Parting shots from P-Noy

Barely six months before he steps down from the presidency, President Benigno “P-Noy” Aquino III shared his thoughts about his administration’s triumphs and his regrets at the Bulong Pulungan sa Sofitel Christmas party, the sixth featuring him as guest of honor.

He began his talk by praising the forum members (as “full of vitality and never ending youthfulness”), who have witnessed the “dark days of Martial Law,” and characteristically referred to the sacrifices of our countrymen during the “lost decade under my predecessor.”

He said, the media and the audience have “also seen firsthand the meaningful change that has taken place within our shores these past five years – a change that has truly transformed the mindset of our people from being apathetic, to being participative and sometimes unreasonably demanding. There is so much good news and so many testimonies of success from our people and you have played your part in advancing our message of hope: That the Filipino is worth dying for, worth living for, and definitely worth fighting for.”

He breezed through the friendly questions posed. After his retirement, on Day One, he will get up in the afternoon, and not read any newspaper. “I will try to enjoy feeling no pressure whatsoever on that day.” In the days ahead he will touch base and get “resituated” with the old neighborhood, perhaps at Times St., the old Aquino residence in Quezon City, and eat a lot of fast food.

As his successor takes over, will he be a critic, fiscalizer, supporter, or will he just stay out of politics? His answer: “One would hope that the person who replaces me does such a great job that there is no need to criticize or to fiscalize. And I guess, I inherited it also from my mother. I’m really not one for unsolicited advice. Because I would not want to put my successor in the same situation of having to deal with, a lot of times, well-meaning, but unfortunately, not very good advice.”

He showed his being close to his family. Despite the fact that his parents, Ninoy and Cory Aquino, his four sisters and he were in exile in Boston during the martial law years, P-Noy said, “Perhaps the most peaceful moments, parang the best period is really when we were together, whether here or in exile in Boston. Parang as you get older, that ability to stay bonded, connected with your closest siblings, your parents, is really such a treasure. That’s the most important thing for me for the season.”

If the Constitution allows him to run for a second term, would he run? He gave a rather sentimental spiel of not having people working with him make additional sacrifices. He expressed the wish of wanting to be around to inaugurate the SLEX-NLEX Connectors, to ride the MRT, to have more trains, for the CCT program producing expected results. “There are so many things that will always be left almost done.”

But, he said, “I think the true measure of success is your ability to train your successor – hopefully that will happen. And ‘yong staying, siguro like show business, you shouldn’t stay forever and ever. There will always be somebody who will be, I guess, fresher, more energetic, less jaded, less cynical who should carry with it the plan of leaving and having the next generation ready to take over.”

He said he had “the courage to do what had to be done because I sincerely believe that the people were behind me. So I’d like to hope also that in return, I have helped in empowering our people so that they are able to take a more active control of the future; that they really have a stake where this country is going, that they feel connected to the fortunes of this country.”

He feels pleased about the decrease in the number of OFWs. He cites a study that says about 400,000 of OFWs have returned home and found meaningful jobs, which is why, he said, the unemployment rate has dropped to 5.7.

Another reason to be proud of is the decrease in the number of out-of-school youth. In 2008 it was two million, now it’s down to 1.2 million.

One thing the President wants to forget is people with a certain agenda. Just the day before the Bulong Pulungan session, somebody texted him that there was an airplane accident off SLEX. “And it was a hoax. I was commenting to the person who was with me, how does one derive satisfaction by causing anxiety? ‘Yung one with a perverse mind will do something like that.”

Why people can’t see the progress in the economy, the 4.4 million families being assisted by Pantawid, why the armed forces must be modernized, is beyond him.

“Hindi ko sinasabing purihin mo naman ako kaliwa’t kanan. Siguro naman, may nagawa ako maski papaanong tama in these five years, close to six years. Pero there are some people who close their eyes, who have no sense of responsibility. And yung, if they write, if they’re a broadcaster, etc., people gave them that opportunity, and they could have used that opportunity for the common good. Why is it such an alien concept to promote the common good? Yung perhaps it might also fill me up with negativity kung isipin ko pa sila. It like to forget them. Of course I ignore them now.”

When asked if he was a cheerful person, or the brooding type?

The president said, “I’d like to think mostly cheerful.”

He did appear cheerful, but we all know the cross he has carried.

Now, who wants to carry that burden?

Many.

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As in past Bulong Pulungans, awards were given to public officials and private individuals for their contributions to society. As expected, the Most Outstanding Exemplar award in government service was P-Noy. Exemplars in government service were Secretary Rene Almendras; Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa; Department of Science head Mario Montejo, GSIS president Robert Vergara, MMDA’s Francis Tolentino, TESDA head Joel Villanueva, who has resigned his post to run for the Senate; PAGCOR chair Cristino Naguiat Jr., Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson. The awardee from the Senate was Sen. Cynthia Villar. In the private sector, awards were given to former Tourism Secretary Dr. Mina Gabor, Bobby Joseph, entrepreneur/banker Tessie Sy-Coson, and Ed Manda of the Philippine Bamboo Foundation.

I believe Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma of the Presidential Communications Office, should have been an awardee too. He is a most approachable fellow, a sure asset to the president. I can say the same thing about Abigail Valte, the young and smart deputy presidential spokesperson who makes Malacanang directives understandable in simple, unhesitating language.

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