Ninja bow!

Aura Manatad

September 3, 2016 · 

Naglagiting ang kainit sa adlaw
Sama sa kainit sa akung ulu
Tungud sa mga nanghitabu
Sa banwa ku

Patay didtu, patay diri
Asa man ta padung ani?
Kung dili na usu, prisuhan, pulis ug korte
Maayu pa isira ang tunghaan sa abugasya
Ug magtukud ta ug praktisanan pagka Ninja

Kuhaun natu pagka magtutudlu
Si San Guku ug Vegeta
Para kung naay patay mo Supersayan ta!

Pinoy's Political Behavior on Duterte

Aura Manatad updated her status.

September 14, 2016 · Mandaue City · 

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I was accused of fear-mongering when I tried to dissuade people not to vote for Duterte during the campaign period. When I told that his intent to kill drug addicts, pushers, drug lords and everyone in between will inspire chaos and give several people the cover to kill others for whatever motive they may have. I said, with the authorities too busy on the drug crackdown, killings and murders would no longer be properly investigated. I also told anyone, who cares to listen, that it is a certainty that the earliest casualty and by far the biggest in number are the small time drug peddlers, those whose family can only drown their sorrows in tears and will never be able to bring themselves anywhere near a lawyer, much more a court of law to seek justice. Not, mind you because of shame or guilt but because they do not have the means to do it.

Armed only with Newton's Law of Motion and the little knowledge I have on human behavior in society; I discussed exhaustively what I thought would be the possible ramifications and backlash(es) of such a campaign.
I may have convinced some, but only too little, too few. Most of the die-hards would just shrug and said "di sad tingali oy" and those who are all out fanatics had said that I am just maliciously fear-mongering.

As Duterte made good of his promise of a bloody period, my deductions, it seems, have been proven to be right on que. Not barely six months into the promised completion of stopping the drug and crime problems; we already managed to have thousands killed with only a fraction identified as police operations and the rest attributed to vigilante killings and others unknown. In addition, there's that bombing in Davao that kills innocent people allegedly by Abu Sayyaf as paid hitmen of some druglord.

Duterte had already put the country into a state of lawlessness after that blast. And now, he is again intimating that terrorism in Mindanao can turn into a full-blown civil war. Is it just me, or are you now feeling the fear shivering up your spine?

He cursed the Pope and cursed the UN then threatened to pull us out of there. He also insulted Pres Obama and deliberately aimed to embarrass and shame him during the recent ASEAN Summit by showing our tragic history with them. Then just recently he ordered US troops out of Mindanao and made sweeping accusations that America is inflaming insurgencies in the region. All this he did while smooching with China and Russia. Now, we all know what China and Russia stands for, or do we really?

The question now becomes, where does Duterte want to lead us? From my side of the viewing deck, the future looks grim for us. The pattern of the recent events failed to offer me reassurance. Again, I'm afraid. And now the fear is more real than ever.

#justsaying

Lost

Aura Manatad is feeling sad.

September 24, 2016 · Mandaue City · 

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It's just heartbreaking to know that when you post anything against the numerous killings that are factually happening today; a whole lot of people instantly accuse you of desiring to have drugs proliferate. That by seeking a just and humane way of solving this problem, we have automatically disregarded the millions of the innocent victims of drug addiction. They automatically tagged you as just nothing but a chronic complainer or a yellowtard. That you did not even care for justice to be served to these innocent victims.

Let may say this again, we do care! But, we do more than care... we actually help rebuild some of the lives of these victims. We just don't pay lip service to our cause. We roll up our sleeves and do something. But we also heed the need of these victims to forgive in order to heal.

We cry for justice, and while justice is being sought. We try to give them hope. If you haven't heard our cries and saw how we helped; that's because we are busy doing it and don't have the inclination to glamorize our efforts.

Those whose hearts truly bleed for these victims know of these efforts and sometime crossed path with us.

If you haven't crossed paths with the likes of us... then maybe, you haven't cared just enough yet. If you try harder and seek to heal; you may learn why we say what we have to say.
Only then will you have a clearer understanding of what we've seen and where we're coming from.

This is actually not about politics. This is about being human and of finding our humanity!

I'm a Yellow but not a Retard

Aura Manatad updated her status.

October 2, 2016 · Mandaue City · 

What this administration did and continue doing is divide its people. Now we are reduced to two camps of retards--the Yellowtards and the Dutertards.

Instead of uniting for the greatergood after the election, we have become more divided than ever. The cussing and calling out names from both camp has turn from bad to worst.

Why? Because of a president who can't see beyond his own myopic projects. I can understand tenacity and the determination to complete once project despite the odds. But this continued war on drugs via ejk and several suspicious police operations--this has become pure and simple stupidity! But the more worrisome fact is that this president is not stupid. All these are deliberate!

This is slowly burying us to the ground in all fronts, socially, politically, internationally and morally.

With this admin's obssessive attention on drugs we have become a society bearing towards the deep end of moral degeneration. A people made retarded by the dizzying and irresponsible pronouncements of the president. A people applauding and celebrating to all these kills. A legislative and judiciary whose current focus is only to destroy one woman who is currently standing her ground against the twisted means of fighting drugs. (They are debating to show or not her alleged sex tape in the hearing; debating instead not consider showing it at all! How low do you think can we get after this?

Our international stand on global issues has become suspect after a series of again irresponsible remarks from the president. A lot of countries--ally countries--expresses concern over what's happening within our country. This should have given a more sane leader pause and review his methods. But no, this president, give them an ascerbic tougue lashing instead.

While I understand that domestic issues should always reign supreme over any foreign relations policies. I think, the goverment has gone overboard with its reaction on this, and to what end? Meanwhile, the killing continues.

What every Filipino citizen should be reminded with is that we are not just a country of addicts. That while we do need a stronger campaign against drugs, this should not have been the only focus of this administration (nor Leila Delima--another obssession, it seems).

We should stop seeing everything through the lens of our politics. We should be reminded that we are not a population of retards.

In all these insanity, please let us all be sane. Let's again raise the standard of intelligent discourse in social media and stop calling each other names.

Filipinos you are not a retard, do not allow what's happening today to make you one!

Ingratitude

Aura Manatad updated her status.

October 10, 2016 · Mandaue City · FB post

My 3 cents:

1. I get it, we can stand on our own two feet. But do you have to make enemies with those very people that helped and continue to help you make standing up on your own possible? It's like trash-talking your parents after you graduated from college, got a good job and buying your own food. What an ingrate!

2. For people who are saying that we need to wait and be patient because the president has great plans and that we need to support his ejk and his egoistic and sorry excuse of a foreign policy first, will you see things for what it is even for a sec? The president is destroying the economy! We have been geared towards moving up before this president slowly bury us to the ground with his trash-talking and communist loving pronouncements.

3. The president is destroying this country. Just look at social media comments. Nothing is taboo anymore. From cursing to name calling to actual bashing. All because the president does not want to stop his outrageous outbursts.
People what have we become? Is this where we're headed? What happened to Filipino humility? Where have our Christian values go? Is this what we really want? For those who also trash-talk in social media, do you really want that kind of footprint for your children who loves and emulates you. Please people, have a heart. We can't degenerate as a nation. We need to rise above this. Please!

Lamentations

Aura Manatad is feeling sick with Sarlit Marion.

November 19, 2016 · 

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Mourning the grand thief perpetrated by the Marcoses against the Filipino people ...AGAIN... made possible by a government that have so far brought only grief, restlessness, and uncertainties to the majority of its populace.

This government only heralded the dark times ahead...
... ennobling murders and ejks
... dignifying a dictator and a criminal despite majority's opinion
... stumping on the established due process and law & order
... spitting on international laws and other world leaders
... people bowing/cowering at the president's every whim
... maligning opposition and fabricating evidences in order to scare others into submission

More and more we have become a rogue nation. A nation where no established global organization can police and hold the government accountable.

We are in a clear path towards a totalitarian government where the voice of the president becomes the only sound that matters. His dictates carried without much opposition. His words becomes law--even those said in jest.

Worst, everything thats been done were shamelessly cloaked in the guise of public concern. Of paving the way for a better future.

The phoenix rises after death, yes; and we had that phase during the Marcos era. Or so I thought.

In the hands of the Marcoses we burned; but like the phoenix we gathered our ashes and slowly rise again. Rebirth was a painful process but we have came through the hardest phases. In a few more years we could have completed our rebirth and rose higher and greater than we ever had been.

But, Duterte and his minions happened. And so we again head towards dark times, darker times than we ever had been.

However, I cannot entirely blame Duterte, for he like all public personalities, are but instruments of a society's journey towards becoming.

What we are is a society of impatient people. A people that's been blinded by our present discomfort, enraged by imperfections of the earlier admins and fueled and blinded by the battlecry of change.

An Fb post of my nephew aptly sums it, "The world is willing to gamble on the unpredictable because of the desire for CHANGE."

Yeah, change. The only word in the English dictionary that has been proven to mobilize large number of people throughout history.

And so we are here now... with the changes that we clamor.
• daily murders (of the poor) on the street with unsolved cases still piling up
• orphans increasing in numbers
• police officers apprehended as riding in tandem vigilantes
• corrupt govt officials like GMA freed up
• murders in prison cells
• still slow and inadequate emergency response on disaster
• traffic's still getting worse by the day
• drug lords turned state witnesses
• peso devaluation
• rude, crass and downright abominable social media behavior
• a president that behaves like a common tambay
• a cabinet that always scramble and fumble in explaining the pronouncements of the president
• hopelessness in our rightful claim of the west philippine despite winning the case in an international court
• despite claims to the contrary, tanim bala is still in play

These are but a few of what is happening today. Now, are these scenarios what we truly envision when we decided to vote for change?

If only we have been more patient. If the tolerance and permissions that we afforded the president and his government today were similarly given to the administrations after Marcos. If only we have not prematurely took out our casts. We could have continued to heal safely and successfully. We were almost there.

Now, we have to start over. We need to again undergo the burning and the re-stitching. And because we are working on an old would, expect that the healing process will be a lot more painful this time. Hope we all can survive this. If not, I hope those who will survive will know how to look back and learn from us.

#thoughtsmadeincoherentbygrief
#penningeverythingthatcomestomind
#neverunderminethelessonsofhistory

Bato

Aura Manatad

November 24, 2016 · FB post

The heart of stone is doomed;
His master is lower than a baboon;
Who reinstall the king of doom;
Forsaking everyone including the stone,
In his move to please the heirs of doom.

The stone was used and polished to perfection,
To fit the agenda of the baboon and the heirs of doom;
But the manipulation is slowly taking it's tool,
And the stone hits a wall and cry in front of a million fools.

The Duterte - Bongbong Connection

Aura Manatad updated her status.

November 26, 2016 · FB post

Here's an amateur conspiracy theory...
1. Why did Duterte declared that he can solve crime and drug problems within 3-6 months during his campaign and promise to resign if he fails?
Because they honestly believed that Bongbong Marcos will become VP and by resigning he can deliver Malacanang and the entire country back to the Marcoses on a silver platter.
Now that Bongbong is not VP, he is trying everything he can to grab it from Leni and so while he schemes his way to the vice-presidency, Duterte is asking for extensions on his deadlines. Extend the deadline until Bongbong is ready.

2. So why did the Marcoses claw its way back to Malacanang? Is it so that they can finally give their father a hero's burial? Nah, I don't think so. The burial of Marcos, the dictator, is just a means to an end. Looking at this family's actions since Imelda and Ferdinand set foot in Malacanang, during and after Marshall Law, you can surmise that these people only displays emotions when they are aiming for a better prize.

I have personally listen to Bongbong Marcos once in a student forum, when I was still in high school. That was only a few years after the family was driven away from Malacanang. Although I forget the topic of the talk, I still remember my impressions of him then; that he was one brilliant and charismatic man who I thought is either very brave or completely without shame for standing proud and tall in front of us after what happened in EDSA.

In retrospect, I can see how that brilliant young man of long ago, can be capable of (aided by the more experienced and hardened family members) orchestrating the biggest political coup our history will ever have--that is if they will succeed on this one.

To what purpose? Certainly not because of wounded sentiments. It's not even out of mere wounded pride. So what is it then you ask?
We'll it's all about the money, money, money.
It's not pride but greed!

What money you say? The billions of ill-gotten wealth that they still can recoup once they have that power. Greed is a powerful motivation--especially for something that you had once enjoyed.

#TakingTheFilipinos4aFool
#bumpyrideahead
#braceyourselves

Duterte's War on Drugs

"...imperialism and militarism were seen to be defensive strategies by which threatened rulers attempted to rally their people against a foreign threat as distraction from social tensions at home. - quoted from somewhere

So this administration's adversarial stance against US and UN appears to be just another ploy to take the attention of the rest of the citizenry away from the debauchery of their war on drugs.

The anti-American rhetoric that we don't need the Americans to which millions of Pinoy raised their fists and say Amen, well, you don't need them; so why are you still working in the blasted American businesses that let's you afford that laptop that you are using to denounce their contribution?

We do not criticize your president just because we do not like him. And we certainly do not rejoice in his international faux pas that started to destabilize this country's economy. We call upon it because we are concerned. I know this is an understatement, but I just couldn't state it more plainly; It was and will always be so unwise for a president to commit such diplomatic blunders as the president consistently make. That is not caused by us nor the media. It is on your president and the people that surrounded him.

On EJK, well, you asked us where we are when an innocent is killed by drug addicts? You accuse us even of depending and protecting these people. Yet, again you are wrong. We wanted this criminals to pay for their crimes. We also want justice same as you. But unlike you, we want them to be proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt before an equal punishment can be meted out. But no, just like you prefer everything instant like your coffee, you want them dead instantly. For all those who happily welcome the news of every kill that this administration has encouraged in the pretext of their war against drugs, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THAT YOUR LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT THESE PEOPLE?!?!? YOU ARE NOT GOD! YOU DON'T OWN THEIR LIVES!

You say, oh accept your defeat, move on and support our president!

First, let me tell you this. In a presidential race, voters shouldn't have lost, regardless of whether the people they've supported failed to make it to the aspired post. That this with the assumptions that those who aspired to become the president, will do his duty to heed to and protect the welfare of the entire citizenry, not only those who voted for him, or worse, those who only contributed to the campaign fund. Regardless of who won, we should have been all winners.

Next, there is nothing to move on. This is our country too. Election should not have been the be all-end all for all of us. As citizens we need to be mindful of what's happening, critical even. We do not elect officials and leave them be. If you do that, you're simply brewing yourself a recipe for abuse, disaster and corruption. This, with most certainty I will say, is also what you will do had any of the other candidates won in the election. You too will be critical. And we wouldn't have begrudged you of that, for we understand and respect your constitutional right to it. We wouldn't have shamed you just because your belief is not aligned with ours.

Lastly, we are dying to support your president. Just give us something we can put our hearts and soul into. If you can't give us that, let us be for now. For as long as this is a Democracy, everyone should be able to speak their mind freely and "fearlessly".