Finally, Who I Would Vote For President

Earlier this year, I wrote an essay about my initial research and thoughts about those running for president this election.  But back then, my mind was not yet made up who I would vote for.  This time around, I finally have my candidate.

This is my second analyses of the candidates.  In the previous essay, I did it in random order.  Now, I rate it from my least preferred candidate to the candidate I would vote for.

So, here goes...

JC de los Reyes makes the last place because he does not impress me one bit.  It’s a losing race for him.  My mother told me that he at least has guts to run against giants.  I rather think it’s arrogance. 

He struck me as a guy who thinks he’s infallible and has the answer for everything.  In one of those segments on TV for us to know the presidential candidates, he claims that he has some statistics on something (related to condoms, health, population and sex in Thailand.  Don’t bother to know the details, I think you know the picture), and when one of the panelists sited a WHO statistic contradicting his statistics, he claimed that the latter is false and doctored and that the statistic he has, which he got in some seminar he attended, is the correct one.  Without concrete argument or backing, he boldly claimed that the statistics he got from some seminar is correct and that the data from a UN specialized agency, which has to be independent and objective and credible, is false.  The arrogance.

He’s a nervous wreck.  He can’t make the connection for the audience to believe his plans if elected (at least, for my personal opinion).  One instance was when he defended his stand that sex education should not be taught at school.  With awkwardness and nervous laughs, he was not able to deliver a definite answer.  One of the senatoriables in his ticket at least gave the correct answer (in my opinion, it was the correct answer) during another situation:  sex education should be taught at home since it is the responsibility of the parents (Bravo).  

I don’t think he has the nerves needed to be an effective president.

Noynoy Aquino is the frontrunner of this race and might actually win.  He has his ace, his sister, who is the Greatest Endorser in the History of Advertisement in the Philippines.  Our presidential race is actually a popularity contest, with the presidentiables as products.  And whatever product Kris Aquino endorses becomes successful.   Conclusion:  Noynoy has great probability of winning.  He already has the showbiz glitz factor.  See, here?  He appears to be already comfortable with signing autographs.      

But, come on, he actually got nothing.  I really like this table:

But my father - who I think is going to vote for him - that among the other candidates, Noynoy was the only one “forced” to run, while the others had already plans before the filing of candidacies – thus they already have their own agendas.  Therefore, Noynoy has no agenda for himself and might be sincere in his desire to make a change. 

I would not vote for him for the argument that though it could be true that “he will not steal”, but basing from his records and his willingness to accommodate traditional politicians (does he realize that these politicians might be just using his popularity for their own ends?), he might not have the will to stop those under him.

Moreover, Noynoy – contrary to many people’s belief that he’s “clean” – has his own share of dark pasts.  He had that Hacienda Luisita controversy.  And the most damning of them all, he used to be an ally of PGMA and had defended her during the “I am sorry” controversy.  Now, he’s a prominent anti-PGMA.  What happened?  He actually realized she is evil, or is he actually a "trapo", changing sides for his convenience?

Because of some brilliant programs and accomplishments, and having proven good managerial skills, I might actually had considered voting for Manny Villar if not for: a) his C-5 extension scandal, which is so obvious to be expensive and disadvantageous in the part of the government, anomalous and had benefited Villar.  Thus, Villar is not fully a man who became rich “sa sariling sikap” and had also used his position to benefit himself financially, like the other traditional politicians; b) his arrogance of having too many absences, and ultimately refusing to attend sessions, in the Senate after being ousted as Senate President and during C-5 scandal Senate hearings; c) his rags-to-riches mystique advantage was shattered by the fact that there are public records claiming that their family back then owns some land, and, also, that death certificate issue about his brother which could be proof that he faked his poverty and they were actually, at least, middle class.  Plus, he did not actually start from zero to become a super rich tycoon.  It is said that his wife was actually rich, and thus when he married her, he was able to have the capital for entrepreneurial expansion and become richer; d) now, this could be some black propaganda, and could be not true, but it leaves a black mark. It is also said that he stole lands from our ethnic people and then turned them into subdivisions; the dates on the titles for the lands pre-dates the actual date of the foundation of the agency that registers such land titles; and e) another probable black propaganda but minus points nonetheless, is that he is the real candidate of PGMA.  That he had made deals with her.  (This is actually believable.  It is just like her to plan something diabolical.  Using Gibo as diversion, but in fact, supporting Villar.  And when they won, Villar as President and PGMA becomes Prime Minister, they reveal the truth that they are going to rule the Philippines forever!  Chilling conspiracy theories…) 

His advertisements are actually so popular and a hit with Filipinos, that he is in par or second to Noynoy in ratings.  Thus, many would vote for him.  But just like I won’t vote for Noynoy, I won’t vote for Villar.  I would not succumb to making this election a popularity contest.

It is actually sick what some Bro. Eddie Villanueva supporters are implying: “If you are a Christian, you should vote for him.”  As if it is required of our Christianity to vote for him. 

I am a Christian.  And that is actually the reason why I won’t vote for him.  As a presumption, unless God tells me otherwise, his calling as a pastor is nobler than running as president.  Tending the sheep and being a tool to evangelize lost souls is actually more Christian-oriented than running for president.  A Christian has a mentality of being a Citizen of Heaven above his nationality, and unless, it is in sync of God’s will, running for a public office is not a priority compared to preaching the gospel.

My prime criticism on the Bro. Eddie campaign is that church machinery and resources, instead of promoting Christ, are used to promote Bro. Eddie.  The Great Commission is forgotten.  Bro. Eddie also compromises his beliefs (like his appearance on Quiboloy’s church) just to help his campaign.  The rest of the Christian community might be labeled and be distorted because of what he is doing.

I am not against a coalition of faiths to venture into politics.  But it has to have a distinct identity from the churches or faiths they belong.  Meaning, as individuals, though guided by their morals, they venture into politics without using their churches as support groups.  And, supporters should support as individuals and not as a church.  Sadly, this is not what Bro. Eddie’s coalition is doing. The churches become tools for his campaign.  It is almost implied that one is required to support him if one is part of the JIL church, or their ally churches.     

I am also not dismissing that God might have called him to be president, as he claims to be.  But as I can see in his campaign, I see someone that it is not relying completely on God’s hand, but someone acting on his own by playing the political game by the world’s rules.

But if God is with him, who can be against him? He’ll win if he is indeed called.  I, however, am not being called to vote for him. 

All I can say about Nicanor Perlas is that he is smart.  But his type is not for the presidency.  His type is effective as part of the Cabinet.  

What?  I rate Erap Estrada this high? Yes, I do.  I know he has flaws. He has vices.  He has been convicted (and pardoned) of plunder.  He actually might had been stealing from the government during his first tenure.  And he’s old.

But, he’s also an open book.  You already know his flaws.  While in the other candidates, they could be wolves hiding in sheep’s clothing.   He had also done some great things during his presidency.  He crushed terrorists in Mindanao.  Actually defended some poor farmers from greedy landowners.  Made programs for the poor (don’t believe me?  Then why do the poor love him?).  He turned a negative economic growth to positive.

 In my opinion, Erap was only ousted by power because the rest of the country, those in the provinces which are made up of his “masa” supporters, do not have the resources or capabilities to voice out their support for him.  While the anti-Eraps are all situated in or near NCR, therefore being able to create a huge crowd in EDSA.

In Erap, what you see is what you get.  Plus, he has never stopped entertaining us even after he left showbiz.    

Just as I expected, the majority of the youth vote meant for Chiz Escudero was diverted to Gibo Teodoro when Chiz chose not to run.    I can see it in my Facebook wall (a lot of my peers are joining the "Di sayang ang boto mo kay GIBO TEODORO dahil marami tayo!" group).  They are enchanted by Gibo’s intelligence.

I, for one, was actually considering voting for Gibo back then when Chiz decided not to run and Mar decided to be Noynoy’s vice president.  I was almost prepared to ignore that he’s PGMA’s lackey.  Though hesitant and half-heartedly, he was the one I was favoring back at that time.  Then the Ampatuan Massacre happened.  Then Martial Law came in Maguindanao and soldiers sent there dug out the weaponry held by the Ampatuans.  How on earth that such stockpile of weaponry, purchased by government funds, was held by the Ampatuans?   All of this happening under Gibo’s nose.  If that can actually happen when he was Defense Secretary, it could happen when he is President.  For the sake of political alliances, he was willing to turn his head and look the other way.

Gibo almost got me as a voter, but, no, thank you.

And the shocker… 

Jamby Madrigal

Jamby! I am actually considering Jamby when I had said before that I was not taking her seriously? 

Yup.  Jamby Madrigal impressed me during those TV presidentiable debates and forums.  She always has straightforward answers and knowledge on all issues thrown to her, and she has brilliant ideas on how to deal with the problems of the nation.  She never hides her richness, and never avoids topics about this.  She also seems sincere in wanting to help; I think one of the reasons she chose to run for president is because she is frustrated that such man that she considers a villain (Manny Villar) gets a high rating in the surveys, and she wants to stop him from getting the highest position in the land.     Her witty sharp tongue is entertaining.  She is strong-willed and smart (a “Mirriam Defensor-Santiago”- type).  And, the factor that made me rate her this high, is her cowboy-ness. I had always admired cowboys.  Jamby is a gunslinger – always ready to make a stand, down to the last bullet.  So even if it seems a losing battle, she still runs independently for president.  True crazy cowboy mentality.     

But, I am wary of her crazy impulses.

So, who would I ultimately vote for this May 10? (drum roll)

I will be voting for…

Yup.  I will be voting for Optimus Prime himself, Dick Gordon.  He’s the most equipped in terms of qualifications and experience.  Again, let us look at this table again:

There you go, the most impressive "bio-data" is of Dick's.  And what he did to Subic was dramatic and wouldn’t it be nice if he can do it to the whole country?   He is smart and has strong political will.  Yes, Philippines becoming like Subic seems possible with him on top.  

Of course, his personality is like the “totalitarian-type” and could have the nature of tending wanting to have his way always.  This could have a neagative effect (but let his cabinet deal with that initialy if this concern does arise).  And of course, I am not really sure if he can do it and would not screw up when he gets the office.  For this, I would vote for him but he has not impressed me to actually campaign for him.

This is a gamble.  But so far, at face value and actual evaluation, Gordon is my candidate.  Hopefully, he can set things right in this government and country.

Hopefully, you got the balls to go with your name, Dick. 

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The Stories Behind My College Medals

Hanging on a hook of my ancient cabinet are the medals I got in my life.  Actually, they are all medals I got in my college life, and any medals I got in my early elementary years are all lost (since I don’t value them at all).  I am not at all very active at school in my elementary and high school years.  I didn’t join school-accredited clubs, competitions, or extra-curricular activities.  Heck, I was never an honor student since I was Grade 3.  Maybe I am just too passive and lazy and bored to earn myself some achievements in my academic career.  I have the mentality that such are irrelevant to actual living and they are not worth bothering about.  It was never my cup of tea.  But, surprisingly, when I entered college, I found myself earning medals.  Hmmm.  As if the rule of Bernel “numbness” and laziness on school activities disappeared in college.

               

I am not that smart.  I am not really that active in school.  There are only 6 medals.  But compared to what I got in elementary and high school, which is zero, these are actually noteworthy.

               

So here is the story behind each of them, in chronological order.

Master of Strings – Champion (Freshman)

               

I am not actually thinking of joining any competition in our college intramurals as a freshman (with the course BS Accountancy).  As I’ve said, I don’t want to be bothered with any school activities.  I find them no fun.  Plus, the intramurals would serve as vacation time from school.  However, Juris, a senior of mine in high school, who is aware of my guitar talents, asked me to join him to play in the intrams’ musical competition.  Well, I really don’t want to join.  But I guess something in me was curious on what would it feel to experience it, that I agreed.

               

We would compete in the “acoustic rendition” and the “master of strings” competition – a competition for guitar instrumentals.  But our band of four only fully concentrated on the acoustic rendition competition, and had only a decent practice for the master of strings hours before the competition. 

               

That night, when it was our time for the acoustic rendition competition, I got my first taste of Murphy’s Law in a competition.  I found that the pick-up cable for my acoustic guitar was too short.  Bummer.  I had to settle with a microphone to amplify my acoustic guitar, but actually the mic was inutile since it can never really capture the sound of the acoustic, thus my guitar was impossible to hear.  We only ended up second in that competition, and I’ll give credit to our brilliant vocalist for getting us to at least second (more about her later). 

Now, though I am not very active in school competitions, I did develop a competitive nature.  This is because of playing computer games (I even won an award in a “Pangya” competition, though it was only my first time to play that game.  And never played that game again after the competition.  I just wanted the prize money) and being exposed to an internet café environment (very competitive).  I already knew we would not win in the acoustic rendition before the winner was announced.  I hate losing.  And I don’t like to come out empty handed that night.  Thus, I made a decision that when we play in the master of strings, I would stay near the sound system controls, which was down the stage and away the eyes of the audience, so that my short pick-up cable would reach the sound system and my guitar playing, which was our ace, would be heard.  Juris was the only one who stayed on the stage (his acoustic has no pick-up, but he made use of the four microphones available).   With that settled, we played some parts of “Hotel California” and Alamid’s “Your Love” – with me let loose for about 8 minutes of guitar solo.   We won.  Probably, the mystique of being an “invisible instrumentalist” (remember, most of the audience can’t see me since I was not on stage but beside the sound system controls) helped.  The management department actually had, I admit, the best guitarist of the college, but I got to beat him… at least that night.

I am always proud to be a guitar slinger.  But that competition made me a “master of strings”… at least, for that year.

Acoustic Rendition – Champion (Sophomore)

The loss the previous year in acoustic rendition left a bitter taste in my mouth.  I had already won a “master of strings”, and for that year, I wanted to concentrate on the acoustic rendition.  This time, I was the “captain.”   Thus, I had free reign of choosing the song and the appropriate musicians. 

                 

I built a band that has lead guitar (Eugene), rhythm guitar (Janine), violin (Rich), percussions (yours truly) and, most importantly (voice quality has a major percentage in the criteria), lead vocals (Gra).  I wanted the performance to be “un-mainstream” and “show band-style” – to be close to a “professional-sound” as much as possible.  Thus, not only I instructed the instrumentalists to be polished, I also designed them to serve as backup vocals.  Yes, I was a “musical director”, but I did not make any much “directing.”  Yes, I gave the initial instructions, but I allowed them to figure it out for themselves.  It was a true team effort.  And, boy, these guys practiced well individually to get their part that when we finally put the individual parts together, it was so good.  Gra, as before, was the ace.  Her voice is one of the best I ever heard, so ideal to be the front of a band.  She ranks at my top three vocalists I had performed with (her bestfriend Kaye is also there.  I performed with them when I was in high school, in the Morph all-star band’s gig at the Pacifif Mall.  I could still remember the date:  December 17, 2005.  Pity, I do not have a video.  It was one of the best performances I was part of).  Our piece was The Corrs’ “Only When I Sleep”.  I am not exaggerating if I say that Gra sang it on par with Andrea Corr.

Of course we won.  No way would we lose with such brilliant teamwork of musicians. It was perfect from start to finish.  With the violin as the “X-factor” and Gra’s voice beautifully silences the crowd.  I loved that performance.  It is a pity I did not record it.

I was also part of the master of strings competition that year.    Just like the last year, our only real practice was hours before the competition.  But this time, we did not win.  That guitarist of the management department finally did something so awesome I actually considered conceding before it was our turn to perform. He probably wanted to get back at me for my “upset” win against him the previous year.

  

Academic Scholarship (Junior)

Failing my first course (BS Accountancy), I shifted to the new course of the college: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Financial Management.  And in that year, my third in college and my first in my new course, I got my first  academic honor since my third grade.  The taste of an Academic Scholarship was so sweet, not only because I got some refund of the tuition, but because I never thought I would ever have an academic honor in college.  The feeling was nice.  I never ever expected to experience having a medal hanged around my neck in a recognition day. 

The story of this medal is simple:  this medal gave me a “glimpse” of an “impossible” dream, that though I desire it, it seems still distant to think of yet.

General Information Quiz Bowl – Champion (Senior)

               

I was an officer of the newly-accredited Junior Institute of Business Administration in my last year in college (see, I’m more “active” in school than I was in high school.  Really strange) and I was tasked as top head for the intramurals that year.  So, I was tasked to head the organization of participants, and uniforms, and other matters regarding the JIBA’s participation for the intrams.  It was not as if I did it all, the other officers were actually more hands on, while I am more on assigning tasks and responsibilities and “putting it all together and making it flow smoothly.”    Too “busy” as overhead chairman of the JIBA for the intrams, I was still able to find time to join three events:  acoustic rendition, instrumental (replacing the original “master of strings” competition), and GI quiz bowl (I “captained” in all three events.  I applied and taught them the use of my usual strategy or practices, which includes a prayer before the start of the respective competition… and lots of psyching out strategies during or before the competition).  You can watch our acoustic rendition and instrumental performances in this site, which we lost (I could give reasons why, but a loss is a loss.  No excuses).  However, we won the GI quiz in an epic fight.

I christened our team as “Team Rabat.”  “Rabat” is a word in some parts of Bicol which means fluke.  It was our joke that we would win quiz bowls by “stroke of luck” answers.  Nonetheless, I assembled this team for the quiz bowl for the Management Days of the previous year.  I pick Jessie, for the “numbers”, and Gens, for the “words”, to join me, the ultimate “King of Analysis and Irrelevant Facts” (hahahaha!  To Jess and Gens:  you have to admit, though, I am the ace, and I make 60%-90% of our answers).  They serve as my “sounding boards”, to bounce out ideas or rationalization before I make an “instinctive” analyzed guess if we don’t know the answer to a question.   We actually make a good team, since we won our first quiz bowl together during the Management Days, and were rewarded a cash prize.

So, as overall head of the JIBA, I pick “Team Rabat” to compete in the college intrams’ GI quiz that year, now with a management days quiz bowl under the team’s belt.    We were never at all in the lead of the entire competition until that decisive last question.  We were second place so far and were down by 3 points.  The last question in the difficult category, which was worth 5 points, in paraphrase, was “what was the living together of animals for benefit?” (the question was longer than that.  As I pointed out, it’s my paraphrase).  I quickly wrote “symbiosis.”  Now, the usual answer that would be made would be “mutualism”, the popular example of symbiosis, and I know that it was probable that the other teams would have it as their answer.  My two teammates told me, “It’s mutualism.”  They wanted me to change it.  My rationalization: “We are down by three.  Now, the other groups, including the lead group, would probably answer ‘mutualism’ – the most popular type of symbiosis.  Now if all teams answer ‘mutualism’, and if it is correct, the lead group still wins.  And if all of the teams answer ‘mutualism’, and it is wrong, the lead group still wins.  Now, if we answer differently from what they are thinking, which is ‘symbiosis’, which is also probable to be correct, we have a gambling chance of edging them.  If ‘symbiosis’ is correct, and ‘mutualism’ is wrong, then we win by 2 points.  If we are wrong with ‘symbiosis’, it is no different from the scenarios in which we answer ‘mutualism’ like the other teams.  By ‘symbiosis’, we have a one last wild gambit.  Besides, I am almost sure that ‘symbiosis’ is the correct answer.”  My analysis and answer were correct.   The other teams answered “mutualism” but the correct answer was “symbiosis”, our answer, and we won by two points.  It was like a buzzer beater game winner.        

Dean’s Lister (Senior)

In the previous year, I got an Academic Scholar award during recognition day, this time, though it was the same type of medal, it was a Dean’s Lister award, after being an Academic Scholar for both semesters of the school year.   So, in my entire stay in college I get to be a three-time Academic Scholar (which also means I had refunded 50% or 75% of the tuition fee each semester three times), with the latter two making it possible for me to become Dean’s Lister.  

By this time, when I got this medal, I was now greatly praying for that ultimate prize, the “impossible” dream.  And that is, to graduate “Cum Laude.”

Cum Laude

This medal is the “King of All Medals.”  This medal alone outweighs all the previous medals put together.  Great was the joy I felt when I got it.    

Outrageous.  Me?  Cum laude?  I was never the scholarly type.  I was never an honor student in high school.  It was “impossible.”   

And that is why I appreciate this medal and this honor.  Because it is “impossible.”  But because of God, he made the “impossible” possible.    He gave me the wisdom and intelligence.  He made the high grades possible.  All Glory belongs to Him. 

These medals (especially the cum laude medal), and the honors they represent, are only temporary.  All honors and favors that bring me temporary joy, are only “glimpses” of the Ultimate Medal of True Honor and Unspeakable Joy that can be found solely in the Giver of these gifts. 

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"Alive" Special Number

As a special number in the Aprill 11 Dynamic Worship, we performed our "fun" cover of the Hillsong Kids' song "Alive."

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