Dear Mr. Senator Noynoy,
Allow me the liberty of calling you by your nickname.
As you turn into ‘gold’ on your 50th summer Filipinos are betting on you becoming this land’s 15th Prezident - aA Presudent with a fresh, unquestioned electoral mandate, a mandate quite unlike the woman you are succeeding.
I realize you feel burderned.
Not only are you embarking on a task that your recently deceased mother took on in the aftermath of the Philippines world-inspiring people power revolt.
Your father’s martyrdom enabled Filipino to rediscover their commitment to democratic institution that the dictatorship left in tatters.
Your mandate, should you obtain it in our first ever computer-saided voting system, will allow the Philippines to vanquish the demon of Dagdag Bawas.
Yours will be a mandate clothed with the political capital that you can expend to fight corruption, a mandate that can open the path to effective and responsible governance, a mandate that can bring progress that trickles do to our poor toiling masses.
The news reports this weekened quote you as saying:
I really cannot focus on myself now and only The One who knows all things can say what will happen to me, and that includes getting married.
So how can one be selfish and think only about himself? I was talking to one of my friends and we said sometimes it could really be tiring. You want to just smash your head into the wall.
But you cannot turn your back on what you had seen all throughout your life.
So when (people) come knocking and say you still have to do something, there is no way you can say no.
You ask me about personal matters growing up. What I experienced was how it was being pressured (by the government) because my father was in the opposition.
Even their gardener, my nanny, and my father’s bodyguard were detained and tortured because of their connection to the Aquinos.
I will continue my advocacy for a corruption-free government.
Recovering the P280 billion lost in corruption every year would make a big difference in the lives of Filipinos.
I was in North Cotabato and saw the airport there still unfinished. It will only cost P100 million, such a small amount compared to what we lose to corruption.
Thank you for making these ‘sacrifices’, Sen. Noy.
But talk is cheap.
I will paiently wait for those words to turn into action.
A final note – weeks ago you promised to tell Filipinos you would decide on how to resolve the Gacienda Luisita Grarian reform promblem in a just and fair manner.
Have you forgotten yours?
Is this the same fate that awaits your other campaign promises?
If this is so, it may be best that you don’t make Ms. Shalani Soledad wait too long.
Happy birthday po.
Popularity: 3% [?]
The practicalities point to either Mr. Aquino or Mr. Villar as the next president. Is there any promise of progress? My readout:
Mr. Aquino: It depends on if he is capable of organizing progressive plans in a fractured legislative system that may seek to impose a new constitution and Prime Minister Arroyo on him.
Mr. Villar: It depends on if he is capable of running a forthright government or will make the Philippines his private super-clan, his realm, his enrichment, his entitlement.
The question arises, if the existing malaise continues, what does one do?
Joe
For what it is worth, I view the campaign as a worthy battle. Although both lead candidates are flawed, we get the same thing in the US; here the flaws tend to reflect things Filipino, where ethical rules are rather flexible and families are powerful. But it is two worthwhile candidates, not two nitwits.
I think the Philippines should not beat up on itself so; everybody lives by the rules of taking or bowing to power, and putting self first. You get what you are. If you are law-abiding and high-principled, you would accept neither of these candidates. But accepting what you are, you would tend to say these are good, strong competitors.
Joe
Joe, it’s always an enlightening pleasure to read your missives.
You are right thst “the Philippines should not beat up on itself.”
But as you are a resident, you know first hand how our ‘culture of complacence’ gets the better of us at times.
But seriously, the job of leading entails having the capacity to inspire, a vision for reform and progress that’s more than 20/20, and the reaainess, genuine readiness, to place country above self.
And as I humbly submit to Mr. Aquino, and the other ‘presidentiables’: rhetoric is well and good, particularly premise-laden campaign rhetoric, but resolute positive action to bring reform is cheap.
“The question arises, if the existing malaise continues, what does one do?”
Joe,
There is no other way to do it but to choose the least evil, Joe. Because if you would rather choose any of the sure losers you will just be wasting your vote :D.
Bert,
I think, if I were a citizen, I would not be among the complacent that Ding mentions. I would find a way to exert influence, other than by vote. I don’t think you have to choose the least evil. There is no Christ to run, so you have men of great strength and substantial flaws to pick between, one of whom will win. It’s the same everywhere. Just don’t give up and let them operate in a vacuous vacuum.
Joe
Joe,
You are an idealist. But I’m afraid you will just be exercising in a futile manner if what’s happening to us here in FV is to be any indicator. How can you exert influence with these kind of crowd? I can see you’re trying, but are you making any headway? No way. Would you want influence to be exerted on you by any of us? Well, I have tried, by encouraging you to select the least evil because there is no other way, but am I making any headway? No way!
My neighborhood has the same crowd as here in FV. How about your neighborhood in that mountain in Biliran?
As you can see, by all those rantings about our manoks here in FV for months already the status quo remains:
-Bencard and rego are still rooting for GMA
-the anti-pinoy still wants to waste their votes on Perlas
-rego, leytegirl and my friend Phil for Gibo
-mariano will still vote for his carabao
-so on and so forth
See?
Bert,
You are really quite the pessimist, eh? You would have me crawl back into some cave and scratch my armpits?
If I were a citizen, I would enroll in or form a citizen’s group that would advocate for a progressive Philippines. I am restricted as to what I can do here, and all I can do is throw my voice into the wind. If others are obstinate, that is their problem, eh?
If I make a small difference, and open up one mind on one subject, that is progress, eh?
Plus, my friend, I LEARN A LOT by being here. That is progress, too.
Joe
Progressive Philippines? Ah, Joe, I get it now. If you were a citizen you will want to be a politician, a good politician, maybe like a Perlas, or a Villar. That’s good, Joe. I will vote for you if you were a citizen. I’m sure you will make a good president, that is, if you don’t change your mind and attitude after sitting on the throne in the Palace.
It is a clever campaign political advertisement made by the Noynoy
Aquino campaign people. They dont realize that people has already
grown tired of the Aquinos. The so called martyrdoom of Ninoy Aquino
which in truth was he ended up inside the NPA tiger. The Sainthood
of Cory Aquino. If Cory Aquino is eligible for sainthood. Why did she
not stopped Kris Aquino as an Adulterer. Kris Aquino was an out of
wedlock mother. She has multiple husbands. The Catholic Church and
the Nuns are silent about Kris Aquino’s adulterous relationships.
Why did Cory Aquino ordered her troops to kill unarmed farmers in
Mendiola. While she goes kneeling infront of the Altar of the Church?
So much so, with the Aquino Myth. The Aquino family is as dysfunctional
as any other family. Ninoy Aquino’s records in the Senate is not
outstanding. Do you believe he can do better as President?
Sorry, but I am familiar with political advertisement. We are immuned
to them already…Go howl at the moon! You may get better results!
Noynoy Aquino’s record as a Senator is in the Senate. Is he an
outstanding Senator? Do you believe he can do better as President?
No way, Jose. Tell it to the Marines! Go howl at the moon!
Mariano,
have you seen Gibo’s legislative record?
how about Villar’s?
The Senate Legislative Information System allows one to get an idea of the legislative metrics for the various senators. Do your own analysis but be warned you may find yourself agreeing with BongV who has concluded that NoyNoy Aquino was a slacker.
The “pointer” to the Senate’s database/information systems is in the BongV article in antipinoy –..– com
tp// antipinoy -GG- com/who-is-the-14th-senates-number-1-slacker/
Kris Aquino has then right to express her own free will. Also by the time Kris was allegedly philandering, she was over 18 and as an adult, is responsible for her own actions. Mrs Aquino probably did what is expected of any saint, that is to pray for the salvation of Kris’ soul.
The Aquino disaster is that when the fates gave Mrs Aquino the chance to implement the Revolution beyond its so called democratic facade, she failed.
I don’t think Noynoy Aquino has an idea of what that failure is all about. For starters, the revolution is not about declaring “Hindi ako magnanakaw!” but sending the “magnanakaw” to the appropriate jail and imposing the appropriate penalty. Mrs Aquino was a dismal failure here.
blackshama,
it starts with not being magnanakaw
and end up magnanakaw…ganyan din ang image ni gloria in 2001.
blackshama,
maybe Noynoy is differnet from his mother, who knows. but the kris factor is something to be worried about i think.
Why did she not stopped Kris Aquino as an Adulterer. Kris Aquino was an out of
wedlock mother.
Walang kasing babaw….sorry.
I do not endorse any candidate. Choose your own. Examine their
records well, their agendas and their platforms. I am here only to
tell the truth to the best of my ability. “Bato bato sa langit.
Ang tamaan ay huwag magagalit.”.
With the isuue of Kris Aquino. What does the Nuns who prayed
with Noynoy Aquino and the Catholic Church say? THOU SHALT
NOT COMMIT ADULTERY is one of the commandments of their
Church and rel;igion. Silence means they condone Kris Aquino’s actions. I have yet to see any condemnation. They must come out
with clarification on this religious issue. Her brother is a
candidate for President.
Ding,
Mr. Aquino answered very well the question of Hacienda Luisita when he was asked about it durning the interview. I believe Roch is going to be writing about it soon for blogwatch.
-C
What caused the troops from firing to those unarmed fsrmer
dermonstrators? Does Cory Aquino understand about COMMAND
RESPONSIBILITY?
mariano,
have you read the official reports and the court decisions on the case?
You should. They answer your slanted questions
mariano, COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY? Why Cory Aquino? Isn’t PGMA the Commander-in-Chief?
C, Yes I know he did.
But I am talking to people from Hacienda Luisita.
They still hold empty bags and bloodied memoties of the massacre that snuffed out 13 lives. :(
tanong ko lang ding,
what can noynoy do to set it right to his political opponents and the luisita farmers? what action can he do, such that people will say, ah, he’s solved his luisita political problem.
i cant think of anything he can do. but maybe u know what he can say/do to solve it.
The ways of South Asia / Middle East — blood money.
Of course, HL runs the risk that forgiveness does not get given.
Among the proposals on how best to handle the question of friar lands during the early years of American occupation was a scheme where the ownership and administration of the land would pass on to a trust organization established in the locality and funded by the government. The lands would not be distributed to the tenants for cultivations. Rather, the tenants could only work on the land by first becoming members of cooperative(s) established in the locality. The cooperative would enter into a service contract with the trust for the use of the land at an agreed fee. The cooperative would work on the land through its members, pay the agreed fee to the trust, pay the wages of the members who worked and distribute whatever profits to its members.
Cocoy,
answering well is different than treating the farmers well. Since he owns a small interest at HL, even a small return to the farmers was expected of him or from his family. Any action from him that could have facilitated the HL disagreement should have been a good sign required for governance. Now how can noynoy take care of the rest of the farmers if he cannot even help the farmers within his own backyard? How can Noynoy manage and help the poor in general. The farmers are not the only poor.
You mean, he will stop corruption and save money and give it to the poor? I just don’t understand and am really bothered by why Noynoy did not even help the farmers to get dividends even just a cent. He could have if he wanted to be a true pro-poor.
A nice guy doesn’t mean a thing unless he does a thing that makes me smile. good day cocoy.
It’s Villar’s campaign promise to make the poor rich, not Noynoy’s.
The Inquirer has a bitter birthday gift for Noynoy Aquino.
MANILA, Philippines–Senator Manny Villar will win in the presidential race in a “one-on-one” contest with Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, a latest Pulse Asia survey showed.
In a two-cornered fight, the survey showed Villar with a 46 percent rating or a one point lead over Aquino with 45 percent.
The “one-on-one” scenario was contained in the same Pulse Asia survey conducted from January 22 to 26, 2010 among 1, 800 respondents, which showed Aquino and Villar statistically neck to neck in the presidential race, with 37 percent and 35 percent, respectively.
The survey has a plus or minus two percent margin of error.
Mike H
Hillary Clinton’s best seller was It Takes a Village.
Villar took that to mean thousands of gated villages built beside his taxpayer-financed roads.
Villar’s book will be titled “It Takes Billions to Lose”
@ Gaby,
Aralin mo issue at malalaman mo rin at kalutasang hinahanap. Di ko isusubo sa iyo bro.
is the answer: give up on SDO? all the land is transfered to the farmers. correct me if i’m wrong, but that means <1hec per farmer? also, there is a TRO on redistribution now. is the answer: disregard the TRO and move forward with the redistribution? if yes, is this within his power? what can noynoy do to effect this?
if this is the answer, i suppose noynoy has already said he would support redistribution. i interpret his saying that he’d prefer his family just divest, which means, sell to the govt.
Between Villar and Aquino who could liberate our country? The same question was asked by one of the first OFWs in Europe:
“In the beautiful East
Where the sun rises,
A fair land
Resplendent with charms
In heavy chains
The despot keeps.
“Alas! ’tis my country
The country I love.
Like a slave she is dying
In irons languishing:
Oh, happy was he
Who could liberate her!”
- Jose Rizal
The other unanswered questions of the Aquino family are:
Who financed the MV Karagatan armed shipments bound for the NPA?
The NPA has grown: in finances, in logistics, in people and in
capabilities. Why did the Aquino family cuddled with these rebel group?
Are they not TRAITORS to us? To protect their Hacienda Luisita.
And to bring down a political enemy. They had to resort to become
TRAITORS to their own people. The U.S. does not care about idelogies.
Look at what they are dealing now: communist Vietnamese who defeated
them. Chinese communist whom they fought war in Korea. Now, they are
talking to the Afhgan Talibans.
Why did Ninoy Aquino let his partymates be bombed in Plaza Miranda?
While he hid at home watching T.V. Ninoy Aquino was not only a Traitor
to his partymates. He intended to wipe them all and blame Marcos for
it. The fellow is a “Dugong Aso”.
So much so, with the Aquino Myth. It was like the “Battle of Manila
Bay Myth”. And the ” Thousand Ship Supply Ships coming for rescue
to those Filipino soldiers fighting against the Japanese in Bataan.”
My father, my uncles and most of my relatives fought in that Battle
and were participants in the Death March to Capas, Tarlac. They said
the Aquinos were Japanese collaborators.
mariano,
Your memory of those events are as vivid as your recollection about the unanswered questions/suspicions are as accurate.
I doubt whether Noynoy’s sense of history is as acute.
I lived those events. My Father and my Uncles, my mother said
came out from Capas, Tarlac Death Camps. Surviving on one Camote
meal per day. They told us their children stories of Heroes and
Traitors of some Filipino families. It is good to give it to the
next generation. They should not forget the past!
Indeed. Hat’s off, sir.
I can only wish no one turns this digital space as a nice poster area or billboard for influential political advertising favoring a particular candidate. That said, let the principle of “practice what you preach” be the norm.
Just to call a spade a spade, I have always been at a loss on how on earth can one do a self-fulfilling claim as the son of a hero or that blood runs in his veins when not every people in this country would have deemed Ninoy one.
EDSA 1 or the People Power Revolt is not of Cory’s own-making – not at all. Dean Nemenzo of UP will defend very clearly that without the force from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Cory’s cause would be wishful thinking.
From where I stand, Enrile conveniently gave way to Cory out of an instinct for survival. In other words, Cory was an ‘Accidental Hero’, we might have to say.
Problem is, our existing history of EDSA 1 has been a distorted corpus of literature. They have yet to be rewritten by more thinking historians.
History requires rewriting in the context of these rather ‘fictitious’ if not entirely anecdotal impressions that are being cast in the public awareness board.
And it is so because, historians must have written events from their purely subjectivist point of view, themselves, partial participants of a great historical outcome.
But history must be objective for it must transcend biases and prejudices that exist at that point of time it was written. Not few people know the real history that led to EDSA 1 beyond a mere bogus claim of heroism. That goes true with the myth behind Ninoy.
The Academic Congress in UP held recently reveals many disturbing facts that should have been better attended by those seeking national elective office, include Noynoy so he will know how much to inherit as a budgetary problem upon assumption to office. Dr. Briones calculates it to be one set of P400 billion and another even larger set that almost doubles that amount.
So has Noynoy fired his incompetent Ad agency?
Malabong mangyari. Inbred ang ahensiya niya…
further proof that Noynoy is a weakling? a pushover?
Noynoy a weakling? A pushover?
Your terms. not mine :)
@ Primer,
Interesting notes.
BTW, I am curious about who you’ll likely vote for after your hero’s exit from the derby?
Mr. President, as i beleived that you will be, wal pong tanging hiling ang mga government employees, (esp PPSTA, NEPSTA at ASSERT) kundi ang maayos ang lahat sa GSIS.
Kung maari’y paalisin si Winston F. Garcia. Pero kailangang papanagutin sya sa mga kaguluhan sa GSIS, sa mga anomalya, sa corruption, sa pakikipagsabwatan kay Gloria at sa marami pang bagay na ikinaubos na halos ng pondo ng GSIS,
Pero syempre padaanin sa tamang proseso. Wag syang bayaang makaalis ng bansa. i-hold ang mga propeties maging ng mga kaanak nyang iniluklok sa GSIS. Matapos malitis at maisauli ang aming pera sa GSIS. Pakurutin nyo naman kaimng mga Government Employees kahit tig-iisa lang, tingnan lang natin kung hindi labas and buto nyan sa dami naming nawawalan ng perang bahagi namin sa GSIS.
KUng sinoman ang makakabasa nito pakisend lang kay Sir Noynoy.