Better Philippines

Survey Drop Due To Unholy Alliance?

Misplaced pride is clearly Senator Noynoy Aquino’s sin. A few glaring things bear this out. First of all, just like former President Joseph Estrada, he can’t admit to himself that he doesn’t have what it takes to lead a Third World country in dire need of progress. An underachiever in Congress, Aquino hardly qualifies as the person fit to lead millions of people to a better life.

But that is not the most damning evidence of Noynoy’s misplaced pride. With the latest surveys showing a reduction in his popularity rating, the senator now finds himself facing the reality that people’s perceptions can change. However, being the proud son-of-Ninoy-and-Cory that he is, the senator simply dismisses that even though it is a likely explanation for his ratings drop. Noynoy attributes it instead to his closest rival’s supposed advantages.

(excerpt from inquirer.net report) “I am not surprised with this turn of events,” said Aquino, reading a prepared statement at a press conference Wednesday. “First, our opponents have had a long head start in this campaign. And while I diligently perform my functions as a legislator, the others are practically campaigning fulltime, neglecting their mandate with those, who entrusted them with their votes,” he said. Aquino also criticized Villar’s “unprecedented and sustained ad spending in all forms of media and the unrelenting and increasingly below-the-belt and baseless black propaganda” against him.

In fairness to Noynoy, the moneyed Villar did start his campaign earlier. There’s also no denying that the former senate president is armed with a seemingly unlimited supply of advertising funds. However, it also cannot be denied that as an excuse this is as flimsy as it can get.

Villar did start campaigning earlier because, unlike Noynoy, Villar knew what he wanted and had the guts to take action. Of course, Noynoy and his supporters could say that he never craved power and was even reluctant to run for president. That’s just good old media spin. The truth is Aquino was never reluctant. Show me a reluctant opportunist and I’d believe that.

The problem with Noynoy is he now believes his own press releases. His overestimation of his qualities has blinded him to the reality that he is not impressive at all and people are beginning to take note of that. Attributing the fluctuations in his survey ratings to the imagined maneuvering of other candidates simply shows an apparent inability to consider his own shortcomings.

True to form, Noynoy even goes as far as dragging the Arroyo administration in his blame game.

(excerpt from gmanews.tv report) The Arroyo administration and the camp of Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. are forming an “unholy alliance” for the May 10 elections, Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III insinuated Wednesday. Aquino made the statement after Pulse Asia released its latest survey results showing a further drop in Aquino’s ratings while Villar continues to inch closer to him despite the controversy hounding him in connection with the C5 road extension project.

I sure hope the good senator or any of his handlers would be mature enough to accept that perhaps the threat to the Aquino campaign is internal not external. And, if I may suggest, presenting a genuine platform might help Noynoy regain lost ground and destroy the perception that he doesn’t have a clue how he will lead this nation. I’m not counting on it though.

I hope I’m wrong but it seems Noynoy’s only interest is his “winnability.”

(quote lifted from gmanews.tv report) “What should not escape all of us is that I still lead the surveys—from the time I declared my candidacy to this day.

Yes, Please Resign

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago continues to be a wellspring of quotable quotes. Yesterday she dished out yet another one that I find really interesting. She said:

“Eh kasi nakakainis eh… Eh…insultuhan ng insultuhan tungkol sa bagay pampulitika at kokonti na lang panahon namin…”

“Lahat na kami mag-resign kung ganyan rin lang palang mag-away away kami at wala naman na kaming silbi sa taongbayan… eh bakit pa kami mag-di-display ng aming bad manners and bad conduct.”

(Roughly translated)

“It’s frustrating. All we do is trade insults over politics considering we are running out of time…”

“We should just resign if all we’re going to do is fight with each other and we no longer have any use to the public. Why should we display our bad manners and bad conduct.”

Santiago made this statement after walking out of yesterday’s Senate session wherein she lambasted her colleagues for their conduct the day before.

If you’re the sort of citizen who demands quality service from your leaders you’re probably dismayed as well with what went on during last Monday’s discussion on the committee report on Senator Manny Villar’s case. I think it was like watching spoiled children fighting.

I don’t have much to say about Villar’s case except that I find it highly questionable that the former senate president would refuse to exercise his right to face his accusers.

Anyway, going back to Santiago’s statement which inspired this post, I can’t say I disagree with her idea that if the Senate will just focus on politics and childish bickering it would be best for all the senators to just resign. Maybe it’s time we start considering the possibility of abolishing the Senate.

A commenter identified as Dr. Jose Rizal II left this insightful observation on Manolo Quezon III’s blogpost titled “Leaders and Managers.”

The biggest clincher really, Manolo, is that the Philippine Senate, being nationally-elected, DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY CONSTITUENCIES, unlike the US Senate whose constituencies are the various States. Because of this, the Senators do not really answer to anyone. Unlike in the USA where Senators answer to the States each of them represent, and constantly receive a barrage of letters from people in their respective states pleading different causes and issues, the Philippine Senate has Senators who, practically speaking, answer to no one.

It is no wonder, thus, that the Philippine Senate doesn’t really have much to do so that some of their members – one of whom is Noynoy – don’t really do any real legislation work, even if by definition, being a Senator means being a lawmaker.

Instead, such Senatorial slackers look for other “more interesting” things to do such as “questioning what the President does” (referred to by Filipinos as “fiscalizing” – a word which does not exist in the English language) and worse, are constantly in the look out for SCANDALS that have more to do with the lives of showbiz celebrities than with the National Interest. Scandals like the Senate Inquiry on the Brunei Beauties long ago as well as the recent Hayden Kho Sex Video Scandal come to mind.

You can read the full comment here.  And, here’s the video of Senator Santiago saying her quotable quote.

Excessive Fees Bad For Business

The beginning of the year signals the start of the business renewal season. At the various city and municipal halls, business owners are now scrambling to beat the deadline to avoid penalties.

The process for the renewal of business permits is as follows:
1. Compilation of business and other documents (old mayor’s permit, declaration of sales, tax documents, official receipts of payments etc.)

2. Presentation of documents for evaluation and assessment

3. Payment of official fees (city tax, garbage fee, sanitary fee etc.)

4. [...] Continue Reading…

Adding More Substance To Political Ads

I have a theory. The election campaigns of our presidential candidates are all run by one and the same group of people.

I say this because political advertisements being aired and published now are all basically saying the same things. There’s really not much difference among them. In my observation, here are some of the most glaring similarities insofar as TV ads are concerned:
1. the ads communicate the message that their candidate is a saviour of some sort
2. visual elements [...] Continue Reading…

A Commenter’s Appeal To All Voters

I got a rather long but very helpful comment from a certain “Sony.” I’ve decided to give it it’s own space. Here it is.

Submitted on 2010/01/15 at 7:47pm
Dear Friends,

Election time is here again. Many of you will shrug this off as another of those futile exercise that we as a dysfunctional nation go through.

Let me tell you, THIS TIME IT IS DIFFERENT. IF we make it so. Why?

1. This is the FIRST TIME THAT IT IS AUTOMATED: COMPLETE WITH [...] Continue Reading…

Hindi Ako Mag-Nanakaw, Pramis

I have just seen the latest TV ad of Senator Noynoy Aquino and I must say it’s a good one. Here it is from YouTube.

And for those who want to really savor the lines, here they are lovingly transcribed by yours truly.
Minamahal kong kababayan,

Tadhana ang nagbuklod sa atin dahil naghihingalo na ang ating bayan, Nais kong pumasok sa isang kasunduan sa inyo. Lalaban tayo para sa wastong edukasyon ng bawat batang Pilipino. Lalaban tayo para sa abot-kayang serbisyong pangkalusugan. [...] Continue Reading…

Beware of Opportunists Among Mainstream Political Pundits

The sycophants have all come out of the woodwork. And, they’re not shy.

Before we go any further let’s agree first on what a sycophant is. Wiktionary gives us the following definitions:

In case you haven’t noticed, a number of mainstream political pundits have now established themselves as promoters and defenders of Senator Noynoy Aquino. I think some of them sincerely believe Noynoy is the one. It’s either that or they’re just Yellow Fever junkies. Anyway, this post is not about [...] Continue Reading…

Hacking The Automated Election System

With the elections just a few months away, some attention is now being given to the Comelec’s Poll Automation system. Judging from the press it’s been getting, the project is still on rather shaky ground perception-wise. The commission will have to step up its information campaign if only to ensure that the public will have sufficient understanding of the system.

One of the problems I am seeing right now with regard to automation is a lack of clarity on what [...] Continue Reading…

Narrow-minded much?

Here’s a photo being circulated through Twitter. It shows Senator Noynoy Aquino with some students who appear to be supporters of Senator Manny Villar. (Funny how people’s political affiliations are now all color coded.)

Well, as can be expected Noynoy’s followers are jumping on the opportunity to turn this into another viral crap.

Good thing there are still those who can see through the spin.

Come to think of it maybe this picture  is really about Noynoy crossing over to the Villar [...] Continue Reading…

Villar and Victim Mentality

Senator Manny Villar is making a big deal out of his much-vaunted humble beginnings. Through his latest campaign jingle, this country’s wealthiest lawmaker hopes to cement his hold on the pro-poor branding. Check out the lyrics of that jingle.
Naging Mahirap

Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura?
Nag-Pasko ka na ba sa gitna ng kalsada?
Yan ang tanong namin,
Tunay ka bang isa sa amin?

Nalaman mo na bang mapapag-aral ka nya?
Tutulungan tayo para magka-trabaho?
At kanyang plano’y magka-bahay tayo?

Si Villar ang tunay na [...] Continue Reading…