On the lighter side

In the last stretch of President Aquino's first 100 days - even until now - he got embroiled in serious issues. Whether or not the positive popularity rating, despite some controversial decisions, reflects his executive capability and political will, is something else.

The August 23 hostage-taking inutile operations could be a defining factor of his leadership failure. His disregard of the clamor for DILG USEC Rico Puno to resign - and the latter's desire to do so - was an error of judgment. And his aggravating involvement, direct or indirect, in the "jueteng" payola which Puno merely "qualified" his role and, again, offered to tender "irrevocable" resignation, doubly reflected Noynoy's still unexplained reason to hold on to Puno.

The President's unexplained total exoneration from the August 23 gross inefficiency of USEC Puno and then active duty PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa for abandonment of duty, is likewise perplexing. And lately, the amnesty just granted to the Magdalo appears as too precipitate as to confound the public on the quality of leadership judgment.

However serious these issues are as crucial tests of President Noynoy's resolve and personality, one still considers these negative factors as too premature to judge. The 100-days as traditional "honeymoon" period may fall too short and, the rating of failure of the President is still debatable, despite the consensus that the Chief Executive is good only in making motherhood statements.

Now on the lighter side, especially on the matter of love with a beautiful Shalani Soledad, an elected Councilor of Valenzuela City… There's the popular maxim that the success or failure of a man's life and deeds, depends on the woman of his choice.

When Noynoy assumed the presidency, one of his talkative sisters prophesied that her brother would remain single or unmarried. Why, is he "led" by the nose by his siblings? Lately, talks have been rife that Noynoy and Shalani have split, and that Noynoy has a new girlfriend. Shalani also has a rich beau.

In their latest meeting on TV to clear the air on their wobbly relationship, it was clear that the lovers were tentative. Shalani appeared that they have not split. But Noynoy evasively invoked to be left from the guessing game, and for both to have privacy of their affair. He could have declared: "I love you".

In spite of repeated denials, it was very evident that there was no more light, nay, fire of love in their eyes and behavior which reflected no more intimacy. In fact, there was no meeting of their eyes. Their relationship appeared on the rocks. Probably because of Noynoy and Shalani's wide age difference, it seemed true love is now lost.

With no more love between them, would the bachelor President continue to enjoy the blessedness of privacy of his private affairs during the entire six-year term? And, would Shalani find her true love anytime now? For someone ruling the realm, there is no such thing as "privacy". Everything that happens as regards the nation's leader is also a public issue.

Though not strictly analogous, one recalls Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's narrative poem "The Courtship of Miles Standish" when the latter requested his friend, John Alden, to court the fair lady, Priscilla Mullins. When John wooed Priscilla for Miles Standish, the lady meaningfully asked John: "Why don't you speak for yourself, John?"

With due deference to the President, did he personally express his love for Shalani, or someone had acted as a go-between? It's possible, proxy courtship or just "tap-il, tap-il" had united their hearts? Well, whatever is the truth, a lot of difference exists when a leader of a nation has behind him a lady of his love and, the biological need of procreation is spontaneously mutual.

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