Uncovering presidential spins and IP blunders

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March Fianza

How will the Ibaloys in Baguio have a lawful IP mandatory representative in the city council when the office whose ministerial duty is to issue an affirmation as required by law is apparently the obstacle to the goal?

                The NCIP Baguio office and the Special Regional Review Board created by the NCIP director upheld the validity and regularity of the selection process. Still, for flimsy reasons, the certificate of affirmation is not being issued.

                This issue has been stretched too far by the NCIP director and has become too tiring as it has taken too much time and has pulled to the controversy too many people. Ah, better to shift to a simpler topic – the papers of COHECO-Kibungan with the NCIP. 

                I received information that there are people who are looking into the orderliness of COHECO-Kibungan’s Contract Service Award. Its SEC registration and financial capacity are also being checked.

                Some sectors are also checking the conduct of its FPIC process and the politicians involved. Some people I have talked to also want to find out if there were irregularities in the process. Certainly, the NCIP director must have his hands full with all these. I just hope that money did not change hands.

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As defined, spin doctors are calculating persons whose tasks include steering and trying to control the way things look to the public in order to influence what people think about something. For politicians such as the President, we come to meet their political aides who, on several occasions, guide him or “set him up” into doing something.

                Theirs is the task of infusing ideas to events that will seem to look better than the original idea, especially in politics. Although, the way I “uncovered” presidential coverages in the past, public relations officers and event managers steer the occasion into a form of propaganda.

                This is accomplished by providing biased instruments and information to a political figure in order to persuade public opinion in favor of him and against a public figure or another organization. You can also say that the politician or the President is reduced to a mere product, maybe a sardine brand, perfume, shampoo or detergent.

In the latest presidential coverage at the inauguration of the new building for PTV8-Baguio and symbolic switch-on for the People’s Broadcasting Corp., Luzon hub; there were recurring blunders President Duterte’s own people.

                Not one who is always around the President seems to be seriously considering his speeches, pronouncements and the character of the man they work for. He did say on many occasions that he is “simpli lang ako” and goes for simple things in life.

                What happened at the inauguration? The spin doctors in charge of the physical arrangement spread a red carpet where he was to walk from the vehicle to the stage. But those in charge of presidential receptions who have been in Malacanang for years do not really know the President, because he took a turn upon seeing the red carpet and never stepped on a single inch of it.

                I am reminded of the presidential coverages during the term of President Ramos. He simply hates formalities that one morning after jogging at the Teachers Camp sports oval, he walked down Session Road in his slippers, “escaped” from his presidential guards by taking a left turn and entered the famous Dainty Restaurant, a favorite watering hole in Baguio.

                Once inside Dainty Restaurant, PFVR came back to his old self as he chatted with politicians, newsmen and ordinary people over a cup of barako and his ever present tabako. It is really a good feeling to see Presidents become human beings again. And that is only once in a blue m moon, or never.

                As for President Duterte, he cannot even see where he is stepping because presidential guards that I describe as the new photo bombers are all around him. Someone in charge of presidential reception should tell the guards not to overdo their function because their overkill actions are not doing the President and the public any good.

                At the PMA graduation, President Duterte immediately noticed that the name of Vice President Leni Robredo was not in the list of dignitaries to be greeted. He quickly gestured to patch things up and quipped an apology saying “bugbugin na lang natin yung gumawa ng speech ko.”

                I see that as an unforgiveable blunder on the part of his spin doctors. Imagine, it was not only Digong who was humiliated but VP Leni too. If I were the President, I will fire on the spot those responsible for the very embarrassing mess.

                The one who prepared Digong’s speech was either trying to make sipsip, disregarding the animosity that it will make; intentionally disregarded or was ignorant of the protocol for speeches during official functions. The VP was there on official function to award the Vice Presidential Saber.

                At the preparations for the PTV8 building, I noticed too that a someone has been testing the microphones for almost eight hours from the time the sound system arrived in the morning until around 5pm. As a musician on stage once upon a time in my younger life, I was exposed to sound systems and mixing Jurassic amplifiers only took minutes.

                And at that time while the 8-hr. long mic testing one-two-three was going on, Malacanang people were all moving around, giving contradicting instructions and having power trip over their workers. They were panicking too.

Even the presidential guards were undecided on where to designate parking areas as we were asked to remove our cars two times. By their body languages, it was plain to see that the spin doctors of the President do not know him as a person. They were detached from his personality that is why.

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Finally, treasure hunting at the Baguio Convention Center was allowed by the city council. Only councilors Peter Fianza and Art Allad-iw abstained from voting. This, after a lunch meeting with book writer and inventor turned treasure hunter Eli Cabusao.

                In an earlier council session, councilor Allad-iw opposed the treasure hunt because it is against environmental laws while councilor Faustino Olowan said it is a security risk.

                But all the same, the councilors allowed it with conditions they be allowed to view extraction and the city be given a share of 35 percent of the two truckloads of gold if found.

                According to the sharing scheme that was agreed on, 30 percent will go to the national government through the National Museum and the remaining 35 percent will go to Cabusao.

                I wonder how Cabusao acquired from the National Museum a “Treasure Hunting and Disposition of Recovered Treasures Permit” even while he has not been allowed by the city council to proceed with the activity, which is a prior requirement.

                Oh, I guess we will continue wondering because councilor Allad-iw said he did not join the “closed-door” lunch meeting. Also, I guess I will continue pestering him for his reasons why he did not attend the executive lunch meeting.