Prospero Pichay’s Dreams

[Paulinians]

Prospero Pichay’s Dreams (as depicted in the ads), I Call Empty Promises

Let me put my 2 cents worth, on the political TV ad that I have been “fond of” and “amused me no end” lately.

It presents a lady who says (in the vernacular tongue, of course), “I dream, of nice life… I dream, of a nice house… I dream, of etc etc.”

After saying what she dreams about, a candidate appears and says, “I dream, that your dreams will be fulfilled.”

This never fails to amuse my Mom. Almost always after seeing the commercial, Mom laughs and says, “pangarap da sa baya! matuman ba kaha niya?? inin semento gani sa ato na iya paga promise wara matuman, iton pangarap pa nan tibuok nasud.“

The TV ad has recall. For a while, it amuses, but afterwards, amusement turns to doubt, cynicism, consternation. His was just a “dream” to fulfill other people’s dreams, an empty promise. He could have said “I will help you fulfill your dream”. It would have exuded a “promise”, something to look forward to. Blame it to his scriptwriter? his thinktanks? or was it really intended to be that way? So that in the end, in case he has not delivered anything, he can always say, “it was only a dream”.

Dream with each Filipino, from a beggar’s dream of a decent meal, to a home for the homeless, to a teener’s dream of a makeover, to a matron’s dream of a New Jersey plastic surgery, a Vicki Belo liposuction, a grand dream of travel to Paris, to the moon, I can go on and on. Dreams…empty promises…

[kampanaryo_spy]

paulinianS,

many people told me that they find pichay's political ads to be "dry," whatever that means! i can't comment because i haven't seen any of those ads, or the political ads of other politicians as i temporarily live in our office where there's no tv. and when i go home to tago, i don't watch local channels except ANC.

it's sad to know that pichay spent 33.4M for these ads (according to the Nielsen study quoted in today's issue of the Inquirer) and yet they don't put the message accross as intended.

do you think pichay's thinktank needs to do another storyboard? and that pichay must hire a director who can send the message in a manner that everybody understands and appreciates? while medium is as important as the message, a lot of people say that the medium IS the message.

what about the other political ads, what say you paulinianS?

[Alibangbang]

An ako hinkit-an na TV ad ni Pitchay nan diton ako ga laong: "Prospero Pitchay. . . Pro pinoy..." Tinuod ba na pro pinoy siya?

[manday]

It's too glaring to see the name of our Surigao del Sur representative in the front page in Inquirer captioned "PICHAY, VILLAR, RECTO TOP MEDIA SPENDERS"! Certainly the impact of this is controversial, for pro PICHAY- they chant and for the antagonist, they have their say.Honestly, I voted for him in the last election hoping for a change-desperately looking for somebody who can lead our province toward progress and for the sake of century-old problem of road concreting.As the turn of events, I become apathetic when it comes to who is in and out in politics particularly in SDS.Nothing has changed,vested interest is the name of the game.Both officials and the people around them play the game. I am no more interested or take sides of what party I sympathize, as the olds would put into words it would be "way pag lang on." Today I considered myself as mere spectator,who ever wins in our place be it! I don't care for they don't even care!

I could have been proud to see by mere mentioning of Surigao del Sur but became disgusted instead.Being in top notch spender in ads aspiring for senatorial slate is a fiasco itself without contemplating first what is the real scenario he represented for-very poor sds! I hope this would not lead to greater fiasco if he is not elected as a senator, It could be sayang the millions we badly need in SDS.IN THE LIGHTER SIDE, it would be our advantage if he would be chosen as a senator because it has been decades that nobody seated in behalf of our province in this upper house.

In retrospect to what I first I believed, Mr. pichay could have done something remarkable to SDS specially roads before he plunged into ambitious slate,it would been easier for him to get 100% votes from Sds if he done something spectacular specifically road because for Surigaonon and to the ordinary and illiterate voters this is something extraordinary and it would be retained and marked in their minds that Pichay made a difference.

[Insomada]

Wow!!!! Tinge of amusement is what I felt reading your posts Paulinians, Manday, Kamps & ABBs. Freedom of expression really manifests here!

Like Kamps I couldn't comment for I haven't seen the ads yet. But wow 33.4M just for the ads. Unbelievable!!!!

Nevertheless, I suppose whether we have seen the ads or not, to wrap up everything, Pichay hasn't done much to his own province. People suffer tremendous penury because of his inability to alleviate the economic condition of our province. And here he is aiming for a higher post. WOW. WOW. WOW. Nakakainis!

All I can say is Go..go...go...go everyone pour in your sentiments, resentments, frustrations, anger if I may say so, oppositions, etc. etc. Let our voice be heard for if we don't do this who else would.

[cordapya]

Pakadyawa niyo pag-matik-matik mga lungsoranon. It's election time now. This is the only time you can break even with them. VOTE FOR THE RIGHT MAN. ( WAI LIMBONGAY lamang)

[kampanaryo_spy]

This post is not in defense of Cong. Pichay or any congressman for that matter. This is just an attempt on my part to shed some light---I hope---on “results accountability.” And I couldn’t have done this without much help from Wikipedia and other online related literature.

Remember the three branches of government---executive, legislative and judiciary--- we discussed way back in elementary up to college? The basic functional delineation is for the legislative to make the law, for the executive to implement the law, and for the judiciary to interpret the law.

At this point, allow me to be ‘technical,” and I apologize if this may sound like a masteral class.

To repeat, the main functions of the legislative branch are to enact laws and to exercise control over government action. Control here means that the legislative branch exercises oversight function on the executive branch. Simply put, the Legislative ensures that the Executive implements the laws (or policies, plans and programs) as crafted by the Legislative. This is what you call check-and-balance.

In theory, all three branches are equal and independent of each other. But in practice---whether we like it or not---it’s the legislative that is---to borrow the word of Jeffrey Archer of Kane and Abel fame----first among equals. And all this because Congress holds the purse or the budget!

And he who rocks the monetary cradle, rules the world, right?

The confusion of the traditional function of the Legislative and Executive began when the Legislative started dipping its fingers on the barrel. Yes, the pork barrel!

Congressmen must have thought that since the budget comes from them (actually all they do is debate and approve it because it’s still the executive that submits the list of expenditures), then they too must have a say on where this budget goes.

And thus the prominence of the word pork barrel!

Pork barrel, in a literal sense, is a barrel in which pork is kept, but figuratively is a supply of money that is provided to various supplicants who ask for it.

In politics, a pork barrel (or pork barrel politics) is a derogatory term describing government spending that is intended to benefit constituents of a politician in return for their political support, either in the form of campaign contributions or votes.

The term is thought to have originated on Southern United States plantations, where slaves were allocated the unwanted remainder of slaughtered pigs, or the "pork barrel." Typically it involves funding for government programs whose economic or service benefits are concentrated in a particular area but whose costs are spread among all taxpayers.

Public works projects and agricultural subsidies are the most commonly cited examples, but they do not exhaust the possibilities. Pork barrel spending is often allocated through last-minute additions to appropriation bills. A politician who supplies his or her constituents with considerable funding is said to be "bringing home the bacon."

The thing is, Congressmen must have gone too far that they have given the public the impression that it’s them (the congressmen) who are responsible for the projects implemented by the governors, mayors and others.

One has only to see the line up of cars at the residence of the congressmen every time the congressmen come home. This phenomenon reduces the executives to mere supplicants of the congressmen.

The backlash is: people now blame the congressmen—not the governors, not the mayors--- for the sorry state into which their place has sunk!

And since the congressmen asked for this, then they deserve it!

But really now, who’s to blame for all these bad roads? Whose key result area is it? And who is accountable?

The best work on ‘results acccountability’ is in fact a cooperative effort between the executive and legislative branches of government. It must be deeply entrenched in Pinoy culture for the two branches to establish partnerships, to develop strategies to measurably improve the well-being of their constituents. As it is, it seems that the Executive and the Legislative don’t sit down to map out plans for their area of responsibility. And so most often than not, the congressman zigs while the governor or the mayor zags.

It’s about time that the Executive and the Legislative put their acts together by singing the same song. And even that is not enough, if they don't sing in one and the same tune!

good luck to all of us.


(this will be my last piece for now as i'll leave for manila on sunday and be back on the 9th yet.)

[manday]

K_ Spy I got your point but what I am saying is being a representative of our province he could have done something an earnest effort for this matter. Di ba during election period they would promise - road concreting as their pay back if they would be elected as congressman. I think the first one to be corrected are the candidates running for this office and be evaluated of their understanding regarding this matter. To put a rest in this dilemma I think candidates running for congressman would stop promising good roads so that little minds would not be misled with this belief, because honestly majority of Surigaonons especially in Surigao del Sur are desperately dying for a better government and concreting of road is very desire of every surigaonon whether in the legislative and executives its for them to reconcile and their responsibility to the public.

[COLETZ]

K_ Spy I got your point but what I am saying is being a representative of our province he could have done something an earnest effort for this matter. Di ba during election period they with would promise - road concreting as their pay back if they would be elected as congressman. I think the first one to be corrected are the candidates running for this office and be evaluated of their understanding regarding this matter. To put a rest in this dilemma I think candidates running for congressman would stop promising good roads so that little minds would not be misled with this belief, because honestly majority of Surigaonons especially in Surigao del Sur are desperately dying for a better government and concreting of road is very desire of every surigaonon whether in the legislative and executives its for them to reconcile and their responsibility to the public.

We have the same notion auntie manday. Cong. Pichay has been a congressmen for 9 years. And, he had done nothing good in our province. Sorry to say this pero puro lamang hambog siya sa media. As far as I remember, during the past election, I heard him saying, “Elect me as Congressman and I will promise to build concrete roads for entire province of Surigao del Sur.” Naman grabe ko na katawa nan paghikita ko nan iya campaign ads. It goes like this… “A woman saying: “Pangarap ko umunlad ang aking pamumuhay” then Pichay appears, “Pangarap ko tuparin ang pangarap mo”. Hahahahaha! It really amused me. Laong pa ni Paulinians, Cong. Pichay can always say …it was only a dream. A dream… with empty promises.

[BONSAL]

Dili ako magcomment kay basin magmahay sa ako si kumpareng Glen pirmi ra ba ga monitor nganhi. hehehe. Why don't we give Cong. Pichay a chance. malay niyo basin makatabang na siya pagsemento sa ato lugar pag senator na siya. :-D

[gapalibatlibat]

hahahahahaha coletz, ganahani ako sa imo. dili garu ako mag comment pero wara makapugong pagkabasa ko. makatawa isab ako nan yaon iya taraw mga pangarap hahahaha.

[sapaalaska]

Basta be smart dakan kamo sa pagboto.

[zinboy]

Dili ako magcomment kay basin magmahay sa ako si kumpareng Glen pirmi ra ba ga monitor nganhi. hehehe. Why don't we give Cong. Pichay a chance. malay niyo basin makatabang na siya pagsemento sa ato lugar pag senator na siya. :-D

DUM NA SIYA!!!! GAPANYAWA AKO PAG-ULI KO KAY YAMUTI AN BUHOK UG BAYHO KO NAN PIRTI NA ABOG PASINGOD SA ATO MAG KO DAYUN KADUMDUMAN AN ILA MGA PROMISES. PURO PROMISES!!! SOBRAHI NA AN ILA PAGTUNTO SA MGA SURIGAONON. TAPOS KUMAN TOP MEDIA SPENDER PA SIYA. LANG-ON MO SI GLEN NA MAGBASA SI CONG. PICHAY NGANHI PARA HIBAW-AN NIYA AN KAPUNGOT SA IYA NAN MGA SURIGAONON.

[SIBULING]

Inday lamang gajud,base kalagon kita ni Sr.Peter nan mga yahitabo kuman sa Surigao.

Kun tutuusin wa nay ako paki kay yade na sa kami sa halayo ,pero masakit gayud pamation na an ato lugar an pinaka api na karsada.Matarui gayud an dan.Una namo uli via davao kami medyo mataro na an dan,buak buak na ,hangtug yaon sa san frans.wa na sa daan ako mag expect pasingud sa ilaya kay daan permi nakaw gahawid nan kilid mo nan abay untol untol.An ako di hisabtan ,an dan nugar gikan davao kuman bag-o na sab(as in bag-o na semento na sab)tapos an ato wa pa gihapon matapos?

Inday kun sino an basulon?Pero di ako makakalimot,intawon anhin Sr.Peter (ug uban pa na mga Paulinian sisters)inampuay na makadaog si Pichay para lang gayud na matigayun an pangarap nila na madayaw na an dan nila para di na sila maglisud abay suba-ilawud sa ila congreso(Tago,Cantilan ug surigao city).Makalolooy intawon an mga madre sa ila biyahe.Bon ,kun mabasa man ini ni Glen ,madayaw,kay ad-0n ako permi sa kilid ni Sr.Peter (vigil house),before siya mapatay ,wish inatawon niya na madayaw ni Cong.Pichay an maski dan dakan lamang.Sana ,kun mudaog man siya ,dili sana niya ini hikalimtan na promise .Sori ,di sa ako makaboto,mangampanya dakan ako,haod nan inhimo ko sa una.Vote for Pichay!Base galing.

[SIBULING]

damoi ko na pm ,languti sa ako kay yangampanya ako.Wow ,ganahani gayud ako nan tagon -on kay kalit kalitan gayud.

Libs,kamusta na?Bibuhi pa sa gayud,wa pay gane eleksyon very summer na an kapaso nganhi.Kabibo sa sugbo!

may ga pm ,uno gayud karniha na nanga sa ako iboto si Pichay.Mamiss ko gayud ini na term.

Uno karniha!