Playing with Fire
GMA will hurdle the crisis
By Gonzalo Duque
TRUE to our perception, Senator Benigno Aquino III, Noynoy, for short, would be thrust to the pinnacle of Philippine politics as a presidential wannabe.
The martyrdom of his father, the man who should have been president, and the death of his very popular mother, former President Cory, were simply colossal developments that cannot be ignored. His declaration to run for president was naturally met with euphoric reception.
But as days move on and, we also said this, as the weight of local politics continues to burden us on our weary shoulders, the political calvary of Noynoy may start. We say “may,” because, he, too, has his brilliant handlers who are precisely there to sustain his political edge, courtesy of his impressive pedigree.
But, as we wryly observed, the 20l0 elections would be local where voters would be caught between minding their immediate concerns and what remains of their vision, if any. You know how it is with our politics. No, we are not cynical, we are only realistic. The immediate preoccupation of the people would eventually convert the elections in its usual mind-your-own play. Naku! Kawawa na naman ang nasyon.
And so our “local politics” theory stands, and that is where Noynoy’s much feared weakness begins to show. This is even worsened by the fact that the presidential contest is looking like a labo labo, matira ang matibay. It would be anybody’s game at the homestretch.
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But one thing good about the popular Aquino’s emergence in the political equation is that it has decimated the popularity of Erap who, by what kind of logic, is still insistent on running for president.
Good or bad, and mostly bad, an Erap return to the Palasyo will drive investors away. Paktaylo nekosyo na naman. Ano ba ito, Mama Erap, wala ka namang programa, hindi ka naman bright, ano bang nakain mo at gusto mo namang e-mislead ang mga pobreng elektorate! Naku, grrrr… Bahala na nga kayo mga igan, isip isipin nyo naman ang ating kapakanan!
Our presidential polls will be anybody’s game, very confusing pa rin as usual. Ganito ata ang kapalaran ng ating madla. God bless the Philippines!
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Whatever our self-styled political kibitzers say, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will go down in history as a president who has done well for the country. At a time of severe crisis – economic, political, local and global — she was able to stay the course.
Everyone has been wishing her ill. Small and dainty as she is, Ate Glow at every turn was pilloried, attacked, slandered, libeled, was almost knocked down by detractors and an unfriendly media.
But look at how she fared as a leader. She was even listed as No. 44 among the most powerful women leaders of the world.
The truth is even those who have been bashing her without let-up are idolizing her in secret. We know because those who are openly hitting her are enjoying the fruits of her feats in the economy. Tulak ng bibig kabig ng dibdib. Yon ang totoo, mga igan. Mga hipokrito, mga M I’s (master intriguers), mga walang utang na loob na detraktors… uhummm, let history judge this episode in our national life. We were good, we were one of the best in Asia. Our feat was only shrouded by negative political rhetoric.
We remember a very poignant encounter when we brought a local seer, Jimmy Tan, to the President a couple of years back. Peering closely at her, Jimmy said, “you will be able to survive the crisis; you will be hit, you will be attacked, you will have many problems, but you will survive; you will stay on course, like the last man standing; but you will later on be praised for what you have done for the country.”
We were with her and the seer then, and we thought Jimmy was being kind and solicitous. But events have shown that Jimmy is right. Right? Right.
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