#culpoli

[diyeydi]

Philippine House of Representatives sends Articles of Impeachment to the Senate

210-47-4!

I wonder, ngayong may GMANews TV 11 at News5 Ch 47 na, gaano na naman makikipag-"talastasan" ang ating mga Senador.

The 15 days of former President Estrada's trial was indeed colorful, and rated as Philippine's top soap opera (take that Mara Clara (pero love ko Mara Clara) and Mulawin) :)))

[diyeydi]

My thoughts on the Free Public Wi-Fi Act

Just as you thought Lapid Bills are not enough to amuse us to the kind of bills in Congress this year, I was so shock to know that there's a "Free Public Wi-Fi Act" currently proposed in Congress.

Filed by Kabataan Partylist (which I voted, and I don't know whether to regret or applaud it at this point in time) Representative Raymond Palatino, the HB 4271 aims to "provide free wi-fi access in government institutions to widen the space for the “people’s participation in clean governance and democracy.”"

Palatino believes that people's vigilance to report corruption using the technology now at-hand, we can be footsoldiers of good governance and healthy democracy.

According to reports:

once the bill is passed, wireless internet connection shall be installed and made available in buildings of all government-related offices including regional and satellite offices, municipal halls, provincial capitols, state universities and colleges, public parks and plazas, public hospitals and public transportation terminals such as airports and bus stations.

The bill also stipulates that no restrictions in the form of passwords and other similar mechanisms, and that no fee in whatever amount shall be imposed with regard to access to the free public wi-fi network.

Now, I'm not complaining about the bill. In fact, I applaud this move by Palatino to inject technology in our seemingly technologically-fearing representatives (If I am not mistaken, the mean age of our representatives is at 50s). However, before we file this kind of bill, I think there are a lot of Philippine cyber issues that needs to be fixed.

Number 1, fix our maximum bandwidth! Currently, it's just 1.5 MBPS. For crying out loud, Rwanda's faster than the Philippines! Calling the attention of the National Telecommunications Commission and internet service providers in the country! This is SHAMEFUL.

Number 2, which I feel strongly about, is the inadequacy and to a point, insolent and incompetent government websites! Some websites do not have appropriate feedback forms. Others, you can't find the information. Others, it's not even filtered. What's worse, it's the same info you get in Wikipedia! We have a lot of IT graduates in the country. Why cannot we employ them to create and/or revamp these government websites?

What also pissed me off, when I used to often visit our Senate website, it's full of political propagandas! Where was I when a picture of former-presidential candidate, former two-time vice presidential candidate and a celebrated icon join together for a photo opt and a caption of "Fighting Poverty". WHERE WAS I when the faces of those three became a fight of poverty! They have their own websites, why not put it there where it belongs. The Senate, IMO, should be apolitical and independent.

Number 3, since there is no security and basically everywhere, it's good to say that it would be a "Farmville for Everyone!" policy. Yes, social networking is a powerful tool, but since there will be no regulation of some sort, other users that are particularly fall to FAD (Facebook Addiction Disorder, and yes, there's that disorder existing) candidates will use and abuse these free wi-fis.

Number 4, Yes, we are the texting capital of the world, so to speak. But how many people do have Twitter accounts or even has access to a portable device that could connect to wi-fi? Do you expect a barrio person doing a transaction in Bundok ng Tralalala, Far Far Away Province to combat corruption and maximize this bill and the wi-fi available, if s/he has no gadgets, or better yet, limited satellite (like the Kalayaan Group of Islands in Palawan). Manila Mayor Fred Lim once said, "A law applies to all, otherwise, none at all", and in this case, this should be considered. If there is a national census data that at least 40-50% of the Philippine population do have wi-fi accessing gadgets, then it should be feasible at this point. I think at this time, it's only roughly 30% more or less.

Also, this proposal by Palatino would cost billions of pesos in investment. Now, the ZTE-NBN Deal would have been a good tool to address it, if only less greedy people or better yet no greedy people initiated it.

Again, my admiration of CGMA of "rather being right than popular" added that she foresaw a technological opportunity. However, the people behind saw another opportunity. Just like the time of Marcos, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was built because of a looming energy crisis, and I think we know what happened. There are a lot of brown-outs in the early 90s, and power plant building had also a lot of "greed". What's worse is that still electricity prices went up and we, the consumers had to pay for it.

I suggest to address these concerns first, but I am not against the bill. As a Political Science student, I will side in any tool that would make feel any citizen that s/he is part of a democracy and to eliminate corruption in our government and political system.

I just wish that the Philippines be ready first with adequate technology, and we will once and for all, end the biggest baggage of our Philippine government - corruption.

[kanincalisin-blog]

The Secret Powers of Time

Professor Philip Zimbardo conveys how our individual perspectives of time affect our work, health and well-being. Time influences who we are as a person, how we view relationships and how we act in the world.

It says something about how people from different culture use their time according to what they do and how they are oriented in life.

[kanincalisin-blog]

Smile or Die

Acclaimed journalist, author and political activist Barbara Ehrenreich explores the darker side of positive thinking.

[kanincalisin-blog]

Changing Education Paradigms

This animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert and recipient of the RSA's Benjamin Franklin award. For more information on Sir Ken's work visit: http://www.sirkenrobinson.com

[kanincalisin-blog]

"Higher Learning" Trailer

(1995)

A thought-provoking movie that will make you question what Higher Education really is.

[kanincalisin-blog]

Drama

Ang ating buhay ay napapalibutan ng drama. Maliban sa mga personal na pagsubok na pinagdadaanan natin bilang isang nilalang na may pagiisip at kakayahang magdesisyon para sarili, tayo ay napapaligiran ng mga drama na hindi natin kailangan para umunlad bilang tao. Isa sa mga ito ay ang panonood ng mga palabas sa telebisyon na kung tawagin ng nakararami ay "soap opera". Hindi natin ito magagamit para solusyonan ang problema ng kahirapan sa ating bansa pero ito ay nagsisilbing libangan ng karamihan ng mga Pilipinong madaming “free time”. Pero ang paglaganap ng mga soap opera na ito ay hindi lamang basta isang “gimik” ng mga TV networks para kumita, ito rin ay nagsasaad ng lehitimong kalakaran na dapat ay bigyang pansin dahil na rin sa kumakalat na epidemya ng katamaran at manyana habit. Sa halip na gumagawa ng mga may katuturang bagay sa mga oras na ika-7 ng gabi hanggang ika-9 o ika-10 ng gabi, ang karamihan sa mga tao ay nakatutok sa TV para sumubaybay sa mga soap opera. Ito ay umaalaga sa pangit na kulturang iniwan ng mga kastila na manyana habit. Ano pa nga ba ang nadudulot sa atin ng mga drama sa soap opera? Isip isip. 

[diyeydi]

Critical Essay 1

Sa tatlong Western theories (Marx, Feminism and French Cultural Studies) na pinag-aralan namin sa klase, ang pinakamasasabi kong epektibong pamamaraan upang matalakay ang kultura na nakakaapekto sa pulitikal na pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino ay ang French Cultural Studies.

Hindi naman sa hindi makabuluhan yung dalawa, pero kasi, hindi naman  nagkaroon ng malakas na presensya ang Marxism at Feminism sa ating lipunan. Kumbaga sa akin, ang French Cultural studies, nandiyan na, dahil ang basic premise naman nito ay ang pang-araw-araw na karanasan nating mga Pilipino at kung paano ito nakaka-apekto sa pulitika. Hindi lamang ito maayos na napapansin sapagkat ito ay lenteng ginagamit lamang sa pang-akademikong kadahilanan.

Kung tutuusin kasi, ang Marxism at Feminism ay lantaran sa ating lipunan, pero hindi naman nila ma-irelate sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ang mga ideolohiyang ito sa bawat tayo. Kumbaga, walang connection factor.

Tinatalakay sa Marxism