From the blog of Raissa Robles:
It was an ambush interview and therefore the question – “Why are you still a bachelor?” – understandably caught him by surprise. The Philippines has had only one wifeless president – Elpidio Quirino – but he was a widower grieving over his wife Alicia and three of his five children who were murdered by Japanese soldiers during the Battle of Manila in the Second World War. Some politicians (and perhaps Sen. Noynoy himself) probably thought my question impertinent and an invasion of privacy. Let me explain. When Sen. Noynoy’s name started popping up as a viable presidential candidate I started asking around and was surprised at some of the answers I got. Some said they would NOT vote for him because he has never married and has never shouldered the responsibilities of raising a family. They argued that this shows he has shirked from taking on any responsibilities. Therefore, how could he be responsible for an entire nation. Others even doubted his manhood because unlike Senator Mar Roxas he has never even sired anyone out of wedlock. The second point, I thought, was not relevant to the presidency. But the first one certainly was. And so I asked the senator why he has remained a bachelor all these years, in the presence of fellow journalist Dana Batnag of Jiji Press. Sen. Aquino’s answer was most unexpected.
Follow the rest of the interview here:
Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III tells why he’s not yet married at the age of 49
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What a great article!
I hope those people who criticize Noynoy will finally understand why. Just imagine on every milestone of Noynoy’s life, he have major responsibilities na dapat gampanan.
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Below is an excerpt from Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s response to the question that seems to be its punchline:
Indeed, people are right that Noynoy — unmarried at 49 — doesn’t know what it’s all about. There’s nothing wrong with not being married at 49. That’s a personal choice, and everyone has their personal reason for getting or not getting married (including those who blame got for not giving them a life partner)
Getting married is a leap of faith into the future (seems like Noynoy has a chronic problem with dealing with the future). You make the promise to stick together for better or for worse. That’s part of the ritual called a “wedding”. But a wedding is not to be confused with a marriage. A wedding is a ritual and a marriage is more of a relationship. And last I heard, a relationship inolves two individual people with shared aspirations but not necessarily identical needs and personal goals. That means you need to work at making it work. That implies that there is a RISK that despite that effort to make it work, it still may not work. That’s life. Sh1t happens. You cross every street knowing that you run a small risk of being run over. But that doesn’t stop you from crossing a street, right?
So it is Noynoy’s prerogative to remain unmarried at 49. But since he goes on record about his reason for doing so, it implies that he is making said reason subject to public scrutiny and critique. And here is mine, Mr. Noynoy:
(1) I hope he is not being judgmental about wives who leave their husbands who are languishing in jail.
(2) As a future president of our fine Republic, I hope you exhibit a bit more clueyness around your regard for the future. So far as we have seen — your lack of a platform, and now this — you seem to have a grasp of the future that goes no further than your “fate” and “God’s will”. You cannot even seem to explain your romantic prospects in non-religious terms.
(3) Show us a bit more conviction about the future, sir — a conviction that comes from YOU rather than from the Almighty and his choir of saints in Heaven. I hope that during your term you use your time more around thinking and planning, meeting with and directing your secretaries and generals, and communicating with your people than spending it on your knees praying the rosary.
Are you planning to enter Malacanang in 2010 with personal conviction? Or do you plan to enter the palace on your knees swinging a rosary?
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Ako naniniwala ako sa mga hearsay. Yon kasi talaga ang bali-balita from reliable sources noong nasa OP ako pati kay Mar Roxas. Ang daming politico na closet queen pa rin noh pero pag labas ng bansa nagwawala.
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this article gave it in for Noynoy, maganda ang naging sagot niya at mga comments ng tao.
parang kailangan nga ng Pilipinas ng Marcos na walang Imelda, Gloria na walang Mike.
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Well, naniniwala ako sa sinasabing “fate”. Sabi nga “meron tayong ibat-ibang katungkulan dito sa mundong ibabaw”. Kung ang iba hindi naniniwala na merong Dyos na makapangyarihan para mangyari ang pinaka imposibleng pangyayari sa mundo, iyan ay paniniwala nila, at igalang din natin…hindi natin mararamdaman sa sarili natin hanggat hindi ito nangyayari mismo sa ating sarili.
Si Noynoy ay madaming traumang nangyari sa buhay nya. Hindi dapat nating tingnan ang kanyang kakayahan dahil sa wala pa syang asawa.
Ginampanan nya ang maging mabuting anak at mabuting kapatid….kung sa iyo ang nangyari sa buhay nya, medyo takot ka ngang mag-karoon ng sarili mong pamilya, dahil sa panganib na hinaharap…hindi dahil sa duwag sya, kundi dahil ayaw nyang mangyari sa magiging pamilya nya ang dinaanan nya…..Well, I hope hindi pa huli na makakita rin si Noynoy ng magiging katulong nya sa pag-buo ng sarili nyang pamilya!
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from the looks of it, Noynoy has already been observing and practicing what you yourself, advocates and adheres, and that is: FAMILY PLANNING AND POPULATION CONTROL.
Go unmask benignoo and get your true agenda, out!
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with my own interpretation sa sinabi nya, maiihahalintulad ko sya kay Oble (Oblation). inooffer ang buong sarili sa bayan. maraming tao ang nasisira/gumaganda ang buhay ng dahil sa pag-ibig. pumapatay at nagpapakamatay, naiinspire, nasasaktan at sumasaya. sya di bale ng hindi nya matanggap ang pakiramdam ng saya ng maging tatay, ng maging asawa, ng maging padre de pamilya, kasi ayaw na nyang makasakit pa. kasi ang mas gusto nya eh maglingkod ng tapat sa bayan. at sa bangsang gaya natin, ang taong naglilingkod sa buong bayan ay parang babaeng nanganganak, parating nasa hukay ang isang paa at hindi lang sya, pati ang pamliya nya.
bakit nya iniisip na makakasakit sya? dahil ba sa magiging iresponsable syang tatay/asawa? sa tingin ko ay hindi, kundi dahil yun sa mas responsable syang tatay ng bansa .. meaning mas pahahalagahan nya ang kabutihan ng mas nakararami kesa sa kabutihan nya at ng pamilya nya. meaning nafifigure out na nya na kung mag-aasawa sya pero tapat parin sya at selfless na maglilingkod sa bayan gaya ng tatay nya, naiisip nyang masasaktan lang nya ang asawa nya at mga anak nya…
at alam kong naramdaman nya ang sakit na yun bilang anak ni Benigno at ayaw na nyang iparamdam ang sakit na yun sa iba kung sakaling magkakapamilya sya..ibig sabihin, mas gusto nyang paglingkuran ang bayan kesa sundin sa puso nya.. di ba napakahirap nun sa isang tao pero kinakaya nya, sabi ko nga maraming pumapatay para sa asawa o babae, pero sya, kaya nyang hindi asawahin ang mahal nya kung may lihim man syang minamahal para sa bayan…. kudos to him! siguro naman sa buong buhay nya meron syang lihim na minahal o hinangaan, pero tinikis nya ang sarili nyang kagustuhan para sa atin, para paglingkuran tayo.
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