My servant Noynoy Aquino bought a Porsche with his own money

Yes, he zealously declared almost a year ago Kayo ang amo ko (You, the Filipinos, are my boss), a metaphor that remains only in words but not in deed. And yes, he just bought a white Porsche using his own money. Duh!

I don't know if this is the type of Porsche Aquino bought lately. I have not seen one.

I swallowed hard. While the bosses remained wallowing in poverty, that is more than 12 million of us according to the National Statistical Coordination Board, the servant flaunt his toys. And I wonder how and where my servant would use it.

Here?

Blog links for more reading-
P-Noy still acting like President Cory's son
PNoy's Porsche and the "Daang Matuwid"

Riles pic from Flickr

Inexperiene as an excuse

Everyone, including Hongkongers and the rest of the world, has shared their sentiments on the tragedy that killed eight tourists coming in the Philippines for a holiday. Noynoy Aquino, at the height of his inefficiency, censored his Facebook account because he could no longer take the insults to his "hiding" during the hostage drama.

But still whether he likes it or not, he is responsible and should apologize not just to China but to the Filipino people as well. 

The Editorial of the Philippine Daily Inquirer aptly describes what was Noynoy's fault. The Presidency is not for pogi points only. It needs serious work.

Well- you voted for him.

That Malacañang’s response cannot but be deemed wanting is regretful. Incredibly, it seems to have escaped the Palace that the hostage crisis had become a political incident and was no longer a police matter, and therefore required the proper employment of symbols. So that Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who has supervision over the police but displayed nothing of the sort where and when it mattered, is now on the carpet. And President Aquino’s invisibility during the critical hours—when a brief message to his expectant public explaining the steps being taken could have shown that he was at the very least aware of what was going on—is perplexing, and only shows how badly served he is by his advisers.

This much is clear, even to the halfway attentive observer: The President’s “inner life” (again as Zizek terms it)—his easy-going, laid-back nature, his aversion to the limelight—has no place in the realm he dramatically conquered by a landslide. The people look to him as their leader, and a hands-on approach is imperative to constantly assure them that their choice at the polls was not a mistake.

His statement to reporters, made in a press conference at the end of the long tortuous day, that one could not “micromanage” everything with regard to the hostage crisis indicates a failure to appreciate the role he is called upon to play in this theater of governance. It disappoints because it appears to shirk responsibility. It displays—dare we say it?—a dangerous naiveté.

And we share that national stupidity that is Noynoy.

Can you do something bigger now Mr President?

First the wangwang. Then the billboards with names of politicians. And also stiff penalties to the no-OPM music on airwaves. Now littering on Pasig. Yun lang?

Err, Mr Noynoy Aquino, could you do something bigger and more impressive jobs worthy of a President?


And stop blaming Gloria!

Pictures from Esperidion Dimaculangan on Facebook

Isa pang hirit: Noynoy's Inauguration

Is that Kris dancing? Actually no. That's the Wowowee dancers with defunct Willie during heydays. The inauguration of the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines was like that TV show- Wowowee. Without grace.

According to a columnist at The Manila Times: "What transpired on June 30 was not a presidential inaugural but a veritable pop concert, with musicians and stars belting out numbers on stage and inadvertently demeaning the very occasion itself. The musical numbers of the aging Apo Hiking Society, Christian Bautista, and the perennially-rambunctious Ogie Alcasid were out of place at the Quirino Grandstand and better suited for the 'after party' at Quezon Memorial Circle."


"But perhaps most disappointing was Aquino’s inauguration speech itself, which sounded more like a campaign lecture than a Presidential address," Cunanan added.

More can be read by clicking on this link- Buddy Cunanan's Politics of Course 

You may also read this comprehensive analysis of the Wowowee-like spectacular that was Noynoy's inauguration: The Wowowee Inauguration and Noynoy's Speech.

Picture grabbed from ABS-CBN.com

Dear Mr President

I know some of you will bash Gibo instead upon reading this short blog for reasons I really do not know. Yes it is time to move on. But first let me share you this letter to President Noynoy Aquino beautifully written by Oya Arriola, a British embassy employee:

Dear Mr President:

Knowing your comfort zone is well and good. Having the courage to step out of it to do what must be done is what fulfills destinies.

I don't really care about how you decide which barong to wear on your proclamation. I need to know that you have vision beyond the 30th of June.

Whether you keep smoking or quit the habit is none of my concern. Whether you have the political will to deliver your promised reforms is.

I am not interested in whether you're getting married within the next six years. I want to see that you can build working coalitions to govern effectively.

It doesn't matter to me that you choose long-time buddies to be part of your Cabinet because you feel at ease with them. I'd like to know that you choose your team because you know they can deliver.

It's all the same to me if you choose to live in Malacanang or Times Street. Where your heart lies and whose interests you protect will spell the difference to me.

Well said. Enough of trivialities.

More readings from The Wall Street Journal on Aquino's promises-
> Noynoy's Philippine Promises 
> Aquino's Graft Probe Sparks Fears for Economy 

Picture grabbed from raissarobles.blogspot.com

Philippine presidential candidates I voted

 

CORAZON C. AQUINO

(UNDP-LABAN)
1986 Elections

 

FIDEL V. RAMOS

(LAKAS-NUCD)
1992 Elections

 

ALFREDO LIM

(LIBERAL PARTY)
1998 Elections

 

RAUL ROCO

(AKSYON DEMOKRATIKO)
2004 Elections

 GILBERTO C. TEODORO

(LAKAS-KAMPI-CMD)
2010 Elections

Why Gibo Teodoro?

"Gibo is the only candidate who talks about political harmony and unity before change can occur. He is a very good example to the youth, the way he deals with all the attacks against him. His being smart and accomplished are only small parts of the whole thing. Now, we see his character, humility, competence and that for me are more important than politics." ~ Mark Escueta, Rivermaya drummer

Why Gibo Teodoro?

1. He is the ONLY candidate  who practices positive campaigning. No mudslinging.
2. He is the only candidate who speaks of reconciliation and unity.
3. He is the only candidate who does not offer utopia (no promises of paradise) but realistic solutions.
4. He is the only candidate with a CLEAR PLATFORM OF GOVERNMENT AND REGION-SPECIFIC plans and strategies.
5. HE IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO DOES NOT APPEAL TO EMOTIONS JUST TO GAIN VOTES.
6. He is one of the few (very few) candidates NOT TAINTED with corruption or any scandal.
7. He is one of the few candidates with the BEST QUALIFICATIONS for the job.
8. He is the only candidate with the MOST KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF REGION-SPECIFIC problems.
9. He is the only candidate who possessed all three attributes a GOOD PRESIDENT must have: INTEGRITY, COMPETENCE and CHARACTER.
10. He is the only candidate with the political will and machinery to make his platform of government.

Erap will run...

... and knowing the mentality of Filipinos, this convicted plunderer might win again. God help us all.

In sum, the Court finds that prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt the commission by the principal accused former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada of the crime of plunder ...

WHEREFORE, in view of all the foregoing, judgment is hereby rendered in Criminal Case No. 26558 finding the accused, Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of PLUNDER defined in and penalized by Republic Act No. 7080, as amended...

The penalty imposable for the crime of plunder under Republic Act No. 7080, as amended by Republic Act No. 7659, is Reclusion Perpetua to Death.  There being no aggravating or mitigating circumstances, however, the lesser penalty shall be applied in accordance with Article 63 of the Revised Penal Code.  Accordingly, accused Former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada is hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua and the accessory penalties of civil interdiction during the period of sentence and perpetual absolute disqualification.

pictures from johnryanrecabar.wordpress.com, karlomongaya.wordpress.com; text of Sandiganbayan's decision on Erap's plunder case from chanrobles.com

Cory will always be my President

I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life. - Corazon Aquino

I remember her when, many years ago, she came home to the Philippines after that dramatic Ninoy assassination. I saw her as a small woman, timid, so calm despite the troubles the Philippines was (and is) undergoing.

I was full of idealism then when Marcos declared an election. Fresh from high school and has been attending rallies and other movements to make Marcos step down, the elections gave me an opportunity to make my voice be heard. And it was my first time. Iba talaga pag first time.

I remember my room was full of Mr&Ms and pictures of Ninoy and Cory were pasted all over. Even in my bed. I was literally sleeping with Cory at that time.

One voice of Cory and I followed. She was my first President and will always be.

Rest in peace Cory.

María Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino, widely known as Cory Aquino, was the 11th President of the Philippines, serving from 1986 to 1992. She was the first female President of the Philippines and was Asia's first female President . She is a world-renowned advocate of democracy, peace, women's empowerment, and religious piety.

A self-proclaimed "plain housewife", Aquino is the widow of Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., a leading figure in the political opposition against the autocratic rule of President Ferdinand Marcos. After her husband was assassinated upon his return from exile on August 21, 1983, Aquino, who had no prior political experience, became a focal point and unifying force of the opposition against Marcos. She was drafted to run against Marcos in the 1986 snap presidential elections. After Marcos was proclaimed the winner despite widespread reports of electoral fraud, Aquino was installed as President by the peaceful 1986 People Power Revolution.

Aquino bio from wikipedia.org

Aquino pics from senatorpiacayetano.com and boston.com

And this, from time.com

Whenever the country appeared to be in a crisis, Cory Aquino rose above the bureaucratic procrastination that had always bogged it down, reminding her people that they once astonished the world with their bravery — and that they could do it again. But Filipinos must now take stock. Whom will they march with now that their saint has gone to meet her God?

Threatening the President and other idiotic stories

And so I happened to go to that opening ceremonies at the Sandugo OTOP Trade Fair not knowing the President will be also there. You know how nightmarish it is when a president is around. The inspections, the groping guards who made the ocassion justifiable, the long lines so you can only come in.

I hated the President more, because I so happened to bring my camera.

I fall in line.

Turn on the camera please. If I was more insane I could have fucked my camera right there and then without having to turn it on.

I told the guards I won't be using it. They put some security sticker on it. Oh my, that cam I so guarded zealously so that not even dust could settle on it but now an orange sticker defaced its presence.

They got my Stabilor orange highlighter.

What for? I asked them. They were just told to do so.

What about my two ballpens? I could harm the President with these.

No, I was actually using the term dunggab which means to stab in Bisaya. Pwede nakong dunggabon si GMA ani. I could stab GMA with these ballpens. Nobody seemed to mind me. They just laughed.

Defeated with my attempts to threatened the President, I retreated to a corner where some friends were chatting.

Maybe I am good at comedies.

(The only picture of President GMA I took. When I saw that it was blurred, I did not take another shot.)

Shoe throwing by Arabs is not our style of insult

But of course it is not! Throwing someone our shoes is not an insult here in the country. For one, how could we afford to throw them when we barely have one? We throw our slippers not shoes, because we lack them.

However, let me remind you that Filipinos are numb to the fact that our solemates can also be our deadly punisher. My parents used to slap my ass with slippers every time I commit undesirable acts contrary to their standards. 

If throwing shoes, or in the case of the Philippines, slippers, is an insult in the Arab world, it is not in this country. We don't throw our shoes to insult presidents or dignitaries. We have the likes of Senator Roxas, Conrado de Quiros or Ramon Tulfo to do the insulting parts. In public. We also have our drivers, our barbers, our columnists and a very few politicians who do more than just insult the president. In fact almost everyone in the Philippines can insult politicians and other dignitaries whenever they want to. Whoever is the current president is no exemption.

And take note- the president and most politicians in general are numb to insults.

So those Pinoys staging shoe-throwing activities in the country, please grow up. Be original. Do something more ground breaking like what the Iraqi journalist has done.

Tama na ang gaya-gaya. Oo na, putomaya na yan.

Photo grabbed from sky.news.com

"Change has come to America"

Congratulations President Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the US!

Photo from gemzies.com