Eyes wide shut at Open Government Partnership

First published on Blogwatch.ph

At the official launch of Open Government Partnership (OGP) early this week, some critical issues were not brought out in the open.

On Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III joined 45 other world leaders in New York for the launch of OGP, touted as a multilateral initiative that supposedly aims to secure commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption and harness new technologies.

The OGP in its declaration committed to 1) increase the availability of information about government activities 2) support civic participitation 3) increase access to new technologies for openness and accountability.

“We commit to espouse these principles in our international engagement, and work to foster a global culture of open government that empowers and delivers for citizens, and advances the ideals of open and participatory 21st century government,” the OGP said in its declaration endorsed by eight countries as of Sept. 20, 2011.

Lacierda and Valte’s tweets on the Sept. 19 transport strike

If the tweets Edwin Lacierda (@dawende) and Abigail Valte (@abi_valte) would be an indication, this government is getting more arrogant by the day. Not to mention that it is turning to Twitterverse to vent its cheap shots.

“	Noticed how leftists are so onion-skinned? Tinawag lang perjuicio ang strike, pumputok ang butchi nila! Mahilig bumanat pero mga pikon pala!
	dawende September 19, 2011

Isn’t Lacierda’s logic of automatically labeling critics as “leftists” the same fascist mindset of the Arroyo regime? Such is the symptom of a regime increasingly drawing flak for its anti-people policies.  

“	Whether they would admit it or not, the PISTON-led transport strike is a dud!
	dawende September 19, 2011

Mr. Palace spokesperson, the performance of your boss Noynoy Aquino is a dud! Only promises and pleasantries, no concrete measures to contain oil firms’ greedy profiteering.

“	Number of people affected by strike: 16 RT @nerveending: uy, naapektuhan din ako; hirap pumasok kanina. Traffic sa Cubao.
	Abi_Valte September 19, 2011

“	Number of people who tweeted me about: 1)removing VAT on oil; 2)repealing Oil Dereg Law; 3)complaints about gov’t inaction on the strike–6
	Abi_Valte September 19, 2011

I don’t know what Valte is trying to prove here with her mini-survey. Was she trying to prove that many were stranded because of strike? I thought the Palace said that “very, very few” were affected?

In any case, I strongly recommend that Palace officials should listen more to the message of protest on the streets rather than tallying tweets. 

“	Please tweet @abi_valte if you think oil overpricing and non-stop oil price hikes are the greater “perwisyo” to the people.
	kilusangmayouno September 18, 2011

“	@kilusangmayouno we should ask the passengers to pass judgment on that. Please tweet @kilusangmayouno if naabala kayo ng strike.
	Abi_Valte September 18, 2011

Here, Valte proves that Palace isn’t taking critical tweets lightly. It can actually call for a counter-tweet! Sinong onion-skinned ngayon? 

 

 

Update: The furor over Lacierda’s tweets made it to the news:

Palace spokesperson draws flak from pinoy netizens

 

 

A must-watch: Juana Change’s ‘Blasphemy’

A must-watch: Juana Change on the Mideo Cruz issue and the hypocrisy of the Church and politicos. The video also challenges prevailing notions about Jesus Christ

Berso sa Kanto: Goto

Goto

Habang humihigop 
ng plain goto sa umagang maulan,
lumipad ang utak ko,
naglakbay patungo sa’yo.
Sabay ngiti sa hangin,
hinga nang malalim.