When in doubt, practice prudence. It's very simple really, you do not need to have a PhD to know this. And if you are in management, I believe this is one of the basic things you must know. Seriously, and I say this in a calm manner because I do not even have the energy to scream in disgust, first $15,000 (Bobby Vans) in Washington then $20,000 (Le Cirque) when you get to NY? What are you trying to say? And please, please, please tell your office of the Press Secretary, it doesn't matter if you didn't pay for it, it doesn't make it any less evil. Please tell them to stop using that as an excuse. It actually says something about how you simply allow yourself to be dragged by people for free stuff, when isn't it part of our Code of Conduct in Public Service to turn down gifts? Most especially you President, and most especially when you can sense that the gift is lavish.
And again, office of the Press Secretary - you say that when one offers you free supper you don't ask questions anymore, you just go. Really, not even the President whose security you must always think of? What if there's poison in the food that will be served or there is a death threat coming from that area, you don't check? You just go because it's free anyway? (napaka PATAY GUTOM naman ng dating ng Presidente!) And you don't ask anything? You are the President but you are shy to ask because you are not paying? Shouldn't our president have enough courage to ask simple questions like, "Where are we eating? Would it be too expensive there because I do not want to burden you nor would I want my people to think I'm being too lavish?" The most powerful person in my country cannot ask simple questions like that yet she feels she can govern us all? And is even thinking of extending her term to govern us all?
You also just told the whole nation that in first world countries most restaurants look alike and look so simple that you wouldn't think that eating in a simple restaurant would cost so much as $15,000. Most of us may not be well traveled, but we are not that stupid. In this internet age and the many foreign movies shown here in the coutry, we know that not all restaurants abroad look alike and EVERYONE knows that a proper STEAK is expensive. Even McDonald's is expensive for the common Filipino who only earns a meager Php142/day (minimum wage in small cities and municipalities).
Lastly Office of the Press Secretary, you had the audacity to ask us during your presscon if we will just allow the President to eat at hotdog stands? Ofcourse we would! And it's part of their culture, it would be nice to allow our president to experience that. And as long as it's clean and the hotdog doesn't cost the same as building 2 classrooms and feeding about 750,000 children. Please resign already and go somewhere where there are no people because your level of intelligence is a further insult to us. Or better yet, since I'm sure you are corrupt yourself, why don't you buy somebody to actually listen to you because you do not deserve any form of conversation with us. If I wasn't so aware of the many things this administration is doing {which I (we) do not agree with} I'd say I'm surprised you haven't been sacked yet.
I no longer doubt that you are evil President, but I guess the educated person that I am felt you still had some
ounce of conscience and 'delikadesa.' Now, I think you really don't have any anymore - because you were able to easily digest such an expensive meal without any thought for the hungry back in your country. I probably would have let it slip if you were just an ordinary rich 'kababayan' who simply wanted to treat herself to a 'good' meal (your hard earned money, your call), but you are the HIGHEST LEADER in our nation so I ask - Must you really devour that expensive meal while the poverty incidence in your country is so high? And did you by any chance think of those who died and lost their livelihood in the recent typhoons that hit the country when you drowned yourself in that expensive wine? Perhaps you did, in a celebratory manner, on how NONE of us would be able to taste that steak and that wine because you just doubled your assets by stealing our money. I sincerely hope you enjoyed your meals, enjoyed it so much that you are still CONSTIPATED up to now and that the Chef was in a bad mood that night and decided to pee on your soup. I sincerely hope so.
--Postscript--
I am beginning to think that the people working closely (Office of the Press Secretary is one) for the President are either Extremely Stupid (because I already know that they are stupid) or are secretly plotting to Destroy her (not that she is not yet destroyed in the eyes of the many) with these mistakes. But there you go Ms. President, atleast with some of your staff, YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE - Basura!
lahat ng alipores ni gma, follow the leader sa pakapalan ng mukha. mabuti pa dati, ang mga kabulastugan ginagawa "under the table", ngayon in broad daylight...daig pa ang lighting ng pinakamalaswang sex scandal...and yes, way more distasteful and scandalous!
ReplyDeleteI'll be the devil's advocate here...hehehe
ReplyDeletela lang, just simply tired of all this nonsense
first was the supposed "boob job" wherein her detractors where quick to pounce on kesyo her medical condition should not be kept private..i mean c'mon talk about low points for the opposition, i couldn't think of anything worst than that. then there's this dinner thing. come to think of it, $20000 ain't that big considering you're in New York and you're the president.accepting dinner invites isn't exactly a rare thing, especially when it's free...WHY NOT! Pinoy pa ang hilig hilig sa freebies. I'm just being honest here...the problem kasi with this government be it in the administration or the opposition is masyadong nagmamalinis eh halatang halata na man na they all came from the same flock.
i don't think its nonsense. sabi nga there should be prudence. Remember when the GE guys were asking for a stimulus package from the US and they all came in private jets? They got a beating from the US congress.
ReplyDeleteKung pupunta ka sa US para humingi ng favors dahil naghihirap ang bayan mo, dapat din siguro simple lang. Kahit pa libre yung dinner...and take note, ang nanlibre, Filipino Solon na galing sa Pilipinas. Common ethics and business conduct lang yun na wag tumanggap ng lavish gifts even in the form of dinner/lunch.
Pero granting na libre yun, tingnan din natin that they billeted themselves in really expensive hotels. Even private corporations who make money have taken the necessarily steps to manage operating expenses in the light of the crisis. We used to take business class flights, now short-distance flights are reduced to economy tickets. We used to billet ourselves, one person per room, in the most expensive hotels. Now we are encouraged to share rooms with fellow delegates in decent hotels, but not necessarily one of the most expensive ones. I heard from the news that the hotel they went to cost double that of room rates at the Marriot. Now the Marriot is not high-class, but it's not bad either. What's wrong with checking in at a hotel the level of Marriot? After-all, she's representing a third-world country. And by the way, the taxpayers paid for her hotel room.
The Office of the Press Secretary should shut down, really. Dami palpak. From the Garci scandal pa yan to the boob job when they first denied that the President had a boob-job ever kasi mga boldstar lang ang nagpapaboob-job only to say later on that yes, the President had a boob-job in the 80's. Hay naku.
ReplyDeleteI guess it would have been better if our President enjoyed a good meal in a good restaurant with a few close people and without bringing the whole Philippine delegation. A President must be allowed to have a good steak with fine wine, whether paid for by herself, by a friend or by taxes. She must be allowed that perk. Pero, dyos me, 65 sila kabuok !!! apil pa security and food tasters. A group of ten would have been ok.
ReplyDeletejust because Many people do it, it doesn't make it Right. Much as we have so many good practices we should keep, we also have a lot of traits we ought to change. Accepting anything, without questioning intent or source of money spent for it, just because it's Free is one of those we ought to change.
ReplyDeleteAnd when you are in that kind of a position as that of a President (whether of a country or even just of your class), it is expected that you also practice the BEST traits, practice appropriate actions by living within your means and do not flaunt and overspend in this time of crisis. It comes with the territory.
No one ever said that leading a Nation comes with Perks of living the high life. What the position promised was the opportunity to lead a people and bring forth development in a nation where its people yearn for true liberty and democracy.
Although they were in NY or US for that matter, i still say $20,000 is too lavish. And it's not about the Opposition screaming about it. It's about the FILIPINOS who ought to know why their leader is spending so much or allowing her Congress Representatives to spend so much when back home many people cannot even eat a well-balanced meal 3 times a day. I don't care about those darn opposition politicians, I care about where they are spending the Tax I religiously pay and what kind of image of a Filipino my President is showing the world.
yeah, 65 people! Party kung party talaga. Hay naku.
ReplyDeleteTapos kahapon dagdagan pa ni Mikey Arroyo na "Would you want your President to eat at McDonald's?" Napasigaw talaga ako sa TV ng "OO!!!" What's so bad about eating at McDonald's eh diyan naman kumakain ang iabng mga Pinoy. O baka dapat naghanap na lang siya ng Jollibee kung mayroon doon.
ReplyDeleteI just feel that the message given by all these "Gusto niyo bayung Presidente niyo dito lang kumakain, diyan lang naka-billet..." is that it's good for every other Pinoy pero the President deserves better than that. May sense of entitlement ang bruha!