JANET AND THE SENATE

     Lately, there are three very serious events that are changing the very structure of the Philippine Government and society. Two are violent and resulted in massive desolation – the Zamboanga siege and the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the island of Bohol and affected its neighboring islands in the Visayas. The third appears to be subtle but is destroying the very fabric of our society – the extensive plundering of national coffers represented by Philippine Development Assistance Program or pork barrel at the disposal of (and exploitation by) legislators, both in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. This third happening exposes the operation of appalling corruption in both the Legislature and in the Executive branches of government, involving high ranking personalities. Ironically, the exposure of massive corruption was triggered by obviously a quarrel among relatives, resulting in the charge of “illegal detention” against their influential cousins. particularly Janet Lim Napoles (JLN). The supposed victim-turned-whistleblower claimed being threatened and detained by JLN, and thereby exposed her modus operandi in bribing legislators with large percentages of their PDAP money to fund bogus projects.

     The national scandal prompted me to study Janet Lim Napoles through astrology. Based on the horoscope or birth chart I computed, assuming that two difficult factors – Uranus and Pluto -- straddle her Midneaven or zenith, my wife, Georgina, has this to say about her:

“Midheaven on 12 degrees Virgo -- The native Janet Lim Napoles is ‘a mystic and a sensualist (Pluto conjunct Uranus conjunct Midheaven) as fond of research into mysterious things as of the opposite sex, and exerts a marked influence upon its representatives. For all her mysticism the native is a ruthless egotist, and for all her lustfulness she is a weakling; she may seduce and rape, (or she may not, due to her religious upbringing), but will meet trouble in the end. Her erotic relations ought however, to stay hidden (having Neptune in Scorpio in 12th House of secrets), as few people have such discretion and reserve.’ From Zodiac Degrees by Carelli.

“Based on her lofty Midheaven reading here, I would like to call your attention to the zodiacal fact that she is a mystic, as well as a sensualist. Mystical in nature? Meaning Janet Napoles is a religious Filipina who loves intimately her God, as far as she feels and believes it, known to go to church on Sundays or other weekdays going to Baclaran or Quiapo shrines reciting the rosary on her beads, she is confident to be divinely protected by the heavenly Father, Mother as a Christian, Roman Catholic? It’s a practice she’s known for by those who know her. Midheaven makes her visible to the public, she can’t hide it. This fact seems to contradict the other side of her nature – a sensualist, one who apparently lusts for money, has greed for worldly possessions bought by money, particularly houses and cars for display. Isn’t this the dualism, the ambiguity, or inner split of our human nature, man’s nature on the physical plane of life wants wealth and the visible comfort wealth can bring, and when we zero in on the Filipino, isn’t this us --? The general We the people as we know ourselves scattered all over the world?

“Her true force lies in her penetrating mind (her Mercury, planet of the mind, in flowing trine to Uranus, higher octave of man’s mind). Should other factors curb her erotic excesses, she would force her way forward through sheer intelligence and end by making her own name famous, or infamous. Having Pluto the most powerful cosmic energy of change and transformation conjunct Uranus, sudden planet of change, on her Midheaven highest point of the chart, she will be powerful and resourceful in her chosen career and will have a sudden explosive but transformative effect on the people around her, which constitute the entire people of the Philippines.

“Corruption in the misuse of Pork Barrel government funds of such magnitude involving some unknown agencies of government in tandem with this Napoles scam covering a decade or more, has naturally resulted in an uproar, sending a Million People March to the Luneta in protest, on August 26, 2013. Napoles has been arrested and taken into detention on charges of such a grave economic-political crime of still unknown proportions. With her Pluto conjunct Uranus smack on the Midheaven, the native, Janet Lim Napoles has the power to be a leader in a chosen career that enables her to delve into the bottom of things. This can be literally commensurate to plumbing or mining of the nation’s wealth, which happens to be the ‘pork barrel’ that’s intended to be invested in helping the needs of the masses, such as the constituents of congressmen, and senators.

“Opposition Chiron, this powerful conjunction of Pluto and Uranus on the MC, indicates that Napoles has to struggle with the darker side of life, feeling overcome by passions such as envy, greed, lust and jealousy. In the 4th House of foundations, Chiron the planet of wounded healer gives a testimony of Janet Napoles’ (as she has described it) life as a maltreated child by a stepfather, rejected by contemporaries, as she had to work as a child to earn her upkeep, selling candies in school. She has a religious upbringing coming from her suffering mother, but couldn’t understand where these destructive thoughts emerge, but aware that the more she tried to push these dark thoughts of envy, greed, lust and jealousy away, the more they grew in magnitude. Her lesson is to delve into her past (lifetimes), recognizing past feelings of rejection, and to transform her newfound understanding into positive outlets. Later she would become a powerful leader or attract powerful leaders into her own life with her Midheaven empowered by Pluto conjunct Uranus.

“Chiron the spiritual bridge between earthly life and the higher spiritual realms stand on 11 degrees Pisces, indicates a life portending to wanderings and gallivantings, its key lying however, in the native’s impulse to rear up and struggle against material limitations. Her headiness and daring may border on foolhardiness; her fierce and defiant love of independence may strike as savage sullenness. Yet, the spontaneous flourish of her speech, her frankness bursting forth like a force of nature will make her liked in spite of her lack of measure.

“Luck is a decisive factor, but its sense will not be determined by Chiron on 11 Pisces, alone but by Neptune on 17 degrees Scorpio in 12th House of karmic healing, in flowing trine to Chiron/ linking it to Pluto which rules sexy Scorpio in her compelling Midheaven on sedate Virgo. Take note of the intertwining of universal energies of Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune to indicate spiritual healing of the people indicated in this chart of Janet Napoles.”


     Getting to be familiar with her astrological character, what can we expect from her presence during the November 7 hearing before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee? We expect that not only Janet will be present to respond to the interrogation of the senators, but also all the whistleblowers who appear to have ganged up and heaped upon her all the blame for committing the national plunder of the Congress pork barrel. Not having the acumen for accurate analysis of transits or the passage of the planets through Janet’s horoscope, I am presenting verbatim the Solar Fire software’s interpretations by Australian astrologer Stephanie Johnson as follows:

“TRANSITING SATURN SEXTILE RADIX PLUTO -- This is a good time for creative work which reflects your deeply-felt needs. It can also be a time when you are insightful and appreciated for your wisdom. You may advance in some areas of your life as you have the ability to approach your tasks with a mix of discipline and compromise.
“TRANSITING URANUS QUINCUNX RADIX URANUS -- During these times you face areas in your life that have fallen into ruts, realizing that what was once comforting no longer offers true support. Consequently you decide to make changes that give you more of a sense of independence. In some cases it may feel that these changes have been forced upon you; however, if you are honest you recognize that deep down you felt that certain areas of your life were becoming a bit stale.
“TRANSITING PLUTO TRINE RADIX URANUS -- This is a highly creative time during which you have lots of energy. You will be eager to try new activities, exploring avenues that you have not explored before.
“TRANSITING MARS CONJUNCTION RADIX PLUTO -- The urge to change things, to eliminate and purify. Efforts to unite, to transform, to share power and territory. Intense cleansing and purification. Convincing, or being convinced of something. High energy output.”

     In my view, given all the above planetary influences operating on her, even if offered immunity by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee she will not implicate any of the legislators involved in the scam. After all, the hearing is “in aid of legislation” and not a judicial trial, but merely to trace and identify loopholes in any law that need amending. On the other hand, the presence of her whistleblowers (some of whom are her close relatives) may catalyze or impel her into exposing as well their own illegal operations in competition to her own legitimate business. Although they, the whistleblowers accuse her of devising the scams, they were the ones who actually operated the system. She may be able to convince the interrogators that she may know, on the social level, the legislators whose pork barrels were targeted, but not along the business details of the actual collection and distribution of the spoils. She will point out that the whistleblowers are the ones who personally knew and dealt with the persons who received, along the trail, all the monies obtained from the pork barrel. She could remind that in previous Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearings, the main whistleblower (her cousin) admitted to being the main forger of signatures that allowed the releases of funds from the various government agencies. As well, most of the other whistleblowers also forged the signatures of those supposed to-be recipients that eventually passed audits. They were also the ones who personally distributed and handed over the monies to specific personalities involved in the scam.

     Although I do not dare to speculate on the repercussions of these hearings on our society and government, I truly eagerly await and watch the televised coverage of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on November 7.

WHAT ABOUT JESUS

     When I was still a boy, and we lived in Evangelista Street, Sta Cruz that runs beside the Quiapo Church, I thought that Christmas, being the birthday of Jesus Christ, started the year. I also remembered that three days after Christmas we celebrated Innocents’ Day when the boys of Bethlehem were ordered massacred by Herod the Great. And then, after a week from Christmas we have New Year’s Day. So Christmas, after all, is not the start of the year. Later, when I was already in the Middle East and middle-aged, one of my managers told me that New Year’s Day or the seventh day after Christmas is the rite of Circumcision of Jesus as a Jewish infant. A few days after, or the first Sunday of the year, we celebrate the visit of the Three Kings. This is followed, on January 9, by the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which should belong to Holy Week. This image of Jesus about to be crucified is paraded ahead of His victory parade on Palm Sunday. Somehow, as things stand the sequence seems to be not in sequence.

     I got to be concerned of these details only after my reading experiences, such as the Tagalog novel Ang Martir sa Golgota (which turned out to be fiction), and various versions of the Bible – the King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the New Jerusalem Bible. The other religious holidays of concern to me in my childhood were Palm Sunday, Washing of the Feet, the Passion, and then the Crucifixion – all of these latter holidays (including the Feast of the Three Kings) have no specific dates unlike Christmas. My mother was a devotee of the Black Nazarene and observant of the holy holidays. She had required me to march on my knees from the vestibule of the Quiapo Church along the nave to the sanctuary, and to queue at the back of the main altar to kiss the exposed sole of the Nazarene at the top of the stairway. (Come to think of it, I have not prayed the Rosary nor asked anything from Jesus during those ordeals.)

     And then I get to encounter missionaries who tried to convert me to their own sects. I met an Iglesia ni Kristo pastor who gave up on me and branded me as an atheist for questioning how we can live forever and forever in the Afterlife, without running out of songs praising GOD. As well, a pair of American missionaries from the Latter Day Saints gave me a copy of their own version of the Bible, The Book of Mormon. Somehow there were occasions when the divinity of Jesus or His humanity or both issues were raised. The Iglesia ni Kristo believes in One GOD but not in the 3-in-1. The Mormons believe that Jesus appeared in America after His Resurrection. The Muslims say that Issa (Jesus), son of the virgin Maryam, is not GOD but merely one of the prophets, and that Mohammed is the Last. But the followers of Baha’U’llah believe that even Mohammed is not the last of the prophets.

     Confused? You will, if you get exposed to the various religious fanatics. Stick to one advocate if you can and you won’t be perplexed.

     When during the Sixties I joined a group of military officers in Fort Bonifacio who met for the weekly Adoracion Nocturna, I suggested that while we wait for our turn to do our vigil we study the New Testament. Our Army chaplain rejected my suggestion, perhaps because there would be theological questions that may be raised and he would be hard put responding to them. Thus, our weekly vigils on Saturday nights at the chaplain’s quarters were merely occasions to play chess or nap a little to prepare for the night’s shift and practices of kneeling with both arms outstretched sidewards while praying whatever the Nocturna leader asked us to perform. I did not last the group. As well, the group disintegrated later because of our various military assignments and status.

     As I write this, I am indulging in an exercise that will put me in a class that could be condemned as heretics to endure eternal day/nightmares. Nonetheless, I take heed of a reminder. According to John Stott in his book The Incomparable Christ, “Since Jesus was a human being, however, he was also a historical figure, who lived at a particular time in a particular place and within a particular culture. These particularities were all part of his historical reality. To deny them would be to reject some essential aspects of his destiny.” Thus, I am going to write about my researches regarding the humanness of Jesus and not deal with theology. I am to restrict myself to being an amateur astrologer and consider Jesus as a human person who is also subjected to planetary influences.

     In astrology, the most basic and important data to work on are the date, time and place of birth of the subject. In the case of Jesus, I can only depend on what the Bible gave as information regarding His life. Everybody knows He was born in Bethlehem. But as to the date and time, I shall have to depend on some historical tidbits that are related to His existence.

     For instance, according to history Herod the Great died at the end of March or early April in 4 B.C. after the lunar eclipse on March 13. Since he was the one who commanded the massacre of boys aged two and below in Bethlehem, according to the Bible (history has no mention of it), then Jesus must have been born earlier than 4 B.C.

     Tradition also says that certain wise men or astrologers or magi (no mention of their number) interpreted the appearance of a star as to signal the birth of a King in Judea. Some say the Star may have been a nova, but novae are supposed to be noticed even during the day, so how can Herod the Great still ask when the Star appeared. I can’t remember where I got the information that the Star of Bethlehem is actually the conjunction of the planets Jupiter (symbol of the King) and Saturn (sign of the Jews – thus we have Saturday as the Sabbath) in the constellation of Pisces. Thus, I now have clues on what date to look for as the birthday of Jesus, the Man – namely, the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, and the reign or end of Herod the Great.

     Due to the planetary orbits of the bodies around the Sun, as seen from the Earth, there were three conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn in the year 7 BC. On May 29 Jupiter conjoined Saturn in its direct motion. However, by retrograding or moving backwards, it joined Saturn again on September 29. Then in the final direct motion of Jupiter, the conjunction occurred on December 5. . (By the way, as viewed from the Sun, there will only be one Jupiter-Saturn conjunction since all planets in the system travel in only one direction. This occurred at 12:40 p.m. on September 1, 7 BC.  I was tempted to accept this date, but then the birth was not on the Sun but on the Earth.)

     Which of these dates was interpreted by the Magi as the birth of the King of Judea? Most likely, the May 29 date because the Star seemed to disappear (or the planets separated) after that. And possibly that was when the Magi began to travel to Judea to pay homage, and the last date, December 5, was the “second” time they saw the conjunction as they reached Bethlehem. This was after they had met Herod the Great and the scribes of Jerusalem told them that Bethlehem is the promised place of birth.

     I am placed in a quandary. The promised King of the Jews was supposed to be born during the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in 7 B.C., but what date? I am also reminded that John the Baptist must also have been born within the same period since he is related to Jesus, their mothers being cousins (Luke 1:36). There were some who thought John the Baptist to be the promised Messiah

I computed the horoscopes for the three Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions and their respective day-for-a year Progressions (astrologers will understand what "progressions" mean). The progressions gave me pictures of how the life of the Subject proceeded – the busy years and the difficulties experienced. I also researched on the possible date of the Crucifixion and computed the planetary transits affecting the Subject during that fateful day. Comparing the results of the three Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions related to the transits on Crucifixion Day helped me in deciding on the appropriate date of birth.

     At this point I shall not belabor the reader, but immediately present my conclusions.

     Jesus the Man was born during the last Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, on December 5, 7 B.C. He got lost in the Temple in 5 AD at the age of 12 and baptized in 23 A.D. at the age of 30 (Luke 2:41-51). I shall also conclude that the Crucifixion occurred on 3 April 33 A.D. during the Passover, so He must have been crucified at the age of 40. I computed the horoscope of Jesus the Man (above) and its day-for-a year Progressions (below) from 18 AD up to 33 AD:

     As if to demonstrate the humanity of Jesus, the following “aspects” show how the Crucifixion affected Him. (The “transits” are during one day, on 3 April 33 A.D. I am quoting verbatim the interpretations of Australian astrologer Stephanie Johnson which she wrote in the software Solar Fire.)

"TRANSITING MARS OPPOSITION RADIX MERCURY  Agitated mind. Working under stress. Pressure to solve problems. Hectic conditions. The necessity to get things done rapidly. Irritations. Injuries. Impulsive reactions, anger, hostility, conflicts of interest, etc. Criticism and sarcasm.
"TRANSITING SATURN TRINE RADIX JUPITER This is a positive time when you can achieve a balance between your need for security and your need for exploration. You have the ability to make plans that propel you closer to your goals. You may be fortunate in attracting the resources that you need for your purpose during this transit. You would do well to make the most of your opportunities. Like a professional mountain climber, you can plan all aspects of your life ready for the journey, and steadily make it to the top. Confident in yourself and your ability to reach your objectives, you are capable of compromise. Others respect your achievements and abilities. This is the transit of hard-earned rewards either reaping or sowing, particularly in business dealings and your professional life.
"TRANSITING SATURN TRINE RADIX SATURN This is a good time for making plans that help you achieve your goals and success in life. You have a balanced approach to life having gained much wisdom from past mistakes. From this vantage point you can make a sensible appraisal of your purpose and follow through with the right decisions to achieve this purpose.
"TRANSITING NEPTUNE SEMISQUARE RADIX JUPITER  Your usual powers of discrimination are clouded during this time. Although your intentions are good, there is a lack of sound judgement in your actions. You may feel that your attempts to achieve your dreams are being frustrated; however it may be that you are being unrealistic about what you would like to achieve. Likewise you may feel that other people and circumstances are unsupportive, but it could be that your expectations are unrealistic. You would do better to relax and explore the more artistic and spiritual side of your nature without making any long-term commitments.
"TRANSITING NEPTUNE SEMISQUARE RADIX SATURN  This is a stressful time during which you lack your usual self-confidence. The foundations of your life are being tested and you are being challenged to view things in a different light. However, you may feel a little shaky. Don't be too hard on yourself. Rather take some time out to reflect on what is really important in life. You are being asked to see the importance of the spiritual and more esoteric values in life, rather than the material ones.
"TRANSITING PLUTO SQUARE RADIX JUPITER
During this time you will find it difficult to achieve your goals. It may be that you lack the confidence or energy needed to help you achieve your aims, or perhaps others will stand in your way. You should be wary of anyone appearing in the guise of guru or priest, particularly of an established church. You would also be wise to avoid legal battles during this transit, as they could prove very difficult under the influence of this energy.
"TRANSITING PLUTO SQUARE RADIX SATURN Life seems like hard work during this transit, leaving you often feeling tired, anxious and despondent. The problems seem to be piling up faster than you can deal with them. Others expect too much, and the authority figures in your life seem to be unreasonably rigid in their approach. Don't be too hard on yourself or others, try to take some time for rest and recreation, which will help to put your troubles into perspective. On a positive note you may find that you have good organisational abilities, and more patience than usual.
"TRANSITING JUPITER SQUARE RADIX SATURN During this transit you may have difficulty striking a balance between your own personal goals and your responsibilities. Tension can arise as you feel the need to break out of old restrictions. Although your tolerance level may be low, you would do well to cultivate the assistance of others, rather than meeting them head on or simply giving up on them. The benefit of this transit is that you are forced to take action in restructuring areas of your life which may have become stagnant and tired.
"TRANSITING JUPITER SQUARE RADIX JUPITER This can be a time when you forget to look before you leap. You feel confident of achieving your goals but may not exercise the appropriate caution. This can also be a time when you feel as though you are living life in the fast lane. It is important to slow down and use some old-fashioned common sense before you take up opportunities that are coming your way right now.
"TRANSITING MARS SESQUISQUARE RADIX MARS  Strong survival instincts. Self-preservation, often at any cost. Assertive and aggressive behavior. Competition with others. Direct action and communication -- lack of diplomacy. Injuries and accidents. Construction difficulties."

     Thus, I have presented my findings on the historicity of Jesus. This blog is now part of contentious writings about Jesus the Man. After this, I attempted to research the birth date of His mother Mary. Having gotten His birth date of 5 December 7 BC, I had started to work on His conception, which was about 280 days before birth or on 28 February 7 B.C. As well, I tried to determine the age when Mary (as a child bride) must have been married to Joseph and when he found out she was already pregnant and, thus, no longer a virgin. However, I decided to desist in my curiosity since I am treading on dangerous grounds and might be stoned to death for continuing to do so.

     Before I end this piece, the reader might be interested to read The Urantia Book. It has a different approach to the Life of Jesus, as well as regarding everything about religion and GOD. The book has Jesus born at noon on August 21, 7 BC, a Sunday. It also says John the Baptist being born on a Friday, March 25, 7 BC or five months earlier (Luke 1:36). I am not going to present anything about what it says about Jesus. There are a number of information not available to our Catholic Christian beliefs, such as Jesus having six siblings – three brothers and three sisters – and unacceptable as regards the virgin birth. I recall that the topic of the virgin birth came about since the translated word “virgin” had different origins. The prediction in Isaiah 7:14 mentioned the Hebrew word “almah” (young girl of marriageable age) while in Matthew 1:22 has the Greek word “parthenos” (virgin) – and that was that.

     Having presented my version of the birth date of Jesus, I am not insisting any change in the calendar. I still accept December 25 as Christmas. The date is already etched in history and in the psyche of humanity. I submit.

THE CROWN AFFAIR

On January 16, 2012 at exactly 2:13 p.m. a historic impeachment trial started in the Philippines. It is actually the third event in our history, although the first two were either aborted or declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. This time, the trial involves the Chief Justice himself.

I had decided much much earlier that I should cease doing astrological predictions on matters involving the country. I admit to being faulty in my intuitive ability to interpret the signals from the heavens. I had initially accepted that the future may be indicated by the present astronomical conditions if we can analyze the pattern and trends presented by the heavens. In my attempt to meld science with astrology, I have resorted to doing mathematical processes and statistical analysis of the planetary positions and their interrelationships.

In the present endeavor, I have my own personal biases towards the political issues obtaining in the country and the personalities involved. I am trying to justify my bias against the Chief Justice by resorting to astrology. However, there are certain basic requirements in astrology, particularly in determining the basic data for the interpretation. I must be able to have available the date, time and place of a particular event.

In the matter of the impeachment trial of Renato Corona, I need to figure out the outcome of his trial by resorting to a study of his personal horoscope. The main obstacle to my study is the exact time of his birth; I already know his birthday, October 15 1948, and his place of birth, Tanauan, Batangas. However, I had to resort to “rectifying” his birth data, using a computer software “Jigsaw” to attempt to compute his birth time by referring to his personal history. Even the personal history of Corona presented a paucity of precise data, in that there are no specific dates regarding, say, his marriage, his graduation from various schools, and others. As a result of my “rectification” efforts, I obtained the time of his birth as 9:04 a.m. However, the computer software informs me that the maximum accuracy of the computations is merely 71 percent.

With the data obtained from the rectification, I proceeded to figure out how the orbiting planets affect his horoscope by “transit” or passage. Again, I subjected the daily positions of the planets from January up to December this year, and graphically show to me how they affect Corona. Below, shows the graph of the effects of the transits.



The graph tells me that the lowest point, insofar as his “mood” is concerned occurs in June. Does this tell me that his trial will last up to June? Recent news items say that his trial will only be for two months or to end in mid-March. The graph also shows that he will be busiest in May. Does this tell me that the major trial activity falls in that month? And after that May-June period, Corona seems to become happier and happier until the closing of the year. Does this mean that he will win his case?

Numbers do not give much information. I need to interpret what these indicators show. As I have admitted before, my interpretative ability is not up to par, so I had to resort to another method where I can depend on the interpretations of other astrologers. (Unfortunately, my notes fail to indicate from whom I got them.)

In this effort, I resorted to computing the birth anniversary chart of Corona. In astrological jargon, I have computed the “solar return” of Corona during his last birthday, the horoscope of which is said to forecast the entire year after that. In other words, his solar return is effective from October 15, 2011 up to October 14, 2012. Below are excerpts of interpretations about Corona’s solar return:

“This year you might have to deal with karma that you have not taken care of before… you will be having more than usual difficulty dealing with the real world

“In the material world, legal matters are likely to be settled in your favor during this influence. You will likely be involved with matters of joint finances, wills, taxes, or insurance claims. A lot of attention will be placed upon your financial circumstances motivated by your need to gratify your physical appetites. Your feelings of emotional security will be linked to your abundance of material resources.

”Power struggles over money and morals and power will likely have you more concerned than usual,

“Your attention will be on your home…

“You might find yourself looking for pity or inordinate approval from others for the work you are doing, which would not be in your best interest. If by nature you are a more rational, practical person, you may enjoy these new attitudes and abilities for this time.

“You will go through intense cathartic experiences during this solar year, There is a death of your old ideas and ways and a rebirth of a new lifestyle based upon the power, resources and values that come under your control… your greatest opportunities for growth will be a transformation of the ways you use personal power to relate to and handle jointly held resources and the resources of other people.

“You can expect at least one major and many minor changes in your life this year. The emphasis is on radical change. You could find yourself choosing to change your job, find new interests, or leave the home you know to transfer to another part of the country.”

From the excerpted interpretations above (all emphasis mine), it seems Corona will be acquitted since. “legal matters, are likely to be settled in your favor” I had expected the astrological interpretations would justify my “hope” that Corona will be impeached and removed from office. On the other hand I place my hopes on the interpretation that he will choose to change his job since the impeachment trial, although absolving him (perhaps the voting on all the articles of impeachment among the jurors lack one vote to convict), has definitely tarnished his character and renders his effectiveness less than desired. Perhaps, having been “acquitted” and proved his “innocence” he will decide to leave. I believe that a powerful private organization will be more than willing to have him as its CEO and give him more than what the Supreme Court can give.

I would like to give my personal comments, not astrological, on the various charges leveled against Corona, but decided to keep my peace especially since I do not have any legal background to lean on. I have my own analysis, for instance, of how his wife Cristina figures in the acquisition of very costly condominiums at almost bargain prices. After all, my wife has always been in opposition to and in disagreement with my ideas that involve GMA, which she decides are vindictive and unjust -- to GMA.

In the case of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who is the presiding judge of the impeachment trial, his Solar Return horoscope says that

“This year you will be inclined to express yourself in a more intense and dramatic way. Your authority will increase and you will try to impose your opinions on others and dominate each situation. There is a tendency to call attention to yourself and to exaggerate everything. In no way will you be unnoticed during this period and you will continually search for the approval of the public.”

The few instances I have watched the televised proceedings, the interpretation presented above is truly illustrative of Senator Enrile’s actions as the controlling personality in the trial. He must have realized that this historical moment is his last chance for greatness. I expect him to show to the world that he has the abilities and qualities of a Chief Justice himself had he been in the judiciary.

ON CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION

The Reproductive Health bill has raised a storm of arguments in favor and against its provisions. The controversy revolves around the argument about killing the unborn as well as in controlling population. The Pro-Lifers lumped the concepts of contraception and abortion as one of murdering the fetus. Those in favor of the RH Bill distinguish between contraceptives and abortifacients, as well as favor sex education in order to inform couples about how to plan their families.

For me, the most important feature of the Bill is its concern for the health of mothers by offering options to control childbearing and limit the number of economically supportable children without resorting to abortion or the use of abortifacients. One basic argument against abortion raised by a bishop is the commandment “thou shalt not kill.”

I took the liberty of extracting verbatim from the internet, mostly from Wikipedia, the following information in order to support the viewpoints I shall raise at the end of this blog:


“ABORTION is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion of a fetus or embryo from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. An abortion can occur spontaneously due to complications during pregnancy or can be induced, in humans and other species. In the context of human pregnancies, an abortion induced to preserve the health of the gravida (pregnant female) is termed a therapeutic abortion, while an abortion induced for any other reason is termed an elective abortion. The term abortion most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy, while spontaneous abortions are usually termed miscarriages.

“An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion.

“Medieval Muslim physicians documented detailed and extensive lists of birth control practices, including the use of abortifacients, commenting on their effectiveness and prevalence. The use of abortifacients was acceptable to Islamic jurists provided that the abortion occurs within 120 days, the point when the fetus is considered to become fully human and receive its soul.

“CONTRACEPTION - Intentional prevention of conception or impregnation through the use of various devices, agents, drugs, sexual practices, or surgical procedures.

“The available methods of contraception may be classified in many ways. For the sake of this discussion, traditional or folk methods are coitus interruptus, postcoital douche, lactational amenorrhea, and periodic abstinence (rhythm or natural family planning). Barrier methods include condoms (male and female), diaphragm, cervical cap, vaginal sponge, and spermicides. Hormonal methods encompass oral contraceptives and injectable or implantable long-acting progestins. In addition, the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) and sterilization (tubal ligation or Vasectomy) are also part of the contraceptive armamentarium.

“ONANISM - From the biblical name Onan: In the Book of Genesis, Onan, son of Judah, in fulfillment of the laws of levirate marriage was to impregnate his brother Er's widow, Tamar, in order to raise offspring from the union in his brother's name. In order to avoid raising descendants for his late brother, however, Onan spilled his semen on the ground when he went in to his brother's wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother. (Genesis 38:9). Thus the word Onanism was coined, meaning ejaculating outside the vagina [during intercourse; (the performing of) coitus interruptus], or masturbation (because this also spills semen, rather than using it for procreation).

“To understand conception, it is helpful to know about female reproductive system and the menstruation cycle. A female is born with about 400,000 eggs in their ovaries. The female body begins to ovulate during puberty. About once a month, several eggs mature, and the lining of the uterus has been building and has become thick to act as a “nest” for the egg to implant. Then an egg is released from the ovary. If it is not fertilized within 12-48 hours, it disintegrates. Approximately 2 weeks later, the thick lining of the uterus is shed, and you begin menstruating. Your next menstruation cycle then begins again.

“Ovulation is the release of the matured egg from the ovary. In response to a hormonal signal, the follicle (holding the egg) bursts open and frees the egg - this is when you ovulate. Ovulation typically occurs around 14 or 15 days from the first day of the female's last menstruation cycle. Once you ovulate, the ovum (egg) travels into the fallopian tube and is receptive to fertilization by a sperm.

“Once you ovulate, this is the most fertile period for the female body. This is the time when conception can occur, and you are most likely to become pregnant. Since the egg has been released (i.e., you ovulated) and is available for fertilization, if a female engages in unprotected intercourse, fertilization and conception can occur. A female is most fertile during ovulation and can become pregnant from unprotected sexual relations that took place anytime during this fertile period - basically, from the 5 days before ovulation to 1 day afterwards.

“Conception occurs after the female’s egg is fertilized by a male’s sperm. After sperm are ejaculated in the vagina, they swim through the cervix and into the Fallopian tubes, where fertilization and conception usually takes place. Once a single sperm has penetrated the egg, conception has happened as the genetic material from the sperm and the egg has merged into a single nucleus (called a "zygote").

“Medical experts (e.g., the FDA and the American Medical Association) agree that the establishment of a pregnancy takes several days and is not completed until a fertilized egg has implanted in the lining of the woman's uterus. A woman is considered to be pregnant once the implantation of the zygote has occurred.

“Human fertilization is the union of a human egg and sperm, usually occurring in the ampulla of the uterine tube. It is also the initiation of prenatal development. Scientists discovered the dynamics of human fertilisation in the nineteenth century.
“The process of fertilization involves a sperm fusing with an ovum—usually following ejaculation during sexual intercourse. It is possible, but less probable, for fertilization to occur without sexual intercourse, artificial insemination, or In vitro fertilisation. Upon encountering the ovum, the acrosome of the sperm produces enzymes which allow it to burrow through the outer jelly coat of the egg. The sperm plasma then fuses with the egg's plasma membrane, the sperm head disconnects from its flagellum and the egg travels down the Fallopian tube to reach the uterus.

“The egg and the sperm bind through the corona radiata, a layer of follicle cells on the outside of the secondary oocyte. Fertilization occurs when the nuclei of a sperm and an egg fuse. The successful fusion of gametes form a new organism.

“Where the spermatozoon is about to pierce, the yolk (ooplasm) is drawn out into a conical elevation, termed the cone of attraction. Once the spermatozoon has entered, the peripheral portion of the yolk changes into a membrane, the vitelline membrane, which prevents the passage of additional spermatozoa.

“The acrosome reaction must occur to mobilise enzymes within the head of the spermatozoon to degrade the zona pellucida.

“After binding to the corona radiata the sperm reaches the zona pellucida, which is an extra-cellular matrix of glycoproteins. A special complementary molecule on the surface of the sperm head binds to a ZP2 glycoprotein in the zona pellucida. This binding triggers the acrosome to burst, releasing enzymes that help the sperm get through the zona pellucida.

“Some sperm cells consume their acrosome prematurely on the surface of the egg cell, facilitating the penetration by other sperm cells. As a population, sperm cells have on average 50% genome similarity so the premature acrosomal reactions aid fertilization by a member of the same cohort. It may be regarded as a mechanism of kin selection.

“Recent studies have shown that the egg is not passive during this process.
“Once the sperm cells find their way past the zona pellucida, the cortical reaction occurs: cortical granules inside the secondary oocyte fuse with the plasma membrane of the cell, causing enzymes inside these granules to be expelled by exocytosis to the zona pellucida. This in turn causes the glyco-proteins in the zona pellucida to cross-link with each other -- that is, the enzymes cause the ZP2 to hydrolyse into ZP2f -- making the whole matrix hard and impermeable to sperm. This prevents fertilization of an egg by more than one sperm.

“After the sperm enters the cytoplasm of the oocyte, the cortical reaction takes place, preventing other sperm from fertilizing the same egg. The oocyte now undergoes its second meiotic division producing the haploid ovum and releasing a polar body. The sperm nucleus then fuses with the ovum, enabling fusion of their genetic material.

“The cell membranes of the secondary oocyte and sperm fuse.

“In preparation for the fusion of their genetic material both the oocyte and the sperm undergo transformations as a reaction to the fusion of cell membranes.

“The oocyte completes its second meiotic division. This results in a mature ovum. The nucleus of the oocyte is called a pronucleus in this process, to distinguish it from the nuclei that are the result of fertilization.

“The sperm's tail and mitochondria degenerate with the formation of the male pronucleus. This is why all mitochondria in humans are of maternal origin

“The pronuclei migrate toward the center of the oocyte, rapidly replicating their DNA as they do so to prepare the embryo for its first mitotic division.

“The male and female pronuclei don't fuse, although their genetic material do. Instead, their membranes dissolve, leaving no barriers between the male and female chromosomes. During this dissolution, a mitotic spindle forms between them. The spindle captures the chromosomes before they disperse in the egg cytoplasm. Upon subsequently undergoing meiosis (which includes pulling of chromatids towards centrioles in anaphase) the cell gathers genetic material from the male and female together. Thus, the first mitosis of the union of sperm and oocyte is the actual fusion of their chromosomes.

“Each of the two daughter cells resulting from that mitosis has one replica of each chromatid that was replicated in the previous stage. Thus, they are genetically identical.

“The term sperm is derived from the Greek word (σπέρμα) sperma (meaning "seed") and refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell. The human sperm cell is haploid, so that its 23 chromosomes can join the 23 chromosomes of the female egg to form a diploid cell. A uniflagellar sperm cell that is motile is referred to as a spermatozoon, whereas a non-motile sperm cell is referred to as a spermatium. Sperm cells cannot divide and have a limited life span, but after fusion with egg cells during fertilization, a new organism begins developing, starting as a totipotent zygote.

“The spermatozoa of animals are produced through spermatogenesis inside the male gonads (testicles) via meiotic division. They are carried out of the male body in a fluid known as semen. Mammalian sperm cells can survive within the female reproductive tract for more than 5 days post coitus.

“The sperm cell consists of a head, a midpiece and a tail. The head contains the nucleus with densely coiled chromatin fibres, surrounded anteriorly by an acrosome, which contains enzymes used for penetrating the female egg. The midpiece has a central filamentous core with many mitochondria spiralled around it, used for ATP production for the journey through the female cervix, uterus and uterine tubes. The tail or "flagellum" executes the lashing movements that propel the spermatocyte.

“Motile sperm cells typically move via flagella and require water in order to swim toward the egg for fertilization. These cells cannot swim backwards due to the nature of their propulsion. The uniflagellated sperm cells (with one flagellum) produced in most animals are referred to as spermatozoa, and are known to vary in size.

“Sperm quantity and quality are the main parameters in semen quality, which is a measure of the ability of semen to accomplish fertilization. Thus, in humans, it is a measure of fertility in a man.”

From the information presented above, there is nothing to “kill” even if the sperm and the ovum has united but has not been implanted in the womb/uterus. The “establishment of a pregnancy takes several days and is not completed until a fertilized egg has implanted in the lining of the woman's uterus.” Contraception is the process of preventing the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus or womb. Surprisingly, “the use of abortifacients was acceptable to Islamic jurists provided that the abortion occurs within 120 days, the point when the fetus is considered to become fully human and receive its soul.” But that is Islam and not Catholic Christianity.

It seems that the position of the Pro-Lifers is that sexual intercourse is not for pleasure but to propagate humans. However, the pleasure attained during the sexual union is an expression of love – the uniting of two bodies into one at the moment of orgasm. The expression of mutual ecstasy at that moment is almost equivalent to ecstasy in uniting with GOD. As well, the Pro-Lifers consider the union of the sperm and the ovum, outside of the womb or uterus, as already a fetus and should not be eliminated. (I wonder what the stand of the Pro-Lifers on rape. If a daughter is impregnated by a rapist, will the Pro-Lifer parent decide to have the bastard survive?)

Without the sex education and the various options presented by the RH Bill, the methods insisted by the Pro-Lifers – Rhythm method and abstinence (!?) – can result to overpopulation and economic hardships to most of our people. (Sometimes, I am puzzled why some of the wealthy are beset by the problem of infertility, while the very poor who cannot afford large families are very prolific.) I am tempted to assume that the Catholic Church cannot accept any method that “wastes” sperms through the use of condoms, or masturbation, among others. What about the “wastage” of those unfertilized ova washed away during menstruation. And those sperms “wasted” via “wet dreams”?

The recent controversy involving the use of the condom, supposed to be acceptable to the Pope, also gives a questionable twist to the stand of the Catholic Church. It seems prostitution is tolerated so long as condoms are used in the exercise of the profession. The issue is raised to prevent the spread of disease. But is not the RH Bill also concerned with the same issue: health?

Another point I would like to raise: is respect for Life only reserved for humans?

THE PACQUIAO-MARGARITO FIGHT IN TEXAS

I realize I am a failure in forecasting election results.

This time, I shall endeavor to try and forecast the results of the Pacquiao-Margarito boxing bout on November 13 (which is November 14 in the Philippines), using my usual mode of computing planetary transits and their effects on the protagonists. (Transits are how the orbiting planets influence the planets in the birth chart during a particular time and place.)

As usual, I tried “rectifying” the birth charts of the boxers by utilizing the software “Jigsaw” with the data on their boxing history. I obtained the following results:

Emmanuel Pacquiao – 17 December 1978, 9:49 a.m. General Santos City
Antonio Margarito – 18 March 1978, 5:31 p,m.. Torrance, California

Surprisingly, both boxers have their Moons in the same sign. Manny has 23 Cancer 08 while, Margarito has 23 Cancer 09. Thus, the planetary transits for November 13, 2010 during the boxing bout that is supposed to start at 8 p.m. in Arlington, Texas will have the same values for the Moon for both boxers -- both have transiting Jupiter trine Moon. They differ only in the effects of the other planets for the rest of the boxers’ planetary distributions. The graphs below show the comparative effects of the planetary transits on the boxers. It seems that Margarito has more transits (Activity) than Pacquiao.



However, in terms of the “positive” effects of these transits (Mood), Pacquiao has the higher values compared to Margarito.



From the graphs above, the values of Pacquiao’s transits are steady from beginning to end of the bout. On the other hand, Margarito’s transits have significant changes during the second and third rounds of the fight. It seems Margarito will try for a knockout during these rounds. Nonetheless, Pacquiao’s level of confidence (Mood) remains stable and higher than Margarito’s all throughout the fight.

In comparing the transits or how the actual orbits of the planets affect the birth charts, we found two significant passages on Pacquiao: transiting Pluto is conjunct Mars and transiting Mercury trine Jupiter. In turn, Margarito has transiting Jupiter trine Mars, but transiting Uranus is square Jupiter even as transiting Venus is in trine with it.

Pacquiao seems to be the winner in this bout, although the judges will find it difficult to score the rounds.

AN IRREVOCABLE FORECAST

In my previous election forecasts of 2004 and 2007, I had concentrated on the senatorial candidates in addition to the presidential candidates. I tried to review my records but could not retrieve those I computed for the presidential race. In the 1998 elections I could only recall telling Rene de Villa, who I supported, that he would win if Estrada backs out of the race. I cannot remember who the other candidates for the presidency were at the time. On the other hand, I wrote in 2004 that GMA would win over FPJ, but by a very small margin. I remember there were also several aspirants during the elections, such as Raul Roco and Panfilo Lacson. (In this matter, I did not crow about my successful forecast because of the Hello-Garci affair which polluted the outcome.)

On the matter of the senatorial races, my post-analysis of the 2004 elections, which I published in my StarTrack blog of February 25, 2007, showed I got eight winners out of the twelve candidates I chose. On the other hand, in my blog of April 6, 2007 forecasting the May elections of that year, I got nine out of twelve I listed as sure winners. (For those who want to check my claims, they can access my blog at http://rasolina.blogspot.com.) I am bringing out these matters in order to warn my readers how “accurate” I can be in choosing winners via computing how transiting or passing planets affect the birth horoscopes of candidates. Of special mention is my forecast about Trillanes, who was almost a nobody in the various opinion surveys done during the elections of 2007.

This time, however, due to the numerous senatorial candidates, I decided to concentrate on the presidential race, although I am not after predicting how many will win, but of the nine candidates, who will prevail. I have published three attempts at solving the matter and thought that should be the end of my experimentations. My results do not tally with published poll surveys; but that does not bother me because I am using a different method – how the solar system affects electoral contests. The problem, however, is that my results do not seem to be realistic. I kept getting Teodoro as my Number One, and yet, like Trillanes, he might still prove to be a miracle. In this matter, my brother-in-law prevailed upon me to make a definitive conclusion about my forecast, so I had to review and fine-tune my algorithm. I still got Teodoro as the front runner. As well, my wife’s friend asked a very relevant question: “Do you foresee smooth sailing for the new president?” I am including my views on these matters in this write-up.

The following graph and data are my FINAL forecast for the May Elections. As I have mentioned above my accuracy is a mere 67 percent (8 out of 12) to 75 percent (9 out of 12)


Incidentally, John Carlos delos Reyes, hitherto unknown and contesting better known candidates, could be a rising star of the group. It would really be a very big surprise if he comes out better than the other contestants.

Now, regarding the question “Do you foresee smooth sailing for the new president?” I shall try to guess, assuming that Teodoro will be the new president.

As a minority president garnering a mere 14 percent of the votes, there will be no smooth sailing for him since he has a number of encumbrances to deal with in matters of education, employment, justice, etc. He has to cope with the perception that he is merely a stooge of the ex-president. Fortunately, the numerous defections during the election campaign rid him of political baggage he would have to accommodate had they not left his party. As well, there are a lot to change in the morality of this benighted country. In this his leadership style will do a lot to restore confidence in the presidency.

He will have to cope with an Opposition Senate, since his defeated rivals – namely, Villar, and Aquino -- will only continue their interrupted senatorial terms that will end in 2003. (There is also Legarda.) Unfortunately, Teodoro has a weak senatorial slate that may not make it to support him in the Senate. Hopefully, some re-elected senators will be the Opposition of his Opposition and keep the Senate in a constant civil war. How Teodoro will effectively deal with such a composition to support his programs is a test of his ability to harmonize and cope with divisiveness.

His smooth sailing will be in matters of continuing the productive economic programs of his predecessors. He does not have to re-invent the wheel, figuratively speaking. The usual behavior of new presidents is to come up with his new concepts and discard the programs or projects of “enemies” even if these are strategically beneficial for the country. He merely should enhance and make effective sans corruption what worthy plans are being implemented. In this matter, I choose and firmly believe that Bayani Fernando will do a good job as his VP “bastonero” to keep the bureaucracy moving efficiently. (Bayani will do a very good job, having 2016 in his telescopic sight.)

TEODORO: THE FILIPINO MESSIAH?

My previous efforts, which I chose to publish in my blog StarTrack, were to determine the presidential candidate who is most likely to lead in the May 10 elections. The different approaches I took in computing the estimated outcomes gave some divergent results depending on the factors I utilized. As I have mentioned earlier, my most difficult problem was in determining the birth times of the candidates. I have to resort to doing researches on their life histories and somehow trying to give dates to the various significant incidents in their lives.

My tries somehow gave a very distinctive place to a particular candidate: Gilbert Teodoro. Although the other candidates landed in different places in the lineup, somehow Teodoro continues to maintain the leading position. He was always Number One. I myself could not reconcile the actual fact of his being Number Four in most of the opinion surveys conducted during the campaign period with his being Number One in my computations. His being Number One in my three attempts to fine-tune the results brainwashed me to accept him as my choice (at the start of my computational experimentation I had tentatively chose one other candidate, although not the front-runners). I have also noted his novel style of campaigning, without resorting to demeaning his political rivals but focusing on what we can expect from his method and style of governance. He has so far followed the rules; he has not overspent nor exceeded the air time allowed by the law.

Fortunately, my sister-in-law was able to get his actual birth data at 10:25 p.m. on June 14, 1964. This time, I shall write about his astrological character analysis to determine if he really is worth being our President without his having to engage in objectionable techniques of winning. Given the published public pulse, I have my own misgivings but then I believe in miracles. We, Filipinos, deserve the leaders we choose. I hope that this May Elections will give us the opportunity to select a President who can bring us out of the depths of despair. And given my own study of Teodoro, I have faith that in choosing him we shall be saved.

So as not to be accused of biased analysis, I shall borrow the astrological interpretations of a software, Solar Fire, sans its jargon, to highlight the qualities of Gilberto TEODORO:

“You are gentle, loving and charming. You express yourself in an affectionate manner and enjoy the company of other people. You also have a love of art and beauty. You can be idealistic and easily hurt… You have much empathy for other people's suffering and may become a healer or counselor… You have so many original thoughts and ideas that you find it difficult to capture them on paper… You are focused on your own thoughts and opinions and may not listen to others… You may find that you have an urge to express yourself through artistic avenues.

“Relationships will play an important role in your accomplishments. You need to make sure that your need to keep the peace does not hinder decisive action… You are stubborn if opposed… You have the ability to state your thoughts and ideas strongly… You are on a persistent search for the truth. You have the ability to be a loyal and wise teacher. You have a strong desire for abundance… You are a great thinker and talker. You seek ever-increasing communication networks and inspire others through your insight. You are always seeking to expand your mind.

“You are enthusiastic about so many things, and have the ambition to succeed. You naturally find yourself in leadership positions and react well to them… You are responsible and reliable, and probably somewhat cautious… You have a gift for understanding people and lending a caring hand in their times of troubles. Your sensitive and accepting nature encourages people to tell you their heartfelt problems. You may be drawn to the spiritual side of life.”

Additional to the description above, the aspects of the Fixed Stars to the natal planets of Teodoro indicate the following significances (the conjunction and the parallel add power to the planets involved):

• Aldebaran conjunct Mercury means “Success through integrity”
• Deneb Adige conjunct Saturn means “strong will, strong temper”
• Thuban conjunct Uranus means “to protect or make a treasure”
• Zuben Elgenubi conjunct Neptune means “positive social reform”
• Zosma conjunct Pluto means “A victim or a savior”
• Hamal parallel Sun means “to follow one’s own path”
• Arcturus parallel Mars means “a different approach”
• Spica parallel Saturn means “the potential for brilliance”

Despite the published surveys of various survey companies, Gilberto Teodoro may turn out to be a miracle that God will bestow on us. Miracles do not mean easy sailing; there will be a number of difficulties we have to collectively surmount. Hopefully, the process will be a purgation of the ills that have hounded us for a number of years. As our leader, Teodoro will be an appropriate inspiration for us to perform morally and well in the performance of our duties.

THE PEARSON R COEFFICIENT AND THE MAY ELECTIONS

In this essay I shall come up with a different thrust in trying to figure out how the May 10, 2010 elections will eventually turn out.

In my previous essays, I worked out estimates of how five presidential candidates will fare in terms of votes they presumably will get, ignoring the four other candidates in the process. The process I adopted was to compute the “values” of the transiting planets as they affect the planets in the natal horoscopes of the five candidates. Working on these results, I estimated how the transiting values will translate into votes. In so doing, I combined the other four as one candidate and thus came out with an unrealistic figure to complete the forty million votes all of the nine candidates will garner.

Thus, in my second attempt to calculate the votes the candidates may garner, I had to research and complete the astrological data for all of them. In this try, the lineup of the candidates changed. While, for instance, in the first attempt I got Teodoro as Number One, followed by Estrada, the second try brought Villar as the Number Two instead of Estrada. And then, as I mentioned in my last article, I could not imagine Perlas as beating Aquino III, and Madrigal ahead of Gordon.

I am thus ending my astrological computations using the effects of the transiting planets on the birth charts of the candidates, since I have run out of ideas on how to proceed. (There are other factors in astrology that I could resort to, but then I am merely bringing so much effort to bear on something I cannot influence at all. For instance, I could resort to character analysis and weigh the factors to determine how the person will fare, but, as pointed out by my brother-in-law, I could be charged with libel in case my findings do not favor the person.)

In this essay, I shall venture to find out how the candidates “correlate” with the Republic. In the parlance of statistics, I shall engage in solving the correlation between the candidates and the country. The Pearson correlation coefficient shall be my indicator of “significance” ranging from positive One to negative One (statisticians will understand my method although they can question my doing so).

Firstly, I have to convert the planetary zodiac degrees into numbers so as to make them amenable to statistical computation. Each zodiac sign is thirty degrees wide. For instance, if the Sun is at 20 degrees and 36 minutes in Sagittarius, I do the following.

Since Sagittarius is the Ninth sign in the zodiac, I subtract one from nine and multiply the total by thirty degrees. Then I add the 20 degrees and convert the 36 minutes into decimal format. Thus the Sun is at 8 times 30 plus 20.60 or 260.60. I proceeded to convert the rest of the zodiac degrees of the other planets of the participants in the exercise.

With all the coordinates of the horoscopes of the Philippines, and the nine presidential candidates, I utilized the Excel software to compute the Pearson correlation coefficients for every candidate with the country. The results are as follows:

TEODORO 0.4016
MADRIGAL 0.1908
ESTRADA 0.1829
DELOS REYES -0.0154
AQUINO -0.0196
GORDON -0.0310
VILLAR -0.2254
PERLAS -0.3708
VILLANUEVA -0.6631

I am truly surprised to see Teodoro at the head of the list, followed by Madrigal etc. (The result will be cause for rejoicing to all Gibo fans, considering the weakening of his party due to massive defections to his opponents.) I shall not attempt to translate the figures into expected votes, since there are negative values (which apparently show opposing tendencies towards the Republic). We shall see how the May 10, 2010 elections end – will the correlation between the candidates and the country indicate their relative standings?

As well, it would be interesting to study past candidates and their resonances with the country.

ELECTIONS 2010 – LAST PART

In my previous “astrological” forecast, I concentrated only on five presidential candidates. The effort somehow showed my bias towards those whom I thought mattered.

As I explained in those forecasts, I had to research on their life histories since I must have their birth times; the various websites I went through merely indicated their dates and places of birth. Without the time of birth, no horoscope (or view of the hour) can be cast.

There is a method by which to determine times of birth, but the procedure is time consuming and a test of patience. In order to proceed, the researcher must come up with the significant events in the life history of his subject, such as dates of the deaths of loved ones, marriages, births of offsprings, appointments to top positions, etc. And then for every hypothesized time of birth, he has to test every event for significant planetary passages. Often times, to shortcut the process, so-called "solar charts" are computed, either by placing the Sun on the Rising Sign or the Midheaven. This method has also its limitations.

Fortunately, there is a software, JigSaw2, that lessens the tedium of going through the algorithms involved. Still the significant events are utilized, but then the process of testing them becomes faster.

My foray into the “rectification” of the five candidates I mentioned in my previous forecasts forced me to do researches on their lives. As I said above, this selective method betrays my apparent bias. I must correct the impression that, like opinion surveys, I do not care about the other candidates. Such impression does not do justice to my pretensions of being coldly analytical using mathematical procedures to support my findings. Then, I had to go through the process of collecting the significant events of the four other candidates.

To complete my research, these are the following birth data I obtained from JigSaw2 and used in my study of the 2010 elections. For those who know, they are free to correct my figures.

BENIGNO AQUINO III – 11:14 p.m., February 8, 1960, Manila, 14N35’ 121E00’
JOSEPH ESTRADA – 4:38 a.m., April 19, 1937, Manila, 14N35’ 121E00’
RICHARD GORDON – 4:13 a.m. August 5, 1945, Castillejos, Zambales, 14N56’ 120E12’
JAMBY MADRIGAL – 1:48 p.m., April 26, 1958, Manila, 14N35’ 121E00’
NICANOR PERLAS – 00:37 a.m., January 10, 1950, Manila, 14N35’ 121E00’
JOHN CARLOS DELOS REYES – 8:10 p.m., February 14, 1970, Olongapo City, 14N50’ 120E17’
GILBERTO TEODORO – 12:49 p.m., June 14, 1964, Manila, 14N35’ 121E00’
EDDIE VILLANUEVA – 2:44 a.m., October 6, 1946, Bocaue, Bulacan, 14N48’ 120E55’
MANUEL VILLAR – 8:25 a.m., December 13, 1949, Manila, 14N35’ 121E00’

The results of my computations are shown in the table above, based on a turnout of 40 million:

I realize that my so-called astrological forecast (without any character analysis) is rather farfetched as compared to the various results of the opinion surveys conducted during the campaign period. For instance, I cannot imagine Nick Perlas beating Noynoy Aquino, and Jamby Madrigal ahead of Dick Gordon. As well, my daughter will never forgive me for placing her favored candidate last. Much as I would like to rearrange the lineup, that would be doing a "Hello Garci" thing.

On the other hand, the character analyses done by my wife on some of the top four candidates would be an interesting reading. She interprets even the zodiac degrees of the planets in the horoscope; she has a number of books on esoteric astrology which she refers to in coming up with her astro-portraits. She may publish her character portraits in her blog at gcsolina.blogspot.com.

ELECTION FORECAST FOR 10 MAY 2010

Assuming voter turnout is 80 percent of the registered 50 million reported by COMELEC, the expected lineup of the candidates after May 10 is as shown above.
The figures are based on the results of the computations done for a previous blog.

ABOUT ELECTIONS 2010

Whenever I am asked about outcomes of certain contests, I initially try to understand the significances of planetary formations of the horoscopes of the contending parties. Unfortunately, the birth data of the personalities lack one important element -- their birth times -- which should indicate the patterns of the planetary formations especially as they form under the Midneaven or roughly the zenith when they were born. I still exert effort to compute their birth times by researching on their lives. With at least nine significant events in their lives, I "rectify" their birth times by studying how the movements of the planets in their orbits affect their horoscopes.

Under the circumstances, I eventually resort to quantifying the "actual" transits or passages of the planets affecting the horoscopes. In the jargon of astrology, I quantify the "aspects" of the transits. These aspects are in angular measures and shown whether they are "approaching" or "separating". The usual interpretations give the approaching degree more power than the separating aspect. For every planet, there is supposed to be an "orb" or degree of effectivity and force. Usually, a planet is given an orb of 4 degrees, coming or going. The strongest effect is when the orb is 0 degree or conjunct. At 4 degrees, the force is nil. Thus, as the transiting planet moves closer to a natal planet, or planet in the individual's horoscope, we ought to have a value or quantity of the planetary effect.

On the other hand, the aspects are classified either as positive or negative. If the transiting planet forms a 90 degree angle to a birth planet, this is translated as a very difficult effect. If the transiting planets are Saturn and the trans-Saturnian ones, namely, from Uranus to Pluto, the individual affected will have a difficult time in his life for the duration of their effects.
In my quantification algorithm, I come up with two consolidated values. One value is the absolute total of the aspects, which I usually interpret as the "activity" or busy-ness of the individual. The other value is the actual total, either positive or negative, which I consider the "mood" or emotional condition of the individual.

Having explained my process of analyzing horoscopes (without resorting to any astrological jargon), I now proceed to show the results of my findings about the coming national elections. I concentrated on only five of the presidential candidates -- Aquino III, Estrada, Gordon, Teodoro, and Villar. (I apologize to the other candidates for considering them as not in serious contention, since, as I have explained above, I do not have the necessary significant events with which to "correct" their birth times.)

I came up with three phases in the election period, the "pre-election", the "post-election", and the "inauguration" phases. These are my findings.

PRE-ELECTION PHASE
ACTIVITY

• GORDON = 1048.88
• ESTRADA = 886.88
• TEODORO = 870.88
• AQUINO = 852.88
• VILLAR = 650.88

MOOD

• TEODORO = 49.41
• ESTRADA = 43.91
• VILLAR = 24.41
• AQUINO = -0.84
• GORDON = -9.34

During the days immediately preceding Election Day, the most active in terms of planetary aspects, seems to be Gordon, and the least agitated is Villar. On the other hand, the confident ones are Teodoro and Estrada separated only by about six points. The least confident is Gordon.

POST-ELECTION PHASE

ACTIVITY

• GORDON = 2675.04
• AQUINO = 2181.04
• TEODORO = 2059.04
• ESTRADA = 1799.04
• VILLAR = 1331.04

MOOD

• ESTRADA = 179.78
• TEODORO = 101.53
• VILLAR = 39.28
• AQUINO = 32.53
• GORDON = -33.47

During Election Day and the following weeks, Estrada seems to hold first place in terms of positive scores, followed by Teodoro. The lowest ranking is Gordon, But the daily scoring, when the scores are graphed, indicate some fluctuations in their attitudes. Although the total of Estrada is the highest, it seems that Teodoro will catch up with him by the end of the two-weeks period. The ranking by then will be: Teodoro, Estrada, Villar, Aquino and Gordon.

I have included the effects of the transiting planets on the candidates during the two-week period spanning the Inauguration Day, that is, one week before and one week after the event. The scores of the candidates (I am focusing on the Mood data) as the indicator of the outcome of Election 2010. Although the total scores place Estrada in the lead followed by Teodoro, the eventual results show that Teodoro is the "happiest" of the lot.

INAUGURATION PHASE

MOOD

• TEODORO = 81.85
• ESTRADA = 40.6
• VILLAR = -9.90
• AQUINO = -27.15
• GORDON = -31.15

Even as I have my own preferences in this Elections (which I have not indicated or hinted on) I have to accept the results of my computations. They may not turn out to be accurate in terms of the actual outcome, still I have to present my findings if only to satisfy those who insist on my coming out with a forecast. (Serious and professional astrologers will have their own forecasts and interpretations based on the horoscopes of the candidates and the aspects indicated therein. As well, the various opinion surveys conducted by prestigious organizations do not tally with what I have presented above. For instance, the top two close contenders are Aquino and Villar, followed by Estrada, at less than twenty percentage points, then Teodoro, with a single digit percentage point, and the others trailing dismally behind. I truly wonder how Estrada and Teodoro can catch up and overtake Aquino and Villar. There may be other explanations for the positive scores of the two other than their "winning" the contest over the hitherto frontrunners as of early March.)

THE PACMAN-HATTON BOUT

THE SECOND QUARTER 2009

The period continues the troublous times generated by the internal dysfunctions, and affected by the economic turmoil gripping the world. The question arises: why the almost simultaneous resurgence of cold cases, not only the prevailing government scandals, but also the Ninoy Aquino assassination, the Dacer-Corbito murders, etc. As well, we have the Legacy syndicated estafa case that victimized thousands of small depositors.

Astrology offers explanations for these dire phenomena. The main actor in the mostly economic disaster involving governance is Pluto, the sinister rapine god of Hades. (Rather than engage in concocting the rationale for the current problems, I shall resort to quoting some astrologers who are devoted to the profession.)

Jeffrey Kishner, for one, wrote that “Pluto is no longer a planet, but astrologers continue to treat it like one. In fact, Pluto is one of the most powerful planets in the solar system. It may be small, far away and scientifically demoted, but this little guy packs a big wallop.”

On the other hand, Neil Giles, maintains that “Pluto is remorseless in his search to know where the limits lie and what the inner forces will do. He will persist in this until he knows what can be overcome and what cannot. Such a drive is at the heart of sex, life and death from their highest expressions to their lowest violations. Pluto is a driving force using any means necessary to gain his ends or reveal the truth. Pluto's power will test any resistance, pulverizing or breaking down whatever it encounters into component parts to discover what they are and to release their inner force. With this ruthless investigator at work, there will always be a death of the old, a transformation and a rebirth for Pluto is the god of elimination and regeneration, teaching us that all things that live must die and all things that die will live again…
“Capricorn the Goat rules structures, systems, status, authoritative bodies and those achievements made through career or in the public domain. Capricorn is the authority, as autocrat, bureaucrat, leader or administrator. He offers reward for effort and determines punishment for infringement, laziness, non-participation or rebellion.
“Pluto in Capricorn will test the durability and regenerative resources of leaders and governments across the globe, as well as business and the corporate world. Old or staid structures will collapse or come apart at the seams if they cannot redefine their nature and cope with changing conditions and needs. The renewal or discarding of traditional practices or beliefs will play a part in this for Capricorn draws from inherited wisdom and practice. Those traditions that find new life will serve to guide modern leadership while those that are uprooted or outmoded will pass into oblivion. On the one hand, we will see the renewal of traditional power or thinking that can endure while on the other, we will see its displacement by the forces of the new, as leaders and systems find themselves under the pump. No doubt, Pluto in Capricorn will bring us a new breed of leaders and administrators, noted for determination, practicality and organizational ability. Some of these will offer useful service where others will be ruthlessly ambitious and materialistic.
“So, what can we expect of this new era as it unfolds? When one of the outer planets changes sign, there is a marked generational influence and a shift in the nature of our social experience. In time, we will all be touched by a destiny we cannot escape. As the destiny of Pluto in Capricorn takes hold, we will run the gamut of our control systems, from the humble administrator through to the megalomaniac as governments, organizations and key individuals encounter the testing pressures of Pluto and make their response.”

Again, Jeffrey Kishner, says “This tiny planet can be violently destructive, and its process of tearing down is not always a pretty sight. But keep in mind that Plutonian transformation is always for the better, because that which no longer works is removed, like a toxin from the human body… Pluto in Capricorn signifies the time for real policy change! We won't necessarily see the walls of business as we know it come crumbling down, but there will definitely be a shift in how these companies function. If we think we know a lot about the dark side of corporations, it's possible we've only touched the tip of the iceberg. Pluto will enable investigators to expose the real truth about the corners companies cut to earn money for the people at the top.”

In turn, Molly Hall, writes “Pluto's drama is playing out in the realm of finances, government and the environment. We're seeing desperate, compulsive and obsessive behavior come into the light, as more suffer from a system that's been revealed as unsound. Pluto's probing uncovers distorted thinking, and power being wielded destructively. The truth comes out, and in the financial world, we see a value-system that is poisoned by greed. It's based on a sick psychological foundation, one not in harmony with the cycles of life. Pluto has a way of using extremes to bring a point home. With the bailout, we see the truth made clear -- we have a hopelessly corrupt government, in cahoots with the banking interests.”

We shall continue to experience unmitigated economic difficulties during the period. And for that, the second Quarter will have increased crimes (especially against women and children) and gambling, interparliamentary conflicts, various challenges against authorities, etc. I do not have to write about these cultural dysfunctions; we do not need seers to see these happenings as they are the grists the media feed on to survive. We truly deserve such “punishments” for our sins of forgiving the greed of most of our financial managers and political leaders.

Even so, we can still enjoy the times. During Imperial Rome, the leaders placated their restive subjects with circuses -- the gladiatorial combats in the Coliseum. For this Quarter, we have our own version of the gladiatorial contest: the Pacquiao-Hatton boxing bout in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 2.

For aficionados, the statistics about the fighters are studied, such as their weights, their reach, and the number of wins, etc. On the other hand, astrologers need to know their birth times (not only their birth days) which are never published. In the case of the present fighters, I utilized a “rectification” procedure to determine their times of birth by using their boxing history since 2001. For Pacquiao, he was born at 2:07 p.m. on December 17, 1978 in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Mindanao, while Hatton at 7:50 a.m. on June 10, 1978 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom.

Computing the planetary effects on the fighters, from 7 to 10 p.m., Las Vegas time, on May 2, at 5 minute intervals, I came up with a graph showing the levels of their activities and moods. Pacquiao seems to be very confident during the time period and very active. On the other hand, Hatton appears to have fluctuating sense of confidence and finds it difficult to maintain his actions during the later part of the period. The crucial period appears to be between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. (See the graph above.)

The astrological conclusion: Pacquiao wins.

(Based on Hatton's subsequent planetary transits, he seems to consider retiring from boxing.)

A measure of caution to those who think I am an astrological guru. I do not have any credentials for accuracy. It does not bother me if my prediction is wrong. I am used to that.