Le Porsche = Le Cirque

CTALK By Cito Beltran

(The Philippine Star), page 14

Updated January 14, 2011 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=647964&publicationSubCategoryId=64

The present Aquino administration is so generous.

In fact we can even say that this administration is generous to a fault, particularly their faults. Ever since they stepped into Malacañang, they have been so generous at giving the public every reason to criticize them.

Yesterday was no exception when radio and print media finally publicized or tackled the “issue” of President Noynoy Aquino allegedly driving around Metro Manila in a multi-million peso Porsche.

This of course is “old” news that has circulated among many businessmen and the privileged class. Perhaps, it is now NEWS, since the administration has nothing new in terms of real accomplishments and the public has lost interest in the last-latest girlfriend linked to P-Noy.

Perhaps no one would have noticed if P-Noy or someone pretending to be P-Noy were very discreet about cruising around Metro Manila. Unfortunately the style in which the convoy cruised certainly catches attention.

When I saw the now controversial “Presidential” cruise car, there were at least three huge SUVs running point with blinkers flashing and clearing the road for the President on wheels. I can only imagine that it was like playing Play Station Gran Turismo in real life.

Considering how the “walang wang-wang” declaration put a stop to politicos abusing power, any vehicle using blinkers immediately catch drivers’ attention. Now we watch out for blinkers and sirens because we now willingly give way to legitimate emergencies. But when three SUVs zoom by followed by a Porsche, everybody notices and now thanks to the media focus, everybody thinks or knows it’s P-Noy at the wheel.

It is ironic and alarming that the story of the Presidential Porsche has unraveled on the month when the NLEX and SLEX toll rates went up, when the government announced that they will be increasing the fare on the LRT and the MRT, and the same week that surveys revealed that more Filipinos went hungry in the first few months of the Aquino administration, more than in the time of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

In this season of discontent it was no surprise to hear that the President’s alleged Porsche cruising activity was no different from Gloria Macapagal Arroyo eating a thousand dollar dinner at Le Cirque in New York.




If it is indeed P-Noy who owns and drives the sleek Porsche, he should have consulted with several Porsche owners in Metro Manila concerning the driving etiquette for Porsches.




I am certain there are at least 200+ Porsches in Metro Manila but they don’t simply go out the driveway and flaunt their cars. Usually they leave early in the morning, on weekends and holidays and they try to get out of Metro Manila as fast as possible in order to avoid gawkers and not to attract unnecessary attention.




They drive outside the Metro in places such as the NLEX-SCTEX-Clark-subic and maybe even Baguio or back to Manila. Or they drive out south on the SLEX-STAR Toll-Tagaytay-Calatagan. These routes bring out top end performance enjoyment of the cars without soliciting envy, contempt or unwarranted social judgment.




The Porsche driver is always at point, unannounced and unassuming. They don’t have sweepers. Part of the fun is being able to use the driving skills required in order to fully appreciate the power and performance of a Porsche. They don’t have tinted cars because that would be denying legitimate ownership of a legitimate sports car legitimately acquired at a big cost or a big sacrifice.




Yes, privilege has its price and part of it is the obligation to be discreet and considerate.




I personally have no problems with President Noynoy driving around in a Porsche. I think it’s cool to have a bachelor President who drives himself in a high quality sports car around Metro Manila. But first things first.




As a fellow Filipino, I would tell President Noynoy – establish your relationship, your goodwill and above all demonstrate your love not your politics to the Filipino people and most certainly not your Porsche.




The Filipino people are very open-minded, appreciative people, but at a time when the slogan “Matuwid na daan” has been replaced by “Matarik na daan” (steep path) because of increasing and steep prices, it is no surprise that those who believed in you now take offense.




* * *




I was pleasantly surprised to hear from my friend Gilbert Teodoro who has just returned from a long deserved vacation with his family abroad.




Gilbert Teodoro has obviously been keeping tabs on local issues and commented on the plans of selling Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo. Being the former Secretary of Defense, Teodoro is familiar with the facts and figures of the Department of Defense and pointed out that the modernization of the AFP is a long term requirement, and that the money Secretary Purisima could make from selling the camps would probably be used up in one year or could buy only two to three fighter jets and all the logistical support for the three planes.




Being a country with 34,000 kilometers of shoreline, Teodoro stressed that we seriously need to beef up our capabilities to patrol and respond against smugglers, drug traffickers, and foreign illegal fishing boats.




Even more immediate is the serious need to upgrade the AFP’s ability for Disaster Response. We need aircraft that can transport aid, materials and personnel. We need emergency vehicles such as water borne craft and land vehicles so our Army and Navy can respond.




But like all else, we need a serious and informed plan. That’s the difference between people who live the life versus living the likes. I’m betting we will be hearing more from Gilbert Teodoro in the coming days.