Filipinos really love boxing. We knew it and we can see it especially during the fights of Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. And we’re even watching yesterday’s boxing bouts of Gerry Peñalosa, Rey Bautista and AJ Banal who all won the fight. Gerry Peñalosa successfully defended his World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title while Rey Bautista and AJ Banal keep their World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental Jr. featherweight title and International Boxing Federation (IBF) Intercontinental Jr. bantamweight title, respectively.

Although this kind of sport make our Filipino boxers earn money for their living, a congressman from Nueva Ecija, Philippines authored a bill to ban combat sports including Boxing.

… Congressman Eduardo Joson of Nueva Ecija filed House Bill 3743, which calls for the complete ban of all contact or combat sports in the country.

In his proposed bill, the solon unmitigatedly included boxing-the most popular and well appreciated sport of the Filipino people-to be banned completely. The solon described combat sports especially boxing as bloody and deadly. He singled out boxing as violent that inflict harm, pain, blood lust and death. (source)

He might have reasons for banning it:

The legislator noted that violent sports encourage violent behavior among the people particularly the young generations. According to him, his pet bill would help make people to be great achievers by joining non violent sports through proper training, discipline and dedication without hurting others just to gain wealth, fame and praises. (source)

But this reason is not enough to back-up his bill on banning it.

You see, Mr. Congressman, it might be true that boxing and other related sports are violent or deadly, but don’t you ever think that the sport where you’re in now (Philippine Politics) is more violent and deadly than the sport you want to be banned?

Mr. Congressman, give me the number and names of those martial artists, boxers, etc who died during their fights, and I will give you the number and names of those politicians who died in politics.

I think, the reasons you have in banning this kind of sport is not the real reason why you want it to be banned here in the Philippines.

Just one last question Mr. Congressman, can you offer better job to Filipino Boxers and Filipino Martial Artists who find their living from these sports if you successfully banned them here in the Philippines?

Note: I know that there are members of the the “Jesus Is Lord” movement led by Bro. Eddie Villanueva who are here regularly reading my posts. Don’t think negative about this post. I don’t hate your church not even Bro. Villanueva. I only want to comment about his statement during the interview by certain news reporter which was aired through the TV Patrol World of ABS-CBN.

I want to make it clear first that I am not a Bible Scholar. But I understand that to follow the laws imposed by the government as long as it doesn’t go against the laws of God is one of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, the true Christians are also good citizens of their country.

So, when I heard Bro. Villanueva said that he will tell his followers in the “Jesus is Lord” movement to disobey the laws of the government, I immediately asked my self, “where did Brother Villanueva get the idea of teaching his followers to do the so-called “Civil Disobedience”.

Well, it’s fine to disobey the laws of the government if it go against the law of God. But to disobey the laws just to show their dismay to the government’s official is I think a teaching not of Christ. I don’t know what verse in the Bible can we read the teaching of “Civil Disobedience” as prescribed by Bro. Villanueva.

Anyway, you can post at our comment section the idea of whether the so-called “Civil Disobedience” by Bro. Eddie Villanueva is good or not.

Truth on NBN Scandal

Just like what I said on my previous post, “Jun Lozada for President?“, Jun Lozada might be telling the truth behind the ZTE Broadband deal. However, Lozada should show all his evidences to back-up his claims and to make the so-called “Truth” that he’s holding, the real “Truth”.

To let you know, there are two kinds of “Truth”: (1) The False “Truth”; (2) The Real “Truth”. The false truth is simply the twisted truth. It is the kind of truth that put innocent people to jail and ruined their dreams for their family. And we all know that lots of people became victim of this false “truth”.

Note: I think, it’s my first time to publish a write-up on this blog on Philippine Politics. This post was inspired by the Digital Filipino’s blogging campaign on the 2010 Presidential Election. I don’t actually want to talk about politics because I don’t want to compromise my blogging career. Just like what they say, politics is the dirtiest game in the Philippines, and I am afraid that I will be affected by the dirty tricks of politicians.

You know, I was really wondering what’s the real reasons why Jun Lozada came out of his den and revealed the things behind the ZTE Broadband Deal controversy. I know, that what Lozada is doing is really a risk, but I know also that what he’s doing is one of the politician’s game in gaining popularity.

Well, for now I couldn’t tell if this is just his way of entering politics or he simply wants to reveal the secrets on the ZTE Broadband Deal.

I am not saying that what he revealed is true, not even saying that it’s false and simply fabricated. There’s of course a possibility that everything is true because based on my experiences dealing government financed projects, the under-the-table and dagdag-project-price are always there. I want to make it clear and repeat it that what I am saying is, there is a possibility (only POSSIBLE) that what has been revealed is true.

What do you mean, “under-the-table and dagdag-price”?

Okay. The contractor for him to win the bidding, he needs to give the officer, who is in-charge of the bidding, the gifts (money or items). Then once the contractor wins the bidding, he will then be asked to double the project’s price or at least add few percent of the price but the the amount added is already owned by the officer. Of course it’s not always true in some offices.

Lozada for President?

I am not actually thinking that Lozada will run for President on the 2010 Election, but I think he will run for the local office in his area. He already gained his popularity… TV stations are featuring him… Papers are talking about him… Every mouths are praising him. It’s one of the thing aimed by those would-be politicians.

And why I am thinking this?

It’s 2008 already. It’s the best time to start making a popular name. And to stand at the side of the opposition is the best way to start. And Lozada is already successful on it. He only needs to maintain this popularity so that 2010 election comes, he’ll surely win for the office he will run for.

Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward was accused of Bias by the President Bush counselor Dan Barlett in Bob’s book, “State of Denial”.

“I was really stuck by the fact that the central thesis of this book, the claim that the president was in a state of denial, that he was misleading the America people about what was happening in Iraq,” Bartlett told ABC News. “Quite frankly, is not backed up with the own facts in his book.” (source)

Bob Woodward is also the author of the books, “Plan of Attack” and “The Secret Man: The Story of Watergate’s Deep Throat“.