Bullseye: Binay

President Benigno Aquino III used his last State of the Nation Address (Sona) not just to trumpet the achievements of his administration; he also unleashed criticism obviously directed against Vice President Jejomar Binay and lavished praise on Binay’s perceived rival, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Mr. Aquino expressed his gratitude to his Cabinet officials, but his praise for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, believed by many to be his chosen successor, stood out. He called Roxas a man he and the country can trust to choose the nation over himself.  

While hitting Roxas’ critics for trying to pull him down despite his achievements, Aquino lauded Roxas for his dedication to public service. “Mar, pinatutunayan mo: You can’t put a good man down,” President Aquino said.

He mentioned more Cabinet officials, even his personal assistant and stylist, for helping him in his administration. But Mr. Aquino did not include in his thank you list his housing czar and OFW affairs head, who since resigning from the Cabinet assumed his role as leader of the opposition.

READ: 2-hour Sona on Aquino gains strewn with swipes at Binay

Aquino minced no words in blasting Binay for the latter’s criticisms against the current administration, his platform of governance, and even Binay’s off-handed push for a “one-to-sawa” (unlimited) term extension for elective officials.

‘One to sawa‘

“Itong term na ito ’di talaga ako naniniwala d’yan,” Binay said before local officials of Bacolod city. “Kailangan one to sawa ’yan, hangga’t gusto ng tao. Kaya kung meron amendments sa Constitution, ipapaalis ko yung term limitation. Hangga’t maaari, iboto nang iboto.”  (Binay later clarified that he merely wanted to extend the term limits of local officials).

In his Sona, Mr. Aquino denounced political families especially those tainted with corruption. He said he also turned down propositions to amend the charter to extend his term in office.

“Pero napapaisip po ako: May mali rin sa pagbibigay ng pagkakataong habambuhay na magpakasasa sa kapangyarihan ang isang tiwaling pamilya o indibiduwal. Ganyang kaisipan din ang dahilan kung bakit, noong may nagmungkahing manatili pa ako sa puwesto—kahit raw dagdag na tatlong taon lang—ako mismo ang tumutol dito,” Aquino said.

“Di tayo makakasiguro kung malinis ang intensyon sa mga susunod, o kung nanaisin lang nilang habambuhay na maghari-harian para sa sariling interes. Panahon na para ipasa ang isang Anti-Dynasty Law,” he added.

Binay served as Makati mayor for 20 years, from 1988 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010, before running for vice president. His wife Elenita Binay and son Junjun also took turns in being Makati mayor (Junjun is incumbent mayor).

The 1987 Constitution states that the President is not eligible for reelection after a six-year term. It also says the Vice President is not eligible to run for more than two successive terms.

But the anti-political dynasty bill in Congress is a watered down version of the original proposal to completely stamp out political clans in Congress. In the House of Representatives, the dynasty cap of one family member per politician has been raised to two. Congress is also looking at giving more leeway to clans by allowing them to be spread out in different jurisdictions in a manner which would not be deemed dynastic.

‘Gaganda ang buhay‘

Aquino seemed unfazed when he used his Sona to mock the party slogan of Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in the 2013 midterm elections – “Sa UNA, gaganda ang buhay.”

Binay is again using the slogan to promote his presidential bid in 2016. He said he could lift many out of poverty, as he has claimed to do in Makati.

 Though not naming Binay and his party, Aquino turned to street language to express his disbelief at Binay’s platform of governance.

“Siyempre po, kahit kaliwa’t kanan na ang ebidensiya ng pagbabago, mayroon pa ring kontra sa Daang Matuwid. Ang hirit nila: Mabagal daw tayo. Kapag sila raw ang naging Pangulo, sigurado, gaganda ang buhay. Sa mga medyo may-edad po, ang isasagot dito, “Ah, ganun?” sabay taas ng kilay. Para naman sa kabataan, ang sagot natin sa ganoong pahayag: E di wow,” Aquino said.

Without directly naming Binay and his party, Aquino said these people have yet to give concrete solutions to the country’s problems.

“Ang tanong natin: Paano nila gagawin ang mga pangakong iyan? Ang sagot nila: Basta. Nasaan ang detalye at kongkretong mga plano? Basta. Paano ninyo ipatutupad ang inyong mga pangako? Basta. Pakiramdam yata nila nadadaan sa basta-basta ang solusyon sa ating mga problema,” Aquino said.

“Wala pa rin talagang gamot na naiimbento para sa mga nagbubulag-bulagan at nagbibingi-bingihan. Ang payo ko nga po: Maganda siguro, kapag ganitong harapan nang iniinsulto ang talino ng Pilipino, ilipat muna natin ang channel, at baka mas may mapala pa tayo sa panonood ng mga sitcom,” he added.

 ‘Manhid,’ ‘palpak‘

Aquino also hit Binay for what he deemed unfounded criticisms against his administration. During the launching of UNA, Binay called the Aquino administration “manhid” (insensitive) and “palpak” (bumbling).

Aquino said Binay’s claims of his administration being insensitive was far from the truth, and used the expansion of the coverage of PhilHealth as an example.

“Noong 2012, inanunsyo natin: Kung kabilang ang pamilya mo sa lowest quintile o ang pinakamahirap na 20 porsyento ng ating populasyon, at nagpagamot ka sa pampublikong ospital, sigurado, wala kang kailangang bayaran. Simula po noong 2014: Lumawak na iyan para saklawin ang susunod na quintile sa ating lipunan. Ibig sabihin, para sa pinakamahirap na 40 porsyento, libre na ring magpagamot sa mga pampublikong ospital. Ito po ‘yung pagkalingang tinatawag ng iba na palpak at manhid. Ang tugon ko po, sabi nga ni Aiza Seguerra noong araw: I thank you, bow,” Aquino said.

Election a referendum

Aquino also said the next presidential elections would be a referendum on whether or not his “tuwid na daan” reform agenda would continue.

“May sentimyentong umiiral na sa tingin ko, mahuhuli ng isang tanong, ang tanong po: “Lahat ba ng ating naipundar, lahat ba ng ating pinaghirapan, maglalaho dahil lang sa isang eleksiyon?” Aquino said

After he said this, the crowd was surprised when the faces of Binay, Senator Grace Poe and Roxas — all perceived to be prospective presidential candidates — were projected onto a split screen.

Binay laughed, Roxas seemed to force himself to smile, but Poe, who was in the middle of the screen, was obviously taken aback. She smiled, tried to laugh off the attention, and seemed to mutter: “Oh my.”

“Sa ganitong pananaw, ang susunod na halalan ay referendum po para sa Daang Matuwid. Kayo ang magdedesisyon kung ang pagbabago bang ating tinatamasa ay magiging permanente, o tatanawin lang bilang tsamba at panandaliang pagbangon sa isang mahabang kasaysayan ng pagkakadapa,” Aquino said amid applause from the crowd.

Own Sona

Reporters chased Binay when he went outside the plenary after Aquino’s Sona. Flanked by his security aide, he evaded questions from the media, and appeared irritated at reporters who badgered him with questions, particularly on Aquino’s push for an anti-political dynasty law.

“Pakinggan niyo nalang ang State of the Nation namin… Makinig na lang kayo sa response ko in due time, okay?” Binay said.