I Am Buraot

At the start of the new government under President Noynoy Aquino, I do understand that former congressman and secretary Butch Abad is going to have a juicy post. In fact I expected it. After all, he was  Noynoy’s campaign manager at the last election.

On a personal note, I would love to see him back in government. I saw him as an alternative politician capable of running an agency that requires skills without having to abandon a belief that government work need not necessarily equate graft.

I commended him when, along with nine other cabinet secretaries during the time of President Arroyo, they decidedly quit from their posts. I said, “Hmnnn.. even with a bit of political propaganda, some people still knew what the word delicadeza means.”

Then Noynoy became president. By virtue of political gratitude that is not unknown to Philippine politics, it would be safe to assume that Abad was personally asked by the President to take his pick. I was expecting Butch Abad to be his Executive Secretary since to me it would be the most influential of all.  He was appointed as Budget Secretary.

It made me wonder if it’s about the pork. Continue Reading…

By Felicito C. Payumo
Mapping the Future,
Philippine Daily Inquirer, July 19, 2010

In a seminar for Liberal Party Congressmen, I was tasked to talk about the Economic thrusts of President Noynoy’s Administration. I thought that the best way to do it was to go through President Noynoy’s inaugural speech and flesh out the broad strokes on economic reforms and objectives he wanted to achieve.

It was a powerful speech. No soaring rhetoric. The objectives were clear and direct to the point. But more than just a thought leader, the speech showed he was also a feeling leader. Continue Reading…