Monday, March 21, 2016

Wanted: Presidential material (reaction to 2nd Presidential debate)

Many have commented online on how TV5 handled the recently concluded second presidential debate. Many said it was below par. I don't think so. The fact is, that debate was more revelatory than the previous one.

Let's remember that one of the most important trait that our future president must possess is the ability to decide under pressure. As most Presidents would tell you, that seat in Malacanang is described as a pressure cooker. The very minute you assume that seat, all eyes are on you--both those of your enemies and your allies. In all likelihood, expect your allies to become your enemies in the nick of time, and the period for that is six years.

The Office of the President, according to several close friends whom I asked (those who worked for a particular president as either an adviser or cabinet member) swear that Malacanang is a snake pit filled with snakes in all sizes. The only rule there is simply pursue your own agenda. There is no such thing as collective-ism--only permanent personal interests.

This debate tells much about the stuff these candidates are made of--surely, they are not "presidential material," no. No one made an effort to excel or position himself above everyone else. Every single candidate wanted to please everybody, the very same way Republican candidate Rubio did and which caused his defeat.

Binay was so engrossed with cleaning his name that he actually played along with the tactics of his opponents. Duterte was in his usual element--dishing motherhoods while trying to downgrade his enemies. Mar Roxas was like Binay--he was really trying very hard to defend his lackluster record as a public official to justify his desire for the presidency. While Poe succeeded in really convincing us that she is not made of sterner stuff---just a wide-eyed Leftist freshman who is still engrossed with what she has read and has learned for the past few weeks.

No one really stood out. These candidates were so overly advised that they became players of the game instead of game changers. What we expect to see is a game changer.

When Duterte made potshots at Mar, the Liberal party candidate reacted like a high school student who wants to "be in" but lacks the qualities of being one.

Poe was full of data but does not know how to process them. Binay was so concerned with cleaning his name that he forgot that he needs to project himself above everybody else to justify voter support, and so was Mar who was really pikon---and not presidential-like.

What was very nice last night was when Duterte asked Poe that question about the Spratlys. That question really exposed Poe as what she really is---a neophyte who does not possess any CEO qualities. Poe was like a young activist who knows only those her handlers had told her but does not have the mindset of a CEO. We need a CEO, not a management trainee.

And so we go to the next question---who won this debate? Answer--it is us, Filipino voters.

TV5 and the COMELEC gave us the opportunity to really know what is "out there"---meaning, we now know that we really have a very shallow bench this time around. Our choices are super cheap that a Roco or a Salonga would have a field day cutting each and every one out. Had Roco or Salonga elected to run for the presidency this year, they would have fared a lot better than any of the five presidential candidates.

If we are to go to the most important question--who then deserves the presidency? If we are to be asked and we sincerely tell the truth we would surely say, " none of them" or "pass".

But of course, we still need a president, and failing to do so means we are allowing Aquino and his cohorts to extend their "terms", which obviously, would prove more disastrous than a failure of elections.

If we are to use the term " choose the lesser evil" which means choose the least risk, I'll go with Binay.

It is best for us to choose him inspite of his alleged kleptomania. It is better to choose a repentant magnanakaw, instead of someone who reportedly knows everything when in truth and in fact, she does not know about it.

I would rather choose a moderately corrupt President than seeing this country expo head make a name for herself by showing and convincing his subordinates that "he is a cut above the rest"---while really doing a very nasty and very lousy job.

I would rather die or go to the mountains should GRca Poe wins. What is scary is the possibility of us getting the most flak from our Asian neighbors for electing a weakling as President.
Poe tried very hard to convince us that she is not a puppet by Danding Cojuangco but the more she opens her mouth, the more we are convinced ofher unfitness for the presidency.















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