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” I’m not saying I’m better than you are but maybe I am”
Randy Newman “I’m Different”
Anyone else notice that every event where President Aquino is invited to he makes news? Although personally it would be news that would embarrass me if I was in his camp. Well, it’s fireworks like that keeps us reacting and makes the world a more interesting place.
Personally if Noynoy just said things are fine you will be fine etc it wouldn’t be so newsworthy. What makes his speeches in those events noteworthy is he does one of three things: 1) lambastes the event host regardless of the context. 2) insults his predecessor. 3) chest beats about his administration regardless of their relevance.
There are more recent developments with our fine president like the Cyberact , bailing out Padaca with his own money and the MILF peace pact. I just find this particular event provides insight that he truly views himself as exemplary and even a higher life form. I have been subject to the Noynoy Aquino rhetoric for three years now and I have come to the conclusion how he justifies what I believe to be delusions of grandeur. Some of you might buy BSA III at face value and that is your prerogative. Comparing his past , his present, his words and his actions I personally believe that he believes that the Filipino people have given him the license to do whatever he well pleases. Screw protocol and procedure yet when it suits him he will say phrases like ” impeached for dereliction of duty” when it suits him signing a Draconian law he probably did not read thoroughly but still wants to put appearance that he comprehends and approves. In the meantime concepts like due process and conflict of interest are as alien to him as Martian cooking.
Again just my point of view but Noynoy in the back of his head knows he there were several candidates back in 2010 who were infinitely more qualified to lead than he was. Many wanted to debate him and Noynoy either refused them or he belittled them. Too bad not many questioned his qualifications but to those that did all he could answer was destiny. He never answered with anything resembling qualifications. When he was eventually elected Noynoy then pulled a Tony Soprano.. Nope he was not a bad ass yet sympathetic gangster.Tony Soprano justified previous extra marital affairs to his wife by saying she knew what she was getting when she married him.
Noynoy could have easily rationalized in his head that the voters what they were getting when they voted for him so his bad boy behavior and lack of leadership and managerial skills are actually endorsed and even encouraged by the Filipino people. So the next time you see Noynoy try to deny an accused his right to his day in court or engage in apparent conflict of interest think of Tony Soprano’s logic for cheating on his wife.
As I have said many times before our electorate in the Philippines are less than well informed. They use emotion to build an imaginary bridge between their given vote and their choice for that vote. Maybe it’s just me but that gap should be bridged with logic. But that may be asking too much. I wrote many posts on that topic but none match this classic by Rafterman.
We have the culture we have therefore we have the leaders that we have. Simple as that. Garbage in garbage out. Our voters relate to Erap, FPJ and Noynoy and we wonder why we are Asia’s basket case.
The best-laid plans can be derailed when rules change and when decisions are based on whims, sometimes to serve the interests of a few. This is what we have tried to change since we took over office; this is the rationale behind our agenda of integrity-based governance.”-
Yes BS Aquino said that. Take your pick what act of his contradicts everything he said here whether it be his primary or secondary choice of CJ or him circumventing Secretary Albert del Rosario . Most recently it was reported that Noynoy used his personal funds to bail out Grace Padaca. Though give him credit, I thought that money was earmarked for video games specially with the Wii U coming out next month. Maybe I live on a different planet but Noynoy personally handling the bail of a Comelec official dissolves any objectivity Ms. Padaca will need to handle Noynoy’s Liberal party along with the other candidates in May of 2013. We have all seen how Noynoy a sitting president goes out of his way for his Liberal candidates. The case can be made these acts of BS Aquino are whims and self serving.
“We believe that a level playing field in essence, a just society, built upon institutions that are fortified by the people’s trust is the foundation of sustainable growth”
So he believes in a level playing field. Not sure why he did not give Renato Corona a level playing field? Maybe Noynoy was scared that he could not convict him under normal circumstances? Noynoy talks about being fortified by the people’s trust. Yet he signed a bill that proves he does not trust the people. Does he think it’s a one way deal? By all accounts the libel portion of the Cybercrime Law to use a sports term, slipped by the goalie . It was not the product of years pain staking detail and craftsmanship. Rather somebody up there tried to pull a fast one. Since it was signed by BS Aquino that only leaves us two choices: 1) He did not know what he was signing which speaks to his attention to detail, and his tendency to give into whims or 2) He is the one who pulled the fast one which speaks to his level of disclosure to his fellow law makers and his constituents. Presidential mouth piece Edwin Lacierda kind of back tracked saying the passed law could use revisions . Which begs the question about any emerging technology , why not pattern your legal framework from governments in first world countries who are more advanced that we are?
Not sure why we would have a better handle on cyberlaw than they do unless our cyberlaw is aiming for something different than what other countries are aiming for in their cyberlaws. I wrote this three years ago in reaction to a list of countries that restrict Internet access to their citizens. The list is not exactly populated by countries known for their human rights benevolence. If RA 10175 indeed makes us even one iota politically closer to the countries listed there what does that say about our nation’s leaders?
Finally, I would like to close my analysis on President Noynoy Aquino’s view of himself and his administration juxtaposed with the reality by borrowing from the world of human resources. Syracuse University’s HR Department describes the role of self assessment as ” To encourage an interactive dialogue between the staff member and his/her supervisor during the performance review meeting.” For somebody to take your words and compare them to what you have done. There is a word that describes that. That term is “life”. Noynoy looks at himself like George Patton or Moses. Based on what he says compared to what he has done his whole life up to now I am reminded of a character that was introduced to me in English class. Walter Mitty.
Noynoy famously said that the Filipino are his boss. Yet I doubt we will ever be given the forum to assess his job the way many of us are assessed in real life with our own work. You have Noynoy’s own words how he views what he has done. I trust you can seek out what he actually did. The wider the gap between the two, the more you should be concerned. If the gap between the two is appreciable, there is a word for that. Yet the government is more concerned about ordinary citizens and their potential to commit libel online.
Putting a very sharp needle into the balloon known as Pinoy Pride since 2012.
One post script to this that I forgot to include. Noynoy attending and speaking at the Integrity Summit in Makati. Details here .
http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/4481-aquino-sets-high-benchmark-for-successor-in-2016-polls
Noynoy at the Integrity Summit is the same as me at a Justin Bieber Summit.
I’ve only recently begun visiting this forum but it seems the main thrust of most posters is to attack the executive branch (Pres. Aquino; et al). I’m not necessarily arguing against you but it’s erroneous to believe that all good and/or bad comes from the top. In my experience the most corrupt and worst offenders are at and below the Provincial level. Additionally, the Executive branch is only one of three. Most of the power lies with the Congress yet I see little criticism of Senators or Congressmen.
If it’s okay for the top dog to do this and that, then it’s also okay for the small guys to do the same things.
And GRP isn’t an Aquino-exclusive blog.
Thank you T4Man for reading exploring GRP. I can only speak for me but you bring up great points. Things I write about as well as I suspect some of other authors speak about the nature of politics and the nature of culture. I try to take a step back and see things in some sort of context. As for the breadth of offenders, that is true there is enough blame to go around. I find myself being Manila centric. But if you read my piece ” Philippines are you entertained ?” You will see I suggest that the President controls the Senators and Congressmen. Thanks for reading.
@T4Man
Try to evaluate how Pres. Noynoy doing as the President of the country. I have been following GRP everyday and i find their ideas insightful. Just the real thing.
@ Gogs
The hit TV series “The Sopranos” was my favorite. The character played by award winning actor James Gandolfino, as Tony Soprano was that of a dysfunctional married man seeing a psychiatrist every week, he was a leader of a local Mafia engaged in murders, racketeering and protection, illegal drugs and alcohol distribution etc.
@ Gogs, “blogging” is a very serious business. If your claim that Noynoy, in the performance of his executive duties as President of the PH draws any commonality with what the character “Tony Soprano” had done, I want you to present your evidence here on this thread. Until you do that, GRP should not allow you to express your views on this site for your irresponsible jounalism.
You seem to be confusing blogging with “journalism”. Blogging involves the expression of one’s opinion and subjecting it to commentary. So if you feel Noynoy has been portrayed unfairly in the above article, then fulfilling your role as a commenter in this site, cite specfic reasons why you do and cite specific instances in the aforementioned article around which you make said assertions.
@ benignO
It’s a shame that you are confused about the profession that you chose to do. Blogging is an evolved or developing discipline within the profession of journalism. The difference between the two disciplines is the speed.
@ benignO, are you sure this is the profession that fits your skill set?
Nah. I’m not confused. I choose to define blogging by MY terms here. Deal with it.
I love how you can come here and define what everybody does. Oh yeah That’s exactly what I talk about with our President telling Congress what to do in the impeachment trial and paying bail for someone excused and defining innocence and guilt not letting the system do it. I see a parallel there. Not changing my style for you LA702. Thanks for reading.
LA702,
Someone in the public eye is vulnerable to having their behavior called out and analyzed. Just as you can yell into your TV screen to a point guard or quarterback “WHAT WAS HE THINKING?” , our public officials are no different. I took specific behavior and words from a real person that may be puzzling to some. I supported it with online facts and interpretations of those specifc instances. I speculated on the mindset of that real person and remembered a specific line and a specific scene from the Sopranos where Tony justifies to Carmela his behavior. I did not specify any scenes where he whacks the guy in witness protection or any of the gang war episodes. That tinge of real family life is why the show resonated to many. Not just the realistic gritty violence. Forget you ever saw the show and read that part again. I am just making an analogy to explain behavior that some people shake their heads at.
I have used that tool of taking fiction characters to explain my interpretation of the real world many times in my writing. I am not alone in doing that. If the analogies don’t work for you fine. It’s an opinion website not a news site. In the title of this piece I use the word “may ” because I am suggesting. Suggesting means to me that I am not 100% sure but hear me out. Again this being a free country you don’t have to hear me out nor agree with me. If I can make you or some others think about it for a minute or two then I will be content with that.
@ Gogs
You’re fictional analogies are way off target my friend. You might want to do the movies where everything is make believe. Politics may be too much for you.
correction:
“Your” fictional analogies are way off target my friend.
like I said that’s your choice if you don’t buy it. If my style doesn’t work for you at least you read it once.
Clearly you are stupid, LA702, which means you’re also probably a fan of this Homer Simpson figure that managed to get elected because his mother died. What Gogs means is really simple – so simple that maybe even Lito Lapid could understand even if you cannot – because when Tony made his marriage vows he had no intention of keeping them. In the same way, when faux-Homer made his vow to the Philippine people he really didn’t mean it because Uncle Peping and that vile clan whose wealth comes from the windfall gain of a glorified prostitute are his real masters. Do you understand now or do you want to call up Lito Lapid and ask him to explain it to you?
Mr. Parkes I thank you for taking the basic thrust of my point so hopefully the person you were addressing can digest it. Hope springs eternal. I also am wondering if you will cutting into the good senator’s tee time. Is that libel?
@ Gogs
It’s good you have found an equally stupid apologist in Matthew Parkes whose faux argument is as dumb as yours.
LA702,
Thanks for reading. I hope you can find another writer who deserves your accolades. I will just drown my sorrows in a Justin Beiber marathon and maybe ask benign0 to delete my blog post since it does not agree with your sensitivities. God Bless you, God Bless your children and your children’s children.
Looking back, if FPJ won then you’d probably have PdC running for re-election in ’10. Where he’d match up against Noynoy, I have no idea.
Padaca is on trial…she was bailed out, and become COMELEC Chief. Aquino sold the country. There is now a Sate within the State, like Lebanon….soon we will be partitioned…
Thanks for the special mention! Well written article but I beg to differ. Tony Soprano has accomplishments, he got to where he is because of his own cunning and he is no fool. If Noynoy Aquino was a Mafia ringleader, his entire family would have ended up captured up by the FBI and sent to prison for life.
Brings a smile to my face that you even read it. Of course I just meant that moment of rationalization that all of us use to go beyond that point of no return. Whether its breaking our diet or not studying or not exercising or being unfaithful or simply not doing what we are supposed to do. Soprano told Carmella in so many words This is who he was , a cheat and a mobster. In fact Tony I think was a lieutenant of Carmela’s dad. Noynoy on the other hand is truly good for nothing and to this day is using the election results of 2010 as a get out of jail free card. Well the voters knew what they were getting so I will just be blatant in conflict of interest and ignoring due process and any semblance of good governance.
I just used Tony Soprano and a specific scene to try to define the mindset. Which again applies to the whole big picture. You can’t use chicken **** as input and expect chicken salad to be the output. Some of us who were readers of AP and other sites back during election time knew this. It’s a simple law really . Like a sewer. You get out of it what you put into it.
Thank you.
How about this? Just like an accepted marriage proposal, wedding ring, wedding ceremony , wedding vovs, big reception does not automatically make someone a faithful, loyal husband. By the same token. Public vote from a Wowowee Idiocracy
and an inaguration and the title of president does not automatically make one a competent president.
What a sigh of relief though that Tony Soprano is not real. If he were, he would “invite” you to come over to Big Pussy’s body shop to show you “how the tools work”. No one wants to be compared to Noynoy Aquino in any way shape or form.
Kidding aside, you are right in that context.
Every human being has flaws. Every leader has flaws. But leaders have good points that make up for their flaws. I have no idea what those good attributes that Noynoy might possess that make up for his impulsiveness and vindictiveness. His disregard for procedure. Ever since Sept 2009 I have documented in my personal blog how he campaigned and trying to understand the fanaticism that he inspires. Every self help book that is out there does not describe Noynoy Aquino. His girlfriends/ dates are just arm candy. That’s my belief. There is big dropoff in what the press portrays him as and what he really is. The guy is all icing and no cake.
The character also describes leaders in various advanced economies.
I LOVE THIS FORUM, I just love how you guys argue it’s like watching a debate online. But real talk now, i really like the point of view of the writer of this. Though I’m still 14 right now. I already try to understand what harm Presidents can bring us. Philippines is like in the Dark Age still we are not united and we are mentally partitioned.