EDITORIAL - Hakuna Matata, or since when has Noy been pogi?

A story on page one in the Philippine Star yesterday read: “I can’t be pogi all the time  Noy.” We could almost see the more mischievous among us promptly pounce on the quip and exclaim: “Since when has Noy ever been pogi?”

Actually, the story is not about the physical attributes of the president, and whether or not they are pleasing or not to anyone. The story is about Noynoy admitting he cannot be popular and acceptable all the time.

More specifically, Noynoy has accepted that his decision to allow the hugely unpopular increases in toll rates at Luzon’s major superhighways, as well as in the fares of the different metro rail lines, is going to get him a few blackeyes.

In reality, however, looking good or being popular and acceptable should be the least of Noynoy’s worries. They were never an issue in his election in the first place. How quickly he has forgotten that his election came solely on account of his being Ninoy’s and Cory’s son.

A country that elected Noynoy exclusively because of his genes should be the last country to complain about its president doing hugely unpopular and unacceptable things. Such a country should simply grin and bear it.

In other words, it is grossly unfair to Noynoy to blame him for anything when great expectations were never part of the bargain. Filipinos simply wanted the exact opposite of what they were having and got what they wanted.

Critics may keep on their toes, but only as a means of exercising vigilance. Beyond pointing out the obvious, though, any criticism against the president, no matter how valid, will always eventually fall limp in light of the “pre-nuptial” agreement containing nothing.

Filipinos who elected Noynoy president were fully aware of his lack of qualifications for the position. It was enough to them that he was a child of illustrious parents. That was the unwritten caveat that nullifies any and all expectations of him.

So Noynoy should disabuse his mind about any worries concerning competence and ratings, or whether or not his pogi points are soaring or dropping. He was elected for what he is. So no problem. As he drives around in his second-hand Porsche, he ought to be singing Hakuna Matata.