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. Lalabanan natin ang kahirapan. Lalabanan natin ang mga kawatan. Lalabanan natin ang sino mang wawasak sa kalikasan. Lalabanan natin ang sino mang manggugulo sa ating kapayapaan at katahimikan.

Ang laban natin ay laban ng bayan.

Sa ngalan ng aking mga magulang at sa gabay ng diyos, gagawin ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya na pagsilbihan ang mahal nating Inang Bayan. Bilang tunay na sagot sa kahirapan at tunay na daan sa kaunlaran, ang inyong lingkod Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino the Third, isang mamamayang Pilipino, nangangako sa Diyos at sa Bayan — Hindi ako mag-nanakaw.

Powerful stuff, really.

I have to congratulate the planning and production team behind this ad. You’ve just proven to everyone that it is possible to create a campaign ad that does not involve any dancing or singing and makes use of no overly dramatic images depicting squalor, despair and hope. Additional points as well for not including shots of mindless people carrying torches. Special mention goes to the scriptwriter. You sure can write compelling copy. I sincerely admire you for skillfully filling up a tight running time of one-minute with very powerful words. And, of course, Senator Aquino. You deserve much praise for your unusually impressive delivery and presence here. All in all, you all did a great job and I think this ad deserves an award for brilliant simplicity.

With that said, let’s now put on our serious-voter’s hat.

I think this ad is unprecedented. Here we have a politician coming out with an unequivocal promise that he will not steal. Noynoy may not be the first to come out with such a pronouncement in a TV ad but I’m pretty certain he is the first one to say it in such a simple and direct-to-the-point manner.

Hindi ako mag-nanakaw.

Truly powerful. Unfortunately, there’s a problem and it is this.

Noynoy, Hindi Ka Nag-Iisa.

Yes, indeed, that’s the problem, dear Senator. You really are not alone in laying claim to this anti-corruption branding. The fact is all politicians claim they are against corruption. Even Jun Lozada and Jose de Venecia III. Oh, I forgot, you think you stand out in this aspect because of your Sincerity, Honesty, Integrity and Transparency. Sorry to burst your bubble but that’s all in your head.

Hindi Ka Talaga Nag-Iisa. Pramis.

Speaking of promises. The good senator made really good use of the very limited running time by mouthing off a number of promises all said within the context of that nebulous Aquino concept of Laban.

Again, with our thinking-voter’s hat still on, let’s see if there is any value here. Hmmm. Hmmm.

Sorry, there is none. Want proof? Check out this utakngtilapia.com exclusive interview.

Huh? Laban? Asan? Asan ang laban?

For the truly hopelessly yellow, the message here is that Noynoy’s Laban is clear only to himself. Or maybe not. Sure he may have a general grasp of what Filipinos need but that’s nothing if he can’t even inform us how exactly he will pursue and achieve his promises. Let’s refer back to his campaign ad script.

Lalaban tayo para sa wastong edukasyon ng bawat batang Pilipino = How exactly?

Lalaban tayo para sa abot-kayang serbisyong pangkalusugan = How exactly?

Lalabanan natin ang kahirapan = How exactly?

Lalabanan natin ang mga kawatan = How exactly?

Lalabanan natin ang sino mang wawasak sa kalikasan = How exactly?

Lalabanan natin ang sino mang manggugulo sa ating kapayapaan at katahimikan = How exactly?

So you see dear reader, not even this potentially award-winning ad can erase the sad fact that to this day Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has failed to properly communicate to us the substance of his candidacy. You’ve probably heard about his failure to attend the forum organized by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation. I don’t know but it seems to me this is becoming a habit for Noynoy. Not good.

By the way, I realize that Noynoy may actually be telling us the truth when he said, “Hindi ako mag-nanakaw.” Who knows maybe he does have the will to actually keep himself clean while in office. The question is what about the people around him? Does he have the ability or guts to stand up to sycophants, influence peddlers and their mothers?

We’ll look into that later. In the meantime, here’s something for those who need to rid themselves of the hypnotic effect of Noynoy’s latest campaign ad.

(note: Writing about the (mis)adventures of Noynoy is getting tiresome. Unfortunately, someone has to do it since Noynoy’s handlers and supporters are not inclined to push their idol to do better.)

Here is a direct message from him on twitter:

bluevill Pls read my tweet to momblogger. Debate Sat. at La Salle Zobel cont…

My sincerest apologies.

I am still trying to confirm if Noynoy has changed his mind about coming to the Romulo debate from the organizers.  So far, Noynoy’s camp hasn’t indicated that their candidate has changed his mind.

Late last night I started twittering that it was rather odd that most Noynoy Aquino supporters were deafeningly silent about the fact that their idol/candidate was not going to the Carlos Romulo Foundation Presidential Policy debate.

I gave this post twitter love with mentions to @blogwatch, @momblogger, @carlosceldran, @motwister, and @mojojojo899 just to get the attention of Noynoy’s supporters.

Eventually, @bluevill twittered that Noynoy Aquino would be at a sortie somewhere in Northern Luzon but nevertheless, would go the to debate.

Here’s the screen cap of that twitter from @bluevill:

http://twitter.com/bluevill, apparently a supporter of Noynoy Aquino, says that his candidate will be coming to the Romulo debate on Jan 14

This is a good thing, if true.

According to the announcement I got from a friend, the organizers of the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation for Peace and Development debate got word that Noynoy Aquino would not be attending the debate scheduled on January 14.

Here’s the portion of that announcement:

Sen. Richard Gordon, Sen. Manuel Villar and former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro will participate in the two-hour forum. Two other candidates – former President Joseph Estrada and Sen. Benigno Aquino III – were invited to join the discussion as early as October last year, but they declined.

Now, we should note that perhaps this is the first time that Manny Villar will be engaging in a debate.  He was thoroughly dissed for begging off from previous debates and perhaps his handlers think that it is hurting his campaign to shy away from debates.

I am actually looking forward to hear Villar talk about what he’d do about Maguindanao and how to bring peace to Mindanao.  About a year ago, according to a friend from Zamboanga who heard him give a short interview there, Villar wanted to bomb the heck out of provinces where muslim rebels were the most active.  Perhaps my friend was exaggerating, but the point is, it would be a great opportunity for him to clarify his position on the matter.

Anyway, going back to the comment that I wanted to respond to….

Mr. Evelio B. Obeso wrote:

Hindi pa huli kung sasali si Noynoy. Magpakalalake naman sya.

Kung totoong para sa kabutihan ng sambayanang Pilipino ang pagtakbo nya eh dapat malaman natin ang kanyang posisyon sa mga issues sa debate.  Dito natin malalaman sa forum na (i)to kung mey kakayahan ba sya.

Eh baka sa economic issues di nya kayang magdecision at kung saan sya papanig.

Halimbawa anong pipiliin nya, murang patatas galing China o ang mahal na patatas galing Baguio?

Simpleng tanong lang po eto..Dito natin masusubok kung makabayan nga cya. Please Mr.President-to-be umatend ka na.

Here’s my response:

Dapat talaga laging sumasali ng debate ang lahat ng tatakbo bilang Presidente para madinig natin mismo sa kanila kung ano ba talaga ang plano nila para sa bansa natin.

Bagamat lagi kong binabatikos ko si Noynoy, naniniwala ako na malaki ang chance na manalo siya.  Kaya kung may pag-galang talaga siya sa atin, dapat siputin niya ang debate.

Hindi naman sa panlalait kay Noynoy, pero dun sa ANC Harapan medyo malabo ang mga sagot niya — lalo na dun sa tanong na kung ano ba ang gagawin niya sa first 100 days.

Kung sisipot siya sa debate, baka maipaliwanag niya ng mas mabuti ang mga sinabi niya.

Heto iyong transcript ng sagot niya na siningitan ko ng mga puna ko:

Noynoy Aquino:

1. Halos nagkakapareho ang dapat gawin at kung paano gagawin,

Baka hindi nakinig sa sagot ni Perlas, Gordon, at Villanueva.  Magkakaiba ang sagot nila.

2. ang problema wala pang nagsasabi kung nasaan ang pambayad ng lahat ng ito.

Sabi ni Gordon, kukunin ang pambayad sa hihingiin na debt moratorium.  Pero, mahirap yatang gawin ito at kelangan ipaliwanag pa ni Gordon kung paano magagawa ito.  Kelan lang, sinabi ng Dubai na titigil muna ito sa pagbayad ng mga utang nito at nayanig ang mga malalaking ekonomiya.  Malaking epekto kasi kapag tumigil ang daloy ng pagbabayad sa utang.

Gayun pa man, may punto nga si Noynoy, saan kukunin ang pera? Tignan natin kung masasagot niya.

3. Itong taon na ito, mayruon tayong 300 Billion deficit, next year 270.  Ang gaganda naman ng mga programa pero paano natin popondohan.

Magaling, atleast alam ni Noynoy talaga kung magkano ang magiging kakulangan sa budget ng Pilipinas. Okay, paano ba re-resolbahin ang deficit?

4. Sa amin, sa first 100 days, pareho rin naman kung tutuusin. Job generation, bigyan ng kakayahan ang tatay pakainin, patrabahuin, paaralin, kalusugan, ang kanyang mga anak. Iyong health papasok tayo, yung pangalawa health susunod…

Okay, senator, paano mo gagawin ang job generation eh may deficit nga diba? paano mo popondohan?  Sa health, ganun din?

5. Pero tuloy ang judicial reform.  Hindi ho tayo seseryosohin kung sasabihin natin na lalabanan natin ang graft and corruption.

Ang isang sagot sa judicial reform na hahantong sa mas mabilis na paglilitis ng kaso ng graft and corruption ay ang pagtatalaga ng karagdagang mga prosecutor at huwes.  Dahil nga may deficit senator Noynoy, paano mo popondohan ito?

6. 12 percent ang tax efficiency rate tapos ang nangyayari pa diyan eh walang hindi ginagamit ang poder ng BIR ng customs para mahinto ang smuggling.  Para mahuli ang nag-evade ng taxes na iyan.

Ah, so itataas mo ang tax efficiency rate.

Alam mo ba senator na ang pinakamalaking tax evaders eh ang mga dambuhalang mga negosyo?  Ang katotohanan po senator, ang middle class po ang nagbabayad ng taxes at ang mahihirap ang nakikinabang. Iyang mga mayayaman, gaya po ninyo, sitting pretty na lang habang kina-karyoka ng mga CPA ang mga libro ng kumpanya.

Kapag smuggling ang pinag-usapan, naalala niyo ba na isa sa pinaka-malakas na smuggler ng agricultural products iyong kasamahan niyong mala-kuweba ang ilong?  Siyempre, hindi iyan aaminin.

7. Kelangan masigurado ang judiciary, kapag may ginawa kang kasalanan may tiyak kang kaparusahan. Tapos, imbentaryuhin natin ang lahat ng detalye ng lahat ng problema…

Nasabi niyo na po na iyang judiciary ah, baka nagkamali ka ng balasa ng cue cards mo.

Iimbentaryuhin pa lang?  Hindi ba masinsin mong pinag-aralan ang budget ng pamahalaan? Dun pa lang, makikita mo na kung ano talaga ang problema.  Kunsultahin mo sana si Mar Roxas, may sinabi siya tungkol sa “Incrementalism” at patok na patok iyong sinabi niya.

8. Maganda po iyong gagawa tayo ng infrastructure.

Iyong iminumungkahi ngayon sa aming initial budget deliberations, wala hong binabanggit for instance sa Southern Tagalog Region na magkakaruon ng highway.  Alam naman po natin kung gaano kakitid ang papunta dun.. ang produktong binabagsak sa Batangas papunta ng Maynila ay hirap na hirap na pagtra-traverse nung mga karsadang napaka-primitibo.

Imbentaryo specifically kung anong infrastructure.  Hindi ito iyong binibigay na nowhere to nowhere connecting roads, o iyong mga ro-ro ports na gawa na pero wala namang dumadaong.

Okay, sir, maganda at nasabi niyo iyang infrastructure na iyan.  Actually, maraming naka-pilang plano para sa infrastructure po at nakasaad po lahat iyan sa GAA.  Bilang senador po, pwede niyo pong i-request sa DPWH ang listahan ng lahat ng kalye, tulay, at kung ano ano pa.  Kung magagawa niyo ang lahat ng pag-aaral na iyan bago kayo maupo, mabuti kasi six years is a short time lang po. Baka abutin po tayo ng siyam-siyam uli bago niyo matapos ang imbentaryo at tsaka pa lang kayo gagawa ng plano — iba pa iyong pagpapatupad nito.

9. Pero ang dulo po niyan, nung nakuha na natin ang pera, nagpakita tayo ng kasersyosohan sa pagpapatupad ng ating mga batas..

Hah? Pakiulit po?

10. Bibigyan natin ang lahat ng oportunidad ang ating mga negosyo po, mga dayuhan at lokal ay may patag na pinaglalabanan kung saan mangingibabaw iyong pinakamagaling at pinaka-efficient.

Ibig po niyong sabihin eh hindi papabayaan niyong malugi ang mga negosyo na hindi episyente?

Alam po ninyo, ang pinaka-hindi episyente na negosyo ay ung may kinalaman sa agricultural production, tulad ng pagpapalaki ng palaya at tubo.  Ibig po niyo bang sabihin eh hahayaan na nating mamatay ang agrikultura natin kasi mas epsiyente pang mag-angkat na lang ng bigas at asukal?

11.  Sa ganuong paraan ho, sa unang hundred days nga ho, matapos makuha iyong gastos, iyong imbentaryo,nanduon na po ang konkreto at detalyadong plano sa mga motherhood statements na parepareho naming sinasabi ngayong gabi.

So, Mr. Senator, mawalang galang na po, ibig po niyo bang sabihin eh kapag naupo na kayo bilang Presidente eh dun po pa lang niyo pag-aaralan ang dapat gawin para sa bansa natin?

Sa pagkakasabi po ninyo dito, Senator, parang inamin niyo nga na puro motherhood statements po ang nakasaad sa inyong Social Contract.

(Psst! Senator Noy, nadinig ko si Villanueva na bumubulong, sabi niya “Speak for yourself. Ako nga eh, may Executive Order na naiisip. Ikaw wala, belat!)