What has Gaddhaffi done for Libyans?

Circulating in facebook is a list of 16 accomplishments of Gaddhaffi (chadaffy, khaddafi) which the reader is challenged to deny:


What the late dictator has done for Libya:

1. There is no electricity bill in Libya; electricity is free for all its citizens.
   
   
2. There is no interest on loans, banks in Libya are state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at 0% interest by law.
   
   
3. Home considered a human right in Libya – Gaddafi vowed that his parents would not get a house until everyone in Libya had a home. Gaddafi’s father has died while him, his wife and his mother are still living in a tent.
   
   
4. All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$ 50,000 ) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family.
   
   
5. Education and medical treatments are free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25% of Libyans are literate. Today the figure is 83%.
   
   
6. Should Libyans want to take up farming career, they would receive farming
   land, a farming house, equipments, seeds and livestock to kick- start their farms – all for free.
   
   
7. If Libyans cannot find the education or medical facilities they need in Libya, the government funds them to go abroad for it – not only free but they get US $2, 300/mth accommodation and car allowance.
   
   
8. In Libya, if a Libyan buys a car, the government subsidized 50% of the price.
   
   
9. The price of petrol in Libya is $0. 14 per liter.
   
   
10. Libya has no external debt and its reserves amount to $150 billion – now
    frozen globally.
    
    
11. If a Libyan is unable to get employment after graduation the state would
    pay the average salary of the profession as if he or she is employed until
    employment is found.
    
    
12. A portion of Libyan oil sale is, credited directly to the bank accounts of all
    Libyan citizens.
    
    
13. A mother who gave birth to a child receive US $5 ,000
    
    
14. 40 loaves of bread in Libya costs $ 0.15
    
    
15. 25% of Libyans have a university degree
    
    
16. Gaddafi carried out the world’s largest irrigation project, known as the Great Man-Made River project, to make water readily available throughout the desert country.
    

Of course in return for these "blessings", the former dictator vigorously opposed any form of public dissent and supported state terrorism, the grosses example being the Lockerbie PanAm and Munich restaurant bombings.

But we pass on giving judgment to the late Khaddaffi. We only hope that the above listed benefits are continued by the new administration in Libya. Long live Libya and the Libyan people!!

Inglorious end in a cold freezer for a dictator

We cannot believe that former conservative audiences will want to view the corpse of Mummar
Gaddafy, the colonel who ruled with an iron fist in Libya. Even the 24 hour rule of burying a dead
Muslim is not being followed. And the circumstances of his death! Local newspapers tried outdo
each other in presenting gory images of the mob surrounding Gaddafy and the bloodied body of
Gaddafy. Videos of the shooting (but not showing who pulled the trigger) were even available for
viewing in Muslim countries.

Here is the latest photo of what where the body of Gaddafy is now. It is stored in a supermarket freezer!
and the Libyan public can view the dead body with gauze mask to hide the decaying odor.

We hope that Gaddafy's soul will not be greeted by 40 virgins in his idea of heaven.

Thought provoking sign of the times, steve jobs and starving african kids

I read more than two FB postings sharing a post of Willie Concepcion containing the following image:

The glaring composition can jar someone out of his "complacency", but Willie may have caught a certain unpalatable truth. We expect more of these images as indeed constant bombardment of these kind of pictures of starving children has the opposite effect of NOT gaining the viewer's sympathy. Instead the children will become a forgotten statistic.

Click for Wiliie's original posting

Spratly is nearest to the Philippines

Here is Google Earth's map of the Spratly and the countries surrounding the islands group. Clearly the Philippines can lay claim to it based on nearness to the area (from Palawan). The islands are between the words Spratly and Islands.

More, we believe it is part of the Philippines as historically it is occupied by Filipinos after Captain Cloma laid claim to the islands. Marcos had the selfish reaction of having him incarcerated instead and should be relegated in the footnotes of Philippine history future generations.


Unfortunately our political leaders do not have the guts to run this country free from corruption as politics is used as a tool for personal wealth accumulation! It is a pity to see the philippines behave like a rich beggar in the world stage. We should be militarily strong as the Philippines may not have someone to turn to. Alas it may be overrun by the events in the future.

On the ouster of the dean of UP-Cebu, an open statement from the Student Council

We are republishing a letter, already seen in Facebook!, about the ouster of the dean of the University of the Philippines, Cebu. We hope that deans, chancellors even must be conscious of the general sentiments of their constituencies, which must not play secondary to the designs and wants of friends and artificially created allies or personal agendas.

We are willing to give space for the reply of Dean Avila to this open statement

Response to Monsod

by UpCebu Sc on Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 8:41pm

UP Cebu dean’s ouster movement did not come from made up stories and unfounded complaints. It rooted from seven years of the dean’s patent autocratic leadership. The campaign was not launched and participated by only a handful. In fact, over 70% of UP Cebu constituents signed the manifesto in favour of Dr. Avila’s ouster. On March 8, 2011, UP Cebu held a one-day strike participated by hundreds of constituents.

Under the UP Charter provision on democratic governance in the University that should be based on collegiality, representation, accountability, transparency and active participation of its constituents, Dr. Avila failed to involve full participation in the design of the program of UP Cebu's autonomy.

The dean’s unpopular and recurring decision to abolish the high school was opposed not only by UP Cebu students and alumni but also by the Cebu community. UP Cebu high school provides quality and accessible education to poor but deserving students. To abolish the high school because it is non-income generating only proves that UP is geared towards trekking the road to commercialization where deserving kids from poor families do not have a place.

Dr. Avila proved his autocratic leadership when he granted non-voting members of the Executive Committee voting power to favourably cause the closure of the UP High School of the Professional Education Division (PED). Immediately after, the committee sent a proposal to abolish the high school to the Office of the University Chancellor. Without waiting for the Chancellor’s reply, the dean issued a memorandum directing the high school to stop accepting applicants. Worse, he
issued another memorandum ordering the high school to request permission to hold all activities from the Office of the Dean to suppress further opposition from the constituents and the alumni.

Dr. Avila did not listen to his constituents despite the vehement calls for genuine leadership and democratic governance. Instead, he stood firm on his unilateral decision to remove the student
representative from the Executive Committee. He even declared it as final and non-negotiable. He
reasoned out that we were only following the 2006 Revised UP System Code wherein no student
representative is in the committee. He also added that UP Cebu is the only campus in the UP system
that has a student representative in the Execomm. Instead of viewing this as a problem, he should
be proud. He is in the position to encourage other UP administrators to follow the example of UP
Cebu and to include the students in its decision making so that we may march towards progress and
democratic governance.

The student representative plays a vital role in representing the students, airing out their
concerns and upholding their right to take part in the decision making of the college. With the sole
representative of the students gone, how are we supposed to inform the administration of our
problems? How is the college able to perform and march towards progress when it refuses to listen to
its constituents?

Dr. Avila also hired then Supervising Administrative Officer Al-sidry Shariff despite his lack
of credentials and complaints against him for qualified theft. He did not act on reported issues of
harassment by Mr. Shariff against university staff and security guards.
We suggest that Prof. Monsod visit UP Cebu. She should take a look at the now defunct
soccer field beside the Arts and Sciences building. Dean Avila has allowed the developer Green
Peaks to dump their excavated material on the field without benefit for the college other than five
trucks of garden soil. His non-action on the encroachment of Green Peaks on UP Cebu property now
endangers the UP high school from land slide due to softening of the soil as caused by heavy rain.

But the last straw was the retrenchment of the 15 guards. We could not understand how his
administration could dare to do it to honest and hardworking men who worked for years to ensure
the safety of UP Cebu constituents. The winning bidder was willing to absorb all 15 guards. Even UP
Cebu Security Committee Chairperson Prof. Karl Roque was supportive of the retention of the UP
guards. Dean Avila and his crony Supervising Administrative Officer Al-Sidry Shariff, however, refused
the retention of the 15 UP guards for the unfounded reason of inefficiency. Such excuse to terminate
the UP guards was clearly shallow and can readily be remedied. Moreover, the replacement of guards
does not necessarily ensure efficiency.


The students of UP Cebu urge Prof. Monsod to not base her assertions on few documents
provided by one party only. As a professor who served the university for 40 years, she should
be sensible enough to ask for documents from both parties so she could formulate her opinions
scientifically. We challenge Prof. Monsod to know all the things behind every complaint filed by UP
Cebu constituents against Dr. Avila. It is clear; however, that Prof. Monsod’s stand on Dr. Avila’s
dismissal as dean is driven by her utter dislike to the new UP President Alfredo E. Pascual.


Signed:
UP Cebu Student Council 2011-2012
Nagkahiusang Kusog sa Estudyante (NKE)
League of Filipino Students (LFS)- UP Cebu
UP Cebu students

Quo Vadis Pinoys?

I am still amazed by the current relevance of one of my earliest post in http://adorio-research.org/wordpress/?p=7 published on May 30, 2008, where I posted a forwarded message from my former colleague and friend who have taken up gardening and assisting pastors in his area. For the benefit of our readers I am reposting the contents.

When I was small, the Philippine peso was P2.00 to the US dollar. The president was Diosdado Macapagal. Life was simple. Life was easy.

My father was a farmer. My mother kept a small sari-sari store where our neighbors bought sang-perang asin, sang-perang bagoong, sang-perang suka, sang-perang toyo at pahinging isang butil na bawang.

Our backyard had kamatis, kalabasa, talong, ampalaya, upo, batao, and okra.

Our silong had chicken. We had a pig, dog & cat. And of course, we lived on the farm.

During rainy season, my father caught frogs at night which my mother made into betute (stuffed frog), or just plain fried. During the day, he caught hito and dalag from his rice paddies, which he would usually inihaw.

During dry season, we relied on the chickens, vegetables, bangus, tuyo, and tinapa. Every now and then, there was pork and beef from the town market.

Life was so peaceful , so quiet, no electricity, no TV. Just the radio for Tia Dely, Roman Rapido, Jonny de leon Tawag ng Tanghalan and Tang-tarang-tang. And who can forget Leila Benitez on Darigold Jamboree?

On weekends, I played with my neighbours (who were all my cousins). Tumbang-preso, taguan, piko, luksong lubid, patintero, at iba pa. I don't know about you, but I miss those days.

These days, we face the TV, Internet, e-mail, newspaper, magazine,grocery catalog, or drive around. The peso is a staggering and incredible P44.00 to the US dollar.

Most people can't have fun anymore. Life has become a battle.

We live to work. Work to live.

Life is not easy. It was in Saudi Arabia in 1983. It was lonely, difficult, & scary. It didn't matter if you were a man or a woman. You were a target for rape. The salary was cheap & the vacation far between. If the boss didn't want you to go on holiday, you can't.

They had your passport. Oh, and the agency charged you almost 4months of your salary (which, if you had to borrow on a "20% per month arrangement" meant your first year's pay was all gone before you even earned it).

The Philippines used to be one of the most important countries in Asia .

Before & during my college days, many students from neighboring Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and China went to the Philippines to get their diplomas. Like Thailand, they went to study agriculture in UP Los Banos and earned their bachelors in the Phils and now we import rice from them. Its opposite now.

Philippines used to be the exporter of any agriculture products but now its different. We import because not much land (farms) they can cultivate due to private sectors who focused on developing houses, buildings, supermarkets, mall and others.

What happened now?

Whats the government doing?

Checking their own pocket, their own personal interest and pork barrels.

Wow!

Until 1972,like President Macapagal, President Marcos? was one of the most admired presidents of the world.

The Peso had kept its value of P7.00 to the US dollar until I finished college . Today, the Philippines is famous as the "housemaid" capital of the world.

It ranks very high as the "cheapest labor" capital of the world, too. We have maids in Hong Kong, laborers in Saudi Arabia, dancers in Japan, migrants and TNTs in Australia and the US, and all sorts of other "tricky" jobs in other parts of the globe.

Quo Vadis, Pinoy? Is that a wonder or a worry? Are you proud to be a Filipino, or does it even matter anymore?

When you see the Filipino flag and hear the Pambansang Awit, do you feel a sense of pride or a sense of defeat & uncertainty?

If only things could change for the better...... . Hang on for this is a job for Superman. Or whom do you call?Ghostbusters. Joke. Right?

This is one of our problems.

We say "I love the Philippines .. I am proud to be a Filipino."

When I send you a joke, you send it to everyone in your address book even if it kills the Internet.

But when I send you a note on how to save our country & ask you to forward it, what do you do?

You chuck it in the bin.

I want to help the maids in Hong Kong ...

I want to help the laborers in Saudi Arabia ...

I want to help the dancers in Japan ...

I want to help the TNTs in America and Australia ...

I want to save the people of the Philippines ..

But I cannot do it alone. I need your help and everyone else's.

So, please forward this e-mail to your friends.

If you say you love the Philippines, prove it. And if you don't agree with me, say something anyway.

Indifference is a crime on its own .

Juan dela Cruz

Now the true story of the previous Arroyo presidency is being told

If there is something about the previous GM Arroyo presidency, it is that she was successful
in projecting a false image of the extent of corruption at the top of the executive branch. With documented proof that even bishops have been seduced by money to buy luxurious vehicles, and handling windfall ad placements to some favored friends and of generals being generously rewarded for their loyalties (only Gen. Angelo Reyes made the supreme acknowledgment of corruption), it is now clear that the presidential regime of former Pres. GM Arroyo was one one of the most corrupt, perhaps next to the corruption under the Marcos regime.

We want more details about the fertilizer scam, the ZTE scandals, what was she doing in a hotel in China with a contract? Hopefully we shall know the full extent of her corruption. Now out of power but still powerful with friends and allies in Congress and senate, it is refreshing that the public is exposed now to the details of the mediocre and corrupt presidency    of Madame Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

So unlike the father, sigh....