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.

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.