PAG AMYENDA SA LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE MAS GIKINAHANGLAN KAY SA FEDERALISMO

By Bayawanon

Duruha sa mga katarungan sa mga pundok sa nagduso sa FEDERALISMO mao ang mga sumusunod : 1) Nagsugyot sila nga ang share sa abot o revenue sa nasod pagatungaon sa central/federal government ug sa mga bag-ong matukod nga states, otsenta porsiento (80%) dapat ang bahin sa mga bag-ong matukod nga states ug biente porsiyento ang madawat sa central/federal government; 2) Nga matagaan unta ug igong kusog ang mga LUMAD o INDIGENOUS PEOPLE pinaagi sa federalismo.

Kung mao man lamang kini ang katarungan sa mga nagpaluyo aning FEDERALISMO, nganong dli na man lamang usbon ang LOCAL GOVERMENT CODE ug ibutang didto nga bahinan ug otsenta porsiyento (80%) ang local government units ug tagaan usab ug biente porsiyento (20%) nga bahin ang national government sa mga abot sa nasod ug sa pangagamhanang Pilipinhon?

Kung ang usa ka katarungan sa mga nagpaluyo niining FEDERALISMO mao lang man diay ang paghatag ug kusog sa pundok sa mga LUMAD o Indigenous People, ngano nga dili man kini gam-on pinaagi sa pag-amyenda sa LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE? Ang pagtukod ug INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S COUNCILS ilalom sa Local Government Code ug ang paghatag ug respeto sa kustombre ug tradisyon sa mga LUMAD nga ilatid usab sa maamyendahan nga Local Government Code magahatag ug igong kusog sa atong mga igsoong lumad.

Nganong usbon pa man ang kasamtangang pangagamhanan aron masulbad ang mga nahisgotang suliran sa unahan nga puwede ra man day masulbad ang nasangpit nga mga suliran pinaagi sa pag-amyenda sa Local Government Code? Usbon ba lang nato ang atong pangagamhanan kay walay mahimo ang atong mga magbabalaod sa duha nato ka nasyonal nga balay-balaorann? O naa ba kahay interes nga personal lambigit sa atong mga opisyales nga nagpaluyo niini?

Matud pa sa mga tigpanuki-duki o researchers nga ang gobyerno kinahanglan nga mogasto ug 40 BILYONES ka pesos aron makatukod ug ADMINSTRATIVE REGION, unsa na kaha ug magtukod tag DOSE (12) ka mga bag-o nga states nga dunay ehekutibo, hukmanan ug balay-balaoranan? Di ba mas mahal pa gyud ang magasto sa gobyerno tungod niini?

Ang pagbag-o sa pangamhanan usa ka mahal nga proseso kay usbon pa ang BATAKANG BALAOD o KONSTITUSYON pinaagi sa usa ka Constitutional Convention o usa ka Constituent Assembly, aron mausab ang pagpadalagan sa nasod, ug ikonsulta/isubmitar pa kini sa mga katawhan pinaagi ug usa ka PLEBISITO. Sa laktod nga pagkasulti mogasto pa ang gobyerno ug dako nga kuwarta aron mausab ang sistema sa pangagamhanan. Nan, ngano pa man ta mogasto ug dako nga masulbad ra man diay ang suliran pinaagi sa pag amyendaa sa LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE?

Alang nako ang pagbag-o sa pangamhanan nato gikan sa UNITARY-PRESIDENTIAL nga porma ngadto sa PARLIAMENTARYO-FEDERAL nga sistema usa ka pag-usik-usik ug kuwarta parte sa gobyerno sa Pilipinas nga magamit pa unta sa ubang mga proyekto nga dunay kalabutan sa serbisyo publiko. Tungod niini ako NANGHINGOSOG sa pagbabag ug pagsupak niining paglusad nila niining FEDERALISMO nga wala magdala ug kaayohan sa KATAWHANG PILIPINHON.

NO NEED FOR FEDERALISM, JUST AMEND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE

By Bayawanon

There are many proposals that are being presented by the Philippine Federalists for federalism to be a reality in the Philippines like the following: 1) Under the Federal Philippines, the sharing of the revenues of the central/federal government as against the state government shall be 20 percent for the central/federal government and 80 percent for the state government: 2) Giving more powers to the indigenous people by way of federalism.

The proposals that are presented by the federalists that can be found above can be met by not resorting to federalism but instead via amending the Local Government Code and provide such proposals therein. So, why change the constitution and push for a federal government?

By making a provision in the Local Government Code which would provide an eighty percent (80%) share of revenue in favor of the local governments and twenty percent (20%) in favor of the national government the problem/s as to this issue would already be solved.

By crafting a provision in the Local Government Code, establishing INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S COUNCILS, properly observing the indigenous people's customs and tradition and giving them benefits by way of social justice, the problem/s as to this issue would also be solved easily.

So, why change the constitution and change the form of government from UNITARY-PRESIDENTIAL FORM to FEDERAL-PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM when the issues at hand can simply be met by amending the Local Government Code? Does it mean to say that the people behind this are simply nothing but dumb leaders who have nothing to do but just to change the constitution and also change the form or system of government or do they simply push for the same for the ends of their personal interests?

We must all bear in mind, that by shifting the form of government from one form to another system, we have to change the constitution, and we have to spend billions of pesos to do the same. We must further consider the fact that studies would show that the government has to spend forty (40) billion pesos in creating an ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, how much more will the government spend in the creation of TWELVE (12) STATE OFFICES comprised of its executive, legislative and judicial branches? Will we simply let this happen when the issues at hand can simply be addressed by the Local Government Code's amendment?

A TRUE PATRIOT AND HERO

By Bayawanon

People who are serving in whatever field in pursuit of national glory is considered a patriot. An athlete who is representing his/her country is considered a patriot, much more if he/she fights on the battlefield for the freedom of his/her country.

Teofilo Yldefonso whose monicker was the "Ilocano Shark" represented the Philippine flag in the 200-meter breaststroke in swimming three times specifically in1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics. He grabbed the bronze medal in the said event during the 1928 and 1932 Olympics and landed seventh in the 1936 Olympics. Such feat is already recorded in the annals of history of the Philippine Sports since we can only count our fingertips as regards to the Filipino athletes who made us proud during the Olympics.

Yldefonso got 144 medals in his 16-year stint as a swimmer and became a member of the SWIMMING HALL OF FAME IN 2009. His unorthodox style of swimming known otherwise as the "Yldefonso stroke" is being adapted by pint-sized swimmers, especially by the Japanese swimmers.

Such accomplishments of Teofilo Yldefonso were already considered patriotic for giving glory to our motherland, the Philippines by way of the Olympics, but his greater legacy was the fact that he joined the Philippine Scout during the Second World War to save the Philippines from the Japanese invaders.

Yldefonso became a lieutenant in the Philippine Scout during the course of the Second World War and was one of those captured and joined the Death March. He survived the said harrowing march of death but later on died in a concentration camp in Capas, Tarlac due to the injuries he got from the said long, tiring and trying march.

His life can be a good inspiration for us, the new generation of Filipinos to be a TRUE PATRIOT AND HERO especially in this very challenging part of our national journey. May his sterling accomplishments be a guiding light for us to be freedom loving people and become good citizens of our country, the Philippines. May his likes increase and may the sunshine of the Philippines never fade in every challenge it has to face. So be it. Pls, visit the blog for more.

KAMATOORAN SA FEDERALISMO-PARLIAMENTARYO NGA PANGAGAMHANAN NI DUTERTE

By Bayawanon

Si Presidente Digong Duterte nangusog gayud nga mailisan ang atong Pilipinhong pangagamhanan gikan sa UNITARY-PRESIDENTIAL nga sistema paingon sa FEDERALISM-PARLIAMENTARY nga porma sa panggobierno aron kuno ma decentralized gayud ang pangagamhanan sa Pilipinas ug ma apod-apod kini sa mga bag-ong mga estado o mga gagmayng nasod nga mahimugso sa pagsiak-siak sa kasamtangang pangamhanan sa nasod nga Pilipinas.

Usa kini ka sayop nga panglantaw tungod kay ang Local Government Code sa Pilipinas nihatag na man ug igong kusog sa mga Local Governments sama sa mga lalawigan/probinsiya, mga dakbayan/siyudad, mga lungsod ug mga balangay/barangay..

Ang FEDERALISMO usa ka tigum sa mga gagmayng nasod aron makusgan sila ug dili kini usa ka pamaagi sa pag siak-siak o pagtunga-tunga sa usa ka nasod aron lamang usahon na pud siya. Kay unsa may usahonon nga usa na man ka nasod ang Pilipinas?

Ang Pilipinas usa na ka federalismo nga pangagamhanan sa usa ka teknikal nga pama-agi, tungod kay kini gilangkuban man sa otsentay uno o 81 ka mga lalawigan o probinsiya, sa laktod nga pagkasulti ANG PILIPINAS USA KA FEDERASYON SA MGA LALAWIGAN/PROBINSIYA. Nan unsa pa may atong langkubon o i federate nga nalangkub na man ang FEDERASYON SA MGA PROBINSIYA? Ang pulong nga FEDERAL nahisusama ra sab sa pulong nga FEDERASYON, sa ato pa FEDERAL na diay ang pangagamhanan sa PILIPINAS tungod niini.

Ang nakalain sa sistema sa pangagamhanan nga gisugyot ni Pangulong Duterte nga FEDERALISMO-PARLIAMENTARYO mao ang mosunod:

1) Ang mga Pilipino dili na magpili ug national officials kay magpili na lang sila ug mga miembro sa parliamento sa kada distrito, ang mga miembro sa parliamento magpiniliay ug kinsay mapili nga Primero Ministro o Prime Minister nga maoy maga function nga presidente. Sa ato pa ang mga botanteng Pilipinhon ma disenfranchised sa pagpili ug mga leader nga pang national sama sa presidente, bise-presidente ug mga senador;

2) Ang nasyonal nga parliiamento o national parliament pagalangkuban lamang sa usa ka balay-balaoranan (unicameral legislative system), dili pareho sa kasamtangang sistema nga naay duha ka balay-balaoranan, ang SENADO ug ang Kamara de Representante. Ang kasamtangang sistema sa paggama ug balaod mas maayo kay sa usa ka unicameral legislative system kay ang mga balaod sa kasamtangang sistema naayo man ug sala o pagpanday tungod sa mga proseso nga naagian sa duha ka mga balay-balaoranan;

3) Sa sistemang PARLIAMENTARYO ang Primero Ministro/Prime Minister maoy motindog nga Presidente. Ang Primero Ministro o Prime Minister magagikan gayud sa pinaka kusgan nga partido sa nasod, sa laktod nga pagka sulti si Pangulong Duterte molungtad gayud sa poder isip Prime Minister kay siya man nagagikan sa pinakakusgan nga partido sa nasod nga Pilipinas nga mao ang PDP-LABAN;

4) Ang kada REGION/REHION o STATE/ESTADO nga pagatukoron sa bag-ong porma sa panggobyerno unya, duna na pud unya ug ilang kaugalingon nga mga parliamento, senado o kongreso ba. Tungod niini mas modako pag-ayo ang atong GOBIERNO ug dako ang magasto sa gobyerno sa pag maintain niini;

5) Ang REGION/REHIYON o STATE/ESTADO nga pagatukoron sa bag-ong porma sa pangagamhanan, duna pud unya iyahang EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT nga pagapangulohon sa usa ka presidente o usa ka gobernador ug pagalangkuban usab kini ug usa ka grupo sa mga gabinete. Usa kini ka tataw nga timailhan nga mas modako pa gyud ang gobierno sa maong sistema ug nga mas dako ang magasto sa gobyerno sa pagpadalagan niini;

6) Ang bag-ong maumol nga mga REHIYON/ESTADO/STATE aduna na pud unya ilahang tagsa-tagsa ka mga JUDICIAL SYSTEM ug duna na pud unya sila nagkalain-laing mga Supreme Court. Ang Supreme Court sa nasyonal nga level lahi ikompara sa mga Supreme Court sa kada rehiyon/state/estado nga maglangkub sa FEDERAL GOVERNMENT sa PILIPINAS;

7) Duna na unya lain-lain nga mga KODIGO PENAL o criminal penal codes, ug lain-lain nga mga pamalaod sa kada rehiyon/estado/state nga mamugna sa bag-ong PARLIAMENTARYO-FEDERLISMO nga gobyerno sa Pilipinas;

8) Ang kada rehiyon/state/estado nga maumol sa bag-ong sistema sa panggobyerno aduna usab ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga SISTEMA SA PAMUWIS o TAX SYSTEM nga lahi ikumpara sa NATIONAL TAX SYSTEM. Sa ato pa ang mga lungsuranon duna unya duha ka klase sa buwis nga bayaran ang NATIONAL TAX SYSTEM ug ang STATE/REGIONAL TAX SYSTEM;

9) Ang kada rehiyon o estado nga maumol ilalom sa gisugyot nga panggobyerno ni Pangulo Rodrigo Duterte duna unya upat ka elemento sa usa ka nasod nga mao ang mga mosunod: 1) GOBYERNO; 2) KATAWHAN; 3) TERITORYO ug 4) SOBERENYA. Ug tungod niini ang mga maumol nga nga estado o rehiyon puwedeng medeklarar ug INDEPENDENSIYA batok sa inahang nasod nga Pilipinas nga dili na kinahanglan ang rebolusyon.

Tungod niining akong gipanglatid nga mga katarungan, klaro ug tataw lang kaayo nga ang gisugyot nga matang sa panggobyerno ni Pangulo Rodrigo Duterte usa ka mahal nga panggobyerno ug dili dapig sa mga kabus nga mga lungsoranon nga mga Pilipino, Ikaduha, usa kini ka pangagamhanan nga maga bahinbahin sa kapupud-ang Pilipinhon Ug tungod niini angay lamang kini batukan ug babagan sa kinabag-ang panon sa katawhan aron ang tanang lungsuranong Pilipinhon dili mahitumpawak sa kaalautan. HINAUT PA UNTA.

A CHALLENGE TO THE PRESIDENT: BE PURPOSE DRIVEN

By Bayawanon

Dr. Rick Warren, a renowned American preacher would tell us and would explain in his New York Times Best Selling Book entitled THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE that as creations and as sons and daughters of GOD, we have a purpose in life, and our purpose is to praise and please him.

Dr. Warren by way of bible verses would expound that as persons we can praise GOD by doing good in our job and by offering it to HIM, hence we are still praising GOD by becoming good mechanics, good cooks, good carpenters, good teachers, good soldiers, good politicians, good public servants etc. etc. and offer it all to him.

Now, the question is this, is the Philippine President purpose driven? Does his purpose in life really to please our MAKER? Do the extra-judicial killings that happen in the Philippine archipelago by way of his orders please GOD? Do the skyrocketing prices of commodities and the soaring taxes make him a good leader and thereby please GOD? Does the president's siding with a communist hegemon of the world please GOD when the latter stifles freedom of religion and promotes atheism?

If the answer to the questions I have propounded above would be in the negative ... then the president is not purpose driven. He may be purpose driven but the one that drives him to lead the country in the wrong direction is not GOD but his personal glory.

In relation to this, I am challenging the president to be PURPOSE DRIVEN before it is too late, I'm challenging him to change his leadership style and his policies which are inimical to the best interest of the people before he destroys everything, for if he destroys anything clearly his life would actually not be considered as a PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE.

DISCERNMENT IS JUST A VOCABULARY FOR THE FILIPINOS

By Bayawanon

When a citizen supports a president who slaughters bad people in the name of the DRUG WAR without giving the bad citizens a chance to change, it seems that that citizen cannot discern what is good from bad.

When a citizen supports the number one national leader of the land in leaving or even giving parts of the territory of his/her country to a giant neighbor-country, it follows that he/she does not know what he/she is doing.

When a citizen supports the national chieftain in its aim to higher the taxes of the land to the extent that such tax measure is already inti-poor, it would seem that he /she lacks discernment.

When a citizen supports her/his national idol in having a gargantuan, colossal loan from a neighboring country which is a political hegemon with exorbitant interest rates and preferring such gigantic country over and above some international organizations with small interest rates, it would seem that he/she does not have a discernment in supporting his/her idol.

When a person supports his/her so-called national savior in actually dividing the state and unite it again via FEDERALISM when nothing has to be federalized because the Philippines is already UNITED under a unitary government, then she/he may not have a discernment in finding what the truth is all about.

Are the Filipinos that naive are or are they simply and plainly idolaters? Can they not see the damage that they are doing by supporting the supreme national leader of the land who is technically destroying the country? Do they see things the other way around like considering a curse to be a blessing or bad to be good and vice-versa, or do they simply do not have that so-called DISCERNMENT?

With the foregoing facts that I have enumerated above, the one who is in right mind would think that DISCERNMENT is nothing but just a VOCABULARY for the Filipinos.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF A FILIPINO VOTER (PART 1) : VOTE SELLING

By Bayawanon

Vote selling is rampant during election time in the Philippines, the majority of the voters sell their votes and at the same time expect that the politicians who bought their votes would serve them to the best of their ability even if they were already paid by the latter.

Issues are no longer important in the campaign, political platforms are not already important to them, political resume's of some good candidates won't matter to them, because to the voters, what is important is the money that they would receive from the candidates.

What is sad with this reality is this, in a small amount of money that a candidate has given the voters, the populace would suffer for a long time. The winners in an election would get back the investments that they have released during the election by way of siphoning the coffers of the Barangay, Municipality, City, Province or Country as the case may be.

This practice of the voting public keeps on happening every election and still, the people cannot learn from their lessons. They keep on complaining why the government services are so slow and that development is turtle-paced when they have contributed to such a scenario.

When can the Filipinos learn from their mistakes? Have they not noticed that as they become poorer and poorer the pockets of their elected officials are becoming bigger and bigger? Will political renaissance happen in the Philippines or will it remain a dream?

With the problem like vote selling in the Philippines, I still hope that the people would soon be awakened from the political slumber that they are in and that in their rise from such political sleep, they would start a better future by becoming more decisive, because their decisiveness in choosing good leaders could be a great leap for them to have a better and greater future.

COMMUNISM IN CHINA MUST STOP

By Bayawanon

Communism in China must stop since it stifles freedom of every Chinese citizen in that country. Religious freedom is outlawed in Communist China because from the very beginning, the teachings of early communists like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, religion must be discouraged in communism since the same is the opium of the masses, opium in the sense that it would be the window for the people to seek the truth and may lead for change by revolution.

In China, the right to suffrage of the people is not actually and properly observed, as a matter of fact, the elections in China are only elections in name, because the communist party is the only and sole political party in China, hence it would follow that the political leaders in China belong to just one political party and that's the Communist Party of China.

China is actually bullying its citizens, how much more with regard to other citizens and countries of the world if the same (China) would be successful in propagating communism universally?. You just try to look at her bullyings in the South China Sea by taking islands and islets therein and even owning the rest of the waters of the said Sea by way of its embellished invention, the so-called NINE DASH LINE DOCTRINE.

This political colossus (China) is also violating international decisions from the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas by not submitting to the decisions of the latter in the matter of the South China Sea row, in connection to the Spratlys issue when the Philippines won its case before the said tribunal.

The communist giant (China) is also supporting North Korea, another communist state in its very dangerous nuclear program. The said program had already many tests which put all of the North Korean neighbors in the Asia Pacific region in peril.

In connection to these, every freedom loving citizen of the world must show her/his disgust against China by not buying its products because buying its products would tantamount to supporting its economy which it uses for the spreading of communism in the world. So be it.

THE U.S. WOULD WIN IN A SHOOTING WAR WITH CHINA

By Bayawanon

I have read an article saying that the United States of America would win in a shooting war with Communist China. China might be strengthening her economic and military forces and it can copy military technologies from the United States because it is sending scholars to the States. But China has a problem on how to operate the technologies and military armaments it has copied from the United States, in this regard the U. S. would win against China if a war erupts between the two, since only the U.S. military operatives who have the mastery over modern weaponry can operate the newly invented military arms. China's military might be modern but the operators of their armaments might be ill-equipped in training, and this can be the key to a Chinese military loss against the Americans.

Secondly, the most prestigious military school in the world can be found in the States, the United States Military Academy a.k.a. Westpoint Military Academy, the best naval school in the universe can be found also in America, the United States Naval Academy otherwise known as the Annapolis Naval Academy and one of the best flying schools in the world can also be found in America, the United States Air Force Academy.

Thirdly the U.S. military, naval and flying schools are being managed and maintained by career air force, naval, marine, and army officers whereas the Academy of the PLA ( People's Liberation Army of China) are maintained by Chinese communist politicians and not by its traditional military officers, thereby making its military academy politicized and not militarized.

How can China win against the United States of America if that is the case? Of course, Chinese military victory over the Americans is far from reality but we still have to cross our fingers that a clash between the two economic and military titans would not happen for it might be the door for a THIRD WORLD WAR if not the window for the annihilation of the human race.

CHARISMA STRONGER THAN A SUPER TYPHOON

By Bayawanon

The people keep on praising the president because he is good despite the blunders that he had committed. Imagine the Extra Judicial Killings that he spearheaded against the so-called bad elements in the society especially the drug personalities, the abandonment of the decision of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Seas in relation of the Philippine victory over China as regards the Philippines' territorial claims in the Spratlys, the gargantuan loan of the Philippines from China with huge interest rates, the passage of the anti-poor Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, the political persecution that he had committed against his detractors like Senator Leila de Lima, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Commission on Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon etc., the non implementation of his campaign promise of decontractualization of the private sector, the hero's burial of Ferdinand Marcos, a former dictator, etc,etc,

Despite these blunders the president had committed, the majority of the people still love him. Why? Can they not discern what is right from wrong? Does it mean that they do not care about our political situation anymore? Or they simply enjoy the damage that he is doing to the country?

Many people are happy about the Extra-Judicial Killings that are happening nowadays against the drug addicts, drug pushers, drug lords but they are not pushing for the annihilation of other undesirables in the community like the corrupt government officials, prostitutes, pimps, tax evaders, illegal gamblers, big time and small time thieves. Why? Are the other criminals and undesirables more special than the drug personalities?

The people are mum as regards to the Philippine Claim in the Spratlys which Duterte has ideally abandoned. All they care about are the acts of the president where they feel like they were benefitted, like the free college tuition fee, the free hospitalization, free medicine, the extension of the lifespan of the driver's licenses, the extension of the lifespan of the passports which PRACTICALLY helped them BUT IN REALITY PULLED DOWN THE ECONOMY. Why are these presidential acts inimical to the economy? These moves which are popular to the people are not good for the economy simply because these are DEAD INVESTMENTS of the government for the plain and simple reason that the government does not get any pecuniary gains out of it, the government simply does not get an ROI or RETURN OF INVESTMENTS out of these.

With the way things are going right now it seems like the people are out of logic in believing that the president is good or maybe he has a CHARISMA so strong and even much stronger than a SUPER TYPHOON.

DUTERTE: HOBBES-MACHIAVELLI HYBRID

By Bayawanon

Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian philosopher in the 16th Century through his treatise "The Prince" once recommended that "the end justifies the means", that it is just fine if the means is not good as long as the end of the of the means would be good.

This might be the battle-cry of the Philippine President Duterte "the end justifies the means", the means in killing bad people like the drug addicts and pushers would be justified when the country would already be purged.

The question would then be like this, how can the society be totally purged when the drug problem and criminality are almost unsolvable? Will the killings not stop until the last drug personality and last criminal fall? If the answer to these queries would be in the affirmative, then the decimation of the so-called bad people of the community would not stop for no one is perfect in this world.

Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher in the 17th Century had once suggested in his political theory he dubbed as "The Leviathan", that for a country to be peaceful, the people should surrender/submit their rights to a central ruler or THE ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN whom he called the Leviathan whose purpose is to rule and to defend the people from the enemies of the state.

This thing is also happening now under the present Duterte presidency, the president is painting himself as the SUPERMAN OF THE PHILIPPINES or as the Leviathan, the sole savior of the people. But the problem is, he is asking the people to surrender their inalienable and constitutional rights to be free.

Are the acts of the president which are Machiavellian and Hobbsian like be justified under a democratic state like the Philippines? The answer would be a BIG NO, for according to a song written and sung by an illustrious Filipino folk singer, Freddie Aguilar, "Ibon man may layang lumipad" which in English means EVEN A BIRD HAS THE FREEDOM TO FLY. If a bird should have a freedom to fly, much more than man should live freely and democratically.

The Hobbsian-Machiavellian hybrid brand of the leadership of President Duterte to me, is actually a threat to democracy and to its aggregates and must be checked by the people, otherwise the same would leave their future to the limbo of uncertainty if not darkness.

DUTERTE VS. DUTERTE

By Bayawanon

A revolution is an attempt to overthrow a government if the revolution would be successful, the victors then could establish a REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT.

President Duterte is proposing a Revolutionary Government, this government cannot come into being without a revolution, now because the president is proposing a revolutionary government, does it mean to say that he must stage a revolution against the duly constituted authority of the Philippines which he heads? The answer must be in the affirmative for Duterte to establish a revolutionary government he must stage a revolution first.

But can he stage a revolution against a duly elected government which he heads? The answer must be in the negative, for how can a duly elected supreme national leader rebel against himself?

I can still vividly recall the lecture of former Justice Secretary Sedfrey Ordonez more than twenty years ago, where he stressed that a Revolutionary Government can only be established after a successful revolution has overthrown a de jure or even a de facto government. Now, how can President Duterte establish a Revolutionary Government without a revolution?

Can President Rodrigo Roa Duterte establish ipso facto a government which cannot be found in the Constitution? The answer would be a very BIG NO, and because of this, it seems like Duterte is again contradicting himself by proposing a form of government which is unconstitutional.

NEMO DAT QUOD NON-HABET "One cannot give what it does not have", the Philippine Constitution does not give anyone the power to establish a revolutionary government for the plain and simple reason that the same constitution does not provide for it. In connection to this, the President must stop talking about this Revolutionary Government in order for him to stop confusing the public, otherwise, it's gonna be him against himself.

IN THE MATTER OF PLANTING OF EVIDENCE, RUMOR-MONGERING AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES

By Bayawanon

From the extrajudicial killings to the imprisonment of Senator Leila de Lima, to the impeachment case of Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno and to the sacking of General Dionisio Santiago, the president has proven one thing ... PLANTING OF Pieces of evidence work. Because of this, the president is now the living example of many criminals and undesirable men in uniform plant pieces of evidence just to tag their enemies and eliminate them.

As far as the circumstances are the concerned planting of evidence, legal rumor-mongering and conspiracy theories are being used by the current national leadership just to accomplish their evil plans.

In many cases, the president has spoken on national televisions how to combat drugs by way of planting evidence like guns for the police to justify killing drug addicts and drug users.

In the case of Senator Leila de Lima, the current supreme national leader had tapped the services of many convicted drug lords and felons who are inhabiting in the National Penitentiary who are under the law are being disqualified to be witnesses in cases as provided by the Rules of Court of the judicial system of the country.

As to the matter of the impeachment case of Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, a leading dissenter against the current national leadership at the highest tribunal of the land, the complaint filed against her is simply based on clippings of national news coming from national newspapers and tabloids and not based on personal knowledge by the complainant.

In the special incident involving the sacking of the very honorable gentleman, General Dionisio Santiago as the Dangerous Drugs Board Chairman, the former decorated Army Officer and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, was just a victim of rumor mongering. The people of the Dangerous Drugs Board under his tutelage have attested to the fact that all the claims against Santiago were not true.

Now, if the current national leadership capitalizes on the planting of evidence, rumor-mongering and conspiracy theories in downing their enemies and former allies, the same can also be done in pushing their personal ambitions and interests and many innocent people's heads would fall because of this.

What would be more saddening is this ... because of fabricated evidence, conspiracy theories and rumor-mongering, the country would be destroyed by the politicians who are trying to do these things just for them to accomplish their selfish ends. What is alarming also nowadays is this, people easily believe in invented stories without personal investigations, and this fact would probably pull as down to the pits of national sabotage.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE IS ALREADY ENOUGH

By Bayawanon

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is espousing Federalism for the sake of decentralization, devolution, and autonomy of the future or the soon to be created the Philippine States, that is good for the said steps would make the newly created states more self-supporting and can exist without too much aid from the national or central government.

The BIG PROBLEM is this, decentralization, devolution and autonomy can already be found in the Local Government Code of the Philippines which was exhaustively passed by the Philippine Congress through the very brilliant former Senator Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. So why still insist that FEDERALISM be adopted as the new system of government when the Philippines is actually and technically FEDERALIZED unitary-presidential system of government of the Philippines?

Decentralization is the act of the central government to diffuse its powers and give it to the local government units, happily it is happening now in the countryside by way of the Local Government Code of the Philippines.

Devolution is the act of the national government to delegate its powers to the local government units like its police powers, the power of taxation and its power of eminent domain. Luckily, this is happening too via the Local Government Code again.

Autonomy is the act of the government to give the semblance of self-rule to some groups of ethnic minorities, by giving them a government outside independence which would fit to their cultures, heritage, and traditions. This is also happening now in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or ARRM since it is mandated by the 1987 Constitution that the same be established and that the same was properly consummated by way of the Local Government of Code.

Another semblance of federalism in our present unitary-presidential system of government is the existence of the ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS of the Philippines wherein the country is divided administratively into seventeen parts for purposes of economic development and purposes of a swift allocation of basic goods and services to the administrative regions and the provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays under them.

So why federalize the Philippines when the same is actually federalized because of the Local Government Code? Will we federalize our own country just for us to spend money and actually divide the same?

To me federalism is good but it is very costly, hence it is only good for rich countries. Imagine our country to be divided into different states, with each state having its own executive officer in the person of the state president or governor, having its own senate and house of representatives, having its own cabinet, having its own judiciary and having its own tax system, that would tantamount into bloating the bureaucracy. Bloating the bureaucracy means big government and big government means BIG NATIONAL SPENDING.

Another point is this, if FEDERALISM would push through, this can be a big step or even a gargantuan leap for the autonomous regions to successfully grab independence because they, in a process could have their own government, territory, sovereignty, and people, hence it is a big threat for the Philippines in losing the Muslim Mindanao.

By virtue of the following premises and arguments, I hope and pray that every one of us shall forget FEDERALISM and instead be contented for the present set-up of governance in our country which is the unitary-presidential form of government which is actually federalized by way of the Local Government Code of 1991. So be it.

WINDMILLS THE DUTCH WAY SHALL BE INTRODUCED IN THE PHILIPPINES

By Bayawanon

46 mins · 

I propose that we have to establish windmills the Dutch way. The windmills were established by the Dutch to ease the big waters during the floodings, eventually the same was converted into many forms like sawmills, paper machines etc. The same can be used also in producing electricity.

The windmills can also be good tourist destinations for both local and international tourists. We have some pumping stations in Manila to take out waters during floodings but the same is not used for electrification or industrialization. We have windmills in Ilocos but the same is only used for electrification and tourism purposes only but cannot be used in managing the floods. All we need is to build a uni-usage kind of windmills meant for electrification, industrialization, tourism and flood control, and that's the windmills the Dutch had invented.

If the Dutch were able to solve the problems of flooding by way of the windmills and eventually such invention helped their tourism, electrification, and industries, then there is no way for us Filipinos to do the same.

The Dutch were able to establish nine thousand windmills to date whereas the Filipinos have only established some in Ilocos Norte. Take note of the disparity, this difference between the Dutch and the Filipinos in the matter of windmill building shall be equated for the future of the Philippines and for the beginning of the so-called FILIPINO GOLDEN AGE.

In connection to this, our compatriot Filipino engineers, urban planners, architects, and industrialists shall be sent to Netherlands to study their windmills for the Philippines to adopt the same and adapt its system for the sake of Philippine national development. So be it.

http://thetravelingdutchman.com/the-windmill-and-its-important-role-in-dutch-history/

THE PRESIDENT IS CONTRADICTING HIMSELF

By Bayawanon

The president is making some steps to get rid of some agencies which overlap functions with other bureaus by defacing the same in line with his program of downsizing the bureaucracy. This act of the chief executive of the land is very laudable since the government can economize by way of such acts.

But it is clear that he is contradicting himself because he is promoting FEDERALISM, since this type or system of government bloat the bureaucracy. Imagine if the Philippines would be divided into several regional states, there could be several executive departments, there could be several judicial departments and there could also be several legislative departments.

If the president is really serious in streamlining the government then he must forget FEDERALISM, for such type of governance, promotes gargantuan and gigantic government. It is true that the current Philippine state may gain something out of the present streamlining of bureaus by the Office of the President but the Philippines would lose big time in founding many states out of the current unitary system of governance, since in the creation of those newly federated states, we need a sizable sum of money for the realization of the same.

In connection to this, I support the president in streamlining the present bureaucratic system so that the government would save enough money out of the overlapping of functions of some existing agencies, but I oppose the planned adoption of FEDERALISM for it promotes big government, since big government means BIG GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

I hope that the president would reconsider his proposal to shift our system of governance from unitary to federalism for the same may tantamount to a wastage of government money and may also result for the president contradicting himself, he being a sponsor of the streamlining of government bureaucracy and at the same time an advocate of federalism.

In conjunction to this, the president should not just make decisions hastily, for haste makes waste. He must instead thoroughly study matters before deciding since his position is not an ordinary position and his decisions have a big role in making or breaking a nation.

THE PROPOSED DUTERTE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

By Bayawanon

Inclusio unius est exclusio alterius says a latin legal maxim, this saying means in English that "what is included is deemed excluded', this legal saying is well entrenched and well respected in the world of STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution does not have any provision which provides for a revolutionary government, so why does the president insist on this matter when the constitution does not provide for it? Clearly, if the constitution does not talk about this REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT, it must follow that it is unconstitutional for INCLUSIO UNIUS EST EXCLUSIO ALTERIUS, " what is not included is deemed excluded".

There were, however, two instances in Philippine History that there were Philippine Revolutionary Governments namely: 1.) The Aguinaldo Regime (1898-1901) and 2.) The Corazon Aquino Regime (1986-1992). These governments existed only after a successful revolution happened against the preceding governments it followed.

In the case of the Philippine Revolutionary Government under the Aguinaldo presidency, the same was historically, properly installed after the revolutionaries with the help of the Americans outlasted the once dreaded Spanish conquistadores.

The Philippine Revolutionary Government under the stewardship of President Corazon Aquino was successfully, properly installed to power after a bloodless people power revolution against the despotic leadership of the former strongman Ferdinand Marcos, who fathered the ill-fated Martial Law.

In the case of the present national leadership, the Duterte government, it was properly installed by the people by way of the 2016 Presidential elections where the current president was elected by the Filipino people, hence the present regime cannot make use of the revolutionary government to operate in the islands because the same did not come into being via a revolution

Because of the foregoing arguments, the proposed revolutionary government suggested by no less than the Honorable President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is not in line with the constitution and is even repugnant to the history of our storied country, the Philippines, and must be downplayed by the people as NOTHING BUT A FORM OF RUMOR MONGERING.OR WORST FEAR MONGERING.

In conjunction to this, I hope that the president should stop making any statements that would spread fear to the people such as this, for his bounden duty is to protect and serve the populace of his country and not to destabilize the same nor spread fear against its people.

WHEN MORALLY WRONG DECISIONS LOOK NORMAL

By Bayawanon

The people would like to have changed in the society, but change cannot come without violence nowadays. Killings are happening in the name of change, and it seems like the people are applauding the efforts of the government in purging the community by eliminating the so-called undesirable citizens of the country, the drug personalities.

Is extrajudicial killing part of the change? Is it not that killing is bad? Can the support of the people to the Philippine government in seeking change by way of extrajudicially killing the undesirables contradict to morality and change?

If killing which is not morally right be justified to effect change, it seems like the people are contradicting themselves. If the people contradict themselves, something must be wrong with them.

This ambivalence on the part of the people looks normal anyway since it is now prevalent nowadays. Sad to say, the prevalence of morally wrong decisions looks and sounds good when the majority approves it.

When the majority of the people approve a morally flawed policy or policies by the authorities, such flawed programs of the state look legal and moral when the same is actually the other way around.

When the people who are supporting an abusive regime are the majority of the populace, an illegal act or acts by the authorities to effect change can be legal, moral, ethical and proper because the majority is always right in this modern Philippine society.

When the people like to have change in just one click of their fingertips to happen, morally wrong decisions by the state like extrajudicial killings may take place, and human rights abuses against the so-called undesirables may be committed by the government agents, anyway the public would simply approve it the name of ABRUPT or AUTOMATIC CHANGE.

FEDERALISM IS GOOD BUT VERY COSTLY

By Bayawanon

Federalism is good in the sense that it foments decentralization, devolution, and autonomy in favor of the smaller government units, but the fact that it is very costly for it to operate in a third world country like the Philippines, I instead prefer the old UNITARY FORM of government to continually operate in the Philippines.

Federalism is working well in the United States of America, Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, Switzerland Malaysia, Australia and many rich countries in the world. These rich countries can afford to have federated states in their jurisdiction because they have the money to maintain the operation of their federated states, in this connection, this type of government is NOT IDEAL for third world countries since it is very costly and the passage of the same may simply bloat the bureaucracy.

The United States of America is divided into federated states, Canada is composed of several federated provinces and Australia is also composed of different federated territories because there is a necessity for them to divide their respective territories because of its vastness. These countries have also the right to divide their territories because they have enough resources to maintain their divided and federated locales. In the contrary little and third world countries may become poorer if they would divide their territories and federate the same.

WHY IS IT COSTLY?

Shifting the UNITARY FORM of government to a FEDERAL FORM would be costly on the following grounds:

1.) For one, in order for a unitary form of government to be divided and be federated, the country's constitution needs to be amended first by way of a constitutional convention or via constituent assembly by Congress (Philippine setting), and once it passes through the proper processes, it shall be approved by the people by way of a plebiscite or a referendum. Because of this the government would spend so much money, maybe by hundreds of billions for a federal state to be operative;

2.) Once the country is divided and be federated into several states, each state shall have its own government separate and distinct and independent from each other. Every federated state shall have its own executive officers like a president or a governor, it shall have its own cabinet, it shall have its own judiciary and it shall have its own congress.

The central or federal government's executive department, legislative department, and judiciary would continually function, because of this the government would be bloated and gargantuan spendings would happen to the detriment of the basic services of the same.

3) In a federal form of government, every federated state government, territory or region shall have its own TAX SYSTEM which is separate and distinct from the CENTRAL OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, hence it would be burdensome for the business people, property owners, and the taxing public by taxing their taxable income twice. first by the federated state and second by the central/federal government.

In view of the foregoing premises, I hope that the current national leadership of the small and poor government of the Republic of the Philippines should think twice or even thrice, if not a thousand times in its decision to adopt FEDERALISM as its new form of government before the PHILIPPINES would face an uphill economic repercussion by way of too much spending, which would stem from the sprouting of federated states or regions and by way of maintaining its sustenance and continued existence.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

By Bayawanon

First, the president had recommended to Congress to give a small amount as budget to the Commission on Human Rights since the same is playing too much of a fiscalizer against the government's atrocities. Now, the highest leader of the land is threatening the Ombudsman to probe its alleged irregularities by forming a would be commission with the sole function of probing the same in the midst of the investigation of the Ombudsman against his alleged ill-gotten wealth.

Why is the president doing these things? Is he hiding something? Do these acts of his to check the Commission on Human Rights and the Ombudsman be considered as his steps to stall the investigations against the alleged human rights abuses of the government and his alleged laundered money from the coffers of the government?

Why won't he let the CHR do its duties in finding the truth as regards the alleged government atrocities like the extrajudicial killings? If he is not hiding something, why won't he let the investigation of the Ombudsman against him take its course? If he has nothing to hide, then why should he be afraid?

As a lawyer and as a member of the bar, he is an officer of the court and also an officer of the community. Good officers of the court and the community seek the light leading to the truth, so why not look for the truth?

If the president is not guilty as charged by Senator Trillanes of amassing an unexplained wealth, then the truth will set him free by way of the investigations against him, in connection to this I hope that the probe by the Ombudsman in the matter of his alleged ill-gotten wealth push through.

Let the justice system of the Philippines take its course and let the weighing scale of that blindfolded lady tilt in favor of the interest of justice. Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law over and above any interest of any individual, be they ordinary citizens or be they honorable leaders of the country like the president, for clearly and unequivocally the long honored maxim "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW" must be respected.