Aquino and Binay finally proclaimed as next President and Vice-President of the Philippines
June 9, 2009 is the “big” day for president elect Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III and vice-president elect 
Jejomar Cabauatan Binay. This is the very day that the two were officially proclaimed as the first and second highest officials in the Philippines.
They were proclaimed just a few minutes ago. The proclamation was adjourned at 5pm Philippine time. The newly proclaimed president of the Philippines, Mr.Noynoy Aquino was escorted by his dear sisters and some family members but not his girlfriend, councilor Shalani Soledad, a 30-year-old Valenzuela City Councilor and niece of former Senator Francisco Tatad. She was present during the event but in a separate seat from the Aquinos. To many, it’s a gesture of a low profile public official which is good for her and for the president-elect considering that mostly Filipinos do not appreciate somebody who is acting too soon than expected. Soledad just did the right thing.
Newly proclaimed Noynoy Aquino wore a Barong Tagalog-the Filipinos national costume for men. The newly proclaimed vice-president of the Philippines wore the same. The proclamation was held in Batasang Pambansa ( National Legislature ) also known with its popular name among the Filipinos, the Batasan.
The Batasang Pambansa is located in Batasan Road, Batasan Hills, Quezon City. It is also the place where The annual 
State of the Nation Address delivered by the President of the Philippines is being held.
Expectation is extremely high from the President-elect
Senator Aquilino “Nene” Quilinging Pimentel, Jr. – the 23rd President of the Senate of the Philippines, delivered his speech before the proclamation and he quoted something like this, “Noynoy has his own mind.” Yes, President-elect of the Philippines Noynoy aquino has his own mind and that he is not to be dictated by those political cronies who have hidden agendas for their own benefit and not for the poor people of the Philippines. Filipinos are hoping the newly proclaimed President Noynoy Aquino and newly proclaimed Vice-President Jojo Binay will do their job and stick to their promises of helping the nation’s economy not only to soar but to give “quality life” to all Filipinos. Filipinos had put their trusts and hopes to them hoping for a new Philippines to be born. Since the birthing of this new Philippines is twinned with the hope and trust the Filipinos should be vigilant, enough to see and read between the lines. And that these two would be fair enough to see, consider and be of big help to the people.
The Noynoy-Binay proclamation is just the starting point of their race to new government, so Filipinos…. fasten up your seat belts and see if they can guide and give the ways and means to achieve what you are longing for…a good life.
Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was proclaimed the 15th president of the Philippines – a nation that has been impoverished by poverty for almost four decades due to alleged graft and corruption committed by some highest officials. Philippines used to be number 2 in Asia when it comes to economic performance during 60′s but has been at the bottom for many decades, 2nd only to Bangladesh.
A 50-year-old bachelor, Noynoy Aquino achieved one of the most emphatic election wins in the Southeast Asian nation’s history last month where his campaign slogan is to totally stop the endemic graft and pervasive poverty that have long afflicted the country.
Landslide Victory for Aquino
Aquino garnered a total of 15.2 million votes, or 42 percent of the total votes casted on May 10, 2010. It was an election held that is fully automated using PCOS machines (Precinct Count Optical Scan).
Noynoy received a wild cheers and applause from a gallery packed with supporters wearing his family’s trademark yellow, when the parliament proclaimed Aquino the next president of the Republic of the Philippines.
How does it feel to be proclaimed as Next President of the Philippines?
Noynoy Aquino, the son of the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino (both deceased) considered also as democracy icons of the country, immediately sought to focus on the problems facing the sprawling archipelago of more than 90 million people, which has for decades lagged, behind its fast-developing Asian neighbours i.e. Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
“I am a little anxious, a little eager to solve the problems that are besetting our countrymen,” Aquino told reporters in his first public remarks shortly after the proclamation. “I can’t say (I feel) totally joy at this time.”
Aquino, who will take over from the highly unpopular due to alleged involvement of graft and corruption President Gloria Arroyo on June 30, said a fast-growing budget deficit was one of the most pressing issues. “Immediately, I have a crisis to deal with,” Aquino said of the deficit, which he forecast would hit 400 billion pesos (8.5 billion dollars) this year. “We have many problems that we have inherited, contrary to the propaganda of our predecessors.”
Aquino crushed his rivals largely on his promise of clean government with his campaign tagline “Kung walang korap, walang mahirap (If there is no corrupt, there is no poor)”, following nine years of rule under Arroyo that has been tarnished by allegations of massive corruption and vote rigging.
Aquino’s Historic rise to Philippine politics
Noynoy Aquino also drew on the huge public support for his parents, who remain revered for their efforts in ending the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
His father, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was shot dead in 1983 at Manila airport as he returned from US exile to lead the democracy movement against Marcos. His mother, Corazon Aquino, took over from her slain husband and led the “EDSA People Power” revolution that eventually toppled the Marcoses in Malacanang palace in February 1986.
Corazon Aquino then served as president for six years, a reign that is looked back upon by many Filipinos as one of the least corrupt of recent times but below par when it comes to economy performance due to alleged corruption done by some of her cabinet men and women, and the lack of know-how in governing a country. The presidency of Mrs. Aquino was a reflection of the politics of patronage and politics of popularity but lacked sound judgment, justice, and wisdom. A classic example was her lack of political will to implement the CARP (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) which was ratified and passed by the congress during her term as president up to now that Noynoy has been proclaimed the next president of the country.
Corazon Aquino died of cancer August last year. Her death triggered a massive outpouring of support for the family that turned the son from a low-key senator to presidential front-runner.
After the proclamation, the governments of the United States, Britain, Canada, China and Japan all sent Aquino messages of congratulations.
Erap Estrada Congratulates Aquino
Former president Joseph Estrada finished well behind Aquino in second place with nearly 9.5 million votes. The 73-year-old Estrada held the record for the biggest election win when he triumphed in the 1998 elections with 39 percent of the total vote. The former action-movie star was ousted three years later, half-way through his term, amid allegations of corruption for which he was later convicted.
“I sincerely offer my congratulations to my good friend and worthy opponent,” Estrada said in a speech read by his son before the congress, minutes before Aquino was proclaimed.
Vice-President Jejomar Binay was also proclaimed
Parliament also proclaimed Jejomar Binay, who was Estrada’s running mate, as the nation’s next vice president. Aquino’s Liberal Party could be constrained in its efforts to implement reforms after its choice for the vice presidency, Mar Roxas, lost.
However, Binay said on Wednesday he would not be a destabilising force. “I am a team player and I am willing to work with the president. Whatever is asked of me (I will do),” Binay said. Binay has been with the Aquino’s since day 1 of the then President Corazon Aquino in 1986 right after the EDSA People Power. Jojo was designated as OIC of City of Makati while Congress of the Philippines are still revising the Constitution to legalize the Revolutionary Government of Corazon Aquino that toppled the Marcos dictatorship, and further strengthen the democracy.
Liberal Party of Noynoy don’t have the Majority
Noynoy Aquino’s Liberal Party will also not have a majority in either house of congress. Arroyo’s Lakas Kampi CMD coalition will remain powerful in parliament, and the outgoing president won a seat in the lower house, where she could lead opposition to Aquino.
There is a big possibility that Mrs. Arroyo will be the next House Speaker because she has the numbers as far as partymates elected and proclaimed lawmakers are concerned. And if that happens, Aquino might find it difficult to push a case against Arroyo which he promised during the heat of the campaign for three months.
What will happen in the next six years remains to be seen. But Filipinos are hopeful that Noynoy will learn from the mistakes of her mother Cory Aquino by listening carefully to the dictates of his heart and conscience, and not to the dictates of those who helped him win the presidency especially those business owners who contributed millions of pesos in support of his candidacy.
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It’s high time for us to really unite for the sake of the country. Noynoy should listen to his conscience and heart…
President-elect Noynoy should be a healing president. He must exert extra effort to extend a hand to all political parties in order to start healing the nation as a whole. He must also start appointing some brilliant men and women who are not his partymates in order to instill true unity. Stop the “LABAN” spirit which connotes infightings among us, rather start “IISA TAYO”.
To the supporters of Noynoy, continue to support him and don’t expect something in return.
To those who are not supporters of Noynoy, give the benefit of the doubt to Him. As Nene Pimentel told us, “Noynoy has his own mind.”