PRESIDENT Noynoy has left for the world conference on climate change without the five artists who asked him earlier if they could hitch a ride on the plane which would take him to Paris.
The five artists—Nicodemus Pahati, who has cerebral palsy; Rico del Rosario and Maricor Book, blind singers; and Bobby Suprales and Edna Sanchez, both dancers—were supposed to perform on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP21.
The five PWDs (persons with disabilities) were hoping that the President would give them a ride because they didn’t have money for their fare.
“After their initial expressions of high hopes, they ended up crying a river of tears,” said Cecile Guidote-Alvarez of the Unesco Artists for Peace.
Who are these PWDs anyway? Well, they are not his relatives and neither are they his “kaklase, kaibigan o kabarilan” (classmate, friend or relative) or KKK.
How dare those commoners ask His Highness, King Noynoy, to let them ride with him on the same plane!
* * *
Are we still surprised at P-Noy’s high-and-mighty manner after seeing how he snubbed the arrival honors for the 44 fallen police commandos at Villamor Airbase in favor of attending the inauguration of a car plant in Laguna?
Or when he skipped for two consecutive years the commemoration in Tacloban City of the devastation wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” on Eastern Visayas?
“His Highness” didn’t attend this year’s observance in honor of the more than 6,000 dead (Malacañang’s arbitrary figure) because he was a sponsor at the wedding of the son of one of the country’s richest men.
Why would His Highness attend a tribute to dead commoners when he couldn’t afford to displease a fellow “royal” like himself?
* * *
Other Presidents would have jumped at the chance to show their love for the downtrodden.
Refusing to give a free ride to poor constituents would have been unthinkable for the late President Ramon Magsaysay and former President Erap.
But this President is different from his predecessors when it comes to showing his concern for the poor.
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Noynoy doesn’t know how it is to be poor and probably doesn’t care.
His famous statement to the citizenry at his inaugural address, “Kayo ang boss ko (You are my bosses),” is mere rhetoric.
This President is very insincere.
* * *
If Sen. Grace Poe is disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from running for President on account of her lack of residency, some of her supporters have suggested that her adoptive mother, actress Susan Roces, substitute for her.
If not the daughter, then the mother.
These people are making a mockery of the electoral process.
* * *
A front page photo, at the bottom corner, of yesterday’s issue of the Inquirer showed a young cancer patient checking out the new beds in the dormitory for child cancer patients in Paco, Manila.
The dormitory was donated by Hans Sy, president of SM Prime Holdings Inc.
The Sys are now known as the Rockefellers of the Philippines.
The Rockefellers, one of the richest families in the US, believe in sharing their wealth with the less fortunate.