The new president is not only defying security protocols but more so conventions compared to the notorious former president who is now addressed as the honorable lady from the second district of Pampanga.

Only a few days into office under the tight watch of media and scrutiny of the public, President Noynoy Aquino is a complete turn-around from Gloria Arroyo’s leadership, character and management, making everyday full of surprises and added extra work his security personnel.

While GMA loved to flaunt her arrogance and clout to power through lavish spending of government coffers on so many unnecessary matters like travels abroad with the whole pack of her die-hard loyalists and their families joining the carnival (which by the way many now are joining the administration to save their perks) and expensive and gluttonous escapades; Noynoy Aquino chose to live a very simple and humble lifestyle despite being the most powerful man in the country.  His cost-cutting measures and frugal administration was best observed during the inauguration party in the Palace.

During his inaugural address, Noynoy Aquino lambasted all politicians who arrogantly display their power by the use of “wang-wangs” or sirens defying traffic rules just to escape the notorious congested major thoroughfares.  This arrogance that perpetuates the great divide between the public servant and the public to be served has been in existence since time immemorial that people thought they just have to live with it and live with contempt against their leaders.  GMA and all her cohorts during her term were great examples of these power trippers on our roads; sirens howling the streets, black cars with black tainted windows, a throng of security escorts always ready to shove your car to the nearest ditch and motorists jammed for hours flashing their dirty fingers on the convoys.

But Noynoy as president is the opposite:  he obeys traffic rules, do not use sirens and have to wake up even earlier in order not to be late for his engagements.  By this example, many people even voluntarily surrendered their sirens to authorities after seeing the President walk his talk, while people only imitated Gloria Arroyo and her dark knights’ ways during her term to multiply many more acts of crime against basic human principles and self-respect.

People were first shocked but ultimately murmured, “it still works” in the Philippines.

But maybe the most shock comes from media people who had been following President Aquino’s new administration.

GMA’s administration was filled with scandals and corruption issues (to the delight of the press as they need not to look anywhere else for an evening headline news) that she has built towering and impenetrable walls for the media not to have any access to her; a government naïve and deaf and mute to the cries of its people.  She is even more notorious with her disgust with the media showing no temerity when irritated.  To save her face (to no avail as shown by her negative popularity ratings) her people were always at the receiving end of criticisms and most of the time doing the apologies for their boss.  But we know better of course.

On the other hand, Noynoy Aquino is very open and accessible to media.  During the first days into office of two of his cabinet officials, a bad signal and mishandling of media people by Br. Armin Luistro and Edwin Lacierda was seen.  A total opposite of GMA, the new President was himself the one who asked for apologies and understanding for his new cabinet secretaries!

A long litany of many more differences between Aquino and Arroyo can be discussed the whole day, but these differences are not only for the sake of showing the distinct identity between the two but more importantly the clear peculiarity that the public sees of what a real public servant is from an arrogant self-serving public servant; the difference of black and white and not spreading grey areas on leadership and bureaucracy as GMA has perfected.  The distinction only furthers the general public sentiment that we can still have a leader who can follow the most basic of laws in solidarity with each and every citizen to restore their sense of dignity and say, “it still works.”

GMA said that history will alone judge her, and by now judgment has already been rendered on her by history justly.  The courts will soon follow.

Only the first day of President Noynoy Aquino’s administration but it seems that all hell broke loose last July 1, 2010.

Rep. Gloria Arroyo was over-eager to push for her agenda by filing a resolution calling for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution.  Only a day from stepping out of her 9-year scandal-ridden and corruption-tainted administration, she showed her true colors.  While some people booed her during the first part of the oath-taking, she immediately silenced them and pissed off the public by adding more insult to the injuries she caused the nation through her filing of the equally-controversial bill in Congress.

Many of us already saw this coming; charter changes has been her battle cry ever since, but filing it on the first day of congress makes her move and motives even more suspicious.  As they say, evil does not come from what we eat but that come out from our mouth; charter change is no evil, but that which is filed by the devil.

Another one show stealer that rivals Kris Aquino’s is Oliver Lozano who filed an impeachment case against the new President who is only on his first day of office.  Lozana argues that Aquino’s action of taking an oath to Justice Morales merits an impeachment.  Well, I don’t want to anymore dwell on his arguments for even a grade school student can see that Lozano’s accusations are just full of hot air.

Lozano is a big disgrace to the law profession.  He has already been suspended by the Supreme Court for misreading the constitution if not, totally reading a different constitution to justify his folly.  May I ask then the Supreme Court to finally disbar Oliver Lozano and bring back the glory days of the law profession where crooked lawyers have no place in courts, lawyers who free criminals, and more so lawyers with questionable sanity are stripped off their oath.

The third event yesterday was the filing of Bayan Muna of a graft case against Rep. Gloria Arroyo for the controversial NBN-ZTE deal that has rocked her administration.  This case is surely only one of the many cases that Arroyo has to face this time around without the usual sloppy excuse of “immunity from suit” and “executive privilege.”

With all these events just on the first day of office of President Aquino, we have to expect many more of these political telenovelas to happen within the president’s term especially when all the rotten acts of the former administration and all its cohorts are revealed before our eyes.  And they will certainly fight back all the cases that will be filed against them; action-filled 6-years.

But hopefully President Aquino will always have the courage to shut off these “political wang-wangs” from disturbing the change in governance he is initiating and really effect change.

But for now, I must say that many of us remain optimistic, moving forward with courage and more importantly feel a restored individual and collective dignity as Filipinos with the new administration.

It is still great to be a Filipino.

His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and members of the House, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the foreign delegations,Your Excellencies of the diplomatic corps, fellow colleagues in government, aking mga kababayan.

My presence here today is proof that you are my true strength. I never expected that I will be here taking my oath of office before you, as your president. I never imagined that I would be tasked with continuing the mission of my parents. I never entertained the ambition to be the symbol of hope, and to inherit the problems of our nation.

I had a simple goal in life: to be true to my parents and our country as an honorable son, a caring brother, and a good citizen.

My father offered his life so our democracy could live. My mother devoted her life to nurturing that democracy. I will dedicate my life to making our democracy reach its fullest potential: that of ensuring equality for all. My family has sacrificed much and I am willing to do this again if necessary.

Although I was born to famous parents, I know and feel the problems of ordinary citizens. We all know what it is like to have a government that plays deaf and dumb. We know what it is like to be denied justice, to be ignored by those in whom we placed our trust and tasked to become our advocates.

Have you ever been ignored by the very government you helped put in power? I have. Have you had to endure being rudely shoved aside by the siren-blaring escorts of those who love to display their position and power over you? I have, too. Have you experienced exasperation and anger at a government that instead of serving you, needs to be endured by you? So have I.

I am like you. Many of our countrymen have already voted with their feet – migrating to other countries in search of change or tranquility. They have endured hardship, risked their lives because they believe that compared to their current state here, there is more hope for them in another country, no matter how bleak it may be. In moments when I thought of only my own welfare, I also wondered—is it possible that I can find the peace and quiet that I crave in another country? Is our government beyond redemption? Has it been written that the Filipino’s lot is merely to suffer?

Today marks the end of a regime indifferent to the appeals of the people. It is not Noynoy who found a way. You are the reason why the silent suffering of the nation is about to end. This is the beginning of my burden, but if many of us will bear the cross we will lift it, no matter how heavy it is.

Through good governance in the coming years, we will lessen our problems. The destiny of the Filipino will return to its rightful place, and as each year passes, the Filipino’s problems will continue to lessen with the assurance of progress in their lives.

We are here to serve and not to lord over you. The mandate given to me was one of change. I accept your marching orders to transform our government from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation.

This mandate is the social contract that we agreed upon. It is the promise I made during the campaign, which you accepted on election day.

During the campaign we said, “If no one is corrupt, no one will be poor.” That is no mere slogan for posters—it is the defining principle that will serve as the foundation of our administration.

Our foremost duty is to lift the nation from poverty through honest and effective governance.

The first step is to have leaders who are ethical, honest, and true public servants. I will set the example. I will strive to be a good model. I will not break the trust you have placed in me. I will ensure that this, too, will be the advocacy of my Cabinet and those who will join our government.

I do not believe that all of those who serve in our government are corrupt. In truth, the majority of them are honest. They joined government to serve and do good. Starting today, they will have the opportunity to show that they have what it takes. I am counting on them to help fight corruption within the bureaucracy.

To those who have been put in positions by unlawful means, this is my warning: we will begin earning back the trust of our people by reviewing midnight appointments. Let this serve as a warning to those who intend to continue the crooked ways that have become the norm for too long.

To our impoverished countrymen, starting today, your government will be your champion.

We will not disregard the needs of our students. We will begin by addressing the glaring shortage in classrooms and educational facilities.

Gradually, we will lessen the lack of infrastructures for transportation, tourism and trade. From now on, mediocre work will not be good enough when it comes to roads, bridges, and buildings because we will hold contractors responsible for maintaining their projects in good condition.

We will revive the emergency employment program established by former President Corazon Aquino. This will provide jobs for local communities and will help in the development of their and our economy.

We will not be the cause of your suffering or hardship. We will strengthen collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and we will fight corruption in the Bureau of Customs in order to fund our objectives for the public welfare, such as:

• Quality education, including vocational education, so that those who choose not to attend college or those who cannot afford it can find dignified livelihood;

• Improved public health services such as PhilHealth for all within three years;

• A home for every family, within safe communities.

We will strengthen the armed forces and the police, not to serve the interests of those who want to wield power with impunity, but to give added protection for ordinary folk. The armed forces and the police risk their lives daily so that the nation can live in peace and security. The population has doubled and yet their numbers remain unchanged. It is not right that those who make sacrifices are treated pitifully.

If there was a fertilizer scam in the past, today there will be security for farmers. We will help them with irrigation, extension services, and marketing their products at the best possible prices.

We are directing Secretary Alcala to set up trading centers that will directly link farmers and consumers thereby eliminating middlemen and opportunities for corruption. In this way, funds can be shared by farmers and consumers. We will make our country attractive to investors. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance to business. This is the only means by which we can provide jobs for our people.

Our goal is to create jobs at home so that there will be no need to look for employment abroad. However, as we work towards that end, I am ordering the DFA, POEA, OWWA, and other relevant agencies to be even more responsive to the needs and welfare of our overseas Filipino workers.

We will strengthen the process of consultation and feedback. We will strive to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to information on matters of public concern.

We relived the spirit of people power during the campaign. Let it take us to good and effective governance. Those who believe in people power put the welfare of others before their own.

I can forgive those who did me wrong but I have no right to forgive those who abused our people.

To those who talk about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their occurring over and over again. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.

We are also happy to inform you the acceptance of Chief Justice Hilario Davide of the challenge of strengthening and heading a Truth Commission that will shed light on many unanswered issues that continue to haunt our country.

My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflict, inclusive of the interests of all — may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.

We shalI defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. With proper governance life will improve for all. When we are all living well, who will want to go back to living under oppression?

If I have all of you by my side, we will be able to build a nation in which there will be equality of opportunity, because each of us fulfilled our duties and responsibilities equally.

After the elections, you proved that it is the people who wield power in this country.

This is what democracy means. It is the foundation of our unity. We campaigned for change. Because of this, the Filipino stands tall once more. We are all part of a nation that can begin to dream again.

To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of nations, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmonizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.

We will be a predictable and consistent place for investment, a nation where everyone will say, “it all works.”

Today, I am inviting you to pledge to yourselves and to our people. No one shall be left behind.

No more junkets, no more senseless spending. No more turning back on pledges made during the campaign, whether today or in the coming challenges that will confront us over the next six years. No more influence-peddling, no more patronage politics, no more stealing. No more sirens, no more short cuts, no more bribes. It is time for us to work together once more.

We are here today because we stood together and believed in hope. We had no resources to campaign other than our common faith in the inherent goodness of the Filipino.

The people who are behind us dared to dream. Today, the dream starts to become a reality. To those among you who are still undecided about sharing the common burden I have only one question: Are you going to quit now that we have won?

You are the boss so I cannot ignore your orders. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to your needs and aspirations.

You are the ones who brought me here—our volunteers—old, young, celebrity, ordinary folks who went around the country to campaign for change; my household help who provided for all my personal needs; my family, friends, colleagues at work, who shared, cared, and gave their support; my lawyers who stayed all hours to guard my votes and make sure they were counted; and the millions of Filipinos who prevailed, kept faith, and never lost hope – I offer my heartfelt gratitude.

I will not be able to face my parents and you who have brought me here if do not fulfill the promises I made.

My parents sought nothing less, died for nothing less, than democracy and peace. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.

My hope is that when I leave office, everyone can say that we have traveled far on the right path, and that we are able to bequeath a better future to the next generation. Join me in continuing this fight for change.

Thank you and long live the Filipino people!

Note: This English translation of Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s Inaugural Speech was published by Inquirer.net

Br. Armin Luistro FSC has already accepted the invitation of President-elect Noynoy Aquino III to be the top honcho of the now controversial Education department. The President of DLSU and a De La Salle Brother has been known to be very close to the late former President Corazon Aquino and to the Aquino family especially during the time when calls for resignation of outgoing President Gloria Arroyo filled up the streets.

The DLSU official statement says,

“After due consultation with various stakeholders in the Lasallian community, Bro. Armin Luistro has accepted the invitation of President-elect Aquino to be the Department of Education (DepEd) secretary.”

The appointment of Br. Armin Luistro for me reveals to the vigilant public tidbits of the road that the Education department is going to trod in the midst of controversies hounding the implementation of sex education in public schools.  Advocates of anti-sex education and Catholic Bishops by now are certainly seeing a sign of relief as their crusade may easily find a defender in the person of a religious Brother as a DepEd secretary. The collaborative efforts between the Department of Health and Department Education may soon find its natural death?

This appointment of a religious Catholic brother thus raises a serious question whether the present implementation of DepEd’s PopEd (Population Education) Program will be continued under Br. Armin’s watch (which is unlikely, me thinks), will be watered down to a program that is more acceptable to the Catholic Church or will be totally scrapped and thrown into the nearest trash bin.

The most vicious critics of sex education dragged the issue into court asserting that what the Education department is presently doing is unconstitutional by thwarting the right of parents to rearing the total being of their children more particularly their moral character.  For them, the present sex-ed program only leads our “kids towards being sex obsessed.”  This blinded understanding totally ignores also the equal right of state “in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being.”

Unfortunately, sex is a taboo if not considered a sin in Philippine society that parents as studies reveal are actually properly educating their children about it but the more serious problem is that parents themselves are even not educated about it.  It will only be like a blind guiding his fellow blind man.  And with the present phenomenon of parents working abroad, the state is much more compelled to do its constitutional duties of protecting and educating its youth.

Taking from the standpoint of Imbong and company:  If teaching about sex-ed to children is the sole prerogative of parents as what the Catholic Church also says, maybe then the State could also sue and jail all parents who fail to do their constitutional duty with the obvious burgeoning of our population, teenage pregnancy and rise of sexually transmitted disease.

But will Br. Armin defend the right of the state over his vows as a religious Brother if the need arises about this particular issue?  Will he become the bridge between the state and the religious sector in order to come to a more acceptable sex-ed program?  Or will he succumb to the lobbying of the Catholic Church on education programs and issues that the latter finds against its so-called moral stand?

There is no question about Br. Armin’s competence; he is a great educator and school administrator, and an upright man, but what were raised above is some of the burden and biases a person strongly affiliated with a religious group carries with him when he enters the government.  He is strongly bound by his religious beliefs and vows.

But at the end of any long arguments and discussions on what will Br. Armin Luistro do regarding the present sex-ed program of DepEd, everything will rest on President-elect Noynoy Aquino’s policies and programs.  Well, we can also say that his choice of cabinet secretaries will also tell us of his stand on the controversial issues of sex-ed and the RH Bill.

I am hoping to hear Br. Armin’s stand on the present sex-ed program of DepEd soon.

What is your thought of Br. Armin Luistro FSC as the secretary of DepEd?

Image from Metropark.com

Sen. Richard Gordon conceded to Sen. Noynoy Aquino who is trailing by a very wide margin on the Presidential race of the 2010 Philippine Elections

Richard Gordon’s Official Post Election Statement:

“I would like to congratulate Sen. Aquino for his spectacular victory. I call upon this nation to unite and support him.

I would like to thank everyone who supported me especially my volunteers and those who gave up their limited resources as a manifestation of trust in my brand of leadership and track record.

I ran a very truthful, straightforward and candid campaign and thought we could run on the basis of our platform, track record and volunteerism.

I would like to congratulate all the winners and pray that they serve our country well.

We accept the will of the people.

Today, we have a victory for democracy with the successful exercise of our first nationwide automated election despite naysayers and doubters.

The fight for this country goes beyond this day. Let us forge on in building a Bagumbayan foe our people.”

News from Yahoo.com.ph

A mistweet message of Noynoy Aquino circulated the internet Tuesday as people thought his Twitter account was also hacked, following the hacking of Manny Villar’s website.

The Noynoy Aquino mistweet message posted 10:28 AM reads:

“Won’t be bringing a car to work na everyday! Stupid taxi who bumped my car! 5k down the drain!”

The suspicious tweet message was later clarified by Ms. Leah Navarro, one of the personnel of Noynoy’s media bureau saying that the presidential contender usually asks his staff to tweet messages that he wants to share to the public.  Unfortunately, a personal rant of one of Aquino’s staff tweeted his issue on the senator’s official Twitter account at @noynoyaquino.

Image from Yahoo.com.ph

77 days before the May 2010 national polls and we have all seen how the political milieu has heated up just like how the hot temperature makes us all sweat.

Tirades, accusations and smear campaigns were hurled against each Presidentiables not only during dignified fora and debates but also outside the limitless campaign arena of public opinion.  Some of the hottest issues that each Presidentiables are forced to reckon with are corruption charges, loyalty, campaign spending, charter change and competency.

But all hell breaks loose when innocent little children were dragged into the murky waters of political survival and aspirations.  And the ever-patient Noynoy Aquino was immediately up in arms against those who use his nephews to stain his reputation and presidential campaign.

Joshua Aquino and even Baby James Yap, children of his celebrity sister Kris Aquino were lately been dragged into some issues with the former the subject of malicious text messages and the latter a photoshopped picture making a dirty finger that has circulated on Facebook.

Here is Noynoy Aquino’s reaction with the English translation from Inquirer.Net:

Noong isang araw po may text na dumating sa telepono ko. Sa dami nilang pera, tatlo beses pong pumasok sa telepono ko. Nakalagay po dun, yung pamangkin ko raw hong si Joshua, adviser ko sa kasalan (The other day, I received a text message in my phone. Because they had a lot of money, I received it three times. It said there that my nephew is my adviser for my wedding).

Alam nyo naman po si Joshua, special child. Yan po inaaruga, minamahal. Pero itong mga kalaban natin pati yung special child pinapatulan, hindi naman kasama dito. Anong klaseng mga tao naman yan? (Joshua is a special child who needs care and love. Our enemies are using a special child who is not party to politics against me. What kind of people are they).

So wala pa ho tayo sa election, talaga hong gagawin nila lahat para tayo magkaroon ng hidwaan, pagdududahin kayo (So even without the election, they will use everything to cause strife and doubt).

Hindi po natin mapapantayan yung ads sa TV dahil kelangan ng salapi (We cannot match the TV ads because that entails money).

Ang mapagmamalaki ko lang po, tinuro sa akin ng mga magulang ko, sumandal ka sa taumbayan. Yan ang pinakamatatag, yan ang hindi kayang hintuin ng salapi, yan ang hindi kayang harangin ng kasinungalingan at kaya naman po matapang ako (What I’m proud of, my parents taught me, trust on the people. That is the most durable that money can’t buy, that lies cannot defeat. That’s why I’m courageous).

Kris Aquino on the other hand has cried foul over the photos circulating on social networking giant Facebook with her son flashing his middle finger.  The photo turned out to be photoshopped and she was so sad at the fact that her son is being used by political enemies by his brother Noynoy to cast malicious acts on them.

I think there is no big problem with mudslinging, bickering and hurling accusations against each other for Presidentiables, for these acts help the voters discern and discover who they are really to vote for.  But when little innocent children dragged into the political fray just because they are affiliated to some presidentiable or politician running for public office, it already tells us how irresponsible and desperate political groups are into fighting back their competitors.  These acts certainly constitute a grave abuse on the children, and if people can abuse even the most innocent and helpless among the citizens, how much more the educated, the strong and the vocal.

The campaign is just starting and I guess we have to expect more rude and nasty political campaign strategies to be employed not only by those running for national posts but more so to those fighting for local positions.

What do you think of the issue that Joshua Aquino and Baby James Yap are being subjected to malicious propaganda to hurt Noynoy Aquino’s campaign?  Any nasty political campaign strategies that you know of that are being employed by local politicians in your place?  Share your comments.

Image from The Nashman