So President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Junior and his son Congressman Sandro were drinking and sharing drinks while watching high-octane cars break speed limits at the Singapore Grand Prix. This while a typhoon barrels throughout Luzon, causing horrendous property damages and killing at least ten Filipinos. Some would say, hey give the president and his son a break! They need a break from the daily grind of reading voluminous state documents and deciding on the fates of people and institutions. PBBM trusted his men so much that when he left the reins of government to them, the President made sure they’d perform. PBBM is just being true to himself– he must at least put a “premium” on whatever time he manages to get. And what better way to do that than in Singapore? Alangan namang PBBM spends all of his time at the Palace–a place he described before as a young man as a “dreary place” filled with ghosts.
But of course, some people do have different takes on the matter. People are accustomed to seeing their presidents on helicopters and doing press conferences with them personally telling the public what’s happening. Nah, we live in a different world where heads of state are more country promoters than anything.
Take a look at those photos–PBBM was seen with high Singapore officials, most of them members of parliament. Is it bad to discuss state matters during socials? Nah. Attending socials is already part of a diplomat’s tool kit and being the country’s top diplomat, he has the prerogative to choose where he does his magic. I mean, spending it or talking with these people while viewing the top elite crowd draw in the region and doing it for free, what more can you ask?
Fast rewind— former President Benigno S. Aquino III and his cabinet got flak when they reportedly came late in the day to extend help to our fellow Filipinos affected by Yolanda. Media had a field day commenting that maybe Pnoy was playing Playstation with his favorite pamangkin while the typhoon swept most of Tacloban. What was he playing at that time? Grand Prix?
Remember when Pnoy was criticized for driving a Porsche during his 100-day honeymoon with the media? That one caught the media’s attention because presidents of a “poor country” are not allowed to be seen driving Porsches when they always ride Lincoln continentals or elegant Mercedes-Benzes. Okay, to see a Filipino president riding a black Mercedes-Benz, yet not okay if they drive a Porsche?
Going back to our discussion– at least Pnoy then drove a private race car along the North Luzon expressway, while PBBM and his son just watched several world-class race cars. So, what’s the point? People accused Pnoy of “noynoying.” Are we then accusing Bongbong of being a “Bondying?” Your guess is as good as mine.
