It’s all about Escudero: the future of the Philippines
[Photo credit: hatawtabloid]
Now Senator Escudero inadvertently got us into this mess by supporting Jejomar Binay over Mar Roxas for the vice presidency in 2010. We know how that went. It fed the ambition of the most ambitious man in the country and put him one step from the position he is drooling to acquire. I say “inadvertently” because I give Senator Escudero the benefit of the doubt. I imagine he had no idea how pervasive and perverse was the corruption in Makati. He thought Binay’s “style” was just politicians doing what they do, influencing others.
Now we have the ambitious Binay aiming for the presidency by waging a powerful and wily campaign to rope in the votes from the laboring poor. He is positioning himself as their hero, as a “man who is like them”, against “those corrupt and incompetent people in government”. He is playing the sympathy card about as skillfully and maliciously as it can be played..
Well, we may want to turn our heads and be ill at all this, but that is the reality of the presidential run for 2016. It seems like the Philippines has no ethical or legal or even moral recourse to stop a crook and liar from ascending to the presidency. The stopping must be done at the ballot box.
Now let’s shift to President Aquino and the meeting he will apparently call soon involving Secretary Roxas and Senators Poe and Escudero.
There are two positions open for discussion, the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. But there are three people in the room speaking with the President.
If we took Senator Escudero out of the picture, the solution is simple. Roxas for President and Poe for VP, where she can give Roxas a popular boost, gain experience and set herself up for the presidency in 2022.
That is easy. It is a relief. It solves the problem. The nation is in good hands for 12 more years.
But we are not talking about team players here.
So there is no relief. There is dysfunction and conflict and fighting. There is ego and greed and ambition. There is the all too traditional Filipino way . . .
Senator Escudero won’t take himself out of the picture. After all, he is a realist. He can’t make the presidency on his own. The polls show that with an exclamation point. So he needs some calculated stepping stones. One is to become Vice President under Poe, and then he can make the natural step into the presidency in 2022.
Businessman Bobby Ongpin and VP Bnay [Photo credit: Inquirer]
Senator Poe appears unwilling to set Escudero aside because . . . well, frankly . . . she does not have the strength to do that. He is her friend and confidant. Her adviser and spokesman. Her path to the campaign money through Ongpin and other businessmen. She would be all alone. And she does not have the knowledge or the confidence to stand for herself. She is as green as green can be, toting about her Escudero security blanket.
Thus, ironically enough, she defines herself as not ready for the Presidency. The presidency is the loneliest job in the nation. It is the place where important decisions must be made. And they can be made only by one person. That person must have the strength to do what is right. Not popular.
Alone.
But we have Escudero in the Poe picture. Always Escudero.
Escudero, Escudero, Escudero.
He can’t encourage Poe to fly free, can’t give her the strength to stand for herself. That would be suicide for his own ambitions. He needs to keep himself in the picture. In Poe’s arms, as it were.
President Aquino understand the situation clearly, I am confident. He knows that Escudero is the problem here, but he is a friend of the family, too, so he will be treated well.
The Escuderos and Businessman Bobby Ongpin [Photo credit: Inquirer]
What is strange is that Senators Poe and Escudero can’t seem to see that. They don’t seem to care what Roxas has earned. He is just in the way.
The President also knows that a three-way race between Roxas, Poe and Binay opens the door to the worst case scenario, a split “good guy” ticket, and a Binay presidency. The straight path is ruined.
Alas, Roxas/Poe makes Escudero the odd man out, unless he is content with a major cabinet post and the presidency in . . . OMG . . . 2028.
Escudero . . . ego over nation . . . will not step aside.
This explains why he is making sure that Poe’s ambitions are pumped up, and her confidence in winning is sky-high, and they are on the front pages almost every day. It seems that Escudero is not a man who would concede for the best interest of the nation. Escudero is a political gamer.
So that is the predicament.
This is what will be discussed when the four meet.
- Escudero (and Poe) will suggest that Roxas step aside and LP back Poe/Escudero.
- The President will ask Escudero to step aside with LP supporting Roxas/Poe.
Could you ask Roxas to step aside, in favor of Escudero, essentially?
I could not, in good conscience.
I could not.
The decision for the nation is so very very simple. Roxas/Poe. You know it. I know it. Most of the neutral nation knows it.
If Escudero is not willing to step up for the Philippines by stepping out of the picture . . .
and if Poe does not have the strength of self to put Escudero into the background . . .
with the nation’s well-being at stake, a choice of going forward on the straight path or going backward in the worst way imaginable . . .
then that defines Poe and Escudero as unqualified for the presidency. It defines them as self-dealing opportunists, not committed to the most basic ideal of the straight path: that which is good for the nation is of highest importance.
Well we have integrity . . . going with the best man . . . and we have expediency . . . going with the most likely winner. Me, I choose integrity along with the determination to show the people why Roxas is the best, most capable, most experienced choice. If I were President facing the “Escudero predicament”, I’d opt for the three way race with the intention of beating both Poe and Binay with the only real patriot, real straight-path candidate, real competence among the three: Secretary Roxas. I’d not accept dismissing the earnest dedication and capability of Mar Roxas in favor of the expediency and self-dealing of Escudero. I’d not accept going with a weak, inexperienced novice like Poe as the only way to beat a crook.
And being highly competitive and willing to step outside the box, I’d run Leni Robredo for Vice President. She has talent and great popular appeal. Better than Poe’s perhaps, given some of the push-back we are starting to see against Poe for her indelicate speaking. Rep Robredo also dots the “i”s and crosses the “t”s for Roxas as a man of integrity, in a way no other person can.
Two things I know for sure.
Mr. Escudero is not the only game in town.
And Ms. Poe, in needing him so badly, is not yet ready.
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[…] It’s all about Escudero: the future of the Philippines … – It has became strikingly clear to me how things fit together regarding the future of the Philippines. It’s all about Senator Escudero. Now Senator Escudero … […]
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
At the end, Sen. Grace Poe has to decide for herself only. Definitely it will not be buy one take one deal going to the presidency? No one is indispensable including Chiz, so when the LP finally extend their open arms to you, amazing Grace take it with a grain of salt without including the gravy that might spoil the people’s taste of an iconic craving only for Grace Poe and not Chiz?
Very well put, amelius. Excellent advice to Senator Poe. It’s the only way she can prove she is up to the enormous task of the presidency. What happens if the people elect Poe and toss Escudero as VP? She will quake in her shoes on the way to the office that first day? She will ask Escudero to join her anyway?
I’m reminded of people who go seek jobs in pairs, with their friends, one supporting the other. I’d never hire either one. They are not confident enough.
Joe Am I’d accept the whole cake you just bake on Madame Grace and Sen Escud. No buts or howevers. It will be lengthy to quote parts and elaborate on them. Suffice to say that Mar and Grace will be nice but should not happen.
If that will not happen then the rest of the alternatives are better and greater: Mar and Leni Robredo (a good lawyer); Mar and AT4 (with backing of the entire AFP rank and file); Mar and Alan Cayetano, Mar and Koko Pimentel, Mar and Duterte. The pair of last resort if any of these alternatives can not happen, then you have the Dream Team of Mar and Noynoy. A budding statesman having a seasoned statesman for an adviser. Only in the Philippines will there be a slap to the bad parts of the history of the presidency; two statesmenriding a tandem bike to reach the end of the tuwid na daan.
For and in the interest of the country the best alternative therefore is Mar Roxas and Noynoy Aquino both with good presidential DNA in their plasma. This posting should be specific enough to be used to check its blah blah value after the newly elected President and His VP had been sworn in. Ano nga kaya?
Joe Am you said I might be able to write something, well so many things come to mind. This moment , “Nation Leaders and Leaders of Nations: Brain Matter and Underbelly”, comes to mind.
Ain’t may be me, but somebody should be pumping his right fist in the air shouting: WAKE UP LIBERAL PARTY, USE YOUR IDEOLOGY AND POLITICAL PLATFORM TO DICTATE YOUR CHOICE OF PRESIDENTIAL AND VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
If you are not a wimp of a political party you will remember the Nationalista Party kicked out their Mr. Nationalista to annoint an outsider to be its presidential candidate. Look what happened to its soul as a political party and what happened to the country as a bonus. Liberals should be Liberals and must accept to recognize its inner strength lest it be an idiot courting the repeat of bad history.
That last paragraph : “If you are not a wimp of a political party” insinuates and could be a plant to revive fading memories and should be verified to refute or confute its value of bad implications of political butterflies to the country.
YES indeed. Like. Don’t let the polls make the President. Make him yourself. Get your campaign act together.
Why insisting on Mar-Poe. Get your VP from your own ranks and don’t insinuate that Sen. Escudero is really the stumbling block on your dreams for ROXAS.
My dreams are for the Philippines, not Roxas.
I am not a big fan of Roxas either. His records as DOTC and DILG secretary are not perceived as brilliant. They reflect weak executive abilities. He is identified as a member of the oligarchy. He has consistently been at the bottom of opinion polls, whether these were contracted or conducted independently. His only chance of winning is buying the votes or rigging the elections.
He’d never buy votes or rig elections, which suggests you really don’t know the man at all. I’ve not looked into his DOTC record, but he has been very active with DILG and substantially improved storm preparation and response and has forthrightly managed LGU’s, including in a Robredo program he continued that awards LGO’s that meet certain performance standards. It was also noted elsewhere in this discussion thread that he has upgraded policing programs that have successfully reduced crime.
@Joy have you read this?
Maybe this can change your perception.
With a title like that, I’m ready to start reading already.
Roxas/Aquino would be dynamite, but I think President Aquino wants to go with fast cars and intelligent women.
Fast cars for Noynoy? Don’t blame me! In 2009 while he was still a reluctant candidate I wrote by Friday 5 pm, any president should fly out of Malacanang lest he be praised for being president 24/7 doing corrupt things, and so he was criticized savagely for his Noynoying ways of racing breathless to Tarlac on week ends. The sonamagans want him to be corruptioning the presidency 24/7. So Noynoy did something else – his tuwid na daan.
🙂
I will hope and pray Sen. Poe will be smart to take the Roxas/Poe tandem. Firstly, Sen. Poe needs more experience and being Vice president of Sen. Roxas , that will prove to be awesome learning situation/place. Another thing it will show that indeed Sen. Poe has the best interest of her country, the Philippines in her heart with all sincerity. I hope she will be smart enough not to be manipulated by anybody especially Escudero and further submerge the Philippines in non stop curakot style like Binay. Please love your country and show it by supporting the people who honestly think the best for the country. Not empty promises. Look deeper or closely in each ones heart. Filipinos, please show you can not be bought with whatever price or lucrative promises. Decide for yourself. If people will say to you, they are all the same, once they are elected they will steal too. Therefore choose the lesser evil then. We will be praying for you Filipinos for enlightenment !. Actually, it is high time to do what is right.
Mar Roxas should get real! He’ll never make it!
Care to elaborate? On the basis of polls or reputation or work results or what?
sorry out of topic this one:
Trolled in Rappler this is clear but not very clear to me.
“The Omnibus Election Code bans premature campaigning. In a widely criticized decision, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the law only applies when politicians have filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs). With the filing of COCs scheduled in October, this means politicians seen to be “campaigning” have not violated anything.
Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista earlier pointed out that “only a candidate can be guilty of premature campaigning.” He called this “a loophole in the law.” (READ: Comelec: ‘Moral question’ hounds early campaigners) ”
Referring to early campaigners, Bautista said: “The letter of the law, they’re not violating. But how about the spirit of the law?” –
Please enligthened if not tell to my face I am so dumb not to understand “it is not premature campaigning until after the candidate has filed his certificate of candidacy.”
When is mature campaigning as against premature campaigning happens? How many days before the election? How many days after filing your candidacy can you be accused of premature campaigning. You have filed your certificate of candidacy and still you can be accused of premature campaigning. What is the wisdom behind this so unclear law to non lawyers. When does life start? Upon fusion of the egg and sperm ? When does premature ejaculation happen only after insertion to the target orifice?
this “loophole” makes my head spin. “the Supreme Court ruled that the law only applies when politicians have filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs).” whatttt? does it mean then that as soon as the candidate (who has been seen, heard, photographed to have been conducting activities that smack of campaigning, e.g., jejo BIGnay) has filed his/her COC will be charged of pre-mature campaigning?
Bruised my forehead slapping it so hard. Such nonsense is this COMELEC . . . I hope they protect the ballots better than they do common sense.
There is undiscovered wisdom here it seems. You can campaign all you want five or six years before an election but soon after you file your certificate of candidacy and continue campaigning , you can be charged of violating premature campaigning law. A child learning about the fruits of the presidency and claim it is his fate to be president someday when he grows old can start preparing and even campaigning for the presidency. Sorry MALABO pa rin.
Something not quite right with the public perception of Roxas.
I believe he has withered the test of time with his public service, appointed by past three president, walang katiwalian, trabaho lang.
Could this be a result of his being a scion of the rich? I hope not.
who gives a dog gon shit!
Please, Sen. Grace. Help save the Philippines for the sake of our poor people. Please extend your arms to Sen. Mar Roxas. You can still be friends with Sen. Chiz, you will still be there for him. He made a mistake in supporting Binay before n he knew it. I hope he’ll let you join Sen. Mar n support both of you. Our country will be secured n happy. Tulungan po ninyo si Sen. Mar na ituloy ibangon ang bansa natin.
First I would not want a scenario where Mar loses,but if Grace wins and Chiz loses that might mean a Trillanes Vice presidency,who I think would support Grace like he is supporting PNoy.
I can’t figure Trillanes out, myself. I do think that Robredo as VP would trounce everybody. She carries a bigger halo than Poe, and much more confidence, straight dealing (Poe is trapo, from all I can tell) and talent.
Robredo still has not found a replacement for her post and she is still wary of a return of a Villafuerte dynasty for that Cam Sur district.
That is an admirable concern. But think of how many provinces she could benefit as VP, and, say, DILG head. If she were to hold to that view, then I’d agree that she is also not ready for the big jobs. She is too wrapped up in personal interest.
I guess,we will see.
Joe,
Maybe she does not have an out-sized view of herself.
I think the proof is in her decisions. If she would put the straight path at risk by running against a man who is qualified way beyond her pedigree, who has been waiting and working diligently for six years for his turn at the helm, then I’d say she has an out-sized view of herself. To me, her decisions seem to form a pattern that suggests humility is not exactly her forte.
According to an analysis of Jose Alejandrino : “There are some 52 million registered voters in the Philippines. However, voter turnout in previous elections ranged from 60% to 75%. My simulations are based on an average turnout of 40 million.
Jojo Binay has a solid base of supporters from the D and E classes, about 10 million or 25% of 40 million. However, the charges of plunder against him could reduce this support to 8 million which is what I expect his total vote to be at the 2016 elections. It won’t be enough to win.
The results of my simulation show Mar Roxas getting 8 million votes at the most, most likely about a million less than that. Not enough to win.
Grace Poe will get about 15-16 million votes. She will split the votes of the C and D classes to the detriment of Jojo Binay, thanks to the likely help of Erap who will emerge as the kingmaker. Her heaviest votes will come from Central Luzon.
This will leave Rodrigo Duterte with about 6-8 million votes, not enough to win.”
that leaves Vilma Santos-Recto as another choice. She has the talent, experience, good track of record as a Province Official, no traces of corruption as Mayor and Governor in her province, and charisma? lots of it and she could woe the votes of D and E Classes throughout the country. Why wait for Poe to make-up her mind? I agree with Joeam, Grace lacks political confidence unlike some trapos like Escudero. That’s the reason why she’s sticking up with him. Escudero is a “sigurista”. I believe he woed his new wife to enhance the lack of luster in his political life and he probably promised her, she would be a First Lady of the land one day. In his dream!
Pelang,
Mar has said that he was not averse to having Vilma as running mate
Go Figure! The AFP rank and file. Never mind the rank get the strength (number) of the file and get a hint of what catapulted an imprisoned LtSg of the PN into the Senate. It is easier I suppose to corrupt those who wear the stars and almost impossible to corrupt a foot soldier voting alone in an election booth. PNP is altogether different. Though the ranks (RHIP) may have graduated from the same academy. There’s enough votes waiting for Trillanes to clinch the vice presidency.
Trillanes is trash! He cannot know laws that he made. Trillanes is a product of Aguinaldo Principle. Trillanes is Condoned. The very same condonation that will selectively soon be outdated by Sereno. Here are hillariously outrageous investigative style of Trillanes:
1. He went to BinayLand to establish it belonged to Binay. Trillanes with his immense intelligence is alluding to the fact that all real or imagined properties in the Philippines has a sign “KEEP OUT: BINAY PROPERTY”
2. With Trillanes immense power, instead of going to Register of Deeds and ask for Land Title of BinayLand he asked Tiu to show proof of Title of Ownership of BinayLand. When Tiu showed him the Title, EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT Trillanes saw at Register of Deeds, Trillanes blew his top! Because the Land Title did not show Binay’s name on it;
3. With Trillanes vast network of spooks, he claimed Limlingan and Baloloy went abroad which the following day was debunked by Philippine Immigration that they never left the country
4. After three years of Fishing and Planting Evidences just a week ago he had their passports voided. DUH!
5. Trillanes has found Binay guilty while to this day Ombudsman is still gathering evidences
6. Trillanes and Ombudsman still cannot show proof if overpriced buildings went to Binay’s pocket instead of going after the contractors.
Trillanes is a muppet.
Yes, I think they are doing the math on number 6, trying to trace the money flying about. It’s a challenge, I’m sure.
“When Tiu showed him the Title, EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT Trillanes saw at Register of Deeds, Trillanes blew his top! Because the Land Title did not show Binay’s name on it”
Are you sure of your facts? Based on my recollection, what Tiu showed the Senate is not a Title, it has not been transferred to Tiu yet (or to anybody) as there is still a complication, a condition required by the government wherein a land reform beneficiary cannot sell the lot allotted to him within a period of time, another manipulation of Binay (shades of the the Comembo land grab manipulation) wherein his fellow Filipino’s general welfare was set aside in favor of his Chinese friends/dummies. Later, I expect another post of yours reiterating this Trillanes rant.
You were corrected in another blog in the matter of Trillane’s belief that Limlingan and Baloloy had already left the country, there is a possibility that they left the country using other names/passports or even through the backdoor. Yes, I believe you will repeat this rant again in another post.
On number 6, your faith in Binay is truly unshakeable. And blind. The AMLC records and the CA’s order to freeze don’t matter. Truly blind faith. Extra ordinary. The perfect devil’s advocate.
thanks MGPG, whoever the daughter of God you are. you have verbalized the thought response of so many. it is with nostalgia that I remember eagerly awaiting the pieces of Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, so was Bambi Lammoglia’s (forgot the husband’s name) gentle but sharp pruning scissors cutting way ward stems and branches. If I may, there is no such thing as blind faith like saying red red. Faith is blind and blind as ever is faith. And invoke only, If I may in the discourse of anything holy not otherwise.
Here and in any other blog, you may know them. They are called trolls if they are not accusing others spitting venom of being trolls like them. I know, I KNOW my three fingers are pointing back at me. Trolling in the little that I know is a method of fishing. It’s been corrupted too. It’s really good fishing if the nets are not so small as to catch and kill the fingerlings. Look for the docu where South Pacific islanders known to be primitive in their ways used coconut branches and leaves as nets to catch swarms of big fishes ONLY. Bad causes good. Heaven can not exist so the doubters say if there is no purgatory, or limbo or the ultimate for evil – hell. If you write good MGPG some bad writing might have caused you to be.
Heard the joke about lawyers not going to heaven or purgatory or even to hell? where and why then are they sent there when they passed? Let’s have some sense of humour then and not believe that any mortal creation can change the world.
haha…thanks, neo. When faith is on something good and righteous, that’s faith in its truest sense, an expectation of belief on things yet unseen, but if the evidences of evil are right there in front of your face and yet to still cling to that belief, isn’t it blind, or shall we say stubborn? Anywayz, as Joe says, its a literary expression, to emphasize something, and yes, to provoke a response.
” Trillanes is a product of Aguinaldo Principle. Trillanes is Condoned.” —
I thought Trillanes was “pardonned” by the President, right? There is a moral difference.
(6) “going after the contractors” —
Caveat emptor will put a stop to this before you even think of it. There is a contract with a value on it. The contractors done their job, please pay up.
Food for thought : In my country our laws are very clear. Both the receiver and the giver of bribes have committed criminal acts. In my country, we can go after the contractors. Another thing. Any person who knows anther person has committed a crime but does not report it can be charged for abetment. E.g. in my country, Jinggoy can be charged for saying he knew of Tuason’s dealings regarding the Malampaya funds but he never reported for the last sevewral years.
Remember USA VP Spiro Agnew? There could be others like him. There lurk some lessons there. Construction is the Achilles’ heel of corruption. Corrupt contractors are the Midas(es) of corrupt politicians. They turn pieces of papers and signatures into gold valued at hundred millions if not billions of any country’s currency . The top ten countries in the UN Human Development most likely had gotten rid of them Achilles’ heel or their Midases. We should too if we are to go get better.
I agree. In my country, we go after both as we have laws that criminalises the “giver”. But I don’t think there are laws here that persue the corruptors. If that were so, the entire Filipino business world would be in trouble and NBI, DOI, and every court in the country will drown in the sheer volume of cases. Every audited financial statement filed with the BIR has one item that is boldly, outrageously, and with great impunity called “REPRESENTATION”. This is the a/c that tells you everything that is wrong with Philippines. This is the wang-wang of business inc. The fact that everybody knows what this a/c stands for and that there is naturally an absence of audit trail, it’s conveniently overlooked. If I were an external auditor or the BIR agent, I will analyse this a/c to death.
what if roxas-duterte be the tandem. during the campaign roxas will also introduce duterte as the next vp and doj secretary with robredo the number 2 person of doj, the two will oversee the investigation and filing of charges against hi-profile politico-thieves and drug lords. roxas will need to form his administration team with roxas offering the dilg post to escudero!? the agriculture post to pangilinan?! vilma santos the dswd post!!! some popular honest politicos offered cabinet positions… and the whole roxas administration team will campaign together. and mar will say if i don’t win then you will not have this team. then the voters if they like the roxas administration team will have to vote for roxas as president. if roxas forms an untrustworthy team then that is his downfall but if he forms a dedicated and an action-for- the- massa team then i believe he will be a sure winner.
when the filing of coc for the presidency has ended and the presidentiables have been firmed up concerned citizen’s group sponsored by a partylist rep files for impeachment case vs vp binay. i believe many reelectionist reps and senators will join the train because of the media attention. this will either boost or eliminate binay. it is a gambit to make…binay will be pre occupied with his defense thus less focus on the campaign…media (if they want the country to get rid of binay) has to help to pump up impeachment clamor.
for me roxas is the best leader we can have at this time, he is not as popular than the others right now but with a good team of his prospective cabinet members who will campaign for and with him, people will realize that his heart is for the good of the country.
CRISOSTOMO VILLA in his column “Me Tangere” of LAGPITAW in Bicol says: Our nation is in pandemonium as we continue our cherry-picking of the next President, who afterall become USELESS creatures! These people we call “presidents” to whom an entire nation had entrusted its national posterity and security, upon whom an entire nation pins hope for national wellbeing and prosperity, had one after the other turned out to become unreliable stewards of the country afterall; their presidencies have failed to satisfy people’s expectations. They have run the highest office of the land amid the incompetence and corruption of people close to them, or worse abet gainful and vested interests of just a few wealthy people who protected them and helped them win the elections in our defective and stinking electoral processes. After Quezon, Osmena and Roxas, no presidency in this country has ever held back the Filipino nation from its continuing backward direction. ‘Tang ‘Na!
Political and social discontent over the way government is run these days is so pervasive nationwide and so tangible. If even the victims of super typhoon Yolanda have virtually been abandoned, and in fact had been robbed of relief goods from foreign country, what more can the average marginal breadwinner in the countryside expect? To be sure, there is nothing to hope for anymore in the state of affairs in our country—they are in shambles, bloody, sagging and limping in the hinterlands, overburdened by overglamoralization of politics and politicians through the existing political culture and system of government—all its expense falls on the shoulders of our overburdened taxpayers. Ex-Sen. Francisco “Kit” Tatad in his book entitled “A Nation On Fire”, he wrote, thus: “Politics has become the nation’s biggest business. This is a serious disorder, a major cause of underdevelopment.”
Following the involvement of the majority of the members of both Houses of Philippine Congress in the anomalous disposition of public funds, the Supreme Court was forced to rule out or outlaw the PDAF or Pork Barrel funds from the hands of Filipino legislators. This Judicial act manifests strong substantiation of the plunder case filed against a woman, named Janet Lim Napoles, who is presently detained. Recently, she issued an affidavit to various agencies of government, which contained the names of public officials, mostly members of Congress, who using her NGO .
was given share of the “loot” or GRAFT money from Congress amounting to billions of pesos; the seemingly credible allegations and those issued by other “whistle-blowers” have shattered to pieces the images and credibility or trustworthiness of both Houses of Congress.
On the other hand, another credible indictment of abuse and embezzlement of public funds amounting to nearly PhP200 billion involves President Benigno Simeon Aquino himself when he allegedly distributed the said DAP Funds as bribe money or gratuity in voting out as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Renato Corona, during the impeachment proceedings in the Senate.
The need to immediately convene a Constitutional Convention to change our system of government is a glaring imperative. Let us remove the over-centralized system of government headed by a President which for already eight decades after gaining independence on July 4, 1946, the country has been always in political turmoil and economic crisis. Let us take in the Parliamentary System of Government. Philippine.
If Grace slides down to VP, Chiz can ask for the senate presidency.
He could. His second term ends in 2019 and then (or before) he could and should be moved to a real job to prove he can manage (like DILG). I wonder if he can work that hard. He seems to like the pampered path to me.
Why force Poe as the one who should give in to Mar when Poe has the better chance of winning against Binay? Why paint her as the villain if she doesn’t give in to Mar? Mar needs Poe more than Poe needs Mar—that’s a fact. Poe isn’t the one salivating for the presidency, she’s still weighing her options and what will be good for the country. She knows even a Mar-Poe tandem isn’t a sure thing to derail a Binay buffet—all he can eat! A Poe vs Binay is the best chance for the future of the Philippines and Mar should give way if he really loves this country and not blinded by personal ambition.
That’s the choice: integrity and the more experienced, capable leader, versus expedience and the popular person right now. You go with expedience and I choose integrity. There will be many votes cast along both lines.
By the way, I don’t paint her as a villain. I paint her as lacking the confidence needed to be president.
2016 is a battle to stop Binay from becoming president at all cost. Poe has the best chance of taking that cudgel and leading us to victory. I don’t believe she doesn’t have enough experience to make it as a great President, many in history who were thought to be less experienced has surprised a lot of people in the end. How can you also say she lacks confidence to become president when she has made tougher decisions than Mar has ever done?
What decisions?
Well, you are a Poe fan, and that is great. I just don’t share your views. She has made tougher decisions than Roxas? Surely you are kidding. She was not at Zamboanga, or on the ground in storms. What are her tough decisions? Kindly enlighten me.
I’m not a Poe fan. I just want somebody to beat Binay. Remember, in a presidential elections, there’s no point for second place. Mar was soundly beaten by Binay in 2010 and even the magic of his partner’s name can’t pull him to victory.
In the most crucial period that could have changed Mar’s image around, Mar quibbled in the Senate investigations of the Mamasapano incident by participating in the cover-up of PNoy and Purisima, while Poe has shown her mettle in the investigations by making the right decisions regardless on who gets hit. Mar had not done anything against Purisima to resolve the vacuum in the PNP leadership—the main reason the Mamasapano debacle happened. That incident alone defined these two personalities on who can be trusted when the going gets tough.
What I was hoping for was information on Poe’s tough decisions. Mar Roxas has been selected by three separate presidents for substantial roles because he gets things done. When someone is that active, it is easy to find some places to cast stones. I think yours are a little off-base, holding Roxas somehow culpable for Mamasapano, but, again, you are allowed to vote for Poe. I know I will never change your view.
No one has to change anyone’s view. It’s a matter of looking at the data and deciding who has the best chance of beating Binay. My decision will change, if there is strong evidence Mar or anybody else can defeat Binay in 2016. Mar can be the best candidate for President but it won’t matter when all our nightmares come true in 2016.
Very good, I’m glad to know you have an open mind. Thanks for contributing your point of view here.
Binay won against Mar, because of Escudero and the Aquino family! Beside 2010 nobody knows about the Binay except he painted himself as a superman who painted himself as the builder of Makati. Now that almost every secret bad doing, enriching himself and his clan are exposed, even his endorsers will depart from him. Hopefully, in the next 90 days,
When final decision is made and the Liberal leadership will support the Federalism agenda of Mayor Duterte and Duterte will not run and support Mar; Mar will take mass base of Duterte, he will break into the unbreakable wall of defence and support of Binay.
Binay is history. The survey may indicate that he is leading with a 25-30% share. Looking at the survey from another point of view, 70% is against him. Just as long as the presidential race is limited to 3 contenders, I don’t see any Binay Presidency coming.
Roxas underestimated Binay in 2010. Don’t let history repeat itself because the stakes are higher and could spell the end of our Republic instead. Likewise, don’t underestimate the mass of voters who don’t care or understand the issues or grasp the truth.
Roxas looked like a kid in diapers in Tacloban. Facing the biggest typhoon in history, he went there with no Sat Phone, a fact Karen Davila pointed out to him during an interview. No communications, not effective relief operations. He should have brought a thousand sat phones with him. It costs less than an iPhone I think. Shows the guy had no foresight.
Then there’s the debacle called the MRT. As the DOTC head that cancelled the Sumitomo contract and replaced it with an LP connected service provider that ruined the trains, he will have to answer in the court of public opinion for his decisions. With millions of people relying on the MRT that Mar and his minion Abaya totally screwed up, they’ve probably lost quite a bit of the Metro Manila votes. Mar and Abaya have left the DOTC in shambles, with indecisiveness and incompetence as its primary quality. Boo Chanco has chronicled these problems as early as 2012, and it is for those obvious reasons I cannot in conscience vote for Mar over Grace. Mar will only get my grudging vote if it boils down to a 2 man race.
Thanks for getting into the specifics of your problem with Secretary Roxas.
I agree with JuanPinoy. Grace is the better option to stop the ambition of Binay and Roxas is not the right option as his survey is not faring well.
Poe might be the “best” choice but Mar is the SMARTER choice.
Isnt it the other way around?
I don’t think so, be careful what you had asked for, LP is a party of political butterflies. LP support is not real as it perceive to be, personal interests of LP politicians will prevail. A month before the election, almost all of them will jump ship to the perceived winnable candidate. In the end, Mar will be broken into pieces like what happened last 2010.
Mar did not even win the vice presidency the last time around (against Binay) and presently only third among the presidential hopefuls. What made you think that he has a better chance of beating Binay this time around, when polls are showing that Poe will beat them both. If the Liberals will support Poe, why not have Rojas run as her VP and give their full support to Poe if she makes it to the presidency
Binay has been campaigning, Poe/Escudero have been campaigning, Mar Roxas has been working. The race has not begun and you are declaring it over. It is about capability, not reputation or expedience. For me. That is just my take on it. I think Roxas would guarantee a continuation of the Aquino straight path improvements and either Binay or Poe would interrupt it. If Poe keeps burning bridges by attacking rather than building and promoting her ideas and abilities, I’m not sure many cabinet people will stay on.
among the names you mentioned, only Binay is the one campaigning. How can Poe campaign if she has not even decided on her intention to run for presidency? Poe, as well as Rojas, are getting their names mentioned and exposed thru the media, and for FREE, due to these negative publicities the oposition are hurdling towards her.
I as well am not declaring tha race over. I am simply stating the fact that even with the lower office, Rojas did not beat Binay. Even with the present poll, he is NO near any of the two, Poe and Binay. So even if in your mind, he is the only one to continue what Pinoy started(and you are not even sure of that nor Poe will do the same), are you sure that the worst scenario will not happen (Binay winning)? If Mar’s chance is less, as history/fact says so, and poe’s chance is much better to beat Binay, wouldnt you take that?
You don’t see Roxas setting up a room with microphones, inviting the press to an interview, and then expounding on the fact that President Aquino has not yet made up his mind, when no one but President Aquino knows whether or not he has. That’s what Escudero did just last week. That was not in response to anything. There is a reason he is in the front pages every other day with announcements. To get to Roxas, reporters have to do ambush interviews on the sidelines of wherever he is working. Yes, I think Poe and Escudero started campaigning during the Mamasapano hearing.
I am absolutely sure that Roxas has more experience and knowledge about affairs of state than does Poe, and absolutely sure he is not a gameplayer and has the highest integrity, and I am absolutely sure that Poe is not ready as long as she needs Escudero to prop her up.
Perhaps I am more a risk-taker than you are, or more confident that Roxas, once he starts to campaign, will have a LOT of powerful voices supporting him. The problem is, with Poe, the more I see, the less I like. The questioning of the Ombudsman about Abaya being the latest, and her stated dependence on Escudero. No, the more she does that is not constructive, straight-path, diplomatically mature thinking, the more risk I am willing to take with Roxas. But don’t worry. I have no vote. You do, so don’t let me restrain you in any way.
Hahaha. Dont worry . I dont have any vote as well. Im an american citizen.
This is just a matter of voicing our opinion. I just hope that whoever wins the presidency, will improve the the whole of the Philippines and put it back to the top where it was before… Long long time ago
Ahhhhhhhhh, my, well, good for you Andrew. Welcome to the blog, my little slice of heaven or hell, depending on the day and dialgue.
I’m with you on the hope.
You’ve got to be kidding me to say that Roxas hasn’t been campaigning. Going around the country and giving out Mahindra trucks to mayors as if he were Santa Claus. Seriously doesn’t he have anything better to do than personally deliver each and every truck to it’s recipient. Didn’t know that glorified UPS man was part of the job description.
As for questioning the ombudsman on why Abaya was given a free pass, well it’s within her jurisdiction being the head of the committee that investigated the MRT mess. She castigated Abaya before, and it wasn’t politicking then, so why should it be taken against her now?
Paragraph 1. Yes, grey area.
Paragraph 2: Because she questioned the integrity of the Ombudsman, undermining a function that should be kept strong in order to do its important job well, get rid of corruption. The Ombudsman determined it did not have sufficient information to charge Abaya because he had only been in charge for 2 days. Poe carried her prior bias forward (vindictive?) and spoke without having information. You will notice that she dropped the matter quickly. An experienced politician would take more care when talking about other people’s business. It is similar to her rude statement to the American Ambassador, inserting herself into foreign policy without having the authority to do so. Lack of consideration of the prerogatives of other departments of government.
@ montywest
“Going around the country and giving out Mahindra trucks to mayors as if he were Santa Claus”
That’s part of his work, to be visible to the local governments, to attend to their needs which can be provided by the national government , he is DILG sec…, my understanding is that the LG there stands for Local Government. He was in Zamboanga when there was trouble there, and anywhere that requires attention, a hands on man. You prefer Binay to hop from one LG to another and make it appear that the national government is neglecting the LGs. Me thinks that he can’t do anything right in your eyes, your prejudice is showing. Just because we see Binay doing his premature campaigning, you attribute that too, to your pet peeve, Roxas.
Binay could not get this DILG position even if he asked for it, so he set up his sister city networks. He used the resources of Makati for this pseudo DILG activities at the expense of Makati’s poor (as he needs them to remain poor so he can use them to perpetuate his family’s hold in that premier city). Nice, huh? So you grudge Roxas for doing his job. Oh well.
And u are calling juan pinoy a poe fan….and u sir? Who’s open minded here?
Read the dialogue, Eric. No need to put words in my mouth that I did not speak. He said he is not a fan and I take him at his word. I was asking for justification for his claim that Poe has made more tough decisions than Roxas, and I’m still waiting for that justification. I’d imagine he is having a hard time backing up the claim. It was a discussion of issues, and you are the person translating it into a cock fight of personal esteem and personal challenge. Generally people visiting the blog don’t do that kind of thing, but perhaps you are new, so perhaps you don’t understand what we strive for. A discussion that does not require personal insult to wage argument. I’m very open minded, as regular readers here will testify. But you have to speak earnestly and be willing to listen yourself.
Im just amazed of how openminded u are in ur opinion on roxas and of poe…i admire u for that
Actually, on Poe, I’m more open minded than most may expect from the critical tenor of my comments here. If Poe is elected President I will support her as I do President Aquino. I think she would be a better president in 2022 than she would be in 2016 because of her lack of experience and knowledge. But I have no trouble with Poe in 2016 (and figure Bam Aquino in 2022), because I think she is basically honest and wants good things for the Philippines. I might be critical of specific policies, for example if she changed Philippine foreign policy to favor bilateral negotiation with China and removed US bases from the Philippines. But I’d be writing to defend her most of the time, I suspect.
I think he has already explained that he is nobody’s fan, that what he is a fan of is the welfare of the country he has come to love, the country where his family decided to stay for keeps; and to keep that country stable and growing, he (as well as most of his regular readers here) aims for a continuity of the present government’s economic thrust, the consistent fight against graft and corruption and for us to continue the generational fight for our right in the Exclusive Economic Zone in the West Philippine Seas to assure our food and energy supply. The least we could do as Filipinos is to share his optimism and aspirations for our country instead of putting him down.
Let’s wait for the results of the next series of surveys. I suppose a survey will be done taking into consideration the candidates who have ALREADY DECLARED (even if they have NOT YET FILED) their candidacy. I hope PNOY will wait until October to announce his anointed one. What is the rush?
I really, really wanted to be convinced that the pollsters on the ground are not manipulated, not tempted by monetary and/or other considerations, mindful of the voters’ penchant to join the bandwagon, thinking that theirs will be a wasted vote if they vote for someone other than what the surveys say will win. I say that because of the ironic result of the surveys showing Binay as the most trusted government official AFTER most of his corruptions were exposed.
If I may, Roxas was cheated man, he won the first time man. Why are so many people be so scared of Roxas and Korina? Who are these people? If they are bad, they can surely cause Roxas to win and for Korina to become First Lady. Lots of people don’t know what these couple will do. They could be dangerous to the past. But who knows, even I who’s still a poor citizen don’t really know.
Big big WINK!
😉
Joe Am who defines a leader better than anybody but a leader himself. My favorite professor who became Dean of two UP Regional Units started being a youth disciplined leader as UP Diliman ROTC Corps Commander who mentored government and business executives in the defunct UP Philippine Executive Academy. He was always offering his own formula for leadership which I will only forget if I forget the Lord’s Prayer. It is not K I S S but C R E S T that spells out as COMMITMENT, RESOURCEFULNESS, ENTHUSIASM, STATESMANSHIP and TENACITY.
I can handle a two-hour lecture just to glorify CREST as ATTRIBUTES of a leader. And another two-hour talk about CREST of a country and the CREST of each people. When Canada PM Stephen Harper allegedly squanders money for jets and bombings, when George W shocked and awed Baghdad, when Alan Peter and Sonny Trillanes adroitly use their technical staff to search for the truth, when USA leads the world and China keeps trying hard to be number one, it’s HUGELY ABOUT RESOURCEFULNESS AND RESOURCES. CREST as Leadership to a greater spin is more than patriotism or heroism.
This time it is not WHOM BENIGNO ANNOINT ….
IT IS WHO GRACE POE RUNS WITH ….
If Grace Poe makes or breaks a presidential candidate …
I SUGGEST GRACE POE RUNS FOR PRESIDENT HERSELF … Ongpin or no Ongpin … Money or no Money.
GRACE POE CAN DO IT HERSELF JUST FINE!
That is the catch 22. She HAS to run alone to prove she is not a puppet and does not need an Escudero security blanket to make presidential decisions. She will get pulled down by others. Not by herself, running in a straightforward, positive way. You are exactly right, I think.
But if she needs the cling, she is not ready.
“If she needs to cling, she’s not ready.”
So you think Rojas is not clinging to the endorsement and backing up of the president and the Liberals?
Everyone of these hopefuls are clinging to somebody else, so nobody is ready?
Depends on WHO they cling to…. do you think Escudero will not influence Poe in business matters concerning Ongpin (of the DBP stock manipulation, on the Alphaland/Makati deal, on the Binondo central bank, allegedly dealing in dollar transactions unreported/undeclared to the government) ?
If grace is aware of this article you have written..about her being clingy,inexperience,and that ur idol roxas is the best bet because of the way he handled yolanda and mamasapano,and his hardwork as seen in many viral videos and images(lifting a sack of sibuyas,driving padjak,directing trafc soaked,holding a hammer the correct way in repairing a school chair,etc) might change poe’s mind
I see you have bought into the headlines of the mainstream media on Tacloban without much due diligence beyond that. And Roxas had nothing to do with Mamasapano, he was out of the loop. Other than that, the rest of your comment smacks of trollish insight aimed to slap and probably run. I for sure don’t see an open mind with you, or inclination to discuss.
i remember that picture. I miss Sec Jess.
We have a corrupt media. We can only trust a handful of people.
One person whose trust was never lost is Sec Jess.
Died too young.
Agree 100%. Tha fact that everybody wants their names besides Poe, that means she is capable of performing the office herself. So reverse the billing… poe/… Whoever! UNA wants her, liberals want her, independent, etc. so she is the one that will make or break the party!
In response to MRP, Grace only has the Poe name, nothing more. She is being used because of the name recall. I think she realized in the 1990’s the name Poe can help her get to higher public office, that’s why the BS Political Science degree. She prepared for this election or she prepared for this situation.
She’s being a trapo as a trapo can be, using incidents as a stepping stone to achieve her goal. She has what I call “selective justice” syndrome or an “selective anti-corruption” drive. She takes on PNoy’s friends really hard, but wears kid’s gloves when it mattered to the PDAF scammers and the Makati Kings and Queens.
It’s only when the survey told her that she surpassed the Coconut Palace King that she decided to go against him and signed on the subcommittee report to charge the Coconut Palace King of plunder.
On the MRT, it’s a popular target nowadays with the shenanigans brought about the Vitangcol’s mismanagement, so it’s very ripe for Grace Poe to make noise about what the Ombudsman is doing at the moment in regards to that. It will add to her popularity and will translate into higher survey, at least in NCR where the MRT has an effect.
But I’d side with the Ombudsman Morales on this one. She’s more credible because she has no end goal of a higher office than let’s say Grace Poe is at the moment.
Grace is a Poe and Mar is a Roxas, so why is one a negative while the other is ok. You put too much weight on the irrelevant. By the way, did Mar make a stand against Jinggoy, Bong and Enrile? Was his voice heard during this whole investigation on Binay? He would only comment if his name was called out by the Binay kids, but even then it was just to deny his involvement in the investigation. Grace signed both the PDAF and the Binay findings and made the Mamasapano report, and in these three instances she clearly did what was right and yet you dismiss it as opportunism.
She headed the Senate committee on the MRT mess and castigated Abaya last year. So why was it wrong for her to openly ask why Abaya was given a free pass when he clearly signed that tainted contract. Again she did what was right and has been criticized for opportunism.
in public and in private there is such a thing as a back channel. In government it acts as an information channel to prevent too many visible mistakes from the ruling class. If Grace utilized the back channel then she would have known that Abaya wasn’t considered because he was in office for only two days when that contract was signed.
Not utilizing the back channel was either because the pronouncement had an agenda or she didn’t care.
This means she has poor judgement on matters. Not a problem, all of us have bad days.
Also Morales is about as high in morality as anyone else in government can claim to be. She should be sainted in my eyes. You don’t challenge someone that trustworthy without looking dumb or politicking.
i should say poe should give in to mar, like mar gave in to pnoy. i am not convinced that poe is of presidential caliber at this time, her present actuations does not manifest it, i agree she is popular. whether she makes a good president at this point of history …your guest is as good as mine. we have a good presidentiable in mar roxas who has integrity, dedication, experience, and best of all love of country (country first before other else). his problem now is he is not popular, and pinoy is trying to pair him to someone who is popular so hopefully his popularity goes up at this juncture (popularity by association). there are other ways how his popularity rating will go up. 1. when he announces and starts campaigning his rating may go up…2. when he details his near term (massa oriented) and long term (strategic nation building and development) programs his ratings may go up. 3. if he forms his cabinet members (of good name recognition and integrity with proven good achievements) even before he gets elected so these popular non-elected people will be able to help him become popular ( popularity again by association, well he was once popular before and i believe he will be again). My vote goes to Mar, he has proven himself and with the help of his administration team he can do more for the country. gude
I really think that the goverment will not let Binay to run for president or any other job in the goverment.B I ay much answer to all a ligation and corruption that being put to him.
I think if people really want to cleanse the country of curraption ,they can put Duterte and trillanes. I am not agains anyone but I am looking who will do a good job.
That would make for a healthy election, for sure, and I hope you are right. I have written Duterte off as a presidential prospect because his recent statements are just too outrageous (abolish Congress, invite the NPA to the Palace), and he says he is not running. I don’t see much “demand pull” for him. But add him in a three way race, Poe, Roxas and Duterte, and the people would have an interesting choice to make. Healthy democracy. Biny makes it unhealthy. Like, really really sick.
Excellent analysis. Poe is a political ingenue, not that it’s an altogether bad trait – but relying on Escudero like that? At this point in time I personally would like to see Poe being able to make strong decisions by showing she is able to work with just about anyone who is qualified, not just BFFs, and by doing so, show us that she could put personal preference aside and show us by example her understanding of the big picture.
They way Joe draw Grace, I see her clinging to Escudero’s pants. Benigno on his knees begging Grace to accept Mar. And Ongpin dangling his fortunes for Grace to accept Escudero.
Are these folks really into fixing the country? Or, this is just another game to them.
Bingo. Question of the day. No . . . year.
Out into the larger theater, how these roles will play out given only the chosen actors and actress making the whole story far from complete – will all be but specimens of the nature of guesses, forecasts, estimates. opinions even.
The article presented the author’s view in such a smooth flow, as best liquid as it can. I reserve my subsequent comment later on.
Primer, you smooth cat, you. Why do I think I’m about to get hammered? 🙂 Or is it enlightened?
We are all actors upon the stage, even those of us toting computers, pretending wisdom when we only have half-baked information and opinions. Yes, I see your point there.
If ever Poe won as a president with Chiz on her side, she will become as a puppet of Chiz who will tell her what to do in all matters of the governmental issues / projects and programs. Chiz is the power behind Poe’s throne. The two of them are just thinking of their best interest who will just think of number 1, not the interest of the common good / public good. The problem is the majority of the voters don’t realize this. Oh, sugar.
Well, the two of them would be more forthright if Escudero were the presidential candidate and Poe the VP. Oh, sugar, that does not sell so well.
You are underestimating and insulting the intelligence of the Newbie Poe. How come that Grace would only be a puppet of Escudero? Grace has her own mind and tough when the tough is going!
Hah, that’s why she won’t go around the country with Mar, without Escudero tagging along, if the news reports are accurate and not belied by both of them.
Remember Poe is not a member of LP. When Mar goes around the country to campaign, I am sure that he would be surrounded by LPs. Do you think Poe would be comfortable in that situation. Would you if you were in her shoes? I don’t think she wants Escudero by her side to caddy her.
Di ba ito nangyari last elections??
Based on that okay lang kay Poe.
Yes, he could be the Coal Fletcher to the President (in the fiction story, The Pelican Brief by John Grisham)…the manipulator, the schemer who will exercise the real power of the Presidency, judging by Poe’s attitude to and her seeming dependence on Escudero.
I agree with you 100% on Rep. Leni Robredo!
Joe, everyone should read your post. I do agree with you that Mar Roxas is the more appropriate candidate against Binay and if Poe does not want to be the VP then I would go with Leni Robredo. I am positive that if the President will talk to she will accept the position. I am not very keen with Vilma Santos as VP even if she is charming, has done good things because there is something lacking in her as a stateswoman. If the president dies (heaven forbids) she may not be able to handle the position very well.
Thank you for that input, Linda. I also think that if the President spoke with Rep. Robredo, she would accept the position.
What has Leni Robredo done to deserve the second highest post (vp)?
Except for being the widow of the late DILG secretary and now congresswoman of CamSur, Leni is of unknown quality and quantity. We need more to know about her to love her.
Demonstrated good thinking and integrity.
First off to answer your question, she lives a simple life and at the same time really mindful of her constituents as a congresswoman of her district.
Walking the talk, taking public transportation, not just for show, unlike Grace Poe who only traveled once or twice just to get media mileage.
Thanks.
I’m not a fan of Poe or Escudeo but I think if Poe considered herself as a winning candidate for President, I think just for now but the moment she filed her candidacy and get some bad remarks about her origin there you are. Senator Poe why not aim for VP first before aiming for President of the Philippines and Escudero your VP, that man will just use you. Only a reminder
I have two comments:
1. I would love to see Leni Robredo run as VP with Mar Roxas.
2. If Poe goes on her own with Escudero, I think Aquino and Roxas will ask Trillanes to run – he can attack both Binay and Poe… the ideal spoiler…
Trillanes is the most complex person for me to grasp. Back door role with China led to a fight with Sec. Del Rosario, stalwart work on the Blue Ribbon Sub-committee, perplexing goal to kill K-12. He is ambitious, as well, calculating his ways forward and upward. I don’t know that he complements Roxas as well as either Robredo or Santos. He could attack the weaknesses of Poe and Binay like a bulldog, leaving Roxas free to do the “good leader of all the people” role. . . . most interesting.
To clarify – I did not mean “run for V-P” – I sincerely hope Leni Robredo can be persuaded to do that.
I meant that Aquino and Roxas will persuade Trillanes to run for President as a “spoiler” to take votes from Binay and Poe. His campaign would be funded and he would be rewarded with a Cabinet post.
I am pretty sure that Duerte’s “will he – won’t he – he won’t” antics were him “trailing his coat”, to see who if anyone would fund him as a “spoiler” candidate – he wants to add to his retirement nest egg. It seems nobody did.
Ah, thanks for the clarification. I think Trillanes for President would be a little too far outside the box. He’d lose. He could actually win the VP slot, depending on who is running. Trillanes, UNA person, Escudero. He has a good chance.
Bakit pa kasi na-epal pa si Keso??? Di naman mananalo yan pag walang partido!!
“Mar can be the best candidate for President but it won’t matter when all our nightmares come true in 2016.”—JuanPinoy
Nicely said, Juan, but a bit too frightening to ponder upon. I’m not sure I can sleep well tonight thinking of such scenario.
I don’t want to even think about it. But it sure won’t matter if Binay becomes the President come July 2016!
Chiz is the perfect example of someone who will play both sides of the coin just to get ahead or to get what he wants. I think he may settle for the Senate Presidency, then make this his springboard for his presidential ambitions.
As for Leni Robredo, she categorically said that she will aspire for a Senate seat if her duties as a Representative is finished.
Good to know that Leni is opening her doors for higher office, but according to this link her worries are popularity and funds.
http://kickerdaily.com/leni-robredo-mulls-running-for-senator-under-lp-in-2016/
I think she has the popularity problem solved, as to the funds that is the problem of many aspiring candidates.
If Cong. Leni runs under the Liberal Party, there is no problem for funds. She also has the backing of the richest Filipino entrepreneur in USA – the group that backed her congressional run…Remember she went to the USA ass a guest of that organization recently.
Roxas-Robredo is an unbeatable team! I can not decipher why most people still fear Binay with all the dirt heaped on him … Voters in the countryside maybe suckers for patronage politics but they are not that brainless…. and most of these have family members overseas aas an OFW or as an immigrant but still providing for their financial needs. So, what the family financier dictates is followed – not the money given by Binay.
Let us do our share in ensuring Binay is out of the Presidential race very soon – with a criminal case slapped on him or an impeachment process. .
Good.As for Binay,I also wish he would be out of the race,as many said,it would be a nightmare if he wins.I don’t get the point when people say they wont vote for unsure to win candidates.di bobotohin dahil matatalo.
I wonder how different this article would be if Poe dropped Chiz, a known political opportunist (his marriage to actress Heart Evangelista being the mere highlight (or lowlight?) of his career). Unlike some of the people here, I think Poe might be good enough for at the least the vice presidency, or even the presidency. I have seen one thing about her that’s in her favor: she’s willing to drop people, even people who were politically close to her, if their integrity gets damaged. Remember when people criticized her for being silent on Binay? Later on, she distanced herself from Binay, and unlike leftist criticisms of Binay which are half-hearted and actually poorly-disguised criticisms of Aquino, Poe’s criticisms of Binay were genuine. You can tell by how Binay was so scared of facing her by how his allies kept throwing allegations at her such as possible residency issues (which, worryingly, the UNA camp seemed to have ignored when they tried approaching her to be Binay’s VP).
Unlike many of the others who frequent this blog (including Joe himself), I’m not a very big fan of Roxas (despite my mother being a big supporter of him, dating back to his days running for senator). He was a poor DOTC secretary, and if it weren’t for his replacement Jun (p)Abaya [note: pabaya means “neglectful” in Filipino) being so incompetent that he makes ex-house czar Binay’s performance look like Cesar Purisima or Leila De Lima, his image would be even worse. I’m not exactly familiar with his performance as DILG secretary, with reports ranging from competence (helping the PNP and military), to incompetence (Haiyan/Yolanda, Mamasapano), but my view of him has soured, and it’s going to be hard for him to regain my respect. Nevertheless, he has one bright spot that makes me consider him, albeit reluctantly: like P-Noy, he is anti-corruption. And being an anti-corruption politician, especially a genuine one, is somewhat of a rare breed in this country. He knows that he is weak politically, so he should try capitalizing on this trump card. Who knows, Roxas could mature politically if he were Vice President or President. After all, P-Noy was an incompetent senator, but he blossomed when he was given the challenge to be the country’s highest politician.
I would most likely support either a Poe-Roxas or a Roxas-Poe ticket (the latter would be a bitter pill for me to swallow, though), because I know such a tandem can continue P-Noy’s programs. I don’t like Binay and Roxas (and Duterte for that matter, but that’s for another time), but if I have to choose between the two, I’d rather have Roxas. Roxas is incompetent but not corrupt, whereas Binay is very experienced… experienced in stealing other people’s money.
Thanks for expressing “the other side of the coin” as to reservations about Roxas. I had similar reservations, but the thing that sold me is that his colleagues have the utmost respect for him, and I do think the office makes the man. I think he listens well, speaks earnestly, and would move the country on the right direction. I was absolutely open to Poe, but she filled me up with doubts and mistrusts. Her inability to walk alone without Escudero sealed the deal. Not only green, but weak. The one thing I admire about President Aquino is his willingness to avoid making decisions based on popular reaction, but based on information and reflection. Poe played Mamasapano for popular appeal (I think she and Escudero started campaigning at that time), and undermined Executive, the police/military and BBL. I think Roxas is a lot deeper than that.
There is a Japanese saying that I think is apt for Mar Roxas at this time….
Of Trillanes’ dogged pursuit of truth about VP Binay…
Now, maybe Trillanes’ tenacity was borne out of the Makati Penn siege when the Binays left them out cold and did not provide the necessary people power muscle as they agreed upon, I don’t know, but it’s good for the country, isn’t it? Because now we know what went on in Makati City under the Binays.
Of Grace’s partnership with Chiz…
They feed off of each other’s energy. Grace Poe’s popularity rubs on Chiz and Chiz’s connection helps Grace Poe… like a shark with a remora fish on its belly.
Chiz looks more like a barnacle to me. ahahaha
Description of a barnacle
Barnacle might not apply to him, he gave us Binay, remember? He’s not the harmless type
🙂 I remember.
Trillanes has done the nation a great, great service. Cayetano, too, but I don’t know where he went. And Pimentel, for letting them work.
Yes, his tenacity is paying off and it is slowing the Binay machinery of momentum and much needed funds. As for Cayetano, maybe he’s just there around the corner waiting for the opportune time to pounce again. Maybe if Limlingan and Baloloy will finally surface, then it’s most probable the good senator will make himself present then.
Let’s see…
Roger that . . .
Very good.
I used to like Escudero back then being silver-tongued, charming and more of the promising young politicians. not until his giving support of Binay last 2010 elections saying Roxas is not a hard-nosed politician etc. etc….It caused Roxas much. I didn’t know BInay was really that of a thief then because his name resonates the reason why Makati is today . It was the BInay-Fernando debate back then that convinced me Binay must be corrupt, Later I realized that (cheese) is what he is really made of – all sweet talk , less action and talks loudly more in “special occasions” but absent in really crucial ones…BBL, China, His voice is never heard.
Same. As you can read in my old article here, I used to admire Binay, even though I had long been hearing rumors about him and his family receiving kickbacks for every condo project in Makati, and even the fact that he owned a hacienda in Rosario was well-known here in Batangas. I even supported him in 2010 since he had Batangueno roots and I am a Batangueno, and also because of his election platform. I even wanted him to become DILG secretary. But then, Mercado came out and spoke of what Binay truly was. My support for him, which lasted for almost four years, vanished virtually overnight.
What’s amazing about Binay is that he was able to cultivate an image of being a pro-masses mayor who helped grow the country’s financial district. Instead, the horrible truth came out that he instead is perhaps the greediest Philippine politician since Marcos.
no. include the arroyo’s first before binay… (the greediest politician after Marcos…
When he was first elected to the Senate, he was Mr. Popularity. And he has squandered it. He seems to do too much calculation, too much popular appeal (complaining), and not enough work. His campaign would likely be to attack the Aquino government, very much like Binay. That’s why Poe and Binay are aligned on questioning why the Ombudsman did not charge Sec Abaya on the train complaint. I mean, to question the Ombudsman like that is very unprofessional and disrespectful of a well-run, independent agency.
hmmmmmmn well run and independent agency? did i read it right. excuse me sir joe this i won’t agree with you.
Okay, I’ll do a blog about the Ombudsman and we can discuss that.
Or maybe roxas escudero with the heavy support from Poe. Just giving another option…
That is most interesting, actually, Raymond, especially if there are concerns about Poe’s length of time as a citizen. President Aquino and Sen. Escudero are close, I understand. Thanks for bringing that up. I always think of DILG as the agency to test potential presidential prospects, and I wonder how Poe would do in that kind of role.
Really? Roxas “earned his shot at the presidency”? I would say he actually “lost” his shot by doing absolutely nothing in DOTC (pls prove otherwise if you can) and next to nothing at DILG (he did serve the suspension order on Junjun LOL). Actually he also approved the contract for the overpriced DILG vans right? He also lost a lot of voters by acting just as rabid as Binay in gunning for the presidency.
If I didn’t know better I’d say your article was some paid advertisement! Come on man you can do better!
No, osoconglo, it is not a paid article. It is just my thinking, and thanks for expressing a view about Roxas. Kindly stick with those issues and leave the personal insults at home. Obviously, you have not been around the blog and don’t know the “style” is one of mutual respect. It’s an adult blog.
Joe America, practice what you preach then!
Also, where’s the personal insult??
The suggestion that someone paid me to write the article, of course.
Unless you’re a card-carrying Liberal Party member, I can’t see why you praise Roxas to the high heavens. All he’s ever managed to do is prove his level of incompetence with all the jobs PNoy has assigned him.
First at the DOTC – remember who canceled the Sumitomo maintenance contract and replaced it with Vitangcol’s uncle’s maintenance provider? This is why the average Metro Manila commuter is so miserable today. And the NAIA.. Not to even discuss its major structural problems, that Mar didn’t do anying about, he couldn’t even deliver the CCTV cameras he promised for that place.
Next, the DILG. What exactly did he do very well during Yolanda? Antagonize the mayor of Tacloban? Keep the death count at 6000+? And Zamboanga?
Sure Mar is loyal, and maybe he isn’t a thief. But he can’t get things done – and that is the kind of president our country doesn’t need.
I praise his character and experience to high heaven, as I believe there is something gained by having that stability in the President’s office. I trust him. I don’t trust either Binay or Poe, Binay because the evidence of theft and lies is clear, Poe because I think she is all show and from what I’ve seen makes very politically immature decisions. Keeping Escudero close is just another one. You cite some of the popular complaints about Roxas, each one having a context (e.g., like in Tacloban, that Romualdez was the political player and Roxas had to deal with him). I think DOTC and DILG are very difficult agencies to run “mistake free” due to they complexity and challenges of the agencies. I’d rather have in the Presidency someone who was at Zamboanga and in Tacloban dealing with Romualdez than someone who has never done anything like that in her life.
I think Escudero will be a more tolerable VP than an Imeldific-like FL who wields the power behind the throne.
Well… Mar Roxas has held the top jobs at the DOTC and DILG and has sadly proven his incompetence. And as you have correctly pointed out, Sen. Poe hasn’t done any job like that in her life. So she hasn’t yet shown us what might be her incompetence, whereas Mar Roxas already has.
And I speak from firsthand experience, because I ride the MRT and I fly into and out of that mess that they call an international airport.
See where I’m going here?
Do you know how long it takes to build a train system or freeway or terminal? We elect humans, not Jesus himself. Roxas displayed competence at DILG, or incompetence if you want to say so. It is words. Go back and look at his deeds. The nation is better set for storms, has reduced crime and has LGU’s competing on productivity. You just type empty words, I fear, justifying your political views. I see where you are going.
These aren’t empty words I type, Mr. America. Here are specifics:
1. Your favored candidate canceled Sumitomo’s maintenance contract with the MRT when he was DOTC chief so that it could be replaced without public bidding by PH Trams whose chairman Marlo Dela Cruz just so happened to be a member of Friends of Mar. His guy Al Vitangcol’s Uncle also just happened to be part of the outfit!
End result today: Only 8 (eight) of an ideal 21 trains running at any time. No one’s asking Mar Roxas to build a train system Mr. America, just MAINTAIN it.
2. He promised CCTV cameras for NAIA when a brawl broke out there in 2012 between Mon Tulfo and Claudine Barretto – it was all in the news. More than a year later a congressman and three others were killed in a drive-by shooting at the same airport; alas they could not identify the killers because – surprise, surprise – Mar didn’t fulfill his promise.
As Mr. Roxas couldn’t even deliver mere CCTV cameras that HE PROMISED, I won’t even bother dreaming of him giving us a brand-new airport, or anything much if – by fat chance – he ends up in Malacañang.
Unfortunately, disparaging what I type here doesn’t make YOUR political views more correct or your favored candidate more palatable. Thank God I can vote and you can’t.
You can call me Joe, Carlos. The Mr. tag is rather like firing a warning shot to take you seriously, and don’t dare protest. I’ll protest if it makes sense to do so. I take all serious comments seriously, so don’t need the double shot of intimidation.
Your presumption that I would disparage your comment is the deal killer. Three strikes.
You aren’t willing to listen, no sense speaking.
I dont know whether to be happy sad or both. You have the common problem of a successful blog Joe. Don’t know how you can be so patient. Maybe it comes with age.
No, it comes from trying to find an inner tau, whatever the hell that is. How to achieve the dominant position by not biting the bait, which is largely meant to create conflict and weakness. Sometimes I get a little pissed. More often than not, I find it a challenge in self discipline.
Santiago vs Barreto happened May 2012. Roxas was named SILG Aug 2012.
In government what you want now will have to be budgeted next year.
There is always a lag time. Unfortunately the cameras is a failure of institution.
Please read this:
http://www.philstar.com/letters-editor/2014/06/01/1329689/clarifications-mrt-3-maintenance-contracts
From the article:
During his stint as DOTC Secretary, Mar Roxas implemented a policy environment wherein the department’s existing contracts were subjected to review, in order to determine whether they were advantageous or disadvantageous to government. The purpose was to ensure that government was not on the losing end of the stick of its multi-million and even multi-billion peso contracts.
At that time, MRTC’s maintenance provider was Sumitomo. Its contract was in the amount of $1,433,333 per month plus $17,200,000 per year. It had been providing its services to MRTC for more than ten (10) years.
On 4 October 2012, MRTC wrote the DOTC, informing the latter that it would no longer procure a maintenance service contractor once Sumitomo’s contract would expire on 19 October 2012.
See the date.
August 2012 Mar is appointed as SILG.
I am a stubborn guy too but try to keep an open mind.
When the facts change I change my mind or more accurately I re assess the information and calculate the probabilities.
Please also do.
Thank you so much for setting this record straight.
This is why Roxas is a hard sell because he is already proven… proven weak. The Filipino people would rather pin their hopes on someone ‘untested’ but has the potential to rise up to the challenge and do something extraordinary to delivery them from the bondage of mediocrity, traditional politics and the status quo by the rich and mighty.
so it is somewhat clear that joe america is in america actually and have a little knowledge how mar roxas perform his job poorly at dotc and dilg…
The subject of the blog is not Joe America. It is Escudero/Poe/Roxas. I’m unclear on Roxas’ performance at DOTC. I’ve not examined it. I agree it is a troubled agency but I can’t tell if that is because of the leadership or the challenges associated with doing major projects on a bid basis. I’ve looked at Roxas’ performanee at DOTC and believe he has been instrumental at improving preparation for storms, and national’s response to them, and he has stabilized management of LGU’s as a business enterprise. I don’t know about the policing situation, frankly.
I live on Biliran Island, know the Philippines about as well as most Filipino’s I’d guess, and in many respects have a more thorough and studied perspective. You can do a search on the home page of blogs written about Poe, Cayetano, Trillanes, Roxas, Duterte, or any subject you wish and you will find that I write honorably and push no agenda but the well-being of the Philippines. This mixing of people and issue is unnecessary and only leads to argument and anger.
Hi Joe,
First time posting on your blog!
The policing situation has actually improved under Roxas’ leadership. Specifically, he conceptualized and implemented Oplan Lambat Sibat, which for the first time uses data analysis to pinpoint crime-prone areas, and reallocates PNP resources in order to best reduce crime.
After the implementation of the program in Metro Manila, we see that crime has fallen nearly 60 percent from 919 average incidents in a week, to 345. I expect Aquino to highlight this in his next SONA. In addition, out of 603 individuals on the most wanted persons list, 356 have been captured. This is 6 out of every 10 on the list.
– these results from the month of June, 2015
I have been following your blog for some time, and I see genuine passion in your writing, and a ardent care for the destiny of the Philippines. I think your blog is a force for good in our country.
I share your sentiment that the Philippines is beginning to climb her way out of the dungeon she was in. I agree that this is due in large part to the actions of the current administration, and its contribution to the growth of the economy, emphasis on transparency, and dedication to modern and professional practices. I wish to see this continued, and I believe Mar Roxas is the best chance we have for this.
Thanks for filling in that gap on policing, Antony. That is good to know. Thanks for the kind words and for voicing clearly what I am trying to say. Mar Roxas is an ASSURED continuance of the straight path. Stability, growth, and progress. Why go with a gamble we don’t really know.
It’s surreal that a presidential candidate appears to be guilty of gross corruption while holding the position of mayor of a major city, systematically siphoning funds like a gigantic vacuum cleaner, from all sources. Granted the systemic limitations of the Philippine judiciary, even so, why is it not possible to expedite the charges against him? Surely the justice department can do something, anything, establish a special prosecution team, a special court to hear the evidence, whatever, without violating constitutional standards. Don’t worry about sympathy votes for the poor, persecuted politician who gives money from his pocket to buy birthday cakes for elderly constituents. Just present a coherent case with sound evidence and let the court decide. If he’s found guilty, put him in a real jail, not a hospital room, and hold a sane election. If he’s found not guilty, and the evidence presented has not destroyed his credibility, convert all your pesos to a foreign currency or currencies of your choice, buy stocks of non-perishable food and if you have the option to leave the country, make sure that your passport is up to date. No one is sure just how bad it could get.
Why is the Catholic Church not demanding he step down from running? Our moral custodians. The 2016 elections could be a democratically healthy step forward for the Philippines with Binay out of the race. With him in the race, it makes the nation a laughing stock. I share your dismay.
*******
Pope Francis has just declared that the scourge of corruption is “gangrene of the people.”
Gangrene is a “potentially life-threatening condition caused by a critically insufficient blood supply.”
With the magnitude of Binay’s corruption, his election as president would result in an insufficiency of blood supply from:
o the diversion of government funds into the bulging coffers of the Binay family and his political associates
o the atrophy of the people’s moral sense… which is not very high to begin with
o the lost of hope that the country is within distance of unstoppable progress. It would confirm what people keep saying: “Talaga walang pagasa ang Pinas.”
It would take the country years to recover from such a potentially life-threatening condition… especially just now as the country is recovering from the depredations of a troika of presidential plunderers.
It would take the country decades to recover if Binay installs a successive presidential dynasty of Nancy, Abigail and Junjun. Impossible? Think again.
This nightmare scenario is not beyond the realm of possibility. The timidity — and cupidity — of a people will permit the grossest states of enslavement. For Filipinos, It permitted close to 400 years of Spanish colonization. It permitted 14 years of martial law. It has permitted close to 30 years of the Binay captivity of the premier business city. It has happened here… and it can happen again.
With the Pope’s declaration, the eyes of believers should open to the real threat that a Binay presidency poses.
Let us see if Filipino Catholics take heed of their spiritual leader.
*****
Based on the recent advisory coming from the CBCP to the faithfuls, even the CBCP members do not take heed of their spiritual leader. Reading between the lines, their advisory is cautioning the faithfuls not to believe or be swayed by what the reports in the media enumerating Binay’s corruption, manipulations and evil scheming. It seems that CBCP is mouthing the mantra of the group of Bishops Arguelles et al, Peping Cojuangco, Tatad.
*******
The CBCP appears to talk with forked tongue.
1. Last month, the president of the CBCP urged voters not to perpetuate dynasties. This is ingenuous because his definition of dynasty is limited to “family members running for the same positions as family members before them to perpetrate the family’s hold on public office.” (Bolding mine.)
1.1. Reading between the lines (RBTL), I take it that it is copacetic for Nancy to run for the senate while her father is vice-president. This is bad.
2. In the same breath:
2.1. He said, “A person who aspires for high office but who, because of inexperience, will be totally dependent on advisers is not the best possible candidate for national positions.”
2.1.1. RBTL, I take this to be anti-Poe, anti-Escudero and Pro-Binay. This is bad.
2.2. He cautioned voters not to “readily jump on the bandwagon of condemnation in the absence of incontrovertible evidence.”
2.2.1. RBTL, I take this to be Pro-Binay. This is bad.
2.3. He said that one’s reputation could be easily tarnished by the work of “spin-doctors” in the payroll of one or the other political aspirant.
2.3.1. RBTL, I take this to be anti-Binay because he has the most number of spin doctors. Conversely, I take it to be pro-Binay because his spin doctors do not tarnish the reputation of others… but are busy protecting his reputation. This is ingenuous because politicians employ spin doctors.
*****
Thanks for the great analysis, as usual. My hazy understanding as I glanced on the headlines is now clear as crystal.
for sure Mar Roxas will loss, even Pnoy will endorse him….
Should Roxas be the annointed one, this could be a sure path to Binay seating as President. Roxas should step aside for the best interest of the nation. Binay won the Vice Presidency even Roxas was with Aquino in the last election. Only Poe or Vilma Santos Recto could beat Binay. The President should consider VSR – basing on her track record, charisma and no taint of corruption as Mayor and governor of Batangas.
Binay won because roxas did not campaign hard because he thinks he was a sure win for VP and secondly Only few people knew about the Binay scandal and I doubt that Escudero has no knowledge that Binay was not that corrupt. And to those people who are assuming that Roxas has no chance winning the presidential election on 2016 and Roxas is incompetent are probably afraid that roxas has the greatest chance of winning the 2016 election over their bet. Those who keeps saying that roxas has no chance of winning should be called the DECEPTICONS.
Right. The race has not even started and people are wanting to collect their bets.
It is not Benigno to Annoint. It is Grace Poe Whom to Annoint !!! Benigno is just making himself relevant in an irrelevant position.
Oh come on mate! Clearly you are a big fan of mar roxas the trapo.
How do you define trapo? I view a trapo as putting his self interest, and that of his friends, above that of the nation. Who do you favor for the presidency in 2016 and why? I’m sure we can discuss issues without impugning motives or judgment. It is about information and ideas, not putting people down because they have a different take on things.
what a subtle way of campaigning for Mar Roxas. Mar Roxas is considered a trapo … the Yolanda Typhoon tragedy was not handled well by Roxas. He did nothing but talk to the press .. he made no outstanding achievements that impressed even the majority of the masses. You accused Ms. Poe as inexperienced? what can you say about Mrs. Corazon Aquino? is she experienced? She, as she admits, was a plain housewife. I won’t buy this …
tama ka dyan si mr joe america ay taga america talaga at wala atang alam na iba kundi mar roxas lang jejeje.. ok you are for mar roxas and we are for grace poe. case dismissed.
“Case dismissed.” ahahahahahaha You are good, Oscar. Funny dude. I’m glad you are for Grace Poe. I like her potential, too. That’s why on my ideal drawing board she will be President in 2022, continuing the straight path. She will have gained the knowledge and personal confidence to run the nation.
PNOy doesn’t have a monopoly of paving a straight path, there are others who could probably do a better job. There have been many detours in his ‘tuwid na daan’ such as protecting his corrupt friends (e.g. Purisima), replacing competent people with friends and friends of Iglesia ni Cristo (e.g. Sevilla, Petilla), etc.
That is true. What I think is crucially important is that economic growth continue without pause. I fear that disruption within the agencies would set growth back two or three years. If candidates pursue an attack campaign on the Aquino governance, a lot of important people will bail out from their jobs if that candidate wins. Poe needs to be very careful, I think. I heard in the background chatter that Ombudsman Morales is rather upset that Poe attacked her credibility for leaving Abaya off the MRT maintenance charge list.
Change is important beneath the overall economic umbrella. Change that is disruptive would be very very costly.
It isn’t subtle at all, I think. I personally believe Mar Roxas is the best candidate. That Tacloban incident was poorly reported and mostly what we get are the political contest. We don’t get the good deeds he did, or that Samar mayors asked Roxas to remain there because he was helping the recovery so effectively. Cory Aquino was special, but she is not running in 2016. I’m not selling Roxas. You don’t have to buy. I’m selling ideas which you can think about or dismiss. Freedom cuts everywhichway.
That Tacloban incident video was edited to highlight the remember you are a Romualdez and the president is an Aquino, masks the incompetence of Romualdez.He was the first line of defense against disasters,he was supposed to be the first responder.Granted he was also hit bad and hard,we already know that,why go around and cry that he was abandoned and iniwan sa ere.natural madami maaawa at maniniwala tapos gagatungan pa ang mga tao na palabasin na di sya tutulungan dahil Romualdez sya at Aquino si presidente.
Except by way of a ‘mass hypnosis’ created by media for Mar in the coming weeks and months, gauging him in terms of performance in all the positions he already held across the long politico-historical continuum that saw many presidents, I do not think that he will pass muster.
He is simply a media creation ala Simone.
I believe all politicians are creation of mass media thru mass hypnosis like condoned Trillanes, Emilio Aginaldo, Enrile, Ramos, Honasan and love-to-hate Binays to name a few.
There was a time pre-EDSA Enrile Ramos and Honasan were the most hated. When they “revolted” against Marcos they became media darlings. Of course, THEY WERE ALL CONDONED!
Very good, Primer. And Poe is not a media creation? And Escudero is not? Unfortunately, the reality for most of us is the distortions we are fed through a press that will kick an issue, or person, every which way but accurate, for a rise in circulation.
Good analysis however Roxas is a hard sell,earned the right to run as president and worked hard yes but he’s like a stale product and don’t get me wrong he’s smart, monied and has a name
Yep, and has his own Boulevard, too.
So you’d vote for Poe? Or Duterte? Or whom? And what do you consider their weaknesses (not strengths, as I want to challenge you for candor).
Binay won the VP race then with some help from Escudero and then some from his ground organization that was very good at utilizing even donated items from a foreign countries’ Red Cross which I wrote to the late Billie Esposo after the 2010 elections but was never printed in his column because it turned out he was pro-Binay.
Roxas has no chance of winning the 2016 elections by the way the media demonized him. Sure, there were some blunders from his PR handlers but nobody can say that he cannot be a good president if given the chance which, at this point in time, seems too slim.
And I think he is still the best foil for Binay since Binay is slowly self-destructing and Roxas can still regain some lost popularity in the remaining eight months till election time with a VP candidate like Leni Robredo by her side to help boost his chances of winning.
Yes, that’s essentially how I come down with the assessment, too. Given all that Roxas has been tasked to do, it is amazing that the complaints are always the same limited few that got media play, and do not consider all that went well.
Joe,
I posted this in Raissa’s Blog, but I saw fit to share it here.
AN ITERESTING BIT OF RUSSIAN HISTORY AND PARALLELISM WITH THE CURRENT PHILIPPINE SCENE
During the reign of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, a mystic and alleged healer, Grigori Rasputin, was able to ingratiate himself with the Tsar and especially the Tsarina mainly because he was able to provide relief to the Tsar’s young son Alexei who suffered from hemophilia. While in the beginning the officials around the Tsar and Tsarina indulged Rasputin for his unorthodox ways, they soon grew tired and despised him, but not the Tsarina who was “comfortable” with Rasputin, and so Rasputin gained considerable political influence.
But here is the thing that almost floored me on reading it (source: Wikipedia). At a certain stage, Rasputin petitioned the Tsar for a change in his surname because according to him Pokrovskoye, Siberia where he came from had six families who bore the same surname Rasputin. The Tsar granted his request and so he got the name Rasputin Novyi (translated as Rasputin-New). Isn’t that something? Change the sequence v and y in Novyi and one has Noyvi; further change v for b and lo and behold, we have Noybi.
If we compare those bits of Russian history with our contemporary Philippines politics, guess who is the equivalent of Rasputin and who is the equivalent of the Tsarina.
HISTORY INDEED REPEATS ITSELF IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.
Perfect.
At first look i thought it was really noyvi. That would too much of a coincidence.
*******
Nobody has commented on the photo.
It looks like Chiz has moved into Grace’s personal space, and is asking for a kiss on the cheek… or looking down her dress.
In turn, it looks like she is vastly amused, and has her head turned away and her eyes closed indicating denial of the former… and permission for the latter.
From the looks of it, he is playing the role of a Lothario and she that of the coy maiden.
Together with the other two photos, the photo shows the intense personal relationships and links among the major players in the country’s politics and governance.
*****
You are so good, edgar. You pick up the messages within the messages. I so enjoyed that set of photos, for exactly what you read into them. They almost could have been the entire blog, no words needed.
I thought it was just a beso beso.with the way you put it,then she is not that comfortable with Chiz. A picture paints a thousand words.
you are so right about poe. she is so unsure of herself ,she is as green as an unripe mango can be and harvesting the mango before it is due will not do any good to the country even with her alleged her integrity.We need somebody with proven competence and Poe has been in pulic office for such a short time for one to gain the competence needed for the job.
I agree with your assessment using a paper vetting on Sen Poe. The comparison to Cory, the housewife does not hold. The national trauma from the Marcos regime needed exactly the salve she alone could provide. On an outside chance and by some stretch, high integrity and fully informed charisma can be the answer to our deeply felt cynicism and privation caused by pervasive, multi-level, epidemic graft and corruption. Our country is in social and political gridlock.
Yes, she is not moving to a braggadocio style to highlight her deeds in the senate. I’d rather she listed Roxas’ accomplishments so that she could grasp what he has, that she does not.
For some reason, I keep singing “Ra Ra Rasputin” in my head. I wonder why.
But seriously, Joe, I have to give you the benefit of the doubt for giving Escudero the benefit of the doubt that he didn’t know how pervasive the corruption in Makati was. He’s a political insider, after all. And there had been rumors and at least one case filed versus Binay before 2010.
But I agree with you; I have trepidations about Poe’s attachment to him. He seems to have hitched his wagon to her star. I don’t know if he actually believes he can win as her VP, but after what he accomplished in 2010, he must think he’s a king-, or in this case, queen-maker. That’s at least a Cabinet position right there.
As for all the hate being heaped on Roxas, it makes me curious as to when the tide turned for him. If I remember correctly, at one point, he got the most number of votes as senator. Something for his team to study, I guess. Oh, well.
Now, where was I? “Ra Ra Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen….”
Oh, NHerrera was thinking the same thing.
Pare Escu has mastered what women wants! opsss!!!
hahaha, you found it.
Yes, NHerrera also is humming Rasputin . . . see his comment elsewhere.
I think the turnoff was a confluence of events. Losing the election put him into the class of “loser” for those who don’t lose well. There has always been envy about his favored path. Then there were those photos of bags of rice that just hit social media all wrong. After that he was the can for people to kick. It is all irrelevant stuff, of course. I think he’ll climb back based on the support he will get from various governors across the nation, and his own campaign efforts.
Grace Poe was interviewed today about the news item. She denied that the topic got brought up arvthe most recent meeting with P-Noy where Chiz Escudero was also invited. Grace explained that in her meeting with the President last May, the idea was mentioned only passing but not at all mentioned this July.
Grace should wisen up to the strategy of Chiz to show that he and Grace come as a team or as a duo. Chiz is so far the only one who revealed some details about the meeting with P-Noy. He could be the sole suspect who leaked this highly tactical news plant.
Interesting. He certainly created headlines, he did do that.
The writer must be pro-Roxas or just simply out of her mind. Theres no way Mar Roxas can win. A candidate coming from LP raises even more doubts from those numerously unsatisfied with ‘tuwid na daan’ whether they would want to go through the same Pnoy policy again. Worse is the voting public wont even see and consider a Binay vs. Roxas a fight between good & evil, they know the Aquino govt has its own impermissible flaws. Aquino’s so-called ‘inclusive growth’ hadnt even reached grassroots. They are looking for something more effective. Besides, Mar Roxas is never winable for presidency. Theres no such thing as Roxas charisma. If Pinoy insists on putting up a Mar-Poe tandem against Binay, he will just be sealing a Binay presidential win. Poe ofcourse will win the vice presidency. The question is, will Mar Roxas succeed? A lot would doubt that. And you dont place a candidate with a 50/50 chance win against a corrupt winable ‘due-to-stupid-electorate’ candidate. You dont take a half-baked chance on going against something that you dont want to happen again. Instead you put in front of him the winningest candidate. Someone that has charisma better than him. You put Poe against him you understand? You put Poe against him. The vice presidency position in these prevailing time is immaterial.
Very good, Chip. Your prediction is so noted.
I thought the writer is a female. I just read the article & didnt browse much on the whole blog. My apologies Joe.
Ah, it made me smile. No apology necessary. I misread a lot of guests, too, as to gender. I put it in the category of typos, a normal human glitch, nothing to worry about. Thanks for stopping back to set the record straight.
With the way things are moving politically, it is safe to assume that Sens. Poe and Escudero are already beyond the grasp of VP Binay. Losing the two senators who were known Binay allies and friends was bad news on the VPs side. Very bad.
But that does entirely mean good news to PNoy and Mar Roxas either since they still have to grapple with the reality that the two (particularly Poe) remains a stumbling block on whatever plans or agreement they have with regard to the political future of everybody. Poe and Escudero did not bolt out, for lack of a better terms, and jump directly on their waiting arms but merely distanced themselves from the embattled VP. Now that they are out of Binay’s sphere of influence, the next question is how to make then agree with the President’s thinking in terms of what path to take with regard to the presidential election next year.
For me, Escudero, while really not an immediate threat to anybody’s ambition, is an important component necessary to be on the side of PNoy in terms of influencing Sen. Poe’s (a direct threat) decision to run or not for the presidency. I think, if things are properly taken care of, he has the capability to tilt the balance in PNoy/Roxas’ favor.
The two renegade senators are now on “what’s-in-it-for-us” mode. What can the PNoy/Mar camp do to make them (especially Poe) change their minds? What can the President do and Mar to promise to make them agree to jump on the same page with them.
Of course, we all know what the available options are. The only question is what option is acceptable to both sides. A Poe-Roxas ticket is not gonna happen. Off the bat that’s not what I’m seeing from my backyard. If Roxas will agree (again?!) to be the spare tire for the second time it only means he’s really not deserving of the presidency. It would be a blatant admission that he doesn’t have what it takes to be the man. And I highly doubt he will play second lead again.
Regardless of what others say, a Roxas-Poe tandem is the team to beat. The team of experience and promise. Dedication and foresight. I’m not going to dwell on the individual resumes right now for that is not really relevant at the moment. What’s important is how to make both sides see what really is necessary and good for the country. What sacrifices is being asked of them and the promise of what they are going to do in the future for stability and progress, that’s what’s important right now.
Lastly, the focus should not only be to defeat Binay but to defeat him with a purpose. The focus should not just be to prevent the VP in becoming the P but to stabilize the BP (blood pressure) of the country by having the correct M (Mar, este, medication). And that means convincing the P (Poe, ehek, the patient, I mean) to believe and submit to what the doctor ordered.
So there. 😎
Ahahaha. So there indeed. Works for me. 🙂
Correction:
“But that does NOT entirely mean good news to PNoy and Mar Roxas either…..” 👲
bravo
I love the metaphor!
The most simplest question. How can a person with horrible integrity even be considered for the Presidency of the Philippines? I am baffled that a party let alone the ENTIRE country would even support his ambition with all the controversy surrounding him. Without integrity, how could the good people of the Philippines in good conscience even consider marking Binay’s name in the voting booth? Better yet, how is it even remotely possible for his name to appear on the ballot at all in the first place?
If he wins then that means he will have immunity from suit. Thats when we march tothe street.
It is a tad stunning. There are a lot of “enablers” about, the lapdog press being one, the Church being another, and the people seeking favor from Binay another (the sister city mayors). So he has a large support group. Never mind that no one except has family and his salaried people want to be seen with him.
I suppose we are still a free country here. Hence, pls allow me to say dome few words abt d article..candidly i like your style of writing..however, the prose & pageantry undeniably praised no one but Mar. I will not prejudge you on d way you defend Mar coz i myself must admit that prior to Yolanda i have nothing but high adulation for Mar. That despite the fact that he came frm a very rich family..he was smart enough to connect effectively to d masa thru his stints at DTI, DOST & lately at the DILG. Oh, how can we ever forget his MR. PALENGKE campaign slogan & advocacy? He really carried (disguised) his self well until the time Yolanda came in. His unexpected mishandling or lack of finese in statemanship was eventually put into test when he indispensably & badly dealt with our local chief executive in Tacloban..i was totally shock to find out his true personality & character..jst becoz Tacloban is an opposition bailliwicks..he overstepped & tangled wt our mayor..many of us Leytenos were dismayed to see him fumbling & evidently lacking high statemanship..ironically it is in times of difficulties or emergencies when we can ascertain a person’s real character. And as we all know, Secretary Mar invariably failed due to his misplaced loyalty to one person who is Pinoy himself instead of loyalty to our country & people. Filipinos here & abroad were one in saying that Mar doesn’t deserve to be our prez. Otherwise, we will have a president who favors oly one or a few persons rather than be a father to all Filipinos..
Tacloban was a highly politicized situation. Lacson had the same troubles there when he took up the Yolanda recovery effort. The other provincial heads, even UNA, said national was doing a good job and only one region (Tacloban) was having troubles. Furthermore, the Samar mayors asked Roxas to stay on locally rather than return to Manila because he WAS bringing in the relief. So that well publicized political incident does not accurately characterize the big picture.
But the question is, before Yolanda or his so-called lack of finesse in statesmanship in Tacloban, did Mar specifically targeted for political reason the mayor and the people of Tacloban? Did he treated you so bad from the get go that you can genuinely declare that he is all politics when it comes to Tacloban or Leytenos?
Not to defend Mar Roxas but I cannot just buy something being peddled without questioning its veracity. I mean, if he really has malice in all those allegations against him, let’s have it and see if it makes sense. 👮
So you really took it all, hook, line and sinker, the spliced tape of Tacloban mayor’s father-in-law that totally took Roxas’ comment out of context. Is Tacloban truly a Romualdez country, that you breath, think and speak what the Romualdez family want you to? I can’t believe that all of Tacloban citizens think the same way; that Imelda Marcos and her relatives have brainwashed EVERYONE, that all of them can’t distinguish who is bad, who is evil and who is good. So all of the Ilocanos are for Marcos and all Leyteños are for Romualdez? Insularity, the cultural and clannish attitude, those are the roots of all of our political problems, the stumbling blocks of our political maturity. When will we shed these attitude? Unless we do, we will forever be stuck in this rut that we are in, the yoyo type of growth, take two steps forward, then three steps backward, no continuity in economic reforms, in the fight against corruption.
That is what we, the readers of Joe’s blog are aiming for which Binay and his cohorts are protesting out loud – that the LP is aiming for 18 years of dictatorship, huh? the nerve of someone who, for 30 years has took control of the country’s premier financial district so he can field himself and his children in various local and national positions.
Wake up please, my dear countrymen.
Ramos in 1992 pres elections was at the tail end of the most popular candidate Miriam. But he won!
But didn’t Ramos cheat Santiago out of a win, according to her?
When did a loser in the Philippines ever say “I was at fault for the loss”?
Check that. Thanks, Doc.
Mar Roxas may be a good man, but I don’t want Korina Sanchez for a First Lady!
I do not like Korina, too! She’s the modern day Imelda Marcos. Must be the reason why Grace Poe is uncomfortable with Mar because of Korina. We will never know. She could be Little Miss Muffet sitting on a turret, sipping bordeaux nibbling on Jersey Blue, along came Grace, Miss Muppet Huffed and puffed and blow Malacanang away.
Ahahahaha, ah, the poet is in fine style today. Lovely!!!
My short take of my dislike of candidates . . .
Talking to and speaking for myself sometimes I am afraid, I fear of those I do not like because it can do me a terrible harm like insecticides, and other insects but it could be just some people who don’t like spiders or snakes but really unexplainably afraid of them.
Candidatephobia. There is something repulsive about a creature that doesn’t mind eating the young of its kind to rise to greater power and wealth. They are a terrifying bunch, when we expect so much of them and they deliver so little. I don’t have such a fear, but I have a rage that I have to work mightily to moderate, lest I lose all sense of sensibility.
She seems like an intelligent woman to me, and even kind. But she has done some shows that turn people off, and made some off the cuff remarks that did not sit well. But she does not Chair the cabinet, so I don’t worry too much about it. She would have the composure to be a great first lady, I think, when visiting dignitaries are hosted on state visits.
I agree, we will not elect her as President or agree with her being appointed to any cabinet position. And she knows how the Filipinos and even the world have been revolted by the excesses of Imelda, so I believe she is intelligent enough not to do what Imeldific did.
why do you trust Korina when you dont give the same benefit of the doubt to Poe ? Is it because you say that Korina is intelligent enough and Poe is not. That is insinuated in your statement.
Grace Poe is a graduate of Boston College. Although not an Ivy League school it ranked no 14 in the college of choice apart from the 8 ivy league schools.
Poe will be president Korina will be first lady. Notice we are not discussing Poe’s husband. The two are worlds apart.
Why is that? It could be because Korina has embarrassed people (with her Tacloban statement or the content of her TV shows), or people judge women differently than men. “Of course Poe’s husband is no problem. He’s a man.” Frankly, as I’ve written here, I think Korina Sanchez would be a superb first lady, and is entitled to a personality different that the mold of perfect clay that others want her to be.
Oops, am getting dizzy with the comments on this thread. How did Korina get into the picture when it started on the premise that election 2016 could be “all about Escudero” and how his presence in the equation is going to affect the presidential contest? Well, going back to Escudero, I am afraid he is toxic and whoever he endorses would end up getting victimized in the long run.
It’s like word association games, one thing leads to another. I think you have just spoken very clearly. I wonder if Senator Poe understands that going with Sen. Escudero is her first major decision, as a presidential prospect, and she gets measured by her deeds.
Joeam has a mole in his household, or, someone is hacking Joeam’s computer files. Because before this article was published, BENIGNO SENDS Grace and Mar on campaign junket all over the country to introduce Grace and Mar to the people. Grace and Mar have no Ongpins to fund their campagn unlike Escudero. Benigno has to use people’s money for Grace-Mar nuptial to preempt Escudero.
On the heels of Grace and Mar’s getting-to-know-each-other tour will be SWS and Pulse ASia to see pop ratings. Nice move Benigno. Benigno got THIS article before it went to press.
Grace Poe dowsed cold water on Benigno’s plan. She wanted threesome with Escudero !!! This political orgy is caused by Escudero and Poe backing The Binays. She is friend of Binays. She is uncomfortable with Mar. She did not elaborate what she was uncomfortable with Mar. But she is comfortable with Binay sidekick Escudero. Because both of them are friends with The Binays.
Friend-of-Binay Benigno Aquino did not want to annoint Friend-of-Binay-Grace and Mar so as not to add salt to injury of Benigno’s friend, Jejomar. Friend-of-Binay Benigno Aquino do not want to annoint Mutual-Friend-of-Binay Escudero so as not to alienate the Anti-Binays.
Wheeew !!! I thought blood is thicker than water but that is OLD THINK. FRIENDS-4-EVER is NEW THINK !!!
REVOLUTION IS OLD THINK. Evolve-and-Adapt is now the name of the game! FRIENDS-4-EVER !!!
Who among Grace, Mar and Escudero is sincere for the betterment of the nation? My pick is Mar. Second is Grace. Yet, there is lingering question. Why came back? Hope she does not give me canned “serve-the-nation” response. I heard that a lot of times.
Jejomar is a family man, Family First. Filipinos last.
Why it seems I know more about Jejomar Binay’s family than Mar and Grace? All I know about Grace is she’s an abandoned-adopted child. Went to the U.S. Came back and ran for the Senate. We do not know what she did in the U.S. Where she worked. Where she lived. What her husband do for a living. They did not succeed in the U.S. and came back? Were they living off the estate of Grace father? What is their story?
What about Escudero? I need to know his wife. They need not tell me about Mrs. Roxas. I know her.
Binay is a family man. ahahahaha I may use that line. Filipinos last.
This blog was written before President Aquino did that, and I swear I do not give him advance copies of my blogs. I do suspect he’ll read this one though. Maybe we just think a lot alike, eh? Like, rationally.
It’s sad that Mar Roxas has been underappreciated/unseen by most people for all his job well done in good governance, his hardworks and those extra-mile efforts in the name of service for the country and its people. We need more of his breed. And we need eyes for the people of today to see public servants such as Roxas in a broader, clearer perpective. It’s kinda frustrating that in our country, it seems that charisma is the only way to put a person in the highest political post, when in real life, highest criteria should be the actual performance and getting things done. May fate be good to Mar especially in the coming days, weeks, months. May he not be left behind. May he be paired with an equally-efficient runningmate in 2016. May fate be good to this country.
Yes, I think that is right, BenZayb. What the public gets to see are isolated moments of conflict. They don’t see the better preparation and response to storms, or better functioning LGUs or anything constructive. Just the conflicts.
So much has been said against Poe and Escudero in this post, which I believe would boost their popularity in the coming election more than ever on the contrary , mark it! Why so scared about them? That only proves and shows that their power and charisma over the people is immense . With or without the endorsement of the President I am pretty sure these two will win in the near future. They can always run as independents after all they were just adopted in LP. LET Roxas run void of these two and let us see how he will go. I believe the electorate knows a lot between these politicians inside and out. In the end the humongous results could not be hidden from our faces! Escudero and Poe tandem rules! Good morning!
Joe, I agree with you that Roxas is the most qualified among the lot and that he is most likely to continue the tuwid na daan. My beef with Roxas is that, because he has shown so much incompetence during the past few years of the Aquino presidency, that it has diminished his chances of beating Binay. So much so, that we could have an impending nightmare come 2016.
I also agree with you that Poe is too green and inexperienced to be President. But because of the threat of a Binay win, I am inclined to vote for Poe. If and only if I am convinced that Roxas can defeat Binay, then I may vote for him instead. But I am not seeing that as a great possibility up till now.
I share your opinion regarding Escudero. He is ambitious and cunning. I don’t know whether he can be trusted.
A Leni Robredo as VP appeals to me as well.
Thanks for writing this article, Joe. It’s very enlightening.
We dont have to discredit other candidates to ensure that our pet wins, we cannot do anything about it, the candidate should present himself in public as he is, the public decides, just do the best that he can under the circumstances. Goodluck to the winners!
Mr JoeAm, I think you may not be aware that during the election in 2010, there was the Hocus Focus Computer chips and machines and programmers and that guy from Venezuela.
And then, we know that Mar Roxas is rich. But his wealth which he was not going to spend, was nothing compared to the wealth of his political opponent.
If Mar Roxas was convinced beyond doubt that the Filipino voters — whose total numbers is questionable up to this time based on the past two “automated computerized election” — why would
he trouble himself, the Supreme Court, the Liberal Party, Binay and his group by filing a case against Binay in the Supreme Court?
There are some folks who say that some groups are deciding on who could be chosen as top officials of Islas de los Ladrones. Does this include the Comelec?
Comelec is a strange organization to me. I’m glad it is under new leadership. I can never understand how the body that is designed to assure free and fair elections would sanction a crook to run. The laws must not be written very well to protect the integrity of the democratic process.
“Hocus Focus Computer chips and machines and programmers and that guy from Venezuela”
Did you mean that the hocus focus favored Binay?
I have always thought that Escudero is, as you call him, a “gamer”. He’s nothing but an opportunist politician. He’s always doing papogi, even to the extent of marrying a starlet. Even the choice of ninong in Ongpin is, at best, opportunist. While the senate was investigating Onpin, he disappeared like a ghost. If there are supporters of Escudero here, what laws has he sponsored, like Recto on VAT, that has had a substantial impact, good or bad, on the country? He speaks with a forked tongue. And speaking of Recto, how come nobody thinks of him as Presidential timber? He’s probably one of the brightest bulbs in the Senate.
I can’t get a handle on Recto myself. He is not a self-promoter, I think, so, like Roxas, is free to get kicked around by people who play the press. You are welcome to write up a guest article on Recto, or find someone who would. I’d enjoy that discussion.
Premise:
Even without PNoy or Roxas, Poe and Escudero will win.
Reason: They are so popular.
========
Time and again, I have to admit winning is easy when one is popular. We’ve seen that with Erap and to a lesser degree with some senators and congressmen and local officials. Popularity counts and I submit to that but that is not the all and be all of everything. Winning does not guarantee anything much less decent performance. You win because you’re popular and then – what Dolphy used to say every time he’s asked to run – what?
Let’s not focus on just winning (personal to most) and be content about it. We should also think of what the repercussion of winning is all about.
Okay, we have somebody, VP Binay, that we agree should not be allowed to win because of his notoriety. But not voting for Binay should not only rest on the fact that Poe can beat him popularity-wise (though that has yet to be proven). We have to take into account the other factors that could yield favorable results not only with regard to our personal preference but to the whole interest of country as well.
Is Poe ready and able to take the presidency next year? Is she ready to take the cudgel and give the people the fighting chance to better their situation? What’s behind the name that we can count on in terms of performance or service? Is she already that adept to navigate the political jungle which to most people take years to thread and be familiar with because of too many snakes and crocodiles around? Was her time in government enough to assure people of a decent performance or will it be a learning process for the next four, if not six, years for her?
I think It’s going to be costly for the country to shoulder the tuition fee of somebody popular who will occupy an office meant for someone who should be applying his experience, professional networks and educational background to work and not study while in office.
Just saying. 👳
Jameboy, you have nailed my concerns. Popularity or “winnability” is not the major factor in choosing a candidate for president who would be faced with a multitude of conflicting concerns and priorities from the first day he takes office.
If Paquiao were old enough to qualify for the presidency, he’d win over Poe and anybody else hands down despite his absolutely sorry record as congressman (sayang ang pinasueldo sa kanya ng bayan). Can the money he earned getting battered in the ring, satisfy all the poor people (and panderers in his circle of “friends”) waiting for help, handouts, payoffs?. He’d end up a pauper unless he plays ball with all the corrupt and power hungry “chuchuas” massaging his back after every game.
Sorry for getting out of topic but it certainly riles me bad when I read the word “winnability” as a major consideration in the choice of candidate for any position in government. One reason why I almost gagged drinking my morning coffee on reading the title (Roxas has to prove he can win or else…) of the column written by Gil. C. Cabacungan (one of those reporters I avoid reading), more so since the indecent proposal came from the Speaker of the House !!!
“If Paquiao were old enough to qualify for the presidency, he’d win over Poe and anybody else hands down….”
==========
Exactly right. 👨
If the polls are showing that Ms. Poe is ahead, and that Rojas is just third among the presidential hopefuls, why have him run for the presidency and not the otherway around. He lost bigtime to Binay the last time around so i dont think he will beat him this time as well, even with the negative publicity Binay is getting. Poe with the backing of the Liberals can do it. If liberals will back her as the VP, why not as a president?
He lost bigtime to Binay the last time around…..
========
Check your facts, I think Roxas was defeated by Binay by the narrowest margin in the history. 👮
The question is, who is most qualified? Who has what it takes to move the Aquino straight path agenda forward toward stability, growth and enrichment. The polls are not the election, they are fickle opinions among people before the campaign has even started.
Integrity vs expediency. There are many in your camp that say, hey, expediency is fine if we can assure ourselves of no Binay. I say, go for both. A leader who can assure continuation of a stable, straight path government, AND defeat of Binay.
Senator Poe can choose to make that happen. Or she can go for the top slot, for her own glory.
Because Mar is more qualified, he had more years in government service, and because we are not confident that Poe is confident enough to meet the arduous demand of the presidency. As the late Dolphy has famously said, “because people say I am popular, running is easy, but then, what if I win?..” he knew his personal limitations, he is not confident enough that he could handle the different voices that will clamor and fight for his attention much less discern the right decision to be made at a given time.
Let us consider then the possibility of Poe and Escudero going their own way and run as P/VP tandem using the latter’s business connections, notably the notorious Ongpin. And let as assume that they win. Isn’t it like jumping from the pot (Binay) and landing to the fire -Ongpin and the other Chinese businessmen?..do you think Ongpin will be just a kind benefactor and not expect anything in return for the campaign funds that he will pour on these two’s campaign kitty? He was able to amass for himself hundreds of millions from the DBP stock and PSE manipulations using the corrupt DBP officials, hundreds of millions more on the BSP Alphaland deal using Binay and as in the vernacular saying…laway lang ang puhunan…and could be much much more during the pre-EDSA 1 days using Marcos that we are not yet aware of. If Poe will coalesce with LP, then she would not be indebted to those kind of businessmen/wedding sponsors of Escudero. Running a business is fine, but it should be run legally, not Benedicto Ongpin’s allegedly illegal way.
Mar and whoever will be his VP candidate will get my vote.
Oh, sugar baron Benedicto of the pre edsa 1 TV Channel 9 now CNN Philippines, why do I always couple you with the other Marcos crony Ongpin…
First time to comment here, but speaking of “winnability”, in 1992, as a first-time voter, I chose Jovito Salonga over Mirriam Santiago despite the latter being more winnable. Same thing with Roco over De Venecia in 1998, and another Roco over GMA in 2004. The candidate I voted for president on those three elections just placed third, but I didn’t have to drop them just because they were not winnable.
My point here is that there are a lot others out there like me. With the social media at our disposal, we can somehow gather together and collectively put in efforts to give Mar Roxas “winnability” a boost just like how Miriam and Roco represented the student and intellectual votes in 1992, 1998 and 2004 respectively.
Besides, it’s undeniable that listing down the candidates credentials alongside, Mar’s track record outranks that of the rest. Let’s not be dissuaded by the results of the surveys this early. Instead, we have to use the survey results on how to help Mar position to the intelligent voters — the likes of the yuppies who marched the streets in EDSA I and II but not on EDSA III.
Welcome to the Society, anaroobang. It always seems strange to me that people don’t even want some horses in the race because the other horses look good. I also like the principle of voting for the best candidate no matter the popular wisdom expressed in the polls. In this case, Binay is such a frightful consideration for many, they would accept a mediocre president over a quality president, for the expedience of keeping him out of office. I’d say, hey, spend the next 10 months working to get the quality candidate into office rather than give up on that ideal.
OFFTOPIC:
If we take the experience of Korea/Japan/Taiwan/Singapore and China as an example the rule of thumb is double digit growth for 15 years (This is on the low side because it is around 15% growth for two decades but lets jut make thing easier for ourselves.)
We have had about 10 years with an average 4% growth (GMA) and 5 years with an average 6% growth.
ASIDE:(The Marcos year’s best growth rate was at 8.81% and 8.92 while most averaged around less than 5%. That admin also had the dubious honor of having 2 contractions at -7.32 and -7.32)
So for the question why can’t we feel the growth? Simply put it hasn’t been as strong or as long as necessary for the poorest of the poor to feel it.
Right. Which is ON TOPIC because the stability and smooth transfer of authority is paramount in sustaining that growth. The worst thing would be an uprooting of government agencies and the nation colliding with itself.
*******
THEORY:
1. At the start of the Marcos presidency in 1965, the population stood at 30.91 million. South Korea stood at 28.7 million; Taiwan at 12.98 million; Singapore at 1.89 million.
2. At the end of last year, 2014, the population had tripled to 100 million. South Korea less than doubled to 50.4; Taiwan also less than doubled at 23.4 million; Singapore had more than tripled to 5.47 million.
2.1. However, Singapore had Lee Kuan Yew for more than 3 decades from 1959 to 1990. We had a troika of plunderers for an equal amount of time.
3. But considering the factor of population alone, the growth in half a century is either:
3.1. Spread thin across the population.
3.2. Or concentrated in pockets of the population. The pockets may be geographic or social.
4. I believe 3.2 is likelier. It could be a combination of both, with 3.2 having the greater weight.
*****
I dont think Pres.Aquino is running for Vice Presidency. This will even put Mar Roxas’ candidacy at stake. I don’t think Rep. Robredo should be considered the last choice. Let her prepare for the future elections.
If we talk about experience and kind-heartedness, why not Manny Pacquiao. He fears the Lord. He is a Philantropist and he knows how it is to be down there.
He has been a Mayor, a representative and correct me if I’m wrong, he has a doctorate degree. Plus, he can afford the campaign.
God fearing, honest, no more skeleton in the closet and educated (helloooo UP Open U! ) The qualities we look for in our potential leaders.
His degrees and titles (military) are honorary, based on boxing. He does not show up for work in the House and does not appear to be inspired by getting work done for the people in the form of better laws. I don’t think he has any management skills, and government is a huge corporate-style bureaucracy. He’ be like a king or queen, head of state in title, mainly, and government would depend on who he appointed to the various agencies. If his friends rather than skilled technocrats, then it would be a shambles.
Yes, yes, and showbis will surely benefit much with Mommy Dionisia at the helm of MTRCB.
Forgive me, but that would be a disastrous choice. Manny is a boxing legend, but he has no place in politics regardless of his intentions. He has been used and is being used by his friends. His political track record has been terrible as well with all the absences, lack of activity and supporting backwards ideologies. No, Manny would be a terrible choice…
I keep wondering how Poe thinks Escudero will not do a repeat of what he did to Roxas, and ask voters to support Binay again next year? Just a thought… This deep trust on Escudero on Poe’s part is really getting curiouser and curiouser.
It is getting a little strange. I agree.
If I were Roxas, I would quit politics for a while and let the whole country suffer without him. Then people will start begging him to come back.
Agree. People like Drilon and Abad and the rest of the gang, :).
Well said…. but it does speak of only one side of the race…. I for one would not vote a presidency under VP Binay whose corruption is well publicized with him not even defending himself on the accusations belted against him. He even said that he would face his accusers in the right forum and yet continues to fight and evade the right forum for him to speak his defense. No to Binay presidency!
Mr. Roxas on the other side is a good man, with integrity and honor to lead the country. But that alone is not enough. With so many crooks in all platforms we need an iron hand to lead the country. Since no Marcos caliber-type of leader is available. Mayor Duterte is the best option we have now for the ailing Philippines. Right is right and wrong is wrong, let the rule of law prevail no matter who is connected or not.
Not for nothing should a Presidential candidate be forthright, but a little delicacy when it comes to talking to people is necessary in politics. Poe seems to be missing that of late. I must also confess, my confidence in Roxas is a little thin, though I do recognize that he is more respected as a politician than Poe.
As for Chiz, that’s where I’m confused. On the one hand, he seems to identify with the youth quite well and has votes there. On the other hand, his career has been lackluster at best. I guess when it comes right down to it, Roxas is the best (I’m stretching the term here) choice for president and if this were a smart country, he be in office by 2016.
I think maybe Senator Escudero does not have much of a work ethic. I find it hard to imagine him as head of DOTC or DILG. So he’s looking for easy ways up.
A President should have delicacy, or diplomacy, I agree. And a wise calm in the face of stress.
1. The polls showed Roxas running behind Binay & Poe consistently — So why run Roxas at all, he’s not gonna win.
This is a defeatist and killer mentality. Everybody knows pollsters can be bought, that polls have been notoriously out of sync with the results (Villar for President, Roxas for VP in 2010), polls are not exact science — heck for all we know they could have been relying on those online pay survey companies, meaning they have been relying on probably the same set of ‘random’ samples from their database of people who want to get paid for a few pesos per survey.
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2. Roxas is a bumbling failure in all those agencies he handled.
There is a saying prophets are seldom recognised by their own people. Roxas is a good technocrat making use of his good management skills behind the scenes. He does not trumpet the various things he implemented, which does not make good media stories. True, he was unable to resolve lots of issues in many of those agencies, such as the MRT-LRT mess. But one has to have a better perspective of things. All the messes in all govt agencies were accummulated over the years through succeeding 4 or 5 administrations. They are stables that even Hercules cannot flush clean. The musical chair of blame stops at whichever administration that is current. Should Binay become president, he should’nt be too happy because the MRT-LRT and other shits will be thrown at him.
Roxas is a good technocrat. For me, that’s the problem. A technocrat does not necessarily a good leader make.
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3. Poe is in-experienced.
Those for Poe says so was Cory, who knows the office will make her shine, that she’s not corrupt, she has show some toughness, etc.
It’s so sad that people are left with so few choices that the will pick Poe based on a chance.
Being an Independent, I feel Poe’s presidency may be very problematic at the political level.How is she going to sway a Senate and Congress filled with impossibly self-interested people with large egos.
On the other hand, Poe as president with no party loyalties may have an extremely free hand in the Executive. She could fill key executive positions with real professional managers without political leanings. This will be something never experienced in any administration before. It may well be the catalyst that will truly turn the Philippines arround.
Thank you. You have said what I am too exhausted to put into words.
My only concern is with the last paragraph. If that change stops spending and economic growth for a year or two, the price will be enormous. The current cabinet has some very good people in key slots and I think any incoming president would be mistaken to shake that up.
Mar Roxas earned what? Mar Roxas is the best choice to become the next President? Mar Roxas ALONE can win? Why does it take PNoy eternity to announce that Mar is the LP’s annointed one?
I will certainly vote in next year’s election and I would want to know why I should vote for Mar. Mar fanatics say that he is experienced and competent and untainted but here are some of my questions – What happened during his stint as Secretary of the DOTC? We all know that even prior to PNoy’s administration the MRT3 needs capacity expansion. So when the experienced, competent and untainted Mar became the Secretary of DOTC, what happened? What was his involvement in the alleged attempted bribery of the Czech ambassador? He did not know that? It happened while he was secretary of DOTC. He did not know that? Is that a manifestation of an effective leadership? You do not know that your subordinates are doing something illegal under your nose? The ultimate question regarding MRT3 is this – what happened to MRT3 under then DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas? NOTHING. Experienced, competent, untainted.
Let’s proceed to the allowances of the PNP when the Pope visited the Philippines. The supposed to be allowances did not reach our dear policemen. What did the DILG Secretary do to respond to this?
Let’s go to the Yolanda victims. The experienced, competent and untainted Mar told Rep. Romualdez that the latter should understand that PNoy is an Aquino. So help and efficient distribution of relief and benefits MUST NOT be expected because the President is an Aquino and Rep. Romualdez is related to the Marcoses? Did Mar not realize that the residents of the Yolanda-stricken areas are not Aquinos nor Marcoses? To date, what happened to the victims of Yolanda?
Let’s face it – MAR lost to Binay in 2010. MAR LOST. Who is to be blamed? Senator Escudero? PNoy? Mar LOST. No single person can be blamed. Who is to be blamed? The millions who voted for Binay? This is democracy – a numbers game – majority wins. Maybe it is not a good idea to blame Senator Escudero. Maybe it is better for Roxas to focus on himself – focus on how he could win again if he wants to run. His bitterness to Senator Escudero will not give him more votes.
You now talk about the “ego” of Senator Escudero for his ambitions to one day become president. Mar Roxas is just the same – he also has his own “ego” and his own “ambition”. Tell me if I am wrong. Mar Roxas do not have ego and ambition? If that is what you are saying, have you not thought about Mar Roxas himself stepping aside for Poe/Chiz? Then that is ego and ambition also. The FACT remains: MAR cannot beat Binay. Mar led all the way in the surveys during the 2010 VP elections and he lost to Binay. Binay’s numbers now are way better than Mar’s. I guess the outcome of who wins or loses will not be changed, in fact, it is clearer now – Mar’s loss to Binay is clearer now should they go one on one next year. You preach that Binay should not be elected but why go destroy or malign or attack Senator Escudero? Why not tell Mar to back down in the same way that you are telling Chiz should back down?
No one person in this country has the right/privilege to say that a certain person is the best person to become the next president. What we do is we vote. If Mar is truly experienced, competent and untainted, you should not worry because the Filipino voters will soon see that and they will vote for Mar. Let us let the people decide. And let Mar win or lose through the votes of the citizenry and not through blaming Escudero or whatever or discrediting Grace Poe or whatever.
As to Grace Poe, SHE IS INDEPENDENT-MINDED. She is not affected by who is related or are friends with who. She refused to run under the banners of Erap and Binay in 2013. She signed the report against Binay. She labeled PNoy as ultimately responsible for the Mamasapano mess. Grace Poe might be new but she is INDEPENDENT, COMPETENT, CHARISMATIC, SMART, SINCERE, TRUSTWORTHY and GENUINE. That is the problem of all egoistic and ambitious trapos – a popular name who cannot be dictated what to do – a popular name who is smarter and more competent than the usual trapos. Chiz might be close to Grace Poe but I am confident that at the end of the day, Grace Poe is Grace Poe, independent, alone and can beat Binay should she decide to run in next year’s presidential election. Grace Poe is Grace Poe because of Grace Poe.
“…..Grace Poe is Grace Poe, independent, ALONE and can beat Binay should she decide to run in next year’s presidential election.”
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Being ‘alone’ in politics doesn’t inspire confidence in the sense that public service is a team game. Well, unless you want to run a dictatorship you cannot say that being alone is a better status in confronting the country’s problems. In fact, even in dictatorship, the leader is not really alone because he has his own entourage or trusted people who help him run the government.
With regard to beating Binay, is that a sure shot if, let’s say, there is a three corner, (Binay-Grace-Mar) fight? I don’t think so. Beating Binay on a one-on-one fight would be a tall order not because he is really what the country wants but because he was able to contaminate a portion of the electorate that are now slowly dragging their feet as to whether to continue to support or abandon him simply because they were set up a long time ago to believe that Binay is the man. I’m not saying these people will surely stay with him, I’m just saying that the time is slowly getting close to change course.
Elementary math dictates that a Grace Poe against Binay contest with Mar Roxas on the third ticket is a victory for Binay.
“Grace Poe is Grace Poe because of Grace Poe.”
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But that’s starting from the middle. Let’s not forget the beginning, FPJ, the root cause of it all. After that there is Susan Roces. And then the most essential person in the political life of Grace, Noynoy Aquino who was instrumental in her accepting a government job. 😎
Thanks for the extensive comment. You might want to read through the comments of others, as some of the points you raise have been addressed (Yolanda), and I won’t try to restate what has been said.
I’m seeing a different Grace Poe than you characterize in the last paragraph, obviously. I do see what you see as her POTENTIAL, however. But right now I see negativity rather than positivism, and indelicacy rather than diplomacy, and immaturity rather than maturity. And ambition rather than service. And way too much connection to Escudero, who is not doing her any favors with his presumptuous statements.
“No one person in this country has the right/privilege to say that a certain person is the best person to become the next president. What we do is we vote.”
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Of course we all do have the right and the privilege to say who is the best person for the presidency. That is the essence, the basis of why we’re voting/electing somebody to the office. And the other part of that entitlement is the right/privilege to express our disagreement or approval to what the others are espousing or supporting. 😎
“Why does it take PNoy eternity to announce that Mar is the LP’s annointed one?”
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Out of respect and at the same time to calibrate the move with regard to others who may have other plans not in accord with PNoy’s plan. Politics is a game of timing and proper coordination, compromises, haggling and bargaining. It’s not like the King choosing you today and announcing his support for you tomorrow and that’s it. It does not go that way. 😦
Maybe Grace values Chiz because he was FPJs spokesman and legal adviser.Add to that Chiz was with FPJ when he had the fatal aneurism attack.
I don’t buy Poe’s empathy. If she had it, she would not do to Roxas (clearly her senior) what Lacson did to her father.
I’d add, she got her job in govt. through President Aquino, but she sure displayed no consideration on the Mamasapano hatchet work. Indeed, she went the total opposite direction. I think friends get sacrificed when they are no longer useful around here. For sure, Binay cuts them loose with a vengeance.
No wonder Joe you’re a fan of Aquino and Roxas—where friendship trumps service to country and people. What happened to Integrity as priority over expedience?
If you’re a new participant of Joe’s blog, I suggest you read his earlier blogs regarding his take on Mamasapano tragedy to understand where he is coming from, his view of the forest and not just the trees.
Thanks, Mary.
Integrity does not require perfection. It requires good work and decency.
Roxas getting the presidency just by making Poe his running mate? NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
What makes you that confident? My bookie Sal long ago projected that Roxas would win if Poe does not run. She does not even have to be his VP. It’s in the numbers. How do you calculate the votes going? From Poe to Binay, if she does not run, instead of to Roxas? My bookie says Binay is capped. Won’t go higher than 20%. You figure Duterte will run? I’m trying to figure out why you and Sal are so far apart on the thinking.
Don’t underestimate the power of moneyed corrupt politicians. Roxas will be in desperation mode and will fight fire with fire and probably still loses.
“Elementary math dictates that a Grace Poe against Binay contest with Mar Roxas on the third ticket is a victory for Binay.”—jameboy
I’m no math whiz kid elementary, high school or college math whatever and so find it hard to figure out jameboy’s computation on why Binay could be victorious in a three way fight between Mar Roxas, Binay and Grace Poe. Pulse Asia’s math computation stated it’s Grace Poe-30%, Binay-22%, and Mar Roxas-10% and SWS confirmed it. Those polling companies must have used a higher kind of math…not elementary math.
Roxas has them right where he wants them. 🙂
Bert, polls/surveys are not elections. I think you know that. I’ll give it to those people who reads everything in the context of popularity or who is ahead in the surveys. Fine. We disregard relevant and essential details in candidate pairings, number of actual candidates running, the political parties, etc. in favor of survey numbers. That’s your comfort zone, stay there. Me, I’m interested in other variables and how we Filipinos go about our business of politics. 👀
Higher math, maybe, but that higher math could change in the next surveys…how many more months to go before May, 2016, and how many more surveys will be held till then?..survey results are not permanent, just look at Binay, from 2010 to 2015,,,and Villar in the months prior to and just before May of 2010.
Surveys, like the weather is changing, let’s not decide based on last June’s.
Unfortunately, that’s the prevailing bandwagon right now. You lead in the survey, presto, you’re it. You can do it all. You can win it all. You can be the biggest thing that ever happened in this country. Kakasuya. 🙊
I shall go slightly off topic as I attempt to convert your thoughts with regards to this matter. While it may ( I use the term “may” very lightly here ) be that Mar is the “best” choice, it doesn’t mean he is a good choice. If one were to review Mar’s track record thus far, one would find it less than stellar, in fact it would be found much wanting. In your article, you are making many assumptions (granted that they are logical assumptions) they are assumptions none the less. Its a risky and often erroneous to guess the intentions behinds one’s action. Binay, Poe and Escudero intentions may be a cause for discussion but at least what they have accomplished so far is much more palatable then Mar’s front. Mar is showy but when grilled, it becomes apparent he has no depth and is merely going through the motions. At this point in time I lack any semblance of confidence endorsing anyone for presidency but I adamant that I know, it shall not ( and ever will be ) Mar. Binay might be septic pool of liquid feces while Mar is a solid piece of well formed crap… it doesn’t change the fact that in the end he is still Sh!tty. In closing, does anyone really want Korina of all people to be first lady? She would make Imelda look like a saint when compared.
I shan’t try to rebut. Too much to deal with that I disagree on, so it can just stand as your opinion. My take on Roxas is not assumptions, but an accumulation of readings and comments from people who know him. Call it perceptions, which can be better or as good or worse than yours, depending on the sources.
We can agree to disagree. Peppering things with facts/data can strengthen ones argument but not necessarily be helpful in enrolling someone to your side of a matter, I think for me this is one of those times, so I shall quit the floor on this matter. I realize also that my initial reply may have come across as obnoxious and may be seen as me questioning your due diligence. If this indeed the case, I apologize, that wasn’t my intention. My fingers went on auto pilot the minute I came across someone championing Mar, I really dislike the guy so my comment was more of a reflex than a thought-out sentiment. Anyhow, I’m glad I came across your blog and I think I shall be following. I can’t wait for your article on the Torre de Manila thing. From your preview, I TOTALLY agree. More power to you and yours.
Well, jean, I’m glad you found the blog, and appreciate your free-form comment. Normally I try to attend to comments personally with a response that has some substance, but this thread has me spinning about and I get tired of saying the same things. I look forward to your future comments so that we can figure each other out a little bit. The Torre de Manila one was fun to write. Against the grain and a tad irreverent vs. Filipino ways. Tomorrow eve.
I, too, believed that Mar Roxas is not the best choice but compared with the popular but notorious Jojo Binay and the popular but inexperienced Grace Poe he is the better choice. The ‘good choice’ aspect is generic to everyone. All are good until they messed up.
With regard to Mar’s track record, was there something in his record that we can equate with the corruption-laden track record of VP Binay? I mean, serving three presidents with no one raising an issue about malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance is something for the record books.
Let’s also be reminded that Erap, Gloria Arroyo and Jojo Binay have sterling track records before they occupied their respective office (Erap and Greedy Gloria as P and Jojo Binay as VP). And what happened to the three?
Criticisms about Mar’s track record are either borne out of ignorance or simple politics. Let’s set aside for a second Mar’s track record and let’s look for something to criticize him about in relation to his intent of becoming the next president and what do we have?
Please feel free to write down your take against Roxas without the issue of track record. 🙂
Be careful, jameboy, with what you ask for. Without the issue of track records, you might find yourself inundated and buried in an avalanche of negatives on Mar Roxas that may completely change your mind about him. Be warned. Jean or Philippine 2016 and some others might just spell it out for you. I’ll be around to watch that spectacle.
Here’s a start:
1. Mar is clinging to Pres. Noynoy because he is not capable by himself to increase his number in the poll.
2. His decision-making is spotty.
3. He has a weak character according to many.
4. ……….
Hmm that would be difficult for me since my main contention with Mar is his track record. Lets just say I have not liked what I have seen and not seen from his camp and we can leave it at that.
Jean,
That’s fine. In a nutshell, these are the various gov’t. positions that Mar Roxas has held so far.
1 Representative, 1st District of Capiz.
2 Senator.
3 Secretary, Trade & Industry.
4 Secretary, Transportation & Communications.
5 Secretary, Interior & Local Government.
Given that fact, one would think that it would be easier to find fault in his character or criticize his behavior. He could be a good or bad administrator or legislator, function or operation-wise (track record) but you still can criticize his person with regard to his relationship and how he treat people, or how he conduct his self before the public or even how he willed power and exercise his authority. He could be easy to approach type of a person or a snob. A selfish kind of guy or who happen to be there for power trip only or to spread his influence and clout for the heck of it.
Bert,
I would be very happy and excited to see and receive such “avalanche of negatives” about Mar Roxas. Why? Frankly, I have not seen an honest to goodness criticisms of Roxas that has substance, and I mean substance, to it. Like I said, working under three presidents with nary one of them have questioned or even casted doubt on Roxas’ capability to perform his function is concrete proof that he’s a good team player and administrator. That is why I opined to set aside ‘track records’ because three presidents as witnesses on his side is just not fair.
And you disappoint me by giving only “three” none track records for a starter (or that’s all you’ve got? 😄). For an ‘avalanche’, that’s not even a trickle nor a drop. Anyway, let’s examine your dreary ‘start’.
“1. Mar is clinging to Pres. Noynoy because he is not capable by himself to increase his number in the poll.”
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Is the criticism about his ‘clinging’ to PNoy or about his incapability to increase his survey numbers? The clinging part is not clear. It’s subjective. You favor Grace, so, you use terms to minimize Mar’s relevance. On the other hand, a pro-Mar would interpret such ‘clinging’ as holding or standing up on the part of the agreement. See the bias on each side? Without concrete example of ‘clinging’, that’s not a legit criticism.
His numbers in polls. Well, you have to interpret that to show the personal part of Roxas that contributed on that low ratings. That could be valid take against him only problem was you did not say the why.
2. His decision-making is spotty.
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That falls under the track record and even if we accept that, the three presidents will trash that contention. It’s a slam dunk for Mar Roxas.
3. He has a weak character according to many.
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He has weak character according to many and not according to you? Bert? You talk of Mar’s weak character and you attribute such observation to many instead of to your self? It ricocheted on your character my friend! 😳
Kidding aside, that observation or impression is valid. Only thing was you did not specify or give examples of weakness in his character.
Anyway, let me share with you my take “against” Mar Roxas. I see him as lacking in sense of humor. He’s not a fun guy. My impression of him is he’s a guy that you cannot have fun with him around. It’s closer to boring, actually.
One example of that was his talk/meeting with Tacloban mayor Romualdez caught in a video. In the video, Mar was particularly very serious, very formal and very official in the way he conducted his self. In fact, he was so over the top that somebody maliciously sliced the video and made it appear he’s arrogant and brash during the meeting which is not really the case if you’ll watch the entire or complete video. They’re talking about disaster relief operation and emergency coordination but Mar Roxas gesticulates as if he’s wearing a suit and having a formal conversation on something very serious. I mean, the situation at the time was serious but having been face to face with the mayor who to me was acting normally and calm would have signaled to Mar to do the same. The issue is serious but he can lighten it up by getting cozy, giving a feeling of comfort, warmth and relaxation with people around him.
He’s relaxed but not relaxed in a light way. The calm or quiet demeanor in him, which for most looks like relax, is for me an easy target to misinterpret as a calculating gesture if one is really determined to cast doubt on his person. He’s not the typical Pinoy coboy (cowboy) or the usual trapo that comes in the room acting like your big uncle and hugging and making everybody comfortable and dominating the talks in a jocular fashion. He’s none of that. In fact, he’s the opposite. He acts like an old man to me or at least that’s what his public demeanor projects. He doesn’t have the character and image of his wife, Korina, bubbly, open, very public and approachable.
Mar is no Erap or Jojo Binay when it comes to interacting with the public or masa. For someone dubbed as Mr. Palengke one would think that he’s got the masa pulse on his hand but it’s not. It’s a hard sell because Mar don’t have the knack with the masa like what Erap and Jojo have.
Mar’s corporate executive type approach is no match with Erap’s and Jojo’s typical skills of a local executive head that are more attractive and approachable with the public. In other words, Mar Roxas’ years in public service has not really made or molded him in the stature of an Erap or Jojo. Could be the lack of experience in being ‘down there’ with the masa.
Now, that’s what I call ‘avalanche’ Bert. 😎
The Mar Roxas I saw during the Mamasapano investigation is enough to tell me he is not a presidential timber. There were many instances where he was obviously quibbling to shield the President of any responsibility when in fact the President intentionally kept him in the dark, a sign of distrust. Then he has done nothing to fix a critical problem in the PNP leadership because he cannot touch a corrupt Gen. Purisima, and he is the DILG Chief! He could have turned around his image had he resigned from his post instead, but of course his personal ambition is at stake.
You seem to want him to go the way of Poe in that instance. We don’t share your take on it. We understand why it was done that way, and Mar surely does, too. Please read Joe’s earlier blog regarding this.
If you sell yourself to the people with your ‘tuwid na daan’ then you have to walk the talk and not twist and turn to justify or coverup wrongdoing.
JuanPinoy, what do you envisioned Mar could have done in the Mamasapano investigation? Dig more deeper holes to bury the president? To project himself as the saintly one who was left out in the cold because the president did not trust him? Berate, scold and blame Purisima in front of the senators and the public to show to everyone that he’s the ‘good guy’ in the whole fiasco and that would have been a big lift on his image and a plus in his résumé going to 2016?
If that was what you expected, I don’t blame you for getting disappointed with Mar. The guy is simply not an opportunist. He’s not cunning enough to see that jumping ship and saving his own skin during the Mamasapano debacle would have been good for his ratings and for his ego. He could have been lording it over in the surveys now had he dumped PNoy and promoted himself as the better and innocent one during the crisis. Sayang.
If that is the barometer to which you measure a presidential timber, yes, I agree with you, Roxas will not pass your criteria. 👀
You are creating your own scenario of what could have been. An honorable man without selfish ambitions can do better than that.
@juanpinoy help us understand. We have the benefit of hindsight. What would you have done different. You speak of some fictional perfect person. When we are all just human.
Well, I’m asking you what do you think Mar should have done. I was just giving examples of what the possibilities would have been. All you have to do is show your part of the discussion and let’s talk about it. You are disappointed hence you have some expectatiosn, so you tell why. It’s that simple.👀
“An honorable man without selfish ambitions can do better than that.” – JuanPinoy
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Do I believe that statement or the three presidents that Mar Roxas has served under? Selfish ambition of one who in 2010 gave way to Noynoy Aquino and completely set aside his plan to run for president? Really? Please. 😎
I was figuring out how to phrase that, and you did it for me. Thanks.
@giancarloangulo It’s you guys who sell Roxas as a man of Integrity and you can’t admit what he did was anything but. Unless you have another meaning of the word?
@jameboy Roxas had no choice. He lost as VP, what more as President? Erap would have his revenged and we wouldn’t be talking about Roxas now.
@giancarloangulo I doesn’t take a perfect person to be brave and principled. Great leaders have shown that throughout history. Sadly, Roxas doesn’t belong in that category.
full of assertions without proof. Ill play your game. Roxas is an honorable man. He lost because he wanted his president to win more than he wanted himself to win. Because of this he has been branded a perennial loser. To add insult to injury he is the troubleshooter of the president he lost the elections for that takes the majority of the blame but doesn’t have the politicians knack for getting credit.
If that is not the barometer to which you measure presidential timber, yes I agree with you Roxas will not pass your criteria.
“He lost because he wanted his president to win more than he wanted himself to win.”
If that isn’t an assertion without proof, I don’t know what is. He would have lost either way and the consequences of losing as President is worst. At least with PNoy winning, he remained relevant—he should thank Noynoy, not the other way around.
Think you need to read again to understand.
@Joe sorry this is trollish last reply
Ah, I share your pain. Yes, Juan is heading into the “ignore” bucket for me, too. All talk no listen.
Sure Joe, if it’s just listening that you want then sorry I wasted my time here. Good luck!
I want dialogue, not people railing at one another. I don’t want win/lose arguments, I want teaching and learning. Luck has nothing to do with it. Sense and sensibility is what matters.
JuanPinoy, that’s alright and if he loses again next year that’s fine. Mar Roxas is qualified to run for president. Take note not a single one here, especially the pro-Grace crowd has ever said that Mar had no qualification for the job. All they can come up with was he is not winnable because he is not popular. For them, popularity is first and foremost. That’s how they reduced the issue why one should be president or not. Anyway, unlike VP Binay, Mar Roxas has no baggage to carry come 2016. And he’s not trying hard to fit in on a position that practically is rocket science to Grace Poe.
He is offering his knowledge and experience on a position that fits his qualification and if that is not enough to get the post, no problem. He’s not forcing anything to the people nor pretending that maybe he can do the job. He is ready, able and willing to serve and if the people decides otherwise by going the hoodlum way and vote for Binay, so be it. If the people decides to ride the Grace bandwagon, it’s totally fine too because it’s their right to pick those whom they want to serve them on the basis of what they understand what the issues are all about. 😄
The Mamasapano debacle was the best opportunity for Roxas to prove that he was his oen man. That he had balls. Sure he was out of the loop during the planning.But when he found out about it after, he didn’t raise his hackles. He was so afraid to lose Noyny’s support. He was a fence sitter all this time.
You say that saying what was right at that time would seem opportunistic as what you and Mr Joe are accusing Grace POe of. But I think, Roxas should have called out the President on this one. Roxas chose to be a fence sitter. Neither did he support the President nor condemn him. Clearly no balls to take sides. Tsk, tsk.
I don’t think it is “no balls”, it is just a matter of delicadeza within the ranks of the cabinet. It is just like no cabinet official would speak up against Binay while he was on the team. It would be very improper for Roxas to call out his boss. I think that is a quality that Ms. Poe has yet to learn.
Jolly Cruz,
Yes, the Mamasapano debacle would have been the “best opportunity” for Mar Roxas to shine, to be his own man and in the process dump and leave PNoy in the dust. Oh, how convenient it would have been for Mar to ride atop the carcasses of the 44 PNP-SAF and push his personal agenda with his eyesight in 2016. Like I said and like what you are parroting now, he could have make a scene in the Senate, isolate himself from the incident since he’s really out of the loop and present himself as the good guy, the not scheming Mar who is now separating himself with the President. For not taking sides at the moment when he could have pushed in front his personal interest above official duty, he only showed he got no balls. You are right on that.
He could have strengthened his chances in 2016 had he opted to become Judas to PNoy. Easy way out. Alas, he’s that stupid, he’s that loyal to his duty and office he didn’t snatch the opportunity for his personal glory and benefit.
In the years that he spent his professional life in public service, Mar still failed to gather enough strength and be as greedy as he can be, just like ordinary trapos, to seize the opportunity presented by the Mamasapano debacle. Why can’t he be just like Jojo Binay, who amassed those wealth under the people’s noses and still aspire for the top office of the land and pretend he’s as clean as white? Why can’t he be just like Grace Poe who upon realizing that her popularity can make her the president of this country only if she can ignore everything that must be considered along the line where the interest of the country is supreme and instead just think about “me” which her supporters is pressuring her to do now?
Anyway, I’m just wondering why the anti-Roxas people are still so mad at him when they should have been celebrating. Was it because they see him as slow and dense when it comes to seizing personal opportunity for himself just like other people who take advantage of the situation when it’s favorable for them?
In a dog-eat-dog world of politics, in a jungle world of opportunists, scums and pretentious ones, the corrupt, the vile and cunning characters and where ordinary people get to showcase and parade their hoodlum and conniving thinking better than him, I’m beginning to believe that Mar Roxas is really in the wrong business. 👀
Gadzooks, remind me not to get you irked.
But I wonder if there is truth to that. Mar Roxas is considered weak because he does not abuse people and flaunt his superior station, like the self-serving trapos. He’s not one of the guys around the cockfight arena. He indeed may be in the wrong business. He should ask to be Ambassador to the US, or maybe Switzerland would be better. Washington DC is a pretty dismal place. Korina could give all those blowhards at ABS-CBN the finger and have a nice life as a socialite.
Strike that last sentence. Don’t know what came over me. Thought I was at the cockfight arena I suppose.
Why can’t he be just like Grace Poe who upon realizing that her popularity can make her the president of this country only if she can ignore everything that must be considered along the line where the interest of the country is supreme and instead just think about “me” which her supporters is pressuring her to do now?—-this is pnoy years ago…if not for the death of his moma,he would not be president..same with cory…say no more of that inexperience card
Joe, haven’t you notice, nobody, practically nobody here has even attempted to put Mar in a police line-up alongside Marcos, Erap, Gloria, Binay, Enrile, Corona, etc. for corruption identification? For someone who has spent his entire life in politics and not be included in that list, it only means his detractors don’t have anything against him. Look, they are even mad at him when he failed to execute the stab-in-back step, a very popular method in politics, when he opted to thread the official line in the Mamasapano case instead of grabbing the opportunity for himself. They were disappointed in finding out that there is no iota of a Judas Escariot, a popular figure in politics too, in Mar Roxas hence he’s “weak” and not deserving of the Office which for them has greed and avarice as the principal requirement. 😯
That makes a whole lot of sense. He is showing everybody up. Concoct a way to bring him down.
Joe and jameboy, you guys are barking at the wrong tree. Blame the voting public for giving Mar the thumb downs, not us here in Joe’s blog who are not even participant in the Pulse Asia and SWS surveys. Praise Mar Roxas to high heavens and if that will increase Mar’s number in polls to a more winnable bracket then maybe we will be one with you singing Hosanna to to him. Until then we will stick to anyone who has the winning chance against Binay. If you want to take your chance on a potential loser and give Binay the presidency, then woe to all of us and the country.
It astounds me when people declare the race over when we don’t even know the horses and the race is 8 months from now, as if time and circumstance were irrelevant.
Voting public through Pulse Asia and SWS? Again, Bert, the election is still in 2016. The voting public has yet to register their choices for you to blame them this early.
For failing to come up with anything that has substance against Mar, you reduced yourself to heckling now, Bert. And that means sliding the mode of conversation downward. Like I said, I’m all for anyone who can point anything against Mar for I know the guy is not perfect. It’s just that those who keep on hitting him, for the most part, were hitting the wind. And we all know, in boxing you get no point doing that and it makes you tired easily. With regard to ‘praising to high heavens’ I don’t think I’m doing that to Mar. Never talked about his positions and activity nor paraded his accomplishments. I’m just stating the facts that he’s worked with three presidents; he is capable and fit to be president; he’s not politically cunning; he lacks sense of humor, etc. Those are fair and aboveboard observation.
If you notice in my posts I provoked, especially people like you Bert, to buttress allegations and insinuations against Mar Roxas to find out if there is really substance or sense to all those things being sad or it’s just a ploy to divert attention or create a mirage to drag the conversation away from those people who actually have more issues than Mar Roxas.
With regard to winnability, you are right, at this point Mar is far from being put in that category. But it is also wrong to be in a celebratory mood and assume that Mar already lost the election because we are still in 2015. Until elections happen and be done with let’s be content in discussing the pros and cons of the issue in the meantime.
I gather in what you said that you are a bandwagon type when it comes to choosing candidates.. Always on the safe side. You will stick to who is winnable regardless of his/her character or background. If he’s not winnable, like Mar, you’re out. And if its going to be Binay vs. Mar, I’m assuming for a “I’m for winnable” type guy like you, you’re going for the winnable guy like Jojo Binay.
And that Bert is what the real “woe” means to me. 🙊
If anyone cares to know who the horses are running in the race, here they are:
-Jejomar Binay–the second favorite in the betting, the early starter, distributing wheelchairs along the way bought using the money of Makati taxpayers to boost the cheering from the crowd.
-Mar Roxas–the tail-ender, distributing millions of checks from the taxpayers along the way to boost the cheering from the crowd.
-Grace Poe–the betting favorite, just coasting along, watching the antics of her opponents, doing nothing to boost the cheering from the crowd.
There.
Senator Osmena says Duterte will also be on the list, and four people will be in the race.
Crook.
Green trapo.
Stability and continuity.
Radical change.
Damn the polls. I go with stability and continuity. I could not live with myself for picking dysfunction.
Calling out the president on his mistake is not opportunistic. You are saying that fealty to the president is more important than explaining to the whole country the truth of what transpired. I think that as SecDILG his loyalty should be to the country and not to the person appointing him.
jameboy,
Thank you very much for giving us yourself the ‘avalanche’ of negatives that I expect others here to provide. I guess that saves them the trouble although I would guess that would be easy work if you had not beat them to it. Of course we have our biases as you have yours when it comes to our opinions of Mar Roxas.
As to my character, I have a feeling, basing from your statement, that you think yours is superior. That is alright. Some people are like that. I don’t mind.
You took pride in saying that three president trusted Mar Roxas. I agree. But three president has only three votes, and the general voting public don’t trust him. You know what that means, don’t you?
Now, at least, with your list of ‘avalanche’, you are agreeing with me that Mar Roxas does not have what it takes to lure the electorates into voting for him in the 2016 election as far as track records is not concern.
Okay na?
Yes, the three presidents has three votes only but they administer the concerns of 100 million people. And in doing that they have Mar as their go to guy. Nothing to take pride on that simple fact. Nothing in what I’m saying about Mar is far from the truth.
Sorry Bert, you failed to provide me criticisms of Mar with substance that is not track record related. The three samples you gave me at the most are weak criticisms about Mar and I said why it was weak.
I hope the others will also come forward and give their two-cents of criticisms that are not track record related about Mar. In times like this where noises gets to be interpreted as a musical melody, fabrications gets to be presented as facet, lies as truth or fakes as genuine, a thorough discussion and examination of things is required to clear the air of pollution for understanding and clarity. 👀
jameboy
I am confused. Maybe I am just dense. But how do I criticize someone if I don’t look at his/her track record ? Not even talking of Mar Roxas. Am talking about all the personalities eyeing the presidency.
You are not dense, you simply failed to read the flow of conversation I’m having with Jane. So, let me repost where the idea of ‘no track record’ thing started.
I, too, believed that Mar Roxas is not the best choice but compared with the popular but notorious Jojo Binay and the popular but inexperienced Grace Poe he is the better choice. The ‘good choice’ aspect is generic to everyone. All are good until they messed up.
“With regard to Mar’s track record, was there something in his record that we can equate with the corruption-laden track record of VP Binay? I mean, serving three presidents with no one raising an issue about malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance is something for the record books.
Let’s also be reminded that Erap, Gloria Arroyo and Jojo Binay have sterling track records before they occupied their respective office (Erap and Greedy Gloria as P and Jojo Binay as VP). And what happened to the three?
Criticisms about Mar’s track record are either borne out of ignorance or simple politics. Let’s set aside for a second Mar’s track record and let’s look for something to criticize him about in relation to his intent of becoming the next president and what do we have?
Please feel free to write down your take against Roxas without the issue of track record. :)”
Joe,
Chiz was the man in 2010’s NoyBI campaign so naturally everyone assumed that come 2016 he would be Binay’s running mate. But things happened and running as Binay’s veep didn’t look as attractive anymore…besides Chiz, like Binay, would have to destroy his friendship with Aquino…so Chiz positions Grace to run as Mar’s veep but in reality he is cornering Aquino and Mar into picking him as veep …and so Mar picks Chiz. Binay runs with an unwinnable stooge and what do you have? A BiChiz tandem, just like 2010’s NoyBi, and the dreams of Binay and Chiz are fulfilled. 2010 in 2016 clothing.
Naku po, MB. lalo mo naman akong tinakot niyan, hindi talaga ako makakatulog ngayong gabi…
hahaha
Make no mistake about it I’m not mad or angry with the pro-Grace Poe crowd in believing that she, based on surveys, can win the presidency. I said that because there is a part of me that is pro-Grace Poe because I can see she has potentials. I’m just a bit annoyed by the arrogance of some in proclaiming to all and sundry that Grace can do it all by herself. That she needs no one to capture the presidency. That she can take Binay, regardless of who’s her VP (maybe because she’s thinking only of her interest and desire to win). In other words, people who were so quiet about Grace Poe’s chances a couple of months ago are now swaggering and teeming with confidence that they can have it all come hell or high water. A clear case of striking while the iron is hot but may end up in the be-careful-what-you-wish-for ending. I hope I’m wrong but I think they are misreading Grace Poe. I have this feeling that some people might be surprised and be let down by the developments in the coming months. 😎
In early 2010 or maybe late 2009, there was a Forum held at the Araneta Coliseum where presidential candidates were given a few minutes each to present to the audience the quality and ability they intend to contribute for the betterment of the nation and its people.
At the end of the presentation of about 7 who attended the forum out of 10 candidates (which included one Vetellano Seinez Acosta of KBL – check out the link below for more info on Acosta) the audience was asked to check the quality that would weigh the most in determination of the candidate they would vote for.
What I remember was how the virtue of “trustworthiness” trumped the qualities of “winnability”, popularity, experience, educational attainment, managerial acumen, spirituality, leadership persona, etc. as the character trait most desired by the audience in the forum. A big percentage of the audience chose Benigno Aquino as most trustworthy while most of the other candidates, even if they got impressive scores on other qualifications, fell short of being truly “trustworthy”.
This coming election, the quality of “trustworthiness” still presents the strongest argument in the choice of president to vote for. I would add to trustworthiness, the honorable quality of “selflessness”, difficult to find in the pool of possible candidates except in one who has already earned and owns it to this day – Manuel “Mar” Roxas.
While, I am inclined to believe that Sen. Poe is herself trustworthy, the person(s) she has chosen to rely on (for political guidance and advice) cannot be trusted to serve the country over and above themselves or their own selfish interests. I cannot trust the duplicitous Escudero, who thrust himself in the camp of PNoy ,resulting in the abandonment of Erap to advance the interest of Binay who was up until Escudero endorsed PNoy was behind Mar Roxas in the polls. I cannot forgive Escudero for promoting the NOYBI tandem.
Until Sen. Poe junks her dear friends Escudero and Jinggoy, she cannot win my vote for any position higher than the senate, whether or not she runs as an independent or teams up with Sec. Roxas. To accept Poe as a candidate for President or vice president solely to defeat Binay is as dangerous as riding the tail of the tiger, you’ll never know when the tiger will turn around and attack you.
Remember Binay who once claimed PNoy had nothing to worry about because he (Binay) would always be there to watch his back. Remember Escudero who was supposed to be campaign manager of Fernando Poe but remained an ally of Gloria. Remember Escudero who abandoned Erap to support PNoy. These acts of treachery define these men and make them totally untrustworthy. Sen. Poe does not deserve to be used by Escudero.
If the proposed tandem of Poe/Escudero gains traction and wins, one can only guess how long Escudero can remain faithful to Poe without giving in to the temptation of undermining her administration so he can take over the reins of government the easiest way he can, by usurping her authority on issues that can derail her continued presidency as Binay was doing to PNoy behind the back he was supposed to guard.
I’ll vote for team Roxas/Robredo anytime.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/columns/columns/view/20100415-264383/Who-is-Vetellano-Acosta
The link casts doubts on the integrity of COMELEC. Very interesting reading.
I like your assessment.
I did the Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin, in an earlier post, a disservice, hinting that Escudero is a Rasputin to Poe, as Rasputin was to the Tsarina of Tsar Nicholas II. It seems from the narration of Escudero’s numerous duplicity, Rasputin is relative Saint. Sorry, Grigor.
🙂
*******
NHerrera,
This is Grigor. Apology accepted.
Yes, I was influential with the dear Tsarina and, yes, I was constant in my devotion to her, the family, and the country. I was never duplicitous like this rapscallion, this Escudero.
*****
Nice one, sir Edgar..hahaha.. a very welcome respite as this particular blog has attracted several comments from people with oh so sure predictions (almost trollish) of election results this early.
Thanks.
survey after survey says that Roxas will not win. i doubt the neutral money will back roxas. i doubt local power brokers will back roxas knowing that he is behind the surveys..
good luck to you. tilting at windmills is a noble endeavour though seldom realistic.
(continuing from above) i’m not alone in voting for poe primarily because roxas is deemed as not winnable – and therefore will not win, impression is reality and all that.
if there is an alternative to poe (e.g. duterte) then i will vote for him. i will not waste my vote on a losing candidate like roxas.
Thanks for the good wishes. Time is a funny animal. It changes things. As Binay’s ratings have dropped like a rock, and Poe’s shot up, Roxas has been busy working. At least let the race begin before you declare the winners and losers.
If only senator Poe can understand the great responsibility she’s leaning forward now is the time to decide for the interest of the people. She should consider Sec Roxas as mentioned above a man of integrity and leadership skills wise.
As I see it, Escudero will not let things happen without him harvesting the benefit. May he listen to his as he said a close friend President Aquino to give way to further continue tuwid na daan.
I worry as to friendships that seem one direction, with the President doing all the major giving. It would be nice to see some friends giving back to the President. As I type that, I recall that Purisuma, indeed, did, during the Mamasapano hearings. He protected the President and was about the only one in the room with that interest it seems to me. And a couple of generals, perhaps.
If you read Kit Tatad’s column, it is as if ‘Grace Poe to the presidency” is an empty talk but it has gone all of nine yards. The view was simple but un-disputably and indubitably absolute – that no way can the lady run as president. But let us push that aside for now.
Also, if you read most anything published or broadcast of old Binay,it seems that indeed, they have succeeded to erect the myth that the man stole in billions from government coffers when he was still a mayor and not so when he was and is a vice president. If corruption were a science, the same political algorithm must have followed old Binay where he goes.
Suppose we as much grant for a moment that the myth is not there in the first place,namely that he had amassed so much commissions, kickbacks, rents throughout his term as Makati local government executive. We never heard of it for a long time until one man blew the whistle in the august chamber of Senate, specifically, his vice mayor. Afford ourselves a chance to push the corruption story aside – as if there was none.
Then elections will be held. Will not Binay win? All these – Grace, Chiz, Mar – in the context of that development should dwarf as mere supernumeraries in the political battlefield. And there ought to be a way, certainly so, to reform the system than reform the man. The system I refer to is a bureaucracy that has lent itself vulnerable to corruption, of being robbed. That in itself, is quite unbelievable – that it was easy enough for any government employee or official to steal money from government.
Just think how all these talks appear to have fallen like chips – with a grand design. Just like Enrile, Jinggoy, and Bong whom they all charged with plunder or of a crime the court will simply fail to prove.
It’s the same story here.
My God, is that the Filipino mindset? I’m speechless!!. Reform the systems and processes and the problem of corruption will go away? It’s the people that’s rotten to the core, not your systems/processes. Philippines has the most laws and the tightest forms of controls in place. Almost everything is micro-managed to such extent I have never seen before in other countries. Just to quote one simple example — official receipts of every business are BIR-controlled.
Get rid of the rotten apples, no need to change the basket.
*******
chempo,
I share your stupefaction. I would qualify that OP’s (Original Poster) reasoning is NOT the Filipino mindset but, yes, many Filipinos are possessed of that mindset. The system is indeed responsible, and never the operator.
OP’s proposition is indefensible.
Notice, too, the tortured syllogism:
1. Major premise: Binay stole billions (allegedly) from government when he was mayor.
2. Minor premise: He has not stolen (allegedly) since he has been vice-president.
3. Conclusion: Therefore, he cannot be a thief.
Mary Grace has ably rebutted both the major and minor premises.
But OP goes further. He asks us to ignore facts. He requests us to disbelieve, or more accurately, to unthink: “Push aside the corruption story – as if there was none.”
By pretending Binay is not a thief… then it becomes so?
In denying reality, delusion arises.
Delusion is “an idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder.”
OP goes even further: he claims the three senators being detained will not be proved guilty of plunder. On what basis is this claim made? On the basis of a conspiracy theory?
Apart from delusion, another term that comes to mind is “hoodwink”.
OP is not only trying to hoodwink us, he has hoodwinked himself completely.
If it were only himself, one could say OP is being… obtuse? But in actively trying to influence others to his viewpoints, does he not become, in Mary Grace’s term, an enabler? An enabler of non-accountability, an enabler of impunity.
An enabler is not far from an abettor. And in your other post, chempo, you note that abetting a crime is a crime. Therefore, an enabler of crime as well?
OP’s mindset — and the Filipino mindset in so far as it mirrors OP’s mindset — are in urgent need of refinement. If we persist in our delusion, we are, as Bert’s scenario of the future delineates, forever caught in a maelstrom.
*****
for others
TLDR OP is crazy
What can I say, Edgar. Only u can unwind the mind-twisting that was there.
Like
Yes, surely in that situation Binay will win.
And then the nature of the man, undiscovered in all those years, will grossly manifest itself in all it’s glory surpassing those excesses perpetrated by PGMA in her reign and just like all excesses will be discovered and then a new Noynoy Aquino will arrive to put things in its proper order and in its proper place the proper place being a perpetual imprisonment in a government hospital.
It will be the same story all over again.
If a man, ok, let’s specify Binay, who had my admiration initially because of his being with the Mabini lawyers group, could be eaten by a system so that he himself became corrupt, then my initial admiration and respect will vanish, never to return again. He proved himself to be weak against the system, even schemed to have his children elected using the looted billions from the country’s premier financial district, which was already booming before he became its OIC.
You say, when he became the VP, there’s no more of those allegations of corruption…of course, his son and daughter is still in that city, the source of their campaign funds, it continued to flow (until his mayor son got suspended) courtesy of the alledged ghost employees….his children are just continuing what he started, deny that, ignore the findings of the OMB, the records of the AMLC, the evidences unearthed in the Senate Blue Ribbon sub committee hearings. But wait, there is still the ongoing COA audit in the housing departments which he headed for 5 years which he used as reason to roam the entire country “to listen to the pulse of the people” which we call unethically early campaigning. Let’s just call a spade a spade. Those departments were held while he is the VP, will they find that those departments’ resources were used in that early campaign activities? Or is it just makati’s resources the he used via the sister city networks at the expense of Makati’s poor (who have to contend with cakes and other benefits which we also get from own city) who remain poor (purposely?) to this day so that they can be continuously used to put them in makati City Hall indefinitely, for a lifetime, perhaps, like in the BSP? You see, we are convinced, think and conclude that because he refuses to answer these allegations aside from saying that he was picked on, just a victim of selected justice, political persecutions. We are waiting to be convinced otherwise.
You seem so sure, too that the alleged Senator plunderers now detained and still waiting for their trial proper (they are still on the bail hearings) will be cleared of the charges..I wonder why, don’t you trust the integrity of our court or do you know something that we don’t, or are you just whistling in the dark?
Please join us in our desire to eradicate graft and corruption in every nook and corner and branch and instrumentalities of our government. Please don’t be their enabler.
Roxas will suffer the same fate of Joe de Venecia…
As compared to Cory seems Poe is more qualified…I could sense that she has the integrity and smart enough to handle the tasks of presidency. It’s just important for her to have a long term vision for the country and surrounds herself with technocrats and competent economic managers rather than with politicians such as abaya, petilla, alcala in cabinet. PNoy had a good start in placing our country into a better path but its not enough. For me he’s just a middle of the road president.
Now the reality in 2016…Mar could have the years of experience but the big factor is his winnability. Okay we give him a chance to improve his standing in next survey…but if his rating is still below 15 percent then its going to be a long shot for LP and there’s a greater likelihood that Binay will beat him one on one even if Poe slides down to be his VP. And if it comes to a point that Binay will get impeached and stripped of presidency its going to be costly and an utterly waste of time and resources for the country. And being a seasoned and astute politician, Binay will not take it sitting down.
if his rating will not significantly improve i think Mar should be a patriot and be a statesman to give way to someone who has higher chance of winning in the coalition for the sake of our country’s future rather than be a politician salivating for power pursuing his own ambition . we need to continue the reforms and the good policies and programs that this government has so far started and I’m afraid its going to be for naught if our country will be under Binay’s hand. It would be happy days are here again for his families and cohorts. Our sovereignty will also be up for sale to the Chinese for sure. It would be transactional governance as usual marred with corruption and scandals just like during Gloria’s heydays.
Anyway Mar could always gun for senate presidency where he has proven his mettle as policy wonk. his career in politics will not be over for sure. the voting public will certainly not forget his altruism and sacrifices and who knows that would give him the leverage and the best chance to beat Chiz in 2022…
This is just my cold calculation as a realist observer from the ground and as a patriot which is devoid of any partisan prejudice and political leanings…
It’s a good calculation but I think the coefficient for t (time) may be erroneous, for what goes up can go down, as Binay is discovering even with the most desperate of acts, and what is down can go up, as Poe discovered by hammering on good people at Mamasapano, and as Roxas discovered by doing . . . um, nothing yet.
At just 20% rating in the latest survey with the strong possibility of even sliding down further, how could anyone foresee Binay winning a one-on-one race against any candidate for the presidency in 2016?
I blame this on our poor math education. 🙂
Ang dami mo magagandang punto dito. Sana mo makahanap ng paraan para maipaalam sa mga mas nakakaraming “masa” ng ating mahal na bansa
Yes, that’s the challenge.
Here’s the real story on Roxas: he’s been polling badly because people think he’s a loser.
No amount of publicity could ever change that. He recognizes this fact – so they’re now raising funds to buy the elections. But once again, he’ll lose; because he’s mar roxas, the loser.
But Poe has to hurdle her residency and natural-born requirements first before she would be eligible to even run, or she might lose her Senate seat altogether because of these two issues.
Part 1:
http://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/99144-grace-poe-pandora-box-legal-issues-presidency
Part 2:
http://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/99200-part-2-grace-poe-pandora-box-legal-issues-political
Reply
Nice troll work, bobby. You just smeared yourself, not Roxas.
There is an appreciative level of like-mindedness between and amongst the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, and other international financing institutions (IFIs) in regard to corruption. Sadlly, to illustrate a point, when the World Bank release its report on the scams at the DPWH, a lady senator whom most know, dismissed such claim as otherwise. Where then do we go from there?
If we think gatekeepers against corruption, there are these entities to first listen to – certainly not some late-responders like the Ombudsman or the Sandiganbayan, as the case may be. Certainly, not on a mere say-so of obviously self-maximizing whistleblowers indicatively bound by instruction than by conscience.
Let certain institutions work against corruption. Do we need people to translate the reports of these entities that enable developments in this country to take off in regard to certain graft and corrupt practices? I think that we do. Let us house them in Congress, let us house them at the DBM, let us house them right there at the Office of the President, et cetera. In this way, maybe something positive can be achieved. With so much funds perpetually flowing in the revenue meter of both local and national governments, let us undertake to check how the system works against those who pilfer items from the production line, as if it were. And yes, the guards – cripple them too – who let the pilfers go away. Life be simple, life be quick.
Excellent. The lady senator is practicing the most damaging of practices, self-justification of weakness or failure. That ensures weakness and failure. What is needed are “technocrats” that are non-political and focus on the work, not politics. They SEEK good information rather than deny it. I do believe the Aquino administration has moved in that direction, but there are still political players in some key jobs.
Joe that’s what I mean on the plus side of Poe as president. She has no party loyalty to tie her hands leaving her the freedom to scour the land for the best non-political technocrats to place in key positions. That does not mean that she should not utilise any capable persons from the various political parties (Roxas, Gibbo??)
That is a strength if she does not burn bridges with the good people there. I think she burned them with Omb Morales and possibly Sec. Del Rosario, intruding into their affairs as a know-it-all. She needs a little more . . . um, grace . . . if she does not want to disrupt the agencies and mechanisms that would assure her of a fast start.
Hello Nielsky — Re your last para….just something to share.
In Singapore there is an agency called CPIB (Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau), The British colonial masters created this and placed it in the Attorney General’s office way back then. On independence, Lee Kuan Yew made this a completely independent agency under the Prime Minister’s Office. It independently investigates and prosecutes crimes of corruption. All it needs is for a concerned citizen to submit a complaint, even if anonymously, which is often the case, and you can bet the CPIB will go about silently doing their work.
All agencies do not have any politicians on board.
Bank balances — When it comes to investigations into corruption, Singapore does not have all those legal niceties like we do in Philippines that ties the hands of investigators, like banking secrecies, search warrants, etc. There are banking secrecy laws in Singapore which are religiously complied with, but when it comes to anti-corruption cases, the CPIB has a right to request banks for information relating to a/c balances. CPIB request bank info :
– at onset of the investigation, not when charges have been pressed.
– on the a/cs of the person being investigated PLUS the a/cs of all the immediate family (sons, daughters, wife, husband, father, mother)
– by sending out blanket request letters to ALL banks in the country – nil returns are required from banks. (I used to handle lots of such requests, fortunately all were nil returns)
When a/cs are identified, they are frozen pending the investigation.
The investigation into bank balances goes about silently. There is no publicity. In fact, most times when the CPIB commences an investigation, the public does not even know of it.
In the Singapore’s way of handling corruption investigation, Binay and all his dummies’ monies will still be right here in Philippines. The rest of the Binay family’s bank a/cs will also be looked into.
The CPIB’s success in their jobs interested Hongkong which sent a team to study the system which they duplicated in their country eventually.
Ako po ay karaniwang tao lang. Matapos basahin ang lahat ng nakasulat sa diskusyong ito, ay iisa ang malinaw para sa akin. Ang lahat ay pakana lamang upang sirain si Chiz Escudero. Bakit hindi ninyo makita na kahit na anong gawin ni Mar Roxas ay hindi siya mananalo? Si Mar Roxas ang dapat magbigay daan. At hindi ako naniniwala na siya lamang ang pinakamahusay at may kakayahang mamuno bilang pangulo ng bansa. Kung ang nais ni Mar Roxas ay mapabuti ang bansa, siya ang dapat magbigay sa mga kandidatong mas may tsansa na manalo laban kay Binay. Sana ay huwag niyang ipilit at unahin ang kanyang ambisyong politikal higit sa kapakanan at kagustuhan ng mas nakararaming mamamayan. At para naman kay Mr. Joe America, halata namang hindi ka tunay na isang tao, at magkagayun man, sana ay hindi ka isang bayarang PR person na kumikita upang manira ng tao maisulong lamang ang kapakanan ni Mar Roxas. Maraming salamat!
You don’t even know me, as a person. Why do you judge with such hostility? Because my ideas don’t align with yours? So the only honorable people are those whose ideas align with yours?
http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/mindanao/99262-mindanao-peace-process-hope-admiration
I certainly want the best for my country. Sen Escud is my kababayan being a Bicolano myself. I have supported him all the way in his political career but at this time if he won’t give way for Mar-Grace tandem, then this is the time to break away from him. I admit I’m for Mar-Lenny tandem. I have known this family when I was still in Naga City. I am also a Jesse Robredo supporter. I pray that Sen Escud would plan for a better Philippines and not just for politics sake and himself.
Courageous position you take, Fernando. Most people would rationalize, you examined.
So much has been said about Grace Poe being too green and unprepared to lead the nation as president, as much as Mar Roxas being the “most qualified”. What I don’t like here is that this blog seems to aim to besmirch Escudero’s reputation, when I don’t personally believe he is even gunning for the presidency in 2016! If most people here believe that Mar Roxas deserves to become president, so be it. Let him go for it, with all his qualifications. And leave Escudero out of it. I doubt it though if Mar Roxas could even defeat Binay on a one-on-one (even a more seasoned leader than the rest albeit charges of graft on him).
Fact is, the most winnable candidate versus Binay is Grace Poe. People should stop denigrating her by comparing her achievements with other candidate(s). There have been a lot of highly-qualified leaders in the past (with tons of credentials in their portfolio) that proved to be disasters. Ang katapatan ng isang kandidato sa paglilingkod sa bayan ang dapat maging batayan sa pagpili ng isang pinuno.
As for Sen. Francis Escudero, with all his own credentials and achievements, he still remains as a most trusted and loved public servant. One simply can’t put a good man down.
Partly I agree with you. Grace Poe’s achievement cannot be overlook because elections is all about everything that can be said and talk about the candidates. Real or imagined. Their strength and weaknesses, their best and worst, their accomplishments and failures. If people raise the issue of Grace Poe being green and unprepared, I think it’s should be taken as a valid observation and not be denied as if it doesn’t exist.
Hindi rin ako naniniwala na ‘katapatan’ lamang ang dapat maging batayan sa pagpili ng kandidato dahil lahat naman ng pulitiko/kandidato ay nagsasabing tapat sila sa bayan. Sino ba ang maniniwala na hindi tapat sa bayan si Erap, Gloria, Binay, atbp. bago masiwalat ang mga alingasngas at kababalaghang pinag-gagagawa nila?
As to Escudero, I have no beef with him. He’s a politician and he’s playing politics. Nothing’s wrong with that. I like all of them (Mar, Grace, Chiz, Cayetano) though in various degrees and in different circumstances. 🙂
I also like Grace, Chiz, Mar and others. But to me they are all politicians, with their own political ambitions. And yes, all political candidates gunning for any position would always claim they are patriotic. The decision whether to believe in them remains with the electorate. But whether or not the people consider their strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and failures, the question remains, who is the most winnable candidate against Binay in 2016?
Definitely not Mar. 🙂
As compared to Cory, Poe is more qualified or if Cory, a mere housewife, can do it so can Grace who is far more qualified.
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I often encounter that line on this blog usually from pro-Grace crowd to justify their ‘It’s Grace or nothing’ stand. I think we need to distinguish the fact so as not to twist it so much beyond recognition.
Cory Aquino ran for a the presidency during the turbulent period in our nation’s history. Back then, there’s no need to think or weigh things over as to who to vote for. Pres. Marcos has become so unpopular that it was even joked that if a dog is to run against him the dog will win the presidency because the people will vote for it.
What’s conveniently being left out in the analogy was that Cory did not make it alone by herself. She did not actively seek the position but she was actually pushed to run. A lot of arms twisting and back room, backdoor or whatever was in the back that can be negotiated were negotiated upon just to unify the opposition against the dictatorship. And that would mean demanding sacrifices and bringing all concerned groups and individual to be on the same page against Marcos. It was not an easy task for a number of people in the opposition initially does not buy the idea of Cory running. In the end, though, Cory made it because she was at the center of it all not only because she was popular and Marcos was not but she represent what the country has become, the dying, not the sick anymore, man of Asia. We’re at the bottom of the barrel at the time and time is running out for the opposition. The widow of Ninoy, Marcos’ nemesis, is the only chance that could turn things around.
When Cory became president there were a number of bloopers made brought about by her inexperience in public service. However, the existing goodwill back then was enough to influence the people to be more patient with Cory’s inexperience and just be more understanding because there were far more important things to do in order to put back the country to perfect health and restructure the gov’t. to bring the democratic system back in governance.
With Grace Poe, what’s the hurry? We have a working system, the country is in good hands and its status remains stable unlike the last days of the dictatorship. There is no Marcos to be dethrone and be made the focus of hate and anger. Although there is an obvious attempt to make VP Binay the Marcos to Grace’s Cory. The mantra is, like Cory, Grace is the only one who can beat Binay, the Marcos incarnate.
Those who are pushing that scenario may succeed in their intention to put Grace in Malacanang. I just don’t think, given the difference of the situation, once she’s elected and commit fumbles, Grace will get enough goodwill, patience and understanding unlike Cory back then. 👮
Grace Poe has not even declared that she will run. Why preempt her? Her actions may seem that she is posturing. However, why don’t we give her the benefit of the doubt until she definitely declares her candidacy.
To preempt is to prevent. You’re way ahead of us, pal. 😎
Prevent what? Prevent Poe from beating Binay? You’re secretly for Binay?
Lol! 😄😃😀
:), :), but laughing is not the answer to the question, and the question, to repeat, is: What do you want to prevent, jameboy? I know it’s a difficult question, but knowing your vast knowledge and acumen I’m sure you can do it.
I have to laugh Bert because I can sense that it’s getting serious from your end that you can no longer relate with the flow of the discussion. Anyway, since my policy is to respond to queries about my comments let me indulge you.
jolly cruz: Grace Poe has not even declared that she will run. Why preempt her?
jameboy: To preempt is to prevent. You’re way ahead of us, pal.
In that conversation, I’m implying with j.c. that the idea of “preempt” is way too advanced sort of a baseless insinuation.
Also, expressing contrary opinion about Grace Poe running for presidency is not preempting or preventing her from doing so. It’s just presenting the subject matter in a different angle. Besides, do you really think anybody can prevent Grace from running if she decides to do so?
It will do you good to think it over, Bert. ☝
isa lang ang masasabi ko… alalahanin nyo yung nanay ng namumuno ngayon… puro kayo kumpara… hindi pa pwede mag lead ng bansa…
I also like Grace, Chiz, Mar and others. But to me they are all politicians, with their own political ambitions. And yes, all political candidates gunning for any position would always claim they are patriotic. The decision whether to believe in them remains with the electorate. But whether or not the people consider their strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments and failures, the question remains, who is the most winnable candidate against Binay in 2016?
Definitely not Mar. 🙂
“…..the question remains, who is the most winnable candidate against Binay in 2016?
Definitely not Mar.”
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Yes, that is true. The focus in running for office now is not whether one is capable and able to do the job but if whether one is winnable or not, regardless of his/her personal background.
Since Binay is the man to beat, everybody will be measured in their capability to beat the VP. And since Grace Poe is now in a tight contest with Binay as to popularity ratings it’s only fitting that we focus on them exclusively.
I disagree. I still think that regardless of what the polls are saying, one should vote for someone whom he thinks is capable to do the job. 😎
Idealistic but truly dangerous for the country. The objective right now is who best can divide the masa vote. Mar cant. Even if he is the intelligent choice to lead the country, the masa will not vote for him.
Voting for someone you think is right for the position is dangerous for the country? Wow! We’re all doing the dangerous thing! 🙂
Dangerous because it paves the way for the Binays to take over the Phillipines. This is the most disastrous thing that can happen to our country. Mar could be the best president the country could have but that will never happen because he can never split the masa vote.
Right now I don’t dream for the best, I will vote for whomever has a chance to defeat Binay. All candidates have their flaws and shortcomings but Binay’s character flaws are flat out frightening. I will do my best to prevent Binay from winning and if it means supporting not the best but the one who has the greatest chance to defeat Binay, I will.
Binay is the guy and if we can find somebody that will defeat him, somebody that is “winnable” then all bets are off. We’ll go for that somebody no matter what because we’ll be able to stop Binay. Problem solved.
I wish it is that simple but it is not. And unfortunately, there are a lot of people who think that it is that simple, it is that easy. If we have the “winnable” by our side, we’re good to go. We’re in good hands. But do we really?
The 2016 presidential election is not an exercise meant solely to focus on stopping Binay from becoming president. That is how a number of people tend to look at it. And it is clear in your words that you do share such view. That Binay must be stop at all cost and whatever it takes. It is as if stopping Binay will precipitate economic windfall and social and political stability. I hate to dampen the enthusiasm but that is not what is at stake in 2016. There is a far more important, more relevant and necessary objective than beating Binay that seems to get lost in the exchanges of views over the discussion. What is at stake is the overall state of the country as a whole and how to proceed forward with a new leadership amidst the myriad of problems we’re confronting and the challenges we face in the future.
In the scheme of things I sense that some people are more focus on the naked politics of it all and the personalities involved therein that they tend to confine their vision to what is advantageous to them. Now that the beleaguered VP Binay is under siege and the possibility of him dropping in the polls, partisan people are starting to look at the situation and moving in a direction that I would call selfish reaction and anticipation. Like hyenas in the wild, they smell blood so they start to encircle and tighten the noose for the kill.
The “winnability” is in their side hence there is no need to compromise nor strategize with the outsiders, the losers. Not even contemplation on how the development will impact the country. It’s all about them and their winning ways.
It is sad to see/hear people admitting helplessness as reason for voting instead of voting by reason of confidence. Very sad, indeed. 😦
Again I would like to emphasize that a Binay presidency is a far more disastrous occurrence for our beloved country than a presidency of whomever has a chance against him.. I appreciate your point of view that the country deserves the best. However, my fear for the country in case Binay wins overwhelms all rational reasons why I should vote for Roxas. If Roxas is able to show, as the election nears, that he is capable of beating Binay, I will surely vote for him.improves his
Please do not insinuate that my voting preference is dictated by what you say is ” a vision… advantageous to them (meaning us who do not support Roxas tight now)…”.Do not ascribe self interest in my decision. Do not insult my love of country and patriotism by saying it is for selfish reasons that I am not supportive of Roxas.
You say that Binay should not be the problem That getting rid of him will not solve the country’s problems. Very true. But I would rather have a government run by anybody but Binay.
What is the priority right now? We have two different points of view. Your priority is continuity of the programs of the current government. Mine is stopping Binay. Why, you may ask. its simply because we can not have good government under a Binay presidency.
For your priority of good government to continue, Binay must be prevented from winning the presidency. Right? Unfortunately, he is also by far, so far ahead of Roxas that on a one-on-one race, Binay will surely win.
So, first things first, The first objective is to stop Binay. You say that stopping Binay will not soive our problems. But I say, I would rather have the uncertainty of a Poe or whoever else, government rather than the certainty of perdition under Binay.
At least, with somebody else there is a chance, no matter how small, that goog governance will continue. Under Binay, its 100% certain that there will be no such thing.
I get the idea that Binay must and should not lead this country and I’m one with those who hold such view. But that idea is really just a part of the whole objective of preserving and continuing the positives gains the country had in the last five or so years. The Aquino administration, in all fairness, have so far proven itself to be a stabilizing factor that more or less set the country on the right path. Warts and all, it is much better than the two previous administrations presided over by leaders who, like Binay, have corruption baggages as their credentials. The challenge to ensure the improvement and transformation at a greater phase is the overriding consideration in finding the leadership we want for the next six or more years.
But I don’t agree on the idea that its only in voting for someone who we think can beat Binay will make those aspirations a reality. Stopping Binay at all cost as a battle cry sounds pretty but it’s an empty slogan if we’ll just assume that it will solve the problems. As an objective it is misleading because nothing in the idea to stop Binay even gives a hint that we are all one on it. In fact, it is a divisive idea because behind the ‘Stop Binay’ call is the ‘Only Grace Can Beat Him’ mantra. Is that all the election is all about?
To give sense to the ‘Stop Binay’ cry is to make sure the people behind it are united in hearts and minds. That we all sincerely believe that we are doing it for the good of the country. That we are ready to accept sacrifice personal interest and political agendas for the greater good and welfare of the majority. But those are not possible if we remain divided because of the ‘we are better’ mentality or the ‘we are winnable and you’re not’ perspective. Right now, there is a clear division or confusion as to who is the better or best person to run against Binay. Some think Grace Poe is better/best because they believe she is the only one who can defeat him. That her surging popularity is enough for us to eliminate other contenders and ignore any other proposition because she got the ‘winnability’ factor.
Others, like me, who sees cooperation, sacrifice and unity – in other words team effort – as the more effective approach believe that both Mar Roxas and Grace Poe are better options. Both have the qualities that we can always go for if the only alternative is a Binay. However, the idea that both should aspire at the same office at the same time is counterproductive which the Binay camp maybe praying for.
In the two, Roxas and Poe, we have enough firepower to defeat Binay if only we can agree on the right strategy. My thinking is Mar Roxas should be given the opportunity to serve NOT with the exclusion of Grace Poe as for purpose but for priority as to time as strategy. I believe that had Mar Roxas insisted on his plan in running in 2010, Erap could have nosed out everyone for the presidency. I’m not saying the same is going to happen again but I’m just emphasizing the sacrifice, the priority, the cooperation part of the decision to slide down to VP position was the key in preventing an Erap comeback and give the country a better chance. I think that such same decision is now on Grace Poe’s court to ponder on.
Lastly, I’m not going for Mar Roxas alone. I’m going for a Mar-Grace ticket because I want to ensure that after six years I’ll have another opportunity to go with someone whom I know invested a lot, sacrifice a lot and in the process made herself available and ready for the job. 👳
And so, if caring and patriotic citizens of this country would want to discuss who should be elected as next president, or who should be fielded against an allegedly corrupt candidate, or even how Mr.Palengke could (possibly) defeat Binay in 2016, issues between and surrounding the two should be discussed and their platforms be dissected. Simply, do not put other people’s reputation in bad light.
I believe it should be more about Mr. Palengke versus Binay or the possibility of Poe versus Binay. It shouldn’t be “all about Escudero”.
I think the matter of Senator Poe having the confidence and capability to stand for herself is very important. If you want a different blog, you are free to write it. If it is well presented, I’ll publish it. But kindly don’t tell me how to write an article.
I likewise think Sen. Poe having the confidence and capability to stand for herself is very important if she is to become president. Hence it becomes about her I am just expressing my thoughts Joe, and not telling you how to write. Nobody can. 🙂
chempo: the CPIB is illuminating.
edgar loress: ‘what are you smoking?’ care enough of a larger audience than engage in cheap ad hominem.
*******
Where is the ad hominem?
*****
Simple lang yan. Kung gusto ni Mar Roxas maging pangulo, e di tumakbo siya. Kung tingin nya siya pinakamagaling na magiging kandidato laban kay Binay at mananalo siya, wala namang pumipigil sa kanya. Tutal, may partido naman siya at may suporta ni Pinot.
Ang sa akin lang, bakit nga ba ang ibang tao dito e pinipilit na dapat si Grace Poe ay mag give way, o di na dapat daw makisawsaw si Escudero (na parang wala kayong respeto sa sariling pag-iisip ni Poe). Bakit ninyo igalang na sila ay mag desisyon ng kung ano sa tingin nila ang pinakamagandang gawin nila para sa bayan? May kanya-kanyang pag-iisip ang mga taong ito at wala ni isa man sa atin ang dapat manguna sa kung ano ang kanilang nais gawin para sa bayan. At tayong lahat na mga botante ang magpapasiya sa bandang huli kung sino ang dapat nating iboto.
Simple lang ang punto ko, kung si Mar Roxas ay tunay na karapat-dapat, sana ay ipakita na lamang niya sa tao ito upang makahikayat ng boto (nag iikot na pala siya sa buong bansa matagal na at di totoong hindi pa siya nangangampanya gaya ni Binay). Gayundin ang mga supporters niya dito sa blog ni Joe. Purihin nyo ng purihin ang manok ninyo. Ipakita ninyo na si Mar Roxas ang pinakamahusay, Wala namang problema dun. Huwag lamang kayo maninira ng ibang tao na sa inyong mga sinabi ay para bang kapag hindi nag give way si Poe e natatakot na kayo na hindi na maging pangulo si Mar. Para bang takot na takot kayo na si Escudero at si Grace Poe ay nagpapakita ng malaking tiwala sa isa’t-isa at tila nais na higit na magsilbi sa bayan bilang pangulo at VP?
Sa ngayon, iisa ang malinaw, alam ng nakararami na mahina si Mar kung siya ang lalaban kay Binay, kahit pa sabihing siya ay may gabundok na credentials at achievements. Mas malalagay sa alanganin ang bansa kung ipipilit nya ang kanyang sarili. Gayunpaman, ay irerespeto ko anuman ang kanyang maging desisyon. Karapatan ng bawat isa ang mag-isip at gawin kung ano ang mas nakabubuti para sa bansa. Huwag nating yurakan o sirain ang pagkatao ng iba para lamang maisulong ang inyong kandidato.
The issue for Mar Roxas is public image and a perception that he is not a strong manager. The issue for Grace Poe is her lack of experience and knowledge. The intention of the blog is to communicate a simple idea, that the Presidency is a job that must be done by one person who thinks clearly and for the Philippines and Filipinos. Senator Poe has attached herself to others. I am all for Grace Poe. In my mind, I have her as an excellent, polished, knowledgeable President in 2022. I wrote a blog a while back that defended her from these silly charges of parentage and said she should be measured solely by her deeds. One of the deeds was FOI. Well done. One was the Purisima hearings. She displayed anger that he missed her meeting. One was the Mamasapano hearing. It was a disaster, from my standpoint, tearing much down, accomplishing nothing. That reflects the lack of what I would call a deep temperament and respect for other elements of government. She came across as shallow and naive. Another deed is who she picks as a running mate, and Senator Escudero is widely disliked for his opportunism and trapo style. That is not just me claiming that. That is what Filipinos far and wide express as a concern. Why should I hide it? She intruded on foreign policy a couple of weeks ago and suggested a change in foreign policy in a matter that I felt was rude to the American Ambassador. I don’t think a polished executive would do that.
So I see her as talented, smart, naive and unpolished. And making decisions that do not suggest the highest judgment. That’s me.
As for POTENTIAL, hers is totally upward bound. And if she got elected, I’d root for her, back her, defend her leadership to the best of my ability, always reserving the right to criticize a policy or decision that I thought was not in the best interest of the Philippines.
She and her fans should not look at this blog as critical and feel bad. They should look at it as information that can be weighed, accepted or rejected.
And so there you go Joe. It is about how we can pick the best candidate for president. It is about discussing and weighing issues. It is about scrutinizing the personalities that could possibly be our next president, what they already did and what they could still do for the country It is about looking at peoples’ perceptions. It is NOT “all about Escudero” after all..
It is not all about Escudero. He is the jumping off place to discuss candidate strengths and weaknesses, particularly in this blog, Grace Poe and her ability to stand on her own. The perspective that resonated best with me was a comment to the effect that “all candidates have advisers and people on their team”. That is true, and a candidate is wise to listen to them before making decisions. Senator Escudero, though, has a deeper relationship, plus his own political ambitions. When Senator Poe is given an invitation by the President to tour the nation with Secretary Roxas, and Senator Poe’s response is, “only if I can take Sen. Escudero along”, it reflects either a political play or a lack of confidence in her own ability. My guess is it is the former. Well, as they say, “two is company and three is a crowd”, and that trip never panned out. Regardless, it is a decision, and Senator Poe made it.
Very good perspective….thank you
One could see it as a political play, or lack of confidence in her own ability, or anything under the sun, depending on who looks at it. It is plain perception.
Sen. Poe is comfortable going around the country with Sen. Escudero, and there’s nothing wrong with that considering that they are godbrothers. On several occasions they have already gone around, just two “Independents” without the backing of a political party, unlike the other possible candidates for president and VP. And one can’t blame her not being too comfortable rubbing elbows alone with the LP people, who in one way or another operated and had a hand on a conspiracy to cheat FPJ and take away the 14th presidency from him.
She sees Escudero as worthy of trust (just as some people here also trust Mr. Palengke). It is not far-fetched that she doesn’t trust some people from Mar’s party. And so one shouldn’t always have negative perceptions about the decisions that she makes. I am sure Sen. Poe has valid reasons.
Poe is greener than most other politicians but she is honest and has integrity. She is well-loved by the people. She inspires them. A quality that unites people and can move an entire nation.
As for Mar Roxas, he better carefully think about his own presidential ambition. His good performance might not be enough for him to beat Binay. At this point, Poe has a better chance. If Mar insists and Binay wins, it might just throw all of us back to our dark days.
Yes, we all see things differently, and usually read things to conform to our preconceptions.
It seems to me that LP (President Aquino) gave her job at the Movie Ratings Board and also welcomed her as a part of their sponsors in her run for the Senate. It also seems to me that a President must work with people of all characters and persuasions, from Chinese ambassadors to crooked Vice Presidents. And deal diplomatically and forthrightly.
I read all the predictions of doom for Mar Roxas, as if early polls mean anything at all. He has not really been openly campaigning and I think has a lot to present. I’ll not repeat what I’ve said elsewhere in this thread, that I actually LIKE Senator Poe and her likely major contribution to the Philippines in the future, but I don’t like some of her recent activities and statements. Using Binay is a threat that is meaningless as far as candidate credentials, at least for me. But it is used by others, even my friend Bert.
If the campaign is waged, and if the polls closer to the election show that Mar Roxas is well behind Senator Poe, and Binay were a factor, I am confident Roxas would bow out and throw his votes to Poe. If the race were different, and Poe were trailing Mar Roxas, then Ms. Poe’s dedication to her nation, over self, would be tested.
But we ought not, at this point, I think, be curtailing any candidate from making a case that they are best for the Philippines. We ought to be expressing our reservations or criticisms so they can figure out a way to respond, if they are legitimate criticisms.
Democracy is healthy. Competing ideas are healthy. Let them campaign and debate and convince us.
Poe also has a lot more experience and made tougher decisions than the one sitting in malacanang now when he is still being forced to run because of popular demand from opportunist taking advantage of his mothers death…poe should run in 2016 because she has all the tools…she is honest,credible, and fit,not later but 2016…
What are some of these tough decisions that people keep saying Senator Poe has made. That was mentioned before, and I asked for that information, but it was not provided.
Hitting on political allies of the president like purisima and even the president himself during the mamasapano inquiry hurting the fragile feelings of pnoy…i dont think a mar or drilon could do that to pnoy…and can u enumerate tough decisions made by pnoy during his stint in senate…u can include his stint in congress….that would be great
I thought President Aquino was pretty passive as a senator, not one of the leaders. He surprised me with his development as President. He was (is) much stronger than his mother, I think. Here’s a blog I wrote about him a while back: https://joeam.com/2014/01/20/why-i-respect-president-aquino/
That is the blog’s most popular article, still pulling in generous reads.
Could Grace Poe do that? Maybe so, but you and I have very different takes on Mamasapano, which I thought was a political play by Poe/Escudero that pretty much tore the nation to shreds. And healed nothing, and built nothing. Go to the home page and do a search on Mamasapano hearings and you will find my extensive work on that episode.
So thats the point…a very passive and nonsense senator during his time turns out so so as president in my opinion..what more a brave non kiss ass senator who has guts…see..u cant even point out just one significant decision he made as a senator,i was really waiting for it it since uve been asking that question…as for mamasapano..urs is just an opinion as much as others that dont share ur view and biases…
I don’t do research work on demand, as I am not defending Senator Aquino’s senatorial work. It is not an opinion on Mamasapano, it is a lot of hard work and candid study (I’d guess you did not read any of the articles), and an analytical conclusion based on that work. You seem hostile for some reason. Hey, we disagree. No big deal.
U ask first about poe on issues about experience(tough decision she makes as a senator) so as to return the favor,i ask about what the present president did during his tenure as senator…and u gave a generic answer while i answer in specifics…it would have been unfair to u if i answer…poe is a proactive senator…she has all the tools at this moment,not 2022 to be a good president than pnoy before…if this article written 2010..the title would have been “its all about cory aquinos death”
“what the present president did during his tenure as senator…….. if this article written 2010..the title would have been “its all about cory aquinos death”
We all know that if a senator is in the opposition, not much work can proceed no matter how hard you tried, his resolutions, his objection to gerrymandering, just to accommodate the candidacy of one of Arroyo’s sons, his objections to the way the budget was almost always re-enacted so much so that it becomes the former president’s annual 1 lump sum appropriations or her hundreds of billions pork barrel, subject to her discretion and allegedly used to buy the loyalty of all government departments and institutions, legislative, judiciary, military, church, etc. – this were all drowned out but by the subservient majority. When you are the lone or just among the few voices of minority, a voice in the wilderness so to speak, what can you achieve?
In Senator Poe’s case, since she belongs to the President’s coalition government, she is given powerful committee membership and leadership which gave her a chance to shine.
His experiences there paved the way to the vast restructuring of the budget preparations now, gone are the days of re-enacted budget, line budgeting is now the norm, other reforms were in place to minimize corruption. Pnoy was preferred by the electorate because of the belief that he will dare not stain the memory of his hero father and his mother’s role in the restoration of democracy not to mention integrity, honesty and sincerity in governance.
Just a few that I can offer from memory, elaborations of which shall require time consuming research.
Theres a reason why poe is very popular nowadays especially to the masses and i think that is because of the way she handled herself during the mamasapano investigation…and on that note..i also think that if mar handled yolanda differently,that could have been his crowning glory and not a source of ridicule…
@ eric
Source of ridicule only for the easily influenced masa who bought what the mainstream media peddled without exerting any effort to discern and read between the lines. You have a mayor with a father-in-law who is an expert in splicing tapes they used to project Mar in a bad light, completely quoting him out of context just to make it appear that the mayor was the victim; to cover up his own inefficiency, someone who himself did not know what a storm surge meant so he can seriously warn his constituents to evacuate to higher grounds. Why didn’t other towns and cities suffer that high casualty that Tacloban did? It’s because they listened to the President, the DILG and Pag-Asa warnings seriously and evacuated to higher grounds, you do not evacuate your constituents to sea level evacuation centers in the face of a super typhoon like that most especially if your city is just a stone’s throw away from the sea.
The way she handled herself during the Mamasapano investigation is to undermine the authority of the President, the BBL draft law and the state secrets being publicized and quoted here and there to the detriment of the nation’s security. Please read Joe’s earlier blog and the discussions, the exchange of opinions and ideas there, how Joe differentiated a person’s view on an incident in relation to the affairs of the whole country, viewing the forest and not the just a number of trees.
I am likewise sure that if the tides will turn against Sen. Poe and would be behind Mar in the early polls right before the elections and a Binay win is looming, she would likewise be unselfish and throw her support to Mar. Let it be a test of patriotism for both. Until then, everyone here should try to avoid slinging mud to both candidates. They are our better options against Binay.
Mud is an attempt to smear. Criticism is an attempt to guide.
And that my friends, should take Sen. Escudero out of the picture, primarily characterized in this blog as the villain. There’s no need for that really.
He is characterized as a political opportunist, a trapo, leveraging Senator Poe for personal gain. That view is held by many people, as far as I can tell. If you wish to do a blog explaining his credentials and capabilities the job of President or Vice President, I would welcome that enlightenment. Or just give us a summary here of his strengths and offsets to perceived weaknesses that I’ve stated.
“Characterized” thats the perfect word..and when u say held by many..take also in consideration that many dont agree with that characterization…its like pnoy being characterized by many in social media as inefficient..so the word noynoying was born…certainly theres a reason for it
“characterized by many in social media as inefficient..so the word noynoying was born…certainly theres a reason for it”
Yep, it’s all clear you are buying such hateful characterization, initiated by the GRP groups and others who, until now can’t still move on from their defeat in the 2010 election. Never mind that other countries and their agencies are so impressed by how his government has performed, credit ratings being upgraded (this results in lessening the interest rates in our debt servicing, to free more funds for social services and defense upgrades), GDP growth 2nd only to China. The often repeated mantra of that growth not reaching the poor is getting to be staled, considering the billions being set aside for the CCT or PPP. It is for this reason that we are aiming for Mar to be the anointed one – to continue the reforms and fight for graft and corruption so the middle class groups can be expanded, and the poorest of the poor can have the chance to uplift their standards of living. All this can be done if we continue to jail the plunderers and not give any chance for the return of the convicted ones, a possibility in Poe’s admin, lacking her pronouncement on Estrada and Marcos and their cronies, Roberto Ongpin (of Escudero’s wedding sponsor fame not to mention the mining stocks controversy on DBP and the PSEC’s alleged collusion, Alphaland deal with Binay) just to name one.
Well, some people “over-criticize” that it becomes tantamount to destroying a persons reputation and credibility. I try my best not to. As I haven’t heard anyone here “going for” Binay, it is apparent that we have a common denominator. That is enough for me.
You are welcome to defend. Truly, it would be enlightening. Thanks for the visit.
Again, those negative perceptions. Everyone has their own perceptions of people, positive or otherwise. I try not to “over-criticize” but now let me.
Sen. Escudero is a trapo and Mar is not? He is a political opportunist and Mar is not? And who is leveraging no less than the president of the Republic himself? Come on, wake up.
As for Sen. Escudero’s accomplishments and credentials, that would be too taxing for me to put here. I’m sure the list will be well more than his follies. But everyone is free to google it.
And granting you say that “many” people view him as that, I still believe many times not as many as those who see Mar as the quintessential trapo himself (why he failed to win prior elections).
At least Sen. Escudero didn’t have a hard time in the past trying to picture himself as a pro-masa, riding a bike and presenting himself as if one of them. Unlike the one who did, who in truth is a “rich kid” born with a silver spoon. So, who is the trapo now?
Sigh. “Come on, wake up” is a statement that is wholly unnecessary in the context of a discussion of issues. I hate that shit. I don’t know why you can’t just state your contention upright. “Mar Roxas is also a trapo, coming from a political dynasty that has deep ties across the Philippines. No one gets anywhere in personality based politics without personal loyalties. Furthermore, he has no popular appeal, mistaking photo-ops as a way to be popular.”
Nothing wrong with that statement at all. Good point. Now I might choose to rebut that, but I’ll refrain, because I think you can’t handle upright debate without going personal.
That is so not this blog . . .
This is getting interesting…someones playing devils advocate which is as good as it can be…
Mar is as trapo as a trapo can be…only that he is not as popular as an erap or binay…
That’s true, as most people polled are as influenced by the mainstream media, not availing of their God given ability to analyze and discern what is self-interest-motivated-lie and what is plain truth and nothing but.
The preference of the 1,200 or 1,500 misinformed and media influenced people polled are sadly the bandwagon that most people are riding on TODAY.
So sad.
Ferdinand, Joe the owner of this blog is a great teacher here to all of us denizens of The Society of Honor. We learned so much from him not only of knowledge but more so of his sense of fairness in dealing with everybody. I would suggest that you try to make some effort to take lessons from his wise advice.
I must admit, unlike you Joe, I am not good at playing with words. My vocabulary and command of semantics is not as good as yours. I just say whatever comes to my mind, which I believe will emphasize my point, but not to intentionally become personal and hurt other people’s feelings. But as it is, even if you think and say I can’t handle upright debate, you know I got a point. 🙂
You actually had three good points. All politicians are trapos at some level. The seemingly staged photographs aiming for popularity. The President of the Philippines being reserved for Mar Roxas, likely as a return of favor for Roxas having withdrawn in 2010. Favor for favor, the definition of trapo.
That last point I find most interesting, because President Aquino plays the game, too, of power and favor. The difference from him and many others is that he does it almost always for the benefit of the Philippines, not for his personal gain. There have been a couple of exceptions during five years. Sometimes loyalty is in there, which can be good or bad. President Aquino is loyal to his Cabinet, which has him bearing a lot of public criticism. They return the loyalty by working hard and straight. Purisima? Complicated and I refrain from judging easily.
And thanks for explaining that you just shoot from the hip, and nothing personal was intended. I can see that now.
I will Bert. Thank you so much for your suggestion!
Poe also has a lot more experience and made tougher decisions than the one sitting in malacanang now when he is still being forced to run because of popular demand from opportunist taking advantage of his mothers death… – eric
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To revive the popular observation about the “one sitting in Malacanang now” now as a defense and support of Poe, I think, is absurd and smacks of hypocrisy.
The “one sitting in Malacanang now” is the one responsible why Grace Poe is in gov’t. right now. The one who was “forced to run on the basis of his mother’s death”, barring any untoward and unfortunate event, would transfer the administration of the gov’t. that has vastly improved economy-wise and politically stable unlike when he inherited it back in 2010.
Looking back, the popular observation was a dig on Noynoy played off during the campaign period to emphasize lack of experience and interest on his part. It was an attack resorted to by political opposition to make it appear he is soft and weak and is not really interested in running and just being cajoled by people who have sinister interest.
Such observation has become stale and rendered nonsense on the fact that PNoy proved to be a better leader than his two predecessors. To again bring it up now and use it to justify the promotion of Grace Poe is just ridiculous and comical in a lot of ways.
Tougher decisions? Making a report (Mamasapano) and stating the obvious, that the administration committed a series of mistakes in the operation is not tough. It’s just echoing something the public already knows and have been raising months before the report was made. Tough decision is not about saying something that is already widely assumed by the public.
‘Hitting on political allies and the President and hurting his feelings’ is not a tough decision in politics where attacks and criticisms is a day-to-day happenings. And I don’t see the Mamasapano inquiry as an attack against the President because there was no reason for Grace Poe to do such a thing. She’s just doing her job as lead investigator on the case and I believed her. In fact, after the inquiry we even witnessed how PNoy took everything professionally by continuing to communicate with Grace Poe on official and personal level.
Bringing up old, decrepit and pathetic offensive campaign slogans would only make sense if the gov’t we have right now is exactly or worse than the government we had with Erap and Gloria Arroyo.
Believe me, beating a dead horse at this late in the game will get you nowhere. 😎
Its not the “one sitting in malacañang” who is responsible for poe in the senate..its the people who vote for her whether its because of the poe magic or something else…do u think pnoy could have won if not for the sympathy of the people for his mothers death? Erap would have been the president now…no matter how u twist it..the real reason why the “one sitting in malacanang”is there…is because of his moms death….its very easy to say that if its against ur bet..its politically motivated.
I don’t remember talking about the Senate regarding Grace Poe’s entrance to government service. Go back and wiki or google Grace Poe’s bio and see how she started in gov’t. service. Just don’t ignore the portion where it mentions the role of the “one sitting in Malacanang” in the overall development of her political career.
Such simple fact need not be covered by denial if we intend to have a decent and formal conversation. If I may sa so, sir. 👮
Its not the “one sitting in malacanang” who is responsible now that she is a frontrunner for the presidency….dont care which government post she held prior coz its irrelevant to her status now….
The “one sitting in Malacanang now” is the one responsible why Grace Poe is in gov’t. right now. —–and where in the government is she RIGHT NOW????? As in NOW?…
Ah, you’re talking about her being the “frontrunner for the presidency” NOW and you don’t care about her prior position because it is irrelevant to her status NOW. Taken in another form, her being the daughter of FPJ and Susan Roces, the guidance of her well-known parents without which she could just have been another domestic working in a far away place and the contribution of friends, NOW that she has become a very popular senator, is NOW irrelevant to even be remembered and mentioned, RIGHT NOW, AS IN NOW.
In a nutshell, you just demonstrated how you hold in low regard Sen. Poe’s character is. Oh, well. 🙈
Hey..im not the one insinuating that poe is there because of FPJ….
But you said sir “one sitting in Malacanang now” is the one responsible why Grace Poe is in gov’t. right now. —–and where in the government is she RIGHT NOW????? As in NOW?…
1.)To revive the popular observation about the “one sitting in Malacanang now” now as a defense and support of Poe, I think, is absurd and smacks of hypocrisy.
The “one sitting in Malacanang now” is the one responsible why Grace Poe is in gov’t. right now. The one who was “forced to run on the basis of his mother’s death”, barring any untoward and unfortunate event, would transfer the administration of the gov’t. that has vastly improved economy-wise and politically stable unlike when he inherited it back in 2010.—–if ur parading the inexperience card on poe…then theres no better person u can compare her to than the “one sitting in malacanang” now…. See
.an inefficient and passive senator could become a very good president on some peoples belief ….how can that be absurd?
“…..if ur parading the inexperience card on poe…then theres no better person u can compare her to than the “one sitting in malacanang” now…. See
.an inefficient and passive senator could become a very good president on some peoples belief ….how can that be absurd?” – eric
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But the “one sitting in Malacanang” was a former congressman and a senator before becoming a president. That aside from living and breathing politics all his life because of his politician father and relatives. If you are making him as a blueprint of an inexperience becoming a success, that’s fine but you also have to consider that not everybody is the same. More importantly, you are forgetting the fact that inexperience in Poe’a case is not really a drawback for she practically has what it takes to be a successful leader. However, there is such a thing as timing, a ripening period where a person gets to excel and shine and be productive.
Aside from that, politics is a cruel and brutal business. One slip and you’re gone. One mistake and your reputation is ruined. One false move and everybody is ganging up on you.
I like Grace Poe and I have said a couple of times that she has the potentials of becoming a successful leader. She got the name, the popularity, friends in high places. all the formula for one ro be a success. She has demonstrated the kind of maturity and demeanor that I have not seen with her male counterparts in the Senate. She along with female senators Legarda and Cayetano exudes confidence, elegance and intelligence that you cannot help but admire and trust.
But having said that, I maintain the view that it would be beneficial for Sen. Grace Poe and by implication to the country that she takes a little bit more time to hone her talent and skills and learned everything there is before embarking to seek the presidency. And the best way to do that is to run first as vice president.
I don’t think that view deserved hostile reaction nor it should be taken as an offense or insult to the good senator. 👀
2.Looking back, the popular observation was a dig on Noynoy played off during the campaign period to emphasize lack of experience and interest on his part. It was an attack resorted to by political opposition to make it appear he is soft and weak and is not really interested in running and just being cajoled by people who have sinister interest.—exactly! What they did to pnoy then is whats being played on poe now…a bit earlier though…but in all honesty…do u really think pnoy is not what the opposition pictured him to be? A last minute decision while looking at the mourners and taking advantage of it?
exactly! What they did to pnoy then is whats being played on poe now…a bit earlier though…but in all honesty…do u really think pnoy is not what the opposition pictured him to be? A last minute decision while looking at the mourners and taking advantage of it? – eric
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What you are saying now is all water under the bridge, and what’s worse it was proven to be incorrect. You have twisted your narrative so bad you practically made your point more weak and senseless. Let me tell you why.
For saying these about PNoy, “the one sitting in malacanang now when he is still being forced to run because of popular demand from opportunist taking advantage of his mothers death…” – eric
Isn’t that also a reverse admission that the same strategy is now being applied to Sen. Grace Poe? That the death of her father has embolden some conniving people to force her to run to take advantage of the situation?
—–
“…do u think pnoy could have won if not for the sympathy of the people for his mothers death?” – eric
Same with Grace Poe, do you think there is no sympathy vote that help her win her senate seat? Can you say with a straight face that she won her position all by herself? Please.
—–
“…the real reason why the “one sitting in malacanang”is there…is because of his moms death…” – eric
Why, do you honestly think Grace Poe was in the Senate because people simply like her because she’s cute? Ah-ah.
We all don’t personally know each other here but allow me to make some suggestions. Avoid dragging PNoy in the conversation because he is ‘not a good example’ to push forward your support for Grace Poe. It’s not only bad that your contention has weak legs but the criticisms you throw in PNoy’s direction is the same criticisms that can be used against Grace Poe. Dead parent, forced to run, taken advantage of, sympathy getter, etc. It is really a losing proposition.
Reverse gear to minimize the damage. 🙊
3.Such observation has become stale and rendered nonsense on the fact that PNoy proved to be a better leader than his two predecessors. To again bring it up now and use it to justify the promotion of Grace Poe is just ridiculous and comical in a lot of ways.—how can that be ridiculous? Were talking of poe’s inexperience here as a roadblock in seeking higher office….who knows…she could be better president than the passive pnoy
how can that be ridiculous? Were talking of poe’s inexperience here as a roadblock in seeking higher office….who knows…she could be better president than the passive pnoy
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Well, that is how you hold her in low regard. Inexperience is not corruption. Inexperience is not a mental nor physical incapacity. It is not something that will prevent one to seek office he/she desires. Sometimes it is even a positive factor as an experience candidate is seen as not immune to the crassness and dirt of politics. Inexperience at times is seen as purity compared to a polluted one.
I have yet to read here that her inexperience is a ‘roadblock’ in her seeking for higher office. Again, very evident the invention of a scenario where Grace Poe is put in an underdog position.
Tougher decisions? Making a report (Mamasapano) and stating the obvious, that the administration committed a series of mistakes in the operation is not tough. It’s just echoing something the public already knows and have been raising months before the report was made. Tough decision is not about saying something that is already widely assumed by the public.—its echoing..i agree…but the decision to go against and putting the president at fault is a decision on her part…do u think an ally would have the guts to do that to pnoy knowing how vindictive the guy is?that is y she is popular after that..people think its not in her dna to do that knowing as u said “its the one sitting in malacanang” who is responsible for her being in the government..its easy to say”walang utang na loob”….my definition on making “tough decisions” is not echoing…its going for what u see is right even if its against someone u owe something..thats tough..echoing us easy…its plain playing safe
“…but the decision to go against and putting the president at fault is a decision on her part…” – eric
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Not exactly. It was a Committee report which she happens to head. It is not solely her individual output and decision. It was a product of the Committee’s investigation requiring pronouncement of the details and the findings of faults and assignment of responsibility on the side of the authorities if warranted. Toughness is not really the right term to describe the decision of the Committee but rather thorough or accurate.
“…do u think an ally would have the guts to do that to pnoy knowing how vindictive the guy is?”
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Well, as far as I know no one in the Committee has accused the President of vindictiveness after the report was out. And such allegation is really #*€£% considering that PNoy and Sen. Grace Poe continue to communicate not only in an official capacity but also on a personal level.
“that is y she is popular after that..people think its not in her dna to do that knowing as u said “its the one sitting in malacanang” who is responsible for her being in the government..its easy to say”walang utang na loob”…. – eric
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Well, I don’t think that holds water because we all know that it’s not gonna happen. Remember Cory apologizing to Erap for her participation in the effort to oust him? I think when it comes to modesty or humility and not getting personal, people knew, I knew that PNoy will not take it personally.
And if you happened to read back you will see that even Joe and I had contrary opinion on the matter. 👷
I admire your dedication to what I suspect is a lost cause. I don’t think eric is in a listening modality.
Lol! You got it right Joe. I’m just a sucker for telling stories. Nice ones. 🙂
jameboy, I am inclined to believe your conversation with Eric is satire. it’s driving me insane. Shades of an Abbott and Costelo skit. Can’t believe how you can endure the pain of suppressing laughter.
4.Hitting on political allies and the President and hurting his feelings’ is not a tough decision in politics where attacks and criticisms is a day-to-day happenings. —its tough when the one attacking u is from ur very own and not from the other side of the fence!…and pnoy doesnt take criticisms lightly lol
“its tough when the one attacking u is from ur very own and not from the other side of the fence!…and pnoy doesnt take criticisms lightly lol” – eric
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Let me simply put it this way. If the report came from Bongbong Marcos I’ll believe that PNoy will not take it sitting down. You know what I mean? All hell will break loose when your enemy calls you names to embarrass you. But like you said, it came from his very own, so no hard feelings there. Did the President got hurt or offended by the report, I’m sure he did but not hurt to think of retaliating. 👳
Theres a reason why poe is very popular nowadays especially to the masses and i think that is because of the way she handled herself during the mamasapano investigation… eric
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At least, we have something here that is not about the “winnability” of Grace but how she handled herself during the Mamasapano investigation that made her very popular nowadays. I noticed however that in the description of Grace’s popularity it was conveniently forgotten the three capital letters which was instrumental to what and who she is and what she has become now: FPJ.
Let’s not forget that is where her popularity originated. If she’s not the daughter of the ‘the King’ she wouldn’t be in government right now. If her father was just a two-bit actor no one will give her a second look. The Mamasapano investigation is just an added bonus for she was already popular even before it. Even without it I don’t think it will matter much. In fact, she could have headed a Committee of do nothing in the Senate and she’ll remain popular simply because of the “Poe” thing attached to her name.
Which led me to this conjecture, is the Mamasapano investigation being raised from the dead to have something to show as an accomplishment for Sen. Grace Poe?
If so, all I can say is nice try. 🙊
If more names for the presidential timber roll out from the list, against the more dominant public perception of a ‘one-on-one match’, then perhaps all votes that otherwise go to amazing Grace will crowd around amazing old Binay. Between a well-oiled machinery and one bound to crank like an ‘engine made in China’ [whatever that meant], it is the former that will run the lead. Hands down, the dark-skinned Ilocano or Cagayano enjoys ‘comparative advantage’ [to borrow a word]. Also, the mere fact that the survey results proceed from a slow even marginal descent against one already ‘hyped, popularized, and advertised’ whose popularity [in a very literal even shameful sense] took a sudden upsurge from downhill, it is of some validity that as the race comes close to start, the well-oiled machinery of Binay holds greater promise than one ‘built on myth’ that Grace is a presidential potential, something that in every indication, is not the case. She is, as one columnist says, a tabula rasa. And she most probably is. How else will it read?
care to share the survey where the sudden upsurge from downhill happened?? Cant seem to find this between sws and pulse.
Readers may find this column by occasional visitor Tomas Gomez III of interest. And you think I was hard on the Chiz!!
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/blogs/opinions/07/15/15/scuderoo-factor-grace%E2%80%99s-trajectory-plus-or-minus
Great site, Joe! Given the outcome the press culled from last night’s dinner at the palace, I think the PoeEscudero tandem is made, with Mar hinting of giving way. There’s no stopping them indeed.
I see a Roxas-Duterte brewing on the horizon though, and such a teamup is simply genius.
Hello, Mark. The full text of the Roxas comment does not have him giving way at all. The reporter asked him about giving way, and he basically said there was no need to ask him that because he has already shown he could give way in the nation’s interest. He said nothing about giving way to Poe. Some editorial writers with a hope might write it that way, but that’s not what he said at all.
Can’t seem to find the full Roxas comment though. Do you have the link?
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/07/16/1477494/mar-i-have-track-record-giving-way
I saw the interview and I agree with you Joe. Mar said nothing about him (already) giving way to anyone.
Sen. Poe on one hand, said in a text message to one network, that “all of them (Pinoy Grace, Mar and Chiz) agreed to listen to the voice of the people to ensure that efforts toward good governance will not go to waste”.. I take it as they all agreed that “they will all play it by ear”, and that whoever will be the frontrunner (in surveys?) until the time is ripe for Pinoy to announce who he will anoint, must be the LP/coalition’s standard-bearers.
They all agreed. If what Sen. Poe said is true and they will all stick to the plan, that sounds a little more like Binay is already doomed. 🙂
Thanks for the certification on the Roxas quote. I hope a sound plan develops, and I don’t think Senator Escudero will really add much to it. I doubt he sees it that way, however, and is the fly in the ointment. I sense the whole of Manila is shouting at Senator Poe, even Senator Osmena, respectfully, but I’m not sure she is listening. If she interprets that the “people” speaks through the polls, she may be listening to a different drummer altogether.
Fascinating to watch it play out . . .
The country is doomed if Sen. Poe relies on the tabloid press, the paid hacks of radio, tv, and social networks to deliver the “voice of the people”.
The fact that “they all agreed to a plan”, I guess all of us should relax on playing as doomsayers (except as to Binay’s predicament :)), Let us just hope they ALL stick to it.
And as to your doubt if Sen. Escudero sees it the same way, he also conveyed to the media that while they talked about plans about the 2016 coalition, they likewise touched on many other issues and matters concerning the present government and its programs. In the end he confirmed what Sen. Poe said.
Mar and his avid supporters should not worry about anything anymore, so long as the four agreed,on a plan and everyone will stick to it. So, I guess whoever reneges on whatever was agreed upon should be the one considered as the “fly in the oitment”. 🙂
Yes, you are right. I shall shut off my worries and speculations. Thanks for the good advice.
She should listen to the polls? Senator Escudero? Or whom. To me, the “people” is a sense of what is good for the nation. A rather nebulous mix of sense and observation detached from one’s own self interest. I doubt that VP Binay has such an ear. I am skeptical that Senator Poe does. And maybe I’m deaf, too.
gian: how come you can’t find them?
Because giancarloangulo can’t find them, that’s how. Now can you help him find them?
Let me share my two cents worth. If you’re saying that Roxas will surely win in the 2016 polls, why then is Pres. Aquino so adamant to proclaim him as the administration candidate? Is it not because PNoy knows that Roxas will be trashed by Binay? And that is the most certain way of exterminating the gains of his “Daang Matuwid”. That’s the reason why PNoy wants Poe to run instead of Roxas. Now, PNoy knows that Roxas won’t slide down again to vice-presidential post so he wants Sen. Escudero to team up with Sen. Poe. PNoy is looking for a sure-win tandem who will pursue the reforms he had started. Those who are pushing for Roxas are actually supporters of Binay. The want to pressure PNoy to endorse Roxas because they know that he will be easily trounced by Binay. That’s the real score, actually
Okay, Berting. Thanks for giving us the inside info.
Interesting insight Berting. Thank you.
But if PNoy knows Roxas is a goner, while is he still adamant to proclaim Grace Poe now if he really believe that his ‘Dating Matuwid’ is in jeopardy of extermination? Why confuse and divide the people more when he can unite them by just going for the more popular Poe?
Also, if PNoy knows Roxas will not slide down why, instead of merely wanting, not officially choose Sen. Escudero now to solidify the Grace-Chiz team?
It doesn’t make sense to me. 😯
What makes sense is PNoy is under obligation to fulfill his part of the agreement in 2010. The surging popularity of Sen. Grace Poe has presented a problem to the President because now he has to balance things out and seek compromise and cooperation among the camps to settle or agree on some sort of plan or strategy moving forward.
His ongoing activity right now is mainly geared towards that objective. I believe PNoy has not reneged on his part of the agreement and is not about to do now. Is he trying to make similar agreement he had with Roxas then with Mar and Grace now? I’m pretty sure he does. 👮
Thanks, I very much appreciate your reasoning on these comments. It is superb. I have become so worn out by speculations delivered as incontrovertible truths that I have lost the energy to deal with them. The words have run out.
I know you, Joe. It’s not easy formulating issues for you readers to feast on, responding to queries about your piece and then to quell little rebellions because some people did not like what you said in your blog is pretty much a torture. Question, why do you punish your self so much? Lol! 🙂
Ha, excellent question. No pain, no gain, I suppose.
Berting, I agree with what you say except for the part where you said ” those who are pushing for Roxas are actually supporters of Binay…”.Mr Joe, Jameboy, Mary grace and the other anti-Binay but pro Roxas bloggers here, I can say have pure intentions.
Those who are pushing for Roxas are actually supporters of Binay. The want to pressure PNoy to endorse Roxas because they know that he will be easily trounced by Binay. That’s the real score, actually. – Berting
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If I’m not mistaken, that is a technique called reverse psychology where one chooses the opposite of what was suggested or dictated for one to do because oftentimes people don’t want to be told to.
In my case, I’m not only pushing for Roxas I’m also calling for the creation of a Roxas-Poe tandem for I believe the combination of the two is enough to defeat whatever edge Binay, has which I also think is dwindling fast.
My opinion on the matter is that the rabid pro-Grace people just want to push their “Grace and no one else” mantra. For them Grace should run because she has the “winnability” factor, period. They will go the extra mile to heap insults and suspicion to those who will present a different view other than what they’re espousing. These people don’t want any compromise nor agreement as to how best strategize the fight against Binay for they believe, with her popularity, only Grace Poe has the right and chance to face Binay and no one else.
My only concern about that thinking is, they maybe right about Grace but very wrong about the country. 😦
I am just saying here, that IF the MAN himself Mar Roxas has agreed to whatever plan they have discussed and laid out, any other “brilliant” propositions, analyses and overtures coming from anybody, unsolicited or otherwise (even perceptions, criticisms or name-calling that could hurt people’s reputation) will be to an extent irrelevant already. Again, let us just all hope everybody sticks to it.
Anyway, i do not want to pass up on this opportunity Mr. Joe America, to thank you for allowing me to post in this blog whatever opinion that I felt I needed to get out of my head, no matter how trivial they maybe to some. You have a profound understanding of issues and how you discuss them is simply enlightening. Your receptiveness to tackle ideas no matter how incompatible they may be to your own is commendable. I see you likewise have strong tolerance even for what you perceive as ludicrous arguments.
You earned the admiration of this simple man. Again, thank you.
“Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.’ -Desiderata
Why that is most gracious of you to say, Ferdinand, and it is a wonderful way to end the day. I can click off my computer now, and feel the day was worth it. Thank you.
Yep, it’s all clear you are buying such hateful characterization, initiated by the GRP groups and others who, until now can’t still move on from their defeat in the 2010 election—nope..ur speculating…y do u think all of this was initiated by certain groups who still cant move on from defeat in 2010?people know better…and pls dont equate all of those attacks as mere politics …ur more mature than that..i think
A Roxas-Aquino tandem would be a great one. Are there signs of it happening? Is it being considered?
I like the idea myself, and it is mentioned now and then, but I think President Aquino wants to move on. When he said he was not open to a second term, I think that applies to the VP job, too. It is time for others to have the opportunity to serve the Philippines. And he can buy a fast car and go on dates . . .
Hi Mark. I had the same thought on reading today’s headline of the Inquirer. Much as I abhor what Gloria and Erap had done (which was to run for a lesser position in government to stay in some kind of power) I can only think of a Roxas/Aquino combination to lay to rest any pretensions of winnability by anyone. I wrote a draft of my petition which I am going to post in my Facebook even if publishing it will mean loss of friends whose minds are set on voting for Poe to beat Binay. Here is my petition.
This is a personal appeal to President Aquino. Please save our country from going down the road to perdition. Please endorse Roxas for president and run as his vice president in the 2016 election.
To Sen. Poe, this is not about you. I am positive you are not a bad person, I am sure you are as saintly as you seem to be. But the devil has a way of tempting the holiest of humans to give in to the lure of power.
To my countrymen: It is not only Binay and his family I fear, it is those advisers and allies Sen Grace Poe is inclined never to part with, who give me nightmares and heartburn.
The election of 2016 is not a beauty contest wherein the winner gets to wear the crown for only a year. Any candidate who wins will have to serve for 6 years and maybe 12 or more if Binay’s proposal to remove term limits is passed.
To the Liberal Party: Forcing the hand of President Aquino to choose Poe over Roxas is tantamount to aiding and abetting the abominable designs of a man who cannot get into position of power without hanging on the tail of a front runner in the polls. Remember what happened to Erap (a popular and sure winner) who was abandoned by Chiz when Chiz saw the swelling support for Aquino. A traitor will always be a traitor. I can see Chiz switching his allegiance back to Binay should Poe give up the idea of running for president this time. There is no sink hole deep enough to swallow these men’s greed.
President Aquino, please make the supreme sacrifice of foregoing a quiet private life after 2016. Please be the vice presidential candidate of Sec. Manuel “Mar” Roxas and save our country from falling into the hands of both Binay and Chiz (in Poe’s guise.)
That would be ideal, except that the VP position is being targeted too by other allied politicians, wheeling and dealing again comes to my mind… if it comes to a point where Poe/Escudero tandem is a looming reality, I would also add my voice to that request.
Amen! This article explains well who is who in the 2016 Philippine Presidentiables. Roxas has vast experience and great credibility, and to top it off which is very important… HONESTY!!!
Poe is sooooo green; she needs more experience. Escudero is one person or politician who takes advantage where the
” free ride” opens. He knows he can’t do it without Poe. Of course, Poe gets the general or mass sympathy of the Filipinos because of her late adoptive father. Although, she has the ability to be a good leader down the road. To be a good and effective President of any country…experience, honesty…credebility really makes the difference. Mar Roxas has them all!!! Wake-up Filipinos!!!
Thanks for the visit, amy, and stating the reason for your choice so clearly. I think it falls to Mar Roxas and his backers to wake people up, if he is the candidate selected by LP, and I am confident he can do that. Right now, he cannot be aggressive in campaigning because he is working diligently.
There goes the “wake up” statement again joe
It’s addressed to us Filipinos, or the bandwagon riders wo have not realized that a better alternative is available.
I know..its just joe hate that shit
Pres. Noynoy, Drilon, Sonny Belmonte, and Abad, all LP stalwarts, privately met the other day. Mar Roxas was not included. My take of the conversations runs like this:
Pres. Noynoy: It is imperative that I have anointed already the coalition’s standard bearer for president before my ZONA so what’s your take guys?
Drilon: I would insists on our man Mar, Mr. President. He’s not winnable but we can take care of that, I can assure you, Mr. President that we can make him win. Butch here assured me of the logistics and we have already started distributing millions of checks. Mar will continue with the distributions in the days to come. And the COMELEC is ready for the election.
Pres. Noynoy: What do you mean the COMELEC is ready for the election? I had already promised Jojo that the only thing I can help him is to have a clean election in 2016. And, my firm instruction to the new Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces is to insure a clean and honest election, the reason why I have to extend his term beyond his retirable age.
Rep. Sonny Belmonte: (Looking around to make sure Mar is not in the room)With due respect, Mr. Senate President, Grace Poe’s lead in the surveys is insurmountable. I’m also for Mar, but we should have a winner who is on our side after the election so what can I do?
Butch Abad: Hmmmn, hummn, ahh,.snore. zzzzzzz.
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You guys, what’s your take on the said meeting?
Pres. Pnoy – just make sure our bet will win or else ill have my custom made wheelchair ready
Knowing politicians, it’s not an either Grace or Mar game. Politicians would rather add than divide or subtract. That’s why coalitions exists. And classy politicians don’t think like ordinary voters. They rather have everybody in the game so long as they know where they are in the game.
My take in the supposed meeting was to iron out differences and review and finalize the party strategy. It would be an insult to the President for someone in the group to tell him Grace Poe’s lead is “insurmountable”. I don’t think Belmonte is not that dense. The President is not in the ICU. He knows what’s going on. To tell him something that even garbage collectors are aware of is not only demonstrating lack of keen intellect but also lack of courage and determination. 😯
Party strategy, jameboy? Without the presence of Mar Roxas, the LP president? I don’t think so.
Why not? Read again what you wrote above and tell me why you framed your ‘take’ on the meeting with Roxas not around and the members made to appear to be conniving and conspiring. I mean, every time you post the suspicion and criticisms are always stacked against Roxas. Your kind of view is what makes Grave Poe look bad to other people.
That is what I noticed with the pro-Grace crowd. There is anger in their tone, ridicule and just outright contempt every time an idea about Roxas as a better candidate than her is mentioned.
The party met without its president. Isn’t it possible the meeting was under his direction and the members are under obligation to report to him what transpired and what proposal was reached for his consideration and approval?
I mean there’s a million ways to skin a cat, Bert. 👲
A meeting, presided by the president of the country who is considered hard-headed and strong-willed by many, and you said the meeting was directed by a mere cabinet member labeled as weak and indecisive? Come on now, jameboy.
As in the Mamasapano planning, Mar was left out again in a crucial meeting of party stalwarts threshing out political considerations for the 2016 election.
Isn’t that ominous enough for Mar?
I don’t know why you missed your own point on the issue. Was it because you want to make it appear that Roxas again is being left out in the cold because he is not ‘winnable’ or just a confusion on your part?
Look, it was you who said that the party, the Liberal party NOT the Aquino cabinet, privately met with the President. It’s very clear in what you said that it was NOT a cabinet meeting but a party meeting to which the President is the party chairman. And you point out what could have been the subject of the meeting, which is the party nomination. An issue where the “weak and indecisive” Mar Roxas was the central figure.
I don’t know Bert if you have an idea of how protocols or procedures in politics goes but it’s obvious that you are willing to play ignorant on the basic information on the very simple matter of party selection or nomination of its standard bearer as long as it’s going to earn points against Roxas. 😦
Contrary to your last line, the meeting is an ominous sign on the part of Grace Poe. It is so because the party, based on the absence of contrary view on nomination, seemed to be locked in their objective to push for the Roxas nomination. The silence from party members indicating hesitation, doubt or opposition on the party’s choice for a standard bearer is a strong sign that it’s not going take anything less than the presidency.
And, unlike her followers, Grace Poe will understand and accept that reality eventually. 😎
You are now a very confuse man, jameboy. Read again and you will find that the topic we are discussing is this:
“Party strategy, jameboy? Without the presence of Mar Roxas, the LP president? I don’t think so.”
See? Party strategy is the issue, and that issue of party strategy originated from you, ‘di ba?
Evidence: “My take in the supposed meeting was to iron out differences and review and finalize the party strategy.”—jameboy
I don’t know why you missed your own point on the issue, :).
Joe, please indulge us a little bit more as we are now down to nitpicking Me and jameboy are having fun with this thing. Just like little kids, but not like old ladies, hehehe.
I am, I have taken to smiling now. Carry on, young man. ahahahaha
I don’t know though which is worse. Bickering little kids or bickering old ladies, can you tell?
They both can tax the patience. But old ladies have access to kitchen knives.
Oh, my, my. In that case, Joe, I’m the harmless type, and jameboy the other kind. He was sort of trying to ‘grab’ at my ‘throat’ the other day, wasn’t he? :).
I don’t take sides in domestic quarrels, but your neck does look a little bruised. he he
Drilon: I would insists on our man Mar, Mr. President. He’s not winnable but we can take care of that, I can assure you, Mr. President that we can make him win. Butch here assured me of the logistics and we have already started distributing millions of checks. Mar will continue with the distributions in the days to come.
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Such scenario can only come from a rabid Grace Poe fanatic. So rabid that Drilon and company and for that matter the President himself has been pictured as corrupt, cunning and deceitful people.
Not really fair and balance. 😕
Hey, they weren’t the only ones pictured as corrupt, cunning, deceitful and what not in this blog How about a rabid Mar Roxas fanatic? :). What I was saying before, people should stop hurling invectives against the possible candidates as well as at other bloggers here. Let the candidates run for whatever office, It is their God-given right.
Help, I am getting brainwashed. Can someone please change “became” to “become” in the paragraph that is being quoted over and over and over. Thanks, anyone.
As for me, I would like to imagine a 3-way contest among these tandems: Roxas-Aquino, Binay-Whoever, and the “weak” but seemingly feared Poe-Escudero… I could only imagine who will win 🙂
Escudero president and poe vice president
Not so fast, please think and analyze first, listen with an open mind…This election is way too important considering our problem at the West Phil. Seas….let”s wait for events to unfold.
How about poe/roxas or poe/escudero?
It is unfolding…a three-way contest! Let the people decide! 🙂
Escudero’s ambitions as well as grace’s (as fed by chiz himself) will send binay to malacanang in 2016. It wouldn’t matter to escudero as he had supported binay in the past and he would still reap the rewards any which way.
Grace will run as prez and chiz as her vice. Binay and chiz would win hands down. Grace would have learned much too late how she was used .
Perhaps she does not have any idea how things are unfolding because she is so naive. What has she done really to make it number 1 in the surveys? Money can buy a lot and binay has loads of money. Binay’s supporters have loads of cash too and they can be assured of payback in 2016. See my point? Trojan horse…so ancient military tactic and yet proven to turn the tides on the user’s advantage time and again. Escudero is no stranger to politics’ hidden agenda, back stabbing etc and grace is just learning the ropes.
Welcome to the blog, Petronilo. I agree that Grace Poe made a huge mistake in aligning so closely with Senator Escudero.
Thank you joeam for saying it for so many of us and for saying it so well. I still pray that poe sees the light and sees through escudero’s opportunism. Puro soundbites lang si Escudero, ano ba ang nagawa na niya? Dami pa ring naloloko nya.
Thanks for joining our Society, diane. I get the sense that Ms. Poe’s ambition has gotten the upper hand. She is positively gleeful in making her campaign-style pronouncements. We’ll see. It is the way democracy works, I suppose. Not always the way we want.