Before the Esquire Philippines issue featuring Mar Roxas on its cover saying “Hello from Tacloban,” the magazine actually published an equally provocative cover featuring President Benigno Aquino 3rd, which has him telling readers “How to be a Man.” That was its July 2013 issue last year.
I saw the issue at the barber shop I patronize, and was so intrigued, I read the cover story in one swoop. Unwilling to invest on a copy of the magazine, I asked the shop manager to allow me to have the cover story photo-copied.
No clue on how to be a man
You have to see and read this publishing marvel to believe that it even existed. It promises a teach-in on being a man, but in the story and interview, Aquino does not offer one word or one clue on how to be a man. So I learned nothing about being a man that I can impart to my progeny.
You have to see and read this publishing marvel to believe that it even existed. It promises a teach-in on being a man, but in the story and interview, Aquino does not offer one word or one clue on how to be a man. So I learned nothing about being a man that I can impart to my progeny.
I am not surprised at all that the Roxas issue turned out to be a rip-off. There was no story on Roxas inside the magazine, says my Times colleague Katrina Stuart Santiago. Instead, there was the omnipresent Butch Abad extravagantly featured in five pages.
Before the Esquire Philippines issue featuring Mar Roxas on its cover saying “Hello from Tacloban,” the magazine actually published an equally provocative cover featuring President Benigno Aquino 3rd, which has him telling readers “How to be a Man.” That was its July 2013 issue last year.
I saw the issue at the barber shop I patronize, and was so intrigued, I read the cover story in one swoop. Unwilling to invest on a copy of the magazine, I asked the shop manager to allow me to have the cover story photo-copied.
No clue on how to be a man
You have to see and read this publishing marvel to believe that it even existed. It promises a teach-in on being a man, but in the story and interview, Aquino does not offer one word or one clue on how to be a man. So I learned nothing about being a man that I can impart to my progeny.
You have to see and read this publishing marvel to believe that it even existed. It promises a teach-in on being a man, but in the story and interview, Aquino does not offer one word or one clue on how to be a man. So I learned nothing about being a man that I can impart to my progeny.
I am not surprised at all that the Roxas issue turned out to be a rip-off. There was no story on Roxas inside the magazine, says my Times colleague Katrina Stuart Santiago. Instead, there was the omnipresent Butch Abad extravagantly featured in five pages.
In the Aquino issue, there is a five-page spread and interview of Aquino, featuring black and white photography, with BS staring smugly at the reader.
In the interview with a certain Vanni Sequera, Aquino is given leave to mouth off on issues and topics of interest to him, and the editors do their best to make him sound clever and thoughtful.
If the reader has not yet given up on this column, here are some excerpts from the Aquino’s monologue:
On his decision-making:
“I keep telling everybody, from the time I was ambushed in 1987, that you cannot act out of impulse. All our decisions affect millions of lives. We’re not God; we can’t be perfect with everything we do. But we strive to be perfect, so we should strive to collect the most accurate and relevant information to guide us in the decision-making process. Largely, I’d like to think that it’s something precise like math.
“I keep telling everybody, from the time I was ambushed in 1987, that you cannot act out of impulse. All our decisions affect millions of lives. We’re not God; we can’t be perfect with everything we do. But we strive to be perfect, so we should strive to collect the most accurate and relevant information to guide us in the decision-making process. Largely, I’d like to think that it’s something precise like math.
On his critics:
“My critics will insist that I decide matters hastily. I’m tempted to challenge them to a debate. Why don’t you ask me how I made a decision, and show me where my reasoning was faulty? Now, I don’t have the luxury of engaging in debates, especially with people who are not open-minded.”
“My critics will insist that I decide matters hastily. I’m tempted to challenge them to a debate. Why don’t you ask me how I made a decision, and show me where my reasoning was faulty? Now, I don’t have the luxury of engaging in debates, especially with people who are not open-minded.”
On Philippine society:
“A portion of our society is happy being contrarian. Sorry for the cliché, but the truth shall set us free. If what we are saying is mere propaganda or spin, then who will actually side with us? I don’t spend time on those who are really dead set on saying and doing things that are the opposite of what we want to spark.”
“A portion of our society is happy being contrarian. Sorry for the cliché, but the truth shall set us free. If what we are saying is mere propaganda or spin, then who will actually side with us? I don’t spend time on those who are really dead set on saying and doing things that are the opposite of what we want to spark.”
On China and the national territory:
“I believe it was 2002 when China and Asean came up with the Declaration on the Conduct of Patries in the South China sea, which was a statement of principles rather than a template of rules and regulations. In 2012, I spoke up in the Asean summit in Cambodia…we’re back to talking about a Code of conduct.
“I believe it was 2002 when China and Asean came up with the Declaration on the Conduct of Patries in the South China sea, which was a statement of principles rather than a template of rules and regulations. In 2012, I spoke up in the Asean summit in Cambodia…we’re back to talking about a Code of conduct.
“Standing up to China and basically going to arbitration has a benefit for everybody.”
On his father’s assassination:
“I don’t have a tape of the order being given to assassinate my father. I don’t have a video or eyewitness testimonies, but we were operating under a dictatorship.
“I don’t have a tape of the order being given to assassinate my father. I don’t have a video or eyewitness testimonies, but we were operating under a dictatorship.
Part of your history says he never gave direct orders… The prescription period has come in. You cannot file charges anymore.”
On his Cabinet:
“I’d like to think that we all share a vision—that we were placed in this time and in this position to be able to do something that can lead us to say what we leave something better than what we found. And hopefully, a lot better.”
“I’d like to think that we all share a vision—that we were placed in this time and in this position to be able to do something that can lead us to say what we leave something better than what we found. And hopefully, a lot better.”
On being dissatisfied:
“Am I satisfied? I’m never satisfied. Unless we are already in heaven, then there are always things that can be improved.
“Am I satisfied? I’m never satisfied. Unless we are already in heaven, then there are always things that can be improved.
“If the push toward retransforming our society doesn’t continue, perhaps by more likeminded administrations. . .I’m not saying ‘one more term for me.’
“I’m not volunteering somebody who will pursue it with the same zeal hopefully will be enough to really transform our society and really get our people to demand—not just hope for, but demand the permanency of the changes.
“I’d like to believe there is a future president, who will have the same viewpoint on many things, so we’ll have a continuation of what’s been achieved so far.”
On life after office:
“I’ll need one year to recover after 2016. I’ll take a little break. Do a lot of things—maybe even something like a domestic tourist.
“I’ll need one year to recover after 2016. I’ll take a little break. Do a lot of things—maybe even something like a domestic tourist.
“I’ll have to adjust from any and all problems of the country and Filipinos being mine to being an observer in the sense of being a private citizen.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
So there you have it, President Aquino in his own words and with his own thoughts.
If he can look forward to private citizenship, so should we treasure every day we wake up with him no longer in charge.
yenmakabenta@yahoo.com
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