Welcome Back La Gloria

Dear Madam President,

First of all, congratulations for your latest international sojourn are in order. While some may be mystified by your decision to haul half of your cabinet and various hangers-on to Washington to see a 'lame duck' US President in an election year, I see no reason why there should be this much hoopla. It is merely a chance for you, as the country's most powerful public official, to continue using your office to engage in transnational rent-seeking.

For the past few years you have demonstrated this ability with the Chinese, as per the ZTE-NBN deal and the US military machine, as per your Anti-terrorism deals. China has now surpassed the US as the country with the most number of diplomatic posts. Bravo. You are dipping your nimble little fingers between the superpower of the present and the future. You certainly avail of all possible opportunities Madam President. You do your humble subjects proud by keeping your pulse on where money is flowing at the moment - and tapping your bloodsuckers where they may reap the most.

Also my sincerest congratulations on winning for your Enchanted Kingdom (a fond name used by Uniffors) the title of Most Corrupt in East Asia for the second year in a row. Halleluiah. We do excel in some things don't we?

I commiserate with you not being able to meet Barack Obama face-to-face. He does have a wonderful voice. Were you titillated by that 30-minute phone call? I admire the audacity of this statement when you actually breathed the same air as John McCain, that "it's very important for the Filipinos and the Philippine government to continue and maintain the good relationship we have with the US today." How democratic and inclusive you were, when you actually meant a good relationship between some Filipinos and your kith and kin. But nevermind. The rest of the Filipino people place their trust in your foreign policy sojourn. Because the jurassic-age principles of diplomacy is blind to reality and assumes that the head of state supposedly acts on behalf of the 'national interest,' then the US diplomatic machine - of whichever sitting administration, can be counted on as a cash cow for the legion of vampires you cultivate in your beatific reign. Do we take this forward-planning as a sign that you will hang around past 2010? Oh my, I am getting an erection at the thought.

As you fly over the waters of the Pacific, let me be the first to extend to you, my queen, the warmest welcome.

Your humble servant,

A gnat in Malacanang

Cross-posted at Filipino Voices.