Benigno Aquino III

Noynoy has a platform. In fact he had it up before December 2009. Sadly for him, it won't silence the critics. Just like Richard Gordon's platform, this one is long on vision and short on solution. I'm tempted to cut and paste bits of the previous Dick Gordon post. The observations are about the same.

There is a difference though. Noynoy attempts to get at the root of the problems instead of just recognizing inadequacies. Look at health care:

Noynoy: From treating health as just another area for political patronage to recognizing the advancement and protection of public health, which includes responsible parenthood, as key measures of good governance.


Dick: we must provide adequate access to HEALTH CARE for all our people, especially the needy


Check that one out. Senator Aquino thinks politics is a reason for the poor state of health care. Senator Gordon is merely telling us health care is poor. I'm surprised. No actually I'm a bit shocked. It seems Senator Aquino is making some effort to actually create solutions. By identifying the cause he now has a target. I did not expect it from him. And if he didn't write his platform, at least he got someone who is trying to think.
 
Still, an A for effort will hardly cut it given our immense problems.And stopping without offering concrete plans hardly merits an A.
 
And what of capability and character? Honestly, I can't pin anything on him except for the old Kamaganak, Inc. accusations that emerged during his mother's administration and the Hacienda Luisita situation. While the accusations sound grave, I've always wondered why it's taking everyone so long to resolve it. If the critics have any solid evidence against the clan then let them present it in the proper forum. Its been decades already and these two issues conveniently crop up during elections. Once those are over, the issues conveniently vanish without resolution. It's my impression that many of these critics actually profit from their periodic silence. How convenient....

As it is I'm getting weary of all this anonymous mudslinging via text or internet. Like the boy who cried wolf, these agents will likely find the public disbelieving their claims, true or not. Who will suffer then? I bet it's not the text brigades.

Usually you start getting black propaganda when you earn the ire of rivals. That occurs when you do something they don't like. If you don't do anything, they won't react. In this case, Sen. Aquino attracts attacks because of sheer popularity. You can check the bills filed during his tenure. He's not exactly a paragon of hard work. Nothing there to earn the enemy's ire.
 
So this is what the LP selling: an upstanding guy with a spotty plan and indeterminate ability. It's apparent why no one stands out among the aspirants. They are all lacking in one way or another.