Things to look forward to in 2016

The state-run PTV-4 camera crew deserved an award for exceptional technical skills in how they were able to maneuver the so-called “photo-bomber” of Dr. Jose Rizal’s monument at Luneta out of TV viewfinders. Not a shadow nor skeletal structure of the controversial Torre de Manila building could be seen while we were watching on television last Wednesday the traditional flag-raising rites at Luneta for the 119th death anniversary of our country’s national hero.

The bottom-up angling of the PTV-4 camera obviously did the magic to remove from TV frame the Torre de Manila. The so-called “photo-bomber” of the Rizal Monument is a condominium project of DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI). Before the Supreme Court (SC) issued in June its temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop its ongoing construction, the building has 19 floors completed, or 23 percent of the construction done.

Its construction remains suspended until the 15-member SC renders its final ruling on the petitions against the Torre de Manila. One of petitions was filed by Knights of Rizal which sought no less than the demolition of the building for obstructing the view and desecrating the sight line of the Rizal Monument.

Thus, credit should go to the PTV-4 camera crew for a great job of angling their shots at the Rizal Day ceremonies without the “photo-bomber” intruding into the frame.

But TV again showed it is such a cruel medium. Aired as live feed, the focus of cameras on the leading personalities involved in the Rizal Day commemorative program showed a lot about our country’s leaders. They were visibly trying to ignore each other’s presence. No amount of skills of a TV director could change what the public saw on that day.

For the first time, and perhaps the last, President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairperson Dr. Serena Diokno led the flag-raising rites in front of Rizal’s monument.

In fact, President Aquino, the Vice President and Mayor Estrada stood side by side to help raise the giant Philippine flag. But I guess there’s really nothing to say, not even to engage in small talk between or among the three of them.

This year’s theme was “Rizal 2015: Dangal ng Pilipino, Gabay sa Pagbabago.” Roughly translated, it simply means “The Honor of Filipinos, Guide to Change.”

The change at the Rizal Day commemoration was provided by the air show by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Two newly acquired fighter jets from South Korea, though secondhand, did a fast fly-by in Luneta skies. Our pilots did a precision timing of fly-by immediately after the Philippine flag was raised atop the flagpole. The AFP displayed 40 of their air assets that included 15 SF-260M trainer aircraft, 10 T4-1D planes, eight AW-109 helicopters and three Bell helicopters.

To his credit, President Aquino has delivered his promise to move forward the AFP modernization program.

The acquisition of these fighter jets and naval vessels finally came through in the past five years of the Aquino administration. Of course, the AFP is still far from its goal of achieving credible defense posture amid the challenges of protecting our country’s territorial integrity, especially in the maritime dispute around the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Now on his last six months in office, President Aquino has chosen Liberal Party (LP) ally, former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas II as his “anointed” presidential candidate in the coming May 9 elections this year. Binay, on the other hand, is the presidential standard-bearer of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

Formerly, UNA was a coalition Binay formed with former President Estrada when he ran as the latter’s vice presidential running mate during the May 2010 elections. Estrada lost by almost six million votes to P-Noy while Binay won over Roxas in the vice presidential race.

This Estrada reminisced with us during a luncheon meeting at The STAR editorial office later that day after he attended the Rizal Day program at Luneta. He came from his two other activities that day, his annual Christmas gift-giving at the orphanage of the Asociacion de Damas de Filipinas in Paco and at the Manila City Jail in Sta. Cruz.

I was teasing him about my observation that the three of them – President Aquino, Binay and him – were not even seen engaged in small chat with each other at the Rizal rites.

Estrada corrected me saying he and Binay were talking to each other and that P-Noy greeted him: “Happy New Year!”

Naturally, our discussions strayed to the Torre de Manila controversy which Estrada inherited from his immediate predecessor, former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim.

Already a done deal when he came into office at Manila City Hall, Estrada insisted he cannot undo a valid contract entered into by the DMCI with then Mayor Lim.

Incidentally, 87-year-old Lim is running against Estrada’s re-election bid as mayor of Manila. With his Vice Mayor Isko Moreno running under UNA’s 12-man senatorial ticket, Estrada picked Manila councilor Honey Lacuna as vice mayoral running mate. 

Now 78, Estrada told us he intends to retire from politics. If re-elected to city hall, he would be 82 by the time he finishes his second term as mayor of Manila. “Let the young blood like Isko Moreno run as mayor of Manila,” Estrada quipped. This, he revealed, was his advice to Moreno who gave way to Estrada’s re-election as mayor of the capital city.

The game plan is obviously for Moreno to “do a Lim.” Lim ran and won as senator but cut short his six-year term when he decided to run again for mayor of Manila. Lim won and returned to City Hall. Estrada though beat Lim’s re-election bid in the May 2013 polls.

The former president though brushed aside speculations he may substitute if any of the opposition’s presidential candidates – either Sen. Grace Poe or Binay – gets disqualified to run in the 2016 elections. “It’s (substitution) over,” Estrada pointed out.

Certainly, there are greater things to look forward to in the new year 2016, especially electing our new president.