Did President Noynoy do a Mayweather?

ONE GREAT possibility has been established in the confused aftermath of the Quirino Grandstand hostage-taking tragedy last Aug. 23.
Like it or not, President Noynoy Aquino can only be expected to score better and land a win-win punch if thrown again in the middle of a similar crisis.
Let’s just hope and pray the second big test doesn’t come soon.
As one new in the job, Mr. Aquino clearly needs deeper knowledge and experience to avoid a second savagery that has left the whole country numb in shame.
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President Noynoy definitely did something to prevent the massacre of holidaymakers from Hong Kong.
Too bad that the results he submitted could, at best, be described as sophomoric.
Noted Time magazine: “The Philippine assault force lacked urgency, directness and tactical nous—more Keystone Kops than SWAT.”
Hit hard by critics, Mr. Aquino readily made it clear that he did take an active hand in trying to end the horrifying hostage incident.
OK, he was not seen in the area of the tragedy even for a few seconds, but he claimed he was in a nearby restaurant constantly conferring with members of a trusted crisis team.
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The result was a big deathly blunder fueled by incredible incompetence.
That wide but uncaring smile in a press conference the following morning also sold President Aquino cheap.
The very abnormal reaction, in fact, led critics to claim they were quite right in demanding a psycho test for presidential aspirants in the run-up to the last elections.
Anyway, as the involved Commander in Chief, Mr. Aquino has since apologized, ordered a probe and done everything possible to appease relatives and countrymen of the eight slain Hong Kong tourists.
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As expected, there was this frantic race among his publicists and advisers to deodorize the badly altered Aquino image.
There also came a snap from one columnist close to Aquino who castigated others for trying to pull down the country with endless unpatriotic tirades.
What would stand out, though, was the deep concern and care from those who honestly wanted to make sure Aquino would end up winner the next time around.
The quiet reminder for Aquino to snap out of an inner lameness was clearly an effort to save the young, inexperienced President from himself.
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Yesterday, there was a lengthy text message on what President Noynoy had missed out on.
“It’s a pity that P-Noy has let this crisis go to waste,” said RP’s Sanny Jegillos, Bangkok-based mainstay of the United Nations Development Programme.
Jegillos, a crisis management expert who had a direct 24/7 involvement for RP during the Ondoy disaster last year, said it was one great opportunity lost for Noynoy.
He explained: “Crisis managers like us have a perverse attitude towards crisis. We like it as this is a challenge we are constantly seeking.”
What about Noynoy?
“For politicians like P-Noy he should have turned this into an opportunity if he had been more visible.”
What did you see in President Noynoy not being there?
“It’s as odd and horrible as Mayweather not showing up.”
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(PUP FORUM: The Bagong Katipunan Foundation chaired by Vice President Jejomar Binay will conduct the first Prudente Institute of Leadership forum on cooperative leadership and social responsibility on Sept. 4 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines media center in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Guest speaker is CDA chair Lecira Juarez.)