Noy News: Ito ang Ating Laban

Headlines

Liberal Party deploys 600,000-strong Yellow Army

A Yellow Army of 600,000 volunteers, and growing, has been deployed by the Liberal Party to campaign for Sens. Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas and the rest of the LP candidates, as well as defend ballots come the May elections. Campaign manager Butch Abad said the party will depend on this groundswell of support especially in the provinces to ensure an honest election. Several prominent lawyers have also committed to the Bantay Balota cause. »Philippine Star

Aquino-Roxas top MBC-dzRH survey

A face-to-face nation-wide survey commissioned by MBC-dzRH and conducted on 6,788 adults puts Sen Noynoy Aquino ahead of other presidentiables at 46 per cent, with Sen Mar Roxas at 43 per cent among vice presidentiables. Liberal Party campaign manager Butch Abad thanked the people for their continuous support, while Roxas said that the numbers show the people have not abandoned the fight for a clean and honest government. »Philippine Star » Listen to the report

Aquino-Roxas top Davao survey

A Pulso Davao survey conducted in mid-December reveals that 46 per cent of voters favor Sen. Noynoy Aquino as the next to succeed Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as president. Joseph Estrada came in second with about 20 per cent. Davao City has close to 800,000 registered voters, making it one of the most vote-rich centers in Mindanao. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has publicly expressed his support for Aquino’s vice presidential running mate, Sen Mar Roxas. Aquino also received the highest number of votes in a mock election conducted in schools in Bicol and Iligan. “Our message against corruption is resonating among the youth,” said Aquino’s spokesperson Atty Edwin Lacierda. »Philippine Daily Inquirer

Liberal ang mapagkakatiwalaan

Ayon sa surbey ng Manila Standard na isinagawa noong Disyembre na may 2,500 na respondents, 36 per cent ay may tiwala sa Partido Liberal. Nag-tala ng single-digit ratings ang ibang mga partido: Ang Nacionalista sa 4%, at ang Lakas-Kampi, -0.1%. Sapagkat Liberal, sulat ni Sen Mar Roxas, marangal. »Abante

Aquino-Roxas take lead to block budget hijacking

Seeking to prohibit the President from “hijacking” appropriations, Sens Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas are the two main proponents of the anti-impoundment provision of the 2010 national budget. The provision will inhibit the president from using the PDAF (development funds) of opposition lawmakers for her own ends. The provision was also requested by 137 members of Congress. »Manila Times

Aquino to Villar: where were you?

“Where were you when push came to shove?” Responding to attacks that he could not implement reforms, Sen Noynoy Aquino asked Sen Manuel Villar what the older senator had done, pointing out that Villar had kept quiet during the Hello Garci scandal. “He says he is not a person who easily picks a fight, but when you see the abuses in the system, does it not make you want to stand up and say enough is enough?” Aquino said in an interview.
Villar’s spokesman Gilbert Remulla accused Aquino of “never being in the forefront” while praising that Villar was... “always in the background.” [Editor to Remulla: wait, say that again?] »Philippine Daily Inquirer

Aquino: Palace will divert away from Maguindanao

Sen Noynoy Aquino said that it is questionable why the Palace decided to slap the double-murder charge against opposition senator Panfilo Lacson at a time where “all eyes” are on the Ampatuan case, where a strong Arroyo ally is being implicated. Sen Chiz Escudero also expressed surprise at the adminstration’s move. Aquino said he hopes the courts will guard itself from the admin’s ploy. »Manila Bulletin

Gordon blunders in attack against Aquino

One big Oops! from Gordon’s handlers. A strongly worded press release from the Gordon camp saying that neither Facebook “nor your face” matters was rescinded 15 minutes later, and that a statement about the total gun ban should have been the one sent out. The Aquino camp shrugged off the blundered statement saying that the Liberal Party is more concerned about changing the Arroyo state of affairs. “We just pray that Gordon would be enlightened,” said Sen Noynoy Aquino’s spokesperson, Atty Edwin Lacierda, who also added that given that Gordon was an ally of both Marcos and Arroyo, he would obviously attack Aquino and his mother, revered former president Cory Aquino. »GMA News

Let's talk about it

Editor’s note: I try my best to summarize the most enlightening articles of the week for those of you who don’t have the time to read through all of these. But I will admit that I cannot do justice to the wisdom in their words. I hope you find the time to read what the Philippines’ most brilliant minds have to offer.
Tidbit to take away from this week's selection: progress is impossible without good and true leadership. We must fight for both. ~N.S.

On Progress

"New Year hopes for education"

Only the Philippines, Djibouti and Angola fall below international norms when it comes to education. That means in the world job market, a university education from the Philippines is worth much less than almost any in the world. For example, a University of the Philippines graduate will earn much less than their counterpart abroad. A Filipino student needs to attain a master’s degree to qualify for another master’s degree in the UK, while for other countries, you only need to have finished college, if at all.
That’s because in the Philippines, students have only 10 years of basic education without extra schooling before entering university. Most of the developed world has a K-12 system. Our neighbors have 12-14 years of pre-university education. Arroyo has been adamant in maintaining the 10-year system.
Only Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas have adopted the agenda for a K-12 system. “In this lies our hope in this new year for the reform of Philippine education,” writes Edilberto de Jesus. »read more

On Leadership

"President as servant-leader"

Do we need a brilliant mind? Do we need a rags-to-riches savior? A populist? A charmer? A manager?
What we need is a servant/leader: the leader must be a servant first, for therein lies the “key to his greatness.”
Sonny Coloma briefly takes apart what’s wrong with the non-servant/leader types, and why we need someone like Noynoy Aquino, because he possesses “not soaring intelligence but deep respect for the common tao, not dazzling brilliance but empathy and malasakit for Juan de la Cruz. Our people want to bring back decency to governance.”
In choosing Noynoy Aquino, writes Coloma, Filipinos seek to reclaim their sense of honor, integrity, and nobility. »read more

"Villar's leadership"

Filomeno Sta Ana analyzes Villar’s recent “surge” in the survey the Nacionalista Party commissioned (cost: P 3 million) during the orange advertising blitzkrieg (cost: P 2 billion).
Aside from the nonstop advertising, Sta Ana points to Villar’s populist messaging. He warns that leadership propaganda will backfire because leadership is responsibility, and all that Villar has demonstrated is recklessness and waste.
More notably, he warns that Villar is pulling the exact same stunts as Arroyo. Villar is “another Gloria,” he writes in Business World.
Not surprising, given the recent expose that seems to confirm that Villar is Arroyo’s true man (in case you missed it: http://www.malaya.com.ph/01072010/edbanayo.html). »read more

"Three Aspects of the Presidency"

Malacanang is “prize, pulpit and stage.” But depending on who holds the presidency, and what that presidency is used for, that does not need to be negative.
For a president can be (1) a “Great Teacher” by example, through the manner in which he wields power in office.
The president can also be (2) a “Great Nation-Builder” by strengthening, and not weakening institutions, a task that requires vision, understanding, nurturing – to transform people’s lives even long after he leaves office.
Finally, he can be (3) a “Great Transforming Leader” who upholds the country’s highest virtues and ideals of governance, to change both friends and rivals for the country’s good.
Character is thus paramount, writes Manuel Quezon III. »read more

All the Way till May

Writing in the Philippine Star, Alfred Yuson shares an intimate holiday moment with his family: the very Filipino tradition of gift-giving. Among the simple gifts is the Philippine map shirt that Filipinos everywhere have been wearing loud and proud, and which Noynoy Aquino has adopted as a sort of uniform. Rumor has it the shirt was designed for the grieving family.

But will everyone who wears it carry the yellow flag all the way til May? Perhaps not, but Yuson reckons a good percentage will do so: “There appears to be a correlation between loving that map, priding in it, and carrying that strong hope that things will change for the better for this craggy archipelago so close to our hearts.” »read more

Call for submissions: What's your Noynoy moment? We want to hear about it! Share with us what this election means to you. Inspire us! Send in your entries in English, Filipino or any dialect, and be heard on Noynoy Aquino's homepage. Email nsanchez@noynoy.ph