BY JOVE!

THE WORST OVER?

OVER?

“I’m not saying its over. I’m just saying that we’ve seen the worst. After nung rally nila tapos na iyun. Even if humarap pa si Neri walang effect dahil ano pa ba ang masasabi niya?… Towards the yearend iba na yung framework ng pag-iisip ng mga destabilizers because by then they would have 2010 in mind. “
-National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales

“When we talk of destabilization, we talk of the AFP and the PNP but nakikita natin wala namang sumasama sa kanila”
-AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon

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“MOVING ON” BUDGET Mystery Men buy

As the president was signing into law the 1.227 trillion national budget for 2008… a handful of congressmen, led by his son Rep. Dato Arroyo, walked in front of her and unwittingly blocked the view of the cameramen who were capturing the ceremonial enactment of the General Appropriations Act.

That awkward moment…(plus the fact that almost all of the president’s allies at the upper and lower chamber (we saw only Senators Angara, Enrile and Lapid) trooped to Malacanang to have their photo taken with her and be seen live on national TV with her)… reminded everyone that politics remains to be “in the air”.

PGMA “we thank each political leader for being here today to paraphrase the bible, for forging unity out of the swords of partisanship”

This despite the effort of the palace to use the occasion to show the public that politicking and the political noise is far from the president’s mind “because she’s focused on the economy, education and the environment”… the three E’s that will get the bigger shares in the allocations of the budget she enacted into law this morning.

To bring home the point, the usually simple signing ceremony in the palace was turned into an extravaganza complete with visuals projected on wide screens and beamed nationwide.

Aside from politicians…the palace even also invited residents of Parola, Baseco and Navotas. Sila raw kasi ang mga “makakaramdam” ng asenso (sabi nga ng ads sa TV).

PGMA “the budget we are signing today is a major step forward for investing in our people and our nation. It provides a buffer to mitigate the pain of our deteriorating global economy and the accompanying rise in prices which affects food and transportation the most”

The administration’s effort to convince the people that it is business as usual in the palace came at a time when the senate inquiry on the broadband mess resumed today.

Presidential Deputy Spokesman Anthony Golez: “Itong installment by allegation hindi ko alam kung hanggang kalian silang ganyan. Ang pinakaimportante dito dapat substantiated para hindi sila mapaso. Kasi itong previous witnesses nila mukhang napapaso sila kasi iba iba ang sinasabi…I doubt if may mabibigat na witnesses pa kasi if may mabigat dapat inuna nila”

Rep Dato Arroyo for his part said that while these stories are a big deal to some people, it is not even discussed in their home.

Meanwhile, the chief executive who was tagged as EVIL recently, also took the opportunity to clarify that she’d rather be included in the FORCE THAT CHAMPIONS THE GOOD FUTURE of the land.

PGMA “we will fight for the economy, education and the environment. We will fight to feed the poor … overall we remain bullish on our economy, optimistic about our future and deeply committed to being A FORCE FOR GOOD!”

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EXPLORATION

A day after the President ordered a legal team to look into the joint Marine Seismic Undertaking of some areas in the Spratlys group of islands….Malacanang gave hints that the Philippines may no longer seek an extension of the Spartlys deal, especially if the undertaking would show that no oil is found.

But one of the members of the team, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol is careful about discussing the contents of the agreement saying the contract prohibits them from doing so. To date there is also no OFFICIAL recommendation yet from the said team on whether the country will join China and Vietnam in the phase 2 and 3 of the JMSU.

APOSTOL: “There is no recommendation yet and in the contract itself, there is a provision that says that the matter cannot be revealed to the public so to reveal it would violate the contract. To continue there is a need for renegotiation and there is no move on the part of our partners to renegotiate the contract.”.

But that didn’t’ stop the other members from dropping hints about what is being explored in the disputed area.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez: “Kung wala naman why will you even talk about extending or whatever. Baka isang litro lang na langis ang makikita dun e di useless. But if there is substantial find based on the technical survey , it will be worthwhile pursuing that.”

In the end… and despite their statements that they can easily opt to walk away from the agreement … palace officials admit, it will be foolish for us not to join the exploration.

Gonzalez : “it’s crazy for anyone not to pursue the contract when “everybody thirsts for oil”: “Our predicament worldwide actually is everybody is thirsty for oil. The whole world! E kung meron dyan bakit i-abandon mo?”

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