As communicators, we are taught the value of both form and substance, that both are inextricably linked to each other, and that it's almost impossible for the message to be conveyed effectively if one of the two is absent in the communication process. Basically, it's what you say and how you say it. But push comes to shove, what you say (substance) prevails over how you say it (form); actions (substance) speak louder than words (form), it's oft said. Substance trumps form any day.
In this government, form is represented by Daang Matuwid: it's shaped straight (supposedly) and it sounds nice and effective insofar as messaging and branding is concerned. Problem is in the substance. There appears to be a glaring disparity between what is being said (and what is being projected) and what is actually being done, and this legendary disconnect between form and substance is where Aquino's vision for the country gets blurry (or blinded), it's where his message fails, and ultimately, it's where his leadership crumbles.
And the reason is the form-the so-called straight path-is populated by two reckless drivers, twins Hubris and Hypocrisy, who would stop at nothing, who both think they own the road. Hubris is the driver who drives very fast, never mind the safety of others on the road, believing himself to be the best driver there is. He treats public roads like his own Formula One race, and yes, he could be driving a Porsche while at it.
Hypocrisy, on the other hand, is his ugly twin brother. Like Hubris, he is a single fifty-something with nothing to show for except his land grabbed inheritance and a luck-luster and lazy career in government (so you see, there is a lot of insecurity there to make up for with swagger and arrogance). He is the macho driver who waves his middle finger at others, spews expletives at them when they make the smallest infraction against traffic rules, but is also the first to change lanes where he shouldn't, who beats the red light, who overspeeds.
Together, they are kings of the road in this Daang Matuwid we traverse. How perverse.
***
"In the case of NAIA Terminal I, it had a total allocation from Congress of P1.913 billion but the President had P1.64 billion impounded and declared as "savings" for DAP.
"The Tacloban Airport Development Project was allocated P1 billion for repair and rehabilitation but President Aquino had P718.36 million taken away and realigned to other projects.
"Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez protested the impoundment and asked (DOTC Secretary) Abaya for an explanation, and was told that the funds had been withdrawn for the DAP."
- excerpts from the news article, 'Palace diverted P14b for 22 airport projects' (July 17, 2013, Manila Standard Today)
So what are Aquino apologists saying that DAP was done for good? First, for DAP, Aquino usurped the power of Congress and undermined the annual budget law (violations of the constitution); second, it stalled progress (improvements to our airports, as in here) by diverting funds, our tax contributions, to the executive branch as "savings."
The end in mind was to fund evil DAP, the President's gargantuan discretionary fund (aka pork barrel), spent by him for his whims and caprices, including bribing congressmen and senators to impeach Corona (the Chief Justice who presided over a Supreme Court that finally dismantled his greedy and overrated family's Hacienda Luisita, land not theirs, land they've refused to return for over 40 years).
And they say he is not corrupt? My foot! Maybe because he is far worse. He is the corrupter. Pervert!
***
An ABS-CBN News report said on Thursday: "'DAP helped PAGASA make accurate forecast'… IF NOT FOR DAP: The DAP allowed the government to acquire additional state-of-the-art Doppler radars and establish three Doppler radar stations in the western seaboard, which now allows PAGASA to make accurate weather predictions."
My reaction: Who says PAGASA could not have bought Doppler radars the regular, constitutional way - through the annual appropriations or budget law?! It didn't have to be through DAP (if true), you brilliant people, you!
ABS-CBN News, please stop justifying the wrongdoings of Aquino and his student council! You're a lot worse than the government channel in spewing pro-PNoy propaganda and hogwash analyses.
And why not discuss the fact that your favorite PNoy vetoed the calamity fund in the 2011 Appropriations Act? That would've modernized PAGASA early on and saved countless lives even before Yolanda, a good two years before Yolanda! But no, he would rather have the fund forced into savings (aka presidential pork barrel, aka DAP) which he has sole control over, which he then used (and I will say it again because it bears repeating) to bribe both Houses of Congress to impeach Corona, among other things he wanted by hook and most certainly by crook!
ABS-CBN News, we're not bobo! Sumusobra na kayo ah!