Submitted by Vox Bikol on
President Noynoy Aquino is almost halfway through his 6-year term. But despite all his rhetoric during his third SONA on July 23, he is beginning to appear like a lame duck president.
Yes, it's the 2013 elections that everyone's looking forward to now, in preparation for 2016.
Life for most Filipinos has been the same anyway even with PNoy in Malacañan Palace since he took office in 2010. Take for example Quirino highway, which is our major road link to and from Manila. Its sorry state compared to SLEX or NLEX or SCTEX is res ipsa loquitur (the thing speaks for itself) of the utter neglect of Bikol under PNoy.
And on a national scale, even the Liberal Party, supposedly the Administration party cannot even stand on its own. LP has been seeking a coalition with the other major political parties like the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) and the Nacionalista Party (NP).
That LP is doing so right under the nose of PNoy—not a word from him as head, betrays his weak leadership and dwindling influence or political capital. Remember that NPC is led by Danding Cojuangco, estranged cousin of the late President Cory Aquino. And PNoy ran against NPC's standard bearer and GMA protégé Gibo Teodoro—a cousin, too.
NP's candidate then was Senator Manny Villar who was derisively known during the campaign as "Villaroyo."
But then again, PNoy was pounding in his SONA to never "forgive and forget.”
Indeed, that his own party, the LP is searching for electoral allies despite such battle cry, shows that PNoy is sadly just standing up there for decoration. Face it. In Philippine politics, if you can't be sure of winning even with all-out support from the President, then you've got one huge problem on the ground.
Contrast this during Cory's time. There was the "Cory Magic" that easily swept most Administration candidates to electoral victories, especially for the Senate.
Sadly, what we have now is "noynoying." No wonder the LP, in trapo-like manner, has been seeking out support from other parties.
It's not too late though. All that PNoy needs to do is focus on a real vision for the country, rein in his party, and get over with his vengeful approach. That his own people bungled the cases against the last Administration where it matters most, that is, the courts, should be a wake-up call for a total revamp.
PNoy cannot rest on the impeachment of Chief Justice Corona because that was more political than an honest to goodness proceeding that generally obtains in a court of law.
See, even the Ombudsman's rush to get a new warrant of arrest for former President GMA has been soundly rejected by the Sandiganbayan.
Verily, the tide has changed. And if PNoy will not shake off his "noynoying,” I bet GMA might well be his successor come 2016.
"Houston, we have a problem.” It’s a lame duck PNoy.