March 29, 2008

HTTP://DELFINDJMONTANO.BLOGSPOT.COM

This DJ Montano blog is still up and going strong. In a country with a clear dichotomy between the wealthy and the poor, it is proving to be the perfect medium of attack by a man who is justifiably angry and looking for some modicum of justice. However, I am perturbed by the fact that this blog is exacerbating an already tense rift between the upper and middle classes. At a time where we have little faith in our government and US recession tremors are already being felt, this blog is not what I would call a “constructive preoccupation.”

Then again, when you do the math: (1 gram of cocaine = 1 good night = $125) x (3 nights a week on average) x (4 weeks in month) = $1500 a month. Decent companies have a starting salary of roughly $500 a month. You know, perhaps this blog is exactly what Philippines society needs.

I work hard (247) for what I earn and I will still balk at spending 130 pesos for a movie ticket (I remember 25 at greenbelt 1). You read this blog and you realize that there are people who can party several nights a week, not hold a steady job, and still spend an average persons salary. There is definitely something off with this situation!

6 comments:

wysgal said...

My own very educated sensible and chief executive of a mother spent a few hours of her busy life trolling through the comments on this blog. It's an addiction I tell you.

It's getting boring though ... I think things will sort of just fade away.

Anonymous said...

JJS,
I have to admit this blog is addicting,im guilty of going through it once or twice during the workday!, but you have to admit it's kind of liberating that someone finally shed some much needed light on the so called Philippine "High" Society (pun intended). It was pretty much prevalent during my college days and it still is im just amazed that it's only now that their "discovering" all of this.
Sourpuss

-A said...

The events being described (and possibly still unfolding) in the infamous "Brian" blog are the exceptions and definitely not the rules. There are far greater concerns that merit intelligent exchanges and feedback. At the end of the day, Brian (despite the circumstances and everything else that has been said) still willingly gave his money in the same way that the PIPC investors kept rolling their investments till they disappeared. Neither Brian or the PIPC investors were forced or coerced to part with their money. It saddens me to think that based on the feedback the Brian blog is getting, it seems that people are focusing simply on the many trivial details that really don't mean a thing to most Filipinos (whose main priority is to get by on a day to day basis on amounts that may seem as mere pennies to some). Brian and the cast of characters named in his blog are only 10 people or so out of a population of over 75 million. Do the math .... Hopefully, the answer is a clear call that we should just focus on what is real.

The Jolly Jetsetter said...

Dear A
A well written comment and in many respects I certainly agree. However, I have found that like many movements in history, society reacts not to what is rational or "real" but to that which invokes passion. This blog may represent a small number of our 80 plus million population, but it hits home to many Filipino readers. Sometimes, when things are wrong or unfair in life, you need a face to your villain. This blog for many does just that. Like PIPC I do hope Brian gets his money back, not just for principle but because after this blog, he has certainly earned it!

The Jolly Jetsetter said...

Sourpuss/Wysgal: This blog has so many readers generating so many hits, if Brian just propelled it into in Blog advertising he would have his 70k back. Like Flock of Seagulls or The Delorean, I would suggest that brian capitalize before the eventual "fade away!"

Anonymous said...

JJS,
I actually do agree with you, i was thinking of the same thing when i saw how many hits the blog was getting (blame it on my chinese entreprenurial genes). As much as i agree with what -a said you have to admit that there is a "human" angle to this story. Yes Brian and the PIPC investors were not forced into parting with their money but the fact of the matter is both PIPC and DJ Montano misrepresented themselves in varying degrees. I was a witness to this PIPC scam, it was quite well thought out, they used young fresh out of college kids as account executives who came from good families with high profile family names. Good enough to make them sound credible to would be investors (and they were like sharks mind you!), i saw a lot of "investors" who either had a reputation for being shrewed businessmen or are well connected. So for the life of me i was quite baffled why their "intuition" didn't kick in. I knew from the very begining that it was a scam and advised my friend to pull out her investments but as luck would have it she did not listen. To her it was just a couple of Balenciagas down the drain...But my point is those investors may not have been "forced" but "coerced" ill leave that up to you to think and ponder.
Sourpuss