Author: Ellen

Curiouser and curiouser

Published by Ellen on July 3, 2009

Ronnie Puno went to the US of A to attend to the wedding of his daughter, set in California’s beautiful Napa Valley. He has been in and out of the US of A, as this is where his family resides. Everyone and his mother in the DILG knows this, and they find it normal when their boss is out of the country. And he designates one or the other of his numerous undersecretaries, usually senior Usec Ed Soliman, as his officer-in-charge.

All of a sudden, three days after Ronnie had already landed in San Francisco International, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita issued an appointment for a DILG officer-in-charge. And it was not one of the usual undersecretaries, which is the usual practice anywhere in the bureaucracy. Ermita designate current DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane.

That’s not just it. Ermita even announced that Puno went to the US of A on medical leave. Either Ronnie is sick or he is undergoing a medical check-up, Malacañang explained. Still, curiously, why Ebdane?

Imelda turns 80 in style

Published by Ellen on July 3, 2009

Click here for Larry Leviste’s account of the Imeldific celebration.

I had two interesting coverages yesterday. One was the National Day reception at the US Embassy and the other was Imelda Marcos 80th birthday bash at Hotel Sofitel.

My cellphone battery gave way and here’s the few photos I got.

Mrs. Marcos,in a bright pink terno and bedecked with jewelry, had a special guest, Dewi Sukarno, the controversial former First Lady of Indonesia.

Arroyo had breast silicone implant?

Published by Ellen on July 2, 2009

Update from the Inquirer:

Palace makes a clean breast of GMA implant

Jarius Bondoc confirms GMA mammoplasty. See article in comments.

I can’t believe this.

But this news item came out in the conservative newspaper Manila Bulletin.

GMA medical checkup OK

by Jonathan M. Hicap, Charissa M. Luci
July 2, 2009, 6:03pm

President Arroyo underwent removal and replacement of breast silicone implants at a hospital in Muntinlupa City, a source told the Manila Bulletin.

Meanwhile, a Palace official announced that President Arroyo has ended her two-day self imposed quarantine “with a clean bill of health,” and is expected to resume public engagements “in a few days.”

The informant, who requested anonymity since the source was not authorized to speak about the matter, said the President was scheduled to undergo augmentation mammoplasty at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

Worse than 2004?

Published by Ellen on July 2, 2009

Grace Poe, Gus Lagman, Ichu Maceda,and Harry Roque

Marichu Maceda shared with members of media a “shocking” conversation with her eight-year old grandson, Max, to underscore how Gloria Arroyo’s cheating of the 2004 elections has destroyed our concept of elections as a tool for good governance and an expression of democracy.

Manay Ichu said Max asked her how to contact “Garci”, former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano because he wants him to transfer one million votes to his Lola Gina de Venecia, who will be running as representative for the fourth district of Pangasinan.

Aghast, Manay Ichu said she had to lecture Max on the evils of cheating and the punishment that comes with violating the law and displeasing God. Max, she said, was baffled and asked, “Why is Gloria Arroyo not punished?’

Sabotahe ng kasakiman

Published by Ellen on July 1, 2009

Hindi pa malinaw ang lahat ngunit mukhang sinasabotahe ng kasakiman ng mga nasa kapangyarihan ang computerization of 2010 na eleksyon.

Nabahala ang marami noong Lunes ng sinabi ni Comelec Chair Jose Melo na umatras ang Total Information Management, ang Filipino na partner ng Smartmatic Corp, ang nanalo na kumpanya na taga Barbados sa $7.2 bilyon na kontrata para magiging computerized ang bilangan sa eleksyon simula sa 2010.

Iba-iba ang lumalabas na dahilan. Isa dyan ang pagpipilit ng TIM na sila ang may kontrol ng operasyon dahil sila ang mas may malaking share ayun sa ating Constitution na 60 per cent ang sa Pilipino at 40 ang sa mga banyaga.

Smartmatic-TIM: Control of P7B triggered rift

Published by Ellen on June 30, 2009

From Malaya:

‘Mr. X’ wanted piece of the action

Final control by Smartmatic Corp., the foreign partner in the election computerization project of the Commission on Elections, of how the contracted P7.2 billion cost of the project will be spent is the reason Total Information Management, the Filipino partner, decided to dump the partnership.

TIM rejected the proposal of Smartmatic, saying this was contrary to the nature of a joint venture and “would expose it to possible violations of Philippine laws.”

TIM’s fear of exposure to “possible violation of Philippine laws,” sources familiar with the deal said, was prompted by the entry of a person with the highest political connections into the deal as a “carried” partner.”

Convergence of anti-Con Ass voices

Published by Ellen on June 30, 2009

1) Bibeth Orteza and daughter,Sara 2) Harry Roque and his Constitutionbal Law students (UP) 3. UP Law student Michelle Chua-Puyo takes a stand against Con-Ass with her baby in her womb .

1) Manileño contingent 2) Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila against Con-Ass 3) Among those leading the march: Mayor Fred Lim, PLM President Adel Tamano, Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño, Kabataan Party Rep. Mon Palatino.

1) Protest march became a torch parade when darkness started to set in 2) This young boy asked me to take his picture 3) Precy Lopez-Psinakis, Gina de Venecia, Harry Roque and other members of the Concerned Citizens Movement

Cha-Cha protesters start countdown

by JP Lopez
Malaya

STUDENTS and young professionals led by the Movement of the Youth for Empowerment, Reform, Advocacy and Progress (myERAP), a group aligned with President Joseph Estrada, yesterday served a symbolic “notice of eviction” to President Arroyo near Malacañang.

Ma-Honduras kaya tayo?

Published by Ellen on June 29, 2009

Kung nabasa ni Gloria Arroyo ang nangyari sa Honduras kahapon, dapat manginig siya sa takot. Dapat rin simulan na niya ang pag-empake at kung malasin siya baka hindi na siya umabot sa Hunyo 2010.

Sa balita kahapon na ang presidente ng Honduras na si Manuel Zelaya ay pinatalsik sa isang military coup. Dinala daw ng eroplano ng military sa bayan ng Costa Rica si Zelaya.

Matatapos na raw ang termino ni Zelaya at ayon sa kanilang Constitution, hindi na siya pwedeng tumakbo. Pinipilit niyang palitan ang Constitution at marami ang pumapalag kasama na ang military.

Army ousts Honduras president in vote dispute

Published by Ellen on June 28, 2009

This should send shivers down Gloria Arroyo’s spine.

by Mica Rosenberg Mica Rosenberg

Tegucigalpa (Reuters) – The Honduran army ousted President Manuel Zelaya and threw him out of the country on Sunday in Central America’s first military coup since the Cold War, after he upset the army by trying to win re-election.

U.S. President Barack Obama expressed deep concern after troops came for Zelaya, an ally of leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, at dawn and took him away from his residence.

A military plane flew Zelaya to Costa Rica and CNN’s Spanish-language channel said he had asked for asylum there.

Writing songs with my friend Michael

Published by Ellen on June 28, 2009

This, so far, is the best tribute I’ve read about Michael Jackson. It appeared in The Huffington Post .

by Gotham Chopra

When I was in my second year of college living on campus (at Columbia in NYC) with 4 suite mates, every time the phone rang, there was a race to answer it. Everyone wanted to be the guy to hear the “hello” on the other side just in case it was my friend Michael Jackson calling.

Most of those days, Michael was holed up on top of the Four Seasons, roughly 60 blocks away from where I lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan just near Harlem. I’d happily drift downtown, gain clearance from security downstairs who knew I was allowed free access to Michael’s suite, take the elevator all the way up and start ordering room service and watch movies on Mike’s tab.

Eventually, Michael and I would get down to work. He was working on a new album and asked me to help him write lyrics for songs. It was an informal relationship – I’d wander downtown with a backpack full of dictionaries, and thesauri, and rhyming books. Michael would hum songs and talk about what he wanted to say with the song and we’d try and marry our skillsets and come up with something. We came up with great stuff. Michael swore me to secrecy those days. I happily complied.