Thursday, September 13, 2012

President "P-Noy" Aquino


The first time I ran into P-Noy was when I covered a political rally in Makati a few years ago.  By some serendipitous turn of events, I found myself behind the stage where all the big-time politikos were gathered.  I was the only photojournalist in that barricaded area.

While his mother Cory was on stage calling for GMA to resign, P-Noy seemed at ease off stage talking to common folks behind the barricade.  He was a senator at that time and quite a popular one at that, too.  Perhaps, his family name lends him a princely stature that Filipinos find endearing. And as I studied him a bit further, gut feel told me he had no aspiration to become President.  He was too good natured -- the Machiavellian trapos and their sychophants would trample him into submission. But my intuition eventually proved me wrong.  Behind that easy going facade is a formidable, intrepid spirit.

The second time I ran into him was one weeknight just before midnight.  While the taxi cab I was on was traversing the street towards home, right there on the corner was his sedan with the usual motorcycle escorts and another vehicle at the tail.  They were apparently heading back to Malacanang compound and stopped at the corner to wait for the green light.  I was both dazzled and impressed.  You see, at that particular time, there was hardly any traffic and the sidewalks were practically bare of pedestrians, yet they were adhering to traffic rules like ordinary citizens.  No whirring lights and no wang wang!  It was then I was convinced P-Noy is indisputably the genuine article.

Nowadays, P-Noy is enjoying a soaring 77 percent satisfaction rating according to the third quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations.  This is the highest he has received since 2010.  It is indeed an affirmation of people’s trust in him.

Moreover, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, “The consistently strong numbers affirm the President’s mandate for change; they are tangible indicators of the people’s support for the difficult yet necessary reforms the President has championed since day one.”

A bit of trivia from Wikipedia:

In September 1972, P-Noy's father, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., who was then a senator and prominent opposition leader to President Ferdinand Marcos, was arrested for subversion. 

On August 25, 1973, he wrote a letter to P-Noy from Fort Bonifacio:

"The only advice I can give you: Live with honor and follow your conscience. There is no greater nation on earth than our Motherland. No greater people than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your might and with all your strength. Son, the ball is now in your hands."

Well, Mr. Ninoy Aquino, worry not, for your son is doing an exemplary job!


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delivered by President P-Noy on July 23, 2012
at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives 


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