Appointing Boy Abunda, et al. NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 06/08/2010

Appointing Boy Abunda, et al.

NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 06/08/2010 This appears to be among the first things the presumptive president-elect wants to do, for he announced it himself last week, almost soon after admitting that he had offered the Department of Justice portfolio to former Supreme Court top gun Reynato Puno, but got turned down. There are two versions of the story, too. Some say Noynoy Aquino did not mean a Cabinet secretary post for the TV host; others insist Aquino was merely talking about a lower government position for his youngest sister’s “BFF” (Best Friend Forever). Whatever it is, it’s also the first time a television personality has been singled out by a presumptive president for recognition and praise. “Think about it from a marketing perspective, things that you would want to market the Philippines for,” said Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III. “He (Abunda) will be a good communicator. Totoong kausap yan. Walang agenda other than what he will publicly say. Tapos pwedeng pagkatiwalaan ng buo.” So naturally there’s great negative reaction to the declaration.  The envious openly want Abunda’s head on a platter. The pretending-not-to-be-envious play nonchalant but engage in a whisper campaign against him, and this group I hear includes the “do-gooder celebrities” in the Aquino-Roxas campaign group. Initially dedma toward the highly popular Abunda’s campaigning for their candidate, the do-gooders are reputed to be the first to turn green with envy greener than La Salle Green and much greener than Gibo’s green, upon hearing Aquino’s open preference for Abunda. “He’s okay naman,” commented a former entertainer who likes to imply she’s no longer singing professionally by choice, when the truth is hindi na nga siya makakanta, hindi na rin siya maganda, so no one’s hiring her anymore. “But he’s Boy Abunda. Imagine Inday Badiday as Tourism secretary.” To make her point, the entertainer conveniently glosses over the well-documented smarts of the late Inday Badiday, in real life Lourdes Jimenez-Carvajal, daughter of former Philippine National Railways Chairman and former Ambassador to Korea Nicanor Jimenez and sister of Philippine Daily Inquirer editor-in-chief Leticia Jiminez Magsanoc. But never mind that. What’s galling is that the woman is known to be salivating over certain posts, and excuse me, the balita is that she’s set to turn down “small” assignments such as the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, or the Film Development Council, for it’s the Presidential Management Staff, or nothing.... MORE     Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100608com4.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Drilon or Pangilinan? FRONTLINE Failure of automation focus Racism still thriving in jury selection in US south — study NO HOLDS BARRED Appointing Boy Abunda, et al. AN OUTSIDERS VIEW A tarnished national treasure FEATURE Liberia hopes to find money growing on trees focus Offer you can refuse? Holidays at an ex-mafia hideout