January 21, 2016
THROWBACK THURSDAY: CHRISTMAS WITH PNOY
THE year of the Bulong Pulungan, the Tuesday media forum in Hotel Sofitel, is never the same without its Christmas with the President of the Republic— for 2015, President Benigno S. Aquino III.
The Bulong Pulungan Christmas was held at the Hotel Sofitel on December 11, 2015, PNoy’s last Christmas with Bulong as President—barring unforeseen circumstances. And so questions for him from the Bulong core members were about scenarios after the May 2016 national elections. In a gist:
What he’s going to do the day after the elections
Day 1: Get up sometime in the late afternoon. Will not read any newspaper. Check out the neighborhood, especially the fastfood restaurants.
On other days: Walk on the beach of Boracay or Panglao Island in Bohol.
His next role
If called upon to help by whoever wins as President: “Why shouldn’t we?”
His lovelife
Like “everybody” else, he has plans to settle down: “Siguro when I have more time, now I will be able to go to St. Jude (church) a lot more often, it might help.”
Lesson he learned from his parents
To stay close, connected with his family, his siblings
If the Constitution allows, would he run for President again?
Mixed feelings. One side of him wants to continue what he has started; the other side does not want his loved ones and staff to go through the hardship.
What he would tell his successor
‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Listen and act on what the “bosses” want or need.
Response to critics who say his administration had underspent
First, he had to correct the system to ferret out corrupt practices before infrastructure projects could be implemented.
Which among the projects and accomplishments of his presidency that he is most proud of
Not really the specific projects, but overall, changing the attitude, the mindset of the people— that “we can solve problems, we can achieve so many things…”
If I have played a part in achieving that, I guess it’s my best legacy.”
His response to allegations that he dangled P1.5 billion worth of projects to lawmakers just so they pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)
“I never promised anything besides the appeal that in passage of the BBL, we do have a chance to change the narrative whereas not passing it continues the status quo.”
Things he wants the Filipinos to remember about his presidency
“They gave me an opportunity (to serve them) and I helped enable them to reach their potentials.”
Things he’d like to forget
The negativity from critics.
And now, for my turn. My question: After six years, what are the President’s thoughts on the following: People Power, Media, and who is Benigno Aquino III now?
People Power. “At the end of the day, I think you will notice a common trend in all of the speeches I have ever given whether here or abroad that I say: I had the courage to do what had to be done because I sincerely believed that the people were behind me. So I’d like to hope also that, in return, I have helped in empowering our people so that they are able to take more active control of their future, that they really have a stake in where this country is going, that they feel connected to the fortunes of this country.”
Media. “May I quote Professor Randy David who said, ‘The relationship between the government and media in modern society is almost always one of mutual irritation.’ And I really hope it’s not…”
Who is Benigno Aquino III now? “I’d like to think I’ve grown as a person … I tend to be a person who prepares for the worst but hopes for the best…A major difference would be I think I am a bit more optimistic now of what this country and our people can do and that we can do it really rather quicker than what was imagined. What I felt before was close to impossible, now more and more I am convinced it is just a matter of time to achieve all of these things that we have to do.”
BULONG PULUNGAN EXEMPLARS 2015
And Bulong Pulungan is not complete either without the year-ender awarding of the Bulong Pulungan Exemplars.
President Benigno Aquino receives his sixth Most Outstanding Exemplar Award from Deedee Siytangco, moderator. With them is Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Sonny Coloma.
Other awardees in Politics:
Regional Governor Mujiv Sabbihi Hataman, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo
Cristino ‘Bong’ Naguiat Jr., chairman of the board and chief executive officer, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)
Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima
Roberto ‘Bernie’ Vergara, president, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
Secretary Joel Villanueva, former head, Technical Education and Skills Authority (TESDA)
Outstanding exemplar awardees in the private sector:
Tessie Sy Coson, vice chairperson, SM Investments Corporation
Mina Gabor, former Tourism Secretary and founder, International School of Sustainable Tourism
Ed Manda, president, Philippine Bamboo Development Foundation
Wilson Tieng, president, Motion Picture Distributors Association of the Philippines (MPDAP), and chief executive officer and president, Solar Entertainment Corporation and KLG International.
Other awardees are: Senator Cynthia Villar, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, and Roberto Lim Joseph, chairman emeritus, National Association of Independent Travel and Tours.
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