ABS-CBN reports that any law that will suspend VAT for oil products shall be vetoed by Gloria Arroyo, says Finance Secretary Margarito Teves. The purported reason is that such a move will be “detrimental to the country’s economy and will only benefit the rich.” According to projections, the government stands to lose Php 54 billion from lost VAT revenues from oil if Mar Roxas’ proposed bill passes.

First, I don’t think Mar Roxas’ proposed measure will prosper. The House is firmly controlled by Arroyo lapdogs, and as such, a counterpart bill is impossible. Even if such a measure passes through the eye of the needle, Gloria Arroyo can simple veto it. And I doubt if both Houses can muster enough votes to override the veto.

Second, the government can always find a way to plug a possible deficit by reducing unnecessary spending. If these elected and appointed officials really mean it, the 40 billion shortfall can be cushioned or eradicated. For example, senators and congressmen and Gloria Arroyo can forgo their pork barrel allocations. Again, that’s impossible, given the kind of characters we have in government.

Third, Teves claims that only the rich will benefit from the suspension of VAT on oil products. He is assuming that the suspension will greatly benefit rich car owners. How about the middle class who owns cars? How about the jeepney and tricycle drivers and operators? And what about the so-called trickle down effect that this regime has been yakking about? Is that also one of this regime’s lies?

No. This regime is composed of goons who cannot afford to scrimp while the people it purportedly serves gets the shorter end of the stick. That 1% tariff reduction is just lip service. Imagine. A one percent reduction can mean a Php 0.23-0.25 in the price of diesel – and the people should be thankful for that. It will take effect two weeks from now, but independent oil players are already proclaiming an increase by January 15. There you go.

I find this piece of news curious:

She said if the tariff’s current rate remains at three percent the government will have windfall earnings of P11 billion but she added that this would be useless if prices of commodities go up as a result of high oil prices.

Using that logic, a windfall of earnings from VAT is useless if prices of commodities go up. Go figure.

So here are the main suggestions on how to cushion the effects of high oil prices:

* The regime slashes one percent from the tariff imposed on diesel. Token gesture as they say.
* Some lawmakers want the VAT for oil suspended. The regime calls it suicidal.
* The Left calls for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law. Businesses (specially oil companies) balk at the idea.

Hmm. Why not reduce the VAT rate for oil to six percent?

Do you have any suggestions? Leave them at the comments.

That survey that says that Gloria Arroyo is the most corrupt non-president evah, it hit ground zero. Hard. So hard, in fact, that the Fortress spin machine begun humming even before you can say “Trillanes.” Too fast, in fact, that the reaction was mumbo-jumbo of defensiveness.

First reaction? The Fortress downplayed it, saying that the survey was commissioned by former senator Serge Osmeña. Since that was not enough, here’s another: the survey was unfair, baseless, and based on perception, which is not reality, says Cerge Remonde, who also blamed the “vicious” (his word) opposition. Then, the Fortress says the respondents were too few. And another factotum said that the perception was due to a media blackout on government’s action versus corruption.

Pathetic.

Anyway, the problem with the Fortress is that they are downplaying surveys that are negative in impact for the Arroyo regime. Yet, at the tail end of the 2004 campaign, the Arroyo campaign kept on harping about Arroyo edging the late Fernando Poe Jr. at surveys. Heck, when the Hello, Garci erupted, they used these surveys to prove that Arroyo won fair, square, and Garci. This line of defense is a two-edged sword, it cuts both ways.

For the baseless, unfair, and based on perception defense, read the previous paragraph. Heh. Can’t help but giggle on this one. Imagine: surveys showing that people would vote for Arroyo in 2004 were baseless and based on perceptions. Hello, Garci!

For the third defense, read the previous 2 paragraphs. Heh.

For the fourth defense, not only this is pathetic, it is also an acknowledgement of the media’s importance and purpose. And it also highlighted the fact that its policy of blackout is wrong, short-sighted, and has caused more harm than good for the Arroyo regime.

Let’s get back to the “perception” thing. Take it away, Wikipedia:

In psychology. and the cognitive sciences, perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information.

Remember what Remonde said? “Sa tingin ko ay walang basis ito at of course as in all surveys lahat ay matter of perception. Ang perception is not the reality (I think the survey was without basis and of course, as in all surveys, this is just a matter of perception. Perception is not reality).” Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he has just insulted all of those survey respondents. He just insulted those who believe that Gloria Arroyo is corrupt. Arroyo’s actions of stonewalling, whitewashing, bribing, and lying do not help in perception; and for that, she only has herself, and her henchmen, to blame.

Perception not based on reality is called hallucination (or delusion, or whatever you want to call it). Is Mr. Remonde saying that those respondents were drug addicts? Is Mr. Remonde saying that those who think Arroyo is corrupt are addicts? Is Mr. Remonded admitting that this regime is helpless against drug addiction? Is Mr. Remonde saying that we are a nation of psychopaths? We are a nut republic, yay! We are a nation of crackpots, yay!

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If there is someone who is delusional, its the guy who is the subject of this and that post. Read and learn.

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Are Sumilao farmers about to be screwed the secondthird time around? The Secretary of Agrarian Reform is taking his own sweet time. Why can’t he just say, “I give up” and pass the buck? His passive-aggressiveness is sickening. Or maybe there’s gapangan in the background? If that’s the case, the Sumilao farmers are screwed.

Here’s a call to boycott San Miguel Foods products:

Bloggers Call for Boycotting of Monterey/Purefoods Products in support of Sumilao farmers. This Christmas season, December 15, 2007 to January 2, 2008. Bring down the sales of San Miguel Food, Inc. to show public support to the farmers of Bukidnon who were denied of their 144 hectares of land. Please pass to all bloggers.

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This report shows how honorable Mr. Esperon is. There is no honor among thieves, really.

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No news on Cris Mendez’ case. Long live Sigma Rho! (If you did not get the sarcasm in that, I’m sorry.)

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UPDATE:

Wow, a new defense – blame the media. Heh.

Secretary to the Cabinet Ricardo Saludo held the media’s critical coverage of the Mrs. Arroyo responsible for the results, saying it “shows what happens when media publishes accusations and insinuations against the government without bothering to verify or even ask for the basis of the charges.”

Ha ha ha. Mr. Saludo, too bad I cannot salute you. You, your amo, and your fellows were given all the chance to disprove accusations and insinuations, but what did your cabal do? Stop talking and just walk the talk. Yeah, pay more congressmen, stonewall again, whitewash everything, spread more lies.

Another defense – investigate polling firms. Heh. Courtesy of the person who is the epitome of sanity in the Senate:

“I am filing a resolution tomorrow morning to investigate not only the particular survey firm but all major survey firms that have their results published in the media,” she added.

Wait, that ain’t defense – it is offense. Wow, a change in tact? W00t! (Incidentally, that l33t speak is word of the year, according to Merriam Webster.) Senator Miriam “I lied, ha ha ha!” Santiago has a beef with them survey firms. It all goes back to 1992. In any case, someone will like this investigation, as he always take these firms to task. Maybe Santiago should get this person as resource speaker.