Earlier last December, I bumped into a manager of Coles Food Store. He happens to be an alumnus of Ateneo de Manila University and a former classmate of Noynoy Aquino whom we all know is running to be president of the Philippines.
Regrettably, the conversation was led into political matters as I discovered that he was a yellow fanatic. So I asked him why he supports Noynoy Aquino’s bid for the presidency. His pert reply was quite short and simple: “because he’s clean and he’s not a traditional politician.”
Of course, the record of Noynoy as a congressman and senator is clean and untainted because he never accomplished anything as a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate. But what has he got to offer the people of the Philippines except for being the son of his parents – the late Benigno Aquino (now regarded as a national hero) and former president Corazon Aquino who restored democracy into the country.
As for the issue that Noynoy is not a traditional politician (trapo), let us take a look at the kind of people who surround him. I say they are all salivating for power and that is probably the reason why former senator Serge Osmena III left the Liberal Party.
Shouldn’t the voters in the 2010 election consider two very important issues? I think that the major considerations should be competence and experience, which I believe Noynoy does not have. The office in Malacañang Palace is not a training ground for presidential aspirants. Once elected, the President should be able to manage the affairs of the country. The Philippines has too many problems which even the incumbent Gloria Arroyo cannot solve.
Noynoy Aquino has not held any executive post, not in the public or private arena.
I grant Noynoy that maybe he has integrity because he was educated by the American Jesuits at Ateneo – to be a man for others. But is that enough reason for us to make him president?
I strongly maintain that Noynoy’s only credential, if we may call it so, to the presidency is being the son of famous parents. Of course he is the brother of popular television and screen personality Kris Aquino. He may get some votes from the masses for being that.
C’mon, Mr. Noynoy Aquino. What is your program of government? I have not heard how you plan to address poverty, health care, insurgency, graft and corruption, foreign affairs, and the falling economy of the country that you want to lead. – DMC
(Any reaction to this editorial may be addressed to dinocres2@hotmail.com)
Yes, you are absolutely correct! other than what you have mentioned, Cory was not the one who worked to restore our democracy from the dictatorship, they were the countless and many nameless nationalists, left leaning activist, student sympathizers, farmers and many more who sacrificed their lives and efforts to voice out the need to restore our democracy. Cory was just the convenient figurehead, so that our would be aspiring presidentiables would not fight amongst themselves. Cory was the compromise and convenient figurehead.
The reason why, Cory’s term was not expected to last, the reason why her “inner core” left and right amase so much wealth and Cory tolkerated corruption of her relatives. Many of us remnants of the last 4 decades, should voice out Cory’s legacy is not really as clean and as “saintly” as they want the young gensration to believe.
Dear Dino
The reason I read your paper regularly is because of its no-bull style of writing. Finally, I read something that I have also somehow been thinking about – whether Noynoy is ready to become the next President of the Philippines. I do not know him – except for the fact that he – as you stated, has famous parents, the brother of a popular personality – Kris Aquino and – from what I see on the Balita News that I watch on TV regularly.
The Filipinos have been through a lot but I hope that they will use their intelligence and choose the leader that they feel could lead them out of the hole that they continue to be stuck in. Noynoy is popular. I hope that they see beyond that – and that they will vote for him because he has the right programs and plans for the Philippines – but as you alluded to, what are his programs? Is he really ready? My limited knowledge of his background tells me that he is not.
Be that as it may, if ever he gets elected, I hope that he will not repeat the problems that his late Mother faced during her incumbency – where she survived 7 coup attempts because – as her opponents said, she was incompetent and indecisive. I also hope that he will have an Advisory Council that are not self-serving and influenced by their own motives and greed – but rather genuinely supportive of making lives better for all Filipinos.
Right now, whoever wins this election, Filipinos will continue to battle it out – as I feel none of the other contenders do have what it takes to lead the Philippines towards road of recovery.
And lastly, I sincerely pray that Filipinos do not waste their votes voting on candidates that they know have been instrumental in pillaging the country previously.
Still and all, MABUHAY pa rin ang Pilipino!
Warm regards
ROD DINGLE
Sir,
I read your column “Is Noy2 qualified to be a President? Allow me to ask you who is your choice? According to you Noy2 has no experience and therefore ineligble to become a President. Si Pres. Marcos, Fidel Ramos, Erap Estrada, Gloria Arroyo, Cory Aquino, sino ba sa kanila ang may experience? Siyempre yung apat except Pres. Cory? Sino ba sa kanila ang pinaka-toughest and the brightest? Of course, Pres. Marcos because he is a Bar Topnotcher, 2nd is GMA which is a Magna Cum Laude in the course of Economics, and lastly Pres. Fidel Ramos which is also military general and a West Point graduate. However, even if Erap is undergrad he has also lot of experience in government serving for more or less 25 years. But to Pres. Cory, nothing from the start being a plain housewife ok?. Since you mention Noy2 Aquino’s accomplishment and inexperience kung dapat ba siya ay iboto sa pagka-Presidente?. Please don’t judge the book by its own cover” as a simple saying. What happen to our country now, while Marcos, Arroyo or etc. except Cory na may pinaka-best na experience sa lahat? Para sa akin Sir, ang dapat ayusin kung sino man ang mahalal sa pagka Presidente, ay ang pinakabigat na probleama sa ating bansa. kasi baon2 na tayo sa utang because of rampant corruption, if you remember, we are called as the most corrupt country in Asia. Para sa akin, ang experience ay SECONDARY LANG, at ang iboto ko ay yung ” less devil ” lang, at God fearing, hindi magnanakaw! Thanks
Yours truly,
VICENTA of Cebu City.