Gross National Happiness?!

Talaga lang.

The House Committee on Appropriations of the 17th Congress said that it will use the country’s Gross National Happiness in crafting the 2018 national budget.

You can read more about it here:  http://www.thestandard.com.ph/news/top-stories/243425/budget-to-be-based-on-gnh-.html

Gross National Happiness was first stated in 1972 when the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, declared, “Gross National Happiness is more important than gross domestic product.” Over the next three decades, this idea of GNH became a guiding principle of Bhutan’s governance.

But well dear Congressmen, please do try to read this too: https://thebolditalic.com/gross-national-happiness-is-a-lie-oaklands-bhutanese-refugees-speak-out-7861353fc9c3

The Gross National Happiness concept invented in Bhutan may turn out to be a lie.

 

 

 

Mixing sports and politics is not good

Former Tarlac Rep. Peping Cojuangco: Naging Speaker dati sabi ng Bulletin?!

 

According to some sports pages of two national news dailies: Congress held a session over the weekend; and Peping Cojuangco was House Speaker during the Cory Aquino administration.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

Sports writers and editors are know for sticklers to the facts. It is paramount for them to get the right data: the accurate scores, stats and background data of every sporting event that they cover.

But apparently, if politics does get in the way, some of those who cover the sports beat forget to do their fact-checking.

Hmmph. This corner further maintains that politics and sports do not make a healthy mix.

Some proof? Here are two:

I.

House fetes first woman grandmaster
(The Philippine Star) | Updated September 19, 2016 – 12:00am  http://www.philstar.com/sports/2016/09/19/1625272/house-fetes-first-woman-grandmaster

In a session over the weekend, lawmakers unanimously passed Resolution No. 12 filed by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, congratulating and commending Frayna following her victory. The new chess grandmaster comes from Salceda’s district.

NOW SINCE WHEN DID CONGRESS (THIS 17TH CONGRESS INCLUDED) EVER HOLD A SESSION ON A WEEKEND?!

The Philippine Star Sports section editor must have been asleep. Hay.

II.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. was a congressman representing the first district of Tarlac on June 30, 1987 to  June 30, 1998 that covered the 8th, 9th and 10th Congresses. But a senior sports writer for the Manila Bulletin made a major blunder by saying that “The former congressman who was House speaker when his sister Corazon Aquino was president..” in his story below:

Despite diminished clout, POC embraces PSC initiatives
by Nick Giongco
Manila Bulletin/ September 22, 2016
http://www.mb.com.ph/despite-diminished-clout-poc-embraces-psc-initiatives/

The former congressman who was House speaker when his sister Corazon Aquino was president, is running unopposed….

Aha. Nakalusot na naman sa sports editor. Hohum.

 

In the current internet-crazy world, a simple fact check would show that the late Palawan Rep. Ramon Mitra, Jr. was the Speaker in in the 8th Congress.

Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia, Jr. was the Speaker in the 9th and 10th Congresses.

From where Giongco got his assertion that Peping Cojuangco was a House speaker boggles the mind.

Sports and politics do not make a healthy mix. Politics ruins the development of sports. Period.

Happy weekend.

 

 

 

 

More changes in Congress: Goodbye “8” plates?

This one is self-explanatory to any of the country’s legislators in the 17th Congress.

Let’s wait for compliance from our lawmakers. All of them. Let us hope that Congress does away with these “protocol” plates that are given to nearly 300 Congressmen and women.

 

17th Congress gets on with a ‘supermajority’ and a row for Minority Leader

And so we have a new Congress – the 17th version – of the Philippine Republic under the Duterte Administration.

The Senate President is Aquilino Pimentel III from Cagayan de Oro City, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte while President Rodrigo Roa Duterte – who was born in Maasin City, Southern Leyte – is a long-term mayor of Davao City.

ALL-MINDANAOAN SHOW – For the first time in Philippine history, the heads of the executive and legislative branches are all from Mindanao, led by President Duterte (middle), who delivered his first State-of-the-Nation Address yesterday at the Batasang Pambansa as Senate President Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III of Cagayan de Oro City (left) and House Speaker Pantaleon ‘Bebot’ Alvarez of the first district of Davao del Norte try to listen.  .  

(Photo by Mark Balmores / mb.com.ph)

 

Sen. Pimentel and Speaker Alvarez belong to the PDP-Laban party of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. No honorable titles here from now on, thank you.

The Senate has for its President pro tempore Senator Franklin Drilon (Liberal),  Majority leader Sen. Vicente Sotto III (NPC) and Minority leader Sen. Ralph Recto (Liberal). Parang weird talaga ang coalition agreements sa Pilipinas. LP and PDP-Laban sign a coalition agreement and you have Senators Drilon and Recto on opposite sides of the fence.

At the House of Representatives, Speaker Alvarez (PDP-Laban) has the following Deputy Speakers:

1.Eric Singson (PDP-Laban pero ex-LP);
2. Mercedes Alvarez (Nationalist Peoples Coalition);
3. Fredenil Castro (National Unity Party);
4. Raneo Abu (Nacionalista Party); and
5. Miro Quimbo (LP).

Alvarez has a Majority leader in Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (PDP-Laban pero ex-LP din) and supposedly, a Minority leader Teddy Baguilat (LP).

Buuuuuuuutttt: Ilocos Norte Rep. Fariñas and company are in the process of changing the rules.

Even if Ifugao Rep. Baguilat came in second to Speaker Alvarez  with 8 votes over Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez’ 7 votes, the Majority Leader insisted in plenary on July 26, 2016 that all those who did not vote for Speaker Alvarez (15 + 20 representatives who abstained) have to vote for a Minority Leader.  Wow.

So as of this writing, there is yet to be a House of Representatives Minority Leader  in the 17th Congress.

Change has come in the House. #

 

 

 

 

 

UNSEATED: Liberal Party loses one, gets one in Congress

There is another milestone for the Liberal Party (LP) in the 16th Congress.

Lord Allan Jay Velasco was installed on February 1 by the House as Marinduque representative after more than two years of preventing the removal of LP member Regina Ongsiako Reyes.

Velasco is a member of the National Unity Party (NUP). He joins his mother Ang Mata’y Alagaan (AMA) Party-list Rep. Lorna Velasco in Congress.

This is sweet: a son-and-mother tandem in Congress that has connections all the way to the Supreme Court.

The LP lost one member, will lose another one (the johnny-come-lately type) and essentially gain one in the end.

Another LP member (actually a former stalwart of the LAKAS-NUCD), shall most likely be replaced following another Supreme Court decision disqualifying Surigao del Sur Rep. Philip Pichay (that’s the brother of another ex-Cong. Prospero “Itanim sa Senado” Pichay.

Pichay will be replaced by Mary Elizabeth Ty-Delgado who ran as the LP bet for Congress in 2013.

Its a case of minus one plus one.  Status quo, with only a minor ripple, thanks to the HRET and the Supreme Court.

(More thanks to www.scoopnest.com and politics.com.ph)