Mike Arroyo, Pres. Aquino is not your butler

Mike Arroyo's challenge to President Aquino to accompany them as GMA seeks treatment abroad is ridiculous. The former first couple must be reminded that they are no longer in power.

This corrupted sense of entitlement speaks volumes of how this couple treats high public office. How dare they view the office of the President as some sort of butler service they can avail of to attend to their personal needs. The President has infinitely more important things to attend to than act as 'alalay' to the Arroyos. Enough is enough. Their abusive and corrupted ways should be exposed and opposed.

We support the decision of the Department of Justice not to allow GMA to travel abroad, saying there were too many inconsistencies in the statements coming from the former president's camp.Perhaps the former first couple think that they are still in power, and that their whims would still be met unconditionally as they had been when they were in power.

Kalokohan ang hamon ni Mike Arroyo. Ano'ng akala niya sa Pangulo? Isang dakilang alalay o utusan nila na dapat samahan sila sa ibang bansa? Mas maraming mahahalagang bagay ang dapat na pagtuunan ng pansin ng ating Pangulo. Palibhasa matagal na nilang tinutulak ang kanilang makasarili at personal na interes nung sila ang nakaupo kaya pati ang Pangulo gusto nilang gamitin para itulak ang personal nilang mga interes. Tama na sila. Tapos na ang kanilang mapang-abuso't mapanlinlang na paghahari. Itigil na nila ang kalokohan.



Image Source: Ellen Tordesillas' blog

On PNoy mediating between Sec. Robredo and USEC Puno

Finally, the President has stepped in between DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo and DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno to iron out their differences. According to an interview with Sec. Robredo, he and USEC Puno met with the President on Sunday night. It was apparently a “very cordial and a very polite meeting.”

We welcome the swift action taken by the President to address the rift between the two. We hope this will be the last time the President will have to step in to mediate between warring personalities in the official family.

This should serve as a signal to all in the President’s team to focus on doing our work, setting aside our differences and uniting behind the President. We cannot hope to solve the serious problems of our country if we are unable to manage our differences by allowing it to get in the way of the work at hand.

My message to PNoy: Crack the whip; no more Mr. Nice Guy

There has been a lot of talk lately about factions within this administration. No matter how much we try to hide it, it is now time to face the issue--and face it squarely.

PNoy himself must crack the whip and tell all those surrounding him that given the serious problems facing the country, without unity there is no way his administration can succeed. I know he has it in him to do so, and now is the time to do it. No more Mr. Nice Guy.

My appeal to those who support PNoy is that we need to learn to work with one another even if we dislike each other. It's about time we acknowledge the existence of all these factions and recognize the need to end it. It will have to start from the top, and I know the President will deliver and act to ensure that all his men will finally march to the same drumbeat.

On PNoy's high trust rating

The high trust rating that PNoy got during the election is unprecedented, so it is no surprise that it carries over after the presidential polls. This political capital is very important in enforcing policies to alleviate poverty, generate jobs, lower prices, and curb corruption--even if the measures are unpopular. This high trust of the people was never enjoyed by past administrations, not even President Cory. But PNoy's men need to keep up and do their jobs well.

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Moving the country forward is a serious undertaking. It requires laser-like precision and focus. Our problems as a country are so serious that without unity we cannot succeed. Without unity we will fail to address corruption and poverty. Our country cries out for solutions, and for sacrifice to see these solutions through. We must all act towards achieving this regardless of the personal costs.