| Fake Presidential Jerk By Antonio C. Abaya February 25, 2004 Has FPJ�s bubble burst? It is beginning to look that way, even though one must caution that the May 10 elections are still more than 70 days away and anything can still happen to dampen the most sanguine predictions about the outcome. In an unusual twin-survey conducted nationwide among 1,800 respondents, first from Jan. 23 to Feb. 8, then from Feb 16 to Feb 20, Pulse Asia has concluded that President Arroyo has caught up with early-favorite Fernando Poe Jr., and has even overtaken his lead, by a statistically insignificant 0.2 %. The most significant trend in these and earlier surveys has been the gradual decline in the support for FPJ in successive surveys done by different organizations. He was lording it over the others last November with a stratospheric support level of 45%, even before he and the others had been declared official candidates of their respective parties. This declined to 36% in December when official candidacies were declared. In the January half of the Pulse Asia twin-survey, this dropped even further to 34.6%, and then to 31.7% in the February half. On the other hand, President Arroyo, who was languishing in fourth place last November (after FPJ, Noli de Castro, and Raul Roco) was able to bounce up to second place in December, after convincing the popular De Castro to drop out of the presidential race and instead to team up with her as her VP. In the January half of the Pulse Asia twin-survey, GMA was still in second place with 33.4% versus FPJ�s 34.6%; but in the February half, she finally overtook him, if only ever so slightly, 31.9% to 31.7%.. So what happened between Feb. 8 and 16 to cause FPJ�s bubble, if not to burst, at least to deflate? I do not think it was caused by the controversy over his citizenship. If anything, this would have given him an added sympathy bonus for being an underdog being bullied by the merciless elite, a role he is said to have played to a hilt in his movies. It is more likely that FPJ has lost votes with the D masa-class, the underclass that has more discernment than the more down-and-out E underclass because they hold regular minimum-wage jobs and have access to more information, through radio, television and text messages, than the walang-wala E underclass. And the information the D masa-class may have been getting is that FPJ does not want to discuss what he plans to do if he becomes president, does not want to join in any public debate over programs of government, does not want to mumble more than three motherhood sentences on how he plans to improve the economy, and does not seem to know much about anything at all. His performance in Max Soliven�s Impact TV program last Feb. 27 was as pathetic, lifeless, soporific, pedestrian and boring as his host�s and showed that neither he nor Max has what it takes to run or even understand this country. For many, like myself, this was their first time to see and hear FPJ speak or mumble for longer than three minutes. It has confirmed our worst fears: FPJ is an unmitigated disaster, even unto himself. And everlasting shame on Edgardo Angara, senator of the Republic and former president of the University of the Philippines, for trying to palm off this quivering mass of inarticulate Jello as the savior of this benighted land. FPJ is a walking embossed invitation to, and justification for, a coup d�etat. Without half trying, he has surpassed his �pare Erap as the best argument against liberal democracy, Philippine-style. I do not have the statistics at hand, but my gut feel is that many of the D masa-class were originally for FPJ and were part of his 45% constituency in November, but have since been disillusioned by his no-talk, mumble-mumble minimalist style of campaigning. Abraham Lincoln no doubt had people like FPJ in mind when he said those famous lines, that �You can fool some of the people (such as the E underclass) all the time. You can fool some of the people (in the D masa-class) some of the time. But you cannot fool all the people all the time.� For many in the D masa-class, FPJ may have acquired a new meaning: Fake Presidential Jerk. (The recently released results of the SWS survey conducted Jan. 28 to Feb. 6, and admittedly commissioned by the Poe camp, had FPJ with 37.5%, PGMA 28.7%, Roco 17.4%, Lacson 8.4% and Brother Eddie 1.7%. In the Jan. 23-Feb. 8 half of the Pulse Asia twin-survey, the rankings were exactly the same but the numbers were, not surprisingly, different, though not wildly so: FPJ 34.6%, PGMA 33,4%, Roco 19.1%, Lacson 8.3% and Brother Eddie 1.2%. SWS released no results for February.) If my reading is correct, FPJ stands to lose more points in the coming months when live public debates on TV are scheduled for presidential and vice-presidential candidates, whether or not the Supreme Court decides he is a natural-born Filipino. The Comelec and the Catholic Church�s Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting are jointly sponsoring such a debate in mid-April. Another group is scheduling another debate in early March. Candidate Raul Roco wants to have those debates even more often. And he is right. This is the best ad-hoc democratic way to correct our political culture�s bias in favor of intellectually-challenged showbiz celebrities who venture into politics. According to the February half of the Pulse Asia�s twin survey, President Arroyo commands 33.3% of the ABC class, compared to FPJ�s 22.5%. Among the D class, GMA won 32.9%, FPJ 29.9%. Among the E underclass, GMA got only 28.7%, compared to FPJ�s commanding 39.3%. The shares of the other candidates were not given. If FPJ were to snub the coming debates, as he has other speaking invitations in the past, on the grounds that he is sick or has another appointment someplace else or has suddenly developed laryngitis, no one is going to believe him, and his share of the ABC and D votes will likely drop substantially, perhaps enough to cripple his presidential campaign beyond repair, even if the gibbering, star-struck E underclass continue to squeal and swoon over his soiled underwear. If FPJ is having sleepless nights as he weighs the humiliation (and probable electoral defeat) that he would suffer if he were to fumble and stumble on live TV as he debates with others on subjects he knows nothing about, against the humiliation (and probable electoral defeat) that he would suffer if he were to be a conspicuous no-show at those debates, then he might decide that the only way to salvage his self-respect and macho self-image would be to withdraw from the presidential race. Now. ***** The bulk of this article appears in the March 06, 2004 issue of the Philippines Free Press magazine. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Fake Presidential Jerk� Including recent reactions to past articles and unrelated opinions sent by viewers. Maybe its discernment but having been a Filipino for a long time I suspect that the disqualifications moves thus far might have contributed to FPJ's deflation. The masa is inclined to think, why waste votes. Still I hope the jerk is disqualified. I have read the arguments of both sides and the law must be the law, otherwise there is no law. Ross Tipon, [email protected] February 29, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww RIGHT ON!!!!!!!! :) Cecile S. Abis, [email protected] February 29, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Bravissimo, Tocayo!!! Gosh this should be included in THAT book I told you to publish for all youngsters (high school to post grad Filipinos) for the reference on WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY. And I pray that FPJ continus to shoot himself in the foot, and eventually self-destruct...all by his own efforts. Thanks for columnists like you, and with leadership qualities too. I am all in favor of the debate - walang coaching,. Have it televised by global TV networks to see the real FPJ...walang script, walang take two. Best to you and Marica. Abrazos too. a proud and happy Atenean and everlasting friend, Tony Joaquin, [email protected] February 29, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Through the pldt egroup) Tony, You were right about that Max Soliven. Medyo masyadong obvious yata. I think it will be better if he does not appear on the debates. His absence will only confirm to the people what they already suspect. That he is merely a dummy of those who stand in the shadow of the Marcos empire. By the way, anyone know exactly when Manny pangilinan jets off back to HK to where the Salims sent him? A despedida would have been in order at the Ombudsman. Doesn't he need to get special permission to leave the country with that case of bribery hanging over his head? Is he that malakas or has the Ombudsman completely forgotten this case? Hmmm.... Gerry Kaimo, [email protected] February 29, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya: FPJ's performance in Max Soliven's Impact 2004 program was simply dead. It is just too exhausting to go further on his idiocy. Perhaps the logical answer as to why the masa can't achieve intellectual refinement is because they're being abused by plutocrats in the tri-media. As a business enterprise, it seems the consciousness is always at the extremity on how the coffers would be fattened and not on their corporate social responsibilities. The deluge of chino-novelas and reality program shows in our primetime television has so exacerbated the ability of the masa to think critically. There's a gleaming falsity in the assertion of television giants GMA 7 and ABS-CBN that it is the consumers who dictate what kind of programs must these two networks put on air. This was the illogical reason behind the craze over the Chinese-made telenovelas that continue to control their primetime airwaves. For the executives of these TV giants, face value seems matter a lot. Actors in the telenovelas - the chinitos and the chinitas become the commodity for both consumers and advertisers - an icon for devotion. Indeed, the appearance takes center stage, never mind if the 'commodity' doesn't have talent; never mind if Vaness Wu or Barbie Xu do not sing, dance and act well. The phenomenal success of these Chinese telenovelas has gone far indeed and ABS-CBN and GMA 7 have both indeed successfully fortified this existing culture of "seeing" s. Another craze that toes the line of this culture is the recent production of GMA Network titled Starstruck, supposed to be patterned after the famous American Idol which searches for young talents who have the potentials of becoming celebrity stars. It was short of appalling reaction to have seen the finalists strutting off their supposed 'talents' in groovy music. What do these Starstruck finalists have other than their faces; their spruced-up packaging which are some, patterned after the famed F4 group? And yet, without much respect for the canons of the aesthetics of dance and music, they became finalists, instant celebrities, and are lionized here and there. "The tri-media productions overwhelm the social mind, influence the social taste and determine cultural direction," says poet Cirilo Bautista. And because it is an instant hit to the public, it is tempting for advertisers to invest their millions in this kind of culture that is not ready for the refinement of national intellect. Here comes the corporate social responsibility of media, including the advertising world. Media has always been regarded as a powerful tool in making or breaking the public's acceptance in any issue confronting the 21st century. In the Philippines, sad to say, corporate self-interest often prevails over moral dictates. "If media companies are to remain credible in the 21st century, they must increasingly look at their own corporate social responsibilities," says United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) Assistant Executive Director Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel. The kind of competition we see between GMA 7 and ABS-CBN makes us even more third world. Unwittingly, they make our political system horrible in the eyes of the community of nations. Best regards, ANGEL ALEGRE, [email protected] March 01, 2004 MY REPLY. I agree with you that media, especially television and the movies, have dictated our social tastes, cultural values and political discourse. And under the rubric of liberal democracy, there is no way to change this anomaly, since our commitment to �absolute freedom of the press� would defeat any effort to correct this anomaly by any reformist leader. Only a revolutionary leader would be capable of breaking the stranglehold of media corporations on our national soul. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Reli German says he attended an Ateneo alumni reunion recently and was greeted by his classmates, shouting "FPJ! FPJ!" He was shocked because all of them, led by Tony Lopa, were for FPJ. So he left in a huff. For your info. Aida Sevilla Mendoza, [email protected] Philippine Daily Inquirer March 01, 2004 MY REPLY. Perhaps his Ateneo classmates were just ribbing Reli, knowing that Reli was the creator of Erap, the Fake Presidential Jerk in 1998. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww >I rather vote for bro. eddie villanueva than to vote fpj. I'm not J.I.L. >member, i am a roman catholic. he knows the problem like the rest but he >knows where to start. i watch him on dong puno's live, and i like the way >he answers the questions. i think its true when u dont owe anything from >any politicians or any big groups who have personal interest lahat puedeng >sagasaan dahil wala kang utang na loob na dapat bayaran. and i know that he >can seperate the church from government. Before i dont like him because i >never listen to him yet, i judge him by glance only. that night only when i > watched the dong puno's live activist pala siya dati. mas may sense pa >siya kaysa kay ping lacson na puro kamay na bakal ang binibitiwan. ni hindi >niya kayang pigilin ang drugs especially sa lugar niya in cavite. siguro >ganoon talaga when you belong to a religious group tingin sa iyo >opportunist at baliw. pero if you belong to a politician at corrupt pero >magaling sa mambola at sikat tingin sa iyo matino. if brother eddie >villanueva will win i will support on his project alam kong may >patutunguhan ang pera na maitutulong namin, na walang nanakawin o >kukupitin. we have seven million ocw if one of us will contribute one >dollar a month voluntarily, take note a month pero palagay ko hindi masakit >sa bulsa sa bawat isa, what do you think sir di ba malaking tulong. but all >this will thru the church of muslim/catholic/protestant born again or any >religious group, tiyak walang nakawan gagamitin yon para bumili ng >fertilizer/pakain sa mga kahayupan tulad ng manok at baboy na walang tubo >para bumaba ang bilihin ng karne. gamitin sa pagpaparami ng binhi ng isda >sa karagatan para doon isaboy sa dagat ng libre. if you ask why bro. ernie > parang siya lang ang puede kong pagkatiwalaan pagdating sa pera. i think >people need time to listen to him. makinig muna. Noong una ayaw na ayaw ko >sa kanya dahil i understimated him. i judge him without listening yet. and >i like his stand on familing planning. i like the terms he used family >management program. tama siya nakakahiya na ang pilipinas sinasabi nating >matalino tayo pero ano isang step na lang ang angat natin sa bangladesh na >classmate natin sa kahirapan. dalawa ang choice ko gma or bro. eddie >villanueva. but i never gamble to fpj to run my country. i respect him as a >man / except in politics./ Alexander Carranceja, [email protected] March 01, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww My name is Dr. Nestor P. Baylan and I am from New York. I really enjoy reading your political views. Please keep writing and I will keep reading. Dr. Nestor P. Baylan, [email protected] March 01, 2004 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Challenge to Sen. Panfilo Lacson I visited your web http://www.tapatt.org Your mission statement is very interesting. Would you be interested and open minded in this challenge I made, please do email me. REGOR AGUILAR, [email protected] March 03, 2004 Several days ago, I sent a message like one below, challenging Senator Panfilo Lacson regarding wire-tapping and murders. The message was also sent to several Senators, Representatives on Congress, Law Enforcement Agencies, Print and Broadcast Media. Lacson's Spokesperson and Political Adviser Lito Banayo said in Philippine Star and Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday (Feb. 02, 2004) that this is a demolition job mounted by Arroyo Administration to coach the undersigned to come up with an affidavit implicating Senator Lacson in the Dacer-Corbito Case. Perhaps Mr. Banayo doesn't understand the content of the letter that I made. Senator Lacson speaks up about good governance, leadership and law and order to the citizenry of the Republic, yet you tell lies on me that I am even under the custody of National Bureau of Investigation and concocted stories because I was paid on huge amount. I don't work for anybody Senator Lacson, just pay attention on the issues for I have sent proof to prove my claims on several journalist. I am also challenging the media that has been portrayed as people who delivers the news without fear or favor, for truth and justice so the people may know. Once again I would like to CHALLENGE YOU-Senator Lacson on your statements, that several years ago, you and your men were never involved in wire tapping activities and murder cases, or you and your Political Adviser doesn't know how to read emails. REGOR AGUILAR San Francisco, California, USA [email protected] 1 (415) 244-8194 THE MESSAGE WHICH WAS SENT LAST WEEK Sometime in September of 1998, a Case Operation plan dubbed as OMEGA was launched by Chief, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) for the soul purpose of electronic surveillance and wire tapping on President and his friends, mistresses, Government Officials, members of Opposition, journalists and known personalities in Business Industry. I am a member of Special Operations Team (SPECOPS) who was involved in several illegitimate operations the Task Force had. On year 2000, upon purchase of GA-900, the sophisticated equipment was used on several personalities and SPECOPS and was even used at the height of impeachment trial. The Coplan was terminated before the Estrada Presidency was toppled in 2001. Hereunder are list of personalities, which was assigned on me. Joseph Estrada - Opn Div Charlie Ang � Opn Div Laarni Enriquez � Opn Div Chavit Singson � Opn Div Serafin Cuevas � SAMS Renato Corona � Opn Div Orlando Mercado � SAMS Ronaldo Zamora � SAMS Angelo Castro Jr. � Opn Div Ronaldo Puno � Opn Div Alice Reyes - Opn Div Gloria Arroyo � TSD Perfecto Yasay � SAMS Edgardo Angara � Opn Div Wigberto Tanada � SAMS William Gatchalian � SAMS Luzviminda Puno - Opn Div Nelson Tan � Opn Div Reynaldo Maclang � Opn Div Aniano Disierto �SAMS Artemio Panganiban � SAMS Peter Favilla � SAMS Hilario Davide � SAMS Liwayway Vinzons Chato � SAMS Santiago Kapunan � SAMS Jejomar Binay � Opn Div Tan � San Miguel Corp - SAMS Jaime Dichaves � Opn Div Chuckie Arellano � Opn Div Willie Ocier � Opn Div Ruben Almadro � SAMS Zeng Jia Xuan � Opn Div Shanghai Chua � Opn Div Romeo Capulong � SAMS Shiela Coronel � Opn Div Leandro Mendoza � Opn Div/PNP-IG TSO/TG Luzon Roberto Lastimoso � SAMS/Opn Div/TG Luzon Vic Tirol � SAMS Federico Garcia � TG Luzon Ricardo Dapat-TG Luzon/Opn Div/PNP-IG TSO Wong Kam Chong � TG Luzon/Nargrp Rex Piad � Opn Div/TG Luzon/PNP-IG TSO Inday Varona � SAMS Salvador Dacer � Opn Div/TG Luzon Hangzen Quiao � TG Luzon/Nargrp Eduardo Matillano � Opn Div/TG Luzon/PNP-IG TSO Malou Mangahas � Opn Div Edgar Bentain � Opn Div/TG Luzon Kiko Villaroman � Opn Div Marissa Bondoc � SAMS Chong Hiu Ming � TG Luzon/Nargrp Zeng Kang Pang � TG Luzon James Wong � TG Luzon/Nargrp Peter Lim � TG Visayas Alfred Lim � TG Visayas Ramon Revilla Jr. � TG Visayas/SAMS Reynado Berroya � Opn Div/TSD/TG Luzon Eugenio Lopez - Opn Div Daniel Cruz Jr. � Opn Div Christine Avendano � SAMS Margaux Ortiz � SAMS Leila Salverria � SAMS Marichu Villanueva - SAMS Reynor Gonzales � TSD Nancy Carvajal � SAMS Vic Padilla � TSD Mike Defensor � SAMS Mary Ong � Opn Div Shiela Paras � SAMS Ellen Ongkeko � Opn Div Augusto Lopez �Opn Div Dante Tan �SAMS Robert Barbers � SAMS Loren Legarda � SAMS Clarissa Ocampo � SAMS Joker Arroyo - SAMS Flanklin Drilon �SAMS Yolanda Ricaforte � SAMS Linda Montayre � SAMS Sergio Apostol � SAMS Jose Yulo � SAMS Hernando Perez � SAMS I would send evidences to support my claims and point at all people who undertook and take part on the whole Coplan. I also would like to challenge the statement of Senator Panfilo Lacson, that several years ago he and his men in any way, were never involved in wire tapping activities and murder cases which resulted to deaths of Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. REGOR AGUILAR San Francisco, California USA [email protected] (415) 244-8194 Opn Div � Operations Division, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force TG Luzon � Task Group Luzon, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force TG Visayas � Task Group Visayas, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force TSD � Technical Service Division, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force PNP-IG TSO � PNP, Intelligence Group-Technical Services Office NARGRP � Narcotics Group, Philippine National Police SAMS � Security, Assignment and Monitoring Services MY REPLY. We are asking Lito Banayo to give the reply of Senator Lacson. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww On �Economic or Political Freedom� Dear Tony, Washinton Sycip has made mention of the few countries that have developed under dictatorships but has conveniently omitted the more numerous other nations that have been ravaged by vicious dictatorships. Strangely, he has acknowledged that our country has been driven to the ground by the Marcos dictatorship but continues to suggest that maybe we should have another go at it. Washington Sycip also does not seem to have heard of Michael Porter and Amartya Sen. Both notable economists have shown through years of research and study that the economies of democracies are more prosperous than dictatorships. Our very own experience also proves this. We are certainly more prosperous now than during Marcos' time. Why, aren't we? Regards, Gico Dayanghirang, [email protected] March 05, 2004 ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo |
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