Corona Speaks : In Tagalog

Corona also speaks in Tagalog. And, I was just talking about this whole national language use topic yesterday.

He even used the word “iling”. He even goes the same way as the Tagalog lambasting style of Pnoy.

I don’t know what this mean when opponents of Pnoy (or officials from other factions) start battling with Pnoy in the same way ala Zubiri’s resignation speak and, in this case, Corona’s rebuttal. Does this mean that Pnoy is doing a good job at communicating to the masses and people want to emanate it or is this a matter of you speak English, I speak English, you speak Tagalog, I speak Tagalog, in the way that we often mimic those that talk to us?

Corona does not sound like a “conio”. However, it does sound somewhat unnatural.

I only saw a clip of his rebuttal but these are some of the things I’ve heard:

“Diktadura na nagmula sa pag lilinlang at paglason ng isip ng ating kababayan”

“Ako daw ay midnight appointment. Dapat daw hindi ko tinangap ang paghirang sakin - bakit po ba? Bakit po ba? Para si ginoong Aquino and makapaglagay ng kanyang Chief Justice na hawak niya sa leeg? Mapapailing ka talaga.”

“Mabagal na takbo ng ekonomiya, kawalan ng trabaho, pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, kahirapan at kagutuman… mukhang hindi niya naiintindihan…”

“(Ako ay) tumututol sa pag alipusta, sa paduduro at pananakot… tutol sa diktadura ni Pangulo Benigno Simeon Aquino… “

Wow… what fiery words. But I can’t help but want to respond to the subjects that he mentioned. I am currently writing a paper that required me to look into some local and global. macroeconomic factors and forecasts, so let me just say these things…

First, with regards to the comment on slow economic growth: If you look into the status of the Philippine economy, it has registered its best performance in three decades with a 7.3% GDP growth for 2010 and while for 2011-2012 growth was lower than expected, current growth forecasts remain modest at of 4-5% as forecasted by most international institutions like ADB, World Bank and Credit Suisse.

Second, with regards to unemployment and the increase in oil prices: Anyone who has cable TV or who tunes in to the local news, knows that this is a global phenomenon. Greek people are now sleeping on the streets and going to soup kitchens. Majority of the occupy people are probably unemployed. World food and oil prices are expected to increase. There are other factors to consider - the Arab Spring, all the other global occurrences (Japan Tsunami, Occupy Movement, etc) and the US/European financial crisis. Should the Philippines be completely insulated from all of it? If gas prices increase, does this mean the president doesn’t understand why they are increasing?

The risk of further inflation is currently being managed, it is now somewhat stable at the average of 4.8% (Jan-Sept 2011) after some preemptive policy rate hikes and raised bank reserve requirements. Despite everything, global economic growth is still forecast to slowly grow, which gave OPEC the right to "slightly" increase oil prices as well. This is the story.

Third, with regards to his (Corona's) appointment: Well, yes, he was a midnight appointee. And, logically if he didn’t take the position, Aquino would have appointed a chief justice that would be more cooperative to his administration, which isn’t a bad thing, as don’t we all want to get things done, get things moving along, and not spend too much time on getting rid of former appointees that hinder the government from achieving other objectives, like say the RH bill or the divorce bill or other things that would move the country forward?

Lastly, with regards to “dictatorship”: It is truly hilarious when people such as Mike and Iggy Arroyo start using words like this, calling what was done to them as something out of the Martial Law era or calling the current president a dictator. It’s funny. It’s not even just ironic. It should be on a level that is way past the irony.

People call Pnoy other things, like inefficient, lame, duh, or a mama’s boy but if we suddenly classify him as a brute dictator, what do we call the people who have gone before him? What do we call GMA’s term that was marred by questionable legitimacy (gaining power via Edsa 2, where she was technically a unelected president and dubiously winning over FPJ in the succeeding election), midnight appointments (even her manicurist and gardener got appointments) and exercises of government regulation loopholes abuse? Again, let's get some perspective here.

Dictatorship, you say, and, again, I ask: Are we gaslighting?

This diatribe is not even about Pnoy. This is about all these impudent characters. Why should they be allowed to win?