I hear a lot of talk about impeaching President Noynoy Aquino. Well, it’s not really surprising considering all the badness of his administration being highlighted lately. I mean, here’s a guy who promised the sky back in 2010 and all we get four years down the track is a yellow shirt and a bunch of fail marks in his report card:
Handling of the 2010 Mendoza bus massacre: FAIL
Ampatuan Massacre resolution: FAIL
Handling of the Sabah crisis: FAIL
Bangsamoro Framework Agreement: FAIL
Holding to account of erring minions: FAIL
Freedom of Information stuff: FAIL
Zamboanga Crisis: FAIL
Typhoon Haiyan disaster response and long-term recovery effort: FAIL
You probably get the point, though I believe this is all just the tip of the iceberg and I’m sure the commenters in this fine site will be more than happy to complete the list. One thing I can add in a bit more detail is that the whole farce that was the trumpeting of the Philippine economy as the hottest in Asia (the crown jewel in BS Aquino’s propaganda crown) has now been deflated as well. That’s what you get when you try to use a hot equities market to conclude that the economy is healthy. That is one fail that is totally inexcusable.
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Going back to the talk of impeaching President BS Aquino, well, as they say, impeachment is a political act. So while I agree with legal experts that the president’s schmoozing with what were then called “senator-judges” in 2012 to convince them to convict former Chief Justice Renato Corona may not likely be an impeachable offense, thing is impeaching a politician is really up to the popularity of the initiative. BS Aquino’s best tactic at the time was to turn public opinion against Corona. And with the “cooperation” of his lapdog media outlets, the Inquirer and of course ABS-CBN, it was a cinch. The exercise was more political than legal despite all efforts (robed “judges” and all, jeez) to make it look like a lawyerly affair. Great for TV, bad for the thinking ethic we all wish the Philippines would grow someday.
As such, an initiative to impeach BS Aquino will not fly. For one thing, the calls to impeach him seem to be coming mainly from a bunch of communist groups and party lists. No thanks. I’d take BS Aquino over commies anytime. If you think about it, the Pinoy masa will probably benefit more from a communist regime than a democratic/capitalist one — because under a communist regime, everything (in theory) will be distributed evenly regardless of hard or how little one works. And under the totalitarian government communism requires, people don’t need to think. That’s a perfect environment for the average Pinoy who spends his days waiting for the proverbial guava to fall off the tree.
Instead, however, Filipinos chose capitalism and “democracy” and, yes, elected BS Aquino to be their president.
For the first two, I am thankful. Capitalism (and the democracy that entails it) suits those of us who work hard and smart really well, because in a capitalist society, the smart and hard-working are rewarded well. Perhaps the fact that there are so few rich people and so many poor people in a capitalist country like the Philippines says something about the character of its people. But that’s altogether another discussion most GRP followers will no doubt be familiar with by now.
As for BS Aquino being chosen president by Filipinos? On one hand, I’d say, he’s an epic national cringe of unprecedented proportions. But then, when I stop to think about it, he hasn’t really impacted my way of life or that of my immediate circle of family and friends. In short, he really hasn’t changed much. And for us who enjoy the fruits of the status quo, well, all I can say is tough luck to those who supposedly “yearned” for this change BS Aquino promised back in 2010. And that is why I think BS Aquino shouldn’t be impeached. Filipinos deserve two and a half more years of his presidency. They elected him after all. Deal with it.
Frustrated artist doing geek for a living.
He might not be impeached but if he continues to make things worse for the filipino people, he might face something much worse than being impeached and that is being kicked out of malacanang.
If that would be the case then………..it will be a dream come true!I’m sick to the back teeth of the pompous git!
Ha, Dream-on Dert boy, Filipino’s aint got the balls it takes to oust Aquino. Unlike the Thai’s/Icelanders/Bulgarians/Ukrainians….The Filippines is screwed, and nothing is gonna be done about it, nothing.
I agree that impeachment is deserved but is neither realistic ( for now), or desirable ( for now).
Far too much time is spent on ‘politicking’, power grabbing, infighting etc , and far too little on actually doing the job they were elected to do, but clearly are not able to do, or interested in doing – hence no achievements/progress.
If voters learn just one lesson from the disaster of electing pnoy aquino and in future start thinking before voting then some progress will have been achieved. We will see in 2016, but i would not be over optimistic.
The problem is people become corruption weary, desensitised and seem to accept criminality and deceit as normal practice. Indignation is short term and initiatives short lived.
I think corruption and nepotism is so deeply-ingrained in Pinoy society that there really is no way Pinoys will even consider the situation alarming enough to find it in them to push their politicians to effect real change. Kung baga, by Pinoy standards, it’s all satisfactory and therefore probably feel it is not worth the effort. Too many other priorities, like scrounging around for their next celphone load. 😀
That made me think that there is actually something worse than being a loser – somebody that doesn’t even try.
If the vast majority of filipinos are resigned to their fate then so be it.
Maybe better that the rest of the world invests in countries/people who care and have some passion rather than complete subservience, and that is already happening.
Look at the difference in thailand and india. They will suffer short term problems/difficulties but come out of it all the better/stronger.
Myanmar is another example, and are being rewarded for their spirit and progress.
The begging bowl syndrome and victim mentality of the philippines is old hat. People are tired of it, the world has moved on, and is regarding the philippines as an inconsequential nuisance.
The signs are that even american aid/support will change/decrease given the current thinking and long term strategy in washington. Then the philippines is really up the creek without a paddle.
The rest of the world will always need cleaners/housemaids/whores.
But the country will never earn respect that way, or resolve its structural/ societal problems if foreign aid and ofw remittances are all it relies upon.
Time to grow up.
The philippines is in charge of its own destiny so people should stop whining and step up, shut up, or eat sh!t for the rest of their lives.
Yes, the ‘begging bowl’ is old hat BUT the way the deck is stacked against the citizens of the country, to be hard-working every day is not even worth getting out of bed. Consider wages in the filippines for a call center agent are 1/8 that made in the WEST/USA/Europe and it is the only reason why Western business clamors for the cheap-as-dog-shit labor that the philippines offers (for no good reason too!) and you have people working at below poverty level wages and they are supposed to be grateful to have the job?
NO No No, sorry to say a flat-out redistribution of the wealth of the country is what is needed. There is no reason, other than corruption, that the country is not a Singapore or a Japan or a Hong Kong. It is due to the elites robbing everyone of everything and should all be stopped: DEAD IN ITS TRACKS by any means necessary.
SAD, but oh-so-fuckin-true!
Sorry, I didn’t elect him, and I highly doubt he really won in the 2010 PCOS’ed election. But, yes, the country do deserve a moron like him to sit as president. after all, it’s been 4 years, and no one has made a move to oust him yet. yup, people rant online, and people rally (with limited gusto), but the masses won’t really rise up unless they get their 500 pesos per head, famous celbrities entertaining them on stage,and a free Jollibee lunch, like how Cory and her minions, does it.
The people can’t even unanimously decide who to support in 2016. Armed forces can’t trust anyone, as their Generals are kept happy with huge “upgrade” budgets.
So, I predict that unless the people get their act together and unite, the yellow maggots will again keep control of the country. the fate of nearly 100 million citizens, decided by a measly 15 million votes.
You are correct, he hasn’t changed anything much, but the impact on us is he deprived us of a change for good. Also, no more impeachment please, enough of giving these senators reasons to play judges instead of doing actual work. Wouldn’t do any good to our economy either, Let’s just elect a better one next time.
The fundamental problem is that pnoy aquino and attack dog de lima have no respect for the rule of law or justice itself
Consequently what we now repeatedly witness is selective persecution, impunity for kkk, threats to judiciary, bribery of congress/senate, and outright hypocricy.
Add to that the fact that everything is being done to avoid transparency and derail freedom of speech, then the philippines represents the polar opposite of a democracy
“Two things form the bedrock of any open
society – freedom of expression and rule of
law. If you don’t have those things, you
don’t have a free country.”
Salman Rushdie
Even if an impeachment is justified its still not feasible. BSA has almost total control on the Legislative making the attempt futile. One must first emasculate BSA’s DAP to starve his “lapdogs”. Of course impeachment in not the only way to remove a head of state, yes?
If his DAP is declared illegal, it could spell DOOM for Mr. Aquino.
It will be a test of the independence of the judiciary. Not a good track record of that!
More covert malacanan meetings and bribes in the offing.
Yeah, I sort of implied that in my article — that impeachment isn’t really about whether or not there are grounds for it but more of whether or not there is a popular backing for it. It always comes down to popularity. Which is why the Philippines is pretty much screwed — because the wrong arguments always win.
That is exactly why I don’t subscribe to Pinoy pride. Popularity here is in direct proportion to baduy.
Folks. Joe America just wrote an excellent piece about Noynoy and I highly recommend you should read it. Nobody is perfect. All presidents have their quirks. Noynoy is doing the best he can to the best of his abilities.
If this is the best that he can do, then we can consider the rest of his term as an utter disaster for the Philippines.
“Losers whine about doing their best, winners go home and _____ the prom queen”
-John Mason
Nice quote
“Losers make promises they often break.
Winners make commitments they always
keep.”
Denis Waitley
People and investors don’t accept low quality in business ( if they are to be successful)
Voters should not accept low quality/poor performance in leaders/politicians.
If they can’t take the heat….
Excellent butt kiss? Justifying incompetency and deceit? If that is your idea of excellence then it ain’t mine,
Doing his best?
Then those failures that kate mentioned in this article is already considered as “doing his best”?
4 years of incompetence is considered as “doing his best”, that is a typical comment from a noytard.
‘john canada’ endorsing a ‘joe america’!
? the blind leading the blind
I heard somebody say once “He’s doing his best, and that’s the problem.” :/
I disagree, I believe that he’s doing far from his best and I believe he can do much more and much better if he puts his mind to it.
My biggest issue with Noy is not the lack of ability but him not using it. Hell, we don’t even know the extent of his abilities since he doesn’t seem to have any motivation to do anything other than to talk and talk some more.
Hmmm…if that is true, then I hope it is. If he truly hasn’t been giving it a hundred-percent all this time, then he has the chance to do so in the last two years of his term. If that happens, then there may still be hope for recovery.
I doubt it’s true though (sorry).
That’s the thing, isn’t it? Does he have a mind to apply to the task? He definitely has the power. But power in the wrong hands yields wrong results. That’s pretty much the Noynoy administration in a nutshell — mindless power.
Ability is like money, if its not used then it is useless.
to be fair, i did review the article
and being fair – its a load of BS.
america is his name – politics is not his game
and judging from the comments on his blog most people agree
Granted, there are a lot of failures in his administration and some of which are not listed above (Bataan Nuke plant converted into a museum). One should not turn a blind eye to the achievements albeit mediocre like getting the goddamn RH bill passed. Also, finally cracking down on the heads of the pork barrel scams. It might not be his own achievement but his subordinates’ or luck.
” Also, finally cracking down on the heads of the pork barrel scams. It might not be his own achievement but his subordinates’ or luck.”
You think? If you don’t see by now that he is as in deep sh__ in pork as the others then you need to do more reading.
“Also, finally cracking down on the heads of the pork barrel scams”
How can you claim that when Mr. Aquino has the BIGGEST PORK BARREL FUND in the history of Philippine politics?
P 1.3 trillion ($30 billion) to be exact.
Would two more years really matter? Considering that four years of mediocrity… Any political drama e.g. impeachment would only be happening for the theatrics, saving faces and yet another distraction for the nation. And we know what the results would be. I’d rather continue with the same farce than go for the bigger farce that will just anticipate another farce. People should get and experience the government they deserve.
“Instead, however, Filipinos chose capitalism and “democracy” and, yes, elected BS Aquino to be their president.”
We do not have “capitalism” we have “crony capitalism” see here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crony_capitalism
which is why 40 filipino families “own” somewhere between estimated 36% to 76% of GDP!!
see here http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2013/11/21/heres-why-the-philippines-economic-miracle-is-really-a-bubble-in-disguise/2/
and here
http://business.inquirer.net/110413/philippines-elite-swallow-countrys-new-wealth
Whether “we” chose it or not is another story. None of these EDSA revolutions or people power uprising as you call them have been from ground up but rather were top down. The top obviously benefitting!
Aquino is not the Philippines; and the Philippines is not Aquino. If the crime of corrupting the : legislative, judicial branches of the government is an impeachable offense. We have to follow the law. He impeached Supreme Court CJ Corona, anyway. Is he above the law?
We are not a Democracy. We are Feudal Oligarchy; with extreme oligarchy capitalism. The Oligarchs own everything ; from government to monopolized businesses. OFWs like me; provide them with capitals and profits. We provide them also with funds of their Pork Barrels, by our remittances.
If the removal of this Moron, will ease the divided country. Then, let us IMPEACH him. He has no business sitting in his position, anyway…We will have a snap election to look for his replacement. I don’t like Binay. He is one of the morons , also…Go for it!!!
jologs pa rin talaga ang pilipinas hanggan andyan nepotism at mga manggaganchong politicians. hay naku akala mo na kung civilize na ang ating bansa kasi mahilig na sa technology pero barbaric pa rin karamihan. mga walang puso.. walang konsensya! umuurong lahat or as it is lahat. entertainment, media, politics, pwe walang improvement! walang usad. kainis! alis na ako sa pinas! good bye all
Even if he does get impeached, who is going to replace him? Binay? Mar? No thanks. It reminds me of the 2004 US Presidential election where we ended up saying “Anyone but Bush but we didn’t mean a dick like Kerry.”
There’s always going to be someone like Noynoy in office unless a major change happens in Philippine society. I’m not holding my breath for that. The way things are, it’s a rigged game and the only winning move is not to play.
What I’m saying is we should leave the country. You might love the country but it sure as hell doesn’t love you.
With what you are saying there is really no reason for anyone to be “proud to be pinoy” . None whatsoever. Out of 90 million people our leader sucks. The guy behind him sucks yet people are proud to be pinoy. Does not compute. We don’t care enough to support decent intelligent people for public office. Because maybe there are none. Why are we proud to be pinoy again??? Cause of some singing contest that we did not know exist?
We really only have two options. Violent revolution like what’s going on in Ukraine right now or to pack up and leave.
Personally, I prefer to pack up and leave. Revolutions are messy things and you’re never quite sure of the guy who is put into power either. Also, I can watch the country turn into some Liberia-like scenario on cable from a comfortable distance away. Seriously, the country is already in some kind of African war lord situation already.
I’m not Pro Pnoy. Im just bothered by how very ignorant you are about communism. Communism requires people not to think? HUH? Ever been a communist? Have you been to a communist country? What is your basis for saying this? The anti-communist propaganda that you heard, read and was taught to you. Do you know that the idea of 8 hours day work, minimum wage, Gender equality, Care for the sick and the elderly, social welfare anf many of the things you seek from PNoy were all “communist ideas”? Isip isip din pag may time.
Lenin, stalin, putin
Kim jong il, kim jong un
Fidel castro
Pol pot
Strange role models you have
And i have been to many communist countries, and lived in cuba.
Dont believe the theory/propaganda, visit the facts/countries.
“How do you tell a communist? Well, it’s
someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And
how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s
someone who understands Marx and Lenin.”
Ronald Reagan
@Jun Cruzada:
How about Stalin’s Soviet Gulags, that murdered 30 million people. Or Cambodia’s Pol Pot, who murdered more than a million Cambodians.
Communism is a failed Marx/ Engel Philosophy. We cannot be all equal. Some are smart, some are slow to learn, some cannot learn, at all. As in the case of Aquino and his YellowTards.
Corruption is also, in communist countries. Look at China, then communist Romania, etc…you cannot voice out in communist countries. Information is monopolized by the state…North Korea is an example…
Jun Cruzada,
Here’s some sound advice: “Isip isip din pag may time.” Clearly, you do not. Think, that is. Practically everything you mentioned regarding the “virtue” of communism is either completely false or, at best, a misinterpretation of the facts.
I am assuming that you are referring in your post to “Communism” as defined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Contrary to popular belief, Marx and Engels did not invent “Communism” or “Socialism”. Socialism existed long before Marx; there were socialist thinkers and practitioners going back to the time of Plato. With Communism, Marx conceptualised his own “version” of Socialism and “collectivist thought.” These ideas formed the core of his Communist Manifesto. As such, Marxism and/or Communism is just one of the many types of Socialism.
Communists DID NOT invent the eight hour work day. Historically, the Welsh ENTREPRENEUR and INVENTOR Robert Owen was the first to propose a ten-hour work day in the 1810. He later shortened it to eight hours with the idea of dividing the day into three — eight hours for working, eight for recreation and another eight for rest. Owen was a social reformer and progressive who was genuinely concerned for the health and working conditions of his workers. Concepts which any capitalist knows are essential for a successful business. His management techniques and moral views would eventually become integrated as part of the kernel of modern socialist thought. They ARE NOT “communist” ideas as defined by Marx.
The first conscious practice of gender equality in the modern era may be traced to the Shakers, a celibate evangelical Protestant group founded in America in 1774. They practised a communal lifestyle that had no connection to Marxism or Communism.
The earliest forms of social welfare may be traced to the first Roman emperor, Augustus, who instituted the ‘congiaria’ or corn dole for citizens who could not afford to buy food. The Song dynasty government (c. 1000 A.D. in China) supported multiple programs which could be classified as social welfare, including the establishment of retirement homes, public clinics, and paupers’ graveyards. During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church operated a far-reaching and comprehensive welfare system for the poor.
In Europe, the English “Poor Law” of 1601, gave parishes the responsibility for providing welfare payments to the poor. In the US, the public welfare system in the 18th and 19th centuries was a local, not a federal, obligation, patterned on the English Poor Laws. These laws established the government’s responsibility to provide for those who could not care for themselves, but left the details about how to do it up to the local town or county officials. Clearly these efforts at social welfare antedate Karl Marx by nearly two millenia.
—
Over the past one hundred years NONE of the so-called Communist states you admire have followed Marxist doctrine. Case in point — “statelessness.” Marx postulated that Communism would eventually result in the “withering away of the state” — the social institution of a state will eventually become obsolete and disappear, as society will be able to govern itself without the state and its coercive enforcement of the law. Real world Communist regimes in the USSR and China formed monolithic, oppressive government institutions, and assumed ownership of ALL means of production — the exact opposite of Marx’s political agenda to abolish private property. And instead of restoring the idealised workers’ utopia, the Communist social engineering experiment resulted in the deaths of up to 100 million in the 20th century.
Jun — “Isip isip din pag may time.”
Huge post — all truthified.
Communism — at least the Marxist definition of the term — was neither the flaming hell as the Cold Warriors saw it, nor the post-capitalist utopia as the early-20th-century liberals saw it.
This requires much more than just thinking — a look through history is in order.
I am starting to think that pnoy aquino’s laziness is his best quality.
He chalks up faux pas, mistakes, failures etc at a rate of almost 1 per day.
If he actually did some work he would do even more damage.
We will NEVER get a good leader. There ARE people capable of leading our country out of the mess it’s in but the idiotic people we are, we will never listen to them. And even if somehow a good leader becomes president, some other guy will just cheat or bully their way to the top.
I don’t think impeachment or the like will do anything. Someone needs to start a revolution.
Whoa. Hold your horses.
Impeachment? Wait, what?
Failing to do his job well, while subject to our consternation and constant ululation, is hardly an impeachable offense.
Is anyone here conversant with Philippine law, especially pertaining to questions of impeachable offenses? I’m sure being incompetent while in office earns you a demerit in the historian’s Hall of Fame (if there be one, lol) — not something so drastic as an impeachment.
But perhaps you guys at GRP would like to amend the Constitution with this in mind? I don’t know myself — just a normal guy passing through.
impeeach everyone. sell this country now. so much with pinoy pride. the government and its people dont know what they are doing already! sell philippines!
There is no point in trying to remove PNoy from his post, when the next in line is arguably a lot worse.
Unless you really WANT the Binays to take over the country a few years early.
I have fun with, lead to I discovered just what I used to be having
a look for. You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt!
God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye