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Title: How Can You Rate Our Government?


~Fiamme` - December 24, 2005 12:47 AM (GMT)
from a scale of 1-10 ten being teh highest...

ako 2 lng ksi d nmn nila npapalkd ng mgling ang pilipinas e... tska may corrupt at ung mga jueteng issues p dba? tska i don't really think that they're trying to make teh philippines a better place... waaaa

ps
ginaya k lng tong thread nto s thread ni genocide hahaha

rikku - December 24, 2005 12:55 AM (GMT)
i rate it 1 coz it sucks

Numb - December 24, 2005 01:39 AM (GMT)
-00.5

even tho the peso dollar rate goes up, it's not becoz' of our government.. I don't think they're doing anything to help our country. Then concentrated pa cla dun sa election fraud etc etc... that they're forgetting their other responsibilities to the philippines. even tho the people have the right if GMA cheated or not, they're forgetting it's christmas and they should help people in need. IMO tho.

[adx]™ - December 24, 2005 02:09 AM (GMT)
@ ^

I agree, if i were to rate the government, i'd say below passing. Wala n clang inatupag kundi yang kaso ni pGMA. Imbis na gumwa cla ng mga proyekto pra nmn mk2log s mga nghhirap n mga mmmyan at ma-improve ang ekonomiya eh inuuna p nla yng mga gnyn bagay. Sa bandang huli cno parin kawawa? edi ung mga mhhirap -____-

Ocelot - December 24, 2005 02:14 AM (GMT)
naku wag nyo n pataasin amf /heh

negative infinity sasagot ko dyan /heh

ayon kse sa calculus ko.... /heh

Corzair - December 24, 2005 02:34 AM (GMT)
It's 1.. Because instead of using their time and money to actually improve the country. Their more concerned whether someone cheated or not. They are like cats and dogs always bickering and fighting wheter someone cheated or someone is corrupt.. What can I say CRAB MENTALITY. /e5

Angelsnite - December 24, 2005 03:12 AM (GMT)
I say we can rate it as high as we can, but only as low as we can rate ourselves. Meaning bago natin husgahan ang gobyerno, husgahan muna n atin ang sarili natin. I'm not saying that they're not so bad. Heck, I'm not saying that at all. However the thing is, are we any better? ^_______^

FlowFlow - December 24, 2005 09:22 AM (GMT)
Exactly.. namiss kow mga posts ni Angelsnite...

Nwei... back to topic..

Tayo naglagay sa kanila sa pwesto e.. nuff said. <_< Though what I hate most is their political bickering... as what Corzair said, mas concerned pa sila kung sino ba talaga yun President natin... Instead of passing new bills/laws that would further help us.. impeachment pa nauna..

As for the peso going up... natural lang yun.. GMA is an economist... kahit papano magagawan niya ng paraan yun.. pero that doesn't remove the other corrupt officials di ba? :pissed: :chair: :chair: :chair:

*~SchindLer~* - December 24, 2005 04:11 PM (GMT)
i think 5 /hmm

astroboyreal - December 24, 2005 05:51 PM (GMT)
still flat 7

bubbles - December 25, 2005 02:52 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (FlowFlow @ Dec 24 2005, 05:22 PM)
Tayo naglagay sa kanila sa pwesto e.. nuff said. <_<

well, not really... with the rampant cheating in our country, who knows if GMA or whoever is currently seated in the one voted by the people?

and regarding the appreciation of the peso, well, point given to GMA since she's an economist, it's suppose to be what she's good at and also the remitances of the OFWs for the holidays. let's wait and see after the new year how the peso would perform..

IMO, the goverment could be great with all the laws that we have (we have more laws that US). the problem is with the implementation, graft and corruption that is eating the minds of the people in place and even the normal citizens.

Jeff-[DK]^(-.-) - December 25, 2005 07:45 AM (GMT)
well as of now ginagawa nmn ng goverment yung mga paraan pra mging maayus economy ntin,but some people didn't want na maging maayus ang lgay ng bansa...ill rate our goverment 7 kz sayang effort nila /heh

miongskee™ - December 25, 2005 11:24 AM (GMT)

i give it a 2... out of pity i think

Angelsnite - December 25, 2005 01:32 PM (GMT)
Walang magkakapandaya kung walang magpapadaya. Walang makakapandaya kung walang magpapasuhol o magpapatakot. In other words, it has always been up to us to make things happen.

Parang RO, we all know that if LUG wanted to get rid of bots it would be as easy as pie, but then they don't have a moral backbone to do so. The result: well.. you can see the result as much as you can see the result of the apathy of the common Filipino to the politics of the country. We're where we are frankly because we don't care. If we're not thinking of how best to escape our taxes, we're thinkin' how best to escape the country. If everyone did their jobs as they should, things would go pretty well for us.

But then you'd say, pano ako lalaban ng parehas kung hindi naman lumalaban ng parehas mga kaibigan, kapitbahay, kaaway at kamaganak ko? E kung ganun ang pagiisip mo, gago ka talaga. Wala kang malasakit sa bayan mo at wala kang moralidad sa katawan mo. ^____^

Vahn - December 25, 2005 01:33 PM (GMT)
1 bwahaha.. our government sucks!

Angelsnite - December 25, 2005 01:34 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Jeff-[DK]^(-.-) @ Dec 25 2005, 03:45 PM)
well as of now ginagawa nmn ng goverment yung mga paraan pra mging maayus economy ntin,but some people didn't want na maging maayus ang lgay ng bansa...ill rate our goverment 7 kz sayang effort nila /heh

anong mga paraan yun, matanong ko lang? :p

Pygmalion - December 25, 2005 03:54 PM (GMT)
@angel

This has long been a standing issue and I do get your point my friend. If we would like to aspire for a better world then there should be a compromise of individual interest. To put forth the public good before personal right.

However forgive me when I say this but very few people have choices, my friend. The present situation or status quo of society stresses the matter beyond what a normal or common person can bear. What choice does the poor and desperate have. They would follow only what preserves them in a day to day basis. Sadly it is more of “survival” than apathy. And yeah this is evident in Ragnarok. I now understand why some people would choose, salary over loyalty. Choose malevolent leaders over honorable causes.

However choice can always be seen as an illusion only if you are willing to sacrifice or rather if you can afford to sacrifice. And an even more intrusive question is, to what extent are you willing to sacrifice? Such intimidating and frightening questions that most people turn a blind eye on. More often than not the average person would not risk their own security or way of life. Would not risk their own family or in ragnarok terms (for public purposes) an example, very few guild would stand a chance without partaking themselves in the server’s exploited state. This is the sad fact.

So what happens to idealists. They simply cease to exist in system so hooked dirtily. Remember the proverb that “Water too pure cannot exist in the realm”. Or the phrases kung mabait kang tao kukunin kana ni lord (because you deserve better. This is not sarcasm*>.<). Somehow everyone has to adapt for their own sake.

Fooling aside, this is a hard lesson to us my friend. A reality most idealists cant bear. But life goes on. Take it lightly. You can always influence people close to you. Promulgate idealism rather than the acceptance of crapness. But always remember not to condemn those who are too deep in.

When it comes to those who flee the country. They are saviors my friend. Without them our GNP( Gross national product) would deteriorate. And our country would be in a poorer state. So maybe they deserve better than those tags.

Angelsnite - December 25, 2005 11:29 PM (GMT)
@Pygmalion

There's always a choice between what's right and what's wrong and it's usually the same choice between what's right and what's easy. Choice is no illusion no matter how difficult the choice made is supposed to be and this goes the same for the rich and poor alike. Teh word idealist merely exists so that people can have an excuse not to be idealists. Idealism is painted so that people would think that aspiring for what is right and just all the time is not a good thing to do where in fact if everyone just thought that way, the country and Rune Midgard for that matter would be a better place.

Sa madaling salita, kung gugustuhin madaming paraan pero kung ayaw maraming dahilan. Hindi naman pagpapakabayani ang pagawa ng tama. Bat ba natin iniisip na imposibleng magpakatino dahil mahirap ito. Oo mahirap talaga pero sana wag natin gawing palusot yun para sabihing hindi natin kaya. Sabihin na lang natin na ayaw natin para mas hindi nakakahiya sa lumikha sa atin.

As for the OFWs (immigrants aren't OFWs), I never tagged them as anything. I merely said that a lot of our people would rather flee the country than stick around and bear the problem. Funny thing though, whenever I listen to the radio I hear ads saying how OFWs are the heroes of the future. Ang saya naman, so what do you call the common working Filipino? The jeepney drivers, janitors, office workers, teachers, policemen etc? How can we take more pride in our country and in ourselves when we take more pride in working overseas? I don't think there's anythin wrong w bein an OFW. I just think that our local workers deserve just as much credit as they even though we earn peso and not dollars. XD

-Nike- - December 26, 2005 12:20 AM (GMT)
1? :pissed: :pissed: :furious: :furious:

~Fiamme` - December 26, 2005 02:41 AM (GMT)
bkt nmn nike? sbihin mo reason heheh

-=^mykel=- - December 26, 2005 03:57 AM (GMT)
from 1 - 10
10 being the highest
1 being the lowest

hmm...

1 - parang LUG :lol:

Jeff-[DK]^(-.-) - December 26, 2005 07:10 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (Angelsnite @ Dec 25 2005, 09:34 PM)
anong mga paraan yun, matanong ko lang? :p

ahmmm sna ndi na humaba e2 pero sasagutin ko lng...ung tax na babayaran,pra san ba yun?ung mga role back ng gasoline ano un? dont tell me na ndi un paraan pra maging magaang/maayus economy ntin /shy

Pygmalion - December 26, 2005 07:15 AM (GMT)
it is a sad fact that the country is struggling to sustain itself. so the personal choice to leave the country to become financially independent becomes an even more feasible and stronger option mostly for an individual putting forth first his/her personal right. however, again if you willfully would look in the greater picture the public good will always be compromised when professionals leave. they call this "brain drain".

however as angelsnipe would say, people would rather go for the easy choice and not consider the national effect. in his own words walang "malasakit". The irony he implies is that those who seemingly abandon the philippines are branded as heroes. what recognition now does the local policeman jeepney driver have. Those who choose to endure the economy and try to make it better in their own way. I believe everyone who put forth the public good first deserves some kind of recognition.

But a hard pill to swallow is that since too many now has left and flee, the philippines has become an exporting nation. The Exporting of service and talents from nurses to caretakers bluecollar workers etc has become the country's specialty. Just like when china earns as a manufacturing haven for most global companies.

Now a person who works overseas but never spends or sends its money in here may be considered as a waste and completely has no "malasakit" because it doesnt contribute a thing in the GNP( Gross National Product). but those who sends in their salaries to help and significantly stimulates our economy may be considered heroes in their own way. Especially in provinces where there are no jobs available and city capitals where local companies are downsizing. Alot of provinces survive because the locals have dollars to spend and invest in their local markets and in turn they do get to put up microbusinesses and promote higher employment may itbe just a pedicab or a sarisari store. And in a commulative way, they are infact the lifeblood of this country and our capital source.

My friends, very few things are laid out as black and white. Very few choices are as simple and easy. But then again alot of times the more selfless the choice is the more it may be inclined to being universally correct.

@angel

Idealism exists because there are those who still believe in it. Like you. . . who wishes for his fellow filipinos to make the right choices so that in a grander and greater scale everything will be a better.

Angelsnite - December 26, 2005 12:35 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Jeff-[DK)
^(-.-),Dec 26 2005, 03:10 PM] ahmmm sna ndi na humaba e2 pero sasagutin ko lng...ung tax na babayaran,pra san ba yun?ung mga role back ng gasoline ano un? dont tell me na ndi un paraan pra maging magaang/maayus economy ntin /shy

Hmm.. yung tax na binabayaran? Dun sa dangwa may pagkalaki-laking poster ni Atienza at ng isang konsehal. Sa caloocan naman, minabuti ni Echiveri na palamutian ang mga pagitan ng lansangan ng mga nakasabit na pagmumukha nya. Meron pa smiley na may bigote. Saan nga ba napupunta ang tax?

Roll back sa langis? After they just hiked their prices? "Roleback" mo nga bang matatawag yun? Isa pa kung magrorollback man ang langis isa lang ang dahilan, tumaas ang supply sa internaional market. Unless bumubuga si GMA ng langis, wala syang kinalaman doon.

@ Pygmalion

I never claimed that going OFW was ignoble, only that it was no more noble as any other profession is noble. And let's face it, if everyone becase idealistic the word would cease to exist. It would become the norm to do what is right and honest.

You have a good point with the brain drain. If we discuss it even further we'd be touching on more serious matters that don't even involve nationalism anymore but rather the definition of a Filipino's humanity as we know it.

Jeff-[DK]^(-.-) - December 27, 2005 04:46 AM (GMT)
sabi na may violent reaction /heh

@angelsnite

mukang may personal na galit ka sa mayor na un /heh bat nmn samin poster issue pa ba un ? public school mewon jan sa inyu..u know ndi nmn lhat ng tax napupunta sa cnsabi mo...wak ntin iasa sa goverment lhat ng kailanagan ntin sabi nga mag tulungan tyu....ung sa roll back issue pa ba un magpasalamat tyu kz nag ka roll back pa......ang sakin lng may ginagawa nmn ang goverment pra maging maayos tyu.wak sna sa lhat ng pag kakataon isisi sa kanila /heh some people make our lives disaster away d2 away dun amf c pres.GMA d na makapag concentr8 tpos sasabihin nyu na wla ginagawa oohh emm gee peace out

@topic

gud effort 10 /heh

Pygmalion - December 28, 2005 05:40 AM (GMT)
In a time now considered as a “fiscal crisis”, we have reached a point where the government is operating at a loss simply because there isnt enough revenue that can be collected from "direct" taxes(income taxes).

Last year, my professor in lasalle has given us an accurate percentage of workforce/filers/payers. It goes something like this:

The Phil workforce is around “36m” out of the 80m+ and growing total population of the country. Only “12m” files their income tax out of this 36m. And only 3m citizens pay something. Out of this 3m only “1.8m” pays their rightful dues.

When it comes to BIR’s, only 1% of 3m gets audited a year. This is the full capacity of the entire department. That’s just 30,000 citizens ramdomly picked. So if you add up the losses, there are 24m tax evaders, 9m who files but doesn’t pay, and 1.2m who doesn’t pay the rightful dues. Why? Simply because they can get away with it. because they can and most likely have greater advantage with tax evasion since it cannot be imposed. But again this is against the notion of putting forth the public good before personal right. this shows much about Filipino culture, a dog eats dog society centered on the self.

To pinpoint which is the cause and effect is nearly a matter of debate. Is it the government's fault if they suck? How much support are we giving them anyways?Remember that tax is essential for a nation, it is a "forced" burden for everyone's sake. Again FORCED meaning Crucial. On the other hand, the government's corruption and political anarchy has pulled down the confidence of the people. so you cannot also blame the citizens for being uneasy. Whichever the case I see a nation not working together or meeting eye to eye. What else is new? HOwever it is unfair to rate the goverment on its own. It should always coincide with rating the entire picture. It is true it does take 2 to tango. As one poster would say, we can only rate ourselves much as we can rate the government.

Its always been a battle between citizen’s confidence and government’s reliability to produce and manage resources. This is why some people are pushing for a federal state system, so that each jurisdiction can manage its own resources and shorten the bureaucratic crap or the technicalities that enables people to pilage and plunder. We have seen that a centralized government for taxation purposes is not possible to maintain our economy.

Like in ragnarok major giant guilds need subgms to manage their extentions. Imagine if only one head manages everything. eventually a collapse would happen as too many loopholes open. Too many "pasaways" on loose. haha! The phil is a not so big country but we fail so miserably in managing ourselves and our resources in a centralized way.

I rate our nation's system poorly but not hopeless. We can start blaming endlessly however it only put things at hault. how about working together coming up with a better system or suggestion? i like to believe that everyone eventually learns from their mistakes. And it is about time that we did. There is no shame at losing or failing. Bu there is shame in being a "NEGATHINKER". We have been failing for generations. How can we now succeed? how can we learn from it? *giving a positive look at things*

;)

Angelsnite - December 28, 2005 06:24 AM (GMT)
@ Jeff

Hindi po violent reaction yun, ahihihi... If you noticed (and I hope you did), I just pointed out where some of the tax money is being spent at the moment. Can you justify those expenditures? Hehehe.. parang ndi mo pa ata nasasabi kung ano yung mga "ginagawa" ng gobyerno na nakakabuti right now. /heh Kung public school and other government utilities kasi ang paguusapan e trabaho po talaga nila yun dahil binabayaran sila ng buwis para gawin yun. E yung posters and picture-parols? Yung paulit-ulit na pagpapagawa ng kalsadang hindi naman sira? Yung school supplies sa public schools at gamot sa mga ospital na poor ang quality kasi may kickback? Hindi ba natin dapat pansinin yun? :D

Mali din naman talagang isisi ng tamad sa gobyerno kung bakit wala syang trabaho. Ang sa akin lang e talagang sobrang walang hiya, balasubas at patay-gutom ang karamihan ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan natin, at ang karamihan pa sa kanila ay napapanood mo sa t.v. (kung nanonood ka ng balita) gabi-gabi.

@ Pygmalion

The point of the matter is, garapal yung mga nasa kapangyarihan. Ang sisiba nilang sumamsam ng buwis na kulang na nga, binubulsa pa nila. Bakit, responsibilidad ba nating bigyan sila ng marangyang buhay? Bat nila inaasa ang luho nila sa mga taong dapat nga nilang pagsilbihan?

Tama din na dapat higpitan ang pangongolekta ng buwis. E sino pa kasi ang hindi naghihigpit at ngpapalusot sa mga mayayaman at namumuhunan? ndi ba yung mga kabatak din nilang opisyal ng gobyerno?

The system isn't the problem. It's the people who run the system that are the problem. How can we "work together" when the people you have to "work together" with have their pockets as their primary interest?

Will say more but I have to do some chores. /gg Maghuhugas pa ako ng pinagkainan at maglilinis ng bahay. Tapos, aalis na ulit ako. Hehehe... Sarap talaga nang bakasyon. :D

Pygmalion - December 28, 2005 09:25 AM (GMT)
@angel

in ragnarok world, hackers will always find ways to hack into the system whether the vanguard or patches are updated. so i get your point when you say the real problem is deeper than plain sight. if gusto talaga magnakaw makakanakaw talaga eventually. a better system only pushes thieves to be smarter.

But the effort to make it more difficult for them is not such a bad idea. if taxes are collected within a smaller governing body, with lesser loopholes and transmitions, then you shorten cash flow and the easier it is managed. fewer plunders may happen. but ofcourse it could go the other way around, that is why the push for a federal state goverment is stil under debate. and frankly it needs more studying.

every little proposition or idea aimed to lessen corruption is worthwhile. And even though it may be just a short term solution any little help or effort would do. all i asked is we start thinking of ways to better our situation internally AND externally that is.

As mentioned the real enemy is deeply embedded on culture. That is why it is such a difficult problem. however we shouldnt turn a blind eye to more obvious and tangible problems. these are both problems that needs addressing. But our real focus like what you would say is internal.

"ayusin natin sarili natin and ayusin din natin ang systema."

As for the corrupt goverment officials, lets give them a harder time to pick pocket? for citizens harder time to avoid or evade taxes. thats precisely the system upgrade's purpose to race against malevolent individuals adapting to the system. Even if it doesnt solve the entire problem it is undeniably a short term solution to a constant problem. a delaying tactic until people grow up to love their country.

its not much but its still an effort. if you grow to tackle how we can foster nationalism then maybe this can be a long term solution. but for now people are getting ripped off by the sec. and goverments losing their money from tax cheaters. loopholes must be addressed.

more power to the thread! ;)

Angelsnite - December 28, 2005 09:45 AM (GMT)
@Pygmalion

Exactly. It's never wrong to improve and progress. This is meant not just for the system but for the virtues of the people who run the system. Dapat matutunan ng mga tao sa gobyerno na magpakatao. In the same way, dapat din matutunan ng mga taong bumoboto ang kahalagahan ng boto nila. Dapat matutunan ng bawat manggagawa at namumuhunan ang responsibilidad nilang magbayad ng buwis.

In other words, we all have to grow, for everyone's sake. Otherwise we'd fail, and it would be everyone's fault.

.::J.::A.::S.::O.::N - December 28, 2005 12:38 PM (GMT)
our government programs,stablishments and etc are good
but if the people who governs it would be more serious and HONEST to their respective job..Philippines will grow just fine

Dauphin - December 28, 2005 02:04 PM (GMT)
sure. go ahead. rate the government. you should realize though that the vote you will be giving our government is actually a vote you give yourself on what you contribute for our country.

Angelsnite - December 28, 2005 02:08 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Lord CinderFury @ Dec 28 2005, 10:04 PM)
sure. go ahead. rate the government. you should realize though that the vote you will be giving our government is actually a vote you give yourself on what you contribute for our country.

Exactly. /gg

Jeff-[DK]^(-.-) - December 28, 2005 02:32 PM (GMT)
so u pointed na mas maganda cguro pag tuunan ng goverment ntin ang mga pinag sasabi mo..maybe tama ka,but y some people dont understand na may ginagawa ang goverment ntin,matagal na tyung mahirap takenote:ever since ndi pa c gloria,and wak sna nting sabihing patay gutom corrupt watever....ecth.d lhat d ba? /? ang point ko d2 wak sna ung kamalian lng lalo ng ng leader ang nakikita,kya nga nasabi ni gloria na bad boy image na ang media,kz puro nega lng ang pinapakita,dont tell me nakakatulong un sa economy? maybe? maybe not? eigther na magsikap tyu or isisi habang buhay sa goverment kung ano meron tyu..ooopps its my damn opinion respect na lng kz below the belt yta patama mu ehhh.....peace out

@lord cinder

ok lng po ba if magkaron kmi ng onting debate d2? wakokoko

Angelsnite - December 28, 2005 02:43 PM (GMT)
@ Jeff

If you read my last reply again, you'd see that I already said that people shouldn't go blaming the government all the time for their poverty. Tulad nang sinabi ko, hindi naman tama ang manisi ng manisi. People have to contribute to the betterment of society. The point I wanted to make is that part of that contribution is being aware of how our tax money is being spent. The point I wanted to make is regardless of whether people complain or not, the current government in plain reality is a sick and corrupt piece of crap. Now I don't think that seeing Atienza's gigantic poster or Echiveri's face-parols are a good way of spending government money. Do you?

Also, ano yung "below the belt" na patama ko? o.O

D-GROHL - December 28, 2005 03:19 PM (GMT)
after reading all that sana mahiwalay na mindanao sa pinas...after all GNP contribution off mindanao is 54% all in all total...kaya i think yayaman kami taga mindanao weeeeeeeeeeeee and maliit lang share ng mindanao nasa national wealth puro nasa luzon area lahat...

kaya poor rating bigay ko sa government...very very poor...pag tinupad nila federalism way of governance maybe bumalik bilib ko sa gobyerno..

Angelsnite - December 28, 2005 04:18 PM (GMT)
Same question as in the other thread. What's federalism?

D-GROHL - December 28, 2005 04:41 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Angelsnite @ Dec 29 2005, 12:18 AM)
Same question as in the other thread. What's federalism?

COMMENTARY
Federalism: New hope for Mindanao and the Philippines
1st of two parts
By Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya
Chair, Mindanao Coalition of Development NGOs (Mincode)

We are for a federal form of government. This commitment has been enshrined n our advocacy since we converged in 1991 as the broadest and largest grouping of cooperatives, people’s organizations, non-government organizations and no-government individuals. It is within the context of political parity and economic equity - the twin goals of genuine people’s development - that firmed up our commitment for a federal republic of the Philippines.

The interrelatedness of political stability and economic empowerment are clearly manifested as we assist and work with the communities in the six regions, as well as in the 25 provinces in Mindanao. Such relationship can also be gleaned from the national development perspective: between Mindanao and the central government in Manila.

Federalism as a Peace Option

Our collective quest for peace is anchored on the results of the talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, between the government and the National Democratic Front, and between the government and the Revolutionary Proletariat Movement in Mindanao.

While we remain optimistic on the mainstream peace process, greater people’s participation in the peace talks must also take place.

One of the most important developments contributing to the shift in the world political paradigm from a centralized government to federalism has been the demonstrated utility of federal arrangements in peace-making. In a world well advanced in its movement toward federalism as the new paradigm for interstate and intergroup relations, we must expect it also to offer considerable promise for peace-making. As federalists, we work hard to find ever better ways to utilize and apply federalism to the cause of peace.

There is a certain justification for this seeming truth in that “federal” is a loaded term, one that, more than simply describing arrangements and institutions, has to do with serious principles, real attitudes, binding relationships, specific expectations with regard to mutual trust, in short, the will to federate. Even if the discussion of federalist political culture is relatively not new on the political science agenda, the sense that federalism can only succeed where such political culture exists sufficiently also figures into this equation. Even less expressed is the expectation that federalism has at least one of its major roots in the idea of federal liberty, that is to say, liberty to do that which is mutually agreed upon in the founding compact or its subsequent constitutional modifications. Without federal liberty as an accepted principle, neither freedom nor responsibility can develop properly.

One of the ways to overcome the deficiency seems to be by widening the sphere to be encompassed by the solution. This is necessary for federal peace-making to take place, in some cases from the very first. For example, efforts to bring together two separate units are inevitably problematic not only because it is easy for every issue to turn into a zero-sum game with one side winning and the other losing, but it also is difficult to transform develop or transform issues into ones in which both sides win . It is true that in some cases when both sides are losing sufficiently, widening the sphere helps them come together to control their losses.

No matter what form federalism takes, how federal institutions are designed, and what federal principles are emphasized, it is generally clear by now that where there is a positive attitude toward federalism and a will to build a federal system, where the political society involved rests on sufficient trust, sufficiently widespread to allow the many leaps of faith that must be taken to make federalism work, where political culture is either favorable or at least open to federal arrangements, where all of this leads to a wider understanding of liberty as federal liberty, then federalism has a good chance of succeeding when used for peace-making. It may have almost as good a chance if most of those elements are present and some chance even if one of two of them is. But it seems quite clear that without any, the chances of success are extremely limited.

Federalism and the right to self-determination

Asserting and reclaiming their self-determination is essential among Lumad and Bangsamoro peoples.

The Lumad peoples have persistently expressed their own preference for self-determination, having seen that their absorption into the unitary political system has brought about the establishment and solidification of a threat to their very own existence and the integrity of their distinct cultures.

The Bangsamoro have their own distinct identity and vested interest that must be respected and cannot be satisfied by a continued subscription to political uniformity. With the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the central government has allowed, albeit grudgingly, a departure from the stranglehold of central authority. The passage of the Local Government Code in 1991 further chips away powers from central authority; the local government units from the regional autonomy to the barangay are able to exercise greater self-determination.

The right to decide and choose (what) is best for one’s self is a sacred right that cannot be taken away from any individual and citizen. Those deprived of this right are also unable to fulfill their aspirations for the future.

Under a federal set up, greater powers will be devolved to the local citizenry, making grassroots participation more meaningful and broaden the powers of the citizens over the state.

Self-determination comes in many forms. In the political sphere, it comes in the form of semi-independent units. In the Philippines: sitio, barangay, municipality, province, regional autonomy, nation. Self-determination grows with increased political autonomy or the ability to stand on one’s own feet. In the political history of the world, greatest autonomy to political units is experiences by the states of a federal state.

The more obvious advantage is greater power-sharing between the national or federal government and the state/local government. Since the states will have their own legislatures, real decision-making is brought closer home to the people. This is the immediate consequence of the political re-structuring. But, in fact, the citizens can push further to ensure that in the federal constitution and the state laws, greater people participation in the decision-making process is institutionalized.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Sylvia Okinlay-Paraguya is the chair of the Mindanao Coalition of Development NGOS or Mincode. Ms Paraguya presented this paper at the Kusog Mindanaw roundtable conference on “Federal republic or Mindanao independence” last Friday at the Mandaya hotel).



i hope this will explain it to you...its better if you read it from a good source. like this one.^

Yuna - December 28, 2005 06:05 PM (GMT)
Sheeesh, i wished cheating never existed... at utangs.. /e1 our government really stinks.. booooo!

Sana pareha sa Japan.. even overpopulated, indi poor yung country.

Angelsnite - December 29, 2005 12:38 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (YunaSakura @ Dec 29 2005, 02:05 AM)
Sheeesh, i wished cheating never existed... at utangs.. /e1 our government really stinks.. booooo!

Sana pareha sa Japan.. even overpopulated, indi poor yung country.

I wish for that too. I wish for it as much iRL as I do in-game. Here's a wish for all scammers, hackers and botters to just curl up and spew their guts out. :D

Jeff-[DK]^(-.-) - December 29, 2005 09:14 AM (GMT)
awts like wat i said dati pa po tyu poor and may utang /swt

@angel

bout dun sa cnbi mo hmm /hmm may point ka pero are u sure na sa tax tlga un? /swt natanong mu na ba? kung bket ka may kalsadang na pag drive an..?natanung mu na ba kung bket safe malakad sa gabi, /swt prang malayu na ung cnbi ko pero un lng nmn,and ung below the belt na cnbi ko 4get it /swt

@topic

bsta ako 7 ang rate ko effort pa lang /swt




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