by Edcer Escuedro
“OH yes, I’m the great pretender / Pretending that I’m doing well / My need is such I pretend too much / I’m lonely and dream all alone…”
These familiar lyrics of a popular song by The Platters, an American black quartet of the 1950’s-60’s, best describe Noynoy Aquino as the country’s president.
Whenever he delivers bold and daring policy pronouncements and speeches in his rich baritone, he sounds unbelievably credible. But a deeper analysis and scrutiny of his statements reveal his patently limited knowledge and poor grasp of major political and economic issues confronting his administration.
It exposes his major weakness, which is immaturity and inexperience as manager and executive.
The Aquino administration is a blunderous one. From Day One to this day (150 days into his six-year term), Noynoy has committed one blunder after another as chief executive in quick succession.
The very first one was the issuance of Executive Order No. 1 which terminated the services of midnight appointees of Gloria Arroyo months before she stepped down from power. But the Supreme Court later upheld those appointments. Less than 24 hours after its issuance, Aquino recalled the said EO and issued another one allegedly to “fine tune” it, in the words of spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
Next came the Luneta hostage-taking comedy-drama which caused the Philippines international embarrassment because of the idiotic rescue attempt by the PNP SWAT team. That fiasco almost cost DILG boss Jesse Robredo his job.
Critics wanted Robredo’s head and called for him to quit the Cabinet. But Noynoy rescued him by lying. He said that Robredo was under probation and was only serving in an acting capacity.
Then there was another blunder–a truly major one–an Executive Order granting blanket amnesty to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and his fellow mutineers who attempted to overthrow the Arroyo government. Confronted by an impending opposition from Congress which, by law, must stamp its concurrence with the EO, Noynoy made an about face and announced a re-study of the same EO and to amend key questionable provisions.
The latest Aquino blunder is the recall or cancellation of that tourism slogan and logo intended to lure foreign tourists to our shores. It drew critical comments for being a copycat of Poland’s tourism come-on, and for its lack of originality and impact.
Now, how does the political opposition view the Aquino government and Noynoy’s performance?
Hear these comments:
Sen. Joker Arroyo (no relation to Gloria) – It’s being run like a student council by a collection of bunglers who seem to operate on a trial and error mindset. They don’t know what they’re doing, and where they’re going. They change their mindset as fast as they change clothes.
Sen. Miriam Santiago (Fire-breathing political ninja from IloIlo) – Noynoy’s alter egos are lightweights. “They are so light that they are able to float of their own delusions of grandeur. I’m going to massacre these people,” vowed the lady solon.
And what do Cory’s Yellow Army and Noynoy’s Rah-Rah Boys say of their hero? “Noynoy is doing fine.”
Oh, yeah? Maybe, they should tell that to the Marines.
