Skip to main content

The real qualification

By



THE FUROR over the Supreme Court decision that declared Mary Grace Natividad Poe-Llamanzares eligible to run for the country’s highest post has not died down. And it may not until after the elections; and should Ms. Llamanzares win, it may live on until either her term ends or in her impeachment.

But the real question that should now be answered is whether Ms. Llamanzares is really qualified to become President. The High Tribunal simply paved the way for her to become a candidate. Whether she would win the highest post in the country would depend on the electorate.

It should be noted however, that should she win, this would be the first time a former American citizen will become the President of the country. Though she may not really have any allegiance to the United States of America, this fact would still leave a bad taste in the mouth.

Her claim that she is running as an independent has also become very questionable. Several big business people are backing her candidacy, including the Nationalist Peoples Coalition chairperson Eduardo C. Cojuangco. This fact alone belies her claim of running as an independent. As such, her other claim of not being beholden to anyone should she win is either an outright lie or simple naiveté.

Ms. Llamanzares’ often states that she will continue what her father started. Her adoptive father, Fernando Poe Jr., however had not held any public office much less elected into any office, save for his failed bid for the presidency in 2004. FPJ had helped a lot of people; but he did in his private capacity. And his 2004 presidential bid was seen by most as an attempt to help his incarcerated best friend then, former President Joseph E. Estrada.

For all it’s worth, Ms. Llamanzares may prove to be better than what she had already shown when she becomes President. She may end up proving her doubters wrong. And she may even continue the progress made by the current dispensation.

Or she may end up like Corazon C. Aquino—grossly unprepared and woefully inexperienced. Though Ms. Llamanzares will never have the same sincerity Ms. Aquino had exuded and practiced, she may end up just like her, leaning mostly on advisers, friends, political supporters and hangers-on to decide what is best for the Philippines.


And should that happen, it would become the longest six years since 1986.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By
By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become...
14 comments
Read more

2020 Laoag City Traffic Code

By
  Republic of the Philippines Province of Ilocos Norte CITY OF LAOAG   SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD   EXCERPT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE 58 TH REGULAR SESSION OF THE 11 TH SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF LAOAG HELD AT THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD SESSION HALL, LAOAG CITY ON OCTOBER 14, 2020. PRESENT: 1.        Hon. Vicentito M. Lazo                                                 City Vice-Mayor/Presiding Officer Hon. Juan Conrado A. Respicio II                                              S.P....
44 comments
Read more

Marcos town celebrates 3rd Pinakbet Festival

By
MARCOS, Ilocos Norte—Taking pride of this town ’s favorite Ilo cano dish, locally known as pinakbet, a mix of indigenous vegetables steamed in fish sauce, residents here ushered the opening of the third Pinakbet festival. “Pinakbet” came from the contracted Ilokano word ‘pinakebbet ’ which means “ shrunk ” or “shriveled.” As a way of thanksgiving, the Pinakbet festival is a repository of the town ’ s “ani” [harvest] festival being celebrated every month of March but this was later moved to December to accommodate more balikbayans wanting to join the festivity. Residents in this agricultural town derived most of their income from the harvest of high value crops, including rice, tobacco and corn as staple crops. This year, the week-long festivity highlighted a grand parade around the town plaza and a pinakbet cook fest at the municipal gymnasium to showcase the best pinakbet in town. A boodle fight followed suit. Earlier, a fun run was participated by various groups ...
5 comments
Read more