Why is President Benigno “P.Noy” Aquino III smiling less nowadays? Perhaps it is because reality is starting to hit him — the reality of the future and the reality that he, the President of the Philippines, is surrounded by morons. The problem with small moronic minds is that the people these inhabit lack a fundamental ability to take an imaginative step out of the small square they have hemmed themselves in. One of these small squares is the “reality” of the lack of money to implement P.Noy’s “campaign promises“.
Given this context, the solution that seems to escape P.Noy’s henchmen in the increasingly bloated echelons of his public relations machine is quite simple, really. And so simple indeed it is. The solution to P.Noy’s woes takes all of two steps:
(1) Step out of a six-month frame of mind.
The venerable Inquirer.net Editor encapsulates in his blurb today the massive Excuse Campaign being mounted by the Philippine Media to play down public expectations now weighing down on the President (expectations that, I cannot emphasise enough, he himself drummed up during his Campaign of Fantasy).
One of the big problems that the Aquino administration is facing is lack of funds. The previous administration spent or allocated the greater part of this year’s budget, leaving the new administration with practically just a pittance for its priority projects. A tax shortfall of P110 billion has also been forecast for this year.
But, see, the pathetically flawed premise behind what Aquinoist media hacks are playing up at the moment harks back to our renowned heritage of smallness. Nowhere in this whole boo-hoo-the-Government-is-broke sympathy campaign being dished out by the Media is it being highlighted that the problem has a horizon covering only the next six months, after which P.Noy’s government is free to come up (of course with the help of Congress) with its own budget to allocate and spend as it pleases — which brings us to the next intellectual step (and by all indications, a leap, for most)…
(2) Step back to regarding the full six-year horizon.
Last I heard, P.Noy signed up for a six-year term. That means three things: (1) he has six years over which to spread his programme of change and reform, (2) he has six months — out of the 72-odd stretching across his term — to make do with the budget he inherited from the previous administration, and (3) he can use the situations described in the previous two points to come up with an envisioned Philippines to aspire for by the end of his term in Year 2016.
In short, rather than go around blubbering about a “depleted budget” looking for people to blame for ruined plans, the Administration should step up and elevate people’s sights to enable them to see things from a higher vantage point. P.Noy (or at least the people who surround him that do the thinking for him) should re-frame the situation using the context of a six-year journey. Real Chief Executives consistently think over such time frames even while their minions run around like headless chickens putting out the little fires that inflame their little worlds. In contrast, P.Noy not only exhibits a seeming lack of ability to step up to real strategic thinking, he routinely chimes in with the gripe-fest his people are currently singing in concert.
If only P.Noy possesses the intellectual faculties to see (a) what he fails to do as a real Chief Executive and (b) what he stoops down to as an inexperienced and inept one. The path to relieving himself of the looming public relations nightmare that he faces as one promise after another falls with each week that passes is to come up with an epic journey stretching over six years to inspire his people rather than sit around the little camp fire with the little boys telling little childish ghost stories to give him — and the Media — the quickie adrenaline fixes they live for.
Two things Mr President:
(1) What shape and form do you envision the Philippines of 2016 to take?
(2) How do you plan to get us there over the next six years?
If you can answer those two questions and frame your message to your people along those lines, then you can put the money issues you face over the next six months in the proper perspective rather than waste your time stomping your feet about it.
Comments
i saw him singing Estudyante Blues after being sworn in. I guess matanda na s’ya emo pa rin. The song echoes all the evidences of someone having a victim complex and it’s got to be his favorite tune because he sang it as President of the Philippines before his supporters that night. Kaya naman he, like his sister, always has the tendency to blame other people and situation for the problems he is facing, regardless if it’s his responsibility or not because he also tends to influence other people with the same mentality — paint others as the bully and one’s self as the victim. i know a lot of poor people who are educated pero ok with how they’re managing what they have which somehow elevates them a bit from their colleagues who are more poor. if blessed ka na to have an education and a platform to help, plus staff members to assist you and yet mismanaged ka pa rin, it only means that you may be meant to do something else and not run a country. sabagay puppet president lang naman si noynoy. the ones running the country are hidden behind the yellow veil.
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Noynoy is finally waking up and the dream is now fading away… He’s now is in borrowed time… And boy, when times up… Best to say… He’s screwed
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“Money’s too tight to mention.”
This just gave me an idea. If the corrupt oligarchs are feeding on money coming from the people, why don’t the people simply stop providing the money?
I think that the most effective, cheapest, peaceful and bloodless revolution Filipinos can ever inititate to strike at the oligarchs is a Home Revolution. For a month, Filipinos should just stay home shutting down every activity that benefits the oligarchs. (That means no money flowing in their bank account.) But, can the people commit to a month long sacrifice by simply staying home until the oligarchs get their acts together?
You should write about this Benigno!
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“Money’s Too Tight To Mention.” Hey, that’s a Simply Red song.
Given that there’s a severe shortage of funds, a good leader really could think of a way to get more. Aquino had better step up to the plate to prove everything that allied media trumpeted.
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I doubt, if Noynoy Aquino would last, for six years. His staffs are committing mistakes, at all angles. His ship is full of opportunist riders. He has no good program in hand; to use as a structure to implement, the reforms he has promised to the voters. This is called: ‘BITING MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW.” He also lack the intellectual caliber and experience to do a good job. He relied too much on advertising himself, his mother: Cory Aquino; his father: Ninoy Aquino; and the EDSA mania. Like all fads; they fade and pass away. Kris Aquino, his sister; tries everything in show-biz tricks to get our attention. However, with all her Seductress talent:she is also fading away.
If you rely on other people: they will surely disappoint you. Marcos relied on Enrile and Ramos. These two opportunists, not only disappointed him. They turned against him. It is not the money in the treasury. We have been almost bankrupt, for many years. He was a Senator. Do you think, we will believe him in not knowing this? Noynoy Aquino is looking for anything to balme; to hide his Incompetence…
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He will last the full term. He was backed up enough to win, but this does not mean that the subsequent efforts won’t be a desperate act in existence. it will be chaotic for most Filipinos; sweet for his minions.
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PNoy’s vision of “whereto Philippines” is vague to me. The 100th Day is is coming and he has no concrete plans at all.The way he is making decisions reflects not of a sound mind.
What can I expect of a President who does not even want to leave the portals of his house? Every single OFW can do the Presidency better than PNoy. To be able to explore and experience the world, one has to get out of his own shell!
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Hyden Toro Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Noynoy Aquino has plans to dig the dirts of his political enemies. If they dig his dirt: it will be more nausetting…Blame people, and do nothing…If they don’t have rice to eat…entertain them with political circus…what an imbecile, this President is…
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… daaang
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Two things Mr President:
(1) What shape and form do you envision the Philippines of 2016 to take?
(2) How do you plan to get us there over the next six years?
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… simple fix to numero uno: form an “envisioning commission? to look at that angle…
… simple fix to numero dos: form a “planning commission” to write a six year plan…
… and then, make the announcement during mommy’s or daddy’s birthday which ever comes first…
… para happy ang mga flip gung gongs…
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Funny how people voted for someone who can’t even cook for himself (referring to Jessica Soho’s segment on presidentiables) yet people expect him to lead us out of this mess.
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