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	<title>My Juan OFW Blog</title>
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	<pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:46:57 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>WHERE WILL GMA BE AFTER HER TERM OF OFFICE?</title>
		<link>http://myjuanofw.blog.com/2008/08/19/where-will-gma-be-after-her-term-of-office/</link>
		<comments>http://myjuanofw.blog.com/2008/08/19/where-will-gma-be-after-her-term-of-office/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:46:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TitoSim</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">This subject is a conjecture and a jocular speculation based on the events that had been widely read or watched on TV's by Filipinos, OFW's and foreigners. This is one of those long Filipino jokes about their government officials.</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">There maybe some intellectuals or street smart Filipinos out there that are asking themselves that question considering the state of affairs in the Philippines where the president has not only have the lowest rating among its past leaders but with a record breaker of the lowest minus rating. Minus ratings only happens in the Philippines folks.</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">From now until the end of GMA's term, serious issues may still be raised by Filipinos, OFW's, and foreign investors on the stability of the country. With more bad publicities and political uncertainties looming above her head, it is probably about time to think about where she might stay once she is stripped of power. Marcos stayed in Hawaii until he passed away, Estrada was imprisoned but was pardoned by GMA – bad decision which could affect her conscience and her health later. If she finishes her term, she could just walk away and maybe deal with some legal issues during her term later. She could probably enjoy her stay in the Philippines under tight security. If she materializes major issues to stay in power and extends her term, like her push for cha-cha and Federalism, she maybe forced to leave against her will. Whichever way she gets out of power, the question is still outstanding, where will she go after her term of office?</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">If you ask everyone from the street the above question, I bet my quarter that majority will say that she will go abroad the first chance she have. Live in another country where she could find political asylum. One country that is famous for that is the Netherlands. Well, of course she will ultimately meet face to face the father of the NPA's. Maybe they could exchange notes and figure out how the next administration could be thrown out of power - legally.</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">The United States is a beautiful country and I bet that she has a lot of political friends in high places in Washington. But the US has an extradition treaty with the Philippines so it will be a mess to stay in the US for good. Lawyer's fees to defend extradition and to seek political asylum in the States is very expensive. It may amount to millions of dollars. Let us say that the cost of winning her asylum amounted to ten million dollars and she paid it in full plus a million a year for her subsistence. Where did she gets the money to pay her lawyers and her subsistence in the States until the case is over, let's say in about 5 years? I'm sure that she will not stay in the Ghetto, and without body guards. It should be some dwelling fit for a president. But it is unlikely that she will be extradited because of those petty lawsuits filed by the Filipino people. If so, the question in my mind is why would Uncle Sam intervene in probable and demonstrable legal issues of a sovereign country against its citizen? It is obvious. GMA has been friend with the US during her administration and the US has a lot of investments in the Philippines. If shielding GMA from the Philippine laws serves the interest of the US, Uncle Sam will perform some legal magic to protect her. Although I am not one hundred percent sure of that, there is big possibility that it may happen. Well, maybe when the dust settles down, she maybe in ill health because of stress, and will surely spend a lot of money staying alive. How about her hubby? Poor guy. I don't want to be in his shoes. She maybe at the peak of her menopause and that could make her very pesky. Where in the US could she possibly stay? There are very little Pampamguenos in San Francisco, which is amusingly viewed by some LA Pinoys as an Ilocano Ghetto, so she may not decide to stay there. Maybe in Las Vegas? Possibly, in Wynn's Casino in a $10,000 a night suite. Aren't the First Gentleman staying there during Manny's fights?</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">One other country that will likely grant GMA political asylum is China. The big brother. The partner in the back door transactions. Cool and accommodating. That's what she thinks but not everyone including Uncle Sam. China will only give if she could have a hundred fold return on investment. It is obvious. Look at the goods that are sold on this planet. Eight out of ten are made in China. And look at the price. They are sometimes outrageous. Would you buy a cheap fifteen dollar shirt made in China and sold at Walmart knowing that it only cost the Chinese to manufacture it for one dollar? But you have to. It has a Polo label. It is a prestigious label. Did you say that the first gentleman wears Polo shirts? Considering that China has no extradition treaty with the Philippines, it is unlikely that she will be extradited even if there are hard evidence of irregularities in her administration pointing towards her direction. Tough luck. The next administration might as well forget them and move on. Unless the next administration is very friendly with Uncle Sam, and Uncle Sam is fully convinced that the legal issues are for its national interest, Uncle Sam might do some arm twisting on China at the United Nations. Then there may be a possibility of her extradition. It will also take some time before it happens. The next administration should be hopeful that if the legal issues against her is of no avail, the Chinese foods might do it for them by increasing the cholesterol level in her blood and somehow succumb her either to angina, stroke, or just plain plumbing block. Another issue to consider is that China knows how much investments they put on her administration at the back door during her time and they may want them back. If so, she may be in big shit if she cannot come up with the money. Are you sure she 's got enough blood money to pay her dues?</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">One of her big supporter is Saudi Arabia. It will gladly cradle her in the kingdom and protect her from any country that will put a finger on her. The Saudis have oil power that even the US is hesitant to confront. To alleviate her misery and as a gesture of gratitude to her host, maybe conversion to Islam is very convenient. A slap in the face of the Catholic Church – good for them because they have a lot of idiot priests. Then she's got supporters in the MILF and some fanatic Muslim organization. She could probably return someday to the Philippines under the Islamic banner. She is no longer covered by the Philippine law. She is a Muslim and only the Koran prevails. A Saudi Arabian citizen by religious rite and backed by the powerful crude that fuel the economy of the Philippines. The Philippine politicians will bow their heads on her feet to get more oil. She will support the cause of her brothers in Mindanao in seceding the Southern Islands from the Republic. She will be the all powerful adviser of the Saudi King in the affairs of Southeast Asia. She can summon forces from different Muslim Asian countries to cause instability in a country if her wish does not materialize. She will ultimately prevail because she knows a lot of State secrets that could be used against the administration. What will the Philippine government do if that happen? Cry to Uncle Sam for help? Are you kidding? The US will only assist if it is for its national interests and not on mercy.</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">The above are just fictional scenarios so extreme that it could only be considered concocted under the influence of San Miguel – quatro cantos, the good stuff. Come on guys, laugh if you will at your heart's content or think deeply. It is common knowledge that Filipinos make jokes about their high ranking government officials and most of them are so extreme and demeaning. How many hundred Erap jokes have been circulated in emails since he was elected–deposed–and- pardoned? Hundreds of them. They were funny but demeaning and the Filipinos are enjoying reading them and passing them on to their friends and relatives. Well, I assume Erap just ignore them, and maybe sometimes have a good laugh at them.</font></span><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">I wish and pray that the president will finish her term clean and with no ill feelings among her colleagues and the people of her country. I wish her tons of luck. Is this too much to ask God?</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><br /></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><br /></p>

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<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">This subject is a conjecture and a jocular speculation based on the events that had been widely read or watched on TV&#8217;s by Filipinos, OFW&#8217;s and foreigners. This is one of those long Filipino jokes about their government officials.</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">There maybe some intellectuals or street smart Filipinos out there that are asking themselves that question considering the state of affairs in the Philippines where the president has not only have the lowest rating among its past leaders but with a record breaker of the lowest minus rating. Minus ratings only happens in the Philippines folks.</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">From now until the end of GMA&#8217;s term, serious issues may still be raised by Filipinos, OFW&#8217;s, and foreign investors on the stability of the country. With more bad publicities and political uncertainties looming above her head, it is probably about time to think about where she might stay once she is stripped of power. Marcos stayed in Hawaii until he passed away, Estrada was imprisoned but was pardoned by GMA – bad decision which could affect her conscience and her health later. If she finishes her term, she could just walk away and maybe deal with some legal issues during her term later. She could probably enjoy her stay in the Philippines under tight security. If she materializes major issues to stay in power and extends her term, like her push for cha-cha and Federalism, she maybe forced to leave against her will. Whichever way she gets out of power, the question is still outstanding, where will she go after her term of office?</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">If you ask everyone from the street the above question, I bet my quarter that majority will say that she will go abroad the first chance she have. Live in another country where she could find political asylum. One country that is famous for that is the Netherlands. Well, of course she will ultimately meet face to face the father of the NPA&#8217;s. Maybe they could exchange notes and figure out how the next administration could be thrown out of power - legally.</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">The United States is a beautiful country and I bet that she has a lot of political friends in high places in Washington. But the US has an extradition treaty with the Philippines so it will be a mess to stay in the US for good. Lawyer&#8217;s fees to defend extradition and to seek political asylum in the States is very expensive. It may amount to millions of dollars. Let us say that the cost of winning her asylum amounted to ten million dollars and she paid it in full plus a million a year for her subsistence. Where did she gets the money to pay her lawyers and her subsistence in the States until the case is over, let&#8217;s say in about 5 years? I&#8217;m sure that she will not stay in the Ghetto, and without body guards. It should be some dwelling fit for a president. But it is unlikely that she will be extradited because of those petty lawsuits filed by the Filipino people. If so, the question in my mind is why would Uncle Sam intervene in probable and demonstrable legal issues of a sovereign country against its citizen? It is obvious. GMA has been friend with the US during her administration and the US has a lot of investments in the Philippines. If shielding GMA from the Philippine laws serves the interest of the US, Uncle Sam will perform some legal magic to protect her. Although I am not one hundred percent sure of that, there is big possibility that it may happen. Well, maybe when the dust settles down, she maybe in ill health because of stress, and will surely spend a lot of money staying alive. How about her hubby? Poor guy. I don&#8217;t want to be in his shoes. She maybe at the peak of her menopause and that could make her very pesky. Where in the US could she possibly stay? There are very little Pampamguenos in San Francisco, which is amusingly viewed by some LA Pinoys as an Ilocano Ghetto, so she may not decide to stay there. Maybe in Las Vegas? Possibly, in Wynn&#8217;s Casino in a $10,000 a night suite. Aren&#8217;t the First Gentleman staying there during Manny&#8217;s fights?</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">One other country that will likely grant GMA political asylum is China. The big brother. The partner in the back door transactions. Cool and accommodating. That&#8217;s what she thinks but not everyone including Uncle Sam. China will only give if she could have a hundred fold return on investment. It is obvious. Look at the goods that are sold on this planet. Eight out of ten are made in China. And look at the price. They are sometimes outrageous. Would you buy a cheap fifteen dollar shirt made in China and sold at Walmart knowing that it only cost the Chinese to manufacture it for one dollar? But you have to. It has a Polo label. It is a prestigious label. Did you say that the first gentleman wears Polo shirts? Considering that China has no extradition treaty with the Philippines, it is unlikely that she will be extradited even if there are hard evidence of irregularities in her administration pointing towards her direction. Tough luck. The next administration might as well forget them and move on. Unless the next administration is very friendly with Uncle Sam, and Uncle Sam is fully convinced that the legal issues are for its national interest, Uncle Sam might do some arm twisting on China at the United Nations. Then there may be a possibility of her extradition. It will also take some time before it happens. The next administration should be hopeful that if the legal issues against her is of no avail, the Chinese foods might do it for them by increasing the cholesterol level in her blood and somehow succumb her either to angina, stroke, or just plain plumbing block. Another issue to consider is that China knows how much investments they put on her administration at the back door during her time and they may want them back. If so, she may be in big shit if she cannot come up with the money. Are you sure she &#8217;s got enough blood money to pay her dues?</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">One of her big supporter is Saudi Arabia. It will gladly cradle her in the kingdom and protect her from any country that will put a finger on her. The Saudis have oil power that even the US is hesitant to confront. To alleviate her misery and as a gesture of gratitude to her host, maybe conversion to Islam is very convenient. A slap in the face of the Catholic Church – good for them because they have a lot of idiot priests. Then she&#8217;s got supporters in the MILF and some fanatic Muslim organization. She could probably return someday to the Philippines under the Islamic banner. She is no longer covered by the Philippine law. She is a Muslim and only the Koran prevails. A Saudi Arabian citizen by religious rite and backed by the powerful crude that fuel the economy of the Philippines. The Philippine politicians will bow their heads on her feet to get more oil. She will support the cause of her brothers in Mindanao in seceding the Southern Islands from the Republic. She will be the all powerful adviser of the Saudi King in the affairs of Southeast Asia. She can summon forces from different Muslim Asian countries to cause instability in a country if her wish does not materialize. She will ultimately prevail because she knows a lot of State secrets that could be used against the administration. What will the Philippine government do if that happen? Cry to Uncle Sam for help? Are you kidding? The US will only assist if it is for its national interests and not on mercy.</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">The above are just fictional scenarios so extreme that it could only be considered concocted under the influence of San Miguel – quatro cantos, the good stuff. Come on guys, laugh if you will at your heart&#8217;s content or think deeply. It is common knowledge that Filipinos make jokes about their high ranking government officials and most of them are so extreme and demeaning. How many hundred Erap jokes have been circulated in emails since he was elected–deposed–and- pardoned? Hundreds of them. They were funny but demeaning and the Filipinos are enjoying reading them and passing them on to their friends and relatives. Well, I assume Erap just ignore them, and maybe sometimes have a good laugh at them.</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0in" align="justify"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial, sans-serif"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 13pt" size="3">I wish and pray that the president will finish her term clean and with no ill feelings among her colleagues and the people of her country. I wish her tons of luck. Is this too much to ask God?</font></span></p>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>WELCOME TO MY JUAN OFW BLOG</title>
		<link>http://myjuanofw.blog.com/2008/08/16/welcome-to-my-juan-ofw-blog/</link>
		<comments>http://myjuanofw.blog.com/2008/08/16/welcome-to-my-juan-ofw-blog/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:52:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TitoSim</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<div style="text-align: justify">
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Welcome to my blog. <b>My Juan OFW blog</b> is a collection of jocular opinions based on past and current events in the Philippines and the overseas Filipino communities, picking out amusing statements, jokes, and booboo's of prominent individuals and common people. Some maybe cultural, genetic, or regional attributes of people around the country and the Filipino communities. Who knows, this blog might become a portal describing and portraying how Filipinos tick.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Juan (John in English translation), when portrayed in the Filipino mind, depicts two traditional characters which generally described the predominant attributes in the Filipino cultures. One Juan personifying “Juan Tamad,” is a popular character in Filipino essays, who is lazy like a sloth, irresponsible and is a parasite on his parents for survival. The other Juan personifying “Juan dela Cruz” signifies the spotless moral, spiritual and nationalistic virtues of the Filipinos. These characters summarize the duality of the Filipino cultural attributes just like the Chinese Yin and Yang.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">OFW stands for Overseas Filipino Workers – either permitted or resident workers in a foreign land. They are immensely vital to the survival of the country and is the major prime mover of the Philippine economy. They are contributing more than a billion dollars a year to the Philippine economy through monies that they send regularly to their families. Dedication to their families and their demonstration of the Filipino cultures in their communities deserve my biggest admiration. This blog is open to our “kababayan's” suggestions, comments, and opinions.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">&#160;</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">This is a free blog site and one of the condition of the host is that advertising cookies might be saved in your computer to pay for my space. I cannot afford an advertising free site because of lack of financial resources. I asked the Social Security Administration, my generous pension provider, if they could pick up the tab since this is some type of mental calisthenics and could be considered under the Alzheimer's prevention program; but, it did not work.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">&#160;</p>

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Welcome to my blog. <b>My Juan OFW blog</b> is a collection of jocular opinions based on past and current events in the Philippines and the overseas Filipino communities, picking out amusing statements, jokes, and booboo&#8217;s of prominent individuals and common people. Some maybe cultural, genetic, or regional attributes of people around the country and the Filipino communities. Who knows, this blog might become a portal describing and portraying how Filipinos tick.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Juan (John in English translation), when portrayed in the Filipino mind, depicts two traditional characters which generally described the predominant attributes in the Filipino cultures. One Juan personifying “Juan Tamad,” is a popular character in Filipino essays, who is lazy like a sloth, irresponsible and is a parasite on his parents for survival. The other Juan personifying “Juan dela Cruz” signifies the spotless moral, spiritual and nationalistic virtues of the Filipinos. These characters summarize the duality of the Filipino cultural attributes just like the Chinese Yin and Yang.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">OFW stands for Overseas Filipino Workers – either permitted or resident workers in a foreign land. They are immensely vital to the survival of the country and is the major prime mover of the Philippine economy. They are contributing more than a billion dollars a year to the Philippine economy through monies that they send regularly to their families. Dedication to their families and their demonstration of the Filipino cultures in their communities deserve my biggest admiration. This blog is open to our “kababayan&#8217;s” suggestions, comments, and opinions.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">&#160;</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><font size="3" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">This is a free blog site and one of the condition of the host is that advertising cookies might be saved in your computer to pay for my space. I cannot afford an advertising free site because of lack of financial resources. I asked the Social Security Administration, my generous pension provider, if they could pick up the tab since this is some type of mental calisthenics and could be considered under the Alzheimer&#8217;s prevention program; but, it did not work.</font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">
</div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in">&#160;</p>
</div>
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		<title>INTERESTED IN CHANGING YOUR COUNTRY&#8217;S GOVERNMENT? READ ON</title>
		<link>http://myjuanofw.blog.com/2008/08/16/interested-in-changing-your-countrys-government-read-on/</link>
		<comments>http://myjuanofw.blog.com/2008/08/16/interested-in-changing-your-countrys-government-read-on/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:24:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>TitoSim</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I received an email from a kababayan which linked to Mr. Matthew Burton's site, and also included a copy of the following excerpts from one of his blogs entitled “Why I Help the Man”. <a href="http://www.impublished.org/wordpress/helptheman/">http://www.impublished.org/wordpress/helptheman/</a></font></font></font></font>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<p style="text-align: left"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">&#160;</font></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><i>Elected officials don’t run our government. Government employees do. Every citizen interested in changing our country must understand this. Even if we elect good people to write good laws, those laws still need to be executed. That responsibility falls to the three million people who make up the federal workforce. They are the ones responsible for the day-to-day operation of our government. If we want to change the government, we can’t ignore the bureaucrats who make it run. There are problems to be solved at their level as well. All our talk about Congressional transparency and election reform hasn’t made the government more efficient or less wasteful. Such problems will not be solved by a Web site that lets the public track Congress.”<br /></i><br />
What Mr Matthew was suggesting is do-able in an ideal condition, that is, if the bureaucrats who are turning the wheel of the government are determined to make that change and the managers will support the work force and are willing to take the heat. This will only happen, for now, in the US where everyone still respects the rules and the laws which protect the whistle blowers, and freedom of speech is like one of the ten commandments. Being of a Filipino decent, how I wish that this type of mind set exist in the Philippines.</font></font></font></font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I've read the whole article and it is very inspiring.&#160; However, I see the difficulties&#160;in a parallel application in our country where the leadership structure is based on power haggling.&#160; Based on what I observed, the Philippine government's power structure seem to be like a pyramid, with a top down power flow and the loop for a bottom up feedback is either dismantled or muted.&#160;&#160;This is a perfect breading ground for despots, which historically have had happened in the past.&#160; This is also the very reason why there are a lot of journalists, who provided feedback to the Filipino citizens on this planet, that had been summarily eliminated.&#160;</font></font></font></font></p>
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<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Engaging the bottom of the pyramid to change, and hopefully it would creep up to the top, probably is a job for a million hulks battling the power on top either to equalize <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">good governance</span> versus corruption, or persistently overcoming the power of greed and despotism until the guy sitting on top of the pyramid gives in.&#160; That would be <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">government by the people</span>.<br /></font></font></font></font></p>
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<p style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Historically, it takes only one person to turn the world upside down.&#160; Examples are <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Jesus Christ</span> which&#160;influenced the world religion from paganism to monotheistic form of belief with emphasis on the resurrection; Mahatma Ghandi which&#160;changed&#160;the&#160;destiny of a billion Indian people;&#160;although Hitler is the most menacing person in history and&#160;his prominence for atrocity is&#160;incomparable, which shows us also that cruelty&#160;is a crime that will never be forgiven,&#160;&#160;and yet we have never learned from that lesson and the world is still embracing the rule of the sword.</font></font></font></font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Now my question in my mind is, when will that one person show up in the history of the Philippines to turn the country upside down and govern it purely based on the constitution and look after the interest of the people and not&#160;on pure greed?&#160; Maybe not on my time.</font></font></font></font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Have a nice day.</font></font></font></font></p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I received an email from a kababayan which linked to Mr. Matthew Burton&#8217;s site, and also included a copy of the following excerpts from one of his blogs entitled “Why I Help the Man”. <a href="http://www.impublished.org/wordpress/helptheman/">http://www.impublished.org/wordpress/helptheman/</a></font></font></font></font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">“<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><i>Elected officials don’t run our government. Government employees do. Every citizen interested in changing our country must understand this. Even if we elect good people to write good laws, those laws still need to be executed. That responsibility falls to the three million people who make up the federal workforce. They are the ones responsible for the day-to-day operation of our government. If we want to change the government, we can’t ignore the bureaucrats who make it run. There are problems to be solved at their level as well. All our talk about Congressional transparency and election reform hasn’t made the government more efficient or less wasteful. Such problems will not be solved by a Web site that lets the public track Congress.”<br /></i><br />
What Mr Matthew was suggesting is do-able in an ideal condition, that is, if the bureaucrats who are turning the wheel of the government are determined to make that change and the managers will support the work force and are willing to take the heat. This will only happen, for now, in the US where everyone still respects the rules and the laws which protect the whistle blowers, and freedom of speech is like one of the ten commandments. Being of a Filipino decent, how I wish that this type of mind set exist in the Philippines.</font></font></font></font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">I&#8217;ve read the whole article and it is very inspiring.&#160; However, I see the difficulties&#160;in a parallel application in our country where the leadership structure is based on power haggling.&#160; Based on what I observed, the Philippine government&#8217;s power structure seem to be like a pyramid, with a top down power flow and the loop for a bottom up feedback is either dismantled or muted.&#160;&#160;This is a perfect breading ground for despots, which historically have had happened in the past.&#160; This is also the very reason why there are a lot of journalists, who provided feedback to the Filipino citizens on this planet, that had been summarily eliminated.&#160;</font></font></font></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><br />
<font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Engaging the bottom of the pyramid to change, and hopefully it would creep up to the top, probably is a job for a million hulks battling the power on top either to equalize <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">good governance</span> versus corruption, or persistently overcoming the power of greed and despotism until the guy sitting on top of the pyramid gives in.&#160; That would be <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">government by the people</span>.<br /></font></font></font></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><br /></font></font></p>
<p style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Historically, it takes only one person to turn the world upside down.&#160; Examples are <span style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%">Jesus Christ</span> which&#160;influenced the world religion from paganism to monotheistic form of belief with emphasis on the resurrection; Mahatma Ghandi which&#160;changed&#160;the&#160;destiny of a billion Indian people;&#160;although Hitler is the most menacing person in history and&#160;his prominence for atrocity is&#160;incomparable, which shows us also that cruelty&#160;is a crime that will never be forgiven,&#160;&#160;and yet we have never learned from that lesson and the world is still embracing the rule of the sword.</font></font></font></font></p>
<p style="border: medium none; padding: 0in"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">&#160;</font></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Now my question in my mind is, when will that one person show up in the history of the Philippines to turn the country upside down and govern it purely based on the constitution and look after the interest of the people and not&#160;on pure greed?&#160; Maybe not on my time.</font></font></font></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><br /></font></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font size="3">Have a nice day.</font></font></font></font></p>
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