Faces Back on Billboards

The PNoy government is barely 100 days old and already a number of local politicians have already defied guidelines imposed by the new administration. Department Order No. 37 of the Department of Public Works and Highways issued last 6 August 2010 orders that "name(s) and/or picture(s) of any personages should not appear in the billboard" of any on-going project being undertaken by the department.

Yes, the projects pictured above may not be under the DPWH. The first stands in front of the San Juan municipal cemetery along Santolan Road while the second is at the end of Tomas Morato on E. Rodriguez Avenue. I can just hear them say that they are not breaking any law since these are not covered by the department order. I can also hear them already claiming that no public funds was used for these billboards. Kapal muks talaga.

Here we go again. Politicians who make excuses by sticking to the letter of the law instead of following the spirit under which the law was made. So sad. When oh when will real change happen? When oh when will our country make an about face? For let's face it, no matter how good intentioned a leader is, we must all do our part in effecting change.

So was this a legit police operation?

I saw this from my 3rd floor office window at the corner of Tomas Morato and Scout Delgado in Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City at around 11:40 am this morning. A man in the front passenger seat of a gray Honda Civic (license plate ZRC 175) jumped out of the car as it stopped because of the traffic. Two men, the driver and another one seated in the back,ran and caught up with the first guy who now tried to hang on to the railings by the road side.

The struggle then turned into a wrestling match as the two tried to pin down the apparent fugitive. The whole drama, watched by dozens of bystanders, lasted between five to eight minutes and only ended when reinforcements in motorcycles arrived with handcuffs. Only then was the fugitive returned to the car and the whole convoy sped off.

Everyone watched in shock. The scene was all too confusing. Who were the good guys? Who was the victim? Were we watching a police arrest? Or was this an attempted kidnapping?

It certainly did not help that no one was in uniform. And that they all looked like goons.

And when it was all over talk on the street was that the man without a shirt was a suspected drug dealer trying to run away from the other men were drug enforcement agents.

We wanted to call the police but didn't know the number. We did call the barangay in the hope that they would call the nearest police station. But as usual, no one showed up until a good thirty minutes after.

Interestingly, the security guards from the two banks nearby did not interfere. In fact both banks went on emergency mode and closed down their facilities. They were suspicious of the whole thing, fearing that it was just a ruse to distract the guards so as to allow accomplices from robbing the banks.

Such is the sad state of peace and order in the country. We now can't tell the criminals from the police.

Noy's Barrage!

We all went. Patty, Gabi and Bela. With Yaya Tem and Paula. Last 6 April 2010. To the corner of Timog and Quezon Boulevard. To make noise for Noy's presidential bid.

We came armed with our own kalderos. And we were prepared to use them all night. But our sandoks soon gave way. It's a good thing someone came with a whole supot of whistles. Yellow whistles at that.

It was fun. And having the kids with us just reinforced our conviction that an Aquino-Roxas administration is what's best for our country's future.

Noy Doll

Of all the campaign paraphernalia going around, this is my hands down favorite. It's Bela's too.

Up, Up and Away!

Why spend a ton of money getting showbiz personalities to endorse your campaign when you can just as easily ride on the popularity of everyone's favorite heroes for practically nothing? Unless of course DC Comics gets a whiff of this apparent breach of copyright.

I wonder what the candidate's slogan is. Truth, Justice and the Quezon City way?

I like the poster so much that I might just vote for the dummy. The one with a cape, that is.

Is that you, Jinggoy?

Is the Erap camp really lacking in funds that it now has to resort to using really old photos of the former president for its campaign posters? This photo looks like it was taken thirty years ago. Probably for a movie. He really looks like Kumander Alibasbas here.

Here Erap also looks like Jinggoy ten years ago. Before he lost all that weight. And all the pomada.

Learn from your son, Mr. Ex-President. Get rid of the old photos. Shed off the old macho guapito look. 

You'll look much better. More dignified. More wise. 

Kung Ako ang Tatanungin. Siya Na Nga!