Category Archives: Politics

AS FIRST LADY, KORINA SANCHEZ WILL ASK TO BAR ANDERSON COOPER FROM ENTERING THE PHILIPPINES

August 1, 2015 Pol Pinoy 1 Comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Korina Sanchez, broadcast journalist and wife of Interior and Local Governments Secretary Mar Roxas, is one step closer to becoming the First Lady of the Philippines. This, after President NoyNoy Aquino officially endorsed her husband as his choice for the next president.

Many will recall that during the height of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013, Sanchez criticized CNN’s Anderson Cooper for his reporting on the government’s slow response to relief operations. Sanchez said Cooper didn’t know what he was talking about. Cooper then challenged Sanchez to leave her airconditioned radio studio in Manila and travel to Tacloban to personally see what was happening at ground zero.

Apparently, Sanchez has not recovered from the embarrassment Cooper had caused her.

Speaking to reporters after her husband was proclaimed the presidential standard bearer for Aquino’s Liberal Party, Sanchez said that her first official act as Philippine First Lady would be to ask her husband to issue an executive order banning Cooper from entering the Philippines — as a CNN anchor or as a private tourist.

Sanchez said the executive order would designate Cooper as a “persona non grata” which is one of the grounds for denying a Philippine entry visa to any foreigner.

CNN nor Cooper could not be reached for comment.

Government, Politics

THE TWO-MINUTE SONA THAT PRESIDENT AQUINO NEVER DELIVERED

August 1, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Now it can be told. President NoyNoy Aquino had two separate drafts of his last State of the Nation Address (SONA). One was the two-hours and ten minute-speech he ended up delivering; the other was a short and sweet two-minute speech.

Apparently, Aquino chickened out on the two-minute speech at the last moment.

Today, Malanañang released to the press a copy of the undelivered two-minute speech after the presidential palace was pressured on the issue of Freedom of Information (FOI).

Here’s the full text:

Sa inyong lahat na aking mga boss, magandang gabi po. It na po ang aking huling SONA, kaya gagawin ko pong maikli at matamis (short and sweet).

Wala pong dapat sisihin sa mga problema ng bayan at mamamayan sa panahon ng aking administrasyon kundi ako at tanging ako lamang. Humihingi ako ng tawad kay Ginang Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa mga paratang at paninisi na aking binigkas sa aking mga nakaraang SONA.

Sapagka’t ako po ay tao lamang na sadyang maraming pagkakamali tulad ng lahat sa atin.

Makakaasa po kayo na ginawa ko lahat ng aking makakaya upang tahakin ang matuwid na daan, subalit sa totoong buhay, wala naman talagang daang matuwid, patungo man sa Baguio o sa mga pook sa Mindanao.

Ipagdasal na lang po natin ang ikauulad ng ating Inang Bayan.

Sana, mas maging masuerte ang p*tang in*ng Mar Roxas na yan sa pagtahak sa liku-likong daan ng ating mahal na bayan.

Muli, tanggapin ninyo ang aking paghingi ng tawad.

Magandang gabi po at God Bless!

(For an English translation of the speech, select all, copy then paste on Google Translate.)

Government, International, Politics

PRESIDENT AQUINO BLAMES MAR ROXAS FOR TYPHOON YOLANDA HOUSING FAILURE

August 1, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Aquino, left, and Roxas, during the "anointing" ceremonies in Manila this week (Photo: rapler.com) — Aquino, left, and Roxas, during the “anointing” ceremonies in Manila this week (Photo: rapler.com)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Just days after anointing Mar Roxas as his choice of successor, Philippine President Noy Noy Aquino blamed the Interior and Local Governments Secretary for the government’s failure to provide housing for the thousands of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims who were rendered homeless almost two years ago.

In a scathing report by the United Nations, the Aquino administration was given a failing grade for the dismal effort to build decent and sufficient permanent housing for those displaced by the devastating typhoon

“Many families remain housed in collective ‘bunkhouses’ that do not meet necessary minimum standards for the provision of basic needs and services,” Chaloka Beyani, U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, said in a news conference in Manila. “I was concerned to learn that funding shortfalls and political challenges, including inadequate cooperation between national and local governments, are delaying processes towards achieving durable solutions.”

Reacting to the report, Aquino blamed this failing grade on Roxas, saying that it was the secretary’s duty to coordinate efforts between the national and local governments. “That’s why I appointed him the head the Department of Interior and Local Governments, ” he said.

Aquino is known for blaming others for the country’s problems as well as the inefficiency and failures of his administration, but it was a shocker to blame Roxas just days after he praised him and officially endorsed him to be the next president.

Roxas could not be reached for comment, as he was busy campaigning in the remote areas of Mindanao, where there is no Internet connection or cellular signal.