‘P-Noy was teary-eyed’

On his last Christmas party with the members of the Bulong Pulungan press forum at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza last Friday, President Aquino showed a sentimental facet that is hardly, if ever, seen in public.

According to Deedee Siytangco, the forum’s lead convenor and co-founder, the President was “teary eyed” when she accompanied him back to his car after the Christmas party, which began with a spirited and free-wheeling open forum.

Deedee recounted that before exiting the ballroom, “the President said yes to all my requests for a photo-op, even with my Maryknoll classmates, even the members of the Inner Wheel Club of Manila.”

“This is the last Bulong Pulungan that I will attend as President. And though (the late) Donnie (Ramirez, one of the forum’s co-founders) is not here, I am sure there is one burning question foremost in your minds. Since it’s perpetually asked, I think I have been trained enough to be confident to answer. Especially in the fact that the answer is still the same. Mamimiss ko ho siguro ng kaunti ‘yon,” he said, referring to the light banter that he consents to during the open forum.

During the open forum, the President was relaxed and almost as transparent as the waters of Boracay once were (he promises he will have his own “Bora” moment after his term). He revealed that a part of him wishes he could stay on as President so he could ride the MRT when it’s better functioning (he said some 48 new trains “are coming in already”), for one; he said he would not paint like his mother did after her term because he wasn’t talented in that regard; and that he hasn’t lost hope of starting a family. He also revealed the one thing now that is going to make him faint!

Though he admitted to “mixed feelings” should the Constitution allow him another term, the son of Ninoy and Cory Aquino said that no one, no matter how well-intentioned, is indispensable.

“Now, the more professional side says: there has to be an ability to train the next generation. There has to be continuity that doesn’t rest on one individual or one group. So I think the true measure of a success — and I’d like to subscribe to that idea — is your ability to train your successor. Hopefully, that will happen. And ‘yung staying — siguro, like in show business — you shouldn’t stay forever and ever or you shouldn’t hope to stay forever and ever,” he said in response to Domini Torrevillas’ question.  “There will always be somebody who will be, I guess, fresher, more energetic, less jaded, less cynical that can infect so many others to get us to a higher level sooner.”

He is looking forward to waking up really late in the day on his first day as Private Citizen. And the weeks and months after?

“One would hope that the person who replaces me does such a great job that there is no need to criticize or to fiscalize. I guess I inherited it also from my mother. I’m really not one for unsolicited advice. I would rather not…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.”

Rina Jimenez-David asked P-Noy if he would still keep his words of wisdom to himself even if the next President “is the one you anointed?”

“Again, like any citizen, if called upon to help, why shouldn’t we? But as much as possible, I will pray for the successor that he really builds upon the successes that we’ve had already, and therefore we can go from strength to strength,” he said.

Chay Santiago asked the President, “Who is Benigno Aquino III?”

“Who is Benigno Aquino III? I was looking at the mirror the other day. I was trying to decide whether or not I had more hair now or less hair,” he quipped. “But in all seriousness, I’d like to think I’ve also grown as a person…Siguro some of the challenges we’ve had to face we didn’t imagine. I tend to be a person who prepares for the worst but hopes for the best and some of the challenges were really…” He probably was thinking of the historic and catastrophic Yolanda.

Without him realizing it, President Aquino did give one piece of advice — unsolicited — to his successor when he talked about the qualities of a good leader during the forum.

“(If) we were asked by the incoming administration: What should be done? What should be continued? But more than anything, if there was just one piece of advice, I think it’s not to lose the ability to listen. ‘Di ba, we have this saying there are so many graduates of AIM. Graduates of AIM? Iyong mga ‘ayaw iwanan ‘yung mic’ ‘coz they are fond of their voice.

“I guess the best leader especially in democratic countries is one who has the ability to keep on listening and acting on the wants, the needs of his bosses, which are the electorate, which are the people who put him into office.

“I guess in essence that would be it: Don’t lose your ability to be able to really listen so that you can best serve your masters, which are the Filipino people.”

Ms. Right & Mr. Wrong

In response to my question, which I bravely asked and was not censured for, he said he has not given up hope of finding Ms. Right.

 “Now, do I have plans (of settling down)? I’ve always had plans. Siguro when I have more time, now I will be able to go to St. Jude a lot more often, it might help,” he smiled.

So hope springs eternal, I asked again.

“Oo! Talagang while we’re alive, everybody should have hope,” he said confidently.

Sandee Masigan asked him what he would like people to remember about his presidency.

 “I’m hoping that people will say look at the challenges that we had to undergo as a people and how we overcame them. And if there’s a future challenge, then perhaps they will be able to say we will also surmount this in the same way that we managed to surmount that which we thought was insurmountable.”

For his part, he wants to be remembered as the President who responded to the people’s trust in the best way he could and empowered them in the process.

“They gave me an opportunity and I helped enable them to reach their potentials. I keep saying everything that is happening is not because of me or my Cabinet, it’s happening, it has happened because the people willed it. They have charted the present and the future.

“So they are not powerless to affect their fate. They are in fact the prime movers towards determining their fate. People power is a reality and it can really be used for the good.”

And Jullie Yap Daza had a follow up to that: What would he like to forget about his six years in office?

And Mr. Aquino said he wanted to forget those who saw nothing right at all with his efforts to lead the Filipino people to a better life. The Mr. Wrongs of his life.

“Iyong if they say something nice about me I would probably faint!” he joked. Or was he?

(You may e-mail me at [email protected].)