Ang dayaan sa 2010 at ang Kilusan ng Mamamayan

Doy Cinco /  Ika 6 ng Marso, 2008

Tulad ng inaasahan ng marami, klarong tuloy na ang 2010 election at dahil sa pagkakapasa ng P11.3 billion supplemental budget ng Poll Automation System,  magkaka-alaman na kung maisusustina ng Comelec ang iba pang sangkap na usaping maggagarantiya sa isang malinis, kapani-paniwala,  tahimik na eleksyon sa 2010.  Sa totoo lang,  halos nagsisimula pa lang ang trabaho ng Comelec, ang layuning  ipanumbalik ang pagtitiwala ng country sa democratic deficit na nagawa nito sa mahabang panahon sinalaula ito ng pwersang nakalukluk sa kapangyarihan.  (Larawan sa itaas: OMR machine)

Bagamat marami ang naniniwalang  sadya lamang mababawasan ang dayaan sa 2010 election  sa araw lamang ng botohan, bilangan at canvassing, dahil sa transparency at accessible electronically sa internet, mananatili sa dating gawi ang talamak na dayaan  sa panahon ng PRE-CAMPAIGN (kasalukuyan),  madugong patayan sa loob ng 60 / 45 DAYS campaign period at bisperas ng botohan, kung saan nagaganap ang malaking bulto ng dayaan sa election.  Ibig sabihin,  bago maisuksuk ng isang botante  ang shaded ballot sa makina.  Electronic ang araw ng VOTING and COUNTING pero mananatiling dating GAWI at madaya ang kabuuang kondukta ng halalan.

Kung may sariling calendaring (election schedule)  na ilalabas ang Comelec,  walang dudang nagsimula na rin ang political battle plan calendaring ng mga major players,  “political parties at mga presidentiables.”  Maaring magsimula na ang pagmonitor ng Comelec,  Advisory Council,  Bantay Election Watchdog at responsableng mamamayan sa maagang pandarayang sinisimulan ng pinatutupad ng mga pulitiko;

Una;  ang paniniyak na excluded ang galamay ng Malakanyang at Mega Pacific pipol sa Bidding process ng makinang gagamitin (vendor).

Pangalawa;  asahang magsisimula ng umarangkada ang gastusin (illegal campaign materials na nagkukubli sa tarpuline), ang malikhain, makabagong paraan ng VOTE BUYING. Kung may paraan kung paano masasawata ang iligal na pondong ihahatag ng Weteng,  Drug Lord,  mga Taipan (Lucio Tan,  Danding Cojuangco,  Henry Sy atbapa) at mga proyektong subsidy na gagamiting pa-pogi points at pamumulitika ng administrasyon Arroyo.

Pangatlo;  sa panahon ng election period, isagawa ang pagdidis-arma sa lahat ng private armies, including para-military units o CAFGU na ang gawaing ay pagsilbihan ang kanilang panginoong mga pulitiko sa lugar.  Ang pagkakaroon ng pansamantalang unilateral ceasefire (60 days-mula Appari hanggang Jolo) sa panig ng AFP/PNP at lahat ng insurgency groups.  Ang mahigpit na pagbabawal ng  iligal na pangongotong o permit to campaign (PTC) finance generation ng iba't-ibang armed groups.  (Larawan: Abra's Private Armies / www.pcij.org)

Pang-apat;  ang pagkakaroon ng GENERAL REGISTRATION at overhauling ng local election officer sa buong bansa.  Hindi lingid sa atin na nagsisimula ng magsiksik ng mga "bagong botante" ang mga incumbent politicians.  Hawak sa leeg, kadalasa’y inaarbor ng mga pulitiko  (Admin candidates) ang mga local Comelec  Director (munisipyo, Lunsod at Kapitolyo) sa buong kapuluan.

Panghuli; ang malawakang popularization ng Voter's Education Campaign at paglulunsad ng "Candidate's Debate" mula presidentiable hanggang local candidates.  Mga paksang may temang;  political at Electoral Reform, Education, Productivity at Industrialization, PEACE and Development,  Good Governance, Environment, Human Rights,  RURAL Developments at iba pa.

Ano mang pagsisikap na purgahin o i-cleased ang over-bloated voter’s poulation (umabot na sa 3.0 milyon) kung patuloy na mamanipulahin ng mga pulitiko ang rehistrasyon ng botante at listahan ng mga botante,  balewala rin.

Ang Kilusang Progresibo

Wala ng dahilan ang mga KILUSANG mamamayan at civil society na hindi magparticipate o hindi mag-engage sa partihang makukuhang kapangyarihang politikal sa 2010.  Ang “political power” ang lola ng mga adbokasiya” ng lahat ng iba’t-ibang klaseng civil society sa Pilipinas.  Ano nga naman ang ibubuga ng parally-rally at kilos protesta kung sila mismo o ang mga kaalyado (reformer) na mismo ang nakalukluk sa kapangyarihan,  nagdedesisyon at may hawak pang budget allocation sa gubyerno. 

Ayaw kong maniwalang “lumiliit ang bilang ng mga kilos protesta sa lansangan resulta ng kawalang pag-asa at partisipasyon,  mga kadahilanang may kahinaan sa estratehiya at taktika, sectoralized at pagiging watak-watak.  Ayaw ko ring paniwalaan ang persepsyong nagsasawa, asiwa na ang tao sa rally,  demonstrasyon o pipol power.”  Ayaw ko ring maniwalang "hindi papatulan ng progresibong hanay ang paghahari at dominasyon ng elite sa grassroot level,  sa mga komunidad kung saan,  malalakas ang organisasyon ng mamamayan."   After all, "ang pampulitikang KAPANGYARIHAN ang punu’t dulo ng mga kaguluhang ito. "

Kung maipagpapatuloy ang tradisyong manatiling naka-sideline,  miron, non-partisan at magkasya na lamang sa nakagawiang campaign advocacy, issue based oriented,  meaning,  patuloy na ikatwirang  “laro lamang ito ng elite, gamitin ang election sa kapakinabangan ng pag-aalsa’t pagbabago ng lipunan,  manatiling mersenaryo,  pinangangambahang political suicide at ISOLATION ang kahihinatnan ng progresibong kilusan sa Pilipinas. 

Toxins ’R’ Us

Posted on Feb 24, 2009 By Amy Goodman

Is your lipstick laden with lead? Is your baby’s bottle toxic? The American Chemistry Council assures us that “we make the products that help keep you safe and healthy.” But U.S. consumers are actually exposed to a vast array of harmful chemicals and additives embedded in toys, cosmetics, plastic water bottles and countless other products. U.S. chemical and manufacturing industries have fought regulation, while Europe moves ahead with strict prohibitions against the most harmful toxins. The European Union says regulation is good for business, inspiring consumer confidence and saving money over the long term.  

Most people would be surprised to learn that the cosmetics industry in the United States is largely unregulated. Investigative journalist Mark Schapiro is the author of “Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What’s at Stake for American Power.” In the absence of oversight, researchers and journalists like Schapiro and grass-roots organizations have stepped into the breach.

Schapiro told me, “Whether it is your nail polish, eye shadow, shampoo, essentially personal-care products [are] not regulated by the [Food and Drug Administration]. ... Numerous times in the Senate, over the last 50 years, there have been efforts to expand the purview of the FDA, and it’s been repeatedly beaten back by the cosmetics industry.” Details on the toxins are hard to come by. Schapiro continued, “The reason I even know what kind of material is in cosmetics is not because the FDA has told us; it’s actually because the European Union has taken the action to remove that stuff, and they have a list.”

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics lists numerous toxins that appear regularly in cosmetics and personal-care products, among them lead and phthalates. Phthalates are linked to birth defects, including disruption of genital development in boys, decreased sperm counts and infertility. Lead appears in lipstick and hundreds of other products. The CSC reports that “lead ... is a proven neurotoxin—linked to learning, language and behavioral problems ... miscarriage, reduced fertility in both men and women, hormonal changes, menstrual irregularities and delays in puberty onset in girls.” This is the stuff women and girls are putting on their lips all day, licking it off and reapplying.

The European Union, with 27 member nations representing almost half a billion people, is asserting itself on issues of toxins, using serious economic muscle. Stavros Dimas, European Union commissioner for environment, explained the long-term benefits of regulation: “The medical expenses for chemical-related diseases will be less. Medicines will not be needed. We will not lose working hours, and productivity will be better. So the overall benefits will by far outweigh costs to the industry.”

Interestingly, because European countries pay a far larger share of their citizens’ health-care costs than does the U.S., they want to keep costs down and they expect to save upward of $50 billion in coming decades, says Schapiro, as a result of the improved health and environmental conditions brought about by stricter chemical regulations.

In the wake of the 2007 China toy recall in the U.S. (because of lead found in the toys), Congress passed, and President George W. Bush signed, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. A key provision, mandating a ban of phthalate- and lead-containing products intended for children 12 years of age and younger, went into effect Feb. 10. If you bought a plastic toy before that date, beware: After the law passed last summer, some stores stuffed their shelves with tainted toys and sold them at fire-sale prices to unload their inventory.

Safe alternatives for toys, cosmetics, shampoos and other products are becoming increasingly available as demand for organic products grows. The difference between market forces limiting toxins and a law doing it, Schapiro says, is “if you have a law, it makes it far more equitable, because everybody gets the same protections, whether you have the resources or the knowledge to pursue the alternatives.”

That is where the EU comes in, with its expansive and world-leading regulatory system in place (called “REACH,” for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemical substances). Schapiro notes, “The European-led revolution in chemical regulation requires that thousands of chemicals finally be assessed for their potentially toxic effects on human beings and signals the end of American industry’s ability to withhold critical data from the public.”

Tough regulations on toxins are not only essential to saving lives; they also make good business sense. The U.S. now has an opportunity to catch up to our European partners—and make changes that are more than just cosmetic.

  Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column.
  
   Amy Goodman is the host of “Democracy Now!,” a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 700 stations in North America. She was awarded the 2008 Right Livelihood Award, dubbed the “Alternative Nobel” prize, and received the award in the Swedish Parliament in December.


http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090224_toxins_r_us/

Tragic Ateneo accident

Doy Cinco / Feb 27, 2009

Kung driver ng truck ng basura, Bus, Jeep o ng isang taxi ang nakasagasa kay Amiel Alcantara, grade four student at batang “HANGIN” ng Ateneo Grade School, sigurado akong kasusuklaman at ikukundina ito ng mundo.  Subalit kung ang trahedya ay nangyari sa “iligal na pedestrial lane” sa harap ng Commonwealth Market at may karatulang nakabalagbag na “bawal tumawid, nakakamatay” ng MMDA, baka naiba ang sitwasyon.

Sa BATAS ng tao, walang dudang mabibilanggo ang driver sa kasong reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, serious physical injuries at damage to property. Sa mata ng mga Pilipino, lalo ng mga magulang ng mga nakaraririwasa (exclusive school)  at pangkaraniwan, ano mang klaseng pangangatwiran sa driver, isa lang ang posibleng maging tugon o husga, “magdusa ka’t pagbayaran ang kasalanan.”

Sa batas ng estado o mga grupong non-state “liberation forces,” iisa lang ang cardinal rule; “buhay ang nasawi, buhay rin ang kapalit.” Ganito kalupit ang tao at ang mundo; mula sa “electric chair-lethal injection o habang buhay ng kalaboso ng isang demokratiko kunong bansa, SALVAGING – shoot out sa Pilipinas, FIRING squad ng estadong diktadurya, binabato hanggang mamatay – bitay, pugut ulo ng Taliban o muslim fundamentalist sa mga Arabong bansa.”

Nagpang-abot kami ng ilang panahon ni Jose “Pepe” Alcantara sa kilusan, isang aktibista at kilalang lider estudyante ng anti-diktaduryang pakikibaka nuong late 70s hanggang early 80s. Matatag, prinsipyado, malumanay at mapagpakumbaba ang aking pagkakakilala kay Pepe. Ayon sa kanya, sa nangyaring trahedya, mukhang “hindi pa sila handa sa pagpapatawad.” Sa takbo ng mga pangyayari, hindi ko lang alam kung kaya at paano niya ito maiigpawan.

‘Wala akong magawa, aksidente at hindi ko kagustuhan yun.” Ito ang mariing sinabi ng salaring driver na si Ma. Theresa Torres, nakalagak pansamantala sa Camp Karingal at malamang nakalabas na sa piyansang P42,000.00. Walang dudang aksidente at kapani-paniwala ng mahigit isang libong beses na “wala itong intensyong managasa’t pumatay ng tao, lalo na sa isang batang mag-aaral.”

Isang single mother, may apat na maliliit na pinapaaral sa nasabing unibersidad, walang masamang record at isang middle class na interior designer lamang si Gng Torres. Ayon sa ilang inpormasyon, kayod kalabaw sa pag-aaruga’t pagpapa-aral, bahay-opisina at paaralan ang rutina at simpleng buhay lamang ang inang si Mrs Torres. Sa ganyang konteksto, maaaring ikunsidera, kaawaan at magmalasakit ang mga Femenista o mga grupong Kababaihan. Sapagkat, sintido kumon lamang, bukud samagiging kahabag-habag na kalagayan sa piitan, “hindi na nating makakayanan pang dagdagan ng apat pang bata, maliban kay Miel Alcantara ang pagdurusa at ang maging biktima ng mabangis na lipunan."

Hindi ko kabisado ang mapa ng Ateneo Grade School campus sa Ateneo, subalit, sa naganap na trahedya, "maaring may salik o pagkukulang ang disenyo at lokasyon ng paaralan. Halimbawa lang, saan dapat kinukwadra, pinu pwesto ang mga sasakyang magsusundo at maghahatid sa mga mag-aaral. Hindi ba dapat hiwalay na bahagi ito, ilagay sa malayo at hindi nagpapang-abot sa lugar na ginagalawan ng mga bata? Meaning, ang perimeter ng grade school area, lalo na ang outdoor sport area ay nakahiwalay sa daloy ng trapiko. Ang suma, child friendly ba o protektado ba, safety ba ang environment ng Ateneo Campus sa mga mag-aaral lalo na ang Grade School campus area?"

Parang walang kamuang-muang damay o nacollateral damage ang apat na bata. Sapagkat kung mapaparusahan si Gng Torres, bayad milyon piso at mabubulok sa bilangguan, ano ang kahihinatnan ng kanyang apat na anak, mahihinto at ililipat sa public school, maaring mapariwara, maging palaboy at arugain ng kanyang kamag-anak o sino mang nagmamalasakit na kaibigan?

Ganyan kalupit ang batas, walang cultural at humanist aspects, waratan ng buhay at kinabukasang buhay. Kung baga, ang batas ay batas, malupit, walang puso, hindi makatao, nabubutasan at naaabuso.

Election Fever Builds Up

Norman Patino / 2/16/09

In early February, GMA went on an unscheduled trip to Washington after an official trip in Switzerland. In both occasions, she failed to have an audience with US President-elect Barack Obama. Neither did she get a handshake with Obama, which a major photo-ops in the Philippine media. It seems that while GMA is desperately seeking Obama for her to get the legitimacy booze, the new American president doesn’t want his popularity tainted with GMA whose government is in the midst of another corruption scandal of a World Bank funded public works project and allegedly involving her husband.(Photo above: Sec Clinton and PGMA. http://jackmyers.daylife.com/photo/07xver6e0234r?q=Hillary+Rodham+Clinton)

Perhaps more important for the Obama’s “catch me if you can” gesture is send GMA the signals “to really clean up…” Various players, including the Pentagon, are working for a credible elections in 2010. GMA has the capacity and urge to cheat massively in the elections. These forces would not allow a repeat of the Hello Garci wholesale cheating that would put the country into another six-year political turmoil. Despite what the surveys and warnings say against the Arroyo administration, corruption continues unabated and invading even international finance projects such as that of the World Bank. Massive high-level corruption and the unrelenting push for charter change manifest the disposition of the administration to thwart the elections or manipulate its results. Manipulating the results of the election is more probable because pushing for charter change is highly-probable a dead-end for GMA.

Thus, breaking the cheating machinations of GMA, her husband and political operators is an urgent agenda. Some forces are even exploring the possibility of a replacement President de Castro before the elections. It is far-fetched possibility that GMA leaves the Office of the President voluntarily, unless a very strong legal-political-military environment forces her out. Through what? Too big a question that requires many improbable answers. But no one can say what is coming in a country with a very fluid situation – politically, economically and socially.(Right Photo; www.sahi.com.ph/images/comelec.jpg)

Fortunately for GMA, key political figures are already busy preparing for their 2010 campaigns.

Talks circulate that Chiz may run for the 2010 presidential elections in lieu of a possible GMA-Danding Cojuangco pact. The Nationalist People’s Coalition of Danding Cojuangco has maintained its “tilting-the-balance” strength as one of the political parties that form the triumvirate of a ruling coalition. GMA and Danding have common political and economic stakes in the post-2010 regime. This early, Chiz is building his image in the Obama mold – change and youth. Chiz is the most politically close protégée of Danding but will his popularity overcome the kiss of death once his campaign is identified with GMA? Chiz declared that he may decide to take the presidential challenge when he reaches 40 years old in December, the minimum age qualified by the Constitution for a presidential or vice-presidential candidate.

In early February, Jo Hansen, one of the key strategist of the US Democratic Party, was in Manila to share insights of the Obama presidential campaign. The Manila public fora of Hansen was organized by organizations identified with the Liberal Party of the Philippines. The LP had already declared that Sen. Mar Roxas is the party standard bearer come 2010. Is Roxas starting to gather support from the Democratic Party of the US? Roxas is building his campaign around Reform. Roxas is actively projecting himself as Mr. Botica besides being Mr. Palengke. Roxas’ Mr. Palengke label catapulted him to the top post in the 2004 senatorial elections.

Senator Loren Legarda, another presidential aspirant, maintains her morning presence in the popular radio station DZRH and close-second position in poll surveys. Legarda is anchoring on her popularity over Chiz to be the NPC standard bearer. Legarda has the advantage of giving it all-out for her presidential aspiration because she has the advantage of easily sliding to the vice-presidency to anybody. Senator Manny Villar, the most serious and untiring in building his campaign, has consistently and aggressively making his presence felt in the television and tarpaulins as savior of aggrieved overseas workers and the only one who hails and understand the plight of the poor. Villar spends more time going around the country than attending the Senate session. Villar has the most resources and political base but he also has the most attacks to confront with once the election fever reaches boiling point.

Poll survey front-runner Vice President Noli de Castro continues to keep his cards in the chest. But while hiding his aces, he is said running around opening his options to anybody including running for re-election again to anyone that could offer him victory and P2B. He seemed to have learned more than what Erap did in 1992 who started as presidential aspirant and later acceded to becoming Danding Cojuangco’s vice presidential bet with a P400-million goodwill. De Castro’s popularity is not enough to compensate his lack of resources and political machine to mount a presidential campaign. Both de Castro and Legarda were at par in popularity when they slugged against each other in the 2004 vice-presidential race but GMAs resources and machine won for de Castro.

As in many games of expectation, next year’s election will push through even if there are, if any, attempts at constitutional tweaking through charter change or transition government. Only question is, while election fever heats up, will there be a political environment for a credible elections? There are other factors that may effect in the nature of Philippine elections, dependent on how they unfold. Like the brewing effect to the domestic economy of the global economic meltdown; the full automation of the elections; the conjunctural change of voter behavior that were seen in the 2007 elections and the evolving partisan position of the key centers of legitimacy such as the church and religious groups, the big business, the media and the military.

WB report, kayang lusutan ng Palasyo

Doy Cinco / Feb 10, 2009

Kung ang United Nation Human Right (UN) report ni Philip Alston at London based Amnesty International (AI) patungkol sa talamak na extra-judicial killings at human right violation ng Administrasyong Arroyo ay nakaligtas at naigpawan ng palasyo, ang World Bank pa? Hindi hamak na subuk na sa husay ang spin doc ng pangulo. Na-master na ng palasyo ang teknolohiya ng psy war, napruwebahan ito at ang track record ng Malakanayang pagdating sa palusutan, maniubrahan, brasuhan at political survival ang makapagsasabi.

Maliban sa WB report, hindi lingid ang iskandalong naiugnay sa Unang Ginoo tanging Esposong si Mike Arroyo (FG) sa ZTE broadband"back off," hello Garci dagdag-bawas, weteng payola, fertilizer scam at Jose Pidal controversy. Idagdag pa ang kaliwa't-kanang inbestigasyong isinagawa ng iba’t-ibang kilalang International watch dog na experto sa larangan ng katiwalian at pangungurakot, ang Europe based TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL at Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN).

Nalusutan ng palasyo ang lahat ng ito at ang katawa-tawa, ang sinisi at ang pinalabas na may kasalanan pa ay ang mga Institution ng Mundong nabanggit. Pinalabas pang sinungaling, destabilizer at naakusahan pang kasabwat at kagawan lamang ito ng political opposition? Sa bandang huli, lumabas na kontrabida ang mga International watchdog at bayani at inosente ang pamilyang Arroyo.

Pagtatawanan lamang ng Malakanyang ang inaasahang Senate hearing patungkol sa WB Report lalo na't hahawakan ito ni Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairperson of the Senate economics committee. Una; malaking hinala ng marami na hindi sisiputin ni FG ang hearing ni Sen Miriam Defensor. Kung si FG na't asawa ni President Arroyo ang nakasangkalan, aasahang magmimistulang KUTING at hindi TIGRE ang postura ni Sen Miriam Defensor. Kung PADRINO, kung pader na ang babanggain, tiyak na mag-iiba, lalambot ang trato kung ikukumpara sa ibang isinalang na pipitsuging personalidad sa Senado.

Pangalawa; simpleng estratehiya't taktika ang gagamitin. Palalabasing may malubhang karandaman, hindi pa humuhupa ang chronic fatigue syndrome, ang bypassed operation sa puso na maaring maka-apekto't lumala kung sakaling maisasalang sa hearing. Sa simpleng technicalities, "medical certificate," walang dudang MAE-EXCUSED ang Unang Ginoo at Tanging Esposo (FG). Iimbis na kaladkarin sa Senado, lalabas na ang komite pa ni Miriam ang magsusumamo, ang makiki-usap, ang makikisuyo at pupunta’t luluhud sa Unang Ginoo.

Kung hindi makakasipot, malamang na kuhanan na lamang ng testimonya o deposition si FG, idedelay ang isyu at hearing hanggang sa matabunan ang balita sa headline, unti-unting mabura sa isip ng tao at lumamig ng tuluyan ang isyu. Ang masakit pa rito, "baka upakan pa ni Sen Miriam Defensor ang WB o ang institution ng Senado sa walang humpay na kaiimbistiga nito at wala namang nangyayari't naipapakulong.”

Sa'di mabilang na kaso't inbestigsyon, hindi mahirap paniwalaang mauuwi lamang sa wala, sa cashunduan ang paparating na inbestigasyon ng Komite ni Sen Miriam sa Senado. Kaya lang, kung paulit-ulit na lamang at walang napaparusahan, sino man ang maggugubyerno sa 2010 and beyond, tiyak na magiging inutil at mahina. At dahil sa may kabigatan at sensetibo ang usapin, sari-saring haka-haka at espekulasyon ang lumalabas.
Kung mamarapatin, isang “impartial at independent panel of Prosecutor” ang dapat na itayo ng Senado't gubyerno. Isang option at mahirap tanggapin ng palasyo, ang "maagang pagresign ni GMA at pagkakaroon ng constitutional succession."

Related Story:
GMA House allies blame WB for bid rigging mess
By Jess Diaz and Delon Porcalla
MANILA, Philippines - Administration lawmakers have turned the tables on the World Bank and other international lenders, saying their rejection of a cap on the cost of foreign-assisted projects has spawned corruption.
One of those who hit back at the World Bank (WB) was former congressman Prospero Pichay, who described the institution’s report on anomalies in road projects as an affront to the country’s sovereignty. (Photo: Ex Cong Pichay at Rep Datumanong, mga "hardcore" na alyado ng Malakanyang)
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=439261&publicationSubCategoryId=63

HOPELESS SCENARIO

Doy Cinco / Feb 5, 2009

Sa isang pagtitipon ng Lakas at KAMPI sa Clark, Pampanga, matapos tanggaping "wala ng kapagka-pag-asang magmaterialized ang cha cha-con as, ang administrasyon Arroyo ay nanawagang magsanib pwersa ang KAMPI at LAKAS at paghandaan ang 2010 election." Matapos ang ilang araw, tiniguk nito ang isang panukalang magbabasura sa cha cha at para makakabig ng alyado sa Senado, biglang inilutang ang sariling bersyong Nograles economic provision.

Kahit pa sabihing idederetso ang cha cha provision sa Korte Suprema, meaning kakatigan nito ang sistemang bicameral, ang hiwalay na paghuhusga ng Kongreso at Senado, may approval ng ¾ sa House at ¾ sa Senado at hindi ang 3/4 totality ng magkasamang Senado’t Kongreso na inilalarawan ng constitutional assembly (Con As), kung kaya't pinapangunahan ng hindi ito magtatagumpay. Bukud sa unpopular ang cha cha sa mata ng mga Pilipino, nangingibabaw ang kawalan ng kredibilidad at pagtitiwala sa administrasyong Arroyo. Walang kaduda-dudang hindi ito lulusot sa Senado, may "bantang maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan, muling mapopolarized ang lipunan at magkakagulo." Parang dalawa na lamang ang lumalabas na option; ang magplano at magpanalo ng manok sa 2010 o iumang lang at ipagpilitan hanggang huling sandali ang cha-cha.

Walang sapat na bilang na ‘warm bodies’ ang Lakas at KAMPI na isustini’t ipanalo ang cha cha. Kahit nagpanibagong packaging at iumang ang resolution ni Nograles na economic provision, nagbibigay lupa (60/40), kaluwagan na pag-aari ng dayuhan, walang kumakagat, walang naniniwala. Ang kutub ng marami, "kapag nabuksan ang pintuan, awtomatikong bubulwak ito at hindi mahirap paniwalaang hahantong din ito sa pulitika; term extension at postponement ng 2010 election." (Larawan; Speaker Nogie Nograles-Lakas at Rep Villafuerte-KAMPI)

Una; power play at bilyung pisong kickback, pork barrel at proyekto ang dahilan ng lumalalim na gusot ng KAMPI at Lakas. Parang ang ulo ni Nograles ang nakasangkalan sa cha cha at naka-abang na bilang kapalit si Cong Villafuerte. Maaring bahagi sa estratehiya ang framing na “psy war, may layuning mabulabog lamang ang mainit na iskandalong bumabalot sa admnistrasyong Arroyo,” ang kaliwa’t kanang inbestigasyon pangungurakot sa Senado, ang exposay ng World Bank (WB) na inuugnay sa Unang Ginoo at tanging esposong si Mike Arroyo.

Pangalawa, sa konteksto ng walang winnable at popular na kandidato ang administrasyong Arroyo sa 2010, ang pag-umang ng cha cha ay magbibigay buhay sa nalalapit na kamatayan ng partidong Lakas-KAMPI at NPC, ang ruling party at galamay ng Malakanyang sa nalalapit na 2010. Sa patuloy na paggigiit ng cha cha, maiibsan ang senaryong “lame duck president, mapipigilan ang malawakang exodus,  break-up (Lakas, KAMPI at NPC), re-allignment of forces at kung saka-sakali, may maluwag na maniubrahang pulitikal sa 2010 election na alam ng marami ay hindi na mapipigilan.”

Sa kabuuan, ang lahat ng pagsisikap ng Malakanyang ay may direksyong "durugin, i-marginalized ang political opposition at mahadlangan at all cost ang posibleng landslide victory sa 2010 election." Sa kabilang banda, palakasin, imintina ang mga kriminal, mga dambuhalang pulitiko, elitista't oligarkiyang pwersa, hindi matulad kay Thaksin ng Thailand at iwas pusoy sa seldang naghihintay sa mga Arroyo.