I WOULD like to propose a debate between Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio and Manny Pacquiao on all issues: ranging from the economy to issues regarding overseas Filipino workers, etc.
And then they could talk to the people of General Santos City about their own platforms.
To run for office without direction “ay parang manok na pinugutan ng ulo (is like being a decapitated chicken).”
– DANTE FARAGAS, San Jose, California (via e-mail)
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:05 am
Manny for congressman……OMG!!! That’s what you call suntok sa buwan. You can help the people of GenSan in a lot of ways….pinag-isipan mo bang mabuti kung ano itong gulong papasukin mo?But this time you’re not using your “Kamao”….you’ll be using your brains this time.
April 30th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Ang hirap sa mga taong nakapagaral lang ng konti ang akala ay wala ng dapat humawak ng gobyerno kung hindi mga mayayaman at nagtapos ng kurso sa ibang bansa. Mga mapagmataas at mapangmata ng kapuwa tao. Lalong dapat maging kinatawan ng mga tao ang isang nanggaling sa hirap sapagkat alam nila ang maging mahirap at hindi and isang tao na ipinanganak na mayaman o yumaman sa pinagnakawan sa kaban ng bayan.
April 30th, 2007 at 12:28 am
A debate? Ngee…
I am sure Manny’s answer will be “Suntukin nyo na lang po ako kahit ilang beses”.
No, I think that the proposal for a debate is NOT fair for both of them. As it is not also fair to propose that they spar for one round inside the ring. Darlene will not stoop to the level of Manny by twirling him on her fingers by her compound words and well punctuated sentences. And Manny is gentleman enough to lay his gloves on Darlene’s pretty face.
If I may speak to Manny directly: “Sa totoo lang, Manny, ang dami ring bobo diyan sa kongreso ngayon (at noong mga nakalipas na panahon). Our own congressman who served us for nine years cannot speak two straight sentences in English. His son who was made congressman when he stepped down was no different. But it does not give you, Manny Pacquiao, the license to demean yourself. E ano kung marami din namang bobo sa kongreso, bakit dadagdagan mo pa? Dahil lang sikat ka? Sana kung talagang gusto mong makatulong sa mga kababayan mo, nagsuporta ka na lang ng isang tao na may kakayahan at magkatugma sa iyong pananaw kung paanong tulungan ang mga kababayan nyo diyan sa inyo. Hindi iyong sarili mo ang igigiit mo. Sikat ka na at mahal ng mga Pilipino e gusto mo pang alipustain ka. Sa totoo lang Manny baka nga ang salitang “committee” e hindi mo pa mai-spell, how much more to understand what it means. Magpa-substitute ka na lang ng ibang tao riyan, may time ka pa to save your honor, to spare your constituent from a poor representation (in case manalo ka, [sana hindi]), and to give back to the whole nation our beloved idol “PACMAN”.”
April 29th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
We forget a congressman represents his or her district, not ours. Many think Pacquiao is not fit, but how sure are we his opponent is any fitter? I heard contrary to the claim above, his opponent is not a lawyer. It’s who can best represent the sentiments of the people in that district who should represent them. Pacquiao may be more fit to represent his people than even some senatorial candidates, some even making high marks in the surveys, whose only achievements have been talking their heads off.
April 26th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Impulses
By Engr. Herman Lagon
Pacquiao, a legislator?
“Are we really that foolish that we are about to choose a boxer, who hasn’t even stepped into college, than a well-principled lawyer for congressman in this coming polls? Are we that desperate enough to believe that the former will perform better as a policymaker than the latter?”
It wouldn’t be prudent naming the man who made the above piercing query but he is, understandably, an Ateneo de Manila University scholar.
Imagine this: Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao going into the august halls of Congress wearing his No Fear shirt and preparing his speech while approaching the podium. He then say, “Yur, hunur. I hab loyir hir to spik mi. Ip yu hab sam kwestyuns, lit anser et on behap ob, anu to, mayn pala..” Then, in a show of vote for a law on tax increase, he will ask his lawyer, “Wat I du? Wat es et ul abawt? Wat es EVAT? Saan ang entirpritir ku?”
This is ridiculous.
Being a congressman is no joke. The heart to serve is not enough. It needs preparation. It needs facility of the language, not just in English, but also in legal parlance. It needs a lot of dead-on critical thinking. It needs sound political principle. It needs proper understanding of the law. It needs maturity. It needs brain, not boxing gloves. It needs logic, not power punches. It needs lawmaking sense, not boxing sense.
Does The People’s Champion have what it takes to be a lawmaker?
The answer is obvious.
Sad to say, he will likely win anyway if he pursues his proud, misplaced ambition.
We all have the right to vote, but are the people too lost in space now to even think of voting a paper-milled high school graduate they see in TV everyday over a proven and a no-holds-barred lawyer like the present General Santos City solon Darlene Custodio?
He never even did high school. This Pacman we admire as a world-class sportsman just passed an average one-shot high school student test. Surely, the result isn’t conclusive enough of his aptitude. Surely, if given a change, he still can’t even beat regular students in solving basic algebra problems or putting into use simple science tricks. How much more enumerate and define the functions of a member of the Lower House?
And to think that all he did was to throw punches, get his eyes cut and win title fights, this man who is also into cockfighting and billiards (and even a basketball team that had only won once in seven games in the NBC), believes that he is ready enough to face the compañeros and the compañeras in the Batasan halls.
People flock at him wherever he goes. Yes, he is popular for he is the world’s best pound-for-pound slugger. But can that give him enough mental facility to make laws? What will he do amid the ever-daggering verbal exchanges and well-researched argumentations that heat up among solons in the floors of Congress on a daily basis? Surely, he’d lose all of the 135 pounds he has left in him before he could gather enough courage to blurt a single sensible word.
His robot sounding English is not enough. Even his money is not enough to give GenSan the right representation in Congress. He needs preparation�not jogging or jumping rope exercises, but intellectual and legal workouts. And this takes years to master.
Jumping into the dirty fence of politics is a bad choice for Manny who has been loved by Filipinos, regardless of age, race and creed, as a boxer. Pacman running for public office may be an acceptable proposition if it is only for local executive posts�but not as candidate for congressman, never for being a legislator, by no means for being a creator of laws.
Point is every person has a calling. He has already proved to be the best boxer in his division. He has already served his country that way. What more does he want in politics?
Boxing is this boxing icon’s calling. Therefore, it is gravely an abomination to self if one pretends to be somebody that he is not or, better yet, he cannot.
We have already enough clowns in Congress. One more addition will be enough to start a political circus.
Power is infectious. It even corrupts. Hence, Manny must know how to set his boundaries when there is still time to.
Boxing is one thing and legislation is another. If Manny still can’t see the logic, then we rest our case and just let history be the judge.
(Engr. Herman M. Lagon may be reached through h_lagon@yahoo.com.)