By Ducky Paredes
Ang Pahayagang Malaya
www.malaya.net.ph
I take it as a personal insult to all of us Filipinos that a do nothing, know-nothing like Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla has been flirting with the idea of running for vice president not of some neighborhood association but of this country that might have attained some greatness except for the fact that we have chosen our leaders very badly.
One of the reasons for this is that we never had a working party system. Our political parties are gangs built on personal pursuits rather than ideals of public service.
Recently, Bong came out with a "clarification" about rumors (started by himself in feeds to the movie press) that some unnamed and possibly deranged persons have asked him to consider running for vice president. The senator is obviously suffering from the KSP syndrome. This is when someone who feels self-important finds himself ignored. He is then "kulang sa pansin" and will do anything to be noticed.
But, there is obviously a plan. Else, why would his wife, the actress Lani Mercado (who was an "A" student at Miriam) make herself available to the media so that she can express her "apprehensions" about all this talk about her rocket scientist husband running for the closest position to being president. Please naman!
You both know that all of this talk is self-generated and that absolutely no one else is even thinking about this. In fact, my own read of the political situation is that actors are passé as politicians. The actor can win, however, when the one running against them is a known jueteng lord or some such scum bag. In that case (and only in that case) do these celluloid heroes come off as the lesser evil. Give the voters a real choice and the actor cannot win!
Lately, the senator has had a snapshot of him in the foreground and our country’s past presidents in the background. Subliminal but not subtle at all. There are also attempts to place him on the same footing as Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Gov. Vilma Santos, both movie greats, too, with the difference that Jinggoy finished his law studies and has done good work as mayor and as senator.
Of course, Senator Bong may be smarter than we think. Could it be that what he really wants is for enough of us to be so shocked at the thought of his becoming vice president that someone rich will try to buy him out of the idea? After all, his political career seems headed for a great, big fall. What is his future as a politician? One doubts that he can get back to local politics in Cavite; and would you vote for him for national office, even as congressman?
Of course, it is too early to speculate on what can happen in the 2010 elections but, perhaps, Senator Bong should first try to do something with his present job. As senator, there is a lot of good that he can do for the country if he would only attend to the job at hand. Of course, he has to stop and think about what it is that he will do. Still, doing that may be time better spent than dreaming of being vice president, a job for which (God forbid!) he just does not qualify
Before focusing on dreaming about a position that involves solving the problems of the entire country, it may be a good idea for Senator Bong to concentrate on putting his domestic and family affairs in order.
First, his minor son Jolo gets Rosanna Roces’ minor daughter Grace pregnant; then, his own daughter Inah likewise becomes an underaged mother. Then comes talk that Jolo used to physically abuse Grace even while she was pregnant, giving the public the impression that being heavy-handed runs in the Revilla family. After all, it is now sister Princess making headlines, after she allegedly beat her maid up and this is not the first time that Princess has been in the news for this kind of treatment of her household help.
Politics can wait, Senator Bong. Get your house in order first. Obviously, your immediate family needs your attention.
As Confucius says: "To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right."
Ang Pahayagang Malaya
www.malaya.net.ph
I take it as a personal insult to all of us Filipinos that a do nothing, know-nothing like Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla has been flirting with the idea of running for vice president not of some neighborhood association but of this country that might have attained some greatness except for the fact that we have chosen our leaders very badly.
One of the reasons for this is that we never had a working party system. Our political parties are gangs built on personal pursuits rather than ideals of public service.
Recently, Bong came out with a "clarification" about rumors (started by himself in feeds to the movie press) that some unnamed and possibly deranged persons have asked him to consider running for vice president. The senator is obviously suffering from the KSP syndrome. This is when someone who feels self-important finds himself ignored. He is then "kulang sa pansin" and will do anything to be noticed.
But, there is obviously a plan. Else, why would his wife, the actress Lani Mercado (who was an "A" student at Miriam) make herself available to the media so that she can express her "apprehensions" about all this talk about her rocket scientist husband running for the closest position to being president. Please naman!
You both know that all of this talk is self-generated and that absolutely no one else is even thinking about this. In fact, my own read of the political situation is that actors are passé as politicians. The actor can win, however, when the one running against them is a known jueteng lord or some such scum bag. In that case (and only in that case) do these celluloid heroes come off as the lesser evil. Give the voters a real choice and the actor cannot win!
Lately, the senator has had a snapshot of him in the foreground and our country’s past presidents in the background. Subliminal but not subtle at all. There are also attempts to place him on the same footing as Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Gov. Vilma Santos, both movie greats, too, with the difference that Jinggoy finished his law studies and has done good work as mayor and as senator.
Of course, Senator Bong may be smarter than we think. Could it be that what he really wants is for enough of us to be so shocked at the thought of his becoming vice president that someone rich will try to buy him out of the idea? After all, his political career seems headed for a great, big fall. What is his future as a politician? One doubts that he can get back to local politics in Cavite; and would you vote for him for national office, even as congressman?
Of course, it is too early to speculate on what can happen in the 2010 elections but, perhaps, Senator Bong should first try to do something with his present job. As senator, there is a lot of good that he can do for the country if he would only attend to the job at hand. Of course, he has to stop and think about what it is that he will do. Still, doing that may be time better spent than dreaming of being vice president, a job for which (God forbid!) he just does not qualify
Before focusing on dreaming about a position that involves solving the problems of the entire country, it may be a good idea for Senator Bong to concentrate on putting his domestic and family affairs in order.
First, his minor son Jolo gets Rosanna Roces’ minor daughter Grace pregnant; then, his own daughter Inah likewise becomes an underaged mother. Then comes talk that Jolo used to physically abuse Grace even while she was pregnant, giving the public the impression that being heavy-handed runs in the Revilla family. After all, it is now sister Princess making headlines, after she allegedly beat her maid up and this is not the first time that Princess has been in the news for this kind of treatment of her household help.
Politics can wait, Senator Bong. Get your house in order first. Obviously, your immediate family needs your attention.
As Confucius says: "To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right."
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