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Untitled Short Story

Something I discovered while searching through my old files stored in Google docs. I haven't posted here in a while, so I might as well post this. Enjoy.

No Title

Remember Jonah?, I asked her. She was by the trash bin, dropping off our baby’s soiled diaper. Uhm, she replied.

From the org? I ran into him this afternoon. He was in a really bad way.

Almario? He looked ok when I left the office.

Not Jonas. Jonah. Jonah Samson. From our org. The one with that insane crush on Mileth that we all made fun of.

I glanced at her. She was now arranging pillowcases into a pile, quite intent in making neat folds.

If I meant Jonas Almario, I wouldn’t have asked you, ‘Remember Jonas?’ You see him every day.

I don’t remember a Jonah, she finally responded in point.

How could you not…

And I remember everybody from the org. Even those you never spoke to.

Jonah, Jonah Samson. Thin guy, black plastic glasses, spiked hair. Had a huge crush on Mileth. Part of the Counterstrike gang.

Wait, I'm brushing my teeth.

I turned on the television, depressed the mute button. "Arvin, oh Arvin. Thank you man, thank you pare. Am I so glad to see you”, Jonah had said to me, during our chance encounter at the grocery beside the gas station. He was near tears. He was hugging me, very very tight. We had never hugged before, and I doubt if we had even ever shaken hands. We were not close, and I had not seen him since college. He was in what I supposed was office attire, but his clothes were dirt-stained and obviously unpressed in days. They also smelled the journey through kilometers of smog.

Karl, Joey, Iggy, Socrates and Cher. That was your Counterstrike gang.

And Jonah! I felt my blood surge, envigorated by the mystery of the amnesiac wife.

There was no Jonah! In terms that said this was her final answer. Did you go out and finally have your first ever drink? Without me?! She laughed, but briefly. My dad used to go home drunk every night and things got ugly. Long story, but irrelevant for now.

This is weird.

What's weird? That I don’t remember someone who doesn’t exist?

I saw him earlier this evening. At the StarMart, as I was headed home from my jog. I was paying for some water when Jonah comes running in screaming “Arvin, remember me? Do you know who I am?” Sure, I say, and he starts hugging me. Said he saw me from the road entering the store, and he ran over to meet me. Thank you, thank you, he says. The whole scene, freaked me out big time. We were never that close, never called him at home, never had classes together, I only saw him at the tambayan.

Maybe this Jonah, you’re mistaking him for someone else, someone whom I’ve never met. A high school classmate.

No. He’s from our org. Even told me himself, “Arvin, from Arki Society?! Counterstrike?!”

I noticed that she had settled in bed.

I really don’t know what to say. I have no idea who this Jonah is. What do you want me to say?

Her question left me in momentary pause. I’ll finish my story, maybe it'll come back to you as I go along.

Ok.

So there was Jonah, all hugging and shouting "Arvin, Arvin!". I glanced at the cashier, and she looked like she was about to laugh. I was embarrassed, didn’t want to get into any small talk, so I told Jonah I had to get going, running late for an appointment. He screamed No! No!, but somewhat calmed down after I apologized for having to go. He asked me again if I really remembered him, I said yes. He asked for my calling card but I didn’t have one on me. He then asked if I had a cellphone, saying that it was really really important that he have my number and he’d explain why and why he was acting really weird next time we talked. He looked as if he was about to cry, and I felt sorry for the bastard. I gave him my number, he borrowed a pen from the cashier, asked her for a used receipt where he wrote my number down. I then told him I had to go, and I jogged out of there as fast as I could.

This Jonah of yours sounds really crazy.

He was weird, back when. But not this class of weird. I knew him...we knew him as the silent shy type, somewhat boring except when it came to Mileth, not even very good at Counterstrike…You still don’t remember, do you?

Nope.

The story’s not over. So I end up jogging around for another thirty minutes or so, to make sure he had left the StarMart, then I return and asked the cashier if she had seen him before. She told me he had shown up in the area a few hours earlier and was begging from drivers filling up gas. The station attendants shooed him away, so he went out to the street, begging. And his clothes were nearly tattered, but, long sleeves and slacks. The cashier also told me that after I left, he asked her if she knew where I lived, and she told him, no.

She sat up. Well, whoever this Jonah is, I don’t want him near our house. And why did you give him your cell number?

I felt really sorry for him, Sheila hon, he really looked like he needed a lot of help.

If he calls you up, maybe we should call the police.

Hon, he’s our friend.

Your friend. I do not know any Jonah.

Back to Mystery Square Number One.

Mileth would know. She didn’t like him because of the weird crush thing, but she would know.

Don’t bother her. It’s late, and she has a lower tolerance for foolishness than I. Get to bed. Maybe when you wake up, you too will forget who this Jonah is.

I was agreeable to the prospect of forgetting all about Jonah. Still, I was disappointed in her, for failing to appreciate the gravity of the truth that had hugged into me earlier in the day. Maybe I’d forget about that too the next day.

I slept well through the night, and when I awoke, the first memory that flashed was Jonah near tears. She was already up, cradling our sleeping baby. I kissed first mother, then child. I then reached over for the milk and oats while she hummed tunelessly.

You must be asking, I said after a silent awhile. Jonah-StarMart-Counterstrike. She sighed, probably in disgust. Don’t worry, not another word about Jonah.

Ever?

My turn to sigh. Maybe. Why not? Ok, ever.

Tell me if he calls though. I might even speak to this Jonah.

I said nothing more. I finished breakfast, drove to work. Google revealed no Jonah Samson outside the Old Testament setting. I dawdled beside blueprints, then at around two, called Mileth.

After pleasantries, Remember Jonah? Jonah Samson?

Who? My heart sank. After all, I had nominated Mileth as sanity’s arbiter. Still, I went through the song and dance.

If this Jonah did give me a perfumed sock stuffed with holens because I once mentioned that I missed playing marbles, shouldn't I definitely remember him?... Is there anything else you need? This is getting too weird for me, and I just came back stressed from my OB-Gyne.

Sheila called around two hours later. Mileth called. I told you not to bother her. Don’t you know she’s going through another difficult pregnancy? I started to say “sorry”, but held back when I realized I was not talking to Mileth.

Sorry hon, I just couldn't...

So you trust her more than you trust me? Another long but irrelevant story.

I just had to know. Had to make sure.

Well, after Mileth called, I called Angela, I called Mina, I called Jake. I even bothered to ask Jake for Socrates' phone number. Socrates, from your Counterstrike gang. I could almost feel her air quotes brush up and down my cheeks. Guess what? None of them knows who the fuck is Jonah.

I wasn't surprised to hear that, but it still had shock value. I was not planning on calling any of them, hon.

Just Mileth, I see. Anyway, just in case you got tempted, I called them all up for you. Do you want me to call Jonah’s parents, whoever the hell they may be?

I had no clue too, having never asked Jonah about his family. I might have assumed they hailed from the province, but nothing had ever happend to arouse any curiosity about Jonah's parents. It was useless to enrich my conversation with Sheila with this context, so I just stared into the screensaver.

I’ll never bring it up again.

Good. I was hoping that she too was staring into her screensaver.

Anything else? I guessed she wanted me to say sorry. Not yet. I’ll be home the usual time. I'll buy the formula on my way. There was too long a pause, then, Ok, thank you.

That evening, I was back at the Star Mart. Jonah wasn’t there. Neither did they carry baby formula. The same cashier from the day before was manning the till. Her nameplate, then and today, read Bongkie.

You remember me from yesterday?

Yes, Sir Arvin, right?

How did you know my name?

That weird man kept on repeating it yesterday. Arvin, Arvin, Arvin.

So you do remember him.

Of course, who wouldn't? Don't remember his name though.

I quickly replayed the encounter from memory. I myself had not bothered then to utter Jonah's name out loud, and neither did Jonah. He knew I knew his name.

His clothes were dirty and he hugged me, right?

Yes sir. He even borrowed a pen from me.

Yes, yes… yes.

And after you left, sir, he asked me if I knew where you lived…

Yes yes, and you told me so after I returned yesterday…

Yes sir.

I surprised myself by bursting into tears. Nothing fulsome, but there was a crack on the floodgate. Bongkie stepped back. I caught myself mid-sniffle and recomposed.

Sorry about that, Bongkie. It’s been a really strange day. That man – his name is Jonah – he was my friend, I haven’t seen in a long time. But none of our other friends, even my own wife Sheila, remembers who he was. I told Bongkie about the argument with Sheila, the awkwardness with Mileth, and also about Angela and Mina and Jake and even Socrates. Since there were no other customers in the store, I felt no pressure to rush the telling of my story.

Wow, said Bongkie. But I do remember seeing you and your friend here yesterday. Maybe, maybe sir you can bring your wife here and I can tell her everything that I saw.

I studied Bongkie’s proposal. Ultimately, all she could swear by to Sheila was that a strange man approached me the day before, a man whose name she did not know until I told her just moments before.

Thanks, but it won’t help. You wouldn’t be able to tell her that you knew our friend Jonah…my friend Jonah.

Ok no problem sir. So, you and Jonah were close?

Actually no. We belonged to the same organization in college, played the same computer game, but other than that, we had nothing in common. Come to think of it, I don’t think I really thought of him as my friend. At least not until all this.

It's strange that you’re the only one who remembers him.

Very… Are you sure you believe me? That I have this friend named Jonah, whom you saw yesterday, and whom nobody else remembers?

Why won’t I believe you? Why would you bother lying to me, a very complicated lie at that. Besides, the way he reacted yesterday, maybe, he too knows you are the only one who remembers him, that’s why he was so glad to see you.

Maybe. Probably. God knows why.

He’ll probably explain once he calls you.

If he calls.

He’ll call you. You’re the only friend he’s got. As soon as he is able to earn enough from begging to buy a cellphone. Bongkie laughed, and I joined in. I was wondering though if by this time, Jonah had not already been run over by a ten-wheeler truck.

I'm glad we got to talk, Bongkie. To know that someone else was sharing in my truth, even if it were just in my present truth and not that of the past. There was still an hour left before the drugstore where I usually bought the infant formula was to close. I think I'll have some coffee.

Bill Simmons Finally Falls for Manny Pacquiao

For years, America's most popular sports writer, ESPN's Bill Simmons, had been noticeably reticent about Manny Pacquiao. Not anymore. From his November 26 mailbag column:

...I made the decision during Pacman's glorious evisceration of Miguel Cotto that he finally had reached the exalted "I Don't Care Who You Are Fighting, I Am Watching It Live & That's That" status, which puts him in the following company: Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tyson. My own personal Mount Rushmore. Pacquiao hit Tiger/Federer status about a year ago, and nobody cared. That's why he needs the Mayweather fight so badly. We've seen dominant pound-for-pound guys these past two decades, but nobody with finishing power anything like what Pacman has. He's like a coked-up Aaron Pryor, only without the coke. Insane. If he's fighting, I am watching.

What the Supreme Court Said in 2004 On Distinction Between Secular & Religious Morality

Our landmark ruling in Estrada v. Escritor emphasizes that in determining whether the acts complained of constitute "disgraceful and immoral behavior" under the Civil Service Laws, the distinction between public and secular morality on the one hand, and religious morality, on the other should be kept in mind. The distinction between public and secular morality as expressed—albeit not exclusively—in the law, on the one hand, and religious morality, on the other, is important because the jurisdiction of the Court extends only to public and secular morality. Thus, government action, including its proscription of immorality as expressed in criminal law like concubinage, must have a secular purpose.

[A]ny judicial pronouncement that an activity constitutes "disgraceful and immoral" behavior under the contemplation of the Civil Service law must satisfy the test that such conduct is regulated on account of the concerns of public and secular morality. Such judicial declarations cannot be mere effectuations of personal bias, notably those colored by particular religious mores. Nor would the demand be satisfied by the haphazard invocation of "cultural" values, without a convincing demonstration that these cultural biases have since been recognized and given accord within the realm of public policy. The Constitution and the statutes of the land would serve as especially authoritative sources of recognition, since they are irrefutable as to what the public policy is. At the same time, the constitutional protections afforded under the Bill of Rights should be observed, to the extent that they protect behavior that may be frowned upon by the majority.

Concerned Employee v. Glenda Mayor, A.M. No. P-02-1564, 23 November 2004, 443 SCRA 448 (emphasis supplied, citations omitted)

On Noynoy Aquino's First Online Press Conference

Noynoy Aquino held this morning what he said was his first ever online press conference - by online meaning he was at his Times Street home, we were in a conference room in Makati, and the twain met eye to eye in real time, through (wait for it...) “the magic of the internet”. This chance for direct interaction with the Senator was offered as the opening quarter for what essentially was a conference call between Noynoy's team and some members of the media (including Howie Severino, Carmela Fonbuena, and Ellen Tordesillas), staged to preview the Aquino campaign's cyberspace strategy this forthcoming elections. Not being a media professional, I was quite surprised to be there (through the good graces of Gang Badoy and RockEd Radio, I'm a part of its Rethink Media Source group). It was my first ever event of this sort, my first ever opportunity to ask questions to a leading presidential candidate, I did have that disorienting experience of realizing mid-sentence that the words I had just uttered made no grammatical sense. But I was less nervous than I should have been, thanks to having learned just before the conference started of the Phoenix Suns' come-from-behind victory over the Sixers. (81-1 baby!)

So the event was divided into two neat halves – Noynoy's mini-press conference (about 15 minutes long), and the preview of the Aquino campaign's online strategy. Those who have adapted the mantra of “platform, platform!” will be more interested in the first half than the second, but let's not give short shrift to the latter. Played out properly, an innovative effort on cyberspace by Noynoy could have the opportunity to change the dynamic of Philippine electoral politics even if his presidency ends up one like the others. In homage to 500 Days of Summer, we'll rebel against linear chronology and make the second part the first part. I'll get to his answers in a while. If you can't bear with me, scroll down.

The Internet is hardly the most pervasive medium in the Philippines – television is, and the Aquino camp concedes that. Still, they hints at staging the first Philippine cyberspace political campaign “that is reality-based”. The resource speaker the Aquino campaign sought for the conference, Donald Lim (CEO of Yehey), observed that the Internet presence preferred thus far by local political candidates has been passive – using the Internet as just another media platform for advertisement. The promise was offered for a more interactive campaign, one where voters had the opportunity to mix with the candidate and her/his team. There were predictable repeat allusions to the Obama campaign, and the level of online engagement utilized by the Democrats in 2008 with their supporters. It is clear that the Aquino camp is looking intensely at the Obama online model for co option to a Philippine setting. (It remains to be seen though whether Noynoy intends to raise funds online as Obama did.) The campaign has in fact launched a website that facilitates online donations by Filipino citizens "to support volunteers of Noynoy Aquino".

The promise of an interactive campaign also holds out the promise of an interactive presidency, one where a citizen need only type away on the computer to directly submit grievances to the President and her/his subordinates and expect a prompt response, one where the inner workings of government are demystified online so as to allow for greater interrelation between the leader and the led. Greater interaction leads to greater accountability, avoids the prospect of a President locked up in an ivory tower, and minimizes that psychologically destructive tendency to mistrust our leaders. Any netizen may attest to the level of vitriol in political debate engaged online, with its the copious use of swear words strung together in unprecedented fashion. A politician will find much comfort when banished from the Internet. Yet a candidate who is willing to embrace the Internet rather than shunning it or dealing with it in token fashion will more likely be a leader who is stable enough to face the critics, a leader gracious enough to be responsive to the concerns those citizens she/he leads who did not vote for you, will never vote for you, and maybe even actively despise you. The current presidency is one which has retreated into a bubble inflated by yes men, and it is that cocooning which has secreted it from a current popular mandate. If the Noynoy campaign is able to provide a truly interactive campaign, and correspondingly, an interactive presidency, the model may well take hold to the extent that future candidates who refuse to allow for a similar dynamic will be denied the chance to lead.

The efforts so far by Noynoy's campaign for online interactivity are still in genesis. There is an ongoing design-an-avatar contest, and a wicked smart “yellow parol” meme to be launched this week that will surely go viral in the Philippines. There are of course the requisite official website, Facebook fan page, Twitter and Multiply accounts and even still space on Friendster, although these venues can only offer as much interactivity as their overseas-developed platforms can allow. Most interestingly, the Noynoy camp has engaged a videographer to follow the candidate around and promises a daily vlog ("60 Seconds With Noy"). We were previewed the first three of these vlogs (the first set is to run from today until November 27), and they were engaging enough, but not much different from the 60-second TV ads we have become accustomed to – none yet of the cinema-verite vlogs some politicians abroad have taken to.

One more interesting point on the online campaign. The relationship between online campaign activity and our pre-Internet campaign laws (which prohibit campaign activities prior to the official campaign period) remains murky. We were told that upon advise of their lawyers, the Aquino campaign will defer from online interaction with the voters from the time Noynoy files his certificate of candidacy (planned for November 27) until the start of the official campaign period on February 9, 2010. This may lead to the taking offline of the websites they have posted so far, maybe even suspending Facebook and Twitter activity. This prospect would inevitably diminish the interchange of ideas vital to a substantive election campaign, though the solution may require some legislative updating of the Omnibus Election Code. However, one intriguing question given the nature of viral activity is whether a candidate's sympathizer who is not affiliated with the campaign could be held liable for any online advocacy in support of a candidate. The 1992 Supreme Court decision in Adiong v. COMELEC, which struck down a ban on campaign stickers and decals pasted on vehicles on grounds of free speech, may be cited to bolster the cause of private citizens unaffiliated with candidates but desiring to engage in an online campaign on their own, though it is unclear whether an argument premised on that ruling will succeed.

Noynoy's answers.

The time allotted was sparse, fifteen minutes (we were told he had to attend a meeting). We were told that the Senator was to dwell on the theme of the online campaign, and nobody present was able to wildly deviate from that theme. No questions about Luisita, for example. Noynoy was asked what message he intended to convey with his recent star-studded network-diverse MTV. In response, he mentioned the need for the country to go back into the light, going back to where we should be, “ibalik ang tama”. That ad was totally alien to my own personal sensibilities, but I didn't mind it that much, knowing that I was not the target market. (After Noynoy went offline, it was mentioned that the MTV was actually a gift to Noynoy from Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda.)

Noynoy was asked on whether he was willing to utilize the Internet to provide greater transparency to his government, such as by posting online Statements of Assets and Liabilities or visitor logs to Malacanang. He replied that he was ready to consider that possibility, even work with Congress for possible remedial legislation to let that happen, but at the same time, do so within reasonable limits to avoid abuses. I sensed he had in mind partisan fishing expeditions.

Then, a question on the right-to-reply bill. Senator Aquino noted that the bill itself on its face was reasonable, that it would provide an antidote for figures victimized by unscrupulous smear campaigns. He alluded to the Holmes dictum that one didn't have the right to falsely shout “fire” in a crowded theater, and the Spidey-like truism that with rights (i.e., free speech) comes responsibilities – a notion that probably goes without saying but at the same time brings up uncomfortable allusions to Article V of the Marcos Constitution. Still, according to Senator Aquino, he recognized the concerns of the media over the right to reply bill and how it might dictate editorial policy, and said that compromise accommodating these competing concerns would be necessary. When asked whether he supported extending the coverage of the right-to-reply law to bloggers and non-journalists, the Senator reiterated his previous answer, giving me the impression that he did not believe there to be any material distinction between media professionals and other folk when it came to right-to-reply. Then, Ellen Tordesillas commented that a right-to-reply bill had already been voted upon by the Senate, and asked whether Noynoy had voted for or against the bill. Noynoy replied that he could not recall how he voted on the bill, that he would have to check the record on that. He explained that at that time, there had been numerous pressing matters being considered by the Senate, and he did not pay that much attention to right-to-reply as he thought it as “a secondary concern”.

I've written before about my utter disdain for right-to-reply, so I'll dwell on this issue now. I'm ready to give Senator Aquino the benefit of the doubt that he is unable to recall how he voted on right-to-reply. Even at my age, I tend to forget stuff for which I have little or no passion for. Yet even that possibility is distressing. I understand that right-to-reply is not an issue that puts food on the table, or even one that has resonance with the public at large. Yet the concerns surrounding it are systemic to our democratic way of life and the Constitution that safeguards it. To live under a democracy means not having to second-guess basic interpersonal activities, and talking about other people is an essential part of the primordial human dynamic. The imposition of the right-to-reply requirement, extending as it would to every person in the Philippines, inhibits not just free speech, but free interaction. Some of the complaints that have led to its proposal – i.e., smear campaigns and black propaganda – are already remedied by our laws on slander and libel, the interpretation of which has been aligned by jurisprudence to conform to constitutional standards. I understand the short-term gains, especially this campaign season, that right-to-reply would afford to political candidates, especially those under well-funded partisan coordinated attacks implemented through journalists. Still, there is no legal demand for media to remain bias-free, and even if popular demand swells for legislative implementation of a just-the-facts media culture, the Constitution is compromised.

Is Senator Aquino's views on right-to-reply a deal-breaker for me? Nope. I've conceded that throughout my life, there will be candidates I vote for who hold some views with which I may not agree and I'll live with that since I have no passion or intention for running for office myself. In the case of Noynoy, it matters to me that his political immersion came during the time of totalitarian rule and the democratic corrective that followed – on the right side both times. His instincts, I trust, remain on the side of democratic rights, and his views on right-to-reply may well be a sop to active realities that have impeded him and his political associates. The candidate whom I sort of spoke with today is a comforting presence, now blessed with an easy fluency shorn of the overly-rehearsed cadence that died with William Jennings Bryan. Without need of stagecraft or slogans, I can see him easing into a paternal presence which the Filipino people can favorably respond to. This sort of easy-to-have-a-beer-with dynamic can be dismissed as mere optics, yet interpersonal comfort is integral in building trust. And after the last two administrations, I long for a President I can like and can trust in knowing that she/he will prioritize the national welfare over personal gain.

I still haven't decided whom I'll vote for, even as I'll admit that as of now, my gut is slowly being conditioned into assuming that Noynoy Aquino will be our next President and that I don't mind that prospect. What happened today did not change my basic philosophical attitudes towards the Senator, save for that natural goodwill that occurs after having some pleasant interaction with a person whom you had previously encountered only by reputation. I still want him tested by the crucible of the forthcoming political campaign – facing not evading the critics and enemies, dealing with whatever crisis that may arise. That way, we will get a better sense of how he might govern us and from there, make a more informed choice. Greater interactivity offers a clearer lens into the mind and motives of our prospective leaders, and I am pleased that based on today, the Aquino campaign is ready to provide us with that chance.

Bonus materials: here's Senator Aquino's first vlog, and it is quite appealing.

Plugging Lang: 2009 UP Law Grand Alumni Homecoming

Quoting verbatim from the message I received:

The Silver Jubilarian Class of 1984 is inviting fellow alumni to the 2009 U.P. Law Grand Alumni Homecoming to be held on Thursday, 19 November 2009, at the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Ayala Center, Makati City. Registration will start at 6:00 p.m.

Class 84 is exerting every effort to make this a truly memorable evening of warmth and laughter. There will be an exhibit of paintings of U.P. Law alumni by Atty. Antonio “Tony” M. Meer, U.P. Law Class 1950 (cum laude) and Chairman Emeritus of the U.P. Law Alumni Association, Inc. In addition, Class 84 is also publishing a commemorative book, to be named “Malcolm”, which will be distributed at the Alumni Homecoming.

The evening’s guest of honor will be our beloved Professor Araceli T. Baviera. Dean Marvic M.V.F. Leonen will officially launch the run-up to the Centennial Celebration of the U.P. College of Law in 2011. He will briefly present to the U.P. Law Alumni the Centennial Projects which are now in the pipe line. The master of ceremonies will be the very talented Mr. Willie Nepomuceno.

The short program will also feature the Golden Jubilarian Class of 1959, followed by music and dancing with the Spirit of ’67 and the Brass Munkeys.

Tickets cost PHP 2,000, inclusive of dinner and entertainment, and can be purchased from the Dean’s Office at the UP College of Law.

Could COMELEC Officials Be Jailed 1-6 Years For Not Extending Voter Registration Beyond October 31?

Voter registration in the Philippines end tomorrow, 31 October, despite complaints that not all eligible voters desiring to be registered have accomplished the process. The suggestion has been raised that ending the registration period on 31 October, or 181 days before the 10 May 2010 elections, is illegal.

The Voter Registration Act of 1996 (Republic Act 8189) governs voter registration in the Philippines, and Section 8 establishes the period for such registration. I'll quote the provision in full.

Section 8. System of Continuing Registration of Voters. The personal filing of application of registration of voters shall be conducted daily in the office of the Election Officer during regular office hours. No registration shall, however, be conducted during the period starting one hundred twenty (120) days before a regular election and ninety (90) days before a special election.

The explicit provision of law provides for a general rule -- the daily filing of applications for registration during regular office hours; and the exception -- no registration starting 120 days before a regular election, or around 20 December 2009 with respect to the 2010 elections. It thus appears that prohibiting a would-be voter from filing an application for registration before 20 December 2009 violates the Voter's Registration Act.

Lawyers are familiar that agencies tasked with implementing the law, especially the COMELEC with respect to election laws, are accorded discretion and leeway and performing their functions. I'm quite sure COMELEC has a justification for suspending voter registration after 31 October, and its reasons may actually be sensible. However, there is a particular hitch regarding the Voter's Registration Act.

Section 45 of the Voter's Registration Act enumerates what consists of election offenses, which under Section 46, is punishable with a 1 year minimum prison sentence (6 years being the maximum). Section 45(j) is of particular interest:

Section 45. Election Offenses. - The following shall be considered election offenses under this Act: xxx

j) Violation of the provisions of this Act.

Yup, the violation of any provision of the Voter's Registration Act, including Section 8 on the voter registration period, is considered an election offense, punishable by a prison term. The definitive Supreme Court ruling interpreting this provision, Romualdez v. COMELEC (decided by a 9-6 vote in 2008), tends to support that view, even in the face of the argument that not every provision of the Voter's Registration Act can be deemed the source of an election offense. The majority opinion had this, among others, to say:

As structured, Section 45 of Republic Act No. 8189 makes a recital of election offenses under the same Act. Section 45(j) is, without doubt, crystal in its specification that a violation of any of the provisions of Republic Act No. 8189 is an election offense. The language of Section 45(j) is precise. The challenged provision renders itself to no other interpretation. A reading of the challenged provision involves no guesswork. We do not see herein an uncertainty that makes the same vague. (emphasis supplied)

A major caveat. The Romualdez case involved the violation of different provisions (Sections 10[g] & [j]) of the Voter's Registration Act, and not Section 8. If violating Section 8 of the Voter's Registration Act is ultimately found to indeed be an election offense, then so could the more innocuous provisions of the act, including the routine acts performed by those registering to vote, a prospect that could very well be exploited to no good by political campaigns. If you are to read the Romualdez case, might as well read the two dissenting opinions here and here, as well as this UST law journal article (PDF) on the constitutional issue surrounding that case.

How to Compensate for Donor Fatigue (in Pepeng relief)

The aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy ("Ketsana") saw an extraordinary demonstration of the charitable spirit of Pinoys around the world. Few hesitated to dole out donations in cash or kind, many others sacrificed time off their school or professional lives to volunteer in relief centers. The sort of exhibition that evokes genuine pride in what we can accomplish as a society. However, just as life was seemingly settling back to normal, the dire news started to trickle down from Northern Luzon. Typhoon Pepeng ("Parma"), which had frazzled Metro Manila into a state of mild panic last October 2 before veering north, had apparently left a toll more severe and comprehensive than Ondoy. Even more homes were damaged, more families forced to resettle in evacuation centers, more people were killed.

From my Metro Manila vantage point, it is clear that the groundswell of charity that built up post-Ondoy has yet to emerge to support the victims of Pepeng. Some have opined on various social media that this is proof of the Manila-centric nature of the metropolis's residents, but I think that donor fatigue is a more significant problem. Hesitate as we may to admit so publicly, many of those who have given time, money and possessions after Ondoy would instinctively not be as ready, when asked, to share a comparable load just one week later for the victims of Ondoy. I've already donated all I could spare; I've already earned enough karmic badges. For the overwhelming majority of Filipinos who do not aspire to sainthood, there are limits to the extent of self that can be shared for others, and those extant limits may have been already extended after Ondoy. That is not an endemic flaw of the Filipino as a people, but merely part and parcel of human nature.

Those facts, of course, are of cold comfort to the victims of Pepeng, who need aid and assistance more than ever. I think that to satisfy the needs of the victims of Pepeng that can be supplied by charity, more subtle and indirect means to raise funds for them should be devised.On the premise that people now may be resistant to give as much for Pepeng when directly implored, the solution may be to raise these funds without directly soliciting them from individuals. For this to work, the aid of institutions is of essence.

Take for example the Catholic Church, which on ordinary Sunday masses collects millions from parishioners around the country through the collection plate. Efforts by the Church to raise collections specifically oriented to the victims of Pepeng may be impeded by the sort of resistance I spoke of earlier. However, if the Church, without announcing it so, simply allocates one Sunday's worth of its regular mass collection plate receipts to the victims of Pepeng, the infusion of perhaps millions for Pepeng relief will be of enormous aid. I really don't see any reason why the Church cannot forego of that one Sunday's worth of collections to aid the less fortunate at the time of their direst need.

Corporations can help in similar fashion. Already, Krispy Kreme has a promo pledging all sales of original glazed donuts for Sunday, October 11, for Typhoon Ondoy relief. What if San Miguel, donates all October 15 sales of Pale Pilsen for Pepeng victims. San Miguel could, as Krispy Kreme did, announce such fact beforehand or simply just make the donation with minimum fuss. Other corporations and institutions should consider making a similar sacrifice. And the government should do its best to ease the way. For example, Senator Santiago's proposal to lift the donor's tax limits for typhoon relief? Pass it, ASAP.

At this point, when individual limits may just be taxed, it will have to be the institutions which will have to fill in the gap. Nonetheless, if you feel that you can still help out more, check out Bayanihan Online, which collates the latest updates in Typhoon Pepeng relief.

The Urgent Need for an Online List of Evacuees from Typhoon Ondoy

UPDATE: Just got an email reply from NDCC. I understand their predicament, but hope come next time something could be done.

"good afternoon attorney, we are more than thankful for your offer but unfortunately, due to the scale and sheer difficulty of consolidating these lists will take significant effort to acquire. Rest assured that your offer will be considered should we have this list already in place. We hope you understand. Again, thank you for volunteering, and we wish you well especially in this moment."

OP: Two days after Ondoy ("Ketsana") struck us, and many many Filipinos remain worried about loved ones & friends in affected areas who have yet to surface or make contact. The radio & TV stations, the Facebook updates and the Twitter feeds are full of requests for news about this individual or that family. There are several reasons for the loss of contact. The popular cellphone service providers have had spotty reception because of flood damage to their reception. Many of the rescued individuals have lost their own cellphones and are now in evacuation centers where they are unable to make known their safety.

The NDCC is in charge of coordinating rescue & safety operations in times of disaster, and ostensibly has a supervisory role over evacuation centers. It is very conceivable for them to have a plan to collate the list of those successfully evacuated or rescued, and publish such list online for the perusal of relatives and friends unaware of their loved one's plight. It is conceivable that NDCC personnel at evacuation centers gather the names of those in the evacuation centers, type them up on laptops at the site, then forward the list to a central post which can then upload them at the NDCC website.

I'll concede this is easier said than done. Unfortunately, it appears that the NDCC had, and has no plans of doing this public service so needed by us. A friend of mine was able to contact the NDCC at 9122665, and she was told that the NDCC does not have a list of evacuees, only a list of affected areas. The call had been made in the hope that the NDCC would supply the list to private individuals who could help out by encoding and posting such list online. Without such a list, that task is impossible.

I have no idea if it is too late to still implement such a plan, but at the very least, this experience should enlighten the NDCC to establish such a system come the next disaster.

This entire experience has made it quite easy to wail and rage about the failure of government, and the absence of an NDCC list of evacuees compounds to the anger. Still, for as long as help remains needed, it remains more helpful to try make government work, instead of carping at its failings. And if the government that is within reach of fixing is that "of the sovereign people", and not necessarily that which we elected, then so be it.

New Storm/Flood Warning For Philippines This Week

It is reported that 2 more tropical depressions are feared to hit the Philippines this week. Via Facebook, I came across this Note written by Inday Espina-Varona, relaying a message from Yvette Lee. Due to the urgency of the warning, I'm reposting the Note in its entirety (with apologies) so that the proper caution and preparation can be had by as many people as possible.

Yvette Lee, a veteran diver, and the friend I rely on for weather forecasts, has never been wrong yet about which way the wind blows (or how much rain will fall). Many times, she has told me to disregard Pag-asa because various other satellites, including those used by the US military, are showing different storm tracks. On Friday, she said winds would be light but waters very heavy and to prepare for serious floods.

Tonight, with some urgency, she asked me to contact Gibo, if I could. I've texted her message en toto to a defense reporter, but am posting it here anyway in the hope someone who does know Gibo or the AFP Chief or some such top gun can relay it. They may know what Yvette knows already but she is worried due to the absence of clear-cut warnings on TV and radio news. She would post here but has no Internet access at the moment. I'm tagging as many people I know that cover Crame and Aguinaldo (or who are there, thus the soldiers). Perhaps, other media people can check with their own sources and issue warnings that people can heed.

Here's her message:

IF YOU HAVE CONTACT NUMBER OF GIBO YOU BETTER LET HIM KNOW TO EXPECT RAINS AGAIN BEGINNING TOMORROW. BAKA KALA NILA WALA NA TYPHOON WALA NANG RAIN. THE WEATHER SATELLITES SHOW RAIN COMING IN FROM THE EAST FOR 2 DAYS AT LEAST.

THEY SHOULD ASK THE PEOPLE WHO WERE STANDING ON ROOFS AND WHO WENT BACK INSIDE, TO LEAVE TILL WATER GOES DOWN TO NORMAL BECAUSE THE WATER WILL RISE VERY FAST AGAIN WHEN IT STARTS RAINING...

Let's hope if the worst does come, we are utterly prepared.

On Assisting Philippine Victims of Tropical Storm Ketsana ("Ondoy")

UPDATE #2: More info on how you can help from The Pinoy Chuva, with specifics on the particular needs of the victims & evacuees.

UPDATE: Useful info from ABS-CBN, including updates & advisories from telcos, airlines and the like.

It has been one day since Ketsana (better known in the Philippines as "Ondoy") swept across Luzon, causing the highest amount of rainfall in recorded Philippine history. The situation in congested Metro Manila & neighboring provinces remains dire, due to the number of people, perhaps thousands, who, 24 hours hence, have remained stranded on their rooftops, at risk to exposure and hypothermia. The fact that the gravity of this storm was unexpected, and unprecedented, has further hampered speedy and efficient rescue and relief operations whether by the public or private sector. There'll be a time for a post-mortem on how the public services sector performed in this once-in-a-lifetime crisis, but for as long as there remain lives to be saved, the flagellation can wait.

The Internet, particularly social networking has been able to communicate various urgent situations and means by which people can help the victims. Sour Politics best compilation out there of the list of emergency contact numbers; as well as sites where relief goods can be delivered & volunteers can register. A Google Spreadsheet has likewise been created listing places where relief goods may be dropped off; it is constantly updated. Check them out for now, I'll post additional info if necessary.

One of course should be cautious in identifying the proper conduit for donating relief goods, especially if donating cash. The surest bet is through The Philippine Red Cross. They have offered the following bank accounts through which cash donations may be made:

Account Name: The Phil. Nat’l. Red Cross

METROBANK

Port Area Branch

Peso Acct.: 151-3-041-63122-8

Dollar Acct.: 151-2-151-00218-2

Type of Acct. : SAVINGS

Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS

Port Area Branch

Peso Acct.: 4991-0010-99

Type of Account: CURRENT

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS

UN Branch

Dollar Acct.: 8114-0030-94

Type of Account: SAVINGS

Swift Code: BOPI PH MM

For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank

transaction slip at nos. +63.2.527.0575 or +63.2.404.0979 with your

name, address and contact number.

Credit Card

Please fax the following info to +632.404.09.79 and +632.527.0575:

Name of card member, billing address, contact nos. (phone &

mobile), credit card no., expiration date, CCV2/ CVC2 (last three

digits at the back of the credit card), billing address, amount to be

donated.

For more details, visit www.redcross.org.ph .

Per Section 34(H) of the National Internal Revenue Code, charitable contributions made by Philippine corporations or self-employed Filipino taxpayers to the Philippine Red Cross (a government agency) are tax deductible as long as the total annual contributions do not exceed 10% (for individuals) or 5% (for corporations) of the annual net income. Self-employed individuals who avail of this deduction should not however avail of the standard 10% optional standard deduction under Section 34(L) that many taxpayers usually opt for.

Some American celebrities such as Yoko Ono and Alyssa Milano have tweeted that donations can be coursed through the American Red Cross. However, per HappySlip, the American Red Cross does not have a dedicated fund for Ketsana/Undoy victims, so any donations coursed through them will be spread out to other causes as well. You can instead donate directly through the Philippine Red Cross here (click "Others"), or by directly depositing to the bank accounts referred to earlier.

Twitter is perhaps the best place to receive wire-service like updates from the Philippines (I've been tweeting furiously myself). You can follow, among others, ABS-CBN News, GMA News, and popular blogger Manolo Quezon.

Alexis Tioseco

The reason why film critics should matter? By virtue of their vocation, they get to watch more films than the regular moviegoer or the amateur film buff. Good, bad or harmless films. Films emanating from different eras, different genres, different languages and heritages. For that reason, they are better equipped to place an individual movie within the appropriate context in the film universe. They may be less inclined to praise a particular film that may be popular to regular moviegoers because their critical faculties have been shaped by the many good films that they have seen, and we have never heard of. From their wider exposure, they are able to share with us insights from film traditions and cultures far richer than what can be offered by our Transformers-in-every-cinema multiplexes. Inasmuch as schoolteachers had enlightened us that there was a world out there beyond immediate sensory perception, film critics alert us of a cinema beyond that promoted by the popular media machine. And so long as humans remain responsive to the curiosity reflex that drove much of cultural and technological progress, the critic -- especially the one who introduces us to the extra step -- will matter.

I never had the privilege of meeting Alexis Tioseco, though we had shared print space on UNO and had common friends. But from reading his work, it is easy to glean why he had won the respect, loyalty and love of his friends, colleagues and students. He was passionate about the Philippines and desired a better local cinema, and to that end he was unwilling to kowtow to the film industry and its interpersonal politics. He made his views known directly, and with such bluntness one could not help but listen. The most effective writers and advocates are those who know how to go for the jugular, and he deflated many egos and platitudes with the aim of developing a more sensible and liberating atmosphere where good Philippine cinema could breed. One can try disagree with his criticisms of particular films or decry the obscurity of some of the movies he rooted for, but he exuded much integrity and knowledge of film that you could trust that his views were well worth considering.

Someday, there will be a published anthology of the works of Alexis Tioseco, and you should go buy that. Yet there is already a wealth of material now available on the Internet, beginning with his now-widely circulated piece in Rogue Magazine, The Letter I Would Love To Read To You In Person, a highly accessible and passionately eloquent love letter/mission-vision statement which should be taught in any kind of writing class. Do check out his blog, Concentrated Nonsense, and the erudite website on Southeast Asian cinema, Criticine, which he had helped established. Two of Alexis's previous articles - one on Roxlee and a review of When Timawa Met Delgado. And there have been a host of tributes posted online to Alexis and Nika Bohinc -- among others, see those of Noel Vera, Oggs Cruz, Quark Henares, Philbert Ortiz Dy, Patricia Evangelista, Gabe Klinger and Jonathan Rosenbaum.

Philippine Free Press 101st Anniversary Edition

I got my copy at Caltex-Julia Vargas, also available at 7/11 and National Bookstores, or you can call 844-2316, 844-2251, 844-2275, 0919-583-8487 for orders.

From Erwin Romulo:

A Hundred and One

The FREE PRESS celebrates its 101st anniversary in this issue. We also take this occasion to pay tribute to the late President Corazon Aquino. Cory!—the private woman who was thrust out of her domesticity to the arena of politics, the prison cells of the Marcos regime, the parliament of the streets, the leadership of the Philippines and the world stage. Manuel L. Quezon III’s “Filipino of the Century” is an inspired retelling of this now-legendary story—one that resonates even amid the flamboyance and machismo prevailing in our culture, as the late FREE PRESS editor Teodoro M. Locsin pointed out in his eloquent editorial on Mrs. Aquino. The highlight of Mrs. Aquino’s international acclaim is, of course, her triumphant 1986 address to the US Congress, which we reprint here.

A tribute to Mrs. Aquino also serves as a tribute to her martyred husband, Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., whose association with the FREE PRESS is underscored by Locsin being thrown in jail together with Aquino (and nine other critics of the Marcos regime) in 1972. Teodoro L. Locsin Jr.’s interviews with Aquino are fascinating chamber pieces that hint at Marcos’s impending dictatorship. Another cellmate of Aquino and Locsin Sr. is the brilliant political analyst Napoleon G. Rama, whose article on martial law has unfortunately become more relevant in our time. With the articles by Rama and Locsin Jr., we also reprint the classic political cartoons of former FREE PRESS art director E. Z. Izon.

Former FREE PRESS executive editor Gregorio C. Brillantes wields his lyrical journalism as he takes a retrospective look at Rolando Galman, the much-overlooked casualty in Aquino’s assassination in 1983. We also look back to the body of work of the FREE PRESS and some of the writers who helped shape it. “The Ruling Money,” by the late associate editor Nick Joaquin (writing as Quijano de Manila), is an exhaustive business story as only he could write it—and a departure from his reporting on politics, history and pop culture. Kerima Polotan’s “The Woman of Fashion” is a quiet critique on the thriving bourgeois scene of the Sixties and its devotees at the time. Then there’s the other side of that milieu, lauded by Jose F. Lacaba’s now immortal “Notes on Bakya,” an inventive variation on Susan Sontag that counsels against elitism in art and culture. Finally, here too is Aquino’s soul-searching poetry, written during his eight years in prison. The themes are familiar to victims of political persecution like Lacaba, Locsin, Rama and this magazine, which was padlocked on the eve of martial law and revived in time for Cory’s historic presidential campaign."

You can view several classic Free Press articles (including those over sixty years old) reposted here.

The Underrated Genius of Carlo J. Caparas

Carlo J. Caparas was the director who showed us a bustling Ayala Avenue (complete with Rustans and Twin Towers) and superimposed the title “Singapore” underneath. (Victim No. 1: Delia Maga [Jesus, Pray for Us]). Yes, the National Artist for Visual Arts and Film introduced massacre as a film genre, raised the bar for movie titling with The Maggie de la Riva Story (God...Why Me?), and gave us Tasya Fantasya. Mock you will, as I did when I used to watch his films to satiate my urge for cheap laughs.

Nonetheless, my favorite ever scene from a Carlo J. Caparas film is a daring bravura setpiece of intense psychological complexity hitherto unseen in Philippine cinema – rivaling the exquisite sophistication of Ophuls or the tolerant humanism of Renoir. It was gifted to us through The Marita Gonzaga Rape-Slay: In God We Trust!, a deceptive “massacre movie” starring Sunshine Dizon and future Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

The setup. The film begins with the ill-fated Marita Gonzaga (Sunshine Dizon) celebrating her 18th birthday with a decadent debut, complete with gowns and waltzing, which somehow fails to faze the saintly Sunshine. After the ceremonies, Marita, her father (Tommy Abuel), mother (Maggie de la Riva) and several older brothers take respite at the sala, where the center table hosts all of the debutante's birthday presents gift-wrapped in pink and laces. After a few pleasantries, the scene evolves into something like this:

Abuel: O hija, buksan mo na yung napaka-raming regalo ko.

Sunshine: (smiling demurely) Salamat itay, pero sa wari'y ko hindi ako nararapat tanggapin ang mga regalong iyan. (turning to her several elder brothers) Oh mga kuya, sa inyo na lang ang mga regalo ko.

Mga Kuya: Uy, tenk you!!

(The kuyas charge at the table and each grabs a gift for their own. Sunshine and her parents exchange meaningful looks and exchange hearty laughter.)

Years ago, I laughed at the seeming idiocy of this scene. Yet upon mature retrospect, the genius of the visionary overwhelms. One would expect the brothers to be repulsed by the thought of appropriating the presents gifted to their sister on their eighteenth birthday. A hack director would have played the scene that way. What the auteur Caparas does is to confound our gender-driven expectations, compelling us to question our tacit acceptance of the male-female role vis-a-vis birthday gifts which conservative society had imposed on us. And there is no more vital role for an artist than to challenge our own values system.

There is another way to analyze the scene, one which even more profoundly impresses. It is possible that the brothers themselves knew that the gift boxes actually contained gender-neutral presents. After all, Caparas cannily conceals from the audience what's inside the box. How do the brothers know this? Perhaps their parents had raised the brood under the tenets of progressive liberalism, instructing their kids on the ultimate futility of gender differentiation. The friends and the family would have known this, and accordingly selected only those gifts of democratic utility regardless of gender. That is why the brothers expressed no inhibition at claiming the gifts of their sister. By this episode, Caparas venerates the democratic utopia, thereby setting up the subsequent greater tragedy that a progressive and tolerant milieu will not shelter us from the random evil inflicted by the rugby-addicted killer-rapist. It is a cautionary tale not even Hitchcock ventured to tell.

One might retort that no, the scene was just really really stupid. Then again, someone centuries ago probably also said that of Shakespeare.

For Those Calling for the Canonization into Sainthood of Corazon Aquino

You might want to take a look at this account from former Vatican Ambassador (and Cory Aquino in-law) Howard Dee, as published in Cory: An Intimate Portrait (2009, ed. by Margie Penson-Juico):

With the special permission given by the Vatican, President Cory was finally face-to-face with Sister Lucia [of Fatima renown], who told her: "I have been praying for you all this time! Do you still have the rosary I sent you?"

It was the rosary Sister Lucia herself had made for her and given through Cardinal [Jaime] Sin, who had asked how she came to know about Cory, without radio or television or nespapers in the convent: Was it through the Blessed Mother? Lucia just smiled. (p. 179-180)

I myself am neutral on the matter, though many (around 3,000 so far) are not. If anything, the angle that interests me is that the active pursuit by the Vatican of sainthood for Cory may, in the next few years at least, bear extraordinary pressure on the governing establishment in the Philippines to behave, not to degrade the democratic legacy left by the former President.

The Game-Changer

I've always wondered what path Ninoy Aquino would have chosen had he been the one who succeeded Ferdinand Marcos and his authoritarian regime. He spoke admiringly of autocrats such as Kemal Ataturk, Lee Kuan Yew and Park Chung Hee. He famously pitied whoever would have to succeed Marcos. Steeped as he had been in the hard-nosed game of politics, he probably would have concluded that it would take a Marcos to clean up after Marcos. A strong president unencumbered in having to do the dirty deeds by the restraints of law or the dissents of others.

In that context, the 1986 Freedom Constitution is worth a second look. This provisional charter, intended to legitimize Corazon Aquino's assumption into power, emanated from a mandate of arms and was ratified with the consent of only one person -- Cory Aquino. It did retain many of the features of Marcos's authoritarian regime -- legislation by decree most prominently, and its pre-determined lifespan (until the ratification of the new Constitution) was dangerously indeterminate. Again, these undemocratic features arguably necessary to clean up after Marcos. Yet what is also striking is the abject commitment of Mrs. Aquino through the Freedom Constitution to adhere to the Bill of Rights -- the core of a free and democratic lifestyle -- which the charter decreed as remaining in effect. The Bill of Rights are notoriously inconvenient for strong presidencies, even those which are strong only out of necessity. The post-EDSA milieu could have easily tempted Aquino to do unto others what had been done unto her. Jailing recalcitrant opponents and rebels upon presidential command, silencing the remnants who spoke against the restoration of freedom -- these were easy temptations that could have been justified in the name of democratic rule and good government. Mrs. Aquino desisted.

What may ultimately endure as the more satisfying legacy is not Mrs. Aquino's pro-activity in assuming leadership in the anti-Marcos fight, but her acts of desistance. Having restored the basic democratic institutions, she desisted from reverting, from changing this equitable paradigm of governance even in the face of dire emergencies -- seven coup attempts, massive natural disasters, a failing economy and a crippling power crisis. She had insistent faith in the solvency of the democratic institutions embedded in the 1987 Constitution in fighting adversities that threatened the survival of the State. Mrs. Aquino likewise deserves credit for desisting from running again or even engaging in striptease hints that maybe she would if she could. In the end, the peaceful and democratic transition in 1992 remains an all-too unheralded achievement.

Mrs. Aquino deserves her share of the blame in the failed promise of her Presidency, most achingly the failure to deliver justice for the past as a component of the return of democratic rule. By 1992, it was socially unacceptable to be anything less than faintly derisive about the Aquino presidency and its failure to deliver a higher quality of life to the people. Yet in many respects, Mrs. Aquino sacrificed the short-term success of her administration to accommodate the birthing pains of our renewed democratic institutions -- a restrained presidency, a representative Congress, an independent judiciary, and a people who inalienable rights were guaranteed by the rule of law. We may still be quibbling about the same socio-economic problems that persisted under Mrs. Aquino's rule, but we do so still in an environment able to sustain active deliberation and dissent as the means of building consensus for moving forward, where the terms are not suppressed by dictation from self-regarding geniuses.

Mrs. Aquino's democratic vision was rooted in her respect for the consent of the governed over the presumed wisdom of the governing. We may remain impatient at the intricacies of building a grassroots democracy for some generations to come, but should it survive, her failures which we find all too easy to point out will ultimately be trivial.

Goliath is Dead, Or Wins (Worst Front Page Ever)

Apparently, Michael Jackson is Goliath, and he will win, says the Palace. And when that happens, the world will mourn like it mourned Kennedy. A prediction from Nostradamus? Just another atrocious PDI front page, though this one is the stuff of legends.

Australian TV News Falsely Reports Death of Jeff Goldblum

Australian TV news falls for the "Jeff Goldblum is dead" hoax.

How I Prefer to Remember Michael Jackson