UP Ibalon Bicol: Visit

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UP Ibalon Bicol prez visits NYC

10/30/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Jose (Butch) Robredo, the president of UP Ibalon Bicol visits New York City from Naga City, Philippines. With him is only daughter Dr. Irene Gaile Robredo, a newly-minted physician from UE Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.

In their trip, Butch had a happy reunion with his old time pals from Ateneo de Naga HS'73 last Monday, October 26, 2009. Leon (Tong) Pilar of New Jersey and Dr. Augusto (Totie) Mesia of Astoria, New York are shown with them in the pictures above.(Photo Credit: AFM) =0=

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Labels: Butch Robredo, Dr. Irene Gaile Robredo, Leon C. Pilar, Naga Camarines Sur. Dr. Augusto F. Mesia, New York, travel, Visit, visitors

GMA’s NY dinner and the discordant ritzy lifestyle of Filipinos

8/10/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

It was estimated the Philippines spent at least P8 billion in some 71 official travels President Gloria M. Arroyo made since she took office. Sen. Francis Escudero said the president went to trips local and abroad lasting for at least 130 days since 2001. Her meeting with Pres. Barack Obama last week that coincided with the death of ex-president Cory Aquino was her 16th US visit during her term.

Accusations of abuse, spending and extravagance are expected. It’s because the benefit derived from such official foreign travels cannot be accounted for with certainty. The public looks at them with suspicion and derision for they can’t see how these presidential jet-settings, numbering at least 16 in US alone, trickle down to benefit the country.

Filipinos had known how public officials and Malacanang friends scrambled to join GMA’s trips. Undoubtedly many people believed her companions were unneeded, but nonetheless became part of the entourage that combined business and pleasure. Who could forget the 56 congressmen asking to join a US delegation for an official visit but many openly wanted to watch Manny Pacquiao fight in a Las Vegas boxing match? Their shameful unprofessional behavior wasn’t far from what Imelda Marcos did during her time.

That’s why there is controversy about a supposed article regarding the July-August 2009 US visit of Arroyo by New York Post’s Richard Johnson. In the newspaper’s “Eat and Drink” section on August 7, 2009, it was written:

“The economic downturn hasn’t persuaded everyone to pinch pennies. Philippines President Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was at Le Cirque the other night with a large entourage enjoying the good life, even though the former comptroller of her country’s armed services, Carlos Garcia, was found guilty earlier this year of perjury and two of his sons were arrested in the US on bulk cash-smuggling charges. Macapagal-Arroyo ordered several bottles of very expensive wine, pushing the dinner tab up to $20,000.”

So alas! A flag to put our leaders in attention! Even foreign observers are critical of how we spend government money. This doesn’t come as a surprise for they know of our penchant to borrow cash and use them that is incongruent to our means.

It is a simple lesson in arithmetic and corruption. The world sees how some of us live beyond our capacities. Isn’t it that our spending habits aren't compatible with our salaries and the lifestyle we live? Don’t we try to hide it by acting like those with less than a dollar to spend each day? Surely, one can argue, the Philippine president on her offical functions can't be tavelling like a pauper. She must keep the standards of foreign affairs to keep Filipino pride. But how come she goes abroad too often?

Back home however, palatial houses valued in millions are owned by our influential government officials and top military men in plush villages in Manila and the provinces. In their privacies, lavish parties are thrown by the noveau riche Filipinos. They ride in big cars which are difficult to maintain if they only bank on their honest incomes. And many go for vacations to America, Europe and Caribbean tagging along their maids and children for their usual rest and recreation.

So if no single taxpayers’ money is spent in travels of government officials abroad, where do they get their funds? How did they suddenly get so rich? The discordance of lifestyle breeds suspicion---The only way to disprove doubts is to be straightforwardly honest. Why is there only denials from the government and no disclosures of spending?

Even on tight budget, New Yorkers will say (including myself) it’s an expensive place to visit. Eating out in Manhattan with a hungry entourage using our currency back home is truly costly unless we dine at Elvie's Turo-Turo in Eastside somewhere in 12th Street and First Avenue. Without public accounting, many of us are convinced somebody sheds blood money to keep the jet-setting Joneses splurging in Waldorf Astoria or Times Square. (Photo Credit: Yummyinthetummyblog) =0=

RELATED BLOGS: Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s foreign travels questioned Posted by mesiamd at 6/28/2009; Another US trip for Pres. Gloria Arroyo Posted by mesiamd at 7/29/2009; Arroyo-Obama meeting: beholding the face of "god" & the desire to have a photo-op Posted by mesiamd at 8/01/2009

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Labels: Elvie's Turo-Turo, Foreign Affairs, foreign travel, GMA, Le Cirque, life, New York, politics, Sen. Francis Escudero, Totie Mesia, travel, USA, Visit

Pope speaks against terrorism and calls for a Palestinian state

5/14/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Since his arrival on Friday in the Middle East, Pope Benedict XVI has visited Jordan and Israel. He reached the Aida Refugee camp in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Wednesday on May 13, 2009 to meet with the Palestinians.

The 82-year Pope Benedict who supports for the creation of a separate Palestinian state, passed through the gate of the 25-foot-high concrete wall which was built by Israel in the West Bank as part of its security.

In the refugee camp where about 5,000 Palestinians reside, the holy pontiff spoke of the towering barrier that divides the Palestinian from Israel. He asked young Palestinians to avoid taking revenge and have courage to resist violence in solving conflicts. He advised peaceful means in pursuing the Palestinian people’s legitimate aspiration to have an independent state.

The pope hoped that the massive wall which sequesters the Palestinians from the Israelis will be demolished someday. In a reaction, Mark Regev, an Israeli spokesman said, "We did not want to build a security barrier. We were forced to by the continuous infiltration of suicide bombers entering our country and murdering our people. We wish the reality were different."----Yahoo News/ AP (05/13/09, Hadid, Namari, D. et al)

The Christians in Middle East is a minority and suffers attrition because of continued violence and war. Many of those who live among nearly 4 million Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza have immigrated abroad to seek better opportunities and escape the cycles of hostilities that characterize these troubled places. (Photo Credit: AP/ New York Times (05/13/09 Todras-Whitehill, T) =0=

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Labels: diplomacy, Gaza, hope, Middle East, Palestine, Palestinian, peace, Pope Benedict XVI, refugees, terrorism, Totie Mesia, Visit, West Bank

Pope Benedict XVI draws a crowd of 20,000 in a mass in Jordan

5/10/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

On his third day of his visit to Jordan, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated holy mass in an open-air stadium, drawing Christian minorities to the capital city of Amman and from neighboring countries like Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon.

The pontiff who calls for reconciliation and peace among Christians, Jews, and Muslims was thanked by a top Jordanian Muslim official for expressing regrets on his comments in 2006 which quoted Islam in derogatory terms. For the Sunday mass on May 10, 2009, Catholics from various places in Muslim-dominated Middle East attend including 500 young children who will receive their first holy communion. (Photo Credit: Jari Kurittu)=0=

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Labels: Amman, Catholic, faith, Jordan, Muslim, peace, Pope BenedictXVI, reconcilation, Roman Catholic Church, Totie Mesia, Visit

UP Ibalon Bicol

UP Ibalon Bicol prez visits NYC

GMA’s NY dinner and the discordant ritzy lifestyle of Filipinos

Pope speaks against terrorism and calls for a Palestinian state

Pope Benedict XVI draws a crowd of 20,000 in a mass in Jordan

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