The People Have Spoken - We Have Our Next President

A day after the historic May 10th national elections it looks like we have a new president in the form of Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Mud had been slung, lies had been made, accusations had been sung and after all that the people of the Philippines has spoken - emphatically.

4 presidential bets have already conceded - Senator Manny Villar, Richard Gordon, Gilbert Teodoro and JC de los Reyes.

A good gesture because based upon the unofficial returns there was no way in hell either of them could overtake Aquino.

The other presidential bets should also do the same because barring a major catastrophe Aquino is it.

People may hate him, they may not like him, they may be apathetic towards him but it is a fact that he is going to be the one.

Hence we should put aside differences and loo forward to working with the government of the Philippines which will soon be under new management.

That being said Aquino should not forget that when he takes his seat as President he did not get a majority since if over 40 million of us voted then he is only at about 40% or so.

He has to remember that more than 55% did not vote for him for one reason or another so they will be looking, and looking hard, to see how he would perform - especially in his first 100-days.

As for who his vice-president is going to be it seems like it will be Jejomar Binay. However it is a closer battle for this position what with Aquino's running mate Manuel Roxas breathing down his neck.

We'll soon see how that will go. Should it be Binay we're potentially seeing the next in line to be president after Aquino.

But then again predictions are not always a sure thing.

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Note: The automated elections seem to be a success based on the outcome. There were glitches along the way but nothing that couldn't be fixed. That being said I hope that next election we have a true electronic voting system where we just press a screen and our vote get's counted.

Despite my earlier misgivings good job Comelec. Let's give credit where credit is due at least.

It Comes Down The Wire For The Presidentiables

A little over two more days to go before we get to elect our new government. Well I say new government but really it's the same type of government but simply under new management.

So who will you vote for president? That all important position - the head of all corrupt politicians everywhere. But I digress . . .

Villar? The billionaire businessman who supposedly grew up poor and became rich out of pure hard work and diligence. A true rags to riches story.

Opponents argue he was really never that poor and that they were actually middle class.

They also say that he will ruin our country economically because he's only here to make money.

Whatever . . . he can't do any worse than Arroyo. Let's face it there is really nothing left to get, her administration made sure of that.

Then there's Aquino, son of two of the most beloved (depending on which generation you ask) people in the country - Ninoy and Cory.

He has their legacy but does he have their acumen? Let me ask this: during his term as senator what exactly did he do? What laws did he pass that could have benefited all of us?

At a loss on what how to answer? That's OK. You're not alone. Neither does anyone else. Maybe he just "thinks" he did something good for the country or that he will do good. Who knows to whom he listens to.

And hey he got the Iglesia Ni Cristo's endorsement. Wow talk about not being corruptable. The fact that you are actively seeking out endorsement from one religious entity or another means you are already corrupt.

And don't get me started with the whole separation of church and state thing. It's only on paper anyway so technically are we really a secular country.

Maybe we should all convert to Islam so then we don't have to pretend we don't let religion control our country. That just makes us hypocrites.

But that's better than the hubris to call yourself the "son of god" much like Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, head of the sect "Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name." Like I said in my last article I always thought there was only one "son of god?" Well depending on which religion you follow of course.

But I suppose it's OK for GIBO to accept that kind of an endorsement. After all, he hasn't been really getting any support from the administration - considering he is the administration candidate.

I guess Arroyo is a little busy trying to cover her tracks and campaign to become a congresswoman.

But why bother getting endorsement from the religious groups when you can have one for your very own.

Brother Eddie (Eduardo C. Villanueva) is also a televangelist like Quiboloy but to his merit he hasn't openly declared himself to be the son of god (that I know of). If he did then that would make him and Quiboloy brothers.

He has his own cadre of followers under his "Jesus is Lord" church so in that regard he has an advantage over GIBO and Aquino.

And should I say anything about former president Joseph Estrada? Probably not. Besides what is there to say. He was president and was ousted in a people power (sounds familiar) and was replaced by his back-stabbing vice-president at the time and soon to be congresswoman Arroyo.

And since he has been pardoned wants to be president again so he can get back against the people who ousted him especially Arroyo. OK OK I made that one up but will it really be a surprise if he has that in mind? I won't.

Richard Gordon - Former Mayor of Olongapo and Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. See I liked him when he was still Mayor of Olongapo. He was able to bring order from what was a chaotic "sin" city that was Olongapo.

And I was one of those who supported the call for the retention of the U.S. bases during that nationwide campaign that he led.

But back to what we were talking about. He's a dark-horse and who know he may do good. Of course if surveys are to be believed he hasn't a chance in hell but then again he doesn't believe in surveys anyway.

Now if only he learns how to just shut up.

Then there's Madrigal and Perlas. Sorry to say I don't know squat about them so I'll leave it at that. Note to their spin doctors - maybe everyone else don't know much about them too. Just a hint.

Anyway regardless of which one you vote for it will not be a 100% guarantee that they will be the medicine for what ails the country.

Will they be more corrupt or less corrupt than the regime they are replacing? Who knows. The thing is only time will tell.

The sad part is, our country doesn't have anymore time to spare.

It's Saturday And It's Hot As Hell

So screw it I'm not putting anything substantial up tonight.

Besides what will be the point at the moment.

I mean the campaigns will still be there.

Villar will still keep on claiming he did not break any law concerning his sale of Vista Land shares.

Arroyo will still keep on doing those midnight appointments which seems to be contagious because now the Department of Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzalez has just confirmed that he's engaged in last minute groundwork to acquire new weapons for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He claims that it is imperative to modernize the AFP and besides which "Aren’t we, Filipinos, known to be good in the last two minutes?”

Erm no Mr. Secretary sir we're not known to be good in the last two minutes or any minutes of anything for that matter.

Those of us who have succeeded did not do it in the last two minutes. They worked hard to get where they are and it certainly did not take them only the last two minutes.

That just demeans hard and sincere work and give credence to those who only won because of the work of others.

Wait why am I reacting - I said I wasn't going to say anything tonight so I won't.

And to be the most sought after man like Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. Unfortunately he is being sought only because of the number of potential votes he can bring as head of the sect The Kingdom Of Jesus Christ.

I wonder what Jesus Christ would say if he found out his name was being used to select the next president of the Philippines.

And Agra is still sticking to his guns BUT will potentially convene a fact finding panel to investigate himself.

Of course it makes sense. Because self convened panels to investigate one's self is unbiased and will "always" uncover the truth.

Yes because we believe in Agra's integrity and honesty and unbiased character that we will believe his panel, that he convened to investigate his decision, will "actually" find him of any wrong doing.

And I'm sure we will believe that Malacañang will not have a say in this panel.

The same way we believe that Arroyo is only doing all this for the good of the Filipino people.

. . . No wonder I did not feel like saying anything tonight

Of Midnight Appointments, Stock Sales, And Untrue Surveys

So outgoing (that I'm not so sure but we'll see) President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did some (ok she did a lot) of midnight appointments not the latest of which were the appointments of her "manicurista" and her gardener.

Yes she did all that . . . as we stare in disbelief . . . or rather because it's her we should not even wonder anymore.

That being said, we do forget that while she appointed isn't it true that the next president can void them since after all they are presidential appointees and as such under the whim of the president - any president.

Presidential bet Senator Benigno "NoyNoy" Aquino III has already promised that should he win he will void those appointments.

In a wide-ranging speech at the Mandarin Oriental in Makati, Aquino said any “midnight deal” with the administration would be scrapped if proven to be disadvantageous to the government.

Good for him. That's what I would do because as president that is your prerogative.

And I'm sure he'll find a lot of appointments that are disadvantageous to the government and the people of the country

Speaking of presidential bets, Senator Manny Villar has denied allegations that he had pressured the Philippine Stock Exchange to allow the stock sale that was made by Vista Lands and Lifescapes, Inc, the real estate company that Villar owns a majority shares.

According to evidence presented by former president Joseph Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile because of Villar's presence and subsequent caucus meeting with the PSE Board, the board released the "lock-up" of the shares that Villar owns allowing him to sell it.

Villar has said that Vista Land should be the one to answer the issue not him. But Senator you have to answer the allegations because you were the one who went to the board meeting, had a caucus with them, and then all of a sudden the "lock-up" was released.

But then again the fact that it was Estrada and Enrile that made the accusations makes the motive and the truth something to be questioned.

And speaking of questions, presidential candidate Richard Gordon is suing survey firms Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia for what he says as misleading surveys.

Erm . . . earth to Gordon, ALL surveys are misleading!!!

I have yet to find a survey that is right on point. Case in point: One year they say eggs were bad in a survey, next year they say eggs are good, and still the next year they say the yellow was bad but the whites were good.

It came to the point that my breakfast got confused.

Back to what we're talking about. Surveys reflect people's perceptions, and people's perceptions reflect what is shown to them so in a way the surveys merely shows how effective the campaigns are for Aquino and Villar that's why they are in the top 2.

And let's face it you don't really have the same name pull as Aquino and Villar. Heck you don't have the same name pull as Estrada.

And just because you have been met “by huge and enthusiastic crowds who have expressed eager support” for your campaign doesn't mean you're popular.

Of course a lot of people come, they've been asked or bribed or something. And those same people will show up the next day for Villar, or Estrada, or for GIBO.

Or did you forget the Filipino mentality of being "balimbing?"

And another thing, if you're asking for P650,000 in damages why are you only donating part of it to the Red Cross?

Shouldn't you be giving it all to them - that is if you have no ulterior motive.