Binay’s Boy Scout Pledge

BINAY: I’m being crucified—Inquirer’s banner headline on Wednesday.

Is Vice President Jojo Binay comparing himself to one of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus Christ?

If he is, which of the two thieves is he comparing himself to: the one who was repentant, or the other who was jeering at Jesus?

Definitely, he can’t compare himself to Jesus.

* * *

The Vice President has been asked to resign from the Cabinet by President Noy.

But Binay, the presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers affairs and housing czar, said he is staying on.

P-Noy showed Binay the door after the latter kept criticizing his administration of its shortcomings.

But the Vice President, who grew up in a tough neighborhood of Makati City, swallowed his pride and didn’t budge.

Self-respect is probably not in Binay’s vocabulary.

And so is loyalty.

* * *

There’s a poem that Binay has probably forgotten or hasn’t come across.

The title of the poem is Concept of Loyalty. It was composed by Elbert Kim Hubbard, an American writer, and is often quoted by members of the Vice President’s fraternity, the Alpha Phi Omega as its Loyalty Pledge.

Here’s how it goes:

If you work for a man,

in heaven’s name, work for him.

Speak well of him and stand by the

institution

which he represents.

Remember that an ounce of loyalty

is worth a

pound of cleverness.

If you must growl, condemn and

Eternally find fault

Why! resign your position.

And when you are outside,

Damn to your heart’s content.

But as long as you’re a part of the

institution,

Do not condemn it.

If you do, the first high wind that

comes along

will blow you away

And probably you’ll never know why.

* * *

On my Honor

I will do my best;

to do my duty to love God and my country.

And to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times

To keep myself physically strong,

Mentally awake and morally straight.

That’s the Boy Scout Pledge.

Binay, the chief of all boy scouts in the country, has brought dishonor to the Boys Scouts of the Philippines because of allegations of corruption.

Whether the allegations against him are true or false, he should resign as Chief Boy Scout to save the organization’s “morally straight” reputation.

He had the temerity to distribute T-shirts to participants of the Philippine Centennial Jamboree for Luzon at the Boys Town Complex in Marikina City.

The shirts bear his political slogan: “Kay Binay gaganda ang buhay (Binay will make life beautiful).”

* * *

A well-known politician was given a prostitute for the night as a gift and did the unthinkable: he sprinkled cocaine all over the woman’s body and sniffed it.

No wonder the politician, who is sometimes seen escorting a very pretty woman, is always wide-eyed, an effect of cocaine.