I was actually planning on joining Pinoy Buzz but I had to beg off because of a prior commitment. I wanted to find out from the senator himself if he really suggested making mathematics an elective subject. Pinoy Buzz was kind enough to ask the senator on my behalf. Here’s that part of the interview:

First off, I’d like to say that I kinda like Chiz better when he speaks like this. It’s more natural and candid compared to his usual style. It’s also less insulting when he uses fewer motherhood statements. To the senator’s handlers and rabid supporters, hayan ah constructive criticism yan for your idol.

Anyway, if you listened carefully to the senator he is now claiming that he is really not against mathematics at all. He says he was just proposing that the review of the country’s curriculum be done more frequently and for subjects to be made more relevant.

I totally support the senator on this. However, I still disagree with his proposal to make mathematic subjects elective. Considering the almost natural aversion of students to anything mathematical, giving them the right to choose is almost a guarrantee that no student will ever take those subjects.  Unfortunately, Escudero didn’t really clarify this in that interview.

Now I’d like to show you a screenshot of the senator’s website. Please take note of the posted article about this particular proposal of his.

I’m posting this here so that everyone will know that he really proposed making math an elective subject. You may have heard in that youtube clip his claim that he was just misquoted on this whole mathematics issue.

On another matter… I appreciate Escudero’s idea of presenting a platform patterned after the format of the National Budget. I only hope the senator would release his platform immediately so that we can all start scrutinizing it. Come to think of it if the Senator really cares so much for this country he should present his platform whether or not he decides to push through with his presidential bid. If his platform is really any good he shouldn’t be selfish about it. Instead he should even let other politicians or incumbent officials take a crack at implementing it. Idea sharing baga. Para naman sa bayan eh.

Btw, I also think there’s merit in Escudero’s  idea of appropriating the profits of PAGCOR for education.

Now, I hope the senator’s rabid fans will now see that those of us who have been dissing him all this time are not really against him per se. We’re just doing what we do to get him and the other candidates to start talking about their plans for the country.

You can view the full interview of the senator over at YouTube. It’s divided in about 18 parts. Start with this link here. Just ignore the juvenile questions like the one about superheroes.

Senator Chiz Escudero’s proposals to trim down standard school requirements, like say, make geometry an elective course in high school, will keep Juan a dull boy. Not only are today’s Filipino youth shortchanged on quality of education, they’re going to be scrimped on quantity as well if Escudero had his way.

I won’t go into what the senator was thinking. Anyone with half a brain could tell that the further dumbing down of a nation serves no good purpose. Without mincing words on this piece, I’d say his was a really stupid idea. So I ask those who still buy into the eloquent senator’s pandering: You skipped the thinking part again, didn’t you? Tsk, tsk, tsk. It happens all the time, unfortunately.

Many of us have lived here long enough to know that there is a Filipino tendency to skip the thinking part and still expect to get from A to B anyway. Let’s look at a few examples how Filipinos self-sabotage themselves with this tendency.

First, there’s our long held big basket of superstitious beliefs. “Don’t do A because you might get B.” “Huwag mo titigan ang bata, baka ma-usog.” “Huwag kang umalis habang may kumakain pa, baka ka madisgrasya.” Never mind that there’s no logical explanation how B happens because of A. For you to believe, you’ll have to skip the thinking part. And why not? The superstitious always tells us “Wala namang mawawala sa iyo kung sumunod ka.”

Second, there’s the Pinoy brand of wishful thinking: Bahala Na. Quite a lot of us Filipinos make certain decisions hoping for desirable results without preparing adequately for the consequences of our actions or following through to get what we want. We’re so used to uncalculated risk-taking, from spending money we haven’t even earned, to bearing six children in a row while combined family income stays the same in those six years, to voting for a politician that we didn’t bother to adequately scrutinize. What could possibly go wrong? God won’t disappoint us, right? Funny how we leave so much to chance and call it God’s will. We skip the thinking part when we decide to limit the variables we personally control.

Also worth mentioning is the Pinoy’s propensity to believe in the words of demagogues, populists, and endorsers of all sorts. “If these individuals choose A, then so should we.” Riiiight. Letting someone else make your mind up for you means you’ve skipped the thinking part yet again. (And that applies to pretty much everything else, not just in picking your choice of shampoo and conditioner.) I thought Pinoys like to be empowered in a democracy. What gives?

Now you might be thinking, “If we Pinoys have managed to survive for so long skipping that part where we’re supposed to think, what is this guy’s problem?” Simple answer: The Filipino habit of skipping the thinking part keeps millions of Pinoys from taking personal responsibility for whatever harm they cause on every other one of their countrymen, and on themselves. What you do affects me, and vice versa. It’s that simple.

It’s high time every proud Pinoy thought his convictions through and actually admitted to everyone else that in a democracy what each of us does (or fails to do) affects everyone else. That’s not to say that in other forms of government our actions don’t affect our neighbors much; it’s just that in a democracy we’re far more empowered than if we were in a dictatorship, yet we goofy Filipinos repeatedly squander the opportunities we get to elect competent and morally upright leaders, to adopt a mindset that brings us all closer to progress rather than peril, to distinguish between what is real and what is false or contrived. It’s not that we never get a chance to do the right thing; when it presents itself, we tend not to take it and so we do the skip. I’d bet my pants we could do way better than we do now, just by thinking our choices through. Haven’t you noticed how easy we are to the politicians who do pretty much everything on the edge of the law? Doesn’t it p*ss you off to be treated like an idiot by these politicians? Starting today, let’s vow not to be too easy.

Or we could remain as pushovers and bounce around in the wind like tumbleweed, like we always have. Who’s tired of living like this anyway, right? Let’s just keep skipping the thinking part and then pasensyahan tayo. ‘You game?

Yes, the Chizman has lowered the bar further by choosing to exploit the memory of erstwhile presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. In a pathetic attempt to boost his masa appeal further, Escudero has resorted to using devices identified with FPJ. If you’ve been listening to AM radio lately you would have already heard the senator’s radio commercial, which features the very same campaign jingle used by FPJ back in 2004. You’d probably remember that jingle by its anthemic line “may bagong umagang parating” (a new morning is coming).

I don’t about you but to me this trend of exploitation of the dead is so low. But, I guess this is just how things go when candidates can’t come up with real substance with which voters can base their evaluation and decision.

Well, true to his usual form, Chizzy came out with a number of pandering statements during his pander-fest of a press conference at Club Filipino in San Juan earlier today. His supporters may think otherwise but one of the worst things Chizzy said today was his reason for resigning from his political party the Nationalist People’s Coalition or NPC.

“Sa aking paniniwala, sinuman pong nagpaplano tumakbo bilang pangulo ng bansa, wala dapat partidong kinabibilangan. Ang partido lamang dapat niya ay Pilipinas at ang kanyang mg kapartido ay lahat ng Pilipino,”

(I believe that anyone who plans to run for president of this country should not be allied with any political party. His only party should be the Philippines and his party mates all Filipinos.)

Since when did the Philippines become a party? Oh wait! It is one big party, a big fiesta of fools.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure Chizzy’s rabid fans will lap this up and all his other motherhood statements without even thinking. What can we expect? Dumb candidate, dumb… oh never mind.

Seriously, who is Chiz fooling? He didn’t leave the NPC because of some pseudo-altruistic/patriotic crap about not wanting to be chained to a party. Chiz left the NPC because he was not getting the support he wanted from his party of 11 years.

While I may be able to ignore Chizzy’s statement, I certainly can’t do the same with the fact that many immature, juvenile and mindless people (and I’m not just talking about his youth supporters) would actually take the whole thing as another proof that Chiz is not a traditional politician. Can’t you people see beyond the spin? Oh well.
Moving on… I think I’ve just found a simple way to know for certain if, at this point, the Philippines is still headed for many years of non-progress. My simple method involves what I shall henceforth call the “Chiz-Noy Metric of Doom.” What you do is simply check if the number of Chiz and Noynoy supporters continues to grow. A decline indicates relative safety. The Philippines may still have a chance. On the other hand, an increase especially one that is exponential is a red flag. That should tell all of us that we’re all doomed.

A: In dealing with the public, both are essentially fakes, poseurs, pretenders.

A political panderer would tell you exactly what you want to hear without necessarily meaning anything he says. He caters to the  lowest of public opinions.

A TV broadcaster on the other hand is an expert at making himself appear knowledgable and credible. In truth, however, he just reads what he says on air and more often than not uses material written and produced by others.

There you have it. This country’s top candidates for the presidency come 2010 at least according to the latest Pulse Asia Survey.

Btw, is there anyone out there who personally knows anyone who was surveyed by Pulse Asia, Social Weather Stations or any other survey firm? Just wondering where the hell are these so-called respondents.

To LPGD:Dahil hindi patok sayo ang mga sagot ni Chiz sa forum at pinalakpakan siya ng masa, mga bobo na ang mga supporters niya? Hindi ikaw ang pinaka-matalinong tao sa balat ng lupa.

Mahirap aminin para sayo na malakas talaga si Sen Chiz kasi ang manok mo nakahilera kay GMA, Gi Boo! Mantakin mo maski tingin mo walang kwenta ang mga sagot ni Chiz , pero sayo na rin nanggaling, malakas ang palakpak sa kanya. Dapat mag-isip ka ng mas malalim at hindi para kang bobo na konklusyon na sayo, bobo ang supporters niya.

Bakit? Simple lang yun, mas naniniwala at nagtitiwala ang karamihan kay Sen. Chiz. Mas madali maunawaan ang mga sagot niya. Abot niya ang kamalayang pinoy . Sambot ng masa ang gustong ipunto ni Sen Chiz sa mga tanong na ibinabato sa kanya. Sinasagot lang niya ang tanong sa magaang na pangungusap at madaling maintindihan ng masa.

Sa mga sagot at simpleng sundot ni Sen. Chiz laban kay GMA, na kung saan malakas ang palakpak ng tao, hindi kasalanan ni Sen. Chiz na palakpakan siya ng manonood dahil totoo namang maraming galit kay GMA ngayon, ah? Totoong ginalit ni GMA ang sambayanang Pilipino kaya mas marami ngayon, nais makiaalam at makisali para sa pagbabago sa taong 2010.

Consistent lang si Sen Chiz, mula noon hanggang ngayon, na siya ang kinikilalang tunay na kaalyado ng taumbayan laban sa maling gawain ni GMA. Uhaw ang tao sa tunay na kaalyadong lider na lumalaban sa mga mababangis sa pwesto, swapang sa pera ng bayan, nanggigipit ng mga maliliit na mamamayan at kung magkaminsan, pinipitik rin ang may mga sinasabing mamamayan na lumalaban sa tropa ni GMA. At nakikita naming ang katauhan iyon kay Sen Chiz. Iyon ang partida niya.

Kaya pag buka ng bibig niya sa bawat sagot sa tanong, bawat pagsaltik niya, sa pagtahimik niya, pag ngiti niya sa bawa’t katanungan, nakukuha ng masa ang ibig niyang sabihin at kaisa niya ang tao.

Likas na magaling mag-isip, magsalita at makakuha ng atensyon si Sen Chiz, kaya pasensiya ka kung mas marami naniniwala sa kanya. Hindi lahat ng masa nagbabasa ng blogs. Mas malakas pa rin ang sigaw ng taumbayan sa lansangan, palengke, iskinita, kalye, barong-barong , eskuwelahan, kaya pasensiya ka kung mas marami ang bilib kay Sen. Chiz pag dating sa mga gayang usapan.

Walang kasalanan si Sen Chiz, na ng nagsabog ng karisma ang Maykapal, ay nakasalo siya ng malaking porsyento nito, na wala kay Gi Boo at kapos ang iba . Hindi rin niya kasalanan na sa paraan ng pagsagot niya ay magpalakpakan, magsisipol at magsigawan ang manonood, kasi likas niyang talento iyon na alam niya kailan niya gagamitin. Marami sa kanila kapos sa karakter na ito, kaya hindi kataka taka na ang iba di patok sa masa.

Ang simple ng mga tanong sa forum, hindi na kailangan ng malalimang sagot yun. Halimbawa, ano ang huling napanood mong sine. Nagsabi lang siya ng totoo, Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo. Ano ba yan, pati ba naman dun dapat magpakaseryoso pa si Idol ng papanoorin niya. Ang panonood ng sine ay pag aaliw, pagtakas pansamantala sa kasalukuyang pangayayari sa buhay buhay , alangan naming limitahan pa rin niya ang sarili niya sa panonood ng mga pelikulang magbibigay ng leksiyon “Paano ang pagiging presidente, ang pamamahala bilang presidente, eh kung hindi naman yun ang huling pinanood niya. Malay ba natin, noon ay napanood na niya ang mga ganoong pelikula. Nagpakatotoo lang siya sa oras na yon iyo ang huli niyang napanood. At na pick-up ng masa, na simpleng tao pa rin siya na kailangang mag-aliw, na pwede siyang makausap sa kanto, maka-talamitam sa mga isyung magaang at di kumplikado para sa araw araw na buhay. May buhay at pamilya siya pagkatapos ng maghapong pagtatrabaho sa senado, huwag iyon ipagkait sa kanilang mambabatas.

Sa tanong na kung sasama siya sa lapian ni Manny Paquiao kung saka-sakali? Sumagot lang si Sen. Chiz , na ayon sa dikta ng gusto niya, Oo kung ito ay angkop sa paniniwala niya at ito ay makakatulong sa ikagaganda ng bayan pero wag lang isasama. ang nasa Malacanang.. Hindi niya minenos ang kakayahan ni Manny P. bagkus kinilala niya ang kakayahan at pwedeng kontribusyon ni Manny sa bayan. Subalit, sinabi rin niya ang gusto niya na ayaw niya kasama ang nasa Palasyo. May mali ba don? Wala di ba? Ayaw niya kasama si GMA, kasi may foresight at consistent lang si Sen Chiz. Hindi niya kailangang makisakay sa limelight ni Manny P., gaya ng ginagawa ng iba. Simpleng tanong simpleng sagot lang ang binigay niya.

Ano pa? Kung susuportahan niya ang prosecution ni GMA? Tama naman ang sagot ni Sen Chiz na hahayaan niyang managot ang may sala at gumulog ang hustisya sa magiging administrasyon niya kung sakaling tumakbo at manalo siya .

Bakit hindi direktang sinagot yon ni Among Ed, sa halip iniliko niya ang sagot sa kaso ng mga ibang tao na sana raw gumulong ang hustisya rin para sa kanila. Ang tanong lamang ay ang kaso ni GMA. Simpleng tanong simpleng sagot lang dapat.

Ano naman ang sagot ni Gi Boo? Oo, susuportahan niya ang imbestigasyon , KUNG hindi haka haka at kuro kuro ang kaso. Putek, sisihin pa ang mga hapong sila HAKAHAKA at KUROKURO. Lumabas na si Garci sa tape, nalimas na ni Jocjoc ang pera sa fertilizer fund scam bago ang election, kumanta na si Lozada,bumigay na si Abalos at Jdv sa Chinese deal nila, sila HAKAHAKA at KUROKURO pa rin pala ang may kasalanan. Walang pag asa kay Gi Boo na mananagot pala si GMA kung ganon! Patay tayo kay Gi Boo.

Ayan ba ang magandang sagot ni GI Boo? Kala ko matalino siya? Ganyan ba ang matalino, kayhina sa pulsuhan sino ang tama at sino ang gusto ng masa. Sipsip siya at puro pagtatanggol lang kay GMA ang kaya niya. Kahanga hanga ba yun? Na ang dinidiyos niya, uunahin niya si GMA na isang mandaraya, kunsintidor sa mga magnanakaw at isang pambansang sinungaling. Aba, pag siya ang malas na naiupo sa Palasyo sa 2010, itutuloy lang niya ang pagpapahirap ni GMA sa bayan. Ded ang taumbayan kay Gi Boo.

At bakit naman kami matutuwa sa mga sagot ni Gi Boo, ang mga porsyentong contribution ni GMA? Talaga naman dapat yun ang unang gawain ni GMA bilang presidente, ang paangatin ang kabuhayan ng gobyerno at mamamayan. Lahat ng pangulo dapat mag- accomplish ng ganun. Walang extra ordinary dun sa sagot ni Teodoro na yun at sa gawain na yun ni GMA, hindi dapat hangaan yun. Mababasa natin yun sa intenet at mga diaryo, pero ibang usapan kung papaniwalaan natin yun.

Sa totoo lang, nakakabanas ang sagot niya, dahil hindi nararamdaman ng maliliit na tao ang mga porsyentong sinabi niya kung akma sa araw-araw na takbo ng buhay natin. Marahil sa taas ng EVAT nila, ang kaban ng bayan umaapaw, pero kinukupit din ng mga namumuno.

Zero karisma si Gi Boo. Hindi siya nakaka- inspired pakinggan. Bagsak si Gi Boo para sa akin. Pero hindi ko idadamay ang mga naniniwala sa kanya na memenosin ko sila at sasabihang bobo ang naniniwala kay Gi Boo. Lahat tayo may karapatang mamili sino ang papanigan, papaniwalaan at pagtitiwalaan.

Marami sa supporters ni Sen Chiz, hindi mahilig mag-participate sa mga ganitong blogs dahil, una, may napili na kaming magiging lider sa 2010, at iyon ay si Sen Chiz. Magbasa man sila ng mga ganitong usapan, hindi na rin naman mababago ang aming paniniwala at pagtitiwala kay Sen Chiz. Habang tinitira si Sen Chiz ng mga ganitong blogs, lalong lumalakas siya sa mata namin, kasi binabato talaga ang mabungang puno.

Kaya pasensiya ka kung kakaunti lang ang mapapaniwala mo laban kay Sen Chiz. Kasi kami desidido na kay Sen Chiz para sa 2010 Presidency.

Mabuti pa paangatin mo ang manok mo sa pagsasabi ng magagandang nagawa niya kaysa batuhin mo ang mga presidentiables at supporters nila na hindi patok sa panlasa mo, baka sakali makakuha ka pa ng maniniwala sayo…maski konti!

Naiintindihan ko kung saan nagmumula si Annie. Naiintindihan ko na hindi maganda sa kanyang pandinig ang mga pinagsasabi ko sa aking blog entry dahil taga-suporta siya ni Escudeo. Maaari kong respetuhin iyon. Hindi ko nais makipag-away sa mga tagasuporta ni Escudero o kanino man.

Sinimulan ko ang blog na ito na ang layunin ay ang bigyang pansin ang mga bagay bagay tungkol sa ating bansa na maaari pa nating ayusin. Nagbibigay ako ng aking mga obserbasyon at mga suhestyon. Sa lahat ng ito iisa lang naman ang aking pakay ang makatulong sa sarili kong paraan para sa ikauunlad ng ating bayan at ang naisip ko ngang paraan ay ang magsimula ng mga diskusyon tungkol sa mga isyu.

Hindi naiwasan na mahagip ko maging ang mga politikal na usapin lalo pa’t iyan naman ang mainit na isyu ngayon dahil nalalapit na nga ang halalan. Sa totoo lang ayaw ko nga sanang makisawsaw sa mga usaping politikal ngunit narito na tayo kaya’t panindigan na lang natin. Naisip ko na lamang na gawin kong advocacy ang manghikayat ng mga botante na maging mas mapanuri.

May ilang bagay na kailangan linawin sa puntong ito. Sana mabasa mo ito Annie. Kung nais mo ring magbigay linaw bukas din para sa iyo ang blog kong ito.

Una. Kung babasahin mo ang lahat ng mga blog entry ko kahit saan wala kang makikitang indikasyon kung sino nga ba ang aking sinusuportahang kandidato.

Pangalawa. Sino nga ba ang manok ko? Ako lamang ang nakakaalam at wala akong intensyon na ipangalandakan kung sino ang aking iboboto.

Pangatlo. Bakit nga ba hindi ko sabihin kung sino ang sinusuportahan ko? Dahil hindi mahalagang ipangalandakan ko iyon at nais kong maipagpatuloy ang aking layunin na makapanghikayat ng mga botante na maging mapanuri kahit sino pa man ang kanilang napupusuang kandidato.

Pang-apat. Patas ako sa lahat ng mga kandidato at politiko. Lahat sila hindi ko pinagkakatiwalaan. Di tulad ng ibang blogger (at marami sila) hindi ako tagapagsalita ng sinumang kandidato o politiko. Wala akong interes na pinoprotektahan. Sa katunayan makailang beses na rin akong inalok na tumulong sa cyber-campaign ng ilang politiko ngunit tinaggihan ko kahit pa makakatulong sa akin ang perang ibabayad. Hindi ako bayarin ganoon kasimple.

Pang-lima. Ayaw ko ba kay Escudero? Hindi ko masasabing ayaw ko kay Escudero. Sa katunayan ibinoto ko rin siya noong tumakbo siya sa pagka-senador. Ang hindi ko lang gusto sa kanya sa ngayon ay ang patuloy niyang pagsakay sa sentimyentong kontra kay Pangulong Gloria Arroyo.

Bakit hindi ako sangayon dito? Simple lang Annie. Ang eleksyon ay tungkol sa kinabukasan, hindi sa kasalukuyan at lalong hindi sa nakaraan. Ang pinakamahalaga sa eleksyon ay ang makapaghalal tayo ng lider na magdadala sa atin sa mas magandang kinabukasan. Sa kadahilanang ito, hindi ba’t mas nararapat na ang ipinangangalandakan ng ating mga kandidato ay ang kanilang mga plano para sa bayan?

Wala akong planong gamitin ang blog na ito para tirahin si Escudero. Wala akong personal na galit sa kanya. Ngunit plano ko talagang gamitin ang blog na ito para punahin ang lahat ng mga diskarteng politikal na wala namang naitutulong para iangat ang antas ng pagboto ng mga mamamayan.

Pang-anim. May sinabi ba akong bobo ang masa? Wala. Kahit ulit-ulitin pang basahin ang blog entry ko wala akong sinabing ganoon. Pero para wala nang haka-haka sasabihin ko ngayon kung ano ba talaga ang tingin ko sa masa kung saan ako mismo ay kabilang sa maniwala ka man o hindi Annie. Heto ang tingin ko: may matatalinong masa pero may mga bobo rin; may mga nagsisikap mag-isip pero may mga kuntento lamang na magsunud-sunuran; may mga totoong masa pero meron ding nagkukunwaring masa.

Huwag mo sanang gamitin laban sa akin ang isyu tungkol sa kabobohan ng masa. Kung susuriin ang aking blog makikita mo naman na layunin kong magbigay ng mga obserbasyon at suhestiyon. Bakit ko papagurin ang sarili ko sa bagay na ito kung tingin ko bobo ang masa sa pangkalahatan? Ginagawa ko ito dahil naniniwala akong may isip ang maraming tunay na masa.

Pang-pito. Hindi ako kontra kay Escudero per se. Kung tutuusin pa nga mas nakakatulong pa ako sa kanya sa pagpuna ko sa kanyang diskarte. Mas matalino na ngayon ang masa Annie. Marami sa kanila ang hindi na nagpapa-uto. Hindi kaya’t mas nakakasama pa nga ang diskarteng isinusulong mo para sa kandidatura ni Escudero? Hindi kaya’t mas nasa interes pa nga niya na pagbutihin pa ang kanyang diskarte sa pamamagitan ng pagtutok na lamang sa mga plano at plataporma?

Sa isyu ba ng kahirapan ang magiging tugon na lamang ni Escudero ay ang mga pambabatikos sa administrasyon?

Sa isyu ng ekonomiya ito pa rin ba ang magiging tugon niya?

Sa korapsyon ganoon pa rin?

Mga katanungan ito na maaaring hindi naitanong sa katatapos lamang na ANC Leadership Forum ngunit sigurado ako ito ang mga tanong na hinahanapan ng kasagutan ng mga tunay na masa.

Mataas ang pinag-aralan ni Escudero kaya sigurado akong may ibubuga pa siya maliban sa mga batikos. Hindi ako naniniwala na hindi niya kayang maglabas ng malinaw na mga plano para sa ating bansa. Naniniwala ako na kaya niya at oras na gawin niya iyon ang taongbayan na ang maghuhusga kung nararapat ba siyang ihalal sa pagka-pangulo o anumang posisyong nanaisin niya.

I wasn’t able to watch the live telecast only the replay and just parts of it so I didn’t catch all that was said. However, I did hear enough to be able to form an opinion about the first batch of participants namely Senators Richard Gordon, Mar Roxas, Francis Escudero, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Pampanga Governor Ed Panlilio.

Judging how they responded to the questions asked of them I would rank the participants this way with 5 being the lowest.

1. Panlilio
2. Teodoro
3. Gordon
4. Roxas
5. Escudero

Without referring to the validity and political implications of their responses and just focusing on how they addressed the questions, I would say that Panlilio and Teodoro did well. I felt that Panlilio was the most candid. I also appreciated Gordon’s responses although I thought some of his answers were a little too wordy and circuitous. As far as these three are concerned, I’d say they did not dissapoint at all communication-wise.

On the other hand, I think Roxas and Escudero proved themselves to be bad communicators. Neither one of them provided any real substance with their responses. Roxas even thought it was appropriate to inject his “lalaban tayo” campaign slogan in his closing message. He did it in bad taste. Fortunately, for him, Escudero was even worse.

To most people, Escudero would probably sound like he is making real sense. But if you really listen hard to his statements you will easily realize that there’s really nothing there. I’m sure the young senator has the brains but unfortunately he chooses not to show it. Instead he wastes his and other people’s time — precious airtime included — with his oppositionist, motherhood crap.

Interestingly, Escudero got some of the biggest applause from the mostly young audience. This is a telling and troubling sign that Escudero’s worthless verbiage is working. It’s that or those who clapped for him were just gullible or plain dumb.

At this point, I would like to reiterate that this is not about the validity or the political implications of the statements made by Escudero and the other participants. My only focus here is whether or not they can communicate sincerely. In my book, Escudero failed miserably in this regard.

Why am I making an issue out of this? It’s simple. I equate sincerity with respect. A person who talks to you without any sincerity is basically desrespecting you. He is basically telling you that he doesn’t hold you in high regard; that he looks down on your intellect; and that he is convinced he can get away with giving you his bulls__t. It’s even more insulting if the person talking to you in such a manner is asking you to give him something as important as your vote.

I wonder about the forum audience present at the Leong Hall of the Ateneo de Manila University. They applauded Escudero’s crap. Were they not insulted at all by his manner?

I sincerely hope that come 2010, all Filipino voters will have already learned to demand respect from politicians.