The Philippine Magazine

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Part of The Philippine Magazine

Title: The Philippine Magazine
Issue Date: Volume I (Issue No.14) August 31, 1969
Year: 1969
Language: English
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extracted text: DISTRIBUTED WITH EACH COPY OF THE BICOL MAIL I BAGUIO MIDLAND COURIER / THE BOHOL CHRONICLE I THE LEYTE FORUM I THE MINDANAO TIMES / MINDANAO MIRROR / THE MONITOR (TARLAC) / BICOL CHRONICLE / THE QUEZON TIMES I THE COUNTRY POST (BACOLOD) / THE VANGUARD (DUMAGUETE) / THE NAGA TIMES I THE MORNING TIMES (CEBU) / THE PENINSULAR NEWS (DAET) I CIVISMO (BACOLOD) I THE BARANGAY (SAN PABLO CITY) / THE ILOCOS TIMES / THE PEOPLE (DUMAGUETE) / SOUTHERN LUZON TIMES / MINDANAO PIONEER / THE TRIBUNE (CABANATUAN) I THE MAYON TIMES / PALIHAN (CABANATUAN) / MINDANAO MAIL / BATAAN MAIL / THE COURIER (DAGUPAN CITY) / THE LOWLAND HERALD (LA UNION) / THE NEWS RECORDER (T AClOBAN CITY) / MISAMIS WEEKLY (OZAMIS CITY) / THE VOICE (PAMPANGA) I ZAMBOANGA TIMES (ZAMBO A NGA CITY) I CATANDUANES TRIBUNE / ISLAND REPORTER (VIRAC) / SOUTHERN TRIBUNE (ZAMBOANGA CITY) / MARANAW TIMES (MARAWI CITY) I THE REPORTER (ORMOC CITY) / NEGROS TIMES & REVIEW (BACOLOD CITY) / VISAYAN TRIBUNE (ILOILO CITY) / NANDAU (DIPOLOG CITY) / MINDANAO OBSERVER (ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE) I THE WHIP (GENERAL SANTOS, COTABATO) / THE RECORDER (COTABATO CITY) / VO UME I - NUMBER 14 HEALTH PLAN FOR THE COMMON MAN SELF-INTERVIEW THE MUSLIMS IN PHILIPPIN OLITICS AUGUST 31, 1969 HP r THE CHOICE BEFORE THE PEOPLE T HE political season is here. The presidential contenders are veteran politicians. Their teammates are heirs to prestigious names in public service. Marcos and Osmeiia aspire for the presidency with badges of their own, although in different shades. Lopez and Magsaysay aspire for the vice-presidency, the former on the strength of his performance in the office, the other on that of promises and a magical name. Marcos has a wartime and peacetime record that speaks well of the Filipino spirit to overcome difficulties and obstacles in pursuit of the noblest motive, Jet alone the fact that he has already shown an august capacity to make things happen in the presidency. Osmeiia couples his political savvy with a past and present that, as these are now being raked by his opponents, are disturbing and annoying the sen, sibilities of right-thinking Filipinos. Lopez, as city mayor, senator and vice president, had rendered the public service great dedication and honesty, and among his achievements is the increase of the country's rice production to self-sufficiency level. Magsaysay, as a congressman and senator, has gone around the country in pursuit of followers to his soci~l justice cult and, alas, has still to fulfill the sterling promise of leadership that attaches to his name. Marcos, and the Nacionalista Party which he represents, stands for nationalism. Like Quezon, he feels the Filipinos must run their own affairs, live and progress within their own means. Osmeiia, and the Liberal Party which he represents, stands for foreign capital. He feels the Filipinos could be put to their feet with the help of others, to the extent of giving up part of the country's pride and patrimony. No doubt the elections will turn out winners in the end. Whether the winners are the kind of leaders the Filipinos want, leaders the people can depend on in times of peace and unpeace, is the question to resolve. Fortunately, both presidential contenders are standing not only on their personal popuh1.rity in· the forthcoming polls. Aside from personal acclaim, they each stand on a principle of government that gives the people a choice. The other related issues, like graft, peace and prices, can be laid aside for the larger consideration of who of the two leaders, using their past and present pronouncements and performances, love his country and people more. The campaign has, of course, two months more to go. Many things could still come up to suggest a c1ear choice for the people. But as the old saying goes, the sound you hear will be a=strong as the knock you make. In politics, your past determines your present. S. P. BIGAY PAGE 2 I THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 AIL THE BETTER MAN May I say that your exposition of the crucial issues in the coming elections and your portraits of the presidential contenders have been very illuminating? For one in my position, a public school teacher in a far outpost in the rural areas who relies mainly on magazines and newspapers for a perspective view of the nation, your articles on the presidential contest have contributed greatly to the task of choosing the better man. CELSO ABARCA Barugo, Leyte - - 0 - CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS Your feature on the coming constitutional convention and its import had shed aome light on the real questions anct issues involved. I do not believe that the public at large up to now really understands the real stakes inherent in the coming convention, how much of their lives in the future will depend or be determined by its decisions, and how far it will go in determining the national destiny. I hope that you will continue to run articles on the matter, with the same incisiveness, the same sense of historical import. ANTONIO CUESTA Valenzuela, Bulacan - 0 0 - KICKING THE HABIT Was it Marx who said that "reJigion is the opium of the people!" From what I have read in the papers and in your magazine ("Crisis in the Church,") some Catholics are trying to kick the habit. Rufino Cardinal Santos is apparently not a very good dope pusher. NELSON ARRIETA University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE is published twice a month by The SPBA and said as supplement to provincial newspapers throughout the country. Address all. oommunications, manuscripts !'JMd photos to The Editor, PM, CCP Building, Magallanes Drive, lntramuros. Telephone 40-81-01. PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE ass_umes no res!=)Onsibility for loss or damage to unsolicited contributions. Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Editors of PM. Registered w ith the Bureau of Commerce 8 :lanuary 1969. Reproductions in part or in full allowed provided proper credits are given. Postal permit second class mail still pending. S. P. B)gay, editor & publisher / Nonilon P. So, business & circulation manager. F ROM integration to secession and back to integration - so goes the pendulum of the Mus~ lim mood on their participation in the national life. There has never been, of course, a concerted move to break away from the Republic but there used to be a feeling that the country's largest minority group - over a million Muslims - had been neglected by the government. They pointed out to the slow development of their region, their limited participation in national affairs, the acts of rapine committed against them by their Christian brothers. Their cry echoed the plaint of the American Negro who is very much a part of the American life but has been sentenced to live in the ghetto, receiving second-class citizen treatment in a climate of racial discrimination. The long explosive summer of Watts broke whatever safety valve there was that contained the black anger. Watts has yet to find a duplicate here thanks to the responsive program of the Administration for the minorities. Those who would exploit the Jabidah issue have overlooked that enlightened policy for the amelioration of the minorities. The Jabidah case was, of course, a bungling of leadership at the lowechelon level. A military trial is in progress to determine who should answer for the deaths that took place at the Corregidor training camp. Justice, we are sure, will be meted out and meanwhile, those who would seize the opportunity to arouse Muslim fury would do well to wait until the responsible parties are asked to account for their deed. On a second thinking, it is an error to call the Muslims a minority group as it would be erroneous to call the Ilocanos or Cebuanos a minority class. They constitute a distinct class of Filipinos by the sheer force of their number ana th'eir ·faith. They have a sense of history not enjoyed by other ethnic groups. They have color, tradition and a unique cultural background. A becoming recognition of their importance was accorded recently by Labor Secretary Blas F. Opie when he said that the Muslim tongue should not be considered a dialect but a native language. Consequently, the labor secretary urged the teaching of Muslim and "other native languages" as optional language subjects in all colleges and universities. Through the centuries, the Muslims have taken pride in themselves as warriors, hunters and children of the sea. Indeed, for three centuries they doggedly fought Spanish attempts to dominate their region. The Americans had as much difficulty trying to put down the "Moro" rebellion even as the i·est of the country broke down under the Yankee onslaught. There is a legend that the .45 caliber pistol had to be invented especially against th<:! "Moro" warrior. James Jones tells of this bit of folklore in his one-and-only sucessful novel, From Here To Eternity. The conventional sidearms and rifles were ineffective against the Muslim, it was old; the ordinance experts had to hassle up a special kind of artillery and they came up with the .45. This the Muslim respected. Recognition of their fervid opposition to foreign domination is now being sought by a group of Muslim students. They feel that the eight rays in the Philippine Flag - representing the first eight provinces to revolt against Spain - is a distortion of history. The addition of a ninth ray to represent the Muslim revolt against two enemies would rectify this error, it has been contended. Says the resolution passed by an association of Muslims and a UP fraternity: "Surely we must begin to be concerned with the uneasiness of the Muslims each time they salute the Philippine flag . . . Surely it is time we desisted THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 I PAGE 3 President Marcos with Muslim leaders from flaunting at them a symbol of our own stubbornness to take into consideration the one achievement the Muslims take pride in - the preservation of their freedom." The Manila Time• however would rather have the flag explained than changed. The Timea editorializes: "As everyone must know, the rays of the sun represent the first eight provinces to rise against Spain in the Revolution of 1896. Obviously, it is out of the question to add the 'Muslim ray' for the simple reason that it is irrelevant to the situation represented in this instance. "But the flag does take account of the geographical and cultural divisions of the country, represented by its three stars. Who knows but that the resistance to the idea of separating Mindanao from Luzon and Visayas, proposed by some American politicians as a prelude to Philippine independence, might have been less than it was were it not for these three stars. "The flag as it is leaves nothing to be desired. It is a symbol of Filipino unity. That unity stands to be fragmented if changes are inserted which would emphasize ethnic or cultural dif - ferences." The Muslims have had more legitimate complaints as have been pointed out. There was a time for example when the mortality rate in Mindanao took place because of lack of medical care. Thiii has been significantly reduced in the last three years with the medical aid program that has been poured into that region. The Presidential Assistance for the Minorities (PANAMIN), which has been raised to cabinet level, has expanded much of its assistance on the region. The MAMINTAL TAMANO Commissioner, .Natlonat Iniegration infrastructure program in Mindanao is one of the busiest in the country. The rate of growth is increasing with the development of industries in places like the cities of Iligan and Marawi. The full thrust of the administration's social and economic programs in Mindanao is geared towards the acquisition of a better life for every "llan, woman and child in Mindanao, whether he be a Muslim or a Christian. Another sore point is the degree of Muslim participation in the national af - fairs. We have, of course, a number of Muslims in the career service foremost among whom are Secretary Salih Ututalum of the Department of General Services and Commissioner MaPAGI 4 I THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 mintal Tamano of the Commission on National Integration. But what would appear to the Muslims as a rejection of their leadership is the absence of an authentic Muslim voice in Congress. True, there are a number of Muslim members in the House of Representatives but there is not one of their kind in the Senate. The last Muslim Senator to take a seat in the Upper House was Senator Domocao Alonto who terminated his term in 1959. Several attempts to seat a Muslim in the Senate has failed. The established pattern in senatorial elections is the preponderance of more winning candidates from Luzon than from Visayas or Mindanao. The present Senate counts with nineteen members from Luzon and five from the Visayas, none from the Muslim region. This could perhaps be explained by the fact that every election offers at least six candidates from Luzon, two from Visayas and one from Mindanao. With the overwhelming Luzon vote, the candidates from the region have an easier time getting elected. There have been, of course, senators (Antonino, Almendras who have represented Mindanao in the Senate) b~t they do not belong to the Muslim group. This is the representation that the Muslims miss. Will Mr. Mamintal Tamano make it this time? Tamano has personality, he is articulate, young, and is widely respected even outside of his region. A lot of people are keeping an eye on him. Or will it come to a point when we have to seriously consider a proposal, again from the labor secretary, for a constitutional reform which would require the election of a Mindanao senator through a regional voting in that island? This would insure the place of the Muslims in the Senate, says Secretary Opie, who i11 a keen student of Muslim history and culture. We do not have· to go this far. The Muslim is fast becoming one of the articulate and assertive citizens of our country. Independent-minded and militant, he has a sense of history and a tradition of courage which has earned for him the respect of bis fellow Filipinos. Perhaps what i11 needed is to forge a more cohesive Muslim unity. His representation in the major policymaking councils of government would also be desirable. In a time of quickening hopes and sweeping changes, the rise of Muslim aspirations ·has matched the tempo of development. His warrior spirit has been transformed to meet the new requirements of nationhood. His voice shall be increasingly heard. PM HUMOR The Importance of being ERNIE By FRED D. MANALO I T IS not true that the Iglesia ni Kristo is the most soughtafter group in the country. A hitherto unknown fact is that two or three other blocs have been known to exert tremendous influence on political fortunes and have therefore been religiously courted by political leaders and kingmakers. I was privileged to have a talk yesterday with the head of one of these blocs, the politically-potent. Samahan ng Mga Sidewalk Vndon. The SSV has a regal building - temple would be the proper word - in a quiet suburban town. I had difficulty entering the edifice at first for the burly guards would not believe that I had an appointment with Manong Ernie, the head of the Association. But when I showed me washing the feet of Big Brother, they readily let me in. Manong Ernie is an unassuming man with a quiet air but with a voice of authority. He knew what I went there for so he immediately cleared the ground for me. "The Iglesia is a much-ballyhooed group," he said. We prefer to keep our political activities a secret. However, some of the members feel that too much importance has been placed on the INK and it is time the nation recognize the power of our group." "And how would you define that power?" I asked. "Politics," he replied, "political power. Our voters number 60_ 0,000 which is -more than you can say for the Iglesia. We have chapters in all cities and in a large number of municipalities." "I see no visible signs of your power," I said. "You must be blind," he said. "We're strong, we're indestructible. Look how we continue 'to dominate sidewalks and aidestreets. The politicoa cannot do anything against us. They know we're powerful. They would rather make the people suffer than evict us." "I see what you mean. You seem to own half of Manila, for example. What about the much-publicized moves of the Mayor to throw you out to the streets, I mean, to evict you from the sidewalks?" "You choose the correct word. It's all publicity. That's simply the Mayor's way of placating the people. A show of eviction here, an attempt to drive some of our members there, and the people are happy. Then we slowly return to where we came from. And this is true in other towns and cities." "How did you manage to get this power?" I asked. "We vote as one," he said. "We back only selected candidates and make sure they win The winners are grateful of course.· They repay us. Then those who have heard of our power come to us. They court our favors. Of course we ask something in return. But don't quote that." "Are the favor-seekers as fawning as those who court the Iglesia vote?' "Are you kidding? Well, I'll tell you: last year, I decided to hold my birthday party at a Pacific atoll that was condemmed because it was once the site of an A-bomb test. Well, guess who came to dinner. Everybody who was anybody in politics The atoll has to -be completely co'ndemmed because it sank by several feet below sea level. So many people came." "There was no publicity of course." "Like I told you, we keep our doings a secret! And the politicians were just as di~cree't too. ·Their slavishness to the INK and to the Americans are bad enough." "How do you choose your candidates?" "Well, we assess the chance of the candidates and back those who are most likely to win. Then we announce our choice at a meeting before the elections." · "Can you also order political kingpins which candidates to nominate?" "Of course. We tell them, "You back this SOB and we'll back you." And they listen to us. They've got to. Otherwise-" and he sliced his neck with a stiff forefinger. "Well, now that you've decided to publicize your group, what do you think will be the reaction of the politicians?" "They will deny their connections with us of course but we won't mind that. But if you could only post a photographer at the gate, t!ie public will see how they come to me even during ungodly hours in the morning." "I understand there are other groups that are equally influential with politicians." "You must be referring to the Kapatiran ng Mga Squatters. It's a so-so group, actually." "Well, I appreciate your candor, Manong Ernie. I think the public will respect you for thia. Well, thank you very much." I shook his hand and started to leave. "Didn't you forget anything?" he asked with a quizzical look in his face. "What was that7" "This." He made the sign of the blessing and then waved me on. I felt proud just then, basking in the epiritual glory of this great man. ™ THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 I PAGE 5 APPROXIMATELY 30 million Filipinos living in the rural areas today do not have adequate medical care. It is estimated that there is only one doctor for every 3,000 persons. Of the country's total population. about 24 million are considered indigent. Unable to pay for medical care, most of them are destined to die with· out the benefit of medical attention. The administration of President Mar· cos has pursued a vigorous -program to improve the health condition in the rural areas. It has even tapped the pri\"ate sector and encouraged the work of volunteer organizations such as that of the PANAMIN. Young medical graduates and undergraduates have responded enthusiastically to the appeal of President Marcos to devote a portion of their time to help the sick in the barrios. On top of all this, the President has also ordered military doctors and dentists and nurses and medical technicians to give medical al'Sistance to people in the barrios and in the hinterlands, especially in areas where there are no rural health workers. - But these efforts seem inadequate to . meet the national health problem that is compounded yearly by the fantastic growth in population. Senate Bill No. 773, better known as the Philippine Medicare Plan, is an attempt to establish a system to insure that all Filipinos get medical care and attention. This plan may not mean that all Filipinos with defective hearts could receive a heart transplant bot somehow, they are assured of some form of medical assistance whenever they need one. The bill proposes to establish a Health Community Fund in each municipality. In building up this fund, "all family heads and all residents of the Philippines, 18 years and over, with an annual income of at least Pl,800 shall contribute Pl a month or P12 a year." As its counterpart obligation, the government will contribute 30 per cent of the total collection of each municipality. Under this pian, persons who are peither members of the SSS nor the GSIS will be entitled to medical care benefits amounting to P200 a year. PAOI 6 I THI PHILIPPI.. MAOAZINI I AUGUST 31, 1969 Jtiembers of the SSS and the GSIS ;will receive !"600 worth of medical care because they are paying medical insurance to these firms. All beds of government hospitals, including 10 per cent of the total bed capacity of all private hospitals and clinics will be declared "service beds" for the accommodation of patients under this plan. When this bill becomes law, the plans and programs for its effective implementation will be prepared by a Philippine Medical Care Commission. It will be headed by the Secretary of Health as chairman and an administrator who will double as vice chairman of the commission. Other members of the commission will be the chairmen of the health committee of both chambers of Congress, the administrator of the Social Security System, the general manager of the Government Service Insurance System, and one representative each from the Philippine Medical Association,, the Philippine Hospital Association, the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce and Industry and a nationwide civic organization. Proponents of the plan anticipate that the shortage of qualified personnel to man the various health centers in the different communities will remain a problem unless the pay is attractive enough to lure medical personnel into 11eeepting assignments in the rural areas. The solution to this problem C&!1 also help atop the brain-drain that now plagues the medical profession. PM SAVING PHILIPPINE WILDLIFE IT WAS at a meeting of Filipino foresters early this year when President Marcos first enunciated his policy of conservation. In this gathering he did not limit himself to the subject of the conservation of forests but tf~lked of the preservation of "everything that constitutes our national patrimony." Recently this program of conservation received a boost from no less a personage than Charles Lindbergh who once thrilled the world with his solo flight across the Atlantic. Now this famous flier is concerned with the conservation of wildlife particularly in the Philippines. Last summer Lindbergh joined a 12-day trip to Mindoro, Palawan, and Mindanao to scout the conservation_ problem. He did so, because as he put it, "the Philippines are one of the last frontiers of conservation" and because he felt he could spur its conservation program. During this trip he participated with President Marcos in dedicating a marker for a national sanctuary for the tamaraw of which only about 100 heads remain. He also travelled to Mindanao to visit a project designed to help the aboriginal Mansaka tribe survive and to see the nesting grounds of the monkey-eating eagle. In Palawan he received a message on wood from the Tagbanwas who told him: "We understand that you are a good pilot. We are grateful that you are a,ble tao visit our island of Palawan. We would appreciate it if you could teach us to fly, so we could visit your island someday." Lindbergh's concern with conservation tallies with President Marcos's own policy. In a gesture never before made by a Philippine chief executive, Marcos de. clared Bird Island in Palawan as a wildlife sanctuary. He has ordered law enforcement agencies and the Games snd Wildlife Office to go after hunters, especially the predators of the tamaraw and other rare species such as the tarsius monkey and the monkeyeating eagle. He has also asked relevant agencies of the government to prepare a comprehensive wildlife conservation plan. He pledged that during his incumbency he would do everything to conserve our forests and wildlife. It is easy enough to appreciate the idea of conservation. The despoiling of forests, for instance, through indiscriminate logging ~nd kaiiigin methods, leads to the disturbance of the ecological balance. Once the balance of nature is disturbed the consequences are uncontrollable. Rat infestation becomes a problem when birds, reptiles, and beasts that prey on rodents have been wantonly decimated through the annihilition of forests. The depletion of fish through destructive fishing methods and water pollution can lead to the gamu-gamo menace; fish naturally feed on the larvae of the gama-gamo. The conservation of forests, wildlife, and fish resources is itself worthy of the efforts of the people. It is just one step away fro'm the idea of conserving other resources of the nation, for instance, manpower, the cultural heritage, the national arts. As President Marcos enjoins the people: "Let each of us become a conservationist, a manager of our forests and waters, a protector of wildlife, a chronicler of our deeds, and a poet of the nation." In plain terms, he rightly calls conservation as the alternative to national suicide. FM SORRY DEAR I IVE. DE::CI Df:D WE SHOULD HAVE A TRIAL SEPARATION. THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 I PAGE 7 PEOPLE 0 N the heyday of Mila del Sol and Jaime de la Rosa in Philippine movies, there were those who often wondered what their children would be like after they had finally won each other at film's end. -If it was a boy, he would probably grow up to be dashing and handsome like Jaime. If a girl, why she would take up after Mila - pretty, sweet and fluent of body. An old fan looking at Jeanne Young today would probably exclaim, "Why, she is just exactly what I imagine Jaime and Mila's little girl to be!" And she is really Mila del Sol's little girl, now grow up. But, in those littlQ departures that reality makes from the world on film, she is not, alas, Jimmy's. Born of an American father, Jeanne Young, at 1'9, has carved a name in the entertainment world that rivals already in its infancy the popularity -of her mother's. She has by now several films to her credit and is, at present, the most enduring feature on Channel :Ys noon show, "Stop, Look, and Listen." Ever since her entry into the tinsel world, people have, indeed, stopped to look and listen to her. Her face anti build incorp-orates the delicateness and grace of a Filipina and the confidence of movement of the Occidental. And when she sings, ah, it's as if the whole world has suddenly smiled at you. There is quality to the voice, easiness to the style. And there is youth in her, like you have never seen or felt before. PM PAGE I I THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 B OYBOOD happens only once to every man, and there are thoae who would try to recapture it the rest of their lives, some by returning to the pathetic infancy of a "1econd childhood," a few through the world of literature and art. Charles Dickens recaptured his by re-creating the world of hia boyhood in hie novel Oliver Twitt, and what he had re-created is now brought to life again in a dazzling film-musical entitled Oli..er. "Magnificent" is perhaps the only word that can adequately describe this film. The words and music are superb by any 1tandard, aptly capturing the mood of the situations, paintinr the characters of those who sing it. The acting is first-rate. Though dominated by a cast of unknowns (unknown that ii to the rest of the world, save merry olde England), the performers manage to inject into "Oliver" not only the gaiety of a musical but the liveliness of life itself, it1 pathos and its jOfB. The timeless story of Oliver Twist is here, of course, but it is not so much this that you remember. It may be, as one critic described it, "your boyhood." - and the characters who peopled it. Ron Moody'• Fagin i1 every ~oy's first encounter with worldlineu and old age. Oliver Reed's Bi!l Sikes is the personification of th"' nightmares that haunt one's rrowing up. Shani Wallis ie big kind lister or maybe Mama - there to cheer 7ou up when the chips are d!Own. And who has not had a boyhood pal of the likes of Jack Wlld's Artful Dodger, the playmate who gives 7ou visions of the world if children could only rule it. Oliver is a prism for all these memories. And for a child, a young man or a parent, that's a hell of a rea1on to see this film. FM THI PHILIPPINE MAGAZINI I AUGUST U, 1969 \ PAGE 9 CARTOONS & mARAtTIR fr1Y F/l TlfER Q: Mr. De la Rosa, what are you doing in this section"! A: A cartoonist failed to give bis bio-data in time and we had to fill this space. Q: But are you a cartoonist? A: Am I? Well, yes. I've bad spot cartoons published in a number of magazines. Q: Like? A: Like the Sunda,. Times Magaaine, Saturda,. Mirror Magazine, Chronicle Magazine, W eekl,. Graphic, Midw-k Magazine, Signature Magazine, PM, FEU Ad.oe:ate, and would you believe it, the Philippine, Free Pr .. 1. Q: But these are spot cartoons. A: At one time, I had a daily comicstrip in the Philippin .. Herald. Pinoy, it was, all about a loser, a perpetual job-seeker. I bad to give it up though. It was depressing. Q: What else do you do? A: I also write. Q: What kind of stuff do you write! A: Short stories, poet1'7, articles, light essays and press releases. Q: Ever had them published! A: I have been published in all national weekly magazines except Tiktik. .RECe·Vt-o ,,.,, /Vlv..rr ME t>AL l>VR1NG f' R OVD rHt;: t//'ff>ANG's-£" tf'fvl .. <1/\-fE .. PAGE 10 I THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST 31, 1969 Q: What kind of cartoons do you like to do? A : Witty ones. Whenever possible, I also throw in characters and dialogues. Q: When did you start doing cartoons? A : I started drawing when I was 11 months old but I can't remember that far. But when I was in high school, I was staff artist for the Adyocate. Q: How would you describe your style then? A: Terrible. Q: When did your spot cartoons start coming out? A: When Mary Ruff Tagle was editing the Mirror Maaa&ine, I was a regular contributor. The rest is history. Q: How do you think can we solve the population explosion? A: Encourage homosexuality and lesbianism. Q: Who do you think will be the first Filipinos to go to the moon? A: Our doctors and nurses. Q: How old are you! A : No comment. PM rift: vA/>AIVE>E GAVE IT T(J THE EXODUS BEGINS The traffic of people from one party to another in Philippine politics is a phenomenon as pervasive as money in our politics. And during the election season, this tribe increases by leaps and bounds. To the likely winner, go the unbelievers in their party's ultimate victory. The other week, a crowd of 3,000 gathered at the Manila Hotel Fiesta Pavilion to witness a mass affiliation of Liberals to the Nacionalista Party. The 390 new Nacionalistas were headed by Former Speaker Cornelio Villareal, once-upon-a-time President of the Liberal Party and once-upon-a-time aspirant to its presidential nomination. Speaking during the affair, President Marcos said that Speaker Villareal and Senator Padilla represent "the new realignment of forces in Philippine politics wherein all decent elements are finally committed to the good of the Filipino common man." It is now clear, he added, that while in the past, there were no fundamental differences between the two parties, today, there is a marked and clear distinction. Villareal, for his part, described what he called the Liberal Party's "metamorphosis of degeneration, from a party without social conscience to a party that has been stripped of its sense of historical mission, a party divested of its democratic character." A. NEW LEASE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE President Marcos signed into law major legislation recently passed by Congress, four of which are aimed at benefiting poor letigants. The new laws, principally authored by Senator Laurel in the Senate are: 1. Senate Bill No. 746, which provides transportation and other allowances for indigent litigants; 2. Senate Bill No. 745, which requires courts to give preference to criminal cases where the party or parties involved are indigents; 3. Senate Bill No. 748, which requires stenographers to take transcripts of notes for indigent and low income litigants for free, and provides a penalty for the violation thereof; and 4. Senate Bill No. 780, which provides that bail shall not, with certain exceptions, be required in cases of municipal or city ordinance violations and in criminal offenses when the prescribed penalty for such offenses is not higher than arreato ma7or and or a fine of P2,0oo· or · both. These approved bills were certified to Congress by the President as urgent and passed during the last special session. HANDS OFF, STRANGERS It was a resolution unprecedented in the entire history of the Commission on Elections. In a sternly-worded statement, the poll body composed of Comelec Chairman Jaime N. Ferrer and Commissioners Cesar Miraflor and Lino M. Patajo warned all foreigners in the country to keep off the current political campaign or face criminal prosecution. They further stressed, that not only foreigners but also the can - didates or persons who make such intervention possible are guilty of a serious criminal offense. This practice, Ferrer said, is an act of subversion of the country's democratic process in the selection of national leaders. To facilitate circulation of the resolution, the Comelec Chairman requested Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, Commerce Secretary Marcelo Balatbat and Immigration Commissioner Edmundo Reyes to circulate the resolution among foreigners. Despite the rightness of the Comelec move, however, Ferrer admitted that there would be difficulty in cracking foreigners interfering with elections. But, he says, "We must start now. In time, we will pin down these aliens." LP RICE SCARE: A HOAX It may have all begun on the political platform. LP Presidential candidate Sergio Osmeiia, Jr., desperate to find a kink in the armor of the Administration's litany of achievements, charged that there was a rice crisis in the nation. Contrary to the clai1111t of the President, Osmeiia claimed that the impending rice shortage he had feared was slowly surfacing. The effect of this blast, repeated over and over again by Osmeiia and the Opposition, was to create all over the country a climate of anxiety among the people. Through the charge drew an immediate denial from the Rice and Corn Administration (RCA) and the Rice Millers Association, which both claimed ample supply of the cereal until the next harvest, many feared that the Osmeiia blast might just encourage some rice retailers to hoard the cereal and thus create an artificial rice crisis. A thorough check of the claims of Osmeiia and RCA chairman Alfredo Montelibano showed that the latter was right. The storerooms of the rice agencies in Central Luzon clearly indicated that no such crisis was impending. To arrest the ill effects of the LP sabotage attempt of the Administration's rice program, the RCA and the rice millers association immediately launched a "rolling store" sale of the cereal in Greater Manila. The price was pegged at Pl.40 per ganta. Sur· prisingly enough, no lines formed and this more than anything else belied the rice scare of the Oppolition. THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE I AUGUST at, 1 . . l M8I ll VICTORIES OF THE FILIPINO SPIRIT Road1 are the arterie1 of a nation. They move the life-blood of a aociety charted in the direction of progre11. The Philippine• ia auch a aoci~ty now moving forward. Agriculture and industry are developing at a faot clip becau1e of roads built in the last few yean. The pace of road - building under .-J Tiie latlt4 of Mactao lo 1521 befw9" ..., ,.. loftn "Of 1.Gpv-lapo aod M09eHao wos "• tint blow struck by FilipiltOS ' ogal11t c°'4>ftlolism. Tk lsfrostnlctwe pr04JrC1M of Prnidut Morcos wll 111.t, mok• ow country ecoRomfcoly iad•· pNdfft, Pre1ident Ferdinand E. Marcoo i1 unrelent· ing. Hi1 aim lo to link ttery town and barrio to the Yitai centen of the nation. The.future berin• today. Do not 1et back the clock. Keep the n a t i o n moving with the achievement team. CONCRETE ROADS