Category Archives: World Watch

Do You Have a Green Bag?

A belatedly purchased green bag was what we got when we went to SM Clark’s Hypermarket last Sunday . No, did not think twice about getting the bag even if there a big logo of Unilever Philippines on it as a way of advertising their company without paying millions since these bags were being sold and/or given for free when their products are purchased by SM Advantage card members which I am not. Anyway…

There have been many news/press releases about using these cloth bags, not necessarily the one I purchased, as an alternative to the use of plastic bags. Sure, the plastic bags can be recycled primarily to be used as garbage containers. But what happens after the garbage has been collected is more often than not, are not the people’s real concern anymore.

The use of green bags has many benefits. Click here to read more about the benefits, not just as an alternative use to plastic bags but as an answer to vital environmental issues. But then again, these are one and the same.

This practice of using the plastic bag has to change. In Baguio City, they are encouraging people to use the “bayong” or a woven buri bag to be used when going to the market. This bayong is handy even if produce from the wet section are purchased. There is an “I am not plastic” bag here in the Philippines that is earth-friendly that can be used too, to minimize the use of plastic. Even specialty stores has dropped the use of plastic bags by using recycled paper on their paper bags.

Click here to read about the Green Bag in America, the Green Bag in Australia and other GreenBag Reusable Bags.

All the President’s Men for Probinsiyanong Intsik

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The so-called “crying boy” or “probinsiyanong Intsik” or better known as Jun Lozada, the Senate’s current star witness for the foiled ZTE-NBN deal is a contradiction of sorts. He is a mystery to me, not that I want to unravel everything and understand everything about him. He is a good storyteller, a story weaver. Storyteller because he seems unwavering in his statements, in his sequencing of events. He is careful too since he is avoid not to mention names directly, though he insinuates and leaves nothing to the imagination.

When he was first asked to testify in the Senate, there were a lot of side comments that were not really answers to the questions given to him but were nonetheless interesting. Either he is a good actor judging by the way he tears up during crucial statements and questions, or he is repentant to the wrongdoings he has admitted doing while still in office, and either he is really telling the truth, these things he said as side comments made me listened to him. He may not be as honest as he seems to be because of some of the things he has done for his benefit are brought up. Questioning his reasons for coming out clean with what he knows, though a lot is hearsay, is what everyone is playing upon, just to curtail the issue at hand.

There were some things that Jun Lozada said that touched my heart, especially about the Aetas who didn’t want to sell the guavas because these were for the birds. We were having lunch when I heard that and I just had to excuse myself because my eyes began to sting with tears.

He also said this memorable paragraph when replying to some “small-time” graft practices by a senator who herself is far, very far from perfect and whose statements and stand on issues can be taken out of context depending upon the price agreed upon:

I would admit to that. I would admit in public and to the nation that there are certain things that I did in my life that upon reflection I would lose some respect to myself but all the remaining respect I have in myself, madam, I don’t want to lose. I’d like whatever respect I have in myself to keep it. If I go along with this NBN, I guess I’m going to lose it all. I’m afraid I’m going to lose my soul. Yes, I have to admit to that. Mea culpa

I don’t want to really dwell on the figures he has been talking about as part of the package of since I wouldn’t be able to imagine the enormity of it. I can’t even begin to imagine how much money that would be. They could have two or three lifetimes but they wouldn’t be able to spend all those money. The thing is, they couldn’t even buy Heaven where they can go to to avoid being burned in hell.

Please click here to read the Transcript of Statement made last February 7, 2008 at 2am that made All the President’s Men, Cabinet Secretaries, Key Political figures and Family Members scrambling to put back the broken pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that ought to not have been broken. They are after all, key figures too in a deal gone bad.

MODERATE the GREED.

How can one do this? Greed is like an addiction to some, it is like a rolling snow ball, gathering everything with it as it rolls down the path. Lozada himself admitted and spoke of his having a “permissible zone” and “forbidden zone” when it comes to kickbacks. So what is the norm exactly? 22% commissions for every government transaction. This admission in itself, shows that Mr. Lozada can also be bribed, up to his certain level of comfort or permissible zone.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN

I may never be able to get the correct terms when it comes to remembering the names, political terms, Latin-sounding hullabaloo. What caught my attention between wanting to stay at home to listen (yes, listen not watch because we are a cheapskate cable-less home) to the radio to the Senate probe and going to work is the fact that the President’s men were in full attendance. Almost.every.single.one of them, except of course the FG or foremost garapal AKA First Gentleman who is obviously behind the machinations of these events, the puppeteer who strings these people together for his own seemingly invisible and undetectable grand scheme of ruling the world.

Mr. Lozada have talked to so many people about his dilemma and thereby this made him all the more vulnerable to threats. He has gone to so many people, well-connected ones, and told his stories over and over again to these people who know each other and who move in the same political circle, breathing the same filthy air smelling of millions of dollars worth of kickbacks. Of course, it was expected that they would deny what he tells us what they have done and said, even if they look like fools, caught up with their own lies.

Ahh, this saga will surely be in history as one of the most obvious but without evidence case of conspiracy that could make stronger the leadership of this administration if they are able to prove their innocence which is more likely since those who are so-called people who serve are their minions. But this could also be the cause of its downfall. Even then, all the president’s men wouldn’t be able to put “Humpty Dumpty” together again.

Worldwide Stocks Plunge

Fear of US recession makes worldwide stocks plunge to a new low. A lot of them out there are out of jobs due to more jobs being outsourced to other countries, particularly Asian countries where labor is cheap and quality is like so.

I have somehow heard on the evening news that the Philippine Stock Exchange had around 5% drop. So where does this lead us? Is the future grim for us? The biggest Philippine business companies listed had their stocks dropped. Finance secretary says we can withstand the crisis. Can we? Are we ready to tighten the belt and put some reins on our personal spending? This isn’t exactly news to me since we always keep a tight rein on our spending, lol!

As it is, my insurance company sent a notice that the two policies I have will drop its dividend in a reduce scale by 20% effective January 1, 2008. From 9.5% Dividend Accumulation Rate of the Peso down to 8%.

Well, Happy New Year to you too.