AS SEEN ON TV
Backfires
President apparent Noynoy Aquino’s preference to take oath before a barangay official is causing more than a national stir. Oath-taking, no matter how insignificantly ceremonial (as against his other monumental tasks as president) must be done right. Protocol. In our nation of shortcuts, we have long deprived ourselves of such diplomatic niceties.
It’s not to say that Barangay captains cheapen the presidential oath-taking exercise. But as president, Aquino owes it to Filipinos to give the presidency some dignity by at least taking oath before the highest judicial office in the land, with emphasis on the office, and not necessarily the official. Aquino’s wanton dislike for Arroyo-appointed Chief Justice Renato Corona and his refusal to take oath under him only makes Noynoy appear “childish”.
Initially there were apprehensions that Noynoy’s impending snub of the office the the chief justice would also result in a constitutional crisis. That’s really a stretch.
I just think doing so would waste for Noynoy, an opportunity to be the bigger person and a chance to rise above petty. A true statesman is not born but made.
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Koala Bear made headlines after the much talked about automated elections. Leading a pack of losing candidates, Koala Bear raises doubts on the accuracy of the PCOS machine which it claims to have successfully manipulated to favor certain candidates.
While congress convening as National Board of Canvassers indulged Koala Bear’s spectacular claims casting doubts on the PCOS and the accuracy of the entire May 2010 automated polls, one thing comes to mind: why are we taking orders from this mascot of cheating?
A whistle blower masked with integrity needs no cute animal costume to prove his point.
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Anti smoking groups composed of the Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine College of Chest Physicians pose a challenge to Presidential Forerunner Noynoy Aquino to be the poster boy for anti smoking. The challenge comes in the heels of Noynoy’s chain smoking which came to light in the peak of campaign.
“We call on our newly-elected President to support the efforts of the Department of Health to protect our children from the onslaught of tobacco promotions and advertisements. The Health Department needs to provide our children with health information that will effectively compete with the sophisticated marketing strategies of the tobacco industry,” said Dr. Abundio Balgos, PCCP President.
The 2009 Global Adult Tobacco Survey by the World Health Organization warns about “replacement smokers” or a new generation getting hooked on smoking, as a result of aggressive tobacco advertising. The results showed seven out of ten Filipinos aged 15 years old and above noticed cigarette advertisements in stores, posters, leaflets and calendars. About three in every ten Filipinos surveyed said they noticed pro-cigarette promotions in the form of brand names and cigarette logos in clothes.
“Our young generation will continue to be the hapless victims of the tobacco industry’s conscious efforts to lure them to smoking. They continue to bombard the stores with promotional materials, cigarette brand signages that are most accessible to our young’s near schools, malls and other major point-of-sale establishments,” said Dr. Eugene Ramos, PCP President.
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Early in the campaign anti smoking groups have singled out Noynoy Aquino as anti-smoking poster boy among today’s politicians and celebrities. A chain smoker that he is, Aquino is urged to “do an Obama” by kicking a habit he has nurtured for years.
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) dared the president-elect to make a difference by upholding public health. This begins with showing the public that he can kick his nicotine habit.
