Noynoy blows chance for reformist legacy

Alas, he blew his chance. Noynoy Aquino could have left a legacy had he, in fulfillment of campaign promise, brought his relatives to give away Hacienda Luisita. But no, he had to renege. He let an aide claim later that he had no say in the estate’s affairs because of less than one-percent share. He had to shrug about letting the court decide what to do.

And now the Supreme Court has ruled — unanimously. Hacienda Luisita’s stock-distribution option was untrue agrarian reform. For, it deprives the 6,296 farm workers control of the 5,000 hectares of sugar and rice land. P-Noy’s Cojuangco family must instead distribute the land to the farmhands who have been toiling there for decades. They must turn over to them too P1.3 billion from the earlier sale of 580 hectares, mostly for the family’s commercial-industrial park.

The judicial wresting of Luisita’s ownership from the Cojuangcos need not happen had P-Noy asserted his authority. He is the highest leader of the land — and of his clan, including uncles, aunts, and ates. He could have told them that redistribution is the right thing to do, after half a century of Cojuangco control. The GSIS had lent their ancestor the money to purchase the estate from the Americans, on condition that it be doled to farmhands on the tenth year. Since that didn’t happen, P-Noy’s generation of Cojuangcos could have set the example of social-economic change. He could then have turned around and nudged another set of kin to give away their own food-and-beverage shares to coconut farmers. Being all professionals, none of them would go hungry. Yet they would have set a trend of sharing that could rid the country at last of agrarian unrest, tax fraud, and corporate greed.

In truth P-Noy’s heart was for reform. He had made admin lawyers fight in the SC for land distribution against the stock option. But he did so quietly, instead of publicly. So, no reform could swell up. Few Filipino families are given the chance to offer up two Presidents. P-Noy’s predecessor was the second shot for her clan, and she ruined it. P-Noy too is the second such for the Cojuangcos. With the SC ruling, he can no longer initiate the land distribution, but only comply. Sayang.

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Share Christmas blessings with indigent child patients of Cancer Warriors Foundation Inc. All cancer-stricken, they pine only for simple things to normalize their lives: toys, clothes and shoes.

Five have more fervent longings: Jomar Albarico, 17, for an artificial arm; and Kristine Mabute, 16, Vincent Aranjuez, 12, Francis Rechagadas, 15, and Angelo Panlaqui, 17, for artificial legs.

CWFI has 64 wards in Batangas and 70 in Manila. Here are the Christmas wishes of those in Manila (for the Batangas list, see Gotcha last Wednesday):

Bautista Bea Hernandez, 6, Barbie doll;

Belloan, Jesusa, 15, sponsor for her treatment, Batman t-shirt;

Belonio, Francesca, 2 months, baby stroller, infant shoes size-22, infant dress set, bonnet;

Bojador, Micahelanie, 13, treatment sponsor; Valparin XR (valproic acid + sodium), milk;

Bueza, Aisha Katherine, 5, dress M, shoes size-30;

Buendia Van Wyvern, 4, bike;

Cabalquinto, Aizlle, 4, PSP or Barbie w/ dollhouse;

Damasco, Priscella Joy, 7, bike;

Dizon, Hailey, 4, Barbie w/ playhouse;

Dumaraag, Rheem, 10, bike BMX;

Enesio, Romalyn, 11, rubber shoes-38;

Estoy, Marielle May, 14, to meet Vice Ganda, wig, treatment sponsor;

Fercol, Mary Joy, 11, treatment sponsor, doll & playhouse;

Mabute, Kristine, 16, artificial leg, dress M, art materials, bag, wallet;

Malayag, Nicole, 5, to meet Bossing (Vic Sotto);

Maribao, Teresita, 10, bike;

Medina, Stephanie, 16, to meet Pres. Noynoy as birthday gift Dec. 12, guitar;

Mendoza, Mary, 7, dress S, shoes-32;

Naorbe, Venice Klein, 4, Barbie w/ playhouse, bag, umbrella, pink dress L, shoes-31;

Ocampo, Jubilee, 16, acoustic guitar & tuner;

Pacujan, Danica, 11, bike;

Pasno, Christine, 3, bike;

Rivera, Xyza Reizl, 3, Dora toys, dress, bag, shoes;

Sabandal, Shamie Jean, 8, Barbie doll, big Mickey Mouse stuffed toys, sandals;

Santos, Ann Margareth, 7, activity books, coloring sets;

Tipan, Joellyn, 10, Barbie rubber shoes 5, Barbie dress XL, pink stroller bag;

Valenzuela, Icy, 11, guitar;

Yumol, Shiela Marie, 16, bike;

Abela, Ivan James, 8, bike;

Abueg, Carl Jirehn, 2, bike stroller;

Agustin, Renz Michael, 17, guitar;

Albarico, Jomar, 17, artificial hand arm, bike BMX;

Ambal, Demetrio, 4, shirt & jacket S, Christmas tree;

Aranjuez, Arth Vincent, 12, artificial leg, guitar;

Balmores, Oscar, 4, bike or table with chair (Ben 10);

Bernal, Edison, 18, to go to Manila Ocean Park w/ family;

Broñola, Christian, 6, stroller bag, jacket, t-shirt;

Buenaflor, Alejandro Jr., 14, bike;

Caburnay, Renerio, Jr., 11, bike;

Cajandab, Kevin Earl, 14, school shoes-7 (Gibi or Rusty Lopez), rubber shoes-7 (Accel);

Castro, Jeremie, 10, beach towel;

Castro, John Reylan, 4, bike;

Catindig, John Lloyd, 7, bike;

Cunanan, Ramil, 16, bike;

Dela Cruz, Christopher, 15, white rubber shoes-9;

De Quiros, Jeman, 6, to go shopping with Gerald Anderson, school bag, books, rubber shoes-31;

Diagro, Alvin, 17, guitar, books, Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol”;

Dilag, Jimwell, 11, bike;

Dominguez, Kenneth Adrian, 13, to meet Angel Locsin or Kris Aquino;

Durian, Kurt Williams, 5, to go to Manila Ocean Park w/ family;

Infante, Luis Emilio, 4, bike;

Laguni, Marc Adrian, 7, to go to Enchanted Kingdom w/ family;

Lardizabal, AJ, 2, bike-stroller;

Ledesma, Ian Andrie, 11, bike;

Lozada, Jhon, 10, tv, guitar;

Nalapo, Reynard, 4, remote controlled robot, Ben 10 Shoes-32;

Noble, Alijah Andrew, 3, bike;

Ocampo, Kurt Russel, 5, bike, denim pants;

Ogma, Michael Robert, 19, assorted groceries;

Ollado, Leonard, 6, trip to Boracay w/ family;

Onal, Clem, 7, bed, wheelchair;

Padua, John Andrei, 4, bike w/ sidecar or DuraBox w/ cabinet;

Paguilagan, Santino Ramiah, 3, bike;

Panlaqui, Angelo, 17, artificial leg, guitar, t-shirt M, pants 32;

Ramos, Jose, Jr., 16, single bed, headset big for computer;

Rechagadas, Francis, 16, artificial leg, chemotherapy sponsor;

Refuerzo, Lucky, 8, bike;

Silvestre, Luise Victor, 6, bike;

Suriaga, Joshua, 4, bike, remote-controlled helicopter;

Zafe, Jose Jr., 6, guitar;

CWFI founder James Auste, a brain cancer survivor, prays that the children’s presents arrive in time for their Christmas party on Dec. 4, Sunday, 3 p.m., at Ellinwood Church, 1660 Vasquez St., Malate, Manila. E-mail: jamesauste @yahoo.com; website: www.cancerwa rriorsfoundation.org.

Donations may be sent to 1317 Lopez Jaena St., Paco, Manila,; telefax (+632) 5622954, mobile (+63917) 8485258. If cash: Cancer Warriors Foundation Inc.

• Banco de Oro - DPC Place, Don Chino Roces Makati, Current Account 00540-800-8808, Dollar Account 5400085084;

• Metrobank — Marajo Tower, The Fort, Current Account 519-7-51901107-3;

• RCBC — Don Chino Roces Makati, Current Account 02-888-037-81.

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