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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Resilience

What do you think is the foremost source
of the Filipino's resilience to crises?

* His spirituality
- Prof. Mariam Tuvera, UP Economics professor

* Relationships, being able to express, humor and food
-Ms. Chat Jemena, University researcher, UP

* The strong family support system and belief in god
- Prof. Roland Simbulan, former UP faculty regent

* There is the archetypal image of the bamboo in the Filipino
unconscious that has become a part of our genetic pool.
This is evident in the presence of the image of the bamboo
in the myths and legends of the people.
-Prof. Grace Odal-Devora, UP arts and communications professor

* The Filipino's bahala na fatalism
-Atty. Ismael Khan, former Supreme Court spokesperson

* Resignation - their getting used to it
-Prof. Evelyn Jimenez, UP Philosophy professor

* It's the bahala na habit kicking in but instead of
a bad effect, it becomes positive
-Mr. Yar Min Thant, Burmese

* Faith in God
-Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia Executive Director

* Sense of humor
-Prof. Mary Dorothy Jose, UP History professor

* Prayers
-Prof. Melissa Alcazaren, CSB Psychology professor

* Their bahala na attitude
-Prof. Benjamin Mangubat, UP History professor

* Blind faith (Sorry if that is a bit harsh)
-Mr. Mike Wooton, Manila Times columnist

* A mixture of many things: our strong faith,
lack of too much conveniences in life
makes us easily adapt
-Dr. Angelita Galban, UP Community Dentistry professor

* Sense of humor
-Atty. Christian Monsod, former COMELEC Chairman


from diwang palaboy blog

Antisocial Network

# HATEBOOK= hatebook.com
# SNUBSTER= snubster.com
# ENEMYBOOK= enemybook.info

Random Thoughts:

# Great Book Blockade of 2009- Bureau of Custom and Dept. of Finance's joint effort to promote corruption expansionism.
# For Mother's Day: Philippines is 42nd in terms of rank, for countries that are healthy or good for (a) mother's welfare under the least developed countries category. (RP is unsafe for mothers, According to a US study.)
# Self-googling- ego- searching = according to time.com
# Swine-flu-Bird-flu mix- latest epidemic to watch out.

Random Thoughts:

* El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde sold a piece of land to the government at 1,000 times its market value.
* Tinikling= A Filipino folk dance of Leyte origin not of Tagalog origin. Inspired by the farm birds known as Tikling.
* Philippines is part of the CORAL TRIANGLE that holds the "richest concentration" of iridescent corals, fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and marine plants in the world.

* The Phil. Sports Commission together with the newly appointed Ambassador for Peace and Understanding Manny Pacquiao will host a boxing match between the Arm Force of the Philippines and MILF to promote peace!
* CREDIT MUNCH n.- Recession-induced comfort eating; from TIME Magazine

Monday, May 25, 2009

A Nation of Idiots: The Department Order No. 17-09

What exactly does Dept. Order No. 17-09 do?

1st, it makes an appalling distinction between imports classified as "educational, technical, scientific, historical or cultural books/ materials" for non-profit purposes (which can be brought into the country without duties), and the same class of imports that are "for sale, barter or hire" ( which will now be levied a 1-percent duty).

2nd, it makes an avaricious distinction between the class of imported books specified in the paragraph above and all other books imported into the country (which now be levied a 5-percent duty).

3rd, it makes an absurd distinction between all other books and "books or raw materials to be used in book publishing" (which, under the DOF's squint-eyed reading of the Book Publishing Industry Development Act of 1995 or RA 8047, will be the only class of imported books entitled to zero duty).

One of the dynamic innovations of RA 8047 was to expand the coverage of the landmark Florence Agreement, to include all imported books. What Dept. Order 17-09 has done, however, is to greedily narrow the scope of duty-free importation ,not only beyond the innovations of RA 8047 but even beyond the conventions of the International Law, Florence Agreement itself.

Today is the perfect time to throw books on the Government in equal share of their greed and corruption! Crap!