Thursday, January 24, 2008 12:43 PM.

Someone from the my former university's yahoogroup forwarded to the loop a message that contained the supposed pork and perks of our dear, dear congressmen. The message apparently was reeking in disgust as the sender put before the message the note: Yikes!

The following was the exchanges I had with two other members of the group. Mr. Cirunay, I believe is based in the US. Mr. Jabonero worked as an IT head of a fastfood chain and, from what I have gathered, has just recently moved to Manila to work for a bank.

This can really be long
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Sent: January 25, 2008 1:05 AM

Re: The perks of being a congressman- yikes!

Telling us about it is one thing. Asking the public officials to stop or minimize it, especially the subject congressman, is another thing - must be the thing.

Why don't your write your congressmen or ask your friends to have an email blast requesting your congressmen to have a reasonable expenditures in their tour of congressional duties if there's any?

It is sad to know about their expensive habits and (maybe unnecessary) functions when their constituents could not even afford to buy one Calamansi to dilute their bagoong.

Let them know that these are not acceptable.

C. N. Cirunay


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Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 10:00 AM

that was a good take mr. cirunay, really. good to hear that someone here takes the time to, well, suggest something over something so serious, and gross, as this.

but you know, stories such as corruption and stuff, appear too mundane already that not even the distinguished members of this loop--you know, those that are comfortably up there--would not care to notice anymore.

or are we too lazy to care anymore?
too dense?
too jaded?
too comfortable?
or too afraid?

maybe the last one?
or all of the above, im scared.


---thinking aloud here.


jeff

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Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 10:56 PM

Perhaps Mr. Tupas, some of us, are feeling tired but not lazy to care anymore about the topic.

The email that was sent over the group is pretty obvious that there's a lot of "MEAT" in that congress of slaugther. Pork Barrel is the second thing next to
power, why that position is really "HOT".

So, some of us won't take a damn suggestion because this is Philippine Political System. You can't change it, unless you take one seat and make Adobo(Filipino Style) out from that "MEAT" and you share it to every Filipinos... and serve while it's "HOT".

(Unsigned but this came from Mr. Jabonero)

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Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 2:00:11 PM

That the political system of this country can only be changed by those who were put into office--thanks to the infamous phones calls and the overflowing money during elections--- sounds as hopeless as witnessing a catatonic ex-punk feast over leftovers straight from the garbage bin of some fastfood chain.

What i am saying, and i guess you would graciously concede to it, Mr. Jabonero, is that something has to be done and this was perfectly articulated by Mr. Cirunay. While there are more other better things to do other than what Mr. Cirunay suggested, for me it was one of the best things to do now. A lot better, in fact, than succumbing to silence and, as you've said, laziness.

One more thing--I think something went amiss with the first sentence of your last paragraph because there's a huge, huge difference between making suggestions and taking some.

Jeff


And oh--PS.
The last time I checked, Adobo is indigenously Pinoy, a reason why one movie had to be really definite about the dishe's foreign variation. Remember American Adobo?


Peace (with justice).

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Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 1:00:56 PM

I am still surprised that despite the education we posses , majority believes that only the congressmen or the officials of the government can make the change we like.

Did we forget that Philippines is still a democratic country and that its government is still for the people and by the people? We are the government. About the problem we have, I do not blame anybody, but we the people, who elected these crooks and put them in that position. We are a part of the problem. If we hate these people, we are just shooting ourselves.

If we talk about these so-called "problems", we will never solve them because it is not really a problem. It is just a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is us. So, the solution will come form us if we take the responsibility of the situation we created. Think about it.

C N. Cirunay

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Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 3:16:33 PM

Amen to this sir.

Maybe too much airconditioning paralyzes one. Or worse, sends a person into a state of coma. Well, what could be worst than that? Becoming oblivious of the basics is unspeakably unspeakable. I blame this to the hoax "coolness" caused by the airconditioning system of our offices. It closes the pores of the skin and shuts down the other senses, rendering one feeless.

Mr. Cirunay, sir, education is not a guarantee, and will never will, that we become better persons or more. One can even sell his values and his dignity as a person even one is the head of the state. I know you know this so well that, I know, too, you were just faking it when you said that you were surprised about the ignorance of some on the basics of democracy. As I have said, education can never be a good barometer.

That's all for now. Thanks.

Now, back to my steamy-as-a- sauna work station.

Jeff