I don’t know about you, but I sure am going to miss President Noynoy Aquino when he steps down from office. I guess I’ll have to look outside of Malacañang Palace for amusement after he’s gone.
The Daily Guardian of Iloilo reported a strange incident that took place during Aquino’s visit to that province the other day to inaugurate some new classrooms and to attend the proclamation of his anointed successor, former Secretary Mar Roxas. I am quoting from the local newspaper directly, which published the story under the byline of Louine Hope Conserva:
“A lowly stairway stole the thunder from President Benigno Aquino III’s official visit-cum-political sortie in Iloilo, Feb. 9, 2016. [Note: I disagree with this lead sentence, but I’ll let it pass. —JR]
“During the turnover of new classrooms at Pavia National High School in Pavia town, President Aquino could not help but notice the stairway which he referred to as ‘parang hagdanan sa kanto (like a corner stairway).’
“The stairway was actually a series of steel bars jutting out of the corner of the new school building.
“‘Me and Senator Franklin Drilon have been talking about it earlier. I do not know if it is an engineering problem or architectural design. Baka palaisipan. Baka kailangan na magkaroon ng tamang purpose yan [It might be a riddle. It might need some purpose],’ he said.
“The President referred the matter to Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro to address the concern.
“President Aquino was later told that the ladder was a fire escape.
“‘Syempre kapag fire escape dapat may pinanggalingan ka. Syempre babasagin natin yung salamin. But Brother Armin already saw it. Aayusin natin yan at gagawing totohanan ang fire escape [If it’s a fire escape, it must begin from somewhere. We must break the [window] glass. We will fix that and make a real fire escape],’ he added.”
Just to be certain that this unusual speech was actually delivered, I had a reporter call up the recording of Aquino’s actual speech at the Pavia National High School. Conserva’s story was a faithful account of what Aquino said, I learned, after listening to the tape.
To its credit, the usually reliable Malacañang press office posted a video of the speech—but did not upload a transcript, as it usually does. I can’t blame the Palace propagandists, of course, for the omission.
How would it look if “the best president this country ever had” could not even identify a fire escape and divine its purpose? It’s a good thing no fire broke out during Aquino’s visit, or he would not have known where to run.
I wish I were making this all up, as people of the Yellow persuasion routinely say when their idol is criticized. But you simply can’t invent stuff as good as this.
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Back in Metro Manila, the Metro Manila Development Authority has announced that the section of Katipunan Avenue (also known as White Plains Avenue) from the corner to Temple Drive to Edsa will be “fully closed” from Feb. 14 to Feb. 29 “to give way to the construction, set up, operation and dismantling of the Edsa Experiential Museum.” And here I was thinking that my daily commute on the metropolis’ choked-up main thoroughfare is enough of an experience.
The folks over at the Edsa People Power Revolution Commission dreamed up this bright idea to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1986 uprising. They even came up with a very thinly disguised theme for this year that echoes that of Malacañang’s candidate in the May elections “Pagbabago: Ipinaglaban N’yo, Itutuloy Ko!”
According to the organizers, this year’s festivities will focus on “introducing the youth to the martial law years and the people power experience.” And the highlight is the nine-hall “experiential museum” that will be set up along White Plains Avenue.
One hall will be devoted to “images of those tortured during martial law, [while] another will show images from the people power revolution. The last hall will show President Benigno Aquino III via hologram asking the youth to continue the fight against corruption.”
People can visit the fun-filled (for the Yellows, anyway) museum for free on Feb. 25 and 26. Apparently, the two-week closure of the important road for an event that will take place for only two days will be used to put up and then dismantle the museum.
I think I speak for the hundreds of thousands of people who use Edsa every day and who will suffer from having this vital road (where thousands of vehicles pass on their way to Quezon City, Marikina and other points east of Metro Manila) when I say that the people who dreamed up this whole event should be lined up and shot. These are the same bright people, after all, who closed Edsa last year and forgot to declare a public holiday.
There is really no need to remind us of tortures past. We already get that every day, on Edsa and almost every other place where this Yellow government rules.