open University, that promotes the "University for all" mission, states that text is the lowest common denominator of the all the technologies available today. Meaning that it is the easiest to acquire and cheap to maintain. 

When used as extensively as it is being done in China's health workers sector, the text message is no longer as effective, they say, than a phone call reminder. Meaning, that for rural doctors and other medical and health practitioners, using the text is highly limited and cannot satisfy the requirements for health work.

The Canada-based International Development Research Center (IDRC) undertook a study on the use of text messaging for learning. IDRC and other open university advocates have invented a term for text messaging as an adjunct in education: MLearning - from mobile learning.

Clearly, as the above situations point out, text messaging can be effective, only as an adjunct to other tools of education (Open University and Mobile Learning - Africa, Malaysia, India) and information or instructions dissemination (Health Workers Sector - China).

Text / SMS therefore is ineffective, just on its own. Furthermore, in the experience cited above, its usefulness applies to college education and therefore, it is being extensively used in that level of learning. Moreover, if engaged as an educational tool, the use will be frequent, with great level of regularity and distinct clarity of delivery.

What happened in Leyte, such as as Tacloban and Palo, Leyte, as well as in Cebu (the hardest hit was Bantayan Island), among other places, was that the text or SMS could not properly inform, educate much less portray the full extent of the threat of what was handed down by PAGASA Weather Bureau and NDRRMC Manila as storm surge.

No matter how the government keeps telling people that they gave warning, sent out messages, used TEXT BLAST (damn them all!), it could not have been sufficient enough to lead the people away from the tremendous hazard that will confront them and take their lives away.

If they had used the text to students studying geospheric science, atmospheric and hydrologic events, the use of the jargon of powerful winds above 250 kph and 7,8 9-foot high storm surge, will be appreciated.

But then they were texting the poor laymen and ordinary folk serving as local government functionaries, who then still had to explain these text / SMS content to their constituencies. What if the local government functionary was barely literate? And had to explain the content of the text or SMS to a doctor, nurse, engineer, policeman, soldier, teacher, vendor, student, etcetera?

Many people are saying that these cheap means of preserving and saving the lives of people is the last play station that Noynoy Aquino the 3rd will be playing with. Senator Tatad openly called for the 3rd to go away now. Over the Philippine Daily Inquirer comments page, some commenters state: "dapat umalis na sila", "yung pamilya niya, mga kapatid niya ubod ng yayaman na", while others say "mula ng umupo sila, naghirap na ang bansa, kinukuha ba nila lahat ang pera? bakit kami lagi na lang walang pera?"

The last gaming at the play station indeed...

What to do?

The PDAF that Malacañang assiduously fought for, is dead. The Honorable, The Supreme Court killed it. Congress says, it will now be without any money to pay for scholarships of their poor, indigent constituents. Perhaps, those poor children and youth will then be asked by their dishonorable Congressmen and Senators to stop studying, we will never really know. Although, the money man, Secretary Florencio Abad, says they are looking for ways to get add on funds - or as Senator Franklin Drilon says, "supplemental funds."

This is good for the country, but not for Mr. Aquino the 3rd. What to do? Señor Aquino de Tercera, said Senador Francisco Tatad, must go now. in his column at Manila Standard: 

Philippine Star: Wasted DAP money could have saved Zamboanga

The stolen DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) money could have been enough or more than what will be required to rehabilitate Zamboanga City.

image source: channel news asia

image source: voice of america

Philippine Star says as a solution, congressmen and the Department of Budget and Management will no longer be taking out DAP money and instead redirect the funds to Zamboanga City. So what Mr. Abad? The original lost DAP money can no longer be recovered.

image source: philippine star / image shack

How very conscientious this move by those wonderful people indeed. However, even if the originally misplaced DAP funds can no longer be returned by thieving politicians and the master thief of them all, the occupant of the house by the Pasig River, there ought to be sanctions and these sanctions must not be light, like we're treating special mongoloid children with kid gloves. Poverty haunts this country, even more so during this administration. The occurrence of death, illness, starvation, because of the lack of money among the poorest of the poor, is very frequent. You will be shocked at how long the waiting lines of the impoverished are that seek free medical assistance at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office at the Lung Center Annex Building in Quezon City.

It is, as COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan describes as, kahindik hindik. And yet, too many of the patients being sought assistance for just die because of red tape, charity fund quotas, priority assistance for the children, relatives and friends of Congressmen, Senators, Presidents, Vice Presidents, and high ranking officials with the relatives of the beneficiaries of such behest guarantee payments giving large amounts of cash gifts, delicious food gifts, jewelries, among other bribes to the government Charity organization just to speed the processing of their huge medical benefits.

Despite the DAP, the PDAF and other stolen money, these animal, merciless politicians and bureaucrats still have to compete with the poor in taking out charity medical assistance from PCSO. When ever will their greed and corrupt ways ever stop? Too ruthless, too cruel, too cold. For their own welfare, but possibly for their own coming demise as well.

In Chinatown - Ang Matuwid Na Daan

When talking among themselves, my lolos (grandpas) in Chinatown (Binondo, Manila, Philippines) say that the matuwid na daan (straight path) is a really scary road. They say that at one end of the very smooth and straight road, is rock bottomed sea water at the foot of a matarik na bangin (deep cliff). 

Image source: Southern Authors

Lolo Mio says, if you fall from the bangin (cliff), you're dead anyway when your head hits the rocks at the bottom of the sea. It doesn't go deep unless you are at least a kilometer away from the island. On the other hand, at the other end, if you fall, at least a passing car or truck driver can pick you up if he cares for your corpse.

Image source: Kerfuffle-to-Go

Otherwise, you might attract recovery teams and emergency and rescue people like this:

Image source: ABC Net Australia

So much for being safe when you're traveling in the matuwid na daan.

What happened to Ang Matuwid na Daan (The Straight Path)

Image source: http://www.123rf.com

What happened to the matuwid na daan (straight path) call of His Excellency President Benigno Simeon (aka BS) Cojuangco Aquino III? Has it now become the makipot na daan? 

Some people fear that the government of the Philippines may soon fall. That there will be a change in the regime. The military has become restive due to the present state of affairs in this Southeast Asian country.

President Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III was supposedly stranded in Zamboanga due to a military coup threat. On the other hand, former allies are now asking the President to resign. It is bandied about that the so-called military group, Reform Officers Union or ROU that made a manifesto declaring they will fight against this administration could just be the creation of former Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. R-O-U can also sound like Ar-ro-yo. Unless the real instigator of the group wants to play with the administration.

As it was written: Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make mad. - Prometheus

Image source: asiancorrespondent.com

There are questions about how the Napoles scandal was engineered; it appears that there are flaws in how the situation was handled so that in the end, Napoles gets to be identified as a Palace girl and a puppet of Malacañang and selected members of the Cabinet, notwithstanding the close link with legislators and other specific government functionaries high and low.

Absolutely, no one in his right mind will admit that the current brouhaha over the pork barrel or PDAF that ultimately surfaced the DAP of Aquino was originally planned, especially engineered to destroy a selected number of personalities, by no less than you-know-who together with Miss you-know-who-else.

The ending will be a sad one, considering the extent of anger that it generated among the people, this writer included. Heads must roll.

Spending money, blood money

Image source: http://www.analytics-ninja.com

image source: http://www.sunshinecoastninjas.com.au

If you stole too much from the vaults owned by someone else, e.g. safety vault of taxes from the blood sweat and tears of the people, you are obliged to hire killers to silence your enemies. There are different hirings you will make: physical contract killers, contract psychological killers, others.

One by one, your enemies are dead, thanks to your murderers. But whatever. If your hired killers cannot do the job, you will kill those enemies anyway, by hook or by crook - whatever it takes, just so you will save your face you dumb shit.

Accomplishment record:

Roster of 'killed' targets/victims

Renato Coronado Corona

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Merceditas Gutierrez

Juan Ponce Enrile

Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada

Ramon Revilla Jr.

Presbitero Velasco

Countless other dumb victims